Most popular diet plans turn on the simple idea that you’ll weigh less if you eat less. While this can be true in some cases, under eating can lead to problems ranging from malnutrition to rebound weight gain. Happily, there’s another way — one that lets you eat more and still lose weight. The secret weapon? Veggies and fruits. These foods are densely packed with nutrients, offering lots of health benefits with fewer calories. Also, they’re high in both water and fiber, keeping you feeling full longer. And, of course, they taste great, making it easier to assuage a sweet tooth in a healthy way. (Via WebMD.)
the hottest thing for weight loss
Once upon a time in science class we learned that heat is a product of energy. Think of a light bulb that’s been on for a while, or the expense of warming your house through cold winters. Now scientists from UCLA are turning that relationship to your advantage: Hot peppers, they find, may help you lose weight. The spicy ingredient in those peppers, capsaicin, raises your body temperature during meals. And since heat requires energy, they hypothesized that this would require you to burn calories. Testing this on people found that pepper eaters did use more calories, and also burned more fat. The study was limited, so effects are not guaranteed. But if peppers please your palate, go ahead and spice things up! (Via The Los Angeles Times).
