Exercising for as little as 15 minutes a day can add three years to your life, researchers say.

Just a short burst of vigorous activity, rather than gruelling hours at the gym, reduced the risk of dying early by 14 per cent and the cancer risk by 10 per cent, according to a study of 400,000 people.

Every additional 15 minutes of exercise a day further reduces the risk of early death by 4 per cent and cancer by 1 per cent.

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If you’re a woman cutting calories to lose body fat – not muscle – you may want to increase your protein intake. New findings from the University of Illinois suggest that older women who stick to a higher protein weight loss diet – as opposed to a higher carbohydrate reducing plan – not only lose more weight, they also gain more muscle.

Women who diet are at greater risk of losing muscle mass and muscle strength, consequences that could undermine balance, mobility, overall strength and physical performance. Loss of muscle can even impact how well women perform everyday tasks like walking upstairs or getting up from a chair.

Research has shown that older adults who get more protein in their diet are less likely to lose muscle as they age. Yet many women cut back on protein when trying to lose weight.

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* New fitness craze sweeping America
* Participants use silk hammocks to improve blood flow and stretch spine
* Can also form cocoons to find zen state
Aerial acrobatics and the attainment of spiritual tranquility may seem unlikely bedfellows.

Yet the two disciplines have been combined to create the latest craze sweeping fitness studios across America – upside down yoga.

AntiGravity Yoga, the brainchild of acrobat and gymnast Christopher Harrison, involves a thorough workout a few feet above the ground in a silk hammock that can close around the person inside to form a peaceful pod.

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Dieters who want to control the amount they eat while dining out have an unlikely new ally: big forks.

A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds that diners who used large forks ate less than those with more modestly sized utensils.

While previous studies have examined portion sizes and their effect on how much people eat, researchers at the University of Utah assessed the impact that bite sizes had on the overall quantity of food consumed.

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In her quest to become the world’s fattest woman, Donna Simpson is already profiting from her challenge – by earning $90,000 (£55,000) a year from fans who pay to watch her eat online.

The American mother-of-two, who already holds the dubious honour of being the world’s fattest woman to give birth, makes money from people hungry to watch her eat more than 15,000 calories a day.

Single Donna, 44, weighs 50st, but is determined to pile on yet more weight so she can reach her dream goal of being 72st and crowned the world’s fattest woman.

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This article is for the busy, yet sedentary, individual. Being a writer myself, I know the demands of the professional world and that it keeps your butt in the chair for hour upon hour. Couple that with the 9-5 to pay the bills, obligations to family and friends — even kids (God bless you moms and dads!) — and something tends to fall to the wayside. Usually that becomes: “I don’t have time to workout.” There’s 24 hours in a day — you can make time … and I’ll show you how.

Who am I? How can I make these claims? I’m a certified personal trainer and I’ve been a fitness competitor for more than five years. I’ve trained under some of the best in the world (including 10 time world medalist Buddy Lee). So to you sedentary folk … authors, accountants, graphic designers and computer hackers, let me give you a little encouragement, fast facts and tips to keep your body and mind healthy and strong.

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For years they’ve been a no-no — but now a diet taking America by storm says bread, pasta and potatoes can help you drop half a stone in a week…

Low-carbohydrate diets have been all the rage for some time. And with an estimated 15 per cent of the UK population following a reduced-carb diet at any one time, they’re certainly popular.

But, as anyone who has tried one can testify, there is something about carbohydrate denial that seems extraordinarily punishing.

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Lately, I’ve been bombarded by questions about fruit. Is fruit good for me? What about the sugar? Am I eating too much? What’s the best type of fruit to eat?

I thought the crash of the low-carb diet – Atkins, South Beach and the like – meant we were over our fear of healthy carbohydrates like fruit and whole grains. Apparently not.

Many new diet books are banning fruit or limiting how much of it can be eaten and when it should be eaten. The reason: Too much carbohydrate from fruit can prevent weight loss, or worse, make you fat.

That may be true if you eat a dozen apples every day (which would add 1,140 calories to your diet). But who does that? As a dietitian in private practice, I assess people’s diets every day. For many people, fruit just isn’t a regular part of their diet. Instead of giving strategies to cut down on fruit, most often I give tips to increase fruit intake.

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Natasha Hastings, professional athlete and Huffington Post blogger, discusses long work hours, exercise and how to reconcile the two for AOL Healthy Living:

As Americans are getting back to work, they are, naturally, dedicating more time to their jobs. Whether it is working from the Blackberry all day long, increasing hours to fit global time zones, putting in long days from home or whatever else is necessary, long gone are the days of an average 40-hour work week.

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To keep your brain healthy as you age, consider eating more salad dressing, nuts, fish, chicken and leafy greens – and laying off high-fat animal foods.

According to a new study, published this week in the online edition of Archives of Neurology, it’s a dietary pattern associated with a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

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