Next time you head to the gym, plan to cozy up next to some unfit folks on the weight machines. Chances are you'll work harder and longer if your exercise partners are frumpier than you.

When researchers from the University of California, San Diego, secretly timed women on a weight machine, they found than if a fit woman in tight gym clothes was on the next machine, the exercisers stopped in just under three minutes. But when their neighbor looked unfit and was sporting baggy sweat pants, the women kept going for more than five minutes. Questionnaires the participants later completed revealed the unfit folks didn't make them feel better about themselves, but the hot bods did make them feel worse than when no one was on the next machine.

This news brief, found in the June 2008 issue of Good Housekeeping, has me wondering where I'll place myself next time I hit the gym. How about you?

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If you go out on a date with someone who seems to be perfect in every way, have you ever wondered if they would also make a great romantic partner? A new study is suggesting that when it comes to social butterflies who seem like the perfect date versus those people considered "socially awkward," the latter group makes a better committed partner.

Those individuals who are always on top of their game when it comes to social situations are referred to as "self monitors." They evaluate how their actions and appearances affect those around them. By adjusting how they act and what they say, these people appear to be perfect at building strong relationships.

However, researchers conducted a study by comparing various participants' level of commitment and how much they self-monitored, communicated (on an intimate scale), and their relational satisfaction. The findings show that because these individuals watch what they say and do in order to appeal others, their commitment doesn't run as deep. This is in comparison to socially awkward types who, when surveyed, showed higher commitment and satisfaction. Is this scientific, or moreover, believable? Not across all situations, thankfully -- everyone is different, and even the researchers admit that people often end up with someone in between these two polar ranges.

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Have you been dieting, and cutting calories and fat for ages but you haven't lost any weight? It happens to the best of us and it's incredibly frustrating. Often we don't realize that habits which don't seem to relate to food can result in weight gain, and that foods which seem healthy, may not actually be all that great. If you can't seem to downsize, consider these 9 potential culprits:

• Stress - Stress makes the body release a hormone that causes fat to build-up around the abdomen.
• Labels - Light, low-fat and fat-free don't necessarily mean 'healthy' and could be full of sugar and calories.
• Hunger - If you eat for any reason other than actual hunger, you may be eating stuff you can't burn off.
• Booze - Alcoholic drinks are full of empty calories AND your body burns off alcohol before anything else.
• Sleep - If you're tired it throws specific hormones off-balance resulting in false feelings of hunger.
• Exercise - Exercise is essential for weight loss but too much will only make you feel hungrier.
• Work - Those who spend more time at their desk exercise less and eat more high-fat and high-sugar foods.
• Partners - When comfort levels go up, healthy eating, exercise and a tight body can go out the window
• Protein - It is OK to eat carbs, but protein keeps you feeling full so you need to balance the two.

For more information on all of the causes listed above, as well as tips on how to fix them, take a look at the article in its entirety here.

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