The Best Exercise For Fat Loss: This Week in Health

Exercise is not always intuitive. (Case in point: running a marathon isn’t always healthy, but brief bouts of exercise are among the best for you.) This week, TIME explored two burning workout questions: is protein powder good for you, and can you lose weight just from your stomach? Here’s what else caught our attention this week. (Sign up for the TIME Health newsletter for more.)

You Asked: Can you lose weight just from your stomach?

In most cases, you can’t spot-target weight loss. But your stomach may be the one exception. Fat stored in your gut, arms and chest is metabolically active, experts say, which means the fat there is more likely to respond to exercise and diet than excess fat elsewhere.

People age better if they have a purpose-driven life

Purposeful living is linked to many aspects of wellbeing, like a longer life, lower risk of disease and better sleep. Having a purpose may also help seniors keep their physical strength and independence, according to a new study.

The surprising dangers of grooming your pubic hair

Most adults in the U.S. shave, wax or groom their pubic hair. But the practice is leading to a surprising number of injuries, a new survey finds.

Is protein powder good for you?

Protein is now available in a wide variety powders, including whey, hemp, soy and pea. But is getting protein from a powder just as good for you as getting it from whole foods?

What to know about the pro-vegan Netflix film What the Health

The recent Netflix film “What the Health” is being criticized by some health professionals for pushing a vegan diet with poor nutrition science. TIME breaks down what the film got wrong when it comes to nutrition and health, and what it got right.

You need to stop putting smiley faces in work emails

The results of a study about using smileys in email may be disappointing to emoji lovers. Even when they’re meant as a sign of friendliness, using them at the office could backfire, researchers report.

Why wine tastes better when it costs more

It’s long been suspected that people think a bottle of vino tastes better simply if the price tag is higher. This week researchers got closer to understanding why: the brain may react differently to pricier bottles, according to a new study.

Texas passes law requiring women to get extra insurance for abortions

The new law forbids insurance providers in the state from covering abortions, even in the case of rape or incest.