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While many of us have found it hard to stay away from the kitchen cupboards during lockdown, one woman from Cornwall is celebrating a rather impressive weight loss - and it's all thanks to a picture of 'fat Barbie'.

Abbie Browne, from Liskeard, has struggled with her weight since she was a teenager.

She has tried dieting over the years but, like many of us, found it hard to stick to the plan.

But after being inspired by a picture of a post-lockdown "fat Barbie doll" and with some help from her local WW group and supportive husband, she is shedding the pounds.

I have been a member of WW and other weight loss clubs before, had a bit of success but have never stuck with it," Abbie said.

"I am an emotional eater and when challenges come up in life, I eat my emotions rather than confront them. However, a week into lockdown, I saw an image online that really struck me. It was a picture of a normal Barbie doll and a fat Barbie doll bulging out of her clothes with the caption Barbie before and after lockdown.

"It was a real lightbulb moment for me! I didnt want to come out of this lockdown more overweight than I already was and I realised that this was the perfect opportunity for me to make the lifestyle changes I needed to.

Abbie had re-joined WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, in October 2019 and had been losing weight very slowly.

But during lockdown, the super slimmer has lost a stone in just five weeks.

She said: "When the lockdown started, I couldnt wait to join my local virtual workshop online in Liskeard. I decided to join up with my previous coach and it was great to see lots of familiar faces on the zoom screen and to hear my old coach Laura Carson lead the workshop. We all got involved and swapped top tips and talked about everything we would normally do in a face to face workshop.

I am very organised and plan and pre-track all my meals for the week. I make a note of the points I have leftover after I track my meals and make myself a little lockdown snack box so I know I can still have the things I love every day. If its not in the box, I cant have it!

"For me, this is transformational. In the past, my excuse for not losing weight was that I liked to go out with my friends and have coffee, lunch and dinner.

"I dont drink much alcohol anyway so that wasnt an issue. We have lots of lovely friends and family who invite us to dinner but in other peoples houses I always found it hard to stick to my points. Now nobody is allowed to socialise, I can no longer use that as an excuse and the weight is beginning to fall off.

Abbie has recently started running and says she feels great because of it.

She added: My husband, Luke, is my biggest supporter and has never given up on me each time I try to lose weight. He encourages me to join him running once a week. Every week, Im running further as my stamina is improving and I love it. We live in such a beautiful place, its lovely to make the most of it.

"I used to hate exercise but I make sure I do a workout at home, weights or a short walk every day which is a breakthrough for me. It doesnt sound like much but Ive lost a stone in five weeks and Im so proud as my mindset has completely changed and I know I can keep it going and come out of this a much healthier person!

Laura Carson, Abbies WW coach, said: It is so rewarding to see that Abbie has made the connection between healthy eating, mindset and moving more despite all the challenges of being in lockdown.

"I cant wait to see her face to face so I can give her a reward for hitting her weight loss milestones and celebrate her incredible determination and success together!

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Picture of 'fat Barbie' inspired Abbie's amazing lockdown weight loss - Cornwall Live

RIYADH: Despite an increase in the number of deaths from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the recovery rate is relatively high. While there are carriers with mild or no symptoms at all, others have no choice but to seek treatment at the hospital.

Arab News talked to a Saudi woman who caught the disease while she was isolated with her family, with 11 members in the house also infected. Their symptoms ranged from mild to severe.Khuloud Mullah, 43, who works in the diplomatic sector in Riyadh, visited her family in Yanbu before the nationwide curfew was put in place.It all started before the government issued the curfew order, when my brother-in-law went to a weekend getaway (isteraha) and was joined by other men who just came from abroad and carried the coronavirus without knowing, she said.Unfortunately, the disease spread to four houses, two in Riyadh, one in Yanbu and one in Madinah, and the members of these houses all tested positive for COVID-19.During her recovery journey, Mullah said she learned and discovered many things while at the hospital struggling with her illness. For the first time, I feel the true values of the blessings I have and I wanted to share them with everyone.The blessing of health cannot be compared to any other blessing, she said, adding that there were moments she felt that her death was close. He (Allah) will hold me accountable for this blessing, whether I take care of my health or neglect it.The blessing of freedom was also something Mullah felt while in quarantine. She started to appreciate all the things she took for granted before the virus outbreak.(Before COVID-19) I was free to go out, enter, decide, discuss, express, travel, change and do whatever I wanted. And in one moment everything was taken away from me. I became trapped in a bed, imprisoned in a hospital room. It was not my choice or my decision, but forced on me for the first time in my life, she said.The third lesson Mullah learned from this experience was practicing patience in the midst of a painful journey.Fighting the disease for two weeks, Mullah said that some of the symptoms that she and her family suffered from included losing the sense of taste and smell, lack of appetite to eat, instability when walking or standing, always falling to the ground whenever walking, high fever, severe pain in the body very severe and constant headaches, shortness of breath where I couldnt fill my lungs.

HIGHLIGHTS

Khuloud Mullah caught the disease while she was isolated with her family, with 11 members in the house also infected. Their symptoms ranged from mild to severe.

She learned that the blessing of real relationships is priceless regardless of the differences and conflicts which disappear during crisis.

Mullah has left the hospital and is now in a hotel until she fully recovers before she can come into contact with other people.

Although she tried to force herself to eat, Mullah said everything she ate and drank tasted like iron rust.She said that she resisted the pain and constant dizziness, and tried to move around her hospital room whenever she could.I was struggling and trying to move despite the constant feeling of dizziness. I also tried to fight the headaches by taking painkillers and drinking a lot of water and fluids. I was practicing breathing exercises even though it was painful. All these pains took me 14 days to heal, I was patient, she added.Mullah mentioned that the only thing that kept her strong during her illness was the presence of her family and siblings who supported her despite going through the same struggle. I could see their pain and yet they were resisting to care for each other.She learned that the blessing of real relationships is priceless regardless of the differences and conflicts which disappear during crisis. You find them standing next to you at the time of hardship and when you need them the most, especially in your illness.She said that all the unprecedented changes imposed on the world since the virus outbreak reminded people that they can adapt to any unforeseen circumstances life brings them face to face with.She added: Whoever was infected with coronavirus will relate and understand what I am saying because they have certainly gone through the period of reflection that I have been through during my illness.Mullah has left the hospital and is now in a hotel until she fully recovers before she can come into contact with other people.

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Intermittent fasting: The health trend Muslims have been practicing for centuries - Arabnews

Anne Coleman considers herself to be body positive, part of a social movement that accepts different body shapes and sizes. She takes pride in her appearance and has attended size acceptance events like the Curvy Con, an annual convention celebrating plus-size brands and individuals, and an early screening of Fattitude, a film about weight stigma.

And yet Ms. Coleman, who weighs more than 200 pounds, would like to weigh less. She doesnt want to be skinny. Just able to move around more easily.

I want to walk a certain distance without getting out of breath, said Ms. Coleman, 32, who works in attorney recruiting at a Manhattan law firm. I want to walk around New York in the summer without sweating to death. Id like to climb Machu Picchu.

Its an issue she regularly wrestles with. As someone who supports size acceptance the rights of all people to not be judged for weighing as much or as little as they want Ms. Coleman wonders: Is it OK to rail against fat discrimination but still want to lose weight? Or does that make her part of the problem? Ive had people question whether I truly love myself if I want to be thinner, she said.

Her feelings are similar to those expressed by the author Roxane Gay, who once weighed 577 pounds and has discussed her own ambivalence about weight loss. I worried that people would think I betrayed fat positivity, something I do very much believe in, even if I cant always believe in it for myself, she wrote in a 2018 essay on Medium, after admitting that she had undergone weight loss surgery. I worried that everyone who responded so generously to my memoir, Hunger, would feel betrayed. I worried I would be seen as betraying myself.

The core argument of the body positivity movement is that intentional weight loss doesnt work and, in fact, causes more harm than good. In an effort to try to attain some impossible standard of beauty, the thinking goes, people end up with lasting emotional and physical damage that sabotages any efforts to lose weight and could even cause early death.

Studies back this up: Most weight-loss efforts are ineffective in the long term and can lead to weight cycling, a risk factor for hypertension and diabetes, among other health problems. According to a 2015 report in the American Journal of Public Health, the probability of an obese person ever attaining a normal body weight is low; most people who do lose weight gain it back within five years.

And though many appreciate the work of larger-bodied celebrities like Lizzo, Chrissy Metz and Joy Nash, size discrimination is very much alive. Piers Morgan, for example, slammed Cosmopolitan UK for featuring the plus-size model Tess Holliday on its cover. Apparently were supposed to view it as a huge step forward for body positivity, he wrote on Instagram in 2018. What a load of old baloney.

Last year, on Real Time With Bill Maher, Mr. Maher said that Fat shaming doesnt need to end, it needs to make a comeback.

Fat shaming is also playing out during the global Covid-19 pandemic. Recent studies have linked obesity to an increased risk of complications from coronavirus. These findings, size activists argue, only exacerbate the vitriol they already feel, especially by the medical establishment.

Fat people have faced tremendous stigma from doctors and tend to not seek medical attention until their illnesses is more advanced, said Ragen Chastain, 43, a fat activist in Los Angeles who blogs at Dances with Fat. She said that in addition to sheltering in place to protect others, the fat people I know have been strictly observing quarantine because of a fear that we will experience weight stigma if we do need medical care.

Deb Burgard, the co-founder of Health at Every Size, an online community that promotes weight neutrality, agrees. People wouldnt try to lose weight if the world didnt conspire to make them feel so terrible about being fat, she said.

But the tension among fat-shamers and fat-accepters can be wrenching for the swath of people who are overweight and trying to figure out whether they need to strive for self-acceptance or start another diet.

I kind of feel stuck between people bashing me for having obesity and telling me I should lose weight, and the other half that says you should love yourself and that means you shouldnt lose weight, said Sarah Bramblette, 42, of Miami. Im bad for wanting to lose weight, and Im bad for not losing weight.

Ms. Bramblette, who weighs nearly 500 pounds, had gastric bypass surgery in 2003, and a second procedure in 2010. She lost about 250 pounds after the operations, but had medical complications and gained it back. Ms. Bramblette, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit Obesity Action Coalition, said she cant deny that her excess weight is hard on her body and contributes to illness.

A 2013 study from Columbia University found that obesity contributes to nearly one in every five deaths among Americans between ages 40 and 85. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention links obesity with heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

The tricky thing is that the people who advocate health at every size are sort of assuming that people who are overweight dont have any health issues, said Katie Rickel, a clinical psychologist and the chief executive of Structure House, a psychologically oriented residential weight facility in Durham, N.C. The vast majority of our folks have diagnosable health conditions that would be corrected with weight loss.

Doctors and nutritionists are grappling with the best treatment methods. But their approaches vary. At Structure House, we take the stance that its negligent to not address that and not to honor peoples real desire to get to a healthier weight, said Dr. Rickel.

Then there are anti diet nutritionists who refuse to weigh patients and dont keep scales in their offices. Instead, they tell clients, many of whom struggle with overeating or binge eating disorder, that weight loss might occur as a result of healthier eating and improved self-care, but that it shouldnt be the goal.

Dana Sturtevant, a nutrition therapist in Portland, Ore., said that she does not recommend weight loss for her clients. I tell clients You will gain weight, lose weight, or it will stay the same. Anyone who says they have a solution is lying and colluding with weight culture.

Molly Carmel, 42, understands the conflict between wanting to be thinner and wanting to rebel against cultural norms. At her heaviest, she weighed 350. She lost 170 pounds from gastric bypass surgery and bulimia, as she put it. Then she founded The Beacon Program, an eating disorder center in Manhattan.

While she does weigh clients, she doesnt let them see the number. Im not saying to get into this skinny mini body, said Ms. Carmel, author of Breaking Up With Sugar. But when youre eating in a way thats supporting a really heavy body, its arguable that thats self-love. When I weighed 325 pounds, I couldnt get into the shower. My underwear stopped fitting. That girl deserves to release weight if she wants to, culture or no culture.

In her essay, Ms. Gay put it this way: I had to face the extent of my unhappiness and how much of that unhappiness was connected to my body, she wrote. I had to accept that I could change my fat body faster than this culture will change how it views, treats and accommodates fat bodies.

Original post:
Fighting Fat Discrimination, but Still Wanting to Lose Weight - The New York Times

Is it time to eat yet?

By now you've probably heard ofintermittent fasting, arguably the hottest health trend of the last couple years. It's been heralded as not only a foolproof weight-loss method, but also a potential cure for things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poor sleep, insulin resistance, even cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Arecent study in The New England Journal of Medicinelinks fasting to "increased stress resistance, increased longevity and a decreased incidence of diseases, including cancer and obesity."

Want to learn more? And maybe try it yourself? Here's everything you need to know about intermittent fasting (which I'll also refer to as "IF"), including some of my own experiences with it.

Editors' note: You should always consult with a doctor before making changes to your diet or eating behaviors.

Most of us eat throughout the day, starting with breakfast when we wake up and perhaps ending with a dessert or snack after dinner. If you have breakfast at 7 a.m. and a final snack at 8 p.m., you're consuming food for 13 hours; that's your current "eating window." The idea behind IF is simply to shorten that window -- not necessarily to eat less (though of course that's part of it), but to eat less often.

For example, most experts agree that you can start to experience IF benefits with an eight-hour eating window, meaning a 16-hour fast. So you could have lunch at noon and still have your 8 p.m. snack (well, ideally 7:45 p.m, so you're actually done at 8). That's it. If you can stick to that, it may be enough to produce results.

But, wait: Isn't that just skipping breakfast? And haven't we heard for years that skipping breakfast actually leads to weight gain? Yes and yes. However, IF requires a "clean" fast to be effective (more on that below), and once you get accustomed to it, your appetite should correct so that you no longer overeat once your window opens.

Here's what I love about this: It costs nothing. It requires nothing: You don't have to buy books or gear or supplements or meals. You just adapt yourself to a slightly different way of eating (or "WOE") and that's it. The simplicity -- and affordability -- of IF is what drew me to it.

Read more: How to do intermittent fasting safely

No food is "off limits" with IF, you can eat whatever you want during your window.

Gin Stephens is the author of Delay, Don't Deny: Living an Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle. Those first three words of the book are the key to what makes this WOE worthwhile: You're not denying yourself anything, you're merely delaying it. You don't have to give up, say, pizza because of the carbs or ice cream because of the sugar. You just have to wait until your window opens; then you can eat what you want to eat. No, not the entire pizza or a whole pint of ice cream; you still have to be reasonable. But there are no exclusions. And that's incredibly liberating.

Think about nearly every other diet in history: Atkins, South Beach, paleo, keto. They all require you to either cut out certain things entirely (fat, carbs, sugar) or eat an excess of something else (protein, cabbage soup). The reason these diets typically fail is they're not sustainable.

Stephens is fond of this saying: "'Diets are easy in contemplation and hard in execution. Fasting is hard in contemplation but easy in execution.' I absolutely love that quote, because it's so true," she says. "We've all started a new diet and we're all in. Then, as the days go by, the diet gets harder and harder to stick to. Intermittent fasting is the exact opposite. Instead of getting harder and harder, it gets easier and easier."

Lost amid the talk of IF's various health benefits is a very real secondary perk: saving money. When you cut your diet down to one or two meals per day, your food costs drop accordingly. It's impossible to say exactly how much you stand to save, because it depends on how often you dine out, what you buy at the grocery store and so on.

But even if your total food expenses drop by just 25%, that's ahugedifference. Suppose you typically spend, say, $100 per week on food. If you subtract the cost of seven meals per week, that might realistically lower your expense to $70. Over the course of one month, you'd save $120. Over one year, $1,440.

That's a vacation. A down payment on a new car. And there's a bigger-picture benefit as well: You're lowering your impact on the planet. Imagine if entire populations switched to two meals a day from three. We could get by on fewer crops and animals, which in turn would reduce overall water consumption. Maybe that's a bit of pie-in-the-sky thinking, but there's truth to it.

I mention all this because after I started IF, I noticed I was spending less on food. And then I started thinking about the external benefits of less food consumption, and that made me feel even better about it. Eat less, help the planet. Win-win!

More recently, I realized it also means fewer trips to the grocery store and carry-out restaurants, meaning less chance of exposure to the coronavirus.

You might have to give up late-night snacking with IF.

There are two schools of thought with regard to how to structure your fasts. The first is fairly different from what's described above; it's commonly known as 5:2, meaning you eat normally for five days of the week and fast for two. That may work for some, but two days of virtual starvation doesn't sound very appealing.

I prefer the daily method: Fast for at least 16 hours per day. The aforementioned New England Journal of Medicine study was based on an 18:6 structure: 18-hour fast, six-hour window.

"16:8 is a great place to start," Stephens says, "but it may not be a weight-loss window for many people. That's because fat-burning ramps up between hours 18 and 24 of the fast. 19:5 was a great weight-loss sweet spot for me, and I lost at about a pound per week when doing it. With 19:5, you fast for 19 hours a day and have an eating window of five hours. Your sweet spot may be different from mine, of course. Maybe it will be 18:6 or 20:4." Experimentation is key, she adds.

Before you embark on this journey, I recommend reading CNET writer Caroline Roberts' guide to doing intermittent fasting safely.

If your eating window doesn't include breakfast, you can still drink coffee as long as it's black and unsweetened.

The most important part of the equation is not the length of the window; it's the fast itself, which much be entirely "clean," according to Stephens. That means water, coffee and tea only, with absolutely no added fat, artificial sweeteners or the like. No bone broth, no water with lemon, no flavored teas. No gum, no mints, nothing with calories, period. The goal is to deprive your body of anything that triggers insulin production, because an insulin-deprived body turns to fat stores for energy.

One of the toughest hurdles for many people is giving up cream and sugar in their coffee. I was always a sugar man; when I made the switch to black coffee, it sucked for maybe a week or so. Now I'm a convert; I actually like it better. My advice to you: Suck it up and get used to drinking it black.

Stephens can't stress enough the importance of following the clean-fast rule. "For anyone who has ever tried IF in the past but was not fasting clean, now you know why it was so hard for you. The clean fast is so much easier, I promise."

Stephens has a new book -- Fast, Feast, Repeat: The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don't Deny Intermittent Fasting -- coming this June, with "a deeper dive into the science" than her first book. In the meantime, she recommends two other titles: The Obesity Code, by Dr. Jason Fung, and AC: The Power of Appetite Correction, by Dr. Bert Herring.

There's also a Facebook group -- Delay, Don't Deny: Intermittent Fasting Support -- that's an offshoot of Stephens' first book. It boasts a whopping 250,000 members who ask and answer questions and share stories and encouragement. You'll also find a lot of before-and-after photos that illustrate exactly how effective IF has been for some.

But not for all. You'll also see posts along these lines: "I fasted clean for two months, ate one meal a day, and didn't lose a single pound." Others will note that it took them six months before the scale started to budge. "It takes time," Stephens says. "We didn't become overweight and unhealthy overnight, and it takes time to reverse these health conditions. Once your body has begun healing, fat loss is more likely." How long that actually takes depends on a variety of factors, including age, sex, starting weight and so on.

I started IF in August 2018. At the time I weighed around 181, which is acceptable for a 6-foot male. But I'd been 175 for years, and suddenly it seemed I couldn't control my eating. I didn't like where my belly was headed.

After about two months, during which my fasting windows varied (but averaged around 17:7), I'd lost 10 pounds. Needless to say, I was pleased with that result and became pretty evangelical about IF. My excitement stemmed from not only the weight loss, but also the total lack of hardship. This didn't feel like a diet; it felt like a smart way to live.

In fact, I discovered that I really liked having a window. When I was feeling a little hungry in the late morning? Just wait a bit longer, I told myself, your window opens soon. Then I'd busy myself with something and forget about it. And if I wanted a snack after 7 p.m.? Too bad, window's closed for the day -- but you can have it tomorrow.

I stuck with it for about 10 months, though I'll admit I got frustrated at times. For one thing, I'd been hoping to lose another 5-10 pounds, and assuming they'd come off as easily as the first 10, but the scale held firm at 171.

Meanwhile, there were times when it was much harder to manage my window, like during family vacations, when we'd all eat later than usual and breakfast was a part of the experience. Then came the holidays and various parties and family gatherings, which also presented window-related challenges. With a little planning it's possible to adjust to these things, but ultimately I just got lazy about it -- probably because I'd lost the weight I'd initially wanted to lose.

Over the summer I decided to pump the brakes. But six months later, the scale was once again showing 180. (Actually, 182 this time.) So in January, 2020, I went back to IF, and once again I'm really liking the simple discipline. I now do 18 hours on average; when I get to around 16 hours and start to feel a little tired or hungry, I hop on the elliptical or go for a run. By the time I'm done and showered and have made myself lunch, it's no trouble hitting 18 hours. Sometimes I stretch to 19 or even 20.

Result: After four months (almost to the day), the scale shows 171. (One piece of advice, though: Stay off the scale. Weigh yourself once a month, tops. Otherwise that thing will drive you nuts, because weight fluctuates like crazy.) In the interim, I've eaten an almost embarrassing amount of food while my window was open. I don't have a sugar monkey on my back; I have a sugar gorilla. Nevertheless: I'm thinner. And I'm going to see if I can hit 165. This lifestyle -- not diet, mind you -- is a piece of cake. Speaking of which, think I'll go have one of those.

Whether you're fed up with diets or just want to improve your overall health, intermittent fasting is absolutely worth a try. It costs nothing to do and can actually save you money. Maybe even help the planet and keep you further from germs.

Your thoughts?

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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Intermittent fasting: How it can help you lose weight and even save money - CNET

Should you be aiming to lose weight during lockdown? No pressure - after all, you're probably already trying to juggle home schooling, work life, and family care - but with some experts suggesting that body fat should be considered alongside age when it comes to calculating who's most at risk from Covid-19, it's worth at least considering.

Research from Brown University, Rhode Island, suggests that patients with a BMI over 35 are more likely to go into intensive care, and those with a BMI over 30 when combined with a history of heart disease are more likely to need ventilation. Once that occurs, excess weight can also cause other problems - one study reports that it's slightly more difficult to intubate obese patients, while there's evidence that excess fatty tissue can complicate ventilator management.

Finally, of course, being excessively overweight can cause other health issues, which nobody wants to deal with when the health system is already overstretched.

First things first, though: this isn't the time for drastic measures. The effects of dieting on the immune system aren't fully understood - at least one study has suggested that eating less might actually enhance it in some cases - but research on Olympic athletes found that severe caloric restriction can impact both immunity to and recovery from illness. That means you shouldn't aim to cut calories too drastically, but also that you should pay attention to nutrient density, by eating foods that are high in the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients your body needs, rather than ones that just fill you up.

Exercise shouldn't be your first priority when it comes to fat loss. Though doing your morning PE with Joe Wicks - or an 11am walk, or a handful of squats while you watch Netflix - has a host of benefits, the caloric burn associated with even a hard half-hour of lunges and burpees barely equates to half a dozen biscuits. And, frankly, jumping into an intense exercise regime with no training history to lean on might do more harm than good.

So, what should you be doing? The simple answer is to build good habits around food, and break - or at least control - bad ones.

"One solution is to work on your intuitive eating," says Mays Al-Ali, a nutritionist. "When you're thinking about snacking, stop to ask yourself, 'am I hungry, or am I bored? Has something upset me?' If you're hungry, have something - otherwise, address the problem, maybe by going for a walk or doing something creative." Drinking water will also help: it's easy to mistake thirst for hunger.

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And while you have more time at home, take advantage: "Learning to cook and meal prep can be incredibly mindful," says Lee Chambers, a performance nutritionist. "It bolsters our mental health as we gain the satisfaction of creating something from scratch, and is something that can put a smile on others' faces."

Batch cooking can be an easy way to avoid the lure of a Deliveroo or a ready-made dinner: "Include pulses and beans to aid satiety and digestion," says Al-Ali. "You should also be eating 0.8g of protein per kilo of body weight a day, so consider adding extra to meals that don't include enough - I'll throw a scoop in my morning porridge, for example."

If snacking is an issue, switch the worst of your weekly shop for healthier options - Al-Ali suggests switching milk chocolate for dark chocolate, for instance, which you're less likely to binge on - and keep biscuits and sugary cereal out of sight, so you're less likely to grab some on a tea run.

Last but not least, you should reconsider your alcohol intake. "It's not just that alcohol is full of empty calories," says Al-Ali. "It contributes to food cravings and acts as a depressant, which you don't need right now. Try to cut down - maybe by keeping your intake to Friday or Saturday nights, for instance."

Everyone's facing their own challenges in lockdown, and adding to them with a restrictive diet shouldn't be anyone's priority. But at the same time, this could be the ideal moment to assess how you eat, learn new kitchen skills, and master a handful of recipes to replace your fast food habits. It could change - and even save - your life. ?

The Daily Telegraph UK

See more here:
The safest way to lose weight in lockdown - Good Food

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1Big Fat Lie #1

You Cant Add Muscle and Lose Weight

Your muscles contribute to a hefty 20% of your metabolic rate, according to the International Journal of Obesity, while your fat mass uses up a mere 3% of your energy. That means adding muscle through strength-building exercises is crucial to staying lean.

2Big Fat Lie #2

You Need to Swap Sat Fats For Good Fats

Most foods contain a mixture of both types, says nutrition consultant Steve Grant. Its not one way or the other. Whats more, the sat fat in grass-fed rib-eye contains roughly the same calories as the supposedly healthier salmon. Plus, feta weighs in lighter than nuts.

3Big Fat Lie #3

Carbs Are the Enemy

Oh, 2010 called, and it wants its meal plan back. Some people can thrive on minimal carbs, but theres no need. Aim for 1g of carbs per kilo of bodyweight in the hour after training: the optimal formula for storing those grams as muscle, not fat.

4Big Fat Lie #4

Rest Days Are Crucial

True, you cant go at it 100% all the time. But gently training the same muscles you targeted yesterday cycling after squats, say can counteract pain and boost circulation, improving nutrient delivery to your quads and helping you maintain weight loss.

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4 Lies About Nutrition That Are Holding Back Your Weight Loss Efforts - Men's health UK

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages of health and fitness enthusiasts. It contains potent antioxidants and is an anti-inflammatory. It has detoxifying compounds that help protect your body from free radicals. The catechins, anti-inflammatory polyphenols found in green tea, can significantly bring down your risk of cancer and also heart and liver disease. Besides its range of health benefits, green tea also helps you lose weight. Also Read - Want to lose weight fast? Pick the diet that suits you best

According to a 2019 study at the Ohio State University, green tea encourages the growth of good gut bacteria, and that leads to a series of benefits that significantly lower the risk of obesity. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry published this study. Another study at Oklahoma State University found that people who drank green tea or took green tea extract lost about 1.3 pounds more over 8 weeks than people who drank water. A few other studies also suggest that even decaf green tea may have weight loss benefits. Also Read - You don't need fad diets and grilling workouts to lose weight: Small lifestyle changes will help

Of course, you must remember that just adding this beverage to your diet alone will not help you lose weight. You also need to follow a healthy diet and exercise for weight loss. But yes, a couple of cups of green tea a day will definitely speed up your weight loss journey. It has a high concentration of vitamins and minerals and is very low in calories and this helps when you want to lose weight. Also, if you have it just after your meals it will help you lose weight faster because this is the time when your metabolism is most active. Here, let us take a look at how this beverage helps you lose weight. Also Read - Weight loss: Best yoga asanas to burn off your extra kilos

Green tea contains caffeine and this acts as a stimulant. It can hasten your fat burning process and improve exercise performance. Drinking a cup of green tea before your workout will help you lose weight much faster than otherwise.

This beverage is loaded with potent antioxidants known as catechins. These can help in the fat burning process. It also revs up your metabolism. And, the more active your metabolism, the faster you will lose weight. This drink will not only elevate your metabolic rate, but it will also increase fat oxidation and even improve insulin activity.

Green tea is a natural diuretic and this property makes it the ideal beverage to help you fight fluid retention problems and overall tissue inflammation. In fact, if you have two cups of this beverage daily, you may be able to reduce your body fat by up to 19 per cent.

Green tea contains an amino acid known as theanine. It has a calming effect on your brain. This helps bring down your stress and anxiety levels. Stress sis one of the leading causes of weight gain. When you are stressed, you tend to eat more, and this leads to unwanted weight gain. But bringing down your stress levels, this beverage helps you maintain your weight.

Published : May 7, 2020 3:23 pm | Updated:May 7, 2020 3:28 pm

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Are you overeating during the lockdown? Here are 5 tips to eat in control, without starving yourself  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic led to a nation-wide lockdown that began on the 25th of March, 2020. The lockdown has been further extended twice to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection. A lot of people are worried about weight gain, overeating, reduced physical activity, and the repercussions this will have on their overall health. Many of us have the tendency to stress eat, or just east because we are bored.

If you think you are overeating during the lockdown, here are 5 tips that will help you control your diet and portions. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important, and it is also important to not starve yourself, even if you need to lose weight. These tips will help you control how much you eat, while ensuring your body receives all daily nutritional requirements.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

For full coverage on Coronavirus pandemic, click here.Join the Times Group initiative #MaskIndia.Share a picture with your home-made mask on your social handles using #MaskIndia. The best picture will be featured in TOI and on maskindia.com

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Are you overeating during the lockdown? Here are 5 tips to eat in control, without starving yourself - Times Now

It's a conversation that no one wants to have. Obesity isa notoriously sensitive and personal topic for many people, makingaddressing someone's weight a delicate process at the best of times.

But as the links between being overweightand severecoronavirus symptoms grow more clear, it is an exchange we could soon be having.New figures from the UKs Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre found that the proportion of morbidly obese patients in intensive care units is twice the proportion in the general population. NHS data, meanwhile, suggests thatobesity raises the risk of dying from coronavirus in hospital by almost 40 per cent.

Of course, that doesn't makethe conversations around weight any easier. So, how should you broach this loaded subject with a loved one?

Although it's not the easiest conversation to have, remember that addressing arelative about being overweightcould potentially save their lives - so you shouldn't feel guilty about approaching the topic.

For Sarah Le Brocq,a director at Obesity UK, incorporating Covid-19 into the conversation around obesity can be done in a more matter of fact way than talking about just weight in general.

The evidence around coronavirus and weight is out there, so it feels like less of a personal attack, she says. I would say something like: 'in a larger body size you may be atincreased risk of more severe consequences of Covid-19.'

"Avoid phrases such as 'you will get the virus because of this'. Just gently show them that they are more likely to, and offer them support.

Dr Kate Mason is a clinical psychologist from the Roots Psychology Group. She says the conversation is always going to bedifficult because the topic of weight is enmeshed with this idea of self worth.

If you make them feel shamed by it, or take the mick out of them and youre too obvious with your language, it is likely to make things worse, she says.

Dr Mason says the key to speaking to a loved one about their weight lies inbeing mindful of both the language you choose, and how youpresent your intentions. She recommends approaching the subject at a time when your relative is feeling relaxed and avoid making it into a formal sit down conversation, or speaking about weightduring mealtimes.

Keep the focus on their health and feelings," she says. "Rather than directly telling someone that theyre putting on weight, try encouraging them to be healthier, and incorporate yourself into that conversation too - saying we is better than saying you'."

An example of this could be: "I tend to feel rubbish when I put on weight. I noticed you're looking low and fed up. Is there anything we can do?"

In practice, this means going on a run together, or learning to cook healthy meals rather than baking a cake. However, Dr Mason maintains its important not to monitor their health and exercise, as this could make them feel like they're the problem.

"You shouldnt say anything that can be interpreted as shaming and embarrassing - something that would imply theyre not good enough, or you might not love them if they put on weight," says Dr Mason.

For Le Brocq, you can effectively open the conversation by using a broad question that avoids the subject of diet and weight altogether.

Try saying something like, 'how are you feeling',or, 'do you need any support at the moment'.This allows them to explain if theyre feeling anxious, and you can guide the conversation from there," she says. "To avoid people getting defensive, it'simportant to recognise obesity is acomplex issue that involves more than just diet. Steer clear of conversations such as, 'have you thought about what you're eating' as these can feel like a personal attack."

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How to talk to a loved one about their weight and its links to severe coronavirus - Telegraph.co.uk

My daily chores which year-round include feeding and watering our animals, and in the summer gardening, lawn mowing and baling hay and straw were enough to keep me in shape.

Im sorry to say that as I have gotten older, the energy I expend doing chores has not kept up with the calories I take in during the day. That, and a couple of winters of drinking too much Mountain Dew and eating more chocolate than my recommended daily allowance, has resulted in the need to tip the scale to smaller numbers.

There are millions of diet plans, all promising to melt away the extra pounds, but in my observation, the only surefire way is a matter of simple mathematics: Eating less plus more exercise equals weight loss.

Thanks to my daughter, Ellen, who has taken over much of the meal planning and cooking for our family, I am eating a well-balanced diet. I always cooked relatively healthy food, but Ellen has taken it to a whole new level, incorporating grains, such as quinoa, fish at least once a week and meatless fare into her weekly meal rotations.

Ellen also bought me nutrient-dense protein bars to satisfy my mid-afternoon cravings, which, of course, are much healthier than a soda and chocolate. In case anyone thinks I can never sustain this kind of healthy eating, please know I still treat myself to a cookie or piece(s) of chocolate after dinner, so I wont feel deprived and fall off of the good-foods wagon.

Ellen not only steered me toward healthier eating, she also is my motivational coach when it comes to exercise. Every day after supper she asks Brian and me if we want to go with her to take the dogs for a walk. I say yes, knowing that as I would rather settle into a comfortable chair, its better for me, both physically and mentally, to go for a walk with Ellen, Brian, Casey and Rosebud.

Inspired by Ellens example, Ive also started taking my horse, Isabelle, for walks. I know what youre thinking youre supposed to ride the horse, not lead it. However, I recently read that walking beside your horse is a good bonding experience, and a way to teach them manners. So Im giving it a try.

Isabelle has developed a bit of an attitude when Im saddling her and when Im mounting her to ride, and I figured walking with her might be a good way to improve her attitude. So far, the walks have gone well, and she seems to enjoy getting out of her corral and clip-clopping down the gravel roads as I walk beside her, holding her lead rope.

Time will tell if Isabelle acts any different when I saddle her. Even if she doesnt, Ill have the satisfaction of knowing that, thanks to Ellen, there will be less weight settling into the saddle.

Ann Bailey is a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald.

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Pounding the pavement in an attempt to lose weight - Grand Forks Herald

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