Eating too much sugar certainly isnt wise for your waistline, but did you know that overindulging in dessert can add years to your face? And even if you do strenuous cardio workouts each week, youll be missing out on potential anti-aging body benefits if your schedule doesnt include yoga, weight training and rest.

Find out if youre making one of these eight common diet and exercise mistakes, and get smart prevention strategies that can keep you slim and youthful for years to come.

1. You Overdo Dessert

The breakdown of sugars, called glycation, damages the collagen that keeps skin smooth and firm. To prevent this natural process from careening out of control, Dr. Naila Malik, a dermatologist in Southlake, Texas, sticks to low-glycemic carbs like whole grains. Theyre naturally low in sugar, and the body processes them slowly to limit the loss of collagen. If you want to sweeten up your tea or oatmeal without making your skin look older, try all-natural stevia. Its an easily digested herbal sweetener that doesnt trigger glycation, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone, an adjunct professor of medicine at Michigan State Universitys College of Human Medicine.

2. You Spin Away Stress

Taking your work angst out on the bike or treadmill might make you feel better for a little while, but incorporating yoga into your fitness routine regularly may help you look younger and prevent breakouts while whittling away stress. Sounds like a winning workout to us! Yoga moves like childs pose, downward-facing dog and sun salutations improve circulation the boost of oxygen is what gives skin that lovely yoga glow, says Dr. Hema Sundaram, a Washington, D.C., dermatologist. New research finds regular yoga practice may reduce the inflammation and stress that speed skin aging. If you need another reason to om away your stress: High levels of tension can spike hormone production that leads to breakouts or aggravates conditions like psoriasis. Controlling stress keeps your skin calm, says Dr. Annie Chiu, a dermatologist in Los Angeles.

3. You Always Choose Coffee Over Tea

Research suggests that green and black tea contain protective compounds like EGCG and theaflavins that help prevent skin cancers and the breakdown of collagen, the cause of wrinkles.

4. You Pretend to Be Allergic to Dumbbells

Following a regular strength-training routine that creates better, more supportive muscle tone will help you firm sagging skin from the neck down. I am religious about strength-training, and I always tell patients to do it more as they get older, says Dr. Patricia Farris, a dermatologist in Metairie, La. Its like adding volume to the face with fillers, except on your body, says Farris.

Read the rest here:
8 diet and exercise mistakes that age you