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Los Angeles, CA, March 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the present time, America is facing unprecedented lockdowns due to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As the military begins to roll out in cities like New York and Los Angeles, store shelves are ravaged and job losses become imminent, many people may be experiencing increased anxiety and depression in the face of these national uncertainties. In times like these, its important that while you prepare your household for the days, weeks and months to come, you also take measures to protect your mental and physical health. Being on lockdown in the home can increase stress and cabin fever, leading people to take on potentially harmful habits such as emotional or stress-based eating to cope with the constant unfolding of events.

The biggest consequence of emotional eating is of course weight gain. A quick, total gain of 10-20% can increase blood pressure markers, blood sugar markers and cholesterol markers. One thing you dont want to do at a time like this is further damage your health, particularly considering how weight gain can lower your immunity and ability to fight diseases. This is especially true if the diet youre following is made up of primarily processed foods and sugars. Here are some tips to keep your and household healthy at this time:

Buy fresh produce rather than processed items when you shop Due to the stockpiling of items and need to remain indoors. Many people are choosing processed items in masse. If youre already going to the store to restock 1-2 times per week, grab more fresh vegetables, fruits and produce instead.

Take walks Lacking sunshine (Vitamin D) can have a range of health problems from increased inflammation to decreased immunity. As long as youre practicing social distancing, getting out for a brief 20-30 minute walk can keep your weight down and provide great health-saving benefits.

Eat on a schedule It can be very tempting to consistently snack while at home. If youre an emotional eater, snacking can become a major source of unnecessary calories. Try to restrict your meals to 2-3 times per day.

Use an appetite suppressant or start a diet plan Diet Doc is one of the nations leading medical weight loss specialists in the country, offering remote-based diet plans for patients in need. Their weight loss coaches are licensed and trained to deal with emotional eating habits in order to develop easy strategies you can implement right from your own home. If approved, prescription appetite control suppressants and emotional eating support can be shipped to your home within three days and all consultations are conducted by phone or computer for your ultimate convenience.

Interested in how medical weight loss can help manage your emotional eating and anxiety? New Diet Doc patients can call or easily and effortlessly visit https: https://www.dietdoc.comto complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. DietDocs physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. DietDoc reviews each patients health history to create a personalized diet plan geared for fast weight loss, or that addresses life-long issues causing weight loss to slow down or stop. Nutritionists work personally with each patient and use their own algorithm to craft meal and snack plans that are compatible with each patients age, gender, activity level, food preferences, nutritional needs and medical conditions. They combine these state-of-the-art diet plans with pure, prescription diet products that enable their patients to resist the temptation to reach for sugary snacks, eliminate fatigue and curb the appetite. Over 97% of DietDoc patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing between 10-15 lbs. or more pounds per month.

At Diet Doc, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available six days per week to answer questions, offer suggestions, address concerns and lend their professional guidance and support. Because of this, more and more people are turning to Diet Doc for their weight management needs. Diet plans are tailored to be specific to the needs of those of any age, gender, shape or size and for those who are struggling to lose that final 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more. Call today to request a private, confidential, no-cost online consultation.

About the Company:

Diet Doc is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long-term weight loss.

Diet Doc Contact Information:

Providing Care Across The USA

Headquarters:

Escondido, CA

(800) 581-5038

info@dietdoc.com

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Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.

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Emotional Eating May Soar Due to Coronavirus Anxiety and Nationwide Shutdowns - GlobeNewswire

The new buzzwords - Work from Home and Study from Home. Youve heard them before, but never have they seemed so relevant and urgent as they do today. Even as the world was slowly experimenting with a Work from Home [WFH] and Digital Learning model as a viable solution in urban spaces, the past twoweeks have made it a sudden on-ground reality. And to help you ease into this rapid shift quickly and productively, here are surefire hacks from experts the world over!

SET UP A WORKSTATION (NOT THE COUCH)Designate an area of your house as the place you will study or work from. It neednt be anything fancy, just a desk & chair to create a conducive, neutral space for you to focus. Make sure your chair is comfortable and you have a handy whiteboard and marker to make notes, reminders and timetables (especially after phone calls, video conferences and webinars).

MAKE LISTS (NOT PLAYLISTS)Lists are fun, lists make life easier! At least thats what the most efficient individuals believe. So, try this, every morning, just beforeyou start the days work, make a list of things youd like accomplished. Pro tip: Scribble the list on a surface you can change and alter through the day (because of course that list is going to change).

YOUR OWN BOOKMARKING MECHANISMAlthough there are plenty of phone and desktop apps that double up as digital sticky notes or reminders, nothing beats the real thing. Use the simplicity and efficiency of sticky notes to earmark a book, make a note, create a mind map and so much more. Students especially know how resourceful sticky notes can be as tabs, bookmarks and fact tablets.

SET REALISTIC WORK,STUDY HOURSNow that specific work and study login times seem elastic, set yourself a very clear start and end time. Same goes for students -since you dont have the delightful bell going off, its imperative that you set yourself healthy and regular start and end times. Keep an alarm, write your end time on your whiteboard - whatever works for you, but stick to it.

EAT A NUTRITIOUS, BALANCED DIETIn times such as these, it is important to eat healthy, nutritious food. And whether youre working or studying at home, make it a combined fun practice to schedule common break times so that you can eat andsnack as a family!

ARM YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT TOOLSIt is a proven fact that WFH was steadily going to be our common reality the world over even before this period of social distancing. Which is why you need to get your hands on products that help sustain your productivity at home. Be it stacks of sticky notes or easy to install whiteboard films in different sizes, these products can set you up and have you good to go, in a jiffy.

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Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, don't just study or work from home, get smarter at it! - EdexLive

Dear Readers: This past week I attended the funeral of my best friends brother who died suddenly of a massive heart attack. He was only 49. You dont realize how many lives one life touches until you attend a funeral. The exchange of love and support between friends and family, the stories that begin with Remember when . . .?, the laughter that softens the tears. Does the dearly departed know how much he meant to other people? I sure hope so.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S and worldwide. There are several risk factors for this illness, some of which are listed below:

High cholesterol is defined as greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL. Your cholesterol should be monitored annually. Changes in diet and/or medication may be needed to combat elevated cholesterol.

Family history is a risk factor we cannot change, but we can be aware and be proactive. If a parent has heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, this puts you at a higher risk for all these conditions.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the workload of the heart. Blood vessels become stiff which makes it easier for plaque to build up. When there is plaque build-up, blood flow to the heart is restricted and if left untreated, will likely lead to a heart attack.

Overweight People with excess body fat, especially around the waist, are at increased risk for heart disease. Losing weight isnt easy and doesnt happen overnight. Get the support you need.

Physical Inactivity People with sedentary lifestyles have higher rates of heart disease than their active counterparts. When beginning an exercise routine, start with 10 minutes a day. Increase five minutes per week to reach a goal of 30 minutes most days of the week. Choose an activity you enjoy so that you will be more likely to keep up the good work.

Stress Perhaps the most cunning risk factor. We all have stress in our lives, but many of us do not have healthy coping mechanisms to deal with it. Some people overeat to comfort themselves. Others self-medicate with the alcohol. Both of these mechanisms provide temporary relief, but when the buzz or sugar high wears off, the stress remains.

More effective ways of dealing with stress include meditation, journaling and if needed, counseling. There is no shame in needing help. After all, when you have a toothache, you see a dentist, so if you have difficulty with your emotions, see a therapist. We were never meant to walk this journey alone. If finances are a concern, seek a therapist whose fee is based on a sliding scale.

Diet a diet high in fat, calories and sugar will likely lead to extra pounds, which increases your risk for heart disease. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose lean meats and mono- or polyunsaturated fats.

Know your risk factors and know your numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.). Education is the first step in taking care of yourself, but education without action avails little. Start today. Time may be luxury you do not have.

-

Leanne McCrate, RDN, LD, CNSC, aka Dear Dietitian, is an award-winning dietitian based in Missouri.

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Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women - Marshalltown Times Republican

SALT LAKE CITY As the COVID-19 pandemic numbers keep climbing, people are asking if theres more they can do to stay healthy, in addition to following public health recommendations.

We are told 75% to 80% of us will at some time be exposed to this, said Dr. Preston Wilson, a family practice provider at Jordan Family Health in West Jordan. We need to prepare ourselves for when that happens.

Can you boost your own immune system or improve your health enough to skate lightly through the public health crisis?

Looking at more than 200,000 cases worldwide has already shown that those most at risk are adults older than 60, people with chronic medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease and those who have compromised immune systems, including anyone who had an organ transplant.

Experts tell the Deseret News that even those at high risk can do certain things to be as healthy as possible, not only during an infectious disease pandemic but in general. Patients should follow not just the basic advice, but tailored recommendations, too.

Wilson said patients still come in for care and admit they continue to smoke, though COVID-19 can be deadly as it can settle in the lungs. Others admit they havent changed their diets to control their diabetes.

As much as we are concerned about this virus, I dont know that we are doing everything we can to maximize our bodys ability to fight it when exposed to it, said Wilson.

Could building your immune system and health really be as simple as sleeping, eating right, exercising, laughing and staying calm? Experts explain why each has value.

Take this seriously, said Wilson. If you are healthy and strong and you are taking care of your body and maximizing its ability to fight infection, then you have a super high likelihood of recovering very well from this.

Myriad studies have shown that sleep is needed for good health, but many people insist on treating it like a commodity they can skip when pressed for time.

Wilson said that sleep is the first thing that comes to mind when asked if its possible to strengthen ones body and its immune system. Thats when the body recovers from the day.

We know that our immune system gets depressed when we are limiting our sleep and dont get enough, he told the Deseret News. By enough, I mean on average 7-8 hours for adults, and more for children, maybe.

Hes not sure you can produce immunoglobulins better by getting more sleep. But he knows its important to a healthy life, both physically and mentally.

Food is more than fuel in Jennifer James book. The registered dietitian nutritionist and certified health coach at Ogden Regional Medical Center said healthy food choices are the raw materials that allow the body to build proteins, blood cells, immune system cells to fight infections and more. Vitamins and minerals run the chemical reactions that go into the cells, she added. For instance, cells have to have B vitamins to create energy.

The interaction of nutrition and the body is akin to building a house a complex process that needs wiring and plumbing and foundation and framing work, among many other things.

The human body requires vitamins and minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fluids all those things to keep the body functioning at top capacity. Eating an unbalanced diet or one with a lot of processed food doesnt provide whats needed for the chemical reactions to take place or for the body to be able to build new white or red blood cells, soft tissue, heal wounds and keep the brain going strong. A diet of food as close to its raw form as possible can do all that fairly easily, she said.

Theres no one miracle food, she added. I encourage people to do a whole-food diet, mostly plant-based, colorful foods you prepare from scratch. Its OK, though, to enjoy an occasional less-healthy treat.

Dont eat a bunch of garbage, Wilson said. What you put into your body determines what you get out of it.

James suggests getting an app that tracks food intake and breaks down the vitamin and mineral content, among other things. She particularly recommends one called Chronometer.

Dont lose your sense of humor in a crisis. The Mayo Clinic writes that laughter really does reduce stress, which has a cascade of smaller, immune-system-friendly benefits. A hearty laugh doesnt just tickle your thoughts; it gives organs a burst of oxygen and releases endorphins in the your brain. Laughter varies your heart rate from fast to slow, which is good for you. And it helps your muscles relax.

Perhaps best of all, laughter and positivity can release stress-busting neuropeptides to counter the chemistry that negativity, stress and anxiety induce.

So yeah, this is a very challenging time. But appreciate its funny moments, too.

The memes have been hysterical on the toilet paper hoarding, James said. Humor is wonderful.

The greatest mental health need is finding some balance, Wilson said. We know that people who suffer more from depression and anxiety seem to suffer more chronic disease. It may be that they are not sleeping well or not doing the things they need to do to stay healthy.

Relaxing, which cuts stress, is critical. When the stress hormones are elevated, that does not help our immune systems, said James. She likens it to her experience pushing through finals in college, stressed to the max, then going home. I was always sick at Christmas.

Shes among experts who believe being worn out and stressed makes people an easy target for illness.

Meditation is being heralded worldwide for its mental health benefits, from lowering blood pressure and heart rate to perhaps improving memory and building the immune system. It takes about two months of doing it regularly for as little as five minutes a day to see results. There are free and paid apps to help, and people can choose where and when to do it. Some people like music, some a mantra, others a voice guiding them.

Everyones mind wanders while meditating, James said. Just pull it back to what you were focusing on and do it consistently, she said.

Some school districts (when class is in session) are embracing meditation as a way to help students focus and calm themselves and manage their stress.

To manage emotions in a healthy way, James suggests doing things one enjoys, like journaling or crafts or other things that provide a sense of peace and satisfaction.

Dont stew over your emotions. Acknowledge them and let them pass, she said. Pay attention to how you talk to yourself positive and encouraging helps a lot.

Regular moderate exercise is very important. But dont overdo it. Overstressing your body may weaken the immune system and make people vulnerable to illness, James said.

Besides being good physically, there are mental health benefits. A nature walk, for instance, is good all around.

Lots of gyms and other organizations are offering exercise routines online while people are social distancing during the pandemic. Older folks can find ideas from YouTube videos on the National Institute on Aging, AARP and other sources.

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Coronavirus and health: What can you do to boost your immune system? - Deseret News

Maybe now, due to restrictions on some activities, there are some goals you can't pursue. But for others, this could be an ideal time to work on yourself.

You suddenly have the opportunity to spend more time exercising outside, to pick up the book you've been meaning to read or get your attic organized. If your goal has been to eat a healthier diet, you can now focus on learning how to nurture yourself with homemade meals instead of gravitating toward sugary snacks at work.

While it can be hard to find and maintain the motivation to make a habit stick, experts have some motivational secrets to propel you through the quicksand of inertia to achieve your goals.

Finding motivation

"Rewards are not always enough, because when we move on from deciding to do [something], our focus changes," said Agata Ludwiczak, lead author of the study and research fellow from Queen Mary University of London.

"When deciding, we tend to concentrate on and base our decisions on rewards. When executing an action, we switch our attention to the effort required," Ludwiczak said. "If this effort is more than we anticipated, we might abandon the task, deciding it's not worth it."

To investigate the relationship between effort and reward, researchers presented participants with an exercise of physical effort (squeezing a joystick), and a form of mental effort (solving mathematical equations). They were also presented with combinations of high or low effort and high or low financial rewards and asked to choose which they wanted to attempt.

The study found that although participants were guided by high effort and high financial reward, their performance ultimately depended on the amount of effort they had to expend rather than their initial desire for that reward.

The authors hypothesize that the parts of the brain involved in reward processing seem to be particularly active during choice, but less active during execution.

To combat this mental tendency and achieve a goal, the study's results suggest following two steps: First, when deciding between goals, consider how much work each option involves so you're mentally ready for the degree of difficulty. Second, when things get hard as we work toward our goal, we should focus on the end reward, rather than the effort.

Imagining the reward in these moments can help you to push through when you need the help.

What could also work at this stage is distraction -- taking your mind off effort and focusing on something else -- or giving yourself small rewards as you exert effort, Ludwiczak said.

"Some people already intuitively implement this advice -- they listen to music when studying or exercising, which provides distraction and immediate rewards," Ludwiczak said.

Keeping the fire burning

After you've finally accomplished your goal, getting hit by life's problems can make it difficult to stay on track and remember why you started working toward your goal in the first place.

Dopamine release creates feelings of satisfaction and reward, which motivate you to repeat a specific behavior.

Inflammation may alter dopamine by depleting an enzyme called BH4, which helps regulate functions of the heart, brain, gut and reproductive systems, and is also essential for the synthesis of dopamine, the report said.

In this way, it's not that the reward becomes less valuable or alluring -- it's that inflammation may reduce the amount of effort the brain expends by increasing the perceived cost of the effort itself. In this case, motivation becomes less related to a matter of preference -- "Will I?" -- and more related to perceived ability -- "Can I?"

Studies testing the strengthening or reduction of dopamine in humans have shown "a real shift in an individual's willingness to expend efforts for rewards," said Michael Treadway, author of the study, a clinical psychologist and associate professor in Emory University's Department of Psychology.

Engaging in these activities and eating a healthy diet can set you off on a cycle in which being healthier helps you to stay motivated and vice versa.

Hitting goals on a continuous loop

Finding a reward you want to aim for is key in maintaining motivation, Ludwiczak said, as we want rewards, but usually not at all costs, so making sure we don't waste our effort is important.

"Think about hiking," she said. "When you're setting out on an adventure, you need your backpack, supplies and equipment, but you also need a compass to tell you where you're heading. Without one or the other it is not likely to be a very successful trip."

By putting in effort every day, reminding yourself of the rewards when life gets rough and utilizing diets or activities that raise your dopamine levels, you may increase your chances of staying motivated, turning tasks from difficult to doable, even during a global pandemic.

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Motivation: How to get it, keep it and use it, even during a pandemic when you may need it most - CNN

None of us probably realised how quickly many of us would be working from home, whether by necessity or design.

If you havent done it before, then its an entirely new experience and you really should have a set of rules or guidelines to make it the most effective solution for everyone, writes.

Get out of your PJs

It sounds obvious and you dont need to leap out of bed into a three-piece suit but its important to time shift into work mode and changing how you dress is a key part of that transition.

Ideally, wear clothes youd like to be seen in out and about. Even though youre not physically at work, youll feel ready to take on the world, particularly if that includes an early morning video call with colleagues, which many companies are doing.

Your usual grooming habits should also apply whether thats shaving, brushing your hair or putting on make-up.

Create a work area in your home

It doesnt have to be a boardroom, but having a designated space to keep your work materials organised is important. This helps to keep your work and home zones separate as ideally, you need to preserve both.

For many, its not possible to have a full room as an office; others might have that luxury but all you need is a corner with a specific table and chair (or even just part of a table) to set your stuff on so it wont be disturbed when you leave work and is intact for your next working period.

Daylight is also really important to how you feel, so the closer to the source the better. Avoid working in areas other than your designated workspace and consciously finish at the end of each day by tidying up your stuff and happily shutting off your computer (or work connectivity).

Then, unless extremely urgent, you should also avoid looking at work-related emails on your phone outside of office hours. Theyll still be there for you to see the next day.

Work well, and know when to finish

Try and keep the same hours as you usually do in your office and work as productively and meaningfully as you possibly can.

Many people report that, without the immediate social interaction provided by office colleagues, their productivity initially increases and they get loads more done. That higher level of pace can be short-lived and you need to remember that working from home is not a race. It also shouldnt be unduly stressful as such.

Its also important to operate on the same schedule as the team you work with in your office, so there is collaboration and work sharing, particularly on important projects.

Your family or housemates need to know your working times too and that you will need to disconnect from them during the day, which is not always easy.

After a productive day, dont be tempted to carry on working into the evening just because, for example, there isnt much else to do. While you cant necessarily get out and about to meet people, you still need downtime to recharge your batteries and your mental wellbeing.

Enjoy reconnecting and giving those you care about at home your full attention. Open-air walks (including of course full social distancing), jogging, cycling, books and movies are all still viable and healthy options.

Newsflash tune in and tune out

The world is in a serious crisis and Ireland is too. If you want, you could have wall-to-wall news, a constant diet of social media and push alerts on every topic under the sun, particularly if it relates to COVID-19.

In todays tech-enabled age, there is a phenomenon we can call Information Anxiety Syndrome.

On the one hand, people feel they always need to know more; on the other, people feel overwhelmed by everything they see and hear in the media (which is currently very frenzied).

As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said in his recent televised address, finding a balance is key. News is, of course, very important. Only tune into, read or browse your most trusted sources of media, which usually means our thankfully high-quality national news outlets and also includes many other reputable Irish and international sources.

Twice a day might be enough, its up to you but dont overdo it. Avoid the hundreds of scare messages that are doing the rounds. Its easy to get distracted so take deliberate breaks from all of that.

Turn off non-essential notifications and close any apps that are constantly clamouring for your attention. Be discerning and avoid being lured into fake news or circulating it. Youll feel more content to be in control.

Hello? Is there anybody there?

If you havent worked from home before it can be a bit of a culture shock, especially if youre suddenly launched into it as so many have been within the current crisis.

Its really important to stay in touch with your organisation, large or small. So that means communicating.

One-to-one contact with colleagues creates understanding and eases the path for collaborative working. So, if youd normally have a conversation or meeting about matters with a co-worker or your manager, you still need to do it and that means calling them by phone or video, usually for a quick chat or more detailed discussion on what needs to get done.

Its also important to know expectations about how often you should report or check-in. Many organisations and project teams are organising regular daily video calls. If your manager hasnt told you this, or you havent told your direct reports, you need to clarify that.

Of course, email and file sharing remain important. As would normally be the case, only copy in people who are directly involved in your work. This helps to avoid stressing people out who may also be busy on other fronts and in other work groups.

If in doubt on any aspect of your home working role, ask someone else how they are getting on and share tips and experiences.

Working from home can be somewhat isolating particularly under the current circumstances. It may take time, but everything will work out. You should also keep some notes of the tasks you have accomplished and your personal experience in home working to feed this back to your organisation in due course.

Socialise, while social distancing

Working remotely, particularly for the first time, it can be hard to maintain the bit of banter and friendly interaction that characterises every great place to work. So, apart from using your technology just for work, stay in touch with colleagues by phone, video, emails and social media, particularly at normally designated break times, for example by organising a virtual lunch or coffee break.

Continue your usual social interaction with colleagues by reaching out and chatting regularly. This is also particularly helpful for any colleagues who may be a bit stressed out by everything thats going on.

A friendly word, a cheerful smile, even through the medium of technology, means everything.

Finally, when you get home from work (imagining that transition in your own home as such), be sure to socialise with family and friends, particularly anyone who is self-isolating at this time and anyone who is vulnerable or elderly.

The latest films, books, and yes, even the news, are a good place to start. The immediate novelty, if thats what it is, of home working could wear off a bit in the weeks and months ahead but by having a well-structured routine and ensuring ongoing, regular interaction with colleagues and friends, you will prevail.

John Cunningham is the commercial director of recruiter Morgan McKinley

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Get out of your PJs - some practical advice on working from home - Fora.ie

MUNCIE, Ind. Practicing social distancing to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic may sound scary or impossible to do, but there are ways to appropriately handle the process, says Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Ball State University.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasissued guidelinesto limit the spread of COVID-19 that include recommendations for social distancinga term epidemiologists use to refer to a conscious effort to reduce close contact between people and hopefully stymie community transmission of the virus.

Social distancing can be tough on people and disrupt the social and economic fibers of our society, Khubchandani said. Given the existing crisis of isolation in societieswith probably the loneliest young generation that we have todaysocial distancing can also take a personal health toll on people, causing psychological problems, among many others.

Khubchandani recommended 15 ways to counterbalance the effects of social distancing:

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Social distancing tips to stay sane and safe - Early Bird Newspaper

Hey,

So I will just jump right in. I am pretty weight conscious (yes, I know this is a mistake).

I recently came back from assisting with the bushfires and I was only doing cardio, and I had put on a kilo or two.

I was upset, and immediately jumped into smashing myself at the gym with the body attack program by Les Mils.

I generally train 6 days a week and watch my calories pretty intensely.

Anyway, I have found that I am just feeling bloated or heavy around my stomach and my legs. Even though I have been training a lot with the body attack and monitoring my calories and drinking lots of water, I am holding onto the weight. Im frustrated and unsure what to do, is it possible to retain fluid from resistance training? Is there something I am missing here?

Looking for some advice. - RJ

I cant count how many times I found myself in this same position. I finally got up the motivation to start working out, dragged my entire self to the gym, spent 30 precious minutes of my time using the treadmill or stationary bike and nervously doing a few moves on the weight machines, only to return to the body-weight scale at home later that night or after a few days of this routine only to discover I had actually gained a few pounds. What was the point of all this, if it didnt even do anything, and by do anything I mean make me smaller and more attractive?

According to every piece of content Id ever seen about exercise and dieting, it was fair, and even reasonable, to expect FAST results. If there were so many programs out there that promised losing lots of pounds inside of a week, surely doing my best to go to the gym and work up a sweat working even harder than those fat-blasting workouts seemed to ask of me should have done even more to help me lose weight. When this not only didnt help but seemed to make things actively worse, I inevitably would throw the whole idea in the trash and move on without exercise, since it seemed to not do anything.

The thing is that I was mistaken about what exercise is for or at least, I was focused on the wrong things and expecting too much. Like many people, I felt incredible pressure to lose weight and be skinny, despite that I was already a healthy weight; if I really need to lose body fat in the interest of my health, a doctor would have told me, and Id never gotten that advice.

Being hyper-focused on weight loss led to me really hating myself, and I developed an antagonistic, destructive relationship with my body; whereas focusing on the benefits of exercise, like getting stronger and feeling more capable and having more energy, allowed me to build a constructive relationship, eat more food, and sleep better.

I know this is not as simple as simply focus on different things for anyone. But we should question weight loss as a culturally valuable pursuit, and try to learn to see our body ideals as toxic and that all of this is part of a shitty rat race to distract us from actually taking care of ourselves and seeing the worlds problems clearly (yes, I have, in fact, read The Beauty Myth).

But even if I had, there are a handful of principles that apply here outside of that that might help you understand whats going on.

A lot of the hype around exercise focuses on calories burned. You see it in MyFitnessPal, in exercise apps, and on cardio machines at the gym. This leads us to see the process as simple math: if a pound is 3500 calories, and the elliptical at the gym says I burn 600 calories in 45 minutes of working out, I should be able to lose a pound in about four days, lose ten pounds in about five weeks, and lose forty pounds in five months.

Unfortunately, the accuracy of those numbers can vary wildly, particularly for cardio machines. For instance, running on a flat treadmill is not the same as running on the ground at the same speed, but the machines calorie counter might make you believe its the same. We also cant simply burn more calories the more we work out. But more importantly, losing body fat requires an overall caloric deficit, meaning what we eat is part of the equation too.

Its not uncommon for a new exercise routine to stimulate peoples appetites and cause them to move less outside of exercise, and even cause weight gain. This extremely does not mean be severe with yourself about food as well as exercise in order to get the results youre looking for. It does mean you probably need some time to adapt to your new habit, and even if losing body fat were the ultimate goal (which, again, is not a decision anyone should undertake on their own because they yearn to look like Karlie Kloss), based on most peoples results, it will be ultimately discouraging to try and double-track starting to form the habit of working out and losing weight.

Obviously exercise can and does cause peoples bodies to change changes just in body composition, or the amount of body fat versus lean muscle mass, without any weight actually lost can make a huge difference in one's appearance. But for me, this happened on a scale of months and years, and only with periods where I was eating substantially more than I ever had in order to help me rebuild muscle Id lost through years of aggressive dieting. But Im also far happier now, some 25 pounds heavier than I was at my smallest. In the darkest time of my disordered eating, I wouldnt have believed that was even possible.

You mention youve been watching your calories, but thats not always a magic bullet, either.

It may surprise many to learn that various junk publications or products pushing diets or programs that promise you will lose ten pounds in five days! do not reflect healthy weight loss, let alone a healthy lifestyle. The book Renaissance Woman, from the nutrition and athletic coaching company Renaissance Periodization, has useful information here along with an example:

Current data suggests that the most productive middle ground for a caloric deficit is one that results in losses of somewhere between 0.5% and 1.0% of bodyweight per week. This means that for a woman that weighs 150lbs, a very good start for a weekly weight loss goal is somewhere between 0.75lbs and 1.5lbs. It doesnt sound like much, but a 12 week diet at this rate (even with a middle value of around 1lb per week) will lead to a bodyweight of around 138lbs.

You will notice, this is a much slower weight than many diet products market in their ads or testimonials. Everyone wants fast results, but fast does not mean healthy or sustainable. There are also a number of negative health effects that go along with trying to lose weight too quickly for too long, including losing muscle mass and screwing up your metabolism and hormones such that your body goes into starvation mode and tries to retain its energy (which is how people dieting for a very long time, even ones who are overweight, can continue to eat a very meager amount of calories and not lose more weight, or even gain weight).

If you actually need to lose weight, there is a right way to do it that a doctor or dietitian can help you with that should never involve starving yourself. While caloric deficits across exercise and food are what produces body fat loss, that never means the more exercise and the less food eaten, the more body fat loss happens.

Exercise, and particularly lifting heavy weights like I love to do and wish more people would do, builds muscles by tearing them up so bodies rebuild them stronger than before with the fuel we give them (food, water, rest). In the short term, muscles respond by holding onto more glycogen (muscle fuel), which also helps them hold more water, in anticipation of the next time you work out. This is a good and biologically necessary thing. But it does mean that, as with the above, it might be several weeks before you adapt.

For this reason, scales are a particularly misleading indicator of progress early on, and its better to try and stay focused on how you feel, and how youre actually doing in the gym (lifting heavier weights? Running faster and farther? But mainly, lifting heavier weights?). When I first started weight training, I found that trying to focus on that constructive cycle of eating and resting so my workouts went well allowed my focus on my appearance to start to fade into the background.

This is a more minor point, but water retention and bloating are real and normal side effects of the hormones that go along with menstruating, and can make several pounds of difference across a month. Renaissance Woman and many other resources that counsel athletes on body fat loss in the interest of health and capability advocate for using body weight as one of many data points progress pictures, for instance, which can be triggering for some, can be another useful data point and help show changes where scales dont. Another data point is how you feel overall!

But any given days body weight can be affected by how much water you drank that day, how much salt or carbs you ate, and even how much stress youre under. For this reason, its better to consider body weight again as a data point across weeks and months, per Renaissance Woman, not day to day, if thats a problem youre facing.

As a more detailed guide for managing body composition and building muscle, I found Renaissance Woman an extremely useful guide if youre interested in learning more of the ins and outs here from a source that is focused on health and function, not aesthetics; I cant recommend it enough, but also cant recommend enough consulting a doctor or dietitian about your concerns, because they know all this as well as far more than I do; all I can do here is provide some scientific reassurance as a fellow woman that all of this is tough and tricky, and reassure you that you deserve far more support and far less personal shame and guilt than you seem you be putting on yourself.

I also want to reassure you that youre much more than, and there is way more to life than, your body weight. Its a complex thing, not the best measurement of health, and the more we all dispassionately think of it as a data point, the better for literally everyone. You fucking fought the bush fires!! Absolute climate change hero! You deserve to feel proud of what your body can do. Like anything, its not an easy journey for any of us, but I hope you can find a way to that feeling.

Disclaimer: Casey Johnston is not a doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, personal trainer, physiotherapist, psychotherapist, doctor, or lawyer; she is simply someone who done a lot of, and read a lot about, lifting weights.

You can read past Ask A Swole Woman columns at The Hairpin and at SELF and follow A Swole Woman on Instagram. Got a question for her? Emailswole.woman@vice.com .

This article originally appeared on VICE US.

See the original post:
'I'm Working Out But Not Losing Weight; What's Wrong?' - VICE UK

Actor Idris Elba has hinted that he contracted the novel coronavirus from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus wife, Sophie Grgoire Trudeau. In a live Twitter video with fans on Tuesday, he said I know Ive been exposed to it from March 4, referencing the day he took a picture with Trudeaus wife in London. Thats when the person that came up positive, that was the time I got in contact with that person, Elba added in a separate update. The 47-year-old actor previously said that he was tested after he found out that someone who he had been in contact with had tested positive. My job made me test immediately. I had to test because it meant putting a lot of people at risk. If I had been exposed, then the people I was working with would also have been exposed, the actor, who is currently under self-quarantine, said.

Read more:
Idris Elba Hints That He Contracted Coronavirus From Justin Trudeau's Wife - Daily Beast

The SQA will aim to get results out by August 4.

THE Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is aiming to certify pupil's grades and results by August 4, the chief examiner has revealed.

Fiona Robertson said the SQA is working on an alternative certification model so pupils are recognised for the work that they have done despite the cancellation of this year's exams in response to the coronavirus situation.

The news comes a day after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said schools will close on Friday.

Ms Roberston said: "This is an unprecedented situation, and the closure of schools for an extended period will affect almost every family across Scotland.

"The Scottish Qualifications Authority has recently been working through a range of scenarios in relation to the exam diet, including disruption and postponement.

"However, as the Deputy First Minister has outlined in parliament today, the exam diet in 2020 cannot go ahead and I have been asked by the Deputy First Minister to develop an alternative certification model.

"That work has started, at pace, and I will say more on that as soon as I can. What I can say now is that we want to ensure that we have as much information on the achievements of learners as possible.

"We will work to ensure that learners receive their results no later than August 4, as planned. We are considering more fully the impact this decision will have on our exceptional circumstances and post-results services.

"I fully appreciate that this will be an uncertain time for learners who have worked hard throughout the year and will now, with their families, be worried about what this means for them."

She added that schools and colleges have been asked to continue to work with young people to ensure that any units and coursework are completed and "estimated grades are provided by teachers, drawing on the available evidence gathered throughout the year".

Related article: Scottish Government confirms school exams scrapped in wake of coronavirus

See original here:
SQA aims to issue results to pupils by August 4 despite exams being cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak - Strathspey Herald

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