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If youve made a New Year resolution to lose weight and get fit this year, then 32-year-old Rohan G Gupta is the best person to turn to for advice as he aced his 2019 New Year fitness resolution.

Says Rohan, like many people, I decided to commence my fitness journey as a New Year resolution (last year) and managed to stay committed to this goal with the help of the below weight loss plan and ended up losing 30 kgs.

At my heaviest, I weighed 105 kgs, which was overweight for my height and body type. It started affecting me in several ways. Id always be low on energy and beyond a point even started feeling low on confidence. And, while these alone constituted as major reasons for me to get fit, I also realised that both my parents, who are in their 50s now, are suffering from health issues such as blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and arthritis and this scared me. I decided to change my lifestyle completely to help curb the early onsets of any possible ailments.

I started by making small changes in my diet such as eating home-cooked meals, quitting sugar, aerated drinks, junk and greasy food and also walking daily. From January to April, I walked everyday for one hour and did not join gym because I wanted to see whether or not I will be able to stay committed to my fat loss journey for a long time. There were days when I went for a walk at 2 am or even 3am, but did not miss a single day consistency is key!

Then finally in May, I joined the gym, and since then have been going to the gym 6 days/week and working out regularly. I started my workout routine with the Bro Split regime, targeting a single body part per day. However, after some time, I switched to the Push/Pull/Legs regime for better results and have been following the same regime since then.

When I started working out, I also started following a dedicated diet plan. A combination of the below diet and above workout routines helped me trim to 75 kgs in a years time.

Pre-workout: An omelette made from 3 eggs + a slice of cheese + 8 soaked almonds + 1 apple

Post-workout: Protein shake

Lunch: 1 Chapati and any home-made vegetarian dish

Evening snacks: 3 boiled egg whites or bhel

Dinner: 250 gms of chicken prepared in curd

Post-dinner: Protein shake

- Please get your basics clear: fat loss (losing inches) and gaining muscle is what you need to go after and not just weight loss.

- Eat light, eat protein, eat fibre and drink more water

- Do not rely only on the gym to stay fit, be active throughout the day. Walk more, take the stairs!

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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How to lose weight and get fit like this guy who lost 30 kgs to fulfil his New Year resolution - GQ India

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Looking for a new way to slim in 2020? The answer could be as simple as an app on your smartphone with the Noom diet.

With more than 5,905 calories consumed by the average Brit on Christmas Day alone, its no wonder January is the time most of us want to slim. Step forward, the Noom diet. Not only was it the most Googled diet in 2018, but its been tried by more than 45 million people worldwide. Wondering if it could work for you?

Before you pay out around 40 per month (for an average of four months) for the privilege, heres everything you need to know

Even if youre not sure what the Noom diet is, youve probably seen adverts for it popping up on social media. Accessed by a subscription service via the Noom app, the diet is designed to help you lose weight and keep it off long-term by counting calories and tracking your fitness, food, blood pressure and blood sugar.

Noom is an app that aims to help you achieve lifestyle changes surrounding diet and exercise, says Dr Diana Gall from iMeds. It isnt a universal or one size fits all diet, but it personalises your calorie budget based on your age, current weight, height, activity levels, and other health and lifestyle factors.

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Before you sign up, you have to answer some simple questions about your weight and how much you want to lose, and then the computers algorithm will work out your weightloss goal and a weekly plan on how to achieve it.

Essentially, Noom combines a calorie budget alongside information on which foods you should aim to eat more of, and which to eat less of, explains Dr Gall. Nooms plans are non-restrictive, meaning that no foods are off limits, but it works to reinforce healthy eating habits by using a traffic light system. Foods classified as green foods are the ones that should make up the most of your diet, and have a low calorie density, such as fruits, vegetables, fat-free dairy options and some grains. Yellow foods are ones that should be eaten moderately, such as lean meats and fish, while red foods are the ones with a high calorie density and the least nutritional value, so should only be eaten sparingly.

The app even offers access to a health coach so you can ask direct questions (such as what to pick for dinner in a restaurant) when youre feeling stuck.

READ MORE: How to lose weight fast

Seeing as most of us carry our phones everywhere, its easy to track what youre eating in fact, youll probably only need to spend around 5-10 minutes a day on the app filling in your progress. Forgotten to add something in? Your health coach will prompt you to help you stay on track.

Keeping a food diary can be incredibly helpful if youre trying to lose weight, says Dr Gall. Being able to see what youre eating on a daily basis can help you to identify positive and negative eating habits, and can make you more aware of the calories that you consume. You may even be less likely to snack on foods with a high-calorie density as youll know that you need to record it, so you might opt for healthier snacks instead.

And looking at the #NoomNerds hashtag on social media, results have been impressive, with a study claiming that out of 36,000 Noom users, 77.9 per cent reported weight loss.

Losing weight is really down to the individual, as the Noom app doesnt go shopping for you or cook for you (although it does have plenty of recipes to pick from). If you dont stick to the calorie limit, you wont lose weight.

Plus, a lot of nutritional information is lacking on the app (its mainly just about calories). For most people, sticking to a calorie budget can be enough to lose weight, but its also important to know how much of each food group you should be consuming, says Dr Gall. For example, you may lose more weight by eating more protein and fibre than carbohydrates and fats, but by only counting calories, you might not know the actual nutritional value of the food you consume. The traffic light system that Noom offers is helpful for this, but it would also help you to know the nutritional value of each meal and snack that you record so you know if you need to increase or decrease certain food groups.

Users leaving online reviews complain about the teen speak and amount of advice given in quiz form, which can grate after a while. Theres also been some confusion over how to cancel the subscription (just deleting the app wont work). But the main issues with the Noom diet seems to be with the scripted answers the so-called personalised health coach will give you. This is because the advice is from a computer algorithm, not a real person.

Technology is fantastic, and some AI can be incredibly advanced, but qualified healthcare professionals still have their place, especially if youre struggling to lose weight, says Dr Gall. The app may be enough for some people to reach their goals, but if you struggle with your weight or have any questions about nutrition or diet, these are best directed towards a healthcare professional preferably someone with experience in diet and nutrition.

READ MORE: When is the best time to eat to lose weight?

If you have the money to spare and like a trend, then give it a go, but its not your only option if money is tight at this time of year.

There are free options available, says Dr Gall. If youre struggling on your own, you can always make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss your concerns and difficulties. You may be referred to a nutritionist or dietician for advice. You can still create a record of your eating habits by using free apps, or just by writing your meals and snacks in a diary. The advantage to this is that you may have regular appointments to check your progress, so your doctor can intervene if they think there could be a problem.

One of the benefits users of the Noom app seem to universally rate is the group chats they can join in with. Which is no wonder, seeing as new research by WW found a third of people think they will give up their diet sooner without someone to support them along their journey.

Online communities are fantastic for people that are wanting to lose weight, as youre all there to achieve the same goal. Theyre a great place to share tips and motivational stories, as well as having somewhere to vent if youre struggling to people that understand what youre going through, says Dr Gall.

There are several places online that you might find support groups, such as various social media sites or forums. You might find that they help you keep on track or stay inspired with all of the ideas and tips that are posted. It works in a similar way to slimming groups such as Slimming World or Weight Watchers, where group support is a big focus of the meetings, though online communities can be accessed at any time.

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What is the Noom diet and could it work for you? - goodtoknow

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Carrying excess visceral fat that sticks around important organs, such as the liver, pancreas and intestines increases the risk of long-term, life-threatening medical conditions. These include:

Another experiment focused on obese men who took coconut oil daily for 12 weeks.

Results showed that the men lost an average of 1.1 inches (2.86 cm) from their waists without intentionally changing their diets or exercise routines.

It must be noted that although visceral fat is found within the body, there is still a correlation between the harmful belly fat on the inside and the circumference of a person's waist.

One four-week study observed 20 obese adults who took two tablespoons (30ml) of coconut oil every day and found that the waist circumference in males were significantly reduced.

The NHS stresses that regardless of your height or body mass index (BMI), its important to measure the waist to check if youre

carrying too much body fat around your stomach.

The Heart Foundation adds that your waist measurement is an indicator of the level of internal fat deposits which coat the heart, kidneys, liver, digestive organs and pancreas.

How to measure your waist:

Your health is at risk if your waist size is:

For anybody measuring up as high risk, its advisable to visit your GP to discuss your health and possible lifestyle changes.

Although coconut oil has been proven to help reduce waist circumference and visceral fat, its important for your health to perform a moderate amount of exercise.

To be specific, regular aerobic exercise is the best way to combat harmful belly fat and comes with a host of other healthy benefits too.

Aerobic exercise can include: swimming, brisk walking, running and cycling.

The NHS states that regular exercise can lower your risk of early death by up to 30 percent.

Thats because one life-enhancing benefit of moving the body is that it slashes the chances of developing major illnesses.

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How to lose visceral fat: Best oil to cook with if you want to reduce harmful belly fat - Express

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Losing weight can help your sleep, according to a new study that found tongue fat can increase your risk of sleep apnea.

The study says that losing fat in your tongue can alleviate symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The condition occurs when people stop and start breathing during sleep. Patients wake up randomly during sleep and often snore. The condition can increase the risk for stroke and high blood pressure. Obesity is a risk factor, but so is having a recessed jaw or large tonsils.

According to a report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a team led by Dr. Richard Schwab, the chief of sleep medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, used MRI scans to look at how weight loss affected the upper airway. They say that lowering tongue fat is a primary factor to ease the severity of OSA.

Though we already knew weight loss can improve symptoms, Schwab said research hasnt looked at fat loss in the tongue.

Now that we know tongue fat is a risk factor and that sleep apnea improves when tongue fat is reduced, we have established a unique therapeutic target that weve never had before, he said in a statement.

In 2014, Schwab conducted research that found patients with obesity and OSA had larger tongues and higher percentages of tongue fat compared to those without sleep apnea.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommended that doctors examine it during screenings.

Fat deposition within the tongue and potentially other structures surrounding the upper airway may transform our understanding of the link between weight gain and OSA, with wide-ranging implications for diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Eric J. Kezirian, a professor in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Southern California, wrote in an accompanying editorial to Schwabs 2014 work.

In the current study, Schwabs team evaluated 67 participants with obesity and mild to severe OSA. They had MRI scans in their pharynx and abdomen prior to losing weight. Patients lost about 10 percent of their body weight via diet or weight loss surgery over a 6-month span. After losing weight and having another MRI, the team quantified changes in their weight loss, as well as reductions of the volume in the upper airway structures. Their sleep apnea scores improved by 31 percent, and tongue fat loss was the biggest link between weight loss and OSA improvement.

Losing weight also reduced the volume between the pterygoid (a jaw muscle that controls chewing) and pharyngeal lateral wall (the muscles on the sides of the airway). That improved OSA, but not as effectively or to the extent of tongue fat loss.

To see the real benefits of weight loss in reducing tongue fat, the patients that would benefit the most are those who have substantial tongue fat to begin with, Kezirian told Healthline. People store their body weight differently, meaning that there are people who are very heavy and have increased body fat but do not have much tongue fat and often do not have sleep apnea, he explained.

Now that he knows tongue fat loss could help some of the 22 million Americans battling OSA, Schwab hopes it will trigger more research into new methods to reduce tongue fat.

Schwab would like to know if certain low fat diets can work better than others in tongue fat reduction, or whether cold therapies currently used to reduce stomach fat could do the same in our tongues.

Exercises can be beneficial to reduce fat in the tongue. He cited a study that found people who played the didgeridoo were able to ease symptoms.

Tongue liposuction may sound like a potential solution, but Schwab said tongue fat doesnt present the same way as it does in other parts of the body, so it may not be in development anytime soon.

Tongue fat does not exist in specific areas that would be amenable to typical liposuction, unfortunately, Kezirian said.

Theres no way to lose weight and focus the fat loss solely on the tongue you have to lose weight throughout your body to see results in the tongue, added Michael W. Calik, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Sleep and Health Research. He is studying dronabinol, a cannabinoid that may be able to improve tongue activation if ingested before going to sleep.

Schwab also wants to find out if patients who are not obese but still have fatty tongues may be predisposed to having OSA and are less likely to be diagnosed with it. Ethnicity may also play a role in the severity of OSA. When comparing the upper airway anatomy of Chinese and Icelandic patients who have OSA, he noted that Chinese patients had smaller airways and soft tissues, but bigger soft palate volume with more bone restrictions. As such, people of Asian descent could have a higher risk for OSA.

Anyone who experiences snoring or sleepiness should be screened for OSA, even if they arent in a typical high-risk category, such as having obesity.

People should also know that having OSA doesnt mean you have to use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine for relief. Though the machine helps OSA in about 75 percent of patients, many have a hard time tolerating the machine. There are other treatment options, Schwab emphasized.

Many patients get turned off by CPAP and they wont come and see their doctor, Schwab said. Theres other options out there and you should investigate those options with your physician. There are serious consequences of not having your OSA treated.

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Study Finds Tongue Fat Can Lead to Sleep Apnea - Healthline

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While we all have our reasons to lose weight and get back in shape, for Vijay G Pardeshi, it was his daughter who acted as his biggest motivation. He realised that his daughter was getting mercilessly teased due to his appearance and decided to change his ways. From completely shunning junk food to being consistent with his weight loss goals, his weight loss journey is as inspiring as it gets. Name: Vijay G PardeshiOccupation: Lead business analystAge: 39 yearsHeight: 5 feet 7 inches

City: Pune

Highest weight recorded: 92 kg

Weight lost: 35 kg

Duration it took me to lose weight: My effective weight loss period was 19-20 months

The turning point: Two major events triggered my weight loss journey. First, I lost a very close friend due to a heart attack resulting from weight issues. The other reason was emotional and resulted from a personal incident.

Most of us have seen spoof images of a fat man in a superman costume, that is exactly what I looked like, before embarking upon this journey.

My daughter often got teased over that image and she innocently always defended my appearance. However, for me, that was a turning point. This transformation was a promise to her. I had to make sure that I looked like a fit superman, and thus began my fitness journey.

My breakfast: 2 whole eggs, 1 white egg, 40 grams of muesli.

My lunch: 200-300 green leafy vegetables, 75 grams rice, 100 grams potato, 60 grams paneer, and 25 grams dal.

Evening snacks: 2 whole eggs, 2 white eggs and 2 cheese slice.

My dinner: 200 grams chicken breast.

My meal for the whole day is prepared in 20 grams of coconut oil.

Pre-workout meal: 1 bananaPost- workout meal: 1 scoop whey protein

I indulge in: I love ice cream and kathi kabab roll. My workout: I follow the push, pull and legs pattern. Every day comprises of around 10-11 exercises. I perform 5 sets of each with 15-12-10-10-10 repetitions. I do abs training every day (front and side abs on alternate days)Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I vouch on this delicious vegetable salad.

You will need: 1.3-4 gms of butter2.Bell pepper3. Capsicum.4. Spring Onions5. Broccoli6. Zucchini7. Onions8. Tomatoes9.Chilly 10. Spices as per tasteHow to make it: Chop all the vegetables finely. Dice onions and tomatoes about one and half-inch long. Slice the chillies from the centre to make sure it stays intact and you get that spicy flavour.

Spread butter on the pan and add all the vegetables. Saut them for about five minutes. Add tomatoes to the mixture and saut it for about three minutes. Now here comes the tastemaker, add black pepper, chilly flakes and salt to the pan. You can also add oregano and basil. Saut the mixture for another two minutes and turn off the gas.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: I realised that nutrition and training go hand in hand. You cant be successful by doing just one. I keep on telling this to people around me that be consistent in whatever you do. Consistency is the key for getting success.

However, the most important thing is to be patient. You didnt gain your weight in one day so even losing it will take some time. How do I stay motivated? I started with a vision of weight loss, I saw results and it motivated me to go further. After I lost enough weight, I wanted to get rid of the tummy and when I got rid of the belly fat, I wanted to show off those muscles and abs. I make it a point to set short goals and keep working towards them. How do you ensure you dont lose focus? I set goals for a specific period and work tirelessly to achieve them. When you have a short term goal, there are fewer chances of losing focus. Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? I felt really lethargic when I was overweight and didnt like meeting new people because of my appearance.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I believe in short term goals. My this years goal is to gain muscles. If I keep achieving my fitness goals, I will be in the best shape for sure.

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Weight loss story: My daughter was teased over my appearance, so I decided to become a superman for her! - Times of India

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Each new year brings fresh proclamations about the best ways to lose weight and get healthier. Theres a lot of hype around extreme diets that have little research to support them, but an article published in December 2019 in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that one popular approach intermittent fasting (IF) may be worth considering.

Research findings suggest that there are many changes that occur in the body and brain in response to IF that can improve health and protect against chronic diseases, says study coauthor Mark Mattson, PhD, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

[Benefits] include improved glucose regulation, reduced blood pressure and resting heart rate, reduced inflammation, and improved muscle health, Dr. Mattson says.

In the article, researchers examined results from studies in animals and humans that focused on how IF may impact health markers such as metabolism and how IF may slow or reverse aging and disease.

RELATED: 6 Types of Intermittent Fasting: Which Is Right for You?

IF is an eating pattern [that] includes extended time periods during which no or very little food and caloric beverages are consumed, Mattson says.

There are many types of IF, but Mattson sees these practiced most frequently:

Several animal studies and some preliminary research in humans have shown that alternating between times of fasting and eating may support cellular health, probably by triggering an age-old adaptation to periods of food scarcity called metabolic switching, according to studies cited in the new article.

This switch happens when cells use up their stores of readily accessible glucose, or sugars, and begin converting fat into energy in a slower metabolic process. It normally takes about 16 hours without food for metabolic switching to occur, Mattson says.

During fasting, the liver converts fatty acids into ketones, a type of fuel released into the bloodstream when stores of glucose run out. Ketones also regulate the activity of many proteins and molecules that are known to influence health and aging.

As part of this process, IF triggers a stress response that increases the bodys antioxidant defenses against free radicals that damage cells and tissues, boosts DNA repair, removes damaged proteins, and curbs inflammation, animal studies have found. These processes can slow aging and are suppressed in people who overeat, researchers note in the article.

Time-restricted feeding (a form of intermittent fasting) has been shown to reprogram age-related pathways in our genes and may have an out with the old, in with the new effect on our cells and cell machinery, says Felicia Steger, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Steger was not involved with the current article.

Fasting gives our cells and tissues a break from processing and storing calories, and allows time to repair and regenerate, Steger says.

RELATED: Intermittent Fasting Puts Type 2 Diabetes in Remission in 3 Men

Decades of animal studies have linked calorie restriction and IF directly to an increased life span in mice and rats, but results in animals have been mixed, and there arent long-term studies in humans.

Both animals and humans have experienced improved physical function with IF that might also contribute to longevity, according to the article.

For example, mice with similar weight in one referenced study published in December 2014 in Cell Metabolism had more running endurance with IF than with unlimited access to food. And in another study published in October 2016 in the Journal of Translational Medicine, young men who fasted 16 hours a day lost fat while maintaining muscle mass during two months of resistance training.

If may also help slow aging processes in the brain, some research in animals and people suggests.

Studies in animals show that IF improves cognition, with gains in things like spatial memory, which is needed for navigation and recalling where things are located; associative memory, which is needed to understand the relationships between unrelated things; and working memory, which is needed for reasoning. IF also appears to reverse the negative effects of obesity, diabetes, and inflammation on spatial learning and memory in animals.

In a clinical trial published in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, older adults improved verbal memory with IF. In another study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, published in March 2016 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, IF was associated with improvements in verbal memory, executive function, and global cognition after 12 months. And a separate clinical trial published online in April 2019 in CNS Spectrums found that two years of daily calorie restriction led to better working memory.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, the article suggests IF may modify risk factors associated with obesity and diabetes, says Mattson.

Six short-term studies of overweight and obese adults have found that IF works as well as standard diets for weight loss specifically.

Two studies found that IF is associated with a reversal of insulin resistance, the bodys failure to respond normally to the hormone insulin, which is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

RELATED: 12 Possible Intermittent Fasting Benefits

While many human studies in the article have had encouraging results, much of the research cited is from studies that are too small and too brief to draw broad conclusions about long-term outcomes, the article authors caution.

We dont have long-term studies looking at adherence, which we know is absolutely key to successful lifestyle change, says Steger.

We also dont have nuanced results to individualize recommendations or clinical care, Steger adds. For instance, we dont know if healthy individuals gain any benefit to restricting the eating window in terms of preventing disease.

Its also important to keep in mind that IF does not give you permission to binge on pizza, doughnuts, cheeseburgers, and hot fudge sundaes.

While intermittent fasting can lead to modest weight loss, changing when you eat is probably not as effective as changing what you eat because losing weight ultimately depends on eating fewer calories than your body needs, Steger says. Intermittent fasting can lead to modest weight loss alone but will be more effective when combined with traditional weight management recommendations to reduce calories and increase exercise.

Fasting may also work best when paired with healthy eating habits, like a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and unsaturated fats. Meanwhile, other people may combine IF with the popular ketogenic diet in the hope of supercharging their weight loss, though many experts caution that research on this combined approach is lacking.

IF is not distinct necessarily from a Mediterranean diet or other eating plans, says Susan Roberts, PhD, a professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Massachusetts, and founder of the iDiet weight loss program. You can do them both together.

Its possible that IF may offer benefits even when people dont have good eating habits, but those benefits wont necessarily be significant, says Dr. Roberts, who wasalso not involved in the article.

RELATED: Intermittent Fasting May Improve Metabolic Health, Small Study Finds

Some people shouldnt try IF, including pregnant or nursing women, children, the elderly, and individuals with any history of eating disorders, says Krista Varady, PhD, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois in Chicago. People with diabetes and some other chronic health problems should consult with a doctor before doing IF, Dr. Varady adds. (She also was not involved in the current article.)

Getting started with IF may mean tolerating side effects like headaches, nausea, constipation, and irritability, Varaday says. Most of these problems come from failing to drink enough water.

People dont realize theres so much water in foods that theyre not getting when they start fasting, and they get hangry and irritable, Varady says. If you just do eight glasses of water a day, youll probably be fine.

While no serious side effects have been seen with short-term IF regimens, little is known about the long-term outcomes.

The big question is whether it is healthy for the long term and manageable for more than a tiny percent of the population, says Roberts. There may be side effects with implications for long-term health that are not apparent for months, or even years.

For now, there are only about 25 to 30 studies of IF in humans, Varady says. Much more research is needed that follows people beyond 12 months.

Steger agrees that more long-term research is needed. The intermittent fasting field is still young, and we dont have long-term data on sustainability, nor do we have feasibility for different groups of people, Steger says. While IF may benefit many (or most) people, it may not work for everyone.

Originally posted here:
Intermittent Fasting Offers Benefits Beyond Weight Loss, Article Suggests - Everyday Health

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Making one of the first inspirational stories of the year, Zack the30-pound, overweight cat was adopted into his forever homeand will be enjoy a strict new diet. Zackweighedtwotimes a healthy weight when he arrived atMichigans Humane Society.

Thankfully, hes on the road to weight loss with his new owners, and you can learn more about his story in the video above.What exactly are Zack and his new owners up against in their new journey together?

What weight isconsidered obese for a cat?

Obesecats are at least 20% heavier than their optimal weights, per International Cat Care. Studies show that59% of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. Owners spent hundreds of extra dollarseach year when their feline companions are overweight, according to PetMd.

What are the health risks for the cat?

Overweight cats have a shorter life-expectancy due to various health conditions that can be triggered by obesity.

Cats thatare overweight can be susceptible to numerous diseases and complications, such asdiabetes, high blood pressure, arthritisand urinary tract disease. Excess weight can also put a strain on the cats lungs, making it hard for the animal to breath.

Obesity cantriggerhepatic lipidosis, also known as fatty liver disease, which can leave felines in need of a feeding tube and IV fluids. If left untreated, it can be fatal.

An increased risk of cancer is the case for obese cats as well. Mental health can also be a struggle for the overweight animals because their instincts areto run when theyre in danger. An inability to do that, because of their weight, can cause them distress.

How can owners help their cat drop excess weight?

Just like humans, exercise and diet play a major role in helping a cat lose weight. Owners can take their animals on short walks or play games with them that help expend calories.

The next thing thats recommended is for the cat to cut calories, but not too drastically, as that can also trigger hepatic lipidosis.

Vets recommendno longer leaving food out for your cat all daybut feeding the cat threeto four small meals a day. A meat-based diet, high in protein, is recommended over dry kibble. Also, swap out the cats treats for healthier ones and make sure its water bowl is full to help satiate hunger. Its recommended for a veterinarian to help decide what diet would be best for your pet.

Regular weigh-ins, every two to three weeks, for your cat can also help to keep yourself accountable as the owner, per theVeterinary Centers of America.

Once you get your cat to a healthy weight, then its all about maintenance. Owners are urged to continue to monitor their animals food intake and activity.

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It's January, and that means a good percentage of the UK population have embarked on some kind of weight loss regime.

Maybe it's because we over-indulged during the festive period, or because we've been carrying a bit too much timber for a long time and are using the new decade to finally do something about it.

Some of us may have decided to go on a proper, structured diet, while others may have joined a gym to sweat off those pounds.

But is such a drastic move really necessary? Surely just eating healthily and cutting down calories would do the trick?

Many experts say a few simple food swaps will trim your waistline and also help you adopt a more healthy lifestyle in the longer term.

Here are 50 easy food swaps suggested by the health experts at Bupa which won't leaving you feeling deprived, but will make a massive difference to your waistline and overall diet.

1. Instead of chucking in pieces of lamb or beef in stews, use lentils instead. Fewer calories, but full of fibre.

2. When using cream in cooking, switch to low-fat Greek yoghurt or reduced fat crme fraiche.

3. Don't reach for a bag of crisps - swap for unsalted popcorn.

4. Full-fat cheddar - go for cottage cheese or a reduced-fat cheddar.

5. Milk chocolate bar swap for dark chocolate.

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6. Mayonnaise go for the reduced fat version, or swap for half an avocado, mustard, or even make your own dressing using olive oil, herbs and spices.

7. Fruit juice full of sugar, go for the "real thing" by having the fruit itself, or have half fruit juice and half water.

8. Sunflower oil swap for rapeseed oil in cooking, and spray it onto the pan rather than pour it.

9. Apple pie swap for stewed apple with oat crumble.

10. Potato have sweet potato instead.

11. Chocolate biscuit swap for a homemade muesli slice.

12. Two-minute noodles try thin rice noodles instead.

13. Full-fat latte swap for skinny latte or white Americano.

14. Chicken wings or drumsticks opt for skinless chicken breast.

5. Thick-crust takeaway pizza try thin-crust.

16. Soy sauce swap for reduced-salt soy sauce

17. Salami have turkey or chicken breast instead.

18. Chocolate milkshake swap for low-fat chocolate milkshake.

19. Ditch the frozen fish in breadcrumbs and go for fresh or frozen fish.

20. Salted nuts swap for unsalted nuts such as almonds or walnuts.

21. Swap jam for smashed berries or mashed banana with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

22. Steer clear of the fried, fat-laden tempura and try raw fish or veggie sushi roll.

23. For breakfast, forego sugary cereal and try porridge, wholegrain wheat cereal, or wholemeal toast with peanut butter.

24. When making pasta, don't have the creamy sauces, switch to tomato-based ones or pesto.

25. Ice lollies swap for frozen grapes.

26. Butter is more nutritious, but very high in fat and calories, so try olive oil-based spread.

27. Ice cream swap for a frozen blended banana.

28. Cheese and biscuits switch to crudits (vegetable sticks such as carrots, celery, peppers) and a dip such as low-fat humus or salsa.

29. Caesar salad swap for a build-your-own garden salad.

30. French fries swap for oven-baked potato wedges or sweet potato wedges.

31. Chocolate mousse make your own healthier version using blended avocado and banana with cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

32. Creamy salad dressing swap for olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

33. Ditch the bacon and fried egg and go for grilled bacon and poached eggs.

34. White rice swap for whole barley or brown rice.

35. Coconut milk swap for light coconut milk or light evaporated milk with coconut essence.

36. Ditch the spring rolls and instead have rice paper rolls.

37. Sweet chilli sauce swap for chilli lime vinaigrette dressing.

38. Have smoked salmon instead of bacon.

39. Swap a blueberry muffin for one slice of raisin toast.

40. Gyoza (Japanese dumplings) entre swap for edamame, which are a type of soy bean.

41. Pretzels swap for salt and vinegar rice crackers.

42. Ditch the carbonated drinks for diet or zero carbonated drinks, no added sugar squash or sparkling or still water.

43. Sprinkle herbs and spices over your food instead of salt.

44. When buying tinned fish in brine, go for the one in spring water, and try other tinned fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines.

45. Hot chocolate try warm, low-fat milk with cinnamon.

46. When making pancakes, serve them with fresh fruit instead of lemon and sugar.

47. Quiche try the crustless ones or even better, go for an omelette or frittata.

48. When eating out, swerve the hamburger and have the grilled chicken salad sandwich or wrap.

49. Pasta swap for courgette ribbons or aubergine sheets.

50. When you fancy a sweet, opt for dates or a handful of fruit such as grapes or strawberries.

Link:
Revealed - 50 easy food swaps to lose weight and be healthier - Birmingham Live

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SETTLING down for bed, Lindsay Melville knew she was in for another night of hell.

She had been recently diagnosed with a chronic snoring condition and told she'd need to sleep with an oxygen mask.

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But Lindsay, from Dartford, Kent, felt ashamed - she knew she had brought the problem on herself.

The learning and development manager's weight had been gradually creeping on but she had finally tipped the scales at 25st 1lb.

Doctors advised her the best option was a gastric band - but she was determined to lose the weight herself.

And incredibly the 37-year-old managed to shed a whopping 13st 13lb - in just a year.

Lindsay now weighs 11st 12lb and wears a svelte size 10.

She said: "I feel amazing. Its so great to be fit and healthy again with a balanced approached to eating."

Lindsay said her overeating started when she was just a child.

I found myself hiding food and secret binging from a young age

I have three older siblings, and as a child I would always want exactly same amount of food as them," she said.

"Life was a competition and if they had an extra roast potato, I wanted one, too.

"When we were growing up, we didnt have many rules around food, other than you must finish everything on your plate.

"Being able to provide food was my parents way of showing love and affection.

"And despite food being plentiful, I found myself hiding food and secret binging from a young age."

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When she reached her adult years she tried dieting, but found that every time she lost weight, she would just pile more back on each time.

Then in 2016, her dad died and she admits her emotional eating started to spiral.

The following year she says she was effectively demoted through a restructure at work.

And then in 2018, she was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnoea and borderline hyperventilation.

The condition is caused by the walls of the throat relaxing and narrowing during sleep, interrupting normal breathing.

It can cause sufferers to snore loudly but also make gasping, snorting or choking noises.

In the long-term, people with condition usually feel extremely tired, have mood swings and find it hard to concentrate.

Lindsay says she was in a cycle as she would wake up tired and start looking for food to give her energy.

But it had also meant her weight had escalated.

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She said:"I was so ashamed that I had done that to myself.

"The sleep clinic advised me to have a gastric band to lose the weight quickly, but I was adamant I would not go down the surgery route.

"I wouldnt let myself live the rest of my life having to wear an oxygen mask at night.

I was so ashamed that I had done that to myself

"After my diagnosis, I made the firm decision to lose weight."

She said she had two friends at work who'd had great results with weight loss plan LighterLife.

"The cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) group sessions really appealed to me this wasnt anything Id tried before," she said.

Lindsay signed up to her local group in Dartford in February 2018.

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She said:"I stepped on the scales and was shocked to see how much weight Id put on. I was 25st 1lb.

"I had been living in complete denial.

"I was told that on the LighterLife Total plan Id lose roughly a stone a month, so I knew Id be committing the remainder of the year to changing my life, and I was ready."

Lindsay says she "relished" in the weekly CBT group sessions, adding:"Not only was it great to share the journey with people who understand, it made me hold myself accountable to my behaviour.

"I also learnt things about myself that extend beyond my relationship with food into all parts of my life.

I had been living in complete denial

"I was able to recognise the emotional triggers that caused me to overeat and understand how my perfectionist ways were constantly setting me up for failure."

Now, she feels amazing and is now looking forward to her future - having recently met a new guy and taken up windsurfing.

Lindsay said: "2018 was all about losing weight, so 2019 for me was all about focusing on maintaining my weight, making new habits and living life in balance.

"If Id stayed at the weight I was my sleep apnoea would have been a problem for life and thats one of the main reasons Im so determined to stay fit and healthy.

"I am literally half the woman, living twice the life and youll now find me living without my weight holding me back.

For more information on LighterLifes free Xpress meetings, visit lighterlife.com

Read more from the original source:
Weight loss: I lost 14st and cured my loud snoring after REFUSING to have gastric band op - The Sun

Read More..

We all love that perfectly toned body without any hint of flabs, but we also know that achieving that needs a huge effort and dedication. Most of us embark on the track of attaining a fit body and mind, which nowadays is as good as attaining nirvana. No wonder, staying in shape seems like a daunting task as it is not just sacrificing on your favourite delicacies rather it calls for a holistic change, which also calls for regular workout or brisk walk. The idea of going on to a strict diet sounds like a daunting task and especially when you are looking for a quick weight loss plan. Well, to achieve this quick weight loss target, we often spend a bomb at the gyms and fad fitness centers and what not! But what if we tell you that you can simply lose three to four kgs a week just by following this simple diet plan that too without putting in much effort. So, heres a low on the GM diet, which can effectively help in losing weight fast.

Heres what you should be eating during a GM dietAs per fitness experts, chalking out the right diet plan on an alternative week happens to be the most effective ways of losing. So, while planning your weight loss regime prepare two alternate plans so that it doesn't turn monotonous. The best thing about this diet is that the results are pretty evident by the end of three to four days. Moreover, the restrictions help in managing the calories and even beginners can go for this diet for quick weight loss.

First weekAny gluten-free cereal or grain can be prepared as a porridge or khichdi. Following this plan for 2-3 days can help in losing 3-4 kgs.

Breakfast - Begin your day with one cup of low-fat milk with 2 tablespoon oats or cornflakes

Lunch- Then for lunch you can prepare dalia khichdi loaded with vegetables. Apart from that, you can eat two bowls of that khichdi or porridge to satiate your cravings.

Tea time- Replace regular sugar and milk based tea with green tea

Dinner- Any gluten free porridge or dalia cooked with low-fat milk.

Mid meal snack: Melon seeds, walnuts or almonds

Plan 2Another popular form of GM diet is going for a soup-based diet, wherein the only major meal of the day is a soup-bread meal, which must be followed for at least 3-4 days to lose as good as 2-3 kilos.

Begin your day with a hot cup of green tea and almonds.Breakfast- A hearty bowl of breakfast can make your day and this can be done by preparing a bowl of soup with vegetables like beans, cabbage, tomato and various seasonal veggies.

Lunch- Next is time to add some bread slices to your meal along with a hearty bowl of soup.

Teatime- A piping hot cup of green tea

Dinner- Either a bowl of soup or veg sandwich made with veggies can help in satiating those cravings.

It is essential to add either green tea or green coffee as it gives the body ample antioxidants and nutrients to sustain the diet.

Dos and don'ts:

Read the original here:
Weight loss: You can lose 3 kgs in a week with this diet plan - Times of India

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