"Diet and exercise" is a phrase that goes hand-in-hand with losing weight. But what you eat or drink before, during and after your workout is key to the weight loss process. Whether you run marathons, bike to work or walk around your neighborhood a few times a week – if you really want to optimize your workout, it’s time to check in on your diet. It’s all about moderation and balancing your food groups: protein and carbs, fruits and veggies, experts say. So how do they all work together? Before a workout, it’s all about the carbs, said Carol Kelly, a dietitian at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. “Carbohydrate is the fuel for our bodies, fuel for our brains.  If you think of your metabolism as a fire, carbohydrate is the fuel that helps the fire burn hot.” You want a meal that includes quality carbohydrates, lean protein, heart-healthy fats and fluids.  Without a sufficient carb supply, you could be breaking down muscle when you exercise. If you’re working out in the afternoon or after work, you want to make sure to eat a balanced lunch with some carbs. Here are a few options: A turkey sandwich with a piece of fruit Whole grain pasta with low-fat tomato sauce A salad with grilled chicken Now, if you’re working out first thing in the morning for an hour or less, breakfast can wait until after your workout. That’s because the body usually stores enough glycogen (the body’s long-term energy storage molecules)  from the previous night’s dinner to fuel the workout. After exercise, refueling (a.k.a. breakfast) needs to happen within 30 to 40 minutes. That meal should look like a combination of carbohydrates and protein, but not too much protein: 10 to 20 grams, or a palm-sized piece of chicken, is enough. You can try some of these combinations: Greek yogurt and an apple Hummus and whole grain crackers Grilled chicken and a baked potato “With exercise, our bodies are constantly breaking down and need to be repaired and protein helps do that,” Kelly said. But there are still “ free radicals ” floating around in our bodies after we work out, one of the few negative effects of exercise.  These are molecules which are produced when the body breaks down cells and can cause cell damage.  The best solution to rid our bodies of free radicals is to eat lots of fruit and vegetables which help mop up damage that occurs during exercise. A salad, a piece of fruit, mushrooms, onions, even salsa — all are good plant options to fit in throughout the day, according to Kelly. If you do work out more than 60 minutes each day, you’re going to have to up your carb and protein intake. And definitely don’t delay breakfast if you’re working out  that long first thing in the morning. You’re going to need some fuel to keep you going, whether it’s some yogurt and toast or cereal with milk. You can also sip on a sports drink while you work out. Some sports beverages get a bad rap for the sugar some of them contain, but for intense workouts that last longer than an hour, they do the trick.  Stick to drinks that have a 6-to-8% solution of carbohydrates and electrolytes to help you hit your workout goal. For those of us who aren’t competing in a triathlon just yet, plain old H2O has everything you need to stay hydrated during your workout –and during the day. The important thing is to get moving first and then work your diet around your exercise routine. Filed under: Diet and Fitness , Exercise , Healthy Eating Tagged: Lindsey Bomnin – CNN Medical Intern

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar! Ever wish you had a personal chef to deliver diet-friendly meals right to your home? Us, too! That’s why we had to catch up with Jillian Michaels at her recent event at the W Residences in Hollywood to get the skinny on her new partnership with Freshology, a food delivery program that brings gourmet, calorie-controlled meals straight to your door. “I’ve been wanting to get involved with something like this for a long time, but either the food sucked or it was packed with unhealthy preservatives,” says Michaels. “It’s not just calories – the quality of the food matters when it comes to health and weight loss, which is why I really clicked with the Freshology’s commitment to fresh, clean food.” Teaming up with Freshology’s five-star chef, Michaels used her nutrition principles to create a total weight-loss plan that delivers healthy, wholesome, and delicious food with no preservatives, no hormones, no artificial sweeteners, and no trans fats. On the program, you’ll receive a twice-weekly delivery stocked with daily meals totaling 1,400 to 1,800 calories: breakfast (240 to 475 calories), lunch (230 to 470 calories), dinner (303 to 536 calories), and a dessert. The 28-day rotation ensures you’ll never experience taste bud boredom. And all the food is precooked, chilled, and ready to go, so at the very most, all you have to do is zap it in the microwave. For added “thinspiration,” you’ll also get Michaels’s fitness DVDs , texts to keep you motivated, and a copy of her book, Master Your Metabolism . Keep reading to see if Freshology passed our taste test. More from Fitness Magazine: Five Moves to Get Jillian Michaels’s Amazing Arms Bob Harper’s 20-Minute Fat-Blasting Circuit The New Diet Rules: Eight Easy Steps to Eat Better

It sounds like something out of a horror film – a micro-organism that enters through an open wound and begins to consume your body from the inside out. Unfortunately flesh-eating bacteria, or necrotizing fasciitis, isn't fiction. Aimee Copeland, a 24-year-old graduate student from Georgia, is fighting for her life in an Augusta hospital after contracting one type known as aeromonas hydrophila during a zip line adventure. Aeromonas hydrophila is found in most, if not all, freshwater or brackish water environments (water that contains salt but is not saltwater), according to the Food and Drug Administration's " Bad Bug Book ." It is sometimes swallowed by swimmers, causing stomach or intestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. It can also be found in fish and shellfish. The severity of the gastrointestinal infection depends on your immune system's ability to fight it off, according to the Mayo Clinic . Aeromonas hydrophila can also enter the body through an open wound, as happened in the Copeland case. When that occurs the flesh-eating bacteria quickly reproduces, giving off toxins that destroy skin and soft tissue. Such bacteria is adept at hiding from the body's immune system, according to the National Necrotizing Fasciitis Foundation . If necrotizing fasciitis is detected early, only skin or fat may need to be removed. But if the infection is detected later, amputation may be necessary to stop the spread of the bacteria. Dr. William Schaffner, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases , says when Aeromonas hydrophila enters through an open wound, early diagnosis is difficult. The bacteria does its damage deep in the tissue and doesn't manifest itself on the skin's surface. Patients should pay attention to any pain coming from a closed wound, as well as redness or drainage, he told CNN. The frequency of Aeromonas hydrophilia infections is unknown, the FDA notes, because researchers only recently began trying to collect numbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year there are about 10,000 U.S. cases of group A streptococcus, a collection of bacteria that includes necrotizing fasciitis. Approximately 20% of the cases of necrotizing fasciitis are fatal, according to the CDC. Filed under: Conditions , Infectious diseases Tagged: Jacque Wilson and John Bonifield — CNN

At the heart of her mission, best-selling author and speaker Marianne Williamson urges people to choose love over fear – and get very self-aware in the process. Marianne’s book A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons For Surrounding Your Weight Forever looks at the deep connection between spirituality and weight loss, while providing concrete exercises to complement the journey in order to say goodbye to unwanted weight forever . If you’ve grappled with issues of worthiness, weight loss, or compulsive eating, I urge you to pick up this book for some fresh perspective. While every page of this book offers new insight and advice, if you’re interested in a taste of what A Course in Weight Loss has to offer, here are five quotes that really moved me. “When you’re eating excessively, you’re expressing fear.” Marianne urges her readers to look deep within themselves and see places where they are expressing love and where they are expressing fear. If you’re a compulsive overeater, chances are you’re trying to satisfy some urge unrelated to the food in front of you. Whether it’s a lack of meaningful purpose, low self-esteem, or another difficult circumstance, Marianne wants her readers to make the connection between an unhealthy relationship with fearful thoughts and food. “The Not-Thin You is not your enemy; she is an unintegrated part of yourself.” This point definitely struck a chord with me. So often we look at our extra pounds as our direct adversary, but Marianne tells us to shift our perspective. Only when we love and accept our bodies for what they – all their imperfections included- can we find a healthy way to let go of extra unwanted weight and keep it off. “It all begins with a beautiful napkin.” In one of my favorite lessons in A Course in Weight Loss , Marianne talks about starting a love affair with food. The idea of buying a beautiful napkin just for you will help you build new healthy rituals around mealtime. Marianne also says that quick eating and disposable napkins and plates are out of the question. By creating new mindful, beautiful rituals around mealtime, you’ll be able to let go of negative patterns from the past. Keep reading for two more lessons learned from A Course in Weight Loss .

Fiber, fiber, fiber. We all know we should be getting enough. It’s recommended that women eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day to decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as some types of cancer including breast cancer. Eating plenty of fresh, luscious fruits in your diet is a great way to fill up on fiber, but which sources are the best? Keep reading to see a chart comparing the fiber content of your favorite fruits.

Poor beans. Many people pass them up because they’re not a fan of the squishy texture or their gaseous repercussions. But these inexpensive magical legumes are so healthy for you, between their fiber, protein, and iron content, everyone should include them in their diet. If you’re having trouble stomaching a bowl of beans, you can still reap the healthy benefits without your taste buds even realizing it. Appeal to your sweet tooth and try out these dessert recipes, all made with the goodness of protein- and fiber-loaded beans. View Slideshow ›

Even the most healthy of eaters can’t love every single veggie. You could cover the broccoli you despise with melted cheese to make those florets more palatable, but of course that’s not a superhealthy option. Here’s a healthy trick to help those unfavorite veggies go down: mix them with veggies you love. If it’s mashed potatoes you crave, add chopped kale to your bowl, or grill peppers or zucchini with your beloved onions. If you’re a huge pasta fan, toss mushrooms into the tomato sauce, or mix steamed carrots with cubes of sweet potato. When you eat veggies you don’t care for with ones you can’t live without, you can just focus on the flavors you love while still reaping the nutritional benefits from those unwanted veggies. Source: Flickr User VirtualErn

Planting season is here. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice, a new study is raising a red flag about some of the products you might be using. HealthyStuff.org – a nonprofit environmental group that researches toxic chemicals in consumer products – tested nearly 200 common garden products and found two-thirds of them contained significant levels of one or more toxic chemicals they ranked of "high concern." In garden hoses, gloves, kneeling pads and a variety of tools like shovels and trowels researchers found a number of toxins including lead, phthalates and bisphenol A or BPA .  Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastic.  They are considered endocrine disrupters which interfere with the body's hormone function and some studies have linked them to adverse developmental issues and birth defects. BPA is another toxin used in plastics from water bottles to dental sealant.  In fact, many of the chemicals found have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity and other serious health issues. "This is another example of people assuming that products on the shelves that they're buying are safe, when in fact they're largely unregulated and full of chemical hazards," said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at HealthyStuff.org.  "The good news part of that is there are better choices out there on the market – specifically polyurethane and natural rubber hose all test better than the vinyl hoses that we studied." Ninety different types of hoses and 53 different gloves were tested. In both products, lead and phthalates were found at levels that exceeded standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) . Researchers focused on garden hoses to see if there had been any improvement from previous studies.  In one test they bought a hose, filled it with water and set it outside in the sun. "We found different chemicals of note," said Gearhart. "We found lead migrated from the hose into the water and we found lead at a level 18 times higher than the federal drinking water standard. We found BPA in the water at a level 20 times higher than the safe drinking level." They also found a phthalate called DEHP at a level 4 times higher than federal drinking water standards. Gearhart says the water hose findings were the most significant and the biggest concern. "These water hoses are not regulated by anyone, the CPSC or the federal drinking water act or federal drinking water standard and they should be," Gearhart said. "Our testing allowed us to determine what percentage of water hoses do not comply with the federal safe drinking water act.  Under the act, lead levels are limited in plumbing fixtures to no more than 2,500 ppm (parts per million).  We found that 1 in 3, 33% of the hoses tested contained lead in excess of the 2,500 ppm lead limit. " HealthyStuff.org recommends consumers let the hose run for a few seconds before using it, avoid keeping it in direct sunlight, store your hose in the shade instead. "We know that temperature can increase the release of the chemical from the hose.  Don't drink water from your hose unless you know it's lead free or drinking water safe." Other recommendations: avoid polyvinylchloride or PVC hoses – stick with one that's lead-free.  And finally, get your garden soil tested. Lead, primarily from house paint, according to Gearhart, can show up in soil. As for gardening gloves, they say avoid any that are vinyl or have a vinyl coating. There's been plenty of ongoing controversy over the chemical BPA.  The FDA has done extensive research and reviewed hundreds of studies on the chemical.  They have maintained that to-date the scientific evidence does not suggest that very low levels of exposure through diet are unsafe. But on March 30, 2012 they issued an interim update on BPA.  That update says in part: "Studies employing standardized toxicity tests have thus far supported the safety of current low levels of human exposure to BPA. However, on the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and the FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA." So in the meantime,the agency says, it will take "reasonable steps to reduce human exposure to BPA in the food supply." Filed under: Toxic America

If the movie trailer for The Five-Year Engagement is any indication, then we’re in for a treat! The romantic comedy is set to hit theaters tomorrow, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look at how its star Emily Blunt stays so healthy and fit. She lets herself indulge : Emily has been vocal about avoiding strict diets (with the exception of shaping up for a few movie roles ), instead choosing to enjoy things in moderation – whether that be pasta, cheese, or any other food commonly off limits. But, when it’s time to let loose, she gives herself a free pass. Emily told Women’s Health that while on a trip to Paris, she did nothing but “eat cheese and bread.” She keeps active in her relationship : Whether it’s touring the Hamptons on bikes or surfing on a Hawaiian getaway , Emily and husband John Krasinski are never content to just sit at home. But perhaps the best motivation keeping the pair fit are the almost-daily walks they take together with Finn , their red Labrador. Learn what Emily’s fitness routine is after the break!

Depending on severity, allergies can range from annoying to deadly. Millions of Americans are familiar with the sneezing, itching and coughing that come along with spring allergies to toxins, while others suffer hives or even airway blockage if they eat the wrong food. And we know that food allergies are on the rise , partly because of awareness but experts say something else may be going on. It’s a mystery why industrial countries see more and more children having reactions to common foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat or soy. But there’s a deeper question to ask here: Why do humans have allergies at all? One view is that the immune response seen in allergies is the same sort of defense your body uses against parasitic worms. It’s thought that what we know as “allergy” evolved against those worms, but has become mistargeted in some people, so that common substances such as pollen and dust set them off, too. However, common environmental and food allergens have little in common with parasitic worms. There’s an explanation for why the immune system would respond to something that's not microbial, says Ruslan Medzhitov, professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. In a perspective article in the journal Nature, Medzhitov and colleagues probe the question: Is there another explanation for allergies? They argue that, in fact, allergies are meant to remove harmful substances from the body. For the case of seasonal allergies to tree or grass pollen, symptoms typically include runny nose, teary eyes and extra mucus production in the respiratory system. All of these things have the effect of trying to expel something from your body that you don’t want there. Similarly, when you have itchy skin in contact allergies, the impulse is to scratch, which has the effect of removing offending particles in the skin. But sometimes it becomes extreme: Uncontrollable itching that’s chronic, which is no longer serve the purpose of taking offending substances off the skin. Food allergy symptoms often include vomiting and diarrhea, which also expel unwanted substances. Anaphylactic shock, the most severe and deadly reaction, involves swelling of the mouth or throat and even breathing problems. Medzhitov explains this as an extreme form of the normal allergic reaction; it has gone out of control and may cause death in and of itself, the way that septic shock is an extreme form of natural inflammation. Experimental treatment may help food allergies “There are things that are meant to perform some beneficial rational function; if they get disregulated, it can cause problem,” Medzhitov said. The unpleasant experiences also make you stop eating the food that caused the reaction, and avoid that food in the future. But wait: Plenty of people eat peanuts and other common food allergens without incident. Why do some people have extreme reactions and others enjoy these foods in peace? Medzhitov points out that there are certain components of the foods we eat everyday whose effects on the body we still don’t exactly know. There may be certain chemicals in some foods that have noxious effects on our cells that are slightly toxic. He hypothesizes that some people are better at detoxifying those substances than others. And those who are deficient in those detoxifying mechanisms have instead allergies to defend themselves. And then there’s allergies to pollutants in the air. The production of mucus in allergic people, theoretically, gives them increased protection from the particulate pollutants in the air, since they will inhale less of them. That would mean that if those pollutants are carcinogenic, the allergic person would have increased protection against certain forms of cancer over time. Or you might avoid that environment altogether, thereby also taking you out of a toxic situation. The hypothesis that allergies protect against particular cancers does have some evidence backing it up. In fact, a 2011 study suggested  that allergies may stave off gliomas, which are the most common form of brain tumor. But more research needs to be carried out to back up this idea. So what are we to make of all of this? Even if true, we can't use this knowledge to help people with allergies – yet.  But maybe one day, says Dr. Robert Wood, Director of Allergy/Immunology at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, who was not involved in this study. "“This is a fascinating paper that sheds new light on why some people develop allergies and others do not. It also suggests reasons why the prevalence of allergic disease, including food allergy, asthma, and hay fever, have all increased over the past 20-30 years," Wood said. "Hopefully the theories presented here could eventually be used to design prevention strategies for allergy, but at the present time they remain just theories that will not lead to any immediate approaches to treat or prevent allergy.” Filed under: Allergies , Food Safety Tagged: Elizabeth Landau – CNN.com Health Writer/Producer