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Is Carb Addiction Real? All You Need to Know – Healthline
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Arguments surrounding carbs and their role in optimal health have dominated discussions of the human diet for nearly 5 decades.
Mainstream diet fads and recommendations have continued to change rapidly year after year.
At the same time, researchers continue to discover new information about how your body digests and responds to carbs.
Therefore, you may still be wondering how to include carbs in a healthy diet, or what makes some carbs so hard to say no to at times.
This article reviews the current research on whether carbs are addictive, and what that means for their role in the human diet.
Carbohydrates are one of the main macronutrients your body needs.
In fact, of all the macronutrients, carbs are arguably the most important source of energy for your bodys cells, tissues, and organs. Not only do carbs produce energy, but they also help store it (1).
Still, serving as a good source of energy isnt their only function. Carbs also serve as a precursor to ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), transport molecular data, and aid cell signaling processes (2).
When you think of carbs, often the first types of foods that come to mind are refined carbs like cakes, cookies, pastries, white bread, pasta, and rice.
Their chemical makeup includes three primary elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
However, many healthy foods are also carbs, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain breads, pasta, and rice.
Carbs are one of the main macronutrients required by your body. Theyre needed for many functions, including producing and storing energy.
You may have noticed that it can be hard to resist junk food at times, especially carbs that are high in refined sugar, salt, and fat.
Many people have wondered if this is a matter of willpower, behavioral or psychological traits, or even brain chemistry.
Some people have even begun to question whether carbs could be addictive in the same way that other substances or behaviors can be (3, 4).
One major study revealed strong evidence that high-carb meals stimulate regions of the brain that are associated with cravings and rewards (5).
This study found that men with obesity or excess weight displayed higher brain activity and greater reported hunger after eating a high-GI meal, compared with a low-GI meal (5).
GI stands for glycemic index, a measure of how the carbs in a meal affect blood sugar levels. A food with a high GI increases blood sugar levels more dramatically than a food with a low GI.
This suggests that the human urge for refined carbs could have much more to do with brain chemistry than initially believed.
Additional research has continued to support these findings.
Some researchers have gone so far as to suggest that refined carbs in the form of fructose have addictive properties that closely resemble those of alcohol. Fructose is a simple sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and honey.
These scientists found that, like alcohol, fructose promotes insulin resistance, abnormal fat levels in your blood, and liver inflammation. Plus, it stimulates your brains hedonic pathway (6).
This pathway triggers appetite and influences food intake through a system of pleasure and reward rather than being based on true physical hunger or actual energy needs.
Not only do insulin resistance, inflammation, and abnormal fat levels increase your risk of chronic disease, but repeated stimulation of the hedonic pathway may reset the level of fat mass your body wants to preserve, contributing to increased body weight (7, 8, 9).
High-GI carbs that promote rapid changes to insulin and blood sugar levels also appear to affect dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in your brain that sends messages between cells and influences the way you feel pleasure, reward, and even motivation (10).
Furthermore, some research in rats shows that granting periodic access to sugar and chow food mix may produce behavior that closely mirrors the dependency often seen with drug abuse (11).
A second study used a similar model, allowing rats periodic access to a 10% sugar solution and a chow food mix followed by a period of fasting. During and after the fast, the rats displayed anxiety-like behaviors and a reduction in dopamine (12).
Its important to note that most of the experimental research conducted thus far on carbs and addiction has taken place in animals. Therefore, additional and more rigorous human studies are needed (13, 14).
In one study, women ages 18 to 45 who were prone to emotional eating episodes were more likely to choose a carb-rich drink over a protein-rich one after being induced into a sad mood even when blinded from which drink was which (15).
The connection between carb-rich foods and mood is just one theory as to carbs may sometimes be addictive (16).
On the other hand, some researchers are not convinced that carbs are truly addictive (17).
They argue that there are not enough human studies and believe that most of the research in animals suggests addiction-like behaviors from sugar only in the context of periodic access to sugar specifically rather than from the neurochemical effect of carbs in general (18).
Other researchers conducted a study in 1,495 university students in which they assessed the students for signs of food addiction. They concluded that total calories in a food and unique eating experiences were more influential on calorie intake than sugar alone (19).
Further, some have argued that many of the tools used to evaluate addictive-like eating behaviors rely on self-assessment and reports from people participating in the study, which leaves too much room for subjective misunderstandings (20).
Some evidence suggests that high-carbs meals may stimulate different types of brain activity than low-carb meals. Particularly, carbs appear to affect the areas of the brain related to pleasure and reward.
In 2009, researchers at Yale developed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to provide a validated measurement tool to assess addictive eating behaviors (21, 22).
In 2015, researchers from the University of Michigan and the New York Obesity Research Center used the YFAS scale to measure addiction-like eating behaviors in students. They concluded high-GI, high fat, and processed foods were most associated with food addiction (23).
The chart below shows some of the most problematic foods for addictive eating and their glycemic load (GL) (23).
GL is a measure that considers both the GI of a food as well as its portion size. When compared to GI, GL is typically a more accurate measure of how a food impacts blood sugar levels.
With the exception of cheese, each of the top 10 most addictive foods according to the YFAS scale contains significant amounts of carbs. While most cheese still provides some carbs, it isnt as carb-heavy as the other items on the list.
Moreover, many of these foods are not only high in carbs but also refined sugar, salt, and fat. Plus, theyre often eaten in highly processed forms.
Therefore, there may still be much more to uncover about the relationship between these types of foods, the human brain, and addictive-like eating behaviors.
The most addictive types of carbs are highly processed, as well as high in fat, sugar, and salt. They also typically have a high glycemic load.
Even though research shows that carbs display some addictive properties, there are many techniques you can use to overcome cravings for carbs and other junk foods.
One of the most powerful steps you can take to stop carb cravings is simply to plan for them ahead of time.
Having an action plan in mind for those moments when cravings hit may help you feel prepared and empowered to pass up carb-laden junk foods and make a healthier choice instead.
As far as what your action plan should entail, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer. Different techniques may work better or worse for different people.
Here are a few ideas you can try:
Various techniques may help fight off carbs cravings. These include physical activity, staying hydrated, familiarizing yourself with trigger foods, and filling up on healthy fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
Carbs are your bodys primary source of energy.
Some carbs, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are very healthy. Other carbs can be very processed and high in salt, sugar, and fat.
Early research on carbs does suggest that they might display addictive-like properties. They appear to stimulate certain parts of the brain and even influence the types and amounts of chemicals your brain releases.
However, more rigorous research in humans is needed to uncover exactly how these mechanisms in the brain are affected by carbs.
Some of the most addictive carbs appear to be highly processed junk foods like pizza, chips, cakes, and candies.
However, there are various techniques you can try to combat carb cravings. Consider testing out a few to learn what works best for you.
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Is Carb Addiction Real? All You Need to Know - Healthline
In 5 Years We’ll Each Have a GPS to Guide All Our Food Choices, says Suggestic CEO – The Spoon
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Ten years ago if you were driving somewhere youd have to either memorize directions or print out a paper map. Cut to now, and its almost unheard of to drive anywhere new without a GPS guiding you, turn by turn.
Thats exactly what Victor Chapela, CEO of personalized nutrition company Suggestic, thinks will happen to our diets. He believes that in five years, AI-driven technology will drive our food decisions just like a GPS drives our directions now. The result? Very high personalization, and comprehensive food discoverability.
If you want to know more about how we actually get to this future, youll want to come see Chapela speak at Customize, our food personalization event, on February 27th in NYC. (Use code SPOON15 to snag 15% off your tickets!)
But first, check out this Q&A below to learn a bit more about Suggestic and why Chapela envisions a future where you can get personalized recommendations in your kitchen, grocery stores, and even on restaurants menus.
Tell us a little bit about Suggestic and how it capitalizes on personalization.Suggestic is a personalized nutrition platform, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that uses advanced technology to create and deliver customized eating plans that are individually tailored to each person. Suggestic helps users plus healthcare professionals and businesses to not only select a dietary plan that is right for their health goals but it then proactively suggests what to eat, even at restaurants, through Suggestics patented Augmented Reality (AR) technology.
Suggestics programs make it easy for its users, clients, and members to stick to their tailored dietary program and see results. Suggestics science-based approach to nutrition is designed to help all users find success in their programs.
What are some of the biggest challenges in bringing personalized diets and nutrition to consumers?The biggest challenge is that people have diverse body chemistries that react differently to foods so something that would usually be deemed as healthy may not always be from one person to the next. Also, people have trouble staying with an eating plan so we need to accurately determine how best to customize plans that consumers will follow. With AI, we can create personalized nutrition plans that best fit a person so that they can stick with their plan and ultimately be successful in their quest for a healthier and happier life. We have so much knowledge of food and we can take it to another level with the use of AI it takes something very complex and makes it very simple and actionable.
We can work with each individual person to filter out foods specific to their diet, whether because of allergies, health concerns or personal preferences, so that people can easily see the options right for them. This type of tailored plan not only makes it easier for people to follow, but it also allows people to actually eat the foods they like as AI learns with a person, leading to greater success in sticking with a plan.
Why do you think that there has been a rise in interest around personalized nutrition over the past few years?There is no one-size-fits-all diet that works equally well for everyone. Even though browsing social media you would think otherwise, based on all the magic bullet dieting programs now promoted. People are frustrated. They are only now discovering that they need to find out the nutrition needs of their unique biologies.
What do you think personalized food or drink will look like 5 years down the road?Today we are seeing signs of several huge industries colliding. Technology is connecting the healthcare and wellness industries to food and nutrition options.
In the next five years, we will see an ecosystem emerge that will allow for two different things to happen simultaneously: very high personalization and comprehensive food discoverability.
First, we will be able to seamlessly stack all types of personalization, goals, preferences, and requirements. This will allow my food options to consider everything I care about and everything my body needs. It will connect all the information about myself, from my blood chemistry, genes and microbiome to my activity, sleep and food intake.
Second, we will be able to filter and sort out all the food options around us with this personalized profile. We will have all the restaurants, grocery products, recipes, and food delivery automatically being selected to match what we like best out of what is best for us.
In five years we will use technology to find food in the same way we use our GPS today to drive back home. It is not that we do not know the way home. It is that we will outsource the decision making process to an AI we trust and get step by step suggestions of which foods we can select. We will be living in a one-click send food world.
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What the science says about the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet – ABC Local
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The 5:2 diet became popular in late 2012 following a documentary by BBC journalist Michael Mosley.
It advocates cutting weekly total kilojoule intake by using intermittent fasting for two non-consecutive days and then eating a usual diet the other five days.
On the fasting days, women limit their total intake to 2,100 kilojoules and men to 2,500 kilojoules, which is about 25 per cent of the recommended intake for normal-weight adults.
On the non-fasting days, you can eat whatever you want, although Mosley's book recommends making healthy choices.
Advocates of intermittent fasting say it helps in weight loss, and some claim it may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's disease, while also promoting longevity.
They also claim it could be protective against diseases such as diabetes.
Breakfast: Two poached eggs with baby spinach or 40g raw oats (cook into a porridge if desired) served with berries.
Dinner: Waldorf salad (apple, celery, endive leaves, walnuts, yoghurt, and mustard) or a few strips of chicken stir-fried with ginger, garlic, coriander and lots of vegetables.
The jury is still out on the benefits of intermittent fasting.
Studies that initially reported superior results for weight loss were short-term and had low numbers of subjects.
Here's how to identify whether you're actually hungry, and what healthy snacks to opt for.
Recent research compared larger numbers of people on intermittent fasting with others simply reducing kilojoules.
Over 12 months, there were no significant differences in weight loss for either group.
Nor did the researchers find any difference between the groups in blood pressure, heart rate, or in the levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides.
However, LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels did increase significantly in those on the intermittent fasting diet.
Many of the other claimed health benefits have only been shown in rodents.
Claims of reduced risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease have not been shown in any studies on humans.
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If you don't overeat on non-fasting days, your overall kilojoule intake should decrease, so it is likely to be less harmful than many fad diets.
It's also possible that reducing your food intake twice a week could be a new and useful experience, especially if you are in the habit of eating so often that you never experience an empty stomach.
The modified fasting with some food permitted and the inclusion of plenty of vegetables may help avoid some common side-effects to total fasting.
These include irritability, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, dehydration, tiredness, dizziness, and constipation.
Such effects can interfere with work and leisure for most people.
Dinner often seems the most challenging meal. But it doesn't have to be.
The 5:2 diet is unsuitable for many people, including pregnant women, many people with diabetes, those taking certain medications, children and teens.
Given some versions of intermittent fasting fail to promote healthy food choices, there is a possibility you may gorge on your non-fasting days with little regard for the quality of the food you choose.
The 5:2 diet may help some people lose weight. If done well, it may be a valid, but not superior, option to following a traditional reduced-kilojoule diet.
This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.
This story, which was originally written by Pamela Wilson and published by ABC Health and Wellbeing, has been reviewed by Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, nutritionist and visiting fellow, School of Medical Sciences, University of NSW, and was updated in 2019.
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Everything you need to know about eating right – Good Food
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Taking in the science and throwing out the marketing buzzwords, we give you the bottom line on how to really be 'healthy' in 2020.
Eating well can be so confusing. There's no shortage of health advice, but how do you cut through the clutter of mixed messages and dietary dogma? We've stripped away the nonsense, found some advisors with proper qualifications and asked them everything you ever wanted to know about healthy eating. This is the guide you need to give yourself the best chance of eating for health.
Dr Emma Beckett is a molecular nutritionist and a lecturer in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Newcastle. She has a PhD in Food Science.
Dr Tim Crowe is a health scientist based in Melbourne and a co-author of Understanding Nutrition, the leading text used in nutrition and dietetics courses in Australia.
Dr Tim: Being vegan is definitely on-trend. All the research says plant-based food is consistently linked with good health, so if you are predominantly plant-based you would be doing yourself a world of good. However, people can survive and thrive on a whole range of foods. The evidence doesn't say that being a vegan is streets ahead of being an omnivore, so long as you are eating a healthy diet to start with. You can be extremely healthy if you choose to include some animal foods in your diet.
Dr Emma: Most people who cut out animal products do it for ethical or environmental reasons, not health reasons. The data doesn't tend to show that a no-meat diet is better than a moderate or low-meat one. Like all lifestyle regimes, you can do a vegan diet well, or you can do it poorly. If you cut meat but replace it with highly processed plant-based foods, it's obviously not the same thing as eating a balanced vegan diet. Vegans do need to be careful with nutrients like B12, which aren't readily available in plant foods: there's a place for supplements and fortified foods in this case.
Short answer: No, but do eat mostly unprocessed plant food.
FACT: Just 1 per cent of Australians identify as vegans, according to the ABC's Australia Talks survey conducted last year.
Dr Emma: When people say "detox", they usually mean a juice or tea "cleanse", which restricts or eliminates solid foods. They might be cutting out toxins such as alcohol but what they are really doing is starving themselves. No diets that say they detox are actually doing anything to detoxify. Your liver and kidneys detoxify you: they break down toxins, metabolise them and excrete them in your urine. You don't need anything dietarily to do that.
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Dr Tim: There's no reason to detox, but where a detox diet can work is to kick off healthy eating habits. That can be a good starting place; you're not actually detoxifying, but you may be putting less crap into your body.
Short answer: No, just eat more unprocessed plant food.
Dr Emma: People obsess over carbs, meat or sugar but they happily ignore evidence that alcohol isn't great for you. The data is mixed: some studies say no level of consumption is safe, others say that no alcohol can be worse than some, but it's difficult to separate out the confounders there, like wealth. Rich people drink more but they also have better healthcare. From a purely health perspective, you are better off avoiding alcohol.
Dr Tim: Alcohol is not a health food. If you choose to have it as part of your lifestyle, stick within the health guidelines.
Short answer: It's not great. Don't drink more than 10 standard drinks a week, zero if you're pregnant.
Photo: Edwina Pickles
Dr Tim: There is research on the benefits of a healthy gut microbiome, including helping with mood, depression and blood sugar. The best thing you can do is to feed the bacteria you've already got. Fibre-rich plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes are like fertiliser for your gut bugs. There's probably more benefit in eating these prebiotics than dosing up on probiotics such as yoghurt, kimchi and sauerkraut. Kombucha is an on-trend probiotic but there's no research to say it's good for you. If you do drink it, it needs to be unpasteurised for there to be any chance of benefit.
Dr Emma: Live cultures in fermented foods can be helpful in ensuring a diversity of gut bacteria. But if you're not eating fibre, too, you're just throwing any probiotics down there to die. Good health is also about looking after the good bacteria you've got. That's where fibre comes in what we call prebiotics. Prebiotics are digested by gut bacteria not by us they release byproducts like short-chain fatty acids, which may be healthful as they visit other organs.
Short answer: You don't have to. Fibre is more important than kimchi.
Dr Emma: To demonise all carbs is not really great. There are carbohydrates in vegetables, fruits and whole grains and they are perfectly healthy. Reducing carb intake from refined and processed carbs can be a good thing because those foods are a big source of energy and most of us are getting too much of that. What we need is to eat fewer high-carbohydrate foods, such as chips, cakes and lollies, and more foods that are rich in fibre, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Fibre is actually a carb it's really good for you in terms of gut health and controlling weight. When people go low-carb they often go low-fibre or high-fat as a consequence, which can have its own consequences, including missing out on micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
Dr Tim: I love carbs. We've lived off carbs for thousands of years. The problem is that a lot of the carbs we eat are highly processed white flour and sugar such as cakes and pastries without much fibre, vitamins or minerals. That's our biggest problem, not unrefined powerhouse carbs such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, whole grains and most fruit and veg. That's where you want your carbohydrates coming from, rather than sugar or doughnuts.
Short answer: The right carbs are healthy, not evil.
Photo: iStock
Dr Tim: It's recently popular to hate on grains, but there's evidence that reveals eating whole grains offers benefits with heart disease, diabetes and weight. For example, some studies show that people who eat diets high in fibre may control their weight better, possibly because those foods increase a sense of fullness. On the other hand, highly refined grains are linked with weight gain, possibly because they don't make you feel so full.
In a country of abundance, if you are eating fewer grain foods to control your weight that may be a good thing, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. You can have healthy grains that are high in fibre, such as wheat, oats and quinoa, and you can have rubbish grains that are highly processed, such as the flour in cakes. It's about making a smart choice when you choose grains.
Dr Emma: There are people who say grains are the root of all evil but there are grains and then there are grains. If you're making a food choice for health and not every choice is for health, and that's fine you want to be looking for a whole grain because they have fibre and micronutrients such as B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium and selenium. Anything where you can see the chunk of grain is good: it might be brown rice or wholegrain bread. Processed grain foods such as sugary cereal or biscuits are likely to have less of the things that are good for us and more of the things we are trying to reduce. You still need to check the ingredients though a breakfast cereal may have whole grains and lots of sugar. One good thing doesn't magically cancel out the bad things.
Processed foods have a place they are shelf-stable and affordable. It is privileged to say, "Just eat fresh, whole foods." But the more choices we can make in that direction, the easier it is to have a healthy diet.
Short answer: Whole grains are good.
FACT: Simple carbohydrates sugars, refined flours spike blood sugar; complex carbs fruit, veg, whole grains contain fibre, which slows sugar absorption.
Dr Tim: Keto is just another rebadging of a low-carbohydrate diet that has come in and out of fashion over the past 40 years. There's nothing special about it. You can lose weight on it, but it's not superior and not many people can stay on a true ketogenic diet long-term because you're saying goodbye to wonderful foods like bread, pasta and fruit. These diets are incredibly seductive because they are fuelled by anecdotes about people doing really well. As humans, we love stories. We thrive on them. We like them much more than research.
Dr Emma: There are good low-carb diets and bad low-carb diets. The bad ones also restrict fibre. A lot of people who say they're on a keto diet aren't on a true keto diet, which can have 90 per cent of the energy coming from fat it's very restrictive, difficult and unpleasant. You can lose weight on it, like with any restrictive diet, but weight is just one marker of health. You can be overweight and be nourished and healthy. People may lose weight as a consequence of other health outcomes, some of which will not present themselves until years later. You might be trading being thin right now for being ill in old age.
Short answer: Weight loss is possible on keto but it may not be healthy or sustainable long-term.
FACT: Ketosis is a metabolic process that happens when our body doesn't have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, so instead it burns fats.
Photo: iStock
Dr Tim: It's massively on-trend but it's not a major weight-loss hack. People can lose as much weight on a traditional diet as on fasting. The interest is more in the metabolic benefits that may come from intermittent fasting, such as longevity, but the research is a long way behind supporting those claims. If it works for you then go for it.
I like the way most of the proponents are agnostic about what you should eat. It's all about the amount of time you don't eat, or severely restrict your intake 16 hours, one day, two days out of seven. It doesn't push diet ideology so it's really simple so long as you can deal with being hungry.
Dr Emma: There is no evidence that our digestive tract needs a rest, so don't do it for that reason. But it can be good because it decomplicates things instead of not eating this or that, it's about not eating or eating much less within certain hours. There are some studies that show good effects for certain people but it's not magic and it's not one size fits all. If I don't eat in the morning, I'll be hangry all day; eating is important for my mental health, so it's not a feasible diet for me.
Short answer: Do it if you want but it's not a magical weight-loss hack.
Dr Emma: None of them. Superfoods are a marketing construct not science. A superfood is not more nutritious than a non-sexy fruit or vegetable; they just tend to be more hyped and expensive. If you compare acai to apple, it's not terribly different from a nutritional point of view. They are all good foods but they push the idea that eating healthily is difficult and expensive.
Dr Tim: Superfoods will not die. Every year there are new ones. Most of the superfoods are plant foods and they are good for you but the ones with the most hype tend to be expensive. Anything from the fruit and vegetable section is a superfood if that's what you want to call it. Knock yourself out.
Short answer: Meaningless marketing twaddle. Just eat fruit and vegetables.
Dr Emma: Only the ones your doctor has told you to take. Most of the time you're just buying more expensive urine. Vitamins and minerals are essential, but more is not better.
Dr Tim: For the general population, the only one you'd even consider is a general multivitamin. In an ideal world, we would get all the nutrition we need from food, but not many people eat a true healthy diet so a multivitamin is an insurance policy. If you feel your diet is healthy you shouldn't need it.
Short answer: A healthy diet makes supplements unnecessary. Get your nutrients from fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, and cross pills off your shopping list.
Photo: Getty Images
Dr Emma: Silver bullets and absolutes are a much easier message to sell than telling people to eat in balance and enjoy treats in moderation for the best chance of staying healthy.
Dr Tim: Absolutely, it's OK to eat sugar. If you have 80 per cent of your diet right mostly minimally processed plant foods adding a bit of sugar to your diet is not going to be an issue, though ideally have less than 25 grams a day.
Dr Emma: You can have some sugar. Sugar that's bound up in the cells of food (what we call the food matrix) is good. That's why fruit can have sugar but still be healthy. We want to limit the free sugars: those that have been added to food or released from the original cell structure of the food through juicing or blitzing. When that happens, the way the sugar hits your digestive tract is very different. Many sugar-free recipes use agave syrup or rice malt syrup instead of refined white or brown sugar; they may have slightly more nutrients but they are not really more healthy.
Short answer: Do it, but not too much.
FACT: One cup of fruit juice has the equivalent of about six teaspoons of sugar. A piece of fruit is a better choice as it contains fibre, and has less risk of tooth decay.
Dr Emma: It's not one thing that is the dealbreaker. It's all about balance and moderation. That is a really unsexy message and it's difficult to sell.
Most of us aren't eating enough fruit or vegetables and we're getting too much energy in our diets. Focus on balance, moderation and variety. Don't get your head turned by so called "easy fixes". Don't focus on your weight. Don't buy into the shame and the bad relationship with food and the wars between all the different tribes about keto or paleo or low-carb.
For me, it's all about bringing back common sense. Nourish and be kind to your body, and remember that not every food decision is about health. Food is about fun sometimes; I am pro cake. There's not good food and bad food. It's the sum of our entire diet that matters, and that's long-term, not just in one day or week or month.
Dr Tim: If most of the foods you're eating are plant-based, with lots of fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains, then anything you eat outside of that is really your own taste. If you choose to include some animal foods, that's perfectly OK, but a well-planned vegan diet can definitely meet your nutritional needs. If you have the core basics right that's 80 per cent of the battle. Plants for the win.
Short answer: Eat mostly fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. The rest doesn't matter too much yes, sometimes you can have your cake and eat it, too.
This story is featured in the healthy issue of Good Food Magazine, available with The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, February 7.
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Everything you need to know about eating right - Good Food
Fitness tips: how to embrace the outdoor gym – The Guardian
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Youre in the fresh air Green spaces calm you down, youre breathing fresh air, and getting vitamin D from sunlight. Weve also found that people tend to spend 20% longer working out if theyre outside.
Its motivating Equipment such as the air-skier or the double air-walker, which both give your lower body a good workout, is designed for two or more users; and if you exercise with family or friends, its motivating and more fun. Indoor gyms can be insular and intimidating; outdoor gyms are more open and friendly. If you feel too exposed, pick a quiet time of day.
Its convenient Outdoor gyms are often local, which means youre more likely to use them. Many are close to playgrounds, so you can work out while your kids play. Plus theyre free.
It suits all levels of fitness Work at a pace you feel comfortable with and build up. You can incorporate other types of training to give yourself a harder workout, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), where you exercise vigorously and take regular short breaks: its great for fat burning.
Tom Willock is managing director of Fresh Air Fitness.
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CASA to partner with sports foundation to bring fitness, activities to children in Kane County – Kane County Chronicle
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CASA Kane County has partnered with G3X Sports Academy and its nonprofit foundationto bring sports and fitness to children in the Fox Valley area, according to a news release from CASA Kane County.
The release states that the collaboration will focus on healthy living, and foster youth sports for local children.
We find that too many kids dont play sports due to the high cost of the 'pay to play' model that exists today. When they dont have sports in their lives, they are more likely to be sedentary, spend hours of the day without adult guidance, and become likely targets for bad influences, stated G3X founder and board chairman Joe Abraham in the release.
CASA Kane County is excited to partner with G3X Sports Academy to help further fitness and wellness goals throughout the community. Please join us at one of our upcoming General Information Meetings listed at http://www.casakanecounty.org/volunteer/ to hear more about the CASA Kane County organization, the role of the CASA/GAL volunteer and other areas of how to get involved. Find your place and make a difference for children who need you and the gift of time.Together, we can change a childs story, stated Gloria Kelley, CASA executive director, in the news release.
According to the news release, for over 30 years, CASA Kane County has been recruiting, training and supervising community volunteers who serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) and the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for children in court due to abuse, neglect or private guardianship.
The organization serves 100% of all abuse/neglect and private guardianship cases in the 16th Judicial Circuit of Kane County and has been doing this since 2000.CASA Kane County's staff along 200 CASA/GAL volunteers advocate for more than 500 children annually.
For more information, visit http://www.casakanecounty.org or call 630-232-4484.
Read More..Thief attempts to steal mans car at 24 Hour Fitness in San Jose – KRON4
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SAN JOSE (KRON) Members of another 24 Hour Fitness in San Jose have been targeted by thieves.
The suspects are going into locker rooms and taking keys, gym bags, phones, wallets and even their cars.
On Monday, members of the 24 Hour Fitness off McKee Road in San Jose were robbed. But the most recent incident was at the 24 Hour Fitness at Willow Glen off Almaden Road in San Jose.
The Willow Glen 24 Hour Fitness member who wished to remain anonymous for his safety said another member broke into his locker Monday afternoon.
When he went to the front desk and looked outside towards the parking lot, he noticed a man getting inside of his car. Thats when he went after the suspect.
I yelled at him get out of my car and that I wanted to get my merchandise back. He jumped up, kinda lunged towards me, grabbed me by the shirt and we started to struggle, the victim said. This went on for maybe five minutes and I was finally able to convince him if he were to give me back everything, I would let him go.
The victim said he kept a hold on the suspect as they walked to the suspects car, described as an older bronze beat up Honda Civic.
Inside, there was more than just his wallet and gym bag.
I noticed he had multiple duffel bags, womens purses, wallets, credit cards, obviously stolen merchandise all over his vehicle, the victim said.
Eventually the suspect threw the victims wallet and bag out of the car and sped off in his own vehicle.
Earlier this week, another victim wasnt so lucky. She said a woman stole her keys from another 24 Hour Fitness location off McKee Road in San Jose.
Video shows the male and female suspects working together, and the male driving off with her car.
Both victims said theyre warning others to keep an eye out and leave your valuables at home.
Probably not a good idea to bring any of your personal items into the gym, the victim said. Whether theyre locked or unlocked because these guys are coming in with some type of burglary tools and then in and out in five seconds when nobodys in the locker room and they get all your stuff and youre never gonna find them.
With information from the victim, a member ID and video surveillance, police are aware of who the suspect is and theyre looking for him. No arrests have been made in either of the cases.
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Thief attempts to steal mans car at 24 Hour Fitness in San Jose - KRON4
California may stop school fitness tests over fears they lead to bullying and body-shaming – CNN
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California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed suspending the physical fitness tests at the state's schools over concerns that they promote bullying and body discrimination.
While the administration argues the physical assessments can cause students of different body shapes to be body-shamed or bullied, the BMI screening is particularly sensitive because it asks students to select whether they are female or male.
A number of school districts have complained to the state that this is discriminatory against students who identify as non-binary, according to H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the Finance Department.
If the proposal, which was included in Newsom's budget bill for next year, passes, physical fitness testing would be suspended for three years.
"Dispelling myths, breaking down stereotypes, and improving school climate is one way California is working to keep all students safe and healthy, consistent with the Governor's commitment to a California that respects all students," Palmer said in an email.
During the proposed three-year suspension, the Department of Education would consult with experts on fitness, physical education, gender identity and students with disabilities to determine whether the test needs to be modified or a new assessment should be developed.
But Palmer says Newsom's proposal will not affect students' physical fitness.
"The pause in administering tests won't affect the amount or level of (physical education) that kids receive from their school," Palmer said, adding that PE classes would still be a graduation requirement.
Gender identity advocates praise the move
Advocates for gender identity are praising Newsom's proposal as a step forward.
This difference in standards can put transgender and non-binary students in a tough spot, possibly even in danger, Baum said.
"If I'm a transgender boy and nobody knows, and then I don't meet the standards of a boy physically, I'm put in a difficult situation. Either I don't meet the standards and take the according grade or I compromise my own privacy and tell my teacher I was actually born as a girl," Baum said, adding that this can lead to bullying of the transgender student.
When a student who identifies as non-binary is pushed to select male or female on the BMI assessment, Baum says, that forces them to claim an identity that's not their own.
"It's simply important that kids feel seen by the school that they go to," Baum said. "By recognizing non-binary people and using the right pronouns, that's a huge acknowledgment of someone's reality and experience, and it's affirming."
BMI isn't even an accurate measure of fitness, some say
Even former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would be considered obese when he won the top bodybuilding title of Mr. Olympia in 1974, Schwarzenegger's spokesman told the Associated Press.
"Whether the state uses fitness tests or not, Governor Schwarzenegger believes that the most important thing is that our students have access to daily physical education classes to promote a healthy and fit lifestyle," Schwarzenegger's the spokesman said.
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California may stop school fitness tests over fears they lead to bullying and body-shaming - CNN
Fitness Friday: Bounce off the pounds – WTSP.com
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SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. Remember how much fun it was to jump on a trampoline as a kid? Now you can do it as a grown-up as a way to work out! Mallory Quinn, owner of Green Locus Yoga visited GDL to introduce us to this form of exercise on our Fitness Friday. For a schedule go to greenlocusyoga.com.
Tune into Great Day Live weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. on WTSP-TV.
Hosts Kendall Kirkham and Java Ingram bring you the latest in what everyones talking about, from trending stories, lifestyle and entertainment news, buzz-worthy, pop culture moments, and all things fun and exciting happening around Tampa Bay.
Whether its people making a difference, talented artists and musicians, delicious food, fun activities to do and make with the family, lovable animals, entertaining events and big names coming to town, weve got you covered. We hope to bring you a wealth of information to live your best life and start your morning right!
Like us on Facebook at @greatdaylivetampabay or on Instagram at @greatdaylivetampabay.
If you have an interesting segment idea, send an email to mrancourt@wtsp.com
About Kendall:
Kendall Kirkham joined Great Day Live in November 2017 from Memphis, Tennessee, where she served as morning co-anchor for WMC Action News 5. Prior to her stint in Memphis, Kendall served as co-host of "Tulsa Live" at KOKI in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kendall also worked at KETK in Tyler, Texas, The Dallas Morning News and started her career as an intern for The Ellen Show and E! Entertainment.
Kendall has interviewed countless celebrities and notable figures, from Bob Woodward to Arsenio Hall, John Travolta and Paula Deen. Shes hit 9 Gs with the U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds, raised money for various charities in three local Dancing with the Stars competitions, and even played a gangster on stage for a traveling Broadway show. Kendall is most proud of her work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She continues to support the hospital in various capacities today.
Kendall is a proud Texas native. She grew up in the Fort Worth area and graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in Radio/TV/Film.
Kendall is thrilled to join the Great Day Live team and is having a ball highlighting this thriving community. She hopes to bring a smile to viewers at home every single day. In her spare time, Kendall enjoys exploring the countless sights, sounds and eats of Tampa Bay with her husband Jason and son Knox.
About Java:
Java Ingram is a New Orleans native/Texan and is excited to call Florida home! Prior to joining the Great Day Live team, Java served as host of a lifestyle-entertainment show in Birmingham, Alabama. She also woke up dark and early, weekday mornings to help drivers make it to their destinations safely as a traffic anchor.
Java started her on-air broadcast career in the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Mississippi. In Tupelo, she served as morning news anchor, producer and reporter.
Javant is an award-winning journalist, having been recognized by the Associated Press for Best Anchor, Best Reporter and Best Franchise Reporting, just to name a few.
When she's not working, Java is very passionate about giving back to the community, having served on the corporate boards for The Boys and Girls Club of North Mississippi, The Civic Ballet Company, The Doniphan Dance Project and the Leadership Council for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama. She has volunteered also with a number of civic organizations.
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Fitness Friday: Bounce off the pounds - WTSP.com
The 4 best fitness spots in Miami – WPLG Local 10
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In search of a new favorite fitness spot?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top fitness spots around Miami, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're in the market for fitness.
Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.
First on the list is RedBike Studios. Located at 1399 S.W. First Ave. in Brickell, the cycling class spot is the highest-rated fitness spot in Miami, boasting five stars out of 138 reviews on Yelp.
Next is Brickell's CKO Kickboxing, situated at 151 S.W. Seventh St. With five stars out of 65 reviews on Yelp, the gym, boxing and kickboxing spot has proved to be a local favorite.
Bodytek Fitness, located at 545 N.W. 28th St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the boot camp, gym and personal training spot five stars out of 58 reviews.
Over in Coral Way, check out Aim Higher Fit, which has earned five stars out of 16 reviews on Yelp. You can find the boot camp, interval training gym and yoga spot at 3850 Bird Road, Suite 106.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
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The 4 best fitness spots in Miami - WPLG Local 10