When you're a busy professional running from one meeting to the next, working to hit tough deadlines, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life, it can be easy to put self-care on the back burner. Thankfully, you don't have to spend hours in the gym or kitchen to make small changes that can help you feel your best (and can even support increased productivity). Here, we'll take a look at simple steps you can take to create a healthy lifestyle despite a jam-packed schedule.

Nutrition tips

Prioritizing nutrition can help boost your energy levels and support a healthy immune system. Whether you've been incorporating healthy meals into your life for years or you're just getting started, try incorporating these simple healthy eating habits to help you feel your best.

Stock your fridge

When you have a busy schedule, you need options that are easy to grab as you head out the door. Stock your fridge (and counter) with healthy essentials like fruits, veggies, and single-serve low-sugar yogurt. Struggling to get to the grocery store? We get it. There's nothing wrong with ordering grocery pickup or delivery to make sure you have the essentials on hand to help you feel your best throughout the work week. If you're able, keeping a stock of healthy snacks in the fridge at work can help you stay on track when you're away from home.

Try meal prepping

Spending an hour or two in the kitchen once or twice a week to prepare meals can help to make sure you have plenty of healthy options on hand that don't require a stop at the store or a restaurant.

Try these meal prep tips to get started:

• Focus on protein. Seasoning and cooking a few pounds of lean protein provides an easy option for topping salads, rice bowls, or for enjoying alongside a plate of veggies.
• Prepare and measure out grain bases. Cook a pot of brown rice, quinoa, millet, or other whole-food grain, and measure it out into portions for the week. Use these in the following days to boost the fiber content and satiating power of your meals.
• Chop and prep veggies. When vegetables are washed, chopped, and stored in the fridge, it's easier to include them in your meals. Pro tip: make a goal to try a new-to-you vegetable each time you go grocery shopping.

Exercise tips

Current research-based guidelines suggest that healthy adults get at least 8,000 steps each day. It's also recommended that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. When you have a busy schedule, it's key to find ways to squeeze meaningful movement into your day. Try the ideas below to get your blood flowing without spending hours at the gym.

Walking pads

Using a walking pad—a small, easy-to-tuck-away treadmill designed for walking while you're working, watching TV, or otherwise engaged in activity—can be a great way to help you boost your activity levels while you're moving through a list of tasks.

Tabata workouts

Interested in getting a great sweat session in, but short on time? Tabata workouts offer quick, very high intensity intervals followed by periods of rest. By design, tabata workouts burn a high level of calories quickly, allowing you to get an effective workout that supports both cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health without requiring major changes to your schedule. Bonus: most tabata workouts can be done at home, without equipment.

Working out on-the-go

Small efforts throughout the day—like doing a wall sit while you're talking on the phone, taking the long way to your car, or taking a phone meeting while you're out for a walk—can all make a difference in getting more movement into your day. Wearing a fitness tracker can help you keep an eye on your movement and can motivate you to hit your step goals each day.

Taking care of your mental health

Taking proactive steps to support your health isn't just about nutrition and exercise—it's also about taking care of your mental health.

Meditation

Taking a few minutes each day to practice focused meditation can reduce stress and help you move through your day with a sense of calm. Explore guided meditations online to get started.

Journaling

Journaling a few times a week can help you work through difficult thoughts and emotions, allowing you to approach the day with a clear head. Not sure where to start? Check out these journaling prompts to help yourself put pen to paper.

Making time for things that matter

When you're working to further your career, it's easy to put spending time with your friends and family at the bottom of your to-do list. Relationships with loved ones aren't just important for your mental health—they're important for your physical health as well. Research shows that social disconnection can have effects on mortality similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Simply put: spending time with others and building a sense of community can have a major effect on your well-being.

If your schedule doesn't allow for leisurely lunches or visits, you can still find ways to connect with the people who matter to you. Taking a few moments to send a text to a friend, inviting a loved one to exercise with you, or even running errands (like grocery shopping) with a friend can all provide you with valuable social interaction that can support your physical and mental health.

We're here to help you make the small changes that can add up to big results

At Evidation, our team is here to support you as you work to incorporate healthy habits into your busy life. When you download our free app, you'll be prompted to share the health data you're already tracking (such as sleep data, information from your wearable fitness tracker, etc.). We'll use the information you share to find patterns and connections, and we'll provide you with personalized, content-based insights that can help you take steps toward becoming your healthiest self. Click here to learn more and get started today.

Many people who are working toward weight loss find that stepping up exercise for the first time can wreak havoc on the joints. Thankfully, you don't have to pound the pavement or otherwise put heavy stress on your joints in order to shed pounds. Low-impact exercises can be effective options that can benefit both your cardiovascular health and muscular endurance to support your weight-loss journey. Here, we'll explore different types of low-impact workouts, as well as how low-impact workouts and nutritional changes go hand-in-hand for healthy weight loss.

What is a low impact workout?

Low-impact exercises create minimal stress on the body's joints, and can be an effective option for those who are interested in losing weight. Both high-intensity and low-impact workouts can be effective options for weight loss. Melding the two can create a sustainable approach to exercise.

Low-impact workouts alone can be a good fit for people who are new to exercise, have injuries, experience joint pain, or simply prefer low-impact options. People who participate in higher-impact workouts (such as running) may find that low-impact workouts are a good fit for cross-training days, or during times when they're experiencing high levels of soreness from higher-impact workouts.

Examples of low impact workouts for weight loss

Ready to start incorporating low-impact workouts into your wellness routine? Give these options a try.

Yoga

Yoga is a stress-relieving practice that can enhance your mind-body connection—all while providing you with an effective way to burn calories and support healthy weight loss.

Heading to a yoga studio can be a fun way to connect with others and enjoy yoga instruction, but there's no need to head out if you'd prefer to complete a session in the comfort of your own home. Many free yoga classes are available through YouTube, making it easy for you to find an option that offers the focus areas and practice length you're looking for.

Some of the benefits of yoga include:

• Improved flexibility
• Back pain relief
• Improved heart health
• Increased energy levels
• Stress management

In addition to the calorie burn you get from completing a yoga practice, the benefits of yoga can support other aspects of your well-being that can help you move toward your weight-loss goals. Some people find that regularly practicing yoga can stop emotional eating.

Swimming

Swimming can be a fantastic way to get a great cardiovascular workout without harming your joints. Many people enjoy swimming because it provides a full-body workout that you can do indoors or outdoors and can result in a high caloric burn in a short amount of time.

Benefits of swimming include:

• Improved mood (swimming has been shown to decrease anxiety)
• Increased strength
• Increased flexibility
• Increased lung capacity
• Improved heart health

If you're new to swimming, it can take some time to build up the cardiovascular endurance needed to spend time doing laps in the pool. Taking it one lap at a time, varying your strokes, or using a kickboard can all help you work up to consistent swimming workouts.

Walking

It's free, you can do it anywhere—and it's great for your health. Walking is a low-impact workout option that can make a major difference in your weight-loss journey. A study from Harvard showed that walking briskly for half an hour each day can actually mitigate the effects of genes typically associated with obesity. Another research study from the University of Exeter showed that just a 15-minute walk can help to curb emotional eating, specifically when it comes to sugar.

Other benefits of walking include:

• Improved heart health
• Improved muscle endurance
• Strengthened immune system
• Reduced levels of stress and tension
• Improved sleep

Why exercise and proper nutrition go hand-in-hand for healthy weight loss

While exercise can be an important part of any weight-loss plan, it's important to understand that the majority of weight loss comes from eating fewer calories, rather than burning calories through exercise. A research study from Stanford showed that the best approach to weight loss maintains a dual focus on exercise and nutrition.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to balancing physical activity and a caloric deficit for weight loss:

• Don't overdo it. Your body needs fuel to feel healthy and strong. This means eating plenty of healthy, whole foods at a slight caloric deficit if you're working toward weight loss. Slow, sustainable loss—achieved with a reasonable caloric deficit that doesn't leave you feeling weak or exhausted—is the best way to sustain weight loss over time.
• Don't fall into the trap of "canceling out" food choices with exercise. Many of us who have been on weight-loss journeys have been there: justifying a higher caloric intake with a tough workout. Unfortunately, completing a challenging workout doesn't cancel out a higher caloric intake. If you're feeling especially hungry after a tough workout, have an additional serving of your planned meal, but don't use that hunger as a reason to justify going off-plan. Another important note: when you do choose to eat off-plan, there's no need to "work it off" with an extra workout. Simply go back to eating and exercising the way you've planned.
• Use exercise as stress relief. Many people who are working to lose weight struggle with using food to cope with tough emotions. Using exercise as a form of stress relief can help make it easier to manage hard emotions without turning to food as an answer.

We're here to help make your health goals a reality.

At Evidation, we're here to support you through every step of the process of meeting your health goals. Whether you're working toward losing weight, meeting nutrition goals, or getting better sleep, our free app can help you take effective next steps toward feeling your best. Here's how it works: when you download our free app, you'll be prompted to share health data that you're already tracking (you'll stay in full control of your sharing preferences at all times). We'll analyze the data you choose to share with us to find patterns and trends, then provide you with personalized, content-based insights that can help you make the decisions that take you closer to your goals. If you're ready to get started, we're ready to support you. Click here to learn more and download Evidation today.

Understanding the changes your body experiences throughout each stage of the menstrual cycle can help you understand your energy levels, moods, and can help you make the most of each workout you complete during the month. Cycle-synced workouts consider your body's unique needs at each phase of your cycle, helping you optimize performance, reduce fatigue, and boost your overall sense of well-being. Taking some time to learn about your body's natural rhythm can help you use the week-to-week changes of your cycle to your advantage.

Here, we'll explore more about what it means to cycle sync your workouts, the research on how cycle-synced workouts can benefit your health, as well as examples of cycle-synced workout plans.

What is cycle syncing?

Cycle-syncing your workouts involves adjusting your routine to support your body's needs in each of the four phases of the menstrual cycle: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Your hormone levels fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle, and these fluctuations can impact your energy levels, strength, endurance, and mood. Modifying the intensity and type of exercise you do in each phase to meet your needs can help both to enhance your results and prevent burnout.

An important note: No two women are exactly the same, and cycles can vary from one month to the next. While cycle-syncing your workouts may help improve your performance, it's important to listen to your body to better understand your unique needs throughout your menstrual cycle.

Phases of the menstrual cycle—and what they mean for your workouts

Each phase of the menstrual cycle brings different advantages and challenges. Understanding what's happening in your body during each phase of your cycle can help you better understand how you can modify or ramp up your workouts to support your needs. Here, we'll move through how your body changes (and what workouts might be best for your needs) through each phase of the menstrual cycle based on a 28-day calendar. Your cycle may be longer or shorter, so adjust the timing of each of the following phases accordingly.

Menstrual phase

During the menstrual phase—the time of the month when you have your period—estrogen and progesterone levels drop. The start of your period is considered day 1 of your cycle. For many women, this leads to low energy levels and fatigue. You may also experience menstrual symptoms like cramping, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Rest is key during this phase. Exercise can help with symptoms, if you're feeling up to it. Light walking, stretching, and gentle yoga can all be solid workout choices during the menstrual phase.

Follicular phase

Occurring from days 6-14, the follicular phase brings a slow rise in estrogen levels, which can also lead to an increase in energy. As your body prepares for ovulation, your hormones increase your body's strength and endurance. During the follicular phase, try workouts like moderate strength training, moderate intensity steady-state cardio, or circuit training. Feel free to ramp up your efforts as your body continues to gain strength and energy as you prepare for ovulation.

Ovulation phase

This phase occurs from day 15 to day 17. During ovulation, your estrogen levels are at their peak, which can boost your motivation, stamina, and power. These days are the best for intense, peak-performance workouts. During the ovulation phase, you may want to incorporate workouts like strenuous strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and intense cardio sessions (if you're a runner, for example, this is a great time for speed work).

Luteal phase

Occurring from days 18-28, the luteal phase is marked by a rise in progesterone levels and a decrease in estrogen levels, which usually leads to a slow decrease in energy. Many women experience fatigue, bloating, and mood changes during this phase of their cycle. Research shows body temperature tends to be elevated during the luteal phase, which can cause your cardiovascular system to work harder than at other times of the month. The best workouts to schedule during the luteal phase include low-impact cardio (think swimming, low-impact aerobics, and walking), Pilates or yoga, and low-to-moderate intensity strength training.

How cycle-synced workouts can help you maximize your sweat sessions

Cycle-synced workouts can help you make the most of exercise throughout the month. When you understand how your body is changing through each phase of the menstrual cycle, you're better able to know what to expect, allowing you to set yourself up for success.

Some of the benefits of cycle-synced workouts include:

• Increased energy: When you understand the ups and downs of your cycle, you're better able to choose workouts that make sense for your energy levels. This means you know when to push yourself and when to take it easy so you can lessen post-workout fatigue.
• Reduced injury risk: Hormonal fluctuations can affect your joint stability and muscle strength, and adapting your workouts (especially during the luteal and menstrual phases) can help reduce your injury risk.
• Improved well-being: When you honor your body's needs throughout your cycle, you're setting yourself up to keep a positive mindset.
• Balanced hormones: When you choose exercise that aligns with your menstrual cycle, you're better able to regulate your body's hormone levels. This can help you achieve a number of health goals, including improved endurance, weight loss, increased strength, and more.

Cycle syncing workout plan examples

Try following these workout plans to support your well-being through each phase of your cycle.

Walking/Jogging/Running

During the menstrual phase, take it easy. An easy, slow nature walk or jog on a flat path can help ease cramps, anxiety, and other menstrual symptoms. During the follicular phase, ramp it up by adding hills or hiking to the mix. As you enter the ovulation stage, push yourself. You may want to increase the pace of some of your workouts, or tackle some serious hills. When you transition to the luteal phase, listen to your body, and decrease the length and intensity of your walks and/or runs if necessary.

Strength Training

During the menstrual phase, it’s time to listen to your body and work out according to your comfort level. If you’re not feeling up to your normal strength training routine, this is a good time to enjoy yoga, light cardio, or shorter workouts to help you conserve your energy. During the follicular phase, you’ll begin to feel your energy return, making it an ideal time to return to your normal workouts. You should feel strength increase as you move toward ovulation, and you can dial up the intensity of your workouts accordingly (you might even want to add cardio finishers at this point). After the ovulation phase passes and you move into the luteal phase, keep pressing forward and don’t get down on yourself if you see some losses in strength and stamina—you’ll be back to your follicular phase and making gains in no time.

We're here to help you through every phase of your health journey.

At Evidation, we believe knowledge is power, and we're here to provide you with the insights you need to keep moving forward on your health journey. When you download our free app, you'll have the chance to share the health data you're already tracking from MyFitnessPal, your wearable fitness tracker, etc., with our team. Your privacy is our top priority, and you can choose to stop sharing your data with us at any time. As you share your data with us, we'll use the information you're tracking to spot connections and trends. From there, we'll offer you personalized, content-based insights that help you choose the next steps to take you closer to feeling your best.

Ready to get started? We can't wait to support you. Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and download today.

Feeling nervous about working out at a gym for the first time? We get it. It can be nerve-wracking to walk into a new place, especially if you're at the start of your fitness journey and aren't sure where to begin. At Evidation, we're here to support you as you work to become your happiest, healthiest self. Here, we'll take a look at what you need to know to walk into the gym with confidence.

Your first time at the gym: what to expect

Many people feel intimidated by the idea of walking into a gym for the first time. While it's normal to feel apprehensive about any new experience, being prepared, knowing what to expect, and keeping an open mind can help you feel comfortable as you jump into your new workout routine.

If you're getting a gym membership for the first time, you'll want to set some time aside to fill out paperwork and go through a tour of the gym. This process can take 20–30 minutes, so it's a good idea to factor that time into your first gym session. Typically, you'll be offered the option of working with a trainer to get started. This is a smart option to help you learn your way around the gym, and the first session is often free. Even if you aren't interested in personal training sessions long-term, going through a week or two of workouts with a trainer can help you feel comfortable in the gym, practice safe workout techniques, and get a routine under your belt.

During your tour, you'll likely see separate areas for weight training (typically separated into areas for free/handheld weights and weight machines) and cardio machines (including treadmills, stationery bikes, elliptical machines, stair climbers, and more). Most gyms also have separate areas for stretching, and some may also have rooms designed for group exercise. Your gym may also have a pool, a walking or running track, a spinning studio, and other specialized areas.

You'll also want to make sure that your gym bag has everything you need to carry you through your first session. Be sure to bring:

• Change of clothes
• Sweatshirt in case you're chilly in the gym
• Water bottle
• Towel to wipe off machines (if your gym doesn't provide them)
• Earbuds for music

Going in with a plan

Creating a plan before you go to the gym can provide you with a sequence to follow, which can help you feel more comfortable as you get used to the gym. Using a workout app like FitBod can be helpful, as it can create a personalized plan that provides exercises based on your current fitness level (as well as provides you with videos to show you how to correctly and safely perform each exercise).

If you're not sure of your goals and are simply looking to become more active, it's OK if you're not sure about your plan. Spending some time on the treadmill, listening to music while stretching, or taking some time to look around as you get some cardio time in on the stair climber can help to boost your comfort level as you get used to your surroundings.

Boosting gym confidence

Any time you walk into a new situation, it's normal to have some anxiety or apprehension about what to expect. Getting your mind right before you go to the gym for the first time can work wonders in helping you make the most of your workout.

Keep the following in mind to boost your confidence before you head into the gym:

• Remember, everyone in the gym had a first day, and it's totally normal to feel a bit nervous. Every person who you see crushing it in the gym was once in your shoes, pulling into the parking lot and working up the courage to try something new.
• Everyone is concerned with their own workout—not yours. Some people feel intimidated by going to the gym because of a fear that others may be looking at them, judging them, or waiting for them to make a mistake. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone at the gym is focused on their own workout, and they aren't looking to see how fast you're going on the treadmill or how much weight you're lifting.
• Give it ten minutes. When you find yourself putting off going to the gym due to nerves or a lack of confidence, push yourself to walk through the door and spend at least ten minutes exercising.

Home workouts vs. the gym

Curious about whether it makes more sense to work on your fitness journey with at-home workouts? For many, working out in the comfort of home can create a less intimidating experience.

Pros of working out at home include:

• Privacy. If you're nervous about working out in front of others, you may find that it's easier to get started in your own home.
• No waiting for machines. In busy gyms, it can take time to get your turn on a cardio or weight machine, and the time that you're able to use the machine might be limited if others are waiting.
• No commute time. Driving or walking to and from the gym can take up some of the valuable time you have to work out.

Cons of working out at home can include:

• Lack of equipment. Gyms offer more equipment than most people have access to at home.
• Distractions. It can be easier to get distracted by family members, phone calls, and work when you're exercising at home.
• Fewer safeguards against injury. At a gym, you'll have trainers nearby, able to help you in the event that you're struggling or that you become injured.

Many people find that it makes sense for them to complete some workouts at home (such as bodyweight exercises and cardio), while heading to the gym for other workouts, especially those that require more equipment. You may also find that it makes more sense for you to head to the gym during the colder months of the year, while working out outdoors during the warmer months. If you decide that it makes more sense for you to be at the gym for some of the year, ask your gym whether they offer month-to-month or half-year memberships, as this can save you money when you're enjoying exercise outdoors.

Make the most of your workouts with Evidation

At Evidation, we're here to help you work toward your health and fitness goals, one healthy decision at a time. Whether you're just getting started with hitting the gym or you're a seasoned fitness enthusiast, our free app can help you make the most of your efforts.

When you download Evidation, you'll be able to connect the apps you're already using to track your health data to our app. With your permission, we'll use your data to find insights and connections that can inform your fitness journey, helping you choose the best next steps toward your goals. You'll also be able to earn cash rewards for following through with healthy, goal-oriented behaviors, like tracking your steps and logging your meals. An important note: your privacy is our top concern, and you have the right to stop sharing your data with us at any time.

If you're ready to get started, we're ready to support you. Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and download our free app today.

We've all been there: lying in bed at night, tossing and turning, wishing there was a magical way that could help you fall asleep instantly, instead of counting down the hours until you'll need to get out of bed. While we don't yet have an instant sleep aid, tart cherry juice comes close. Many people find that drinking tart cherry juice cocktails can make it easier to fall and stay asleep.

Here, we'll explore what tart cherry juice is, the science behind sleep and tart cherry juice, recipes you can try at home to incorporate tart cherry juice into your nighttime routine, additional natural remedies that can help you drift off, and when it's a good idea to reach out to a professional if you're not getting the sleep you need.

What is tart cherry juice?

Tart cherry juice comes from Montmorency cherries. These sour fruits have a hint of sweetness, but are nothing like the cherries we typically buy in the grocery store during the warmer months. It's rare that sour cherries are eaten raw. Usually, they're used for juice, or sweetened and used for pie filling.

In addition to helping with sleep, some of the health benefits of tart cherry juice include:

• Muscle soreness relief: Tart cherry juice may help to relieve muscle soreness, especially after a tough workout
• Osteoarthritis symptom relief: Some people with osteoarthritis find that including cherry juice in their routine helps to alleviate soreness, pain, and inflammation.
• Immune system support: Tart cherry juice is high in antioxidants, which may help to support a healthy immune system, improve heart health, and reduce inflammation in the body.
• Cancer prevention: Studies have shown that tart cherry juice reduced the amount and size of tumors in mice (more research is needed).

While research on the effectiveness of tart cherry juice is ongoing, many people find that the anti-inflammatory effects help to improve overall wellness.

The science behind tart cherry juice and sleep

Many people find that drinking tart cherry juice at night helps them get better sleep. This can be especially true for people who struggle with insomnia. Current research shows that tart cherry juice both increases sleep time and efficiency, meaning the sleep people get after drinking tart cherry juice helps them feel more well-rested.

Tart cherry juice contains both melatonin and tryptophan, both of which can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that helps signal to the brain that it's time to sleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid that supports the body's ability to produce melatonin.

It's thought that drinking tart cherry juice before bed helps to increase the amount of melatonin available to the body. If you prefer not to drink tart cherry juice, you may find that taking a tart cherry juice supplement in the form of a tablet or capsule has a similar effect.

Sleep cocktail recipes

Thinking about trying tart cherry juice for sleep? It's best to drink your cherry juice (or cherry juice cocktail) about an hour before you plan to go to sleep. It's a good idea to opt for a sugar-free version of tart cherry juice, as standard sweetened versions can pack more than 30 grams of sugar per cup.

Try these recipes to enjoy a delicious tart cherry juice cocktail before you turn in for the night:

• Cherry-lime spritzer: Combine 4 oz. tart cherry juice, 4 oz. lime flavored sparkling water, and the juice of 1 lime wedge
• Apple cider sleep tonic: Combine 4 oz. tart cherry juice, 1/2 tbs. apple cider vinegar, 4 oz. sparkling water, and 4 frozen cherries
• Nighttime cocktail: Combine 1 tablespoon honey, 4 oz. tart cherry juice, 1 tbs. fresh orange juice, 1 tbs. orange flavored sparkling water

Other natural remedies for sleep

If you need some more help getting the sleep you need at night, you may be interested in trying other natural remedies that can support your body's sleep cycles, including:

• Melatonin supplements: Melatonin can be used for occasional sleeplessness, and may help to support recovery from sleep phase issues.
• Magnesium supplements: Magnesium supplements can help to promote muscle relaxation, which can make it easier to fall asleep.
• Chamomile tea: This pantry staple is known for its mild sedative effects.
• Passionflower supplements: Once used as a sedative by Native American Indians, passionflower is now a commonly used supplement helpful for treating pain, anxiety, and sleep problems.
• Valerian root tea: Also available as a supplement, valerian root is known for its natural sedative effects.

When to be concerned about sleep loss

Sleep deprivation occurs when you aren't getting enough sleep, or when the quality of your sleep is too low to restore your body and mind. Occasional sleep loss happens to all of us, but ongoing sleep loss can majorly interfere with your life. Typically, conditions that cause sleep loss are treatable.

See a doctor if:

• You're unable to get quality sleep, or enough sleep, for four weeks or more, and you're finding that your lack of sleep is interfering with your daily functioning
• You wake up gasping for air in the middle of the night
• You've noticed changes in your sleep since starting a new medication
• You find that you have trouble sleeping because of heartburn
• You wake up due to physical pain in your body
• You or those close to you have noticed changes in your mood or appetite

At Evidation, we're here to support all facets of your health, from sleep to exercise and more

If you're working to become your healthiest self, we're glad that you're here, and we can't wait to support you. The Evidation app works by using the health data you choose to share to find connections and provide you with personalized insights that can help drive your health forward. Your privacy is our top concern, and we only use the data with your permission. Whether you're working to improve your sleep, incorporate more nutrient-dense foods into your diet, or have another health goal, we're here to help. Click here to download our free app and learn more about how Evidation works.

If you have a higher body weight or live with obesity and are interested in getting started with exercise, we're glad you're here. At Evidation, we're here to help you live your happiest, healthiest life, and we're excited to help you discover great workouts for beginners carrying extra weight. Here, we'll explore what you should keep in mind when you're beginning an exercise routine, including how to talk with your doctor about your weight, different workouts you can do as you begin to work on your fitness, how you can bolster your mindset to keep you on track long-term, and how Evidation can help you work toward your goals.

Talking about your weight with your doctor

If you're concerned about your weight, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. Together, you can discuss whether losing weight would be a good idea for your health, as well as go over any physical limitations you may need to consider as you begin exercising. If your doctor has told you that you are overweight (your body mass index, or BMI, is between 25 and 25.9) or that you have obesity (your BMI is 30 or greater), they may provide you with additional information that can help you lower your weight, such as a referral to a registered dietitian, an order for thyroid testing, and more. BMI is by no means the only measure of health, but certain BMIs are strongly correlated with certain health issues, allowing your care provider to use your BMI as a tool to understand whether you may be at risk for body mass-related health conditions.

While it can be tempting to put off talking to a doctor about your weight, it's best to approach being overweight or having obesity head-on. People who are overweight or have obesity are more likely to develop high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease than people of a healthy weight. Thankfully, adding exercise to your routine can help you begin your journey to improving your health.

Getting started with exercise

Starting an exercise program can be an exciting time, especially when you're ready to make positive changes to your health. There's no need to get started by joining a gym or signing up for a spinning class—though if that's your thing, more power to you! Taking small steps can go a long way toward meaningful change. Here, we'll take a look at some of the ways you can create sustainable changes with exercise.

Walking

You don't have to hit the ground running when it comes to creating sustainable weight loss habits—walking can be highly effective for weight loss, as well as for increasing lower body strength and mobility. When walking to lose weight, it's important to stay consistent and build up your routine over time, gradually increasing your distance, speed, and incline (if possible) to continually challenge your body.

Strength training

By building muscle and burning fat at the same time, strength training workouts offer a hard-to-beat two-for-one deal. If you're unfamiliar with how to safely strength train, it's a good idea to book sessions with a personal trainer or physical therapist so you can learn the basics. Lifting weights doesn't just help with weight loss—it can also help to improve your posture and range of motion, potentially correcting musculoskeletal issues related to carrying excess weight.

Aerobics

Whether you choose to go to an aerobics class or you prefer to work out in the comfort of your own home, aerobics can be a safe, effective, and fast way to get your endorphins flowing while you rev up your metabolism. If you feel intimidated by the idea of trying an aerobics class, it can help to commit to just the first five minutes of an online aerobics video. If you get to the five-minute point and you aren't feeling it, no worries—go for a walk instead. If you're loving it, keep moving for five more minutes. Building up your fitness over time can help to reduce the chance of burnout as your endurance grows.

If you're looking for a low-impact option, you may want to consider water aerobics. The natural resistance of the water on your body serves to create a challenge, and the support created by your body's natural buoyancy can help you get the intensity that you're looking for without taking a major toll on your joints. Water aerobics classes are offered at many YMCAs and community centers, and can be a great way to make new friends who are on a similar journey.

Considerations for weight loss

If you're getting started with an exercise program, it's important to create a new habit that you're able to stick with over time. This can be easier said than done—especially if you're excited to get moving and want to dive in head first.

Keep the following in mind when you're starting a new exercise program:

• Start slow. As we mentioned, it can be tempting to go all-out when you're excited about improving your fitness. Going overboard when you're getting started, however, can lead to injuries and burnout. Starting with exercise that feels challenging yet doable can provide a good baseline. Each week, you can increase the duration or the intensity of your exercise so it feels challenging, allowing you to build strength and endurance in a healthy way while lessening the likelihood of injury.
• Focus on creating new habits. Motivation and willpower won't be there every day, but habits tend to stand the test of time. When you're working to develop a new habit, choose something you can stick with. For example, you may not be able to make it to the gym every day after work, but you can commit to completing a 10-minute yoga video before bed each evening. You might not be able to commit to 5 am training sessions, but you can commit to going for a 15-minute walk on your lunch break every day after you're finished eating. Setting these small habits doesn't just support your fitness—it also creates momentum that pushes you to keep going when things get tough.

Remember, exercise is about more than weight loss. While it can be tempting to solely focus on the number on the scale as an indicator of progress, it's important to remember how much good you're doing for your overall health when you establish and stick to a workout routine. In addition to supporting healthy weight loss, exercise can also lower your likelihood of experiencing depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, arthritis, and many types of cancer. You'll also get the benefit of better sleep and improved energy.

Get started with Evidation to begin your health journey today

Whether you're looking for workouts to help you lose weight or simply exploring ways to boost your overall health and wellness, Evidation is here to help. Here's how it works: when you download the Evidation app and sign up for an account, we'll ask you to share your health data with us. You choose what data you share, if any. We use the data you choose to share with us to find patterns in your habits and develop insights that can help you move your health forward. We share the next steps you can take by providing personalized content that can help to inform your health decisions. Click here to download our free app and learn more about how our process works. We can't wait to start supporting you!

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep isn't just the part of the night where you dream—it's also vital for your mental and physical health. When you fail to get enough REM sleep, you might notice negative effects, including memory problems, anxiety, and depression. You may also notice that you get sick more often than normal, as a lack of REM sleep can hinder your immune system's ability to fight off bacteria and viruses.

Here, we'll explore everything you need to know about REM sleep, including how much REM sleep you need to feel your best, how to know if you're getting enough REM sleep, and how you can use your sleep tracker and Evidation's data analysis tools to make the most of your shut-eye.

What is REM sleep?

During a typical night of sleep, your brain and body move through four sleep stages known as N1, N2 (light sleep), N3 (deep sleep), and rapid eye movement, or REM sleep (vivid dreaming). Each sleep stage is important and plays a crucial role in helping you to wake up feeling relaxed and refreshed.

REM sleep is named after the fast movements that your eyes make under your eyelids during this stage. For most people, the first cycle of REM sleep begins about 90 minutes after you initially enter the N1 (first) stage of the sleep cycle. Stages of REM sleep become longer and longer as the night goes on.

During REM sleep, your brain is very active—similarly to when you're awake. In addition to increased levels of brain activity, your body may also show increased activity in the form of an increased respiratory rate (faster breathing), a faster heartbeat, and a higher-than-normal level of muscle relaxation.

Some of the processes that occur during REM sleep include:

• Emotional processing: During this sleep stage, your brain processes and regulates emotions, which may help to alleviate stress.
• Memory consolidation: Your brain gets countless informational inputs each day, and your brain needs time to decide what to keep and what to forget, strengthening your memories as you sleep.
• Problem-solving: Researchers believe that REM sleep can facilitate problem-solving abilities by allowing the brain to draw connections between new ideas.
• Brain development: Plenty of REM sleep is especially important for infants and young children, as this sleep phase supports healthy brain development.

Researchers are still learning about what happens during REM sleep. It's thought that REM sleep is important for supporting certain types of learning, such as motor skills.

What happens if you don't get enough REM sleep?

Missing out on REM sleep can leave you feeling exhausted—and it can negatively affect your overall health.

One of the first things you might notice is trouble focusing or remembering things. REM sleep helps to turn your short-term memories into long-term memories. If you're not spending enough time in this sleep stage, you may find that it's harder to recall information.

You might also notice that you have trouble regulating your emotions when you're not getting enough REM sleep. Spending enough time in REM sleep can act as an emotional reset for your brain, helping you process feelings and handle stress in a healthy way.

While you're unlikely to notice serious negative physical health effects after a single poor night of sleep, missing out on REM sleep consistently over time can make it harder to stay healthy. In addition to lowering immune function, a lack of REM sleep can increase the likelihood of issues like weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.

How much REM sleep do you need?

There are several factors that play a role in determining how much REM sleep you need, including age, gender, and health conditions. Most people feel their best when their REM sleep makes up 20-25% of total sleep time. For healthy adults, this means about 1.5 to 2 hours of your nightly 7 to 9 hours of sleep will be spent in REM cycles.

Since REM sleep cycles get longer as the night goes on, it's essential that you get a full night of sleep to maximize the time you spend in REM.

How to know if you're getting enough REM sleep

Even if you spend a healthy number of hours asleep each night, poor-quality sleep can cause you to miss out on complete REM cycles, which can leave you feeling exhausted. Staying up too late, dealing with excessive amounts of acute and/or chronic stress, and sleep disorders can all make it hard to get the amount of REM sleep you need to feel your best.

If you're feeling groggy when you wake up despite getting plenty of sleep, you're struggling with memory issues or having trouble concentrating, or you're struggling to regulate your emotions despite no new stressors, you may not be getting enough REM sleep.

Key tips to improve REM sleep

Ready to improve your sleep, wake up feeling more rested, and give your immune system the boost that it needs to help you stay healthy? Getting an appropriate amount of REM sleep can be your ticket to feeling strong and energized throughout the day.

Try these tips to support healthy REM sleep.

Create a nighttime routine

Engaging in calming activities before you go to bed can help set you up for a great night of sleep, including plenty of time spent in your REM cycles. Activities like reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath can all help signal to your brain that it's time to prepare for rest.

Limit alcohol and caffeine

While alcohol may make it easier to drift off initially, it can make it harder to get restful sleep. Avoiding alcohol altogether is best. If you're going to drink, be sure to stop at least a few hours before bedtime, and drink plenty of water. Caffeine can also disrupt your sleep. While it's unlikely that a morning cup of coffee (or two) will cause problems, it's a good idea to pay attention to the way that caffeine affects your sleep. Cutting off caffeinated drinks around noon can make it easier to fall and stay asleep.

Avoid screens before bed

While it can be relaxing to lay in bed and scroll through your favorite social media site, doing so can wreak havoc on healthy sleep patterns. When you use your phone, TV, or other screen devices, you're exposing yourself to blue light, making it more difficult for you to get restful sleep. Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.

Manage stress

We get it—life is stressful, and sometimes, that stress interferes with sleep. When stress levels get too high, your brain and body may struggle to spend enough time in your REM sleep cycles. Practicing stress-reducing techniques—like journaling, meditating, or practicing yoga—can help you reduce stress levels so you can get consistent, restful sleep.

Sleep tracking and Evidation: your great sleep duo

At Evidation, we use the data that you're already tracking (and choose to share with us) to find patterns and provide you with insights that can help you feel your best. When you choose to share health information with us, we use multiple data points to find and provide you with personalized, content-based insights you can use to drive your health forward.

Ready to get started? Click here to download the free Evidation app and learn more about what we do.

It can be tough to pinpoint what differentiates a great night of sleep from a not-so-great night of sleep, but you know the difference when you feel it. Understanding what you need to get your best sleep can help you set the stage for overall wellness.

Sleep allows the body to repair itself, consolidate memories, regulate metabolism, fight pathogens, and more. When you get the sleep you need, it's easier to make decisions, regulate your emotions, and perform at a high level at work or school. Prioritizing consistent, restful, high-quality sleep can help you work toward your full potential while also enhancing your quality of life.

Here, we'll take a look at why sleep is so important and how you can benefit from tracking your sleep. Plus we’ll share our favorite apps that can help you set the stage for healthy sleep, including meditation apps, sleep tracking apps, and sleep story apps.

Why sleep matters

Sleep is one of the most essential components of your health and well-being—but it's often overlooked. Sleep plays an essential role in helping you stay physically, mentally, and emotionally balanced.

Sleep isn't just important in the short-term—it also impacts your long-term health. Over time, sleep deprivation can negatively impact your body's metabolic processes, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a number of health conditions, including high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

When you get enough restful sleep, your body has the time it needs to regulate the production of stress hormones, like cortisol, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed. This can reduce the likelihood of depression and anxiety, while also helping you manage difficult emotions.

Sometimes, cutting your sleep short is inevitable. Whenever possible, however, it's important to prioritize healthy, restorative sleep. Thankfully, technology can help.

Meditation apps to support healthy sleep

Meditation can work wonders when it comes to improving the quality of your sleep. When you meditate, your mind calms, your body relaxes, and you may find that it's easier to fall and stay asleep.

Here, we'll take a look at some of our favorite meditation apps that can set you up for a restful night of sleep.

Headspace

Headspace makes it easy for you to practice guided meditation on your own schedule. The app offers more than 1,000 guided meditations designed by clinical experts and trained coaches to help you de-stress at any time of day. You can try the app for free, and if you decide to stick with it, you'll be able to choose between a monthly or annual subscription option.

Calm

The Calm app provides in-the-moment grounding exercises, breath work sessions, and meditations to help you ease stress during the day so that it's easier for you to fall asleep at night. You can try the app for free, then choose between an annual individual or family subscription.

Happier Meditation

This meditation app offers a personalized experience that evolves your practice offerings over time. Creating tailored plans based on your needs, Happier pushes you to new levels of calm by challenging your current meditation practice and helping you move to the next level. You can try the app for free, then choose between a monthly or annual subscription.

Breathwrk

Designed to support physical and mental health, Breathwrk offers breathing exercises and classes that can help you clear your mind in just a few minutes. Whether you're looking for breathing techniques that help you feel energized or breathing exercises that help you calm down and focus during meditation, Breathwrk can help. You can try Breathwrk for free, then choose between a monthly or annual subscription.

Sleep story apps

The ability to drift off to sleep while listening to a story isn't just found in little ones. Listening to a calming narrative as you drift off to sleep can help the stress of the day dissipate as you make your way from the day to pleasant dreams.

Try these apps if you're in need of a soothing story to help you ease into sleep.

Slumber

The Slumber app offers relaxing music, guided meditations to help you drift off to sleep, and stories that can help you de-stress as you begin to wind down. You'll be able to choose between a free version and a paid version that provides you with full access to the app's stories and meditations.

Calm

In addition to providing guided meditations, the Calm app also offers sleep stories and sounds to help you drift off when your mind is racing. Struggling to get your little ones to get a good night's sleep? You'll love Calm's sleep stories for kids, which feature favorite characters like Winnie the Pooh.

Headspace

Another double-duty app, Headspace is one of our favorites when it comes to sleep stories. The app offers sleepcasts that are remixed each night, so you can use them on a nightly basis without knowing what's about to happen next. Each sleepcast begins with a wind down technique (typically a breathing technique or meditation exercise) followed by a narrated description of a sleep-inducing landscape, helping your mind to focus on relaxation before you drift off to sleep.

Sleep tracking apps

In order to improve your sleep, it's important to know where you're starting. Using a sleep tracking app can help you understand the steps you can take to improve your sleep.

Try these sleep trackers to help you understand your sleep patterns.

Oura

The Oura Ring provides continual feedback on your energy, activity, and stress levels, providing you with information on how you shift behaviors to boost your energy levels and feel your best. You'll get information on your readiness for the day, allowing you to continue moving forward with behaviors that help you wake up well-rested and alert.

Apple Health

If you use an Apple Watch or have an iPhone, it's likely that you already use Apple Health to track some of your metrics. Your Apple Health app can help you set up sleep goals, track the amount of restful sleep you get each night, estimate your time in each sleep stage, and help you understand your sleep debt.

Samsung Health

If you wear a Galaxy Watch or use the Samsung Health app on your Android phone, you'll be able to get information on your sleep phases, how often you snore, and see a sleep score that shows how your sleep habits stack up among your peers. You'll also be able to get a personalized coaching program that gives you tips to improve your sleep.

Integrating sleep apps with Evidation

At Evidation, we use the health data that you choose to share with us to offer personalized, content-based insights that can provide you with the information you need to drive your health forward. When you integrate your sleep tracking app with Evidation, we aggregate your data with other health tracking information you provide (such as data from nutrition, exercise, and mood management apps). We use this information to help you see connections and make changes that help you feel your best.

Evidation: Here to help you get your best rest—and more

We're excited to support you in your journey to becoming your healthiest and happiest self. Whether you're just getting started with tracking your sleep and are interested in learning more about your sleep patterns, or you've been tracking your sleep for years and are curious about how your lifestyle affects your shut-eye, Evidation can help. Click here to learn more about what we do and download our free app today.

Weight loss is hard work, and using technology to your advantage can take some of the stress out of the process of dropping pounds. At Evidation, we're here to help you meet your fitness goals. Whether you're looking to lose weight, run a faster mile, consistently attend yoga, or simply be more active throughout the day, Evidation is here to support you. Here, we'll take a look at the best fitness apps for helping you lose weight.

Best apps for planning and tracking workouts

Whether you're a newbie in the gym or you're a personal trainer, planning your own workouts can be time-consuming. When you use an app to plan your workouts, you'll get the benefit of a plan designed with the equipment you have that fits into the time you have available, all while supporting your weight loss goals.

Let's take a look at a few of our favorite workout planning apps that you can use in the gym or at home.

FitBod

This easy-to-use fitness app uses artificial intelligence to create routines based on your performance, utilizing progressive overload to help you make progress toward strength and weight loss goals. The app's library with hundreds of exercises ensures that you'll never do the same workout twice (unless you want to), and you'll be able to view videos and written instructions from trainers working through each move. FitBod's data-driven approach makes the app a great fit for experienced exercisers and newbies alike. Bonus: FitBod easily integrates with MyFitnessPal and Lose It!

8fit

Heralded for its ability to keep users motivated and engaged, 8fit offers customized exercise routines that include bodyweight exercises, HIIT workouts, yoga, and strength training to help you hit your goals. Workouts are quick, effective, and come with easy-to-follow recipes to help you refuel after you finish your workout. You'll love the progress tracking features of 8fit—you'll get to see yourself losing weight and getting stronger over time.

RunKeeper

Whether you hit the treadmill or prefer to pound the pavement throughout the great outdoors, RunKeeper offers countless tracking and motivational options to keep you pushing through, one mile after the next. Whether you're looking to lose weight, run a faster mile, or train for a race, the app can set you up with a training plan designed for your goals. At the end of each run, you'll get to see immediate stats that show how you're progressing, providing you with a sense of well-earned accomplishment for a job well done. Pro tip: Check out the coach-guided runs when you're in need of some extra motivation.

All the apps listed above—and many others—sync with Apple Health and other services that track your health at the macro level. When you connect your Apple Health, Google Fit, Oura Ring, or other tracking app to Evidation, you'll get the benefit of sharing your workout data (if you choose) to earn rewards and inform content-based insights within our app.

Best apps for tracking nutrition and weight loss progress

After you've dug your heels in and are on the path to weight loss, tracking progress can be exciting. For many of us, seeing a visual representation of how our weight and/or health has changed over time can be motivating, helping us to stay on track as we work toward the next goal.

Nutrition tracking apps typically provide easy-to-follow weight loss progress charts, along with estimations of how long it will take you to hit your weight loss goal. No matter how much hard work you're doing in the gym, it's nearly impossible to work off a sub-par diet, so using nutrition apps to track your efforts in the kitchen can help you stay on track. Thankfully, nutrition tracking apps make it easier than ever to understand how the food you eat affects your workout performance, weight, mood, and more.

Let's take a look at our favorite apps for tracking nutrition and weight loss progress.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a time-trusted app that allows you to track your food intake and exercise, creating an accountability platform that can help you stick to your goals. Basic features of the app are available for free, or you can upgrade to a paid membership to access additional features. Many app users love the community support feature, which allows you to reach out to others with similar health and fitness goals to keep one another accountable.

Lose It!

Similar to MyFitnessPal, Lose It! is an app that offers food and exercise tracking. A few features that differentiate Lose It! from MyFitnessPal: the app offers a barcode scanner, recipe builder, and allows you to set a customized calorie budget based on your needs. You'll be able to choose between a free and paid version of Lose It! when you sign up for an account. Insider tip: Lose It! offers great deals on memberships regularly, so keep an eye out to save money.

Cronometer

Heralded for its nutritional accuracy, Cronometer is a food tracking app that also allows you to input custom foods and track exercise habits. Many people say that the reliable accuracy of the nutritional information in Cronometer's database makes it an ideal choice for people who have diabetes and other health conditions that require specific dietary plans. While Cronometer is a great fit for many, some users don't like that the app has a smaller database than competitors like MyFitnessPal and Lose It!

Lifesum

This food and exercise tracker doesn't just let you know how much you're eating—it gives you a Life Score, providing you with a rating based on your eating patterns and activity. If you're especially motivated by numbers, trying to hit your goal Life Score each day can push you to keep using the app while engaging in healthy habits. If you're interested, you'll also be able to check out the app's recipes and meal plans to help you shake up your nutrition.

At Evidation, we're here to help you move toward your weight loss goals, one pound at a time

No matter where you are on your weight loss journey, we'll be here to help you make the most of your hard work. With your permission, we use the health data you choose to share with us to offer personalized, content-based insights that give you the information you need to keep moving toward your goals. Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and download the app today.