Research Reviews

Short-term very-low-calorie dieting disrupts powerful hormones that control appetite, hunger, and satiety for up to a year after a strict diet. Crash diet now, feel hungry later… even several months later. Only long-term, slow and careful dedication to building new healthy habits works for permanent fat loss.

Paradoxical as it sounds, new research shows that a better body image could actually help you lose more body weight. In other words, accepting your body as it is and spending less time thinking about it is the best way to live a leaner, healthier lifestyle.

Today we’re launching something I’m very excited about and extremely proud of. It’s a new book detailing my recent experiments with something called “intermittent fasting” (IF). The best part? It’s totally free.

In this study researchers tracked bites per minute rate as a way to determine eating speed. And they found that eating slower is a simple, but effective, way to reduce how many calories you eat in a meal.

Getting leaner and revving your metabolism could be as simple as playing.

Whey protein digests quickly while casein digests slowly. In this experiment, researchers tried to determine whether fast digestion or slow digestion is better for protein synthesis and muscle building. The conclusion? Fast digestion is best for boosting muscle protein synthesis.

A program of regular weight training decreased blood pressure in middle aged hypertensive men. Consider exercise before you rush to medicate yourself.

Thanks to the enteric nervous system, we really do have “gut feelings”. Emotions can feel like hunger… and fat can make us feel better.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for overall health — including helping us build bigger muscles by improving protein synthesis.

This week’s review asks: Can you “sleep yourself skinny”? How does stress and screen time affect weight loss?

You’d think an all-out sprint would be bad for someone who’s had a heart attack. But is that true?

Generally people are suspicious of low-carb diets — not because of the carbs, but because of the fat. But does a high-fat diet really make you fat or unhealthy? Research says no — a low-carb, high-fat diet can actually improve your health.

Could vegetables have other health benefits that we haven’t yet fully appreciated? Veggies’ nitrate content may be another factor that improves health and athletic performance.

Leptin and ghrelin are hormones with important roles in regulating appetite and hunger. And both hormones and their signals can get messed up with obesity.

Is it true that “too much” protein will harm your kidneys? We put this theory to the test with a group at high risk for kidney disease.

Does liking a food mean you always want that food? And why do we sometimes want food that we don’t like that much? Find out why “liking” and “wanting” are different, and how stress makes some of us want food more.

How visual feedback can help you adjust your eating speed… and eat less in the process.

Does the thought of eating food makes you eat less real food?

Even though many labels are arbitrary and have no meaningful reference point, they affect how we see ourselves. Having clothes that are smaller sizes make us feel skinnier, even if the actual clothing fits the same. Can the same thing happen with food labels?

Looking to avoid the cold this winter? Get moving.

Today about 5% of children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Could diet be part of the problem?

This week’s review shows that obesity is contagious and in fact, spreads through a population much like the flu.

Is a Hardee’s Monster Thickburger healthier than an egg? In terms of cholesterol, can you commit “suicide by egg”? Um, not so much.

Should people who are severely obese start with just changing their diet, and then introduce exercise once they have lost some weight? Or should they dive in — change their diets and start exercising from the beginning?

Would you eat sugar even if you couldn’t taste it? There’s a good chance the answer is yes.

Sleep helps your body deal with the stress of losing weight and limits loss of muscle. Indeed, sleeping more while dieting actually help keep your metabolism up. And in this study, researchers demonstrate how.

It seems obvious that people who struggle with their weight like food… a lot. But could it be that in fact, being overweight or obese also involves not liking food enough?

The fitness industry seems obsessed with belly fat. Nearly every infomercial for fitness equipment or weight loss plans has a picture of some rippling abs. But it’s the fat inside your belly that’s the real problem. Can you change where you lose this visceral fat? Signs point to yes.

Which diet — low-fat or low carb — is best for long-term weight loss and general heart health?

Helen Kollias justifies her incessant omega-3 pushing, arguing that omega-3s are like a giant roadblock… for inflammation.

Is it true that moderate aerobic exercise is the only way to keep your heart healthy?

Struggling to lose weight? Consider eating at home more… especially if you’re a guy.

Drinking two cups of water before a meal will keep you hydrated, fuller, and may even boost your metabolism for an hour. And all you need to do is turn on your tap. Talk about convenience.

What if you just ate the foods you saw advertised on TV? What would your nutrition intake look like?

Think food for babies is nutritionally safe? Think again. Your kid could be eating a lot more sugar and salt than you expect.

Antioxidants such as vitamin E may protect us from Alzheimer’s by combating free radicals in the body.

Research suggests that a so-called “Mediterranean diet” may help keep us healthy. What makes this diet so special? One proposed factor is the olive oil. What exactly is in that oil… and is it truly the secret to a healthy life?

Do you want tight, sexy abs? How about a back that doesn’t hurt? For starters, lay off the crunches and low back stretching. Spinal biomechanicist Stu McGill gets us off the couch (or desk) and on our hands and knees.

Can a multivitamin/multimineral supplement alone help you lose fat and improve cardiovascular risk… regardless of diet and exercise? According to one study, yes.

Whether you’re eating to maintain or to lose weight, make sure you’re getting the micronutrients you need from whole food.