You might not be able to change your desk job, but you can change the way you sit. Find out why slouching is bad for your back and butt and how to fix this common problem.

A club sandwich just happens to be one of my favorite menu items, and here's why I rarely order it: Martha says a club contains a whopping 1,030 calories. Next time I want to indulge, I'm sharing it with someone else!

Put that two-piece bathing suit in your shopping cart. Fitz has two exercises to help you create some awesome abs.

Jonny reminds us that in the battle between high fructose corn syrup and sugar, there are no winners. Both should be avoided when possible and enjoyed only in moderation.

See a salad on a fast food menu? It might actually cause you to eat fries instead. Don't let the notion of healthy food make you let your guard down. Order it, eat it and be healthy instead.

So you want to make some healthy changes but aren't sure where to start? Try stocking up with one of these seven fridge superstars.

Ever sat in front of the TV munching on chips, only to realize you've polished off half the bag? Laura's got tips for being a more mindful eater.

A study links vegetarians to eating disorders, but could it really be the other way around? Maybe people with eating disorders are "hiding" behind vegetarianism.

Good on you, That's Fit readers! Forty six percent of you keep a diet diary. That's a great way to keep track of calories and not let mindless eating get away from you.

Do you have a fitness buddy? I tried it for a week, and it really is a great motivational tool. Try calling up one of your friends this weekend and commit to a shared workout.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Print ads and commercials trying to dispel the public's negative beliefs about high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have been popping up all over the place in recent months. It's no wonder those who stand to profit from HFCS feel the need to defend it; many manufacturers are starting to create HFCS-free foods to give consumers a choice.

Pepsi will soon be hopping on board the HFCS-free bandwagon. Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback are old-school versions of the popular sodas -- instead of HFCS, they're sweetened with sugar. It's sweet to have choices, isn't it?

Of course sugar doesn't do your hips any favors, either. So, you'd think weight-conscious consumers would be totally on board with artificial sweeteners. Surprisingly, only about 15 percent of Americans opt for artificially sweetened products.

Does the type of sugar you eat matter? Or is sugar just sugar? Experts looking into these questions are thinking there is one sugar that might make you fatter than others.

Fructose is the one, and it's thought that this sweet stuff dramatically enhances ipogenesis, the process by which the body converts sugar into fat. Check out this scary fact: In one study, people who consumed a fructose-filled breakfast drink produced double the body fat in the four-hour period that followed. Yikes. Those who drank a glucose-only beverage fared much better.

Want to steer clear of fructose? Then step away from the fruit juice and most processed foods, because many of them contain it in the form of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which happens to be a major source of excess calories.

Source

Kristen told us about the recently-launched high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) ad campaign. By now, you've probably seen the commercials. The ads bother me to no end. Not only because they imply that HFCS is natural ("it's made from corn") but because of the disturbing way the people are portrayed.

The people who are concerned about HFCS in the commercials come off rude, condescending, and uninformed. Seriously. Would you actually tell a friend that you don't think they care what they feed their kids? On the other hand, the people who think HFCS is fine are knowledgeable and polite. Personally, I think the commercials poke fun at people who are health-conscious and care about what they put in their bodies.

CBS News launched an investigation and found that three of the six studies supporting the Corn Refiners Association's claim that HFCS is no different than sugar were funded by organizations that stand to profit from HFCS acceptance. It's not unusual for parties with a vested interest to fund studies, but it does give reason to raise a questioning eyebrow.

[via FitSugar]

Source

Today I had more than bills in my mailbox. When I opened it up, there was a little treat waiting for me. A free cookie, courtesy of Kashi. I love Kashi cereals, so when I saw a commercial for free samples of their cookies, I thought I would give it a try. The sample was an Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookie, and it was totally yummy.

More importantly, it's packed with nutrition. The main ingredient is a blend of seven whole grains (hard red winter wheat, oats, rye, triticale, barley, long grain brown rice, and buckwheat). It also has sesame seeds and, of course, tasty dark chocolate. Even though it's all natural and contains lots of good ingredients, it is still a cookie -- it has 130 calories and five grams of fat (1.5 is saturated). It also has eight grams of sugar, but thankfully none of it is from high-fructose corn syrup. Honey and and brown rice syrup are used for sweeteners.

The cookies are also available in Happy Trail Mix (cranberry, raisin, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and shredded coconut) and Oatmeal Raisin Flax flavors. Go ahead. Steal a cookie from the cookie jar and see what you think.

Source

We've been hearing for years that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is bad for us -- that it causes obesity and other related health problems. And, earlier this year, the FDA ruled that HFCS is "not natural." However, an ad campaign has been launched to try to change our minds.

Have you seen these commercials? I can't say that I disagree with part of their message -- inform yourself about what you're eating. The problem is that the HFCS industry wants to be the ones informing you via their website, SweetSurprise.com. And, sorry, but that's not exactly an unbiased source.

So why are these ads coming out now? There could be many reasons, including the fact that major food retailers, like Kraft, are starting to label products as HFCS-free because so many people are trying to cut it out of their diets. The fact of the matter is that it's extremely difficult to avoid HFCS -- it's everywhere. A number of studies have shown a link between HFCS and obesity, especially in children. HFCS doesn't give you the full feeling you should have after consuming it, leading you to consume more calories and gain weight.

Source

While the area I live in may have made my exposure to this fruit a little slower than it was for most people, it's still a relatively new addition to the regular fruits and veggies on grocery store shelves. In a short span of time the bizarre-looking pomegranate has moved from exotic to mainstream.

The world of nutrition has its trends just like anything else, and pomegranates certainly had their day (or couple of years) in the sun. Pomegranates have been linked to health benefits for erectile dysfunction, cancer risk reduction, lung health, and other issues. And they certainly are good for you... not to mention tasty. (Though pomegranate juice can negatively interact with certain medications (such as some blood pressure meds), so check with your doctor.)

But when a food item becomes trendy, there is a bit of a halo effect; anything that has that item listed on the package automatically seems healthier and better for you. Health by association, if you will.

We all know sugar is bad for you, and sugar by another name is just as, if not more, harmful to your health. Take high fructose corn syrup, for example. Label-savvy readers will know that this is one of the worst forms of sugar out there, and if you didn't know if already, you do now. HFCS has a proven link to diabetes and that's just one of its harmful side effects.

But it seems hard to avoid. It is in many items in your kitchen right now, even in the ones marked 'all natural.' Which I thinks makes a good case for not relying on convenience items and instead making snack foods yourself. Still, I doubt many people have much time for that so it's important to be educated on what you're putting into your body.

For more info on HFCS, check out this post.

Source