Hypnosis may provide new option for 'awake surgery' for brain cancer

Could hypnosis help to reduce the psychological trauma associated with 'awake craniotomy' for brain cancers? A new 'hypnosedation' technique offers a new alternative for patients undergoing awake surgery for gliomas, suggests a study.

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Weight Loss - Three Ways To Make Calorie Counting Easier

Do you struggle to make calorie counting work for you? As you get going on your weight loss meal plan, it's going to be essential you have a method of tracking how much food you are eating on a daily basis. Without keeping track, you may eat healthily, but still not get the weight loss results you are seeking. At the end of the day, it still does come down to your overall calorie balance. That is, how many calories you burn versus how many calories you consume. If you want to avoid becoming a walking human calorie counter, however, you do have a few options. Here are three great ways to make calorie counting easier on yourself.

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Opioid prescribing guideline significantly decreases prescription rates

An opioid prescribing guideline had an immediate and sustained impact on opioid prescribing rates for minor conditions and chronic noncancer pain in an acute care setting, emergency medicine physicians have found.

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Seeking treatment earlier may improve heart attack outcomes

While hospitals have made strides in reducing the time it takes to treat heart attack patients once they arrive at the hospital, patient delays recognizing symptoms and seeking treatment are associated with increased damage to the heart, according to a study.

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Treatment time lags for heart attack patients with prior bypass graft surgery

Heart attack patients who had previously undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery were less likely than other heart attack patients, including those with prior angioplasty, to be treated within the 90-minute recommended 'door-to-balloon time,' according to a study.

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Answers for the Four Big Questions About Patient Transportation

We all know ambulances are there in case of an emergency, but what happens when you need to go to the hospital for routine care but can't get there? Non-emergency patient transportation fills this gap with safe and comfortable service.

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How To Get Motivated To Lose Weight - 3 Strategies For Weight Loss Success!

Wondering how to get motivated to lose weight? Here are 3 simple - but life-changing - strategies you can use to get jumpstarted on your diet and lose weight for good!

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Different Ways To Straighten Your Hair

Hair styling is one of the elemental aspects of beauty for every woman. As we all know that, every woman has her own unique hair style that defines her personality. One of the most popular hair styles seen in the majority of women is straight hair. The main reason of having such a hair style is that it can be easily managed and offers an elegant look.

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What Is Rehabilitation Help or Rehabilitation Hospital?

Rehabilitation hospitals are also referred to as inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. They are devoted to the complete rehabilitation of patients with various neurological, orthopedic and muscular skeletal problems. This industry is also largely made up by the independent hospitals that can operate these facilities within the acute care of hospitals.

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A 35-Minute Yoga Class to Strengthen Your Legs and Butt

There's nothing like that stretched-out, super-relaxed feeling you get after an hour of moving to the rhythm of our breath during a yoga class. But in some faster-paced, it's easy to forget about proper alignment during each pose.

In this video, you'll revisit the core standing postures that are fundamental to any practice. Certified yoga instructor Rocky Heron leads you through exercises and drills that help enhance stability in various poses, from warrior II to tree. His soothing voice points out little tweaks that make a big difference in each asana, helping you build stronger muscles in your legs and glutes, prepare for backbends, and of course, achieve that blissed-out, peaceful feeling when time's up.

All you need is a mat and, if you have them, a couple of yoga blocks.

Interested in more short and effective home workouts? Find them on Grokker, the one-stop online resource for wellness. Grokker sifts through thousands of videos on the web, constantly filtering and aggregating the best cooking, yoga, and fitness videos available so you don't have to.

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How To Lose Weight After The Holiday Season

Most of us over-indulge during the holiday season; especially by eating too much. When the dust finally settles after the event, losing excess weight becomes the order of the day. This article proposes one sure-fire way.

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7 Quick and Healthy Winter Soups

New method for better treatment of breast cancer

A novel imaging-based method for defining appropriateness of breast cancer treatment is as accurate as the current standard-of-care and could reduce the need for invasive tissue sampling, new research shows. The results suggest that the method might lead to more optimal treatment of individual patients.

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'Spectre' villain fails neuroanatomy in latest Bond film

James Bond's nemesis in the most recent film likely failed neuroanatomy, says a real-life neurosurgeon and scientist. Blofeld didn't quite know his brain anatomy and would've probably hit Daniel Craig's vertebral artery and likely killed his character instead, says the expert.

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Microorganisms in the womb set stage for diseases

Researchers review importance of microorganisms that exist in the gut, suggesting perturbation of the environment during pregnancy, delivery and early infancy could impact the developing baby's early microbiome and set the stage for health problems later in life. The term 'microbiome' refers to the trillions of organisms we harbor, on our skin and within our respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.

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No easy answers in study of legal marijuana's impact on alcohol use

Does legalization of marijuana lead pot users to drink more, or are they likely to substitute alcohol for weed? A new paper seeks to discover how changing marijuana laws affect the use of alcohol, the nation's most popular drug.

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Most patients still prescribed opioids after nonfatal overdose, study finds

Most patients with chronic pain who are hospitalized after a nonfatal opioid overdose continue to receive prescription opioids after the overdose and are at high risk for experiencing a repeated overdose, new research has found.

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Travel distance is still a barrier to breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Long travel distances continue to be a significant obstacle to breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer, reports a new study. The researchers analyzed the relationship between travel distance and breast reconstruction in more than 1 million US women undergoing mastectomy from 1998 to 2011.

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T cells that recognize HER2 teceptor may prevent HER2+ breast cancer recurrence

Recurrence of HER2-positive breast cancer after treatment may be due to a specific and possibly cancer-induced weakness in the patient's immune system -- a weakness that in principle could be corrected with a HER2-targeted vaccine -- according to a new study.

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Music therapy increases effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD patients

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other chronic respiratory disorders who received music therapy in conjunction with standard rehabilitation saw an improvement in symptoms, psychological well-being and quality of life compared to patients receiving rehabilitation alone, according to a new study.

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Marijuana derivative reduces seizures in people with treatment-resistant epilepsy

Cannabidiol (CBD), a medical marijuana derivative, was effective in reducing seizure frequency and well-tolerated and safe for most children and young adults enrolled in a year-long study, researchers report. These latest findings provide the first estimates of safety, tolerability and efficacy of prescription CBD in children and adults with severe, highly treatment-resistant epilepsy.

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Lose Weight With Low Carb Vegetarian Diet And Exercises

The most effective method of weight loss is going on a low carb or a no carb diet which is high in protein at the same time. However, completely eliminating carbohydrates from your diet is not a very good idea as they are a major macro nutrient.

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How To Use Chakras For Loss In Weight

Have you heard of chakras and how it can help in efficient loss of weight? There are plenty of different sciences which are attached to loss in weight and if you learn the basics, it can help you shed the pounds too. Let us take a look at how the different chakras can help you shed the extra pounds and thereby help in staying fit. The sacral chakra Some people may experience unnatural craving for food.

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Expectation Hangover: The Real Reason Why Millennials Feel Lost

Were you raised to expect career success, fortune, and fame to come your way right after college? Or maybe you expected that, by age 30, you’d find the perfect partner who magically satisfied your every want and need?

If so, chances are you’re a millennial. And even if you weren't waiting to become the next Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, you’ve likely experienced some serious disappointment when life didn't turn out exactly as planned.

Experts agree that the high hopes and heightened ambition of the millennial generation have led many of us to despair, depression, high anxiety, and a wide gulf of meaning in our personal lives. Yet as pessimistic as that sounds, there is some good news: That unbridled optimism that set our egos up to eat pavement could be precisely what enables us to secure a more stable footing in the long run.

Reality Check

First, some background: "Many of our parents believed that propping our self-esteem up was the key to ensuring we survived middle and high school," says Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before. We can’t exactly fault them for this assumption, she says, as it reflected a cultural obsession whose roots took hold in the 1960s and came to a slightly misinformed hilt in the 90s—when we were all busting moves to “Baby One More Time” and chewing our Bubble Tape during Saved By The Bell re-runs.

Turns out we might have been a lot better off had our teachers, the media, and mom and dad schooled us more in self-compassion.

Turns out we might have been a lot better off had our teachers, the media, and mom and dad schooled us more in self-compassion than inflating how highly we ranked our own importance. New research shows that convincing kids they’re the most special specks on the planet risks morphing them into narcissistic, entitled, and quick-to-lash-out little twerps. (And, as those who’ve dated or worked with their adult iterations already know, these traits don’t magically relax as they age nor will they budge without therapy or meds.)

Not surprisingly, the prevalence of narcissism and its characteristic lack of empathy have noticeably increased in young adults, particularly since the early 2000s. One study found that Americans in their 20s were three times as likely to meet the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder than folks over 60. Another study demonstrated a decrease in millennials’ concern with politics, social issues, and environmental concerns combined with an uptick in self-absorption.

But even if you don’t fit the bill for a full-fledged mental illness, clinging to the belief you could do everything, be anything you ever dreamed of, and receive praise every step of the way without having to work that hard still makes for some seriously delusional thinking about the real world.

There’s a huge disconnect between 'I want this stuff' but 'I don’t want to work for it.'

“When it comes to millennials, there’s a huge disconnect between 'I want this stuff' but 'I don’t want to work for it,'” Twenge says. Between the mid 1970s and the mid 2000s, the percentage of high school seniors admitting they weren’t really into putting in extra effort on the job leapt from 25 to 39 percent.

Yet many of us continue to see graduate school, high-paying positions, and fancy titles as givens of adulthood and anticipate being better off financially than our parents—at least until we move back in with them because we can’t afford our own rent. In part, Twenge points out, the greater ease of getting into college these days can foster the illusion that just because we’re admitted, we’re on track toward post-grad greatness.

Add to this the proven fact that we also expect far more from our romantic partners and you’ve got the perfect cocktail for what speaker, author, and life coach Christine Hassler has dubbed the "expectation hangover".

WTF Is the Expectation Hangover?

This sort of hangover has nothing to do with how many drinks you had last night. Consider the expectation hangover a step beyond just your average dose of disappointment: “It’s that heavy, lethargic, bummer of a feeling you get when things just don’t go your way,” Hassler says.

Failing to land your dream job, getting rejected from your top choice school, or approaching your 30th birthday with no prospect of knot tying in sight can lead to these let-downs, Hassler says. But so can checking off all of the above only to feel meh—like something’s still missing.

And let’s not leave life’s many surprises out of the mix, she adds: From tax bills and breakups to terminal illnesses and natural disasters, the real world can always be relied upon to throw you an ambition-sapping curveball.

The fallout from all this disillusionment can be pretty awful. Having our dreams dashed, Hassler says, “can bring up a whole host of emotions many people weren’t taught to process—particularly sadness, anger, and shame.” And when we lack effective coping skills, she adds, such icky feelings may lead us down paths of self-destruction, as we reach for anything—booze, sex, food, shopping, drugs, or even over-exercise—to numb out. Yikes.

7 Ways to Overcome the "Meh" Feeling

Because anything can happen, expectation hangovers are by no means preventable, Hassler acknowledges, but most of us can learn to lessen the suffering we experience and the frequency with which it occurs. Consider this your morning-after plan to reduce those nasty expectation hangover symptoms.

1. Don’t give up.

Hang onto that persistent positive attitude that made you fall so hard in the first place, Hassler says. If you’re able to consider professional or personal face-plants as opportunities for growth, you’re already on the right track. Studies show keeping our chins up in the face of personal and professional let-downs ratchets up our resilience and better enables us to cope with stress. (And for all you pessimists reading this, science confirms that you can benefit from the upsides of hope too, even if you don’t fully endorse the glass half-full view.)

Do your emotional health a favor and process the uncomfortable feelings arising from disappointment, either with a few trusted friends and family members or with a therapist. But beware of wallowing in your own pity party too long, as this just exacerbates an expectation hangover’s ache. “We want to honor our own experience but not become consumed by it,” Hassler says.

2. Set reasonable goals.

Accept the fact that expecting to land a promotion within six months on the job might have been a long shot. And that, to be considered for that next level, you may need to work a heck of a lot harder—even if you’re already doing your best.

Keep in mind that no one loves every minute of every gig they ever take—that’s just part of life.

Hassler also encourages us to keep in mind that no one loves every minute of every gig they ever take—that’s just part of life. Consider consulting with a career coach if you’re truly feeling lost in terms of what you want for the future. But trust that as long as the position you’re in brings you more satisfaction than despair, it may not be the complete end of the world after all.

Same goes for relationships, Hassler says. (Important reminder: These are two-way streets—it’s not all about you.) Try cutting your partner some slack when he or she fails to validate every emotion you express or occasionally doesn’t get your perspective. And if things don’t pan out for the two of you, learn from your mistakes and let go.

3. Aim high, but don’t get too attached.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with challenging yourself to work toward above-average goals, Hassler says—provided, of course, you’re not attaching your self-worth and stability to the outcome. Her rule of thumb? “Pursue things with high intention and low attachment. Don’t judge yourself based on whether you achieved the goal, but rather on how much effort you put in.”

4. Get more involved (not with yourself).

“Being caught up in yourself leads to more expectation hangovers,” Hassler says. It keeps us disconnected from reality’s feedback regarding how we can adjust our behavior, and it deprives us of much needed distractions from our own distress.

A simple fix for this particularly millennial problem? Volunteering. Studies show getting involved with an organization or cause not only helps others, it makes our own lives more meaningful and buffers us from getting too far down into any emotional dumps.

5. Be present.

Getting “involved” doesn’t just mean working at a soup kitchen once per week. It also means being more mindful during everyday moments. Do yourself and those around you a favor by resisting the impulse to triple check your smartphone, making adequate eye contact, listening to what’s being said to you, and trying your best to err on the side of kindness (since even small acts of the stuff make our darkest days brighter).

Simple mindfulness tactics have a profoundly positive effect on mood and well-being.

These simple mindfulness tactics have a profoundly positive effect on mood and well-being. Plus, by being more present, you’re more aware of what your environment actually has to offer than what you expect it to owe you.

6. Say thank you.

Perhaps the simplest disappointment-destroyer of all is gratitude. Numerous studies show that expressing appreciation to others and focusing on how jazzed we are about the good things in our lives keeps our spirits up, makes us nicer people, and helps us bounce back quicker from setbacks.

7. Quit comparing yourself.

Killing yourself to be better than the next guy may get you ahead, but it won’t get you far. Competition can breed depression, loneliness, and anxiety.

It’s fine to have role models, Hassler says, but constantly measuring yourself against others just courts more suffering. “Look to others for inspiration, but resist the urge to compare yourself,” she says.

The Takeaway

Reality bites. Partly because we were raised to expect quite a bit from our educations, jobs, and romantic partners, millennials may be bound for disillusion. But that doesn’t mean we need to trash the optimism with which many of us left high school and college. In fact, if we rein it in to a more reasonable level, we may just stay afloat amidst this massive wave of disappointment after all.

When your expectations clash with reality (because it will happen), don’t let it keep you down for too long. Ask for help as needed, explore alternative options, and adjust accordingly. Oh, and don’t forget to smile and say thank you. They make a bigger difference than you'd think!

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Satisfaction Is Guaranteed When Partnering With EMR Experts To Lighten The Load

Any professional that's had to deal with EMR or Electronic medical record systems throughout their busy day understands the burden of having to maintain and attend to them while seeing patients. It's estimated that a physician or medical professional spends more time updating EMRs than they do seeing patients.

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Small Businesses Benefit From Hiring Electronic Medical Records Specialists

EMR companies are the latest craze amongst medical professionals who are trying to find a way to get around the unexpected extra time it takes to use electronic records while seeing patients. Hiring a team of professionals who can virtually pop into patient visits and keep records while doctors focus on their patient has proven to be a great asset.

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Are Mandated Electric Health Records A Blessing Or A Curse?

There's a huge debate happening among-st medical professionals as to whether electronic patient records are easier or more time consuming. Ask any few physicians and expect a myriad of responses. Many claim they are much better than dealing with paperwork that can easily get lost or misplaced.

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5 Things You Should Know About CoolSculpting

You work hard at looking your best. You are either at your ideal weight or no further than 15 pounds away. Still, you have bumps and bulges - unsightly areas - that won't go away no matter how hard you try. You don't want an invasive procedure, but you do want to look your very best. CoolSculpting might be the right answer for you.

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How Group Fitness Training Classes Can Help You Become Fit

Health is truly our wealth. Finding time to do some exercises in the morning, afternoon or evening will yield great benefits to anyone. Such benefits include strengthening our bones and muscles, boosting our energy and providing a clear mind and good mood. On the other hand, there are still some who chose to remain inactive with their lifestyles. Some common reasons for inactivity are busy work schedule, no motivation to start getting into proper fitness or they just don't feel like putting out a sweat. With more and more people choosing this kind of lifestyle, the result can be alarming.

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The Science-Backed Way to Keep Any New Year's Resolution

This Video Captures the Ridiculous Things You See at the Gym

Sometimes all we need is a little distance to fully realize the ridiculousness of the world we live in. That’s exactly what happens when you watch this video about the gym that’s been filmed like a wildlife documentary, complete with a Morgan Freeman-like voiceover. At six minutes, the video is a little long—and the Internet has done wonders to our attention spans—so if you only have time for the highlights, fast forward to these gems:

• 0:23: “A female human stirs. Her emergence marks the beginning of the New Year’s resolution-ers.”
• 1:32 “The human males, like the peacocks and other exotic birds of the wild, spread their arms wide and prance around in hopes of intimidating other males, and in the process attracting a suitable mate.”
• 3:21: “We also have the more vocal group who yell and grunt in order to seek attention from all surrounding homo-sapiens.”
• 5:02: “Unlike other species, such as the felines who clean up after themselves, these humans have left the gymnasium a wasteland of un-racked weights, dripping sweat stains, [and] unnecessarily soiled towels.”

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Educating patients improves knowledge, attitudes about participating in research

A little information goes a long way in encouraging cancer patients to enroll in clinical trials, a decision that could be potentially lifesaving, new research demonstrates.

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One Magazine Just Took a Huge Step to Stop Body Shaming

When we get to the checkout line at the grocery store, we try to avert our eyes from the health and fitness magazines that promise the secret to “melt belly fat fast!” or tricks to get a “high, tight” butt. The editor-in-chief of Women’s Health just took a major step to stop body shaming by eliminating the phrases “bikini body” and “drop two sizes” from the magazine's cover for the foreseeable future.

The move comes after readers were polled about terms they wanted the magazine to stop using. We’re stoked that more and more people are championing body positivity—and so happy Women's Health listened—but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The December cover has plenty of other phrases (“3-minute fat blasters” and “go to bed 35, wake up 25”) to make us feel not so great about the skin we’re in. Check out the full post from Women's Health here.

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How To Lose Weight Quickly In 7 Days At Home

Losing weight is challenging. However, if you want to lose a reasonable amount of weight, like two pounds or more, in a short time, you will need to adjust your diet. Adjustments to your diet will have a big impact on your weight. The best way to know how opt lose weight in 7 days is by making changes to your diet.

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Top Hair Straightener Technologies To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Hair Straightener

In order to get their hair styled or straightened, people use many different products. But, there is a product named 'hair straightener', which can help you get beautiful and nourished hair every day. It is important to use a branded product because the technology with which, they are built is highly advanced. They will not fry your hair or cause any damage to them. Before you go into the market or browse online for a hair-styling product, it is pivotal to keep these important points in mind.

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The Most Thought-Provoking Stories From 2015

As much as we enjoy sharing recipe roundups and comprehensive exercise lists, there's something extra satisfying about being able to tackle everyday topics that inspire people to live healthier (and happier) lives. From a personal journey about cutting out alcohol to a powerful reflection on embracing your body to surprising explanations for which hygiene and fitness choices are the most effective, here are 12 stories that kicked a** in 2015.

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Best Five Asian Food Items for Weight Reduction

You have read that French ladies do not become overweight, but when you consider it, nor do the majority of Asian men and women. What exactly is their strategy? I have selected these Asian food items as they are healthful, yummy, inexpensive, and simple to prepare-really!

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How Personality Types Can Be Determined by Your Facial Features

Learn how assessing your particular facial features can accurately determine your personality and beauty type as illustrated by the celebrity profiles of Reese, Jennifer, Beyonce, and Gwyneth. Everyone leads with one dominant energy profile type, take the test & analyze your own facial features and more to learn how it can improve your success in all areas of life.

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There's an Art to Being Happy Alone in Adulthood

There’s an art to being happy alone in adulthood.

It has to be learned; it has to be practiced daily and dutifully tended to. But I promise it can be done. Really. Being unmarried, single, childless, yet satisfied and fabulous—it’s possible, I swear.

I mean, I think. It’s been almost four years since graduation, and four years since somebody I loved said to me, “We should talk about getting married”—and with these last four years of mostly solo, mostly happy early adulthood under my belt, I’m, like, pretty sure the keys to being alone but feeling complete are as follows:

• Get a job you love; dive headfirst into it.
• Know who your favorite friends are; make them your neighbors, your cooking partners, your dining cohorts, your workout buddies, your travel companions, your designated non-judgmental receivers of drunk/why-am-I-still-awake texts.
• Remind yourself regularly that three’s not a crowd at all if you like spending time with both halves of a couple.
• Read good books all the time. Quit the ones you don’t like immediately.
• Own exquisite bedsheets, and wear the comfiest, most absurdly ugly pajamas you can find to bed.
• Challenge yourself frequently to conquer alone what you think you need a partner for, whether that’s dancing or hiking or a Valentine’s Day meat platter for two.
• Sleep right in the damn middle of your mattress, and every now and again as you fall asleep at night, appreciate how nice it is that your whole bed—and all your time, and all your money, and all your personal space and DVR space and bathroom-shelf space, and all your wine—belongs to you and you entirely.

It’s a good regimen, if I do say so myself. In my experience, it works about 51 weeks per year.

This is a photo of my sister-in-law. That’s my nephew on her lap, and they’re participating in our family’s yearly Thanksgiving tradition, in which we all write down what we’re thankful for then share aloud what we’ve written. It’s a lovely tradition—really, it is. First on all of our “thankful lists” is always each other. And as you can see from the caption, my nephew always reveals what exactly has been holding his little-boy world together that year by giving thanks for stuff like Cars 2, macaroni and cheese, policemen, firemen, and, as an afterthought, his sister. But now that I sit at the grown-ups’ table, this yearly ritual is often the loneliest I feel all year.

For me, annual Thanksgiving festivities mean sharing a table with eight other adults, some close to my own age, who all married young and married wisely. When they share their “I am thankful for” lists, they express gratitude for their partnerships of nine years, of 12 years, of 37 years, of 42 years; for their two beautiful children, their three beautiful children, their four beautiful children. Everyone else seated at this table has managed to maintain for decades what I seem to only ever be able to hang onto in half measures, or for a few months or years at a time. They gaze warmly and sometimes tearfully at each other as they give thanks for partners who really do stick by them in sickness and in health, and for the opportunity to wake up every morning next to their best friend.

So what’s cropped out of this very festive and #thankful Instagram, I suppose, is me—the aching ninth wheel, fumbling through “I’m thankful for my job, and, um… my education, and my apartment.” And then maybe lamely adding: “And being able to sleep late on the weekends if I want to, heh,” all the while wondering why the cool job and the grown-ass-woman apartment now seem not brave but selfish, and why the lifestyle so thoroughly optimized for Doing Whatever I Want now seems so crass and small.

I don’t really know what the moral of the story is here. Maybe it’s “Loneliness is real, and it happens to everybody, no matter how loneliness-proofed you think you are.” Maybe it’s “Commit to someone you love while you’re young and don’t overthink it.” Maybe it’s “Be better than this Ashley Fetters person is at being in relationships”—or “Be better than this Ashley Fetters person is at being alone.” Maybe it’s just “Always remember to pack some Xanax when you go home for the holidays.”

But it’s hard to know the moral of a story, I suppose, when you also don’t know how it ends. Maybe this is one of many table-for-one phases I’ll know in my lifetime, or maybe I’ll just keep on carving out a cozy space for myself in the world, accepting the challenge of building a life alone that feels meaningful—52 weeks per year, forever.

Or maybe one day I’ll accept the challenge of building a life with someone else that feels meaningful, 52 weeks per year, forever.

I guess I’ll have to keep you posted.

This story originally appeared on Cropped, a site that shares personal essays from 20-somethings that explore the experiences often left out of perfectly filtered and curated social media posts.

Ashley Fetters is the digital entertainment editor at GQ magazine. She lives in New York.

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The Real Reason You're Always Hungry Around Your Period

Although annoying, cravings are at least predictible—when it's that time of the month, and you see a raging pimple pop up, you know you're going to inhale that emergency chocolate stash like there's no tomorrow.

What's more mysterious is that insatiable hunger that can arise right before and during your period. So if you're wondering why the triple-stacked turkey sandwich you had for lunch didn't even begin to fill you up, don't worry: That lurking hunger is totally normal, and actually comes down to our primal instinct.

The Hunger Games

During ovulation (around 12 to 16 days before your period), your body is getting ready for a potential pregnancy, says Jamé Heskett, M.D., author of The Well Path. It wants to be stocked and ready just in case, so the hormones that peak during that time—estrogen and progesterone—trigger a hunger response, telling you to get some food (yep, your body sounds a lot like a Jewish grandma).¹

On top of that, your body's basal metabolic rate speeds up just before and during the early part of your period to fuel the process of menstruation, says Gerardo Bustillo, M.D., an OB/GYN at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center.² Up to 15 percent more calories are burned (around 100 to 300 calories more per day), which can also make you feel hungrier.

All this means that constant eating was a fantastic instinct during evolutionary times for the perpetuation of the human race—sink or snack, basically. Loading up on high-calorie food is helpful when your brain is in survival mode, because high-calorie ostensibly means more nutrients, Heskett says. (Our bodies can't tell it's McDonald's.)

But alas, our bodies also don't know about Seamless. Today we can find food basically anytime, anywhere, but the body still sends signals to eat (and eat, and eat) whenever possible, even if we know we shouldn't be hungry.

It's Complicated

Frustratingly, this hormonal hunger can also be a reaction to us denying ourselves food. If we anticipate saying no to the good stuff because we know we're going to be illogically hungry, the body actually makes the hunger instinct even stronger, Heskett says. Again, eating more in the face of coming deprivation was a smart evolutionary habit—but now we're seeking out chicken wings for no reason.

Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels can also affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, which plays a big role in mood swings and food cravings, Bustillo says. When serotonin levels hit a low right before your period, eating sugar- and carb-laden "comfort foods" (think lasagna or doughnuts) will spike serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, boosting your mood and making you feel better—for the time being.³ (In the long term, overeating these simple carbs can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.⁴ )

If you have disturbed sleeping (pulling all-nighters or only getting six hours a night), that can make it even worse, adds Iffath Hoskins, M.D., an obstetrician at NYU's Langone Medical Center and Greatist expert. As can your genes—it turns out that the extent to which you're inclined to emotionally eat around your period can come down to your DNA.

While all women may experience this progesterone- and estrogen-fueled hunger, women with genetic risks for eating disorders are more vulnerable to "emotional" or "binge" eating during their menstrual cycle, when it feels impossible to stop, says Kelly Klump, Ph.D., a Michigan State University Foundation Endowed Professor who studies eating disorders.

"These hormones actually turn genes on and off," Klump says. So when there's an increase in the hormones after ovulation, risk genes for eating disorders are more likely to be activated—meaning while you may normally feel in control, your risk of ED-prone behavior spikes when your hormones are all over the place.

This susceptibility can create a vicious cycle, especially because Klump's recent research has found that women become increasingly preoccupied by their weight post ovulation.⁵ It's a kind of reaction to binge-eating, she says—after our bodies tell us to overconsume calories, we're left with concerns about our body weight and shape. (Come on, Mother Nature!)

Your Action Plan

First, load up on iron-rich foods pre-period stage, Heskett suggests. Foods like red meat, fish, and leafy greens can help replace the iron that you're losing right before and during your period. This will create a "feedback loop" to the body, telling it that you are actually responding to it in a way that it needs, Heskett explains.

In the long term, this will help us stay tuned in to what our body's asking for (Oreos—not the answer). And if you're dealing with what feels like unassailable hunger but know that you ate only an hour ago, Heskett says to try waiting 20 minutes before eating again—the hunger may pass. If it doesn't, don't deprive yourself, but grab a healthy snack instead.

Also key: Be mindful about what your hormones are up to, Heskett says. If you know you're prone to binge-eating, tracking your cycle can give you back some power over what may feel like eating out of the blue. Sure, you can still buy that box of dark chocolate (for the joy, for the antioxidants), but keep in mind that it may invite binging if you're prone to it. Practice portion control, or invite some friends over and split it with them instead.

The Takeaway

Thanks to a dual bump in progesterone and estrogen, hormonal eating hits an all-month high right before your period. And it doesn't always look like "typical" cravings—it can just be a constant urge to snack, which is your body's way of getting nutrients in case you might be pregnant. Genetic factors and trying to cut yourself off altogether can make it worse, so if you notice you're constantly hovering in the kitchen, try to have an iron-rich snack or just let it pass.

Works Cited

1. Energy and nutrient intakes during different phases of the menstrual cycle in females in the United Arab Emirates. Cheikh Ismail LI, Al-Hourani H, Lightowler HJ. Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 2009, Mar.;54(2):1421-9697. Energy intakes are higher during the luteal phase of ovulatory menstrual cycles. Barr SI, Janelle KC, Prior JC. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 1995, Feb.;61(1):0002-9165. Modest changes in dietary intake across the menstrual cycle: implications for food intake research. Bryant M, Truesdale KP, Dye L. The British journal of nutrition, 2007, Jan.;96(5):0007-1145.
2. Menstrual cycle and basal metabolic rate in women. Solomon SJ, Kurzer MS, Calloway DH. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 1982, Dec.;36(4):0002-9165.
3. Chronic stress and obesity: A new view of “comfort food.” Dallman, et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2003 Sep 30; 100(20): 11696–11701.
4. Effects of dietary glycaemic index on adiposity, glucose homoeostasis, and plasma lipids in animals. Pawlak DB, Kushner JA, Ludwig DS. Lancet (London, England), 2004, Sep.;364(9436):1474-547X.
5. Changes in genetic risk for emotional eating across the menstrual cycle: a longitudinal study. Klump KL, Hildebrandt BA, O'Connor SM. Psychological medicine, 2015, Jul.;45(15):1469-8978.

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32 Quick Breakfasts That Are High in Fiber (So You'll Feel Full Until Lunch)

Intelligent Software to Detect Posture Problems

Most people know that adopting the correct posture is a critical component to achieving good spinal health, but many people are worryingly unaware of the other important bodily functions that are influenced by posture. Blood pressure, headaches, pulse rate and lung capacity are among the physiological functions most commonly affected. Breathing and hormonal production are also at risk of being influenced.

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Give Up Your Excuses If You Want To Lose Weight

Think of the last time you tried to do something healthy or positive. If for some reason you didn't accomplish what you originally intended was it on account of an excuse getting in the way? If you truly want to lose weight, one of the first things you must do is give up your excuses. Excuses are those little voices in our heads that continually attempt to convince us to be lazy and unproductive especially when it comes to weight loss.

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Diets Delivery 101 - Diet Food Delivery Services Explained in Simple Terms

Thinking about trying a diet delivery service but not sure where to start? How do they work? What do you get? And what should you be looking for? Here's a few simple things you should know before you buy!

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Liquid Diet For Weight Reduction

To drop pounds and trim your waistline quickly, you may be considering a liquid diet. In fact, liquid diets, when followed carefully, can help you lose weight and lose excess fat. Because they cut your caloric intake to the bone, you'll drop that excess weight more quickly than you would if you followed a diet that allows more calories. However, because liquid diets cut back so severely on calories, they may lead to the loss of muscle tissue, not fat tissue. Liquid diets also pose health risks, some of which can be serious. Before starting any diet, especially a very low-calorie liquid diet, make certain to talk with your doctor about your options and your overall state of health.

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Missing Daily Meals for Weight Reduction - Day-To-Day Fast to Slim Down

Although your body's precise response to a skipped lunch is determined by your age bracket, wellness, and diet plan, the action of not eating may jump-start a variety of physiological processes-both negative and positive. In spite of all you have heard of "calories in, calories out," the connects between missing lunch and weight loss are complicated.

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If You Commit to Nothing, You'll Be Distracted by Everything

In the northeastern hills outside Kyoto, Japan, there is a mountain known as Mount Hiei. That mountain is littered with unmarked graves.

Those graves mark the final resting place of the Tendai Buddhist monks who have failed to complete a quest known as The Kaihogyo.

What is this quest that kills so many of the monks? And what can you and I learn from it? I'll tell you.

The Marathon Monks

The Tendai monks believe that enlightenment can be achieved during your current life but only through extreme self-denial.

For the Tendai, the ultimate act of self-denial—and the route to enlightenment—is a physical challenge known as The Kaihogyo. Because of this challenge, the Tendai are often called the "Marathon Monks." But The Kaihogyo is much more than a marathon. It is a 1,000-day challenge that takes place over seven years. If a monk chooses to undertake this challenge, this is what he must do:

Year 1: Run 30 km per day (about 18 miles) for 100 straight days.
Year 2: Again run 30 km per day for 100 straight days.
Year 3: Once more run 30 km per day for 100 straight days.
Year 4: Run 30 km per day. This time for 200 straight days.
Year 5: Again run 30 km per day for 200 straight days. After completing the fifth year of running, the monk must go nine consecutive days without food, water, or rest. Two monks stand beside him at all times to ensure that he does not fall asleep.
Year 6: Run 60 km (about 37 miles) per day for 100 straight days.
Year 7: Run 84 km (about 52 miles) per day for 100 straight days. (52 miles per day!) And then, he must run 30 km per day for the final 100 days.

The sheer volume of running is incredible, of course, but there is one final challenge that makes The Kaihogyo unlike any other feat.

Day 101
During the first 100 days of running, the monk is allowed to withdraw from The Kaihogyo. However, from day 101 onward, there is no withdrawal. The monk must either complete The Kaihogyo or take his own life. Because of this, the monks carry a length of rope and a short sword at all times on their journey. In the last 400+ years, only 46 men have completed the challenge. Many others can be found by their unmarked graves on the hills of Mount Hiei.

3 Lessons on Mental Toughness and Commitment

The mental toughness of the Marathon Monks is incredible, and their feats are unlike most challenges that you and I will face, but there are still many lessons we can learn from them.

1. "Complete or kill."
The Marathon Monks are an extreme version of the "complete or kill" mentality, but you can take the same approach to your goals, projects, and work. If something is important to you, complete it. If not, kill it.

If you're anything like me, then you probably have a bunch of half-finished, half-completed projects and ideas. You don't need all of those loose ends.

Either something is important enough to you to complete, or it's time to kill it. Fill your life with goals that are worth finishing, and eliminate the rest.

2. If you commit to nothing, you're distracted by everything.
Most of us never face a challenge with the true possibility of death, but we can learn a lot from the monk's sense of commitment and conviction. They have clarified exactly what they are working toward, and for seven years, they organize their life around the goal of completing the Kaihogyo. Every possible distraction is rendered unimportant.

Do you think the monks get distracted by TV, movies, the Internet, celebrity gossip, or any of the other things that we so often waste time on? Of course not.

You can make a similar decision in your life. Sure, your daily goals may not carry the same sense of urgency as The Kaihogyo, but that doesn't mean you can't approach them with the same sense of conviction.

We all have things that are important to us. You might want to lose weight or be a better parent or create work that matters or build a successful business or write a book—but do you make time for these goals above all else? Do you organize your day around accomplishing them?

If you commit to nothing, then you'll find that it's easy to be distracted by everything.

3. It doesn’t matter how long your goal will take—just get started.
On day 101, the Tendai monks are thousands of miles and 900 days from their goal. They are setting out on a journey that is so long and so arduous that it's almost impossible for you and I to imagine. And yet, they still accept the full challenge. Day after day, year after year, they work.

And seven years later, they finish.

Don't let the length of your goals prevent you from starting on them.

Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
—H. Jackson Brown

What Makes You Different From the Marathon Monks

There is one very fortunate difference between you and the Tendai monks. You won't die if you don't reach your goal! In the words of Seth Godin, you literally have the "privilege of being wrong." You won't die if you fail; you'll only learn.

Furthermore, you can always change your mind. If you commit to a goal, work on it for a year, and decide that this isn't actually what you wanted… guess what? You're free to choose something else.

This should take a burden off of your shoulders! You don't have to worry about committing to the right thing. If you're debating between choices, just choose one. You can always adjust later on.

You have the opportunity to choose a goal that is important to you and the privilege of failing with very little consequence. Don't waste that privilege.

Where to Go From Here

The biggest lesson that the Tendai monks offer for everyday people like you and me is the lesson of commitment and conviction.

Imagine the sense of commitment that the monk feels on day 101. Imagine what it feels like to embrace the final 900 days of that challenge. Imagine what it feels like to accept a goal that is so important to you that you tell yourself, "I'm going to finish this, or I will die trying."

If you have something that is important to you, then eliminate the unrelated and unimportant tasks. Get started no matter how big the challenge, and commit to your goal.

Every big challenge has a turning point. Today could be your day 101. Today could be your Day of Commitment.

This article was originally published on JamesClear.com.

James Clear writes at JamesClear.com, where he shares science-based ideas for living a better life and building habits that stick. To get strategies for improving your mental and physical performance, join his free newsletter.

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The Ultimate Guide to Totally Nailing Every One of Your Resolutions

No matter how you feel about resolutions, chances are most of us are looking to kick off 2016 on a good note. To help you get started, we've compiled 100 (one hundred!) easy-to-implement tips to help you nail whatever it is you're aiming to accomplish next year.

Whether it's to exercise more, eat healthier, stress less, booze less, lose weight, quit smoking, manage money better, get more sleep, learn a new skill, or go green (phew!), these hints, tips, and steps below will help, guide, and support your efforts. Here's to a happy and healthy New Year!

I Want to... Exercise More

Working out isn’t just for getting buff. Exercising results in both physical and mental benefits, from reducing stress and anxiety, to improving self-confidence, to enhancing cognitive function. The good news is that adding regular exercise to your day isn’t tough. Just use the tips below and start moving!

1. Fit it in any and everywhere.
With tons of home workouts at your fingertips, you can exercise even if finding the time, cash, or transportation to make it to the gym is tough. Or try any of our awesome GWODs—they can be done with zero equipment, in a small space, and in less than 20 minutes.

2. Keep your workouts fresh.
Stave off the dreaded workout rut by trying something new or unexpected, working with a personal trainer, or rocking a new playlist.

3. Get motivated.
Stay on track by reminding yourself of the benefits of exercising, seeking fit-spiration (it's literally at your fingertips), or becoming an “intrinsic motivator”—someone whose drive to succeed comes from within, rather than from external factors. If you don’t consider yourself a natural intrinsic motivator, follow these 15 genius ways to motivate yourself that actually work.

4. Work out first thing in the morning.
The upsides to working out in the a.m. might just inspire night owls to become morning people! Exercising before breakfast has been linked to effective fat loss.¹ And getting your workout done first thing ensures it’s completed before the day gets away from you. Here are 24 helpful hacks, plus the perfect morning workout—even if you're not a morning person.

5. Work out while you work.
Seated doesn’t have to mean sedentary. Any time you’re stuck in the cubicle or hunched over a keyboard, take a break for deskercise. Even if they don’t prep you for an upcoming Ironman, those breaks will get the blood flowing and burn a few calories.

6. Make time fly.
There are lots of great ways to make workouts more exciting—like having the right tunes, working out in a group, or exercising with that special someone. And as we know, time flies when you’re having fun.

7. Make it quick.
Interval workouts—think tabatas and other high intensity interval training (HIIT)—can be done in as little as four minutes and provide an array of benefits, including building cardio endurance and burning fat.

8. Sneak it in.
Working out without working out? NEAT! Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is everyday activity that burns calories such as running errands, cleaning the house, chopping veggies, traveling by foot or bicycle. Days that you can’t make it to the gym are the perfect opportunity to up the ante NEAT-wise, whether that means taking the stairs, going on a mopping-and-vacuuming spree, or washing the car.

9. Make a plan.
Having a results-oriented game plan is a key to success when it comes to working out.² Whether you work towards that 5K, download a checklist to keep you organized, or set reminders to strength train three times times per week, arrange your weekly workouts in advance. Plus, research shows that imagining yourself achieving fitness goals can enhance athletic performance.³ Make a routine of rehearsing making healthy choices by visualizing the result of all your hard work.

10. Keep track online.
Logging your workouts allows you to keep track of what you’ve done—whether it’s miles run, reps lifted, or poses practiced. Plus, by paying attention to what kind of workouts you’re doing, you’ll know when to start changing things up, thereby avoiding the dreaded fitness plateau.

I Want to... Eat Healthier

Weight loss isn’t the only reason to change up our eating habits. Sometimes eating more healthfully simply makes us feel happier. Follow these tips to treat yourself to healthy eating in the new year.

1. Don’t deprive yourself.
No need to go cold turkey forever when it comes to your favorite treats. Aim to eat nutritious foods your body loves 80 percent of the time. Use that other 20 percent to treat yourself a bit.

2. Graze healthfully.
Tide yourself over between meals with healthier snacks. Whether your thing is sweet or savory, crunchy or chewy, there are plenty of options for snacking smart. Bonus: Not being too ravenous at the next meal might make it easier to eat slowly, notice your body’s fullness cues, and not overeat.⁴

3. Eat fresh produce all year long.
Find out which fruits and veggies are in season—even in the winter—and stock up at the store and farmers' markets. Eating fresh means eating the tastiest and most delicious produce around.

4. Indulge smarter.
Chocolate-dipped strawberries? Choco-Nut popcorn? Yes, please. Lower sugar doesn’t have to mean less deliciousness.

5. Understand emotional eating.
There is a link between how we feel and how we eat, particularly when it comes to stress.⁵ Figuring out what kind of eater you are and whether you look to food to comfort you in times of anger, boredom, stress, or sadness will help you formulate a plan for making different decisions when faced with those emotions.

6. Make holidays, birthdays, and special occasions a little healthier.
Holidays and special occasions are always a good reason to enjoy delicious food. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to celebrate without going overboard.

7. Be mindful at meal times...
Staying tuned in to what you’re eating (as opposed to the phone or TV) is a great way to eat until you’re full, but not beyond. Being relaxed and mindful can also help you heed fullness cues.

8. …But don’t overthink it.
Recent research shows that the more time we take to think about whether or not we should eat something, the more likely we are to find a reason to justify eating it.⁶ Checking in with yourself about your mood and are great habits to have, but remember to trust your gut (pun intended).

9. Start the day right.
Studies suggest that eating a healthy breakfast is linked to sustained weight loss and weight management, particularly when that breakfast is nutritious and fiber-rich and high in protein.⁷

10. Use the buddy system.
Having a partner with the same healthy-eating ambitions has been shown to help both people reach their goals.⁸ If you don’t yet know anyone with goals similar to yours, find a community online.

I Want to... Stress Less

Feeling crazy stressed, super tense, or stretched too thin? You’re not alone. A whopping 70 percent of Americans experience physical or emotional symptoms of at some point. Nip stress in the bud, or at least reduce its effects, with these tips.

1. Meditate.
Quieting the mind has been shown to relieve stress.⁹ And because it can be done so many different ways, from sitting to walking to chanting or even dancing, it’s one of the most versatile stress reduction techniques around.

2. Start LOLing.
Hearty laughter is more than fun; it’s also therapeutic. Research has shown it has positive effects on relationships, physical health, stress response, and fatigue.¹⁰

3. Move your bod.
The rush of endorphins (your brain’s “feel-good transmitters”) that comes after vigorous exercise is also known as the runner’s high. Whether it manifests as calm or a feeling of euphoria, either one offers stress relief.

4. Chill with Fido.
Now's the time to become a Corgi lover or a cat fan. Spending quality time with a pet has been shown to activate oxytocin, a hormone that lowers stress.¹¹

5. Get a massage.
Not only does a rub-down feel darn fantastic, it’s also a proven way to reduce stress.¹²

6. Listen to music.
Get grooving—music has been shown to help us chill out.¹³ Go for the classic(al) stuff; it’s been specifically shown to reduce anxiety, anger, and stress.¹⁴

7. Get in touch with your inner yogi.
Restorative yoga is all about stillness and being calm. In one study, participants with cancer who practiced it experienced positive changes, both for their mental health and their quality of life.¹⁵

8. Get creative.
Grab some supplies and start creating. In studies, art therapy (a program that involves creating art to explore feelings, reduce anxiety, improve self-esteem, and work through conflict) has been shown to reduce stress.¹⁶ If you don’t have access to an art therapy provider, consider taking on some creativity-boosting habits.

9. Take five.
Make a habit of treating yourself to five minutes of relaxation a day, even if you have to schedule it in your calendar and set a reminder. If you have a few moments to look out the window or take a quick, mindful stroll around the block, you have time to de-stress.

10. Have sex or masturbate.
Good-feeling and good for you, sex and masturbation have been shown to make people less reactive to stressful situations.¹⁷

I Want to... Booze Less

Imbibing makes us pay—in dollars and in calories—and for whatever not-so-great decisions we might make while intoxicated.¹⁸ So it’s no wonder that resolving to drink less in the new year ranks as a top priority for many people. Especially after a sodden holiday season, cutting out alcohol (or at least cutting back on it) makes sense. The tips below will help you dry out, without sacrificing fun.

1. Skip the pub crawl.
For some people who are attempting sobriety (or just trying to imbibe less) it’s helpful to avoid certain social situations, especially the ones that tend to focus on drinking, like happy hours, pub crawls, wine tastings, etc. Choose other activities such as venturing outdoors or going on an unconventional date that doesn't involve sitting at a bar. And don’t let FOMO get you down—plan alcohol-free group activities and ask friends to hang out before they hit the bar.

2. Keep a record.
Use an app to track what you’ve drunk in real time or create a simple calendar that logs the details of your drinking—what you drank, how much, when and where, plus any consequences or other details. This can teach you more about your behaviors around drinking and help you change them.

3. Focus on the benefits.
For many people, cutting down on booze means a clearer head, more energy, and weight loss, all of which can beget healthier choices. Keeping all the positives in mind will motivate you to stick with it.

4. Enjoy it in moderation.
As long as you’re not battling alcohol dependence, learn to party sensibly. Avoid the trap of depriving yourself so completely that you eventually break and end up overdoing it, by occasionally enjoying a drink or two.

5. Get enough sleep.
A study found that people who sleep less are prone to drink more.¹⁹ It’s not clear whether drinking affects the quality of sleep or lack of sleep drives people to drink, but it’s still worth getting the recommended seven to nine hours of shut-eye.

6. Get educated about alcohol.
Alcohol may be widely used, but many myths about alcohol, drinking, and hangovers persist. (“Beer before liquor, never been sicker, anyone?”) Knowing the facts about what you’re drinking (and not drinking) could empower you to make better choices.

7. Bounce back from slip-ups.
(And help yourself recover.) Try not to let a lapse in judgment or willpower torpedo your efforts. Studies show that when people slip up (by eating or drinking more than they’d planned), they fall into a kind of low self-esteem spiral—they dwell on their “failures,” their self-esteem takes a hit, and they end up making further poor choices.²⁰ If you find yourself leaving the bar a few rounds after you said you would or partying harder than you intended, try to reflect on exactly how and where you went wrong and what you can change next time. Remember, a slip-up leads to an opportunity to get it right the time!

8. Discover the wonderful world of booze-free beverages.
Learn to love coffee and tea, assorted non-nonalcoholic beverages, and mocktails. Get creative with juices, soda water, and garnishes, and you could find yourself becoming a sober barfly.

9. Make a plan and stick to it.
Scrap the ol’ “wing it and hope for the best” tactic. On lazy afternoons watching the game or wild nights at the club, one beer/pickleback/sake bomb can turn into many before you know it. Before going out, decide how much you’ll drink and stick to your limit.

10. If you’re going to booze, make the healthiest choices available.
Cocktails with less salt and sugar mean fewer calories, and the fancier the booze, the fewer the hangover-inducing additives. (Overdid it anyway? Check out the best and worst foods and drinks for hangovers.)

I Want to... Lose Weight

If an indulgent holiday season left you want to shed some pounds, you’re not alone. A 2012 survey estimated that the number of American adults who are dieting jumps from 34 million during the holidays to 50 million in the first two weeks of January. Use these tips to stay on track and meet your weight loss goals—plus check out our massive list of tricks for losing weight the healthy, science-backed way.

1. Set a realistic goal.
Think about what you can reasonably expect to be able to lose given your routine, lifestyle, upcoming trips and parties, and so on. Setting goals that are too lofty can hamper long-term weight loss.²¹

2. Pump iron.
Strength training gets you toned, buff, and it boosts metabolism, which aids in weight loss.²² Talk about a win-win!

3. Expect success and fight to stay positive.
Weight loss can be as much a mental game as a physical one. Successful weight loss is associated with positive expectations.²³ Imagine yourself meeting your goals and remind yourself of all the great reasons you’re making the effort to lose weight.

4. Sub smartly.
Almost every favorite dish can be made healthier with a substitution. Try trading avocado or unsweetened applesauce for butter and vanilla for sugar. Heck, even sugar-laden desserts can be swapped out with healthier desserts.

5. Picture yourself eating something.
Research shows that picturing yourself eating a particular food can decrease our desire to eat it.²⁴

6. Keep a diary.
Successful weight loss and food diaries are a match made in heaven—research shows that recording what and when you eat aids in losing weight. If you’re more likely to tap on your phone than scribble on a pad, move your food diary to a mobile or desktop app. Research has shown that using online tech to track progress aids weight loss efforts.

7. Burn fat.
Short, intense bouts of exercise like tabatas can help reduce body fat and provide a powerful workout in a short time.²⁵

8. Curb overeating.
Portion control makes all the difference when it comes to weight loss.²⁶ Fight portion distortion by getting a handle on what a sensible serving looks like.

9. Savor every bite.
Eating slowly gives your body a chance to feel full, making it less likely that you’ll overeat.²⁷

10. Guzzle water.
Drinking water keeps us feeling full, which means fewer calories consumed. ³⁶

I Want to... Quit Smoking

From cancer, heart disease, and stroke to blindness, blood clots, gum disease, tooth loss, and yellow skin and fingernails, the list of grim health outcomes associated with smoking is pretty long. The new year is the perfect time to quit—and the tips below will help you do it.

1. Motivate yourself to quit.
Make a list of reasons you want to stop puffing and all the awesome things that will result when you’re no longer smoking. Keep this list handy and refer to it frequently.

2. Set a quit date.
Commit to the day you plan to quit and do what you have to do to make it stick—write it down, tell loved ones, or set reminders and alerts on your phone.

3. Identify triggers.
Spend some time figuring out what triggers your cravings. For example, research suggests that merely being in places you associate with smoking can make you want to light up.²⁸ Think ahead to what those places might be for you and come up with an alternative hangout spot for each one. Then make a plan for how you’ll handle cravings. One option is to sign up for SmokefreeTXT for ’round the clock encouragement and advice. Other ideas: Practice relaxation or call a friend for support.

4. Sing it from the mountaintops.
Tell friends and family that you are going to quit so that they can support and encourage you and hold you accountable.

5. Try, try again.
Each time a smoker tries to quit, they learn something about the process that makes them more likely to succeed the next time they try. Plus, research has shown that even successful quitters have experienced temporary relapses.²⁹

6. Celebrate smokelessness.
Reward yourself for your efforts and successes. Buy yourself dinner or some other small treat to recognize your efforts. Maybe a smoke-free week calls for that book you’ve had your eye on, one month means dinner and a movie, six months without a puff calls for a massage, and so on.

7. Find power in numbers.
A smoking cessation group offers extra support from other people who are quitting, too, and increases the chances of quitting successfully by 30 percent.

8. Find something else for your mouth to do.
Chew gum, suck hard candy, crunch celery. Find something reasonably healthy you can keep on you at all times and pop it in your mouth when the urge to smoke hits.

9. Practice mindfulness meditation.
When the urge to smoke hits, try taking a step back, taking a few deep breaths, acknowledging the craving, and then letting it go. Research showed that smokers who practiced mindfulness training showed a greater rate of reduction in smoking.

10. Accept an assist.
Nicotine Replace Therapy (NRT) with patches, inhalers, and lozenges have been show to help people quit smoking.³⁰ Talk to a doctor about whether one of these is an option for you.

I Want to... Save Money

The best things in life may be free, but it’s nice to have debts paid down, a decent credit score, and some money left over for that weekend trip or occasional retail therapy. Use the tips below for useful info on how to save without giving up spending altogether.

1. Learn the money basics.
Understanding finances, from the difference between good debt and bad debt to the ins and outs of budgeting, is the first step in managing money like a boss.

2. Save creatively.
Sock money away with some minor tweaks to your daily routine, like swapping store-bought cleaning products for homemade ones, or cooking inexpensive meals with a slow cooker (which also cuts down on electricity usage!).

3. Make financial responsibility sexy.
The good news is that it’s possible to spend quality time without spending lots of cash. Make cooking together or working out with your special someone into a date!

4. Cancel memberships and subscriptions you can live without.
Haven't been to the gym in a while? Consider canceling your membership to work out at home. Or get rid of cable and resolve to watch all TV and movies by streaming them for free or at lower cost.

5. Unsubscribe!
If you’re getting all kinds of emails about sales, deals, and new inventory, remove the temptation to buy on impulse by unsubscribing from stores' email lists.

6. Gift creatively.
Holidays, birthdays, “just-because” gifts… they can add up. But it’s possible to be thoughtful and frugal at the same time. Craft something special with your own two hands or give things that are super meaningful and super affordable.

7. Save automagically.
Set up an automated recurring transaction that moves money from your checking account and deposits it into your savings account. Whether it’s $2 per week or $15 each month, you’ll be putting something away consistently.

8. Take out less, make-in more.
There are plenty of ways to eat delicious food without dropping a ton of bank. Make takeout a for-special-occasions-only thing and start making healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and sides, and dessert at home.

9. Pay yourself first.
Deposit a bit of every paycheck into a high-yield savings account. Again, whether it’s a dollar amount or a small percentage, a few dollars here and there adds up.

10. Brew your own joe.
If you’re anything like the average American, you might be spending over a grand on coffee each year. Cold brewing makes delicious coffee hot or cold, and all you need is grounds, a container, water, and time.

I Want to... Sleep More

According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. But between making time for work, family, friends, exercise, and everything else we’re trying to squeeze in, a full night’s rest is often the first thing to go. Follow a few simple tips and tricks to get more (and better!) sleep.

1. Learn all the facts.
Deepening your understanding of the importance of sleep might help strengthen your commitment to catch more Zzz’s. Start by learning how sleep is good for our health, what sleep disorders look like, and the relationship between food and sleep.

2. Make it routine.
Keeping a regular sleep schedule will train your body and mind to wind down at bedtime. Though it’s tempting to try to use weekends or less busy periods of time to bank sleep, research has shown that you can’t really make up for sleep lost over a period of days in just one or two good nights’ sleep, so remember to make your weekends as regular as weekdays.

3. Use the bed for sleep only.
Get your brain to start associating your bed with rest by not using that space for anything other than sleep or other relaxing nighttime activities.

4. Enjoy a pot of tea.
If a busy brain is keeping you up, sip chamomile tea, which has been shown to have anti-anxiety properties.

5. Skip the nightcap.
Boozing around bedtime can disrupt sleep. Increase your chances for restful sleep by imbibing earlier in the evening.³¹

6. Have sex or masturbate.
Hanky panky with someone you love (whether that means a partner or yourself) before bed can help you fall asleep. During and after sex, hormones like oxytocin that help you nod off are released.

7. Nap smart.
An afternoon nap is refreshing and rejuvenating—as long as you following napping best practices. Snoozing for 10 to 20 minutes at least three to four hours before bedtime generally won’t interfere with a good night’s sleep.³²

8. Go for a (nature) walk.
Treat yourself to a stroll among greenery. Research has linked forest walks with better sleep.

9. Exercise regularly.
A study showed that people who exercised at moderate intensity experienced relief from insomnia.

10. Kick clocks and snooze buttons to the curb.
Relying on alarm clocks and snooze buttons wreaks havoc on our body’s natural rhythms.³³ To develop better sleep habits, get a handle on your circadian rhythms and determine when your body naturally wants to fall asleep, wake up, work, and exercise—and then craft a schedule around those rhythms.

I Want to... Learn a New Skill

Taking a class in a new subject or teaching yourself a skill is more than just a way to pass time and have fun. It also keeps your mind sharp.³⁴ Whether you’re in it to learn a new language so you can move to France for work, or simply trying to keep your mental edge, these tips will help.

1. Believe that you’ll succeed.
Prepare yourself for learning by simply being confident in your abilities. Believing in one’s intelligence has been shown to lead to success in learning.

2. Prep your mind.
We can make our minds sharper with simple tricks, from getting adequate sleep to clearing clutter, doodling, even playing video games—preparing us to absorb all kinds of new information and skills.

3. Take more blink breaks.
Research has shown that blinking more helps us focus attention and process whatever we’re seeing.

4. Learn by doing.
Trying to craft, create, or build something? Start with a simple DIY project to learn the basics, and then move on to more complex projects.

5. Immerse yourself.
Under the right circumstances, adults can learn to speak new languages as well as native speakers. Research has shown that immersion learning helps adults retain what they’ve learned.

6. Focus on technique, not outcome.
Try “deliberate practice,” which means first working on the techniques required to master a given skill, then setting specific goals, and finally getting (and using) feedback from trusted sources.

7. Get better at hacking.
Not this kind. Life hacks are tips, tricks, and shortcuts that make everyday life easier, more efficient, or just plain fun. Skills in and of themselves, some life hacks even make us better at learning. Hone in on one area of life you wish you had more mastery of—laundry, etiquette, personal finance—and choose two or three hacks to learn and integrate into your routine.

8. Ace any test.
If you’re taking a class in the new year, good study habits go a long way. Many of them are as simple as taking written notes, reading aloud, and training your memory.³⁵

9. Commit to 100 days of practice.
With the app 100, users accept a challenge to practice getting better at something for 100 days and share a ten-second video of their progress as they go. People are using the app to learn gymnastics, ukulele, juggling, and more. Although there are no promises about how proficient you’ll be after 100 days, the app and community could provide built-in motivation to practice and learn from others.

10. Learn for the sake of learning.
Even if there isn’t a specific skill you absolutely need to have, learning for its own sake is fun and keeps the mind sharp.³⁴ From survival skills (hey, you never know, right?), to getting better at Excel, to performing first aid, there are tons of skills that could come in handy, or could just be really cool to know and show off.

I Want to... Go Green

Resolving to take better care of our environment isn’t only great for Mother Earth. It benefits us too, by making the places we live, work, and play healthier and safer. Check out some tips below for simple, easy ways to be more eco-friendly.

1. Clean greener.
By making your own cleaning products, you’re saving a few bucks while doing your part to save the planet. These solutions get the job done minus the toxic chemicals that can leech into our waterways, which is healthy for you and the environment.

2. Treat the planet well while traveling it.
From the way we pack to our mode of transportation to where we stay, there are many ways to leave a smaller footprint when we travel. Many of them are as simple as turning down the thermostat, unplugging appliances, and suspending newspaper delivery while we’re away.

3. Carry a reusable water bottle.
Pick up a BPA-free bottle for your water and you won’t have to buy (and waste) disposable bottles anymore. Bonus: One dollar from every purchase of this useful, reusable bottle provides clean drinking water for people in need.

4. Eat fewer animal products.
The environmental resources that go into animal agriculture are considerable—around 2,000 gallons of water go into raising a single pound of beef, for example. Ease into vegetarian dining slowly by starting with Meatless Mondays.

5. Ditch paper coffee cups.
Over 14 billion paper cups are used each year to serve coffee. Invest in an awesome travel mug that will keep your brew piping hot without adding to that massive paper cup pile. Bonus: Most coffee shops offer a few cents off your order for bringing your own mug.

6. Make your effort social.
Join others trying to make a difference for the planet by accepting a challenge on carbonrally.com. You can commit to turning off the lights every day for a week, eliminating drafts in your home, giving up meat for two days, and lots more. Compete, socialize, and rally others to join.

7. Let there be (more efficient) light.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use between 60 and 80 percent less energy than regular incandescent bulbs. This is an easy, quick way to make each room in your house more energy efficient.

8. Learn to love towels.
Paper makes up one third of municipal landfill waste, so now is a great time to cut down on our paper towel use. Luckily, there are far greener ways to wipe and dry in the kitchen, like cloth towels made from recycled materials and/or organic cotton.

9. Bag plastic bags.
Start packing groceries and other items in reusable bags that can be easily to carried around for whenever you might need to grab groceries, pack a snack, or run errands.

10. Close the (fridge) door.
It turns out that knowing what you’re reaching for before you open the refrigerator door can help you can save a significant amount of energy. Plus, when the fridge is running efficiently, it keeps food fresher, reducing opportunities for food waste.

Originally published December 2014. Updated December 2015.

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