Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Losing over 100 pounds in a year may sound almost impossible, but it's Jeffrey Hadley's reality.

Jeffrey Hadley lost over 100 pounds and took charge of his health.

Credit: Jeffrey Hadley/LIVESTRONG.com Creative

The 50-year-old landscaper from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, topped 270 pounds four years ago, when a health scare that landed him in the hospital for almost a week served as a wake-up call. He was discharged with a diagnosis of adult-onset asthma, COPD, high blood pressure and a determination to change.

Today, at 160 pounds, his health issues have vanished, and he's never looked or felt better. Here's his amazing story, in his own words.

Most of my life, I'd never had a weight problem. I worked as a landscaper, an active job that easily burned 10,000 calories a day. As a result, I could pretty much eat anything I wanted.

But in 2013, I got promoted to general manager at my company, a desk job that didn't involve much activity. I kept on eating the same way, though, and within a couple years I'd gained 100 pounds. The more weight I gained, the more sedentary I became, and over the months I noticed I was becoming winded doing relatively easy activities like walking across the room.

"A little lightbulb went off in my head and I realized that my health problems were most likely due to my being so overweight."

Then, in 2015, I ended up in the hospital for six days because I was having so much trouble breathing. My oxygen levels were hovering around 80 (normal is between 95 and 100). I ended up on oxygen 24/7 with constant nebulizer treatments and three inhalers. The doctors diagnosed me with adult-onset asthma, COPD and hypertension.

On my fifth day there, one of the physicians who came in to see me began asking me a lot of questions about my diet and exercise habits. Before he walked out, he turned to me and said, 'You know, if you just lose some weight, all of this would stop.'

A little lightbulb went off in my head and I realized that my health problems were most likely due to my being so overweight.

I was released the next day. The first thing I did when I got back home was to research the term 'clean eating.' I learned that all the processed foods like pizza and calzones that were the staples of my diet were loaded with calories, added sugars and chemicals that had caused all my weight gain.

In the beginning, I just ate a ton of fruit and veggies, some meat and eggs and lots and lots of chicken. I cut out starches like bread and processed food as much as possible.

Breakfast was usually eggs, oatmeal and fruit, while lunch and dinner were usually some type of lean protein paired with fruit and veggies. I only let myself snack on fruits and veggies.

I'm single and don't have much time or space to cook, but even when I ate out I focused on healthier choices: Instead of my usual cheesesteak, for example, I'd have plain chicken.

The weight came off fairly quickly, and I think it's because I had been overeating so much. I'd order a family-style Stromboli entre at work, for example, and end up eating it all myself. I was consuming a ton of food without even realizing it.

Did you know that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to manage your weight? Download the MyPlate app to easily track calories, stay focused and achieve your goals!

It was tough at first, because although I wasn't really physically hungry, I was so used to snacking all day that it felt like a real void. I bought a motorcycle and went on a ride every day as my "reward" for clean eating.

While he was losing weight, Jeffrey rewarded himself for eating well by taking his new motorcycle for a spin.

Credit: Jeffrey Hadley

When I first got home from the hospital, I was in bad shape. I was 270 pounds with a 48-inch stomach and I was barely able to climb three steps without getting out of breath. Just walking to the bathroom required a rescue inhaler. I knew if I wanted to lose weight, though, I had to become physically active.

I asked a friend who owned a kickboxing gym what I could do that would get me moving while being easy on my body. She told me to just walk. So that's exactly what I did.

At the beginning, I couldn't walk two steps without having to use my inhaler. It would take me an hour to walk a quarter mile. But I refused to quit, and as the weight came off, it became easier and easier.

Within a couple months, I was walking 2 to 3 miles a day, until I eventually worked up to 10 miles a day. Now, I regularly run 5Ks.

The medical problems that landed me in the hospital asthma and hypertension have vanished. It turns out all my excess stomach fat had been crushing my lungs and my heart.

"At the beginning, I couldn't walk two steps without having to use my inhaler. Now, I regularly run 5Ks."

Consistency was key for me. I never did cheat days, or cheat meals, or even cheat snacks. I made sure I was 100-percent dedicated to what I was doing. It wasn't easy I'm normally a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of guy.

I decided to keep everything very basic, with five main food staples: veggies, fruit, chicken, rice and eggs. I swear, I ate scrambled eggs with chicken every morning for a year, but I needed to keep it simple.

As time went on, I tried different diet programs, like keto and intermittent fasting, but I found them very restrictive and hard to stick to long term. I felt I was more successful if I followed what I dubbed JERF, or Just Eat Real Food!

The first piece of advice I'd offer to others who are looking to lose weight is to simply cut out processed food. If it comes in a bag or a box, it's probably not good for you. I found I was more satisfied and naturally ate less if I just focused on fresh, real food.

Secondly, focus less on the scale and more on how your clothes fit and how you feel.

After I'd lost about 70 pounds, I decided it was time to start going to the gym. That was tough, because I'd never lifted weights before. I was scared to death. Again, I decided to keep it simple: the first time I went, I used three machines, and that was it.

But as I gained confidence and began using more machines (and lifting heavier weights) I realized that while my stomach was getting smaller and my shirts were fitting better, my scale wasn't moving as much anymore. I was losing fat, but replacing it with muscle.

I gauge my progress now by how my clothes fit. At my heaviest, I wore a triple-extra-large shirt. Now, I easily can slip into a medium.

More here:
'I Lost 100 Pounds in a Year by Walking and Cutting Processed Foods' - LIVESTRONG.COM

The average man does a lot to stay fit and healthy but oftentimes its simply not enough. Some habits have the potential to harm you, exacerbate an annoying condition, or cause injury.

Men are less likely to visit a healthcare professional, and that certainly complicates matters a lot. According to an Orlando Health survey, 81% of men easily remember their first car, but barely half can recall the last time they visited a doctor.

So men not only actively ignore their health but also dont like visiting the doctor when something does go wrong an immensely careless attitude towards their wellbeing.

Of course, we dont want you to be afraid of living your life to the fullest, but it is essential to reiterate the importance of a fit lifestyle and healthy habits to improve your everyday life.

The fact of the matter is that, man or not, many of us are just living our lives on autopilot in fact, according to a news by Harvard, we spend 46.9% of our time thinking about things that are inconsequential to our progress. This mind-wandering is often a cause for unhappiness that leads to unhealthy attitudes.

Let us highlight five ways you may be hurting your health unknowingly. Pay attention to these tiny details and try to look at things with a fresh perspective.

Lets get started:

If your head is shaved, skip to the next point. Otherwise, read on.

Hairstylists and skin specialists agree that shampooing your hair every day, or even every other day, is bad for your scalp.

The trouble is that men often wash their hair more than they need to. This removes important oils from the scalp leaving it dry and the hair brittle. Mens hair is usually thicker and curlier than womens it can go without washing for 2 to 3 days at a time.

Dry scalp goes into overdrive to make up for the lost oils and produces more oil than before. This is why men often feel like their hair isnt clean, no matter how much they shampoo. This results in a never-ending cycle that only irritates their scalps further.

Experts recommend shampooing no more than three times a week to ensure that your hair doesnt get too greasy too fast. This way, your scalp will also be able to reserve more of its natural oil, which, of course, is healthy.

Men dont really discuss their underwear with the doctor, but perhaps you should.

Your underwear is the second layer of clothing that is supposed to protect the groin area from chaffing and irritation, while also keeping your package safe.

However, many of us are guilty of wearing undies or briefs made from potentially abrasive material, and that can result in chaffing you might also risk irritating boys when you go commando. Tight briefs not only hurt the skin down there but may even lower fertility, so if you are trying to get the lady pregnant, stick to loose-fitting and cooling boxers

The good news is that you could always invest in mens cooling underwear that is designed to be very gently on this sensitive part of your body.

Men are notorious for eating meat there is nothing like a Southern barbeque to get most of us excited.

But its time you learned to keep an eye on your protein intake. Experts say that overdosing on protein can cause dehydration and loss of calcium, so its awful for your kidneys.

And in the long run, this can lead to weight gain because the body cant process all the protein you are eating, so it starts storing it. According to healthline, we are not supposed to have more than 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight, every day thats the minimum daily average recommended by health specialists.

If you are exceptionally fit and exercise more than the average male, you could get away with consuming up to 1.7 grams of protein per kg of body weight every day.

Men who drink too much coffee are at the risk of damaging their fertility.

Many Americans rely on three to five solid shots of coffee to help them get through the day but the Federal Drug Authority (FDA) puts the cap on up to 400 mg a day, which is roughly 4 cups of coffee.

So why all this hoopla about overdosing on caffeine?

Well, for starters, it is essential to understand that coffee is just ONE source of caffeine one can of cola has 50 mg of it, and energy drinks can give you to 250mg of caffeine in one serving.

So unknowingly, we gulp down up to 1200 mg of caffeine in a day this increases blood pressure, causes anxiety, and even boosts the risk of heart disease, in addition to causing fertility issues.

In 2018, Fox News host Pete Hegseth confessed in front of millions, that he hadnt washed his hands in over a decade!

He says he cant see germs, so they arent a real thing a sentiment echoed by many men around the world who are just too lazy to pick up the soap.

If you regularly wash your hands after finishing up in the toilet, pat yourself on the back.

Now, honestly think about this do you also wash up after taking the public transit, shaking hands with others, working on your office computer, handling equipment at the gym, or before sitting down for a meal?

Be careful of your hygiene, so you dont get sick and safeguard the health of others around you as well.

Remember, if you greet babies and the elderly with dirty hands, you can harm them severely they just dont have the power to fight off diseases. Even something as innocuous as flu can be deadly to them CDC reported that more than 80,000 people died from common flu in 2017-2018.

It is possible that many of those deaths could have been prevented had those people not been exposed to the virus, something proper handwashing could help with. So stay clean and well-groomed at all times.

A study by psycnet on the Psychology of Men & Masculinity found out that masculinity is negatively correlated to a willingness to improve health.

Sure, a man whos rough around the edges with a charming vibe or two is irresistible to the ladies, but carelessness is never a good look on anyone.

So take care of the social niceties discussed above you owe yourself and the world at large this much at least.

Originally posted here:
Healthy Man Is A Happy Man: 5 Things You Are Not Doing Right - RecentlyHeard.com

Are you trying to lose weight and find all the new fad diets confusing to sift through? Are you unsure which one to try and whether it will be effective for you? Then youve come to the right place! We will outline some of the most famous fad diets below and discuss whether they are effective or not.

The Paleo diet is based on what cavemen ate thousands of years ago using knowledge about hunter-gatherers and the foods that were available to them. The type of products that arent allowed on this diet include grains, legumes, and dairy. While it may be impossible to eat the exact foods that cavemen ate thousands of years ago, this diet has been shown to remove the processed food often found in the typical American diet.

Those following the Paleo diet tend to eat more plant-based and animal-based foods. Research shows that those on the Paleo diet have lost an average of 10 pounds in five weeks as well as lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Time-restricted diets involve a type of intermittent fast where people restrict the time of day that they eat. Essentially, this means people on a time-restricted feeding diet eat within a time frame of four to ten hours.

Research has shown that people on these diets tend to lose weight. You will want to talk with your doctor about a diet that is too restrictive or requires fasting. If your doctor gives you the okay, then go ahead and try it!

If you want to try out a 12-hour or a 16-hour fast, the Lifeapps.io website provides great information on the process of fasting as well as a fasting tracker app that will help you stick to a time-restricted feeding diet.

The mono diet limits your food choices to one food group every day. For example, this means you may only be able to eat meat/protein on Monday, dairy on Tuesday, grains and carbohydrates on Wednesday, fruit on Thursday, and vegetables on Friday.

The mono diet is something you should avoid. This diet has no scientific background and no research has backed it up. While it may lead to weight loss because of the food limitations, which may make you sick of that particular food more quickly, the mono diet lacks the nutrition our bodies crave.

If you followed this diet over a long-term period, you will definitely have vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Please avoid the mono diet for your health.

The Atkins diet includes four stages including a two-week induction phase where dieters can only have 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. Unlimited amounts of fat and protein are allowed, however. During this period, the human body is expected to turn fat into its main source of energy instead of utilizing carbohydrates.

After the two-week induction phase, dieters are then allowed to introduce carbohydrates back into their diet in 5-gram increments. This helps those on the Atkins diet determine their optimal level of carbohydrates to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Research has shown that people following the Atkins diet lost more weight than those trying out other diets.

We hope that this list of prominent fad diets gives you an idea of the type of diet that is best for you. Pick the one you like best and get started!

Go here to see the original:
Breaking Down The Top Four Fad Diets - seattlepi.com

Communicating has never been so easy; we can to send messages and texts to friends and strangers in an instant from a variety of platforms. You would think this would affect the world of bathroom scrawling, but people are still driven to those grubby walls to document their exploits, spill their secrets and carry on covert conversations. The art of toilet graffiti or latrinalia is certainly not dead.

While using the toilet is a private activity, writing in stalls is a social act. Its a unique form of silent conversation intended for same-sex audiences. As such, the words and pictures on bathroom walls can provide a unique window into the differences in communication patterns between the sexes. And, as I found out through my ongoing exploratory study, graffiti can tell us just how important toilet walls can be as supportive spaces for women.

Given the sex-segregated nature of restrooms, most studies highlight the differences in latrinalia in mens and ladies rooms. It is suggested that mens bathroom have more graffiti portraying sexual acts and sexual organs, homosexuality, politics, and insults. Not only are they allegedly more aggressive, competitive, and negative, they tended to be less tolerant of opposing views.

On the other hand, womens restroom graffiti is said to contain fewer writings on sex or sexual acts, with more themes of personal relationship, religion and philosophy. They are more positive, more supportive, cooperative and open towards opposing points of view. They are also more conversational, with thoughtful replies to posts and requests for advice.

That women use the restroom walls to create a space for solidarity and community has been noted by researchers. This makes sense when we consider that women socialise in toilets even just to ask each others opinion about hair or makeup.

I collected photos of toilet stall graffiti over seven months from a mens and a womens restroom at a Scottish university. The toilets are located in the students computing centre. What I found was partly confirmed in previous studies. The women outwrote the men; their graffiti was generally relationship-oriented and supportive.

There was a dearth of graffiti in the mens toilet except for a few taggings. I counted more than 120 inscriptions in the ladies toilet and less than five in the mens. In the mens they were declarative sentences or directives, which did not invite conversation. One stall did contain an interactive piece that asked visitors to rate your shit. It was responded to with a myriad of insults, expletives and a sense of competitiveness about their faeces. This is why I decided to focus on the womens restroom.

Of the five stalls in the womens toilet, graffiti was initially concentrated in the one closest to the door. The two most popular conversations were about coming out and depression/stress:

There were other replies to the coming out post:

Is there somehow we could meet and talk to you. Ive the same problem

Im out to like 3 people in my fam. Im here for this group

Same dont know how to do it

The perfect time wouldnt come on its own. You have to make the moment perfect.

The second most common theme was that of advice giving or asking about depression and stress:

Other posts in the womens stall concern weight loss, favourite songs, feelings about the university, politics and instructions on bodily functions.

An unexpected finding that has not been discussed in previous studies is just how sacred these spaces can be for women. When the graffiti wall was painted over at the start of the term, there was a backlash from the women.

After several defiant posts about losing their wall, the women quickly reconstructed it with a barrage of posts such as viva la wall and cant wait for this to be filled up again. Weeks later, when they ran out of writing space, a wall of support volume 2 was erected in another stall in the same toilet, this time the one farthest from the entrance.

Quickly, this wall of support vol 2 filled up with encouraging and motivational inscriptions such as wishing everyone love and support throughout uni, hang in there, and Im honoured to say Ive shared a toilet with you lovely ladies.

While other studies have suggested that women use toilet graffiti to build solidarity, this exploratory study provides evidence of how this social space is constructed.

This safe space does not seem to easily reveal itself but unfolds over time as people engage with it. Indeed, if universities are to be more responsive to the unexpressed needs of their students that might be socially unpopular they might want to check the loo for secrets. Then again, this might threaten the safety and sacredness the space offers.

Toilet graffiti merits academic study as a form of hybrid communication intimate, solitary and yet social; defiant in its vandalism and yet sacred to those who engage in it.

Original post:
Toilet graffiti: secrets, support and solidarity in the womens restroom - The Conversation UK

Thomas DeLauer had always been fairly fit through high school, but gained 120 pounds due to stress and a lifestyle that had become less physically active as he began to focus on his career. Now a health and fitness entrepreneur and YouTuber, DeLauer explains how he used intermittent fasting in conjunction with working out as a tool to help himself lose weightand how he struggled to sustain his results until he learned to prioritize his mental health.

"I started intermittent fasting not really knowing what I was doing," he says. "I was doing intermittent fasting simply because it was easy; I could go for a period of time without eating, and then eat. But there was no regiment, it wasn't like I was following a structured plan. I would go until 3 or 4 p.m. and then eat. That was just it. And quite frankly, it probably wasn't healthy, because I developed a weird addiction to it."

DeLauer lost about 50 pounds in a 6 month period. That kind of rapid weight loss isn't uncommon when you make changes to your diet and reduce your calorie intake, but as is to be expected, his results began to plateau.

At this point, in addition to continuing his intermittent fasting, he also started the keto diet, and his weight loss continued. He began to see benefits outside of just dropping body fat, such as reduced inflammation, and becoming more productive at work. Soon after, he started his own business, which brought on a whole new wave of stress that caused him to fast and then binge:

"I was still fasting, but my results were stopping, because when I was eating, I was eating the wrong things, I was eating an overabundance of things, and quite frankly, at that point in time, I was doing more of a modified one-meal-a-day type diet because it was just the natural progression... if I knew what I know today, it would be a whole different story."

DeLauer believes now that if you overload with food in just one sitting, it can backfire. He adds that at certain points on his weight loss journey, he would either be way too strict with regards to what he ate, or go too far in the other direction. "I didn't live life a normal way," he says. "I either lived it totally on or totally off."

The biggest improvement he made, he notes, was when he stopped focusing merely on his physical health, and started focusing on his mental health.

"By focusing on my mental health, everything fell together. It should have been step one," he says. "But it seemed so distant to losing the body fat, to changing my physical body... I tell you, if I had spent 10 minutes meditating vs. 60 minutes pounding the pavement, I would have made a lot more progress a lot faster."

He recalls how, at times, he was able to use the anger and frustration he would feel about his own body to motivate himself, but that ultimately it's an unsustainable approach. "You can't live on the anger drive," he says. "You have to live on intention and purpose."

If you're interested in intermittent fasting as a means of losing weight, here's what you should know before trying it out for yourself.

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See the original post:
This Guy Lost 100 Pounds Through Intermittent Fasting and the Keto Diet - Men's Health

Losing weight is far more difficult for some people. This process may look physical but has a deep emotional aspect that only a few people can connect to. In this scenario, the people who have put on excess weight tend to suffer as they consider themselves misfit. It is not entirely their fault because the people around the victims make them feel vulnerable. And, what if the victim is in the limelight? Can you imagine the pressure of being criticized publicly? Can you imagine being constantly clicked and being laughed upon? If you cannot relate to it, Jonah Hill is the celebrity you need to read about. This actor may not have always looked attractive on screen, but surely has a story to tell the audience. And, of all stories, the one that is most inspiring is Jonah Hills weight loss journey. What is the story like? Read on to get to know the actors amazing journey.

As a young teenager, Jonah Hill had sufferedfrom being overweight. No matter where he went, people would call him fat andugly. He tried his best to fit in with the jocks and the hip-hop guys but hisweight did not allow him to mingle with the regular kids. He was like anoutcast waiting to show the world he was handsome in his own way. Thus, thispressure that started in his school days continued with him when he started hiscareer in films. He would get photographed by the press and the next day anarticle would come up on how fat or unattractive he looks. This was tormentingand this is the pressure he could not handle easily.

In order to ensure that people stoppedcriticizing him because of his weight, Jonah Hill tried to lose weight severaltimes. He was successful every time but managed to put weight back on. Thus,several tries at looking constantly fit and attractive made Hill frustrated. Headmits even today that his weakness for pizza and beer amounts to immenseweight gain. He is surprised at how fast he loses weight when he quits drinkingbeer and how fast he gains weight when he resumes drinking the same. Thus,coming to a standstill was becoming extremely difficult.

Jonah Hill visited a nutritionist forconsultation. His diet was changed completely and he resorted to being aresponsible adult by quitting bad eating habits. He started turning away at thesight of cheesy meaty pizzas and switched to healthier food like salads andgrills. His favourite food turned out to be the healthier sushi made witheither salmon or tuna. He also started having sushi without mayo and replacedthe same with fresh veggies. Eating balanced and healthy food again is not theend of the problem because, in order to enhance the process of melting extrafat in the body, exercising is equally important.

Jonah Hill joined a gym and hired a traininginstructor. He went to work out and was spotted exercising with a combinationof running, weightlifting, and boxing. The actor admitted that it was difficultto start working out in the initial days. However, he gathered up enoughenthusiasm and started running. Running regularly gave him the encouragementneeded to work out further. He started doing ten push-ups daily which graduallyincreased to a hundred push-ups a day. This helped him to lose weight fasterand become an inspiration to all.

Jonah Hill Feldstein was born on 20 December1983 in Los Angeles. He grew up amidst creativity because his mother was afashion stylist and costume designer while his father toured with Guns N Rosesas an accountant. This creative environment instilled the passion for writingin this young boy and he dreamed of becoming a successful writer one day. Hisearly days of struggle as a fat kid began in Brentwood School and he laterchanged to Crossroads at Santa Monica. Despite the emotional turmoil he wentthrough, Jonah Hill continued to work hard to finally enter into the New YorkSchool to study drama and pursue writing. During his college days when he wasnot busy gorging on pizza or drinking beer, Jonah Hill was seen busy writingplays and practicing different characters. He received appreciation from hisfellow students and professors which motivated him to try out for roles andmake a career in the movies.

Jonah Hill was a promising actor and it didnot take long for him to make a mark in the industry. During his college dayswhen he was busy writing his heart out, his stage play attracted the attentionof the industry and he was cast in I Heart Huckabees. Jonah Hill did not evenimagine that he would begin with his first film in 2004 itself and this was ablessing that he did not let go. He grabbed this opportunity and performed tothe best of his ability. It was soon after this movie that he started gettingoffers for televisions and movies for minor roles. He used such opportunitiesto excel and gain experience so that he could grab bigger roles in the longrun.

Jonah Hills prayers did not go unanswered.He soon made it to the poster of the movie, Superbad in 2011 and wooed theaudience with his stunning performance. Though he was criticized for being fatand unattractive, his acting skills were praised by both critics and fans. Thisman seized this opportunity as the turning point in his life and began gettingmajor roles. His performance in 2011 in the movie, Moneyball, wasexceptionally good and he got an Oscar nomination. His talent continued tospark the red carpet as he received yet another Oscar nomination for the movie,The Wolf of Wall Street, in 2013. He did not win the award but he again wooedthe spectators in 2016 with his performance in the movie, War Dogs. Hischaracter was brilliantly played out and that won him a nomination at theGolden Globe Awards.

As appreciation and criticism began coming inthe way of Jonah Hill, he started performing better as an actor and strived tolook slimmer day by day. He tried his immense best to lose weight and inspirethe world that used to call him fat once. His struggle did not go in vain because he didmanage to lose sufficient weight to look much better than before. And, it wasduring Jonah Hills weight lossregime that he decided to write down his emotions in the form of a script anddirect an upcoming movie. Mid90s was born out of the heart and mind of thefamous international celebrity that speaks more of the difficult emotionalturmoil he had to go through as a teenager. Today, Jonah Hill has lost over 40pounds and become confident to propose marriage to his girlfriend, Gianna Santos.He has achieved what he did not think was possible and he wishes to instillthis sense of determination in the youngsters today. Hence, Jonah Hill is notjust a comedian that people love to watch but an inspiration that will go downin the history of the world of cinema.

See the article here:
What is the Secret behind Jonah Hill's Weight Loss? - Daily Hawker

THIS woman got the ultimate revenge on her controlling boyfriend who asked her to stop losing weight because it made HIM insecure.

Kylie Hansen, 27, from Taft, California, had been obese all her life - but shed six stone after dumping her ex.

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The security administrator was a competitive swimmer and cheerleader for 12 years but piled on the pounds due to her love of fast food.

At her biggest she weighed 18st 5lb and was a UK size 22.

In 2012, Kylie realised her weight could cause health problems so went under the knife for a vertical sleeve gastrectomy on July 1, 2013.

She said: My boyfriend at the time of my surgery was not supportive.

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He felt more insecure the more I lost weight and eventually asked me to stop losing weight.

At one point, people started saying I was too small. But I didn't let it bother me.

I gradually gained the courage and confidence to leave the relationship and learned to only accept people in my life who bring the energy I needed and wanted.

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Following a rigorous diet and exercise plan, she now weighs just 12st 2lbs and has a dress size of 14-16.

Before her surgery, Kylie had a classic students' diet of ramen, cereal and frozen ready meals.

She then reduced her daily calorie intake from 2,500 calories to 1,500.

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Kylie said: Waking up from surgery and being told you can't eat that was the hardest part for me. Our brains are still wired the same. If I had a food addiction prior to surgery, I still had that addiction after surgery.

I vividly remember my first restaurant trip after the operation. I ordered clam chowder, and had to scoop out everything inside the soup except the broth. I remember crying because of how hard it was for me to not eat the foods I so badly wanted.

My entire family was obese, and we all eventually had weight loss surgery. I'm proud to say that we've all made our health a priority and are living our best lives. It's been great having each of them for support.

Kylie's diet

THEN

Breakfast: Cereal

Lunch: Ramen

Dinner: Frozen ready meal

NOW

Breakfast: Two eggs, one slice of toast and brocolli

Snacks: Superfood shakes and peanut butter apples

Lunch: Ground turkey with vegetables

Dinner: Grilled chicken with sweet potato and beans

After splitting from her ex, Kylie went onto marry Jacob, 28, a friend from school. He's in the Army and the couple share two-year-old son Jameson.

She now exercises for at least half an hour a day and steers clear of processed food.

Kylie said: I struggled with becoming obsessive to the idea of being skinny something I had never experienced before.

I struggled with my addiction to food and had to train my brain to want and crave foods that fuelled my body and not order the amount of food I was previously eating.

I struggled when I reached my three-year post-op mark. I became addicted to losing weight and it was my only priority at the time. I was very self-conscious and still saw my 260lbs body in the mirror.

But over six years on, the quality of my life is much better. I can do things I wasn't able to do before. I love running and now turn to exercise as my stress reliever.

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I have learned that I need to be a good example for my son and future children. I have learned how mentally tough I am, and how much work it takes - mentally and physically - to be on a health journey.

I have learned to love the struggle and the journey. I love my body and will continue to love it while I work on my goals.

There are foods to eat that help you reach your goals, and there are foods that won't. If I splurge and eat a bad food

I will definitely notice a difference in how I feel and the scales go up.

I have to be extra careful to decide if I really want the food or if it is just a temporary feeling.

Start with nutrition. Learn how to eat to fuel your body. If you feel you have a food addiction, work on that. Slowly start incorporating exercise.

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MEALY SAD Mum 'starved as a kid' is lunchbox shamed for big portions - but is it too much?

KID YOU NOT Mum-of-seven reveals 'school bag station' to speed up her busy mornings

HIGH STREET HAUL Arabella Chi spotted wearing a 30 New Look dress at the NTAs

PERFECT MATCH Bride sends M&S fans wild with amazing Colin the Caterpillar wedding cakes

supermarket sweet Mum makes her son a shopping officer so he behaves in the supermarket

not skirting around Stacey Solomon reveals hidden storage in her skirting boards

The journey has definitely helped mould me into the person I am today, and I am so glad I now prioritise my health and hope to inspire others to do the same.

I had no idea how much my life would change after I grabbed my health by the horns.

We previously spoke to a size 24 mum who lost 10 stone in a year to half her body weight after she couldn't fit into a plane seat.

Read more here:
Weight loss: I got a revenge body after my controlling boyfriend asked me to STOP slimming as it made him - The Sun

Nancy DeGennaro, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal Published 11:11 a.m. CT Jan. 29, 2020

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When Marisol Lozoya of Murfreesboro was diagnosed with high cholesterol and prediabetes, she knew she had to get serious about her health.

"I started looking for better ways to get healthier," said Lozoya, who started replacing meals with Herbalife shakes and energy teas.

She lost over 30 pounds and wanted to share her weight loss success with others. So she and partner, Oscar Yepes, opened The 'Boro Nutrition and Energy at 2089 Lascassas Pike in Murfreesboro.

Marisol Lozoya prepares an energy tea at her shop, The 'Boro Nutrition and Energy, 2089 Lascassas Pike in Murfreesboro.(Photo: Nancy DeGennaro/DNJ)

"I got better ... lost 32 pounds ... and wanted to help people do the same. I know other people suffer (from health issues)," said Lozoya, whose ribbon cutting and grand opening for the shop is set for 11 a.m. Thursday.

The shopserves Herbalife's meal replacement shakes and energy drinks as well as acai bowls and protein waffles.

Each shake is around 250 calories and has 24 grams of protein, 21 vitamins and minerals, 9 to 14 net carbs and sweetened with a no-calorie sugar substitute derived from the stevia plant.

But Lozoya and Yepes want The 'Boro Nutrition and Energy shop to be about more than serving up products.

Along with serving up shakes, they offer free wellness evaluations, meal plans and a weekly workout email from a personal trainer.

For Nikki Saull, the products and personal interaction with the owners has made a change in her life.

As a candy sales representative, Saull spends her days driving around with tons of snacks in her car.

"It's easyto grab chips and cookies all the bad stuff," instead of lower-calorie options, Saull said.

"But I can come get a shake and (energy drink) and I won't even think about eating until 4 or 5 p.m.," Saull explained. "They are delicious ... and helping me maintain a healthier lifestyle. I'm not snacking on the go."

Saull said she is "hooked" and tries a different shake each day.

The shop offers nearly 60 flavors like caffe latte, strawberry cheesecake, cookie dough, chocolate birthday cake, cinnamon roll and salted caramel.

"Some of my favorite flavors have been the Ferrero Rocher, turtle cheesecake and Fruit Pebbles for something a little different," Saull said.

There's also a selection of energy shakes that include flavors like orange pushup and key lime pie.

You can also order add-ins such as extra fiber and probiotic.

More than 20 energy drinks are offered on the menu, too. Each is fueled by mixes filled with vitamins andcaffeine, as well as natural aloe that aids in digestion. Flavor options include:

Saull said her favorite is the Russian twist, which is a combination of chai, orange and mango. "It's tastes like a spiced cider," she said.

There are even protein coffees on the menu.

"I love the community I'm involved in," Lozoya said. "We really want to help people."

What: Ribbon cutting and open house for The 'Boro Nutrition and Energy

Where: 2089 Lascassas Pike, Murfreesboro

When: 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 30

Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro.

Read or Share this story: https://www.dnj.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/01/29/find-healthy-on-go-fast-boro-nutrition-energy-murfreesboro-tn/4591436002/

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The 'Boro Nutrition and Energy serves healthy options to cut out unhealthy snacking - Daily News Journal

After losing her beloved father aged just 61, Brid Griffen had all the inspiration she needed to step up and take on a new challenge in her life as a Weight Watchers coach.

The Co Donegal woman admitted she struggled with her weight since her teenage years and again after the birth of her children but it wasnt until she found WW that she was able to really succeed at her weight loss struggles.

She said: From when I was a teenager, about 16 or 17, my weight would have fluctuated and then after I had my children like many another woman my weight went up again and before I got married, I lost and found three stone, three times, before I found WW.

I did all the quick fixes, I was great at losing weight but I could never keep it off, it was the maintaining was my challenge.

A friend of mine tried to talk me into going to Weight Watchers for about five years, but I thought it was for old people and I said it wasnt my thing but eventually she talked me into it and that was it, I got WW and they certainly got me.

What I loved about it was that I could eat my dinner. I love my potatoes, I love my dinner and I couldnt believe I could eat ordinary food. When I joined WW my children were five and three so we might have been going out once a week or once a fortnight for a bite to eat and a drink and I could do that and still go in the next week with a pound off, I loved it!

Winning a lifetime of free membership if she achieved her target weight was the hook that drew the mum-of-two in and it wasnt long until she had the coveted gold card.

She said: What really got me about it was the gold card and the gold membership, I just loved the thought of the fact they would give me free membership for life to help me maintain my weight loss if I got there, so that really hooked me in.

Fast forward to 2006 when a new challenge presented itself to Brid in the form of a coaching role with WW. Unsure at first, she then thought of her late father who became her inspiration for the role.

The 56-year-old explained: I got to my goal weight and I maintained my weight loss for eight years when my own coach asked me would I be interested in becoming a coach as she was going off on maternity leave.

"I was in full-time employment at the time and I really didnt know what to do, but I thought about my late father, and he died at 61 with heart issues and he would have been overweight and I often wondered if he had found something like Weight Watchers might we actually have had him for longer.

So I thought if I could help one or two people it would be worth a try so I went ahead and did the training. The night I opened my first workshop I was so nervous because you needed 25 people to open a Workshop, and I opened my first in April 2006 with 58 members and Ive never looked back.

Having spent 14 years coaching thousands of people through their weight loss journey, the Stranorlar woman was this year named WW Coach of the Year, (sponsored by Dale Farm Northern Ireland) a title she treasures dearly.

She said: During the last 14 years Ive probably been nominated 5 or 6 times because you have to be nominated as Coach of the month during that year to be put forward for Coach of the Year, so you sort of get used to your name not coming out but I was absolutely over the moon when I was awarded it this year.

It really meant an awful lot for me to bring that accolade back to my members because they are just so supportive, I was delighted as well for my family because they have been part of the journey as well, theyve grown up with it because I started as a member with WW in 1997.

The members that are coming to me know its not a job anymore, its an absolute passion for me. You know the old saying if you love what youre doing youll never work a day in your life thats true for me, I just knew back then when I opened my first class that this was for me, I just love it.

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Weight Watchers coach tells how late dad inspired her to take on new role - Belfast Live

Instagram/@ericalovefit The newest trainer on the new season of "The Biggest Loser" opens up about her 150-pound weight loss and the challenging lessons she learned along the way.I weighed 322 pounds five and a half years ago and was completely okay with it.

I'd started gaining weight around middle school, and food and fitness just weren't something my family talked about at home. My mom worked a lot, and my siblings and I grew up eating whatever snacks she'd stocked in the pantry. After meals, we'd always have dessert. That's just how my family, like so many others, showed love: through food. (Related: How to Use Intuitive Eating for Weight Loss)

By the time I got to college, there was nothing holding me back from eating whatever I wanted. There was no one around to tell me "no", and I didn't think there was anything wrong with eating fast food and pizza every day. Food aside, I also had no idea that working out and moving your body is important. I'd never been to the gym, and I never really felt the need to go. Why? Because no one really said anything about my weight or the way I looked. No one seemed to think there were any red flags about my health, so neither did I. (Related: This Woman's One-Year Transformation Is Proof That New Year's Resolutions Can Work)

To be honest, I don't have one of those stories where I can tell you that I looked at myself in the mirror and hated myself. I was truly just oblivious. I mean, I knew I had some weight to lose, but at 5 foot 11 inches tall, I just felt like I was a big girl and was ever going to have a tiny waist or small thighs, and that didn't bother me.

As years passed, I continued living life the same way and the weight kept piling on. I got married and gave birth to my son a few years later. My whole life I'd wanted to be a mom so badly and I dove into motherhood with my whole heart. (Related: This Influencer Is Keeping It Real About Stepping Into a Fitting Room After Having a Baby)

I continued to gain weight after pregnancy but still didn't really think I had any problem. My wake-up call finally came when my son was 3 years old and playing on our living room floor. I was sitting on the couch when he looked up at me and asked me to join him. I said no.

I vividly remember sitting on that couch with zero energy, eating some kind of snack, not wanting to get up because doing so felt like too much effort. At that moment, something clicked. I looked at my son and realized that I brought him into this world and he deserves so much more than a mom who doesn't even have the energy to play with him. I had to make a change and I needed to make it fast while I had the motivation.

While I still knew nothing about diet, weight loss, or fitness, the one thing I did know was that I need to reduce my calorie intake and increase my activity level. (BTW, the weight loss concept of 'calories in versus calories out' is not as simple as it sounds. Plus, counting calories is not the end all be all of losing weight.)

The initial changes were small. As far as food was concerned, I was still cooking pasta and pizza, but consciously eating smaller portions. Then began eating low-calorie frozen meals. At the time, I didn't know that those came with their downsides too, but to be honest, all things considered, it was a good place to start. Eventually, I began educating myself on food and started learning about fat, carbs, proteins and how to eat balanced meals that fueled me versus comforted me. (Related: New Energy Foods to Power You Through Your Day)

When it came to fitness,I started by joining a local Planet Fitness. I went in the mornings before my son woke up and began by just walking on the treadmill. A few weeks in, I felt comfortable challenging myself and would jog for 30-seconds a few times during my walk. I just kept building upon that goal. Soon, I was jogging for the length of one song on my playlist, then two songs. My goals just kept growing from there. (Related: What Might Happen If You Walk 30 Minutes a Day)

For the first two months, I stuck to cardio. I averaged about five hours on the elliptical and treadmill a week. Then, I started working with a trainer who showed me some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) drills. While I could feel the weight coming off of me, I also wanted to build muscle and HIIT was a good way to work toward that. Once I adopted this workout strategy, I discovered what "good tired" meant and I became hooked to that feeling. (Related: How to Make Exercise a Habit You Love)

In the first month of my journey, I lost 45 pounds. At the end of the first year, I was down 122 pounds. Every month I watched the weight come off my body. My clothes stopped fitting me and my energy levels shot up. (Related: The #1 Thing You Should Keep In Mind Before You Set Weight-Loss Goals)

But the biggest transformation for me was internal. During the early stages of my journey, I began documenting my experience on social media, and I saw that it was resonating with people. They noticed that I was carrying myself differently and was just happier overall. They wanted to know how I did it. That helped me realize that I was ready to commit to fitness outside of myself. I became a certified personal trainer and created Erica Fit Love, an online training platform. Now I'm able to work with people one on one no matter where they live and help them reach their own goals. (Related: How I Learned My Weight-Loss Journey Wasn't Over Even After Losing 170 Pounds)

The program I created offers a variety of workout styles including strength trainingand HIIT. Even though HIIT can sound and feel intimidating, I focus on scalable drills. They start with one-minute cardio intervals: either 15 seconds hard, 45 seconds rest, or vice versa. This flexibility makes my workouts great for people who are just starting out and have never really delved into fitness before. Plus the quick intervals are a great source of motivationthey're over so quickly so it deters you from quitting. My program also offers a calendar with weekly reminders and a private accountability-focused Facebook community with direct access to me to help keep everyone motivated. (Related: Joining an Online Support Group Could Help You Finally Meet Your Goals)

After losing the initial 122 pounds, it took me another two years to lose an additional 35-40 pounds. Some of that is totally normalwhen you're going through extreme weight-loss you are going to hit a wallbut I also learned the hard way that you can't keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect the same results. I adopted a trial and error method to figure out how my body was going to reach my goal weight. What ended up working for me was reevaluating my diet and diversifying my workouts to challenge my body in ways it hadn't been challenged before. In 2018, I reached my goal of losing 150 pounds, and I finally felt like all of my efforts over the past three years had paid off. But I quickly realized that losing weight was about so much more than the number on the scale. (Related: Science Found the Best Workout to Overcome Your Weight-Loss Plateau)

Despite the weight-loss, for the first time in my life, I began dealing with body image. When I was at my heaviest, I never struggled with body image. I never spoke harshly about myself and didn't feel insecure. But now? It's a daily battle. As the weight started to come off, I became my biggest critic. When you work in the fitness industry (and are on social media), everyone has an opinion and everyone is showing their highlight reel versus what's really happening behind the scenes. That's really challenging.

Even still, I didn't really understand how intense my body image issues were until I got sick. (See: How Celebrity Social Media Affects Your Mental Health and Body Image)

Three years ago I was diagnosed with EpsteinBarr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4. EBV is a very common virus that can cause other infectious diseases such as mono and is spread through bodily fluids. I experienced serious brain fog and low-grade fevers. Even though it's under control now, it's something I will live with for the rest of my life. The biggest thing I had to learn to deal with was the feelings of exhaustion that came with the illness. It was like nothing I'd never felt before. I had to really scale back my HIIT workouts because my body just couldn't handle it. I went from doing HIIT every single day to just two-three times a week. Learning to cope with the illness combined with the change to my workout routine caused me to gain some weight. That took a huge blow to my self-esteem and brought some of my body image issues to light.

As if that wasn't enough, in November of 2018 I was diagnosed with stage 2 thyroid cancer. I underwent radiation and surgery and ultimately beat the disease, but my body went through hell and back in the process. I remember coming home from treatment, looking in the mirror and thinking: "I look terrible." (Related: My Lupus Diagnosis Was the Wake-Up Call I Needed to Stop Abusing Diet Pills)

It's something I deeply regret. My body had fought through and triumphed over so much but all I was focused on was the way I looked. It was heartbreaking, but it forced to me confront my lingering body-image issues head-on. It's something I'm still learning to deal with today.

One thing that's really quiet all the negative thoughts about my body is having conversations with myself. A part of that involved me tallying how many times I said something negative about myself on any given day. Looking at that number was a huge "holy crap" moment for me. There were some days when I said 50 negative things about myself! The comments could be a result of feeling self-conscious in my clothes or how parts of my body didn't look "perfect". Keeping tabs on my negative thoughts made me realize how quick I was to pick out my flaws and how unfair that was to myself and everything my body had been through.

Today, working out and eating healthy isn't about how awesome I look. It's about inspiring people to realize that neither illness nor your weight define you and that you're so much stronger than you think. That's what I'm trying to bring to this brand new season of The Biggest Loser as I work with contestants who are starting their own fitness journies...just like I did. (Related: The Biggest Loser Is Coming Back to TVand It's Going to Be Totally Different)

I want them to know that truly loving and appreciating your body is an ongoing journey, and it's something you have to work hard toward every day. I also want to prove that losing weight and transforming your life doesn't have to be complicated. My story is proof that taking it back to the basics works. I didn't make any crazy, drastic changes to my life. I just took things one step at a time, and the results followed. (Related: What I Wish I Knew Sooner About Losing Weight)

Yes, there will be barriers. I, for instance, have always struggled with binge eating. I still need to plan a weekly cheat meal because if I splurge on a whim, I'm scared I won't be able to bounce back. But the key is being in tune with your personal challenges, being honest about them, and choosing to make the healthiest decisions.

At the end of the day, your health shouldn't feel like a chore. It should be looked at as an opportunity to elevate your life and motivate you to be the best version of yourself. The journey is ongoing, but if you're on the path, you're doing something right.

Gallery: The 30 greatest flat belly tips of all time

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Erica Lugo's Personal Weight-Loss Journey Makes Her One of the Most Relatable Trainers - msnNOW