My name is Elena Green (@elenagreen_fitness), and Im 34. I live in South Carolina, and I am a mom and personal trainer. After my doctor let me know that I was considered medically obese, I researched calorie counting, adopted the 80-20 rule for weight loss, started doing HIIT workouts, and shed the weight that was holding me back.

Before I started my weight loss journey, I had two pregnancies back to back. I also had not quite gotten back to my pre-pregnancy weight before becoming pregnant again. I am now a mom of four, so as you can imagine, balancing motherhood and finding the time to take care of my health was very challenging. Over time, the weight just kept piling on. I wasnt making the best food choices and was not really taking time to exercise.

I had tried many methods to shed the weight but nothing seemed to work. I had a very hard time finding something that was sustainable and that would work well with my lifestyle. I would end up just quitting various diet plans because they were unrealistic. At my heaviest, I was 258 pounds. I was 32 at the time.

Eventually I learned that I had high cholesterol, and my doctor informed me that I was now in the medically obese category. I was also experiencing bouts of depression and anxiety, and because of that, I sought comfort in food. I knew that it was directly related to the fact that I was unhappy with the state I was in health-wise. Finding comfort in food gave me a temporary escape from my reality.

I remember looking in the mirror and asking myself, what the heck happened? I shed some tears, had moments of honesty, and promised myself that I was going to change my life for good. I knew that I was capable of so much more.

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I wanted my confidence back. I wanted the energy to play with my babies. I just wanted to be free. I wanted to be happy with myself. I wanted to look in the mirror and be able to genuinely smile at myself and not say mean things. I committed to the process at age 33, even though I knew it wouldnt be easy.

But I did not want to be hungry all of the time due to eating less, so I started doing research like crazy.

I came across calorie counting and learned more about the concept of eating in a calorie deficit. So I incorporated the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of my foods consisted of whole nutritious foods, and the other 20 percent were my indulgences. Not only did this mindset allow me to lose weight, it allowed me to still incorporate foods that I really enjoyed, like cookies and ice cream, in moderation.

This approach was perfect for me because there are always snacks around considering I have kids. It worked well because I did not have to eliminate food groups, and it allowed me to get out of the dieting mindset. At the end of the day, its about creating a lifestyle that works best for you.

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The form of exercise that worked best for me was HIIT, or high-intensity interval training. It was very challenging at first, but I did my best and built up stamina over time. I started working out for 20 to 30 minutes, three days a week. I slowly increased it to five days a week and took the weekends as rest days.

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HIIT worked really well for my busy lifestyle. It was unrealistic for me to spend hours working out. HIIT workouts are pretty short, but they allow you to have a pretty intense workout in a short period of time.

I discovered HIIT by researching short, effective workouts. From that point on, HIIT has been my preferred method of training, along with incorporating weight training.

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These three changes have made the biggest impact on my overall weight loss.

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Ive since shifted my focus from weight loss to gaining muscle.

My journey was not easy, but it was most certainly worth it. Making the decision to put my health first has changed my life drastically. I reconnected with myself again. I restored my confidence and energy. Getting healthy and strong has improved every area of my life.

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One of the greatest things that has blossomed from my journey is being able to share the gift of health with other women through a community I created for women (EGFIT). Ive gone on to help other amazing women reconnect with themselves through active living, mind and body transformations.

I believe that one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is the gift of hope. Through sharing my story with other women that have found themselves where I once was, I want them to know that they can do it too. You deserve to walk in confidence and love the skin youre in. You deserve to be happy with who you are.

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'I Used The 80-20 Diet Rule And Did HIIT Workouts To Lose 120 Pounds In 2 Years' - Women's Health

Last month,Oregon Health& Science University turned over 74 videos of an experimentscientists have been conducting on Japanese macaques at Oregon's National Primate Research Center.

But what do the videos show? PETA has provided them to WWand they can be seen here.

The videosportray an experiment conducted at ONPRC by Dr. Elinor Sullivan since 2011. In Sullivan's experiment, scientistsfeed pregnant Japanese macaques one of two diets.

The control group of mothers is fed "standard monkey chow" while the other group is fed a "Western-style diet designed to mimic the average American diet," according to a statement released this month by OHSU. This diet consists of "ground oat hulls, casein and wheat flour, which contain a higher content of fat and sugar."

Then, when the baby macaques are born, they are testedto see how they respond to humanand nonhuman intruders. Scientists study the monkeys' response to "novel stimuli" and observe their "temperament, anxiety and stress response."

The purpose, according to OHSU, is to better understand "mental health disorders" that can be attributed to an unhealthy maternal diet. Sullivan received $5.2 million in public and private funding for the study between 2011 and 2019.

In the videos, caged monkeys are approached by a lab assistant whomakes a variety of threatening moves, testing how the macaques respond to stress. These actions include making eye contact with the monkeysan aggressive gesturefor macaques, according to The Macaque Website managed by the U.K.s National Centre for theReplacement, Refinement and Reductionof Animals in Research. The macaques respond by running around their cage, flinging themselves at the bars, making loud noises, and exhibiting submissive facial expressions. These are understood to be fright responses.

Dr. Alka Chandna,vice president of laboratory investigation cases for PETA, saysthe group became aware of Sullivan's work in the fall of 2017 andhas been fighting forpublic release of video of theexperiment ever since.

"OHSU is a public university, so they are beholden to people who submit public records requests, but they refused to give us the videos," Chandna says.

After Circuit Judge David Rees ordered OHSU to turn over the videos, Chandna says she can see why the universitywanted to keep the footage under wraps.

"ONPRC may be unethical, but they are not stupid," she adds."They realize that this footage is pretty upsetting. The public understands that these monkeys are suffering."

Not true, says OHSU spokeswoman Tamara Hargens-Bradley.

"At OHSU, we employ hundreds of dedicated staff committed to providing humane, respectful treatment and the best possible veterinary care for every animal," Hargens-Bradley tells WW in a statement. "OHSU believes that knowledge gained through biomedical research in relevant animal models is essential to developing new ways to identify, prevent, treat or eradicate disease and to improve human and animal health."

PETA opposesany type of animal testing. The organization is callingforSullivan's experiment to be discontinued and the primate center to beshut down.

Not only does PETA take issue with the way the experiment was conducted and that public money was spent on the experiment, Chandna also disagrees with the purpose of the study.She arguesresearchers have known for a long time that healthy foods are better forpregnant mothers and their unborn fetusesthan unhealthy foods and that mothers-to-be already know their unborn children eat whatever they eat.

"Elinor Sullivan is not adding anything to our understanding of what we should and shouldn't be eating," Chandna says. "What she is doing is adding to the amount of misery in the world, the amount of suffering in the world, causing all manner of pain and taking taxpayer dollars to do that. It is absurd and egotistical for Elinor Sullivan to come skipping alongand say that she has discovered that high-fat diets are bad for you."

Dr. Michelle Sang, a leading Portland obstetrician-gynecologist for Legacy Health, also questionsthe necessity of the experiment: "There is a lot of data in the medical world that would support that a junky diet would affect the health of the mother and has a direct impact on the fetus long term."

But Sang adds that moreresearchis important: "The nutrition knowledge is limited. Our training is not focused on that when we are trained as a physician or as an OB-GYN. Because it's really not possible to do human studies, we have to use animals as a way to at least get an idea of what we might expect."

Dr. Amanda Dettmer, a primatologist at the Yale Child Study Center, has been studying nonhuman primate models for over 20 years. Dettmer emphasized the value of animal research because it allows scientists to study causal outcomes that cannot be studied in humans.As for Sullivan's work, Dettmer said, "we cannot assign random mothers to eat particular diets during pregnancy. This is where the value of studying animals comes in."

In its response, OHSU saysSullivan'sresearch offered key findings.

"Study findings published to date reveal behavioral changes in offspring of mothers that consumed a high-fat diet, including increased anxiety, which is associated with impaired development of the brain's serotonin system, which influences mood and well-being," the university said. "The study also showed that placing the offspring on a healthy diet at an early age failed to reverse the effect."

Elinor Sullivan was not available for comment.

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Oregon Health & Science University Hands Over Monkey Experiment Videos to PETA - Willamette Week

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II isnt letting anything stop him these days, even a global pandemic. Currently filming The Matrix 4 in Berlin, Germany, the actor is all about making sure hes stays on top of his fitness goals, now more than ever.

The Watchmen star recently allowed Mens Health into his Berlin home for the latest installment of the Gym & Fridge series, where he proudly shows off his back-porch gym setup. It might not have all the bells and whistles a state-of-the-art gym, but it does have some of the essentials for getting in movie star-shape.

Its not one of those roles right now where I have to be really big and muscular, he says about his fitness routine. So really the key to this setup is just to make sure that Im toned and have the space to do my cardio and take care of my absthings like that. His favorite exercise tool is a 30-pound log, which he chopped and painted black himself.

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While Abdul-Mateens current workout routines requires five days a week of effort, he does like to change it up depending on the project hes working on. But if hes not on set, he lifts weights twice a week and plays basketball on other days. And though there's constant pressure to stay in superhero shape, thats not Abdul-Mateens only motivation. I want to look good in my films, but I also want to look good in real life," he says. "Between the two of those, I think thats enough.

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The Candyman star also takes viewers to his fridge, which showcases some simple foods that contribute to his clean diet. The main staple youd find in Abdul-Mateens fridge? Eggs. He eats about half a dozen every morning for a protein source. Im always working and filming superhero projects or things like that where I have to stay in shape, he says. So my diet is pretty consistent. Im usually eating things around the clock. Its kind of boring, but thats what it takes.

But that doesnt mean the actor doesnt indulge every now and then, as he shows the camera his cheat meal: cereal and candy he brought with him from the U.S. I try not to eat this at 2 oclock in the morning, he jokes. I try to keep it clean. I try my best!

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Is Living Simple to Get Ripped for 'The Matrix 4' - menshealth.com

For many years, researchers and clinicians assumed that nutrition was a one-size-fits-all affair. Everybody needs the same nutrients from their food, they thought, and a vitamin pill or two could help dispense with any deficiencies.

But now scientists are learning that our genes and environment, along with the microbes that dwell in us and other factors, alter our individual abilities to make and process nutrients. These differences mean that two given people can respond to identical diets in different ways, contributing to varied health outcomes and patterns of disease.

Until recently, scientists didn't fully appreciate that individual metabolic differences can have a big impact on how diet affects the risk for chronic diseases, says Steven Zeisel, director of the Nutrition Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The new knowledge is resolving long-standing mysteries about human health and paving the way toward a world of "precision nutrition," Zeisel writes in a recent article in the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology.

Although the findings are unlikely to lead all the way to hyper-individualized dietary recommendations, they could help to tailor nutrition to subsets of people depending on their genetics or other factors: Zeisel's company, SNP Therapeutics, is working on a test for the genetic patterns of 20-odd variants that can identify individuals at risk of fatty liver disease, for example. Knowable Magazine spoke with Zeisel about our developing understanding of precision nutrition.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why has nutrition lagged behind other research areas in medicine?

Nutrition studies have always had a problem with variability in experimental results. For instance, when infants were given the fatty acid DHA [docosahexaenoic acid], some had an improvement in their cognitive performance and others didn't. Because some showed improvements, it was added to infant formula. But we didn't understand why they were responding differently, so scientists continued to debate why we did this if only 15 percent of children improved and 85 percent showed no response.

The confusion came from an expectation that everybody was essentially the same. People didn't realize that there were predictable sources of variation that could separate those who responded to something from those who did not. For DHA, it turned out that if the mother had a difference in her genes that made her slow to produce DHA, then her baby needed extra DHA and responded when given it. That gene difference occurs in about 15 percent of women and, it turns out, it's their babies that get better when given DHA.

How are researchers starting to make sense of this variability?

Studying differences in human genetics is one way. We conducted a series of studies that found a good deal of variation in the amounts of choline [an essential nutrient] that people required: Men and postmenopausal women got sick when deprived of it, but only half of young women became sick.

We found that some women can make choline because the hormone estrogen turns on the gene to make choline. Other women have a difference in this gene that makes it unresponsive to estrogen. Men and postmenopausal women need to get the nutrient another way by eating it because they have minimal amounts of estrogen.

If I had initially done the choline study and chosen only young women participants, I would have found that half needed choline, half didn't, and had a lot of noise in my data. Now that we can explain it, it makes sense. What seemed to be noisy data can be better described using a precision nutrition approach.

Are there other nutritional conundrums that suggest these sorts of variations are common?

There are some things for which we already know the underlying genetic reasons. For example, there's a great deal of information on genetic differences that make some people's cholesterol go up when they eat a high-fat diet while other people's doesn't. Researchers are discovering genetic variants that account for why some people need more vitamin D than others to get the same levels in their blood.

Every metabolic step is controlled by such variants. So, when we find people who seem to be responding differently in our studies, that's a hint that there is some underlying variation. Rather than throwing the data away or saying participants didn't comply with the study protocol, we can look at the data to discover some of the genetic reasons for these differences. Precision nutrition is really a change in how we do nutrition research, in that we're starting to identify why some people respond and some don't.

Besides genetic variants, are there other factors that precision nutrition needs to take into account?

Right now, much of our ability to be more precise comes from better tools to understand genetic variation. But genetics alone doesn't determine your response to nutrients. It interacts with other factors too.

The microbiome [the community of bacteria and other microbes that live in and on our body] clearly also affects how nutrients work. Most microbiome research until now has been to name the organisms in the gut, but it's now getting to the point where researchers can measure what microbial genes are switched on, what nutrients are made by gut microbes, and so on. As that research matures, we'll be able to get much better recommendations than we do now.

Our environment could be a very important factor as well. We're starting to be able to measure different environmental exposures by testing for thousands of chemicals in a drop of blood. Epigenetics, which is the science of chemical marks placed on DNA to turn genes on and off, will also likely contribute to important differences. It's been a hard field because these marks vary in different tissues, and we can't easily get a sample of liver or heart tissue for a nutrition test. We have to track these changes in the bloodstream, and estimate whether they're the same changes that occurred in the organs themselves.

We'll have to include each of these factors to improve our predictions of who will or won't respond to a certain nutrient. Eventually, precision nutrition will have all of these inputs at its early stages.

There are various precision nutrition tests now being sold by different companies. Do they have anything useful to offer?

Right now, most tests look at one gene at a time in a database and say, "You have this gene difference and it makes you more susceptible to something." But the metabolic pathways for most nutrients are not controlled by a single gene. There may be 10 or 20 steps that all add up to how you respond to sugars, for example, and any one of those steps can cause a problem. Knowing where you have variations all along the pathway can help us predict how likely you are to have a problem metabolizing sugar. It's more sophisticated, but it's also harder to do.

Are there ethical concerns with precision nutrition?

Once I know something about a person's genetics for nutrition, I may be able to predict that they're more likely to develop a disease or a health problem. That could change whether an insurance company wants to cover them. We have to try to make that risk clear to people, and also work on improving privacy so their information isn't available to anybody but them.

The other problem is that wealthier people can afford to do these genetic tests and others can't. But we can use precision nutrition to find alternate solutions. For instance, women who can't turn choline production genes on with the hormone estrogen are at higher risk of having babies with neural tube defects and poor brain development. If we need a test for only that one gene difference, a test like that could be reduced to a few dollars and made widely available. Or we might choose to just give everybody choline supplements, if that proves to be a more cost-effective solution.

In the long run, will these discoveries help prevent disease?

There is an advantage in seeking more precise advice for some problems right now. With obesity, for instance, we know that as people gain weight, they develop a group of problems called metabolic syndrome that's related to the accumulation of fat in the liver. We know that because of genetic differences, about 20 percent of the population is much more likely to develop fatty liver and is at higher risk for developing these related problems. If we can test for these gene differences, then we can identify those who will benefit the most from changes in diet and weight loss and treat them, either with supplements, drugs or lifestyle changes.

Salt sensitivity is another example. About 10 percent of people have higher blood pressure when they eat high-salt diets. Right now, because we don't know the metabolic differences that contribute, we say everybody should stay away from salt. But the truth is, only about 10 percent of people are benefiting from that recommendation, and 90 percent are getting bland food that they don't like. If we could do genetic testing and tell whether a person is salt-sensitive, then they know that effort is worth it for their health. I think that helps to make people comply with recommendations and change their lifestyles.

Unlike some drugs, which have an all-or-nothing effect, nutrition's effects tend to be modest. But it's clearly an important, easy intervention. And if we don't fix a diet, then we have to treat the problems that arise from a bad diet.

Nutrition is always going to be a tough field to get precise results. It isn't going to be perfect until we can get all the variables identified. Part of what precision nutrition is doing is helping to refine the tools we have to understand these complex systems.

This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter.

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'Precision nutrition': Are hyper-individualized diets the future of eating? - The Week Magazine

As we soak in the soothing rains, the calming drops from the skies bring out the chai andpakoda cravings and instantly change the mood of the city to sublime hues. Work becomesslightly more bearable with the soft, cooling breeze while we hum our way to deadlines. Butthe season also comes with a lot of risks due to the humidity and the wet atmosphere,increasing your chances of falling ill. Hence, its important to make healthier lifestyle choicessuch as eating a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of immunity-boosting foods.Here are some powerful herbs and spices that not only add flavour to your food but also helpstrengthen your immune system:

Cinnamon: Commonly known as dalchini, cinnamon contains sufficient amounts ofmanganese, iron, calcium and fibre. Its essential oils including Cinnamyl acetate andcinnamaldehyde boost immunity. Cinnamon is also used as a wonderful cardio-protectiveherb as it helps to keep the blood pressure in check and it is also a great antioxidant.

Pepper: Pepper has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Its carminativeproperties also help in digestion and in maintaining gut health, but importantly, itsexpectorant properties help break up the mucus and phlegm depositions in therespiratory tract thereby providing relief from the nasal congestion and sinusitis. You canadd this effective ingredient in your diet by sprinkling some on your eggs, your salads,soups and even spice up your chai!

Cloves: Cloves contain an active ingredient eugenol that fights off disease-causingbacteria in the body thus, reducing the chance of infection. They also have antioxidantproperties which aid the immune system in fighting off oxidative damage and cell-damaging free radicals. Clove has been used for ages as a remedy for acute pains and it isalso an excellent respiratory herb.

Lemongrass: As rejuvenated as the aroma of lemongrass leaves us, it also contributessignificantly to the bodys wellness. Add its concoction to your teas and include it in yourmeals to enjoy its antioxidant properties. Its often referred to as fever grass as its usedfor treating fevers and symptoms of a cold. Additionally, it is also used for treatinginfections of the digestive tract and urinary tract.

Hing (Asafoetida): Hing or asafoetida has properties that help boost your immunitywith its anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and anti-viral properties. It keeps the digestivetract in check and targets cell-damaging free radicals which are contributors to variousdiseases. You can add it in your dal and other meals to enhance taste and wellness.

Turmeric: The age-old ingredient from moms kitchen can work wonders when itcomes to immunity. Be it in your food, milk or even your tea, turmeric helps cure wounds, clears the skin, aids in digestion and benefits your bones. Curcumin, a compoundpresent in turmeric, is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties that help boostimmunity. It is also a great antioxidant which helps to slow down the oxidativeprocesses in the body and keeps you looking young.

Ginger: Nothing says monsoons better than a good cup of ginger tea. Well, not onlyis it calming to the soul but the ginger in it also helps to ease throat infections. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties keep the bodys defences up againstcough, fever, chills and congestion.

A spoonful of honey mixed with ginger extract canhelp your child get rid of all the irritation and congestion in their respiratory tract.Ginger can also help ease out the aches and pains.

Garlic: Garlic has unparalleled benefits. From helping in keeping your blood pressure in check to keeping your gut healthy, it does it all. Its antimicrobial and antifungal propertiesstimulate the immune system and keep diseases at bay.

Add some garlic to your everydaycurries, mix it up with some chutneys and enjoy the flavour and the health. The allicin ingarlic also helps to fight allergies and respiratory infections. It is also a great naturalblood thinner.

(The author is a wellness expert)

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Spice it up - Deccan Herald