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INTERMITTENT FASTING HAS landed on the dieting scene as a way to cut calories without cutting your favorite foods.
This eating style only limits the hours you're eating rather than what you're eating allowing you more flexibility in your weight loss plan. If you tend to backload your calories late in the day, intermittent fasting might be a solid option for you, says Leslie Bonci, R.D.N., M.P.H., sports dietician for the Kansas City Chiefs. IF may even help improve your digestion and sleep, because eating too close to bedtime can disrupt the body's recovery mode.
So if you're great at sticking to a schedule, and you're looking to slim down, intermittent fasting might the plan for you. But then comes the big question: How do you pick a schedule that's right for you?
There are a handful of intermittent fasting eating schedules, and deciding which is best for you can be tough. The biggest thing is figuring out a schedule that feels sustainable. Below, everything you need to know about the different intermittent fasting schedules.
Intermittent fasting is the increasingly popular way to limit caloric intake by limiting the amount of time you allow yourself to eat.
The idea stems from our hunter-gatherer roots. It's thought that our bodies are much more adapted to fasting than we are to our esteemed three meals a day. The theory suggests that our ancestors fasted often when food was scarce, causing our cells to learn how to function in a fasted-state, according to a 2019 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
And thus, intermittent fasting was born. Though research has shown improvements in insulin resistance, blood pressure levels, and and inflammation, intermittent fasting is famed for its potential effects on weight loss. It has been seen to help people lose 7 to 11 pounds on average over 10 weeks, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
By no means is it a perfect weight loss solution, though. The issue is that there may be a plateau in this weight loss eventually, says Perri Halperin, M.S., R.D., clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Health System. The body may go into starvation mode, which will cause it to hold onto fat stores in preparation for another round of fasting. "So, it becomes harder to lose weight at a certain point, even though at first the weight will come down."
Even then, it might be worth giving it a shot if it feels like a sustainable plan for you, or if you're looking to shed only a few pounds. It might even be a way to simply kick the habit of midnight snacking. Whatever your goal, finding a schedule that you can stick with makes all the difference.
Ultimately, the best diet is the one you are most likely to stick with. The schedules that more closely resemble your normal eating patterns are going to be the easiest ones to adhere to, Halperin says. Not eating late at night is key, since "you want to give your body the chance to rest and repair, versus putting it in more of an action state," she says.
A few different intermittent fasting schedule options, below.
The 16:8 schedules is the most common of all the intermittent fasting schedules. It most closely mimics our traditional eating style, making it more sustainable, Halperin says.
The idea is you get to eat 8 hours of the day, and fast for 16. The benefit of this schedule is you get to pick when to start and stop your fast. So, if you're most hungry in the mornings, you can start your eating window right when you wake up. If you don't typically get hungry until lunch time, you can start your window at noon and stop eating at 8 p.m.
It's proven toothe 16:8 schedule, in conjunction with resistance training, has shown to improve several health markers and decreased fat in men.
This approach is similar to the 16:8, just with a bigger eating window. A bigger window doesn't necessarily mean you won't lose weight, though.
A 2021 study found that a group of people with obesity lost significant weight sticking to a 14 hour fast when paired with a diet program.
Otherwise known as the 5:2 intermittent fasting schedule, this takes fasting to more of an extreme than the schedules above. The goal here is to eat a normal amount 5 days out of the week, and then cut your intake to 20 percent of your intake for 2 of the days. That's about 600 calories for men.
When this program was studied in 2021, there were solid effects on weight loss, but the program had less than stellar adherence. After 6 months, only 31 percent of those who were participating in the study kept up with the schedule. Again, the best diet is one that you can stick toso if extremes like this aren't in your wheelhouse, it's better to choose one that is.
This is another higher-stakes intermittent fasting schedule. As the name hints, this plan will have you fully fasting every other day. When studied in comparison with regular calorie-restriction dieting, the alternating fasting schedule didn't show significantly better weight loss results. So, unless you succeed in an all or nothing environment, this might not be the best option for you.
If you're struggling to find a diet plan that works for you, it's never a bad idea to have a conversation with your doctor or a certified dietician. Together, you can come up with a plan that will be more tailored to you.
Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men's Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.
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Intermittent Fasting Schedules: Types, How to Pick - Men's Health
Do you sometimes feel down for no reason? Or just too lethargic even though you have not done much the entire day? Well, it might be because of your daily, small habits that are playing with your hormones and making you feel a certain way. Our lifestyle affects our hormones and they in turn affect your mood and health. Changes in hormones or fluctuations can affect your sex drive, sleeping pattern, food habits and even your mood in a professional setting. Hence it is of utmost importance to understand habits that may negatively affect your hormones and create havoc in your system.
Here are 5 everyday habits that are messing with your hormones1. Smoking
If you are a smoker, you should stop now! Smoking can affect reproductive hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Multiple research shows that smoking decreases fertility in women and men. This is other than the chances of it causing lung cancer.
3. Crash dietsHave you been too eager to lose weight and are on a crash diet? You need to stop ASAP! A super low-calorie diet or intense exercise session lowers estrogen levels and then affects your body including your menstrual cycle.
5. Sleep patternsSleep is the only way our body is able to reboot and work again the next day. If your sleep cycle gets affected be it for any reason, your hormones will surely get affected too.
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Smoking, dieting and more: 5 everyday habits that are affecting your hormones - Mirchi Plus
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Owensboro, April 24, 2023: Aubreys Song Foundation for Eating Disorders invites Owensboro and Tri-state communities to a free community event, Body Image, Dangerous Dieting, and Eating Disorders, presented by The Chesnut Group, on Thursday evening, May 4, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Ballys Evansville, 421 NW Riverside Dr, Meeting Room Walnut A/B, Evansville.
Aubreys Song, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit in Owensboro, KY. They are collaborating with The Chesnut Group, a psychotherapy practice that specializes in eating disorders and other mental health services. Together, they seek to promote awareness and hope for healing from an eating disorder.
35% of dieting becomes obsessive, and 20-25% of those diets turn into eating disorders. At least 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder and every 62 minutes, at least one person dies as a direct result of an eating disorder. says Theresa Chesnut, LCSW, CEDs-S and founder of The Chesnut Group. Despite these statistics, full recovery is possible. This community event seeks to bring awareness and understanding about these complicated illnesses and offers a panel discussion that will inspire hope and inspiration for recovery.
Marilyn Clark, the mother of Aubrey Michelle Clark, Aubreys Song Foundations namesake, will be Keynote Speaker. Owensboros Haley Minton will serve on a panel as someone with lived experience and thriving in recovery, along with national experts in the field of eating disorders. Griffin Glasscock, morning meteorologist for 44News will moderate, and IN Rep. Ryan Hatfield is scheduled to attend as well. Anyone who is, has, or knows someone struggling with an eating disorder or body image issues is encouraged to attend.
This event is sponsored by Galen Hope and Within Health. For more information about this free community event, contact Hilary Warren at 314-608-7690 or[emailprotected]in Evansville, or Carolyn Ferber, 270-852-6514 or [emailprotected] in Owensboro.
ABOUT AUBREYS SONG FOUNDATION FOR EATING DISORDERSAubreys Song Foundation for Eating Disorders is Western Kentuckys non-profit resource on eating disorders. They raise awareness; promote body positivity and early intervention; provide community and professional education; guide and support families and patients affected by eating disorders; and develop local resources for treatment. Aubreys Song provides HOPE and support for those currently experiencing/recovering from eating disorders and their loved ones.Free Tri-state Community Event Offers Hope about Eating Disorders
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Free tri-state community event offers hope about eating disorders - The Owensboro Times
A morbidly obese woman in Ohio couldn't lose weight despite dieting and exercising has revealed the surprising diagnosis curbing her fat loss.
Jess Cisco, who weighed 245lbs at her peak, spent 12 months swapping burgers and pizza for chicken, cottage cheese and evenings at the gym but couldn't lose a single pound.
Convinced that something was wrong, she was referred for hospital scans which revealed the 32-year-old had multiple cysts on her ovaries.
The pus-filled sacs can cause weight gain by releasing extra estrogen, the female sex hormone that boosts appetite and promotes the accumulation of more fat cells.
But despite her condition, Ms Cisco has lost more than 100lbs after gastric bypass surgery.
Ms Cisco said that she used to frequently binge eat and then starve herself eating 5,000 calories one day and then less than 1,000 the next.
Her obesity had got to a point where she was suffering from fatty liver disease, sleep apnea and struggling from pain in her foot, making it difficult to move.
But when a doctor told her she was now so large that she would struggle to get pregnant, Ms Cisco decided she wanted to change tack.
Zoe Desantis, a nanny from Boston, Massachusetts, was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome after her ovary tore. She weighed 240lbs at the time.
'Almost everyone in my family is morbidly obese and chronically ill, and I was quickly falling into the same category,' she said.
'As I continued to gain weight, my blood work was falling into critical levels for my cholesterol and liver panels, my blood pressure was consistently dangerously high and I had such severe acid reflux that I was waking up every night in pain.
'My weight caused me to isolate myself socially, even from loved ones. I hated going out in public because I didn't want anyone to see me that way.'
She launched herself into a new healthy lifestyle that saw her choosing nutritious meals, going to the gym and getting therapy.
But after an entire year, the scale had not budged by a single pound.
'I was at my lowest by the end of 2020, because I had spent that entire year doing everything the right way, but nothing was working,' she said.
'I didn't lose a single pound that year.
'I felt so defeated and was at the point of just giving up. I was ready to just accept that I was destined to be fat and sick.'
It was then that doctors asked her for an ultrasound to check her intra-uterine device (IUD). They may have been concerned that it was giving her pain, making it harder to stick to her diet plan.
But then they diagnosed her with ovarian cysts. There were three on her left ovary and two on her right, with the largest measuring about 0.8 inches across.
These can make it difficult to lose weight, they warned, because they can release extra female sex hormones linked to weight gain.
Doctors decided not to remove the cysts, however, because of their small size. They will track them through yearly appointments to check for cancer.
After the diagnosis, Ms Cisco received gastric bypass surgery to help her lose weight.
This works by making the stomach smaller and reducing the amount of the intestines that food passes through, helping to reduce appetite and the number of calories extracted from food that someone consumes.
As well as reducing her food intake, Ms Cisco also made a number of diet changes to help boost her weight loss. These included eating bacon-wrapped chicken, cottage cheese and berries plus granola. She says she is also now 'obsessed' with popcorn as a snack.
She said: 'After surgery, I felt tired and was in some pain, but I mostly felt relieved and excited when I woke up. I knew my life was about to cahnge.
'Honestly, I'm most proud of healing my relationship with food. It's been a long road, and tons of effort, trial and error, but food no longer has power over me.'
She added: 'My husband and I have plans to do a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trial within the next two years now that I can hike without pain, this is finally a real option.'
Ms Cisco said she is now down to 144.6lbs and that she has cut her waist size from a 20 to a four.
The Appalachian Trail is about 2,000 miles long and runs through 14 US states, from Maine all the way down to Georgia. It can take up to seven months to complete.
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Doctors thought I was obese from over-eating, but I had ovarian cysts - Daily Mail
By Monique Friedlander For Daily Mail Australia 23:19 30 Apr 2023, updated 00:07 01 May 2023
Slimmed-down radio presenter Jackie 'O' Henderson has shut down rumours she is taking the in-demand diabetes drug used by Hollywood stars to lose weight.
The 48-year-old, who previously struggled with yo-yo dieting for decades, has lost 18kg in just five months - leading to speculation she has been taking Ozempic.
But she clarified on Monday her weight loss was done the old-fashioned way: by following a low-calorie diet, exercising regularly and cutting out alcohol.
Her co-hostKyle Sandilandsrevealed he'd been asked byseveral guests athis wedding toTegan Kynastonon Saturday whetherJackie - who is an ambassador for Weight Watchers - had been prescribed Ozempic to help shed the kilos.
'That diabetic medication people talk about taking, I don't take that,' Jackie replied.
'Honestly, you can do it, guys... but I will say, I reckon [cutting out] alcohol and exercise was a big thing. I've never done [that] before so that was kind of the kicker for me,' she added.
Kyle noted Jackie isn't 'big on needles', so would never be comfortable injecting herself with diabetes medication to lose weight.
He went on to say her results came from followingWeight Watchers, 'puttingthe wine bottle away' and ditching 'the biscuits and cheese'.
Jackie, who recently started playing tennis regularly, added that quitting alcohol and embracing exercise 'was a big thing [she'd] never done before'.
The mother of one also confirmed she didn't even drink alcohol at Kyle's wedding.
Semaglutide acts like a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake - making users feel less hungry.
It also slows down the movement of food in the gut, which helps users stay full for longer.
On top of this, it signals to the body to release insulin, which helps move digested sugar from the blood into cells where it can be used for energy.
Clinical trials show that those taking the drug lost up to 15.3kg (2 stone and 6lbs), on average, over the space of 15 months, compared to just 2.6kg (6lbs) in the placebo group.
It is given as a weekly injection straight into the stomach, thigh or upper arm.
How are Ozempic and Wegovy different?
Confusingly, semaglutide is branded as two separate drugs, both of which are made by Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.
Ozempic is targeted at patients with type 2 diabetes. It lowers their blood sugar and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes among those who also have heart disease.
Sister drug Wegovy is packed with a slightly more potent dose of semaglutide and is instead targeted at people who weigh too much.
What are the side effects?
As will all medications, semaglutide is not entirely risk-free.
Users commonly complain of nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, while some also suffer from acid reflux, fatigue and complain that food tastes different after taking the drug.
It is this side effect that some people credit for further assisting their weight loss - by making their favourite junk food taste bad.
Thyroid cancer, pancreatitis - when the organ becomes inflamed - and kidney failure are rare but serious side effects.
Patients have also warned of their face appearing gaunt, exhausted and old - a side effect that has been labelled 'Ozempic face'.
The diabetic drugsemaglutide, which is marketed as Ozempic or Wegovy, has surged in popularity among Hollywood's elite after becoming the first medication proven to aid weight loss.
The drugs act like a hormone in the brain, causing people to feel less hungry and slow the clearing of food from the stomach.
Celebrities including Elon Musk,Chelsea Handler andRemi Bader have all admitted to using diabetic drugs to trim unwanted fat.
It comes after Jackie recently reflected on her weight loss journey in a moving social media post.
'Last year I joined WW again because I wanted to get my health back in order and I know their program works for me,' she wrote.
'Losing weight was never about what I looked like in the mirror, but rather an overall sense of well-being and trying to regain my energy levels,' she continued.
'Five months ago I was 18 kilos heavier and I had zero energy. My health was suffering as a result, so I decided to do a complete lifestyle change.'
Jackie alsorecently spoke about her new diet on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, revealing she often skips breakfast, a practice known as intermittent fasting.
She also avoids carbohydrates, and satiates her hunger throughout the day by snacking on pre-cut pieces of steak.
'I cook steak and slice it, and then I'll just have a little sliver of steak if I'm hungry,' Jackie said.
She resists splurging on high-calorie foods for lunch, opting to eat just 'three little slivers of steak' and a few Vietnamese rice paper rolls containing fish and cabbage.
Kyle was shocked by her small portion size, telling her: 'A dog would eat more!'
For dinner, Jackie usually eats vegetables and a protein such as chicken or red meat.
In between meals, Jackie treats herself to smoothies and Starbucks Frappuccinos, a type of blended ice coffee drink.
Jackie hasn't always followed such a restrictive diet.
In February, she told Woman's Day she used to binge on pizza, sausage rolls and microwave meals from the petrol station before she took control of her health.
'I was eating a lot of food that I could get in a hurry. You know, pizza and sandwiches and just takeaway, I wasn't cooking myself,' she said.
'And I think it's always best when you know what you're putting into your body. I just got really lazy.'
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Jackie 'O' Henderson denies rumours she is on weight-loss drug Ozempic - Daily Mail
Laughter fills the air as students converse with one another in the Henry M. Jackson Conference Center. While waiting for the host, Kacey Spivey, a comedian/actress/nutrition coach, to start the event Body Acceptance 101.
The event was organized and coordinated by TRIO. The event was designed to encourage students to accept and appreciate the bodies theyre given and learn more about eating disorders and body biases that affect our community. Spivey shares her experiences with an eating disorder, along with comedic elements, to educate and not bore the audience.
If there is anything you can walk away with today its this; all bodies are worthy and deserve respect period. Said Spivey.
The event started with Spivey interacting with the audience, she asked what year students were at the event. To her surprise, it seemed like only a handful of students were officially students at EvCC. For those who didnt applaud, I guess you arent students here, thats cool everyone is welcome. Spivey said.
Spivey then went on to show some photos of before her eating disorder, during and while she was in recovery. And I just show you these images to illustrate that you probably couldnt tell by looking at me that I was struggling with anything at all. And that is my point. You cant tell by looking at someone what they are going through. said Spivey.
Next Spivey asked the audience to raise their hand if they have ever had a negative thought about your body. Every student and teacher in the room raised their hands. I love to ask that question off the top just to illustrate that this topic really affects most people. Spivey said.
To even further illustrate, according to a survey by Glamour Magazine, 97% of women have at least one negative thought about their body image every single day. A study done by Bradley University revealed that, 95% of college age men are dissatisfied with their bodies on some level. A study done by the National Eating Disorder Association found that, More than half of LGBTQ+ youth have been diagnosed with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Before Spivey went into detail about eating disorders and body image, she asked if anyone in the room would like to leave. To not embarrass anyone who wanted to do so, she queued up an aerobics dance video and began following the dance moves. A few bold audience members got up and danced along with Spivey to the video but most of the audience just stood up and laughed at each other.
First, Spivey started by discussing how to develop a healthy body image. The first step is that you must understand the basic information. Which are the four aspects of body image. The four aspects of body image are perceptual, affective, cognitive and behavioral.
Perceptual is how you visually see your body. Affective is the feelings you have towards your body. Cognitive is how mentally think about your body. Behavioral is what your actions show about your body.
A healthy body image can lead to higher self esteem, self acceptance and a balanced lifestyle, said Spivey.
There are a lot of factors that prevent people from developing a healthy body image. Such as body biases. Body biases are the standards at which society deems a body the appropriate size/weight.
It is more desirable, healthier, or worthier than other bodies. The problem with body biases is it can lead to ableism, ageism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, sizeism, xenophobia. Said Spivey.
First, Spivey discussed sizeism or specifically weight biases. Society has deemed that a muscular or thin physique is the desirable or healthy weight people should have. These biases can be dangerous because it promotes the internalization of these stereotypes. This can then affect mental health as a healthy body image is detrimental in having good mental health.
One of the leading factors in promoting body biases is social media. There is so many messages about weight loss, dieting, and fitness. They make you feel like you have to do these things in order to be happy and successful. Spivey said.
Another factor that plays into body biases is advertising through social media platforms. The idea of advertising is to develop a product that is desirable in the eyes of consumers. This is accomplished by solving a daily problem that may or may not affect peoples lives.
For example, women did not shave their body hair until Gillete (shaving company) realized they could double their money by selling razors to men and women. So they began running ads in magazines convincing women that body hair was embarrassing. Said Spivey.
Some other brands or products that can lead to body biases include; shapewear, male enhancement drugs, weight loss, gyms, makeup and wrinkle cream. All these brands advertise a product that is supposed to help you get that dream body or to feel accepted by those around you. These brands poison the public into believing that the results people are getting from these brands is something they must acquire to be deemed acceptable by society.
I want to illustrate that the weight loss supplements, just supplements industry is worth 254.9 billion dollars. Hair growth 86 billion. Plastic surgery 68 billion. Fitness industry 33 billion. Male enhancement 220 million. Said Spivey.
Now that being said, you shouldnt not use these products, because of this information. Instead recognize how the advertising makes you feel. If advertisement makes you feel unworthy or not good enough, notice that feeling and remember, Dont let businesses tell you what youre worth. Use the product great. Shave your pits great. Just dont do it because you are feeling like you wont be worthy unless you use the product. Its not true. Said Spivey.
Full disclosure, the information about to be provided is meant to educate and not to diagnose. If any of this information relates to you then seek further guidance from your doctor or reach out to the following resources that will be provided in this article.
An eating disorder ranges on a spectrum; healthy behavior, unhealthy, disordered eating, and a diagnosis of an eating disorder. Healthy behavior is eating breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. This also includes eating food because of hunger and not feeling shameful for eating. You would also exercise regularly and have a positive self esteem.
Unhealthy behavior is dieting or restricting the intake of food without the guidance of a healthcare professional. You may also feel dissatisfied with your body and constantly feel the need to lose weight. You frequently think about food and obsess over dieting.
Disordered eating is frequent unhealthy eating habits, food restrictions/limitation of food intake, extreme dieting and exercise. This can include binge eating and the restriction of calories/nutrients. These behaviors can create feelings of shame or distress about eating and high levels of body dissatisfaction.
Its important to keep in mind that an eating disorder is a mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association states that, Eating disorders often co-occur with other psychiatric disorders most commonly, mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and alcohol and substance use disorders. Since eating disorders often coexist with other physiological disorders and disrupt the brains daily functioning; it is classified as a mental illness.
All that being taken into consideration, you may be asking yourself whats the difference between disordered eating and having a clinically diagnosed eating disorder? The difference is obsession. So when I was struggling with my eating disorder it was like my life was playing in the background. And I was only focused and very obsessed with counting, weighting and measuring. And I was using these rituals as a way to self soothe and as a way to feel control over something when my life felt out of control. Said Spivey.
The American Psychiatric Association defines an eating disorder as, Behavioral conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions. They can be very serious conditions affecting physical, psychological and social function.
Some eating disorders include anorexia, this is self starvation and has one of the highest mortality rates. Binge eating is when you consume large amounts of food in a brief period while feeling unable to control or stop eating. Bulimia is when you repeatedly consume large amounts of food then purge the food by exercising or vomiting. Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake is when you restrict your intake of food while feeling little to no distress about body shape/size.
All of these eating disorders can result in bone loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, low heart rate and blood pressure, increased anxiety, depression and social isolation. These conditions can be potentially life threatening and can impede the quality of life an individual may have.
Warning signs that an individual with an eating disorder may display is; appearing to be uncomfortable eating around others, constant fluctuation in weight, behaviors or attitudes that indicate dieting is all that matters/lying about the food consumed, changes in menstrual patterns, refusal to eat certain foods, life revolves around eating habits and withdrawal from friends and loved ones.
Some other warning signs that may not be as obvious as the signs listed above include; sensitivity to be challenged about eating habits, frequent mood changes, swelling of the face and neck, low energy/loss of appetite, sensitivity to comments about nutrition and fitness, low self esteem, difficulties concentrating, fainting/dizziness, brittle hair and nails.
If someone you know displays any of these signs, talk to a trusted adult or medical professional. You can also call or text this hotline that has been organized by the foundation NEDA Feeding Hope to receive advice from an educated advisor. (800) 931-2237
Allison Werling, TRIO faculty counselor at EvCC, discusses some of the resources students have available on campus. However there are also counselors on campus that students who are not in TRIO can work with. If you want to reach out to me and I can put you in connection with those folks, that is totally fine.
If you or someone you know is interested in receiving the free counseling services at EvCC, then you can email the EvCC counseling services [emailprotected]. The counseling appointments are available via zoom, phone, and in person. The counseling building is located in the Parks Student Union center on the 3rd floor. The office hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am to 4:30 pm. Friday they are open from 9 am to 12 pm. Spivey also mentioned that the counseling services can also connect you to other resources if you need help with something like an eating disorder.
One of the biggest concerns people seem to have is what if the person Im concerned about isnt willing to get help or admit they have a problem? In that situation I think the biggest place you can lead from is a place of caring, a place of empathy. And just like reminding them gently of resources. That would be the place that I would come from. Again, you are not responsible for making them go or kind of working through those things. Said Werling.
If you know someone who might be struggling and you just need advice and more specific advice for your situation. You can always reach out to someone too, you dont have to push them, you can call yourself and be like my person is struggling and I need help. And they can give you some great specific advice as well. Said Spivey.
As the event came to an end and students chatted amongst each other discussing all the information that they had received. One student, Cassandra Boulter said that, I really like learning how to help people, its important to know.
If you are someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder you can contact the NEDA Feeding Hope hotline or you can reach out to treatment facilities such as THIRA Health (425) 403-7715 and Eating Recovery Center (866) 488-1863 to receive treatment or advice. For more information about eating disorders visit the National Institutes of Health website for a detailed analysis.
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EvCC Hosts Event Promoting Body Positivity The Clipper - The Clipper
It used to be that Jess couldnt stop thinking about her next meal, but no longer. Now, she forgets to eat. She doesnt get a buzz after a couple of drinks. She doesnt crave fast food, preferring her own healthy home cooking. Even bacon doesnt smell that good to her anymore.
Jess is using Ozempic: the miracle drug for diabetes that is rapidly gaining prominence as a weight-loss aid. For diabetics, it mimics a naturally-occurring hormone, lowering blood sugar levels. Now people who are not diabetic or even at risk are taking the weekly injection off-label for its effectiveness as an appetite suppressant.
In the UK, Wegovy containing the same active ingredient as Ozempic, semaglutide has recently been approved for use on the NHS as a limited treatment for obesity at a cost of 73 a month. Campaigners have hailed it as a game-changer for type 2 diabetics and people suffering from the health impacts of obesity.
But in the US, such drugs are already well established and widely prescribed off-label for weight loss, even for people who are not overweight despite a monthly cost of around US $1,000 (800) without insurance, and sometimes considerable side effects.
After seeing ads for weight-loss drugs online and discussing them with her doctor, Jess who is speaking anonymously to protect her privacy was prescribed Ozempic last November. I was a little nervous at first, she says. You read about some scary side effects, like I cant stop vomiting or Im always on the toilet... There are some horror stories where people have lost weight really quickly, and lost all their hair.
But for Jess, the toll has been pretty minimal. More to the point, in her view: in six months, she has lost 35lbs. Im just not hungry all the time, while eating fewer calories thats the main big thing, she says.
Jess has been overweight all her life; by (admittedly imperfect) BMI measures, she is considered to have obesity. She has had success losing weight in the past, through calorie restriction but felt starving, all the time, she says. Dieting becomes like an eating disorder because its all you think about: You get up, you track your calories and you try really hard, all day to just not eat more than what youre supposed to.
On Ozempic, Jess says, I could just get up and not eat.
It has been so effective at suppressing her pleasure receptors, she believes, it has even made her less inclined to shop online. Theres still enjoyment, but its not like this rush of good feeling, she says. It just feels like its curbing my desire I dont feel like food is a place for comfort as much anymore its now just a thing that I need to do during the day to keep my body going.
For some people, the thought of having a weekly injection to quash ones appetite for food or anything else is absurd, if not actual torment. But for others, fatigued by diet culture, Ozempic seems to offer a way to silence the overwhelming noise around food and fatness and even to rise above it.
In this way, the so-called skinny jab is both just the latest in a centuries-long line of supposed silver-bullet solutions; and an exclusive, unsettling and uniquely modern means of transcending a world where our pleasures are anything but simple.
In the 21st century suggests journalist and historian Louise Foxcroft, author of Calories and Corsets: A History of Dieting over 2000 years dieting has become a national neurosis, with an obesity epidemic coexisting with pathological fear of fatness. Rather than navigate through this cultural confusion born of conflicting opinions, moral panics, economics and environments, some people would rather pay to opt out, Foxcroft says.
She compares Ozempic to the weight-loss pill Alli, still sold over the counter today, which was huge news in the 90s for its claim to stop fat absorption. What happens is very frequent, very colourful diarrhoea, but of course they say: Youve lost weight.
That is a common side effect of Ozempic, too alongside nausea, vomiting, constipation and fatigue. Some people report becoming intolerant to most foods, and even water. In short, it ruined my life, a 26-year-old Londoner said recently of her five-month experience: she felt constant nausea and often vomited after waking. But, for some, even that is worth it. I think a part of me felt like I deserved to feel awful as a punishment for my weight, said the woman.
By such twisted logic, a weekly injection may have even more allure than a daily pill, seeming both less time-consuming and more cutting-edge. Thats the way the wicked, humiliating diet industry has always worked, says Foxcroft: by coming up with new and different solutions to sell. Theres this huge hype, then of course it turns out that it doesnt really do the job, and then the next thing comes along.
Even the cost and difficulty of accessing Ozempic seems to bolster its legitimacy, making it more desirable as a status symbol. Its like having a 4,000 handbag: It says I can afford this, says Foxcroft.
Certainly after being rumoured to have helped Kim Kardashian into Marilyn Monroes dress Ozempic was a palpable presence at this years Oscars, with stars such as Mindy Kaling and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Kyle Richards seemingly smaller than they had ever been, and host Jimmy Kimmel even cracking a joke about it on stage. (For the record, Kaling has never spoken about going on the drug; Richards has flat-out denied it.) Saturday Night Live later satirised the nights red-carpet coverage as sponsored by Ozempic.
Thin might always have been in in Hollywood but, reports the Cut, the last few people [in LA] who werent now are.
But framing the rise of Ozempic a pharmaceutical solution to the apparent issue of appetite as a celebrity phenomenon is too narrow, omitting the mainstream and systemic problems with our modern approaches to eating.
One thing I hear is how frightened people are of food, says Janet Chrzan, a nutritional anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of Anxious Eaters: Why We Fall For Fad Diets. Theyre afraid of wanting it, theyre afraid of what its going to do to them physically, theyre afraid of whats in it or what they think is in it.
Partly this is paralysis in the face of overwhelming choice. The average supermarket stocks between 25,000 and 50,000 food items. Advice on healthy eating, especially with a view to weight loss, can be over-complicated and contradictory.
Meanwhile, the stakes can seem high even life or death, says Chrzan. Youre going to be treated badly if youre fat Im not saying thats the way it is, but thats how diet culture encourages people to think so, all of a sudden, these choices become profoundly important.
Against a backdrop of such anxiety, a relatively drastic intervention like Ozempic can register as proportionate. Chrzan likens it to the historic tradition of heroic medicine, which posits that the most serious conditions demand more radical treatments and led to dubious practices like bloodletting with leeches. We think that the more profound, the worse the disease, the stronger the palliative action has to be, says Chrzan.
She found the same flawed logic today when she interviewed people on restrictive diets. They felt like they were doing the right thing simply because it is hard to do, rather than because it had a demonstrable outcome.
This widespread adoption of Ozempic holds a mirror up to a world in which fat is both an intractable problem, and one that must be solved at any cost.
Chrzan notes its apparent similarities to Naltrexone a drug commonly prescribed to treat alcohol and opioid addictions in taking away the pleasure that you get in satisfying that high.
It sounds to me that what people are doing, culturally and psychologically, she says, is imagining [being overweight] as a chronic disease that then requires chronic treatment for the rest of their lives.
Obesity is considered a disease by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, partly to highlight what is considered a growing national crisis and its associated health impacts. It is likewise prevalent in the UK, affecting 26 percent of the English population, but calls for it to be officially reclassified as a disease have so far gone ignored.
Those against say that obesity is a condition that can be treated with diet and lifestyle changes but there is mounting evidence to show that its not that straightforward. Likewise, weight alone is a woefully inadequate measure of health.
Theres a tacit assumption that if youre not slim, youre not healthy, says Chrazn. We know that you can be slim and be very unhealthy but we dont recognise that quite so much.
That so many people claim to feel out-of-control around food, and even addicted, is seen by some as an indictment of what we eat. Highly processed foods are engineered to make us want them: They have the sugar, fats, salt, says Chrzan. The optimal combination of these for maximum deliciousness is sought after by market researchers and flavour scientists as the so-called bliss point.
On the other hand, Chrzan adds, many psychologists argue that we have become habituated to the psychological soothing aspect of eating, and we train ourselves to have those pleasure responses that were addicted to the physical action, rather than the components of the food.
Some items, such as sugar and white flour, have been so vilified that the nocebo effect could be widely in play, she says making it tricky to distinguish their intrinsic harm from their anticipated one. That is even without taking into account factors relevant to weight such as age, genetics, hormones, activity levels and socioeconomic status. Marketing adds another layer of obfuscation.
All told, it amounts to what is known among dieters as food noise, encompassing messaging about what and how to eat as well as the siren song of the chocolate or crisps in the cupboard.
For Kelsey, 31 and based in the US, it was inescapable. She started taking the similar drug Mounjaro last September, to lose weight and manage her elevated risk of diabetes from insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome.
She has since lost 56lbs: a result she has never seen after a lifetime of dieting. Her menstrual cycle has stabilised, and she has recommenced activities like running and dancing, which she used to love. It has done nothing but improve my quality of life its kind of a miracle, she says.
But the most transformative effect, says Kelsey, has been in freeing up headspace that used to be devoted to food. Some of those feelings are normal but for someone like me, who has suffered from obesity for most of their life, it consumes you: Maybe I should have a snack, What should I have for lunch?, What am I going to have for dinner?
On Mounjaro, I wasnt having those thoughts anymore.
Kelsey speaking anonymously to preserve her privacy admits that she has been lucky to have had next to no side effects: only mild nausea when changing doses. But, she adds, compared to her past struggles with food, Ill take the nausea any day.
In the past Kelsey has lost as much as 30lbs through calorie restriction then gained it back, several times over. It wasnt sustainable, she says, and only turned up the volume on the food noise. I couldnt take that internal battle that would take place every time food was in front of me.
Now Kelsey says she is able to resist treating herself when shes stressed or upset, or finishing her plate though shes feeling full. Its really empowering to be able to say, You know what? Im good. She still eats out at restaurants, but in smaller quantities and more straightforwardly for the social aspect.
Theres this one chicken sandwich that she used to crave, and eat at least once a week. I would be so satisfied, it almost gave me a high, Kelsey says. Now it doesnt even occur to her to order it. That sense of satisfaction now comes from other sources from the fact that I can go for a run, or that I feel really good in my outfit.
That is the possibility that Ozempic dangles, achieved through scientific innovation and unlocked with wealth: weight loss without sacrifice, or even much work.
For centuries says Nadia Berenstein, a food historian specialising in the science of flavour diet culture has emphasised substitutions, like shakes for meals or artificial sweeteners for sugar. The idea is that you dont have to suffer in order to lose weight, she says.
The enemy changes from sugar to fat, back to sugar to carbs but the goal remains exorcising this dangerous pleasure from your life, but without feeling the deprivation of it. You can cut out sugar without losing sweetness; you can get rid of carbs but still somehow enjoy low-carb bread.
Its possible to see Ozempic as an extension of those unsatisfying trade-offs and diminishing returns, swapping treacherous food for no food at all, effortful hunger for effortless satiety. Whats more, relative to relying on willpower to consume fewer calories, its relatively foolproof.
But in another sense, Ozempic rejects that cycle entirely, says Berenstein. For generations, we have participated in diet culture, substituting our desire for real chocolate cake with chocolate-flavoured yoghurt, and that did not work now we just want to be freed from desire, she says.
Its no longer about scanning the shelves for a suitably healthy replacement, a pleasure that doesnt have the austerity of dieting Ozempic is just a way of saying that we want out of this cycleof consumption, desire and decision making.
The constant flip-flopping over the nutritional value (or otherwise) of dark chocolate, or red wine, or eggs, or caffeine alone is dizzying, and demoralising. In April, a misleading headline went viral, claiming that half an egg a day is associated with premature death. Who wouldnt want a break? asks Berenstein. Maybe it seems like a worthwhile sacrifice to give up that pleasure, in order to be freed from the constant obligation to make choices.
But while Ozempic might seem like a means of sidestepping the exhausting, time-intensive undertaking of crash dieting, calorie counting, good-for-bad swaps and one simple tricks the reprieve is temporary at best, and even illusory.
Ozempians still have to pay attention to their diet to ensure that they are receiving enough calories and nutrients, and exercise for the health benefits. You havent opted out: Youve opted into something else, says Berenstein.
We just dont know comprehensively, or with certainty, what that entails. While Ozempic is thought to be safe when administered under proper supervision, its long-term impact has not been extensively studied, and in people without diabetes, even less so. Chrzan suggests there could prove to be a lasting impact on our hormonal pathways, and other internal processes relevant to dietary intake.
Certainly, doctors have found that stopping Ozempic can cause blood sugar to surge and cravings to return, sometimes amplified. Regulatory approval also does not guarantee safe consumption. In 2020, the diet drug Belviq was withdrawn over a potential cancer risk that outweighs the benefits, a full eight years after it was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration.
Even setting aside the unknowns, theres one fact about Ozempic that might appear to negate the entire endeavour: People often gain back any weight lost while on the drug as soon as they stop taking it locking them into a costly, indefinite commitment to medication.
In this regard, these miracle cures are no different to dieting, or any means of weight reduction other than sustainable lifestyle change. (Even gastric band surgery, a similarly drastic solution, has limited long-term success.)
By artificially suppressing our internal measures of hunger and satiety, Ozempic could be warping our fraught relationship with food even further. Instead of learning how to eat and be active how to nourish and accept the ever-changing body were in we are effectively paying to make the problem go away.
I think were going to look back on this and view it with the same concern and disdain that we now view the prescription of cigarettes and benzedrine for weight loss were going to see how treacherous it really was, says Christyna Johnson, a non-diet dietitian based in Texas.
Johnsons approach emphasises intuitive eating, health at any size principles, and body-image acceptance: worthwhile but challenging work that is often slow-going, and easily overshadowed by celebrity solutions.
In a society that is sick and getting sicker, Ozempic is a socially sanctioned way of coping, Johnson says. We know how much stigma, bias, harm and discrimination people in large bodies face Im not mad with people for making that choice, I understand it in the context. My gripe is with a culture that would make that a solution.
Even doctors (in the UK as well as the US) receive nominal instruction in nutrition, and next to nothing in disordered eating meaning they, too, can weight medicalised responses and cures over holistic ones, or prevention.
Fatphobia is also rife within the medical establishment, with people told to lose weight when seeking treatment for unrelated conditions, or dismissed out of hand. When you are being told that your body size specifically is a medical condition, youre going to do anything in your power not to have that condition, says Johnson.
It is evident in the vilification of hunger especially in women. Johnsons clients will often tell her of attempting to earn their next meal, holding off until they are light-headed to eat; or they will elevate disordered eating as enviable self-discipline. We are so fixated on people not being hungry, not because they are well-fed, but because they are starving.
In such a context, Johnson says, owning ones appetites and learning to eat offers a path to liberation. She quotes Audre Lorde on self-care as self-preservation, and an act of political warfare.
Choosing to take pleasure is the least I could do for myself in a system thats hell-bent on making me a little worker bee in a society that praises people for not being hungry, Johnson says.
Ozempic, on the other hand, severs us from as base a sensation as hunger, distancing us from as essential a need and as ready a pleasure as food.
I dont think people anticipate that theyre going to be so repulsed by food as they embark on their Ozempic journey, says Johnson. You cant wrap your head around it: Im putting something in my mouth that I know I enjoy, and Im getting zero pleasure out of it Im just identifying: Im eating scrambled eggs.
The implications for questions of free will and bodily autonomy are dismal. Even those for whom the drug has been personally revolutionary admit to ambivalence.
Kelsey is thoughtful and clear-eyed about her own preoccupation with her weight. Growing up in the 90s and 2000s, seeing my mom do diets all the time, people saying thats unhealthy I think decades of diet culture got to me, she says.
She works hard to protect her children, aged six, three and one: They do not talk about weight, or good and bad foods. I dont want my kids to struggle with the same thing that I struggle with. When they go to the doctor and they have to be weighed, I cringe a little bit because of the memories that I have.
But the path of self-acceptance that Kelsey is trying to carve for her children has proved unattainable for herself. For ten years I really tried to embrace the body positivity movement and the body that I was in. But it felt dishonest, and even damaging like when youre in a relationship as a teenager and youre trying to pretend its really good when its not, Kelsey says.
I feel very much like Im part of that movement. Its just, for me personally, Im happier when Im in a smaller body.
Especially given her PCOS and risk of diabetes, Kelsey considers Mounjaro life-saving medication that she plans to take indefinitely or for as long as she can. Mounjaro costs US $1,200 (970) per month; Kelsey has only been able to afford it because of a promotional offer, which ends in June.
Her plan is to then switch to Ozempic, which has greater coverage under insurance, and hope she sees the same results. If it came down to paying full price for a couple of months, I would do it, Kelsey says. Id cringe every time, and its not something that I would be able to do forever but Id do it.
Ozempic may be just another turn of the diet-industry wheel, but if centuries of weight-loss solutions say something about their times, this one seems to superficially, artificially transcend the matter of willpower, indulgence, restraint and virtue.
Kate Mosss quip that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels may have caused outrage, but it captured the deadpan nihilism of the 90s and heroin chic. Now slimming drugs are ushering in a return of that eras extreme thinness but it is telling that the slogan, updated for 2020s, lacks the same wry provocation: nothing tastes as good.
These days, Johnson suggests, we are barrelling towards dystopian chic. Indeed, one feature of a dystopia is the sense of no tomorrow: Ozempic promises thinness for today, as long as you can afford it.
In a world already marked by many of the defining characteristics of a dystopia extreme inequality, dwindling nature, loss of faith in institutions, and pessimism about the future an injection extending peace of mind and thin-privilege to an exclusive few is apt. After all, The Hunger Games franchise was so named for a reason this modern food environment is hazardous and dehumanising for individuals to navigate, and next to impossible to resist entirely. At the very least, the demand for Ozempicreflects the desire for another way.
As much as food was a source of pleasure for Jess, it also caused her pain, anxiety, guilt, distress Ozempic has removed it all, she says. It really is just life-changing in that way, she says, because sometimes I wonder, about people who have more naturally thin bodies is this how it feels?
Jess is careful about how she speaks about her experience; she has experienced stigma over her weight, and supports peoples right to be happy and healthy no matter what their size. I dont want people to feel pressured to take this; I dont want this to be like, Well, you dont have to be fat, she says.
But her mind keeps going back to her recent flight her first since starting on Ozempic. Id been getting to a point, at the beginning of last year, where airplane seatbelts were small and this time, it wasnt a problem at all. I do think that thats a problem with the airline, but also, like it made my life better, she says.
It made my life easier at that time, in that moment going OK, this is no longer an issue I have. My brain keeps going back to that, thinking: This is what I mean we still have to live in this world. For now, Jess says, Im glad that this treatment exists.
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How Ozempic Warps Our Relationship With Food and Pleasure - VICE
Dieting affects males and females differently in young adulthood - but the variations disappear with age, according to a new study, which the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute contributed to.
Researchers found that males on reduced calorie diets showed greater fat loss and improvements in blood sugar levels compared with females.
The findings suggest that oestrogen, one of the main female sex hormones, may play a role in determining the health benefits of dieting. Experts say this could help to identify those most likely to benefit from a restricted calorie diet.
Reducing calorie intake while maintaining levels of essential nutrients is linked to the prevention of conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and increased life expectancy.
The University of Edinburgh-led research team looked at the impact of a reduced calorie diet on the health of both mice and humans.
The six-week study involved 96 mice whose daily calorie consumption was 30 per cent less than normal and 85 mice on a normal diet.
The team found that the reduced calorie diet lowered blood sugar by 22 per cent in young males but only 16 per cent in young females.
The effects on body fat were even more striking males decreased fat mass by nearly 70 per cent but females lost no fat at all.
The study found young female mice resisted fat loss because, compared to males, they limited the breakdown of body fat, used less energy and had increased fat production after meals.
By contrast, when dieting began at older ages, there was no significant difference in fat loss between sexes. Female mice lost around half of their body fat a similar level to males.
A small human weight loss study of 42 overweight or obese men and women confirmed the same age- and sex-based differences also occur in humans.
Across four weeks, men under 45-years-old lost more than 16 per cent of their body fat, while women in the same age group lost only 8 per cent,half as much as the men.
There was no difference in fat loss between males and females older than 45, with both sexes losing around 10 per cent of their body fat.
The human study was not originally designed to test the influence of age and sex on dieting but the researchers were able to analyse the data retrospectively to address this. A larger human study investigating the impact of age and sex is needed to confirm these findings, experts say.
The study is published in the journal eLife: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.88080. The international research team included scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, the Highlands and Islands and Glasgow and involved the Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo.
Dr William Cawthorn, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at the University of Edinburgh BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, who led the study, said: Reduced-calorie diets have many health benefits and may promote healthy ageing. Some previous research suggested that the effectiveness of these diets may differ between males and females, but our study is the first to show that these sex differences largely disappear when dieting begins at older ages. This could help us to devise improved nutritional strategies to prevent diseases and promote healthy ageing.
Professor Alexandra Johnstone from the Rowett Institute added: This is an interesting collaborative study, where the Rowett Institute team were able to contribute the human studies data, to explore this novel hypothesis. We also look forward to future research together, to follow up on this paper, to further support studies on womans health.
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Age and sex influence health benefits of dieting, study suggests ... - University of Aberdeen
As summer approaches, many people start making changes to their diet or lifestyle to reach certain health goals. But there are some common pitfalls to be aware of when trying to reach weight-loss goals this time of year.
Before you jump into a diet or weight-loss program, there are some important factors to consider to make sure you are being safe, realistic and healthy.
Vanessa Rissetto, registered dietitian and co-founder ofCulina Health, shared the top dieting mistakes people should avoid and how to healthily reach your goals instead.
The first thing to ask yourself before making any changes to your diet is: "Is this safe?" Rissetto told TODAY in a segment that aired on April 20. If you're cutting too many calories, it's not.
Being too restrictive is not only risky, it's also unsustainable and a large reason why people fail to stick to new diets, TODAY previously reported.
"Some things you can do for a day or two days and then thats it, but you actually need fuel to function," said Rissetto.
Instead of heavily restricting your caloric intake, Rissetto suggested using math to figure out how many calories your body actually needs.
"A lot of people try to cut calories and they think, 'oh, my friend eats 1000 calories a day, so I should do that too'," said Rissetto, adding that people should base their caloric intake on their own weight.
As a general rule of thumb, she suggested dividing your weight by 2.2 and multiplying that by 25. So if you are 150 pounds, it would be 68 times 25, which would give you 1700 calories a day to maintain your current weight, she explained. If weight loss is your goal and you decide to eat less than that, you should never go below 1300 calories per day, she added.
Fiber and hydration are a key part of any diet, said Rissetto, but people often forget to focus on these two factors.
In the summer when the temperatures are higher, digestion can slow down, said Rissetto. Fiber and water are ways to aid your digestion and help speed things up.
How much water do you need? In the summer its easier to get dehydrated, which is why Rissetto suggested drinking 90 fluid ounces of water every day, more than the standard eight glasses a day recommendation.
"Fiber also helps with weight management," she added, suggesting people load meals with extra vegetables and fruits.
You need to eat protein and fat to fuel your body, said Rissetto, so it's important not to cut back on these too much. "On average, fat is about 20 to 35% of your calorie requirement," she added. Healthy sources of fat include nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and fatty fish, TODAY previously reported.
Your daily protein intake should be about 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of your weight, said Rissetto. So someone who is 150 pounds or 68 kilograms would need about 68 to 82 grams per day. "For context, four ounces of chicken has 31 grams of protein," she added.
Rissetto said another mistake she sees people make is omitting entire food groups, namely, carbs. Low- or no-carb diets for weight loss have come in and out of popularity for a long time, TODAY previously reported.
"Carbs are not bad. They are our major energy source and we need them for fuel," she added. People are often scared of carbs because they don't actually know what carbs are or how much we need to eat, she said.
Its not always bread and cookies, she clarified. Not all carbs are created equal, and healthier options include whole grains like quinoa, starchy vegetables like broccoli, or pulses like lentils.
"When you think about these fads, like a juice cleanse, you have to buy the whole system and that's costing you hundreds of dollars over a month," said Rissetto. Expensive cleanses or fad diets are often not sustainable, she added, and a total waste of money.
"Ask yourself ... can I achieve the goal while not blowing up my pocket?" said Rissetto, adding that professionals can also help you understand how to make sustainable, affordable changes. "Most of us (dietitians) take insurance and the cost is probably a copay," she added.
It's important to make sure any changes are realistic for your lifestyle, Rissetto emphasized. A diet shouldn't take away from your social life, for example. If going out to eat or trying new restaurants is a big part of your life, choose a diet that allows you to keep doing that, but in a healthier way.
"Think about what your limits are and what your life is like," said Rissetto, adding that people should consider the best way to incorporate a diet change into their routine so that it works for their lifestyle. If you are a busy parent cooking for your family, for example, you may not want to choose a diet that requires you to eat separate meals, she added. "Really, what is going to be sustainable in the long-term without having you lose your mind?"
Caroline Kee is a health reporter at TODAY based in New York City.
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6 Things to Avoid When Dieting for Summer, According to a Dietitian - TODAY
Don't let this common blip of 'plateauing' derail your journey to a slimmer you, says TV doctor
How many times have you been following a diet and the pounds are just falling off you, but then the weight loss kind of ... just ... stops?
This is called 'plateauing' and TV doctor and diet expert Michael Mosley has some great ways to overcome it. Writing on his popular Fast800 blog, the trusted wellness guru said: "The weight loss plateau is a common phase that can be frustrating, confusing and demotivating. It, therefore, often leads to many people giving up on their weight loss journey."
He added: "If youre on a weight loss journey, its highly likely that youll experience a weight loss plateau."
Dr Mosley says it can occur at any point during the journey, and is a period "when it seems that youve stopped losing weight, despite carefully following an appropriate diet and lifestyle plan".
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Explaining why it happens, he reasoned: "It may be that the body switches from using glucose to using its stores of glycogen (before then moving into fat-burning mode) when calories are significantly reduced.
"As the body uses glycogen, it is also excreting water, so many people experience an initial rapid weight loss as the body loses both fat and water. Once this initial water weight is lost, weight loss inevitably becomes more gradual as the body works to burn its fat stores."
The reasons could also be linked to muscle mass reduction during weight loss. Dr Mosley said: "Following a Mediterranean-style diet that is rich in protein, like The Fast 800, is one way to better maintain muscle mass while also losing fat.
"As muscle weighs more than fat in volume, weight loss can therefore seem more gradual, but the long-term benefit is not losing heavier muscle stores while burning fat."
The Trust Me, I'm a Doctor star says you can help avoid the pesky plateau by eating modest amounts of protein, boosting your intake of healthy fats, taking part in regular high-intesity workouts and increasing 'incidental exercise' as part of your daily routine.
Incidental exercise is any activity built up in small amounts during the day, such as walking up the stairs or to the bus stop. He says if you do plateau, you can help kickstart weight loss by switching to a low-carb diet.
Tracy Parker, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: Its long been known that eating Mediterranean-style is good for your heart. Whether you are at risk or not, a healthy lifestyle which includes a balanced diet like the Mediterranean-style diet can help you to lower your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases, she said.
The risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also reduced with a Mediterranean diet.
Its easy to do make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, fish, nuts and seeds, along with some low-fat dairy and fat from unsaturated sources like olive oil. Its also important to eat less processed meat, salt and sweet treats.
Continue reading here:
Dr Michael Mosley reveals why you suddenly STOP losing weight when dieting - and how to overcome it - The Mirror
