The Hidden Benefit of Regular Exercise

Here’s another plus of breaking a regular sweat: Working out makes your brain desire fatty, high-calorie foods even less, reports new research from Harvard Medical School.

Researchers found that compared to people who never exercised, regular gym rats had less reaction to high-calorie meals in brain regions connected with food rewards. People who worked out also rated these foods lower on a desirability scale—particularly ones with savory flavors like cheeseburgers and fries. 

It’s a double-dose: With regular exercise, you burn calories andchange the way your brain reacts to certain foods, says study author William Killgore, Ph.D. It could be that exercise enhances sensitivity to leptin—a protein in fat cells that controls appetite and sends signals to your brain to tell you when you’re full. Or it could be that because you often feel better after a workout, exercise acts as its own mental reward making you less likely to need a high-calorie snack to munch on and lift your mood, says Killgore. 

It’s not too hard to stimulate this brain benefit. Exercisers in the study sweated it out three days a week for about 40 minutes on average.

Anatomy of the Perfect CEO

Great leaders come in all shapes and sizes. But be honest: When you think of the term “CEO”, the image in your head probably resembles Alec Baldwin or Mitt Romney, not Mark Zuckerberg. 

Unfair as it may be, research has shown over and over again that we’re all suckers for people who look the part. From hair color to height to posture, your appearance and bearing are at least as important as your business acumen when it comes to climbing atop the corporate ladder. 

So what characteristics comprise our notion of the ideal chief executive?

Food Rules to Follow

You’ve heard the standard nutrition advice before, like stick to fruits and vegetables, and focus on whole foods. But what if you’re following all the tips and still missing out on important nutrients?

In order to make the most of your food, you need phytonutrients—the healthy plant compounds that fight cancer, lower blood pressure, and cholesterol, and enhance memory—says Jo Robinson, author of the new book Eating on the Wild Side. Follow these six surprising food rules to get more of them.
 

Ruining Superfoods!

Of course superfoods like spinach and blueberries are amazing for you. But that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed nutritional powerhouses. Fry them in tons of oil or load ’em up with sugary stuff, and you basically negate all of their health effects. Here, Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Eat Your Way Sexy, explains six ways you may be sabotaging your superfoods.

A Glass of Wine?

Wine may feel like an indulgence, but there are plenty of legitimate health reasons to justify your vino habit (provided you drink it in moderation, of course). Here, seven reasons you should pour yourself a glass. Like, now.

The Best and Worst French Fries

We've become so addicted to the crispy, salty, tender treats that nearly half of all potatoes harvested in the country wind up in the deep fryer. (And we eat an average of 130 pounds of taters, per person, every year.) But not every fry is created equal. While no one will ever accuse les frites of being a health food, there are some you can enjoy with relative impunity—and others that deserve an all-out French Resistance.

Bottled Water Has 24,500 Chemicals

Paying $2 for a bottle of water may be more convenient than lugging around your reusable one, but that seemingly small price may have a big impact on your health. German researchers found nearly 25,000 chemicals in a single bottle of water, some of which act like potent pharmaceuticals in your body, according to a study just published in the journal PLoS One.

MERRY X'MAS OBH Suit

Edited, origin photo sources by Sheena Chua

More to get see origin image at below. 

MERRY XMAS!! have a big new year!! PS PS!!

Happy (fit) holidays!

Traveling during the holidays can wreak havoc on your waistline. Not only are you hundreds of miles away from your gym, but you also have to face things like unhealthy gas station snacks and granny’s divine homemade pies. Luckily Holly Del Rosso, a personal trainer and fitness expert in New York City and Los Angeles, came to the rescue. Check out her five awesome tips below: