We can develop a healthier relationship with food and gain more control over what we eat.

Do you have struggles around eating? If you do, youre not alone. In the United States,millions of peoplewill fit the diagnosis for binge eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. Many more have less severe eating issuessuch as obsessing over calorie counting or feeling shame when they eat bad foodsthat wreak havoc on their health and happiness.

Often, people with problematic eating patterns are worried about their weight and attempt to lose weight by cycling through dieting regimens, which often backfire. Even if a dietdoesresult in weight loss, it can lead to an unhealthy preoccupation with food and eating.

According to Howard Farkas, a psychologist specializing in emotional eating and the author of a new book,8 Keys to End Emotional Eating, part of the problem lies in how our minds work against the goal of weight loss.

Our minds respond negatively to deprivation, says Farkas, and the self-denial that diets usually require is a recipe for failure. Restrictive eating, he says, pits willpower against our basic psychological need for personal autonomymeaning the desire to make our own choices regardless of outside pressures. When willpower fades, as its bound to do, the desire for autonomy tends to win out, causing people to turn to eating as a way of reasserting their personal control over their lives.

To overcome this pattern, says Farkas, requires something different than dieting: an end to emotional eating. After years of working with people who have disordered eating, he believes that understanding how our brains and bodies work, and honoring our desire for autonomy around eating, are the keys to developing healthier eating habits. Here are a few of his recommendations to improve your relationship with eating and food.

People sometimes eat to relieve emotional discomfort in their lives, says Farkas, and these people tend to have certain things in common. Through his work as a therapist, hes learned to identify four common patterns of emotional overeaters:

Each emotional pattern requires suppression in order to keep social relationships and opportunities safe. But suppression requires personal control, and the tension eventually becomes too much. As a result, many binge eaters find that giving up control around eating lets off steam and reasserts their sense of autonomyat least in the moment, even if that relief is followed by guilt or a sense of failure.

Overeaters also tend to have all-or-none thinkingmeaning they judge things in their lives as either all good or all bad. This kind of thinking can affect their eating habits, too. Often, they restrict their eating only to good food and eschew their own desires, not trusting their bodys cues about what they want to eat.

They think about food as either good or badnot based on how it tastes, but in categorical terms that refer to how likely it is to cause weight gain, how unhealthy it is, and even as a moral judgment that reflects on themselves if they eat it, writes Farkas. The problem with this way of thinking is that it ignores the underlying emotional tensions, which he believes will continue to plague us until we deal with them.

Many of us equate control with restraint. But, says Farkas, its better to aim for a different type of controlautonomy. To be autonomous means having the capacity and freedom for self-governance, and its the opposite of feeling externally controlled.

How can you increase your autonomy around eating? By allowing all foods back into your lifeeliminating their cachet as the forbidden fruitwhile learning to choose what you want, when you want it, rather than fighting your bodys cues. To make this easier, he suggests things like staying ahead of your hunger by adding small snacks between meals, taking smaller portions of food initially with the understanding that you can give yourself more later if you need it, and eating more consciously, allowing yourself to fully savor your food while paying attention to when eating more doesnt bring more pleasure.

If youre mindful of how much it would take to satisfy your hunger or desire for whatever youre eating, you can maximize your pleasure while keeping the amount you eat to a minimum, he writes.

While it may seem contradictory to the goal of changing your behavior, practicingacceptanceis an important part of making any healthy habit stick. That doesnt mean resigning yourself to never feeling in charge of your eating; but it does mean accepting yourself, as you are, so that you can be a good coach to yourself as you tackle new behaviors.

Changing habits can be difficulttwo steps forward, one step back. Understanding that can help you to stay on track with your goals and prevent backsliding into a what the hell, I may as well give up attitude at the first slipup. Interestingly, when we accept our feelings and urges, they have less power over us, Farkas writes. So, learning to be patient with the process and acknowledge urges we have to overeat or binge is an important part of becoming more autonomous.

While weight loss may be the goal of many people on a diet, Farkas says that this is the wrong focus, especially when measuring progress. Too many factors affect whether or not we lose weight, and diets often dont work in the long term.

Instead, he suggests, its best to give up on monitoring your weight religiously and focus instead on behavioral changes that are more likely to be sustainable. For example, you can start experimenting with smaller portions of food and paying attention to your feelings of satiety, or going out to lunch at work less often, or walking or biking to work rather than driving. Aiming for behavioral changes that can be measuredinstead of numbers on a scalehelps to keep the focus on building a healthy lifestyle, which (perhaps counterintuitively) will likely result in weight loss eventually.

These are just some of Farkass wise insights. His book contains many more keys to understanding and helping with emotional eatingincluding how to boost your coping skills around stress, how to use reasoning when you feel overwhelmed with emotion, and more. Filled with useful tips and compassionate expertise, this book could help anyone to become more conscious around their eating, whether youre experiencing issues or not. For those who suffer most, it could mean the end of emotional eating and painful dieting, and hope for a better relationship to food and life.

This article first appeared on the Greater Good,the online magazine of The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

Excerpt from:
How to break free of emotional eating - Ladders

It will happen again this year.

Family gatherings and holiday dinners will be charged with comments about calories, weight, and how bad we are for going for seconds.

Someone will probably share that they are on the keto diet or that theyll try intermittent fasting in 2020.

Talking about food, diet, and weight is part of our food etiquette.

It appears that by talking about these topics, we justify our eating choices; that bonding over these comments gives us permission to break the rules.

Its become part of our culture.

The way we talk about food, weight, and diets during the holidays says a lot about our beliefsabout health, fatness, food, and the body.

These conversations send subtle messages about what we consider valuable or desirable.

Some people are immune to these messages.

Those working to heal their relationship with food, though, understand that the internalization of these ideas is, to a large extent, an explanation to why they struggle withfood.

If this is your case and you want to protect yourself and set boundaries around diet talk during the holidays, I suggest you reflect on how you want to transmit your message.

Consider these questions:

1. Is it the right moment?Consider the context. If this is the first time youre setting boundaries around these conversations, for example, you may not want to do it in a large group. It might be wiser to do it one on one with someone close to you; someone that cares about you.

2. Whats my goal?Think of your motivation. Your message shouldnt come across as This makes me better than you or Youre wrong, Im right. Your goal is to protect yourself, not to convince anyone.

3. Am I saying it with kindness and respect?If the person youre addressing feels attacked, their natural tendency will be to defend themselves. Practice your message. Write it down and read it out loudCould your tone be gentler?

4. Is saying something the only way to set boundaries?There are many ways to set boundaries. Silence, a smile, or leaving the room can sometimes say more than words.

5. Can you express your message referring only to how the comments make you feel?Always focus on how diet talk make you feel; on what you need. Using the I form is very effective. If the person youre talking to cares about you, this way of communicating will resonate with them.

For example, Ive been working on my overall well-being. I notice that when I focus on the things that make me feel good, rather on the things I need to avoid, Im happier and feel more at ease. I love when food is not a source of stress for me or

Ive been working on respecting my body. Ive learned that when I talk about diets and weight loss, I feel sad and frustrated with myself. It doesnt help me. Shall we talk about something else?.

6. Are you taking into account where that person/group comes from?Those who dont think like you simply see the world with a different lens. Dont automatically assume that people want to hurt you. Remember we all come from the same culture. The goal is not to create division or enter into a debate; its to protect yourself.

During the holiday season, aim for pleasure, not perfection. Enjoy the food and the people around you.

Here is the original post:
How to set boundaries around diet talk during the holidays? - Thrive Global

''The point is to practise indulgence with moderation, mindfulness and joy.''

By Erin Fisher

The silly season can undoubtedly be a challenging time of year.

Not only can the holidays be a time of added financial pressure and tying up of loose ends at work, but it can also be a period of see-sawing between enjoyment and guilt with each party, feast and celebration.

Is it possible to indulge and enjoy without the guilt?

Nutritionist Jessica Sepel says yes, and in fact, she encourages everyone to not only allow room for indulgence, but to commit to it.

Given her line of work, she laughs that it's common for people to keep their treats and wine out of sight whenever she is around, thinking that as a health professional, she will be quick to wag her finger in disapproval.

But after years of seeing clients struggling with their relationship to food, indulgence has become a crucial part of her philosophy.

Indulgence, she believes, is essential for a healthy lifestyle to be both sustainable and joyful, and is one of the steps in her new book, The 12 Step Mind-Body-Food Reset.

The book is a guide to speaking to yourself with kindness, forgetting about the scales and calories, managing stress, combating sugar cravings and developing a healthy, flexible relationship with food, with recipes, activities and helpful tips.

With long blonde locks and glowing skin, Jess is a vibrant picture of health, but getting to this point was a long and difficult journey that started in her early childhood, looking down at her stomach and feeling unhappy with what she saw.

Combined with a comment from a family member, the experience marked the beginning of many years of fad-dieting, negative body image and an obsession with being thin that continued into her twenties.

It wasn't until she finally ditched the scales and saw a therapist that she was able to rewire her belief system, and learned to look after her body with a greater sense of care.

"It's challenging to talk about it and I definitely wrote this book with a lot of tears, but good tears," she reflects.

"I've come such a long way with my own body image and my relationship with myself.

"I also think the more vulnerable and honest I am, and the more willing I am to share my own struggles, the more opportunity for connection there is."

It sounds clichd and cheesy, but the more she explains the ripple effect it has, the more it makes sense.

"The health industry has so much hype, there are so many conflicting trends. I feel like at the end of the day, if you wake up and you truly care about yourself and speak to yourself with kindness, you're going to want to treat your body better and eat healthier foods.

"It is such an important foundation and a lot of us don't have that. That's why it becomes so difficult to have a healthy relationship with food and why it becomes so tempting to be on fad diets they promise you the body of your dreams and that you will feel the best you have ever felt.

"I understand how tempting and exciting that is, I've been there, but most diets only last a couple of weeks. It's a toxic cycle."

Simply working on fostering a more compassionate attitude towards your own body has the power to foster a greater sense of relaxation, less stress and higher levels of energy.

"I have seen over and over, that when women develop a better relationship with food and their body, everything just seems to fall into place. Often, when women merely shift their mind-set from focusing on weight to health, they actually end up losing weight."

This winning trifecta sounds like the tagline for a gruelling workout program or strict diet, but with 'un-diet' as her motto, she says that deprivation or punishment should never be part of your holiday, or life in general.

"Christmas and summer is such a time of happiness, so enjoy it! Your body is strong and can handle it. The point is to practise indulgence with moderation, mindfulness and joy. Often, we don't know how to indulge moderately. We go all out, overdo it and mistreat our bodies," she explains.

If you know you have a Christmas dinner in the evening, she suggests starting the day with some exercise, and to eat a nourishing breakfast and lunch.

While one might think from scrolling through all the foodie pictures on her Instagram that her idea of Christmas indulgence is probably something along the lines of protein-packed, nutritious black bean brownies and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, Jess says it's a time of the year she too likes to let go, with a getaway, wine every night and gelato after every meal.

"Of course I'm not going to feel my absolute best, but you just forgive yourself. Indulgence is something you should commit to, rather than avoid, because otherwise you are going to feel deprived and that leads to overdoing it in some way."

Another simple change that can have a big impact on how you eat and how you feel is the choice to dine without any digital distractions like TV, emails and social media.

"I noticed that when I am scrolling on social media while eating, my brain doesn't even seem to register that I've eaten and I don't feel full. I find myself mindlessly going back for more food because I'm unsatisfied," tells Jess.

Being fully present with your meals, you'll find that you're much more satisfied and in tune with your hunger and fullness signals, which reduces overeating, emotional eating and that need for something more all the time.

If you are eating well, moving your body in ways you enjoy and feeling good, your body will naturally find the shape and weight at which it is happiest, and this will look different on everyone.

"Of course you can want to lose weight or improve your health, but you need to start by accepting the uniqueness of your body and not trying to change your body shape and size," she adds.

"The best thing is to block out the noise of the diet culture and tune into your own body."

"Celebrating the uniqueness of your body is something I talk about a lot," she smiles.

"Having a positive relationship with your body truly is the foundation of a healthy life, so nourish that connection and make it a really strong, healthy one."

Read the rest here:
Nutritionist Jessica Sepel on the joys of un-dieting - Now To Love

What health questions did people ask Google most often in 2019? (Photo by Ali Balikci/Anadolu ... [+] Agency/Getty Images)

What is keto may not have been the most Googled what is question of 2019. No, that honor belonged what is area 51, followed by what is a VSCO girl, what is momo, what is a boomer, and what is quid pro quo. But what is keto did rank number two among all health questions asked of the popular Internet search engine since January 1, 2019.

Looking at what a person searches for on the Internet doesnt necessarily tell you everything about that person and what he or she does. For example, who knows what I may have Googled before writing stories for Forbes on coffee enemas and boofing? Nevertheless, Google searches can offer a sense of what many people may be curious about or have on their minds. For example, the popularity of what is a boomer could imply that many people are hearing the phrase, ok, boomer, and the popularity of what is quid pro quo could mean that many people happen to be learning Latin.

Therefore, taking a peek at the following 10 most Googled health-related questions of 2019 can give us a window into the health questions of interest over this past year. So without further ado, here are each of these questions and some answers:

1. How to lower blood pressure?

Answer: Not measuring your blood pressure or altering the blood pressure machine is not an option here. What you dont know can kill you. Of course, your blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day. For example, it may go up monetarily if you see Justin Bieber. Or go down, depending on your situation and point of view. However, having elevated blood pressure over longer periods of time puts you at higher risk for all kinds of badness including heart attacks and stroke. Your first option should never be medications, unless it is an emergency situation. Lifestyle modification should come first such as reducing your sodium intake, losing weight, getting more exercise, limiting alcohol intake, reducing stress, meditating, and listening to Michael Bubl. Dont try to manage your blood pressure on your own. Get help from a physician who really knows what he or she is doing. Be wary of any physician who want to slap you on medications before really getting to know you and trying other non-pharmaceutical options. High blood pressure is quite common, affecting around one in three adults in the U.S. Yet, only 54% have their high blood pressure under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Here is a Cleveland Clinic video on natural ways to lower blood pressure:

2. What is keto?

Answer: In Greek mythology, Keto was the goddess of sea monsters, whales, and large sharks (sorry, small sharks). It also is short for ketoconazole, an anti-fungal medication. KETO-LP is the name of a radio station in Aurora, Colorado, as well. Then, there is Keto Shimizu, a television writer, producer, and comic book writer known for her work for the SyFy channels Being Human and CWs Arrowverse superhero shows. Is there anything else?

When people are Googling "what is keto," they may be searching for Keto Shimizu (L), seen here with ... [+] Jes Macallan and Matt Ryan onstage at Comic-Con International 2018. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Oh, yes, theres the "Keto" Diet, which is short for ketogenic because genic takes too long to say. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, higher fat diet with fat consisting of as much as 90% of the caloric intake. Yes, you heard that correctly, after years of people recommending low fat diets, a high-fat diet is now being pushed. Holy bacon, Batman, whats the theory behind this? Well, depriving your body of carbohydrates is supposed to switch your body from relying on sugar from carbs for fuel to relying on ketone bodies that result when your liver burns fat that is stored in your body. Burning fat in theory sounds good. The relative simplicity of this explanation and the observation that people can lose weight in the short term from this diet has led to a business boom, with many pushing keto products like books, seminars, and foods.

But is keto just a fad or is there some meat (and bacon and cheese) to it? Well, the jury is still out on the keto diet as not enough longer-term scientific studies have been done to determine if it is an effective and healthy way of losing weight and maintaining weight loss. The diet certainly has some potential risks such as not getting enough of the nutrients that you would normally get from fruits, vegetables, and grains, overtaxing your liver and kidneys, constipation, and your constantly telling other people that you are on the keto diet. Plus, some may find the diet tough to maintain. Again, this is a case of the science needing to catch up to the hype.

3. How to get rid of hiccups?

Answer: A vocal hiccup is a singing technique used by Buddy Holly and Michael Jackson, which sounds a little like gulping for air or gasping. So the answer to this question could be just stop listening to Thriller. If you are referring to those involuntary contractions of your diaphragm, the muscular structure below your lungs that help you breathe, then the answer is a bit more complicated. There arent scientific proven ways to stop hiccups because such studies are a bit hard to do. Typically, you can never expect hiccups to occur. You dont say, next Thursday at 3 pm Eastern Time, I will begin hiccuping uncontrollably. Therefore, it is a bit difficult to run scientific experiments, unless you constantly live in a laboratory. Nonetheless, anecdotal evidence suggests the following possible remedies:

Anecdotal evidence suggests that breathing into a paper bag may help stop hiccups. However, there ... [+] have been no studies to prove its effectiveness. (Photo: Getty Images)

4. How long does the flu last?

Answer: If you are wondering about flu symptoms, then the answer is forever if you die from it (which occurs to tens of thousands of people each year in the U.S. alone) and three to seven days if you dont have any complications. If you are wondering about how long you are contagious, you actually start becoming contagious one day before you even have symptoms. In fact, one third of people infected with the flu virus dont ever develop symptoms. But they can still shed flu viruses like some people bedazzle. So that person whom you stood so close to for so long may have given you more than his or her number. This makes it very tough to completely avoid flu viruses. Thats why getting vaccinated is the only way to really protect yourself and others.

5. What causes hiccups?

Pictured here is the diaphragm. (Illustration: Getty Images)

Answer: Looks like lots of people are getting hiccups or at least laughing at people who are getting the hiccups. This is the second appearance on this 2019 list of the diaphragm-spasming-causing-your-vocal-cords-to-snap-shut phenomenon. Its not completely clear what may cause temporary hiccups. It may be having too much stuff in your stomach such as food, air, or bacon. It may be sudden changes in temperature. It may be stress or excitement such as seeing Justin Bieber. In most cases, you just dont know what started them. Chronic or frequently repeated episodes of hiccups are a different story, This can be a sign that something like a mass or inflammation is irritating your diaphragm or the nerves that control and extend to your diaphragm. Certain medication or serious medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure, and encephalitis can lead to hiccups as well. Therefore, if hiccups continue to be an issue, call you doctor.

6. What causes kidney stones?

Answer: Being told that you have stones may be good as long as the stones are metaphorical, meaning guts or a backbone. Being told that you have kidney stones, not so good. Kidney stones, otherwise known as renal lithiasis or nephrolithiasis if you want words harder to pronounce, form when some type of mineral or salt clusters together inside your kidneys. Stones can form when you have too much of certain mineral or salt or if you are not hydrated enough. Calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones can form when you get high doses of vitamin D, undergo bypass surgery, or have metabolic issues. Uric acid stones can result when you eat too much protein or have gout. Certain types of urinary tract infection can lead to struvite stones.

Here is a video from the University of California-Irvine Health entitled Leave No Stone Unturned, which, of course, is a punny name:

7. What is HPV?

Answer: Well, if you look at the website abbreviations.com, HPV can stand for high production volume, human powered vehicle, high-pressure vent, having purple vomit, high pressure valve, high pitch voice, high point vent, or the Princeville Airport in Kauai, Hawaii. Assuming that 2019 did not see a surge of visitors to Kauai or people eating purple crayons, most searching for HPV probably were interested in human papilloma virus. This type of HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. I have already written for Forbes about what this HPV is, after President Donald Trump apparently asked Bill Gates the difference between HPV and HIV, which is a bit like asking the difference between the CIA and a CPA.

This video from the University of Massachusetts Medical School covers details about HPV:

8. How to lower cholesterol?

Answer: If you are asking this for yourself, you may not want to try the keto diet. Cutting your intake of saturated fats and trans-fats is an important step. So is increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Getting more physical activity and losing weight may help. If you are smoking, stop. Also, limit your alcohol consumption. High cholesterol can increase your risk of stroke and various types of cardiovascular diseases.

The American Heart Association put together this video on ways to control your cholesterol level:

9. How many calories should I eat a day?

Answer: The answer is more than one per day on average. You need calories to survive. However, people probably are wondering how many calories they should eat based on whether they want to gain weight, lose weight, or do neither. The frequently cited threshold is 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 calories for men per day to maintain the same body weight. However, this greatly oversimplifies the complexities of your body. The calories that you need depend heavily, no pun intended, on many factors, including your body size, your age, and your activity level.If you are Michael Phelps, for example, you probably can consume a whole lot more calories than the Michael Scott character of the television show The Office. The Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, which has nothing to do with Dunder Mifflin, the company in The Office, does take into account differences in sex, age, weight, height, and activity level and serves as the basis for some for some online calorie recommendation calculators such as one offered by Healthline. But even these are just approximations and do not account for every factor that may affect your weight. Plus, all calories are not equal. Getting 2,000 calories from just eating sticks of butter or drinking soda is very different from getting the same number from a more balanced diet. Highly-processed foods may have different effects on your metabolism compared to natural foods. The best thing to do is to see your doctor or a real registered dietitian, who can then personalize their recommendations for you.

Your physical activity and muscle mass can significantly affect your metabolism and how much ... [+] calories you should consume each day. For example, elite athletes such as Jackie Groenen of Netherlands (L) and Alex Morgan of United States (R) may have different energy requirements from others. (Photo by Marcio Machado/Getty Images)

10. How long does alcohol stay in your system?

Answer: This is another tough question that doesnt have a single set answer for everyone. On average, you are probably able to metabolize about half-a-drink per hour. But the speed at which you break down alcohol depends on a whole lot of things. First of all, how big are you? What is your age? What is your metabolism and general health like? How much food did you have in your stomach to soak up the alcohol so that it didnt get absorbed into your bloodstream? What kinds of drinks did you have and what was their alcohol content? Did your drinks have little umbrellas in them (not that this matters for alcohol metabolism, but I am curious)?

Keep in mind that even if your body can clear alcohol from your bloodstream at an average rate of 0.015 per hour, a breathalyzer or blood test can still detect alcohol for up to 12 hours, a urine test for up to 3 to 5 days, and a hair test for up to 90 days. If you are going to drive, operate a combine harvester, or do anything that requires good concentration and coordination, the best thing to do is not drink at all. Even if it means, heaven forbid, revealing your real sober personality at a party or on a date, it is not worth the risk to try to time your personal alcohol clearance exactly.

Trying to guess how long alcohol will remain in your system can be difficult when you have alcohol ... [+] in your system. (Photo: Getty Images)

So there you have it, the most Googled health questions of 2019 and some answers. Remember, just because a Google search returns a website doesnt mean that the website provides trustworthy and science-backed information. The Internet is packed with people with agendas trying the sell things and ideas to you. Google can help find various websites if you know what you are looking for but can at times be misleading. You cant tell a police officer, but Google told me that I would be sober by now. Google cannot replace a doctor or any such real, properly-trained and qualified health professionals. After all, if you were caught in a life-or-death court case, wouldnt you want a real lawyer and legal team? Would you instead tell the judge, your honor, in lieu of a lawyer, I have decided to just bring a laptop for legal representation. And oh by the way, could you slowly and clearly spell out everything that you say so that I can Google every term?

More:
Here Are The Top 10 Most Googled Health Questions Of 2019 - Forbes

For the first time, scientists have been able to observe people developing Type 2 diabetes and confirmed that fat over-spills from the liver into the pancreas, triggering the chronic condition.

The research, led by Professor Roy Taylor at Newcastle University, UK, is published in the academic journal, Cell Metabolism.

The study involved a group of people from Tyneside who previously had Type 2 diabetes but had lost weight and successfully reversed the condition as part of the DiRECT trial, which was funded by Diabetes UK and led by Professors Roy Taylor and Mike Lean (Glasgow University).

The majority remained non-diabetic for the rest of the two year study, however, a small group went on to re-gain the weight and re-developed Type 2 diabetes.

Professor Roy Taylor, from the Newcastle University Institute of Translational and Clinical Research, explained what the advanced scanning techniques and blood monitoring revealed.

He said: We saw that when a person accumulates too much fat, which should be stored under the skin, then it has to go elsewhere in the body. The amount that can be stored under the skin varies from person to person, indicating a personal fat threshold above which fat can cause mischief.

When fat cannot be safely stored under the skin, it is then stored inside the liver, and over-spills to the rest of the body including the pancreas. This clogs up the pancreas, switching off the genes which direct how insulin should effectively be produced, and this causes Type 2 diabetes.

This research by Professor Taylor confirms his Twin Cycle Hypothesis that Type 2 diabetes is caused by excess fat actually within both the liver and pancreas, and especially that this process is reversible.

This latest paper builds on previous Newcastle studies supported by Diabetes UK showing exactly why Type 2 diabetes can be reversed back to normal glucose control. Those studies led to the large DiRECT trial which showed that Primary Care staff can achieve remission of Type 2 diabetes by using a low calorie diet with support to maintain the weight loss.

A quarter of participants achieved a staggering 15 kg or more weight loss, and of these, almost nine out of 10 people put their Type 2 diabetes into remission. After two years, more than one third of the group had been free of diabetes and off all diabetes medication for at least two years.

In 2020, this approach to management of short duration Type 2 diabetes is to be piloted in the NHS in up to 5,000 people across England, and a similar program is being rolled out in Scotland.

Professor Taylor adds: This means we can now see Type 2 diabetes as a simple condition where the individual has accumulated more fat than they can cope with.

Importantly this means that through diet and persistence, patients are able to lose the fat and potentially reverse their diabetes. The sooner this is done after diagnosis, the more likely it is that remission can be achieved.

The team are continuing work to establish what may affect an individuals personal threshold and are supporting the roll out of the NHS Initiatives in both England and Scotland. Life Without Diabetes The definitive guide to understanding and reversing your Type 2 diabetes by Professor Roy Taylor will be published by Short Books on 26th December 2019.

Reference: Hepatic Lipoprotein Export and Remission of Human Type 2 Diabetes after Weight Loss by Ahmad Al-Mrabeh, Sviatlana V. Zhyzhneuskaya, Carl Peters, Alison C. Barnes, Shaden Melhem, Aaron Jesuthasan, Benjamin Aribisala, Kieren G. Hollingsworth, Georg Lietz, John C. Mathers, Naveed Sattar, Michael E.J. Lean and Roy Taylor, 19 December 2019, Cell Metabolism.DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.018

Read more:
Scientists Observe Type 2 Diabetes Develop for the First Time Caused by Overspill of Fat - SciTechDaily

Midlife Fitness Files: The Telegraph's new health series, in which we get keep fit advice from the experts as they talk us through their weekly workouts and daily diet

Bridget Woods Kramer, 65, is one of Londons leading yoga teachers. She lives in Cornwall, with her two children, Hannah, 27 and Ben, 25.

Morning stretches and walks by the sea

Every morning I stretch while still in bed. I am a great believer in doing what you can, which is something I learned looking after my husband when he was sick and I became the main breadwinner. He had Parkinsons and a brain tumour but died two years ago from a heart attack. It aged me a lot but I dont regret it. Trying to get someone better and realising...

Read this article:
Midlife Fitness Files: yoga expert Bridget Woods Kramer on fake vegans and the power of ayurveda - Telegraph.co.uk

The idea of a universal diet for everyone is beginning to be considered as a simplistic approach, as it does not take into account each persons unique nature in relation to a range of dimensions, including metabolism and microbiome. That is why the scientific community has suggested moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to diet to an integrated personalized treatment approach.

A few years ago, Eran Segal and colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel showed that our gut microbiome was a key determinant in predicting glycemic responses in participants without diabetes.

Could our gut microbiome also play a role in our unique response to exercise? A small study from researchers at the University of Hong Kong in China, the Hans Knoll Institute in Germany and Guangdong Pharmaceutical University in China reveals gut microbiome inhabitants and their metabolites may help predict the metabolic benefits of exercise in subjects with prediabetes.

In a sample of 39 overweight men with prediabetes and without medication, a high interpersonal variability in fasting glucose, insulin, and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (alongside homogeneous changes in body weight and fat percentage) was observed in response to a 12-week exercise-based intervention. These findings meant participants could be classified as either responders (n = 14)showing a notable improvement of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivityor non-responders (n = 6).

The authors found that exercise promoted differential alteration of gut microbiota in responders and non-responders. Among other factors, responders exhibited an increase in butyrate-producers (e.g., Lanchospiraceae bacterium), whereas non-responders were characterized by an increase in pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Alistipes shahii.

More interesting were the shifts in gut microbiota and microbial metabolites at a functional level, promoted by exercise. Responders showed a gut microbiota featuring a high expression of genes involved in increased DNA replication, together with an enhanced capacity for producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is involved in improved glucose homeostasis. In contrast, an increased catabolism of branched-chain amino acids and aromatic amino acids, which may promote insulin resistance, was shown only in those classed as responders following the 12-week exercise intervention.

In contrast, the gut microbiota of non-responders was characterized by increased production of colonic gases and toxic compounds (i.e., phenolic derivatives and sulfate metabolites), which scientists argue could attenuate the beneficial effects of exercise on glucose homeostasis. The gut microbiota of non-responders after the 12-week exercise-based training was, indeed, quite similar to that of sedentary controls.

In an additional 30 subjects, the authors were able to accurately predict personalized glycemic response to exercise by integrating baseline microbial signatures using machine learning, which is a subtype of artificial intelligence.

Transplanting fecal microbiota from respondersbut not non-respondersled to improved glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in obese mice. This experiment in mice showed the causal contribution of gut microbiota to mediating the effects of exercise on the host metabolism.

We already know that the human gut microbiota could be behind the multiple benefits of exercise for our health and wellbeing. Now these findings show that individual gut microbiota composition and functional diversity matter when achieving the well-known metabolic effects of exercise, including improvements in glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity.

As exercise plays a central role in preventing and treating diabetes and related complications, working on gut microbiota-targeted strategies and considering other inputs beyond baseline microbial signatures will help with improving response variability to exercise.

Reference:

Liu Y, Wang Y, Ni Y, et al. Gut microbiome fermentation determines the efficacy of exercise for diabetes prevention. Cell Metab. 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.001.

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Gut microbiome inhabitants and their metabolites are involved in our unique response to exercise - Gut Microbiota for Health

Nothing can kickstart your weight loss and fitness journey faster than a bout of self realisation. 22-year-old Pankaj Kumar tells us that he started hitting the gym to not just lose weight but also get ripped to overcome an inactive lifestyle. I wanted to invest my time in bettering my life, my confidence and also my mental well-being.

When I began my weight loss and fitness journey, I weighed 77 kgs with a fat accumulation of 27-30 per cent, he says. To build a ripped body, the first thing that you need to do is get rid of your bodys excess fat and then work towards building lean muscles, which Pankaj was able to do by losing 11 kgs, courtesy of one genius diet hack calorie deficit.

A calorie deficit is a specific diet pattern that revolves around the number of calories you consume in a day. According to Healthline, the concept is based on the idea that as long as you eat fewer calories than you burn, youre bound to lose weight.

This diet pattern requires you to calculate the number of calories your body needs to consume to function smoothly without feeling hungry, and how much deficit you need create without harming your health.

The deficit can then be created by cutting down empty calories and unhealthy fats. Keep in mind that the number of calories required to create a deficit is different for different body types. You can calculate yours online via a calorie calculator.

QUICK READ: How many calories should you eat every day to lose weight?

I am an eggetarian, my calorie deficit diet was a combination of vegetarian sources (mostly paneer, tofu, low-fat milk, sprouts, dal, nuts, low-fat curd, fruit salads, rice, fresh veggies, brown bread, peanut butter) and eggs.

QUICK READ: This is how eating eggs daily will help you lose weight without compromising on flavour

Since the number of calories one needs to consume will keep changing as per your goals, the quantity of the foods will also change, as it did for me. But these foods comprised my daily diet. The same is also true for your exercise regime, I followed the below exercise regime to lose 11 kgs before switching the routine again to build my body up.

I used to workout 5-6 days/week and the basic routine comprised Weight Training + HIIT/Sprints. More importantly, I used to train 2 body parts in a day and focused more on Compound Movements such as Bench press, Overhead press, Push ups, Deadlift, Pull ups and Squats.

QUICK READ: You're truly fit if you can do these 10 pushup variations

My body transformation has gone through whats popularly known as 'a weight recycle'. Simply put, I lost 11 kgs in 4months (77 kgs to 66 kgs) by following the above diet and exercise regime, which essentially also meant that I lost a lot of the excess body fat. So with the excess body fat gone, I became lean and then started to work on gaining healthy muscle mass. So, now I am 76 kgs with lots of muscle mass and very less fat percentage.

1. Follow a calorie deficit diet

2. Track your calories daily (if you don't want to do that then work on a trial and error method by reducing your portion size and checking your weight weekly, if your weight goes down then voila this is perfect portion size for you!)

3. Eat more vegetables and protein-rich food. Vegetables are loaded with minerals and vitamins. Protein-rich food will help retain muscle mass and also help burn calories.

4. Drink more water.

5. Do weight training. It helps shape the body and retain muscle while losing weight and also walk more (at least 10,000 steps). Walking strengthens the joints and also promotes heart health.

6. Be consistent and stay disciplined.

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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How to lose weight and get fit like this guy who lost fat by following this one genius diet hack - GQ India - What a man's got to do

Lindsay McCusky rides her Peloton at home in Beaconsfield. The screen allows her to connect via the internet to live and on-demand spin classes.John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

The Peloton, a trendy stationary bike designed for home use, has had its share of detractors. Most of the initial backlash on social media was related to its hefty price tag and upwardly mobile demographic (the base model without accessories or discount sells for $2,950. But more recently its holiday ad campaign came under fire for featuring a husband surprising his wife with a Peloton bike for Christmas. Critics remarked that giving an already slim wife an exercise bike sends the wrong message about body image.

Lindsay McCusky of Beaconsfield relates to the comments about the big price tag but doesnt share the same sense of indignation about the ad campaign. Parents to a toddler and a pre-schooler, she and her husband Adam Barrette struggled finding time to get to the gym. They bought a Peloton four months ago and couldnt be happier with their investment.

After months of deliberation, we finally decided to get one, McCusky said. For us its a big expenditure, but its become our thing and its nice to do as a couple.

The unit looks like the spin bikes found in fitness studios, but comes equipped with a 22-inch touchscreen tablet that connects via the internet to live and on-demand spin classes. Using the Peloton app (membership is $49 a month), cyclists can join in on classes in real time, taught by instructors at Pelotons studio in New York City, or choose from thousands of archived classes that can be enjoyed anytime. Classes can be chosen by instructor, type of music, length and/or intensity and level of instruction novice to veteran.

McCusky is a fan of the on-demand classes, which she taps into when the baby naps or any other time she can get away for a quick workout. Barrette, who travels extensively for work, prefers the competitiveness of the live classes where he can compare his efforts to the thousands of others who tune in from home. As cyclists log in, their name, age (by decade), location (by city) and workouts stats are displayed to everyone on the ride. The leaderboard shows the cyclist with greatest energy output, along with, in descending order, everyone else trying to catch up. It can also be filtered by age and gender so cyclists can see how they compare to their peers.

Instructors are featured full-screen with a small number of class members visible in the background. Its not uncommon for instructors to give a shout out to cyclists at home who are at the top of the leaderboard and to those working hard to displace them.

For most cyclists joining in on the ride, the stats are the thing. Real time personal stats are displayed on the touchscreen: cadence, level of resistance, energy output and heart rate if the cyclist wears a monitor. It also shows the leaderboard and the relative position of the cyclist taking the class at home. Riders can also view the stats of their previous personal best, which tends to amp up engagement. For those who want a less competitive ride, its possible to toggle off the stats and enjoy the experience without getting fed a bunch of numbers.

It was Barrette who pushed to get the Peloton. He used the bike frequently in hotels during his business travels thoroughly enjoyed the experience. McCusky was home with the kids while he travelled, making it difficult to get out of the house for a workout. Work and a young family has changed their lifestyle considerably from the days when they played intercollegiate sports (she played hockey, he played rugby). The Peloton bike allows them to workout with minimum fuss and bother.

They bought the whole package bike ($2,625), shoes (two pairs at $165 each), heart rate monitor ($65) and home delivery and set up ($325). And because Peloton doesnt sell or deliver to Quebec, they had the bike shipped to a friends house in Ottawa. Total price tag, including tax and a small discount: $3,638.60.

I loved it right away, said McCusky, who tried it the first time when it arrived at her house. She hadnt taken a spin class in over 10 years, so she started with a beginner ride. Since then shes been on the bike five times a week, most of the time for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Some people have tried to get around the steep price tag by DIY-ing their own version of the experience with a cheaper bike, the Peloton app and their own tablet propped up on their handlebars. But anyone who is motivated by the steady stream of personal metrics and chasing cyclists higher up on the leaderboard will miss that extra bit of motivation that comes with being plugged into the complete experience.

As for whether giving a Peloton bike to your spouse as a Christmas present will result in outrage or joy, you know best.

(Peloton has expanded to treadmills, and the app also features yoga and fitness classes.)

(Statistics supplied by Peloton)

See more here:
Jill Barker: Couple goes the distance to get a Peloton. The verdict? - Montreal Gazette