Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 193«..1020..192193194195..200210..»

Home » Diets that Work » Page 193

The flexibility that freelancing offer is a double-edged sword. Sure you often get to work wherever and whenever you want, but it also means youre constantly battling yourself to get work done on time.

As a freelancer myself, over the years, Ive learned some simple but effective hacks that have quadrupled my productivity. I credit them for keeping me focused and growing my income. Take a look at my treasure trove of productivity hacks and see if any can benefit you too, whether youre a freelancer, entrepreneur, or a 9-5 office worker.

Self-discipline is the most important part of working at home. Having a set schedule is one of the best ways to ensure that youre always on the right track. When creating your schedule, make sure to plan for your hobbies and breaks aside from your work.

Waking up early gives you a better chance of starting your day right since youre not rushing. It gives you ample time to eat a healthy breakfast, workout, and get yourself in the right mindset.

Just as our body has a circadian rhythm that tells us when to sleep and wake up, we also have a cycle called the ultradian rhythm. It consists of 90-minute blocks of heightened focus and productivity.

The start of the ultradian rhythm is the best time to do tasks requiring critical-thinking and problem-solving. As it reaches the 90-minute mark, your focus and energy wane. This is the best time to do high level work.

After 90 minutes, its best to take a 15 to 20-minute break to give yourself time to recharge. Instead of using this time to check your social media, interact with your family members, take a short walk, stretch, and hydrate yourself to freshen up.

Researchers say that most productive time of the day is 10:26 am, while 2:55 pm is the least productive because of the post-lunch slump. As such, its best to plan your schedule in such a way that youre tackling your most important tasks first.

Checklists are a great way to establish short and long-term goals. Not only does it keep you on track, it also lets you easily see what needs to be done. To make big projects seem less daunting, break them down into smaller tasks.

Todoist is a crowd favorite when it comes to to-do list apps and task managers. Its available as a desktop app, mobile app, Chrome extension, and email plugin, so you can easily sync it on all your devices.

Give yourself less time for tasks and projects. The pressure will help you stay focused, making you work harder and faster.

One of the many challenges of being a freelancer is keeping your focus. To stay in your work zone, eliminate as many distractions as you can.

In a traditional workplace, social media websites are banned because they cause employees to lose focus and procrastinate. The same holds true for freelancers. So, turn off social media by doing the following.

Still finding it hard to stay out of your social media accounts? Install StayFocusd, a Chrome productivity extension that will restrict the amount of time you spend on social media sites and other time-wasting websites. Its highly configurable, so you can customize it based on your needs.

Its easy to get sidetracked if your phone keeps beeping and buzzing. So, close all your chat applications, and put your phone on silent mode whenever you need to completely focus on a certain task.

Allocate an area in your home where you will only do work-related things. This can be an entire room, a corner, or even just a desk. The important thing is to have a specially-designated area which can help you get in the right state of mind.

Get rid of any items on your desk that you do not need for work. Not only does having a messy work area make it difficult to find documents that you might need for work, it also makes it hard to think clearly.

Having said that, there are some people with cluttered desks who are actually more creative and productive. Albert Einstein once said, If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk?

This shows us that, instead of minimalism, its actually being organized thats more important. What looks like a messy desk for us might be some form of organization for another. The key is finding the right balance of minimalism and clutter that works best for you.

What you see while you work can affect your productivity. For example, color psychologist Angela Wright said that each basic color has a certain psychological effect. You can also combine these colors to maximize their benefits.

Did you know that, according to a study conducted by the Texas A&M University, having indoor plants and flowers can boost productivity, creativity, and problem-solving skills? There are two reasons for this.

First, having plants in your work area can reduce indoor pollution by 60% according to NASA. Because of the improved air quality, youre able to breathe easier, improving your productivity by up to 15%.

Another reason is that this organic addition can uplift your mood. And, according to one study, happy workers are up to 20% more productive.

Its hard to stay in your work mode if you are constantly fidgeting and are uncomfortable. To stay on top of your game, here are some things you need to consider.

Ergonomics is very important when it comes to ensuring comfort and preventing unwanted pain.

Some of the basics include:

No matter how much you adjust your sitting posture, the bottom line is, sitting still for too long is detrimental to your health. At least once an hour, get up and move!

A 2004 study by Cornell University found that the optimum working temperature is between 73 to 77F. At this range, the workers they observed were able to work faster with fewer mistakes.

Try to keep your home temperature within this range.

If youre sick, you cant work. Its as simple as that. This is why you need to maintain a healthy diet. Instead of having restaurant food delivered to your doorstep, why not prepare healthy but simple lunchboxes?

Stock your fridge with healthy options that will give you that needed energy boost. Some examples are yogurt, fresh fruits and their dried counterparts, oatmeal, and high-fiber sandwiches.

Its not just about what you eat, but what you drink too. Instead of fake fruit juices or soda, drink enough water. Since 60% of the human body is made of water, staying hydrated helps you stay healthy, improves your cognitive performance, and keeps you refreshed.

In fact, as little as a 1% drop in hydration can lead to a 12% productivity loss. It might not seem much, but, if you do the math, thats a 60% productivity loss for a 5% hydration drop.

The minimum you need to drink per day is 6 to 8 glasses. Of course, if the weather is hot and you perspire a lot, you need to drink more.

Unlike what a lot of people believe, multitasking hampers, not boost, productivity. This is because you lose focus, and make more mistakes.

It even does worse than just that. According to a Stanford University study, multitasking impairs your cognitive control, while a University of London research said that it can actually lower your IQ.

The bottom line is youll get better and faster results if you focus on just one task at a time.

Another factor that can affect your productivity is music. In fact, people who only have silence while working are less efficient than music-listening workers. Of course, too much of anything can be disruptive, and this goes for music too.

So, what should freelancers listen to while working at home?

Maintaining a positive attitude plays a significant role in staying productive. Here are some tips that you can follow to motivate yourself.

When planning your schedule, allocate a few minutes of your day to read something that will get your creative and productive juices going. This can be a book about personal development, behavioral economics, or a collection of inspiring stories.

One of the best things about making checklists is the ability to keep track of the tasks that youve successfully finished. Every now and then, look back at what youve accomplished so far, and give yourself a mental pat on the back. After all, according to Harvards Teresa Amabile, nothing is more motivating than progress.

No matter if its a small but complicated task or a large completed project, reward yourself with things that make you happy. The reward doesnt have to be material things. It can be something like having 15 more minutes to spend on your hobby or a quick visit to the library.

The important thing is to tap into your emotions, so that you feel good for a job well done.

Time spent procrastinating is time better spent working. Here are two things you can do to get back on the right track.

Whenever youre feeling a little lazy, the 2-minute rule can help you return to your work mode. What you do is tackle a small task in your to-do list which can be done in less than 2 minutes. Chances are, by the time you finish this small task, youre back to your work mode again.

If youre dreading doing a hard task, the 5-second rule might just be what you need. Its very easy. Just countdown from 5, and launch yourself into action.

Much like how scientists countdown to blast off spaceships, youre taking deliberate action to take control of your prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain involved in decision-making and working.

At the end of the day, self-discipline is the core of working at home. Work on eliminating your bad habits and developing good ones that can boost your career. It doesnt have to be a big change. You can make it easier by making small steps until you reach your ideal level of productivity.

The rest is here:
9 Productivity Hacks for Freelancers that Actually Work - Thrive Global

Methane emitted by ruminant animals like cattle and sheep accounted for 34% of New Zealand's greenhouse emissions in 2017. A flock of merino sheep on the country's South Island are seen here in April 2017. William West/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Methane emitted by ruminant animals like cattle and sheep accounted for 34% of New Zealand's greenhouse emissions in 2017. A flock of merino sheep on the country's South Island are seen here in April 2017.

New Zealand lawmakers approved a bill Thursday that commits the country to being carbon neutral by the year 2050. The measure, which passed 119 votes to 1, demonstrates the cross-party support that climate protection has in the Pacific island nation.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thanked lawmakers for supporting the bill and said she was grateful that in the past 10 years, Parliament had progressed from debating whether global warming is real to discussing what to do about it.

"We have to start moving beyond targets. We have to start moving beyond aspiration. We have to start moving beyond statements of hope and deliver signs of action. That is what this government is doing and proudly so," Ardern said Thursday. "We have made a choice that I am proud of, that will leave a legacy, and that I hope means the next generation will see that we in New Zealand were on the right side of history."

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (center) visits Pkaha National Wildlife Centre in the town of Carterton on Thursday. Ardern praised Parliament's passage of a bill to sharply limit the country's carbon emissions in the coming decades. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images hide caption

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (center) visits Pkaha National Wildlife Centre in the town of Carterton on Thursday. Ardern praised Parliament's passage of a bill to sharply limit the country's carbon emissions in the coming decades.

The Zero Carbon bill aims to provide a framework to implement climate change policies. It's in line with an international effort under the Paris Agreement to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Its passage comes in marked contrast to the Trump administration's declaration this week that the U.S. is formally withdrawing from the Paris deal. The U.S. is the only country to pull out of the pact, which was signed by 200 nations in 2015.

New Zealand's bill sets an ambitious target: to reduce all greenhouse gases (except biogenic methane, emitted by plant and animal sources) to net zero by 2050.

The country is well-positioned to hit zero. New Zealand already generates 80 percent of its electricity from renewables, and that portion will be higher by 2035 as offshore oil and gas are phased out. The government is shifting its fleet to electric vehicles and is working to transition other vehicles to electric, too. The government also has restarted a program to subsidize home insulation and is putting $14.5 billion over the next 10 years into transit, biking and walking infrastructure. In addition, New Zealand has already committed to planting one billion trees by 2028.

But that methane loophole is actually a big deal.

As greenhouse gases go, methane is a different beast from carbon dioxide. Methane in the atmosphere decays within decades, while CO2 stays in the atmosphere for centuries or longer. But methane is noxious stuff: It traps about 30 times as much heat in the atmosphere as CO2 does.

When it comes to emissions of biogenic methane, New Zealand isn't aiming for net zero. Instead, its goal is to reduce emissions by 10% below 2017 levels by 2030, and then by 24%47% by 2050.

Agriculture is the largest single source of greenhouse emissions in New Zealand, accounting for 48% of the country's total in 2017. Methane emissions from ruminant animals made up 34% of its total emissions. So by putting those emissions in a separate bucket, New Zealand has made hitting its carbon goals a lot easier.

Ruminant animals like sheep and cattle release methane as they digest grass and other leaves. There's no easy way to prevent this, but scientists have discovered that adding certain plants to the animals' diet can cut the amount of methane they produce.

Dozens of countries have signaled that they intend to eliminate carbon emissions in the coming decades. In 2017, Sweden's parliament voted to cut all greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Costa Rica, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany and the U.K. have all said they intend to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and the European Union is considering such a goal, though coal-producing countries such as Poland so far have refused to sign on.

In order to achieve those goals, countries must find ways to generate electricity without burning fossil fuels. In Scandinavia, that has meant investing in domestic hydro-power and wind, even as countries such as Norway continue to export fossil fuels to the global market.

Meanwhile, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters China, the United States and India have not made any zero-carbon national commitments. However, multiple U.S. states have, including California, Washington and New Mexico.

New Zealand nature advocacy organization Forest & Bird called the bill's passage an important first step but says the work is far from over.

"Now we need concrete, urgent, climate action to save our most vulnerable native species and restore native ecosystems," Chief Executive Kevin Hague said in a statement. "Increased fires, storms, and sea level rise could push our many endangered species over the edge."

"But our native forests and wetlands also have enormous potential to absorb carbon and protect us from the worst effects of extreme weather," he added. "The more we restore wild places and make them resilient to changing climate, the more benefit we'll see."

NPR science reporter Rebecca Hersher and food and agriculture correspondent Dan Charles contributed to this report.

Read the rest here:
New Zealand Commits To Being Carbon Neutral By 2050 With A Big Loophole - NPR

The menopause is a normal biological process and a natural part of ageing.

But for many women, it can come with life-changing symptoms including insomnia, hot flushes, and debilitating depression and anxiety.

And for every woman even those lucky enough to have minimal symptoms declining oestrogen levels increase the risk of long-term health conditions such as heart disease and osteoporosis.

Though symptoms can be challenging, menopause is a great opportunity to take stock of your overall health.

It can be a time of discovery, to try new things and introduce habits that will help you enjoy a healthy and happy second half of life.

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

Play now

During menopause, eating well can help to manage symptoms, protect bones and maintain a healthy weight.

If you get your eating habits in order during this time, you set yourself in good stead for strong bones, healthy heart, bouncy skin and plenty of energy, well into later life.

Here are my tried and tested tips for eating well during menopause and beyond.

SKIP SUGAR

Its best to cut back on sugar as much as possible as it can trigger a sharp rise in blood glucose levels, followed by an inevitable crash.

As well as wreaking havoc with mood and energy levels, these highs and lows can encourage the body to convert excess calories into fat that is stored around the abdomen, increasing the risk of developing type two diabetes and heart disease.

To curb sugar cravings, swap refined carbs such as white bread and pasta for wholegrain alternatives.

If youre desperate for a sweet treat in the afternoon, snack on antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and plain almonds.

PROTEIN POWER

As oestrogen levels decline during menopause, the body starts to store more fat, while at the same time losing bone density, muscle mass and strength.

One of the best ways to combat this is by increasing the amount of protein in your diet.

Protein is filling, so will keep you feeling fuller much longer, helping ward off weight gain.

It can also help your body hold on to muscle.

So aim to include a portion of high-quality protein with every meal.

This could be fish, poultry, eggs and red meat, as well as vegetable proteins such as chickpeas, lentils and tofu.

FILL UP ON FIBRE

In addition to eating plenty of protein, fibre can also help suppress cravings and prevent weight gain.

There is also strong evidence to suggest eating a fibre-rich diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type two diabetes and bowel cancer.

The Government recommends 25g a day for women find it in green veggies, wholegrains, lentils and beans.

BONE BOOSTERS

When it comes to strengthening bones, there are two main nutrients to be aware of calcium and vitamin D.

Dairy, egg yolks, kale, spinach and cabbage are all excellent sources of calcium.

But theres no point loading up on calcium if youre not getting enough vitamin D, as this vital vitamin is essential for calcium absorption.

Some food sources of vitamin D include oily fish, red meat, eggs, mushrooms and fortified breakfast cereals.

However, the bodys primary source of vitamin D is the suns UV rays and, for this reason, its recommended you take a supplement from September to March, when its dark and grey outside.

FANTASTIC FATS

A diet rich in healthy fats helps the body produce hormones, which is essential in mid-life. So much so that a low fat diet should be avoided during menopause.

As well as helping with hormone production, omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits in the body. And a particular strain, known as DHA, may even help ward off cognitive decline and Alzheimers in later life.

Research also suggests omega-3 may help reduce the occurrence and severity of hot flushes and night sweats.

You can find healthy fats in avocado, oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

SMILE VITAMINS

B-complex vitamins have also been shown to boost brain health.

Theyre are involved with mood regulation in the brain and are essential for the production of serotonin the happy hormone that may well be in short supply after sweaty, sleepless nights.

Good sources of B-complex vitamins include meat, fish, dairy products, fortified cereals and nutritional yeast.

GOOD GUT HEALTH

Research suggests gut health is hugely influential when it comes to our mood. In fact, up to 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut.

So its important to look after the friendly bacteria that live there by eating a diet rich in probiotic and prebiotic foods.

Probiotic foods contain live friendly bacteria that help populate the gut and improve its diversity, keeping it healthy.

Find them in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt.

Prebiotic food feeds the bugs in your gut and helps them thrive. Good sources are fibre-rich foods including wholegrains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

HORMONE HELPERS

Phytoestrogens and isoflavones are compounds that are found in plants and plant-based foods such as soya, flaxseeds, lentils and oats. There is some evidence they can improve menopausal symptoms by mimicking oestrogen.

However, they dont work for everyone, as only some women are able to digest the phytoestrogen in what they eat and you have to eat a large amount to notice any benefits.

When it comes to balancing hormones, HRT clearly remains the most effective option.

MIGHTY MAGNESIUM

It helps the body deal with stress, promotes good sleep and strengthens bones. Yet many people have a magnesium deficiency, and this is especially common in people who eat a lot of meat, dairy and processed foods.

Regular coffee and alcohol consumption can also inhibit the bodys ability to absorb the mineral from food.

Good sources of magnesium include leafy greens, nuts and wholegrains.

Though we should be able to get enough from our diet, many women, especially those who sleep badly, find taking a supplement can improve wellbeing during menopause.

Choose one that contains magnesium citrate, which is more easily absorbed by the body.

The Truth About Menopause from Liz Earle Wellbeing Magazine by Liz Earle MBE, 4.99, can be downloaded here

Deliciously good for you, this is packed with ingredients that are high in phytoestrogens, the oestrogen-like compounds found in soya, linseeds and some dried fruits.

100g wholemeal or spelt flour

100g medium rolled oats

100g soya flour

100g linseeds

100g raisins

200g pitted dates, chopped

100g apricots, chopped

50g sunflower seeds

50g flaked almonds

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

5 pieces stem ginger in syrup, chopped

750ml soya milk

1 Whizz linseeds in a food processor to crack open, then place all dry ingredients in a large bowl along with the chopped stem ginger.

2 Stir in 550ml soya milk, and the honey, and mix until combined.

Leave to soak for half an hour, then add remaining soya milk to loosen the mixture to a dropping consistency from the spoon, if needed.

3 Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.

Line a small loaf or round cake tin with baking parchment and spoon the mixture into the tin.

4 Bake for about an hour or until a sharp knife comes out of the centre cleanly, showing the cake is cooked.

Tip out onto a wire rack, and leave to cool completely before slicing with a very sharp knife.

Excerpt from:
Liz Earle's menopause diet with tips and tricks to help your health and wellbeing - Mirror Online

Paleo this and protein that and charcoal the other... What is it with all the food fads and why do they all cost so much money?

1. The great diet conWhen it comes to food fads, ridiculous diets have been front and centre for hundreds of years. Our world is groaning under the weight of faddy notions that promise to keep us leaner and younger and more beautiful for longer and in the US alone, the diet industry is said to be worth more than $70 billion (63bn) each year. Almost all that money is wasted.

Detox diets are where a big chunk of change is flushed away. Such diets are among the most ridiculous of faddy food trends because they promise to help us lose weight and detoxify our organs when they do nothing of the sort. The reality is that foods do not help bodies detox organs do that and no amount of celebrity endorsements will change that fact.

While detox diets are stupid they might not be the stupidest diet fads that have ever appeared on our table. More than 100 years ago the world was enthralled by something called Fletcherism. It was invented by Horace Fletcher who said if people chewed every mouthful of every meal exactly 32 times they would lose weight. The programme was obviously nonsense although some people may have lost weight because chewing each mouthful of food 32 times must have seen them lose the will to eat any more.

Silly diets were not the preserve of bygone eras and they still come thick and fast. It isnt that long ago that Robert Atkins was said by Time magazine to be among the 10 most influential people in the world. Atkins invented his eponymously named high-protein/low carbohydrate diet in the 1970s but it only really became a big deal in the last years of the last century. The diet so the narrative went allowed people to eat almost all the meat, seafood, eggs and cheese and other proteins they wanted but no carbs and not too many vegetables. Through a strict observance the weight was said to fall off. Did it work? Sort of at least in the short term but it also caused bad breath, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation and failed people in the long run.

2. Fryer tuckIn the 1980s almost every home in Ireland seemed to fall in love with the deep fat fryer and we all sought to replicate the greasy chipper experience in our own homes every day of the week. They were certainly fast and sort of easy to use and deep fat fryers were able to cook almost everything but at what cost to our hearts, waist lines, skin and taste buds? They were also hard to clean and smelled pretty bad too if they were mistreated. They are still in use but are nowhere near as popular as they were in the 1980s. It many cases they have been replaced by the likes of the Tefal Actifry which uses hot air and a tiny amount of cooking oil to deliver a passable version of chips without the grease or the smell.

3. Gadgets HellThere are scores of faddy foody things that promised to make our lives in the kitchen easier from the pressure cookers and SodaStreams of the 1970s to the spiralisers and the juicers of more recent years. But very few of them have delivered in the long term and the ones that have let us down all end up in that press in the kitchen where hope and ingenuity go to die.

4. Airline food on your couchThe idea of the TV dinner was sort of intoxicating in much the same space age way as instant mash and rehydrated peas were. You could get a hot and healthy meal to eat while watching the telly in minutes with absolutely no washing up to do at the end of it all. And not only that, the TV dinner would sort of replicate the experience of dining on aeroplanes by dividing your food into handy little compartments. The only problem was they were just a little bit revolting and not very healthy. While people still eat in front of the telly and still eat a lot of ready meals the TV dinners of times past are gone.

5. Meat freeNow, if you are vegan dont get cross. We know the path you are on is virtuous and we know you are making all sorts of sacrifices as a result of animal welfare concerns or concerns over the future wellbeing of the planet. And we are open to the idea that veganism is here to stay but when we see retailers and restaurants and manufacturers falling over themselves to hop on the plant-based bandwagon we cant help but think we are in the midst of a fad. It is possible to live a healthy and happy life by eschewing all animal products but it is very hard work and involves a lot more than just swapping out regular milk for an almond variety and cutting the sausages out of your diet. We suspect that many of the people who have declared themselves vegan in recent years will find themselves giving up when the going gets tough.

6. Doh! NutsHas there ever been a more mortifying moment in our history than when thousands of people appeared to lose the run of themselves in the queue outside that Krispy Kreme shop in Blanchardstown? It opened in September of last year and in its 12 months of trading here about 600,000 customers walked through the Krispy Kreme doors and bought around 6.6 million doughnuts making it the brands most successful store opening internationally. Many of those doughnuts were likely sold in the early days when a sort of collective madness saw the shop swamped by queues of cars and people day and night with many of those standing in line clearly unclear as to why they were there. That is the thing about fads, though. They can be inexplicable.

7. Cups runneth overAnd sometimes fads are very explicable. In an episode of Sex and the City which was broadcast in the US on May 10th, 1998, Carrie and Miranda spent 60 seconds sitting outside the Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street eating vanilla cupcakes and were guessing here talking about Carries love life and how she was getting on with Mr Big or Aidan or whoever. As soon as the programme aired people were queuing outside the Magnolia Bakery to be like Carrie and within months the cupcake had unseated the humble bun in bakeries across the world including Ireland. But it couldnt last and the cupcake was in turn unseated by doughnuts or cronuts or whatever youre having yourself.

8. Leave my coffee aloneCoffee has been a particular target for the fad makers. In recent years, trendsetters have sold us coffee made from beans excreted by animals and have added butter to coffee and marketed it as way to get more energy while simultaneously shedding the pounds. Charcoal has also been added to lattes in order to make help us cleanse. One thing all the coffee fads have in common is the price. They are all ridiculously expensive.

9. Pulled legsBarely 10 years ago, pulled pork did not exist in Ireland. Then it was suddenly everywhere. What looked like a mushy mess of meat was selling in high-priced restaurants and low-rent delis. It was all a long way from the North Carolina towns where it used to be made using the shoulder of a pig cooked slowly over barbecue coals until it was soft enough to be pulled into shreds and doused in barbecue sauce. You can still find pulled pork around the place but it is nowhere near as common as it was five years ago.

10. AvoFAD OhThe same cant been said for the avocado. While this fruit has been eaten by some people for many thousands of years, it only reached this part of the world in recent times and only exploded in popularity over the last decade. Marks & Spencer was one of the first supermarkets in Ireland or Britain to sell avocado pears and when they first appeared on its shelves in 1968 they were so alien to shoppers that one customer tried to serve them as a dessert with custard. Since the start of this century global sales have climbed by more than 400 per cent and in excess of 5 billion worth of them are now consumed each year. So many patients cut themselves slicing the fruit that some trauma hospitals have coined the phrase avocado hand for the injury. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons have even called for a warning label to be put on avocados.

The fruit was a staple in central America for centuries but a luxury item in the US. Then in 1926, a Los Angeles farmer called Rudolph Hass created a variety of avocado tree which grew a sweeter juicier fruit that was easier to grow, store and transport. It became known obviously as the Hass avocado and was all conquering and it accounts for more than 90 per cent of the avocados eaten. In the 1960s the avocado became more popular thanks to the increasing popularity of Mexican food and it became even more popular again in the 1990s when Sydney chef and restaurateur Bill Granger added lime, salt and chilli flakes to the mix and put it on toast and charged people a tenner for it.

11. QuinoaThe Incas who lived in Peru, Chile and Bolivia happily grew and ate quinoa undisturbed for many hundreds of years. They had plenty of it to go around. Then it started being exported to the US only in the 1980s and in the early part of the 21st century it was discovered by foodies who decided it was better than wheat, couscous or rice. Suddenly, the newly classified superfood was everywhere. It is probably more healthy than other options and it tastes grand but the heightened global demand has put pressure on many South American farmers to keep up. Many of them can no longer afford to eat their staple. Just imagine how wed feel if the hipsters of Portland stole all our potatoes?

12. Smells like protein spiritProtein balls, protein bars, protein shakes, protein bread, protein coffee, protein water, protein Weetabix? Is there nothing we wont add protein to nowadays? Apparently not. And it is not hard to see why. When the Box Says Protein, Shoppers Say Ill take it ran a headline above a Wall Street Journal article which was published six years ago and if anything our desire to have protein with everything has only intensified since then. The global protein supplements market is now valued at more than $12.4 billion each year. We do need protein but do we need so much of it to come from artificial sources and do we need to pay quite so much for it?

13. Palee oh noWho decided that it was a good idea to build entire diets around what our ancestors ate eaten during the Paleolithic era which stretched from about 3 million to 10,000 years ago. While there is nothing wrong with a diet which is made up of meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds the food that could be sourced through old-school hunting and gathering there is something wrong with slapping the prefix paleo on to something and then charging us a premium for it. And were not mad about a programme that cuts out things such as cheese and bread. And apart from all that what was the life expectancy of the people who actually invented the paleo diet? Not many of them lived beyond the age of 30.

The rest is here:
Atkins, avocados and pulled pork: Some of the worst foody fads - The Irish Times

FHWA is offering State DOTs FREE Road Diet related Technical Assistance. This assistance includes any activities that advance Road Diets within your state. As examples, technical assistance requests may include:

Lastly, FHWA is also offering FREE Road Diet workshops. Find out more about them here.

A roadway reconfiguration known as a Road Diet offers several high-value improvements at a low cost when applied to traditional four-lane undivided highways. In addition to low cost, the primary benefits of a Road Diet include enhanced safety, mobility and access for all road users and a "complete streets" environment to accommodate a variety of transportation modes.

A classic Road Diet typically involves converting an existing four-lane, undivided roadway segment to a three-lane segment consisting of two through lanes and a center, two-way left-turn lane.

The resulting benefits include a crash reduction of 19 to 47 percent, reduced vehicle speed differential, improved mobility and access by all road users, and integration of the roadway into surrounding uses that results in an enhanced quality of life. A key feature of a Road Diet is that it allows reclaimed space to be allocated for other uses, such as turn lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian refuge islands, bike lanes, sidewalks, bus shelters, parking or landscaping.

Why consider a Road Diet? Four-lane undivided highways experience relatively high crash frequencies especially as traffic volumes and turning movements increase over time resulting in conflicts between high-speed through traffic, left-turning vehicles and other road users. FHWA has deemed Road Diets a proven safety countermeasure and promotes them as a safety-focused design alternative to a traditional four-lane, undivided roadway. Road Diet-related crash modification factors are also available for use in safety countermeasure benefit-cost analysis.

As more communities desire "complete streets" and more livable spaces, they look to agencies to find opportunities to better integrate pedestrian and bicycle facilities and transit options along their corridors. When a Road Diet is planned in conjunction with reconstruction or simple overlay projects, the safety and operational benefits are achieved essentially for the cost of restriping. A Road Diet is a low-cost solution that addresses safety concerns and benefits all road users a win-win for quality of life.

Road Diets stand the test of time, having been implemented by transportation agencies for more than three decades. One of the first installations of a Road Diet was in 1979 in Billings, Montana. Road Diets increased in popularity in the 1990s. Cities, including Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Seattle, have also opted for the positive impact Road Diets bring to their communities.

FHWA developed a Road Diet Informational Guide to help communities understand the safety and operational benefits and determine if Road Diets may be helpful in their location.

See the rest here:
Road Diets (Roadway Reconfiguration) - Safety | Federal ...

1. Cook Your Own Meals

Sure, its more time consuming, but making your own food instead of going out to eat is a super-easy way to eat healthier (and, as an added bonus, save money). Restaurants load their dishes with sugar, salt and other unhealthy ingredients. Plus, the portion sizes are usually massive. Cooking at home ensures you know exactly whats going into your meals and gives you a better handle on how much youre eating.

2. Eat Mindfully

Picture it: Youre sitting in front of the TV with a giant takeout dinner you meant to spread over two meals. Youre fully engrossed in whatever youre watching and before you know it, youve mindlessly plowed through your entire order. To avoid unintentionally overeating, try practicingmindful eating, which basically means being in the moment while you calmly eat with intention. It also turns the act of eating into a really pleasant, not-stressful experience.

3. Fuel Up with Protein

The reason for this is threefold: Loading up on protein reduces your appetite, increases fat-burning and helps you gain muscle. Basically, the trifecta of health goals. Note that protein doesnt have to been chicken or red meathere areseven fabulous meatless sources, from chickpeas and lentils to quinoa and tahini.

4. Allow Yourself to Snack

When you eat small quantities throughout the day, youre less likely to be ravenous at traditional meal times. But when we say snack, were talking healthy options, people. Here arenine filling foodsto munch all day that wont wreck your diet but will still keep you firing on all cylinders.

5. Stop Drinking Your Calories

When we imagine the things that are making us hold onto excess pounds, we typically imagine cake and chips and French fries. We often overlook the sheer amount of calories (and sugar) in the beverages were drinking. To drop pounds without counting cals, limit soda (regular and diet), fancy coffee drinks and alcohol. We know that iced caramel macchiato is tempting, but try training yourself to prefer black coffee.

6. Use Smaller Plates

A little visual trickery never hurt anyone, right? By eating on smaller plates, youre essentially fooling your brain into thinking youre eating more. It sounds kind of outlandish, but in practice it has definitely worked for us. (Note that this might not work as well if youre super hungry.)

7. Stay Hydrated

Consistently drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your health and also one of the easiest. In addition to keeping your skin clear and your energy up, staying hydrated boosts your metabolism, makes you feel full (per a2015 studyfrom the University of Oxford) and keeps you from drinking the not-so-great-for-you beverages we mentioned above.

8. Read Labels for Ingredients, Not Calories

Just because were advising against intense calorie restriction doesnt mean you should ignore nutritional information altogether. Its more about knowing what to look for on a label. A product could have just 100 calories per serving and seem virtuousuntil you look a little lower and see that it also contains a whopping ten grams of sugar. Heres asuper-helpful primer on labelreadingwego back to again and again.

9. Dont Incentivize Food

Instead of rewarding yourself for hitting the gym three days in a row with a pizza and milkshake (which pretty much negates the work you put in on the spin bike), get a manicure orbuy a new bookyouve been eyeing.

10. Get Enough Sleep

You, like us, are probably more miserable in general when you havent gotten enough sleep, but did you know that being tired can also spell disaster for your weight loss goals? Studieslikethis onepublished in theJournal of Nursing Scholarshiphave shown that a lack of sleep can increase hunger and cravings, as well as cause weight gain by messing with levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin.

11. Be Patient

Rome wasnt built in a day, and weight doesnt fall off your body after you eat a single salad. If weight loss is your goal, its crucial to be kind to yourself and your body. You might be someone who loses weight at the drop of a hat, but you might not, and thats OK. Cut yourself some slack and dont quit when, after a week, you dont look like a Hadid sister.

RELATED: 8 Things a Nutritionist Always Buys at Aldi

Continued here:
5 Reasons Diets Dont Work and What to Do Instead ...

Key Facts

Fad diets are marketed as quick ways to lose weight. The most popular fads tend to change from year to year, but the promises they make dont. Diets such as the ketogenic diet, the whole 30, the paleo diet, juice cleanses and even intermittent fasting are all fads.

Some people will lose weight while following a fad diet, but most fad diets are impossible to stick to for long. This means that once you stop following the diet, youll probably gain back the weight you lost. Some people actually gain back more weight than they started with.

Fad diets dont usually provide enough vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium and vitamin D. Iron is important for red cells in your blood and calcium and vitamin D are important for healthy bones.

You can spot a fad diet by asking yourself a few simple questions:

If you answered yes to any of these questions, youve probably spotted a fad diet. Advertising that promotes these diets is often very convincing. These ads may draw you in and make you believe that its super easy to follow the diet and lose weight. Dont be fooled. This type of weight loss plan is not a healthy way to lose weight.

Its not safe for teenagers to take diet pills. Over the counter supplements are especially not safe for weight loss because they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is the government organization that makes sure that the food we eat and the medicine we take is safe. However, supplements are not regulated so they could be harmful.

Yes! There are much healthier ways to manage weight rather than following a fad diet. We lose weight by eating fewer calories than our bodies burn. To lose weight, add calorie-burning activities into your day, and cut down on the calories you eat. Because a large decrease in your calories can be harmful to your body, try small dietary changes like the suggestions below.

Try these changes to cut back on the calories you eat by:

Simple ways to fit exercise into your day include:

The healthiest way to successfully lose weight is to make small changes that will fit into your lifestyle. An easy way to make sure that a weight loss program is healthy and right for you, is to see if it includes the following:

If your weight loss plan includes all of the above, its likely a healthy approach.

Remember to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups. Choose healthy portion sizes and eat fruits and vegetables from all the colors of the rainbow to get important nutrients for your body. Try to do 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week. It is okay to eat treats once in a while. Making these healthy changes will help you to lose weight, and keep the weight off. If you have questions about whether or not a diet is healthy, talk with your health care provider who might refer you to see a registered dietitian. A registered dietitian is a specialist on the topic of nutrition and can help you figure out an eating plan that is healthy, balanced, and appealing to you.

See the article here:
Fad Diets vs. Healthy Weight Management | Center for Young ...

As the number of doctors, dietitians, and other diabetes specialists interested in carb restriction continues to grow, questions inevitably arise. How many carbs per day should people with diabetes eat? Are targets for protein and fat intake necessary, or can people be advised to eat as much as they need to feel full?

Recently, a group of Australian researchers explored these questions in a systematic review of studies on low-carb diets in people with type 2 diabetes:

Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism: An evidencebased approach to developing lowcarbohydrate diets for type 2 diabetes management: a systematic review of interventions and methods

This was an extensive review of 41 intervention studies, including 18 randomized trials, totaling 2135 participants altogether. Results from one of the studies werent included in the analysis due to high risk of bias.

Although some studies didnt provide detailed data beyond the carbohydrate prescription, the overall composition of the diets varied widely:

The researchers assessed changes in blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1c values, and diabetes medications as the main study outcomes. Additionally, they looked at improvements in other health markers like waist size, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol levels.

The verdict? In all 40 studies, low-carb diets were found to be both safe and effective for managing diabetes, despite the large differences in macronutrient intakes. This demonstrates that even modest carb restriction is beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes, and that consuming more protein and fat doesnt impair blood sugar control.

Importantly, though, the research team didnt discuss which interventions had the most dramatic effects on diabetes outcomes. Although we dont have strong supportive data, it seems less likely that someone whose goal is diabetes reversal would be able to achieve this by eating 100 grams of carbs per day. In fact, restricting carbs to less than half that amount might be needed.

On the other hand, the researchers noted that dietary interventions only work if people can stick with them long term. While its true that many people enjoy eating very-low-carb diets, it may not be realistic for everyone with diabetes.

Addressing both blood sugar response and personal preferences is key to creating a truly individualized, successful low-carb lifestyle.

Low-carb session draws crowd at Certified Diabetes Educators conference

New study: Reduced-carb diet beats conventional diabetes diet

Virta Health publishes two-year data on low-carb diet for type 2 diabetes

GuideThis page gives you an overview of what you need to know about diabetes. It will also link you to more information and, importantly, to practical guides that will help you learn what to do about having diabetes.

Read the original post:
Low carb for type 2 diabetes: many approaches can work ...

To make a low-carb diet truly simple and enjoyable requires a few new skills. For example, how do you cook low-carb breakfasts that you love? How do you eat more healthy fats? And whats important to think about when dining out?

Here are all the guides you need.

Breakfast is a great time to eat low carb. Who doesnt love bacon and eggs? In the unlikely event that you answered I, there are even great options with no eggs at all.

Another strong option is to just have a cup of coffee, as many people get less hungry on a low-carb, high-fat diet and may not need breakfast at all. This can save you plenty of time.

There are many other options both delicious and fast

So, Whats for lunch and dinner on a low-carb diet? You could have mouth-watering, delicious dishes full of meat, fish, chicken, vegetables and full-fat sauces. The options are nearly limitless as you will see by our variety of recipes and meal plans.

Check out our recipes to learn to cook amazing low-carb meals

Who needs starchy sides when you can have cauliflower mash or cauliflower rice instead? Not to mention butter-fried green cabbage, yum!

In short, we can show you plenty of great low-carb alternatives that are both tasty and healthy. You may even end up liking them better than their carb-heavy predecessors.

Its very possible to eat low carb even when leaving your house, for example at restaurants. Just avoid starchy foods and ask for some extra natural fat (e.g. olive oil or butter).

This guide helps you with tips for fast food, other restaurants, buffets and for when you eat at a friends house

You probably dont need to snack as much on a low-carb diet, as youll likely feel satisfied longer.

However, if you want something right away you could have cheese, nuts, cold cuts or even an egg. There are lots of amazing options

Do you have a hard time living without bread?

You may not have to. Just be aware that there are good and bad low-carb bread options. Spoiler: youll probably want to stay away from low-carb bread from the grocery store! Heres why, and what to do instead

Fat can be both satiating and an amazing flavor enhancer. But how do you get enough of it in your diet? And how much fat should you really eat? Hint: enough to feel satisfied and not hungry.

Learn all about it in this guide

Many who are eating a low-carb diet can get seduced by creatively marketed low carb products cakes, cookies, candies, chocolate, pastas, breads, ice cream and other substitute foods.

Unfortunately this rarely ends well, especially not for weight loss. These products are usually lacking beneficial nutrients and are often higher in carbs than their labels imply. We recommend avoiding them entirely if possible. Learn more

A low-carb diet doesnt have to be expensive. In this guide, youll learn how to make it cheap.

With a little planning and preparation you could save a ton of money

Is it a good thing to occasionally stray from on a low-carb diet? That depends. And its worth thinking about whats right for you. Learn more

Do you want more low-carb guides? We have more low-carb guides!

Continue reading here:
A Low-Carb Diet for Beginners The Ultimate Guide Diet ...

Ever found yourself looking for a diet, but are unsure if any of them actually work?

There are some that are better than others. There are also diets that have reliable clinical research to back them up.

Packaged food programs (Jenny Craig and NutriSystem) are generally short-term solutions or fixes they are often used by people trying to get back on track. Convenience and time-management often dictate what we can eat. This is reality.

According to the Annals of Internal Medicine:

With the exception of Weight Watchers, the evidence to support the effectiveness of major commercial weight loss programs is limited. Patients considering the use of commercial weight loss programs should realize that these programs have not been carefully studied and that they vary greatly in cost.

So, without doubt Weight Watchers is the most studied diet, and with the most successful outcome.

"I just wanted to say how great this site is. The Macro-Nutrient and Daily Calorie Needs calculators I use all the time. Thank you!"

- Terra

This site is reader-supported: some links are affiliate links earning commissions on sales. 2019 Freedieting.com

Continued here:
Top 10 Diets That Work - Freedieting

Page 193«..1020..192193194195..200210..»

Home » Diets that Work » Page 193