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My mom is my biggest motivator, she always used to inspire me and boost my spirits. You need to have a strong support system rather than relying on any other thing.

Whenever I feel demotivated, I usually go through my old photos where I look unhealthy. That motivates me to keep working on myself.

How do you ensure you dont lose focus?

If you are too passionate about your goal, your mind will never waver. Yes, everyone loses focus momentarily, but it's important to stay determined in your life. That will only happen when you enjoy the process whole-heartedly.

I have also added in yoga and meditation to my fitness regime, which has been a ray of sunshine and achieved the next level of fitness.

What the most difficult part of being overweight?

When you are overweight, it lowers down your confidence, vital health markers and ruins body posture. I couldn't play my favourite sports and tired easily. Buying big sized clothes was something I didn't really like. My body strength and stamina levels were also not upto the mark while doing simple activities like walking.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?

I want to achieve a fit and effective body, which inspires everyone and exudes confidence.

Read more from the original source:
Weight loss story: "I had green tea, almonds and oats every morning" - Times of India

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Stu Wall is a technology executive and entrepreneur who founded Signpost, a cloud-based customer communication platform that helps small businesses scale.

The coronavirus pandemic accelerated Americas addiction to technology, and its making us sad, anxious and unproductive.

Companies like Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat earn more advertising revenue the more frequently we use their products. These firms use push notifications and personalized feeds to capture our attention, manipulate our emotions and influence our actions.

Business is good. Americans now spend more than five hours each day on their devices.

So what? As discussed in Netflixs The Social Dilemma, tech firms will continue to follow their profit motive to capture our attention. Governments are no more likely to help manage unhealthy tech consumption than consumption of sugar or illegal drugs. We need to take control.

My perspective is as a former tech CEO and technology addict. The marketing platform I founded raised over $100 million, grew to 350 employees and sold to a private equity firm last year. Along the way I picked up some terrible tech habits; I checked email constantly and allowed push notifications to interrupt every in-person interaction.

My tech use hit rock bottom last year on a visit with family. I resolved to put down my phone and garden with my mom, who has advanced Parkinsons and moves slowly and with intention.

I felt like an addict in withdrawal. My phone was like a magnet pulling me to check for missed work emails or breaking news. Tech overuse had rewired my brain, lowered the quality of everyday consciousness and prevented me from being present.

I stepped down as CEO of my company earlier this year. Ive spent my time off learning about mindfulness, neuroplasticity and technology addiction. Most importantly, I developed a strategy for managing my tech use thats made me happier and more productive.

Heres what I learned.

In their quest for our attention, some tech firms target the oldest parts of our brain, what UCLA psychiatrist Daniel Siegel calls the downstairs brain. The downstairs brain includes your brainstem and limbic regions, which control innate reactions and impulses (fight or flight) and strong emotion (like anger and fear). In contrast, your upstairs brain, including your cerebral cortex, is where intricate mental processes take place, like thinking, imagining and planning.

The downstairs brain is reactive. Its designed to protect us in emergencies; it can make quick judgements, hijack our consciousness and drive action through strong emotion. The downstairs brain is what is targeted by attention-seeking products. Headlines that make us feel outraged and TikTok notifications that make us feel reactive appeal to our downstairs brain.

Our brains change with training. Research has shown that our brains are reprogrammed with the firing patterns of neurons. Our nervous system can be rewired and transformed through repetitive, focused attention or activity in a process called neuroplasticity.

Repetitive device usage is a perfect example of neuroplasticity at work. The more time we spend responding to push notifications, watching videos in infinite scroll or looking for social validation from social media, the more our brains will rewire to want the same.

While many tech firms acknowledge problems from overusing their products, none will make radical changes needed to decrease their share of the attention profit pool. If they did, someone else would eat their lunch.

These firms are selling us sugary drinks. The taste is improving exponentially and the sweetest drinks havent been invented yet. The more we drink, the harder it gets to stop. We need to take control of our consumption and habits we need to follow a technology diet or we will suffer the mental equivalent of morbid obesity.

If we think of technology consumption as an analog to food consumption, tech products fall into four food groups based on the quality of information and method of delivery. Content quality is important: Some content is valuable (e.g., MITs online courseware) or critical (work email), while most is not useful (TikTok).

The delivery model is also important. Healthy platforms give agency to the user and allow us to pull content thats useful when we need it. Conversely, harmful platforms often rely on push, sending us information thats often not useful at a time when were doing something else. Based on my experience, here are three steps we can take to implement a tech diet:

Willpower is finite. If we dont want sugary drinks, dont keep them in the house. We keep the most distracting applications ever developed within arms reach at all times. These applications prey on our downstairs brain, which hijacks our better intentions and delivers negative value for most people. I believe our best defense is abstinence; we shouldnt use these apps.

Tip: I use Apples Content Restrictions on the iPhone and MacBook. I added the obvious offenders: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and some specific to me, which includes Zillow, StreetEasy and NYPost. My spouse has the override code. I can break it if needed, but the process is hard enough that it doesnt enter everyday consciousness.

Good content expands our knowledge and skills and may contribute to rewiring our upstairs brain in a way that adds to our empathy, imagination and mindfulness.

Consuming good content is rewarding but effortful. It requires uninterrupted focus. Unlike sugary beverages, which were wired to consume subconsciously, leafy greens have to be consumed intentionally.

Tip: Make a list of your favorite leafy greens. For me, this includes Kindle, Feedly, tech periodicals and my favorite curation platforms: HackerNews and Product Hunt. Calm, one of several booming mindfulness apps, also makes the list. These are the only apps on my home screen, which encourages me to use them more often. Like a food diet, I set attainable goals for good consumption and monitor my progress.

I recommend fasting on technology periodically; I leave my phone at home for walks with my son and dinner with friends. I also recommend nontech activities that promote upstairs brain rewiring like an outdoor hike or learning to play an instrument.

Email is required for most people. It has the potential to make us productive. But the average message quality is low, and the always-on, high frequency, push-by-default design prevents us from doing our best work.

Tip: Ive turned off notifications on everything thats not meant for urgent or timely messages (e.g., texts, Lyft, Tovala oven). Boomerangs Chrome Extensioncan be set up to deliver all of your emails every hour on the hour. Batch processing email every hour dramatically reduces the volume of interruption without impacting my responsiveness.

We live in relative abundance, with food, goods and security that would make even our recent ancestors envious. But abundance doesnt make us happy; were the least happy on record. We seem to be living in a collective state of downstairs brain, a continuous adult temper tantrum focused on strong feelings, emotion and impulsiveness.

But theres hope.

As individuals, I found that even a few months of technology dieting helped me become less impulsive and more mindful. As employees, we can stop working for companies that profit from the attention economy. As managers, we can insist that our teams turn off their devices at night, turn off their Slack notifications and take real vacations. As parents, we can help our children develop healthy consumption patterns.

Collective action and rewiring of our brains could change the course of our politics and our ability to collaborate and solve the most important challenges of the 21st century.

American innovation dominates the attention economy. Its time for American innovation to dominate the way we use technology.

Continued here:
COVID-19 made our tech addiction worse: Its time to do something about it - TechCrunch

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"Processed food was my emotional outlet.I consideredit to be my best friend and put it above anyone else." says 44-year-old Evon Dennis. It led her to become depressed, and at her highest, she weighed 250 pounds. She remembersbeing too embarrassed to go out, so instead, she would send her oldest daughter, then a teenager, to the grocery store to buy her next fix: Potato chips, sugary cereals, processed cheeses, and more.For Evon, it felt like her identity was taken over by being a junk food junkie. Now looking back, Evon wants to share her story of how she found help, went plant "exclusive" (all you consume are plants), and essentially saved her life. Today she weighs 110 pounds and is fit, happy and most of all, proud of the example she is setting her daughters, now 24 and 17 years old.

Evon tells the story of her darkest years, when her food addiction took over her life, until five years ago when she started to turn things around. Up until that point, year by year, her eating addiction progressed which is what happens with addiction: you need more and more of a fix to satisfy your urges, in order to get that high from your drug, in this case, junk food, cheese, and sugar. Evon recalls feeling overwhelmed andsad, especially knowing that she was raising her children around a mother who couldn't help herself. At her highest, she weighed250 pounds. By 2015, she had had enough and knew she needed help.She researched her options and foundOver Eater's Anonymous, where she discovered her struggles with food were not simply a matter of will power: She learned that her level of overeating was classified as an addiction, and it comforted her to know that she was not alone in her battle.

By attending group OA sessions, Evon was able to work on herself step by step. First, she cut out dairy which contains casein, an extremely addictive protein, which had been driving a powerful addiction to cheese, This helped her dull down her intense food cravings to other foods as well, like sweets and processed bags of chips.

A note about casein: When people say "I'm addicted to cheese," they may be half-joking but there is some truth to it, according toDr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine(PCRM), who has written a book about cheese addiction,He calls casein "dairy crack," because the "dairy proteins incheese can act as mild opiates. Fragments of casein protein, opioid peptides called casomorphins, attach to the same brain receptors as heroin and other narcotics. As a result, each bite of cheese produces a tiny hit of dopamine." When that rush subsides, it leaves your brain craving more, therefore you seek more cheese to get your fix.

For Evon dairy was the last step in making a transition to a whole-food plant "exclusive". Years ago she had given up meat and seafood, so dairy was the final step. She had a "come to Jesus" moment when she decided to ditch dairy and go on what she won't call a "diet" but prefers to call a "live-it" since it was her choice to stop killing herself and instead choose a path that took her toward a healthier lifestyle, one that allowed her to lose weight and kick her food addiction, get healthy and lead an exemplary existence for her kids.

She dove into a dairy-free, processed food free plant "exclusive" andchallenged herself to stay on track. "The challenge was difficult," she admits, but eating aplant exclusive "liveit" changed her life for good. "The weightstarted comingoff immediately," and she felt more energized with processed foods out of her system. "I felt fantastic," she recalls, and the weight dropped off, 40 pounds in the first four months.

Within the same year,Evon was doing well until she was faced with a family trauma,which sparked her to go off her healthy diet, and she found herself back at square one, fully in the thralls of food addiction all over again.Her long battle back left her depleted and feeling powerless, and depressed by the fact that she had gone back to her old ways. She was also feeling sick and had a nervous break-down landed in and out of the hospital,seemingly worse off than ever. Evon was emitted to the psychiatric unit and was diagnosed with mental illnesses, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Still, she couldn't help but remember how good she felt when she had started eating salt-free, oil-free, flour-free, alcohol-free, sugar-free, whole food plant "exclusive." She resolved to get back on track. One day, just like that, she decided to relive those moments.

Evon marked the date of her fourth attempt toeat this way as her"live-it" since she chose to live, not die. It was January 2020, but she was more committed than ever this time. She was determined to make the switch stick, not only for herself but for her children. Within the first month, she felt like a new person. " I couldn't be happier, I felt free, and the weight started quickly coming off again" she remembers."I was 174 pounds at the beginning of this year, and in less than 8 months she got down to 110 pounds."

Evon shared her vegan journey with The Beet,including hersecrets to success and motivation, and offering helpful advice for anyone struggling with food addiction. In the interview below, learn from Evon's challenges and how the power of a plant "exclusive" can help overcome life's biggest hurdles, by creating a path to "live-it!"

Evon Dennis: For my entire adult life, I struggled with overeating. I joined Over Eaters Anonymous in 2015 for the first time, and thats when I discovered my overeating was an addiction. It changed everything for me. I finally understood that my problem with overeating wasnt my fault. At the beginning of 2017, I decided to cut dairy out to heal my food addiction. I already had stopped eating meat 14 years ago and stopped eating seafood in 2015.

By 2017, I was ready to cut out dairy and become entirely plant-based. I was nervous about taking that final step, so I created a challenge for myself: I would only eat the food I made from scratch. It was a massive deal for me because as a single mom of two girls, I relied on boxed, canned, and prepared foods to feed them because I had convinced myself I didnt know how to cook. The challenge worked because it was so difficult; suddenly, cutting dairy out didnt seem so hard!

ED: During the challenge, I was continually thinking about and craving processed food, and I wanted to figure out why that was. I hated feeling like Im a prisoner of anything, person, or situation. I started researching, and I found so much information about refined food addiction. When I first stopped eating meat, my goal was to improve my health by eating more plants. I never forgot my initial plan, and once I realized that I was struggling with processed food addiction and over-eating, I was able to remember why I stopped eating meat in the first place. I had always wanted to eat plants, not just processed vegan junk food.

ED:The weight started coming off immediately, and now that I have all thesesubstances out of my system, I feel fantastic. I dropped 64 pounds in less than 8 months this year. When I first discovered this way of eating, at the beginning of 2017, I had lost 40, but then struggled to keep it off because I went through family trauma. I tried a few times between 2017 and the beginning of this year to eat this way again, but I committed myself fully to eating the way I do now at the beginning of this year. I was 174 pounds at the beginning of this year, and Im now 110 pounds.

ED: Processed food was my emotional outlet. I considered food to be my best friend and put it above anyone else. My children grew up seeing me like that, and at my worst, Id send my oldest to the store to buy more junk food. When I would have an over-eating episode, I would be ashamed to go outside because Id convince myself everyone who saw me would judge me for gaining weight. I was trying to drown out my feelings with processed foods, and I taught my children that. My children have born the brunt of my struggles of being around me at my worst, which keeps me inspired to stay well.

ED: I missed the freedom of not continually thinking about processed food. It was so painful to have to always think about food. Now, I have so much more energy and space in my brain to do incredible things: I just took my first lesson on how to fly a plane! I knew I wanted to get back to this kind of freedom.

ED: I did research on others who had successfully transitioned to asalt, oil, flour, alcohol sugar-free whole food plant exclusive.After all of my research, I felt like I had learned what I needed to fix my mind to eat this way successfully. One of the things I learned was the importance of starting my day off with leafy greens. I had seen research that showed that leafy greens were able to cut cravings, and thats exactly what I needed to happen. I knew it was vital for me to fall in love with the natural taste of whole food plants. I also made sure to stay hydrated and stop focusing so much on people-pleasing.

To make such a significant life change, I knew I had to stop caring about other peoples judgments. The other big realization I had was that I needed to change the way I labeled food. I had to stop using words I had specific associations with for food, like cheat days or falling off the wagon. When I stopped using those kinds of judgment words, I finally could succeed in overcoming my addiction: I remembered that Im just a human being and that theres no such thing as perfection.

ED: I like to call it a live-it, not a diet because Im eating for my life! I eat salt, oil, alcohol, flour, and sugar-free whole food plant exclusively. I use the word plant exclusive instead of plant-based to make sure its clear that Im just eating whole-food plants. I only eat fruit, veggies, whole grains, and legumes. Im also a spontaneous person, so when I was getting back into cooking, I did a whole lot of playing around in the kitchen, just figuring out how to all these new things. Im an excellent chef now! I found that once Id abstained from sugar, salt, flour, alcohol, and oil for a certain amount of time, my cravings essentially went away. The only food cravings I feel now are related to good memories or environments. Now, I just eat whenever my body needs fuel.

ED: All things are working for my good. I love that one because what it means to me is: Ive already been through so much, and if Ive made it this far, I can keep going. I can keep pushing for myself, for my girls, because thats what mamas do.

ED: Be comfortable with yourself. Its a journey were going to be on for the rest of our lives, so we might as well get comfortable. Make this journey your own; its not anybody else. Dont let people interfere with your journey; it doesnt have to look like anybody elses. If you learn how to listen to yourself, youll learn when something isnt serving you.

If you loved Evon's story and want to keep in touch,visit her websiteto learn more and contact her on Instagram.

Originally posted here:
This Mom Kicked Food Addiction and Lost 140 Pounds. Find Out How - The Beet

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Wild animal species like deer, antelope, gazelle, hares, birds, and riverine/marine resources are also found in small proportions in the faunal assemblages of both rural and urban Indus sites suggesting that these diverse resources had a place in the Indus diet, the study notes.

The pattern is similar at the sites in northwest India, where domestic and wild mammals, and smaller proportions of birds, reptiles, riverine fish, and molluscs were consumed.

This study is unique in that it has gotten to look at the contents of the vessels. Normally there would be access to seeds or plant remains. But through the lipid residue analysis, we can confidently ascertain that consumption of beef, goat, sheep and pig was widespread, and especially of beef, said Suryanarayan.

There is also evidence of hares and birds being eaten, although little evidence of chicken being a part of the diet, according to the study. Ledge-shouldered jars and large storage jars at Harappa have been linked to storage of liquids such as wine and oil, it says.

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Dominance of meat in the diet of people Indus Valley civilisation, says new study - National Herald

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Some people may experience constipation after diarrhea. Although it is uncommon, some medications or dietary changes may affect bowel movements and cause these drastic changes.

Some people may have underlying conditions that affect their digestive system as well.

Looking at other symptoms may help a person and their doctor identify the underlying cause. Treatment will vary based on the cause.

This article reviews some causes of constipation after diarrhea, treatments, prevention, and when to see a doctor.

It is possible to experience diarrhea after constipation, but it is not common.

This article outlines a few possible underlying causes.

A persons diet can often cause changes in bowel movements.

Some foods may irritate the intestines, though these foods will vary from person to person.

Some people may have an intolerance or allergy to certain foods. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) note that common food allergies could also lead to long-term symptoms, such as chronic diarrhea.

These common food allergens include:

The NIDDK indicate that eating these foods may cause a reaction in the digestive system, leading to symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea.

If the symptoms occur occasionally but are frequent enough to cause annoyance, try keeping a food journal to keep track of diet and bowel movements.

This may help identify trigger foods and intolerances.

Learn more about which foods can cause diarrhea here.

A stomach or intestinal infection may cause temporary changes in a persons bowel habits and movements. For example, the norovirus, which is a temporary viral infection in the stomach or intestines, may cause diarrhea.

The symptoms occur as the bowels inflame, making it harder for them to absorb water, which causes diarrhea.

Some flu symptoms, such as a high fever, may dry the body out, which could lead to a change of symptoms from constipation to diarrhea.

Look out for other telling symptoms of an infection.

Other signs of a stomach infection include:

Learn more about a 24-hour stomach bug here.

In some cases, drastic changes in bowel movements could be due to a medicine a person has taken.

According to one review, some medications may have gastrointestinal side effects similar to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

These medications include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antipsychotics, antidepressants, and metformin.

Anyone who experiences gastrointestinal changes after starting a new medication or adjusting a dosage should contact their doctor for more information.

Some of these changes may be temporary and will improve as the body gets used to a medication.

Every drug and body is different, so it is best to talk to a doctor in each case.

Learn more about the potential side effects of medications here.

Pregnancy causes various changes in the body. A persons hormonal fluctuations may affect the transit time of their bowel movements. For example, increased progesterone during pregnancy may reduce gut motility and lead to constipation in up to 38% of pregnancies.

A person can work with a doctor to find ways to ease any uncomfortable conditions or symptoms that occur during pregnancy, such as constipation and diarrhea.

Learn more about constipation during pregnancy here.

Someone who experiences constipation after diarrhea regularly may have an underlying digestive disorder, such as the following.

According to the NIDDK, IBS may cause fluctuations in the texture and consistency of bowel movements.

IBS symptoms can vary from person to person, but these changes generally occur along with other hallmark symptoms, such as:

IBS symptoms may also occur due to other triggers, such as eating something the body has a sensitivity to, high levels of stress, or changes in the gut bacteria.

The NIDDK indicate that there are several different types of IBS. Doctors categorize them according to the symptoms a person experiences, such as IBS-C for constipation or IBS-D for diarrhea.

A person may also have IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M). People with this condition may regularly experience both diarrhea and constipation.

A person with IBS-M experiences at least a quarter of their stools as hard and lumpy and at least a quarter as watery and loose.

Learn more about foods to avoid with IBS.

IBD is different from IBS. IBD refers to several conditions, including Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

These conditions can develop if the autoimmune responses are not working properly, and they do not respond to triggers correctly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IBD causes chronic inflammation in different parts of the digestive tract.

Chronic inflammation can worsen symptoms and lead to damage over time.

Symptoms of IBD may include regular and persistent diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other symptoms may include fatigue, weight loss, and rectal bleeding.

Symptoms may appear in response to certain foods or other triggers.

Learn more about the differences between IBD and IBS here.

Treatments for constipation and diarrhea will vary based on the underlying cause and severity of symptoms.

For occasional cases, the person may only need to make minor adjustments, such as consuming more liquids and adding more fiber to their diet to improve stool consistency.

When a mild stomach infection is the culprit, a doctor may recommend that a person drinks plenty of fluids, such as water, broth, and electrolyte drinks.

After the infection clears, doctors may recommend a person take probiotics to help replenish their healthful gut bacteria.

Doctors may recommend different ways to control the triggers of IBS in each case.

The NIDDK state that doctors may recommend a range of treatments, including:

Learn more about other treatment options for IBS here.

There is currently no cure for IBD. The condition requires regular treatment and checkups with a doctor. Imaging procedures, such as a colonoscopy, can help doctors examine the bowels.

According to the Crohns & Colitis Foundation, doctors may recommend a number of different drugs, depending on the persons needs. These may include anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressant drugs, and specific drugs to relieve diarrhea or constipation.

Some people with IBD may require surgery.

Learn more about Crohns disease here.

It may not be possible to prevent constipation after diarrhea in every case. A person should note any personal symptom triggers and try to eliminate them. It is also important to pay attention to overall digestive health as well as diet and lifestyle factors.

Methods for preventing constipation after diarrhea may vary based on the cause and condition.

However, these tips may help:

Learn more about foods to avoid when Crohns disease flares up.

While experiencing constipation after diarrhea is uncommon, it is not usually a cause for concern. Often, a person has a stomach bug or has eaten something their body has trouble digesting.

However, it is important to pay attention to any other symptoms that may develop. Anyone who experiences severe symptoms or symptoms that last for several days should see a doctor.

A person should also see a doctor if they experience certain symptoms, including continuous pain, bloody stools, and regular fatigue.

Lengthy bouts of constipation may lead to impacted stools that are extremely hard to pass. This may lead to complications, such as hemorrhoids or tears in the anus skin from too much strain. In some cases, the stool may become too difficult to pass at all.

If it becomes very difficult or impossible to have a bowel movement, contact a doctor.

Continuous diarrhea may dehydrate the body. Pay attention to any symptoms of dehydration, such as:

Anyone noticing the signs of dehydration after regular diarrhea should also see their doctor.

Constipation and diarrhea may not commonly occur together, but it is possible. A few different issues can cause this rapid change in bowel patterns.

Managing symptoms may sometimes be enough, such as when a temporary infection or food intolerance has caused constipation after diarrhea.

More chronic symptoms may require medical treatment, and doctors will need to diagnose and regularly treat the underlying condition, such as in people with IBS or IBD.

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Constipation after diarrhea: Causes and treatment - Medical News Today

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Chetali Sachin Patil before (left) and after Image Credit: Supplied

One of the few positive things about a pandemic is call timings when you are available and when your loved ones are line up more easily. For Chetali Sachin Patil, who has been trying for a few years to get back to her lean physique, the quick WhatsApp back and forth that began for news of illness and state of home country turned to conversations about fitness.

The 34-year-old Indian says, In March when the pandemic started, the women in my family decided now we have some time to stay home, lets focus all together to work out. So we made a group, separate WhatsApp group [with just us] and started helping each other out.

The support group came as a result of not only availability but also frustration. I was always on the slimmer side when I came to UAE, says the five-foot-one-inch expat. But once she had her baby, she stopped working for a while.

Being confined to a flat and just sitting it meant putting on weight.

This was in 2013. The doctor told me it can lead to trouble so you should get fit. But I was not having any proper guidance so I ended up buying a costly gym membership and I was going to the gym, but I wasnt guided by a proper nutritionist, she says. And so the weight kept rising.

Fast-forward to 2020, when the procurement officer had started working and working out but could not see a change in kilos. Speaking to family members, Patil realized that each member of this group brought something to the table. Some were yoga teachers, others knew a lot about nutrition, still others knew muscle specific exercises. And so the chat group was formed. We try to help and motivate each other. And this is the main thing - my family supported me its what helped me drop the weight, she explains.

Another thing she did was cut out food from outside, instead she began to experiment in her own kitchen. Even if I was making junk [food], I was making it at home. And [I was making] a healthier version. Like, they are using cream, Im using yoghurt. So I replaced those unhealthy versions with my healthy versions without compromising on the taste. So I kept exploring, she tells Gulf News.

Besides the inspiration she drew from the women fighting beside her for a fitter lifestyle, she went looking for stories of others who had achieved the seemingly elusive goal. I started seeing so many motivational videos from many people who lost weight, talking about how they lost weight. From them I learnt portion control and [to] include protein in your diet, she says.

This didnt mean changing the style of food she ate. I found what are the main sources of protein for me and how can I include it in my family style. I dont make special meals for me but I try to include one compulsory protein and salad in each ones [the entire familys] diet. That really helped me balance my macros and with my nutrition, she explains.

And she began to track her macros on a fitness app.

When COVID-19 threw a curve ball and she was unable to go to the gym, she continued her exercises at home.

At the end of seven months, Patil was down 12 kg.

Theres a mental health angle to this shedding of weight as well, she says, calling for a shift in perspective. Once I stopped thinking about weight loss, I started shedding weight. Earlier, I was focusing on weight loss weight loss, but when it doesnt happen no you get very disappointed. Now I realise [being fit] is not related to weight loss. You should have a proper healthy and balanced lifestyle.

You should love your body - if you love your body, your body will reply with positive results. I started feeling quite light and happy after I have reduced some unnecessary fat from my body. Its not about weight loss its about healthy lifestyle.

And of course, she says, When my old clothes fit, it feels amazing.

Read the original:
UAE weight-loss: 'How I lost 12kg in 7 months thanks to family' - Gulf News

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Ben & Jerry's is teaming up with former NFL quarterback and social justice activist Colin Kaepernick to deliver fans a new non-dairy ice cream flavor, set to release next year. "Change the Whirled" features caramel non-dairy ice cream with fudge chips and graham crackerand chocolate cookie swirls. The name references Kaepernick's impact on social justice movements since the QB took a knee on NFL sidelines.

Currently, Kaepernick is focused on his organization Know Your Rights Camp, whichoutlines its mission "to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders."

One hundred percent of the proceeds of this flavor will be going to Know Your Rights Camp and Change the Whirled is set to hit freezer shelves in supermarkets in early 2021. It makes sense that this new flavor is non-dairy since Kaepernick himself follows a plant-based diet and regularly advocates for it.

"Were proud to be working with a dedicated activist like Colin Kaepernick, whose work helped spark the international conversation around racial justice. Follow the graham cracker and chocolate cookie swirls as you dig into this cara-melt-in-your-mouth vegan dessert masterpiece and consider how you, too, can help change the whirled. We are so inspired by Colin Kaepernicks bold activism for racial justice that we did what we do best: We whipped up a euphoric flavor to honor his work." said the Vermont-based ice cream giant in a statement today.

This summer, Kaepernick teamed up with Impossible Foods to pass out vegan food to those in need in the San Francisco area, as well as donated over 4,500 of the plant-based Impossible burgers to a Los Angeles food bank.

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Ben & Jerry's and Colin Kaepernick Team Up for Vegan Ice Cream - The Beet

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ByMichael Ormsbee, PhD,Florida State UniversityEdited by Kate Findley and proofread byAngelaShoemaker, The Great Courses DailyWhen reducing calorie intake to achieve weight loss, its important not to be too extreme in the number of reduced calories or muscle mass will be lost. Photo By Isarat / ShutterstockWhat Is the Energy Balance Equation?

You can manage your weight with the energy balance equation. This equation consists of three conditions: energy balance (the calories you take in match the calories that you expend or burn), positive energy balance (you eat more calories than expended), and negative energy balance (where more energy is expended than you take in).

Theoretically, if you are in energy balance, you will not lose or gain any weight. In a positive energy balance, you will gain weight, while in a negative energy balance, you will lose weight.

Either way, whether positive or negative energy balance, numerous changes occur to your bodycellularly, metabolically, and hormonallyto facilitate weight gain or loss. As an example, lets consider extreme weight loss where morbidly obese people are placed on medically supervised diets as an alternative to gastric bypass surgery. Morbidly obese is defined as a body mass index (weight to height ratio) above 40, or having over 100 excess pounds (lbs) of fat. In this example, a female who is five feet tall might weigh 205 lbs or more.

When put on very low-calorie, medically monitored diets of 800 calories per daywhich believe it or not is the common medical treatment at bariatric centers in the United Statesthe individuals lost a massive amount of weight. On average, about 40 lbs or more is lost in an approximate 12-week treatment period.

Here is the problem, though. That weight loss is not only coming from fat. In this example, the 40-lb weight loss is usually about 75% fat and about 25% muscle.

That 25% loss of muscle mass is not desirable; and for this reason, new research, including my own, seeks ways to modify these medically supervised, very low-calorie diets to get the most weight loss from fat while keeping as much muscle as possible, Professor Ormsbee said.

Keep in mind that an 800-calorie diet is only recommended under medical supervision. For the average person, Professor Ormsbee suggests dietary strategies to improve weight loss without sacrificing muscle.

This includes regular exercise and some specific dietary habits, such as increasing protein intake. Regardless, when it comes to energy balance, we should pay attention to how many calories we eat and drink to begin losing or gaining weight, and the patterns may surprise you.

Lets start with a simple question: How many calories do you need to cut from your diet to lose weight? Taking it one step farther, how many calories will it take to lose just one pound?

For years, textbooks and experts have asserted that one pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Thus, if you aim to lose one pound of fat per week by modifying your diet alone and not considering exercise, then you would eat 500 less calories per day for one week. Thats pretty easy to wrap your mind around; just skip a daily dessert or an extra serving at dinner.

You might start thinking that if you eat 500 calories less per day and lose one pound per week, you could up this to a reduction of 1,000 calories per day and lose two to three lbs per week. However, the more is better mantra does not always suit us well with diet and exercise.

Recall the example about weight loss coming from both fat and muscle. It turns out that if your energy deficit is over about 1,000 calories per day, it is generally not well tolerated. This is due to many factors, but primarily when you drop your calories by too much, you will also lose musclewhich you do not want.

Too great a calorie deficit also runs a greater risk of missing out on key nutrients, like your vitamins and minerals, and you would likely see your energy levels drop and your fatigue increase. Not to mention, youll probably feel hungry.

One myth that has arisen from this 3,500-calorie rule is that weight will simply continue to drop at the same rate, otherwise known as the linear model of weight loss. In an article in the International Journal of Obesity, the authors studied the accuracy of the 3,500-calorie rule. As it turns out, the rule actually overestimates weight loss, meaning that 3,500 calories may translate to less than one pound lost.

Thus, an update was made. The new model for weight loss, called the thermodynamic model or simply the dynamic model of weight loss, takes into consideration your baseline body composition, age, height, sex, and degree of calorie restriction.This model results in a curvilinear pattern of weight loss over time rather than the traditional linear model of weight loss, and is much more accurate in actual trends for weight loss.

Michael Ormsbee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences and Interim Director of the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine in the College of Human Sciences at Florida State University. He received his MS in Exercise Physiology from South Dakota State University and his PhD in Bioenergetics from East Carolina University.

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Youprobably have a chunkof ginger root sitting in the bottom of a drawer in your fridge,ready to be shaved into action. Add it to hot water to drink as a natural elixir, or use it to addsome kicky flavor to stir-fries or smoothies. But there are so many more reasons to bring ginger into your daily diet, and they range from quelling an upset stomach to helping fight off infections, chronic disease, and even sneaky cancer cells growing somewhere in your body.

The strong, bitter taste and strange-lookingroot is a rare all-in-one natural remedy that is easy to buy, cheap to acquire, and may just have super-powers against every type of infection if the studies are to be believed. Scientists have written extensively on the miracle root's properties, used as a "nutraceutical" or food as medicine, for centuries the world over.

Gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger, isa powerful antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-cancer properties and helps to help protect your body frominfections and lower inflammation that is the marker of chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis. In addition, gingerol promotes longevity because it's known to fight cellular stress that causes aging.

Without overwhelming you with the scientific evidence, we looked at the sevenscientifically provenhealth benefits of ginger, and cite the studies that show the powerful properties it possesses. In addition, below are 5 of our favorite plant-based recipes that call for ginger, so you can enjoy the incredible health benefitspacked into every bite. Or,boil 4 cups ofwater and grate half of a teaspoon of gingerand let it steep for 10 minutesand sip your ginger tea throughout the day.

One major study finds that"Ginger contains many phenolic compounds such as gingerol, shogaol, and paradol that exhibit antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties"which means it can fight everything from tumor cells to inflammation, which is often at the root of other chronic diseases. The health benefits of ginger are so powerful that when you inhale the strong, bitter aroma of the gingerol in your tea, you should associateit with healing.

Ginger is used as a natural remedy to help alleviate pain andstrengthen your immune system to help fight illnesses, ranging from infections to digestive disorders. If you're experiencing inflammation, which can show up as digestive stress, bloating or aches and pains inany area of the body, try adding ginger to your dailymorning drink.

6-Gingerol, the active component of ginger, has the ability to lower inflammationin the body according to one majorstudy. Gingerolis also usedfor medical purposes against symptoms of nausea, arthritis, and pain.

Inflammation in the body is often triggered by an infection but doctors will tell you that when chronic inflammation sets in that can accelerate the aging process and lead to a cascade of unhealthy events in the body including weight gain, high blood pressure and more. So taking ginger will help alleviate inflammation, which is turn will allow your cells to become healthier.

For foods that fight inflammation see this story. On the flip side, red meat, dairy and animal protein are known to promote inflammation, so a diet of whole plant-based foods will help fight inflammation, lower risk of disease and prevent infection.

Ginger has been used as an herbal medicine for decades, in particular, to fight oral and respiratory infections such as gum disease and viral infections like colds and flu.

The "gingerol compounds contain antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties,as well as several pharmaceutical properties," according to astudythat looked at the power of fresh ginger.

Sipping fresh ginger tea is effectiveforprotecting against gumbacteria likegingivitis and periodontitis, according to the study. These oral bacterias can causeperiodontal disease, an infection of thegums.

Another study found that fresh ginger has anti-viral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory infection that can be serious among old people and babies. In a time of COVID-19, respiratory health is especially important and "fresh, but not dried, ginger is effective" againstthe type ofplague that canblock lung function.

Gingerol may promote weight loss by reducing inflammation and lowering lipid accumulation in the body, according to studies that show ginger may be a natural weight-loss supplement.

In onestudy, obese rats were treatedwith gingerol for 30 days, and fed a high-fat diet. Research showed "significantly decreasedglucose levels," as well as body weight, leptin and insulin, two hormones that help regulate fat storage in the body. Essentially the rats on ginger had much healthier response to the food they ate than those not given the ginger.

In anotherstudy,473 overweight subjects were placed in randomized controlled groups and half consumed ginger supplements to see what the effect of ginger would be on weight loss. "Ginger intake reduced body weight, waist-to-hip ratio ... fasting glucose and insulin resistance" and helped to boost HDL "or good"cholesterol, according to the findings.

Another studylooked at the effects of taking dietary supplements for green tea, capsaicin and ginger extracts especially what impact these three supplements would have on weight loss. After 8 weeks on the supplements, 50 overweight women"had beneficial effects on weight, BMI, markers of insulin, metabolism." So while ginger was part of the study, it appears to be beneficial both on its own and taken together with green tea and capsaicin(found in chili peppers).

Gingerol has been shown tohelp reduce oxidative stress, which causes aging on a cellular level. Antioxidants fight the damagingresults of free radicals in the body, according to a study.If you're feeling overwhelmed, try sipping hot water with lemon and ginger to help releasethe antioxidants into your system and start to combat all that cellular stress and reduce inflammation.

One studyfound that the compound gingerolpromotes longevity and could extend lifespan. The studyfound "lifespan extending" properties of ginger," mostly by fighting off diseases and slowing the aging process itself.

Yet another study suggests that gingerol " has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties for controlling the process of aging" by fighting a variety of diseases, including cancer. The study states: "The anticancer potential of ginger is well documented and its functional ingredients like gingerols, shogaol, and paradols are the valuable ingredients which can prevent various cancers."

Ginger may reduce "tumorigenic risk factors," according to several studies. In addition, ginger supplements may help alleviate the side-effects of chemotherapysuch asnausea, cramps or pain,according to a study.For best use,studies recommend takinga supplement but always consult your doctor before deciding this or any course of treatment for cancer or side effects.

"The active compound of ginger has proven its role in cancer management" according to yet anotherstudy,through its tumor suppressor genes, and its ability tocut offbloodsupply to tumors which in turn diminishes their ability to grow."

The powerhouse compound in ginger, gingerol, contains "anti-tumorigenic activities," and may be effective in controlling the ability of certain cancers to grow: Colorectal, gastric, ovarian, liver, skin, breast, and prostate cancers, according to anotherstudy.

While you should always follow your doctor's advice for treatment, adding ginger to your smoothie or sipping it in a juice may help alleviate inflammation and add natural strength to other therapies you are taking.

Ginger is an anti-inflammatorythat helps to reduce pain related to arthritis. If you're experiencing joint pain, back pain, or have osteoarthritis, ginger may be a natural way to reduce swelling which will take pressure off the nerves and lower your pain. calm the nerves.

One study assessed the clinical efficacy and safety of oral ginger for treatments of osteoarthritis. The participants who consumed ginger found "a statistically significant pain reduction," compared with those who didn't get the ginger supplement.

In another study, an herbal formulation that included ginger, turmeric, and black pepper was measured for effectiveness versusNaproxen, an anti-inflammatory drug sold as Aleve . Sixty patients with knee osteoarthritis were studied. Individuals were randomly assigned to receive daily turmeric extract, ginger, and black pepper together or Naproxen capsule for 4 weeks. The findings discoveredthat both groups significantly reduced knee pain, however, there were nosignificant differences between groups, meaning that ginger, turmeric and black pepper did just as well to reduce swelling and pain as the over-the-counter pain killer.

Ginger supplements have been shown to reduce the level of fasting blood sugars, whiich has implications for weight loss and diabetes or pre-diabetes. Inastudy, 41 subjects with type 2 diabetes were assigned to take ginger or placebo for 12 weeks. Results found that"ginger supplementation significantly reduced the levels of fasting blood sugar and A1c, which is a significant measure of how well insulin is working to helpregular blood sugar and keep your body healthy."It seems that oral administration of ginger powder supplement can improve fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c... in type 2 diabetic patients," the study found.

1.Spiced Oats Bowl With Apples and Ginger

Why We Love It:Porridge is ahealthy and quick option for breakfast. Oats are nourishing, and when you mix it with fruit, plant-based milk, and spicesthis is a breakfast bowl with protein, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.

2.Vegetable Ginger Potstickers with Shiitake Napa Cabbage & Carrots

Why we love it:Potstickers are an easy and fun recipe to make, you can use almost any time of vegetable for this dish. This recipe, in particular, is full of flavor and has an Asian twist that tastes incredible. The dumpling wrap is small and thin, so this recipe is extremely low in calories and sugar.

3.Spicy Sesame Ginger Tofu

Why we love it: Thisdish is its high in protein, super filling, and you can make it in advance! If you aren't a fan of tofu you can use tempeh, chickpeas, ormeatlesschicken strips.A lot of the flavor of this dish will come from the Spicy Sesame Ginger sauce, which is as simple to make as combining everything in one bowl and mixing.

4.Citrus Juice Blend Packed with Vitamin C

Why we love it:Thisimmunity-boostingjuice is quick and easy to make, requires just 10 minutes, a cutting board, and a blender. Don't let your produce go bad, you can store this mix in your fridge for up to 3 days and re-blend it forthe next time you need to feel refreshed and energized.

5.Vegan Chana Masala

Why we love it:Chana Masalais a classic Indian dish that just so happens to be vegan! Youll see a lot of curries usuallycontain coconut milk, which gives the curry a creamy texture. However, chana masala doesnt use any coconut milk, which gives the dish more of a stew-like consistency. If you are trying to cut down on fat but still want to enjoy a nice curry, this recipe is perfect for you.

AtThe Beet, we're alwaysuncovering plant-based foods that have health benefits and are emerging foods to supporta healthy heart, strong immune system, due to their high levels of essential vitamins, and nutrients.

Drinking hot water with lemon in the morning is beneficial for digestive health and immunity, and even helps spark weight loss. New research shows that this habit can help flush out the digestive system, jumpstart metabolism, and give your body a dose of immunity-boosting vitamin C first thing in the morning.

Previously, wespotlightedsoursop, a tropical fruit that helps people get bettersleep, lower inflammation, fight infection andhas thepotential toone day treat cancer cells, according to emerging studies.

Sea buckthorn, a berry native to central Asia and Europe that boosts immunity, clears skin, and fights cancer according to serval studies.If you have a food that you're curious to know more about, contact us and we will break down the health benefits.

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Losing weight in a sustainable way means making lifestyle changes that you can stick to. Dramatic diet restrictions and changes to your exercise routine do not work for long, and usually leave you feeling even worse.

Instead, try incorporating simple lifestyle changes into your routine that you will actually be able to do on a regular basis.Here are 4 ways to get started:

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When it comes to weight loss, you might have heard that you should be skipping breakfast, but that couldn't be further from the truth. For tangible and sustainable weight loss, it's crucial that you start your day with a high-protein breakfast that will keep you full.

A good breakfast can help jumpstart your metabolism first thing in the morning and can keep your appetite satisfied until it's time to eat again.

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It might be hard to believe, but your sleep routine can have an impact on your weight.

According to Psychology Today, "When you sleep less than 6 hours a night, your body produces a 'hunger hormone' ghrelin, which stimulates your appetite and causes you to crave carbohydrate-rich and fatty foods...When you get enough sleep, your body produces a satiety hormone, leptin, which naturally curbs your appetite."

With that in mind, if you are hoping to lose weight, it's a good idea to start thinking about your sleep schedule and make the necessary adjustments.

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Getting in your steps everyday is a great way to keep your body moving, even if you are working on the computer all day. Taking breaks to go for a walk outside, pacing while on the phone, and staying active are all important aspects to breaking up a more sedentary lifestyle.

Plus, walking can help regulate your blood sugar. Dr. Robert Zembroski, DC, DACNB, MS tells Bustle, "Data out of Diabetes Care revealed that a 15 minute walk after eating a meal significantly improves blood sugar."

It can also help improve digestion and help keep your cardiovascular system running properly.

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Finding an accountability partner--whether at home or online--can be a huge component to successful weight loss.

First, decide what you want to be held accountable for: weekly workouts? cutting junk food? eating more whole foods? drinking the right amount of water? Then, find someone you trust who will help hold you to that; it's even better if have things they want you to be held accountable for too.

This can help you stay on track, but it can also help you make your goals more reasonable when you know someone will be supporting you through them.

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