How Obesity Increases Risk for Diabetes and its Effect on Blood Glucose Level

 

 

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are both serious health conditions. Millions of people have been diagnosed with diabetes and obesity can worsen insulin resistance. The early stages of type 2 diabetes feature the development of insulin resistance during which the body does not use insulin properly. The rise in need for insulin in an obese person overwhelms the pancreas that becomes unable to carry out sufficient insulin production.

 

Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is significant aspect of type 2 diabetes and losing weight has proven to be an effective way of preventing, managing and curing the disease. Along with how obese an individual is, it is important to find out where the body has stored most of the fat treating diabetes. People that have stored excessive fat around their abdomen are more likely to be at risk of developing diabetes.

 

Losing weight is an essential objective for anyone who is overweight or obese and has type 2 diabetes. Weight loss helps to enhance insulin production and decrease the amount of medication required for treating diabetes. A healthy diet, physical activity as well as lifestyle adjustments can effectively treat diabetes.

 

Obesity Linked to Diabetes

Obesity accounts of a large percentage of the risk for developing diabetes with obese people being significantly more likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who have normal weight. There is a clear link between type 2 diabetes and obesity that can only be dealt with through healthy eating and exercise. An obese person can quickly develop the condition and doctors recommend timely intervention.

 

Gradual Weight Loss

Decreasing your weight even in small amounts over a given period will have the effect of improving the insulin action in your body, reducing the danger of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Visit onetouchdiabetes.co.in for more information.

 

Healthy Eating

Obese patients who have diabetes need to cut down on their consumption of complex carbohydrates that have a tendency to cause a rise in blood glucose. Since the body has developed insulin resistance, higher levels of insulin in the body can result in weight gain. Complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal and rice. Opt for whole grain versions of carbohydrates.

 

Lean protein such as fish and chicken is the best option for people who want to lose weight. The intake of dietary fiber needs to be higher to facilitate weight loss, weight control and prevent hunger pangs. A balanced diet is important and should contain protein, vegetables, fruits and limited fat. It is advisable to note down the food you eat and keep track of the progress you make to remain motivated.

 

Regular Exercise and Medication

Regular exercise helps you lose weight and maintain your weight loss. It prevents you from gaining the weight back, enhances sensitivity to insulin and reduces the threat of becoming diabetic. Exercising moderately at least five times each week will contribute to weight loss.

 

Different types of medication can treat type 2 diabetes and deal with resistance to insulin. Check out the recent kiwibox.com’s article on diabetes. Obesity prevention will help to prevent and treat diabetes.

 

Categories: Blood glucose, Diabetes, diabetes nbsp, diabetes obesity, Healthy Eating, insulin resistance, Lose weight, Losing Weight, obese person, obesity, treat diabetes, Weight Loss

Does Hypnosis Work for Weight Loss?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

Hypnosis is becoming an increasingly popular therapy for helping to control appetite and encourage weight-loss. But does it work?

 

Yes – Kim

I’d tried every diet under the sun in my attempt to lose weight but nothing worked. Then a friend suggested hypnotherapy. I was sceptical at first but couldn’t face another year of being overweight and decided to give it a go. I looked online and found a hypnotherapist in my area who specialised in weight loss. I went for three sessions in total but found that it was easy to change my eating habits after just one session.

Before trying hypnosis, I constantly craved foods that were high in sugar and fat. During the sessions, my hypnotherapist reprogrammed my brain so that I wanted to choose healthy foods rather than unhealthy ones. She also helped my unconscious brain realise when I was full so that I would stop eating once I’d had enough food.

The results have been amazing. I really haven’t felt like I’ve been on a diet at all – I just naturally crave the foods that are good for me and find it easy to eat in moderation now. As a result, I’ve lost four stone in six months. I feel happier and more positive about life in general and get so many compliments about my new shape.

I thought hypnotherapy would be expensive but it’s a small price to pay compared to all the money I’ve spent on books, gym memberships, and diet drinks over the years.

I’d definitely recommend hypnotherapy to anyone who needs to lose weight but finds that traditional diets just don’t work.

 

No –Frankie

In my opinion, hypnotherapy is a lazy and expensive way to try to lose weight andthere is no proof that it actually works.

People who undergo hypnosis for weight loss may find that they lose weight in the short-term but from my experience, the results don’t last.

My friend tried hypnotherapy to lose weight because he had struggled to stick to a healthy diet. For a couple of weeks after the session, he did eat less and lost a few pounds but his old habits soon returned and he put the weight back on. I don’t think the hypnotherapy actually worked, I think he just started eating healthily because he was trying to convince himself that he hadn’t wasted his money.

There is no quick fix for losing weight – you have to change your entire lifestyle and take responsibility for losing weight yourself. My friend finally lost the weight after changing his diet completely and taking up exercise. You have to look at why you’re overweight – the underlying causes, rather than thinking that lying back and being hypnotised is going to help. At the end of the day, you will always need willpower if you want to lose weight and you can only supply that yourself – you can’t expect a hypnotherapist to find it for you.

Categories: diet, hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Lose, Lose weight, Losing Weight, weight, Weight Loss, work nbsp

Will a Vegetarian Diet Help Me Lose Weight?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

Many people choose a vegetarian diet for health or ethical reasons. But when it comes to shedding the pounds, will a vegetarian diet help you lose weight?

 

Yes –Libby

When I started university I was about three stone overweight. That’s because I was brought up eating lots of meat products and would regularly tuck into burgers, hot dogs and pepperoni pizzas. But at university I shared a flat with a vegetarian. She loved to cook and made delicious vegetarian meals every day for both of us. I could see how much healthier it was than my old meat-heavy diet and my excess weight began to drop off.  I decided to become a full-time vegetarian and the result is I’m still slim almost 10 years later. Every day, I enjoy a wide range of foods and base my meals around fruit, vegetables, grains and pulses. This makes it easy to stick to a low-fat and low-calorie diet.

Many meat dishes are high in fat and cholesterol, making them bad news for anyone who wants to be healthy and lose weight. Being vegetarian forces you to think more carefully about mealtimes so you’re more likely to make healthy choices.

When I told my family that I’d become vegetarian, they were worried that I wouldn’t get all the nutrients I need. However, I believe I get a much more balanced diet now and it’s easy to make sure you’re getting protein by eating things like yogurt, cheese, eggs, beans and pulses.

 

 

No – Mitch

No one food group is to blame for weight gain, so cutting something like meat out from your diet is unlikely to have an effect on your weight, unless you are making other changes too.

Of course, some meat dishes are high in calories and fat but many vegetarian dishes are too. Think about macaroni cheese, four cheese pizza or chocolate cake – they are all vegetarian but none of them will help you lose weight. I think that vegetarian food can be just as bad for you as meat-based dishes if you make the wrong choices.

Vegetarian dishes are often high in carbohydrates or dairy products as they rely on these as a substitute for the meat. In high quantities both of these can add to weight gain. Also vegetarian diets tend to be lacking in protein. Protein actually makes us feel full, so if you aren’t getting enough then you’re likely to feel hungry more often, causing you to eat more.

The other problem is that when eating out, vegetarians have much less choice than meat eaters. This makes it harder to choose healthy options. For example, in a restaurant, a chicken salad will be much healthier and lower in both fat and calories than a rich, creamy mushroom risotto served with garlic bread.

Rather than cutting out meat entirely, it would be better to look at your overall diet and see where you can make healthy changes.

 

Categories: Lose weight, meat, meat dishes, Vegetarian, vegetarian diet, vegetarian dishes, weight, weight gain, weight nbsp

When All Else Fails is a Gastric Band the Solution?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

Having a gastric band fitted in order to lose weight may seem like a drastic step. But for many people who have repeatedly tried and failed to lose weight, it can seem like the only option.

 

As more and more overweight people investigate surgery as a solution to their weight problem, we ask is a gastric band the answer?

 

Yes – Paul

Having a gastric band fitted was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve been overweight my entire life and I’ve tried countless diets to try and get my weight under control but nothing worked. Whenever I began a new diet, I’d lose a bit of weight but after a couple of months I’d start putting it all back on until I was even heavier than before.

 

The decision to get a gastric band wasn’t one I took lightly but eventually I realised that traditional dieting simply wasn’t going to work for me. I’d got to the point where I was almost 20 stone overweight. I couldn’t work, had no social life and I was unable to walk more than a few steps at a time, so exercise was out of the question. I was completely miserable and felt ashamed of myself for being so overweight.

 

The gastric band has changed my life. Because I can only eat tiny amounts of food, I’m no longer tempted to overeat. In just over two years, I’ve lost 15 stone. I feel so much better, I’ve got a job for the first time in years and can socialise with my friends. Now that I’ve lost so much weight, I enjoy exercising and I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

 

No – Shanice

After years of dieting, I’m finally getting my weight under control by following a healthy eating plan. A couple of my friends have had gastric bands fitted and after seeing what they have gone through, it’s not an option I would consider.

 

Both of my friends have had difficulty getting used to the gastric bands. They’ve had problems with painful indigestion and often struggle to eat anything. And getting a band isn’t a miracle cure – you won’t lose weight overnight and my friends have been disappointed with how long the process is taking. Because they are eating so little, I worry that they are not getting all the nutrients they need. And of course, it’s made socialising difficult – they can no longer go out for a meal and have lost interest in cooking for their families.

 

Surgery is always dangerous but particularly if you are overweight, so the decision to have a gastric band fitted shouldn’t be taken lightly.

 

Having seen the problems my friends have faced, I decided to join a weight loss club in my local area. I’ve learnt how to eat healthily and in the past year I’ve lost 5 stone. I’m determined to show my friends that it is possible to lose weight permanently without having to resort to dangerous surgery.

 

Categories: band, band fitted, catton, Gastric, gastric band, Gastric bands, jenny, Lose weight, nbsp, ve lost, weight, written

Can the Blood Type Diet Help Aid Weight Loss?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

The blood type diet claims that eating a particular diet of foods tailored to your own blood group can have major health benefits including protection from illnesses. But does it work and is it an effective diet for weight loss?

 

Yes – Cally

I first heard of the blood type diet when a friend gave me a book about it. Although I was sceptical at first, the more I read, the more it seemed to make sense. The diet works on the theory that our blood group affects how we process different foods and therefore some foods will give us health benefits whilst others, even healthy ones, can make us feel ill. When you eat the right foods for your blood group, the body works more efficiently and digests food more effectively – the result is that you feel better and can also lose weight.

My blood type is A – which means I’m ideally suited to a vegetarian diet. My partner meanwhile is O which means he should eat a high protein diet. I suppose this explains why we all crave different foods, for instance some people love red meat whilst others can’t stand it. Since starting the diet, I’ve noticed a lot of positive changes in my health. I have more energy and I no longer feel bloated after eating a meal. The added bonus is that I’ve also lost weight without really trying.

The diet may seem complicated at first but I’d say just try it. I’m still not sure exactly why it works but for me, it does!

 

 

No – Will

The blood type diet is a relatively new fad and there is no real evidence to suggest that it works. People probably feel better when they start the diet because they are paying more attention to what they eat and are choosing healthy foods rather than processed snacks. In the short term they may notice positive changes but in the long term, the blood type diet means restricting what you eat which risks cutting out crucial nutrients.

Unless you have an actual intolerance or allergy to a particular food then it is far healthier to eat a balanced diet with foods from all food groups rather than cutting certain foods out just because you believe they are somehow incompatible with your blood type. As soon as you start cutting out certain foods, you may lose weight – but you’ll also put yourself at risk of developing other health issues due to a lack of key nutrients.

It’s also totally impractical for families to follow this diet – you could end up having to cook two or more different dishes every mealtime just to cater to each person’s particular blood type.

Ask any medical expert what they think of the blood type diet and chances are they will tell you it’s a load of rubbish – there is simply no proof to suggest that what we should eat is determined by our blood group.

 

Categories: Blood, blood group, blood type, diet, foods, Health Benefits, Lose weight, type diet, Weight Loss

Five Safe Weight Loss Tips to Help Diabetics Lose and Maintain Weight

 

For those with diabetes, one of the most important steps to take is losing weight to improve the health and make it easier to manage blood sugar levels. However, this is also one of the most difficult practices to maintain, and can often be frustrating. But no matter how difficult, this is often considered a lifestyle change that needs to be maintained long-term to prevent future complications and remain healthy. Fortunately, there are a few ways to begin your weight loss journey today to attain your goals. Keep reading for a few suggestions of safe ways to lose and maintain weight while dealing with diabetes.

 

Increase Your Metabolism

By staying active and by frequently consuming low portions of calories throughout the day, it will help to keep your metabolism steady and regulated. Opt for consuming three meals a day with two small snacks in between for a diet that contains 1,500 calories each day.

 

Work with a Dietician

When attempting to manage diabetes, there are specific foods to incorporate, and some to cut out of the diet. Working with a registered dietician will allow you to find low-fat recipes, follow a plan that prevents a spike in blood sugar levels, and set specific goals that are attainable for your health.

 

Eat Smaller Meals

To prevent a peak in blood sugar levels, it’s important to eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than rely on two or three large portions to stay full. This will not only work to suppress the appetite, but can reduce your calorie intake.

 

Exercise Three to Five Days Each Week

Exercise is an essential component when managing diabetes to ensure that your insulin is more effective and that you reduce the glucose in your blood. You can also prevent long-term complications that are associated with the disease to prevent blocked arteries and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The American Diabetes Association recommends participating in physical activity that includes swimming, walking, aerobic exercise, and strength-training activities.

 

Eat Breakfast

Although skipping breakfast may seem like an effective way of shedding excess weight, it can actually be harmful to your health by causing blood sugar levels to increase, according to studies. Studies have shown that those who suffer from diabetes are more likely to achieve their weight loss goals when breakfast is consumed each day.

 

Instead of going on crash diets or taking extreme measures to try and lose weight as a diabetic, it’s important to practice a few important habits that will allow you to burn fat safely. You’ll be able to maintain a healthy weight consistently while keeping your blood sugar levels low throughout your life. The information for this article was provided by the Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas who specialize in duodenal switch procedures for those with diabetes.

Categories: diabetics, Lose weight, Safe, Tips, Weight Loss

Weighing Scales Provide Wake Up Call for Asthma Sufferer

Weighing yourself often might not work wonders for your emotional wellness, but for Sally Edwards it made all the difference to a major health concern. ‘My doctor had retired and I changed to a new surgery where they had an asthma clinic,’ says the hairdresser from Aldington in Kent. ‘They saw on my notes that I suffered from asthma, but this was the first time anyone in the medical profession had weighed me. She took a sharp breath and made a face, so I knew it wasn’t good news.’ The 5ft 2in 45-year-old was appalled to discover her weight had shot up to more than 11st, and was now officially obese.

 

According to Sally, ‘The problem was that I didn’t feel fat because the weight had crept on so gradually during and after my pregnancies. Then when the children left things on their plates, I’d pick at the leftovers…I knew that I had to do something about it or my asthma would just get worse because I would become more immobile and reluctant to exercise.’ There is a clear link between obesity and asthma attacks, says Deborah Waddell, clinical lead nurse at the charity Asthma UK. She notes, ‘Obese people find their asthma much harder to control.’ In fact, researchers from RoyalBromptonHospital in London found that having a BMI of more than 30 makes you more likely to need the steroid prednisolone – used to reduce inflammation in the airways – and to resort to your inhalers more often.

 

Dr Andrew  Menzies-Gow, a consultant in respiratory medicine at Royal Brompton, comments, ‘Unfortunately, one of the side-effects of prednisolone is increased appetite and weight gain, so patients are more inclined to find activity difficult. It’s a vicious circle, but if  an asthma sufferer can break that cycle and lose weight, the benefits will be obvious.’ Sally definitely saw the need to lose weight and improve her fitness. ‘Getting up the stairs was very scary because the wheezing was so loud,’ she recalls. ‘And it stayed at the same level in my 30s and into my 40s. I couldn’t run after the children at the park.’

 

In order to lose weight, Sally stepped up her exercise regime, taking up jogging after looking on the Asthma UK website. Now, she runs four miles three times a week, attends a weekly spinning class, and cycles short distances instead of using the car soon. ‘I lost a stone-and-a-half in eight months and it made a huge difference,’ enthuses Sally. ‘It really brought the asthma under control and made the attacks less frequent and less severe – I have just one a month instead of three a week. When I was 11st, my body was struggling to cope with the weight, especially climbing stairs, but the fitter you are, the stronger your lungs become.’

 

Waddell explains, ‘If you can exercise, this will expand the airways, and improve your lung function. Following a low-fat, low-sugar diet and getting rid of weight, especially around the middle, will make a big difference. It’s all about changing your behaviour and lifestyle.’ Dr Menzies-Gow adds ‘Weight loss and exercise are not a magic bullet for asthma, but they can help enormously.’ He recommends that you take a close look at your entire lifestyle, stop smoking and avoid pets which aggravate the condition. As for Sally, the weighing scales were a wake-up call, but they’re still not her best friend: ‘I still don’t weigh myself very often, but now I have a pair of size 12 jeans and I try them on once a week,’ she admits. ‘I know that if they don’t fit then I have to try just that bit harder to keep the weight off.’

Categories: Asthma, asthma sufferer, asthma uk, exercise, Lose weight, menzies gow, sally, weighing scales, weight, Weight Loss

How And Why You Should Lose Weight For Life

When it comes to weight, many doctors and scientists now believe that your waist measurement is the most important factor. Your fitness levels play a part, of course, but the key thing for your wellness and wellbeing is to keep the amount of fat stored around your middle to a minimum.

 

Knowing your body mass index (usually abbreviated to BMI) is a really good starting point for working out if you are overweight, but it does not represent the whole story by any means. BMI measures how healthy your weight is in relation to your height. You can work out your BMI using any number of available online calculators. If it turns out that you have a high BMI, you are likely to be carrying excess fat. Your health risk, however, could be dependent on whereabouts in your body you store that fat. Storing that fat around your tummy (as opposed to around your bottom or on your thighs) this makes you more likely to develop heart problems or diabetes in later life.

 

For men, a healthy weight circumference is less than 94cm and for women it is having a waist circumference of less than 80 cm. It can be extremely difficult to lose weight (and to keep it off once you have lost it) but it does have many benefits. It may be that you only need to make some very small changes to your general lifestyle in order to help yourself maintain a healthy weight.

 

Obesity is a massive health problem, causing over 9,000 premature deaths in England each year, and it also reduces life expectancy by an average of around nine years for every sufferer.  Obesity is linked to a number of very serious health conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Categories: BMI, cancer, fitness, Healthy, healthy weight, life, Lose weight, nbsp, weight

How to Make Sure Your Weight Loss is Healthy

 

Although all weight loss is important for your wellness and wellbeing, there are good ways to lose weight and there are bad ways to lose weight. A good way to lose weight is to eat healthier food and increase your fitness and activity levels, and a bad way is to follow a fad diet. In addition to this, there are several important things that you should bear in mind which can make or break your weight loss efforts.

 

Don’t’ skip breakfast. All research shows that eating breakfast actually helps you to control your weight. Whilst some people skip this meal, thinking that it will help them to lose weight, missing meals actually doesn’t help you to lose weight because it slows down your metabolism. It can also mean that you miss out on essential nutrients and can encourage you to snack more during the day as it leaves you feeling more hungry than you would otherwise. Just make sure that you choose a healthy, low-fat breakfast.

 

On the same note, you should eat regular meals. If you eat regularly throughout the day, you will burn calories at a faster rate and it also reduces the temptation to snack on other foods that are high in sugar or fat instead.

 

Make sure that you also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables during the day. Not only are they packed full of vitamins and minerals, but they are also high in fibre and low in calories and fat.

 

Your activity levels are also vitally important. The more active you are, the more likely you are to lose weight and to keep it off as well. Exercise helps to burn off any excess calories that you haven’t managed to cut out. Find some form of fitness that you enjoy and that you can fit into your daily routine.

Categories: activity levels, breakfast, calories, fitness, Lose, Lose weight, nbsp, weight, Weight Loss

Want to Avoid a Muffin Top? Best Foods to Eat

If you want to lose weight, improve your wellness and boost your wellbeing, then you need to have a serious look at the foods that you eat, as well as increasing your fitness. Most people who want to lose weight are looking to reduce their muffin top, as this is the area of fat that most people (especially women) carry and most feel self conscious about.

 

Research shows that people who eat a lot of polyunsaturated fat gain less fat and more muscle. Those who eat saturated fat tend to find that it is stored around their middle and around their vital organs. This means that those who mainly eat unsaturated fat are far less likely to fall victim to type 2 diabetes.

 

People who want to stop themselves from developing a muffin top should eat only unsaturated fats, including oily fish, the research suggests. If you are keen to avoid the development of a muffin top then you should eat foods such as salmon and walnuts. A team of researchers from Sweden has discovered that people who eat lots of polyunsaturated fats tend to gain more muscle and less fat, particularly when directly compared to those who eat a lot of saturated fats.

 

People who eat a lot of polyunsaturated fat, such as that found in walnuts or salmon, are also less likely to store any fat around their waists and around their internal organs.

 

This is the first time that a study on humans has shown that the fat composition of the food that we eat increases the risk of heart disease and influences cholesterol levels, but also affects whereabouts on the body the fat is stored.

 

From this, we can learn that the choices of food types that we eat can directly influence our body shape as well as the overall health of our bodies.

Categories: Fat, fats, Lose weight, muffin, nbsp, nbsp people, people, polyunsaturated, top

Weight Loss Building Blocks: Does Tetris Reduce Cravings?

If you were a lot skinnier in the 80s, it might be because you were playing so much Tetris. This is according to researchers from PlymouthUniversity, whose new study – published in the journal Appetite, revealed that playing Tetris helped participants to lose weight.

 

The study researchers were interested in whether a demanding visual task, in this case playing the uber-addictive 80s video game Tetris would reduce cravings. Playing Tetris for three minutes lead to a self-reported reduction in immediate cravings for food and drink by around 20%. The NHS website explains, ‘A theory called elaboration intrusion theory states that imagery is important to cravings. For example, people craving caffeine have reported that they suddenly start vividly imaging the taste and smell of fresh coffee and then these mental images come to dominate their thinking…People can visualise what they crave and imagine the reward and satisfaction that giving into the craving might bring. The idea behind the research was that a task that interrupts this mental craving and imagery cycle might reduce the craving.’

 

For the study, 80 participants who reported craving food or drink (58), caffeine (10), or nicotine (12) were randomly assigned one of two tasks; playing Tetris for three minutes, or sitting in front of a screen that was rigged to show a slowly progressing “loading” bar that eventually led to a message of “Load Error” (three minutes in total). Before and after each task, the researchers measured their cravings using a single scale from one (not craving at all) to 100 (craving something very much). Before the tasks, there was no real difference between the average craving scores of the two groups (58.82 and 57.90 for the Tetris and loading screen group , respectively). However, after the tasks, craving reduced to 44.84 in the Tetris group (a 23.8% reduction) compared to 54.74 in the Load group (a 5.5 % reduction).

 

The researchers noted, ‘The findings support EI [elaboration intrusion] theory, showing that a visuospatial working memory load reduces naturally occurring cravings, and that Tetris might be a useful task for tackling cravings outside the laboratory.’ So there may be a visual element to cravings, but this leaves many questions to be answered. For example, was it Tetris specifically that reduced cravings, or could any mildly involved task, such as a crossword or reading a magazine, equally distract people from their cravings in the same way? Moreover, the amount of people who craved nicotine and caffeine was so small that it’s hard to generalise the results for these specific cravings. Plus, the participants were largely young adult women, and so the results in older people, who may be less willing and interested in playing Tetris, were also not assessed and may be different.

 

As the NHS warns, ‘The study did not investigate the link between the cravings and behaviour. For instance, did a reduction in food cravings actually lead to reductions in binge eating or any weight loss? It was also not clear how valid and reliable the one to 100 scale the researchers used to assess cravings was, as well as the other more sophisticated additional questionnaires they used. Error in the measurement of craving would likely bias the results, but it is not clear in what direction. The many questions and limitations to this research outlined above mean we should not jump to any rash conclusions about whether playing Tetris would help people lose weight or stop smoking, as some of the media reports have hinted at. It is simply too early to say and the evidence too weak.’

Categories: craving, cravings, elaboration intrusion, intrusion theory, Lose weight, playing tetris, reduce cravings, Reduced Cravings, Research, Tetris, Weight Loss

Should You Turn Down the Heating to Lose Weight?

In the winter, the central heating can be a life saver, but could having the heating on actually be damaging to your wellbeing? According to Dutch researchers, the use of central heating prevents your body using up energy to stay warm, which could be helping to drive up your obesity level. If you’re looking to lose weight, the research team advocate turning down the heating in your home and/or office in order to burn more calories – but aren’t there other wellness factors to consider? Surely there’s no point being skinny if you end up cold, miserable and possibly freezing to death!

 

The paper was written by researchers from MaastrichtUniversity and Avans Hogeschool, both in the Netherlands, and published in the peer reviewed journal Science and Society. The report was a narrative review on the topic of cold exposure, energy expenditure and its relationship to obesity. A narrative review uses certain studies in support of a particular argument. However, the NHS warns, ‘The authors do not appear to have searched the literature in a systematic way (a systematic review) nor do they report on how the search for literature was carried out. There is a risk that important evidence may have been overlooked or ignored.’

 

Still, the paper does make some interesting points. The paper notes that we can now control the temperature around us more easily, which means our bodies no longer need to expend as much energy to control internal temperature. We have also experienced a rise in obesity which, the researchers say, is linked not only to excessive food intake but also to physical inactivity (reduced energy expenditure). When you are cold enough, you start to shiver and burn energy at a greater rate – up to five times quicker than we would normally. This helps you to burn calories and, as a result, lose weight.

 

However, as shivering all day long is both unpleasant, unhealthy and make you unproductive, the researchers focus on “non-shivering thermogenesis” (NST), a method of keeping warm which does not entail shivering. This basically involves you keeping the temperature low enough to burn calories without shivering. The researchers assert that non-shivering heat production can account for up to 30% of the body’s energy budget in young and middle-aged people. They researchers suggest that a mildly cold temperature indoors – say, for example, 18-19 degrees C can result in the same increases in NST. This is roughly the same temperature as you would experience outdoors during June in England.

 

Without turning down temperatures in our homes, offices and public places, the researchers warn that ‘entire populations may be prone to developing diseases such as obesity.’ So should you turn down your heating to lose weight? According to the NHS website, ‘Slightly turning down the thermostat could certainly help your “energy balance”. There is a certain logic to the theory that if you’re cold the body will use energy to stay warm. But as yet there is no hard evidence to suggest this will help you stay a healthy weight. Staying warm in winter is important for health, especially for those who are vulnerable to cold such as the elderly and people with chronic conditions such as asthma. Current advice is that indoor heating should be around 18-21oC. Maybe one way to combine the benefits of temperature and physical activity is to regularly take brisk walks or jogs during the winter months. While this may not be a guaranteed method of burning of your brown fat, it should help contribute towards your fitness levels and lift your mood.’

Categories: burn calories, central heating, energy, energy expenditure, heating, Lose weight, narrative review, obesity, Research, Researchers, stay warm

How Days Off From the Diet Can Help You Lose Weight

If you are on a diet, you may find that it’s far easier to be ‘good’ during the week than at weekends, and long for some time off from the diet. All you know about nutrition, however, traditionally tells you that you cannot take a break from safeguarding your wellness and wellbeing, and this causes you to plod on even through the weekends, often making yourself miserable in the process.

 

This same kind of philosophy also is one of the main reasons that many people postpone dieting. If you’ve ever put off starting a diet because there’s going to be a special event or celebration, then you know what we’re talking about! The ‘I’ll start next week’ mentality is rife, and can be one of the reasons that people find their weight starting to snowball.

 

Strangely enough, however, researchers have found that having a system where you bank ‘bonus points’ for depriving yourself of treats and then allow yourself a treat with your points later is actually a sensible one.

 

This does not mean, however, that you can have a huge slab of chocolate cake on a Sunday night just because you feel like it, but it could mean that you can have that slab of chocolate cake at some point, when you’ve earned it. It could also help with your overall relationship to food, if some foods are not ‘banned’ but are just only allowed on certain days when you have put in the hard graft to earn them.

 

The people who are most likely to lose weight and to keep it off are those whose calorie intake varies a lot between the weekends and the weekdays. These are the people who keep their calorie intake to a minimum during the week and then allow themselves to have a bit more flexibility at the weekend and really enjoy their food.

Categories: calorie intake, calories, chocolate cake, diet, Lose weight, nbsp, people, week, weekends, weight

Five Foods, Drinks & Spices that Can Bump Your Weight Loss

It seems like not a day goes by without you witnessing some kind of magical weight-loss-promising product. There’s a pill, gel and machine to target any problem wellness area on your behalf – with absolutely no effort of your part, of course. More often than not, you see such adverts and change the channel, or write it off without much thought, but there’s always one product you see and think “well, maybe…” Being overweight is a real concern in this country, and millions put their wellbeing at risk by buying into these shams. In actual fact, the only way to lose weight is to exercise and eat right, and anything else on top of that can only help you along in that journey. If you do want a boost – and just a boost, mind – to your weight loss wellness, it’s better to opt for natural, home remedies, so even if they don’t work, you’re not putting yourself in any danger. Here are a few natural remedies that can help make your efforts more effective:

 

1. Flaxseed: The outer coating on flaxseed is the thing that makes you feel fuller, and so it’s this miracle layer that aids you in your weight loss. By feeling fuller, you’re less likely to overindulge in unhealthy snacks and meals, and so you can lose weight more quickly. Moreover, flaxseed is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which is good for your heart – and that’s always a good bonus! As flaxseeds are naturally flavourless, they won’t negatively affect the taste of your food, but they might add a nice little crunch. Simply crush them up and add them to soups, cereals, salads, and oats.

 

2. Green Tea: There’s no denying the immense popularity of green tea for weight loss, but where does it come from? The reason why so many people are switching from coffee to green tea is because of its high antioxidant capacity. In addition, research shows that green tea is capable of boosting your metabolism and burning fat, both of which can be a great help when you’re trying to lose weight. Plus, as you don’t drink green tea with milk or sugar, you can cut down on unnecessary calories.

 

3. Cinnamon: You might reserve this spice for Christmas, but cinnamon is a weight loss aid you should consume all year long. By activating the insulin receptors and enzyme systems involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cinnamon helps your body to regulate your blood sugar levels, increase metabolism and reduce bad cholesterol. Add a little to your coffee or tea, sprinkle some on your breakfast cereals, or try making healthy baked goods such as flapjacks, with added cinnamon.

 

4. Black Pepper: Adding black pepper to your foods aids in weight loss the same way that any hot food does; the piperine in black perpper acts as a digestive while also helping to prevent the formation of fat. Moreover, spicy foods tend to inspire you to become more active, which is a mightily important part of any weight loss programme. And the best thing is you can add black pepper to almost any dish.

 

5. Turmeric: There are many studies purporting the benefits of turmeric, with scientists even researching methods to see if it can be used to fight cancer. Therefore, it’s not hard to see how this Indian spice can aid in weight loss. As well as reducing your risk of health concerns such as diabetes, studies have shown that turmeric helps metabolise fat. Add turmeric to any Indian-style dish, such as veggies, rice, curries, and dahls.

Categories: black pepper, Cinnamon, Green, green tea, Lose weight, loss, nbsp, turmeric, weight, Weight Loss

Building Muscle: How to Lose Weight and Tone Up

Whether you want to enhance your overall wellbeing, lose weight or tone up; building muscle is the way to go. Team MuscleTech’s Lindsay Cappotelli explains, ‘Hopefully most of us know by now that the myth of women getting huge and “manly” from lifting weights is just that – a myth. Rather than turning women into big, bulky “hulks”, muscles create a lean and toned figure. They can transform your body from soft and flabby to tight and firm.’ With over 10 years of fitness experience, Cappotelli is the perfect person to give you tips for building muscle.

 

1. Don’t Overdo Your Cardio: According to Cappotelli, ‘Women often make cardio the focus of their workout routine and the weights get pushed to the back burner, when it should actually be the opposite. If you don’t have extra body fat to lose, you could even consider eliminating cardio completely, or limiting it to just one to two short, high intensity interval type workouts a week.’

 

2. Eat More: ‘Another mistake women make when trying to gain muscle is simply not eating enough,’ says Cappotelli. ‘Eating nothing but salads all day just ain’t gonna cut it! In order to gain muscle, you must consume slightly more calories than you burn. In addition to lean beef, chicken, turkey, and eggs, having a couple of protein shakes is one way to help you hit your protein and calorie requirements for the day.’

 

3. Lift heavier: Cappotelli urges, ‘Ladies, don’t be afraid to get out of the 12-15 repetition zone! When I started lifting heavier with reps in the five to eight range was when I really began seeing results. Plus, lifting heavy and being strong is an amazing feeling! Focus on getting stronger on the basic, compound lifts and try to keep adding more weight to the bar. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! You may be surprised by how strong you really are.’

 

4. Keep a Workout Journal: ‘I think this is a crucial often overlooked component,’ Cappotelli comments. ‘Instead of just going to the gym and doing random things or whatever you feel like that day, it’s best to go in with a plan. Keep track of your exercises, weights, repetitions, and rest time in between sets, so that you can try to improve upon that from week to week. I like to plan out my workouts ahead of time every four to six weeks and make sure that I am constantly improving in some way.’

 

5. Train with Intensity: Cappotelli notes, ‘Many women don’t know what it really means to lift with intensity, so they never get the results out of weight training that they truly could. When you are performing an exercise, you should be extremely focused; not just going through the motions. Focus on the muscle you’re working. Put your mind into it. Feel it moving and contracting. Focus. Breathe. Strain. Make every rep count!’

 

6. Take Pictures of Your Progress: ‘It’s sometimes hard to see how your body is changing when you look at yourself every day,’ Cappotelli asserts. ‘Taking progress pictures every few months is one of the best ways to see how your body is changing. Weighing and measuring is one way to keep track of results, but photos will tell the true story.’

 

7. Have the Right Mindset: Cappotelli points out, ‘Results won’t come overnight, and there may be times when you feel that you’re not making any progress at all. Try not to get discouraged. It can take years to transform your physique, so don’t give up! If you’re doing the right things consistently, the results will come. Be patient, trust the process and don’t forget to enjoy the journey!’

Categories: Building Muscle, cappotelli, gain muscle, Lose weight, Muscle, nbsp, results, tone, Weight Loss, Women

SENSA: The Most Talked About Weight Loss Sensation

People are always told that if they want to lose weight, they have to diet and increase their fitness. Although these things definitely do improve your wellness and wellbeing, did you know that there is a way that claims to help you lose weight without dieting?

 

The SENSA Weight Loss System is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about weight loss products that is available on the market today. It has been featured in Time Magazine, Dateline NBC and The New York Times, and claims to help users lose weight simply by shaking scented ‘tastants’ over their food. It goes against everything that we have traditionally been taught about dieting, so is it just another senseless weight loss fad, or does SENSA actually work?

 

Hollywood celebrities have been using SENSA already, with actress Patti Stranger recently claiming to have lost 30 pounds in just 8 months by using the SENSA system. Patti says she noticed her body changing and the weight just falling off her, and the best bit was that she didn’t’ have to count calories, stick to a diet or eat any kind of pre-packaged meals.

 

SENSA has also been featured widely in the media, because it is such a unique new product. Users of SENSA receive a package containing lots of different types of sprinkles. There are savoury flavours such as onion and parmesan cheese and sweet ones such as bananas and chocolate. Users don’t have to follow a specific diet, but simply have to sprinkle these flakes over anything that they eat. The theory is that the flakes fool your brain through sense of smell into thinking that it is full, leading you to consume fewer calories. Unfortunately, the lack of diet plan and the lack of any corroborating science raises some major red flags about this diet. Most experts still recommend that you stick to a low-calorie diet and do some exercise if you want to lose weight – there really is no magic fix.

Categories: diet, Lose, Lose weight, loss, sensa, sprinkle, weight, Weight Loss

Men Who Want to Lose Weight Should Try This Diet

Men who are on a diet need different nutrition to women who are on a diet. In addition to eating the right type of food, men also need to be more aware of their portion control – good food will benefit their wellness and wellbeing but will not actually help them lose weight unless they only eat a little bit of it!

 

The portion control meal plan is a diet that is currently sweeping the country, with men seeing some dramatic results. The meal plan was devised by a celebrity personal trainer, and focuses on eating five small meals every day, ensuring that the men who try the diet do not have to go hungry or feel that they are starving themselves, but can still reach their weight-loss goals.

 

The Monday plan starts with breakfast, which is a slice of rye bread with two tablespoons of peanut butter on top. A mid-morning snack comes in the form of an avocado, which is packed with healthy fats and protein. Lunch is a turkey breast with new potatoes (a small amount) and mange tout. In the middle of the afternoon, a pear and a handful of Brazil nuts should keep the food cravings at bay and boost the body with healthy vitamins and selenium. Dinner is a chicken stir fry made from one chicken breast, bean sprouts, mixed veg and brown basmati rice.

 

As you can see from this example, the meal plan is low carb and low-fat, and totals at around 1,600 calories for the first day. Tuesday follows a very similar pattern, starting with a bowl of no-added sugar muesli topped with low-fat yoghurt. An innocent smoothie is allowed mid morning, followed by lunch of a chicken breast with a baked sweet potato and a salad of lettuce, tomato and red onion. The afternoon snack is a punnet of blackberries with low-fat yoghurt, and dinner is a grilled salmon steak with spinach, basmati rice and bean sprouts.

 

The week continues in the same vein, with low-fat meats, healthy fruit and veg and very little in the way of carbs. Men find that the variety and low-calorie nature of the diet allows them to lose weight quickly and healthily.

Categories: basmati rice, bean sprouts, calories, chicken breast, diet, Lose, Lose weight, men, mid morning, nbsp, weight

The 5:2 Diet: Is It Suitable For Men?

The 5:2 diet has been very popular of late, with everyone from celebrities to your colleagues going on it to shift excess weight, but what does it do for men? Could it help the men of Britain hit their weight-loss target? The success of the 5:2 diet is in its simplicity – you eat normally for five days then fast for two non-consecutive days. On your fasting days, you consume no more than 600 calories (in men; in women, it’s 500 on each day). This might look like two scrambled eggs for breakfast, and an evening meal of lentil stew or a small steak with some roasted vegetables. There is a restriction with your beverages, of course, so you really need to stick to water, herbal tea or avoid milk in your regular tea and coffee to stay within your calorie limits. There’s a theory behind the diet which suggests that early humans would have hunted for food and then feasted followed by a lengthy period where they wouldn’t have had any nutrition. This basic way of looking at food can help us to maintain a healthy weight, without having to avoid our favourite foods most of the week. However, there is limited amount of evidence to suggest that fasting assists with weight loss, prevents cognitive decline or increases your lifespan. There’s also a trap that many people get into which is binge eating on the days where you’re not fasting. Because the rule is that you can eat ‘what you want’ on your normal days, there’s a temptation to take that literally and gorge on sugary snacks and pizzas. Of course, this is still a diet and eating in such a way undoes all of the hard work you do on your fasting days.

 

So how does it work in men? The thinking behind the diet, of course, doesn’t change – as long as you stick to the rules properly, and don’t binge eat on your normal days, you do have the opportunity to lose weight in a relatively short space of time. The concept of intermittent fasting is that it’s easier to incorporate into your everyday life than traditional diets, and that eating a lot less for two days of the week will help you to lose weight. However, if you don’t eat properly and sensibly on your days when you’re not fasting, this plan doesn’t work in reality. If you can’t stick to a healthy diet, within reason, throughout the whole week, the 5:2 diet isn’t the best diet for you in order for you to lose weight. People who find this to be the case would probably be advised to change their existing diet to include less fatty foods – the results would probably be very much the same. As with any diet, you should speak to your GP before making any drastic changes to what you’re eating – this is especially the case with the 5:2 diet as fasting can be risky if you have any health conditions which could be exacerbated by it. It seems that if you’re trying to lose weight, the 5:2 diet only works for some, not all. If your motivation is low, this probably isn’t the best way to shift those extra pounds – in order to see any results, you need to be relatively strict all week, not just on two days, otherwise your hard work will be undone. This is something to consider if you’re trying to find an ‘easy’ way to lose weight.

Categories: 5:2, days, diet, Fasting, fasting days, hard work, Lose weight, normal days, weight, Weight Loss

Taking up a Martial Art: What Are the Health Benefits?

You may think that you’ve tried everything you can to lose weight – increased your fitness, followed a low fat diet and so on, and whilst these things may have benefitted your wellness and wellbeing, they haven’t actually helped you to shed the pounds.

 

Have you considered taking up a martial art, though? You’ve probably seen someone participate in martial arts and not really thought about the exercise benefits that this type of activity offers. Not only can something like this help you shed weight, it can also improve your mood, help you lose weight and benefit your overall health.

 

First of all, one of the best benefits associated with martial arts is the boost that it can give to your cardiovascular health. This means, in layman’s terms, that doing a martial art makes your heart healthier. Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart, veins and arteries, and if your cardiovascular system is weak, you can find yourself suffering from shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness and, in severe cases, a heart attack. Research has shown that a martial art is one of the best ways to help improve the health of your cardiovascular system, and should be carried out for around 30 minutes several days a week.

 

The benefit that you may be most interested in, however, is the weight loss associated with taking part in a martial art. Doing around an hour of moderate intensity martial art can make you burn around 500 calories. A deficit of 500 calories a day leads to you losing a pound a week (at least) and so if you participate in a martial art, you are streets ahead of the game even before you start considering a healthy diet. When combined with a healthy diet, you can be leaner, slimmer and stronger all in one go, within a relatively short space of time.

Categories: arts, cardiovascular, diet, health, healthy diet, Lose weight, martial, martial art, martial arts, weight

Seven Motivation Tips For Men Who Want to Lose Weight

Losing weight can be an extremely difficult and often frustrating experience – especially if you are impatient about seeing results. Soon your motivation begins to waver and suddenly you find that you’re back to your old size. However, with a few tips – courtesy of wellness and fitness writer Evan Campbell – you can sort out your wellbeing once and for all and see those pounds slowly melt away.

 

1. Picture It: Campbell advises, ‘If you were once the proud owner of six-pack abs but are now on your way to looking like Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, stop the madness by digging up some photos of yourself (and your former abs) and display them in as many spots as possible, such as at your desk, or in your kitchen. The point of this exercise is to make you so nostalgic for how you once looked and felt about yourself, that you will work toward feeling this way once more. But be forewarned, the first few weeks of seeing yourself in your glory might make you depressed and cause the opposite effect: discouragement. However, once you get over feeling sorry for yourself, the anger will set in and you’ll be on your way.’

 

2. Get Your Favourite Jeans Out:Campbell recommends, ‘Resurrect your former favourite pair of jeans that you haven’t been able to fit into for months (or years) and hang them somewhere that will force you to see them every day, like your bedroom or bathroom door. They will serve as a constant reminder of how you used to look and of the fact that your current weight is unacceptable.’

 

3. Plan Ahead: ‘If you’re dead set on regaining your 34-inch waist, go to your favourite clothing store and buy yourself a kick-ass power suit, a stylish fitted shirt and slim trousers, or that belt you’ve been eyeing for a while in a size 34,’ says Campbell. ‘The fact that you invested in these stylish new threads, but can’t wear them, may just upset you enough to start losing weight.’

 

4. Keep a Log:Campbell comments, ‘So you fell off the wagon and ate that big bowl of ice cream or didn’t go to the gym for five days straight. Get a piece of paper and a pen and write down what you did, why you are now royally pissed off at yourself and what you plan on doing in the immediate future to fix it. Friends often can’t relate to personal weight problems, so a log is a good outlet for your frustration and allows you to come up with concrete solutions.’

 

5. Get a Workout Buddy: ‘You may have a friend who’s a gym rat and can provide you with all the motivation you need to make your dreams of weight loss a reality,’ notes Campbell. ‘Set up a regular training schedule with this person. The fact that you have someone waiting for you at the gym (and who’s fit, no less) will ensure that you don’t blow it off. Furthermore, as gym buddies you can spot each other.’

 

6. Hire a Trainer: ‘If you have the money, hire a trainer and pay him in advance,’ Campbell urges. ‘Not only will a trainer get you to show up at the gym and push you to your limit, the often substantial cost of hiring one may just be enough motivation to stick to the programme and lose weight.’

 

7. Look into Health Risks:Campbell warns, ‘If you are more than 25 pounds overweight, you are not only putting your looks on the line, you are also potentially sabotaging your health. So if the size of your clothes is not motivation enough to lose weight, look into the health hazards you are putting yourself at risk for by being overweight, such as diabetes and heart attack. This fear may just get you to shed those pounds faster than you know – especially if you get a physical and a warning from your doctor.’

Categories: campbell, Lose weight, Losing Weight, men, motivation, nbsp, pounds, weight, Weight Loss, weight nbsp