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A study has found that middle-aged monkeys fed a plant-based Mediterranean diet were more resilient to stress than those fed a Western diet containing a lot of animal protein, saturated fat, salt, and sugar.

According to a survey by the polling organization Gallup in 2019, people living in the United States reported some of the highest levels of psychological stress in the world.

Chronic stress not only increases a persons risk of depression and anxiety but also their chances of developing diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and Alzheimers.

Reducing stress is not easy at the best of times, however, and it is even more difficult in the face of circumstances such as political turmoil and an ongoing pandemic.

The idea that simply changing our diets could improve how our bodies cope with stress may seem far-fetched. But observational studies have found that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables or, specifically, follow a Mediterranean diet, report less stress.

Conversely, researchers have discovered associations between high sugar and saturated fat intake and high blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The trouble with such studies is that they do not prove a causal relationship between the diet and stress. Other factors that might influence peoples diets, such as where they live, their level of education, or their socioeconomic status, are equally likely to determine how much stress they experience daily.

Controlling for all these variables in a longitudinal study involving people is all but impossible.

Instead, researchers at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, NC, compared the long-term effects of a typical Western diet with those of a Mediterranean diet on stress resilience in macaques under controlled experimental conditions.

Unfortunately, Americans consume a diet rich in animal protein and saturated fat, salt, and sugar, so we wanted to find out if that diet worsened the bodys response to stress, compared to a Mediterranean diet, in which much of the protein and fat come from plant sources, says Carol A. Shively, a professor of pathology and comparative medicine at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and the studys principal investigator.

Prof. Shively and colleagues found that monkeys fed a Mediterranean diet were more resilient to the effects of stress and were slower to develop age-related increases in stress sensitivity.

Their study has been published in the journal Neurobiology of Stress.

The researchers compared the effects of two diets on 38 middle-aged female macaques over a period of 31 months, which is roughly equivalent to 9 human years.

They formulated their experimental Western diet to be similar to that consumed by middle-aged American women. It contained protein and fat mainly from animal sources, and it was high in salt and saturated fats and low in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.

The Mediterranean diet contained protein and fats derived mainly from plants, some lean protein from fish and dairy, and a high monounsaturated fat content, which came principally from extra virgin olive oil. The diet incorporated more complex carbohydrates and fiber and less salt and refined sugars than the Western diet.

The scientists report that the Mediterranean diets ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was similar to a traditional hunter-gatherer-type diet.

Both of the studys diets had equivalent contents in terms of calories and cholesterol.

In the course of the experiment, the animals eating the Western diet ate more, accumulated more fat tissue, and had a different profile of gut bacteria, compared with those who received the Mediterranean diet. They also developed greater insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.

To determine the interaction between diet and the effects of chronic stress, the researchers took advantage of the stable social hierarchy that groups of female macaques naturally establish.

They explain that the monkeys with a subordinate status in the group are more likely to be a target of aggression and less likely to be groomed, and they spend more time fearfully scanning the group.

The scientists created brief, acute stress by isolating individuals from the rest of the group for 30 minutes at a time.

The macaques on the Mediterranean diet were more physiologically resilient to these stress challenges. Activity in the sympathetic nervous system, which enacts the fight or flight response, was lower compared with that of the animals on the Western diet.

In response to acute stress, their heart rate recovered more rapidly and they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol.

This suggests a stronger response from their parasympathetic nervous system, which enacts a relaxation response to restore the body to a restful state after a stressful experience.

Cortisol responses and activity in the sympathetic nervous system increase as an animal ages, but in the animals that ate the Mediterranean diet, these changes were delayed, compared with those on the Western diet.

Our study showed that the Mediterranean diet shifted the balance toward the parasympathetic nervous system, which is good for health, says Prof. Shively. By contrast, the Western diet increased the sympathetic response to stress, which is like having the panic button on all the time and that isnt healthy.

The studys authors conclude:

Based on the findings reported here, the Mediterranean diet pattern may serve as a dietary strategy to reduce the deleterious effects of stress on health without the side effects of medications typically prescribed to manage stress responsivity, and [adopting it] may have a significant public health impact.

It is worth noting, however, that the effects of different diets on stress in monkeys may not closely reflect their effects in humans.

The researchers also acknowledge that the Mediterranean diet that they created for this experiment had not previously been tested in nonhuman primates. In addition, they say, future investigations need to determine the effects of the diet on stress responses in males.

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Eating a Mediterranean diet may reduce the effects of stress - Medical News Today

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The harsh weather during winters can take a toll on the skin. If you want your skin to be problem-free all throughout, then you need to make extra efforts during winters. Instead of just swapping your skincare products, also add healthy foods in your diet! Here's a look at five foods you need to add in your winter diet for healthy and glowing skin:1. AvocadoNot only are avocados good for your overall health, but they are also exceptionally good for your skin. Packed with Vitamin E and healthy oils, avocadoes nourish the skin from the cellular level. Loaded with antioxidants, they can protect your skin from oxidative damage.

2. AlmondsAlmonds are an Indian superfood, which one can easily add to the daily diet. They are full of natural elements that hydrate the skin and prevent it from getting dry. Almonds keep your nails, skin, and even hair healthy. Rich in vitamins, they can help to fight early signs of ageing and moisturise the skin.

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Add these winter foods in your diet for healthy and glowing skin - Times of India

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All foods of plant origin contain some amount of natural sugars.

Highlights

Every health advisory speaks of how we need to reduce sugar consumption in our daily meals to protect ourselves against non-communicable diseases like CVD, Diabetes and Strokes. On the other hand, we are advised to take lots of fruits and vegetables, which also contain sugar; so what is the difference that makes one source a health hazard and another a health benefit? Let's find out!

But before that let me explain a few points:

- Carbohydrates are the major and the most efficient source of energy for our body.

- Carbohydrates are classified as Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and polysaccharides, depending on the number of sugar molecules.

- Monosaccharides include Fructose and Glucose. These are the basic units from which all other complex carbohydrates are made. Di saccharides are two monosaccharides combined and polysaccharides are multiple molecules of monosaccharides combined.

- Table sugar and the sugar most used in processed foods is Sucrose, a di saccharide made up of Fructose and Glucose. Sucrose is metabolised through similar processes in our body irrespective of its source.

- All foods of plant origin contain some amount of natural sugars.

- The total carbohydrates in a fruits rage from 1-20g/100 g edible portion and in vegetables rage from 1-25g/ 100gm edible portion approximately. These include simple sugars, starch and fibre.

There isn't any difference between the natural sugars and the one that is added externally (chemically). The main difference is that sugars from whole fruits and vegetables come packaged with lots of health-boosting nutrients. They are released slowly in the blood preventing a sugar rush.

Commercially available sugars like rice sugar, beet sugar, agave nectar all come from plants. These are extracted, concentrated before being used commercially. This means a higher more refined version of the same sugars that are absorbed very soon and as the quantity added is larger than a normal serving. High amounts of sugar in the blood means more insulin, and we know that constant high insulin in the blood causes serious damage and oxidative stress.

(Also Read:Diabetes? Here's The Ultimate Low-Sugar Fruit Salad You Need This Season)

The two sugars present in fruits include Fructose and Glucose.

All fruits contain simple sugars. The two sugars present in fruits include Fructose and Glucose. These may be in different ratios in various fruits; approximately they are present in 1:1 ratio. Glucose raises blood sugar directly while fructose is metabolised through the liver. While consuming a whole fruit the body, in addition to some amount of sugar, gets a huge dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients. All of these are essential for healthy living and for protection against infections and NCDs. And hence, while refined sugars are just empty calories, fruit sugars come with nutrients and are hence a healthier choice to make. Meaning, if you are a diabetic, it is safe for you to consume fruits, but in moderation.

(Also Read:6 Winter Vegetables That May Help Manage Diabetes Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic)

Vegetables also contain simple sugars Fructose, Glucose and Sucrose (also known as table sugar). The quantity of sugars in the vegetable is negligible. Most vegetables contain little or no sugar and are loaded with health-giving vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Vegetables are, for this reason, very low in total calories and high on nutrition. It is recommended that everyone gets at least 3 servings a day. Roots and tubers also counted as vegetables have a higher amount of sugar in them.

Beetroot, yam, tapioca, potato and sweet potato have higher sugars and are restricted while calorie counting.

Bottom line: Eat 5 servings of whole seasonal fruits and vegetables daily. Choose fruit to satiate your sugar cravings. Read labels on processed foods to see the hidden sugars like agave syrup, coconut sugar, sweet beet syrup. Maple syrup, golden syrup, Molasses, maltodextrin among others.

Eat fresh, eat nutrient-rich foods and stay healthy!

Promoted

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

About Rupali DattaRupali Datta is a Clinical Nutritionist and has worked in leading corporate hospitals. She has created and lead teams of professionals to deliver clinical solutions for patients across all medical specialties including critical care. She is a member of the Indian Dietetic Association and Indian Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Original post:
Diabetes Diet: Fruits And Vegetable Sugars: How Are They Different From Regular Sugar? Expert Reveals - NDTV Food

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The Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of diabetes by 30% in women who are overweight or obese, according to a new analysis of the Womens Health Study.

Investigators collected health data from healthcare professionals over 25 years starting in 1993. Food frequency questionnaires and blood samples showed that participants who consumed more foods from the Mediterrenean diet early in the study had a 30% lower rate of type 2 diabetes than women who did not, said investigators from Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston.

But this effect was seen only among women with a body mass index greater than 25, a threshold indicating that someone is clinically overweight or obese. It was not seen in participants whose BMI was clinically normal or underweight, reported Samia Mora, M.D., and colleagues.

The results of blood sample analyses further suggest that the diet reduced diabetes risk in participants by improving insulin resistance, lipoprotein metabolism and inflammation.

The results show that the protective effects of diet can occur over many years, the researchers said.

[I]ts important to note that many of these changes dont happen right away. While metabolism can change over a short period of time, our study indicates that there are longer-term changes happening that may provide protection over decades, the authors said.

The Mediterreanean diet is high in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Although much evidence already demonstrates that the diet reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other adverse health outcomes, the current study was unique in length; many previous studies that have looked only at the diets short-term effects, the authors noted.

Full findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

More here:
MedDiet cuts diabetes risk by a third in 25-year Women's Health Study - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News

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So youve been diagnosed with diverticulitis, a form of diverticular disease. Eating and avoiding certain foods can help you manage and prevent symptoms but theres a lot of misinformation out there.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy

The best diet for diverticular disease depends on whether youre having a flare-up, says registered dietitian Anna Taylor, MS, RDN, LD.

Here, she clears up the confusion about how to manage diverticular disease with diet.

Diverticular disease means you have polyps (small growths) called diverticula in your gut. These polyps can exist without causing any symptoms and without you even knowing theyre there. This is called diverticulosis.

If the polyps become inflamed or infected, they can cause symptoms such as abdominal cramping, pain or tenderness in the area, swelling, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. This is called diverticulitis.

Constipation often contributes to the development of diverticula. People develop polyps due to years of excessive muscular contractions as the body attempts to move small, hard stools, explains Taylor. A high-fiber diet helps fight constipation by softening stool, which then moves through the GI tract more comfortably and easily. Theres also less pressure against the polyps, which prevents diverticulitis flare-ups.

To eat a diet rich in fiber (doctors recommend 25 to 35 grams per day), choose minimally processed plant foods such as:

Years ago, doctors thought that eating corn, popcorn, nuts and seeds could inflame the polyps and cause diverticulitis, but theres no research to support that. Its safe to eat these types of foods, including tomatoes and strawberries with seeds, Taylor notes. All that normal roughage and fiber is fine.

To get the most out of a high-fiber diet, Taylor also recommends:

Diverticular disease may be common in Western societies because our diets are so low in fiber, Taylor says. Americans, on average, eat around 14 grams each day about half of whats recommended.

On the flip side, when you have diverticulitis, the polyps are upset, inflamed and maybe even infected. We want to reduce traffic in your GI tract so that nothing else irritates them, says Taylor. Decreasing the fiber in your diet helps with that.

During a diverticulitis flare-up, your doctor may recommend rest, antibiotics and either a clear liquid or low-fiber diet.

If a diverticulitis flare-up is severe or requires surgery, your doctor may recommend a clear liquid diet. After a day or two, you progress from clear liquids to a low-fiber diet, says Taylor. Even if your pain does not subside, you still move toward regular food. You cant be on a liquid diet long-term because you can become malnourished.

On a clear liquid diet, you can eat:

For milder cases of diverticulitis, eat a low-fiber, or GI soft, diet. A low-fiber diet limits fiber intake to between 8 and 12 grams of fiber, depending on the severity of the flare-up.

Good low-fiber food options include:

Foods to avoid with diverticulitis include high-fiber options such as:

Follow the low-fiber diet until diverticulitis symptoms subside. Usually they start to improve after several days of being on antibiotics, Taylor says.

If they do, your doctor will have you gradually increase your fiber intake over several days to weeks to avoid constipation and bloating. The goal is getting back to a high-fiber diet to decrease your risk for future bouts of diverticulitis, Taylor adds. But if youre not feeling better within a few days, talk to your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about a long-term plan, too. And if youve recently been diagnosed with diverticular disease, meet with a dietitian to learn practical and sustainable ways to get more fiber into your diet. Dietitians can also give you more specific recommendations to feel better during a diverticulitis flare-up, Taylor says.

See original here:
What Foods Should You Eat and Avoid on a Diverticulitis Diet? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

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High-protein total replacement diet helps burn fat: Here's how you can switch to it for effective weight loss  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Obesity has now become a global epidemic, with millions of people all around the world who have an unhealthy body mass index. A recent report also found that with current diet trends, more than 4 billion people are likely to be overweight by 2050. obesity or being overweight is more than just vanity. Being obese is a risk factor for many diseases, physical and mental. Obesity has proven to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, kidney troubles, depression, anxiety, and even COVID-19. Therefore, watching what you eat becomes just more vital.

While a healthy diet and regular exercise, accompanied by quitting unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking can help manage weight to a great extent, if you have to shed many kilos to get to the right BMI, you may need to undertake certain specific diets. One such diet is called the total meal replacement.

Many would agree that one way to lose weight is to stop eating how you normally do and incorporate changes in your diet and routine in order to get desired results. Total diet replacements do just that. They take a person's normal diet menu and substitute it with options that follow a careful formula. This helps in ensuring that people lose weight, but at the same time, receive the right nutrition.

Apart from total diet replacements, researchers also noted that high-protein diets show a lot of promise in reducing weight, and improving muscle strength. Therefore, researchers from the University of Alberta set out to combine the two approaches and see if they are effective in weight loss.

Considering the prevalence of obesity worldwide and its impact on health, its not surprising nutritional strategies such as total diet replacements and high-protein diets are becoming increasingly popular as weight management strategies; however, research around these topics has not kept pace with their growth in popularity, explains lead author and doctoral student Camila Oliveira in a media release.

For the study, researchers examined a group of 43 healthy-weight individuals, separated into 2 groups. One group switched to a high-protein total replacement diet. The high-protein replacement provided the participants with a balance of 35 per cent carbohydrates, 40 per cent protein, and 25 per cent fat. The control group ate a diet typically seen in North America, containing 55 per cent carbohydrates, 30 per cent fat, and just 15 per cent protein. Despite the differences, each volunteer consumed the same number of calories throughout the study. After spending 32 hours in a metabolic chamber, the results reveal high-protein replacement diets create higher energy expenditure, increased fat oxidation, and negative fat balance. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Continued here:
High-protein total replacement diet helps burn fat: Here's how you can switch to it for effective weight loss - Times Now

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The Dietary Requirements team drag Lucy and Matt out of the office and into the studio to discuss some of The Spinoffs most controversial food topics from the past week.

Exciting news Dietary Requirements is moving from monthly to fortnightly episodes! Well still have a special guest from the food world once a month, while the other episode will usually involve roping in some friends from the office for a food yarn. This is one of the latter. With regular co-host Sophie Gilmour away, Simon Day and Alice Neville have grabbed office manager MVP Lucy Reymer and partnerships manager Matt McAuley to discuss some of the topics dividing the office this week.

Why are New Zealand fridges suddenly heaving with seltzers? What even is seltzer? Is the new Whittakers x Supreme flat white chocolate good or bad or both? What about fennel? Is a layer of butter necessary on peanut butter toast? And how did Simon manage to revive a Nandos burger that had been in the office fridge all weekend for his lunch on Monday? All this and more on this fortnights Dietary Requirements.

ALSO: Were very pleased to announce that the winner of Monique Fisos glorious Hiakai cookbook is Hannah Neville for her delicious dish of marinated and seared kingfish with crispy zucchini chips and homegrown mesclun with avo and feta, sent from the paradise of Aotea/Great Barrier Island. (Shes no relation to food editor Alice Neville, we swear!)

If you missed our krero with Monique earlier in the month, check it out here.

Subscribe viaApple Podcasts,Spotifyor your favourite podcast provider. Please share Dietary Requirements with your friends and get in touch if you have any questions or requests: aliceneville@thespinoff.co.nz

The Bulletin is The Spinoffs acclaimed daily digest of New Zealands most important stories, delivered directly to your inbox each morning.

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Dietary Requirements: What is seltzer and why is it suddenly everywhere? - The Spinoff

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On a mission! From Not to Hot reality star June Shannon, better known as Mama June, reveals the diet and fitness changes she is implementing into her daily lifestyle to lose 70 pounds in an exclusive interview with In Touch.

Im doing gluten-free and dairy-free as much as possible, the mother of four, 41, shares about her switch-ups. For me, everybody says cut out bread and pasta. Im not a really big bread or pasta person anyway, so thats not a big issue for me.

Outside of that, thats pretty much all that I do. I mean, I barely eat anyways. I was surprised when I actually gained that much weight, June adds.

The Sunshine State resident reveals she faced a setback in her weight loss journey amid the coronavirus quarantine. June admits it was difficult to stay on her grind while focusing on her health and well-being after a stint in rehab with boyfriend Geno Doak for struggles with addiction. In recent weeks, she started exercising outdoors again when possible.

Honestly, because were in South Florida, theyre starting to shut stuff down and theyve been restrictive, she tells In Touch. It just pretty much is being able to walk on the beach or kind of just do my own thing because it is hard, the TV personality explains. Theyre [stricter] down here, especially with the [coronavirus] numbers starting to go up again.

June even opens up about her meal plan and what she likes to eat on a regular basis. I love breakfast, but Im not a big breakfast eater. I dont normally get up [until around] 12 oclock, the Georgia native says. Ill just boil like a bunch of eggs and only eat a boiled egg and then those P3 protein packs, [Geno and I] love. So, Im more of a snacker instead of a full-meal kind of person.

After completing rehab, June and Geno, 45, celebrated moving into a new condo in Fort Pierce, Florida. They also both touched up their appearances together. The Toddlers and Tiaras alum opted to get chin and neck liposuction as well as a new set of veneers. Geno got new veneers of his own and underwent gastric sleeve surgery in addition to getting a lipoma removed from his neck and head.

It looks like 2021 will be an even more transformative year for June and Geno.

Link:
Exclusive: Mama June Reveals Diet and Fitness Changes to Shed 70 Pounds - inTouch Weekly

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Want to lose belly fat for Black Friday? There are some things you need to know. Directly targeting belly fat is largely impossible, but losing belly fat can be useful for your health. Plus you will look better. Perhaps that's a shallow way of looking at it, but there we are. These are our best tips on how to to lose belly fat as rapidly as is healthy. With the figure apocalypse that is the holiday season approaching, keep these tips in mind.

Important note here, everyone: Belly fat these days is often referred to as visceral fat because that sounds scarier. If you really need to shed visceral fat because it's endangering your life, that is an area where you should probably be seeking medical advice, if that is at all possible. But while this guide is more about slimming down a bit, or avoiding ballooning during lockdown, belly fat loss also has an element of visceral fat loss.

Our lose belly fat tips aren't necessarily quick, and this is not about telling you how to get six pack abs although we have plenty of guides to that, too. No, this is just a 'six pack' do you see what we did, there? of tips to getting a healthier life and feeling comfortable with the girth of your mid-riff. We're not looking to fat shame anyone here or totally bro out, we're just offering advice.

We've got some great tips, a few cheeky shortcuts and key strategies to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you'll stay trim for good.Weve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear youll need to get started although, of course, the most important 'gear' is the bit between your ears.

There's no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won't last: it's as simple as that. In this article we lay out six principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you're a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas.

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, even during a lockdown situation. Dont try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don't fixate on 'belly fat'. It's important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are six strategies to help you start losing weight.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a "calorie deficit".

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there's a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure youre eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you're burning off.

Certain foods are "empty calories" while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer. This is a big danger, especially while you're at home, with all your food within easy reach.

But before that, you'll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the Fitbit Versa 2 is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below.

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well

Fitbit Versa 2 | now 199 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa 2 is getting regular price cuts in 2020. The Versa 2 features advanced cardio tracking as well as the usual steps and sleep stuff, and has Alexa built in. It's also unusually stylish for a Fitbit, and via its excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem, you can use it as the basis of a complete fitness and diet programme. You can also enter your meals to log calories consumed, so you can have all your dietary data in one place.View Deal

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Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. It involves significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week.There are also variants of this diet where you consume almost no calories, two days per week. This is much more doable than it sounds, so long as you are in good general health, but it's not exactly fun.

However, for trainees who are serious but not that serious, there's the 16:8 diet. With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you're feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period outside of those 8 hours. Most choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day. This isHugh Jackman's strategy, so if you have ever wanted to be in Wolverine shape

Why try fasting, though? Well, during the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the bodys fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you're used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you're exercising. You're going to get seriously cranky.

Soylent Nutrition Shake, Cacao (Chocolate), 12 Pack | now 35.00 on AmazonMarketed as a 'complete meal in a bottle' soylent is a perfect on-the-go quick feed for breakfast or lunch. With 20g of plant protein - to keep you going and slow-burning carbs to help you stay full, Soylent is vegan, gluten free, nut free, dairy free and low GI. At under 3 a shake, it's an ideal replacement to your usual hurried, bland supermarket meal deal.View Deal

Dead set on having chips? An air fryer can deliver a lot of the delicious taste with less of the not-quite-so-delicious oil

(Image credit: Future)

If you eat fried food all the time, switching to an air fryer will definitely cause you to lose weight unless buying one causes you to start eating loads of chocolate because you've reduced your fat intake. No, it doesn't taste as delicious as proper fried food of course not but it turns out meals with a good fried/roasted taste, but with up to 80% lower fat content.

If you don't eat fried food all the time but like to treat yourself now and then, switching to an air fryer could still help with you to lose weight. Even with a solid balanced diet and a good workout ethic, there will come a time when your willpower will falter and you'll want to fall back on your old favourites, like fried chicken, fish, chips and all the other foods you love normally dripping with grease. If you schedule in cheat days and do this in a controlled way, it's good to know you're cooking these foods in a way that still helps you hit your goals.

Enter the air fryer. The best air fryers are revolutionary pieces of kit that use hot air combined with a teaspoon of oil (as opposed to the gallons of oil found in the deep-fat variety) to cook your crispy favourites. If kitchen space and budget is no object, you can cook a whole chicken in the Philips Airfryer XXL, but if you're after something a little more economical, Pro Breeze Airfryer 1400W is lightweight, versatile and cheaper, perfect for portion control. It also seems to usually be sold out all the time at present, so perhaps everyone has already taken our advice, here.

This is just one way to have your (fried) cake and eat it too. Swapping high-calorie pints of ice cream to the low-calorie versions like Halo Top or Oppo, or switching out cholesterol-laden butter for a healthier olive spread, are other easy ways you can make relatively simple lifestyle choices and still keep weight off.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

No, this woman has not gone mad due to being cooped up indoors. Shes playing Ring Fit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo has a proud history of helping people lose weight via its consoles, with Wii Fit being possibly the biggest selling fitness gadget ever made.

Ring Fit Adventure is more sophisticated but the basic idea remains the same: turning the act of burning Calories into a fun activity that you look forward to, rather than a chore that you dread.

We tried a load of Nintendo Switch fitness games and, while they all had their merits, Ring Fit was clearly the best.

Read our Nintendo Switch Ring Fit Adventure review and comparison to other Switch games designed for calorie burning.

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Weight training is a great way to tip your muscle-fat ratio the right way

(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training.Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you're doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area's dominated by serious lifters, but you dont have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There's plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls.

Were not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you've done that, grab one of the best dumbbell sets on the market. They're not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements.

The only issue you will find right now is that most of them are sold out, but this store still has home gym equipment for online delivery. By the time this lockdown ends, you'll be ready for the gym.

If everything for the home gym has sold out which happens a lot lately consider doing bodyweight exercises. If that idea makes you think of muscular men working out in prison, try our guide to the best bodyweight exercises for beginners and ease into it gently. Before you know it you'll be ready for the Navy SEAL workout. None of these require any specialist equipment.

York 20kg Cast Iron Dumbbell Spinlock Set | Buy it for 59.99 at the Fitness SuperstoreIdeal for starters, the York 20kg Cast Iron Dumbbell Spinlock Set features knurled handles for a secure grip, plastic spinlock collars and solid, durable weight plates. considering you can't buy any reasonably priced home weight sets anywhere at the moment, this might be your best option to get an adjustable dumbbell set for under 500 for a while.View Deal

Powerplate Move vibration plate | 2,199 | Was 2,699 | Save 500 at John LewisIf you want to really power up your bodyweight exercises, and certain dumbbell moves, try doing them while being violently vibrated. This is particularly good for your core as your body has to work extra hard to complete moves.View Deal

All of this aside, dont neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

Electric Muscle Stimulation can help your muscles recover faster

(Image credit: PowerDot)

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don't roll your eyes just yet. While you can't just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It's not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use.

(Image credit: Sixpad)

Our top choice is always SIXPAD as used by Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about 20. Needless to say we dont recommend these.

PowerDot 2.0 - Smart Electric Muscle Stimulator | now 185 at AmazonAlternatively, the PowerDot 2.0 is a smartphone-controlled muscle stimulating monster.This neat muscle stimulator works from your phone, allowing you to control intensity, stimulation and goal. Reduce your recovery time and increase muscular performance, as the PowerDot working to support your gym schedule. This model has two stimulators, but you can scale up to four for 325View Deal

Planks are a tough abs workout and a great end-of-workout finisher

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat its also important to switch up the pace of your workout.

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking.Its a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don't hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you're not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises.

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the Fitbit Versa Lite above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can't beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

Find out more about heart rate zone training

Garmin Forerunner 645 | now 342.34 at AmazonGarmin dominates the running/fitness watch category so totally, it's almost embarrassing for the competition. The most recent addition to their premium line, the Garmin 645, incorporates GPS and wrist heart-rate tracking, which is good for monitoring your resting and all-day rates. The 645 crunches a lot of data to suggest recovery times, make a decent stab at estimating your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load and lots, lots more.View Deal

FitBit Aria 2 smart bathroom scale | now 119.99 on AmazonThis clever scaletells you your weight, BMI and body fat percentage which is all a lot of people want. It then reports this to your Fitbit account, so you can monitor your weight trends and use it alongside your Fitbit wearable's daily calorie-burn estimates. Add MyFitnessPal or Fitbit's own dietary features and you can then sync your meal-plans, daily calories consumed and weight goals, if you want.View Deal

The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You'll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you'll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead.

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you'll need to get fit in 2020.To start with, you'll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on:

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro | now 219 on AmazonPowerbeats Pro are a 'game changer' for Beats; the quality of them is over and above anything the brand has produced before. Designed for workouts and running, the clever design of these true wireless buds means they stay still in your ears during even the most arduous physical jerks. Battery life is way better than most true wireless buds at 8-9 hours and they recharge incredibly fast.View Deal

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How to lose belly fat: get in shape before it all goes wrong again during the holidays - T3

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Cheap and easy to consume, bananas are everyone's favourite. A powerhouse of nutrients, bananas are good for your heart health, diabetes, digestion and weight loss. Yes. you read that right, the humble bananas can help you shed extra kilos. Banana nutrition profileOne medium sized banana has around 110 calories and provides you with following nutrients. Protein: 1 gramCarbohydrates: 28 gramsSugars: 15 grams (naturally occurring)Fiber: 3 gramsPotassium: 450 mgMagnesium: 32 mgVitamin C: 10.3 mgVitamin B6: 0.4 mgBananas are rich in vitamin B6 and fiber, which helps in reducing the cholesterol levels and lifts your mood.

One medium sized banana provides you with 9 per cent of daily recommended intake of potassium and 8 per cent of magnesium. Not just this, it even provides you with 11 per cent of your daily recommended vitamin C intake.

Here are five health benefits of bananas:

Helps you lose weightBananas for the longest time had a bad reputation in regard to weight loss. The high carbohydrate content of bananas make people vilify them. But you will be surprised to know that bananas can actually help you feel full faster. The pectin start in it delays stomach emptying, which stops you from binge eating.

Green bananas are better for weight loss as ripe bananas lose their pectin. The carbs in bananas also help produce more serotonin, which helps regulate metabolism and keeps your energy level high.

Studies have proved that green bananas consumed in any form fresh, cooked, dried or pounded into flour make you feel fuller for longer.

Aids digestionGreen bananas are a perfect home remedy for loose motions.

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Scientifically backed health benefits of bananas for weight loss, diabetes and more - Times of India

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