We're just two months into the New Year, and some of us have already disappointed ourselves.
Resolutions to quit smoking or pick up yoga have quickly fallen by the wayside, and old habits live on. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. And there's always next year.
But if your 2009 resolution involved weight loss or eating healthier, maybe you shouldn't wait until next year to begin changing your ways.
As hard as it is to believe, there is now a greater percentage of obese people in America than those who are healthy or simply overweight.
With hopes of finding a cure to this growing problem, a recent study conducted by Harvard University examined the effects of four diets on 811 overweight Americans.
Researchers found that the best way to lose weight and maintain optimal health was to consistently consume fewer calories. Low-carb and low-fat diets worked well, but none of it mattered if the individual didn't cut calories.
These findings highlight a lifestyle choice that some people have already mastered. And they aren't Americans. They're Japanese.
Okinawa, Japan is known for being one of the healthiest places in the world. Okinawans earned this title largely because of their extremely low rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
They also boast the highest percentage of people on earth who live to be over 100. Scientists attribute part of that accomplishment to Okinawans' firm belief in only eating until they are 80 percent full.
At first, this may sound absurd. We live in middle-class America. We have food within reach at all times and a fruit snack named after every cartoon that ever existed.
We could probably consume an entire day's worth of calories in a Starbucks Frappuccino and cookie if we felt so inclined. But if we're active and maintain a relatively healthy weight, many people wonder why we should stop eating before we're completely satisfied.
As it turns out, the benefits of doing so are innumerable. First of all, caloric restriction increases energy levels and mental acuteness.
It has also been proven to lead to a healthier, more elastic heart -- a heart that has the ability to relax between beats in a way that resembles a much younger heart. When coupled with good nutrition, researchers believe calorie control can play a significant role in lessening age-related decline in heart function.
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