Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

An intensive1-year behavior therapy program aimed at changing a person's response to food "cues" might help people with obesity lose a modest amount of weight, a randomized clinical trial suggests.

"Patients who are food-cue sensitive often feel out of control with their eating; they cannot resist food and/or cannot stop thinking about food," said lead author Kerri N. Boutelle, PhD.

"Behavioral weight loss skills are not sufficient for these individuals," so they designed this new approach, Boutelle, of the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, explained in a press release.

The regulation of cues (ROC) intervention trains individuals to respond to their hunger and to resist eating highly craved foods (internal management), in contrast to behavioral weight loss programs that focus on counting calories (external management), Boutelle explained in an email to Medscape Medical News.

The results of the Providing Adult Collaborative Interventions for Ideal Changes (PACIFIC) clinical trial, including follow-up out to 2 years, were published May 18 in JAMA Network Open.

Patients in the behavioral weight loss therapy group or the combined ROC and behavioral weight loss therapy group lost more weight at 6 months than patients in the ROC group but then they slowly regained weight (whereas patients in the ROC group did not).

At 24 months, the three groups had a similar modest weight loss compared with a control group that did not lose weight.

"We believe these internal management strategies are more durable over time," said Boutelle.

However, two obesity experts, who helped develop the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines, cautioned in emails to Medscape Medical News that the intervention is very labor-intensive with less than 5% weight loss.

The trial was conducted at the Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research at the University of California San Diego from December 2015 to December 2019.

Researchers randomized 271 adults with a mean BMI of 35 kg/m2 to one of four interventions:

Regulation of cues: Patients were not given a prescribed diet, but instead were given skills to tolerate cravings and respond better to hunger or satiety cues.

Behavioral weight loss therapy: Patients were advised to follow a balanced, calorie-deficit diet based on their weight and given related skills.

Combined regulation of cues plus behavioral weight loss therapy.

Control: Patients received information about nutrition and stress management plus mindfulness training and were encouraged to find social support.

Therapy was given as 26 group sessions, 90 minutes each, over 12 months, with 16 weekly sessions, four biweekly sessions, and six monthly booster sessions.

Participants were asked to take part in 150 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise each week and aim for 10,000 steps/day. All patients except those in the control group received a pedometer.

The patients were a mean age of 46 years, 82% were women and 62% were White.

At the end of the 12-month intervention, mean BMI had dropped by 1.18 kg/m2 in the ROC group and by 1.58kg/m2 and 1.56 kg/m2 in the other two groups, compared with the control group, where BMI was virtually unchanged.

At 24 months follow-up, mean BMI was similar (roughly 33.5 kg/m2) in the ROC, the behavioral weight loss therapy, and the ROC plus behavioral weight loss therapy groups.

There was weight regain from 12 months in the latter two groups but not in the ROC group.

"This is a nice study, but in no way is it practical," Sean Wharton, MD, summarized.

"I think it may have difficulty finding its way into everyday practice," said Wharton, adjunct professor at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Also, "it does not compare ROC to pharmacotherapy," he added, which is "quickly becoming the gold standard for obesity management. We have learned that adding intensive behavioral therapy more visits and possibly a liquid diet as part of the weight management and some light group counseling to pharmacotherapy does not add much."

However, Wharton conceded that if an individual did not want, or could not take, pharmacotherapy and had access to ROC sessions, this might be a good option.

"The challenge will be offering this labor-intensive tool to 40% of Americans living with obesity," he said.

The ROC intervention "is very different than a GP's office that may see a patient two to three times/year max, with limited supports," Wharton pointed out.

"It is labor-intensive, not reproducible in most places, and cannot be sustained forever. There is no evidence that the learning remains past the treatment interval. For example, 2 to 3 years later, are patients still adhering to ROC? Is weight still decreased or do they need to come to classes every month forever?"

Similarly, Arya M. Sharma, MD, said: "While this [ROC] approach may be helpful for some individuals, given the rather modest weight loss achieved (despite considerable efforts and a cash incentive), the long-term clinical benefits remain doubtful."

The weight loss of less than 5% over 24 months is "in the ballpark of other behavioral weight-loss interventions," said Sharma, of the University of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and past scientific director of Obesity Canada.

"I'm not convinced" about less weight regain, he added. "The difference between the groups is minimal. While this approach may well help individuals better deal with food cues, it does not change the underlying biology of weight regain."

"This approach at best may help prevent future weight gain in susceptible individuals," he speculated. "I would consider this more as a weight-stabilization than a weight-loss strategy."

Insurance doesn't always cover weight loss with a mental health professional, Boutelle agreed. "However, there are eating disorder categories that also apply to many of our food-cue-sensitive patients, including binge eating," she noted.

"We believe that ROC is an alternative model for weight loss that could be offered to patients who are interested or for whom behavioral weight loss has not been successful...who are highly food-cue-responsive."

The group is writing a manual about the ROC program to disseminate to other behavior therapists. They are also studying ROC in another clinical trial, Solutions for Hunger and Regulating Eating (SHARE). The ROC program is being offered at the UC San Diego Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research, of which Boutelle is director.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers have reported no relevant financial relationships. Wharton has reported receiving honoraria and travel expenses and has participated in academic advisory boards for Novo Nordisk, Bausch Health, Eli Lilly, and Janssen. He is the medical director of a medical clinic specializing in weight management and diabetes. Sharma has reported receiving speakers bureau and consulting fees from Novo Nordisk, Bausch Pharmaceuticals, and AstraZeneca.

JAMA Netw Open. Published online May 18, 2022. Full text

For more diabetes and endocrinology news, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Link:
Could New Therapy for Food 'Cues' Improve Weight Loss? - Medscape

Are you trying to lose weight but not getting anywhere? It may be because you are buying into common misconceptions about weight loss. These days everyone wants to look slim and trim and to attain it, people work very hard toward this. To look in a desired form people also adopt different methods to reduce their body weight. Some people want to attain it within a night or within a week and with this thinking people play with health.

Many people think of different ways to lose weight quickly. And in this hurry somehow they create problems for their body. Like people skip food to look slim within a week. Heres a list of few of those myths:

Fact- it is completely wrong that if you want to reduce your weight, you have to be hungry. Hunger cannot reduce your weight or maintain your body. You may think that skipping meals and snacks results in weight loss. But by this, you only get the frustration, irritability, going off your diet, and quickly regaining weight because you can not keep yourself hungry for a long period. And to remove your hunger you will eat more food as compared to your decided diet.

Fact- it is completely wrong that if you want to lose weight then avoid eating healthy foods because healthy foods contain more fat. Even you have to eat healthy food because healthy foods are full of fibers, carbohydrates, vitamins, and a plate full of all of these will always keep you disease-free. Healthy foods in a proper diet never help you in gaining weight.

Fact- if you think that healthy foods taste bland and that highly processed, sugary, and fatty foods taste good, then your taste buds may need a change. Added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and man-made fats can hijack your taste buds. Once you start eating more natural foods, your taste buds come to appreciate it.

Fact-you can not quit carbohydrates if you want a healthy diet. Foods that contain a good amount of carbohydrates are beans, grains, fruits, etc. and without carbohydrates, your body can not enjoy a healthy diet. And which results in body weakness. so it is completely wrong that if you skip carbohydrates from your plate you will lose weight in a rapid manner

Fact- you need to make lifestyle changes according to your age and as per the requirement of your body. Your metabolism will continue to slow down and gradually more over the years, so always keep your food and exercise flexible.

Sudden changes in your food and exercise will not suit your body and also create harm to your body. And before trying to adopt any change in food and exercise, always be concerned with a health expert.

Read the rest here:
Five dumbest things you heard about weight loss - The India Saga

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a Medical Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a health professional before making any significant health decisions.

As per a recent study, a drug has been developed that has been recorded to help lose weight among obese and overweight people at a much faster rate. As per Science Alert, this drug, Tirzepatide, is equivalent to the surgical options and has delivered incredible results among the participants of the trial. Participants lost as much as 16% of their body weight or more in 72 weeks.

The American company Eli Lilly and Company has developed the drug, and it is given in the form of an injection just once a week. Tirzepatide mimics the naturally found hormone activity, the incretins, which help lose weight. This natural hormone regulates metabolism by decreasing sugar levels in the blood post-meal.

The drug Tirzepatide comprises two specific forms of the hormone incretin: the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Though GLP-1 was previously approved as a drug for weight loss in 2021, the new weight loss formula appears to be more promising for losing weight quickly.

Phase three of this ongoing study has shown promising results from the seventy-two-week clinical trials that involved more than 2500 participants who were morbidly obese. The participants were also asked to reduce their calorie intake and increase physical activities. The drug was injected either in the quantities of 5, 10, or 15 mg once a week. Regardless of the amount of drug administered, the participants in the study have reported observing great results.

Despite the promising results, Tirzepatide may not suit everybody who takes it. A few people reported adverse effects post consumption of the medicine. Side effects like nausea, vomiting, and constipation were the most common effects reported after consuming the drug.

See the article here:
Scientists have developed a record-breaking drug that promotes weight loss at a much faster rate | Fareeha Arshad - NewsBreak Original

Carrot soup is also very nutritious, and it is effective against weight.

Almost all of us have become too conscious of gaining weight. Resultantly, we are focussed on our eating habits. And the solution is to include high protein recipes that can be easily made, are super healthy, and of course, are delicious. Soups and weight loss have always had a good bond.

Here are the 5 best soups, which will make you lose weight instantly.

Gourd Soup: Gourd Soup helps reduce weight quickly. The gourd has very few calories, and it is also very easy to digest. Consuming gourd soup does not cause problems like acidity and indigestion.

Spinach Soup: Spinach soup plays a good role in reducing weight. Loaded with nutrients, you can include spinach soup in your lunch and dinner.

Carrot Soup: Carrot soup is also very nutritious, and it is effective against weight. Vitamin A present in it also gives great benefits to your eyes, so you can also include carrot soup in the diet.

Pumpkin-Garlic Soup: Pumpkin and Garlic Mix Soup is also a better option for weight loss. This is a low-calorie soup and very easy to digest. It also helps in making your immunity strong.

Cabbage Soup: You can also include Cabbage Soup in your diet to lose weight. This soup not only keeps the stomach full but through this, the extra fat of the body can be easily burned.

(Disclaimer: The health tips shared in this article are based on common practices and general knowledge. Readers are advised to consult a doctor before following them at home.)

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.

The rest is here:
5 Soups That Will Help You Shed Those Extra Kilos - News18

Lizelle DSouza, who lost more than 40 kilos recently, has finally opened up about her weight loss journey. Taking to Instagram recently, Lizelle revealed how regular walking, along with following a Keto diet helped her achieve fitness goals.

I do cheat a lot but I am happy with the progress as my as my inches have dropped. I do get to indulge, so I am happy with the scale going down 500 grams or one kg a week, she wrote on Instagram.

How did she make it happen?

Three weeks of just walking, no weight trainingnothing just steps and yoga and eating basic, normal food. Honestly, Keto does magic by dropping weight daily. Neha Ranglani is the best as she has helped me so much on my journey. She is so understanding that she lets me take my breaks and then bounce back according to my body reacting differently every time as it has come a long way. But I think my body had got stubborn and was just not reacting and suddenly a lot of digestive issues happened. Then I thought I need a break, so started normal calculative eating and just putting in steps, she shared, adding that she has started to love cardio.

Her trainer Prateek Kumar, too, appreciated her efforts and wrote, Keep inspiring the world!, on the social media site.

What Is Keto diet?

Ketogenic diet, also known as the Keto diet or KD, is a diet plan in which an individual eats fats in high amount, protein in adequate amounts and very less carbohydrates, explained Dr Manjari Chandra, consultant, functional nutrition, Daivam Wellness, in an earlier interview.

One of the most immediate and dramatic benefits of the Ketogenic diet is that it helps reduce excess body fat. It is very filling and usually does not require calorie counting. The diet is an effective weight loss measure thats well-supported by evidence. According to a study Long-term effects of a Ketogenic diet in obese patients published by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), it is safe to use a Ketogenic diet for a longer period of time than previously demonstrated, she expressed.

How does it happen?

Under normal circumstances, our body gets its energy supply from the carbohydrates, proteins and fat present in the diet we consume. But in a condition when carbohydrates supply is cut off (atypical of Keto diet), the body quickly utilises the available carbohydrate reserves, the expert noted. Once these small stores are depleted, the body is left with no option but to look for alternative sources to derive energy, she added.

Is it for everyone?

Keto diet has protocols and regimens to be followed. They are to be clinically monitored and need an experts planning and control, especially when used for therapeutic purposes. As a result, the chances of the diet failing in terms of compliance and effectiveness are high, added Dr Manjari.

Keto dos

*Eat two to three times a day.*Do use your muscles in the morning. Stretch, move around for a bit, or hold a squat position.*Use 3-4 tablespoons of fat at each meal time.*Include vegetables in every meal. It is, however, advised to stay away from vegetables that are high on carbs.*Stop eating when you are full.

*Mix up the fats youre using. Remember there is ghee, olive oil and avocado oil in the cupboard. It need not to be butter all the time.*Simplify breakfast: You could choose one Keto breakfast you like, and eat it every day. Like scrambled eggs. Or just a bullet coffee and some nuts. This not only saves you time and money, it may also raise your Ketone levels.

Keto donts

*Dont obsess over your macros, just do what you can to get it right and listen to your body.*Dont test your blood glucose and ketone levels more than twice a day. Theres no need and those strips are expensive.*Dont wait until later to drink water. Drink it like its going out of fashion.*Dont forget your salt. Its no good putting out a spoonful away and not keeping a track of it.*Dont forget to take your supplements.

For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and dont miss out on the latest updates!

Read more here:
Happy with the scale going down 500 grams or 1kg a week: Lizelle DSouza on her weight loss journey - The Indian Express

What if I told you all you need to do to lose weight is read a calendar and tell time? These are the basics for successfully following an intermittent fasting diet.

Can it be that simple, though? Does it work? And what is the scientific basis for fasting? As a registered dietitian and expert in human nutrition and metabolism, I am frequently asked such questions.

Simply stated, intermittent fasting is defined by alternating set periods of fasting with periods in which eating is permitted. One method is alternate-day fasting. On fast days, followers of this form of fasting are restricted to consuming no more than 500 calories per day; on feast days, which occur every other day, they can eat freely, with no restrictions on the types or quantities of foods eaten.

Other methods include the increasingly popular 5:2 method. This form of fasting involves five days of feasting and two days of fasting per week.

Another variation relies on time-restricted eating. That means followers should fast for a specified number of hours typically 16 to 20 per day while freely consuming foods within a designated four- to eight-hour period.

But what about eating breakfast and then small meals throughout the day to keep the bodys metabolism running? After all, thats the conventional wisdom that many of us grew up with.

To answer these questions, it helps to understand the basics of human metabolism.

The human body requires a continual supply of energy to sustain life, and the foods we eat provide us with this energy. But because eating is often followed by periods of time without eating, an intricate set of biological pathways is in place to meet the bodys energy demands between meals.

Most of the pathways function at some level all the time, but they fluctuate following a meal in a predictable pattern called the fed-fast cycle. The time frames of the cycle can vary, depending on the food types eaten, the size of the meal and the persons activity level.

So what happens, metabolically speaking, after we eat? Consuming carbohydrates and fats leads to a rise in blood glucose and also lipid levels, which include cholesterol and triglycerides.

This triggers the release of insulin from the pancreas. The insulin helps tissues throughout the body take up the glucose and lipids, which supplies the tissues with energy.

Once energy needs are met, leftover glucose is stored in the liver and skeletal muscle in a condensed form called glycogen. When glycogen stores are full, excess glucose converts to fatty acids and is stored in fat tissue.

About three to 18 hours after a meal again, depending upon a persons activity level and size the of the meal the amount of circulating blood glucose and lipids returns to baseline levels. So tissues then must rely on fuel sources already in the body, which are the glycogen and fat. A hormone called glucagon, secreted by the pancreas, helps facilitate the breakdown of glycogen and fat to provide energy for the body between meals.

Glucagon also initiates a process known as gluconeogenesis, which is the synthesis of glucose from nondietary sources. This helps maintain the right level of blood glucose levels.

When the body reaches a true fasting state about 18 hours to two days without additional food intake the bodys stores of glycogen are depleted, and tissues like the heart and skeletal muscle start to rely heavily on fats for energy. That means an increase in the breakdown of the stored fats.

Aha! you might say. So intermittent fasting is the key to ultimate fat burning? Well, its not that simple. Lets go through what happens next.

Though many tissues adapt to using fats for energy, the brain and red blood cells need a continual supply of glucose. But when glucose is not available because of fasting, the body starts to break down its own proteins and converts them to glucose instead. However, because proteins are also critical for supporting essential bodily functions, this is not a sustainable process.

When the body enters the starvation state, the body goes into self-preservation mode, and a metabolic shift occurs in an effort to spare body protein. The body continues to synthesize glucose for those cells and tissue that absolutely need it, but the breakdown of stored fats increases as well to provide energy for tissues such as the skeletal muscle, heart, liver and kidneys.

This also promotes ketogenesis, or the formation of ketone bodies molecules produced in the liver as an energy source when glucose is not available. In the starvation state, ketone bodies are important energy sources, because the body is not capable of solely utilizing fat for energy. This is why it is inaccurate when some proponents of intermittent fasting claim that fasting is a way of burning just fat - its not biologically possible.

What happens when you break the fast? The cycle starts over. Blood glucose and lipids return to basal levels, and energy levels in the body are seamlessly maintained by transitioning between the metabolic pathways described earlier. The neat thing is, we dont even have to think about it. The body is well-equipped to adapt between periods of feasting and fasting.

If an all-or-nothing dietary approach to weight loss sounds appealing to you, chances are it just might work. Indeed, intermittent fasting diets have produced clinically significant amounts of weight loss. Intermittent fasting may also reduce disease risk by lowering blood pressure and blood lipid levels.

On the flip side, numerous studies have shown that the weight reduction from intermittent fasting diets is no greater than the weight loss on a standard calorie-restricted diet.

In fact, the weight loss caused by intermittent fasting is due not to spending time in some sort of magic metabolic window, but rather to reduced overall calorie consumption. On feast days, dieters do not typically fully compensate for lack of food on fasted days. This is what results in mild to moderate weight loss. Approximately 75% of the weight is fat mass; the rest is lean mass. Thats about the same ratio as a standard low-calorie diet.

Should you still want to go forward with intermittent fasting, keep a few things to keep in mind. First, there are no studies on the long-term safety and efficacy of following this type of diet. Second, studies show that intermittent fasters dont get enough of certain nutrients.

Exercise is something else to consider. It helps preserve lean muscle mass and may also contribute to increased weight loss and long-term weight maintenance. This is important, because nearly a quarter of the weight lost on any diet is muscle tissue, and the efficacy of intermittent fasting for weight loss has been demonstrated for only short durations.

Also, once you stop following an intermittent-fasting diet, you will very likely gain the weight back. This is a critical consideration, because many people find the diet difficult to follow long-term. Imagine the challenge of planning six months worth of feasting and fasting around family dinners, holidays and parties. Then imagine doing it for a lifetime.

Ultimately, the best approach is to follow an eating plan that meets current dietary recommendations and fits into your lifestyle.

Excerpt from:
Is intermittent fasting the diet for you? Here's what the science says - The Conversation

With beach season just around the corner, you're getting serious about your fitness goals, and you want to find a workout routine you'll actually stick to. The colder months can get many of us into a rut where all we want to do is cuddle up under a cozy blanket and binge-watch our favorite shows. Now's the prime time to get back on track, and with this 5-step workout regimen on deck, you'll drop weight fast.

In order to achieve your weight loss goals, you'll need to prioritize strength training to sculpt lean muscle, torch calories, and boost your metabolism. Of course, cardio has its place and is linked to a variety of health benefits, but strength training is necessary if you really want to drop weight fast. Continue with your cardio, but be sure to incorporate these effective strength movements into your rotation.

Below is a workout that'll target your entire body and help jumpstart your fat loss journey. Are you ready to drop weight fast? Aim for 3 sets of the following exercises, and next up, check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Begin this exercise by holding a pair of dumbbells up to your shoulders. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your quads are parallel to the ground. Then, drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

Related: Shrink Belly Fat Faster With These Walking Workouts, Trainer Says

To perform the bodyweight row, grab the equipment that's available to you. It can be rings, it can be a bar, or it can be a TRX/suspension strap. If you're using a strap, make sure to use a neutral grip (palms facing you). If you have a bar, you can either use the pronated (palms overhand) or supinated (underhand) grip. Stick your feet forward, and lean back slightly to at least 45 degrees.

Keep your core tight and hips high, and pull yourself in by driving with your elbows towards your hips. Squeeze your lats and upper back hard to finish, then straighten your arms fully until your shoulder blades stretch at the bottom before performing another rep. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps.

Related: Foolproof Ways To Lose Weight Without "Exercising," Trainer Says

Begin this movement by lying down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold them straight up above your body with your arms fully extended. Pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench as you lower the weights toward your chest. Get a good chest stretch at the bottom, then press the weights back up to the starting position, squeezing your upper pecs and triceps at the top. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Hold a pair of dumbbells, and take a long stride backward with one leg. Firmly plant your heel down, then lower yourself until your back knee touches the ground. Push through with your front leg to come back up, then repeat with the other side. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps for each leg.

Gripping the rope attachment, take a step forward, and bring the rope above and behind your head. With your torso forward and arms straight, bend from your elbows until your biceps touch your forearms. Get a good triceps stretch in, then fully extend your arms, flexing your triceps to finish. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Sign up for our newsletter!

Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

See the rest here:
This 5-Step Workout Routine Will Help You Drop Weight Fast, Trainer Says Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Studies in worms, flies, rodents, and monkeys have demonstrated that diets that severely restrict total calorie intake, while providing all the essential nutrients, extend average lifespan.

The research shows that in all these organisms, food shortages trigger physiological changes that promote longevity and delay the onset of age-related disease.

Calorie-restricted diets in humans, which involve reducing average calorie intake by around a third, may also extend human lifespan, though hard evidence is currently lacking.

Animal studies have revealed that timing of calorie restriction can have an effect due to the circadian system, which controls daily cycles of physiology, metabolism, and behaviors such as eating. This has also been linked to aging.

This led researchers at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX, to investigate whether the timing of meals contributes to the life-extending effects of calorie restriction.

Numerous studies have shown that calorie restriction increases the average lifespan of mice. But most of this research has involved scientists feeding calorie-restricted diets to laboratory mice during the day.

Unlike humans, mice are nocturnal, which means they have evolved to feed at night.

So for their study, the scientists used automatic feeders to ensure that some of the mice ate only during the night.

To determine whether the timing of meals had an effect on lifespan independently of calorie restriction and fasting they split the animals into 6 groups.

In one group, which served as a control, the animals could eat ad libitum (as much as they wanted, whenever they wanted).

The remaining 5 groups ate calorie-restricted diets (3040% fewer calories) with the same total calorie intake but different feeding schedules.

Control mice that ate ad libitum had a median lifespan of 800 days, whereas mice on a calorie-restricted diet with food available around the clock lived 875 days, or 10% longer.

Mice on the calorie-restricted diet that ate only during the day (the inactive phase of their circadian cycle) and fasted for 12 hours overnight lived 959 days. In other words, they lived almost 20% longer than the controls.

But calorie-restricted mice that only ate during their active phase, then fasted for the remaining 12 hours, lived the longest. These animals clocked up an average 1,068 days of lifespan, which was nearly 35% longer than the control animals.

The scientists have reported their findings in Science.

We have discovered a new facet to caloric restriction that dramatically extends lifespan in our lab animals, says senior author Dr. Joseph Takahashi, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and chair of neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

If these findings hold true in people, we might want to rethink whether we really want that midnight snack, he adds.

They also found that calorie-restricted diets improved the animals regulation of glucose levels and insulin sensitivity, but the improvements were greatest for mice that ate only at night (their active phase).

This suggests that the mice were healthier and aged more slowly, Dr. Takahashi told Medical News Today.

The researchers found that, in all the mice, aging increased the activity of genes involved in inflammation and decreased the activity of genes involved in metabolism and circadian rhythms.

Calorie restriction slowed down these age-related changes, but mice that only ate a night reaped the greatest benefits.

Since aging can be considered a progressive ramping up of inflammation, [calorie restriction] is also delaying this age-related increase in inflammation, which is also consistent with delaying the aging process, said Dr. Takahashi.

The authors note some limitations of their study.

In particular, they write that sleep disruption in the mice that ate during the day (during their inactive phase) may have contributed to their shorter lifespan.

In addition, all the mice in the study were male. The authors write that in females, ovarian hormones may provide some protection against disruptions in circadian rhythms.

As with all research that involves animal models, the study may not translate well to humans.

If the findings do apply to humans, which have the opposite active phase to mice, the scientists suggest that eating early in the evening is best for healthy aging.

One day it may even be possible to develop drugs that target circadian genes or the proteins that they make, in order to mimic the anti-aging benefits of eating only during the active phase.

[W]e are working on this idea and searching for drugs that can enhance circadian alignment, said Dr. Takahashi. Fingers crossed!

Eating late at night interferes with the bodys ability to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range.

A recent study found this was particularly true for people with a particular variation of the gene for the melatonin receptor.

Melatonin is a hormone that helps to govern the sleep-wake cycle. As its levels increase in the evening, this not only triggers sleepiness but also impairs insulin secretion.

As a result, the body has more difficulty controlling blood sugar levels after meals close to bedtime.

Since many people opt for carbohydrate-rich snacks in late evenings, such as chips, cookies, candy, or popcorn, these snacks are more likely to impair blood sugar control and increase ones risk for prediabetes and diabetes, said Mariam Eid, R.D., L.D., a dietitian and founder of A Happy AOneC, which advises teens and young adults recently diagnosed with prediabetes.

Therefore, consuming carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks earlier in the day promotes better blood sugar balance and supports the prevention of prediabetes and diabetes, she told MNT.

Excerpt from:
Eating earlier in the evening may have anti-aging benefits - Medical News Today

Angela had tried losing weight for years with no success. It wasn't until she learnt about personalised health, which is a health and lifestyle program based on one's genetic profile, that she managed to drop an impressive four stone. How did she do it?

Angela explained that "as a naturopath and working for women's health I was becoming very embarrassed and ashamed of the way my body looked".

It wasn't until the naturopath studied her own genes and epigenetics, that I started to eat the foods that were right for my health type, and eat at the time that was right for my health type".

Angela explained women have what is called epigenetics, which influence their genes: "Its the environment, it's the food that we eat, it's where we live... All these different external factors influence the way our genes express."

According to that, she changed the time of the day she was eating and exercising which played a major role in speeding up the weight loss process.

READ MORE:Nutritionist shares common drinks that 'hinder weight loss'

Angela stopped working out in the morning and moved her exercise routine to the afternoon. I saw a big difference, is the best thing I did," she said.

Based on her genetics and her specific body type, she also found an intermittent fasting plan and eating three times a day was the most suitable and effective plan for her.

She explained: I wouldnt have any food from 3pm to 9am in the morning. But this is personalised, this is what works for me, its not what works for everyone else."

The menopause coach also moved to a plant-based diet, although she still eats a bit of protein.

DON'T MISS

She continued: "Step two: I changed my main meal from dinner to lunch. For dinner, I had a small serving of vegetables only. I lost another 2kgs (4.4lbs).

"Step three: I maintained exercise in the afternoon but because it was Christmas time I only exercised a couple of times a week rather than six days a week. I started eating large meals at night again because I was socialising a lot more. Put all the weight I lost back on and I was at my heaviest weight ever.

"Step four: Christmas was over and I re-focussed on eating and move right for my body. I had a goal, I was going to be hiking around Mt Blanc in September and I needed to be fit and strong. I gradually start to lose weight, my energy goes up and I am doing a lot of long distance walking in the bush.

"Step five: The world turns upside down and we are forced to stay home for the foreseeable future. I decide to do a 10 Day Detox because I was stuck at home and had nothing else to do. Two meals a day of vegetables only for 10 days. I lost 7kgs (over one stone) in 10 days. I was a bit concerned that I would put weight back on when I started eating foods other than vegetables again. I didnt.

"Step six: In total I have lost 12kgs (two stone) since the beginning of this year. It is now one month since I did the detox and lost all the weight and I have maintained my weight. I fluctuate up and down up to 300gms, this depends on the food that I eat and how much I exercise.

"I now fast between 4pm and 9am at least five days a week, I dont eat between meals, lunch is my largest meal and I rarely feel hungry. I follow my health plan 80 percent of the time, this means that I do have treats on occasion and I dont feel like I am on a restrictive diet. I have found if I go looking for food it is because I am bored or stressed, knowing this means that I can divert my attention elsewhere and I dont need to eat."

Angela recently told Express.co.uk that she has now lost a total of four stone since her weight loss journey began.

To learn more about epigenetics, as well as to find the most suitable diet and exercise routine, women are advised to check with their doctor first.

Read the rest here:
Fabulous at 60: Woman shares how to 'lose 6 pounds in 2 weeks' with 'no changes to diet' - Express

With so many rapid weight loss diets, and products claiming to burn fat quickly, it can be difficult to know what does and doesnt work. Express.co.uk spoke to Clinical pharmacist and nutrition researcher, Mike Wakeman from CurraNZ about caffeine and whether it can help someone lose weight.

Coffee contains caffeine, and it is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world according to Healthline.

Caffeine is also included in most commercial fat-burning supplements available to buy on the diet market.

Moreover, its one of the few substances known to help mobilise fats from fat tissues and increase metabolism.

But does caffeine help someone lose weight?

READ MORE:Nutritionist shares common drinks that 'hinder weight loss'

For anyone looking to lose weight healthily and sustainably, Mike explained: You need to eat and drink fewer calories than you burn.

If you take in more calories than you burn, you wont lose weight.

Whilst people may try many types of diet, if a person loses weight on any diet, they will - whether they realise it or not - have taken in fewer calories than they have burnt.

A person can create a calorie deficit by reducing the number of calories they eat, increasing their activity levels, or both.

Exercising is important as this helps you to maximise body fat loss whilst minimising lean tissue (muscle) loss, he added.

With so many diets claiming to see rapid weight loss results, Mike revealed what a healthy amount of weight to lose in three months is.

He explained: A safe, healthy, and realistic goal is to lose 0.5 to one percent of your body weight per week, which is around one to two pounds (0.5 to 1k) of weight loss per week for most people.

Expect to lose 0.8 to 1.7st (6-12kg) in a three month period.

Mike explained: The New Zealand Blackcurrant extract CurraNZ has sprung to

prominence for its scientifically-proven fat burning properties in men and women.

Researchers believe it is a serious tool for weight management and enhancing the health benefits of exercise.

Read more from the original source:
'Caffeine makes it easier to lose weight but diet expert issues warning over consumption - Express