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Feasting or fasting in the festive season? – The Business Times

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:43 pm

Sat, Jan 18, 2020 - 5:50 AM

THE Christmas festivities are barely over and Chinese New Year is already rolling round. We have just recovered from the wine and dine of the Yuletide season and are trying to shed the extra kilogrammes. The gym instructors will tell you that there is a surge in the beginning of the year in gym attendance as people grapple with added body weight and the weight of their New Year resolutions!

There has been a lot of interest in intermittent fasting and low carbohydrate diets. Intermittent fasting is practised in various ways. One is to fast on alternate days or to fast two to three days in a week, while an alternative way is to reduce the number of hours in a day for eating. Hence you have regimens such as 5:2, where you fast for two days in a week, or fasting for 14 hours daily for five days in a week and gradually increasing it over months to 16 to 18 hours daily.

The whole idea about intermittent fasting is to switch the body to use ketones as a fuel as opposed to glucose. The brain needs to use glucose to power itself and in fasting states, it uses ketones. The ketones comes from fat breakdown.

Caveman situation

The idea of intermittent fasting is to recreate the caveman situation where they did not cultivate crops and had to survive from hunt to hunt. The fasting state induces ketone production or ketosis and it takes only eight to 10 hours of fasting before ketones start to rise in the bloodstream.

The rise is marked when the fasting period hits 24 hours. The ketones are not just a fuel; they are also powerful triggers of certain pathways that the body needs to overcome the challenge of fasting. These pathways allow the cells to mount antioxidant response, repair damaged DNA, increase number of mitochondria that are the powerhouses of the cell, remove damage structures inside the cell and reduce inflammation.

In short, the body conserves by shutting down growth and reproduction, enhancing response to stress, favouring repair mechanisms and ensuring cell survival.

When the fast is broken and the patient starts to eat, the glucose levels rise, the ketones fall, the body starts to increase protein production resulting in growth and repair. Hence the intermittent fasting regimen together with exercise results in long-term adaptations that are useful.

Is intermittent fasting the panacea to our growing obesity rates globally? There is a lot of research ongoing in different areas such as intermittent fasting in cancer, degenerating illnesses of the brain, asthma, autoimmune disease, diabetes, obesity and cardiac diseases.

A lot of data is in animal studies and we are still missing long-term, mega- sized trials. Other issues include gorging during the feeding states as you still have to restrict your calories when you break the fast; there is also irritability, hunger and "brain fog" when your brain starts using ketones as a fuel. Thankfully, these side effects resolve within a month of starting your regimen.

The other popular strategy is the use of low carbohydrate diets. A healthy diet comprises of 45 to 65 per cent of carbohydrates. A moderate carbohydrate diet comprises 26 to 44 per cent, a "low" carbohydrate diet is 10 to 25 per cent and a "very low" carbohydrate diet is 10 per cent or less. The remaining is either protein or fat.

The diets that trigger ketosis are usually low or very low in carbohydrate and high in fat. High protein intake in a low carbohydrate diet can negate ketosis.

Does a low carbohydrate diet work? The data shows that such diets do work, and they can result in increased metabolism. We are not sure how this is achieved but it could be due to changes in stress and thyroid hormones. There is also remarkable initial weight loss due to loss of body water as ketones are diuretic in nature. The loss of water is also due to lower insulin levels and the depletion of the glycogen stores in your liver.

The weight loss in the short term is much better than your normal low fat diet. In the longer term, that is, six months or more, the gains between low carbohydrate and low fat diet evens out. It is also very difficult to sustain a very low carbohydrate diet.

The other thing to note is that your muscle mass may also deteriorate with low carbohydrate diets and so it is important to make sure you eat enough protein and not just fat.

I am often asked if cholesterols will be affected by a low carbohydrate diet. The response of cholesterols levels may be quite varied. If the patients eats a lot of saturated fat, the LDL or bad cholesterol will rise. Hence we usually tell patients on such diets to monitor their cholesterol profiles.

The triglycerides are heavily influenced by glucose and hence such diets do lower triglycerides. In diabetic patients, the triglycerides and blood glucose levels are reduced by such diets.

Not all diets are equal

Among the low carbohydrate diets, not all are equal. For example, they found the diets that were more Mediterranean and Paleolithic in nature were useful in diabetics. Those with higher protein and lower fat were also useful.

Is there a down side to such low carbohydrate diets? Well, they found that it was not helpful in blood pressure patients, it may produce changes in the gut bacteria and it is not helpful with inflammation. We believe that the arteries are inflamed, therefore triggering blockages.

Is there increase in longevity if we partake in such diets? The data shows that if we substitute the carbohydrates that we forego in such diets with animal fat or protein, longevity is reduced. However, if we use plant-based fat or protein, longevity is enhanced.

In the final analysis, we have found that patients do lose weight with low carbohydrate diets and intermittent fasting. We have to be aware that such diets are not fads or trick diets. One can lose weight by cutting off a leg; "trick diets" try to get you to reduce your calorie intake by making you consume too much of one item, be it pineapples or apples or whatever.

Ultimately, as we leave one festive season and move into the next, be mindful of what you eat, try to eat in moderation, control your portion sizes, maintain your exercise and enjoy the goodwill and fellowship of kin, friends and colleagues.

This series is produced on alternate Saturdays in collaboration with Singapore Medical Specialists Centre

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Feasting or fasting in the festive season? - The Business Times

A Couch to 5K Program Helped This Guy Drop 50 Pounds and Get Healthy – menshealth.com

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:43 pm

When I went off to college, Huy Tran says, I became an eating machine. Up until then, hed been an average kid, fairly active. He played sports and biked all over down. Yet when he went to college he hoovered up whatever food was available, in huge amounts. Reflecting on it now, the 33-year-old lab scientist and photographer says, I believe that I had developed a binge eating disorder and was addicted to food.

He gained 70 pounds in about a year and a half, and he carried that weight with him. At his heaviest he was 264 pounds and felt awful, with tight hamstrings and persistent back pain. Hed sweat if he had to walk too far. He couldnt fit into his suit jacket for a friends wedding; he had trouble getting down the stairs for a night-time drink of water. I was 31 years old and my body was falling apart, he says. Enough was enough.

He started by taking pictures of himself. Then he downloaded MyFitnessPal, setting a calorie goal that would drop one pound a week. He ditched the fast food and starting prepping meals of salads, roasted veggies, and lean protein. Sugary drinks went out the window, and he began using a food scale.

As a motivator, he signed up for a 5K race he vowed to complete in the spring, then enrolled in a couch-to-5K program. The first few weeks were hell, he says. I could barely jog for 60 seconds at a time and my legs were constantly sore. He fought through that, and when he could run a 5K he got a gym membership and started lifting, beginning with full-body and then going into a PPL (Push-Pull-Legs) split. He didnt have a trainer, but his friends kept him motivated and accountable.

After a year, hed lost 35 pounds; now, two years later, hes down 46 pounds but has also gained a lot of muscle. I don't think that I have ever been this fit in my entire life, he says. He can lift nearly twice his bodyweight in most lifts, and his 5K time is under 27 minutes. He feels more confident in himself, and in control of his body. Hes much more disciplined; his mental toughness has increased. I get comments from people nearly every week saying something about how different and good I look or how they are so proud of me, he says. He thinks he might lose another 15-20 pounds. I want to keep going and be the best version of myself that I can be.

Losing weight and becoming healthy has to become a lifestyle and not a fad if you want to be successful and have it stick, he says. Fad and crash diets can feel like punishment, and are hard to stick to. Instead, he says, find exercise you enjoy and a sensible diet. Eat healthier and move more, he says. It goes a long way.

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A Couch to 5K Program Helped This Guy Drop 50 Pounds and Get Healthy - menshealth.com

Adele’s Trainer Revealed The Diet Behind Her Weight Loss – Delish

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

All eyes were on Adele when she posted a photo of her incredible weight loss back in October. Her dedication to a new fitness routine has contributed to her goal to stay healthy, but Adeles trainer attributes most of her weight loss to a strict diet. Does it involve green juice? Yes. Does it cut your coffee intake? Nope!

Shes working out, but I think 90 percent of it is diet, Camila Goodis, one of Adeles trainers who deems herself the Brazilian body wizard, said on the show Lorraine according to The U.S. Sun.

Its called the Sirtfood dieta diet designed to activate sirtuins, which are proteins that have been shown to regulate metabolism, inflammation, and lifespan. The two-phase diet lasts a total of three weeks, then its all a matter of packing as many sirtfoods as you can into your meals.

The first phase lasts three days and restricts calorie intake to 1,000 by consuming three green juices and one sirtfood-rich meal a day. The calorie intake is upped to 1,500 for the next four days. Those days involve consuming two green juices and two meals a day. In phase two, you eat three meals made of sirtfoods and one green juice for two weeks.

OK, but what are sirtfoods? Kale, blueberries, walnuts, onions, and strawberries are a few. Other top contenders include red wine, dark chocolate (85 percent cocoa), and coffee. TBH, sounds like my kind of diet. It's something to try!

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Adele's Trainer Revealed The Diet Behind Her Weight Loss - Delish

The only diet you can stick with is one you can enjoy – The Guardian

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

By the time you read this, it will all be over: the advice about what to do in January. Either youll still be sticking to your resolutions, food- and exercise-wise, or you will have already abandoned them unless, like me, you didnt make any, for which reason you will be currently neither glowing nor guilty. Regular readers will know that I like nothing more than to sit atop my spike; after the holidays, I could hardly wait to get back to work. But I also find the winter hard enough without depriving myself of things.

Still, it was worse than ever this year: the advice, I mean. We were assailed from all sides, Veganuary joining Dry January as the latest thing. Looking over, if not exactly reading, an article in one newspaper were all 3.3lb overweight, it said, and should drastically reduce our salt intake; we should also, in the interests of avoiding cancer, make sure our roast potatoes are golden yellow rather than brown I was beset by the same anxiety I sometimes experience in a supermarket: even when it comes to self-improvement, the multiplicity of choice is overwhelming.

Its my conviction that the only truly sustainable diet in terms of the environment, and of ones health is an enjoyable diet. But what, really, constitutes enjoyment these days? In Alan Bennetts latest diary in the London Review of Books there is an interesting bit 11 February, 2019, if you want to look it up where he ponders his childhood memories of food. As a boy who lived through the war, people expect him to recall doing without: the particular hunger that comes with missing things, or being told one cannot have them (rationing, remember, did not end until the summer of 1954, by which time he was 20). But seemingly, this is not so.

What I dont recall, he writes, is any longing for food (or for elaborate food) that coloured the everyday. On the contrary, what sticks in the mind is how tasty some very ordinary meals were: the first new potatoes, for instance, so delicious one would save them up till last when having ones dinner (ie lunch). Even the nowadays unfashionable and reviled Spam and corned beef, he reports, seemed good then; certainly, he liked both more than the stewing steak provided by his (very scrupulous) butcher father.

Shop as little as possible, eke things out. Think of less as more; turn one thing (chicken) into another (risotto)

Lots of people did feel badly off in the 1940s and 50s, of course. Think of Elizabeth David, reducing her sister to tears when she came home one day with tomatoes; in her wartime diary, Vere Hodgson writes of how refreshing it was even to see a bit of orange peel on a pavement. But you get the point. Choice works both ways; even as it expands your universe, it somehow shrinks it, too. I often crave hummus, or the sweet-sour sharpness of various combinations of chilli and lime and fish sauce: things I hardly knew as a child. But I never really long for, say, the shepherds pie on which I grew up until, that is, the moment when one appears before me, at which point I remember how delicious and comforting it is. How can so few un-exotic ingredients taste so good in this combination? Well, they just do.

One trick when it comes to restoring the pleasure principle in the kitchen is to have weeks when you shop as little as possible, and really eke things out. Use whats in your cupboard; try to think of less as more; turn one thing (chicken) into another (risotto, say). At new year I served mushroom soup to friends, and of all the things I made that night, it was the one they seemed to like most. I gussied it up with leftover cream and a dash of ancient brandy, and served it in teacups to make it look dainty. But in the end, its most important ingredients were a few tatty corner shop mushrooms, a clove of garlic and a stock cube.

What made it so good? Two things, I think. The first was that I cooked the mushrooms for ages, patience doing the work of a more elaborate recipe. The second had to do with yes novelty. Mushroom soup? The last time anyone had eaten such a plain and wholesome dish was 12 months before, when (apparently) I dished up exactly the same thing.

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The only diet you can stick with is one you can enjoy - The Guardian

Keto diet isnt the answer for weight loss, experts say. Heres what is – USA TODAY

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

The keto diet. You've probably heard of it by now.

It's the low-carb, high-fat diet that caught on and spread quickly, leading some to label it as a fad, while others praised its effectiveness.

The new year brings in anannual flood of personalhealth goals, and for those trying to lose weight, the keto diet might have come into consideration. Is it effective? More importantly, is ithealthy?

Before making any commitments to keto, it's important to understand what you're getting yourself into.In addition to whatthe health professionals below have to say about keto, it's important to consult your doctor before embarking on any high-fat diets.

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Though there are slightly different versions of the ketogenic diet, it's primarily based on a low intake of carbohydrates coupled with a high intake of fat and protein.

Generally, this means people on the diet get70% to 80% of their daily calories from fat, about 20%from protein and about 5%from carbs.

The decreased intake of carbs forces the body into the state of ketosis,in which fat becomes the main provider of fuel for the body.

Though similar, keto is not the same as the Paleo and Atkins diets, which also feature low-carb routines.

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The diet has been associated with effective weight loss, but it doesn't necessarily get the approval from doctors.

"I wouldn't recommend the keto diet to anybody," Jeffrey Mechanick, medical director at Mount Sinai Heart's Marie-Jose and Henry R. Kravis Center for ClinicalCardiovascular Health,told USA TODAY.

When it comes to dissecting popular diets such as keto, doctors stress the importanceof knowing the difference between weight loss and genuine overall health.

Reducing your intake of carbs, as the keto diet does, goes hand-in-hand with reducing intake of whole grains, fruits and some vegetables, which raises red flags for health professionals.

"That's where Iget a little concerned about the keto diet," Vasanti Malik, adjunct assistant professor of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told USA TODAY.

"You want to be mindful, because these foods whole grains, fruits and vegetables carry a number of beneficial nutrients vitamins, polyphenols, fiber that have been shown time and time again to be beneficial for cardiometabolic health."

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As the keto diet essentially nixes the body's intake of carbs, the bodysearches for an alternative source of fuel. Before long, the body breaksdown fat,muscle and tissues to sustain itself, Mechanick said.

"In theory, the keto diet basically mimics starvation," Mechanick said."If you don't eat carbohydrates but you eat an excessive amount of fat and protein, you're still going to waste tissue. Tissue is still going to burn off."

Yes, you might experience weight loss on the keto diet,but that might not actually be good for you, considering what you giveup.

"I don't feel particularly comfortable telling people to reduce intake of things that we know offer benefits for health," Malik said.

Diet-driven peoplemight find this part hard to digest.

Doctors are moving away from what we traditionally think of as a "diet," one with specific restrictions or calorie goals. Instead, theypromotea healthier overall lifestyle.

"The vernacular is changing," Mechanick said. "We try not to even use the word 'diet.' We try to use the phrase 'eating pattern.'"

There's a "rebound" issue with many fad diets such as keto, Malik said. You go on the diet, lose weight, but what happens after that? Most people struggle to stick with it.

"Without a realistic lifestyle change, the individual is going to regain the weight," she said.

The answer might not be a traditional "diet" at all,but there are changes you can make to shed weight while leading a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

The importance comes in the quality of the foods you eat, not necessarily the number of calories you consume, Malik said. She favors of eating patterns that don't abide by a restrictive calorie count, because they generally help people stick with the pattern longer.

Mechanick recommends minimizing your intake of two types of carbs sugars and starches while boosting another: fiber. High-fiber foods,including vegetables, low-glycemic index fruits, beans and nuts, are instrumental to a healthy eating pattern, he said.

"If you can get it up to seven to 10 servings a day, that's great," he said."You can't do that with the keto diet."

Malik urges people trying to lose weightto target foodssuch as whole grains, fruits, vegetables andnuts, while limiting saturated fat, added sugar and added sodium. Balance those practices with daily physical exercise, and you've established a solid base for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.Althoughshe argues against daily calorie counting, Malik urges caution about portion sizes there's no use in overeating. Avoid appetizers andsnacks in front of screens, and limit meals to one plate of food, the American Heart Association advises.

Losing weight has its benefits, both in a physical and mental sense. But when striving to eat well and hit the treadmill, don't lose sight of what it means to be healthy.

"People have to be content,"Mechanick said."They have to be fulfilled. That's what being healthy and productiveis, and that's really the endpoint."

Follow USA TODAY's Jay Cannon on Twitter: @JayTCannon

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Keto diet isnt the answer for weight loss, experts say. Heres what is - USA TODAY

How to lower cholesterol with the right diet and exercise regimens – INSIDER

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

If you're one of the 95 million US adults with a total cholesterol level higher than 200 mg/dL, you might be wondering what measures you can take to lower your cholesterol.

Medication isn't right for everybody, and making changes to your lifestyle, such as eating a heart-healthy diet and getting regular exercise, may be more important for you. Here's what you need to know.

According to Steven Reisman, MD, a cardiologist and director of the New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center, the best way to lower cholesterol is with lifestyle modification through diet and exercise.

Reducing saturated and trans fats, while introducing soluble fiber and healthier fats, is key to adopting a heart-healthy diet. As far as exercise, aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity five times each week walking, biking, jogging, or exercise classes should work.

If you're a smoker, giving up the habit can also get your numbers under control. That's because smoking lowers HDL, which is considered good cholesterol. You'll want higher levels of HDL to remove LDL from the arteries, which is considered bad cholesterol.

To lower LDL cholesterol, Reisman says to reduce your consumption of saturated fats, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products. You'll also want to minimize trans fat and partially hydrogenated oil in your diet, especially fried foods.

The next step is to eat foods that are considered heart-healthy. "Foods with monounsaturated fats are beneficial because they can decrease bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL)," says Reisman. Foods with monounsaturated fats include:

Including polyunsaturated fats may also reduce the risk of heart disease and help lower your LDL cholesterol, says Reisman. Look for foods that contain an important type of polyunsaturated fat omega-3 fatty acids. These include:

Finally, Reisman says soluble fiber can also reduce LDL cholesterol. Some of the best foods to eat for added soluble fiber are:

Sasan Massachi, MD, a primary care physician specializing in internal medicine, says that patients are typically advised to adopt a lifestyle modification program for three months, focusing on a healthier diet and regular exercise. This is followed up with cholesterol tests after three months to gauge results.

"If patients reduce their cholesterol adequately and are not in any danger of cardiovascular diseases, and they commit to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen, we have them follow up in three to six months for additional cholesterol tests," he says.

Overall, how quickly you can reduce cholesterol will depend on your total cholesterol level, your family history, any pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, and the type of diet and exercise program.

If your levels are already closer to a healthy range, and you don't have any pre-existing conditions, it may take less time.

"For some patients who don't respond well to lifestyle changes, it is necessary to take medication," says Massachi. This may include those with a family history of high cholesterol and those who also have cardiovascular diseases or diabetes.

In these cases, Massachi says taking cholesterol medication can lower your cholesterol levels, and also help manage other pre-existing conditions. You should talk with your doctor if you think this might be the right option for you.

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How to lower cholesterol with the right diet and exercise regimens - INSIDER

Here’s Exactly How to Stick to Your New Diet, According to Experts and Research – Prevention.com

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

Donat SorokinGetty Images

Picking which meal plan to follow should be the easy partthere are so many different options out there. If you love fish and yummy olive oil, opt for the Mediterranean diet. More of a morning nosher? Intermittent fasting may just be your thing.

Actually sticking to a new way of eating? Now thats where things get tricky. According to research conducted by Strava, a social network for athletes, people start to falter with their New Years resolutions by January 12. And per the US News and World Report, 80% of people will ultimately fail at what they set out to do.

But considering that a healthy diet affects everything from cardiovascular and skin health to the quality of your sleep, healthy eating is one resolution that you should work extra hard to keep. Luckily, there is plenty of behavioral science that can set you up for success and help you stick to your goal even after that initial surge of motivation flees. Here, some science-backed tips that can help.

Making decisions can be exhaustingeven Barack Obama agrees. In a 2012 interview, he explained why he wore the same suits over and over. Im trying to pare down decisions," he said. "I dont want to make decisions about what Im eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make. Interestingly, Steve Jobs to Mark Zuckerberg have made similar comments.

These powerful people are onto something. Psychologists say that our decision making skills begin to deteriorate after long periods of, well, decision making. Its actually called decision fatigue and if you think about it, you can probably find some examples in your own life. For example, after a long day at work it becomes harder to make the right dinner choice. Suddenly, rather than grilling the chicken breast you have in the fridge, you find yourself reaching for the pint of cookie dough ice cream to stave off your hunger. Oops.

If you want to give your willpower a bit of a boost, try taking away as many decisions around food as possible. Instead, embrace the art of meal prepping. For some, that may mean spending your Sunday whipping up healthy staples that will last you through the week. Or, it could mean investing in an Instant Pot so that after long days, you can override the temptation to order pizza and make a hot meal fast.

Instant Pot IP-DUO60 321 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6-QT

Instant Potamazon.com

Eating steamed broccoli and salmon for dinner every night may make decision making easy and keep your calories in check, but eventually youre going to grow weary of having the same freaking thing. And, as your boredom grows, suddenly that chocolate cake becomes harder and harder to resist.

What should you do to keep that boredom at bay? In a study published in Neuron, researchers found that any type of novelty activates the brains pleasure centers. Be sure to try out different healthy recipes rather than always relying on your old favorites. Even simple things like passing over the pamplemousse for a different La Croix flavor can help you keep your taste buds entertained.

Keeping a diary of what you eat helps keep you on track. In fact, the more you log your food, the more weight youll lose. The idea is that when you write down what you eat, youre more likely to take stock of not-so-great choices and change that behavior going forward. And, according to one study, taking photos of your meals may work even better.

Dr. Lydia Zepeda, the head researcher on the study, explains: We generally process pictures more fully than words. Therefore, I found people were much more likely to notice unhealthy foods or lack of healthy foods in their photos than in their written diaries. Since awareness is necessary to change behavior, the photos help increase awareness.

In a 2017 study, people were encouraged to use the Eat Right Now app to practice mindfulness for 10 minutes a day. Amazingly, participants who completed the 28-day study saw a 40% reduction in food related cravings.

So, what gives? Experts say focusing on what youre doing when youre doing it can help you make more conscious decisions. Say you eat dinner in front of the television. If youre so engrossed in whats going on, you may polish off everything on the plateregardless of how satiated you are. But if you keep the TV off and instead focus on your hunger level as you eat, youre more likely to put your fork done when youre full. Some days that may mean finishing everything, but others it may mean leaving some extra food (and calories!) on the plate.

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Here's Exactly How to Stick to Your New Diet, According to Experts and Research - Prevention.com

The Military Diet involves eating bun-less hot dogs and ice cream – INSIDER

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

With every new year comes a wave of trendy, too-good-to-be-true diet promises, and 2020 is no exception. This time, it's the resurgence of an old concept known as the Military Diet, a low-calorie plan that claims to help adherents lose up to 10 pounds in three days.

On Twitter, a search for the Military Diet returns equal numbers of people talking about their (often hungry) experiences on the plan, and ads promoting its weight-loss capabilities.

The meal plan ranges from 1,000 to 1,300 calories a day, far lower than the typical daily intake recommended even for weight loss, since fewer than 1,500 to 1,200 calories can put you at risk of malnutrition, according to Harvard Health.

According to the Military Diet website, a typical breakfast on the plan consists of one egg, one slice of toast, and a half a piece of fruit like banana or grapefruit. Lunch is a cup of cottage cheese and five saltine crackers, while for dinner you can look forward to two hot dogs (minus the bun), 1 cup of broccoli, 1/2 cup of carrots, and 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream.

The portion sizes are nonnegotiable, no snacking is allowed on the diet, and participants are instructed to subtract calories from beverages like coffee (about five calories per cup) out of their meals.

Shutterstock

Also known as the Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, or Kaiser diet, despite not being affiliated with any of those organizations, the crash diet's origins are unclear. Online searches for the "Military Diet plan" appear to have spiked a few times a year since at least 2012, most recently peaking again the last few days of 2019, according to Google Trends.

Despite occasional claims that it was invented by an anonymous military officer, there's no evidence that the diet is connected to any branch of the armed forces in any way. Nutrition specialist Patricia Deuster, who developed the official Special Operations forces nutrition guide, has previously debunked the diet's military connections. The actual guide recommends between 2,200 and 3,400 calories a day for operators.

"In my 30 years working with the military, I've never heard of it," Deuster told CNN. "We did not develop this. We do not use it. It has absolutely no resemblance to the real military diet. Even our rations are healthier and more nutritionally sound."

In fact, the diet doesn't appear to be endorsed by any expert or professional of any kind, let alone someone qualified in nutrition. There's no qualified expert listed on the diet's webpage, and many of the sources it cites come from Wikipedia.

A message sent to the Facebook page for the "Three Day Military Diet" was not returned.

It's true that the diet will probably cause most people to lose weight. Any strict calorie deficit is likely to cause weight loss, especially in the short term, according to registered dietitian Rachael Hartley.

"Certainly any time you restrict calories that heavily and deprive the body of needed nutrients, you're going to have rapid loss of weight," Hartley told Insider. "It's a calorie-controlled crash diet, there's nothing special about the foods included."

The diet could have negative side effects, according to Hartley, including low blood sugar, dizziness, and fatigue. People with health conditions or who take medications may face additional risks.

Further, exercising, or even accomplishing daily tasks, can be difficult on a such a low-calorie eating plan, Hartley added.

"A thousand calories is under the daily amount recommended for a 2 year old. So for an adult eating that and expecting to fuel their day, you might not keel over, but you're not going to have the energy to perform at your best," Hartley said.

More importantly, the quick-fix diet won't really make a difference in long-term health, since participants will regain the weight if they return to their usual eating habits.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

When it comes to dietary habits, "sustainability is key," registered dietitian nutritionistKristin Kirkpatrick previously told Insider.

"I often tell my patients that the best diet for them is one they can stay on long term," she said. "So many of my patients try the Mediterranean, keto, or something else, and lose weight, only to go back to old cravings and habits."

Ideally, Hartley added, a sustainable eating pattern doesn't have to even include weight loss, and instead should prioritize good habits. This can include eating more vegetables, doing more physical activity, or even making sure to get enough sleep.

"The focus on the scale really takes us away from what serves our physical and mental health" she said. "Instead of looking at an arbitrary number, we should look at actually taking care of ourselves with healthy behaviors that are sustainable."

Read more:

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The Military Diet involves eating bun-less hot dogs and ice cream - INSIDER

Neuron Discovered That Suppresses Eating May Lead to Effective Diet Drugs – SciTechDaily

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

A CALCR cell found in mice may stop feeding without subsequential nauseating effects as well as influence the long term intake of food.

Ever eaten something, gotten sick and then didnt want to eat that food again because of how it made you feel? Thats because a signal from the gut to the brain produced that sickness, creating a taste aversion.

Conventional wisdom renders theres one circuit in the brain that suppresses eating it comes from the stomach and makes you feel sick if you activate it too hard. Eating a portioned meal makes your body happy, though, even while stimulating a signal to the brain to stop eating, according to Michigan Diabetes Research Centers director, Martin Myers Jr., M.D. Ph.D.

Therefore, there must be a circuit that stops normal feeding without the adverse effects, right? says Myers.

Now, a Cell Metabolism study may have discovered this second circuit in mice. Myers, Randy Seeley, Ph.D, the director of the Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center, and a team of researchers sought to better understand which part of the brain curbs appetite and which neurons play a role in making mice want to eat or not eat.

The gut-brain signal that suppresses appetite is triggered by a type of neuron, containing calcitonin receptor (CALCR), which lives in a structure of the hindbrain called the medulla. Interestingly enough, these neurons didnt need to be active in the brain for gut sickness to cause an aversive response.

This suggested we might be able to dissociate the brainstem systems that stop feeding from those that cause nausea, says Myers, whose group found they could genetically activate those CALCR neurons to do just that.

Since there are neurons that can suppress eating but also cause aversive effects, that must mean there are different types of neurons, or circuits, in the brain that can terminate feeding with differing emotional responses.

When the researchers inactivated the CALCR neurons, they were surprised to make another discovery, which contradicted the idea that the brain only controls short term meal sizes and consumption.

Turning these neurons off didnt only interfere with the suppression of feeding by gut signals, but it also caused an ongoing increase in food intake. The mice became obese, suggesting that the brainstem systems dont only control meal size, but the amount of food consumed long term. This created a predisposition to obesity because of the energy imbalance in the mice (more input than output).

Similarly, activating CALCR neurons decreased the mices food intake and body weight without any aversive gut effects. In the study, Myers and his team found another neuron, CCK, also decreased food intake and body weight but created an aversive internal response, unlike the CALCR neurons. The difference between the two neurons were found in their circuits.

CCK activates what we would call a yucky circuit, says Myers. The neurons activate a certain cell, CGRP cells, which create that sick feeling. Unlike CCK, activated CALCR neurons follow a yummy circuit, activating non-CGRP cells.

Obesity affects more than one-third of the adult population in developed countries, which can lead to diabetes or other serious, long-term health conditions like heart disease, explains Myers, who is also the director of MDiabetes.

Unfortunately, many diet drugs work, but they make people feel nauseous after they take them. Obesity remains a condition difficult to pharmaceutically manage, since the treatment options have limited therapeutic utility. A drug that turns on CALCR and turns off CGRP could greatly benefit patients with obesity by suppressing feeding and creating a long term control of food intake and body weight.

If we could figure out a drug for individuals with obesity that suppresses food intake to produce long term weight loss without the negative side effects, it could absolutely change someones life, says Myers.

Reference: Calcitonin Receptor Neurons in the Mouse Nucleus Tractus Solitarius Control Energy Balance via the Non-aversive Suppression of Feeding by Wenwen Cheng, Ian Gonzalez, Warren Pan, Anthony H. Tsang, Jessica Adams, Ermelinda Ndoka, Desiree Gordian, Basma Khoury, Karen Roelofs, Simon S. Evers, Andrew MacKinnon, Shuangcheng Wu, Henriette Frikke-Schmidt, Jonathan N. Flak, James L. Trevaskis, Christopher J. Rhodes, So-ichiro Fukada, Randy J. Seeley, Darleen A. Sandoval, David P.Olson, Clemence Blouet and Martin G. Myers Jr., 16 January 2020, Cell Metabolism.DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.12.012

Disclosures: This study was funded by National Institutes of Health and AstraZeneca. Martin Myers Jr., M.D., Ph.D., has been linked to Ionis Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk.

More:
Neuron Discovered That Suppresses Eating May Lead to Effective Diet Drugs - SciTechDaily

Still sticking to that New Year’s resolution diet? Here are 2 healthy recipes – 9News.com KUSA

Posted: January 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

Its Jan. 17, and if youre still sticking to your New Years resolution to eat better, chances are youre on one of two trendy diets: Keto or Whole30.

The Keto diet involves limiting carbs, and instead focusing on fatty foods like avocados, fatty meats and cheese. Whole30, meanwhile, is a 30 day diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, quality meats, fish, nuts/seeds and healthy fats.

Cher Heather Carr joined us on 9NEWS at 4 p.m. to give a cooking demonstration of one Keto-friendly recipe, and one for those on Whole30. Scroll down for her two recipes, and watch the video above to see Carr work her magic!

Accompanied Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Garlic Roasted Radishes and Grilled Avocados

Serves 4 portions

Beef tri-tip

24 oz Beef Tri-Tip, whole muscle

1 tsp Oregano, dried

1 tsp Parsley, dried

1 tsp Thyme, dried

tsp Basil

tsp Granulated Garlic, dried

4 oz Beef Tallow

Crispy brussel sprouts and garlic-crusted radish

12 oz Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved

10 oz Red Radish, trimmed and quartered

1 tsp Garlic, Minced

3 oz Avocado Oil

To Taste Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Grilled avocado

2 ea Avocado, halved and pitted

To Taste Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Method of Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for herb crust and coat tri-tip until all surfaces have been covered. On a baking sheet, place the tri-tip and cook in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until surface of tri-tip has browned. Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees and finish cooking until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees for medium-rare. Remove and let tri-tip rest for a quarter of the cooking time to allow for the meat to relax and moisture redistribute. Slice into 2-3 oz pieces, being careful to always cut again the grain. Chefs Note: Tri-tip is a unique cut of beef that requires you to rotate while carving to ensure you are going against the grain with each cut.

Return oven temperature to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, toss brussels sprouts, radish, minced garlic, avocado oil and salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes and rotate pan 180 degrees and gently mix vegetables and return to oven for additional 15-20 minutes or until brussels sprouts are crispy and radishes are potato-like golden brown.

On a high heat grill, placed halved and pitted avocados. After 2-3 minutes depending on the grills heat, rotate 45 degrees to get beautiful and even grill marks. Serve grilled avocados by carefully slicing sections vertically and removing flesh by using a spoon to scoop out. Garnish sliced beef with avocado slices and salt and pepper for seasoning.

Accompanied by Grilled Jumbo Asparagus, Blackberry Demi, Pea Sprout Salad

Serves 4 portions

Crispy Berbere Barrmundi

24 oz Barramundi, skin-on when possible in 6 oz potions

2 tsp Berbere Spice, ground

2 oz Beef Tallow

Grilled Jumbo Asparagus

2 bunches Asparagus, jumbo with bottoms trimmed

1 oz Avocado Oil

To Taste Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Blackberry Demi

6 oz Blackberries, fresh when possible

3 oz Beef Tallow

3 oz Carrots, peeled and dice

2 oz White Onion, diced

2 oz Red Beet, peeled and diced

2 oz Broccoli, small florets

2 oz Shiitake Mushrooms, quartered

1 oz Garlic, minced

1 oz Tomato Paste

32 oz Water

tsp Pectin

1 g Xanthan Gum, optional for viscous sauce

Pea Shoot Salad

1.5 oz Pea Sprouts

ea Lemon, zested and juiced

tsp Avocado Oil

To Taste Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Method of Preparation

In a hot saut pan with tallow, place seasoned barramundi skin side down. Sear skin until completely crispy approx.. 4 minutes. Turn over each piece and cook until internal temperature reach 135 degrees F. Set fish aside to rest.

On a high heat grill, add asparagus that has been tossed in avocado oil with salt and pepper. Turn asparagus over and continue grilling until both sides are fully marked. Remove from heat, asparagus will continue to cook and become tender while resting.

In a sauce pan over high heat, melt beef tallow and saute onions and garlic until translucent. Begin adding remaining vegetables and blackberries and saut to remove excess liquid approx. 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and water to the sauce pan and bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Reduce the liquid by half and then remove from heat. In a blender, puree sauce until smooth and return to sauce pan. When liquid has come back to a simmer, whisk in xanthan gum and pectin. Remove from heat and allow to cool while stirring frequently to avoid clumps in sauce.

In a small bowl, toss pea sprouts with lemon zest, juice, avocado oil, and salt and pepper. Serve on top of crispy barramundi as a garnish.

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