DEAR DR. ROACH: My adult son has lost over 100 pounds on an intermittent fasting diet (16 hours fasting per day) and now wants to continue fasting in the morning and just eat a heavier lunch and dinner to maintain his new weight. I am not sure that this kind of long-term fasting is good for his health. For his meals, he eats anything he wants and counts his calories. I have told him that it is better for his health if he eats more of a Mediterranean-style diet, which would include a plate made up of mostly vegetables, a small amount of meat, grains and some good fats. Could you advise us what you think is a good way to maintain weight loss after being on an intermittent fasting diet? -- G.B.

ANSWER: Most of the studies on intermittent fasting use an alternate-day approach, where a person takes in very little food (25% of needs) on fast days and more (125%) on the intermittent "feast" day. The studies show effective weight loss, similar to those put on a calorie-restricted diet. There aren't as many data on a 16-hour daily fast.

My experience is that intermittent fasting is an effective strategy for some people in whom other strategies have been unhelpful. One of my colleagues, an expert in weight loss, calls intermittent fasting another tool in her box.

While I agree with you that a Mediterranean-style diet has many health benefits, your son has had success with his fasting strategy. I have seen over and over again people having success with their plan (whatever that plan might be), only to go back to their old dietary habits and have the weight come back on. I would recommend he continue with the intermittent fasting, continuing to count calories, but to try to make sure what he does eat is as healthy as possible.

DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, a reader was concerned about his enlarged prostate and possible UTI. You wrote that he may possibly benefit from changing the pH of his urine, but you did not specify which way. It implied that acidic urine could be a problem. However, doesn't the drug Hiprex given for recurring UTIs help prevent infections by making the urine acidic? -- J.B.

ANSWER: Methenamine (Hiprex) is converted in an acidic environment (a pH below 5.5) to ammonia and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is not an antibiotic, but does have general bacteria-killing effects. Hiprex also contains two organic acids, hippuric acid and mandelic acid, which help keep the urine pH low so the drug will work. Other physicians prescribe vitamin C in addition to help ensure an acidic urine.

So, it's not the acidic urine that kills the bacteria with methenamine, it's that the drug is converted to bacteria-killing formaldehyde in the acidic urine. Most bacteria are relatively resistant to the acidic pH changes that are possible in the urine.

Methenamine is not an oft-used treatment. The antibacterial effect of the formaldehyde is weak compared with antibiotics. You are correct that it is most commonly used to prevent infections rather than to treat them. I have given it in women who have had allergies to multiple antibiotics.

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free.Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution today.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.

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HEALTH: Intermittent fasting is one more tool in weight-loss toolbox - Rockdale Newton Citizen

When you type Adele in Google, the search bar tries to automatically fill in the rest of your sentence with, lost weight and weight loss." This is probably because Adele recently posted on her social media for her 32nd birthday, which showed a change in her appearance. As a result, tabloids and social media accounts alike have been talking about her weight loss nonstop, mostly in praises. There are side-by-side comparisons of Adele throughout the years and captions talking about how beautiful and healthy she looks now.

So as our society celebrates Adele's weight loss, where does that leave us in this pandemic? How does this praise represent the projection of productivity we are forcing down our throats while in quarantine?

It's no secret our society loves to value women based on their weight. I wanted to type into Google, "Is Adele okay?" or "How is Adele handling her divorce?" or "Is Adele happy being a mom?" Of course, I wouldn't get a direct answer to this. But does anyone actually care? Aside from begging for more music, people only seem to be talking about her weight, as if it's the second-most defining thing about her. This isn't about "glowing up." Society's obsession with Adele's weight is the tip of the broken foundation that is body image in America.

Celebrities are often put up on a pedestal for having a certain aesthetic with their bodies. This "celebrity standard" is toxic and completely unreasonable. Women with unattainable bodies, like the Kardashians, are consistently praised for their figures. We see them plastered all over the front pages of magazines, 100 ft tall billboards in Times Square and every television channel. Even at the prestigious 2019 Met Gala, Kim Kardashian's waist was the main focus of her look. Not the dimensionality of her dress, not the hundreds of crystals hanging off of her, not even how she looked like she just walked out of the ocean all eyes were fixed on her impossibly tiny waistline.

But this isn't about pitting women against one another. Society is already doing that for us. This is about the fact that body-shaming comes in a variety of ways, even praise. Adele posted on her Instagram May 5th, and according to Google Trends, the topic of weight loss spiked to peak popularity of 98-100 the following two days compared to its usual little-over-half popularity of 58. In Google Trends, the numbers are put on a chart from 0 to 100 to represent the popularity of a topic. 100 means that the topic is at its most popular, while 50 means that the topic is half as popular. The related topic of Adele had a dramatic increase in searches related to the term weight loss, along with the most popular queries being how did Adele lose all her weight? and Adele weight loss plan.

In "Fat Shame: Stigma and the Fat Body in American Culture" by Amy Erdman, talks about how in modern days, weight gain is associated with negativity and loss of societal place. Meanwhile, weight loss has the total opposite result. Losing weight means youve gained approval and have improved your place in society.

The bias against gaining weight is evident in aspects and habits of American society, particularly through the microaggressions of commenting on the weight changes of celebrities.

Even though we're in the middle of a global pandemic, it seems as though everyone is capitalizing on how productivity is not only encouraged, but expected, as we continue staying at home. Even after we put together all of our puzzle sets and play all of the board games we own, we are still faced with the notion that we should be doing something useful, important, with our time. It feels as if we need to prove our worth with the results we produce by the end of quarantine. There are countless memes about coming out of quarantine with either a beach body or having gained weight. Meanwhile, the internet seems to ignore how hard it is staying at home for so long, and how this impacts one's body image and mental health.

American society is obsessed with always accomplishing and always being in motion. The work culture of this country is constantly driving people to do more, be more, even if its beyond our current limitation. Reactions to Adele weight loss are a prime example of how we tend to twist personal narratives to fit harmful biases; the bias of having to do anything productive with the crumbs of free time we get, even during a pandemic. It feels as though that if we dont come out of quarantine with a beach body, then we wasted the time we got indoors, even though things like mental health and finances are rarely brought into the picture of these biases. Adele lost weight; that doesn't mean you need to buy a gym membership and start doing online work-out sessions in your living room. It's easy to get lost in our own body image issues, especially while in quarantine. It's scary. But weight shouldn't be a life-sentence to how someone is treated.

Instead of focusing on Adeles weight, maybe we should focus on what we can do for ourselves during this pandemic, not what were being pushed to do by toxic standards.

While quarantined, Ive written lists for daily activities I want to accomplish, most of which surrounded my weight. Whether it was 30 minute workout or one hour walk, this list hung over my head every day, in addition to the guilt I felt if I didnt check off each box. The other items on the list were productivity-related, too. I wanted to write a book of poetry during quarantine, learn electric guitar, get into film photography, record what life was like during a pandemic so I can show my kids one day. These are all things I sincerely want to do, but the feeling of having to do it almost ruins the appeal in the first place. These activities used to be outlets, and now, Im forcing myself to enjoy them for the sake of productivity.

I recognize I need to be kinder to myself during quarantine. Its taken me years to get to a place where I can accept my body, even if thats still on shaky grounds. But I dont have to be productive through lists and tasks. Accepting my body is active and on-going, and I need to value that relationship more than how this society expects me to look.

Editor's Note: The views presented in this story belong to the writer and are not necessarily reflective of North by Northwestern as a whole.

Article Thumbnail: Marc E. / CC BY

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Yetikyel: Adele's weight loss re-opened the narrative of toxic-productivity during quarantine - North by Northwestern

Award-winning singer Adele has had an enviable career so far. She rose to fame in 2008 and has since been getting recognized all over the world for her vocal prowess and meaningful songs.

Although Adeleoften tries to keep her personal life on the down-low, many fans are stillcurious about what she does when she is not making music. Recently, Adele has attractedattention for her divorce from husband Simon Konecki as well as herjaw-dropping weight loss. These are no doubt huge changes to someones life,and it has made onlookers wonder: Is she dating anyone after her divorce andweight loss?

Adele and Konecki began dating in 2011, and a year later,they welcomed their son, Angelo. It is not clear when exactly Adele and Koneckitied the knot, but rumors of the singer getting married came out in 2017 andshe confirmed this not long after.

Unfortunately, Adele and Konecki announced they were divorcing in April 2019. A source told E! News the two of them simply grew apart as Adele made more strides in her career.

Their marriage was clearly working for a very long time,the insider explained. Whenever she was out at big openings and specialevents, he was usually with her, and they looked really just happy together andin love. They were into the marriage pretty much until they decided this justisnt working anymore.

RELATED: Adele Lost Weight Following the Trendy Sirtfood Diet, But Experts Say It Could Be Dangerous

Adele made a huge change this past year, but it was not justin her marital status. Fans noted that her appearance has changed drasticallyas well.

In early May, she shared a photo on Instagram to celebrateher 32nd birthday, and many followers saw that she was sportinga slimmer figure. Although Adele did not share how much weight she haslost, a medical expert told UsWeekly that it could be as much as 150 pounds.

According to Adeles personal trainer, Pete Geracimo, Adelesweight loss has always been about being a healthier version of herself insteadof getting super skinny.

When [her album] 25dropped and the tour announced, we had to get ready for a 13 month gruellingschedule, Geracimo explained. In that time, she warmed to training and madebetter food choices. As a result, she lost considerable weight and people tooknotice.

He also noted Adele has since embraced better eating habits and committed to her fitness.

RELATED: Adele Is Now Friends With the Royal Prince She Once Had a Massive Crush On

Since her divorce, Adele has been linked to a few famousfaces, including Skepta and HarryStyles. However, it does not seem like Adele will be in a committedrelationship anytime soon.

A source told Hollywood Life that Adele is perfectly happy being single at the moment, adding: She doesnt need a man to be happy. Right now, her focus is on being a mom and on her music.

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Is Adele Dating Anyone After Her Divorce and Weight Loss? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The key to successful weight loss for men is women when they live with a female partner, a new study has found.

Led by Dr Sheela Tripathee, now at the University of Aberdeens Institute of Applied Health Sciences and previously of the University of Glasgow, it explored the support men received from a co-habiting partner when trying to change their diet and improve physical activity.

Researchers followed the weight loss journeys of Scottish men taking part in the healthy living programme Football Fans in Training (FFIT) delivered at eight Scottish professional football clubs prior to Covid-19 restrictions.

Men attend 12 weekly sessions at the clubs, where they receive personalised advice and targets for changing their diet, participate in structured physical activity and are provided with tips on how to maintain the changes.

The research team, which also included Dr Helen Sweeting, Dr Stephanie Chambers and Dr Alice MacLean from the University of Glasgows MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, sought the views of both the men and their partners in the first qualitative study of its kind to assess this influence from both perspectives. Those who volunteered to take part were aged between 35 and 70 and all lived with a female partner.

In a journal article published in BMC Public Health, they noted differences between the level of involvement of partners and the reliance of men on their partners to make changes to their practices and physical activity, dividing these into categories including resolute and reliant.

As expected, those who were most reliant on a female partner taking charge of shopping a food preparation cited the most significant benefits but those who were more resolute and did not conform to more traditional gender roles still reported that it helped when a female partner participated in efforts to eat more healthily.

Similarly when it came to physical activity, researchers found that even among the men who expressed that they preferred to exercise alone, their partners reported supporting them to make and maintain physical activity changes in indirect ways, such as freeing them from family obligation.

Dr Tripathee said: We have seen from previous studies the positive influence a partner can have on mens dietary changes following mens diagnosis with an illness, however there was little evidence to show whether this was the case for healthy men.

This issue has previously been explored only from the mens perspective. By conducting this research with couples we have been able to demonstrate that mens attempts to make changes to dietary practices and physical activity were influenced by both levels of partner involvement and mens reliance on partners, she added

Dr Helen Sweeting said: This is the first qualitative study of its kind and suggests that whether or not someone is living with a partner should be considered as a factor when thinking about how to implement health interventions.

The study authors suggest that a deeper understanding of the complexities involved when behaviour change is attempted is now required particularly at a time when the need for lifestyle improvements and support networks are under sharp focus.

Dr Tripathee added: Our findings suggest that combining health interventions tailored for men, which provide personalised advice on how best to solicit partner support, along with encouraging partners to find ways to engage in supportive behaviours, could be an effective approach in designing weight loss interventions for men.

It is important that these factors are understood, particularly as we look at new ways of supporting people in their weight loss journeys while adhering to the Covid-19 restrictions.

The research was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

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A female partner may be key to successful weight loss in men - The Hippocratic Post

By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi | Published: May 26, 2020 8:00:48 pm Have rice and dal for lunch which is a good combination of nutrients. (Source: Getty Images)

Rice and chappati or roti are an important part of a meal in India, be it lunch, dinner or at times aloo ke paratha for breakfast. But with more awareness, besides diet fads taking over our consciousness, we now view them as carbs, which are often deemed unhealthy. Skipping carbs leads to faster weight loss and so rice and roti are seen as something that will interfere with your path to a fitter body.

What is healthier?

Weight loss happens when there is an overall reduction in calorie intake, explains Anushka Baindur, senior dietician at Fortis Hospital. Rice and chapati, when taken in the same quantities, provide more or less the same number of calories. So rather than opting for one over the other, more thought should be given to the quantity eaten, be it rice or roti, she explains. An excess of either can lead to extra calorie intake, which can lead to weight gain.

Have a balanced meal

The only difference between the two is the fibre content. Foods with high fibre content makes you feel full faster so you would eat less. Among rice and wheat, whole wheat has the highest fibre content, followed by brown rice and then white rice. But even if the rice has a lower fibre content, it can be balanced by combining it with lots of vegetables and whole pulses, so that one also ends up eating a lesser quantity of rice. Hence, the message here is to eat either rice or roti within limits and balance the meal with a protein like dals, pulses or lean meat and lots of vegetables.

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Rice vs roti: What is ideal for weight loss? - The Indian Express

MTV"Teen Mom OG" fans had a mixed reaction to how Maci Bookout and Ryan Edwards handled Bentley losing weight for wrestling.

Teen Mom OG fans had a mixed reaction to how Maci Bookout and Ryan Edwards handled Bentley cutting weight for wrestling. The 11-year-old is focusing on sports and wants to succeed in a state competition. Bookout is trying to help her son succeed, but Edwards isnt sure that losing weight will help him and is worried about what it might do to his development.

In the Instagram comments under MTVs promotion for Tuesdays episode, some fans sided with Bookout, saying she was doing a good thing by getting Bentley involved in sports. Others, however, were worried about her counting his calories and restricting his food. There was the same time of split reaction to how Edwards handled Bentleys new diet.

A majority of people didnt like to hear that Edwards told his son he would be a late bloomer and stunt his growth, but others agreed that Bentley shouldnt be pushing himself too hard at a young age. Some even accused Edwards of being jealous of his son, claiming that Bentley was on the road to success and its something the struggling father envies.

Last year, Bentley was struggling to deal with his dads addition, but wrestling has been a great outlet for him, Bookout says in the preview clip. He really wants to make it to the state tournament, so I got him a private lesson. He has to stick to a diet to make his weight class if he wants to achieve his goal.

The MTV cameras filmed Bentleys lesson, where Bookout shouts advice from the sideline. Maybe take a break because you got a two-hour practice tonight, too, she tells him.

When Bentley says hes hungry, she offers him a salad, but the 11-year-old wants chicken. You have lost your mind! she tells him, revealing Bentley currently weighs about 75 pounds. The weight groups are in five-pound increments, and they want to keep him in the 70 to 75-pound range.

He is just on a very strict, good healthy calorie diet, she says. Lots of water and workouts to actually cut weight. And as long as he uses the bathroom every day you cut like a pound when you do that. Youll be fine.

Edwards isnt on the same page as his ex, who was worried about Bentley breaking his diet when he saw his father. Bentley is still spending his time between our house and Ryans parents house, she says in a voice-over. So I hope when hes over there hes sticking to his diet because he needs to stay in his weight class to be competitive.

Bentley tells his father and stepmom, Mackenzie Standifer, that someone lost 11 pounds to get down to 60. How can you be stronger and not weak when youre cutting that much weight? Standifer asks.

Both she and Edwards were confused. I thought wrestling is about technique. I know you got to have a little bit of strength. So why arent you trying to gain weight? Edwards tells Bentley. You know whats going to happen, youre going to stunt your growth and when its time to get bigger youre gonna be a late bloomer and its going to suck for you.

To find out what happens next, dont miss Teen Mom OG when it airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

READ NEXT: Why Maci Bookout Said Ryan Edwards Wasnt Sober on Teen Mom OG

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Maci & Ryan Slammed For Bentley's Wrestling Weight Loss Reactions - Heavy.com

What keeps you motivated to work out daily? Is it just to stay fit or build muscles?

Most of the people who workout efficiently aim to build muscles - Sculpted abs, well-toned body and strong biceps. It makes you look more attractive, reduces the risk of injury and increases your ability to perform everyday activities with ease.

If you are new in this game of muscle building, let us apprise you that strong muscles are not only a result of lifting heavyweights. Unlike any other thing, there are some set of rules that one must follow to achieve that well-toned, jaw-dropping body that most people dream of achieving. For all the beginners who are trying to build muscles or about to embark on this journey, here are 5 basic rules you must follow to achieve your goal faster.

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Weight loss: 5 key rules to follow when trying to build muscles - Times of India

90 Day Fiance: The Other Way fans know that since last year, Tiffany Franco Smith has worked hard on her weight loss. Although very attractive, many people trolled on her during her season on the show and fat-shamed her. Unfortunately, now that she has lost weight, trolls still find something to say. But no matter what they think, Tiffany certainly lost a lot of weight.

TV Shows Ace reported that back in January, Tiffany already revealed her fantastic weight loss. She started with it soon after the birth of her daughter. She shared a photo back then that compared her figure in January to five months previously. InTouch Weekly noted though, that she gave away few details as to how she achieved her new figure. But, she told fans on Instagram that she never cheated on her daily regimen. And her biggest motivation for weight loss involves her staying healthy for her children. Mind you she shared on her Stories that she cheated on her birthday.

Slow and steady, Tiffany keeps on updating her journey with her 90 Day Fiance fans. However, as she shares a lot of promos for cleansing and teas, many fans grow irritated with her. One critic accused her last week of not getting a real job. Nevertheless, in fairness to Tiffany, real jobs seems a bit hard to come by during the coronavirus pandemic. And anyway, as one fan noted, she holds down a job as mom. And, any mom would promo items to help bring in some much-needed cash for the kids.

InTouch Weekly keeps tabs on Tiffanys journey and they reported this weekend that she updated on the amount of weight she lost so far. The outlet noted, [she] revealed she shed 24 pounds so far amid her weight loss journey, telling fans about her strides and hurdles along the way on May 22. It looks like she struggled a bit at the start of quarantine, as she gained six pounds back when it started. Initially, she lost 20 pounds. Now she lost a further 10 pounds. So taking away the weight she put on, she lost 24 pounds altogether.

While fans clamor for more information on her secrets, she only dishes a little bit of it. 90Day Fiance fans dont know why shes so secretive about it all. Potentially though, TLC might cover it in a future show. However, she shared that she maintains a nutritious meal plan and uses a detox.

What do you think about Tiffany Franco Smith doing so well with her weight loss? Sound off in the comments below.

Remember to check back with TV Shows Ace often for more news about 90 Day Fiance.

Jane is a writer who started a small book publishing company. She wrote three books, one of them published by Domhan. jane also writes a for The Destination Seeker and Blasting News. Jane sometimes writes as Woryn Jay.

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'90 Day Fiance: The Other Way': Tiffany Updates On Her Weight Loss - TV Shows Ace

As Im sure everyone is very aware at this point, Adele has lost someweight. In the past shes often been cited as a plus-size icon, aninspiration to heavier women everywhere. And of course, shes also been heavilycriticised for her appearance. A little too fat, was Karl Lagerfelds commentafter her appearance on the cover of Vogue in 2012; only one of thousands ofjudgements shes had to deal with throughout her career.

And now, naturally, people feel the need to address her new appearance.With almost 250 thousand comments on her recent Instagram post at the time ofwriting, ranging from Talk about a glow up! to YOU LOOK SO UNHEALTHY!,people clearly have a lot of opinions on her transformation. But why doescelebrity weight loss, or indeed any kind of weight loss, engender such astrong reaction? Why do we feel the need to speculate on a persons life, theirhealth, the motivations for their actions, when they change the way they look?

Honestly, I thinkthe explosive response to Adeles post says a lot more about society than itdoes about the singer herself. We shouldnt be talking about Adele rightnow; we cant know the exact reasons for her weight loss and, whats more,those reasons are absolutely none of our business unless she chooses to sharethem. Which she hasnt. What we should be talking about, however, is theobsession our society seems to have with tying a persons self-worth to theirsize.

This can happen in a lot of different ways: people can be shamed forbeing too big, too small, for changing, and a whole host of other things. Theycan also be praised for the way their body looks, something which is often justas damaging. When we make a big deal out of a persons weight, we send them amessage that this is something which defines them, and the way other people seethem. At the end of the day, the people who cant stop talking about Adelesweight loss are the kind of people who actuallydolet theiropinion of someone be determined by superficialities like appearance and bodytype. And if social media right now is any evidence, most of us seem to be thatkind of people.

Anyone who has lost or gained a lot of weight over a short period willtell you that it spurred on no shortage of speculation and gossiping. Peoplewant your advice, they want to give you advice, they want to praise orsympathise with or disapprove of you. Nine times out of ten, those commentsarent helpful, unless its already been made clear by the person in questionthat theyre comfortable talking about their weight.

As a society, we have a tendency to assume that a persons weight mustdirectly correlate to their identity in some way. When someones weight changes, we go crazy because ofsome idea that we now need to change the way we look at them; theyre adifferent person, after all. Well, heres my opinion. Theyre not. And unlessthey personally decide that their weight makes up a big part of their identity,it really has nothing to do with who they are. We should all stop wonderingabout what Adeles weight loss means for who she is and start thinking aboutwhat our reactions to it mean for who we are.

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Self-worth and Size: what weve learnt from celebrity weight loss - Cherwell Online

Getty / RyanJLane Yes, You Can Lose Weight Walking as Little as 30 Minutes a Day - but There's a Catch

If you're on a mission to lose weight but don't have the time or energy for a more intense workout, walking is a great place to start. And with fitness trackers and GPS apps readily available on our phones, it's easier than ever to track your steps, time, or distance whenever you hit the pavement.

So, let's say you walk for an hour during the day: will you lose weight? One study in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that subjects who, without making changes to their diet, worked out at a rate equivalent to walking 12 miles per week for eight months saw fat loss. The authors further stated that the controls in this experiment gained weight, but that could be reversed with 30 minutes of daily walking.

Plus, exercise physiologist Tom Holland, MS, CSCS, told POPSUGAR in a previous interview that you can certainly see weight-loss results by walking just 30 minutes per day. He recommends that true beginners start with walking three to four times per week, then increase from there. But, just how effective your workout is depends on a number of factors.

"The intensity at which you walk plays a key role in helping your body burn more calories and improve your cardiorespiratory system," Denise Miklasz, an ACE-certified personal trainer at Northwestern Medicine Crystal Lake Health & Fitness Center, told POPSUGAR.

If you're walking at a casual stroll, you're probably not going to achieve the weight loss you want. One way to pick up the pace? "You could include 30- to 60-second bursts of faster walking every three to five minutes, followed by a 30-second recovery walk," Miklasz said. You can also try walking with weights or picking a route with hills to add some intervals to your workout.

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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"An interval-training workout will continue to burn more calories after your workout due to a physiological effect called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. EPOC is sometimes referred to as the 'afterburn effect,'" Miklasz explained.

Even more important is your diet. You know this, but you can't eat whatever you want or as much as you want the second you start exercising. "In order to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit," Miklasz said. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so you'd need to carve out 3,500 calories each week in order to lose one pound, which experts consider a safe and healthy goal. In other words, "you need to either burn an extra 3,500 calories or remove 3,500 calories from your diet," Miklasz explained - or a combination of the two.

"Combining exercise with a healthy diet is more effective than restricting calories alone. Exercise can help you maintain and increase lean body mass, which results in a larger calorie burn per day," Miklasz said. To that point, when you're ready to start building muscle, remember that walking alone won't cut it. She noted, "Ideally, incorporating strength training along with aerobic exercise will increase muscle mass and boost your metabolism." This four-week workout plan for weight loss is a great place to start, and you can check out this beginner weightlifting plan as well.

Slideshow: Healthy and inexpensive ways you can de-stress at home (Provided by PopSugar)

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Yes, You Can Lose Weight Walking as Little as 30 Minutes a Day - but There's a Catch - MSN Money