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LAKEWOOD Seems like almost everyone, especially after the holidays, wants to lose weight.

I cant tell you the number of times thats been my New Years Resolution.

I have tried about every diet possible: Atkins, Nutrasystems, Weight Watchers, etc. Thanks to being held accountable by Julie Muhlstein at The Herald, when I worked there a dozen years ago, Weight Watchers worked the best for me.

Until now.

At the Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Auction in December, I was the high bidder on an item offered by Emily Countryman of Ideal Wellness in Lakewood. I had done a story on that program a few years ago and decided to give it a try.

My first appointment there I told her my wife had done the 30-10 weight loss program. Emily told me the founders of 30-10 were part of Ideal Wellness but broke off and started their own business. They both are protein and vegetable diets, with no sweets or carbohydrates. Supplements make sure clients get the vitamins they need.

What makes Ideal Wellness better than the highly advertised 30-10 weight loss program, in my mind, is not only the lower cost but the lifetime of coaching. Once I reach my goal weight I no longer have to buy their scientifically balanced food products, which cost $99 a week. They will put me on a plan of eating regular foods to sustain my weight. By the way, Ive lost 27 pounds in six weeks, and eight total inches. My wife joined this week.

Once I reach my new goal, I will continue to go in to be weighed once a month. If I gain five pounds, I told them I will go back on the weight-loss program. That way, I should never weight more than five pounds above my goal weight the rest of my life.

That has been a huge problem for me in the past. Im a yo-yo dieter. Id lose the weight but gain it back. Also, to help me for the rest of my life, Ideal Wellness coaches will be there to encourage me. Often times I will hit a goal, then stay there. Then get discouraged and start gaining. With a life coach, they can help push me through that wall.

The program is working much faster than I thought it would. I lost 16 pounds in the first two weeks, and 6 inches. Belly fat always has been hard for me to lose, but I lost 3 inches there and already am back into jeans I havent worn for years. My Body Mass Index is dropping fast, too.

Ill admit the food, and the amount you eat, isnt like going to a 4-star restaurant. But it does the job. And it works so well its easy to stay on. But I sure look forward to dinners when I can have up to 8 ounces of lean meat and four cups of vegetables. Its real food.

If you have a sweet tooth, Ideal Wellness has dessert products available as snacks that can solve that problem. There also are salty snacks, such as soy nuts, that I like.

I particularly enjoy the omelette, oatmeal and pancake mixes for breakfast and the soup mixes for lunch.

Im not the only one who has done well on this diet. Many of the counselors who work there have lost dozens of pounds using Ideal Wellness. There are pictures all over the walls of before and after shots of clients. And Ive included mine in this story, even though I plan to keep going.

See the rest here:
Finally, a weight-loss program that's 'Ideal for me - Marysville Globe

Just like her teammates, Olivia Smoliga wakes up three days out of the week and heads to a 5:30 a.m. practice at the pool. From there, its straight to the Coliseum Training Facility at Stegeman Coliseum for weightlifting and conditioning.

Following class for the day, the Georgia swimmer heads back to the pool again for practice at 2:45 p.m. Afterward, her nights are usually filled with trips to the Rankin M. Smith, Sr. Student-Athlete Academic Center for studying and tutoring.

Sleep, then repeat.

So where in her schedule does she fit the time to eat?

After all, with the amount of swimming she does each day and the amount of calories she burns, its imperative she eats enough to make up for it.

Welcome to the life of a collegiate swimmer.

All about that bank

Swimming in general is a great form of exercise. It is well known that one of the best ways to go about losing weight is swimming.

However, swimmers at the Division I level are not swimming to lose weight. Theyre swimming to go fast and break records, and to do so takes a lot of training.

To make up for this incredible amount of training, swimmers must compensate by eating plenty of food.

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was known to eat a breathtaking amount of food in his peak years as a swimmer, reportedly consuming between 8,000 and 12,000 calories per day.

While its head coach Jack Bauerle who coaches his swimmers in the pool, Maria Breen coaches the Bulldogs on what to eat. Breen is a sports nutritionist at Georgia who oversees the diets of the swimming and diving team.

So exactly how much do swimmers eat? The answer isnt straightforward or the same depending on the person, day and even time of year.

It varies so much based on their body size and genetics, Breen said.

But the amount is consistently above that of the average citizen and other elite athletes.

Theres a reason swimming is so popular among those trying to lose weightit burns calories at a rapid rate. Combine this with the immense hours of pool time for collegiate swimmers, and you have a recipe for disaster should you fail to refuel.

This is where the all-important carbohydrates come into play.

When you think of hitting a wall in practice or just getting fatigued, a lot of times thats because you havent managed your carbohydrate recovery, Breen said.

Humans store carbohydrates in their body as energy in what is called glycogen.

After a long workout, or in this case, hours on end in the pool, that glycogen is broken down and stores of energy empty.

The heavier the training, the more carbohydrates they need since theyve expended that glycogen in practice, Breen said. Its all about getting that bank back.

This is no different for athletes in other sports.

Swimmers, football players and basketball players alike must take in enough carbs to make up for the glycogen theyve expended.

What differs is the amount of carbs needed, largely due to different types of workouts and practices.

Where football or basketball practice might include some standing around and instruction, swim practice consists mainly of swimming.

That principle is very similar for other teams, Breen said. Whats different is the amount of carbohydrates. [Swimmers] calorie needs are higher.

Eating an abnormal amount of food isnt the only problem these student-athletes have to worry about.

They also have to make sure theyre eating enough of the right types of food. While a diet of fast food and candy bars might sustain a normal college student, albeit unhealthily, these are no normal students.

University of Georgia's swim team sports nutrionist, Maria Breen, left, shows senior swimmer, Emily Cameron, right, nutrition facts of some of the snacks offered in the swimming and diving team room at the Ramsey Student Center in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, March 20, 2017. Breen helps swimmers pick the right drinks and food to energize them before their practices and those that are best to help them recover. (Photo/Reann E. Huber, http://www.reannhuber.com)

When freshman student-athletes first arrive in Athens, they learn this pretty quickly.

One of the big things for us, is we have to develop that base education, Breen said. Sometimes we call it plate coaching. When are you getting meals? Do you have your carbohydrates? Do you have a lean source of protein? Do you have dairy?

It can be a lot to take in, especially for those who might not have been the healthiest eaters before coming to college.

Take freshman Javier Acevedo, for example. Thats not to say Acevedo was one of those living on a diet consisting of french fries and potato chips.

The 19-year-old was on the Canadian Olympic team for the Rio games this past summer, but he lived like a normal high schooler does, and that included its fair share of indulging.

Ive learned a lot, Acevedo said. Especially coming from high school where I had my own car and I could basically do what I want. Here, I know I need to keep my body in good shape. I cant eat the same way.

This isnt an uncommon transformation to see, at least under Breen and her staff. Quite often, swimmers come to Georgia and realize the effect a strong and balanced diet can have on their performance in the pool.

This could be for a litany of reasons, from Breens teachings to self-motivation to the championship pedigree of a program like Georgia. Most likely, its a combination of all three.

One swimmer who has seen a dramatic transformation since arriving in Athens is senior Chase Kalisz. As a freshman, Kalisz weighed around 155 pounds and stood at 6-foot-1. Now, the Baltimore native weighs in at about 190 pounds and is 6-foot-4.

While his eating habits had no effect on his height, his weight was surely impacted by his food choices.

As I get older, I notice that I need to eat healthier, and I feel better when I eat healthier, Kalisz said. Theres more of an emphasis on eating the right things at the right time.

For Breen, its rewarding to see this process unfold. She doesnt like having to force people to do or eat something they dont want.

I want the athletes to take that step, and say, OK, I know it needs to go in my body, and I want to be active in this, Breen said.

Grab and go

As great as all of Breens work is, it goes without much value unless her students take what they learn and apply it.

At the end of the day, its up to the student athletes to make sure they eat enough of the right foods. This is one of the biggest challenges Breen faces as a nutritionist for a college sports program.

How does she make sure the food and resources she offers her student-athletes are accessible when they have two practices, class and tutoring nearly every day?

For the younger swimmers on the team, this means carving out the time to go to one of the universitys dining halls. Most commonly for the swimmers, the destination of choice is the Village Summit at East Campus Village, as this dining hall neighbors Gabrielsen Natatorium and is nearest to their dorm.

As for the upperclassmen, a growling stomach means its time to get in the kitchen and cook some food.

Living off campus after next year is going to be different, Acevedo said. Having the dining halls here is great and all, but Im not going to have a dining hall always later on in life. Living off campus and doing my own thing is going to prepare me for whats going to happen later on.

Even with all Georgia offers its student athletesfrom cooking classes to tours of grocery stores to meal plans at dining hallsit doesnt change the fact these athletes have minimal time in their schedules to actually eat.

Breen and her department knew this, and thats why they came up with the grab-and-go.

This station, a concession stands of sorts, offers quick snacks for Georgia student-athletes to take. Located at Stegeman Coliseum, its open for a few hours in the morning for breakfast before it closes and reopens for dinner.

Smoliga and other swimmers use this station to their advantage when looking for time to eat during their jam-packed schedules.

Grab-and-go is really helpful, Smoliga said.

University of Georgia's swimming and diving team room is filled with a variety of drinks and food to keep them energized before their practices at Ramsey Student Center in Athens, Georgia. (Photo/Reann E. Huber, http://www.reannhuber.com)

Following an exhausting early-morning workout or late-night tutoring session, there is nothing more convenient for these swimmers than a breakfast sandwich or smoothie. Not to mention, its much quicker than going to a busy dining hall and sitting down for a meal.

Its not a meal replacement, but its a substantial snack, Breen said. For swimming, its good because its right where they do their strength and conditioning and near the academic building.

To take it a step further, Breen stocks the teams lounge with fruits and other small snacks for the teams. If a swimmer comes to practice straight from class, he or she can grab a banana or granola bar before heading to the pool deck.

Maria [Breen] takes care of all those little things a coach would have a rough time doing, Bauerle said. Shes great. She helps us out a lot.

The future of food

With all Breen and the sports nutrition department does for Georgia athletics, combined with weakened restrictions by the NCAA, feeding student athletes is as easy as ever. Or, at least its running as smoothly as ever.

Previously, NCAA regulations limited student-athletes to receiving three meals a day. That rule has since been eliminated, and athletic departments now have much more leeway over how much they feed their student-athletes.

In reality, though, it has created new problems for colleges and universities to solve. By allowing unlimited meals and snacks for Division I student-athletes, the NCAA shifted the spotlight to sports nutrition.

Now a new battle has begun, one that Breen is fighting on the front-lines.

[Student athletes] are educated pretty well on what to put in their body, but we have to make sure that it is facilitated and available, Breen said. Thats one of the huge challenges in the college setting.

More here:
Calories, carbs and chlorine: An inside look into collegiate swimmers' diets - Red and Black

After years of dealing with a nationwideweight problem, it seems Americans havedeveloped a correlated obsession with weight loss. A survey taken between 2011 and 2012 reported that more than two-thirds or 68.6% of American adults were either overweight or obese. Another study found that millions of Google searches every month include keywords How to Lose Weight, and more than 50% of the related keywords in this Google study referred to losing weight fast or quick. It seems that after years of carrying around extra pounds, Americans arelooking for a way to drop the weight and fast.

Major commercial diets like Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, The Mayo Clinic Diet, and Nutrisystem are proven to work and even have doctors backing up their methods and nutrition, but this doesnt stop our weight-obsessed culture from taking it to the extreme now and then. When people want to shed pounds quickly, they often turn to unhealthy crash diets or unusual weight loss solutions. Here are five of the craziest, oftenunhealthy, weight loss tactics out there. Its important to note that just because these plans yield results does not mean you should try them!

Have a major sweet tooth? Chances are you splurge after dinner or maybe even for a rare ice cream cone on a warm afternoon, but how often do you eat dessert with breakfast? One study has found that obese adults who wanted to lose weight were able to do so if they ate a breakfast full of carbs, protein, and dessert. The study found that not only did participants lose an average of 30 to 33 pounds on the calorie-restricted diet after four months, but that those who had dessert with breakfast continued to lose weight (an average of 15 pounds) after the program ended.

Love beer and brats? The questions is: How much? Evo Terra, an online executive from Arizona, loved the duo so much he subsisted on a primarily beer and sausage diet for 30 days. The result was almost 20 pounds of weight loss. Using calorie counting and restriction, Terra consumed around 1,500 calories worth ofhigh-quality sausage and craft beersdaily. According to Terra, the key is toeat organic, quality-made sausages and guzzleIPAs or hops-heavy stouts. While this crazy diet has plenty of protein, itisnt going to win any awards for overall nutritional benefits.

What if your tendency to lose and gain weight was more dependent on the bacteria in your stomachthan the foods you did or didnt eat?This is a theory that Raphael Kellman, M.D., who wrote The Microbiome Diet, promotes. He argues that instead of worrying about the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat you consume, you should focus your energy on the good and bad bacteria in your body. According to research, ingesting more good bacteria helps beat cravings and fight weight gain. To up your good bacteria levels, try taking a dailyprobiotic supplement or eatplain yogurt, which is rich in live and active cultures.

Remember Subway spokesman Jared Fogle? He lost 245 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches twice a day for a year. His impressive weight loss made him the brands spokesman for many years and his chain diet results inspired others. More recently, Christine Hall of Virginia took advantage of Starbucks calorie-labeled foods and store accessibility to lose 75 pounds over two years.

This is more of a crash diet than anything else. It entails eatingcabbage soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for seven consecutive days. Most dieters report losing around 10 pounds on this low-calorie soup that is stocked with green onions, green peppers, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and of course, half a head of cabbage. The cabbage soup diet works because even though the soup is low in calories, its water-based, which makes you feel full.

Read this article:
Weight Loss: 5 of the Strangest Diets (That Actually Work) - The Cheat Sheet

MICHAEL JAROSKY

Last updated10:44, March 23 2017

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Is it what you eat, or how much you move, that really counts?

I was offended when a respected US magazine recently hit my Facebook feed suggesting "back to the couch you go, because running isn't helping you lose weight." Respectfully, I call BS to that conclusion.

The crux of the article was an argument echoed at many smoothie bars across the globe: should you count calories or burpees? What's more important for weight loss? Food or fitness?

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAID

Sports nutritionist Nick Greensaid "in most cases, nutrition plays a big role with weight loss. Most people are familiar with the phrase 'you can't outrun a bad diet'".

READ MORE: *Do more, eat less - that's the secret to success *Why is exercise useless for weight loss? *Taking a break from your diet helps long-term weight loss, research shows

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Maintaining a healthy exercise routine is essential to living a better quality life.

Alexandra Kookarkin, exercise physiologist and nutritionist, explained that "exercise has a huge role in fat burning, but it's the diet that will ultimately make or break the weight loss success".

Samantha Gemmell, nutritionist, replied, "In my experience, diet is definitely more essential than exercise... It's a lot easier to eat a few too many kilojoules than it is to exercise them off. Most people underestimate their food intake and overestimate the energy they burn by exercising".

Sharon Thurin, founder of Slim Secrets, said, "without a doubt what we eat is far more important from a weight loss perspective than exercise".

"IF WE CHANGE WHAT WE EAT"

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Diets have been shown to fail in the long run, with many reporting that they put weight back on.

Nutritionist Fiona Tuck broke it down like this: "[to burn off]40 minutes of intense weight lifting equals two beers; 20 minutes brisk walk equals one glass of champagne; 45 minutes brisk walk is one doughnut.

"Weight loss comes down to 80 per cent what we eat and 20 per cent how much we exercise. If we change what we eat we will lose weight, it is that simple."

And Dr. Karen Phillip, counselling psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist and naturopathic nutritionist explained: "I work with many individuals in their pursuit of a slimmer body. The main issue is diet I have many people who have done hypnotherapy choosing correct foods, eating smaller portions and losing weight. No gym required."

Lastly, GPNick Tellis threw in his two cents, saying, "when weight loss is your aim, diet is your game".

CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION

The professionals have had their say it's diet, diet, and more diet. I disagree not to play devil's advocate but because I believe in a 50 per cent diet and 50 per cent exercise commitment when it comes to weight loss and a new, happier, and healthier lifestyle. Exercise is a key element in weight loss, and it's a key element in keeping the weight off.

Colleagues might say I'm putting the cart in front of the horse. Fine. But there's a reason why I support exercise as a weight loss (and more) tool.

It's because of happiness. Take an overweight person who adores food. Now put them on a plan to eat less, and watch their mood, life, and energy sour. Sure, that crash diet might have them on a weight loss path, but I'd rather have them eat more, and have the caloric deficit come via exercise they'll be fuller, happier, and healthier.

RETHINKING YOUR HABITS

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The benefits of exercise aren't just physical, but also psychological.

We've got to stop with the laziness. Sure, it's easier to give up 500 calories of fizzy drink per day than it is to burn off 500 calories we love to do less because we're lazy. Tell an overweight individual weight loss is 80/20 food-fitness, and guess what's going to be neglected?

The reality is the body wants, needs, and loves to move. Exercise improves energy throughout the day while burning calories. It's a weight loss fact. We need a global "Get the Bum off the Couch and Move" movement.

LIES YOUR DIET TOLD YOU

In 2007 UCLA conducteda rigorous studyof dieting, and their conclusion was this: Diets don't work.

"You can initially lose five to 10 per cent of your weight on any number of diets, but then the weight comes back," said Traci Mann, UCLA associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study. "We found that the majority of people regained all the weight, plus more."

GET UP AND GO

It also because of science. Exercising reduces stress and anxiety while increasing self-confidence. It increases strength and flexibility. Exercise reduces heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Need more benefits? Better bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, sleep, and appearance.

Because of resting metabolism. People who exercise with intensity at their goal weight are able to eat more because their bodies continue to burn calories even while resting, improving what's known as the Resting Metabolic Rate. They don't put on weight.

However those just coming off a diet? Their RMR is unmoved because of too little activity. A bit of naughtiness goes straight to the waistline as they revert back to their original weight. Exercising as a habit breeds weight loss, then guarantees weight maintenance.

AGREE TO AGREE (AND DISAGREE)

Of course I agree with my colleagues from above that healthy diet is an integral component of weight loss. And hell, maybe we've all got it all wrong and built a mega-billion industry around it. The issue isn't weight loss its longevity.

But people who are physically active tend to be healthier and live longer. The heart and body does not like weight in later years, and our bodies were meant to move with speed, power, and strength three things that exercise gives us. Don't just exercise for weight loss; exercise to live longer.

But food with no fitness? It's like Tim without Tams. Jekyll without Hyde, Bonnie without Clyde. Newman without Redford. A selfie without narcissism. Hamish without Andy. Bieber without talent.

Actually, I can imagine that last one. I just cannot imagine weight loss without exercise.

Michael Jarosky is aSydney-based personal trainer who champions a charity weight-loss event, Droptober.

- Executive Style

See the article here:
Is diet really more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss? - Stuff.co.nz

One day, it just might be you.

A senior, home-bound or just home from the hospital and unable to do much for himself. A disabled person, unable to work and trying to scrape by on disability payments. Someone, living by herself with no friends or family nearby, and recovering from a medical episode.

Those are the people helped each and every day by Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg. Tuesday, community leaders from across Central Virginia rode shotgun with Meals on Wheels volunteers as they went about their appointed daily rounds, delivering a hot meal to more than 660 folks and checking in to see how theyre faring. The ride-along gave them the chance to see up close a side of Central Virginia thats often hidden from view.

And if you wonder whether or not the success rate of Meals on Wheels is, in any way, quantifiable, just consider these numbers:

In 2016, Meals on Wheels served 663 Central Virginians, 106 more than in 2015.

Volunteers delivered 75,354 hot meals to seniors and others in need, 13,456 more than in 2015.

And because companionship of any kind is so rare in many of these folks lives, Meals on Wheels also provided 123 pet owners food for their furry friends and companions.

In 2016, Meals on Wheels army of volunteers logged 16,728 volunteer hours and 87,313 volunteer miles serving others throughout Central Virginia.

But when you look back just a couple of years, you see how much the need has truly grown in our region. In 2014, volunteers delivered 50,000 hot meals to 388 clients. Thats almost a 71 percent growth in the number of clients and almost a 51 percent jump in the number of hot meals delivered.

Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg receives 100 percent of its funding from local sources. Individual donations account for half of the nonprofits annual budget, while grants, fundraising events and contributions from churches and other houses of worship account for the rest. There are no state or federal dollars involved.

People of all ages and all incomes are accepted into the program. More than 8 percent of clients pay full price for the service; about 16 percent pay on a sliding scale based on ones ability to pay; and about 76 percent receive their meals at no charge. Meals are diabetic and heart-friendly, and staff can even work with a clients doctor to provide special diets.

So many people, especially the elderly living on their own, are in danger of being food insecure and lapsing into an unhealthy diet that simply keeps them functioning. Just stop to consider that a years worth of home-delivered meals costs about as much as a days stay in a hospital, and you begin to see the great value of Meals on Wheels. Keeping people healthy in their homes is much more cost-effective than getting them healthy in a hospital.

Learn more about Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg at http://www.mealsonwheelslynchburg.org. A contribution of either your time or your resources will ripple through the community and the lives of hundreds of people in ways you cant even imagine.

Read more:
Sustenance For the Body and the Soul - Lynchburg News and Advance

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A fasting diet doesnt mean you feel like you're starving.

Numerous studies have shown fasting impacts the reduction of chronic disease risk, longevity and weight loss. Most diets are all about giving up what you love and feeling deprived; whereas fasting diets may actually make those cravings go away. Here are five ways to get started.

This essentially means front-loading all of your calories to avoid consumption after a cut-off time, like 5 p.m. Many of my patients fast while they sleep, or skip dinner all together, allowing at least 12-14 hours between their last meal of the day and their first meal the following day.

Choose your plan based on your goals. Fasting is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and success often means trying different models.

RELATED: Intermittent fasting: Is restrictive eating right for you?

You'll have two "on days, where you'll consume 500-600 calories, split between breakfast and dinner. The other five days of the week are your off days, where you'll follow a healthy diet without calorie restriction. This intermittent fasting plan may help to reduce hunger and cravings and may also have beneficial impacts on insulin and C-reactive protein.

Studies show a monthly, periodic approach to fasting can help to increase longevity and reduce your risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

For five consecutive days each month, consume about 35 to 50 percent of your normal calorie intake, divided between 10 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrate and 50 percent fat. For example, if your normal intake is 1,800 calories, youll bring it down to 700 calories, and focus on lean proteins, healthy fats and high-fiber carbohydrates.

RELATED: Should you really be fasting? 3 diet myths get busted

While on any of the plans listed above, try to choose carbohydrates that are higher in protein and fiber they'll help you stay fuller, longer. Here are a few changes to make:

Dehydration is often misinterpreted as hunger. Fill yourself up by choosing calorie-free herbal tea, decaffeinated coffee and sparkling or plain water. Avoid artificially sweetened beverages, which will only increase sugar cravings and appetite.

If youre attempting a fasting diet, lack of sleep is a recipe for disaster because it negatively alters your hunger and satiety hormones. Finally, as with any new diet, have a discussion with your doctor beforehand.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, R.D., is the manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, and the author of "Skinny Liver." Follow her on Twitter @KristinKirkpat. For more diet and fitness advice, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.

Original post:
6 ways to make a fasting diet work for you - Today.com

Keith Roach, To Your Health 5:43 p.m. ET March 21, 2017

Dear Dr. Roach: There was some controversy recently in a medical journal about the risk of sugar intake for heart disease. What is your take?

M.P.

Dear M.P.: There was a recent article in the Annals of Internal Medicine that evaluated recommended limits on added sugar in food. The guidelines came from the World Health Organization, Public Health England and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Although their guidelines were different, all recommended limiting added sugar intake.

The paper, which was funded by a trade group, concluded that the guidelines were based on low-quality evidence and do not meet criteria for trustworthy recommendations. Thats the controversy.

I did an extensive search of recent articles on the health effects of high-sugar diets. I found two fairly well-done trials that show a modest increase in risk of chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and gallbladder disease) in people who have higher-glycemic-index diets.

I also reviewed a companion piece in the Annals, which found evidence that studies supported by manufacturers of sugar-sweetened beverages were much more likely to find that sugar is NOT a good cause of chronic disease than studies that were independently funded.

This suggests that the sugar industry may be trying, as did the tobacco industry, to discredit work on diet. I must unfortunately conclude that the Annals review paper has a potential for conflicts of interest.

Nearly all authorities agree that excess dietary sugar is a significant risk factor, not only for the development of diabetes, but also for other serious medical conditions. I continue to recommend against excess sugar intake. However, I cant say exactly how much is safe, so I think using a guideline, such as the U.S. Health and Human Services recommendation to limit to less than 10 percent of daily calories, is rational.

Dear Dr. Roach: It seems a lot of people have high total cholesterol and take drugs for it.

But what do you think of an elderly person having a total cholesterol of 138 without taking any drugs? It seems to me this is an unhealthy situation, and somehow this person needs to do something to increase his cholesterol. How would a person do this? The stats are triglycerides 99, HDL 45 and LDL 74.

R.I.

Dear R.I.: Unfortunately, I cant answer the question, because a low cholesterol level can be either a healthy or an unhealthy finding, depending on the circumstance.

For a healthy, active elderly person of normal weight, the numbers you told me about would represent a low risk of heart disease. However, low cholesterol levels, particularly in the elderly, often go along with poor nutritional status and chronic disease. It wouldnt surprise if you told me the person you are referring to has a serious chronic illness (of almost any type).

If the person does have chronic illness, the cholesterol is a marker for a problem, not a problem in itself. Therefore, the treatment isnt increasing the cholesterol (especially with unhealthy foods); rather, the treatment should be directed at the underlying disease. If a disease is unknown but suspected, then a careful history and physical exam, with a judicious laboratory evaluation, is warranted.

Email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

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Doc: Authorities agree too much sugar intake is risky - The Detroit News

BRISTOL Tastes of home will fill the Sheriden Woods Health Care Center under the guidance of the new director of dining services, Matt Mazzone.

His mission is to create diets that are as close as possible to what the residents would eat at home while still following doctors considerations, such as residents with diabetes getting smaller slices of cake or pie. The center specializes in providing its patients with Lymphedema management, short-term and long-term rehabilitation, respite and hospice and dementia care.

Mazzone is motivated by making a difference to the variety of guests who he serves.

You never know if its their anniversary or even their last meal in our situation. I want to make it as memorable as possible, Mazzone said.

Its a 365 day job. Thats assumed, but it really is. You have to feed 400 meals a day, 365 days, whether there is a blizzard or other catering functions. You have to make sure they put out the top quality product to the audience, make sure deliveries are there, and that staffing is where it should be, Mazzone said.

One challenge he faces that people might not expect is as more things are easier to research online, people have a tendency to think they are more educated than professionals, Mazzone said. Sometimes he finds it difficult to explain everything from start to finish.

Everything is so accessible through cell phones, so they want things instantly and think they know better than you do, he said.

With his education and work at a country club, fine dining restaurant and an Italian restaurant, he has many years of experience contributing to his knowledge.

Mazzone didnt always know that he wanted to work in the culinary arts, but found that it was always really easy for him. He grew up watching The Food Network when it began to take off in the mid to late 90s with his dad and it inspired him.

He began to make his passion a career in the culinary program at HC Wilcox Technical High School. His next step was continuing his education by majoring in Food Service Management and minoring in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales.

To this day, Mazzone never wants to stop learning and educating. He plans to help develop the team at Sheriden Woods and take time for self-reflection on how he can improve. His main focus in his new role is to enhance the life of the residents through the dietary program and educate and train the staff while ensuring the food quality is to the five star standards. Educating the staff will involve culinary exercises and daily group meetings.

Last year Sheriden Woods was deficiency free, according to the Department of Public Health. Mazzone would like to continue that record and improve resident satisfaction through the dietary experience he helps provide.

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Sheriden Woods announces new director of dining - Bristol Press

I know youre probably thinking, Ugh, another diet Ill think about starting but never will.

But, Ill tell you right now that the Mediterranean diet probablyisnt like any other diet youve tried before.

With this diet, you dont have to give up pizza or work out for three hours every day to get results.

Itsone of thebest diets out there, and for a few good reasons.

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The Mediterranean diet encourages people to adopt eating patterns rich in fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (such as those found in fish, seafood and nuts) and whole grains.

But, a lot of fad diets do the exact same thing.

So, heres what makes the Mediterranean diet unique, and a few quick suggestions to make this diet work for you:

Many diets we know and hate try to help us lose weight by restricting calories and cutting out important food groups.

Not many of them have a built-in exercise component to go along with their healthy eating suggestions, which is why the Mediterranean diet is a definite must-try.

Its emphasis on staying active is actually what makes this diet special, and its probably why its results have proven so positive in so many people.

The Mediterranean diet pyramidincludes physical activity in its breakdown of recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle.

Experts dont just recommend 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly for the fun of it. Just 30 minutes of fitness five days a week can strengthen your heart, help you lose weight and curb your cravings for your go-to unhealthy snack foods.

Studies have also shown that shorter, higher-intensity workouts are much more effective than longer, lower-intensity activities.

So, you dont have to spend hours at the gym every day to be healthy. Thirty minutes is really all it often takes.

There are different kinds of processing when it comes to food.

Every food you eat, even fruits and vegetables, goes through minimal processing before it hits grocery store shelves so its safe for you to eat.

Its the heavily processed foods that are damaging to our health in the long-term (think microwave meals, frozen pizzas and even potato chips).

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Experts estimate that over half the calories Americanseat are heavily processed, but the Mediterranean diet can help you knock down your junk food cravings for good.

It lists specific kinds of foods to avoid, all of them in the heavily processed category.

Foods to avoid on the Mediterranean diet include anything containing refined grains (like breakfast cereals), added sugars and processed meats, which are linked to an increased risk of cancer.

The first question you probably ask when presented with a new diet is: Does it work?

Science has a way of disproving fad diet claims with good old-fashioned facts. The good news is, researchers have had their eyes on the Mediterranean diet for awhile, and the results will restore your faith in meal planning.

There have been a number of studies on the positive effects of the Mediterranean diet.

Results show that those who follow the diet over longer periods of time experience healthy weight loss, increased heart health and reduced risk for certain types of cancer.

1. Start slow.

A healthy diet is pretty much just a series of breaking old habits and replacing them with new ones.

Depriving yourself of all the foods youre used to eating in the beginning is the simplest recipe for failure.

Slowly introduce new foods (and a new fitness routine) into your life over the first few weeks. Give your body and your mind time to adjust.

2. Eat a variety of foods.

The biggest mistake you can make when trying a new diet even one proven to work is cooking the same three meals over and over again. It gets boring fast.

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A combination of different fruits and vegetables, proteins and whole grains at each meal will also help fill you up faster, which is super helpful when it comes to portion control and avoiding extra calories.

3. Choose fitness activities you love.

Exercise wont happen if you dread all 150 minutes of your workouts every week. Switch it up, too.

Stepping onto the treadmill every time you hit the gym has the same effect as eating salad for dinner every night. Yawn!

Do something different to keep yourself entertained while also working out different muscle groups in the process.

We may be looking at this whole diet thing all wrong. Its not about restriction or over-exercising to lose those last 10 pounds.

Its about figuring out how to make good food and enjoyable exercise happen.

Maybe this diet wont work for you, but you never know until you try.

It could be exactly what you need to slowly learn how you personally can eat healthier and work out more effectively on your own time.

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Meg Dowell is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. Follow her on Twitter @MegDowell to start learning to live a smarter, healthier life.

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Why The Mediterranean Diet Is The Fastest Way To Lose Weight And Build Muscle - Elite Daily

As a registered dietitian , I dont believe in diet "cheat" days or meals. Well, I dont really believe in diets either, but since many people are on some diet or other, they're still worth discussing. If you are on a dietor just trying your hand at healthy eating in generaland youre indulging in cheat days or cheat meals, let me explain why I cant get on board.

Eating seems to have devolved into the territory of the morality police: good versus bad . Dirty versus clean. Cheating versus staying loyal to your eating plan. But food is just thatfoodand making it into a moral issue is unfortunately becoming the new standard.

Before we dive in, it's worth noting that as with any diet or plan, cheat days may work for some people. A piece of 2016 research in Journal of Consumer Psychology found that "cheating" on a diet can actually help you lose weight because it wards off feelings of deprivation.

But for many people, it's not that simple. Here's why.

My primary concern with cheat days is the emotional implications of morally categorizing your eating habits. Sure, you can go overboard on a cheat day and eat a ton of crap and feel physically sick from it, but I think the emotional consequences can almost be more damaging.

Meaning, if you cheat, then overcompensate out of guilt by restricting your diet for the days following the indulgence, then overeat because youre restricting, it can become a soul-sucking binge cycle. The rapid influx of sugar , fat, and refined carbohydrates that make up many cheat meals often exacerbate this, leading to an extended binge either due to guilt, that "last chance" feeling, or through the actual composition of those foods. Obviously this defeats the purpose of the cheating concept, but it can also lead to feelings of failure.

This diet merry-go-round is a common reason why diets (or cheat days/meals on diets) dont work for most people.

Restricting food for a particular day can create tension around eating and cause you to crave, then overeat, the very foods that youre trying to avoid. As anyone who has ever been on a diet knows, that forbidden-fruit feeling can be very real. Obsessing about the "bad" foods youre going to take a swan dive into once your cheat day arrives is distracting and unhealthy, not to mention often a precursor to going overboard.

If you feel like you're eating "good" foods out of obligation so you can get to the cheat days, eating becomes merely a means to an end, which is pretty much the opposite of what it should be. Finding pleasure in food and nourishing your body and soul is a healthier, more satisfying way to view food. Instead of choking down a salad and then dreaming about the many cupcakes youre going to eat on your cheat day, wouldnt it be better to eat healthy food you actually enjoy ( it doesn't have to be salad !), have a cupcake whenever you want it, and move past the whole good/bad thing?

I work from a perspective of normalizing all foods. That means that even though some foods are healthier than others, its not a big deal to have an indulgent amount of a less-healthy food every day, then just get over it. Treating yourself often enough can defuse the attractiveness of those "forbidden" foods.

My clients find that eating this way is not only easier and more enjoyable, it also has no bad repercussions on their weight. On the contrary, it makes eating an overall healthy diet simpler because theyre stepping away from the obsessive "can't have this" mindset. No foods are off-limits and only allowed when you're cheating, aka being "bad." Think of it as the 80/20 or 90/10 rule. Im all for it.

If cheat days work for you and are helping you get closer to your health and fitness goals, thats great, and by all means you should continue with them! But if you feel that method isn't working for you, try a different approach. The best diet is one that you can live with for the long term.

Keep in touch with me on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . For diet reviews, blog posts, and recipes, check out Abby Langer Nutrition .

You may also like: How To Make Healthy High-Protein Avocado Boats

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Why 'Cheat' Meals Can Actually Sabotage Your Healthy-Eating Goals - SELF

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