Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Today, I run 100 mile racesbut I didnt used to be this way. About five years ago I started a simple walking journey that completely changed my life. I used to weigh 446 lbs and I began walking with the goal of losing weight, and I have since lost over 200 lbs. Eventually my walking journey led to running, but I have walking to thank for so many amazing changes in my life.

Feeling inspired to start walking? Register for our free virtual 5K walk on Saturday, October 1, 2022, and become a part of a community of thousands of walkers! Sign up here. Have your own walking story? Wed love to hear it! Tell us here for a chance to win a Nathan gift card.

Before and After

It began with bending down to tie my shoes. I remember one day specifically when I noticed how difficult this simple task had become: I would have to hold my breath because I was so big. I decided I couldnt do it anymoreI had to make a change. And it was unbelievable how quickly daily walks helped me feel better. With every walk I could feel the difference and the progress almost instantaneously, and sure enough, one week Id only be able to walk under a half mile, but the next week Id complete that half mile, and the next week I could reach a full mile. It was very satisfying to be able to see such a big change in such a short period of time, and I became hooked.

My favorite thing about walking is that it helps me to clear my mind while Im out thereIm really an outdoors person, so its great to have time outdoors on foot strolling around and seeing new things. Its definitely not just a weight-loss thing for meits almost like a form of counseling, just a very relaxing, all-around healthy habit.

Its really amazing to now be able to walk with my son and my wife because it was something that when I was really big, I couldnt do. Now that I can go for these walks, I just want to walk all the time! When I was big, my heels would hurt and I couldnt really go too far. So when I was able to walk it became really exciting. Something so simple that most people dont think about became so important. It almost became addicting, to be able to do simple things like walking.

When I walk with my family we like to stroll through various parks and trails, and its great to be able to talk about what we see around us and about our days. We can chat about whats on our minds and how school is going, and really just everything you usually dont discuss when sitting around inside the house because the television or the phone is distracting you. I also enjoy taking solo walks either on the beach or in the city. I could easily walk for hours through the city streets because there's so many different things to see, and each time you take a different route, you'll see something new that you normally wouldn't see if you were driving.

Overall, its just very satisfying to be able to change for the better, and walking helped with so many things in my life aside from my mental and physical health, and my relationship with my family. Walking also helped me to stop drinking. It just completely changed my life. There was one walk I had with my wife when I was on my journey to becoming sober and it really helped to put things in perspective and keep me motivated to be the person I know I can be. If it wasnt for these walks that had become such an integral part of my routine, that likely wouldnt have been a conversation.

When I have days where I struggle with staying motivated, I just remember where I came from and that always reminds me to keep active even when I dont want to. Staying engaged on social media helps a lot too, because it makes me feel so great to know that I can help inspire others to change for the better just like I have.

It's crazy how one simple thing like walking can change the outcome of something so big. My advice to others would simply be to just not over-complicate it: Dont worry about how far youre going or for how long, just go outside and enjoy whatever youre able to do. You never know what walking can do for you. Its amazing where it got me: I lost 200 pounds, got sober, and improved my relationship with my family.

Walking is easily taken for granted, but it can change big things in your life.

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Walking Helps Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Stay Sober - Prevention Magazine

Liver damage can be seriousbut along with medical supervision, there are ways to help your liver heal. "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NASH] is the most common cause of liver disease in the United States, and is estimated to affect up to a quarter of adults in the world," says Irun Bhan, MD. "It is defined by excess fat accumulating in the liver and usually occurs in people with obesity, high blood sugars (diabetes), abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, or high blood pressure. These disorders often run together and as a group are called metabolic syndrome." Here is how to reverse liver damage quicklyaccording to experts. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

Studies show that losing even a small amount of weight can significantly impact liver health. "For people who are overweight or have obesity, the best treatment for NASH is weight loss," says Dr. Bhan. "A landmark study showed that losing 10% of one's body weight can reduce liver fat, resolve inflammation, and potentially improve scarring."

Regular exercise is a great way to help improve liver health. "As a transplant hepatologist and exercise researcher, I am often asked by my patients with chronic liver disease whether or not they should exercise. My answer is always a resounding 'YES!' and sometimes accompanied with a little fist bump they may or may not notice," says Jonathan Stine, MD MSc, FACP. "Exercise or really any physical activity has many well-known benefits for the liver."

"We recommend patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease drink three cups of coffee per day, eat four tablespoons of olive oil a day and follow a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes eating primarily plant-based foods and healthy fats," says Annie Guinane, RD, LDN, CNSC. "Adapting to a Mediterranean diet is hard for patients because we are surrounded by convenience foods and junk on a daily basis. This diet is focused. It is important for patients to be able to sit down and learn about the benefits of the recommended diet and ask questions. Then they can set realistic and attainable goals with a nutrition expert, rather than something that sets them up to fail."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Research shows intermittent fasting could have a positive effect on liver health. "We know that fasting can be an effective intervention to treat disease and improve liver health. But we haven't known how fasting reprograms liver proteins, which perform a diverse array of essential metabolic functions," says Mark Larance, PhD, a Cancer Institute of NSW Future Research Fellow in the Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney. "For the first time we showed that HNF4-(alpha) is inhibited during intermittent fasting. This has downstream consequences, such as lowering the abundance of blood proteins in inflammation or affecting bile synthesis. This helps explain some of the previously known facts about intermittent fasting."

Cutting down on sugar intake can make a difference in how fast the liver heals. "Many people eating a common American diet are developing extensive hepatic fibrosis, or scarring of their liver, which can reduce its capacity to function, and sometimes lead to cancer," says Donald Jump, a professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences. "There's a lot of interest in finding ways to help the liver recover from this damage, but this research suggests that diets lower in fat and cholesterol, even if they help you lose weight, are not enough," Jump said. "For more significant liver recovery, the intake of sugar has to come down, probably along with other improvements in diet and exercise."

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How to Reverse Liver Damage Quickly, Say Experts Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Great British Bake Off host Matt Lucas has shared his heart-breaking health feats that led to him having to lose weight.

Viewers of the Channel 4 baking show are concerned for the star after seeing how much weight he has shed in recent months - but there is a reason behind his drastic lifestyle overhaul.

The former Little Britain comedian has gone from a size XXXL to a size medium - by changing two things in his life.

READ NEXT: Bake Off judge Prue Leith left 28 people in 'critical care' after massive food error

Matt simply ate less and walked more, and was able to shed the pounds in order to turn his life and health around.

The reasoning behind his lifestyle overhaul was because he was afraid that he would suffer the same fate as some of his family members.

Both his dad and grandad sadly died young from heart attacks in their fifties, which is why the star, 48, wanted to ensure his health was in tip-top condition in order to sustain him through his life.

"My dad died when he was 52, very suddenly. His dad died, I think at 56, so I was looking at the law of averages," he revealed.

"I was very big and I was getting bigger in the pandemic. Sort of not being very active, not really going out, not seeing people, just eating a lot. I was so big I couldnt really fit on screen any more."

Speaking on the Mid Point podcast, he said: "Ive still got a proper tummy, Im not skinny by any means. Ive just lost some weight. Ive gone from maybe a double XXL, sometimes triple XXXL, down to a medium.

"I do feel a bit better, I feel a bit relieved. Because the thing is, I dont do any drugs and I dont smoke and I hardly ever drink. So its just the food really.

"I just dont eat as much, but I eat sweets still. I like to walk. I live not far from a canal and I love when the weathers nice going for long walks there."

When fans saw Matt on-screen for GBBO earlier this months, they flooded Twitter with reactions.

One person said: "Holy heck at the weight loss of @RealMattLucas - he looks really well."

While other people seemed concerned, with someone saying: "Woah, I don't know whether to be happy for Matt Lucas at his weight loss or worried..."

READ MORE:

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Bake Off's Matt Lucas shares heartbreaking health reason he had to lose weight - Daily Star

The Forbes Health Calorie Calculator estimates the number of calories your body uses each day. If you want to lose weight, it calculates the number of daily calories you need to consume to achieve your weight loss goal. It also displays how long it will take you to reach your goal weight safely.

To Maintain Your WeightTo calculate your daily calorie needs to maintain your weight, the calculator considers your:

Each of these components requires a different amount of calories.

1. Your RMR requires the most energy, far more than physical activity or food processing. It can be measured scientifically in a lab or estimated using an equation. In this calculator, your RMR is measured using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Its the most reliable formula, according to a review of studies in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. It calculates your RMR based on your sex, weight, height and age.

2. Physical activity burns calories, so athletes need to consume more calories than people who dont exercise. An activity factorranging from 1.2 for people who are sedentary to 1.9 for extremely active peopleis assigned based on your physical activity level. The calculator then multiplies your RMR by this number.

3. The thermogenic effect of food makes up the remainder of your daily energy needs (approximately 10%). To find this number, the calculator takes your RMR multiplied by your activity factor and multiplies that number by 10%.

To Lose WeightTo determine your daily calorie needs to lose weight, the calculator decreases the number of calories you use each day by 25%, resulting in a new recommended daily calorie intake. Our Forbes Health Calorie Calculator panel of experts recommended this equation for safe, sustainable weight loss.

The calculator wont display fewer than 1,200 calories a day no matter your starting weight. If you go below that, its very difficult to get all the macronutrients and micronutrients you need for optimal health, says Melina Jampolis, M.D., a Forbes Health Advisory Board member.

The Forbes Health editorial team consulted 2021 Forbes Health Advisory Board members Melina Jampolis, M.D., Toby Amidor, R.D. and Sabrena Jo, M.S., the senior director of science and research at the American Council on Exercise (ACE), for this calculator. They reviewed the methods used by this tool to calculate daily calorie needs to maintain and lose weight.

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Maintenance and Weight Loss Calorie Calculator Forbes Health - Forbes

Lifting heavy items should be done carefully in order to prevent injury.

In fact, 38.5% of work-related musculoskeletal issues are related to back injury, with improper lifting being one of the main causes.

Therefore, its important to learn proper lifting techniques to keep yourself safe at work and at home.

This article discusses proper lifting techniques and common lifting problems, and provides useful tips.

The best lifting technique is to squat down and use the strength of your legs instead of your back to lift the object off of the ground.

That said, you should only lift items that youre comfortable lifting. If youre unsure, its best to ask another person for help or use other machinery (e.g., a lift).

If youve decided that its safe to lift the item by yourself, youll want to follow the proper lifting technique guidelines outlined by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Before moving something heavy, its important to think and plan first.

First, look at the item that youre about to lift and ask yourself these questions:

Taking note of your environment, the item you plan to lift, and other considerations can help you decide if this item is a one- or two-person job or requires other assistance, such as machinery.

Just like youd warm up before a workout, you should also warm up and stretch your muscles before lifting.

Ideally, spend a few minutes doing some dynamic stretching (e.g., lunges, lower back rotations, arm circles) to prepare your muscles and get your blood flowing.

To lift safely, you first want to make sure that youre in the right positioning.

Youll also want to make sure that you bend your knees, squat down to grab the item, and use the strength of your legs to do most of the lifting. This can help to lower back and other muscular injury.

Here are the steps to safely lift a heavy item:

If needed, slowly take small steps to walk to the spot you plan to put the item. If its far, you should consider placing the item on a cart or other form of transportation.

If you need to change directions, lead with your hips and ensure your shoulders stay aligned with your hips. Continue to keep the load as close to your body as possible.

Setting an item down is the same movement as lifting but in reverse:

If the item will be placed above the ground (e.g., on a counter or table), walk up to the surface and place it gently on top. If its slightly lower than hip level, be sure to still bend your knees and lower your body to place the item down safely.

While no one intends to hurt themselves, its quite common to injure yourself while lifting heavy objects. The most common lifting problems include:

By lifting properly and avoiding these common lifting problems, you can help lower your risk of injury.

To prevent injury, consider these helpful tips:

To ensure your safety, always practice safe lifting techniques.

The best lifting techniques involve using your legs to lift heavy objects instead of your back, since your legs are some of your strongest muscles while your back is more susceptible to injury.

Youll also want to make sure that youre planning ahead, only lifting objects you feel comfortable lifting by yourself, and being just as mindful when you place the item down as when you lift it.

And remember, you should always ask for assistance if you have any concerns. Its better to be safe than to risk injuring yourself.

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Lifting Techniques: How to Move Heavy Things - Healthline

TikTok has removed postings promoting migraine and epilepsy drugs to under-18s as weight loss aids after criticism that hosting them was a danger to young peoples health.

The social media platform, which is popular among teenagers, acted after an investigation by the Pharmaceutical Journal found that users were being offered prescription drugs as diet pills.

The journal found that advertisements for epilepsy, alcohol and addiction and migraine drugs were promoted to a TikTok user, despite them being registered as a girl aged under 16.

An appetite suppressant drug called phentermine, and products based on it, were the prescription drugs most commonly mentioned in the posts. Phentermine is not licensed for use in the UK.

During 90 minutes spent viewing the platforms output the journal found that 31 of the 100 most popular posts promoted use of diet pills for people wanting to lose weight. But health experts said this was completely inappropriate for people of any age and could cause harm. Some of the drugs TikTok featured have been linked to birth defects and other serious side-effects.

Diet claims that are unrealistic and not supported by evidence-based science on social media can be dangerous no matter what age you are. But for under-16s they can have very real consequences, said the British Dietetic Association.

John Wilding, a professor of medicine at Aintree university hospital in Liverpool, said that another of the drugs for sale topiramate, which is used to treat epilepsy and migraines has never been approved for weight loss in the EU or the UK as it has some significant potential adverse events, including the risk of damage to unborn children and babies.

A spokesperson for TikTok said: Our community guidelines make clear that we do not allow the promotion or trade of controlled substances, including prescription weight loss medication, and we will remove content that violates these policies.

The journal said TikTok did remove some videos but not all those it had found. It had reviewed the diet pills hashtag and also banned multiple accounts selling weight loss drugs.

TikTok also came under fire on Wednesday for letting cannabis-based sweets doctored to look like bags of Haribos and Skittles be sold on its site.

The Childrens Societys annual assessment of the state of childrens wellbeing across the UK has found that growing numbers of girls are unhappy with their appearance.

The percentage of girls aged 10 to 15 who expressed dissatisfaction with how they look has risen from one in seven (15%) in 2015 to almost one in five (18%) which the charity called a worrying jump. That means that an estimated 411,000 of them feel that way, it said in its latest Good Childhood report. Far fewer boys 10% voiced such unhappiness.

Research by the Childrens Society, based on analysis collected from 2,100 children whose families are taking part in the long-running Understanding Society project, also found that:

Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning

Many more (12%) say they are not happy at school, a 3% rise on 10 years ago, with older children more likely to hold that view.

It is desperately worrying that childrens wellbeing is in this state of decline, with huge numbers unhappy with school and thousands of girls struggling with the way they look, said Mark Russell, the charitys chief executive.

He urged ministers to speed up the rollout of mental health support teams in schools in England and set up early support hubs across the country to help under-18s who are struggling mentally.

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TikTok removes posts promoting weight loss aids to children - The Guardian

Vince Wilfork is looking svelte, and Bill Belichick took notice.

Wilfork is getting inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Saturday. There were Thursday night festivities where he tried on his red blazer to commemorate the occasion, and the world marveled at how trim he looked.

The former NFL defensive tackles listed playing weight was 325 pounds, but he certainly appears to have dropped a hefty portion of that.

Wilfork revealed that Belichick approached him in Miami last year before a Patriots-Dolphins game and his former coach couldnt believe what he saw.

Bill was being Bill. He was on his treadmill working out, and I was like, I want to go see Coach,' Wilfork recalled. Hes on the treadmill working out, and I come in and hes like, What the f? What??' Wilfork said, according to NBC Sports Boston.

A slimmed down and snazzy Vince Wilfork in his Patriots Hall of Fame jacket talks about his time with the Pats and why going into the Pats HOF means so much to him pic.twitter.com/ta1xqfrsQn

And Im trying to talk to him, and the only thing he [could] say was, Oh my gosh, you look good! You look like you can still play. And I was like, OK coach, listen, I just came to see you. He couldnt stop saying how good I looked and everything.

Wilfork, however, is not of the belief he could still lace up the cleats.

I was one of those players who said, No matter how old I get, I can play football. That was my mindset, Wilfork said. But Im here to tell you that I cant play. Im officially retired from football. So dont ask me to get in my stance. Dont ask me Do I have one play in me? No. Im just here for looks now.

Wilfork played for the Patriots from 2004 through 2014, before finishing his career with two seasons with the Houston Texans.

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Bill Belichick marveled at Vince Wilfork's weight loss: 'What the f--k?' - New York Post

The effective treatment options for obesity that already exist are under-used. Bariatric surgery, for example, can be an effective way to address extra weight. But surgery is seen as a drastic option, and Americans tend to think poorly of weight loss surgery. Without a comorbidity like diabetes, a prospective candidate typically needs a BMI of at least 40 to undergo the surgeryand only a small sliver of those who qualify get the procedure. Thats one reason why obesity experts see so much promise in the new drugs.

But there are big hurdles to widespread adoption, and not just questions of cost and approval that every drug faces on its way to the public. Weight loss drugs have a checkered past. If you look back in the history of obesity, drugs that have been approved have then been taken off the market, says Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a physician who runs the obesity program for telehealth provider Weekend Health. Dangerous amphetamines were used as appetite suppressants, and more recent drugs, like Fen-Phen, a weight loss drug widely used in the 1990s, caused heart problems, leading to an FDA ban. Safer weight loss drugs began to reappear in the 2000s, but their efficacy was often mild.

Incretins, on the other hand, are only continuing to get more effective. The newest of these medications cause around 20 percent weight loss, within the same range that bariatric surgery achieves. And while common side effects include nausea and other gastrointestinal distress, it's a much less disruptive medical intervention than surgery.

One obesity expert at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Fatima Stanford, told me that some patients have reacted so strongly to one incretin, semaglutide, that theyve avoided surgery completely. They went from severe obesity with diabetes to no diabetes and no severe obesityinto a healthy weight range, she said. Its effortless for themwere changing the way their brains see weight. This has major quality of life implications. When you have higher levels of obesity, said Jay, losing 15 or 20% of your body weight is huge, right? It's huge for resolving comorbidities and preventing diabetes, and all sorts of things.

One Washington woman in her 50s named Suzy, who asked to only be identified by her first name, has lost 26 pounds since starting tirzepitide. She has three siblings and two parents with type two diabetes. With the drug, she thinks she can avoid that disease. Another woman, Rachel McLaughlin, who started an oral incretin in 2021, said weight loss gave her the confidence to join an art class. I dont look like Im carrying the weight of the world around, she said.

But remarkable advances in medical technology dont mean much if theyre impossible to access. McLaughlin faced that setback when she lost her job earlier this year. Losing health insurance increased the cost of her prescription from $25 to more than $2,000 per month. Off the medication, she regained 15 of the 25 pounds shed lost. Progress only resumed once she found a new job in June that restored her coverage.

Continue reading here:
Is the World Ready for Extremely Effective Weight-Loss Drugs? - GQ

Studies in 2006 and 2007 found that subliminal messaging can influence you if you are already inclined to do something (via Scientific American). For example, those who were already thirsty were flashed images of Lipton Ice Tea and afterward were more inclined to choose that beverage. Another study showed that students who were shown words related to intelligence before a practice exam did better on the actual exam than those shown random words.

Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, the research findings are similar. In a 1992 study published in Applied Psychology, weight loss was compared in three groups of overweight women. Despite only one of the groups receiving subliminal messaging to encourage weight loss, all three groups lost the same amount of weight. Another study in 2018 found that subliminal messaging given to those with strong weight loss goals had moderate success when given without any negative messaging. The same messaging, though, had little to no effect on those with weak weight loss goals.

Another 2014 study reinforces the effectiveness of positive messaging, as exercisers shown positive visuals participated in cycling for longer than those shown negative visuals. So it seems that, yes, the brain can be influenced to a degree when the drive to achieve a goal already exists, as long as the messaging is positive. While many subliminal messaging weight-loss programs exist and use various methods, it seems that positive visual messaging, in general, has the best chance of success.

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Could Subliminal Messaging Be An Effective Way To Lose Weight? - Health Digest

How long does it take to lose weight? In the age of instant gratification and dubious marketing claims, it may be difficult to have realistic expectations. Not to mention that when you feel uncomfortable in your own skin, and your health seems to be getting worse, you may be tempted to set yourself an ambitious weight loss goal.

This is understandable. A big target number may make you feel more motivated and eager to start your transformation. But excessive weight loss can not only lead to the dreaded yo-yo effect (where you lose weight, only to put it back on), it can also be unhealthy. Whats more, some people will find it way more difficult to shed unwanted pounds than others. So what is a realistic weight loss rate? And what factors can affect it?

Before we dive into the science of weight loss, it is important to point out that there is no real ideal weight to aim for. Medical professionals often rely on a persons BMI (opens in new tab) to determine what is deemed to be a normal weight range. But this measurement is not without its flaws.

The number on the scale will not tell you how much muscle mass, as opposed to fat mass, your body contains. It wont indicate whether you struggle with water retention, either. Its therefore important to take an individual approach before setting a weight loss target. And the first step is always to consult a dietician or medical professional for professional advice before embarking on a weight loss program.

Your calorie expenditure that is, the exact number of calories you burn each day is composed of three major components.

The first is referred to as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). It consists of the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) the minimum number of calories your body needs to maintain normal bodily functions, such as breathing and pumping blood as well as low-effort daily activities, such as eating, walking for short periods (for example, to use the bathroom), sweating or shivering.

The second component is referred to as the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) the additional energy needed to digest, absorb, and use the nutrients you consume. According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (opens in new tab), TEF is increased by larger meal sizes, intake of carbohydrate and protein, as well as low-fat plant-based diets.

The third component is referred to as the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) the number of calories burned during exercise. TEA can also include Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) which is the amount of energy expended during light activities such as fidgeting, cooking and shopping.

In order to lose weight, you have to maintain a consistent calorie deficit. When you burn more calories than you consume, your body will dip into the energy reserves stored in your fat tissue. Conversely, when you eat more calories than your body needs, you will start gaining weight.

Now, all food and drink will add to your daily calorie tally, and its interesting to learn how calories are calculated given this is how youll be keeping track of your energy intake. At the same time its also worth noting a couple of myths surrounding energy expenditure and weight loss.

Many believe that eating smaller, more frequent meals can improve your chances of shedding unwanted pounds, for example. But while it is true that some will find this approach helpful for appetite regulation, as scientists from the Nutrition Reviews (opens in new tab) journal point out, there is not enough evidence to claim that meal frequency is linked to calorie burning.

Another misconception is that deep intellectual work can increase your energy expenditure. Unfortunately, thinking doesnt burn calories.

As we get older, our body composition changes. We lose muscle mass and gain more fat. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can delay this process, and many elderly adults boast great muscle strength and endurance. However, this is not the only implication of the aging process.

As described in the Nutrition (opens in new tab) journal, there is evidence to suggest that the metabolic rates of our internal organs become progressively lower in older people. These organs also become smaller. As a result, they need fewer calories to function properly and this will have a significant impact on our overall energy requirements.

In general, men will find it easier to shed unwanted pounds, but our biological differences are not as straightforward as this. As stated in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (opens in new tab) journal, men have a Resting Metabolic Rate thats between 5% and 10% higher than women of a similar frame. This is because women tend to carry more fat than muscle, and fat tissue is less metabolically active.

But this does not automatically mean that women will lose less weight when put on the same diet as men. According to a systematic review published in the Obesity Reviews (opens in new tab) journal, the effect of weight loss interventions are not significantly different between the two sexes, and there is little evidence they should adopt different weight loss strategies. It could be that other factors, not only the body composition, may be at play.

The more physical activity you carry out, the more calories you are able to burn. But time spent working out is not the key factor here intensity is important.

Going for a leisurely walk or attending a gentle yoga class will not have the same effect as running for 10 kilometers. How you exercise and how you progress with your physical activity is equally important to your activity levels.

According to a review published in the Obesity Reviews journal, adding more resistance training to your routine will help you to retain and build more muscle mass. Muscle is a very metabolically active tissue, so more muscle means a higher RMR, and more calories burned at rest.

Some fitness professionals debate whether High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is superior to steady-state cardio (such as cycling or jogging) in terms of the number of calories burned. But as described in the Obesity Reviews (opens in new tab) journal, they both show similar effects on body composition scientists point out that HIIT may be more time-efficient as it requires nearly 40% less training time.

Does drinking water help you lose weight? Hydration definitely plays a role in weight loss, although its effect is not direct. According to the Frontiers in Nutrition (opens in new tab) journal, drinking more water helps to reduce portion control and increase lipolysis the breakdown of fat tissue.

Animal studies also demonstrated that dehydration can lead to hormonal changes that may increase the risk of obesity and associated diseases. Wondering how much water you need to drink? The recommended intake is 2L a day, but the exact amount your body needs will depend on several different factors.

Your genes may be partly to blame for why you struggle to lose weight. As reported in the Genes & Nutrition (opens in new tab) journal, a growing number of studies identify gene variants that are associated with an increase in fat mass. These variants may interact with specific environmental factors and increase the risk of obesity.

Does sleeping burn calories? Not exactly. But maintaining good sleep hygiene can make all the difference to your weight loss efforts. Research in the Nutrients (opens in new tab) journal found that just one sleepless night has been shown to increase your desire for high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods, such as cookies and sugary beverages. Disturbed sleeping patterns tend to lead to increased calorie consumption too.

It will also wreak havoc on the levels of hormones associated with appetite control. A study published in the Sleep (opens in new tab) journal suggests that just an hour less sleep five nights a week may lead to a lower proportion of fat mass loss in individuals on low-calorie diets, despite similar weight loss. Whats more, catch-up sleep may not completely reverse these far-reaching changes in body composition.

Psychological stress is another factor that may impact the rate of your weight loss. The Obesity Reviews (opens in new tab) journal found that feeling under pressure may lower the quality of your sleep, enhance your appetite, intensify your cravings and decrease your motivation to exercise.

At the same time, there is growing evidence (opens in new tab) that the practice of mindful eating can reduce food cravings and increase your chance of achieving your weight loss goals.

Can you take probiotics to lose weight? It may be effective. Scientists are increasingly pointing to gut health as a factor in obesity. According to a review published in the Gastroenterology (opens in new tab) journal, the amount and the type of gut microbes residing in our intestines may dictate the rate of your weight loss.

For example, bacterial strains like Ruminococcus gnavus were found to be more common among obese individuals. Their presence also decreased during weight loss. Meanwhile, the number of bacterial strains such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Alistipes obesi were higher in lean individuals.

Certain hormonal disorders will have an impact on the rate of your weight loss. Hypothyroidism is a good example a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough metabolism-boosting hormones, which in turn can promote weight gain. As reported in the International Journal of Obesity (opens in new tab), higher baseline levels of thyroid hormones were linked to better weight loss outcomes.

How long does it take to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable manner? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (opens in new tab), people should aim for a fairly steady weight loss rate of about one to two pounds a week because this way they are more likely to keep the weight off in the long term.

Yet scientists are questioning this claim. A study published in The Lancet (opens in new tab) journal demonstrated that the rate of weight loss does not seem to affect the proportion of weight regained within 144 weeks.

Another study, published in the Obesity (opens in new tab) journal, found that, in people with a similar total weight loss, the rate at which they lost weight did not affect how many pounds were later piled back on. Nonetheless, those who were prescribed a diet with the least number of calories lost the most muscle mass.

Still, dieticians recommend taking a gradual approach, as it promotes healthier attitudes to food and it is least likely to cause side effects.

If you want to maintain the results in the future, it is recommended to focus on a slow but healthy weight loss where you lose one to 2 lbs per week, says Wendy Lord, registered dietician at HealthReporter (opens in new tab). Although such a journey is slow, its constancy will make it easier to develop healthy eating habits, making it less likely that you will gain weight again, and most importantly, it is much safer than rapid weight loss.

But what about overall weight loss? When healthily losing weight, you can expect to lose up to 8 lbs in a month and even up to 90 in a year. However, it is worth remembering that such impressive numbers will only be realistic if you lose up to 2 lbs per week for the whole year and if you are obese in the first place, says Lord.

What is a dietician's stance on boosting metabolism?

Speeding up weight loss is definitely possible, but it won't necessarily be healthy, advises Lord. Since losing weight too fast can lead to loss of muscle mass, slowed metabolism, lack of nutrients in the body, and many other problems, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

On the other hand, there are certainly a few lifestyle changes that can accelerate the loss of a few pounds without risking your health. Among these, perhaps the most well-known is increasing protein intake so that the body burns fat and does not lose muscle mass. It is also effective to drink green tea because of its caffeine or to reduce the consumption of starchy and floury dishes.

Protein is particularly good for weight loss. As mentioned previously, increasing the intake of this macronutrient will elevate the Thermic Effect of Food. It is also crucial to building lean muscle mass. Protein also helps lower food cravings and regulate appetite.

Countless dietary supplements claim to help you lose weight. They tend to be sold as metabolism boosters and fat burners, promising amazing results in no time. But are they actually able to speed up your weight loss? In most cases, there is no evidence (opens in new tab) they can deliver on the promise. But that does not mean that every supplement is a waste of money.

Many weight loss supplements contain high doses of caffeine. And according to a meta-analysis published in the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (opens in new tab), for every doubling in the caffeine intake, the reduction in weight, BMI, and fat mass may increase almost twofold. This is because this compound increases thermogenesis, and, unsurprisingly, increases your energy levels during workouts.

However, it is important to maintain a reasonable intake of caffeine, particularly if you are sensitive to it. As stated in the Sports Medicine (opens in new tab) journal,ingestion of 39 mg/kg of body weight approximately 60 min prior to exercise is the recommended way to power up your workout. That could be in the form of caffeinated drinks, or dietary supplements.

Another dietary supplement worth considering is a green tea extract. As reported in the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (opens in new tab), green tea compounds (such as caffeine and catechins) can increase thermogenesis and increase fat lipolysis.

However, not every green tea supplement is produced to the same standard. Multiple studies (opens in new tab) have shown that those containing doses of EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) between 100 and 460 mg a day have shown the best effects on body fat and body weight reduction in trials lasting more than 12 weeks.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

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How long does it take to lose weight? - Livescience.com