Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

A GRADUATE has shed an impressive six stone after doctors warned a rare brain condition could be linked to her weight.

Size 22 Danielle Puttick once tipped the scales at 18st 3lb - but now she's a slim size 10, weighing 12st 2lb.

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The 26-year-old animation designer, from Sunderland, was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IH) in November 2016.

Doctors warned Danielle's size may have contributed to the condition and advised her to lose weight to reverse the effects.

She joined her local Slimming World, at Silksworth Medical Church, a month later.

Danielle said: "My condition left me bedbound for a while but I wouldn't let it beat me.

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"I have been big my entire life, but decided I wanted to lose weight when I started my masters degree in design.

"My main motivation was that I wanted a nice photo of myself.

"After I became ill, I was told by doctors that they didnt know what causes the condition.

"But the doctors said that it might have something to to with weight and said I needed to lose some as it could reverse the effects of the condition.

"That was the moment when I thought 'I really have to do this now'. I joined Slimming World as soon as I was able to walk out of the hospital on crutches."

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Danielle was studying at Sunderland University when she began to suffer from migraines.

She was referred for an eye test on October 24, 2016, where opticians found blood at the back of her eye.

Medics thought Danielle was suffering from a brain haemorrhage and transferred her to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary the next day for a CT scan.

There, doctors diagnosed her with IH, a condition which causes raised fluid pressure around the brain.

Danielle had surgery immediately and had a lumbar stent placed in her back, to control the flow of brain fluids.

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Official health advice says sustainable weight loss through healthy eating is a critical part of treatment for people with IH who are overweight.

Past studies have shown weight loss can reduce symptoms, but Danielle says this wasn't the case with her.

Although her overall health has improved, Danielle says she still suffers from tiredness and migraines.

Intracranial hypertension: the facts

Intracrainial hypertension (IH) is the build-up of pressure around the brain.

Acute IH can be caused by stroke, injury or a brain abcess.

Chronic IH (which Danielle has) is rare and it's often unclear why it happens.

It mainly affects women in their 20s/30s and has been associated with:

But these are only links, not necessarily causes.

Symptoms include:

She said: "Since my diagnosis, I have found my condition gets bad if I do a long day but I dont believe it has got anything to do with weight.

"When I was doing an internship I found that anxiety and stress were triggers.

"But I had always wanted to lose weight and feel happy that I have finally have. Slimming World is like a family and gave me a life."

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Danielle is now launching her own Slimming World group at Ryhope Community Association every Thursday.

She said: "I hope my story shows other people that you can do it."

Earlier this week, we reported on a woman who shed a staggering 10st to honour her dying mum's wish.

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Weight loss: Size 22 graduate sheds 6 stone after doctors warn rare brain condition could be linked to her - The Sun

Quinton Rampage Jackson said he felt like a hippopotamus, after weighing in at a career high 265 lbs and eventually getting knocked out by Fedor Emelienenko at the Bellator Japan event. He has vowed to drop back down to light heavyweight, where he found most of his career success, and now plans to document his weight loss journey.

The former UFC champion took to Instagram about it, calling the loss a wake up call and admitting that his weight really got out of hand. He says he was actually 20 lbs heavier before the fight.

I wasnt impressed with my performance (in my GSP voice) because I have to lose a lot of weight and finish my career strong. Coach Cal from the training lab fixed my medical condition, the only problem was i met him too late, he wrote. I wont fight again until Im walking around weight is at least 230lbs. My goal is to go back to 205. Believe it or not I lost 20lbs for the fight but it wasnt enough because Im not a true heavyweight. I want to make my day one fans proud to ride with me again. it sucks to lose,but this fight was a wake up call.

Defeat is a hard pill to swallow... but its part of the job, Rampage continued on a separate post. Hate letting my people and fans down. Maybe this wont be my last loss but it will be the last time I defeat myself. Im gonna document my weight loss journey. If you feel uncomfortable with your weight do it with me. Tag me in your posts of you working out and eating clean.

Rampage also managed to poke fun of his own situation, and reposted some memes that came out of his fight.

Excerpt from:
Rampage Jackson to document weight loss journey: Believe it or not, I lost 20 lbs for Fedor fight - Bloody Elbow

Following the death of his father when he was a child, Thomas began to overeat as a way of coping with his depression and anxiety. That weight gain continued into early adulthood. "That overeating and stress eating just kept getting worse over the years," he says, sharing his story with Barcroft TV.

"When you're a big guy you don't have many friends," he adds. This led to such low self-esteem that he hated how he looked so much that he avoided mirrors (and all "reflective surfaces in general") and had to "teach himself" how to smile.

"When the doctor told me I was clinically obese, that was the point when it became real," he says. "I wanted to lose the weight, and that was the very beginning of my transformation."

Thomas started off slowly, "just walking and cutting out certain foods, sodas, processed foods," and gradually began to increase his levels of activity. "Once I really started getting going, I actually started enjoying it," he says. "I turned it into a game: every month I wanted to lose more weight."

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At his heaviest, Thomas weighed 360 pounds. He has since managed to drop 160 pounds, and in addition to feeling more energetic, he also feels more comfortable with himself. "Workout out gives me more confidence," he says. "After a good workout I always feel a hundred times better, even if I was exhausted before. As I was losing the weight, I started to be able to talk to people better, I started to be able to look people in the eyes when I talked to them before, eye contact was very difficult."

He adds that about six months into his journey, he was able to start looking in the mirror and could stand to see himself in photos.

"I believe I'm in the best state I've ever been in," he says, although he admits there are still down days. He deals with these by telling himself: "Best just to keep on moving and keep on doing what I'm doing, and eventually I'll get to where I want to be... Whatever that looks like on the scale isn't what I care about, being happy is really what's most important."

Originally posted here:
This Guy Got Fit, Lost 160 Pounds, and Gained the Confidence He Always Wanted - menshealth.com

Obesity is a major problem in the US. To give you a better idea, it affects nearly 40% of the populationthats over 93 million people!

As it is, it can increase your risk of certain conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In fact, its one of the leading causes of death in the country.

Fortunately, its preventable. It might take some effort, but its definitely possible to shed the excess body fat.

Looking for some life hacks to lose weight? If so, youre on the right page! Well be going over a few tips below.

To lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficit by consuming less than you burn. The opposite is also truethat is, eating more than you burn can lead to weight gain.

As far as maintaining your body weight goes, that happens when you consume the same amount of calories that you burn.

There are a number of things that you can do to lose weight. Here are some of them.

Reducing your sugar intake can help you lose weight. For one thing, youll be consuming fewer calories.

Not only that, but you wont get hungry as quickly (changes in blood glucose can increase hunger). As a result, youll eat less throughout the day, which will help with your weight loss efforts.

Given that, it may be hard to stay away from some of the snacks that you see on defineawesome.com. You can still have them; just eat them in moderation!

Studies have shown that those who keep food diaries are more likely to lose weight. It doesnt matter whether you use a paper journal or an appthe goal is to record everything you eat each day.

That way, youll be more aware of what, when, and why youre eating. You can also use it to track and measure your weight on a weekly basis.

Regular exercise is one of the best things that you can do for your body. First and foremost, itll help you burn extra calories, which will help you shed the fat.

Not only that, but itll lower your risk of various diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

How often should you exercise? Aim for at least one hour of moderate-intensity activity per day.

Weight loss doesnt occur overnight; it takes time. So dont be discouraged if the numbers arent dropping as quickly as youd like them to.

The key is to stay positive. The last thing you want to do is to lose sight of your goal!

And there we have itfour life hacks to lose weight. If anything, the most important thing is to make a plan and stick with it!

Do you have any other tips that youd like to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. Frankly and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@franklymedia.com

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4 Life Hacks to Lose Weight in 2020 - KTEN

No banned foods, no recipes, no fads psychologist and addiction expert Shahroo Izadis weight-loss book is all about changing the way you relate to what you eat. Can it really work? Well, as she tells Stefanie Marsh, it certainly did for her

The Times,January 4 2020, 12:01am

Shahroo Izadi used to weigh 19st and now that shes thinner she says its as if shes gone undercover. The people who dont know that I used to be overweight treat me completely differently. They treat me with respect. Its unsettling. My body might have changed, but Im seeing through the same eyes.

Izadi is 35, a not irrelevant age given that so many of her clients are of her generation, with formative experiences to match, she says. They come to her because they want to lose weight. This will seem trivial to some readers. It seemed trivial to me. When I was asked to interview the author of a new book called The Last Diet I was circumspect. The fact that she sees her

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Could this be the last diet you'll ever need to do? - The Times

Losing weight and keeping it off is a lot easier when you have expert guidance from the leader in weight loss and its supportive community. WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) just rolled out its most customized program ever, and it's poised to continue to help millions of members around the world accomplish their weight-loss and wellness goals in 2020. With myWW, each new member takes a personal assessment which matches them with a customized program that can make losing weight easier.

While many members follow and succeed on the WW program using the WW app, those who would like a little extra expert guidance and consistent support swear by the weekly WW Workshops to keep them accountable and help them stay on track. WW Coaches host weekly 30-minute Workshops at over 800 studios nationwide.

Linda Lawrence is a WW Coach at WW Studio Largo, WW Studio Pinellas Park and WW Studio Palm Harbor. (WW Coaches are all previous members who have lost weight with WW and now share their knowledge and support with WW members at weekly Workshops.) Learn more about her weight-loss journey and get inspired!

Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

Linda: In 2001, I was miserable because of my weight. I didn't want my picture taken, I didn't want to be up in front of crowds, I didn't want to buy clothes, and I didn't want to go out of the house. But my job demanded I do all of those things. I remembered how good it felt, many years before, when I lost weight with WW, and I wanted to feel that confidence around people once again.

I knew I wanted to be remembered by my grandchildren for something other than having to be helped off the floor after playing board games, etc., so I decided to return to WW. It wasn't easy to walk through the door of my first Workshop back, but had a great experience that led me to rejoin. When I rejoined and finally got on the scales, I saw was 100 pounds over my goal weight. I wanted to run, hide and cry.

But as the weeks passed and the pounds dropped, I learned I was more than a number on the scale. I also learned I was not alone, and many members have felt the same way.

After losing 108 pounds and returning to my goal weight, I knew that I wanted to work for WW because it would help me keep the weight off and remind me about everything else I gained with WW. I also wanted the world to know that WW works!

Linda: I think the versatility of the customized plans, tailored to each member's lifestyle, is what makes myWW so exciting. You are not pushed into a mold that makes us do what everyone else is doing. We are all different.

Linda: The local WW Studio is a pleasant place where we can just be ourselves. We come to learn, to gain support, to be motivated and to relax. It helps us realize that many others have felt the same way that we have felt at different times throughout our journey. We also have a weigh-in area where the scale and weigh-in are private and confidential. The guides and Coaches love what they do and love people.

Linda: Some of the things we look at are foods, nutritional values, etc. We discuss being able to develop a positive mindset and learn how to handle difficult situations. We learn how important it is for our physical health and mental health to do some form of activity. We do not have to be weight lifters or marathon runners, either we can do the things that we are physically able to do and things we like.

Linda: Probably the best tip I can give is to relax. Know when your special food-centered events are happening and do some planning. Use those ZeroPoint food options, extra Points and think about visiting with those you enjoy and not about "all that food" they expect you to eat. (WW's proprietary SmartPoints system simplifies complex nutritional information into a simple number to easily guide your eating decisions to support weight loss. ZeroPoint foods form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern, and are foods you don't have to track! Depending on your customized plan, they can include foods like chicken breast, fat-free Greek yogurt, all vegetables and more.) Eat the things you want in moderation, and know that you are OK. Ask yourself, "Is this item worth it?"

Linda: Health is something we need on a daily not seasonal basis. Staying healthy when we are not facing major changes or stress helps us to handle each of those events when they occur.

Linda: When I see the members achieve healthier lifestyles, and I see their excitement in accomplishing things that are important to them, it's hugely motivating to me. I get paid, yes, but the true payment comes from seeing growth and accomplishments by the members. Also, I love to learn, and we are constantly being fed facts, research and new findings on food and lifestyles.

Linda: My WW family is just that a family. After returning home from one of the Workshops where I was a Coach, my husband met me at the door and shared that our daughter in Oklahoma had been killed in an automobile accident. The shock and pain was only bearable because of my faith and my WW co-workers, my territory manager (Jen McTigue) and the members in my meetings.

A year later, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctor shared that since I was in such good health otherwise, my prognosis was very good. I thought, "Thank you, WW you have taught me that a healthy lifestyle is so important."

While recuperating, I gained 10 pounds, but it didn't take long before I felt the weight coming off. It wasn't because of me but because I trusted the program. I had the support of my church, my physical family and my WW family. I know that I can stay healthy and active, and I know that I am "worth it." I want the world to feel the same way.

WW is a weight-loss program that takes a people-focused, science-backed approach to promoting weight loss and healthy living. Its new program, myWW, is fully customized to make losing weight easier for you.

When you join myWW, you'll start with a personal assessment that asks a range of questions about your unique food preferences, activity level, lifestyle and approach to weight loss. Based on your responses, WW will scientifically match you with a customized, proven weight-loss plan that can make losing weight easier.

Every person in the WW Studio is on your side! The friendly guides and expert Coaches will quickly become your greatest motivators and sources of support to make 2020 the year you reach your weight-loss goals!

Workshops held at WW Studio locations cover topics that are relevant to weight loss, health and wellness. You can participate as much or as little as you want. There are WW Workshops during the morning, afternoon and evening, seven days a week. This gives you flexibility to attend the Workshop time/day/location that works for during any particular week and ensure your accountability network is always accessible.

Based on years of research, the WW Workshop curriculum is always evolving to bring the best science-backed techniques to help you lose weight and build healthy habits for life.

People following the WW plan can expect to lose 1-2 lbs/wk.

Continued here:
How This WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Coach Lost 108 Pounds - Patch.com

Slim down. Drop a few pounds. Make my scale happy. Reverse my clothes shrinkage.

However it's worded, weight loss is one of the most common New Years Resolutions. Not surprisingly, a lot of these resolutions fail: Unrealistic goals and trendy weight programs lead to frustration and burnout with a return to original behaviors (and the same resolution the next year). Instead, the focus when trying to lose weight should be creating permanent healthy habits through realistic weight loss goals fueled by minor tweaks to everyday routines. Not only is this strategy easier to stick to but it also adds up over time and helps prevent setbacks from derailing your end goal.

What is a reasonable goal and how do you set one? Simplified, weight loss occurs when you burn more energy (calories) through activity and normal body functions than you consume through eating. A healthy weight loss goal is between 0.5 to 2 pounds per week this amounts to a calorie deficit of 1750 to 7000 calories per week or 250 to 1000 calories per day. This deficit can be achieved by either eating less (reduction of calories in), becoming more active (increase in calories out), or a combination of the two. To set a goal, first determine what you want the end result to be (lose 10 pounds), how you want to get there (diet and/or exercise), and what your weekly goal is based on how likely you are to stick to a new plan (be honest, if cutting 1000 calories per day is impossible for you, start smaller and work your way up).

To enact your new weight loss plan, focus on small changes to your daily habits to reach your daily goals. Try not to focus on your weight as it may fluctuate by 5 pounds per day based on what and when you eat and drink, if and when you exercised, and your stress levels and sleep quality. If you choose a daily weight check, do it at the same time every day, such as first thing in the morning. Adding an activity to your routine would help you quickly reach your daily deficit.

To burn 250 calories (these are estimates):

Or decrease your caloric intake by 250 calories by making some easy food choices:

So what tools can you use to help keep you on track with your weight loss plan? Health and fitness apps and other wearables can be very helpful as they can track activities and calculate energy burned; other apps log your food intake and calculate the calories you have eaten. HealthMetric is an all-in-one health and fitness app that personalizes your weight loss journey. With HealthMetrics weight loss program, you set your goal and select a strategy to meet your goal: diet, exercise, or a combination. The app provides daily feedback on your progress, shows how others with similar goals are doing, and predicts how you'll do tomorrow to keep you motivated. In addition, you can use voice commands to search and record food, drinks, and exercises from our large, curated nutritional and activity databases.

With HealthMetric, you control how to become: Healthier. Strong. Better. You.

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Focus on Healthy Habits and Realistic Goals to Lose Weight in the New Year - PGH City Paper

The holiday decorations have been stowed away (right?), and now its time to look ahead to 2020. Entering the new year is an excellent opportunity to start with a clean slate and adjust some of our behaviors.

The most common New Years resolutions are wellness-related, like getting more exercise, losing weight and giving up that nightly glass of wine.

The problem with these broad resolutions is that they can feel overwhelming, and its easy to get discouraged and give up entirely when we dont see immediate results. If, instead, we opt for more specific, attainable New Years resolutions, were more likely to stick with them throughout 2020 and beyond.

We asked local experts for their tips on how to replace the common, overwhelming resolutions with more realistic ones that set us up for success. Heres what they had to say about diet, exercise and dipping into our vices in moderation.

One of the most common New Years resolutions is to start a diet, and the goal is often weight loss. But rather than focusing on a number on the scale, Christy Goff, a registered dietitian at Pacific Medical Centers in Seattle, suggests eating for energy instead. After all, each calorie is a unit of energy and eating enough calories per day is crucial to maintaining the stamina we need to go about our daily lives and engage in the physical activities we enjoy.

To eat for energy, you want to choose nutrient-dense foods to make sure your body is well-nourished, says Goff. This means maintaining a diet that includes protein, fats and carbohydrates.

Eating regular meals and snacks will regulate your blood sugar and ensure that youre consuming enough calories. Goff also recommends choosing foods that are rich in B vitamins and magnesium, such as vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Try to incorporate these foods into each meal. [They] assist in the energy production process in our bodies, she says.

Make sure youre drinking plenty of liquids throughout the day because, as Goff notes, dehydration is a common cause of fatigue and sleepiness.

Lastly, she suggests avoiding added sugars, excess caffeine and alcohol, and pre-packaged foods. Not only do they zap your energy, but they can also interfere with your sleep.

Another reason to shift your focus away from the number on the scale is because weight simply isnt the best indicator of health. We know that with healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices, we can be healthy at many sizes, says Goff. Health can be gauged more by how we feel emotionally, as well as what our blood labs and energy levels are telling us.

Furthermore, people who are not looking for a specific weight outcome tend to stick to their healthy diet habits for longer.

Getting in shape and striving for a rigid exercise regimen is another common New Years resolution. Rather than thinking of exercise as a way to lose weight or get killer abs, Cedric X. Bryant, the Redmond-based president and chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise, suggests thinking of exercise as a way to feel better mentally and emotionally especially because we kick off our resolutions during the dark and gloomy winter months.

A major benefit of exercising to boost your mood is that you feel the results almost immediately. Bryant says that youll quickly notice that youre better equipped to handle stress, youre sleeping better and your mood has improved. Getting that reinforcement so early in the process means youll be more likely to keep up your fitness regimen. In contrast, if you exercise with the goal of losing weight, it takes at least several weeks before you see any results and its easy to get discouraged and throw in the towel.

Whether its a glass (or three) of wine or eating a few cannabis edibles, its common to have a vice that we turn to after a rough day. If you feel guilty about your intake, it may seem like resolving to give up all your sinning is the perfect New Years resolution. But a more realistic resolution is to be mindful about your intake rather than attempting to give up everything forever.

Carolyn Watson, a Seattle-based mindfulness expert and certified pilates instructor at Balanced Body, explains that our vices typically trigger dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that gives us pleasure and makes us feel good. The reason most vices are labeled as such is because many of them have potentially negative side effects if theyre frequently used.

Mindfulness is easier to maintain when people understand how much power they have to choose how they get their dopamine release, says Watson. Especially when the days are short and our region is engulfed in a perpetual blanket of gray, it can be challenging to feel good without actively seeking some type of stimulating activity.

Watson notes that in the winter months, many of her clients have an increased consumption of caffeine and alcohol, drinking coffee all morning and then switching to alcoholic beverages after dark. But she recommends diversifying the ways you get your dopamine fix. Exercise, food, water and kind touch all cause the release of dopamine, says Watson.

This is where mindfulness comes in rather than consuming three cups of coffee and two glasses of wine, and eating a cheese plate for dinner, make the conscious decision to engage in a healthier activity that also releases dopamine. For example, Watson suggests taking a 30-minute walk, cuddling with a pet or having a few ounces of chocolate. Eliminating all the vices can make many people feel depressed and quite unwell, says Watson. A better strategy would be to aim for diverse and moderate dopamine triggers.

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Blown your resolutions already? Tips for getting what you really want. - Seattle Times

Lets be honest: most of us make at least one New Years resolution, and then usually fairly quickly break it. We have a good idea of what we want to change, but then try to change everything all at once which never works. Instead, we should look to alter a number of small things which, by themselves, are relatively easy to achieve but when taken as a whole can alter your life for the better in a huge way. My own Top 5 health recommendations for you in 2020 are:

This is a key resolution and you dont need to join a gym this month to do it. Exercise not only assists weight loss but is also good for your mental health as well as keeping muscles strong, stimulating blood flow, and improving heart and lung fitness. Exercise for at least 3 times a week for about 30 minutes. Try walking during your lunch break, or take the stairs instead of the lift. If you are travelling a short distance cycle or walk instead of using your car and consider parking further away from your office than normal to get some walking time.

Stopping smoking is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your overall long-term health and it is never too late to quit however old you are or how long you have been smoking. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day for a week takes one day off your life expectancy. The most effective way of quitting is by using a combination of medication and psychological support and there has never been a better time to stop smoking as new treatments are available to help you quit. These are available from your GP or local stop-smoking service, and your pharmacist can also give you advice and help on over-the-counter products to help you quit.

Losing weight is one of the most popular New Years resolutions but most people give up the battle by the end of January. Being overweight significantly increases your risk of developing heart disease and conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, as well as certain cancers. Set a reasonable goal and aim to lose around 2-3 kg a month. Remember the old adage; Breakfast like a king, lunch like a lord, supper like a pauper. Make breakfast the main meal of the day, avoid snacking, keep sugary and highly processed foods to a minimum and beware of the empty calories found in alcohol and fizzy drinks. Increase your consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, raw nuts and whole grains and reduce your intake of salt, refined grains, refined sugar and fatty foods.

Most of us do not drink enough fluid and so are at risk of dehydration. Our bodies are comprised of over 60 per cent water, which is critical for healthy cell functioning and staying hydrated also helps to regulate body temperature, lubricates the joints, boosts energy, and helps prevent constipation. (Feeling thirsty may not always be the first sign of significant dehydration earlier symptoms can include headache, fatigue and poor concentration.) Try to drink water regularly throughout the day along with other fluids such as milk, juice and moderate amounts of tea and coffee.

Most of us enjoy a social drink especially at the end of a hard day but alcohol related health problems are on the increase so make sure you stick to sensible limits long-term. The good news is that moderate alcohol intake appears to be slightly beneficial for your health but there is a very fine line between just enough and too much so always try to stick to a weekly intake of 14 units, with a rough guide being that one unit is equal to half a pint of beer, a 125ml glass of wine or a single measure of spirits. Always try to have 2 to 3 alcohol-free days a week and use a measure if pouring drinks at home many people pour a triple believing it to be a single. Try drinking spritzers or having a soft drink between alcoholic drinks if socializing.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2020!

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Five ways to improve your health in 2020 - Spectator.co.uk

Lets face it being skinny fat sucks!

Its bad enough that both extremes are unaesthetic so just imagine combining the two in one body (ok, its not all that bad).

Well, many do walk around looking skinny, smooth and theres nothing about their physique that would indicate that they even lift (and there doesnt necessarily have to be unless this goes against your efforts and intentions). And although a lot of people couldnt be bothered to care, we here at FitnessVolt know how much you despise it and are willing to do whatever it takes to fix it.

Lets talk about skinny fat and how you can reverse it to look lean and muscular

Note: The following information pertains to both men and women who are skinny fat.

Being skinny-fat literally means youre at least somewhat in the normal body weight range with very little muscle mass and a good amount of fat covering up this little bit of muscle.

You probably know many people like this, in fact.

But if we had to lean toward either side as being more of an issue with this look itd be the lack of muscle.

So, if one were to have a decent amount under the fat, then this would undoubtedly improve the appearance of an individual who even had a little extra body fat.

For example, if you compare someone who has a decent amount of muscle to another person who has very little muscle (with all else being equal including body fat percentage), then the individual with more muscle is always going to look more impressive because he/she has the better overall body composition.

But if you have a very high amount of body fat (like more than 20%), then youre definitely going to want to burn this fat off while maintaining your muscle so that you dont add more body fat, making things worse.

Well, the good news is that you just need a little commitment to make big improvements.

There are a few different and very obvious reasons that can be the main culprit which include genetics, doing lots of cardio only/no serious weight training, excessively reducing your calories, and even dealing with chronic stress/health issues.

We do get a lot of our looks, body shape, and even body composition from our parents. Although, the last one can be changed hence the reason why were going to talk about how you can correct this.

Doing lots of cardio will definitely keep the weight off and itll strip muscle while also halting progress after a certain point. And if youre not weight training to gain or even maintain muscle mass, then fat will take its place, in the case of most healthy adults.

Then you have the evil symptoms of chronic stress which can increase cortisol (stress hormone) beyond healthy levels, therefore interfering with your bodys ability to build muscle while increasing body fat. But too much stress is just bad in general.

It can cause diseases of all sorts in the body and will wreak havoc on your health in general.

Now, as far as excessive caloric restriction in an effort to keep losing weight goes, well its just a bad idea.

By dramatically reducing the amount of calories that your body needs to run efficiently, youll mess with the normal function of your metabolism, making fat gain accumulation a natural side effect, not to mention you wont be feeding your body enough protein to maintain and build muscle.

Plus, youll be depriving your body of essential nutrients which is one of the most detrimental things you can do for your health.

And, your body will do what is needed to preserve energy, therefore, trying to lose all that weight by simply dropping most of your calories will work against you.

Most people think that when they hit a weight loss plateau, that the obvious solution would be to eat even fewer calories

But ok, by this logic, where do you go when youve lowered your caloric intake so much to where youre barely eating anything and you still havent reached your goals?

The big takeaway never think that eating like a bird is going to do anything beneficial for your body.

After all, calories are a unit of energy required for all bodily processes try driving your car with no gas (it aint going nowhere).

Since we know that skinny fat is a lack of muscle with a layer of fat over the top, the answer to this is quite simple and were going to explain exactly what is needed.

Theres no way around this one. You need to be hitting the weights or doing any form of resistance training a minimum of 3-4 days per week for at least 40-60 minutes at a time.

But you also need to be utilizing compound, multi-joint exercises to train all muscle groups efficiently. Compound movements are superior for increasing overall strength and oxygen consumption (which burns more calories) while improving general fitness. (1)

Examples of very effective compound exercises include the deadlift, squat (front or back), bench press, bent-over row, etc.

Also, for better performance and functionality we recommend focusing largely on closed-chain exercises which allow the body to move as one, in a more functional fashion and while the distal end of the extremity being worked is fixed to a solid surface. The squat, pushup, and pullup are great examples of closed-chain exercises since there are no body parts moving freely.

This allows for more muscle recruitment, better joint stability, and better neuromuscular coordination. (2)

And as a result, youre promoting muscle growth, increasing strength, improving all aspects of physical activity, and burning more calories; which is very efficient.

But you do want to include some open-chain exercises as well since you can still work multiple muscles at once and sometimes its the only option.

For instance, the bench press is considered an open-chain exercises since the distal end of where the movement originates is not fixed to a surface.

But its the creme of the crop for maximally stimulating the chest, and we havent found anything better. So, closed-chain exercises are needed and other great examples are the barbell curl, tricep extension, and dumbbell lateral raise (what would we do without these extremely beneficial movements)?

Open-chain exercises are also great for isolating a muscle for growth, strength, and developing a better mind/muscle connection, while also bringing up a weakness, and for better function of a joint (e.g. rehab purposes).

Now, we cant ignore the fact that progressive overload needs to be a weekly thing if you plan to keep building muscle. This means that you either must increase the poundages or increase the repetitions.

And well let you in on a little secret if you didnt know this before but you need to do both.

In fact, one recent study of 18 well-trained men found that both heavy/low-rep and lighter/high-rep training elicit very similar gains in muscle hypertrophy, while, of course, the heavy loads with low reps are better for strength. (3)

This study had participants train 3 times per week for 8 weeks with all variables being equal among them. And so, here we can see that an adequate stimulus for muscle growth can be achieved with muscular overload from both light/moderate and heavy resistance loads.

But even though there are many studies out there, you need to be able to listen to your body and know when to utilize either form of training.

Always going heavy is not recommended for your joints, physical structure, and nervous system. So, dont go all with maximum poundages every session. But include enough heavy training (at least once every week or two) to make consistent strength gains which is also important for growth.

For lighter load/higher rep days, try to keep the range around 20-25 and take your sets to failure for effective growth and strength improvements. And avoid doing more than 3-4 exercises per muscle group to ensure youre not overtaxing your system while also making sure youre training with a high enough intensity.

For moderate resistance training days, reps should be around 10-12.

And then for heavy days, 5-10 reps should be sufficient.

Keep your sets to about 3-4 per exercise and focus on contracting the target muscle/s rather than just moving weight.

If youre a natural lifter, train more frequently and keep the volume down to make sure youre re-stimulating each muscle to signal a growth response more often.

For example, rather than doing five exercises for chest once a week, spread your chest training sessions out over a minimum of two workouts, with three or more being the upper limit. Same with all other muscle groups.

And what this allows you to do is train with a little more volume (e.g. sets/reps) per workout than if you were to train a muscle once per week. But why is this a good thing? Doesnt overtraining exist?

It does. But multiple studies have found there to be a dose-response relationship between volume and progression, more specifically where hypertrophy is concerned. However, there is a point at which you can go too far and this isnt established yet, but a high dose of volume is better suited for the more advanced lifters. (4)

If just starting out, less is more since intensity needs to be the primary focus. So, if a beginner to training, do 5 sets per muscle group a couple times per week rather than doing 20 sets per muscle group every week.

And again, it helps to know your body and recognize the symptoms of overtraining.

Pure cardio is great for a lot of people looking to burn fat and improve endurance, and it even burns more calories than your typical weight training session.

In fact, a session of cardio can burn 100 or more calories than a weight training session of equal effort.

But, weight training has its benefits to balance this out. Muscle burns additional calories by increasing your resting metabolism (calories burned at rest) although not dramatically.

Also, weight training has been shown to burn more calories for hours following a session than cardio does due to the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), especially when doing high-intensity interval training or HIIT, which involves short bursts of activity alternated with equally long recovery periods.

Well, fast-paced weight training (HIIT) at a very high level of effort can be extremely effective for building muscle and burning calories.

One study had several overweight and obese individuals do HIIT and moderate-intensity cardio to see which was more effective for making improvements in body composition. (5)

Well, it turns out that both resulted in similar improvements and it was concluded that HIIT is an effective, time-efficient method for weight loss.

10 minutes of HIIT is plenty and 20 min a day of regular cardio is sufficient for most people.

But choose either cardio or HIIT each day and dont do both.

Now, another huge benefit of weight training as a skinny fat person is because having too little muscle mass means you can experience a recomposition.

Whats this? Well, it basically means youll be able to put on muscle and lose fat at the same time. And if youre an adult with very little muscle right now, then this can indicate a few different things

So, to remedy this, you have to implement a rather challenging resistance training program and fix your diet which leads us to the next thing

Weve already established that the last thing you want to do when skinny fat is to dramatically reduce your calories because youre not extremely overweight youre skinny fat.

But when reversing this skinny fat syndrome, you dont want to increase your calories so much at first to where youre putting on additional fat.

So, you want to make sure to increase your calories little by little each week while making noticeable improvements and then you can gauge what may need to be adjusted from there.

Its also a good idea to keep track of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) so that youre not habitually falling back into excessive caloric restriction.

Then youll have a good base to work from.

And when you finally get to the point where your body is not recomping as much as it did before, then youll have to change up your strategy a little bit.

So, youll have to determine your maintenance calories (how many calories your body needs to maintain your current body weight), then adjust from there.

Heres our calorie calculator to make adjusting your numbers more effective for reaching your goals.

Now as far as the actual foods, sufficient protein intake from meat, dairy, and.or plant-based sources is a must for building and preserving muscle mass regardless of your goal/s.

Protein is the macronutrient that contains muscle-building amino acids and consuming plenty throughout the day is the only way to ensure youre remaining in a positive nitrogen balance; which is crucial for hypertrophy.

Check out our protein calculator to see how much you need based on your goals.

You can even be in a caloric deficit and build muscle with enough protein but itll take a bit longer to do. However, youll burn fat and look a lot more aesthetic, even if not building muscle, since youll be focusing more on preservation.

Then for carbs and fats, well, you need both but it depends on your activity levels. For instance, high-intensity training will require more carbs to ensure its being used as the main energy source and not muscle (unless you do keto of which fat will be used primarily to fuel your activities).

Eat more complex carb sources (e.g. sweet potatoes, oatmeal, rice, etc) to sustain your activities for a prolonged duration and limit the simple sugars (fast-digesting) which are best consumed right after intense activity to replenish your glycogen stores quickly for energy-burning and to spare muscle tissue.

But you dont want to consume too many carbs as this will just cause an excess of storage leading to fat gain.

Fats are also an important source of energy not to mention its vital for optimal health function, so you want to consume plenty of the healthy kind (e.g. avocados, nuts, healthy oils, etc).

Oh, and dont forget to include your veggies (mostly leafy greens) to get plenty of the important micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) for good health!

To have a better idea of your recommended macronutrient ratios, heres our macro calculator which will make keeping track so much easier.

If you remember, we mentioned how excessive stress is a destroyer and its often the result of lifestyle factors which include financial struggles, relationship issues, and just being in a difficult situation overall.

But certain medications and medical treatments can play a role as well.

Too much stress will make gaining muscle a nightmare and the undesirable fat gain is inevitable.

So, stress management is crucial for attaining your ideal physique. When cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) are constantly elevated, your normal bodily processes get thrown out of whack and disease eventually ensues. (6)

So, even if it werent for you wanting to get rid of the skinny fat physique, you cannot afford to live in constant stress for the sake of your overall health.

According to the American Institute of Stress, too much-prolonged stress increases your chances of developing many health issues which include

The list can go on

Here are 4 tips to lower your stress levels.

You dont have to be a skinny fat person regardless of what you may have previously thought. All it takes is making a few lifestyle adjustments and you can lean out while actually looking like you train.

But, itll definitely take some time and commitment to transform your physique (theres no way around it).

We hope learned plenty from this information and now its time for you to go from skinny fat to lean and jacked.

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How To Stop Being Skinny Fat and Put On Lean Muscle - FitnessVolt.com