Wellness

Need-to-know nutrition, health and fitness findings to help you feel flat-out fantastic

3 REASONS TO TAKE YOUR WALK TO THE BEACH

YOU’LL BURN MORE CALORIES.

Hitting the sand turns your regular walk into a strength-training workout for your quads, calves and glutes. When your feet sink into the grains with each step, your legs have to work harder to propel you forward. The result? Up to 50% more calories zapped.

IT’S EXTRA CALMING.

Listen to the lapping waves. Breathe in the salty air. Pay attention to bits of nature that you don’t always notice (like unique seashells or scurrying crabs) and be mindful of their beauty. This process of slowing down and focusing allows your brain to power down from “worry mode.”

GOING BAREFOOT COULD HELP YOUR HEALTH.

Kick off your shoes and feel like a kid again. Studies suggest that this practice, called “earthing” or “grounding,” may reduce inflammation and chronic pain. Direct contact with surfaces like sand, earth and grass enables your feet to absorb antioxidant-like electrons from the earth.

How can I sidestep unhealthy snack temptations?

I’m on Team Treat Yourself, but if you often eat sugary or salty nom noms without meaning to, it can make you feel like you’ve lost control. Once you’ve had a few, there’s no use in stopping, right? Well, inserting a quick pause before you chow down can short-circuit this pattern. In fact, when people are exposed to the scent of something yummy but unhealthy for less than 30 seconds, they want it more, but when they keep smelling it for more than two minutes, they want it less and tend to pass up less-healthy options, according to a new study published in the Journal of Marketing Research. Follow these steps as soon as a craving hits, and you may find yourself making more mindful food choices on the regular: