Earlier this year, the coronavirus outbreak forced gyms and fitness studios to close, which forced us all to get creative with our running and training routines. One popular running add on: a weighted vest.

Its hard to pinpoint exactly where the idea of working out or running with a weighted vest originated. The military and firefighters have long used weight vests in training to mimic the load of equipment they carry during duty. But the trend became more mainstream when CrossFit incorporated weighted vests into certain memorial Workout Of the Days (WODs) to make them more challenging.

But can adding heft actually improve your running performance? We asked running and fitness experts to break down the benefits, risks, and everything in-between.

Wearing a weighted vest while walking or running essentially increases the load on both your muscles and connective tissues. That weight increase brings a challenge and a new stressor on the body, and change only occurs when the body is stressed, says Mat Forzaglia, certified personal trainer and founder of Forzag Fitness in New York City. By adding stress, you can improve your overall fitness.

Sure, you can add stress by doing speed intervals or lifting weights, but the idea is that by increasing weight while walking or running, the athlete is making weighted training as specific to their sport as possible, explains Jason Fitzgerald, USATF certified coach and creator of Strength Running in Denver, CO.

When it comes to boosting endurance and increasing speed, its possible to move the needle when done safely and progressively. Running with a weight vest has the potential to make you faster by reducing your injury risk so you can train long-term, and by increasing your aerobic fitness, explains Fitzgerald.

Even if youre not initially running at the same speed or intensity that you usually can (and you probably wont be able to!), you can still reap the benefits. Weighted walks or low-intensity running are more challenging than the same activity without a vest, so respiration will be higher at lower intensities, and that can help boost endurance while reducing an athletes risk of injury, says Fitzgerald. Plus, added strength gains will help mitigate injury riskand staying healthy is one of the best performance enhancers possible.

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While running with more weight on your body will help you build some muscle, it will be marginal compared to other forms of resistance training. It wont be like if you were to squat or deadlift, says Forzaglia. It can help you learn to endure heavier weight for longer periods of time.

Just like with all other forms of exercise such as walking, running, cycling, and weight lifting, running with a vest is one method that burns calories. But your diet and lifestyle play important factors as long-term weight loss is more complicated than simply: Calories in need to be less than calories out.

Adding weight and stress to your runs will help burn more calories, but how quickly you lose weight will vary depending on your body composition, nutrition, and other factors, says Kenny Santucci, NASM, personal trainer and creator of STRONG New York in New York, NY.

The extremes of exercise will always be more productive, such as high-intensity, long-duration, and very frequent exercise, adds Fitzgerald. Follow these science-backed tips if youre interested in running for weight loss.

If youre going to try it, its important that youre ready and capable to do so in order to prevent injury. One of the most important things to consider when it comes to training is being prepared to train, explains Santucci. If youve never run before, or you dont typically use weights to train, Santucci doesnt recommend running with a weight vest as the joints wont be prepared to handle the load.

Running with extra weight does increase the stress of running, so it can be an injury risk, explains Fitzgerald. Id advise that you begin by hiking [or walking] with a weighted vest, and once that feels good, reserve only very slow running for the vest. In other words, strap on a weight vest for your shorter, easier running days, or try hiking or walking with a vest on cross-training days. You dont want to slot this in on recovery days as the extra load will not allow your body to fully recover.

Fitzgerald also points out that its not smart to wear a weighted vest during any kind of speed workout. The goal is speed, and a vest will slow you down, he says.

Forzaglia suggests using a weight vest during the off-season. Its a tool you can utilize in the strength training block, early in the off-season, he says. Its not something to try as youre leading up to a race.

Training with a weight vest adds a whole new load onto the body. In order to not end up too soreor worse, injuredyou should start light, with a weight possibly even less than you think you can handle so your body can get used to this new load. Err on the conservative side and wear enough weight that you just notice it at first, says Fitzgerald. You can always add more later.

Santucci recommends starting with 10-pounds and then gradually increasing from there. Youll work up to the standard weight vest amount for women, which is 14 pounds, or men, which is 20 pounds, he says. Your goals will determine how much weight you add.

Forzaglia recommends vests that have individual single pound or two-pound weights that you can progressively add in or on to the vest as you get stronger and feel more comfortable with the vest.

CAP Adjustable Weighted Vest, 20 lbs.

Aduro Sport Weighted Vest 4 to 30 lbs.

$120.00

JBM Weighted Vest 12 or 20 lbs.

$40.00

RUNFast RM_40 Pro Weighted Vest 12 to 60 lbs.

This really depends on your goals. In the beginning, all experts agree to start slow as your body gets used to the additional weight. Doing too much too often may end up sidelining you. Once youre comfortable with it, you can work it into your routine.

The frequency with which you wear a weight vest does depend on the race youre training for but in general, a few times per week will work well for most runners, says Fitzgerald.

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Weighted Vest | Running With a Weighted Vest - Runner's World (UK)

When Adele broke a many month Instagram silence in May, followers were amazed by how much weight the singer, 32, had lost. According to reports, she lost almost 40 pounds with the help of a trainer and using a meal plan called the sirtfood diet.

While she hasnt said much publicly about her weight loss, she did make a few jokes and references to it when she hosted Saturday Night Live last weekend. I know I look really, really different since you last saw me, Adele said in her opening monologue. But actually, because of all the COVID restrictions and the travel bans, I had to travel light and only bring half of me and this is the half that I chose.

While we think Adele looks great at every size, her weight loss journey is certainly an intriguing one, so we decided to dig into the sirtfood diet. What is it, exactly, and is it healthy? Heres what you need to know.

The sirtfood diet was launched by two U.K-based nutritionists, Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten, who also wrote a book about it. The idea with the sirtfood diet is that by eating certain foods, you can activate your skinny gene.

The sirtfood diet claims that certain foods can work on your DNA to alter metabolism, health and longevity, The diet is possibly based on sirtuins (proteins which may play a role in lifespan), says Amanda A. Kostro Miller, RD, LDN, who serves on the advisory board forFitter Living. The diet promotes eating certain sirt foods while doing a calorie restriction, which is often very low calorie ranging from 1000-1500 calories per day.

Related: Adeles Most Inspiring Quotes on Body Confidence and Positivity

The Sirtfood diet promotes a specific green juice, as well as foods that claim to increase your sirtuin levels like kale, olive oil, coffee, walnuts and strawberries. The Sirtfood diet was developed in the UK and promotes the concept of seven pounds in seven days by focusing on severe calorie restriction in addition to foods rich in polyphenols, or natural anti-inflammatory components of foods, adds Kylene Bogden, RDN and Wellness Advisor for Love Wellness.

The foods recommended for the sirtfood diet are similar to those you may have seen recommended for Mediterranean Diet. They include walnuts, olive oil, leafy greens like kale and arugula, berries, onions, and more. Red wine, chocolate, and coffee are permitted on the sirtfood diet, too.

The sirtfood green juice is one of the most popular food items on the diet, which includes kale, arugula, parsley, celery, half a green apple, ginger, lemon, and matcha green tea.

Its also important to keep in mind that in addition to the recommended foods, daily calories are meant to be kept under 1500 per day.

The top benefit of the sirtfood diet is that if you want to lose weight, you probably canand quickly. Plus, the actual foods recommended are both healthy and delicious. Sirtfood choices are often healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts, which is a plusalthough I should note that theyre not backed by substantial research to increase your sirtuins, says Miller.

Bogden echoes the benefit of the food itself being healthy. The main benefits are that its focused on whole, fresh, anti-inflammatory foods rich in antioxidants and polyphenols.

Related: 25 Things to Know About the Mediterranean Diet

While the sirtfood diet may have worked for Adele, both Miller and Bogden are quick to emphasize that the sirtfood diet isnt a great plan for long-term health and weight loss. Yes, this diet works in the short-term, says Bogden. But I should add that not only is this diet not sustainable, but its not supported by research. The recommended calorie intake at a starvation level for most people, and the macronutrient imbalanceratio of protein, carbs to fatdoes not support optimal health.

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Miller adds that without substantial research to back up why these foods are the ones recommended to activate the skinny gene, the sirtfood diet isnt all that different from other diets that restrict calories. Plus, this does not teach someone how to eat well for the long haul, says Bogden.

Next up, here are the six best diets to choose from if youre thinking about going low carb.

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Sirtfood Diet: Inside the Diet That Helped Adele Lose Weight - Parade

ALLENDALE, MICH. If youve gained some extra pounds during the pandemic dont worry youre not alone.

Its been easy to lose touch with our daily eating and workout routines but some people have taken this time as an opportunity to get back on track.

Eric Murray, the assistant swim coach at Grand Valley State University, grew up an athlete, but tells us the past 6 years hes struggled with his weight, gaining 40 pounds post college even though hes kept active, even doing triathlons and strength training he wasnt where he wanted to be. So during the pandemic he decided it was time to step it up and get his health on course.

In March his life as a coach came to a halt when the Coronavirus Pandemic hit and things started closing down in the middle of the NCAAs championship in Ohio. Which meant more time at home and less time pacing on the pool deck cheering his team on.

During the first month of COVID, and shut down, I was eating a little bit more just because I didn't know what to do. Each week, I was gaining about one to two pounds, and I'm like, Oh man, this is starting to get up now to my highest weight that I've ever been. So then pretty much right before June, I was like, okay, this has to stop, I have to do something new, says Eric Murray, Assistant Swim Coach at Grand Valley State University,

Murray was still working out by going on daily runs, but in a time with little control on the world, he knew it was a great opportunity to seek professional help.

After meeting with a dietitian and nutritionist, Murray learned how to portion and plan out his daily meals and quickly started to see a difference.

So my first official week that I started my new diet was the first week of June. Then I kept going, and I lost my first 10 pounds in about two weeks. I was like, sweet, this is like a perfect track. But then it got harder, then it got harder. I kept with it and kept stuck with it. To the point where I would always cook my breakfast, always cook my lunch, always cook my dinner because I was home all the time. So that it was easier to do it that way. says Murray.

A hard journey with a few cravings along the way, but worth it at the 14 week mark, Murray hit a weight loss of 31 pounds going back to coaching a new, healthy version of himself.

I think that now showing them that I was able to succeed at this giant task. It really shows them saying you know, he did this goal, says Murray.

A goal accomplished and Murray's hopeful it will leave a lasting impression on his team.

I think if we see a difference and our coaches and who we look up to, I think that gives us the outlook that we can make a change as well, says Nicole Taormina, GVSU Senior Diver.

Murray hopes to not maintain his weight and work on building more muscle back.

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GVSU Swim Coach makes the best of quarantine and loses weight - Fox17

DEPRESSION | ANXIETY |

Ruth Masinde started working from home on April 6 and by August 21, she realized she had gained 8kg. "I had gone to a clinic because I was feeling chest pain.

During triage, I was weighed and my weight was 78.2kg. This was disturbing because for almost 10 years, my weight had been stable at 69-70kg," says Masinde.

During her discussion with the doctor, she noted that she was eating much more than usual. Every time she would feel bored or tired or when work was slow, she would just go to the fridge and pick a slice of bread or make herself a cup of tea or eat leftover food from breakfast or lunch. Even when she would go to the washroom, she would return to her desk with something to eat or drink.

Masinde was eating just because she felt like it, not necessarily because she was hungry and the doctor told her that this could be linked to stress. This is what Jamiru Mpiima, a nutritionist describes as emotional or comfort eating.

Emotional eating

Emotional eating is when a person's hunger or desire to eat is triggered by negative emotions like stress, anger, boredom, fear, loneliness, sadness, feeling guilty, or anxiety, which explains Lilian Nakayiki Nyanzi, a nutrition research associate based in Bukoto - Kampala.

Nyanzi adds that dealing with major life events, like the loss of a job or a loved one, can trigger negative emotions which may result into emotional eating.

"Although some people eat less in the face of strong emotions, if you are in emotional distress, you might turn to impulsive or binge eating, quickly consuming whatever is convenient, without enjoyment," she notes.

Nyanzi also observes that many people who have binge-eating disorder feel negative about themselves and their skills and accomplishments. She says that in addition to negative emotions, triggers for bingeing can also include having a poor body self-image and the availability of preferred binge foods.

With emotional eating, the person finds comfort in eating. It involves people eating when they do not really feel hungry and they eat regularly. In addition, such people usually crave high-energy foods such as sweet things like cakes, adds Mpiima.

On the other hand, Nyanzi explains that emotional eating could present as binge eating', a serious eating disorder in which one frequently consumes large amounts of food and feels unable to stop eating. Therefore, it could be described as excessive overeating that feels out of control and becomes a regular occurrence.

Nyanzi notes that behavioural and emotional signs and symptoms of binge-eating disorder include:

- Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over a two-

hour period

- Feeling that your eating behaviour is out of control

- Eating even when you are full or not hungry

- Eating rapidly during binge episodes

- Eating until you are uncomfortably full

- Frequently eating alone or in secret

- Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty, or upset about your eating

- Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss

Complications

Mpiima explains that such people usually feel guilty when they overeat, which then makes them more stressed and then they are prompted to eat more to comfort themselves. In addition, since such people eat when they are not hungry and they eat a lot, they end up gaining excessive weight, which then affects their health and general wellbeing.

Nyanzi notes that emotional eating disrupts one's weight loss efforts, leading to obesity and medical conditions related to obesity, such as joint problems, heart disease and Type II diabetes.

In addition, one may develop psychological and physical problems related to binge eating, which include:

- Poor quality of life

- Esteem problems that can affect one's functioning at work, handling one's personal life or in social situations

- Social isolation

Managing emotional eating

Mpiima notes that the most effective way is to manage the root cause, for example, one should find ways of dealing with the stress or anxiety that they are experiencing.

On the other hand, Nyanzi notes that most people who have emotional eating disorders are not aware that they need help. "The condition happens progressively and it is hard for one to pose and think of it as a problem. However, because it results into either excessive weight gain and obesity or excessive weight loss, those affected may realize that they are dealing with an eating disorder once they seek medical help from health care professionals. These could be a nutritionist, dietician or a medical doctor," explains.

She advises those affected to seek dietetic and nutrition counseling services from nutritionists/ dieticians so as to help them address the eating disorder and understand the reasons as to why they binge eat of fail to eat. "The nutritionist/dietician can assess the drivers of their dietary eating habits and propose solutions on how to address the eating disorder. It is advised to use a holistic approach, one that is tailored to the needs of the person suffering from the eating disorder.

So, there are no generalized solutions to this. The health care professional should identify the cause of the eating disorder, and together with the patient, identify possible solutions on how to address the challenge and set healthy goals to be achieved," explains Nyanzi.

Since it takes time for one to deal with the root causes, Mpiima advises those prone to emotional eating to limit the consumption of unhealthy foods. "For example, instead of cakes, one should opt for fruits, which are healthier."

One should talk to people and find help to deal with their issues.

One should keep busy with activities such as exercising and taking a walk which will distract them from feeling the need to eat all the time. Those who work from home and feel bored or lonely should endeavor to find fun activities to engage in when they are done with work which will make them feel good and take away the need for them to eating all the time.

However, Mpiima advises that if all the behavioral interventions do not seem to help and one has failed to manage the stress, then they should see psychiatric help. They should seek the services of a psychiatrist or psychologist to help them with the underlying issues.

Did you know?

Emotional eating is prevalent in situations where an individual is stressed about not achieving the set life goals and achievements or boredom. These make one unconsciously resort to eating

more food to suppress such feelings and negative emotions, explains Nyanzi. She adds that during this season of COVID-19, people may binge eat due to boredom, negative emotions resulting from loss of jobs, or lack of money to meet their daily needs.

However, Nyanzi also explains that emotional eating disorders may present in various ways. "Some people may fail to eat food at all due to the negative emotions they are experiencing and this may result in anorexia nervosa, another eating disorder characterized by excessive weight loss and loss of appetite."

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Eating Whenever You Want And Not Because Of Hunger Is A Sign Of Stress - New Vision

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This Chef Queen shares her journey to veganism, along with a holiday recipe everyone can love.

Shaqueena Snyder is quick to tell you: shes the last person shed have ever guessed would go vegan much less become a professional vegan chef. A soul-foodie raised on her familys Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, Chef Queen owner of Royal House of Vegan, previously called Queens Vegan Caf once couldnt imagine life without her favorite meaty, cheesy favorites, from heavily spiced chicken stews to bubbling-hot mac-and-cheese.

But at 23, she began to experience health symptoms that demanded a wake-up call.

I was just getting increasingly exhausted. I was the biggest Id ever been and I was very, very uncomfortable, Snyder remembers. I said, at the age of 23, I shouldnt have horrible back pain. I shouldnt get exhausted walking up and down stairs.

A quick look at her familys medical history convinced Snyder that it was time for a change.

High cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure I didnt want any of that, she says. I wanted to better myself for my son.

Like many people who eventually go vegan, Snyder first considered cutting out meat as a simple health and weight-loss tool.

While she didnt know it, she was part of a growing number of individuals exploring plant-based eating. Across the country and on the other side of the world, campaigns like Veganuary in which folks vowed to nix animal products throughout the month of January would soon popularize the lifestyle. And while curious newbies like Snyder often approached veganism as a way to get fit, new research was suggesting there might be other, bigger reasons to delete meat.

Take, for example, a 2018 study associated with the University of Oxford, published in Science to considerable media attention. In it, researchers J. Poore and T. Nemecek asked the best way to reduce foods environmental impact, using a swath of data from some 38,000 farms. Their conclusions were startling: even the lowest-impact animal products still did more environmental damage than their vegetable counterparts sometimes a lot more.

In other words: swapping out animal-based foods for plants could be a lot more than just a healthy dietary move; it might also be a seriously green lifestyle choice particularly if a person focused on eating sustainably-grown local fruits and veggies.

As Snyder researched her own nutritional choices, she was quietly tapping into a broader conversation happening all over the world one that increasingly convinced her to give veganism a go.

She didnt know it yet, but the shift was about to change her body and her career.

When I decided to go vegan, I just cut it all off, Snyder remembers.

The cold-tofurkey approach was brave. But she quickly realized that veganism wasnt going to stick unless she could figure out how to veganize the foods she loved most.

Ethiopia food, Eritrean food, its rich in spices and flavors its something Im extremely passionate about, says Snyder. I said, I need to learn how to cook good stuff so I can be happy.

So she threw herself into adapting her favorite recipes, visiting store after store for new ingredients and experimenting until she ended up with a slew of crave-worthy meatless meals. Chickpea curries, jerk jackfruit ... Delicious comfort food. I was like, if I can do this, then shoo, go ahead, she recalls.

As Snyder began to shed pounds, she gained energy and confidence, and her friends and gym buddies took notice. The next thing she knew, they were asking for help in going vegan and requesting that shed meal-prep for them, too.

It was through that homegrown, word-of-mouth model that Queens Vegan Caf was born a fact that Snyder says still humbles her.

Obviously, she says, losing weight was good. But the thing that stuck with me the most was when my peers would come to me and say I was a motivation that they would never have tried a vegan meal if it wasnt for me Its weird when I think about it.

Learn more about Shaqueena, plus get her recipe for a "Decadent Love Loaf" in our latest issue, on newsstands now!

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Portsmouth Regional Hospital reports seeing an uptick in people choosing to have bariatric surgery and expects a record number of patients will undergo the procedure in the first quarter of 2021.

Bariatric surgery is the general term for weight-loss surgical procedures that reduce the size of the stomach. They are often used to help obese patients with diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Dr. Bernard Benedetto is the hospitals chief of surgery and a bariatric surgeon. He explained why patients are choosing to lose weight now.

This new threat of COVID-19 really seems to be a driver of this decision more and more, Benedetto said. They dont want to wait until the next surge.

Benedetto said people are realizing they need to get their obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure under control because those underlying conditions can cause complications for those infected with the coronavirus.

The interest in bariatric surgery on the Seacoast seems to be extremely high at the moment, hospital spokesperson Lynn Robbins said. We have seen more than 145 new patients since we reopened the clinic in May and have well over 100 preoperative patients actively in the program, which is the highest in the history of our surgical weight loss program, the oldest in the state of New Hampshire.

Robbins said the hospital halted bariatric surgeries for 12 weeks in the spring due to COVID-19.

According to Portsmouth Regional Hospitals website, choosing bariatric surgery is a lifelong commitment. Doctors discuss a patients individual needs and medical history, then create a nutrition and exercise follow-up plan to increase the chances of the surgerys success because the surgery is a tool, not a cure, to help treat weight problems.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends overweight, obese and severely obese people take their prescription medicines exactly as prescribed; follow recommendations for nutrition and physical activity while maintaining social-distancing precautions; and call a health care provider if they have concerns or feel sick.

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Demand for weight loss surgery goes up in time of COVID-19 - The Union Leader