When it comes to your fitness routine, the time you spend sweating it out in the gym tends to get all the credit—but it shouldn’t. If you know what to do before a workout and what to do after a workout, you’ll know exactly how to tweak your routine in order to impact your progress and results.

Finding time to exercise can be challenging, and the most important thing is to squeeze in any amount of it whenever you can. But if you want to optimize your workouts to get the widest range of benefits, you might want to try exercising in the morning. Here’s what the science says about the best time of day to exercise — and what to expect if you opt for later workouts.

We’ve all seen it happen: finding the motivation to actually make it to 6 a.m. boot-camp with a friend; nailing the last round of squats when you see those around you powering through; or pushing yourself to shave time off your personal record when you run a 5k race. There is something to be said about the power of working out in a group — but what is it about exercising with others that motivates us?

If the only workout you’ve done over the past few weeks is beating yourself up for being lazy, it’s time to forgive and move on. We asked weight loss experts and personal trainers for their best advice on how to start exercising again after a lull. Here’s how to get up, establish a fitness routine, and stay motivated long past waning New Year’s resolutions.

The newest buzzword to hit the diet world seems to be keto — which refers to the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet. With claims that you can eat all the fat you want, never feel hungry again, lower your blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes, and even boost your athletic performance, the diet promises something for everyone.

For people who have high cholesterol, every bite counts — including the little ones between meals. You may think cutting out snacks is the way to go, but eating at regular intervals is actually important for normalizing your blood sugar levels and keeping your metabolism moving throughout the day. Snacking is also a great way to include foods that may help lower your cholesterol, as long as you choose wisely. Just because you can’t reach for greasy chips, fries, doughnuts, cakes, and cookies doesn’t mean you’re stuck with tasteless choices. Here are eight healthy snacks you’ll actually enjoy that are good for your heart health, too.

We’ve got nothing against french fries, but when it comes to fried potatoes, we’d rather dig in to a basket full of crispy tater tots. Deep fried until golden brown, tater tots have gained a cult following, and it’s no wonder: Their melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness simply cannot be beat.

If you have high cholesterol and blood pressure, your doctor has probably advised you to start following a healthy diet as part of your treatment plan. The good news is that delighting your taste buds while sticking to a heart-healthy meal plan is easy — and many of the foods you enjoy most likely aren’t off limits.