FitSugar

The Carb Cravings of Winter

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:15:45 PST

If you crave carbs during the short days of Winter, you are not alone. There seem to be a couple of physiological factors involved. Since there is less sunlight, due to shorter days, our bodies make less vitamin D (aka the sunshine vitamin). This vitamin helps keep your mood nice and sunny since it naturally boosts serotonin levels. Serotonin is the feel-good brain chemical that modulates mood, emotion, and sleep. Carbs provide a serotonin rush, so eating all that bread and pasta is a means of self-medicating with food sources. The good news is exercise also creates serotonin, so don't skimp out on your workouts. You need them during these long nights of Winter to keep your spirits up. Plus, research shows that moderate to hard workouts also boost your body temperature for hours after exercise. Save some calories and dough on your heating bill and get your sweat on!

Flickr User Michell Zappa

It's Not a Diet! Lose Weight With Lifestyle Changes Instead

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:39:18 PST

Whenever you resolve to eat healthier or fewer calories, it can be easy to fall into the diet trap - thinking that you just have to power through for a few weeks eating only lettuce in order to meet your weight goals. But instead of dreading the idea of healthy eating, think of your new goals as a lifestyle change, not a diet, with these tips.

Get creative in the kitchen: When you've resigned yourself to eating the same healthy thing over and over again, you can get bored with your meals pretty easily. If you're apprehensive about trying a new healthy food or you just don't know where to start when it comes to making a healthy meal plan, check out our delicious healthy recipes index for endless ideas.

Don't use ultimatums: Crash dieting sets you up for failure; a better solution is to think of your new eating initiatives as something sustainable. That means that while you may have to cut back on your daily doughnut habit, you shouldn't deprive yourself of your favorite unhealthy foods forever. Have a cheat day or have treat or two, mindfully, so you'll be more apt to stick to your new eating plan.

More tips for staying away from the "diet" mentality after the break.

Where Are All The Sensitive Men Hiding? These 10 Cities!

YourTango — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:11:27 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

Do you keep meeting disappointing men? The ones who seem so promising at first, but then end up never calling you, or worse - promising you the world and then breaking your heart? Perhaps you're attracting the wrong guys because you're not asking for what you want. Or maybe you have a thing for "bad boys" - you think you can tame 'em (hint: This almost never works). Could it be a stroke of bad luck? Well, a recent Chemistry.com poll says you may just be living in the wrong city.

Just in time for today's launch of their new blog - which will feature monthly posts from YourTango - Chemistry.com reveals the nation's Top Ten Cities to Find a Sensitive Man. Using their data based on the personality types of American singles, they pinpointed the cities with the highest concentrations of softies - uh, we mean, gallant gentlemen. We weren't sure what to do with these findings, as they seemed a bit random. Staten Island? Living in New York, we beg to differ on this one (sorry, Situation). Here's what Chemistry.com's chief scientific advisor, Dr. Helen Fisher had to say about these findings:

"Men do have a sensitive side. They want to please. But different men do it differently; and these 10 cities are packed with a certain kind of man, what I call BUILDERS - men who express a constellation of personality traits linked with the serotonin system in the brain. Sensitive men, known as builders, are traditional. They deeply value loyalty, duty, respectability and proper moral conduct. They want to do the 'right' thing. So builders go way out of their way to keep their social relationships running smoothly. So they watch, listen, and gauge what they need to do to help others and they do it naturally. It's these chivalrous qualities that make a sensitive man."

Here is the list of Top 10 Cities to Find a Sensitive Man:

Pompano Beach, Florida
Roanoke, Virginia
West Hollywood, California
Nashville, Tennessee
Buffalo, New York
Sarasota, Florida
Greenville, South Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Indianapolis, Indiana

Written by Natalie Gontcharova for YourTango.

Nutrition Myths That Can Cause Weight Gain

Shape — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:04:23 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Myth: Going Vegan Will Make You Lose Weight
"While various research shows that vegetarians and vegans, on average, consume fewer calories and less fat than omnivores (a 2009 Oxford study found that vegetarians weigh 3 to 20 percent less than their meat-eating counterparts, and a National Cancer Institute study found that subjects who consumed four ounces or more of red meat weekly were 30 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate less), these numbers may be misleading," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a certified nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You.

Going vegan solely for weight loss can backfire, big time. If you aren’t vigilant with a vegan diet, it’s easy to lack in vital nutrients, vitamins, and proteins, which give you energy and help keep your metabolism stoked. Many first-time vegans may also find themselves reaching for more processed foods like vegan cookies, chips, or even ‘ice cream’ more often with such a restricted diet, and many end up packing on the pounds instead.

If you do decide to adopt a vegan diet, be sure to keep the ‘treats’ to a minimum and plan balanced meals (we love ‘Domestic Vegan’ Diva Jessica Olson’s tips for "going veg"). "Aim to get about 10 to 20 percent of your calories from protein (or about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight), replacing animal protein with healthy plant proteins, like those found in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products," Batayneh says. "And, whether you are vegan or not, eating more green, leafy vegetables is great for your health and your waistline."

See which other diet habits may also being causing weight gain after the break!

Belly-Blasting Nut Recipes For Dropping Those Pounds

Leta Shy — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:59:49 PST

It's official - nuts are nature's miracle. Besides giving you a dose of heart-healthy omega-3s and filling your stomach with energizing protein, eating a handful of nuts every day may help you drop the pounds. A new study found that those who ate an ounce a day of raw unpeeled almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts a day had higher levels of feel-good hormone serotonin, which can act as an appetite suppressant.

More importantly, since stress is a leading cause of gaining fat around your waist, higher levels of serotonin may help in the fight against belly fat. Go on; get happy with these five raw nut recipes - just don't go overboard, since nuts have a high (healthy) fat content.

Health Junkie: Hormones and Chemicals Released Due to Exercise

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:17:15 PDT

Ever wonder what is going on chemically in the body while you sweat it out at the gym? The euphoric feelings during and after exercise, as well as the muscle soreness that might just come a day later, don't just appear magically. Your body is made up of millions of chemical reactions, which result in different physical and mental feelings. Take a look at some of the top hormones and chemicals that are released when you workout.

Endorphins
These chemicals are released by your pituitary gland, which is located in the base of your brain. Endorphins make you feel exhilarated and happy and block any feelings of pain, so you can power through any discomfort caused by exercising. That's why people become addicted to strenuous forms of exercises and experience "runner's high."

Estrogen
Estrogen determines whether carbs or fat fuel the body during an intense exercise session. Women tend to burn fat for fuel, while men tend to burn carbs, because women have higher estrogen levels. When women undergo menopause, they usually experience some weight gain because of lowered estrogen levels.

See more chemicals released while exercising.

Study Says Coffee Lowers Risk of Depression in Women

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:52:48 PDT

Here's an inspired reason to drink a daily cup of joe: new research shows that coffee consumption may reduce the chance of depression in women. The Archives of Internal Medicine published the study, having analyzed the data of over 50,000 women over a 10-year period. Meticulously examining participants' lifestyles, health, and coffee consumption over the years, researchers concluded that women who drink coffee daily are 20 percent less likely to become depressed than those who don't.

The author of the study, Dr. Albert Ascherio, spoke to The New York Times and admitted that more research is needed: "We know that caffeine enters the brain and activates the release of different neurotransmitters that are related to mood, like dopamine and serotonin . . . That may explain the short-term effects on mood. But the long-term mechanisms of caffeine intake on mood we don't really know." While the researchers aren't quite ready to recommend that women drink more coffee, Dr. Ascherio says personal responsibility is key: "We self-medicate ourselves with caffeine, and each person usually knows their optimal level."

Are you convinced? Do you think drinking coffee can lower the risk of depression?

Blame It on Mom and Dad If You Hate Your Job

Emily Co — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:09:23 PDT

It's not the job, it's you. Did you ever stop to think about the possibility of you (or rather your genetic makeup) being the one to blame for the job you hate? Apparently, those with certain genes are predisposed to dislike their jobs, while others have genes that make them more likely to enjoy the daily grind, according to a new study in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

In fact, hating your job runs in families, and the genes that cause this job dissatisfaction are inherited. The authors of the study, Zhaoli Song, Wendong Li, and Richard Arvey, found that a dopamine receptor gene and a serotonin transporter gene in participants were associated with being happy with their nine to five.

Growing up, I looked to my parents as role models, and seeing them enjoying their jobs definitely inspired me to chase my passions and strive to attain a job I love. It's not just genetic; I think your parents can teach you how to enjoy your career by example. What about you - how did your parents feel about their jobs, and how has that affected you?

Gotta Have a Snack Before Bed? Here's What to Eat

Heather Dale — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:43:49 PDT

I always thought that snacking after dinner packed on the pounds, but after learning that eating in the evening will lead to weight gain is a myth, I'm back to my happy-snacking ways.

Knowing that eating after dinner isn't completely off limits doesn't mean you should scarf down a plate of loaded nachos before calling it a night, but if you need to eat something before bed, make sure to make the right choices by avoiding foods that can impair your quality of sleep. As a rule, avoid any spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomato sauce, and other foods that cause indigestion and possibly heartburn as well. In addition to spicy foods, fatty foods will also hinder your ability to get a good night's rest since they are harder on your digestive system, and therefore making it more difficult to sleep. Opt for small snack portions (200 calories or less) of easily digestible foods instead.

To learn about some healthy bedtime snacks that will also help you sleep better, keep reading!

The Best Time to Exercise, Eat Your Meals, and More

Heather Dale — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 03:06:39 PDT

Between work, friends, family, and social commitments, we're lucky if we can manage to get enough sleep, eat balanced meals, and squeeze in enough time for exercise. But did you know that there's a right time to do some of these things? And by right, I mean that there's actually an optimal time to eat, exercise, go grocery shopping, and more to benefit our overall well-being? Get your pencils and pads of paper ready because you may be shocked at some of these results!

The best time to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner: You should always eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. About 4.5 hours after that, you should have lunch, and a couple hours after that, dinner. If you delay these times, you're going to be hungry, and the hungrier you are, the more likely you are going to cheat and eat fatty junk food. According to Dr. Oz, the big rule of thumb is that you need to have dinner more than three hours before you go to bed, so that you aren't going to bed with a full stomach.

To find out best times for other daily duties, keep reading