Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Youve probably heard of losing water weight. But can you lose weight by not drinking water?

Dry fasting is a diet fad being promoted online by lifestyle influencers.

The idea behind dry fasting is to forgo drinking any water. Instead, you get water only from food sources, such as fruits and vegetables.

But its a dieting approach that many health experts say is dangerously misguided.

Dry fasting is inspired in part by Muslim abstention from food and water during the month of Ramadan.

In a 2013 study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Iranian scientists concluded that Ramadan fasting led to bodyweight loss and reduced body fat the latter primarily among young and male individuals.

Proponents of dry fasting point to studies that looked at Ramadan religious fasting, which did find specific metabolic benefits to fasting and intermittent fasting in general, Robin Foroutan, MS, RDN, HHC, an integrative dietitian, nutritionist, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Healthline.

However, there have never been studies that compared regular intermittent fasting with dry intermittent fasting, so theres no way to know if there are indeed additional benefits to dry fasting beyond that of regular intermittent fasting, she said.

Proponents say theres a wide range of health benefits from dry fasting.

These include weight loss, reduced body mass index (BMI), strengthened immunity, and lower levels of inflammation.

Sophie Partik, a yoga teacher and nutrition coach, says she hasnt had a drink of water in more than a year.

She says that water derived from food is superior to that consumed from the tap.

I get my living water and cell hydration from fruits, veggies, and coconuts, the purest form of H3O2, she said in a story published by Daily Mail.

Others, such as Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet, recommend dry fasting for limited periods of time, saying that such fasts detox the body.

In a true dry fast, nothing at all is consumed, neither fruit nor water, Schenck told Healthline. Inflammation cannot survive without water, whereas a wet environment enables bad bacteria, viruses, and worms to thrive. When dry fasting, all or many of these critters exit your body. Also, all dead or dying tissues are expelled from the body.

On the other hand, experts such as Aurielle James-Sarpong, RD, LDN, an outpatient oncology dietitian at the Cancer Institute at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, say dry fasting isnt only scientifically suspect but potentially harmful or fatal.

Our bodies are 70 to 80 percent water, James-Sarpong told Healthline. Dry fasting would make it difficult for our bodies to complete daily tasks, such as flushing out toxins or helping nutrients enter cells. Our kidneys, heart, lungs and every other bodily organ on which we rely for normal, healthy living would suffer greatly without adequate hydration.

James-Sarpong says that people need to consume at least 64 ounces of water daily even more if engaging in physical activity, if theyre sick, or if theyre being treated for diseases, such as cancer.

Dry fasting increases a persons risk for dehydration, which could lead to kidney stones, seizures, low blood volume and low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, and even death, she said.

Foroutan says its likely that dry fasting would lead to dehydration.

While fruits and vegetables do contain water, it would be difficult to get enough water that way to be optimally hydrated, she said.

It would be silly and dangerous to forego auxiliary fluid, Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, a nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition, told Healthline. Thats where the bulk of our days hydration comes from, and most people already arent drinking enough water.

Lisa Richards, CNC, a nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, doesnt dismiss dry fasting out of hand.

However, she told Healthline, The weight loss claim likely occurs from a reduction in calories from drinks as well as loss of fluid retention.

Dry fasting may have some benefits, but the risks and negative side effects should be thoroughly understood, Richards said.

Dehydration is a serious risk when it comes to dry fasting. Excessive hunger, fatigue, and irritability are common side effects among those actively dry fasting. A lack of water and fluid, especially when done frequently, can lead to an increase in urinary tract infections as well as kidney stones, she said.

Moreno says that increasing water intake is actually a better dieting strategy than abstaining from drinking water.

Drinking more fluid fights bloat and is associated with better weight outcomes, so drink up, she said.

If youre preparing to do some kind of diet or eating plan that is really limiting or rigid, it really should have solid evidence backing up the benefits that you hope to gain, Foroutan added.

More:
'Dry Fasting' Urges You to Not Drink Water. Why This Isn't a Good Idea - Healthline

In photos: The fast-casual B.Good features a modern and clean interior with an open kitchen and dining room area. Inset:A Turkey mushroom burger with sweet potato fries.

GUILDERLAND That gym membership finally paid off. Im not talking about losing weight. It got me a 50 percent discount on my meal at B.Good.

B.Goods ethos is that food should be good for you, good for the community and good for the planet. They partner with farmers who raise cage-free hens and animals that are antibiotic- and hormone-free, and use regenerative farming practices.

I was told they try to get all products as locally as possible so they can support other businesses in the area. One of their suppliers is Mento Produce Co., a wholesale produce, dairy and dry goods purveyor in Syracuse that promotes locally grown products.

That sounds great, but what does that mean for you, the diner? If you want a healthier way to eat good, they say, then this is the place for you.

B.Good is fast-casual, with a farm-to-table, diverse menu. They highlight salads and healthy items, but you can get a real beef burger with fries and a milkshake. As you might expect, they offer gluten-free and vegetarian grain bowls, plant-based burgers and smoothies.

You can get a gluten-free bun for your all-plant beet pineapple burger, chickpea burger or poblano quinoa burger. B.Good has something for everyone.

The business was launched in Boston in 2003 and is growing fast, with 60 locations in 13 states and Canada, Switzerland and Germany. Their first area store was in The Shoppes at Latham Circle.

So Lisa and I headed over to their Stuyvesant Plaza location for a meal and were pretty pleased with what we found. The decor is modern and clean, with large framed photos of farmer-partners. Wooden tables, counters and chairs give it a rustic feel.

You can order on a touch-screen two are right there as soon as you walk in but as it was pretty quiet, the nice person at the counter motioned us over and indicated that he was happy to assist. He helped us navigate the menu and gave me the discount.

We took our plastic cups sans straws (Thank you for saving a turtle, said the employee) over to the condiment station. B.Good carries Stubborn Soda, a PepsiCo line of craft beverages made with cane sugar and natural flavors. Cool, but I helped myself to house-made strawberry lemonade and Lisa chose their unsweetened lemon iced tea from the dispensers. Drinks are $2.50 each.

This stuff is delicious, I said after taking a sip. There was definitely strawberry flavor in there.

Our food was ready before we knew it, and I hustled to the counter to pick it up. B.Good didnt need their pagers to keep track of orders during our visit.

Lisa chose something flexitarian: plant-based but with some meat. The turkey mushroom burger ($9.50) on a whole grain bun looked pretty good, topped with sauted mushrooms, caramelized onions and chipotle aioli.

The burger was very sweet, and a little bit of heat from the chipotle aioli made for a nice combination. Its like a sausage consistency, Lisa said. That works on a bun. It went down fast, and she said it was tasty. I really like the aioli, she said, I just want to eat that.

We shared an order of better-than-average sweet potato fries ($3.50), sturdy, sea salted and a little bit crispy on the outside. Nicely done its not easy to do crispy, picture-perfect sweet potato fries well. We both liked them.

I had the Southwest Chicken salad ($10). B.Good gets serious points for the excellent chipotle dressing that improved the taste of everything in my bowl. If it came in a bottle, it would be in my refrigerator.

That was a good thing, because the salad needed some livening up. There was plenty of grilled white meat chicken, but as Lisa said, I wish it wasnt cold. White meat doesnt pack a lot of flavor; cold, it has even less. I liked the toasted corn kernels, which packed a snack-food crunch, and the sweet fresh corn. Small sliced tomatoes, black beans and fresh mixed greens made it healthy for me. Lisa ate the avocado. The salad grew on me and I liked it a lot better by the time I reached the bottom of the bowl.

You can get a packaged gluten-free brownie for dessert, but I chose a large, good-looking chocolate chip cookie for us to share ($3). Like everything at B.Good, its better for you, too. Manufactured by Sweet Street, its made with cage-free eggs and cane sugar, and is free of additives and genetically modified ingredients. Their website says the chocolate is sustainably grown.

Theres something salty in here, observed Lisa, who had broken off a piece. I noticed it, too. What the package doesnt say, except in the ingredients, is that there are salty pretzel balls baked into the delicious dough. Thats genius. It bumps the classic chocolate chip salty-sweet cookie up a notch and adds crunch at the same time.

The receipt, which showed a 50 percent Workout Wednesday discount on my salad, came to $28.08 including tax.

You have a choice between many fast and casual restaurants in this area. Where you decide to spend your hard-earned money is up to you. If B.Goods ethos resonates, the decision is an easy one to make.

WHERE: 1475 Western Ave., Suite #38 (Stuyvesant Plaza), Guilderland; (518) 708-8932; bgood.comWHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. SundayHOW MUCH: $28.08MORE INFO: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover. Large parking lot. ADA compliant. Childrens items on menu.

See original here:
Frugal Forager: Healthy, fast-casual spot isn't perfect but B.Good in Guilderland is very Good - The Daily Gazette

Could skipping breakfast impact weight loss? (Getty)

Skipping breakfast and snacking late at night could lead to a delay in the bodys ability to lose weight, new research has suggested.

If were trying to shed the pounds, we know we need to watch what we eat, how much we eat and how much we move, but according to a new study our ability to burn dietary calories could also be impacted by the time of day most of our food is consumed.

The study, published in the journalPLOS Biology,monitored the metabolism of middle-aged and older subjects in a whole-room respiratory chamber over two separate 56-hour sessions.

In each session, lunch and dinner were presented at the same times (12.30pm and 17.45pm, respectively), but the timing of the third meal differed between the two halves of the study.

Read more: The best diets for long-term health

In one of the 56-hour sessions, the additional daily meal was presented as breakfast (at 8:00) whereas in the other session, a nutritionally equivalent meal was given to the same subjects as a late-evening snack (22.00pm).

The duration of the overnight fast was the same for both sessions.

While the two sessions did not differ in the amount or type of food eaten, or in participants activity levels, the daily timing of the third meal had an impact on the amount of fat burned.

Researchers found that the late-evening snack session resulted in less fat burned when compared to the breakfast session.

Study authors said the circadian rhythm, or the body clock, is programmed to assist the body to burn fat when asleep.

As a consequence, skipping breakfast and then snacking at night could lead to a delay in the burning of the fat.

Based on their experimental observations, the researchers said the timing of meals during the day/night cycle could impact the extent to which ingested food is used versus stored.

The study team said their research could have wider implications for advising people on their eating habits, suggesting that a daily fast between the evening meal and breakfast could help optimise weight management.

Story continues

Read more:The risks and benefits of veganism

This isnt the first time the health benefits of the overnight fast have been discussed.

Last year research suggested skippingbreakfast and eating a late dinner could lead to more serious outcomes after a heart attack.

Scientists found people who frequently bypassed brekkie and regularly ate dinner less than two hours before going to bed were far less likely to survive if they suffered a heart attack.

But there has also been some contradictory research in terms of whether eating breakfast can aid weight loss.

While eating breakfast has previously been thought to help aid weight loss, a further body of research suggests you may be better off without it.

Past studies have found aprotein-based morning meal or a bowl full ofoatsfirst thing could be the key to maintaining a steady weight and controlling your appetite later in the day.

Read more: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley reveals she doesn't eat after 6pm

But last year scientists from the Monash University in Melbourne found those who eat breakfast were found to have a higher energy consumption during the day (an average of 260 more calories) compared to those who skipped the morning meal.

Breakfast eaters also weighed, on average, almost half a kilogram more (0.44kg) compared to non-breakfast eaters.

Whats more, the scientists concluded skipping breakfast does not reduce appetite during the day, as previously thought.

The scientists werent the first to challenge the supposed link between eating breakfast and weight loss.

Followers of the popularintermittent fastingdiet will often skip breakfast in order to limit their eating window to later in the day.

Original post:
Skipping breakfast and eating late could stop you losing weight - Yahoo News

PUBLISHED: 10:50 08 March 2020 | UPDATED: 12:02 08 March 2020

Mariam Ghaemi

Clare Skinner with Logan, Willow and Amelia Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

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A mother-of-four who has been told she has months to live is urging women to have their smear test so "other kids might not have to lose their mums like mine are going to".

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Clare Skinner, who has children aged between three and 12, was delivered the devastating news in November last year that her cervical cancer had returned and she had about 12 to 18 months left.

With time running out, the west Suffolk family are focusing on making as many precious memories as possible with Clare for their children to hold onto in the future.

They have launched a fundraising campaign to raise at least 5,000 to pay for days out together, activities and hopefully one last family trip to Disneyland Paris.

Clare, 31, from the village of Lawshall, near Bury St Edmunds, said: "Although this is extremely tough to deal with, as a family we are all pulling together and we want to also raise awareness about how important it is to 'have that smear' to save other families going through this horrible situation.

"We are having to think the unthinkable about how further down the line we will be telling our three younger children who are aged three, four and six that mummy will not be here because of this disease."

Clare, whose eldest child knows the full situation, added: "The test is five minutes of staring at the ceiling and there's so much heartache if it's not caught early. It's a free test and we are lucky to have that available to us."

MORE: 'It could be lifesaving' - New cancer screening campaign urges women to get tested

Last year health experts launched a major campaign to combat cervical cancer in the East of England as screening rates fall to a 20-year low.

Cervical screening (a smear test) can pick up abnormal cells in the cervix and help prevent cancer.

Women aged 25 to 49 are invited to be tested every three years and those aged 50 to 64 every five years.

The NHS says if you are pregnant when you are due for cervical screening you will usually be advised to reschedule the test for a date around 12 weeks after the baby is born as pregnancy can make it harder to get clear results.

'I don't think we were prepared for how quickly it could come back'

Clare, an architect by profession who is married to Doug, said she had been about two-and-a-half-years late for her smear test after life got in the way with pregnancy, wedding planning, a house move to Suffolk and university studies.

It was during a trip to the doctors for one of her children when they picked up she was overdue her smear and Clare had the test done.

She was diagnosed with stage two cervical cancer in January 2019 but after weeks of treatment was given the all-clear the following August.

But the relief was short-lived after Clare started suffering with back and pelvic pain and an MRI scan revealed her cancer had returned and spread beyond her cervix.

The prognosis was that her illness was terminal and had moved to the stage of palliative, or end of life, care.

Clare, who is under the care of Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, said: "We were sceptical about it not coming back; that the radiotherapy and chemotherapy hadn't completely obliterated all the cancerous cells. I don't think we were prepared for how quickly it could come back and how aggressive it was when it came back. They said it was in my lymph nodes and chest."

She added: "If someone can have a smear test and catch it at the precancerous stage another family won't be going through what we are going through."

'I'm not going down easily'

Clare, a keen cyclist who led an active life, said she was fit and healthy before the cancer and there were "no symptoms whatsoever".

She is currently undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks and, while she feels drained afterwards, in between sessions she feels better and can do more.

A friend who is a hairdresser came round to shave her hair, to avoid large clumps falling out, and two of her children helped.

"We are being a bit experimental with bandanas and rocking the bald look at the moment," she said.

She has to make sure she's eating plenty as she's losing weight and is "pushing hard" to do things with the children and "make memories".

The treatment is easing her pain, which Doug, a delivery driver, said had to be a good sign and gave them hope that "maybe we can fight this for longer".

Clare added: "I'm not going down easy."

She said her loss would leave Doug with four children to bring up, yet before the cancer "he was the one who went out to work and I was looking after the children".

Community support

Doug, who is off work to take care of Clare and the family, said the support from the community, from individuals and businesses, had been "amazing".

He said Pro-Scape landscaping company in Lawshall arranged to have their broken-down seven-seater vehicle fixed at no cost to the family.

Matthew Plume, contracts manager at Pro-Scape, said: "Money is money, business is business, but let's just help some people who are having a bad time."

The White Horse pub at Whepstead has also provided the family with meals for their freezer and a mum from All Saints Primary School in Lawshall, Tammy Waughman, has arranged a fundraising bingo event.

-To donate to the fundraising campaign see here.

Original post:
'Don't put off your smear test' - urgent plea from Suffolk mum-of-four with terminal cervical cancer - East Anglian Daily Times

Mike Eagle took his first dip into coaching high school football nearly 20 years ago as a member of Tim Kings staff at Valley Regional, where he oversaw skill-position players and called the junior varsity offense.

A few years later, when he began his teaching career at McGee Middle School in Berlin, Eagle joined the Berlin High staff and dabbled in a little bit of everything for six seasons. Morgan gave him his first head coaching opportunity. Guilford, his second. Eagle then returned to Berlin to coordinate the Redcoats polished, high-powered offenses of 2017 and 2018.

The coach took a breather from football in 2019. On Thursday, his career officially circled back to the Pequot Conference when he was hired as coach of the Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton co-op program.

Eagle replaces Erik Becker, who stepped down after three seasons and is now the new head coach at Haddam-Killingworth.

The fall away from coaching allowed me to sit back and recharge and help out at home, said the 47-year-old Eagle, who lives in Guilford with his wife and their two sons. To be honest, the time off was great. It allowed me to do a lot of things and it also solidified the fact that I missed football.

Mike Eagle will replace Erik Becker as the head football coach for the Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton co-op program.

Mike Eagle will replace Erik Becker as the head football coach for the Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton co-op program.

Mike Eagle will replace Erik Becker as the head football coach for the Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton co-op program.

Mike Eagle will replace Erik Becker as the head football coach for the Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton co-op program.

Paul Augeris news and notes: Eagle returning to sidelines as Coginchaug co-op coach

I missed the Friday nights, but more than that I missed being in the locker room with the guys. I missed the March 6 lifting sessions, the offseason work, the passing league in the summer, everything that goes into being a part of a football program. So its not only the games, but the relationships, all those things that revolved around football. This is a labor of love and a passion and Im ready to jump back in.

Eagles hiring in Durham has generated positive reaction. His varied experiences as a head coach with medium- and large-school programs inside the Pequot and out, plus his knowledge with offenses and defenses, give the Blue Devils a veteran they havent had out of the gate with past hires.

Were lucky to have an individual like Mike Eagle moving forward, Coginchaug athletic director Todd Petronio said. His familiarity with the Pequot certainly added a positive (to his candidacy) after the fact. It helps that Mike has connections, but his experience as a head coach in different settings gave us a flavor of what hes accomplished in the past.

The fact that Coginchaug has taken an upward turn in the last three seasons did not go unnoticed by Eagle. Last fall, the Blue Devils finished 7-3, their best record in some time, with a roster of almost entirely underclassmen and a loss of only a handful of impact seniors. In film study, Eagle quickly realized the team has some dudes who can play.

Way back when, you had to ask around and try to find film of players, but with the advancements in the sport now, you can just click on YouTube, he said. So here I am in the application process watching game film of Coginchaug against Rockville and Coginchaug (versus) Old Saybrook. Im watching and saying, whew, they have some very athletic, very fast players, in a very similar scheme to what I do. I know Coach Becker professionally. I know what he does as far as an offense. We are similar yet different, but looking at this opportunity, you do your homework going in. You study up on the school and the community so youre not jumping in blind.

Eagle played high school football for Tony Jaskot at Xavier in the late 1980s. He was an all-conference receiver, an all-county kicker and a senior captain (and later a short-lived walk-on at the University of New Haven).

He had a good run as a first-time head coach at Morgan from 2010-14 a 28-25 record with a Class S playoff appearance in 2013, the Huskies first since 2000. Morgan was 8-3 in his final season, just missing out on another playoff berth.

It was fun. I really enjoyed my time at Morgan, Eagle said. I was blessed to have some great coaches and great administrators and some great kids there who bought into my philosophy. Morgan had small-school appeal. We had a pool of 285 boys to pull from then. That has challenges in itself. I liked the challenge of how to get kids to play real iron-man football both ways, as well as the challenge of game-planning.

The Guilford job for him was a step up to the Southern Connecticut Conference with a large roster at his disposal, but it didnt pan out the way I had thought it would. He resigned (his choice, hes said) after winning just five games in two seasons.

When the Guilford job opened, it seemed like a good fit. I was in town already, Eagle said. When I left, Joe Aresimowicz, who had taken over at Berlin, invited me back to Berlin to call the offense for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. His son Michael was on my staff at Morgan and Guilford. That was my offense they had been cultivating at Berlin since 2010, so I jumped back in head-first.

The Redcoats, a state finalist in 2012 and 14, played for the Class M championship in 2018, where they lost to a St. Joseph team that blew out 12 of its 13 opponents that season.

Last summer, Eagle assisted Plainvilles Tim Shea for Team Constitution in the state senior all-star game. That was my last little fix before taking some time off, he said.

As Becker did before him, Eagle said he will call offensive plays at Coginchaug. In the coming week, Eagle looks forward to meeting the players and coaching staff and learning how a co-opted program navigates both the challenges and advantages of partnering with a family of schools.

The Pequot is a hodgepodge. Its a jambalaya of everything big and medium schools put together, he said. With co-ops, they give kids who dont have a chance to play at their school a chance to play at another school. Im right back in the middle of it and ready to get my hands dirty and get coaching again.

LIGHTS UP AT PALMER

Palmer Field gives the illusion of a much larger ballpark now that the eight light towers originally installed in the 1960s have been replaced and relocated. There are now just seven towers, powered by an LED system that is expected to get a dry run in the coming weeks.

The city will save money on future light bills with this system, which cost nearly $800,000. Coupled with the ballparks 2018 renovations to its entryways, the addition of a viewing deck and the replacement of the diamonds dirt surface, the LED lighting truly makes Palmer Field a modern-day park.

No more obstructed views, either. The new light towers are behind the grandstands on the first- and third-base sides of the park and the tower once within the viewing deck near the left-field corner is now behind the space.

The first Palmer Field game of the spring is scheduled for April 6 when Xavier hosts Immaculate. The Falcons play nine regular-season games at Palmer, Vinal Tech hosts three and Middletown and Portland two each.

IN THE SCHOOLS

** The five CIAC boys basketball tournaments begin this week. In Division V, Hale-Ray hosts Westbrook in the first round Monday. This is the Noises first postseason appearance in nine years.

Middletown and Xavier, both in Division II, have home games Tuesday night. The Blue Dragons host Wethersfield at 6 and the Falcons host McMahon at 7.

** We are into the quarterfinal phase of the CIAC girls basketball tournaments. In Class M, defending champion Cromwell hosts SMSA on Monday (7 p.m.) while Coginchaug plays at No. 2 seed Canton at 6. In Class S, top seed and Shoreline Conference champion East Hampton hosts Old Lyme on Thursday at 7.

The Bellringers are 3-0 against the Wildcats this season. In the second round, they scored the final 30 points to beat Stafford by 20. Coach Shaun Russells squad has only one senior and likely will do this dance again in 2021. East Hampton has been to a state final just twice winning Class S in 1980 and finishing runner-up in 1985.

** Eli Cyr was a Class L and State Open championship wrestler at Middletown High in 2019. He has taken a gap year since graduating and spent some of his time away from school working to make Hall Highs Drew Currier a better wrestler. Currier just won the state title at 120 pounds.

** Back in the day, Vinal Tech was a member of the now-defunct Charter Oak Conference with the likes of Portland and Cromwell. The Hawks had some good basketball teams and strong teams, but none matched what Jyqwam Fountain did last week in a 70-60 win over Norwich Tech. In his final game for Vinal, Fountain scored a school-record 48 points (or 69 percent of the teams total), including the 1,000th of his career. Tremendous.

** Mercy has signed on to play two softball games under the lights at Pat Kidneys Lu Gecewicz Field. The Tigers will take on Daniel Hand on May 6 and Lauralton Hall on May 15.

THIS AND THAT

** Middletown finished sixth out of 27 teams in the Nutmeg Weightlifting Competition for football players on Saturday, the Dragons best showing in 10 years. Junior lineman Jake Bowen put up 320 pounds on the bench press, most of any lifter, while junior running back/linebacker Jayden McDaniel lifted a total of 985 pounds on the day, second best in the 201-220 weight division. Top five lifting teams: Southington, Cheshire, New Britain, Shelton and Plainville.

** Wesleyan mens hockey won the NESCAC championship for the first time by pummeling Trinity 7-2 on Sunday.

** It would be cool to see area schools like Coginchaug and H-K pursue at least one date on either the Palmer Field or Pat Kidney diamonds. This is a pay-to-play scenario, of course, but who wouldnt want to see their student-athletes have an opportunity to play under the lights at premier facilities like ours?

** A friend and his wife recharged their batteries with a winter trip to watch golf, not play golf. This was the ideal vacation three PGA Tour events in three weeks, starting in San Diego with the Farmers at Torrey Pines, followed by stops at TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Open and Monterrey for the AT&T at Pebble Beach. Maybe I will be included next year?

** Cromwells Justin Stergos, who is part of the hockey co-op with host Newington, Berlin, Manchester and Canton, was named CIAC Division III Defenseman of the Year. The team went 17-3 and is the No. 2 seed in the D-III tournament, which starts Monday.

** Rough start for Bryant Universitys baseball team (2-11), but a promising one for Coginchaug graduate Luke Garofalo. The redshirt freshman right-hander, who had Tommy John surgery in 2018, has one win, five strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA in three relief appearances covering 5 1/3 innings.

** Finally, in a perfect world, traveling violations would be called 100 percent of the time. The world is far from perfect, and in my estimation roughly 50 percent of walks are caught by officials at all levels. Eye test, and the eyes, like numbers, usually dont lie.

Read the rest here:
Paul Augeris news and notes: Eagle returning to sidelines as Coginchaug co-op coach - Middletown Press

As the main event of UFC 248 crawled toward its merciful conclusion, the patience of the Las Vegas crowd no longer existed.

But that zero in Israel Adesanya's loss column did.

It's easy to call for blood when it's not your blood (or career). It was a long, tedious fight, with less output than a broken cable cord, but Adesanya (19-0, 8-0 UFC) steered clear of the volatile damage path of Yoel Romero (13-5, 9-4 UFC) to retain his UFC middleweight title by unanimous decision. The final judges' decisions were 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.

"It was a hard fight, but, cliche, I did what I had to do," Adesanya told broadcaster Joe Rogan in the cage after the fight. "I picked him apart. ... He played the game and lost. He'll do all this [stuff] to get you into a false sense of security, but [my coaches] said, 'You need 25 minutes of sharpness and focus.' I was hoping to touch him a little more, but unfortunately it's hard to engage with someone who doesn't want to dance."

In all candor, neither competitor had a lot of pep in his dance step Saturday. But Adesanya was lamenting Romero's well-known periods of inaction, which are designed to maximize both stamina and strategic advantage and are punctuated by fleeting but furious offensive eruptions that, squarely landed, can crumple the engine block of a midsize pickup. It's an odd style to watch.

But as Adesanya also pointed out, it takes two to tango, and this was one heck of a slow dance; only 16 other five-round UFC title fights had fewer than the 88 significant strikes these two managed together.

(All the action fiends out there surely were transfixed by the epic co-main event, which might have been the best women's MMA fight ever, but I digress.)

The first round set the tone. At the two-minute mark, Romero had not thrown a single strike. A few moments later he broke the ice with a crushing right hand, the fight's first significant offense. Welcome to a Yoel Romero bout. As Adesanya worked to find his range, the resulting stalemate favored the challenger both on the presumptive scorecards and over the longer term, given his need to conserve the quick-burning rocket fuel in his gas tank.

The second round was much the same, with Romero likely up a pair afterward. Adesanya opened up just a bit in the third, clearly outlanding the challenger for the first timebehind an array of kicks to the legs, body and head. Still, the champ was clearlyand quite rightlywary of flying too close to the danger zone. For all his quirks, Romero may have the most finishing ability on the UFC roster.

The action remained at such a low level that referee Dan Miragliotta intervened before the start of the championship rounds, telling the competitors, "You gotta give the judges something to score." A little, uh, interventionist for a referee, but an illustrative sequence nonetheless.

In the fourth, Romero took his sweet time recovering from what looked like an inadvertent Adesanya eye poke. Maybe it was legitimate, but he's been accused of stalling before. Just saying. In any case, the champ staved off a late Romero takedown attemptoddly, the only one all fight from the Olympic wrestling silver medalistand appeared to grab that round as well to even things up for the final frame.

In the fifth, welts rose on Romero's right leg from repeated kicks. That cumulative, visible damage might have swung the final outcome.

"Those legs don't lie," Adesanya told Rogan. "I f--ked his leg up. He was doing stuff to play it off, but I did what I had to do to win this fight."

So, yeah, it was an ugly, boring contest. No two ways about it. However, the slog made a little more sense from Adesanya's standpoint. During a fight, Romero's entire body vibrates with danger, even as he remains coiled.

In fact, the champ's conservative approach may have made him even scarier: He knows who you are, and he has a plan for you. The end is more important than the means.This fight showed how stylistically flexible Adesanya can be. Instead of worrying about the crowd or a bonus or fighting "his" fight, he stayed within himself, fought smart and played the long game. As a result, he'll leave Las Vegas with the belt and ready to negotiate his next title defense.

That raises an important question. Who is going to beat this guy? With Romero dispatched, the field is getting slimmer. Can anyone at 185 pounds stop Adesanya's march to the sea? And if so, who?

Adesanya's not going anywhere anytime soon. He said this week that, although light heavyweight and heavyweight remain in play for the future, he wants to "do right by the division," essentially by trying to clean it out. He hopes to fight at least a couple more times this year alone.

We do know who's up next: Paulo Costa (13-0, 5-0 UFC), the hard-charging Brazilian straight out of central casting. Costa was the presumptive choice for this defense until Adesanya handpicked Romero instead.

"This guy's going to actively come forward and try to f--k with me," Adesanya told Rogan. "I'm gonna f--k this motherf--ker up. Yo, Costa, I'll see you soon, boy."

One thing's for sure: It woudn't be a boring fight. Borrachinha combines relentless pressure with smart movement and consistent body work. It's hard to tell whether his punches or kicks are the more lethal weapon, but he can string together combinations with both.

However, Costa's key weaknesshe's pretty hittabledovetails with Adesanya's strength. If the champ can find openings and use counters to turn Costa's pressure against him, it could be a one-sided affair. Nevertheless, Costa and his phone-booth style probably stand the best chance among UFC middleweights Adesanya has yet to face.

So, who else is there? When Anderson Silva (34-10 [1], 17-6 [1] UFC) sits at No. 15 on the official rankings despite being 44 years old and winless in seven of his last eight bouts going back to 2013, you might have some slim pickins on your hands.

For starters, no one wants a repeat of what happened Saturday night, and given that Romero turns 43 next month and is now on a three-fight losing streak, it doesn't seem likely anyway. The chances of a rematch with Robert Whittaker (20-5, 11-3 UFC), whom Adesanya dismantled last year to capture the title, also seem remote given Whittaker's long injury history and the lopsided nature of the defeat.

Last April, Kelvin Gastelum (15-1 [1], 10-5 [1] UFC) gave Adesanya his toughest UFC test to date. His bullrush style was novel at the time, but if the Whittaker fight was any indication, Adesanya got hip to the blueprint, breaking Whittaker down with surgical counters. At a minimum, Adesanya-Gastelum 2 makes more sense than any of the other potential rematches.

But if it were to happen, it's still a ways away, as Gastelum is still looking to rebound from the loss he suffered last fall to Darren Till (18-2-1, 6-2-1 UFC). So what about Till? Adesanya had a few choice words for the Englishman this fight week. Frankly, Till is not a great option outside of the charisma he'd bring to the proceedings. But now that he's back up at middleweight, Till could conceivably bring all his considerable power to bear and might just stand a puncher's chance. Because, uh, anything can happen in an MMA fight?

If you want to maximize that puncher's chance, why not call in the big gun? The aptly named Jared Cannonier (13-4, 6-4 UFC) reinvented himself in 2018 after dropping down two weight classes from heavyweight to middleweight. Since then, he's 3-0 with three knockouts, giving him nine for his career. Cannonier isn't the most dynamic of athletes and has a suspect gas tank of his own, but he also has devastating power and not a little bit of momentum. He'd need to win at least one more before his name could formally enter the hat, but if he can get there he might just pose a threat.

After that, the landscape flattens out pretty quickly. Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares already fell victim. Edmen Shabazyan is promising but still green at 22 years old. Uriah Hall would undoubtedly be a fun foil given his next-level striking displays, but he has never found consistency in the UFC. The last time Hall won more than two bouts in a row, it was 2015, and he beat a guy named Ron Stallings to get there.

Fans are upset with the nature of Saturday's fight, but they'll forget soon enough. Memories of a close but clear decision win will remain longer than the unconsummated bloodlust.Everyone freaked out when Adesanya had a boring bout with Silva, too. Did that stay with us? Is Adesanya, in your mind, really a boring fighter? After Silva came Gastelum and Whittaker.

No one should worry too much.Adesanya will have better fights. But as he continues his march through the division, it's hard to know whether we'll say the same about his opponents.

More:
After UFC 248, Is There Any Middleweight Who Can Stop Israel Adesanya? - Bleacher Report

Losing the last few kilos is always a hard task. While 27-year-old Rajni was dedicated to getting fitter, she quickly realized that exercise alone won't get her the desired results. Putting in practice some diet secrets she learnt from her brother, Rajni was able to lose weight and transform for better. To know how she did it, read her story from fat to fit here:Name: Rajni PandeyOccupation: Employed with a private companyAge: 27 years

Height: 5 feet

Highest Weight Recorded: 64 kgs

Total Weight Loss: 7 kgs

Current Weight: 53 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 2 months

The turning point: My fluctuating weight made it difficult for me to find the right clothes. Once I hit 64 kilos, I realized it was high time I do something about myself and that's when I decided to hit the gym. Initially, I was able to drop down to 58 kilos but then I hit a plateau. My weight stayed between 58-60 kilos for the next two years and I couldn't do anything. This was when I decided to seek guidance from my brother, who had successfully lost weight. I consulted him and he gave me more information about food planning, eating pattern, and the importance of vitamins and minerals.

My diet: I started off with 2 weeks of 3 meals a day and reduced it to 2 meals a day for 2 weeks. After 4 weeks, I followed 1 meal a day. I ditched carbs, sugar completely and followed a diet high fats, medium protein, and low carb diet. I also included important vitamins like - B, C, D, E, A, K, and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium etc. in my diet through supplements.

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I would bake at home with the help of various YouTube videos. Peanut butter cookies, flour-less dark chocolate cakes etc. Amazing and healthy!

My workout: I work out early in the morning, six days a week- 3 days spent doing weight training and the other two days intensive cardio and one day dedicated to brisk walking or jogging. Sundays are my rest day.

Fitness secret I unveiled: Losing weight is more about what you eat and when you eat. Exercise alone can help you lose a little weight but once you start paying attention to your diet, the results look more promising.

How do I stay motivated? The number of compliments and comments I get from people post my transformation are enough to keep me working on my goals.

How do you ensure you dont lose focus? Through my weight loss journey, I realized one big thing-instead of eliminating, you have to concentrate on fine-tuning your lifestyle. I did not eliminate what all I liked eating. Instead, I started to look for healthier ingredients (trust me, they aren't so difficult to find) and this kept me interested and dedicated.

Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? Obesity makes you more prone to lethargy and low energy levels. Even though my weight was not too much, I would still feel a dip in my energy levels during the second half of the day.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? Now that I know what would keep me healthy and fit, I would love to follow the same lifestyle and food for longer.

Continued here:
Weight loss story: 'My brother's transformation inspired me to lose weight' - Times of India

On average, there are more than 128 suicides per day in the United States, attempted by people with and without known mental health conditions. USA TODAY

Alec Murray was 13. He enjoyed camping, fishing and skiing. At home, it was video games, movies and books. Having just completed middle school with almost straight As, those grades were going to earn him an iPhone for his upcoming birthday.

Instead, he killed himself on June 8 the first day of summer break.

Caleb Stenvold was 14. He was a high school freshman in the gifted and talented program. He ran track and played defensive cornerback on his schools football team. Just two months into high school and four months after Alecs suicide Caleb killed himself on Oct. 22.

The teenagers, both from Reno, Nevada, didnt know each other. But their families now do, bonded by loss. Their parents are haunted by what they dont understand: why.

The parents of Alec Murray and Caleb Stenvold are moving past blame into action. Paige and Lee Murray are working with the Reno Behavioral Healthcare Hospital and other agencies to better coordinate local suicide prevention.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

They along with mental health experts, school leaders and researchers are trying to understand why suicide by children ages 10 to 14 has gone up and up. The suicide rate for that age group almost tripled from 2007 to 2017. Newly released 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a 16% increase versus the previous year.

While experts point to a host of explanations for the alarming rise, scientific proof about cause isnt conclusive. Some research shows correlations with social media use, cyberbullying and the internet, but studies citing them as a suicide cause are less decisive.

It's not a hotline, it's a 'warmline': It gives mental health help before a crisis heats up

The parents of Caleb and Alec believe impulsivity very common in teens because their brains arent fully developed played a role in their suicides.

Kerri Countess, Calebs mother, called his suicide totally unexpected and unimaginable. He was the youngest of her five sons.

Calebs parents, Kerri Countess and Storm Stenvold, created Forever14.org, a website dedicated to preventing youth suicide by promoting conversation and human connection.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

Paige Murray said son Alec showed no signs of mental distress or depression or anxiety.

We think it was an incredibly impulsive act by a hormonal young man, she said, noting that Alecs stellar grades were posted online the day of his suicide.

This wasnt a conversation that ever entered our house until June 8, but knowing what we know now, it should be. We were blindsided by it, Lee Murray says. Its hindsight. We could have done better, but how would you know?(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

Experts suggest that our celebrity culture, where suicidal thoughts are sometimes romanticized or normalized, also plays a role. Alecs parents and Calebs parents say they need to speak out and warn other families.

When Caleb died, we wanted everyone to know he died of suicide because if it can happen to my child who was not bullied and did not fit into the reasons people kill themselves, it can happen to anyone, Countess said. It was an impulsive and immature act.

Suicide prevention: If you've ever had suicidal thoughts, make a safety plan

Amy Kulp, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide, said youth, in particular, have very few experiences with dealing with outside stressors and tend to be quite impulsive.

If they have a precipitating event like they are bullied or dont make a team or a friend stops talking to them or something is on social media that theyre embarrassed about, she said, they dont know they will get through it.

Kulp said the rise in suicide among the youngest adolescents has spawned prevention programs targeting elementary and middle schoolers, teaching things like resilience, wellness, self-care and coping behaviors.

Psychologist Mary Alvord said shes been seeing younger and younger kids in her practice.

At ages 6, 7 and 8, Im now seeing kids with depression, said Alvord, of Rockville, Maryland. It used to be suicide attempts were more in high school. Now, Im seeing more completed suicides in middle school and even upper elementary school.

The CDC data illustrates a steady consistent increase, that deserves our focus and our attention, said CDC statistician Sally Curtin. Its linear and has gone up every single year since 2010.

The CDC also monitors suicide attempts and self-inflicted injuries, based on data from emergency rooms. The latest CDC report published Jan. 31 found that from 2001 to 2016 such visits for those 10 and older increased 42%, with substantial increases occurring in younger age groups.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: What actually happens when you call

During the most recent study period, from January 2017 to December 2018, such visits increased more than 25%. For girls ages 10 to 14, data from 2009 to 2015 reflects almost a 20% increase in emergency visits for self-inflicted injury.

Youth today are much more familiar with death, said Jonathan Singer, board president of the nonprofit American Association of Suicidology, citing more than 20 years of mass shootings at schools among reasons.

Death has become public, he said. With the internet and social media, when somebody dies, its all over your newsfeed. Hundreds of millions knew within minutes that Kobe Bryant had died. Death is much more a part of their generation.

Kerri Countess, Calebs mother, called his suicide totally unexpected and unimaginable. He was the youngest of her five sons.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

Among those aiming to reverse the trend is the National Association of State Boards of Education, based in Alexandria, Virginia, which examined the 2017-18 school year and determined that 25 states and the District of Columbia required or encouraged school districts to develop suicide prevention policies.

According to the organizations policy review, author Megan Blanco said only three of 10 states with the highest youth suicide rates (ages 10-24) had a suicide prevention policy. The youth suicide rate for Nevada where Alec and Caleb lived is 14.4 deaths per 100,000, which is higher than the national average of 10.6 deaths per 100,000. Nevada was not among the 25 states with a prevention policy, she said.

Alvord, the psychologist, has conducted programs to promote suicide awareness as a joint effort of National PTA and the American Psychological Association. She also helped APA develop online advice for parents to talk to teens about suicide.

Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, a pediatrician and an adolescent medicine specialist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, co-founded the Center for Parent and Teen Communication.

Its never a mistake to ask a person about their emotions or whether [someone should] be worried about them, he said.

Paige Murray says son Alec showed no signs of mental distress or depression or anxiety. We think it was an incredibly impulsive act by a hormonal young man. Alecs stellar grades were posted online the day of his suicide, she says.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

People think depression is always seen as sadness, Ginsburg said. While sadness is a very important clue, adolescent depression can present with irritability, rage or anger, instead of just sadness. Physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, belly pain, dizziness, loss of weight these are all things that can present as having problems with mood or depression. Parents may miss the signals.

At age 14, Caleb Stenvold was a high school freshman in the gifted and talented program. He ran track and played defensive cornerback on his schools football team. Just two months into high school and four months after Alecs suicide Caleb killed himself.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

The day after his death, Calebs parents sought answers on his phone and computer, asking their 17-year-old son,Matthew, to search Calebs history back to middle school for possible clues. They found one thing: a search for suicide the day before Caleb hanged himself.

Nadine Kaslow, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said parents need to realize that kids communicate differently today and any thought of banning social media or phones isnt realistic or wise.

Parents often get mad at kids because theyre texting or Instagramming or Snapchatting, she said. I worry when kids are not doing those things. If they stop doing that, theyre not having fun.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of the book iGen, has a darker view of the effects of media consumption and technology, based upon her research. Studies published in several journals in recent years including the Journal of Abnormal Psychology,Psychiatric Quarterly and Sleep Medicine found detrimental connections between the omnipresent smartphone, social media, sleep disruption and depression.

The mother of three (including a 13-year-old) believes technology should not be in a childs room overnight, and she doesnt believe anyone 10 to 14 absolutely needs a smartphone.

Twenge said its difficult to determine a reason other than technology for the suicide spike in recent years.

Phones and smartphones check all the boxes of possible causes, she said. Its something thats affected a very large number of people and affected their everyday lives. Its hard to think of anything else that fits that criteria.

Perhaps the most significant analysis supporting Twenges worries appeared last month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The evidence from cross-sectional, longitudinal and empirical studies implicates smartphone and social media use in the increase in mental distress, self-injurious behaviour and suicidality among youth. The review also found that social media can affect adolescents self-view and interpersonal relationships through social comparison and negative interactions, including cyberbullying; moreover, social media content often involves normalization and even promotion of self-harm and suicidality among youth.

A Pew Research Center report on cyberbullying released in 2018 found 56% of 13- to 14-year-olds had experienced cyberbullying; more than one-third said they had been the victim of offensive name-calling or false rumors.

Their parents said neither Alec nor Caleb were bullied. But many others are.

We dont know if bullying is the cause, or if kids who are depressed make better targets for a bully, said Justin Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center.

Henry Kautz, a professor of computer science at the University of Rochester in New York, sees a similar dynamic with technology.

People have been quick to point to studies that show increases in screen time and increases in depression. But its really unclear which way the causation goes, he said. Are people who are bullied and isolated seeking refuge in more screen time or is it the other way around?

The parents of Alec and Caleb are moving past blame into action. Calebs parents created Forever14.org, a website dedicated to promoting conversation and human connection in order to prevent teen suicide.(Photo: Lauren Casto for KHN)

The parents of Alec and Caleb are moving past blame into action. The Murrays are working with the Reno Behavioral Healthcare Hospital and other agencies to better coordinate local suicide prevention. Calebs parents created Forever14.org, a website dedicated to promoting conversation and human connection in order to prevent teen suicide. They have filed paperwork to create a nonprofit with the same mission.

Dont think its too young to talk to your kids about if they might feel like hurting themselves. You might think you have time to tell them, but you cant go back, Calebs father, Storm Stenvold, said. I dont know what pain he was in for that time that he felt he needed to do this. He decided on this very quickly. He was rarely alone. He was home less than three hours by himself.

Paige Murray agrees, which is why she and her husband, Lee, said they werent going to be silent about Alecs suicide.

Every family needs to have a conversation about suicide with their children starting very young. Dont just spring it on them when theyre 10, she said. It should be part of everyday conversation about loving yourself and making sure tomorrow is another day. Make sure it becomes a part of everyday knowledge.

This wasnt a conversation that ever entered our house until June 8, but knowing what we know now, it should be. We were blindsided by it, Lee Murray said. Its hindsight. We could have done better, but how would you know?

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time of day or night or chat online.You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

'Mr. G': A 95-year-old man has been 'working' at his local 7-Eleven for decades. He's paid in coffee.

Recall: Dangerous Ikea dressers recalled over risk of crashing onto children

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Suicide has only gotten younger. These two families, bonded by loss, are taking action. - USA TODAY

LOOKING at a photo of her 20 stone figure, Yvonne Tompkin knew she desperately needed to lose weight.

The former aerobics instructor, 54, had ballooned to a dress size 22 after giving up exercise and developing an unhealthy addiction to snacking.

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And it was seeing the image of herself at her heaviest that drove Yvonne, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts, to lose half her body weight.

Yvonne, who lives with commodities trader husband Dominic, 45, and children Azaria, 13, Elyas, 12, and ten-year-old Querida, signed up to Slimming World and has since shed nearly 11 stone.

Yvonne now feels happier and more confident than ever in her trim size ten, 9st 11lb figure.

She said: "I've never looked back and now I'm 10st lighter and a whole new woman - with a new job, new figure and new confidence as a wife and a mum."

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Before putting on weight, Yvonne had been a trim size ten when she got married.But after having her first child she quickly developed unhealthy habits and stopped being active.

She said: "I married my husband when I was 38 and super-fit. I was a qualified aerobics instructor, always running about, and a size 10.

"I fell pregnant at 39 and naturally, towards the end, I wasn't able to be as active.

I started eating whole packets of chocolate biscuits

"When Azaria was born in 2006, I was about a stone heavier.

"Being a first-time-mum was hard work and I was often really tired, and this is when my bad snacking habits started.

"I started eating whole packets of chocolate biscuits, convincing myself I needed the energy.

"My meals were the same as before, but because I wasn't doing my usual exercise classes, I wasn't burning off the calories like I used to.

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"My bad habits continued after Elyas and Querida were born and, with each pregnancy, the weight piled on.

"I often moaned to my husband about my insecurities but I'd lie about the amount of junk I was eating when he wasn't around.

"I hid the sweet and biscuit wrappers before he got home, ashamed of how many I'd eaten."

Yvonne went from 12st and a dress size ten before her first child, to 17st and a size 22 at age 50.

However, Yvonne's wake-up call came when she started applying for new jobs in 2017 - and she lost all confidence.

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"Querida was starting at school and I felt ready to go back to work so I started to apply for jobs," she said.

"I went for interview after interview and kept not getting the job, and my self-esteem plummeted.

"I hated the way I looked and it got so bad I barely left the house.

"If I did, I'd watch Dominic play with the kids in the park or in the local pool, as I was too shy to get involved with them."

I hated the way I looked and it got so bad I barely left the house

At the end of that year, Yvonne was out for coffee with friends when they started chatting about Slimming World - which spurred her into joining the group.

"They'd each lost weight on the plan and something just told me I had to try this to be happy again," Yvonne said.

"I asked if they could pick me up on their way to Slimming World the following week and, although I was terrified, I knew that if I'd told them I was going, I couldn't pull out."

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Despite her initial fears, Yvonne says she found her first session "amazing".

And she decided to keep motivated by taking a photo of herself at her heaviest as a reminder to keep going.

"When I got home I asked my daughters to take a photo of me because I knew I'd never be that weight again," Yvonne said.

"I printed the photo and stuck it in the front of my Slimming World book as a reminder to keep going.

"And I did. I cooked healthy dinners every night from scratch, stating with Cajun chicken and wedges.

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Yvonne's diet before and after

BEFORE (20st)

Breakfast: Four slices of toast with butter and marmalade

Lunch: Ham sandwich with white bread, crisps and chocolate bar

Dinner: Curry with ready-made sauce, rice, naan bread, bhajis and chips

Snacks: Packet of chocolate biscuits, coffee with two sugars

AFTER (9st 11lb)

Breakfast: Fruit with quinoa and Quark yoghurt

Lunch: Jacket potato with low-fat natural cottage cheese, ham and salad

Dinner: Chicken tagliatelle

Snacks: Fresh fruit and fat-free natural yoghurt

"We ate together as a family and I made sure there were lots of leftovers I could enjoy the next day if I got a craving to reach for biscuits.

"I also snacked on fresh fruit and fat-free natural yoghurt."

Within six months, Yvonne had lost four stone and finally had some confidence back.

Yvonne then began working for a friend three afternoons a week and the weight continued to drop off.

She has since lost over ten stone and is now helping other women to follow in her footsteps.

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"After I'd lost 5st, I knew I wanted to help others the way I'd been helped, and in May 2018 I became a Slimming World Consultant," Yvonne said.

And Yvonne realised just how far she'd come when,17 years after her wedding day, she could again fit into her white size 10 gown.

She said: "Last year I dug out my wedding dress and when I fastened the zip to the top, I cried with happiness to be back to the woman I was all those years ago."

The rest is here:
Weight loss: 20st mum shed HALF her body weight after taking before photo for motivation - The Sun

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), and Michael Scott (Steve Carell) are just a few of the beloved characters from The Office. No characters or storyline will ever quite compare to Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) and Jim Halpert (John Krasinski). Viewers immediately began to root for them from season one.

Through the many twists and turns of the interesting plot the two characters continued to grow, and luckily, eventually, find companionship in one another. Jim and Pams relationship quickly became a fan favorite. Followers everywhere were enthralled with their dynamic.

In season five, fans finally got to see the beautiful moment between Jim and Pam when he proposes to her. It is no surprise that this particular scene stands out as one of the most memorable moments in the history of The Office.

However, fans and viewers may be surprised to learn how much the precious moment actually cost to film. Greg Daniels, the executive producer, claimed the characters lengthy journeys and storyline together deserved a scene that represented the momentous occasion.

Jim and Pams chemistry was so sweet and undeniable from the start. However, in the first few seasons, there was a slight problem of Roy (David Denman), Pams fianc.

The Offices earlier seasons depict a different kind of love story for Pam. For three seasons fans and viewers watched Pam struggle to make it work with Roy until the inevitable demise of their relationship.

Finally, in season four, fans finally were able to see the anticipated beginning of Pam and Jims relationship. It was even better than expected.

The season premiere that would eventually lead to Jims proposal was broken up into a two-part episode to kick-off the start of a new season. Weight Loss Part 1 focused on the challenge the characters take on to collectively lose weight together, while Jim struggled with Pam pursuing her passion for art in New York City.

Part two of the famous episode aired immediately after part one. The unique two-part season premiere should have clued viewers in that something special was coming up.

Weight Loss Part 2 begins with the comical footage of the characters as they continue to battle against the fellow Dunder Mifflin branches in a weight-loss challenge. Pam seemed to be adjusting to her new life in New York and even began making friends, but it was obvious that throughout the episode Jim was tense and in a state of unrest when it came to Pam.

As the days and weeks pass by the episode illustrates the annoyances and inconveniences that the couple endured as a result of dating at a distance. From family obligations to last-minute schedule changes, it became obvious that Pam and Jim were becoming frustrated with their current situation.

That was until one afternoon Jim asked Pam to meet for a spontaneous lunch. They agreed to meet halfway, and Jim proposed to Pam outside of a gas station in the pouring rain. The couples love for one another couldnt be contained, and despite deciding to wait, viewers got to see Jim propose to Pam unexpectedly in season five. The beautiful scene captured everything the viewers and fans loved about the popular couple.

Fans and viewers grew to love Jim and Pam overtime, but imagine being one of the people responsible for creating the show, characters, and storylines. Daniels implied that nothing would be held back when it came to getting the proposal scene just right.

That is probably why the whole scene cost about $250,000. Using the fake rain and designing a replica of the famous gas station that the couple has shared memories at in the past were two essential pieces of the proposal.

In order to have both of those elements present it cost about $250,000. Talk about an expensive scene!

When it comes to television series, it is safe to say that Jim and Pams love story is one for the books. The couples storyline meant a great deal to the fans and the teams of people who were dedicated to writing, producing, and filming the show. The famous proposal scene is representative of the beloved characters.

Read more:
'The Office' Proposal Scene Between Jim and Pam Was Super Expensive to Film - Showbiz Cheat Sheet