I have read several times that we use up fewer calories while watching television than by doing nothing at all - like lying down and watching the ceiling!

Is this true? I know watching television is certainly a sedentary activity but it does stimulate the brain, especially if watching something educational - right? Or is this theory true?

One day a few years back my sister and I were having lunch. After her meal she popped this little pill. I asked her what it was and her response was, "OH, it's a fat burner." Well you can only imagine how I just about fell out of my seat. I, of course, went into my lecture and she, of course, didn't care to hear it until the day she was rushed to the hospital with a resting heart rate of 180 beats per minute.

(HealthDay News) -- Overweight adults who eat a low-calorie diet that includes proper nutrition can lose weight and fat without experiencing significant bone loss, a new study says.

Stores around town have already stocked their shelves with Halloween decorations and bags of sweet treats. My downfall is candy corn, especially the type with chocolate. Made with real cocoa, of course.

A 10-oz bag packs 140 calories in a serving of 22 pieces. The candy corn is so popular that, if placed end to end, there would be enough to go from California to China and half way back (is that going East or West from San Francisco?) Add to this that October 30th is National Candy Corn Day.

What does the term 'negative calories' mean?

I know it has something to do with eating foods that actually make you lose weight - even though these foods contain calories. The foods are healthy but this concept is counter intuitive to me. Some people swear by it, others say it holds no merit.

Any ideas? And does this concept really work?

This law is great - I think...

At least my first reaction was that it's great. But I don't eat out often - maybe once or twice a month. So can't I just eat what I want to eat and be left alone? Sure, but most people eat out several times a week and may be unintentionally clueless as to what they are putting in their bodies. And even if I only eat out once or twice a month, I suppose knowing the calorie or fat content won't do me any harm. Information certainly can't hurt us.

TUESDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Keeping tabs on what you eat with a food diary can double your weight loss, a new study shows.

While the idea of food diaries has been around a long time, this latest research offers more proof they help you shed more poundage, said study co-author Dr. Victor J. Stevens, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, in Portland, Ore.

"It's not fun to write down what you eat; it just works," he said.

MONDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- A punishing run in the summer sun deserves an ice cold beer, right?

And the just reward for a strenuous afternoon whipping your garden into postcard perfection -- how about a slightly chilled chardonnay?

Well, before you pop that top or twist off that cork you might want to consult a new report, called Alcohol Facts, that has the lowdown on the amount of calories and carbohydrates -- and alcohol -- in America's top-selling brands.

In a perfect world, we'd all eat fresh fruit and veggies, low fat, high protein foods and fast foods would be non-existent.

But since we all live in the real world, fast food is a reality for nearly all of us.
Simply stated - Americans love fast food.

To answer the question of how much is too much, many nutritionists would say any amount is too much. Fast food is an overly processed collection of salty, saturated fats that offer little in terms of nutrition. And for the most part, the nutritionists are right.

I was talking to someone recently who said that beer or soda was ok because it was just 'empty calories' and didn't matter as much since there is not a whole lot of fat invloved. However, I know that sugar turns to fat if not immediately used for energy (and who goes for a jog after comsuming a 6-pack?!) so it seems empty calories matter.

But I am still not sure of the real meaning of 'empty'. Does it mean there is no nutrition in them, or that they provide no energy?

Does anyone know much about nutrition and the kinds of fats and calories we should be eating?

Thank you!