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The ancient Chinese form of treatment acupuncture is an effective alternative treatment for a range of diseases and medical conditions. Heres what some of the latest research says about it:

1) Acupuncture might be an effective way to lose those extra kilos.

Trying to shed those extra kilos? You may want to add acupuncture to your weight loss plan as a recent study has suggested that it is effective. The School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) of Hong Kong Baptist University completed a clinical trial on the use of acupuncture for weight control. After an eight-week treatment, the average body weight of the participants decreased by 2.47 kg, with a weight loss of 7.2 kg for the most successful participant, whose Body Mass Index (BMI) dropped by 3.2 kg/m2.

Read the full story here.

2) It doesnt help in curing PCOS-induced infertility.

A study by Pennsylvania State University in the United States has found that acupuncture alone or with the medication may not be effective in treating infertility in women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal disorder causing small cysts on the outer edges of the ovaries, which in turn results in them getting enlarged. Clomiphene is the first-line of treatment used to induce ovulation in women with PCOS.

Read the full story here.

Acupuncture is as effective as pain medicine in providing long-term relief.(Shutterstock)

3) It is as effective in treating acute pain as painkillers.

Acupuncture is as effective as pain medicine in providing long-term relief for patients who come to emergency departments in considerable pain, concluded the worlds largest randomised controlled trial of acupuncture, while cautioning that more studies are needed before declaring it as an effective alternative to drug therapy. The study, done in the emergency departments of four Melbourne hospitals, showed pain management remains a critical issue, with neither treatment providing adequate immediate relief.

Read the full story here.

Over half the women who received manual acupuncture had at least 50% reduction in the severity of their period pain.(Shutterstock)

4) Acupuncture can offer relief from severe period pain.

Research carried out by researchers from Western Sydney University, Australia and the University of Auckland, New Zealand, looked at the effect of acupuncture on Primary Dysmenorrhea, more commonly known as period pain. Primary Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecological complaint in menstruating women, with up to four in five women suffering from it at some stage. The results showed that over half the women who received manual acupuncture had at least 50% reduction in the severity of their period pain over the course of the three-month treatment.

Read the full story here.

Acupuncture can help relieve colic pain. (Shutterstock)

5) Acupuncture may help calm babies who cry excessively.

Is your baby crying for more than three hours often? Chances are your baby has a problem called infantile colic (simply baby colic). As per a new study, acupuncture may have the potential to effectively reduce incidences of excessive crying in babies with colic pain.

Read the full story here.

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Top studies in acupuncture this week: Here's how to lose weight, reduce period pain - Hindustan Times

If you love running for the sake of running, great. That's awesome, and you'll probably be a healthier and happier human for it. But if you're picking up running because your friend lost 30 pounds as soon as he started jogging in the mornings and you're trying to lose the same, please stop.

In this episode of What's Good, Greatist founder Derek Flanzraich explains the ways running for weight loss can be physically and mentally damaging to youas well as some other effective strategies you can try if you want to lose weight.

Sources:

Schwingshackl L, Dias S, Hoffmann G.Impact of long-term lifestyle programmes on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight/obese participants: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Systematic Reviews. 2014;3:130. doi:10.1186/2046-4053-3-130.

Wilks DC, Sharp SJ, Ekelund U, et al.Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Fat Mass in Children: A Bias-Adjusted Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. Gravenor M, ed.PLoS ONE. 2011;6(2):e17205. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017205.

Low fat loss response after medium-term supervised exercise in obese is associated with exercise-induced increase in food reward.Finlayson G, Caudwell P, Gibbons C. Journal of obesity, 2010, Sep.;2011():2090-0716.

Acute effects of exercise on energy intake and feeding behaviour.Imbeault P, Saint-Pierre S, Almras N. The British journal of nutrition, 1997, Jun.;77(4):0007-1145.

Derek Flanzraich is Greatist's founder and CEO. What's Good is his take on the news, trends, and issues worth talking about in health and wellness. Sign up and get his column (plus puppy GIFs and other funsies) delivered every Sunday.

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Stop Running for Weight Loss - Greatist

Everyone must find his or her own best path to lasting weight losswhich is why scanning through at least 40 different ways to shed pounds can be helpful. For Alice Fields, age 25, from Melbourne, Australia, it took getting off the treadmill and getting into powerlifting, along with following a nutritional plan that didnt focus on restricting foods and pushing salad. Now,Fields wants everyone to know that theres more than one way to lose weight and get in shape.

Ive always struggled with my weight, says the 25-year-old Melbourne, Australia resident. By age 22, I weighed 92 kilos [203 pounds] despite running at least 5 kilometers every single morning, intense circuit training, and restricting what I was eating. Sure, she saw results here and there, but those results never stuck. Shed lose a few kilos, and then put on more. I was killing myself with 5 a.m. sprints, she says, but its just not sustainable, not physically or mentally. You dont just run your body into the ground, you exhaust your mind. All of that changed, however when a friend introduced Fields to power lifting, and she discovered an eating plan called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM).

Courtesy Alice FieldsThe IIFYM plan looks looks at all foods in the three main (i.e., macro) categories: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Depending on an individuals activity levels and goals, a numerical goal is set for the individual to consume each day. This is not only ensuring a consistent amount of calories are being consumed daily, but more specifically that youre getting enough macronutrients to maintain energy and reach your desired physique.

Fields says, The best part is, if you want to eat ice cream and watch chick flicks, you can! As long as you read the label and make it work with your macros. Diets arent sustainable, she says. They arent fun, and the foods are flavorless and boring, she told Readers Digest. IIFYM enables you to eat the foods you love, and have a happy mind, while ensuring you are still sticking to a consistent amount of calories.

Fields isnt dissing cardio. In fact, she knows its great for heart health. A lot of articles written about me have made it seem like Im saying STOP DOING CARDIO, Fields told Readers Digest. What Fields has been trying to say is that there isnt just one way to lose weight and get in shape. For her, running for hours on end and restricting herself with a clean diet wasnt the answer. Look for the combination of exercise and proper eating to sustain you, she advises. Just move, and be aware of what food youre putting in your body. How much you move and how you move is entirely up to you.

I went from doing 90 percent cardio to mainly power lifting and cardio for funlike taking my dog on 30-minute walks or just running around with her at the park. And it worked for her. Within a month of changing things up, she noticed a difference in the way her clothes fit and how strong she felt. And although her 37-pound weight loss is great, its not the most important aspect, says Fields. The real gauge of her success is how she felt about herself and how her body was functioning. With more muscle, her body was more efficient at burning fat. She had more energy. She liked the way her clothes fit when her muscles filled out in places, and fat disappeared from other places.

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Lifting weights actually burns a lot of calories, perhaps even more than cardio, say Fields, and its something I thoroughly enjoy so, for me, this is what works, because I can stick to it without it feeling like a chore.

Courtesy Alice FieldsI get so many messages asking if I took prescription pills, Fields says sadly. At the end of the day, there are no magic tricks, pills, or potions. Find something you love and enjoy your journey! People write to Fields and ask them to tell prescribe some exact combination of what to eat and how to move, but her answer is always to just keep moving and eat to support it. Moving is good for your mind, body, and soul, she says, so move. Sweat. Play. Push yourself. But at the end of the day, look at what youre eating.

She wants to make absolutely clear that she does not advocate the idea that being slim or skinny equals being beautiful What she advocates is taking your life into your own hands and doing what makes you feel good. Keep trying, and youll figure out what works. Find a way to burn calories that you enjoy and you can continue to do as part of your life and eat the damn chocolate as long as it fits.

Havent quite figured out what works yet? Here are the signs its time to change up your fitness routine.

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Lauren Cahn for Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

Its been nearly a week since a trailer forThe Jared Lorenzen Project was posted on Facebook, and former Kentucky and New York Giants quarterback Jared Lorenzen can count on one hand the number of negative responses hes received among the thousands of comments hes gotten.

Actually, its just one finger.

Thats how much people family, friends he hasnt heard from in a while, and fans have thrown their support behind the man known for being one of the bigger quarterbacks ever to suit up in the NFL as he tries to lose weight and live a healthier life.

Lorenzen spoke toFor The Winon Thursday afternoon in an edited and condensed interview to break down his attempt to lose weight after reaching over 500 pounds, what his goals are, and how hes going on a nationwide tour to help others combat obesity.

(Getty Images)

Its been much better than I thought. Some people with social media, they can hide and be anonymous, but its actually been comforting, seeing the three to four thousand responses and I can name one that was negative. A lot of my friends, a lot of people I havent talked to in a long time, a lot of people I never met are getting behind this and behind me.

Antoine Walker had a documentary made about him. And I met Anthony Holt there and he said, Hey I want to do a project with you. I knew how Hollywood is, and I said, Sure, sure, yeah. Then Walker and I went into the [University of Kentucky] Hall of Fame together and Anthony was there saying, I want to do something! It started there. Then we started talking more and more and then he got Gunnar Peterson and Dr. Philip Goglia on board and it started to take shape. The past two years have been crazy. I cant imagine what this one will be like.

I have always been someone I think bigger people reach out to. Kids come up to me and say, I get to try out at quarterback now because of how big you were, they think, you never know, I could be a quarterback. And I think its neat that they get the opportunity because I was big and they cant count that out now. My Twitter and Facebook are full of, Hey I weight 400 pounds, I want to do this with you. Or Hey, I lost 118 pounds in 18 months, just stay with it, you can do it. The response has been something I never believed could happen on social media. No matter how good something is, there are always people out there cut it down, but this hasnt has that.

I lived on a scale for 10 years of my life, worrying about 0.2 and 0.4 pounds all of the time. When youre getting bigger, you buy yourself a bigger shirt or a bigger pair of pants, you dont think much of it. Then I jumped on a scale and saw that. Oh no, I didnt realize it was that bad. I thought, something needs to be done. Im at doctors appointments, Im making sure my blood pressure is better. Ive always made jokes and I always will but its not funny when youre 36. When youre 25 or 30, ha ha, whatever, but at 36, its like, as I said in the trailer, if I die tonight, they wouldnt say, Oh what a tragic loss. Itd be, Well look how big he was.

Im still me. The process itself is not going to change. What will change is nutrition and helping kids. What it wont change is how can I put it? Im a smartass! Some of the stuff on Twitter is me just being a smart aleck and having fun with fans. I could weight 110 pounds and I am still going to give Louisville as much grief as I can because thats our rival. Some of the stuff wont change. What youll see, especially on my Facebook side, is more of what Im doing, where people can meet up with me, the kids Im helping. The Twitter side? Youll see some of that, but Ill still be me.

Ill quote Anthony: Its OTAs right now. Right now, were getting all geared up. I have to continue to walk around and start the minor process of changing. West Coast Customs is sending over a mobile gym, a trailer with a gymnasium in it. Thats when the workouts will start taking place and we can really start ramping up.

You work out during the offseason and season when youre playing. But people will notice this. There are some deep, dark times you go through when what you loved and what you did was gone. Mine was football. Once footballs gone, you go through some spots and it was something I had to learn to deal with. I was done with working out, there was nobody there to tell me I couldnt do anything. Now, its so sick, but I miss being sore. I miss sweated through t-shirts. Im excited to get it going.

Frank Victores -USA TODAY Sports

I noticed that I feel a thousand times better than I have the last two years, especially now that this has been out.

I am waiting for the gym to get out here and then the reveal. Its not about the weight loss. Thats the thing. Its not about, Jareds gonna lose 200 pounds. Its about finding the weight I can live at healthy and stay there. It could be 450 pounds. Well, if thats where I am where I dont need blood pressure medication, then great. But its whatever it is. Were just going to get to it and find it.

Now Lets Get Fit is a non-profit focused on childhood obesity. Its about fitness and nutrition. Were going to be taking the mobile gym with Gunnar and myself and tour across the country. And well work with schools and speak to the kids about making healthier choices, including after school. That was always the problem for me, Id eat whatever at school and come home and eat cookies.

You could call it a calling, but I just think its whats natural to do. Im a guy who loves to give back anyway. I consider myself a 36-year-old kid, I coach football, so I love being around kids and I think its what people need to do. Someone needs to be out there telling them: This is good, this is bad. Not every parent can be in the household at all times, so they need to make good choices on their own.

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Q&A: Ex-QB Jared Lorenzen breaks down his quest to lose weight ... - For The Win

While some might rely on medication or plunge into controversial diets in order to manage stress and lose weight, one might find it more comforting to rely on more natural solutions. The Dragons Way program, a traditionally rooted program prioritizing wellness of body and mind, does just that. Created by Dr. Nan Lu, the founder of the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation, at the start of the new millennium, The Dragons Way draws on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles that have a history of over 2,500 years. Yet, these ideas and practices are still present in the modern day, and in Western society, with common examples being acupuncture, and cupping.

Shawn Tubridy is a certified instructor of the Dragons Way program, and has taught classes locally for five years, practicing for around fifteen years. Einstein has taught us that everything is energy, she says, and that includes the body. However, Tubridy contends that this new science is old knowledge, Chinese medicine knowing this for 5,000 years. Humans have energy pathways called meridians that go through the body, she explains. The Dragons Way program places a strong emphasis on the philosophy of interconnectivity within the body and its functions, as well as with nature and the universe. TCM, which is free of medical specialists, maintains that an ailment in one part of the body would be related to a discomfort in another, all due to an imbalance of energy throughout the body. Any pain in the body is a result of stagnant energy, so when you keep the energy moving, you can eliminate pain and disease from the body, says Tubridy.

According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation (TCMWF), Qigong is an ancient energy practice that uses specific movements and postures with the goal of increasing the flow of Qi (pronounced chee), or energy, throughout the bodys meridian system. The Dragons Way incorporates a form of Qigong, called Wu Ming Qigong, which is the backbone of the program. If practiced routinely, Wu Ming Qigong is able to clean-up the body and promote Qi levels. What distinguishes Qigong movements from martial arts is the idea that it is not intended to be physically exerting, making it accessible to most people and able to be widely practiced.

The second part of the Dragons Way program is a specialized healthy eating plan, called Eating For Healing. This plan, which aims to promote weight loss and remedy various discomforts that result from eating, is about more than rationing ones meals or keeping track of calories. The plan, which is primarily vegan (with the exception of seafood), focuses on fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and eliminates certain foods that supposedly cause an imbalance in ones digestive system. Says Tubridy, We waste more Qi digesting food than we do most things in life. Fried foods, for example, might cause the stomach to become too heated, while cold foods require the body to waste Qi in order to increase the stomachs temperature. The eating plans purpose, according to Tubridy, is to rest your digestion, so that your liver, stomach, and kidney meridians and energies can work better together. It is designed to foster a positive relationship with food amongst its participants, rather than make eating be an adversarial activity. Excess weight, which the TCMWF identifies as a consequence of a Qi imbalance, is one of the intended results of the Eating For Healing plan. However, weight loss is merely a side effect, as the plan aims to resolve the root cause rather than specialize on the singular issue itself.

The third component and benefit of the Dragons Way is a framework for lifestyle changes. TCM stresses the importance of listening to ones body, especially in the context of the Five Elements of traditional Chinese medicine. The Five Elements system is a comprehensive template that organizes all natural phenomena into five master groups or patterns in nature, explains the TCMWF. Listening to the body from a Five Element perspective is the basis for understanding how the body communicates its needs. This communication could be in the form of cravings, emotions or discomforts. Learning how to read these signs is the foundation for making sustainable lifestyle changes. Tubridys class explores these Five Elements in depth.

The last part of the four main components of the Dragons Way is the importance of herbal supplements. While Tubridy herself has not taken them, the TCMWF expresses the importance of including herbs in ones daily regimen: By including herbal supplements as par. The Dragons Way program is more than a local trend, however. In the United States, there are 82 instructors certified by the TCMWF, spanning across 20 states. In addition, France, Island, South Korea, and Spain are each home to one instructor.

It has really helped a lot of people, and thats why people from so many places have become instructors, says Tubridy, whose students have reported significant physical and mental improvements from the Dragons Way. Tubridy has also benefited herself from enrolling in the program as well. For me, I used to get numbness in my arm at night, and the Qigong was the only thing that would help me with that. But, I also fell and broke both of my feet and my back three years ago, and I really wouldnt be walking nearly as well if it wasnt for Qigong. Its has just improved my health in so many ways.

A free intro to the Dragons Way program is available on August 9th at the T-Fit Fitness Center in Trumansburg. The six week series of the program begins on August 16th. For questions, contact Shawn Tubridy at beewellaware@icloud.com, or (607) 279-6543.

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Relieve stress and lose weight: The Dragon's Way - ithaca.com

There are a lot of reasons to work out, including improving health, burning fat, gaining muscle, and just simply feeling better. Many of us have multiple goals at once, and luckily, a lot of these logically go hand-in-hand. Losing fat and gaining muscle, however, seem to be a little conflicting.

When you're trying to lose fat, you're trying to get rid of some of your body's mass; when you're gaining muscle, you're looking to do the opposite and build up your body. So it makes sense to wonder, can you really add muscle mass at the same time? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.

In fact, working on both goals at the same time will maximize your resultsmany of the same exercises that are good for burning fat are also great for building up muscles. And its kind of a domino effect: When you have more muscle mass, your body requires more energy at rest (that is, burns more calories when youre not even moving).

But nailing fat loss and muscle gains in one fell swoop requires a strategic approach. Heres why: If you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. But when you restrict your calories, your body has to pull from existing energy stores in your bodyfat, carbohydrate, and even proteinin order to function. As a result, you wind up losing fat, but unfortunately, you also lose muscle mass.

In fact, up to a whopping 25 percent of the weight that you lose from a low-calorie diet is in the form of hard-earned muscle, Michaela Devries-Aboud, Ph.D., assistant kinesiology professor at the University of Waterloo, tells SELF.

Yet, multiple studies and experts say that losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously is totally doable. Its difficult, but possible, Stephen Ball, Ph.D., associate professor of nutritional science and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri, tells SELF.

To achieve both goals at once, you need to focus on two main things: protein and weightlifting.

According to Devries-Aboud, our bodies are constantly building and breaking down muscle protein, the componentof the muscle thats responsible for changing its size and shape. When you eat a protein-packed meal, the production of muscle protein speeds up. But as time elapses after your meal, the muscle-building process slows down and breakdown speeds up. Over the course of days, weeks, and months the relative ratio of these two processes will determine whether you gain or lose muscle mass, or if the muscle mass stays the same, Devries-Aboud says.

To keep your body in muscle protein-building mode while cutting calories, you have to adjust your protein intake. When you cut calories below your requirement, your need for protein goes up, Liz Applegate, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the department of nutrition and director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis, tells SELF. This is because a portion of the dietary protein is being used to meet your daily energy needs; consuming a slightly greater amount than what is required to meet your energy needs will ensure you have enough left over to sustain or even build muscle, she adds.

A recent study of 20 young men aimed to find out if increasing the amount of protein consumed in a reduced-calorie diet would have any effect on body composition when paired with intense exercise. Researchers divided subjects into two groups, and assigned one group to follow a higher-protein diet than the other (2.4 grams per kilogram body weight per day versus 1.2). Meanwhile, both groups performed a combination of resistance and high-intensity interval training six days per week. By the end of four weeks, not only did the subjects in the higher-protein group lose more body fat than those in the lower-protein group, but they also managed to gain muscle, despite eating fewer calories than their bodies needed. The results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

But before you go out and chug protein shakes, keep in mind: Multiple studies (like this one and this one) have shown that a very high protein intake (in one instance, up to 5.5 times the recommended daily allowance) doesnt lead to better results.

Instead, aim for roughly 20 grams of protein per meal, four times per day, says Applegate. Its important to distribute it throughout the day instead of cramming it all in at one meal so that your body can use it throughout the day. Research also suggests that this can enhance the muscle-building effects.

On strength training days, Applegate suggests having 20 to 25 grams of protein about 30 minutes after your workout. But if you cant swing that, dont worrywhats most important is getting enough protein throughout the day to fuel muscle building. (How much timing really matters is hotly debated in the nutrition world, but most dietitians suggest aiming for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours post-workout to be sure you're refueling properly.)

For the rest of your meals, Darryn Willoughby, Ph.D., director of the exercise and biochemical nutrition laboratory and professor at Baylor University, recommends filling up with lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, and tilapia; fatty fish like salmon and tuna; dairy; and eggs.

As an added bonus, protein provides satiety, leading to feelings of fullness and reduced cravings, says Willoughby. This is especially helpful when your ultimate goal is to lose weight and you have a limited number of calories to work with.

When you lift weights, you cause damage to your muscle fibers, which prompts the muscle to call for surrounding satellite cells (the cells involved in growing and repairing skeletal muscle) to help repair or replace those damaged fibers, making your muscles grow. In addition, strength training increases the production of muscle protein for up to 48 hours, according to Devries-Aboud. As long as the rate of muscle synthesis is greater than the breakdown, you will build muscle, says Ball.

If you want to see the best fat-burning, muscle-building results from your strength routine, exercise physiologist Michelle Lovitt, M.A., recommends taking advantage of heart ratebased training. You want to bounce between 60 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate throughout your strength-training session, which will ensure that you burn more fat instead of glycogen, the carbohydrates our bodies store to use as quick energy. (You'll still burn some glycogen, but the proportion changes so that you're using more fat than you would with higher intensity exercise.)

Many high-intensity workouts bring you above your anaerobic threshold, which is approximately 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. And when you push past 85 percent, your body starts fueling using mostly carbohydrates. So youre burning calories, but those calories arent necessarily coming from body fat, Lovitt says. This spares the fat and often leaves you craving carbs later in the day.

Hit the gym three or four days per week, moving right from a set of a lower-body or multi-joint strength exercises like the squat, which requires greater energy expenditure and jacks up the heart rate (because you're employing multiple muscle groups at once), into an upper-body or single-joint exercise like a seated row to bring the heart rate back down. Continue alternating between multi-joint and single-joint exercises throughout your workout.

If you do it properly, youll get a cardio workout at the same time, Lovitt says. The key is to keep your heart rate between 60 and 85 percent of your maximum. (To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220, then multiply that number by 0.17.)

Keep in mind, these results don't happen overnight. It takes timeseveral months, if not moreto significantly change your body, and you need to be consistent with your strength training and diet to get the results you want. Even then, some people will naturally see results faster than others simply because of genetics, lifestyle, or a whole host of other factors. If you're having trouble reaching your goals, it might be a good idea to work with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to troubleshoot and create a plan that's customized for you. And always remember: Your happiness and health are more important than what your body looks like. Make sure your goals are realistic for you, and enjoy the process.

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How to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle at the Same Time - SELF

The first step to losing weight is coming up with a plan. Are you ready to slim down? By following a few weight loss basics you can learn how to eat a healthy diet, start an exercise program, improve your health, and finally reach your weight loss goal!

There is no shortage of diet plans on the market. There are popular commercial diets like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Weight Watchers.

You'll also find diet books and online programslike The South Beach Diet or Atkins. So, which one works? Research studies have shown that no single diet is necessarily better than the others. The best diet for you is the diet you can stick to.

To choose the right diet, ask yourself important questions about how much money you can spend, how much time you have to plan and prepare healthy meals,and how much support you have from friends and family.

You might also want to think about why previous diets didn't work. The answers to these questions will help you find a diet that will meet your needs.

But remember that you don't have to buy a book or sign up fora membership to enjoy weight loss benefits. You can cut calories and lose weight on your own. Many successful dieters find that by making small changes to their meals and boosting daily physical activitythey are able to see real results on the scale.To start your own plan, you need to figure out how many calories to eat each day and how many calories to burn.

It doesn't matter what kind of diet you choose, all weight loss programs reduce your caloric intake so that your body burns fat for fuel.

To figure out how many calories to cutto lose weight, you need to calculate your daily caloric needs and then reduce that number to create a calorie deficit.You can use a simpleonline weight loss calculator to figure this outinstantly, or you can do a little bit of math tofigure your numbers out on your own.

Keep in mind that adeficit of 500 calories per day will helpyou to lose about 1pound per week. A calorie deficit of 1,000 calories per day can result in a 2-pound weight loss per week. Cutting more than 1,000 calories from your diet may do more harm than good. Very low-calorie diets should only be followed under a doctor's supervision.

Now that you know how many calories to eat every day, it's time to reducecalories for weight loss. There are two ways to reach your calorie goals. You can either eat less food (portion control)or you can eat food with fewer calories. Most dieters combine both approaches for best results.

Portion control will allow you to keep all (or at least most) of your favorite foods in your daily food planyou'll just need to eat less of them to keep your calorie count in control.

You may find it helpful to cut meal portions in half to consume fewer calories. Some dieters measure food portions with a kitchen scale to find the right amount to eat. Others are able to measure food portions without a scale,simply usingtheir hands or other handy kitchen gadgets.

But it's also important to learn how to eat lower calorie foods. When you teach your body to crave foods that are naturally low in fat and high in nutrition, you help your body feel full and satisfied. The result? You naturally want to eat less. Look for fresh vegetables, whole fruit, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and healthy carbohydrates that provide fiber and other nutrients.

Luckily, you'll find that many of the best foods for weight loss are inexpensive, convenient, and easy to find in your local grocery store. Whenyou learn how to plan and prepare meals in advance and fill your refrigerator with diet-friendly foods, you can even save time and money while you slim down.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to lose weight is to change the beverages you drink each day.

Many popular drinks contain hundreds of calories and countless grams of added sugarand some of these drinks are even labeled "healthy."

Sodas and sweetened teas are usually full of empty calories. Sports drinks often contain more calories than you need, and even juicescan do a number on your diet. And your daily trip to the coffee shop? That morning latte can add 500 calories or more to your waistline, depending on how it is prepared.

You might wonder ifdiet drinks are any better. The answer depends on who you ask. Some weight loss experts and dieters say that diet sodas and other artificially sweetened beverages are a welcome swap when you're trying to lose weight. Other experts say artificial sweeteners can cause more harm than good. Your best bet may be to drink naturally flavored water to stay hydrated during the day.

Most dieters want to lose weight fast. It'shard to have patience for slow and steady weight loss. But most experts agree that you should expect to lose weight at a healthy rate of 1 to2 pounds per week.

It is not uncommon, however, for fast weight loss to happen at the beginning of a new diet plan. In fact, some weight loss programs include a short one- to two-week introductory phase where your eating is more restricted andweight loss happens more quickly. You may lose 3to 5 pounds during this stage. Some dieters lose up to 10 pounds in the first two weeks of certain plans.

But this quick slim down is often the result of lost water weight. When you cut back on your food intake, and especially when you cut back on your carbohydrate intake, your body loses a lot of water and your weight plummets as a result. The new number on the scale may provide a boost of motivation. But it's also important to keep those results in perspective.

To lose weight and keep it off you need to lose fat, not water. And it's important to conserve muscle mass to maintain a healthy metabolism.Experts agree that the best way to reach these goals is to lose weight gradually with steady changes to your diet and exercise plan.

Many successful dieters exercise to lose weight, but adding physical activity can also make you more hungry during the day, increase fatigue, and even cause injury. It's important to start slowly and build aweight loss workout plan for improved health and fitness.

Before you start any exercise program, you shouldcheck with your doctor to make sure that you are healthy enough for vigorous activity. Once you have been cleared, then you can build a program based on activities that you enjoy. Maybe you'dlike to start a walking program for weight loss. You can also choose activities like swimming, biking, or even fencing to lose weight.

If you're not sure where to begin, you canjoin a gym or hire a personal trainer to get help. There are also many online workouts and homeexercise programs that you can do in the privacy of your living roomto burn extra calories and improve your level of fitness.

But remember that your non-exercise physical activity matters, too. Your daily steps and non-workout movement (like gardening and doing the laundry)can make a big difference in your weight loss plan. So as you build an exercise program, try to stay as active as possible at work, athome, and when you travel.

As you hit challenges and plateaus in your weight loss journey, you may be tempted to try diet supplements, herbal treatments for weight loss, and other alternative methods to lose weight. Some of these options work, but unfortunately, many of them don't.

There are very few diet pills that have been proven to help you lose weight. Most weight loss medications that work can only be prescribed by your physician. The diet pills and herbal treatmentsyou see on store shelves are often ineffective and, insome cases, may even cause harm. Talk to your doctor and ask important questions before taking any diet pill or weight loss supplement.

You'll also find complementary or alternative treatments, like acupuncture, meditation, or massage for weight loss. In some cases, you might find that these treatments are helpful during your dieting journey. They may improve the way you feel about your body and even help you sleep better at night for improved weight loss benefits.

There will be days when you want to give up and you feel like all of your hard work is a waste. At these moments, diet support is essential for long-term success.

At the beginning of your weight loss process, you may find it helpful to share your goals with friends and family members who might be willing to help. Your spouse, your children, neighbors, coworkers, close friends, and even members of your religious community may be willing to cheer you on when the going gets tough.

But if you don't have a network nearby, there are still options to get help. Your health care providercan provide important medical support for your weight loss journey. They can also provide referrals to a registered dietitian, physical therapist, or behavioral health specialist to help you address challenges as they arise.

There are also online communities to help you through the rough patches. Popular weight loss apps like CalorieCount, MyFitnessPal, and LoseItprovide space for members to ask questions or solve problems. If you joined a weight loss program like Weight Watchers,you can also take advantage of face-to-face or online meetings. You may also find support in homegrown social media groups.

Lastly, you should learn to motivate yourselfto reach your goals. There are specific techniques you can usethat will boost your confidence and help you to stay motivated on the difficult days,such askeeping a weight loss journalandusing positive self-talk.

So, what happens when you've tried diet and exercise, you've worked yourhardest,and you simply can't lose weight? Don't give up. It might be time to turn to your doctor for weight loss assistance. There may be a medical cause for your excess weight and amedical treatment that can help.

Your primary care physician is the first place to begin when you're looking for a medical weight loss solution. He or she can evaluate your complete health history and refer you to a bariatric (weight loss) doctor that can provide more specialized treatment. You can also do some research on your own to find a qualified weight loss doctor in your area.

You and your doctor can explore possible treatments for your weight loss concerns, including weight loss medications, weight loss surgery, and even other non-surgical treatments to help you lose weight. In some situations, losing weight may provide health benefits. In those cases, your health insurance provider may be willing to cover the cost of your treatment.

Weight loss can be astruggle. Even the most dedicated dieters have good days and bad days, often feel defeated, and sometimes want to give up. At Verywell, we understand that your weight loss goals are important to you, and we want to give you the information and the support you need to lose weight. Visit us often to get the tools, tips, and friendly advice you need to make your journeyhealthy, happy, and successful.

You can get started by exploring these Verywell sections:

Sources:

Best Way to Lose Weight, Guide to Behavior Change. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/behavior.htm.

Johnston, B.C. (2014b) Weight loss among named diet programs,JAMA, 312(9), pp. 923933. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.10397.

Malik VS, Schulze MB, Hu FB. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain: A systematic review.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006;84(2):274288. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/84/2/274.long.

Office of Dietary Supplements - Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss: Fact Sheet for Professionals. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-HealthProfessional/.

Weight control. Medline Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/weightcontrol.html.

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Weight Loss - Articles and Advice - Verywell

Just because you're trying to lose weight doesn't mean you need to eat tiny portions.Ilya Oreshkov / Shutterstock

Many people assume that for a diet to be effective, they need to severely restrict their food intake.

However, according to celebrity fitness trainer and author of "Tiny and Full", Jorge Cruise, there is a way to eat more and weigh less. Cruise has been featured on Khloe Kardashian's "Revenge Body," and his diet plans have been followed by numerous celebs, including Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, and Eva Longoria.

Cruise says that people have the ability to "turn off hunger" by consuming large amounts of foods that are low in calories and energy density (the number of calories a food has per unit of mass). It's a concept that was first introduced by Dr. Barbara J. Rolls, a professor and chair of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University.

According to Rolls, low-energy density foods foods like fruits and vegetables that have a high water content are effective in helping people reduce their overall food intake.

Fruit is low energy density food.Clem Onojeghuo / Unsplash

As an example, Cruise explains the difference between eating potato chips or strawberries as a snack. He says you can either consume 100 calories by eating nine potato chips or by eating 23 strawberries. Because strawberries are less dense in terms of calories than potato chips are, you can eat a lot more of them, which will result in you feeling fuller for longer, therefore discouraging you from further snacking.

Cruise uses this logic to inform his diet plans, which allow his clients to enjoy all the meals they love, but just with some key substitutions.

So instead of having lasagna made with pasta noodles, Cruise suggests swapping out the pasta noodles with zucchini noodles. Or he'll sub a corn tortilla for pizza dough. One of his favorite desserts is ice cream made purely from fruits, like strawberry and banana, blended together.

The more fruit and vegetables you can incorporate into your diet, the easier it'll be to maintain a smaller waistline while still eating plenty of food.

Continue reading here:
How to eat more but still lose weight, according to a celebrity trainer - INSIDER

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After hearing about her brother-in-law competing in Spartan and Tough Mudder races, Arleen Crespo hoped to join one, too. But weighing 230 pounds at 5 feet 5 inches tall, the grueling race seemed impossible to her.

Doing anything physical was exhausting," she told TODAY.

Crespo, 33, wasnt always overweight. After high school, she turned to food for comfort and slowly became heavier. She wasnt even sure how much she weighed.

How these 4 friends lost over 400 pounds together Play Video - 1:00

How these 4 friends lost over 400 pounds together Play Video - 1:00

I never wanted to step on a scale, she said.

After taking a hard look at herself in the mirror, Crespo knew she had to change. She also hoped that by losing weight she could compete in races. She joined a local gym, the Meriden Edge, in Meriden, Connecticut, where she met a trainer, who helped her create an exercise regimen and healthy eating habits.

While Arleen Crespo wanted to lose weight because she disliked how she looked, she also wanted to run a Tough Mudder. She encouraged her three friends to join her.

While the gym membership helped her drop 90 pounds in a year, its also where she met three other women, who inspired and motivated her and gave her the confidence she needed to complete a Tough Mudder.

The foursome, who lost a combined 422 pounds while working out together, ran as a team in 2016 at the Tough Mudder New England at Mount Snow in West Dover, Vermont.

We were all on the same track of life, said Amy-Jo Reid, 36, a member of the group with Quasheena Young, 37, and Brooke Steneck, 24.

In 2014, Reid learned she was likely going to become pre-diabetic and have a fatty liver if she didn't make a change. So she joined the same gym and worked with a trainer in addition to taking Zumba and boot camp classes. In a year, she lost 104 pounds.

I actually didnt know the women before I met them at one of the group classes, Reid said.

Amy-Jo Reid lost 104 pounds, but gained three friends who helped her maintain her weight loss.

After meeting in 2014, they realized how determined they were to lose weight and started encouraging one another. They share healthy recipes, and someone calls Steneck every morning to wake her for the gym they know she sleeps through her alarm.

If someone is having a hard time, we give words of encouragement, Reid said.

Throughout their friendship, Crespo often mentioned wanting to do a Tough Mudder race.

I didnt research it. I said, How much is it? Lets do it, said Young.

But when Young realized how intense it was, she worried. Even though she had lost 108 pounds, she wasnt sure if she could complete the race. But her friends keep her motivated.

Its a sisterhood, she said. One of the best things that came from joining the gym is we have each other.

Quasheena Young lost 108 pounds and feels healthier and stronger. When her friends mentioned the Tough Mudder, she agreed to participate and had no idea what she was getting into.

Steneck who has lost about 70 pounds really needed the support in the Tough Mudder. In mile three, she injured her shoulder and thought it was dislocated.

I immediately started crying, she said. But she visited the medical tent and returned to the race at the end.

I missed a large chunk of the race, she said. They looked like they were hurting a little bit I pushed everyone.

This year Steneck and Reid completed another Tough Mudder. For personal reasons Crespo and Young couldnt. But they continue inspiring one another and shared this advice to others hoping to lose weight:

What it's really like to lose 100 pounds Play Video - 1:01

What it's really like to lose 100 pounds Play Video - 1:01

When Reid started tracking how much lean protein, veggies and fruit she ate, she shed pounds. Then she hit a plateau after losing 60 pounds. Being able to look at her diet helped her modify it to lose again.

I always thought it was just the calories you eat, she said. But its getting the right percentage of protein (fat and carbs).

When Crespo started losing weight, she sometimes felt like it was too hard. But that was her brain, not her body, talking.

Your mind holds back a lot of what your body can do, she said.

Young agrees.

You tell your mind what to do and your body is going to follow, she said.

Going to the gym five or six days a week felt selfish, but when Youngs health improved, she realized the investment was important.

Being overweight, I didnt care about my worth, said Young. You have to know, I am worth it. I am worth going to the gym five days a week.

It feels hard to take time off when youre injured, but Steneck learned she needed to care for her body.

Respect your body, fuel it, rest it. Take the time off if you need to take the time off. Just because you didnt get a work out in, doesnt mean you fail, she said.

At 190 pounds, Brooke Steneck has run a Tough Mudder twice, thanks to the support of her friends.

One day, Young was doing box jumps with Crespo and simply thought she couldnt do another one. But Crespo cheered her on and Young finished them. When they raced, Crespo and Young felt uncomfortable with the water, but Reid encouraged them.

I wouldnt have been able to do this without my girls by my side, Crespo said.

For more inspirational stories, check out our My Weight-Loss Journey page.

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'It's a sisterhood': How friendship helped 4 women lose 422 pounds combined - Today.com

The story of ex-NFL QB Jared Lorenzen has yet another chapter.

It began with Lorenzen playing for Kentucky before landing with the New York Giants in 2006 and 2007 as Eli Manning's backup, with the world noticing he was one of the larger QBs ever to play the position.

The man with nicknames like "The Hefty Lefty" and "The Pillsbury Throwboy" made headlines again in 2014 as a 320-pound quarterback playing for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters and as one of the funnier athletes on Twitter over the years.

His battle with his weight, however, is what he's facing now. He's part of The Jared Lorenzen Project, in which he'll attempt to shed pounds in front of cameras with the help of celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson and a nutritionist. In the first video released on a Facebook page for a project, he revealed he's over 500 pounds:

Lorenzen thanked people for the support he's received in another video and on Twitter:

Read or Share this story: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/08/jared-lorenzen-hefty-lefty-new-york-giants-500-pounds-project-lose-weight-videos

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Jared Lorenzen is on a mission to lose weight - USA TODAY

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