Here are six diet foods that can hurt your weight loss journey.

    Diet soda.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Drinking diet soda can make you likely to overeat. The answer is because your body is tricked into believing you're ingesting sugar and it makes you crave more.

    Microwave popcorn.

    Microwave popcorn contains the organic compound diacety to give you that butter taste. Try to avoid this ingredient!{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Granola bars.

    Commercial granola bars can be loaded with corn syrup, salt and processed oils that can add to your waistline.   {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Veggie burgers.

    Say isn't so! Going veggie could damage your diet. Read the labels{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Also Hexane has been found in veggie burgers. This a gasoline by-product used during the process of separating soybeans into oil.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Yup. Low fat-products like yogurt can be loaded with sugar. In a cup of Stoneyfield Farm French Vanilla yogurt, there are 20-plus grams of sugar.

    Blue chips.

    Blue corn chips or vegetable chips are a great alternative to potato chips. But again, there needs to be portion control. They can be loaded with salt and fatty oils.

A. Roast meat.

B. Low fat yogurt

C. Diet soda can actually make you gain weight

D. You're better off making your own popcorn

E. Some are made with processed soy and loaded with oils and butter

F. It is as important for thinking as it is for lifting, especially as we age.

G. Opt(选择)for making your own granola at home, but watch your potions.

    The benefits of keeping a journal (日志)

    If you want to grow, one important thing you should do is keeping a journal. It may seem simple, but it can make a big difference in your life. I have been keeping journals for years. Writing all the lessons I learn and all the ideas I get has become a habit for me.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some benefits you will get by keeping a journal.

    It prevents you from losing an idea. Have you ever gotten an idea only to lose it later because you didn't write it down?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}But then I developed the habit of writing down every idea that came into my mind as soon as possible. If I'm away from my computer, I usually write it down on a piece of paper that I bring wherever I go. I will then transfer the idea to the journal in my computer.

    It helps you review all the lessons you've learned. By reviewing your journal, you can quickly see the lessons you've learned and the ideas you've gotten.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You can use the ideas to propel (鞭策) yourself forward.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}After keeping a journal for years, you can look back at it and see how far you've gone. Things that were big problems in the past might seem small today. The raw ideas you had in the past might have been realized today.

    It helps you expand（扩展） your ideas. When you try to come up with a sentence to express an idea, you are thinking actively about it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In the end, you will expand your ideas.

A. I often experienced that myself.

B. It trains you to express your thoughts.

C. It allows you to see your progress over time.

D. Just use whatever tool you feel comfortable with.

E. Thinking actively helps you connect your idea to another idea.

F. And to be honest, I can't imagine what my life would be like without it.

G. Then you can do whatever necessary to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

    How Fit Are Young Teens?

    How often do you exercise? A new study finds that most kids ages 12 to 15 aren't getting enough physical activity.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    U.S. fitness guidelines recommend (推荐) an hour or more of physical activity every day. According to the study, only 1 in 4 U.S. kids meet the recommendation. Few kids in the survey met the guidelines for physical activity that raises the heart rate and makes you breathe harder. However, most of those kids said they did at least an hour of exercise at that level during the previous week.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The study found fat teens were less active than normal-weight girls and boys. Overweight girls were slightly less active than normal-weight girls.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

     “There's always room for improvement,” said health expert Tala.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}She also said the results provide useful information to help with fitness campaigns such as Let's Move, which was launched by First Lady Michelle Obama. To inspire kids to eat right and get in shape, the First Lady visits schools and holds exercise events. She also calls on schools to offer regular gym classes.

    The research suggests kids who get physical education may get better grades.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It's concerning.

B. She is an expert on children's health.

C. She was the lead author of the study.

D. The results are based on about 800 kids.

E. Schools should give kids more time for physical activity.

F. But levels were similar among overweight and normal-weight boys.

G. Overall, about 25% said they got an hour of that kind of difficult exercise every day.

Five Simple Ways to Increase Your Intelligence

    Your IQ, which stands for Intelligence Quotient, is a scientific assessment(评估)of your intelligence. While there are limits based on native intelligence levels, recent studies have shown that it's possible to increase your intelligence. Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and increase your ability to focus. Here are five simple techniques to exercise your brain.

    Minimize(使减少到最低程度)television watching.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If you're too tired, listen to some music. When you're with your friends or family, turn your television off and have a conversation.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Time spent exercising always leads to greater learning because it improves productivity during the time afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave of energy.

    Read Challenging Books. If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability, you should read books that make you focus.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Besides, it will make you think in more precise, elegant English.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Nothing makes it harder to concentrate than lack of sleep. You'll be most rejuvenated(恢复活力的)if you go to bed early and don't sleep more than 8 hours.

    Take time to reflect. Spending some time alone in reflection gives you a chance to organize your thoughts and prioritize(优先处理)your responsibilities.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Early to Bed, Early to Rise.

B. Take some time to exercise

C. Think of new ways to do old things

D. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world

E. Watching television doesn't use your mental ability or allow it to recharge

F. Afterwards, you'll have a better understanding of what's important and what isn't.

G. Just as sitting at your desk all day is bad for your physical self, sitting in the same mental seat all the time is bad for your bran.

Voluntourism

    Volunteering to help people in need combined with travelling to faraway places is a new trend in the travel industry. It is called voluntourism. People travel to other countries, learn languages and gain new experiences. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Recent statistics show that in the past few years voluntourism has been one of the fastest-growing areas of tourism. More than 1.6 million people around the world are volunteers in other countries. They help build schools, assist in hospitals and do farming work in developing countries. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They keep in touch with their host families after they return home, and many return to visit.

    There are many reasons why people want to engage in voluntourism. When people choose to join a voluntourism program, they are joining a global network of volunteers who are living and working with diverse cultures on projects that have a positive effect. The volunteers come from all over the world, and they will share the passion for giving back and the desire to broaden horizons. Some students also see it as a gap year after school, while others simply want to take time out from a job and do something else. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, many voluntourists do not see volunteering as what it is. They think it is a cheap way of travelling and don't really want to get involved in hard work.

    While voluntourism has been around for over a century, modern volunteering started with the Peace Corps, a program that the US government started in the 1960s. From then on, voluntourism has become more and more popular. Many organizations start similar projects. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they have hundreds of different types of programs for people to choose from in more than 30 developing countries. The programs run year round and each volunteer chooses when they want to start and the duration they would like to stay for.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They say that if people really want to help those in need, there are many opportunities in their own community to do this. On the other side, volunteers are often not skilled enough for the tasks that they do. Travel experts point out that in some cases voluntourists are often taken advantage of by the organization that sets up the trips.

A. Not everyone sees voluntourism in a positive way.

B. Some of them establish lasting bonds with people there.

C. And there are those who are bored and merely seek adventure.

D. Most voluntourism organizations employ people from similar fields.

E. They find it is the best way to get the best of the world.

F. By participating in voluntourism, they are contributing to local economy.

G. They offer voluntourism trips to suit people's interest, experience level or age.

    Earthquakes are among the most destructive (破坏性的)natural disasters. It can strike without warning. The earthquake safety tips below will increase your chances of surviving an earthquake.

    If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk or a strong table. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You can also get to a corner formed by two walls with your arms over your head. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, or hanging objects.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't take shelter under a tree, street lights, electric poles or tall buildings. Run to open spaces and move away from the nearby buildings to avoid anything falling on you. Remember that most of the people who die in earthquakes are killed by falling buildings, broken glass and flying objects.

    If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You should also avoid stopping on or under bridges. Stay in your car.

    If you are in the event of getting trapped in ruins during an earthquake, don't panic. Instead, cover your mouth with a piece of clothing. Use your cellphone to call for help if possible. Don't shout. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dust. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Be prepared for aftershocks. They can happen in the first hours after the earthquake. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Therefore, if you are not in a safe place after the first shock, you should move quickly but carefully to a safer place.

A. Try to move about or kick up dust.

B. This can protect you from falling objects.

C. If you are outdoors, move to the nearby buildings.

D. However, sometimes they even happen months later.

E. Avoid stopping under power lines, trees and large signs.

F. If you happen to be outside during an earthquake, move to an open area.

G. Try to gain the attention of the rescuers by tapping on a nearby wall or pipe.