From the food choices that we make, the thoughts and hormones that fuel the choices to the diets that have worked and will continue to work, we explore the reasons behind the dreaded weight gain – and find out how to avoid it altogether.

You’ll be putting in some real mileage before your kid outgrows this set of wheels. Here’s how to embrace stroller time as a training advantage.

Eat Right ! FUEL YOUR BODY!

We get experts to weigh in on whether these alternative weight loss methods are legit.

Do you want to lose some weight and lower your cholesterol? Then step this way to better health and well-being.

You’re exhausted and overwhelmed as a new mum, yet you’re anxious to get back into shape, fast.

Shape’s art director Ray Ticsay tried the ballet-inspired workout for the first time, and walked out sore, sweaty, and super mind-blown.

Beat fatigue, hunger pangs and muscle cramps by munching on these dietitian-approved snacks.

Keen to jump on the fitness bandwagon, but don’t know where to start?

The celebs do it. The question is, should you? And do these four trending diets actually work? Davelle Lee breaks them down so you can decide if the torture is worth it.

JUST HOW RESTRICTIVE IS YOUR DIET?

Love your carbs? A simple DIY test can reveal how your body processes carbs and your carb type, and which can have big health benefits and even help you lose weight.

You’ve booked the gynae, now find the right helper to care for your new baby and yourself after birth. Here’s your guide to hiring one.

Eager to shed those extra kilos, but don’t fancy yourself a gym junkie? Perhaps it’s time to look at ways you can include physical activity in your day without needing to head to the gym. Daily activities like carrying your own shopping bags, or doing calorie burning house work and chores like vacuuming and car-washing, can help you burn those calories too – here’s how to get started.

YOUR CHEAT SHEET TO BURNING 100 EXTRA CALORIES WITHOUT EVEN TRYING.

Did you put on weight during the holiday season? Help is here.

Losing weight doesn’t have to be so hard.

With so many hot new eating plans promising improved energy, more lean muscle and mental clarity, it’s tempting to try them all to find the perfect fit. But jumping from one to the next has long-lasting effects, the latest science shows.

These group workouts are crazy effective at raising your metabolism and torching calories for hours (or maybe even days) after.

Bet you don’t consider some of these daily activities as exercise. Well, they are – and these smart Samsung gadgets can help you track them, as well as your lifestyle habits.

ZARELDA MARIE GOH finds out that the Apple Watch, soon to be packed with even more cool features, truly has everything you need to achieve your health and fitness goals.

IT’S TIME FOR THESE SAINTLY FOODS TO LOSE THEIR HEALTH HALO. BE SAVVY AND DROP THEM FROM YOUR DIET.

The rower is a fantastic cardio machine because you can crush calories on it and sculpt muscles in your back, arms, abs and legs. But strapping in without a strategy won’t do your body any favours. Annie Mulgrew, the programme director at City row, an indoor rowing and strength training interval studio in New York City, helps to decode its dashboard. Learn what the numbers mean, then pick a time or distance goal, hit the appropriate button to lock it in, and row.

Your mum was right – you should eat your breakfast. But why, and what type?

Two secret flavour-boosting ingredients are exciting chefs these days: coffee and tea. The perks? A robustness and complexity that makes your dishes daring and delicious. Plus, the brews’ antioxidants are mega-healthy. Here, inspired recipes that will shake up – and wake up – your palate.

It's time to stop obsessing over the numbers.

The secret to cutting way down on kitchen time without skimping on flavour? Your slow cooker! Make the most of it with these healthy, hearty meals.

Like pretty much every food, breakfast tastes better when you cook it on the grill. Gather your friends, fire one up, and give eggs, French toast, and lox and bagels deeper flavour and subtle smokiness.

May your days be merry and light.

THESE COCKTAILS ARE LESS GUILT-INDUCING THAN THE OTHERS.

With veggies taking on a new role as culinary stars these days, the basics of building a salad deserve a refresh. Here, chef and award-winning food blogger TIEGHAN GERARD rewrites the rules for a modern, inventive upgrade to our favourite healthy meal.

There’s the age-old route to dropping kilos: Exercise a lot more and eat a lot less. But recent research has pummelled that formula and found all-new (and easier!) ways to live slim.

Whole grains are one of the healthiest and best-tasting foods around. These six hearty dinners – soup, salad, even burgers – are proof positive.

We find out if your quest to catch 'em all can also double up as a quest to work some calories off.

Let your hair down and break a sweat in rhythmic fashion with the latest dance-inspired fitness trends heating up studios across Singapore.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the scale just stalls. That’s when these science-backed strategies come in. Bust through your plateau and let the slim begin.

Post-workout, you’ll want something healthy and satisfying. These bites from Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, founders of fitness lifestyle brand Tone It Up, hit the target – and help your muscles reboot too.

The fresh dinner ingredient that will add bright flavour to your meals? Summer fruit. And it plays perfectly with spicy, smoky and tangy notes to create amazing new taste combos.

Every yogi knows the importance of having a good mat. Grippy and deeply cushioned, Manduka offers yoga mats in various thicknesses. Feel the difference as you do downward dogs and arm-balancing poses. No more sliding around when your hands perspire. The same non-slip technology also applies to Manduka yoga towels, which are made from recycled plastic bottles. Priced from $70, the yoga mats and towels are available at Fit N Fab (#03-24 Raffles City) as well as Key Power Sports stores.

Packed with vitamins and minerals, these dishes don’t just deliver fresh creative flavour – they also provide power-through fuel.

Eating clean will give you the nutrients and workout energy you need to build lean muscle and blast fat without the excess calories that could undermine your cellulite-shrinking efforts. Focus on lean protein, plant-based fats, and high-quality carbs like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans, says registered dietitian and nutritionist Jim White, an exercise physiologist and the owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in the US. Beyond that, to help make your skin smooth and reduce the appearance of cellulite, eat plenty of the following all-stars.

Dropping extra kilos isn’t always that simple.

Fitness and nutrition experts weigh in on 11 of the most pressing questions about working out.

The nutrient builds and repairs muscle after your workout, but studies are now linking too much protein to health dangers like heart disease. So, now what? Shape investigates.

We’ve given your favourite meals a makeover. Now, you can enjoy the dishes you love day and night – without a lick of guilt.

Here’s how to get over some common self-deceptions and keep the weight off.

Some dishes come and go, but the ones here are what we consider forever recipes – foolproof, healthy and so delicious, you’ll want them for your permanent collection.

During the eating and drinking season, there’s a lot of happy indulging on a grand scale. Then there’s that moment when your cravings reverse. Instead of thinking about digging into buttery mashed potatoes, you long for something fresh and restorative – something that will detox you back to feeling energised.

The perfect healthy snack, yogurt trumps its sugar-loaded twin – ice cream – with its good balance of protein, carbs and fat. Yogurts with live, active cultures also contain probiotics to boost gut health and help with gastrointestinal conditions.

Overdoing even a good thing can make you gain weight, experts say. Discover how to find the healthy zone.

Get double the bedroom benefits with exercises that improve your body and relationship. Martha Lee, clinical sexologist at Eros Coaching, reveals where to start.

What’s Chinese New Year without yusheng, pineapple tarts and bak kwa? ELISA CHIA fi nds out what you can indulge in when pregnant.

It’s modern Nordic cuisine, and it’s taking over dining tables everywhere. Driving the new food movement: creative herb combos, healthy ingredients, and memory-making flavours that hit every note, from deliciously delicate to daring and bold.

With these healthy and – omg! –super-tasty food swaps.

One simple tweak may help you lose ab fat to the tune of 10 per cent. Adopt the new exercise rules that could make this flat tummy yours.

The key to lasting weight loss is mastering your metabolism. Here’s how to keep your internal engine speeding along.

Headed out for a run? Aim for a specifi c distance rather than a length of time to make sure you don’t shortchange your workout, suggests new research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s most recent annual meeting. In the study, one group of exercisers was instructed to walk or run 30 minutes a day and increase that to 60 minutes a day. Another group was given a daily distance goal equivalent to calories burned. The distance group lost about 4kg, while the time group gained a couple. “People tend to inadvertently overestimate the time they actually spend exercising,” explains lead study author Cody Morris. But distance, on the other hand, is non-negotiable, so you get the full body benefits.

Redefine Frozen Food With These Fun Recipes.