health-bloggers-related stories
Eat anything and don't gain weight
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
You can eat anything you want and not gain a pound. The secret? Portion control.Eating the right portion sizes may be more important than the food choices you make, according to nutrition expert Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. "Healthy food choices are paramount, especially during the holidays," says Diekman, who is also the past president of the American Dietetic Association. "But if you don't pay attention to portion sizes, healthy food options aren't going to help you lose weight on their own."
While many of us know that consuming an extra-large hamburger is less healthy than eating a chicken sandwich, recognizing a good portion size can be more challenging, especially when dining out or at a party.
Read on for easy portion-control tricks.
Songs to boost your workout
Listening to music while you exercise boosts your capacity to work out harder. And now a professor from Brunel University in West London has created a formula for the perfect workout track.It can't be any old music. "Some gyms tend to just put on a radio station, which can be a bad idea, as radio stations will vary their tracks to create a different mood," Dr. Costas Karageorghis told the BBC. It's the wrong kind of music for intense exercise.
By testing 30 volunteers on a variety of specially-selected rock and pop music, Karageorghis found their exercise endurance rose by an average of 15 percent, which is a significant amount considering the only boost is from the music. His formula for the best exercise music is this: The song has to have the right rhythm, tempo and musicality of popular music, but also it must be mixed with a bit of "cultural impact." The best songs for moderate to intense exercise have to be between 120 and 140 beats a minute.
The top 5 songs to listen to while exercising:
Women over 40, how do you lose weight?
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
It's no secret that we're concerned about
keeping our metabolism fired up as we age, and keeping flat bellies, too. The real secret is, how do real women in their 40s and beyond do it? Do you count calories? Watch your carbs? Do you work out so you can eat whatever you want? Or, are crazy diets or weight loss supplements what work best for you?
Share you weight loss success story in a comment below. Whether you gained weight because of pregnancy or because of eating with partner with a faster metabolism and hearty appetite, we want to know how you've lost big. Or, if you've stayed the same size your whole adult life, tell us how you managed to do it.
keeping our metabolism fired up as we age, and keeping flat bellies, too. The real secret is, how do real women in their 40s and beyond do it? Do you count calories? Watch your carbs? Do you work out so you can eat whatever you want? Or, are crazy diets or weight loss supplements what work best for you?Share you weight loss success story in a comment below. Whether you gained weight because of pregnancy or because of eating with partner with a faster metabolism and hearty appetite, we want to know how you've lost big. Or, if you've stayed the same size your whole adult life, tell us how you managed to do it.
Are Smoker's Rights Going Up in Smoke?
The government has been cracking down on the tobacco industry for quite some time, and it doesn't look like the full-fledged war against smoking will be letting up any time soon. In many states, it's illegal to light up in any restaurant or bar. No need to ask for a seat in the smoking section, it simply does not exist. States that haven't jumped on the anti-smoking bandwagon are expected to follow suit in the coming years.
Smokers are being hit hard with cigarette taxes to the dismay of those who puff a pack or more per day.
The movie industry has begun to strictly regulate when and where smoking can appear in films, deeming it dangerous and unfit for young audiences.
We all know how the powers that be feel about smoking, but how do you feel about being hit hard in the pocket when you want to pick up a pack and being banned from smoking your pricey cigarettes in public places? We want to know! Take AOL Health's "How is Smoking Affecting You?" Quiz and let your voice be heard!
Sexual harassments -- health threats, or just another kind of compliment?
While some may downplay sexual harassments by calling them "harmless compliments," or 
"unwanted sexual attention," two recent surveys suggest that sexual harassment is not only prevalent, but can have serious impacts on mental health. And, contrary to conventional wisdom, this is not just a female issue. Males also reported harassment, though lesser in number and severity.
"unwanted sexual attention," two recent surveys suggest that sexual harassment is not only prevalent, but can have serious impacts on mental health. And, contrary to conventional wisdom, this is not just a female issue. Males also reported harassment, though lesser in number and severity.27 Belly Flattening Foods
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian and co-author of Flat Belly Diet! has compiled a new annual list of belly-flattening foods that are full of fat-blasting nutrients like heart-healthy MUFAs (monosaturated fatty acids) and whole grains. These top 27 foods flat-belly foods are her favorite low calorie, non-processed snacks that will help you keep your summer weight-loss promises. Everything on the list is worthy of a try but I've narrowed down my top five favorite snacks:My favorite from the list:
- DeBoles Organic Ancient Grain Penne. Regular pasta semonlina flour may be tasty but it's calorie content isn't. Each serving of DeBoles provides 7 g of protein, which helps control blood sugar levels and regulates energy to keep hunger away.
- Naked Juice Probiotic Tropical Mango 100% Juice Smoothie. This yummy juice is made from 100 percent all-natural fruits and contains healthy bacteria that boosts immunity and promotes digestive health. Each bottle has 180-calories but gives you a day's worth of vitamin C and 60% of your daily intake of vitamin A. Plus it counts as two servings of fruit.
- Kraft LiveActive Mozzarella Cheese Sticks. This little cheese snack is perfect when you're on-the-go. Plus it contains 8 grams of protein and will only cost you 80 calories.
- Garden of Eatin' Baked Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. I love these organic blue corn chips. Not only are they tasty but each serving contains 3 grams of fiber and protein, 300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and only has three grams of fat per ounce, which is half of what fried chips have.
- World of Grains Blueberry Snacks. These crunchy little blueberry treats are made from nutritious whole grains and contain real blueberries and each serving gives you 12 percent of your daily fiber intake.
Summer food
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Summer is a time for outside grilling, barbecues and summer cocktails, which usually means you'll be consuming a lot more calories. You'll be shocked by the amount of calories in some of our favorite summertime foods -- like corn. Try boiling your corn as opposed to grilling it, this will save you about 10 grams of fat and 30 to 100 calories per ear. If you enjoy slathering your corn in a little butter, don't worry about the added calories because summer is also a great time to get outside, enjoy the weather and get active. You can burn off 60 calories in one cob with a fun 15-minute walk. The best summer workouts are those that allow you to strike the best balance between calories in and calories out.
What do you guys do to burn off those extra summer calories?
Drop a size in four-weeks plan
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Summer is just around the corner and if you'd like to shed a few pounds before baring it all in your bikini check out AOL Body's new Summer Quick Fix and our 4- Week Diet Plan.
If you have trouble Finding Your Motivation, remember to set goals within your reach and make a successful summer change thats right for you and your body.
Do you guys and gals have any Belly Flattening tips for summer?
info provided by Prevention
Eat fast food for a month, drop five pounds?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
That's what Credit Suisse restaurant analyst Keith Siegner did for all of April 2008 and somehow managed to lose five pounds. Yep, that's right, he only ate at fast-food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, Subway and Domino's for 30 days straight. But unlike Morgan Spurlock, of 'Super Size Me' fame, he actually lost weight.
Tell us your diet tips
We know how tempting those low-fat, low-cal products on the store shelves are when you're watching your weight. But some of those so-called diet foods are total impostors loaded with calories and sugar. The editors at AOL Health put together a photo gallery of some of the top offenders. Now, we want to hear from you. Forget fake diet food, tell us what smart substitutions you make that help keep your diet on track. Share your tips in a comment below.
FDA wants new guidelines for Lasik
However, a recent study found about that about 31 percent of Lasik patients had some degree of dry eye before their surgery, and about five percent worsened afterward. Other patients also said they suffered severe eye pain, blurred vision and other problems after undergoing Lasik.
So now the FDA is urging the government to issue clearer warnings about the potential risks of Lasik eye surgery, which is always a good idea with risky procedures.
Would you ever undergo Lasik eye surgery, and if you have, did you ever experience any problems after the procedure?
Water: how much is enough?
Did you know Eva Longoria drinks up to three liters of water per day? She may be upset by the recent study that said drinking eight glasses of water or 2 liters a day has no scientifically proven benefit of improving your health.
Well, after all these years of trying to knock back the recommended eight glasses a day, some doctors claim it simply is an urban myth "lacking in scientific basis."
I still think it's important to get up to eight glasses a day because our body can lose up to 2.5 liters of liters of water a day so it's important to replenish our water supply. Water is beneficial for a number of reasons. It flushes toxins out of your organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for your tissues. Without water your body will become dehydrated. So if you're just as confused as I am as to the "right" amount of water to drink per day. Here are two simple tips I came across. But make sure you take the environment, your exercise routine and any health conditions into account before you modify your fluid intake.
- First take the pee test: the lighter the color of your pee the more bile is broken down by our bodies. So if you're drinking the right amount of water for your body, your pee will be clear.
- Second: to determine how much water your body needs here's a tip from nutritionist Sophie Pachella. Sophie says you should drink about "half your body weight in ounces each day." This means if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day.
Should you cook or nuke your veggies?
We all know broccoli is good for you, right? Not only does it have anti-cancer compounds, and anti-oxidant containing vitamins (vitamin-C and bets-carotene) but it's loaded with fiber. But which way is the best way of cooking broccoli and other vegetables, to preserve the most nutrients?
Believe it or not a recent study done at
But be careful not to add too much water when cooking your veggies in the microwave. Researchers suggest that in order to keep the nutrients undamaged when microwaving you should only use a couple of tablespoons of water to cook raw vegetables and no extra water to cook frozen ones. That's because vegetables lose water-soluble nutrients like folic acid and vitamin-C when they are immersed in cooking liquid.
What tips do you have for steaming or microwaving your veggies?
New picture book, 'My Beautiful Mommy' teaches kids plastic surgery equals beauty
As an assistant on the AOL Body team, I'm constantly reading the health headlines to stay up to date of current trends and medical advances. Yet, today when I read this article from the Washington Post, I was horrified and sickened at what to me appears as a step backwards. The article reviews a new picture book out for kids that explains "Mommy's" plastic surgery, by explaining that Mommy will be prettier when she comes home from the hospital. What kind of message will that send to kids about body image, self-esteem and gender? As another That's Fit Blogger pointed out, men are turning to cosmetic surgery too. If plastic surgery is so prevalent, and no longer a hush-hush topic that there is a market for picture books explaining it to kids, then shouldn't we explain the whole story, not one that simplifies such a costly and controversial procedure?
Home remedies round-up
It's been a busy month for home remedies on That's Fit and AOL Body. First, the AOL Body editors
shared our home remedies. Then, we asked for your favorite home cures. Now, we've pulled together our favorite reader health help suggestions -- some a bit unusual (we'd suggest checking in with your doc first). You gave us tips to help everything from colds sores to dry feet. See if your suggestion made the cut, and what other bizarre advice other readers had to offer.
Readers' Favorite Home Remedies: http://body.aol.com/health/home-remedies-real-people.
shared our home remedies. Then, we asked for your favorite home cures. Now, we've pulled together our favorite reader health help suggestions -- some a bit unusual (we'd suggest checking in with your doc first). You gave us tips to help everything from colds sores to dry feet. See if your suggestion made the cut, and what other bizarre advice other readers had to offer.Readers' Favorite Home Remedies: http://body.aol.com/health/home-remedies-real-people.
