Nutrition Corner

Have Dessert! Chocolate Is a Health Food—Yes, Really: According to professor Tim Spector, chocolate is a health food—dark chocolate, that is.

9 Food and Nutrition Mega-Trends for 2024 & Beyond: Ingredients that support the mind are one of nine emerging food, beverage and nutrition “mega-trends” that will shape the industry in 2024.

Recipe for The Day

Boyourdi with fennel salad and tzatziki: Boyourdi is a Greek cheesy feta and vegetable dip, typically served with bread for dipping. This version from Kon Karapanagiotidis is served with a homemade tzatziki that uses a clever tip for straining the yoghurt overnight to make an extra-creamy and rich dip.

Lifestyle & Fitness Focus

5 Simple Ways to Increase Your Flexibility

• Consider foam rolling: Research has shown that using a foam roller results in similar gains in short-term flexibility as traditional stretching.

• Perform dynamic rather than static stretching prior to activity: Dynamic stretching involves moving back and forth through your joint’s range of motion without holding or straining.

• Perform static stretching after activity: Your muscles will be warm and more pliable after a workout — so this is the perfect time to hold a stretch. Extend a muscle or a group of muscles to the farthest point you can without pain and hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds.

• Target your stretches to the areas that need it: Pay particular attention to areas that are particularly tight. The stretches that are the most challenging for you are often the ones you need the most.

• Stretch frequently: Flexibility gains are hard-won and easily lost. Stretch the areas that are particularly tight daily and, if possible, do it more than once a day.

The 4 Best Quad Exercises To Build Muscle & Strength

• Front Squats: The front squat is one of the most effective exercises for activating your quads. Compared to traditional back squats, front squats require you to keep up a more "upright torso position" that places more load on your quads.

• Heel-Elevated Goblet Squats: This exercise is a killer quad workout because raising your heels places the body at an angle that allows your knees to come forward, placing more tension on the quads.

• Split Squats: Split squats are a fantastic leg-strengthening exercise. Compared to a standard double-leg squat, research shows that isolating one leg at a time elicits greater quad activation by placing more load on a single leg.

• Single-Leg Squat to a Bench: Single-leg squats are among the most challenging squat variations since they rely heavily on the quads for strength, stability, and balance.

3 tips to boost your willpower

• Reward the effort: Resisting crisps or chocolate with your lunch all week demands a lot of willpower, which can make it frustrating if tips to boost your willpower you don’t lose weight. Feel proud of your effort – remember, it has strengthened your willpower.

• Believe in yourself: Self-confidence is key. If you believe you can finish a five-mile run and you can imagine yourself on the podium with a medal, then you’re less likely to give up.

• Clarify your goals: Work out what you want to achieve and how you’re going to get there – otherwise it’s like searching for treasure without a map. Planning in advance can help you focus, and there are plenty of apps to help monitor your progress.

Forget dumbbells — 3 standing ab exercises to sculpt your core using a resistance band

• Resistance Band Pallof Press: Tie your resistance band around a squat rack or stable pole around shoulder height. Hold one end loop of your resistance band with both hands and take a big step away from the anchor point to create tension through the band. Hold the band close to your chest with elbows bent, feet hip-width apart, and stomach and glutes braced. The anchor point should be side-on. As you exhale, press the resistance band away from you while extending both arms, maintaining a shoulder-height position. Resist turning your body toward the anchor point, and hold for 5-10 seconds, then draw the band back in.

• Resistance Band Standing Ab Twists: Keep your resistance band secured (as above) and lower it slightly to chest height. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and grip the band with both hands. Sep away from the anchor point to create tension through the band. Extend your arms away from you and brace your stomach, turn slightly towards the anchor point, then pull powerfully away to rotate your torso in the opposite direction. Keep your feet planted and position your body side-on to the anchor point while moving with control.

• Resistance Band Side Bends: Start with feet hip-width apart and a soft knee bend. Double-wrap the resistance band, secure one end underneath your right foot and hold the other in your right hand. Stand tall and engage your stomach muscles, then bend your torso slowly to the right, lowering your hand along the outside of your right leg while allowing the band to go loose. Pause, then pull against the band as you stand tall again.

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