Diet Reviews

What, exactly, is making us fat? With overweight trends and obesity numbers reaching epidemic proportions, much research and dialogue has been committed to help us unravel the maze that is unwanted weight gain. With a seemingly endless array of hypotheses to test, however (could obesity be caused by a virus?), getting to the bottom of this question is not easy. Thanks to a new study published this month in the journal PLoS Medicine, however, we now know a little bit more about this complex issue.

In the study, researchers from the University of North Carolina used data from four other studies of U.S.

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Summer is primetime for backyard socializing, complete with plenty to munch on. I have many clients that find these months to be the most challenging time to “go light” and maintain (let alone lose) weight.  However, barbecues don’t have to wreak havoc on your diet.  Follow these tips and tricks to enjoy your summer parties AND fit into your bikini the next day!

• Have a filling food before you go: “Ruin your appetite” and have a snack before you go to a BBQ or pool party so you don’t arrive starving.  Also, avoid NOT eating all day before the event, not only does this slow your metabolism, but you may end up eating significantly more at the BBQ than if you had eaten regularly throughout the day. Try snacking o

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Using a salt substitute is recommended if you have been advised to lower your sodium intake. The most common salt substitute is one that mimics table salt, both in taste and appearance. But, instead of sodium chloride, it uses potassium chloride as the main ingredient. While you may not be getting enough potassium on a daily basis, too much of it is also harmful, especially if you are already suffering from kidney, heart or liver disease and diabetes and are unable to get rid of excess potassium.

Salt substitutes are not limited to salty tastes. In fact, it can be anything to enhance the flavor of food.

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Vacation weight gain is something that many travelers dread. It may seem like an inevitable and foregone conclusion that when you go on vacation, youll come back home at the end weighing a few pounds more than you did before you left.

However, vacation weight gain is not inevitable. You can take the proper measures before, after and during your vacation to monitor yourself carefully and avoid gaining weight. This will help to keep your total weight at a constant and healthy level; its generally stressful for your body to gain and lose weight regularly and over short periods of time.

Before the Vacation

If you anticipate that youll be going on vacation and are worried about weight gain, try to prepare for the vacation somewhat before you go.

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Hitting golf balls at the driving range can lift the spirit, but does it also tone the flesh?

The exercise potential of swinging a club may be limited, experts say, but the more fitness you bring to the range, or the golf course, the stronger your stroke will be.

“Most people don’t think of the driving range or playing golf as a form of exercise, but it is,” said Robert Yang, a sports performance coach and founder of the Performance Lab in Encinitas, California.

“The professionals make it look smooth like butter but there’s quite a bit of power and strength involved,” Yang said.

He explained that wielding a driver can be compared to hoisting a weight so heavy you can only lift it four times.

“That’s how much load or torque there can be on the body.”

But don’t expect to swing your way to streamline shape.

“The concept of getting in shape from just hitting balls is pretty tough.” Yang said. “You wouldn’t be able to

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