Plenty of misinformation abounds on how to attain a smaller waistline and sexy abs. Common tips to target this problem area fall short and are ineffective. By applying these realistic tips, though, you can improve your abs and midsection.

Crunches won't give you the abs of steel you desire because they only work the muscle hiding beneath the layer of fat. You cannot remove fat without weight loss surgery or going into caloric deficit, which is decreasing the amount of food you eat so that your body starts burning fat instead of calories.

Diet and exercise are vital. No matter the stomach-targeting exercise, if you consume too many calories you will gain weight. Do exercises that work your entire body for long periods of time so that your body goes into caloric deficit. This is the only way to lose the fat.

Gadgets and technology won't give you defined abs, only you can do it. Don't fall for the latest and greatest ab exercise product on the market. The results would be the same as doing crunches on your own, so they aren't necessary. Keep the above ideas in mind, while maintaining a healthy diet and aerobic exercise every day -- and you will see real results.

Source: familyhealthguide.co.uk

Labels: caloric deficit, calories, exercise, weight gain, weight loss, weight loss surgery

Savvy consumers have increasingly become aware of what's in the foods they eat, including the health risks of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Food makers have caught onto this and now want to change the name of HFCS to simply "corn sugar" so consumers don't perceive it negatively. But is that strategic move in the best interest of the shopper trying to buy healthy foods?

HFCS is found in sodas, candy and many processed foods. A combination of fructose and glucose, it's used as a sweetener and preservative. It's also been blamed for being a major cause of the obesity (which also puts you at risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease) epidemic in the United States.

Doctors advise against all types of sugar -- HFCS, sucrose, fructose and glucose -- which have the ability to make you gain weight. They are all believed to be equally harmful when absorbed into the bloodstream. Some lab rats in studies have shown to gain more weight with HFCS compared to other sugars, but sometimes they did not.

Limiting your intake of all kinds of sugar and sweeteners is recommended to avoid unnecessary weight gain. Read those nutrition labels and look out for sugar content. And soon enough, you may have to look out for one more -- corn sugar.

Sources: NYTimes.com, MayoClinic.com

Labels: artificial sweeteners, blood sugar, diabetes, dieting, high blood pressure, obesity, weight gain

Junk food is not only a hotly-debated topic between moms and children, it's a topic of interest to scientists as well. Researchers at Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity wanted to find out how popular cartoon characters on the packing influenced children’s snacking preferences, and the results they published in Pediatrics in June are eye-opening.

40 children between the ages of 4 and 6 involved in the study were given 3 pairs of snacks (graham crackers, fruit gummy snacks and carrots). Each pair of snacks was identical -- except the packaging, which either had cartoon characters on it or not.

The children were then asked which snacks they liked better, and food items with the cartoon characters were mostly preferred, even though both choices were the same. When presented with the carrots, however, the children weren’t as swayed by the veggies with cartoon characters on them.

The findings then urged the restriction of using cartoon characters to advertise unhealthful junk food items to children. It’s also a wake-up call to parents to pay closer attention to such snack items aimed at children with their beloved characters on them.

Below are more food and obesity facts regarding children reported in the study:

• Obesity rates for children between ages 2 and 5 have more than doubled since the 1970s; among 6- to 11-year-olds, rates have more than tripled.
• Food and beverage companies spend more than $1.6 billion in advertising per year targeting young consumers.
• Based on the findings, children perceived the food items with licensed characters to taste better than those that came in plain packaging.

Source: NYTimes.com, YaleRudderCenter.org

Labels: childhood obesity, obesity, peer pressure, women

Omega-3 fatty acids have been touted by doctors and health experts as essential to a healthy diet and heart. We can find them in fish oil capsules and many grocery store foods, but a recent study conducted in Holland of omega-3 fatty acids in margarine, however, may challenge its benefits.

In the 40-month long heart study of 4,800 patients that received low doses of omega-3 in the form of margarine in addition to standard heart medication, it made no difference in their chance of experiencing a second heart attack or other cardiovascular problems. Participants in the study were between the ages of 60 and 80 and had experienced a heart attack within the past 4 years.

An important factor to note: the diet in Holland is also different from the American one, as it includes more fish and less red meat and fast food.

Still, a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids is recommended by many doctors for a healthy heart and weight loss, which can be found naturally in foods like fish (salmon, herring and sardine), soybeans, flax seeds and walnuts.

Source: LifeScript.com

Labels: fat, health, heart health, medication, omega 3 fatty acid, red meat

Organic cookies, gummy bears and ice cream can now be found at grocery stores everywhere. Eating healthy organic food is healthier for you, but organic junk food is where things get tricky. Many people trying to lose weight mistakenly think organic junk food is permissible -- even healthy -- but they are just as bad for you as traditional junk food.

Researchers in the Department of Psychology at University of Michigan found that when faced with an organic junk food item vs. a non-organic junk food item, consumers seemed to think the organic version had less calories and was less fattening even though that was not correct. There is also a misconception that "organic" equals "healthy," which isn't necessarily true.

This is important for those watching their weight, especially as consumer interest in organic food rises.

When grocery shopping, read the nutrition facts and ingredients and watch for the following things to make healthier choices (whether organic or not):

*How many calories does it have?
*How much saturated fat?
*How much sodium?
*How much cholesterol?
*How much sugar?

It's okay to occasionally indulge in an organic junk food item -- just exercise caution (and don't forget to do physical exercise, either!). Even though an organic snack is made with organic unbleached flour and organic sugar it still can make you gain weight, especially if those calories are not used up.

Source: Judgment and Decision Making, Vol. 5, No. 3, June 2010, pp. 144–150

Labels: appetite, calories, nutrition facts, organic, organic food, sodium, weight gain

When dining out, salads are the go-to menu option for those trying to lose weight. You think that fresh veggies are healthier and contain less calories than the other carby menu items. But sometimes, a salad is just as bad as anything else on the menu and here's why.

On a recent "Eat This, Not That!" segment on the "Today Show," Editor in Chief of Men's Health, David Zinczenko, showed us that many salads at popular chain restaurants are loaded in calories, fat and sodium, which could wreck anyone's weight loss plan.

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad
1310 calories, 93 g fat, 1470 mg sodium
With not-so-great-for-you fried chicken, this salad has the same calories as a McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder, fries and a coke.

Wendy's BLT Cobb Salad and Ranch Dressing w/ croutons
760 calories, 51g fat, 2090 mg sodium
This salad is just as bad for you as 2 bacon cheeseburgers from Wendy's.

Quizno's Chicken Caesar Flatbread Salad
920 calories, 66 g fat, 2090 mg sodium
With more sodium than you need in a day (max is 2000 mg), this seemingly innocent salad is the equivalent of 3 White Castle bacon and cheese sliders plus 3 fried chicken rings!

TGI Friday's Santa Fe Chopped Salad
1800 calories
Need we say more? This meal contains as many calories as a Burger King Double Whopper, fries and chocolate shake.

California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Chicken Salad w/ bleu cheese dressing
1570 calories, 30 g fat, 2082 mg sodium
This delicious and healthy-looking salad is just as fattening as a Wendy's 1/2 lb double cheeseburger, fries and medium frostie.

You can still dine out and even order a salad every now and then, just follow the tips below for guidance.

Fattening ingredients to avoid
Fried ingredients, tortilla chips, creamy dressing, cheese

Diet tricks
*Sometimes the portions are out of control. Just eat 1/3 of the meal once you've eaten enough healthy calories and take leftovers home.
*Ask for your dressing on side, then drizzle a small amount as needed.
*Choose oil and/or vinegar-based dressings. One tsp. of balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette) can contain as little as 5 calories!

Source: "Today Show," msnbc.com

Labels: calories, portion control, self-control, success, weight gain

Starvation-inducing diets du jour aren't the way to a better body. What matters most is eating healthy, exercise and lifestyle choices.

There are tricks you can learn to help you along the way. Today, we look at the Japanese concept of Hara Hachi Bu. It's not a fad diet concept, but merely a way to gauge how much food you are putting into your body.

This idea that originates in Okinawa, Japan -- where the average person mainly consumes lean meats, healthy vegetables, soy foods, fruits and whole grains -- is to eat until you feel that you are 80% full.

Your stomach takes about 20 minutes to register that it is "full," so it's a great strategy to eat slowly and stop once you start to feel somewhat full. Think you're still hungry? Wait a half hour to see if you're still hungry, but usually your stomach will be satisfied.

Because of a healthy diet rich in anti-oxidants, Okinawans have 80% lower rates of heart disease and 50-80% lesser chance of breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer compared to Americans.

Healthy Eating Tip

If you struggle with figuring out when your body is 80% full, try taking away 20% the amount of food you would normally eat.

Source: Okinawa-diet.com

Labels: portion control, success, weight loss