Category Archives: Diet And Food

Fad diets come and go, as do the accompanying promises to fix weight issues or gym struggles that, in nearly every case, could be addressed simply by combining frequent exercise with a diet that avoids caloric counts more suitable for a woolly mammoth.

The Military Diet is another such fad, except this groundbreaking eating regimen is largely built on a foundation of not eating.

The stunted calorie plan dieters are instructed to eat only 1,000 to 1,300 calories per day despite putting participants at risk for malnutrition promises to shave off 10 pounds in just three days.

With results like that, you too can achieve the skeletal, prisoner of war beach bod youve always dreamed of.

In contrast, those in the special operations community are instructed to consume anywhere from 2,200 to 3,400 calories each day.

Certainly any time you restrict calories that heavily and deprive the body of needed nutrients, youre going to have rapid loss of weight, dietitian Rachael Hartley told Insider. A thousand calories is under the daily amount recommended for a 2 year old.

The Military Diet, which has nothing to do with the military, has been endorsed by exactly zero individuals with credibility. The site, as noted by Insiders Gabby Landsverk, lists Wikipedia as its primary source of foundational science.

Nutrition science is for nerds anyways, a dieter says as he gnaws on a 3-inch sliver of tree bark for dinner.

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The diets website lays out extensive restrictions participants are expected to adhere to.

On Day 3, for example, dieters are to enjoy a heaping breakfast of 5 saltine crackers, 1 slice of cheddar cheese, 1 small apple. For lunch on the same day, gorge yourself on 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, 5 saltine crackers.

Participants are then encouraged to stand in front of a mirror for approximately 15 to 30 minutes and hurl insults at the disgusting reflection confronting them.

But what about coffee? you might be asking. The Military Diet can accommodate you! From the diets site:

For coffee addicts: We really love (need) coffee too, so we understand why everyone has questions about coffee on the Military Diet! Caffeine withdrawal is no fun, especially when youre already on a low calorie diet. So heres some good news Black coffee has less than 5 calories per cup, so if you need to sneak in a cup here and there, just cut out the equivalent calories elsewhere. Do not add cream and sugar. You can add Stevia if you like. Youre welcome

Uh, thanks?

Just cut out the equivalent calories elsewhere, like scaling back that heaping dinner serving of individual cashews from three to two.

Sacrifices must be made to get that six pack youve always wanted, which will arrive by default due to your malnourished skin simply not having anywhere else to go.

So, what are you waiting for?

If getting rid of energy, adding surging headaches, fatigue and irritability, and enduring an existence of pure misery is your goal, the Military Diet is right for you.

Original post:
'The Military Diet' is the worst diet since starvation - Military Times

Although we're basically more advanced as a society now than ever before, some people believe that reverting back to certain ways of our ancient ancestors can result in healthier lives. Enter: The Paleo diet.

The Paleo diet is a modern diet that's supposed to be based on the way our ancient human ancestors ate during the Paleolithic Era, also known as the Old Stone Age, which began over 2 million years ago. These early humans were hunter-gatherers, eating what they could find and hunt in their surroundings.

So, the Paleo diet in a way is eating like certain cavemen and women may have eaten. But whether, or not, that will actually help you lead a healthier life is up for debate. Here's what you need to know about the Paleo diet.

Gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin introduced the Paleo diet in the 1970s as a way for humans to eat better. He believed that modern humans could learn how to eat healthier by following suit of our Paleolithic ancestors hence the name Paleo diet.

But it wasn't until the early 2000s when the diet really took off in popularity, largely thanks to Loren Cordain and his book The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat. In his book, Cordain lays out the guidelines of the paleo diet, as we know it today.

Mainly, the focus is on nutrient-rich plants and protein-rich lean meats and, of course, no processed foods, something that certainly wasn't around back then.

According to Mayo Clinic, the main staples of the diet are:

As for what to avoid, processed foods like potato chips and candy bars are an obvious no-no. But anything related to agriculture is also off-limits since the Paleolithic Era was before the time humans invented farming, 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. That means grains and dairy are out.

The diet also limits starchy foods like tubers such as potatoes and jicama and legumes like lentils, beans, and peanuts.

Unlike some diets, the paleo diet doesn't require you to follow a specific daily caloric intake. But it's likely that you'll consume fewer calories if you're sticking to it, since you're cutting out so many high-calorie foods, whether it's processed junk food, pizza and other fast foods, or high-sugar foods and drinks.

When you're cutting out entire food groups from your diet like grains and dairy you have to consider the fact that you'll be missing out on the nutrients and health benefits of those food groups.

"There are certain things like brown rice or whole grains that are great for your diet they help lower cholesterol and give you increased fiber so you may want to just take a closer look and see whether or not it's really worth giving that up," says Leah Kaufman, MS, CDE, and RD at NYU Langone Health's Weight Management Program.

Kaufman also urges people to be careful not to become calcium deficient when giving up dairy. Eating chia seeds, almonds, and sardines are all good sources of calcium within the paleo diet. But Kaufman says if you are deficient, the best way to get sufficient calcium can be through a supplement.

To be safe, you may want to meet with a registered dietitian who can help you plan your paleo diet to make sure that you're meeting your nutrition needs.

If you're interested in going paleo but are worried about the risks and restrictions that may come along with cutting out certain food groups, you can try out a modified paleo diet, where the diet serves as a guideline for eating but isn't followed so strictly. For example, you can include some whole grains or legumes if you want more flexibility and added nutrition.

The Paleo diet may be effective for people who want to lose weight, as you will replace any processed foods which are linked with weight gain with whole and minimally processed foods like fiber- and water-rich vegetables.

However, there are no studies investigating whether, or not, the Paleo diet can help you lose weight and keep it off long-term. Nor are there long-term studies to suggest whether this diet can lower the risk of common health problems like heart disease.

The studies that do exist, suggest that the diet shows promise over short periods of time.

For example, a 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the paleo diet resulted in short term improvement in metabolic syndrome conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes when compared with a control group.

Other small-scale, older studies such as one published in 2008 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the paleo diet can reduce BMI, weight, and waist circumference over a period of three weeks.

Most of these studies have been done with small sample groups, so research is still needed on larger groups for longer periods of time as well as with comparison diets to better understand the effects of the Paleo diet.

Go here to read the rest:
What is the Paleo diet and whether it helps you lose weight - INSIDER

Sleep disturbances such as insomnia are extremely common, especially in women after menopause. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, sleep disturbance varies from 16% to 42% before menopause, from 39% to 47% during perimenopause, and from 35% to 60% after menopause.

Insomnia is a serious medical problem defined by frequent difficulty falling or staying asleep that impacts a persons life in a negative way. Hormone changes around menopause can lead to sleep problems for many reasons, including changing sleep requirements, increased irritability, and hot flashes.

Researchers recently looked at detailed dietary data from over 50,000 postmenopausal women (average age 63) enrolled in the Womens Health Initiative study between 1994 and 2001. Carbohydrate intake was measured in several ways: glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), measures of added sugars, starch, total carbohydrate, and dietary fiber, and specific carbohydrate-containing foods such as whole grains, processed or refined grains, whole fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. They then looked at each participants risk of developing insomnia after three years of follow-up.

They found that the risk of developing insomnia was greater in women with a higher-GI diet, as well as in women who included more added sugars in their diet. Added sugars included white and brown sugar, syrups, honey, and molasses. The risk of developing insomnia was lower in women who ate more whole fruits and vegetables.

The researchers accounted for and adjusted for many potentially confounding factors, including demographic (education, income, marital status), behavioral (smoking, alcohol, caffeine intake, physical activity), psychosocial (stress, social connection), and medical factors (body mass index, various medical diagnoses, hormone therapy, snoring).

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of foods on a scale from 0 to 100 according to how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating them. Ive written previously about planning meals with knowledge of the GI and the glycemic load of foods. High-GI foods are those that are rapidly digested, absorbed, and metabolized, and cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. Some examples of high-GI foods include anything made with processed grains (bread, pasta, baked goods, white rice) and anything containing added sugars (sugary beverages, sweets).

Low-GI foods dont cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike, and include plant foods such as most fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Even plant foods that have a high GI such as bananas and watermelon are not likely bad for you when eaten in moderation.

Researchers hypothesize that high-GI foods cause insomnia because of the rapid spike and then crash of blood sugar levels. Essentially, what goes up must come down, and after blood sugar and insulin levels peak, they tend to drop, which can cause a lot of symptoms, including awakening from sleep. The researchers of this new study cite multiple studies supporting this theory.

Endless research connects the quality of our diet with our risk for heart disease, strokes, dementia, depression, and cancer. This new research notes that diet can also impact our risk for certain sleep problems. Its not just about eating the obviously healthy foods, but also about avoiding the obviously unhealthy foods.

In addition to practicing good sleep habits, here are some additional ways postmenopausal women can incorporate what we have learned from this study to sleep better (and be all-around healthier):

Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, August 2007.

National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: management of menopausal symptoms. Annals of Internal Medicine, June 21, 2005.

High glycemic load and glycemic index diets as risk factors for insomnia: analyses from the Womens Health Initiative. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 11, 2019.

Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. The Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy, August 2015.

About Glycemic index. The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney.

Read more:
Menopause and insomnia: Could a low-GI diet help? - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health

DASH stands fordietary approaches to stop hypertension and was developed in the early 1990s when the National Institutes of Health was researching ways to lower blood pressure.

It emphasizes low-sodium, nutrient-dense foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. It also includes low-fat dairy and lean meat in moderation.

Although not specifically intended for weight loss, the DASH diet has been shown in some studies to help people lose weight by helping them cut back on processed foods and salty or sugary snacks.

No foods are forbidden on the diet, but the plan suggests limiting sugary items like candy, cookies, and soda to fewer than five servings a week, and limiting alcohol to no more than one serving a day for women and two for men, per CDC recommendations.

The diet also recommends cutting back on red meat, fat, and sodium.

If you are looking to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the DASH diet offers several calorie levels, from 1,600 calories a day to 3,000.

While the diet "is very safe and sustainable for anybody who's looking to eat healthier," registered dietitian Lisa Sasson previously told Insider,a possible pitfall of the plan is that it includes very broad recommendations, and some people may need more specific guidance if they lack experience in cooking or meal planning, according to Harvard Health.

Otherwise, here's what you can expect to eat on DASH.

Read the original:
The DASH diet is more than half carbs, and experts say it's one of the healthiest ways to eat - INSIDER

Although diet can influence mental health and cognitive function, evidence of benefit for many specific diets is actually quite weak, a new review suggests.

In the "most up-to-date overview of the new field of nutritional psychiatry," investigators with the Nutrition Network of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) found strong evidence that following a ketogenic diet of high fat and low carbohydrates may reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. They also confirmed that the Mediterranean diet guards against depression and anxiety.

In addition, there is a strong link between vitamin B12 deficiency and an increased risk of fatigue, depression, and memory problems.

However, evidence of any efficacy of vitamin D supplements or any nutrient in mitigating symptoms of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is "inconclusive," the researchers note.

"We have found that there is increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders, including anxiety and depression," principal investigator Suzanne L. Dickson, PhD, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said in a press release.

"However, many common beliefs about the health effects of certain foods are not supported by solid evidence...[and] with individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence," she added.

The findings were published in the December issue of European Neuropsychopharmacology.

As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, there have been numerous studies linking diet and mental health, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that has been tied to lower depression risk.

Large population-based studies have also suggested links between mental health and specific nutrients, but they often "do not demonstrate cause, benefit, or remedy," the current investigators note. However, they add, there is "reason for optimism."

The review showed there are "strong correlations" between a healthy diet and better mental health, especially with increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

However, although several recent studies and analyses have shown a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk for depression or even a protective effect against the disease, a meta-analysis of 14 cohort studies published in 2019 and consisting of more than 56,000 participants showed no significant association.

Still, "when cross-sectional studies were analyzed an inverse significant association was found between depression odds and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet," the researchers write.

"Together, these studies provide a reasonable evidence base to further investigate the effect of specific dietary interventions on mental health," they add.

When assessing the effect of vitamins, investigators found that "the link is strongest" between deficiencies inB12and fatigue, lethargy, depression, mania, psychosis, and depression; in thiamine and CNS symptoms; in folic acid and neurodevelopment in utero and infancy and depression in adults; and niacin and dementia.

"Yet even for these deficiencies, the role of mild 'subclinical' or multiple mild deficiencies in the genesis of mental dysfunction is unclear," the researchers write.

For example, research into the role of vitamin D supplementation has shown conflicting results.

Overall, the investigators note that a diet rich in polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and nutritional supplements "has been reported to exert favorable effects on mental health, including on cognitive performance, mood, stress, reactivity, and neuroinflammation."

As for ADHD and autism, several studies have suggested a benefit from particular dietary elements or risk from a poor diet.

"We can see an increase in the quantity of refined sugar in the diet seems to increase ADHD and hyperactivity, whereas eating more fresh fruit and vegetables seems to protect against these conditions," Dickson said.

However, "there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects," she added.

"Results of nutritional interventions...in autism are also very diverse and have not been subjected to rigorous meta-analyses," the investigators note.

On the other hand, there is strong evidence that nutritional decisions in early life can affect later-life brain function. A high-quality diet is strongly linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline and improved cognitive function in older adults, whereas a poor diet appears to increase cognitive decline and other health problems.

However, "at present we lack a detailed understanding of the metabolic and cellular mechanisms that underpin these associations," the researchers note.

This is also true of gut microbiota. Although "it is clear" that it can potentially affect mental health, the mechanism "has yet to be elucidated."

Future research will need to focus on "provable dietary causes" associated with psychiatric conditions, the investigators note in the release.

"There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health," said Dickson.

She noted that some individuals may respond better than others to dietary changes because of subtle differences in their metabolism.

In addition, "a food is not a drug, so it needs to be tested differently to a drug." For example, there are no "placebo" foods that can be used in a randomized controlled trial, she said.

"Nutritional psychiatry is a new field. The message of this paper is that the effects of diet on mental health are real, but that we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions on the basis of provisional evidence," Dickson said.

Commenting on the findings for Medscape Medical News, Wolfgang Marx, PhD, head of the Nutraceutical Research stream at the Food & Mood Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, said the investigators provided a "clear and objective overview" of the current state of nutritional psychiatry.

This includes the "largely consistent epidemiological, clinical, and meta-analytic data supporting the link between diet quality and depression," he said. "Crucially, the authors also identify key research questions that are required to be addressed to advance the field, including the need for large clinical trials to further test efficacy and mechanistic studies to improve our understanding of how diet, and dietary components, may improve symptoms."

Marx, who was not involved with the research, noted that the researchers "rightly highlight" some of the challenges of developing evidence in this area, such as the difficulty of blinding dietary interventions.

"It is important to note that in addition to the emerging data supporting the role of diet in reducing risk of mental illness, dietary interventions can be effective in reducing the elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseasescommon in people with mental illness," he said.

"While more research is required to support the role of dietary interventions as a therapy for mental disorders, there is already sufficient evidenceto suggest that dietary interventions, as well as other lifestyle interventions such as physical activity, should be incorporated into routine clinical care from the outset to address the physical comorbidities associated with mental illness," Marx said.

"This review is an important and scholarly contribution," Andreas Reif, MD, PhD, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, said in the release.

Reif, who was not involved with the research, is also chair of the ECNP Scientific Program Committee.

"The interface between gut and the brain on the one side and diet and mental health on the other side is one of the most debated issues in biological psychiatry at the moment, and is an exciting development which has gained momentum in the last decade," he noted.

He added that the high-quality evidence from mostly animal studies published in recent years contrasts with the "comparative shortage of hard evidence" in humans.

"This leaves room for speculation and flawed science," Reif said. "This comprehensive review is therefore much needed as it sheds light on hypes and hopes, facts and fiction."

"As the potential societal impact of this rapidly developing field is enormous, we must be scientifically sound in making our recommendations," he concluded.

The study was supported by the ECNP. Dickson and Marx have reported no relevant financial relationships.

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;29:1321-1332. Full article

Follow Deborah Brauser on Twitter: @MedscapeDeb. For more Medscape Neurology news, join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Read more here:
Diet and Mental Health: The Evidence to Date - Medscape

With the start of the new year, there always seems to come a renewed interest in dieting, exercise, and generally getting in shape. While the Madison County Public Library has a wide range of books on these topics, including all the hottest new diet trends, sometimes you need to take a break and just enjoy a good novel where the protagonist may be facing some of the same eating challenges as you.

So this week's book list focuses on the humorous, the mysterious, and the downright scary aspects of dieting. Enjoy!

Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding

"Bridget Jones' Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud daily chronicle of Bridget's permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement -- a year in which she resolves to: reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and learn to program the VCR.

"Over the course of the year, Bridget loses a total of 72 pounds but gains a total of 74. She remains, however, optimistic. Through it all, Bridget will have you helpless with laughter, and -- like millions of readers the world round -- you'll find yourself shouting, "Bridget Jones is me!'" from GoodReads.com

Available in print in Berea

Dietland, by Sarai Walker

"Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you're fat, to be noticed is to be judged. Or mocked. Or worse. With her job answering fan mail for a popular teen girls' magazine, she is biding her time until her weight-loss surgery. Only then can her true life as a thin person finally begin.

"Then, when a mysterious woman starts following her, Plum finds herself falling down a rabbit hole and into an underground community of women who live life on their own terms. There Plum agrees to a series of challenges that force her to deal with her past, her doubts, and the real costs of becoming "beautiful." At the same time, a dangerous guerrilla group called "Jennifer" begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women, and as Plum grapples with her personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot. The consequences are explosive." From GoodReads.com

Available in regular print in Richmond and Berea, large type print in Richmond, and eBook through KY Libraries Unbound/Overdrive

Worth the Weight, by Eileen Palma

"How much weight is too much for one romance to bear?

"When Kate Richards, the effervescent host of television's KidFit and the author of kid-friendly diet cookbooks, runs into Jack Moskowitz at a dog park, sparks fly. He's attractive, charming, and single. She has no idea that he's also the one man who could cost Kate her career--the CEO of Considerable Carriages, a company that profits from childhood obesity.

"Jack knows exactly who Kate is, though. She tore his company apart on television only the day before! Seeing an opportunity, Jack starts digging up dirt on his nemesis, to put her crusade on ice once and for all. But the more time the two spend together, the more his lie--and his feelings for Kate--spiral out of control.

"When Jack and Kate try to tip the scales of romance it brings chaos, heartbreak and hilarity and more than a few laps around love's track." From GoodReads.com

Available in eBook format through KY Libraries Unbound/Overdrive

Thinner, by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

"Attorney Billy Halleck seriously enjoys living his life of upper-class excess. He's got it all--an expensive home in Connecticut, a loving family...and fifty extra pounds that his doctor repeatedly warns will be the death of him. Then, in a moment of carelessness, Halleck commits vehicular manslaughter when he strikes a jaywalking old woman crossing the street. But Halleck has some powerful local connections, and gets off with a slap on the wrist...much to the fury of the woman's mysterious and ancient father, who exacts revenge with a single word: 'Thinner.' Now a terrified Halleck finds the weight once so difficult to shed dropping effortlessly--and rapidly--by the week. Soon there will be nothing left of Billy Halleck...unless he can somehow locate the source of his living nightmare and reverse what's happened to him before he utterly wastes away. . ." from the cover

Available in print in Richmond and Berea and eBook and eAudio through KY Libraries Unbound

See original here:
Different type of diet reading | Community - Richmond Register

If you aren't losing weight on the keto diet, you may not be following it correctly. Shutterstock

The keto diet has exploded in popularity as a way to lose weight and improve health. But not everyone loses weight on keto, and some stop losing weight after a few months. If you aren't meeting your weight goals, you may need to make some adjustments or talk with a registered dietitian.

The main purpose of the keto diet is to send your body into ketosis. In ketosis, your metabolism shifts and starts to burn fat instead of carbohydrates to fuel your body.

However, it can take a lot of careful planning to put your body into ketosis. While on keto, your diet is made up of 60% to 75% fat, 20% to 30% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. This goes against the usual American diet, which is over 50% carbohydrates.

You can check to see if you are really in ketosis using at-home urine test strips. These strips detect ketones, substances your liver creates when processing fat. However, being in ketosis is not going to make you lose weight if you are still taking in too many calories, says Scott Keatley, RD, a dietitian at Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

If people are following the keto diet correctly, it's pretty rare to not lose any weight, says Keatley.

But losing weight on the keto diet is like losing weight on any diet you need to burn more calories in the day than you consume. The restriction does not need to be extreme, but you should be at a caloric deficit. Ketosis makes this a little easier since it reduces your appetite so you're less hungry and therefore, less likely to overeat.

However, if you restrict calories too much to less than 1,200 per day for the average adult this can also slow your weight loss goals. Because when you don't eat enough it can send your body into starvation mode, where your metabolism slows down and you may stop losing weight.

Side note: If you are using the keto diet for health reasons and not aiming to lose weight, putting your body into ketosis may help provided you're following the diet in a healthy manner by, for example, minimizing processed and red meats and prioritizing plant-based fats, like avocados, olives, and nuts.

Even if you are keeping your metabolism up, your weight loss may still slow down over time. As you cut calories and lose weight, your body will adapt to the change and start needing fewer calories to keep itself going, says Keatley. In other words, people tend to hit a weight loss plateau.

However, Keatley says that you should not use the scale as your only measure of progress. Lean muscle is denser than fat, so burning fat and building muscle can actually lead to a slight weight increase. "The scale may freak you out when the change happening is positive," Keatley says.

Finally, the keto diet can have some extreme restrictions on food. If you're considering trying the keto diet to lose weight, Keatley says, "I would advise anyone thinking of a keto diet to talk to their doctor and a dietitian before, during and after."

Read more:
Why you may not be losing weight on the keto diet - INSIDER

Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks prefers to do things his way. On the ice, he excels as a hybrid, elite-level defenseman and point-scorer. Off the ice, his diet is hyper-specific: When he eats meat, he likes it from his own ranch that he and his family maintain in Texas. Burns says he feels healthier when consuming leaner and fresher game, and enjoys the oversight he has over the process of preparing his own meals, a luxury he doesnt get on the road.

Many professional athletes find and maintain unusual (and expensive) hobbies, but when Burns gets going about how he populated his land with game including white-tailed deer, antelope, and wildebeestyes, wildebeestit becomes clear this is more than a hobby. Burns hunts and farms his own food because, he says, he has a genuine love for nature and wildlife.

It took a while to find the right plot of landroughly two years, in factbut Texas was always going to be the spot, given that Burnss wife is from there. We wanted to get a place where we can go to when everythings said and done, he says. We finally found this place where there was enough space for what we wanted to do. Im a huge animal lover, and Ive been collecting all types for a while. I just love them, and I wanted animals to be a part of my kids' lives too.

In an interview with GQ, Burns talks about maintaining a diet where youre harvesting your own meat, what its like to run a ranch, and why the outdoors are such a special place for him.

GQ: What kind of animals are you raising on the ranch? Is it mostly livestock?

Brent Burns: Actually, we dont raise any of the animals as livestockwe let everything live naturally there. We have a lot of axis deer, which is a deer from India. Its really, really good meat, and such a beautiful animal. Theres a lot going on with it, and the rules around it.

Basically, theres a season when youre allowed to kill deersay, for example a white-tailed deer. Theres a way their reproductive schedule works, and a way their antler schedule works, and so on. The hunting season is based on them having babies. You dont want to hunt a white-tailed deer in the spring because the doe are pregnant. Its not good for the species to do that. Theres a lot of criticism of hunters and hunting saying that its not good for conservation, but the entire thing is based around conservation. Every rule we set is based on keeping the deer herd healthy. For axis deer, theres summer and winter bucks. So Im able to hunt them in the summer and not screw anything up.

So is there a sustainability angle to this for you?

Thats a big part of it for sure. Im also just very into that lifestyle. I love the outdoors and I love animals. I love to watch them, study them, all that. Hunting is difficult on public lands because of how much I have to travel during hockey season. I had to find a different way to get involved. Where we live in California, its hard to find deer in season during the winter.

Is that mostly because its a geographical thing? I cant imagine theres a lot of white-tailed deer in San Jose.

Yeah, its a big city that sprawls out, so you have to drive pretty far to find them. Theres unbelievable hunting in California if you go way further north, but its just such a long drive and I usually dont have the time to do that. The ranch was my solution. Getting my family involved, and giving us all the chance to learn about the animals, hunting, and also a healthy supply of the best meat we can have.

How do you run the ranch? Is it just a huge swath of land that you leave natural?

Yeah totally. There were a lot of animals already there on the property, and weve left it like that for the most part. Weve introduced a couple of species to the land, and changed some things around to get it the way we wanted it. In total, its probably got about a half-dozen different animals. We sometimes breed animals and sell them to other ranches as wellantelope, wildebeest, different goat and sheep species, mostly.

What Im gleaning is this sounds like a really big operation. How do you manage all of the logistics of it?

We have somebody there full time, and he takes care of the property. Hes been unbelievable for us; hes the guy that I can really lean on for learning what to do. Hes basically a walking encyclopedia for everything there because hes been doing it for so long. He never went to school for this either; its all experience.

How do you incorporate the meat from hunting into your diet? Are you able to bring it with you when you travel for away games?

Nope, I just dont get to eat it when I travel. But when Im back home and eating the game meat, I notice how much more stable my weight is, and how much better I feel. Then when we go back on the road and I have to try and manage my diet while were traveling, its pretty hard. When youre eating out at restaurants and such, you cant control how they make your food. When Im at home, Im eating stuff that's slimmer and fresher. We cook a lot of our own veggies too.

I just really love it. Its great at home when I prepare a steak, and I can remember things like where I got it and who I was with when we harvested the animal. Its special, you know? Youre preparing the whole meal. I really just love the whole process.

Did you grow up hunting and farming when you were younger?

No, but I was always interested in it. I think around 2016 is when I went on my first hunt, and ever since then, its become more and more of a lifestyle for me. I have always been a huge animal guy, though. Ever since I was a kid, my favorite thing was going to the zoo. I have a ton of pets. Its just something that's always been there for me. The ranch is amazing because it gives me the opportunity to be around animals and study them up close. Its a big responsibility to make sure youre doing the right things for the animals.

When youre able to see the animals in a natural environment, it must be really something else.

Of courseIm not hunting them every day. You get to see them eat, communicate, fight, feeding the babies. Youre a part of something so many people dont get to see. Theres nothing better than just sitting in a tree and watching nature.

What are your plans for the ranch in the future?

Hopefully to just keep it in the family. Id love to pass it down to my three kids, who have also gotten really into the outdoors. Thats kind of the reason why we got it in the first place, and keeping it as a special place for them would be great.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

The Real-Life Diet of Juice Press Founder Marcus Antebi, Who Likens His Meals to Meditation

I would surrender my flesh and my bones before I eat an animal."

Originally Appeared on GQ

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The Real-Life Diet of NHL Player Brent Burns, Who Hunts and Farms His Own Food - Yahoo Lifestyle

This hot-dog based diet claims it can turn you into one hot dog.

The military diet is a two-week-long regimen that claims it can help you drop 10 pounds, according to its website, and though the name may be striking, this diet is not followed by any branch of the armed forces.

The name comes from the discipline and willpower it takes to stay on the diet and follow it, just like the willpower and discipline it takes to stay in the military, the site creators say.

Along with other fads, the eating plan has been growing in popularity this month, thanks to the New Years resolution dieting craze that comes every January. Google Trends shows that online searches for the military diet plan peaked in the last few days of 2019 as dieters gear up for their goals.

While most diets require eschewing processed foods for all-natural ingredients, the cornerstone dish of the military diet is heavily processed.

The meal plan is comprised of three meals and snacks consumed in a three days on, four days off pattern. Breakfasts include half a grapefruit, one egg and a slice of toast and five saltine crackers. For lunches, dieters can munch on half a cup of tuna, one cup of cottage cheese and one egg. Dinners are based around three ounces of meat, two hot dogs without buns and one cup of tuna. Followers can have extras, like pieces of broccoli, carrots and vanilla ice cream, as a treat.

After three days on the plan, dieters take four days off, then repeat the process again.

Though you may be able to drop pounds on this diet, many of the allowed foods are heavily processed and high in fat. This is cause for concern for Deena Adimoolam, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai St. Lukes.

I dont think its that nutritious, she tells The Post of the hot dogs, because they often include many other ingredients than meat, and the ice cream, because of the high sugar content.

Adimoolam explains that since the diet requires eating less than 1,500 calories a day, followers will drop pounds. However, if theyre not making permanent lifestyle changes to maintain that lower weight, theyre going to put those pounds back on.

For those looking for similar results but who want to make sure theyre getting the nutrients their body needs, Amidoolam recommends downloading a calorie counting app to get to know their body. Start by decreasing caloric intake, which would mimic this fad diet without dangerous foods, Adimoolam says, but never decrease intake to under 1,000 calories a day.

Its good to work with a nutritionist or a doctor, she says, to find the right plan for your body that is sustainable.

Amidoolam also warns eager dieters to be wary of the promises they might read online. A good diet will be balanced between carbohydrates, protein and fat, she says. Diets that restrict one type of food, like the Keto diet, may be difficult to sustain.

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The military diet includes bunless hot dogs and ice cream, but is it safe? - New York Post

The 5:2 diet is a popular intermittent fasting plan that focuses on fasting for two days a week, while eating a normal diet for five days a week. As with all diets, there are a few variations of the 5:2 diet, particularly when it comes to how many calories you eat on your fast days, and what foods you should or shouldnt eat on your days off.

The term intermittent fasting refers to meal plans that revolve around regulated, periods of eating and then not eating, and there are several ways you can use intermittent fasting for weight loss. The most popular variations of intermittent fasting are the 5:2 and the 16:8 diets. On the 16:8 diet you only eat during an eight hour period, and therefore fast for 16 hours a day (obviously, the period when you are asleep is included in this, which helps a tad.)

The 5:2 diet applies the principle of intermittent fasting to days, rather than hours, and so you fast for two out of every seven days. It works by significantly restricting your calorie intake on those days, which means your overall calorie intake is lower, providing that you dont compensate and eat more than usual on your off days.

The original 5:2 diet plan, popularised by the Doctor and journalist Michael Mosley, recommends that on fast days women should consume 500 calories and men should consume 600 calories, which equates to roughly 25% of their normal recommended daily intake.

Since the publication of Mosley's first 5:2 diet plan, The Fast Diet, in 2013, variations have arisen, including from Moseley himself. His most recently-revised plan, published as the blood sugar diet because of the benefits of intermittent fasting on blood sugar levels well touch on this later recommends eating no more than 800 calories on fast days.

(Image credit: Pexels)

One thing that makes the 5:2 diet so popular is that in theory you can eat whatever you want on your 'off' days. It's true that no food is off limits and you don't have to totally deny yourself the foods you love. However, its important to be aware that what you eat on your 'off' days will impact your weight loss.

While the 5:2 diet only requires you to restrict and count calories for two days a week, naturally the better you eat on your 'off' days, the more likely you are to a significant amount of weight. If youre looking to lose weight fast youll need to be reasonably strict on your 'off' days and follow a Mediterranean diet on the non-fasting days.

If, however, youre looking for a sustainable diet that will help you lose weight and keep it off long term, then you can expect to lose around 1lb a week by fasting for two days and eating normally for five.

So what should you eat on your fast days? Its important to choose nutrient-dense foods that will fill you up more, making the calories you consume work harder for you. Vegetables, eggs, fish, lean meat and natural, unsweetened yogurt and are all good choices.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

The most obvious benefit of intermittent fasting is weight loss, because of the restriction on calorie intake. Whatever you eat, weight loss essentially comes down to calories in versus calories out: also known as your calorie deficit. In short, if you consume more calories than you burn in a day, the excess energy will be stored as fat. If, however, you burn more calories than you consume, your body will start to take energy from your stored fat, resulting in weight loss.

As well as this, intermittent fasting also benefits our blood sugar levels. When we fast whether thats not eating or eating less the insulin levels in our blood drops. Insulin is used by our cells to absorb sugar from the food we eat, so without insulin the cells are less able to use sugar for energy and so the rate of fat oxidation increases. Fat oxidation simply means when fat molecules are combined with oxygen to provide energy its what you or I would call burning.

What's more, some studies have shown that intermittent fasting helps you to lose fat without losing muscle, because fasting increases the level of human growth hormone in your body which in turn helps build muscle mass.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

The main difference between the 5:2 and 16:8 diets is the period of time for which you fast. On the 5:2 you fast for two days out of seven, but fasting is defined as consuming 500 - 600 calories. On the 16:8 you fast for just 16 hours at a time, but this means you consume nothing but water during the fast period.

Importantly, the weight loss principle is the same for both diets. By restricting your calorie intake for an extending period of time 16 hours or 24 hours your body runs out of carbohydrate to burn and instead begins to burn fat for energy.

Because neither diet restricts what you can eat, which one will work better for you comes down to lifestyle more than the diet itself. For people who have a regular routine around which they can plan meals, or who prefer not to eat early in the morning or late in the evening, the 16:8 diet is arguably easier to follow than the 5:2. On the other hand, the 16:8 requires you to fast every day, whereas the 5:2 only requires it two days a week.

What's more, the 5:2 is more likely to have a positive impact on your overall eating habits. People who normally skip breakfast and eat dinner around 7pm may find themselves accidentally following the 16:8 diet (providing they don't snack after their last meal). This could mean they don't make any conscious changes to what they eat. It's very unlikely that anyone's normal diet limits them to 500 - 600 calories, and so with the 5:2 there has to be a conscious effort to adapt your diet and make healthier choices. We think that's a good thing if you're serious about losing weight well and keeping it off.

Some users have found that it takes a little while for the weight loss to kick start, but nevertheless, the 5:2 diet works: "Initially there were two weeks when nothing happened, but after four weeks I started to lose weight," says Jackie, who began the 5:2 diet in January 2018.

Before starting the 5:2 diet Jackie weighed 9 stone 6 lbs, which put her towards the top end of the healthy weight range for her height and age. She wanted to lose half a stone on the diet, but ended up losing 1 stone 3 lbs in around five months.

"The 5:2 diet made methink more about what I was eating and how much I was eating on my 'off' days. While I didnt give anything up, I did reduce my portion sizes, particularly when it came to treats like cheese and cake. I found that fairly easy to do," says Jackie.So eating cheese and cake is compatible with losing weight? It seems so.

What Jackie found hardest was getting into the routine of cooking the lunchtime meals suggested in Mosley's book, and instead she found herself eating easier to prepare but less satisfying lunches like a sandwich made from one piece of bread. "I was always relieved to get to the end of the second fast day. Not so much because I was hungry, but because of the thought that the next day I could have things I really wanted - just not in great portions," she says.

As well as the necessity of good meal prep, users not surprisingly note that following the 5:2 diet requires willpower in order to overcome hunger on fast days. Other side effects include tiredness and low energy levels, and so its vital that you speak to a healthcare professional before starting the 5:2 diet if you are at all concerned about your health, are pregnant or have previously suffered from an eating disorder.

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Weight loss with the 5:2 diet: requires willpower but can be powerfully effective - T3