Ten Principles for Female Fitness and Beauty
Ten Principles for Female Fitness and Beauty
Germany’s *Woman* magazine recently proposed ten scientifically sound tips for female beauty.
Principle One: Don’t Reject Fat
Nutritionists point out that certain fatty acids are essential for human metabolism. If 900 kcal per 100 grams of fat is replaced by low-calorie foods, the body will consume less energy than usual, prompting the brain to send hunger signals quickly, urging earlier eating. Moreover, this creates a false sense—believing low-calorie foods allow unlimited consumption, often resulting in eating more than usual and ultimately gaining weight. Of course, excessive fat intake is harmful too—60 grams per day is sufficient for each person.
Principle Two: Eat Only When Hungry
Slim, healthy individuals eat only when their bodies signal hunger—eating strictly based on physiological cues.
Principle Three: Small Portions Need No Dietary Restrictions
Obese and slim individuals consume similar foods, but obese people eat excessively. Slim individuals enjoy all delicious meals but eat small portions. They value quality over quantity. This allows them to maintain energy balance while still enjoying diverse cuisines.
Principle Four: Focus Fully on Eating, Chew Slowly
Eating while reading or watching TV makes one unaware of satiety, speed, or portion size. Chewing slowly is crucial because it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to signal the brain that it’s full. Studies confirm that fast eaters tend to consume more than slow eaters. Skilled eaters create a pleasant dining atmosphere—clean tables, soft, dim lighting. Research shows that meal size under neon lights is twice that under comfortable lighting.
Principle Five: Avoid Vicious Cycles
Some women endlessly indulge in favorite foods while ignoring disliked ones, leading to nutritional imbalance and obesity. Others feel guilty after occasionally eating forbidden foods (like sweets), resulting in self-abandonment and uncontrolled consumption of high-calorie treats.
Principle Six: No Need to Count Calories
Very few slim, healthy women calculate calories per meal. Instead, they intuitively choose foods conducive to maintaining a slim figure—e.g., preferring fresh fish over canned oily fish. This intuitive awareness is often missing in overweight individuals.
Principle Seven: Plan Food Purchases Thoughtfully
When shopping, adopt a slim-conscious mindset—don’t let shelves full of tempting options lure you. Stick to a list created specifically for maintaining your figure.
Principle Eight: No Need to Weigh Yourself Constantly
Slim, healthy women don’t weigh themselves frequently, but allow minor fluctuations—no more than 2–3 kilograms. They can simply judge by how clothes fit.
Principle Nine: Cultivate a Slim Mindset
When dining in restaurants, servers often serve bread and butter first. Slim women ignore them despite hunger. They prefer low-calorie, light dishes.
Principle Ten: Exercise Regularly
Slim women naturally love physical activity—not necessarily in gyms or stadiums, but integrating movement into daily life. Examples include walking down stairs, riding bicycles when going out.
Medications That Affect Physical Appearance
People usually focus on diet and exercise for body shape, but few realize certain medications can negatively affect appearance:
1. Drugs Affecting Fat, Sugar, and Protein Metabolism
Long-term use of adrenal corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone, dexamethasone, betamethasone) causes fat deposition in the face, neck, and back, leading to "moon face," "buffalo hump," and "central obesity," while limbs experience muscle atrophy.
2. Drugs Affecting Breast Development
Long-term use of estrogen, chorionic gonadotropin, reserpine, cimetidine, rifampicin, etc., can cause abnormal breast development in women. Long-term use of androgens and spironolactone may result in underdeveloped breasts.
3. Drugs Affecting Skin Color
Overuse of drugs like chloroquine, quinine, and phenothiazines can cause temporary or permanent yellow, brownish-yellow, dark brown, or bluish-gray pigmentation.
4. Chemotherapy drugs, excessive vitamin A, gamma-oryzanol, and clofibrate can cause hair loss. Androgens (e.g., methyltestosterone) and labetalol may cause hirsutism. Chloroquine can turn hair white.
5. Tetracycline-class Drugs
These deposit in infant bone and tooth tissues. Even short-term use in newborns can cause enamel hypoplasia and permanent tooth discoloration (yellow teeth), and in severe cases, actual tooth defects.
Jinmei