If you’re eating right and have been working out regularly but aren’t losing that layer of fat hugging your hips and thighs, your exercise regimen may be to blame.

Working out isn’t only about doing a step class or sweatin’ to the oldies. While cardio is absolutely necessary to burn those calories, you’ve got to include a weight lifting segment to your regimen. A suitable number of strength exercises performed regularly will not only help increase your muscle mass, it’ll also boost your metabolism which means you’ll be burning more calories throughout the day, even when you’re resting (that’s right. Even when you’re resting!)

There’s no need to start pumping serious iron, though. Keep beefy arms and massive quads at bay by doing more reps on a lighter weight.

Cholecystokinin (CCK)  is a hormone that’s released when you eat. It is believed to be instrumental in regulating hunger, thus controlling food intake. However, it doesn’t act immediately. It takes anywhere from 10-45 minutes for the hormone to kick in and start sending you messages that you’re full, which is bad news for fast eaters on a diet.

To help stop yourself from overeating and feeling less than satisfied with your meal, try slowing down and savouring your food – including when you snack. This may allow you to limit your portion and actually feel satiated with the amount.

Stress is one of the worst enemies for your physical appearance.  It can cause a number of skin problems, making your  complexion dull and blemish-prone.  Feeling tense? It’s time to step back from the computer and relax.

1. Stand up and step away from your desk – it’s time to stretch. Gentle stretching exercises can help improve the circulation and ease tension. While you don’t need to sit on the floor and stick out your legs, you can do other things that won’t take up so much room. Try reaching your hands up to the ceiling or grabbing one of your ankles behind you, bending at the knee to loosen the quad muscles.

2. Close your eyes and let your mind take you on a languorous trip to the beach, or anywhere else you’d rather be. Your mini visual holiday will help you relax your brain and improve your mood, at least for the duration of your fantasy.

3. Have a bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal is one of nature’s healthiest foods. Packed full of fibre, it provides energy slowly to stave off hunger and also helps fight depression.

4. Whine, complain and moan – to a journal. Your friends or confidants may lend a sympathetic ear occasionally, but when they’re not there for you, try venting your frustrations by writing them out instead. It’ll help relieve your stress by not keeping it bottled up.

That’s right. There’s a type of wrinkle that’s directly related to smoking.

Appearing on the entire body but most prevalent around the mouth and eyes, Smoker’s Wrinkles are those unsightly creases in the skin that form from the impeding effects of tobacco on collagen production and blood circulation.  While Botox and other skin rejuvenating treatments can help reduce or eliminate their appearance, the best way to prevent Smoker’s Wrinkles from forming is….

to quit of course!

According to a study published in the Jan. 2008 issue of The Annals of Family Medicine, researchers have found that walking a few more steps everyday can help you lose weight.

In 10 weeks, participants were recorded to have lost an average of 1 pound just by walking from 1,000 to 10,000  steps daily. And that’s without even dieting to lose the weight! Results were acquired from participants taking part in the study from one month to one year.

Don’t have the motivation to walk? Buy yourself a pedometer; it may help get you moving.

People tell me that chocolate doesn’t cause acne, but whenever I eat chocolate, I always break out. Why?

You’re right, chocolate doesn’t cause acne. Many people believe it does, but it’s just a myth that scientific research has proven time and time again.

However, if you notice that you break out whenever you eat chocolate, it may be because that’s your individual reaction to it. Your body may be reacting to something in the chocolate, resulting in those breakouts. Cut out chocolate and see if your breakouts subside; if they do, you’ll just have to find something else to satisfy your sweet tooth!