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Could you explain in short, how exercising affects testosterone levels in our body?Everyone knows that a healthy diet and exercise are essential to maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Exercise releases endorphins, strengthens and shapes the body, can lower weight through the burning of fat and through the building of muscle, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, and so much more. Exercise affects many of the bodys hormones and chemicals, such as endorphins; these groups of hormones are triggered in the brain and nervous system that then activate the bodys opiate receptors, giving the feeling of elated emotions and mood.Other hormones released by exercise can include insulin, glucagon, cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, human growth hormone (HGH), and eventestosterone! Now, I think that men and women alike can agree that a healthy dose of testosterone is just the ticket, but not only for the amped libido! Testosterone has an effect on a mans bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, strength, and the production of erythrocytes (red blood cells) and sperm. etc.But how could just exercising (and no its not an innuendo, I really mean exercise) release and increase testosterone levels? What sort of results men can expect?Although exercise is hardly the only contributing factor when it comes to the production of testosterone, it has been shown to elevate the sex hormone in bursts. These elevated levels are seen immediately following exercise and can last from 15 to 60 minutes. The link between exercise and testosterone is grossly underknown and highly sought to be understood by researchers; although, it is thought that for men whose testosterone levels are low, treatment limited to just exercise is not likely to make a notable difference.Men suffering from levels between normal and low are, however, expected to see an impact from the right exercises with the proper conditions. One of these factors is your weight; obviously working out can help you lose weight, but what isnt so commonly known, is that when you drop those pounds, youre also simultaneously improving your testosterone levels! While effect the exercise has on this sex hormone is still present in older men, the boost has been shown to be much lower than that in those in a younger men.For all the gentlemen, regular workouts are still for you; they help with bone and muscle health, as well as a better sense of balance. With work and family, we might find it difficult to find time for workouts, but the time of day you exercise is very important! Typically, for a healthy boost of testosterone, you want to exercise in the afternoon or evening, as natural levels are usually found at their peak height in the morning. Men who have less than outstanding fitness level will experience higher testosterone boost than men who are in great shape. So, no excuses here! In order to keep up with high-level bursts, it is important that workouts gradually get more difficult, as the body begins to acclimate to the pressure it is being put under.Which exercises stand out in terms of maintaining healthy testosterone levels?Although most exercises will amplify testosterone levels, some are more effective in getting your train to chug than others. Weight lifting and other strength training exercises are ideal for anyone wanting to up their testosterone anty. Lifting heavier weights, as opposed to lifting many reps of a lighter weight, shorter rest periods between workouts, and utilizing more muscles within each exercise are all ideal options for going the extra hormone-heightened mile!While many workouts are great for your body and your sex hormone levels, not all exercises are created equally. Cortisol, another term for hydrocortisone, is a stress hormone that is triggered when inflammation in the body is detected and then released from the adrenal glands. Testosterone is also produced from the adrenal glands, as well as the gonads (testes in men and ovaries in women) and these two hormones have been shown to counteract each other. Specific types of exercises can increase your cortisol levels, effectively reducing your testosterone levels, including chronic high endurance exercises like hours of running or cycling.Are there any other benefits found between exercise and testosterone?Im sure theres plenty that we havent yet discovered, but for certain and one of my favorites?Sex. Plain and simple. Intercourse, in itself, is healthy and great for both your body and mind. When you do the right workouts at the right time of day, your testosterone is going to amp up and when that happens, your sex drive steps up the game as well. All in all, from what we currently know about the link between exercise and testosterone levels, is that there is a definite benefit, even if what is seen isnt necessarily permanent results. Regular workouts are always recommended, but when they are accompanied by a healthy hormone dose, its really a no brainer.

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Interview With Nutritionist Robert Thomas: The Link Between Exercise And Testosterone Levels - KHTS Radio

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What a day! A truly significant one for swimming and anti-doping.

Swimming Worlds coverage of Sun Yang & FINA Vs WADA At the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Commentary follows

On the way to my breaking the news that Michelle Smith de Bruin, the stunning improver of an Irish triple Olympic champion in 1996, was in trouble with anti-doping authorities, a kind and caring soul sent me a Shakespearean quote from Hamlet.

It might have been but wasnt To be or not to be, though the Prince of Denmark had something to teach me about where to look and what to look for. Early 1998 and it would not be long before I was able to shake hands with truth.

The rest is history now repeated in so many ways this day:

I broke the story about Suns latest brush with anti-doping authorities. Like Smith de Bruin, he asked for a public hearing at CAS as part of the legal defence of the innocence he claimed; and like the Irish swimmer since turned barrister, Sun did not survive the Court of Arbitration process. Both swimmers went down for manipulation/tampering, Smith de Bruin because there was a sample to test; Sun because there was no sample to test.

There are other differences in the cases, of course; Smith had nowhere left to go and quit the sport; Sun has a Swiss Federal Tribunal at which he can make a last stand after which he will rise from the ashes or go down in history with an eternal stain on his character and career. As things stand, he will never be inducted into the International Swimming Hall for Fame.

There was the whiskey, too (yes, I was told, apparently it was possible to tell that it was Irish whiskey not whisky in the urine jar and in enough concentration to have been fatal had it been ingested and passed not poured into the test flask).

No nightcap involved in the Chinese case, the place of sundowner in 2018 taken by a twice-banned doctor, various guardians on the line to testers, a mother and the security guard she called on to fetch the final blow: a hammer to nail, intentionally or not, a fateful note to WADAs door reading catch me if you can.

It was as if the love and protection of FINA for Sun and his swim association in a country yielding some of the biggest sponsors the international federation had ever known had gone to all their heads. So much so, indeed, that even previous bad form from 2014 was not enough to wave a red flag in between their collective ears when it came to favouring four hours of acrimony, with three fairly powerful men warning a young, female anti-doping officer over a bit of paperwork and process a 12-year-old could follow without too many tantrums.

21 years on and another kind and caring soul sent me something that led me to a document far less prosaic than the plots crafted by the great Bard. It was an astonishing document, one in which a great many pages thundered like Lear:

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!You cataracts and hurricanoes, spoutTill you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!You sulfurous and thought-executing fires,5Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts,Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,Smite flat the thick rotundity o th world,Crack natures molds, all germens spill at onceThat make ingrateful man!

And then the Sun came out, all clear, a slight slap on the wrist, pocket money docked and off you swim now, you naughty little rascal.

It just didnt add up and if the maths was askew so was the English. The FINA Doping Panel, clever men and lawyers they surely must be, forgot to pick up a dictionary. Had they done so, they would have understood almost instantly that the thing the whole Sun case hinged on, as they put it, was actually unhinged.

Documentation could only be interpreted as plural, they ruled, overruling the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries and several others as they went. Documentation is both singular and plural. Hence one might arrive at a border and be asked Do you have your documentation. Upon handing over ones one passport, one might hear one thank you, that will do nicely.

Yet there were three FINA lawyers arguing that all that crack winds and blow stuff theyd identified hung on a grammatical thread so fine that one might well have imagined it came from the same spool from which the Emperors Clothes were spun.

Today, the Court of Arbitrations three senior judges cut to the chase: Sun was guilty of tampering, not necessarily because his was the hand that removed a signed-off blood sample from the chain of custody but because his name was on the paperwork and the relevant rule hands him responsibility for outcome of an anti-doping procedure during the entire time a testing session/visit is underway.

In Montreux last November, witnesses, including Sun, suggested that Ba Zhen, the twice WADA-penalised doctor, was the man who took the blood sample out of custody. It could not, therefore, be pinned on Sun.

Well, it was and an eight-year ban was the result. Sun has now felt the hammer blow of WADAs authority, as has FINA, which coupled its wagon to the Chinese champion when it might have stepped back and let due process run its course in more independent hands.

The list is longer still.

The 2016 Rio Olympic deck hug from FINA director Cornel Marculescu after the 200m freestyle final had Sun explaining to the world media how the international federations top-paid employee was life a grandfather to him and that Mr. Marculescu was a great friend of Chinese swimming.

All of that just 18 years after a China Crisis so big in swimming that it would surely have been impossible to get it wrong beyond that point, 13 vials of hGh in the kit of Yuan Yuan, a 16-year-old picked out by sniffer dogs at Sydney Airport, a game changer.

Or perhaps not for in every passing year since, mistakes that suggest historys lessons have wilfully been ignored have played out again and again, with Russia, with China, with any swimmer from any nation paying into FINA coffers handled with kid gloves not the hammer felt by others.

With the verdict today comes criticism of the anti-doping system and how unfair it is to Sun. Accusations stretch to racism as weve seen in our own comments section.

All such things are a masquerade. Those who are concerned about WADA and CAS and the anti-doping system are right to be concerned but not if their fight rests on saving Sun and Co.

The question is not have we been unfair to Sun but what the hell are you doing about Dr Ba and Co?

Go further, ask FINA what it was thinking during those 20 or so years when it never once questioned the way IDTM, the Sweden-based testing agency, conducted its business and testing teams, never once recommended nor demanded changes and improvements; yet there its lawyers were in Montreux pressing IDTM for answers on the very procedures it had agreed to, by default or otherwise, as part of its out-of-competition testing contract.

The arrival of the International Swimming League put the heat on FINA to change last year and the leading domestic federations have sat back and hoped rather than actively pressed for change within the organisation that is the sum of all of them and cannot operate without them.

While FINA has had to tweak things a touch, it remains the same organisation and culture in heart and soul; the same organisation still fighting legal action aimed at ending its monopoly; the same organisation that defended a rogue Chinese swimming organisation and culture through the 1990s; the same organisation that mortally failed Fran Crippen and his family; the same organisation that gave its top honour to Vladimir Putin on the even of the Russian doping crisis; the same organisation that said Facilities Rules (including what constitutes a 50m pool, a starting block and so forth) dont count when a world record is set; the same organisation that has no register of interests nor open expenses system for the volunteers running the show that is accessible for all its stakeholders to see; the same organisation that has allowed leading officials to remain at its top table even while cited as co-conspirators or named as being under investigation for criminal activities; the same organisation that ignored calls for review and reform from shoals of major stakeholders in the sport.

It is an organisation in need of root-to-branch review and reform. National federations know it but remain far more complicit than they should be.

Twenty two years ago, coaches and athletes flowed past the media complaining about unfairness and FINA for failing to act on their behalf. They still are, in sport led yet by men who were around when Dr Lothar Kipke was being honoured as a GDR medical man for his services for swimming even as teenage girls were being abused behind closed walls. As stated many times before: Kipke has his FINA Pin awards yet despite a criminal conviction for the abuse of underage athletes he doped.

On the sidelines of the show is Sun, a star now fallen. He has been in the hands of the system for at least 20 years from childhood to a 28-year-old adult who may be regarded as both victim and product of that system, his home environment and, in the past decade, the home-from-home he has found at FINA HQ.

Those who think that last reference goes too far should know this: when Sun stepped out of the lights a few moments after having shouted in Duncan Scotts face at the World Championships under a giant banner of the event motto Dive Into Peace in Gwangju, FINA got to work. It took nine minutes for British Swimming to received the warning handed down to Scott for his podium protest.

It took 2 minutes to get Sun into a FINA limousine, drive him back to the official FINA hotel where he was being housed and the warning he received came with another FINA hug of sorts. The event motto might better have read Pride, Prejudice and Partiality.

None of any of them escaped the swimmers, which is why we find in our coverage the tip of an iceberg of complaints from the worlds leading swimmers, their coaches, parents, communities and the wider world of programs, clubs and fans remote from the politics that prevail at the helm of the sport.

This was a good day for swimming, a good day for clean sport and anti-doping in that Sun, the champion of a system and culture that even China team-mates, the Chinese media has reported, have been uncomfortable with.

What remains of this day, however, is that, yet again, the whole focus is one the swimmer, the one athlete, when quite clearly, many around him ought to be called to account.

The Sun has set on a career after a long year at the end of a troubling chapter of swimming history. There is a feeling that the matter has been put to bed on the way to a Midsummer Nights Dream of viruses dying and Games Olympic unfolding without a (particular) shadow of doubt.

And sleep, that sometime shuts up sorrows eye, Steal me awhile from mine own company.

FINAs leadership might well be among those who understand well Shakespeares fine expression but its not they I wish restful sleep for when they ought to be wide awake contemplating the lessons of 1998, February 28, 2020 and many other moments in between.

No. Rather, let this night into a new weekend be peaceful for all those kind and caring souls whove laid awake on many other nights thinking about the sport that swimming could be and hoping not to see something rotten in the state of swimming being propped up by that very state.

Excerpt from:
Sun Yang's Eight-Year Ban - History repeats: Whiskey In The Jar To Hammer Horror - Swimming World Magazine

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Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

This article was co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS. Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Co-authors: 558

Updated: February 7, 2020

Views:22,262,033

The best way to lose weight fast is to eat right and make time for exercise every day. If you don't like going to the gym, swimming, biking, or even dance aerobics can be great options. Alternatively, you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine by biking to work, taking the stairs instead of walking, or even taking a lap around the block. Focus on eating proteins, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables at every meal. You can also use an online calculator or ask your doctor to help you determine how many calories you should be eating each day, then keep track of the calories you consume in a journal. However, don't worry about sticking to a strict diet regimen, since those often fail. Instead, try replacing unhealthy meals with healthy ones at least 3 times per week. To learn more from our Dietitian co-author, such as which foods to avoid and diet plans to try, keep reading!

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5 Ways to Lose Weight Fast - wikiHow

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Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that break down the food we eat into energy and muscle.

Though many people think that they will lose weight if they speed up their metabolism, this isn't necessarily true. Here's what you need to know about the complicated relationship between metabolism and weight-loss.

When people refer to metabolism being "fast" or "slow" what they are really referring to is a measure of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR determines the number of passive calories that you burn - these are the calories that your body uses up while at rest.

A popular misconception is that adding muscle will help you metabolize calories faster - and while this is partially true, muscles at rest actually burn very few calories. Most of the metabolizing energy you expend is through your brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs that are constantly at work keeping you alive and healthy.

There is evidence that cardiovascular exercise can help boost your metabolism for a short period after you work out, but this effect only lasts for an hour or so and is not usually enough to cause significant weight loss.

There's also the myth that eating certain foods will speed up your metabolism. But the reality is that even if certain foods can affect your BMR it's not nearly enough to make a noticeable difference in your weight. In order to lose weight, you must create a deficit between the calories you consume through food and the calories you burn through a combination of diet, physical activity, and passive metabolic processes that are largely out of your control.

The sad truth is that it's hard to change your BMR in any significant way. The fact that some people naturally have a faster BMR than others is largely due to genetics.

A review, published in 2011 in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, that examined 9 twin studies and 19 family studies found that metabolic syndrome - and some of the symptoms associated with it including obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance - are common among families, suggesting a significant heritability factor.

The exception to this rule comes up only for rare illnesses like Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism, which both slow metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism becomes less efficient, or what we think of as "slowing down," says Heather Seid, a registered dietician and Bionutrition Program Manager at Columbia University.

There are many reasons your metabolism slows down, including losing muscle mass and changes in your cells. But the main reason for metabolism change is that people become less active as they get older.

Unfortunately, you can't completely stop your metabolism from slowing down as you age but exercise may give you a boost. Studies show that keeping active as you grow older can help curb a metabolism slowdown.

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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How metabolism works and why you can't speed it up to lose weight - msnNOW

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Tallal Zeni, Special to hometownlife.com Published 1:38 p.m. ET Feb. 27, 2020

Tallal Zeni, MD(Photo: Courtesy of Saint Joseph Mercy Health System)

For many Americans this may be the year to consider bariatric surgery. If you have already attempted medical weight loss through classes or programs and yet remain morbidly obese meaning more than 80 or 100 pounds over your ideal body weight then bariatric surgery may be a consideration.

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, roughly 24 million Americans fall into the morbidly obese category. If you are amongst this group, medical studies tell us there is less than a 5% success rate you will lose the excess weight without surgery. The good news for those considered morbidly obese is that there are still many options available. You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery, more commonly referred to as weight loss surgery.

Bariatric surgery can help patients lose an average of 70 percent of their excess weight. So for someone who is approximately 100 pounds above their ideal weight, they can expect to lose 70 pounds with weight loss surgery. Beyond the obvious weight loss benefits and improved quality of life, there are many medical benefits that are equally important. Bariatric surgery can resolve or improve many diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart diseases, sleep apnea, arthritis and joint pain. All of these health benefits explain why most medical insurances cover the cost of surgery.

More: South Lyon woman struggled all her life with weight. Now she's lost 135 pounds.

More: Bariatric surgery has helped this man drop over 200 pounds in under two years

Though we offer different bariatric surgeries most commonly sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass and different techniques such as laparoscopic as well as robotic surgery, the fundamental idea behind the success of each is the same. First, by reducing the size of a patient's stomach, a person will feel fuller faster and thus will consume less calories. Second, many of the surgeries improve ones metabolic hormones to decrease appetite and help sustain weight loss for the long term. Third, bariatric surgery, depending on the type, may bypass some of the intestine leading to decreased absorption of calories. Combined with a sensible and protein rich nutrition plan, as well as a healthy exercise program, bariatric surgery is proven to be a successful weight-loss approach for many people.

If you are 100 pounds or more overweight, you are not alone. There is a community of people just like you that shares similar experiences, feelings and frustrations. Whether you join a gym, a weight loss center or are considering bariatric surgery, there are options available to help you lose weight, eliminate or reduce many diseases, and improve your overall quality of life.

Tallal Zeni, MD, is the medical director of Saint Joseph Mercy Health System's Michigan Bariatric Institute. He is board certified in general surgery and fellowship trained in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. He performs surgery at St. Mary Mercy Livonia and St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. For more information about bariatric surgery, call 734-655-2692 or visit http://www.stjoeshealth.org.

Read or Share this story: https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/2020/02/27/saint-joseph-mercy-doctor-surgery-way-win-weight-loss-battle/4854569002/

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Saint Joseph Mercy doctor: Surgery one way to win the weight loss battle - Hometown Life

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Research has already established that daily exercise does not play a large role in weight loss, and I think that is a major misconception for anyone who embarks on a journey to lose weight. Before you start working out, ask yourself, why do you want to exercise? What is your motivation? Is it that you want to improve your weight, become a better athlete, manage stress, etc.? Its different for all of us and there is no wrong answer, but it might help you set better and more realistic goals.

As a part of my series about 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joanne Donoghue. Joanne is a PhD, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, NY. An associate professor and director of clinical research for the universitys medical school, she has had multiple publications in the exercise science field, and has presented her work both domestically and internationally. Her biggest accomplishment is being a hands on full-time working mother of two boys and wife while maintaining her passion for running and fitness. Dr. Donoghue is a 6x marathoner and 2x Ironman finisher.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! 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?

Iwas born with a congenital hip problem and growing up I was told that I should not and could not play sports. Being told you cant is a very powerful motivator when deep inside you know that you can. I went on to be a successful athlete and played sports throughout high school and college. I wanted to work in a field that I can help others find the power of movement and exercise. However, although I was an athlete, I also struggled with food control. When I took my first nutrition class in high school I was fascinated by food science and how that applied to active people. Ive been hooked on nutrition and fitness ever since.

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

Our university has a specialized treatment center for patients with Parkinsons disease, and sometimes we have retired New York athletes that will attend events and help spread awareness for the cause. While at one of these events I met several retired professional hockey players who I had watched during my childhood. It turned out that one of them was a marathon runner, like me, as well as a triathlete who shared my ambitions to do an Ironman competition. Weve since ended up becoming good friends and training partners, and I learned a lot from training with a pro athlete! We both finished the Ironman (he was faster, sadly) but not many people get the chance to train and attain a life goal alongside a professional athlete that they grew up watching on TV.

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?

When I first started working in rehabilitation, I was very young and my peers were mostly male. I thought that in order to be taken seriously in this field I had to dress more masculine and hide any part of being a woman. My patients at the time were geriatrics, they were from a different generation. After some time I had an older patient bring me a gift. When I opened it, to my shock it was a very feminine outfit. She told me I was such a pretty girl and I would never find a husband dressing the way I was. Now, this story might anger women today, but it also made me realize that I was dressing to take the attention away from the fact that I was a woman. I wasnt dressing to make me feel comfortable in my own skin, but outfits that I thought would help me to be taken seriously at work.

When I started dressing the way I felt most comfortable, I wasnt trying to hide my curves or the fact that I was a female. The gift this patient gave me was a lesson, not only to not be offended by people. Her intentions were good. I realized that in order to use my expertise and help others reach their full potential, I had to first be comfortable with myself. On that note, I love the changes that have occurred in the world today. When I look at younger women today I have such envy for the confidence they have and the freedom to be who they are. There is still work to be done, but its refreshing to see that they are gaining more opportunities to be themselves.

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?

Sports have always been the biggest part of my life. I was an athlete, but I also struggled with weight fluctuations. I have a Bachelors degree in Nutrition, a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology and a Doctorate of philosophy in Alternative and Holistic Nutrition. My education has been fantastic in this field, however, I am also a marathon runner, a two-time Ironman finisher, and a triathlete. Ive struggled with nutrition and training just as everyone else has. My perspective is unique in that I bring evidence-based knowledge, as well as personal experience, to the people that I help. Whats better than that!

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?

My junior high soccer coach. As I mentioned, I had a slight disability and I started sports much later than other kids. I was good, but I did things a little differently. I didnt think I would make the team because of it. In tryouts he pulled me aside and worked with me for over an hour on my power kick. He figured out how to get me to be one of the best kickers on the team by teaching me that it was okay to do things differently as long as I got the job done. It seems like a simple story, but to a 12-year-old girl he did wonders for me that day. I went on to be a college soccer player, an all-county track runner, and a volleyball player.

However, a few years later when I had to try out to be exempt from swimming class, he failed me. I should have passed hands down, but I didnt put in my best effort. He failed me not on my physical ability, but my lack of effort to try my hardest. It wasnt fair, and that was the second lesson he made sure I learned. Life isnt fair and sometimes even though you may think you deserve something it doesnt mean you are going to get it. I sat through a year of unnecessary swimming lessons and it was a very humbling experience for me. He didnt accept anything less than my best effort. He was my inspiration for pushing myself to do marathons and an Ironman.

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?

Time

We all have a daily routine that we usually follow. Most of us get up and go to work, or get up and have to take care of kids (even harder than going to work) or both! You may have a long commute; you may feel you dont spend enough time with family and friends. Doing things for ourselves usually becomes our lowest priority. Preparing healthy food takes time that many of us do not have, so grabbing on the go has become part of our culture. Unfortunately, quick food is usually not healthy food. Doing meal preparations in advance can take the stress off not knowing what to eat, and try to slow down and enjoy food. Being prepared and prepping in advance can eliminate mindless eating.

Stress

Stress creates hormone secretions in our brain that increase cortisol levels and wreak havoc on our hormones. Weve all heard the term stress eating, and thats actually a real thing. When were high stressed, certain foods that are high in sugar can create a sense of calm for us and comfort. Although it brings us temporary relief, long term it creates poor habits.

The other pitfall that we see from those who exercise frequently is the idea that more is better and that rest days hold us back. That could not be farther from the truth, rest! Designate one rest day a week into your regimen. I tell people to take their rest day on a day when you make time for friends and family. That way giving yourself permission to rest will be meaningful not only physically but also emotionally.

Money

Healthy food can be expensive. Unfortunately, it does not have to be, so let me rephrase that. Buying prepared healthy food is expensive. Preparing your own healthy food can be much more cost effective. But that brings us back to the problem of time. Your health should be your priority, designating one day for a few hours to plan a weekly menu can give you the ability to plan healthy meals and budget for it.

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.)

1. Well first, research has already established that daily exercise does not play a large role in weight loss, and I think that is a major misconception for anyone who embarks on a journey to lose weight. Before you start working out, ask yourself, why do you want to exercise? What is your motivation? Is it that you want to improve your weight, become a better athlete, manage stress, etc.? Its different for all of us and there is no wrong answer, but it might help you set better and more realistic goals.

2. Know your calorie intake and your macronutrient intake. This is a big one for me. We all can say how many gallons of gas our cars need to run, but most people have no idea how many calories their own body requires just to function. This can be done doing a resting metabolic test by a nutritionist or through estimated formulas that arent as precise, but may help give you an estimate.

3. This brings me to my third tweak. Write your diet down. Using an application like MyFitnessPal allows you to see how many calories you are consuming, and also will break down your percentage of how many carbohydrate, protein and fat makes up your diet. Most of us have hidden fat and simple carbohydrates hidden in our food that we may not realize. Sometimes only minor tweaks can make a big difference. I realized I was carelessly using coffee sweetener every morning and by the time noon time came I had consumed over 30 grams of sugar just from coffee. It was a small tweak I made and it made a big difference in my calorie intake.

4. Make sure you eat enough to fuel your body and activity. One of the research areas I love to explore is how our metabolisms respond to exercise. And its not always what youd think! In a recent study we compared middle distance female runners to long distance female runners of the same age and found that the long distance runners, despite racking more workout time, were taking in much lass calories than their bodies needed. This caloric deficit caused them to have much slower metabolic rates. Our bodies are smart. If you arent taking in enough of the proper calories, it will slow its metabolism down to conserve energy.

5. Stop weighing yourself. As an athlete the scale can be very misleading. Muscle is denser than fat therefore it weighs more. Stepping on a scale and seeing 510 pound weight fluctuations not only can be a major mind tease, it can be inaccurate. An example I can give you was a patient who lost 40 pounds doing Weight Watchers. When we measured her body composition pre- and post- diet, she had lost 20 pounds of fat and 20 pounds of muscle. That is counterproductive because her resting metabolic rate is now reduced and so is her strength. Do not be a slave to the scale.

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?

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

There are no specific three exercises that would fit everyone, but I would suggest the following 3 types of exercises:

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?

Delayed onset muscle soreness usually occurs between 24 and 48 hours of intense exercise. Active recovery is effective in removing lactic acid and fluid form sore muscles. When you wake up with that incredible stiffness and pain for a day of exercise, your natural inclination is not to move. That couldnt be further from the truth. Doing a form of light exercise such as walking, biking or stretching can help pump some of the fluid out of the swollen muscles and help them to repair. Even a light massage can be effective. If you feel your soreness is too much, then lighten up on the exercise next time, its not a bad thing to be a little sore! Its a sign that you are using your muscles and its a sign of repair to rebuild to be stronger!

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?

I typically never recommend a diet and I would use caution if you find someone who suggests one particular diet. Food is too personal, variable and there is no one size fits all for diet. Intermittent fasting is very popular right now. The theory is to consume your calories in an eight-hour timeframe and fast for the remainder. The theory is that during your fasting state you go into a ketogenic state and utilize fat for fuel. The real challenge is to eat the correct caloric needs and not to over eat within the time frame given. There are no long term studies supporting this diet, only shorter term ones. Any diet will be effective in the short term. Its whether you can maintain that lifestyle.

The most effective tool I recommend is using an online app called MyFitnessPal, which allows you to assess your diet daily and have it broken down by percent of carbohydrate, protein and fat and allows you to record your caloric intake. From there we can make modifications to have someone eat what they would like, but maybe make slight changes to have them eat more desirable or to their caloric needs. I use this app regularly. Sometimes I get lazy and forget, but when I fall off track I go back to it. It keeps you honest and helps you understand where you can improve.

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

Unbrokenby Laura Hillenbrand. Its the story of Louis Zamperini who was a troubled teen and an Olympic runner in the Berlin Olympics, but when he served in World War II and his plane crashed in the Pacific he became a castaway at sea for months. The story of survival at sea is remarkable enough for any person to endure, but whats more is that he was also captured and taken to a Japanese prison camp where he was tortured and brought to the brink of death. When I read this book its a reminder of what the human souls drive to live, and a testament to how precious life is. We are capable of so much more than we believe (remember the Winnie the Pooh quote!).

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.

I would urge everyone to recycle, to use less plastic and to buy more fuel efficient vehicles. My training partner told me his four-year-old grandson saidwe need to be nice to the earth or it will die. Its a purposeful and beautiful outlook from a child who will inherit the planet from us. We need to leave our kids a better planet. I would never want my kids one day to say, Why didnt you do something?

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

Just remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.- Winnie the pooh

I think this quote can relate to any person. I never believed I could do a marathon or an Ironman, I was stronger than I thought. I never thought I was smart enough to get my PhD and work in a medical field alongside brilliant people. This quote is so simple yet speaks volumes, its a reminder to everyone to not doubt yourself when life puts you to the test.

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

Danica Patrick. She succeeded as a racecar driver in a male dominant sport. She withstood so much criticism, and she was able to be a tough, strong woman while still embracing her feminine side by gracing the pages of Sports Illustrated swim suit issues. She is considered one of the top 100 most influential women in the world, and she is now focused on healthy eating, fitness and has her own podcast that is based on positivity and helping others be their best. Her training regimen is intense. Im not sure if I would want lunch with her or just have one workout with her! She also is now an entrepreneur with her own clothing line Warrior. I would urge anyone to listen to her podcasts. She has accomplished so much and really can inspire women to see that anything is possible.

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

@Joannedonoghue4

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 & Joanne Donoghue - Thrive Global

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American Heart Association "This was about breaking a family legacy of heartdiseaseand feeling good."

Michelle Emebo's doctor was just as shocked as she was to discover she had high blood pressure during her third trimester of pregnancy. Emebo says she was pretty healthy before becoming pregnant and had been exercising pretty regularly. She was motivated to prevent gestational diabetes and pass her glucose test at the end of her second trimester. However, once she passed the test, eating healthy became less of a priority.

"Once the test was over, my diet just went down the gutter," Emebo says. "I was eating Starbucks breakfast sandwiches on the way to work and then just kept eating once I got to work. I work at an academic center where there is always some kind of celebration, so it would be a donut here, a cupcake there." Emebo said she gained a healthy 10 pounds during her first two trimesters but put on almost 15 pounds in a matter of weeks leading up to her high blood pressure diagnosis. (FYI, healthy weight gain during pregnancy is typically between 25 and 35 lbs, but every woman is different.)

Emebo says her doctor was reassuring that her blood pressure would go back down to the 120/80 she was used to having after giving birth. She tried to cut back on the sweets, but between anxiety at work preparing for maternity leave, moving into a new home and her husband finishing residency, there was a lot of stress going on in her life that continued to impact her health. She said all she had the energy to focus on at the time was delivering a healthy baby and making sure her blood pressure didn't continue to trend upwards.

Turns out, Emebo's blood pressure didn't go down after giving birth or after breastfeeding. Her doctor put her on blood pressure medication after several months, but that didn't seem to have much of an impact.

"That's when I realized I'd had enough, that I was going to have to do something as far as exercise and diet," Emebo says. "I knew it was possible for me to get back to normal since I was there before pregnancy. Finally, a year and a half later, I started making a change."

Taking Control of Her Health

Emebo was a collegiate athlete and the natural first step towards a healthier lifestyle was bringing exercise back into her routine. The local mom's group she's a part of had a meetup at OrangeTheory Fitness one day, and she knew she needed to come back for more.

"I got my butt kicked that first class, but I thought, 'I need to be in here' and signed up for a membership that day," she says.

Changing her diet wasn't as simple, however. Emebo was attempting to eat the way she did when trying to lose weight for her wedding several years prior, and her methods just weren't working for her. She had her doctor refer her to a nutrition professional.

Emebo admits that nutrition was the hardest part for her. She says, "You don't realize how much convenience food is a part of your life when you have to change your schedule to cook and grocery shop."

As difficult as it was to start cooking more often, she says this is when she saw the biggest change in her healthand blood pressure. Emebo says her dietitian played an important role in teaching her portion control, cutting back on added sugar and sodium and learning new cooking methods. She started using spices and DASH seasonings to bring flavor to her meals without salt, and learned to caramelize sweet potatoes, so she no longer needed brown sugar to enjoy them.

Choosing a Lifestyle Over a Diet

Emebo was able to normalize her blood pressure and lose 20 pounds within six months, which inspired her to keep going. She lost 75 pounds and has kept it off after three years. Emebo says that while she could have lost weight faster, she was pursuing a healthy lifestylenot a restrictive diet or a number on a scale.

"I didn't have a goal weight," Emebo says. "Everyone would ask what size I wanted to be, but it wasn't about that. I would tell them 'whatever weight gets me off my medications and keeps me healthy.'"

Emebo continued to dial back on sodium and added sugar while increasing her intake of vegetables and other high-fiber foods. She also began meeting with a trainer to help her meal plan around her workouts as she was growing stronger in the gym.

"I never felt deprived in that year and a half, and that's probably why it took me a little longer to get to where I needed to be," Emebo says. "I enjoyed birthdays, holidays and my family's favorite foods, but if I could stick to healthy eating 80% of the week, I could feel good."

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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Both of Emebo's parents have struggled with high blood pressure and survived strokes, so she knows her family history of cardiovascular disease puts her at increased risk.

'I really wanted it to be about my health, and not just physical health but mental healththis was about breaking a family legacy of heart disease and feeling good," she says.

Emebo also cut back on alcohol after participating in Dry January in 2018. She now reserves imbibing for special occasions and feels more energized than ever.

"I don't have anything against [alcohol], but I began to notice drinking a glass of wine at night made me sleepy in the morning and hungrier during the day. Once I cut out my glass of wine or two each week, it helped me get up in the morning and I wasn't having food cravings at night anymore."

Trust the Process

Today, Michelle is eating more carbs and calories to keep up with her workouts, while still being mindful of her intake of salt and added sugars. She says this health journey has really turned into a way of life for her and her family and has left her feeling empowered.

"There was a time where I didn't know what I needed to do to get healthy," Emebo says. "It wasn't until I realized i had to take control of my healthand it had to start today that I was able to realize it was possible to get healthy and that I really could do this. I've never been as fit as I am now since being a student athlete."

Emebo says she is surprised by how many people say they don't like their doctor, as finding the right provider who can encourage you in the right direction is extremely important for getting healthy. If you don't know your numbers, ask about your cholesterol, glucose and blood sugar levels and other metrics to figure out a game plan. She says if you don't start knowing where you are, you won't be able to move forward. She also says to be patient, as a health journey should be just thata journey.

"It's not an overnight thingespecially if you're a new mom trying to figure your job, marriage and parenting out," Emebo says. "A lot of people do not believe them when I say there was no secret potion. I just ate healthy food and did the exercises. Slow progress is still progress and that's what matters."

Michelle Emebo is part of The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Movement.

Slideshow: Shannon lost 85 lbs. in 10 months with barely any exercise (Courtesy: PopSugar)

Originally posted here:
This Woman Lost 75 Pounds and Got Off Her Blood Pressure Medication by Curbing Salt and Sugar - msnNOW

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I actually took this topic to Twitter, asking readers who they thought was the biggest bust in Red Sox history. The responses were so varied and good that I decided to yes, cynically put together an All-Busts team of Red Sox prospects. At the moment, an exercise such as this is more interesting than talking about the current team.

A couple of ground rules: I eliminated from consideration players who might have been annoying or didnt fully live up to their hype, but still ended up having quality major league careers. Clay Buchholz has pitched 13 years in the majors, made two All-Star teams, and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting once. Hes many things, but hes not a bust. Same goes for Daisuke Matsuzaka, to a different degree.

I also eliminated players that had their promise curtailed by unfortunate real-life circumstances, such as Ryan Westmoreland and Andy Yount.

I eliminated players who never should have been considered prospects in the first place, such as Kung-Fu-fighting Izzy Alcantara, who was 27 when he debuted in 2000, and Pat Dodson, who broke through at age 26 in 1986 in his third full season in Pawtucket and somehow managed to be a Donruss Rated Rookie and a Topps Future Star on his 1987 baseball cards.

And perhaps wrongly, but hey, its the approach Im taking I eliminated players who did briefly thrive in the major leagues before the game caught up to them. Youre not busts to me, Sam Horn, Phil Plantier, and Will Middlebrooks. The good moments might have been fleeting, but they sure were fun.

Prepare to wince, position by position ...

Catcher: Blake Swihart. The 2011 first-round picks big-league career got off to a promising start in 2015 when he hit .274 in 84 games as a 23-year-old. Things might have gone differently had the Red Sox not stuck him in left field, where he suffered a career-altering ankle injury in ealry 2016. But the reality is that he got plenty of chances and never did much with them, putting up a .679 OPS across five partial seasons while drawing something less than raves defensively.

He edges out Peabody High legend Steve Lomasney, the No. 50 overall prospect in 2000 who got just two big-league at-bats.

First base: Otis Foster. I suspect most of you will go with Lars Anderson, who was rated the No. 17 overall prospect by Baseball America in 2009 but hit .167 in 56 at-bats for the Red Sox over three years. But my vote goes to Foster, the 15th overall pick in 1975 who was pegged as the next Jim Rice (talk about unfair expectations), if only for this amusing but probably apocryphal story.

The legend goes that in spring training in the late 70s, as weight issues were causing Fosters star to dim, the Red Sox devised a plan to help him lose weight: Theyd make him run laps around a nearby lake. Great idea, except, as the story goes, Foster had a better plan. He had his girlfriend meet him halfway around the lake with a picnic basket so they could have a nice lunch before he finished his running. Thats my kind of thinking right there.

Second base: Donnie Sadler. In Baseball Americas ranking of the Red Sox top 10 prospects of 1996, two shortstops cracked the top four. Nomar Garciaparra at No. 4 ... and Sadler at No. 1. Thats right: Baseball America did not know that Nomar was better.

Sadler, who might be the fastest Red Sox player not named Otis Nixon Ive ever seen, did have a terrific season at Single A Michigan in 1995, putting up an .836 OPS with 9 homers and 41 steals. The Red Sox moved him around defensively and rushed him to the majors in 1998, which did him no favors.

But he never really had a good season after that promising start, and in 156 career games with the Red Sox, he hit .242 with 4 homers, maddeningly trying to hit for power when he should have been maximizing his speed.

Shortstop: Juan Bustabad. I mean, the last name should have been a blinking neon clue, right? Never trust a prospect whose last name includes the words bust and bad.

Bustabad drew frequent reference for his defensive wizardry in Peter Gammonss Sunday notes columns in the early 80s. One comment from 1981: The Red Sox liken Bustabads speed to that of Kirk Gibson, the Detroit outfielder who reputedly can run with KCs Willie Wilson. Scouts from two other teams say hes not that fast but is a great shortstop prospect.

I remember fully expecting him to become the Red Sox version of Ozzie Smith. Instead, he peaked as the PawSox version of Mario Mendoza, putting up a .606 OPS in nine minor league seasons and never playing a day in the majors.

Third base: Wilton Veras. He had a reputation as a future star in 1999 after he hit .288 in 36 games as a 21-year-old. But looking back, its hard to tell why, beyond the empty batting average. He had just an 80 adjusted OPS in that stretch, hitting two home runs, and he was no whiz at third base.

If we wanted a young third baseman to dream on that season, we should have looked west to watch 20-year-old Adrian Beltre with the Dodgers.

Veras gets the nod here over 2010 first-round pick Kolbrin Vitek, who hit 8 homers in four minor league seasons and never made it past Double A Portland.

Left field: Greg Blosser. The 16th pick in the 1989 draft, Blosser was a strapping power hitter who was supposed to be what Jim Thome became. But he struck out too much even in the low minors and hit .077 in cameos with the 1993 and 94 Red Sox.

Ill also hear you on Jeff Ledbetter, a record-setting slugger at Florida State and a first-round pick in 1982 who lost his pop when he had to trade in the aluminum bat for wood.

Center field: Rusney Castillo. He was touted to be the next Ron Gant when the Red Sox signed the Cuban defector to an absurd six-year, $72.5 million deal in 2014, and he got off to a nice start, but in 2015, it became apparent that we should have been calling him Rusney Cant.

The circumstances of his contract have left him in baseball purgatory in Pawtucket, where he has a career .761 OPS and is now 32 years old.

Also: Jeff McNeely was supposed to be the next Ellis Burks, but he turned out to be the first Jeff McNeely.

Right field: Rick Asadoorian. He drew comparisons to a young Dwight Evans when the Red Sox took him out of Northbridge High with the 17th pick in 1999. But he spent just two uninspiring seasons in the organization before the Red Sox traded him to the Cardinals for pitcher Dustin Hermanson in December 2001.

Righthanded starter: Mike Brown. He was rated the Red Sox No. 1 prospect by Baseball America in 1983, and man, did he deserve it. In his first two seasons of pro ball (including a cameo with the big club in 82) Brown went 24-10 with 261 strikeouts in 261 innings and a 1.83 ERA.

He was supposed to be the Red Sox next ace before we even heard of Roger Clemens. He did not become the Red Sox next ace, going 12-18 with a 5.57 ERA over five partial seasons.

His greatest contribution might have been when he departed: He was part of the deal that brought postseason hero Dave Henderson from the Mariners in 1986.

Lefthanded starter: Trey Ball. Ill presume most of you would go with Henry Owens and his 5.19 career ERA in this spot. But Ill fight you well, at least bicker passive-aggressively on that.

The Red Sox spent the No. 7 pick in the 2013 draft on Ball, a high school lefthander from Indiana. I loathe spending high draft picks on high school pitchers; theres just so much that can go wrong, and much of it did for Ball, who at last glance was trying to convert to a position player after putting up a 6.06 ERA in two seasons with the Sea Dogs.

Reliever: Craig Hansen. The hype surrounding Hansen when the Red Sox took the St. Johns hurler 26th overall in 2005 is unlike any I can recall for a Boston pitching prospect. The Red Sox fully bought into it, too, rushing him to the big leagues that season and stunting his development.

He was basically supposed to be what Jonathan Papelbon became, but, for a variety of reasons, it never came close to happening, and he finished his career with a 6.34 ERA. If you want to call him the biggest bust in Red Sox history, Im not going to argue.

Chad Finn can be reached at finn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeChadFinn.

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Photo courtesy of Stanton Communications.

Dante Coxspends a lot of time at the Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover. Not only does he work 40 hours a week as a bartender at the hotels restaurant the Prime Rib, he also trains and boxes professionally in the casinos boxing series.

The 29-year-old Anne Arundel County resident got his start competing in mixed martial arts in Las Vegas before moving to DC in 2015 to pursue boxing. While Cox says he was initially nervous about getting in the game at a later age than most professional boxers, hes found a good spot at the casino. (The restaurant even named a specialty cocktail after his boxing nickname, The Red Comet.)

There is a special rush that comes from fighting in what is essentially your home, he says. My coworkers from all parts of the casino come to cheer me on. Its like Im the home team and it gives me an extra boost.

Heres how he gets it done:

Ive managed to find a balance between work outside the gym and work inside the gym. Both are really important to me. Depending on how late I worked the night before, I try to get to the gym by 9 AM and train until about noon. Sometimes I will go to another gym after my first session to do strength training before I clock into work at 4 PM.

Most of the time, I dont eat anything before going to the gym. I feel like I get the best out of my body training on an empty stomach.But I do like to eat, and I am very mindful about what I put into my body. I look to food as a source of fuel and always think about what it will do for my performance. Right now, my diet is 90-percent plant-based. My body feels cleaner and performs better with a diet heavy in fruits and veggies, both raw and cooked, with a lot of smoothies and shakes mixed in.

One of my favorite smoothie combinations includes beets, coconut water, turmeric, and ginger, with some fruit to give it some sweetness. Beets reduce inflammation and are also a great pre-workout performance booster. When Im working at the Prime Rib, one of my favorite things to eat is the Buzzs Salad with romaine hearts, tomato, avocado, egg, Pecorino Romano, and a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Right before a fight, I change my diet to prepare for the weigh-in. Just as I weigh my body, I weigh my food with a digital scale and eat a lot of sashimi and seaweed salad. These foods pack in a lot of healthy nutrients with little weight.

I work 40 hours,four days a week at the restaurant. I get in around 3:30 PM to prepare the bar before we open at 5 PM. On weekdays, I work until around 11 PM, giving me plenty of time to rest before training at 9 AM the following morning. On weekends I work later, until 1 am, but I dont train on Saturdays, so staying out late doesnt affect my mornings too much. I still try to find time to have a little fun.

I exercise daily for boxing and incorporate strength training several times a week. For strength training, I do circuit-based body-weight activities and basic deadlifts. One of my favorite exercises currently is using the battle rope for a three-minute round of six exercises, each for 30 seconds. This is the same time as a boxing round, so if I can do the six exercises for three minutes, I know Ill be in good shape come fight time. Cryotherapy is big part of my recovery process. It has the same anti-inflammatory benefits as an ice bath, but you dont have to be in the cold for as long.

Motivation isnt hard to come by in boxing, especially if you want to be considered among the elite. Fighters you meet and train with always seem to be pushing themselves, trying to get to the next level. Ultimately, I feel if you want the best motivation, look in the mirror. Use yourself.

Its important to have downtime in this balance of work and training. I really enjoy reading Japanese manga, watching anime, and getting some gaming in as well. I also had the chance to do some commenting on a WBGR broadcast of a casino boxing event and would love to do more of that in the future.

Exercise and health have always been a huge part of my life. As a child, I spent a lot of time at the gym since my mother was a personal trainer. Fitness and wellness are two values I grew up with, and Ive always tried to incorporate fitness into my life. Couple that with the fact that Bruce Lee was my childhood role model, so by the time I was a teen, my mind was made up.

Starting at the late age of 19, I definitely had thoughts of its too late popping into my head. I decided to surround myself with strong-willed, motivated, and hardworking people, both in the gym and at the restaurant, and I have to say being in that environment has greatly impacted my growth as a boxer, despite the age at which I started.

My biggest accomplishment has been getting started on this journey in the first place. I began my professional boxing career at a later age than most, but I didnt let it affect my positive outlook and plans to have a great career in the sport.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Join the conversation!

Associate Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She previously was the editorial assistant at Walter Magazine in Raleigh, North Carolina, and her work has appeared in Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Adams Morgan.

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How a Professional Boxer Balances Bartending 40 Hours a Week, Three-Hour Workouts, and Maintaining a Plant-Based Diet - Washingtonian

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That pixie cut seemed like a good idea at the time. But nowyoure staring in the mirror, and the reflection looking back is more, Eek!than chic.

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Is there anything (anything?!) you can do to speed up the growing-out process? Dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, gives us the long and short of it.

The hair on your head grows in cycles. At any time, about80% of your hair is actively growing. The remaining strands are either in aresting state or preparing to die and fall out.

If your hair is shedding like crazy, see a doctor to rule out any illnesses or nutrient deficiencies that might be responsible. But if scissors not shedding are at the root of your problem, youll have to summon some patience: Hair grows a measly 4 to 6 inches per year.

When you want your hair to hurry up and grow already, Dr.Bergfeld recommends these tips:

Take care of your health issues, she says. Hormonal abnormalities, anemia and other nutrient deficiencies can short-circuit the growth pattern. Before experimenting with supplements and vitamins, Dr. Bergfeld recommends having your doctor do some tests to identify any possible deficiencies.

A well-rounded, nutritious diet is important for head-to-toe health, including the hairs on your head. Avoid diets that cut out entire food groups, Dr. Bergfeld cautions. And if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, make sure youre getting all the protein types and nutrients your body needs. A doctor or dietitian can help you create a well-balanced eating plan.

Hair thats weak and damaged will break long before it reaches great lengths (or even medium lengths). Avoid bleach and chemical treatments that can damage hair.

Like chemicals, heat styling can damage your hair. Try to avoid frequent blowouts and step away from the curling iron. If you cant resist, use a heat protectant before you style.

Fine, coarse, curly, colored different hair types have different needs. If your hair is dry, for instance, wash it less frequently and use a heavier conditioner. If your hair is fine or very curly, it can be easily damaged. Avoid brushing while its wet and use products designed for your hair type.

Scheduling a haircut can feel counterproductive when you want your hair to get longer. But regular trims keep hair from breaking and getting even shorter, Dr. Bergfeld notes.

Split ends run up the hair fiber like a rip in your stockings. You need to clip those off.

Look to the root of the problem, Dr. Bergfeld suggests. If your scalp is itchy or flaky, that translates to inflammation, which turns off hair growth. To keep your scalp happy, try anti-dandruff shampoos or avoid heavily fragranced shampoos and conditioners, which can irritate sensitive skin. If your scalp is healthy, your hair will be the best it can be, she says.

Dr. Bergfeld adds that its best to skip shampoos and serums that claim to contain hair-growing vitamins. Those dont penetrate the hair, she explains.

Sadly, theres no magic formula to transform you into Rapunzel at least not yet. Major cosmetic houses have some of the best chemical scientists in the world, she says. Lots of researchers are working on this.

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Is There Any Way to Make Your Hair Grow Faster? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

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