Have you noticed how full you feel after eating popcorn, salads, or fresh fruits? These foods are high in water and fiber, which may help suppress hunger. Plus, they're low in calories, making it easier to reduce your energy intake and lose weight. For example, cucumbers and lettuce are 95% water and have roughly 15-17 calories per 3.5 ounces, reports MyFoodData. The same goes for soups, citrus fruits, spinach, kale, berries, and other high-volume foods.

Paula Norris, an Australian dietician, explains that volume eating can curb appetite without increasing your calorie intake. Basically, it's a strategy that allows you to eat more and feel full for longer. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommends filling up on soup, stews, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and salads. You could mix spinach or kale into brown rice, snack on veggie sticks, add fruit to yogurt, drink green smoothies between meals, and so on. With this approach, you'll get full faster and stay hydrated while upping your fiber intake.

All in all, losing weight when you have asthma isn't that different from leaning out when you're perfectly healthy. You still need to get active, cut calories, and practice portion control. Also, it's important to choose whole foods whenever possible and meet your nutritional needs. Intermittent fasting and other strategies can bring you closer to your goals, but it's your overall diet and exercise habits that matter most.

See more here:
How To Manage Weight Loss When You Have Asthma - Health Digest

Exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity may help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and strengthen muscles and bones, per MedlinePlus.

Sometimes, however, you may want to approach exercise with caution. Abstaining from food and drink for a set time a practice known as fasting is one of those instances.

For the most part, its okay to work out if youre fasting, especially if youre already generally healthy, saysWilliam Dixon, MD, an emergency medicine physician and a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University in California.

Certain populations should be careful, though.

People with coronary artery disease (a condition in which the arteries struggle to deliver blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart), as well as those taking medication for hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes are the primary groups who need to be cautious.

Someone who has coronary artery disease should be careful with exercising in general, especially exercising too hard, says Dr. Dixon, who is the cofounder of Signos, an app for continuous glucose monitoring. These folks are more susceptible to cardiac events when their heart rate goes up, and they should keep a close eye on exercise intensity. Fasting is a behavior that can make physical activity feel more strenuous, and therefore put people with these types of conditions at higher risk of running into complications than if they werent fasting.

People with type 2 diabetes who take medications to increase insulin sensitivity or lower blood sugar levels, or those with type 1 diabetes who take insulin, run the risk of having their blood sugar drop too low if they go long periods without eating.

This is known as hypoglycemia, and symptoms include shakiness, sweating, confusion, fast heartbeat, nausea, and headaches, according to theAmerican Diabetes Association (ADA). Exercising in a fasting state may cause or worsen hypoglycemia in people with diabetes, Dixon says.

Meanwhile, those who take blood pressure medications like beta-blockers may struggle to get their heart rate up, no matter how intensely they exercise. They may be more prone to feeling light-headed, especially if theyre not drinking enough water, Dixon notes.

If you have one of these conditions, its important to talk with your doctor about how to safely exercise if youre fasting (for either dietary or religious reasons), and if its safe to do so.

Additionally, for anyone fasting and planning to exercise, its important to keep in mind that low-intensity and short-duration workouts are better options than longer or high-intensity workouts.

You can use the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale to help you gauge your intensity, says Matthew Accetta, CSCS, an exercise physiologist with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

The RPE scale runs from 0 to 10, where 0 corresponds to how much effort it takes to sit in a chair (none), and 10 is the effort it takes to complete an exercise stress test or other difficult activity (very heavy), per theCleveland Clinic. Accetta recommends aiming for an effort level of 4 (somewhat heavy) or lower while fasting. Activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, and Pilates are all great options.

Its okay to work out in both heat and cold while fasting, but precautions should be taken to ensure safety, Accetta says. Be sure to fuel your body properly before starting the fast and limit your intensity (again, go no higher than a 4 on the RPE scale).

Youll also want to be sure to stay adequately hydrated and get plenty of sleep, Dixon says. Both of those are important for safe workouts and recovery" especially in more intense heat and cold weather.

Its important to eat a well-balanced diet once the fast is over, Accetta says.

That means enough calories to meet your needs, and a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, he says. Your daily food intake should include complete proteins such as meat, eggs, and milk, or quinoa, chia seeds, and soy if you follow a plant-based diet, along with fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. Carbs should make up about 40 to 60 percent of your overall calorie intake, protein should account for 20 to 30 percent, and healthy fats (such as avocado, fatty fish, nuts) the remaining 10 to 15 percent, Accetta says.

A registered dietitian can guide you if youre unsure where to start.

Fasts vary; some last only a few hours and others span weeks.

Spiritual fasting practices such as Ramadan, a holy month in the Islamic religion, specify that eating and drinking can take place only during set times (dusk to dawn) throughout the month, according to theAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Other eating practices, such as intermittent fasting, are done for health or weight loss reasons, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

Some of these fasting types may not mix well with exercise. In particular, fasts that stretch 24 or more hours, fasts in which youre restricting calories and nutrients (such as a juice cleanse), and fasts where youre not drinking any water are types of fasting during which exercise is unsafe.

The body hasnt had a chance to ingest new nutrients and replenish its stores, Accetta explains. At this point, your body is running on fumes. Not only will exercise be difficult, but it can also increase your risk of dizziness, fainting, nausea, and headache.

Exercising while intermittent fasting is generally safe, Accetta says. Some people choose to restrict their eating to a single six- to eight-hour window each day, and fast for the remaining (plus or minus) 16 hours of the day. Meanwhile, other people prefer to eat normally five days per week and limit themselves to one 500- to 600-calorie meal for the other two days, notes Johns Hopkins.

Its generally fine to exercise when fasting before a medical procedure, provided you clear it with the doctor performing the procedure, Accetta says.

Even if you take precautions, exercising while fasting can be risky. If youre taking medications, have one of the health conditions mentioned above, or have another health issue that may interfere with your ability to safely exercise (or safely fast), talk with your healthcare provider before working out and fasting simultaneously, Dixon says.

If you want to exercise during a fast, follow these tips for a safer, not to mention more comfortable, experience.

The rest is here:
Is It Safe to Work Out if You're Fasting? - Everyday Health

Introduction

Overweight and obesity have become global health issues. In 2016, China had the highest number of adults with overweight and obesity at 600 million, with rates of 34.3% and 16.4%, respectively.1,2 Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for and increase the risk of all-cause mortality from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, reducing life expectancy by five to twenty years.3 Weight loss can significantly diminish the risk of developing overweight and obesity. Two popular weight management strategies are Continuous Energy Restriction (CER)4 and Intermittent Fasting (IF).5 The former achieves weight loss through continuous restriction of daily energy intake, but the resultant hunger reduces adherence to the regimen, which can lead to greater weight regain once the restriction on intake is removed.6 As a new method to prevent and treat obesity, IF restricts calorie intake through alternate fasting and free eating, which can also achieve weight loss, improve metabolic status, and enhance the immune system and cognitive function in a relatively short period of time in a manner similar to CER.7 However, the beneficial effects of IF on weight loss, body composition, and cardiovascular health in adults with overweight and obesity with diverse characteristics are controversial, and may be influenced by factors such as comorbidities and the duration of fasting. This review examines the different strategies and protocols used for IF, through the comparison between the effects of IF and CER on weight loss, with the aim of providing a reference for its broader clinical application for weight loss in adults with overweight and obesity.

ADF alternates between fasting and free-eating days to achieve weight loss. On fasting days, individuals consume only 25% of their basal calories (approximately 500 kcal), whereas on eating days, there is no restriction on calorie intake.8 Individuals with overweight and obesity can lose 3%7% of their body weight after two to three months of ADF, which is accompanied by improvements in blood lipids, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity.9 However, a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) showed that ADF had no advantages over CER in terms of compliance, weight loss or maintenance, and cardioprotection in adults with obesity and normal metabolism.10 A systematic review found that ADF was effective for short-term (two to three months) weight loss in individuals with normal weight, overweight, and obesity, although there are no long-term follow-up data. Additionally, ADF is not suitable for individuals who require regular feeding or medication such as pregnant and lactating women, elderly people, or patients with type 1 diabetes or eating disorders.11 Despite its widespread adoption, compared with CER, ADF may be less sustainable in the long term for most individuals with overweight and obesity because of the intense feeling of hunger elicited by low-calorie intake on fasting days.10

The best-selling book The Fast Diet published by Mosley et al in 2013 touted the benefits of severely restricting energy intake for two days a week but eating normally during the rest of the week.12 Since then, the 5:2 fasting has become more and more popular, which involved restricting energy intake to 25%30% of the usual level on two nonconsecutive days within a week with no restriction on the remaining five days.13 Some researchers have concluded that the 5:2 fasting method is as effective as CER in reducing weight and improving glucose and lipid metabolism, waist-to-hip ratio, and insulin sensitivity.14 Compared with ADF, 5:2 fasting can lessen the feeling of hunger and is associated with fewer undesirable reactions such as dizziness, constipation, nausea, and vomiting during the weight loss process,15,16 which encourages adherence for people with overweight and obesity. Additionally, 5:2 fasting has been shown to reduce basal metabolic rate and skeletal muscle mass.17 The effect of 5:2 fasting on weight maintenance warrants further investigation.

TRE is an IF method that requires subjects to eat within a fixed period of 810 h or less per day and fast at other times18 to maintain a stable circadian rhythm in their calorie intake. Compared with ADF and 5:2 fasting, TRE only limits daily meal times and not the types or quantity of food, making it more acceptable to patients and facilitating adherence. The effect of TRE on weight loss was significantly correlated with the time of carbohydrate and protein intake;19 people who ate earlier in the day lost more weight than those who ate later.20 Meanwhile, eating more staple foods in the evening was not beneficial for weight loss. In a 12-week RCT, women with overweight or obesity who consumed a high-calorie breakfast had better fasting glucose, insulin sensitivity, and blood lipids than those who consumed a high-calorie dinner.21 This result is consistent with the latest findings from healthy non-obese volunteers showing that 16:8 IF was more beneficial when food was consumed between 06:00 and 15:00 (ie, early eating) vs 11:00 and 20:00 (midday eating).22 Another study found that 12 weeks of TRE with a mealtime between 12:00 and 08:00 did not lead to weight loss in adults with overweight and obesity without controlling food intake but resulted in loss of muscle mass.23 However, in an RCT of TRE (08:0016:00) for 12 months, there was no significant loss of muscle mass, and regardless of the time of calorie intake, TRE had a significant impact on weight loss when total calories were restricted and was found to be a safe and effective strategy for weight management.24 As there is no restriction on calorie intake and uniform regulation of allowed eating times in TRE, different studies have reported variable results. Nonetheless, the data suggest that reducing total calorie intake by limiting eating time, especially to earlier times of the day, is a beneficial weight management strategy. Given these findings, people with overweight and obesity should consider changing their traditional concept of dinner as a social meal in order to maximize weight loss.

Irrespective of the duration of the intervention (short term [412 weeks] or long term [24102 weeks]), weight loss with ADF and 5:2 fasting was comparable to that achieved by calorie restriction (CR).10,14,15,2534 Meanwhile, weight loss with TRE alone (1%5% decrease from baseline over 812 weeks)23,35,36 was not superior to that achieved with CR and was less than that observed with ADF or 5:2 fasting unless total calorie intake was restricted along with TRE. Thus, long-term TRE combined with an appropriate energy-restricted diet can enhance weight loss, but this is mainly attributed to CR.24,37

Summarizing the effects of three forms of IF on clinical outcomes reported in the literature (Table 1), it shows that there have been no trials directly comparing the effects of the three different fasting methods; further research is needed to determine which methods are more effective for achieving weight loss.

Many studies on IF have controlled only dietary factors and neglected the long-term effects of exercise on weight. In a study of 64 patients with obesity, IF combined with endurance exercise of moderate intensity three times a week resulted in greater reductions in body weight, body fat mass (FM), and lipid-related indicators after 12 weeks than IF or exercise alone, although there were no significant differences in lean body mass (LBM) between groups.38 Another study showed that the combination of resistance and aerobic exercise three times a week combined with IF led to larger reductions in body weight and FM than exercise alone although these parameters did not differ with respect to the IF group; on the other hand, exercise had a greater effect on cholesterol metabolism than IF or CR.39 Adults with overweight or obesity are more prone to knee joint damage in activities like running, climbing, and basketball,40 which negatively impacts their persistence with an exercise-based intervention. Effective muscle mass can be maintained by increasing protein intake and engaging in a reasonable exercise regimen. One study found that young people who fasted for 16 h a day over a 2-month period with resistance training had a reduction in body fat percentage while maintaining muscle mass;41 and a systematic review of 332 subjects showed that postprandial exercise was more effective in preventing hyperglycemia and enhancing insulin sensitivity than preprandial exercise.42 Thus, IF combined with exercise can improve the aerobic capacity of skeletal muscle, resulting in greater weight loss and providing more health benefits than IF24 or exercise alone.38

IF combined with meal replacement is a common weight loss intervention that has the advantage of not only allowing quantification of calorie intake on fasting days but also reducing malnutrition. In a single-blind randomized cross-over trial of eight healthy young women, processed meal replacements with a precisely calculated scientific nutrition ratio increased postprandial caloric expenditure and promoted carbohydrate oxidation to a greater extent than whole-food meals with the same total calories. Moreover, there were no differences among subjects in postprandial blood glucose response, satiety, feeling of hunger, and desire to eat, demonstrating that the processed meal replacements were an effective strategy for preventing and treating obesity.43

In a study of 164 adults with overweight or obesity that were divided into two groups using IF combined with a high protein meal replacement or the protein meal replacement alone, both groups showed significant reductions in weight, body fat, visceral fat, and LBM at week 16 with no significant differences between them. However, the combined intervention reduced participants cravings for food, thus improving their compliance and more effectively preventing weight regain within six months.44 In a multicenter clinical study of 300 individuals with overweight or obesity in China, a dietary program consisting of 500600 kcal solid drinks as meal replacement on IF days not only led to body weight reduction and maintenance of weight loss but also decreased the incidence of clinical symptoms such as mouth ulcers, constipation, hair loss, and insomnia experienced by the subjects during the weight loss process.45 Another study conducted in China on patients with type 2 diabetes with comorbid obesity found that combined use of food substitutes during fasting periods safely and effectively improved metabolic indices such as blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipids; reduced body weight; improved patient compliance; and achieved stable and lasting glycemic control.46 However, whether this method is effective in improving metabolic indices in type 2 diabetes patients with normal weight remains to be determined. In a study of healthy adults with overweight and obesity using meal replacements on fasting days, short-term fasting (4 weeks) resulted in greater weight loss and improved body composition and cardiometabolic health without exacerbating the feeling of hunger or adversely affecting appetite.47 The investigators also found that two days of fasting per week was more beneficial than one day. Higher protein intake and more frequent eating were shown to reduce the amount of total and abdominal fat and improved LBM and postprandial thermogenesis; both were effective for long-term weight maintenance and are feasible for patients with overweight or obesity.48,49

Obesity may be associated with psychological problems such as depression, body image disorders, stress, and low self-esteem.50 Furthermore, self-stigma in individuals with overweight and obesity can not only lead to psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem but may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic abnormalities, and even death.51 These psychological problems can lead to a vicious cycle of unhealthy eating or overeating and reduced exercise or activity. Therefore, guidelines for weight reduction in Europe, Canada, and other countries have incorporated psychotherapy into routine weight loss approaches. Psychotherapy can increase patients confidence in weight reduction interventions and help them to better implement IF programs and behavioral training by addressing the psychological factors that contribute to unhealthy eating habits of individuals with overweight and obesity through psychological assessment, respect, listening, guidance, and cognitive-behavioral therapy; this can have multiplicative effects on weight reduction and maintenance.52 A 5-year prospective study showed that fasting increased the risk of binge eating and bulimic pathology.53 Disordered eatingie, overeatingrequiring psychological treatment has been suggested as a root cause of obesity. Psychologists in the United States and other countries believe that cognitive and behavioral therapies combined with dietary strategies and physical activity can improve both short- and long-term outcomes in the treatment of obesity.54,55 A scoping review shows that psychological interventions can increase patients awareness and compliance with their eating behaviors and enhance self-behavior management to ensure weight loss maintenance in non-surgical interventions for hospitalized adults with class II or class III obesity.56 IF in combination with supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy and physical activity is an effective strategy for long-term weight loss and body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat reduction.57

Most of the weight loss associated with IF is due to a reduction in body FM;58 one study calculated that 79% of the weight loss was attributable to a reduction in fat (level I evidence).59 However, some studies have found that IF can result in the loss of LBM concurrent with weight loss, typically accounting for 20%30% of total weight loss.60 Short-term (4 weeks) IF decreased body weight and improved body composition and cardiometabolic health while having no adverse effects on the feeling of hunger or appetite, whereas long-term (52 weeks) IF reduced the amount of total and abdominal fat and increased LBM, thereby promoting weight maintenance.47,49 A lower LBM is associated with a lower metabolic rate and neuromuscular function, fatigue, and increased risk of injury, with the degree of LBM reduction positively correlated with weight regain.61 Thus, a reasonable weight loss goal is to reduce body fat while avoiding loss of muscle mass. Although both IF and CER led to varying degrees of weight regain after six months, CER increased FM and LBM, whereas IF decreased FM while increasing LBM.25 Exercise has been shown to preserve or prevent a decline in basal metabolism and prevent the loss of muscle mass in people under the age of 60, and IF combined with resistance training programs are commonly used to promote fat loss and improve glucose and insulin levels in this population.62,63 However, whether this is related to adequate protein intake and energy balance is unclear and requires examination in a larger sample size of patients who are elderly or have chronic diseases. It was also reported that IF combined with a high-protein diet reduced BMI and lipids in people with obesity and limited weight regain while increasing arterial compliance.64

IF can reduce body weight and improve lipid and glucose abnormalities.65 Short-term (12-week) IF with a low-calorie, high-protein diet reduced total adiposity, abdominal and visceral FM, and plasma biomarkers (insulin, glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and total cholesterol) while improving metabolism (resting metabolic rate and respiratory quotient) in obese men and women.49,64 However, although IF was superior to CER in reducing insulin resistance (possibly by decreasing total energy expenditure), it also increased insulin levels and promoted fat storage, without significantly lowering blood glucose and lipids.66 On the other hand, in another RCT of centrally obese adults, IF and CER had comparable effects on cardiometabolic health and were not superior to CER in terms of increasing insulin sensitivity.31 In a study of 19 subjects with metabolic syndromes, IF significantly reduced atherogenic lipids: total cholesterol decreased by 7%, LDL cholesterol by 11%, and nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 9%. Additionally, a decreasing trend was observed in the number of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol particles.67 In an RCT of eight prediabetic men with obesity, five weeks of IF increased insulin sensitivity and islet -cell reactivity and decreased insulin level, blood pressure, and oxidative stress, although there were no significant changes in body weight or fasting and postprandial blood glucose.68 Collectively, these findings indicate that although IF has benefits for patients with prediabetes and prehypertension, there is insufficient supporting evidence from large samples of different patient populations.

IF not only alleviates blood pressure and improves lipid and glucose levels and other cardiovascular disease-related risk factors, it also reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and improves the prognosis of cardiac events.65 Short-term intervention with a low-calorie, high-protein diet lowered cholesterol and improved BMI as well as cardiovascular variables such as resting heart rate and blood pressure. Compared with a heart-healthy diet, IF with a low-calorie, high-protein diet for one year had certain advantages for cardiometabolic health such as weight reduction, prevention of low-density-lipoprotein rebound, and enhanced arterial compliance.47,64 Meal timing also influences cardiometabolic health; according to the American Heart Association, nighttime fasting can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.8 A study of lean and healthy adults showed that although IF yielded comparable overall weight loss to energy restriction and balanced diets, subjects in the IF group showed less weight loss due to fat reduction and there were no specific benefits in terms of metabolic regulation or cardiovascular health.69 This is supported by the finding from a study of 139 obese adults that IF was not more effective than daily CR in reducing body weight, body fat, and cardiovascular metabolic risk factors.24 More clinical studies are needed to determine whether IF has benefits for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Apart from body weight, IF can be applied to the management of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).70 In a randomized trial of 137 adults with type 2 diabetes, IF had similar effects to CER in reducing hemoglobin A1c level and improving blood glucose. On the other hand, IF showed superior performance for lowering body weight and in increasing insulin sensitivity.14 In patients with NAFLD, IF for eight weeks decreased BMI, alanine aminotransferase level, and steatosis and fibrosis rates compared with a normal diet, with good compliance among patients in the IF group.71 ADF also resulted in greater weight loss and improvement in blood lipid levels in a shorter period (412 weeks) than TRE.72

In patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), IF was as safe and effective as CER in reducing body weight and improving mood.73 Meanwhile, IF was shown to improve the immune recovery of patients with MS by altering intestinal flora composition and reducing the inflammatory response.74 By reducing fat, IF not only improves body shape but also diminishes the risk of obesity-related diseases such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and NAFLD. In preclinical studies, fasting and CR have been shown to prolong life- and healthspan, induce autophagy, and ameliorate symptoms of various diseases, such as CVDs, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, or ischemic injuries.75 It should be noted that although IF can lead to better clinical outcomes compared with other dietary modifications, the benefits are mainly derived from energy restriction rather than fasting; as such, it should not be considered as the ideal dietary intervention.76 Future studies should also prioritize testing the health benefits of these diets in patients with type 1 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome and thyroid disorders.77 Based on human studies, we outline the overall effects of IF versus CR (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Overall effects of IF versus CR.

Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that IF is an effective nonpharmacologic therapy for weight loss that can decrease body weight and improve body composition (total body fat, abdominal fat, and LBM) as well as physiologic indices such as blood glucose, lipids, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular metabolism in adults with overweight and obesity. Most IF-related intervention studies have been conducted over a short period, with some long-term clinical trials lasting more than one year. Moreover, the study subjects have mainly been adults with overweight and obesity with or without diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, or other comorbidities. Longitudinal population studies with large samples are needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of IF. Given the diverse forms of IF and its combination with other interventions such as exercise, meal replacement, and psychotherapy, the effects of IF on weight loss vary considerably across studies. IF is only one dietary strategy, and dietary components also play a key role in the development of obesity. Changing our lifestyle towards healthy eating and more physical activity may help reduce or prevent the development of obesity.78 Future studies should address the synergistic effects of IF combined with other interventions in weight management as a means to improve adherence79 to weight loss regimens for long-term weight control.

All studies that adopt IF to manage weight are required to undergo ethics review.

This work was funded by Zhejiang Basic Public Welfare Research Project (LGF20H260013) and the Initial Scientific Research Fund for PhD from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province (2018BSKYQDJJ15).

The authors report no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

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Do you find yourself wondering why you still look pregnant after giving birth?

After giving birth, many mothers try to get back into shape only to be frustrated because it's not happening fast enough. In fact, some women look very much pregnant after giving birth.

Even with adjustments to theirlifestyle (reducing daily calorie intake and incorporating regular exercise), it can still take a while to see results, leading them to feel like a failure.

Why do I still look pregnant after giving birth?

This is a common question among women who are missing their pre-baby bodies. However, the answer to that is not that simple as it involves a lot of different factors.

For most women, it takes six to eight weeks for their stomach to shrink back down to normal size after giving birth. This is because both the stomach and uterus expand to accommodate a baby.

The uterus makes room for the baby by expanding over the pubic bone, pushing out the abdomen in the process. Hence, women can appear pregnant evenafter the delivery.

It takes on averagesix to eight weeks to lose the baby weight.

It is important to be patient when trying to get your post-baby belly to shrink. Besides, it took nine months for your abdominal muscles to stretch and accommodate a full-term baby.

So it only makes sense that it will also take a while (a few weeks or months) for it to tighten up again.

You also need to remember that women's bodies are different; some may find it easier to lose that stubborn pregnancy weight while others may be stuck with it for longer periods of time.

The speed and degree of the belly shrinking and tightening can depend on a few factors, such as:

Some mums may find it easier to shed the weight if they:

Some women suffer from diastasis recti, or abdominal separation while pregnant. This can be one reason why you still look pregnant after you already gave birth.

Diastasis recti occurs as your uterus expands, separating your stomach muscles. It makes your stomach protrude.

Hormones have a role in this, as does the pressure that a growing baby places on your body.

Women who have had multiple children, twins, or a bigger infant may experience abdominal separation. You may detect an unusual shape or protrusion in your stomach if you have abdominal separation.

Aside from the protruding belly, diastasis recti may also cause lower back pain.

Postpartum abdominal separation is common and takes time to heal. If you don't put any extra strain on your stomach while you're pregnant, you can avoid abdominal separation.

Avoid doing strong core workouts such as planks or sit-ups. Try not to carry heavy objects, undertake severe abdominal stretching, or sit up too quickly after giving birth.

Are you not getting enough sleep after giving birth? Women who don't get enough sleep can gain weight.

According to research, women who slept less than five hours per night six months after giving birth were three times more likely to keep their baby weight and maybe gain more.

Moreover, some women experience hypothyroidism during and after pregnancy.

Lastly, we know that being a new mum can be stressful. But did you know that stress hormones can cause weight gain, and stressed women are more prone to eat?

More reasons to prioritise self-care and sleep, mums! If you're having trouble losing weight after giving birth, talk to your OB about it on your next postpartum visit.Athyroid test may be necessary.

Some mums, in their desire to go back to their pre-baby body, embark on low-calorie diets or rigorous exercise routines as soon as they can after giving birth.

Are you thinking about losing weight soon after giving birth? Experts are saying that you hold your horses. New mothers should not be losing weight at such lightning speed.

"We don't have the kind of lifestyle that would allow for that kind of quick loss and the sooner women recognise that, the better they will feel about themselves," says Laura Riley, MD, a high-risk pregnancy expert from Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Experts are also warning against adopting crazy crash diets and an intense exercise programme, especially if these mothers have had a particularly difficult pregnancy or C-section.

For new mothers, cutting calorie intake especially if they're breastfeeding isn't the way to go, as per WebMD.

"You should be eating at least 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day while breastfeeding, and if you eat less you will not only be shortchanging yourself, you'll be shortchanging your baby," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer. "You can't produce quality milk if you are not eating enough."

If mums are intent to get back into shape, light to moderate exercise will be beneficial for them. Not only does it increase energy, but it also reduces the risk of postpartum depression.

Experts say that new mothers can start working out as soon as they feel like they're up for it, but it's still best to get a go signal from a doctor.

"That's key, being able to keep up with whatever programme you start. If you can't then either the programme is too rigorous, or you're just not ready. Exercise should make you feel better, not worse," says Laura Riley.

While it's not advisable to embark on a rigorous fitness journey right away, there are some things you can do to help you safely lose weight after giving birth.

Breastfeeding mothers lose 500 calories each day on average. This is due to the fact that your body utilises the calories it has accumulated during pregnancy to produce milk and nourish your baby.

Your postpartum belly will naturally shrink over time. However, there are several things you may do at home to help with your postpartum tummy.

Once your doctor gives you the green light, attempt to include exercise in your regular routine.

Begin with light bodyweight exercises and walking. You can gradually incorporate running and core activities.

Kegels are a good pelvic floor workout. You can also research exercises that help with diastasis recti.

Try to stick to a nutritious diet after you've given birth, just as you did while pregnant.

Breastfeeding will make you feel better and supply your kid with more nutrients.

Additionally, consuming a well-balanced diet can aid in the reduction of your postpartum tummy.

Keep in mind that giving birth is one of the most amazing experiences you'll ever have. It challenges your body in ways you'llnever imagine.

All of this upheaval, though, necessitates rest and recuperation.

Allow yourself to relax and heal as much as possible in the weeks and months following your baby's birth.

Thisarticlewas first published intheAsianparent.

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There are various different muscles located in the upper body, hence why you will hear people mention having days at the gym solely dedicated to their chest and shoulders, or triceps and biceps and other upper body variations. However, not everyone has time to factor in workout splits or you may be new to strength training and need a workout that fits it all into one short session.

This25-minute resistance training routine targets the shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest, and back muscles. To safely target all of your different upper body muscles, you will want to have access to some lighter and heavier weights. Some of the best adjustable dumbbells are a good option; working out with a pair of these means you can modify the weight you want to lift with via a dial or a lever.

Kaleigh Cohen (opens in new tab), the NASM Certified Personal Trainer who leads this workout uses three dumbbells of the following weights: 11lbs/5kg, 16lbs/7.5kg, and 22lbs/10kg. But when it comes to selecting your own weights pick loads that will challenge your muscles without tainting your form.

Cohen says that this 25-minute strength session is designed to, "Help you increase your muscular strength and definition. It also allows us to work on each muscle group more than once to really build!".

Although this workout is designed to build muscle this doesn't mean you will get large or bulky from training with weights. Especially not with this being a high-intensity resistance training routine, which is very similar to a typical HIIT workout for fat loss, but it includes the addition of weight.

Cohen says, "Strength training with a heavy weight will not cause your muscles to be big and bulky, it will give you a lean and defined look! This cannot be done by doing cardio only, strength training is a big deal in a well-rounded fitness regimen!".

You will be training your muscles in short and intense bursts of active periods followed by minimal rest periods to trigger muscle-building results from just 25 minutes of physical activity.

In order for your muscles to continue growing in strength and size, you will want to implement progressive overload into your resistance training. Progressive overload in strength training involves increasing the challenge of your workouts, either by increasing the load or the number of repetitions that you train with over time.

You might find you make strength gains really fast and feel eager to graduate onto some heavier weight. If so, you should consider picking up a barbell and learning new moves like how to deadlift properly. Or if you want to isolate a particular part of your upper body in your next strength session give this shoulder dumbbell workout a go.

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25 minutes, a set of dumbbells, and a full upper body workout to build muscle - Fit and Well

Losing weight and belly fat is a process. It doesn't happen overnight after you've stopped drinking soda. After all, it took time and probably quite a few poor eating habits to amass that weight and fat you'd like to shed. Likewise, it will take healthier eating habits over time to get your body back to a healthier state.

While slow and steady often wins this race, nutrition experts and clinical research suggest certain habits can fast-track fat burning by a) reducing the calories you consume and b) elevating your metabolism. It's up to you to turn these tasks into a pattern for life. Read on, and for more, don't miss the 6 Best Foods to Lose Belly Fat and Slow Aging.

The fat you most want to attack through healthier eating habits is called visceral fat. This is the fat found deep within your abdomen, dangerously surrounding critical organs like the liver and pancreas. Research shows that visceral fat secretes biochemicals that may cause metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. But you can find a visceral fat-burning foe in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator: dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, arugula, and collards.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that eating lots of non-starchy, dark-colored vegetables like these greens is associated with decreased visceral abdominal fat as well as fat inside the liver. These dark leafy greens are superfoods because they're low in caloriesjust about 10 to 15 calories per cupand contain many nutrients like vitamin K, magnesium, folate, calcium, vitamin C, and mostly insoluble fiber, says Eatthis.com medical review board member and registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, the CEO of The NY Nutrition Group.

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Caffeine is a stimulant that's well-known for elevating alertness, cognitive function, and metabolism, the latter possibly helping with weight loss. You've no doubt felt the jittery burst of energy after downing an espresso. That's your heart rate and metabolism revved up.

Now, a small study in a 2021 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutritionsuggests that a caffeine booster increases fat burn when paired with exercise. When researchers gave male participants caffeine equal to the amount in a strong cup of coffee 30 minutes prior to a morning and evening workout, men who consumed the caffeine experienced a significant "increase in whole-body fat oxidation rate" compared to taking a placebo. Note: skip the sugar and creamers, which add more calories than you'll burn.

Many teas contain caffeine, but one type boasts a particularly powerful fat burner called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG for short. Found in abundance in green tea, this catechin has been shown in studies to help you burn more calories even at rest, resulting in weight loss, says Eathis.com medical review board member and registered dietitian nutritionist Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN. Research in the Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that obese adults who drank a caffeinated beverage containing green tea catechins burned more abdominal fat during exercise than obese adults who drank a placebo containing caffeine, but no green tea extract.

RELATED:Secret Effects of Drinking Green Tea, Says Science

Here's a tip that can help you crush hunger pangs while building muscle: When you eat carbohydrates, make a habit of combining them with a source of protein, suggests registered dietitian Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, an Eathis.com medical review board member. Protein digests more slowly, so you'll feel full longer after the meal, which may translate into fewer calories eaten overall. In addition, protein (eggs, nuts, jerky, fish, beans, legumes, and dairy products) keeps the carbohydrates you're eating from turning quickly into glucose that speeds through your bloodstream, raising your blood sugar.

"If you eat carbohydrates by themselves, they can spike your blood sugar, causing it to drop later and set you up for an energy crash," says Goodson. The other reason you want to eat protein with every meal is that it's the building block of muscle growth, and muscle is more metabolically active than fat, allowing your body to burn more calories even when you're at rest.

This is a good habit for boosting fat burn for a number of reasons. First of all, water is critical if you want your organs to function optimally. Secondly, staying well-hydrated can help you consume fewer calories. A glass of water before a meal fills your stomach just as a soup appetizer would, helping to satisfy hunger but without the calories. And often we are fooled by hunger pangs.

"Sometimes thirst can appear as hunger," says Eatthis.com medical review board advisor Toby Amidor, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and best-selling author of Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook. "Sipping on water throughout the day can help keep you hydrated and may help keep hunger and cravings at bay."

Even the act of bringing water into your body can increase metabolism. In a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers found that 60 minutes after both male and female participants drank about 2 cups of water, they increased energy expenditure by 30%.

Eating more vegetables and less meat is a great habit for health as well as weight loss. But that doesn't mean you have to go all-out vegan to reap the benefits. Get in the habit of making one dinner each week meatless, and focus on plant-based protein. A University of Copenhagen study found plant-based proteins to be even more hunger satisfying than pork- and veal-based meals and make people feel fuller. What's more, the researchers also discovered that participants who ate a high-protein vegetarian meal consumed 12 percent fewer calories in their next meal compared to those who ate meat.

Jeff Csatari

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6 Eating Habits To Fast-Track Fat Burning Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That