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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Swapping your soda for water -- or at least diet soda -- really can help you shed a few pounds, a new clinical trial finds.

A common piece of advice in the battle of the bulge is to replace sugar-sweetened drinks with water or other calorie-free thirst quenchers.

But while that advice is logical, there hasn't been research to show whether changing your drinking habits alone actually works.

So for the new study, researchers randomly assigned 318 overweight adults to one of three groups: one that replaced sugary drinks with water; one that substituted with diet beverages; and one that was given weight-loss advice and could make diet changes of their choice.

After six months, all three groups lost four or five pounds, on average.

But the two groups that cut sugary drinks were more likely to shed at least five percent of their starting weight: 20 percent did, versus 11 percent of the comparison group.

A five-percent weight loss is considered "clinically meaningful" -- or enough to see health benefits like a drop in blood pressure, said lead researcher Deborah F. Tate, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

People who need to lose weight often find a diet overhaul too daunting. But swapping a couple sweet drinks for sugar-free alternatives may seem relatively easy, according to Tate.

"This is a simple thing you can do consistently each day," she said in an interview.

On average, people in this study lost around two percent of their body weight. That's not huge, but it's a move in the right direction, the researchers say.

"It might be a good first step," Tate said. After getting used to calorie-free drinks, she said, you can add changes to your eating habits.

The findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are based on adults who were significantly obese, on average, and were downing at least 280 liquid calories each day (excluding milk).

The two beverage groups were told to replace two of those daily drinks with water or diet beverages. The third group was given general weight-loss information, but could make their own diet decisions. All three groups had monthly meetings and access to a group website.

After six months, all three groups had a similar average weight loss.

The water group, however, shaved several points off their blood sugar and blood pressure levels -- more than the diet beverage group.

It's not clear why that is, Tate said. But the water group had better hydration levels, which might help explain the improved blood pressure.

"For other health reasons, water might be better" than diet drinks, Tate said. She added, though, that diet versions of people's favorite drinks might be easier to stick with for the long haul.

Some past studies have found that people who regularly drink diet soda actually have a higher diabetes risk than folks who steer clear of artificially-sweetened drinks.

But the reasons for that connection are unknown, and it might not be anything about diet drinks per se.

Tate said that longer-term follow-up of the people in this study will offer a way to look at that question. By and large, participants had not been drinking diet beverages before the study; so the researchers can look at whether switching to diet has any negative effects on blood sugar or other health markers.

The study was funded by Nestle Waters USA.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/yFlm8c American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2012.

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Want to lose weight? Trade sugary drinks for water

Tucker, GA (CNN) - Here's a "sweet" finding that will let you have your cake and eat it too!

A surprising discovery by researchers, who found that eating dessert for breakfast could actually contribute to weight loss!

Scientists with Tel Aviv University divided 193 obese adults into two diet groups--one group had a low-carb 300 calorie breakfast, while the second had a 600 calorie breakfast high in protein, carbohydrates, and including a dessert item.

Over 32 weeks, both groups initially lost weight on the low-calorie diet, but researchers found that eventually, the group that didn't have dessert for breakfast regained the weight, while the dessert group kept losing weight.

Overall, the dessert group lost an average of 40 pounds more than the non-dessert group.

Researchers noted the non-dessert group didn't feel full and eventually cheated on the diet plan, while the dessert group had fewer cravings later in the day.

The scientists noted the key is to indulge in the morning when the body's metabolism is more active.

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Dessert for breakfast may help you lose weight

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Ladies, forget about the treadmill or going for a jog to work up a sweat.

It's time for you to sweat and build confidence all at the same time. It's time to bring sexy back -- into your workout.

The secret to any good workout is not making it feel like a workout. And if you dread exercising, that is even more of a reason to try something that will burn a few calories, tone your body and make you feel really good.

Your size does not matter. Women of all sizes participate and end up walking away looking good and feeling even better.

So if you are up to the challenge, grab your high heels and prepare to get sexy and sweaty as you twirl on a pole ...

No. 5: Pole dancing

While most people may think of exotic dancers at a poorly lit club and men gawking at body parts, pole dancing is actually a good workout. It requires a great amount of upper body strength and provides a workout to muscles not customarily used.

Usually exotic dancers make pole dancing look easy, but it is not. In pole dancing, all major muscle groups are used such as the upper and lower back,
shoulders, abdomen, hamstrings, quads, inner and outer thighs and calves.

If you were thinking, "Wow!" -- Yes, wow! After twirling or attempting to twirl on a pole, just about every muscle in your body will tell you that you used something you have not used before. It is a serious workout.

And if pole dancing is something you think you will enjoy, you will definitely enjoy a workout while stripteasing ...

No. 4: Stripteasing

Stripping has been around for decades, but striptease aerobics was introduced in 2002 and has experienced a tremendous growth in popularity.

Carmen Electra is one of the celebrities who made stripteasing appealing to more women as a sexy way to work out. The workout is not only undressing slowing in a burlesque-show manner.

She has a set of aerobic striptease DVDs. In the five-disc set, Electra targets your abdomen, thighs, buttocks and hips and teaches the technique of lap dancing.

The goal of working out may be to lose weight, but Electra touts that the workout aims to encourage women to feel good about their bodies, no matter what the size.

And don't worry, you will not actually have to take your clothes off unless you choose to.

If you can't imagine yourself stripteasing, maybe our next selection -- a different form of dancing -- is a better choice for you ...

No. 3: Belly dancing

Belly dancing is a Middle Eastern dance that many refer to as body dancing. It is also found to be quite alluring.

Although the mere name of the dance may make you think that you will only exercise your belly, you will not. You will exercise all of your muscle groups.

Depending on the amount of time spent dancing, you can burn as many calories as you would walking, swimming or riding a bike.

And not only will you get a good workout in if you continuously move, you will also get a chance to participate with the costuming, drama and self-expression.

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Lose weight, raise heat with sexy exercises

Linda Robson has said that she was inspired to lose weight after seeing her Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke shed over eight stone.

Quirke, who recently made her on-screen Emmerdale exit, lost eight and a half stone after dieting during her time on the ITV1 soap.

© Rex Features / Steve Meddle

Speaking on Daybreak, Robson said that between herself and Quirke, they had lost 12 stone in weight: "So quite a lot - I didn't realise that until this morning. Pauline's lost eight and a half, and I've lost three and a half."

She continued: "I saw Pauline looking so fantastic - I mean the last time I saw her she was probably the biggest I'd ever seen her, she was over 19 stone. And then she went off to do Emmerdale and then when I saw some pictures in the paper, I thought, 'My God, she looks fantastic'.

© Rex Features / Steve Meddle

© Rex Features / Steve Meddle

"And then I went onto This Morning and surprised her, and I just couldn't recognise her. Her whole frame - I mean you think shoulders, they're bones, they're not going to get smaller - but they have. I mean she's got this tiny little frame and I thought, 'Right, I've got to do something about it'."

The comedy duo will reunite with former co-star Lesley Joseph for a Birds of a Feather stage tour, which kicks off next month.

Discussing her friendship with Joseph, she added: "She keeps texting me 'skinny', and I keep texting her back 'fatty'! But she's not, she's always been tiny."

> 'Birds of a Feather' cast reunited on 'This Morning': Picture
> 'Emmerdale' Pauline Quirke: 'I'd love to return'

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Linda Robson inspired to lose weight by co-star Pauline Quirke

Are you looking for a lifestyle makeover, and have some weight to lose?

The producers of "The Biggest Loser" and "Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition" have created a new daytime talk show, "The Revolution." The ABC show features inspirational stories of people who have made drastic changes to their lives.

Do you have 50-100 pounds to lose? You could be the next Hero on "The Revolution."

PHOTO COURTESY ABC

ADVERTISEMENT

On Saturday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be an open casting call for women who are ready to lose 50-100 pounds. If you're inspirational or have overcome challenging circumstances that might have caused you to gain the weight, you could land a part on the show. They are specifically looking for women who may have a career or family situation that has taken over, but who are now ready to regain control.

If chosen, "The Revolution" will provide you with a trainer and nutrition plan to help you lose weight in your own environment.

Bring a non-returnable photo of yourself to the Long Beach Town Center at 7575 Carson Blvd. (near Edwards Stadium on the Promenade stage). You must be 18 or older to apply; for more information on eligibility, go to thereveolutioncasting.com.

Get more information about the show or watch full episodes online.

 

O.C. woman gets a life makeover on "The Revolution": Read about local mom Jennifer Cahalan, who was recently on the show

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Open casting call for moms who want to lose weight

Those with a weakness for sweets can now include cookies and cake in a 600 calorie breakfast menu with some proteins and carbs to shed weight in a pleasurable way and also stay slim.

Attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long-term, explains Daniela Jakubowicz, professor at Tel Aviv University?s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, who led the study.

Over the course of a 32-week-long study, participants who added dessert to their breakfast - cookies, cake, or chocolate - lost an average of 40 pounds more than a group that avoided such foods, the journal Steroids reports.

What?s more, they kept off the pounds longer. A meal in the morning provides energy for the day?s tasks, aids in brain functioning, and kick-starts the body?s metabolism, making it crucial for weight loss and maintenance, according to a Tel Aviv statement.

And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, explains Jakubowicz. While the level of ghrelin rises before every meal, it is suppressed most effectively at breakfast time.

These findings were based on 193 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, who were randomly assigned to one of two diet groups with identical caloric intake - the men consumed 1,600 calories daily and the women 1,400.

However, the first group was given a low carbohydrate diet including a small 300 calorie breakfast, and the second was given a 600 calorie breakfast high in protein and carbohydrates, always including a dessert item (i.e. chocolate).

Halfway through the study, participants in both groups had lost an average of 33 pounds per person. But in the second half of the study, results differed drastically.

The participants in the low-carb group regained an average of 22 pounds each, but participants in the group with a larger breakfast lost another 15 pounds each.

At the end of the 32 weeks, those who had consumed a 600 calorie breakfast had lost an average of 40 pounds more per person than their peers.

Jakubowicz conducted the study with Julio Wainstein and Mona Boaz from Tel Aviv and Oren Froy of Hebrew University Jerusalem.

 

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Eat dessert for breakfast to lose weight

Newswise — Of 190 million obese Americans, approximately 10-15 percent engage in harmful binge eating. During single sittings, these over-eaters consume large servings of high-caloric foods. Sufferers contend with weight gain and depression including heart disease and diabetes. A new clinical trial, called Regulation of Food Cues, at UC San Diego Health System, aims to treat binge eating by helping participants to identify real hunger and to practice resistance if the stomach is full.

“Most weight-loss treatments for obese adults focus very little on the reduction of binge eating,” said Kerri Boutelle, PhD, principal investigator and associate professor in the department of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “With this study we use a variety of techniques to train the brain to identify and respond to hunger and cravings and to learn resistance to highly craved foods.”

The one-year study will recruit 30 participants who will undergo weekly 60–90 minute sessions held over 12 weeks. Participants will learn how food cravings originate, how to detect and monitor true hunger, how emotional factors influence eating habits, and how to manage cravings and impulses to eat.

“Binge eaters often consume food in response to their environment, even when they are not hungry. This could be a response to watching TV, long commutes, sitting on the couch, time of day, even loneliness,” said Boutelle, who is also a licensed clinical psychologist. “The goal is to reduce cravings to overeat by up to 50 percent.”

Teaching obese people to recognize hunger signals is based upon the principles of behavioral psychology, which has proven effective in treating conditions such as anxiety and bulimia. Boutelle and her team have developed a treatment model that shows that binge eating often results from response to environmental food cues. Exposure-based treatments help eaters improve their sensitivity to hunger and fullness and reduce their sensitivity to the sight and smell of food.

Similar programs aimed at overweight youths have yielded promising results and an ability to maintain reductions in binge eating at six and 12 months after treatment.

Participants who join the study will be asked to complete interviews and surveys before and after treatment groups. In addition, they will complete food logs in which they will be asked to monitor levels of hunger and fullness as well as cravings.

To learn more about this clinical trial, please call 858-405-0263.

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Toss Cravings, Lose Weight

A new study by Tel Aviv University found that eating a small dessert as part of a balanced breakfast actually helped dieters lose more weight and keep it off with more success.

The study was conducted by Prof. Daniela Jakubowicz, Dr. Julio Wainstein and Dr. Mona Boaz of Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Medicine and the Diabetes Unit at Wolfson Medical Center and by Prof. Oren Froy of Hebrew University Jerusalem.

According to them, slipping in a slice of chocolate cake with a breakfast that boasts protein and carbohydrates is one of the keys to staying trim, both in terms of short-term weight loss and to avoid gaining the pounds back.

But who, exactly, was in the study, and how many were tested? How did people eating dessert for breakfast compare to those who avoided sweets? Is this study just too good to be true?

Who participated in the study?

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In the Tel Aviv study, researchers split 193 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults into two groups. Men were set on a diet of 1,600 calories a day, while women were restricted to 1,400.

Once the groups were divided, half the subjects were given 300-calorie, low-carb breakfasts in the morning, while the other half ate 600 calorie breakfasts that included a small piece of chocolate cake.

What were the results?

Halfway through the 32-week study, both groups had lost an average of 33 pounds per person.

In the second half of the study, however, those eating a light, dessert-free breakfast gained back an average of 22 pounds per person, while those eating chocolate cake in the morning lost another 15 pounds apiece.

By the end of the 32-week study, the dessert for breakfast group had lost an average of 40 pounds more per person than those who had eaten a light, carb-free meal each morning.

Why dessert in the morning?

According to Prof. Jaubowicz, the key to healthy indulgence is to do so in the morning. That's when our body's metabolism is at its most active, and it gives us the whole day to work those extra calories off.

Breakfast is also the meal that can best regulate ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger. Although ghrelin levels spike before every meal, it is the most suppressed at breakfast, meaning you'll likely eat less and feel full faster.

Why not just cut dessert altogether?

If one reason for having dessert in the morning is to lessen its impact, why not just cut out the calories altogether?

That's a lot easier said than done, however, and according to Jakubowicz, trying to cut desserts entirely can end up creating a psychological addition to the same foods over time.

Adding desserts like cake or a cookie in the morning, on the other hand, can help those with a sweet tooth keep their diet under control.

"The group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day," Jakubowicz says.

Sugar in the morning, meanwhile, if balanced with some complex carbs and some proteins, can give your energy a boost, kick-start your metabolism and aid in early-morning brain functioning.

Too good to be true?

For those looking to scarf down chocolate cake every morning, take note: this is only one study, and even this one can provide different answers as to why participants lost weight.

The group that lost more weight, and kept it off, was eating chocolate cake every morning. This same group, however, was also having more calories in the morning in general, a fact which on its own could have helped participants stick to their diets throughout the day.

This second group was also having more carbohydrates in the morning, regardless of whether it came from cake or from complex carbs in their breakfasts. As a result, this group would likely have had more energy and felt less need to consume more calories.

Jakubowicz's point about sugar cravings, however, is likely on the money. Having a slice of chocolate cake or a similar indulgence each morning would likely make dieters less likely to feel they were depriving themselves throughout the day.

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that weight loss is far more dependent on how many calories dieters are consuming, not what makes up their diets.

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Can Chocolate Cake for Breakfast Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Q My wife desperately wants to lose weight and be healthier but she suffers from a condition called fibromyalgia. Do you know anything about this condition, and is there any way that she will still be able to exercise and lose the weight with all of the pain and symptoms from it? — Larry (a concerned husband)

A I have really good news for you. We have successfully worked with and helped hundreds of women with fibromyalgia, and we can help your wife also. There are also many studies that show the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition with fibromyalgia patients.

An exercise program that incorporates strength training and stretching can improve daily function and alleviate symptoms in women with fibromyalgia. These benefits appear to be enhanced when exercise is combined with education about managing the disease.

Patients with fibromyalgia experience chronic pain throughout their bodies for at least three months, along with specific sites of tenderness.

Daniel S. Rooks, Sc.D., from Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and now with Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., and colleagues recruited 207 women taking medication for fibromyalgia.

For 16 weeks, the women were randomly assigned to four groups: 51 performed aerobic and flexibility exercises only; 51 added in strength training; 50 received a self-help course on managing fibromyalgia; and 55 participated in all the exercises and the education course. The exercise groups met twice weekly, gradually increasing the length and intensity of their workouts, with instructions to perform a third day of exercise on their own.

A total of 135 women completed the study and underwent a six-month follow-up assessment. As measured by two self-assessment questionnaires and one performance test, women who participated in all forms of exercise improved their physical function, an effect that was larger in the combined education and exercise group. “Social function, mental health, fatigue, depression and self-efficacy also improved,” the authors write. “The beneficial effect on physical function of exercise alone and in combination with education persisted at six months.”

“The present study suggests that progressive walking, simple strength training movements and stretching activities are effective at improving physical, emotional and social function ... in women with fibromyalgia who are being actively treated with medication,” the authors write. “The findings suggested the need for inclusion of appropriate exercise and patient education in the treatment of individuals with fibromyalgia.”

Journal reference: Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(20):2192-2200. This research was supported by an Arthritis Foundation Investigator Award (Dr. Rooks) and National Institutes of Health grants.

Fitness Expert and Fitness Hall of Fame recipient John DeFendis is the Director of Exercise and Fitness at Coop’s Health & Fitness in Spartanburg, Anderson and Greenville. A former Mr. USA and a personal trainer for more than 34 years, his specialty lies in weight loss and health.

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Exercise can benefit fibromyalgia patients

A new study suggests that the best way to lose weight is to start the day off with a balanced breakfast and then have your cake and eat it too -- literally.

It may sound counterintuitive, but according to the results of a study out of Tel Aviv, adding a dessert to a 600-calorie breakfast can help dieters lose more weight and keep it off.

The reason? The body’s metabolism is at its most active in the morning, researchers say, making it the optimal time to indulge -- and curb -- sweet cravings. Dieters also have the whole day to work off the extra calories.

The study, announced by Tel Aviv University on February 7 and published in the journal Steroids, assigned 193 obese adults two different diets over an eight-month period. 

One group was put on a low-carb diet that included a small, 300-calorie breakfast, while the second group was given a 600-calorie breakfast, high in protein and carbohydrates, which always included a chocolate dessert.

Gender allowances were also made, as men consumed 1,600 calories a day and women 1,400.

Halfway through the study, scientists observed that groups lost an average of 33 lbs (15 kg) per person.

In the second half of the study, however, while the low-carb group regained an average of 22 lbs. (10 kg), the second group lost another 15 lbs (7 kg).

At the end of the 32-week program, those put on the dessert breakfast lost an average of 40 lbs (18 kg) more per person than their peers.

Ingesting a higher proportion of daily calories at breakfast makes sense, researchers say, as it helps rev up the metabolism but also alleviates cravings, researchers said.

Furthermore, restrictive diets that ban small indulgences like desserts more often than not cause people to fall off the proverbial wagon and cheat, regaining any weight lost.

However, in another German study published last year, researchers came to a different conclusion about breakfast habits and weight loss. After analyzing and comparing the food diaries of 300 participants, scientists found that people ate the same at lunch and dinner regardless of the size of their breakfast, resulting in a total increase of daily caloric intake overall.

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