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Were all creatures of habit. We tend to wake up at the same time each day, brush our teeth, have morning coffee and commute to work, following the same patterns every day.

So why is it so hard to form new healthy habits?

Behavioural scientists who study habit formation say that many of us try to create healthy habits the wrong way. We make bold resolutions to start exercising or lose weight, for example, without taking the steps needed to set ourselves up for success.

Here are some tips, backed by research, for forming new healthy habits.

The best way to form a new habit is to tie it to an existing habit, experts say. Look for patterns in your day and think about how you can use existing habits to create new, positive ones. For many of us, our morning routine is our strongest routine, so thats a great place to stack on a new habit. A morning cup of coffee, for example, can create a great opportunity to start a one-minute meditation practice. Or, while you are brushing your teeth, you might choose to do squats or stand on one foot to practice balance. Many of us fall into end-of-the-day patterns as well. Do you tend to flop on the couch after work and turn on the TV? That might be a good time to do a single daily yoga pose.

BJ Fogg, author of the book Tiny Habits, notes that big behaviour changes require a high level of motivation that often cant be sustained. He suggests starting with tiny habits to make the new habit as easy as possible in the beginning. Taking a daily short walk, for example, could be the beginning of an exercise habit. Or, putting an apple in your bag every day could lead to better eating habits. In his own life, Fogg wanted to start a daily push-up habit. He started with just two push-ups a day and, to make the habit stick, tied his push-ups to a daily habit: going to the bathroom. He began by, after a bathroom trip, dropping and doing two push-ups. Now he has a habit of 40 to 80 push-ups a day.

British researchers studied how people form habits in the real world, asking participants to choose a simple habit they wanted to form, such as drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. The study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, showed that the amount of time it took for the task to become automatic a habit ranged from 18 to 254 days. The median time was 66 days. The lesson is that habits take a long time to create, but they form faster when we do them more often, so start with something reasonable that is really easy to do. You are more likely to stick with an exercise habit if you do some small exercise jumping jacks, a yoga pose, a brisk walk every day, rather than trying to get to the gym three days a week. Once the daily exercise becomes a habit, you can explore new, more intense forms of exercise.

Habit researchers know we are more likely to form new habits when we clear away the obstacles that stand in our way. Packing your gym bag and leaving it by the door is one example of this. Wendy Wood, a research psychologist at the University of Southern California, said she began sleeping in her running clothes to make it easier to roll out of bed in the morning, slip on her running shoes and run. Choosing an exercise that doesnt require you to leave the house such as sit-ups or jumping jacks is another way to form an easy exercise habit.

Wood, author of the book Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick, calls the forces that get in the way of good habits friction. In one study, researchers changed the timing of elevator doors so that workers had to wait nearly half a minute for the doors to close. (Normally, the doors closed after 10 seconds.) It was just enough of a delay that it convinced many people that taking the stairs was easier than waiting for the elevator. It shows how sensitive we are to small friction in our environment, Wood said. Just slowing down the elevator got people to take the stairs, and they stuck with it even after the elevator went back to normal timing.

Wood notes that marketers are already experts in reducing friction, inducing us to spend more, for example, or order more food. Thats why fast-food companies make it easy to supersize. Were just very influenced by how things are organised around us in ways that marketers understand and are exploiting but people dont exploit and understand in their own lives, she said.

Rewards are an important part of habit formation. When we brush our teeth, the reward is immediate a minty fresh mouth. But some rewards such as weight loss or the physical changes from exercise take longer to show up. Thats why it helps to build in some immediate rewards to help you form the habit. Listening to audiobooks while running, for example, or watching a favourite cooking show on the treadmill can help reinforce an exercise habit. Or plan an exercise date so the reward is time with a friend. The New York Times

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Five easy steps to forming healthy, sustainable habits - The Irish Times

Provided by Eat This, Not That! How to tell if eggs are good with egg float test

If you're hosting a brunch or baking a pastry of sorts for a dinner party, it's likely that your recipe will call foreggs. The question is, are the cartons of eggs stacked in your refrigerator still any good? Or, an even better question may be this: Have you ever considered checking to see if those eggs you bought two weeks ago are still in their prime?

We spoke with head chef at HelloFresh, Claudia Sidoti, for the lowdown so you can accuratelyand quicklyfigure out how to tell if eggs in your fridge are good enough to eat and are in tip-top shape, or if it's time to toss them out. And for more food tips, be sure to check out How to Tell If the Raw Chicken In Your Fridge Is Bad!

First, here's some background information on what prompted us to ask Chef Sidoti this question. We'd heard of the float test, which involves placing eggs into a bowl of water. But what are you actually looking for?

With this method, if they sink to the bottom that means they're still good to eat, but if they float to the top, that means they have gone bad.

"The reason this works so well is that eggshells are absorbent, which means they allow some air to get through," Sidoti explains. "Fresh eggs have less air in them, so they sink to the bottom. Older eggs will be more likely to float."

Sidoti elaborates on exactly how to tell if eggs are good or not: "Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the bowl on their sides. Older eggs will sink to the bottom at a tilted or upright position. If the eggs float, they're too old and you should toss them."

"If stored properly in the refrigerator, eggs can stay fresh for four to five weeks. In the U.S., eggs must be refrigerated. If not, they will go bad after about two hours if left at room temperature," says Sidoti. So once you get home from grocery shopping, don't forget to pop your eggs in the fridge right away!

RELATED: 100+ healthy breakfast ideas that help you lose weight and stay slim.

"A bad egg will have a foul odor when you crack it open," says Sidoti. "The smell will usually be obvious the second you crack it open."

OK, so it's pretty simple. If an egg sinks to the bottom on one of its sides, then that's an indication it's still fresh. If an egg sinks to the bottom but sits in a tilted or upright position, that means it's on the older side and should be consumed sooner rather than later. Finally, if the egg floats to the top of the bowl, that means too much air has seeped in and has caused it to spoil. It should be thrown out promptly.

Now, grab a bowl of water and go raid yourrefrigeratorthat carton of eggs needs a thorough inspection before you start cracking on your next omelet, or any other egg dish from the 22 best ones we rounded up!

RELATED VIDEO: This Hack Lets You Check If Frozen Food Is Still Fresh After Losing Power (via Cooking Light)

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This Is the Quickest Way to Check If Eggs Are Still Fresh - msnNOW

Like many people in my mid-20s, I approached my parents about getting married and initially chose to use a more traditional route. That is to say, creating a resume or biodata and sending it to matchmaker aunties. I wanted this approach because I wanted to be able to balance my American, Desi, and Muslim identities. I wanted things to be done in a halal way with my parents knowledge. However, over the past 2 years, my experience with the process has left me jaded.

Before I continue, I want to preface with two things. The first is that my parents are wonderful. Weve butted heads, but I recognize that they are doing what they think is best, via a method that theyre used to. Providing critical feedback of the method should not be taken as critical to my parents.

The second is that while I have critical feedback, I am not intending to discredit the entire process. Meeting people through family is hardly a bad thing, and maybe what some people need. It is very possible that I will still end up using this process. That said, there are changes that need to be made, especially in the modern world. I want to make sure that my younger brothers and sisters can get an idea of what the process is, and what theyre in store for.

The biodatas that we send and receive are inherently superficial. They are, in total, the persons education/career, info on their parents and extended family, and pictures. Theres nothing written about the persons personality barring, perhaps, a few sentences about their interests. This doesnt provide any real depth of information about the other person at all.

Then there is the emphasis that is placed on the pictures. It is important to acknowledge that physical attraction plays a role in all of this. I think one of my early mistakes was that I was trying to pretend it didnt matter at all, and thats not reasonable for a marriage. The problem, however, is that given the lack of personal detail in the written part of the bio-data, we are left with the photo being the most personal piece of information presented. Unless you really care about where a persons grandfather went to University in the 1940s, that photo ends up being the most important thing youre making your choice on.

Like Tinder, but safer, a friend said to me, as I explained how these situations played out. Thats not far off from how the experience played out for me. Were not given much time to make a decision on the bio-data, so the result is the superficial, un-Islamic swipe based on attractiveness alone.

How many times have I heard, Oh, shes too fat, or Oh, shes too short, or Too tall, or Shes pretty dark isnt she? Bengali speakers will recognize the word moyla, [dirty] used to describe women who are slightly darker, which is terribly problematic.

Its not just that women are being chosen based on their looks alone, but on top of that, theyre being held to Eurocentric notions of what is deemed attractive. Were all being held hostage to a standard designed by and for an entirely different race of people, and I have been told that it would be weird for me to be attracted to a darker-skinned woman because in the minds of many, dark skin is undesirable.

The superficiality is worse for women, but even as a guy I felt it. Im fine with how I look, but you can only hear, Oh, your face looks weird in that picture, or, Hes not tall enough, so many times before it starts to mess with you. Men face another superficial judgment as well: the problem with men being reduced to their ability as moneymakers. Im a graduate student and there are people in my class who have a spouse and children and are making it by just fine on the stipend we receive. But, inevitably, it will come up that Im not making tons of money, so how can I support a family? While recognizing that men do have an Islamic responsibility to financially support their families, it troubles me that the process boils men down to one thing and one thing only money, and not just having enough of it, but lots of it.

Im relatively young, 27 in May, and so when I started this process two years ago, I told my parents that I was willing to go +/- 3 years, just because I thought that would be a good range to encompass people Id have some similarities with. However my prospect of an older wife even a day older was rejected with quite some vigor. Ive been disqualified from matching with some women because they were born just a couple of months before I was.

The majority of the biodatas sent to me are of women still in college, between the ages of 19 and 22. It doesnt matter when I say thats too young, or how that I feel like Id be taking advantage of someone who hasnt fully grown up yet. I get told that Im wrong.

Do you know how many random aunties and uncles have told me that a 7-8 year age gap is necessary to make a marriage work because otherwise, the women will demand too much? Its shocking that Im being told specifically that I need a wife young enough to be manipulated and shaped to my desires. When I push back on this, Im, again, told that Im weird.

Im being constantly told to reconsider my age preferences as if wanting to marry a woman in her mid-20s is a weird thing to do when I myself am in my mid-20s. The sheer number of times I face this makes me think its an inherent flaw in how our cultures think, and not something unique to my situation. This is to say nothing of the fact that people will, to our face, tell me (26) that Im too young for marriage, but my sister (25) is rapidly passing her expiration date.

As a Bengali man, I have no problem marrying a woman of Bengali descent, but its annoying that even in 2020, its seen as a taboo to marry outside of your race in Desi culture. I personally have had it conceded to me, that if I choose an Indian or Pakistani woman on my own, that might be ok, but nothing else. Not an Arab. Certainly not someone with (black) African descent. And a white/Hispanic/black convert would cause a genuine scandal.

And even this concession is not universal, as there are many Bengali parents I know who will not let their child marry anyone outside of their own culture. Even when people have pushed through it and married outside of their ethnic backgrounds, there is still gossip and concern as to how the parents could let this happen.

Going into this I thought, Well, all I have to do is show a few videos from Imams talking about how inter-racial marriages shouldnt be taboo for Muslims, but it doesnt matter how many of these clips I show, it falls on deaf ears.

I understand the concern of losing culture and heritage to life in the West, I get it. But if I want to teach my kids about their Bengali roots I can do that with a wife of any background, and if I dont want to teach them, having a Bengali wife isnt going to make me any more likely to do so.

Ultimately, the feeling I get is that the older generation wants in-laws who they can go and have chai and gossip with, to do traditional things they saw their parents do with their in-laws. And again, while I empathize with the desire to do something familiar, this seems like an unhealthy reason to dictate why your children cant marry someone from another race or culture.

I understand that families need to mesh and that it makes things easier if there are similarities that exist. However, in what world am I reading a biodata and seeing what a womans uncle does for a living, and then deciding that shes marriage material?

It doesnt work for me that way, but it works on the minds of the older generation, and there are even ways of working the class distinction to your advantage. Uncles in the community have actually told me that marrying into a lower class may be good if you want someone to be subservient to you because theyre thankful you brought them to your status. But theyve also told me that marrying a higher-class woman isnt bad either, because a rich father-in-law could have its perks. Caveat- beware of them being snobby with you, since you may be expected to be thankful, subservient one instead.

I cant even wrap my head around what people are talking about here, but its yet another factor that I end up having to deal with during this process.

I want a wife who cares about the deen and prays 5 times a day, and I want this not to be a controversial take.

I have been told thats unrealistic. Literally a couple of weeks ago, an auntie told my sister that modern women do not pray regularly and so I should not expect that in a future wife. She said this, of course, to my sister who is both a modern woman and someone who prays five times a day without fail.

Its crazy to be told that Im being too picky because I want a wife who already has her religious-ness established. I have been told, by both aunties and uncles, that its better for me to marry a wife who isnt too religious yet so that I can shape her deen. This isnt about mutual growth in faith as you may hope for in a marriage. This is about controlling women with religion by only teaching her what I want to teach her. When older women tell you this, it raises so many concerns about what theyve been through and what they want future generations of women to go through.

When I tell people I want a religious wife, they seem to translate that as subservient to me, not Allah. And that scares me. I dont mean to fetishize anybody, but I want a wife whose religion drives to be bold, to stand up for whats right, to be outspoken. I want to partner with someone whose religiosity pushes me to be a better version of myself, not to do what shes told.

I dont think its unreasonable for me, as someone who has lived their entire life in the US, to think that Ill mesh much better with someone with a similar background. This isnt universal, some people will genuinely get along better with people from back home, and thats fine, but this needs to be a personal choice.

Yet, I keep getting told that it would be better for me to marry from back home. I have been told, straight up, if you bring a wife over here, shell be more indebted, to me because I brought her to America. Setting aside that I dont want to marry someone who just wants to marry me for a Green Card, why would I want to marry someone who feels like they owe me?

I fail to see how marrying from back home is an issue of compatibility in this case, it feels way more like an issue of subservience.

You can see here that the concern isnt about finding a spouse who matches with my personality, its about finding someone wholl come and cook and clean and bear children for me without speaking up about it because they feel like they owe me. Which segues to

I want to preface this section by saying that this is one topic where my parents havent, at all, been the source of my concerns, but rather, this something that comes up when talking to certain members of the community.

For men, there is an emphasis on making money to provide for a family, and for women, raising children and taking care of the home. Theres no problem with this model, but it is not the only model. Its a valid option, but I am being told its my only choice.

In the eyes of many, the preference is to pick a homemaker. This seems at odds with the desire to select a woman with a good education, making it seem that Im then not expected to let her utilize that education professionally. After all, it could be embarrassing for me if my wife makes more than me, and I have been told to be careful, because a wife who makes too much money could be too independent.

I must also be careful to stay in my exclusive role as a moneymaker too, and not try to go beyond that. I had pictures with my nephews in biodata because they mean the world to me. I was told to take them out because somehow a man taking care of children is deemedbad?. I also like cooking. I once said this to an auntie and I remember her saying, Why do you like doing girls stuff?

Quite bluntly, I dont want a wife who will only cook and clean and raise children for me. I want someone I can share those duties with because theyre my equal partner, an idea that, to me, keeps getting glossed over in this process. Every couple deserves the opportunity to figure their marriage out for themselves.

There are limits to what we can(t) do as Muslims. I understand that we shouldnt have 3 year-long courtships or live together before getting married, and I am not advocating that. But we should be allowed some time to make such an important decision. Ive been shown bio-datas and have been expected to come back with an answer in two days just two days about whether the information on this piece of paper is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Please, can we have a few months? Can we talk, and try to make sure that this is the decision we want to make (chaperoned)? When reviewing potential spouses, try to make sure everyone is one the same page about how much time you give to each other in order to avoid heartbreak and confusion.

My parents and I have a pretty good relationship. Its relatively open and comfortable, but its still a Desi parent-child dynamic. Expressing a dissenting opinion is disrespectful, which means it can be harder to speak up without fear of disappointing them.

Plus, my parents and I never openly spoke about sex or physical attraction, at least not in-depth. To go from that to suddenly having to talk to your parents about the physical aspects that youre looking for in a wife is awkward, and it can lead to miscommunication.

Its a culture clash on top of a generational one. I have a hard time articulating what I want to my parents, and its not easy to figure out. If you know this before starting the process, you can make an effort to speak as openly about things as you can. You can even recruit an older cousin or friend, or an Imam you trust to help you. Dont do what I did and go by yourself, have people to support you to make sure you and your parents are communicating well.

Its not reasonable to expect that youll get everything you want in a spouse. There will be compromises that are made, whether they be with yourself or with what your parents want. But dont sacrifice on the points most important to you. Determine those, know what your must-haves are, and negotiate on other things. Make sure your potential spouse is on board. It can be awkward, especially with how many of us were raised, but talk to your potential spouse about these important things.

While this was a reflection of my own experience, I place emphasis on the aspects I feel are more universal. Speaking to other Desi Muslims in my age bracket, it certainly does seem that my concerns are relatively common. Obviously, there are individual factors that are at play, but these were things that came up regularly when speaking to elders in the community.

I also, again, want to stress that this isnt an attack on my parents. While I have a level of frustration with how this situation has played out, I recognize that this is what theyre used to. And to their credit, they have made some concessions. Furthermore, its not just parents who are playing a role in this. The (often unwarranted) voices of certain elders are given undue emphasis, and that, I think has complicated the situation even further.

Ultimately, Im not telling people that they shouldnt consider arrangements or biodata, but if you do, then you must openly discuss this with your parents. Make sure they know what you want, and stand firm if its something important, even if it complicates things. It may put a strain on your relationship with your parents, but its better to open about things now than to have anger and resentment towards them for years later.

Ill end with a specific piece of advice to the brothers: You have a duty to learn about why these issues are red flags and to push back on them yourselves. Women can be labelled as too rebellious if they push back themselves, and we need to be aware of this. Speak up for your (biological) sisters, family members, and friends when you notice their discomfort. Make sure you establish with your potential spouse that she is actually on board with the process, not just going along with it because she feels that she needs to. It might be awkward, but its important to establish a clear line of communication with someone even before you get married.

May Allah bless us all with happy, healthy, and fruitful marriages. Ameen

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Obesity in the Ummah The Struggle For Wasat - MuslimMatters

I have been intentionally losing weight for a couple of years. I have now lost about 60 pounds and am at a weight that I havent seen in about 25 years.

I have noticed some interesting things about losing weight.

The first thing that has surprised me is that everyone that notices I have lost weight has said the same thing. Youve lost weight! Are you alright?

Yes, I am very well, thank you. I suppose it is because I am over age 60 that everyone assumes that I may be ill. Who knows, maybe I dont look so good? Anyway, I am doing very well and feel great!

The second thing I have noticed is that people seem surprised when they ask me how I lost weight and I simply say, I have been eating less food.

They are waiting for me to recommend some amazing trendy diet, exotic supplement that melts fat away, or an expensive weight loss plan. Many seem surprised that I dont even go to a gym.

I have studied weight loss for a number of years and at one time we offered a very successful weight loss plan in our office. There are a number of ways to successfully lose weight. To choose a method it is important to first decide on your true goals.

Unfortunately, most people are seduced by the ads that promise to help you shed 30 pounds in your first month. In the back of their mind, what they really want is to be slimmer and stay slimmer. In many cases they want to turn back the clock to an earlier time in their life before they gained excess weight.

But another part of their brain is easily enticed by the slick ads that promise quick results easily. Only in rare cases does quick weight loss equate to lasting weight loss. Usually the weight you lose quickly amounts to stored water that you will quickly regain.

So many people in our culture are overweight or obese that it can almost be universally said that practically everyone would like to lose weight. I was in that category for years, but didnt do much about it. Only when I took a methodical, persistent approach did I accomplish significant weight loss.

I checked my Body Mass Index (BMI) this week. I was pleased to note that while only a couple of years ago I was moving from the overweight into the obese category, now I am solidly in the normal category. That is a good feeling.

There are a couple of things that are important to communicate in this column. The first one is that for most people, notwithstanding specific medical or genetic disorders, it is indeed possible to lose all the weight you need to lose without resorting to gimmicky weight loss schemes. If the methods you have tried in the past have not worked, try a different sensible approach.

Secondly, weight loss that matters is fat loss. Losing a fast 10 pounds of water weight does nothing but dehydrate you and falsely elevate your ego for a few weeks. The weight that matters is excess fat. If you are overweight, you are too fat.

The next thing that is important to talk about is that it is fat you cannot see is affecting your health. You may look in the mirror and see that bulge in the belly, those thighs that bug you or a double chin that you wish would go away, but that is not the fat that matters most to your health.

It is the fat that has accumulated in places like your heart, blood vessels, liver, pancreas and other organs that matters. You cant see that fat, so you dont know about it unless a doctor tells you about it after some testing or imaging.

The good news is that as the visible fat of your body begins to disappear, so does the unseen fat that has invaded your organs. That is a slow process that requires months to years to reverse but it can happen.

Research has proven that it is possible.

In fact, research has proven that it is possible to actually slow or even reverse a number of diseases and health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, by losing weight. That sentence really should say losing fat because it is the invisible internal fat loss that matters most and that happens only from true slow methodical fat loss.

So many people have just quit even trying to lose weight and resigned to being obese, thinking there is just no way to successfully lose the excess weight. If that is your thought, I urge you to reconsider. It is possible to regain a healthy weight with the right, sensible approach. Your health will benefit, you will feel and look better and you will save a lot of money in future healthcare expenses.

Dr. Mark Kestner is a licensed chiropractic physician in Murfreesboro. His office is at 1435 NW Broad St. Contact him at mkestner@DrKestner.com.

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The secret to losing weight is there's no secret - Murfreesboro Post

Dubbed the pleasantly plump friend at school, a size 18 professional told how she feels sexy for the first time, after taking up pole dancing.

Embracing her curves, tech developer Nicola Martin, 32, who has see-sawed between a size 12 at her slimmest to a size 18 now, confessed to eating on depression, especially when a significant relationship ended in 2016.

Struggling for years with binge eating, then purging, as well as being diagnosed with the hormonal condition polycystic ovary syndrome in 2012, which can cause weight gain, Nicolas salvation came in 2017, after a counsellor suggested she tried pole dancing.

The singleton, of Kineton, Warwickshire, who dances twice a week at Pole Sensations in her village, said: I had just come to the end of a horrific relationship and I felt really bad about myself.

Then a counsellor I was seeing suggested pole dancing to see how it made me feel.

Its something I had thought about for quite some time, but lacked the confidence in myself to do it.

She added: I was very nervous at first, but the people were all really lovely at the studio. There were about 12 of us who started at the same time and everyone was so welcoming it was a right giggle.

Nicola, a graduate in accounting and financial management, includes veterinary nurses, doctors and police officers among her fellow dancers who, she says, like her, are using the activity to improve their body confidence, as well as their strength and fitness.

You dont wear a great deal of clothing for it and at no point does it feel like anyone is judging you, said Nicola, who dances in high-waisted shorts and a sports bra, which she bought from a specialist pole apparel brand.

She explained: You need more skin out for the poles anyway so you can grip. It makes it easier. You cant get up the pole if you are wearing longer shorts.

People do pole for different reasons. Some go for building up strength, some do it for exercise and some people do it for confidence.

Nicolas low self-esteem began in her teens, when other schoolchildren referred to her as the pleasantly plump friend.

I think they meant well, but when I looked back at photos, I realised I was not even big, she said. It really affected my confidence.

In her 20s, after following the Cambridge Diet, she dropped to a slim size 12, but when she ate normally again she piled on the pounds faster than before.

I developed an eating disorder in my final year at Sheffield Hallam University, partly down to how I viewed myself, she said.

She continued: It was years before I got it under control. I would try not to eat anything for as long as possible, then binge-eat fast food or sweets and purge.

Looking back at pictures at the height of my eating disorder, I really wish I had the mentality I have now. Maybe it would have stopped sooner. Instead, I struggled with it for 10 years.

Then, in 2012, when Nicola was 24, a routine blood test led to a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition which affects one in five women in the UK, according to the NHS, and can cause irregular periods and weight gain.

A lot of women who have it really struggle with their weight, said Nicola, who did not want to reveal how much she weighs.

My doctors never said I need to lose weight or anything. But I would like to be slightly slimmer a comfortable size 16 as I do worry about the risk of type 2 diabetes, as Im overweight.

Nicola finally sought help with her 10 year eating disorder and emotional difficulties after her relationship ended in 2016, when she went to see a therapist.

She said: They suggested I tried pole dancing.

Its made me so much happier and I dont feel like I need to be in a relationship to be happy. Its changed my life.

Its also helped me develop some new friendships. Some of the people at pole classes are now my best friends.

She continued: I have one general class a week and one private lesson. One is static and one is spinning so the pole spins in one and it stays still in the other. When its static, you have to find the momentum, which means having a whole body workout.

While some of the upside down moves can be difficult for larger ladies, like Nicola, mostly size does not matter when it comes to pole dancing.

She said: You need to be a little bit stronger than other girls. But I just enjoy it as an escape and as a hobby. It feels amazing.

Since she started pole dancing in 2017, Nicola has made it to the Kick Ass Curves UK final through a video entry a competition for pole dancers who are size 16 and over.

And in just under four weeks, she will be performing her specially choreographed routine to an audience in Derby at a theatre venue.

It makes me feel beautiful, she said. Thanks to pole, my size no longer defines me and other peoples opinions do not define my worth. People at my office know that I do it and Im not ashamed of it in any way.

She added: I will never be skinny its not in my bone structure to be skinny but I can still be proud of how I look.

Nicola even runs the reception on some days at her pole studio, greeting newcomers and putting people at ease before their first class.

Im more confident, Im happier and I will not let anybody treat me badly ever again, she said. I am comfortable with the way I look now, 90 per cent of the time.

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Woman who struggled with weight finds confidence by pole dancing - MyLondon

If you want to lose fat, you have to do more than just put your trainers on and go for a run. Here are five tips and facts that you should definitely consider if you want to finally get the body youve always wanted.

Losing fat is normally the main goal for people when they take up sports or exercise - especially when summer is just around the corner. Although these people always have the best intentions, they often get sucked in by myths and clichs that are not necessarily true and as a result, they often make mistakes with their training and diets.

So you before you embark on a drastic diet and exercise program that is far too difficult and not at all suitable for you, read these five basic tips and facts about losing fat. Its always best to start from the beginning.

1. Don't count calories

In order to lose fat, you normally have to consume fewer calories than you use so the body uses up its fat reserves to replace the energy you are now missing from food. As a result, people tend to count calories in order to help them lose fat.

Yes, it can be frustrating. And someone who is frustrated with their diet will most likely not stick it out and throw everything out the window rather quickly. So its important to make sure you have a balanced diet that you enjoy. Its best to leave counting calories to the fitness professionals and experts.

2. Dont eat more meals during the day

because you will definitely not lose fat this way. Eating all throughout the day reduces your feelings of hunger and your body is supposed to lose fat after meals.

This is true, of course, but it often also leads to an increased calorie intake - despite what you might think. If this diet works for you, then great, but as a general rule, this usually only works for people who burn a lot of energy during the day.

3. Dont force yourself to do hours of cardio

Unless you are preparing for a big race, there is no point spending hours running on the treadmill (or outside). Yes, you will definitely lose fat at first, but your body will quickly adapt to this routine.

Therefore, you have to make sure to change up your training routine, and especially the intensity of your exercises. Sometimes ten minutes of very intensive training is more efficient and beneficial than an hour of slow running. And since we have already revealed a list of sports that use the most energy, you are now spoiled for choice.

4. Eat fats, but good fats

Most diets will tell you to avoid all kinds of fats and high-calorie foods are completely off-limits. But small amounts of foods that contain more calories may actually be better for you than foods that are less fatty but contain more carbohydrates. Avocados are a perfect example of this and are therefore an ideal ingredient to add to your salads.

Well say this one more time. Eat a little bit of everything in moderation and treat yourself to something from time to time. You dont have to feel bad for eating bad food occasionally, as long as it is only occasionally.

5. Fat turns into air

If you want to build muscle, you need to keep this goal in mind. It is wrong to assume that fat simply melts or burns away when you sweat. In reality, however, this applies to just 20 percent of the total fat that you lose. The other 80 percent turns into carbon dioxide, meaning you breathe it out.

Sweat consists primarily of water and electrolytes and therefore, it is important you make sure to drink enough water throughout the day to replace it. And just as a reminder, adding a little lemon juice to your water will not make you lose weight faster.

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Fat Loss: These Five Tips And Facts Will Make Your Life A Lot Easier - Gentside UK

I actually took this topic to Twitter, asking readers who they thought was the biggest bust in Red Sox history. The responses were so varied and good that I decided to yes, cynically put together an All-Busts team of Red Sox prospects. At the moment, an exercise such as this is more interesting than talking about the current team.

A couple of ground rules: I eliminated from consideration players who might have been annoying or didnt fully live up to their hype, but still ended up having quality major league careers. Clay Buchholz has pitched 13 years in the majors, made two All-Star teams, and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting once. Hes many things, but hes not a bust. Same goes for Daisuke Matsuzaka, to a different degree.

I also eliminated players that had their promise curtailed by unfortunate real-life circumstances, such as Ryan Westmoreland and Andy Yount.

I eliminated players who never should have been considered prospects in the first place, such as Kung-Fu-fighting Izzy Alcantara, who was 27 when he debuted in 2000, and Pat Dodson, who broke through at age 26 in 1986 in his third full season in Pawtucket and somehow managed to be a Donruss Rated Rookie and a Topps Future Star on his 1987 baseball cards.

And perhaps wrongly, but hey, its the approach Im taking I eliminated players who did briefly thrive in the major leagues before the game caught up to them. Youre not busts to me, Sam Horn, Phil Plantier, and Will Middlebrooks. The good moments might have been fleeting, but they sure were fun.

Prepare to wince, position by position ...

Catcher: Blake Swihart. The 2011 first-round picks big-league career got off to a promising start in 2015 when he hit .274 in 84 games as a 23-year-old. Things might have gone differently had the Red Sox not stuck him in left field, where he suffered a career-altering ankle injury in ealry 2016. But the reality is that he got plenty of chances and never did much with them, putting up a .679 OPS across five partial seasons while drawing something less than raves defensively.

He edges out Peabody High legend Steve Lomasney, the No. 50 overall prospect in 2000 who got just two big-league at-bats.

First base: Otis Foster. I suspect most of you will go with Lars Anderson, who was rated the No. 17 overall prospect by Baseball America in 2009 but hit .167 in 56 at-bats for the Red Sox over three years. But my vote goes to Foster, the 15th overall pick in 1975 who was pegged as the next Jim Rice (talk about unfair expectations), if only for this amusing but probably apocryphal story.

The legend goes that in spring training in the late 70s, as weight issues were causing Fosters star to dim, the Red Sox devised a plan to help him lose weight: Theyd make him run laps around a nearby lake. Great idea, except, as the story goes, Foster had a better plan. He had his girlfriend meet him halfway around the lake with a picnic basket so they could have a nice lunch before he finished his running. Thats my kind of thinking right there.

Second base: Donnie Sadler. In Baseball Americas ranking of the Red Sox top 10 prospects of 1996, two shortstops cracked the top four. Nomar Garciaparra at No. 4 ... and Sadler at No. 1. Thats right: Baseball America did not know that Nomar was better.

Sadler, who might be the fastest Red Sox player not named Otis Nixon Ive ever seen, did have a terrific season at Single A Michigan in 1995, putting up an .836 OPS with 9 homers and 41 steals. The Red Sox moved him around defensively and rushed him to the majors in 1998, which did him no favors.

But he never really had a good season after that promising start, and in 156 career games with the Red Sox, he hit .242 with 4 homers, maddeningly trying to hit for power when he should have been maximizing his speed.

Shortstop: Juan Bustabad. I mean, the last name should have been a blinking neon clue, right? Never trust a prospect whose last name includes the words bust and bad.

Bustabad drew frequent reference for his defensive wizardry in Peter Gammonss Sunday notes columns in the early 80s. One comment from 1981: The Red Sox liken Bustabads speed to that of Kirk Gibson, the Detroit outfielder who reputedly can run with KCs Willie Wilson. Scouts from two other teams say hes not that fast but is a great shortstop prospect.

I remember fully expecting him to become the Red Sox version of Ozzie Smith. Instead, he peaked as the PawSox version of Mario Mendoza, putting up a .606 OPS in nine minor league seasons and never playing a day in the majors.

Third base: Wilton Veras. He had a reputation as a future star in 1999 after he hit .288 in 36 games as a 21-year-old. But looking back, its hard to tell why, beyond the empty batting average. He had just an 80 adjusted OPS in that stretch, hitting two home runs, and he was no whiz at third base.

If we wanted a young third baseman to dream on that season, we should have looked west to watch 20-year-old Adrian Beltre with the Dodgers.

Veras gets the nod here over 2010 first-round pick Kolbrin Vitek, who hit 8 homers in four minor league seasons and never made it past Double A Portland.

Left field: Greg Blosser. The 16th pick in the 1989 draft, Blosser was a strapping power hitter who was supposed to be what Jim Thome became. But he struck out too much even in the low minors and hit .077 in cameos with the 1993 and 94 Red Sox.

Ill also hear you on Jeff Ledbetter, a record-setting slugger at Florida State and a first-round pick in 1982 who lost his pop when he had to trade in the aluminum bat for wood.

Center field: Rusney Castillo. He was touted to be the next Ron Gant when the Red Sox signed the Cuban defector to an absurd six-year, $72.5 million deal in 2014, and he got off to a nice start, but in 2015, it became apparent that we should have been calling him Rusney Cant.

The circumstances of his contract have left him in baseball purgatory in Pawtucket, where he has a career .761 OPS and is now 32 years old.

Also: Jeff McNeely was supposed to be the next Ellis Burks, but he turned out to be the first Jeff McNeely.

Right field: Rick Asadoorian. He drew comparisons to a young Dwight Evans when the Red Sox took him out of Northbridge High with the 17th pick in 1999. But he spent just two uninspiring seasons in the organization before the Red Sox traded him to the Cardinals for pitcher Dustin Hermanson in December 2001.

Righthanded starter: Mike Brown. He was rated the Red Sox No. 1 prospect by Baseball America in 1983, and man, did he deserve it. In his first two seasons of pro ball (including a cameo with the big club in 82) Brown went 24-10 with 261 strikeouts in 261 innings and a 1.83 ERA.

He was supposed to be the Red Sox next ace before we even heard of Roger Clemens. He did not become the Red Sox next ace, going 12-18 with a 5.57 ERA over five partial seasons.

His greatest contribution might have been when he departed: He was part of the deal that brought postseason hero Dave Henderson from the Mariners in 1986.

Lefthanded starter: Trey Ball. Ill presume most of you would go with Henry Owens and his 5.19 career ERA in this spot. But Ill fight you well, at least bicker passive-aggressively on that.

The Red Sox spent the No. 7 pick in the 2013 draft on Ball, a high school lefthander from Indiana. I loathe spending high draft picks on high school pitchers; theres just so much that can go wrong, and much of it did for Ball, who at last glance was trying to convert to a position player after putting up a 6.06 ERA in two seasons with the Sea Dogs.

Reliever: Craig Hansen. The hype surrounding Hansen when the Red Sox took the St. Johns hurler 26th overall in 2005 is unlike any I can recall for a Boston pitching prospect. The Red Sox fully bought into it, too, rushing him to the big leagues that season and stunting his development.

He was basically supposed to be what Jonathan Papelbon became, but, for a variety of reasons, it never came close to happening, and he finished his career with a 6.34 ERA. If you want to call him the biggest bust in Red Sox history, Im not going to argue.

Chad Finn can be reached at finn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeChadFinn.

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The biggest prospect busts in Red Sox history, position by position - The Boston Globe

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that break down the food we eat into energy and muscle.

Though many people think that they will lose weight if they speed up their metabolism, this isn't necessarily true. Here's what you need to know about the complicated relationship between metabolism and weight-loss.

When people refer to metabolism being "fast" or "slow" what they are really referring to is a measure of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR determines the number of passive calories that you burn these are the calories that your body uses up while at rest.

A popular misconception is that adding muscle will help you metabolize calories faster and while this is partially true, muscles at rest actually burn very few calories. Most of the metabolizing energy you expend is through your brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs that are constantly at work keeping you alive and healthy.

There is evidence that cardiovascular exercise can help boost your metabolism for a short period after you work out, but this effect only lasts for an hour or so and is not usually enough to cause significant weight loss.

There's also the myth that eating certain foods will speed up your metabolism. But the reality is that even if certain foods can affect your BMR it's not nearly enough to make a noticeable difference in your weight.In order to lose weight, you must create a deficit between the calories you consume through food and the calories you burn through a combination of diet, physical activity, and passive metabolic processes that are largely out of your control.

The sad truth is that it's hard to change your BMR in any significant way. The fact that some people naturally have a faster BMR than others is largely due to genetics.

A review, published in 2011 in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, that examined 9 twin studies and 19 family studies found that metabolic syndrome and some of the symptoms associated with it including obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance are common among families, suggesting a significant heritability factor.

The exception to this rule comes up only for rare illnesses like Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism, which both slow metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism becomes less efficient, or what we think of as "slowing down," says Heather Seid, a registered dietician and Bionutrition Program Manager at ColumbiaUniversity.

There are many reasons your metabolism slows down, including losing muscle mass and changes in your cells. But the main reason for metabolism change is that people become less active as they get older.

Unfortunately, you can't completely stop your metabolism from slowing down as you age but exercise may give you a boost. Studies show that keeping active as you grow older can help curb a metabolism slowdown.

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How metabolism works and why you can't speed it up to lose weight - Insider - INSIDER

You're on a diet, trying to lose X pounds before Y date and, therefore, have cleared your social calendar in hopes of reducing any exorbitant eating or drinking occasions. Sound familiar?

Eating out on a diet doesn't mean you have to totally deprive yourself try these smart strategies instead.

Credit: jacoblund/iStock/GettyImages

For many, dining out and weight loss are mutually exclusive. And we get it the odds are stacked against you when it comes to eating out and trying to be healthy, let alone lose weight.

Indeed, a January 2020 study in the Journal of Nutrition revealed some somber stats when it comes to eating at your favorite restaurants: Researchers found that 70 percent of the fast-food we eat is of poor diet quality, and half of all meals at full-service restaurants are poor in nutritional quality.

But enough with the bad news. Here's the good: You can still eat out on a diet. To prove it, we polled seven dietitians (including yours truly) for their top tips to help you navigate dining out, from before you even walk through the door to after you're done eating (yes, there's more you can do there, too!).

1. Be on the Planning Committee

"There are some restaurants where it's nearly impossible to order well. Others are much easier," says DJ Blatner, RDN, author of The Superfood Swap. "So make sure you are part of the planning committee in choosing the place you go!"

Blatner suggests looking for the following on the menu, so you know you'll have some healthy options:

Did you know that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to manage your weight? Download the MyPlate app to easily track calories, stay focused and achieve your goals!

2. Make a Plan Before You're Out the Door

After your duties on the planning committee are over, peruse the menu and set a plan for what you're going to order. It's easier to make a healthier choice when you're a) not hungry, and b) not tempted by what your friends or significant other might be ordering.

Make a plan, but be flexible. If something's not available or if you change your mind, it's OK just be aware of your choices and why you're making them.

You don't always have to skip dessert when you're eating out on a diet, but you may want to balance it by nixing alcohol and appetizers.

Credit: serts/iStock/GettyImages

3. Remember Where You Are

"If you're at a diner, don't order the seasonal salad or seafood platter. Go for what they're known for so you can enjoy the best food they can make," says Maggie Moon, RD, best-selling author of The MIND Diet.

Moon adds that you can upgrade to healthier choices within those selections, like grilled chicken rather than fried, whole-grain toast instead of white and extra veggies in your salad or omelet.

4. Pick Your Favorite 'One Extra'

"Dining out gets extra tricky because in addition to your main, there's alcohol plus appetizers plus dessert," Blatner says. "Aim to pick only one of those extras (your favorite): drink, appetizer or dessert."

"Try ordering sides instead of an entree. For example, when dining at a Mexican restaurant, order a double side of grilled veggies, a side of black beans and a side of guac," recommends Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, author of Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Pulses The New Superfood. "It'll leave you feeling full, satisfied and energized, and it'll be less expensive than the meat-based taco salad (served in a fried shell) or the veggie fajitas that came with extras (rice, cheese, sour cream tortillas)."

"Rather than ordering an appetizer and an entre, plan to order a side of vegetables in addition to your entre then play the role of chef and incorporate that veggie side directly into your meal," says Jackie Newgent, RDN, culinary nutritionist, author of The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook and advisor to Lunch Unpacked. "It adds color, volume, flavor and excellent nutrition, even if you started with a not-so-healthful entre, such as simply stirring steamed spinach into a mac-n-cheese entre."

7. Build a Meal Like a Pro

"Before you look at the appetizers, scoot down the menu to the main dishes so you can determine what will go best with it," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of _Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table. "_For example, if you're in the mood for fish or poultry, you may want an appetizer that doesn't have any protein (like a soup or side salad), since you'll be getting enough in your main dish."

"Many people are nervous to ask for substitutions when ordering out, but it can be key to improving the nutrient quality and enjoyment of your meal," says Kelly Jones, RD, CSSD, a Philadelphia-based sports dietitian. "For example, if someone is aiming to follow a more plant-based diet and they choose a vegan dish, it may be lacking in protein. Find vegan protein sources, such as lentils or beans, in other dishes on the menu and add them to yours."

9. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

"Fast music and bright colors are social-engineering methods to make you eat more and faster," Moon says. "Knowing this, take a few deep breaths before your meal to be present and mindful as you enjoy your food."

Take a walk after eating out to help with digestion and balancing blood sugar.

Credit: monkeybusinessimages/iStock/GettyImages

Working out right after eating is a bad idea as in, wait three to four hours but taking a leisurely stroll can be helpful. A slow walk (about 2.5 miles per hour or less) can help with digestion, and if you overdid it when eating, it can help manage your blood sugar levels.

11. Don't Beat Yourself Up

Speaking of overdoing it, if you do eat or drink too much, it's OK. Stop any negative self-talk or feelings. Remember that it was one meal, and any blame or bashing you're doing to yourself is only making things worse it can have a negative affect on your stress and your overall health.

Instead, drink lots of water to help with digestion, and focus on getting fiber in your next meal, which can help your body better filter and remove waste.

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Eating Out on a Diet: The Best Tips From Dietitians - LIVESTRONG.COM

If anyone asked you to name a body-positive icon, you'd probably think of Lizzo. With her unapologetic presence, her daring (and stylish) outfits, and incredible performances, the singer-songwriter is truly an inspiration. And yet, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lizzo revealed that she too was not always comfortable in her own skin. While that may be surprising coming from her, feeling insecure or even ashamed of one's weight is an almost universal phenomenon. The average dress size of the American woman might be 16 to 18, but the pressure to be as thin as possible is as prevalent as ever.

Although I grew up in a Turkish household far from the United States, I'm no stranger to that same pressure. For as long as I can remember, I wasn't comfortable in my own body or rather, I wasn't allowed to be. My father was a doctor whose family had widespread heart disease, and my paternal grandfather was diabetic. My mother, on the other hand, had a very unhealthy relationship with her body and dieted constantly. In my house, everyone was either dieting or talking about dieting. And starting around age 6, one message was loud and clear: I was "too fat," and it was not OK.

For a long time, I thought there was some truth to that. Most of my friends had very small appetites and loved to play sports and run around; I loved to eat and preferred to sit and read or draw. I was also much taller than kids my age. In every school picture until I turned 14, I was hovering over my classmates. I only had about 10 pounds of excess weight on my frame not enough to be considered overweight but according to everyone else, that was a big problem.

I first started dieting at age 11, and by the age of 15, I was in it full-time. My "system" of dieting involved meticulous calorie counting, working out at a gym I hated three times a week, and having breakdowns if ever I gained a pound. I quickly lost the weight I intended to lose and then some. My family was delighted, and everyone around me showered me with compliments. I, on the other hand, was always hungry and absolutely miserable. I hated calorie counting. I hated working out. I hated not being able to eat anything I actually wanted to eat. But I kept going. Dieting seemed like a rite of passage, and I'd been warned repeatedly about the risks of becoming obese. And after years of being told my body was a problem, I worried that if I ever dared become fat, no one would love me.

I was convinced I could keep on self-loathing and starving forever, but eventually, I gained the weight back. It was my junior year of college, and I was dealing with serious mental health issues, which meant I had no desire to obsessively count calories. I started eating what I wanted when I wanted it, and my metabolism hampered by years of restrictive dieting couldn't keep up. By my senior year, my biggest fear had come true: I had gained 50 pounds.

And yet, none of what I expected would happen if I ever gained weight happened. I didn't wake up to find myself utterly alone. I still had the friends I had before. If anything, people enjoyed my company more probably because I was happier without constantly having to worry about how much I was eating. Men and women still found me attractive, and my life didn't fall apart, either. I graduated college with honors and moved to New York City. Without the pressure of losing weight, I realized I enjoyed working out. And while I still instinctively went on the scale every morning, I no longer broke down in tears if I saw that I had gained weight. My biggest fear had come true, only for me to realize that I had wasted 12 years of my life dieting for nothing.

Of course, I didn't wake up one morning and suddenly decide to love myself and my body. There are still days when I hate being a size 10 and vow to get back to a size 6. My parents were horrified by my size, and there are times when their comments still hurt. But after seeing that I didn't stop being attractive, desirable, or valuable when I went up a couple dress sizes, those moments are few and far between. After all, I know one thing for sure those 50 pounds don't mean I'm unworthy.

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I Gained 50 Pounds, and It Only Made Me Love and Respect My Body More - POPSUGAR

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