Report warns of risks associated with new weight loss pill.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Controlling cravings and suppressing hunger and a prescription weight loss pill claims it can do both, but some health experts are warning the pill could be dangerous.

The weight loss pill is called Contrave and while it is FDA approved, there are some health experts warn it could be dangerous. Walter Smith-Randolph reports.

There are television commercials for the prescription weight loss pill Contrave, which is the combination of two older drugs, the antidepressant Bupropion and the addiction-treatment drug Naltrexone.

The ads say the drug works on the brain to reduce hunger and control cravings.

The FDA approved use for Contrave is for obese people or who are overweight with a body mass index of 27 or higher and who also suffer from serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type II diabetes.

The commercial cites studies in which patients who took Contrave, along with diet and exercise lost approximately two to four times more weight than those who did diet and exercise alone.

However, a Consumer Reports analysis of the three clinical trials used to gain FDA approval of the drug, show the drug works, but the amount of additional weight loss is small and could pose serious health risks.

Ginger Skinner, with Consumer Reports, said, "Contrave can cause anxiety, insomnia and headaches. But also serious health problems, such as liver damage, seizures, increased blood pressure and possible heart risks."

Consumer Reports found that people who took it up to 56 weeks lost only five to nine pounds more, on average, than those who took a placebo.

Consumer Reports advises to speak with your doctor about the risks and different weight loss options and it is best to lose weight the safer, proven way, by eating less and exercising.

A doctor can also advise about intensive behavioral programs that have at least 12 sessions a year and include multiple strategies to help you switch to a healthier diet and increase physical activity.

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Report warns of risks associated with new weight loss pill - WWMT-TV

Its spring (finally!) and a sense of renewal is in the air. The birds are chirping away, the snow is slowly melting and the thought of getting out the spring clothes is rejuvenating. Or is it? This may not be the most exciting time of year, especially if your New Years resolution was weight loss and you havent achieved it. But lets take a step back: its not that you havent achieved your goal, its that diets are designed to fail.

Heres how the typical diet pattern goes. You start a diet. The first couple of days or weeks are exciting. You feel completely in control and the structured plan makes you feel energetic. The diet high begins. You are hopeful that this diet will be the last time youll have to lose weight. But then, somewhere along the way, the rigid plan makes you feel deprived. Or maybe you just cant follow the plan after a bout of illness or an exercise injury. The downward spiral begins.

Weeks later, you start every morning with the resolution to get back on track. Anxiety and disbelief are building. You may be thinking, Why is it so hard? If only I just had the willpower to stick to the plan. And with these overwhelming thoughts bringing you down, your self-confidence erodes and self-efficacy to lose weight plummets. Your resolve to lose weight has been sabotaged by diet mentality.

So what is diet mentality?

Labeling specific nutrients or foods as good or bad (example: carbs are bad, protein is good).

Exercising only to burn calories or lose weight when there are so many other important reasons to exercise.

Not eating cake at a birthday party because it isnt healthy or will make you fat.

Trying to exert your willpower by ignoring physical hunger and not eating because you want to lose weight.

Refusing to buy well-fitting clothing until you reach a certain size thinking this will motivate you to lose weight even though its making you feel uncomfortable, depressed and self-loathing.

Determining self-worth by the number on the scale or the clothing size you wear. If youve lost weight, you seem extra happy that day; if youve gained, its the worse day ever.

With these examples, your actions are like a light switch you are either on (and making progress) or you are off (and failing). But heres the thing: weight loss is not an all-or-nothing experience. Its complicated and requires many changes. So its unrealistic to think that making one change will make you lose weight and one slip or setback will make you gain weight. What makes someone successful with weight loss is learning to love themselves and their body before its perfect and to reject the diet mentality.

How can you stop the diet mentality?

1. Stop dieting. Dieting has been correlated with a higher BMI (body mass index) and higher body weight.

2. Learn to fuel your body properly. Start by practicing intuitive eating which is focusing on structure, balance, hydration, daily movement and hunger-based eating.

3. Respect yourself. Buy well-fitting clothing and take care of yourself.

4. Seek the help of a registered dietitian. Intuitive eating focuses on a more balanced thought process and lifelong changes.

With that said, its not easy and you will need support to help you make these lifelong changes. The dietitians at Gundersen Health System can help you make the transition to honoring your body with healthy eating in a non-threatening, natural way.

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, cooked according to instructions on package

2 cups of edamame, shelled (fresh or frozen and thawed)

Drain the cooked pasta and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the pesto, fresh spinach (some will wilt from the heat of the cook pastathats ok), edamame, lemon juice and almonds. Give it a good toss and enjoy!

*Test recipe used Classico pesto

Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories, 26 g fat, 25 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 490 mg sodium

CHOCOLATE BLACK BEAN PROTEIN MUFFINS

1 cups (15 oz. can) black beans, drained and rinsed well

4 Tbsp. Dutch or regular unsweetened cocoa powder

cup unflavored protein powder*

3 Tbsp. coconut or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Optional: cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients except chips in a high-quality food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased muffin tin. Bake for about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Store in an airtight container.

*Test recipe used Bobs Red Mill primer whey protein powder

Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories, 6 g fat, 6 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 200 mg sodium

Rebecca Cripe is a Gundersen Health System registered dietitian.

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Stop the diet mentality and succeed with weight loss for good! - La Crosse Tribune

Trending News: How Your Relationship Might Be Hindering Your Weight Loss Efforts Long Story Short

Ever wonder how your efforts even your very presence either help or hinder your partners efforts to lose weight? Theres now some science for that.

What do you do when your partner says they want to lose weight? How do you help? Its not easy. What to one couple might seem like healthy, reinforcing behaviors will to another feel like restrictive rules against which to rebel.

Thankfully, a researcher from the University of Texas felt your pain and decided to attack the issue with some science. The result is Exploring the role of the romantic relationship context in weight loss a paper published in late February in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

To better understand the role of romantic partners in weight loss, UTs Ren M. Dailey surveyed 44 individuals from a Southwestern city in the U.S. who were actively trying to lose weight, asking about the roles of their partner in their weight loss.

In an interview with Psypost, Dailey pointed out that the predominant theories on how family members and partners support weight management has viewed them as objective individuals who impart ideal support. Yet, we know from experience that partners might not be able to provide quality support [and can] even undermine weight loss efforts, Dailey said in the interview. Basically, were tangled in a mess of emotions with our partners.

Dailey wanted to delve into cohabiting, romantic relationships in more detail to understand how they might facilitate or hinder ones weight loss. She says there were three central discoveries.

First, the vast majority of participants were after a team effort in losing weight. That is, they were looking for logistical help around the household making meals, looking after kids so they could better focus on their exercise.

Second, the interdependence of romantic relationships often raised obstacles to weight loss, such as opposing perspectives and partners negative self-reflections, or even just a conflict between physical and romantic needs (Why are you exercising when we should be making out?).

Finally, individuals might make it difficult for partners to provide support through mixed messages about what they require or inconsistent reactions to the provided support. The example Dailey gives: Some individuals reacted positively to the partners suggestion to go for a walk one day but then had a negative reaction the next day.

The one major caveat in the study as far as Dailey is concerned is that the 44-person sample size isnt big enough, but she says this is just an early step in exploring the relational dynamics that need to be assessed in future research.

The whole interview is worth a read. Check it out here.

Couldnt this be solved like so many other things in a relationship: with some honest communication and planning well ahead of time?

Studies show that after jointly participating in an exciting physical challenge or activity, couples report feeling more satisfied with their relationships.

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Relationships Can Affect Weight Loss, Study Finds - AskMen

Scientists have determined that stimulation of the human brain through noninvasive electromagnetic technique helps obese individuals lose weight. This form of stimulation alters the composition of the intestinal bacteria in obese patients. Some refer to this bacteria as gut microbiota. The research team used a technique known as deep transcranial magnetic stimulation to obtain the results. The study was financed by the Italian Ministry of Health. The findings were presented in Orlando, Florida at the Endocrine Society's 99th annual get-together, known as ENDO 2017.

The Fight Against Obesity

Scientists, doctors, and patients are clamoring for new therapies that treat obesity in a safe and effective manner. Though plenty of therapeutic and preventive interventions exist, none have successfully stopped obesity from becoming increasingly common. It is believed that one of the primary causes of obesity is impaired composition of gut microbiota. There is an imbalance of the mixture of harmful and helpful microorganisms that are present in the digestive track. It is known that impaired gut microbiota affects the brain's signals for hunger as well as satiety. Study Details

This study adds to previous findings that dTMS decreases food cravings and induces weight loss in obese patients. Deep brain stimulation requires the implantation or operation of electrodes. The same is not true of dTMS. Rather, an electromagnetic coil is used along the scalp to transmit magnetic pulses that stimulate the depths of the brain. This form of treatment is approved in the United States to treat debilitating depression. It is currently being studied in other countries to determine if it can treat neuropsychiatric disorders including addiction.

The research team analyzed whether dTMS could boost gut microbiota composition in obese patients. The researchers were also intent on pinpointing the underlying mechanisms that improved gut microbiota composition in such individuals. Three obese men and 11 obese women between the ages of 22 and 65 were recruited for the study. For the purpose of the study, obesity was defined by a body mass index of 30-45 kg/m2.

The study subjects were randomly assigned to two distinct groups for five weeks in which 15 treatment sessions occurred three times per week. Treatments were either dTMS to the prefrontal cortex/insula or a meaningless stimulation used as a control. Study participants provided stool samples before and after treatment for microbiota analysis purposes. The researchers also measured the levels of blood glucose (sugar), pituitary gland hormones, insulin, and neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine. Pituitary hormones are crucial to the study and treatment of obesity as they play an important role in controlling appetite. Research has found that norepinephrine and select neurotransmitters impact microbiota composition. The Findings

Study participants who received dTMS lost over 3 percent of their weight. Furthermore, they lost 4 percent of body fat. These losses greatly exceed the losses of those who received the control stimulation. Fecal analysis showed that study participants treated with dTMS had considerably higher quantities of numerous helpful bacterial species containing anti-inflammatory properties. These bacterial species are commonly found in healthy individuals.

Those in the control group did not have any sort of clinically relevant alterations to their microbiota composition. Alterations in the number of bacterial species correlated to better hormonal and metabolic parameters like insulin, glucose, norepinephrine, and numerous pituitary hormones. The changes are an indication that dTMS provides numerous benefits for weight loss as well as changes to microbiota composition. The research makes it clear that dTMS has an inherently innovative ability to promote anti-obesity effects by way of gut-brain axis alteration.

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Electromagnetic Brain Stimulation for Healthy Gut and Weight Loss - Anti Aging News

When Pernell McPhee was asked at his introductory press conference to describe his style of play, the new Bear paused, then offered, "Violent ... violent" as his self-descriptor.

Because of a couple significant injuries, a knee in 2015 and then a shoulder injury at the end of 2016, things haven't been as violent as perhaps McPhee would've liked.

But after a long recovery battle last year, McPhee did make it back on the field, earning the respect of teammates to the point of being selected as the 2016 winner of the team's Ed Block Courage Award, a prestigious honor given to an NFL player by peers for actions both on and off the field. The Ed Block award is given to a single player from everyNFL team and is named after former Baltimore Colts trainer Ed Block.

Now, 25 pounds lighter, McPhee has another descriptor for what he plans to be.

"Dangerous," he said on Tuesday prior to the team's award ceremony at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines. "It's going to be dangerous. Obviously last year wasn't great and the year before wasn't a great one, so now hopefully by me losing weight, staying focused, we can turn this thing around."

[BEARS TICKETS: Get your seats right here]

McPhee was brought in by general manager Ryan Pace from the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 as the first big defensive piece in a refashioned roster for coach John Fox. It has not worked out as he and the Bears had planned, because of injuries.

The setbacks have been part of McPhee rededicating himself to making a difference with a team that needs one. And he has made that part of his message to teammates.

"Just stay focused and have strong faith, because anytime, any day, it can come to an end," McPhee said. "That's my main focus, just stay hungry at all times."

He is not planning any challenges to Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Seattle Sutton anytime soon, but McPhee used a simple "technique" to get rid of the unwanted weight.

"Don't eat after 7 o'clock at night," he said. "Just pound yourself with water. That's the only way I did it."

And the improvement was immediate and noticeable: "It was really important. Usually when I'd get out of bed, it'd take me about a good second to start walking, but I can get up and run right now. So it's a blessing coming from where I was to now.

"I feel great ... I'm sexier, it's a blessing and I can't wait till the season starts."

As part of our coverage leading up to the2017 NFL Draftwe will provide profiles of more than 100 prospects, including a scouting report and video interviews with each player.

Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss

6'3"| 234 lbs.

2016stats:

65 receptions, 926 yards, 8 touchdowns

Projection:

First-to-second round

Scouting Report:

"Makes up for his lack of size with athletic ability and plus speed for the position. Engram has experience as a safety blanket for Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly and can work all three levels of the field. He will appeal strictly to teams looking for a move tight end who can be deployed as a chess piece in a matchup-based passing attack. Engram's ability to stress defenses could land him on Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) of the draft and a potential starting role early in his career." - Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Video analysisprovided by Rotoworldand NBC Sports NFL Draft expert Josh Norris.

Click here for more NFL Draft Profiles

As part of our coverage leading up to the2017 NFL Draftwe will provide profiles of more than 100 prospects, including a scouting report and video interviews with each player.

Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State

6'1"| 209lbs.

2016stats:

59 receptions, 982 yards, 11 touchdowns

Projection:

Second-to-third round

Scouting Report:

"Though some of his receiving numbers were down in an honorable mention all-conference junior year (59-982), Godwin scored a career-high 11 times. He saved the best performances in his career for bowl games, first as a freshman (7-140, TD vs. Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl), then in 2015 (6-133 vs. Georgia in TaxSlayer.com Bowl) and finally in his last college game (9-187, 2 TDs vs. USC in the Rose Bowl)." - Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Video analysisprovided by Rotoworldand NBC Sports NFL Draft expert Josh Norris.

Click here for more NFL Draft Profiles

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Feeling 'sexier' after weight loss, Pernell McPhee ready for Bears season to arrive - Comcast SportsNet Chicago

Anyone 16 or older is welcome to attend. Pre-registration is not required, but attendees are encouraged to arrive 20 minutes early to sign in. Everyone in attendance will be hypnotized twice during the seminar. Support materials will be available.

According to the Surgeon General Dr. Satcher and the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 400,000 Americans die every year from illnesses directly caused or worsened by being overweight. Approximately 65 percent of all adults are overweight or obese, as are nearly 17 percent of children.

The Washington Post published a report in June 2004 that smoking cuts a person's lifespan by 10 years.

"Aside from being completely safe, hypnosis is the easiest and move effective way to stop smoking and lose weight," Reynolds said. "Hypnosis is a mental process, not a physical process. ... Hypnosis works with your subconscious mind. By doing this, it takes will power out of the equation."

For more information on hypnosis and hypnotherapy, visit HealthAwarenessClinics.org.

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Free hypnosis seminar treats stress, smoking, weight loss - Alexandria Echo Press

Patch.com

New High-Tech Weight Loss Program Comes to Michigan: Clinic Patch.com CLARKSTON, MI An Oakland County medical clinic is the first in Michigan to offer a new weight loss procedure that involves an electronic device attached to the body. It's called AspireAssist, and it allows patients to remove up to 30 percent of the ...

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New High-Tech Weight Loss Program Comes to Michigan: Clinic - Patch.com

Men's Health

Jonah Hill Blames This Diet Problem For His Constant Weight Fluctuations Men's Health The thing is, dropping over 20 pounds and continuously gaining it all back comes with some health risks. Yo-yo dietinglosing weight quickly and then gaining it all backcan damage your cardiovascular system, suggests a study in the International ...

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Jonah Hill Blames This Diet Problem For His Constant Weight Fluctuations - Men's Health

Men's Health

The Brutally Honest Story Of What Happened After This Man's Transformation Men's Health When you lose weight quickly like Fisher did, you actually end up losing muscle and slowing down your metabolism as your body tries to make up for your reduced caloric intake, he says. Your body perceives the weight loss as a threat to your survival, ...

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The Brutally Honest Story Of What Happened After This Man's Transformation - Men's Health

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and her mom June Shannon -- aka Mama June -- first appeared on "Toddlers and Tiaras" and rose to fame in a flash, but now it's Mama June's new figure that's in the spotlight. ABC News Amy Robach sat down with the reality TV star about her new show, her kids and her decision to have gastric sleeve surgery.

"I have a new mom," Alana said. "Well, it's not like a new mom, it's just she has a new body ... It's like they cut off her head and then put it on another body."

WE tv documented Mama June's nearly 300 pound weight loss on their new show "Mama June: From Not to Hot," showing her transformation from a size 24 to a four with the help of gastric sleeve surgery.

Shannon, 37, admitted that before her weight loss she had practically been in hiding.

"I didn't go to the grocery store," she said. "I wasn't able to associate with anybody. I wasn't able to go to her school. I mean, it was -- it was crazy."

Asked when she was last that size, Shannon said she wasn't sure. Then her 11-year-old daughter chimed in, "When she was eight, probably."

Cameras shot even the most intimate moments of June's journey, including doctor consults, which she hopes will show viewers the work it takes to have a permanent solution.

"You don't just go into sleeve surgery and think it is a temporary fix because it is not," she told ABC News. "You have to work almost everyday. I'm not saying I'm the most perfect person because trust me I do eat," she added.

But the diet has nonetheless had to change.

"The food has changed," her daughter said. "Every once in a while she will bring in something unhealthy but mostly the food in our house is healthy," Alana explained.

Shannon had two surgeries just to remove her excess skin. "Nine pounds of skin came off my stomach," she said.

Since undergoing the transformation, Shannon said that people now finally get to see what she always knew she looked like on the inside. "I've never seen myself as a big person even when I was a size 28. I never did," Shannon said. "When this adventure started, I never had a certain goal weight in mind. Never. I never had a goal weight to where I was going to be a certain size at all."

But her number one advocate remains her daughter Alana, who jumped in asserting answers to Robach's questions on her mom's behalf.

"What do you see when you look in the mirror," Robach asked Mama June, to which Alana quickly answered, "She sees the person she has always wanted to be."

The mom and daughter reality TV stars had an abrupt end to their run on "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" after TLC cancelled the show amid reports that Shannon was dating a registered sex offender who had served time for reportedly molesting her oldest daughter Anna. June repeatedly denied that relationship and is surprised that issue is one still being discussed after she thought she closed that chapter of her life.

"It is like beating a dead horse," she said in an attempt to clarify the situation. "It kills me that people still talk about that bull s**t today."

The newly slimmed down matriarch said that relationship with her eldest daughter, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell, still has issues.

June said the "true situation" of their relationship is, "If I'm giving her money, I'm giving her what she wants, she is good. if I'm not, then we can argue."

But Anna told ABC News they in fact have no relationship.

Despite the turbulent relationships with her family, it hasn't stopped Mama June from getting back into the dating pool, but so far without any success.

Alana, on the other hand, has picked up a boyfriend, but even that has it drawbacks she said.

"I texted him this morning and he read it and then he just didn't text me back," the 11-year old said while laughing. "He decided not to text me back."

Mama June piggy-backed off her daughter's dating life and said jokingly, "This is why I don't date."

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Mama June Shannon opens up on her drastic weight loss - ABC News