Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper is an old nutritional adage that at first glance would seemingly be supported by a recent study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

But though the study made some interesting findings it certainly didnt warrant the slew of overblown headlines that came with it. These are just a selection:

People Who Eat a Big Breakfast May Burn Twice as Many Calories (Science Daily)

Eat a Big Breakfast to Lose Weight Fast (the Sun)

A Big Breakfast May Help You Burn Double the Calories (Healthline)

Wait, What? Study Shows Eating a Big Breakfast Can Lead to Weight Loss(MSN)

The study, at the University of Lubeck in Germany, actually involved just 16 healthy young men in an experimental crossover design. The men stayed at a research centre twice, a fortnight apart, for 72 hours each stay. On the evening of their arrival they had a standard evening meal, and then for the next two days, either:

The subjectswerent allowed to exercise, and during their stay researchers took regular measurements of their energy expenditure, blood glucose and insulin levels before and after meals.

On their second visit, the subjects were given the opposite of their original meal plan i.e. those who had previously received a high-calorie breakfast and low-calorie dinner now received a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner, and vice versa.

The findings of the study? The men's dietary-induced thermogenesis, or DIT the percentage of a meals calories burned off in the process of digesting that meal was around 2.5 times higher after breakfast than after dinner,for both the high and low-calorie meals.

Thats certainly of note, but it doesnt amount to anything like weight melting off effortlessly, or a doubling in daily calorie burn as implied.

As a theoretical example, imagine DIT was 20% of calories consumed at breakfast and 8% of calories consumed in the evening (both within the ballpark you could expect). Then assume you consumed 1000 calories for breakfast and 400 calories for dinner rather than the more usual 400 for breakfast and 1000 for dinner. In the first scenario youdbe burning off 232 calories in DIT across the two meals; In the second scenario, 160 calories a saving of just 72 calories.

72 calories fewer isnt totally meaningless, and dining late also had metabolic downsides in this study. Blood glucose was found to be 44% higher after a high-calorie dinner compared to a high-calorie breakfast, and 17% higher after a low-calorie dinner compared to a low-calorie breakfast. Concentrations of insulin were also 40% higher after a high-calorie dinner than after a high-calorie breakfast. The craving for sweets was reduced in those who ate a bigger early meal.

Buthow the body behaves under controlled conditions (i.e. in a study like this) may well not reflect what happens in real life.

In short, we dont know whether eating a big breakfast every day would lead to weight loss in real-world conditions, or whether the results are relevant to women, people who are exercising, or who have health complications due to being overweight or obese.

Nor do we know if there is caloric compensation later in the day in uncontrolled conditions: do people actually eat smaller meals later on when theyve had a big breakfast?

Some studies have suggested that eating a healthy breakfast does help people to eat less during the rest of the day, but one meta-analysis found that participants assigned to eat breakfast had a higher total daily energy intake than those assigned to skip breakfast.

So its a complicated picture thats affected by many different factors, not least what fits in with your lifestyle and hunger cues.

Ultimately youll plan meal times to suit your individual circumstances whether thats bigger breakfast or bigger dinner, calories are still king.

Read more here:
No, a Big Breakfast Isn't Necessarily Going to Help You Lose Weight - American Council on Science and Health

Hospitals across the state have canceled hundreds of non-urgent surgeries for patients, including joint replacements and weight-loss operations, leading procedures to plummet 30 to 50 percent at some large facilities.

Elective procedures and routine medical care are being postponed around the country because of the coronavirus, creating distress for patients, sharp public disagreements among doctors, and worries for hospital executives whose institutions are likely to face steep financial repercussions.

Doctors and health care executives in Massachusetts said patients have been mostly supportive, knowing hospitals need to free up nurses and doctors to treat coronavirus patients and conserve protective equipment like masks, gloves, and gowns. "People understand this is a new reality for us,'' said Nancy Shendell-Falik, president of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Still, the dreaded cancellation phone call has brought deep disappointment to some patients.

Justin OConnor, 67, scheduled his hip replacement surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital two months ago, an operation he badly needs to relieve pain that makes it hard to walk, even with a cane.

On Friday his surgeon said he hoped to squeeze in OConnors operation before the hospital began shutting down elective procedures. Then, on Sunday at noon, OConnor got the phone call: His surgery scheduled for 8 the following morning was indefinitely postponed because of the coronavirus.

"I understand at some point as the virus spreads this kind of stuff makes sense,'' said OConnor, who lives in Woburn. "My other feeling is that today that surgical suite went unused and the doctors talent went unused and my pain is still there.''

Some hospitals had already started to cancel discretionary procedures and non-essential medical appointment last week, but that effort intensified over the weekend as the Baker administration directed all Massachusetts hospitals to stop performing non-essential elective procedures. At some hospitals, doctors made personal calls to their patients while at others assistants were handed lists to work from.

The results have already been dramatic.

On Monday, surgeries at Baystate fell 40 to 50 percent, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, operations were down 30 to 40 percent, and at Brigham and Womens Hospital, they decreased 30 percent.

"We are trying to take the pressure off our provider workforce, which is also under some threat,'' said Dr. Gerard Doherty, surgeon-in-chief at the Brigham, which normally does 700 operations a week. "We dont know how many COVID-positive patients we will be taking care of next week.''

Hospital executives and doctors said they are canceling elective surgeries, as well as certain low-risk cancer surgeries and cardiac bypass surgery, when the patient is stable. Operations that cant be postponed include trauma surgery, appendectomies, perforated ulcers, and cancer surgery when putting off the operation could worsen the patients chances of survival.

The challenge is that about half of all operations fall somewhere in the middle, gray areas where hospitals are largely leaving decisions in the hands of the surgeons who know their patients best. At Baystate, for example, one neurosurgeon planned to postpone spine surgery when a patients only symptom was radiating leg pain, but proceed with surgery when a patient developed additional symptoms such as difficulty controlling their foot.

"Our chiefs and chairs will talk with surgeons about where we are drawing the line,'' said Dr. Saul Weingart, chief medical officer at Tufts Medical Center. "We are trying to get people aligned on having a common set of expectations given that we are getting ready for an influx [of coronavirus patients]. There are probably some borderline cases we want to get done early.''

Hospitals nationally have bristled at what they consider blanket calls by Trump administration officials to cancel elective procedures.

On Saturday morning, the US Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Dr. Jerome Adams, tweeted to hospitals and health care systems to PLEASE CONSIDER STOPPING ELECTIVE PROCEDURES until we can #FlattenTheCurve!

Hospital groups fired back the next day in a memo to Adams that they made public.

"We are concerned about recent comments by government officials that could be interpreted as recommending that hospitals immediately stop performing elective surgeries without clear agreement on how we classify various levels of necessary care,' wrote the American Hospital Association and three other groups.

"We cannot completely cease caring for illness in our community that is not directly related to the COVID-19 crisis. Our ability to respond to patients must not be prevented by arbitrary directives, but any curtailment must be nuanced to meet the needs of all severely ill patients,'' they said, citing as examples repair of faulty heart valves, removal of a serious cancerous tumors, or pediatric hernia repair.

In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker was not specific with his directive, just saying "Hospitals must cancel non-essential elective procedures.'' The administration did not provide detailed guidance, apparently leaving it up to hospitals to decide what can be delayed and what cannot.

Liz Kowalczyk can be reached at lizbeth.kowalczyk@globe.com.

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Hospitals cancel hundreds of non-urgent procedures, surgeries, and medical appointments - The Boston Globe

A vegan diet is an excellent way to eat for weight managementyou just have to do it correctly. Many people assume eating vegan is a means to shedding some pounds, but that's not necessarily the case. As with any diet or lifestyle change, you have to eat a well-balanced, nutritionally sound diet and take in (or burn off) fewer calories than take in to lose weight. This means that just because youre eating vegan if youre not following the proper portion sizes, or not reaching for whole foods, you can still see weight creeping up on the scale unexpectedly.

Add overeating to the new forms of vegan food available (read: fast-food restaurants with new vegan options) and youll find convenient vegan offerings all over, albeit ones that may be still slightly unhealthy for you.

Eating vegan used to be about eating a whole-food, plant-based diet with only vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, says plant-based nutrition expert Julieanna Hever, MS, RD author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Vegan Nutrition and the upcoming book, The Healthspan Solution (December 2019). Now, vegan food is everywhere and it's accessible. For the first time in 14 years, I'm having clients come to me with the same health issues as clients who dont follow a vegan diet, like weight issues and high cholesterol. I never saw that before, ever.

Here, Hever shares some of the most common reasons why someone isn't losing weight on a vegan diet as well as how to eat vegan so that you lose weight without depriving yourself or becoming hangry in the process.

One of the beautiful benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet is that when you eat any combination of the infinite variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, you will get just what you need, Hever says. This means you dont have to stress about keeping score of your macronutrients like carbs, protein, and fat, you just have to eat food as whole and straight from the source as possible. If youre concerned about your weight, eat more whole plant foods that are nutrient-dense and calorically light to fill up while steering clear of the processed [and packaged plant-based] foods, Hever recommends.

People think that because something is labeled vegan, it's healthy, whether thats on a restaurant menu or a label in the grocery store. Thats not necessarily true, because ice cream is still ice cream, says Hever. Yes, the vegan version is better for you than the dairy version, but it's not going to make you healthy, and it's not going to help you avoid weight gain. For example, a 2/3-cup serving of Ben & Jerrys Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has 350 calories, 33 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of saturated fat. Its made with almond milk, coconut oil, and pea protein, but that doesnt make it an ideal plant-based food. Youre better off having a cup of fresh fruit and pairing it with a plant-based glass of milk or yogurt for protein instead if youre looking to lose or maintain weight loss.

Since youre not trying to follow a diet while eating vegan you might be reveling in the fact that you dont have to measure out portions of foods. The problem is, its all too easy for portions to get larger without us knowing it, and those extra calories can add up to weight gain, no matter what youre filling your plate with. Think about it: If that sprinkle of walnuts on your morning oatmeal (probably a tablespoon) starts becoming a handful (closer to -cup) youll be taking in about 200 more calories easily. That portion increase alone could tally up to 20 pounds in a year if you ate that breakfast daily! If youre focused on whole plant foods and find you're gaining weight, eat smaller servings, suggests Hever. One area she finds her vegan clients tend to overdo it are oil portions as well as nuts and seeds. Use measuring spoons and cups for these caloric, high-fat items when watching your waistline.

If you followed previous diets that were low in carbs before becoming a vegan, it can be refreshing to have them back on the menu as a plant-based eaterbut all too easy to use them as a crutch. For example, cereal at breakfast, a vegan pizza at lunch, pasta with vegetables at dinner and whole-grain crackers for snacks makes your meals almost entirely consistent with carbs, which your body stores as fat if theres a surplus that it cant burn off as energy. Avoid this weight loss trap by making sure vegetables are the focus of your meal and carbs are aside. You can also opt for whole grain rice, pasta, breads, cereals, and whole wheat quinoa so you know youre eating nutritionally sound carbs that are digested slower, giving your body a chance to burn off more throughout the day.

It sounds counterintuitive but if you arent consuming enough calories and eating nutritious meals on a vegan diet, your metabolism can slow down, making it harder to lose weight. Not only will you likely feel really hungry if youre restricting calories too much (intentionally or unintentionally) but your bodys caloric burn rate will slow, and itll want to hold on to every calorie you give it. (Not to mention that you could be setting yourself up for a binge on unhealthy vegan foods in the near future.) Focus on eating well-rounded, whole food plant-based meals that are high in fiber and contain healthy fats, protein, and carbs to help you feel full while meeting your nutritional needs.

There are plenty of mistakes you could make on a vegan diet that could cause you to gain weight (as with any diet), but research still finds that people who follow a plant-based diet tend to have lower BMIs than those who dont, meaning that as long as you think about what youre eating and make a concerted effort to eat regular, smaller whole food, plant-based meals the chances that youll lose weight while increasing your longevity is a safe bet.

More here:
5 Reasons You Haven't Lost Weight on a Vegan Diet - The Beet

Rebel Wilsons personal trainer has revealed the exercise routine that has helped the star achieve her newly slimmed-down figure.

WATCH:Rebel Wilson completes a gruelling workout at the gym

Jono Castano Acero says that if, like Rebel, you want to achieve weight loss results you need to be training for at least 45 minutes a day

'At a minimum, I preach to always get in 45 minutes daily. Whether that be a workout, a walk or something else that's physical that you enjoy doing,' Jono told Daily Mail Australia.

Jono, 28, believes that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best form of exercise for weight loss.

'What I do for most of my clients looking to shed some pounds is incorporating a mix of different exercises into their session. Short bursts of intense cardio combined with resistance training and weights is my special formula,' he said.

'It fires up the heart rate and calorie burn as well as builds lean muscle so your body continues to burn calories at a high rate throughout the day.'

Back in January, Rebel took to Instagram to show off her incredible body transformation, admitting to her followers that while she had relaxed her healthy eating habits over Christmas, she now intends to avoid the junk and sugar food.

Posing in her activewear whilst out for a jog on the beach, the 39-year-olds fans were quick to praise the Cats star for her weight loss.

Okay so for me 2020 is going to be called The Year of Health so I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now and trying to avoid the sugar and junk food which is going to be hard after the holidays Ive just had but Im going to do it! Whos with me in making some positive changes this year? Rebel wrote in the photos caption.

Getty

See more here:
Rebel Wilson's trainer dishes the secrets to her huge weight loss - Who

My name is Lacey Renee Fithian (@lacey.fithian), and I'm 34. I live in California and I'm a mother and wellness coach. After struggling with binge eating for years and reaching 285 pounds, I decided to start tracking my food intake and working out with an at-home fitness streaming service. I feel younger now than I did in my 20s.

My weight issues began very early on. As early as elementary school, I struggled with eating disorders. I would hide food in my closet and under my bed. I regularly binge ate in secret. I was much heavier than all of my classmates, and I was bullied terribly for being overweight throughout my school years and into my early adult years. I had trouble finding clothing in my size.

My mother tried so hard to help me to lose the weight and get healthy by signing me up for numerous diet plans. Plans worked short term, but I didnt maintain the results. I had the mindset that I would never change and food would always have power over me. Thinking this way pushed me even deeper into my illness.

Before work, I would go through the drive-thru and order as much food as possible. Then, I would pull over in the parking lot or somewhere unseen and eat it all. This horrible cycle affected my ability to work and live a decent quality of life. I was literally living just to eat.

I began avoiding the doctor because I was always lectured on good food habits and exercise. I was warned that my weight was becoming dangerous for my stature, and I would do some irreversible damage to my body if I didnt make a change. But that didnt stop me.

I had a long list of health issues, many of which I thought stemmed from being overweight. The most notable issues were severe depression, anxiety, chronic hives, fatty liver disease, and endocrine issues. Most of my conditions required strong medications like hormone medications, steroids, and antidepressants. My weight also caused debilitating back pain and fluid in my knees. My entire system was overloaded from the level of neglect I had subjected it to. I was constantly in pain and uncomfortable.

Instead of changing my ways, though, I used food to console myself. At 32 years old, I was at my heaviest weight of 285 pounds.

I was 32 years old, and I woke up in the morning groggy and in pain. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I had finally hit rock bottom. I had eaten myself into a black hole over the holidays and felt absolutely run down. Everyone around me was setting New Year's resolutions and talking about the changes they hoped to make in the new year. I hadnt thought twice about my future until that moment.

I depended on a heap of medications to keep myself semi-functional. I couldnt keep up with my kids and had withdrawn from society. I wasnt exercising and I was on my way to a heart attack. Metabolic syndrome was kicking in on top of everything else. To be honest, I'd just had enough.

I had tried just about every restrictive diet out there and it never worked. The more I restricted myself, the more I wanted to binge eat. I needed something that wasnt just a diet; I needed a mindset and lifestyle change.

It came down to me becoming my own food detective. I focused on portioning my plate evenly and making sure that all the foods I chose were nutrient-dense and not empty calories. I wanted my calories to be worth it and work for me, not against me.

I also started tracking everything. I used to dread tracking my meals and weighing myself because I didnt want to admit I had a serious problem. But once I began tracking my weight, my water intake, my mood, and everything I ate (down to the condiments, dressings, and seasonings!), I was able to get a clear picture of what was working and what wasnt.

I began with walking and swimming at my heaviest weight and gradually worked my way up to more strenuous work, like yoga and cross training.

Now I work out at home using an on-demand fitness streaming service, where I can pick and choose a program that works for me. I typically do a structured program that is a certain length, like eight weeks or so, and each day the workouts focus on a different area, with at least one day of all cardio. I work out in the mornings at least five days a week, and my workouts range anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

I like that there's no guessworkyou just follow the videos. I have lost most of my weight this way, and the convenience of it has helped me stay on track. I dont have to pack up myself and my three kids to go work out.

By committing to myself, Ive been able to reverse the damage that was done to my body and eradicate the illnesses that plagued me for so long. I am virtually pain-free and I no longer depend on a plethora of medications to get me through the day. I take vitaminsand thats it!

Gone are the days of binge eating and trying to fill a void with food. I have learned how to properly eat to fuel my body and exercise to improve my overall health and well-being. Im 34 years old, and I feel better and younger now than I did in my 20s. My journey isnt over, its just beginning. This isnt a short-term goal for weight lossits a lifestyle change.

More:
'I Overcame Binge Eating By Practicing Portion Control And At-Home WorkoutsAnd I Lost 150 Lbs.' - Women's Health