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As we turn the page on 2019, we have a chance to get a jump on those inevitable New Years resolutions. Here are four places that are expanding their offerings to help you do just that:

The new Monarch Athletic Club in West Hollywood is designed to be more than a place to do some crunches. Instead, said chief executive and founding physician Dr. Ryan M. Greene, it should be a one-stop shop for health and wellness optimizing.

The 5,800-square-foot facility offers largely private training as well as small-group yoga and Pilates classes. Members also can access services like sports massages, IV therapy and metabolic panel testing. Also on-site: a medical-grade cold plunge pool, an infrared sauna and treatment tables for acupuncture and chiropractic services.

We wanted to offer a comprehensive wellness program based on the key foundational pillars of preventative health and wellness, based on how you move, how you eat, how you take care of your body and recover, Greene said.

On joining, Greene evaluates each member to develop a personalized workout regimen, which is appraised every three months. Luxe add-ons include workout clothes, a laundry service and a daily smoothie. Of course, that all comes at a price.

Info: Monthly memberships start at $1,000. 8730 W. Sunset Blvd. monarchweho.com

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Pilates instructor Erika Bloom recently expanded her Los Angeles studio to include bodywork offerings.

(Erika Bloom Pilates)

Erika Bloom, a sought-after Pilates instructor with studios in New York, Connecticut and Turks & Caicos, recently doubled the size of her Los Angeles location to offer a range of bodywork services.

In early November, Bloom inaugurated the expanded 2,000-square-foot Brentwood studio twice the original size offering treatments including acupuncture and nutritional consulting, as well as Rolfing, a type of bodywork that focuses on deep tissue.

Everything here is done as a customized program and all one-on-one, Bloom said. We always start everything with an evaluation to see whats going on in someones body and what changes need to be made. Bloom suggests thrice-weekly Pilates sessions, although she says that some of her celebrity clients come in daily.

Info: $130 an hour for one-on-one Pilates sessions. Packages available. 11611 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 545, erikabloompilates.com

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Made by Pilates is a new studio in Highland Park.

(Made by Pilates)

Just unveiled in the Highland Park neighborhood is Made by Pilates, a studio offering 50 classes a week formatted by former New York Pilates instructor Jamie Ehrlich.

I was looking for an area that had a community feel, Ehrlich said. I found a space where I could have a big, beautiful lounge that felt cozy and people could hang out and have some locally made kombucha.

The studio, which opened in early December, has 12 Pilates reformer machines in the main area as well as a private room for one-on-one sessions. The classes are for mixed levels, Ehrlich said.

They are challenging but not impossible, and there is a specific flow that is aimed at giving real results very fast, she said. Although the classical reformer is used, Ehrlich said the classes are more fast-paced and athletic. You get a full-body workout. Its not just slow and stretchy. The exercises also use balls, weights, resistance bands and jump boards.

Info: Membership is $249 for monthly unlimited. A single class is $36. Packages available. 117 N. Ave. 59. madebypilates.com

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At the Pharos Athletic Club in Echo Park, workouts emphasize mechanics, strength and conditioning.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Pharos Athletic Club, a family-owned gym that opened in Los Angeles in 2017, is unveiling its third expansion in two years on Jan. 1, of course.

We have more members who have different needs and wants, and so we are expanding to cater to a broader experience and improve everyones training, said owner Pieter Vodden.

Now coming in at 22,000 square feet triple what it started as the new space will offer equipment intended for targeted needs such as improving cardiovascular strength. There is also a new dumbbell room and a conditioning area for people who are recovering from injury and looking to get back into fitness. Classes run to strength training, boxing, indoor cycling, yoga and Pilates.

The best training comes with multiplicity, Vodden said. We have a range of offerings to get maximum results and longevity. Everything works, but nothing works forever. We have a broad spectrum of fitness options so you are constantly challenged with varying platforms.

Info: Membership starts at $149 a month. 1316 Glendale Blvd. jointhepac.fit

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Leveling up your fitness in 2020? Here are 4 new places that can help - Los Angeles Times

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Weve done some strength and flexibility benchmarks, so I suppose its only fair we do one for cardio. Your Fitbit or Apple Watch may give you some numbers, like a VO2max, but I prefer a simpler test.

Now, my main cardio pastime is running, so I think in terms of covering distance on my feet. You could do this with a bike instead, or anything that can provide a consistent measurement. Ellipticals vary, for example, but if you have an exercise bike or a real bike that you can trust to give you a correct-ish distance, go for it.

The test is simple: cover one mile as fast as you like. You can walk, run, or mix it up. (Or, flip it around and see how much distance you can cover in ten minutes.) The result usually gives you a perfect data point for planning out your training paces, using a calculator like this one from Jack Daniels (not the whiskey, the other guy).

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Test Your Cardio Fitness in Our Last Year-End Benchmark - Lifehacker

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Getty Images This story is part of New Year, New You, everything you need to develop healthy habits that will last all the way through 2020 and beyond.

Furnishing a fully equipped home gym can easily snowball into a project that takes months (if not years) to finish -- especially if you have the space for every machine under the sun. But, if you're just getting started with your set-up or only have so much room to spare, certain items are far more necessary than others.

And, although shopping for such basic items as weights, resistance bands and yoga mats may seem relatively simple, you shouldn't always order the first thing that you find. As too many of us have learned, it's surprisingly easy to end up with a low-quality piece of equipment that ends up impeding your workout, rather than enhancing it.

Luckily, with the help of online customer reviews, we've found the best home fitness essentials that everyone should have and rounded them up below.

This pair of dumbbells is adjustable in increments of two and a half pounds, from a minimum weight of five pounds to a max weight of 52.5 pounds. An inexpensive (but similarly durable) alternative to Bowflex's adjustable dumbbells, this set saves space and allows for quick and easy changes in weight throughout workout.

Reviewers noted the set's high quality, rust-free finish, as well as the fact that additional weights stay in place while lifting, without wobbling around or shifting in place.

The starter guide that comes with this handled set of resistance bands makes it friendly for beginners, while the wide range of resistance offered within the set makes it a great choice for more experienced users. The set comes with a door anchor and travel case, for those who want to take their workout on the road.

Reviewers were particularly happy with how versatile this set is, in that they could incorporate the bands into larger workouts or simply use them on their own. (They also make a great gift.)

For those who might balk at this mat's price, we'd like to highlight the reviewer who described it as the "Cadillac" of yoga mats -- grippy enough for fast-paced vinyasa flows and cushiony enough for floor-based stretching. That said, that aforementioned grippiness may have to come with some time and effort on your part.

Some reviewers noted that the mat can get slippery during hot yoga. Manduka's care instructions recommend a salt scrub to "break in" the surface of the mat, which can help.

Check out our other yoga mat recommendations.

Not only can this system attach to pretty much any door, but you can anchor it to rafters, trees, or outdoor posts, as well. No matter where you set it up, you can use it to practice and master TRX's seven "foundational moves" (pushing, pulling, lunging, hinging, squatting, planking, and rotating), all of which are meant to target core and full-body strength.

The system's accompanying exercise guide and online workouts help make it appealing to newcomers to TRX and seasoned practitioners alike. And, as CNET previously reported, this particular system is fitness-trainer approved.

This simple (read: non-vibrating, untextured) foam roller may seem a little basic, but that actually makes it perfect for a home gym setting. Praised by reviewers for its durability, this foam roller is firm enough to target soreness in the shoulders, legs, neck, and back.

Some reviewers specifically noted that this roller was perfectly suited for chest-opening exercises, since they could choose between three lengths (12, 18, or 36 inches) to fit their height.

Reviewers were big fans of the price point for this set of six kettlebells (comparable sets can run for $100 more). But, this set's best feature -- and why it's perfect for a home gym setting specifically -- is its vinyl coating. Unlike cast iron kettlebells, these are designed for softer landings, in terms of both noise and impact, and with the weights' longevity in mind, since the coating protects the weights from scratches and damage.

A notable "con" for this box is that it takes about 45 minutes to assemble out of the box -- but a corresponding "pro" is the fact that, once it's put together, adjusting its height to your needs is a quick and easy process. And speaking of this plyo box's adjustable features, it can be set to stand 16, 20, or 24 inches high, depending on whether you want to it for steps, squats, or jumps.

Whatever your exercise of choice may be, you can rely on the box to feel stable and solid underfoot -- one review described it as "trustworthy."

This adjustable, tangle-resistant rope from Qwesen proves that something as essential as a jump rope doesn't have to be boring. Its foam handles offer a comfortable grip while its steel wire rope provides enough momentum for a steady, smooth rhythm -- in turn, reviewers write that it's great for double- and triple-jumping. The rope comes coated with PVC for protection, ensuring long-term use.

This foldable bench is about as customizable as it gets, with six back positions, four seat positions and the option to lay completely flat. Reviewers praise the bench's ease of adjustment, the fact that it's foldable for storage and its sturdiness (its weight capacity stands at 500 pounds). Plus, the padded seat and foot holds make even longer workouts comfortable.

This doorway-mounted frame goes beyond the average pull-up bar to offer a whole bodyweight workout system, in which they can do dips, leg raises, rows, and push-up variations, in addition to pull-ups.

Many reviewers were drawn to this item for its versatility, and they write that it delivers: Not only does it feel sturdy and secure when in use, but it's easy to assemble or take apart depending on the exercises they wish to do.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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The best at-home fitness equipment in 2019 - CNET

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One study from November found strength training (including bodyweight training) is as good as aerobic exercise for weight management, while another found it is also as effective as aerobic training for reducing the likelihood of depression (though the combination of the two was the most effective).

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Separate research from October found that we are four times less likely to have a heart attack if we exercise regularly, incorporating both strength and aerobic, while another study, published in July, found that resistance training improves the ability to think and reduces age-related memory loss. At least it does in rodents.

Dr Jason Bennie, a senior research fellow from the University of Southern Queensland, has led and been involved with many of the latest studies into strength.

He says there is some research to suggest that compared with aerobic exercise, strength training has more favourable effects on cognitive function and memory.

Other things such as mastery of skills, and the fact that [strength training] occurs most likely during leisure time, where someone has the freedom to do this activity, are all likely to play a role, he adds.

Previous research has found doing strength-based exercise just twice a week supports metabolism and bone density as we age as well as cognitive function. Strength training improves insulin sensitivity, markers of glucose metabolism as well as lipid metabolism, increasing HDL cholesterol and decreasing LDL cholesterol.

It is also linked with a 23 per cent reduction in risk of premature death by any means, and a 31 per cent reduction in cancer-related death.

All of this is important for two reasons. The first is that, historically, fitness research has focused on aerobic exercise and secondly because too few of us do enough aerobic exercise and even fewer do enough strength.

More than half of Australian adults dont meet the physical activity guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week, nearly 80 per cent dont meet the muscle strength guidelines of two sessions a week and only 15 per cent of Australian adults meet both.

Yet adding some squats, sit-ups and push-ups requires no equipment nor any special location. You can crack a few each evening on your living room floor while you watch Netflix and, mostly, chill.

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An added advantage to starting these three exercises this week is that they also take very little time, and starting with something very short and very easy is the best way to establish a new habit, according to experts.

Starting with whatever you can squeeze into 30 seconds or two minutes helps you effectively wire in the behaviours you want so they become habits and grow naturally, explains B.J. Fogg, director of Stanfords Behaviour Design Lab, in his book, Tiny Habits.

So while these exercises might seem glaringly obvious and basic, they may just be the gateway to a healthier, fitter and stronger new decade for you.

Sarah Berry is a lifestyle and health writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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Three fitness moves to try in your week off - Sydney Morning Herald

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Over the last few years, we have seen a massive increase in cognisance and consumption of preventive healthcare across all age groups and income levels. A great reflection of this is the 20 million unique monthly searches taking place on Google linked to fitness near me.

We are also witnessing newer offerings and optimal solutions being designed by traditional businesses and startups to cater to this growing demand.

According to industry studies like FICCI EY report, Redseer Consulting, Global Wellness Institute, IHRSA & Fitternitys grounds-up study of the Indian retail fitness services market, there are six million active users in India who are spending on an average $350 to $400 annually towards fitness services, amounting to $2.6 billion market size.

The market size is estimated to hit a whopping $6 billion by 2023. Lets look at some key trends reflecting strong future opportunities in the fitness market.

Personal Trainer

Earlier, Indian fitness enthusiasts would typically visit a gym and were forced to make upfront payments and buy long-term memberships to get started (which was cheaper than buying a shorter one- or three-month package).

Irrespective of how much they used their membership, they were billed for all 365 days creating breakage or under-utilisation of their spends on fitness.

Based on the consumption data on Fitternity in last 12 months, we have seen 55 percent of these users opt for offerings that are more New World in nature, and 45 percent of them opting for the conventional gym/group class membership.

As the New World offerings become stronger and more and more users are exposed to them, we believe there will be a major shift in spending patterns in India over the next few years.

With a massive influx of new gyms and fitness classes in most areas, users are now exposed to a slew of new options as against the three to four gyms/yoga classes they had to choose from a few years ago. The decision to join, which was earlier based on pricing alone, has now evolved to understanding what is trending, evaluating the vibe, infrastructure superiority, etc.

Large sets of users are also preferring alternative options like swimming, outdoor classes, and sports as an occasional change to their fitness routines.

A lot of users are also opting to pay-per-use or buy an aggregated fitness pass to keep their options flexible and not limit themselves to a particular outlet or workout activity.

Corporate wellbeing, which has taken centre stage globally, is a concept that has been picking up steam in India over the last few years. As most MNCs have the corporate wellness mandate being passed on from their global counterparts and increasing thought leadership around wellness in domestic large corporations we have seen massive increase in corporates sanctioning budgets for wellness or working with partners to curate and enable direct third-party solutions for their employees.

We foresee five million users entering the fitness ecosystem through corporate wellness initiatives in the next five to seven years.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)

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Trends and opportunities in the Indian fitness market for 2020 - YourStory

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New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell was once again randomly selected by the NFL to complete an HGH blood test, and he is less than thrilled about it. Back in November, after receiving this same notice five times in 10 weeks he said he would no longer be complying with the tests.

Now we will know for sure if he meant what he said when he informed the NFL via tweet that he will not be doing another test because he was randomly selected once again.

On Friday, he posted the note from the NFL with the caption, "@NFL I bet I don't," suggesting once again that he would not be participating in the mandatory tests.

Refusing to take the test could result in a suspension, and In 2016, a similar situationoccurredwhen he missed multiple tests and was suspended as a result.

His November tweet read:

"[I have] had five 'random' [Human Growth Hormone] blood test in 10 weeks, NFL, I'm not doing another after today. Whatever y'all looking for -- it obviously ain't there. And I'm not about to keep allowing y'all to stick me with those dirty ass needles. Find the players who really do that H.G.H. b.s. and get off me."

Bell told reporters on Friday, "At the end of the day, if we have to cross that bridge when we get there, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm saying right now, the way I feel today, when that tweet went out, that's how I feel."

The note seen in Bell's tweet not only said "immediately" but highlighted it as well. No word on if the 27-year-old reported for the tests.

Bell is certainly no stranger to missing games over something he believes in, so a suspension may not scare him enough to force him to take the tests. Back in 2018, he left a lot of money on the table when he sat out the entire season over contract negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Le'Veon Bell once again hints he will refuse HGH tests after another randomly selected notice from the NFL - CBS Sports

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A WEIGHT-LOSS instructor-turned baker is having her cake but not eating it.

Saffron Medway was inspired to help others slim down after joining a weight-loss programme and dropping from a dress size 20 to a ten.

She signed up to the programme after moving to Warwick for a full time job which lead to a lifestyle of unhealthy eating and takeaways.

And following her success, she gave up her job to help others reach their weight goals.

The 47-year-old explained: After a couple of years I decided to train to become a leader because I felt inspired by the journey I had been on and wanted to be able to give somebody else the same feeling and same experience I had.

But a demanding work schedule began to take its toll on the busy mum-of-four and she turned to cake decorating as an escape despite admitting to not being a fan of the sweet treats.

She added: The workload just got bigger and bigger and it had got to the point where I was literally working 24-hours a day. I was running the meetings during the day, then having the children and doing all the domestic stuff and then it was off to another meeting in the evening and then coming home at around 9pm to do my paperwork and then starting on my cakes. I would be working through to about 6.30am and wasnt sleeping at all.

I have always liked to bake and cook but I would find myself up in the middle of the night with insomnia trying to find something to do that was quiet and theres only so many books you can read I just wanted to do something constructive. I dont consider myself artistic funnily enough and it wouldnt have occurred to me to pick up a pencil or a paintbrush or something, but I did enjoy baking and got hold of some books and magazines and watched YouTube videos and literally started teaching myself cake decorating.

Finally after nine years as a weight-loss instructor, her husband encouraged Saffron to focus instead on setting up a cake business Caking and Baking which she now runs from a shop in Warwick.

And the irony of the slimming instructor turned bakers tale is not lost on Saffron who even admitted to some of her best customers being former weight-loss clients.

She said: It was hilarious. It was a never-ending business circle because I would be supplying cake and helping them lose weight and then supplying them with cake again and helping them lose weight again! I would often turn up to my meeting with a celebration cake for one of my members because theyd ordered one.

But it also helped because I developed a lot of low fat cake baking with fresh fruit or Greek yoghurt.

You can still have cake and lose weight. Weight loss and healthy weight maintenance is about having everything you want, but just in moderation. There is no reason why if youre trying to lose weight that you cant eat cake. You just have to make allowances elsewhere.

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Weight loss instructor-turned baker has her cake but doesn't eat it - Leamington Observer

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We're frequently told that the key to weight loss is simple - just eat less and move more. Yet with obesity rates as they are, it's clear that for many people, it's really not that simple at all.

There is, of course, another option for those who are seriously obese or overweight and conservative methods alone haven't worked - and that's weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric or metabolic surgery.

This type of surgery is available on the NHS, for people who meet certain medical and weight criteria, but it's also available privately, at a cost of around 4,000-8,000.

But why is surgery sometimes deemed necessary, and what does it involve? Here, metabolic surgery pioneer Professor Francesco Rubino, lead of The London Bridge Hospital Metabolic and Bariatric Centre, part of HCA Healthcare UK (hcahealthcare.co.uk), and chair of bariatric and metabolic surgery at King's College London, shares his views...

Why can it be so hard for some people to lose weight and keep it off?

"Severe obesity is a disease, not a lifestyle choice. Research shows that when we lose weight by diet, our body reacts by activating mechanisms that defend against that. In fact, hunger-stimulating hormones typically increase after diet-induced weight loss and our body also tends to reduce the amount of energy it utilises, making it difficult to maintain weight loss in the long-term," says Rubino.

"These effects are not under control of our willpower and are ingrained in our biology. This explains why people who try diets almost invariably regain weight at some point. This isn't necessarily a lack of self-discipline, or a person's fault, as most people think, but the result of the way our biology works, defending a set, narrow range for body weight. In people with severe obesity, this set point is too high but the mechanisms that normally defend against weight loss are still working and powerful, thus frustrating voluntary efforts to lose weight by eating less and exercising more."

What is weight loss surgery?

There are different variations of weight loss surgery. The two most common are gastric bypass surgery, which divides the stomach into two smaller pouches and re-routes the small intestine, and sleeve gastrectomy surgery, a procedure that removes part of the stomach and shapes it as a tube or 'sleeve'.

"They were originally designed to reduce the size of the stomach but they actually change the physiologic mechanisms that regulate appetite, satiety and sugar metabolism," Rubino explains. "There isn't a single procedure that fits everyone's needs. Different procedures have different actions, which may result in different potential to improve metabolic conditions associated with obesity, beyond weight loss," he adds. "Hence, the choice of procedure needs to be thoroughly discussed with a specialist and must be tailored to the individual patient's need."

Why is weight loss surgery so effective?

"In the 1950s, when bariatric surgery was first introduced, understanding of the functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was quite rudimental - it was considered a mere digestive organ. So it made logical sense to think that by physically limiting the size of the stomach, or bypassing large portions of the intestine, one would be able to reduce the amount of food you can eat or the calories the body can absorb. Research over the last two decades, however, has shown this isn't true," Rubino explains.

"The GI tract is a complex, sophisticated endocrine and metabolic organ, something akin to a computer - some call it the 'second brain' - that receives input from the food we eat and sends signals to other organs to regulate body weight as well as sugar metabolism. Signals from the gut can inform the brain about calorie intake and accordingly regulate hunger and satiety. Other signals reach the liver and pancreas, where they can influence the production or action of insulin.

"This explains why gastrointestinal - bariatric/metabolic - surgery is so effective in inducing and maintaining weight loss, and also why it can dramatically improve other metabolic diseases, especially type 2 diabetes. Research has clearly shown bariatric surgery reduces or abolishes the very mechanisms that normally resist weight loss. In fact, the changes in hunger and satiety hormones that follow bariatric surgery are exactly opposite to those elicited by dietary interventions."

Is metabolic surgery really just a lazy way of losing weight?

"Some argue that diet and exercise, rather than expensive surgery, should be used to treat diabetes or severe obesity. This idea is both ill-conceived and ill-informed. In fact, there's definitive evidence that where surgery is indicated by current guidelines, lifestyle interventions alone are no longer sufficient to achieve adequate disease control," says Rubino. "On the other hand, in people with mere overweight or mild, uncomplicated obesity (BMI under 35 without other metabolic disease), surgery isn't indicated and isn't a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, which can still be effective in preventing progression towards more severe obesity.

"Hence, suggesting lifestyle interventions and not surgery should be the way to treat severe obesity is at odds with both scientific evidence and logic. Suggesting use of only lifestyle interventions in people with severe obesity (a full-blown disease) is tantamount to suggesting one should use lifestyle changes instead of surgery or chemotherapy to treat cancer."

Who can have the surgery?

There's a range of criteria for having weight loss surgery on the NHS. These include having a BMI of over 40, or having a BMI of 35-40 if you've already developed health complications that may improve with weight loss. Patients will need to be committed to long-term healthy changes after the surgery too.

"Recent clinical trials have shown that in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity, metabolic surgery is more effective than any other available therapy," says Rubino. "Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and international guidelines recommend metabolic surgery be considered to treat type 2 diabetes patients and those with a BMI of 30 or over. However, only 0.2% or less of eligible patients have access to such surgery."

Who shouldn't have the surgery?

A number of factors can deem people unsuitable for surgery too, including: "People who don't suffer from severe obesity or its complications. Bariatric surgery is generally safe but this doesn't mean it's an appropriate or proportionate approach to deal with less severe overweight levels, where lifestyle changes have been shown to prevent progression toward severe obesity or diabetes in many patients," says Rubino.

"Also, people who are candidates for surgery but would be unsafe to operate on. Though bariatric surgery is less life-threatening than obesity or diabetes, it's still major surgery and requires general anaesthesia," he adds. "And people with conditions that can undermine compliance with nutritional supplementation. Bariatric surgery can alter the absorption of certain vitamins and micronutrients, so patients need to rigorously take nutrient supplements, lifelong."

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What is weight-loss surgery and when do you need it? - Kent Live

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Losing weight is something most people have struggled with. Whether you're looking to drop a few pounds from the holiday dinners, or perhaps looking to lose a larger amount of weight, it's hard to know what is good and what is bad to do. J.D. Roth, producer of The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss, shared some of the tips he's noticed from the successful contestants on his show.

It could be a spouse, a friend, a co-worker, or maybe a neighbor you're looking to get to know better. Getting a buddy to work out and eat healthier with is always a good idea.

"Youll get out and move because there is someone there to hold you accountable (just as you are there to hold the other person accountable)," Roth noted.

Set a schedule with your buddy for walks, grocery shopping, or just a quick coffee to catch each other up on how your progress is going. Having someone to share the journey with will help you feel less alone in the process.

Tricking your stomach is a lot easier than you may think. Piling up a dinner plate full of yummy food is our instinct, and if your family was anything like mine, you were taught to clean your plate before leaving the table. The thing is, we often eat more than we need just because it's in front of us. Instead of eating your meals on dinner plates, try using the salad plate. You'll still get the satisfaction of "emptying your plate," but it won't be as much food.

"If youre using smaller plates and bowls, youll still eat whats there, but it will be lessthough your brain wont register that," Roth explained. "Its all about perception."

How many times a day do you say "I can't" to yourself? Even if it's not about food? I know that I say it a lot. "I can't handle this much work," "I can't get all of this done today," "I can't do these dishes I'm too tired." We stop ourselves every day from doing things, all because we don't think we're capable.

Try changing up the "can'ts" to "cans." Start by just acknowledging how often you say you can't do things - keep a list if you have to. Then, slowly start training your brain to saying you "can." Start with the small things, like "I can wait until I'm home before eating dinner, instead of stopping for a snack." Reduce the number of things you CAN'T do each day, and you'll be amazed by the things you CAN do.

Anyone who works a desk job knows that it's hard to get moving when you're sitting all day. While you may not be able to get a full workout in during the day, try taking the "top of the hour" workout challenge. From 9 to 5, at the top of every hour, pick a small exercise to do. Five pushups, 10 sit ups, walking around the office three times (depending on how big your space is), going up a flight of stairs...just get moving. It may not seem like a lot at the time, but by the time you're done for the day you'll have done 80 sit ups, 40 pushups, 8 flights of stairs, or whatever your exercise of choice was.

A lot of the time, we eat out or order food because we don't have anything ready to eat. Buy your food at the beginning of the week, portion it out, and have healthy snacks on hand for when those hunger cravings hit. Chopping up your fruits and veggies at the beginning of the week also helps, because it's a lot easier to grab a handful of cut up carrots in a pinch than having to pull out the peeler, cutting board, and knife to do it when you're hungry.

Each morning when you're getting ready, have a list of daily affirmations to explain to yourself why you're a wonderful person. We focus on the negative all the time, and taking time out of your day to focus on the positive it's worth it.

So today its not, I cant believe Im so fat or I hate myself because I have no willpower; instead its I am a strong person who can overcome adversity and I am a good person who has done good for others,"" Roth suggested. "Give yourself the love, forgiveness, and encouragement that you give other people, and amazing things will start to happen in your life and with your health."

We can all agree there are more commercials on TV than there used to be, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Instead of sitting around watching the commercials, get up and move.

"Every one-hour show has 18 minutes of commercials; if you watch two hours of TV without moving, thats 36 minutes of exercise that youre losing out on," Roth explained. "Make it heart-pumping and nonstop for the whole breakjumping jacks and squats are always good."

If you're someone who watches TV on a streaming network or through your DVR, make a rule that for every show you watch, you stop and do some type of exercise before the next one.

Sometimes an entire day can go by and you're not really paying attention, you just kind of go through the motions. This means you probably forget to get up and move around. A lot of fitness trackers have a reminder set that alerts you to move every hour, but if you don't have an Apple Watch or a FitBit, then just set a reminder on your phone! This is especially important for when you get home from work. We all have a tendency to sit down on the couch until it's time for bed, but that's a lot of time you could be moving around.

Pick a single day to weigh yourself each week and stick to that plan. Weighing yourself every day is a recipe for disaster. Things fluctuate all the time, so picking one day to track is the best way to approach it. It's also important that as you weigh yourself, you keep things positive.

Step on the scale and look at the number. Then say to yourself, great week, good week, or needs work," Roth suggested. "Then step off the scale, look at it, and say, great week. The last thing your brain hears is going to be overwhelmingly positive."

Weighing yourself is obviously a part of losing weight, but you shouldn't be dreading stepping on the scale. Keep things positive and you'll do fine.

Yes, it's that simple. Go for a walk in the morning, go for a walk on your lunch break, go for a walk after dinner...whatever works for you. Walking just 30 minutes a day is a great form of exercise, and it's a good way to segue into more intense forms of exercise. Don't worry about your speed or distance, just go for the walk. Build the habit into part of your routine. It's best to add the walk into your schedule before you usually shower. If you like to shower in the morning before work, head for a walk first thing in the morning and then continue on with your day. If you like to shower before bed, head for a walk after dinner and then come home and wind down.

Before you do the things you want to do, make sure you do the things you must do. This includes working out, eating right, and taking care of yourself before indulging or relaxing. Even if the "must dos" aren't related to weight loss (cleaning, paying bills, running errands), get them done before anything else. You'll find that you feel more structured and accomplished, and you'll be more motivated to stay on track with everything.

You might think you're making a healthy choice, but the hidden sugars in certain foods could be tricking you. This is especially true for things like smoothies or protein shakes. They're marketed as 'healthy' options, but the reality is they're pumped full of artificial sugars. If you really want a smoothie, try making your own using frozen fruit.

"Look for less obvious sugary foods, things like ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad dressings, Chinese sauces, pasta sauces, fruit yogurt, energy drinks, and even seemingly healthy things like dried fruit," Roth warned. "Check labels for dead-giveaway ingredients: honey, brown sugar, turbinado, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, other syrups, raw sugar, agave and glucose (including other sweeteners ending in ose)."

You need a reason to keep going, whether it's something you tell yourself when you're doing the last 5 minutes on the treadmill or debating between toaster pastries and frozen veggies at the grocery store. It needs to be something that you can repeat to yourself that motivates you to keep going. A good one I like to use is "nothing changes if nothing changes." If you don't change your bad habits, then you won't get the results that you want.

Would you break a promise to your best friend? No. So don't break promises to yourself.

"If you say youre going to eat a healthy lunch, dont grab a bag of potato chips at the register," Roth suggested. "As with everything, go for reasonable, not radical. Dont promise to do an hour of cardio if you havent exercised in a year. Make a list of your promises for the day."

The promise could be "I promise to get out of bed when my alarm goes off and make a proper breakfast." It could also be "I promise to drink 8 glasses of water today." Whatever you promise yourself, make sure you keep it.

If you have the option, use a standing desk at your office instead of sitting in your chair all day. If that's not possible, make an effort to stand in meetings or even just get up and walk over to a coworkers desk to talk through a work issue rather than sending an email. Even thought standing won't technically help you lose weight, it will help you live longer. Plus, new studies show that exercising for more than an hour a day doesn't undo the bad effects you experience from sitting all day.

Obviously if your stomach is growling, you're hungry. But sometimes what we THINK is hunger is actually just thirst, boredom, or a desire to emotionally eat. When you find yourself reaching for a snack or a meal, ask yourself three things:

If the answer to any of those is yes, maybe find something else to do than grabbing a snack. If you're bored or emotional, going for a quick walk can help clear your head.

Yes, exercise is important, but so is rest. Make sure you give yourself time to relax, unwind, and enjoy some down time. Every day, take 15 minutes to unplug, be with yourself, and just focus on your breathing and self-reflection. There are a lot of apps and websites that can help with calming breathing techniques or meditation, and these can help your mind stay focused on the bigger picture.

Oversharing is often frowned upon when it comes to social media, but you can use social media to your advantage when you want to lose weight. There are communities on platforms like Instagram that are dedicated to weight loss and wellness. Create a new account where you post about your journey, and you'll quickly find that others are sharing the same experiences. Your new account will hold you accountable as you post pictures of your meals, your workouts, and even just explain cravings you might be having. Let social media keep you motivated.

Much like keeping promises to yourself like you would a friend, it's important to give yourself compliments and motivation. It's a sign of low self-esteem when you can't compliment yourself, but once you learn to do that you'll notice a change in how you present yourself. Allow yourself to acknowledge when you've done a great job or are having a good hair day - whatever you think you've done well!

Walking through the grocery store can become a bad habit. You have your go-tos and you rarely go outside of your comfort zone. When you're trying to change your life, though, you need to change up the foods you're buying. Next time you go grocery shopping, keep track of how many packaged goods you've got vs fresh food (veggies, protein, fruits, etc.). Keep count of your packaged goods, and try to lower that number each time you go shopping. Swap it out for fresh food. You'll notice your habits will change as time goes on.

Goal weights are good, but events or challenges to work towards are also great. Sign up for a charity walk or run a few months from now and train towards that. It could also be a holiday or milestone birthday that you want to feel your best for. Goals don't always have to be around a number, they can also be around how you feel or things you're able to do, like climb the stairs at work without being totally winded.

It's not great to use shame to remind yourself of your goals, but gentle reminders are okay! Maybe it's a picture of an outfit you want to wear in three months that you keep near the cupboard, or maybe it's a picture of you at your lowest point next to the mirror in the morning to remind yourself of how far you've come. It could even be inspirational quotes that you keep in every room - things that will keep you motivated towards your goal even when you feel like you're starting to slip.

Interval training means going very hard for a short period of time, slowing down, then speeding up again. It increases and decreases your heart rate quickly, and will help you burn more fat in a shorter amount of time.

"In 2008, researchers at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, had a group of women ride stationary bikes at intervals of 8 seconds sprinting and 12 seconds slow riding for 20 minutes (60 repeats in all)," Roth wrote. "The researchers then compared them to the second group of women who rode for 40 minutes straight at the same speed only to find that, at the end of 15 weeks, the interval trainers lost more weight and more body fat than the steady riders."

When you start asking yourself why you're not meeting your goals...be honest with your answers. Did you really stay on track this week, or did you snack at night? When you were at the gym did you go as hard as you could? Or did you do the bare minimum. To be clear: there's nothing wrong with making mistakes, but people will often get discouraged because they lie to themselves saying "well I've done everything I could and nothing is changing." But, if you really sit down and be honest with yourself, you'll be able to find places you can improve.

Every day you accomplish something good, you just don't always notice it. Take the time to write down all the little victories you have in a gratitude journal. Some days it might be as simple as "only had half a donut that was in the lunch room instead of whole one." Other days you might find that it's even more exciting, like "walked an extra mile on the treadmill at the gym." Whatever the victory is, it's still a victory. As you write them all down, you'll be able to reflect on them when things don't seem to be going your way.

In the end, weight loss journeys are all about patience and persistence. With a little of both, you'll find that things end up changing quicker than you thought.

[H/T: Reader's Digest]

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Humans are incredible living machines, with legs strong enough to run marathons and brains smart enough to know that invisible dark matter exists. Our bodies make sure we hear the correct frequencies, send the right immune cells to a paper cut and know when to stop drinking water. But there's still much to untangle about our human bodies, so all the time, we are discovering new organs and new secrets about how all of our nooks and crannies keep us going. This past year, new discoveries revealed an invisible network of immune cells, a "Jell-O" violin in our ears and how the oldest people in this world survived to such extreme ages.

Humans might hear so well because of a tiny "Jell-O" violin that sits inside the ears. The thin, blob of tissue, otherwise known as the tectorial membrane, is made up of 97% water. This tissue helps to bring sound waves from the ear to nerve receptors, which then translate that vibration into an electrical signal the brain can read. New research conducted on mice has found that this ear Jell-O helps the cochlea a cavity in the inner ear that contains these nerve receptors separate high frequencies from low frequencies. It does so by changing its stiffness, based on water flow that runs through its tiny pores, similar to what happens when you tune a violin or guitar. [Read more about the 'Jell-O' Violin]

Our bones might be full of a previously unknown network of microscopic tunnels. These pathways might be vital for transporting immune cells made in bones out to the blood for circulation. A group of researchers discovered hundreds of these tiny blood vessels, or capillaries, in the leg bones of mice. But finding something in mice doesn't necessarily translate to humans, so one of the researchers decided to stick his own leg into an MRI machine. The scans of the researcher's leg showed that there were holes in the bone tissue that could indicate that these capillaries also exist in humans. [Read more about these microscopic tunnels]

The brain makes sure that we don't drink too much or too little water, using a prediction mechanism in the gut, according to new research. The group figured this out by implanting optical fibers and lenses in mice near the hypothalamus a brain region that regulates blood pressure and other bodily processes and is home to "thirst cells." A few seconds after drinking something, the mouth and throat begin firing signals to the brain. These signals tell the brain that you feel less thirsty so you stop drinking. That way, you don't keep drinking for the 10 minutes to an hour it takes for that liquid to actually enter the bloodstream and circulate to cells in the body.

But your mouth and throat would tell your brain to quench your thirst, irrespective of the type of liquid you're drinking, if it weren't for another mysterious signal. This one comes from the gut, and it makes sure the brain knows that the water reaching it is salty which can dehydrate the body or nonsalty, ensuring that the brain quenches thirst only when the mice drank fresh water. [Read more about how the body knows when to stop]

This year, scientists discovered a previously unknown organ that sits right under the skin, and it may help you feel the pain of a pinprick. It was previously thought that needle pricks were sensed by nerve endings that sit below the outer layer of the skin. But a new study conducted on mice (but which is also thought to apply to humans) found that nerves tangled up in special cells are what help us feel this sensation. This mesh of branched cells called "Schwann cells" and nerves together makes up a new "sensory organ" because it responds to external pressure signals (pricks or jabs) and relays that information to the brain. [Read more about this new organ]

Human embryos grow extra, lizardlike muscles in their hands and feet that disappear before birth, scientists found. By looking at 3D images from an embryonic image database, a group found that at about week seven of gestation, human fetuses had hands and feet that contained about 30 muscles each. Six weeks later, they contained only 20. Before the baby is born, those extra muscles either meld into other muscles or shrink away, but it's unclear why or how.

These temporary muscles might be leftovers from our ancestors and may have vanished from adult humans over 250 million years ago, when mammals first began evolving from mammal-like reptiles, the researchers suggest. But because the study was small, it needs to be replicated with a much larger group before researchers can say for certain that these appearing and disappearing muscles exist in all fetuses. [Read more about these minimuscles]

Supercentenarians, or people who are 110 years of age or older, might have a secret. A study published this year found that supercentenarians have higher-than-average concentrations of an immune cell called a "T helper cell" that may protect them from viruses and tumors. To figure this out, researchers drew blood from seven supercentenarians and five control participants, who ranged in age from those in their 50s to those in their 80s. They then isolated the immune cells and figured out what they were doing by measuring the messenger RNA that is produced by the genes in the cells.Messenger RNA translates genetic instructions from DNA and brings it to the nucleus of the cell, so that specific proteins can be produced.

The supercentenarians had a type of T helper cell called CD4 CTLs that had the capability to attack and kill other cells. Of course, it's not clear if supercentenarians owe their longevity to these immune cells, but previously, such cells have been shown to attack tumor cells and protect against viruses in mice. [Read more about the world's oldest people]

There might be a reason why some people are really good at trivia and seem to "know everything": very efficiently wired brains. A group of researchers in Germany analyzed the brains of 324 people who had varying degrees of general knowledge or semantic memory (the type of information that would come up in a game of trivia), based on questions given to them concerning various fields such as art, architecture and science.

Brain scans of the participants showed that those people who had retained and could recall more general knowledge had more efficient brain connections stronger and shorter connections between brain cells. This makes sense, because imagine answering the question, "What year did the moon landing happen?"

We might have the word "moon" stored in one area of the brain, but the "moon landing" in another, and knowledge of the year it happened in yet another. People with an efficient brain can better connect those various items together to quickly answer the question. (But, the researchers didn't find any link between more general knowledge and more brain cells.) [Read more about how trivia masters do it]

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown type of cell in the human body called the "immune cell X," and it could act as two other immune cell types, playing a role in triggering type 1 diabetes, new research suggests. There is likely not a lot of these cells in the human body maybe less than 7 out of every 10,000 white blood cells, but they might be powerful players in driving autoimmunity when the body mistakes its own cells for something foreign and attacks them.

These X cells resemble both B cells and T cells, two cell types that are important for fighting infections (but are also responsible for autoimmune diseases). The X cell makes antibodies like B cells that activate T cells, which then go on to attack anything it deems foreign. In the case of type 1 diabetes, immune cells mistakenly destroy healthy beta cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin. The researchers found evidence that these X cells exist in those with type 1 diabetes, but not in healthy controls. Even so, it's not clear if there are one or multiple cells responsible for the disease. [Read more about these rogue cells]

In other news, the cells in your tongues have the ability to smell. Researchers discovered this after growing human taste cells in the lab. They found that those cells contained a couple of molecules found in olfactory cells, the cells found in the nose that are responsible for, well, smelling. When they exposed taste cells to odor molecules, the cells responded just like the olfactory cells do. But this isn't uncommon olfactory cells have also previously been found in the gut, in sperm cells and even in hair. Though we knew that taste and smell were greatly intertwined (which becomes apparent when a blocked-up nose makes food taste more bland), this study suggests human taste cells might be much more complicated than previously thought. [Read more about your tongue's strange ability]

It turns out, humans, even endurance athletes, have limited energy. Scientists calculated the limit of human endurance to be around 2.5 times the body's resting metabolic rate (the number of calories the body burns for basic physiological needs such as maintaining body temperature or breathing), or 4,000 calories per day for an average person. They calculated this by analyzing data from some of the most extreme endurance events that take place on our planet, such as the Race Across the USA, and by comparing that data to other endurance events.

They found that the longer the event, the more difficult it became to burn calories. But athletes don't fall to the ground when they reach this 2.5-times threshold. They can keep going, but they can't maintain a balance of the number of calories consumed and the amount burned, so they begin to lose weight, which isn't sustainable in the long term. What's more, researchers found that pregnant women operated at around 2.2 times their resting metabolic rate, just by growing a baby. So no matter the activity, growing a baby, cycling or running across the U.S., the body seems to have a limit to the amount of energy it can give you in the long term. [Read more about this ultimate limit]

Originally published on Live Science.

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