Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 1,187«..1020..1,1861,1871,1881,189..1,2001,210..»

UFC 245 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks – Bleacher Report

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:49 am

0 of 5

UFC 245 includes three championship fights, several legendary all-time greats and a slew of up-and-coming challengers looking to make huge splashes by winning the biggest fights of their careers.

That's not a bad way to end 2019, and probably an even better way to get the jump on all the massive promotions that are already scheduled to happen early next year.

But with so many good fighters competing in such important matchups, which of the 10 UFC stalwarts throwing down on the main card this weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will walk out of the Octagon with important victories under the belts?

Your favorite MMA media crew here at Bleacher Report is back again with UFC 245 main card staff picks.

1 of 5

Kelsey McCarson

I'm sure UFC would love to see Urijah Faber try for the UFC title he never won during his earlier run with the company, but Petr Yan just seems like too much for the 40-year-old former WEC featherweight champion to handle at this point.

Yan has won eight straight fights entering the contest, and it seems like the 26-year-old is on the verge of getting his first title shot. Faber would be wise to take Yan to the mat as much as humanly possible, but I don't think he'll be able to trap Yan there enough based on how strong Yan is and how he most assuredly will do everything in his power to keep the fight from going there.

Yan, unanimous decision

Jonathan Snowden

Faber turned 40 this year. That's about 127 in fighter years, especially considering some of the grueling fights the "California Kid" had over the course of his long career.

Suffice to say, that's not a good thing. I see Yan backing the legend up against the cage and turning his lights off when an overhand right.

Yan, KO, Round 2

Tom Taylor

As Jonathan reminds, Faber is 40 years old. This isn't The California Kid we're talking about, but a full-grown, child-rearing California Man whose best fighting days are behind him. I realize that sounds a little harsh, but I just don't see him being able to compete with the apex predators of today's bantamweight division.

Yan, a rabidly aggressive 26-year-old who trains at the suitably named Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, is one of those predators. He hasn't been much of a finisher recently, but I expect him to win this one decisively.

Yan via unanimous decision

2 of 5

Kelsey McCarson

Older fighters going down a weight class after successful campaigns in higher divisions almost always ends badly. Jose Aldo is 33, and some people consider him the best featherweight in UFC history. But Marlon Moraes isn't just some random trial horse Aldo is facing to get his feet wet at bantamweight.

Moraes looked great for two rounds against UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo in his last fight before the tide suddenly turned and he suffered the knockout. The 31-year-old needs to make a big statement to get another crack at the title, and beating Aldo will go a long way toward helping him do that.

Moraes via unanimous decision

Jonathan Snowden

Aldo is the most accomplished featherweight in history, a living legend whose name is mentioned in elite company when you start listing off the greatest to ever do it. Long-time fans likely feel like they've been watching him foreverand it's kind of true. His eight-second knockout of Cub Swanson with a spectacular flying knee was more than a decade ago, and he won what would become the UFC featherweight title in hisnext fight.

All this is just a prelude to set up this amazing tidbit: Despite all this history, Aldo is just 33 years-old. That's why, even though he looks like the poster child for a diet pill gone wrong as he tries to drop to 135 pounds, I'm going with the veteran. It's too soon to give up on greatness.

Aldo via unanimous decision

Tom Taylor

I'm part of the large and vocal group of fight fans that think Aldo is making a mistake by dropping down to bantamweight. He was always a pretty slender featherweight, and it's hard to imagine him safely stripping any more mass off his body without compromising his durability and endurance. But you know what? He says the drop has been "easy" so far, and I'm going to take his word for it.

So long as the weight cut doesn't kill him, I see Aldo winning this one pretty handily. Moraes isgood, no doubt, but Jose Aldo is truly great. Even at 33, even after an extra-tough weight cut, he's great. I suspect the difference between very good and great will manifest itself in some kind of late stoppage, perhaps when Moraes starts to slow down.

Aldo, TKO, Round 3

3 of 5

Kelsey McCarson

Part of me wants to go full hipster mode and pick Germaine de Randamie via shocking upset. The 35-year-old hasn't lost since Amanda Nunes stopped her in the first round back in 2013, and she's a good enough kickboxer to present some problems for Nunes assuming she can withstand the early barrage this time around.

The problem for De Ranamie is that Nunes seems to be peaking right now, and that says a lot since Nunes is already considered the greatest women's division MMA fighter ever. History will repeat itself this weekend when the two fight for the second time, only this time it will probably happen ever faster. Because everyone seems to make the same mistake against Nunes as of late. They show up for the fight.

Nunes, KO, Round 1

Jonathan Snowden

The first time these two met, six years ago at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Nunes pushed her opponent up against the cage, took her to the mat, calmly moved on to full mount and dropped punches and elbows until referee Herb Dean felt compelled to step in.

I'm not sure how much has changed since then.

If Nunes feels compelled to engage in a standing battle, this could be a five-round grind. But I think she'll eventually take the bout to the floor and walk away with another line item on her GOAT resume.

Nunes, TKO, Round 3

Tom Taylor

At this stage, Nunes is as close to a sure-thing as you'll find in fighting. She should be massively favored to beat any fighter she's matched up with, especially De Randamie. After all, she's done it before.

Yes, De Randamie has improved since that fateful night at Fort Campbell, but Nunes has done more than change. She's evolved into the kind of fighter you can't possibly pick against. She's smart, she's confident, she's powerful and she's experienced. All signs point to another decisive win from the woman who made Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg look mediocre.

Nunes, Submission, Round 2

4 of 5

Kelsey McCarson

Max Holloway has won 13 straight contests in the featherweight division and is attempting the fourth defense of the undisputed featherweight title he won by defeating the legendary Jose Aldo at UFC 212 in 2017. He's been one of the very best fighters of the last half-decade, and he's still only 28 years old. But Alexander Volkanovski has been on a serious tear. He's powerful, aggressive and smart, which is the right combination of things that typically give Holloway trouble. I expect this one to be the best fight of the night, with Volkanovski pulling the upset in a fight that people argue over for years to come.

Volkanovski via split decision

Jonathan Snowden

The 28-year-old Holloway should be coming into his prime years. But he's seen some things in those 28 years, especially the seven spent in UFC's Octagon. He took quite a walloping against Dustin Poirier in April and those kinds of beatings can have lasting effects.

He survived in the immediate aftermath against Frankie Edgarbut he won't be lucky enough to walk away a second time unscathed. Look for Volkanovski to become just the fourth man to win featherweight gold.

Volkanovski via split decision

Tom Taylor

I completely understand why Kelsey and Jonathan are leaning toward Volkanovski in this fight. Poirier showed that Holloway can be beaten with the right combination of aggression, volume, and power, and it's easy to imagine the tankish featherweight title challenger Volkanovski putting those things together Saturday. Furthermore, I feel like Holloway's time is coming. As Jonathan pointed out, the kind of punishment he absorbed against Poirier has a lasting effect.

I don't think Holloway's reign will end at UFC 245, though. I think his range, his height, and speed should keep him out of the range of Volkanovski's C-4-packed fists. Even if he absorbs a few impacts, I think he's probably still durable enough to survive. It might not be the kind of decisive win we've gotten used to from the champ, but I think he'll do enough to keep the belt in Hawaii.

Max Holloway via unanimous decision

5 of 5

Kelsey McCarson

Grudge matches are great, but what's even better is when two elite fighters match up so well against each other that it's almost impossible to pick a winner headed into the fight.

That's what I think we're getting in the main event on Saturday night with Kamaru Usman's welterweight title defense against Colby Covington. Usman looks like he might be physically stronger than Covington and is for sure the harder puncher. But Covington is probably the better wrestler from a technical standpoint, and he's one of the best pressure fighters the sport has to offer.

If Usman can make this fight about strength and power, he should be able to compete. But I think Covington will outwork him over the course of the five rounds and press Usman into making some key mistakes down the stretch that end up giving Covington the biggest win of his career.

Covington via split decision

Jonathan Snowden

These men are both outstanding wrestlers. Veteran observers know that can mean only one thingfive rounds of kickboxing.

It's Covington's output against Usman's power. It's a real toss up, but they won't be celebrating at the White House on Sunday morning.

Usman via unanimous decision

Tom Taylor

I think all of the trash talk has distracted from how good this fight actually is. As Kelsey mentioned, these dudes are evenly matched on paper. About the same age, about the same height, both 15-1, both wrestlers with bottomless cardio and high striking outputs. It's definitely hard to confidently pick a winner.

Having had to do just that for another B/R article earlier this week, though, I've had some time to think about this one, and I'm sticking to my guns. On the feet, I see Covington landing more. On the mat, I see him performing better. He has more submission wins than Usman, and he was a D1 wrestler, while the champ was D2. It's definitely not much to go on, but in a matchup that's this close on paper, you take what you can get.

Covington via unanimous decision

See original here:
UFC 245 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks - Bleacher Report

BEYOND LOCAL: Age-related eye problems and how to treat them – CollingwoodToday

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:49 am

This article, written byLangis Michaud, Universit de Montral, originally appeared on The Conversation and has been republished here with permission:

Monique is 77 years old. I met her when she came to the eye clinic at the University of Montral, where I am a professor. A retired teacher, Monique has enjoyed an active and full life with her students and family and considers herself lucky to be in good health.

She is concerned, however, about a recent visual loss that prevents her from reading and enjoying her painting workshops. It also prevents her from driving safely, which is important if she wants to maintain her independence.

A complete examination of Moniques vision and eye health quickly revealed the cause of her problems: she has developed cataracts and her retina shows early signs of macular degeneration.

Cataracts are a normal phenomenon, resulting from the aging process of the eye and affecting everyone, without exception. They occur when the lens of the eye gradually loses its transparency, like a window that gets dirty with the seasons.

The light that enters the eye passes through opaque areas and generates blurred vision, without the possibility of improving it with glasses, lenses or magnifiers. Only surgery can restore the clarity of the eye.

The aging of the crystalline lens

The crystalline lens is particular and its metabolism is very fragile. When disturbed, the lens accumulates deposits and loses its transparency. This lens also absorbs a large part of the suns ultraviolet rays to protect the retina at the back of the eye.

The amount of UV absorbed accumulates over the years, contributing to the premature aging of the lens. That is why it is recommended to protect yourself with sun lenses from an early age.

Other factors that disrupt its functioning include the use of certain medications such as oral cortisone, the presence of diseases such as diabetes or a shock to the head, which can contribute to the arrival and progression of cataracts. Very rarely, cataracts are transmitted during pregnancy, especially following infections such as rubella, toxoplasmosis and herpes.

Finally, very strong links have been established between smoking and cataracts. Food, on the other hand, does not seem to have an impact. Quitting smoking and protecting your eyes with good sunglasses are therefore considered effective ways to delay the onset and progression of cataracts.

Implants to the rescue

Cataract treatment is quite simple. The ophthalmologist will perform surgery to exchange the natural lens of the eye with a new lens, called an implant. This surgery is very safe and can be performed at any time during cataract development, although surgery will usually only be offered if there is a significant impact on the patients vision and quality of life.

Implants are permanent and remain clear for life, without the need for replacement. They can be used to correct distance vision, including astigmatism, which would be accomplished through the use of a specially designed toric implant. Also, nearsightedness can be fixed via bifocal or multifocal implants, thus avoiding the need for glasses later on, in most cases.

However, the patient may be subject to seeing halos and may be more sensitive to light. It is also necessary to ensure that the retina is in good health, otherwise the final result will not be very good.

This is particularly the case for Monique, who also has the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This is a phenomenon affecting one per cent of people exceeding 40 years of age, but whose prevalence reaches 30 per cent at 80 years of age.

The at-risk population is composed of Caucasians (those of European origin) and women more than men. Systemic diseases everything that affects blood vessels such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity are important risk factors, as are oxidative causes such as smoking, high saturated fat nutrition and UV exposure.

Prevent macular degeneration

Essentially, the best retinal cells, which allow good vision (macular area), degrade over time if not well nourished by the vascular network and accumulate deposits that prevent their normal functioning.

These deposits become visible as small yellow spots at the fundus the part of the eyeball opposite the pupil. These deposits, known as drusen, can become confluent. The degradation of cells is accompanied by a change in their colouring (pigment reworking), a phenomenon that is also visible when the retina is examined. This is called dry macular degeneration. Vision is more or less affected depending on the number of affected cells.

Over time, the systems response can lead to the formation of new blood vessels to supply dying cells. These are fragile and have no real place to stay. They can easily burst. Their membrane formation, like roots invading a pipe, and their flow (bleeding) contribute to a very severe reduction in vision. This is when we speak of wet degeneration. This more severe form affects 10 per cent of AMD cases, but anyone with the dry form can progress at this stage.

Nutritional supplements

AMD treatments are limited and aim to limit the progression of the disease. They cannot cure it. Quitting smoking, good nutrition, regular exercise and following the doctors recommendations in the control of vascular diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, can delay the progression of the dry form of AMD.

Wearing sunglasses also helps, even on cloudy days. Taking omega 3 at the right dosage and fish oil extracts may help although more recent results have called this strategy into question.

In more advanced stages of the dry form, taking oral nutritional supplements including vitamins and antioxidants are recommended, except in some patients with a particular genetic profile.

The wet form has recently been effectively treated by injecting drugs directly into the eye, to prevent the formation of new blood vessels. These injections must be repeated periodically and restore vision when the procedure is performed at the appropriate time.

Moniques case is a mixed one. On the one hand, it is possible to greatly improve her short-term vision with cataract surgery, for which she will be referred to ophthalmology. Implants protect against UV rays, another factor in preventing the progression of macular degeneration. This will allow her to drive safely and resume her activities. She will also monitor her diet, which she admits is deficient, and take omega supplements. Her AMD is at a stage that is too early for vitamins or antioxidants.

Monique does not smoke and is not taking medication for vascular problems. If she does one day, she will follow her doctors recommendations and begin a light exercise program. Walking may be enough. Finally, she will be followed every six months in an optometry office, will perform simple home screening tests and will come in for a consultation as soon as a change is noted.

Monique is reassured! She will be able to remain active and independent to enjoy the good times of life.

Langis Michaud, Professeur Titulaire. cole d'optomtrie. Expertise en sant oculaire et usage des lentilles cornennes spcialises, Universit de Montral

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Link:
BEYOND LOCAL: Age-related eye problems and how to treat them - CollingwoodToday

‘Daniel Fast’, the diet that helps you reconnect with God and aids with weight loss – Face2Face Africa

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

Nutritionists and dietitians always repeat this mantra, you are what you eat. People do not pay much heed to it till they fall ill and are put on a special diet to help correct whatever medical condition they are facing.

Many people struggle to control what they eat and as a resultmajority of todays population are obese or have obesity related ailments.

However, every now and then new diets crop up and in as much as many people buy into it, it is advised to check in with your doctor before you start.

The Daniel Fast is a diet plan inspired by the Prophet Daniel in the Bible whose spiritual and dietary experiences are recorded in the Bible. Daniel embarked on two diets. To draw him closer to God, during the first fast he only ate vegetables and drunk water.

For the second fast, he cut out meat, alcohol and other foods considered rich from his diet. Like Daniel, proponents of this diet say this is no ordinary diet but a healing therapy that will not only take care of your physical needs but caters to the emotional ones as well.

They claim the Daniel Fast aids in weight loss by accentuating on your relationship with God. It entails a simple diet modification which relies heavily on plant-based nutrition. It avoids all animal-based foods and it has a striking resemblance to veganism.

To spell it out more clearly, its a purely plant-based and tries to avoid over processed plant foods. So vegetables and whole foods are certainly on the menu.

Research reveals that this diet improves metabolic and cardiovascular health because it restricts ones calories intake.

The study further states that Daniel Fast improves the quality of a persons life by decreasing their body weight, improving their levels of blood pressure and blood cholesterol, C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation in the body) and enhancing insulin function.

Those who opt for the Daniel diet over a basic vegan diet do so mainly because of mental, emotional and spiritual health.

They believe it promotes inner peace, clears ones mind of all negativity and reduces anxiety. It helps the individual foster true human connections with others.

In addition, they believe the diet does not only detoxify the bodyof toxins the natural way, but it also helps the individual drop certain badhabits and addictions.

Anyone who goes on the Daniel diet is assured of spiritual supportas it brings them closer to God like it did for Daniel. Here the individual canlearn to solely rely on Gods strength.

Unlike many fad diets out there, the Daniel Fast encourages holistic eating of plant-based meals which is a healthy variation of your usual diet.

The Daniel Fast is meant to bridge the gap between man and God because its proponents believe the diet in its entirety is reconnecting to the Divine. Of which other health benefits can be derived because its one of the fastest way to attain your weight loss goal or give your body a proper detox.

However, the diet in its entirety may lack some essential nutrients like protein and other micro nutrients so it is not advisable to adopt it as a lifestyle change.

It is advised you assess your spiritual life and health needs and do the diet accordingly, it recommended you diet for 21 days of which you may have achieved your aim and you can go on your regular diet with a new perspective on eating well.

Read more from the original source:
'Daniel Fast', the diet that helps you reconnect with God and aids with weight loss - Face2Face Africa

Time-restricted dieting can lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure, study says – WHIO

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

Published: Wednesday, December 11, 2019 @ 8:13 AMBy: Nancy Clanton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Intermittent fasting has shown success in helping people lose weight, but some people can find it difficult to eat normally most days and then severely restrict their food intake other days.

>> Read more trending news

A new study published in the journal Cell Metabolism offers an alternative time-restricted eating.

Time-restricted eating allows you to eat the same every day, but you limit the time during which you can have food to a 10-hour window. So, if your first meal is at 8 a.m., your last calories for the day will need to be consumed by 6 p.m. For the next 14 hours, you fast.

The new study is small, following 19 people for three months. At the time of enrollment, all participants met three or more criteria for metabolic syndrome:

Waist circumference of 102 cm (men) or 88 cm (women)

Triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or higher (or on drug treatment for elevated triglycerides)

Reduced HDL-C below 40 mg/dL (men), 50 mg/dL (women) (or on drug treatment for reduced HDL-C)

Elevated blood pressure, systolic blood pressure of 130 or higher and/or diastolic blood pressure of 85 mmHg or higher (or treatment with an antihypertensive drug with a history of hypertension)

Elevated fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or higher (or drug treatment of elevated blood glucose)

Participants logged the timing of their meals and their sleep in the myCircadianClock app. They were encouraged to stay hydrated during their fasting periods.

"We didn't ask them to change what they eat,"NPR reported Pam Taub as saying. Taub is a cardiologist at the University of California, San Diego's School of Medicine, and an author of the study. Nonetheless, study participants consumed nearly 9% fewer calories.

In addition to weight loss a 3% reduction in weight and 4% reduction in abdominal visceral fat Taub said study participants cholesterol levels and blood pressure improved.

"We are surprised that this small change in eating time would give them such a huge benefit," Satchidananda Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and a co-author of the study, told NPR.

"When you go into a fasting state, you start to deplete the glucose stores in your body and you start to use fat as your energy source," Taub said.

Original post:
Time-restricted dieting can lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure, study says - WHIO

Intermittent fasting: Is it worth the hype? | DW | 10.12.2019 – DW (English)

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

Almost everyone, it seems, is intermittently fasting. Celebrities, my boss, my friend's boyfriend, my mother.

Twitter's CEO, Jack Dorsey, only eats once a day. He doesn't have breakfast or lunch, but consumes his sole meal between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

While Dorsey's approach is extreme (and not recommended), intermittent fasting is widely promoted, with a plethora of book titles that promiseit'll "supercharge energy," "optimize weight," "activate stem cells" and "slow aging." There's also intermittent fasting apps that track the fasting window and weight loss.It is, after all, part of a booming global diet industryworth$189 billion (175,45 billion).

While fasting has long been a cleansing ritual for many cultures and religions(albeit more so in a spiritual sense),its arrival on the modern wellness scene raises some serious health questions, not least about why we should follow a diet many proponents say is good for us because it's based on what our primitive ancestors did. Foremostly, what exactly is intermittent fasting, and why do it?

Read here: Blue light triggers sweet tooth in rodents, study shows

What's intermittent fasting?

An eating pattern that restricts calorie intake to certain hours of the day or days of the week, intermittent fasting has several different iterations.

One of the most common examples, popularized by science journalist Michael Mosley, is the 5:2 diet. You eat unrestricted for five days of the week and limit calorie intake on the other two days of the week, usually to around 500 kcal.Mosley says it reversed his type 2 diabetes.

Time restricted eating, on the other hand, limits intake to a block of time in the day (usually between eight and 10 hours), and alternate day fasting, as the name suggests, limits calorie intake every other day.There are alsomore extreme versions, including the so-called "warrior diet," which alternates between 20 hours of undereating and four hours of unlimited eating. But because no health professional would recommend doing that, it hasn't been studied.

The main idea behind intermittent fasting is to give the body's insulin levels enough time to go down between meals so our fat cells can then release their stored sugar to be used as energy.Positive buzz about the diet spiked after a series of successful studies on rats, which lost weight, improved their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars, and even reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.

But unlike lab-bound rats, it's much more difficult for humans to follow rigid dietary rules and, in part, that's made it difficult to carry out long term studies on humans.

What's the latest?

One of the newest studies on the topic, published in Cell Metabolism, found restricting eating to a 10-hour window during the day had positive health benefits for overweight people with high cholesterol levels, elevated blood sugar and high blood pressure. After three months, the participants who were not asked to change what they ate lost around 3% of body fat and 4% of abdominal visceral fat.

This could suggest a 10:14 circadian rhythm-fasting approach (eating between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) is effective for people with metabolic syndrome, except that the study was only carried out with 19 participants over three months.

That's simply "too small and too short," according to Tilman Khn, a nutritional epidemiologist from the German Cancer Research Center. The study was also crucially missing a comparison to a conventional calorie reduction diet, Khn said.

"My interpretation is that people just benefitted from professional dietary support," Khn told DW.

Satchidananda Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute andco-author of the study, said while "more research is needed" to establish whether time restricted eating or intermittent fasting can really help reverse the issues created by an unhealthy diet, he added they have found that "people sleep well and feel more rested in the morning" while on a 10:14 diet.Panda is also an author of one of those book titles, the subheading of which reads: "lose weight, supercharge your energy and transform your health from morning to midnight."

Read here: Prevent dementia with exercise and ashtrays, WHO says

No better than conventional dieting

Previous research has found intermittent fasting to be no more effective than conventional calorie reduction diets for weight loss or improved insulin levels.

A recent study co-authored by Khn, carried out over a 50-week period, compared a 5:2 intermittent fasting diet with a continuous calorie reduction diet, whereby participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 20%. A third control group didn't change their diet.

Researchers found that both intermittent fasting and calorie reduction led to weight and fat loss in comparison to the control group. Some health markers, like insulin levels and lipids, also improved. But these results were almost identical for both diets.

"We found no evidence at all for a stronger effect or greater benefit of intermittent fasting," Khn told DW. "It was equally as effective compared to a traditional moderate daily calorie reduction diet."

While Khn says he "would never trust just one study," two other comparative, year-long studies from Norway and Australiaconducted around the same time found exactly the same result 5:2 intermittent fasting is no more effective than calorie reduction.

Read here: Do vegans help prevent climate change?

Tough to follow

Panda, though, says this is one of the main appeals of the 10:14 fast, as he thinks it is much easier to follow than other forms of intermittent fasting or conventional dieting.

"Even if two methods lead to similar outcomes, why would you prefer something that is difficult to follow?" Panda said.

The issue with the claims made by small-scale studies and the intermittent fasting book titles, though, is that, like many fad diets, it's presented as a miracle solution. When in actual fact, the science is not so clear.

"If someone finds that intermittent fasting is working, then I would say it's a good method for them. But it's not a universal solution to any health problem for everyone," Khn said.

In light of the evidence we have so far, he said the scientific community may be better off looking to policy measures (like the sugar tax in the UK) as a way of preventing obesity and unhealthy eating habits, as opposed to appealing to individuals to change their eating behavior.

Our skin is often the starting point for how we perceive situations and interact with one another. Researchers have found that people can detect certain emotions, like love, anger, gratitude and disgust, from touch. Regular positive touch has been shown to reduce aggression and increase pro-social behavior. It also helps us form and maintain emotional bonds in relationships.

Touch, or tactile communication, can help us build trust and cooperation. One study even found that professional basketball players and teams who had more physical interaction early in the season, like high fives and team huddles, performed better in later games.

Hugging is a sign of support that can reduce stress. They can also help deter inner turmoil after conflict. One study showed that people who received a hug on a day when a conflict had taken place were found to be in better moods afterwards. Hugs have also been shown to reduce the likelihood of catching a common cold, due to their stress-buffering properties.

Warm contact between partners, like holding hands or cuddling, can contribute to better cardiovascular health and can lower one's reactivity to stress. This is because that positive physical sign of support slows your heart rate, decreases the stress hormone cortisol and lowers your blood pressure. Couples can even sync their heart rates and brain waves just by touching.

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that full-body massage relieved pain and increased mobility in patients with arthritis in their knees. Therapeutic touch has also been shown to decrease pain and increase the quality of life for fibromyalgia patients. Not just those getting a massage see benefits, either: Giving a massage also offers positive improvements to personal well-being.

Massage has also led to weight gain in preterm babies by engaging part of their nervous system. This improves digestion and releases hormones required for absorbing food. Skin-to-skin touch helps release oxytocin, the hormone related to mother-infant attachment, and decreases cortisol, the stress hormone. It may also have a pain-relieving effect for babies undergoing minor medical procedures.

You don't need another person to receive the benefits of touch, though. Self-massage can have some of the same effects of regular massage. The health benefits are stronger when more pressure is applied, as opposed to a lighter touch. Yoga and other forms of exercise, with physical contact between your body and the ground (or weights), can produce similar stress-relieving effects, too.

Support in the form of holding a partner's hand when they're experiencing physical pain may be beneficial for both the recipient and the giver. Pain is actually diminished for the affected partner when touched. This contact can also help people with low self-esteem to eliminate self doubt.

Today, work is being done to create sensory-enabled prosthetics so that amputees can get the same health benefits from touch. Psychological well-being has been shown to increase for those who used such prosthetics. Other researchers are also working on developing electronic skin technology that can feel hard surfaces, soft fabrics or sensations like heat.

Author: Sam Baker

See the original post here:
Intermittent fasting: Is it worth the hype? | DW | 10.12.2019 - DW (English)

Cutting massive weight no longer a wrestling norm – The Gazette

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

By Joe Goodman, I.C. West senior

IOWA CITY One can of tuna.

Thats all Iowa City West wrestler Brett Pelfrey allowed himself to consume on the day of last years dual meet against City High.

In the weeks leading up to the meet, Pelfrey, who plays tackle for the Trojan football team, made a choice to enter into the 195-pound weight class. After bulking up for months during the football season, Pelfrey had to reverse course and lose all of the weight he had gained in the months prior.

Last year was tough, Pelfrey said. I had three or four weeks notice going from 230 (pounds) to 195.

The day before the meet, Pelfrey was 12 pounds over. In order to get down to under 195, Pelfrey spent two hours in a sauna and ate nothing the day before the meet.

While Pelfreys experience is typical for football linemen transitioning into wrestling season, it also is becoming rapidly less common among high school wrestlers. With growing knowledge of proper weight cutting techniques and scientific guidelines set by the Iowa High School Athletic Association, more prep wrestlers are able to compete in a more natural weight class.

With the recent success of the West football program, some Trojan wrestlers have had to make drastic weight cuts after their season ends on the gridiron. With such a short turnaround, football players, especially linemen, go from eating as many calories as they can to essentially fasting before the season.

That is the one negative that I see is when guys have that quick turnaround, assistant wrestling coach Kody Pudil said. That week probably does suck a lot ... 20 pounds seems like a lot to a natural person, but until they get into the wrestling room for a two-hour workout and lose eight, nine pounds they realize that that weight can come off really fast.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT

In 2016 and 2017, the Trojan football team played its final game a week after wrestling practice started, giving wrestlers virtually no time before the teams first matches in early December. This year, football players had a couple of extra weeks to cut weight before the season, which should yield healthier weight cutting techniques.

A misconception among casual observers of the sport is the notion the more weight one cuts, the more successful they would be. By shedding pounds and dropping weight classes, an athlete conceivably holds an advantage by competing against smaller competitors.

For many, however, that is not the case.

Pelfrey, a sophomore, and senior Jackson Brennan described a natural threshold for weight loss wrestlers feel is better left uncrossed. Brennan weighs around 150 pounds naturally, and although the IHSAA allows him to wrestle at 132 pounds, he plans to compete in the 138-pound weight class this season in order to maximize his conditioning and match endurance.

Where you draw the line is when your conditioning goes down, youre running out of energy, and cant make it through the matches wrestling full pace, Brennan said.

Class 3A state runner-up Hunter Garvin wrestled in the 120-pound weight class last season, and while he could technically wrestle at the same weight this winter, he will be competing right below Brennan in the 132-pound division.

At 132 I feel strong and healthy at the same time, Garvin said. ... I feel like its where I can perform my best at.

Brennan and Garvin are not in the minority in their decisions. In fact, nearly every wrestler in the Trojan lineup this year could be wrestling at a lower weight but has settled on a number they feel satisfies their health while also allowing them to optimize their competition success.

As for incoming freshmen and first-year senior wrestlers such as Grant Henderson and Anu Dokun, coaches are less worried about cutting weight than they are with technique and proper form. The stigma surrounding weight cutting can seem intense to those new to the sport, but the West coaches seek to prioritize well-being and fitness over arbitrary numbers on a scale.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT

A lot more of your new wrestlers, we dont push them to cut weight at all, Pudil said. Kids actually find out as soon as they come out for wrestling their weight just naturally comes off. Just from our practices, our workouts youre naturally gonna shed maybe 10 pounds of your walking around weight.

The concept of competing at a more natural weight evidences advancement in Iowa high school wrestling, one which has evolved even from Brennans freshman year.

Were starting to shy away from cutting more than 10-15 pounds, Brennan said. Guys feel better up a weight (class) so they dont make the cut down to the lower weight. They cut to the weight that they feel good at.

Pudil placed at the Iowa high school state wrestling meet three times while at West, including two runner-up finishes. Since his days as a competitor, and in his tenure as a coach, Pudil has sensed a shift in wrestlers attitudes toward weight cutting.

Ive been here now for 10 years and I think that mind-set has changed, Pudil said. ... There isnt that big need to get down to the lowest weight that you can get. Its finding the weight that best suits your body and a lot of times its not your lowest weight.

Expect this years Trojan wrestling team to be more relaxed, enthused and healthy wrestling at weights closer to their natural body weight.

As for Pelfrey, he hopes to stay out of the sauna and maintain a more consistent eating schedule wrestling comfortably at 220 pounds.

(Wrestling) is just having fun and kicking ass, Pelfrey said

See the original post here:
Cutting massive weight no longer a wrestling norm - The Gazette

Weight loss: Woman who gorged on 10,000 calories a DAY sheds 25st after docs warned junk food addiction was – The Sun

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

WEIGHING in at a staggering 40 stone, Teresa Marie's life was at an all-time low.

The 41-year-old had turned to comfort eating, and would gorge on 10,000 calories a day, in a bid to cope with both her brother and mother's suicides.

10

And doctors warned that Teresa could be heading for an early grave - after her size triggered a mild heart attack in 2016.

Determined to turn her life around, Teresa, from Long Beach, California, had gastric surgery and has since lost an incredible 25 stone.

Now weighing 15 stone, Teresa feels happier and healthier than ever.

She said: "I now see a life full of love, happiness, good health, and most importantly I see a bright future ahead. It's never too late to turn it all around."

10

10

Teresa's weight first spiralled out of control after her brother took his own life in 2001, after he was bullied for being gay.

Three days prior to his suicide he had been beaten up in an unprovoked homophobic attack.

"When he died I completed checked out," said Teresa.

"It was the very first traumatic loss I experienced and I blamed myself for not being able to help my brother.

"I stopped taking care of myself. My mother killed herself a couple of years later and their deaths played a role in lack of self love and self care."

10

10

Teresa soon began emotional eating to deal with her depression and self-hate.

She said: "I was consuming about 10,000 calories per day I was eating a large pizza almost daily and stopping at fast food drive thru restaurants and hiding in my car while I ate.

"Then I would go home and eat triple decker peanut butter sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, and tons of chips, cookies, and junk food on a daily basis."

I was consuming about 10,000 calories per day I was eating a large pizza almost daily

By 2016 Teresa, then 38, was so morbidly obese that she suffered a mild heart attack, which motivated her to seek medical advice.

It was then that doctors warned her she could be dead in five years if she didn't lose weight.

Teresa said:

"My doctor said 'you need to have weight loss surgery - you're not going to live longer than five to 10 years if you don't'.

"He said 'people your size usually have the greatest success with gastric bypasses, so that is the best option for you'."

10

10

Before she could undergo surgery Teresa put herself on a strict diet, restricting her calorie intake dramatically and walking as much as she could.

Between 2017 and 2018 she lost ten stone from diet and exercise alone and in 2018 she had gastric bypass surgery to reduce the size of her stomach.

"My stomach is about the size of a medium egg," said Teresa, who now only consumes around 1,500 calories per day.

Teresa also went keto and cut down on her calorie intake in a bid to maximise her weight loss after the surgery.

10

10

She lost 25 stone in total and now weighs a healthier 15 stone, which has transformed her outlook on life.

"I started walking more and went on a ketogenic based diet that involved eating foods with a low carbohydrate and low sugar content," she said.

"On the day of surgery I was 390 pounds and as a teacher, I could not stand for longer than two minutes without feeling like I was going to die. Little by little I worked out."

Reflecting on her life prior to her weight loss, Teresa said: "Life was very hard and at times I felt it wasn't worth living.

"Today, at 220 pounds I feel much different about myself and my life."

10

FAT TO FIT I lost 16st after fearing I was so fat I'd be made into a meme

WOWIE Haribo addict lost 7st after cruel trolls yelled 'Gemma Collins' at her in the street

LOOSE WINNING Denise Welch, 61, shows off 2st weight loss in plunging swimsuit in Barbados

LEAN OF THE JUNGLE Jac Jossa's weight loss hailed by fans in snaps taken just 3 weeks apart

WEIGH TO GO I shed 9st on keto diet after binge-eating disorder left me gorging on pizzas

TRANSFORMED Woman sheds staggering 10st after crying at her own reflection

GAME ON Playing Xbox helped me lose 10st after getting so big I could barely walk

DAD BOD TO BUFF I lost 8st to renew my wedding vows - and now I look like Mr Incredible

NO WEIGH World's fattest man who weighed 93 STONE can walk again after shedding 52st

And those around her have also noticed her amazing transformation.

She added: "I have students and staff tell me 'you're so inspiring' and that's a really cool thing.

"I've spent most of my adult life trying to be invincible and now I want to inspire people."

Read more from the original source:
Weight loss: Woman who gorged on 10,000 calories a DAY sheds 25st after docs warned junk food addiction was - The Sun

Healthy food items that will boost your metabolism and enhance weight loss – Republic World – Republic World

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts your food into energy. Whatever you eat or drink, during this process gets converted into the energy that the body later uses for the day to day activities. During this complex biochemical process, the calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy that your body needs in order to function. Mostly, people blame the slow metabolism for their weight gain. It is often said that fast metabolism is the key to weight loss. So the main question is that how can one improve their metabolism and fasten the weight loss process.

Also Read:Christmas Gifts: Here Are Some Ideal Gifts For Your Girlfriend This Festive Season

Also Read:Vaani Kapoor Shares Secret Of Her Body For 'War', Gives Fans Workout Goals

Protein-rich foods are considered as one of the best options for boosting metabolism. Eggs are rich in protein and mostly, hard-boiled eggs contain 6.29 grams which makes it an ideal choice for people who want to speed up their metabolism. The best time to consume an egg is during breakfast. That way, the metabolism is improved for the entire day.

Flaxseeds are the seeds that are rich in protein, vitamins and also other key nutrients. Some people also consider flaxseeds as functional food which is why many people will eat it for their health benefits. Flaxseeds are usuallyconsumed at night before sleeping. The best way to have flaxseeds is by adding them to the water. It can also be consumed for breakfast with your favourite cereal.

According to a report by a medical news website, studies have proventhat coffee can stimulate metabolism due to its caffeine content. It is concluded that caffeine intake has a stimulating effect on energy expenditure and can lead to increased metabolism. Also, one thing to be noted is that adding cream or sugar to the coffee will not only increase its calorie content but will also work against the caffeine's beneficial effect on metabolism.

Also Read:Disha Patani To Resume KTina After Her Completion Of Radhe Schedules

Also Read:Mahesh Bhatt Says He Is More Interested In The Longevity Of His Films

Visit link:
Healthy food items that will boost your metabolism and enhance weight loss - Republic World - Republic World

How to lose weight like this guy who lost 26 kgs by tweaking his food intake instead of crash dieting – GQ India – What a man’s got to do

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:48 am

The motivation to lose weight and build a ripped body can come from anyone and anywhere movies - its sun-kissed actors, bodybuilders, athletes and even your peers or family members. 26-year-old Mradul Singh Rajpoot, who at his heaviest weighed 92 kgs with a fat accumulation of 38 per cent, cites his younger brother Hitendra Singh Rajput as his biggest fitness inspiration and motivator. He helped Mradul trim from 92 kgs to 66-67 kgs with only 16-17 per cent fat accumulation.

Says Mradul,growing up, my brother used to be very skinny. He was sent to a boarding school to complete his education. And, when he returned home, post his high school graduation, he had completely transformed his physique from slim and lanky to super fit. He had also developed a great personality. Everyone was a fan of his new personality, including me he says.

During this same period, my body weight kept tipping towards the heavier end of the weighing scale, he adds.

The thing is, Id always been a foodie and to top that, in 2016, I'd started working the graveyard shift for a private company. So, Id only be back home by 7 am. Consequently, my eating habits went from bad to worse, he says. Id stay up all night, and when Id finally come home, Id gorge on poha, samosas, sandwiches, namkeen and chips."

"At that time, I used to sleep early in the morning, after eating 2-3 samosas, 1-2 plates of poha, sandwiches and 1-2 packets of chips in one go. Then, Id wake up around noon, and eat a heavy lunch, followed by evening snacks and a very heavy dinner. It was almost like my whole life was dependent on junk, fast and processed food. A culmination of these bad eating habits and a hectic lifestyle led my body to gain a lot of weight. 92 kgs to be precise.

But before things could take a turn from bad to worse, Mradul decided to lose weight with his brother by his side as his motivator and guiding force. Since he knew a lot about healthy living, considering he'd transformed himself so nicely, he started giving me fitness tips. Slowly, I also started collecting information on the various reasons that lead to weight gain, weight loss as well as sustainable weight loss approaches. Through the information I collated, I was able to devise the below weight loss plan,

The first thing Mradul did was control his calorie intake by not dieting but by substituting the junk food from his meals with macros (macronutrients - fat, protein, and carbohydrates) from solid food. Think oats, nuts, green veggies and meat. This is what he ate on a daily basis:

First Meal: Breakfast (9-10 am) - 1 banana + eggs (2 whole eggs + 1 egg white) + 60-70 grams oatmeal

Second Meal: Snacks (11-12 am) - 150 grams mixed fruits + dry fruits (almonds, raisins: 5-10 pieces)

Third Meal: Lunch (2-3 pm) - 120 grams brown rice + 3 cups of green vegetables

Fourth Meal: Snacks (5-6 pm) (Pre Workout) - 1 teaspoon peanut butter + 1 slice brown bread

Post-workout - 1 scoop of Whey protein

Fifth Meal: Dinner (8-9 pm) - 100 grams of sweet potato/chicken + 1 teaspoon of olive oil (in any form) + 3-4 cups of green vegetables

I lost my 6 kgs in about 45 days itself. I went from 92 kgs to 86 kgs. And, as I kept learning more about nutrition and healthy eating, through research, I kept changing or rather updating my diet every 45 days, which aided further weight loss he explains. Mraduls healthy eating weight loss plan was also supplemented with the help of the below exercise regime.

"I used to hit the gym for an hour and a half daily for a strength/weight training session followed by a 30-minute of cardio routine. Every day, Id indulge in 5-6 exercises dedicated for each body part with 15,12,12 reps. This is what my workout plan looked like":

Monday: Chest Workout

Tuesday: Shoulder Workout

Wednesday: Back Workout

Thursday: Arms Workout

Friday: Chest and Shoulder Workout

Saturday: Legs Workout

Sunday: Rest Day (No Workout)

ALSO READ: How to workout 12 times a week and still lead a semi-normal life

By following the above routine, my metabolism has become very fast now. So, now, I indulge in heavy and high-intensity workouts to maintain my weight as well as eat protein-rich food. I also drink a lot of water and try to get 7-8 hours of sleep.

ALSO READ: Here's how drinking water at regular intervals can help you lose weight and increase your metabolism

Maintain courage, passion and stubbornness. These three attributes will lead you to your final goal.

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.

NOW READ

We tried Varun Dhawans workout with his trainer, Kuldeep Shashi

The best back workouts you'll ever have

How to lose weight like this guy who lost 30 kgs by following this simple 4-meal vegetarian diet plan

More on Fitness

See the rest here:
How to lose weight like this guy who lost 26 kgs by tweaking his food intake instead of crash dieting - GQ India - What a man's got to do

Why hormones cause women to get headaches more than men – TODAY

Posted: December 13, 2019 at 6:46 am

Can hormone changes really cause headaches? Unfortunately, yes, hormonal headaches are a thing. And theres a strong chance most women will experience hormone-related migraines.

The symptoms of migraine can include a long lasting headache between four and 72 hours long; seeing spots or lines; pain on one side of the head; sensitivity to light, sound or smell, nausea and pain that increases with physical activity, according to Johns Hopkins Medical Center.

Boys and girls experience nearly the same number of migraines before age 9. But beyond that, the percentage of girls with migraines is higher. These headaches likely affect 25% to 35% of women, according to a recent study, but only about 8% of men.

If it seems like a lot of moms have headaches, it may not be the kids; its probably the age range. Women are most likely to experience headaches between 35 to 45 years old, according to another study.

Trending stories,celebrity news and all the best of TODAY.

What do hormones have to do with all this? Science says that estrogen, testosterone and cortisol, among other hormones, can play a substantial role in the onset of headaches and migraines. Sometimes, they are triggered by other activity in the body: the hormone most associated with stress, cortisol, can be fall too low during times of strain or when going too long between meals, which causes a drop in blood sugar.

Estrogen is the hormone most linked to headaches, which is why its common to hear a friend say she has a killer headache right before that time of the month. The likelihood of headaches increases during the time when estrogen levels fluctuate the most. A drop can contribute to headaches, which is why menstrual migraines are most common in women before their periods, when estrogen levels are low or fluctuating, and why pregnant women often feel a reprieve from headaches as their estrogen levels rise. On the flip side, migraine with aura is usually related to high estrogen levels.

Perimenopause and menopause can also change estrogen levels including when hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives are involved. Thats why women in these stages are more likely to complain of increased headaches.

Hormones arent the only factors that affect headaches, of course. Other contributors can include general stress levels and anxiety, fatigue, genetics, diet and even the weather. Anyone whos been down with a migraine has probably experienced these triggers.

Some of the most beloved foods can also send people under the covers, including chocolate, caffeine, peanut butter, red wine and alcohol, cheese, MSG, artificial sweeteners and processed meats.

So what can be done to combat these literal pains in the heads? These are some ways to help:

Some supplements may help with preventing future migraines, too, like magnesium and black cohosh.

If lifestyle changes dont mitigate symptoms enough, a doctor can prescribe medication or other options such as Botox, which is being used for migraine prevention.

Follow TODAY Health and Wellness on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter "One Small Thing" for easy tips to improve your life every weekday!

Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, is a renowned nutritionist, healthy cooking expert and wellness thought-leader. Follow Keri on Instagram @nutritiouslifeofficial

Read the rest here:
Why hormones cause women to get headaches more than men - TODAY


Page 1,187«..1020..1,1861,1871,1881,189..1,2001,210..»