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Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:44 am
Hyderabad:The present day lifestyle and working conditions has made weight loss a buzzword, giving rise to an entire industry dedicated for it. There are hi-tech gyms, personal trainers, customised fad diets, bariatric nip and tuck surgeries, sauna centres and even roadside signboards of quacks that boldly claim that only they have the right answers to the knotty question of how to lose weight.
Most, at one point or the other, might have pursued a fancy diet in the hope of getting back to shape. In such pursuits, more often than not, the disappointments are many because after the initial gains in terms of weight loss individuals quickly hit a saturation point when no matter how hard one tries, weight loss doesnt happen.
As a result, one quickly loses interest and goes back to his/her earlier lifestyle. Due to failed experience from earlier attempts, individuals find it very hard to regroup and redraw their previous plans. Many are left with doubts, misconceptions and misinformation, which makes the concept of weight loss quite intimidating.
Unless one has a long term sustainable plan that strikes a right balance between diet and physical exercise, cases of relapse are bound to happen. While a hi-tech gym may facilitate individuals in losing weight in a few months, if not supported by a proper diet they will fail in the long run.If you think that walking, cycling, swimming or running daily will melt away excess fat, then you are in for a surprise.
Taking up only physical exercise doesnt help, because individuals must burn more calories than they consume. Therefore, its vital to balance what we eat and how much we exercise.
Instead of making drastic changes in eating patterns, nutritionist Dr Lahari Surapaneni advocates making small incremental changes spread over a period of time to ones diet.The nutritionist, who did her Ph.D in Food Science and Nutrition in the United States, maintains that small changes in diet help in avoiding the feeling of depravation, which often leads to binge eating.Moreover, small changes consistently done over a period of time help individuals in smoother transition into a healthier lifestyle.
A small change like reducing amount of sugar added to coffee or tea will have a big impact over a period of time, rather than completely giving up coffee or tea, she explains.
Dr Lahari urges people to stay away from fad diets. If anything looks or sounds too good to be true, it most probably is. There are no quick fixes for getting healthier.
Fad diets often involve cutting entire food groups that can make your diet nutritionally unbalanced, she points out.Such diets are unrealistic to sustain for long and people often end up breaking them within a few days. Whatever your goal may be, understand and beware that attaining it takes time, effort and commitment. For more details: http://www.nutrifulyou.com
Healthy habits
Plan your meal for the day
Pack meals, snacks to office
Maintain food diary to understand eating patterns
Dont hesitate to take advice from qualified nutritionists
Nutritionists can provide personalised diet plans
Most fitness diet plans available online are meant for western population
Fad diets often involve cutting entire food groups that can make your diet nutritionally unbalanced. Dr Lahari Surapaneni, Nutritionist
In March this year, 36-year-old Abhijith Dubey, a legal officer at United Indian Insurance, was weighing 98 kilograms and was clearly struggling with excessive weight. It was making him drowsy, lethargic and often gave rise to niggling health issues, forcing him to sit up and take notice. By sheer dint of commitment and hard work, by August, Abhijith had managed to bring down his weight to 78 kilograms.
The miraculous transformation of losing close to 20 kilograms within a few months was based on planning and adopting healthy lifestyle including balanced diet and physical activity.Its important to have a perfect diet plan and active lifestyle. Only walking or running wont help in reducing weight.
Having a firm control over diet is very important, he says. With the help of nutritionist, the legal officer started turning around his eating habits. I started gradually by reducing quantities of rice, cutting down on sugar, oil and processed food. Instead of making drastic changes, I adopted changes gradually, he recalls. Instead of eating only thrice a day, Abhijith started taking small meals more frequently.
The idea was to eat less but more number of times in a day. I adopted salads, green leafy vegetables and fruits in a big way, he says. He also trained with Hyderabad Runners. Physical exercise and proper diet must go hand in hand. Every day, you need to burn more calories than what you eat and therefore tracking food intake is very important, he suggests.
Tracking food intake is important as you need to burn more calories than what you eat Abhijith Dubey, Legal Officer, United Indian Insurance
Senior long distance cyclist from Hyderabad Gokul Krishna says those looking to lose weight and those wishing to lead an active lifestyle should pursue at least two physical activities instead of just one. Weight loss is not something you achieve in two to three months and then quit. It has to be sustainable and for that to happen, physical activity should be a combination of multiple activities. If thats not the case then you will quit in the long term, says Gokul, who is co-founder of The Bike Affair.
The long distance cyclist advises that people should cultivate at least two sports that can be pursued in a week. If you walk three times a day, then the next one or two days in a week, you should try some other sports like badminton or even cycling. Dont invest everything on just one kind of physical activity, he says.For those who are overweight and nursing an injury, Gokul advises walking and regular cycling, which will put less pressure on the body.
For weight loss, you need to have a holistic view that includes a proper diet and exercise plan, he says. The cycling expert urges weight loss seekers to keep a close tab on their body metabolism, which is the rate at which the body burns energy. If you take long gap between two meals, then your metabolic rate comes down. The body knows that food availability is scarce and it starts storing fat.
However, if you eat small amounts of food in short bursts, the body will start burning energy, which reduces fat, explains Gokul.
Holistic approach
Well planned exercise mandatory
Keep goals realistic and strive towards them
Multiple physical activities for sustenance
Balanced diet should contain 15% to 25% protein
Take up physical exercise that only suits you
Ideally, one should exercise for 40-45 minutes per day
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:43 am
If you put on a few extra pounds this summer, or just want to start a weight loss campaign, Scottish Slimmers exclusive mini Feelgood Food Plan will get you off to a flying start.
Its simple, its effective and its fast. Just think one week from today YOU could be 5lbs lighter if you follow Scottish Slimmers exclusive plan.
And to give you extra encouragement, as well as our exclusive 7-day plan, this week we follow three slimmers on their weight loss journey and how they can testify that it is possible to lost up to 5lbs if not more than in your first week
So what are you waiting for nows the time to lose 5lbs fast.
Scottish Slimmers know all about losing weight and this mini Feelgood Food plan, exclusive to Daily Record readers, gives you a choice of four breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners to mix and match. Each day can have a hunger-busting menu but its still full of the kind of foods that give you a healthy balance. Even better, theres still room to enjoy some snacks as well.
Its feelgood, fast, filling, fabulous and foolproof.
Choose one Breakfast, one Lunch, one Main Meal and 2 Snacks or 3 for men each day
You can also add fruit freely (not grapes or bananas) or more vegetables to every meal or snack
Use skimmed milk freely in hot drinks or with cereal.
Portions
Although some weights are included, judge portion sizes according to your plate.
plate = whole grain, pasta, rice, potatoes or bread
plate = Lean meat/fish or pulses
plate = Fruit/vegetables
Fruity Muesli Bircher
Mix 30g rolled porridge oats, 25ml unsweetened apple juice , 50ml water, a small apple (peeled, cored and grated) 1 tsp chopped walnuts or pecans, chopped with 4 tbsp 0 per cent fat Greek yogurt , 1 tsp clear honey, a few berries of your choice.
Sandwich Thin
One large slice melon. Split one wholemeal sandwich thin. Cover each side with sliced half-fat cheese or two light cheese spread triangles and slices tomato. Grill.
Cooked Combo
Grill two lean bacon rashers and a tomato. Heat a small tin baked beans and dry fry an egg in a spray of oil. Serve with a slice wholemeal toast.
Smoothie & Cereal
One 180ml bottle any flavour fruit smoothie followed by low-sugar Granola served with skimmed milk or fat-free yogurt.
Cheese Melt
Mix 1 tbsp half-fat grated cheese with 1 tbsp 0 per cent yogurt and one chopped spring onion. Toast one side of a slice of wholemeal bread. Then, spread mixture on the other side and grill. Add chopped tomatoes on top. One peach and one pear.
Southern Fried Chicken
Oven-bake a portion Southern Fried chicken or fillets as instructions. Cook a half corn on the cob in water. Serve with 2 tbsp low-fat coleslaw and salad.
Sausage, Egg & Beans
Grill two low-fat sausages or one Quorn sausage and serve with one dry-fried egg and four rounded tbsp baked beans.
Rice Mix
Mix cooked whole grain pasta or rice (from 60g dry weight) with 60g chopped cooked lean ham, one chopped pineapple ring, 2 tbsp sweetcorn, chopped tomato, onion, cucumber and fat-free dressing. Serve hot or cold.
Steak Pan-Fry with Wedges (Serves 2)
Boil or microwave 2 large potatoes in their skins. Cool and cut into thick wedges. Spray with oil, season and cook in the oven for about 25 minutes.
Spray a non-stick pan with oil and heat. Add red onion slices and cook gently. Add 250g steak strips. Add some cherry tomatoes and sliced mushrooms
to the onions and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Add 4 tbsp sweetcorn kernels and heat. Serve each person with half the steak mixture, half the wedges and a large salad.
Feelgood Grill
Grill, bake or barbecue either a large skinless chicken breast, a well-trimmed pork steak, a lean rump steak or a large salmon fillet. Serve with a medium-sized baked potato, and lots of salad or vegetables and light coleslaw.
Herby fishcakes (Serves 4)
In a bowl, mix 400g mashed potato, 100g tinned sweetcorn, 2tsp chopped parsley and 1 large tin salmon (drained) Form 8 fishcakes. Dip each cake into 1 beaten egg and then into 120g wholemeal breadcrumbs. Grill until golden brown. Serve 2 fishcakes to each person with 2 tbsp baked beans.
Salmon and Watercress Fritatta (Serves 2)
Spray a non-stick pan with oil. Cook 6 sliced spring onions until tender, Add 2 handfuls of chopped watercress, Skin and flake 150g hot smoked salmon
into small pieces. Add to the pan with a lemon zest and a pinch of chilli flakes. Now, whisk 6 eggs with 1 tbsp low-fat crme fraiche - season and
pour into the pan. Cook gently until the bottom is firm. Place under the grill until the top is set and golden brown. Serves with vegetables on the side.
2 OR 3 A DAY
Cheese rolls
Roll Extra Light soft cheese and peach slices in three or four slices of ham
Nuts & raisins
Nibble on 50g peanuts & raisins, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, strips of pepper, broccoli or cauliflower florets.
Dessert
Serve two level scoops plain ice cream with 100g fresh or frozen berries and a sugar-free jelly
A small glass wine
A bottle light beer
A packet low fat crisps
Three rice cakes
100g prawns dipped into extra light mayonnaise
A pitta bread
Two oatcakes (e.g. Patersons) with 30g extra light soft cheese.
165g pot diet/fat-free yogurt or fromage frais
175g frozen grapes
A banana
30g of popped popcorn (not sugar coated)
30g almonds
A low-calorie cake bar
Two mini corn on the cob
A slice wholemeal bread with low-fat spread
Join Scottish Slimmers with a friend and take advantage of this exclusive two-for-one offer.
5 each for your first class.
Try our new Flexislim class and our fantastic Feelgood Food Plan. Were here to help you be the best you can be.
Take this coupon along to any Scottish Slimmers class to claim your special offer before September 15, 2017.
Offer open to New and Rejoining members attending together.
Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
CODE : 549910
For more information about Scottish Slimmers and their new Flexislim Feelgood Eating plan log on to http://www.scottishslimmers.com or call FREE on 0800 36 26 36.
Read the rest here:
Shed those pounds with this simple, effective and FAST Scottish Slimmers seven-day plan - Scottish Daily Record
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:43 am
Cardiovascular exercises are usually the easiest way to lose fat. Cardio coupled with weight-training is one of the oldest trick in the book to lose fat and gain muscle.For someone whos never been to the gym, it is easy togetoverwhelmed by the cardio machines and have to choose between, lets say the treadmill or the rowing machine.Every cardio machine works differently on the body and tends to burn varying amounts of fat. (To find out which is the best cardio machine to burn fat, click here.)
When it comes to losing weight though, its a pretty straightforward deal: cardio exercises help you lose fat faster. But, aswith everything else, itis also important that you start slow to avoid injuries. Weight-training is also equally important, not just to gain muscle and give your bodybetter definition but also toavoid muscle injury. Here are:
Walking is perhaps the easiest and the best cardio exercises for fat loss. It is one of those exercises which you can incorporate into your daily routine without having to shift around your schedule too much. Walking as a cardio exercise helps you to burn 300 to 400 calories per hour. Thats quite a lot and atzero expense. But, you cant expect to take a light evening stroll and lose 400 calories. You need to take a brisk yet moderately fast-paced walk for the fat loss to happen. Not only that, a simple exercise like walking helps you maintain a healthy weight and is the best way to improve your mood. It also helps you strengthenyour bones and muscles.
Walking is good, running is great but sprinting is even better. Yet again, sprinting doesnt requireany equipment other than a pair of good shoes. Sprintinghelps you burn calories and increase your stamina. To make the most of yourworkout,alternate between sprinting and jogging for 30-45 secondseach for an hour. Even thougha treadmill will do just fine,theres nothing quite like running on a track.
Ellipticalworkouts can help youburnup to500 calories per hour at a moderate speed. Switch up the intensity and speedfor your elliptical workout tobe moreeffective. The ellipticalis an excellent way of losing fat without hurtingyour joints. Unlike a treadmill or a stationary bicycle, an ellipticaltends to workout your entire body.
The stationary cycle is often the most overlooked machine in the gym. But use it well and you will be able to burn as many as 1200 calories in a single hour. Cyclingisnt just one of the best cardio exercises for fat loss but it also helps you strengthen your leg muscles and build stamina.While acycle in the gym isnt a bad idea at all, cyclists will tell you that nothing compares to the real thing. Cycling in the open will not just help you lose fat and get fit, it will alsoencourage you to get outdoors and soak in some Vitamin D.
One of the big movements in fitness trends today involves a return to playgroundactivities the kind of workouts you did as a child. Think jumping rope, running, hopscotch you get the drift.Skipping, in that light, isnt just a kids play. Sure, you had a blast with the rope when you were a kid but the humble skipping rope is also the go-to equipment for athletes and boxers (including he great Muhammad Ali) whose sport requiresstamina. Not onlydoes skipping help you build stamina, it is also considered one of the best cardio exercises for far loss.Done properly, skipping is slightly more intense than walking.The simplest way to make the best of your rope is toskip for a minute straight, take a 20- to 30-second break and repeat.
This ones a no-brainer.Depending on who you ask, swimming is perhaps the best cardio exercise to lose fat. Not only does it workoutyour entire body,because ofthe nature of the exercise,swimming causes almost no injuries whatsoever. Swimming, when done right, can help you lose as much as 14 calories in a single minute. Compared to any other cardio exercise in this list, swimming has far fewer downsides (almost none) and is a great way to lose weight.
Quite like the cycle,the rowing machine is one of the most neglected piece of equipment in the gym. But it also happens to be one of the most efficient one if you want to lose weight. Like the elliptical, the rowing machineworks out your entire body andcan help you lose as many as 600 calories per hour.Advanced users can even burn as many as 1,000 calories an hour. Like with any cardio exercise,alternating bursts of high intensity activity with 20- to 30-second intervals of going easy will help you make the most of your rowing workout.
Though not a cardiovascular exercise, technically, a kettlebell workout can easily help you lose as many as 900 calories per house. Done right, a a kettlebell workout can help you lose as much as 20 calories per minute.As with anything in life, itwouldnt help if you rush into a kettlebell workout and slowly build your muscle and stamina before going all intense.The kettlebell workout will help you build muscle and lose fat and give you that lean, muscular physique without making you look bulky. For best results, alternate betweenhigh intensity movements for 40-50 seconds straight and then lower your movement intensity to 20-30 seconds and repeat this movement a several times.
Research says that climbing stairs can help you burn up to 600 calories an house. And you can achieve this even when youre working out at a moderate pace. Star training is also a greatcardio exercise for fat loss that doesnt require anything besides a pair of good running shoes and, well, a flight of stairs. That being said this is also a workout that can put a fair amount of stress on your knees and so must be practiced with caution. If you have issues with your knee joint, this is definitely not anexercise for you.
High-intensity interval training is a great workout for quickfat loss. As the name suggests, the high-intensity of the workout could help a person to lose upto 500 or even 1200 calories per hour. order to have a perfect workout, you need to get the correct body weight movement paired with a traditional cardio element. The ultimate goal of the high intensity workout is to go all out for a interval and then take a short break and repeatthe process to achieve your final goal. It takes similar amount of time but still help you with more fat loss than any other exercise combined. The best part about HIIT is that it can be done with anything, be it from running, sprinting, cycling, weights or even an elliptical for that matter. As long as its high intensity, youre good to go.
Needless to say, all these workouts must be carried out under the watchful eye of a trainer. Something aselementary as walking can also cause injuries; bad posture while walking and incorrect strides can lead to injuries. So, while some of these workouts may seem simple, it is always advisable to have an expert supervise you in theinitial days of your weight-loss journey.
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Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:43 am
MEDIA DRUM WORLD
Frances Carpenter was raised by her doting single mum who spoilt her with food.
The 28-year-old indulged on greasy takeaways, crisps and sweets until she hit 23st 9lbs and ballooned to a dress size 26.
The software support engineer from California, US, never felt satisfied and was always haunted with self-esteem issues.
But one day she began experiencing pre-diabetic symptoms such as fatigue, blurred vision and frequent urination which shocked her into changing her lifestyle.
Take a look at these exceptional body transformations.
1 / 30
Elora Harre, 23 has lost eight stone
After a complete U-turn in her diet and exercise routine Frances is now a slender 14st 8lbs and dress size 14-16.
She went from consuming over 2,000 calories a day to 1,600 a day, while started eating balanced meals and practicing portion control.
I was an emotional eater to put it lightly
Frances said: I have seen members of my family lose their life because of their weight and weight-related health issues, I just didnt want that to be me.
I have been overweight throughout my entire life from adolescence to my teen years; always turning to food as comfort for anything that didnt go my way.
I was an emotional eater to put it lightly.
"I went through high school overweight and by my last year of high school, I was around 17st 12lbs."
MEDIA DRUM WORLD
She continued: The way I grew up, my childhood was not the easiest; being raised by a single parent.
"Never having a father figure around I think contributed to most of my weight gain.
When I was younger, my mother never told me no, I think mostly out of guilt, she felt bad for our upbringing and food made me happy.
It wasnt right but at that point she was just doing anything to try and keep me smiling. I was really trying to fill a void in my life with food.
Even at a young age, I recognised something was missing and I wanted to fix it, I just didnt know how.
As much as she tried to shake the lonely feeling she had by over-eating, nothing was working and a voice in her head kept telling her there was no point trying to lose weight.
But after her health scare, Frances joined CrossFit a fitness programme dedicated to helping people improve their workout routines.
Frances explained: I couldnt sit and wait for some miracle any longer, I just had hit rock bottom and knew I needed to fix it and fast or it was only going to get worse.
I joined a Crossfit gym that completely changed my workout routine.
Crossfit incorporates every type of workout including cardio, weightlifting, gymnastics, and strength training all at different intensity levels.
MEDIA DRUM WORLD
After growing up eating nothing but fast food, crisps and sweets, the weight loss process proved to be difficult for France but she soon felt better than ever.
She said: The hardest thing for me was the food; living my life one way, always eating whatever I wanted and never thinking whats good or bad for me then all of a sudden - a drastic change.
I was eating different foods, but my mind was still wanting to eat the way I used to.
"Changing my mindset was extremely hard, I am still working on it, but its a lot better than it was."
MEDIA DRUM WORLD
Frances added: I have had people not recognise me. People are usually shocked at my results. A lot of people congratulate me on the hard work I have put in.
Everyone wants to know how I did it, I get that a lot. Just a lot of hard work and dedication.
I feel healthy, I have tons of energy that I never had before. Im confident, proud and extremely happy. Words cannot describe the feeling.
I have enough confidence to share my story with thousands of people in hopes they also can see how capable they are.
More here:
Woman is unrecognisable after losing 9st naturally see her amazing transformation - Daily Star
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:42 am
Celebrities, and women ingeneral, are under tons of pressure to keep their weight down, even when havinga baby. For many women, that isnt a realityKatherine Heigl included. I had hoped to only gain 25 to 30 poundslike my mother during her pregnancies, but found that just wasnt possible forme,Heiglwrote on her blog Heavenly Days.
You May Also Like: This Is the ONE Move That Gets Jennifer Lopez's Legs and Butt So Toned
Although Heigl isnt at hergoal weight yet, she shared in a post how she has lost 50 pounds thanks to somemental exercises and healthy habits. After all, she believes the process shouldnt be astruggle. Instead of weight lossbeing a terrible, frustrating burden and battle, its become more of a lifestyleof healthy choices I make to show my body the love it deserves.
The first thing she did was changeher relationship with food. After years of counting calories and deprivingherself of certain foods and complete food categories, she realized she wassetting an unreasonable weight goal for herself. None of those things ever really worked forme and only fostered an unhealthy, resentful relationship with my body, anattitude that I do not want to pass on to my daughters, she wrote.
With that being said, Heiglstill points out the importance of mindful eating during her weight-lossjourney. Because she doesnt do high-impact workouts that burn a lot of calories,she eats low-calorie meals. This includes things like smoothies, oatmeal andcreamy cucumber soup.
When it comes to working out, Heigl explains she doesnt really enjoy high-intensity workouts. Instead,she does things like hiking and yoga, which are better for her body type. Shedevotes at least three days to exercising.
You May Also Like: Britney Spears Shows Off Her Workout Moves That Keep Her In Killer Shape
Another surprising piece ofadvice she shared was the importance of sleep. She gets at least eight hours ofsleep every night. YeahI realize thats a little hard to believe with a six-month-old and all, but itsthe truth, she jokes. Sleep for weight loss is definitely something we can geton board with.
All in all, whats her bestweight-loss advice? Startevery morning by saying out loud a positive mantra of your choice about yourbody. Her mantra is, I am easily, with good health, inspiration, grace andgratitude losing weight faster than I can even imagine with harm tonone.
Originally posted here:
The Mental Trick That Helped Katherine Heigl Shed 50 Pounds - NewBeauty Magazine (blog)
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:42 am
Could shivering in the cold be a way to shed pounds and possibly prevent diabetes?
Exposure to cold is the most well-known and well-studied mechanism for switching on energy-burning brown fat, which seems to protect mice from developing obesity. It remains to be seen whether the same process can help people.
Humans have three kinds of fat. White adipose tissue, or white fat, comprises the majority of fat in our bodies; its purpose is to store energy for future use. Brown fat is different: Its function is to generate heat to maintain body temperature. Until recently, it was thought that adults did not have brown fat, that it only existed in babies to help them stay warm before they could move around and then essentially vanished. But beginning in 2009, studies have found that many adults have brown fat and that people with more of it tend to be leaner and have lower blood sugar levels.
The third kind of fat, beige fat, appears to convert from white to brown when stressed by exposure to cold, and then back to white. This process is encouraging for scientists trying to figure out how to increase brown fat to improve healthy functioning of the body.
[If you want to lose weight, dropping meat may help]
A balanced diet and regular exercise are the cornerstones of healthy metabolism, but sustaining either is difficult for most people. Understanding how brown fat could benefit our health opens up a new direction in obesity research, says Paul Lee, an endocrinologist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, where he leads the Brown Fat Physiology Group. It is not a solution to obesity, but it is an opportunity to explore an alternative strategy for curbing the obesity epidemic.
When the body senses cold, Lee says, the brain releases norepinephrine, a chemical that essentially ignites the fat-burning process within brown fat. When there is not enough brown fat, the body has to turn to less-efficient heat-generating models, such as shivering.
Aaron Cypess, a clinical investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, calls brown fat the principal organ responsible for generating heat in laboratory animals.
In mice and rats, Cypess says, chronic activation of brown fat [by exposing them to low temperatures or to drugs that target brown fat] ... is associated with a reduction in liver fat, a resistance to diet-induced obesity and improvement in insulin release. All of these benefits and others may also apply to people, but it will take much longer to prove because studies in humans have to be conducted differently, he says.
He adds, While white fat is easy to spot in humans think abdomen, hips, buttocks and thighs brown fat tends to be located around the neck and above the collarbone, along the spine and near the kidneys. Additionally, Cypess says, humans are genetically more diverse than lab mice, which produces results with much higher variability.
Lee says that when people are cold and begin to shiver, their muscles release irisin, a hormone that turns white fat into brown fat. The more a person shivers, the more irisin is released into the bloodstream.
A 2014 study by Lee dubbed the ICEMAN study found that after a month of sleeping at cool temperatures, five men increased their stores of brown fat by 30 to 40 percent and metabolized sugars more efficiently after a meal, which could be helpful for people with diabetes. When the sleeping temperature was raised, the brown stores dropped.
(Interestingly, another recent study found that brown fat also may be stimulated by taking a drug used to treat overactive bladder.)
Cypess says that this research makes it clear that activating or increasing brown fat stores might prevent weight gain, lead to weight loss and provide a new avenue for treating diabetes and obesity.
Can the average person embark on a shiver diet to lose weight?
Lee says he believes the current evidence does not support the notion that shivering may be a route to losing weight. (Despite the studys name, ICEMAN the Impact of Chronic Cold Exposure in Humans exposed participants to only mild cold, not shiveringly low temperatures.)
Cypess says that shivering to lose weight is an interesting idea, but there are many unknowns.
First, is it safe?
Lee says that shivering causes stress and could harm the body, which explains why the human body has evolved mechanisms to turn on brown fat or to turn white fat into brown fat.
In most people, Cypess says, shivering causes increases in blood pressure that over the years could damage blood vessels in the brain, heart and kidneys.
Additionally, Cypess says, there is no evidence to prove that a low-temperature regimen could be effective long-term. One of the biggest limitations of weight-loss interventions is that the body learns to compensate to maintain itself, and that might be true with a shiver diet. Lee and Cypess agree that no weight-loss regimen should be recommended without a great deal of evidence that it will work for more than a few weeks or months and that the weight loss can be sustained evidence that doesnt exist.
Finally, Cypess says, being cold is extremely uncomfortable. While suggestions exist that long-term activation of brown fat could be beneficial to weight loss and diabetes reduction, this has yet to be proven, he stresses.
Francesco Celi, chair of the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, said in an email that he expects future research will include conducting studies in humans that will test various interventions (drugs or environmental modifications) to expand and activate brown fat to help scientists determine what kind of metabolic improvements can occur. And by studying the various responses to interventions, researchers will be able to determine which patients respond better to brown-tissue expansion and perhaps why they do.
Cypess says he expects scientists to focus on determining to what extent adult brown fat contributes to getting rid of excess calories, how brown fat could be used to bring down blood sugar levels and how brown fat interacts with other organs to keep people healthy.
But even with all that, he adds, Basically, the issue of losing weight is about controlling the amount of food we put into our mouths.
Read more
Why many people regain weight after going on a diet, and what to do about that
Fitness trackers may not, in fact, help you lose weight
New drug tricks metabolism into burning fat as if youve just finished a meal
A blast of cold jump-starts fat burning and generates body heat
Go here to see the original:
How being cold may one day help people lose weight and protect against diabetes - Washington Post
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:42 am
The ketogenic keto diet has become incredibly popular in recent years as it focuses on eating plenty and not restricting meals in the same way as other meal plans tend to do.
The diet does involve limiting carbs to 50 grams or less, which puts the body into a state of ketosis, when the body turn to ketones to create energy.
Talking about the plan, Carol Johnston, professor and associate director of the nutrition program in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University, revealed how it works and whether she thinks it is a sensible diet to follow.
The science behind the keto diet claims followers must consume a high fat, low carb diet, similar to the Atkins Diet.
Discussing whether she thinks this is sensible, Prof. Johnston said: There is mounting evidence that suggests calorie restricted, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets are effective for weight loss, and the keto diet is an extreme version of this.
Low-carb diets can be more satiating, allowing dieters to feel full longer, eat less, and thus experience greater weight loss success.
Speaking to medicalxpress.com, she continued: Overwhelmingly, the most important factor in weight loss success is diet adherence. In research trials, most individuals who lose weight regain most of it within a year, regardless of which diet they were on.
Explaining the science behind the diet, Prof. Johnston said: When carb intake is restricted for a few days, glycogen stores in the muscle are reduced. Glycogen is responsible for water retention, so when its levels fall, so do our water levels.
However, she point out, since most of this weight lost is water weight, it will return when the person consumes carbs again.
But despite her assertion that the keto diet mostly encourages water weight to begin with, Prof. Johnston did admit restricting carbs is a good idea for weight management.
She said: When we eat more carbs than we need, they convert to body fat, which contributes to obesity.
In general, average Americans those with a relatively sedentary lifestyle consume more carbs and calories than they actually need.
Another expert who has spoken positively about the keto diet is Susie Burrell, a dietician and nutritionist with two Honours degrees in Nutrition & Dietetics and Psychology.
She has told dieters that there are many benefits to the keto diet plan.
She wrote for news.com of the keto diet: With their superior weight loss and associated reductions in inflammation in the body, there are a number of benefits, particularly for individuals with high blood glucose levels, fatty liver and significant amounts of weight to lose.
She also said: There is no evidence to show that keto diets are damaging to the body.
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Weight loss: How to lose weight by eating MORE with this diet plan - Express.co.uk
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:42 am
Green tea has been found to leave drinkers fuller for longer, according to Swedish research.
Scientists in Sweden found sipping Japanese sencha, a type of green tea, straight after eating will helped to keep participants full for up to two hours.
Drunk immediately after lunch, and this means mid-afternoon cravings could be stopped in their tracks.
Not only that, but the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found green tea boosts metabolism.
The catechins in green tea are responsible for the boost, and also increase calorie burn by up to four per cent.
And those who eat a high protein, low carb diet may also want to add a cup of the green stuff to their menu.
The cholesterol levels in red meat are high, but a Chinese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine discovered the antioxidants in green tea lower harmful LDL cholesterol and reduce risks of a heart attack by 11 per cent.
There have also been studies performed on overweight people to see how drinking green tea would effect their waistline.
Researchers were surprised to find big shifts in weight for those who drank green tea regularly.
Moderately overweight people where given two drinks each a day.
For one group all were placebos, the other had one serving of green tea while the other had two.
Scientists who carried out the research, in Shanghai, China, found: We observed a decrease in estimated intra-abdominal fat in the GT3 group, or the group with two servings of green tea.
In addition, we found decreases of 1.9 cm in waist circumference and 1.2 kg body weight.
The study did not include any other changes in diet or exercise.
A similar study that aimed to measure the effects of green tea on overweight Thai patients found the same thing.
We conclude that green tea can reduce body weight in obese Thai subjects by increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation, the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, at Khon Kaen University found.
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Weight loss: Drinking THIS with your meal will prevent cravings and help shed the pounds - Express.co.uk
Posted: August 14, 2017 at 10:42 am
With summer drawing to a close, a new (and quite literally) cool option is making it easier to achieve that beach-ready body no matter the time of year.
CoolSculpting is a nonsurgical, fat removal technique that uses a handheld device to freeze and destroy fat cells. This noninvasive medical procedure is known as cryolipolysis and can be completed on one's lunch break, according to Dr. Adel Faltaous, chief of plastic surgery at Marshall Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
"Patients come first for a consultation from a board-certified surgeon, and we determine which areas of the body they'd like to treat. Approved treatment areas include the abdomen, inner and outer thighs, back, flank, arms and even underneath the chin," Faltaous said. "CoolSculpting requires no recovery time. We don't need incisions, needles, suction hoses or anesthesia."
The type of fat each individual has determines the treatment they need, according to Taylor Dillard, a licensed practical nurse for Huntington Dermatology, who has conducted CoolSculpting procedures for more than a year.
"We need to determine if you have the hard, visceral fat or the subcutaneous fat, which is squishy and directly under the skin," Dillard said. "Once we identify which fat cell is most dominate, we determine how many treatments each area needs based on the patients' goals. There's no limit, and we can treat the area until they are happy."
Using freezing plates and an applicator that contains a vacuum, certified CoolSculpting specialists are able to capture a fold of skin with the fat underneath and freeze the area, which destroys these cells. Dillard said a patient's fat cells and their contents are cleared naturally by a process called apoptosis, which means the macrophages - the Pac-men of the body - take them away without ever dumping fat into the circulation system, unlike liposuction and other techniques of fat removal.
The idea of removing fat using freezing mechanisms derived from studying something as simple as a popsicle, Faltaous noted.
"Harvard scientists studied the loss of cheek fat that occurs while sucking on a frozen popsicle. They realized there was a connection between the exposure of an area of the body to cold temperature and resulting fat loss in the area," Faltaous said. "With this research, we've been able to pinpoint a precise temperature which maximizes the destruction of fat."
Dillard said patients can expect to lose up to 25 percent of fat in each treated area.
"At about puberty, we have all the fat cells in our body that we are ever going to have. As we gain and lose weight, we aren't gaining and losing fat cells - our established fat cells are just losing and gaining the weight," Dillard said. "With CoolSculpting, we destroy a percentage of those fat cells every time we treat it. It is permanent because you can't regrow those cells."
Although many patients are eager to say goodbye to those love handles, doctors recommend the patient be within 30 pounds of their desired weight loss goal before getting the treatment.
"CoolSculpting is not intended for significant weight loss, but for treating stubborn areas of fat resistant to diet and exercise," Faltaous said. "Results are not immediate and usually take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to take effect."
Side effects of the procedure include bruising, swelling and a slight tingling in the treated area. Dillard said women who are pregnant or nursing, or individuals who have decreased liver or kidney function, recent herniation of abdomen, recent surgical scars or certain blood disorders are not ideal candidates.
With more than five procedures conducted a week on average, Faltaous said the cost per procedure can vary depending on the patient and the amount of areas they want treated.
"The cost is around $700 per application, and we recommend two applications within six weeks of each other for the best results," Faltaous said.
No matter where you decide to get treated, all professionals agree the CoolSculpting procedure does not give a patient the license to go on a calorie binge.
"The fat cells you've destroyed will remain dead; however, if you gain weight, the remaining fat will get larger and lessen the results," Dillard said. "We recommend maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine for lasting results."
Both Marshall Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery and Huntington Dermatology offer patients treatment with two CoolSculpting machines during the same time, which means two areas can be treated simultaneously.
Marshall Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, a provider through Marshall Health, is located at 5185 US Route 60 East, Huntington. To schedule a consultation, call 304-691-8910. Huntington Dermatology, Inc. is located at 422 Kinetic Park Drive B, Huntington. To schedule a consultation, call 304-523-5100.
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New fat freezing method offers weight loss alternative - Huntington Herald Dispatch
Posted: August 13, 2017 at 2:48 am
Exercise by itself wont help you lose weight.
This is not to say that exercise isnt good for you; it is, in fact, great for you. It conveys an astonishing array of health benefits.
But and we all hate hearing this many experts, while extolling the benefits of exercise, say the primary villain when it comes to excess weight is whats on our menu. To lose weight, we have to cut calories.
Exercise helps keep lost pounds off, but exercise alone cant do the initial job of losing it.
I think the role of exercise in weight loss is highly overrated, says Marc Reitman, chief of the diabetes, endocrinology and obesity branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, or NIDDK. I think its really great for being healthy, but Im a strong believer that overeating is what causes obesity. To exercise your way out of overeating is impossible.
Michael Joyner, a Mayo Clinic researcher who studies how people respond to the stress of exercise, agrees. The key for weight loss is to generate and maintain a calorie deficit, he says. Its pretty easy to get people to eat 1,000 calories less per day, but to get them to do 1,000 calories per day of exercise walking 10 miles is daunting at many levels, including time and motivation, he says.
To be sure, some people can work weight off, experts say. These include those who exercise vigorously for long periods, and professional athletes, who typically engage in high-intensity workouts.
But they are the exceptions. Those high-level workouts are not something most people do, says Philip F. Smith, co-director of NIDDKs office of obesity research. Walking for an hour wont do it.
Joyner agrees. Theoretically, people can exercise enough to lose without changing what they eat, but they have to exercise a whole lot, he says.
Moreover, moderate exercise doesnt really burn all that many calories, especially when you think about a single piece of chocolate cake, which has between 200 and 500 calories. Most people burn only about 100 calories for every mile of running or walking, although this can vary depending on the person, according to Joyner. Put another way, to lose one pound, you must run a deficit of about 3,500 calories meaning that if you burn an excess 500 calories a day, it would take a week to drop that pound.
Kevin D. Hall, an NIDDK scientist who studies how metabolism and the brain adapt to diet and exercise, agrees that a modest degree of weight loss would require large amounts of exercise. However, high levels of physical activity seem to be very important for maintenance of lost weight, he adds, defining high as more than an hour of exercise daily.
In a recent study, Hall concluded that exercise typically result[s] in less average weight loss than expected, based on the exercise calories expended, and that individual weight changes are highly variable even when people stick to exercise regimens.
The likely reason is that people tend to compensate for changes in food intake and non-exercise physical activities, Hall wrote. Or, as Joyner puts it: If people replace non-exercise but otherwise active time with sedentary time, sometimes things cancel out.
Strength training or resistance training lifting weights, for example also is important for overall health, but, as with other forms of exercise, it doesnt prompt weight loss. (In fact, it may cause the reading on the scale to inch up a bit, because muscle is denser than fat.) Nevertheless, strength training is good to maintain lean tissue, Joyner says.
And you cant count on exercise to increase your metabolism for several hours afterward.
Exercise, if hard enough and long enough, certainly can do this, Joyner says. But again, it depends on how much, what type and how hard. A two-mile stroll, while a good thing, will not do too much to resting metabolism.
But now the good news: Exercise remains one of the best things you can do for yourself. It enhances health in numerous ways.
It strengthens the heart and lungs. It reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a collection of symptoms that include hypertension, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
Weight-bearing activities, such as running, strengthen bones and muscles. Having strong bones prevents osteoporosis, helping to avert bone-breaking falls in the elderly. For older people, exercise facilitates the capacity for them to stay engaged in life, Joyner says.
Exercise also reduces the risk of certain cancers, including breast and colon cancer. It elevates mood, and it keeps thinking and judgment skills sharp.
Overall, it helps you live longer. People who work out for about seven hours a week have a 40 percent lower risk of dying early compared with those who exercise less than 30 minutes a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Exercise in almost any dose does so many good things for people, Joyner says.
Is one exercise more effective than another?
I love to play soccer, Smith says. I would do anything to play soccer, and try to play three times a week until my body cant take it. But people should exercise as much as they can tolerate and enjoy. Thats what they should shoot for.
Reitman agrees. The best exercise is the one you keep doing, he says.
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Exercise does so much for you. Why won't it make you lose weight? - Washington Post
