Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

A new study out of the Cleveland Clinic found that obesity robs us of more years of our lives than any other preventable health issue. That means that of all the top lifestyle-related killers that are in our power to modify or treat including smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol obesity shortens life the most.

That is bad news for the 13 million adults aged 65 and over who are obese, which is more than a third of that age group. While a few extra pounds on older adults are not a health issue and may even be beneficial, too much excess weight can contribute to a variety of health problems, including inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, joint problems and even cognitive impairment.

Additionally, obese older adults are admitted to the hospital and emergency room more than their non-obese counterparts.

The good news is that while obesity can lead to lost years or unhealthy years, you have the power to get those years back. Even losing as little as 3% of your total body weight can make a difference if you maintain it.

Usually, people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more are considered obese and those with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are overweight. Your BMI is an estimate of your body fat based on height and weight.

However, there are other factors to consider in addition to, or instead of, your BMI.

Dr. Tiffany Lowe-Payne, a family practitioner in Raleigh, N.C., with a board certification in obesity medicine, says that defining obesity can be tricky for older adults.

With age, we tend to lose muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. So, while your weight or BMI may not change, your body fat stores may increase as well as your risk for obesity-related diseases. On the other hand, older adults often lose inches in their height and may be classified as obese because their BMI has increased but their weight has stayed the same.

You need to look at multiple factors. We look at waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, explains Lowe-Payne. (Abdominal fat increases the risk for heart disease.) We can track those measurements over time to see if patients have reduced their health risks even if the number on the scale is the same.

Some adults have always had weight issues. Others find the number on the scale climbs as their metabolism and energy levels slow and their eating habits change or perhaps, unwisely, dont.

Lifestyle changes may be a factor as well. If youre a widow or widower, you may not cook or visit the grocery store as frequently as in the past. Registered dietitian Maureen Janowski, a certified specialist in gerontological nutrition and fellow of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains that fear of falling or low energy levels may prevent older adults from shopping regularly for fresh produce and healthy food.

Instead, they may stock up on unhealthy processed foods that have a longer shelf life or resort to fast-food options. Additionally, medications for other health issues, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, may cause weight gain.

Lowe-Payne points out that menopause for women and declining testosterone levels for men can alter hormonal balances that can also contribute to weight gain.

While the health benefits of losing weight for younger people are clear cut, there is some debate in the medical community when it comes to excess weight in older adults. In some cases, obesity or some excess weight is thought to be protective.

In some individuals, especially those with heart disease, we see that excess weight can stop them from having an acute cardiac episode, says Lowe-Payne.

The problem is that losing weight leads to muscle loss. Older adults are already prone to losing muscle mass, a condition called sarcopenia. Low muscle tone can lead to falls, low energy and less activity. In fact, Janowski says that she doesnt counsel her patients to lose weight unless they are very obese. For overweight adults, I tell them to maintain their weight and stay active, she says.

Excess weight can also be protective in the case of prolonged hospitalization or illness, which usually leads to weight and muscle loss. But the amount of excess weight that is helpful is still in question, says Lowe-Payne.

We dont know how much excess weight is beneficial and we also dont know exactly why its beneficial, she says.

Losing weight for older adults can be slightly more complicated than your basic eat less, exercise more formula. Lowe-Payne strongly advises working with a doctor to determine a safe and effective exercise and weight-loss plan. Additionally, a physician can review your medications to see if any may cause weight gain. Some general guidelines to help older people lose weight effectively and safely include:

Cardiovascular exercise: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week.If you havent exercised before or in a while, its important to start slowly. Its not necessary to strap on running shoes or grab a tennis racquet. Lowe-Payne says walking or even gardening can be beneficial.

Strength training: Its important to make sure that any weight-loss program includes strength training (at least twice a week, recommends the CDC) to prevent muscle loss. Again, no need to bench press dozens of pounds. Simple exercise bands or even lifting household items such as soup cans will have an effect, says Janowski.

Protein: Its essential for preserving and building muscles, and some research suggests that older adults need more protein than their younger counterparts. Try eating a serving of protein at every meal, including yogurt or eggs for breakfast.

Hydration: Its important to stay hydrated for health reasons and also because thirst is sometimes confused with hunger. Drinking water all day long can help you feel fuller and prevent dehydration. You can jazz up your water by adding lemon, lime or another type of fruit for a boost of flavor.

Portion control: A simple way to remember how much of each type of food you need per meal, or what constitutes a portion, is to use the U.S Department of Agriculture My Plate visual. Fill half your lunch or dinner plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice and the other quarter with a lean protein. If you buy packaged goods, read the label so you understand the portion sizes.

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The one preventable health problem that's most likely to kill you ... - MarketWatch

Brigid Delaney lost a lot of weight when she starved herself on a controversial detox but says she wouldnt try the controversial diet again.

THE most difficult thing Ive ever done is go two weeks without food not a morsel, not a skerrick, not a crumb.

Id been living in New York, indulging in burgers, fries and bourbon. It was winter, my clothes were tight, my skin looked rough.

I yearned to feel healthy again. I didnt feel sick more just sub-optimum, lethargic; aching joints on the inside, a coat of grease on the outside, spotty and paunchy with bloodshot eyes. My mood was low. Dont put me on Facebook! I had to say more than once, as friends took my photo. I needed to lose about 20 kilograms to get back into a healthy weight range. I needed to reset my body and my life.

Around this time, a curious opportunity landed in my inbox. It was a magazine assignment. Would I be interested in writing a first-person account of a controversial detox that lasts for 101 days? In 2011 Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy emerged after two weeks on the fast, supported by Chinese herbal medicine. His weight loss was so dramatic, people initially speculated he had cancer.

In response, warnings were issued about extreme fasting. The Australian Medical Associations vice president, Dr Geoffrey Dobb, said starvation and herbal tea was not the answer to losing weight. Any rapid weight loss can be followed by a rebound if people are unable to sustain the program they have entered into.

The regimen is not for the faint-hearted. It starts with no food for fourteen days, before moving on to small amounts of solids: half a cucumber on the first day, 50 grams of poached chicken the next (think the size of three fingers), then an egg on the third day, then back to the cucumber. Repeat the cycle for the next sixty days. Black tea and water were permitted. The Chinese medicine a mixture of herbs was to be taken orally, three times daily. The herbs give you around 250 calories a day.

I returned to Australia and signed up to the program. The night before I started detoxing, I had one final splurge. Holding a detox party with a group of friends, I had five or six glasses or wine, some champagne, cigarettes and around 2am, a burger.

In my initial appointment I was weighed and had a procedure called cupping. Staff at the fasting clinic told me that the discolouration around my back after the cupping showed that oxygen was not reaching my vital organs because the internal fat inside my body was crushing them. The detox, I was told, would shrink the internal fat, restoring my organs to optimum working condition.

Brigid Delaney didn't feel well when she was on her starvation diet.Source:Supplied

The author says she has learned a lot about how her body creates energy after completing the controversial detox.Source:Supplied

Days one to three without food were tough. The liquids kept me feeling full, but without meals to prepare, plan and enjoy I was left a bit unmoored. I was tired, crabby and lacked energy. I hid in my room while my flatmate cooked delicious smelling food and once, when I went out to buy tea bags, I ended up trailing a man who was carrying a box of pizza the smell driving me crazy.

In the first week, I was plagued by headaches, low level aches and pains, deep fatigue and boredom. When I slept (sometime for 14 or more hours) my dreams were vivid and strange. I thought about food constantly.

So what was going on in my body in the early stages of the detox?

On the first day, six to twenty-four hours after beginning the detox (known as the post-absorptive phase) insulin levels start to fall. Glycogen breaks down and releases glucose for energy and these glycogen stores last for roughly twenty-four hours. Then gluconeogenesis (literally meaning making new glucose) occurs in the next twenty-four hours to two days. This is when the liver manufactures new glucose from amino acids. Glucose levels fall but stay within the normal range providing you are not diabetic. This is the body using the last of its sugar supplies up before it switches into ketosis the fat-burning mode beloved by body builders, anorexics and paleo devotees.

Amanda Salis is the Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, who leads research and multidisciplinary clinical trials at the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders. Her research focuses on understanding and circumventing the bodys adaptive responses to continued energy restriction, a phenomenon she terms the famine reaction. She says the reason I am sleeping so much is that your body goes into conservation mode when you are fasting. There is not enough fuel to enable your muscles to move. Neurochemical changes are occurring in your brain, also making you feel lethargic. Its like being hit by train.

On day two I discover I had lost a kilogram already an even, satisfying one kilogram.

On day three I lose almost two kilograms so that is almost three kilograms in three days.

The rest of the first week was torture. It felt like having a really bad flu. On the fifth night I was woken by chest pains that made me fear I was having a heart attack. (Associate Professor Salis later tells me, that when starving the body will feed off muscle, even bone. The heart muscle is not immune from being catabolised.)

By day five without food, there is no hiding from the truth: I smell bad. Really bad. Not sweaty, but like something thats been left in the bin too long and is rotting. When I cry, even my tears smell bad.

By week two I am still losing around a kilogram a day, but miraculously my energy is returning even though Im still not eating. My skin and eyes are sparkling, my hair shiny and my clothes were loose. My brain feels like it has switched from dial up to super fast broadband. I feel sharper.

Yet, there is still the hunger. Most nights I wake up around 4am, starving.

Such a regimen is, obviously not sustainable. I did a modified version of the detox for another 87 days and lost 14 kilograms.

Unfortunately when I went back to eating and drinking normally (not excessively, just normally) all the weight came back on.

Would I do the detox again? Probably not they were two of the toughest weeks of my life.

Brigid Delaneys book on the wellness industry, including fasts and detoxes, is called Wellmania and is out now.

Ever wondered how to live a long and healthy life? Here are some tips we can learn from our brothers and sisters overseas!

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What happens to your body when you don't eat - NEWS.com.au

Stas Komarovski / The Edit

Lily Collins' drastic weight loss for the filmTo the Bone was shockingly met with mixed reactions.

In a cover story interview for Net-A-Porter's digital magazineThe Edit, the 28-year-old actress reveals that she even received a compliment.

"I was leaving my apartment one day and someone I've known for a long time, my mom's age, said to me, 'Oh, wow, look at you!'" Collins said. "I tried to explain [I had lost weight for a role] and she goes, 'No! I want to know what you're doing, you look great!' I got into the car with my mom and said, "That is why the problem exists."

Stas Komarovski / The Edit

Collins plays an anorexic girl named Ellen in To the Bone, which is set for release on Netflix on July 14. The actress said that after filming, she was "told that a lot of media didn't want me in their magazines."

"Not just on the coverthey wouldn't put me inside looking theway I did, even though it was for a movie," she said. "I told my publicist that if I could snap my fingers and gain 10pounds right that second, I would."

The actresshas previously revealed that she herself had suffered from an eating disorder in real life. Speaking toThe Edit, she recalls the shock she felt while filming a particularly revealing scene in the movie.

"There's a scene where I'm taking my clothes off to be weighed by Carrie Preston, my stepmom in the movie, who takes a photo on her phone and shows it to me. I didn't think she'd actually take one but she did," Collins said. "I saw myself in the photo and my heart dropped. Sowhen my mom saw the film, she saw Lily's reaction because she knows me the best."

The movie moved herreal mother to tears, she said.

"The first time she was a bit in shock. The second time I looked over at the end and she was sobbing; it really hit her hard," Collins said.

"To read the full interview with Lily Collins, read The Edit at http://www.net-a-porter.com/magazine/408/12and/or download The EDIT's free app for iPhone, iPad and Android.

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Lily Collins Was Complimented for Weight Loss After Playing Anorexic Character - E! Online

Before-and-after photos have become a full-on social media phenomenon. But these kinds of images can never really show you a start point and an end point to anyones weight or health journey. Theyre just part of a storyoften a lifelong one, with ups, downs, and U-turns. Glamour asked three women with widely viewed before-and-afters to share the real deal on their personal odysseys and what they learned that we all should know.

PHOTO: @gofitjo

About four years ago I set out to lose the 20 pounds Id put on during my second pregnancy; my older daughter had told me I looked beautiful, and Id responded, No, Im not. Im fat. (The photo above on the left was taken around that time.) I couldnt believe Id said that to her, and I didnt want to go on feeling like I wasnt taking care of myself. So I started making sure I was moving more each day, I cleaned up my diet, and I lost the weight. I felt good, and I wanted to see what I could do next. I began working out harder, doing more strength training, and eating even less. I didnt take rest days. When I posted my after photo (middle), people said I was an inspiration, which should have been motivating for me. But I wasnt happy, at least not in the way I wanted to be. I had no balance in my life. Its heartbreaking to look back and think that I couldnt enjoy playing with my kids because I was so concerned about the love handles I thought I had. So last year I changed my views. The most important thing, I realized, isnt my weightits staying true to who I am. I have stretch marks. I have loose skin. Im never going to be perfect.

When I shared this part of my story, it turned out that my failure was even more inspiring to people. Sure, on my latest photo, some people have said, So you got fat. But thats OK. I bounce back because I know Im the happiest Ive ever been. I can cope with my anxiety, my marriage is stronger, Im a better mother, and I found a new career path as a health coach. I spend more time with my kids, and Im present for it. To the negative commenters I say: Fitness doesnt have to be one thing. My goals arent to get more and more defined or lose weight; I want to be fitter and happier as a whole. Ive learned I cant evaluate fitness using someone elses definition of health. And you cant evaluate someones health by looking at a photo, either. No ones opinion about my body matters besides mine. I lost sight of whats important: Its not how I look. Its how I feel.

PHOTO: @mandas_muffintop

About a year after I had my daughter, in early 2014, I reached my heaviest weight of 330 pounds. I had back pain, and I wasnt able to be the mother I wanted to be, so under the advice of my doctor, I received bariatric surgery. After about 18 months I lost 150 pounds. I had all this excess skin, so much that I thought Id done something wrong, because no one else was talking about this part of their weight loss. I later realized its entirely normal. Because Id started with unrealistic expectations, I decided to document my journey first on Tumblr and then Instagram (@mandas_muffintop), hoping that my photos, like the two above left, would make other people feel less alone. It was painful: When I was plus-size, people told me I was unhealthy and looked terrible; with these pictures some people made fun of my loose skin (saying things like Your stomach looks like an old man). After I got surgery to remove the excess skin (right), I thought that would be the end of the criticism, but now people come at me asking how I could be body positive if Ive had skin-removal surgery. I did it to improve my quality of life: I dont have to worry about moving my skin around to sit. Of course Im body positive; how else could I put myself out there like this? Sometimes I think it would be easier if I shut down my Instagram, but then I remember the positive feedback Ive gotten. My followers tell me they feel more comfortable in their body because of me. I want people to love themselves no matter what stagebefore, after, or in betweentheyre in.

PHOTO: @chellespindler

Until two years ago, I was a smoker, I drank, and I didnt eat well. I was a crash dieter and would look in the mirror and put myself down. I wasnt happy with where I was emotionally, and Id heard working out could help with that. Then I found Kayla Itsines community online and was inspired by the supportive women there. I signed up for her plan and went from years of not exercising to logging six workouts a week. I was stronger and treating myself with more respect. I was proud of what I had accomplished, so I decided to post some before-and-after photos (far left, from my dieting days, and left, after I started working out). The next day Kayla featured my photos on her accounts. I was ecstaticuntil I read some of the comments. People said I looked better before, I looked sick now, and I must be unhealthy. For two days I obsessed about reading the posts. I was so confused and hurt. I knew I had made healthy changes in my life. I reminded myself that people didnt know that I used to eat poorly, drink, and smoke. I focused on the mental progress Ive made too, something people cant tell by looking at a photo. One person implied I was romanticizing anorexia but later reached out to me and apologized; she said she didnt realize I was a real person. I thanked her. That apology meant a lot to me. People will always say judgmental things. Im not doing this for them, but for me.

This article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of Glamour.

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The Real Stories Behind Three of 2017's Most Viral Weight-Loss Photos - Glamour

According to Shonda Rhimes, the only thing worse than shedding a lot ofweight is getting the wrong kind ofattention for it afterward. In a newsletter sentto Shondaland subscribers last week, Rhimes, 47,reveals that it wasnt until she lost nearly 150 pounds that people seemed to find her valuable.

Though the Greys Anatomy and Scandal creator dropped the weight about two years ago, shes still stunned anddisturbedby the way people, even strangers,reacted to her transformation.

I did not do it because I thought I would become beautiful like in the movies, Rhimes explains. I did it because I could not walk up a short flight up stairs without stopping to take a break and wiping sweat from my brow. I did it because my body was physically rebelling against the brain that had been ignoring it for so long.

RELATED: 4 Annoying Comments to Expect When You're Losing Weight

And dont get her wrong, Rhimes still isnt taken with #cleanliving. In fact, she loathed what it took to lose so many pounds.

Losing weight is not a topic I like discussing, she writes. Why? Because there is nothing fun or interesting or great about it. I hated losing weight. I hated every single second of it. And I hate every single second of maintaining my weight, too.

What Rhimeshated even more was howslimming down changed the waypeople reacted to her."But you know what was worse than losing weight? What was SO MUCH MORE HORRIFYING? How people treated me after I lost weight," she explains.

"I mean, things got weird," writes Rhimes.Especially when women she hardly knew gushed over her new look. "Like I was holding-a-new-baby-gushed. 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."

Men began to take notice of Rhimes too, she recalls.THEY SPOKE TO ME. Like stood still and had long conversations with me about things. It was disconcerting.

The newfound attention wasnt the only thing that made this high-powered TVproducer uncomfortable. She was also appalled by how breezily people commented on her appearance, calling her hot or telling her they were were proud of her.

"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," she continues.

To Rhimes, it felt like others only considered her worthy of conversation once she looked a certain way. After that realization,she began to wonder.What the hell did they see me as before? How invisible was I to them? How hard did they work to avoid me? she writes.

WATCH THE VIDEO: What 5 Olympic Athletes Can Teach You About Body Confidence

Of courseRhimes also infuses her newsletter with humor. While lamentinghow hard it was to drop the 150 pounds, she says she misses eating all the fried chicken, and not just when it was on her plate. No. I miss eating ALL THE FRIED CHICKEN, she writes. All of it. Every piece, everywhere.

Jokes aside, Rhimesmakes a powerful pointin a world where unrealistic body ideals are everywhere and a person's size is often linked to their value.Being thinner doesnt make you a different person," she says."It just makes you thinner.

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Shonda Rhimes Wrote the Realest Essay About Her 150-Pound Weight Loss - Health.com

Obesity is one of the most serious health problems worldwide. In the U.S., a whopping 1 in 3 adults is considered obese, and 2 in 3 are either obese or overweight by clinical definitions. Its estimated that by 2030 more than half the worlds population will be overweight or obese. Associated health problems include certain types of cancer, type II diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, and high blood pressure.

Despite wide acceptance by physicians, weight loss surgery like the gastric bypass procedure has been largely rejected by healthcare consumers. Only 1 to 2 percent of people who qualify for weight loss surgery decide to have it. For the other 99 percent, the idea of permanently changing their bodies and the risk of life-threatening complications arent worth the potential for weight loss.

UGLY TOENAILS? IT MIGHT BE TOENAIL FUNGUS

Other consumers are discouraged by how difficult it is to get insurance coverage for weight loss procedures. Many have to appeal several times before getting approval, and some are never approved at all. And many Americans dont have the $23,000 it may cost to pay for gastric bypass surgery out of their pockets.

What Are Stomach Balloons?

Stomach balloons (also known as gastric balloons), a less invasive, cheaper weight loss therapy, are growing in popularity. Insurance companies often refuse to cover a gastric balloon, but the total cost of the procedure is under $10,000. Instead of permanently changing a patients body, a gastric balloon is meant to be a temporary weight loss aid.

A silicone balloon is inserted endoscopically (down through the esophagus) and then inflated with a sterile saline solution. The balloon takes up space in the stomach to help patients adjust to healthier portion sizes. The entire procedure takes about 20-30 minutes, and the balloon is inflated to about the size of a grapefruit. The balloon stays in place for six months, which is thought to be long enough to change the eating habits of most patients.

During those six months, patients also receive diet and lifestyle counseling to help them get the most out of the procedure. After the balloon is removed, patients continue with another six months of counseling to help them keep off the weight theyve lost.

In one study patients who had received ORBERA, the most popular gastric balloon device, lost an average of 21.8 pounds while the device was in place and maintained a weight loss average of 19.4 pounds in the six months after removal. Comparatively, patients who didnt receive a device but participated in the weight loss counseling part of the program lost an average of seven pounds.

RECOGNIZING AND TREATING HYPERARATHYROIDISM

Are Stomach Balloons Safe?

According to the FDA, the device should only be used by obese adults who have a BMI of 30-40 who havent been able to lose weight through other methods, including diet and exercise. While the device is considered a safe option for those who are clinically obese, there are risks with any medical procedure.

A study of 160 patients using the ORBERA device showed a 10 percent rate of serious adverse events. These events included dehydration, infection, and gastric perforation with sepsis, but the most common serious adverse event was device intolerance, defined as intolerable nausea, vomiting, or reflux pain that led to early device removal. Since FDA approval there have also been reports of acute pancreatitis and spontaneous over-inflation, but these events are extremely rare.

PATIENT CLAIMS DOCTORS LEFT CAMERA IN BODY AFTER TRANSPLANT SURGERY

Many doctors believe that the risks associated with obesity are higher than the risks associated with this procedure. And to put the gastric balloon device in perspective, most studies report a significantly higher rate of serious adverse events for gastric bypass surgery.

If youre concerned about your weight, talk to your doctor about your lifestyle first. Most doctors consider weight loss procedures a last resort and will recommend diet, exercise, and nutritional counseling before recommending any type of medical procedure.

This article first appeared on AskDrManny.com.

Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel's senior managing health editor. He also serves as chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Click here for more information on Dr. Manny's work with Hackensack University Medical Center. Visit AskDrManny.com for more.

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Are stomach balloons the future of weight loss? - Fox News

Much like you should never ask someone how much they weigh, you should never blindly ask anyone to join a weight loss TV show. But thats what happened to Lottie LAmour, a London-based blogger who writes about body positivity.

LAmour received an email on Friday from Twofour production company in the U.K., which incorrectly addressed her as Gloria, and asked if she would join the upcoming show Save Money: Good Health, as theyre looking for volunteers who would like to lose weight and are open to trialling out a new diet.

I was angered, LAmour tells PEOPLE. It was a combination of the lack of attention to detail and research with the fact that it was clear this person had gone looking for plus size bloggers with the assumption that we would clearly want to lose weight. Its that perception that Im trying to challenge not all fat people have weight loss as a goal, and that is okay.

The 30-year-old says she laughed at it for about 5 minutes before sharing the email, her written response to Twofour and a few reaction selfies on Twitter, where people were overwhelmingly positive, and reached out in support.

I have had an influx of cruel messages mostly from men telling me to kill myself or that I will die early but for each terrible message, Ive had at least 10 telling me that sticking up for fat bodies has changed their life, LAmour says. Thats what makes all of this worth it.

RELATED VIDEO: Daphne Oz Has a Brilliant Response to Social Media Body Shamers

Twofour also sent her an apology email, which she shared with PEOPLE, but LAmour says she felt it was a bit weak.

Regardless, she sees this as a teachable moment.

I hope it reminds fat people that there is an alternative to self loathing, and I hope it reminds non-fat people to think twice before making an assumption about someones weight loss needs, LAmour says. Its important to me to challenge the thoughts and opinions of people around body image and body positivity.

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Curvy Blogger Calls Out TV Company Who Tried to Recruit Her for Weight Loss Show - PEOPLE.com

Twins Cory and Dillon Sasvari do pretty much everything together even lose weight.

The Pennslyvania-based brothers, 25, shed a combined 324 lbs. in two years after overhauling their diet and undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Cory went from 405 lbs. to 238 lbs., while Dillon dropped from 400 lbs. to 225 lbs., according toToday.

While the brothers say they had always been overweight, their size nearly doubled after high school when they stopped playing football. They went from around 200 lbs. to 400 lbs. in few short years.

Looking at myself in the mirror I knew I needed to do something about it, said Cory.

Added Dillon: I didnt have diabetes but I was close to it.

It was their grandmother,Leona Mesler, who motivated them to change. She said Listen, you and your brother are the biggest I have ever seen you, said Cory, whose gout left him unable to move some days. My family, they were concerned about my health I was always fatigued. I was depressed.

They decided to trygastric bypass surgery, but were told by a doctor atPittsburgh Medical Centers Magee-Womens Hospital that they had to lose 10 percent of their body weight first.

FROM PEN:Half Their Size: Ashley OReilly Was Inspired by a Friends Weight Loss

With the help of a nutritionist, the twins adopted healthier habits,first cutting soda I would drink two or three liters a day, said Dillon and then swapping processed foods like sugary cereal and pizza forvegetables, fruits, lean proteins and plenty of water.

Before their surgeries Dillons was in April 2015 and Corys a week later in May the twins had lost 50 lbs. and 70 lbs., respectively.Thats how we usually do it. Everything that I do, he does, Dillon said. Luckily I had a brother who went through the same thing. We always like to compete.

Now that they can move more easily, they are playing sports again, including softball, hockey and football. They have also added weightlifting to their fitness routine.

Their goal is to reach 200 lbs. and both are committed to continuing with their new healthy lifestyle.

Surgery is not a cure all. It is just a tool to help, said Dillon. I dont want to be as big as I used to beI like buying smaller clothes. I dont want to buy bigger clothes or go back to my old clothes.

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Twin Brothers Dropped 324 Lbs. Together Through Diet Overhaul and Surgery: 'We Like to Compete' - PEOPLE.com

A scene from the upcoming Netflix film To the Bone

I remember the first time I saw an eating disorder portrayed on television. I was 12 years old watching a re-run of 7th Heaven and one of Lucys friends excused herself to use the bathroom after meals. The plot of the show included the discovery that in reality this friend was only changing her retainer, but we should be mindful not to make accusations, and also to provide support.

Then it happened again on Gossip Girl. Blair, one of the shows main characters, experiences binge/purge episodes in relation to feeling alone and rejected by her father and overwhelmed by the world around her. While a few of the episodes referenced this issue and needing to get help, it never became more than a background narrative, dropped when juicier plotlines and romances came along.

Next it was Pretty Little Liars, when Hannahs character was taught how to get rid of food by the shows main frenemy and woman of mystery, Ali D. Although Hannah was confronted with urges to use this behavior, we as viewers watched her resist, though jokes about her weight and references to her jealousy of other peoples slim figures continued throughout the many seasons.

I had hope when Red Band Society came out. It featured teenagers in a hospital, including a young woman diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. But we barely saw the inner workings of the disorder. Rather, we saw the behaviors and saw an unrealistic medical staff leave food alone with the patient and feign incredulity when she was losing weight or didnt finish a meal.

It seems that there is a three-fold conversation that takes place around featuring eating disorders in film/television/media.

One: Its never done right. We watch characters like those mentioned above go through the motions of the behaviors, at times mentioning the feelings beneath them, but the true extent of an eating disorder is ignored or botched. We watch characters seemingly forget their eating disorders on shows like Glee, laying to rest the storyline after a few episodes. Perhaps this is an attempt to show that those with eating disorders have other things going on in their lives, that this is not their sole identity.

Sure. And yet, as a woman who is recovered and is now an eating disorder therapist I can safely say that this is delicate and complex; an individual in recovery is most likely working extremely hard to fully participate in life beyond the eating disorder feelings, thoughts and behaviors. But this is far from simple and takes dedication and time. Lots of time. So to cut out the notion of the eating disorder after a few episodes is belittling the journey and the extent to which this grips hold on someones life.

Two: Even when eating disorders are portrayed fairly accurately, such as on the British television show Skins, the characters can be triggering for those struggling with disordered eating or full-fledged eating disorders. It may bring out ideas or notions in those in a susceptible and sensitive place. Even my writing this article could be considered by some to be paying mind to eating disorders and therefore be dangerous. This is the second stance when eating disorders are portrayed: Its too risky for the millions already struggling.

Three: There are those who are calling for more action and understanding. As a woman who identifies herself as an activist I can safely say that I fall under this category. I want to see more in the media depicting the truth about eating disorders and I want it to be done in a safe way where those who perhaps are in the midst of an eating disorder are given a helpful trigger warning, yet the depiction does not include details that might act as a lesson for those not committed to recovery and looking for ways to perpetuate their eating disorder struggles.

Eating disorders are real and they are dangerous and they are common. We can ignore this, we can watch as it gets botched by those with good intentionsfeaturing lines like I just want to be in controlbut not see the other side, how this disorder, this illness, permeates thoughts, feelings, willingness, relationshipsand above all, ones ability to participate in life. To feel and love and take risks. I do not judge those in the media who have made the efforts. In my mind these efforts come from a place of desire to help and create awareness. And yet, these episodes featuring eating disorders could also feature information on getting help at the end of the episodemuch like many episodes do when a character struggles with substance abuse. Additionally, there is a call for research and consultations with doctors, therapists, dietitians and those who are recovered and/or in recovery. It would be an act of denial to ignore this rampant issue, but the acknowledgment and awareness must be thought out and done in a way that offers information and support. To show that there is hope, but that the journey is long. That help is out there and what it might look like. To advertise getting help, which includes a treatment team, and not simply friends. Im not sure Id have recovered without my friends, but they were also not trained professionals who could set boundaries and limits and challenges the way a team could. I need the help of my professional team as well.

In May I had the privilege of attending the Project Heal Gala and hearing both Marti Noxon and Lily Collins discuss their upcoming Netflix film, To the Bone, which has sparked much conversation in the mental health/eating disorder world. While I havent seen the film I have colleagues who have and who reported that this film does in fact highlight the mental and emotional aspects of the disorder. I look to this film with hope and the potential for opportunity while also being aware that the hype around this film includes conversation around the actors weight loss in preparation for the film. I continue to process this while having heard from the actor herself how this weight loss allowed for further pursuit of full recovery.

Call me optimistic or perhaps non-judgmentalas I mentioned I have not yet seen the film. But this article is not truly about one film in particular. It is about calling attention to the craving, the hunger for appropriate, safe portrayal in the media. It is about the ongoing debate and about an approach that all sides value: the need for further understanding, empathy and support for those suffering from eating disorders, and for the truth to be told about them, their loved ones, their journey and the idea that there is hope and full recovery is possible.

By Temimah Zucker, LMSW

Temimah Zucker, LMSW, works as a primary therapist at Monte Nido Manhattan while also working in private practice with individuals and families, and co-facilitating a group for Jewish women in recovery from an eating disorder. Temimah also speaks publicly about the subject with regard to awareness, staff training and programs on body image and self-esteem using her clinical wisdom and personal experience. Temimah lives in New York and has two adorable dogs.

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Chaotic Messaging: When Eating Disorders Enter the Media - Jewish Link of New Jersey

LONDONDERRY, NH In February 2016, a homeowner was seriously injured after falling from a ladder while trimming branches from a tree in Frederick, OK. The man was using a chain saw to trim broken limbs from the trees around his home.

One of the limbs he severed fell into his ladder, knocking it over and causing the man to fall 12 feet to the ground. The man was discovered by a neighbor, lying face down in the yard beneath the tree.

The badly bent ladder and chain saw were strewn on the ground nearby. He was taken by helicopter to OU Medical Center due to the nature of his injuries.

This story is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident says Tchukki Andersen, Board Certified Master Arborist, Certified Tree Safety Professional and staff arborist for the Tree Care Industry Association.

There are many stories in the news media each year depicting the sad details of homeowners getting severely injured or killed by attempting to manage large tree limbs on their own.

Tree work, while appearing fairly straightforward and simple, is actually extremely complicated and technical. There is so much to understand about removing live or hanging tree branches, and it is not at all like cutting up firewood on the ground with a chain saw.

Qualified tree professionals are trained to look for and take special precautions against:

Trees or branches with decay, cracks or unbalanced weight.

Working near overhead electrical wires and other conductors.

Preventing falls from trees they are working in.

Removing portions of or entire trees without causing bodily harm or property damage.

Do-it-yourself homeowners have been hurt trying to cut their own trees in the following manners:

Extension ladders

Oops! If the ladder is too short to reach the branch, do not make the mistake of setting it on something such as on overturned garbage can to get the reach needed.

Get a sturdy ladder that will reach at least five feet beyond the branch it will lean on. When a large branch is cut from a tree, the loss of the weight will cause the rest of the limb to suddenly lurch up.

Many unaware homeowners have been severely injured, some fatally, when the ladder they are standing on falls out from under the branch they are cutting. The biggest danger is taking too big or too unwieldy of a piece at one time. Cut the limb in small pieces.

Improper tools

Oops! Planning to borrow a brother-in-laws chain saw? When was the last time the tool was properly sharpened or maintained? A dull chain forces a user to use too much pressure, causing easy loss of control.

This can lead to many problems, most of them leading to the hospital for emergency treatment of deep lacerations to the users body. Andersen notes, Use properly maintained equipment and the right size saw for the job.

Lack of knowledge

Oops! It cant be done with just one cut. This is where those lacking experience in cutting live limbs from trees get hurt almost every time. Trees are mechanically complex organisms that need to be cut in a certain way to remove pieces of them safely.

Cutting off a large section of limb to save time will usually cause the branch to fall before the cut is finished. The cut end will often tear into the branch all the way back to the trunk.

This action can cause damage to the tree (and to anyone in the way) as it swings out of control, usually onto the ladder being used or the person holding the ladder. Therefore, it is always recommended to remove a large limb in sections.

Anyone that is at all uncertain about what could happen by attempting their own tree work should contact a qualified tree care professional.

Find a professional

A professional arborist can assess the landscape and work with the owner to determine the best care for the trees. Contact the Tree Care Industry Association TCIA), a public and professional resource on trees and arboriculture since 1938.

TCIA has more than 2,300 member tree care firms and affiliated companies who recognize stringent safety and performance standards and who are required to carry liability insurance.

TCIA also has the nations only Accreditation program that helps consumers find tree care companies that have been inspected and accredited based on: adherence to industry standards for quality and safety; maintenance of trained, professional staff; and dedication to ethics and quality in business practices.

For more information, visit http://www.tcia.org or http://www.treecaretips.org.

An easy way to find a tree care service provider in the area is to use the Locate Your Local TCIA Member Companies program. To use this service call 1-800-733-2622 or do a ZIP Code search on http://www.treecaretips.org.

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Trees, saws, ladders don't mix! - Daily Herald