Memorial Day isn't the most diet-friendly holiday. So if you're like some of us at That's Fit and still reeling from those last-minute "It's a holiday..." so let's throw caution-to-the-wind decisions, you may be interested to know that you can blame you brain for at least one of those extra slices of key lime pie.

While low-fat labels appeal to our best dieting intentions, they don't do much to fool the brain, MSNBC reported. Researchers from the non-profit Oregon Research Institute took a look at the reward centers in the brains of two groups of young women. Both groups were given chocolate milkshakes. Even though the milkshakes were the same, one group was told that the chocolaty-goodness was a regular shake, while the other group was told it was low-fat.

When the scientists studied the women's brains as they drank the shakes, they found that the reward centers of those who believed they were consuming a full-fat milkshake lit up. In contrast, the participants who were told they were drinking a low-fat shake showed much less activity. So while your swimsuit-ready body may be preserved by consuming low-fat food, your brain is always the wiser.

I learned something new today over at Diet Blog. Our big, human brains require about twice as many calories as the brains of other mammals. No wonder we overeat, right?

You know, it makes sense if you think about it. When our ancestors were spending their days hunting for food and running to avoid being food, they needed a lot of food to sustain themselves. Their brains cued them to eat lots of calorie-dense in order to keep their large, growing brains satisfied.

And our big brains are still cuing us to eat calorie-dense foods, but the problem is that now, calorie-dense foods are often laden with saturated fats and they're super easy to get. Pair that with the fact that many of us have sedentary jobs and busy lives that don't leave time for daily workouts, and ... well, I'm blaming any extra pounds on the fact that my brain is just so darn big. I like that excuse far better than my lack of willpower.

Have you given your stomach 20 minutes after eating to realize it's full and doesn't need one more bite? I mean, have you really given it 20 minutes? I know I've claimed to have tried this slimming technique but really, I never gave it an honest go. Until recently.

It all started one night during dinner when I really wanted seconds but was too lazy to get up and serve myself. So I sat. And 20 minutes ticked by. And then something happened: My tummy felt full. Like, really full. Like, another bite really would not have fit in there. Ah-a, I realized. It does work.

It takes the stomach about 20 minutes to produce the hormones that tell your brain that you are full. The whole process doesn't start until your stomach begins to stretch. If you eat more before this happens, that stuffed feeling sets in. I hate that, don't you? If so, give it 20. Really give it 20.

Going low carb is a fast and effective way to shed some of those extra pounds, but is it safe? The jury's still out on that one, especially considering the recent publicity this kind of diet is getting. Apparently, cutting out carbs can cause memory loss.

The explanation is pretty simple: Your brain needs a constant supply of glucose, and glucose can't be stored. According to Professor Holly Taylor of Tufts University, "The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory and thinking."

Staying away from carbs? You might want to reconsider. That's not to say you should binge on white bread -- a few servings of healthy whole grains per day is all you really need. So go on, eat a piece of bread and don't feel guilty about it.

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Fish has some powerful health benefits -- it's great for heart health and even has perks for brain power. Now we're learning that eating fish twice a week can reduce the risk of kidney disease in people with diabetes.

Protein in urine is an early sign of kidney disease. In a recent study, people who ate fish once a week or less were more likely to have protein in their urine than those who ate fish at least twice a week.

If you want to incorporate more fish in your diet, check out AOL Health's dish on fish. They've got the low-down on the risks (mercury, etc.) compared to the benefits as well as the various benefits of different types of fish. And before you go shopping at the fish market, you may want to check out Fitz's post on fishy business.

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I've said it before: When it comes to weight loss, there are no quick fixes -- well, at least none that are healthy and effective in the long run. These days, there's a lot of buzz about one quick weight loss plan. Dubbed a miracle pill, this once-daily medication has been shown to shrink study participants two clothing sizes in six months, more effective than any other pill on the market.

Here's the scary part: Originally developed to treat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, tesofensine alters the chemicals in the brain that control appetite and hunger. The side effects include diarrhea, nausea, constipation, insomnia and mood changes. Yikes!

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Endurance athletes are some of the most disciplined, dedicated people. Tap into that mojo by learning how to think like they do.

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Think the food-mood connection is a real one? I do. A handful of nuts always makes me feel happier than a bag full of chips. Maybe it's because I know nuts are better for me than chips and by eating them, I'm preventing a trail of guilt that would follow my chip indulgence. Or maybe it's something else altogether.

Seems certain vitamins and compounds can actually change brain chemistry in happy ways, like these.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Eat them and combat depression.
• Folic acid: Higher levels of folic acid lead to lower levels of depression.
• Low-quality carbs (candy, cookies, cakes): Watch out -- they can boost the blues.
  
• High-quality carbs (oats, barley, lentils, beans, sweet potatoes): The can stabilize mood swings.
• Vitamin D: It alleviates seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
  
  

Ready for some feel-good starter foods? Try these: Beans, wild salmon, skim milk, and blackberries. And don't forget to eat every four to five hours -- it will keep you feeling satisfied and happy all day long.

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It should come as no surprise to anyone that your mental state has a lot to do with athletic performance. Athletes who are able to "stay in the zone" remain calm and focused under pressure, making them less likely to choke. For some, that's easy. For others (myself included), having to make the game-winning shot can incite a feeling of pure terror. And, aside from practice, there's nothing you can do about that, right?

Wrong! Athletes are turning to neurotherapy and neurofeedback to "train their brains." An article called Train Your Brain in October's GQ chronicled one writer's experience with neurotherapy with the California-based Elite Sports Performance (ESP) and showed how it can (and does) help some of the world's most elite athletes to improve their game, with surprisingly easy-to-understand results.

Essentially, neurotherapy reads the different brain waves in areas of the brain, determining what areas are most active and which are a little more sluggish. For the writer, once the results were interpreted, exercises devised by the staff at ESP helped him learn to control his brainwaves -- the feedback was in real time, so training his mind was simple and straightforward, although not exactly easy.

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Still wondering about coffee, the very drink once implicated in a variety of diseases and now touted as a possible health food? Reader's Digest weighs in this month on the mounting evidence suggesting coffee has the power to heal.

Coffee is packed with hundreds of compounds, say the Digest folks, including the all-popular and all-powerful antioxidants -- one Norwegian study reports that brewed black coffee is richer in antioxidants than a serving of blueberries, raspberries, pineapples, and fruit juice. Who knew? Not me. Maybe if I drank coffee, I would have known, because coffee might one day prove to boost the brain just as much as it does the body -- studies of sleep-deprived rats show a calming after-coffee effect.

The bottom line if you're confused about coffee is this: Moderation is key. Limit consumption to one to two cups a day; skip the whole milk, sugar, and cream; cut out or limit coffee if you're pregnant; and if you're worried about cholesterol, opt for paper-filtered and instant coffees --unfiltered varieties, often made with a French press, contain more of a cholesterol-raising substance called cafestol.

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Fish is brain food -- right? It certainly might be.

Experts typically recommend eating fish twice a week because of the omega-3 fatty acids that make it a heart-healthy source of nutrition. Now, it seems fish might be brain-healthy too.

Preliminary studies suggest that the wonder of omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, to be more official) also boosts brain power. Makes sense since DHA comprises much of the cell membranes in our brains. Food folks love this news and are busy adding DHA to foods like yogurt, soy milk, and eggs, while marketing their products with clever slogans. Do their food items really enhance mental performance, though?

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I want smart kids, especially in light of my second-grader's first science test score. Ouch. He didn't do so well, which is a little hard to take since I'm his appointed tutor. Seems he could use some foods to build up that brain of his. I could use some too.

What a child eats has a direct effect on test performance. Gotta keep sweets and junk food to a minimum then and up the intake of the following foods.

• High-quality carbohydrates, such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains
• Lean protein, like turkey, chicken, eggs, and beans
• Cereals, like oatmeal topped with fresh fruit or something with three or more grams of fiber and no more than six grams of sugar per serving
• Snacks, featuring baby carrots, celery, pepper sticks, string cheese, nuts, low-fat popcorn, grapes, and berries
• Skim or low-fat milk
  
  

There's more to brain power than food. You've got to keep your kids active too -- it improves circulation, which increases oxygen flow to the brain.

Ready to help your kids ace their next exams? I am. For more specifics, click here.

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I've never been pregnant, yet drinking during pregnancy is an issue that I'm very familiar with. My son's biological mother drank while she was pregnant with him. As a result, my son has Fetal Alcohol Effect. While he doesn't have the craniofacial features that are typical of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, he has many of the behavioral and cognitive impairments associated with the spectrum disorder. For example, though he is 11-years-old, my son's ability to comprehend cause and effect is about the level of a 2-year-old's.

So suffice it to say that I'm glad to see this study stating that even a few glasses of wine in early pregnancy can cause some fetal cell death. The researchers studied the effects of alcohol on fetal development in mice. Evidence shows that a few glasses of wine over an hour can have lasting effects on fetal development.

If you're pregnant, or there's any chance you might be pregnant, don't drink. It's just not worth it. One fun night might turn into permanent impairment that your child has to manage and live with for their rest of his or her life.

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Strokes can be debilitating at best, deadly at worst. But for those who've survived a stroke, new research shows that there is one important thing they can do to help their brain facilitate positive changes: Exercise. And we're not talking about running weekly marathons here--walking on the treadmill as little as three times a week can significantly improve mobility and physical conditioning.

What's more, patients don't need to start an exercise regime immediately after their stroke -- Starting a workout program any time after a stroke was beneficial. In fact, one patient showed improvement after exercising 20 years after his stroke.

Man, is there anything a good workout can't do?

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We spend hours upon hours each year working out our bodies, yet we frequently forget to give our brain a good workout. Just like your biceps and your quads, challenging the brain helps keep it in proper shape.

To keep your mind sharp, try some of these brain-boosting techniques, which were sourced from MedicineNet.com and the Cleveland Clinic:

• Go over in your head what it is you want to remember, and be habitual in your tasks. Put things in the same place, for example.
• Get plenty of social interaction, sleep and regular physical exercise.
• Reduce stress whenever possible.
• Challenge yourself with activities. Try a crossword puzzle, take a class, or build something.
• Try to avoid distraction when learning something new. Give it your full attention, and use all of your senses to become familiar with it.
• Break an activity into multiple steps, and stretch it out over several days. For example, take a few days to learn how to program a new electronic device.

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