How would you feel if you knew that your actions were likely putting your children’s health at risk? Certainly, this isn’t your intention, but your thoughts, attitudes and behaviors regarding nutrition and physical activity are handed down to your children just as easily as your genes.

When you make choices consistent with healthy living, your little ones are much more likely to do the same. And, that’s the goal – you don’t want them struggling with food and weight issues, perhaps like you did, when they become adults and start making decisions without your input.

It’s easy enough to point your finger elsewhere and blame your children’s weight issues on sugary cereals, unhealthy food commercials aimed at children and fast food places that promote eating greasy, high calorie food to kids but it’s time to get real and take some responsibility. Yes, all of these factors may contribute to the issue but the bottom line is that you, as a parent, play the starring role in determining your children’s health outcome.

Have you tried to lose weight so many times that you would need more than just your fingers and toes to count them on, as well as those of every member of your family? And does each attempt eventually result in you weighing the same as, if not more than, when you first started your weight loss journey? If so, unfortunately you are not alone.

Dieting is one of the most understood lifestyles around the globe. People everywhere are watching what they eat in an attempt to lose weight and gain health. But, if that’s the case, why is it that there is an obesity epidemic that is threatening the health of people all over the world?

The answer is simple: diet. Not diet as in what food people eat (although healthy eating is obviously very important), but diet as in the process. It’s about what effect calorie restriction has on your physical body.

You Can Blame Your Slow Metabolism on Your Grandparents

When you go to the supermarket, do you know which foods are genetically engineered? It’s okay if you don’t, as most people aren’t sure either.

It’s certainly understandable as you’re forced to remember all sorts of things when it comes to food. You’re expected to watch the fat content (primarily trans fats and saturated fats) and the amount of sodium in foods you ordinarily eat in order to stay healthy and strong.

You also need to know whether a product has anything that you or your family is allergic to in it, and so much more. So, is it really necessary to add one more thing to your already overflowing list of grocery shopping responsibilities?

In short, the answer is yes. Why?

Ultimately, you should know everything that you put into your body – from foods to supplements to anything else you choose to ingest. Your health and that of your family is in your hands, so the more you know about the items you consume, the more you’re able to make informed decisions in regard to your own health and welfare.

We’ve all heard commercials and television experts touting the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids.  Even the renowned Dr. Oz makes a point to highlight the many benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids on a regular basis.  But few of us are getting enough Omega 3s in our diets.  Let’s take a look at what these acids do for our diets and our health, and why we should make sure we're getting enough of them.

When it comes to diet, one of the most important things to understand is that Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to energy production.  ALA, which is the precursor to both EPA and DHA (two other Omega 3s), is a vital source of energy for the body that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked as part of your supplement regimen if you aren’t getting enough of it through things like flaxseed, algae, and fish.

Sugar, and its related derivatives corn syrup, molasses, maltose, and dextrose, is found in many of the foods consumed in our modern life. This sweet substance is common, but can it really be considered addictive? Let’s look at how we become addicted to sugar, what sugar does to our bodies and health, where it can be found, and ways to end your love affair with sugar.

Most estimates put the average consumption of sugar between 20 and 30 teaspoons a day. While at first this may not seem that bad, it is worth noting that women should be consuming a maximum of six teaspoons a day and men should be consuming no more than nine teaspoons a day.

Sugar, much like alcohol, heroin, morphine, and cocaine, releases hormones in our brain that activates our “feel good” receptors. This means that sugar meets the same criteria as other addictive substances, resulting in a compulsion to consume, a gradual tolerance to its effects caused from continued use, difficulty functioning without it, and withdrawal symptoms when consumption ends.

You want to lose weight but aren’t sure where to begin. It can seem overwhelming when you are first getting started. There are many factors involved in successful weight loss and they each play an important part in a good weight loss program. In order to make the best choices you need to get the best information.

It is essential that you understand how your behavior affects your weight loss results, or you won’t be able to make lasting changes. One thing you will want to consider, according to researchers, is the role that your quality and quantity of sleep plays in losing weight.

Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain

Sleep is a challenging subject, especially in the U.S. where productivity defines many individual lives. It seems the more you get done, the better respected you are. Unfortunately playing around with the amount of sleep you get each night can become a dangerous habit when it comes to your waistline.

There have been numerous studies that examined the link between lack of sleep and weight gain. The following are examples of the many studies that have found a direct link between the two.

Stress has become one of the biggest issues being discussed by experts in the health community. As people try to do more in less time each day, their stress levels increase as well. One area that is greatly impacted by stress is weight loss. The body’s ability to burn fat and function properly is directly affected by stress-related pressure. You can become even more stressed by the results when you’re trying to lose weight.

Does Stress Cause Weight Gain?

Stress affects the way your hormones are regulated, interrupting the way your body processes fat.  It is also often accompanied by anxiety- which causes many people to over-eat and gain weight-or stop eating completely, and lose extreme amounts of weight. Unhealthy eating habits also affect the body’s metabolism, leading to weight gain.

Even people who don’t necessarily eat more food when anxious can gain weight when stress leads them to eat foods high in carbs and sugar. Lack of time often becomes another problem during stressful times. It becomes easier to choose processed foods high in fat when there isn’t enough time to cook a healthy meal.

It’s a fact revealed in the neon headlines splashed across every magazine cover in America, and a pressure that most women feel on a daily basis: you should strive to be tall, thin, and beautiful.

Entire fortunes have been made by diet companies selling all sorts of products to help you get there. There are plans such as the cookie diet and the South Beach movement, or others like grapefruit regimens and Paleo theories. The Slim Fast campaign sold itself in chocolate-flavored shakes and protein bars, while other methods like the Atkin’s Diet marketed purely based on a book and a theory that a low-carb life led to happiness.

Most people like French fries, and protein shakes never taste as good as the real sugary thing.

Of course, there’s always the good old doctor adage of daily exercise, but when you’re busy with work or kids or school, that doesn’t always seem like a feasible option either. There’s always something more to be done or cleaned, and the call of the treadmill or the nightly jog simply isn’t alluring enough to tear a woman away from the hectic pace of her life.

Recently, there have been plenty of rumors about the link between green coffee bean extract and weight loss. Truth or fiction? You’ll be happy to learn it’s true! In fact, a recent study showed that individuals who were overweight and took green coffee bean extract daily, lost a considerable percentage of body weight in a short period of time. Now it’s time YOU knew the secret behind green coffee bean extract!

The Active Compound in Green Coffee Beans

What is the active compound in green coffee beans that’s such an excellent fat burner? Scientists say it’s not the caffeine. What they have found is that the benefits of green coffee beans are linked to the chlorogenic acid in the beans. Roasted coffee beans don’t contain chlorogenic acid, because it is destroyed in the roasting process. Researchers from the study also point out that no negative side effects were seen by participants who received green coffee bean extract.

Green Coffee Bean Extract from Dr. Oz

The quest for weight loss has been an elusive chase for many people, so really it’s only fitting that this magical fruit would hail from an equally exotic locale. Native to the tropic forests of Indonesia, the Garcinia Cambogia plant is rapidly receiving attention for its medicinal qualities.  It has recently been praised by Dr. Oz as a miracle breakthrough for weight-loss. Who knew such a hard-to-pronounce plant would soak up so much limelight?

What You May Not Know About Garcinia Cambogia

The Garcinia Cambogia is an Evergreen plant which bears a round citrus fruit (commonly known as Malabar tamarind fruit) that vaguely resembles a small pumpkin. The fruit can come in a variety of colors, from bright yellow to orange to even purple in some cases. When cut open, Garcinia Cambogia clearly resembles the more common fruits of the citrus family.

Widely known in India and other areas of southern Asia, extracts of the fruit are traditionally used as a spice and for cooking curry; the rinds are also used as a preservative for fish due to the high acidic content it contains.