It’s unfair but true: Even if young adults today ate the same diet as their parents did at the same age, they would still be heavier. According to a study published in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, adults in the ’70s could eat more food and exercise less with significantly less chance of gaining weight. The study observed the diets of 36,400 Americans between 1971 and 2008, as well as physical activity logs of 14,419 people between 1988 and 2006. Researchers found that people whose eating and exercise patterns were on par with people 20 or 30 years ago, still weighed about 10 percent more. The study shows that weight management is much more complex than commonly thought. “Our study results suggest that if you are 25, you’d have to eat even less and exercise more than those older, to prevent gaining weight,” Jennifer Kuk, a professor of kinesiology and health science…
20 Ways to Beat Stomach Bloating
When you’re battling a bad case of bloating, it can be hard to stay focused. Everyone has been there. Your pants feel tight, your abdomen tightens and you might even feel some stomach pains or unusual growling. About 10 percent of people say they experience the symptoms of bloating regularly. Bloating is usually tied to what you eat. While beans and broccoli are a great part of a long-term weight-loss goal, they can actually be part of the problem in the moment. Eating large meals, rich and fatty foods and eating too fast also all add to the risk of bloating. If you’re one in ten Americans who experience this discomfort, there are a few simple changes you can make that may help. Sip on Water Everyone knows you need to get enough water to stay hydrated, but water helps you from becoming constipated? Water helps keeps things moving and may also help keep you…
Positive running behavior is socially contagious
The key to becoming a better running might just be your friend squad. A study published in Nature Communications found evidence to suggest that friends who push themselves to run father and faster influenced other friends to do the same — just by being running buddies. Essentially, positive exercise behavior is contagious. The researchers looked at the habits of 1.1 million runners around the world over a period of five years. Knowing that its possible runners could be pairing up because of their comparable running habits, researchers wanted to rule out coincidence. Since bad weather can deter runners, they compared friend pairs in different regions of the world to see if weather made a difference. The found that friends of runners who typically run an extra 10 minutes, influenced friends to run an extra 3 minutes — even when the weather was bad. Also, the study found, when one friend goes…
The sneaky calories you’re slipping into your diet
It’s time to rethink your drink. Unless you are a natural water lover, chances are you’re consuming unnecessary calories through ice teas, coffee, juices or sugary smoothies and sodas. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the average American consumes 400 calories a day from beverages — that’s about 37 percent of our total daily diet. Research suggests that drinking calories isn’t as satisfying to us a eating the same amount of calories in solid food form, so if you’re looking to maintain a healthy weight, you should start to pay attention to what you’re pouring down the hatch. Here’s how to make the switch to healthy drinks that still taste great, but won’t have you pushing your calorie limits. Know what you’re drinking: Read those nutrition labels. Beverages like energy drinks and iced teas can be deceiving because they advertise their health benefits while hiding…