RICHMOND When he was 17, Staff Sgt. Roger Jackson struggled with his weight a hefty 250 pounds on a 5-foot-7-inch frame.

Over the years, I had been made fun of, bullied, talked about, put down, denied certain extracurricular activities, criticized, etcetera because of my size, Jackson recalled.

Eventually growing tired of his low self-esteem and lack of confidence, he decided to try out for the high school basketball team. As a bigger guy, he was understandably nervous but committed himself to the training and even started running alongside the cross-country team. He quickly developed a love for running, and his speed and endurance improved as a result of this new focus on fitness and healthier eating.

Today, the Army Sustainer assigned to the Virginia National Guards 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, weighs in at 170 pounds and stands 5-foot-8-inches tall. Just recently, he posted a personal best mile run time of 5:13. The staff sergeant is happy to share his story as a way to hopefully influence others to take ownership of their mental and physical health and professional wellbeing.

I was a student at Christopher Newport University, paying my way through college when my recruiter informed me of the benefits and opportunities in the military, he said. I went back and forth with myself about the idea before finally deciding, why not?

At age 20, Jackson enlisted as an 88M Motor Transport Operator and used tuition assistance benefits to pay for his undergraduate degree. Over the next few years, he quickly progressed through the ranks to become a noncommissioned officer. His next goal is to attend the Army Master Fitness Trainer Course so he can learn the skills needed to help others achieve success in their fitness endeavors as well.

I believe my main purpose in life is to help others in whatever capacity, Jackson said. At this point, I want to help my teammates realize their potential; that they can do anything they want to. However, they must make that decision for themselves.

Jacksons fitness routine these days includes regular cardio and strength training and hes learned a lot about how to properly fuel and feed his body to accommodate and support his activity level.

While I do continue to push myself, my goal is balance, Jackson said. I do my best to achieve balance in the realms of fitness, diet, sleep and mindfulness to keep myself conditioned.

For others working on their own weight-loss journey, Jackson said success comes down to dedication and goal-setting.

To start your journey, make a decision, set the goal and get after it with full force, he encouraged. Even when you reach your goal, do not settle there. Keep striving forward to maintain and continue being the best version of yourself.

Listening to supportive voices also is an important part of the journey, according to the staff sergeant, along with accepting support from friends and family.

Theyre the ones in your corner who want to see you succeed and grow, he said. Dont pay attention to the ones who say you cant do it. If its something you want, do it and prove that you were right.

(Editors note: Those wanting to follow SSG Jacksons example but uncertain of where to start should consider contacting the Fort Lee Army Wellness Center. It offers health assessment reviews, body composition testing, nutrition planning, help with exercise routines and more. For more information or to make an appointment, call 804-734-9384.)

See more here:
Sustainer reflects on weight loss journey; offers words of encouragement to others - Public Affairs Office of Headquarters, US Army Combined Arms...

It is important to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, but it is equally important to stick to a routine. Fixing your time for workout and punctually sticking to it can actually help you lose more weight. A study published in the journal Obesity, stated that consistency of sticking to a set time while exercising can help a person lose weight more easily. The findings of the study also suggested that sticking to the same time lead to higher physical activity levels. This is regardless of whether a person exercised at the same time in the morning, afternoon or evening. In the study, researchers took a total of 375 healthy adults who were successful in maintaining their weight by engaging in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity. Most of the participants (68 percent) exercised at the same time several days a week, while the rest of the participants exercised at varied times during the week. All the subjects were part of a weight loss registry designed to collect data on the characteristics and behavior patterns of people who successfully lost weight and kept it off. Findings of the study Those who worked out at the same time of the day logged 4.8 workouts per week on average, compared with 4.4 among people who varied their workout times. This meant that those who had a fixed time of working out were able to work out more than those had different times. At least one-half of those exercising at the same time of day got 350 minutes of physical activity a week, compared with 285 minutes being the median amount of exercise for those who varied workout times. This too meant that those who exercised at a fixed time could stretch their workout timings more than those who exercised at different times. It is believed that working out at the same time helps exercise become a habit, which further helps people automatically set aside time for working out.

Link:
Can exercising at the same time everyday help you lose more weight? - Times of India

Lewis Hamilton has revealed he experienced significant weight loss and is still suffering residual lung issues after being hit by the effects of Covid-19.

The world champion, who missed the last race in Sakhir, returned to Abu Dhabi this weekend for Mercedes but admitted to being not 100 per cent after qualifying third.

He said: "I still have some feeling within my lungs. Normally I would drive even if one of my arms were hanging off, that's what we do as racing drivers. Luckily that's not the case.

"I lost a good amount of weight in that week so I'm not 100 per cent the same as the last time I raced, but it's by no means going to get in the way of me going out and giving it my all tomorrow.

"I don't want to go into too much detail, but I said already in Australia how serious the virus is. I can really feel for those who have suffered from it, those who have lost ones from it, and I can understand how because it is a nasty virus.

Hamilton was replaced by Mercedes protg George Russell last weekend, who pushed team-mate Valterri Bottas hard and was in contention to take victory before a late-race slow puncture put an end to his charge.

Team principal Toto Wolff said missing the weekend was hard for Hamilton the champion was eager to return for the season finale, with his participation only confirmed on Thursday evening.

Having won his record-equalling seventh world title this year, Hamilton is desperate to end the season on a high but he added: "It's overall [lack of] energy. One of the symptoms is that it really drains you.

I've been sleeping as much as I can but recharging is not that easy as it perhaps normally has been in the past. It won't be the easiest of races physically, but I will manage and give it everything I've got.

See more here:
Drained Hamilton reveals to suffering post-Covid lung issues and weight loss - GPfans

Are you someone who just cant kickstart their day without sipping their brewing hot coffee? A daily cup of black coffee not just helps in staying wide awake and active throughout the day but it also has many hidden health benefits attached to its name. It is rich in nutrients and has antioxidants in it. Coffee has powerful chemical compounds that work to prevent diseases. It can prevent the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and more. Also Read - Best Weight Loss Exercise: This Could Be The Easiest And The Most Effective Workout Routine to Lose Those Extra Kilos, Try Now!

But does black coffee help you reduce weight? Yes, it does. Drinking black coffee can fast track your weight loss journey. Coffee helps in boosting metabolism and speeds up the fat-burning process. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that a single cup of black coffee brewed from ground beans has 2 calories. In comparison, a single fluid ounce of rich black espresso has just a single calorie. If the coffee brewed is from decaffeinated beans, the calorie count winds up being all the way down to zero. If you are on a weight loss journey, it is best to not add extra sweeteners and flavours like jaggery, sugar, milk, vanilla, soy, and chocolate syrup as it may yield up to 700 calories per serving. Also Read - Fardeen Khan's Weight Loss Journey: How he Lost 18 Kgs in 6 Months at 46

4 reasons why black coffee will help you lose weight: Also Read - Weight Loss: Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar Break Myths About Rice

1. Chlorogenic Acid: Coffee has an element called chlorogenic acid which helps in speeding up the weight loss process, as per NDTV. It slows down glucose production in the body and has antioxidants.

2. Caffeine: The presence of caffeine in coffee will help you increase metabolic activity and will boost your energy levels which will help you in burning calories. Caffeine will keep a tab on your cholesterol levels.

3. Suppress hunger: Thanks to caffeine, it helps in suppressing hunger and keeps you energetic throughout the day even after your leg day at the gym. Coffee fights on the hunger hormones known as Peptide YY which helps in keeping a check on your hunger pangs, as per Pinkvilla.

4. Decrease water content in the body: Excess water content in the body is also one of the reasons for weight gain. By drinking black coffee, you tend to decrease the extra water content in the body as you urinate more often. Frequent urination helps in shedding extra pounds.

Here is the original post:
Black Coffee For Weight Loss: 4 Reasons to Drink Black Coffee if You Want to Lose Weight - India.com

Action Bronson has undergone a huge body transformation.

The New York rapper who was previously known for his almost 400-pound figure appeared in Men's Health Magazine on Tuesday to reveal how he managed to drop 127 pounds since March.

"This journey started way long ago," the 37-year-old rapper said. "I was born heavy. I was a heavy child. This transformation was long overdue."

Bronson, whose real name is Ariyan Arslani, began sharing videos of himself working out in the gym earlier in the summer. In July, he posted a video of himself working weight with the caption "down 80 pounds from a whopping 363 and still going strong."

A post shared by Action Bronson (@bambambaklava)

He told Men's Health that the decision to change his diet was inspired by his son's birth in 2019.

"You always want to be around for your family," he said. "It wasn't going to happen unless I made that decision myself, and, you know, it takes some soul-searching and some s--- to really bother you. Like something that really gets under your skin to make that change. That happened to me."

Bronson, who released his sixth studio album earlier this year, initially trained as a chef and started his career working in several restaurants across New York. In 2016, he landed his own food show on Vice called "F--- That's Delicious" that ran for four years and saw him traveling the world trying out local cuisines something that he says did not help his nutrition.

"There was a lot of s--- like pre-diabetes, eczema, asthma, all kinds of f---ing dumb stuff that I had given myself," he said. "And forget portion control. If I made something that was a big, round dish, I would eat the big, round dish. I wouldn't just have one piece."

Frazer Harrison/Getty

The rapper now follows a strict diet and workout schedule that starts with a 4 a.m. wake-up. His breakfast is always the same: a protein shake followed by two eggs, three egg whites, one piece of sprouted rye bread, and an avocado. He then hits the gym where he works out with his personal trainer Dave Paladino.

"I've already got my work in while everyone else is snoozing, putting in big gains, big protein," he said.

Their sessions include 45 minutes of boxing and intense routines "like 50-pound medicine-ball throws," Bronson said. "You know, down a 50-yard track throwing it as far as you can all the way down the track and back."

Despite his new strict regime, Bronson said that he is "more interested in food now than ever" because he is now fascinated by the nutritional value of his meals.

He said: "You're playing quarterback with your own body. It's all about decisions."

Read More:

The science behind Adele's 'sirtfood' diet and 24 other bizarre celebrity weight-loss plans

11 'healthy' eating habits celebrities swear by that are actually terrible for you

The 100 coolest people in food and drink

Original post:
Rapper Action Bronson showed off his body transformation after losing 127 pounds since March - Insider - INSIDER

It sounds like a new priority is taking hold.

Is it too early to start talking about resolutions for the new year? In a typical year, we would be all over this conversation. In fact, we would be using those resolutions as excuses for our bad behavior or choices throughout the holidays. There's no such thing as too many calories when your new journey of health starts January 1.

Despite what 2020 has brought us, I believe that we can get excited about the new year and even set some goals for ourselves. If this year has taught us anything, it's that we can face whatever comes our way. And, in all honesty, the new year is going to come regardless if we have resolutions or not. Also in a typical year we would be setting those weight loss resolutions and although taking better care of ourselves is a viable resolution, there appears to be a new resolution in town.

Life skills.

According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Americans want to learn a new life skill in the new year. This could mean just about anything from finances and decision-making, to communication skills and self-awareness. These seem to be right on par with the skills we either realized we didn't possess in 2020 or the ones we have lost practice in.

The survey also found that the most popular life skill people want to master is their own finances. Some of us may have realized just how important having an emergency fund is this year. More than half of respondents said they specifically want to learn how to budget their money better, while 49 percent are looking to pay down their debt.

As for other popular resolutions on the list, Americans are looking to have more life experiences, like spending time with family and traveling, or even both.

View post:
Our Top 2021 Resolution May Not Be Weight Loss, But This Instead - New Country 99.1

While many people under the stress of the pandemic packed on the pounds, there were some people who beared down and did the work to transform their bodies. They left the couch and Netflix, at least for a little while, and focused on making their health a priority. There were celebrities who changed their diets (one went full-on vegan and saw serious weight-loss results), stepped up their level of activity, and received the support of friends and family to be able to shed some pounds. If you need some motivation to take your own fitness journey to the next level in 2021, hit the flip to be inspired by celebrities who started and ended the year looking and feeling their best.

Source: 2020 Soul Train Awards / Getty

The beloved singer said she decided to slim down not only to support her mother during a health crisis by going vegan, but also because she felt it was time for her to lose a few pounds. While there were people who said she lost too much weight, she made it clear that she felt great after shedding 50 pounds.

My goal was to support my mother through her battle with cancer by going vegan with her and, in turn, it helped me as well. And I feel really good, she said. I have a lot of things to work on in my journey and Im not nearly the model for health and fitnessBut Im trying. And Ill continue to do so with my momma! Bless yall. Love yall. Stop talking about people.

Read more:
The Best Celebrity Weight Loss Transformations Of 2020 - MadameNoire

Are you on the lookout for that one perfect exercise which could help lose kilos and burn fat faster? Burpees should definitely be on your to-do list!

Burpees are one of the most effective exercises to tone up and help you lose weight. Fitness experts consider it to be an intensive exercise which turns your body into a fat-burning furnace, which burns a lot of calories in a go. That is primarily because it functions to target all important muscle groups in your body in a single go.

In fact, if your sole goal is to lose weight FAST, there are also some excellent burpee variations which you should definitely be included in your regime.

There are also some good benefits to this too. Practising the basic burpee can be a wonderful thing to do for fitness. But, rather than boring yourself out with the same exercise and impair your regime, you can also try some variations which not only does make for a helpful addition to your regime, but also help you get to your goal faster!

We asked fitness trainer Aditya Kochhar to show us 5 variations of the basic burpees which will help you burn excess fat faster. Watch the video below to learn how to master these five core burpee variations and get the chiselled body you want faster than ever!

Mountain climber burpee variation or climber burpees is a perfect variation to try for those who have mastered the basic burpee. It requires a medium level of fitness and experience. Once you are able to master this move, you will gain benefits for your lower body and ab muscles.

Variation #2 One-handed burpees

The one-arm burpee makes more a difficult variation to try but burns fat exceptionally well. As compared to the traditional burpee, this increases your upper and lower body strength, muscular and cardiovascular endurance.

Variation #3 Sumo squats with burpees

Sumo squats with burpees is an effective way to make the most out of your session. This dynamic exercise can be broken down into parts, which are super beneficial for your hips, hamstrings, abs, glutes and quads. Simply start by squatting down on the floor, hop back to the plank position, before diving into a plie squat and getting up.

Go here to see the original:
Weight loss: 5 burpee variations to lose weight faster - Times of India