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Its that hold-your-breath moment, often at the start of the day: The numbers on the scale can have so much influence on your sense of self-worth. Each one of us is so much more than the figure that flashes upyet research has shown that consistently weighing yourself is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and subsequently keep it off.

But when can you take a step back from all that vigilance over your food intake, exercise, and weight? A study conducted by researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Virginia set out to determine how often an individual should weigh themselves to effectively keep weight off.

The results and analysis were published in March 2024 in the journal Obesity. Led by scholars of metabolism, cardiovascular health, and psychology, the study followed 74 adults who were overweight or obese with an average age of 50. The study tracked these participants throughout a nine-month maintenance period after completing a three-month-long weight loss plan, asking them to monitor their weight, food intake, and activity and to report on the days they tracked every week.

What Is Your Set Point Weight? Heres How To Gauge ItAnd Why a Doctor Says Youll Want To

The researchers found that weight re-gain correlated with the frequency per week that the participants monitored their weight. Those who continued monitoring their weight, diet, and activity at least three days per week were likelier to have maintained their weight at the end of the nine months. Participants who tracked their values for five days or more each week were more likely to continue losing weight. And interestingly, tracking for one to two days per week was associated with significant weight gain.

The researchers were encouraged by the results because in this study, maintenance was attainable with just three to four days of monitoring per week. These results provide support for using modified schedules of self-monitoring during maintenance, with the potential to lower self-monitoring burden and ultimately improve long-term adherence and weight-loss maintenance, they said.

Additionally, they note that the data support the idea that a slow and steady approach is more effective than bursts of weight monitoring. Also, consistently reporting metrics three to four days per week worked much better than reporting seven days one week and then only one day on another week.

This modified maintenance is encouraging for people who want to be a little more flexible, but still mindful, with their diets after weight loss.

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The Best Way to Keep Weight Off? Weigh Yourself This Often, Says New Study - The Healthy

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When will we see through the haze of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy?

Hopefully soon. These drugs might reach 30 million U.S. users by 2030. Surging, off-label demand has come with unintentional overdoses, rising prices and medication shortages. Further expansion seems likely with the Food and Drug Administrations recent approval of another class of medications to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight.

These medications, called GLP-1 receptor agonists or semaglutides, have gotten the attention of the New York City Council. One member has proposed a law requiring the city health department to release information on the consequences of off-label use of these medications for weight loss.

About 20% of patients taking GLP-1s for weight loss experience nausea and vomiting; 30% get diarrhea. Add headaches, swelling of nasal passages, allergic reactions, pancreatitis, and fatigue to the list, along with rare cases of thyroid cancer in laboratory animals.

Admittedly, bariatric surgery, my area of expertise, also poses risks, like any surgical procedure. Still, it remains a safe, long-term option offering better long-term control of weight and glucose levels than medical therapies for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Patients need accurate information about the risks and benefits of all options.

There is no denying: Semaglutides are a powerful class of drugs helping push back on the obesity epidemic. They offer weight loss, reduced appetite, and slower emptying of the stomach that makes patients feel full faster.

Ive also seen at my Great Neck-based practice what can happen when patients stop taking semaglutides. It can trigger weight (re)gain, a greater appetite, a surge of blood sugar, and lean muscle mass loss with body fat percentage gain. There can be withdrawal symptoms.

Data, physician awareness, and patient education can help us assess whats best for each patient, medication or bariatric surgery. The lack of knowledge translates into only about 200,000 patients per year pursuing weight-loss surgery about 1% of those who qualify for it.

Physicians need to share that bariatric surgery remains an effective, long-term tool that has become safer and less invasive. It can be highly effective for weight loss and management of obesity-induced complications, especially when surgeons use minimally invasive procedures. This approach, used in 90% of bariatric surgeries, results in shorter hospital stays, less blood loss during procedures, less postoperative pain, and fewer pulmonary complications and wound infections.

We need to review data comparing outcomes for patients who have undergone gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and intensive medical therapy alone. Of patients who underwent medical therapy, 12% achieved the desired diabetes targets after a year, but positive effects of metabolic surgery lasted longer and also improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Those advantages must be considered against potential post-surgical drawbacks like anemia or gastrointestinal problems.

Its clear semaglutides have tremendous potential, though we dont yet know their full impact. If we can find optimal ways to wean patients off those them, perhaps they might help patients maintain weight loss after bariatric surgery.

Semaglutides also have opened the door to reframing obesity as a medical condition without shame. When we can consider weight-loss options without stigma, patients are better positioned to receive information from their doctors and make decisions. The less starry-eyed we are, the better we can focus on the positive, long-term health outcomes each patient deserves.

THIS GUEST ESSAY reflects the views of Dr. Aurora Pryor, system director for bariatric surgery at Northwell Health and surgeon in chief at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

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Given their side effects, weight-loss drugs might not be good for all - Newsday

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If you put a lab mouse on a diet, cutting the animals caloric intake by 30 to 40 percent, it will live, on average, about 30 percent longer. The calorie restriction, as the intervention is technically called, cant be so extreme that the animal is malnourished, but it should be aggressive enough to trigger some key biological changes.

Scientists first discovered this phenomenon in the 1930s, and over the past 90 years it has been replicated in species ranging from worms to monkeys. The subsequent studies also found that many of the calorie-restricted animals were less likely to develop cancer and other chronic diseases related to aging.

But despite all the research on animals, there remain a lot of unknowns. Experts are still debating how it works, and whether its the number of calories consumed or the window of time in which they are eaten (also known as intermittent fasting) that matters more.

And its still frustratingly uncertain whether eating less can help people live longer, as well. Aging experts are notorious for experimenting on themselves with different diet regimens, but actual longevity studies are scant and difficult to pull off because they take, well, a long time.

Heres a look at what scientists have learned so far, mostly through seminal animal studies, and what they think it might mean for humans.

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Could a Calorie-Restricted Diet or Fasting Help You Live Longer? - The New York Times

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When the financial analyst Emily Field was commissioned by Barclays to predict the likely economic implications of the new generation of weight-loss drugs, she came back with a startling answer: this will be comparable to the invention of the smartphone. For 40 years, people have been gaining weight, with a trebling in global obesity rates since 1975 but that trend now looks likely to be slammed into reverse. These new drugs, working in a very different way to previous weight-loss drugs, cause remarkable levels of physical shrinking: for Ozempic and Wegovy, people lose on average 15 per cent of their body weight in a year, while for the newer drugs coming down the line, its a staggering 24 per cent. As these drugs become

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I've lost three stone taking Ozempic. But am I at risk? - The Times

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A WOMAN who couldn't afford a gastric band instead imagined one - and was stunned to see the pounds falling off her.

Sheila Hannah was desperate to lose weight, but she was shocked at the 12k price tag of a gastric band.

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She weighed over 17 stone and knew she needed to shed the pounds - but couldnt afford the surgery.

So instead she hypnotised herself into thinking she had a gastric band - and has managed to lose an amazing seven stone!

Sheila, 64, from Ormskirk, Lancs, said: Ive been on a programme which talks you through the gastric band surgery, step by step, and even all the pre-op tests too, so you really feel like you have gone through each stage.

I was horrified when I found out that gastric band surgery cost so much money.

Ive had gallbladder surgery before, and that was bad enough, so I didnt really want to have an operation.

Having a virtual operation has really suited me a lot better.

Sheila was spurred into action last year, after her husbands health deteriorated and she realised that it had impacted on her too.

Id always be telling him to just put the kettle on or run upstairs and fetch me something down, and when he wasnt able to do that, I realised how much energy it took and how much my weight was getting in the way, said Sheila.

So I knew I had to do something about it. Id tried lots of diets in the past and Id never been able to lose weight and keep it off.

After finding out the cost of gastric band surgery was too much for her to pay, she found the Hampshire Hypnotherapy Centre and asked them to help her with their Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis.

I started it in May last year, and by July Id lost two stone and went on holiday to Greece and none of my holiday clothes fitted me anymore, as they were too big, recalls Sheila.

The programme was brilliant - I would listen to the tapes in the morning and evening, and even in bed Id fall asleep listening to them.

Almost immediately my eating habits just kept getting better and I was naturally pushing my plate away when I felt satisfied, and I was dishing up smaller portions without even thinking about it.

Beforehand, Sheila would have tea and toast for breakfast, then sandwiches, crisps and chocolate for lunch, and shed munch on a packet of biscuits whilst she was cooking dinner.

Now I have weetabix and fruit about 11am, said Sheila.

And then snack on fruit and have a chilli or something else homemade in the evening.

But Ill only eat half a portion, and then put the other half in the freezer for another day.

Losing weight should be a long-term commitment to healthier living, rather than any drastic measures.

The NHS tips - which can be adopted slowly - include:

Read about:

And it really works. Ill have a roast dinner, but Ill only eat one roast potato.

Before Id have eaten lots more potatoes without really tasting them. It was mindless eating as a habit.

The programme is based around a Think Eat Sleep Repeat basis, using powerful hypnotherapy sessions and a weekly live support group session.

The weight just fell off me, said Sheila. By February this year Id lost a total of seven stone, and I feel fantastic.

I work in a hardware store and customers come in who havent seen me for a while and dont even recognise me.

Ive never been a gym bunny, but I love walking now as Ive got so much more energy.

Ive lost the same weight as my granddaughter weighs, so she has even fitted with me in an old dress I used to wear.

Im the lightest weight Ive been in 40 years. I lost weight after my daughter was born and got down to ten stone, and shes 43 now!

And Ive never been as light since, until now!

Ive got so much more confidence now in what I look like. And having a virtual gastric band was so much better than having to have an operation to have one fitted.

It's given me a whole new lease of life.

For more information on the Think Eat Sleep Programme visit http://www.tesr.co.uk

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I couldnt afford a gastric band so I IMAGINED one and lost 7st in 8 months the weight just fell off... - The Sun

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Billie Jean King is opening up about using weight loss injections to help "quiet the noise" of her eating disorder.

The tennis legend, 80, appeared on the April 24 episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus podcast Wiser Than Me, where she discussed her decision to try the popular weight loss aid.

I'm a binge eater. Every morning I wake up, I tell myself I have an eating disorder. I still go to therapy. I still think about it, she said on the show. It's interesting with the new injections, you know, with the Ozempics of the world. It's very interesting because my doctor wants me to try it.

Ozempic is an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes. It's one of the brand names for semaglutide also known as Wegovy (FDA-approved for chronic obesity) which works in the brain to impact satiety. Ozempic and Wegovys competitors are Mounjaro and Zepbound brand names for tirzepatide, which works by reducing appetite and improving how the body breaks down sugar and fat.

The four medications taken by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm have been trending in Hollywood due to celebrities using it for weight loss when not medically necessary.

King, a longtime advocate for womens and LGBTQ+ rights, revealed that she's actually taken a few injections now. However, she said she doesnt want to lose weight fast because she thinks its unhealthy.

My therapist asked me, Has it quieted your mind? With an eating disorder, I have two voices in my head sometimes that argue, she explained. Let's say I want a quart of ice cream. One side will say, Yeah, baby, I'm going to have that ice cream no matter what. And the other side says, No, don't do that. It's not healthy. You don't need it. So I have this discussion that goes on in my head and sometimes it's very elevated.

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It was such a great question because if [weight loss medication] does quiet the voices if that's a part of it now Im [interested in] it because that would be really great, she added. Because that gets exhausting and tiring. And I don't wanna fight over these things.

In addition to going to therapy and trying the weight loss injections, King said on the podcast that in the past, she went to The Renfrew Center, an inpatient eating disorder clinic, for help.

When I was around 50 and I was going through all my sexuality, oh my God, it was a mess. And that I think caused a lot of my eating disorder as well, she said. I went to Renfrew in Philadelphia back in 95-ish. I went to therapy and I lived there for six weeks. I would go to therapy three times a week.

Although she still deals with a few health struggles, King said getting older has allowed her to be happier than ever.

[Aging] is tough physically, there's no question, and also for your mind. I don't want to get dementia, for instance. I'm scared of that because my parents had it, she said. But I'll tell you, whats really been fantastic, and that is that, emotionally, I am so happy compared to my young days. I've worked at it through therapy, through thinking, through just going through tough times. But I just emotionally am in such a great place now.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please go to NationalEatingDisorders.org.

Link:
Billie Jean King Says She Has 'Taken a Few Injections' to Quiet the Noise of Her Binge Eating Disorder - PEOPLE

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In this time of peak health and fitness, were constantly being bombarded with news and information on latest developments, diets and exercise trends.

From YouTube workout videos and social media fitness influencers to traditional and holistic medical advice, theres an array of platforms and channels from which to access information or find inspiration for different body types and lifestyles.

At the core of most health messaging, however, the basics remain the same.

Many people continue to track body weight as an indicator of health. Whether trying to lose weight or bulk up, the numbers on the scale have remained the most popular way of assessing body changes.

We weigh ourselves to monitor changes in body composition, assess health status and track progress towards goals, says Nur Al Abrach, clinical nutritionist at Nabta Health. Its advisable when done moderately and under professional guidance, especially for individuals managing conditions like obesity or undernutrition.

Regular weigh-ins provide feedback on progress, aiding motivation and adjustment of strategies. Weekly weigh-ins are generally recommended to prevent obsession and promote a balanced approach to weight management under professional guidance.

While some diet programmes suggest keeping track of weight on a daily basis to track fluctuations, others say once a week gives a better overview. There are also some who suggest not weighing yourself at all, chucking out the scales and using markers such as body measurements or the fit of clothing to track progress instead.

So, how often should you weigh yourself?

One of the most important things to consider when trying to change your weight is how much it fluctuates, not only on a day-to-day basis, but sometimes hourly.

Weight is not only dependent on calories in versus calories out, but is also affected by sweating, exercise and other environmental, physical and emotional factors.

Weight can fluctuate quickly or slowly, says Dr Donald Hensrud, associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at Mayo Clinic. When it fluctuates quickly hourly or daily it is usually due to fluid changes because changes in body fat and lean tissue do not occur that rapidly. If someone is in hot weather and/or exercising, they can lose quite a bit of weight through sweating or when exercising, using the bodys stores of glycogen.

Glycogen is a form of glucose and is how carbohydrates are stored in the body, in the muscles and liver. Glycogen contains a lot of water and is used by the body as a quick energy reserve.

When used, glycogen releases water, says Hensrud. Conversely, if someone eats a lot of food, especially salty food, and drinks a lot of water, they may gain some body water weight and/or glycogen relatively quickly.

Along with food intake and hydration, stress levels and hormones can play a big part in weight fluctuations, the latter especially affecting women with weight changes caused by water retention and change in appetite. In this instance, escalating numbers on the scale are due to an increase in body weight, but not fat.

Hormonal changes such as the menstrual cycle can affect water retention and eventually shows as weight gain, says Sushma Ghag, clinical dietitian at Aster Hospital, Mankhool.

The average adults weight fluctuates up to five to six pounds per day [2.5kg-2.7kg].

While the number on a scale offers a snapshot of weight at any given time, it cannot differentiate between water retention and body fat.

Measuring body fat percentage can be more informative than just body weight, says Ghag. There are various methods to measure body fat percentage, like bio-electrical impedance scale, skin fold callipers and Dexa scan. A decrease in body fat percentage is a good indicator of a healthy body composition.

If the goal is weight loss, fat loss should be tracked over a longer time period than water loss.

Its important to recognise the difference between weight loss and fat loss, which takes longer to gain and lose, says Sarah Lindsay, cofounder of Roar Fitness. Everyone's weight fluctuations are different and generally the bigger the person and the more muscle mass the more potential for greater disparity. My body weight will fluctuate by 2kg daily depending on the time of day, what and how much I have eaten and drunk, if I have travelled and if I have exercised, especially in high heat.

In addition to or instead of stepping on the scales, there are many other ways to track changes in body shape that dont focus on weight. One of the most popular methods is to take measurements of body parts such as waist, hip, chest, arms and thighs to see if there has been loss or gain.

Taking pre and post-diet photos can help you to visually track changes in your body shape and appearance, says Ghag. Fitness levels and overall stamina are good indicators of a healthy body too.

Trying on smaller-sized clothes or digging out items from your wardrobe that no longer fit and trying them on each week is a great way to check progression, along with being aware of energy levels, sleep quality and mood.

The only way to track your body weight is to weigh yourself but there are far more important health and fitness progress markers to note, says Lindsay. Such as body composition: is your muscle-to-fat ratio improving? Strength: are you lifting heavier weights? Recovery: is your recovery between sets or sessions getting faster? And most importantly, how do you feel?

The answer will vary depending on the individual, their goals and the way in which weight tracking affects their mental health.

Constantly weighing oneself may result in individuals feeling unhappy or disappointed when they do not see the number they expect on the scale, says Ammarah Ashraf, clinical psychologist at Nabta Health. Constantly exposing oneself to such disappointment can also lead to developing unhealthy habits such as skipping meals, following crash diets that can impact ones nutrition requirements and disordered eating habits just to see the numbers on the scale move.

She adds: Some of the signs that it has become obsessive could be experiencing anxiety around weighing, developing extreme reactions to scale readings and developing a preoccupation with weight.

If the goal is weight loss, experts recommend a slow and steady approach to make effective and sustainable changes, with the loss of between one to two pounds per week considered average. This approach lends itself to daily or weekly weigh-ins.

There is some controversy about this in the medical literature, says Hensrud. To track true changes in weight, not just changes in fluid status that affects weight, many people recommend weighing perhaps weekly and looking at the trend over time. This is generally what most medical professionals recommend.

Individuals should take note of weight changes over time to adjust their diet or exercise routine to achieve goals.

If you can weigh yourself without it having a negative impact on your mental health then potentially twice a day, morning and night for consistency, can give some useful information, says Lindsay. The problem with weighing yourself irregularly is that it can be a snapshot of a particularly high or low reading which can be misleading and change behaviours unnecessarily.

Adds Hensrud: However often someone weighs themselves, looking at trends over time, such as over weeks, will be a more accurate reflection of true changes in body fat and lean tissue, and not just fluid shifts.

Updated: April 25, 2024, 9:50 AM

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Daily or weekly, how often should you weigh yourself? - The National

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Tammy Slaton is getting out there and living her life. The 1,000-Lb. Sisters star just dropped some photos of herself hanging next to a pool with a friend while wearing a bathing suit.

Tammy, who recently lost 440 pounds, can be seen in a mermaid-print blue suit with her legs crossed while looking at her buddy, psychic medium Haley Michelle. Proud of you

People cheered her on in the caption. Look at you, girl! That is a JOURNEY , one said. Holy wow! The transformation is incredible! So happy to see how far you have come, another wrote.

Tammy also looked noticeably slimmed down in a recent series of new photos shared on Instagram. (The Kentucky native had previously documented her journey to undergo bariatric surgery on her TLC series.)

But the 37-year-old is also getting praise for sharing a rare unfiltered photo of herself on Instagram. In it, Tammy and Haley can be seen on a FaceTime call, with Tammy sporting a new pixie cut. Stay tuned, they wrote in a joint caption.

Tammy tends to use fun filters in her Instagram photos, making this a big step for her. "This is the nicest picture of you yet!!!" one person wrote. You loook absolutely gorgeous Tammy!!!!!! another said.

Tammy has made a lot of lifestyle changes to get to this point. Heres what shes shared about her journey so far.

Since her series premiered in 2020, Tammy has lost over half her prior body weight. She has dropped 440 pounds, which is down from her highest weight of 725 pounds, she told People last year.

After making some major changes to her diet, undergoing bariatric surgery in July 2022, and subsequently checking into a 14-month weight loss rehab, she currently weighs 285 pounds, per People.

In a since-deleted comment, Tammy shared that she now practices eating "proteins, low carbs, no sugars, no pop, portion control," according to Us Weekly.

Tammy regularly shows off her progress on social media, including a recent TikTok that breaks down how far shes come.

At the start of her journey, Tammy had difficulty with mobility and needed to rely on a walker or wheelchair. But now, she can move around without aid, and no longer needs an oxygen tube to breathe.

One of the big changes that I have gone through this past year is probably small to most people, but for me it was huge, Tammy told People. Just being able to walk without a walker or be pushed in a wheelchair, and no oxygen. I don't even sleep with it at night anymore.

Tammy also said that shes now able to sit in the front seat of a regular vehicle and can fasten the seat belt without using an extender. What seems minor to some people is giant for me, she said.

She shared in a January episode of 1,000-Lb Sisters that she took an extra precaution for a flight to make sure she would be able to board the plane by buying two side-by-side seats. But when she sat down, she learned that she could fit into one seat.

Tammy said that she was comfortable in her seat and that she was able to buckle her seatbelt. "I was kind of surprised that I didn't need both seats that we paid for, she said.

Tammy is happy with how her life has changed. My quality of life has changed so much, she said in a February TikTok. Before I went to rehab, I was bitter, unhappy, very super suicidal, depressed, and just mean. Everybody hated meand they still doI had this I dont care attitude back then. I still do, but its not as bad. Im working on myself still.

Tammy also said that shes able to appreciate life more, and is now treating herself and others better in the process. I have personally seen a lot of growth in how I treat people and my family, she said. Just my attitude and how happier I seem. I smile a lot more.

Tammy also revealed in that video that she was able to enjoy a recent trip to Disney World. I actually got on rides, and I rode in a hot air balloon, she said. I wouldnt have been able to do any of this two years agoIm just giving myself a pat on the back for achieving something. Getting the weight off and living."

In another video from the same month, Tammy shared that shes planning to get skin removal surgery at some point, but doesn't know exactly when. My chin flap is not a chin flap. Its literally excess skin and yes, it will go away when I get skin removal surgery, she said in a February TikTok. I cannot answer, before anybody asks, when Im getting skin removal because I dont know.

In that same video, Tammy called out people for making mean comments about her. Cant I live my life without yall judging me, making fun of me for every little freaking thing? she said. I cant duet a friend without yall thinking Im trying to bang them. I cant be happy and smile without yall judging me because my teeth are missing.

Tammy then encouraged people to be kinder to others. You dont understand what people are going through, she said. Im very insecure. I hide it because I dont want people to think Im weak and I truly am weak. And calling me a turkey or talking about my face and my teeth it bothers me. Im human.

She added, I just want people to realize that hating is not okay.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

Originally posted here:
All About '1000-Lb. Sisters' Star Tammy Slaton's Weight Loss - Women's Health

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Billie Jean King is trying weight loss medication to address her binge eating disorder (BED), revealing on the April 24 episode of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfuss Wiser Than Me podcast that it was recently recommended by her doctor. The 80-year-old tennis icon told Louis-Dreyfus shes had a few injections to start and is waiting to see how it affects her thoughts about food. (While King referred to Ozempic as a catch-all term for weight loss drugs, she didnt specify which medication she is taking.)

What has King said about her struggle with binge eating, and how might weight loss drugs have an impact? Heres what to know.

King wrote about her experience with eating disorders in her 2021 memoir, All In, saying that she was formally diagnosed with BED which involves a loss of control over eating behavior, eating large amounts of food in a specific period of time and then feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty or upset at age 51. Speaking to Louis-Dreyfus, King provided more details about what she was going through at the time, including coming to terms with her sexuality after being publicly outed in 1981. I think that caused a lot of my eating disorder, she said, along with the attention paid to her diet as an elite athlete. Around 1995, King sought out inpatient treatment at The Renfrew Center in Philadelphia.

I went to therapy and I lived there for six weeks, she told Louis-Dreyfus. It led her into recovery at the time, although she continues to deal with her eating disorder to this day. I still go to therapy, I still think about it.

And she still often struggles with obsessive thoughts about food. I have, like, two voices in my head, sometimes that argue, said King. Lets say I want a quart of ice cream one side will say, Yeah, baby, Im gonna have that ice cream no matter what! And the other side says, No, dont do that, its not healthy. You dont need it, youre not gonna miss it. The other side says, Screw you! Im having this ice cream. So I have this discussion that goes on in my head and sometimes its very elevated. [It] gets exhausting and tiring and I dont want to fight over these things.

Although King didnt use the term herself, the thoughts she describes having are commonly referred to as food noise something weight loss medications may be able to suppress.

I dont want to lose weight fast because I think it looks horrible. I dont think its healthy, she said of starting her drug regimen. I would like to lose slowly. But the important thing my therapist asked me, which I hadnt thought about, is that she said, Has it quieted your mind? Because that would be really great.

How might that work? Heres what experts say about food noise and what experts say about using weight loss drugs to address it.

Its the experience of having frequent thoughts about food that a person finds to be intrusive, according to Dr. Melanie Jay, director of NYU Langone's Comprehensive Program on Obesity. People describe it as always thinking about the next thing they will eat, spending a lot of time trying to decide whether to eat something they are craving, thinking about lunch while they are eating breakfast, she tells Yahoo Life.

A 2023 review of the term by nutritional scientists determined that theres little research available on food noise. Psychologist Samantha DeCaro, director of clinical outreach and education at The Renfrew Center, where King previously received treatment in the '90s, tells Yahoo Life that food noise isnt an official medical or clinical term with a clear definition.

The experience of food noise is a subjective experience that likely varies significantly between people. These thoughts can be cognitive symptoms of a clinical eating disorder, but they can also be the brains attempt to fight against a chronic state of dieting, excessive exercise, malnourishment or food insecurity, she says. Its not uncommon for people to experience frequent thoughts about food when they restrict their intake, eat irregularly, struggle to access adequate amounts of food or consistently deny themselves the foods they enjoy. In certain cases, this can simply be a survival strategy or a helpful signal from our brains that we need more food or more variety.

Food noise has also been associated with the "destructive thoughts about food" Jay and other experts have seen among those with binge eating disorder.

The term food noise may be an attempt to describe the distressing experience of having obsessive, intrusive or simply unwelcome thoughts about food. For people with eating disorders, these obsessive and intrusive thoughts are frequently part of the clinical picture and fuel disordered cycles and symptoms such as restricting, bingeing and purging, says DeCaro. Irregular eating patterns can certainly contribute to an experience of food noise and can contribute to a binge eating episode.

But experts also note that BED is a mental health diagnosis that requires intervention of symptoms and behaviors far beyond food noise.

Dr. Jennifer Kraker, a psychiatrist with expertise in metabolic health and eating disorders, tells Yahoo Life that shes found weight loss medications very effective for treating BED patients.As the New York Times has reported, many people who take Ozempic have credited it with helping to silence food noise.

Beyond the component of food noise, however, Kraker says that dopamine dysregulation and satiety signaling are underlying components of binge eating disorder. Liraglutide and semaglutide (the active ingredients in medications like Victoza and Wegovy) have been shown to reduce the effect of dopamine released while eating, allowing for better control around food. The medications appetite-suppressing effects also contribute.

The studies illustrating these effects are limited but promising, with one study suggesting that semaglutide may be more effective at treating BED than lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), which is FDA-approved for the eating disorder.

A growing number of physicians, including Kraker, are also reporting positive changes with patients. Dr. Michael Lutter, a psychiatrist focused on depression, anxiety and eating disorders, told the Wall Street Journal that hes been prescribing weight loss medications to BED patients since 2019 and has found that they respond amazingly well. He said that their bingeing is brought under control when using the drugs in conjunction with treatment by therapists and dietitians.

Weight loss, however, does occur, which is cause for concern among experts like Jay, who says, More studies are needed to make sure that it doesnt worsen eating disorders.

DeCaro is also wary, and says that eating disorders are more complex and require more comprehensive treatment than weight loss medications alone would provide.

Eating disorders are complex psychiatric disorders; they arent just about food or weight. Weight loss medications will never address the underlying emotional and psychosocial factors that contribute to the development of eating disorders, says DeCaro. These medications can potentially cause, maintain or worsen binge eating symptoms, especially if someone needs to stop the medication due to an adverse side effect. There is the possibility that these medications can interfere with eating disorder treatment goals, as they may enable restriction, interfere with establishing a consistent eating schedule, shift the clients focus to appearance and reduce a clients willingness to participate in the highly effective food exposure work.

Jay recommends that individuals work with a multidisciplinary team to determine the best course of treatment.

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Tennis legend Billie Jean King says she's using weight loss medication to help treat her binge eating disorder. Experts ... - Yahoo Life

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My mother did try to prepare healthy meals for me, and once served me millet, but it looked like birdseed and I refused to eat it.

When he was a teenager, Carroll developed high blood pressure, and although he was prescribed medication, he continued to eat the same way.

By the time he graduated from high school at 18, he weighed 136kg, considered obese for his 1.67-metre (5 foot 5 inch) frame.

In his twenties, a typical lunch for Carroll consisted of half a rotisserie chicken plus side dishes like creamed spinach, cheesy pasta and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Dinner was often one-and-a-half or two whole pizzas, followed by burritos, quesadillas, nachos and dessert from his favourite Mexican fast-food restaurant.

I was on a first-name basis with the staff I never had to place my order because they always knew what I wanted, he says.

The big risks of leaving high blood pressure untreated doctors explain

At the peak of his addiction, Carroll was consuming about 10,000 calories a day and would get cranky if he did not get his fast-food fix.

He often binged in secret, out of shame, and would be consumed with guilt afterwards.

I didnt want people to know how much I was eating. At work, Id eat at my desk behind locked doors so nobody could barge in on me. And if I went out for a meal with others, Id always order a salad because I was too embarrassed to eat anything else.

At the time I was also depressed, but it never once crossed my mind that the food was largely to blame, he adds.

Chest pains were setting in and I knew I wouldnt live to 30 with the way I was going, he says.

Id tried every low-carb and calorie-restrictive diet, but whatever weight I lost on them always came back. I thought, If I get bariatric surgery, I could lose some weight for good and at least make it to my 30th birthday.

The surgery, in 2009, was a success: Carrolls stomach was considerably smaller and, as he was unable to eat much, he lost a substantial amount of weight, dropping to about 70kg. Around this time, he also decided to quit eating fast food completely.

My doctor told me not to have it for three to six months after the surgery, to avoid getting violently ill, Carroll says.

I couldve resumed eating it after this time, in small amounts, because I was told that I could eat small amounts of whatever I wanted, he says. But I was a fast-food addict and I knew I couldnt enjoy it in moderation; I had to stop eating it altogether.

Ultra-processed food: what it is and why its bad for us

Still, that did not mean he ate healthily. He ate processed foods like cheese-and-ham rolls and protein bars. Over the next few years, the weight piled back on and he got up to 81kg.

Around this time, Carroll was approached by the Washington-based, non-profit health organisation Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) to take part in a healthy eating campaign called Teaming Up for Health.

A couple of years later, when he was 34, Carroll stopped eating all animal products. He had interviewed a former WWE wrestler who had followed a plant-based lifestyle and he suggested that Carroll look into this way of eating.

He and traffic news anchor Julie Wright wed in 2015, and he managed to convince her to switch to a plant-based diet, too. It did not take long for him to lose the extra weight he had gained after his surgery.

10 surprising ways a whole food, plant-based diet will benefit your health

He is no longer ashamed to be seen eating large amounts of food, and will proudly tuck into oversized platters of veggies, beans and grains in front of others.

Today, seven years after adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet, Carroll is a svelte 63kg (140lbs). His blood pressure reading is excellent and he is not on any medication. The back pains are gone, he is not depressed and he has more energy.

I still wake up every morning and think, Its so freeing to not have to worry about my weight any more. Eating this way has changed my life, he adds.

He still craves unhealthy foods from time to time, but he has found a way to deal with this.

Snacking on pineapple chunks or baby carrots with hummus helps, but if the cravings are intense, I dont fight them. Instead, I sit with them, knowing that theyll be gone in 15 minutes, he says.

How to prevent heart disease: health checks, stay active and dont smoke

Carroll was able to combine his media career with his passion for health and nutrition and now hosts a vegan podcast called The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee.

It is a job that allows him to share his knowledge about plant-based eating with others and hopefully make a positive difference in their lives.

Recent guests on his show included Irish plant-based bassist Tanya OCallaghan, who plays with English rock band Whitesnake. The two of them wore a single pair of Carrolls old denim jeans.

He is also more physically active.

Im doing all the things I used to dismiss when I was overweight. The little things that I thought wouldnt make a difference at all actually make all the difference in the world like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, using the restroom on another floor and taking the stairs, parking in a distant spot in parking lots, he says.

I calculated that by parking in the last spot at work I was walking an extra mile per week with zero effort. Over the course of the year, that was close to 50 miles [80km], and that little effort can make a huge difference.

Since losing weight and getting his health under control, Carroll says that his future looks bright.

I am more optimistic and cant wait to see whats ahead. There was a time when I couldnt even see a future for myself, but now I can totally imagine being in my eighties or nineties and relaxing on my porch with my wife, he says.

Making it to old age is no longer a pipe dream. Its within my grasp.

Originally posted here:
To make it to his 30th birthday, 190kg podcaster lost 127kg heres how - South China Morning Post

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