There are five really great reasons to be incredibly skinny. I think you'll agree with these.

• You are a contortionist.
• You're in jail and want to avoid all the effort it takes to create a master escape plan and just slide out through the bars of your cell.
• You want to hide behind small tress.
• You are part of an ice skating team with some dude spinning you around over his head.
• You are starring in a movie in which your character was lost at sea and has been stranded on an island for a long time.
  

Yep. These are the best reasons I can think of. Skinny or trim (which is the word I prefer) is fine if that's what you naturally are, as long as the term suits you in a healthy way. But "skinny" is not something I would hope people would strive for. Healthy and fit are far more important concerns than "skinny."

If you've ever needed an excuse to jump on the green tea bandwagon, look no further. Here's a list that compiles seven reasons to take up the habit. It sums up all the really popular benefits you can get from regularly consuming this cultural brew.

Lowering your risk for cancer seems like a pretty solid reason. An abundance of antioxidants has been shown to lend a hand against fighting cancer of the breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, and prostate. The same polyphenols you can credit for this benefit also help keep blood pressure in check.

One statistic suggests that less than a cup per day helps people reduce the risk of hypertension by half! Not that an entire diet can be created around green tea, but a strong cuppa has also been shown to help speed up metabolic processes. That means subtle improvements for calorie-burning gained just from tea. If you haven't heard enough, head on over to the full list and read more.

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If you've ever faced narcolepsy, curiosity has probably prompted you to ask why some people can fall asleep in the middle of the day for apparently no reason at all.

The disorder has been extensively studied in dogs, and the results from that seven-year study were recently released. Studied was the neurochemical called hypocretin, which plays a role in human and animal narcolepsy -- and in normal sleep -- according to researchers.

Researchers and investigators into the disorder are saying that narcolepsy is due to hypocretin deficiencies in the brain, which cause the boundaries between being aware and being asleep to start breaking down. As narcolepsy affects more than 135,000 Americans, perhaps the further understanding of this disease will lead to treatments for it in the near future outside of what exists to this day.

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People are either going to love the author interviewed in this article or they're going to hate her. Corinne Maier, a French mother of two, has written a book called No Kid: 40 Reasons Not to Have Children. From what the interviewer says about the book, it sounds as though Maier is pretty fierce and truly feels her life was better before kids. In the actual interview though, she seems slightly more humorous (albeit in a dark way).

Maier believes the French Government promotes the idea of family in that country in order to keep the economy running -- more kids equals more consumers to sell goods to after all, and also ups the amount of future earners contributing to the country's pension programs.

But Maier also has plenty of personal reasons not to have kids, 20 of which are listed in the piece. They include:

• You will lose touch with your friends.
• Your child will kill your desire.
• Children sound the death knell of the couple.
• You will be duped into thinking there is such a thing as a perfect child.
• You will be expected to be a mother before you are a professional or a woman.
• Children are dangerous. They will take you to court without a second thought.

Some of the reasons are harsh and some humorous, but I also think that some ring true. Possibly the most shocking thing about the book is that this woman, who lives in a society where having kids is often thought to be the only way a woman can really ever be fulfilled -- and in which those of us who haven't had or don't want children are viewed with pity or scorn -- is willing to admit that she regrets having children.

What do you think, is Maier selfish and crazy or courageous and honest?

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If you went around and asked people why they exercised, or why they should exercise, I bet you'd get hundreds of different answers. I think it's good that there are so many motivations available, especially since sometimes what works for you one day doesn't work for you the next. So if you're currently in need of some renewed inspiration here's a list of 5 good reasons to workout:

• Get out of your head and into your body. Get away from over-thinking and over-analyzing and get into the natural function of physical movement.
• Find a great way to de-stress and relax. Exercising for as little as 15 minutes can bring a feeling of inner peace and tranquility.
• Use your exercise time to work through issues. It's a great time to clear your head and think.
• Gain confidence and self-esteem-- you won't be able to help feeling better about yourself!
• Learn to live in the present. Exercise helps your over-all wellbeing, which includes not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.

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Struggling to lose weight? Really want to do it but just finding it impossible? Who isn't! Of course there are the select few successful ones, and it's those people who both inspire and depress the rest of us. What are they doing differently? What do they know that the rest of us don't?

eDiets has compiled a list of 22 reasons you might be fat forever. Now before you get all frustrated and give up because they gave it that title, please read the list. It's pretty simple and straightforward, and most of the things on the list make good sense. It's actually a little inspirational, if you ask me.

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The word "excuse" is used so frequently when it comes to exercise, fitness, and weight loss that it's amazing anybody ever actually accomplishes any health benefits at all! Working out really has become an exhausting (and not in the good way that exercise is supposed to be exhausting) "chore" that many people hate to do. As a result it all too often gets bumped to the back burner, and even squeezed out of the daily routine altogether.

What's the most common excuse for not exercising? Well, according to a survey, 40% of us say we don't workout because we don't have enough time. I'm definitely guilty of that one -- and at the time my reason always seems completely legitimate! A suggestion for fitting fitness in to a busy schedule is to use your time wisely and prioritize your physical health as important. Whether you can find one 30 minute segment in your day, or three 10 minutes ones, most people can squeeze a workout in if they really make the effort.

The second most common excuse, at 20%, is that people think they get enough exercise at work or home during the normal course of the day. Well, unless you're spending at least 20 minutes a day in your target heart rate, you aren't really doing enough to reap any real benefits. So evaluate your activity level closely and be honest with yourself.

And to round out the top three excuses, 15% of people say they can't exercise because of health problems or illness. This one, of course, should be determined by your doctor. But make sure you ask what kinds of activities specifically you should and shouldn't be doing, so you can make the most of your situation.

Visit the site to see the complete list of the top 7 most common excuses for avoiding exercise, including being bored and too tired, and pointers on how to combat them!

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Many of us have had our excuses at one point or another. It could have been the morning donuts. Or perhaps it was those summer trips -- honestly, who diets on a vacation anyway? But nix those eating and exercise reasons because a small army of scientists have come up with 10 other excuses that could help explain why people are fat.

"Creative" was what one doctor used to describe the report, adding, "At this point, there are no silly ideas." Obviously they're not suggesting you turn off your air conditioning (that one is #3 on the list). These are just potential factors for obesity.

Though some of these are just downright laughable (like the smoking one), you can hardly point a finger at them as being anything more than "excuses." Like any doctor will tell you, the most effective way to combat obesity is (surprise!) dieting and exercise.

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