If you're wondering "How do I get off sugar?" you're not alone. Sugar abuse is one of the primary causes of obesity, and the Western diet's love affair with this cheap, pervasive, and addictive substance has resulted in record levels of diabetes and overweight Americans. Beating sugar addiction is a matter of learning how to plan and eat proactively instead of reactively, and retraining yourself to be more mindful of why you eat, what you eat, and how much you eat.

The nutrition facts label is your key to uncovering the truth about the food and amount of sugar inside. The nutrition facts label shows you the serving size, the calorie count, the basic nutrition breakdown (protein, carbs, fat, sugar, sodium, and so on), and, most important, the ingredients. Even though most of your healthiest meals consist of whole foods without labels, you should watch out for trouble on the nutrition labels of anything you buy that comes wrapped or boxed — bread, crackers, nuts, and condiments, for example.

Keeping the upper back muscles strong is important for good posture and for preventing chronic neck and shoulder pain. Most people who sit a lot need extra work in this area. In your workouts, be sure to do at least as much pulling as you do pushing, if not more.The standing tubing row is a great way to strengthen your upper back and improve your posture.

The thighs and hips are some of the largest and strongest muscles in your body. They’re responsible for moving you around all day, and they’re the driving force when you stand, sit, walk, run, jump, squat down, and go up and down stairs. Keeping your legs strong is especially important for the aging population to keep good mobility and to prevent falls.

Strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles is important for avoiding injury and chronic back pain. Mastering these exercises is also good training for keeping proper spine mechanics when you’re lifting things or bending over to pick up stuff.To perform the bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent, your heels planted on the floor, and your feet flexed up off the ground.

Keeping your arms and shoulders in good shape helps make you stronger for your daily activities. Doing so also makes you look great in T-shirts and sleeveless dresses!The basic exercise for your shoulders is the overhead press.Start in a standing position with your knees unlocked, your elbows bent so your forearms are perpendicular to the floor, and your upper arms at your sides.

Remember that exercising your abdominal muscles doesn’t burn fat away from that area! Smart eating and consistent exercise create the physiological environment and caloric deficit needed to lose body fat. You can’t pick where your fat comes off, and you can’t out-exercise a bad diet!The U crunch is a core exercise that strengthens the abdominals and stretches the lower back.

Which cardio exercise (or which cardio machine) is the best? They’re pretty much all the same. Cardiovascular exercise is the simplest kind of exercise. If you walk, jog, dance, or hike, you don’t need any special equipment, and you can exercise pretty much anywhere and at any time. Cardio exercise generally requires no practice or special skills, and it provides an easy way to work up a good sweat, burn some extra calories, loosen your stiff muscles, and clear your head.

Winter can be a difficult season for staying on track with a reasonable eating plan. From Halloween to New Year's Day, holiday treats abound, there are parties galore, and family and friends love to stuff you with cookies, candies, and way too much home-cooked food. Though you don't have to be a complete Scrooge about indulging in some goodies during the holidays, you have several ways to execute some damage control and keep holiday weight gain to a minimum: Eat vegetables with every meal.