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By David Hutter/Of The Commercial Staff

Planet Fitness opened a gym Monday in Pine Bluff, affording another option for people to exercise.

Apart from a Planet Fitness gym in Fayetteville, Arkansas is one of the last states to be developed by the franchise. The company bills itself as an environment without judgments.

Planet Fitness members came to the gym on Friday afternoon, using weight machines, treadmills and elliptical machines.

Virginia Flemister joined Planet Fitness and exercised on a weight machine. She called the environment clean and comfortable. A Pine Bluff resident, Flemister plans to exercise at Planet Fitness for a long time. If not for the new gym, she would exercise at the Jefferson Regional Medical Centers Wellness Center.

Rob Baker became a member and was walking briskly on a treadmill on Friday. He noted that he will exercise inside whether the outdoor temperature is cold or hot.

I signed up when they advertised in the newspaper, Baker of Pine Bluff said.

He planned to use the cycle and lift weights and visit the massage bed.

Thats my reward after I get through working out, Baker said with a smile.

Ken Horn is the marketing manager of PF Arkansas, the franchisee who operates the Planet Fitness club at 2801 S. Olive St. in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center. He noted the center is open and staffed 24 hours per day and seven days per week.

It is really important to be available for people to start and continue a healthy lifestyle, Horn said. We make sure no one is by themselves. We opened a day earlier than expected. We had an eight-week pre-sale period. We have seen a lot of folks try us out in the first four or five days.

He declined to release membership numbers.

Pine Bluff has taken to the judgment-free concept, Horn said. We are excited to sign folks up. We love the fact that people seem to appreciate our location in Jefferson Square Mall. We are looking forward to a long future in Pine Bluff.

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Planet Fitness opens in Pine Bluff - Pine Bluff Commercial

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Trainer Claire Mc Glynn has seen mobility, strength, fitness, self-belief and confidence boosted in her classes.

If you think that running for the bus is a waste of time, think again. Even if you dont catch that bus, you will be doing a lot more for your fitness than you might realise. The latest research shows that taking exercise in short bursts could be just what the doctor ordered. Its known as high-intensity interval training (Hiit) and it is now part of any fitness instructors offering. Even those who cant be bothered to go to a gym or who dont have the time can benefit.

High-intensity training means really pushing yourself for a short amount of time, resting, then pushing yourself again. Whats shocking is how little time it can take to make a difference to your fitness.

A report published in the PLOS One journal last year followed two groups over 12 weeks: one spent just 10 minutes on training that included intense intervals that added up to one minute; the second group worked out at a moderate, even pace for 45 minutes. The surprise is that the two groups saw similar improvements in health. There are a number of other studies showing equally encouraging results.

Claire Mc Glynn, a competitive weightlifter and personal trainer at cmgfit.com in Dublin, loves to use Hiit and says it is the best and quickest way to achieve positive results in your physical and mental health. Its very simple really everyone knows that when you put 100 per cent of effort into something, you get the best results and there is no exception when it comes to exercise.

Mc Glynn points out that she can do the same Hiit routine as a beginner, but if they both do it at their top level of intensity, they both benefit dramatically. There is no need for modification of a routine for beginners. They key is to feel that you are pushing past your own comfort.

They might curse me for asking them to do it, she says, but once theyre doing it, the adrenaline kicks in and its just a matter of working through the process. Afterwards, endorphins happy hormones have been released and theyre tired, yet contented and have an air of accomplishment, and sometimes surprise at what they have been able to achieve.

The 29-year-old runs hardcore classes in CrossFit353, which involves using heavy weights or pushing around massive tyres for fun. But she also teaches members of the Retired Teachers Association of Ireland, who are between 50 and 70.

Their progress has been unbelievable. Many started with me two years ago and now they are blitzing sessions of many, many squats, lunges, push-ups, plank holds for up to three minutes and so on. Their mobility, strength, fitness, self-belief and confidence has increased tenfold.

Hiit also boosts your metabolism, ie the rate at which you burn calories, for hours afterwards.

Good form is key on whatever exercise you are doing, she says. There is no point in repping out 100 squats if your back is rounded and knees are caving in, youll just do more harm than good.

You dont have to join a class to experience the benefit, however. These are principles you can put into practice every day. This doesnt mean you should give up on beach walks, rather that you should run after that bus with abandon, for a minute anyway. And regardless of whether you catch it or not, you will have done yourself some good.

The World Health Organisation advises adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Incorporating Hiit doesnt mean slacking off, simply realising that a few sharp bursts can be valuable too.

If you cannot exercise most days, but try to get out at the weekend, take heart. A report last month in the JAMA Internal Medicinejournal shows that weekend warriors, who did all their exercise on one or two days of the week, were found to lower their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 41 per cent and cancer by 18 per cent, compared with the inactive. Even those who didnt manage to get the 150 minutes of activity advised by the WHO reduced their risk of early death by one-third.

For those not exercising now, walking quickly can count as high-intensity if you push yourself. Even a brisk 20-minute daily walk could reduce your risk of early death, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Exercise in 2015. The study of more than 334,000 Europeans found that twice as many deaths may be attributable to a lack of physical activity compared with the number attributable to obesity, but that a modest increase in physical activity could have significant health benefits.

An earlier study in the Lancet in 2012 said that inactivity was killing about as many people as smoking.

If you have been following this series, you should be eating a pretty balanced diet that gives you more energy. Put that energy to good use by adding in some extra exercise or even just some exercise.

The maxim still holds that you cannot outrun a bad diet, but to be healthy you need to do some exercise too. Using the principles of high-intensity interval training is an easy and effective way to achieve results without putting in too much effort.

Ashley Borden of the Body Foundation in California, who has trained actor Ryan Gosling, says she uses Hiit training because it is efficient, burns fat and builds muscle. There is no need to have any fancy equipment either, just the focus to really go for it for half a minute at a time.

This all comes with a proviso, of course: as with any form of exercise, you need to be in fairly decent shape to get started. If not, or if you are on medication or have any concerns or conditions, check with your doctor first. And wear the appropriate footwear. Then go for it.

Run in place for 35 seconds as hard as you can.

Rest for 90 seconds.

Run for 35 seconds as hard as you can.

Rest for 90 seconds.

Run for 35 seconds as hard as you can.

Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health

Rose Costello is a journalist, health coach and fitness instructor who works one-2-one and in groups to help people get healthy. See zest4life.com

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Take a minute to boost your fitness the easy way - Irish Times

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Coronary artery disease or heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis, a process which involves the accumulation of cholesterol plaques in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. These plaques can narrow the blood vessels and reduce blood and oxygen delivery to the heart, leading to symptoms like chest pain (ischemia). The plaques can also rupture and form a blood clot, blocking oxygen delivery and causing a myocardial infarction a heart attack.

If you experience symptoms such as chest pain or have a high risk of heart disease due to family history and other risk factors, your doctor may recommend a diagnostic test. In a graded exercise test (GXT), or stress test, a person exercises, typically walking on a treadmill, at increasing speed and grade while heart rate, blood pressure and heart rhythm are monitored by a doctor or exercise physiologist.

Changes in these variables, as well as the persons exercise capacity, can be signs of ischemia and impaired heart function. Often, a GXT is combined with another diagnostic technique, such as nuclear imaging, which shows areas of the heart that do not receive enough blood flow, or an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to show the heart beating and ejecting blood.

Based on the GXT results, a cardiologist may recommend an angiogram, in which a catheter is inserted into an artery and threaded into the coronary arteries, dye is injected, and the coronary arteries are viewed through X-ray imaging. This allows cardiologists to see the extent of the narrowing in the coronary arteries.

You can be diagnosed with heart disease based on the results of an angiogram or if you had a heart attack. During the angiogram, a cardiologist can perform an angioplasty in which a balloon catheter is inflated to open narrowed arteries. A mesh stent may also be placed to help keep the vessel open for longer.

In other cases, coronary artery bypass surgery may be indicated. Considered open heart surgery, this procedure actually bypasses narrowed sections of coronary arteries using another vessel, often a leg vein. Both angioplasty and bypass surgery can restore adequate blood flow to the heart and treat ischemia and heart attacks.

Many people consider the treatment complete after the heart attack has ended and the angioplasty or bypass surgery is complete. The truth is that the long-term outcomes are largely based on what happens next. Traditionally, heart disease patients were told to rest and not stress their hearts, a belief that many still hold today. But exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programs are key to improving heart health and preventing future complications.

Most cardiac rehabilitation programs include several phases. Phase I programs start in the hospital and focus on getting out of bed and performing self-care activities and some walking. Phase II cardiac rehab involves closely-monitored exercise, usually for 12 weeks following a heart attack or surgery.

Phase III involves longer exercise sessions with greater independence and transitions into Phase IV, a lifelong exercise program. Education about exercise, nutrition, weight control, stress management, proper medication use and psychosocial wellbeing are essential in all phases of cardiac rehabilitation.

The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation are well-established through research and practice. In fact, many patients credit cardiac rehabilitation with saving their lives, even if they had bypass surgery. Despite this, less than a third of patients who are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation actually attend a program.

If you or someone you know has had a heart attack or surgery, encourage them to ask their doctor about cardiac rehabilitation it is likely to be the best way to improve quality of life and avoid future heart problems.

Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS: Diagnosing, treating heart disease - Aiken Standard

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SIMPSON She stood quietly at the podium, fighting off tears and gathering her thoughts.

Keonya KeKe Miller thought she was just going to talk about vegan brownies but ended up showing how a lifetime of heartbreak comes from heart disease.

"My mother passed from heart disease. ... She passed away when I was 8 years old. Even after a heart transplant, nothing was working," Miller said.

Nearly 10 years later, Miller found herself weighing 265 pounds, pre-diabetic and experiencing thyroid problems. Her siblings also were experiencing obesity-related illnesses. Miller feared she was following in her mother's footsteps.

Miller was one of nearly two dozen people who participated in Go Red for Women, a Saturday event sponsored by Phillippi Missionary Baptist Church's Health Ministry in connection with Heart Health Month.

The church started its health ministry 18 months ago because its members believed spiritual and physical health go hand in hand.

"We believe it takes a village to raise a child; well, it takes a village to keep everyone healthy," Valarie Gatlin, president of the health ministry auxiliary, said.

The ministry holds monthly programs and sponsors twice weekly exercise classes. Having friends waiting for them motivates members to show up and participate in the classes, Gatlin said.

Miller said that while she wanted to pursue a healthier lifestyle, every diet she tried was frustrating because of the restrictions on certain types of food.

"So what do I do? I choose the most restrictive diet there is, no meat, no dairy," Miller said.

Miller initially adopted the vegan diet because she is an animal lover. But as she further explored it and became more knowledgeable and committed, she began experiencing health benefits.

Miller lost more than 100 pounds after combining aerobic exercise and strength training with her vegan lifestyle. She no longer is pre-diabetic, and her thyroid problems are gone.

Miller has had slips three years into her new lifestyle, especially when she was pregnant with her nearly 3-month-old daughter Eviane Hill. Miller drank and ate a lot of dairy products.

Miller assured the audience that the vegan diet is varied and hearty.

"I eat a lot," she said.

An audience member asked if almond milk was a good substitute for traditional dairy products. Miller said she makes ice cream with it.

"I swear you would think you were eating something bad for you," Miller joked.

Her brownies, made with black beans, cacao and naturally sweetened ingredients, were a hit with Saturdays audience.

Stacey Greenway, director of cardiovascular disease management programs at the Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Rehab and Heart Failure Clinic at Vidant Medical Center, talked about what signs people should look for to determine if they are at risk of heart disease, warning signs of a heart attack and lifestyle changes to offset the risk of heart attacks.

The changes needed to fight heart disease may seem overwhelming, but setting small, specific goals is the best way to begin, Greenway said. Losing 50 pounds may stave off heart problems, but a person should begin with a weight loss goal of 1 pound a week; exercising five minutes a day with the goal of adding minutes each week.

A key to making healthy lifestyle changes is a medical provider who will help individuals identify areas of concern and prioritize the needed changes. There also are many free community activities that help people learn about healthy living, Greenway said.

She also encouraged people to find a workout or diet partner, but to be selective and find someone who will offer support.

Greenway also encouraged participants to rely on their faith. People can't ask God to take away 50 pounds, but they can ask for the willpower to say no to a piece of cake or the energy to walk a few more minutes.

Joining Greenway was Jane Murray, a former patient of the rehab clinic.

Murray moved to Greenville in 2013 at age 65 to attend classes at East Carolina University. Three semesters into her program, Murray one night found herself eating Chinese food and working on a research paper when she started experiencing numbness in her jaw, pain in her left arm and weakness.

"I got outside myself and started laughing, I was thinking 'I'm having a heart attack,'" she said.

Murray managed to take an aspirin and call emergency services to transport her to the hospital. She had two blocked arteries, one nearly 100 percent.

"I was glad I was here, in the heart capital of the northeast," Murray said.

"What I want to say to you is be aware, know what the symptoms (of a heart attack) are, but don't panic," Murray said. "Feel empowered. ... I think most of us know what to do (to prevent heart disease), even if we don't do it but be aware, we have a limited time here."

Contact Ginger Livingston at glivingston@reflector.comor 252-329-9570. Follow her on Twitter @GingerLGDR.

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Ministering to the body and the soul - Greenville Daily Reflector

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When used as part of a system combining Shake Days and Cleanse Days, Isagenix products improve body composition and contribute to better heart health during weight loss. They also offer better long-term weight maintenance compared to traditional heart-healthy dieting.

These are the findings of a study published as data sets in two peer-reviewed journalsthe first appeared on July 30 in Nutrients and the second on August 29 in Frontiers in Physiology(1,2).

In the study, both men and women using Isagenix products significantly reduced total, abdominal, and visceral body fat, and increased lean body mass percent and metabolism. The body composition changes also contributed to better measures of cardiovascular health during weight loss after 12 weeks.

After initial weight loss, those who continued using Isagenix products also had significantly improved weight maintenance and body composition as well as continued benefits on cardiovascular health measures after 52 weeks in comparison to those who transitioned to a traditional heart-healthy diet.

The study was conducted by researchers at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York under the direction of principal investigator and senior corresponding author Paul J. Arciero, Ph.D., Director of the Human Nutrition and Metabolism Laboratory and Professor of Health and Exercise Sciences.

The novel findings from this study may very well revolutionize how we prescribe weight-loss diets moving forward because of the increase in proportion of lean muscle and drastic reductions in abdominal and visceral fat mass during initial weight loss and the ability to maintain these favorable changes over the long term, Dr. Arciero said.

Long-term Study Design:Phase 1 Weight Loss and Phase 2 Weight Maintenance

The researchers designed the new study to evaluate weight loss in both men and women from an Isagenix System over 12 weeks and to determine if the results could be sustained over a year.

The study would also be the first to evaluate how weight loss using Isagenix products affected other factors. These included lean muscle, abdominal and visceral fat, as well as energy metabolism and arterial health.

The design of the 15-month study included one week of phase-in baseline control where subjects maintained a stable weight and, afterward, broke into two phases: Weight Loss Phase 1 of 12 weeks and Weight Maintenance Phase 2 of 52 weeks.

During Weight Loss Phase 1, all participants performed six Shake Days and one Cleanse Day per week.

During Weight Maintenance Phase 2, participants chose to transition to one of the following options:

Results: A Third of Visceral Fat Lost, Lean Mass Gained, Better Arterial Health, and Enhanced Metabolism

During the initial weight-loss phase (Phase 1), the subjects lost an average of 10 percent of their total body weight, nearly 20 percent body fat, and 33 percent of their visceral fat. They also increased their proportion of lean body mass (9 percent) and had significantly improved cardiovascular health with improvements in arterial flexibility (11 percent).

Over the yearlong weight maintenance period (Phase 2), the subjects who continued following an Isagenix System had a significantly lower body weight (6 percent), lower amount of total body fat (10 percent), and improved lean body mass (5 percent) compared to those who followed a heart-healthy diet.

Additionally, those who followed the Isagenix plan had better maintained their initial improvements in arterial health.

As an active nutrition and exercise science researcher for over 30 years, these were very impressive findings and clearly established our protein-pacing [Shake Days] and intermittent fasting diet regimen [Cleanse Days] as an effective short- and long-term strategy to promote healthy body weight, abdominal and visceral fat mass loss as well as enhanced metabolism and cardiovascular health compared to other commonly prescribed diets, Dr. Arciero said.

One of the more intriguing findings from the weight loss phase (Phase 1), said Dr. Arciero, is that the subjects had a five percent increase in resting metabolic rate, which is likely due to protein pacing, or spreading doses of whey protein over the course of the day.

During the weight-maintenance phase (Phase 2), the study also measured positive effects toward maintaining metabolic rate. This was possibly related to a higher proportion of calories obtained from protein in the subjects during the Isagenix weight-maintenance phase, said Eric Gumpricht, Ph.D., Isagenix Manager of Research and Science, and a co-author on the Nutrients publication.

Companys Continued Commitment to Science

The study demonstrates the continued commitment of Isagenix for funding clinical studies supporting the safety and health benefits of Isagenix products as a way to promote and maintain weight loss, Dr. Gumpricht said.

We observed safe and efficient weight loss with Isagenix during the weight loss phase for both men and women, he said.But more importantly, that continuing incorporating intermittent fasting as Cleanse Days alongside caloric restriction as Isagenix Shake Days helped subjects better maintain those favorable changes to body compositionweight, fat, and visceral fat loss and lean body mass retention and arterial health.

The findings provide additional scientific validation after earlier work performed at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) found that Isagenix products demonstrated superiority when compared to a traditional heart-healthy diet for improving body composition during weight loss in women after four weeks (3, 4).

The earlier findings from UIC appeared in Nutrition Journal and in Nutrition and Metabolism in 2012.

The new Skidmore College study was registered at National Institute of Healths ClinicalTrials.gov, a publicly and privately supported registry of clinical studies conducted around the world.

References

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Isagenix Improves Body Composition During Weight Loss and ...

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WESTON, WV--(Marketwired - February 20, 2017) - Considering the rising rates of obesity and widespread availability of diets and weight loss programs, dieters have a lot to choose from. Not all weight loss programs are made equal, however, and sometimes, losing weight fast is not worth the health consequences involved. The hCG diet has, historically, been controversial because it was initially presented as the Simeons diet, which involved combining low doses of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone produced during pregnancy, with extremely low caloric intake to promote rapid weight loss by burning "abnormal" fat, located in cells and around internal organs. The Simeons diet, also known as the original hCG diet, is dangerous because it is essentially a starvation diet that caps daily consumption to 500 calories. It leads to harmful side effects like weakness, muscle loss, and hair loss.

Despite being associated with dramatic weight loss of up to a pound per day, the hCG diet wasn't very well understood until recently and was simply associated with the original Simeons method. However, safer, non-harmful, higher-calorie diets exists for weight loss. For instance, Diet Doc, a nationally recognized weight loss program, offers several options for doctor-supervised weight loss. Diet Doc is, in fact, the only U.S. based weight loss related organization that has discouraged the Simeons method since 2009. Through in-house clinical studies, Diet Doc's medical professionals labeled the original hCG diet as too dangerous. Then, after thorough research over the last several decades, Diet Doc created a unique diet program that involves consuming no less than 800 calories (and up to 1250 calories) daily without negatively affecting the rate of rapid weight loss.

Unlike many hCG drops available online, which are neither FDA-regulated nor prescription-strength, Diet Doc offers personalized diet planning and various prescription medications. Diet Doc, therefore, offers unlimited clinical support, direct doctor supervision, and easy-to-follow ketogenic diet plans that are customized to each patient's specific health and nutritional needs.

Diet Doc's 800- to 1250-calorie diet is far safer, healthier and more effective in promoting rapid weight loss without adverse side effects. Diet Doc programs and aids have a long history of alleviating issues like heart disease, high blood pressure and hypertension through healthy weight loss. And with a team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and motivational coaches, Diet Doc helps patients curb hunger and lose weight fast. In fact, more than 90% of Diet Doc patients report losing rapid weight monthly and keeping it off long-term.

Patients can get started immediately, with materials shipped directly to their home or office. They can also maintain weight loss in the long-term through weekly consultations, customized diet plans, motivational coaches and a powerful prescription program. With Diet Doc, the doctor is only a short phone call away and a fully dedicated team of qualified professionals is available 6 days per week to answer questions, address concerns and support patients.

Getting started with Diet Doc is very simple and affordable. New patients can easily visit https://www.dietdoc.com to quickly complete a health questionnaire and schedule an immediate, free online consultation.

About the Company:

Diet Doc Weight Loss is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long term weight loss.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DietDocMedical

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DietDocMedicalWeightLoss/

LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/company/diet-doc-weight-loss?trk=biz-brand-tree-co-logo

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Diet Doc Helps Patients Lose Weight Fast With hCG Diet Without Any Harmful Starvation Diet Practices - Marketwired (press release)

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It wasnt long into her tenure as an operating room nurse that Mandy Pate, R.N., realized the same type of bariatric surgery she helped doctors perform on others could benefit her as well.

Despite countless efforts to lose weight, insatiable cravings left the 36-year-old unable to shed pounds.

All I could think about was food; it was like a junkie needing their fix, says Pate, who, at her heaviest, had 333 pounds on her 5-foot-3-inch frame. If all of a sudden a brownie sounded good, I would have to go to the store to get one. The urge was that strong.

Its why Pate, a Michigan Medicine employee since 2008, sought out more information about receiving a sleeve gastrectomy herself.

In the surgery, about 80 percent of the stomach is removed, greatly reducing its storage capacity and, as a result, limiting production of the hunger-producing hormone ghrelin.

Unlike a gastric bypass, in which the stomach is divided in two and the small intestine is rearranged to connect to both parts, a sleeve gastrectomy is less likely to cause dumping syndrome a condition where food moves into the small bowel too fast after eating.

Both surgeries are permanent and have a one-year mortality rate of 0.1 percent.

At Michigan Medicine, sleeve gastrectomy has surpassed gastric bypass as the most common procedure for patients seeking weight-loss options. Gastric bypass was the subject of an extensive New York Times story last year that focused on two Michigan patients.

Like those featured in the Times, Pates decision was a big one.

If youre going through something thats changing your body, its obviously scary, she says. But I was really excited because I thought, This is going to be what I need; this is going to work. If Im positive, Im going to have a positive outcome.

Now at 160 pounds and with a new attitude toward food and fitness, the Ann Arbor resident is happy to share her experience with patients at Michigans Adult Bariatric Surgery Program.

But shes quick to emphasize that the surgery is not some magic cure. Lifelong lifestyle changes are necessary. Emotional reactions to a new body and relationship with food must also be addressed.

Still, I tell people it saved my life, says Pate, who recently spoke more about her journey.

As an adult, how did your weight affect you?

Pate: I had a lot of joint pain standing on my feet all day. It would be hard to stand and move around in the operating room. I really loved my job; it was creating an issue.

Join a Twitter chat about bariatric surgery, with patients, physicians and other health care providers, this Sunday, Feb. 12 from 9 to 10 p.m. EST, at #obsm and @obsmchat.

I would come home and I couldnt even walk. I would have really bad reflux at night where I would aspirate and choke. I was getting concerned I would end up dying of a massive heart attack if I didnt get my weight under control.

How did you move forward with getting the surgery?

Pate: You dont just make an appointment. Theres a lot of work patients go through. I had to go to an information session and see a physicians assistant.

I had a three- to four-hour psychological exam to ensure I understood the changes I had to make and to make sure I didnt have any other eating disorders that would eliminate me from surgery. I also had to attend two support group meetings.

Some insurance companies require months of documented attempts at weight loss to prove youve done everything else you can do. My body mass index was almost at 60, which was high enough my insurance company said I didnt need to.

Finally, I had to have a sleep study done because they thought I had sleep apnea, which I did. Once my case was submitted and reviewed by everyone who saw me, I scheduled my surgery. I started the process in December 2013 and had surgery that April.

What did surgery preparation involve?

Pate: Once I got my surgery date, I had to go to a four-hour nutrition class. Two weeks before the surgery, I went on a high-protein liquid diet. It was very strict no fruits, no vegetables.

The purpose is to shrink the liver and make it flexible so they can move it out of the way to operate on the stomach. It also shows the team youre committed to making dietary changes.

Could you describe your operation and recovery?

Pate: Basically, theyre removing about 80 percent of a stomach to restrict how much you can eat. It was laparoscopic surgery with six small incisions. In the end, the stomach kind of resembles the shape of a banana. You feel fuller faster and youre not eating as much.

The operation took less than two hours, maybe an hour and a half. I was in the hospital for two nights, and I went home on the third day.

I was on a liquid diet for two weeks, then a puree diet for two weeks, then a soft-food diet for a month. I had a very smooth surgery and recovery.

How did you feel?

Pate: Right away, I had a lot of energy. They tell you to start walking 30 minutes a day after surgery. About six weeks later, I committed myself to going to the gym for an hour each day after work, really doing cardio and weights.

And I wasnt hungry at all. I didnt believe people in the support group who said that. But I could have gone all day without eating or drinking anything. Its important for post-op patients to keep drinking fluids or they can become dehydrated quickly.

Still, for me, it was calming to not have food on my mind all the time.

How did surgery change your diet?

Pate: Because I didnt have a lot of the cravings, I started making changes to my diet. I didnt bring anything sweet into the house that would be a trigger.

I would get creative, making spaghetti squash instead of noodles. My tastes changed. I ended up craving things like fruits and vegetables. I dont even want the pasta anymore.

One-half to a cup of food is as much as I can handle. I usually do 2 ounces of meat protein first and then vegetables. Were taught not to eat rice, pasta, crackers, pretzels or bread. They balloon in the stomach and you cant get the other nutrients you need.

What downsides have you experienced?

Pate: Because you lose weight so quickly, you have a lot of excess skin. Also, I wouldnt always see the weight loss like other people saw it. I would think I looked exactly the same.

In the past year, Ive had three plastic surgeries to remove excess skin from my arms, legs and abdomen. Thats been a tremendous help. Now, I can see my hard work and I look how I should after losing 170 pounds.

At your day job, what do you tell others considering bariatric surgery?

Pate: A lot of patients are afraid theyll break the bed or fall off the table or people will make fun of them. I always try to reassure my patients that were going to take good care of them, that Ill be with them, the beds will hold them and all that stuff.

I also tell them its OK if you have weight-loss surgery; its nothing to be ashamed about. It doesnt mean youre any less of a failure than someone who does it with diet and exercise alone. Theres nothing wrong with going to an informational session and seeing if its right for you.

Want more Weight Loss news? Follow Knowridge Science Report onFacebook.

News source:Michigan Health. The content is edited for length and style purposes. Figure legend: This Knowridge.com image is credited to Michigan Health.

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After assisting in bariatric surgeries, OR nurse chooses it for herself to lose weight - Knowridge Science Report

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We hear the Hairy Bikers before we see them. The clomp-clomp of sturdy boots on the rickety staircase of the photo studio announces their arrival. Then its like the room shrinks not only are Si King, 49, and Dave Myers, 59, big bears of men, but their personalities make them larger than life.

After a mini kerfuffle as they both attempt to take the same spot on the couch, the pair plonk themselves down and were relieved to see theyre exactly as they seem on TV just as hairy, just as down-to-earth, just as funny

In fact, the latter makes them the perfect guys to model this years Comic Relief merchandise, including an apron designed by photographer Rankin. And the apron, it seems, is fitting in more ways than one. Not only are Si and Dave capable of cooking up a casual feast or two, theyre also keen to tell us that theyre a pair of domestic gods.

"Were both pretty handy with a hoover, we keep tidy houses," says Dave. "A few years ago, I came off my bike and broke my arms. Si picked me up from the hospital and asked what he could do to help. I said, 'What am I going to do about the ironing?' because even though I look like a bucket of rags a lot of the time, I do like everything neat. God love him, I dont think hed ironed a shirt in his life and"

"Hes very particular about how he folds his shirts, you see, and he kept telling me off!" interjects Si. "But then he teases me about my scented candles and my penchant for soft furnishings Ive got so many bloody cushions, theres nowhere to sit!"

On first impressions, they arent the kind of blokes youd imagine obsessing over the folding of shirts, or plumping up co-ordinated scatter cushions. Hairy, yes; bikers, yes; but they also have something of the old English gent about them.

Dave is wild and slightly scruffy, as if hes just blown in from a motorbike ride around some windy Highland road except for his twiddled moustache, which lends him the air of an eccentric Edwardian. Meanwhile, Si or Kingy, as Dave calls him has his silver hair tied back in a ponytail, his beard neatly trimmed, and his tweed waistcoat in place. They have an endearing way of glancing at each other for confirmation before they speak. Although Sis the quieter of the two, Dave is careful never to speak over his old friend, regularly trailing off mid-sentence in order to coax out Sis opinion.

"Dave shaved his beard off once," Si says suddenly, leaning forwards with a conspiratorial shake of his head. "I just couldnt stop staring at him and thinking, 'Who are you?' It was just a big dumpling face."

These days Dave and Si are looking distinctly less dumpling-like. Its been a few years since they lost 6 stone between them, but unlike so many celebs with diet books, theyve kept it off. Dave once tipped the scales at 18 stone, while Si weighed in at a bulky 19.5 stone.

"We were filming in America and I noticed we were casting shadows like Walnut Whips! The sensible thing to do was go on a diet, so we started rewriting recipes and were better cooks because of it," Dave says.

Nowadays the scales hover around the 15 stone mark, and the lads are off their statins and blood pressure medication. The Bikers became famous as a pair of food-loving fellas, so turning themselves into healthy-eating gurus was risky would the public still watch their shows if they werent travelling the world and ordering extra mains "for the table" at every pit stop along the way?

"One of our catchphrases was 'a big knob of butter' and we knew we had to rein it in," says Dave, slinging an arm casually over the side of the sofa. "We were morbidly obese. If wed continued to pile it on in the way wed been doing, we wouldnt have had a career anyway you cant if youre dead!"

"We knew we were never gonna be Twiggy," adds Si. "Were fighting middle-aged spread, and a lot of people are in the same boat."

A turning point came while on the road: Dave sneaked to Sis hotel room late at night to score some high blood pressure medication after he ran out. Although they laughed about it, Si was struck by the thought that he might not be there to see his kids grow up.

Si was then a hands-on dad to three young sons, Alex, Dylan and James with (now ex) wife Jane, while Dave had recently married long-term partner Liliana, becoming a stepfather to Sergui, 26, and Iza, 21. He met Lili when they were filming The Hairy Bikers in Romania and she was the manager of a hotel they were staying at. They became pen pals and the rest, as they say, is history.

What followed was a diet show that shed the pounds quicker than you can say extra fries with that. When The Hairy Dieters: Fast Food toppled 50 Shades Of Grey from the bestsellers list, the lads knew theyd struck a chord with the nation by making good, old fashioned food, just with fewer calories. But they havent turned into skinny-mini bores, thankfully, with their recent cookbook, The Hairy Bikers Comfort Food, a carb-heavy love-in.

Its the life of wanderlust, eating and biking, that they dreamed up when they first met 22 years ago in the unlikeliest of places the set of a Catherine Cookson TV adaptation. Back then, Si was the assistant director and Dave was a prosthetic make-up artist.

"At lunch most of the crew were ordering salads and mineral water, while I was having a curry and two pints of larger," recalls Si. "When Dave came in, he took one look at my lunch and went, 'Ill have what hes having!' Pretty quickly we discovered we both loved eating, drinking and motorcycling."

After persuading their TV pals at the BBC to make a pilot a cringeworthy affair neither Si nor Dave can bear to watch now the Bikers became famous faces overnight.

"I was working on Spooks at the time," grins Dave. "I was taking Anna Chancellor to the hairdressers and shes used to being noticed, but this time people were stopping me in the street."

Dave and Si both take fame in their stride, unfazed by the attention they receive from their adoring fans, continuing to be the cheekiest of chaps. Well, you can take the boys out of the North, but you cant take the North out of the boys.

Weekend away or Sunday brunch at home?

S: It depends what Im feeling like. Sunday brunch at home sometimes.

D: For me, because Im away so much, Sunday brunch at home. But for my wife, probably a weekend away!

Hungover or fresh as a daisy?

D: Theres a fair chance of being hungover on a Sunday. Depends where Ive got to be. If Ive got the day off, Ill have a lie-in.

What couldnt you get through the weekend without?

D: Food shopping on a Saturday I love it.

S: A good couple of hours practising on the drums. Thats a big treat, that.

D: Thats why you live in the middle of a field!

Gym day or lazy day?

S: Depends what you fancy. In the summertime well go canoeing and swimming.

D: Id say lazy day. Youve got a hangover, havent you? But when we were filming our Comfort Food show, we did meet down the gym in the evenings.

Running errands or pampering?

D: Running errands. Theres always a lot to catch up on.

S: Theres food to buy!

Sunday lunch at home or pub roast?

D: Sunday lunch at home. Well get chicken Ive loved it ever since I was a kid. We call it plumpy chicken; fat chicken with roasties, stuffing and veg.

S: At home chicken or a piece of sirloin.

What did you do last Sunday?

S: I was flying back from Australia, where I was visiting my partner. I was asleep somewhere over Singapore, probably!

D: Ive got a house in the Loire Valley in France and we were there. I cooked white fish from the market, and we ate quite a lot of cheese afterwards. Then went for a long walk.

Dave says: "I love the way Comic Relief is in the National Calendar. Its entertaining, and a lot of people put a lot of effort into it. Its just a fun time of year, and people really look forward to it.

Si says: "We always do something for Comic Relief with the kids, so it will be funny to see our faces on the posters this year!"

Hairy Bikers wear limited edition HomeSense aprons, designed by celebrated British photographer Rankin, to support Red Nose Day 2017. The apron is part of a range of products available in HomeSense stores.

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The Hairy Bikers on dropping the pounds: 'We had to lose weight or we'd be dead' - Mirror.co.uk

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Therefore, the best weight-management strategies are those that you can maintain for a lifetime. That's a long time, so we'll try to keep these suggestions as easy as possible!

Make it a family affair. Ask your mom or dad to lend help and support and to make dietary or lifestyle changes that will benefit the whole family, if possible. Teens who have the support of their families tend to have better results with their weight-management programs. But remember, you should all work together in a friendly and helpful way making weight loss into a competition is a recipe for disaster!

Watch your drinks. It's amazing how many extra calories can be lurking in the sodas, juices, and other drinks that you take in every day. Simply cutting out a can of soda or one sports drinkcan save you 150 calories or more each day. Drink water or other sugar-free drinks to quench your thirst and stay away from sugary juices and sodas. Switching from whole to nonfat or low-fat milk is also a good idea.

Start small. Small changes are a lot easier to stick with than drastic ones. Try reducing the size of the portions you eat and giving up regular soda. Once you have that down, start gradually introducing healthier foods and exercise into your life.

Stop eating when you're full. Lots of people eat when they're bored, lonely, or stressed, or keep eating long after they're full out of habit. Try to pay attention as you eat and stop when you're full. Slowing down can help because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize how much is in your stomach. Sometimes taking a break before going for seconds can keep you from eating another serving.

Avoid eating when you feel upset or bored try to find something else to do instead (a walk around the block or a trip to the gym are good alternatives). Many people find it's helpful to keep a diary of what they eat and when. Reviewing the diary later can help them identify the emotions they have when they overeat or whether they have unhealthy habits. Your doctor or nutritionist can give you pointers on how to do this.

Eat less more often. Many people find that eating a couple of small snacks throughout the day helps them to make healthy choices at meals. Stick a couple of healthy snacks (carrot sticks, whole-grain pretzels, or a piece of fruit) in your backpack so that you can have one or two snacks during the day. Adding healthy snacks to your three squares and eating smaller portions when you sit down to dinner can help you to cut calories without feeling deprived.

5 a day keep the pounds away. Ditch the junk food and dig out the fruits and veggies! Five servings of fruits and veggies aren't just a good idea to help you lose weight they'll help keep your heart and the rest of your body healthy. Other suggestions for eating well: replace white bread with whole wheat, trade your sugary sodas for water and low-fat milk, and make sure you eat a healthy breakfast. Having low-sugar, whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk with a piece of fruit is a much better idea than inhaling a donut as you run to the bus stop or eating no breakfast at all! A nutritionist can give you lots of other snack and menu ideas.

Here is the original post:
How Can I Lose Weight Safely? - TeensHealth

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Commentary By Amanda Merck, MPH | February 19, 2017

Kathryn Boyd-Batstone / Rivard Report

Runners charge up one of the many uphills along the Mission Reach trail.

Updated 19 hours ago

For San Antonio tobe at itshealthiest, its residentsneed and deserve safe places to move more and sit less.

However, there is inequity in the citysplaces designated for walking, biking, playing, and being active. City officials mustlook beyond maps of facility locations to the context of real people trying to make healthy life choices.

For example, a map of the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System shows an emerald necklace going around and through San Antonio. Yet, these trails are only open from sunrise to sunset, which means they are open less than 12 hours per day for six months out of the year.

Many working families striving tobe more active and less sedentaryare unable to access the trails within this limited window. Southside residents, in particular, face additional barriers because the southern-most access point of the Mission Trail off Villamain Road is only open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Thats why I asked the San Antonio mayoral candidates about their plans to solve this inequity at the recent town hall forum hosted by the Rivard Report at the Pearl Stable.

What are you going to do to transform our incredible trail system from a recreational facility to a health and transportation facility that is safe and accessible for everyone? I asked Mayor Ivy Taylor, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, and Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina.

Listen to their full responses to the questions here.

Heres a quick snapshot of their responses:

I dont know about the hours that it should be open or not, because certainly we also want to make sure that anyone thats out there is safe, Taylor said.

It needs to [be] more than just a system that connects one park to another, Nirenberg said.

We need to make it easier for people to get to them, Medina said.

None of the candidates mentioned expanding hours, lighting, or patrolling trails, but we cannot ignore the great need for access to safe, active places.

Why? Heres a quick biology lesson (from someone who is not a biologist):

Our cardiovascular system is our lifeline for delivering oxygen, vitamins, minerals, proteins, hormones, and other chemicals to our organs, muscles, bones, and all other tissues. It also is our lifeline for getting rid of carbon dioxide and other waste. Our veins and arteries are constantly squeezing and releasing vasoconstriction and vasodilation to pump our nutrient- or waste-filled blood. Like any muscle atrophies without use, our blood vessels lose function and become less effective without physical activity. However, the exact mechanism through which this occurs is complex and not fully understood.

Basically, sitting increases inflammation, which damages the inner walls of your vessels (endothelium). Moderately intense physical activity, however, preserves the inner walls of these vessels and prevents plaque buildup and hardening.

These benefits are separate from the numerous other benefits obtained from variousother chemical, molecular, and biological processes that occur when you are physically active, such as reduced risk for diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, depression, osteoporosis, and manytypes of cancer.

The good news is that walking works regardless of weight status or diet, and you can walk or be active in short bursts throughout your day without having to depart from your normal daily routine.

If you have access to safe places, that is.

Educating people about the trails is moot when they are closed for half the day. Similarly, considering the trails as a resource for connectivity isnt painting a complete picture because they are only open part-time, which is counterproductive to the essences of connectivity.

Arecent SA2020 report identified four indicators in San Antonio that have stopped progressing or are going in the wrong direction: public transportation, obesity, air quality, and walkability. According to the report there is a need to continue to make both behavioral and systemic changes in our policies and infrastructure in order to make lasting change.

I hope our city leaders consider making lasting infrastructure changes.

In the case of our greenway trail system, the infrastructure is mostly in place, so its a matter of opening it to the public to use at whichever times accommodatetheir busy schedules.

Kathryn Boyd-Batstone / Rivard Report

Broadway Street was closed for Sclova so hundreds of bikers could safely ride the streets.

While there are incredible programs and events across the cityFitness in the Park, Sclova, Fit Pass, Fit Family Challenge, San Antonio Walks, Mobile Fit, Walk This Way, and many more permanent infrastructure like trails and sidewalks need to be safe and accessible year-round.

I also hope our leaders can distinguish the line between physical activity for health and for exercise or recreation, which are historically only accessible for the privileged and less available for residents living in underserved areas. Physical activity for health includes walking, biking, dancing, playing, skating, doing yoga, swimming, and many otheractivities.

People of color and low-income populations are disproportionately burdened by pedestrian injuries and deaths.

According to Salud America!s research review on active spaces and Latino kids, fewer Latinos (70%) than whites (82.5%) describe having neighborhoods with safe places for kids to walk and play.

Studies show that walkable neighborhoods provide many economic, safety, environmental, health, and social benefits; however, not all neighborhoods in San Antonio are created equal, with many low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhoods lacking safe, walkable infrastructure.

Inequity in access to safe places to walk, bike, and play can be seen on the South, West, and East sides of San Antonio. Lack of safe places to be active means people living in these areas face disparities in obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Some bright spots are occurring:In February 2017, State Rep.Celia Israel(D-Austin)proposed House Bill 1368 to lower the default speed limit in urban areas from 30 mph to 25 mph, as well as House Bill 1745 to allow cities to lower speed limits on certain highways withoutthe costly burdens mandated bycurrent legislation. Making it easier for cities to lower speed limits is critical because most crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists occur on arterial or collector roadways where default speeds are far greater than 30 mph.

District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales is leading the San Antonio Vision Zero initiative, with the goal to eliminate traffic fatalities, especially those of pedestrians.

According to SA2020, San Antonio continues to make progress on Complete Streets, but not at a rate great enough to meet the 2020 goal. When the City didnt meet Dignowity Hill residents standards for a street construction project, urban planners and residents got involved by requesting and successfully gaining more walkable streetscape elements.

Regardless, safe places to walk and be active are big part of public health and equity issues that need attention.

San Antonians would surely like to hearthat City leaders are working to improve equitable access to health facilities, includingexpanded hours, lighting, and safety. Research shows that scheduling park programs later in the evening keeps parks occupied bypeople engaging in beneficial activities, thusdeterring undesirable ones.

San Antonio has a new set of bond measureson the ballot in May.Its vital for community members to get involved and keep the focus on the real-life context in which these projects will be completed. Fifty-two plus miles of trails sounds great on paper and look awesome on a map, but if people cant walk their dogs on them before or after work, they representa missed opportunity.

Salud America! has a bank of resources and nationwide stories to help community members work with City leaders to increase access to safe places to walk and play, particularly in Latino communities.

Follow Salud America!on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest and register on our site. You can connect with local groups and organizations that are already working to make the healthy choice the easy choice, such asthe Active Living Council of San Antonio,a public-private partnership of policymakers, business leaders, school administrators, program providers, and community membersthatdeveloped the Active Living Plan for a Healthier San Antonio.Or you can learn from case studies of successful healthy change across the country.

Together, we canprioritize equitable access to safe, active places in San Antonio and beyond.

Amanda Merck is a content curator/research area specialist for Salud America! at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.

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Salud America!: On SA's Need for Safe, Accessible Recreation Spaces - Rivard Report

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