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Waste no time in learning these tricks.

CourtneyKassis, a registered dietitian in the Philadelphia area, is sharing three common stumbling blocks in weight loss journeys. She highlights the need for timing eating, addressing nutrient deficiencies and prepping meals.

After working with thousands of clients over the past five years to successfully lose weight and maintain it long-term, I need you to know these three things that are often overlooked, Kassis said in a TikTok this week.

The pros and cons of intermittent fasting eating within a specific window of time and fasting for the remaining hours have long been a hot topic in wellness circles.

Eating before bed can cause indigestion and heartburn, making it tougher to slumber. But exactly when you should close the kitchen for the night continues to be debated.

Some experts say finishing eating two to four hours before bedtime is best. Kassis recommends allowing yourself at least 12 hours between the last meal of the day and the first meal of the following day.

Help your body go into fat-burning mode instead of constantly being in fat-storage mode, she explained. In fat-storage mode, its obviously really difficult to lose weight, but 12 hours is all you need to switch it up and start burning fat.

The liver begins to break down stored fat for energy while in a fasting state, which typically starts 12 hours after your last meal, according to University of Michigan Medicine.

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There are so many nutrient deficiencies, like a deficiency in B vitamins, magnesium or vitamin D, that can interfere with metabolism, making it really difficult to lose weight, Kassis said.

Focusing on real food instead of just calories alone, supplementing where needed and getting routine labs can really help to support nutrient levels, she continued.

Vitamin D deficiencies, in particular, are common. The Cleveland Clinic says about 35% of American adults dont get enough vitamin D, which can lead to fatigue, bone pain and muscle weakness.

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The more decisions you have to make about what to eat, the more likely youre going to make a decision that doesnt exactly align with your nutrition goals, Kassis reasoned.

With crazy schedules, lots of stress and cravings throughout the day, you want to make sure you have the majority of your meals prepped ahead of time so you can grab something nourishing and go while staying on track, she added.

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Im a dietitian here are 3 reasons why youre struggling to lose weight - New York Post

When trying to lose weight, its natural to want to see quick results. So when the number on the scales drops rapidly, it seems like were on the right track.

But as with many things related to weight loss, theres a flip side: rapid weight loss can result in a significant loss of muscle mass, as well as fat.

So how you can tell if youre losing too much muscle and what can you do to prevent it?

Muscle is an important factor in determining our metabolic rate: how much energy we burn at rest. This is determined by how much muscle and fat we have. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories.

When we diet to lose weight, we create a calorie deficit, where our bodies dont get enough energy from the food we eat to meet our energy needs. Our bodies start breaking down our fat and muscle tissue for fuel.

A decrease in calorie-burning muscle mass slows our metabolism. This quickly slows the rate at which we lose weight and impacts our ability to maintain our weight long term.

Unfortunately, measuring changes in muscle mass is not easy.

The most accurate tool is an enhanced form of X-ray called a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. The scan is primarily used in medicine and research to capture data on weight, body fat, muscle mass and bone density.

But while DEXA is becoming more readily available at weight-loss clinics and gyms, its not cheap.

There are also many smart scales available for at home use that promise to provide an accurate reading of muscle mass percentage.

However, the accuracy of these scales is questionable. Researchers found the scales tested massively over- or under-estimated fat and muscle mass.

Fortunately, there are three free but scientifically backed signs you may be losing too much muscle mass when youre dieting.

Losing a lot of weight rapidly is one of the early signs that your diet is too extreme and youre losing too much muscle.

Rapid weight loss (of more than 1 kilogram per week) results in greater muscle mass loss than slow weight loss.

Slow weight loss better preserves muscle mass and often has the added benefit of greater fat mass loss.

One study compared people in the obese weight category who followed either a very low-calorie diet (500 calories per day) for five weeks or a low-calorie diet (1,250 calories per day) for 12 weeks. While both groups lost similar amounts of weight, participants following the very low-calorie diet (500 calories per day) for five weeks lost significantly more muscle mass.

It sounds obvious, but feeling tired, sluggish and finding it hard to complete physical activities, such as working out or doing jobs around the house, is another strong signal youre losing muscle.

Research shows a decrease in muscle mass may negatively impact your bodys physical performance.

Mood swings and feeling anxious, stressed or depressed may also be signs youre losing muscle mass.

Research on muscle loss due to ageing suggests low levels of muscle mass can negatively impact mental health and mood. This seems to stem from the relationship between low muscle mass and proteins called neurotrophins, which help regulate mood and feelings of wellbeing.

Fortunately, there are also three actions you can take to maintain muscle mass when youre following a calorie-restricted diet to lose weight.

While a broad exercise program is important to support overall weight loss, strength-building exercises are a surefire way to help prevent the loss of muscle mass. A meta-analysis of studies of older people with obesity found resistance training was able to prevent almost 100% of muscle loss from calorie restriction.

Relying on diet alone to lose weight will reduce muscle along with body fat, slowing your metabolism. So its essential to make sure youve incorporated sufficient and appropriate exercise into your weight-loss plan to hold onto your muscle mass stores.

But you dont need to hit the gym. Exercises using body weight such as push-ups, pull-ups, planks and air squats are just as effective as lifting weights and using strength-building equipment.

Encouragingly, moderate-volume resistance training (three sets of ten repetitions for eight exercises) can be as effective as high-volume training (five sets of ten repetitions for eight exercises) for maintaining muscle when youre following a calorie-restricted diet.

Foods high in protein play an essential role in building and maintaining muscle mass, but research also shows these foods help prevent muscle loss when youre following a calorie-restricted diet.

But this doesnt mean just eating foods with protein. Meals need to be balanced and include a source of protein, wholegrain carb and healthy fat to meet our dietary needs. For example, eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.

When we change our diet to lose weight, we take our body out of its comfort zone and trigger its survival response. It then counteracts weight loss, triggering several physiological responses to defend our body weight and survive starvation.

Our bodys survival mechanisms want us to regain lost weight to ensure we survive the next period of famine (dieting). Research shows that more than half of the weight lost by participants is regained within two years, and more than 80% of lost weight is regained within five years.

However, a slow and steady, stepped approach to weight loss, prevents our bodies from activating defence mechanisms to defend our weight when we try to lose weight.

Ultimately, losing weight long-term comes down to making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.

At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register here to express your interest.

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3 signs your diet is causing too much muscle loss and what to do about it - The Conversation Indonesia

Ozempic, also known by its generic name semaglutide, is a medication originally developed to manage blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. It has gained significant popularity for its secondary benefit of aiding in rapid weight loss.

Ozempic works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates appetite and slows digestion, helping individuals feel full longer and eat less. This drug has shown impressive results, with studies indicating that, combined with lifestyle interventions, users can lose up to 15 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks when combined with lifestyle interventions.

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RELATED: Should You Eat a Whole LemonPeel and All? What to Know About the Latest TikTok Trend

Many Americans, approximately 15.5 million according to a 2024 Gallup Poll, are turning to Ozempic and other drugs in this category to lose weight quickly. But at $1,000 per month, and with emerging evidence of adverse side effects and unknown long-term outcomes, some are still considering other weight-loss methods.

On TikTok, a catchy Oat-Zempic has emerged as a popular weight loss method, with users blending oats, water, and lime juice into a drink they claim can mimic the effects of Ozempic.

This homemade concoction is celebrated for its purported ability to promote satiety and aid in weight loss. But is the Oat-Zempic trend a fact or fiction? We turned to nutrition experts to find out.

Can drinking Oat-Zempic aid in rapid weight loss? Yes and no.

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Oats are known for their high fiber content, particularly beta-glucan, which promotes a feeling of fullness, Krutika Nanavati, a Registered Nutritionist and Dietician with Nutrition Society New Zealand explains.

Adding lime juice offers a refreshing touch and some vitamin C, but its impact on weight loss is minimal, she adds.

Lauren Mahesri, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, who specializes in metabolic syndrome, notes that the ingredients in Oat-Zempic are safe and straightforward.

Unlike most health trends, Oat-Zempic has safe and whole food ingredients, Mahesri tells VegNews. There is no suspicious proprietary blend of unknown supplements like most health-claiming powders.

Jennie Stanford, MD, an Obesity Medicine Physician and medical contributor for Drugwatch, likens the Oat-Zempic trend to eating a bowl of oatmeal with lime and cinnamon, with the only difference being that the oats are consumed raw.

While oatmeal has been shown to help maintain a healthy weight, due to its high content of dietary fiber, specifically beta-glucan, which promotes satiety, or fullness, Stanford tells VegNews. Over time, this increased fullness may lead to decreased overall caloric intake, which promotes weight loss.

Oats may help lower cholesterol and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the doctor says. They may also help control blood sugar in some people.

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RELATED: 5 Reasons to Ditch Keto and Get More Protein From Plants

However, Stanford warns that because oats are in the medium range on the glycemic index, consuming Oat-Zempic might actually lead to blood glucose and insulin spikes for some. To control these potential spikes, Stanford recommends consuming oats together with fat and protein.

Interestingly, the body is able to metabolize quick-cooking oats slightly faster than oats that are less processed, which makes quick-cooking oats higher on the glycemic index and more prone to insulin spikes, Stanford says. Weight loss is unlikely if insulin levels are chronically elevated.

One of the main criticisms of the Oat-Zempic trend is the misleading comparison to Ozempic. Stanford points out that while oats can help with satiety, Oat-Zempic is not the end-all-be-all solution to rapid weight loss.

Oats can have their place in a healthy diet and even a diet plan for weight loss, Stanford says. However, they are not a magic ingredient that will produce the degree of weight loss seen with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide (Ozempic).

Thats because Ozempic works by mimicking a hormone that regulates hunger and blood sugar, a complex mechanism that oats cannot replicate.

To reiterate Stanfords point, Brandy Winfree Root, a Registered Dietitian, warns that consuming raw oats blended with water can cause blood sugar spikes.

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It can definitely make us feel full, but it may also cause a blood sugar spike and certainly doesnt promote weight loss, Winfree Root tells VegNews.

From a practical perspective, Michael O. McKinney, MD, explains that fad diets often lack long-term sustainability. It is important to be cautious when considering any fad diet, McKinney tells VegNews. As much as plant-based diets generally improve well-being, depending exclusively on one particular food or drink like Oat-Zempic can lead to nutrient deficiencies otherwise found in a balanced diet.

Additionally, individual reactions toward such eating schemes can differ vastly; some people may get digestive upsets or malnutrition without proper additional food sources, McKinney says.

Lesley Kumar, a Nutrition Consultant at Ringside24, adds that no single drink or food can magically shed pounds. Anything that becomes viral on TikTok need not necessarily benefit people, Kumar tells VegNews. Sustainable weight loss involves gradual changes in diet and exercise.

So is Oat-Zempic fact or fiction? Jerry Friedman, DDS, an oral surgeon at North Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, is leaning toward the latter.

Things like this Oat-Zempic drink that trend on social media almost always end up being fads, Friedman tells VegNews.

People either discover that they dont work, or they dont work as fast as people want, so these trends die out even more quickly than they come onto the scene, Friedman says.

What then is the key to effective and sustainable weight loss? It lies in adopting a holistic approach that incorporates a variety of nutritious foods and healthy lifestyle changes.

The experts we consulted all agree that a gradual and sustainable approach to weight loss is the most effective. Kumar advises aiming for a weight loss of approximately one to two pounds per week.

She emphasizes the importance of nutrient-dense foods, physical activity, and setting realistic goals.

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Stanford recommends focusing on a variety of plant-based foods for weight management. She suggests including high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains like oats, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

To achieve effective weight management and overall health, Stanford emphasizes a focus on a balanced diet that includes adequate protein intake with essential amino acids, nutrient-dense foods, and healthy fats such as omega-3s.

Additionally, she suggests avoiding processed foods that are often pro-inflammatory and lack vital nutrients.

Yaroslav Shuraev/Pexels

Given the variation in individual diet and lifestylenot to mention genetic compositionNanavati stresses the importance of consulting with registered dietitians or nutritionists to create personalized weight loss plans.

Personalized plans are essential for effective and safe weight management, ensuring all health aspects are considered

While potentially refreshing, the Oat-Zempic drink is not a substitute for a balanced diet and proper medical advice, Nanavati says. You can start a safe and effective weight-loss journey by including various plant-based foods, prioritizing sustainable changes, and consulting a proper nutritionist or doctor.

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.

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We Asked the Experts: Is Tiktoks Oat-Zempic Diet Fact or Fiction? - VegNews

The Dutch Healthcare Institute has advised against covering the popular weight loss medicine Wegovy in the basic health insurance package. According to the Healthcare Institute, there are too many uncertainties about the medicine's long-term health effects. It also worries about how many people will qualify for the drug and what that will cost.

Wegovy is a drug by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which also makes Ozempic. Both drugs have the same active ingredient - semaglutide - but Ozempic is targeted at people with diabetes, while Wegovy is aimed at people with obesity. Those taking Wegovy get a single-use injection pen per week, while one Ozempic injection pen is used approximately four times per month. Wegovy is also sold in some markets with a higher maximum dosage. The Dutch basic health insurance already covers Ozempic for diabetes patients.

According to the Healthcare Institute, there is no doubt that Wegovy works for weight loss. Research shows that it can help patients lose an average of between 6 and 10 percent of their weight. However, there are uncertainties about the long-term efficacy of the drug and what happens when people stop taking it. Studies into the responsible phasing out of semaglutide once sufficient weight loss has been achieved are lacking, the Healthcare Institute said. The Healthcare Institute also thinks that there is a social discussion to be had about how society deals with obesity - diet and exercise or medicine.

The Healthcare Institute is also concerned about what adding Wegovy to the basic health insurance package would cost. When it added a similar drug - Saxenda with active ingredient liraglutide - to the basic health insurance two years ago, the number of users was much higher than estimated. The Institute assumed 250 users in the first year, increasing to 657 in the third year, with associated costs increasing from 365,000 euros to 1.2 million euros. However, in the first months after the approval, there were already thousands of users.

The Healthcare Institute expects significantly higher patient numbers for Wegovy. While Saxenda is only approved for obese patients with a body mass index of 35 or higher, Wegovy is recommended for people with a BMI over 30. People with a BMI over 27 and other chronic conditions could also qualify under certain conditions.

If every qualifying patient starts using Wegovy, that will amount to around 4.2 million users, costing 1.3 billion euros in three years. The drug costs about 2,750 euros per year per patient.

Mireille Serlie, an internist-endocrinologist and professor at Amsterdam UMC and Yale University, is surprised by the Healthcare Institutes reasoning, she told AD. Research has shown that semaglutide, Wegovys active ingredient, can reduce cardiovascular diseases by 20 percent in the short term. And patients who undergo gastric reduction for comparable weight loss are also known to have long-term health benefits. I think this is a bit of a slap in the face to people with obesity who suffer from it, she told the newspaper.

She understands that Wegovy has a big price tag, but she thinks the outright negative advice is going too far. It is right that the Healthcare Institute wants to know for whom the medicines are most effective. But they can also put a break on the provision. For example, start with a specific group of patients, Serlie said.

Research by Maastricht University previously showed that overweight and obesity currently cost Dutch society 79 billion euros per year.

Liesbeth van Rossum, a professor of obesity, internist, and chairman of the Overweight Netherlands Partnership, understands that the Healthcare Institute does not want to unnecessarily medicalize obesity. But that is already happening by treating many obesity-related diseases, but not the obesity itself, she told AD. We prescribe patients with antiacids, give them blood pressure lower drugs, give them antidepressants, injections for joint pain, and so on. Many of these drugs also lead to weight gain. A better approach is to treat obesity properly. There are more and more options for that.

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Ozempic-cousin Wegovy unlikely to be covered by basic Dutch health insurance - NL Times

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Weight Loss Drugs: Is Ozempic the Answer? - Kettering Health

Fast food is not a "healthy" option to regularly turn to when dieting or trying to lose weight. However, certain menu options at popular chains like Popeyesare better than others in terms of calorie counts and nutritional profiles. After all, any weight-loss regimen needs to be sustainable for long-term results, and completely depriving yourself of the foods you love most can seriously backfire. So, when it's time to treat yourself, we have the best Popeyes order for weight loss that's dietitian-approved. It will satisfy the cravings without derailing your efforts.

Nutrition (Per meal): Calories: 400 Fat: 25 g (Saturated Fat: 12 g) Sodium: 780 mg Carbs: 37 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 2 g) Protein: 8 g

Popeyes' Bacon Biscuit isthe best breakfast option for weight loss, according to Jessie Anderson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ACSM EP-C, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics from Top Nutrition Coaching.

"Carbohydrates [are] the body's primary energy source; the Bacon Biscuit contains a moderate serving of carbohydrate along with 3g of fiber to promote stamina, focus, and energy to start the day strong," explains Anderson. "Moderate levels of protein help aid satiety and fullness between meals."

The 10 Best & Worst Menu Items at Popeyes, According to a Nutritionist

Keep in mind that the Bacon Biscuit has 12g of saturated fats. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), consuming saturated fat in excess can increase the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood. This, in turn, could heighten your chances of suffering from stroke and heart disease. It's recommended by the AHA that you limit saturated fat to just 5% to 6% of your daily calorie count.

The #1 Healthiest Order at 9 Major Fast-Food Chicken Chains

Nutrition (Per meal): Calories: 400 Fat: 23 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g) Sodium: 1,220 mg Carbs: 34 g (Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 0 g) Protein: 21 g

Ordering at Popeyes with weight loss in mind means exploring the kids' menu. The Tender Classic is 150 calories and provides a whopping 13 grams of protein. The side of Red Beans and Rice is 250 calories in a regular-sized portion and offers eight grams of protein and six grams of fiber, both of which are crucial for weight loss and management to promote satiety.

"Kids meals are a great way to moderate portions while still enjoying your favorite foods from fast-casual locations," Anderson tells us. "Popeyes Kids Tender Classic Meal is low in saturated fats and contains 0g of trans-fats and added sugars [adding] a regular side of red beans and rice makes this a complete mealoffering additional protein and a fiber-boost to promote sustained energy, focus, immune support, and heart health."

I Tried Popeyes for the First Time Ever and This Item Really Is a Showstopper

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The Best Popeyes Order for Weight Loss - Eat This, Not That

But an important, new, long-term study of people who used and then quit one of the weight-loss drugs suggests there may be a simple, accessible way to stave off unhealthy weight regain after stopping the drugs: exercise.

In the study, people who exercised while using a weight-loss drug kept off far more of their weight after quitting the medication than people who didnt work out, and they maintained more muscle.

Signe Srensen Torekov, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and senior author of the new study, said the results strongly indicate that people using the drugs may be able to preserve a healthy weight, even after they quit the medication. But they do need to do exercise.

Weight loss, with a catch

Most obesity experts agree that the holy grail of healthy, long-term weight loss is maintenance. Shedding pounds is possible for many people, in the short term. Keeping it off can seem almost impossible.

The new class of GLP-1 diabetes or weight-loss drugs, with brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro, seem to be intensifying that dynamic. GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist; these drugs mimic the effects of the substance GLP-1.

Most people lose substantial weight rapidly on these drugs. But if they stop, the pounds typically return almost as quickly.

But is this rebound inevitable?

Torekov and her colleagues devised a multiyear, multipronged effort to find out.

It began with 195 Danish adults with obesity but no other major illnesses. They were put on an extremely low-calorie diet, under the supervision of the scientists, to rapidly lose about 30 pounds. Since this was to be a weight-maintenance study, the scientists wanted them to drop pounds fast, and then move to the maintenance phase.

For that phase, the researchers assigned some of the volunteers to start taking Saxenda, known generically as liraglutide, an early GLP-1 medication, to see if the drug would help them maintain and even augment their dieting weight loss. Saxenda is made by Novo Nordisk, the company that also makes two similar drugs the diabetes drug Ozempic and the weight-loss drug Wegovy.

(The study was funded in part by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a charitable organization affiliated with Saxendas maker. The pharmaceutical company itself had no oversight of the study or its results, a company spokesperson said.)

A separate group of volunteers started the same drug, but also a supervised exercise program, with twice-weekly, half-hour group spinning classes and 15 minutes of high-intensity, full-body resistance training, along with two at-home jogs or similar workouts. The exercise was mostly vigorous, meaning strenuous enough that people could barely talk while they were working out.

A control group didnt exercise and received a placebo, instead of liraglutide.

After a year, almost everyone who took the drug had maintained the lower weight or lost more weight.

Those combining the drug and exercise had lost the most, though. Theyd dropped about six pounds more than those on the drug alone, and more of those pounds consisted of fat, instead of muscle.

What happened when they stopped the drug

The researchers published those results in 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Then they began the most revelatory aspect of their study. They ended the medications and exercise sessions for everyone, leaving people to maintain or regain their weight-loss completely on their own.

After a year passed, the researchers invited all the volunteers back to the lab. One hundred and nine returned and researchers checked their body weight, body composition and current exercise habits.

For some, the year had been discouraging. Those whod earlier taken the weight-loss drug without exercise regained about 70% or more of all the weight theyd lost since the start of the study. Most of these regained pounds were in the form of fat, not muscle, so they wound up with relatively higher percentages of body fat than before starting the drug.

But those whod exercised while taking the drug had maintained considerably more of their weight-loss during this phase. Many remained at least 10% lighter than at the studys start, and at least some of the weight theyd regained was muscle, leaving them with a healthier body composition than the other groups.

Exercising just two hours a week

Its easy to understand why the exercisers added fewer pounds after stopping the drug, Torekov said. They were still exercising, even without supervision or nudging from the scientists. According to questionnaires and activity trackers, they generally continued to work out for several hours a week, voluntarily.

These findings suggest about two hours a week of vigorous exercise, may be a good goal for staving off weight regain after ceasing a weight-loss drug, she continued. Mixing aerobic and resistance exercise is probably best.

Meanwhile, those whod taken the drug without exercise were almost completely sedentary now, averaging fewer than 30 minutes of exercise a week.

More of the ones who had not exercised while medicated had complained of fatigue during treatment and afterward, Torekov said, which may have contributed to their inactivity now.

Overall, the results make a strong case for the importance of adding exercise to a regimen that includes a GLP-1 medication, said Daniel Drucker, a diabetes expert and senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, whose research helped pave the way for the GLP-1 drugs. He wasnt involved with the new study.

The results are very encouraging, agreed Robert Kushner, an endocrinologist and professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who specializes in weight loss. But further studies will need to be performed to see if a less intense exercise routine has similar effects on weight maintenance when people stop a GLP-1 drug.

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Why the long-term success of weight-loss drugs may depend on exercise - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

With obesity continuing to loom as a major public health threat, a leading panel of independent U.S. health experts released recommendations Tuesday urging doctors to refer children and teens with obesity to programs that can provide guidance on healthy eating, safe exercising and understanding food labels.

The guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force apply to children and teenagers 6 and older with a body mass index known as a BMI in the 95th percentile. BMI is a calculation that estimates body fat based on weight and height. The recommendations are consistent with guidance from 2017, but the task force said it is going further, moving from screening alone to implementing interventions.

Some physicians and obesity experts laud the efforts to address the rising crisis, but others say the task force should also consider medication interventions, including the use of a semaglutide drug, the increasingly popular class of weight-loss medications. The Food and Drug Administration approved use of the drug Wegovy in children 12 and older in 2022.

Having the option of medication in the appropriate clinical scenario is very important, said Susma Vaidya, an associate medical director at the IDEAL Clinic, the weight-loss program at Childrens National Hospital in D.C. I am a big believer in medication, and I think that we have been advocating for lifestyle change for a long time and havent made a whole lot of progress.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorizes 14.7 million children and teenagers ages 2 to 19 as obese. The agency estimates that children with obesity cost the United States more than $1 billion in health spending annually.

Somourne K. Williams, 50, whose son, BJ, started a weight-loss drug in March 2023, said the tipping point for her was when her son was bullied in school.

He wrote a suicide note, and when I asked him why, he said he felt helpless because he couldnt help his weight, said Williams, who lives in South Carolina.

Weighing 340 pounds at age 16 and having diabetes, BJ set a goal weight of 220 pounds, which he achieved in January. Williams said she was confident in the weight-loss drug, emphasizing that she believed the benefits outweighed potential risks.

Hes more outgoing, and hes at a healthier weight, Williams said. Now, seeing him smile means the world to me.

Williams said she pays $68 every 90 days, with the rest of the cost covered by insurance. Without insurance, the medication would cost $500 out of pocket even after applying coupons to reduce the cost, she said.

In a 2023 randomized controlled trial of semaglutide involving adolescents ages 13 to 17 with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile, 44 percent of the teens taking the drug recorded a drop in BMI so significant they were reclassified as being normal weight or overweight, rather than obese.

But as demand for anti-obesity medications has skyrocketed, reports of side effects, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, have caused some parents to fear that anti-obesity drugs will have long-term health consequences. Physicians respond that the physical and mental effects of obesity can be lifelong and crippling.

Children who are obese are at increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Obesity in childhood can have significant mental and social implications, including depression and anxiety.

We dont have long-term data on weight-loss drugs, and I get that it is a concern, but we do have long-term data on the outcomes associated with obesity, and we know that individuals with obesity are at risk for certain comorbidities, Vaidya said.

As part of its guidelines, the Preventive Services Task Force said that providing 26 hours or more of counseling and supervised physical activity for up to one year resulted in weight loss for both children and adolescents.

Pediatricians say that adding an anti-obesity medication to a weight-loss program can improve a patients BMI significantly and that its a step taken if the benefits outweigh the harm.

Its a case-by-case decision based on the child, but were not talking about the teen who wants to lose a few pounds for the summer, said Mona Sharifi, a pediatrician and researcher at Yale School of Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Were talking about the child who is severely affected, and they need to be presented with all their options.

The task force said it did not include weight-loss drugs in its recommendations because the drugs have not been studied sufficiently in adolescents. It emphasizes the importance of conducting additional research before recommending that medications be incorporated into treatment plans, according to John M. Ruiz, a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force member. Recommendations or changes are typically implemented every five years, but as evidence on the drugs emerges, the guidance could be amended, he said.

If theres a fundamental shift in our understanding of health challenges, the task force can sometimes review the recommendations, Ruiz said.

Unlike the task force, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2023 that weight-loss medications for eligible patients be reviewed with families. The biggest hurdle is getting insurers, including government programs, to cover the cost of medications. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 restricts coverage of weight-loss medications such as Wegovy, which can cost more than $1,000 a month without insurance.

AHIP, the trade group for insurers, said in a statement it is committed to ensuring that people with obesity receive high-quality, evidence-based care, but it did not say in the statement whether insurers are less likely to cover the cost of weight-loss drugs because of task force recommendations.

Sharifi said early interventions might decrease that cost but added that if there is no funding for these programs, a larger pool of people will need expensive medications and surgeries later.

Whats heartbreaking is despite years of recommendations demonstrating strong evidence, we still do not have access to intensive behavioral treatment programs nationally, Sharifi said. There are pediatricians trying to fit these interventions into their 20-minute appointment with families, and that doesnt work.

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Health panel urges interventions for children and teens with high BMI - The Washington Post

CHRISTOPHER SALAS WCVB NEWSCENTER FIVE. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A NEW STUDY THAT SHOWS THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY, WHICH ALREADY HELP WITH DIABETES AND WEIGHT LOSS. MAY DRACUT RADICALLY CUT THE RISKS FROM CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS HERE. TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT IS DOCTOR TODD ELLERIN. OF COURSE, WITH SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. ITS SO INTERESTING BECAUSE IN SOME CASES ITS THESE THESE DRUGS GET A BAD RAP BECAUSE PEOPLE GET SICK AND BUT YOURE A DOCTOR, YOU SEE THEM IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIGHT. THIS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT. AND IM GOING TO TRY TO GET THE RIGHT NAME. RIGHT. IS IT SEMAGLUTIDE? THATS EXACTLY OKAY. ITS THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN THOSE DRUGS. AND IT HAD A 24% LOWER RISK OF MAJOR KIDNEY DISEASE ISSUES. UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DIALYSIS, WHO ARE ON DIALYSIS OR THEY NEED A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. THATS SIGNIFICANT. THIS IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. MARIA WHAT WERE SEEING IS NOT JUST WEVE ALREADY SEEN THESE DRUGS, SEMAGLUTIDE DECREASE, THIS DIABETES DECREASE WEIGHT LOSS. YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT LOSS ALSO HEART FAILURE DEATH FROM THIS. BUT IN THIS STUDY, LARGE STUDY 3500 PATIENTS INTERNATIONAL RANDOMIZED HALF WERE GIVEN AN INJECTION OF OZEMPIC ONE MILLIGRAM ONCE A WEEK. THE OTHER PLACEBO. AND WHAT THEY SHOWED WAS THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN NOT ONLY KIDNEY DISEASE AND KIDNEY FAILURE, BUT ALSO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DEATH. DEATH FROM ALL CAUSES. ITS A BIG DEAL, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A PRESCRIPTION FOR THIS. SO TRUE. AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THESE ISSUES TO GET THAT PRESCRIPTION CORRECT. IN THIS STUDY. THESE WERE ALL PATIENTS WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES OKAY. AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. SO YOU HAD TO HAVE BOTH FOR THIS STUDY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE LATEST STUDY TO TO TALK ABOUT THIS ADDED BENEFIT FROM THE DRUGS. ITS NEW. THEYRE NEW. YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THEYRE NEW. SO HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT LONG TERM EFFECTS. LOOK I THINK THEYRE NEW BUT THEYRE STILL WEVE SEEN THIS OVER YEARS AND WEVE SEEN MULTIPLE DRUGS FROM DIFFERENT CLASSES. AND AND WHAT WERE SEEING IS GI SIDE EFFECTS ARE THE MOST COMMON. AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER RARE SIDE EFFECTS. BUT REALLY THE BENEFITS ARE JUST SIGNAL SHIRLEY OUTSTRIPPING THE RISKS. THATS SO INTERESTING. IT IS. WE HAVE WE HAVE TO POINT OUT, BY THE WAY, THIS TRIAL WAS FUNDED BY NOVO NORDISK. THATS THE COMPANY THAT MAKES OZEMPIC. SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. SHOULD THAT CHANGE HOW WE LOOK AT THESE RESULTS? I DONT THINK SO. AND Y YOU HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, ITS NOT JUST THIS PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY WITH SEMAGLUTIDE, BUT THERES OTHER COMPANIES LIKE ELI LILLY HAS ANOTHER APPETITE. AND WERE SEEING THE SAME BENEFITS AGAIN. AND AGAIN. DIFFERENT COMPANIES, NOT JUST IN DIABETICS, BUT IN PATIENTS WHO ARE OBESE. WERE SEEING DECREASES IN HEART FAILURE, HEART ATTACKS, STROKES. AND REMEMBER SOMETHING THIS GLP AGONISTS RIGHT. THESE RECEPTORS ARE NOT JUST ON THE HEART AND THE KIDNEY AND THE PANCREAS, BUT WERE ALSO SEEING IT IN THE BRAIN. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE STUDIES ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DONE IN ALZHEIMERS DISEASE. ADDICTION. WE HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE. BUT SO FAR VERY PROMISING. WOW. SO INTERESTING. WEVE RUN OUT OF TIME. BUT ID LOVE TO EXPLORE MORE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THIS AND AND THEYRE IN THE OFF MARKET AND THEY SHOULDNT BE TAKING IT. THATS A DIFFERENT STORY, RIGHT? AND THATS A DIFFERENT STORY THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT THESE HEALTH BENEFITS WITH A DOCTOR. SO VERY INTERESTING. ENJO

Weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic may influence how food tastes, study finds

Updated: 12:43 PM CDT Jun 18, 2024

The buzz around semaglutide, the main active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, shows no signs of quieting anytime soon. In fact, interest is on the rise and anecdotal side effects of these Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications are still coming to light.Video above: Can Ozempic, Wegovy cut chronic kidney disease risk?You may have heard about Ozempic butt, Ozempic face, and even Ozempic personality. Now, a new small study indicates that these types of medications may influence peoples sense of taste.The study, presented at ENDO 2024, (the Endocrine Societys annual meeting in Boston, MA) looked into how semaglutide might impact taste sensitivity. Its important to point out that this study has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, and only looked at 30 women.Previous research has shown that people with obesity often perceive tastes less intensely, and they have an inherently elevated desire for sweet and energy-dense food, Mojca Jensterle Sever, Ph.D., study author, said in a press release. Our findings build upon preliminary animal studies showing that central administration of GLP-1 medications impacts taste aversion to sweetness, Jensterle Sever noted. GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs that mimic the effects of the bodys natural GLP-1 hormone (which stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucagon release) and are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.Researchers recruited 30 women with an average age of 34. Half of the participants took semaglutide once weekly; the other half took a placebo. At the beginning and end of the 16-week study, the scientists measured three things:Taste sensitivity: Measured using strips infused with the four basic tastessweet, sour, salty, and bitter.Gene expression: Evaluated by taking biopsies of participants tongues to see which information encoded in a gene is turned into a function. Brain responses: Evaluated by a functional MRI scan while a sweet solution dripped onto their tongue before and after a meal.The results of the study revealed that those taking semaglutide were more sensitive to tastes than those taking a placebo. Researchers found that the tongue biopsies showed increased activity of genes associated with taste signaling transduction pathways, neural plasticity, and renewal of taste buds in the tongue, in those who took semaglutide. Lastly, the brain scans demonstrated that, in response to tasting a sweet solution, there was increased activity in the angular gyrus of the parietal cortexa part of the brain that influences language and number processing, memory, and reasoning. This shift in a persons concept of reward compared with neutral feelings toward taste could have significance for understanding and potentially adjusting taste preferences in people with obesity, per the press release.So, how can GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy influence taste? According to Deena Adimoolam, M.D., board-certified endocrinologist and a member of Preventions Medical Review Board, we have known that GLP-1s impact taste sensitivity for quite some time. This is done through a variety of complex mechanisms and interactions between GLP1 and various parts of the body, she explains, such as:GLP-1 is produced by the taste buds themselvesGLP-1 is produced in the gut, which may be influenced by taste, especially the perception of sweet taste GLP-1 is produced in the brain, which is also influenced by tasteStudies have shown that people on GLP-1 drugs report changes in their cravings for certain foods, including sweets and rich or fatty foods, which could certainly be related to a (negative) change in the way they perceive these foods on the taste buds, says Avantika Waring, M.D., endocrinologist and chief medical officer at 9amHealth. And if foods arent perceived by the brain as tasty, then it makes sense that people would crave them less, and consume less of them, she explains.If patients are satisfied with food that is less sweet, or satisfied with a smaller amount of sweet food, this could significantly impact their caloric intake and have a potent effect on their weight loss, agrees Meghan Garcia-Webb, M.D., triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine physician and internist at Beth Israel Lahey Health. Patients on semaglutide tend to find it is easier to stop eating when they are satisfied. They also tend to be more satisfied even though portions are smaller. They also dont crave food as much, if at all. So part of this increased satisfaction with meals may be tied to better sensory perception, including enhanced ability to taste sweetness, Dr. Garcia-Webb explains. Hence, GLP-1 drug users getting more of a sensory reward with less calories.As of now, we dont know if these changes to taste sensitivity are permanent, says Dr. Waring, And the data we have to date suggests that when the drugs are stopped, the effect of the drug also reverses when it comes to weight loss. However, the changes the researchers noted were related to gene expression, a process by which information encoded in a gene is turned into a function, such as turning protein production on and off. So, it is likely that it isnt permanent but more related to the impact of the drug, Dr. Waring explains.The bottom lineThere are important limitations to consider with this study, Dr. Adimoolam points out. The sample size was small, the study does not reflect the way the general population with obesity eats and lives day-to-day, and we do not know these changes actually have a true impact on taste, she says.The science of taste, food cravings, preferences, drive to eat, and weight gain are complex, says Dr. Waring. Its exciting that we have medications that can help people who have obesity-related health conditions to lose weight and improve their health, but we still dont know all the ways in which they work. These results are important because they add to the growing body of evidence that GLP-1 medications work in a variety of ways to target the underlying causes of obesity, including taste perception, she notes.Its also important to know that some may change your perception of sweet tastes without medication, says Dr. Adimoolam. You can do it with lifestyle and behavioral changes on your own, she says. If you feel that you consume too much sugar, consider cutting back on your sugar intake each week gradually over weeks to months and over time your bodys perception of taste will change, she advises. Still, some people may need medications, and others may not. If youre wondering if a semaglutide drug like Ozempic or Wegovy is right for you, to talk to your doctor who can best advise you on the best course of action.

The buzz around semaglutide, the main active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, shows no signs of quieting anytime soon. In fact, interest is on the rise and anecdotal side effects of these Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications are still coming to light.

Video above: Can Ozempic, Wegovy cut chronic kidney disease risk?

You may have heard about Ozempic butt, Ozempic face, and even Ozempic personality. Now, a new small study indicates that these types of medications may influence peoples sense of taste.

The study, presented at ENDO 2024, (the Endocrine Societys annual meeting in Boston, MA) looked into how semaglutide might impact taste sensitivity. Its important to point out that this study has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, and only looked at 30 women.

Previous research has shown that people with obesity often perceive tastes less intensely, and they have an inherently elevated desire for sweet and energy-dense food, Mojca Jensterle Sever, Ph.D., study author, said in a press release.

Our findings build upon preliminary animal studies showing that central administration of GLP-1 medications impacts taste aversion to sweetness, Jensterle Sever noted.

GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs that mimic the effects of the bodys natural GLP-1 hormone (which stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucagon release) and are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Researchers recruited 30 women with an average age of 34. Half of the participants took semaglutide once weekly; the other half took a placebo. At the beginning and end of the 16-week study, the scientists measured three things:

The results of the study revealed that those taking semaglutide were more sensitive to tastes than those taking a placebo. Researchers found that the tongue biopsies showed increased activity of genes associated with taste signaling transduction pathways, neural plasticity, and renewal of taste buds in the tongue, in those who took semaglutide. Lastly, the brain scans demonstrated that, in response to tasting a sweet solution, there was increased activity in the angular gyrus of the parietal cortexa part of the brain that influences language and number processing, memory, and reasoning.

This shift in a persons concept of reward compared with neutral feelings toward taste could have significance for understanding and potentially adjusting taste preferences in people with obesity, per the press release.

So, how can GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy influence taste? According to Deena Adimoolam, M.D., board-certified endocrinologist and a member of Preventions Medical Review Board, we have known that GLP-1s impact taste sensitivity for quite some time. This is done through a variety of complex mechanisms and interactions between GLP1 and various parts of the body, she explains, such as:

Studies have shown that people on GLP-1 drugs report changes in their cravings for certain foods, including sweets and rich or fatty foods, which could certainly be related to a (negative) change in the way they perceive these foods on the taste buds, says Avantika Waring, M.D., endocrinologist and chief medical officer at 9amHealth. And if foods arent perceived by the brain as tasty, then it makes sense that people would crave them less, and consume less of them, she explains.

If patients are satisfied with food that is less sweet, or satisfied with a smaller amount of sweet food, this could significantly impact their caloric intake and have a potent effect on their weight loss, agrees Meghan Garcia-Webb, M.D., triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine physician and internist at Beth Israel Lahey Health. Patients on semaglutide tend to find it is easier to stop eating when they are satisfied. They also tend to be more satisfied even though portions are smaller. They also dont crave food as much, if at all. So part of this increased satisfaction with meals may be tied to better sensory perception, including enhanced ability to taste sweetness, Dr. Garcia-Webb explains. Hence, GLP-1 drug users getting more of a sensory reward with less calories.

As of now, we dont know if these changes to taste sensitivity are permanent, says Dr. Waring, And the data we have to date suggests that when the drugs are stopped, the effect of the drug also reverses when it comes to weight loss. However, the changes the researchers noted were related to gene expression, a process by which information encoded in a gene is turned into a function, such as turning protein production on and off. So, it is likely that it isnt permanent but more related to the impact of the drug, Dr. Waring explains.

There are important limitations to consider with this study, Dr. Adimoolam points out. The sample size was small, the study does not reflect the way the general population with obesity eats and lives day-to-day, and we do not know these changes actually have a true impact on taste, she says.

The science of taste, food cravings, preferences, drive to eat, and weight gain are complex, says Dr. Waring. Its exciting that we have medications that can help people who have obesity-related health conditions to lose weight and improve their health, but we still dont know all the ways in which they work. These results are important because they add to the growing body of evidence that GLP-1 medications work in a variety of ways to target the underlying causes of obesity, including taste perception, she notes.

Its also important to know that some may change your perception of sweet tastes without medication, says Dr. Adimoolam. You can do it with lifestyle and behavioral changes on your own, she says. If you feel that you consume too much sugar, consider cutting back on your sugar intake each week gradually over weeks to months and over time your bodys perception of taste will change, she advises. Still, some people may need medications, and others may not. If youre wondering if a semaglutide drug like Ozempic or Wegovy is right for you, to talk to your doctor who can best advise you on the best course of action.

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Weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic may influence how food tastes, study finds - WDSU New Orleans

THE DIETING CONCEPT of 'calories in, calories out,' is nothing newbut its new moniker, 'CICO' is.

Most people are acquainted with traditional weight-loss plans based on the premise of creating a calorie deficiteating fewer calories than your body needs so that your body will utilize fat stores for energy, explains Mindy Haar, Ph.D., R.D.N.,and assistant dean at

But before you jump on the CICO bandwagon, its important to understand a few key elements of how your metabolism and your body works when it comes to dieting and weight loss. Indeed, there's both a healthy and unhealthy way to do CICO. Heres what you should consider before you adopt the CICO approach to losing weight.

The growing diet trend, of CICO, puts the calorie-counting method of weight loss front and center.

The CICO plan operates under the premise that you'll lose weight by consuming fewer calories than your body uses to perform its daily functions.

Theres no way this popular diet is as simple as counting calories, right?

"The idea of calories in and calories out is absolutely the backbone of weight loss," says Bethany Doerfler, M.S., R.D.N., Clinical Dietitian at Northwestern University. "But metabolism and weight loss are so much more complex than that."

Thankfully, putting the CICO M.O. into action is a lot simpler than understanding the science behind weight loss and your metabolism. "Theres no real plan with CICO," says Dezi Abeyta, R.D.N., a Men's Health nutrition advisor and author of The Lose Your Gut Guide.

And that's actually not a bad thing.

On CICO you just consume fewer calories (calories in, or CI) than you burn (calories out, or CO) every day. And, honestly, any dietbe it keto, paleo, Whole30, or otherwisecan be a complicated method for consuming fewer calories than you burn. CICO attempts to simplify everything.

That said, let's complicate things just a bit so that you can understand the mechanism by which CICO argues that it works.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories your body burns to stay alive. This figure is individual specific and determined by a number of factors including height, weight, and age. Online calculators offer an estimate, and some doctors use breathing machines that deliver more precise and customized BMRs.

Then lifestyle factors like physical activity need to be accounted for since you're probably not lying in bed all day. Again, online calculators and formulas offer rough estimates of how many calories your body uses.

Losing weight requires eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its activity level. Here's where CICO comes in.

On the CICO diet you track how many calories you consume daily by way of the aforementioned calculators and then you try to eat fewer calories a day.

So, let's say that you figure out your calorie need for the day is 2,600 calories. You could then aim to eat 2,200 calories daily in an attempt to lose weight.

Run a calorie deficit and youll start to drop pounds.

And, really, there are no off-limit foods as long as you stay under that calorie threshold for the day.

"Everything is on the table," says Abeyta. "So if you wanted to drink beer and eat wings every day, you couldas long as you either consumed less of those things or exercised more to maintain a calorie deficit." Is that a good way to approach CICO in terms of building long-term health? Absolutely not.

So the premise of CICO is rooted in simplicity, but the actual execution of the CICO diet can be challenging. Calorie counting requires meticulous tracking, which can be especially hard to do when dining out or if you're traveling.

Plus, math.

But people have seen results on the diet.

It depends what you mean by "work."

It's generally accepted that most diets work because of a calorie deficit, says Abby Langer, R.D. So if we're talking about the CICO diet and short-term weight loss, sure, it can work.

"However, calories as we know them are so arbitrary," Langer says. "The calorie was invented a really long time ago and isnt necessarily accurate in terms of how our bodies metabolize each individual food. Were learning so much more about how calories are absorbed."

Your body takes in more calories from food that's been processed, or broken down from its natural form, she explains. "So if you have a smoothie youre going to absorb a significant portion of those calories compared to if you eat that food raw or cooked," says Langer.

Emerging research shows your body handles ultra-processed items like chips or Twinkies differently than kale or bananas. "Those [packaged snacks] are going to be viewed very differently on a cellular level," says Bethany Doerfler, M.S., R.D.N., Clinical Dietitian at Northwestern University.

The National Institute of Health found that ghrelin, a hormone that drives hunger, is higher when people consume ultra-processed foods compared to after eating a well-balanced diet, according to 2019 research published in Cell Metabolism.

Heavily-processed foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, may spike insulin levels and cause your body to store more fat, explains Doerfler.

Then, you have to consider the benefits of a fiber.

"Fiber-rich foods provide a certain level of satiety and fullness," says Doerfler. The nutrient also promotes healthy gut bacteria, which scientists believe may determine a person's weight.

"By laser-focusing on calories, you may forget about filling fiber, muscle-building protein, and disease-fighting micronutrients," says Abeyta.

Its great to know how many calories you eat daily, in general. "If youre self-motivated and know that a good diet includes lean proteins, colorful produce, quality fats, and fiber-rich carbs, well, then CICO can help you lose weight and improve your health," Abeyta says.

But if your diet is still rich in junk foodeven if you're eating less of it and you're losing weightyou're not not eating a diet that sets you up for long-term health.

For some who choose to practice it, the CICO diet can help you lose weight and improve your health, as you can include more nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods into your meals without breaking the calorie bank.

The main benefit of the CICO diet is its simplicity and flexibility, and as long as you stick to your calories, you can eat whatever you want, says Ana Reisdorf, M.S., a registered dietitian and founder of The Food Trends. Consistent calorie-tracking can lead to effective weight loss, as it raises awareness of portion sizes and food choices."

But its not just the 'CI' or calories in aspect of this plan that helps you. The 'CO' or calories out component of this lifestyle matters, too. Exploring a CICO-based plan leads you to first consider how many calories you are expending each day and how that can be increased, explains Haar.

Your total expenditure is based on basal metabolic rate (how many calories you use when at rest for basic functions that include breathing, maintaining body temperature, brain and nerve functions) plus energy used for digestion and physical activity.

While age, gender, height and genetics are influential factors that cant be modified, the amount of muscle mass you have increases caloric needs even when resting and increasing all types of exercise adds to calorie expenditure as well, says Haar. Aside from weight loss, increase in aerobic capability and strength training has a plethora of other health benefits.

No diet is a one-size-fits-all solution. CICO is no exception, and it certainly isnt for everyone. As always, talk with your primary care physician or a trusted healthcare practitioner before embarking on any new lifestyle and diet routine to make sure its safe for you.

Haar perceives the major flaw with the CICO diet that in focusing on calorie numbers alone in an effort to lose a substantial amount of weight fast, individuals may reduce calories to unhealthful levels where they are not getting adequate nutrients.

While the scale may show big losses, the pounds lost may have resulted from dangerous water loss, as well as a breakdown of muscle tissue, says Haar. Gradual weight loss of one-to-two pounds per week is more healthful and likely to be sustained. The most important factor in weight management is that any lifestyle changes you make should be permanent. Any diet pattern that is followed temporarily can result in significant weight loss, but this loss is rarely sustained."

In addition, Haar warns that its possible to eat just the right number of calories to sustain a one-to-two pound/week weight loss, but the food pattern consists of ultra-processed, low-fiber foods contributing to other health situations. Thus, food quality, not just quantity, is important to consider, she says.

Riffing on that sentiment, Residorf says that focusing solely on calories can lead to poor food choices, as not all calories are nutritionally equal. Of course, 300 calories from a doughnut versus 300 from lean chicken and vegetables will have vastly different effects on the body, she says. This approach that can lead to nutritional deficiencies and an unbalanced diet.

The emphasis on calories rather than food quality might also encourage eating low-calorie yet nutrient-poor processed foods, which can make you hungrier so it is hard to stick with the calorie restriction," she says.

We've talked about this a little already from a physical standpoint, but it's also important to talk about diet from a mental perspective.

Counting calories isn't inherently problematic, says Doerfler. But there are exceptions.

"I like that this diet has brought back to the forefront looking at calories and seeing where your high-calorie food comes from," she says. "Almost all the time those calories come in the form of refined snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. The hope is that those calories would be used for smarter and healthier eating."

Realizing that morning bagel with cream cheese tops more than 600 calories could inspire you to choose a satisfying meal that contains fewer calories, like oatmeal and peanut butter.

Plus, apps like MyFitnessPal are useful ways to monitor what you're eating. People who spent just 15 minutes a day logging food lost about 10 percent of their body weight in one month, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Obesity.

That said, counting calories can feel like a chore, lead to obsessive behavior, and even spark binge eating, says Langer.

"When youre drilling everything down to numbers it takes away all the joy of food and disconnects us from nourishing our bodies," she asserts. "This perpetuates diet culture by being punishing."

Stressing over numbers can be a trigger to binge for people with eating disorders. If you have a history of disordered eating, consult a dietitian who can customize a plan that works for you.

"If you ever find yourself 'running off' indulgences or skipping meals for the sake of CICO, thats a signal flare," says Abeyta.

And strict diets don't take birthdaysor any other celebratory meal, reallyinto consideration.

"People are not quite so robotic," says Doerfler. "Even if someone needs 1,200 calories a day to lose weight, most people are not adhering to that 100 percent of the time."

Ultimately, the best diet is one that doesn't consume your every thought. Dieting becomes an issue when you refuse to eat even though you're hungry, says Langer.

"If you have to pee you wouldnt say, 'No, I cant pee for another three hours,'" she asserts.

Langer recommends listening to your body's natural hunger cues and taking a more relaxed approach.

"Stop thinking of food as good or bad and just eat," she says.

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The CICO Diet - How It Works, Side Effects, Effectiveness - Men's Health

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