Lose the 'Thunder Thighs'

Research shows that women tend to have higher percentage of body fat than men, and there is a gender-specific difference in fat distribution.

Females tend to accumulate fat around the hips, rear and thighs, while men tend to carry around a jelly-belly. When there is an excess of fat storage in the thigh area, it is sometimes referred to as "thunder thighs."

So, what's the remedy?

Approaching this issue with both nutrition and exercise is important to really see results. This means including a proper diet, cardio vascular exercise and strength training.

That inner thigh machine is not going to take away the saddle bags. Certainly this hip abduction exercise is great for hip flexibility and stretching for anyone, but, not so much for toning and weight loss of the excess luggage compartment.

There is no such thing as spot reducing, and though genetics play a role in placement of fat cells, you can shrink the fat within those cells.

A diet that is high in veggies and protein, and low in sugar will help elevate your metabolism to be in a better fat burning state. Including several servings of greens and plenty of protein for muscle development will keep your metabolism on fire.

Challenge yourself with your exercise routines, but also know your limits. If you are just beginning, it is vital that you take it slow for the first two weeks, keeping your heart rate in the 50-60 percent range, and as fitness level rises, increase by 10 percent at each workout.

Don’t Wait Until New Year’s to Ring in New Fitness Goals

New Year’s may typically be a time for goals like losing belly fat, but when it comes to leading a more healthful lifestyle, there’s no time like the present. You see, when a person wants to lead a healthy lifestyle, to get in better shape and to have more energy, he or she should not put off starting to achieve his or her goals.

You need to begin by identifying and writing down clear and achievable goals, along with a daily activity and food journal.

Your friends, family and coworkers should be in on your plan and be there to support your new lifestyle.

Before selecting a gym, think about what is important to you from the gym. Is it cardio equipment, group fitness classes, weights, personal trainers, and/or wellness programs you are looking for?

Personal trainers are a plus because they can create efficient and effective workout routines with one’s goals in mind. Because becoming healthier isn’t just about lifting dumbbells or sweating away on the elliptical machine.

Eating right is as important as hitting the gym. Of course, dieting will help you lose weight, but combining it with exercise will make you more likely to keep it off.

Always remember, losing weight the healthy way, and keeping it off for life, takes time. Stay focused and the weight will come off.

Two Moves to Lose Love Handles

These days it is common for everyone to strive for six pack abs, since a waistline of 35 or more inches puts women especially at risk for life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Smart eating, aerobic exercise, and ab-tightening moves such as the ones below will keep you out of the danger zone.

The moves target the obliques on the sides of your torso. Do two or three sessions a week, with a rest day between workouts.

Seated Knee Drop

Keeping your spine straight, sit back on your sit bones with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, ankles touching. Place your hands on the floor behind you for balance.

Contract your abdominal muscles, and lower your legs to the left until they are about 6 inches from the floor, keeping your ankles pressed together and your shoulders forward. Your feet will roll, but they should stay on the floor. Hold for a second, and then use your abs to slowly pull your legs up and over to the right. Don't let your knees simply fall to the side; keep the move controlled. Repeat from side to side for 1 minute.

Side Crunch

Lie on your right side with your legs extended. Wrap your right forearm across your waist and rest your right hand on the left side. Bring your left hand behind your head, so your left elbow points toward the ceiling. An easier version: Don't lift your leg; lift your upper body only.

Using the obliques on your left side (not your right arm), pull in your abs and lift your right shoulder off the floor about 2 to 3 inches, while raising your left leg about 12 inches. Hold for 2 seconds, and then slowly return to the starting position. Start with 5 to 8 reps on each side, and work up to 12 to 15. Do one or two sets with 1 minute of rest in between.

Exercise Myths that May Keep You From Your Goal

We’ve been learning about ways to get rid of belly fat, such as changing our routine periodically, increasing or decreasing reps, sets or pace. When it comes to getting a flat stomach, many myths and misconceptions still exist. To help separate fact from fiction, here are some important guidelines:

• Spot reducing is impossible. An example here would be trying to eliminate belly fat by performing exercises designed to target the abdominal area. Resistance exercise, whether for the abdominals or any other muscle group, is for the purpose of maintaining or building muscle tissue, to help keep your body strong. Losing body fat, and more importantly, keeping it off, requires three components: Adherence to a strength training program that includes all major muscle groups, adherence to regular cardiovascular workouts and adherence to a daily calorie-controlled eating plan. The idea is to change your overall body composition, that is, to gradually gain muscle tissue and lose fat over time.

• If the number of calories you consume is consistently less than the amount needed for daily activity, you will lose overall body fat; if equal to energy needs, you will maintain; and if they are more than you need, you will gain fat. Know that only cutting back on the amount of food you eat but without regular exercise is never the best way to go, as you’ll only end up losing calorie-burning muscle in the process, ultimately slowing down your metabolism. Body fat uses about 2 calories per pound, while muscle uses about 6 calories per pound. Far better to gradually increase activity levels while gradually reducing calorie intake.

• Don’t focus too much on the number on the scale. If you do weigh, use it as only one indicator of progress, because it reflects your total body weight and does not tell you how much body fat is being lost. A better indicator would be to take regular measurements to keep track of inches lost. Place the tape measure around the thickest part of the waist, hips, arms and thighs and record your starting numbers. Repeat and compare once every 3 to 4 weeks.

• Frequency of abdominal exercises. As with any muscle group, the amount of time between workouts is important. The higher the level of intensity, the longer the number of days between workouts. Generally, the abdominals need a day of rest between workouts. With proper training, the muscles are torn down just enough so that they are forced to adapt and grow even stronger. Taking a day off between workouts allows the muscles to adequately rest, recover and repair from the previous workout, enabling you to do 100 percent with each workout.

Good luck.

Your Ideal Walking Workout

Walking is a wonder exercise. Not only can it help to lose a jelly-belly, it also reduces the risk of developing diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease. Walking bestows benefits to the brain too, by relieving stress and improving mood. Best of all, walking is free: You don't need fancy equipment or a gym membership to reap the benefits. Here's how to make every step count, no matter how often you hit the pavement.

Begin by walking 10 to 15 minutes on flat ground or on a treadmill at a purposeful pace, or complete 2,000 steps (use a pedometer to monitor your walking progress). You want to cover a mile in about 20 minutes.

• Maintain an upright but comfortable posture, with your neck, upper back, and shoulders relaxed,

• Minimize the sway in your lower back; don't jut your rear out. Instead, maintain a slight, natural arch in your back.

• Gently pull in your abdominal muscles. This helps strengthen your abs while reducing lower-back pain.

Aim to walk at least five days a week. Every second or third week, add 5 minutes. After about two or three months of regular walking, you should be up to 30 minutes. Once you've hit half an hour, add variety to your terrain rather than increasing time or speed. This will boost your enjoyment, encouraging you to keep up the habit.

The Couple’s Guide to Eating Healthy

Did you know research shows couples tend to share similar body fat levels when they meet--and are likely to stay that way over the years. Similarly, other research shows that if one partner improves his/her habits, the other may follow suit. Here are a few healthy eating tips to live healthfully and lose unwanted fat if necessary.

1. Bond over breakfast: Many studies show that breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight than those who skip their morning meal. Set aside 15 minutes to eat together before you head out the door.

2. Avoid snacking together: Just because one of you is a snacker doesn't mean you both have to be. Stop and consider whether you're actually hungry or just "eating with company" before digging in, and encourage him or her to do the same.

3. Preplan your portions: If dinner at home means lingering over a long meal at the dining room table, dole out a portion before you sit down and leave any leftovers in the kitchen. With the extras out of sight, you'll both be less likely to overeat.

4. Break up the takeout: If one of you craves a hearty meal (like pizza), but the other wants something a bit lighter (like sushi), place orders at two different restaurants and eat at home as a couple.

5. Make one meal two ways: Buy groceries for a shared meal that you can each personalize to your liking and to that day's caloric needs.

6. Stretch your drink: Men can usually tolerate more alcohol--and calories. Instead of joining him for seconds, have seltzer with a dash of orange juice and a squeeze of lime. Or ask for half wine and half seltzer, and join in both rounds.

Useful Tips to Stop Binge Eating

Binge eating can be pretty difficult to overcome. But not so if you are serious about losing unwanted fat, and can follow the below given tips. You may find it a little difficult to stick to these tips initially. However, things should become easy after a while. And when that happens, you may find your binging habit is quickly fading away.

1. Delay Eating: Whenever you get the urge, the best thing you can do is to stop yourself from immediately reaching for the food. Just delaying by 10-15 minutes can have profound effect in diminishing the food cravings.

2. Rate Your Hunger Intensity: Many times you are not really hungry but just want to eat food for the good feelings it provides. The question is how do you differentiate whether your food cravings is due to real hunger or not. A simple technique is to rate your hunger. If your hunger rating is less than 3 or 4 in a scale of 1-10, then resist eating.

3. Distract Your Mind: When your mind starts thinking about other things, then you can overcome the binge habit with relative ease. Take time out to engage in activities that you like and enjoy. When you keep yourself engaged in doing things you love then you will stop turning to food for comfort.

Stress Can Make You Fat

You get upset, you eat. You get depressed, you eat. You go through a breakup, you eat. For years, people have suspected that stress and obesity are linked, and now scientific research has found evidence that specific hormones may play a role in this process.

So if we're wired to seek out unhealthy foods when under stress, how do we avoid a jelly belly when times get tough?

• Don't allow yourself to become too hungry. When you get hungry and you go too long without eating, your blood sugar drops. It's very hard to think rationally when your blood sugar levels are low. You'll eat anything. To avoid this scenario, be sure you're not skipping meals.

• Think about what you're eating: Don't forget that food is fuel for your body and your brain. When you eat properly, you're fueling your body to fight stress. Smaller portions can help keep your total calorie intake under control.

• Eat healthy snacks: Nutritionists recommend snacks that combine protein and carbohydrates. The body digests them more slowly, allowing you to feel fuller longer.

• Deal with your stress: This may be easier said than done, but finding ways to manage your stress is essential to your overall health. Try yoga, tai chi or meditation. Exercise regularly. Spend time with friends. Seek counseling if you're overwhelmed. Reduce the number of stressors in your life.

Exercise Secrets for the Working Mom

Are you a working mom trying to lose belly fat?

I understand how you feel, some of us are doing more than one job and find it hard to get any free time to exercise and lose weight.

It is understood that everyday stresses can become an excuse for avoiding exercises altogether, but try not to use the 'lack of time' reason as an excuse for avoiding exercises.

Most people are either afraid of exercises or just don't know where to start. So here are four exercise secrets a working mom can use to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

1. Workout with a friend: Working out alone can quickly become demotivating, and after all it is nice to spend some time with other adults. Even better if you know another mom who also wants to lose weight, get her involved as well!

2. Use an iPOD: Take your iPod with you when you hit the gym. Music is a great motivator when working out!

3. Do exercises that you enjoy: Doing exercises that you don't enjoy soon becomes demotivating, and there is a larger chance of quitting.

4. Start slow: If you have never been to a gym before, it is only natural that you will be nervous. Begin by doing 15 -20 minutes of exercise, 2 -3 times a week until your body get used to it.

These tips for effective weight loss are easy to follow, and don't take much effort.

Make Some Time for Fitness

Consistent exercise is a big challenge for many women. Whether you are a busy professional, a single mom working from home, or you are home juggling the needs of small children, consistent exercise can be a difficult habit to start AND a challenge to maintain. Many women report that there just isn't room (or energy) in their life to make it happen. And yet, regular physical activity is the key to a successful recipe for losing stomach fat. Here are some tips to make exercise do-able and even enjoyable.

1. Have a fitness goal: Having an "end destination" will help keep you motivated and help you evaluate your progress.

2. Choose something that motivates you: When you find something you love to do, it provides a double return on your energy and time investment, providing fun AND you exercise.

3. Have a fitness support system: Join a running or walking group where possible. The group can challenge you, provide great information, and motivate you to show up for difficult workouts.

4. Be realistic about what you can accomplish: Don't paralyze yourself with unattainable expectations of what a "real" workout is. Exercise within your schedule, but be consistent.

5. Be realistic, but do SOMETHING: There are mornings when it will be hard to get up off the couch and head out the door. But remember the commitment you made, that you will always leave the house-knowing that you can always turn around and cut your workout short. Good luck.

Make Full Use of Home Exercises

As you get a little older you start to understand how important working out and eating properly is to losing unwanted belly fat. This can be hard to do if you have a busy lifestyle with a full time job and family.

Certainly if you live in a climate where you can get outside you can benefit by running, walking, hiking, or riding your bike. It's refreshing to get out and breathe fresh air and know you are doing something to help yourself get back into shape. However the weather is not always conducive to that.

If you choose to set up an area in your home to exercise you must first determine where you're going to do that. Many people set up a home gym in their basement even if it's not finished. This is a good place to get away from any distractions and set up a couple of pieces of easy exercise equipment.

If you're going to purchase exercise equipment, be smart about it. Many people get excited about getting in shape and go out and purchase equipment that ultimately they never use. There is no point purchasing exercise equipment and then having it sit unused in your home.

The most common piece of exercise equipment that people use for exercise in their home is a treadmill. These are good because you can monitor your heart rate and build up your endurance.

Elliptical trainers are an excellent way to exercise your whole body. You can get a total body workout on your arms and legs, which cut down on the amount of time you actually spend exercising. For this reason they are very popular with busy people who are into time management.

Eating Fruit Help to Cleanse the Body

Over the years we were told that we must eat our fruit and vegetables if we want to maintain a healthy life. However, we were never told that there was a difference in the times that they must be consumed. This is about to change with the recent disclosure on the truth about fruit consumption. It's important to know how and when to eat fruit, especially if losing unwanted fat is an issue.

At the Buffet we often find fruit in the dessert section, which influences us to consume it after our meal. The truth is –

1. Fruit should not be eaten after meals

2. Fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach.

If eaten the correct way, fruit will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for losing belly fat and other life activities. Nevertheless, if the fruit is intercepted by food on the way to the intestines along with toxins, bloating occur.

Meanwhile, the entire meal rots and ferments, thus turning to acid as soon as the fruit and other digestive juices in the stomach make contact. At this point the meal obviously begins to spoil and remain in the stomach. This acid build-up has resulted in complaints of wanting to burp after fruits like watermelon. Or having a desire for a trip to the bathroom after eating bananas. None of this would occur if fruit is consumed on an empty stomach.

When we master the correct way of eating fruits, we would then have discovered the secret of effective weight loss, beauty, longevity, health, energy, and overall happiness.

Lose Belly Fat and Tone Up Your Stomach

Anyone who is interested in toning up their abs and losing some extra inches that may have accumulated around their midsections needs to learn how to lose belly fat! While some people claim it is possible to target stomach fat specifically, this is not really true in most cases. Losing belly fat is generally done by having a healthy diet, exercising, and getting the necessary amount of sleep.

1 – Exercise: Aerobic exercises help burn off extra calories consumed during the day as well as the stored fat. Another low intensity exercise that many people forget about is walking! Just by walking on a regular basis one can lose weight and help tone up that belly!

2 - Have a healthy diet: A healthy diet for many people involves balancing the intake of carbohydrates (sugars and starches), fats, proteins, and such. But, by remembering to eat a balance of fruits and vegetables, fats, carbs and proteins a more nutritional diet can be achieved.

3 - Sleep properly: Proper sleep can affect so many aspects of a person's life. With a lack of sleep, mood can be altered, metabolism may slow down, and clarity of thinking dissolves. Get to learn the clues that your body isn't getting enough sleep. Some people benefit by making smaller changes over a longer period of time to allow their body to slowly adapt to a new sleeping regimen.

The Athlete's Guide to Losing Weight that We Can Follow

The only way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than the body expends. Athletes desiring weight loss, need to learn how to apply this concept, while maintaining the energy levels required for training. But, before a weight loss diet is attempted, the athlete should have a body fat analysis done to assess weight loss needs and set reasonable goals. Some athletes may have a high proportion of muscle (which weighs more than fat) compared to fat, in which case weight loss may impair performance.

Follow these tips for healthy weight loss:

1. A gradual weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week allows for weight loss without irritability, fatigue and weakness.

2. Choose a variety of foods from all of the food groups in the Food Pyramid.

3. Don't skip meals. Food intake at regular intervals, three or more times a day, is necessary to fuel the body. Also, waiting until you're "starved" to eat can lead to binge eating.

4. Eat smaller food portions. Decreasing your portion sizes will help cut caloric intake.

5. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

6. Eat slowly. It takes time for the body to adjust to the food eaten and to send a satiety signal to the brain. Eating slowly helps prevent overeating by allowing time for this signal to take effect.

7. Calories add up. Choosing low-fat foods can aid in weight loss by reducing total calorie intake. Loading up on foods naturally high in fiber and limiting high fat items will aid the weight loss process.

8. Don't cut out all fat items. Many Although excess fat intake leads to weight gain, a certain amount of fat is necessary to maintain good health and performance.

9. Eat bigger meals earlier in the day, when activity is greatest, and smaller meals in the evening.

10. Eat your favorite foods occasionally. Eating these foods can reduce cravings and binges. Remember, every food is okay in moderation.

Smart Tips to Manage Your Weight

Congrats! You've finally lost belly fat and you don't want to see it come back. With these 10 tricks you'll be able to maintain your weight with ease.

1. Build more lean muscle. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.

2. Fight off hunger with more filling foods. Those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

3. Avoid temptation. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments.

4. Count calories. Use your calculator to keep a running total throughout the day if you have to. Maintaining weight loss is hard; so it's okay to be as careful as you were during the weight- loss phase of your diet.

5. Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.

6. Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, however, you should aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.

7. Measure your portions. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants.

8. Weigh yourself daily. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.

9. Include dairy in your diet. By consuming three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily, you are more likely to keep off the weight.

10. Let your plate be your guide. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains.

Get Lean by Going Green

Some people feel that the suggested lifestyle changes of going green are extreme and inconvenient. If you're not willing to overhaul your lifestyle to benefit the planet, there are some changes you should consider to improve your health, help you lose weight and plump your bank account, all while helping Mother Earth at the same time.

1. Walk or bike instead of driving. Many of us live only a stone’s throw away from the places we frequent, like the post office, grocery store or library. Instead of driving, walk or bike, and you'll burn 200-300 calories per hour and breathe in air that’s a little bit fresher.

2. Ditch the drive-thru. According to TheDailyGreen.com, every time you use a drive-thru, you burn about 18 cents worth of gas with an idle car. Instead, park and walk in. You’ll burn a few more calories by walking and standing in line, and you’ll also save money on gas.

3. Buy local and organic food. Buy the fruits and vegetables on your plate from a local grower at a farmers market where it’s fresh, containing higher levels of nutrients. Buying directly from the farmer eliminates the cost of the middleman.

4. Grow your own garden. From a tiny paper packet of seeds you can grow a month’s worth of tomatoes, peppers, or cucumbers. Plus gardening burns up to 230 calories an hour.

5. Clean house. Using non-toxic cleaning supplies can protect your health by reducing the chemicals you inhale. Spending three hours deep cleaning your abode burns an average of 390 to 675 calories. And the same goes for your lawn.

6. Go flexitarian. Flexitarians don’t give up meat completely but do cut back. It takes a lot less energy and land to produce fruits, vegetables, and grains, than it does to produce meat. Most people who reduce their meat consumption lose weight and get healthier since plant-based diets are often lower in calories and unhealthy fats.

Eat and Think Your Way Thin

Exercise is only half of the equation; what you eat is the other half. Your attitude towards food can either make or break your weight loss regime. Follow these simple rules to lose unwanted fat.

The Way to Eat

Eat Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs for short) come from the healthy oils found in plant foods such as olives, nuts, and avocado. Include a MUFA at every meal. Incorporate a serving of one MUFA-rich food every time you eat.

Have a clear calorie goal. Consume four 400-calorie meals a day. Significant weight loss requires calorie control. For the average woman, 1,600 calories per day is ideal because it's low enough to create weight loss while maintaining energy and preserving calorie-burning muscle.

The Way to Think

Manage stress. This emotion causes a spike in the hunger-stimulating hormone cortisol, sending you straight for the sweets. And when cortisol is high, extra calories are deposited directly as belly fat.

Ask for help. Among people who have permanent weight loss, 70% reported having strong social support, compared with only 38% of those who lost and regained weight. Recruit others to join you (or encourage you), or sign up for an online support group.

Beat emotional eating -keep a food diary, but don't just record what and how much you eat. Journaling about your feelings can help you identify what triggers you to eat and why, so you can break unhealthy habits for good.

The Dreaded “Muffin-Top”

For most people the jelly-belly is a troublesome area. Fat deposits there and without serious effort on your part it will stay there and anyone who has spent months on end doing sit ups and only sit ups to lose the belly fat will tell you that sit ups alone are not the answer. The key to busting the belly is to lose the layers of fat that are covering up your abdominal muscles and then work the entire core area, which includes your back and your upper, lower and transverse abdominis.

Pilates, planks and working with an exercise ball are all great ways to whittle your core and there are several machines in the gym that can help you slenderize your middle. Be sure to practice proper form, since improper form can lead to back injury and soreness.

The other key to great abs is losing the fat that is covering the abs you already have. Studies have shown that a lack of vitamin B12, which is necessary for breaking down fat, can lead to fat around the waistline. A great source of B12 is in nearly every kitchen in America; the incredible, edible egg. So instead of reaching for a bagel, try whipping up a quick omelet with peppers, onions and garlic. Then put a few of these slow metabolizing fruits on the side; apples, cranberries, grapefruit, mango, oranges, pineapple, raspberries or strawberries. Ingesting low fat dairy can also help you to lose stomach fat, so have a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt with your eggs.

Now that is a breakfast fit for a queen or king.

Stop Snacking and Lose That Belly Fat

Belly fat is too easy to gain and too difficult to lose. Every extra calorie you eat seems to go straight to your abdomen. You can really gain fat if you are eating snacks throughout the day. If you can control your snacking, you will be better able to lose belly fat. Here are three ways you can beat your urge to snack and get back your trim waistline.

#1 Power Nap Instead of Snack - Knowing how to lose belly fat for women and men does not necessarily mean that you must spend all of your time exercising. Taking a break, especially a nap, can actually help you stay on track for losing weight. It is very natural for you to crave snacks in the afternoon, often in an attempt to stay alert because your body goes into a “shut down” mode after you eat lunch. Instead of eating that calorie rich snack to stay awake, get the rest your body is asking for by taking a nap.

#2 Would You Chose an Apple? - At some point, everyone will feel the urge to snack. When this happens, determining if you are truly hungry or simply craving a snack you do not need will help you stay in control. If you really are hungry, then you should eat. Not eating is never the smart way to lose weight and it can make your body begin storing abdominal fat. If you are really hungry, try eating an apple.

#3 Appease Your Craving - Another key to knowing how to lose belly fat for men and women is to not crave a special treat all day long. Extended craving can make you lose motivation. If you do finally give into your cravings you might tend to overeat and gain belly fat. If you give in later in the day, then you will not have enough time to burn off those extra calories. Instead, the best way to beat those cravings is to give into them first thing in the morning. Eating these calories early in the morning gives you a better opportunity to burn them off during the day.

Go a Little Nutty to Lose the Belly

Do you love a hearty fistful of peanuts, but avoid them for fear of gaining weight? Well, here’s some good news, nut-lovers: A study published in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who consume nuts twice per week not only avoided gaining stomach fat, they actually had less chance of becoming overweight or obese than those who avoided nuts entirely.

Nuts can help you control your body weight. Seriously. Nuts earned a reputation as a waistline expander during the low-fat crazes of the late ’70s and ’80s. Our fixation on the notion that “fat makes you fat” — which has since been disproven, as long as the right kinds of fats are consumed in reasonable amounts — meant low-fat foods ruled the day. Since nuts have some of the highest fat content of any food found in nature, they were to be avoided, or if eaten, only in the tiniest of portions and with a healthy dose of guilt.

While nuts are, indeed, high in total fat, the vast majority of the fats are of the unsaturated variety — that’s the stuff that keeps your arteries clean and your heart healthy. But beyond their fat composition, it seems that nuts have some relatively unique properties that can actually curb weight gain.

In fact, nuts contain compounds that are natural appetite suppressants, so even though you might consume extra calories, you make up for it by naturally eating a little less later on. They also might cause a slight increase in resting metabolic rate, though that is still a point of debate. Finally, the energy contained in nuts is actually not terribly accessible by the human body, so some of the extra calories are simply not used. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that nuts are not to blame when it comes to most people’s battle of the bulge.

The bottom line: Yes, nuts are theoretically “fattening” — they are high in fat and calories. But as long as you don’t turn your affection for a handful of nuts into a daily bucket, you can enjoy them as part of your regular diet.