Maybe you love to swim but hate lifting weights, or maybe you’d never step foot in one of your gym’s fitness classes because you’d rather be on the treadmill. We all have our favorite ways to exercise, but sticking to the same workout can lead to unwanted consequences, especially overuse injuries. Here are four reasons to cross train and what type of cross training you should be doing. You’ll learn a new skill: You’ll never know how good you are at something else until you try it out. You may find that you’re a fan of Zumba or finally understand why everyone loves yoga once you expand your horizons. You’ll beat boredom: As much as you love your sport of choice, workouts can get tedious if you rarely do anything else. Instead of sticking to your normal five-days-a-week run, add a few strength-training or stretching moves to keep your workout routine full of variety. You’ll balance out your body: One of the most important reasons to vary your workouts is to ensure that you give all your muscles the attention they need so that your body stays balanced. An overdeveloped set of muscles can lead to injury since the stronger parts of your body will be overcompensating for the weaker parts. You’ll have more endurance and speed: Making your body stronger overall is a good way to ensure that you’ll perform better at your first exercise love. Not only will your body be balanced, but you’ll be strengthening your muscles overall as well. Ready to add some variety to your workout? Read on for some cross-training ideas for runners, swimmers, and cyclists.

Cardio is a must for a whole slew of health reasons: it’s good for your heart, increases energy, helps reduce your risk of certain conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes, helps you sleep better, and boosts your immune system, to name a few! Of course, cardio is also essential if you’re trying to fit into the jeans you wore in college. If weight loss is your main reason for doing cardio, make your exercise count; check out the chart below to find out which type of cardio burns the most calories in 30 minutes. *All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.

While giving up butter and milk is definitely an adjustment, vegans can still enjoy the splendors of chocolatey goodness as much as the next gal. Typically, any dark chocolate is usually vegan because it does not contain milk powder (this usually starts at 65 percent cocoa). The higher quality the chocolate, the higher the chance that it will have pure ingredients and no additives. All you’ve got to do is read the label. If you’re a vegan in serious need of a yummy chocolate fix, these recipes will be right up your alley. Here are 15 chocolatey-good recipes that both vegans and nonvegans can enjoy together in blissful dessert harmony. View Slideshow ›

A bowl of cereal makes the perfect breakfast. It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive, and the right bowl of cereal is a good source of fiber, calcium, and protein. But if you make the wrong choices, your cereal may actually be contributing to weight gain. Avoid these mistakes when it comes to your morning bowl of cereal. Your bowl is too big: Depending on the box of cereal you choose, a serving size is about three-quarters to one-and-a-quarter cups. If you use the biggest bowl you have and just mindlessly pour, you could be devouring over 400 calories instead of the usual 120 to 200 – and this is just the cereal alone! You’re a little nuts: Sliced almonds, pecans, and walnuts offer healthy fats and protein, but they’re also pretty high in calories. Two tablespoons of walnuts is almost 100, so be mindful about how nutty you get. Keep reading for more ways your cereal bowl can cause weight gain.