Category Archives: Weight Loss

Cutting Belly Fat: 6 Essential Tips For Treating Abdominal Obesity

Americans keep getting bigger around the middle, and it’s definitely cause for concern. Abdominal obesity, also called central obesity, belly fat, beer belly or pot belly, is one of the most dangerous forms of obesity. Associated health risks include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma. Abdominal obesity is also a symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome. While the obesity statistics have been high in America for years, a recent report in The Journal of the American Medical Association states that the problem is now as dire as it’s ever been. Get ready for this: over half the U.S. population now has abdominal obesity. To be exact, 54.2 percent of Americans suffer from the condition – up from 46.4 percent about a decade ago. This is in spite of the fact that overall obesity levels have generally leveled off. Also, the average American waist size went from 37.6 inches at the turn of the millennium to 3.8 in 2011-2012.

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Posted in Diet, Exercise, Food, Health, Medical, Nutrition, Weight Loss | 10,145 Comments

Exercise Risks and Rewards: Is CrossFit Safe?

By now, you’ve probably seen (or at least heard of) some of the horrible videos of people supposedly being injured while doing CrossFit. You may have even heard of Kevin Ogar, a top CrossFit competitor who became paralyzed after making a mistake during a snatch lift in a January CrossFit competition. Ogar’s case, along with the many negative videos and stories, has many people asking, “is CrossFit safe?” The problem with stories like these, however, is that they’re precisely that: stories. People who claim CrossFit is unsafe are often pointing to anecdotal evidence as opposed to real, scientifically confirmed data. Unfortunately, the only studies available on the subject are small or inconclusive. Proponents of CrossFit seem to tout it as the most effective exercise program, while opponents are adamant that other programs work just as well with less risk. Who’s right?

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Posted in Body Building, Exercise, Health, Studies, Weight Loss, Weight Training | 1,514 Comments

Low-Carb vs. Low-Fat Diets: Both Work for Weight Loss

There tons of different diet programs out there, and all of them promise weight loss results. In fact, a large section of our website is dedicated solely to determining which weight loss programs are the most effective. For the past few years, however, there’s been a very specific debate regarding low-carb vs. low-fat diets. Which diets achieve weight loss faster? Which ones make it easier to keep the weight off? Which ones involve eating more nutritious foods? It might now be time to put the debate to rest, as two new studies show that low-carb diets tend to help people lose slightly more weight over time. However, one of the studies in particular reenforces what is probably the best piece of dieting advice: many different diets can be effective, but only if you stick to them. Low-fat or low-carb will make no difference without commitment.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Studies, Weight Loss | 1,458 Comments

Importance of Breakfast Questioned By Studies

We’ve been told by many sources for years that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day.” According to WebMD, people who skip breakfast tend to eat more during their next meal or consume high-calorie snacks throughout the day. Some studies suggest that people gain more body fat when eating fewer, larger meals instead of eating smaller meals more frequently. One study, conducted by Harvard only a year ago, suggests that eating breakfast can significantly lower the risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, male study participants were found to be 27 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or death caused by CHD if they skipped breakfast. Researchers stated that missing breakfast leads to “prolonged fasting,” which can raise blood pressure, insulin levels and cholesterol. Now, however, some new studies indicate that the importance of breakfast could be overstated.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Studies, Weight Loss | 2,629 Comments

Study Finds Link Between Exercise and Brainpower in Kids

The importance of exercise for children cannot be overstated. Physical activity helps kids raise HDL (“good” cholesterol), reduce blood pressure, reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, and lower the risk of diabetes. Exercise can also improve a child’s psychological well-being by potentially helping them gain self-confidence and self-esteem. Perhaps most importantly, though, exercise can help control body weight and help protect a child against obesity – an epidemic that affected 18 percent of children aged 6 to 11 in 2012 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health problems for which obesity increases risk are numerous and well known: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea and poor self esteem, just to name a few. Also, it seems as though things could be getting even more dire for the most obese children.

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Posted in Exercise, Health, News, Parenting, Studies, Weight Loss | 4,166 Comments