Youre on the keto diet and loving the results you see. But you cant help but wonder if you can give your weight loss even more of a boost by trying another intriguing diet regimen in tandemintermittent fasting(IF). IF is basically a weight loss plan in which you avoid eating for periods of timeon alternate days, for instance, or more popularly, through time-restricted eating, where you schedule all your your meals into a daily time windowsay, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., or carefully spread between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (Its also sometimes known as the OMAD diet, or one meal a day.) The question is, the combination of keto and intermittent fasting safe?

The most important thing is to make sure youre meeting your nutritional needs, says Ginger Hultin, a Seattle-based registered dietitian, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of ChampagneNutrition. That means working with a medical team. If your doctor does sign off, how exactly does an IF-keto regimen workand what are its true benefits? Lets take a closer look.

If youre not familiar with the principles of the keto diet, heres what you need to know. The ketogenic diet is very low carbcarbs are limited to 40-60 grams per day, and more than 80% of your calories come from fat, Hultin explains. Keto is a moderate protein dietits designed to force the body into a fat-burning state called ketosis. Ketosis uses an energy source called ketone bodies to fuel the brain. So your body is forced to break down fat rather than using glucose, or blood sugar, for fuel. When the glucose in your body is depleted, ketone bodies are created. Then, those ketone bodies cross your blood/brain barrier as energy for your brain and central nervous system.

Intermittent fasting is built around a more simple concept: good old-fashioned calorie restriction. Intermittent fasting can be done in a variety of ways, Hultin says. The overall foundation, though, is based on a period of extended time where you go without eatinga fast. Many people on IF do this for 12-16 hours overnight, and eat their first meal at lunch or mid-morning. Not only are calories cut back this way, but IF proponents believe that this schedule helps with digestion, too. Hultin adds. And it seems to be highly effective: a recent overview of research on intermittent fasting found that as a whole, if youre in good physical and emotional health, this kind of plan on its own wont hurt you. Indeed, almost any intermittent fasting plan is going to result in some level of weigh loss, too, according to the overviews authors.

Load up on Vitamin E when youre sick. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection. Find it in nuts, seeds and spinach.

If you work IF into your keto plan, one big plus you may notice is that you reach ketosis faster. Why? Fasting causes your body to move its fuel reserve away from carbs and onto fats, which is, of course, the same way keto causes you to lose weight. Plus, your body burns fat for energy when you fastanother keto-friendly concept. It usually takes a couple of days for your body to start kicking into weight loss mode on keto, so conceivably, intermittent fasting could give you a leg up on dropping some pounds out of the gate.

Related: 150+ Approved Foods for the Keto Diet

It really depends on the person, says Hultin. For example, if you take certain medications, fasting may not be safe. If you have blood sugar problems or are on blood sugar lowering medications, either one of these diets could be extremely dangerous or even deadly.

Obviously, if youre pregnant, any form of weight loss diet will not be right for you. Likewise, if you have other chronic conditions, you need to abstain, period, if your doctor tells you to.

Its also key to talk to your doctor about how the specifics of keto could interact with IFif you currently take the cheat day, for instance.A study from the University of British Columbia found that the simple act of taking advantage of a cheat day while on keto could mean you consume as little as 75 grams of glucose and potentially damage your blood vessels. Sugar and high-fat, low-carb could make for a dangerous mix, first and foremost. Toss in further calorie restriction, and things could get a little complicated in terms of the specifics of your long-term health. Your best bet: have a physical to get a baseline profile of your health status before putting IF and keto together.

Related: Secrets From Dr. OzWhy Hes Fasting and Using the Clock to Slow Dementia

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your IF-keto regimen.

Focus on meeting your caloric needs to stay healthy, stresses Hultin. You need to make sure youre getting the right amount of protein spaced throughout the period of time that you are eating on IF, because there are limits to how much protein the body can absorb and utilize at a given time. You also have to ensure that your vitamins and minerals are being met as well. Youll also need to consider how much fiber and fluids you need, and factor that in.

A new study from Johns Hopkins suggests that intermittent fasting could be part of a healthy lifestyle, but that physicians advise patients to gradually increase the duration and frequency of the fasting periods over the course of several months, instead of going cold turkey.

Restrict the hours of the day when you eat to between 7 a.m. to 3 pm, or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its better to fast closer to bedtime.

Combining two plans like IF and keto is often most successful when you work with a pro. People underestimate how critical having a dietitian on their team can be, Hultin says. We really know the ins and outs of keeping people safe, and meeting their needs can be a game changer. A registered dietitian or nutritionist can help you avoid eating disorder behavior, discuss your body image and relationship to food, and help you get on a balanced dietary pattern that you can stick with long termbut still helps you meet your health goals.

Try these tips to avoid the keto flu and other side effects.

Read the original here:
Intermittent Fasting & Keto: How to Intermittent Fast on the Keto Diet - Parade

Created for Greatist by the experts at Healthline. Read more

More gym foe than fan? Thats fine! You can lose weight without hitting the weights or even worse doing cardio.

With the new year (and new decade) upon us, you may be looking to shed a few pounds in a flash. Rest assured your resolutions are 100 percent achievable. You just need a few common-sense tips and tricks in your back pocket.

Going all Dyson on your plate is never a good idea. Meals arent a race, so slow the heck down. Your brain cant keep up. Seriously: Eating more slowly has been shown to decrease calorie intake and make people feel full. Talk about a win-win.

So take time to chew. If youre a habitual speed-eater, counting the number of times you chew each bite can help you get into the habit of pacing your meals.

Cooking isnt just a great way to impress a date. It can also work wonders on your waistline, not to mention your wallet. In fact, people who eat in more often tend to eat healthier and eat less than those who dine out.

It makes sense: When youre the one behind the stove, youre in control of what goes on your plate. You dont have to be a top chef to whip up something tasty, and you can enjoy a restaurant meal from time to time. Just try to eat more meals at home than you do out.

While weight is more than just a number, the scale doesnt lie. Daily weigh-ins have been proven to help people lose weight and keep it off.

That being said, dont fret over daily fluctuations. Hormones, water retention, or eating too much salt can raise the number from time to time.

If youre going to weigh yourself every day, aim to do it first thing in the morning before youve eaten. Consistency is key to accurately tracking your progress.

While its fine to snack here and there, it can easily get out of hand. If youre a serial snacker, try announcing your snacks.

It may sound weird, but telling yourself or someone else youre going to have a snack will make you stop and consider the number of times you nosh every day and what youre noshing on.

Portion size isnt the only size you want to keep an eye on if youre trying to lose weight. Its worth noting that over the years, the average dinner plate has increased in size, and so has the average persons weight.

This isnt a coincidence. In fact, eating off smaller plates can trick your brain into thinking youre eating more than you actually are, which can be especially helpful with desserts and less healthy foods.

While some fad diets may have impressive results in the short term, theyre notoriously difficult and sometimes dangerous to maintain. And for what its worth, they make the least interesting conversation topics no one wants to hear about your juice cleanse.

Youre much better off applying simple (and sane) everyday changes to the way you eat for long-term success.

Protein-rich foods arent just delicious, they also have a potent effect on keeping the hangries at bay and curbing your overall appetite. Thats partly because protein affects certain key hunger and fullness hormones like GLP-1 and ghrelin.

Some research has found that eating protein in the morning can be especially helpful when it comes to managing your appetite throughout the day, so try swapping your oatmeal for eggs.

In short, fiber keeps you feeling full. And for weight loss, one type reigns supreme: viscous fiber. When it comes in contact with water, this magical stuff forms a gel that slows down stomach emptying and gives your body more time to absorb nutrients.

Viscous fiber is found in plant foods only. Try adding some more of this rock-star fiber to your diet with foods like brussels sprouts, oranges, beans, flaxseeds, and asparagus.

Not all bacteria are created equal, especially in your gut. Researchers are just beginning to understand the role of microbiota (gut bacteria) in weight and metabolism function, but some recent research links obesity with an imbalance of certain bacterial strains.

While taking a probiotic is no silver bullet for weight loss, it certainly cant hurt. Plus, probiotics can boost your overall health and immunity. You can try taking a probiotic supplement or eating fermented foods like yogurt and miso.

The three rules of real estate also apply to losing weight: location, location, location. Keeping unhealthy foods out of sight also keeps them out of your mouth.

In one study, people who lived in households that kept high calorie foods visible were more likely to weigh more than those who lived in homes where only a bowl of fruit was on display. So, clean house and hide your treats!

Adequate sleep is essential to weight loss (and for lots of other reasons!).

Failing to get your beauty rest can do a number on appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Fluctuations in these hormones can make you hungry and make you crave unhealthy foods all the more reason to hit snooze.

Finding your bliss can also help you find your goal weight. Like lack of sleep, chronic stress can throw a wrench in your hormonal balance. Plus, many of us tend to cope with stress by eating comfort food thats probably not the healthiest.

Yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises are all simple and reliable ways to help keep your stress levels in check.

It goes without saying that water should be your beverage of choice even if youre not trying to lose weight. But water can work wonders on your waistline, especially if you drink some before chowing down.

Research has shown that downing two glasses of water 30 minutes before a meal can reduce hunger and overall calorie intake.

The harsh truth is that portion sizes arent what they used to be. Theyre MUCH bigger, especially in restaurants.

Putting more on your plate can lead to overeating and weight gain, but that doesnt mean you have to starve. Just be mindful and serve yourself a bit less than you would normally. You wont miss the extra calories.

As tempting as it might be to binge-watch your favorite show while going to town on your favorite meal, its best to minimize distractions while eating if youre trying to lose weight.

If youre not mindful of whats going into your mouth, youre much more likely to overeat. One study found that people consumed 10 percent more if they were distracted during their meals.

If you regularly use social media or watch TV while eating, try to go screen-free.

The link between vitamin D and weight loss isnt crystal clear, but folks in larger bodies tend to have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood. Even more interestingly, people who lose weight tend to experience an increase in vitamin D.

Some research suggests that supplementing with vitamin D can aid weight loss and fat burning. Whether you take a supplement, catch some sun, or eat vitamin D-rich foods, this vitamin comes with the added benefits of stronger bones and increased immunity.

Sugary beverages and soda are nutritionally useless and calorie-dense. These things should be the first thing to go if youre looking to lose some weight. Try replacing these drinks with water.

Odd as it may seem, some research has found that eating food off red plates can help people eat less. This color bias may be due to the fact that many warning and stop signals are red. Whatever the reason, its worth a try, especially when eating less-healthy foods.

Too often we eat with everything but our stomachs. We eat with our eyes and sometimes our emotions. As a result, we dont always stop when were satisfied but rather when were borderline exploding.

Practicing mindful eating means staying present at meals and snacks and listening to your bodys internal cues and cravings. The next time you sit down to eat, slow down and really pay attention to how you feel throughout your meal.

Shared family meals have be found to encourage healthy eating habits that influence long-term nutritional health.

That being said, there are all kinds of families, and certain familial situations are anything but healthy. With those variables in mind, eating in good company is always a good idea.

Healthy fats are your friend when youre trying to lose weight. Unsaturated fats (found in fish, nuts, avocados, and olive oil) and even some saturated fats (like those in butter and coconut) keep you feeling full longer and help you absorb certain vitamins.

That doesnt mean you should go ham on fats, but you definitely shouldnt avoid them. The only fats you should really steer clear of, whether you want to lose weight or not, are chemically processed trans fats.

Preparing your meals in advance, at least partially, can help streamline your cooking process and your waistline. Lets face it: Life and work come at you fast, and you dont always have the time or energy to shop for and cook a meal from scratch.

Instead, try to get to the grocery store once or twice a week and prepare parts of your meals in advance, like cooking several portions of rice or grilling a few pieces of chicken. That way you can grab, go, and reheat as needed.

While breaking a sweat may be great for your health, you dont necessarily need to exercise to lose a few pounds. Making simple, sustainable changes to your habits will pave the yellow brick road to success no membership fee required.

See the rest here:
22 Ways to Lose Weight Without Breaking a Sweat - Greatist

Sneaking out the door without a hearty breakfast may not be such a bad idea.

Contrary to the popular belief that the morning meal is the most important of the day, new research suggests that deliberately skipping breakfast and prolonging the time between your last meal (yesterday) and first meal (today) could have a positive impact on your health.

For one, skipping breakfast extends your nighttime fast and compresses the window of opportunity to overeat, says Carolyn Williams, a James Beard award-winning dietician, who served as a consulting expert for The Mens Health Guide to Intermittent Fasting.

The Men's Health Guide to Intermittent Fasting

And dont worry about slowing your metabolism by fasting.

Skipping meals may even slightly boost your metabolism, Williams says.

Heres are five more reasons to consider bypassing breakfast tomorrow morning.

You might think that fasting would make you feel famished and trigger insatiable cravings for foods, especially carbs. But studies show thats not always the case. In fact, a study in the journal Obesity found that people who ate only during a 6-hour feeding window felt less hungry than people in a control group who were allowed to eat normally.

Simply changing when you eat can trigger weight loss. A 2018 study found that intermittent fasting can help promote weight loss even if you dont cut total daily calories from your diet. When we shorten our calorie-consumption window by skipping breakfast, we minimize the constant release of insulin and force the body to find alternate fuelslike body fatfor energy, says Williams.

Simply eating food triggers inflammation in your body, and chronic, sustained inflammation may play a role in obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Skipping breakfast gives your body a needed break from a constant onslaught of food.

When you refrain from eating in the morning, you automatically avoid potentially inflammatory foods like bacon, the refined carbohydrates found in such baked goods as bagels, muffins, and pastries, and breakfast cereals, highly processed breakfast sandwiches, and sugar-laden coffees and fruit juices.

Several human studies have shown that people who fast improve their cardiovascular health.

In one study, Germany researchers put 1422 people on an intermittent fasting diet for a year and found that those who fasted lowered both their diastolic and systolic blood pressure and reduce their resting heart rates.

Researchers believe the drop in BP may be caused by an increase in parasympathetic activity due to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that regulates blood pressure.

Fasting advocates say going without food allows them to stay focused and do more work.

Researchers say that may be due to the cocktail of hormones, such as testosterone and cortisol, and other biochemicals that are released when your body transitions from fed to fasted.

When that happens your body generates energy by burning fat, while arousing it with adrenaline, which increases your alertness and focus, say biochemist Trevor Kashey, Ph.D., founder of Trevor Kashey Nutrition.

And now for a caveat (you knew it was coming, didnt you?)

All of these terrific health benefits will likely disappear fast once you go back to starting your day with a Dennys Grand Slam breakfast.

But why stop intermittent fasting? Following a skip-breakfast fast is pretty easy to maintain. After all, you are asleep for most of your fast.

You can learn how to do the popular 16:8 intermittent fast in The Mens Health Guide to Intermittent Fasting, available here. It explains the science of fasting, gives you simple instructions for getting started, and supplies 46 delicious recipes, including 16 Keto-friendly meals.

See the original post:
Fasting and Breakfast - Is Eating in the Morning Good - Men's Health

13 Jan 2020

Tired of hearing the same old-school suggestions for losing weight? We feel you.

As more people are turning health-conscious nowadays, diet experts around the world are breaking the monotony and coming up with unusual and bizarre tricks to help us get slimmer.

Here is a collection of weight loss tips and tricks that might seem a bit weird, but they actually work.

#1

Turns out, food photography is not another useless obsession of our generation.

Believe it or not, snapping your food can actually help you in shedding some extra kilos.

Well, if you are wondering how, here's the catch- by taking pictures of every meal you are going to consume, you might think twice before indulging or overeating, thereby keeping your intake in check.

#2

Traditionally, less noise and soft lighting have been associated with better sleep quality, but a certain report by Today stated that reducing the noise and dimming lights can help in losing weight as well.

The trick behind it is to help diners focus mainly on their food. This will help you enjoy your meal better, and you may end up eating mindfully.

#3

Yes, you read it right, sniffing can result in weight loss.

According to research, sniffing tends to make people feel less hungry, thereby making them eat less and eventually aiding in weight loss.

But how? Basically it's all mind game. By sniffing food items, you can trick your brain into thinking that you are actually eating them.

Interesting, right? Don't forget to try it.

#4

This is quite a weird regime that some weight-conscious women in France follow.

They take a ribbon and tie it around their waist area, underneath their clothes, usually before going out for dinners/parties.

This helps them stay conscious of their food intake. The tightening ribbon acts as an indication that perhaps it is time to stop munching.

#5

Russians tend to grow their own vegetables and fruits, which automatically makes their food consumption healthier than those who depend mainly on junk/fast food.

Not only do they grow their eatables, they also preserve them for keeping their food healthy for as long as possible.

Also, it is more pocket-friendly and way better than buying foods loaded with chemicals/fertilizers.

Stay healthy!

Read more:
Five weird weight-loss tricks that actually work - NewsBytes

LeoPatriziGetty Images

Weight loss advice is constantly coming at youwhether you ask for it or not. You might hear about it via the latest wacky plan some influencer tweets out, a buzzy bestselling book, or your judgey sister-in-law who has been eyeballing your body at every family gathering since your brother first brought her home. There is certainly no shortage of tips on how best to slim down.

The problem is, of course, that most of them are (low-fat) baloney, and wont result in long-term, lasting weight loss. Research shows that almost half of all Americans have tried to lose weight within the last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many succeed. Its keeping it off thats a heck of a lot harder: A meta-analysis of 29 long-term studies showed that more than half the weight people lost had been regained at the two year mark, and by five years, folks had put 80% back on, according to a 2018 article in Medical Clinics of North America.

So Prevention asked 10 top weight loss and obesity clinicians from around the countrypeople who are up on the latest science and whose main motivation is to help their patients be healthier, if not radically sveltefor their perspectives. Heres what they would like you to know.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

1"Know your why."

People who have a good reason to lose weight are more likely to get it off and keep it off. For example, if someone wants to look great for her daughter's wedding, she is very likely to be successfulbut to regain the weight after the wedding. If a person wants to lose in order to have less knee pain or better control over their diabetes, these reasons will persist after weight loss, and support keeping the weight off permanently. Ethan Lazarus, M.D., FOMA, obesity medicine physician at Clinical Nutrition Center in Greenwood Village, CO, and president-elect of the Obesity Medicine Association

RELATED: Hey, Let's Talk About Why You Want to Lose Weight

2"You are not a number."

People always ask me, 'What should I weigh?? As if we could just program ourselves like robots! The answer depends on what you want. If thats improved health, less pain, prevention of diabetes and other diseases, theres strong evidence that quite small weight loss5-10% or sois often sufficient, even if you end up nowhere near what the ideal weight tables suggest. Many people think they need 10 times more weight lossbut once they make some small changes and lose a few pounds, they often feel so much better than they expected. Scott Kahan, M.D., M.P.H., director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness. He also serves on the faculties of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the George Washington University School of Medicine, and the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

3"Pick a routine you can stick with."

Determine an eating routine of planned portions of plants and protein every three to four hours. Pick a routine you can stick with 80% of the time. Angela Fitch, M.D., FACP, FOMA, associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center and an assistant professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School; She is also Vice President of the Obesity Medicine Association.

4"One size does not fit all."

Know yourself. One size does not fit all when it comes to a weight loss plan. Ive developed a short quiz that people can take to quickly identify which lifestyle factors have been tripping them up and getting in the way of successful weight loss, which includes questions about when you tend to eat, how much you exercise and the role food and body image plays in your life. Knowing what to focus on can make changing the way you approach weight loss feel less overwhelming. Robert Kushner, M.D., medical director of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, and Professor of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. His new book is Six Factors to Fit: Weight Loss that Works for You!.

5"Movement is everything."

The best predictor of successful weight loss maintenance is the amount of physical activity you are doing. Long-term successful weight loss maintainers are doing LOTS of physical activity...about one hour of moderate activity, 6 days a week. Donna H. Ryan, M.D., professor emeritus at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. She served as associate executive director at Pennington Biomedical for 34 years where she was active in research, teaching, and administration.

6"Start before it becomes a disease."

Start working on it immediately when you begin gaining weightbuilding muscle through strength training, doing cardio, and stop eating processed foods, which we think is causing inflammation. You want to reduce inflammation by healthy eating and exercise so that the disease of obesity wont take hold In your bodyonce it becomes a disease, diet and exercise alone wont work. Caroline Apovian, M.D., professor of medicine and pediatrics in the Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition at Boston University School of Medicine. She is also director of the Center for Nutrition and Weight Management at Boston Medical Center.

7"Obesity is complicated."

I'm often asked, I dont eat that much, so why am I not losing weight? I tell patients that obesity is a complex disease and typically there is not a simple solution. It may not be the quantity of the food you eat, rather it may be the quality. In addition, it may be more related to other lifestyle factors, like sleep or stress. These may directly or indirectly influence eating behaviors and food intake. Some people are on medications that promote weight gain and impair their ability to lose weight. In the end, its important for clinical providers to understand the multitude of potential contributors in order to assist patients in treating their obesity. W. Scott Butsch, M.D., director of obesity medicine in the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.

8"A plateau is normal."

I wish everyone understood that all weight loss efforts end with a plateauno one should be disappointed or surprised if the treatment plan results in limited or no weight loss at some point. That is the natural adaptation of the body to the changes you've made. Rather than throwing in the towel and feeling resigned that your plan is not working, people can choose to work on maintaining the weight lost or modify the treatment plan if more weight loss is desired. This is especially important if your goal is to lose more than 10% of your initial weight. Jamy Ard, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention and the Department of Medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. He is also co-director of the Wake Forest Baptist Health Weight Management Center.

9"Adherence is more important than speed."

The most common question I am asked by new patients is What should I expect my rate of weight loss to be? There is no right answer to this question, and there are many factors that determine the answer. The key concept is to be focused on adherence to your plan. And dont compare yourself to others. Be content with your results, whatever they are, knowing that you are doing all you can do to lose weight. Wickham Simonds, M.D., FOMA, founder of Dr. Simonds Metabolics & Weight Loss in Raleigh and Durham, NC, and a trustee of the Obesity Medicine Association

10"You need a backup plan."

The body fights back against weight lossit does this in many ways that were very productive 150+ years ago when food was scarce, but which are maladaptive today. You have to plan for this to happen and have a backup plan when it does. See an obesity medicine trained provider who can help you determine the best ways to deal with this challengethe the provider has medicines, diets and counseling, techniques and tools that you do not have access to by just reading a book or using an app. Remember, we are all a bit different so that what works for one person may not work for you. Craig Primack, M.D., president of the Obesity Medicine Association and co-founder of the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Scottsdale, AZ..

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

See more here:
What 10 Obesity Experts Wish You Knew About Weight Loss - Prevention.com

Actor Ethan Supleeis sharing his impressive weight-loss transformation with hisfans.

The "Remember the Titans" and "My Name Is Earl" star has been posting photos on Instagramand is also speaking about his journey on his new podcast "American Glutton."

In the premiere episode earlier this week, the 43-year-old explains that he had a very complicated relationship with food at an early age.

MARK WAHLBERG SHOWS OFF 6-MONTH BODY TRANSFORMATION AND FANS ARE STUNNED: 'UNBELIEVABLE'

I guess the first diet I was ever on, I was 5 years old I went to visit my grandparents in Vermont and they were kind of shocked at the state of me, Suplee recalled. Now, back then this was like late-70s, early-80s the fat version of me at 5 years old was probably closerto what the average is today, but back then it was startling So they weighed me and they were just shocked. I have no idea what the numbers were but their response was not good and they started limiting my food."

He continued: "Ilearned really quickly that if I wanted a second helping of lasagna when I cleared my plate, I had to eat it in the kitchen without them seeing, that I was not supposed to have that second helping of lasagna."

TOM BRADY, MARIO LOPEZ THIRST OVER MARK WAHLBERG'S INCREDIBLE ABS

Ethan Suplee during "John Q" Los Angeles Premiere at Directors Guild Of America in Westwood, Calif. (SGranitz/WireImage via Getty Images)

I was also made to walk every day ... which was exercise, which I hated. I did not like being put on this forced march every morning," Suplee added.

By the time he was 10, Suplee said he weighed over 200 pounds, and his father put him on a liquid diet, but his mother took him off, and he "had a big upsurge of weight gain."

During his adulthood,Suplee dieted on-and-offfor years, experimenting with different ones.

I lost a sload of weight. I went from 530 to, at my lowest, 220, Suplee said. ... At 220, I was very, very thin."

However, he said due to his weight loss he "definitely struggled with work." "... At some point I was like, Well f, Im just gonna get fat again because maybe itll be better for work,' he said. And honestly, it was.

ADELE TOLD VACATIONING FAN SHE LOST 100 POUNDS: REPORT

Suplee estimates that throughout his life,hes gained and lost probably close to 1,000 pounds at this point.

Fast forward to today, Suplee says that he uses "food as an energy source" and his current goal is to geta six-pack.

MY NAME IS EARL -- Season 4 -- Pictured: Ethan Suplee as Randy Hickey (Photo by Mitchell Haaseth/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX APP

"... Im not far off. Pretty f close actually, he shared. So its an utterly vain goal. I dont care. Who cares? Ive never had a vain goal like that before.

See more here:
Remember the Titans star Ethan Suplee shocks fans with massive weight loss transformation - Fox News

WisContext serves the residents of Wisconsin, providing information and insight into issues as they affect the state. We want to share what we've learned, and media and educational organizations are welcome to republish our articles online and/or in print.

At the top of each of our available stories, you will see a button labeled "republish." This button provides an easy way for you to copy and paste WisContext story text on to your website. Only stories with the button are available for republishing.

For more information, here are our republishing guidelines:

If you republish our articles, please send us a note with a link to where it appears. If you have any other questions, please contact us at hayley.sperling@wiscontext.org. Thank you for sharing!

Despite the millions of Americans who go on a diet each year, obesity rates are higher than ever thanks, in part, to lifestyle. In Wisconsin, only 50% of adults meet the state's physical activity recommendation of at least two-and-a-half hours of aerobic activity each week, and only one in six adults eat five or more fruits and vegetables each day. Habits like these may contribute to a 32% obesity rate, ranking Wisconsin the 21st most obese state in the United States.

Given these numbers, many people are looking for ways to lose weight quickly and easily. In recent years, the ketogenic diet (also known as the "keto diet") has become all the rage, partly because it promises such fast results. While it may be trendy, it's important to know just what the keto diet is before jumping onto another health bandwagon.

What is a "ketogenic" diet?

The human body uses glucose, derived from carbohydrates in the diet, as its main source of energy. Fat is the body's second option. When the body burns fat, it uses these products and converts them into ketone bodies, another fuel source for the body's organs and tissues. This is called ketosis and is a process that usually only occurs during times of starvation or fasting, when the body needs to use its fat stores.

There is no standard keto diet for weight loss. A ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrate consumption usually to less than 50 grams per day. A typical keto diet may call for 5% of total calories from carbs, 20% from protein and around 70% from fat. Meanwhile, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a diet made up of 45-65% carbs, 15% protein, and 20-30% fat.

Ketogenic diets have been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s. Studies have shown that the diet can be effective in some patients whose seizures do not respond to medications. The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics uses nutrition therapy to treat epilepsy with individualized ketogenic diets. A registered dietitian provides nutrition education and counseling for patients with epilepsy.

How might the keto diet help with weight loss, and how is it problematic?

Doctors and nutritionists don't know all the ways the keto diet works, but it seems to suppress appetite and burn more of the fat that the body already has stored. Evidence is conflicting, as some studies have shown that weight loss on a ketogenic diet is greater for some people than weight loss on a conventional diet during the first six months, but have found no differences in weight loss at one year. Other studies have demonstrated maintained weight loss at one year, but the long-term implications of a ketogenic diet are still unknown.

A very low carb diet may assist with quick weight loss, but much of that is water weight. There are also initial side effects, including nausea, headaches and fatigue.

Longer term, a lack of enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains means a ketogenic diet will be low in important vitamins, minerals and fiber. This may lead to its own short- and long-term health problems.

Because the keto diet isn't more effective at providing long-term weight loss than a typical healthy diet and routine exercise, most people would be better off managing weight by following the U.S. dietary guidelines, paying attention to portion sizes and increasing physical activity. The keto diet may be more promising for people with certain medical conditions than for weight loss in the general population.

Finally, anyone considering a special diet should first talk to a healthcare provider.

1 In 3 Wisconsinites Is Obese, But The Keto Diet Likely Won't Reduce That Rate was originally published on WisContext which produced the article in a partnership between Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin.

See the original post:
1 In 3 Wisconsinites Is Obese, But The Keto Diet Likely Won't Reduce That Rate - WisContext