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Like the readings on many bathroom scales that keep creeping up year after year, the rate of obesity in the U.S. continues to climb.

Government survey results released last week reveal the national obesity rate was 42%, which is higher than the 40% in a 2015-16 study, also done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The severe obesity rate was more than 9%, up from the 8% figure in the previous survey.

This information may have very well gotten just a cursory glance in light of all the recent attention paid to the spreading of coronavirus. But consider that being seriously overweight is a long-term medical concern that is affecting more children and adults as time goes on. Untreated obesity often leads to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.

The report clearly indicates the trend isnt likely to fade away soon. Fifty years ago about 1 in 100 American adults were severely obese. Today obesity is 10 times more common.

A multi-pronged approach needs to rein in the growth of obesity.

Thorough education about the value of sound nutrition and exercise needs to come early and often, for everyone from young children to senior citizens. There is a lot of bad information circulating, including weight-loss scams that concentrate on the quick dropping of pounds rather than a sustainable way of living that means adopting sustainable good habits.

Government support of sound nutrition also needs to be front and center; if school lunches are allowed to be less nutritional than in the past, thats a real disconnect between cause and effect. After all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for establishing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is supposed to be the nations go-to source for nutrition advice. Support in communities designated as food deserts also should be a priority so theres access to nutritional food no matter where you live.

Medical providers need to keep stressing preventive measures with their patients instead of trying to fix problems after they are well-established. Along with that is providers taking a close look at family history, which can often determine a patients likelihood of problems. And of course, the more affordable preventive measures are for everyone, the better off we all are.

Obesity is not just a seasonal concern; its a long-term epidemic that will affect lives and the economy far into the future unless Americans and those in power pay more attention.

Mankato (Minnesota) Free Press

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Other View: Obesity a long-term health concern - Effingham Daily News

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The American Counseling Association defines body image as an individuals evaluations and affective experiences regarding their physical attributes. Body image has become of particular interest over the course of the last few decades, with an increasing number of programs and workshops being implemented as part of high school and college curricula. The increased focus on promoting positive body image stems from societal standards and expectations around physical appearance standards that deem thinness as more attractive and healthier than other body types. With the mass use of social media among teenagers, such standards have become more widespread, and young individuals are increasingly engaging in unhealthy eating habits and excessive exercise in an attempt to acquire certain looks. While issues with body image are more common among women mostly because puberty, menopause and pregnancy are often accompanied by an increase in body fat it is important to highlight that these issues can affect anyone at any point in time.

When it comes to college students, studies have concluded that 85% of women believe that they are either overweight or seriously overweight, even though most of those who report such feelings are at a weight considered healthy for their age and height. While initially shocking, these statistics are not surprising considering the changes in lifestyle, stress and expectations that characterize the transition from high school to college. For many, moving to college marks the first time someone is living away from a controlled and monitored environment. While at home parents typically provide healthy meals and monitor their childs eating, college students are free to choose when, what and how much to eat. This can easily lead to overeating and indulging on desserts available at the dining hall or to skipping meals, both of which are potentially harmful. Additionally, stress from adjusting to a new environment can fuel certain eating habits that might trigger weight loss or gain. For first-year students these issues become real before they arrive on campus, with internet forums, peers and even family members discussing the famous freshman 15. A term that refers to the weight that individuals tend to gain their first year of college, the "freshman 15" has fueled body dissatisfaction among this cohort, even though multiple studies have found that the average weight gain for first-year students is only 2.7 pounds.

Knowing that body dissatisfaction can lead to low self esteem, higher rates of mental health problems and a propensity to eating disorders, there have been worldwide efforts to diminish diet culture and increase acceptance of different body types. On campus, the Brandeis Counseling Center and Health and Wellness Promotion partnered to create Brandeis Body Positive, a program that trains staff, faculty, and students to facilitate a group curriculum addressing body image, intuitive self-care, and community building for various campus audiences, per the Brandeis website. Their first workshop, The Words We Say, took place this past Thursday, and two other events are scheduled for later in the semester. The Justice spoke via email to Leah Berkenwald 07 and Rachael Puccillo, the main organizers of this movement, to gain insight on the planning process, the communitys response and the future of the program.

Per Puccillo, an eating disorder specialist at the BCC, planning for the Body Positive Brandeis began in the spring of 2019. Attempting to bring an inclusive body positivity program to Brandeis and drawing on the experience of Berkenwald at Cornell University, the team agreed to use the Body Positive curriculum as a foundation. The Body Positive, Berkenwald explained, is the first organization to create a body image curriculum that is modern, progressive, weight-neutral, and inclusive of all genders, sexualities and racial/ethnic identities. Founded by Connie Sobxzak and Elizabeth Scott in 1996, The Body Positive implemented a new online learning platform in 2018 that offers training for individuals looking to become Be Body Positive Facilitators from the comfort of their communities. The Body Positive curriculum focuses on the five core competenciesreclaim health, practice intuitive self care, cultivate self love, declare your own authentic beauty and build community as stated on their website.

While the initiative at Brandeis is fairly new, Puccillo noted in an email to the Justice that several staff members have engaged in building and developing the program. Many of them have suggested that their views on body image have expanded and that they are more aware of the impacts of sizeism and diet culture than they were prior to doing this work. Brandeis staff members are not the only ones partaking in the implementation of the program: both graduate and undergraduate students are welcome to apply to be student facilitators and help with the organization of events. Indeed, Puccillo shared her excitement over student involvement in the program, stating that while it might take some time and guidance, the current leaders would love to see Brandeis Body Positive become a fully peer led and student sustained organization in the future.

As for other long-term goals, Puccillo explained the teams desire for the program to become fully integrated into the larger social justice mission of the University. This entails creating a safe space for discussion and fostering compassion, curiosity and awareness among students when body image and sizeism issues occur, she said. While conversations about these issues might be difficult, there are certainly ways to ensure the dialogue encourages open mindedness and respect. Puccillo recommends that individuals read up on and educate themselves fully about the myths we adhere to around food behavior and body image. Doing so has a self-reflective component that can help people identify their own biases in a way that allows them to critically evaluate their own experiences with body image. Because most people rely on the internet or the media to obtain information, it is important to note that such mediums can be both a source of detrimental comparison and false information and a platform to share information and access helpful resources.

Apart from educating ourselves and reflecting on our own experiences, it is important to become aware of unintentional discrimination against certain body types, according to Berkenwald, who highlighted the importance of recognizing what it feels like to show up to class or a community event only to find that you literally do not fit. Identifying such instances and changing our perception of discrimination and sizeism as a whole is a community wide effort. Only as a community, Berkenwald added, can we make the changes that are necessary for ALL students to feel like theyand their bodiesare valued and welcomed on our campus.

Making changes to our relationships with our bodies at the individual level can also contribute to a more accepting campus. Whether it be by going on a walk with a friend, making a list of things you like about yourself, appreciating all that your body does everyday and/or surrounding yourself with positive people, we can all improve our perceptions of our body. It can also be helpful, per Berkenwald, to:

"1) Separate 'health' from 'appearance' or 'weight.' A lot of folks conflate these terms, but health is independent of body size and shape. Try to separate in your mind what you are doing to improve your health versus what you are doing to improve or change your appearance. If you want to change your appearance, that's okay, but own it. Do not conflate weight, muscularity or beauty with health. To learn more, check out the Health at Every Size movement, a weight-neutral approach to health.

"2) Start paying attention to 'fat talk,' or the pattern of self-denigrating talk about our bodies and eating and exercise habits. Research has proven that hearing this kind of talkeven for just 3 minutes has a negative, causal, effect on your body image. Those who participate in fat talk conversations experience more negative impact than those who listen but do not participate. To protect yourself, avoid participating in these conversations. To protect everyone around you, intervene by changing the subject or asking others to stop.

"3) Expose yourself to images of different body shapes and sizes. Look at these images until you no longer feel uncomfortable. By learning to see the beauty in others' "imperfect" bodies, you can more easily see it on your own.

"4) Curate your media consumption to include influencers promoting body diversity and acceptance, and avoid those who are promoting a specific body type. Be aware that many 'wellness' influencers are really selling weight loss, not wellness. Look at their messages with a critical eye."

Brandeis Body Positives next event will take place on March 19. Whether you are someone who currently struggles with body image, know people who do or simply want to learn more about this issue, participating in Brandeis Body Positive workshops is a great way to obtain accurate information and partake in a welcoming and accepting environment.

If you need to talk to someone immediately, please call one of the following resources:

BCC after hours: 781-736-3785

Brandeis 6TALK: 781-736-8255

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 800-931-2237

Self-harm Hotline: 800-273-TALK

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Brandeis Body Positive is here! - The Justice

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On TLCs My 600-lb Life, viewers learn nearly everything about the patients of bariatric surgeon, Dr. Nowzaradan where they live, where they grew up, how they grew up, and more.

Not much is known, however, about the doctor himself.

Find out a bit more about this world-renowned surgeon who is helping people change their lives.

Dr. Now feels that patients need to understand that losing weight is mostly a mental battle. It takes a big change in ones mind to get our bodies to catch up.

Severe obesity is a complex physical and psychological condition with many components, he told People in 2017. Not realizing how much of their struggle is psychological and not just physical can be the biggestobstaclefor change withpatients.

Many refuse to admit they have any emotional compulsions or compulsivepsychologicaldisorders driving them to overeat.

However, once we removed the physical compulsion to eat with weight loss surgery, we have our best window to get them to see that and address those issues that will lead to long-term success for them.

One point Dr. Nowzaradan makes to his patients frequently on the program is the importance of support, especially from ones family, and especially on weight loss journeys as arduous and overwhelming as his patients, who start at such high weights.

Families can either be enablers or encouragers. Having a supportive family for patients on a weight loss journey is an important component to their success, Dr.Nowzaradan said in his conversation with People.

If they dont have that, its almost impossible for them to be successful in the long term, unless they remove those people from their environment. So they either have to change their dynamic with those enablers or separate from them if they want to succeed.

There have been a few patients I felt I could no longer help, Dr. Now shared. I will always be available if they need me. If they wont stick to the program, at some point, I can longer help them and they are taking resources from someone else who needs it.

As for the doctors medical status, his wife of 27 years, Delores, filed for divorce in 2002.

The couple oldest child is Jonathan, CEO of Megalomedia, a Texas-based media company. Its in great part because of Jonathan that My 600-lb Life made it on the air at TLC.

He told The Austin Chronicle in 2007, The people who are over 700 pounds think that theyre the only person on the planet like that. But there are millions, some people suspect in the tens of millions, of people in America. We want them to know that not only are they not alone, but there are doctors who will help. Dont give up, and dont just decide to die.

The doctors two other children, Jenniferand Jessica, both work in the arts.

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'My 600-lb Life': Is Dr. Now Married And Does He Have Children? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

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YOU NEED AN ABDOMINAL COMPRESSION GARMENT

Patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery lose a significant amount of weight on a monthly and yearly basis. The drastic changes in body composition often leave behind loose skin and sagging tissues, which is why some weight loss surgeons recommend that patients wear an abdominal compression garment. Compression garments worn during the weight loss phase and after the weight loss cycle is complete can support healthy circulation and contribute to predictable aesthetic results.

As you can see in the sample price table above, Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Turkey cost is 80% more advantageous than European countries. Due to the price advantage and hundreds of successful surgery references, Turkey is the most preferred country in this regard. It costs from 5500 Euro to 7900 Euro in European countries. But in Turkey it costs from 4000 to 4500 Euro. Moreover a clean environment, Standards of Turkish Hospitality and positive surgery results worldwide. 3.5 Hours flight from UK to Turkey, a journey with entertainment. In this way, you will have the opportunity to take a short vacation in Turkey before and after the surgery. You can get the most accurate and up-to-date price after your first consultation with your doctor.

Weight loss surgery can be life changing for many patients and offers numerous physical and emotional benefits. Your weight loss surgeon will guide you through the recovery process and also provide you with recommendations for specific lifestyle changes that will help you continue to lose weight until you reach your goal, and then keep the weight off for the long term. Here are some things you can do to get the best possible results with weight loss surgery:

Change your meal frequency your stomach will be smaller after lap band or gastric bypass surgery, so you will need to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Making the lifestyle change of eating small meals every couple of hours may be necessary for you to get all the nutrients you need without compromising your weight loss results. Change your diet many weight loss patients need to make significant changes to their diets in order to achieve the results they want. You will need to eat more nutrient-dense foods regularly and make sure that you are eating higher-quality, unprocessed foods as well. It is also important to avoid unhealthy snacking between meals. Making changes to your diet and eating habits is critical to weight loss success.

Maintain a consistent exercise regimen whether you enjoy walking, swimming, or going to the gym, you will need to add some type of physical activity to your days for better overall health. Losing the weight may prompt you to take better care of yourself, and exercising regularly is a good way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Some weight loss surgeons recommend wearing an abdominal compression garment throughout the course of the weight loss program because the garment can improve circulation while holding the tissues in place as you lose weight. It can also help in improving your posture as your body changes. Even though you are not undergoing liposuction or any type of surgery that involves modifying the tissues, your body will be changing and shifting as you continue losing body fat.

You may feel better overall with that extra support around your midsection, especially if you are noticing loose skin due to the weight loss. Laparoscopic gastric bypass is performed by inserting a video camera into a small abdominal incision. This will provide an enlarged view of the internal organs that the team will observe on a monitor. The entire procedure is performed inside the abdomen after the insertion of a gas allowing its expansion. Gastric bypass is a technique that uses two approaches: food restriction by creating a small gastric pouch and by bypassing part of the stomach and small intestine. This procedure reduces the stomach to the size of a small gastric pouch <30 cc. What remains of the stomach (95% of the part of the new stomach, left image) is not removed but is completely separated from the gastric pouch.

Related

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Gastric Sleeve Surgery In TURKEY! - ZOBUZ - Zobuz

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Consuming excessive amounts of sugary foods and beverages has been linked to many adverse health effects, including diabetes, depression, and heart disease (1, 2, 3, 4).

Cutting down on added sugars may reduce your risk of these negative effects, as well as obesity, a condition that can put you at risk of certain cancers (5, 6, 7).

Sugar substitutes may be an appealing option if youre trying to reduce your sugar intake. Yet, you may wonder how popular artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame differ and whether theyre safe to use.

This article explores the differences between sucralose and aspartame.

Sucralose and aspartame are sugar replacements that are used to sweeten foods or beverages without adding a significant number of calories or carbs.

Sucralose is widely sold under the brand name Splenda, while aspartame is typically found as NutraSweet or Equal.

While theyre both high-intensity sweeteners, they differ in terms of their production methods and sweetness.

One packet of either sweetener is meant to mimic the sweetness of 2 teaspoons (8.4 grams) of granulated sugar, which has 32 calories (8).

Interestingly, though its calorie-free, sucralose is made from common table sugar. It debuted on the market in 1998 (9, 10, 11).

To make sucralose, sugar undergoes a multistep chemical process in which three pairs of hydrogen-oxygen atoms are replaced with chlorine atoms. The resulting compound is not metabolized by the body (11).

Because sucralose is incredibly sweet about 600 times sweeter than sugar its often mixed with bulking agents like maltodextrin or dextrose (9, 11).

However, these fillers typically add a few, yet insignificant, number of calories.

So while sucralose itself is calorie-free, the fillers found in most sucralose-based sweeteners like Splenda provide about 3 calories and 1 gram of carbs for every 1-gram serving (12).

Maltodextrin and dextrose are typically made from corn or other starch-rich crops. Combined with sucralose, they contain 3.36 calories per gram (12, 13).

That means one packet of Splenda contains 11% of the calories in 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Thus, its considered a low calorie sweetener (8, 12).

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of sucralose is 2.2 mg per pound (5 mg per kg) of body weight. For a 132-pound (60-kg) person, this equals about 23 single-serve (1-gram) packets (9).

Given that 1 gram of Splenda contains mostly filler and only 1.1% sucralose, its unlikely that many people will regularly consume amounts beyond these safety recommendations (14).

Aspartame comprises two amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. While these are both naturally occurring substances, aspartame is not (15).

Although aspartame has been around since 1965, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not approve it for use until 1981.

Its considered a nutritive sweetener because it contains calories though only 4 calories per gram (9).

Being 200 times sweeter than sugar, only a small amount of aspartame is used in commercial sweeteners. Like sucralose, aspartame-based sweeteners usually contain fillers that mellow the intense sweetness (9).

Products like Equal therefore contain some calories from fillers like maltodextrin and dextrose, though its an insignificant amount. For example, one single-serve (1-gram) packet of Equal has only 3.65 calories (16).

The ADI for aspartame, which was set by the FDA, is 22.7 mg per pound (50 mg per kg) of body weight per day. For a 132-pound (60-kg) person, that equals the amount found in 75 single-serve (1-gram) packets of NutraSweet (9).

For further context, one 12-ounce (355-ml) can of diet soda contains about 180 mg of aspartame. This means that a 165-pound (75-kg) person would have to drink 21 cans of diet soda to surpass the ADI (17).

Almost 99% of the contents of a Splenda packet comprises fillers in the form of dextrose, maltodextrin, and moisture. Only a tiny amount is the intensely sweet sucralose (14).

Similarly, aspartame-based sweeteners contain some of the same fillers.

Thus, while aspartame- and sucralose-based sweeteners share some of the same fillers, Splenda does not contain aspartame.

Sucralose and aspartame are artificial sweeteners. Fillers help mellow their intense sweetness and add a few calories. Splenda does not contain aspartame, though it has fillers that are also found in aspartame-based sweeteners.

A lot of controversy surrounds the safety and long-term health effects of artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed over 600 studies on aspartame in 2013 and found no reason to believe it isnt safe for consumption (10, 18).

Sucralose has also been thoroughly researched, with over 100 studies pointing to its safety (19).

Specifically, there have been concerns about aspartame and brain cancer yet extensive studies have found no link between brain cancer and consuming artificial sweeteners within safe limits (17, 19, 20, 21).

Other side effects associated with the use of these sweeteners include headaches and diarrhea. If you experience these symptoms consistently after consuming foods or beverages containing these sweeteners, they may not be a good choice for you.

Furthermore, recent concerns have been raised regarding the negative effects of the long-term use of artificial sweeteners on healthy gut bacteria, which are needed for optimal health. However, the current research was conducted in rats, so human studies are needed before conclusions can be made (14, 22, 23, 24).

Several human studies have linked aspartame to glucose intolerance. However, a lot of this research has focused on adults with obesity (25, 26, 27).

Glucose intolerance means that your body cant metabolize sugar properly, causing elevated blood sugar levels. More research is needed to understand the long-term effects of sugar substitutes on sugar metabolism both in adults with and without obesity (25, 26, 27, 28).

Additionally, some research has found that the long-term use of aspartame may increase systemic inflammation, which is linked to many chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (17, 29).

Lastly, recent research suggests that sucralose may have unwanted effects on your metabolism. Yet, other evidence associates consuming artificial sweeteners in place of sugar with modest weight loss of 1.7 pounds (0.8 kg) (27, 30, 31, 32).

Therefore, more research is needed on the long-term health effects of artificial sweeteners.

The European Union banned the use of all artificial sweeteners in commercially prepared baked goods on February 13, 2018 (10).

This is because some sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame or Splenda and NutraSweet may be chemically unstable at higher temperatures, and their safety at these temperatures is less researched (30).

Therefore, you should avoid using aspartame and sucralose for baking or high-temperature cooking.

Some studies link the use of aspartame, sucralose, and other artificial sweeteners to adverse health effects. These may include an altered gut microbiome and metabolism. You should avoid baking or cooking with artificial sweeteners at high temperatures.

Both aspartame and sucralose were developed to provide the sweetness of sugar without the calories. They are both considered generally safe for use within their stated safe limits.

Sucralose is a better choice if you have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic condition, as aspartame contains the amino acid phenylalanine.

Additionally, if you have kidney issues, you should keep your aspartame intake to a minimum, as this sweetener has been linked to added kidney strain (33).

Moreover, those taking medications for schizophrenia should avoid aspartame altogether, as the phenylalanine found in the sweetener could lead to uncontrolled muscle movements, or tardive dyskinesia (34, 35).

Both sweeteners are considered generally safe. That said, their long-term effects are not yet well understood.

Sucralose may be a better option for those with kidney issues, those who have the genetic condition phenylketonuria, and those taking certain medications for schizophrenia.

Sucralose and aspartame are two popular artificial sweeteners.

Both contain fillers like maltodextrin and dextrose that mellow their intense sweetness.

Theres some controversy regarding their safety, but both sweeteners are well-studied food additives.

They may be appealing to those looking to decrease their sugar intake thus potentially decreasing their risk of certain chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

However you go about it, reducing your added sugar intake may be a good path to better health.

If you choose to avoid sucralose and aspartame, there are many great alternatives on the market.

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Sucralose vs. Aspartame: What's the Difference? - Healthline

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In 2018, I was the smallest I'd ever been. Then I got pregnant, and it all went off the rails. I developed a sweet tooth for the first time in my life and started crushing Zebra Cakes and chocolate croissants like they were the foundation of the food pyramid. I fell into the elastic embrace of maternity clothing and paid no mind to the scale slowly creeping upward at doctor visits. After all, the other moms in my life told me the weight would "just melt right off" from breastfeeding. Surely there was no harm in ordering a side of mozzarella sticks with my pizza.

By the time all was said and done, I had gained 60 pounds in less than a year. Although childbirth and breastfeeding took care of the first 15 pounds or so, it became painfully clear that the rest would not be going anywhere without some assistance. Given my new gig as a stay-at-home parent, getting to the gym wasn't easy. Instead, I focused on making small, but meaningful, changes to my diet to achieve a healthy calorie deficit. After about nine months of effort, I'm down another 35 pounds and working my way back toward my prepregnancy size.

Here are some of the changes I made to get back on track. They might just work for you, too.

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I'm Down 35 Pounds in 9 Months These Are the Simple Diet Changes That Actually Worked - POPSUGAR

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Like the weight of its most famous customer and spokesperson, Oprah Winfrey, the stock price of WW International Inc. (NASDAQ: WW), formerly known as Weight Watchers International, has fluctuated significantly over the past 10 years. At a recent closing price around $31.25, the share price is a bit more than 10% higher than it was 10 years ago. In the same period, the S&P 500 has increased by more than 180%.

WW recently announced fourth-quarter results that beat analysts expectations and led to an 8% jump in the share price. The increase was short-lived, however, as investors worries over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus continued to weigh on the stock market. By the end of the day, shares of WW closed at $31.26, a drop of 10.2%. The S&P 500 closed down about 0.4% for the day.

The sharp drop was not related to WWs outlook. The company touted record subscriber growth and Wall Streets initial reaction was highly positive. The sinking stock price likely reflected both investors concern over the equity markets and a possible weakness in WWs prospects.

Quarterly revenues were essentially flat year over year at $288.7 million. Earnings per share (EPS), however, dipped 33% from $0.63 to $0.42. Gross profit fell by $10 million to about $175 million, and marketing expenses rose by about $7 million.

WW depends heavily on its subscriber totals and these were strong. The company ended the quarter and the year with more than 5 million members. Chief Financial Officer Nick Hotchkin crowed a little:

Subscriber growth trends improved each quarter throughout the year, a testament to our global teams focus and efforts to improve marketing execution. Member recruitment so far in 2020 has been well above the prior year, as expected, and is reflected in revenue and earnings growth guidance for full-year 2020.

That guidance included full-year 2020 net revenue rising from $1.41 billion to $1.6 billion (up 13%), and EPS was forecast in a range of $2.15 to $2.40. Earnings in 2019 totaled $1.72 per share. Analysts had estimated 2020 EPS at $2.22 and revenues at $1.55 billion. The current fiscal year includes a 53rd week, and the companys guidance includes a $0.06 per share negative impact from seasonally high marketing activity in the 53rd week.

At the end of 2019, WW had about 4.2 million subscribers, of which nearly 3.0 million were Digital subscribers. Included were approximately 1.3 million Studio + Digital subscribers, who could attend approximately 29,000 workshops each week around the world run by some 8,200 coaches. The Digital subscriber total includes the companys higher priced Personal Coaching + Digital subscribers.

The year-end total of 4.2 million subscribers was a record and a year-over-year increase of 8%. Still, revenues were flat and gross profit was down. There are at least two things to consider.

First is churn, the percentage difference of new to old subscribers. This metric is common among telecom companies and publishers. WW reports incoming subscribers to its Digital service and to its Studio + Digital services separately, so its possible to figure out where the growth is.

There were 1.65 million incoming Digital subscribers during 2019. At the end of the year, the total number of Digital subscribers was 1.87 million. Incoming subscribers increased by 32% in the year, more than twice the 15% increase in end-of-year subscribers.

The number of incoming Studio + Digital subscribers rose by 7.1% in 2019, but by the end of the year the total had fallen by 5.8% compared with 2018.

A Digital subscriber pays about $3.22 a week, while a Studio + Digital subscriber pays more than double that amount: $6.92 a week. A third option, Personal Coaching + Digital goes for $12.69 a week.

Digital subscriber fees rose by 7.4% to $610 million last year while Studio + Digital fees fell by 15.3% to $597.3 million. Replacing high-fee subscribers with low-fee subscribers does not drive revenue. The premium Personal Coaching + Digital subscription is intended to capture some higher end customers, but WW is not saying how many of the Digital subscribers are paying the premium price.

Combined service revenues fell by 3.5% last year to $1.23 billion. Product sales fell by 12.8% to $210 million. Total revenues of $1.44 billion were down 5% year over year.

The list of companies in the weight loss game is long. Organizations with weight loss program plans include Nutrisystem, Beachbody, Jenny Craig, Diet to Go, Optifast and Herbalife.

Some of these companies regularly roll out new products and diet programs. Nutrisystem launches as many of these as any of its competition. Most analysts see it as WWs primary rival.

A recent U.S. News & World Report poll shows that competition goes well beyond the commercial diet segment. Diets based on peoples own cooking include popular choices like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet and the Mayo Clinic diet. Most people who follow these do not subscribe to commercial diet plans, and a few include some restaurant foods.

The companys name change from Weight Watchers to WW signaled a change in focus from losing weight to wellness and eating better. That change sliced into WWs food sales.

Keeping up with the ever-changing universe of health, wellness and weight loss must be a daunting task. WW has been a publicly traded company for more than 40 years, though, and it has not only survived, but prospered.

The world is moving faster now, and in order to win in a field with so many competitors, being first with the next big thing is vital. Do WW and Oprah have what it takes to lead the pack? Can they fix the short-term issues on a timeline investors will buy as a new beginning of long-term growth?

The simplest way to measure WWs short-term success is to keep an eye on the revenue breakdown. The company is predicting 13% revenue growth this year. How close it comes will tell the tale.

By Paul Ausick

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The Doubts Hammering WW International Stock - 24/7 Wall St.

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Exercise can make you feel happier.Ever wondered why exercise can feel so addictive? Or have you experienced that post-workout high? Thats because exercise has been shown to increase the production of endorphins, feel good chemicals in your body that produce positive feelings. Exercise not only improves your mood, but it can decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.

Ihad the pleasure to interview Wendy Smith. Wendy has been in the fitness industry for over two decades and is a fitness guru in nearly all areas of fitness including Corporate Health Programming, Athlete Coaching, Personal Training, Sports Specific Mentoring, HIIT training, Weight Training, Group Fitness Instructing, Pilates Postural Alignment Specialist, Muay Thai and more. She is a fitness trainer for The Healthy Mommy, a global moms-only healthy living program, developing full body workouts for moms getting back into shape, recovering from giving birth or with older children.

Thank you so much for joining us Wendy.Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

Fitness and overall wellness has been part of my life from my childhood I was born into a very active, sport loving family where inactivity was not an option. My childhood was full of sport, dancing and family travel adventures. So my whole life I have been committed to living my life to the fullest!

I have always pursued work and exercise together and that pursuit found me running a local Sydney tennis Center at 13! By 17 I was instructing at my university gym, at 19 I was coaching fitness at a large gym. Im so grateful to say that Ive continued my luck in making fitness training my vocation and my way of life.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

After much success in global fitness competitions, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a huge door fell onto my back leaving me with three bulging discs and barely able to stay active. My life as I knew it seemed over I gained weight and struggled with my self-esteem. I would sit on the couch and focus on the past and I was full of despair for quite some time. But then I thought, why should I just clock off out of my life, thats not who I am, so I began to rebuild my life, my relationship with my children and slowly became strong and healthy.

This is who I am even with adversity, I might have lost my way temporarily, but recovered and have a greater passion for keeping myself and others fit.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

Ive been in the fitness and wellness field for over two decades. I am certified in over 14 fitness disciplines including Pilates, Muay Thai kickboxing, Aerobics, Aqua, core training and freestyle group fitness programs and I am absolute proof that age is no barrier to great strength, health and fitness.

Aside from my professional achievements and experience, Id like to think my unique contribution to the world of wellness would be my natural ability to motivate individuals, from all walks of life, to feel happier, fitter and stronger from training with me.

I have been part ofThe Healthy Mommyfrom the beginning of the company, always focusing on making fitness fun and enjoyable. I break it down into easy steps so people feel like theyre always closer to getting to where they want to be. Ive been a Personal Trainer for so long now and my passion and love for it is still the same as when I first started. Id like to think people connect with me and feel empowered to be more motivated and happy.

Now lets move to the main focus of our interview.

We all know that its important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know the theory, its often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

1. Waiting for the motivation or being in the mood to do something healthy.Many of us wait for Monday or just before summer to start exercising but theyre just excuses. The enemy of procrastination is NOW. The sooner you start, the earlier youll feel the results of your good habits.

2. Thinking its all too hard to practice implementing a new habit.This is a common roadblock Ive experienced myself, especially after injuring my back and putting on weight. A good way to overcome this barrier is to work on small, actionable steps to get you closer to your goal. Start with swapping one unhealthy meal a day with something more healthy or start with a 10-minute exercise routine and work your way to increasing the length and frequency of your workouts. Chances are, you might feel so good about your new habits that youll set yourself in motion and keep going.

3. Past failures.

Perhaps youve tried to lose weight, get healthy, eat better, etc, many times before, and you just havent been able to get the results you want. Past failures can make you doubt yourself and stagnate your growth, but youve got to challenge the mental battle with yourself. Focus all your energy on building the new version of yourself, harness your will power and motivation to find that determination inside.

Can you please share your 5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

Many people begin an exercise regimen but stop because they get too sore afterwards. What ideas would you recommend to someone who plays sports or does heavy exercise to shorten the recovery time, and to prevent short term or long term injury?

First of all, you need to have the right shoes, equipment and technique for that particular exercise you are doing. There have been so many instances where I see people wearing the wrong shoes for running, for example, which can make them more prone to injury. Im also a strong advocate for taking the time to warm up and cool down after any type of exercise to prevent short term and long term injury. Its also important to have recovery days and listen to your body when it needs a break. You can injure yourself more and delay your fitness efforts if you dont let your body rest and recover.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I am already part of a movement The Healthy Mommy movement as a Global Fitness coach! I provide workouts alongside trainers from USA, Australia and UK to give our enormous community of moms over 400+ full length workouts that are all accessible viaThe Healthy Mommy App.

As one of the original fitness trainers, I instruct workouts such as HITT and Tabata. Im always amazed, but not surprised, by the moms who commit to the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and get real results and genuinely change their lives.

Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

Transformation doesnt happen overnight. It takes hard work and consistency over time. While this most definitely applies to my line of work where people come to me for transforming their bodies, it also applies to any area of life. Relationships, career, and health they all involve putting little deposits of love, energy and care for them to turn into something amazing and worthwhile.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

https://www.instagram.com/stories/thehealthymommy/

https://www.instagram.com/stories/thehealthymummy/

See the rest here:
5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve One's Wellbeing with Dr. William Seeds & Wendy Smith - Thrive Global

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What exactly is a breakout analysis?

Simply put, its carefully examining clear or unhatched eggs by opening them up to determine why the embryo has not developed or hatched. The egg content reveals whether an egg was infertile, if microbiological contamination occurred, or at which stage of incubation the embryo died. Hence, a breakout can be seen as a very useful tool for both solving problems (e.g. a sudden drop in hatchability) and looking for areas to improve hatch performance.

A first good reason to perform breakouts is to gain insight into the causes of a disappointing hatch. There are times in the hatchery when hatches do not go according to plan and you find yourself with far fewer chicks than you estimated. At these times, breakouts are the only reliable way to identify what caused the losses.

Breakout analyses are also used to evaluate new incubation profiles over current ones to improve results. For example, you may want to increase weight loss by lowering humidity or increasing setter ventilation, or you may want to eliminate unhealed navels by lowering hatcher temperatures. In these cases, eggs from the same flock laid on the same day should be used in both the control machines and the trial machines. It is important that only one changed setting is tested per trial so you can reliably establish the difference that setting made.

However, the greatest value of breakouts is found in historical analysis. Routine breakouts, data amalgamation and interpretation can highlight trends and allow you to properly evaluate breeder farms, conditions during egg holding, handling and transport, as well as individual setter and hatcher performance. In this case, each breeder flock should be examined weekly and the data should be put into a database for periodical analysis. Its only by building this kind of database that you have a good baseline for investigating hatchability problems when they arise.

See more here:
Why to perform breakout analyses in your hatchery - The Poultry Site

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Id love to see a worldwide shift to providing access to fruits and vegetables for absolutely everyone. I know that there are many people who would love to eat a healthier diet and the foods they need are out of reach. No one who is barely getting by is going to spend $5 on a salad when theres a $1 burger at the local fast food place, so I want to support those who dont have the resources to get what they need to support their health.

As a part of my series about 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kate Swoboda. Kate is creator of YourCourageousLife.com, Director of the Courageous Living Coach Certification at TeamCLCC.com and author ofThe Courage Habit: How to Accept Your Fears, Release the Past, and Live Your Courageous Life. She helps individuals, teams, and companies see where old, fear-based habits have kept people stuck or started to limit whats possible for an organization, and then start creating more courageous lives by getting into the courage habit, a four-part process for behavioral and organizational change. Kate has appeared in MindBodyGreen, Entrepreneur, USA Today, Forbes, Lifetime Moms, The Intelligent Optimist, Business Insider, and more, and her website Your Courageous Life was named a top-50 blog for happiness by Greatist. Shes spoken at conferences and seminars on the topic of courage as it relates to personal development, releasing overwhelm, business and marketing, money mindset, wellness, increasing emotional resilience, and healthy goal-setting using habit-formation techniques.

Thank you so much for doing this with us Kate! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

Ihad always taken reasonable care of my health and had been a runner, but in 2012, I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease and thats when I got really serious about looking at my health and how to improve it. I overhauled my diet and began training for triathlons. After a few years of triathlon training that included finishing two half-Ironman distance events, I found that it was taking a ton of my time, and while I loved the events themselves, the grind of training from week to week wasnt fun. I was curious about CrossFit and tried it outthat first week, I remember immediately being hooked. It was like finding my soulmateWhere have you been, my whole life? Now, CrossFit is my jam. Ive never had so much fun plus seen such great health results from any other physical activity.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I think the story I referencedthe autoimmune diagnosisis that story. Ill add to it that I had a period of feeling extremely depressed about the diagnosis and the symptoms that I was experiencing, and one day, I got really angry because I felt that what I was experiencing was unfair given that I had tried to take care of my health. Something in me felt backed into a corner, and I made a decision that day: this diagnosis would neither define me nor limit my life. I decided that no matter how hard it was, I was going to live a regular life. While this was not my intent behind the declaration, interestingly, my symptoms pretty much disappeared after that experience.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

I was at a store struggling to get into a triathlon wetsuit for the first time. The phrase, stuffed sausage comes to mind. The person kept knocking on the door asking if I needed help because I was taking so long. I now realize that I just didnt understand the mechanics of how to put on a wetsuit, but at the time? At the time I thought, I am such an idiot. It was embarrassing.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

Im interested in how people shift habits and stay authentic to their habits around wellness from a place of nurturing who they arenot subscribing to rigid dogma, particularly around weight loss. I want people to trust who they are, internally, and that means trusting that their bodies are okay and good as they are, even if their bodies are different or differently abled. I am a stand for people defining who they are and how they live, defying the odds, and creating their own particular authentic wellness.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

In the fitness realm, Im extraordinarily grateful to Holly Wick, a world-ranked masters triathlete who also owns Athletic Soles in my hometown of Petaluma, California. Holly took time out of her day to help a newbie like me get up and going with triathlon training, and her passionate commitment to You can do this! championed me so many times when I was full of doubt. A bonus? She teaches spin at the local gym and her classes are not only challenging, theyre also a ton of fun.

Ok thank you for all that. Now lets move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that its important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, its often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

The three main things that block us from taking information that we know and putting it into action are:

Can you please share your 5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

Make a habit out of befriending your inner critic. Most people want to get rid of their criticbut thats actually impossible to do. Your critic is a wounded part of you that will do whatever it takes to prevent future wounding, which is why it criticizes you so harshly when you try new things or take risks. It just wants to prevent you from failing, being rejected, etc. The critic doesnt realize that these experiences are necessary parts of growth and change. The more you can do to befriend this internal voice, rather than avoid ithear it and understand itthe better. This doesnt mean you have to do what it says. Listening to why its so afraid will help you to make different choices around managing your fear.

Turn off all notifications on your phoneandnever have your phone in your bedroom. We know the research into how phones disrupt sleep, social media brings your mood down, etc., but people have trouble figuring out how to stop being so addicted to their phones. Its actually pretty easy if you disable the notifications and never have your phone in your bedroom (which means not staying up late surfing the internet).

Decide what your purpose is and live that. Purpose isnt a destination. Purpose is how you live, every day. People really need to understand that someday, we all diewe all die, we are done, we are gone, we are off the planet. Do you really want to spend the days leading up to that moment surfing the internet? Checking your phone notifications? Feeling the effects of poor health choices? Not feeling fully alive, connected, happy? I want us all to aspire to something more. Bringing presence to your purpose in this world is something anyone can do at any time. Make the choice to decide what your purpose is, and live that.

Understand habit-formation. When you understand how habits work, its easier to take charge of your life. Habits run on a cue, routine, reward loop. Its powerful to decide that when you feel the cue of fear, youll respond with a routine that is all about facing fear. Its powerful to decide that when youre stuck in a routine of negativity, that youll stop allowing negative cues into your life in the form of, for instance, spending time on social media when people are being negative. Understanding that habits are part of how we live life, and consciously choosing which habits we want to reinforce and those we want to shift, is powerful.

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

Daily exercise is an investment in your long-term health. We dont get the benefits from doing it once. If you want to be as able as possible when youre older, daily exercise now is critical.

Daily exercise is a huge mood booster. I can be in a terrible mood, and after a short CrossFit workout, I feel completely different. I joke that its not possible to be in a bad mood when you feel like a badass!

Daily exercise helps with sleep. We all know that we feel crappy when we dont sleep well, and when things that typically help with sleep just dont seem to work? It might seem counterintuitive, but exercise is probably the missing link.

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

Im big into functional fitnessthings that people may need to do in everyday life. Air squats, for instance, are an exercise that tie into a functional movement that people need to do daily, which is sit down or get up from a chair. Raising some kind of weight overhead, and the ability to bend over, are also important, so Id say some kind of overhead press or dumbbell press, and some kind of deadlifting or leaning over to pick something up, will be really helpful.

In my experience, many people begin an exercise regimen but stop because they get too sore afterwards. What ideas would you recommend to someone who plays sports or does heavy exercise to shorten the recovery time, and to prevent short term or long term injury?

Magnesium is really helpful for recovery. Theres a powdered brand called CALM that Ive used that has been helpful. Rolling out with a Grid foam roller is great for working out the kinks in hips and legs. One of the reasons I love the CrossFit model is that functional fitness doesnt get into repetitive movements that cause overuse injuries. Youre doing something different every single day, and most workouts are only around 20 minutes.

There are so many different diets today. Can you share what kind of diet you follow? Which diet do you recommend to most of your clients?

Its important for me to first say that I dont believe in dieting in the prototypical sense, and I definitely dont think that women should be trying to get into a thin body. I think that were all different, mostly due to different microbiome profiles, so it makes sense that we may need different things, and its not healthy for anyone to strive to change their body in order to be accepted by others. With that having been saidthere are certain things that we all need, and the diet misinformation out there is a real head-shaker. For example, yes, everyone needs protein, but that protein does not need to come from animals. In fact, for the health of our planet, I recommend that your protein doesnt come from animals because animal agriculture is a huge source of not just CO2, but also methane, which accelerates the impact of CO2 in our atmosphere.

Im a vegetarian. CrossFit promotes a pretty meat-heavy diet, which is the only aspect of the sport that I dont endorse. Ive made incredible gains while eating vegetarian and know that theyll keep on coming. I dont count calories or count macros or do any diet monitoring, and yet Ive had incredible results (which I define for myself personally as having visible muscles, which I love). I can eat a wide variety of foods and love the plant-based meat alternatives that have emerged, but mostly I focus on eating plants. Thats it. Super simple yet super effective, and also better for the planet. The bookEating Animalsby Jonathan Safran Foer helped me realize how critical our individual roles are in changing the tide of climate change. Yes, there are corporate polluters, and yes the transportation industry plays a huge role, but every single day we all have at least three opportunities to cast our vote for the kind of world that we want to live in when we sit down to eat.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

Pema ChodronsWhen Things Fall Apartrocked my world 15 years ago, and I re-read it all the time. Its a series of short lectures on different times when life hands us a shit-sandwich and we dont know what to doso Chodron encourages us to use those times as opportunities to learn more about who we are, what we want, what were really about.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Id love to see a worldwide shift to providing access to fruits and vegetables for absolutely everyone. I know that there are many people who would love to eat a healthier diet and the foods they need are out of reach. No one who is barely getting by is going to spend $5 on a salad when theres a $1 burger at the local fast food place, so I want to support those who dont have the resources to get what they need to support their health.

Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

Have compassion for everyone you meet, even when they dont want it. What seems conceit, bad manners, or cynicism is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone. Miller Williams

I first saw this hand-lettered at a coffee shop. I was so taken with it, I think because I was in a difficult period in my own life and saw how some people were rejecting me for the ways in which I was showing up with cynicism and negativity. I wasnt intending to be that way; I was just struggling. To me, this quote is the essence of what it means to have compassion for others.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Greg Glassman, Ben Bergeron, and Katrin Davidsdottir would be a blast to have lunch withGlassman is the founder of CrossFit; Bergeron wrote the bookChasing Excellence,and I love his podcast of the same name; and Davidsdottir is a two-time CrossFit Games Fittest on Earth winner, and I love her story and what shes up to.

I recently read Jerry Colonnas bookReboot, and Im so in love with what hes up to. I think he is leading the way for all of us to bring more compassion and humanity to the corporate sector.

It would be the honor of a lifetime to meet Pema Chodron, whose work has lit up my life in so many positive ways.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Im on Instagram @katecourageous and on Facebook @yourcourageouslife

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

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5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One's Wellbeing, With Dr. William Seeds & Kate Swoboda - Thrive Global

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