Of the five senses, the one that you’d think directly affects how much you weigh is taste, with smell in a close second. But according to the makers of Sensa, smell is even more important than you think. Sensa is a seasoning weight-loss product that not only makes your food tastier, but gives it a scent that is appealing and makes you less hungry.

Sensa’s makers say that their product stimulates the olfactory bulb, which is the organ that transmits smell from the nose to the brain to signal that you are full.

“Eighty percent of what you perceive as taste is actually smell,” said Christopher Adams, a molecular biologist and the founder of Compellis Pharmaceuticals.

Have you been doing the same workout routine day in and day out? Well, it’s about time to change that. I have designed a workout that works your entire body while making you sweat from head to toe. The workout is designed to keep you moving from one exercise to the next without pausing or taking time to catch your breath; which means this workout may not be for everyone.

If you have heart problems or have been told what to do by a doctor; please listen to their advice. This workout starts off with a nice heart-racing warm-up and and back-burning cool-down. Lower back pain is one of the biggest problems the majority of my clients have, thus I tend to work the lower back at the end of each workout to help increase strength and flexibility without taking away from the actual workout. Be careful and please use proper technique while performing these movements.

UPDATE: Mike Morelli’s answers are posted here.

The winners were drawn and notified: Grand prize went to Amanda Clegg and the runner-up prize went to Tyler. Thanks to everyone who posted questions!

We all have burning questions we’d love to ask the contestants of the Biggest Loser. And we’re giving you that chance. Help us welcome Mike Morelli to DietsInReview.com as our newest Biggest Loser Correspondent by asking him a question you’ve always wanted answered. Mike will be responding via video to answer five questions and help readers gain a better knowledge of what life is like for these weight loss super stars.

All you have to do is post your question below in the comments section by Sunday, June 28, 2009.

We’ll also be giving away a Biggest Loser Prize Pack to two readers -

Summer is here which means there will be plenty of long days spent outside by the beach, lake, or poolside. It’s very important to apply and re-apply plenty of sunblock, but the sun can effect other parts of your body, not just your skin.  Below is a list found on WebMD of sun problems and associated foods that can help your body bounce back from the sun’s powerful rays.

Dry or Damaged Skin

• Caused by: sweating more in summertime causing your skin to be less supple; chlorine in pool water and saltwater can also dry out your skin; finally the very common sunburn really can dry out your skin.
  
  

I’m sure you have all heard about the 10,000 steps per day thing, right? Well, I am a firm believer in it. The purpose of this goal is to get the sedentary, or couch potatoes, up on their feet more often. The average person’s stride is between two-and-a-half to three feet long, which calculates out to around 2,000 steps to walk a mile; while 10,000 steps is nearly five miles.

Again, this is a goal to motivate those who need a little extra kick in the butt to get moving. Set a goal for walking 10,000 steps and once you beat that for a week straight, up your goal to 11,000 steps per day.

Kellogg’s won’t be too happy to hear about this study: it suggests that a diet rich in carbohydrates that boost blood sugar levels, such as cornflakes or white bread, may hamper the function of blood vessels, therefore raising your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Researchers from Israel’s Chaim Sheba Medical Center and elsewhere evaluated 56 overweight or obese men and women, between 35 and 60. Other than their weight, they were healthy. None of them had diabetes or a history of cardiovascular disease.

They were fed foods that spanned the scale of the glycemic index, which relates to how a food affects your blood sugar levels. The higher the food is in the index, the more your blood sugar is spiked.

Fish have been recommended as an important part of a healthy diet because of their high-quality protein, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Incorporating a variety of fish can contribute to heart health.

However, nearly all fish contain traces of mercury. Some researchers believe consuming fish with high mercury levels will diminish all potential health benefits. Some studies have actually suggested an increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with mercury levels in fish, whereas other studies could not find any relationship between elevated mercury and risk of heart disease. This controversy has caused much discussion on what amount of fish is safe to eat without having harmful effects in the body.

OK, so I lied in my prior post. Well, not technically. Getting started with weight loss is hard, there’s no doubt about it. The fact of the matter is that when you are actively losing weight, people still remember the “old” you. They pat you on the back and empower you, and, I’m not gonna lie, it feels pretty great.

Once you’ve met your goal, you kind of feel like a rock star. People congratulate you, want to copy you, ask for your secrets - in short, you are, for a brief moment in time, the greatest thing to hit the weight loss world.

Wow, it’s the middle of June already? Does time fly or what? Last week we discussed Olympic lifts/exercises and the importance of proper form and technique. By perfecting these lifts, your technique for easier lifts will be much better. This week we will be taking a trip down Core Stability Blvd.!

Wedding Season Week 7:

“If you think you can or think you can’t; you’re right!!”

Tip: Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and during your workout. Try to avoid sugary sports drinks or high sugar/carbohydrate fruit drinks. These drinks are only necessary when you are working out for extended amounts of time and your electrolytes are depleted, otherwise water is the only necessary fluid to put into your body. Try to intake 80 to 100 ounces a day if you exercise at a moderate to high intensity level.

Experts are looking at an “old-fashion” way of increasing your fitness: using the stairs.

Dr. Ishak A. Mansi of Louisiana State University is the lead author of a study that is encouraging building designers to reconsider how they place stairs in their work. They say that as it is, there are several factors that discourage people from using them. They are often tucked away and hard to find. And on a subtler note, stairs are often thought to be only used for fire escapes.