Setting up and participating in a weight loss challenge can help keep you motivated for the long-haul, but you want to make sure that the contest provides a fair experience for everyone.

You might be embarrassed about your beer gut, but fat around the midsection is more than a matter of vanity. Excess fat in the belly can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and metabolic syndrome.

People who are overweight are more likely to become depressed, according to research reported in Archives of General Psychiatry. Likewise, depressed people are at greater risk to gain weight. Many who are depressed become inactive and immobile.

Your knees are a complicated system of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage, and problems with any of these components can lead to trouble with your knees. Knee problems affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and are often caused by injuries and diseases such as arthritis and gout.

A short-term juice fast is a voluntary nutritional approach you can take to promote good health. It involves drinking only juices from fruits, vegetables or herbs to enhance your body’s natural detoxification abilities.

The body requires energy to sustain itself and perform all the functions of daily life. The process of converting nutrients from food into energy is called cellular respiration. The energy from this biochemical process is captured in a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

With the rise in overweight and obesity, it can be tempting to try new and different diets to find one that works. When an individual is trying to lose weight, there must be an energy deficit, more energy must be burned and fewer calories consumed.

Over-the-counter diet pills claim to curb your appetite and trim you down -- sometimes in a matter of mere days. These pills, which often combine caffeine with various herbs and botanicals, come with a caveat emptor: these are not weight loss drugs but rather dietary supplements.

The Flat Belly Diet, from Prevention magazine, is a diet plan that claims it can help you reduce bloating and lose stomach fat. You can pay to get a detailed meal plan and join the online club, but the Flat Belly Diet website provides enough information about the diet so that you follow it on your own.

Loose skin is a common fear if you’re trying to lose a significant amount of weight. Although excess skin cannot be directly tightened by exercise, if weight loss is done appropriately, you can eliminate or minimize the amount of loose skin you have once you reach your goals.

Weight loss is all about the foods you put into your body. All the exercise in the world can not make up for a poor diet. Certain foods can help you lose weight when eaten in moderation. Shredded wheat is a nutrient-dense food, that when added to a healthy diet can help you with your weight loss goals.

The extra fat that hangs over your belt is not only uncomfortable, it's also unhealthy. There are a number of ways you can test your body fat to see where you stand, but some tests, such as bioelectric impedance and hydrostatic weighing, require special equipment.