Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

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Im not a fan of most quickie diet plans if long-term weight loss is what youre hoping to achieve. Following a strict diet is often a direct route to yo-yo dieting. However, there are certain long-term lifestyle changes you can make today that will help you reap weight-loss rewards by the end of the week.

The catechins in green tea have been shown by to have a positive effect on both weight loss and weight maintenance. Not only that, but sipping throughout the day will also contribute to being properly hydrated, which is a well known factor to keeping your metabolism running at an optimum level.

As if you needed more reason to brew a cup, adding tea to your day can help contribute to developing a mindful morning routine. Youll be in a better mindset to stay on track towards your weight-loss goal, and take steps towards being your healthiest self. When adding in green tea, dont forget to ditch the soda (diet included).

Have you hit a weight-loss plateau even though you swear your workout routine is on point? To help drop your next couple of pounds, add stretching or foam rolling to your morning routine.

Rolling helps flush out your lymphatic system, congestion, inflammation and stimulate blood circulation. Self myofascial release with a foam roller post exercise has been shown to increase the range of movement in your joints. Most people ignore their lymphatic system, but it needs to function efficiently for the rest of your systems to work well (including your bodies ability to release excess fat stores). Incorporate 10-15 minutes a day to begin.

Current research shows this one to be pretty much a no brainer when it comes to shedding unwanted weight. Processed sugar is directly linked to inflammation in the body, and inflammation is linked to all kinds of health issues. Any excess sugar consumed will eventually be stored as fat. Not only that, but if youre eating lots of sugar, theres a good chance its in conjunction with unhealthy fats (hello frosted donut).

Do a sugar cleanse. Cut out refined carbohydrates and obvious sugars (bye bye afternoon M&Ms and gummy worms), but also try to cut out any added natural sugars (think coconut sugar, honey and agave).

Studies show that eating protein for breakfast may help increase your satiety (how satisfied you feel) throughout the whole day, and may even prevent you from reaching for those late-night sweet snacks. But, dont stop at breakfast, get protein in at every meal.

Fat also contributes to your satiety, and can even help you burn fat. While I dont recommend going all out (control is key) be sure to get fat in consistently throughout the day (about 30 percent of your calories should come from fat). Eggs are a great way to start your day with a dose of protein and fat.

Or, start meal prep-ing in the first place! Dedicate an hour or two to prepping lots of roasted veggies on Sunday to eat throughout the week, or create something different than your same spinach salad you normally pack to bring to work everyday (that you were already sick of two months ago).

Packed lunches of Greek yogurt marinated chicken over my favorite slim slaw are calling your name. Pack snacks, too. Prepping, chopping and slicing all of your veggies before the work week starts will have you crushing afternoon snack time.

For more advice from Keri Glassman, follow her on Instagram. And sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.

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5 ways to lose weight fast - Today.com

Looking for a late-night snack. Photo Credit: Christopher Boswell/Shutterstock

It's tempting to think that, by rearranging your entire diet, you could quickly lose weight and keep it off. All you need to do is eat right for your blood type, or give up carbs, or eat like a Paleolithic human, or eat only raw foods, and so on, and you will be thin before you know it. At least, that's what fad diets promise.

Melinda Hemmelgarn, a Registered Dietitian and investigative nutritionist, who hosts Food Sleuth Radio, distinguishes between "fad" diets and what she calls "popular" diets. A fad diet "generally promises quick and easy weight loss but comes up short on quality." They may lack certain nutrients, and could even be dangerous. She adds that they are "notoriously difficult to follow."

She specifies that the Mediterranean and DASH diets are not fads. They are both popular but they are also "effective for maintaining health for the general population" and "relatively easy to follow if you have access to healthy foods." The Mediterranean diet calls for eating like people who live in the Mediterranean -- high in vegetables and olive oil and only moderate in animal protein, and the DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It calls for a low sodium diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy plus moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts.

When U.S. News and World Reports asked health experts to rank 38 different diets overall, DASH and Mediterranean came in first and second, respectively. The experts considered whether they were "easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective for weight loss and protective against diabetes and heart disease."

A number of well known fad diets fared poorly in the rankings: Slim Fast (#20), South Beach (#24), Glycemic Index Diet (#25), The Zone (#25), Medifast (#29), Raw Food (#32), Atkins (#35), and Paleo (#36).

While a few of those that did poorly overall actually ranked well for promoting weight loss (raw food ranked fifth and Atkins came in twelfth), the Paleo diet came in dead last for weight loss. If that isn't enough bad news about the Paleo diet, archaeological scientist Christina Warinner, says that the foods called for by the diet are not even what ancient human ancestors actually ate.

Hemmelgarn adds that some diets can be clinically indicated for certain patients but may be fad diets if others adopt them. She includes gluten-free in this category. For many, eschewing gluten is no fad. If you have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which you become ill from eating even the smallest amount of gluten, a protein found in wheat and some other grains, going gluten-free is an important matter of staying healthy. But if your body tolerates gluten just fine and you decide to give it up, that can be a fad.

The same can be said for the ketogenic diet, a low carb diet that calls for eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods. The name "ketogenic" refers to "ketosis." Normally, your body gets its fuel by turning the carbohydrates you eat into glycogen and using glycogen as its energy source. If you do not eat carbs, then your body must turn elsewhere for fuel. It turns fat into molecules called ketones and the ketones serve as the body's fuel. When your body does this, it is in ketosis.

By avoiding carbohydrates in the diet, people on the ketogenic diet cause their bodies to go into ketosis. While this sounds like a weight loss scheme, the ketogenic diet is actually often recommended to epilepsy patients to help manage their epilepsy. According to Hemmelgarn, ketogenic diets "should be followed under the guidance of a Registered Dietitian who is proficient in working with them. They are hard to follow. They are generally effective in weight loss, but most people who follow these kinds of diets generally gain the weight back once they start eating higher carbohydrate levels."

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Amanda Bullat adds that while she'd support any patient following a ketogenic diet for clinically indicated reasons, research is not conclusive about whether it is a good diet if your only goal is weight loss. In particular, she worries that a high protein, high fat diet could be taxing to the kidneys and liver.

Both the ketogenic and the paleo diets call for eliminating all grains and legumes from the diet. Bullat comments on this, saying, "for myself and my clients, when we cut a carbohydrate coming from whole grains and legumes pretty significantly, we start having some mood issues and start being kind of lethargic. It's not to say that I think people should necessarily eat as much bread and pasta as they want," she qualifies. "Having small amounts of whole grains, having small amounts of legumes, you're getting your nutrients from those whole foods and then you're not having to be on a B complex vitamin."

While some followers of diets that eliminate whole grains and legumes point out that these foods contain "anti-nutrients" (chemicals that interfere with the absorption of nutrients), Bullat recommends soaking, sprouting, or fermenting as methods of eliminating the anti-nutrients from grains and legumes.

But Bullat takes an even larger perspective of fad diets. Rather than nitpicking the particular details of each individual diet, she questions the idea of going on a diet in the first place. Bullat approaches nutrition from a "Health At Every Size" perspective. That means turning the idea of diets on its head. If you've tried ten diets to lose weight and you have not lost weight, you might say, "I failed." The Health At Every Size approach says that the dieter did not fail; the diets failed.

Bullat explains, saying "The science shows that across the board, no matter what diet people are put on in the study, in the long term, that way of eating will not help them promote weight loss." If you try a diet and fail to lose weight, or lose weight and then gain it back, "the studies show that you're not the only one. Therefore that shows that the physiology aspect of the diet shows that it's not possible to lose the weight off of that diet."

Using this approach, analyzing individual fad diets becomes more or less meaningless. Bullat coaches patients to be intuitive eaters who can listen to their bodies' cues so that they eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full, and by eating foods that make their bodies feel healthy. This is basically the exact opposite of following a complicated diet plan that promises weight loss while attempting to ignore your body's own signals.

In other words, no matter how much we might wish it, there's no magic bullet to quickly and easily lose weight and keep it off - but there are ways to adopt new long term dietary habits to promote health and weight loss, whether it is through intuitive eating or a more prescriptive diet plan such as the Mediterranean diet.

Jill Richardson writes about food, agriculture, the environment, health, and well-being. Currently pursuing a PhD in Sociology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, shes the author ofRecipe for America: Why Our Food System is Broken and What We Can Do to Fix It.

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Have You Ever Tried a Fad Diet to Lose Weight? Here's Why It Didn't Work - AlterNet

*When Shonda Rhimes lost 150 pounds a few years ago she was surprised by how her transformation caused people to react differently, and not necessarily in a good way.

The creator of Greys Anatomy and Scandal wrote in her Shondaland newsletter that she was disturbed by the shift in folks behavior, because for the first time ever, people complimented her and seemed excited to chat with her.

What the hell did they see me as before? How invisible was I to them then? How hard did they work to avoid me? What words did they use to describe me? What value did they put on my presence at a party, a lunch, a discussion? she wrote.

After I lost weight, I discovered that people found me valuable. Worthy of conversation. A person one could look at. A person one could compliment. A person one could admire. A person. You heard me. I discovered that NOW people saw me as a PERSON.

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In her new Shondaland newsletter, the uber-producer also noted that women I barely knew gushed. And I mean GUSHED. Like I was holding-a-new-baby-gushed.

Continuing, Only there was no new baby. It was just me. In a dress. With makeup on and my hair all did, yes. Butstill the same me. In one of my same dresses (cause why am I gonna buy a NEW dress when I can take this to a seamstress and she can just make it smaller? Who am I, The Crown? No, Im from the Midwest, baby, and I come with coupons). Women gushed anyway. And men? They spoke to me. THEY SPOKE TO ME. Like stood still and had long conversations with me about things. It was disconcerting. But even more disconcerting was that all these people suddenly felt completely comfortable talking to me about my body. Telling me I looked pretty or that they were proud of me or that wow, you are so hot now or you look amazing!

Rhimes says, When I was fat, I wasnt a PERSON to these people. Like I had been an Invisible Woman who suddenly materialized in front of them. Poof! There I am. Thin and ready for a chat.

She goes on to say being thinner doesnt make you a different person. It just makes you thinner.

Sign up for the Shondaland newsletterhere.

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Shonda Rhimes: 'People Found Me Valuable' After Dramatic Weight ... - Eurweb.com

New research has found that acupuncture could be effective as a tool to aid weight loss.

Carried out by the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) of Hong Kong Baptist University in cooperation with the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, the study looked at 72 participants, 13 males and 59 females, aged between 18 and 68.

All participants had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or above, and had not used any other weight control measures or any medication in the three months before the trial.

The team randomly assigned the participants to two groups for the controlled trial -- either the "real acupuncture group" or the "sham acupuncture group."

All participants completed a total of 16 sessions of acupuncture treatment over an eight-week period.

The treatment included certain acupoints in the body -- the areas where needles are inserted and manipulated -- including areas on the abdomen and the lower limbs.

The participants also received auricular acupressure in the ears targeting the auricular points of Hunger, Shen men, Spleen and Stomach. According to Chinese medicine, these acupoints can restore and harmonize the flow of energy in the intestines as well as transform body fluid and expel phlegm.

After undergoing the acupuncture treatment, the team found that the "real acupuncture group" showed a 2.47 kg decrease in average weight and a decrease of 1.56 kg/m2 in average BMI.

The most successful result recorded was a participant who lost 7.2 kg with a drop of 3.2 kg/m2 in BMI.

On the other hand, the "sham acupuncture group" had an average weight loss of just 0.54 kg with an average lowering of 0.19 kg/m2 in BMI.

Dr Zhong Lidan, who worked on the study, suggested that the weight loss may be due to acupuncture having a stimulating effect on serotonin and beta endorphin, which suppresses appetite and increases lipolysis activity -- the breakdown of lipids -- resulting in weight loss.

She added that the trial could be used as the basis of future larger studies, paving the way to integrating acupuncture in a weight-loss or weight control program.

The results also come just days after a study published in the journalEvidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine appeared to find a reason why acupuncture is an effective treatment for relieving pain.

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New study suggests acupuncture could aid weight loss - Yahoo Health

A quick google search for those interested in losing weight will quickly reveal the latest buzz-worthy trendmeal prepping. From OCD-approved rows of macronutrient-friendly meals to personal competitions to complete a weeks worth of preparation before a timer runs out, its no surprise there are more than 5 million posts tagged #mealprep on Instagram.

The hype is justified, as studies have shown that people who meal prep are likely to have healthier diets and follow nutritional guidelines more closely. Other positive effects include better portion control,, spending less money on weekly groceries and eating out less.

In theory, there isnt anything wrong with meal prepping. However, if not practiced carefulyl, this method could sabotage your weight loss effortsfor a reason that has very little to do with the actual food you prep. These efforts can go to waste if you are prepping in containers containing the harmful, hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A, or BPA.

This chemical can be found in many places, such as polycarbonate plastic, canned food linings and even on smartphones. Generally, were regularly ingesting BPA and it passes through the body fairly quickly once exposed. The issues arise when people are exposed to high levels of BPAsuch as when every meal of every day is prepped in plastic containers containing the chemical.

An effective diet is not just about healthy eating, managing sugar and carbohydrates, and exercise, said Dr. Aly Cohen, a rheumatologist and integrative medicine and environmental health specialist at the CentraState Medical Center. Reducing chemical exposure is also key because many of these chemicals can disrupt normal hormone function, impede weight loss, and even cause weight gain. Just because chemicals may not have an obvious effect, like causing a rash, doesnt mean they arent tinkering with your body.

Not only has research shown that BPA is an active agent in prompting cells to become fat cells, it has also shown that exposure to the chemical can make it harder to feel full.

BPA is so ubiquitous, that humans are continuously exposed, making BPA pseudo-persistent, Cohen said. Whats interesting in terms of weight is that BPA can turn stem cells into fat cells and make fat cells turn larger. Thats not great news for our waistlines

But there is hope for those dedicated to the life of meal prepping with just a few alterations. Using glass, stainless steel or ceramic containers when possible and using care with plastic containers when necessarysuch as avoiding harsh chemical cleaners and never reheating food in plasticwill help decrease BPA exposure. Further, switching to fresh or frozen produce and avoiding canned, if you can, will help bring these levels down.

Photo: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock, CC-BY

Emma Korstanjeis a freelance journalist based out of Athens, GA.

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Is Meal Prepping Negating Your Weight Loss Efforts? - Paste Magazine

Forty five thousand people in Cyprus have put themselves on the Cambridge weight loss plan in the 11 years it has been available on the island, seeing themselves get slimmer and reverse medical conditions related with excessive weight.

This week the programme launched its new campaign Lose Weight, Win Your Health Back, that aims at reminding people of the connection between excess weight and disease such as high cholesterol, insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. It stresses that a 10 per cent weight loss can lead to the reversal of symptoms.

Medical Director of Cambridge Weight Plan UK Professor Antony Leeds, on the island for the launch of the campaign, stressed how important weight loss is for good health. Cambridge weight plan is currently involved in a major research programme funded by the EU on diabetes related weight reduction.

Three studies are underway on prediabetes, diabetes and late-diabetes, Leeds told the Cyprus Mail. He added that preliminary results recorded the reversal of diabetes. The full results of these studies are to be announced at the International Diabetes Convention in Abu Dhabi later in the year.

In Denmark we have research on osteoarthritis, people with heart disease, skin problems in all studies the same thing has been said, the very effective weight reduction of about 10 per cent or about 10kg of weight loss actually does give a health benefit, Leeds said.

He added that Cambridge weight loss plan could be a safe, effective, cost-effective intervention that does actually work that could be used by health care providers as its cost is much lower than that of drug interventions.

There are 200 million people in the world who will develop diabetes, he said, while in Cyprus 16 per cent of the population is at risk.

In the meantime, we know that, and lots of people here in Cyprus know that if they do the programme, and if they comply and do it properly they get a very good result, he said.

Helen Zenios (who is also a Nutritional Therapist) along with her husband Peter Zenios, are managing directors for Cambridge Weight Plan in Cyprus,the diet formula developed morethan four decades ago for patients who had to lose weight fast and safe, not only works but also transforms lives.We can actually say that we are the most successful diet in the world, we are permitted to say that because we are the most researched, the most scientific. Everything we say we can prove through scientific research, she said.

Many people with health issues in Cyprus who do the weight loss plan say they lose ten kilos and see their conditions either reversed or improved, she added.

Its about re-educating the people of Cyprus on what is a good diet and what is a bad diet. It doesnt matter if Cambridge is not eating food. Sometimes you have to break the bad relation-ship you have with food. The way to do it is taking everything away from them and start again. And then you break the bad habits, you have your meals and you start introducing to them a better relationship with food, Zenios said.

Cambridge Weight Plan was the brainchild of biochemist Dr Alan Howard then working at the Dunn Nutrition Laboratory in Cambridge who wanted to create the prefect diet for patients, and who got together in the 1970s with Dr Ian McLean-Baird, of the West Middlesex Hospital to do just that. The aim was to create a formula food with excellent weight loss properties but no undesirable side effects. The product proved very successful in obesity clinics in the UK, and in 1984, a commercial version of Cambridge Weight Plan was launched in the UK, and from there, it spread throughout the rest of the world. Cambridge Weight Plan, consisting of shakes and snacks containing all the calories and nutrients needed, is available in 44 countries.

Antony Leeds with Helen and Panicos Zenios

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Lose weight and get your health back - Cyprus Mail

Are you looking for help with weight loss in Rochester, NY? This may sound surprising, but weight loss is not what you should want. Simply losing weight is not good enough; FAT LOSS should be your goal. Finally being able to lose unwanted and unhealthy amounts of fat will be genuinely life changing. I'm sure that sounds good, but you may be thinking to yourself, "I can't even get the scale to move, let alone worry about whether I'm losing fat or just weight!" This is exactly why we have helped so many people (of all ages) achieve results in an efficient and lasting manner...because what's been missing all along is a METABOLIC APPROACH based on YOU!

Other weight loss programs set you up for short term success at best because nothing is truly changedyou've either been on a diet (meal replacement shake, pre-packaged foods, or the newest miracle supplement), relied on hormone injection (synthetic or bio-identical) to force temporary fat burning, or attempted a surgical or pharmaceutical resolution. All these leave your metabolism in the same weak (or worsened) state it startedbecause they were never designed to make a change.

At Restoration Wellness Custom Fat Loss we use our Custom Fat Loss system to provide a re-education of your body and brain. This clears a path for your metabolism to return to a proper state of fat burning balance, but more importantly empowers you to keep that fat burning state active indefinitely. It's because of this approach that our patients feel such a difference and talk about their results on the program and after!

At Restoration Wellness Custom Fat Loss our weight loss team is ready to meet with you to discuss your needs. We will help to design a program that is right for you. We look forward to meeting you.

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Weight Loss in Rochester - Weight Loss Rochester NY

When Allie Ruby hit 225 lbs., all she wanted was to slim down. But once she lost weight and got super fit six-pack and all she realized her emotional happiness depended on more than being skinny.

The 28-year-old information manager from Des Moines, Iowa gained most of her weight in college, thanks to alcohol-filled parties and dining hall food. By running and swapping her double cheeseburgers for chicken and cottage cheese, Ruby managed to lose 98 lbs. Before she knew it, she was down to 127 lbs.

I would weigh myself every day, and as it would go further and further down I would decide to keep going, Ruby tells PEOPLE. It was self-motivating.

She also started following workout plans on Bodybuilding.comand learned that she could burn more body fatweightlifting than from cardio alone. By focusing on lifting while paying close attention to her meals, she finally got in shape but it didnt come with the satisfaction she expected.

I always thought that I would love to have a six-pack, and when I got there last year, it wasnt all the fireworks I thought it would be. I thought that would be a huge high, but it wasnt, Ruby says. The highs that I found from it was the things that I did to get it, from doing kettlebells, and meeting other people.

A different kind of #transformationtuesday I think at least a few can relate. I thought when I was at my leanest (middle) I would be my happiest something that was an unintentional emotional destination. I didn't set my goals bc I hated my old self. In fact, I love the old allie and bring her everywhere. Without the added body weight in college I wouldn't have jumped into self discovery I may just be a soccer player who never explored self awareness. When I hit my goal weight I thought it would be euphoric the abs, the lean strong muscle. I thought all of it would make me feel like an empowering and loving person. Of course I was those things but I didn't feel fulfilled. I felt great, but I didn't feel alive. I felt trapped. That I needed to eat a certain way to keep my image, workout a certain way and sleep a certain way. Oh yeah, and then everyone and their damn mom has an opinion on "how to love yourself" which only added more pressure to me wanting to give up the Fit Life. Today I'm a glorious 164-167 lbs., 20 lbs heavier on the right. obviously my goals have shifted. I eat for performance and culture not a look (some days are tougher than others). I sleep for energy. I train for strength. I've learned that fulfillment comes from being truly alive surrendering your need for control to allow things to happen, eating a whole damn wheel of cheese with friends, sleeping in until the last minute, falling in love for the first time and getting extreme jet lag from traveling overseas. This is just a taste of what makes me fulfilled. I just do happened to enjoy the work of training and the relationships I made through it

A post shared by Allie Ruby (@ididitformyself) on Jun 20, 2017 at 6:01am PDT

I felt great, but I didnt feel alive. I felt trapped, she adds on Instagram. That I needed to eat a certain way to keep my image, work out a certain way and sleep a certain way.

Ruby missed parts of her old life, like enjoying Mexican food with her coworkers. Over time she decided to refocus her goals. Instead of dieting and eating less to maintain her six-pack, she ate a little more to build muscle.

I feel more comfortable at that higher weight, with more body fat, Ruby tells PEOPLE.

FROM PEN:Half Their Size: Joanne Raymond Struggled With Yo-Yo Dieting Before Finding Success

Now around 163 lbs., Ruby says shes more content, despite the occasional self-doubt that creeps up when she remembers weighing a lean 127 lbs.

If you have ever lost a substantial amount of weight then gained some back you probably have an idea of that devastating feeling of going backwards I think those feelings were more painful at that time than when I was overweight, Ruby writes on Instagram, adding that its been helpful to practice mindfulness at this point in her journey. I had to remember that a transformation is far deeper than physical.

She has also shifted from weightlifting to powerlifting, a fitness program thats more effective at a higher weight.

Its so different, because no one cares about your image. Its all about how strong you are, says Ruby. I love it.

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Powerlifter Shares Proud Weight Loss Journey but Says 'There's ... - PEOPLE.com

Ellie Transformed Her Body in Her 40s With the Help of Gold's Gym

Forty-two-year-old Ellie Carter from St. Paul, MO, went through the devastating loss of her father at the same time she was diagnosed with her own serious medical issues it was the perfect storm for gaining weight.

She fought through her medical setbacks with the help of Gold's Gym's challenges, and now she's biceps curling her kids and no longer on the three prescription medications she once needed. Here's the story of how she got her life back, plus tips you can apply to your own healthy journey.

POPSUGAR: What made you decide to start your weight-loss journey?

Ellie Carter: I was tired and in constant pain and had put on a lot of weight. One day, my 3-year old said, "Mommy, come play with us." And before I could respond, my 5-year old said, "Mommy can't play with us. Mommy is tired and doesn't feel good."

At that point I realized that was not what I wanted my kids to remember from their childhood. My dad had just lost his battle with leukemia, and I had so many fond memories of the fun things he did with us growing up. I wanted my kids to have the same fond memories when they looked back on their childhood. At that point I knew I needed to make a change for me, for my health, for my husband, and especially for my kids.

PS: What drew you to Gold's Gym specifically?

EC: I had done the 12-week Gold's Gym challenge in 2016; it worked in kick-starting my health and fitness journey. After completing the challenge last year, my dad was diagnosed with incurable leukemia, and I was shortly thereafter also diagnosed with serious medical issues. All I had gained during the challenge was quickly lost. Most of my free time was spent running around to doctor's appointments, and my nutrition consisted of whichever fast-food drive through was close and convenient.

I kept my membership throughout my medical issues. I had made great strides last year through the energy and enthusiasm I felt every time I walked in the door. So, of course, I needed to feel that energy and enthusiasm again to get my life back on track. The group exercise classes were always so engaging!

PS: What's your favorite way to work out?

EC: Group exercise classes keep me going! When I work out outside of those classes, I always feel like I can't do one more set. But in the group classes, the energy and constant encouragement keeps me going the entire hour!

PS: What's your weekly exercise schedule?

EC: I target certain muscle groups on specific days, rotating each week. And I mix in cardio-only days in between the weightlifting/muscle group days.

PS: How do you keep workouts exciting?

EC: I have a fun music playlist that get me going and in the mood. I switch up my routines to keep it from getting monotonous. And I've started involving my kids! They love sitting on my back while I plank, and they think it's a fun game when I biceps curl them.

PS: How much weight have you lost?

EC: Eighteen pounds and counting! My journey is still ongoing!

PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?

EC: The energy I now have, the way the stress levels have decreased dramatically, but most importantly the fact that my doctor has removed me from THREE prescription medications. Additionally, all my numbers are now in good healthy ranges (i.e., cholesterol).

PS: How do you track your weight loss?

EC: Just the use of a traditional scale.

PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?

EC: Breakfast: protein shake blended with fruit and spinach. Snack: boiled egg, fruit. Lunch: spinach or kale salad, and some sort of a lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey) with a carb. Snack: fresh veggies and usually hummus. Dinner: lean meat, veggies, and small portion of carbs.

PS: Do you count calories?

EC: I use a meal tracker that helps me count calories. I find that if I count and watch what I eat, I'm more conscious and deliberate about sticking to a healthy routine. I eat 1,200-1,500 calories depending on my workouts planned for the day.

PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?

EC: Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, spinach and kale for salads, fat-free Greek yogurt (for dips and dressings), and hummus.

PS: How do you strategize for meals out?

EC: I research the menu and plan for something healthy. If there are salads, I get low-fat/low-cal dressings, usually without cheese. If there are marinades or preps, I ask for no butter and sauces on the side. Additionally, I'll ask for a to-go box and plan to cut the portion size down since most restaurants serve you enough food for two to three meals.

PS: Do you use a fitness tracker?

EC: Yes, the Fitbit Charge HR. It has helped me track and keep an eye on my fitness level for the day, and it helps me keep track of my sleep too that's been very important as well. I need an adequate amount of rest to feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead.

PS: What role did Gold's Gym play in your journey?

EC: Gold's Gym is where my fitness journey began. The employees and instructors are all so friendly and greet you with big smiles when you arrive. My kids go to Kids Klub when I work out and they LOVE it. They often beg me and bug me about when they can go again! The other people working out at Gold's Gym become familiar faces and often greet you and help keep the energy going throughout. I would definitely recommend Gold's Gym!

PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?

EC: Take the time to sit down and set your goals. What is your big, deep-down "why" you're doing this? Break that big goal into smaller, attainable goals. Don't expect the scale to move right away. You'll see and feel differences (energy, tightness of clothing, etc.) long before you'll see the needle on the scale move. And most importantly, don't get discouraged! It takes time!

Image Source: Ellie Carter / Gold's Gym

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Ellie: Before - POPSUGAR

It's well-documented that you're probably at your most fake on Instagram.

It's the playground of the beautiful and the vain, and we're all in its web.

It's easy, on such a hedonistic platform, to become preoccupied with how your body looks and whether you're truly living your most #authentic #fitspo #goals life.

24-year-old Mille Smith is here with a body positive account to tell you to stop worrying about whether you're a Transformation Tuesday or not.

Same girl, same day, same time. With a camera angle and clothing I can change my body into something that society would deem more acceptable than the photo on the right. Recently insta was voted as the most damaging app to body image/self esteem. That's not ok. The media constantly wants us to be more filtered, more posed, more flexed. Making us ashamed, afraid and resentful of our bodies, our natural vessel. We compare ourselves to these images of posed, strategically taken photos. Comparing yourself is a thief of your joy/self love and even more so when you're comparing aesthetics to images that aren't reality. Both these photos are beautiful . Both these photos are worthy. However only one of these photos is truly me, comfortable and naturally loving myself... Get rid of accounts that make you feel negative, get rid of people in your life that don't make you feel happy, loved and beautiful. Don't let an all ruin your life.

A post shared by Milly Smith (@selfloveclubb) on Jun 25, 2017 at 11:14am PDT

She encourages you to scrutinise angles, and realise that many of the posts on instagram are created just to pique your interest.

They don't care about your mental health, your body or your emotions, these accounts only care about your attention.

We can say that honestly, we're a news website - we're in the same trade.

The student nurse wrote:

I could tell you Ive been using a cellulite toning detox cream for a week and this is the result, would you believe me?

I could tell you Ive cut out sugar for 3 weeks and ran 12 miles a day and this is my transformation, would you believe it?

I could tell you that Ive eaten a certain protein bar for breakfast everyday along side shakes for lunch and this is the result. Would you believe it?

I could tell you that I was depressed on the left and happier now on the right, would you believe it?

I could tell you that I weigh less on the right, would you believe it?

Dont trust everything you see on the internet or in the media.

Dont compare yourself, dont strive to be a fake image or anything other than your true authentic self for that matter.

You rule as you are, do you, please you and live for you.

Unfollow negative pages and surround yourself with love.

Youve got this, Ive got this, weve all got this.

In short - Instagram is not a healthy barometer for anything.

Nor should you feel theneed to lose weight to be healthy or to be valued.

HT Unilad

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