It seems that many people are unable to maintain the motivation needed to make a lifelong commitment to healthy habits, especially in regard to diet and exercise. Although this is often blamed on a lack of will and dedication, there are other important factors to consider as well.

People who struggle with motivation often embrace the latest trends hoping that it will be what they need to keep them focused. However, given the large number of health related products and programs that exist, and the also large number of people who continue to struggle with motivation, it should be obvious that such an approach is unlikely to result in long term success. While it’s hard to criticize anything that encourages people to embrace healthier habits, the latest trends and technologies will rarely provide the substance needed to inspire lasting motivation.

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Like most people, you’re probably conscientious of the amount of calories that you eat. Perhaps you even count how many you consume each day. If so, what would you do if you discovered that the calorie data you’ve been using is unreliable?

Researchers from Tufts University analyzed the calorie content of a variety of supermarket and restaurant foods and found themselves asking the same question. In many cases, the actual calorie content of the food varied considerably from number of calories listed by the manufacturer or restaurant. This has significant implications for people who count calories to lose or maintain weight.

The entire basis of calorie counting is dependent on accurately assessing and adjusting one’s daily caloric intake based on their caloric needs. People looking to maintain their weight will generally consume about the same amount of calories that they need for the day, and those who want to lose weight will typically try to eat slightly less. Inaccurate calorie data could easily cause someone to consume more calories than intended and result in them gaining weight instead of losing or maintaining it.

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Almost everyone knows that doing more exercise and reducing calorie consumption will promote weight loss. But if weight loss is this simple, then why are so many people failing miserably despite their desperate efforts? While it may be a result of laziness for some, it’s more often a result of calorie restriction and exercise being used inappropriately.

Despite how many people make drastic but temporary changes to lose weight, long term success is highly dependent on making less drastic changes that are permanent. It’s common for people to be overzealous with calorie restriction or exercise, and although it may initially be effective, these practices are eventually likely to lead to fatigue, a raging appetite that can no longer be resisted, compromised health, and an eventual return to old habits. This is why so many people regain the weight they’ve worked so hard to lose and continue to repeat this cycle until they eventually give up and choose to accept being overweight.

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Although many people make New Year’s resolutions, only a few actually accomplish the changes that they desire. Will you be one of the many who fail to accomplish their goals this year, or one of the few who succeed?

It’s common to hear people say that they’ll soon be starting a new diet or exercise program, but even if they actually make the attempt, chances are that the effort won’t last long. New Year’s resolutions aren’t much different. They’re usually based on changes that are long overdue and have persisted through many failed and halfhearted attempts. In fact, some people make the same resolutions year after year, and even when motivation starts off strong, the temptation and comfort of old habits will often prevail. This is not to say that there’s no value in making New Year’s resolutions, but rather that it should be done with the proper perspective.

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Many people mistakenly believe that weight loss and healthy eating require torturous effort. Fortunately, this isn’t the case, and with the right perspective, pursuing either goal can be a pleasurable process.

Two very important factors that most people fail to consider in regard to weight loss and health is how they perceive themselves and how they perceive the food they eat. Perception has an undeniable influence on physiological function, and because of this, the negative connotations that people develop toward themselves and their diets can promote weight gain and have an undesirable impact on their digestion and health. As such, approaching weight loss and healthy eating with a positive, rational, and inspired perspective is just as critical to success as choosing nutritious foods. The following 7 tips will help you develop this perspective.

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Reebok claims to have a simple answer to the elusive toned body that so many people want. They’ve created a line of shoes called EasyTone that will supposedly tone your lower body simply by walking in them.

According to Reebok, “EasyTone is designed to help give definition to your legs and butt. Simply walk and let the balance pods under your shoe do the rest. The slight instability created by the pods forces your muscles to work a little harder, toning you up as you strut.” Before you invest $100 or more in these sneakers thinking that they’ll actually improve your muscle tone, here are a few things to consider.

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Everyone is talking about the P90X exercise program and ads for it are taking the internet by storm. In fact, I’ve even been seeing ads for it on websites like Miriam Webster. Is all of this hype justified? Not if you ask me.

Despite its gimmicky marketing, I was intrigued by the P90X program based on a number of people’s opinions and decided to check it out. Although my primary intention was only to learn more about P90X, I was actually planning to give it a try. That was until I watched it. Although this program may be well suited for some, which I’ll discuss later, it’s definitely not for me. I prefer fitness programs that are motivated by excellent physical function, high resistance to injury, and above all else, optimal health. Even though the P90X program can certainly bring the average person closer to these ideals, I think it does so in a manner that’s compromised by the program’s undeniable priority of burning calories and getting “ripped.”

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Part of the reason why people have so much trouble eating well, losing weight, and being healthy is the marketing of products that gives them false hope of a quick and easy solution. FullBar is such a product, and unfortunately, it steers people away from the truth about nutrition, health, and weight loss.

One of the rare and recent occasions that I was watching television, I saw a commercial for FullBar and was inspired by the misleading marketing to write about it.

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Modern society has become so obsessed with appearance that people are sacrificing their health and wellbeing just to look better. Are you one of them?

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that their efforts to improve their appearance may ultimately be compromising their quality of life. In addition, the physical improvements they seek rarely lead to the satisfaction that they expect. Although an attractive appearance can be a great source of satisfaction, it’s certainly not worth compromising your health, and in turn, your ability to live a fulfilling life.

The following are some of the more common ways that people are undermining their health in order to improve their appearance.

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Zero calorie sodas such as Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are slowly but surely becoming the next generation of diet soft drinks. Based on their popularity, people are obviously drinking them, but if they don’t contain any calories, then what exactly is it that you’re drinking?

As a result of consuming too much processed food that’s high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, the majority of the population is overweight and many of the people who are trying to slim down by cutting calories are failing miserably. As such, zero calorie beverages such as Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are not the answer to weight loss that many people believe them to be, and to make matters worse, the chemical additives in these beverages can compromise your health.

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