Author Archives: Jennipher

About Jennipher

A certified personal trainer with a masters in health journalism, Jenn's approach to fitness and health is balanced, fresh, and fun. She's run multiple half marathons (one full!) and seeks solace in 90s pop music.

Everything You Need to Know About Probiotics

There’s been a lot of buzz about probiotics lately, and they seem to be showing up everywhere whether it’s in supplements, yogurt, smoothies or even ice cream! So what’s the big benefit and what do you need to know about them? We put together a question-and-answer guide to give you the 411 on probiotics!

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live organisms, such as bacteria and yeast, most of which are similar to the healthy flora that we naturally have in our guts. Probiotics are naturally found in some foods like yogurt and kefir, along with other foods that are fermented such as miso, tempeh and sauerkraut. You can also buy probiotic supplements.

Why Are Probiotics Helpful?

Although there isn’t a lot of concrete research on this, doctors believe that having the right — or wrong — balance of bacteria in your stomach may play a role in digestive issues, obesity, immunity, eczema, and possibly even help with common childhood ailments such as strep throat, ear infections, colds and diarrhea, along with helping with food allergies.

(more…)

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Jennipher

The 411 on Extreme Calorie-Restricted and Fasting Diets

If there’s one sure-fire way to lose weight, it’s cutting calories, eating healthy foods and working out. But what happens when you don’t just cut calories by a little bit, but instead periodically don’t eat or dramatically cut calories by 500 or more? While most health professionals and nutritionists wouldn’t tell the everyday average person to dip below getting 1,200 calories a day, there is a small group of people who follow low-calorie diets because they believe it keeps them healthy and prolongs their lives.

While severe calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to increase lifespan in animals, there hasn’t been much research on the practice in humans until now. Although much more research is needed on the quality of life while restricting calories, according to recent research from Washington University, people who drastic cut calories have lower core body temperatures than those who eat more. Having a lower core body temperature better allows your body to operate at maximum efficiency, according to a story on U.S. News and World Report. So what does this research mean to you, and should you try calorie restriction? The pros and cons are below!

(more…)

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Jennipher

Take Your Gym Routine Outside This Summer

Now that the weather is warming up and summer is on the way, you may be itching to ditch the gym for a little time out in the sunshine. Who could blame you? Not I! But instead of foregoing your gym routine all together, why not take your usual strength moves and cardio activities into the great outdoors? Read on for five exercises to do just that!

5 Exercises That Easily Go From the Gym to the Great Outdoors

1. If you normally hit the treadmill…try trail running or hiking! The change of terrain when trail running or hiking will work your legs in new ways and you’ll have much more beautiful scenery than the sweaty guys lifting weights!

(more…)

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Jennipher

I’ve Reached My Weight Loss Goal. Now What?

On Diets in Review, we talk a lot about weight loss. But what happens when you’ve reached your weight loss goal? Sure, you’re happy and proud of yourself and your new body, but chances are, you probably feel a little lost as to what to do and what to eat now that you don’t have that goal weight to focus on, right? Well, no worries. We have your five step guide to keeping you at your healthy weight and totally motivated!

5 Tips to Keep the Weight Off — And You Motivated

1. Splurge a little more (but be mindful). Now that you’re at your goal weight, you can be a little more lax with your diet, but remember that extra calories add up quickly (and that it’s a lot easier to eat calories than it is to burn them off). A good rule of thumb is to eat a diet that is 80/20, meaning that 80 percent of what you eat is nutritious and healthy, and 20 percent is the other maybe not-so-healthy food that you’re craving. If you ever start to put the pounds back on (and you should know if you do — see tip No. 5), switch your eating to 90/10 until you’re back at your happy weight. Also remember to keep portion sizes down and to savor every bite, being totally mindful of what you’re eating!

(more…)

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Jennipher

High-Fat Diets Actually Help the Heart, Study Finds

File this one in the “goes against everything we’ve been told” file.

A recent study published in American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology suggests that a high-fat diet is OK and even beneficial for the heart. The study, which looked at cardiac function in patients suffering from heart failure, found that that a high-fat diet improved the heart’s ability to pump, along with boosting cardiac insulin resistance (which reduces the risk of diabetes). Sounds pretty different than what we’ve been told all along right? That eating too much fat is bad for the heart?

Not so fast. According to the study which was  funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Case Center for Imaging Research, all fats are not created equal. In fact, a balanced diet that includes mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and which replaces simple sugars and highly processed foods with complex carbs, are most beneficial for damaged hearts. Notice what wasn’t on that list of a healthy diet? Trans fats or saturated fats.

(more…)

Posted on May 10, 2026 by Jennipher

Celebs Go Gluten Free, but is it a Fad or for Health?

Going gluten-free is a huge trend right now with tons of gluten-free products on the market and numerous celebrities trying it. While gluten insensitivity does seem to be on the rise with an estimated 20 million sufferers, the National Institutes of Health report that 3 million Americans have celiac disease. But is going gluten-free really necessary? And is it good for overall health or is it just a way to lose weight because it’s such a restrictive diet?

We recently spoke to Jasmine Jafferali, MPH, ACE-CPT, Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant Specializing in Gluten Free Living and Women’s Health, and Co-Manager for Gluten Intolerance Group of Greater Chicago about the pros and cons of this new way of eating. She says that while going gluten-free is costly and can have quite the learning curve (gluten is in so many things!), the benefits are enormous including finding relief from the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, rhuematoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome and even infertility. Not to mention that eating a diet without gluten in it can be incredibly nutritious in that most gluten-free foods are nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables and proteins.

(more…)

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Jennipher

Healthiest Menu Choices at In-N-Out Burger

For those on the West Coast, In-N-Out Burger is a fast food legend. Every location almost always has a line of cars out and around the block with its patrons hungry for burgers, fries and shakes.

While not exactly healthy, nor an extensive menu, the regional fast food chain prides itself on the quality of its food. All burgers are made with 100 percent pure beef and are free of additives, fillers and preservatives, according to In-N-Out Burger’s website. Additionally, its American cheese is all real, the potatoes used for the fries are cut in each store, and no food is frozen, microwaved or stuck under a heat lamp. (It’s easy to see why they have a following, right?)

Freshness aside, we wanted to take a look at In-N-Out Burger’s nutritional menu to see if any options would meet our registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield’s healthy guidelines of having less than 500 calories and less than 500 milligrams of sodium, according to the the new daily sodium recommendations. Because the menu is so limited to begin with — and unfortunately the company doesn’t list nutritional facts on its underground “styles” of burger preparation like Monster and Animal — our list is pretty short.

(more…)

Posted on April 28, 2026 by Jennipher

U.S. Will Be Smoke Free by 2026 If Trend Continues, CDC Says

Remember the days when you’d walk in a restaurant and they’d ask you whether you’d like to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section? Or when you’d come out from having a drink at happy hour just reeking of cigarette smoke? Seems weird to us now since the effects of second-hand smoke have become so well known, and many businesses (or municipalities) have gone smoke-free, but it used to be commonplace to have your meal — or to sit at your office desk — alongside a smoker. In fact, it’s only been in the last 10 years that the majority of Americans have been able to breathe smoke-free in public.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), little by little over the past decade the smoke-free trend has grown, changing the way we think about smoking, along with saving lives and money spent in health care costs annually. From 2000 to 2026, 25 states and the District of Columbia enacted state-wide smoke-free laws. Additionally, a number of states are considering doing the same or are planning to strengthen its existing smoke-free laws to better protect its citizens from second-hand smoke. If this smoke-free national trend continues at its current pace, this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the CDC reports that all U.S. states will be smoke-free by 2026. That’s less than nine years away!

(more…)

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Jennipher

The 17 Day Diet vs. The South Beach Diet

When it comes to really understanding different diets, sometimes it’s best to compare it to another popular diet. For example, The 17 Day Diet created by Dr. Mike Moreno is hugely popular right now. But in order to best understand its ins and outs, we thought we’d compare it to another popular diet- the South Beach Diet. Turns out, they have quite a bit in common!

Price

Both of these diets are fairly cost effective in that it just takes buying the book to learn how the diet works. You can buy either diet book for less than $20 on Amazon. When it comes to buying the food required in the diets, the cost is about the same, too, as both emphasize eating lots of fresh produce, lean meats, beans, nuts, dairy and whole grains (in moderation). Both programs also offer branded foods that are not required for success on these diets, but some may find convenient. South Beach offers a line of package foods, such as wraps and meal bars. There is a 17 Day Diet Meal Plan offered through the diet delivery service Bistro MD.

Accessibility

As of now, The 17 Day Diet does not have an in-depth online component (although I’d expect them to add that in the near future), but the website does offer free recipes and a caloric-needs and BMI calculator. On the other hand, the South Beach Diet has a robust online community and program costing $5 a week for your own customized meal plan; tools to track your weight, phase, and diet goals; and 24-hour online support and other online community features.

(more…)

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Jennipher

American Idol Fan Too Fat for Front Row Seat for Filming

Ashley Kauffman says she was banished to the back of the audience for being overweight.

UPDATE [4/13/11]: According to FremantleMedia, the company that produces the American Idol, Ms. Kauffman’s claims are untrue. “Kauffman’s  party agreed to be split up, and contrary to her allegations, she did not sit alone or in the back of the house,” they said in a statement released to CNN. “In fact, she and her remaining party were seated just four rows behind their friends, directly in camera shot, in some of the best seats in the house.”

Original Story:

Although American Idol is based on singing ability and talent, contestants “looks” definitely play a role. Simon may not be a judge on the show this year, but in seasons pasts he’d repeatedly say that certain contestants had a very marketable look (read: attractive on TV), while others, despite having singing talent, didn’t, and therefore weren’t able to make the cut. But riddle me this- what do audience members have to do with it?

According to a recent report on RadarOnline.com, one 19-year-old fan was moved from her front-row spot in the audience with her friends to a back seat away from cameras during the live taping of an American Idol episode because of her size. She told the website, “I was kind of taken aback. I’m not that big, but I understand I was bigger than the girls I was with. But I was like, ‘Wow, way to hit a low blow.'” So far, American Idol has not responded to the claims.

(more…)

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Jennipher

Sprint Your Way to Heart Health

We’ve all heard at one time or another that exercise is good for heart health and preventing cardiovascular disease. In fact, that’s why we call it “cardio.” For many years, doctors and fitness professionals (including me!)  have told patients and clients to be sure to get regular steady state cardio most days of the week for at least 30 minutes a day. While this advice is still solid, new research is showing that when it comes to exercise and heart health, sometimes a sprint is better than a marathon.

According to new research recently published in the American Journal of Human Biology, when it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease in adolescents, short-duration high-intensity exercise may be more beneficial for the heart than traditional endurance training that emphasizes a lower intensity for a longer amount of time. Researchers from the University of the West of Scotland recruited a group of volunteer school-aged children, and found that after seven weeks of regular exercise, those adolescents who did a short series of 20-meter sprints that only took minutes had just as many heart-health benefits as students who ran at a moderate intensity for 20 minutes, three times a week.

(more…)

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Jennipher