Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Have you reached your happy weight? Many will say that the faster your metabolism is, the faster you will lose weight because your body will convert all your food into energy. They are only partially right.

In a nutshell, metabolism is the various chemical reactions in your body which converts the food you eat into the energy your body needs. Whether you have fast or slow metabolism, your body WILL burn the calories from your food.

However, when your body receives more calories than what is required for your energy level, metabolism wont touch these calories. These extra unburned calories will get stored as body fat. Your happy weight does not entirely depend on the speed of your metabolism.

Here are some things you can do to get your happy weight.

1. Eat everything in the right portions

Fad diets like Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers and Mediterranean promise quick weight loss by encouraging you to focus on eating specific types of food. Research shows that fad diets do not actually do much to help you keep your happy weight.

They might also make you vulnerable to diseases because your body will lack certain nutrients that your body needs.

Medical experts say that you should get the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats to satisfy the nutrients your body needs.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest 45-65% of calories from carbs, 20-35% of calories from fat, and 10-35% of calories from protein. Depending on the weight change you want, stick to the lower or higher end of the range.

Try taking walks. Make these a regular habit and try some challenging routes at times. Walking can encourage metabolism and weight loss.

Research found that people who took up walking as a regular activity can burn around 186 to 371 calories, depending on the speed.

Scientists have found that lack of sleep and sleeping problems are directly connected to how efficient your metabolism is in converting energy for your body.

When you dont get enough sleep, your body does not produce enough of the substances that regulate metabolic function. When this happens, your body doesnt get the energy to function properly.

Many people often focus more on what they eat when they think of losing weight. What you drink also affects your metabolism. Studies show that drinking about 500 ml of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner can result to decrease in body weight.

Water has zero calories so your metabolism would turn to stored body fat to satisfy your bodys calorie requirement.

Strength and resistance training is another way to reach your happy weight. These exercises help you build muscles.

Did you know that each pound of muscle needs 30 to 50 calories daily to function properly? The more muscles you build, the more calories you burn.

Some people have turned to tasty vegan dishes on their quest to weight control. Researchers at Oxford University have found that vegans are much leaner than meat-eaters.

However, it still is necessary to take not of what you eat and when you eat to keep your ideal weight after going vegan.

Aerobic activities are any activity that makes you use your muscles groups and increases your heart rate and breathing.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderately intense exercises weekly, with each session lasting for a minimum of 10 minutes

Studies show that eating spicy dishes can temporarily increase your metabolism by around 8% over your normal rate. Spicy foods can also give you a feeling of being full which makes you eat less food. Moreover, nutrition experts found that spicy food can promote abdominal fat loss.

A good cup of coffee can extend energy levels when you exercise, thus you burn more calories. Drinking coffee after exercise can also increase the glycogen in your muscles and help you replenish stored energy.

Others may say that yoga does little for your metabolism because yoga is meant to help you meditate and relax. Remember that metabolic processes in your body continue to work even while you are at rest.

Certain yoga poses like the locust, twisted chair, eagle, and bow poses that boost your energy will consequently boost your metabolism.

11. Stand up whenever you can

Did you know that a 150-pound person can burn 114 calories per hour while standing? Medical experts have discovered that the more time you sit, the fewer calories you tend to burn.

On the other hand, the muscles in your back and legs expend energy when you stand.

When you are in a hurry, everything in your body is working overtime so that you can move at a faster speed. As a result, your metabolism also works overdrive to fuel your body.

If you are not a fan of coffee, you can try drinking green tea. A study found that green tea and at least three hours of moderate exercise weekly can reduce abdominal fat over three months.

14. Eat yogurt and seafood

Yogurt and other fermented foods have probiotics which promote weight loss. A British study showed that taking a probiotic pill daily can lead to weight loss after 12 weeks.

Your metabolism also gets a boost from omega-3 fatty acids from fish. The oil decreases the levels of fat-storage enzymes in your body.

Probably the easiest and most surprising way to boost your metabolism is laughter. Researchers discovered that genuine laughter can use up 10% to 20% more energy.

This means that you burn an increased 10 to 40 calories during 10 to 15 minutes of laughing.

Being active, eating the right food, and getting enough sleep are just some things you can do to keep your metabolism going.

Ultimately, reaching and keeping your happy weight depends on how much you and your metabolism work together.

Excerpt from:
Hack Your Metabolism: 15 Ways to Maintain Your Happy Weight - HuffPost

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Its a fair statement to say that at any one time, a large percentage of us are trying to lose weight. As a registered dietitian, I see this in my own practice at least 50 percent or more of the individuals who come in to see me are doing so with the hopes of dropping at least 20 pounds.

Its not easy, and many fall short of their goals. Their failures are not due to a lack of motivation or willpower; its often because they tried to make too many big changes all at once. Even their goals were too big. In fact, one study found making smaller and easier changes to eating habits on a regular basis was more likely to yield success in weight loss.

Almost everyone can make one small change every day. One major way you can push forward with weight loss is to cut calories. Here are my top swaps that have helped take my patients to the next level in their weight-loss goals:

Instead of having a high-calorie, high-sugar caramel latte, consider a coffee with unsweetened almond milk and cinnamon instead. You can whip up the almond milk and add tons of yummy flavors with the cinnamon, all while saving you over 1,600 calories a week, which could amount to over 20 pounds lost in one year!

This is an obvious one, but probably one of the most challenging to implement. We still are drowning in soda, and its costing us our health. But giving up a 12-ounce can of cola (140 calories) for water, or a naturally flavored seltzer water, can help you lose up to 14 pounds a year. Just make sure you resist the urge to cut calories by incorporating a diet version of your favorite cola. Artificial sweeteners may have consequences to your weight as well, according to several recent studies.

Eating zucchini noodles instead of pasta, just once a week, can help you lose over 2 pounds in a year and making it all the time can lead to even further weight loss. This habit can be especially helpful for individuals with diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by decreasing the reliance on insulin.

Alcohol can be a real challenge when youre trying to lose weight, but it can be the kiss of death if your alcohol of choice tends to be one thats potentially loaded with sugar. Daiquiris, pia coladas and margaritas all fall into this category. Consider swapping your margarita for a 5-ounce glass or red or white wine just three nights a week and you can save you up to 1,000 calories a week, or 15 pounds in one year.

Swap high-calorie dressings for an amazing oil and balsamic vinegar combination to shave off about 3 pounds per year (thats a lot to the serial dieter always looking to lose the last 5 pounds).

Think an oil and balsamic combo is boring? Think again. My view of salads and what goes on them completely changed when I found a specialty oil and vinegar store near my house. Now I whip up delicious masterpieces like blueberry balsamic paired with lemon olive oil, and quince balsamic paired with lime olive oil. Ive fallen back in love with salads that were getting boring, and I fit better in my jeans because of it.

If I told you to swap your mid-afternoon bag of potato chips for some celery and hummus, youd probably think I was crazy. So instead of having potato chips every afternoon, swap them for crunchy Parmesan crisps that you either make you or buy. While calories may differ by brands, some popular options I looked at showed a serving of potato chips running about 140 calories, while a serving of Parmesan chips having only 100 calories and almost no carbs! Thats a potential savings of over 250 calories a week.

Cauliflower rice is found nationwide in either fresh or frozen versions and is easy to prepare. Plus, cauliflower is one of the best vegetables to consume if youre interested in reducing your risk of cancer. If that doesnt motivate you, then how about this: Cauliflower rice has 40 calories in one cup, while white rice has 170. Thats a saving of 130 calories! If you make that change just three times a week, you can save about 20,000 calories in a year.

Remember, weight loss is based on many variables calories are only part of the equation. Genetics, activity level, gender, age and disease status all are factored into your ability to lose, or maintain weight. Despite this, small lifestyle changes, like swapping some of the foods suggested here, may help to move you in the right direction.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, R.D., is the manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, and the author of "Skinny Liver." Follow her on Twitter @KristinKirkpat. For more simple swaps to improve your life, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.

This article originally appeared on TODAY Health & Wellness.

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7 Simple Swaps to Make for Lasting Weight Loss - NBCNews.com

A study suggests exercising on an empty stomach can in fact promote more favourable changes in body fat.

Research carried out by the University of Bath studied 10 overweight men by asking them to walk for 60 minutes at 60 per cent oxygen consumption, first on an empty stomach and then after eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

Blood and fat tissue samples were then taken before and after exercise for analysis.

The researchers found two genes (PDK4 and HSL) increased when they walked on an empty stomach but decreased when they had eaten the carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

The rise in the genes suggests that exercising on an empty stomach burns fat as energy.

Previous research has supported this idea, but other studies on weight loss suggests eating breakfast is essential in shedding the pounds.

Milton Stokes, R.S., author of Flat Belly Diet! For Men, told Mens Fitness: Its like putting logs on a wood-burning stove. You need that initial input to get your metabolism going for the day.

The aim should be to intake around 400-600 calories within an hour of waking up.

Stokes advised focusing on protein, healthy fats and fibre, as these will leave dieters feeling fuller for longer.

There are a few meals to try in the morning that cover all of these ideals.

Jorge Cruise, author of The Belly Fat Cure, advised eggs with avocado/

He said: Avocados are nature's ideal fruit for weight loss. They replace sugar with appetite-curbing good fat."

If you prefer a quick shake, then choose one with whey protein.

David Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life said: Whey is rich in branched chain amino acids, which stimulate muscle growth.

The more muscle you have, the greater the fat-burning capacity of your metabolism.

Finally, a simple yoghurt topped with fresh fruit to make it interesting and sprinkled with high-fibre cereal is another option.

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Weight loss diet: Eating THIS before exercise could affect how your body burns fat - Express.co.uk

The weight loss industry is never hurting for customers. In the United States, over two-thirds of adults are considered overweight or obeseyet we idolize lean, fit bodies in our culture. The result is an overwhelming number of people willing to spend money on anything that promises them a fast, effective weight loss solution. Ultimately, that adds up to be a $20 billion industry.

Though its been around for decades and has experienced significant changes in that time, the weight loss industry is undergoing its most extreme evolution nowthanks to new technology. But how exactly is tech changing the weight loss industry? And is it a good or bad thing for consumers?

These are some of the most significant changes weve seen:

Like with most industries, businesses and marketers in the weight loss sector are starting to step away from personal interactions and tangible products, and toward self-sustaining digital systems that can be distributed and downloaded freely. There are pros and cons to this, but for consumers this is going to mean an even bigger explosion of tech-based weight loss solutionsand possibly available at a cheaper rate.

Future developments could include more sophisticated AI interfaces, capable of analyzing your eating and exercise habits automatically, and making recommendations according to those individual needs, or integration with medical apps and devices, especially in more extreme cases of obesity. For now, if youre interested in losing weight, you have more options and gadgets to help you than ever beforeso take advantage of them.

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How Is New Technology Changing the Weight Loss Industry? - TG Daily (blog)

When 28-year-old Julia Nathan decided to undergo bariatric surgery after years of struggling with her weight, she wasn't prepared for people's negative reactions to her method of weight loss, or the pain that a necessary follow-up surgery would cause.

Nathan recently shared her story with Health magazine, and these are her biggest takeaways if you're considering a major weight-loss surgery.

Many people don't understand the decision. When she told people how she lost weight, they often seemed disappointed, like she "cheated" by getting surgery, she says. This was understandably frustrating, but ultimately, she knew the struggle it took to get there. After surgery, she still had to exercise often and keep her portion control in check to lose weight. Plus, because she went the gastric sleeve route, overeating comes with the risk of vomiting, diarrhea, or ripping her stomach lining.

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A few factors made her a good candidate. She was young, didn't have any health complications like diabetes, and had tried to lose weight with diet and exercise first.

The surgery itself wasn't so painful. She recalls waking up from the two-hour surgery and being surprised at how good she felt. She spent one night at the hospital and then went to her dad's house to recover. Her gut was sore, but not in pain.

Post-surgery, she was on a liquid diet for two weeks. She was eating about 600 to 800 calories a day, and surprisingly wasn't nearly as hungry as she used to be. She did have an allergic reaction to the whey protein shakes she was drinking though.

The second surgery was brutal. A year after her gastric sleeve procedure, Nathan had lost 100 pounds and decided to get another surgery to remove seven pounds of excess skin. The pain from that surgery was "constant and more severe," and the medication she took after made her throw up, which of course hurt her stomach even more.

She's got scars, but she embraces them. They are long and visible, she says, especially the one that runs from one hip to the other. Instead of being embarrassed by them, though, Nathan sees them as badges of honor. "They remind me of what I went through and how proud I am to have taken action to improve my life."

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This Woman Had Major Weight Loss Surgery, And This Is What She Wants You To Know - Delish.com

Before he faces off against undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, UFC champion Conor McGregor must conquer the scale.

And that could prove an even more dangerous opponent.

In pre-fight trash talk, Mayweather has claimed that McGregor looks extremely heavy and has been scrambling to try to drop 10 pounds. (Both fighters have to come in under 154 pounds at the weigh-in on Friday afternoon if their much-hyped bout is to proceed.)

The truth is, though, shedding 10 pounds in a couple days is no big deal for most MMA fighters.In the past, McGregor has reportedly cut more than 25 pounds in eight days time.

The key question is whether they can do it without damaging their health. And even the nutritionist charged with guiding McGregor to his fighting weight said thats a difficult balance.

Its nothing Id recommend to everyday people, George Lockhart, the nutritionist, told STAT in an interview. I always tell people if health was your number one priority, MMA is not the sport you should be going into.

MMA fighters are known to dehydrate themselves using everything from saunas to sweat suits, hot baths to water pills to shed up to dozens of pounds in the days ahead of a weigh-in. After making weight, they try to quickly regain it by eating food and drinking water in hopes of gaining the competitive advantage of size over their opponent.

Lockhart, a former fighter and Marineveteran, generally starts on the Tuesday before a weigh-in. He removes sodium from a fighters diet and offers herbal diuretics that include potassium to replenish lost nutrients. Hell also have a fighter taper water consumption over several days two gallons on Tuesday, one gallon on Wednesday, occasional sips when thirsty on Thursday. The day before the weigh in, Lockhart takes carbohydrates out of fighters diet and cleans out his or her intestinal tract. On that final night, fighters sometimes work out or take a hot bath.He monitors vitals, including body temperature and blood pressure, throughout the process.

Ten pounds in four days is like a hiccup, Lockhart said. What Floyds talking about, it just shows hes probably never cut weight before.

But dropping weight that fast even just 10 pounds draws concerns from doctors. Dr. Larry Lovelace, a ringside physician in California, told STAT several fighters have died over the past few years from the practice, which athletic officials have called the biggest problem in the sport today.

A 2013 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that 39 percent of MMA fighters studied experienced significant or serious dehydration before their fights. Lovelace said the body doesnt fully rehydrate for at least two days well after a fight ends. That means fighters could experience muscle cramps and loss in agility while in the ring, he said.

It only takes 2 percent dehydration to impair your performance, Lovelace said. Theres no way theyre going to recover, and its definitely going to affect their performance.

There are bigger health risks, too. They include:

The brain: When a fighter takes a punch to the head, the brain rattles off the front and the back of the skull. Thats not healthy in the best of conditions. Dehydration makes it worse. The brain is bathed in fluid, said Dr. Edmund Ayoub, vice president of the Association of Ringside Physicians. Without that fluid, the brain has less cushion. Therefore, the risk of injury could be greater for a fighter who spars during the process of weight cutting. The brain can hit harder against the skull, Ayoub said. You may have more [risk for] brain injury.

The heart: A fighters heart beats faster than normal when dehydrated. If you normally walk around with a resting heart rate of 72, now it may be 90 or 100, Lovelace said. So going into a cage to fight, there are potential cardiac risks.

In a 2013 interview with Vice Sports, ringside physician Dr. Michael Kelly said dehydration can impact how the body regulates sodium and potassium levels and, in turn, mess with the cardiac fibers conducting electricity inside the heart. So if those signals arent propagating along the channel correctly, Kelly said, the heart can go into an irregular heartbeat or fatal heart rhythm and wind up in cardiac arrest.

The kidneys:Nephrons, the tiny structures inside the kidney that produce urine to remove waste from the body, malfunction without enough water.Your kidneys literally dry up, Ayoub said. When kidneys get dried up, you can get kidney damage. In 2015, fighter Johny Hendricks had to be rushed to the emergency room after weight cutting led to intestinal blockage and a kidney stone. Doctors say theyre also at risk of sustaining chronic kidney issues due to the practice.

Ayoub thinks fighters would remain healthy if they made sure to lose no more than 2 percent of their body weight each week. If McGregor had to lose 10 pounds, for instance, he should aim to shed it over three weeks instead of just one, Ayoub said.

Lovelace, though, said there is nothing to be gained from the practice of weight cutting,in part because both fighters are often doing the same thing, canceling out any potential advantage from packing on pounds immediately after the weigh-in.

Lockhart, for his part, believes fighters will keep cutting weight no matter what. So he considers it his job to help them do it as safely as possible. Theres no degree for weight cutting, Lockhart said. You need people to show them how to do it in the proper way.

MMA writer Iain Kidd, who has observed Lockharts training methods for a forthcoming book, puts it this way: There are ways to do it safer but not ways to do it safely.

Republished with permission fromSTAT. This articleoriginally appearedon August 25, 2017

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How Conor McGregor's Weight Loss Ahead of His Big Fight May Harm His Body - Scientific American

And the best trick you can do to lose weight without a diet plan involves the weighing scales.

Weight loss can be made much more likely if you weigh yourself everyday, a new study has found.

Previous experts have recommend weighing yourself less for weight loss success, but it now seems the reverse may be true.

Scientists at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania discovered when women weighed themselves daily over the course of two years, they lost weight.

The study looked at 294 women at university, who were of different weights and body shapes, and measured their body fat percentage.

The scientists found the women who weighed themselves everyday avoided weight gain and even experienced weight loss.

Dr Diane Rosenbaum, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, said: The losses in BMI and body fat percentage were modest, but still significant, especially keeping in mind that these women were not part of a weight loss program.

We did not expect that, in the absence of a weight loss intervention, folks would be losing weight.

The study was published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Meghan Butryn, PhD, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel said: Regularly weighing yourself can motivate you to engage in healthy eating and exercise behaviors, because it provides you with evidence that these behaviors are effective in helping you lose weight or prevent weight gain.

Similarly, if you see weight gain on the scale, that information can motivate you to make a change.

An expert in body transformation has revealed some exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home to help reduce stomach fat.

Chris Wharton, a specialist in body transformation, said: He said: By carving out just 10 to 20 minutes a day to create a morning routine, you can make a profound improvement to your physique.

Now only will you look great, you will have a lot more energy, enjoy much better sleep quality and feel far happier in general.

Carol Kirkwood, a weather girl for the BBC, has revealed her plan for keeping slim.

Original post:
Weight loss: This is the best trick YOU can do to lose weight without even trying - Express.co.uk

THE BIGGER MAN

Both fighters came in comfortably under the 154lb limit for Saturday's showdown at T-Mobile Arena

CONOR McGREGOR has vowed to go to war with Floyd Mayweather as the world awaits their billion-dollar Las Vegas mega-fight.

The Irish UFC star came in 3lbs heavier than the 49-0 legendin their weigh-in last night.

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And he promised to be closer to 170lb by the time he enters the ring at T-Mobile Arena tomorrow.

McGregor weighed in at 153lbs, one pound under the limit of 154 with Mayweather weighing 149.5.

The time for talking is almost over with the biggest fight of the year now just one day away.

Mayweather had fears that McGregor might not make the weight, saying he looked "extremely heavy".

But the Irishman came in safely inside the limit and will now try and do what no other man has done - beat the 49-0 ring legend.

Mayweather was spreading rumours just hours before the weigh-in that McGregor was using IV drips against regulations.

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Although why he would want to use the banned procedure to rehydrate before the weigh-in was a puzzler from the Money Man.

Pretty Boy said his rival was struggling to make the 154lb mark as he walks around Dublin at around 168lb.

But the fewer weight classes in the UFC mean the MMA master is well versed in boiling down at will.

The 29-year-old looked gaunt and strained when he made 145lb mark to face Jose Aldo in 2015.

But he looked rejuvenated when he entered the ring to face the feared Brazilian and took just 13 seconds to do his work.

After the first Nate Diaz fight, when McGregor suffered a loss and appeared to blow out early, he pointed to being too heavy and bulking up too dramatically not being fit enough.

For the rematch he looked leaner and made no mistake, going the full 25 minutes and getting his revenge.

Mayweather was hoping McGregor misjudges the weight cut this week and lost mobility and movement before struggling over a possible 36 minutes.

But the Irishman did his training camp at the new UFC performance institute where he had the sports science equipment and nutritionists at his disposal and got it spot-on.

And, on Thursday, Mystic Macs nutritionist revealed his man was cruising toward his 11 stone target.

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George Lockhart said: "It's perfect. I'd even call it a masterpiece.

He woke up this morning eight pounds overweight. He'll get down to maybe 156 pounds by tonight.

McGregor emerged first. Topless and draped in his beloved Irish tricolour.

McGreogor threw a few punches and bobbed and weaved, looking well under the 154lb mark he was soon to prove to be.

A quick hug with UFC boss Dana White before acknowledging the legions of fans that had finally arrived to support him.

Mayweather's entrance was far less dramatic. He showed his age with middle-aged crooner Phil Collins as his entrance music.

He skipped around the stage, purposely it appeared trying to glad McGregor who almost bit at the blatant provocation.

McGregor made it at a 1lb under and roared while bulging every sinew of his dehydrated frame and after roaring away he began chugging water.

Mayweather - with his concerned father dressed like a Christmas tree on his shoulder - weighed in five pounds under at 149lb.

McGregor screamed in Money's face for what seemed a cruel and childish eternity and ended his tirade with "let's do it b***h".

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McGregor and Mayweather make weight with Irish UFC ace THREE pounds heavier than unbeaten boxer - The Sun

This latest diet plan allows dieters to still enjoy some of their favorite, less healthy foods in moderation.

The freshman 15.

Beer gut.

Middle-age spread.

Hibernation handles.

The monikers for dreaded weight gain are endless, but no matter what you call it, most of us have jumped on the diet merry-go-round at one time in our lives in an attempt to lose weight.

Dieting is tricky business.

Anyone whos ever tried to shed pounds knows how difficult it is to give up favorite foods and stick to a diet.

The word diet alone makes us feel deprived, which puts us on the slippery slope toward splurging on high calorie, high fat foods.

So youll probably like the sounds of this: The 80/20 Diet is a new eating plan that gives you permission to indulge in your favorite foods as long as you eat really healthy the rest of the time.

In The 80/20 Diet, Australian nutritionist, chef, and personal trainer Teresa Cutter writes that you can lose weight if you eat nutritiously 80 percent of the time and allow yourself to indulge in less healthy food for the remaining 20 percent of your meals.

By nutritious, Cutter means whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains, plus lots of water. Her book contains over 130 recipes to help you eat healthy and lose weight.

Keep in mind, however, that Cutters definition of less healthy foods might not square with yours.

You were probably imaging toeing the line with stellar, good-for-you meals Monday through Friday and indulging on pizza and beer over the weekend. Not so fast. This diet does not give permission to binge eat.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week equals 21 meals, so 80 percent would be 17 healthy meals.

That leaves four indulgent opportunities, but Cutter admits that if you gorge on pizza, fries, and cheeseburgers for those four meals, youve just undone all the good work of the 80 percent.

You can have that cheeseburger, she said, just dont get a Whopper and double fries.

I think an 80/20 plan is a great approach, licensed, registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick told Healthline.

Ive seen with my own patients that willpower [alone] does not work, it just makes people want the foods they are giving up even more, she says. Therefore, allowing yourself a few indulgences here and there may not be such a bad thing. With my patients I tend to be a bit more conservative and suggest a 90/10 split though.

Well-balanced menus built around fruit, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains will help you feel full, and due to the fiber and water content, keep your system working. However, since weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume, you still have to practice portion control.

Talia Koren, who blogs at WorkweekLunch.com, lost 10 pounds following the 80/20 rule.

Restrictive eating rarely makes anyone truly happy because its extremely difficult, Koren wrote. Some control is good, but when you set too many rules, you eventually find yourself back at square one.

Koren followed a weekly plan, but others prefer the daily regime of two healthy meals and snacks per day and one indulgence. For Koren, prep and planning involved considerable time and effort, but she says that having nutritious food always available (she packs her lunch and does not dine out frequently) helped keep her on the 80/20 track.

Another positive aspect of the 80/20 diet is that it removes the angst we often feel when we indulge in nondiet food like cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, and the like.

Losing the shame of having a favorite food every once in a while may in turn deflect an entire binge, Kirkpatrick said.

Time and money can be a negative factor in following the 80/20 diet. Since fresh food and good cuts of lean protein can be more expensive than boxed, frozen, canned, and fast food options, you may have to stretch your budget a bit.

Youll also have to be organized and able to commit time to meal prep.

For instance, Koren prepares meals on Sunday and Wednesday for the following days, and makes good use of sealable plastic containers.

Find out if meal prepping with plastic food containers is sabotaging your diet.

Not doing the calculations correctly could also be a drawback, Kirkpatrick added.

If 20 percent turns into 40 percent and the healthy items only fall into 60 percent range, then you run into problems, she told Healthline. This is about small amounts of things. If starting small turns into larger portions and unhealthy foods, this is not the right plan for you.

To date, there is no science behind the 80/20 diet, but a study published in Obesity Facts in 2014 attests to the theory behind this diet. Researchers found that you can still lose weight after small splurges if you compensate and eat healthy most of the time.

The study adds that even if you do not lose weight, youll be healthier overall and may have a lower risk for conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Diets that promise quick and painless weight loss might work initially, but they seldom hold steady in the long run. What does work are making lifestyle changes and readjusting your thinking about food. The 80/20 Diet approaches both the physical and mental aspects of weight loss, and might be a sensible, sustainable method to lose weight and stay healthy.

Original post:
Does the 80/20 Diet Actually Help You Lose Weight? - Healthline

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Not sure whether to try juicing or low carb? Well youre probably better steering clear from both if you want a trimmer figure.

New research has revealed the most effective diet for achieving and maintaining weight loss and it doesnt even involve milkshakes or skipping meals.

The extensive study by Ticketgum.com quizzed 1,245 slimmers about which diet plan they follow and whether or not it helped them reach their weight loss goal.

It turns out a whopping 83% of people admitting to hitting their slimming target by following the Paleo diet and 89% achieved their goal weight by combining the caveman eating plan with exercise.

20 fat-burning foods that help you lose weight

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Avacodo - includes monosaturated fatty acids that are more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat

Furthermore 67% of people said they maintained their goal weight by sticking to Paleo principles.

The second most effective diet was Slimming World, which helped 78% of people drop pounds, followed by Weight Watchers which worked for 73% of dieters.

On the less successful end of the scale, just 17% of people managed to lose fat with Slim Fast and only 11% got lean by juicing.

We spoke to Paleo diet specialists Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore, who answered all your burning questions about the prehistoric eating plan.

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Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Online, the pair who co-authored The Paleo Primer: A Second Helping explained the principles of eating Paleo.

What is the Paleo diet?

Essentially the Paleo diet or the Paleo-ish diet as we like to call it is a diet based upon predominantly unprocessed foods including meat, poultry, fish, fruit, herbs, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The principle benefit to favouring these foods is the fact that they're some of the most nutritious foods available to us in terms of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant content, plus these foods have always been the foundation of the human diet.

Good news dieters! The 23 foods that contain NO calories because you burn more than you consume as you eat

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APRICOTS - Calorie content: 12 kcals per apricotEating apricots is said to help reduce the risk of strokes, and heart attacks. They're also full of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fibre, which all promote good heart health

How can the Paleo diet help you lose weight?

One of the biggest factors is the reduction in processed foods, most of which are loaded with poor quality fats, refined carbohydrates, excess salt and food additives all which make them highly palatable, difficult to portion control and can lead to an energy excess in the body.

Replacing these with natural, nutritious ingredients, especially more vegetables, means your calorie consumption is effortlessly reduced whilst still eating a similar volume of food.

Furthermore the foods emphasised on the paleo diet are loaded with micronutrients that fuel your metabolism including zinc, magnesium, iodine and B vitamins, plus the increase in protein and fibre provide more satiating meals which allows you to increase the gaps between meals and eliminate snacking.

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Can you drink alcohol on a Paleo diet?

Sure you can with our flexible approach, you can also eat cake or cookies too, the key is moderation.

As the saying goes it's not a diet its a lifestyle and the reality is there are numerous occasions you don't want to be weighed down by restrictions.

You can join in and celebrate birthdays, holidays and meet friends for a few drinks if that's what you enjoy, then just start the following day with a nutritious breakfast and continue your usual tasty, healthy meals.

If you are looking to lose that belly fat, try these simple easy to follow tips that will help you on the road

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Eat every three hours - Passing on breakfast will send your body into starvation mode, meaning your body starts to store everything youve eaten as fat, and youre midsection is the first to suffer the consequences

Do you have to stick to a certain amount of calories per day?

We offer guidance on calories and macronutrients, however, we dont believe in counting calories on a daily basis.

Your calorie consumption is effortlessly reduced whilst still eating a similar volume of food

Educating yourself so you have a better understanding and awareness of foods is essential as this allows you to meet your basic needs and establish healthy portion sizes.

Some people will need to adapt things slightly once in a consistent Paleo-ish routine and possibly increase their protein intake or limit carbohydrates depending upon their body composition and lifestyle.

It's important to note that sleep, exercise, sunlight exposure and stress management play a fundamental role in health and fat loss, we call these maxi-nutrients.

Does the Paleo diet improve your overall health?

The Paleo-ish diet can have an astounding impact on overall health.

The increase in healthy macronutrients plus extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants improves mood health, enhances energy levels and digestive function.

It also supports a healthy immune system by lowering levels of systemic inflammation in the body and therefore your risk of chronic disease.

Ideally these nutritional changes are implemented alongside increased physical activity, sufficient sleep and a means of supporting mental health with mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

We have helped numerous individuals use the paleo diet as an intervention for type-2 diabetes and other inflammatory driven diseases and achieved great results.

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83% of people lose weight by following THIS simple diet plan ... - Daily Star