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As Erica Lugo sat on the couch, her then 3-year-old son Connor gazed at her and asked her to sit on the floor to play with him.

No, she immediately said.

The reason?

Lugo felt too tired to get off the couch. As sad as it was at the time, that no sparked a realization.

That was a huge wake-up call for me. Oh my gosh, I told my 3-year-old son, no I couldnt play with him, because I was too tired to get off the couch, Lugo, 30, of Centerville, Ohio, told TODAY.

RELATED: I started 2016 weighing 300 pounds. How I got my weight and my life under control

Since that no three years ago, Lugo lost 160 pounds from her 5-foot-11-inch frame. When she started, she felt depressed to learn she weighed 322 pounds.

Your heart kind of sinks when you see that (number), she said.

Growing up, Lugo struggled with her weight: She never really understood nutrition or exercise. After realizing she had to slim down, she simply downloaded an app to help her track her calories and exercise. She followed the apps recommendations to eat 2,000 calories a day and work out four times a week. She relied on smaller food portions, low-calorie frozen dinners and exercised for 20 or 30 minutes, four times a week.

When I first started, I had no idea what to do, she said. The basics are what worked.

Lugo's wake-up call came when she couldn't play with her 3-year-old son because she didn't want to get off the couch.

These small changes led to a big transformation. In the first 13 months, she lost 122 pounds.

That came off pretty quickly, she said.

When Lugo's weight loss stalled, she re-examined her diet and exercise habits.

It is super frustrating when you hit that first plateau," she said.

Since the beginning of her journey, shes educated herself about diet and exercise. When she felt stuck, Lugo asked others for help.

Over the next 11 months, she lost another 38 pounds as she built muscle. She's maintained the loss over the past year by working out five to six days a week, with 20 minutes of cardio and 40 minutes of weight lifting.

After losing 160 pounds, Lugo lifts weights five times a week for 40 minutes.

It has been three years, total, for me. Honestly, every year I feel like I am learning something new, she said. I am so much stronger."

Lugo provided some tips to those hoping to lose weight.

Lugo often meets people who want to lose weight to compete in bodybuilding competitions or attain extreme goals. While she supports their quests, she stressed it's important for people to remember it's OK to get into shape for simpler reasons.

You dont have to have any reason other than being healthy, she said.

Building muscle takes a long time, but Lugo stays motivated because she enjoys feeling stronger.

RELATED: 5 simple steps this woman took to lose 145 pounds

When Lugo tells people her weight doesnt define her, they often scoff and say something like, Well, you just lost 160 pounds. But losing that weight took a long time and her body is constantly changing. She's learned that being healthy and happy remains more important than her weight.

I am an actual person underneath, she said. Focus on who you are as a person."

During the weight-loss process, Lugo set attainable goals to stay motivated. She advised others to set targets they can achieve and measure within a certain time frame. But she urged people to think of weight loss as a lifestyle, not a quick fix.

Make it sustainable and dont be an extremist, she said. Your body is such an important thing and you get one in your life; you better treat it well.

Once a week, Lugo eats a doughnut. She likes pizza, burgers and ice cream. She encourages a cheat meal because those types of foods exist in the real world and people need to learn how to eat them in moderation.

It is a lifestyle and you are going to have to eat that stuff in your life," she said.

To Lugo, working out is like dating. Not every exercise feels like a perfect match.

You need to go out there and try different things or you are going to get bored, she said.

For more inspirational stories, check out our My Weight-Loss Journey page.

See the original post:
How this woman lost 160 pounds in 2 years by following 5 steps - Today.com

The CDC says 66-percent of Americans are overweight or obese and a recent study shows half of all Americans have given up even trying to lose weight.

So if youre in need of some motivation, look no further than Jenna Melancon, 40, and Clayton Smith, 43.

Jenna and Clayton have lost more than 315 pounds between the two of them and even though they have never met, they have quite a bit in common.

Im 43! So when those joints go and the knees go and the back goes and you have no mobility and youre in constant pain, your attitude will change, said Clayton.

It took him six years to drop the weight, but it started with the same struggles many people face.

I started on my own. I only went two months and kind of fizzled out [like most people], because I didnt really know what I was doing, said Clayton.

At the time, he was dealing with several medical issues and finally realized it was time to save his own life. So he went from 360 pounds to his current 184.

For Jenna, it was about the same. Her doctor told her she had to lose the weight or she was going to lose her life. But she started trying to shed her 320 pound frame in a risky way; lap-band surgery.

Surgeries give you a lot of problems, said Jenna. It was not good and my digestive system has never been the same.

She warns people its not a quick fix without consequence.

Through it all though, she says it was ultimately her will to live, and the gym, that saved her life.

When I first started working out, I wasnt training. I was just walking. I had a cane and I was embarrassed to go out with a cane, but I knew I wanted to get out of the house, she said.

Jenna is now 179 pounds and still losing the right way.

Both of them hoping their stories encourage others to just do something! They also mention, with so many fitness centers, athletic clubs and gyms in the Tampa Bay area, its kind of hard to find an excuse not to get started.

But in the event the gym is too intimidating or you just dont have the cash for a membership right now, heres Claytons advice:

Just get up and get moving. Just start, said Clayton.

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A tale of two, extreme weight loss stories in Tampa Bay - Story ... - ABC Action News

By Mayo Clinic News Network

Hundreds of fad diets, weight-loss programs and outright scams promise quick and easy weight loss. However, the foundation of every successful weight-loss program remains a healthy, calorie-controlled diet combined with exercise. For successful, long-term weight loss, you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits.

How do you make those permanent changes? Consider following these six strategies for weight-loss success.

Permanent weight loss takes time and effort -- and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.

To stay committed to your weight loss, you need to be focused. It takes a lot of mental and physical energy to change your habits. So as you're planning new weight-loss-related lifestyle changes, make a plan to address other stresses in your life first, such as financial problems or relationship conflicts. While these stresses may never go away completely, managing them better should improve your ability to focus on achieving a healthier lifestyle. Then, once you're ready to launch your weight-loss plan, set a start date and then -- start.

No one else can make you lose weight. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself. What's going to give you the burning drive to stick to your weight-loss plan? Make a list of what's important to you to help stay motivated and focused, whether it's an upcoming beach vacation or better overall health. Then find a way to make sure that you can call on your motivational factors during moments of temptation. Perhaps you want to post an encouraging note to yourself on the pantry door, for instance.

While you have to take responsibility for your own behavior for successful weight loss, it helps to have support -- of the right kind. Pick people to support you who will encourage you in positive ways, without shame, embarrassment or sabotage. Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and who will share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation to stick to your weight-loss goals. If you prefer to keep your weight-loss plans private, be accountable to yourself by having regular weigh-ins and recording your diet and exercise progress in a journal.

It may seem obvious to set realistic weight-loss goals. But do you really know what's realistic? Over the long term, it's best to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week, although initially you might lose weight more quickly than that if you make significant changes -- just be sure the changes are health supporting. To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular exercise.

When you're setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. "Exercise regularly" is an example of a process goal, while "Lose 30 pounds" is an example of an outcome goal. It isn't essential that you have an outcome goal, but you should set process goals because changing your processes -- your habits -- is a key to weight loss. Also make sure that your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited. An example of a SMART goal is aiming to walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for the next three months, and logging your results.

Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation. One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods -- fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

In particular, get your weight loss started by eating a healthy breakfast every day; eating at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily; and using healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils and nut butters. In addition, cut back on sugar, choose low-fat dairy products and keep meat consumption to a 3-ounce portion (about the size of a deck of cards).

The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories).

While you can lose weight without exercise, exercise plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone. Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help in maintaining weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity.

How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise -- such as brisk walking -- for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Any extra movement helps burn calories, though. Lifestyle activities may be easier to fit into your day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day if you can't fit in formal exercise on a given day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot when shopping.

It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even months if you want long-term, successful weight loss. These habits must become a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating patterns and daily routine. After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. And you have to move beyond simply recognizing your challenges -- you have to plan for how you'll deal with them if you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.

You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely after a setback, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/HQ01625/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Weight loss: 6 strategies for success - KSAT San Antonio

Playing Mama June Flaunts Slim 'Hourglass Figure' as She Continues Intense Weight Loss Transformation

Mama June Shannon's "revenge body" is well under way.

In a preview clip from Friday's episode of Mama June: From Not to Hot on WE tv, the mother of four gets serious about her workouts, and vows not to step on the scale for the next eight weeks, per the instructions of personal trainer Kenya Crooks.

WATCH: Mama June Accused by Fans of Wearing a Fat Suit to Exaggerate Weight Loss on Reality Show

"No more messing around, it's time to go to work, baby," Mama June proclaims. "You know, I'm going to have to give Kenny some credit. I've never felt this good before."

As for her diet, the 37-year-old reality star reveals that she's "finally off this liquid diet and eating real food."

"Eating healthy gives me a lot more energy," she adds, "Which makes me work out harder and makes me lose the weight faster."

WATCH: Mama June Shows Off Shockingly Slimmer Figure as She Heads to Gym

After weeks of strenuous workouts and eating right, Mama June nervously steps on the scale in hopes that she's under 220 pounds.

In another preview clip for the reality show, Mama June, who says she's a size 18 at the time, chats with Crooks about her desire to fit into the size four dress she got to wear to her ex Mike "Sugar Bear" Thompson's wedding. "I wanna be the hottest thing at this wedding," she tells her trainer. "I'm honestly scared, because I don't know if I'm going to be able to reach my goal or not."

WATCH: Mama June Picks Out Skin-Tight Size 4 'Revenge Dress' for Sugar Bear's Wedding

While the show has yet to reveal Mama June's full transformation, she does try on some wedding dresses on this week's episode that showcase her weight loss. Slipping into a size 12 gown, Mama June exclaims, "Wow, got my little hourglass figure going on."

"I may not be wanting to get married, but damn, I look mighty hot in a wedding dress," she quips.

EXCLUSIVE: Mama June's Weight Loss Surgeries Revealed -- How She Went From 460 Pounds to a Size 4

When ET spoke exclusively with Crooks, and Mama June's two daughters, Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon, they revealed that Mama June had gone from 460 pounds to wearing a size four.

"I ain't trying to be like R-rated or anything, but she walks around the house in a pair of her underwear now, so...," Pumpkin joked. "Uh huh. I'm like, 'June, put some pants on! Put some pants on!'"

See the rest here:
Mama June Flaunts Slim 'Hourglass Figure' as She Continues Intense Weight Loss Transformation - Entertainment Tonight

By Eleise Britt

Weight loss teas claim to suppress appetite, increase fat burning and boost metabolism.

But do they work?

This article takes a sales-free look at the scientific evidence.

What Is Weight Loss Tea?

Weight loss teas are usually a blend of tea and herbs, depending on the brand.

They're said to help with weight loss by enhancing fat burning, increasing metabolism and suppressing appetite.

Many are also marketed as "detox teas" and "fit teas," with claims they increase energy and cleanse your body of toxins.

Most of these teas come with a recommended exercise and eating plan to be followed in addition to drinking the tea every day or two.

They are generally expensive and heavily marketed on social media.

Summary: Weight loss teas are a blend of tea and herbs that are claimed to enhance weight loss through several different mechanisms. Detox teas and fit teas are similar and all come at a premium price.

Diuretics and Laxatives in Weight Loss Tea

Many weight loss teas contain laxatives, caffeine or diuretics.

These ingredients can lead to short-term loss of water weight, giving you the illusion of having lost weight or feeling slimmer.

As the name suggests, a drop in water weight is a drop in the amount of water stored in the body. This type of weight loss is not from a reduction of fat stores and is not a sustainable method of weight loss.

As soon as you stop using the tea or hydrate properly, you will regain the water weight.

Losing water weight can also lead to dehydration. It is not a healthy or safe practice and can lead to serious health problems.

For weight loss to be sustainable you need to decrease the amount of fat stored in the body.

Laxatives

Many weight loss teas contain a natural laxative called senna.

Laxatives make you move your bowels more frequently and in some cases senna can cause stomach cramps, pain and diarrhea.

Long-term use of laxatives is not only unpleasant, it can become dangerous.

Continual use can cause your body to become dependent on the laxative, which is especially problematic when you stop taking them. Dehydration and severe electrolyte imbalance can also occur.

Also be mindful that psyllium husk, a type of fiber supplement, can have a laxative effect. It's commonly used as an ingredient in weight loss teas.

Diuretics

Diuretics make you urinate.

This is because they stimulate the body to excrete increased water and sodium.

This may be useful if your body is holding on to excess fluid. However, they are not useful for long-term weight loss and can cause dehydration.

Natural diuretics found in weight loss teas include:

Tea leaves naturally contain caffeine, albeit in small amounts.

Summary: Many weight loss teas contain laxatives and diuretics. They can cause a loss of water weight but not body fat.

Do They Enhance Fat Burning, Suppress Appetite and Boost Metabolism?

Some weight loss teas do not contain diuretics or laxatives.

Instead they use ingredients claimed to have fat-burning, appetite-suppressing and metabolism-boosting properties.

Many of these ingredients lack evidence to support these claims.

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia Cambogia has been used as an ingredient in many weight loss supplements.

However, evidence to support weight loss claims is not strong.

A large systematic review of trials found any weight loss that resulted from taking garcinia cambogia was minimal and short term (1).

Watch this video for a more in depth look at garcinia cambogia.

Ginseng

There's no solid evidence in humans available to support any weight loss effects of Ginseng (2).

This includes gynostemma pentaphyllum which is often referred to as a type of ginseng.

Here is the original post:
Does Weight Loss Tea Really Work? - EcoWatch

Katherine Salcedo, 36, loved calorie-laden Dr Pepper so much shed keep a 330ml can by her bed and a 12 pack constantly in her fridge.

On waking, before even going to the toilet or brushing her teeth, shed neck her Dr P, cherishing the sugar boost and sweet taste. After that, shed have a further three cans throughout the day.

In total shed guzzle 14 litres of the drink, with the slogan Dr Pepper, so misunderstood, each week.

People would say Dr Pepper was misunderstood, but in reality I was, she said. I was constantly mistaken for being pregnant.

It wasnt just Dr Pepper which contains 96 calories a can and 24 grams of sugar per 330ml which made Katherines weight balloon.

She also gorged on a daily cheese burger, with large chips from McDonalds, totalling 745 calories a go.

No morning was complete without a visit to her local drive-thru in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

Every day, she would also drive four miles to other fast food restaurants and splash out up to 25 a day on high-calorie food.

PA Real Life

GettyWENN

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Former Emmerdale star, Lisa Riley, shed an incredible 10 stone in less than a year having given up alcohol in 2015

In 2007 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, because of my weight. I was constantly sweaty and jittery all the time. I felt so nauseous when my blood sugar plummeted

Katherine Salcedo

Id scoff fried chicken, she said, confessing that she would happily consume 4,000 calories daily.

On an average day, for lunch, shed guzzle a Subway foot-long sandwich and a large bag of crisps always accompanied by her beloved Dr Pepper.

Working as a supervisor for a sleep clinic, Katherine realised her waistline was bulging, while her bank account was shrinking.

She has always been big, but her terrible diet saw her hit 17-stone aged 27.

Just 5ft 3ins tall, she wore a UK size 26 and had to buy her clothes from a plus size section.

It was a nightmare getting anything to fit. Because my middle was so big, clothes would fit my legs and arms but would be so tight and uncomfortable around my belly.

Her hefty bulk also started impacting on her health. She said: In 2007 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, because of my weight. I was constantly sweaty and jittery all the time. I felt so nauseous when my blood sugar plummeted.

My blood pressure was high, too. It really wasnt good.

PA Real Life

But her turning point came one day when she was 28, when someone asked when are you due?, assuming her Dr Pepper belly was a baby.

I was so embarrassed. I tried to brush it off, but something needed to change.

Katherine, who has two sons, Damian, eight, and Adrian, five, was determined to slim down losing nearly four stone in a year and learning how to cook delicious meals from scratch.

By 30 12 months after revamping her diet and eating salads, protein shakes and fresh vegetables, and doing power-walking and work-out games at home she weighed 13 stone and was wearing a UK size 22.

Still eager to lose more weight, in April 2015 Katherine had an 8,000 gastric sleeve operation at Texas General Hospital.

Katherine and her construction worker husband Carlos, 38, financed the operation, which entailed removing part of her stomach leaving a thin vertical sleeve, with a loan.

Under the knife for two hours, she emerged with a stomach half the size.

Unable to eat full portions, in six months her weight plummeted from 13 stone to nine and a half stone and she could wear slinky UK size 10 clothes.

PA Real Life

Unfortunately, though, her rapid weight loss left her with a curtain of excess skin.

No amount of exercise or healthy eating can shift it, making surgery to slice it off, costing 25,000, the only solution but it is money she cant afford.

We dont want to be in more debt, so need to find another way to get the money.

It feels so horrible and is so hard to wear nice clothes because of it.

I want to feel comfortable, but I still have all this excess skin and lots of rashes where it rubs against my clothes.

Desperate for help, so she can finally feel good about herself and be in better shape to look after her kids, Katherine is now appealing for people to help her pay for the surgery.

I wasnt greedy, I had a sugar addiction which took over my life. I have worked so hard to lose the weight, now I feel I could go either way and become a new person with this transformation.

I want to be able to play sports with my children and not have anything flapping about in the wind.

Read more from the original source:
Weight loss before and after transformation of fizzy drink addict mum will SHOCK you - Express.co.uk

ALLENTOWN, Pa. Mary Clancey thought she was overweight because of her penchant for French fries and other starchy foods. Her family doctor teased her about too much snacking at the Pottsville Boscov's fudge counter where she worked.

Both were wrong. Inside the once-spritely grandmother was a cancerous tumor the size of, well, a whole other person 140 pounds.

Finally, at her son's urging one morning last fall when she couldn't get out of bed, she went to the hospital. Doctors at Lehigh Valley Health Network were aghast at what they discovered.

"The CAT scan is permanently engrained in my mind," said Dr. Richard Boulay, a gynecologic oncologist. "I'd never seen anything the size of this before."

Clancey and Boulay recounted the dramatic story of her diagnosis, treatment and recovery Thursday afternoon at LVHN.

Clancey, 71, of St. Clair, had tried dieting to no avail. At just over 5-feet tall, she developed a potbelly that slowly but surely kept getting bigger and bigger over the course of a decade and a half.

She said she resigned herself to the idea that, like her grandmother and aunts, she'd be "a plump, little old lady."

"I thought that was my destiny," she said. An optimist by nature, she left it at that and went about her business socializing with the other "girls" who worked at Boscov's and playfully flirting with the young men who shopped there.

What Boulay told her required a dramatic reappraisal. She wasn't fat; she had inside her a monstrosity of a malignant ovarian mass.

Imagine carrying a baby to which you never give birth, one that grows inside you into adulthood.

"It was slowly killing her," Boulay said, noting that by the time he saw Clancey, she could barely speak two words in a row without losing her breath because the tumor was compressing her diaphragm. And because the tumor had restricted blood flow to her lower extremities, her ankles and feet were painfully swollen.

Extracting such a tumor would be no ordinary day in the operating room.

Two surgical teams comprising 10 doctors, nurses and other staff worked side by side one team led by Boulay and another by plastic surgeon Dr. Randolph Wojcik.

First was the tricky proposition of how to get the tumor out. Typically, such procedures are performed on a patient lying on her back.

But that would have presented Boulay with the Herculean task of reaching inside of Clancey with both arms and heaving the mass out. Did he even have the arm and back strength? Plus, he knew the tumor would be slippery, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to get a firm grip.

Boulay recalled coming up with his game plan: "How am I going to get it out of her without rupturing it? ... One of the tenets of cancer surgery is when you take out a mass, you don't want to pop it. This is mostly fluid with a rind around it. So how can I get this out safely? ... This is going to be big. How am I going to lift this out? And I said, I'm not. I'm going to have to roll it out."

So, on the big day in November a second, slightly shorter table was wheeled into the operating room and parked next to the one on which Clancey was lying, anesthetized, on her side. The doctors cut her open and began disconnecting the tumor from the blood vessels that had long fed it.

A photograph captured the scene just moments after the extraction: In the foreground is the tumor, its pale, shiny-smooth surface streaked in blood. In the background is Clancey's exposed midsection and a doctor holding, with both of his hands, a flap of skin perhaps two feet long.

It was time for Wojcik, who on Thursday referred to himself as "Mary's tailor," to get busy. The plastic surgeon removed 40 pounds of excess skin and abdominal tissue.

After initially weighing in at 365 pounds, Clancey's total weight loss over the course of five hours of surgery was 180 pounds.

As for the tumor, it was sent to the morgue, since the morgue had a scale big enough to weigh it, and then on to the pathology lab for further analysis.

After a month-long recovery in the hospital, Clancey went back home for the holidays. Tests indicate she is cancer- free. Boulay does not expect her to need further treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation.

After losing so much weight, Clancey's balance is off, so she's using a walker something she hopes not to need in due time. Still, she says she feels like a million bucks.

She's spending time with her two sons and grandsons, and she's looking forward to doing things she had given up, such as gardening and "shopping with the girls."

"This is my happy ending," she said. "Everything turned out all right."

Visit link:
Pa. woman resigned to being plump learns she had 140-pound tumor - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Retraining the brain to beat stress is the key to losing weight and keeping it off, a leading Australian neuroscientist says.

Theres overwhelming evidence that many people who lose weight through dieting quickly regain it and, according to Queensland University of Technologys Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovations Selena Bartlett, this is because people have learned to ignore their brain an organ that has been dictating behaviour since prehistoric times and have accepted emotional eating that comes with living an over-stressed lifestyle.

Professor Bartlett said diets could in fact make us fatter and more stressed.

When we are stressed our brain seeks pleasure and thats the problem, Prof Bartlett said.

And the more stress you experience, the more your brain seeks pleasure to counter it.

Choosing to beat stress in order to lose weight has long been advocated by US neuroscientist Caroline Leaf.

Thoughts are real things that occupy mental real estate, she said during her 2015 TEDx talk on the power of our thoughts.

According to Dr Leaf, if a person chooses to react wrongly to a challenging situation, they enter stage two of the stress reaction.

During this stage, high levels of cortisol circulate in the blood for extended periods of time, in turn contributing to prolonged high blood sugar that can also lead to insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and weight gain, since prolonged high levels of cortisol lead to the accumulation of fat instead of fat breakdown.

In this toxic situation, fat tends to accumulate around the middle of the body and is a risk factor for heart disease, Dr Leaf wrote.

In fact, prolonged, high levels of cortisol can lead to Cushings syndrome characterised by fat accumulation around the middle and back of the human body.

The good news is that its possible to override the way the amygdala, the emotional part of our brain, responds to stress, Prof Bartlett said.

When the rational brain is in charge, sustainable weight loss is possible.

Be compassionate to your brain: It is an amazing organ that can be severely damaged by stress, especially in childhood while its developing.

Get to know the brain: An awareness of how the amygdala an almond-shaped set of neurons located deep in the brains medial temporal lobes drives your behaviour is critical to overriding unhealthy impulses.

Identify when your amygdala is taking over in stressful situations and acknowledge when youre tempted by the urge to eat comforting food, like sugar.

Replace food and alcohol with deep breathing, stretching, walking, running or any movement that feels good.

Reduce sugar and alcohol intake and increase cardiovascular and high intensity exercise: These will help to heal your brain of its stress-induced damage and build a strong, healthy body.

View original post here:
Beating stress key to weight loss - Country News

DIETING doesnt mean giving up all the foods you love.

GETTY

Losing weight is an uphill battle. There will always be temptation, but after a while it will get easier.

You will grab a piece of fruit instead of a bar of chocolate and you will actually want to exercise because it makes you feel better inside and out.

But starting is always the hardest part, which is why swapping out some foods for healthier alternatives is a great way to begin.

Here are six food tips that will help you lose weight:

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

1 / 23

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

1. Eat more regularly

Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do if you are trying to lose weight.

Rather, the best thing to do is eat small meals every three to five hours. This will help increase your metabolism and keep your hunger at bay.

2. Drink water before every meal

While we all aim to drink six to eight glasses of water a day, many of us struggle to reach this target.

Not drinking enough water leaves us dehydrated, tired and feeling hungry because often we confuse thirst with hunger and end up over eating.

So make sure you drink at least a glass of water before each meal or snack to stay hydrated and full.

The six best carbs for weight loss revealed

John Goodman opens up about his pneumonia battle

Man celebrates his INCREDIBLE weight loss

3. Order the smaller-sized coffee

By swapping your large or regular-sized coffee for a short one you will not only save money but over 100 extra calories.

4. Drink clear liquor

When the Daily Star online spoke to Vicky Pattison about how she dropped four dress sizes, she said one of the things she did was swap her sugary-filled drinks for vodka sodas.

This is the right idea as a vodka soda is only around 100 calories per drink while a margarita isaround 500 calories per drink.

5. Swap your favourite junk food for a healthy alternative

If you like mayo, try non-fat Greek yoghurt. Crackers? Cut up cucumber, carrots or zucchinis and dip into hummus.

Swap your chips for nuts for an extra hit of protein and substitute rice for cauliflower rice.

6. Frozen grapes are your new best friend

Frozen grapes are a cheap and easy dessert and will satisfy your sweet tooth.

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Six simple food tweaks that will help you lose weight faster - Daily Star

Prevention.com

8 Ways Your Friends Are Sabotaging Your Weight-Loss Goals Prevention.com Sticking to a weight-loss plan is hard enough without the barrage of happy hour invites and homemade treats from your best friend at work. Intentionally or not, your loved ones have the power to seriously set you off course when it comes to dropping ...

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8 Ways Your Friends Are Sabotaging Your Weight-Loss Goals - Prevention.com