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The turning point was a few years later when she signed up one of her two young daughters for gymnastics. We get there at 8:45 and I take off her sweatpants and her little jacket and sneakers and I put them in a cubby hole and there she is with her little pig tails and her bangs and her whole black leotard. She just wandered off in with the teacher and I looked and burst into tears, Miriam said. The woman standing next to me saw that I was crying and tapped me and shes like, Is it your daughters first day? And I was like, yes. The woman told her she had cried at her daughters first day too. She had no clue I saw my reflection. I was like, when I was four, I ran in and I did it and this is what Ive become. Im the fat mom, out here, looking in. How did I let this happen? I was so disappointed, I was angry with myself. Worse yet, the man who owned the gym had been one of Miriams coaches for a team she had been on and she was so afraid he would recognize her. Or what if she had gained so much weight he didnt? She joined Weight Watchers after that, in November 2000, when she was about to turn 31. It took her 17 weeks to lose 55 pounds.

Ten weeks into her weight loss, Jean announced to her friends that she had lost 20 pounds. They wanted to know her secret. So she decided that on a Wednesday six of her friends who all struggled with dieting would go to Jeans apartment to play mah jong and shed tell them what she had learned the day before in diet class. She wasnt yet at her goal weight, and she thought it would help her stick to the clinics strict diet guidelines and maybe theyd lose some weight, too.

The first meeting was a low-key affair. They settled in to play and chat. They all have their secrets, their compulsive habits like mine that they kept to themselves, Jean said. But that afternoon they opened up to each other. It was a liberating experience for all of us. It was just such a great relief for us to be able to confess these things for the first time and get over the embarrassment. Someone suggested they meet again the following week, and Jean suggested they make it a weekly thing. Thats how Jean the housewife created a space where a group of women struggling with their weight could come together and be honest about their lives. But it also gave Jean the spotlight she craved, a place to be funny and charismatic and glamorous, even if it was for an audience of a few friends. Years later she reflected back on those early meetings and said, without a trace of modesty, Its as if, having never had a lesson, I sat down to a piano and played a concerto.

A few months and fifteen pounds down, I had so far refused to make weird Weight Watchers recipes, which felt like the modern versions of things that would have been printed in the magazine in the 1960s, like these three-point bagels people at the meeting had been talking about. You mixed one cup of self-rising flour with one cup nonfat Greek yogurt, painted the bagels with egg wash, sprinkled them with everything-bagel seasoning, and baked. To this, Sadie, the Orthodox Jewish meeting regular hissed, That is not a bagel. Nor was a pancake made with self-rising flour and non- fat Greek yogurt and a banana a pancake. I would rather have eaten just one fluffy blueberry pancake or half a real bagel. But who could do that? Certainly not me.

I wish there were an alternative, something besides completely eliminating that which tempts you or substituting for what you really want with something that only sort of resembles it. There is another philosophy toward food: having something rich but not overindulging. Moderation can definitely be taught, and Ive done the elaborate dessert-eating exercises to prove it, but I am not entirely convinced I can learn it. There is a huge difference between food I enjoy and food thats good for me, although Weight Watchers would like us all to think thats not the case. Dieting is at odds with pleasure. A certain person can build a life around denying pleasure, but I can never exist in that mode for very long and be happy.

Losing weight for Jean was magic, it symbolized potential, and it had the potential to bring strangers together. In Israel, the Jews and Arabs sit together at our classes, Jean Nidetch said in 1993, and, you know, they dont hate each other at all. Theyre just interested in what they ate for breakfast. Jean believed that sharing made us human, and that struggling with weight could be unifying rather than isolating. From frustration, one could find community. Every one of us has our own Frankenstein, our most obsessed over food, as Jean was so fond of saying. And that was also her genius: if we all have complicated relationships to food then we are all potential Weight Watchers members. She knew that what fat people needed more than a plan and a program was the support of each other, a place to vent or share notes or just listen. For Jean, a diet wasnt a tool of oppression, but just another way of keeping ourselves on track and having a plan for the future.

Jean said, You measure success by the length of time people can keep their lost pounds off. Thats certainly how she measured her own success. But that strict definition was its own kind of prison. Jean lost a tremendous amount of weight and essentially, for the rest of her life, lived in the gilded cage of her own weight loss.

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This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World and Me, By Marisa Meltzer: An Excerpt - The New York Times

You can ask anyone who is battling obesity or extra kilos, and they will all tell you the same thing. It is the difficulty of carrying your own weight that becomes troublesome and exhausting after a point of time. For 30-year-old Rohit Prakash, it was the very fact that he wasnt able to walk properly that served as a wake-up call for him. He decided that enough was enough and he needed to get back in shape.Name: Rohit PrakashOccupation: Service

Age: 30 yearsHeight: 5 feet 6 inches

City: Hyderabad

Highest weight recorded: 99 kgs

Weight lost: 20 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 7 monthsThe turning point: Earlier, my whole life revolved around eating the delicacies of my choice and my work. However, soon this lifestyle landed me in a situation where I wasnt even able to walk properly on my own feet. It left me really troubled and I visited a doctor the very next day. The doctor simply told me that I needed to change my lifestyle if I wanted to get back on my feet.

Even though I tried making certain changes, it did not last long. Eventually, it was only my father's words that pushed me to make a fresh start. Seeing my plight, he had simply asked me to "be the change and write a new chapter."

From that day onwards, there was no looking back. Things actually began to look up for me as my friend introduced me to a fitness studio and motivated me to be the best version of myself. Trust me, things were not at all easy in the beginning and only I know how hard it has been to reach so far. It has been a long, taxing journey but certainly worth it.

My breakfast: 5 boiled egg whites with 2 slices of brown bread with peanut butter and 1 whole orange or any other whole fruit

My lunch: Carrot, beetroot and peanut salad with grilled chicken and sauted vegetablesMy dinner: Grilled fish with sauted vegetables or 200 grams of soya paneer with sauted vegetables

Pre-workout meal: Black coffee with 5-6 soaked almonds. I have it around 15 minutes before working out

Post-workout meal: My protein shake and it has to be taken within 15 minutes of working out

I indulge in: More or less, I do not believe in the concept of cheat days. So, whenever I crave for litti with ghee (a Bihari delicacy) and Thai curry with Jasmine rice, I do indulge in them.

My workout: I used to work out for 1.5 to 2 hours and it included cardio, muscle and weight training. I used to exercise for 6 days a week along with swimming twice a week.

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I vouch on spiced chicken and spinach. All you need to do is boil some spinach and chicken, cook it with a dash of olive oil and top it off with few herbs and spices.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: Eating the right food is very essential to staying fit and healthy along with good sleep and drinking a lot of water. You should try to stick to the basics and you will definitely get good results.

How do I stay motivated? I have put a goal chart in my room and I look at that every day. It motivates me to chase my fitness dream. Also, whenever I feel low, I close my eyes and visualize all the good things that have happened in my life to date which motivated me to continue my weight loss dream. And even on days when I feel a little down and out, my trainer Naveen and my fitness partner Sudhir are always there to pull me back up.

How do you ensure you dont lose focus? I believe that I am still on my weight loss journey, irrespective of the weight I have lost. This ensures that I do not give up or lose my focus. I also surround myself with positive and inspiring people who help me stay focussed to the path of fitness.

Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? Undoubtedly, the worst aspect of being overweight is the fact that you are not able to carry your own weight. It is upsetting and saddening both, but it also starts bogging you down mentally. I had also reached a point where I was doubting my own potential because of my growing weight.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I have realised that your shape actually does not matter when it comes to measuring how healthy you are. So, I actually want to be healthy, both physically and mentally in the coming 10 years.

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Weight loss story: I was not able to walk properly due to my weight and my dad motivated me to lose 20 k - Times of India

My name is Caitie Dunser (@gettinghealthyinmythirties), and I am 31 years old. I am an attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I wanted to be present and active with my son, so I started tracking my calories and runningand I've lost over 83 pounds and feel like my strongest, most capable self.

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember (like so many people who have been on journeys like mine). I remember in the fifth grade sitting in a Gap fitting room with my mom trying on jeans that all the girls I knew hadI wanted a pair so badly, but the biggest size they had in pre-teen sizes didn't fit me. I remember sitting on the bench in the fitting room, with my mom trying to come up with a solution because she was heartbroken seeing me cry over the seemingly silly issue of not getting a pair of pants. It was obviously so much bigger than that.

I was athletic and had always been into sports. I played basketball and volleyball, which definitely helped keep my weight down. When I was 15, I tore my ACL and my meniscus, and was out of sports for the remainder of my high school years as a result. That's when my weight really started creeping up.

I remember being 186 pounds and feeling totally out of place. I started WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) and got down to 149 pounds before my senior year. Over the years, I yo-yo dieted, tried Atkins, Nutrisystem, Medifast, keto...you name it. I have looked into or tried just about any diet you can think of. None of them stuck.

I went to law school, and my weight continued to creep up. After getting a hectic and stressful job, then getting married, losing weight became even harder. After we got married, my husband and I decided we wanted to start a family. I was 250 pounds at the time, and I had my yearly exam with my doctor. During our visit, she started discussing weight-loss surgery with me and asked if I had ever considered it. Rather than encourage me to lose weight, it pushed me into a depression.

I hovered right around that weight over the next year or so. But I had a tough pregnancy. My water broke at 31 weeks, and I was hospitalized for three weeks in an attempt to delay labor. My son was born six weeks early and had to spend his first 10 days in the hospital. It was traumatic, and despite doctors telling me it had nothing to do with my weight, I couldn't help but feel responsible for it all.

My weight also caused severe lower back pain. I could not lie on my back for more than a few minutes before it would become excruciating to move. I remember blaming our mattress and a prior lower back injury for causing the issuebut I always knew the real cause was my weight.

I walked the entire time, pushing my son in his stroller, and I was exhausted at the end of it. I remember feeling so out of sorts and having a moment where I thought to myself, what has my life come to?

I couldn't push my son's stroller for three miles. I felt like I was failing him as a mother. I never, ever wanted to be a mother who was unable to do things with her kids. That was the turning point for me. On August 12, 2019, at 31 years old, I decided to take the plunge and finally get healthy once and for all.

I knew if I truly wanted to make this a lifestyle rather than a diet, I needed to do something that would work for me forever. With calorie counting, I've learned basic knowledge about which foods are lower in calories and which are not, so I don't really have to spend much time thinking about food at all. I also like the flexibility of being able to eat whatever I want, just in moderation. There are certain things I won't ever give up, like chocolate. I will eat chocolate every single day for the rest of my life.

I also taught myself to love fruits and veggies. When I was a kid, we only ever had boiled veggies. (Yuck!) So I taught myself some easy tricks for cooking veggies, like roasting and throwing some feta cheese or pepitos on them. Every meal of mine now has a huge serving of veggiesand they are so low-calorie and filling.

When I started this journey, I would do six days of exercise weekly with the Bikini Body Mommy program. I did weight training three days a week, and cardio the other three days.

After about three months, I wanted to try a little bit more when it came to cardio, and I began the Couch to 5k program and started running on my cardio days. Over time, I decreased the weight training and stuck to running.

I am now running about five days a week, and I recently ran a half marathon! I have always wanted to be a runner. I attempted running when I was nearly 300 pounds, and it hurt. I was slow, my knees felt every step, and my back throbbed. Now, I am able to run longer and longer. It is truly amazing to me what our bodies can do when we fuel them right, and treat them right. I am planning to run my first full marathon in October 2020.

I have a little less than 40 pounds to go to reach my goal weight, and my goal is to lose it by me and my husband's sixth anniversary on October 4, 2020.

There will always be a reason not to start your weight-loss journey today. But don't wait to start! One of the most powerful things I read when I started this journey was this line: "A year from now, you will wish you would have started today." Think of where you want to be in a year, and just start.

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'Using The Calorie Calculator App MyFitnessPal And The Couch To 5K Program, I Lost Over 80 Lbs.' - Women's Health

Is green tea good for weight loss?

Research in humans and animals points to a resounding sort of. What that means:

A number of small but respectable clinical trials have found that overweight people who had green teaeither in drinkable form or in extract formlost more weight than people who didnt have any. Science being science, there are also a few studies that showed no benefit from green tea drinks or supplements. Overall, I would say it may assist modestly, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D.N., consultant for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine for the Cleveland Clinic.

In studies that found a weight-loss benefit in green tea, there was a trend toward weight loss or tea drinkers lost significantly more. But its not usually a total transformation. One small study conducted at Oklahoma State University, for instance, found that people who drank green tea or took green tea extract lost about 1.3 pounds more over 8 weeks than people who drank water. Some studies suggest even decaf green tea may have a benefit.

An older study found that among people who ate regularly and exercised 180 minutes a week, those who drank a beverage with the most biologically active compounds in green tea, called catechins, had a greater percentage change in abdominal fat (belly fat) than did people who got a drink with no catechins.

There are a number of theories on why green teaespecially the main catechin called epigallocatechin gallatemight help you out a bit if youre looking to lose weight.

Its possible that catechins in green tea may actually inhibit carbohydrate digestion and absorption, Kirkpatrick says, citing a report in the journal Scientific Reports that showed lower carb absorption after people downed a green tea extract.

I think some of the most promising ones are looking at green teas effects on the microbiome, she says. Research is increasingly finding that it alters the guts microbiome, and those changes could be what makes it helpful for dropping pounds.

Kirkpatrick gets a lot of questions from her clients on whether trendy matchathe powdered version of green teais as helpful as the green tea leaves that come in teabags or as loose tea. There havent been a ton of studies on matcha alone, she says. But adds that its reasonable to think its just as useful, as green tea comes out of the leaves of the plant, and matcha is made of the ground-up plants.

While numerous studies have looked at green tea extracts taken as supplements, Kirkpatrick urges people to get their green tea from the actual tea itself; in the most whole form possible.

There are more reasons than weight to drink green tea. Kirkpatrick points out the impressive benefits being found regarding green tea and the prevention of cancer. And then there are benefits in possibly preventing heart disease, potential memory benefits and other health boosters in the green stuff.

Weight loss is so multifaceted; green tea is not going to guarantee weight loss, Kirkpatrick says. But as long as youre not getting a sugared-up version of the stuff; green tea doesnt interfere with any medications youre taking; and youre not looking for it to be a weight-loss panacea, then go ahead and drink up.

More here:
The Truth About Green Tea and Weight Loss - Pulse Nigeria

Black salt is quite popular in Indian houses due to its medicinal properties. It is recommended to people with hypertension. Black salt serves many other significant purposes too. From reducing heartburn to relieving muscle cramps, and improving digestion, black salt does it all for you. It contains a sulfurous compound that is super healthy and has a pungent smell. In Ayurveda, black salt is popular as a cooling salt and is considered quite healthy. Read further to know how consuming this salt can keep you fit. Also Read - Too Much Salt in Your Diet Can Weaken Your Immune System

Black salt helps in getting the body of your dreams by preventing accumulation of fats in the body. Also, unlike white salt, black salt is low in sodium. This is a good thing when it comes to losing weight. High sodium intake is known to increase appetite and lead to weight gain. This is what a study published in Systematic Reviews revealed. Also Read - Trending News Today, March 4, 2020: TikTok's Salt Challenge is Very Dangerous as People Swallow Lots of Salt in One go

If you are experiencing bloating or constipation, black salt is what you need to consume. It works by reducing reflux action and improving digestion. Also, this salt has laxative properties that help in making stool softer to be flushed out from anus smoothly.

One of the major reasons behind water retention is excess consumption of sodium. And black salt is low in this mineral compared to white salt. Also, black salt prevents accumulation of fluids in the tissues or cavities.

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Want to Lose Weight And Get Rid of Digestive Ailments? Have Black Salt - India.com

Anyone who has lost weight knows that losing weight in not as challenging as maintaining the weight is. The phrase'fat to fit' sounds impressive but to actually go about shedding those kilos, is quite an arduous journey. But the motivation to lose weight can come anytime, and from anywhere,like in the case of filmmaker and creative director of Alchemy Films Pvt LtdSiddharth P Malhotra who lost 40 kilos in four months.

Siddharth who is known for his films We Are Family and Hichki decided to lose the extra weight when he was shooting the Zee5 web series, Kaafir starring Dia Mirza. "I was in sheer pain during the shooting of Kaafir when I had a problem even walking a few steps. I realised that if I have to lead a troupe, I better be the fittest. No way, am I going down that road again," says Siddharth. Headmits losing 40 kilos in four months wasn't an easy task. But, there was no time to laud the tough grind because before the producer-director could pack up the weighing scale and put it away, the nationwide lockdown was announced. With no workouts at the gym, no trainer and easily accessible good food, it was going to be really tough for Siddharth to keep his weight in check."I realised this was my test. It is one thing to keep fit when you have all the facilities around you, but with no end date to the lockdown, I had to find a way."

It didn't take long though. Siddharth decided to go back to some basics he had followed when on his diet. These included intermittent fasting, keeping a step-count and not sacrificing the urge for a tea or coffee during the fasting period. "I worked on a schedule as close to what I did previously. I knew it was not going to be easy but when you begin to value health and think of your family, it does not seem so difficult either," says the director.

Although he hasn't stepped out of his house, Siddharth has so far managed to keep the flab away. "On most days I am able to almost walk 10,000 steps in the house. And because I am walking so much, I eat less and because of the walking, I get tired and I drink a lot of water, which keeps me hydrated as well. And more or less I keep long fasting sessions which are part of my sleep patterns so I don't feel the pinch there either," reveals Siddharth.

In addition, the Hitchki director also picks up a few weights around the house. While he has minimal gym equipment, thanks to his young sons, Siddharth sometimes just lifts books or heavy water bottles to keep the adrenaline pumping. "I have also kept myself busy with work. Virtual meetings are happening all the time so my mind is occupied and healthy as well," he says.

Wife Sapna who has been instrumental in keeping him on course has kept nibbles around the house - lots of greens and baked stuff. Siddharth also calls up his trainer and buddy Adil daily - because it is he who taught the producer the science of eating right. Chats with Rohit Roy are more frequent now - Rohit first goaded Siddharth to fight the flab.

Additionally to all this, the filmmaker keeps hismemorabilia handy to keep the motivation high. "I had released a music album in 2001, then I was very thin. Those photos are on the internet and also my phone. I keep seeing those photos and reassure myself." The most precious collectable however, is a photo that his wife Sapna has pinned on his phone, one when he was extremely thin. "That photo keeps me going because I think of myself thin and it shows how much Sapna cares," he signs-off.

See more here:
Life under lockdown: Hichki director Siddharth P Malhotra's fat to fit journey will definitely motivate you to lose the flab - Indulgexpress

The importance of maintaining a healthy weight is best illustrated by the harmful effects of being overweight. Aside from potentially lowering your self-confidence, it can lead to a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions. Obesity is linked to coronary heart disease, for example, a major killer both in the UK and worldwide.

Keeping on top of your weight is therefore essential to both your health and happiness.

Despite the palpable benefits, many people struggle to find a workable solution.

There is no single solution but evidence suggests taking natural supplements can aid your weight loss regime.

Supplements containing turmeric have yielded encouraging results.

READ MORE:How to boost your immune system amid COVID-19 crisis: Dr Chris's simple three-point plan

Turmeric, the spice derived from the flowering plant native to Southeast Asia, has long been touted for its health benefits.

The spice has been linked to everything from cancer to Alzheimer's disease, but evidence has also suggested it may play a role in weight loss.

The effects are attributed to curcumin, the active ingredient found in turmeric.

Test-tube studies suggest that curcumin may suppress particular inflammatory markers that play a role in obesity.

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These markers are typically elevated in people with excess weight or obesity.

One study in 44 people who were previously unable to lose weight found that supplementing twice a day with 800 mg of curcumin and 8 mg of piperine led to significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist and hip circumference.

The body mass index ( BMI is a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy.

Furthermore, a review of 21 studies in over 1,600 people linked curcumin intake to reduced weight, BMI, and waist circumference.

It also noted increased levels of adiponectin, a hormone that helps regulate your metabolism.

Metabolism is the rate at which your body expends energy or burns calories, according to Harvard Health.

In addition, piperine is a compound in black pepper that may boost curcumin absorption by up to 2,000 percent, suggests research.

Animal studies also support these claims.

Animal studies indicate that this curcumin may promote weight loss, reduce fat tissue growth, curb weight regain, and enhance your sensitivity to the hormone insulin.

As Diabetes.co.uk explains, people with low insulin sensitivity, also referred to as insulin resistance, will require larger amounts of insulin either from their own pancreas or from injections in order to keep blood glucose stable.

"Having insulin resistance is a sign that your body is having difficulty metabolising glucose, and this can indicate wider health problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels may also be present," says the health body.

Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are precursors to heart disease.

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Best supplements for weight loss: The plant-based supplement proven to shrink fat - Express

Marisa Meltzer writes about beautiful, thin people for a living. She interviews models and actresses over meals they pretend to eat with abandon. And shes often wondered if her size-16 body, so unlike theirs, invites them to open up to her.

I think, subconsciously, its sort of a signal that Im not their competition, says the journalist, whose profiles of stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Busy Phillips have run in the New Yorker and Elle. I think theres something about the fat body that people interpret as being sort of maternal.

But when she set out to write her new book, This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World and Me, Meltzer was not-so-secretly hoping shed end up looking like one of her svelte subjects. After reading a 2015 obituary of Jean Nidetch, the founder of the weight-loss giant, Meltzer became intrigued by the story of the housewife-turned-entrepreneur. On the brink of 40, the author had struggled for decades with her weight, and thought returning to WW which her parents put her on as a young child while exploring Nidetchs life might generate some compelling personal transformation.

But about six months into the journey, she had to contemplate a different ending. The result is not a memoir of radical self-acceptance or saccharine inspiration, but a candid at times dark look at what it means to be an overweight woman in 2020.

From her loft in Brooklyn, wearing a kimono and eyeing a hot lemon and ginger concoction simmering on the stove behind her, the 42-year-old joined The Times via Skype to talk through it all.

Jean Nidetch believed that fat people needed to be demoralized and hurt in some way in order to be jolted into taking action. What do you think about that weight loss philosophy?

Jean had this really traumatic experience where someone mistook her for pregnant, and that was enough to kind of scare her straight. I have been mistaken for pregnant dozens of times. I had a saleswoman in Rome tell me that I wasnt allowed to buy a pair of socks. Im always kind of wondering: Is anything going to be able to shock me to my core and scare me straight? Which is kind of a dark way to lose the weight. I dont think starting from a place of shame is great, but I also think its kind of unavoidable, because people are so unkind in the most casual way.

I dont know if were losing weight for reasons other than shame. I, for example, am constantly being harassed by my doctors to lose weight. And I get it. . But can I ever just do something purely for health when it comes to my body? Its always going to be caught up in all the other parts of: Will dating be easier? Will I able to finally fit in a pair of pants that I want? Will no one ever be rude to me again? You start allowing yourself to have more and more fanciful daydreams about the good things that can come with losing weight.

Jean Nidetch founded Weight Watchers International in 1963 after having lost a large amount of weight herself.

(Associated Press)

How is your life different in the fantasy where youre thin?

I think that I would be one of those writers like Candace Bushnell. The fantasies always end up very nineties. Id be one of those writers who is in party pictures in magazines wearing a slip dress. Its very Carrie Bradshaw, which is sort of embarrassing. I think Ive gotten old enough and smart enough that I dont necessarily even want those things or think those things would make me very happy, but thats what comes to mind. Its a very adolescent fantasy of being a writer in a big city with a handsome, successful boyfriend and wearing outfits that look good on skinny people. Disco-y flared pants and tiny dresses you can get away with if you dont have any kind of back fat or boobs or stomach.

Your friends, you say, often call you an inspiration, but they dont understand that youve quite rigorously assembled something that looks really good from the outside. What dont they see?

They certainly dont know all of the microaggressions. They dont know about the salespeople who will really pointedly say, We have more sizes in the back. Or the people who assess you while online dating and ask if you have a big ass. Part of that is because I dont tell everyone those things that stuff is painful, and the last thing I want to do when I see my best friends is talk about the worst part of my month. I want to gossip and eat Mexican food. I think I have a very good, polished facade. Part of that is wanting to not be whatever a typical fat girl is. I am a person who is really fashionable and loves clothes. I want to look together. I dont want to be the person who is a fat, lonely loser even though sometimes I privately feel that way.

There are many more plus-size celebrities on magazine covers and onscreen than there used to be. Do you think that indicates real societal acceptance?

I think theres definitely a broader range of what is considered attractive. Vogue has someone like Paloma Elsesser or Ashley Graham on the cover. Theyre very beautiful, proportionate women, but theyre many dozens of pounds larger than any model that graced the cover of Vogue when you or I were growing up. I think that counts as progress. I think having someone like Lizzo as this pop icon who also is a fat woman and also seems to take pleasure in her body is a huge amount of progress. I hope theres more people like that.

But I also think we as a culture get really caught up in this cheering of fat women to feel better about ourselves. We want Lizzo and Roxane Gay and Adele to love their bodies so we can feel happy for them. But that doesnt give a lot of space for what it might actually feel like to be Adele, who has clearly lost a lot of weight. I have my theories about how that was achieved. I think she got weight-loss surgery.

Adele after accepting her Oscar for Skyfall in 2013.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

You write that you believe youre not thin because you havent tried hard enough, but also note that youve worked your way to the top of a really competitive industry.

Bodies are unruly and bodies dont do what we want. Its not so simple as just going on a diet and following it and then youll lose weight and youre OK. Its not like Monica on Friends where its like, she lost the weight and now she gets to live like a normal person. If youre on a diet, youre on a diet for the rest of your life and it has to become even more strict as your metabolism changes. But its also hard because there are some people like Jean the people on The Biggest Loser or People magazines Half Their Size issues that you see that it does work for. And I think: what is wrong with me? Ive spent so much time and energy and money trying to right myself, why cant I just do it?

Youve tried many things, including Kybella injections to minimize a double chin and liposuction. Did those procedures result in you liking your body more?

Yeah, sometimes. But sometimes not. I think a lot of times the cosmetic procedures we get, they kind of beget: Whats next? It can give you a little lift, but it can also feel like its never quite solving things. Theres also a lot of shame around it. Ive talked about those things to like one or two people. Its just embarrassing. And its a weird kind of vanity. Im so ambivalent about dieting and my body, but Im also happy to futz with my double chin.

This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World (And Me), by Marisa Meltzer.

(Hachette Group Publishing)

By the end of your book, you still dont love your body. Was that difficult to admit?

I wrestled with that a lot. As the year went on, I was like, I dont have some big weight loss to show for it, but I also dont have some giant paradigm shift where Im like, Guess what? I learned to love myself! Or some kind of Eat, Pray, Love thing where I met a boyfriend and he thinks Im so hot the way I am! Let the confetti fall! But were also in this time where everything feels really complicated in the world and neat endings dont really ring true. I decided to lean into that ambivalence.

You say very clearly at the conclusion that you dont think loving yourself more would make the world treat you better. That goes directly against the ethos of recent movies like I Feel Pretty or Isnt It Romantic that tout self-love as the ultimate game-changer.

I would probably be more at peace if I was happy with myself beyond what I got from the outside world. But we get a lot of that kind of hollow assurance. It often comes from people who are really successful and rich and get to wear really great clothes and have millions of followers who think theyre amazing. Maybe its easier when you have all those accoutrements, but thats never how I felt. Ive known my whole life that I was smart and I never had to remind myself. No one is telling beautiful people, remember youre beautiful. They know. It feels remedial and kind of cruel that I have to be like, I, too am beautiful! Maybe being beautiful or thin is not my thing. The least I can do is to be honest about how nuanced and difficult it is.

Are you still doing Weight Watchers?

I havent been to a meeting in several months. But I sort of flirt with it. There will always be some element of guilt or dieting in my life. Sometimes Ill be tracking my calories and sometimes Ill be eating a whole pint of ice cream and not even wanting to figure out how many points is in a pint of Ben & Jerrys. And it was important for my author photos to be full size so people wouldnt be like, what is she trying to hide? As of a few months ago, I wondered if I should go to the Ranch in Malibu for a week to lose as much weight as possible for the book tour. But its prohibitively expensive and quarantine has canceled all those appearances. I also recently put in an order to Russ & Daughters where I spent so much money I got a fraud call from my bank. So thats the level were dealing with right now.

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Marisa Meltzer still doesn't love her fat body and that's OK - Los Angeles Times

Digestive enzymes are often used to support healthy digestion and increase nutrient absorption.

Studies show that they may benefit conditions like lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (1, 2).

In addition, many people wonder if digestive enzymes could help them lose more weight.

This article reviews whether digestive enzymes can promote weight loss.

Digestive enzymes are compounds that help break down foods into smaller components that your body can absorb (3).

The three main types are:

Your body naturally produces digestive enzymes, but theyre also available in supplement form.

These supplements are often used to improve conditions like lactose intolerance and other digestive issues like celiac disease and IBS (1, 2).

Digestive enzymes help break down proteins, fats, and carbs into smaller components. Theyre produced naturally by your body and are also found in supplement form.

Some studies show that digestive enzymes may enhance the health of your gut microbiome the microorganisms that live in your digestive tract (4).

In one study, administering digestive enzymes to mice promoted the colonization of beneficial gut bacteria (5).

Plus, a test-tube study showed that pairing a probiotic supplement with digestive enzymes could help protect against changes in the gut microbiome caused by chemotherapy and a type of antibiotic (6).

Interestingly, some studies have found that the gut microbiome may play a role in weight control (7).

In fact, one review of 21 studies reported that enhancing the beneficial bacteria in your gut may reduce body mass index, fat mass, and body weight (8).

That said, more studies on the effects of digestive enzyme supplements on weight control in humans are needed.

Some test-tube and animal studies show that digestive enzymes may improve the health of your beneficial gut bacteria bacteria that may be involved in weight control.

Lipase is a digestive enzyme that boosts the absorption of fat in your body by breaking it down into glycerol and free fatty acids (9).

Some studies show that supplementing with lipase may decrease feelings of fullness (10, 11).

For example, one study in 16 adults found that those taking a lipase supplement before consuming a high fat meal reported significantly decreased stomach fullness after 1 hour, compared with a control group (10).

On the other hand, lipase inhibitors which decrease lipase levels have long been used to promote weight control by increasing the excretion of fat (12).

While more research is needed, increasing your lipase levels by taking digestive enzyme supplements could potentially increase fat absorption, thus contributing to weight gain.

Lipase may decrease feelings of fullness. On the other hand, decreasing lipase levels can promote weight loss by reducing fat absorption.

Although research shows that digestive enzymes may or may not directly increase weight loss, they could improve gut health and digestion.

They may also alleviate bloating and promote regularity, especially for those with conditions like IBS (3, 13).

Most digestive enzyme supplements contain a combination of lipase, amylase, and protease. Some types also contain other specific enzymes that can be beneficial if you have difficulty digesting certain ingredients.

Other common enzymes found in digestive enzyme supplements include:

Supplements are derived from microbial or animal sources. Although animal-based digestive enzymes are more common, microbial-based supplements may be an effective, vegan-friendly alternative (14, 15).

To ensure quality, check the ingredients label and steer clear of supplements high in fillers, additives, and preservatives. Plus, opt for supplements that have undergone third-party testing and are certified by organizations like the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before taking a new supplement, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking any medications.

Additionally, note that you should always take digestive enzymes with food to maximize their effectiveness.

Most digestive enzymes contain a combination of protease, lipase, and amylase, but they may also contain other specific enzymes to promote healthy digestion. Supplements are derived from both animal-based and microbial sources.

While digestive enzymes may not directly boost weight loss, research shows that enzyme inhibitors might.

Digestive enzyme inhibitors decrease the absorption of certain macronutrients and are sometimes used in the treatment of obesity to increase weight loss (16).

According to a review of 14 studies, supplementing with an amylase inhibitor extracted from white beans may increase both weight loss and fat loss in humans (17).

Another study showed that blocking the effects of trypsin, a protease enzyme that breaks down proteins, decreased food consumption and weight gain in rats (18).

Additionally, lipase inhibitors are used to reduce the absorption of fat, which could also result in significant weight loss (19, 20).

In particular, the lipase inhibitor called orlistat may reduce fat absorption by 30%. It does this by decreasing the production of lipase in the stomach and pancreas, resulting in weight loss (19).

One study in 40 women with obesity also found that long-term use of orlistat increased levels of certain hormones that suppress hunger and appetite (21).

However, other studies have found that orlistat could decrease these hormones and instead speed up the emptying of the stomach (22, 23, 24).

Aside from potentially affecting hormone levels, other common side effects of lipase inhibitors include diarrhea, stomach pain, and fat in the stools (19).

Enzyme inhibitors block the activity of digestive enzymes, which could promote weight loss and fat loss. However, studies have had contradicting results.

Digestive enzymes are substances that help break down macronutrients into smaller compounds to promote their absorption.

Some test-tube and animal studies show that they could improve the health of your gut microbiome, which may affect weight control.

On the other hand, digestive enzyme inhibitors have been shown to reduce food intake and increase weight loss and fat loss.

While digestive enzyme supplements may or may not directly boost weight loss, they could promote healthy digestion and regularity, especially for those with certain gastrointestinal conditions.

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Digestive Enzymes and Weight Loss: Do They Help? - Healthline

Whenever you restrict calories and lose weight, you disrupt your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR) the number of calories your body burns while at rest. That's where the concept of reverse dieting, or a recovery diet, comes into play.

Reverse dieting is supposed to give your BMR a boost, returning it to baseline where it was before you lost weight, and help you burn more calories during the day. That way, you're more likely to keep off the weight you lost and not gain it back.

At least, that's the idea. Reverse dieting is not proven, and most of the evidence for it is anecdotal. In practice, the actual eating plan of reverse dieting can be beneficial, but relying on your metabolism to keep the weight off is a bad idea.

Insider spoke to Manhattan-based registered dietician Brittany Modell, founder of Brittany Modell Nutrition and Wellness, about reverse dieting and how to best recover from a restrictive diet.

On a reverse dieting plan, you are supposed to gradually increase the number of calories you eat over several weeks to months so that you're no longer in a caloric deficit and your weight can stabilize, Modell says.

"Overall, the theory is to eat more calories gradually, rather than restrict and increase dramatically," she adds. This is a good way to ease out of a diet and prevent weight gain.

And, according to the reverse dieting philosophy, this is also supposed to help increase your BMR and prevent you from regaining weight as you add more calories back to your diet.

"However, it is not so simple. It is impossible to make claims that a reverse diet will 'recalibrate' your metabolism and maintain the weight you lost. The body is much more complex."

Our bodies are influenced by many hormones, like ghrelin and leptin, that dictate our appetite and hunger levels.Ghrelin triggers hunger and leptin signals when you're full. So your body releases a certain amount of ghrelin when you need to eat and then replaces it with leptin when it's time to stop eating.

However, when you lose weight, researchers have found that your body releases more ghrelin and less leptin meaning you feel hungrier when it's time to eat and less full after you're done.

These hormones and the way they contribute to weight control is totally separate from the role that metabolism plays. Plus, these hormones likely play a larger role in whether or not you keep the weight off that you lost.

In other words, relying on your BMR to keep the weight off for you is a bad, and likely unsuccessful, game plan.

If you've found yourself in a restrictive mindset and you've dieted for a long time, you can adopt healthier habits to ease yourself out of a diet without putting on pounds.

"Chances are you likely restricted carbohydrates and fat. If this is the case, start by adding in carbohydrate and fat sources with breakfast or lunch, for example, adding oatmeal and peanut butter to breakfast or beans and avocado at lunch," says Modell. "This will increase your overall calorie intake as well as incorporating back some healthy fats and carbs, which your body needs."

Eating these types of whole, fiber- and protein-rich foods instead of introducing or reverting back to processed foods will help you feel fuller longer and may help prevent overeating.

Some other methods of safely easing out of a diet include:

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What is reverse dieting and how to best recover from a restrictive diet - Insider - INSIDER

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