Obese people who go under the knife continue to be seen as lazy and lacking in willpower even after they lose weight, a new study suggests.

Overweight people who drop the kilos using exercise and diet are seen far more favourably.

In a study by the University of NSW (UNSW) School of Psychology, 73 students were shown photographs of an obese woman called "Susan" who had a body-mass index (BMI) of almost 40 - well above the healthy range of 20 to 25.

The students were given her basic biographical information and then asked to rate her personality and behavioural traits.

They were then shown a more recent photograph of a slimmer Susan, with a BMI of just 22.

Some were told Susan had used either surgery or diet and exercise, while others were given no explanation on how she shed the excess weight.

The study's architect, PHD student Jasmine Fardouly, said although the thinner Susan was generally perceived more favourably, those students who were told her new figure was due to surgery judged her more harshly.

"People tend to see an obese person who sheds a lot of weight as someone who eats more healthily, exercises more and is more competent and less sloppy," she said in a statement.

"But that may be because people assume the weight loss was a result of better diet and more exercise."

Ms Fardouly said people had a very different opinion when they were told Susan had opted to go down the surgical road.

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Weight loss surgery carries stigma

WASHINGTON - Weight loss supplements are not really effective in helping you shed weight and may have unpleasant or serious side-effects.

Melinda Manore, from Oregon State University, reviewing evidence surrounding hundreds of weight loss supplements, concluded that no single product results in significant weight loss and many have side-effects.

What people want is to lose weight and maintain or increase lean tissue mass, Manore said. There is no evidence that any one supplement does this. And some have side effects ranging from the unpleasant, such as bloating and gas, to very serious issues such as strokes and heart problems.

A few products, including green tea, fibre and low-fat dairy supplements, can have a modest weight loss benefit of three to four pounds, but it is important to know that most of these supplements were tested as part of a reduced calorie diet, the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism reports.

For most people, unless you alter your diet and get daily exercise, no supplement is going to have a big impact, said Manore, according to an Oregon statement.

Manore looked at supplements that fell into four categories: products such as chitosan that block absorption of fat or carbohydrates, stimulants such as caffeine or ephedra that increase metabolism, products such as conjugated linoleic acid that claim to change the body composition by decreasing fat, and appetite suppressants such as soluble fibres.

She found that many products had no randomized clinical trials examining their effectiveness, and most of the research studies did not include exercise. Most of the products showed less than a two-pound weight loss benefit compared to the placebo groups.

I dont know how you eliminate exercise from the equation. The data is very strong that exercise is crucial to not only losing weight and preserving muscle mass, but keeping the weight off, said Manore, professor of nutrition and exercise sciences at Oregon.

Manore said the key to weight loss is to eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats, reduce calorie intake of high-fat foods, and to keep moving.

Adding fiber, calcium, protein and drinking green tea can help, Manore said. But none of these will have much effect unless you exercise and eat fruits and vegetables, Manroe added.

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Weight loss pills are no good

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --It has been six months since my gastric sleeve surgery. Up to now the weight was flying off and I was having no trouble meeting my 10 pound monthly goal. This wonderful weight loss tapered off after entering my sixth month. It is so frustrating to get so close to my goal weight and then BAM! it stops. Of course, this is different for each individual. Every person who pursues weight loss surgery in Los Angeles will respond differently. With gastric bypass surgery, the average weight loss is 60-77% Excess Body Weight Loss (EBWL) in the first two years. That means that if a person is carrying 100 extra pounds, they will lose 60-77 in about 2 years. The result with sleeve surgery is 60-65%.

I spoke to my physician, Dr. Michael Feiz, about the decrease in my monthly weight loss. Dr. Feiz is an expert on several types of bariatric surgery, including the increasingly popular Lap Band in Los Angeles, and has done a wonderful job tracking my progress. He said this was a normal reaction that my body has now lost more than 60% of my excess body weight, and that my weight loss will now decrease to 2 to 5 pounds per month.

The dietitian on staff at Dr. Feiz & Associates has helped me come up with new meal plans to achieve my monthly goals. Morning meals now consist of complete protein, such as protein shakes or an egg white omelet. Lunch consists of 2 oz. of protein with fruit, such as half an apple or pear. Mid-afternoon snacks include a small piece of cheese or a protein shake. Dinner consists of a 2 oz. of protein and 3-4 oz. of vegetables. I don't drink with meals; this fills the stomach with empty calorie. Drinking 60 to 70 oz. of water a day is a must. After each meal, I drink 6 to 8 oz. of zero calorie flavored water or a diet Snapple. Every hour, I drink until I have satisfied my total intake of fluids.

Staying on track is not an easy feat. I have sometimes slipped into old habits like snacking on empty carbs or not drinking enough fluids. It can be a complete disaster when you start giving up. Stick to your doctor's advice and your chances of success are astronomically better. If you are serious about losing the weight, and are willing to dedicate yourself to what needs to be done, you will achieve your ultimate goals. Remember, you are in control of you, and it's up to and only you to make this happen.

To learn more about Dr. Feiz & Associates, and about procedures like the Lap Band in Beverly Hills, please visit online at http://www.drfeiz.com.

PR submitted by http://www.Cyberset.com

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Weight Loss Surgery Patient Shares Her Post-Operative Experiences

Under FDA pressure, homeopathic hCG drops are now giving way to the emergence of hormone-free hCG drops for weight loss. But while homeopathic hCG has demonstrated its effectiveness, Weight Loss Guide explains why consumers should wait to try the latest hormone-free hCG alternatives.

(PRWEB) March 08, 2012

Weight Loss Guide explains that while homeopathic hCG drops have been proven successful for weight loss, the present FDA attack is currently prompting many companies to switch over to hormone-free versions. These hormone-free hCG alternatives are typically formulated without hCG or homeopathic hCG using amino acids and other ingredients, but claim to offer the same 1-2 pounds of weight loss per day that homeopathic hCG drops and hCG injections offer.

Manufacturers claim that the hormone-free hCG liquid elicits the same reaction in the body as the hCG itself. This means that when combined with Dr. Simeons' very-low calorie hCG diet, the body will be triggered to rapidly release stored body fat. But while these products will likely take the place of homeopathic hCG in the future, there is no evidence as of late to substantiate these claims.

Weight Loss Guide recommends that consumers wait until substantial proof is released displaying that hormone-free hCG drops are as effective as homeopathic hCG products. Until then, Weight Loss Guide suggests that users consider trying homeopathic hCG drops while they are still available on the market.

To learn more about hCG, to view Weight Loss Guides top picks, or to read through their vast catalogue of weight loss articles, please visit WeightLossGuide.com.

Editor's Notes: Weight Loss Guide rates and ranks diet pills and weight loss products to determine the top choices in a variety of categories. Weight Loss Guide was launched in 1998 and has since become an online weight loss and wellness authority.

# # #

Emma Classen Weight Loss Guide 1-800-365-1129 Email Information

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Hormone-Free hCG Drops are Quickly Replacing Homeopathic Counterparts

Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured on the site!

Name: Kim Konkel Age: 31 Height: 5'7" Before Weight: 236 pounds

How I Gained It: I have always been big. I just read an article that said if you are over 8 pounds, 7 ounces at birth you are considered a large baby. Well, I was 8 pounds, 9 ounces, so right off the bat I was bigger than most kids.

While I was growing up I never really exercised. I was diagnosed with severe asthma that made it hard for me to do much of anything for any length of time. I would play outside and ride bikes and go swimming, but that was about it. And that was only during the summer. Since we live in Wisconsin, playing outside in winter is possible, but only when it's not super-cold, and usually that is just to go sledding.

When I got pregnant with my daughter, I developed severe preeclampsia and got up to 263 pounds. My blood pressure skyrocketed and my doctor put me on medication.

Breaking Point: I was sitting at my computer one day in March of 2011, and I read an article written by Dr. Oz. In the article he was talking about how to lose weight and he said cutting out just 100 calories a day could result in dropping 10 pounds in a year. I had been diagnosed with cervical cancer in December 2010, and I figured the healthier my body was the more likely I was to beat the cancer. I was drinking at least six sodas per day, so that really got me thinking. I did the math and realized by stopping drinking soda I could easily cut out over 700 calories a day, just that easily.

How I Lost It: I started drinking sparkling water instead of soda. If it wasn't for that stuff I would have never been able to give it up. It tastes just like soda, but without any calories, sugar or sodium. I keep a huge supply of it on hand at all times! In the first month I dropped over 12 pounds, by just not drinking soda.

Then, I decided to actually try to start eating healthy. This is hard for me, especially at night. I suffer from severe insomnia. I am awake every two hours, like clockwork. Before, I would get bored or a little hungry and eat a whole TV dinner. I have since discovered I am a huge fan of guacamole! Now, at night when I wake up, I have some guacamole and some tortilla chips and that satisfies me for the next four times I wake up, so I don't eat anything else. I eventually thought about trying to lose more weight. My first goal was to get down to 200 pounds. That happened within a few months, so then I decided to get down to 184. That happened shortly thereafter. I just kept adjusting my goal weight as I would reach the next one.

I stepped on the scale today at 138. I am beyond thrilled. To get to this point I have been extremely disciplined about eating. I went from eating any and everything I wanted to knowing how much fat and how many carbs are in basically every piece of food on the face of the earth! I read tons of articles about weight loss and did a lot of research to educate myself so I would know off-hand what I should eat and what I should avoid.

I discovered that salad dressing doesn't have to be creamy to be good. I love fat-free Italian dressing. Put a touch of parmesan on the salad to give it some protein, and it tastes just like a Caesar salad! I found that in order for a person to be successful in losing weight, he or she needs to find foods that are healthy and tasty. You can't follow a diet if you don't like the food, it won't work. You have to figure out what will work for you. For me, it's all about tricking my brain into thinking I am eating unhealthy food, when I am really not. Take green beans: I flavor them with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. That way, I get the taste of butter with less fat.

See original here:
Weight Loss Success: Kim Konkel Stopped Drinking Soda And Lost 98 Pounds

Can you have your cake and lose weight too? ... experts believe you can. Photo: Tom Merton

It's all in our heads. That's the consensus among a growing number of experts about our relationship with food.

Whilst many think junk food is the cause of an unhealthy lifestyle, it is the way people think about food and dieting that makes it so hard for them to manage their weight, says psychologist, Dr Louisa Hoey. Australians looking to successfully lose weight, and keep it off, need to address their way of thinking, and change their relationship with food.

This does not diminish the importance of healthy eating or exercise. But, in an industry that's growing as fast as our waist bands - $790 million dollars in Australia alone, according to IBIS World - there's a missing link.

Experts are increasingly aware that emotional reactivity and thoughts impact our food choices and often override knowledge of what we should be eating. "Many of the people I see are very educated about nutrition," says Dr Hoey. "What they are not realising is the impact of their mind."

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition negative thoughts breed negative outcomes. "As in the case of an individual who overeats thinks, 'I've blown my diet,' and then proceeds to eat even more secondary to feelings of failure and hopelessness."

This idea resonates with Mark*, a member of Overeaters Annonymous, who has struggled with his weight since childhood.

"It's about the food you eat of course, but it's not about the food," he says. "It's about shame, guilt, pain, fear, resentment and jealousy. All of those experiences bring up a 'hunger' and food takes the edge off.

"Being told to eat less, eat better or exercise more is great for [some], but [I've found it] completely useless."

Instead, positive body image and sustainable weight loss starts with addressing negative spirals of thought and becoming aware of your relationship with food, Hoey says. Having a dysfunctional relationship is not uncommon.

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Weight loss: the missing link

Fast fat loss expert has just joined the team at Health hound. The new expert will be writing articles on how to lose weight quickly and easily.

Houston, TX. (PRWEB) March 09, 2012

Patrick Coulter, one of the Directors on the site said that We are very pleased to have finally landed this fast fat loss expert on our team. This guy is an expert in how to lose weigh quickly and easily and he will be sharing his tips on fat loss supplements that work quickly when someone is trying to lose weight and fat loss diet ideas that give people rapid results. This guy is an expert at getting results for people quickly and easily when it comes to losing weight and he will be providing tips and tricks to achieve weight loss that we think our readers will have never seen before. We are looking forward to seeing his first few posts on the site and we are looking forward to seeing how our readers get on once they have finished putting his advice to good use.

There are always people on the health hound site who post questions about fast fat loss techniques and many of these people have been leaving comments about the appointment of this new expert. By and large the comments have been very positive about this appointment with many people saying that they are looking forward to seeing what the new expert comes up with and other people saying that they are going to following his posts and videos on Fat loss supplements very closely.

In addition to making this new appointment the team on the site have also come up with another free report on the site this week which covers different techniques for losing weight quickly and easily.

The report can be downloaded right now at http://www.healthhound.org/3215/fast-fat-loss/.

Jose C. Boyd healthhound.org 978-874-6879 Email Information

Link:
Fast Fat Loss Expert Is Now Working For Health hound Ltd.