Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which a persons pancreas doesnt produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. This impaired mechanism may not pose a threat initially, but overtime, unregulated blood sugar levels can hike your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke. It is therefore important to keep your risk of developing type 2 diabetes at bay and this means cutting back on or completely avoiding unhealthy lifestyle habits.

Accounting for the association, researcher Qi Sun, M, an instructor in medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, suggests that, in addition to the high-carb content of white rice, the popular ingredient also has a low-fibre content and fibre intake has been shown to reduce your risk of developing the chronic disease.

According to Sun, other white, starchy carbohydrates, such as white bread, white pasta, and white potatoes, will also heighten your risk if eaten often enough.

While swapping white carbs for whole grain equivalents may reduce the risk, you do not have to shun rice completely, he said.

According to Diabetes.co.uk, the surest way to add more fibre to your diet is to eat plenty of vegetables.

The Department of Health advises us to eat at least five portions of vegetables and fruit each day. Generally speaking, beating rather than meeting the daily target is recommended, advises the health body.

As the health site explains, if youre buying starchy foods such as rice, bread or pasta, look for those with higher amounts of fibre per 100g.

Foods listed as whole grain should usually be good picks but checking the nutritional value per 100g tends to be the most reliable way of ensuring you pick a high fibre option, it added.

The NHS does advise exercising a degree of caution when upping your fibre intake, however, as it could lead to stomach cramps and bloating in the short term, so it is important to keep hydrated at the same time.

According to the NHS, many people have type 2 diabetes without realising because symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell.

Symptoms include:

You should speak to your GP if you have any of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes or you're worried you may have a higher risk of getting it, advises the health body.

It added: The earlier diabetes is diagnosed and treatment started, the better. Early treatment reduces your risk of other health problems.

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Type 2 diabetes warning: Adding this ingredient to your meals may increase your risk - Express

I dont put much stock in New Year resolutions. In my experience, New Year resolutions are simply a way to put off things for another year, only to let them go by the wayside after a week or two of half-hearted attempts to change ones life.

Case in point, each January starts off with teaming masses at the gym. I walk in for my workout to find scores of new faces. They are pumping iron and fast-walking on the treadmills, working up a sweat with the eye of the tiger. They have their AirPods in their ears and are sporting the newest Nike workout wear. They are in it for the long haul.

Flash forward to February. Its back to the regulars. The New Year resolutioners are nowhere to be found. Why is that? Well, there are two reasons really. First, as I eluded to above, resolutions are generally people putting off to the next year what needs to be done today. New Years resolutions are a procrastinators candy, allowing them to cling to lofty dreams until those dreams are again shattered days or weeks into the new year. The second reason for the failure, in the case of fitness, is that working out hurts when youre new to it. Things get sore. Making it doubly bad is people who have neglected fitness for years try to get it all back in a few days so they tend to overdo it right off the bat.

Well listen to you, all high and mighty Duane Sherrill and your gym memberships and fancy running shoes, I can hear you snarling. I suppose youve never failed at a New Years resolution.

Actually, I speak from experience. Ive failed many times. My most haunting one was tobacco. I was a big dipper back in my younger days so every New Years Eve I cast off that Skoal can, swearing I would never touch it again. Id sweat it out the next morning until, with much humiliation, I would dig the half-full can out of the trash and stick in another dip.

It was those failures that got me thinking about the hollow nature of resolutions tied to a certain date. If they are important enough to you, then why would you put them off for the mere sake of convenience? Myself, I just quit dipping one day and havent picked a can back up in 15 years. I havent the slightest what date it was when I finally kicked the habit. It had nothing to do with New Years but instead had everything to do with my health and not having bright yellow teeth.

Okay, Duane. Would you please focus on the title of your column? I can hear you saying in an annoyed tone. Youre rambling on about Skoal and AirPods. Enough with the rabbit trails.

Okay, there was one resolution from the scores that failed that actually stuck and still sticks to this day. On Dec. 31, 1999, myself and two friends walked into a gym and worked out. That evening, before we left, we made the combined resolution to continue working out from hence forward. Two of us were in the weight room Dec. 31, 2019, still working out. The third didnt make it through the entire work back in 1999.

So, since the last day of the millennium, Ive been true to the resolution. I hit the gym at least three times a week. In fact, its gotten to a point that I almost have to. If I miss much, I feel bad. Its almost like a legal drug at this point.

However, it was that resolution that led to the beginning of my follicle challenge. If youve met me, you know that Im getting a little light on top. Im balding. Hey, I used to have a head of hair past my shoulders back in the day.

Its called getting old, Duane, you say, shaking your head. Wear a hat.

I understand that Im prone to male pattern baldness since my father had it. However, I think I gave it a jump start due to my weight lifting. It all happened once evening, about three years into my resolution as I was in the gym doing military presses. For those who lift, this is the exercise where you are lifting a barbell above your head from either a seated or standing position. On this evening I was lifting a 100-pound barbell while at the same time talking to my workout partner who happened to be across the gym. During this conversation and as a piece of advice, dont talk while youre actively lifting I for some reason lost focus on what I was doing. Thats right, Duane lost focus. It was at that point that instead of letting the barbell safely miss my head, I accidentally let it smash atop my noggin. Thats right 100 pounds straight down, and yes, it did hurt.

At first I thought I would lose consciousness. It could have been a very dangerous incident. However, I sat down and watched the room spin a few times before reaching up to the crown of my head to feel a large knot forming. I rubbed it, gathered my senses and laughed it off.

However, in the weeks that followed, I started feeling a thinning at the site of the knot. The months that followed began an apparent thinning around the crown where the weights hit.

Youre getting a little thin up there, someone commented. Youre getting old.

I argued that the balding wasnt so much from age as from the injury. And yes, look it up. Scalp injuries can lead to spot baldness. Despite that fact, no one cared to believe me except my oldest son.

I only believe you because youve claimed thats what happened ever since I can remember, he admitted, scanning the bald spot that is quickly trying to merge with my male pattern baldness.

Anyway, that goes to show you that even when you defy all odds and can cling to a New Years resolution, there can always be a downside. My resolution for next year? Hair Club for Men.

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How a New Year's resolution made me go bald - Tullahoma News and Guardian

Embarking on a weight loss journey could be difficult, especially when a slimmer doesnt know where to begin with, but by following a dieting programme it could encourage rapid weight loss.

One trick that many weight loss programmes use, for slimmers to drop weight quickly, is intermittent fasting.

According to Healthline, intermittent fasting is one of the worlds most popular tricks used by slimmers to lose weight quickly.

It involves alternating cycles of fasting and eating.

The concept of fasting has been around for thousands of years, however fasting as a weight-loss method in particular, the use of intermittent fasting has only been popularised in recent times.

READ MORE:Tom Watson: Former MP reveals secrets to 8 stone weight loss

Many studies show that intermittent fasting can cause weight loss, improve metabolic health, protect against disease and perhaps help a slimmer live longer.

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.

The reason that this trick is so popular among slimmers is that intermittent fasting doesnt limit a slimmer to which foods to eat, but rather when they should eat them.

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Most people already "fast" every day, while they sleep. Intermittent fasting can be as simple as extending that fast a little longer.

A slimmer can do this simply, eating their first meal at noon and their last meal before 8 pm.

Then a slimmer would be technically fasting for 16 hours every day while restricting their eating window to eight hours.

This is known as the 16/8 method.

But what do the weight-loss experts say about intermittent fasting?

A LighterLife consultant said: Intermittent fasting, which refers to the practice of eating significantly fewer calories for at least two days a week and then eating a balanced diet for the remaining days, was popularised by Dr Michael Mosleys 5:2 diet back in 2012.

But its come a long way since then, with research showing that intermittent fasting in many different ways not only results in weight loss but also has other significant health benefits.

The weight-loss consultant recommended that a slimmer should choose specific days that they fast and days that they dont.

The consultant added: Choose the days you fast and the days you dont. On fasting days, swap some or all of your ordinary food for tasty and nutritious [options].

On all other days you eat normally. Its deliciously simple!

Slimmers can swap their typical food choices for something more healthy on their fasting days.

Dr Kelly Johnston, explains: Almost a fifth of us lack the motivation to stick to a diet, so having a flexible approach for some people can make all the difference when you have excess weight to shift.

By having four meals, pots, soups, bars, smoothies or shakes on your fasting days youll get all the quality protein, fibre, essential fats, vitamins and minerals you need without having to worry about cooking or Calorie counting.

According to Dr. Johnston, contrary to popular belief, people who use intermittent fasting for weight loss are not more likely to binge on the days they arent fasting.

She said: Research shows that intermittent fasters were unable to compensate for the energy deficit incurred during the fasting.

This means that, despite eating what they want, intermittent fasters generally dont eat enough to make up for the number of calories they dont consume during their fasting days."

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Weight loss: Experts recommend using intermittent fasting for rapid weight loss - Express

There are loads of ways to lose weight fast and build muscle in the same time. For example, you can do push-pull workout or even a five-move full body workout and in general, the more muscles you move, the more calories you burn, so if weight loss is your aim, try doing more compound exercises, like deadlifts and squats.

The workout we are going to discuss here uses your body only as resistance and therefore classifies it as a calisthenics workout. It also relies on endurance more than counting sets and reps. In fact, you won't even need to count reps; the only thing you might want to check is the time.

Let's not beat around the bush any longer: we will talk about the Navy SEAL fitness test and how you can benefit from getting ready for it, even if you aren't planning on joining the army. The test requires you to do as many reps as you can in the set time interval and therefore is perfect to build muscles and endurance as well as torching fat.

As part of the test, you will need to perform five different exercises within a set amount of time. The requirements are as follows:

What is great about this test that it measures the fitness levels of your whole body. You'll need a strong back and shoulders for the swim, monster pecs and triceps for the pushups, rock hard abs and core for situps, godly lats and biceps for the pullups and swift quads, calves and glutes for the run.

Another good aspect of the test is that it's time limited and bodyweight only: you won't have to count weights and volume here, just do as many reps as you can within the set time. Doesn't get less complicated than that.

Due to the high rep count, working out using this method is not all that dissimilar to doing CrossFit, for example, and builds endurance as well.

Protein brownies are a great source of protein and carbs, as well as being low on sugar and fats

(Image credit: The Protein Works)

If you want to build muscles and lose fat, you will need to eat right, no question about it.Even if your aim is to lose weight doing this exercise, you will need to get a better understanding of what you eat and most importantly, how much carbs, fats and protein do you consume a day.

If it sounds daunting and a lot of hassle to count macros, it really isn't. There are free apps that literally tells you what's in the food you eat by scanning the barcode of the product, such as MyFitnessPal. Once you know what's in it, you can decide whether you need that last slice of large Dominos pepperoni pizza (you don't).

Either you are trying to lose fat or want to build muscle, eating more protein is beneficial for you. If you fall in the former category, try swapping some bad fats and carbs most of the processed food falls into this category to protein snacks, let them be protein bars or just a small portion of high-carb nuts.

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and are naturally skinny, try adding some high protein mass gainers, like Bulk Powders' Informed Mass or The Protein Works' Total Mass Matrix.

Drinking more water also helps, so fill up your gym water bottle and drink that water!

Make stretching an integral part of your workouts

(Image credit: Future)

Although this workout uses plenty of cardio elements, you want to get ready even for those. Light jogging and stretching helps priming the muscles and your body for the upcoming exercises.

Stretching and relaxing tense muscles after the workout is also very beneficial. Use a foam roller and/or resistance bands, both of which can relieve muscle tension and

IMPORTANT: if you have any medical condition or experiencing pain of any sort especially back pain please consult a medical professional before you start working out. Some of the below exercises put a lot of stress on your lower back and if you are ever unsure how to perform them, get a PT or a trained athlete to show you the correct form.

Swimming is good for your whole body. Period.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Muscles worked: delts, lats, traps, triceps, biceps, abd, hams, glutes (all of them, really)

Time: swim continuously for half an hour

This exercise will most likely be performed separately from the rest of the exercises for practical reasons, but it's all for the better since adding a swim day to your workout calendar will introduce variety to your strength training.

Not only that, but swimming is good for your overall cardivascular health, is a joint-friendly sport and will make your body strong overall as well as more robust. Doing freestyle swimming will work your shoulders and lats and will give you that V-back you always wanted.

Make sure you warm up for your swims with some shoulder exercises, like rolling shoulder circles and arm circles. especially if you haven't swam for a while, you will feel your shoulders quite prominently in the upcoming days after the exercise if you don't warm up. Probably even if you do, but at least with warmup you can avoid injuries.

Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows and get as close to the ground as you can in the lowest position

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: how to do a push-up

Muscles worked: pecs, triceps, core

Time: do as many as you can in two minutes/do 50 pushups in the least amount of sets possible

Starting position is arms extended and shoulder-width apart whilst you are facing the floor. Make sure your palms are directly under your shoulders on the floor. Core and glutes engaged, back straight.

At the lowest position, your nose should almost touch the floor and again, your body should be straight.

Keep your back straight and pull with your abs

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: how to do ab crunches

Muscles worked: abs, obliques, core, lats

Time: do as many as you can in two minutes/ do 75 in the least amount of sets possible.

Don't try to do sit ups without leg support, that'll put way too much pressure on your back. You can get anunder door crunch barif you are working out at home or asit up bench(or a multi-functionalweights bench).

Also and I can't tress this enough don't have your hands behind your neck or head. Most people try to cheat doing sit ups by pulling their head with their arms. The only thing you'll achieve with that is spine injury and neck pain.

Keep you hands either on the side of your head or crossed in front of your chest. The former is better if your abs are not that strong just yet and you want a bit of momentum before your engage your core.

Either way, engage your core all the way through the movement and keep your back straight. By engaging your core and not using your hands/arms to help, you can avoid potential back injuries.

Shoulders should be in-line with wrist at the highest position

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: best back exercises

Muscles worked: lats, traps, biceps

Sets/Reps: do as many as you can in one go

If you are exercising at home and unfamiliar with pullups, get one a door pull up bar and start doing pullups your legs resting on a chair. Please,please, make sure the bar is fitted properly and that it can support your bodyweight before you start hanging off it.

If you are frequenting the gym, you can use a pull up assist machine first. Same thing as doing a regular pull up, but you do it kneeling on a weighted pad.

Bodyweight pull ups are the next step up from supported leg pullups. If you really want concentrate on your lats, use a wide overhand grip. Chin ups use your arms muscles more (they are excellent nevertheless).

Not many exercises will work your lower body as well as running

(Image credit: Saucony)

In depth: why you should try running

Muscles worked: quads, hams, glutes, calves

Time: run for half an hour

Put one feet in front of the other in a quick succession.

Jokes aside, to pass the test, you will need to achieve a 5 min/km pace, which is not a break neck speed but still sort-of brisk, so concentrate on landing softly and if you are indeed going for a half an hour run, do the first couple of kilometres in a less demanding .

Also, keep your chest open and shoulders wide as you run. Keeping your upper body straight means you won't compress your lungs (by slumping), which then can turn around more oxygen, which in turn can keep your muscles from tiring

The rest is here:
This Navy SEAL endurance workout will make you strong and melt fat off your body in no time - T3

The key to weight loss is not starvation or even fasting for unrealistically long stretches. These two actions will only lead to a temporary drop in your weight and with this temporary drop, a number of health issues will start popping. And, both your physical and mental health will get affected. Now that weve established that starving or fasting is not going to help you, well let Bharat Sahu expedite on his weight loss journey that nudged him to create a customised diet as a part of his weight loss plan to lose 38 kgs trim from 122 kgs to 84 kgs.

At my heaviest, I weighed 122 kgs and looked way older than my actual age, which was 30 at the time I commenced my weight loss journey; a lot of people even started addressing me as 'uncle'. However, the moment thats really worth deeming as the turning point of my life was during a holiday in Thailand. I was not allowed to go paragliding due to my weight. Out of 50 people in our group, I was the only one who didnt get to paraglide. It was a very embarrassing moment but it showed me the reality of my body and health. So, after I returned from Thailand, I decided to enrol myself in a gym and also start eating right to lose weight.

With this decision also came a lot of obstacles. The first being, there was no gym near my house. So Id travel around 35 kms daily to go to work (I am a teacher), and then travel close to 30 kms more to go to the gym. But it was worth it! Here, take a look at the gym routine that helped me tone my body:

I started with cardio - mostly running and cycling. I could not skip due to my heavy weight in the beginning, but eventually things got better. My clothes started loosening and I lost 3 kgs in the first month itself."

"For the first four months, my routine focused on cardio more, and less on weight training. I also did some functional exercises daily. But after losing around 10 kgs, I started weight training more intensely (by increasing the weights) but never skipped cardio still. This routine was followed dedicatedly 6 days/week. Simultaneously, Bharat also worked on creating a diet plan perfect for his body type. He breaks it down for us below.

I am a pure vegetarian I dont even eat eggs. So to los weight, I made a proper diet chart by shuffling through various articles online and offline. I did not fast or follow any salad-based starving diets. The main highlights of my diet were (and still are):

1. Proper home-cooked food

2. Little or no sweets at all

3. No junk or fried food

4. And no online food delivery as well!

If I wanted to eat something that I was craving, Id eat it in a very moderate amount and even compensate for it by working out extra in the gym. This is what my daily meals comprised:

Breakfast: Tea without sugar or very little sugar with two suji rusks or biscuits + poha/idli/upma

Lunch: Three chapatis with dal, veggies, curd and salad

Evening snacks: A cucumber/curd with a fruit and 5-6 almonds + a cup of black coffee before going to the gym

Dinner: Two chapatis with dal, veggies OR khichdi

Post-dinner: One glass of warm milk without sugar

This diet plan was and is actually very easy to follow. Everything is homemade. I ate roti with ghee but didnt add any extra ghee in dal nothing is harmful when eaten in moderate quantities. I ate cucumber or roasted chana whenever I felt hungry; drank lots of water as well as green tea.

QUICK READ: Here's how drinking water at regular intervals can help you lose weight and increase your metabolism

Everybody is different and everyones bodies take a different amount of time to lose weight. I never took fat burners or any powder. My transformation took close to two years. It was slow as compared to others because it was totally natural. So, start working out, make the mirror your best friend, get a friend to accompany you, dont lose hope if u dont see any results in the beginning, it is a slow process.

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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More on Fitness

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How to lose weight according to this guy who lost 38 kgs by customising his diet instead of starving or fasting - GQ India

Its a perennial question: Can you lose weight without exercise? Lets start with this: Exercise is terrific for your body and mind, in so many ways. It cuts down on your risk for a multitude of diseases and can lower your incidence of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems, as well as boost your energy, help you sleep, and more. It can also help you get and keep a fitter, slimmer body. So exercise = health, and we should all move our bodies every day.

That said, when it comes to losing weight, what you eat is keyand studies show there are plenty of weight loss strategies that have nothing to do with exercise. Check out these 14 science-backed, slim-down tips.

When youre at home, eat from smaller plates and bowls. Youll likely take in fewer calories, and it tricks your brain into thinking youre chowing down on more than you actually are. (Do the opposite when youre eating healthy foods, like salads or roasted veggiesthen it makes sense to supersize those dishes!). Another important tip: Dont eat from packages of anything, even those healthier chips or crackers. Portion some out into a dish, and put the bag or box away.

When eating out, portion control can be a tougher challenge, given the giganto serving sizes in restaurants, so before you go, think about how youre going to handle that. You can order an appetizer and small salad instead of an appetizer and main dish; you can split a dish with a friend; or you can ask for a to-go box right up front, and put half your meal in there before you dig in. Have a plan and intention ahead of time and youre more likely to stick to it.

Fiber helps with weight loss in so many ways, says Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N., author of Healing Superfoods for Anti-Aging: Stay Younger, Live Longer. For starters, it expands in your gut like a sponge so its a natural appetite suppressant. Plus, the latest research is finding it has beneficial impacts on good gut bacteria that help produce hormones in the gut that tell your brain youve had enough to eat. Aim for at least 25 grams a day from a variety of foods like whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

nata_vkusideyGetty Images

Like fiber, protein naturally helps you feel full by influencing the production of satiety hormones, says Ansel. It takes a long time to digest, so youre unlikely to go scrounging for a snack after a protein-rich meal. And heres a neat trick: Protein also takes more energy to digest than, say, fat or carbs, so you dont store as many of its calories. For maximum impact aim for 20 grams per meal from lean proteins such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, and low fat dairy.

Its well-established that sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. It comes down to hormones: Sleep deprived people produce more ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone. And they produce less leptin, the hormone that tells you when youve eaten enough. Theres also evidence that the overly-sleepy eat more calories, and more comfort-food-carbs. And its no surprise that when youre exhausted, its harder to control your impulses (meaning, grabbing cookie after cookie may seem like a fine idea).

Im a fan of getting on the scale a few times a week, says Ansel. For a lot of people, weighing yourself can be stressful, but it can provide some really important feedback before things start to snowball. You dont have to weigh yourself every day, but stepping on the scale two to three times a week can help you nip weight gain in the bud, so you dont have to take drastic action with your diet later.

Sometimes when you think youre hungry, youre actually thirstymaybe even slightly dehydrated. So in between meals, before you nosh on a snack try drinking a big glass of water. Its also a good idea to do that before a meal: It leads to greater weight loss, one study showed. And carry a bottle with you throughout the day, to sip as you go.

Its unclear whether sugar in and of itself makes you gain weight, says Ansel. But one thing is for sureit tends to travel in foods that have way too many calories. Whether its soda, sweetened lattes, or dessert, these should be the first foods to go if youre trying to slim down. And remember, the sweet stuff is hidden in all sorts of foodsketchup, bread, salad dressing, and so on.

Its a simple way to take in less calories overall. But theres another important reason to follow this rule: Drinking calories, rather than eating them, is less satisfying and doesnt lead to the same feeling of fullness, research shows. So thats another reason why drinking your caloriesespecially sugary bevscan lead to weight gain.

In other words, slow down. Your brain needs to catch up with your mouth and send the signal that youre full, and thats harder when youre speeding through your meal. Also, studies have shown that when youre distracted, you tend to eat more. So stash your phone, turn off the TV, and pay attention to what youre eating.

A small study showed that prolonged chewing at lunch leads to a eating fewer snacks later in the day. Its worth noting, though, that many of the study participants reported that they really didnt enjoy the lunch, with all that chomping. So worth a try, but it may or may not work for you.

One study found that obese people are more likely to keep food around in highly visible locations. So do the opposite, especially with stuff that you dont want to be munching all the time. Meaning, that bowl of apples? Fine to keep it in your eye line. The bags of chips? Nuh uh.

A recent study found that kids and teens who drink diet beverages eat more calories during the day. This is just one of several studies connecting diet drinks to weight gain. So againwater is a great bet! Want to make it more interesting? Get a water bottle infuser, an easy way to add fruit.

When youre stressed, your levels of the hormone cortisol spike (its that fight-or-flight response). And some older studies have shown that people tend to eat more if theyre high cortisol reactors (you know, those people who particularly tend to lose their chill under stress). So to avoid that nom-nom-nom reaction (and to protect your health in so many other ways), take time each day to do something to lower the stress temperature, whether its meditation, exercise, or sitting quietly with a good book.

It may not be sexy, but study after study has shown that writing down what you eat is one of the most effective weight loss tools out there, says Ansel. Whether its in a journal, using the notes app on your phone, or your favorite weight loss app, recording what you eat is the single best way to identify those sneaky little ways you might be overdoing it.

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14 Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise in 2020, According to Experts - Prevention.com

Youve been working your butt off for weeks at the gym. Youve got the sweat and sore muscles to prove it. But, for some reason, the scale hasnt budged. Or worse, the number you see on the dial has been creeping up.

If weight loss, at its most basic level, is a matter of calories in and calories out, it's reasonable to assume it's possible to burn off those extra calories in the gym and lose weight without making any diet modifications. But science has begun to show that we might want to examine this mindset a bit more skeptically.

While you may not want to cancel your gym membership just yet, the inescapable truth of weight loss is that exercise doesn't compensate for a poor diet.

Regular exercise can prevent or help manage a slew of health issues from cancer to heart disease to Alzheimers and arthritis. But losing a lot of weight isn't chief among exercise's many benefits.

Instead, focusing on the first part of the calories in, calories out" equation may be the most effective approach to slimming down.

Typically, people are able to lose much more from caloric restriction than from exercisesimply because the caloric expenditure with your typical exercise regime 30 minutes most days of the week doesnt translate to very much weight loss, says Jennifer Kuk, a kinesiologist at York University in Toronto, over email.

Losing a pound a week requires a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, or 500 calories per day. You can accomplish this through diet, exercise or a combination of both approaches. But it seems that diet and exercise aren't equally effective.

"The reason dieting may be more effective than just exercise is because exercising would take a ton more activity and effort to create a 500- to 700-calorie deficit, says YasiAnsari, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, in an email.

To put this in perspective, a 155-pound person would burn roughly 500 calories from an hour of high-impact aerobics or by walking for 90 minutes at a rate of 4.5 mph.

So, in other words, don't expect much from those quick trips to the gym. Someone who started exercising 30 minutes almost every day would probably lose about a pound over the course of a month, Kuk says. For most people trying to lose weight, that would be downright disappointing. (Its no wonder that half of all new gym customers drop off by the end of January.)

Whats worse than experiencing little or no weight loss while exercising? Gaining weight. That's right: Sometimes an exercise program can cause the opposite of its intended effect.

One study from a team of Arizona State University researchers tracked 81 sedentary, overweight women over a 12-week exercise program that consisted of 30 minutes of brisk treadmill walking three times per week. Surprisingly, most of the women didnt lose pounds by becoming more active and more than half of them gained weight.

Another study from researchers at Louisiana State University followed 200 overweight men and women enrolled in a supervised aerobic exercise program over the course of six months. The study found that the participants ended up compensating for the calories lost to working out by eating more. As a result, many participants didn't lose weight, or they gained it.

Some people will find that they are hungrier with exercise and that their body will try to protect themselves against weight loss by increasing hunger, and they lose less weight than expected, Kuk says. This is more commonly reported in women.

It is technically possible to lose weight simply by working out albeit with caveats.

Some studies have demonstrated that exercise alone can create a calorie deficit thatslarge enough to generate weight loss. But for the average person, the required intensity and time commitment about an hour every day can be difficult to stick to.

Most [people] will have problems exercising one hour per day at a moderate intensity every day to equal the weight loss you would get from your typical diet, Kuk says.

Most health professionals recommend implementing both approaches caloriecontrol and exercise when losing weight. And this is probably pretty sound advice.

But where exercise might be more helpful is keeping weight off once we've lost it. A recent study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center revealed that exercise plays a greater role than diet in sustaining substantial weight loss.

No matter your weight or fitness goals, remember that the health benefits of a balanceddiet and exercise regime go far beyond a number on the scale.

Eating better and exercise can improve your health even if you dont lose a single pound, Kuk says.

A 2011 study found that adopting a healthy diet andmoderate exercise can reduce obese people's risk of cardiovascular diseaseand diabetes, regardless of whether they lost weight or not.

And, it's a controversial idea, but some researchers think you can be "fat but fit." In other words, your fitness ability, regardless of weight, might play a major role in overall health.

So, if you find yourself frustrated the next time you step on the scale, Kuk recommends asking yourself why you're trying to lose weight in the first place.

Many try to lose weight because of the clear bias and stigma in our society I believe that for most people who are trying to lose weight, society is the problem, not the individual. This is not to say that we should not try to eat well or exercise regularly but this is a message for all of us, not just those with weight obesity, Kuk says.

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Exercise Has Many Health Benefits. Weight Loss Isn't Really One of Them - Discover Magazine

January 1s arrival often is accompanied by steadfast New Years resolutions.

Among the top five again this year will be losing weight.

Chef Michael Gomez of Smith River is seizing on the year 2020 to zero in healthy eating. Like 20/20 vision, I want people to focus this year on what is really important for a healthier lifestyle, Gomez said.

He said hes worked in restaurants all his life, over the years feeding celebrities such as John Travolta, Steve McQueen, James Gardner and Ronald Regan.

That is, until he made a career change. I went from the stars to the bars, said Gomez.

He subsequently worked as a chef in the prison system for 28 years. On March 5, 1990, Gomez became one of the original employees when Pelican Bay State Prison opened north of Crescent City.

Pelican Bay was the first prison in the state to hire a nutritionist. So, I was around food 24/7, Gomez said.

And being around food had its downside. At one point, Gomez weighed 350 pounds, thanks to a genetic propensity toward obesity. His brother tried to address his extreme weight by having gastric bypass surgery, Gomez said, only to die seven days later from medical complications.

He said gastric bypass surgery and its reduced-diet requirements remains the No. 1 extreme weight-loss strategy, with a 75% success rate. Number 2 is Weight Watchers, followed by Jenny Craig and Keto.

Regardless of which diet individuals try, said Gomez, he suggests three steps: eat only when youre hungry, eat a balanced diet, and stop when you feel full.

Following those simple guidelines, Gomez said he lost 150 pounds and has kept it off for 20 years.

After retiring from Pelican Bay in 2017, he has brought his knowledge to young people, teaching kids how to cook through school district education programs. The district allowed me to let them cook in the school, then in their home, he said.

Through his youth cooking classes, Gomez began working with Sonny Baker, the SNAP Education program coordinator for the Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services.

Her healthy-living programs, such as Food Smart, are taught by community members like Gomez, people she calls champions of change.

Baker said her programs are part of CalFresh Healthy Living, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with additional state and county financing.

Theyre based on American Dietary Guidelines promoting an overall healthy lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity.

One of the local initiatives were working with in the community is Champions for Change, (people) who demonstrate that healthy change is possible through their lifestyle changes, who overcome obstacles and struggles, using their stories and testimonies, Baker said.

We give people encouragement, motivation and inspiration that lead into changes.

She said one of the programs newest workshops is Food Smart, which tailors healthy tips and dietary guidelines to those who attend. The workshops are taught by 10 champions from the community - including Gomez.

The overall guidelines show anyone can practice lifestyle changes with built-in habits, such as reading labels, using recipes and networking with other community members resources.

Its about creating a community... Creating a healthy individual, creating a safe space to learn that addresses their needs and struggles. It helps them make the journey to good health because they are empowered.

Other champions for change involved in the countys workshops include Alexander Dairy, Rumiano Cheese Co. and the Open Door Community Health Center.

There are other people like us who are what we call healthy nuts. My goal is to be a healthy town, Gomez said.

He added that while Baker teaches knowledge, he teaches habits.

One habit hed like to see, especially in youth, is to give up soda pop.

What happens when you drink soda? Soda has 6 tablespoons of sugar in it. Every tablespoon of sugar kills 14,000 white blood cells.

When does the flu season start? October. Thats when we eat a lot of sugar, he said.

What Im teaching is not how to lose weight. The five leading diseases dont start with obesity. Its heart disease. Then colon and prostate and breast cancer. Then misdiagnoses. Diabetes and then obesity.

He said the greatest roadblock to weight loss is hormonal imbalance. So, he tailors his diets to the individuals needs.

What I teach, in general, is wellness. And once they understand the wellness of their bodies, then I teach hunger patterns.

Armed with his knowledge of food, Gomez provides specific healthy-living guidelines for whichever diet someone is on, be it Keto, gastric bypass surgery, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or others.

Gomez breaks down his healthy lifestyle guidelines to six key points:

1 - Eat only when youre hungry. You dont need to eat three square meals a day to sustain a healthy lifestyle or weight-loss program.

2 - Watch your portion size. Your stomach is a fuel tank, not a storage tank. Eat what gets burned up by daily activity, not in quantities that require long-term storage.

3 - Hang out with family and friends who also like to be healthy.

4 - Make time for some exercise. A healthy lifestyle is diet and exercise. Consider the benefits of low-impact water aerobics or swimming.

5 - Keep an eye out for club or community programs that can help your lifestyle change, such as Del Norte Countys Food Smarts.

6 - Make time for yourself. Dont get stuck in a rut at work or home. Let go of the daily grind and give more time for yourself.

The best way to help yourself to look good on the outside is focusing on how you feel on the inside, he said. Focus on helping yourself by saying, I care about what it takes to help myself.

Link:
Here's an insider's look at those weight-loss resolutions - The Triplicate

Stick-on weight-loss patches infused with Japanese mint are the newest get thin quick gimmick buzzing around the internet. The ads make them seem irresistible Have you tried to lose weight? This is a dream solution for you! But are these a true scientific breakthrough or another way to simply separate you from $7.99 plus tax and shipping?

According to some dubious-looking sites, these patches were supposedly developed by a Japanese doctor (different web sites give different names for this mysterious genius, but none provide any links to any research, nor do they even give a first name so you can look up the doctors credentials on your own), and they claim to eliminate all the pesky work of eating nutritious foods and exercising. You simply slap on the sticky patch, and within hours it will trigger fat cells to reduce body fat by a magical mechanism without making the skin loose, according to the very scientific description on one site.

Well, magical fat-reducing slimming patches are a dream solution, if by dream you mean a complete fantasy that evaporates as soon as you wake up.

If the solution to obesity were as simple as wearing a patch, then there would be no obesity epidemic with a whole field of science devoted to working on it, points out Rekha Kumar, M.D., medical director of the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) and an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Kumar does sympathize those who are curious about these products, however: The proven methods to lose weightcalorie-restricted dieting and exerciseare very challenging for so many people. You get hungry, you dont have the time to exercise, or youre scared about getting started, so the concept of a quick fix is very attractive.

You may be thinking, so, even it doesnt work, whats the harm in trying? Before you press checkout, heres what you should know:

Known by the scientific name mentha canadensis, Japanese mint is found, yes, in Japan, as well and other Asian countries such as China and Javabut its also found all over North America, where its called Canada mint or American mint. So, basically, this is a very common, very international variety of mint.

Mint has been used for centuries to treat all kinds of ailments, from nausea to bad breath to IBS, with limited research to back it up. But there is no evidence that mint can do anything on its own to speed up metabolism or melt away pounds. If you really want to try using mint as part of your weight loss plan, there is one surefire way: Replace all your calorie-laden caramel lattes and colas with calorie-free peppermint tea.

So here is where it gets interesting. Transdermal patches are used for many health reasonsbirth control, smoking cessation, and pain management. They release medication through the skin, where it enters the bloodstream. And there are also FDA-approved medications that are injected under the skin for weight loss, says Dr. Kumar. So, in theory, a transdermal patch could help with appetite control and weight loss, she says. However, Dr. Kumar points out, there are no clinically proven, FDA-approved patches on the market. And not only are the weight-loss patches you can order on the web not approved, there is absolutely zero evidence that any of the herbal ingredients in them can do a thing for weight loss. If you look at some of the ingredients listed in these patches, such as mint, aai berry, and green tea, they have all been touted for weight loss before, but none of them have been proven to be effective, she says.

If you cut calories and increase exercising while youre wearing the patch, sure, youll lose weight. But that will happen whether you slap on a Japanese mint weight loss patch or a sticker with a cute kitten on it from the dollar store. If you wear the patch and dont make any lifestyle changes, well, youll just have a very sweet-smelling decoration.

Once again, Dr. Kumar points out that none of these products are regulated, which means you really have no idea whats actually in that patch youre slapping on your skin. You have to be concerned about two things: Is what theyre saying is in there actually in there; and are there harmful ingredients in there that are not listed?

In the end, you should follow this rule about any product you buy on the internet that claims to have medical or weight loss benefits: Be skeptical, ask your doctor, and proceed with caution.

Meanwhile, if you want to lose weight, find a healthy diet that appeals to you, hit the gym, and save the mint for your mojitos.

Like what you just read? Youll love our magazine! Go here to subscribe. Dont miss a thing by downloading Apple News here and following Prevention. Oh, and were on Instagram too.

Here is the original post:
Are Japanese Mint Patches the Weight Loss Miracle Weve All Been Waiting For? - Prevention.com

CUMBERLAND West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey warned consumers to be cautious when evaluating ways to lose those extra pounds.

Who among us doesnt think about dropping a couple pounds at the beginning of a new year? Morrisey said. Those making New Years resolutions right now look at various types of weight loss products in an effort to drop 10, 15 or 20 pounds. When theyre doing that, consumers must take time and research their options to make sure they lose weight in a healthy, legitimate and financially smart way.

Consumers should avoid weight loss advertisements for miracle pills, creams or drinks, others that guarantee permanent weight loss without lifestyle changes and those that promise results without diet or exercise.

Some weight-loss products, many of which are imported and sold online, have been found to be tainted with ingredients that have serious side effects, such as heart problems and strokes. While many natural dietary supplements are safe, some have been found to contain hidden active ingredients contained in prescription drugs.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued 19 public notifications for tainted weight loss products in 2019. That is up from 11 in 2017 and 18 in 2018.

Consumers should also be wary of free trials and should closely read terms and conditions for each offer. Some companies use free trials as an opportunity to sign up the consumer for additional products, which the consumer is billed for until cancellation.

The Attorney General also urged consumers to examine the fine print when considering gym memberships. Those looking to join a gym should visit the facility before doing so to see if its a good fit. They should carefully read every document before signing to ensure they know what theyre agreeing to and understand all the terms and conditions.

Businesses primarily involved in the selling of memberships that provide the members instruction in the program of physical exercise or provide the members use of its facilities are required to be registered with the Attorney Generals Office.

Consumers with questions or who believe they have been the victim of a weight loss scam can contact the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808or visit http://www.wvago.gov.

Continued here:
Attorney general: Be wary of weight loss products - Cumberland Times-News