Fitness & Nutrition

Psychologist Traci Mann calls willpower "a mythical quality and certainly not something that can be relied upon for weight loss."

In 'Eating Lab,' A Psychologist Spills Secrets On Why Diets Fail

6:01pm June 02, 2015

by Jean Fain

Diets will rarely lead to significant or sustainable weight loss, Traci Mann argues in a new book. Instead, she suggests trying proven mental strategies for reaching your "leanest, livable weight."

An adult gymnastics club performs a group stunt on the parallel bars at the Rochester, N.Y., YMCA at the beginning of the 20th century.

How The YMCA Helped Shape America

3:53pm June 02, 2015

by Linton Weeks

Many of today's fitness trends can be traced back to the pioneering programs of the YMCA.

Michelle Goldberg is a senior contributing writer for The Nation.

Those Yoga Poses May Not Be Ancient After All, And Maybe That's OK

2:02pm June 02, 2015

In her new book, Michelle Goldberg traces the Western practice of yoga to a Russian woman named Indra Devi. Goldberg says that many of the poses in modern yoga can't be traced beyond 150 years ago.

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Why did a deliberately bad study showing the weight-loss benefits of chocolate get picked up by many news outlets? Science journalist John Bohannon — the man behind the study — says reporting on junk nutrition studies happens all the time.

Trickster Journalist Explains Why He Duped The Media On Chocolate Study

6:37pm June 01, 2015

by Maria Godoy

John Bohannon, the man behind a stunt that bamboozled many news organizations into publishing junk science on dieting, talks to NPR's Robert Siegel about why he carried out the scheme.

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Competitive swimmers often practice breath holding to increase endurance.

Breath-Holding In The Pool Can Spark Sudden Blackouts And Death

4:57pm June 01, 2015

by Angus Chen

When you hold your breath underwater, you might pass out before you realize you need oxygen right now. Experienced swimmers have drowned as a result, and most people aren't aware of the risk.

Eating a chocolate bar daily can help you lose weight? Sorry, that study was a sweet lie — part of an elaborate hoax to school the news media about proper nutrition science journalism.

Why A Journalist Scammed The Media Into Spreading Bad Chocolate Science

6:35pm May 29, 2015

by Maria Godoy

A lot of junk nutrition science gets reported in the media. It's a big problem. But did a science journalist's elaborate hoax to expose the crisis go too far?

In the Blue Zone of Okinawa, Japan, locals drink green tea with jasmine flowers and turmeric called shan-pien, which translates to "tea with a bit of scent."

Tea Tuesdays: Tea-Drinking Tips For A Longer Life

6:22pm May 26, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

Researchers studying the Blue Zones, five regions around the world with lots of centenarians, have come up with this rule: "Drink coffee for breakfast, tea in the afternoon, wine at 5 p.m."

Matcha tea powder comes in two grades: ingredient and drinking. The drinking grade comes from the leaves at the top of the tea plant.

Tea Tuesdays: Matcha-maker, Matcha-maker, Make Me Some Tea

6:18pm May 26, 2015

by Laurel Dalrymple

Matcha green tea is taking off in America, but the Japanese have been drinking it for eight centuries. What happens when commercialism meets tradition?

In a village outside of Jenin, in the West Bank, Palestinian farmers harvest wheat early and burn the husks to yield the smoky, nutty grain known as freekeh.

Game For Ancient Grain: Palestinians Find Freekeh Again

7:03am May 26, 2015

by Daniella Cheslow

The young, roasted form of wheat has been eaten in the Middle East for millennia. But over time many Palestinians replaced it with rice. Now it's becoming a nutritious, native food worthy of pride.

Various food items that contained trans fats in November 2013. That month, the Food and Drug Administration first announced plans to ban partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from all food products. A final rule is expected any day now.

Adios, Trans Fats: FDA Poised To Phase Out Artery-Clogging Fat

5:39pm May 22, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Any day now, the FDA could announce a final rule aimed at removing much of the remaining trans fats out of the food supply. It could amount to a near ban on the fats, which wreak cardiovascular havoc.

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