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On being asked what prodded her to take this step and how did she manage to lose almost 12 kg weight, she said: "Trust me, I went in for a simple reduction in my eating habits. You can say that I cut off on my non-vegetarian food, chocolates and ice cream and nothing else. But besides that, let me explain how I ate because therein lies the catch. Every day, I ate just one or two things. I wouldn't stuff too much variety in my daily consumption of food. For example, if I ate dal and moong for lunch, I would eat the same for dinner. And I reduced the portions. If I was hungry for two rotis, I ate only one. Mann maarke khati thi. And it started working. I was 67 kg around the time lockdown began in March, I am 55 kg now." Shehnaz continued, "Lost 12 kg in less than 6 months, but without doing any exercise. Just my restricted food consumption did the trick."

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Exclusive - Shehnaz Gill on her weight loss: Lost 12 kgs in 6 months, maine socha logon ko dikhati hoon ki main bhi patli ho sakti hoon - Times of...

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September is PCOS awareness month. PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome. It affects around 10 million people worldwide. Since it involves the hormones related to reproduction, it can cause many different frustrating and uncomfortable symptoms.

Fatigue, increased facial and body hair, thinning of the hair on your head, acne, painful periods and ovulation, mood changes, headaches, sleep problems and, of course, infertility are all possible symptoms of PCOS. It also changes the way your body uses insulin.

A lot of people experience weight gain and extreme difficulty losing weight, but you dont have to experience unexplained weight gain to have PCOS. Many people experience multiple ovarian cysts, but some actually dont. PCOS is complicated (and probably needs a new name.)

In honor of PCOS Awareness Month, five women with PCOS agreed to share a snippet of their stories with Scary Mommy. Heres what they had to say.

I have super painful periods and ovulation, including the crippling pain of cysts rupturing. Ive noticed a total inability to lose weight with normal diet and exercise. Ive experienced skin tags, cystic acne and ingrown hairs on my inner thighs, and dark skin under my arms. Its a nuisance. Because of the effects of PCOS, I dont love my body, and I feel a lot of shame over it. It adds to my depression and anxiety. I am very self-conscious. Working in the beauty industry makes me extra self-conscious because of how much bigger I am compared to others in my industry. I hate going to the doctor because all they want to do is talk about my weight. It sucks. I wish people knew how varied the symptoms of PCOS can be. It affects everyone very differently.

PCOS can be such an emotionally devastating problem. I tried to have a baby for fifteen years with my ex-husband, and I never once got pregnant. I took so many pregnancy tests, and they were all negative. My struggle with infertility happened at the same time that I was attending a church that taught me that my infertility was my own fault. The idea was that God was closing my womb due to some kind of sin or moral shortcoming in my life. I wish I had known more about how PCOS affected my body so I would never have bought into that lie. As far as being plus size and PCOS, I have been blessed with some amazing doctors. They understand how much harder it is to lose weight with PCOS, and they dont push me about it as much as I think some doctors might who dont understand PCOS.

PCOS is one of the reasons people need to stop asking why someone doesnt have kids yet! It may seem harmless to say, Youd make a great mom, but its not. For years, Id smile and say quietly, Well, were working on it. Inside, I was screaming. I spent so many hours crying because I know Id be a great mom, but my body wont cooperate.

After almost 10 years on birth control, I came off the pill. I ended up getting pregnant, but miscarried at 11 weeks. I got my PCOS diagnosis in the aftermath of that loss.

My symptoms arent the classic weight gain and hair loss. My first symptom was terrible pain with ovulation. When I have cysts, the pain gets to the point where Im doubled over in pain, vomiting. Ive even been admitted to the hospital.

I try to control my symptoms mostly with my diet, and I am successful now. While I was trying to figure out what would work for me, I became so afraid of the pain that I just didnt eat anything. At my lowest point, I was medically underweight and people assumed I had an eating disorder. It really hurt because they had no clue on what I was going through. I didnt like how I looked either, but I was scared to eat. To me, it wasnt worth the pain.

My symptoms now include thinning hair and acne. I was able to have two sons, but both times, I was terrified Id miscarry again. I had trouble breastfeeding (another PCOS-related issue) so I used formula, too. PCOS looks different for everyone. We might not all have the same experience, but in the end, we are all in the same shitty boat.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when Id been trying for a year to get pregnant without success. I think it was just bloodwork and an assessment of my symptoms. With a combination of Metformin and diet changes, Ive been able to have regular periods with PCOS. I wish my doctors had explained early on how Metformin works, because my body also responds pretty well to a lower sugar diet with fewer carbs, and Ive been able to decrease my dose.

The most troubling thing for me was the hirsutism. I bleached my facial hair for years. Some people saw past it, some people clearly could see nothing but it. I did laser treatments after I had my last child, and it has been pretty under control since then.

I am in eating disorder recovery, and its been my experience that every doctor looks at the PCOS diagnosis, sees I am not overweight, and tells me I dont fit the bill. Its frustrating, and it does always kind of drive the stay smaller mentality in me when they make such a big deal out of it.

Id like people to that there are treatments to help, and that lots of other women struggle with it. Do NOT be ashamed because you are not alone.

I started to suspect that I had PCOS based on my own symptoms. Because I am young and thin, it took me almost three years to get a diagnosis. During all that time, I had ovarian cysts, acne, body hairall the usual suspects. I finally ended up in the ER with a ruptured cyst, and my doctors started taking me seriously. It didnt feel like a fertility death sentence when I got the diagnosis. It was a sigh of relief. With a diagnosis, I could help my body in a way I couldnt before. Ive had some trouble conceiving, but I am grateful to have the diagnosis so we know where to start. I am optimistic that I will have a baby in my arms soon.

I want people to know that PCOS has many symptoms, and affects many body types. Im just thankful I fought for myself and knew what I was experiencing wasnt normal.

From the moment I got my period, I had problems related to it. Ive been dealing with it for a couple decades now, and I still struggle with how it affects my body, and how it makes me feel.

I have hair on my chin and very little left on my head. I live in a plus-size body, and changing my size is a colossal struggle. Ive dealt with difficult periods and irregular cycles my entire life.

The hardest part of PCOS for me has been decreased fertility. I never had 12 chances a year to get pregnant. I ovulated 5 or 6 times during a good year. Sometimes, just once or twice. I didnt always respond to medications, and I lost 2 out of our five pregnancies. I had to have two different surgeries on my reproductive organs. It took my husband and me almost 14 years to have our three kids. Its been such a wild ride, and even though Im done having kids, my struggle with PCOS is far from over. It affects so much more than my fertility.

Its important for people to know PCOS exists. There are millions of us out here fighting the same fight, even if every single one of our bodies is just a little different.

If you think you might have PCOS, contact your doctor for help. It might take some trial and error, but there is hope for a well-managed body and a comfortable life.

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September Is PCOS Awareness Month Heres How It Can Affect Your Body And Mind - Scary Mommy

To avoid getting infected with the novel coronavirus, practice social distancing and wear a face mask around people who are not in your household.

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We've long known that obesity is linked to a higher risk of many diseases, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and even some autoimmune disorders and certain types of cancer. So, it should not come as that much of a surprise that your risk of getting really sick from COVID-19 rises if you're carrying extra weight.

"While age may still be the top risk factor, research now shows that obesity is emerging as the next big one," says John Morton, MD, division chief for bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at the Yale School of Medicine.

Throughout the pandemic, studies have showed that many of the sickest patients with the novel coronavirus were also more likely to have obesity.

In a review of 75 studies published in August 2020 in the journal Obesity Reviews, researchers looked at the medical records of almost 400,000 patients with COVID-19 and found that those with obesity were 113 percent more likely than people at a healthy weight to land in the hospital, 74 percent more likely to be admitted to an ICU and 48 percent more likely to die.

And the higher your BMI, the greater your risk in general: An August 2020 study in Annals of Internal Medicine of almost 7,000 patients with COVID-19 found that while the risk of death more than doubled for patients with a BMI of 40 (equivalent to a 5'4" woman weighing 233 pounds or a 5'9" man weighing 271 pounds) compared to those with a normal BMI, it quadrupled for those with a BMI of at least 45 (the equivalent of a 5'4'' woman weighing 262 pounds or a 5'9" man weighing 304 pounds).

Here's why a higher BMI may put you at risk, and what you can do about it.

The Obesity-COVID-19 Link

Medical experts aren't exactly sure why obesity seems to make the novel coronavirus worse, but there are several theories.

One reason may be that obesity can cause a state of chronic, low-grade inflammation, says Fatima Stanford, MD, MPH, an obesity specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

"COVID-19 itself appears to be an inflammatory disorder, so when the two are combined together, it's really a perfect storm," she explains.

As a result, patients are more likely to experience a "cytokine storm" a type of immune system overreaction where your body starts attacking its own cells and tissues rather than just fighting off the virus.

It may also be because people with obesity are also more likely to have other, chronic conditions that appear to raise risk of COVID-19 complications, such as type 2 diabetes and heart or kidney disease, Dr. Morton says.

Poor lung function may be another factor.

"Obesity changes the rest of your physiology, including reduced lung volume and capacity due to too much fat around the lungs," explains Marcio Griebeler, MD, an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

This in turn may make it more likely that you'll develop complications such as pneumonia or even acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition that can occur in severe COVID-19 cases.

Obesity can make it less likely that you'll respond to COVID-19 treatment.

"It's much harder to place a person with obesity into the prone position [lying on their stomachs], which is often used in hospitals to open up airways," Dr. Griebeler says. It's also more difficult to ventilate a patient with obesity.

People with obesity also seem to carry a higher viral load of COVID-19, which means that they're not only more likely to spread the disease to others, but to experience more severe symptoms themselves, Dr. Morton says. "The COVID-19 virus has a doorway to our body through ACE2 receptors, which exist not only in our nasal, oral and lung tissue, but also in our fat tissue, as well," he explains.

But if people with obesity may be at higher risk for COVID-19, they also may be reluctant to seek medical attention if they do get sick, and the care that they do get may be inadequate.

"We know patients with obesity are less likely to seek care for even routine preventative care such as mammograms or Pap smears because of the negative interactions they have with the health care system," Dr. Stanford points out.

Doctors spend less time with patients with obesity, and are less likely to refer them for needed tests, due to strong unconscious negative attitudes and stereotypes, per a March 2015 study in Obesity Reviews.

"We know that weight stigma and bias does lead to inadequate care, so why wouldn't it be more prevalent during this pandemic?" Dr. Stanford says.

While researchers are frantically working to find a vaccine for COVID-19, theres also concern that it may not work as well for people with obesity, Dr. Morton notes.

Weve seen this in the past with other vaccines, such as the hepatitis B vaccine, since it appears that obesity can cause a decreased immune response, he explains.

Thats why its so important that clinical trials make sure to include people with obesity.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy and Safe

Follow Best Practices to Avoid Getting Infected

If you or a loved one are living with obesity, it's very important to take the novel coronavirus seriously.

"Approach the disease as you would if you were an older adult in your 60s and 70s," Dr. Morton advises.

Practice social distancing meticulously, and always wear a mask if you're around others outside of your household, even if you're outdoors. If you're not in an area with low rates of COVID-19 (that's usually defined as less than 10 cases per 100,000 people over 14 days and a COVID-19 positive testing rate of less than 5 percent) then you'll also want to limit your interactions with others and stay home as much as possible.

You don't have to go on a dramatic diet in fact, that may actually backfire by depressing your immune system, which in turn may make you more susceptible to COVID-19, Dr. Griebeler points out. But focusing on a more conservative weight loss, even just 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight, may bring about big benefits.

"We know modest weight loss provides health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and improving type 2 diabetes, so it makes sense it may be protective against COVID as well," Dr. Morton says.

It's also important to embrace other healthy lifestyle habits that help strengthen your immunity: These include regular exercise, getting enough sleep, eating a heart-healthy, Mediterranean-style diet and trying to reduce stress, Dr. Morton adds.

These have the added benefit of helping you lose weight, which is a double whammy against COVID-19.

Read more stories to help you navigate the novel coronavirus pandemic:

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Obesity and COVID-19 Risk: How to Stay Healthy - LIVESTRONG.COM

Lets get this out of the way right off the bat: Carbs are not your enemy. But, compared to fat and proteins, carbsin their endless snackable formscan be the hardest macronutrient to resist. Carbs dont carry a strong appetite-satisfying effect, says Paul Kriegler, RD, a Minnesota-based certified sports nutritionist and personal trainer with Life Time Fitness health clubs. So even if you crush a bag of Goldfish while bingeing Selling Sunset, you might still be hungry and crave more. For that reason (and others), dialing back on pasta, cookies, and bread has become a popular diet move.

Whether youre following a carb-restricting diet like keto (which limits carb intake to 5-10 percent of your total calories) or just cutting some of that extraneous starchy snacking, adjusting your workouts is vital. Consuming fewer carbs can stall your fitness progress and make your workouts feel, well, more like work. Heres how to tweak your sweat sessions so you can stay on top of your fitness game.

Someone whos generally well-nourished can store about two hours worth of carbohydrate energyin the form of glycogenin their muscles and liver, says Kriegler. Thats a pretty decent tank of gas for a standard workout. But if youre not adequately refilling that tank with enough carbs, youll be starting subsequent workouts from a glycogen deficit. That could cause you to feel more fatigued than normal during a workout and want to cut it short, he explains.

You can avoid that entirely by planning to shorten your workouts from the get-go. How much you should dial things back depends on your training experience and overall health, says Kriegler. Exercising for as little as 10 minutes was shown to have the same benefits as traditional endurance training in a study published in PLOS One. So, consider starting there and slowly adding on 5 or 10 minutes to your workouts. This way, you can ease into working out with less fuel and get a sense of how much energy you realistically have to put toward your sweat sesh.

Artem Varnitsin / EyeEmGetty Images

Carb cutters might need to dial back on high-intensity workouts (like running, swimming, boot camps, and boxing) in favor of more moderate-intensity ones (like the elliptical, resistance training, slow cycling, and walking), says Audra Wilson, R.D., a clinical dietitian with the Weight Management and Bariatric Surgery Program at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital.

Youre just not really fueling yourself adequately to be able to perform high-intensity exercise to your utmost ability, she explains, and that can lead to muscle damage and breakdown. That doesnt mean you cant do any high-intensity workouts; it just means that if you do them too frequently, you may be self-sabotaging. Kriegler recommends that those cutting carbs stick to one to three hard workouts a week, one to three that are moderate, and one to three that are easy. Plan to stick to this scaled back fitness regimen until you add more carbs to your diet.

Your bodys preferred source of energy is always carbs. It takes more oxygen to break down fat and protein for energy, explains Wilson. If you start your workout with cardio, youre going to bottom out your limited glycogen stores right at the outset; then, your bodys going to turn to protein and fat for energy. Translation: Your body will literally break down your hard-earned muscle to provide energy for your strength workout, preventing you from making gains, says Wilson. Eep!

But regardless of how many carbs you eat, doing cardio before strength will cut into the number of weight lifting reps you can perform, according to a study from the The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Not only that, it'll decrease your muscle power while increasing how hard a workout feels, a separate study from the same journal found. Bottom line: Stick to post-lifting cardio whenever you can.

Theres a lot of buzz about working out before youve eaten in the morning, but experts dont recommend it. Its not a research-backed way to lose weight, and it would lead to muscle breakdown, says Wilson. In fact, cardio on an empty stomach caused twice the amount of protein breakdown in muscles than doing the same workout after eating, research published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal found.

If youre limiting your carb consumption, plan to eat those carbs at the meals right before or after your toughest workouts, says Kriegler. Then, its either going to give you the juice you need to get through that higher effort or replenish what youve burned through during the workout.

When you lower your carb intake, the less insulin your body makes; and the less insulin in your body, the harder it is for your body to retain electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and calcium.

Electrolytes are minerals that help trigger muscle contractionsif you don't have enough in your body, your body won't be able to perform a bicep curl or move your leg forward to take your next running step, explains Kriegler. You might experience more tension or cramping in your muscles, too. Even if you dont change the amount of load youre putting on your muscles, you might benefit from longer rest periods.

That could just mean an extra minute or two between sets of heavy lifts, or an extra day of recovery after a more intense workout. How do you figure out what kind of rest you need? Listen to your body. If you have extra time during your workout to rest more, great, says Kriegler. If you need to be efficient and just adjust your training frequency throughout the week, thats fine, too.

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5 Ways Your Workout Should Change If You're Watching Your Carbs - Women's Health

31-year-old Shivakumar realised that his unhealthy lifestyle was not only impacting his health as he slowly gained more weight, but was also affecting his confidence levels. Determined to lose weight and get back in shape, he completely changed his dietary habits and lost a massive 32 kilos over a span of one year. Here is his immensely inspiring weight loss journey. Read on!

Name: Shivakumar

Occupation: Senior Contracting Supervisor in Travel and Tourism Company

Age: 31 years

Height: 5 feet 10 inches

City: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Highest weight recorded: 96 kg

Weight lost: 32 kg

Duration it took me to lose weight: Approximately 1 year

The turning point: As I continued to pile on kilos, I slowly began to lose confidence. Be it corporate presentations or any other kind of social gatherings, I started feeling shy and uncomfortable. Furthermore, I was not able to sit on my office chair for a long duration of time.

I realised that I needed to lose weight and get back in shape. So, I gradually changed my eating habits and even started dieting. I also went ahead and joined a gym, but I wasnt able to continue it for more than a month. At this point, my uncle suggested me to include Kombu Thaen honey (forest honey) in my weight loss regime to kickstart my weight loss journey. Slowly and gradually, I actually started to lose weight.

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Weight loss story: "I lost 32 kilos after I started drinking Kombu honey and lemon water" - Times of India

Struggling with obesity? Try these 5 foods to burn fat and boost weight loss  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Obesity is a recognized condition in which there is an abnormally high percentage of fat accumulationin the body. It occurs when the calorie intake exceeds the amount of calorie burnt. Obesity is prevalent mostly in countries that have a higher income than the ones with lower income. It can be constrained and prevented through a balanced and controlled diet. Fortunately, there are many foods that can help you burn belly fat and contribute to weight loss. Weight management through food is one of the first steps to manage obesity.

There may be several factors that can lead to obesity. Some of the factors may include genetics, prolonged, physical inactivity, high sugar and fat intake, hormonal imbalance and medication side effects. Obesityposes severe health risks and can lead to some cancers, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis and hypertension.Here are some foods that can help you fight obesity and stay healthy.

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

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

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Struggling with obesity? Try these 5 foods to burn fat and boost weight loss - Times Now

Since I retired, the biggest change in my life is my lack of attention to detail.

Routinely, I find Ive run out of butter or milk or bread. With laundry, it suddenly seems clean skivs have become either a faint hope or a distant memory. As for appointments? Well, I missed my last oil change twice in a row.

Ultimately, this is no cause for concern. My mnemonic slovenliness is not due to any slippage of my cerebral prop, so much as to the total lowering of my GACQ (Give A Crap Quotient). Once I slipped the traces of academe, I found I cared as much about the mundane details of everyday life as I did about the Kardashians, professional sports and the Netflixs latest offerings. That is, not at all.

This is not to say I space out on everything. One thing I never forget is my doctors appointments. Compared to a clean bill of health, clean skivs lack any importance. However, just to clear up any misunderstanding that might arise, clean skivs at a doctors appointment are vitally important.

So two weeks ago when my biannual exam with Dr. Tramantano came up, you can bet I was right there in his waiting room well in advance of the scheduled time.

A note about me and Dr. T: Hes my cardiologist and thus near and dear to my heart literally. Not only do sterling wit and striking looks run in my family, but so does heart disease. Ive had a bypass, my brothers had two, and all the men in the previous generation never lived long enough to even hear about them.

Actually, our hearts are in fine shape; its our coronary arteries that are the miserable little traitors. Or as my bro puts it: Weve got great pumps, but lousy pipes.

So given this nagging issue, you can bet your bip I dont regard my appointments with Dr. T. with the same nonchalance that I do my supply of comestibles or tighty whities.

Plus, while Im a creature of little to no faith in most realms, I have complete faith in Dr. T. Hes as sharp, caring and thorough as any patient could hope; plus he has a boffo sense of humor. (That is, he laughs at my jokes.)

Theres only one area of his care that falls short of my ideal, and it always rears its ugly head at the appointments end.

Saving the worst for last

The appointment of a couple weeks ago went according to plan. After a short wait, his nurse Patti checked my temp, weight and blood pressure, then wired me up for an EKG. After another short wait, there was a discreet tap on the door, and in glided The Good Doctor, hisself.

He had the same bright-eyed boyish look I know so well, but something had changed. It took a long moment, but then it hit me: He was decked out in black designer scrubs. He was the very picture of sartorial elegance, but with a faintly ominous aura. The effect was startling like Young Doctor Kildare meets The Gunslinger.

I recovered quickly from my shock and after our initial greetings, the appointment proceeded apace.

First he looked over my EKG results; then he looked at my lab results and whatever else was in the folder. When he finished, he looked over at me.

Well, he said, everything looks good. All your numbers from the lab are fine, and sos your heart.

Great, I said.

Are you having any problems with shortness of breath, chest pains, fatigue? he said.

Nope, I said.

Have any trouble sleeping?

I sleep like a baby, I said. I wake up every three hours crying.

OK, so that was an ancient Henny Youngman line, but I couldnt resist.

He chuckled a bit. I shrugged it was better than nothing.

So, no concerns about your health? he said.

None at all, I said.

As I said, everything looks good, he said. But

Oh crap, I thought, here it goes, again.

But, he continued, you could lose five pounds.

Fat chance

Now its time for a wee grammar lesson.

Could, in this context is an auxiliary verb being used in the subjunctive mood. And whats the subjunctive mood? Just this: It is used for conditional or imaginary situations situations that are hypothetical rather than true.

In other words, to my way of thinking, his saying I could lose five pounds was the same as saying I could win a Nobel Prize, or could climb K-2, or could marry into the Bhutanese royal family. In other words, I could but I wont.

Yeah, I know thats not how he meant it, but whos the language guy here anyway?

Besides, when it comes to me losing weight, any amount of it, it aint gonna happen. Not that I havent lost weight in the past. Several summers ago, also on a doctors recommendation, I decided to shed my baby fat.

First, I upped my speed walking to between six and eight miles a day, six days a week.

Along with that, I cut out alcohol, sugar, white flour and about everything else except paper dolls.

For three months I dieted and walked my dupa off literally. One day, back from a six-miler in 85 degrees, I happened to glance in a mirror and Holy Moly! there I was, glistening, an Adirondack Adonis. Id become the Bernarr McFadden of the Blue Line!

Id dropped a cool 10 pounds and two sizes and now had a washboard waist where before thered just been a layer of lard.

Having gotten rid of my baby fat, I vowed to keep it off. And I did, for the rest of the summer and most of the fall. But when winter returned, so did all the weight Id lost.

And then I made another vow: My weight loss days were over. Finis. Fertig. Finito.

Or to put it in clear medical terms: Id start to lose weight again when the AMA starts lobbying for national health care.

While Ive made a lot of vows in my life, my record of sticking to them isnt all that good. But this was one I said Id keep, and I did.

I didnt bother sharing any of this with Dr. T. And why should I? He was just doing his best to look out for my health. Why be snotty about his good intentions?

So I said nothing, nodded as if I was not only paying attention to what he said but agreeing with it as well.

The appointment concluded, we said our fond farewells and went our separate ways.

I thought nothing more of that weight loss shtick till that night, when I suddenly recalled something. When Id first gone to Dr. T., two years ago, Id weighed the same as I do now, and at the end of the appointment he recommended I lose 10 pounds. Of course, I lost no weight, and at every subsequent appointment, 10 pounds was the magic number. But now, while I still weigh the same, Dr. T. has suggested a five-pound loss.

But what caused this? I doubt the BMI charts have changed; nor would The Good Doctor figure a 10-pound loss would make me dangerously underweight. So it can only be one thing: Smart guy that he is, he knows when to cut back on his suggestion.

And now the good news: Since hes going to stay as smart as he is, and Im going to stay as stubborn as I am, in another two years hell give up telling me to lose weight at all.

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The weighting game and the waiting game | News, Sports, Jobs - The Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Nutrition can be a hotly contested topic, but health experts agree that eating well is actually simple. No matter which way you slice and dice the information, the conclusion is you should mostly eat a whole, minimally processed diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and water. If you can do that, you cant go wrong, says preventive medicine specialist David L. Katz, MD, coauthor, along with Mark Bittman, of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered. Dr. Katz is also the founding director of Yale Universitys Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in Derby, Connecticut.

In essence, says Katz, there shouldnt be a need for another nutrition book (like his!), and yet nutrition confusion remains. Here, we cut through some of the bigger myths out there to help you eat better starting today.

Carbohydrates include highly processed foods, like crackers, chips, bread, and breakfast cereal. But the category also includes berries, spinach, beans, lentils, and plant-based foods that contain fiber and a variety of health-promoting nutrients, says Katz.

Consuming high-fiber, unrefined carbohydrates whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables is linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease, says Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian in Toronto and the author of The Mindful Glow Cookbook. A series of meta-analyses and reviews published in January 2019 in The Lancet backs up this notion. Stop fearing all carbs, Sharp says.

Theres nothing special about breakfast, says Katz. The first food you eat during the day is technically breakfast, but it doesnt need to be consumed early or include certain types of foods. If youre not hungry in the morning, you can skip this meal and move right into lunch.

Snacking takes the edge off your hunger and can work for or against you depending on what youre eating. Katz recommends apples, walnuts, bananas, carrots, hummus, and bean dip as nutritious snacks. Skip highly processed vending machine food that will spike (and then crash) your blood sugar.

RELATED: 8 Healthy High-Protein Snacks to Power You Through the Day

Sometimes, frozen produce may be healthier than fresh, says Sharp. Frozen produce is often flash frozen at the peak of ripeness, while some fresh produce is picked before its ripe. The nutrition in fresh produce may degrade as its shipped to stores, according to a study published in June 2017 in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

Eating locally produced food is a worthy aim. However, the most important goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables even if they were grown far away, says Katz.

If you can afford organic, eat organic, advises Katz, since organic produce contains fewer potentially harmful chemical residues, according to a review published in September 2014 in The British Journal of Nutrition. But if its out of your budget, buy conventional and rinse it off before eating to reduce the amount of pesticide residue. The most important thing is eating more fruits and vegetables.

RELATED: Why Are Healthy Eating Habits Important?

The beauty of having organs, such as lungs, skin, kidneys, and a liver, is that your body relies on them to detox your body naturally, says Sharp: You dont need to buy an expensive detox program to improve your health.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. About 90 percent of people are gluten tolerant and consume these foods just fine, Katz writes. Whats more, research published in May 2015 in the journal Digestion shows that among people who believed they were sensitive to gluten, 86 percent could eat it just fine. Unless you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, you can continue to cook foods with gluten, such as whole grains.

Skip fat and youre skipping out on the most satiating nutrient. Plus, low-fat foods often backfire: These alternatives are often higher in sodium and sugar to make up for the lack of mouthfeel [from removing the fat], so theyre not necessarily healthier, says Sharp.

RELATED: Good vs. Bad Fats for the Heart

Turning produce into juice strips away the fiber, making juice a more concentrated source of sugar. The end result is a higher glycemic load, which means your blood sugar will surge after drinking the juice, according to How to Eat. Better to consume whole fruits and vegetables.

The humble white potato gets the short stick but shouldnt. People demonize potatoes over sweet potatoes, but the nutrient composition is quite similar, says Sharp. Sweet potatoes have more vitamin A and an additional gram of fiber, but white potatoes have more potassium (essential for helping regulate blood sugar), she says. Nutrition info from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on sweet and white potatoesbacks up these details. The verdict: Include a combination of sweet and white taters in your diet.

This hinges on the idea that beans contain lectins, which are supposedly poisonous it's how the fad diet called the lectin-free diet came about. Lectins are most abundant in raw, dried beans (canned beans tend to be low in lectins). But because you cook beans before you eat them, that process reduces some of the lectin content, according to theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Also, beans are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, says Katz. Beans are a mainstay of all five Blue Zone diets. Every study that has looked at beans has found that a higher intake is connected to better health outcomes, in areas like weight, heart disease, and dementia, he says.

RELATED: 6 Expert Tips for Switching to a Plant-Based Diet

Most people wouldnt actually derive a benefit from a nightly glass of vino. If you enjoy wine, can stick to moderate drinking recommendations, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you may benefit, says Katz. Otherwise, theres no reason to start drinking in the hope of protecting your heart.

Its not as dramatic as it sounds. Eggs have been unnecessarily demonized because they contain dietary cholesterol, says Sharp. However, more recent research shows that saturated and trans fats in your diet stimulate the liver to make cholesterol, says Harvard Health Publishing. And so, the bigger concern when it comes to unhealthy levels of cholesterol in your body is saturated-fat-rich foods, not necessarily foods higher in cholesterol. And eggs are a food thats lower in sat fat. TheAmerican Heart Association recommends sticking with about one egg per day. (If you have a couple of eggs twice a week, youre still under an appropriate limit.)

They may be rich in fat and calories, but they also contain a good amount of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Research published in July 2017 in the European Journal of Nutrition concluded that nut eaters have less of a risk of gaining weight and becoming overweight or obese compared with those who avoid the food. Of course, overeating anything, including nuts, can lead to weight gain. Stick to a handful of nuts a day, or about 1 ounce. Opt for something like plain almonds over honey-roasted almonds, says Katz.

RELATED: The Best Nuts for Your Heart

Every diet wants its followers to believe it is the tops, but there is no such thing as a perfect diet, says Sharp. The best diet is the one that promotes variety in nutrients, adds enjoyment, and can easily be sustained without a sense of deprivation.

Folks looking to lose weight have heard this rallying cry, but diet quality matters when it comes to your health and ability to lose weight, says Sharp. A study published in February 2018 in JAMA shows that as long as youre eating a high-quality diet, you can lose weight temporarily on a low-fat or low-carb diet.

In the worlds healthiest eating patterns (such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets), meat is consumed in small amounts or not at all, according to How to Eat. Bottom line: Meat is an optional part of your diet; though for the health of the planet, you should probably eat less of it, Katz writes.

Diets that are higher in fat tend to be just as effective at encouraging weight loss as diets that are low in fat, says Sharp. For instance: A study published in November 2017in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolismfound that of the 41 overweight dieters who participated, those assigned to 12 weeks of a low-carb, high-fat diet saw bigger reductions in weight, triglycerides, insulin, and glucose levels compared with those who followed a low-fat, high-carb control diet.

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20 Food and Nutrition Myths You Shouldn't Believe - Everyday Health

If it's been awhile since you had mussels, consider adding this protein-rich shellfish to the menu.

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We're living in a time of diet fatigue: There's a never-ending onslaught of diet trends, fad diets and challenges in play. And many of us have had years of perpetual "dieting" with little to no long-term success to show for it. So if you've decided you want to lose some weight, where do you go from here?

What if instead of being vigilant about what you're cutting from your diet, you focused on what you're adding instead? In other words, instead of jumping on the keto diet bandwagon and banishing carbs or going sugar-free for a week, month or any other timeframe, you can switch your focus to adding healthy foods to your life ones that are a source of carbs, fat and protein.

Our bodies need all three of these macronutrients to be healthy and function properly and there are healthy ways to meet these needs, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

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

When it comes to losing weight, ensuring you're getting enough protein (please note: this does not mean eating exorbitant amounts) will help you meet your goals more efficiently. Here's why:

How Much Protein Do You Need?

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram, as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academies. But if you work out regularly, are an athlete or have an active job where you're on your feet most of the day, you mostly likely need more.

Go beyond the RDA if you're looking to lose weight or build muscle, too. A December 2019 study published in Advances in Nutrition reviewed the findings of 18 different studies and found that while the RDA is appropriate for everyday needs, you should up your protein intake to 1.3 grams per kilogram per day (keeping in mind that a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds) in those two scenarios.

This is part of the reason why grilled chicken breast, egg whites and cottage cheese are commonly found on many weight-loss diet plans. But there are more exciting sources of protein that are also advantageous when it comes to weight loss here are six foods to try (along with a few to avoid).

6 Proteins to Eat if Youre Trying to Lose Weight

Add these protein-rich pulses to salads, use them as a base of soup or try lentils in a curry.

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All pulses (beans, legumes and peas) are a great source of protein we're calling out lentils because they're some of the highest in protein and are so versatile.

A half-cup of cooked lentils has just 100 calories while providing 9 grams of protein and 7 grams of soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps keep you regular, and feeling fuller longer, according to the USDA. This is more than twice the protein found in quinoa a half-cup of the cooked grain has 111 calories, 4 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber, per the USDA.

Don't sleep on this one. Nutritional yeast is big in the plant-based world but even carnivores and dairy consumers will enjoy it. The flakes have a cheesy flavor great for adding to popcorn or homemade kale chips and is great when making sauces, too.

A one-fourth cup serving of nutritional yeast contains 60 calories, 0 grams saturated fat, 5 grams of carb, 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein, according to the USDA. It's also super-rich (as in over 100 percent of the Daily Value) of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate and vitamin B12.

We typically think of nuts and seeds as source of fat but they're also a source of protein and fiber which is a winning duo when it comes to losing weight. Two tablespoons of chia seeds provide 130 calories, 6 grams and 10 grams of fiber(!), per the USDA. There's also 7 grams of fat, some of which are omega-3 fatty acids.

One thing we love about chia seeds is that they swell when combined with a liquid, adding volume and helping to keep us feeling full. Hemp seeds are great too and fairly comparable nutritionally but they don't have near the fiber or ability to expand in size.

Most seafood is a great source of protein from salmon to shrimp, but we're calling out mussels because of their nutritional status and sustainability when it comes to supporting the environment.

A 3-ounce serving provides 146 calories and 20 grams of protein, per the USDA.

Mussels are also low in mercury according to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Plus, mussels are a protein you can feel good about eating: These mollusks keep water clean by filtering out heavy metals and other biological matter and, when farm-raised on ropes, the harvesting process has minimal strain on the environment compared to dredging off the sea floor, per the EDF.

Yogurt is a healthy source of protein just make sure to read the nutritional label carefully, and watch for added sugar.

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Yogurt is a great protein source and is available in fat-free to full-fat, providing options depending on preference, health concerns or culinary needs. A cup of plain non-fat yogurt has 130 calories and 13 grams of protein, according to the USDA that makes it a great option for vegetarians.

Most yogurts on the market today contain probiotics, which support our gut health and may have different health benefits, depending on the strains in the yogurt.

Vegans can get in on the action, too. More dairy-free options are becoming available, just make sure there's a protein source like soy or pea protein. You can find some products with 10 grams per container (about 5.3 ounces).

You may already be hip to tofu but have you tried tempeh? To start, they're related in that they're both soy-based. In fact, tempeh is fermented soybeans so it has the protein soy provides but is also good for our guts because it's a fermented food.

A 3-ounce serving of cooked tempeh provides 165 calories and 17 grams of protein, per the USDA who says eating protein on a plant-based diet is hard? You'll want to season tempeh with a sauce or spices.

Tempeh is also a good source of iron, a mineral that delivers oxygen to our cells, which gives us energy to exercise and be active. Women have a higher risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia, according to the National Institute of Health.

Limit These 3 Protein Sources

Hot dogs, salami and bacon are all processed meats. While these foods all have protein, they're also high in saturated fat, which is harmful to our hearts.

There's also a large body of evidence linking red and processed meat consumption to type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, although these are largely epidemiological studies, which show a link, not cause and effect, as outlined in a February article published in Diabetes Care from the American Diabetes Association.

That said, short-term clinical trials have found that swapping red meat with plant-based protein (like some mentioned above), reduces LDL cholesterol and other risk factors of heart disease.

When it comes to yogurt, plain, unsweetened flavors are free of added sugar, but if that's tough to swallow (literally), look for options lower in added sugar.

There are plenty of options available in both dairy and non-dairy categories. Aiming for 8 grams or less is a great place to start. We overdo it when it comes to added sugars. On average, we consume about 17 teaspoons of sugar per day, but the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men.

3. Tilefish, Swordfish, King Mackerel, Etc.

Fish and seafood are good sources of protein but some come with a side of heavy metals, namely, mercury. Tilefish, swordfish, king mackerel, orange roughy, marlin and more are considered to be high in mercury, according to Natural Resources of Defense Council.

You want to avoid eating these foods. Healthier options include mussels, scallops, skipjack tuna and salmon.

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Trying to Lose Weight? Here are 6 Proteins to Enjoy and 3 to Avoid - LIVESTRONG.COM

For nearly two months during the recent lockdown the majority of us were stuck indoors, mostly cooking for ourselves, with limited opportunity to exercise and often easy access to snacks its perhaps not surprising that in a survey earlier in the year half of the people questioned said theyd gained weight since March, with over a quarter saying they had been drinking more alcohol.

Obesity had already been described as a ticking time bomb in this country with around two thirds of adults in the UK now classified as overweight. So with the increasing threat of local lockdowns this winter, reporter Angellica Bell has been finding out what we can do to win the weight loss war.

Year on year weve seen record numbers of people with obesity and it feels like were walking in a zombie-like fashion into a crisis that could be averted.

The government have placed obesity high up on their agenda, revealing their new obesity strategy in July. They are planning to introduce restrictions on supermarket promotions, ban buy one get one free offers on unhealthy items, stop junk food TV adverts before 9pm and introduce new rules for displaying calories on menus in large restaurants, cafes and takeaways.

It comes at a time when links between obesity and the coronavirus are becoming apparent, our own Prime Minister Boris Johnson having vowed to lose weight after becoming seriously ill with the virus earlier in the year. Three quarters of people in the UK who ended up in intensive care with coronavirus were overweight or obese, with research suggesting that carrying too much fat increased the risk of dying from the disease by nearly fifty per cent.

So what can we do if we want to lose weight and keep it off in the long term? Professor Tim Spector from Kings College London has spent much of his career researching the role our gut health plays in weight loss. His view is that calorie controlled diets are not a good long term option: because we all respond to food differently, how we process calories will vary too. His advice is to concentrate on improving our gut health, which impacts on our ability to lose weight:

Move away from calories, move away from low fat products which are high in chemicals. Dont snack, have decent meals and try to have thirty plants a week- that is really important for your gut health

But there are different views on the best ways to shed the pounds. Someone whos known for his strong opinions on weight loss is personal trainer and author James Smith, whos gained a big online following with his no nonsense style.

Unlike Professor Spector, James advocates that people who want to lose weight do track their calorie intake, so they think about what they are putting inside their bodies.

First of all determine how much you are consuming in the first place. Then its your ability to reduce that slowly, even by 10% every few weeks until something starts to shift. And the second thing is to take responsibility for the amount youre moving. Those two things dont cost any money, they just require a bit of effort.

Meanwhile some people categorised as very obese will opt for surgery to lose weight. Its dangerous and NHS doctors say it should be a last resort. But surgeons who carry out so-called bariatric procedures say enquiries for private operations have increased over the summer. One of the companies providing such surgery, The Transform Group, say requests are up by a quarter compared to the same time last year- a spike they put down to an increased awareness about the way obesity impacts on our health, the coronavirus link and people having more disposable income right now.

It seems there is no such thing as a one size fits all solution to losing weight. Keeping track of what you eat and drink, watching your portion sizes and aiming to eat 30 different types of fruit and veg a week all of these can help.

The key is finding something that works for you in the long term- and doing your best to stick to it.Watch 'Weight Loss: The War on Fat?' on ITV this Thursday (10th September) at 7:30pm.

USEFUL LINKS:

NHS Better Health Campaign

NHS weight loss app

Government Obesity Strategy

Obesity UK, info and advice on how to deal with obesity in the face of coronavirus

NHS advice on bariatric surgeryTim Spector's research and latest book

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Weight Loss: The War on Fat | ITV News - ITV News

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