Weight Loss and Diabetes Prevention

There are all kinds of diets out there that teach people how to eat healthier to lose weight.   They generally all have you reduce fast food, and eat more vegetables.   At the heart of them all though, they essentially rely on willpower.   When you are given a list of foods you can’t eat, or told how many points you can have in a week, this is essentially proposing that you use willpower to resist the foods that cause weight gain.   When you are motivated to lose weight, this often works for a short period of time, but then slowly the weight always comes back.   This is why many people have tried several diets, all with different angles to them and different focuses, but have not managed to keep the weight off long term.   Why is this?   To understand this concept better, we need to understand willpower and why is does not work in the long run. What Is Willpower? Willpower is what you are using when you try to resist something.   Resisting something, whether it is sp

Multiple studies have shown a strong correlation between watching TV and weight gain.  According to the American Bureau of Labor Statistics Time Use Survey, the average American watches 2.7 hours of TV a day.  This adds up to over 19 hrs a week - almost a part time job! How Does Watching TV Actually Cause Weight Gain? Clearly the actual act of watching TV does not directly cause weight gain.  Many people assume that the increase in weight is directly tied to the fact that people who watch TV are not exercising during that time.  While this may play a role, it does not explain the entire picture.  Individuals that read, do crafts, or talk with friends in the evening (equally sedentary activities) do not experience the same weight gain.  The reasons behind the weight gain associated with TV are not completely understood.  There are some good theories to explain this phenomenon that go beyond simply a lack of exercise.  One theory is that watching TV t