When focusing on weight loss, there are so many diets and habits to help you reach your goals. However, with all the types of diets and foods, how do you know what’s the right option for you? You’re then trying all these different methods because you hear about celebrity weight loss, or a new trend or popular diet. It seems like finding a way to lose weight is overwhelming.

Well now there’s one diet you can eliminate from your options. According to a study done by the New England Journal of Medicine, the intermittent fasting diet does not actually work. In fact, it is no more effective than simply just counting your calories.

In the study, researchers randomly assigned 139 patients with obesity to a time-restricted eating schedule, also known as intermittent fasting, as well as calorie restrictions. The group with a restricted eating schedule was allowed to only eat between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The other group just had a daily calorie restriction without having to eat during a given time frame. For 12 months, both groups had to follow a calorie-restricted diet that consisted of 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day for men and 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day for women.

118 of the 139 participants completed the 12-month follow-up visit. The average weight loss in the time-restriction group was 8.0 kg, and 6.3 kg for the daily-calorie-restriction group. Results of analyses also took waist circumferences, BMI, body fat, body lean mass, blood pressure, and metabolic risk factors into consideration.

This showed that among patients with obesity, a regimen of time-restricted eating was not more beneficial with regard to loss of body weight, body fat, or metabolic risk factors than daily calorie restriction.

In addition, there were no substantial differences between the groups in the number of unexpected medical problems that happened during the study.

This study backs up previous research from JAMA Internal Medicine. In a very similar study, researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial that contained 116 adults who were overweight or obese.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The researchers concluded that time-restricted eating was associated with a very little weight decrease of 1.17%.  This was not significantly different from the decrease in the control group, who lost 0.75%. This showed that time-restricted eating did not show weight loss or benefits to cardiometabolic diseases– a spectrum of conditions ranging from insulin resistance to metabolic syndrome and pre-diabetes, to more severe conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

RELATED: The Dangerous ‘Met Gala Diet’ Kim Kardashian Followed to Drop 16 Pounds.

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Japanese mint weight-loss patches have become a popular option for people who are eager to find a relatively easy way to shed a few pounds. However, while it’s understandable why simply slapping a patch on your body would be an attractive option, they may not be effective, according to experts.

Parade recently took a look at the patches that claim to use Japanese mint as an active ingredient, noting that the plant that’s also known as mentha canadensis comes from both North America and Asia. According to WebMD, it’s actually the oil in the mint that’s extracted and used for various conditions, including gas, indigestion, and gallstones, as well as for common colds, fever, and joint pain.

When it comes to using Japanese mint in weight-loss patches, Parade explains that they’re “intended to absorb transdermally” which “allows the active ingredients (in this case, the Japanese mint) to go directly into the skin without going through your digestive system.”

But the question is: Is it effective as a weight-loss method?

“Mint has some amazing benefits. One of these is its ability to stimulate digestive enzymes and boost metabolism and a faster metabolism can help with weight loss,” Clara Lawson, RDN, who works with USA Hemp, tells Eat This, Not That!

However, when it comes to the patches, Lawson explained, “If you aren’t bringing any healthy change into your diet and lifestyle, you aren’t going to lose weight with these patches.”

Lawson also notes that there is “no evidence in regards to their effectiveness… and they aren’t even regulated by the FDA, so they are not a legitimate weight-loss method.”

That’s certainly not the only potential problem with these patches. “Ultimately, my issue isn’t with the mint; it’s with the carrier they use (herbs are bound with a chemical that drives into the skin),” Haylie Pomroy, a top Hollywood nutritionist and founder of the Haylie Pomroy Group, who was one of the experts that spoke to Parade, warned in a statement provided to Eat This, Not That!

“It can be scary because some companies use the same carriers as fentanyl patches. Look at who is making it and where it’s manufactured. Ninety-nine percent of these companies aren’t disclosing their carrier.”

Pomroy adds: “The only benefit we’ve seen through research with transdermal applications like these are for B vitamin transdermal or sex hormones, like testosterone or estrogen patches. Again, the issue is the carrier with all of these other patches.”

To find out more about healthy ways to get the most out of mint, be sure to read 10 Surprising Things Mint Does to Your Body. Then, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more of the latest health and food news!

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With temperatures rapidly getting cooler, it’s natural to lament the shorter days, the need to bundle up, and the sudden dearth of opportunities for outdoor recreation. However, that’s not the only thing you might be worried about as winter creeps closer: for many people, colder weather and less time spent outside make weight gain feel practically inevitable.

It’s not just a lack of outdoor exercise that could be causing the numbers on the scale to move in the wrong direction, though. Read on to discover which winter foods could be causing you to pack on the pounds, according to dietitians. And if you’re ready to shed a few pounds, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

From the treats being passed around your office to the homemade snacks your family sends you during the holiday season, cookies are a major source of weight gain in the winter months.

“Most cookies are made with refined flour and sugar, both of which result in an increase in blood sugar. This subsequently causes an increase in insulin which is a fat-storing hormone,” explains Elise Harlow, MS, RD, owner of The Flourished Table.

RELATED: 25 Food Myths Preventing You From Losing Weight

There’s nothing like enjoying a warm bowl of soup on a cold day—but if those soups are cream-based, it may not be long before you find yourself dealing with major weight gain.

“Soups are a great winter food and usually an amazing way to sneak in extra veggies into your diet. However, they can quickly become detrimental to your waistline if you keep choosing the ones made with heavy cream,” cautions Paula Doebrich, MPH, RDN, owner of Happea Nutrition. “Try to opt for lighter, vegetable-based soups to avoid unwanted weight gain,” Doebrich recommends.

RELATED: The #1 Best Soup for a Flat Belly, Says Dietitian

While latkes may be a staple at your Hanukkah celebration, these deep-fried potato pancakes are a major contributor to winter weight gain if you end up eating them throughout the month.

“Try to reduce the intake of those foods and opt for healthy choices like baked potatoes instead,” says Doebrich.

RELATED: 26 Surprising Reasons Why You’re Gaining Weight, According to Experts

Whether you prefer pumpkin, apple, or pecan, pie is a high-calorie food that’s typically low in fiber or protein that might otherwise keep you full—meaning you might find yourself going back for seconds or even thirds.

“While one slice here and there is unlikely causing you to gain weight, having too much of these sweet treats will show over time,” says Doebrich. If you do opt to indulge, “Try to choose pies with minimal added sugar,” Doebrich recommends.

From baked mac and cheese to green beans with fried onions on top, holiday casseroles are typically loaded with calories and fat, making it easy to gain weight if these are on your holiday menu.

“In general, as we approach the colder months, people tend to crave more comforting foods such as mac and cheese and cheesy casseroles,” says Doebrich. “Combined with reduced physical activity during the winter months, it is not surprising that a few pounds are expected to be gained.”

If you want to shed some of those extra pounds, check out The Verdict on the Best Weight Loss Foods to Eat Every Day, and for the latest healthy eating news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter!

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This fall, a myriad of weight-loss wisdom just keeps rolling in. It’s been interesting to observe the current debate between experts on whether or not squeezing lemon juice in coffee could help you lose weight. And now, this week, nutrition pros are nodding to another very simple drink mixture that they say could support your slim-down efforts.

Holistic nutritionist Kerri Ferraioli and registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RDN, CDN spoke with Insider to weigh in on this weight-loss trend, which has been making the rounds on TikTok. Keep reading to learn what this concoction is and why these nutrition experts suggest it could be worth a try if you’re looking to prevent weight gain or shed a few pounds this fall. And for more, check out our list of the 50 Best Detox Waters for Fat-Burning and Weight Loss.

We all know that staying hydrated is important to our body’s overall function. Drinking water can be a great way to support weight-loss efforts because it helps to flush fat and toxins from the body so we’re better equipped to properly process what we eat and drink.

But then, if you had a certain seed to your water, it could potentially boost your weight loss results.

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That’s right. The concept of adding chia seeds to water as a way to shed fat has been getting a lot of attention on TikTok.

The thing is, say experts, this could actually work. Ferraioli suggested to Insider that the amount of healthy fat in chia seeds can make an individual feel full fast.

Dietitian Taub-Dix added that this healthy fat combined with the protein naturally found in chia seeds can make you feel pretty satiated for an extended period of time, with the added benefit of not spiking your blood sugar.

Insider offers a suggested (and easy!) formula for putting chia seeds into your water: Pour two tablespoons of chia seeds inside a 10-ounce glass of water, then wait three to five minutes (but not much more than this) for the seeds to absorb the water and become soft enough to drink.

Just note: Some sources have suggested it’s normal if the seeds-and-water combo has a gelatinous consistency. So, this may not be appetizing for everyone! Luckily, just committing to drinking enough water per day can also help with your weight-loss efforts.

RELATED: 23 Cozy Soup Recipes That Are Perfect For Weight Loss This Fall

If you’re looking for fitness tips and inspiration, you’ve come to the right place:

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Most of us know that healthier, more balanced living is the safest way to lose weight… but sometimes, you might find yourself in need of super-strict guidelines to get on track. If that’s been the case, listen up: A large new study is sounding a serious alarm about a diet that’s been all the rage in recent years. It’s now associated with seven long-term, life-threatening illnesses—a few of which you might have believed it was actually helping you prevent.

Lee Crosby, RD, is the nutrition education program manager at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and lead author of a new review published in Frontiers of Nutrition, which examined the ketogenic diet (commonly known as the “keto” diet).

RELATED: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work

The keto diet severely limits carbohydrate intake while encouraging the consumption of high-quality fats and moderate proteins. Some models of the ketogenic diet also restrict the hours in which an individual can eat in order to promote the body’s state of “ketosis”—which the authors define as “the production of ketone bodies that serve as an alternate energy source for neurons and other cell types that cannot directly metabolize fatty acids.”

Along with a team of colleagues from institutions such as New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, Crosby performed what’s being called “the most comprehensive review yet” of multiple studies which all examined the general health effects of the keto diet, aside from weight loss.

Here’s what this latest study found.

While some proponents of keto have claimed that the diet may slash the risk of diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, Crosby and her team found that keto’s only “well-supported” application is as part of a comprehensive treatment for epilepsy.

Conversely, their review concluded that the keto diet increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Further, they found keto “raises bad cholesterol for many patients,” can hasten kidney failure in individuals with kidney disease, and may be linked with a higher risk of neural tube defects in newborns due to the mother’s low-carbohydrate diet.

RELATED: Sign up for the Eat This, Not That! newsletter to inspire healthy transformation in your diet and fitness habits.

“The typical keto diet is a disease-promoting disaster,” Crosby concludes. “Loading up on red meat, processed meat, and saturated fat . . . is a recipe for bad health.”

She added that the keto diet “may increase overall chronic disease risk” and “is not more effective than other weight-loss diets.”

RELATED: This Toxic Fat Is More Harmful To Your Body Than Cholesterol, Experts Say

The researchers suggest that a healthier approach to weight loss is to be mindful of calorie consumption, and incorporate what they call “protective foods,” which they list as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. (Read One Major Effect of Eating Whole Grains, New Study Says.)

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Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds by ramping up your exercise routine or counting calories, losing weight is no easy feat. For many people, the difficulty associated with dropping pounds makes it tempting to try alternative means of losing weight, like taking dietary supplements or relying on alternative therapies that claim to make slimming down easier. The only problem? According to a new study, they simply don’t work.

New research published in the June 23, 2021 volume of the journal Obesity reveals that many popular weight loss supplements and therapies do precious little to aid weight loss. To come to this conclusion, researchers from Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice conducted a systematic review of 315 randomized controlled trials that aimed to determine the relative efficacy of various dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss.

Among these studies, just 16 found there to be any differences between the weight of individuals in the control population and those provided weight-loss supplementation or alternative therapies; among those who did lose weight using supplements or alternative therapies, the weight loss ranged between one and 11 pounds.

The supplements and therapies studied that were determined to have little efficacy at increasing weight loss included acupuncture, calcium and vitamin D, chitosan, chocolate/cocoa, chromium, ephedra or caffeine, garcinia, green tea, guar gum, conjugated linoleic acid, mind-body therapy, Phaseolus, phenylporpylamine, and pyruvate.

RELATED: The 50 Worst Ways to Lose Weight

“The dietary supplement industry is a Wild West of herbs and over-the-counter pills that have a lot of claims and little to no evidence supporting those claims,” study co-author Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C., said in a statement. “We all want a magic pill, but dietary supplements aren’t the magic pills that they are marketed to be.”

In addition to not boosting weight loss, study co-author Srividya Kidambi, MD, MS, an associate professor and chief of the division of endocrinology and molecular medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, cautioned that the use of these supplements and therapies may actually leave users in worse health than before they started taking them.

“If supplements take the place of diet, regular exercise and behavior changes, they will harm you in the long run,” Kidambi explained, additionally noting that some supplements purchased through online retailers may contain ingredients that are not approved for use in the U.S. and may be harmful to consumers. In fact, since 2009, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued public health alerts for over 100 weight loss supplements due to counterfeiting, potentially harmful ingredients, undeclared drugs in their formulation, and other health and safety concerns.

If you want to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work, and for more health and weight loss news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter!

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When it comes to looking your best, finding the right eating plan that keeps cravings at bay always proves incredibly tough. Even if you end up finding a balanced diet that helps manage calories while delivering proper nutrition, grabbing an extra slice of cake or bag of cookies feels tempting beyond belief. Whether you love snacking in between meals or including some less-than-savory foods into your regular meal plan, your decisions might end up setting back your weight loss goals.

Trying to sort through a myriad of food options can feel impossible, especially when so many of the choices can have adverse effects on your diet. A ton of popular foods can do some real damage, even if certain diets allow them. With the help of dietitians, doctors, and more, we got to the bottom of which common foods have some serious potential to set back your weight loss goals.

Make sure to limit these foods if you want to keep to your weight loss goals and replace them with The Best Essential Foods to Eat to Lose Weight for maximum results.

You might never associate crackers as unhealthy, especially when some styles get marketed as multigrain and healthy. Don’t get lured into indulging too hard in this snack, especially if you need to shed some pounds.

“While they can be tasty, they are an easy way to greatly increase your calorie intake,” says Melissa Morey, RD. “Not only are they loaded with sodium and trans fats, but they are also highly processed and not nutrient-dense.”

If you want to snack healthy and keep a few crackers in your daily meal rotation, make sure to pick a few from 11 Healthy Store-Bought Cracker Brands, According to Nutritionists.

While diet foods get specifically marketed towards anyone looking to eat healthily, don’t get fooled by marketing strategies. Frozen dinners and low-calorie items hide a slew of caloric dangers for anyone looking to get fit.

“These foods can seem like a great idea, but they often sneak in hidden ingredients and artificial sweeteners,” Morey continued. “Another thing to be aware of is the portion size of the foods. Often it’s better to just have a single serving of what you want instead of multiple servings of diet food.”

Diet sodas seem like a no-brainer if you want to treat yourself to something sweet while keeping to your rigorous weight loss goals. However, this kind of drink isn’t as healthy as you think.

“While these [drinks] often contain no calories, they often contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners,” Morey says. “These sweeteners have been found to increase sugar cravings, which can lead to weight gain.”

Nothing feels as insidious as a soda that actually increases the urge to drink even more soda.

Cut the sugar cravings the easy way and indulge in 25 Healthy, Low-Sugar Soda Alternatives instead.

Next time a wave of hunger hits, avoid making a beeline to that bag of potato chips.

“This classic snack food has the perfect combo of fat and salt, making them irresistible and hard to portion control,” says Ashley Larsen, RD. “As a dietitian, I encourage my clients to not eat straight from the bag and don’t eat the chips alone. Pairing the chips with high fiber veggie sticks can help with portion control. Consider swapping potato chips with a whole food salty snack like crispy snap peas or roasted chickpeas that are packed with protein and fiber, which are more filling.”

Getting a pick-me-up coffee in the morning or afternoon sounds like a great idea, but if you love getting a sweet, specialty creation, you might end up biting off more than you can chew.

“A frappuccino or flavored latte can easily have 300 or more calories per drink,” says Larsen. “These coffee drinks are loaded with empty calories from sugar and fat and are missing nutrients our body needs which can increase cravings and hunger throughout the day. The drinks pack enough calories as a full meal, but won’t be as filling or satisfying.”

“I recommend asking for a low fat or fat-free milk or milk alternative and only one pump of the flavored syrup to reduce the calories, fat, and sugar, but still get the flavors you’re craving,” says Larsen.

Here is the Best & Worst Frappuccino at Starbucks.

When you want to get your weight down, getting picky with what kinds of carbs you keep in your diet can make all the difference.

“According to a study, eating just two [slices of] white bread per day can increase the risk of obesity and weight gain by up to 40%,” says Dr. Robert Berry. “White bread is made of highly refined flour, which is laced with lots of sugar and can easily lead to overeating. Opt for other options like almond flour bread, cornbread, and oopsie bread.”

When you want to get some great bread in your eating plan, make sure to choose from The Best Store-Bought Bread Brands, According to Dietitians.

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Perhaps you’ve been practicing yoga for a while now or even teaching it. You’ve spent hours trying to nail all the poses and their names, even in Sanskrit. You understand the difference between the Warrior poses and your Plank is as steady as a rock. But there’s much more to yoga than just improving your balance, strengthening your core, or helping you sleep better. Each asana’s form and name is rife with spiritual meaning and connection to something deeper than the physical world. Knowing the symbolism in common yoga poses can empower, inspire and deepen your yoga practice.

Why study the symbolism of yoga postures?

Yoga is a rich tradition that is full of symbolic meaning. The classic yoga poses can be seen as a language, a means of communication between the body and the mind. Learning and understanding the yoga pose symbols can help boost your focus and concentration and deepen your spiritual practice of the postures. Understanding the symbolism in common yoga poses can help you achieve a deeper level of body awareness and life satisfaction. They strengthen and support a dedicated yoga practice and provide insight into some key themes that run through many yoga traditions.

Yoga poses as symbols

Animals, elements of nature, and the names of ancient sages are the inspiration for many of the names of the yoga poses. The ancient yogis understood the power of symbols and used them to quickly convey the spirt, energy and shape of each asana. Practicing a posture with the awareness of the symbolic story behind them can add a new layer of meaning and insight. It can also add a sense of play, delight and wonder in your yoga practice.

What do yoga poses symbolize?

Mountain pose

This pose might seem simple, but its meaning and symbolism run deeper than you think. In Sanskrit, this pose is known as Tadasana, with ‘tada’ meaning mountain and ‘asana’ meaning posture. The mountain pose is also known as the Samasthiti which is derived from the word “Sama,” that means upright and unmoving and “Sthiti” which means still and steady. This pose is the foundation for all standing poses and evokes stillness, strength, stability, and power, just like a mountain.

Most people don’t pay enough attention to the way they stand, and overtime many develop an imbalance in the hips and spine. This pose works to create a lightness in the body, serves to ground us down to earth, and invites a steady energy into the body.

Child’s pose

Unlike other symbols, Child’s pose is straightforward and relatively easy to understand. It’s simply symbolic of the childlike curiosity that’s lost in adulthood. This fetal position pose is very satisfying after a long day or vigorous yoga class, to draw up feelings of comfort and security.

By recreating these feelings from childhood and even before birth, you’re surrendering down to the earth, settling into our deepest selves, which can release unnecessary tension. In fact, 54% of yoga lovers said that practicing yoga poses helps them release tension. The symbol here can guide you to reconnect with a time in which you felt no stress or tension, only joy.

Warrior Two pose

Warrior II is a symbol of the fearless warrior Virabhadra who was said to have defeated their enemies with a thousand arms. This pose is meant to channel determination, courage and strength. The best way to use this pose is to approach it as metaphor for the challenges in our lives being just like real battlefields. The strength of Warrior Two can evoke the feelings of being a real warrior fighting through a battlefield or persevering through your challenges with power and inner strength.

Corpse pose

Savasana, or Corpse pose, can seem morbid at first, but when viewed differently as the symbol for the circle of life, it can be deeply healing for your mind, body, and spirit. As you lie back, you should imagine letting all the dead parts of yourself fall away into the earth or up into the air.

It can be hard to surrender yourself and your feelings to allow Savasna to really work, but you should get better at with enough practice. In the long run, a pose such as this can be really therapeutic and help work toward feeling better in yourself. Around 42% of yoga practitioners surveyed insisted that yoga increased their personal well-being. In many cases, this works best when this deeper connection with the poses and their meanings is found.

Eagle pose

This yoga pose’s symbol is right there in its name. The eagle is a regal bird known for its strength and various myths as a messenger of God. As you sit in the pose, you can visualize yourself taking flight between spiritual and earthly planes. Your new eagle eye of the world should take in a greater life perspective as just one of the many great benefits of practicing yoga.

Eagle pose requires great focus and a lot of patience. Think of it like this: getting stuck on all the negative challenges or difficulties of life may be easy, much like how difficult this pose can be at first, but a calmness and the right amount of focus can help you on your journey. Eagle Pose helps us to see what is important in life.

Conclusion

The benefits of yoga are plenty and can reward you with a lifetime of joy, health, and happiness when executed with mindful awareness and clear intentions. Understanding not only how to do a pose but the symbolism and the meaning behind each one can allow for this to happen more deeply and also easily, like unlocking a door within yourself. These symbols aren’t limitations but more ways in which you can explore yoga and its possibilities.

What does your favorite yoga pose symbolize to you? Are you curious about the spiritual meanings behind other popular yoga poses? Let us know in the comments below!

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Whether you want to admit it or not, there are some foods that, no matter what, go right to your gut and cause what feels like nearly instant weight gain. Yes, we’re talking about dreaded belly fat.

There’s a reason why we all hate belly fat—we all know how hard it is to get rid of once it shows up.

This type of weight gain is referred to as “deep fat tissue,” and it can even lead to some more serious issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

Where your body ends up storing excess calories as fat depends on your hormones, and some unhealthy foods trigger just the exact right hormonal reaction. You could say that they hit you in the gut—literally.

So which foods are some of the “insta-belly” culprits? Here is a breakdown of the foods and drinks that are the biggest offenders of giving you lasting belly fat. Read on, and for more on how to be your healthiest, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

If you’re thinking not all bread is bad, you’re right. It’s highly-refined, white bread that should be avoided when you’re working to lose belly fat. Studies have shown that eating whole grains can actually lower visceral fat deposits in your belly, but eating refined grains leads to more. Looking for more helpful tips? Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!

If you want to get your beach body back, you should cut out sugary beverages and replace them with diet versions, right? Sorry, but that’s just wrong. Many studies have found an association between the consumption of diet sodas and wider waist circumference. What’s more, diet soda drinkers have a higher percentage of belly flab than those who don’t sip the beverage, a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found. Why? Researchers think diet soda drinkers may overestimate how many calories they’re “saving,” and then overeat.

Instead, sip on some white tea. This brew blocks the formation of new fat cells and helps the body break down stored fat, according to a Nutrition & Metabolism study. That means that even when you overindulge, it’s harder for your body to store the excess calories in your body.

It’s natural, it’s packed with Vitamin C—what could be wrong? Well, while 100% fruit juice is a better pick than sugary drinks like Sunny D, even the all-natural stuff still packs up to 36 grams of sugar per cup—about the same amount of sugar you would get if you ate four Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. What’s more, most of the sweetness in juice comes from fructose, a type of sugar associated with the development of visceral adipose tissue—yep, that’s belly fat.

Instead, your best bet is to stick with plain ol’ H2O. But there is a way to add some flavor to those cups of water. You can add fresh sliced fruit like oranges and grapefruit. The key, though, is to keep the peels on: citrus peels are rich in the antioxidant d-limonene, a powerful compound that helps flush out toxins from the body and allows it to release stored visceral fat.

Wait—don’t toss your steak knife at us just yet! Studies show that eating the right cuts of steak can actually help whittle your middle. But rib-eye, along with T-bone and New York Strip, is one of the three fattiest cuts. Researchers of one study found that consuming a diet rich in fatty, fresh red meat is positively associated with abdominal obesity and larger waist circumference.

Let’s start by making it clear that not all chocolate is bad. In fact, dark chocolate is swimming in health benefits, and according to a study published in Heart, eating up to 3.5 ounces of chocolate a day can help lower your risk of heart disease. Plus, it can help reduce belly fat! But it’s milk chocolate that is the problem. Milk chocolate bars are loaded up with sugar and are typically packing a ton of calories. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that the food that was associated with the most weight gain was chocolate bars. Just be sure to stay away from those milk chocolate bars!

Again, when it comes to canned soups you’re going to want to want to make sure you’re choosing the right ones. See, there are plenty of soup options that sneak in a ton of sodium, which not only causes belly bloat but actually can increase your appetite and hinder your ability to know when you’re full.

In the contest to find the very worst possible food for your belly, Harvard researchers believe they have a winner. It’s not just that potato chips are saturated with saturated fat, causing abdominal fat gain. It’s not just that they’re crusted with salt, causing mid-level bloat. It’s not even a pure calorie play—there are plenty of more caloric snacks out there. What makes potato chips so epically bad for your belly is not what they have, but what they lack: the ability to make you feel satisfied. A handful of chips can turn into a big empty bag in no time.

Coffee by itself isn’t bad for your waistline, but if you’re frequently sipping on frozen coffee drinks, then you’ve just met your problem. Most of the time, these high-calorie drinks are packed with sugar and dairy. Plus, a 2017 study published in Public Health found that nearly 70% of coffee drinkers had their cup of Joe with caloric add-ins including sugar and creamers.

Even if there some veggies sprinkled on top, it’s important to keep in mind that pizza is still in fact, well, pizza. It’s the second biggest contributor of saturated fat to the American diet (just below cheese itself), and most slices serve up half a day’s worth of the artery clogger. Researchers have found that unlike other fats, the saturated variety is the most likely to be stored in the stomach. You’ll really want to avoid any of the unhealthiest pizzas in America, that’s for sure.

Some people see the label “low fat” and think it’s the healthier option. But don’t let the tricky terminology fool you. These muffins and treats are typically loaded up with processed flour, tend to be high in sugar, and can be high in sodium, too. These are all components that add up to packing on the belly fat. No thanks!

Pretzels seem like they’re a better option than potato chips, and we already know chips are a no-go. Sorry to disappoint, but pretzels are just as bad, as they are loaded up with salt. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition even uncovered how salt confuses the biological processes that tell you when you’re full. Essentially, you just end up eating more, which leads to weight gain, and it’ll go straight to your belly.

Not all cereal is bad, but the sugary, colorful kind you most likely ate a kid? That’s the stuff that will lead to the excess belly fat. Plenty of cereals are high in sugar, yet low in fiber and protein, so soon enough, you’ll feel hungry again. Plus, eating a healthy breakfast every day can help you lose weight quicker. One study found that 78% of participants who lose 30 pounds or more kept the weight off by eating breakfast daily. As long as you’re eating the right kind of breakfast!

Any fat-laden bad carb-fest will make you gain weight, but there’s something almost magical about the effects of fried spuds on your body’s fat-storage system. And by magical, we don’t mean in a good way. See, one longitudinal Harvard study found that people who ate fries regularly gained more than three pounds of body weight every four years; over the course of the study, the french fry eaters gained 13 pounds of belly flab from fries alone!

So what can you have instead? Homemade sweet potato fries that are baked, not fried. A simple swap that will keep that belly fat away.

This one is sad to see, but loading up on ice cream every night isn’t going to help you shed that weight—it’s going to cause you to pack more on. And why is that? Well, because of all that sugar you consume, ice cream is a carb-heavy food, and if you happen to eat a lot of refined carbohydrates, this can result in belly fat deposition, Edwina Clark, RD, APD, explained to us in another article. So perhaps it’s best not to eat a pint every night . . .

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Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world, and it’s become a global phenomenon over the past couple decades. While some countries’ popularity for yoga still remains fairly small, there are those where it is an integral part of everyday life. Yoga has become increasingly popular in recent years, with over 36 million people practicing it in the U.S. alone. According to the International Yoga Federation, about 300 million people practice globally! Are you curious about where yoga is the most popular in the world? Read on to discover yoga’s popularity by country.

Yoga participation in foreign countries

The ancient practice of Yoga originated in India in the 5th century B.C.E., and has since spread throughout the world. It was first imported into Europe and the US around the end of the nineteenth century, when it was brought by Indian practitioners emigrating to new countries. You can now find yoga classes worldwide, and the US alone now has over 6,000 studios in cities big and small. Furthermore, thousands of people travel to yoga retreats around the world to take their skills to another level and to qualify as certified yoga teachers. Bali, Ibiza, Thailand, and of course India itself, all have huge yoga tourism industries and they are growing bigger every year.

Popularity of yoga vs. other physical exercise

Yoga is a practice that has become increasingly popular in the United States, as well as the entire world. In fact, it’s the second most popular exercise in the U.S., particularly among women. So what’s the appeal? You can do yoga anywhere, and it’s not like running where you have to take the time to build up endurance to run a mile. Yoga is relatively easy to learn, and there are a wide variety of yoga classes to choose from. You can practice with a group or simply practice on your own. As can be seen from the trends in the graph below sourced from Compare The Market Private Health Insurance, yoga is the second most searched type of fitness in the world today. The graphic shows yoga’s global popularity from 2004 to 2020 compared to running, dancing, and cycling.

Yoga popularity by country

Yoga has been practiced for millennia, but it’s only in recent decades that it’s really become popular across the western world. In fact, it’s grown in popularity so much that now almost every town and city in the U.S. has a local yoga studio that you can attend for a weekly class. The same goes for Europe. With more and more people discovering the benefits of yoga for both mind and body, the number of people practicing has skyrocketed in the past ten years.

Did you know that statistics show that yoga is more popular in the Canada than the United States or India? But where exactly does yoga find the most fans, and what styles are most popular in different countries?

Here are the top 20 yoga countries according to Google trends:

Where is yoga the most popular in the USA?

The cities with the highest number of yoga studios in the USA are San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. After all, these three cities are the three largest in the country, as well as some of the most populous in the world. Their high concentration of yoga studios is for a variety of reasons, which include both the high cost of living in these cities and the high proportion of professionals in the workforce. A large number of studios does not necessarily equate to the popularity of yoga in the region.

Here are the top 10 U.S. yoga states according to Google trends:

Here are the top 10 U.S. yoga cities according to Google trends:

Countries where yoga is banned

While many know that yoga is an ancient form of physical and mental exercise, many are surprised to learn that not everyone is a fan of the ancient practice. In some countries, it has been banned altogether, or at least in certain public places. The most common reason for banning yoga is because it comes from India, and there are fears that it could spread Hindu religion.

Muslims in several countries, including Indonesia, and Malaysia are officially banned from doing yoga by a fatwa, or religious decree. These Muslim-majority countries see yoga practice as a form of Hinduism and believe that it is an improper form of worship, contrary to the spiritual principles of Islam.

Russia announced an outright ban on yoga in 2015, which is referred to as a “pseudoscience” that “can erode people’s health and spiritual development.” The statement was issued by the Russian Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy in response to a draft bill that would have yoga and other “esoteric” practices included in a list of activities considered “harmful to health.”

Several western churches and schools have also banned yoga due to the false belief that it is a religious practice.

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