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Mar 26

Obesity and stigma: A woman’s journey to a healthy lifestyle – The New Times

It all started when she had just given birth to her second child. Her weight began to escalate and as a result, she began experiencing chronic back problems.

I found difficulty in even small things like bathing. The doctors said that obesity was the sole cause and advised me to lose weight, Specioza Uwamariya shares.

Just as she was beginning to shed off the weight, her husband passed, on and this further deteriorated the condition. The fluctuating weight soon made it difficult for her to do anything by herself.

When my husband passed in 2014, life lost meaning and I piled on weight quickly. I lost out on self-confidence, felt stressed and ignored by the people around me.Before I knew it, I was weighing 179kgs.

Specioza Uwamariya is currently on a weight loss journey to live a healthier life.

At this point I just decided to wait for death because even doctors had recommended I travel abroad for treatment, which I couldnt afford. All I did was stay indoors since merely walking to the compound also a problem for me, she says.

Finding help

Then, a video by Isimbi TV circulated on social media about her condition. Slim n Fit, a health and fitness programme for women struggling with obesity, reached out to her, upon learning of her condition and offered to assist her lose weight and give her hope for a better health.

Since joining the third season of the 90-day-challenge that ends on March 28, Uwamariya has lost over 10kgs in 10 weeks, currently weighing 164kgs.

At the end of the challenge, the programme awards the biggest loser, as a way to motivate them.

Participants are required to go to the gym on a daily basis and also have a nutrition coach who guides them on the proper food diet, to aid them in their weight loss.

Florence Uwamwezi, the founder of Slim n Fit (middle), with some of the participants.

For me, dedication and positivity are key. My weight loss journey is becoming simpler by the day, ever since this programme taught me to love my body, eat healthy and exercise since weight loss and exercise go hand in hand.

Right now Im working hard to prove everyone that had given up on me, wrong and live healthy to raise my children, she says.

For Jean Claude Ntawurungo, their aerobics coach, some of the exercises that they are trained help with relieving stress, one of the biggest contributor to obesity.

Dieting without exercising cannot yield tangible results, so we work on mindset, and get them to enjoy exercise, he says.

Dealing with stigma

Besides difficulty in mobility, the 52-year-old adds that she suffered venous insufficiency (improper functioning of the vein valves in the leg, causing swelling and skin changes) and faced stigma from almost everybody around her.

I was never invited to weddings because people thought I would break their chairs, and I became the laughing-stock of people who saw me. Children would scream in shock and cabs often refused to transport me because I would cause their cars to break down. My family abandoned me and waited for death to bring flowers to my grave, people made me feel like I was not human, Uwamariya says.

Like her, many women dealing with obesity are perceived as lazy, gluttonous, lacking self-discipline by society, which leaves them vulnerable to stigma and discrimination, and does nothing in the fight against it.

Marie-Justine Uwizeye, 52, has been participating in Slim n Fits 90-days-challenge for the third time in a row and now weighs 120kgs.

Her determination was stirred by paralysis caused by obesity, having weighed 158kgs.

I wouldnt even climb the stairs and with stigma all around us, we suffer low self-esteem that you begin to isolate yourself from public events, but once you acknowledge that the body needs a turn around, it becomes easy to start the journey. At my age, it never occurred to me that I could actually lose weight and live normally, but Im currently one of the best runners they have here, she says.

Doris Uwiragiye, another member who has gone from 171kgs to 158kgs believes that obesity is caused by many factors that include biological, genetic and environmental, that critically contribute to the condition.

We need encouragement and not humiliation, because obesity is like any other health condition that needs attention, she says.

Florence Uwamwezi, the founder of Slim n Fit says weight stigma is a public health problem that undermines social rights and is a major stumbling block in the fight against obesity.

We are all wonderfully created and so the idea that obese people lack in self-discipline and personal responsibility is wrong. Rwandans should strive to eliminate this culture and consider obese people as human beings worthy of their rights and attention, she says.

She adds that she has been working to have more partners on board, to enable the programme reach out to as many women dealing with obesity.

We have coaches, nutritionists and a fully-fledged gym that are all essential to their weight loss journey but due the expenses, its hard to reach out to as many women as we can. We are hoping to have more partners and open the gym to the public so that the revenue generated can go to helping these women fight for a healthy life, Uwamwezi says.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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Obesity and stigma: A woman's journey to a healthy lifestyle - The New Times


Mar 26

What’s the buzz? – News – The Daily Jeffersonian

Whats the Buzz typically covers upcoming events, but due to the number of cancellations and postponements, this week will instead focus on activities for kids and families to do at home. Normal coverage will resume depending on recommendations involving the COVID-19 pandemic, and rescheduling of events and shows.

Scavenger Hunt. Need a fun, easy way to help your kids explore their environment a bit? Grab a paper or plastic bag, print up or write up a list, and go for a walk. Get creative with themes. Look for items found in nature, different colored cars, things you see in your community. Some examples for a nature themed scavenger hunt could be: a robin, freshly bloomed flower, type of seed, different types of rocks, a bug.

A twist on this activity is to have a virtual scavenger hunt with friends. If you have the ability to video chat, facetime, or video call friends, create a home-based scavenger hunt to see who can find the items the fastest. It could be things like a toy car, DVD with a specific picture on it, a book with a certain word in the title or something as simple as a roll of toilet paper.

YouTube Yoga. If youre feeling cooped up and like you need a good stretch, check out some YouTube yoga. There are a number of free videos to watch and help get your blood pumping. Most yoga requires no special equipment and can be a great way to help calm your mind. Cosmic Kids Yoga, a channel specifically for childrens yoga, is likely to have a theme your kids will enjoy. Some options available are "The Gruffalo", "Minions", and "Sleeping Beauty".

Adults can find yoga channels to follow along with, depending on the style youre after. Ali Kamenova Yoga channel offers free, fast-paced yoga and slower, more traditional yoga as well. Choose from workouts to help you get energized, lose weight or focus on a specific area. Another resource on YouTube is Yoga with Adrienne. Also offering free full workouts, this is an easy way for anyone to start practicing yoga. Easy to follow instructions make this perfect for a quick home stretch.

Alcohol Painting. Contrary to its name, this is a kid-friendly craft. To get that swirly, tie-dye effect in paintings or crafts, costly alcohol inks are typically used. This easy DIY method to create your own saves money, and is an engaging art project for the little ones.

Supplies needed:

- Plastic cups or disposable containers - Old markers (Sharpies work best, but regular markers also work) - Rubbing alcohol 91 - 99% - Scissors or a small knife - Pliers - Gloves (optional)

Step 1. Pour some of the rubbing alcohol into each cup. You can do one color per cup, or mix to create your own.

Step 2. Using the pliers, take apart the markers or Sharpies, and remove the ink cartridge.

Step 3. Make a slit in the ink cartridge casing, being careful not to cut all the way through. Drop the cartridge into the rubbing alcohol.

Step 4. Let the marker and alcohol solution set for a few hours, or overnight. The longer they set, the more likely you are to get vibrant results.

Step 5. Remove the cartridge from the alcohol, squeezing out any excess ink back into the rubbing alcohol. Gloves may come in handy, as this step can get a bit messy.

Your new alcohol based paints are ready to use. Alcohol ink tends to dry very quickly and works best on hard, non-porous surfaces. Use them on coffee mugs, old tiles or even canvases for a unique effect.

If you know of an activity youd like to share, or have an idea you want explored, send an email to: whatsthebuzzdailyjeff@gmail.com

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What's the buzz? - News - The Daily Jeffersonian


Mar 26

The Secret To Self-Care And Why You Should Prioritize It Today – Forbes

In 2018, the American Psychiatric Association found that 39% of U.S. adults felt more anxious than they did the previous year. As stress and anxiety play a significant role in many Americans lives, the national corporate wellness market could reach an estimated $15.5 billion by 2024. But how effective are costly meditation retreats, goat yoga classes and scented candles when it comes to quieting our minds and relaxing our bodies in todays fast-spinning world?

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For Carley Schweet, a self-care coach and author of the book Boundaries with Soul, part of the problem is finding time: Many of us feel too time-strapped, or even too guilty, to set aside quality time for ourselves. When we take care of ourselves, were better able to care for others and show up for them as the best version of ourselvesnot burnt-out, exhausted and resentful people, says Schweet. Our loved ones deserve better than that.

Why You Need To Invest In Self-Care Tips

Routine and intentional self-care can contribute enormous emotional, physical and even financial benefits. Mental health perks include reduced stress, a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of self. And for our physical health, learning about our bodys needs and incorporating exercise into self-care can help us lose weight, gain energy, sleep more soundly and have clearer skin, says Schweet. The advantages extend to the office, too. By focusing on ourselves, we can build the self-esteem required to ask for a raise or more vacation days, for instance, ultimately enhancing career fulfillment overall.

However persuasive the argument for a solid self-care regimen, certain myths may keep many of us from cultivating our best selves. Here, we explore common misconceptions about self-care and offer fresh ideas for nurturing your mental and physical wellness.

MYTH: Self-Care Routines Are Expensive

REALITY: With the commercialization of self-care, it can feel very black or white, says Schweet. You either buy it or invest in it, or you dont. The truth, she says, is that many of the best self-care practices are totally free. Daily smartphone-free walks, morning stretches, eight glasses of water a daythey are all ways to recharge your mind and body, not your credit card.

MYTH: Self-Care Requires Significant Lifestyle Changes

REALITY: You dont have to quit your job, sign up for pilot lessons or install a home gym to nurture your true being or improve the way you invest in yourself. Schweet says that small practices can make a big difference in personal wellness: Self-care are the physical, emotional and spiritual practices we hold. These can range from going for a walk and choosing to eat our green vegetables to setting boundaries and having an active meditation practice.

MYTH: Self-Care Occurs At Home, Not At Work

REALITY: A demanding boss, a nosy coworker, a jam-packed meeting schedulethese factors can push our boundaries, drain precious energy and threaten our peace of mind. Schweets advice: Push back. If youre totally swamped, youve taken on too much, you feel like youre stretched way too thin, theres too much on your platethats a perfect opportunity to say no.

Another way to ensure self-care in a work environment is to carve out time for yourself. For example, Schweet says eating lunch away from your desk can help you get back in touch with how youre feeling that day, give your eyes a break and allow you to come back to the office with your energy shifted. When we take time for ourselves, we gain a greater sense of confidence, we feel good, more inspired and were more tapped into our creativity.

MYTH: When It Comes To Self-Care, Its All Or Nothing

REALITY: For some, the mere thought of committing to a weekly exercise regimen, or starting a guided meditation practice, is too overwhelming. This whole idea of falling off the wagon is so intimidating to people that they often dont even start, says Schweet. To ease the pressure, she recommends viewing self-care tips as a series of small steps (and occasional stumbles) that guide you toward a happier, healthier and more balanced lifestyleone that includes ample space to devote to yourself.

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The Secret To Self-Care And Why You Should Prioritize It Today - Forbes


Mar 26

Stay-at-home health tips with former Forest Green footballer Joe Stokes during the coronavirus outbreak – Stroud News and Journal

Joes Fitness Tips

Once a player at Forest Green Rovers, Joe Stokes now spends his days training others to help them reach their fitness goals, writes Holly Hughes.

Working out of Westgate Fitness, Joe works with a wide variety of individuals, from those looking to lose weight to young aspiring rugby players seeking to improve their game.

Yet, following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Joe has quickly adapted his training programmes for online home use, which you can visit by going to @westgatefitnessgym.

Providing two live classes a day as well as daily pre-recorded workouts, Joe is not short of ideas for keeping fit during the lockdown.

As a result, every week he will be providing everyone with his three top tips for staying healthy whilst were all forced to stay home.

TIP #1: Make use of your daily walk/run/cycle allowed by Boris.

The government havent permitted us the opportunity to get out of the house for no reason.

Getting out and moving your legs is incredibly important for both your physical and mental health.

Just a simple walk can help to prevent weight gain and is essential for improving circulation, which is naturally a worry when we will all inevitably be sat down for long periods of time over the next few weeks.

It is also a great way to improve your mood, which is a particularly important reason to get outside in the current state of things.

TIP #2: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

Dont get into a routine of going to sleep late because you know you dont have to necessarily get up to commute to work or take the kids to school in the morning. An important part of preventing weight gain and maintaining good mental health is sleep its definitely not overrated.

Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, and try to go to bed and wake up at a similar time every day. Set an alarm to wake you up and even one to remind you to get to bed!

TIP #3: Stay hydrated

This goes without saying that drinking water remains central to any healthy lifestyle, you should try to drink at least two litres a day. Water is also important in preventing weight gain, not because it contains a magical weight loss ingredient, but because it reduces sugar cravings that often lead to snacking.

These cravings are often just a sign that we are thirsty! But despite its health benefits, drinking water in regular intervals does not flush the coronavirus into your digestive system that was just fake news.

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Stay-at-home health tips with former Forest Green footballer Joe Stokes during the coronavirus outbreak - Stroud News and Journal


Mar 26

The Russian Dolls have transformed figure skating. But at what cost? – The Guardian

Facade has always been central to figure skating. The sports culture dictates that athletes should smile through pain and errors. In the kiss and cry area - where skaters wait for their scores there are rarely dramatic displays. Even when a performance is unfairly marked by the judges, skaters will blow kisses to the camera and wave to the crowd. However peeved they may be, theyll never reveal it, preferring instead to suffer in silence. Burying true feelings just goes with the territory.

Its a vicious cycle when you live inside the bubble, says Kiira Korpi, a two-time Olympian for Finland who is now a psychology student at the New School in Manhattan and a childrens rights activist. You dont even realise how unhealthy or toxic some of the cultural norms are.

Last week should have seen the world championships take place in Montreal, but the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to that. Unintentionally, it may have shifted the landscape of womens figure skating in the process.

Barring a minor miracle, three Russian teenagers would have battled it out for the podium places: 16-year-old Alena Kostornaia and a pair of 15-year-olds, Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova. The trio have revolutionized figure skating. They only made their senior debuts last year but blitzed through the sport, ensuring a multitude of headlines. In the Grand Prix final last December, Kostornaia claimed gold while Shcherbakova and Trusova rounded out the medals. They repeated the trick at the European championships the following month; their opponents left dumbstruck by their dominance.

What makes them so good? Well, owing to their remarkable jumps, they maximize the technical points on offer. Trusova and Shcherbakova have both mastered skatings holy grail: the quad, an exhaustive element and up until recently an unheard-of feat for ladies, which is four full rotations in the air.

However, there are concerns. First, rather than a skating competition for women, are we now dealing with a jumping competition for girls? Second, and much more importantly, whats the cost of success physically, emotionally and psychologically for this collection of raw, developing children?

The worst aspect to this is that most of the time, in skating and gymnastics and maybe other sports, you grow up in a culture thats very authoritarian, Korpi says. You grow up to believe if you get injured its because youre weak. Or if your body or psychological state fails its because you are weak. But why does the body of a teenager break?

Obviously, the athlete has responsibility but we never really question if theres something wrong with the coaching. Has there been a lot of over-training? I hear from doctors about 12-year-olds in America, Finland and Sweden and Im sure in Russia it starts even earlier coming to clinics with stress fractures and things which shouldnt happen at that age. It points to the fact the training has been too much. And how do they deal with that when theyre so young?

All three Russian teenagers boast the same coach: Eteri Tutberidze, who has built a stable of female talent. She is a divisive figure, though not much is known about her unusual for a skating community that can border on the incestuous. She made her name as a coach in 2014 when a 15-year-old girl in a red dress named Yulia Lipnitskaya cast a spell in Sochi and was crucial to Russia winning gold in the team event. She became a star. The following month, she finished second at the world championships but was quickly discarded as her body began to develop. By the end of 2016, she was done with the sport altogether. Drained and disillusioned, the following year she revealed a long-running battle with anorexia. Im no longer drawn to the ice, she said, damningly.

By that stage, Tutberidze had moved on and guided another prodigy, Evgenia Medvedeva, to back-to-back European and world titles. But at the 2018 Olympics, Medvedeva was pipped to first place by her training mate, 15-year-old Alina Zagitova, three years her junior. Tutberidze had a new favorite and within months, Medvedeva made a startling and unprecedented move. She left Russia altogether, deciding to continue her skating career in Canada. I feel more adult here, Medvedeva said later in 2018.

And then theres Zagitova, the reigning Olympic and world champion. Still just 17, she announced in December that she was taking a break from skating for an indefinite period. The previous month, she had admitted finding it difficult to keep up with younger competitors, who she still trained alongside in Moscow. Most worryingly of all, she described how even attempting a quad jump was unrealistic for her until she got slimmer.

Quads are too dangerous for me for the time being, she said. I will need to prepare for them physically and mentally. I will also need to lose some weight, something like 3kg, to decrease the risk of injuries.

And this is a cornerstone of the debate surrounding the jumping phenomenon in womens skating and the rise of the so-called Russian Dolls: the female body.

Puberty can vastly change how a skater performs. They grow taller, and heavier. Its expected. Most critically of all, its natural. But in some skating quarters its seen as an unwanted development and detrimental to skills such as the quad jump. Physical changes mean tweaking of techniques. And sometimes, coaches dont have the interest or patience. Theyll merely find a younger skater to shape instead. Somebody who is prepubescent and weighs less. So, its a genuine possibility that skaters on the edge of adolescence are buying into a fear and suspicion of puberty. And in a society where body image and the messaging surrounding it is such a hot topic, it seems skating has aligned itself with a deeply unsettling pattern.

Its dangerous, Korpi says. I was never educated on the effects of not getting your period. The expectation was that it was a good thing. Nobody was talking about the symptoms it can create, the psychological problems, the stress fractures that can happen due to the fact you dont get enough energy and your hormonal function not working. So we need to call out the community for sending these unhealthy messages. This notion you should always restrict your food and always lose weight and no matter what you must restrict, restrict. That kind of messaging is so concerning.

I know many athletes who are emotionally and physically broken because the system doesnt care how much goes to waste as long as there are a few who make it. But whats worrying is that those who make it are only there for a few years and then theyre broken too: theyre too old or cant sustain their careers.

Korpi has a particular academic interest in the abuse of children and sees such behaviour as commonplace within skating circles.

There can be serious emotional abuse in training and coaching, Korpi says. Maybe skating is specifically vulnerable to child abuse because of the way the sport has developed and the way we value those crazy jumps and how its easier to do them when you dont have an adult body yet. So the more robotic you can treat your mind and body the better. The coach is the one that holds the key to success. But if their coaching is emotionally abusive it can have very drastic consequences and has been compared a lot to the abuse between children and parents.

Some say its an overreaction. That skating has always produced exceptional, young talent. And its worth mentioning that coaches such as Tutberidze are working within the ISUs age-limit rules. Ultimately, her job is to develop champions and she would certainly argue that everything else regardless of the moral implications is not a coachs concern.

Skating has had child stars Tara Lipinski, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes but they werent pushed out of the sport because they couldnt keep up with the technical demands, Korpi says.

Because of the postponed world championships, the trio of Russian teenagers may not compete again competitively until the end of the year. By that stage, their bodies may have changed dramatically and Tutberidze may have moved on to her next project.

I dont think Eteris child factory is the biggest problem in skating, Korpi says. The problem is the sick culture thats been created. Eteris factory is a symptom of this inhumane direction and culture our sport is taking. Shes not the cause. There are many other coaches who work in a similar manner to her and many federations that support this kind of coaching.

So, it seems like skating has a decision to make: keep the facade in place or start to ask itself some tough questions.

For many people, its not interesting anymore, says Korpi. People miss watching emotionally mature women skate instead of girls. Its almost and I feel this too difficult to watch some of these very, very young child stars. Because you cant help and think of whats behind that kind of performance and success.

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The Russian Dolls have transformed figure skating. But at what cost? - The Guardian


Mar 26

‘My heartthrob days are over’: Joe Wicks on health, happiness and training the nation – The Guardian

It is not these extraordinary times that have made Joe Wicks. He was already huge, initially from Instagram cooking videos that lasted just 15 seconds. Rudimentary but engagingly zany, they attracted a substantial if hodgepodge fanbase from body-conscious zoomers to middle-aged mums. So when he brought out the cookbook Lean in 15, five years ago, his publisher said she would be delighted to sell 70,000 copies, which roughly amounted to one per Insta follower. Instead he sold 700,000, to become the second biggest seller in the cookery hall of fame, below Jamie Oliver.

This week, though, his live workouts on YouTube have put him in a different league. Every morning at 9am, he is running a PE lesson: an exercise class for kids that you can do in your living room. It sounds like a simple idea, but now every child in the country (and their mum) is talking about it, his name forming a compound noun with his chosen title: Yes, Ive done my PE homework, Ive done JoeWicksBodyCoach. Kids love the kangaroo hops and parents love the fact it gets their children burning off excess energy when they are trapped inside.

Skyping me on Tuesday afternoon, Wicks runs the numbers: On day No 1, we had 806,000 households streaming it. Today it was 954,000 livestreams; 3.7 million people have watched the first video since yesterday. Its just growing, Im over the moon. I feel quite overwhelmed by it. He has been up since seven, and so busy he has only had time for a piece of toast. This is a salient detail from the nations ultimate dietary role model, whose MO is to show not tell; normally his lunch is way more balanced.

He is keen to stress that this is no overnight success. The Instagram videos built up over two years, from 2014 when he was an obscure and incredibly bouncy personal trainer, shaking pans about, being cute about broccoli (baby trees!) and wild about rice, to 2016, post his first book, when he had a million followers. He is quite down on his early broadcasts, describing his voice as monotonous and critical of the lighting. No one that probably really loved cooking, like really skilful chefs, would have watched those, he says. They were for general people who wanted to know where to start. But there was something distinctive about them, an unstudied inclusiveness

It was in 2016 that he started visiting schools, up and down the country, trying to embed a passion for physical jerks. He wanted to teach the world to star jump; he wanted a TV show, like Jamie Olivers School Dinners but for exercise. He could not get any takers. But that was then. Yesterday, he was in discussions with Channel 4 about streaming his online workouts while the Sun was poring over his videos, trying to spot evidence of a lavish lifestyle from the shots of his living room in Richmond, Surrey.

Its a very modest house, he says. People just focus on the stupidest things. I mean, look: its a nice kitchen, but its not anything fancy. Its because I wont do an interview with them, thats why. Hmmm, the last person who said theyd never do an interview with the Sun was a Labour leadership candidate, I say a little slyly. I dont do politics, he says, laughing; his mind is on a larger goal. I want to be the person who completely transformed the health of the nation.

I do not think Wicks has a particular fitness secret: his workouts are successful because people love him. This is the mystery of the man why is it that people, across generations, like him so much? It is not a question that you can ask directly. You have to go back to the beginning.

I had quite a chaotic home life, it wasnt stable, my diet wasnt great.

A disruptive and naughty kid, a bit of a clown, he says, Wicks was always into sport, football, cross-country, anything where he could blow off a bit of steam. The defining moment of his teenage years was when, at 15, a group of his schoolmates was taken on an immersion day at St Marys University, in Twickenham, London. I remember looking round the bus, and it was all the naughtiest kids, the ones who were always in detention. I think they must have wanted us to see how it could be different.

On the way home, he rang his mum and announced that he wanted to be a PE teacher and he did start as a teaching assistant, before becoming a personal trainer. It was not an obvious trajectory, he says. I had quite a chaotic home life, it wasnt stable, my diet wasnt great. I was never an overweight child, but I had behavioural issues. I think that was linked to my upbringing and not having a great start with my nutrition.

His mother was 17 when she had his brother, 19 when she had Joe; his father was in and out of rehab for drug addiction. There was a lot of shouting, a lot of doors slammed, we didnt sit down and have dinner together. And yet, he says: One thing I had more than anything, I had love and support from my mum and dad. My mum used to say: I dont care if you become a dustman or a doctor, you can be who you want. It is a powerful and unusual stance, and it means he really gets imperfection human frailty, too much sugar, not enough lunges he gets that you can make poor choices without being a bad human being, he is palpably non-judgmental, without ever saying: Im not here to judge you. I think viewers can smell that, at any age, even through their smartphones.

There is also, of course, the impossible to ignore eye-candy element, which meant in his early career he was often seen on the covers of fitness magazines displaying his washboard torso. He is quite uncomfortable about that now. I am a dad and I am married and Im very public about my love for my wife [Rosie, who used to be a model]. So the attention has shifted, its less: We love him because hes got abs, the heartthrob days are over.

Anyway, he says: Im 34 now, receding hairline, Im not as lean as I was. Which is stretching things a bit, since to the untrained eye, he looks the same, only more famous. But he is certainly serious about his family. Its a nice calm feeling, since I got married and had kids [a daughter of two, a three-month-old son]. Im not chasing anything, Im not rushing to get anywhere, Im really content with what Ive got. When youve got a nice house and youve got your kids and youve got your holiday, what more do you need? There isnt much more that will ever make you happier than that. If you have to pretend to be going bald to damp down the passions of a whole nation who refer to you as Juicy Joe, I guess thats a price worth paying.

Anyway, back to the fitness; there is a good reason to start with younger kids. Before coronavirus hit, when he was still touring the country, I went to a secondary school, and they were already a little bit too cool: Im not training with him, who is this dude? My whole philosophy is to get kids exercising at a young age, which you can really create with role modelling. My mums sweating, shes out of breath, shes laughing.

Take a sedentary teen, who is into their devices, and good luck training them, he says. This might be disheartening news if you already have a house full of sedentary teens who are all into their devices, but he continues persuasively, and by the end of it Im convinced that you probably could persuade even older kids, so long as you directed them his way and didnt try to role model it by sweating yourself. Its just about happiness, he says. Ive stepped away from exercise to look good, exercise to lose weight. True motivation comes from how exercise makes you feel. If youre very demotivated, youve got to remember that the sense of achievement comes at the end of the workout, not at the start.

I dont think about financial gain. What makes me feel good is parents wanting to exercise with their kids

As much as Wicks proselytises fitness, he is careful to show his flaws. People like the fact that Im out of breath when Im training, or Ill have a blowout, Ill do a little choccy run. I make mistakes, Im constantly learning. Even though he has had the ultimate social-media start, born on Instagram, raised by Facebook, he hasnt fallen into the trap of presenting an idealised version of himself, then having to meet the expectations he has raised. You can put on a front, but people see through that very quickly, and they disengage. He never sounds censorious, even while he is describing his meal plans for the day oats and berries, omelettes and salad, vegetable curries in the evening and sketching out the unutterable wholesomeness of his mood management.

There are days when I wake up feeling flat, I dont know why, he says. Im not unhappy but Im not happy. I know, if I feel like that, Ill go and do a workout and it will lift my mood. His workouts sail forth on this tide of infinite enthusiasm, which it is hard not to get swept up in. I dont know if you believe in the energy and the secret? he says at one point. I have no idea what this means, so I say that yes I most definitely do. I do believe, he elaborates, that the more you put out into the universe, the more that comes back.

If the positivity is a bit relentless, it is definitely not unthinking. He allows in anxieties: small, medium-sized, vast. He worries whether he is as patient as he possibly could be at the dinner table, about how personal trainers are going to get through this hibernation period when they are all self-employed. They really need some love. If you cant find what you want from my channel, type in yoga for the elderly, or pilates for pregnancy: theres millions of trainers also doing really good videos.

Since he had children, I have days when I start thinking about the Earth, about pollution, about the sea, about the economic stuff. Ive started to think about what its going to be like in 50 years, and I didnt used to think like that at all. It has made him more driven, he says, but not for money. Im proud of what Ive achieved, yes. You have to understand I grew up on a council estate, and back in the day you had tokens for your lunch at school. I didnt come from a background of wealth, but it wasnt something I talked about, I still had a good life. And Im still not motivated to be financially successful. I dont look at the numbers, or think about financial gain. What makes me feel good is reaching people, trying to change the culture so that parents want to exercise with their kids.

I think back to how stung he was when the Sun picked over his living room for signs of poshness. It actually doesnt look posh at all. He has just moved all the furniture out so theres room for press-ups, and there is a map above the mantelpiece. Its a plastic map!, he says, mock-scandalised.

He asked me at the start of the interview whether I was Zoe Williams the media doctor, and I said no, but I was once invited to give a keynote to the Royal College of GPs, and because of my weird ego, I exchanged loads of emails on my thoughts about general practice, before my Mr said: Its possible they dont mean you. He has a version of that story, and its much better. My brother got invited to do a speech at an event at YouTube for the Who. Hes a massive fan of the Who, hes been listening to their music for years. The day before, he thought: Why do they want me there? And it was only the World Health Organization. Its a signal of how big Joe Wicks was, even before the online workouts, that the WHO wanted his brother, Nikki, who is also his social-media strategist, to talk through how best to improve the worlds health.

Even while he is in no way blase about the lockdown worrying not just about personal trainers, but about people with businesses, families in debt, how we will adapt to not being able to get the ingredients were used to, the stuff we thought we relied on he is constitutionally oriented towards the bright side. I think the real value that people get from my YouTube videos are these questions. Are you going to feel good today? Are you going to sleep better tonight? Do you want to give yourself the opportunity to feel the best you can?

Well, OK then. If you put it like that

PE With Joe streams live at 9am UK time on his YouTube channel.

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'My heartthrob days are over': Joe Wicks on health, happiness and training the nation - The Guardian


Mar 23

What you can do when you need to lose weight swiftly – The Upcoming

What you can do when you need to lose weight swiftly

You probably hear about peoples stories or weight loss programmes on the daily; how someoneused one secret trick or a special food. These stories can start to affect how you feel if you are on a weight loss journey. Unfortunately, you cannot remove all of these stories from your news feed to declutter your mind, but you can find quite a bit of relevant information on the internet that can help you.

In particular, this information can help you lose weight efficiently, healthily and quickly, using methods that have proven results. So if you need some tips for losing weight swiftly, read on.

Drink more water

This is one of the simplest ways to lose weight. Hidden calories are found in a lot of sources of our diet, and often in the liquids we consume. Some coffees, teas, milk and alcohol are calorie-dense, so replacing many of these with water can reduce weight gain. Similarly, the more water you drink, the better your body can digest and remove waste, which is a factor in losing weight. This is a good example of how really simple changes in your life can have a dramatic, and positive, change onyour health goals.

Liposuction

You might think that this is an unrealistic way to lose weight, but actually it isnt. Liposuction is a type of plastic surgery procedure whereby fat is sucked out of the body. There is no faster way to lose weight, and the benefits are numerous for anyone who wants to lose fat fast. The experts at https://www.reflectionscenter.com/new-jersey-medical-spa/liposuction/ discuss how and why liposuction is so beneficial to those from all backgrounds, and why it is especially important for those with particular needs. For example, emergency weight loss can save a life, such as obese people who cannot simply start a diet or exercise plan. In these cases, weight needs to be lost safely and efficiently, which is why liposuction could be a solution, as well as for those who want to lose non-life-threatening weight too.

Caloric deficit

Speaking of dietary needs, you need to know what a caloric deficit is too. Eating healthy does not always guarantee weight loss. There is still a lot of food that is good for you that can result in no changes or see you gain weight. How? Well, overeating for one. There is simply nothing that can top how eating more calories than you are burning is going to influence how much you weigh. Restricting your caloric intake is the most proven way to properly lose weight. Within reason of course, but you need to cut your eating down to fewer calories than you are burning. If the average person needs 2000-2500 calories to maintain their healthy weight, then even reducing this by as little as 300-400 calories can help you see changes that will positively affect your weight loss journey.

Regular exercise

Lastly, regular exercise is still one of the best ways to lose weight quickly. When coupled with a caloric deficit, you can start to see significant results fast. Not only is it effective, but it is healthy too. Losing weight is only one part of the solution, you want to know that you are making long term improvements to your health. That is always the purpose of the exercise. Get stronger, run faster, breathe better and feel more comfortable in your skin. Not only should you commit to regular exercise, but you should try to implement more forms of exercise too. Weight lifting and cardio through running or walking are two of the most accessible forms of exercise, but you should try to incorporate things like rowing or swimming as well. The more diversity you have in your exercise, the more calories you burn, the more weight you lose, and the better your body will feel from doing different kinds of movements.

Seeing so many things about weight loss can feel overwhelming at times. You can be bombarded with information from so many sources that it can be difficult to know what to trust. Fortunately, the tips here are simple but effective. They are proven and they are reliable. When you need to lose weight quickly and want to do so without jeopardising your health, then this information is a good start.

The editorial unit

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What you can do when you need to lose weight swiftly - The Upcoming


Mar 23

Mum and daughter show off their new figures after curbing their junk food addiction – Gloucestershire Live

A mum and daughter duo will be celebrating Mothers Day on Sunday by showing-off their fabulous new figures, after losing nearly nine stone between them and slimming down to sylph-like size eights.

Winning their very own battle of the bulge strengthened the bond between fine art student Elsie Spalding, 21, and her mother, childminder Tracey Spalding, 50, of Hertford, Hertfordshire, who were both a large size 16 at their heaviest.

Inspired by her mum, who was the first to fight her flab, Elsie recalled feeling beach fit for the first time ever this summer, saying: I was on holiday in Spain and wore a bikini for the first time in my life.

For Mum, losing weight has been a massive confidence boost, too, she added.

Gorging on pizzas, bacon sandwiches and biscuits had taken its toll on both womens waistlines when they finally realised they needed to take drastic action with 5ft 5in Tracey dropping from 12st 11lb to 9st 7lb and 5ft 3in Elsie going from 13st 13lb to 9st 2lb.

At her heaviest, Elsie had a body mass index (BMI) used to gauge a healthy weight of 34.5, compared to the NHS recommended range of 18.5 to 24.9, making her obese.

She said: I had an unhealthy relationship with food. If anything went wrong I would eat, or if I was happy I would eat.

I didnt think I could break this cycle and thought it would be like this for the rest of my life. But my mum made me feel differently and now we are closer than ever.

Hitting puberty at 14, Elsie said that from then onwards she just got fatter and fatter.

At 14, I was a size 12, so I wasnt really big, but compared to my friends who were a lot smaller, my size was noticeable. Still, I wasnt really bothered. I always felt quite confident and was never picked on.

When I got home from school Id just go in the cupboards and get biscuits or crisps and keep snacking.

At 16 and 17 I got worse. I was a size 16, sometimes wearing a size 18, and my friends were all a size eight.

Elsie continued: Then, when I went to university, I was doing my own food shopping, so it would be cheap pizzas and oven chips, packets of Supernoodles, or 99p burgers from McDonalds.

I was conscious of it, but I didnt really want to do anything about it. I did attempt diets, but it would die off and Id just carry on like before.

I used to be confident around my friends, but I started going into myself in front of other people, because Id worry about what I looked like. That was quite difficult.

A few months after she started at Bournemouth University in September 2018, Elsie was surprised when her mum visited and looked really slim, as she had joined WW.

She looked really good, Elsie recalled.

We did a bit of shopping, she tried this top on and looked incredible.

Elsie recalled: I was really impressed by what shed achieved, but I didnt think Id be able to do the same.

But a trip to a caf over the Christmas holidays was the turning point for Elsie, who joined WW a month later in January 2019.

She said: Mum and I were in a cafe together.

Elsie continued: I was having a cheese toastie and a teacake, which was just a snack for me, while Mum had a WW bar.

She told me what I was eating would have been the whole of her daily allowance in points, adding that if I wanted to join WW she would pay for it and help me.

Still, I did not think I would do it, because I thought Id get bored very quickly.

Heading back to university after joining the slimming club online, the pair agreed that Tracey would go to the classes and pass the advice she gleaned on to her daughter, who would then attend them when she finished university in May.

Elsie said: I had to change my whole lifestyle, so I gave everything up.

At the beginning, I would not have a cooked breakfast or a McDonalds because I worried that if I allowed myself to, Id fall back into bad habits.

Elsie said: I did struggle in the first couple of days, but after the first week and a half, Id lost seven pounds, which changed my mindset and made me really determined.

The change has been incredible.

I now eat lots of veg, chicken breasts, WW snacks and sugar free jelly. Ive got a really sweet tooth, so that helps to ease my cravings. I cook a lot of meals from scratch and prep meals for lunch.

A typical student, before her diet, Elsie normally got out of bed at 11am.

But, as the weight started to drop off, she began to get up early to go for a walk or a run.

When she went home, she would join her mum on a park run, a free weekly 5k running event held at parks up and down the country.

I used to get the lift everywhere and Id never exercised, but I started taking the stairs and walking everywhere, Elsie said.

My mum was doing the coach to 5k running app, so I did it too, then when I came home for Easter, we started running together, she added.

It took me about seven months to reach my goal weight of 9st 13lb in July.

I did it really quickly and was really strict. Since then, Ive lost more and now weigh 9st 2lb.

Elsie explained: I feel really great now. Sometimes I still feel a bit self-conscious, but when I go to the shop and buy a size eight instead of a size 16 it feels so good.

My whole fashion sense has changed. I buy things I never thought I would. I was wearing skirts all through the summer and little crop tops.

Shaping up together has made the mum and daughter team closer than ever.

We love finding recipes and cooking together, said Elsie. Well still eat something like fish and chips, but well make our own hand cut potato or sweet potato chips, and then well have chicken nuggets using chickpea breadcrumbs.

We also do the park run together on a Saturday morning.

We were always close, but were even closer now.

Tracey, whose husband, Dan, 52, is an alarm fitter and who also has a son, Alfie, 23 who works with his dad, said her motivation to lose weight was the approach of her 50th birthday.

With a BMI of 29.8 before she slimmed down making her overweight, according to the NHS, she said: I was coming up to a big birthday and I wanted to be fit at 50.

I realised I was unhappy and started thinking about my health and fitness. Id always been between nine and 10 stone, but after I had children the pounds started going on slowly.

Tracey continued: I work as a childminder, so am at home picking all day. I would then enjoy a few glasses of wine in the evening and liked a good night out in the pub.

Id eat a lot of unhealthy food like sweets, chocolate, crisps, bacon rolls and pasta and went up to 12st 11lb.

I could not fit in any of my clothes anymore and I wasnt doing any exercise. I just didnt feel good.

With Elsie leaving for university in September 2018, Tracey thought it would be a good time to join WW, and by March 2019, she had lost almost three stone, taking her down to 10 stone.

Reaching her goal weight of 9st 7lb in March 2019, she has stopped boozing in the week, watches what she eats and runs 5k three or four times a week to keep the weight off.

And she is delighted that her own successful diet inspired Elsie to address her weight, too.

I didnt want to tell Elsie that she should lose weight, I knew it had to be her decision and she had to do it when she was ready, Tracey explained.

But I think it sparked something in her when she saw how Id done it.

She did really well then we both started running, we did the Race for Life and were doing the park runs together.

Tracey said: Its so important, because as well as increasing our health, its something that we can do together. I go and visit her at university in Bournemouth, then we get up and do the park run.

Im so proud of her for doing it. Its not just for health but for our mindsets as well.

Weve always been close, but its brought us closer together.

And Tracey is really feeling the benefits.

I feel brilliant now, I sleep better at night. I feel good going out to buy clothes and summer is great as I dont feel like I have to cover everything up, and I can wear shorts.

Before I would hit the snooze button but now Ill jump out of bed and get a run in before the day starts.

Tracey added: I eat lots of homemade soups, fish and veg and have stopped drinking in the week. I dont miss any of it.

Looking forward to spending Mothers Day together, Tracey and Elsie will be spending it at home this year, with activities restricted due to the coronavirus.

I think it will be a quiet celebration this year. Well probably just cook something nice together, Elsie said. She really is the best mum. I couldnt have done this without her.

For more information about myWW, visit WW.com or download the WW app and to follow Elsies journey on Instagram visit @es_progess

The rest is here:
Mum and daughter show off their new figures after curbing their junk food addiction - Gloucestershire Live


Mar 23

Scarlett Moffatt: Ive Had To Ring The Samaritans Because Of Years Of Trolling – Grazia

Before I went on Gogglebox, I could never have imagined how hard it is for women in the public eye. I thought celebrities lived in a different world, I took everything the tabloids printed as gospel, and I barely even used social media. But in 2017, three years after Id been catapulted into the public eye, I was in the darkest place of my life, feeling completely alone and often ringing Samaritans when things got really bad.

I never planned to be on TV. I was 23 and working in Asda when my friend Tommy asked me about Gogglebox. He worked on the show and couldnt find anyone to audition in the north east so asked if Id do it, to help him out. I went down to the auditions and my mum came during her lunch hour, too. The next day they said they wanted us on the show and we had two days to decide. Its 50 and a free takeaway, whats the worst that can happen? I remember thinking.

When the show aired in 2014, we got Twitter so we could chat to people while it was on. Immediately, I started getting really horrible messages about how ugly, fat and stupid I was. All of a sudden, all of these people that didnt even know me were forming opinions about me from five minutes on a half-hour show. It hit me hard. I thought about quitting, but back then Gogglebox wasnt as big as it eventually became and I didnt want other peoples comments holding me back.

As I started to get more TV opportunities, I chose to look for the positives and go for it. I was being offered things that people from my little town of Bishop Auckland in County Durham could only dream of.

Two years after that, after I came out of the jungle after winning Im A Celebrity, everything was good. I felt very lucky. Looking back, at that point I realise I had been put on a pedestal. In the press it was just nice story after nice story, and then with Ant And Decs Saturday Night Takeaway I was a co-presenter for a time it was the same thing. But I quickly noticed, the more popular I was getting on TV and in the press, the more unpopular I was getting on social media. I was getting trolled way more with people attacking the way I look, speak, dress you name it.

Scarlett went through her social media and picked out comments that she receives daily by trolls Suki Dhanda

I remember after the second episode of Saturday Night Takeaway aired, there were thousands of comments about how bad my teeth were. That got to me most because I was so insecure about my teeth as a child. Id smashed them in an accident and had ill fitting caps put on as I was too young for veneers at the time and had to wait until I was 21 to have them properly fixed. Seeing people pick apart something youre already so aware of made me not want to go in for the next show.

Around the same time early 2017 I was under immense scrutiny for my fitness DVD. My DVD is my one biggest regret, not just because of the terrible reaction, but because I put my name to something I dont even believe in. My sister is 13 now, and when I think about her obsessively trying to lose weight or looking at before-and-after pictures, it really upsets me. But back then, I was so nave, I had no idea how damaging it would be for my mental health as well as other peoples.

I was approached to do the DVD in 2016. I had no representation, I didnt even know what an agent was back then, in fact the offer came through to my Hotmail account. It was sold to me as a dream with no warning of backlash or detriment to my health. At the time, I thought it was a win-win: Id lose weight, get healthier and with the money they were offering, I could put a deposit down on my own house.

The company wanted me to lose around four stone, but about halfway through following the exercise and nutrition plan my body just stopped losing weight. It was as if it was just like, No, this is what youre meant to look like. I remember trying to soldier on but thinking the whole time, I actually really dont want to do this at all. But Id signed a contract, and when I tried to get out of it they told me that I would owe them loads of money if I dropped out. I didnt have anything close to the figure they wanted, so I had to go through with it. In the end, I was never actually paid a penny.

When it was really bad, I would ring the Samaritans, give a fake name and rant for 15 minutes. Talking to someone who didnt know me or judge me, helped.

Things only got worse when it came out. I got trolled really badly for being too thin, people telling me Id gone too far and was a bad role model. I understand now why people wouldnt want me to promote weight loss, but at the time it just felt like a wave of cruelty from every angle. Looking at the before and after pictures, I wasnt any happier in either and I quickly realised how awful this whole thing had been for me mentally. I ended up rebelling, putting all the weight back on in the hope that the comments would stop.

Thats when everything spiralled out of control. All of the trolling overwhelmed me. I stopped leaving the house, spending hours on Instagram reading nasty messages, searching hashtags of my name and reading the comments under online articles. I believed everything said about me. I felt I wasnt good enough for anyone. If I went on a date and posted date night on Instagram, Id get messages about how they were only with me for fame. So then Id sit on the date thinking, Well yeah, Im this big fat mess so why would anyone be with me for me?

One of the worst times was when I went on Aftersun on Love Island. I wore a low-cut dress and felt amazing at the time, but when the show aired I mustve had over 3,000 messages telling me I was fat and to put my boobs away. I remember Iain Stirling ringing me to see if I was OK, telling him I was fine then going home and crying for a week.

My family and friends never knew any of this. I wouldnt leave the house for days on end, but as soon as my mum texted me to say she was stopping by, Id clean up and act like everything was fine. I never wanted to see her upset or burden anyone with my problems. After all, my job was amazing, I just wanted them to see the positives.

I was at the point where I wanted to stop everything, quit TV, delete social media and move to a country where no one could have an opinion on me. But I couldnt do that. So I just wanted to disappear, I didnt know where I wanted to disappear to, but I needed it to stop everything felt out of my control.

When it was really bad, I would ring the Samaritans, give a fake name and rant for 15 minutes. Talking to someone who didnt know me or judge me, helped. Eventually, I broke down in front of my mum and told her how I was feeling. I ended up seeing a therapist for a year. Now, I have coping mechanisms to take me out of that dark place.

Ive grown a lot as a person since then, too. Not just with handling trolling, but how I feel about my body as well. A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of myself in a swimming costume something I wouldnt have done without a photographer even when I was thin and it felt amazing. I want my platform to stand for something different, to show people youre not just the sum of your parts or what you look like. Whenever anyone is on Love Island, I message them and say, If ever you need to talk to anyone, you can message me thats what I needed at the start.

And despite everything thats happened since Caroline Flacks passing, its clear that sadly nothing is going to change anytime soon. But that just tells me that we need to keep shouting. Sometimes, you feel like youre screaming at the top of your lungs and no one hears you. Thats why I wanted to speak to Grazia, because the more we open up, the more we can hopefully put an end to trolling once and for all. I feel lucky it didnt have tragic consequences for me because it truly could have.

NEED HELP?

Anyone can contact Samaritans free at any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number wont show up on your phone bill. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit Samaritans.org to find the nearest branch, where you can talk to a trained volunteer face to face.

Read More:

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'I Was Ashamed And Afraid': Nine Years On, Rebecca Black Reflects On Viral Hit Friday

Exclusive: Maya Jama Talks Imposter Syndrome - And Why She Deletes WhatsApp

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Scarlett Moffatt: Ive Had To Ring The Samaritans Because Of Years Of Trolling - Grazia


Mar 23

Stress-eating for comfort in a time of anxiety? Heres how experts say you should deal. – The Durango Herald

Youre mostly stuck inside, your children are home from school, and the coronavirus pandemic is making the future seem less certain by the day. If youre like 27% of Americans, you might seek comfort in a familiar place: the refrigerator.

Food can be one of the easiest and most immediate ways to make ourselves feel better in stressful times. While enjoying our sustenance is a good thing, experts say emotionally eating lots of food with little nutrition can weaken our immune systems and worsen our moods at a time when protecting our bodies and staying positive is particularly important.

If we want to be able to feel better, given the situation that were in, we have to think about how we want to fuel our body in ways that we can stay more at ease, said Eva Selhub, a physician with expertise in stress, resilience and mind-body medicine.

Why do my eating habits matter right now?In addition to often causing unhelpful feelings of guilt and shame, Selhub said eating highly processed foods and snacks with a lot of sugar can cause bodily inflammation that increases fatigue, anxiety and depression. Various pathways connect our stomachs to our brains, she said, so putting nutritious foods into our system helps to control our moods.

How can I tell if Im eating because of emotion and not because of hunger?Eating as a result of stress tends to be an automatic instinct, like putting your hand into a bag of potato chips without thinking about it, said Deanna Minich, a nutritionist with the American Nutrition Association. Physical hunger lasts longer and is more receptive to a variety of foods, rather than just foods with little nutrition.

How can I prevent or limit emotional eating in this uncertain time?Although food makes us feel better by releasing dopamine and serotonin in our brains, Selhub said the effect wears off quickly. To stop emotional eating, she suggested doing a gut-check before you reach for a snack: Am I about to eat because Im physically hungry, or because I feel stressed or sad?

If the answer is the latter, Selhub said you should consider turning to other sources of comfort: breathing exercises, movement, spirituality, social interactions, hobbies or time in nature, among others. Stick to your normal eating schedule of two or three meals a day, even if your daily routine has changed, she said.

Whether youre alone or with other people, make it a ritual of nurturing - that youre nurturing yourself, that youre fueling yourself, Selhub said.

For extra help if you want to stay on track with trying to get in shape or lose weight, she suggested finding or creating an online support group.

What if anxiety has the opposite effect on me and I struggle to eat enough?Although many people eat extra when they feel anxious, you may have trouble eating at all. Stress can trigger in your body an elevated physiological state as if you were facing an immediate danger, like early humans may have felt when being chased by a lion, Selhub said.

To digest food properly, we need a relaxed digestive system, Minich said. Warm teas can help your body loosen up, while protein shakes and electrolyte packets provide energy.

At the very least, Minich said you should drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. To return to regular eating patterns, though, she said its important to address the underlying stress, like by physically moving or doing a simple meditation.

What should I be trying to eat during this public-health crisis?Making good food choices starts when youre scanning the - hopefully still stocked - grocery-store shelves and deciding what to take home, Minich said. To the extent that you can buy fresh, colorful foods, you should, she said.

Absent the option of purchasing fresh produce and meat, Minich said frozen almost always beats canned when it comes to nutrition. Frozen food is preserved in close to its original state and usually has little interaction with the plastic its stored in, she said, whereas canned food touches its metal container and the plasticizer used to seal it. Canned food is also usually stored in a high-salt or high-sugar solution.

Minich also suggested using spices to reduce stress-inflicted inflammation and eating foods with vitamin C to strengthen your immune system. Now is a good time to share recipes with friends and family, she said, and to make sure youre also paying attention to other aspects of your health, such as moving your body and getting enough sleep.

Ultimately, Minich said eating well heightens our sense of well-being, increases our curiosity and makes us happier.

And I think this is the time that we need more well-being and happiness, she said.

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Stress-eating for comfort in a time of anxiety? Heres how experts say you should deal. - The Durango Herald



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