Keep up your fitness during the holidays

In the holiday season it is almost an unspoken rule that unlimited eating, partial workouts and shopping trips take place of your regular routine. This year you have a choice. Follow Connect Fitness’s easy rules to keep up your fitness during the holidays and you will stay active and healthy.

1. Choose one treat – You cannot deny your body the chance to indulge. When arriving at a party choose one treat. Pick something you can only treat yourself with during the holidays and make it good.
2. Control your drinking – Alcohol is dehydrating and an easy way to add more calories onto your daily intake. Drink water throughout the day to maintain hydration and have a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume.
3. Eat small meals during the day – Snack on healthy foods like fruit and nuts throughout the day to prevent over eating at the buffet.
4. Eat more vegetables with your meal – Have a larger serve of vegetables instead of rice, bread or stuffing and skip the gravy and dressings. This will help to stop those extra calories being consumed.
5. Exercise and reward yourself – Stay motivated by having an incentive. If you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up. Get back on without missing another second.
6. Alter your exercise program – With help from a personal trainer (included in Connect Fitness membership), you can alter your exercise program to suit your needs to still achieve your health and fitness goals.

There is no reason to let your training and nutrition program spoil your holidays, but there is also no reason to let your holidays spoil your training and nutrition program either.

Exercise and the Brain

Like muscles, many parts of the brain get a physiological workout during exercise.

Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. The brain then has the power to customize hormone levels; for example the hormone cortisol, which is related to stress, is reduced along with feelings of anger, fatigue and tension. Serotonin and dopamine are chemicals that are released during and after exercise that make us feel calm, happy and euphoric.

The great thing for us is if you do not want to wait for these feelings to come to you, you can bring them on by exercising.

Single bouts of exercise can also reduce anxiety for several hours afterwards.
Low to moderate forms of exercising, for half an hour to an hour three to five times a week, is recommended for brain training.

This training can be variety of activities include joining in on a group fitness class, lifting weights or cardio training (for example walking, cycling or rowing). If you are sweating and starting to breathe heavy you are working hard enough.

Basketball is Back!

It’s time to dust off the Air Jordans and get back on the court! How about taking a play from your favourite basketball team and shooting hoops yourself? It will help get you into shape this spring…before summer starts!

Basketball is an excellent way to burn calories and improve aerobic conditioning when played at a moderate or high intensity. It also helps to build muscle as your body uses dynamic movements to allow you to stop and start quickly with the flow of the game.

Basketball is fast moving and involves a lot of variety of skills including shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defence, trash talking and much more!

The game can be played at various levels, from shooting baskets, to playing one-on-one with someone of equal ability, to playing a rigorous, full-court game. Basketball is good as a team sport or just an individual practice, honing your shooting and agility skills.

A good tip to remember with any aerobic based sport, is a good warm up and cool down routine as it is important to prevent injuries.

New kid on the block – TRX Suspension Training

You may have heard people mentioning the newest technique to hit town, training with a TRX suspension system.

So what is the TRX training system?

Originating in the US, developed by the Navy Seals the TRX Suspension Trainer is the original bodyweight-based training tool that builds strength, balance, flexibility and core strength for people of all fitness levels.

The TRX suspension system makes your workout unique. Not only is each individual's body built a little differently, but we each fill our lives with a mix of physical activities that can require specific training. TRX Suspension Training is versatile and allows you to instantly adjust not only the level of difficulty for each exercise.

In real life, our bodies move to the side, backwards, forwards and diagonally. Shouldn't we train the same way? Unlike traditional weight training that tends to be linear and follow one plane of movement, Suspension Training mimics real life movement. This will bring a muscular balance to your body, increasing performance and helping to prevent injuries.

So whether you’re training for a specific sport, recreation or just looking to change your exercise program why not try incorporating some new elements into your training.

Spring into action with Personal Training

With the weather warming up, it’s time to get your body into action before the summer months are upon us. Trying to lose those extra winter kilos can be tough.

One of the most proven ways to gain results is with the help of a Personal Trainer.
A Personal Trainer can help you to:

Get results faster – working with a personal trainer, provides motivation that exercising alone cannot. Having someone there to help you push through barriers is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your exercise sessions.

Save time - A trainer will design your workouts to be efficient, ensuring you don’t waste time on exercises that will not achieve your goals.

Do what’s right for you – A personal trainer will take into account your individual situation, and work with you to help you not only achieve results but to be able to maintain them in the long term.

Train safely - especially if you have any specific issues like an injury or illness. Working with an experienced trainer (who works with your doctor, of course) can help you find a program to help injuries and avoid any further problems.

Learn the right way – Another benefit of having a professional train you, is the ability to gain their knowledge in correct technique and application of exercises, minimising the risk of injury when training.

Stay motivated - especially if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind.
Challenge your limits & push boundaries – A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own.

Train for a specific sport or event - If you're training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training.

Discover a new workout with kettlebells!

It seems in fitness training what is old is new again, with the re-introduction of Kettlebells into weight training.. Kettlebells originated in Russian army training in the 1900’s, and were incorporated into US army training when it was found they could not endure as long as their soviet counterparts

So what is a Kettlebell??
A kettlebell is a Russian type of hand weight that is shaped like a big cannonball with a handle. Often made out of pure cast iron, they are available in a wide range of weights and sizes.
Everyone can benefit from a regular kettlebell workout: from those who just want to look and feel good, to elite athletes. Primarily a kettlebell workout will develop your all-important body core – back, hips and trunk. You can also burn fat and exercise your cardio-vascular system.

Kettlebells also enable you to strengthen your arms and legs, as you use your whole body to control the kettlebell.
The overall result will be increased strength, flexibility, timing, muscle tone and general body conditioning. Elite athletes can use advanced exercises and techniques to target various muscle groups and movement patterns.

The kettlebell is very easy to use. You can start off by simply carrying a kettlebell around for a period everyday: lifting it, swinging it, passing it from hand to hand. As your strength and coordination develop you can move on to routines, exercises and heavier weights.

Snacking for weightloss

Snacking is for adults as well as children. A study published in the October 2010 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and led by Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., found that the most frequent behaviors performed by the survey participants besides sleeping were eating and drinking. Be mindful of the types of snacks you are eating when attempting to lose weight , and choose those that are healthy, nutritious and low in calories.

Creative Vegetables
Vegetables are a logical choice for a diet snack food, but you may tire of eating carrots and fat-free dressing. Include vitamin-rich vegetables in your snacking menu, but for a change, try eating a stuffed, hollowed-out zucchini. Sally Sampson, in her book "100-Calorie Snack Cookbook," suggests placing a hollowed-out zucchini half in a casserole dish. Fill the hull with diced zucchini, tomatoes, a sprinkle of bread crumbs, 1 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and a seasoning blend of basil and oregano. Sprinkle the mixture with pepper and bake at 180 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Eat the zucchini warm or store it in the refrigerator for a cold, refreshing snack. Alternately, you can use tomatoes, green peppers, chopped spinach and onions to make a salsa dip for raw vegetables.

Under 100 Calorie Snacks
Keep your snacking calories low by eating snacks with less than 100 calories per serving. Eat 10g. of reduced fat cheddar or Colby cheese for 49 calories. Add a 23-calorie wedge of cantaloupe for a healthy, easy-to-prepare snack. Purchasing 100-calorie packages from the store is an option, but avoiding processed foods is wise when you are trying to eat a healthy diet, says HelpGuide.org. Make a quick fruit salad by combining 1/2 an apple and 1/2 an orange for under 100 calories, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Place 1 cup of coarsely chopped watermelon and several ice cubes into your blender and make a 46-calorie slushy.

Salty Snacks
If you enjoy salty snacks, avoid fried chips and french fries when trying to lose weight. Make your own healthy tortilla chips by cutting fat-free flour tortillas into eight wedges. Drizzle 1/8 tsp. olive oil onto the wedges and bake them at 200 degrees for five minutes. Use an air popper to make popcorn. Season it with a salt-free seasoning. Buy or make soft pretzels and eat one for a snack, recommends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Top five whole-wheat, low-calorie crackers with 2 tsp. of reduced-fat, natural peanut butter for a filling snack with protein and fiber.

Sweet Snacks
Satisfy your sweet tooth with a low-calorie, sweet alternative to chocolate candy bars and full-fat ice cream. Make fat-free muffins from a mix or your own recipe and eat one for snack. Top one piece of whole-wheat toast with sugar-free jam or eat a handful of 18-calorie vanilla wafers. For a sweet snack after dinner, put a spoonful of fat-free ice cream or yogurt into a custard cup and top the scoop with 1 tsp. of chocolate syrup.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/252355-snack-foods-for-weight-loss/#ixzz1OGX896oM

Too cold to exercise??

There are many benefits to exercising in the colder months. You use more energy in winter, which equates to burning more kilojoules. And as you're burning more energy, you sleep better at night.

Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to boost your immune system and fend off wintertime colds and other illnesses.But there are a few things to be aware of when you're exercising in the cold:

Warm-up is important at any time, but particularly so during the colder months, as the body's temperature is generally a little lower and the joints take a little bit longer to warm up properly.

Stretching is especially important in the winter months when it's easier to cramp up or pull a cold muscle.

Remember to moisturise. Put a moisturiser on your lips, face, hands or any other area that may be susceptible to the drying effects of the colder air.

Drink plenty of water. It's as easy to become dehydrated during the cold months, as in the scorching summer heat, so carry a water bottle with you and drink plenty of fluids after your workout. Most people forget the importance of water during the colder months.

People who are prone to asthma should make sure they carry Ventolin, as they are more susceptible to asthma with the cold air.

Whenever exercise is stopped or paused for any longer than a couple of minutes, take off any wet clothes as soon as possible and put on a jacket and tracksuit pants to avoid getting a chill.

How exercise may improve your mental health..

We know that exercise has positive effects on the brain. Researchers at Duke University demonstrated several years ago that exercise has antidepressant properties. Other research has shown that exercise can improve the brain functioning of the elderly and may even protect against dementia. How does exercise improve mental health?

One theory for some of the benefits of exercise include the fact that exercise triggers the production of endorphins. These natural opiates are chemically similar to morphine. They may be produced as natural pain relievers in response to the shock that the body receives during exercise. However, researchers are beginning to question whether endorphins improve mood. Studies are showing that the body's metabolism of endorphins is complex, and there are likely additional mechanisms involved in the mental health effects of exercise.
Some studies have found that exercise boosts activity in the brain's frontal lobes and the hippocampus. We don't really know how or why this occurs. Animal studies have found that exercise increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters have been associated with elevated mood, and it is thought that antidepressant medications also work by boosting these chemicals.

Exercise has also been found to increase levels of "brain-derived neurotrophic factor" (BDNF). This substance is thought to improve mood, and it may play a role in the beneficial effects of exercise. BDNF's primary role seems to be to help brain cells survive longer, so this may also explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on dementia.
The bottom line is that most of us feel good after exercise. Physical exercise is good for our mental health and for our brains. Someday we will understand it all better -- but we can start exercising today.

Sources:
John Briley. "Feel Good After a Workout? Well, Good for You." The Washington Post, Tuesday, April 25, 2006.
James A. Blumenthal, et al. "Effects of Exercise Training on Older Patients With Major Depression." Archives of Internal Medicine, October 25, 1999.
Michael Babyak, et al. "Exercise Treatment for Major Depression: Maintenance of Therapeutic Benefit at 10 Months." Psychosomatic Medicine, September/October 2000

Exercise Fact or Fiction...

We all make excuses from time to time to justify our actions, or lack of them, and particularly when it comes to the minefield of diet and exercise. There's so much information and misinformation out there, so read on to cut through the facts and the fiction.

Fact: Exercise takes time
Unfortunate though it is, to improve your health and maintain your fitness, you have to invest time and effort. You are simply not going to get a six-pack by eating six packs of Tim-Tams while sitting on the lounge. Deal with it.
The good news is that there are stealth ways to introduce exercise into your life. Walk, run or cycle into work (you have to get there somehow), take a gym class at lunchtime (more fun than that big bowl of pasta), walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift, walk to the shops instead of taking the car. Though you'll reap more benefits from going hard, any physical activity is better than none — so get moving!

Fiction: You can't exercise as you get older
This is fundamentally nonsense. Keeping fit and active as you age will keep you living longer, and will also keep you looking younger. Regular weight-bearing exercise helps to ward off osteoporosis, maintain good mental health and help cope with symptoms of the menopause. As our bodies age, too, we need less fuel to keep us going: physical activity can help to keep our waistlines trim and our hearts healthy.
If you don't feel comfortable pounding the streets, try gentler forms of exercise. Swimming, aqua aerobics, pilates and yoga are all great ways of maintaining your health with less impact to muscles and joints. Or join a bushwalking club, or investigate dancing lessons — whatever it is, just do it, and round out your other interests at the same time.

Fact: Mums find it hard to exercise
It's a bit of a triple whammy really: first you're pregnant, then you're recovering from the birth, and then your baby (or babies) takes up all your time. How could you possibly exercise? Well, you're wrong. Get into the habit of exercising while pregnant: a light walk or a swim is not going to stress you or the baby, and will probably make you feel better. Check out classes that are specifically for pregnant women, whether they be in yoga, pilates or even weights.
Of course, no one is expecting you to do lunges and sit-ups while giving birth or even shortly afterwards, but it possible to fit activity into an already busy life. Go for a walk or a jog with the buggy (older kids can come too!), take the children to the pool for some swim tuition, take a rounders set to the beach or set up an informal game of touch footy. Go for a family bike ride or walk the dog. Or, if you simply want some "me time", find a gym that offers creche facilities, or pool together with a group of other mums and take it in turns to babysit while the rest of you get out and get active. You can do it? Oh yes you can.

Fiction: Weight training makes you bulk up
Body builders don't just look at a barbell to get those sorts of muscles: it takes months and years of lifting increasing weights, and to think that you'll buck this trend is nothing short of naïve. To get toned and trim, introduce weights into your programme and carry out repetitions of weights that challenge your muscles. If you're not sure how much is too much, ask at the gym where there are always staff on hand to help.
Ironically, weight training is a good way of making yourself look slimmer. Judicious use of certain techniques and machines can elongate muscles and provide definition to legs that are bulky from cardio activities such as cycling, running and elliptical machines.

Fiction: Gyms are just for weight training
Most gyms will have a weights studio or two, true, and weight training can play an important part in a balanced exercise programme. But most gyms will offer a whole host of different activities that cater for a range of interests and, yes, abilities.
Check out class timetables on gym websites for inspiration of what to go to: most will offer spin (or studio cycling), aerobics, step classes, yoga and a range of Les Mills classes such as Body Attack, Body Combat or Body Pump. There will also be a cardio theatre with treadmills, rowing machines, elliptical machines, bikes and steppers. Go on, bite that bullet and find a beginner's class in something that takes your fancy.

Fiction: I can't afford to exercise
You can afford to get in your car and drive it to the supermarket, right? Walk instead and save yourself the petrol money. When was the last time you paid an entry fee to the beach? Everyone can afford to exercise: you don't need to go to high-tech gyms and employ the personal trainers to the stars to get fitter and stronger.
Take your lunch to work instead of buying it, and you'll be amazed how much cash you can save to put towards other things. Recycle your water bottle instead of buying a new one every day. Skip that morning coffee. You don't have to do all of these things, but if you do some of them you'll soon be able to afford that decent pair of runners, a skipping rope, a new swimming costume or even — shock horror — that personal trainer, after all.

For more information see – better health.com.

How scents boost your health

Do you want to get a better night's sleep, reduce anxiety or increase your libido? The answer may be right under your nose, says Erin Kisby. Of your five senses — hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch — it's your sense of smell that comes out on top for its ability to improve your overall health. It's long been known certain aromas can bring on a flood of memories — evoking everything from joy to nostalgia — and this is because aromas are processed in the limbic system, a part of the brain that deals with emotions. However, scientists are now discovering certain smells play a role in much more than mood, and may even have the ability to ease migraines, improve cognitive performance and prevent anxiety. So can you use fragrance to influence your health, outside of a research lab? "You can absolutely use scent day-to-day to improve your wellbeing," says Dr Alan Hirsch from the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in the US. Here are some of the latest research findings and how you can use certain fragrances to your benefit. Reduce stress: head for the park Fresh air definitely has a positive effect on mood. There are a number of explanations why this occurs, and researchers from the University of Queensland have one: Freshly cut grass and green leaves release at least five chemicals that contain stress-relieving properties. However, if you're feeling tense and a walk in the park is out of the question, inhaling the scent of lemon, mango or lavender may also help to reduce stress levels, Japanese researchers have found. Reduce anxiety: by peeling an orange Everyone experiences anxiety and fear at times. However, if you're facing an event that is causing increased anxiety, a whiff of orange may help you relax, researchers at the University of Vienna have reported. The researchers found an ambient odour of orange essential oil reduced anxiety and improved the mood of patients waiting for a dental treatment, compared to a control group with no added aroma. Have sweet dreams: smell the roses Pleasurable fragrances may help you have a better night's sleep by improving your dreams. When researchers exposed sleeping participants to a rose scent, they reported having pleasant dreams. On the other hand, when the women were exposed to a negative scent, in this case rotten eggs, it provoked unpleasant dreams. Sleep soundly, and wake up on the right side of the bed, by keeping a sachet of rose-scented potpourri on your bedside table. Boost libido: bake a pumpkin pie Odours can soothe frazzled nerves, promote sleep, wake us up, lift our spirits and may even enhance sexual function. Of the fragrances that most turn women on, cucumber, lavender, baby powder and pumpkin pie rate the highest, the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found. To get in the mood for romance, end dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie. For the full story, see Good Health.

Should there be a tax on junk food??

A tax on junk food should be implemented as a tool to reduce consumption and address the obesity epidemic, according to an article by Monash researchers that appeared in the Medical Journal of Australia. Ms Molly Bond, PhD candidate at the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, and co-authors discuss the possibility of introducing a junk food tax in a similar fashion to tobacco and alcohol taxes. Ms Bond said that the recent report on taxation -- the Henry tax review -- recommended that the federal government increase taxes already levied on tobacco and alcohol, because these are the best way to reduce social harms caused by the use and misuse of these substances. However, no similar scheme was recommended for junk food. "In recent years, obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia," Ms Bond said. "More than 60 per cent of Australian adults and one in four children are overweight or obese. "Evidence suggests that the obesity epidemic in Australia and around the world is predominantly the result of over-consumption of food rather than a reduction in overall physical activity. "Curbing this over-consumption, of junk food in particular, must be a central component of any obesity prevention strategy. "Junk foods have the same pattern of misuse and the same social costs as tobacco and alcohol. "The Henry tax review rejects the idea of taxing fatty foods and, to date, the federal government has not implemented a tax on junk food," Ms Bond said. Ms Bond observed that the government's response to the obesity epidemic has been to create a partnership between governments and industry, which will inevitably align with industry objectives rather than public health needs. "We hope that the efforts of the public health community are not consumed in responding to government-industry initiatives that are almost certain to have no effect on the obesity epidemic." The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association. For further information about the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, visit The Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights website.

Food myths exposed!

There are many myths about foods - which you should eat and when you should eat them.

Below five myths are exposed as false!

1. Potatoes make you fat - false
It was once thought that the key to weight loss was eliminating all high carbohydrate foods, including pasta, rice and potatoes. We now know that carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source. Eating a potato, or any type of carbohydrate rich food, won’t automatically make you fatter. However, if you are watching your weight, enjoy potatoes in moderate quantities and be careful of how you eat your potato (for example, butter and sour cream are high in fats).You have to regularly eat more energy than your body needs to put on weight. This is harder to do with high carbohydrate foods than high fat foods. Eating a diet high in carbohydrate (and also fibre) is likely to push fat out of the diet.

2. Food combining diets really work - false
There are plenty of diets based on the belief that the digestive system can’t tackle a combination of foods or nutrients. Commonly, carbohydrates and proteins are said to ‘clash’, leading to digestive problems and weight gain. The opposite is often true. Foods eaten together can help the digestive system. For example, vitamin C in orange juice can increase iron absorption from a meal like chicken or beef.Very few foods are purely carbohydrate or purely protein; most are a mixture of both. The digestive system contains enzymes that are perfectly capable of breaking down all the foods we eat. Food combining diets should be avoided.

3. Breakfast should consist of fruit only - false
There is no evidence that eating only fruit at breakfast has any health or weight loss benefits. Most fruits are not very high in complex carbohydrates, which the body needs after an all-night fast. They are, however, a good source of fibre and vitamins. Cereal foods (especially wholegrain varieties) like bread, crumpets, muffins and breakfast cereals are a much better source of carbohydrates to get you going in the morning.

4. There are some magical foods that cause weight loss - false
Some foods, such as grapefruit or kelp, are said to burn off body fat. This is not true. Dietary fibre comes closest to fulfilling this wish because it provides a feeling of ‘fullness’ with minimal kilojoules. High fibre foods such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals, and legumes also tend to be low in fat.

5. Drinking while you are eating is fattening - false
The theory behind this misconception is that digestive juices and enzymes will be diluted by the fluid, and this will slow down the digestion and lead to excess body fat. There is no scientific evidence to back this up. In fact, evidence suggests that drinking water with your meal improves digestion. Kilojoule-heavy drinks such as alcoholic beverages can be fattening if consumed in excess, but drinking them with meals doesn’t make them more so.

How scents could boost your health..

Do you want to get a better night's sleep, reduce anxiety or increase your libido? The answer may be right under your nose, says Erin Kisby.

Of your five senses — hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch — it's your sense of smell that comes out on top for its ability to improve your overall health.
It's long been known certain aromas can bring on a flood of memories — evoking everything from joy to nostalgia — and this is because aromas are processed in the limbic system, a part of the brain that deals with emotions.

However, scientists are now discovering certain smells play a role in much more than mood, and may even have the ability to ease migraines, improve cognitive performance and prevent anxiety. So can you use fragrance to influence your health, outside of a research lab?
"You can absolutely use scent day-to-day to improve your wellbeing," says Dr Alan Hirsch from the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in the US. Here are some of the latest research findings and how you can use certain fragrances to your benefit.

Reduce stress: head for the park
Fresh air definitely has a positive effect on mood. There are a number of explanations why this occurs, and researchers from the University of Queensland have one: Freshly cut grass and green leaves release at least five chemicals that contain stress-relieving properties. However, if you're feeling tense and a walk in the park is out of the question, inhaling the scent of lemon, mango or lavender may also help to reduce stress levels, Japanese researchers have found.

Reduce anxiety: by peeling an orange
Everyone experiences anxiety and fear at times. However, if you're facing an event that is causing increased anxiety, a whiff of orange may help you relax, researchers at the University of Vienna have reported. The researchers found an ambient odour of orange essential oil reduced anxiety and improved the mood of patients waiting for a dental treatment, compared to a control group with no added aroma.

Have sweet dreams: smell the roses
Pleasurable fragrances may help you have a better night's sleep by improving your dreams. When researchers exposed sleeping participants to a rose scent, they reported having pleasant dreams. On the other hand, when the women were exposed to a negative scent, in this case rotten eggs, it provoked unpleasant dreams. Sleep soundly, and wake up on the right side of the bed, by keeping a sachet of rose-scented potpourri on your bedside table.

Boost libido: bake a pumpkin pie
Odours can soothe frazzled nerves, promote sleep, wake us up, lift our spirits and may even enhance sexual function. Of the fragrances that most turn women on, cucumber, lavender, baby powder and pumpkin pie rate the highest, the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found. To get in the mood for romance, end dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie.

For the more information, see source: the November issue of Good Health.

Is alcohol making you fat??

Health experts say women are catching up to men in the beer-belly stakes — and it's our sedentary lifestyle, not genetics, that is to blame.

The 'wineglass'
Move over apples, the new figure shape on the weight-watching block is the appropriately titled 'wineglass' — coined by a British dietician to describe barrel-shaped ladies whose thick waist-line is a result of one too many tipples.

Jacqui Lowdon from the British Dietetic Association says the shape, which is characterised by a larger upper-body and a thinner lower-body, is usually most common in women after menopause. However, due to an increased consumption of alcohol by women under 30 the barrel-esque physique is now also becoming common in the younger set.

Don't blame it on genetics
This emerging trend is being blamed on extended drinking hours, social pressures and our inactive lifestyles, according to international health and longevity expert Dr John Tickell.
"The way we eat and drink is just so different to what they were 50 years ago," says Dr Tickell. "What happens now is that most of the kids don't go out until 10 or 11 or midnight, and they stay out drinking in clubs all night."

Add to this our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and our consumption of excess calories through alcohol and Dr Tickell says it's a recipe for the skinny-leg, big-belly look.

Health risks
If the unsightly beer belly isn't enough to put you off, perhaps the list of health risks associated with the 'wineglass' shape will. Dr Tickell warns, "It is terribly unhealthy. Wineglass equals high-risk diabetes, breast cancer, bowel cancer and all other cancers."

For more information see source: http://health.ninemsn.com.au/dietandnutrition/nutrition/694803/alcohol-is-making-women-fat