Diet & Weight Loss Archive

Body fat percentage provides valuable information about your overall risk for diseases like heart disease and diabetes, but determining your body mass index and measuring your waist size offer easy the best tools for estimating total body fat. 

 Reducing daily calorie intake by 25% may improve health-related quality of life even in people who are not overweight, according to a new study. After two years following a specific diet plan, subjects lost an average of 16.7 pounds, compared with less than a pound in control subjects. They also had better mood, less tension, greater general health, higher sexual drive, and better quality of sleep. 

Activity trackers, farmers' markets, and mindfulness aren't just passing fancies. They can help you develop beneficial health habits.

 Image: julia514/iStock

The word "trendy" has come to refer to a fad or fashion that may have little lasting value, so it can be a turn-off, especially when applied to health practices. But trends can also have lasting health benefits—for example, the trends toward making public places smoke-free or adding calorie counts to fast-food menus. There is increasing evidence that the three trends below fall into the "beneficial" category.

1. Wearing activity trackers

3. Practicing mindfulness

It is normal to lose some weight as a person ages. In fact, an estimated 10% to 20% of men older than age 65 lose 5% or more of their body weight over the rest of their lifetime. However, losing 5% of total weight in one year or 10% over two years warrants some medical testing.

Body mass index (BMI) is still the best way to assess body fat for most people.

Lifestyle measures can help to minimize postmenopausal weight gain and maximize health.

Many Americans opt to quench their thirst with drink sodas, juices, and sports drinks instead plain water. Now, a recently published study has confirmed what researchers have been saying for a while: upping your water consumption can help you avoid excess calories and control your weight. So, next time you’re thirsty, try water instead — it’s free, refreshing, and good for you!

Excess sugar in the diet can cause a whole host of health problems, both physical and mental. If you’re concerned about cutting down on sugar, you might think you’re covered if you skip the soda and pastries. But there are plenty of hidden and added sugars lurking in all kinds of foods — even those traditionally considered “healthy.” Here, we’ve given you some tips on what to watch out for.

Many pregnant women turn to zero-calorie artificially sweetened beverages to help avoid weight gain. However, these beverages may actually cause weight gain—and even alter your digestion and sense of taste. Recent research suggests that pregnant women who drink diet beverages to avoid weight gain may end up with heavier babies. So, if you’re pregnant, you may want to rethink that zero-calorie soda. After all, the old adage about “eating for two” is a reminder to eat and drink in ways that keep both you and your baby healthy.

You’ve probably heard that if you want to lose weight, it’s as simple as “eat less, exercise more.” A recent study suggests that a lot of exercise doesn’t always translate into a lot of extra calories burned. But even if you never lose a single pound with exercise, it has so many other benefits for your body and mind that it’s always worth it to be active. Give it a try today!