Why We Get Food Cravings

There is some controversy about exactly why we get cravings. Some experts suggest that the nagging pangs are physiological. Our bodies crave certain nutrients when we want the result that the food might bring.

For example, a candy bar provides a sugar rush. Or we might crave comfort foods as a way to increase feelings of comfort. 

There are also hormones involved in hunger and cravings.  Scientists know that leptin, gherkin and other hormones in your body can change the way we experience hunger.  Researchers are trying to understand how and if they can change hormones to help dieters deal with cravings and hunger.

But other experts say cravings are simply a function of habit .  For example, we might snack on food when we are bored or when we are looking for a way to avoid work that we have to do.

It's possible that food cravings are caused by a combination of both physiological and situational factors.

5 Ways to Deal With Food Cravings

Knowing the cause of your cravings may help you calm the urge to eat when you'r on a diet.  But there are other ways to manage food cravings to lose weight.

• Don't go on a very low-calorie diet.  If your diet it too low in calories, you're likely to have food cravings that are too hard to manage.  When you following a very strict plan, it feels like you are being deprived. In some people, this leads to binge eating or giving up. Instead, follow a healthy low calorie meal plan that allows for some occasional treats. By making better choices and having occasional treats, your cravings are likely to decrease.
  
• 
  
• Cheat (a little).  You can't eat carrots to satisfy a craving for carrot cake. Sometimes, when you're really craving something, you just need to eat it. But you can do so in a way that keeps your diet on track. Save up some calories in your weekly calorie budget and have a small treat as a reward. By eating just a little bit of the food you're really pining for, you'll deal with the food craving head-on and potentially prevent overeating.

• Distract yourself.  There are some days when it seems like the food you're craving is everywhere. Perhaps a coworker brings donuts to the office or maybe you pass your favorite fast food restaurant on the way to the gym. It can be hard to manage food obsession when you're faced with your favorite foods every day.
  You can't avoid the food completely, but you can create a diversion so you don't notice it as much. If donuts are in the office breakroom, then eat a healthy lunch at your desk or park nearby  and avoid the breakroom altogether. If you pass your favorite junk food joint on the way to the gym, find another route that causes less stress.
• Learn to identify emotions.  Cravings aren't always the result of emotions, but for some of us, there's no denying the connection. If you eat in response to your feelings, you need to manage your feelings first and then tackle the food cravings. Why? Because snacking on your favorite treat won't heal emotional pain. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you experience these issues. Weight loss can wait, but your emotional well-being must be a priority.
• Wait it out.  Believe it or not, sometimes the best way to deal with food cravings is to grit your teeth and wait it out. If you simply ignore it and move on, it may disappear. If you can convince yourself it's mind over matter, you may find cravings aren't such a formidable opponent after all!

Health Benefits of Job's Tears

Health Benefits of Job’s Tears

Job’s Tears, also referred to as adlay and coix, is a member of the grass family and also well-known in Asian cultures like a food source as well as for making jewellery. However the plant has additionally been utilized for hundreds of years in folk medicine to deal with a large number of circumstances from arthritis to smallpox. Research investigating Job’s Tears has not been carried out much outside China and Korea, but results from those studies are discovering properties within the plant that could have potent health benefits.

1. Allergies

Among the traditional uses of Job’s Tears is usually to deal with allergies, which includes topical formulations of plant extracts for the allergic skin ailment known as contact dermatitis. Research published within the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” in June 2003 discovered that extracts from the plant also suppressed allergy symptoms in laboratory mice and increased their immune systems.

2. Lower Cholesterol

Diabetic mice were fed the seeds from Job’s Tears plants plus a high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks in the research published within the “International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research” in September 2006. In comparison to a control group, the seed-eating mice had considerably decreased amounts of total cholesterol and harmful low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol.

3. Cancer Prevention and Treatment

A number of research teams in China have analyzed the effects of Job’s Tears on cancers of the colon, pancreas, lung, liver, breast as well as leukemia, along with promising results. One research, published within the “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” in September 2008, found extracts of Job’s Tears considerably inhibited fatty acid synthase activity within the liver. This is very important simply because human cancer cells consist of higher levels of fatty-acid synthase, an element associated with intense tumor cell growth.

4. Endocrine Disorders

Job’s Tears extracts are utilized to deal with endocrine disorders because of the plant’s capability to reduce hormones just like progesterone and testosterone. In the December 2000 issue of the “Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,” painful menstrual symptoms were decreased 90 %, that was a far greater result compared to a control group cured with prescription drugs.

5. Gastrointestinal Benefits

Job’s Tears might also have protective benefits for the gastrointestinal system. A June 2011 study within the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” discovered that Job’s Tears seeds inhibited gastric cancer cells in vitro and were also capable to reduce stomach ulcers in mice.

6. Osteoporosis

A survey published in 2008 in the “Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition” discovered that Job’s Tears seeds improved levels of numerous osteoporosis biomarkers in the blood of the mice when compared with a control group. The scientists figured that the extracts might be able to reversing osteoporosis in rats and may additionally be a beneficial healthy food for osteoporosis avoidance.

7. Weight Loss

Overweight mice were injected along with extracts from Job’s Tears for 4 weeks in research published in 2004 in the journal “Life Sciences.” In comparison to a control group, the mice fed the extracts had decreased body weights, food consumption, fat size, adipose fat tissue mass and cholesterol level and triglycerides.

Supplements

When you reach for that bottle of vitamin C or fish oil pills, you might wonder how well they’ll work and if they’re safe. The first thing to ask yourself is whether you need them in the first place.

More than half of all Americans take one or more dietary supplements daily or on occasion. Supplements are available without a prescription and usually come in pill, powder or liquid form. Common supplements include vitamins, minerals and herbal products, also known as botanicals.

People take these supplements to make sure they get enough essential nutrients and to maintain or improve their health. But not everyone needs to take supplements. 

“It’s possible to get all of the nutrients you need by eating a variety of healthy foods, so you don’t have to take one,” says Carol Haggans, a registered dietitian and consultant to NIH. “But supplements can be useful for filling in gaps in your diet.”  

Some supplements may have side effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other medicines. Supplements can also cause problems if you have certain health conditions. And the effects of many supplements haven’t been tested in children, pregnant women and other groups. So talk with your health care provider if you’re thinking about taking dietary supplements. 

“You should discuss with your doctor what supplements you’re taking so your care can be integrated and managed,” advises Dr. Craig Hopp, an expert in botanicals research at NIH. 

Dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as foods, not as drugs. The label may claim certain health benefits. But unlike medicines, supplements can’t claim to cure, treat or prevent a disease.

“There’s little evidence that any supplement can reverse the course of any chronic disease,” says Hopp. “Don’t take supplements with that expectation.”

Evidence does suggest that some supplements can enhance health in different ways. The most popular nutrient supplements are multivitamins, calcium and vitamins B, C and D. Calcium supports bone health, and vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants—molecules that prevent cell damage and help to maintain health.

Women need iron during pregnancy, and breastfed infants need vitamin D. Folic acid—400 micrograms daily, whether from supplements or fortified food—is important for all women of childbearing age. 

Vitamin B12 keeps nerve and blood cells healthy. “Vitamin B12 mostly comes from meat, fish and dairy foods, so vegans may consider taking a supplement to be sure to get enough of it,” Haggans says.

Research suggests that fish oil can promote heart health. Of the supplements not derived from vitamins and minerals, Hopp says, “fish oil probably has the most scientific evidence to support its use.”

The health effects of some other common supplements need more study. These include glucosamine (for joint pain) and herbal supplements such as echinacea (immune health) and flaxseed oil (digestion). 

Many supplements have mild effects with few risks. But use caution. Vitamin K, for example, will reduce the ability of blood thinners to work. Ginkgo can increase blood thinning. The herb St. John’s wort is sometimes used to ease depression, anxiety or nerve pain, but it can also speed the breakdown of many drugs—such as antidepressants and birth control pills—and make them less effective. 

Just because a supplement is promoted as “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe. The herbs comfrey and kava, for example, can seriously damage the liver.

“It’s important to know the chemical makeup, how it’s prepared, and how it works in the body—especially for herbs, but also for nutrients,” says Haggans. “Talk to a health care provider for advice on whether you need a supplement in the first place, the dose and possible interactions with medicine you’re already taking.” 

For vitamins and minerals, check the % Daily Value (DV) for each nutrient to make sure you’re not getting too much. “It’s important to consider the DV and upper limit,” says Haggans. Too much of certain supplements can be harmful. 

Scientists still have much to learn even about common vitamins. One recent study found unexpected evidence about vitamin E. Earlier research suggested that men who took vitamin E supplements might have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. “But much to our surprise, a large NIH-funded clinical trial of more than 29,000 men found that taking supplements of vitamin E actually raised—not reduced—their risk of this disease,” says Dr. Paul M. Coates, director of NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements. That’s why it’s important to conduct clinical studies of supplements to confirm their effects.

Because supplements are regulated as foods, not as drugs, the FDA doesn’t evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body. If a product is found to be unsafe after it reaches the market, the FDA can restrict or ban its use.

Manufacturers are also responsible for the product’s purity, and they must accurately list ingredients and their amounts. But there’s no regulatory agency that makes sure that labels match what’s in the bottles. You risk getting less, or sometimes more, of the listed ingredients. All of the ingredients may not even be listed.

A few independent organizations conduct quality tests of supplements and offer seals of approval. This doesn’t guarantee the product works or is safe; it just assures the product was properly made and contains the listed ingredients.

“Products sold nationally in the stores and online where you usually shop should be fine,” Coates says. “According to the FDA, supplement products most likely to be contaminated with pharmaceutical ingredients are herbal remedies promoted for weight loss and for sexual or athletic performance enhancement.” 

To make it easy to find reliable information, NIH has fact sheets on dietary supplements at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/.  NIH also recently launched an online Dietary Supplement Label Database at www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov. This free database lets you look up the ingredients of thousands of dietary supplements. It includes information from the label on dosage, health claims and cautions. 

For more personalized, on-the-go information about dietary supplements, check out NIH’s free updated app for your smart phone or tablet: My Dietary Supplements (MyDS). You can access it at http://myds.nih.gov. 

The MyDS app provides the latest supplement information and lets you keep track of the vitamins, minerals, herbs and other products you take. You can even keep track of supplements taken by your parents, spouse or children.

“Deciding whether to take dietary supplements and which ones to take is a serious matter,” says Coates. “Learn about their potential benefits and any risks they may pose first. Speak to your health care providers about products of interest and decide together what might be best for you to take, if anything, for your overall health.” 

Strategies To Achieve Your Fitness Goals

1. Write It and Measure It
Fitness goals should be both specific and measurable. In fact, a recent study found that setting broad, vague, goals can make people depressed.  Writing down your goals is not only a great way to accomplish them, but your list can also help you figure out the exact steps needed to get there.
"I want to lose weight" is a pretty common goal, but how exactly do you go from point A to point B? Instead, try setting a more specific goal. For instance: "I want to lose 10 pounds over the next six weeks by eliminating fast food meals and going to the gym three to four times per week. I'll then maintain my goal weight for six months before setting any other new goals." Breaking down the goal’s components (with numeric benchmarks), and keeping a regular checklist will help solidify the task and keep you on track. Make your resolutions follow the
SMART model:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Results-focused
Time-bound.
2. Make Goals Manageable
A fitness goal shouldn’t be a fantasy. If you’ve never lifted weights before, attempting to hit the weight bench seven days per week is probably setting yourself up for disappointment. For most people, upending a lifetime of habits can’t happen overnight. The reason is partly physiological; the brain just likes comfortable old habits over new, different ones.  The key to sustainable goals is to make small changes gradually. So if your goal is to go from never running to finishing a half-marathon, start training gradually. Begin by walking a few miles twice a week, and steadily increase the workload to jogging, and then running over several months.
3. Break Up the Goal
Resolving to do 10,000 push-ups in a year is pretty intimidating. But 192 push-ups every week… OK, that’s still pretty scary. But breaking it down to 28 per day looks a lot more manageable, right? A goal that’s either far in the future or far out of your comfort zone can be tough to start, so break the resolution down into achievable steps.  Better yet, give yourself several small goals throughout the year. For instance, instead of aiming to add 80 pounds to your bench press in a year, aim to add just over six pounds per month. Easier, right?
4. Treat Yo'Self!
When you hit those hard-earned benchmarks—one perfect pull-up, holding a headstand, the first week you managed to run 30 minutes a day—treat yo'self!
Choose a reward that won’t undo your hard work: a weekend getaway, a beach day, a mani-pedi, a massage (they're good for you), some new fitness swag, or a movie date. Regular treats divided by goal (or really, divided by anything) can help you reach those milestones faster than you previously thought possible.
5. Question Your Motives
A steady gym habit can result in six-pack abs, but superficial goals may lose their appeal after endless weeks of diet and exercise. Instead, try framing fitness as a direct path to health and happiness. Regular exercise has unexpected benefits including lowering cholesterol, boosting overall energy, and even increasing happiness. Bringing some deeper intentions to your workout can make all the difference in sticking to your goals.  Before hitting the gym, ask yourself some introspective questions: Why did you make this goal? What do you want to achieve? Developing answers that elicit a powerful emotional response can help motivate your goals.
6. Ask for Help
Not knowing how to do a certain exercise is no excuse to write it off completely. If you’re curious about new techniques, or find some exercises that are too intimidating (looking at you, deadlifts!) book a session with a personal trainer to clear up confusion, help prevent injury, and learn to love new moves. Trainers and instructors are there to help, so don’t be self-conscious about asking for advice.  Another idea: If you already have a class you love, don't be afraid to stick around for a few minutes and ask the instructor about some of the moves you did.
7. Keep a Schedule
Time management is important for accomplishing any goal, and fitness is no exception. Early morning exercise is a great way to fit a workout into a busy day, and it may encourage healthier eating and more movement throughout the day.
But if waking up early is your idea of cruel and unusual torture, then sweating at 6 a.m. is probably not a sustainable system. Make your fitness routine work for you: Pick a time of day when you have energy, schedule a workout, rinse, and repeat.
8. Keep It Interesting
If your resolution is to exercise consistently three or four times per week, it’s time to think beyond the treadmill and the weight rack. Even for experienced gym rats, sticking to one or two types of exercise can get a little mind-numbing. Experiment with yoga, rock climbing, martial arts, team sports, kettlebells, and everything between. The more variety in your exercise program, the more fun it will be to follow, and the more likely you’ll find something you absolutely love.  The best way to test-drive a new form of exercise is to take a group class or book a session with a personal trainer—think of the extra cost as an investment in your health.
9. Hold Yourself Accountable
Stay on track by putting your money where your mouth is: Pay in advance for an exercise program that demands attendance. If working out with a trainer or group class isn’t your style, pencil in regular gym dates with friends or your partner to stay accountable. Knowing that someone’s waiting for you at the gym can prevent skipping workouts (or sleeping through them), and it’s a lot more fun than going it alone. Plus, according to some studies, sweating with a buddy improves results.
10. Choose the Right Tech
There are scores of gadgets and apps that can help motivate would be gym-goers, but the most useful might be those that connect the user with a community of health-oriented peers. After all, it’s easier to stay on the right path with a supportive community, Fitness With A View, cheering you on. MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, and Noom  are great places to start tracking progress and setting new goals, and the apps are well known for their online communities.
Looking for a simpler approach? Try Commit, a super simple app that asks the user, every day, if they’ve achieved a goal they've set. The app features a progress bar that tracks how many days you’ve committed to your goal in a row.
11. Think Outside the Box
Exercise doesn’t have to be a formal activity. If your goal is to simply be more active and burn more calories every day, there are plenty of creative (and free) ways to achieve that goal. You can fit extra movement into the day by walking during phone conversations or even volunteering for household chores. Even something as simple as drinking water throughout the day will ensure regular trips to the faucet and the bathroom.  Pick up a pedometer, grab an activity tracker, or download an app to keep track of how many steps you take, then try to beat your own record. Every minute you’re not sitting or lying down is a step toward better overall fitness.
12. Reevaluate Goals Often
How many people resolve to finish a marathon, only to realize they kind of hate distance running? Or decide to take up yoga and realize they want something faster-paced? A lot of things seem fun from a distance, but might not be a good fit in reality. If this happens to you, it’s time to switch gears and pick a different goal.
13. Buy Some Cool Gear
If you’re serious about fitness, consider investing in a pair of kickass walking shoes, a few tech-fabric shirts, some rock climbing gloves, a swimsuit, a cool yoga mat… whatever will get you excited about exercise. Something as simple as new workout clothes can improve confidence and help you get to the gym. After all, nobody wants to spend 50 dollars on a shirt that never gets worn, right?

14. Don't Be Afraid to Scale Back
You don’t need to be doubled over in pain, sweating out of your eyeballs, or dry heaving into the trash to have a " “good” workout. Some people love intense workouts, but for others, ramping up the pain just means they’ll dread exercising—and nothing derails a fitness goal like learning to hate exercise. A challenging workout should push you a bit outside your comfort zone, but there’s no need to catapult yourself a thousand miles from it.
15. Be Forgiving
Even the best-laid goals can lose steam by spring. Once the excitement of a new regimen has worn off—or your results plateau—it’s easy to justify taking a few days (or weeks) off. For some people, going on lengthy breaks can easily lead to an "Ah, screw it!" mentality and a cancelled gym membership.
But slip-ups are completely fine (even expected), and there’s not a single person on Earth who hasn’t stumbled in their path to success. If taking time off means slightly tweaking your goal, then so be it—but don’t give up.

Strategies To Achieve Your Fitness Goals

1. Write It and Measure It

Fitness goals should be both specific and measurable. In fact, a recent study found that setting broad, vague, goals can make people depressed.  Writing down your goals is not only a great way to accomplish them, but your list can also help you figure out the exact steps needed to get there.

"I want to lose weight" is a pretty common goal, but how exactly do you go from point A to point B? Instead, try setting a more specific goal. For instance: "I want to lose 10 pounds over the next six weeks by eliminating fast food meals and going to the gym three to four times per week. I'll then maintain my goal weight for six months before setting any other new goals." Breaking down the goal’s components (with numeric benchmarks), and keeping a regular checklist will help solidify the task and keep you on track. Make your resolutions follow the

SMART model:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Results-focused

Time-bound.

2. Make Goals Manageable

A fitness goal shouldn’t be a fantasy. If you’ve never lifted weights before, attempting to hit the weight bench seven days per week is probably setting yourself up for disappointment. For most people, upending a lifetime of habits can’t happen overnight. The reason is partly physiological; the brain just likes comfortable old habits over new, different ones.  The key to sustainable goals is to make small changes gradually. So if your goal is to go from never running to finishing a half-marathon, start training gradually. Begin by walking a few miles twice a week, and steadily increase the workload to jogging, and then running over several months.

3. Break Up the Goal

Resolving to do 10,000 push-ups in a year is pretty intimidating. But 192 push-ups every week… OK, that’s still pretty scary. But breaking it down to 28 per day looks a lot more manageable, right? A goal that’s either far in the future or far out of your comfort zone can be tough to start, so break the resolution down into achievable steps.  Better yet, give yourself several small goals throughout the year. For instance, instead of aiming to add 80 pounds to your bench press in a year, aim to add just over six pounds per month. Easier, right?

4. Treat Yo'Self!

When you hit those hard-earned benchmarks—one perfect pull-up, holding a headstand, the first week you managed to run 30 minutes a day—treat yo'self!

Choose a reward that won’t undo your hard work: a weekend getaway, a beach day, a mani-pedi, a massage (they're good for you), some new fitness swag, or a movie date. Regular treats divided by goal (or really, divided by anything) can help you reach those milestones faster than you previously thought possible.

5. Question Your Motives

A steady gym habit can result in six-pack abs, but superficial goals may lose their appeal after endless weeks of diet and exercise. Instead, try framing fitness as a direct path to health and happiness. Regular exercise has unexpected benefits including lowering cholesterol, boosting overall energy, and even increasing happiness. Bringing some deeper intentions to your workout can make all the difference in sticking to your goals.  Before hitting the gym, ask yourself some introspective questions: Why did you make this goal? What do you want to achieve? Developing answers that elicit a powerful emotional response can help motivate your goals.

6. Ask for Help

Not knowing how to do a certain exercise is no excuse to write it off completely. If you’re curious about new techniques, or find some exercises that are too intimidating (looking at you, deadlifts!) book a session with a personal trainer to clear up confusion, help prevent injury, and learn to love new moves. Trainers and instructors are there to help, so don’t be self-conscious about asking for advice.  Another idea: If you already have a class you love, don't be afraid to stick around for a few minutes and ask the instructor about some of the moves you did.

7. Keep a Schedule

Time management is important for accomplishing any goal, and fitness is no exception. Early morning exercise is a great way to fit a workout into a busy day, and it may encourage healthier eating and more movement throughout the day.

But if waking up early is your idea of cruel and unusual torture, then sweating at 6 a.m. is probably not a sustainable system. Make your fitness routine work for you: Pick a time of day when you have energy, schedule a workout, rinse, and repeat.

8. Keep It Interesting

If your resolution is to exercise consistently three or four times per week, it’s time to think beyond the treadmill and the weight rack. Even for experienced gym rats, sticking to one or two types of exercise can get a little mind-numbing. Experiment with yoga, rock climbing, martial arts, team sports, kettlebells, and everything between. The more variety in your exercise program, the more fun it will be to follow, and the more likely you’ll find something you absolutely love.  The best way to test-drive a new form of exercise is to take a group class or book a session with a personal trainer—think of the extra cost as an investment in your health.

9. Hold Yourself Accountable

Stay on track by putting your money where your mouth is: Pay in advance for an exercise program that demands attendance. If working out with a trainer or group class isn’t your style, pencil in regular gym dates with friends or your partner to stay accountable. Knowing that someone’s waiting for you at the gym can prevent skipping workouts (or sleeping through them), and it’s a lot more fun than going it alone. Plus, according to some studies, sweating with a buddy improves results.

10. Choose the Right Tech

There are scores of gadgets and apps that can help motivate would be gym-goers, but the most useful might be those that connect the user with a community of health-oriented peers. After all, it’s easier to stay on the right path with a supportive community, Fitness With A View, cheering you on. MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, and Noom  are great places to start tracking progress and setting new goals, and the apps are well known for their online communities.

Looking for a simpler approach? Try Commit, a super simple app that asks the user, every day, if they’ve achieved a goal they've set. The app features a progress bar that tracks how many days you’ve committed to your goal in a row.

11. Think Outside the Box

Exercise doesn’t have to be a formal activity. If your goal is to simply be more active and burn more calories every day, there are plenty of creative (and free) ways to achieve that goal. You can fit extra movement into the day by walking during phone conversations or even volunteering for household chores. Even something as simple as drinking water throughout the day will ensure regular trips to the faucet and the bathroom.  Pick up a pedometer, grab an activity tracker, or download an app to keep track of how many steps you take, then try to beat your own record. Every minute you’re not sitting or lying down is a step toward better overall fitness.

12. Reevaluate Goals Often

How many people resolve to finish a marathon, only to realize they kind of hate distance running? Or decide to take up yoga and realize they want something faster-paced? A lot of things seem fun from a distance, but might not be a good fit in reality. If this happens to you, it’s time to switch gears and pick a different goal.

13. Buy Some Cool Gear

If you’re serious about fitness, consider investing in a pair of kickass walking shoes, a few tech-fabric shirts, some rock climbing gloves, a swimsuit, a cool yoga mat… whatever will get you excited about exercise. Something as simple as new workout clothes can improve confidence and help you get to the gym. After all, nobody wants to spend 50 dollars on a shirt that never gets worn, right?

14. Don't Be Afraid to Scale Back

You don’t need to be doubled over in pain, sweating out of your eyeballs, or dry heaving into the trash to have a " “good” workout. Some people love intense workouts, but for others, ramping up the pain just means they’ll dread exercising—and nothing derails a fitness goal like learning to hate exercise. A challenging workout should push you a bit outside your comfort zone, but there’s no need to catapult yourself a thousand miles from it.

15. Be Forgiving

Even the best-laid goals can lose steam by spring. Once the excitement of a new regimen has worn off—or your results plateau—it’s easy to justify taking a few days (or weeks) off. For some people, going on lengthy breaks can easily lead to an "Ah, screw it!" mentality and a cancelled gym membership.

But slip-ups are completely fine (even expected), and there’s not a single person on Earth who hasn’t stumbled in their path to success. If taking time off means slightly tweaking your goal, then so be it—but don’t give up.