New truths about exercise and food

From The First 20 Minutes: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds.

If you're hungry, you need to eat. Food happens to be very good for that...That practical wisdom will not, of course, prevent the continued rise of gimcrack dietary fads.

Antioxidant supplements "prevent the induction of molecular regulators of insulin sensitivity and endogenous antioxidant defense by physical exercise," the German scientists concluded. Or, more bluntly, the vitamins undercut the exercise's benefits.

"The human body, [Li Li Ji, Ph.D., a professor of exercise physiology and nutritional science at the University of Wisconsin] says, is quite a smart machine.

Ask Yourself: Am I an Athlete? Be honest. If you're not working out more hour a day or at an achingly strenuous intensity, then, really, you're not.

If you're thirsty, drink. If you're not, you are probably sufficiently hydrated.

In general, in fact, exercise seems to be one of the few reliable means of avoiding stacking on pounds. If it doesn't aid much in weight loss, it is helpful in weight control.