5 ‘healthy’ habits that are making you fat

olives, nuts + avocados – help to promote weight loss

Cutting fat from your diet

Hands up who’s ever checked a packet and then rejected your food choice based on the fat content?
If you’ve ever been on a diet, we’re guessing your hand is probably up. For many dieters, fat seems like the ultimate enemy. However, opting for low fat products can be much more of a diet disaster than opting for those that contain moderate amounts of fat.
Firstly, many low fat meals are packed with sugar to compensate, meaning that they can still inevitably lead to weight gain. Furthermore, contrary to what you may think, not all fats are good for you, and studies have found that eating good monounsaturated fats – found in olives, nuts and avocados – can actually help to promote weight loss.

use glass not plastic water  bottle

Drinking water

Drinking plenty of water is undoubtedly good for you; helping you to stay hydrated and energized and to keep your organs and digestive system in good condition. However, studies have shown that the chemicals found in water could also be making you fat.
Not only have research results published in PLoS ONE shown that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) found in plastic water bottles encourages the body to create more fat, our drinking water can also contain the hormone estrogen, which affects the way our bodies store fat. The more we are exposed to these chemicals, the harder it becomes to lose weight.
However, there’s no need to panic just yet – while ditching water clearly isn’t an option, experts suggest that filtering your water or using a reverse osmosis purification system can limit the chemicals you are exposed to.

Exercise

While exercise is essential for good health and, when approached correctly, can help you to shed excess pounds, many exercisers make vital mistakes that can lead to them gaining weight. Firstly, research has found that relying solely on exercise to manage your weight can actually be ineffective. Studies have shown that exercise, when not combined with dietary changes, does very little in respect to losing weight.

Additionally, many of us overestimate the amount of calories burned through exercise and adhere to the myth that exercise continues to boost the body’s ability to burn fat well after our workout is over. Therefore, we often end up overcompensating for workouts with pre- or post-workout snacks, leading to weight gain. For maximum weight loss benefits, try to incorporate both exercise and dietary changes into your day.

Looking on the bright side

While impulsive and optimistic people may be happier (and therefore have stronger immune systems) than their more anxious and pessimistic counterparts, research suggests that they could also have more trouble losing weight.
According to research by America's National Institute on Ageing, impulsivity is the strongest predictor of who will become overweight. Furthermore, researchers from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan studied obese women and men partaking in a six month weight loss program and found that those who were more positive and optimistic in their outlook lost the least weight.
It is believed that positivity may cause weight gain by causing optimists not to worry enough about their weight to resist temptation and stick to a strict healthy eating and fitness regime.

fructose (the sugar found in fruit) can help to trigger overeating

Snacking on fruit

Fruit is undoubtedly nutritious, being packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. However, due to its healthy properties, many people overindulge on fresh fruit, juices and smoothies, forgetting about the fact that many fruits are also high in calories and sugar. Although fruit is healthy, remember that a calorie is still a calorie, and the ones in fruit are as likely to make you overweight as the ones in any other food.
Furthermore, research results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that fructose (the sugar found in fruit) can help to trigger overeating, as after consuming fructose the brain doesn’t register feelings of fullness and satiety as it does when we consume glucose. While it is still important we feed our bodies with the nutrients found in fruit, those struggling with their weight should ensure they don’t go overboard. You should also try to obtain some of these nutrients and fiber through vegetables, which are lower in sugar and calories.


Read more on realbuzz.com...

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Take a break from sitting

The Major Health Risk You Take Every Day

By The Editors at Sharecare | Healthy Living – Mon, 3 Dec, 2012 3:39 PM EST

Sitting all day may be the worst thing you can do for your health. These tricks will get you moving.
By Rachael Anderson
Most people think smoking is the worst thing they can possibly do for their health. But in reality, perhaps the worst thing of all is something most of us do every day: sit. We sit when we drive, work, eat, use the computer, watch TV and read. In fact, before you read any further, you should probably stand up. It turns out that the more time you stay planted on your rear, the less time you're destined to live on this planet.
Take a break from sitting
Here's what we know:
Eye-opening research shows that keeping your butt in a chair (or on the couch) for hours at a time can lead to cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death. One study by the American Cancer Society found that women who sat six hours a day were 37 percent more likely to die by the end of the 13-year study period; men who sat were 18 percent more likely to die. Another study tied 49,000 U.S. cases of breast cancer and 43,000 of colon cancer to prolonged sitting.
Sitting isn't dangerous just because it means you're not exercising. It's dangerous all by itself.
Prolonged time spent on your bum has significant metabolic consequences. It negatively affects your blood sugar, triglycerides, good cholesterol, resting blood pressure and levels of the "appetite hormone" leptin, all of which are biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Sitting also sabotages the lymph system, which helps the body fend off infections. Lymph vessels, which drain waste materials created by an infection, don't have a pump like the heart; they're controlled by rhythmic contractions of the muscles in your legs. So when you sit, the lymph system can't do its job.
If you sit all day but make sure to get to the gym or go for a walk after work, isn't that enough?
Unfortunately, no.
"Bursts of exercise is not the answer; two hours of exercise per day will not compensate for 22 hours of sitting," says cancer specialist and author David Agus, MD. In fact, sitting for five or six hours a day, even if you spend an hour a day at the gym, is the equivalent of smoking an entire pack of cigarettes.

How to sit less during the day
Moving more is tough, especially since most people's jobs revolve around sitting. But breaking up endless time on your bum, even for a few minutes, can make a huge difference. Key enzymes move, blood flows, mind and muscles flex. Here is what you can do to sit less:

• Get up and move at least every 30 minutes. Get water or coffee. Pace up and down the hall or just stand when you're on a phone call. Even fidgeting helps.
• Go ahead, watch your favorite TV shows-but don't just sit there. Cook, fold laundry, empty the dishwasher or ride a stationary bike.
• If you have to spend all day at your computer, consider investing in a treadmill desk like Michael Roizen, MD. That way you can keep moving even while you work.
• Make sure you exercise. Even though working out won't completely rid you of the negative effects of sitting, a study found that active people who sat for long periods lived longer than inactive people who sat for long periods.   

http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/major-health-risk-every-day-203900418.html

Why you may always wake up feeling tired

7 Avoidable Reasons You’re Waking Up Tired

If you’re getting the recommended seven to 10 hours of sleep, yet still can’t shake a lethargic feeling, your fatigue may have little to do with the amount of z’s you’re catching. Health conditions and factors in your waking life could be contributing to your general malaise. Before hitting the snooze button yet again, check out the following 10 potential reasons you’re waking up tired and learn how to restore your spark.

1.    You’re anemic.
 While there are several types of anemia, a condition that relates to abnormally low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which prevent adequate oxygen from traveling throughout your body, the common symptom is often loss of energy and chronic tiredness. If you find yourself easily fatigued, you could have deficiencies in your blood. A blood test can determine if you are anemic and the condition can often be managed by taking supplements as suggested by your doctor.


2.    Your sleep schedule is inconsistent.
It may feel good to sleep in on the weekends, but if you go to sleep and wake up at different times throughout the week, you’re disrupting your circadian rhythms that are crucial regulators of your sleep cycle. Consistency is key in maintaining energy so sleep specialists suggest going to sleep and waking up within an hour of the same time each day.


3.    You’re bored.
Lack of stimulation can wreak havoc on your energy levels. If you find yourself bored with your job, consider taking on a new, exciting project. You’ll find that an active mind can do wonders for your energy.

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4.    You’re not getting enough sunlight.
Sunlight sends the signal to your brain to release serotonin, a naturally occurring feel-good chemical that makes you feel happier and more alert. Unfortunately, desk jobs and the use of unnatural light can mess with our circadian rhythms and the regulation of crucial alertness chemicals in our bodies. According to WebMD, spending at least 20 minutes outside can make you feel instantly more energized throughout the day and increase the quality of your sleep that night.


5.    You’re drinking too much caffeine.
It’s hard to break the cycle of over-indulging in caffeine when you lack energy, but whether or not you’re completely aware, caffeine can have negative effects on the quality of your sleep, which in turn can have you reaching for another cup of coffee. Break the vicious cycle by abstaining from coffee within six hours of your bedtime to ensure it does not affect your ability to reach and stay in REM sleep, the most restorative part of your night.  


6.    You’re stressed out.
Stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, initially rev you up, but if your inner alarm system is constantly on, it’s bound to wear you out. Chronic stress ultimately saps your body of energy and reduces your ability to cope with real or perceived stressors or dangers. If you find yourself anxious much of the time, consider meditation, yoga, or exercise to quiet your mind. Not only will your sleep improve, but you’ll literally free up your brain to focus on supplying your body with the energy it needs.

14 Luxurious Ways to De-Stress

7.    You’re not getting enough exercise.
Research indicates that regular exercise can increase energy levels in the long run. According to Patrick O’Connor PhD and co-director of the University of Georgia exercise psychology laboratory, 90% of exercise and energy-level studies showed that sedentary people who began exercising reported improved fatigue. Next time you’re tempted to take a 20-minute nap, opt for mild-to-moderate exercise instead.