Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Weight loss supplements have become increasingly popular over the years, which ones have been proven most effective? While eating a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise are the most effective ways losing weight, studies have suggested amaranth can help you shift the pounds.

Another study involving 19 people showed a high-protein diet was associated with a reduction in appetite and calorie intake.

The fibre in amaranth may move slowly through the gastrointestinal tract when undigested, which could also help promote feelings of fullness.

A study involving 252 women for 20 months found increased fibre intake was associated with a lower risk of gaining weight and body fat.

Its important to note more research is needed to look at the effects of amaranth on weight loss.

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Amaranth has been been associated with a variety of other health benefits, one of these being to lower cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood, and having too much can increase the risk of serious health problems, such as heart attack and stroke.

Some animal studies have found amaranth could lower cholesterol.

One study involving hamster showed amaranth oil decreased total and bad LDL cholesterol by 15 percent and 22 percent respectively.

An animal study also showed amaranth helped inhibit the production of immunoglobulin E, a type of antibody involved in allergic inflammation.

The best way to consume amaranth is by using it in cooking.

Prior to cooking amaranth should be soaked in water so its easier to digest and break down.

It can then be added to smoothies, used in place or pasta or rice, mixed into breakfast cereal, or mixed into stews and soups.

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Best weight loss supplements: The ancient grain found to aid weight loss - Express

After a 30 year career of giving it all, giving birth to twins, body shaming and the stress of the music industry, its safe to say that Mariah Careys weight loss has been fluctuating.

After the birth of her twins in 2011, Carey (then 41 years old) ended up losing 70 pounds on the Jenny Craig diet plan.

She lost the weight with a strict diet and exercise plan, but added, I never weighed myself. People will think Im a liar but its true ... Im a big-boned girl, Im tall, and so I always weigh more. Instead of stepping on the scale, she said, I would tend to go, Does this size dress fit me that I wore three years ago? ... I would go by what it looked like, how I felt.

Mariah struggled with self acceptance a lot while she was pregnant.

When I was pregnant, I had a house with lots of antique mirrors on the walls, so as I walked around, I couldnt help but look at myselfthis huge pregnant woman, she recalls. I hated myself for decorating the house with all these mirrors. I was so mad at myself.

In fact, figuring out the proper lighting and decor in her home is essential to helping her feel her best.

According to a 2015 report, Carey might have started toying with the idea of a gastric sleeve for weight loss after hearing her ex-fianc, James Packer boast about it. The singers size had been steadily increasing over the years and it was her (then) billionaire boyfriend who put the idea in her since he himself lost more than 75 pounds from the procedure in 2011, an inside source revealed.

In 2016, Carey dished to ETs favorite daytime diva, Sharon Osbourne about her personal weight struggle. She was talking about getting ready to marry the millionaire businessman, James Packer.

The funny thing with me is I would always be like, Oh! I gained weight, because I am muscular, so sometimes I dont even notice it, Carey explained. Now I have been pretty consistent with this bleak diet that I am on.

She went on to mention this bleak diet again in another interview with ET about the dietary regime she has to follow while getting ready to perform for her Caesars Palace residency. Leading up to the big day, shes probably months deep in diets and more.

She said: I tried to bring the moments, the costumes, but its hard. I guess thats why I am on my bleak diet.

Basically, its as bleak as it sounds because she may have been trolling interviewers with this term.

Yes. My diet is very bleak, she told the Sunday Times, giggling. I overuse the word because there is a lot of bleakness going on. My bleak diet is horrendous, but I dont want to tell anyone about it because its none of their business.

I just dont want people commenting, she adds hinting that she doesnt want anyone to ask about her diet and exercise regimen at all.

Carry knows this stems from struggling to find confidence. I am a pretty insecure person, she explains, But I have to get over that because this is the reality of my life. I look better than I looked a few months ago, but I am definitely not one of those people who says, I look amazing today.'

Maybe this is why her weight had increased since and Mariah Careys biggest weight loss headline would come in 2017, from her gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. Theres no time for insecurity when youre in a permanent contract with the size of your stomach.

Aah, the year of body shaming! But haters would soon learn about how the power of determination, perseverance and having money can go a long way!

In 2017, online trolls really got to Mariah Careys skin when they commented unkind remarks about the singer during her Caesars Palace residency. One source revealed that Mariah Carey wanted weight loss through exercise and dieting again, but then she started getting a lot more criticism online from body shamers. The hateful comments shaming her size and pushed Mariah towards the procedure in September or October 2017.

Some of the comments read:

Mariah you need to lose some weight, you are starting to look like a whale

She looks like she cant breathe

The body shaming wasnt the first time Mariah felt insecure about her weight though. In 2011, she was feeling insecure about being the huge pregnant lady. Then, an insider opened up about her insecurities of weight gain to a point where: She has the tags cut out of clothes, so she can be blissfully unaware of her size.

All of this changed when she walked into her Hand and Footprint Ceremony at Hollywood.

In September 2017, ET confirmed that Mariah Carey lost weight by undergoing a gastric sleeve weight-loss surgery performed by a top surgeon in Beverly Hills, California. At age 47, Mariah felt like this was a new beginning for her.

She had shed at least 30 pounds from going through weight loss surgery by November 2017!

Mariah Careys weight loss came from a gastric sleeve and a new diet regime which includes: Salmon, Capers, Chicken Broth and an occasional glass of wine. Since gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is a procedure that shrinks the size of the stomach, patients eat less and so this type of diet could be the new diet Mariah had to follow. The procedure can be done via a small incision, meaning recovery time is fast and scarring is minimal.

This was the year where she became very confident about her appearance. Yes, like any diet, it was hard in the beginning but Mariah Carey was able to keep up with it, leading to a healthy mindset and body.

After 30 years of singing for us, Carey seems to be in the best shape of her life. Her career has had many ups and downs but in 2019, she snapped this photo on Instagram and posted it in January 2019. With a fabulous body, she also flaunts the effects of a consistent diet and exercise routine dressed in a two-piece swimsuit with minimal makeup.

When it comes to diets, Mariah Carey has been very open about trying to lose weight and her insecurities with the same. Fortunately, a source close to Carey told HollywoodLife.com that the (then 48 year old) entertainer follows a completely sugar-free diet and consumes plenty of lean protein.

Mariah loves smoked salmon and capers, so she eats a lot of that lean Instagram photos left us wondering exactly how shes managed to slim down, and attain one of the most enviable figures in the industry.

After looking at those bikini photos taken in January 2019, many have been wondering how they too can look that good at the age of 48.

The answer may lie in following a strict diet full of protein and the special secret: Cut out sugar completely, and that is processed sugar.

She has cut out chocolate and other sweets, and when she has cravings, she eats little pieces of fruit, like some blueberries or mangos, an insider said. She is working out regularly and eating clean, whole foods with a focus on vegetables. She has also cut out carbs and bread. As a result, she has lost a ton of weight and is looking and feeling great!

Carey also mentioned to Us Weekly that after delivering twins, she enlisted a full-time dietitian who helps her stick to 1,500 calories a day, especially in times where she needs to quickly shed excess weight.

When eating 1500 calories she would have opted for snacking on multiple smaller meals throughout the day instead of eating 3 big meals to keep her energy levels up while also avoiding bloating and tiredness.

Page six revealed that Mariah has always been proud of her curves, but this summer, as her Caesars Palace residency came to a close, and then she went on tour with Lionel Richie, she noticed it became harder to dance, and she was getting a lot more criticism online from body shamers.

It is hard to dance if unlike Jennifer Loper or Beyonce, you are well known for being a singer first and foremost. With vocal ranges of a goddess, why does her weight even matter?! She fluctuates and thats been something we all have dealt with at some point in time.

According to Us Weekly, Carey works out three times a week to stay at the perfect weight, and looks radiant without makeup. But some feel that her radiance could have plenty to do with her on/off relationship with back-up dancer Bryan Tanaka, the singer-songwriter has disclosed exactly how she maintains her physique in recent interviewsconsidering life as a mother to twins Moroccan and Monroe can admittedly get hectic.

Aside from being a mom to twins, Mariah Carey gets her heart pumping from workouts that are aerobic. These have been known to release pressure from your bones as well as relaxing your muscles. While aerobics are often unfairly associated with the elderly, Everyday Health reports that it makes your blood more capable of delivering oxygen around your body, as well as reducing chances of cardiovascular disease.

As with any entertainer, being on the road or preparing for your body to perform in front of millions is challenging. If Instagram is real even in the slightest of chances, Mariah seems to be doing fine with her weight.

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Mariah Carey Weight Loss Over The Years - Daily Hawker

Getty Images Image: Woman cooking in the kitchen

Call it what you will: An eating plan, a lifestyle, a diet, a philosophy, but few things garner such heated debate as how to lose weight. The truth is, whether you're on a low-carb keto program, devoted to the Paleo lifestyle, all in on the Whole 30, or remain committed to low-fat eating, these plans have more in common than you think. What's more, follow any one of them religiously, and you'll likely notice results.

In one recent study, Stanford University researchers put more than 600 overweight adults on either a healthy low-fat or low-carb diet. It turns out, participants had similar levels of weight loss success on each plan. Researchers looked for clues (such as insulin levels and gene patterns) to see if there are any factors that might make someone more successful on either diet, but after combing through the data, they were not able to make any connections.

What they did note is that eaters on both plans followed some really simple advice. This advice is the common thread among all healthful weight loss and dietary approaches. So if you're looking for the best way to lose weight, focus on these three commandments of healthy eating.

Considering that 1 in 10 Americans fail to meet their produce requirements, it's pretty safe to say you need to eat more vegetables. And no matter what food philosophy you subscribe to, vegetables are a big part of the program. Vegetables have a lot going for them: They fill you up for very few calories, and they flood your body with the nutrients it needs to fight diseases, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

If you follow food trends, you might think you have to fall in love with cauliflower and kale to reap all the rewards that vegetables offer, but that isn't the case. Be it broccoli, carrots, red peppers, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, brussels sprouts or any other vegetable, the idea is to eat a variety of them and find plenty of ways to enjoy their goodness. So if you just can't stomach steamed Brussels sprouts, try them roasted, or give sauted brussels sprouts a try. If raw zucchini isn't your thing, see if you like it spiralized into noodles or grilled on a grill pan.

Using a layered approach is another great way to build a good veggie habit. For example, start with a food you already enjoy say, pasta and layer some vegetables into your bowl. This can help you explore a new food with one you already love eating, and from there, you can try new ways to savor it. Take spinach, for instance. After trying it with pasta, you may want to fold it into an omelet or another favorite food, or explore it on its own with different cooking techniques (sauted or steamed) or different flavor additions (garlic or golden raisins). The possibilities are limitless!

I've converted countless veggie haters into veggie eaters, and upping your vegetable game can have tremendous payoffs in how you look and feel.

You can blame biology for your sweet tooth. We're hardwired to have a preference for sweets, and this drive is universal and begins early on, according to research on the subject. Sugar makes food taste good, so food companies add it to everything from breads to soups to salad dressings to cereals, yogurts, and more. This adds up to way too much sugar!

On average, Americans consume more than 19 teaspoons of sugar per day far in excess of the American Heart Association's 6 teaspoon limit for women and 9 teaspoon limit for men. This is not doing your waistline any favors, which is why every weight-loss plan advocates eating less sugar.

There has been some confusion that a low-fat diet means you can feast on low-fat cookies and other treats, but this, again, is the food manufacturers' influence. The true intent of low-fat dining is to eat more healthful foods that are naturally low in fat: fruits, vegetables, beans, lean proteins, and whole grains.

There is plenty of research to support a low-fat lifestyle, just as there is strong evidence that you can lose weight by cutting carbs. Different approaches work for different people, but if you want to slim down, cutting back on added sugars is consistent advice across all programs.

One more note on added sugars: Whether you call it agave, cane juice, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, date sugar, or any of the 61 names for added sugar, they all spell trouble for your health and your waistline.

I'm in favor of any program that promotes whole foods over hyper-processed fare, and this is one thing the popular diet plans can agree on. Overly processed foods have been linked to weight gain, perhaps because many unhealthy packaged foods (think: potato chips, ice cream, frozen pizza, cookies, and the like) lack the fiber found in many whole foods, including vegetables. Fiber helps fill us up, and research suggests that by simply adding more fiber to your menu, you can lose weight nearly as well as a more complicated approach. Consistently choosing whole foods is one way to do this.

Newer research suggests it's easier to overeat processed foods. Think of how long it takes to eat a fast-food sandwich compared to a plate of fish, salad, broccoli and brown rice. When researchers conducted a similar experiment, matching meals for calories, carbs, protein, fat and sugar, and allowing people to eat as much (or as little) as they liked, they found that people ate about 500 calories more per day when eating heavily processed foods and they gained an average of two pounds during the short study period. They ate more, ate faster, and experienced some changes in their appetite-regulating hormones that can make it harder to feel full. But those same folks lost about two pounds when given the whole foods diet, suggesting that prioritizing whole foods can help you regulate your appetite and weight.

Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, eggs, seafood, chicken and so on. Food philosophies may differ around which of these foods to emphasize, but that's okay, since the evidence shows that there isn't a single best way to lose weight. The goal is to select an approach that feels sustainable to you. If you'd like to live without pasta, perhaps a low-carb method centered around vegetables and quality proteins, like seafood, chicken and lean beef would be a good fit. Vegans and vegetarians can lose weight by choosing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins. Nut lovers may do well shedding pounds with a Mediterranean-style menu. Whatever diet appeals to your appetite and way of life, focusing on whole foods is something that all plans promote.

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The best way to lose weight boils down to these three things NBC News - msnNOW

With the notion of new year, new me, every January, gyms see an influx of new business and everyone wants in on the latest trend in dieting. What if we told you there was a diet plan that aids in anti-aging, the reduction of health risks, and weight loss? Sounds a little too good to be truebut apparently there is a science behind it, and AboutHer.com wanted to get to the gist of it.

ProLon isthe worlds first five-day Fast Mimicking Diet that isscientifically proven and clinically tested, and an amazing way to stay vibrant, youthful, and healthy for longer.

The plant-based meal program tricks the body into thinking it's fasting but with less discomfort and risk than a true water-only fast. The fasting pushes the body to burn fat, rejuvenates cells, and promotes anti-aging by lowering risk factors of a host of diseases including cholesterol, inflammation, fasting blood glucose, diabetes, and obesity.

Invented by Dr. Valter Longo, ProLon is the first and only meal program that has gone through clinical trials at the University of South California Longevity Institute and has been patented for its anti-aging effects. We spoke with Dr. Joseph Antoun, the CEO and Chair of the Board at L-Nutra Inc to find out how ProLon is the healthiest and most effective way to diet.

What is ProLon?ProLon is the first and only scientifically developed, clinically tested Fasting Mimicking Diet. With ProLon, consumers are biologically fasting for 5 consecutive days while consuming food to nourish their body. The purpose of mimicking and enhancing a 5-day fasting state is to induce the bodys natural protective and rejuvenatingcapabilities. It is a metabolic, weight, and cellular reset.

How did you come up with such a plan that targets both weight loss and anti-ageing?The ProLon plan was invented at the Longevity Institute of the University of Southern California. The research team who discovered the benefits of a prolonged fasting is lead by Professor Valter Longo, who wasnamed by TIME among the top 50 most influential people in health. Prof. Longo for over two decades wasresearching the pathways in the cell nutrition impactsand induce pro-aging or anti-aging signals. Once these nutrition to aging processes were uncovered, the researchers discovered that fasting inhibits the main three pro-aging pathways within a cell, and when done for several days, puts the cell in a situation or protection and rejuvenation which no nutrition of pill has ever showed to date. Because it is difficult and could be unsafe for people to do 5 days of water fast, the research team under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Health developed a breakthrough nutrition program that feeds the cells but still gets undetected by the three pathways. The mix of fasting and rejuvenation makes the ProLon fasting mimicking diet a great program for fast weight loss and healthy aging.

What makes this plan so different from the other popular and ever changing diets out there?ProLon is a novel concept and class in nutrition. First, nutrition has never recommended prolonged fasting till now. The theories of the 90s and early 2000s about eating multiple times a day have unfortunately drifted our bodies to stay in a pro-age pro-fast storing mode all day long and we witness unprecedented rates of obesity, Diabetes, Cancer and Cardio-vascular diseases. Most weight loss dietson the other hand,have focused on eating lower calories daily. Chronic calorie restrictions in humans have definitely weighted and metabolic benefits but poses challenges such as most people default on it and gain back the weight. Some also lose lean body mass unless they exercise at the same time. The main challenge was yet to be unlocked till now, is how to inspire people to change their lifestyles while respecting tradition and the evolution of our diet rather than impose a daily regimen that sets them in many cases for failure. This is what ProLon is meant for, 5 days of transformation and inspiration to help the consumer win over dieting and change their relationship with food while experimenting better energy, sleep, food portion control, and mental clarity.

Finally, it is important to point out that the fasting mimicking diet is the only diet that has been developed at a university, has gone through pre-clinical and clinical testing, and has been awarded a patent on promoting longevity and health span.

What are the added benefits of a ProLon plan?ProLon benefits are five folds: weight, metabolic, cellular, behavioral and emotional ones. Indeed, the stress on the cells from not detecting or knowing that they are eating, induces the cellular protection and rejuvenation process. This resets the body in a way that most dietary regiments have never been tested for. Also given that ProLon is a five-day plant based gluten-free regimen, it helps the person go through a healthy journey of lifestyle change and feel that they have won against food addiction and unhealthy habits. Most diet fail because they require daily lifestyle changes. With ProLon, there is a day 1 and a day 5 so most people can complete it and feel a win against food. Most ProLon consumers report a change as well with their relationship and addiction to food. They report higher energy, mental clarity and improve sleep patterns.

How does it work?ProLon nourishes the body but still goes under the cells own food censors. Therefore, the cells are fasting and enter a protectionist, rejuvenative, survival process while they are being fed. The diet is rich in good fats, plant-based proteins and fiber-based carbs. It contains minerals and vitamins. No need to eat or drink, besides water and one coffee a day, anything else with it. To prove its safety and efficacy, ProLon has been tested in mice and humans at the Longevity Institute and Keck hospital in California.

Who would be the ideal candidate for a ProLon plan?ProLon is first andforemost for healthy aging, which is a natural process that we all go through. For those of us who are healthy otherwise, they could do ProLon 2-3 times a year mainly for the cellular rejuvenation effects. For those who have health risk factors or are overweight, we suggest they do three ProLon cycles over three months period (one ProLon per month) and if they reach their goal, then they maintain with 3 cycles per year. Some people should not do ProLon such as pregnant or breastfeeding women or frail people who need to gain weight. If unsure, we recommend any potential consumer to contact their doctor or our medical science liaisons.

What 5 tips can you give our readers to help them on their way to weight loss in a healthy way?I will recommend what I do which includes:1.Doovernight fasting of 12hours up to 14hours max.2. Eat a pescatarian or flexitarian diet.3.Exercise 3-5 times a week.4. Do ProLon 2-3 times a year.5. Do not snack late at night!

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ProLon: The Diet That Aids Weight Loss And Anti-Ageing - About Her

The New England Journal of Medicine is widely regarded as perhaps the most prestigious medical journal in the world. It has an acceptance rate of five per cent, meaning that only one in 20 articles submitted is judged by experts to be worthy of publication. That doesnt mean the rejected papers are not based on sound research; most eventually get published in lesser journals. But the New England Journal looks for the cream of the crop. Thats why I pay particular attention to papers published in this journal, such as a recent article on the Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. Even more so when the article is the work of Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Dr. Mark Mattson, renowned globally for his research in the area of intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting does not mean cutting out a Snickers bar between meals. It refers to a systematic eating pattern that places emphasis not on what food should be eaten, but rather on when it should be consumed. Intermittent fasts fall into three general categories. In alternate day fasting, days of very low-calorie intake are alternated with days of regular eating. The 5:2 variety dictates eating normally on five days of the week but restricting calories to under 700 on two non-sequential days. In daily time-restricted feeding, all food is consumed in a six-to-eight-hour window, essentially resulting in a 16- to 18-hour fast. Most people who engage in this version finish supper by about 7 p.m. and do not eat again until lunch the next day.

Of course, the question is why anyone would want to engage in any of these torturous regimes. Simply put, it is because there is accumulating evidence that calorie restriction provides benefits beyond the obvious weight loss. It has long been known that reduced food intake in animals results in an increased life span. The assumption has been that the benefits of reduced calorie intake are due to a reduction in the generation of free radicals as a consequence of metabolic processes. However, it appears that there is another factor involved. Typically, in experiments in which rodents are put on a low-calorie diet, they are given their daily allotment of food in one dose that they generally consume within a few hours. This means that essentially, they are on a 20-hour fast. This results in metabolic switching, a term with which we have to become familiar to understand the benefits that are attributed to intermittent fasting.

The main source of energy for cells is glucose. During respiration, glucose serves as fuel, providing energy as it reacts with oxygen to yield carbon dioxide and water. It is this process that is also accompanied by the production of those troublesome free radicals. The main source of glucose are carbohydrates in the diet and when these are severely restricted, as in fasting, the body switches to fats as an alternate fuel. But fats are not used directly, they are converted in the liver to ketone bodies that then are metabolized yielding energy. This is commonly referred to as a state of ketosis.

It turns out that these ketones are not just fuel for cells, but are also signalling molecules that regulate the expression and activity of various proteins and other biochemicals that influence health and aging. It seems that metabolic switching, which is a result of periods of fasting, is perceived by the body as a signal to go into survival mode since no food is coming in. Cells respond by improving control of blood pressure and blood sugar, producing more antioxidants and curbing inflammation.

Most of the fasting studies that have produced promising results have involved animals, but some human trials are starting to emerge. Improvements in insulin sensitivity, verbal memory, resting heart rate, and cholesterol levels have been noted in short-term clinical trials. In rodents, experiments have shown reduced occurrence of spontaneous tumours with daily calorie restriction or alternate-day fasting. Suppression of the growth of induced tumours has also been observed. Furthermore, the animals show increased sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. Stimulated by these observations, a number of human trials examining the effect of intermittent fasting on breast, ovarian, prostate, endometrial, colorectal and brain tumours are underway. Pilot studies are also examining possible benefits of intermittent fasting in multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, surgical outcomes and athletic performance.

Obviously, we have to temper this discussion with the all-too-often-stated disclaimer that more research is needed. But it is forthcoming. Dr. Valter Longo at the University of Southern California has some interesting results with his Fasting Mimicking Diet. For five days, people consume only special prepackaged foods that provide 1,000 calories the first day and 725 the other days and are said to have a unique combination of nutrients that trick the body into thinking it is fasting. Repeating the cycle monthly for three months has resulted in weight loss as well as a drop in blood sugar and cholesterol. But going hungry for five days is challenging and the meals are expensive.

It is always meaningful to ask experts what change they have made in their life as a result of their research. Mattson says he eats within a six-hour window every day. And thats from the horses mouth.

joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca

Joe Schwarcz is director of McGill Universitys Office for Science & Society (mcgill.ca/oss). He hosts The Dr. Joe Show on CJAD Radio 800 AM every Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m.

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The Right Chemistry: Intermittent fasting is hard. But does it work? - The Province

Diet, discipline and determination did it for us, say two women who succeeded in losing almost half their weight.

I lost over 60 kilos and regained my health

At the beginning of every year, members of CITAM Church on Valley Road, Nairobi, undertake a 40-day fast.

For years, I had joined my fellow church members in the annual fast, sometimes going for five or seven straight days without food.

I had never attempted the 40-day fast, partly because I wasnt sure I could hold out that long.

But I decided to give it a try in January, 2018, living on water and one meal a day at 6pm for 40 days. I did it for spiritual reasons and felt an incredible sense of accomplishment.

Although I wasnt fasting to lose weight, I was pleasantly surprised to note that my weight had dropped from 138 to 132 kilos.

I was always the chubbiest child in class and the playground. Even as a grown up, I was always the biggest of all my friends.

Not that it bothered me. I am a confident and outgoing person.

Still, I had tried losing weight several times using different diets I found on the internet.

I would diet in the run-up to events, aiming to fit into certain clothes, or whenever my clothes became too tight.

I occasionally lost weight but would revert to my normal eating habits right after, regaining all the kilos, and some.

For a person standing 58, my weight 138 kilos at my heaviest brought a lot of health complications.

I was in my early forties but seeing the doctor every three weeks; I had sleep apnea (a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts), asthma, high blood pressure, dizzying headaches and joint pains.

So bad were my knees that getting up from a chair or climbing a flight of stairs was difficult.

Because of the sleep apnea and high blood pressure, I was sleeping only one or two hours a night, leaving me tired and drowsy during the day.

Things got so bad that I tried to convince my doctor to prescribe sleeping ills for me. But he refused and advised me to lose weight instead.

Although I decided to follow the doctors advice, I had challenges finding the right weight loss method.

I needed to lose almost half my weight 70 kilos. That sounded almost impossible to achieve.

I was still mulling over how to go about it when my sister told me about a childhood friend shed bumped into.

The friend, a medical doctor who had always been as chubby as I was, had lost 40 kgs.

My sister pushed me to look for her and I did, and she was more than happy to share her secret.

On her advice, I booked an appointment with a representative from the Wellness Project Africa.

The weight loss companys website said it provided medically monitored and tailor-made medical plans for individuals.

Their programme used foods to balance weight- influencing hormones in order to trigger fat burning.

I had my blood samples taken for the purpose of monitoring the levels of various weight-influencing hormones in my blood, as well as my liver, kidney and thyroid functions.

I began my weight loss journey on June 18, 2018, strictly following instructions from my wellness partner, a trained individual assigned to help me navigate the process. I lost five kilos the first month.

The foods prescribed were great and there were many options to choose from.

I was glad that my favourite foods like beef, chicken, traditional greens and fruit were included. The meals were also easy to prepare, even when I was travelling.

By the second month, my energy levels had increased, enabling me to join a gym and go for walks in Karura Forest.

I no longer suffer from sleep apnea and insomnia and my blood pressure is normal. PHOTO | COURTESY

After six months (June to December 2018), I went from 133 to 85 kilos. It was almost unbelievable.

My friends and I flew to Cape Town to celebrate my achievement. Although I relaxed a bit on the diet during that holiday, I still stuck to the principles avoiding junk food and processed carbohydrates and sticking to protein, fruit and vegetables.

In January, 2019, I went back to strictly following the diet. It paid off because by April, my weight was down to 77 kilos, the lowest in my adult life.

But when I dropped to 74 kilos, my family became concerned, saying, I looked a bit weak.

On the advice of my wellness partner, I completed the diet and increased my protein intake while taking up weight training to build muscle.

I still do that, having changed my eating habits for good. My weight now oscillates between 74 and 77 kilos, almost a year after finishing the programme.

The benefits Ive reaped are immeasurable. For someone who got asthma at age 25, it is very refreshing not remembering the last time I had an attack or used an inhaler.

For the first time in my life my weight is normal and I can sleep throughout the night.

I no longer suffer from sleep apnea and insomnia and my blood pressure is normal.

Although my knees are still a little inflamed, I go to the gym, climb stairs and get up from my seat without a struggle.

One of my greatest achievements, which many people might take for granted, is that I can now cross my legs when seated, wear stockings and balance in high heels.

Although I was never a big eater, I now realise that skipping meals and snacking on junk foods like chocolate, cakes, ice cream and pizza was the reason I gained so much weight.

Because I had a busy schedule and lived alone, I rarely cooked, opting for unhealthy takeaways.

I also never drank water, but relied on Fanta soda to quench my thirst, even when I woke up at night with a parched throat because of sleep apnea!

I havent eaten chocolate, pizza, chips or any junk food since 2018, and I no longer even crave them.

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Battling the bulge: What women say - nation.co.ke

Against a background of tasteful pastel which signals from the off that we are in the land of discretionary spending on faulty female anatomy the ProFaM website makes its unique bid for womens money. Ovarian tissue storage! And not only for fertility-related reasons. Whod want a menopause? Will you be ready? the website challenges. You never know what the future holds, so freeze the biological clock and prepare for the future.

For many women, alas, the offer will be empty. The ProFaM clockstopping technique requires young ovarian tissue and costs up to 7,000 for removal (storage and reinstatement extra). Age 25-30 is optimal, the doctors say. Once reinstalled, the tissue is supposed to function as natural HRT.

The average age at menopause is 51. To defer the menopause theoretically at least, via this method women need to pay for an operation before theyve thought about middle age, or experienced its social construction as an affliction, or, probably, considered volunteering as guinea pigs in non-essential experiments. Nobody knows how long, how well or how safely thawed ovarian tissue will function once its replaced in a much older body, because it hasnt been done yet.

We believe we are now in a position to offer the opportunity to postpone the menopause seems to be the closest ProFaM gets to closing the argument for costly speculative surgery. Its a bit like persuading very thin people to pay for an untrialled weight loss technique they might not need for a quarter of a century, if ever. And what if, one day, menopausal ceased being an insult? Meanwhile, ProFaM needs healthy and affluent young women to pay up.

Step forward Savannah Fishel, 22, the daughter of Dr Simon Fishel, a co-founder of ProFaM. In BBC interviews that may prefigure the corpororations new non-inquisitorial style, father and daughter last week together made the case for using Fishel ovary-harvesting services, presumably, in Ms Fishels case, at a discount.

Maybe we've all been a bit unfair to Gwyneth Paltrow and vaginal steaming

Ive seen menopausal problems manifest themselves in family members, Ms Fishel offered, by way of objective scientific reasoning. The technique sounded, the BBC reporter hazarded, a bit experimental? One for the fertility expert. Its experimental with a group of patients we want it to benefit, Mr Fishel said. But in its own element, each element of it is not experimental, no. You couldnt help wondering at this point if we havent all been a bit unfair to Gwyneth Paltrow. Is vaginal steaming so much more disreputable than minced ovary with still indeterminate menopause-postponing powers?

It was left to another doctor, Dr Melanie Davies of Fertility Preservation UK, commenting separately, to confirm that Fishels technique is unproven, to warn against healthy women going through surgery that would not otherwise be needed, and make the case, instead, for conventional hormone replacement therapy.

More usefully for the Fishels, the BBC illustrated its report with one of those stock pictures of a tormented middle-aged woman who has stepped away from normal, happy people into private, menopausal hell. Unless Savannah Fishels dynastic loyalty can substitute for peer-reviewed studies, sustained aversion to the menopause is likely to be as critical to ProFaMs prosperity as are misogyny and gerontophobia to buccaneering aesthetic surgery, and the cultural pressure to reproduce to the sale of unpromising IVF.

Conversely, too much awareness about the significant number of women who are either unafflicted or only temporarily troubled by the menopause or immeasurably more affected by other life events could be disastrous for a business posited on a narrative of female biological doom. There cant be enough doom, or gloom, where no compelling argument exists. Have women realised, for instance, that female longevity is not the unqualified bonus they may have thought? As women, for the first time in human history, are living so much longer in the post-fertile phase, Fishel likes to argue, they may be suffering much longer.

But perhaps women define suffering and indeed their reasons for existing differently? Though one in four women, as a study suggested, report severe menopausal symptoms, that suggests three out of four dont. Some actively exult. US research suggests that their experience will relate to prevailing cultural attitudes. In societies where age is more revered and the older woman is the wiser and better woman, menopausal symptoms are significantly less bothersome, Yales Dr Mary Jane Minkin has said. Should young women, not knowing into which category they will fall, pay, insurance style, for future interventions they may not want?

Mercifully for Fishels embryonic industry, a growing and welcome openness about the menopause seems to favour his version, in alighting predominantly on its potential to cause distress, as opposed to its potential compared with other middle-aged afflictions manageability. To hear Dawn Butler, before the election, advancing Labours case for dedicated menopause rooms and menopause leave, was to wonder why any woman should be expected to work through an enveloping fog of heat, mood changes, cognitive decline and misery. Not to mention why these arrangements should be more urgent than, say, carers leave or bereavement rooms.

If Labours menopause policy did raise awareness, it probably did just as much to consolidate the view that this process is a scary, debilitating illness that regularly defies all treatment. Earlier media rejoicing about Fishels evidence-light scheme had already indicated the degree to which the menopause is pathologised as a relentless biological curse on women, who await their saviour.

Whether it is ethical for UK clinicians, in the absence of long-term trials, to monetise this kind of thinking is for professional bodies to decide. Maybe private ovary-freezing is no less respectable than other offers of inessential but encouraged self-optimising surgery?

As a lay person I would only add that one of the unexpected benefits of a post-fertile existence turns out to be the protection it offers against ambitious male gynaecologists.

Catherine Bennett is an Observer columnist

More here:
The menopause isnt so scary that young women need to sign up for costly surgery - The Guardian

It's not just people who pile on the pounds, but often our pet pals do too.

But as pet owners we have a responsibility to keep our dogs (and other animals of course) healthy, which includes managing their weight.

Pet charity the PDSA have even launched their annual 'Pet Fit Club' where they search for the UK's fattest pets in a bid to help them scrub the chub.

Up to 15 overweight pets (dogs, cats, rabbits and rats) from across the UK will be chosen to participate in Pet Fit Club.

Selected pets are then placed on a six-month diet and exercise programme, individually tailored to their needs and overseen by vets and vet nurses at their local PDSA Pet Hospital.

But before they get too fat, is there a way that we can stop them putting on excess weight first?

Grain free pet food brand, Canagan have put together their top tips on how you can help keep your best friend maintain a healthy weight.

The right weight for your dog depends on its breed; Whippets, for example, have vastly different parameters to Newfoundlands.

Theres a healthy weight range for each breed, and if your dog falls within this, there should be no cause for concern.

Weight changes often arent that noticeable, especially if the change is gradual and over time. If you are worried about your dogs weight, there are some key visual indicators that can help determine if theyre under or overweight.

Are the ribs, backbone or other bones visible? Can you see them from a distance? If so, this could be a sign that your dog is underweight.

Can you barely see the rib cage or not at all? This could indicate that your dog is overweight. There are also other medical issues that could cause bloating, so if this is the case, its best to book an appointment with your vet to rule these out

Does your dog have a large/bloated looking stomach that hangs too low? This is another sign that they may be carrying a few too many pounds.

How can you control your dogs diet for weight loss?

Here are some tips to start your dogs weight loss journey:

What is the best dog food for maintaining a healthy weight?

Whilst exercise is a good way to help your dog lose weight, sometimes, due to illness or old age, dogs can be less active.

Senior dogs are often a lot less mobile, meaning they burn less calories, so their food should contain a lower percentage of fats and fewer carbs.

Cutting out carbohydrates can also be helpful, but make sure you cut out the right ones. Grains all contain high levels of carbohydrates which release their energy quickly so are best to avoid, but sweet potato releases energy slowly and is a great source of soluble fibre, so this makes a great addition to your dogs diet.

Keep a note of your dogs weight to monitor their progress and remember that slow and steady wins the race a healthy rate of weight loss is one per cent per week. If you begin to see a dramatic change, visit your vet to rule out any other health issues.

If you do switch your dog onto a grain-free dog food, it is quite common for them to appear hungry initially. As grain-free food is often full of higher quality ingredients, this means that the quantity you will be feeding them is less.

Their stomach will need time to adjust to this decreased amount of food, but dont worry, your dog will still be getting all their dietary needs met in the recommended portion size.

How do you stop your dog begging?

Why your dog is begging in the first place? More often than not, its because weve reinforced this behaviour as we want to give them treats every now and again, but this is a slippery slope.

Here are some top tips to break this cycle:

Read more:
Fat and furry - top tips on how to stop your pooches getting pudgy - Gloucestershire Live

Track your carbs and eat them, too? That's the lofty promise behind counting net carbs over total carbs.

Tracking net carbs can help you feel more in control of your diet.

Credit: Jelena Danilovic/iStock/GettyImages

If you're on a low-carb diet such as keto or you limit carbs to manage a medical condition, you're likely quite familiar with counting carbs. But in recent years, dietitians and other experts have made a case for tallying up net carbs also sometimes called "digestible carbs," "active carbs" or "impact carbs" instead of the total carbs you take in.

When you're counting carbs, it's easy to think of them as an enemy to avoid completely. But carbs serve an important purpose: They're converted into energy that's either used or stored in the body. Along with fat and protein, they're one of the three essential macronutrients required to keep your body running smoothly.

There are three main forms of carbohydrates: fiber, sugar and starch, according to the Mayo Clinic. While sugar and starch are both digested and turn into blood glucose (aka blood sugar), most of the fiber you eat won't be digested at all, according to the American Diabetes Association.

That's where net carbs come in.

Instead of counting total carbs, tracking net carbs allows you to tally up only the ones your body actually digests. While there's no standard medical or scientific definition for net carbs, they're generally calculated by taking total carbs and subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (a commercially produced form of carbs that act as a sweetener, per the FDA). The new total after subtracting these is your net carb total.

Total carbs fiber sugar alcohols = **net carbs **

Essentially, the sugar and starchers are your net carbs. To understand why net carbs do not take fiber or sugar alcohols into account, it's important to know how each of these types of carbohydrates affect the body and why they're so important.

Easily track your net carb intake on an app like MyPlate.

Credit: mapodile/E+/GettyImages

This method of carb-tracking recognizes that not all carbs are the same. That's because some are indigestible and won't affect your blood sugar. So if you're restricting the number of carbs you eat, counting net carbs allows you to choose more thoughtfully. Simply put: You'll be able to eat a variety of satiating foods (hello, whole grains) while still hitting your target carb or blood sugar levels.

Consider these perks that might convince you to board the net-carb bandwagon.

Let's zero in on that second benefit a bit. You'll find dietary fiber, a type of carbohydrate, listed on food labels under "total carbohydrates," but fiber is digested differently than white grains or sugar-filled candy, which turn into glucose fairly rapidly in the body. Unlike these simple carbs, fiber helps fill us up, then passes through our body, aiding in digestion and regularity.

We hear about the importance of fiber often when it comes to health and nutrition because eating fiber helps lower cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and control blood sugar levels, according to the Mayo Clinic.

It can also help you maintain a healthy weight since fiber-rich foods take longer to eat and are more filling, the Mayo Clinic notes. "Fiber slows down our digestion and keeps us full for longer," says Murphy.

A January 2018 study update in the Journal of Nutrition found a high-fiber diet is tied to lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. High fiber intake during the teen years and into early adulthood is also tied to reducing breast cancer risk, according to a large February 2016 study published in Pediatrics. And, several studies have shown that dietary fiber may be linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Sugar alcohols provide sweetness with fewer calories than regular sugar and have less of an effect on blood sugar than other carbs, per the FDA, which is why we subtract them when counting net carbs.

But because they arent digested or absorbed in the same way as sugar, sugar alcohols can often cause GI issues (such as gassiness and a laxative effect). It's a good idea to slowly introduce foods with sugar alcohols until you're aware of your tolerance to them. The sugar alcohol erythritol is the least likely to cause GI upset.

For many people, ditching carby foods is an effective solution to lose or maintain weight. Often, however, those who restrict their carb intake find that they don't feel full as a result.

Here's the key to feeling full and losing weight: Getting more fiber while nixing sugar, which is where tracking net carbs helps.

The FDA notes that people in the United States don't get enough fiber and fall below the 25-gram-per-day recommendation. Here are some easy ways to increase fiber intake:

And when you're adding more fiber to your diet, make sure to drink plenty of water along with it to prevent consipation.

"As with tracking food in general, tracking carbs or net carbs can quickly turn into disordered eating if not managed mindfully," Murphy points out. It's important to keep in mind that even if the net carbs in a certain food are low, that doesn't mean the calories are low. If your goal is weight loss or weight management, it's important to always read the full nutritional label, too.

As mentioned earlier, the term "net carbs" still doesn't have a medically or scientifically standardized definition. So, if you have diabetes, consider subtracting dietary fiber from carbohydrates in food with more than 5 grams of fiber, the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami suggests.

The Institute also recommends only subtracting half and not all of the sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. Remember, sugar alcohols can have some effect on blood sugar (it's just less of than effect than other types of carbs).

It's important for people living with diabetes to closely monitor their blood sugar levels and work with their health care provider to determine an appropriate net carb amount per day and which foods make the most sense for them to eat in conjunction with any medication or insulin regimen.

See the article here:
Counting Net Carbs vs Total Carbs: How to Calculate Net Carbs Easily and the Benefits - LIVESTRONG.COM

POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Stop Doing These 5 ThingsWhile some have tried pretty shocking techniques to lose weight, there are also some common, long-held techniques that seem like a good idea - and may even work at first - but are absolutely going to backfire and end up causing weight gain. If you're on a quest to a slimmer you, avoid doing these five things.

If you've heard that you shouldn't eat past 6, 7, or 8 p.m. in order to lose weight, that's just not true. Food eaten at night doesn't automatically get stored as fat, as previously believed. What time you stop eating has nothing to do with how much weight you'll gain or lose - it's the total calories you consume in a day that matters. If you are a late-night snacker, opt for healthier options that are easy to digest.

Whether it's all carbs, all gluten, all sugar, all baked goods, or all whatever, certified dietitian Leslie Langevin, MS, RD, CD, of Whole Health Nutrition believes this is not a life your pizza-ice-cream-pasta-loving self can sustain. After a period of forced deprivation, most people will just throw in the towel and devour an enormous plate of whatever they're living without, says Langevin. Or, if they are able to go through a period of elimination, once they go back to eating these foods, the weight they lost will slowly creep back on. When it comes to maintaining weight loss, moderation is key.

Going no fat or low fat was a huge trend back in the '90s, a fad that we are glad has mostly passed. Most low-fat foods are packed with sugar to add flavor, and as a result, they end up causing weight gain - especially belly fat. Also of importance is that we've since learned that eating healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and nuts can actually help to increase metabolism and can burn away belly fat. Healthy fats also fill you up longer, so go ahead and add nuts to your smoothie, avocado to your soup, or roast your veggies in olive oil.

In order to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. And while reducing the number of calories in your diet is one way to do this, skipping an entire meal is not the way to go. Starving the body can slow down its metabolism and lead to overeating later. And let's face it, if you're running on empty, you won't have the energy for a calorie-crushing workout later. Beyond adopting a healthier diet in general, the best way to reduce your calorie intake is to find ways to make healthy swaps in your favorite foods and also by choosing lower-calorie foods that are high in fiber, protein, or whole grains, which can better keep you full.

Working out is definitely part of the weight-loss equation, but if you think it means you can eat whatever you want, you're not going to be happy with the results. Keep in mind that a 30-minute run at a pace of six mph (10 minutes per mile) burns about 270 calories. In order to lose a pound a week, you need to burn or cut out 500 calories a day. So that means coupled with your 30-minute workout, you still need to cut out 220 calories from your diet, which most likely does not translate to eating everything in sight. Research actually proves that "abs are made in the kitchen," which means that what you eat - focusing on eating healthy portions throughout the day - can be even more important than how much you work out.

Video: Could intermittent fasting help you live longer? (Provided by Buzz60)

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If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Stop Doing These 5 Things - msnNOW