That's Fit

There's really no big secret to losing weight and keeping it off. Burn more calories than you consume and you'll see what I mean. Eating a healthy diet, exercising well, minimizing stress, and getting enough sleep will help your cause. So will another factor, according to this LA Times article.

The Internet may help you lose weight -- you're using the Internet right now, after all, and look at the wealth of diet and weight loss information That's Fit has to offer. But communicating with real people is just as important.

According to a 30-month multi-center study conducted at Duke University Medical Center and three other research institutions, participants in a personal-contact support group gained back 8.8 pounds of the 18.7 they lost. Those in an Internet support group and control group regained 11.4 and 12.1 pounds.

These maintenance results might be modest. But the research supports what has been previously established -- that continued support from people who help with the weight loss process is associated with keeping weight off.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

On June 21, hundreds of people celebrated the start of summer on the longest day of the year by commencing yoga class in a city marked by madness. Smack dab in New York City's Times Square, on the island at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets, yoga enthusiasts rolled out their mats and set up shop for the annual Mind Over Madness Yoga event. This year's extravaganza was the largest ever.

The purpose of this yoga fest? To face the challenge of finding tranquility and transcendence in the midst of the world's most commercial and frenetic place.

If ever we all have something in common, it must be the desire to find calm in the midst of chaos. Who doesn't want to breathe easy, rid themselves of anxiety, and tackle life with a peaceful energy? It's human nature to seek serenity.

While summer is behind us and the madness of this official event is long over, it's not to late to pull out your own yoga mat. Take it to the center of your own town if this strikes your fancy. Or simply find a quiet place and strengthen your mind, body, and spirit with the 3,000-year-old practice that is good for every bit and piece of your soul.

OK, I will admit that I don't think that drinking or smoking in moderation, is a huge deal. As long as you're being considerate of those around you and being responsible (not driving drunk, for example), I figure that you can do with your life what you want. And speaking of smoking, I'm not a marijuana fan but again I think that using it in moderation is probably OK.

Maybe it's because I'm from Canada where the view on cannabis is much more lax than in the US, but I never really believed the suggestion that pot (along with drinking and smoking cigarettes) is a gateway drug that will lead users to try harder, more dangerous drugs. Apparently I'm going to have to revise my position and eat my words though, as a huge Australian study has shown the exact opposite to be true.

The study, which followed 2000 young people from the State of Victoria in southeastern Oz for 10 years, has shown that teens who smoked cannabis at age 15 were 15 times more likely to use amphetamines in their 20s. The study also says that study participants who began drinking and smoking cigarettes at a young age were more likely to try pot in the first place. Considering the size and length of the study, as well as the pretty huge findings, I'm thinking I may have to change my opinion about what sorts of things are OK in moderation.