So you’re past your 20s and you’re beginning to notice that despite your best efforts to watch the calories, you’re finding it harder and harder to lose excess pounds. What could be the reason? 

Chances are, you’ve fallen for the diet traps. If you’ve cut out the trans fat-laden burgers & fries and going for healthier foods but soon forget that you also need to watch the portion sizes, you’ll keep gaining weight. Are you a frequent snacker? little snacks can add up to more calories than a whole meal in a single day. Keep in mind that instead of noodles & chips, you can opt for fruits like apples that are full of nutrients and can satiate

If you tend to skip meals and then overeat at another meal to compensate, it’s another diet trap. Bear in mind also that while watching calories, you need to ensure that you’re getting all the vitamins & minerals your body needs – from the B vitamins to Vitamin D, iron, and calcium.

 

I'm on diet #2
Creative Commons License photo credit: FLOODkOFF    If you’ve been carefully watching your diet, avoiding red flags that lead to health deterioration (including fastfood and sugary items like sweets with empty calories) and you still feel unhealthy and flabby, you may be missing out on a vital element for good health – regular exercise.

Grab the opportunity to exercise by enrolling in an exercise program that interests you most. The myriad benefits of exercise ought to be motivation enough. Studies show that when you stick to a good physical exercise program, you lower your risks for serious ailments like heart disease, certain cancers, and mental disorders.

Exercise may greatly ease feelings of tiredness or stiffness, and contribute to longevity, so flex those muscles now. Do some aerobics or strength training exercises, with some help from a personal trainer or gym consultant.

If you’re among those suffering from gout (painful joint disease), it may be time to cut back on those sweetened sodas you love to gulp. A study of male professionals in Canada showed that regular intake of sugar-sweetened softdrinks increased the occurrence of gout. 

The study showed that gout risk increased by 85 percent when the subjects drank two or more bottles of softdrinks a day. Alongside this is the finding that diet sodas which have no fructose, do not have a bearing on gout rish. Other factors, of course, need to be considered as well, like family history of gout.

To alleviate gout, drink lemon juice and eat apples or cherries.