Lose a few pounds. Find a new job. Get promoted. Travel. Save more money. No matter what age you are, chances are that at some point you've made a New Year's resolution. Whether you kept it or not is a different story entirely. But new information from a study by psychologists at the University of Hertfordshire reveal that whether you actually stick to them may come down to your gender.

According to a story on Fox21 News about the study, men were more likely to keep resolutions if they were broken down into more manageable goals. For example, instead of "I want to win the Boston Marathon", men need more "I want to run for half an hour three times a week", at least at the start. With more realistic goals in place, the study admits, men are much more likely to meet their resolutions. And what about women? Apparently the way to a successful resolution is with a strong social support system.

So while men might still be taking the strong, silent approach to resolutions, they should probably conquer the Bunny Hill before the Black Diamond.

Labels: gender, get fit, get promoted, lose weight, make money, men's health, new year's resolutions, new years resolutions, travel, women

If you've ever browsed the health aisle of a bookstore, you have a pretty good idea of the huge amount of information available covering almost every facet of health, eating and nutrition. More and more of these books are published everyday, pushing new ideas about nutrition to the forefront, and causing yesterday's advice to fade into the background.

With all this "nutritional help" available, why are men still dealing with a growing weight problem?

Gary Taubes proposes to shed a different light on the answer in his new book, Good Calories, Bad Calories. Although the book has caused plenty of eyebrows to lift by heaping even more blame on carbs for increased weight problems and revealing that the "obesity" crisis actually comes down to a small increase of body mass index, Taubes's main point seems to be that our ideas of nutrition and weight gain are based on scientific information that has not been thoroughly tested or proven, and has simply been accepted by us as "fact."

Taubes is getting plenty of heat for his strong views (some say he tends to omit contradictory health studies of the past), and he's gained plenty of attention for this new approach to nutrition (he's been featured in Men's Journal, ABC News, and the New York Times last month alone).

But what do you think about Taubes's concept? Is there anything wrong with re-thinking the facts of nutrition? Or is it just another book to add to the growing mountain of literature offering yet another "health fix" for the average man?

Labels: body, carbohydrates, diet, dieting, exercise, fat, fitness, get fit, health, heart health, men's health, men's nutrition, men's weight loss, weight gain, weight loss

Staying fit and losing some pounds can be a daunting task for men. Because of this, MenScience has prepared a set of no-nonsense tips that will have you looking good and feeling great.

1. Try eating several small meals throughout the day. This controls appetite and keeps your metabolism going.

2. Don't starve and then binge. Skipping meals could end up promoting more fat storage and lowering your metabolism due to fluctuating insulin and blood sugar levels.

3. Set regular mealtimes and stick with them. Once your body comes to expect a meal at the same time everyday, it's easier to avoid sudden cravings and snack attacks.

4. When hunger strikes, make sure you've got some healthy snack options available to you (this is a great way to get in your 5-9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables).

5. Protein is more filling than simple carbohydrates and has fewer calories, so be sure to include fish, lean beef and pork, white-meat poultry, eggs, nuts and beans in your diet.

6. Reduce serving sizes and eat a wider variety of food. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods...just consume them in moderation.

7. Avoid drinks that contain calories and stick to water instead. Many men don't realize that beverages are often loaded with empty calories and don't accommodate for them with their meals.

8. One simple way to avoid packing on calories is to use more spices in your food and less condiments like mayonnaise, butter and sour cream.

9. Eat slowly so your body gets a chance to register the food and you won't end up eating more than you should. Eat until you feel satisfied; not stuffed.

Check out more tips on weight management in the Tips & Advice section on www.menscience.com.

Labels: calories, diet, exercise, fitness, get fit, men's health, men's nutrition, weight loss