Most people, myself included, spend about 3-4 weeks eating higher calories than normal during the holidays. I am not just talking about on the actual day of the holiday. I had at least 10-12 days in December where I really just sat back and enjoyed a large quantity of really good food. Don't feel bad if you did the same. This is what December is all about. Heck, if I could go back in time I would probably try and eat a little more of my Aunt's cookies on Christmas. You live once and in my opinion, this is the time to reflect and enjoy good friends, family, and great food. So let's talk about a strategy to lose body fat in a short time frame.

[No worries if you gained a bit of fat in November and December. It just meant you stopped and smelled the roses a bit. Now […]

Original post by admin

If ever there was a seasonal drink, eggnog is it. Imagine drinking eggnog on spring break or poolside during the summer… it just doesn’t work, does it? We’re getting towards the end of prime eggnog drinking season and if you don’t make a batch soon you’re going to have to wait until next December rolls around to have some. Now is the time to whip up a batch, and it’s easier than you might think. The little effort it does require is worth it; homemade eggnog has a pure, custard-like flavor and is less sugary and less full of questionable ingredients than most of the eggnog sold in stores. We’d actually forgotten how good homemade eggnog could be until one of our readers, Anna Salveson, reminded us. This recipe is inspired by the eggnog recipe she sent in and hers is included below, too. According to Anna she’s been continually […]

Original post by Worker Bee

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a happy new year!
My family and I are lucky enough to be celebrating the holiday season in Aspen this year. We’re playing, resting and relaxing before the new year begins. Before I get back outdoors, mimicking Grok in the snow, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their support this year. Thank you for reading Mark’s Daily Apple, for participating in the forums, for commenting on my articles and for being active participants in this little experiment meant to change lives for the better. I couldn’t do it without you! Happy Holidays!
And here are a few articles that I think are fitting for this holiday season:
Benefits of Benevolence
Spirituality and Health
The Many Uses of Junk Food
Cooking As a Spectator Sport
Choose Your Booze: A Guide to Healthy Drinking
Dear Mark: Low on Willpower
Will Momentary Compromises Derail Your Efforts?
Social Wellness, Or Why Friendship Should Be a Health […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Because I love all my Health Habits readers soooo much, I have decided to give each of you the gift of an online personal trainer…namely, moi.
Starting in January, everyone who signs up for the Facebook group will receive 52 weekly workout programs designed to burn fat, increase all aspects of functional strength and speed while reversing common muscle imbalances & eliminating any associated pain.
My goal is to turn all of you into the leanest, strongest and fittest yous that you can be.
There will also be a nutritional program that we are going to start on February first.
So, if you’re interested in the program (estimated value $2600), sign up for the Facebook group.
Happy Holidays
Doug
.
p.s – tell all your friends & family. The more people we get in the group, the better this is going to be. There is way too much research showing how group activities improve adherence as well as […]

Original post by healthhabits

Several months back, a major study comparing the nutritional value of organic food to conventional food made the rounds. Organic food, it found, was “no healthier” than ordinary food. There were no significant “differences in nutrient content,” and the study’s authors found “no evidence to support the selection of organic over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.” Hmm, so there were “differences,” but they were “unlikely to be of any public health relevance.” Okay – even if I accept that the differences were unimportant, there was a major, glaring qualifier: “nutritional superiority.” Going organic, then, doesn’t suddenly change the essential composition of a plant. A grape remains a grape (small differences aside), whether you use artificial pesticides or “natural” pesticides. I buy that, and I don’t think many people who support organic are arguing that industrial organic farms produce purer, more “appley” apples than conventional farms. They’re […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Several months back, a major study comparing the nutritional value of organic food to conventional food made the rounds. Organic food, it found, was “no healthier” than ordinary food. There were no significant “differences in nutrient content,” and the study’s authors found “no evidence to support the selection of organic over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.” Hmm, so there were “differences,” but they were “unlikely to be of any public health relevance.” Okay – even if I accept that the differences were unimportant, there was a major, glaring qualifier: “nutritional superiority.” Going organic, then, doesn’t suddenly change the essential composition of a plant. A grape remains a grape (small differences aside), whether you use artificial pesticides or “natural” pesticides. I buy that, and I don’t think many people who support organic are arguing that industrial organic farms produce purer, more “appley” apples than conventional farms. They’re […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

 
 
The fitness world of today has slowly been been moving away from promoting long distance cardio and going more and more towards pushing purely anaerobic forms of exercise (like sprinting and weight lifting).
It’s definitely for good reason. Studies have shown that sprinting, body weight exercises and/or weight lifting in conjunction with daily walking have huge benefits to both the way you look and feel. Especially since everyone was under the belief that marathon running was the only thing that meant fitness, it was important to make clear that there is more to fitness than long distance cardio (and even that long distance cardio could be harmful to your joints and isn’t necessary).
That being said, if you’re interested in functional fitness and having strength as well as endurance, then cardio DOES matter. That doesn’t mean marathon running, but it does mean being able to run 3-5 miles at a solid pace.
The […]

Original post by rafael@thefitnessadviser.com (Rafi Bar-Lev)

Why do I eat so much?
It’s a question we’ve probably all asked ourselves at one point or another.
After all, eating too much is what is keeping most of us from having the bodies we want.
Sure there are a lot of different answers, ones that make it sound like it’s not our fault (hormones like ghrelin and adiponectin), some that make it sound like its ALL our fault (complete lack of will power), and a bunch that are somewhere in between.
So here’s a list of 5 little known reasons why you may be eating more than you want to…some are blunt, but it may help if we finally open up and consider these as possibilities.
1 . You are thirsty – Lots of us mistake thirst for hunger.

Quick fix – Drink some water first…can’t hurt.

2. You are covering for something – OK…honesty time…most of us eat because we need the stimulation. Think […]

Original post by Brad Pilon

A few days ago, I met a woman whose young child has been diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome.
And while I am no expert on Prader-Willi, I have a general idea of the associated symptoms.
These include:

low levels of testosterone
sleep disorders
strabismus (mis-aligned eyes)
scoliosis
delayed puberty
weak muscles
extreme flexibility
learning disabilities
various

and an insatiable desire to eat which leads to compulsive overeating, morbid obesity and an increased risk of diabetes and various other obesity related conditions

The cause of PWS is genetic.
Although the exact genes responsible for Prader-Willi syndrome haven’t been identified, the problem is known to lie in a particular region of chromosome 15.
This defect in chromosome 15 leads to a malfunctioning hypothalamus.

This results in a flaw in the hypothalamus part of their brain, which normally registers feelings of hunger and satiety. The number of oxytocin neurones–the putative satiety neurones–in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus is markedly decreased in Prader-Willi syndrome. This is presumed to be the basis of […]

Original post by healthhabits