Whether you're quenching your thirst or prepping a meal, make sure to draw water from the cold tap. Hot water is likely to contain higher levels of lead, says the EPA, because it dissolves the toxic metal in plumbing more quickly than cold water does. If you haven't turned on the faucet for 6 hours or more, let it run cold for a minute before using, the agency advises--and use only water filters bearing a seal from NSF International, a company that certifies products' lead-removing abilities. The average portion of lead exposure in the United States that comes from drinking water is 15%.

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Use these simple tweaks from top experts to make the most of every second of your exercise.

1. Jog Through Water. It’s one of the most strenuous activities you can perform, since water is about 12 to 15 times as resistant as air. Running at your hardest, you can burn about 17 calories per minute—at least twice as much as you would burn running on pavement.

2. Start Fast. Researchers at the College of New Jersey found that after a short warm-up, cyclists who punched up the intensity during the first half of their workouts and then cruised for the second half burned about 10 percent more calories than those who started slow and finished fast.

3. Warm Up Before You Lift. A short spin on a bike or jog on a treadmill (enough to get your heart rate up) warms your muscles and tendons and gets fluids flowing in the joints; this increases your muscles’ elasticity, allowing you to handle heavier weights and endure a longer workout.

4. Sign Up For Hip-Hop. Surprising your body with a new dance or sport forces it to work harder because it’s doing unfamiliar movements and using muscle groups in different ways. In the process, you’ll burn more calories than you would by doing the same old routine.

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You know yogurt is healthy and a great way to get calcium, and you may have even heard about probiotics, the "helpful" bacteria that boost your immune system. Some yogurts could be considered liquid candy bars while others sound medicinal enough to require a prescription. Understanding the nutritional ins and outs of this power food is worth the effort. Here are the top-ranking questions my clients ask, along with my how-to-shop advice.

Is plain yogurt the only healthful kind?

No. It seems counterintuitive that a yogurt called banana cream pie or strawberry cheesecake could actually be good for you, but it's all about the nutrition label. Any yogurt (plain or flavored) that meets the following criteria (per 8 ounces) is a smart choice:

No more than 200 calories Yogurt is mainly made from milk, and 1 cup of fat-free milk contains just 86 calories. Extra ingredients shouldn't tack on more than another hundred or so. 4 g of fat or less Because no other fats are added to yogurt, the total fat content reflects what kind of milk it's made from. More than 4 g probably means whole milk was used, or even cream. Both are heavy in the unhealthy saturated fat you should be avoiding to protect your heart.

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Since taking up Pilates, FitCeleb Hilary Duff has seen her body transformed.

 "I was a gymnast before, so I was a bit more bulky in the past. [Now] I have leaner longer muscles, my strength is up," she tells PEOPLE.

Besides Pilates workouts three times weekly "for flexibility and toning," she gets her cardio boost from doing Piloxing – a combo of Pilates and boxing – at V Pilates in Burbank, Calif. 

Photo By Wenn

Being limber boosts flexibility and makes working out feel easier. When you stretch, hold each move for 10 to 30 seconds since it takes at least 10 seconds for muscle fibers to relax and lengthen. (More than 30 seconds yields no added gain.) And never bounce: It sends a signal to the muscles to contract rather than to extend.

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Just in time for the 4th of July weekend. Start your BBQ with delicious healthy burgers. Plus all these added benefits from the burgers. Magnesium and folate from spinach; fiber from apples and buns; antioxidants from rosemary and sage.

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

• Burgers 1/2 lb extra-lean ground round beef
• 1/2 lb lean ground pork 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage 1/4 tsp salt 4 whole-grain buns
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves Chive "mayo" 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives 2 dashes each salt and pepper Apple slaw
• 3 green apples, peeled, cored and grated
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt Preheat grill to medium high.

Directions:  

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