BBC News

Actor Tom Urie describes his life-changing weight loss BBC News Former River City actor Tom Urie has drawn up a "weight-loss bucket list"' after losing 16 stone. Urie, who played the part of "Big Bob" in the soap, aims to complete a top 10 of everyday things that he could not do before. Speaking on BBC Radio ... and more »

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Actor Tom Urie describes his life-changing weight loss - BBC News

May 30, 2017

Obesity, already a global epidemic, is on the rise. Over one third of the U.S. population is currently afflicted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the monetary costs alone are approaching $150 billion dollars annually. Causes of the epidemic include changing diets and greater sedentism, though environmental factors may also contribute.

A new study compares the two most common surgical therapies for obesity, known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). The results demonstrate that RYGBthe more aggressive of the two surgeries produces profound changes in the composition of microbial communities in the gut, with the resulting gut flora distinct from both obese and normal weigh patients. The results are likely due to the dramatic reorganization of the gut caused by RYGB surgery, which increases microbial diversity. The new research paves the way for new diagnostics and therapies for obesity. Microbial diversity in the human gut: The four images indicate the degree of microbial diversity in the gut in normal patients as well as in obese patients before and after undergoing two types of weight-loss surgery. The normal human gut has a high degree of microbial diversity, considered important for the maintenance of health. Obese patients have lost much of this diversity and while laparascopic band surgery effectively leads to weight loss, the low microbial diversity condition remains. By contrast, gastric bypass surgery results in the restoration of microbial diversity in the gut, though the composition of microbes is distinct from both normal weight and obese patients. Graphic by Jason Drees for the Biodesign Institute Download Full Image

The gamut of adverse health effects associated with obesity is broad, including such devastating illnesses as type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke and certain forms of cancer. Patients often suffer loss of mobility, social isolation and inability to work. Currently bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, in terms of significant and sustained weight loss.

In the new study, appearing in the current issue of the Nature Publishing Group journal International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), Zehra Esra Ilhan, Rosa Krajmalnik Brown and their colleagues at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State Univesity, along with researchers from Mayo Clinic, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, explore microbial communities in the human gut following RYBG and LAGB surgeries.

The results confirmed theirearlier researchwith a smaller sample size, showing that in the case of the more aggressive and irreversible RYGB surgery, microbial communities underwent a profound and permanent shift following weight loss. The resulting post-surgical composition of gut microbes observed for RYGB patients was distinct from both normal weight and obese patients, and displayed the high microbial diversity associated with a healthy gut.

The current study also applied the technique of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to examine the metabolome a composite of the metabolites produced by the various microbes in the gut, again noting significant alterations as a result of the RYGB procedure. In the case of the alternate treatment, LAGB, changes in the gut microbiota were mild and accompanying weight loss was less pronounced.

This is one of the first studies to show that anatomically different surgeries with different success rates have different microbiome and microbiome-related outcomes, noted Ilhan, lead author of the new paper. Further, the results indicate that correction of obesity tends to improve related metabolic conditions, including diabetes and high cholesterol.

One of the key findings of the paper confirms what we had already observed inearlier research. RYGP gastric bypass had a huge effect on the microbial community structure, Krajmalnik-Brown said. This fact may have profound implications for both the understanding and management of obesity.

The millions of bacterial microbes in the human gut perform a vast range of critical functions in the body and have even been implicated in mood and behavior. Among their critical responsibilities are the micro-management of nutrients in the food we digest, hence their central place in the regulation of body weight.

A tell-tale indicator of pathology in obese patients has been found in the gut, where a markedly lower diversity of microbial communities is observed. As Krajmalnik-Brown explains, diversity of gut microbes is essential to good health. Diversity is good because of what we call functional redundancy, she said. If you have 10 workers that can do the same job, when one of them gets sick, the job still gets done.

Low microbial diversity in the gut, by contrast, is associated not only with obesity but a range of ailments including inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and autism. (Earlier research by Krajmalnik-Brown and her colleagues demonstrated diminished diversity in thegut microbiome of autistic childrenand in a more recent study, improvement in the symptoms of autism was demonstrated followingtransplantation of beneficial microbes.)

Competition in diverse microbial networks in the gut helps provide a system of checks and balances. Should diversity fall, a delicate democracy can be shattered and tyranny may prevail, as populations of microbes like Salmonella or Clostridium difficile usually subsisting at low levels in the gut expand and take over.

The study sought to explore long term changes in the gut in patients who had undergone either of the two surgeries at least 9 months prior, comparing them with normal weight and pre-bariatric obese patients. While the reasons for the sharp disparity of results between RYGB and gastric banding are not entirely clear, the results indicate that simply reducing the size of the stomach through gastric banding is not sufficient to induce the large changes in microbial communities observed for the RYGB group.

One hypothesis the authors put forward is that RYGB alters the physiology of the gut to such a degree that microbes formerly unable to survive conditions in the obese gut are able to flourish in their surgically-modified surroundings.

One of the things we observe from the literature is that the oral microbiome community composition is very similar to the colon microbiome composition after bariatric surgery, Ilhan said. Youre giving new microbes a chance to make it. Most of the species are acid sensitive, which supports the idea that changes in stomach pH levels may permit these microbes to survive and make it to the colon.

According to John DiBaise, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale and co-author of the new study, These new data on microbial community structure and function significantly expand our knowledge on how the microbiome is associated with weight loss following bariatric surgery.

While it seems clear that RYGB surgery produced permanent changes in bacterial communities in the gut, the resulting microbial community may also act to help maintain weight loss over the long term. Experiments have shown that transplantation of beneficial microbes from mice that have undergone RYGB surgery into obese mice induces dramatic weight loss. While these results have yet to be replicated in humans, the findings open the door to the eventual use of healthy microbial communities to treat obesity.

Although the RYGB surgery has been quite successful for many patients suffering from morbid obesity, it is a serious, invasive procedure that is not without risks. Further, some patients are not successful and regain the weight they have lost post-surgery, perhaps because they lack the favorable microbes necessary for permanent weight loss.

As Ilhan said, a probiotic that would replace surgery would be great. Another positive outcome would be if we can find a microbial biomarker that will identify the best candidates for surgery and sustained weight loss.

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Study shows dramatic shift in gut microbes, their metabolites after weight loss surgery - Arizona State University

Prevention.com

I Went On A Weight Loss Cruise, And Here's What Happened Prevention.com Many people think cruises are synonymous with weight gain, thanks to all the lounging around and endless buffets. But I actually love cruises and have found that they're fairly compatible with my healthy lifestyle: It's less than a five-minute walk ...

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I Went On A Weight Loss Cruise, And Here's What Happened - Prevention.com

Most people hit a breaking point before making a major lifestyle change. For Jacqueline Adan, it was getting stuck in a turnstile at Disneyland because of her size. At the time, the 30-year-old teacher weighed 510 pounds and couldn't understand how she'd let things go so far. But now, nearly five years later, she has done a complete 180.

Today, Jacqueline has lost over 300 pounds and couldn't be more proud of her progress. But even though her success is inspirational, she wants her followers to know that it doesn't make their individual journeys any less special.

"My journey has been far from easy," Jacqueline wrote alongside a picture of herself showing off her excess skin. "My journey since day 1 has been so much more than losing weight. It was and still is such a physical and mental battle." (Related: This Badass Bodybuilder Proudly Showed Off Her Excess Skin On Stage After Losing 135 Pounds)

"No one knows what it's like to be extremely overweight or to lose an extreme amount of weight or what it is like to carry around all of that excess skin, except the people going through it," she says. "And even then, it's different for everyone!"

After her empowering reminder, Jacqueline speaks to her followers directlyasking them not to compare their personal journey to those of other people. "No matter what you feel, never let others try to make it sound like you are unworthy to feel the way you feel, " she says. "Just because someone may have it worse does not mean your struggles are invalid." Preach.

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This Woman Explains How Each Person's Weight-Loss Journey Is Unique - Shape Magazine

"Obesity is one of the most serious health issues facing our nation," said James O. Hill, PhD, co-author and co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry, Professor of Pediatrics & Medicine and Director of the Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Colorado and Retrofit Scientific Advisory Board Member. "Knowing that self-monitoring increases awareness and contributes to weight loss is important for improving the health of the overall population."

This retrospective study analyzed how self-monitoring contributes to weight loss for participants in Retrofit, a weight-management program. The study evaluated 2,113 participants enrolled in the program from 2011 to 2015. Participants were males and females aged 18 years or older with a starting body mass index of 25 kg/m2. Weight measurements, dietary intake, and physical activity were evaluated to predict weight loss at six months.

The study found that participants in the program lost an average of 5.58 percent of their body weight and reduced their BMI by an average of 1.91 points in 6 months. Weighing in at least three times a week, having a minimum of 60 highly active minutes per week, food logging at least three days per week, and having 64 percent or more weeks with at least five food logs were associated with clinically significant weight loss for both male and female participants.

"This study gives us valuable insights into how to most effectively use self monitoring in weight loss," said Robert Kushner, MD, MS, co-author and Clinical Director of the Northwestern Comprehensive Center on Obesity. "We can use these predictors of success to personalize weight-loss programs and intervene early when individuals do not exhibit these behaviors."

About RetrofitRetrofit transforms lives, workplaces and communities by offering weight-management and disease-prevention solutions that help all populations live a happier, healthier life.

Contact:Nora Dudley Retrofit nora@retrofitme.com Phone: 773-330-5540

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/self-monitoring-key-to-weight-loss-study-finds-300465650.html

SOURCE Retrofit

http://www.retrofitme.com

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Self-Monitoring Key to Weight Loss, Study Finds - PR Newswire (press release)

The first time I heard the term carb cycling, I thought it involved indulging in a few maple bar doughnuts and then hopping on my bike for a little road trip. Granted, this was years before the internet was our go to for everything, and I had to wait for the latest muscle mag to hit the newsstands or thumb through one of my college textbooks to get the scoop.

But, what I learned from those early years of reading countless articles and cross-referencing my nutrition text books, is that carb cycling makes sense. When our body becomes accustomed to a set nutrition planespecially while dietingweight loss tends to slow down, or stop altogether and adjustments need to be made in order to get things moving again (sometimes easier said than done). So, what exactly are these adjustments, and how do you make it happen?

What is Carb Cycling?

The theory behind carb cycling is actually quite simple. Instead of eating the same amount of macros (macronutrients) every day, you cycle your carbs, fat, and protein so you have low and high carb days. Physiologically, carb cycling has numerous benefits across the spectrum of needsfrom performance to weight loss.

Chris Powell, Host and Transformation Specialist from ABCs Extreme Weight Loss and Co-Creator of The Transform App, says high carb days boost metabolic rate and load glycogen stores, while low carb days increase insulin sensitivity of the cells and put the body in a prime catabolic state for fat loss. Powell describes carb cycling as a patterned way of alternating between a high carb/low fat diet (to optimize metabolism and muscle development) and a low carb/higher fat diet (to maximize fat loss).

A Week at a Glance

The beauty of carb cycling is that it can be tailored to your goalshigher carbohydrate for more sports performance goals, or lower carbohydrates for fat loss goals, says Powell. While the exact amount of carbohydrates you eat during your low and high days depends on your weight, muscle mass, goals and activity levels, the formula Powell has found that works best for him is:

Monday: High Carb Tuesday: High Carb Wednesday: Low Carb Thursday: High Carb Friday: High Carb Saturday: Low Carb Sunday: Reset Day (select one to three larger reward meals this day)

And since theres no one size fits all program for weight loss and athletic performance, Chris and his wife Heidi, have developed an app called Transform, that offers multiple transformations from weight loss to mens and womens physique and body sculpting, to hardcore cross training.

Carb Cycling and Exercise

Ask any fitness enthusiast or athlete about their thoughts on nutrition and exercise and youre likely to get a similar answer: Adequate food (with the proper macros) makes a significant difference in performance and your physique. Powell says to maximize the results of carb cycling, its recommended that you do the heavier loaded workouts (weight training) on higher carb days, and lower intensity (cardio) on the low carb days.

If your goal is sports performance and/or to stay lean, Powell says to cycle the carbs around the training days and off days. We call if the Fit Cycle and it usually equates to only two low carb days per week, he says. He suggests high carb days for the four or five heavy training days, and low carb days on the one to two days of active rest or aerobic activity to help maximize fat loss and remain lean.

Yes, Ive Tried It

My first experience with carb cycling was about 20 years ago (at the age of 22), when my goal was to decrease body fat while minimizing muscle loss. So, after digging into the science behind this fat loss phenomenon, I decided to give it a try and see if the impressive claims would hold up over time. After a 12-week cycle, similar to the one Powell outlined, my body fat was significantly lower (down about 5%) and I was able to increase my strengthwhile still enjoying all of my favorite foods.

Fast forward 13 years, and once again, I found myself using a carb cycling program. This time, my goal was to lower my cholesterol and lose the weight I had gained over the course of two pregnancies. In a little under one year (rememberpermanent weight loss takes time), I was down over 75 pounds and managed to move my cholesterol into the acceptable range. The best part? Its been six years, and Ive been able to keep the weight off and increase muscle mass by exercising daily and incorporating carb cycling into my overall nutrition program.

Photo: M Dreibelbis, CC-BY

Sara Lindbergis a freelance writer specializing in health, fitness and wellness.

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Bodies in Balance: Could Carb Cycling Be Your Fitness and Weight-Loss Solution? - Paste Magazine

Women's Health

Do You Really Need To Exercise To Lose Weight? Women's Health It can be seriously frustrating to hit the gym over and over again, only to see zero weight-loss results. Heaps of research hint that eating habits are the most critical factor in losing weight (and keeping it off), but a new study from Saint Louis ...

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Do You Really Need To Exercise To Lose Weight? - Women's Health

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Experts have worried about recommending weight loss to older, obese people because it speeds up bone and muscle loss, increasing the danger of falls and broken bones. Losing weight plus aerobic activity and strength training improved their health more than dieting plus either type of exercise alone.

The results suggest a combination of exercises is the safest approach, and may have big implications for helping people continue to live independently as they age. Medicare, the U.S. health insurance program for people 65 and older, now covers behavioral therapy for weight loss and some plans offer gym memberships.

It is the worst of both worlds, being fat and frail, said Dr. Dennis T. Villareal of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who led the study under a grant from the National Institute on Aging.

More than a third of Americans ages 65 and older are obese. Obesity can make the elderly vulnerable to medical problems, but losing weight can worsen frailty by hastening muscle and bone loss.

The study, published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 141 older obese people who were randomly assigned to a diet-and-exercise program. They scored in the frail range on a standard test used with seniors.

Gym members use a treadmill to warm up for a morning exercise class in Addison, Texas, in 2013. A new study suggests that heavy seniors who want to lose pounds safely shouldnt skip the weight machines or the treadmill. (Paul Sancya/Associated Press)

One group did aerobics such as treadmill walking. Another did strength training with weight machines. A third group did aerobics and strength training. All exercised three times a week.

A control group didnt diet or exercise and only attended monthly nutrition classes.

After six months, all the groups except the do-nothing group had lost weight, about 19 pounds on average.

The combination and aerobics-only groups built their ability to use oxygen most efficiently, which can increase endurance. The combination and strength-only groups preserved the most lean mass and bone.

The health differences showed up in follow-up testing where participants did a series of nine tasks including picking up a penny, standing up from a chair and climbing stairs.

Most improved was the combination group with a 21 percent average increase in scores compared to 14 percent improvement in the aerobics-only and strength-only groups.

Its never too late to change lifelong unhealthy habits, Villareal said.

Minor injuries such as knee pain and shoulder pain among the exercisers were not enough to outweigh the benefits, he said.

The study excluded people with severe heart disease and other serious health problems, so the results apply only to people well enough to start an exercise program.

You get more bang for your buck with doing both types of training, especially when it comes to improving frailty scores, said Dr. Lawrence Appel of Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the study.

Follow AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson on Twitter: @CarlaKJohnson

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Lean and mean seniors - Albuquerque Journal

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Swimming is one of the most fun activities during the summer. Pediatricians, as part of their anticipatory guidance, will discuss with parents several pieces of advice regarding swimming. We advise on safety precautions, having secure fences around swimming pools, swimming lessons, the need to always watch kids closely in and around the water, and never have a false sense of security, particularly for the younger children (even if they know how to swim).

One important element that we often add to this guidance is how swimmers, both adults and children, must keep the swimming pool water clean. This is critical to protect your childs health and the health of all those who share the swimming pool with your kids.

Last week, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) put out a news release stating that the number of diarrheal cases connected to swimming pools is on the rise. The most common bug that causes these diarrheal illnesses after swimming in a pool is a parasite called Crypto (Cryptosporidium). I hate to use the word dirty pool, as Crypto is not easily killed by chlorine. The pool water can be clear and treated appropriately, but the water can be contaminated with the parasite. Crypto can lasts up to 10 days in pool water or playground water (like water parks).

Children that are affected by crypto will develop diarrhea, stomach pain, stomach cramps and at times vomiting, fevers and weight loss. Some people can have crypto and have no symptoms. But people with low immunity can get very sick. Kids can get dehydrated. So it is critical to keep up with fluids. Crypto can affect people of any age, from very young babies to older individuals. Although Crypto diarrhea is the focus of this column, there are other recreational water illnesses that are prevalent in the summer. These might include infections of the eyes, ears and skin. Other bugs can also be acquired in the water, including Escherichia Coli (E.Coli 0157:H7) and another parasite called Giardia.

There are several ways to keep children safe from getting sick with Crypto diarrhea. Kids who are sick with diarrhea of any kind should not be brought to the pool to swim. These children should only swim two weeks after the diarrheal illness has stopped entirely. Adults and children should shower or rinse profusely right before getting into the swimming pool. Diapers should be changed in the diaper-change area. Diapers should be checked regularly while kids are swimming in the pool. Kids should be taken out of the pool often for bathroom breaks. Remind every child that they should not swallow the swimming pool water.

As I highlight the news release from the CDC, I would like to remind our readers that the majority of our swimming pools and public swimming pools are well maintained and they are safe. The cases of Crypto are still few. The concern is that the number of Crypto outbreaks has doubled from 16 in 2014 to 32 in 2016. So public health officials are worried that the number of cases will continue to increase if we do not take the proper precautions.

There is nothing like summer fun. As our kids start swimming for the summer vacation, one must remember that the water overall is clean, but chlorine does not kill everything and the pool water is not germ-free. The CDC, in putting out a press release, does not discourage swimming. It wants our families to practice healthy swimming.

For more information regarding healthy swimming, please check out this website on your mobile phone, tablet or computer: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/.

Vernat Exil is a pediatric cardiologist at UNM. Please send your questions to him at vexil@salud.unm.edu.

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How to swim safely this summer - Albuquerque Journal