Top 10 Health and Wellness AC Content of 2006

Each year, Americans learn more and more about the risks of being overweight or obese. It's a controversial, emotional issue for many people to discuss, but content producers on Associated Content have managed to broach the subject, guns blazing. From a healthy mix of tips for eating well and exercising more to arguments for and against why fat people are destroying America, here's my list, for better or worse, of the top 10 health and fitness AC content of 2006.

10. Fitness Tips: Mindset

This article describes how getting into the right mindset can set you up for success when approaching fitness as a weight-loss solution. A good read for anyone whose list of New Year's resolutions include getting fit or losing weight. Bottom line: don't set yourself up for failure by exposing yourself to temptation. Be reasonable about your weight-loss goals.

9. Simple Steps to Successful Weight Loss

This weight-loss article gives common sense but helpful tips on how to approach weight loss. I especially liked the writer's mention that in order to lose weight, dieters do not have to starve themselves. Less is certainly more, but it's easy to figure out what proper portions should look like in the dieter's quest for weight loss.

8. Power Walking - Exercise for the Mind and Body

Finally, someone else who recognizes that fitness and weight loss can come at the hands of such easy exercise as walking. As one of the cheapest but most effective weight loss methods out there, power walking is good for things like mental health and diabetes, something the writer of this article definitely mentions.

7. Burn More Calories - and Lose Weight - Every Day!

I loved this article that lists easy and totally doable ways to incorporate fitness into our daily lives. As a full-time college student who works three jobs, I was definitely excited to read the suggestion of incorporating fitness into social events, something my friends and I have recently started doing. A game of three-on-three basketball with your friends can be just as fun as dinner or watching a movie, and you get to incorporate fitness and weight-loss at the same time.

6. Easy Ways to Drink More Water

A simple yet very effective weight loss method, this article about drinking more water every day was a great read. Make sure you check it out for some tips on how to enjoy drinking this rather plain beverage while taking advantage of all the weight loss help it has to offer.

5. Healthy Choices at Fast Food Restaurants

Americans have learned to love the convenience of fast food restaurants but have not yet grasped just how unhealthy the food at the drive-thru window can be. Read this story for easy ways to eat at fast food restaurants without the added fat, a must for anyone on the weight loss track. Don't forget to skip the special sauce.

4. Why is Weight Watchers on top of the market?

This article on Associated Content provided valuable insights into one of America's top weight loss plans: Weight Watchers. The writer gives lots of reasons why Weight Watchers is one of the best weight loss avenues out there, but she also mentions some of the inevitable downfalls of Weight Watchers, including the high cost. If you're looking to try one of the mainstream weight loss fads out there, check out this article first.

3. Should Overweight Consumers Pay Extra for Services From Southwest Airlines & Other Businesses?

Wow. I had my eyes opened when reading about how overweight and obese customers in America may soon have to start paying extra for services from airlines and other businesses. I'm somewhat in the middle of this hugely controversial subject: I don't think it's fair for those of normal weight to pay extra because bigger customers are increasing the prices of services, but I do think that America is designed for those who are 5'6'' and 140 pounds, creating an instant discrimination against those who don't fall into that pattern. Airlines need to wake up and realize that the obesity epidemic in America means that not everyone will be able to fit into those standardized seats: if the overweight and obese won't lose weight for themselves, they're not going to lose it for Southwest Airlines.

2. Obesity in America: The Awful Truth

This controversial approach to why the overweight and obese in America are destroying the country garnered a lot of attention on Associated Content. This writer managed to offend more than a few content producers, but you have to give her credit for the moxie to put her opinions out there, no matter how insensitive she managed to sound. Personally, I don't think she did anything to encourage the obese or overweight to start down the path to weight loss.

1. Rebuttal to the Argument that Fat People are Destroying America

This article provided a powerful rebuttal to the number two story on this list of Associated Content's top 10 health and wellness articles of 2006. This article was much more well-researched and sensitive to the plight of the overweight and obese in America and was obviously very well read by content producers on Associated Content, despite being quite a long read. Make sure you have 30 free minutes to spare, but you won't regret it.

As New Year's Eve approaches, the whole world will be setting out to make fitness and weight loss resolutions for the year 2007. I hope this collection of some of the best health and wellness articles on Associated Content in 2006 does the job to inspire and inform them of some of the methods they can employ on their path to weight loss and health, as well as some of society's concerns about the effects of the overweight and obese on our country. Good luck to everyone striving for better health!