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Orangetheory Fitness I Straight Up Hated Any and All Fitness Classes, Until I Tried Orangetheory Fitness

As someone who grew up playing competitive sports and even spent time on a Division I lacrosse team in college, I've always considered myself to be pretty athletic. And while my fitness level has wavered since graduating - hey, that desk job took some getting used to, right? - I'm proud to say I've been back on the horse for the last few years.

While living right outside New York City is incredible for so many reasons (cough, the food, cough), many people rely on various fitness classes to get in a good sweat. Though I've tried everything from Spin to Pilates to barre (not the worst) to boxing and beyond, I can confidently say I hate organized workout classes.

I can't pinpoint exactly why I feel this way. I really wish I didn't. It seems fun to wear Lululemon pants to work and genuinely be excited to sit on a Spin bike for 45 minutes once 6 p.m. rolls around. (Maybe it's because I feel like everyone's watching me? Who's to say.) But alas, that's just not me. It's true, I've always loved running outside - there's just something about that fresh air that improves my mental health - and honestly, I was about to throw in the towel on classes altogether until I tried Orangetheory Fitness (OTF).

My foray into the Orangetheory community began when I was talking to POPSUGAR Fashion Editor Sarah Wasilak. A runner with tons of races under her belt, Sarah had mentioned she was feeling so much stronger after committing to two classes at OTF per week. She's also one of the most toned people I have ever met, so I figured whatever the hell she does must work. To be fair, people had chewed my ear off about this studio before, but I was always too scared to go alone and the concept of wearing any type of monitor was pretty intimidating.

But at the encouragement of my boss, who's a mom of two and also in amazing shape thanks to Orangetheory, I agreed to go to a class with Sarah the following week at our local studio in Jersey City, NJ. I showed up for my first session a half hour before the class began to get the rundown about the machines, the OTbeat wearable device - aka this little gadget that tracks everything from your heart rate to the calories you burn - and the overall structure.

If you're not aware, a typical 50-ish-minute Orangetheory class is broken down into three sections composed of a treadmill workout, a rowing portion, and some time spent with weights on the floor. Although it may seem like you're doing the same thing every single time you hit up a class, after eight sessions, I can confirm that each one is very, very different. Some workouts may focus on power or endurance, while others can have components that seek to improve your strength. Other times, you might be doing all three!

While the info was definitely a lot to take in at first pass - I learned that I have been rowing wrong for my entire existence, for example - once the class actually started, the instructions were pretty easy to follow. You're broken up into small groups in the beginning of the session, and you simply move from station to station until the coach tells you the time is up. And boy, do you sweat! I've never burned less than 600 calories in a workout, so yes, efficiency is the name of the game. And who doesn't love that?!

Oddly enough, as someone who usually hates structured exercise, I found that I thrived in the Orangetheory format. Because you change what you're doing often enough, it's hard to ever get bored. Additionally, you can kill multiple birds with one stone. For example, I really wanted to strengthen my upper body and get my mile time down. And I did, quickly. After just eight classes at Orangetheory, my average mile time dropped by a full minute. I've also lost six pounds since I've started attending, but hey, the scale isn't everything.

Another perk that I was initially terrified of but grew to love? Having all your stats for the class on a giant board. That means you know exactly how high your heart rate is and how many calories you're burning at all times. A fun concept that's unique to OTF are Splat points - a way to track when you're working hard enough that you're uncomfortable or going all-out - so that your heart rate increases. Thankfully, Orangetheory uses a color system to keep everything straight! Put simply: each Splat point signifies each minute spent in the orange or red zone. While no one's saying you need to exercise so hard you can't breathe, it's a good way to measure your progress through the class. Of course, to make things easier, there's also a free app to monitor all your workouts.

Although it may seem strange, having the other participants see my personal info didn't really bother me. Was I the only person in the red zone for 40 minutes of the class? Yes, probably. But honestly, who cares? The beauty of Orangetheory is you're able to go at your own pace, whatever that may be. Want to speed walk on the treadmills? Great. In the mood to really challenge your mile time? That works, too. There's no set pace for the class or anyone policing you for not working hard enough. As long as you're doing the exercises correctly and doing the best you can, it's a win-win.

All in all, I'm happy I dropped my typical stubborn 'tude for a morning spent at OTF. Not only are the instructors knowledgeable - it's never too late to perfect your form! - but their high-paced energy (and playlists!) will also make you want to come back. Couple that with a super effective, engaging workout and an affordable price point, and it's hard to beat!

Related video: 5 tips for taking care of your gym clothes so they last [via Buzz60]

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Sweat Diaries

Ali Stauffer, City Fitness's vice president of marketing, lifts four times per week and stays fueled with Honeygrow salads.

Ali Stauffer, City Fitnesss vice president of marketing, is committed to weight training and believes self-care comes in many forms. / Photograph by Ali Stauffer.

Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Phillys look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one area resident to spend a week tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email lbrzyski@phillymag.com.

Who I am: Ali Stauffer (@alieaves), 30

Where I live: Mt. Airy

What I do: I am the vice president of marketing at City Fitness.

What role healthy living plays in my life: Carving out time to take care of myself gives me the sanity and energy I need to take on everything else. I lift four times per week, and its often the best part of my day. That said, I have an intentionally relaxed approach to both fitness and nutrition. I eat what I want, and I dont beat myself up if I miss a workout. I think wellness should help you enjoy life more, not get in the way of the things you enjoy.

Health memberships (and what they cost): City Fitness complimentary because I work there.

Every morning, Stauffer begins her day with a self-care routine of foam rolling her muscles and jade rolling her face. / Photograph by Ali Stauffer.

5:30 a.m. My alarm goes off. Im trying to wake up earlier to make time for morning workouts and ~self-care~. I prefer to exercise in the afternoon or evenings, but Ive let work decimate my personal life and health for the past few months, so I need a new strategy. I programmed my coffee maker last night because knowing that coffee is already brewed makes getting up easier. I shower and put my PJs back on, which is always the best part of my morning.

6:25 a.m. My reward for getting up early: 20 minutes of me time. I jade roll my face, which may or may not make me less bleary eyed, and I foam roll. Foam rolling has saved me from debilitating back pain. Its like a deep tissue massage you can do to yourself every day. My Lululemon foam roller is the best one Ive ever tried. I also use a lacrosse ball for more intense myofascial release in my upper back.

6:45 a.m. I have seven minutes to throw on my gym clothes and get out the door.

6:52 a.m. I make the train and am very impressed with myself.

7:20 a.m. Our East Market club is right by Jefferson Station on my way to work. I stop in for my morning workout. Im feeling less impressed with myself as I see all the people leaving the gym as I arrive. This is one of the things I love about the gym, though: Being surrounded by people who are focused and committed is motivating. Assuming Ill need more caffeine, I grab an energy drink on my way in. Its called Bang and looks like jet fuel so Ive always been dubious. But I know theyre popular and theres a ros flavored one, so I go for it. Its delicious. ($2.97)

7:30 a.m. Its deadlift day, my favorite. I build each of my weekly workouts around one big compound movement. Im not a certified trainer, but in my past life, I was an editor at Mens Health, collaborating with the best trainers in the world to write and edit fitness advice. I learned a lot. I get through my warmup of mobility and core activation, then power through deadlifts and single-leg landmine deadlifts. (Shoutout to Ben Bruno for the landmine tip.)

8:30 a.m. I have three more exercises planned in this workout, but by now its time to head to work. I dont feel guilty about cutting my workout short. Honestly, its all about consistency, and making it to the gym before work is a victory for me. Making it to the gym at all is a victory these days. I count the W.

9 a.m. I had to speedwalk from the El but I make it to my first meeting on time.

11:35 a.m. Im out of my second meeting of the day and starving. I order my usual Honeygrow salad online (a make-your-own with lots of vegetables, chicken, nuts, and balsamic) and walk a half block to pick it up ($13). I am a machine when it comes to food during the workday, meaning I eat basically the same thing every day so I dont have to think about it. Plus, my afternoon is pretty open, so Im hoping to knock out some heavy-lift to-dos around planning for next year.

1:49 p.m. Im still ripped on this energy drink. Ive crushed my to-do list and inbox! I find myself with a three-hour block during the workday to map out my project timeline for next year. Im closing my email tab, putting on my headphones, and going into tunnel-vision mode before something catches fire.

3:50 p.m. Someone brought cookies to the office, so I grab two. Like I said, I have a chill approach to fitness and nutrition (especially nutrition), so I eat what I want, when I want. Often thats healthy food, but sometimes its free office cookies, and thats healthy, too.

5:55 p.m. Im heading home, and I call my husband for our traditional What should we do for dinner? chat. We land on takeout from Jyoti Indian Bistro, which is the bomb and is only $26 for what amounts to three solid meals. ($13 for my half)

7:15 p.m. Time to eat Indian on the sofa and talk about our days.

10:27 p.m. Finally finished with chores and more work, and Im not exactly done, but I force myself to close my laptop. Not thrilled that its this late. I unwind with an episode of Succession and four Godiva truffles before bed.

Daily total: $28.97

For dinner on Tuesday, Stauffer and her husband order sushi from Hokka Hokka. / Photograph by Ali Stauffer.

5:30 a.m. Nope. I snooze my alarm.

6:30 a.m. Okay Im up. The morning workout is not going to happen today. Lesson learned: I need to put my laptop away earlier if I want to be up at 5:30 a.m. I still have time for my coffee/jade rolling/foam rolling routine, which makes a huge difference in my day. On days when I dont work out, if I can at least do some foam rolling and mobility work, I can keep my body feeling good. Otherwise, I get stiff and achy, and its harder to get back into my workouts.

7:52 a.m. Im on the train to work, knocking out emails on my phone.

9 a.m. Today starts with a work-related fire to put out. Half of my team is out of the office on a photo shoot, so theres just me and one colleague to put it out. Im in problem-solving mode for a good chunk of the day.

11:45 a.m. I order my usual Honeygrow salad ($13). The staff there knows my routine so well they say they can make my salad with their eyes closed. Call me boring if you want. I will defend my autopilot lunch all day long. It saves so much time and mental bandwidth, and its perfectly healthy. I have the same autopilot approach to my work uniform: I wear the same black leggings, black socks, black high tops, and a T-shirt every day. My sock and legging drawers are out of a Marie Kondo dream and I never have to think about what to wear or what to eat. I find what works and automate it, to leave more room for everything else in life.

1 p.m. I spend the afternoon making sure more fires dont catch, and managing projects.

5:35 p.m. Starving on my way home, I grab energy bites from Freshii in Jefferson Station ($2.15). Theyre basically candy masquerading as health food.

6:25 p.m. It has been a day, and Im wiped. My husband picks up sushi from Hokka Hokka for dinner ($19 for my two rolls). I actually love to cook, but when Im going through a busy spell at work, its takeout every night and Im fine with that.

9 p.m. I knock out some more work from the sofa and then crash.

Daily total: $34.15

Stauffer crushes pull-ups during her upper body workout. / Photograph courtesy of Ali Stauffer.

5:30 a.m. I drag myself out of bed, remembering how great it was when I got a morning workout in on Monday. I go through my morning self-care routine and get ready to head to City Fitness.

7:20 a.m. Its pull-up day, my other favorite. As someone who couldnt even do a full push-up a couple years ago, getting strong enough to do pull-ups has been the greatest feeling. Another thing I love about lifting: You can prove to yourself that youre capable of anything. That feeling carries over into every aspect of life. After my warmup lots of shoulder mobility I do pull-ups, super-setted with hollow-body presses (learned that one from Tony Gentilcore), then knock out a few other upper-body exercises.

8:30 a.m. My locker-room turnaround is lightning fast because a) I dont really break a sweat and b) I have the greatest job in the world and can wear a sports bra and sneakers to work every day. I basically change into clean leggings and a top and Im good to go.

9 a.m. Glad I got my workout in, because I need the stamina for a marathon of back-to-back meetings.

12 p.m. Out of my third meeting and starving. I place my Honeygrow order, obviously, and go pick it up. ($13)

1 p.m. My fourth meeting of the day is canceled (miracles do happen) and I find myself with a glorious multi-hour block of time. Gmail is getting closed, headphones are going on, and Im deep into project mode.

3:15 p.m. Ive been thinking about this peanut butter brownie I saw at Gryphon for weeks. Today is the day: I must have it. I take a quick walk to buy one ($2.70). Its everything I dreamed.

6 p.m. Theres an office party tomorrow, and I need to buy gifts. I wrack my brain for ideas, then head in to Center City to hunt for the items on my list. I have fantastic luck at Boyds.

9 p.m. I end up Ubering home because its late ($13.46). My husband has picked me up chicken and vegetables from the hot bar at Weavers Way($12). I house it before I remember that Im supposed to be taking pictures for this Sweat Diary LOL!

9:30 p.m. After the usual evening chores, I need to unwind. I do so with an entire pint of cookie dough Halo Top. I am not one to touch diet foods, but Halo Top is that good. I discovered it when we did a healthy ice cream taste test for Mens Health. Some flavors cookie dough, candy bar, and vanilla are as good as the real thing.

Daily total: $41.16

Stauffer eats this salad from Honeygrow pretty much every day. Shes not complaining, why should you? / Photograph by Ali Stauffer.

5:30 a.m. Same routine. This is getting easier.

7:20 a.m. Im at the gym and its squat day. This is my least favorite of my workouts squats were just never as satisfying to me as deadlifts or pull-ups. I try to pump myself up with Beyonc, which works, a little. My main moves in this workout are front squats, Bulgarian split squats, and trap bar deadlifts. I do core work as fillers between sets. Basically, while Im resting my quads and glutes between sets of squats, Ill do sliding planks or bird dogs to get in some core work and make the most of my workout time.

8:30 a.m. Time to wrap up this workout and get to work work.

9 a.m. My team kicks off every day with a huddle to update each other on KPIs, project status, and anything new thats come up. We prioritize the day based on the updates. Right now, the big focus is prepping all of our content to launch for 2020.

12 p.m. I decide to join the team in ordering lunch, and hilariously, they choose Honeygrow as the caterer of choice. I order my usual.

1 p.m. Spending the afternoon powering through my projects for the new year.

5:30 p.m. Time for our office party, which has catered barbecue and its amazing. I fill my plate with brisket, wings, sausage, candied bacon, mac and cheese, hush puppies, and cornbread. I also have two glasses of champagne, which I almost never do these days because alcohol screws with my sleep.

8:30 p.m. Im home with just enough time to catch up with my husband and do some chores.

10 p.m. Im crashing!

Daily total: $0

To round out the week, Stauffer chows down on pizza from Earth Bread and Brewery. / Photograph by Ali Stauffer.

6:45 a.m. As predicted, I slept terribly, even though I had only two glasses of champagne. There will be no gym this morning, but its fine, because I can do my fourth workout of the week tomorrow. Listen to your body!

9 a.m. I have my morning huddle with my team, and then I have two meetings on deck.

10 a.m. Time for meeting number one. I leave my morning huddle and go to the first meeting.

12 p.m. Cue lunchtime. Honeygrow, per usual ($13).

1 p.m. Heading to Center City for my second meeting.

4 p.m. I pop into City Fitness East Market to work since my last meeting was nearby. Theres a coworking space at the club that has both communal space and private offices. Its a great spot to post up for a few hours. There happens to be a Human Touch massage chair in the coworking space, and no ones using it, so I end up working from a massage chair for about 20 minutes, which I cant recommend enough.

5 p.m. Last conference call of the day!

8:38 p.m. Its Friday, which means well usually go out to one of our favorite neighborhood spots for dinner. Tonight we decide on Earth Bread and Brewery, which has an epic Nashville hot chicken pizza. We split a large, and I get a house-made kombucha ($15). We hang out at Earth until movie time. We have tickets to The Rise of Skywalker at the Movie Tavern. I have three Lindor truffles in my coat pocket. A perfect Friday night.

Daily total: $28

Money spent: $132.28Workouts complete: ThreeHoneygrow lunches ordered: Five

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This City Fitness Exec Starts Every Morning With a Jade Roller Routine - phillymag.com

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instagram Jillian Michaels was an overweight kid, but after a wake-up called, she committed herself to a healthier life. This is how the Biggest Loser alum lost weight.

Jillian Michaels is having a rocky start to the New Year. She was recently criticized for her critique of Lizzos body size and weight, saying how she doesnt think its right to glorify obesity.

The fitness expert responded to the criticism on Instagram with a post that read: "As I've stated repeatedly before, we are all beautiful, worthy, and equally deserving. I also feel strongly that we love ourselves enough to acknowledge there are serious health consequences that come with obesityheart disease, diabetes, cancer to name a few. I would never wish these on ANYONE and I would hope we prioritize our health because we LOVE ourselves and our bodies."

Michaels followed up with a nostalgic post yesterday, throwing back to a photo where shes just 14 years old.

"Here's me at 5'0 tall and 175 pounds. If I can do it, anyone can." Michaels encouraged her followers to share their own personal weight-loss transformations, and the stories were so inspiring.

"I started at 285, Im approaching 180 now! We all start somewhere, just move! " one of her fans wrote, while another commented, "40 pounds down and I'm not done! I have a long way to go, but I want this to be my lifestyle."

Others questioned how she was able to lose 30 pounds with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can make it hard to lose weight.

Michaels previously opened up to Women's Health about being overweight as a child. The fitness expert told the magazine that she would bond with her father over food and often "eat without regard" to her health.

In her teens, Michaels had a wake up call when her mom signed her up for a martial arts class, and she got called out for bringing a bag of Cheetos. She decided it was time to make healthier choices and began her weight loss journey.

"That's when I began to appreciate fitness." she told USA Today of martial arts. "It translated into every other aspect of my lifemy confidence, self-worth, self-esteem. Nobody bullied me or picked on me anymore because I respected myself."

Michaels initially switched up her diet to include artificial sweeteners and low-fat foods, thinking it was healthier, but she told WH that she finally learned the components of a healthy diet in her thirties. Today, she sticks to whole foods and intermittent fasting. She also enjoys a hot lemon ginger with collagen at night.

At 45, the fitness expert still practices martial arts, but she loves other forms of exercise too, like cycling, yoga, and high-impact interval training (HIIT). And she doesn't spend more than four hours a week exercising.

"Being (or getting) healthy doesn't have to be complicatedand it shouldn't require extremes," she told Women's Health. "Healthy living is all about moderation. If you put the word "too" in front of anythingtoo much food, too little food, too much sleep, too little sleepyou've got chaos, whereas if everything is balanced just right, everything falls into place."

Even though she's all about fitness, Michaels's 2020 goals have nothing to do with the gym: She recently told Prevention.com that she'd "like to get my American Express bill down." I mean life's all about balance, right?!

Video: Jillian Michaels is accused of body-shaming Lizzo (Provided by USA Today)

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Jillian Michaels Shares Rare Photo Taken Before Her Fitness Journey and Fame - msnNOW

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An ad-hoc senior fitness class conducted in Fenton for the past 30 years has been suspended.

While class instructor Dave Nieters said the popular fitness lessons at RiverChase Recreation Center averaged 25 to 30 participants, he told Fenton aldermen at their Jan. 9 board meeting that partakers were asked in early December about moving to the former library space near City Hall before being turned away completely from gathering at city-owned properties.

Fenton city attorney Erin Seele said the problem was that this particular class was an unauthorized program, and that no current municipal staffers could find any historical records regarding when or how the program

was initiated.

Seele said lack of proper authorization for the class puts undue liabilities on the city.

Nieters said hes been a Fenton resident for 15 years, and that he joined the class about 10 years ago. He said he became one of the instructors.

Seele said teachers of city-sanctioned classes are employed by Fenton, with the city having ultimate control regarding whats taught.

Nieters said the class is put on by the Arthritis Foundation, using exercise rubber bands, chairs, sticks and dancing exercises. He said when the class was asked to move to the former library, they requested and were told participants could continue to use the track at RiverChase. He said details were published in the citys newsletter, The Beacon, as well.

Indeed, the current, winter newsletter states: Senior Exercise A FREE, low impact exercise class that helps you stay healthy and active. Instructed by a group of volunteer seniors. Exercise consists of using chairs, dowel rods and extra-large rubber bands. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. *As of 1/2/20, located in Community Develop.

Due to recent construction at RiverChase, Nieters said they were asked to move to the past library space sooner, and thats when they were told they no longer could gather.

Janet Adkins, a Fenton resident since 1978, said the class was the best kept secret in Fenton, as she, too, asked board members for reconsideration of the program.

The class kept us moving, created friendships and healed people, proclaimed Adkins, who said the class was shut down with no warning.

Tye Lydon, Fenton parks and recreation director, said the RiverChase team called every person who might be connected to the class.

Adkins said they were admonished for not signing waivers or paying fees. Both she and Nieters said they then were told signing waivers would not do them

any good.

We were enjoying each other, and it would be my wish that Fenton and the RiverChase staff would revisit this situation, added Adkins.

Lydon said a complimentary Silver Sneakers fitness program was offered by various Medicare plans for the facility and some classes. Adkins said she paid once lately to go to the Silver Sneakers program, but isnt the age to qualify for it for another year and a half.

Nieters said that the group often went to lunch in Fenton after the class. Wed like to know what it would take to reinstate the class, he added.

Alderwoman Susan Jokerst encouraged leaders of this fitness class to attend the citys next park board meeting to explain how they were conducting the program.

It would be nice to see if another program could be created that was sanctioned through the city thats safe and legal, Jokerst said.

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Unsanctioned Senior Fitness Class Halted - Webster-Kirkwood Times, Inc.

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Were halfway into January, and for those of you looking to get fit, Im here to help.

I started working out consistently last January to drop a few pounds and improve my health.

Its my experience that starting with simple exercises works best! Nothing too strenuous.

Todays workout is all about strengthening your glutes and core.

With help from my trainer Greg Daniels of Iron Bodies, Im showcasing four quick exercises to not only help improve your posture but to make sitting, standing, picking up heavy objects and climbing stairs easier.

I want to make these workouts about me and you as a team. So send me your exercise questions and I will get you answers.

Send me an e-mail at ttyus@wsav.com or connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. Thats also where I share workout updates between Fitness and You with Tina posts.

Check out the other workouts:

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Fitness and You with Tina: Working core and glutes - WSAV-TV

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Whether you're looking for exercise routines and expert advice from certified trainers, or simply want to do nothing more than stare at Gus the English Bulldog interrupting his owner's workouts, social media can be a grade-A place for fitness content. And, in case you haven't already noticed, TikTok is no exception.

We're not just talking about the Flex Challenge (may the odds be ever in your favor if you attempt that one). Influencers like Jen Selter and trainers such as Cassey Ho have migrated over to the land of beauty hacks, lip syncs, and catchy dances we can't get enough of. Why? Because TikTok is F.U.N.

Looking for fitness motivation and trainers to follow on the app? After a deep dive, we've complied a list of influencers and experts. Some of them (the trainers) provide actual workout tips and exercises, while others (mostly the influencers) show off tricks and post entertaining content we're beaming over. So, scroll on, my friend. We invite you!

Link:
9 Fitness Influencers and Trainers We Can't Stop Watching on TikTok Right Now - POPSUGAR

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Created for Greatist by the experts at Healthline. Read more

Lets be real: If youre looking to lose some weight, it takes a lot of work. Naturally, pills that claim to lead to rapid weight loss seem like an easier option than the old-fashioned diet and exercise route (so archaic, right?).

The majority of these infomercial-ready pills work by suppressing your appetite, increasing fat burning, or reducing how you absorb calories. But just because they can help you drop weight doesnt mean its necessarily going to last or that its safe.

Most of these pills are considered dietary supplements, which do not have to be regulated by the FDA in any way, meaning they havent necessarily been tested or approved for safety and may not even work as advertised.

The FDA reports that many weight loss supplements are tainted with dangerous ingredients. Because of this, weight loss pills have an unfortunate connection to health problems and even death.

Dietary changes and exercise should always be your go-to before adding supplements or medication. But there is evidence that some weight loss pills can be used safely to help you hit your goals.

Well break down 13 popular types of weight loss pills to tell you what works, whats a total sham, and any harmful side effects you could experience.

Health-food lovers are all about apple cider vinegar (ACV). Its often touted as a solution for health-related issues, especially fat burning and weight loss. But is it legit?

ACV is essentially fermented apples that turn into vinegar. The acetic acid, B vitamins, and antioxidants in ACV all offer some health benefits. A small study published in 2004 found that vinegar may have a role in regulating blood sugar after meals.

In a 2018 study on rats with obesity, the antioxidant properties of ACV suppressed obesity-induced oxidative stress and reduced triglyceride levels, which can cause conditions such as heart disease. Rats arent humans, though.

A small 12-week study published in 2018 found that participants who supplemented a reduced-calorie diet with ACV lost more weight than those who only followed the diet.

The acidity of ACV can give you some gnarly acid reflux, but it most likely wont be as bad if youre taking ACV in pill form. ACV can also interact with other diuretics or insulin. You should avoid ACV supplements if you have type 1 diabetes.

Additionally, if you have chronic kidney disease, your kidneys could have trouble processing the extra acid in your body.

Most likely. There just arent enough human studies on ACV to say it helps you lose weight. The bottom line is that it can help your metabolism and blood sugar levels, which could help your overall health when paired with the right diet and exercise.

Keto was super popular in 2018 and 2019, so chances are youre aware of this diet in which you nix carbs for fat. Keto pills is an umbrella term for anything that claims it can help get your body into ketosis.

The Shark Tank favorite Rapid Tone is one of these products. Ketosis is your bodys process of using fat for energy (and thus producing ketones) instead of its usual carbs-for-energy route.

The result is that youll burn more fat (and you get to eat cheese bless!). So, if you want to get into ketosis ASAP, theres a pill for that.

Most keto pills use salts that are modified to burn fat (aka put your body into ketosis by raising your blood ketone levels). With these pills, you can supposedly get the benefits of ketosis without making drastic dietary changes.

Sounds like the perfect pill, right? Well, theres a catch (we just cant have nice things). Keto pills can wreak havoc on your metabolism.

Research has shown that people in a ketogenic state have increased satiety hormones and decreased hunger hormones, which helps suppress appetite.

But once they ditch the pills, those hormones suppressing appetite increase to way above where they were before, so the weight comes back.

Technically, no but in the long run, yes. The pills are effective at getting your body into a fat-burning state of ketosis. But even though youll lose weight fast, its very likely the weight will return when you stop taking the pills.

Think you can pee off the pounds? Water pills say they can help you do just that.

Over-the-counter and prescription water pills are diuretics, meaning they make the pee just flow out of you by triggering your kidneys to get rid of extra water and salt. This, in turn, helps you lose water weight and bloat.

Water pills are really intended to treat high blood pressure and can interact with other medications. Plus, they can overload your kidneys, leading to kidney failure (yikes!).

And then theres the cherry on top: dehydration. Frequent urination can increase your chances of getting dehydrated if youre not replenishing your fluids.

Yes. Youll probably only lose 3 to 4 pounds of water weight, not actual fat. A 2004 study found that water pills had basically no effect on weight loss. The pounds will return once you go back to your usual lifestyle.

Plus, a lot of over-the-counter water pills are just unregulated capsules of caffeine and herbs that are too weak to deliver any effects.

Caffeine is the sweetheart of stimulants for keeping us awake and focused throughout the day. (We love you, coffee!) Its also an ingredient in many weight loss supplements and frequently stars on its own in pill form.

Caffeine is said to boost metabolism and increase fat burning.

Too much caffeine can make your heart race and cause anxiety, vomiting, and jitters. Its safe to consume 400 to 500 milligrams of caffeine a day, but if youre drinking caffeinated beverages and taking these pills, its easy to go overboard.

Caffeine may aid in weight loss, but its not likely to work for very long, since your body builds up a tolerance to its effects.

A 2015 study comparing people who drank coffee and caffeinated beverages to those who did not found that the caffeinated peeps lost more weight.

Another miracle elixir from the health-food community is green tea, which also comes in a pill form as green tea extract with other fat-burning ingredients.

The general idea is that the caffeine and antioxidants in green tea supplements can aid in fat burning.

There have been reports of liver damage in people who took green tea extract.

According to a 2013 review of studies, some research has found that green tea extract can help with weight loss, but theres not enough evidence to say for sure. It definitely wont just melt away the pounds without diet changes and exercise.

Still on the caffeine train, green coffee beans (unroasted coffee beans) are another big weight loss supplement on the market.

The caffeine in green coffee beans is thought to help weight loss by burning and inhibiting fat. Chlorogenic acid in the extract slows down the breakdown of carbs in your digestive system.

The same side effects as caffeine plus, diarrhea is possible thanks to the chlorogenic acid. You can also be allergic to green coffee beans.

Maybe. An 8-week study found that subjects taking green coffee bean extract had more weight loss and reduced BMI and that the supplement could help suppress appetite for weight loss.

A 2011 review of three clinical trials also found the supplement helped with weight loss. But there havent been many promising studies that werent funded by supplement companies.

One of the most marketed and well-known weight loss pills, Hydroxycut is extremely controversial.

Over the years, the supplement has caused liver damage and heart-related deaths and has been recalled by the FDA numerous times for containing harmful ingredients like ephedra.

Since it went back on shelves in 2010, Hydroxycut has changed its ingredients, but most medical professionals will caution you against using it.

Todays Hydroxycut is a mix of caffeine, ladys mantle extract, wild olive extract, komijn extract, and wild mint extract.

There are few to no studies on the different types of Hydroxycut, but research has found that caffeine and some of the other herbs the supplement contains can help with weight loss.

Like too many cups of coffee, the caffeine in Hydroxycut can cause side effects such as anxiety, nausea, diarrhea, and jitters.

Most likely, but its hard to say for sure. There are no reputable studies on the supplement itself, and online reviews are extremely mixed.

Alli is the lower-dose, over-the-counter version of orlistat (its also sold as the prescription drug Xenical).

In 2010, the FDA published a safety review of orlistat when people reported serious liver damage. The FDA could not find evidence that orlistat was the cause, but Alli changed its formula anyway.

The orlistat in Alli helps your intestines absorb less dietary fat by inhibiting the digestive enzyme lipase that breaks down fat. When you take Alli with a meal, roughly 25 percent of the fat you eat wont be broken down itll simply go straight through your bowels.

Taking Alli can cause digestive issues like abdominal pain, gas, oily stools, and more bathroom visits. Headache, back pain, and upper respiratory infection are also possible.

This one looks legit if you eat right and exercise. Studies have shown that people who take orlistat with a calorie-restricted diet and exercise will lose more weight.

But you dont necessarily need it: A 2010 study actually found that eating a low carb diet was just as effective for weight loss as taking orlistat while eating a low fat diet.

Garcinia cambogia is a fruit that looks like a little green pumpkin. An extract from it is sold in pill form for weight loss.

Garcinia cambogia contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is thought to suppress appetite.

No serious side effects have been reported just some minor digestive issues.

Maybe. A 2011 study found that garcinia cambogia led to an average weight loss of about 2 pounds over several weeks. But more research is needed to clarify whether it works.

Glucomannan is an herbal supplement thats extracted from elephant yam as a water-soluble dietary fiber.

Glucomannan is kind of a science experiment in your gut. Once ingested, it absorbs water and turns into a gel. This helps you feel full.

Glucomannan can cause bloating, farting, and soft stools. It can also mess with some medications.

Its probably legit. Research shows that glucomannan works when paired with a healthy diet and can also improve blood pressure, glucose levels, and cholesterol. A 2005 study found that glucomannan helped participants lose weight.

Conjugated linoleic acid, aka CLA, is a natural fatty acid used as a supplement for weight loss.

CLA is thought to reduce appetite, break down fat, and boost metabolism.

CLA can cause digestive issues and some nasty side effects (including fatty liver, inflammation, and insulin resistance) if used long-term.

It works, but it can really mess you up if you keep taking it. A 2007 review of 18 studies found that participants taking CLA consistently lost weight for 6 months. However, the side effects are very serious and worth consideration.

Back to the hippy natural supplements! Forskolin is extracted from the roots of the Indian coleus plant, a cousin of mint. Not much is known about this plant or how it affects weight loss.

Forskolin is thought to help burn fat by raising your cells level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a compound that helps break down stored fat.

This supplements effects on your body including side effects and safety are largely unknown.

As with pretty much everything else about forskolin, we dont really know. But its best to avoid this pill until more research has been done.

Theres simply not enough data and too much conflicting information to tell if its safe, let alone if it works.

Bitter orange has a variety of uses in traditional Chinese medicine, such as helping with heartburn and nasal congestion and aiding in weight loss.

The synephrine in bitter orange has very similar weight loss properties to ephedrine, the main component of ephedra (which was banned by the FDA for causing heart attacks and strokes).

While its similar to ephedrine, synephrine is less potent. It reduces appetite and helps you burn more fat.

Similar to its evil twin, the synephrine in bitter orange can cause heart, digestive, and circulation issues and is potentially addictive.

There havent been many studies on synephrine. The success of ephedrine shows that its probably legit, but it comes with a cost. The side effects can be major, and the NCAA lists it as a banned stimulant for its athletes.

OK, so technically there are more than 13 pills on this list. There are several prescription drugs that aid in weight loss and pretty much do the same thing.

The most popular prescription weight loss drugs are Contrave, Belviq, Phentermine, and Qsymia. Metformin, a diabetes medication, might also help with weight loss.

Prescription weight loss pills generally work by suppressing appetite. Most are designed to support long-term weight loss plans. Metformin is actually a diabetes medication used to regulate blood sugar levels.

Prescription weight loss pills can cause nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. Phentermine also stimulates the central nervous system, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure.

The bottom line

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Basketball season is in full swing and I'm getting questions from athletes, coaches and parents about improving vertical jump. This is an especially frustrating question for me because it's something that should be asked in April, not in January!

We could improve vertical jumping ability, among other things, tremendously in the offseason, but during the heart of the season, it's extremely difficult to make noticeable gains in the vertical jump.

But it's not impossible. Although it may not be the ideal timing, there are still solutions.

If you want to jump higher during basketball season, try these three tactics.

If there's one surefire way to decrease performance, it's sleep deprivation.

One study in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance discovered that one night of sleep deprivation led to decreased jump performance and cognitive function the following day due to the disruption of recovery. The sleep-deprived athletes also reported a higher level of perceived soreness.

On the flip side, sleep can also be a weapon that drives improvement.

During the season, basketball players do tons of plyos, sprints and other high-intensity movements that are built into games and practice. Those actions are typically how we would approach jump improvement in the offseason, but doubling up and adding even more of them to an athlete's workload may not be the best choice for their health.

This is why helping someone jump higher is much more complicated in January than it is in April. We've lost the time and space needed to use our biggest training tools.

Sleep, however, can make a difference. Given what we know about sleep deprivation and lack of recovery, better sleep will boost your performance.

Having a high level of physical readiness every day not only allows you to perform at a high level, but it also allows you to train according to your in-season program, which is likely focused on strength and can increase force production qualities without having to jump in training.

Being able to sleep more or improve overall quality of sleep can enhance your jumping ability by allowing you to train harder and recover more optimally without further overloading your system.

Three easy tips for improving sleep are:

Try these simple tips and I guarantee you'll see an immediate impact in your sleep quality and quantity. If you really want to jump higher during your season, sleep is one of your most powerful weapons.

Another surefire way for most athletes to decrease their performance is to gain fat. Losing fat, however, turns out to be really good for most athletes.

During the season, it's common to lose weight. But losing weight and losing fat are not one in the same. Many times, water loss and muscle loss can account for more of an athlete's in-season weight loss than actual fat reduction. It may be common, but it's not ideal. You want to maintain muscle mass and hydration levels in-season, even if it means the scale doesn't change much.

Altering body composition by increasing or maintaining muscle mass and losing fat is the route you want to go. You can alter body comp without losing performance and there are many ways to accomplish this. Diet is actually one of the most controllable things in an athlete's life.

Proper nutrition takes great planning and commitment, but it's not as hard as people think. It's also almost totally in the athlete's control, unlike many other aspects of being an athlete (travel, game times, schedules, etc.).

Everyone's diet will look different, and the idea isn't to have a "perfect" diet. It's simply to do better than you are right now and keep that momentum going. Here are some easy check points to get you started.

When your diet is in check, your training and recovery will follow suit.

Again, we're looking to maximize in-season training by increasing strength and muscle mass. If you end up just maintaining your strength and muscle mass, that's OK, but the thing we definitely want to avoid is losing strength and muscle mass during the season.

Jumping is a powerful movement, and how strong you are in comparison to your body weight is a part of the formula that determines how high you can jump. Carrying less mass (fat) while being able to produce the same or a higher amount of force is a surefire way to jump higher.

The third and final way to think outside the box and make vertical jump gains mid-season is to re-think what you're doing for recovery.

For many athletes, recovery simply means "rest." Rest is absolutely critical, but I think that the real key to consistently feeling fantastic is to dial in both your rest and your recovery.

I think of them as two separate things. Rest is mainly sleep and staying off your feet. In other words, it's doing absolutely nothing. Recovery, on the other hand, should be active and intentional.

This is where active recovery modalities like muscle stimulation, isometric holds, A.R.T., chiropractic care, and RPR come into play. These are all active, intentional and low-stress forms of recovery. These items don't directly target the vertical jump, but they absolutely enhance some of the factors that impact how high you can jump.

For example, isometric holds have been closely linked to improved tendon health.

In-season, basketball players' tendons are under an immense amount of stress and can often results in things like jumper's knee, Achilles tendonitis or other tendon-based aches and pains that will strip your vertical away from you. Combatting that with isometric therapy rather than "rest, ice, compress, elevate" is going to not only heal you faster, but also help you maintain the strength and jumping ability you possess.

Re-think what recovery means to you. Aggressively attack those aches and pain with intelligent methods that will truly help your body adapt and regenerate.

The common theme here is that vertical jump improvement is very possible during the basketball season, but you must think outside the box. You must be willing to dedicate serious time and energy to things like sleep, diet, in-season training and recovery.

You're already doing a ton of jumping inside your sport, so adding more jumps to your workouts likely won't do much good. However, you want to focus on the things that can enhance your jumps that don't require additional jumping.

If you do, you'll safely be on your way to new heights.

References

Photo Credit: FatCamera/iStock

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3 Ways to Increase Your Vertical Jump During Basketball Season - STACK News

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Pregnancy is a true blessing and breastfeeding is a special phase in a mother4s life, remembered with a sense of pride. Breastfeeding is a natural process and breast milk is the best food for your baby. However, breastfeeding like birthing has been portrayed as a painful and difficult phenomenon. So, attending a prenatal class with the family is the first thing a mother can do as a step towards preparation for breastfeeding.

Knowledge about the superiority of this natural and wonder food (breast milk, white blood) and understanding the challenges, myths, and facts regarding this process, can help a mother-to-be to successfully breastfeed. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the first feeding should take place in the golden hour (the first hour immediately after birth).

The quality of mothers milk depends on the food she eats. Hence, lactating mothers need to have a well-balanced diet that comprises of galactagogues (foods that enhance milk production) in their daily routine, Green gram (moong dal), sago (Sabudana), brown rice and oats should be included in one of the meals for a nursing mother.

Additionally, a handful of nuts like almonds and cashews should be tucked into ladoos or added to smoothies. The herb shatavari kalp is a milk-boosting food and helps increase milk supply. The other helpful foods are sesame seeds (til), fenugreek (methi), fennel (saunf), cumin seeds (zeera) and carom seeds (ajwain).

Breastfeeding is not just beneficial for the baby but mothers too benefit when they breastfeed their baby. Furthermore, babies who have breastfed, share a special bond with their mother and can easily be comforted. Here are some other benefits of breastfeeding.

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Benefits of Breastfeeding Your Baby - Version Weekly

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Peter Andrews is an Irish science journalist and writer, based in London. He has a background in the life sciences, and graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in Genetics.

Pollution, sedentary lifestyles, soy and even social feminization have been blamed for a deepening testosterone crisis. But finding the answer fast is important the future of Americas population literally depends on it.

Testosterone truly is the male hormone. It is what turns boys into menupon puberty the testes drastically upregulate their production of it, triggering secondary sexual characteristics. These include the growth of muscle and bone, a deeper voice and the sprouting of body hair. Without testosterone, one suspects there would be a lot of noodle-armed, squeaky-voiced man-babies stalking the streets, perhaps in the vein of a Michael Jackson (rumoured to have been on hormone-blockers since childhood) or even a young Jeff Bezos (until he allegedly started pumping himself full of replacement testosterone).

But a new study published this month in the Journal of Sexual Medicine has found that testosterone is in crisis, at least when it comes to American Millennials and Gen Z-ers. Mens testosterone is supposed to decline naturally with age, but this study, which was presented last October to the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, showed a shocking decline in the levels of cohorts of young American men throughout since 1999. The authors tested the serum testosterone (total amount of testosterone present in the blood) of 4,045 men aged between 15 and 39making sure to control for confounding factors such as age, race, and level of physical activityand still the results were unmistakable. In fact, they have been slashed by over one-quarter in the last two decades.

This is hardly surprising news. Data showing how sperm counts have fallen has been widely reported in recent years. Since the testes produce both testosterone and sperm cells, it is probable that the causes overlap partially or entirely. Laptops too close to the crotch, anyone?

Mens rights activists, easily dismissed with that devilishly vague slur conspiracy theorist, warn of endocrine disruptors in the food supply, and xenoestrogens in the water. Identifying the cause, for now, is a bit like playing bingo for diagnosing modern-day malaise. The ubiquity of internet pornography? The decimation of manual labor among the working classes? Soy-based baby foods? Since studying the effects of any one of these things would never be funded for study by the educational-industrial complex, it is impossible to know how they might tie in.The poor diets and sedentary lifestyles that many young Americans enjoy are certain to be among the major contributing factors, but that cannot explain all of the downturn. This is because the study authors also controlled for overweightness, a known enemy of testosterone, by looking at the decline in only those young men who had healthy BMIs. Even these men saw their testosterone scores drop by over one-fifth.

The feminization of society is an interesting hypothesis, although difficult or impossible to study (even if it were not politically incorrect). Could the entry of women into previous male-dominated workplaces have actually affected their endocrinology? Over the long-term and on a vast scale, it is perfectly plausible. Whereas once American workplaces were crucibles of masculine competition, worshipping a single Godreal-world business successand ruthlessly capitalistic in their incentive structure, now they are anything but. Even the private sector is strangulated by sprawling human resources departments holding bosses to ransom over innocuous jokes, and thereby incentivizing mediocrity and absolute subservience as a career trajectory. It is easy to see how the natural aggressive juices of men who have been defanged and declawed at work (to say nothing of their home lives) could be staunched.

Americans are getting it in the neck here, but are things even any different in other agribusiness-run hyper-feminized societies like, for instance, Western Europe? Heres anxiously awaiting a similar study. It would be interesting if the authors next looked at American mens levels of the female hormone estrogen, as well as American womens levels of testosterone. Could both have increased? Women have only a fraction of the amount of testosterone as men do coursing through their blood, but any overproduction can lead to quite obvious changes, such as excess body hair and a deeper voice.

Make no mistake though, this is very bad news. Not only is low testosterone deficiency linked to a range of negative health outcomes, it is even associated with a higher risk of deathnot to mention fertility. One who didnt know better might say that plummeting testosterone levels are at once the cause of and a perfect metaphor for an existential crisis in American masculinity.

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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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Men in name only: New study shows testosterone levels in American males are dropping dramatically. Why would that be? - RT

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