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Posted: October 26, 2019 at 5:47 pm
IF you're trying to lose weight, you might think that heading for a cheeky Nando's is off the cards.
However, it turns out that you can still lose weight and munch on some delicious Peri Peri chicken - as many Nando's dishes are under 500 calories.
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In particular, Instagram fitness star Graeme Tomlinson aks @thefitnesschef_ said eating at your favourite restaurants, like Nando's, can actually be the key to sustainable weight loss.
However, Graeme urged dieters to get to grips with the nutritional value of each of Nando's dishes, warning some contain a lot more calories than you may think.
For example, the mushroom and halloumi burger contains a surprising 681 calories.
He says: "Nandos is enjoyed by millions - this should never change.
"Awareness of total energy consumed can therefore allow one to facilitate multiple Nandos excursions into a successful diet.
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"Once the hard nutritional facts of a Nandos meal are grasped, one can adjust prior and subsequent nutritional intakes to accommodate what will likely be a calorie dense meal in happiness and calm control.
"Such an eating episode can be free from guilt and enjoyed in serene knowledge that the fruits of the overall diet will yield progress."
Despite this, he advises slimmers to be wary - as you can easily consume more than 1,800 in one meal at Nando's.
Nandos is enjoyed by millions - this should never change
He adds: "In comparison to many express dine in establishments, consumption of chicken, coupled with assortments of nutrient dense foods, may lead one to believe that Nandos is the fat loss alternative.
"And this may well prove valid if it is enjoyed.
"But instances such as the accumulation of 1/2 a peri peri houmous starter, 10 wings, regular chips, macho peas and extra sauce = a caloric intake of 1845 nutrient inclusive calories.
"But nonetheless... 1845 calories before drinks are considered.
Top tips for eating out
The Hospital Group's Dietitian George Hamlyn-Williams has revealed his top tips for eating out.
"Energy balance over periods of time directly defines ones rate of fat loss, gain or maintenance. Nothing else."
Some of the dishes under 500 calories Graeme recommends include a 1/4 chicken leg, a butterfly chicken and a chicken burger.
However, he points out that ten chicken wings can total 806 calories and a whole chicken is 1156 calories.
With so much on offer, it can be peri hard to navigate the menu.
A quarter chicken breast is is only 278 calories, while lots of side dishes are also under 300 - meaning that you can easily build a high-protein, low-calorie meal.
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In particular, Pippa Campbell, a Jersey-based nutritionist and weight loss specialist, suggests going for a plain Peri Peri Grilled Chicken burger which has just 387 calories.
She says: "Chicken is a good source of protein which balances blood sugars and provides essential amino acids.
"Add a side of broccoli at only 12 calories which adds fibre to the meal and vitamin C."
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For vegetarians, Healthspan's Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist based in London reckons the Grains 'n Greens salad is "a great healthy dish that contains high amounts of fibre and protein".
He adds: "It is light on calories so I would add the option of avocado (170 calories) which provides additional healthy fats to the dish."
In particular, it's important to pay attention to the sauce you're adding as Mango and Lime has the highest sugar content while its Extra Hot sauce has the most calories and saturated fat.
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Weight loss Eat NANDOS and still shed pounds with top picks under 500 calories - The Sun
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm
Parenthood is a demanding time for many creatures, and all species that take care of their young are highly motivated to ensure their offspring get the best start to life. Infancy is a crucial time for growth and there is enormous pressure on parents to get newborns gaining weight as quickly as possible to ensure healthy development.
Looking after infants so they can thrive in early life without exhausting a parents own resources is a difficult balancing act, and we have been studying how mothers and offspring are physiologically linked so that both parties can get the most out of this important time.
Best known as the love or cuddle hormone, oxytocin also influences many other behaviours and biological processes in the body. It is essential for forming bonds with others and behaving socially towards them, and this is true for parents and infants, friends or romantic partners and even pets and their owners.
But oxytocin also affects processes related to energy balance in the body, including appetite regulation and weight changes. If these two areas of the hormones functionality are linked, then oxytocin release from bonding and interacting could also be affecting weight changes.
We have been studying wild grey seals in Scotland to help us understand how the oxytocin release, behaviour and energy balance of mothers and infants are connected. Grey seals come on land to breed once a year and stay in a colony while they rear their pups.
They are a great species to study mother-infant dynamics because mothers dont feed during this time, making it much easier to investigate how they use their energy. The same mothers can also be identified year after year and can be observed over the entire period mothers and pups are together (only 18 days in this species).
The first thing we found was that the levels of oxytocin in mothers and pups are linked, with high-oxytocin mothers producing high-oxytocin pups. This happens because oxytocin acts in a positive feedback loop and can stimulate its own release.
Individuals that share a bond are motivated to be together, and the sight, sound and touch of a bonded partner can cause oxytocin release, which in turn leads to more social behaviour between the pair and even more oxytocin release. This can lead to bonded individuals having higher levels of oxytocin in circulation when they are together, which we can use to identify bonded pairs.
Having detected oxytocin levels in seal mothers and pups, we could then establish if there was any relationship to weight changes in the pairs. We found the higher the oxytocin levels in pups, the quicker they put on weight.
This could have happened if these pups simply drank more milk while they were with their mothers. However, the behavioural data showed that across the range of oxytocin values in the pups there was no difference in the total time spent feeding or how often they fed. We also showed there was no increased weight loss for the high oxytocin mothers who were producing the pups with higher weight gain rates. Remarkably, these pups were gaining more weight per day without any additional energetic input from their mothers.
At present, we dont know why this is happening, but there are a few possible explanations. There may be behavioural reasons, with oxytocin release reducing behaviours that result in unnecessary energy expenditure. Oxytocin encourages individuals to stay close to each other, even in young seals, and by keeping close to their mothers, high oxytocin pups may spend less energy travelling around the breeding colony, getting into trouble with other seals.
Pups could also be sheltered from the cold Scottish climate while snuggled up to their mothers, reducing the energy needed to keep warm. However, there are also studies showing that manipulating oxytocin levels can cause changes to fat, bone and muscle development, so it is possible that high oxytocin levels in these pups is directly affecting tissue growth.
Understanding the factors affecting infant growth during early life is vital. As oxytocin is found in all mammal species, defining its role linking functional social bonds and optimal weight gain in infants could help us develop interventions for animal husbandry or medical care.
In humans, problems with infant nutrition and development are estimated to cause 45% of deaths in children under five globally. By uncovering the physiology underlying interactions between care-givers and infants, we can better understand connections between positive relationships and health, and ultimately help those that are struggling to thrive during this crucial time.
See the article here:
Baby seals: 'love hormone' research reveals swift weight gain in pups - The Conversation UK
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm
Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "I Hated How Big I Got, My Kids Were At Risk of NEVER having Photos of Me
Helen Wilkinson, an Australian Mum of 2, reveals how she went from a size 20 to a size 8 in just 108 days and is now living her best life yet.
fter relocating to Australia from the United Kingdom due to her husband's work, Helen and her family found themselves continuously accepting invitations to BBQs and dinner parties, which is when she started to stack on the weight quickly, eating to distract and comfort herself due to the pain of being away from her family.
Along with having to contend with so much unhealthy food, Helen had been diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and endometriosis. All these conditions contributed to her gaining so much weight and struggling so much to lose it, while also making it more difficult for her to start a family.
The IBS got worse over the years and now I realize it was through making unhealthy choices and not listening to my body. It got so bad that I had numerous hospital visits and a specialist even suggested my large intestine should be surgically removed as it was no use to me, just wasnt doing its job. He then suggested I try the FODMAP diet rather than surgery, but this only contributed to the symptoms of IBS making me feel more bloated, unwell, and uncomfortable. So I just gained more weight. - Helen says.
Though Helen went on to have two healthy children, she continued to struggle to lose the baby weight. Though shed been able to stay a size 14 in Australia, in the United Kingdom she continued to balloon to a size 20 and a weight of to 86.6kg.
Realizing a change must be made, Helen began her search for a diet program that could change her life. This is when she came across Emma Taylors 123Diet program on the internet.
On my 40th birthday a friend posted a photo on social media that really horrified me. I couldnt believe how big I was and hated photos being taken of me. A colleague at work thought that it was quite sad that my kids, aged 13 and 10, would never have any pictures of me and them together growing up. And the reality hit me hard. I needed to change.
While doing numerous social media searches, Helen found out about Emma Taylors 123Diet when it popped up on her news feed. I was pretty skeptical, but I was desperate! I sat on the fence for a while and one day just thought, what have I got to lose!! Everyone is doing so well on the 123Diet, why shouldnt I?
I started following the 123Diet in July last year and 108 days later I had dropped to 59.9kgs. Total loss of 26.7kgs. I call the 123Diet drops liquid gold! Never have I ever used a product that has given me such a great result. I followed the meal plan that came with the drops and also took recipes and inspiration from their support pages and other people on this journey. One year on, I have still kept the weight off!
Prior to 123Diet, Helen would eat cereal or toast for breakfast. Lunch would be leftovers from the previous nights dinner, and dinner would be BBQ food with potatoes or hot chips, stews, potato hot pot, lasagne, or pasta dishes. All the while, she snacked on ice cream, chocolate chips, milkshakes, lollies, and cakes.
Since starting 123, Helen now eats fruit for breakfast, chicken and green salad for lunch, and steak, fish and salad, or vegetables for dinner. Her snacks include breadsticks, fruit, celery, and cucumber.
I am now sitting comfortably at a size 8 to 10 and remain under 60kgs. I will never look back! This has become a way of life for me now, maintaining healthy eating habits: my body has learnt what I can and cannot eat. If it wasnt for 123Diet I would still be unhealthy, unhappy and unable to share fond memories of me with the kids whilst they are growing up. I cannot thank Emma and her team at 123 enough!
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Moving To Australia, from The UK, Made Me Obese." - GlobeNewswire
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm
Strolling in the mall for hours doesnt help with burning fat as it takes a long time for such gentle activity to require the body to tap into your fat reserves. Reuters
October 25, 2019 Fitness, Health
By Revathi Murugappan
Burning excess fat is always a challenge for both men and women.
It would be nice if parts of us were created like candles.At the slightest appearance of the unsightly bulge, all we need is to flick a match and watch the fat melt.
When we are satisfied with the amount melted, we can blow out the candle.
That would be ideal. Unfortunately, nothing comes easy in life.
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In my last column, I pointed out that you need more oxygen to burn fat because its denser than carbohydrate.
Fat contains nine calories per gramme whereas carbohydrate has only four. So, you get more energy and can go further on a gramme of fat than on a gramme of carbohydrate.
Because of this, our bodies have evolved to hold fat in reserve for times of starvation.
Hence, only after roughly 30 minutes of exercise does your body start tapping into the fat reserves and use it as fuel.
In short, for moderate-level activities, you have to work out longer to get into the fat-burning zone.
That means strolling in the mall for hours just doesnt do it. Neither does walking on a treadmill while watching a movie.
Im always amazed when I see people running or walking briskly on the treadmill while concentrating on the screen in front of them. It takes only one misstep to fall off and get injured.
We all burn fat at slightly different rates.Some people are genetically blessed with faster metabolic rates than others, which explains why some people naturally carry less body fat.
Metabolism, or metabolic rate, is defined as the series of chemical reactions in a living organism that create and break down the energy necessary for life.
More simply, its the rate at which your body expends energy or burns calories.
Its part truth and part myth that metabolism is the key to weight loss.
The increasing number of obese and overweight people in Malaysia cannot be blamed entirely on an inherited tendency to a slow metabolism.
According to Harvard Health, genes do not change that quickly. Environmental factors, eating unhealthy or processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle and exercising too little, are more likely the culprits.
Our bodies are like a storage facility, designed to store excess energy in fat cells, regardless of whether your metabolism is fast or slow.
Obviously, if your intake and output is the same, the scales wont budge.
But if you eat and drink more calories than your body expends, you will gain weight.
On the other hand, if you eat and drink fewer calories than are burn-ed through everyday activities (including working out, resting and sleeping), youll lose weight.
A high metabolism means that youll need to take in more calories to maintain your weight.
Thats one reason why some people can tuck in bowls of noodles and rice, and yet not gain any weight.
People who fidget also tend to burn more calories. While this doesnt mean you should start developing annoying habits, being active can help with your fat loss.
Because 3,500 calories equals about one pound (0.45 kilogrammes) of fat, its estimated that you need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat.
By burning roughly 120 calories a day for a month, you should be able to shave off a pound of fat. Mathematically, its that simple if you dont increase your caloric intake.
There is an association between sleep and fat loss, meaning that the better you sleep, the less extra weight you are likely to gain. TNS
Our bodies are also programmed to sense a lack of food as starvation. In response, our basal metabolic rate (BMR) slows down.
The BMR is an estimate of how many calories your body burns while youre at rest.
It represents the minimum amount of energy needed to keep the bodys basic (basal) functions working, such as breathing, keeping your heart beating, nutrient processing, cell production, etc.
A low BMR means fewer calories are being burned over time. Thats one reason why losing weight is often difficult.
Fat tissue has a lower metabolic activity than muscle tissue, so if your body has more muscles, your BMR will be higher.
In a nutshell, to get the body more efficient in burning fat, you need to do some aerobic activity and embark on a strength-training programme to build more muscles.
Doing one without the either doesnt yield as good a result.
Youd be surprised, but many do not know what strength training is. When I introduce this concept to my new students, they usually stare at me blankly.
They are familiar with aerobics and know what sit-ups and push-ups are, but thats the extent of their fitness knowledge.
Strength training is a type of exercise that requires you to contract your muscles against resistance.
It builds muscle mass and increases strength, leading to stronger bones and joints.
Lifting weights is one example of strength or resistance training, and is especially important when it comes to burning fat.
In a 2013 study published in the Journal of Cardiology, strength training reduced visceral fat in 78 people with metabolic syndrome.
Visceral fat is a type of dangerous, hidden body fat that is stored within the abdominal cavity and surrounds a number of important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines.
Resistance training may also help preserve fat-free mass, which can increase the BMR.
According to one review, 10 weeks of resistance training could help increase calories burned at rest by 7% and may reduce fat weight by 1.8kg.
Instead of being too ambitious, start your strength-training regimen by using body weight, i.e. perform simple exercises such as crunches, push-ups, squats, tricep dips, etc.
Then move on to resistance bands before attempting light dumbbells or weight machines.
Besides diet and exercise, there are numerous other factors that influence weight and fat loss. One of them is getting enough sleep.
A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology traced the sleep pattern of 68,183 women.
Lifting weights helps build muscle mass and increases strength, leading to stronger bones and joints. AFP
Results showed that those who slept five or fewer hours per night over a period of 16 years were more likely to gain weight than those who slept for longer than seven hours per night.
But nine out of 10 Malaysians suffer from one or more sleeping problems, according to the 2018 National Sleep Survey conducted by Nielsen Malaysia.
Yes, we are a sleep-deprived lot. That may explain why our girths are also expanding.
A lack of sleep may contribute to alterations in hunger hormones, increased appetite and a higher risk of obesity.
Although everyone needs a different amount of sleep, most studies have found that getting at least seven hours of sleep per night is associated with the most benefits when it comes to body weight and fat levels.
Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration.
Exercise may also bolster sleep in other ways, because it reduces stress and tires you out.
Early morning and afternoon workouts may also help reset the sleep-wake cycle by the raising body temperature slightly, then allowing it to drop andtrigger sleepiness a few hours later.
Its also all the better if you are able to exercise outdoors and let your body absorb natural sunlight during the daytime hours.
Read more here:
Here's Why You May Find Losing All That Fat Difficult - Star2.com
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm
My breast cancer diagnosis was an extreme blow. One minute, I was a healthy and happy 47-year-old woman. The next, I had a tumor that could take me away from my school-aged children far too soon. My providers were amazing in how fast they moved. Within days I saw two surgeons, two reconstruction specialists, a DNA specialist, a nutritionist, a radiologist and multiple oncologists. We made a plan quickly and I was strong and positive enough to fight. Or so I thought.
RELATED: 4 Common Myths Patients Believe About Breast Cancer & Nutrition
No one prepared me for the emotional journey in which I was embarking. The stress of telling my children, my friends, my work. Losing my hair and eventually losing strength. Having a fear so strong it caused me to worry at every turn. There were a lot of ups and downs in the beginning, and monitoring my emotions was just as important as my body.
So, I know from experience that helping breast cancer patients deal with depression is key. Here, two mental health professionals who manage breast cancer patients provide some guidance for clinicians unfamiliar with this journey.
Symptoms of clinical depression include sadness, tearfulness, anxiety, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping more than usual), weight change, thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, feeling guilty, helpless and worthless, and loss of interest in usual activities.
These symptoms are very common during the cancer treatment trajectory, as well as when treatment ends, says Pamela Ginsberg, PhD, Staff Psychologist at Doylestown Health and Board of Directors member for the Cancer Support Community of Greater Philadelphia.
RELATED: How to Talk to Cancer Survivors About Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
But diagnosis is difficult because many of these responses characterize a normal response to a cancer diagnosis.There is a difference between depression and distress, adds Greg Garber, MSW, LCSW, Director Patient Support Services, Neu Center for Supportive Medicine and Cancer Survivorship at Philadelphias Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Depression is a defined syndrome. Distress is experiencing highs and lows, happiness and sadness, and are often the result of the anxiety that comes when a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Anxiety is also common after a breast cancer diagnosis. According to Garber, it goes away in about half of patients after they develop a better sense of what to expect from treatment.
Clinical depression occurs in about 20 to 25 percent of cancer patients, significantly higher than the general populations rate of between 7 and 10 percent, says Ginsberg.If a patient has a personal history of a major depressive disorder, a family history of depression, uncontrolled pain, has advanced cancer and/or a history of substance abuse or addiction, he or she is at greater risk of depression, even after treatment is over.
Anxiety can also last well beyond treatment, often due to a general anxiety disorder. In these cases, its best to refer the patient to a psychologist who treats chronic anxiety.
Prescribers often turn to antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication for clinical depression and distress.
But, Garber clarifies, not everyone who cries in your office needs medicine. Sometimes PCPs are too quick to prescribe medications Although anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax and Valium can be a good short-term solution to help a patient sleep, get through their initial anxiety and even control nausea during chemotherapy, these are short-term solutions.
RELATED: Treating Breast Cancer Patients: 4 Symptoms Youre Probably Overlooking
Ginsberg also cautions that some antidepressants interfere with hormonal treatments that breast cancer patients often receive.
Some antidepressants are not well-tolerated, and many patients express concern about additional medications, she says. In mild to moderate depression, psychotherapy alone may suffice, but in more severe depression, antidepressants are often needed.
Much of what breast cancer patients experience is fear of the unknown, so give your patients a little extra time to answer questions and concerns and help them come to terms with what they are going through, says Garber.
You should also lean on your patients oncologist if you need help providing emotional support, but base your decision to do so on your relationship with the patient.
Oncologists pay close attention to the signs of distress and depression, Garber explains.If you only see a patient for managed care once or twice a year, refer them to their oncologist. If you have a tremendous relationship with your patient, help provide them with the comfort they need during this time.
If you recognize, diagnose or suspect depression, a referral to a licensed mental health professional is warranted, Ginsberg says.Referring a patient to someone who has a training and experience treating cancer patients is particularly helpful.Support groups are also extremely useful, though individual treatment is highly recommended when clinical depression is present.The standard of care for treatment of depression is psychotherapy combined with medication.
Breast cancer patients see several providers at once, so working closely with them to understand the intricacies of the treatment plan is crucial.
RELATED: Higher Mortality Rates Reported Among Males with Breast Cancer
In a perfect world, once a cancer survivor finishes with oncology, they can be placed back in the care of their PCP with all of the details of survivorship guidelines, such as when a patient is put on hormone-blocking drugs, and then their PCP will be more alert for bone density concerns, says Garber.
There is no doubt that treatment is usually more cohesive when all of the treating health professionals are in communication with one another, adds Ginsberg.When there are mental health concerns on the part of the PCP, then it is wise to talk with the treating psychologist about how they can work together to support the patients needs.
The rest is here:
6 Tips for PCPs Help Breast Cancer Patients Through Depression - Florence Health
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm
We Start Big Too Fast: Most of us tend to make all the change, all at once, which typically leads to burn-out. Start small. Create one healthy habit at a time and build onthat.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Katie Dunlop. Katie Dunlop is a certified trainer and founder of Love Sweat Fitness. Through never giving up and changing up her lifestyle, she had lost over 45+ pounds. Now, Katie has created a platform where she reaches over 1 million women, inspiring them to live their best happy/healthy lifestyle.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?
While I was going through my own personal 45lbs weight loss and total lifestyle makeover (all while dealing with hypothyroidism that I was diagnosed with at age 11), I realized everything I had been told about being healthy before was wrong. Every fad diet I tried had failed ME, rather than the other way around. And I realized change had to start from the inside, out. I became passionate about sharing that with other women who were dealing with the same physical, mental, and emotional struggles I had dealt with for so long. I believe every woman deserves to live a healthy, happy lifestyle and know that that is unique to every woman. My mission in creating LSF was to inspire, empower, and motivate all women to build the confidence to live their best lives and reach their personal health and fitness goals. Its called Love Sweat Fitness, not Katie Dunlop Fitness, for a reason. I want every woman to feel included, like they are a part of this incredible community and can take ownership and pride in that.
My aha moment was when I had realized how isolating and lonely my own journey was. I didnt have anyone supporting me in my changes beyond my now husband Ryan, and really wished I had had other women to share in the struggles and successes with. Thats when I knew I needed to create that for others so no one else would have to go at it alone.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Ive been really fortunate in my career to have met so many incredible women and men who I totally look up to, which I always find fascinating. And while I didnt meet her (YET), I was on the same page of a top 100 most influential people in health and fitness as Oprah! Sowere basically besties.
Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?
We do a big, free 8 week challenge every summer called Summer Shape Up. In 2018, we decided to put together a summer bundle box with some apparel, a beach towel, and other summer faves. Ill preface by saying, it was our first time taking on manufacturing products at this level and we were short on time. So, we went back and forth with manufacturers until we finally thought we had the perfect plush, round beach towel and ordered a few thousand. They showed up right on time and we excitedly opened the boxes to find what look and felt like cheap cotton sheets. I was devastated. Like, there was nothing towel-like about them except the fact that they were round with fringe on the ends (which was actually heavier and better quality than the towel itself.) You could have torn it in half with your bare hands and it absolutely wouldnt have absorbed a drip of water off your body. Even though we had to spend more, we luckily got new ones rushed out that were great. Needless to say, we quickly learned the importance of lead-time and getting samples!!
Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?
Besides being a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, like many women, Ive been on the other side. Ive struggled with insecurities, body image, health, and weight. I know the mental and emotional toll it can have on you and I dont want any other woman to experience that. My goal is to help women build the confidence they need to live their best lives through fun, fast, and super effect training methods like the program youll find in Love Sweat Fitness the App. I also want to make eating well easier for even the busiest of women through simple meal plans and recipes.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
When I first started my journey as a fitness professional, I feel like I struggled a bit with impostor syndrome. Like who was I to help other people when I myself struggled for most of my life. My husband and COO of Love Sweat Fitness, Ryan, was my biggest supporter and the one who helped me truly see what I could offer the world. He was by my side through my own journey and still inspires me daily to be my best self so I can be that for others.
Ok thank you for all that. Now lets move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that its important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, its often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?
Can you please share your 5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)
I make self-care a priority. I used to think it was a nice to have if I had time, but I realize how important it is to take time for ME each and every day. It might be as simple as a face mask or going to get a massage, but when my mind is right, the rest of me is.
Getting the same hours of sleep every night. It might seem basic, but honestly, its been a game changer for me. I try to go to bed and wake up and the same time each night which helps my body function way better because it gets into a rhythm and I am much more productive while awake.
I start my morning with coffee and quiet time. My days get crazy busy creating content, running a business, and leading a team but my 30 minutes in the morning are MINE. I love having time to myself to think, be grateful for another day, and envision whats next.
Taking care of my gut health. As someone who has hypothyroidism, I suffer from occasional constipation and sometimes it disrupts my days (and nights). In order to help fix the situation, I had to start paying attention to what I put in my body. Some adjustments were making sure I stay hydrated, eat clean, REAL foods, take probiotics and even using stimulant-free laxatives that work quickly and naturally with my body, such as Dulcolax Liquid.
Setting small goals: smaller micro-goals allow me to create healthy habits I can stick to and give me reasons to celebrate regularly. To me that is the MOST important part of staying motivated in anything you do and has been a game-changer in how I approach every part of my life.
As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
#LSFSelfLoveClub. I dont know at what point it starts to fade, but I think almost ALL of us lose confidence in ourselves at some point along the way. Whether thats not feeling skinny, pretty, funny, or smart enough, it happensand its a horrible pain to endure. I feel so lucky that I was able to learn to love myself again and let go of fear, but many people dont. Its really hard to do; especially if you feel like youve been failing for years. I want to help every woman discover that inner confidence so she can live life to HER full potential, loving herself every step of the way.
Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
Comparison is the thief of Joy. I dont want to get lost in comparing myself to competitors in the space, I want to compete with myself. Compare myself to who I was and what I was doing last week versus this week. How am I growing? How can I be remarkable? To me, success is staying in my lane and crushing it.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them
Oh man, there are so many! I would really love to sit down with Simon Sinek. I so admire the way he looks at the world, and business. Taking my journey, sharing it socially, and building a community of over 1 million women has been the greatest adventure of my life. Learning to grow an organization and inspire my own team the way I hope to inspire my community is something I work on daily. I would LOVE to have like 30 minutes to pick his brain and thank him for everything hes taught me.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
They can follow me on Instagram at @LoveSweatFitness and/or on Youtube at LoveSweatFitness. I would also definitely recommend download the Love Sweat Fitness App in your iTunes or google play store to access the FREE Daily 10-minute workout.
Thank you for all of these great insights!
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Women In Wellness: Dont Start Big Too Fast with Katie Dunlop and Dr. William Seeds - Thrive Global
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 11:42 pm
Kanye West starts conversations and debates. Hes provocative by trade -- it gets the people going -- especially over the last almost two years.
The rapper emerged in early 2018 from an uncharacteristic period of quiet sporting a MAGA hat, doubling down on support of Trump, and proclaiming slavery "sounds likea choice. In many Black conversations online, in print and in person, the tone regarding Kanye used to be a bemused but still warm and sometimes empathetic recap of his antics -- a bless his heart. Sentiment is now overwhelmingly enough of him, already, or even a straight f--k Kanye.
When Kanye was just disrupting telethons, crashing award stages, and ranting about fashion conglomerates, there was at least the sense that the rapper was fighting, in his own maybe misguided way, for a greater collective good. Now, after years of extending West grace -- because of the tragic loss of his mom in 2007, because of his mental and emotional health, because of his talent, or just because the Black communitys instinct is to protect our men publicly -- the collective Black we are largely done trying to decipher his motives and intentions.
West, the son of a noted English and African-American Studies professor and a former Black Panther, emerged in the music scene as a semi-conscious rapper, addressing racial inequality, oppression and community ills in his lyrics along with the standard rap fare of money, clothes and women. Music fans who werent of age during the first conscious era of hip-hop in the early 90s found something in Wests music that was missing with 50 Cent, Ja Rule, and even Kanyes big brother and frequent collaborator Jay-Z, the hip-hop chart dominators of the early to mid-00s.
In his 2018 essay for The Atlantic, Im Not Black, Im Kanye, Ta-Nehisi Coates examined Wests seeming separation from his Blackness, and how far away it is from the West fans love: When I heard Kanye [through production on Jay-Zs Blueprint album], I felt myself back in communion with something that I felt had been lost, a sense of ancestry in every sample, a sound that went back to the separated and unequal, that went back to the slave. Now, the man who once famously declared the president didnt care about Black people on live national television has put on a MAGA hat, said it made him feel like Superman, and publicly supported a president whose apathy and abject disdain for anyone other leaves marginalized people as vulnerable as those Katrina victims Bush failed to aide.
Kanyes always said f--ked up or off the wall things, hip-hop writer and historian Dart Adams remarks to Billboard. But this is it. Now, hes doing serious damage. And the thing is, his following is so large and so young he can say the most false thing. The wrongest thing ever. Things that arent even based in fact. But, because Kanye said it, theyre going to defend it.
Harmful is a descriptor often used, now, in reference to Kanyes impassioned, on the fly rhetoric. In his mind, hes just being a free thinker. But theres a correlation to a figure as influential as Kanye continuously comparing being a Democrat to slavery, and the President and his supporters thinking nothing of comparing being investigated to lynching, in every sense of the word. Nah, fam.
For a while, we pondered, What happened to the old Kanye? Che Rhymefest Smith, Kanyes longtime creative partner, co-writer of some of his strongest work including Jesus Walks and New Slaves, and a collaborator on Jesus is King, believes the conversation around West is unfairly limited. I dont know what to tell you about an old person or a new person, he says. Thats Internet banter.
In a similar vein to Wests own arguments about not being constrained to monolithic thought, Smith points to the idea of duality in artists -- essentially being able to view both the person and the art, not just one or the other.
People go straight to Donald Trump [when discussing West]...Who you choose to polarize in terms of how you view a person doesnt make it the whole of that person, he explains. We understand dualism when it comes to Tupac. We understand dualism when it comes to people who are dead, like Nipsey Hussle. But when it comes to politics, our dualism shuts down We are throwing culture and art away over this enemy [of Black people] or the next one. (Smith says he sees no difference in Trump or former VP and current Democratic candidate Joe Biden when it comes to harmful policy.)
But as previously mentioned, Wests contributions to art and culture were a large factor in overlooking things like him using the Confederate flag in his merch, or even saying that Black people need to stop talking about racism. But his Trump support (even as he admitted he doesnt vote, a problem in and of itself), his amplification of harmful rhetoric, and his refusal to listen even to people close to him, proved increasingly impossible to reconcile with the music weve loved. The current national climate that doesnt allow the luxury of half-baked and incendiary public dialogue, and West has been in Calabasas for a long time. To some, thats part of the problem hes untethered from the Black community, in a bubble of privilege.
T.I. went to talk to Ye about his Trump support, and was shocked to learn that West wasnt even aware of some of the administrations more harmful policies, like the travel ban. "He loves the thought of [Trump].... he defied all odds and in his mind, that's how it is, Tip told The Breakfast Clubs Charlamagne. He don't know the things we know, because he has removed himself from society to the point that it don't reach him." In a conversation about Wests visit to the White House last year, former S.C. State Representative and CNN commentator Bakari Sellers put it more succinctly: Kanye West is what happens when Negroes dont read.
Smith called West out publicly last year for losing sight of his roots and community, but then reconciled with his friend and brother. Right after that public argument... Kanye came right back to Chicago, and made some investments. And it wasnt about me, it wasnt about Dondas House (charity), it was about Come back to your village... Kanye came and sat at my dinner table, and I said, How long has it been since you sat at my dinner table? Thats my problem with you and our brotherhood. And he was able to say Yeah, man... I f--ked up.
For years, we made up our own excuses for Kanye, needing to identify an impetus in his erraticism. Its the Black ethos of --you got the family, and you got the black sheep of the family, and they do things that make people look at them crazy, but theyre still part of the family, Adams explains. Weve applied that to Kanye because we believed he can still be saved; theres still good in him.
Now, weve had to start accepting maybe that this is just Ye. In late 2018, Michael Eric Dyson, who has authored books about Tupac, Jay-Z, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Barack Obama, echoed the sentiments of many: Kanye had become indefensible. This is time for us to say Kanye, we as African-American people cannot stand idly by while you give cover to a man who is proved to be a white supremacist. Black media outlets published eulogies and obituaries to the Kanye we embraced -- and who embraced us back. Or at least to the person we thought that Kanye was; as writer and Morehouse professor David Dennis, Jr. pointed out, A lot of the sadness isn't about who Kanye has become but for the realization that he's been this person all along.
The level of public criticism and condemnation of West from Black people is breaking long-standing rules of engagement in our community. The collective we have historically been hesitant to abandon support of prominent Black figures, because the odds are already heavily stacked against them, and we expect mainstream media to jump at a chance to paint them in a negative light. Thats a large part of the reason why R. Kelly and Bill Cosby went so long without real public outcry, and why there are still some who staunchly defend them.
(Kanye) was harmful five years ago. He was a serious problem three years ago, Adams insists. Im beyond belief that people are still supporting this guy and showing up on HBCU campuses They should have been like, You cant say all of this s--t, and do all of these things, and we still support you.
However, the ideology that tearing a Black man down is a bigger problem than anything said Black man did is crumbling in the era of public accountability, or as its critics call it, cancel culture. Kanyes latest transgressions; treading on our history by minimizing slavery, and co-opting spaces Black poeople carved out to be able to express our Blackness freely and safely -- the Black church and the Historically Black College/University -- with messaging about getting rid of the 13th amendment and not making choices based on skin color, are too alarming to not call out.
Although his mother was raised Baptist and his father was referred to as a pastoral counselor, West didnt grow up in the Black church, so as Sunday Service has grown from an invite-only Holy Ghost jam session in Calabasas for Ye and Kims fellow VIPs, to an actual church experience, scrutiny has increased.
An appeal to the Black church is part of the redemption playbook for disgraced Black celebrities. Michael Jackson, who had his own complicated relationship with Black folks at the height of his pop stardom, sought the refuge of the First AME Church of Los Angeles a day before appearing in court to fight child molestation charges. O.J. Simpson, who famously separated himself from his Blackness after he became one of the first true celebrity athletes, was met with a warm welcome in D.C.s Scripture Cathedral after his acquittal, with the churchs senior pastor exclaiming, If he wants to return home, the Black nation is here to receive our brother. Even R. Kelly would churn out inspirational fare like You Saved Me, and appeal to the Black community and church base at his moments of highest scrutiny. At a glance, its easy to assume West is doing the same, but the difference is, Kanye is offering no apologies nor asking for forgiveness.
Black folks are wary of whether theres any oil, as we say (anointing, spirit, biblical grounding) on Sunday Service. Even though Black millennials have left the church in larger numbers than previous generations, some traditions of the Black church are embedded in their spirits, including the power of worship through song, evolved from slave spirituals and messages of freedom. Worship is sacred. But, maybe proving the point of those who say the Black church is too quick to forgive, some argue that we cant condemn a mans spiritual journey out of hand.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham, a national voice for Black activism and change and the daughter of two ministers, was invited to a Sunday Service months ago in Calabasas. She believes Kanyes intentions, at least, are genuine. From what I saw, I feel like Kanye is genuinely trying to come into relationship with God, she tells Billboard. In as much as someone can judge anothers walk with God -- which is to say, not at all -- I dont take for granted that talking about your spirituality is not always welcome in pop culture.
However, she adds: That said, I am deeply worried about how the platform is being used. I had some hope -- until I researched the church Kanye has been attending and the pastor hes been learning from. That church seems to follow a clear philosophy of white evangelicalism, which has been repeatedly harmful to Black people, people of color, LGBTQ people, and women.
Shes referring to Adam Tyson: the young, evangelical minister West has credited as his spiritual leader in his radical rebirth as a Christian. Simply having Tyson take a place of honor with him in the pulpit of Black churches is making some uneasy. And perhaps because West doesnt have roots in the church, his take on the worship experience feels performative to many. His intentions may be genuine, but the execution is lacking.
Wests take on a full gospel project, Jesus IsKing,finally dropped this morning after almost a months delay. A companion IMAX film of the same title is in theaters today, as well. Many have heard the music already, as Kanye has incorporated it into his services and hosted listening sessions over the last several weeks. Critics of Kanyes last effort, 2018s Ye, noted that he didnt appear to have much to say that hadnt already been examined in 2016s The Life of Pablo. Now, fans and critics alike are eager to learn how hes translated his spiritual journey into his art.
On the question of West remaining canceled by Black people, Kanye himself refuted critics while at Howard University's homecoming -- one of the most popular HBCU homecoming weekends in the country, on a campus commonly referred to as the Mecca -- asking the crowd Do I look canceled to you?(Attendance wasestimated at being "in the hundreds," but aerial shots inspired public comments about a small turnout.)
Smith believes the responsibility of making amends with West and who he is, is on us as consumers and fans. I pray that the public can look at how they may love or hate an artist and then apply that -- working out that confusion -- to how we deal with our aunties, and our brothers and our mamas, he offers. And use that to heal ourselves, and our own guilt about how we treat ourselves sometimes. Our own hypocrisies. This is what art is; its a reflection of the society that we live in. Perhaps what upsets people about Kanye so much, is what we see of him in ourselves.
When Smith is asked if he thought West owed any explanations or apologies to the Black community, he responds, laughingly, No one owes anybody anything. However, he amends his statement: But we need each other and we gotta stop throwing each other away so easily.
Time will tell if Black fans and former fans will adopt the same spirit. Or maybe Smith, who takes issue with the public elevating artists to leaders, is right that some responsibility lay with our penchant towards celebrity pedestaling, and the pressure that puts on artists. As Coates notes, (For) Black artists who rise to the heights of Jackson and West, the weight is more, because they come from communities in desperate need of champions When brilliant Black artists fall down on the stage, they dont fall down alone.
Packnett Cunningham respects West, and is among those hopeful that hell grow into the potential of his work. I hope Kanye listens to his people, his elders, historians and the fans whove been with him since Day 1, she emphasizes. (Its worth noting that he did rejoin his original manager, John Monopoly, for a period last year, but it didnt last.)
All of us are open to his spiritual journey -- we want Kanye to be his best self," Packnett Cunningham continues."We just want to make sure its not used to demean our enslaved ancestors and promote an administration that continues to do us harm. Thats antithetical to a Biblical understanding of who Jesus Christ is.
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Using This Gospel: The Black Community's Skepticism of Kanye West's New Direction - Billboard
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 9:45 am
A healthy diet plan and exercise routine can be key when trying to lose a few pounds. Before embarking on a diet, some Britons may worry they will be left feeling unsatisfied and hungry. However, reaching for the snack drawer does not need to get in the way of their results, a nutritionist explained. These are the top snacks to eat to lose weight and burn fat.
When picking something to snack on, not all treats are created equal and slimmers should try and avoid those high in sugar, nutritionist for USN, Shona Wilkinson said.
She told Express.co.uk: Sugar gives us empty calories and contributes to weight gain.
Sugar makes our food taste great, gives us a quick boost of energy, and makes us feel good, but when consumed frequently it can have negative effects on our health and well-being.
Instead of tucking into a sweet treat, slimmers can pick from a list of healthy foods which will leave them feeling full and less likely to pile on the pounds.
Blueberries
Shona said: Good options can include blueberries, which are high in antioxidants - amongst the highest of all fruits - and low in sugar relative to other fruits.
Avocado
Avocados are rich in healthy fats, especially the monounsaturated fat oleic acid, which is associated with heart health, she explained.
Avocados also contain good levels of vitamin E, as well as carotenoids substances that can have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in the body.
Oatcakes
Slimmers can enjoy these by topping with half an avocado or teaspoon of raw almond butter.
Shona explained: Oatcakes provide a slow release of energy; and almond butter contains healthy fats, protein, and good levels of minerals including calcium, magnesium and manganese, which are all necessary for strong bones.
Pumpkin seeds
Having a handful will help slimmers feel full as well as giving a good boost of protein.
Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which is necessary for the health of the immune system, healthy fertility, our sense of taste and smell, bone strength and many other aspects of health, Shona told Express.co.uk.
They also contain good levels of vitamin E, which has a role in healthy skin, fertility and as an antioxidant, amongst others. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of protein.
Protein bar
She said: Choose your protein bar carefully. You dont want one that is low protein and high sugar!
Opt for one that is low sugar and high protein, preferably with a high fibre content and no palm oil.
Combining dieting with an exercise plan will speed up results and some will burn more calories than others.
Exercises including squash, running, martial arts and rugby can burn nearly 1000 calories in an hour, according to research.
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Weight loss diet: Eating these common foods can help burn fat fast - what are they? - Express
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 9:45 am
NewsUKFeigned authenticity, misleading information and photo editing are some of the ways users are being misled by influencers online
Thursday, 24th October 2019, 3:40 pm
Model Katie Price, The Only Way is Essex's Lauren Goodger, and Love Island contestant Georgia Harrison have all been pulled up by the Advertising Standards Authority for the promotional posts, which promised brands such as Boombod's "weight loss shot drink" and V24's "weight loss gummies" would "help keep hunger at bay" and offer quick results for shedding weight.
As promotions from celebrities and influencers for these brands look set to be a continuing issue, here's a look into the tricks behind the posts that make dropping weight look easy and simple:
Camera tricks and posing
"When it comes to advertising dieting products, the last thing you want is a skin roll, or evidence of the elusive muffin top," says Kara Buffrey, client services and media manager at Clearly PR.
Ms Buffrey, who specialises in social media engagement and recently commissioned a report on advertising on Instagram, said the main way that celebrities or influencers "mis-advertise" a product to followers is by simple camera tricks and photo editing.
Showing slightly different before and after shots, where people look frumpy at first and then pose in a flattering position is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it still appears to work. "These people are using sloped camera angles and planned body placements in an attempt to stretch and streamline their body," she said. "This is misleading - after all, who really walks around with their back arched at a right angle?"
Referencing how Ms Price advertised BoomBod, Ms Buffrey said the post insinuated her transformation was solely down to the brand's product because she posted a before and after picture. In reality, the "after" image showcased new muscle definition - a change only achievable through exercise. These tricks have the added issue of being "potentially dangerous" Ms Greenidge said, as it can "lead individuals to believe that fast weight loss can come from one product alone".
Issues of transparency
When it comes to transparent advertising, "diet products really are a minefield", Sarah Greenidge told i. The founder of The WellSpoken Mark - a stamp of credibility for brands providing trustworthy health and fitness information -said the biggest issue she sees is "the omission of information which either disguises the real method in which [the products] are 'effective' - like a laxative effect - or the suggestion that they are suitable for everyone".
She used the example of reality star Jemma Lucy who recently had an Instagram ad she posted for Skinny Cafe banned for, among other reasons, promoting the brand's products that were unsafe to use during pregnancy - even though she had posted the ad while she was pregnant herself. At the time, Ms Lucy argued she never encouraged the product to be used by pregnant women, but she didn't specify this in the post - the text for which had been written by Skinny Cafe.
"The products in question had warning labels indicating they were not suitable for pregnant women, however in the influencer captions this information was completely missed," Ms Greenidge said.
Feigned authenticity?
There has also been an increase in influencers and brands focusing on proving their authenticity in recent years, sparked by a backlash against the amount of misleading information that had been spread online, but this new push for honesty can have its downsides too.
Jo Bromilow, digital strategist at Newgate Communications, has worked in social media for over a decade and said companies have been reacting to the shift in users wanting "honest" advertising by creating ads that appear to be about someone talking about lifestyle and health, but are ultimately branded content.
She said showing a "nice photo of an individual smiling to camera, with a caption talking about self-improvement, body image or similar hot topics, who only then reveals the connection to the brand later" is a method that many influencers use for branded posts.
"Most of the influencers followers will hit like on the picture purely because theyre a fan of the influencer, and many will chime in in the comments agreeing with the sentiment in the caption," she said, but ultimately the result is that the brand in question gets the "engagement metrics theyre looking for".
Moral intervention
What is notable about the ASA's latest ruling, is that it stated "it was clear from the ads that the influencers did not need to lose weight in order to achieve a healthy diet", while the posts from Ms Price and Ms Goodger in particular gave the impression that it was "necesary or advisable" for people who were already slim to use weight loss or appetite suppressing products.
Steve Kuncewicz, a partner at BLM Law Firm who specialises in advertising on social media, told ithat this is an example of how the ASA is increasingly starting to intervene on moral advertising issues instead of just technical breaches from brands.
He said the clear theme with the ASA's ruling for BoomBod is that the posts featuring celebrities were deemed irresponsible as these figures are seen as having aspirational lifestyles, where young girls or anyone who uses the products will want to look and act like them, as opposed to the brands simply being rapped for misleading health information.
"This is the first time we're seeing this kind of issue dealt with such sharp focus in influencer marketing," he said. "[The ASA] sees influencer marketing as one of their absolute top prioritises in terms of how to get to grips with it."
Posted: October 25, 2019 at 9:45 am
When a trimmer and fitter looking Ram Kapoors selfies surfaced on social media, his fans and netizens went gaga over the transformation. Kapoor credited his 30 kg weight loss to workouts and the 16:8 diet he had been following. Kapoor is not the only celebrity who vouches for such a diet - Kourtney Kardashian, Hugh Jackman, Alia Bhatt, among others follow the diet and swear by its results.
All religions practise some form of fasting or abstaining from eating food. The 16:8 diet, which is a part of intermittent fasting (IF), is just that a method of losing weight and limiting illnesses by controlling the pattern in which you eat food. While we naturally fast during the time that we sleep, to practice intermittent fasting, you can extend this fast period for longer durations.
Today, many health practitioners recommend IF as a means of reducing weight and keeping certain illnesses at bay. Astudypublished in the Journal of Clinical Medicine has revealed that intermittent fasting may help in reducing the Body Mass Index (BMI), while another study published in the Journal of Endocrinology reveals that IF may help to motivate people to exercise. This is because, as per the study, IF triggers the release of the ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which, along with giving you an appetite, also gives you the motivation to work harder possibly due to the effort that is traditionally required to procure and prepare food.Studieshave also shown that fasting helps reduce blood insulin levels drastically,
Types of IF:
Apart from being cost-free and effortless (no need to make special food or spend on gyms), IF is also a flexible method of diet control. While there are different variations of IF, the most popular ones are:
16:8: Here you eat during an 8-hour window, and fast for 16 hours. Hence, if your last meal of the day is at 8 P.M, the first meal of the next day would be 16 hours later, at 12 PM. There are also no restrictions on what you can eat, however, it is better to ensure that you do not binge on unhealthy food during the eating phase.
5:2: Also known as the Fast Diet, the 5:2 diet is another commonly followed diet, which involves eating normally for 5 days a week and consuming just 500-600 calories per day for the rest days two days. Studies have shown that the diet is effective in reducing insulin levels and improving insulin sensitivity.
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Alternate day fasting: Here, you fast every alternate day while eating normally during the non-fasting days. Though you will need to restrict your calorie intake during fast days, you are allowed to take as many calorie-free beverages as you need. Some people also follow the modified alternate-day fasting approach where they cap their calorie intake at 500 calories during fast days. Apart from being effective in overall weight loss, ADF is known to help reduce harmful belly fat.
Autophagy
Intermittent fasting and ketogenic diets are known to trigger a process known as autophagy. The Greek origin word literally means self and eating, and that is exactly what happens to your body during the process it eats damaged cells to regenerate newer cells. Researchers have discovered that autophagy is not just beneficial for weight loss but also protects the body against illnesses such as cancer, infections, insulin resistance, neurodegenerative diseases and even aging.
Just like how a newer, stronger building can be constructed by breaking down the old, unstable one, our bodies can also break down older, damaged proteins and nonessential components and use them to provide the body energy and to regenerate newer proteins. Cells also use this process to fight against viruses and bacteria that invade the body. This process gets affected during illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimers and infections and immunological diseases.
While the term autophagy was coined in 1963 by Belgian biochemist Christian de Duve, it was after Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi started conducting experiments on Bakers yeast during the 1990s, that the whole process by which cells recycle their content through autophagy became clearer. The cell biologist won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries on the process.
How do you start
So, how do you get your body to start eating itself? Well, your body automatically goes into autophagy mode when there is a stressful situation such as in case of a famine. Hence, to trigger the process you need to trick the body to think that it is going through stress.
Fast: You can either ensure you eat all your meals in an eight-hour window and fast for 16 hours, or you increase the number of hours you fast. The longer you fast, the deeper will be the levels of autophagy a 20-28 hour fast will help remove toxin build-up in your body. Just make sure that your body is healthy enough to take longer periods of no food.
Reduce your protein intake: Restrict the amount of proteins you take to 15-20 gms once or twice a week. This helps trigger the process of autophagy as your body starts to clean up the dead organelles and damaged proteins. It also helps you reduce weight, as your body starts to burn fat for energy and further dips into the fat stored in your body.
Go on a keto diet: This is a very low carb, high-fat diet, which helps to put your body in a metabolic state known as ketosis. Keto diets are known to help trigger autophagy, cause reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels and also help reduce weight as the body becomes more efficient at burning fat for energy.
Sleep well: Our bodys circadian rhythm is connected to autophagy, making it extremely important to give the body the time to detox. Late eating habits affect the quality and quantity of sleep, which in turn, can slow down the process of autophagy.
While IF and autophagy is beneficial for health, it is important to note that each body reacts in a different way. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not fast and always check with your doctor before starting IF, in case you have any health problems. Also ensure that you are properly hydrated during your fast periods, and eat nutrient-rich food during your eat periods.
