Excess body fat accounts for one in seven cancer deaths, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Here is how those pounds can kill.

1. Extra fat tissue causes your cells to become resistant to insulin.

2. The result is higher levels of insulin in your bloodstream.

3. Excess insulin spurs the growth of both healthy and cancerous cells.

4. Insulin also increases levels of the hormones that stop cell death.

5. Unchecked cell growth can develop into a tumor.

Speaking of excess body fat, did you know that the right post-workout meal can speed fat loss? According to a British study, people who ate a snack high in protein (43 grams) and low in carbs after an intense exercise session burned 21 percent more blubber than those who chugged a sugary drink.

You spend more energy processing protein than you do digesting carbohydrates, says the study author, Adam Cunliffe, Ph.D. [source: Men’s Health]