Setting Reasonable Goals

Traditionally, weight loss goals were based on reaching an ideal weight, as defined by height-weight charts. More recently, 10% reductions in body weight have been suggested as successful outcomes. There are many factors that support such a change in thinking. Perhaps the most compelling is that many weight-related conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are significantly improved with... [Read more]

Snooze and You Might Lose! (Weight)

Can sleeping more help you lose weight? At first, the idea seems counterintuitive. But research shows that sleep deprivation can cause hormonal and metabolic changes that can lead to weight gain. Plus, when you’re feeling sluggish, you’re more likely to crave empty calories like chips or cookies—and less likely to have the energy to hit the gym. Below, Orfeu Buxton, PhD, an instructor of medicine... [Read more]

The Fat Inside: The Concealed Consequences of Obesity

People who are obese probably already know they’re more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes. But they may not realize they are also heading toward a whole range of gastrointestinal (GI) problems, from acid reflux to fatty liver disease to some GI cancers. “Having excess body fat means not just having excess fat inside fat tissue, but also having excess fat in organs, particularly the... [Read more]

To Keep the Weight Off, Try an Honest Scale

If you are trying to lose some weight and keep it off, stepping on a scale every day may help more than hurt, say researchers. Although it may not be pleasant to see where that bag of potato chips wound up, a new study found that weighing yourself every day may help you keep minor fluctuations under control. In addition, meeting with a weight-loss counselor, either in person or on the Internet, may... [Read more]

Face It - Your Kid is Overweight

If your child were overweight, you’d realize, right? Maybe not. A new study reveals that mothers frequently believe their children are at a healthy weight when they aren’t. Since moms tend to have a large influence over what her kids eat and how much they exercise, the idea that many of them do not recognize that a child has a weight problem reveals a startling discrepancy between perception... [Read more]

Men Want Steak - Women Want Cake

What’s your ultimate comfort food? A huge ice cream sundae dripping with hot fudge or a juicy, tender T-bone steak? A new study, published in Physiology and Behavior, confirms the old stereotype: women tend to comfort themselves with sweet-tasting foods when they are feeling down. But it also reveals that men prefer meat as their comfort food. And unlike women, they eat mostly when they are feeling... [Read more]