Is stress making some women overweight? According to a recent study it could be. As if the fact that some foods make you put on weight isn't bad enough, now a new study suggests that stress can potentially exacerbate the effect of high-fat foods on women's bodies by slowing down metabolism and, as a result, speeding up weight-gain.

An exercise plan can be a healthy part of a recovery plan; however as prevention is better than cure, there is a lot to be said for adopting a fitness strategy that can help guard against certain ailments and certainly minimize the risk of injuries. Along with exercise to energize for recovery, you might want to consider the protective power of exercise too!

Exercise is good for the health.

Think about it, behind every successful athlete there is a solid team of supporters who rally around her when needed. While it is the sheer determination and commitment each of us shows in achieving our goals that counts, those around us can be a great help.

Whether you want to keep track of your fitness, lose weight or follow a more nutritional diet, you can support your journey to a healthier you with the latest in personal technology. Health and fitness apps have come a long way and can be a great add-on to training with real life coaches and being part of an exercise community.

Hormones have a lot to answer for! Busy passing messages on around the body, it's important that they work well together in a balanced and organized way. If one hormone steps out of line then all types of physical and mental chaos can ensue, such as issues with weight, mood, and libido, to name but a few, not to mention growth and development.

In 'Getting ripped!' we looked at what abs are and also the benefits of working on your six-pack. It's not about vanity - although let's face it rippling abs look pretty good - but also about the body benefits strong abdominals bring, such as better breathing, flexibility, greater range of motion and movement, not to mention stability and core strength.

Fitness and exercise is part of the everyday lifestyle of so many people. However, with so many different ideas on what works and what doesn't it can be confusing to know what are fitness truths and which are not. What is true is that there are many fitness myths that simply won't go away regardless of science proving them to not have any weight.

The weight loss industry is huge. No pun intended! However, while many women lament their excess pounds and obesity is a real issue in the world of modern, sedentary lifestyles, diet and weight can become too much of a focal point for some women. This can lead to women not working out in the right way because they are only aiming to weigh less.

There's lots of advice out there on how to improve your fitness levels and how to really make the most of different training styles. However, what if you are an absolute beginner and need some solid tips on how to get off the starting blocks? If you want to set out on a fitness journey that's going to take you down the right track for the rest of the year, rather than be an uphill struggle, then you just need to follow some simple ideas.

There's lots of information out there about what makes a good personal trainer and signs to look out for if your one-on-one sessions are not up to par. But  few of them seem to talk about whether you actually need a personal trainer in the first place, or are you following a fad? Trainers don't come cheap so if you want to get in shape and think that a trainer might be the best way to go, consider whether  you'd benefit from a personalized exercise program.