(Reuters Health) - People who get weight-loss surgery before they gain enough weight to become whats known as morbidly obese are less likely to remain obese after the operation than heavier patients, a recent study suggests.

One year after bariatric surgery, only about one-third of patients lost enough weight to no longer qualify as obese, the study found. People who werent morbidly obese when they had surgery were over 12 times more likely to achieve this goal within a year, researchers report in JAMA Surgery.

Our research suggests that waiting until a patients body mass index (BMI) is extremely high can hamper the benefits of undergoing bariatric surgery because these patients will have a lower likelihood of achieving the type of weight loss that leads to a healthy BMI, said lead study author Dr. Oliver Varban, director of the Adult Bariatric Program at Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigans academic medical center in Ann Arbor.

What we learned in this study is that patients and referring physicians should consider bariatric surgery as a primary therapy for obesity rather than the last resort, Varban said by email.

Globally, 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint disorders and certain cancers.

Body mass Index (BMI) is a ratio of weight to height, and a way of estimating obesity. Having a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight, 25 to 29.9 is overweight, 30 or above is obese and 40 or higher is what's known as morbidly obese.

An adult who is 5 9 tall and weighs from 125 to 168 pounds, for example, would have a healthy weight and a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An obese adult at that height would weigh at least 203 pounds and have a BMI of 30 or more.

Previous research has found obese people often struggle to shed excess pounds or keep weight off when they do lose it. Lifestyle changes such as following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can often help in the short-term but fail to produce lasting results, particularly among people who have more than 100 pounds to lose before reaching a healthy weight.

Bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, the study authors write.

Even though people with a BMI over 30 are considered obese, they may not get bariatric surgery until their BMI reaches 40 unless they have diabetes or other obesity-related health problems.

For the current study, researchers examined data on 27320 adults who had weight-loss surgery in Michigan between June 2006 and May 2015.

On average, the patients had a BMI of 48 before their operation, and got down to 33 by the end of the first year.

Overall, just over 9,700 patients, or 36 percent, achieved a BMI under 30.

Only 8.5 percent of patients who had a BMI greater than 50 achieved a BMI of less than 30 after bariatric surgery, the study found. That compares to 31 percent of people who started out with a BMI of less than 40.

Patients who did manage to get their BMI below 30 had better odds of seeing improvements in obesity-related health problems, the study also found.

Compared to patients who remained obese a year after surgery, people who achieved a BMI of less than 30 were more likely to stop taking medications to control high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and diabetes. They were also more likely to achieve remission of an obesity-related breathing disorder known as sleep apnea.

The study wasnt a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how having a lower BMI before surgery influences the odds of becoming non-obese afterwards.

Still, the findings suggest some obese people might not necessarily need to wait until theyre heavier to benefit from surgery, said Dr. Bruce Wolfe, author of an accompanying editorial and a bariatric surgery researcher at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.

These data demonstrate that this population with lower BMI appears every bit as likely to benefit from surgically induced weight loss than would be expected if they waited until they were more severely obese, Wolfe said by email.

There are more people in the U.S. with a BMI between 30 and 35 than there are with BMIs above 35, Wolfe noted.

Thus, a very large number of patients would possibly become surgical candidates, Wolfe said.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2hqZuNx and bit.ly/2wpOKS5 JAMA Surgery, online July 26, 2017.

See original here:
Weight-loss surgery may work better when patients aren't too obese - Reuters

Oprah Winfreyhas somehow managed to carve out a private life for herself,despitebeing one of the most famous women alive.

She goes out with longtime partner Stedman Graham,she and BFF Gayle Kingare nothing if not the picture of vacation goals and, obviously, if you end up on a yacht with Barack and Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks and Bruce Springsteen, long-lens photos will be taken. But for the most part,she haspointedlykept the particulars of her personal relationships largely under wraps.

Except for one, that is.

Namely, her highly public relationship with her weight. That love-hate relationship has been playing out on TV and the covers of magazines for years.

Even if you're not a fan of Winfrey for whatever reason (that much success, combined with her longevity, relative ubiquity and her status as one of the most powerful African-American women in the world, in 2017one of the world's only two black female billionaires,has certainly made her a target for haters as well), you're most likely familiar with Oprah's roller-coaster weight loss journeywhich, at this point, is as much a part of her life story as anything.

Thatstory has been told time and again, and it never gets less impressive. Though we've yet to check in with everybody, ever, it can often feelas if no one has made more of her life after starting off withless than Winfrey has.Over the course of her career, a trajectory that dreams are made of, Winfreyhas simply become one of the most influential personalitiesof all time.

Said to be worth roughly $3.1 billion now, her lifestyle rocketed past "attainable" decades ago, but there are countless ways in which Winfrey has endeared herself to people of all ages and from all walks of lifestarting with her warm, boomingpersonality that makes you feel as if you've known her for years.Then again, we have known the 63-year-old multi-hyphenatefor years, be it through her talk show, her magazine, her philanthropy, her cable channel or everything else that made heracting careerwhichwould have been significanton its owninto almost a hobby, something she's returned to on and off over the years when she felt like it, when the right projects came along as a performer orproducer. (We're in the midst of a scripted-Oprah renaissance, with the recent HBO movieThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and the upcoming big-screen adaptation ofA Wrinkle in Time.)

Butwhile she's never been one to shy away from sharing her life's considerable low points (they're part of why she's such an inspiration to so many), including the emotional effects of crashdieting and her other stabs at rapid weight loss over the years, it's still hard to picture Winfreythe queen of self-reliance and self-made glorynot having conquer-the-world-level self-esteem. Because if she's not living her best life 24/7, what hope is there for everyone else?

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Yet that's exactly why Winfrey has been sharingthe gritty details of her relationship with food and weight since the 1980s, after she lost 67pounds with the help of a liquid diet and daily 6.5 mile runs, only to gain it (and more) right back.

At first she tried to make weight losslook, if not easy, then perfectlyattainable, pulling a wagon loaded with 67 pounds of gloppy fat behind her onThe Oprah Winfrey Showin 1988 on an episode called "Diet Dreams Come True," a visual that still resonates to this day, while showing off her trimmer figure in tightly beltedjeans and a sleek black turtleneck.

But it soon became painfully clear to Winfrey (and subsequently to everyone following along) that maintaining a weight that she found acceptable would end up beinga lifelong fixation. She toldPeople in 1991, "I thought I was cured.And that's just not true. You have to find a way to live in the world with food." In 1996 she co-authored with Bob GreeneA Journal of Daily Renewal: The Companion to Make the Connection, about staying in touch with your body's needs. Winfrey looked as thin as ever on the cover.

In a 2002 essay forO Magazine called "What I Know for Sure About Making Peace With My Body," she wrote that she went to her first "diet doctor" in 1977, when she was 23, and "thus began the cycle of discontent."

"Around 1995, after years of yo-yoing, I finally realized that being grateful to my body, whatever shape it was in, was key to giving more love to myself," she wrote. "Although I'd made the connection intellectually, living it was a different story."

In 2009, a current photo of Oprah shared a cover ofO with a photo of a slimmer 2005 Oprah, with the quote, "'How did I let this happen again?'"

There's a reason whyweight loss is a multi-billion-dollar industryone that Winfrey herself recently bought into after already having done more for the national diet conversation than almost any celebrity over the past 30 years.

Hyperion

Just over two years ago, she bought a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchersfor $43 million.Strategic business move, sure, but also perhaps an emotional one. According toThe New York Times Magazine, the companyhad extended many invitations to Winfrey over the years to get involvedwiththe company, but it wasn't until she had gained 17 pounds whilenursing asprained anklethat she decided the timing was right in July 2015.

Weight Watchers' stock enjoyed a massiveOprah bump and soon "I love bread" was everyone's favorite new mantra. By September 2016, however, approximately $1 billion that had been gained on paper during those heady early days of Winfrey's involvement had reportedly disappeared and CEO Jim Chambers stepped down.

But if anyone has learned anything over the past several decades, it's to never count Oprah Winfrey out. WhenOWN launched in 2011 it was immediately plaguedby stories that it was struggling, plagued by ratings, programming and, summarily, financial issues. Andit was plagued by all of that, butby 2013 Team Winfrey had turned it around, thanks to, among other things, a win-winproduction deal with Tyler Perryand strong ratings for Winfrey's interview seriesOprah's Next Chapter.

Similarly, Winfrey's visible presence has since attracted more people to Weight Watchers. Per the NY Times, membership was up to 2.8 million peoplewithin a year of Oprah buying in, and stood at 3.6 million bythe end of the first quarter of 2017, Weight Watchers'fourth straight quarter of reported revenue growth. Mindy Grossman, formerly CEO of HSN, signed on as the company's new chief executive in April.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Yet all thistalk about weight on Winfrey's part, though nothing new, has generated a new group of critics who don't think that being skinnier should be on anyone's list of prioritieswhen it comes to self-worth, and Winfrey's continued public efforts to look a certain way is sending adistressing and archaic message.

We won't say those criticsare fighting a losing battle, but it's stillan uphill one. Even in this day and age when messages of body positivity, body diversity, acceptance and inclusion are more prominent than ever, there's a century of misguided precedent when it comes to what people (mainly women)should look like if they intend to look their "best."

So fornow, Winfrey remains afamous voice voicing universal concerns. It's not as though she only talks about skinny jeans and size 2s. Shewants to be healthy and feel good, physically and mentallyand it's not very sporting of people to suggest that her feelings about her own body areinvalid. It's not right toshamethose who would like to lose weight, as though they can't still be strong or empowered or are otherwise betraying womanhood by wanting to look a certain way, any more than it's OKto shame someone's weight in general.

Besides, maintaining a certain weightis important toher. She's not saying it should be important to everybody.

As an influencer, Winfrey is perfectly aware that it's not de rigeur to admit you care about what size you are.

"This whole P.C. about accepting yourself as you areyou should, 100 percent," Winfrey agreed in an interview with The New York Times Magazine. Butin response to questions about the prospect ofaccepting one'sbody as it is (whatever that means, really), she explained, "For your heart to pump, pump, pump, pump, it needs the least amount of weight possible to do that. So all of the people who are saying, 'Oh, I need to accept myself as I am'I can't accept myself if I'm over 200 pounds, because it's too much work on my heart. It causes high blood pressure for me. It puts me at risk for diabetes, because I have diabetes in my family."

In January, Winfrey proudly revealed thatshe had lost 42 pounds on Weight Watchers since beginning the program in 2015.

"Before, when I was 150 pounds, I'd imagine getting up to 200 pounds, and think, 'Oh my God,'" she saidin O Magazine."But now I think, 'I never thought that at 200 poundsI could look in the mirror and love my body, love myself, not chide and minimize myself for being 200 pounds.' At 200 pounds, I was OK. I have never, ever, ever been at that point. And then at 190 pounds, I was OK. If I don't lose another pound right now, I'm still OK.

"The fullness of life, the fullness of being, the self-acceptanceI'd never done that before. I'd always beaten myself up because I was tied to a number."

Winfreycontinued, "When the weight started to come off, I needed to get clear on my intention. I could lose weight to fit a dress size, or attend an event, or to make other people like me. But I couldn't keep it off for those reasons. I always put the weight back on. This time I changed the intention to, 'I want to be the healthiest I can bephysically, emotionally, spiritually.' So the process and purpose of losing shifted for me.It was easier, because my intention was clearer."

It may not be cool to admit you care about your weight, but it's real as hell. And honestyremains one of our favorite things.

Read the original here:
Oprah Winfrey's 40-Year Weight Loss Struggle: Inside the Billionaire Star's Ongoing Quest for Self-Acceptance - E! Online

SANTA CLARA Day 6 was by far the most physical day of 49ers training camp, and Kyle Shanahan wanted it just that way.

Undrafted safeties Lorenzo Jerome and Chanceller James, trying to prove themselves, were leveling ball carriers to the turf. Vance McDonald rammed through Ahkello Witherspoon near the goal line. Eric Reid returned from his ankle injury and was flying around. The cracking of pads was happening on nearly every play

I want them to turn it up a little bit, Shanahan said minutes after practice. I was trying to get the idea of how we want to practice how to be physical but still not take people to the ground. I thought they did a better job of that today.

One reason why this 49ers training camp has a different feel to it: weight loss.Players have said shedding pounds has given the team more endurance. Shanahan and John Lynch required several key members of the team to come back weighing as light as they ever have in the NFL. Arik Armstead lost 15 pounds, Aaron Lynch shed 25, Carlos Hyde got as low as 224 pounds. Gargantuan right tackle Trent Brown got in on the action. Even a seasoned pro like Ahmad Brooks was asked to drop five pounds.

Those who have been around the 49ers organization for a couple seasons have noticed a dramatic change. Chip Kellys system was fast, but he didnt require the players to be in shape quite like this.

I feel like overall, endurance-wise, our team is at a level we havent been at, McDonald said. They want you to be able to look the same on the 75th play as you do on the first play. (And) In terms of just intensity, thats going to come from guys being able to go harder and longer. Like even there at the end of practice, we were still banging and it was well into it.

The trickle down impact of a more explosive football team is a ratcheted up practice. McDonald said Shanahan has done a solid job of making training campfeel more like games. In the last two days, some periods of 11-on-11s have been unscripted. The offense is trying to drive the length of the field on the defense, both units are making substitutions and penalties are called by refs. The next day in the meeting room, Shanahan declares winners of these scrimmages in front of the team, raising the stakes considering how many roster spots are up for grabs.

Its much more game-like, game-feel, McDonald said. Youre just out there and are like, Holy smokes. This really is a 13-play drive. You dont get a lot of opportunities to do that, and get real kind of game-like situation stuff in practice.

Its Shanahans mandate to have a lighter football team, but strength coach Ray Wright deserves much of the credit. Players have said hes created more of a college atmosphere with innovative workouts. The massive hill next to the practice field is the latest example of Wright and the 49ers trying to push the boundaries. Players have said Wright has been much more involved in picking out dietary supplements and specific training regimens.

Heres the rest of what happened Thursday:

-Carlos Hyde caught five passes in 11-on-11 drills and has been one of the best 49ers players during training camp. Talk of cutting him seems laughable. Hes treated training camp practices like they are regular season games. Exhibit A: running over an unsuspecting Ahkello Witherspoon. There will be pressure on him to perform once the regular season begins, but Hydes been mostly terrific six days into camp. If he displays hands like that in September, he could actually receive a big bag of cash as a free agent in 2018.

-NaVorro Bowman and Brock Coyle sat out of practice, giving Reuben Foster his first-ever regular reps with the starting unit. The rookie deflected a pass at the line and was used as a blitzer, forcing two errant throws on his pressures. Fosters problem? Malcolm Smith has been everywhere in training camp and was disruptive in the running game on Thursday. Those two might platoon at WILL linebacker for the first part of 2017.

-Inside linebacker is sneakily the best position on the roster. Ray-Ray Armstrong added an interception and seems like a lock for the 53-man roster. Coyle is a highly-regarded special-teamer. Fosters potential might be the highest on the team. And of course Bowman is as consistent as they come.

-Another strong day from Brian Hoyer, who found Marquise Goodwin for a 45-yard gain. Reporters charted Hoyer going 17-for-22. Again, his accuracyis arguably the biggest change about this football team. The Hoyer-Goodwin pairing has beenas close to lethal as you can get for training camp.

-McDonald has looked like the most consistent tight end so far in camp. Unless he shows nothing in the preseason, it would be hard to imagine cutting him. Cole Hikutini has quieted down after a strong performance on Monday. George Kittle is assumed to be the only roster lock at the position.

-Jed York continues to be a constant figure at practice. He was barely visible last year under Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke.

Continue reading here:
Camp observations: Weight loss program has changed endurance of 49ers - KNBR (blog)

Its a warm, sunny day here on Long Island, and with last nights games washed away with a completely flooded field, Im antsy to get shit done today! In a couple of hours, Ill be heading out for 56 hours worth of client appointments before turning in for the night. This intentional schedule change of pushing my appointments to the afternoon and early evening has really helped me to sleep better, as I tend to get anxious when I know I have an early AM session.

Ive done this thing since I was a kid where if I had something early to wake up for, I was always up AT LEAST half an hour before my alarm went off, wired and nervous that it wouldnt actually go off Sometimes, Id even wake up in a sweat thinking that Id set the wrong time! Of course, in the entirety of my life (which is now at nearly 29 years), Ive only ever forgotten to set my alarm ONCE, and inaccurately set it just a handful of times!! By not having anything scheduled prior to noon, Im able to let my body wake itself up naturally, and put myself first way ahead of any prescheduled appointments:-)

Now, if I could just figure out how to do that for Tuesdays, the only day where I have to wake up at a specific time (and it aint a pleasant one:-/)

Anyway, today Id like to discuss how to keep yourself motivated on your weight loss journey. When I first meet with new clients, they seem to think that in order to lose weight, they have to eat grilled chicken and broccoli at every meal, and do insane amounts of exercise! This is incredibly misguided, and can lead to some serious falling off the wagon!!

Just think about it for a second from personal experience: If you set a weight loss goal of, say, 25 lbs, and you were eating the same 12 meals per day and dragging yourself to a gym to perform workouts you had no interest in doing, how does that motivate you to continue? On a day where things really go awry in both your work and your personal lives, youll probably skimp on your restrictions, which will result in AT LEAST a 24 hour binge of junk food and inactivity.

For me, back when I was commuting for four hours per day, working a full day, and starving myself prior to working out on fumes in the evening, there were WEEKS where Id fly off the rails because I couldnt take the constant restrictions anymore. My office would sometimes order the staff lunch, which would consist of pizza and other delectable local Italian fare. The result was me going to town on massive quantities of crap! This would then cascade into uncontrolled bingeing for the next 37 days, which obviously wouldnt do me or my goals any good.

What I found worked best for me (and for most of my clients) is to have a VARIETY of foods and fitness at your disposal! This way, if you were getting bored of a certain meal or of a certain type of workout, you could change it up and move on to another

Take food, for example: I go through these phases where Ill eat some scrambled eggs, bacon and avocado for breakfast. Often, this will be my breakfast every day for MONTHS! However, after a while, Ill get bored of this breakfast, and will then have to change things up!!

Fortunately, Ive never been a pancake or a waffle kind of guy, so these were never breakfasts that appealed to me. I was, however, a big sugary cereal fiend, feasting on non-nutritious junk like Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops and Fruity Pebbles. When the eggs would get old and Id want to move on to something else, I found a HEALTHY cereal recipe that wouldnt overload me with sugar and toxic chemicals, and Id switch to that until I get sick of it.

You can find that recipe, as well as 71 others spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers and desserts by checking out my Healthy Recipe Book at http://www.weightlossbypete.com/healthyrecipes.

On the fitness side, Ive been adamant about changing things up. As you probably know by now, Im an avid softball player, and typically play 23 days per week during my free time. During the other days, Ill mix it up by performing interval training workouts, by running, and by even practicing yoga. I literally dont have a pre-determined weekly plan: Ill wake up, see what I feel like doing, and Ill do THAT!

Now, you probably have much different tastes in food and in fitness than I do Thats perfectly fine! Figure out what those are, and use those as a kind of rolodex for making healthier choices. In the long run, thats how you establish consistency, and thats how you get to the promised land!

P.S. If you feel you need more help on the nutritional side, then youre definitely going to want to invest in my Food Guide and Healthy Recipe Book!

The Food Guide lays out the three phases of nutrition I use with my Permanent Weight Loss clients. Phase 1 gets you in the habit of making healthier choices, while Phase 2 really cleans up the frequency with which you eat healthier. Phase 3 is a strict macronutrient breakdown that will help expedite the process of weight loss, all while improving your health and making your body a well-oiled machine!

My Healthy Recipe Book includes 72 recipes spanning breakfast,lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers and desserts. Im constantly adding to it, but these recipes are easy to make, simple and enable you to have your cake and eat it, too!

Normally, I sell each of these books for $10 a piece, but because Im feeling generous today, you can get BOTH for just $13.99!:-)

The Morning Email

Wake up to the day's most important news.

See original here:
How to Stay Motivated on Your Weight Loss Journey! - HuffPost

Advertisement

Everyone wants a magic way to lose weight quickly and keep it off. There is no easy way, unfortunately. And as we found out, science says diets are better than exercise Diet vs. Exercise: What's Better for Quick Weight Loss? Diet vs. Exercise: What's Better for Quick Weight Loss? When you want to lose weight, there are two options Either you can start dieting or start exercising. Ideally, you should do both. But which of the two helps you lose weight faster? Read More if weight loss is the target (and not overall fitness).

The question then is to figure out which diet is right for you. There are plenty of choices, like the ketogenic diet, paleo diet, intermittent fasting, and more. And these resources will make it simpler to choose.

Reddits /r/LoseIt is a community of people trying to lose weight Shed The Pounds: Subscribe To These 4 Weight Loss Subreddits Shed The Pounds: Subscribe To These 4 Weight Loss Subreddits Have you made a resolution to lose a bit of weight? Reddit is a great resource for this, with plenty of subreddits for those eager to reach a healthier weight. Read More . Recognizing the confusion around several diets, they created a massive Wiki to explain everything. This explains each aspect of a diet, from counting calories to what a diet targets.

For example, you will come across low-carbohydrate diets quite often. In one table, Reddits wiki explains what you are and arent allowed to eat on different low-carb diets like paleo, Atkins, four-hour body, and more. Similarly, it explains why a low-carb diet works.

This should be the starting resource for anyone who needs to know about the various diet options available out there. Youll get the science behind the diet, success stories from people, and independent views.

If you dont want to read anything and just find the right diet for you, try this quiz from the BBC. It will nudge you in the right direction to choose among three types: high-protein low-carb, intermittent fasting, or low-calorie recipes.

BBCs quiz asks you a series of questions to determine what type of eater you are. Be honest with yourself while answering, no one is judging you here. Your answers to the 12 questions will determine if you are a feaster, a constant craver, or an emotional eater.

It isnt a comprehensive quiz and its best paired with one of the other resources here. Still, it will set you on the right path, and is an excellent example of the stunning interactive mini-sites BBC makes 5 Stunning Interactive Mini-Sites Made by the BBC 5 Stunning Interactive Mini-Sites Made by the BBC The BBC showcases a stunning series of digital experiments. From knowing your body better to interactive chemistry experiments, you'll see it all here. Read More .

There is a simple statistic to govern weight loss. You need to consume less calories than what you expend. With that principle in mind, the U.S. National Institute of Health designed a diet to lose weight and improve blood pressure.

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) doesnt have the strict restrictions that other diets enforce. Instead, it tries to help you make smarter nutrition choices, and control your intake. Depending on your gender, age, and lifestyle, it will chart out the best meal plan for you to eat healthy.

I would recommend starting with the six-page PDF on DASH, which covers the basic ideas and includes an eating plan and printable chart. You can follow this up with the DASH mini-site, where youll get weekly meal plans, heart-healthy recipes The Best Websites for Dieting on a Budget The Best Websites for Dieting on a Budget Read More , and much more.

The U.K. has its own National Health Services institution, with its own weight loss plan. Like DASH, this too works on the principle of calorie deficit. However, the NHS plan is much more comprehensive with a 12-week guide.

The plan derives all of its information based on scientific institutions like the British Dietetic Association and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. You will first need to calculate your body mass index 5 Remarkable Websites to Help You Understand Your Health & Fitness 5 Remarkable Websites to Help You Understand Your Health & Fitness Do you want to understand your body, and how exercise and nutrition affects it? These five quality websites will help you reach your fitness goals with education. Read More (BMI) and then put the guides recommendations in action.

The 12-Week Weight Loss Plan can be downloaded and printed as a PDF. There are also plenty of online tools like a calorie checker, a meal planning app, and much more.

Charles Platkin, PhD, JD/MPH, is a renowned health expert and columnist. Diet Detective isnt updated as regularly any more, but it is a resource full of insightful (and verifiable) answers to questions about diet, health, and nutrition.

Platkins site includes interviews with other experts, analysis of studies and research papers, and other useful information. For example, he wrote a thorough explainer on the top-searched diets on Google, so you know exactly what each is about and their benefits or risks.

The Diet and Weight Loss section is what you should focus on primarily, but there is plenty of other great advice here, so dont be shy to explore more. And like Platkin, there are other trustworthy fitness experts on the web 8 Fitness Experts On The Web With The Best Health Advice For You 8 Fitness Experts On The Web With The Best Health Advice For You The last thing you want to do is take fitness advice from someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. These experts are the ones to follow for tested veteran advice. Read More you can check out.

The effectiveness of a diet is going to be largely subjective. Of course, researchers conduct studies to find those that work best across large groups, so there is some science available. This video sums it up nicely:

Personally, I believe the best diet is the one that youll actually stick to. For me, the South Beach diet has worked on multiple occasions, so I can vouch for it.

What about you? Which diet have you tried and seen good results with?

Read the original here:
5 Trustworthy Guides to Lose Weight and Keep It Off - MakeUseOf

August 2, 2017

Models, athletes and celebrities swear by the ketogenic keto diet to help shed those unwanted pounds. The keto diet encourages eating more cheese, butter and bacon; its a low-carb, high-fat diet akin to the Atkins Diet created in 1972 by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins. The latest fad diet has amassed a following of devoted supporters, including Tim Tebow, LeBron James and Kim Kardashian, but does it really work?

Carol Johnston, professor and associate director of the nutrition program in the School of Nutrition and Health PromotionThe School of Nutrition and Health Promotion is part of the College of Health Solutions. at Arizona State University, explains why the low-carb, high-fat diet is so popular, how it works, and what dieters should be eating to lose weight.

Question: Does the science behind the keto diet make sense? Would nearly eliminating carbs while increasing fat consumption help a person to lose weight?

Answer: The short answer is yes. There is mounting evidence that suggests calorie restricted, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets are effective for weight loss, and the keto diet is an extreme version of this. Low-carb diets can be more satiating, allowing dieters to feel full longer, eat less, and thus experience greater weight loss success. However, calorie restricted, high-carb diets are also effective for weight loss.

Overwhelmingly, the most important factor in weight loss success is diet adherence. In research trials, most individuals who lose weight regain most of it within a year, regardless of which diet they were on. The downside of many of the fad diets you see today is the lack of emphasis on long-term lifestyle changes, which is necessary for long-term weight loss success.

Q: In your opinion, why is this diet so popular?

A: The keto diet is popular because it is easy to follow and on the surface seems effective. In the first few days after starting the keto diet, a person can experience a significant loss of water weight. When carb intake is restricted for a few days, glycogen stores in the muscle are reduced. Glycogen is responsible for water retention, so when its levels fall, so do our water levels. To the average person, the diet appears to be working. The number on the scale is going down. But, since most of this weight lost is water weight, it will return when the person consumes carbs again. While most people rely on scales to monitor weight loss and think any weight loss is good, the goal is actually to lose fat, which isnt always reflected on the scale. Additionally, the elevated levels of satiety feeling full may help people stick to the diet longer and experience greater weight loss success.

The keto diet encourages eating more cheese, butter and bacon.

Q: Is the keto diet healthy?

A: Keto diets have safely been used as an effective therapy for epilepsy for years. There are some risks associated with an extremely low-carb, high-fat diet, including elevated blood triglycerides (linked to elevated cardiovascular risk), increased urinary uric acid (which may lead to the formation of kidney stones), and lethargy. Adults on a low-carb diet are also at risk for adverse impacts to their bone health.

Q: Were always hearing about the evils of carbohydrates when it comes to losing weight. How important are carbs to our health and what role do they play in weight loss?

A: Carbs play a critical role in our health. We get energy either by burning glucose from carbs, or by burning fat. The keto diet focuses on the latter. Though carb-restricting diets are popular, carbs are actually less likely to convert into body fat than dietary fat.

Carbs are important for our brain and muscle health. Our brains rely entirely on glucose for energy productionthey cant get it from fatmaking the consumption of some carbs necessary. Our muscles can use either glucose or fat for energy, but during high-intensity exercise, they prefer glucose.

When we eat more carbs than we need, they convert to body fat, which contributes to obesity. In general, average Americansthose with a relatively sedentary lifestyleconsume more carbs and calories than they actually need. Athletes, on the other hand, need to keep their carb intake elevated to support their energy output. Balance between energy intake and output is key to maintaining a healthy weight.

Q: For people who are trying to lose weight what foods should they avoid? What foods should they include in their diet?

A: Energy dense-foods should be avoided (gravies, dressings, sauces, sweets, pastries, cakes, cookies, sugary drinks, etc.) and low energy, nutrient-rich foods should be prominent in the diet (unprocessed plant foods, low fat dairy and lean, unprocessed meats).

Q: What should people know about the effectiveness or safety of fad diets like Atkins, keto, liquid diets, paleo, calorie restriction, etc.?

A: Any diet that restricts calories will typically result in weight loss if a person sticks with it. What is important when following a calorie-restricted diet (about 500 less calories per day) is that it has healthful attributes a diet composed of plant-based, unprocessed foods with low fat content such as the Mediterranean diet. (Note, 500 calories equates to two 12 ounce sodas and a large chocolate chip cookie!)

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com

Follow this link:
The Keto diet: Is eating more fat the key to weight loss? - Arizona State University

AN EVESHAM mum who battled her weight for a number of years and fought depression hopes to share her story with others.

Natalie Moxey will launch her own Slimming World group at the De Montfort School next Saturday from 9.30am.

The mum of two has fought back from weighing more than 18 stone and having to wear size 22 clothes.

Natalie had always battled with her weight, stretching back as far as her teen years but her weight gain spiralled out of control over the past five years.

After tying the knot with her childhood sweetheart Tom in August 2011, the happy couple dreamed of starting a family.

But after the joy of falling pregnant in March 2012, Natalie and Tom suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage on Mothers Day.

Following the tragic loss, the couple struggled to conceive and Natalie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone-related condition caused by small cysts or follicles on the ovaries.

Despite the setback, Natalie fell pregnant in 2013 but endured an awful first 12 weeks where she suffered bleeding and cramping.

Little David arrived safely in December 2013 after a pregnancy beset by severe pelvic pain which made it difficult for Natalie to walk and ended with an emergency c-section after complications during his birth.

The couple discovered a second baby, Jack was on the way six months after Davids birth but again Natalie endured a difficult pregnancy with pelvic pain so bad she ended in up in a wheelchair.

Despite Jacks safe and healthy arrival, Natalie was haunted by the demons of the previous years which led to a crippling depression.

I was eating my feelings, with no care of concern for myself. Getting through the day was my only aim, she said.

To me, food was an instant high but really it was just compounding my depression. I had no control.

The 31-year-old saw her weight rocket and regularly dined on sugary cereals, crisps, chocolate and ready meals and would often eat takeaways, sometimes up to five times a week.

During the day, I wasnt that bad, but at night Id just sit and eat and eat, she said.

The caring mum tackled various weight loss methods but said her life began to change when she first attended a Slimming World group last January.

She discovered she could still eat tasty meals and chocolate and even the odd glass or two of wine.

Before I could barely walk but now I run regular 5ks and enjoy exercising at local fitness groups, she said.

I can chase around after my boys without having to worry about not keeping up, or getting stuck on a slide!

Call Natalie on 07791674678 on the group.

See more here:
Inspirational Natalie share's her brave story to help others lose weight - Evesham Observer

Dear Carolyn: When my husband and I first married, I had a wonderful relationship with his parents. However, over the last decade his mothers health has deteriorated such that she is now both severely disabled and depressed. My father-in-law is a wonderful man who has devoted his life to her care, but, despite his devotion, she directs her unhappiness at him. Spending time with them is difficult.

My husband agrees theyre not easy, but also mourns his moms disabilities. They are local so we probably see them monthly.

They recently announced their plan to join us on the annual beach vacation with my side of the family (who is not local). They plan to rent a house nearby during the same week.

Carolyn, this time with my husband and children is dear to me, and the prospect of an in-law invasion makes me miserable. When I shared these feelings with my husband and proposed alternatives (a weekend getaway with them or time together during a different week) he flipped out and was devastated. He said he cannot tell them no and I am unreasonable for not accommodating them.

Im not the type to put my foot down, but Ive done so and my husband is now sleeping on the couch and not speaking to me. Aside from this one issue, our relationship is great. I need a sanity check; am I in the wrong?

Anonymous

Anonymous: No. Even if your mother-in-law were in perfect health and pleasant company, youd have every right to veto, saying, We see your parents monthly; this is my familys time.

And, his flipping out on you is not okay regardless. Even when such an emotional outburst is understandable, a loving, mature adult will de-escalate and apologize for losing his composure. Sticking with it over days, against someone who is making clear efforts to both honor her priorities and make reasonable trade-offs to do so, is not acting in good marital faith.

Its important to recognize, though, that being right can still be wrong if you dont recognize the emotional stakes. Even a loving, mature adult can buckle under the strain of helplessness in a crisis like his mothers, and when that happens, its not unusual for someone to unload some of the excess weight onto the nearest safe person. In this case, you.

Or in the case of his mother: his father. You say she unloads on him despite his devotion, but I would argue its because of it. Whom can we blame for infirmity, mortality and loss? The universe? So, we blame our best friends for burning the toast.

People generally dont do this consciously, they just drop their guard around the person they trust not to leave.

If your husbands flip-out is indeed uncharacteristic, then I think you can safely treat this as his attacking not you or your family time, but the Human Condition by the nearest way available means.

So approach him accordingly. Your moms ordeal is tearing you up. I see that. Wait a beat for a response. If none, then say you didnt mean to add more stress and youre there for him when hes ready. Then, patience. Hold firm on the beach or relent up to you but either way, he needs the best listener you can be.

Write to Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com. Get her column delivered to your inbox each morning at wapo.st/haxpost.

View original post here:
Carolyn Hax: Dysfunctional in-laws want to join her side of family's vacation - Washington Post

Last year it was 5:2, last week it was the Dukan, today the diet-du-jour is the newly-revived General Motors diet, which claims to help people shed seven kilos in just seven days.

Sound too good to be true?

As with most crash diets, it probably is, with experts unanimously crying out against the damaging effects fad diets like this one have on the body in the long term.

The concept of the General Motors diet, named after the employees who developed it in the 1980s, is that you consume different food groups on different days.

On day one you are advised to fruit-load eating only water-based fruits such as melon.

You mightbegin day two with a baked potato and a feeble scattering ofvegetables with the rest of your day following largely the same sort of format. Bananas are off-limits till day four.

The days to follow will be similarly exclusive variations on fruit/veg groupings with the gradual introduction of lean meats.

Naturally, given the minimal caloric content of the diet, only very low intensity exercise is recommended during the week, such as yoga.

Whilst reports of weight loss have been successful with most dieters losing significant amounts of weight in the first three days (though at just 1,000 calories each day, is that really surprising?), nutritionists are wary of the controversial quick-fix diet.

Trends may help you quickly lose weight but not fat, leading Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lamberttold The Independent.

The weight comes back after veering from the given rules of any diet. And the GM Diet is no different. Some may be drawn to it because they may feel out of control around food and want to stick to a rigid plan. Yet after breaking one of the diet rules, people will feel guilty and ashamed, and may then start another diet which leads to a vicious cycle.

The shame that dieters often associate with breaking rules can in turn lead to further weight gain, as they binge on unhealthy foods theyve been craving and depriving themselves of, Lambert said.

Eating a limited number of types of foods every day is simply a type of calorie restriction and the reduced carbohydrate intake will explain the relatively quick weight loss and water weight is a lot of it. Embracing a wide variety of foods should be encouraged but not at the expense of eliminating whole food groups at any one time, the soon-to-be nutrition author continued.

Jo Travers, registered dieticianagrees, the apparent success of the GM diet is purely down to basic caloric deprivation rather than sustainable dieting.

"While the GM diet does have a mix of nutrients over the course of the week, your body needs most nutrients every day," she told The Independent. "By restricting protein for the first few days, you will force your body to break down muscle in order to release amino acids for making new cells, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters. Although this does make you lose weight, this is muscle weight not fat weight, the Low-Fad Diet author explained.

It's quite an attractive idea that if you just do this one prescriptive thing for a week you will lose weight, but in practice it's much harder to follow then most people think and will often result in less weight loss than was promised followed by rapid weight regain once normal eating is resumed, she continued.

In order to maintain weight loss in the long term, Lambert suggests finding a routine of eating and exercising that is enjoyable for you.

Once youve found your happy place, you will find it sustainable. Remember, the best new healthy diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run, she said.

The rest is here:
General Motors: Is this the most controversial crash diet yet? - The Independent