Courtesy of Dazed81

Gaining weight can be very frustrating, especially if you are physically active and watch what you eat.  Weight gain is comprised of many factors, this  means that you can put on extra pounds even though you may be eating the same foods and keeping the same exercise routine.  You may be gaining weight because of the following reasons:

1.  Lack of Sleep - When you are sleep deprived, your body stores more fat efficiently.
2.  Stress - Extra stress can cause our body’s metabolism to slow down, resulting in a Beer Belly.
3.  Medications - Prescription drugs can change your appetite, or affect how fat is stored.
4.  Medical Conditions - Hypothyroidism is a medical condition which causes a lack of appetite and weight gain.
5.  Menopause - Hormone changes can affect sleep, hunger and slow down your metabolism.

Click on the following link to read the entire article:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/5-surprising-reasons-you-are-gaining-weight

Popularity: 16% [?]

Many drinks have more calories than people realize.  And unlike food, we can have a lot to drink without filling up.  Therefore it is important to know how many calories are in the beverages we drink.  Be careful of drinks with sugar, cream and syrup.  Diet and calorie free drinks will always be the healthiest options.  Make sure you add up the total calories of a beverage before you drink it.  Many beverages can pack 2 or 3 servings per bottle, which essentially makes drinks seem healthier than they really are.  Watch your serving size when drinking fruit juice and fruit smoothies.  While these beverages may be filled with vitamins, they are typically high in calories. 

Are you drinking beverages that are high in calories?  Click on the link below to see if your favorite beverages made the list.

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/joybauernutrition/18182/are-beverages-making-you-fat/

Popularity: 31% [?]

Do you need some motivation to help jump start an exercise program?  Look no further, all the reasons you need are right here.  Taking 30 minutes out of your day to walk, run, bike or swim can have more positive impacts on your body than you can possibly imagine.  Regular aerobic exercise can reduce health risks, such as high blood pressure and heart attacks.  Aerobic exercise can also improve your immune system, clear your arteries of bad cholesterol, relieve stress, fight depression, increase stamina and help keep off those extra pounds.  As you get older, aerobic exercise will help keep muscles strong and your mind sharp.  And the most important reason of all, people who regularly engage in aerobic activities live longer than people who do not.

What more motivation do you need?  Get out there and start exercising!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aerobic-exercise/EP00002

Popularity: 33% [?]

It is common knowledge that eating fast food is not healthy for you.  But that still doesn’t stop millions of people from eating fast food everyday.  When you go out to eat at McDonalds, Burger King, Subway or Taco Bell, do you know what the healthiest options are?  Take the IQ quiz on the link listed below.  You may be surprised what you know or don’t know about fast food.

http://body.aol.com/diet/basics/fast-food-nutrition-facts 

Popularity: 25% [?]

The other day I was sitting in my apartment after work and all I could think about was getting a Blizzard from Dairy Queen. I wasn’t hungry, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about giving into my craving. I tried to do different things to take my mind off of it; I did some laundry, ran errands, watched TV, and I went for a run outside. But no matter what I did, I could not get my mind to stop thinking about getting a Butterfinger Blizzard. Finally at about 9:30 at night, I caved into my temptation. Fifteen minutes after I finished eating, I was overcome by this sudden feeling of guilt. I know that eating a Blizzard is not healthy for me, I know eating lots of junk food was the reason that I weighed over 300 pounds a couple of years ago. I have worked so hard to lose the weight and get my body into shape, yet I find myself unable to overcome this one little temptation. All of a sudden I started thinking to myself, “Can compulsive eating be classified as an addiction?” Is compulsive eating any different from the “typical” addictions such as gambling, alcohol, drugs or nicotine?

The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines addiction as “A physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 10% [?]