Dawn Doneza Freelance Writer

Anyone who is watching their weight is thinking or already has cut carbs out of their diet. Carbs has taken a bad rap of being the culprit to putting on weight. But, are carbs really bad for you? Particularly, does it make you gain weight? The truth is, our bodies need carbs. It is the fuel in which our bodies run. Without it, we would not have the energy to go through our day. If you completely remove carbs from your diet, you will lose weight because your body will use up the fat stored in your body to compensate, and that may be good. But in the long run, you will still need to replenish your fuel so you wouldn't burn out. It is when you eat more than what you need that makes you gain weight. There should be a balance between the fuel you put in and the energy you exert. Once you eat too much carbs and then you don't spend that energy on physical activity, that energy will be stored in your body as fat. In the long run, there will be an excess of fat stored, thus gai...

A common mistake most people do when exercising is they omit to stretch before and after they work out, saying they'll warm up when they start exercising, or that they don't really need it afterwards. But properly stretching pre- and post-workout is beneficial to the body and actually helps in keeping fitness on track. Stretching is beneficial pre-workout by balancing the mechanics of the body. It prevents injuries by warming up the muscles, connective tissues and joints for them to be able to perform a greater range of motions. It raises the body temperature and heart rate to prepare the body for the strenuous activity ahead. Not only will the body become more flexible, the performance also improves over time. As for post-workout, stretching is beneficial because it helps cool down the body by loosening up tight muscles and slowing the heart rate. It is a good idea to incorporate a slow walk post-workout as a way to cool down and be sure to perform static stretches for 5-10 mi...