Is Loose Skin after Weight Loss a Myth?

Is loose skin after weight loss a myth? According to Mark Sisson, most "loose skin" is actually stubborn fat..

... Before getting into potential methods of treating and/or preventing excess skin after weight loss, let's explore the phenomenon itself. What exactly is loose, or excess skin?

Most cases of loose skin are actually just cases of excess subcutaneous body fat covered by skin. And because subcutaneous fat is "soft" fat, it is looser and easier to confuse with skin. It droops and jiggles and the skin that surrounds it conforms to its shape. That's not to suggest that legitimately loose skin isn't a real problem, because it is. But I would wager that many if not most cases of loose skin can be explained by overly stubborn deposits of subcutaneous fat. Read more

Don't Blame Your Metabolism If You Can't Lose Weight

Can't lose weight? Don't blame your metabolism. It's easy to say it's your body's fault you're chubby, but, it's a big fat lie, says Dr. Susan Roberts.

For those who struggle to lose weight, it has always made sense to blame a slow metabolism.

In my work as a diet doctor and nutritionist, I hear this excuse all the time to explain away everything from middle-age spread to the fact that their best friend eats twice as much, but stays effortlessly slim.

It's not that they are overeating, they insist, it's because their body doesn't burn up calories as efficiently.

But what is the real truth about the link between your metabolic rate - that is, the amount of energy used up by your body just to keep your heart beating, your blood pumping and so on - and weight gain?

Does a slow metabolism automatically mean you will end up overweight? To find out, I have tackled seven of the most common myths about metabolism. Read more

7 Diet Myths Exposed

Find which diet tips are bogus and which are for real. Women's Health exposes seven diet myths and replaces them with diet tips that a normal person can actually use.

Most of the time, nutritionists and dietitians are full of brilliant ideas that help you eat healthier, stay slimmer, and live longer. But every once in a while, food gurus forget that the rest of us have limited time, funds, and willpower. That's when they spit out wonky bits of wisdom like "Ask your waiter to wrap half your entrée before you start eating." Yeah, he'd be happy to--right after he sticks his thumb in your salade Niçoise. We collected seven of the hardest-to-swallow expert suggestions and replaced them with equally healthy tips that a normal person can actually use. Because unless your name is Jessica Seinfeld, you're not going to spend every second fretting about what goes on your plate. Read more