People often avoid physical activity because it seems like a huge time commitment: running five miles, getting to the gym and then working the circuit or committing to an hour-long yoga class. It seems like a lot to cram in, several times a week, on top of work and family and friends and all of the other things in your life. But being active doesn't necessarily have to mean running a marathon. Research increasingly demonstrates that even little workouts can make a big difference when it comes to both your weight and your overall fitness level.

A recent story over at RealAge says that mini workouts such as sprinting on exercise bikes can help lower blood sugar and improve insulin function - even if the total exercise time topped out at less than 10 minutes a week - which can ultimately lowers your risk of diabetes. And a recent Globe & Mail story focused on high-intensity, four-minute interval training (originally developed for Japan's Olympic speed-skating team) geared at new moms trying to shed postpartum weight.

The point?

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

It's that time of day again or maybe that time of the month, when your craving for chocolate arises and nothing else will do. But with your New Year's resolution fresh in the works - what can you do about it?

According to a recent report released by the MacArthur Research Network on an Aging Society, North Americans living in the next 40 years will be much older than many current predictions. "The significance of this study is that it not only brings up the topic of length of life, but quality of life. People living longer want to live healthier for longer," said Dr. Steven Joyal, Vice President of Science and Medical Affairs for the Life Extension Foundation, the largest non-profit organization dedicated to research on extending the healthy human lifespan.

Here, Dr. Joyal imparts very simple advice on how to live healthier, longer.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Many people, myself included, think one of the most attractive parts of the opposite sex's body is their stomach-and maybe a nice set of shoulders...In any case, the last place you want fat hanging around is at your waist. It seems this is the first place it goes when you gain a few pounds and it is the last place to leave.

Believe it or not, those pesky fat patches have more to do with hormonal balance than a pregnant woman eating pickles and ice cream!

Love handles aren't just unattractive, carrying weight around your abdomen is bad for your health-worse than carrying weight on your hips or thighs. Excess fat around the waist, or an apple body shape, is suggestive of insulin resistance, a condition that is linked to the development of heart disease and diabetes. It is also indicative of an imbalance in cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, which, if chronically high, can result in increased deposition of fat around the abdomen. To further complicate the situation, feeling stressed out or depressed may worsen the problem.

Insulin resistance

Insulin is the chemical signal that allows sugar to enter your cells to be used as fuel. Insulin levels also have a direct impact on body composition, as these sugars are later stored as fat if they are not consumed as a source of energy. Insulin resistance causes levels of insulin in the blood to increase. This increase is related to a reduced sensitivity of the body tissues, like muscle, to normal levels of the hormone. As a result, the body tries to overcome this by secreting more insulin from the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes ensues when the pancreas fails to sustain this increased demand for insulin production.

It is currently estimated that one out of every four Americans has insulin resistance. A primary cause is excess intake of sugar or carbohydrates typical of many diets today. This includes foods such as pop or candy as well as cakes, muffins, pastries, chips, crackers, pizza and many other processed foods. Insulin resistance may also be attributed to lack of exercise, overindulging in alcohol, stress, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and excess body fat, especially around the abdomen.

Six sure-fire ways to lose "the handles":

Dr. Richard Beliveau and Dr. Denis Gingras are the authors of Eating Well, Living Well, translated by Valentina Baslyk along with their bestselling books Foods That Fight Cancer and Cooking With Foods That Fight Cancer.

It is easy to avoid blood sugar overloads by simply modifying certain (bad) eating habits.

1. Drink water instead of sweet drinks and, above all, avoid soft drinks containing large amounts of sugar. Many recent studies indicate that consumption of these drinks is playing a key role in the obesity epidemic currently afflicting the population. In addition, beware of the many "energy" drinks flooding the market. The industry targets adolescents and young adults who don't understand the harmful consequences of these products. They are nothing but sweetened drinks containing an astronomical amount of caffeine (almost 100 mg per can) – the equivalent of a very strong double espresso. These drinks, which have nothing energizing in them, are just stimulants!

2. Pay particular attention to breakfast cereals.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

This week, she discusses the benefits of being conscious of carbohydrate intake.

Despite their bad rap in recent years, carbohydrates are a crucial part of our diet because they provide us with the energy necessary for most bodily functions, including muscle actions and brain activity. Consuming the perfect amount of carbs at the proper times and in the right forms can help to promote a higher metabolism, excellent energy, appetite control and freedom from cravings. Conversely, too many, too few or the wrong types of carbs at the wrong times leaves us prone to inflammation, aging, weight gain, cravings, erratic fluctuations in energy, foggy thinking and many other undesirable consequences. For instance, studies show that consuming too many carbs at breakfast increases cravings and caloric intake later in the day while the right type and amount of carbs at dinner can improve our sleep.

No matter what all those popular diet books say, cutting carbs completely is not a good weight-loss strategy. When you do this, you take away your body's primary fuel source. This scenario causes physical stress in the long term, which can in turn lead to loss of muscle tissue and more abdominal fat gain – not the desired outcome you are striving for I'm sure. Without carbs, your sex hormones plummet, leaving your libido flat and your muscles suffering even more. At the same time, your happy hormone serotonin sags and cravings, overeating, bingeing, depression and even sleep disruption may arise. No wonder a low-carb diet is associated with irritability and fatigue. It's an unsustainable way of eating.

So instead of cutting all carbohydrates, the best dietary approach is to be carb-conscious. A carb conscious eater selects options that are high in fibre and low in sugar. In doing so, you will provide your body with the energy it needs to perform optimally.

Here are three of my favourite carb choices:

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner will illustrate a health issue she commonly sees in her practice, and advise readers on how to remedy the problem as well as improve their overall health.

This week she discusses ten nutrition habits that will kick-start fat loss.



1. Consume lean protein at every meal and snack. If we fail to get enough protein in our diet, we can experience mood disorders, memory loss, increased appetite and cravings, decreased metabolism, sleep disruption, muscle loss and weight gain. Protein also packs a punch because it stimulates the activity of many of our fat-burning and appetite-controlling hormones when we consume it in the right amounts. Your serving should be the size and width of your palm (at least three times a day).

2. Enjoy low-glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats at each meal and snack. Non-starchy vegetables should occupy two-thirds of your plate at lunch and dinner. Healthy fats are essential because they help us feel full and satisfied because of their effects on our appetite-controlling hormones that prevent cravings and actually help us to lose weight when we consume them in the right forms and amounts.

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.

In a column for health blog ThatsFit, he writes about the recent redemption of sugar.

Sugar is about to show up on food labels, all dressed up as a new "natural ingredient" and a better alternative to the demon d'jour: High-fructose corn syrup. Never let it be said that there are no "second acts" in the marketing of junk food.

OK, in case you haven't been paying attention, high-fructose corn syrup has gotten quite a whipping in the press. The Corn Refiners Association tried fighting back, most notably with a series of commercials showing a clueless mother unable to explain why the stuff was so "bad," but even the best PR campaign wasn't able to put out the fire. And the coup de grace was sounded recently by Michelle Obama, who declared any product with high-fructose corn syrup to be off-limits at the White House.

More after the jump.