I'm flipping through the October 1, 2007 issue of Family Circle magazine -- yes, I'm a month behind -- and I keep stumbling upon diet and exercise tips that are really quite interesting. Seems only fair I'd share with you these random tidbits about dogs, sleep, and food cravings. So here goes:

• Walking your dog for 20 minutes five times per week for one year led to an average weight loss of 14 pounds for those who were part of a recent study. If you don't have your own pooch, consider volunteering to walk dogs at a local animal shelter.

• If you skimp on your sleep, you're more likely to eat fast food. Why? Probably because feeling tired makes cooking a healthy dinner seem like a lot of hard work. Swinging through the drive-through or plopping down in that booth at McDonald's is so much easier.

• If you constantly crave snacks, high-fructose corn syrup may to blame. This sweetener, unlike other sugars and found in soft drinks, salad dressings, baked goods, and cereals interferes with the body's appetite control center. When we eat foods containing this syrup, we actually feel hungrier. Get this: Americans ate none of it in 1960 and now consume more than 63 pounds per person per year. It's high time we start checking those food labels. If high-fructose corn syrup is one of the first five ingredients listed on a food item, we'd be wise to put it back on the shelf.

How's that for some random, yet helpful, tips?