Are you a woman who reaches for fatty foods when stress sets in? If so, you're not alone. A recent study by the University of California-San Francisco found that women experiencing chronic stress ditch their diets and load up on comfort foods, reports Shine.

The study, which surveyed 600 women, found that most women not only opt for foods that might normally be off-limits, but they also beat themselves up about it. And, as the author of the Shine article pointed out, that's hardly surprising -- most of my girlfriends follow that same pattern.

This isn't the first study to look at the relationship between stressed out women and comfort food. A study from Cornell a few years back had similar findings, including the fact that these foods triggered feelings of guilt in many women. It also found that men and women seek out different kinds of comfort food, with men preferring protein-dense treats, like steak or meatloaf, while women jones for sweet, high calorie snacks (chocolate and a pint of ice cream, ladies?).

French women don't get fat, that much we know. In fact, 5 percent of French women are actually underweight. But they're far more likely than women in other European countries to worry about that number on the scale.

In fact, a study out of France's National Institute of Demographics says women in countries like Belgium, Spain and Portugal are more likely to be overweight. But interestingly, those same women are more likely to perceive themselves as thin.

In short: You might be overweight by BMI standards, but it's comparing yourself to your girlfriends that makes you feel fat or thin. "If a French person who feels fat were to go to the United States, he probably wouldn't feel fat any more," study author Thibaut de Saint Pol told AFP in an interview. He thinks that French women are under enormous pressure by French men to be thin. Unlike other European countries, French men fall solidly in the "normal" (and not overweight) category, on average.

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Working hard to climb that corporate ladder but can't seem to get ahead? It might be your weight holding you back. It seems that being overweight or obese might lower that oh-so-frustrating glass ceiling that women who want to climb to the top have to deal with. Interestingly, a large waistline might actually help men get ahead.

Here's the scoop: In one study, researchers compiled photographs of top male and female CEOs from 1,000 leading U.S. companies. Raters with expertise in determining body weight ranked the photos as normal, overweight or obese.

What they found is that compared to the U.S. population, overweight and obese women are greatly underrepresented among top CEOs:

• Twenty-two percent of female bosses are overweight, while 29 percent of American women are.
• Sixty-one percent of male bosses had packed on the pounds, compared with a 41 percent national average.
• Only five percent of CEOs -- regardless of gender -- were obese, despite a 36 to 38 percent national average.

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Hey ladies! Are you trying to cut costs at the grocery store by buying low-cost junk like mac and cheese? It's not going to do your health or your hips any favors, but it just might get a date.

A 2005 study found that during times of "resource scarcity," men's preferences for female body types change. So exactly what does that mean? Are recession-weary men drooling over Botticelli-like rounded bellies and ample hips? Nothing quite so drastic. But men in the study did tend to find women who were a few pounds heavier more sexually attractive.

Researchers set up four situations to see what men find hot; two variables made the guys feel financially insecure while the other two variables tested them when they were physically hungry. The men who felt financially insecure chose women who were about two pounds heavier than those chosen by men who felt financially stable. And hungry guys tended to go for women who were about three pounds heavier than those chosen by men who were full.

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Men and women are different, there's no arguing that. And around our house, it's never more apparent than when there's chocolate in the house -- I'm forced to eat it; he isn't.

OK, so not forced. That would imply I'm not in charge of what I eat. But it's really, really hard for me to resist sweets, which is why I don't buy them. He, on the other hand, is like a kid who still has Halloween candy left at Easter. In January, Bev told us that there's a reason for this: Our brains are wired differently. Men can say no to their favorite foods, but women can't stop thinking about them.

Clearly, when it comes to willpower, men have the upper hand. But according to "Newsweek," there are several ways that men and women differ when it comes to dieting. For instance, men might have stronger willpower, but nutritionally, women are smarter. "With women, they're very eager to learn," says American Dietetic Association spokesman Jim White. "They look for nutrients, read food labels and focus on healthy cooking and healthy meals."

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In a piece of extremely unfair news, researchers have found that women who drink two or more sugary sodas a day are more likely to show early evidence of kidney disease. But there's no increased risk for men ... how unfair is that?

Researchers aren't sure why women who drank two or more sodas daily have an increased level of the protein albumin in their urine (an early marker for kidney disease). Without a clear understanding, it can't really be said that the soda is the cause of the problem. But researchers surveyed over 9,000 people and the trend was clear ... even if the cause isn't.

Even if the shaky soda/kidney disease correlation is a bit sexist, the other health effects of soda don't discriminate. The added sugar in soda contributes to obesity and all of its related issues, and soda (even diet soda) is terribly bad for your teeth. It's best if all of us -- men and women alike -- stick to healthier beverages.

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When Jillian Michael's said in our recent interview with her that she hates the idea of a cheat day, I cheered. Instead, she said, have a little of what you love every day. What I hate about diet food marketing is that a) it's always pitched to women, and b) it always makes us feel like indulging in a little treat is misbehavior.

Let's get something straight: Eating a piece of chocolate is not what gets most people in trouble. Eating the entire box of chocolate is.

Take, for instance, the new Fling candy bar. Marketed again, only to women, its tagline is "Forever Is Overrated." I suspect this is a nod to that old female-centric saying, "A moment on the lips, forever on the hips." Another slogan, "Naughty, But Not That Naughty," sends that message that treating ourselves is bad. They even say, "Your Boyfriend Doesn't Have to Know." Eating food only in private? Now that's a red flag.

Look, if you want to eat low-cal chocolate, then I'm not going to be the one to stop you. But if the real thing is the only thing that does it for you, go ahead and eat it. In public. In front of your boyfriend. Without guilt.

Then get yourself to the gym to work it off. Fitness, like life, is all about balance.

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I've been testing out the new adidas Supernova Glide running shoes (top image for women, lower image for men) and have great news for those of you desperate for more support. These shoes have lots of it. My initial response as I first put my feet into these shoes was, "Wow! They're so soft and comfy!" And after many uses, I still feel the same way; they kind of make me feel like I'm running on pillows.

l have, however, felt like it would be totally lame to describe them to you as "soft and comfy." That description seemed almost too simple. But last week, while I was working out at a gym in a beautiful Sandals Resort in Jamaica, I noticed the man next to me on the stepper wearing a pair. So I asked Kevin from Canada what he thought of his new Supernova Glides, and do you know what he told me? "They're soft and comfortable!"

Throughout both my career as a fitness professional and as a competitive athlete, my feet have taken quite a beating. Proper footwear is about the only thing keeping me going at this point. It is said that every step a runner takes places three times the amount of their body weight worth of impact down on each foot. Ouch! The right shoe has the ability to dramatically decrease the amount of trauma each foot will endure.

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Hey guys, Valentine's Day is this Saturday so consider this your official reminder. If you and your love usually celebrate, this is not a holiday you want to forget.

If your girlfriend or wife is just as interested in diet and fitness as you are, then skip the giant box of gooey chocolates this Valentine's Day. There are plenty of other ways to let her know you're sweet on her, right?

Flowers are nice, sure. But a fit gift will tell her that you care as much about her health as you do her heart. We've got five great ideas for you in the gallery below.

Men might cozy up to pizza, pasta, steaks and casseroles but not women. Nope. When we want comfort, we go straight for the candy and chocolate. And on cold days, warm soups, mashed potatoes and toasty breads might fill the void. Nothing wrong with that. Well, except for the fact that comfort foods tend to harbor lots of calories, fat and sodium.

Never fear, says registered dietician Julie Schwartz for AccentHealth: "Foods such as mashed potatoes, which is just a classic comfort food, can be made in a very healthful manner. You can cook the potatoes in chicken broth ... and then you add that broth back in as the moisture for the potatoes ... and they're very, very tasty."

You can also make our own soups and stews, says Schwartz -- just don't add too much salt. And homemade breads: Use half whole-wheat flour and half regular flour. You won't even notice a change in texture and taste. Portions are key as well. "It's about having three to four ounces of pot roast, not eight to twelve ounces of pot roast," says Schwartz.

What are your favorite comfort foods? And how do you keep them healthy?

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Adidas has joined forces with the WMBA's MVP and Rookie of the Year Candace Parker to launch a fantastic campaign to find the new face of Adidas.This distinctive and inspirational new women's marketing initiative celebrates individuality, confidence and motivation through a series of intimate portraits of women depicting key moments in their fitness routines and daily lives.

This is where you come in. Your job is to simply visit this link and proclaim your inspiration for being sporty and active. Easy enough, right? Adidas is so insistent on rewarding you for taking such great care of yourself that they've allowed us to giveaway a gorgeous outfit as well. Sweet!

Before venturing over to adidas.com/women for your shot at fame, just leave us a note in the comment section telling us what inspires you to participate in sports and fitness activities. Easy, right? Right! Entering is simple. See below for details!

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us what inspires you to participate in sports and fitness activities. (You're going to look stunning working out in your Pure Power clothes if you win!)
  
• The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, February 6, 2009.
  
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• One winner will receive one Pure Power Tank , one Pure Power Jacket and one Pure Power 3/4 Tight available in sizes S-XL from adidas (valued at up to approximately $175 total).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winner will be notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're a winner!

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It makes me happy when research backs the claim that men have an easier time losing weight than women. I like when science tells me it's normal that my husband can drop 40 pounds in a flash while I lose 15 oh so slowly. It makes me feel like I'm not so unsuccessful after all. Nope. I'm just normal. Same goes for the news that women have a harder time resisting favorite foods than men do.

Why do some people overeat and gain weight while others don't, asked a recent research question. Bev has the scoop here. And here's my take on the answer: Because the weight gainers are typically women, and female brains fire away when they see yummy foods (despite techniques to inhibit this response). Male brains don't.

Why must our girlish brains work this way? One thought is that the traditional role of the female is to provide nutrition to children, and our brains are hard-wired to eat when foods are available. Another perspective blames hormones. Regardless of the reason, the fact is that food choices today are more varied than ever before, making temptation a constant force in our lives.

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Some women may think exercise is boring. If only they knew some core strengthening moves have the possibility of leading to an orgasm.

Sounds like a myth, doesn't it? But Women's Health has quotes from a number of women who swear that they've experienced the elusive "coregasm." Since these women have nobody to please but themselves, I think it's safe to say they're not faking it. And experts agree that it's possible.

Ladies, we can't all pull off multiples and we may not all be capable of coregasms, either. But if you want to give it a try, Women's Health has a series of moves that have worked for other women. At the very least, you'll be strengthening your core. At best, you'll finish your workout with a smile on your face.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. I keep hearing both you and other people say I should do push-ups, but I'm a small woman and don't want to bulk up. Push-ups are hard, so should I do them if I want to stay toned yet trim? Alyssa

A. Great question, Alyssa! This common question is on the mind of many women, and I'm happy to give this answer as many times as there are women who need to hear it. What you need to know is that it requires extraordinary effort for most women to put on any sort of bulky muscle. That means: protein shakes, supplements and insane amounts of heavy lifting. Of course, there are a few rare women here and there who pack on muscle quickly, but if you're already telling me you are small ... you are not one of those rare women.

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