Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 122«..1020..121122123124..130140..»

Home » How to lose weight safely » Page 122

Credit: Arizona State University

Models, athletes and celebrities swear by the ketogenic "keto" diet to help shed those unwanted pounds. The keto diet encourages eating more cheese, butter and bacon; it's a low-carb, high-fat diet akin to the Atkins Diet created in 1972 by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins. The latest fad diet has amassed a following of devoted supporters, including Tim Tebow, LeBron James and Kim Kardashian, but does it really work?

Carol Johnston, professor and associate director of the nutrition program in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University, explains why the low-carb, high-fat diet is so popular, how it works, and what dieters should be eating to lose weight.

Question: Does the science behind the keto diet make sense? Would nearly eliminating carbs while increasing fat consumption help a person to lose weight?

Answer: The short answer is yes. There is mounting evidence that suggests calorie restricted, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets are effective for weight loss, and the keto diet is an extreme version of this. Low-carb diets can be more satiating, allowing dieters to feel full longer, eat less, and thus experience greater weight loss success. However, calorie restricted, high-carb diets are also effective for weight loss.

Overwhelmingly, the most important factor in weight loss success is diet adherence. In research trials, most individuals who lose weight regain most of it within a year, regardless of which diet they were on. The downside of many of the fad diets you see today is the lack of emphasis on long-term lifestyle changes, which is necessary for long-term weight loss success.

Q: In your opinion, why is this diet so popular?

A: The keto diet is popular because it is easy to follow and on the surface seems effective. In the first few days after starting the keto diet, a person can experience a significant loss of water weight. When carb intake is restricted for a few days, glycogen stores in the muscle are reduced. Glycogen is responsible for water retention, so when its levels fall, so do our water levels. To the average person, the diet appears to be working. The number on the scale is going down. But, since most of this weight lost is water weight, it will return when the person consumes carbs again. While most people rely on scales to monitor weight loss and think any weight loss is good, the goal is actually to lose fat, which isn't always reflected on the scale. Additionally, the elevated levels of satietyfeeling fullmay help people stick to the diet longer and experience greater weight loss success.

Q: Is the keto diet healthy?

A: Keto diets have safely been used as an effective therapy for epilepsy for years. There are some risks associated with an extremely low-carb, high-fat diet, including elevated blood triglycerides (linked to elevated cardiovascular risk), increased urinary uric acid (which may lead to the formation of kidney stones), and lethargy. Adults on a low-carb diet are also at risk for adverse impacts to their bone health.

Q: We're always hearing about the evils of carbohydrates when it comes to losing weight. How important are carbs to our health and what role do they play in weight loss?

A: Carbs play a critical role in our health. We get energy either by burning glucose from carbs, or by burning fat. The keto diet focuses on the latter. Though carb-restricting diets are popular, carbs are actually less likely to convert into body fat than dietary fat.

Carbs are important for our brain and muscle health. Our brains rely entirely on glucose for energy productionthey can't get it from fatmaking the consumption of some carbs necessary. Our muscles can use either glucose or fat for energy, but during high-intensity exercise, they prefer glucose.

When we eat more carbs than we need, they convert to body fat, which contributes to obesity. In general, average Americansthose with a relatively sedentary lifestyleconsume more carbs and calories than they actually need. Athletes, on the other hand, need to keep their carb intake elevated to support their energy output. Balance between energy intake and output is key to maintaining a healthy weight.

Q: For people who are trying to lose weightwhat foods should they avoid? What foods should they include in their diet?

A: Energy-dense foods should be avoided (gravies, dressings, sauces, sweets, pastries, cakes, cookies, sugary drinks, etc.) and low-energy, nutrient-rich foods should be prominent in the diet (unprocessed plant foods, low fat dairy and lean, unprocessed meats).

Q: What should people know about the effectiveness or safety of fad diets like Atkins, keto, liquid diets, paleo, calorie restriction, etc.?

A: Any diet that restricts calories will typically result in weight loss if a person sticks with it. What is important when following a calorie-restricted diet (about 500 less calories per day) is that it has healthful attributesa diet composed of plant-based, unprocessed foods with low fat contentsuch as the Mediterranean diet. (Note, 500 calories equates to two 12-ounce sodas and a large chocolate chip cookie!)

Explore further: Medical myth: Cutting carbs is the best way to lose weight

See original here:
The Keto dietis eating more fat the key to weight loss? - Medical Xpress

CROWN POINT David Corrie had a good reason for wanting to lose weight.

His 3-year-old son, Luke, requires near constant attention and likely will for the rest of his life. Corrie's family needs him around, and healthy.

He had an epiphany one day watching a friend care for an older son with autism.

"I said there's no way I can do this 10 years from now in my current health," said Corrie, 38, a fifth-grade teacher in Lansing. "At some point, Luke is going to have the strength of a man but still have the mentality of a child."

Corrie's son has isodicentric 15, or idic 15, a rare chromosomal abnormality that leaves him unable to talk, with seizures and low muscle tone.

To prevent the seizures, the 3-year-old has to eat a diet high in fat and low in carbs and protein. Corrie always tries whatever supplements his son is prescribed to make sure they don't have adverse side effects. He decided to do the same thing with Luke's diet.

The more he researched it, he learned it might be able to help him as well.

Under the so-called ketogenic diet, he eats two calories of fat for every one from carbs or protein, consuming no more than 30 grams of carbs a day. He said the diet essentially "fools the body into thinking you're starving," encouraging fat burning.

"I eat a lot of eggs and meat and sausage and low-carb vegetables, bacon, cheese, cashews, avocados," he said.

He said the diet makes him feel full, cutting down on snacking.

"I've been hungry my whole life," he said. "People always say if you eat now you're going to spoil your appetite for dinner. That was not the case for me."

Starting at 311 pounds, Corrie is now down to around 255. He hopes to eventually get to 220.

Besides the changes on the scale, Corrie says he is less grumpy and has lowered his high blood sugar and liver enzyme levels. And he has already noticed the difference in his ability to care for his son.

"I can get to him faster," he said. "My endurance level to carry him around is greater."

He has done some cardio and strength training along the way, but figures the diet is about 80 percent responsible for his weight loss.

"It's improved my health massively," he said.

Corrie has been soliciting sponsors for his weight-loss journey, already raising more than $14,000 that will go toward home modifications for his son. Corrie and his wife hope to build a "Luke-proof room," an addition off the kitchen where he can safely play while his parents watch him through the glass. A contractor, E&K of Chicago, has agreed to donate construction and materials to make the addition a reality.

Corrie's wife, Angela, has been impressed by the improvements her husband has made in his life.

"It's a big change," she said. "He has been diligent to stay on it in a way I couldn't. The weight just melts off him."

"We're really involved with our church. We go to a lot of potlucks, and he's been really good," she added. "We need him around for lots of years."

Link:
A Crown Point man lost 50 pounds ... for his son - nwitimes.com

Guy Sebastian had eight weeks to get into shape for his Mens Health Australia cover. Picture: Jason Ierace

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in recent years, with some claiming this way of eating can have incredible benefits to long-term health.

Former Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian says its the diet that helped him get shredded in eight weeks for his Mens Health Australia cover.

But what is a ketogenic diet, and does the evidence truly stack up to back up the claims? This is what you need to know, according to accredited practising dietitian Chloe McLeod.

Guy Sebastian and his wife Jules. Picture: Jason IeraceSource:Supplied

What is a ketogenic diet?

A ketogenic diet is a diet very low in carbohydrates and very high in fat. The reduction in the consumption of carbohydrates places the body in a state of ketosis, which is a metabolic state where fat provides most of the fuel the body requires to function.

What constitutes a diet thats low-carb and high-fat?

A standard ketogenic diet is usually comprised of approximately 20 per cent protein, 75 per cent fat, and 5 per cent carbohydrates, where approximately 10-50g of carbohydrates are consumed each day. When compared to a general healthy diet, the distribution is far more even, with approximately 20-30 per cent protein, 20-30 per cent fat and 30-40 per cent carbohydrates.

Who should do it?

Ketogenic diets are reportedly useful for weight management. When reducing carbohydrates, it is normal to see the number on the scales go down, due to the body losing water as a result of carbohydrate stores being used up. Fat and protein are also very satiating, meaning that it is possible you will feel fuller. This means potentially fewer calories are consumed, so weight loss is as a result of reduced calorie consumption, rather than the low-carb diet. That said there is some research which indicates that low carbohydrate diets can assist with weight loss, particularly in severely obese individuals.

Picture: Jason IeraceSource:Supplied

The cons?

Some of the claims of the efficacy of a ketogenic diet are overstated, particularly in relation to weight loss, increased lean mass and increased longevity. More high quality research is needed to support these claims.

Also, following this diet can be really difficult, particularly in the long-term. Fruit, grains, beans and legumes, starchy vegetables, most dairy, along with most processed foods need to be removed from the diet. This usually means that day to day eating needs to be highly structured and planned, and eating out and social arrangements can become much more difficult.

This lifestyle also means significantly less fibre and prebiotic foods going into the diet, which can have a negative impact on many aspects of health particularly in gut health. New research has shown a high-fat diet can change the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut, with potentially wide ranging effects on health, not to mention, an increased risk of constipation.

How to do it safely (if at all)

If someone needs to follow, or wants to try out a ketogenic diet, it is recommended to work with a dietitian who is skilled in this area to help ensure all nutrition needs are covered. Its also a good idea to have a chat with your GP, and get some blood tests done first to check key vitals before commencing.

Low carbohydrate, ketogenic diets may have some positive health benefits, but it is important to not view it as a cure-all as for most of us, it wont be.

This article originally appeared on Body and Soul.

You don't need to go to the gym every day or go on a strict diet to lose weight. Here are some top weight loss tips from 'The Diet Doctor' Moodi Dennaoui and PT and former Survivor contestant Tegan Haining.

Read the original post:
This is the diet Guy Sebastian did to look ripped on the cover of Men's Health - NEWS.com.au

Every other month, some new diet is trending. Remember that time when South Beach was huge? Or when you walked into a CrossFit box and heard the word "paleo" 32 times within five minutes? Sure, buzzy diets go in and out of the limelight, but one recent GrubHub study reveals that the raw food diet is soaring in popularity. With a 92 percent increase in raw food orders over the past year, it appears that customers like their food uncooked and with a lack of preservatives.

But why? Well, eating a slew of raw foods means you're getting an abundance of good-for-you minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and fiber in your diet. One University of Giessen study of 200 people eating a raw food diet found that they had higher levels of beta-carotene, which is commonly associated with disease prevention. But what other reasons are there to hop on board the raw food diet train? Here's everything you need to know about the raw food diet.

The raw food diet involves exactly what it sounds like: a whole lot of raw food. The foods you consume can be raw (cold) or slightly warm, but nothing can be over 118 degrees. While some followers of the raw food diet allow raw fish, eggs, meat, and unpasteurized dairy into their ingredients list, it's more common to stick to mostly organic, uncooked, and unprocessed foods. Think vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, and some sprouted grains. Vegans and vegetarians may feel right at home on this plan.

Off-limits? A whole lot. Essentially anything on the inside aisles of your grocery store is out of the picture here, like pasta, junk food, salt, flours, sugars, juices, and anything processed or pasteurized.

And although everything is raw, you'll need to channel your inner Martha Stewart if you want to do this diet well and not just eat salad after salad. But where there's a will, there's a way. Through preparation techniques involving blending, dehydrating, and food processing, you can make loads of meal options. For example, you can make zucchini chips that fall into the green zone of this diet by slicing zucchini thinly and dehydrating for about 24 hours until they're dry.

Cooking food may decrease the amount of certain water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Plus, a diet high in fruits and vegetables can be great for digestion and lower blood pressure, according to one University of Southern California study. It can also lower your chance of stomach cancer and stroke, and halt the progression of kidney disease.

And there are some unique benefits of consuming produce raw: "Raw foods require more chewing than cooked food," says Deanna Minich, Ph.D., C.N., author of The Complete Handbook of Quantum Healing. "And when we chew, we stimulate different parts of the brain that correspond to learning and memory." One Cardiff University study of 133 volunteers zeroed in on the benefits of chewing gum (which isn't allowed on the raw food diet, FTR) during a testing period. Those who chewed gum reported a more positive mood, greater alertness, and improved selective and sustained attention than those who didn't.

Plus, eating a raw food diet means you're slashing the consumption of processed foods. That's a good-for-you idea whether or not you're following the raw food diet, as cutting them out could prevent weight gain, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers analyzed the diets of more than 120,000 Americans over two decades, and they found that people who consumed sugary drinks, processed meat, and chips regularly were most likely to put on the pounds.

First off, it's really restrictive. Limiting yourself to raw foods means you unfortunately need to cut out some healthy non-raw foods, like a lot of whole grains (think quinoa, brown rice, freekeh). No one wants to feel frustrated when they walk into their kitchen, and just like with any diet, that's possible here when you're tired of eating the same things day after day. If that's not enough, you'll likely have to skip out on the restaurants. As with any diet, it's tough to eat out when you have so many limitations.

It's also pretty pricey. Shopping organic can cost an average of 47 percent more than standard produce. While you can follow a raw diet without going organic, most traditionalists would say you're not doing it right because, well, chemicals. The pesticides applied to food can have detrimental effects on the body (ruining some of the purposes of going raw in the first place).

Eating raw or undercooked foods can also put you at risk for food poisoning, as bacteria, molds, and parasites might be in your eats (eeek!). Just because you may not be cooking your food doesn't mean you can't protect yourself, though. The FDA recommends you run both fruits and vegetables under water before eating or cutting them.

And although losing excess weight can be great for your health and a major reason why most women choose diets in the first place, this meal plan may take you a step too far. Dieter, beware: In the numerous studies done on the raw food diet, experts agree that weight loss should be monitored. One University of Giessen study cautions fans of the trend, saying that 30 percent of the 297 women under age 45 who were involved in the study developed partial or complete amenorrhea (akalosing your period, which isn't a good thing). Make sure to continually check in on your progress. Evidence shows that people who lose pounds gradually and steadily (at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off, according to the CDC.

First and foremost, Minich recommends that anyone who is interested in starting a raw food diet consult with a health professional. If you get the go-ahead and feel like you have all the tools to execute this new diet safely, make sure to do a pulse check every once in a while and gauge how you're feeling.

"Always be in tune with your body," says Minich. "You're not supposed to feel horrible, and if you do, the diet isn't for you."

If you want to give it a try, consider not going 100 percent raw. Instead, tryeating high raw (80 to 99 percent raw foods) or what is commonly referred to as "raw until dinner." Making a gradual transition to raw can help ease into a new habit and make it easier to maintain.

View original post here:
The Raw Food Diet Facts You Need to Know - Shape Magazine

AN EVESHAM mum who battled her weight for a number of years and fought depression hopes to share her story with others.

Natalie Moxey will launch her own Slimming World group at the De Montfort School next Saturday from 9.30am.

The mum of two has fought back from weighing more than 18 stone and having to wear size 22 clothes.

Natalie had always battled with her weight, stretching back as far as her teen years but her weight gain spiralled out of control over the past five years.

After tying the knot with her childhood sweetheart Tom in August 2011, the happy couple dreamed of starting a family.

But after the joy of falling pregnant in March 2012, Natalie and Tom suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage on Mothers Day.

Following the tragic loss, the couple struggled to conceive and Natalie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone-related condition caused by small cysts or follicles on the ovaries.

Despite the setback, Natalie fell pregnant in 2013 but endured an awful first 12 weeks where she suffered bleeding and cramping.

Little David arrived safely in December 2013 after a pregnancy beset by severe pelvic pain which made it difficult for Natalie to walk and ended with an emergency c-section after complications during his birth.

The couple discovered a second baby, Jack was on the way six months after Davids birth but again Natalie endured a difficult pregnancy with pelvic pain so bad she ended in up in a wheelchair.

Despite Jacks safe and healthy arrival, Natalie was haunted by the demons of the previous years which led to a crippling depression.

I was eating my feelings, with no care of concern for myself. Getting through the day was my only aim, she said.

To me, food was an instant high but really it was just compounding my depression. I had no control.

The 31-year-old saw her weight rocket and regularly dined on sugary cereals, crisps, chocolate and ready meals and would often eat takeaways, sometimes up to five times a week.

During the day, I wasnt that bad, but at night Id just sit and eat and eat, she said.

The caring mum tackled various weight loss methods but said her life began to change when she first attended a Slimming World group last January.

She discovered she could still eat tasty meals and chocolate and even the odd glass or two of wine.

Before I could barely walk but now I run regular 5ks and enjoy exercising at local fitness groups, she said.

I can chase around after my boys without having to worry about not keeping up, or getting stuck on a slide!

Call Natalie on 07791674678 on the group.

More:
Inspirational Natalie share's her brave story to help others lose weight - Evesham Observer

Sign Up for

Our free email newsletters

As a rule, we love watching actors push themselves to dangerous extremes for their craft. Dramatic physical ordeals become the stuff of Hollywood lore: Leonardo DiCaprio sleeping inside an animal carcass to prepare for The Revenant, Robert DeNiro gaining 60 pounds for Raging Bull, Daniel Day Lewis damaging two ribs after spending the entire shoot of My Left Foot in a wheelchair. (Female bodily transformations like any time an actress appears to undergo plastic surgery tend to be more fraught.) Yet To the Bone, Netflix's recent film about a young woman, played by Lily Collins, battling life-threatening anorexia, has sparked a different kind of public conversation about performers and commitment. This time, the question is where Method acting and and psychological self-harm intersect, and at what point one actor's discipline becomes a public-health issue.

In the film, directed by Marti Noxon, Collins plays Ellen, a severely anorexic teenager who is sent for treatment at an inpatient clinic run by an unorthodox therapist (Keanu Reeves). Both Noxon and Collins grappled with serious eating disorders when they were younger the film is loosely based on Noxon's own experiences and for both, the film was born of a very personal desire to elevate the artistic treatment of an issue typically been relegated to Lifetime movies or after-school specials. Collins was offered the role just as she was opening up about her eating disorder for the first time in her 2017 self-help book slash memoir, Unfiltered. As she told The Independent, "It was like the world in a kismet situation saying 'this is something that maybe you need to expand upon, something you can maybe bring to more people start a larger conversation.'"

Like 13 Reasons Why, Netflix's last take on a serious mental-health Issue, the film has quickly become mired in controversy over its shortcomings as an educational tool. And many of the criticisms in addition to critiques of its focus on suffering over recovery, and of its focus on a thin, white, conventionally beautiful protagonist have centered on Collins' decision to lose weight for the role under the supervision of a nutritionist. In the view of eating-disorder specialist Jennifer Rollin, who wrote a critical op-ed about the film for HuffPost, the notion that someone recovering from an eating disorder can safely lose weight is "one the most concerning" things about the film.

"Lily Collins saying she lost weight in a 'healthy way' with the help of a nutritionist for the role is like someone with alcoholism saying they drank responsibly for a role," Rollin told me.

Noxon has said that she did not ask Collins to lose weight, and that it was a choice she took on with careful consideration. "Both Lily and I in deciding to make the movie had to evaluate, well, where are we in our recovery? Are we in a good place to make this? And we both felt really strongly that it was something we wanted to do and that would be good for us," Noxon told the Los Angeles Times. In her memoir, Collins calls making the film "the best form of creative rehab," saying that it helped her to face aspects of her disorder that she had failed to fully reckon with, and that she fully recovered from the weight loss she endured for the film.

But for some of the experts I spoke to, Collins' decision was more than an arguably reckless personal choice; it poses a genuine threat for the sort of vulnerable viewers who have already begun sharing photos of her character on "thinspiration" web pages. "We know for somebody with the underlying genetics for anorexia that weight loss, regardless of intention, can trigger their brain to start to get activated. It has put her recovery at risk and it's sent a really dangerous message to other people in recovery," Rollin said.

"If people think, Oh, well, Lily Collins did and it didn't harm her, maybe I can, it becomes a salient example in peoples' minds," adds eating-disorder specialist Lauren Muhlheim. "Hollywood celebrities carry a lot of weight because people will remember that versus a clinician who 10 years in the past told them 'you're at risk if you diet in the future.'" (Muhlheim advises anyone dealing with an eating disorder to contact the National Eating Disorder Helpline. She also recommends a video the cast made called 9 Truths About Eating Disorders, which helps debunk a number of myths and misconceptions that the film doesn't tackle.)

Still, others in the ED community have given the filmmakers their support, arguing that To the Bone stands to do more good than harm by simply existing in the world. Kristina Saffran, co-founder of eating-disorder support charity Project Heal (which has partnered with the filmmakers to help "guide them on how to have this conversation in a responsible way") says it would probably have been impossible to make a realistic movie that wasn't triggering to people with eating disorders, because "when you're dealing with an eating disorder, literally everything is triggering." While Project Heal has said they do not support Collins's weight loss and their involvement with the film took place after the fact Saffran suggests we should "take [Collins'] word" that she is in a better place after the shoot and that it was actually therapeutic for her to go through this process.

Even if Collins hadn't lost weight for the part (and some of the film's more harrowing visuals were the result of prosthetics), eating-disorder therapist Carolyn Costin who moderated a panel on the film alongside Collins and Noxon, in partnership with Project Heal thinks that critics would have found fault with the film's method no matter what. "I think you have to take the basic understanding that you can't have a film about a troubling topic without troubling some people," says Costin. In her view, the absence of realistic representations of eating disorders onscreen means that any attempt to do so faces a disproportionate amount of scrutiny.

"I've been racking my brain, what would be the alternative?" Costin asks. "If you're going to make a realistic movie, I don't have an alternative. if you took an actress who wanted to portray someone with anorexia and they tried to lose weight, you could risk that person getting an eating disorder. And if you took someone to play Marti's character and you kept them at a normal weight, I think you'd be accused of glamorizing the eating disorder because nobody would see anything bad."

Some of this comes down to the different schools of thought on whether you can ever be fully recovered from an eating disorder, which Costin believes is possible. "[Where] the philosophy [that recovery is lifelong] comes from is more like a chemical dependency where people would say 'you can never have a drink because your chemistry is different,' and that's not been proven in eating disorders," she says. "People do this all the time, lose weight, gain weight, smoke, put themselves in compromising positions, yet there's something about the eating-disorder field where people get very upset about it," she says. (In an op-ed, Costin said she too was "was concerned and unsettled upon hearing the leading actress had suffered from anorexia in the past yet lost weight to play the part." Still, she adds, "the important thing" is that Lily has recovered and did not relapse.)

Lost amid all the consternation over eating-disorder pathology and triggering imagery is the question of what it means for an actress like Lily Collins or a filmmaker like Marti Noxon to revisit her own traumas onscreen. Plenty of art has been born out of individual suffering, and it's clear from Collins' memoir that she sees being an advocate and an actress as two sides of the same coin. Her weight loss was, in its way, an attempt to access some sort of autobiographical truth even if doing so threatened to put her back in the path of the same dangers she sought to communicate.

"My experience helped me be able to tell Ellen's story in a true and genuine way, which benefited not only the character but also myself," Collins told The Cut via email. "If I didn't feel I was ready to take on this role, I wouldn't have. But I knew in my gut it was for a greater purpose than just my own healing." She continued:

"In preparing for the role I wanted to pay tribute to the suffering 16-year-old girl I once was and portray a young woman in her situation as best I could, tapping into the mind-set but also keeping a fine distance for the woman I've since become. I chose to help tell this story, one woman's story in search of recovery. Every single person's journey is different. As was mine."

In her book, she writes about how taking the role was by no means an easy choice, about the fear that she wouldn't be able to separate herself from the role or resist old triggers, as well as her struggles post-shoot, filming Okja in South Korea, where isolation from friends and family and a lack of familiarity with the food presented potential triggers for relapse. And she writes about how, ultimately, she took the part along with all the risks it entailed because she felt it was a creative and ethical obligation to bring her story to a wider audience.

"I remember driving home the night we wrapped filming on To the Bone and passing my high school where many of my insecurities, relationship problems, and eating issues had begun," she writes. "I looked out the window and smiled. Little did I know that the troubled Lily back then was going through it all for a greater purpose. To one day share her story as part of a much larger one. To have her voice join the voices of so many other young women. It's a weight off my shoulders, a self-inflicted burden relinquished."

Get more smart coverage of everything from politics to relationships at The Cut, or follow The Cut on Facebook.

See original here:
Is there a responsible way to make a movie about eating disorders? - The Week Magazine

Senior citizens have a lower tolerance for heat, so they should take more care to avoid heat-related illnesses. (Metro Creative Graphics Inc.)

As a child, you may have spent numerous hours outdoors during the summer. Now that youre an adult, you may find the summer months to be far less enjoyable because of the heat. This is normal, according to Monica Durocher, RN, CRRN at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

As you age, the bodys mechanisms that help regulate internal temperature become less efficient Durocher explains. This means that you lose some of your ability to adapt to heat, leaving you with a lower tolerance and making you more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

Durocher says that this is caused by a few different reasons one being that an adult older than 65 doesnt sweat as much as a younger individual. Sweating helps to cool the body. Also, an older adult may be more likely to have a chronic condition or be on medication that affects the bodys ability to respond to heat.

Called hyperthermia, heat-related illnesses can include heat exhaustion, cramps, fatigue, and stroke (also called sun stroke). Symptoms can include a flushed face, high body temperature, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, dizziness, or lack of sweating.

Hyperthermia is caused as blood rushes to the skins surface as the body tries to cool itself, Durocher says. As a result, less blood reaches the brain, muscles, and other organs, which can interfere with muscle strength and mental capacity. In severe cases, this can be dangerous.

According to the National Institute on Aging, if someone is suspected of suffering from a heat-related illness, you should:

Get the person out of the heat and into a shady, air-conditioned, or other cool place. Urge him or her to lie down.

If the person can swallow safely, offer fluids such as water, fruit or vegetable juices. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Encourage the individual to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water

Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and/or groin area. These are places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.

Call 911 if you suspect heat stroke.

The best defense with a heat-related illness, however, is to prevent it from ever occurring. The best way to enjoy a warm day is to arm yourself with some heat-related knowledge and take sensible precautions, Durocher says. To enjoy a warmer day safely, she suggests:

Stay hydrated. Drink water often, even if you dont feel thirsty.

Check your medicines. Some may make you more sensitive to the sun. Ask your doctor.

Wear sunscreen. Apply before you head outside, and reapply often.

Wear proper clothing. Wear light-weight, breathable clothing, long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat.

Wear sunglasses. Look for those that protect from UVB and UVA rays.

Go indoors. Mid-day sun is the hottest. Plan indoor activities for those times. Stay in air-conditioned areas when its hot outside.

Take cool showers or baths to cool down.

Information provided by Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

See the article here:
Senior sun safety requires extra vigilance - The Daily Courier

Who doesnt like fitting into that old pair of jeans that was super expensive? Are you someone who wants to shed those extra pounds safely and quickly? Does that extra layer of fat spoil your mood whenever you try to fit into that leather skirt?

According to some researchers at the University of North Carolina, men tend to lose weight more easily as compared to women especially the belly fat around the midsection. This doesnt mean that losing weight is impossible for women but it highlights the fact that women have to work a little harder than their male counterparts to shed those extra pounds.

Remember losing weight will not be an easy task unless you have iron willpower. It will make you hungry and leave you craving for sugary snacks that you loved and yes there will be tears. Most importantly, no one is losing a pound without any exercise and a healthy workout routine. It doesnt necessarily have to be boiled chicken and beans all the time, if you eat smartly and keep your calorie intake in check, losing weight can actually become a fun task. Below are four easy steps to keep in mind before you start your weight loss regime.

1. Eat Breakfast like a Queen

It all depends on how you start your day. A healthier start leaves you motivated to make healthier decisions for the rest of the day. Breakfast jump starts your metabolism hence add a source of lean protein (e.g beans), fat (e.g, olive oil, avocado oil, nut butter) and fiber(e.g fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) in your breakfast. A bowl of oats topped with fresh raspberries and a glass of milk is an ideal breakfast.

Your breakfast calorie count should range from 400 to 500 calories which will not only keep you satisfied but will help you lay off the urge to munch.

Processed foods are rich in sodium which is added to it for preservation purposes. Excess of sodium is bad for your health even when youre not on a diet.

Processed foods may seem an easy to grab option, easier to cook and less effort consuming but at the expense of your health. They are less filling and are more likely to cause over-eating later in the day. The trick while grocery shopping is

3.Say Hello to Lean Proteins

How often have you heard that fitness guy talk about that delicious protein shake? Ever wondered why all the fitness lovers talk about proteins all the time? Heres why proteins help you lose weight, protein takes up more energy of your body to burn and digest as compared to carbs and fat hence including proteins in your diet will help you boost your metabolism. Moreover, proteins will also provide nutritional support for the workouts and help you maintain a lean and toned muscle tissue.

Try to eat 80 grams of protein per 100 pounds of your body weight and include a palm size dense portion of protein in every meal like a piece of chicken, tuna or salmon.

4.Workout!

No one is shedding any weight without moving and starting a healthy workout routine. Cardiovascular exercises help you torch more calories. A cycling session, a ballet lesson or a swimming program is excellent for beginners as it will initiate the weight loss program with a zing of entertainment.

Remember workout is not all about lifting weights and exercising in uncomfortable positions! They have a different purpose in the game but not in the initial days of a beginner. Consult a trainer at the gym, he/she will recommend the proper workout routine that will get you started and help you head towards your fitness goals.

Read this article:
What is the ideal weight for women? - Reports Healthcare

A recent study out of the Cleveland Clinic found that obesity robs us of more years of our lives than any other preventable health issue. That means that of all the top lifestyle-related killers that are in our power to modify or treat including smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol obesity shortens life the most.

That is bad news for the 13 million adults aged 65 and older who are obese, which is more than a third of that age group. While a few extra pounds on older adults are not a health issue and may even be beneficial, too much excess weight can contribute to a variety of health problems, including inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, joint problems and even cognitive impairment.

Additionally, obese older adults are admitted to the hospital and emergency room more than their non-obese counterparts.

The good news is that while obesity can lead to lost or unhealthy years, you have the power to get those years back. Even losing as little as 3 percent of your total body weight can make a difference if you maintain it.

Advertisement

Over the past 30 years, we have seen hundreds of people revive their life and their health through learning or recommitting to making good choices regarding their weight, says Patricia Jurek, manager of the Henry Ford Center for Weight Management at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital near Detroit.

Who is considered obese?

Usually, people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more are considered obese and those with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are overweight. Your BMI is an estimate of your body fat based on height and weight.

However, there are other factors to consider in addition to, or instead of, your BMI.

Defining obesity can be tricky for older adults. With age, older adults tend to lose muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. So, while your weight or BMI may not change, your body fat stores may increase as well as your risk for obesity-related diseases. On the other hand, older adults often lose inches in their height and may be classified as obese because their BMI has increased but their weight has stayed the same.

Patients at the Henry Ford Center for Health Management take the REEVUE breathing test. The test assesses your resting metabolic rate and creates a daily calorie goal to lose or maintain weight. Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, the Henry Ford Womens Heart Center and the Henry Ford Center for Athletic Medicine also offer Bod Pod analysis, which provides a medically accurate fat/muscle evaluation when you enter a small chamber for testing.

Why are many older adults obese?

Some adults have always had weight issues. Others find the number on the scale climbs as their metabolism and energy levels slow and their eating habits change or perhaps, unwisely, dont.

Lifestyle changes may be a factor as well. For example, if youre a widow or widower, you may not cook or visit the grocery store as frequently as in the past. Low energy levels and even a fear of falling may prevent some older adults from shopping regularly for fresh produce and healthy food.

Instead, they may stock up on unhealthy processed foods that have a longer shelf life or resort to fast-food options. Additionally, medications for other health issues, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, may cause weight gain.

Many people of all ages are getting away from cooking at home, which can lead to increased calorie intake, says Jurek. Create your own convenient meals and snacks. Keep a bowl of fruit out. Cook on the weekend and create freezer meals for the week. Look for ways to avoid processed or high-calorie, take-out food.

How to lose weight safely

Losing weight for older adults can be slightly more complicated that your basic eat less, exercise more formula. Seniors need to work with a doctor to determine a safe and effective weight loss plan. Additionally, a physician can review medications to see if any may cause weight gain. Some general guidelines to help older people lose weight effectively and safely include:

Cardiovascular exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. If you havent exercised before or in a while, its important to start slowly. Its not necessary to strap on running shoes or grab a tennis racquet; walking or even gardening can be beneficial.

The best way to increase your energy is to increase your movement, says Jurek. It doesnt have to be a 5k. Go for a 10-minute walk.

Strength training. Its important to make sure that any weight-loss program includes strength training (at least twice a week, recommends the CDC) to prevent muscle loss. Again, no need to bench press dozens of pounds. Simple exercise bands or even lifting household items such as soup cans will have an effect.

Protein. Its essential for preserving and building muscles, and some research suggests that older adults need more protein than their younger counterparts. Try eating a serving of protein at every meal, including yogurt, eggs, nuts or beans.

Whole Foods. People often mistakenly believe carbohydrates are the enemy to healthy diets. But carbohydrates eaten as whole foods are a necessary part of a healthy diet, says Jurek. People need to eat more whole foods in their natural state, whether its fresh, frozen or canned with lower sodium amounts, she advises. That provides food with higher water and fiber content and less calories per bite.

The issue with carbohydrates is processed carbohydrates; its the difference between having a potato and potato chips, or an apple or an apple muffin, says Jurek.

Hydration. Its important to stay hydrated for health reasons and also because thirst is sometimes confused with hunger. Drinking water all day long can help you feel fuller and prevent dehydration. You can jazz up your water by adding lemon, lime or another type of fruit for a boost of flavor.

Portion control. A simple way to remember how much of each type of food you need per meal, or what constitutes a portion, is to use the U.S Department of Agriculture My Plate visual. Fill half your lunch or dinner plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice and the other quarter with a lean protein. If you buy packaged goods, read the label so you understand the portion sizes.

Only 1 in 25 people eat enough vegetables to meet the daily recommended amount, and in the past 12 years, the obesity rate has increased 23.2 percent, says Jurek. When we really look at the impact, we need to look at our lifestyle, increase our activity and make healthy food choices.

READ MORE: Check out NextAvenue.org.

Debra Kaszubski, Vitality Special Writer, contributed to this report.

See the original post:
Your obesity may be killing you - The Oakland Press - The Oakland Press

Kris Harris St. Vrain Valley Voices

I read a story in the Times-Call on July 2 regarding the "Mother Ranch" north of Longmont providing goat yoga classes. People participate in a yoga class while baby goats crawl on them, play with their hair or just act precious, as you'd expect from tiny goats. This got me to thinking outside the corral. "What other exercise/healing therapies could incorporate animals to maximize our experiences?" The following might be less cuddly and nurturing than goat yoga. Please consult with a physician to determine if you're fit enough to participate and be prepared to sign numerous activity waivers.

Potbellied pig core lifting: Five pens contain these cute little hamlets. You'll compete against others in the class to complete the five core exercises lifting the pigs who get progressively heavier with each advance to the next pen. With no handles like kettle balls to grasp, you'll have to figure out how to "pull the pork" and complete the circuit with these fine swine.

TaiChi with cobras: This strength and flexibility program requires slow controlled movements with consistent rhythmic breathing. A few king cobras have been strategically placed around the room with their handler (whose been bitten only a few times) nearby. Sudden movements can alarm the snakes and they will absolutely strike if you're talking on a cell phone. Ha ha, just kidding. I meant to say they'll strike if you're texting.

Boa constrictor fat wrap reduction: Looking to take a little off the tum-tum? Lop off some lard? This fairly safe procedure is taking the back alleys of Beijing by storm. "Huggy" the Boa is a sweetheart, very docile and his handler, Lefty (whose been bitten only a few times, losing just a pinky finger) are ready to help make a slimmer you a reality. Pricing is very reasonable and based on number of inches you want to lose. Please keep properly hydrated prior to this procedure as having a 100 pound snake wrapped around your torso can cause you to lose water weight along with other bodily contents.

Relocate and radiate prairie dog triathlon: Prairie Dog extermination is viewed publicly as unsavory and too final. Ask many in private and they'll anxiously propose a hunt or a solution for utilizing M80s left over from the Fourth of July. This event can serve as a community service and help solve the cost of relocation. Competitors will pick up a captured prairie dog and miniature life raft at Union Reservoir prior to the start of the swimming leg. The PDs must make it safely to shore with their human competitor after the swim leg. Competitors transition to their bikes for the ride to Boulder. Each bike is retrofitted with a PD sized "hamster wheel." Imagine the sight of competitors peddling furiously on their bikes while their PD buddies are also spinning their little hearts out. Once in Boulder, the competitors transition to the run to Rocky Flats with PDs secured in a mini-mesh backpack. With the finish line in sight the participants complete the grueling race with their little race mates. Medals are passed out, pictures taken and the PDs are fitted for custom made Geiger counter collars before being released basking in the glow of their new Rocky Flats digs.

Kris Harris moved here in 1960 and is a product of Longmont public schools and the University of Northern Colorado. He believes sarcasm deserves to be taken seriously.

Read this article:
Kris Harris: Unleash you're fitness animal - Longmont Times-Call

Page 122«..1020..121122123124..130140..»

Home » How to lose weight safely » Page 122