1. Old rule: You should burn every calorie you eat through exercise.
To lose weight, it’s true that you should burn more calories than you consume. But some people misinterpret this weight-loss equation, thinking they must burn off every calorie they eat—and then some—by exercising. Besides being inaccurate, this practice can be unsafe and lead to exhaustion, overuse injuries and stalled weight-loss, among other problems. Remember, your body is constantly burning calories throughout the day, even when you’re not physically active. This is known as a basal metabolic rate (BMR), and it accounts for more than 1,200-1,500 calories per day (on average). Add to that all the calories you burn by moving, walking, standing and yes, exercising, and you can see how easy it is to “burn more calories than you consume” without spending your life in the gym.

New rule: Move more and exercise moderately.
Try to achieve an active lifestyle by adding more physical activity to your days. Not all of this activity needs to be planned exercise (although it’s best to exercise 3-6 times per week for 30-60 minutes per session to help burn additional calories and enhance your health). Small things that get you moving more—taking the stairs, walking to a co-worker’s desk instead of e-mailing, or playing an active video game instead of watching TV—add to your daily calorie burn and help you lose weight. There is no need to resort to exercise extremes; you only need to burn about 200-600 calories per day (not thousands) through actual exercise to safely lose weight.

2. Old rule: Skip meals to lose weight faster.
Many people believe that skipping meals like breakfast will help them eat fewer calories and therefore speed up weight loss. In theory, this idea seems to make sense, but skipping meals to save calories backfires more often than not. When you go several hours without food, you will be ravenous by the time your next meal comes along and this will make you more likely to throw your eating plans out the window and consume anything within reach. In addition to this, eating too infrequently may slow down your metabolism, sending your body into conservation (or “starvation”) mode because it thinks calories are scarce.

New rule: Eat sensible portions at regular intervals throughout the day.
Try to keep your body’s metabolism running as efficiently as possible by fueling it at regular intervals. Try eating small, balanced meals every 3- 4 hours to properly nourish yourself and encourage weight loss, or at the very least, eat three meals (including breakfast) and a couple healthful snacks to curb hunger and keep your metabolic fire stoked.

3. Old rule: Eating low-carb is the way to win at weight loss.
Over the past several years, low-carb diet fads have given carbohydrates a bad rap, but this reputation is unfounded. Carbohydrates are an important fuel source for your body and they are necessary for safe, steady weight loss, too. Your body needs carbohydrates to efficiently burn fat, so skimping on the carbs could actually hurt your weight-loss efforts and be detrimental to your health.

New rule: Cut back on processed carbs and choose whole foods instead.
It is true that some carbs (whole grains, vegetables, legumes, etc.) are better for you than others (white bread, sugary cereals, sweets). Rather than omitting carbs from your diet plan, be more selective. Choose more whole grains and unprocessed foods like brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain bread and oats, and limit your intake of unhealthy carbs that sneak into your diet via processed foods, sweets, caloric beverages and refined flours.

(From cosmopolitan.com)

Whether you’re determined to lose those last few pounds or just want to slim down so you can indulge without guilt on Turkey Day, we’ve got a fat-torching plan that really will subtract up to 5 pounds from your bod in seven days. How? It’s all about small sacrifices combined with specific techniques. And rather than giving you a one-size-fits-all regimen, we figure you’re more likely to stick with the plan if you pick the eating and exercise strategies that fit your lifestyle.

1. Make One Food Sacrifice

Cutting out one indulgence — such as the chips you have with lunch or the chocolate dessert you eat after dinner — can subtract a few hundred calories from your diet, which translates into less flab, says Blum. “Your body won’t even notice their absence.” Replace junk food with one of these tasty treats. They practically melt flab away!

2. Do Cardio 30 Minutes a Day

Any workout that gets your heart rate up will burn calories. But you’ll use more calories if you pick a cardio routine that engages multiple muscles simultaneously.

Three to consider: spinning, cardio kickboxing, and boot-camp workouts. Half an hour of each torches 200 to 300 calories while toning up your arms, legs, and core so everything appears sleeker and tighter.

Add on some of the moves celeb trainers recommend to really see results. You’ll burn even more calories per session if your workout incorporates interval training: alternating short bursts of intense cardio with slower activity. Experts aren’t sure why it works, but trainers swear by it.

3 ways to work out at home

3. Ban White Bread and Pasta

Cutting out all white grain products — such as white rice, spaghetti, sandwich rolls — will instantly slim you down because the simple carbs in these foods cause bloating, especially around your belly. “Simple carbohydrates wreak havoc on your weight because they’re digested very quickly, leaving you hungry and more likely to overeat later,” says Jana Klauer, MD, author of The Park Avenue Nutritionist’s Plan.

Fill up on these healthy foods that’ll feed your sex drive. To go a step further, instead of replacing them with healthier yet still bloat-triggering whole-grain bread products, substitute vegetables for the week. This way, a chicken sandwich becomes chicken salad, and chips and dip turn into carrots and dip. The complex carbs from vegetables are digested more slowly, so you remain full longer. And because veggies are mostly water, they also help flush out excess water weight.

5 ways to get over your workout burnout

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Are last night’s festivities making your head pound and stomach queasy? Research is finally supporting what many of us already knew: Bacon helps relieve a hangover.

We’ve all tried the hangover cures in a box, can or bottle, but most people I know head for the tried-and-true greasy diner meal for relief.

(From telegraph.co.uk)

Researchers claim food also speeds up the metabolism helping the body get rid of the booze more quickly.

What to do besides drink on a date.

Elin Roberts, of Newcastle University’s Centre for Life said: “Food doesn’t soak up the alcohol but it does increase your metabolism helping you deal with the after-effects of over indulgence. So food will often help you feel better.

“Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good.”

Read more here.

Did you know men prefer women who drink less?