Among 13 overweight men and women, eight participated in a specially designed diet program. After 6 months, MRI scans of those eight people’s brains showed increased reward activity in response to nutritious, low-cal foods. At the same time, their brains’ reward responses were muffled in the presence of unhealthy eats. (These changes weren’t observed among the other study members who didn’t follow the diet program.) “Food cravings are basically a habit,” explains study co-author Susan Roberts, PhD, director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts....

In one study, researchers at Tufts University analyzed the diets of 120,000 people and found that those who consumed more low-fat and non-fat dairy like milk and cheese also ate significantly more carbs, while those who consumed mostly whole-fat dairy ate fewer carbs. Researchers didn’t specifically look at yogurt in terms of its fat content, but they’re pretty positive results would be the same. MORE: The Skinny On 2 New FDA-Approved Weight Loss Drugs “This suggests that if you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t be fixated on choosing low fat,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, study author....

Ashley’s answer: Dear “Perfect” Person: it’s so nice to meet you, finally! Haha, but seriously, in terms of anti-inflamm hot stuff, “To err is human,” baby! That’s true in fashion, at work, and most certainly in your nutrition. So first point, no beating yourself up for slip-sliding your way into a non-anti-inflamm option from time to time. Second, welcome to my world of AKA (that’s Ashley Koff Approved) tricks to get you out of the “Ugh, I just made a nutrition blunder” trap....

Researchers split 36 men and women into 3 different groups: One group ate oatmeal for breakfast, another ate corn flakes, and the third group skipped the meal altogether. Throughout the next 3 hours, study participants were asked several times to rate how hungry they felt, and they also gave blood samples to track their levels of glucose and insulin. Then they were given a liquid lunch and told to drink until they felt full....

" brings us this -friendly “Peach Crumble Steel Cut Oatmeal” recipe, which is the perfect way to cap off the summer and embrace the fall. The peaches give this breakfast a final fruity taste of summer while the hearty, warm oats and a hint of cinnamon help transition this recipe into autumn. Aside from giving the dish a delightfully chewy texture and a nutty flavor, steel cut oats enhance the protein and fiber content of this meal as well....

When your doctor takes you off a medication, she probably lets you know. But did she remember to tell your pharmacist? Not necessarily, according to new research that suggests the communication gap between docs and pharmacists is creating a health risk for some patients. In a study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, investigators reviewed more than 80,000 electronic requests, submitted by doctors, for prescription discontinuations—meant to end the distribution of a certain medication to a patient....

Gina Mendoza-Telck, Mail Carrier Sandy Biagioni, Fitness Instructor Carrie Amos, Waitress/Hostess Gay Floyd, Flight Attendant Lesley Tobin, Clothing Store Owner Easing Foot Massage and Soak More Tips

You burn more fat If you go without food for six hours or more, your body starts burning fat for fuel. That’s probably why researchers at the University of Illinois have found that people who fast every other day lose 90% or more of their weight from fat stores on your thighs and hips. The fat loss is a good 15% higher than what people attain on traditional, diet-every-day plans....

Couples retreats, group bike rides, dinner reservations for four? Yup, sounds like you’re in love—and so are a bunch of your friends. But when was the last time you booked a table with an odd number of seats? According to new research in the journal Psychological Science, that couples-only social circle might cultivate an unhealthy prejudice against your single pals. In a study of 450 people, both single and coupled, researchers found that those in a stable relationship were more likely to treat individuals of the same status favorably—even in situations where relationship status was irrelevant, like a job interview or voting for a political candidate....

Here, we tackle your biggest questions on RS. What exactly is this wonder carb—and where can I find it? Credit RS’s awesomeness to its bipolar nature as both a starch and a fiber. While RS has the chemical structure of starch, it also acts like a fiber, passing through to the colon without being digested. Our bodies can’t convert RS into energy, so it has fewer calories than normal starch....

Your Toning Program Do two sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise, allowing 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. Your movements should be slow and controlled, with a 1-second pause at the top. Do two or three sessions per week, with 1 day of rest in between. Lying External Rotator Bent Arm Lateral Raise

Rethink your protein source. Beef, chicken, and pork are all super expensive, which is why most countries outside the U.S. consider animal meat to be an occasional luxury rather than an every-night necessity. Do your body and budget a favor by cooking more often with beans, which are much cheaper than even the cheapest hamburger meat. Bored by garbanzos and black beans? These days, you can find just about any legume that grows....

Why is sleep so important? Missing even 90 minutes of sleep for just 1 night can reduce your daytime alertness by as much as 32%. That’s enough to impair your memory, your thinking ability, and your safety on the job and on the road. One Australian study found that volunteers who stayed awake 6 hours past their normal bedtime for a single day performed as poorly on tests gauging attentiveness and reaction time as those who were legally drunk....

The expert: Fred Engelfried, a certified instructor and 2008 Trainer of the Year at the Sports Club/LA in Los Angeles, developed this routine. Lose up to 12 pounds in 2 weeks! Order your copy of 2-Week Total Body Turnaround today! [pagebreak] Workout at a Glance What you’ll need: A mat, pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, and 5-foot resistance band ($5; spri.com).3 times a week: Do the 50- minute Triple Toning Circuit on nonconsecutive days....

If you’re on a mission to lose weight by summertime, make sure you aren’t sabotaging your efforts with one of these common missteps: You’re eating too many carbs. If you want to slim down, one of first things you should do is reduce your intake of starchy carbs. Avoid white breads and white rice, potatoes, fried foods and processed foods. Aim for more healthy fats like avocados and nuts in small quantities, and increase your intake of fruits and veggies....

For even more oomph, grab a friend. The partner moves in this workout are more challenging, so you’ll firm up in no time. For a safe, effective buddy workout, talk a lot. Can’t complete a full set? Say so. Too easy? Ask your partner to provide more resistance. Do two sets of 8 to 12 reps of each move, unless otherwise noted. Always warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of walking, and stretch afterward....

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MORE: 10 Cancer Symptoms Most Women Ignore Tampons as cancer detection tools sounds crazy, but the idea was first identified in a 2004 study. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic wanted to expand on that research, so they devised a new study and enrolled 66 women. All of the women were scheduled to have a hysterectomy, with 38 of the women having the surgery because they had endometrial cancer, and the other 28 going under the knife for benign reasons....