Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Before losing the weight, I didnt have a life, says Dibsy McClintock. I just existed. I couldnt fit in a car, I couldnt use public transport, I couldnt get in the bath I couldnt even tie my own shoelaces.

Dibsy had always been big, but it was only in his mid-twenties that the problem became more urgent. In late 2018, he was hospitalised due to atrial fibrillation, a heart condition. At 40st, his weight made surgery too much of a risk If they put me to sleep, I wouldnt have woken up and he was issued an ultimatum: lose the 10st required to perform the procedure, or dont expect to be around much longer.

Thats when he met Mike Hind (above, pictured left), a PT specialising in body transformations and owner of a local meal-prep company. Mike agreed to take him on, providing his food and training free of charge. He could barely walk, Mike recalls of their first meeting. We had a chat and his mum just broke down. It was heart-wrenching. I said, Ill do this, but you need to give me 100%. Dibsys goal? To lose 20 stone in a year.

Dibsy had consulted with NHS dietitians and personal trainers without success. As Mike puts it, Nobody had worked out the root cause: he was addicted to food.

At first, Dibsy says he struggled with the exercise and dramatic drop in calories: Id get aches and pains. It was absolutely brutal. But he persevered, and the weight started to fall away. As it did, he and Mike set targets unrelated to the scales: climbing Ben Nevis, completing the Great North Run.

As impressive as these feats are, many of Dibsys biggest milestones were considerably less Instagram-worthy. Getting into a car with a seat belt Id never been able to do that before! he says.

Late last year, Dibsy hit his 20st target after 358 days, one week ahead of schedule. My family doesnt have to worry about me any more, he says. Acknowledging the changing nuances of body image and obesity rates is a positive step. However, in which direction that step takes us is still far from clear.

The statistics make for heavy reading. In the most recent annual figures, 711,000 hospital admissions were directly linked to obesity; of these, obesity was the primary diagnosis in 10,660 cases. The NHS spends 8.8bn per year (16,000 per minute, or 9% of its budget) on treating type 2 diabetes a disease with established links to weight gain. Aside from smoking, obesity is the UKs biggest cause of cancer, and a BMI of 35 or above has been shown to reduce life expectancy by an average of eight years. To bring these figures into context, consider that more than six in 10 adults (and more than a third of children aged 10-11) in the UK are overweight or obese.

When you examine the impact of this on our overloaded health services, it may even make you angry. But where you direct that anger is important. In an interview with the BBC, Nick Finer, honorary clinical professor at University College London, agreed that many still believe that its legitimate to blame people for being overweight, but argues that condemnation ignores the role of our food environment.

If somebody falls off a boat and they cant swim and they drown, nobody says, Its your fault, he said. They happen to be in an environment where its very easy to drown. Were in an environment now where its very easy to over-acquire calories. Being fat feels almost inevitable in some cases. And so emerges the body positivity movement, a backlash against this blame game and fat shaming.

A spokesman for the National Obesity Forum perhaps put it best when he said, Fat shaming is a disaster. Multiple studies corroborate the fact that feelings of shame and guilt tend to lead to poorer self-care as a result of worsening mental health, and thus make further weight gain more likely. As actor and comedian James Corden, no stranger to size jibes himself, recently said on air: If making fun of fat people made them lose weight, Id have a six-pack by now. A different approach is required one championed by the National Obesity Forum in which people with obesity can be provided with the facts in no uncertain terms, but without moralising or judgement.

I have no interest in aesthetics, other than as a side effect of weight loss, says Dr Eric Asher, a GP and medical director at Third Space in London. To him, weight loss is far from a dirty phrase in the battle against obesity. Its an imperative. The more fat you accumulate centrally, the more you raise the chemical somatomedin, also called IGF-1. That turns on everything you dont want, he says. If you name a 20th-century disease, this will activate it tumours, heart attacks, thrombosis, immune diseases. According to Dr Asher, the most effective tool for measuring your risk of multiple diseases is a piece of string. Wrap it around your waist at the belly button, he says. Take the length, double it, and if that ends over your head, you have two choices lose weight or grow taller.

You dont need a visible six-pack to enjoy the health benefits of weight loss, however. Small steps earn exceptional rewards. For every half stone you lose, the effect is the same as that of taking one hypertension tablet, says Asher. Measurable shifts will already be occurring in your blood pressure. Your blood sugar levels will start to re-regulate. Youll also feel better and move better. Its like taking bricks out of a rucksack.

Arguably those best placed to appreciate the nuances of this discussion are those who are already working towards a healthier lifestyle and a healthier bodyweight. Pontificating from the two extreme sides of the argument risks drowning out these voices. To understand the issue better, we reached out to our readers and interviewed a range of men who had lost anything from 4st to 20st.

The responses we received were diverse equal parts heartening and heartbreaking. Their reasons for becoming overweight in the first place varied: some had gained weight as they recovered from injuries or surgery, while others had struggled with obesity since early childhood. Many had experienced periods of poor mental health. Others preferred to explain their rationale more bluntly: Food made me happy at the time, said one interviewee.

Their motivations for deciding to change their circumstances werent all the same, either, though most were driven by a complicated mixture of poor self-confidence, concern for their health, a yearning to enjoy life more fully, fear of judgement from others and a desire to change for the good of their families. One man lost weight so that he could donate his kidney to his mother.

Most of the men felt proud of their achievements. A few were waiting to reach their target weight before allowing themselves to take true satisfaction in their accomplishments. One interviewee told us that changing his habits for the better was the thing I am most proud of achieving in my life.

Clearly not all of these stories end with unfaltering confidence, washboard abs and bulletproof self-esteem. Loose skin and stretch marks were cited as downsides by almost everyone we spoke to, creating a roster of new body hang-ups. Some of our interviewees had tried to fix the problem by putting on muscle mass, though working to grow bigger again once youve put so much effort into getting smaller is fraught with complications, both physiological and psychological.

We believe these are the bodies that should be spearheading the positivity movement, coming as they do with the battle scars of a hard-won fight in some cases, fights to save their own lives. No one should be ashamed of how they look. We should be able to celebrate these men for their achievements without sneering at those who are yet to take their first steps on the same journey.

What we need for the obesity epidemic is a movement similar to the one that has been belatedly embraced for mental health. Where once there was stigma attached to anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, there is now an emerging compassion and understanding. Even those who arent personally affected are learning how to be empathetic towards those living with these conditions. Crucially, positive action is also taking place alongside the new wave of positive understanding. We can look for ways to manage and reduce anxiety without passing judgement on those who struggle with it. Its the same with obesity. Its possible to accept the nuances of an overweight society while simultaneously supporting efforts for a healthier, happier life. Theres no shame in that.

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.

SIGN UP

Link:
What Happens to Your Body When You Lose 20 Stone - Men's health UK

New Year's resolution time has come and gone, but reaching fitness and wellness goals is a year-round effort. Almost everything lives on our phones now, and a quick internet search will bring up a few dozen apps that aim to help if you want to lose weight, get healthier or focus on fitness. Before you download anything, it's important to do some research about what you're signing up for.

One traditional weight-loss program is Weight Watchers. After almost 60 years, the program made the digital transition and rebranded itself as WW in 2018, putting more of a focus on health and wellness than dieting, at least when it comes to its marketing. Another app that has surfaced over the last couple years is Noom, which has called itself "Weight Watchers for millennials."

While there are other apps you can use to track your diet and exercise -- including some free apps that may be built into your phone, such as Samsung Health or Apple Health -- if you're considering WW or Noom for your dieting and fitness goals, here's what you need to know.

WW has been around for decades. The program assigns points to foods and recipes, and sets a certain amount of points for your day based on your height, weight and weight loss goals, instead of having you count calories. You can search for foods or scan bar codes in the WW app -- much easier than tracking by hand, as you had to in the past.

You'll track breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks every day, with weeks tracked Monday through Sunday. You have daily points to use (a number that resets each morning). You also get extra weekly points to use, which gives you some wiggle room to go over your daily amount. You can also log exercise and activity (the app can sync with your Fitbit) and weight changes, try out WW recipes and look up WW-friendly restaurants.

WW now offers three different plans to choose from: Blue (the traditional WW plan, which gives you a number of daily points plus certain zero-point foods such as fruits, veggies, lean proteins and eggs), Purple (gives you fewer daily points but more zero-point foods, including whole grains) and Green (gives you more daily points but fewer zero-point foods).

While there are zero-point foods in every plan, that doesn't mean those foods have zero calories, or that you should only eat those foods. Instead, the goal is to train you to make healthier food choices.

What I liked about Weight Watchers was that it didn't feel like a diet (I know, how many times have we heard that?). But it's not restrictive -- it's sustainable, and it's about making better choices. It doesn't mean you can't have ice cream, just less ice cream, or choose frozen yogurt instead. I found the program to be easy to follow and effective when I committed to it.

In terms of cost, you can sign up to use the app only for about $17 per month. Try the app plus workshops (strategies and support from experts and members) for about $38 per month. You can also subscribe to the app plus personal coaching for $51 per month. This means WW-certified coaches and guides are available to you online or in studios (if one is located in your area) when you need extra help. WW lets you try the app for the first month free, so if it doesn't feel right to you, you can cancel.

I found that sometimes it's hard to stick to WW, especially on the weekends. Meal planning is key. The more you put into the program, the more results you'll see. I also find it encouraging to look in the forums on the app to see real people's weight loss milestones, everyday accomplishments and struggles, tips, tricks and so on. It makes you feel less alone on your own journey.

You may have seen ads for Noom show up on social media, touting itself as "a smarter way to lose weight," but not a diet. The service, which has been around for just over 10 years, focuses on consistency and accountability. These are two things that can make or break health and fitness goals.

When you sign up for Noom, you're assigned a coach, who'll message you every few days to check in on your progress. Sometimes the comments felt vague, almost like it was an automated message, but some messages were more specific to what I had written to the coach. One nice feature is that you can set up the app to be aware of when you might be close to "falling off the wagon." For example, I set up my warning signs to be that I didn't open the app that day, which signaled the coach to check in with me.

Similarly to in WW, you track your day's food in terms of breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner and an evening snack. You can set the time when you usually eat breakfast, and Noom will calculate the best times for you to eat your other meals based on how to maximize fullness and improve your metabolism. You'll get notifications subsequently. You're given a daily checklist with specific articles to read and quizzes about health, food, fitness and nutrition. You can save recipes, articles and the like to refer back to later.

Unlike WW, with its points system, Noom counts calories. I felt a little cautious when the app assigned me 1,200 calories for a day, as I'm 5-foot-9. When I used the built-in fitness app on my old Samsung phone, I was given 1,600 calories per day.

Noom sorts foods into red, yellow and green. Red foods are more processed, yellows tend to be meats and dairy and green foods are fruits, veggies, etc. The app wants you to eat more "nutrient-dense" foods, which means those with fewer calories that are more filling.

Noom is pricier than WW: It costs $45 per month, but you get all of the features mentioned above for your dollar.

When it comes to choosing between WW and Noom, think about which program would work best for you and your lifestyle. Scientific studies back up both programs: A 2016 study published in Scientific Reports examined nearly 36,000 Noom users, and found that the app drove sustained weight loss in 78% of people across a nine-month period. A 2011 study published in the Lancet medical journal found that overweight patients told by their doctors to do WW lost around twice as much weight as people receiving standard weight loss care over 12 months.

Researching both apps before you get started is important. In addition, it's important to take inventory of yourself, taking into consideration why you want to lose weight. One of the things I liked about Noom is that it asked me why I was using the app. When I entered the answer, it asked why again. Another answer was met with another why. This let me examine myself and my motives more deeply. I recommend doing this even if you don't use Noom.

I used WW first, and then tried Noom, and it was a bit of a jarring experience to go from having zero-point foods to counting calories again. It's important to remember that you can't live on zero-point foods alone, but not all calories are bad. Noom also wanted me to weigh myself everyday, while WW only prompts you to weigh in once per week. I understood on some level that this was to establish habits and so you can see how weight naturally fluctuates, but as someone who has had an unhealthy relationship with a scale in the past, it wasn't the best practice for me personally. It's easy to obsess over the slightest weight change that really doesn't mean anything besides water or the fact that you're wearing jeans.

I've done WW on and off for the past several months, but I only tried out Noom for about a week. I wasn't as keen about the price of Noom and the low number of calories it recommended for someone my height. In addition, an article by a registered dietician about Noom raised a few questions for me.

Again, it comes down to what program you feel most comfortable with. Don't be afraid to try both since there are free trials, and if you don't feel comfortable with something, discontinue it or consult a doctor. WW has been around longer, but Noom has a lot of promise. It went beyond "Eat this, don't eat this" and incorporated an educational element for sustaining healthy habits. It's a bit more expensive, but includes more features. However, I found WW more forgiving and easier to follow.

Now playing: Watch this: Track your food and drink intake with tech

1:03

Originally published earlier this year. Updated periodically with new information.

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

Read more:
Noom vs. Weight Watchers: Cost and more compared - CNET

The research study provided by Acquire Market Research on Global Weight Loss and Obesity Management Industry offers a strategic assessment of the Weight Loss and Obesity Management market. The industry report focuses on the growth opportunities, which are expected to help the market expand their operations in the existing markets. Market figures such as Basis Points[BPS], CAGR, market share, revenue, production, consumption, gross margin, and price are accurately calculated and forecast with the use of advanced tools and sources.

The report offers a succinct research study of the global Weight Loss and Obesity Management market. It takes into consideration market competition, segmentation, geographical expansion, regional growth, market size, and other factors that are important from a market experts point of view. Readers are provided with data on manufacturing cost analysis, manufacturing process analysis, price analysis, and other studies imperative for understanding the global Weight Loss and Obesity Management market.

Click Here To Access The Sample Report: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/sample-request/318636/

The key players profiled in this report include: Novo Nordisk, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Allergan, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Vivus Inc, Eisai, Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals, ReShape Lifesciences, Obalon Therapeutics, Allurion Technologies, Beijing Noble Laser Technology

Global Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market by Type Segments: Weight Loss and Obesity Management Devices, Weight Loss and Obesity Management Drugs

Global Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market Applications: Men, Women

The Weight Loss and Obesity Management report compiles a complete analysis of the parent market including dependent and independent sectors. The regional study offered in the report helps to become conversant with important market opportunities available in different parts of the world. The report provides strategic recommendations on the basis of the senior analysts consultation, thereby offering a clear perspective to clients to identify the strategy that is likely to help them penetrate a market. It demonstrates graphical representation with figures and pictures for elucidation.

To Get This Report At Beneficial Rates: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/discount-request/318636/

Furthermore, this Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market study will help our clients solve the following issues:

Cyclical dynamics-We foresee dynamics of industries by using core analytical and unconventional market research approaches. Our clients use insights provided by us to manoeuvre themselves through market uncertainties and disruptions.

Identifying key cannibalizes Strong substitute for a product or service is the most prominent threat. Our clients can identify key cannibalizes of a market, by procuring our research. This helps them in aligning their new product development/launch strategies in advance.

Spotting emerging trends-Our Ecosystem offering helps the client to identify emerging market trends. We also analyze possible impact and disruptions which a market is likely to witness by the emergence of a particular trend. Our proactive analysis helps clients to have an early mover advantage.

Interrelated opportunities- This Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market report is likely to allow clients to make decisions based on data, thereby increasing the chances of adoption of strategies that are best suited for the real world.

Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market by Region Segmentation: North America Country (United States, Canada)Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)

Primary Objectives of the Global Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market Report:1) To analyze target consumers and their preferences.2) To determine potential opportunities, challenges, obstacles, and threats in the global Weight Loss and Obesity Management3) To identify and make suitable business plans according to industry and economic shifts.4) To assess market rivalry and obtain maximum competitive advantages.5) To mitigate risks and hurdles to drive informed business decisions.

To Know More About The Assumptions in This Market Report: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/industry-reports/weight-loss-and-obesity-management-market/318636/

Request a customized copy of Weight Loss and Obesity Management reportIf you wish to find more details of the report or want customization, contact us. You can get a detailed summary of the entire research here. If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will customize the report as you want.

The report segments the market into various sub-segments, therefore, it covers the overall market. The approximations of the revenue numbers of the overall market and its sub-segments are also additionally included in this report. Moreover, the report highlights some of the major growth prospects, including new product launches, M&A, R&D, collaborations, joint ventures, agreements, partnerships, and growth of the key players operating in the Weight Loss and Obesity Management market. It determines the factors that are directly responsible for driving the market growth, that comprise production strategies and methodologies, development platforms, and the product model.

About us:

Acquire Market Research is a market research-based company empowering companies with data-driven insights. We provide Market Research Reports with accurate and well-informed data, Real-Time with Real Application. A good research methodology proves to be powerful and simplified information that applied right from day-to-day lives to complex decisions helps us navigate through with vision, purpose and well-armed strategies. At Acquire Market Research, we constantly strive for innovation in the techniques and the quality of analysis that goes into our reports.

Contact Us:

Sally Mach555 Madison Avenue,5th Floor, Manhattan,New York, 10022 USAPhone No: +1 (800) 663-5579Email ID: [emailprotected]

See the rest here:
Latest Research Report to uncover key Factors of Global Weight Loss and Obesity Management Market -2024 - News Parents

Fasting or Big Breakfast

Are you confused about what to eat and what time to eat in the morning? Two hot topics now in the never ending world of diet and weight loss are the concept of intermittent fasting and diet induced thermogenesis. Now these two concepts could not be further apart and yet they both may work.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it is an eating pattern. This pattern cycles between eating and fasting, it does not discuss what foods or how much you eat it is all about timing. The most common form right now is the 16 hour intermittent fast. Lets say you have dinner at 6 pm, the goal under this plan would be to not eat again until 10am the next day. Fasting for 16 hours. Now in all reality this was probably the norm before we had grocery stores, refrigerators and preservatives. This plan does help you lose weight as long as you do not load up on the calories during the 8 hours you are eating, essentially if you eat normally during the 8 hours you will have a decrease in calorie u=intake and your body will use reserves during the fasting period thus ending up with weight loss.

How does the body react to this? We see that insulin becomes more sensitive and insulin levels drop, this allows the body to burn fat for energy. We also so Human Growth Hormone increase which also has the benefit of fat loss as well as muscle growth. This has been shown to decrease belly fat, increase your metabolic rate which in turn will lead to weight loss.

Now lets go to the other extreme, diet induced thermogenesis or DIT. The concept here is about the opposite of intermittent fasting. This concept is that you eat your largest meal of the day in the morning, followed by a medium lunch and then a small dinner. The concept is to give your body the energy (calories) when it needs it, thus the body burns more calories. It also has the idea that a large breakfast will slow or eliminate the snacking that many do throughout the day, where many calories are taken on without much thought.

Simply put the amount of energy we use every day is composed of 3 totals, the first is the energy we all need to sustain life at a basic level (30%), the second is the amount of energy we use with physical activity (60%) and the third is the amount of energy that is induced from our diet and the energy needed to digest the diet (10%). The concept of DIT is that we can impact the amount of energy expended by a specific diet and at a specific time of the day. Studies have shown that individuals who are lean had a higher DIT than those who were felt to be obese.

The main determinant of DIT is the content of the food, alcohol and protein lead to high DIT whereas fat and carbohydrates will have a lower DIT. A study out of Germany suggests that a big breakfast with higher calories than the dinner lead to higher DIT, it was also shown to lead to lower snacking thru the day which may be just as important. The concept of having your largest meal at breakfast or lunch is common thru out the world. There is some agreement that dinner should be your lowest calorie meal, something we rarely see here in the US.

So which plan works best for you? Or can you actually do both of them. That is one of the hot concepts now, it is to continue to intermittently fast and couple that with your largest meal of the day in the morning. The morning meal of more protein than fat or carbs appears to make the biggest impact.

Calories- are they changing the counting?

We all know that calories impact our weight, many common weight loss methods are simply counting calories, with the premise if we burn more calories than we take in we will have to lose weight. In 1973 the FDA regulated that foods must carry nutritional labels and since then we have looked at labels for calories, fat, protein amounts as we plan our intake. Over the past 47 years we have gotten better and more accurate as to the content of the food we ingest daily. Historically the caloric amounts were simply based on the type of food and the weight of the food. For example we know from testing in a lab that one gram of fat has 9 calories and one gram of protein has 4 calories, thus protein by weight will have a lower impact on your weight than fat would.

As we have progressed on this labeling over the past 47 years we have found that one gram of protein is not universal as we look at sources for protein, what I mean is that one gram of protein from salmon is not the equivalent of one gram of protein from almonds. How can that be if we have used the weight in grams times the lab based calorie number to get our answer. Well, the human body is not a bench lab, and all that is taken in is not necessarily absorbed into the body. Some forms of food are not absorbed well and in fact are important to our health in minimizing our risk of colon cancer as they are high in fiber.

Recently information has come out on almonds which has led to changing many dietary labels. Almonds are a low carbohydrate food that are high in calories but also have a decent amount of fiber and protein. But an almond is a generic term when discussing its nutritional value. Studies have shown that the nutritional value of almonds change as we process them. If we cook or grind them it breaks down the composition of the almond and thus more can be ingested and less acts as non digested fiber. Roasted almonds may have higher digestible calories than raw almonds however the salt and sugar content often will skyrocket. If the almond is not roasted, the studies have shown that they have a lower number of calories due to the amount ingested. This will impact protein bars that have almonds, allowing for a decreased calorie count and may actually increase that caloric impact of almond butter.

This allows us to be as accurate as we can and allows for individuals to make good choices when it comes dietary intake.

Heart News

As we exit the Heart Month of February results of a study completed over the past ten years may have men in their 30s and early 40s rethinking exercise and the importance of muscle mass.

A study was published recently that looked at the importance of muscle mass and maintaining muscle mass as we age and the protective properties of muscle mass. The study was completed mainly in Spain and Greece which is interesting as we look at the study and what they promoted and tracked. For years we have known that excess weight, smoking and diabetes will lead to much higher incidence of heart disease and stroke. What this study looked at was to take individuals who had no signs of heart disease and were over the age of 30 and the impact that maintaining muscle mass has on their risk of heart disease and stroke.

We know that as we age our muscle mass declines for most people. If you looked at all individuals you would see that their muscle mass peaks at the age of 30 and that we lose about 3 % of our muscle mass each decade from that point going forward and that rate increases as we age. We know that simple decrease in muscle mass impacts health in many ways, activity, mental health, bone health, balance and most importantly heart health.

This study started with simply signing up thousands of individuals and doing an extensive medical exam, testing and lifestyle questionnaires. They chose individuals who had no signs of heart disease at that time. Ten years after joining the study the individuals returned for a second round of testing with a focus on cardiovascular illness.

They looked again to see if these individuals who had no signs of cardiovascular disease 10 years earlier had progressed to having signs of CV disease. 27% of the individuals had, with men showing a 6x higher rate than women. They looked back at the data and it showed that those individuals that had significant muscle mass when the study started had a 81 percent lower risk of heart disease when compared to the others. The study showed that early muscle mass in your 30-40s may have a protective measure against heart disease as we age.

Now many of you may be thinking of course this is the result as those individuals probably eat better, exercise more and may be more educated about health. The researchers tried to remove these variables as much as they could and the results still held up.

The big message is having a substantial muscle mass in your 30-40s and attempting to maintain muscle mass as you age appears to have a substantial impact on protecting your heart.

See original here:
Big Breakfasts, Calories in Nuts, and Heart Muscle mass - WGN Radio - Chicago

Sounds wonderful, right? Well, a new version of keto aimed at upping all of these perks has keto fanatics buzzing, but some health and nutrition pros say it may be even more unsustainable than the keto diet you already know. The new version is called Speed Keto, and dietitians aren't exactly recommending it if you're looking to lose weight or start eating healthier.

Still, if you're curious about the eating plan and its origin, here's what you need to know.

Basically, Speed Keto is a combination of the traditional keto diet (made up of 60 to 70 percent fat, 15 to 30 percent protein, and 5 to 10 percent carbs) and intermittent fasting (IF), which involves alternating between various periods of fasting and eating. One of the most common styles of IF is the 16:8 method , in which you fast for 16 hours and can eat during the 8-hour period that follows.

When it comes to Speed Keto, the goal is to get the dieter down to one meal per day, which also has to fit into the keto guidelines of being high-fat and low-carb. The goal of eating less carbs is to get the body into a state of ketosis, which is when your body burns fat, instead of carbohydrate stores, for fuel, which can lead to weight loss.

Speed Keto, which you can buy as a digital program , was created by Harlan Kilstein, an expert coach and motivator with a doctor of education degree, according to his website. Per the site, Speed Keto is meant to simplify the dieting process and help people get past weight-loss plateaus that might occur after eating a traditional keto diet for a few weeks.

"I think keto and 'Speed Keto' diets will result in weight loss," says Hillary Cecere, registered dietitian at Eat Clean Bro . "Any time food is restricted and a calorie deficit occurs, so will weight loss, and when your eating window is smaller, you are more likely to consume less calories."

That being said, Cecere doesn't support the diet as a healthy way of eating. "This diet is unsustainable. Once it's no longer being utilized, weight gain will happen," Cecere says. "I also think it eliminates a lot of nutrient-dense foods . This diet is not for health or longevityit's only for quick weight loss."

In order to maintain weight loss, it's crucial that the diet you follow is something you can sustain long-term, notes Cecere. And if eating keto in general isn't your cup of tea, that's totally fine, too. "You don't need to be in ketosis to lose weight," she says. "Weight loss is determined by calorie deficitthere are plenty of other healthy, sustainable ways to lose weight if that's something you're interested in."

It's also worth noting that combining keto and intermittent fasting isn't exactly new. Many people have been following a diet that combines the two because eating mostly fats and proteins does fill you up and make it easier to fast between meals. The difference here is that Speed Keto recommends a specific IF schedule and one meal a day.

"Combining a super restrictive diet with long periods of non-eating is not good," Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy , previously told WH . The body will cannibalize its own muscle for energy if intake from food is too low but the body does not differentiate between something like a calf muscle or a heart muscle. Keatley added that all your important organs are made of smooth muscle, "and going on a diet like this may harm something like your bladder or lungs just as much as provide fat loss."

It's also worth noting that following a regular keto diet can already have some not-so-pleasant side effects . At the end of the day, whether you want to follow a keto eating plan is up to you, but experts generally warn against pairing keto with an extreme intermittent fasting schedule in the way that the Speed Keto diet does, experts caution. Whatever you choose diet-wise, it's always wise to talk to a dietitian or trusted MD before you drastically overhaul your eating plan.

The bottom line: Speed Keto may not be a sustainable option when it comes to weight loss.

Go here to see the original:
What Is Speed Keto? Everything To Know About The Buzzy Keto-Plus-Intermittent Fasting Plan - Pulse Live Kenya

When MMA fighters meet in the cage, they attempt to knock their opponent out with an array of punches, kicks, knees and elbows, or force them to tap out with painful submission holds from chokes to armbars. However, theres a mandatory part of the sport that is arguably more dangerous than the fight itself: weight-cutting.

Fighters must make a certain weight one day before they compete in order to meet their respective weight class requirements. To do so, they cut weight, which entails artificial rapid weight loss through dehydrating themselves and sucking water out of their bodies in the days leading up to a fight. Fighters who fail to make weight are deemed to be unprofessional by fans and fellow fighters and are fined roughly 20 percent of their fight purse.

Its not an easy process. Between dieting from about a couple months before the fight to sweating out their water just days before, fighters routinely lose around 2535 lbs. Mixed martial artists have different reasons for cutting weight, but nutritionists, physicians, doctors and coaches regard extreme weight-cutting as an unsafe practice that constantly occurs in the sport of MMA. The process, if botched, has led to unconsciousness, kidney failure, hospitalization or even death for some of these athletes.

Between weigh-ins and fight time, fighters strategically rehydrate and regain most of the weight they lost in order to tip the scales at their weight class limit. For example, a welterweight who weighed 170 on Friday evening will be 190 on Saturday night. This has become the norm in all levels of MMA, different from when former fighter Ren Dreifuss competed on the New York regional circuit from 2004 to 2007 at 155 lbs.

Weight-cutting has become an essential part of the strategy to win, said Dreifuss. At 49, he is the head coach of Radical MMA in Manhattan and instructs a few amateur mixed martial artists. At this point in MMA, it is something that you cannot avoid. Its a dirty aspect of the sport.

Dreifuss said he walked around at 165 lbs., as most of his fights had either same-day weigh-ins or no weigh-ins.

Its an integral part of fight strategy right now, but it is also something that Im really conflicted about, Dreifuss said. I want my fighters to be safe. Obviously, we have to cut weight, but I really almost dont want them to do it. Were in this weird place where we have to.

In todays MMA landscape, fighters who dont fight at a certain weight class face a size disadvantage. With skill-level being equal, size can be the determining factor in a fight to the point where the consensus is that fighters reach their natural weight classaftercutting weight.

Ashley Cummins, a 32-year-old fighter for Invicta Fighting Championships, used to compete at strawweight (115 lbs.) in hopes that shed manage to break into the UFC. The lowest womens weight class the UFC has is strawweight, which meant Cummins had to compete against women naturally bigger than her to try and reach her goal.

She came close but lost via technical knockout to Lanchana Green on UFC reality show The Ultimate Fighter back in January 2016. Green was visibly the bigger fighter during the bout. After Cummins used her grappling to dominate the first round, Green was able to use her size and strength advantages to keep the fight standing in the second frame. Green delivered crushing knees that broke Cummins ribs, and Cummins lost her shot to reach the UFC.

That wasnt Cummins first time suffering an injury in a fight against a woman bigger than her. In her first career loss in October 2012, Cummins vision went out on the first punch landed by her opponent, Joanne Calderwood. She fought on but was TKOd a few minutes after. Cummins successfully underwent surgery to repair three broken orbital bones under her right eye.

She continued fighting at strawweight, but suffered three more losses in a row, including the eventual exhibition bout against Green. Then holding a 33 record after starting her career at 30, Cummins realized she needed to drop down a weight class to 105 lbs. atomweight.

I was just too small for the 115 lbs. division, Cummins, who is 52, said. Every girl I fought was a lot taller, wider and stronger than me. I had the technique to hang with these girls, but I was getting out-powered size-wise. I knew if I wanted to continue in the pro level of the sport, Id have to go to atomweight.

Smashley has since gone 32 as an atomweight, not including a win at a 110-lb. fight during her transition between the two weight classes. She holds out hope the UFC will add atomweight to its ranks so that she can finally accomplish her lifelong dream of fighting for the promotion but is chasing the Invicta atomweight championship in the meantime.

The fact I know Im fighting someone my size, I feel more powerful and that I can control the fight better, Cummins said. I can dominate more positions I couldnt at a heavier weight class.

While Cummins moved down to atomweight, Calderwood has since moved up to compete in the UFCs 125-lb. division. Cummins said she surprisingly has an easier cut to 105 than she did to 115 thanks to an improved diet and working with her nutritionist, Teri Howell. Cummins is naturally around 120123 lbs.

Jordan Dowdy, a professional MMA fighter competing on the Midwest regional scene, finds himself between two weight classes: 170 and 185. Dowdy, 33, is 61 and about 200 lbs. Top-tier middleweights are generally in the 62 range and weigh around 215. Dowdy said hes considered big for welterweight but small for middleweight. As a result, he can compete at middleweight on the regional scene against less-skilled competition but said he would have to drop down to welterweight if he wanted to compete for larger promotions. Hes not thrilled by the concept.

I think its archaic and outdated, Dowdy said of weight-cutting. I think originally, it was a way to make sure people were on the same page. People are getting so good at weight-cutting, the weight-cut is turning into the fight.

While fighters like Cummins and Dowdy cut weight to avoid being at a size disadvantage, some fighters discovered they were cutting more weight than necessary, which was not conducive to good fight performances. James Krause, a 62 UFC fighter who naturally weighs in the low-190s, used to compete at lightweight (155 lbs.), a weight class he was big in. However, in many of his recent fights, Krause has since moved up to welterweight, where he intends to compete going forward.

Krause, 33, pointed out past performances at lightweight and welterweight as case studies for weight classes in which he feels better competing. In January 2018, Krause fought Alex White in a lightweight bout and won a very close unanimous decision.

I think that fight speaks for itself, Krause said. I fought like shit. I fought terrible. I think I was just stuck. I just felt slow, lethargic. I felt terrible to be honest with you.

He then fought in August as a welterweight against Warlley Alves, a tough Brazilian prospect with a handful of good wins Colby Covington, Alan Jouban and Nordine Taleb to name a few. Krause finished Alves with a second-round TKO with knees and punches. It marked Krauses first win via strikes since May 2014 against Jamie Varner. He followed the Alves win up with a knockout of Sergio Moraes also at 170.

After un-objectively looking back, I legitimately perform better at 170 than I do at 155, Krause said. My cardio was great, my movement was good, my mind was good, I was having fun.

Krause said he had more trouble making 155 against White than earlier in his career and attributed it to being older, having a family and the fact that hes been a professional fighter since 2007. He added that hes not as strong at welterweight compared to lightweight, but he makes up for that by being even faster in his new weight class.

Krause isnt the only UFC fighter whos felt better in the Octagon since moving up a weight class. Louis Smolka, 28, moved up from flyweight (125 lbs.) to bantamweight (135 lbs.) and won his debut fight against Su Mudaerji via armbar. While the reasons for that were the UFCs looming shutdown of its mens flyweight division and Smolka taking the fight on short notice, he said he felt faster and more explosive since he wasnt depleting himself to make 125.

If the weight class was 124, I couldnt make it, Smolka said.

Alex Minor, a 27-year-old martial artist, said he cut roughly 20 lbs. down to 156 for a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match earlier in 2018. He said after his cut, he felt woozy, weak and lacked energy.

You definitely dont feel like your body is operating optimally, Minor said.

Fighters are some of the most physically and mentally tough athletes on the planet; its almost a prerequisite in their line of work. Extreme weight-cutting, however, causes them a great deal of both physical and mental anguish. Cris Cyborg Justino, whos 34 and the former UFC womens featherweight champion, is shown in her 2016 biographical documentary film CYBORG to be crying and suffering while attempting to make 140 lbs for a UFC catchweight bout before the UFC created a womens featherweight division. She now competes in Bellator and is fighting for the featherweight crown against Julia Budd.

Dowdy, who cuts roughly 28 lbs. to hit the welterweight limit, detailed some of the physical and mental hurdles he encounters during his weight cuts. In order to lose weight before his water cut, Dowdy cuts his carbohydrate intake while controlling his portions, which he admitted makes him feel like crap. He says watching his emotions is then key, because being angry or stressed can negatively impact a weight cut.

However, the water-cutting part of the weight-cut is where Dowdy said it gets terrible. He starts to lose a bit of his vision and wants to slam every piece of food and liquid around him. He cuts roughly 15 lbs. of water after dieting down to about 185, which equates to nearly two gallons.

I should probably be hospitalized at that point, Dowdy said.

There have been suggestions from the MMA sphere that promotions abolish their 170-lb. weight classes and introduce 165 and 175, which Dowdy said he would love.

Those last five pounds are where all those voices in your head come in like, Fuck this. This is the last time Im ever doing this. I dont know why I do this. This is the dumbest thing we do. I cant wait til this parts over.

Adam Cella, 34, is a pro fighter who competed on the Midwest regional scene and is a former UFC member. He used to compete at welterweight but finished the last few years of his career at middleweight. When Cella, who is 62 and walks around at 205 lbs., used to cut to 170, he cut roughly 17 lbs. of water. Cella explained trying to lose 10 lbs. of that weight on Thursday night before Friday evenings weigh-ins, pointing out the final seven lbs. are more difficult to get off.

The weight isnt going to come off as easily because youve already put your body in a state of shock by sucking 10 lbs. of water out of it, Cella said. Youre extremely thirsty, youre weak, youre kind of delusional a little bit because youre starting to get spacey. Mentally, its defeating. Ill just say, Fuck it, Ill be heavy, I dont care. Ill have someone with me to motivate me.

If these fighters accounts of weight-cutting make it sound dangerous, thats because it is. Dr. Frederick Kaplan, an internist based on Long Island, said severe weight-cutting through dehydration can cause a myriad of problems for the body. Kidney failure, weakened muscles, and lowered blood pressure, which decreases blood flow to the bodys organs, are all potential risks of extreme dehydration. Sodium and potassium levels can be altered to dangerous levels, which can cause confusion, seizures or rhythm problems.

None of the functions of the brain will work as well, Kaplan said. Your speech may be a little off, your perception, your vision, your hearing. You can pass out or fall into a coma.

MMA fighters make weight dozens of times throughout their careers, and if not done safely, Kaplan said there could be potential long-term effects especially on ones kidneys.

It depends on whether theres damage to any of the organs, Kaplan said. You may not be able to measure it at the time, but it can add up. These people are having high protein diets which is a strain on the kidneys. And then theyre dehydrating which is a strain on the kidneys. So, every time they knock off a few more kidney cells, they can be closer to kidney failure.

According to apost by the Heart and Vascular Institute on UPMC, lower blood flow to the heart from dehydration can cause palpitations. Nicole Cutler, a certified specialist with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association,wrote on LiverSupport.comthat not drinking enough water can increase the bloods thickness and make it harder for the liver to perform its detoxification abilities.

A lot of fights at the highest level of the sport have been cancelled as a result of a fighter struggling with a weight cut and being hospitalized.

Nicco Montano, 31, was supposed to defend her UFC flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 228 on Sept. 8, 2018. Instead, the UFC medical team decided she had to cease cutting weight and that she required medical attention due to issues regarding her kidney function. Montano was hospitalized and stripped of her UFC title, which Shevchenko claimed against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231 on Dec. 8, 2018.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, 31, was slated to fight Tony Ferguson for the UFC interim lightweight championship at UFC 209 back on March 4, 2017. However, the bout was cancelled when Nurmagomedov was taken to a hospital hours before the Friday morning weigh-in after experiencing undisclosed issues during his weight cut. Nurmagomedov was released from the hospital that same day but was deemed medically uncleared to fight.

I feel I almost died, Nurmagomedovtold then-MMAFighting.com reporter Ariel Helwanion his old podcast, The MMA Hour.

Nurmagomedov has gone on to make 155 lbs without much issue four times since UFC 209, defeating Al Iaquinta for the lightweight title and defending it against Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier in the process.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao, 32, was set to fight T.J. Dillashaw in a rematch for the title at UFC 177 on August 30, 2014. Barao fainted during the weight cut to 135 lbs., and Dillashaw defended his title against promotional newcomer Joe Soto instead.

Barao weighed as much as 160 lbs. on UFC Fight Night 88 fight week in May 2016 when attempting to cut to 145 lbs for his UFC featherweight debut,according to ESPNs Brett Okamoto. Barao, after starting his MMA career at 322, has since gone 27 since fainting at UFC 177.

Aspen Ladd was visibly shaking on the scale after making the bantamweight limit for her bout against Germaine de Randamie in July 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 13. After showing up to weigh-ins at 135 lbs, Ladd weighed 159 lbs the next night at fight-time, Yahoo! reported. She gained more than 17 percent of her body weight in a day.

Conor McGregor, while never missing weight, used to cut to 145, where he served as UFC champion. He has since fought at 155 and 170. Anthony Rumble Johnson, a longtime light heavyweight contender, used to cut to the welterweight limit. He is now considering a return at heavyweight.

While those examples of fighters experiencing weight-cutting issues led to cancelled UFC title fights, there are many more examples of fighters missing weight and looking dreadful stepping on the scale while doing it. However, in some cases, fighters have died due to extreme weight cuts.

Jessica Lindsay died from extreme dehydration in November 2017 at the age of 18. She was cutting weight to reach the 142-lb. limit for her second amateur Muay Thai fight when she collapsed while running near her gym in Perth, Australia,according to Perth Now. It was 30 minutes before Lindsay was supposed to weigh in for the bout. Doctors placed Lindsay in a coma, which she never came out of. Four days later, her family took her off life support.

Chinese professional mixed martial artist Yang Jian Bing, 21, died of severe dehydration and a potential heatstroke after cutting weight to fight Geje Eustaquio at 125 lbs. at ONE Championship 35 in December 2015. The fight was cancelled by the promotion one day before Bings death due to dehydration from the weight cut. He collapsed on the morning of Dec. 10, 2015 and was hospitalized at the San Juan De Dios Hospital in Pasay, Philippines, according to astatement from ONE Championship. He died the next day due to cardiopulmonary failure. The fight was supposed to take place on Dec. 11, 2015 in Manila, Philippines.

Rondel Clark died three days after his second amateur MMA fight, which was held August 12, 2017. He was 26. Clark, who walked around as heavy as 230 lbs. before working out to lose weight according to his sister, Tanigh Clark, cut down to the welterweight limit of 170 for his Cage Titans 35 fight against Ryan Dunn in Plymouth, MA. The narrator of a video on Clarks death made by Books Media saidClark had nearly 10 lbs. to cut the night before the weigh-in. To cut weight, Tanigh said her brother worked out a lot and cut weight in a hot tub.

We want to make sure that nobody ever goes through what we went through and what Rondel went through

Clark lost the fight via third-round TKO but collapsed after the fight. He was carried out on a stretcher and rushed to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, where he suffered from exertional Rhabdomyolysis, or the rapid breakdown of muscle tissue, for three days before dying. Tanigh Clark said it affected her brothers kidneys first, and that blood transfusions were futile because his muscles were breaking down. From there, one organ after another started failing until Clark died of cardiac arrest.

Clarks exertional Rhabdomyolysis was brought on by extreme exercise, but Dr. Kadhiresan Murugappan, who works at the hospital that attempted to treat Clark, believes it was the exercise compounded with the weight cut that led to Clarks condition.

Rondel is a finely-tuned athlete who was training every day, and on those days, he didnt suffer exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Murugappan said in the video. The day that he suffered this profound problem was after he underwent a significant weight cut for a fight.

After Clarks death, several of his friends and family members created the Rondel Clark Foundation; its mission is to end extreme weight-cutting through education and regulation, as well as helping other families who are negatively impacted by extreme weight-cutting.

Were all still so devastated about his passing, Tanigh Clark, the foundations secretary of the board, said. We want to make sure that nobody ever goes through what we went through and what Rondel went through.

She said the foundation tries to teach fighters families, trainers and the general public the effects extreme weight-cutting has on the body and how deadly it can be. On its website,RondelClarkFoundation.org, the foundation lists all the physical and mental effects weight-cutting could have on someone, shares the stories of Clark and his fellow victims, and has a list of dos and donts when it comes to weight management. The foundation has a donation button on its site and raises money with fundraisers such as flag football tournaments.

The Rondel Clark Foundation advocates for the universal adoption of the California State Athletic Commissions 10-Point Plan, which was passed in May 2017 and enacted one month later.

MMA promotions must adhere to guidelines adopted by the state athletic commission of wherever theyre holding an event. California adopted a 10-figure plan regarding athletes safety when it comes to weight-cutting. The steps are as follows:

1) Athletes select the lowest weight class they intend to compete in, and the Commission follows up with questions related to dehydration and weight-cutting. Fighters then take a physical examination, and the licensing physician must certify that the fighter can safely make the requested weight class.

2) Fighters who fail to make weight are fined 20 percent of their show money, with half going to their opponent and half going to the Commission. Theyre also fined 20 percent of their bonuses (including win money), which all goes to the fighter who made weight as a reward for fighters who take the fight against the larger opponent and lose.

3) The introduction of four new weight classes: 165 (super lightweight), 175 (super welterweight), 195 (super middleweight) and 225 (cruiserweight). They have since been approved by the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports and officially written into the Unified Rules of MMA.

4) Emphasizing the way matches are approved with a focus on appropriate weight classes.

5) Fighters who miss weight more than once are required to move up a weight class. They can only return to the weight class they missed weight at the discretion of a physician and approval of the Commission.

6) Early weigh-ins will continue (as opposed to evening) to give fighters the maximum time for rehydration.

7) A second weight-check is conducted the day of the event to ensure fighters havent gained more than 10 percent of their body weight back in the 30 hours between the official weigh-in and the fight. Fighters who gain over 10 percent back will be advised by the ringside physician that he or she should move up a weight class.

8) Ringside physicians test fighters for dehydration at both the official weigh-in and second day weight check.

9) For high-level title fights, combatants have their weight checked 30 days and 10 days out from the event.

10) Promoters, matchmakers, trainers and athletes are educated on weight-cutting and dehydration related to the offering, accepting and contracting of official fight bouts.

The full document can be readhere.

The fight should be the dangerous part of this activity, Andy Foster, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission,told MMAJunkiein a January 2018 interview. The weigh-in should not be more dangerous than the fight. Thats just an absurd thing thats happening, but in many cases, that has become the reality.

In order to make weight-cutting safer, ONE Championship is leading the charge in its policies, which the promotion revamped less than two weeks after the death of Yang Jian Bing.

Its website says ONE Championship fighters must regularly submit their current walking weight and daily training weight via a web portal. From there, athletes are assigned to their weight class based on data and random weight checks. Theyre forbidden from dropping a weight class less than eight weeks out from the event. Fighters weights are checked daily during fight week, and urine specific gravity will be tested for dehydration on the day the fighters arrive as well as three hours prior to the event; if an athlete falls outside the weight or fails a test, theyre disqualified.

For example, Ben Askren told Joe Roganon his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, that he fought at 185 lbs. when he was with ONE Championship. Askren competed at 170 lbs. when he fought elsewhere. Askren, a former ONE Championship champion, was traded to the UFC in October 2018, where he went back to competing at welterweight. Askren told Rogan that ONE Championships policies essentially forced its athletes to move up a weight class to curb dehydration-based weight cutting. The promotion even considers its 185-lb. division welterweight as opposed to middleweight, which is the case for all its weight classes.

I think every MMA organization should do it, Askren told Rogan, calling the system fantastic.

Fighters have also called for additional weight classes; specifically, the ones that the California State Athletic Commission added, but most top promotions dont use them. Dowdy said he would like to see this scheme used for weight classes: 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 205, 225, 265. For women, 105 and 115 should be available as well at all top promotions.

Teri Howell, a certified weight-cut and rehydration specialist and founder of nutrition business Gut Uppercut, encourages fighters to hire a nutritionist who can assist them with weight-cutting to make the process healthier and safer.

When youre talking about your health, if you want to [compete] for a while and safely, its definitely worth the investment, Howell said. You dont pick the bum up off the street and ask them to be your striking coach.

Howell is based in St. Louis, MO, but works remotely with most of her clients. Some of the fighters she works with include UFC flyweight Gillian Robertson, UFC strawweight Mallory Martin, atomweight Ashley Cummins, bantamweight Tamikka Brents, PFL lightweight Bobbi-Jo Dalziel, Bellator featherweight Amanda Bell and plenty others.

She assists her clients with what meal preparation is and how to do it, making grocery lists, providing recipes and offering knowledge on how to cut weight and rehydrate safely. Cummins called Howell a mad scientist, which is fitting as Howell said she writes her fighters meal plans and beverages down to the gram or ounce.

Anytime you mess with electrolytes and hormones within the body and you create an unsafe balance, it can definitely be life-threatening, Howell said of the practice of weight-cutting. It can be very scary. Ive been in some pretty scary situations with fighters myself where they dont follow the plan to the T.

Some of the key safety issues Howell warned against is fighters completely cutting carbohydrates out of their diets and cutting their sodium intake 10 or more days out of the fight; that can be taxing on the body, as kidneys will stop urinating because theyre trying to hold on to as much sodium as possible.

The trick is to trick the system for as short of a time period as possible, Howell said. My fighters are drinking two-plus gallons of water the day before we even try to sweat out any kind of water weight. You want the body to believe that its completely hydrated, and you want to put the body in that state of a little bit of dehydration for as short a time period as possible, get the weigh-in done, and then rehydrate exactly how the body needs it.

When fighters starve themselves in order to make weight, its counterproductive, said Howell. When ones body goes into severe caloric deficit, it believes its starving and tries to hold onto as much body fat, water and sodium as possible.

[The bodys] going to hold onto all those key electrolytes that it needs to survive because it thinks its a life or death situation, Howell said.

After Howells fighters make weight, she provides them information on the foods and drinks they must consume in order to get their electrolytes back to proper levels.

Rehydration is crucial to the weight-cut process; its how fighters get their body weight back up to par as well as ensure a good performance on fight night. However, theres a reason why fighters tend to not reach their natural walk-around weight and peak performance level by fight time after rehydrating: it takes time.

If youve ever tried to over-water something while the ground is really dry, the water doesnt get absorbed properly, Jacob Sherer, a physician based in Illinois, said. Same thing with us.

Sherer pointed out the extreme importance of rehydrating after weight cuts, which are rough on the body by nature. He says that muscles are 79 percent water, and fighters lose a lot of muscle mass when they dehydrate themselves.

Think of a sponge that isnt hydrated and how easy it is to rip and tear, Sherer said.

This can also impact the brain. In a2005 studytitled The Effects of Dehydration on Brain Volume-Preliminary Results by Jon M. Dickson et al., it was suggested that dehydration may significantly increase the risk of brain damage after a head injury.

According to a2013 studypublished in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39 percent of MMA fighters compete while significantly or seriously dehydrated.

Dr. Steven Sunderraj, a physical therapist at Recalibrate Physical Therapy in Manhattan, pointed out thats particularly dangerous for fighters with a striking base. When two strikers compete, theyre more likely to land blows to the head, including a potential knockout.

Overall, fighters tend to see weight-cutting as a necessary evil to succeed at the highest levels of the sport. If they dont cut weight like their fellow athletes, they end up at a size disadvantage on fight night; a natural 170-lb. fighter could fight a 190-lb. fighter in a sanctioned welterweight match-up. In a sport where athletes aim to batter one another, extreme weight-cutting has become the gravest aspect of MMA.

Many fighters, fans and pundits are hoping for weight-cut reform so fighters can compete at their natural weight without facing a size disadvantage. Unfortunately, theres no immediate signs of most promotions overhauling the weight-cutting system. Krause and Dowdy agree with UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, who toldMMAFighting.coms Luke Thomas on The MMA Hourin July that everybody is kind of waiting for somebody to die, before any serious solutions are made.

A handful of fightershavedied from weight-cutting, but Krause and Dowdy both feel it would take the death of a high-profile fighter in a major organization to spark serious weight-cut reform.

Read the rest here:
The Fight Before the Fight: Weight-Cutting in Mixed Martial Arts - MMA Sucka

Reading Time: 5 minutes

In the quest to do more with less, lightweight construction materials may be the future of building livable structures. Lightweight construction is a bit of a misnomersome of these materials have enjoyed popular usage for decades while ruggedly standing the test of time.

Thats not to say working with lightweight materials in building projects isnt without its challenges. From thin plywood boards and composite lumbers to new-age materials made from industrial waste, heres how to enjoy the benefits of both new and familiar lightweight construction methods while mitigating the challenges.

Just because a building material boasts a low weight or a novel chemical structure doesnt mean it cant also stand the test of time. As researchers uncover new materials to work with, some of the burden rests on contractors and builders when it comes to using them safely and effectively.

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and elsewhere have identified lightweight materials that are stronger than steel but less dense than water. Working with these, as well as more familiar lightweight products like composite lumbers, requires that we take some inspiration from nature.

The 10-m-by-50-m beams designed at Karlsruhe provide optimal strength when fashioned into a honeycomb-style structure. Bones, wood, and actual honeycombs all present a similar structure thats far stronger than their low weight would suggest.

In trials of open-pore, non-massive construction, Karlsruhe researchers demonstrated a higher stability-density ratio than steel or aluminum. Using nature as inspiration to build walls and roofs unlocks the potential of these and other composite materials.

New Jersey is still working through the aftermath of a 2015 apartment building fire that destroyed a complex called Avalon Bay Edgewater. After residents reported the fire on a Wednesday afternoon, the complexs 400 occupants successfully relocated to a nearby school while responders tackled the blaze.

Nobody died, thankfully, but the loss of property was considerable. So were the lessons learned.

The Avalon Bay complex featured lightweight wooden materials, along with what a former New Jersey fire chief association president uncharitably referred to as toothpick construction. Both the materials and the methods are legitimate answers to cutting costs and material usage in the construction industry.

But hindsight says theres a right and a wrong way to go about it. According to Charles Aughenbaugh, the former fire chief association president, Avalon Bay met all existing code requirements. Builders clearly must go further. The apartment building in question featured an open-truss roof design, which is typical of this type of lightweight construction.

This design greatly hastened the buildings demise. In an interview, Aughenbaugh stressed that open-truss roofs combined with low-weight materials create a significant fire hazard. The answer lies in creating a firewall using more familiar legacy construction methods.

According to findings, an open-truss building made from lightweight wood collapses in just five minutes. Legacy construction methods with proper firewalls can last 20 minutes or more. That kind of response time could have saved the building, as well as many of the personal effects within.

Theres more to fire safety than the shape of the roof and the presence of a firewall. Sprinkler systems are another issue. It took three years after the fire at Avalon Bay, but the Edgewater City Council eventually addressed a critical oversight in local fire and building codes.

Construction industry representatives lobbied against the passage of Assembly Bill 135 and Senate Bill 1261, citing higher costs, while activists argued the proposals didnt go far enough. It contributed to the delay, but the resulting message is clear: Neither the council nor the apartments builders appreciated the risk of combining low-weight materials with lightweight construction.

The new building codes can serve as an instructive lesson in how to build lightweight, high-occupancy structures in the future, and throughout the country. The bills call for firewalls in all similar structures in the future, rather than open-truss designs, as well as fire-fighting sprinkler systems that cover the spaces between floors and walls, rather than just the open spaces of hallways and rooms.

In 2016, a team of researchers from the Universidad Politcnica de Madrid helped address two longstanding concerns in construction:

The team used waste from the textile industry to create an insulating, fire-resistant composite panel that puts the EU textile industrys 5.8 million tons of annual waste to use while eliminating the chemical binders found in familiar insulating products.

Minimalist construction using thin plywood boards carries some downsides apart from fire hazards. These include sound transmission and insulation. As it turns out, insulation formed from textile waste provides twice the thermal conductivity of competing commercial materials.

Builders throughout the world are, right now, successfully demonstrating the versatility, strength, sound-dampening and insulative capabilities of other materials as well, including mycelium. This type of fungi has these four qualities in spadesand shows a compelling way forward for lightweight construction with fewer downsides.

Its worth noting that not every building industry client fully appreciates the benefits of lightweight construction materials and techniques. As an example, aluminum isnt just a great lightweight structural materialits also less expensive than steel over the lifetime of the building, thanks to more manageable maintenance requirements.

Part of the problem is the bad press, as mentioned above. Another issue is that there arent enough enterprising builders willing to explore the advantages of next-generation, eco-friendly, lightweight building materials. Aluminum is hardly cutting-edge today, but asphalt roofs still hold dominion, despite being heavier and lasting a fraction as long. Engineers need to step up and develop more next-generation materials and create safer building designs.

The built environment needs more contractors willing to explore unconventional materials, too, including mycelium and wood composites. With proper attention to resident safety and some out-of-the-box material choices and building shapes, were well on our way to a lighter-weight construction industry with a vastly smaller carbon footprint than it has today.

Written by:Megan Ray Nichols, BOSS Contributor

Megan is a STEM writer and blogger athttps://schooledbyscience.com/

More here:
You Need to Overcome Lightweight Construction Challenges Today - BOSS Magazine

As your parents get older, how can you be sure theyre taking care of themselves and staying healthy?

When you visit your parents, start by considering these questions:

1. Are your parents able to take care of themselves?

Pay attention to your parents appearance. Failure to keep up with daily routines such as bathing and brushing teeth could indicate dementia, depression or physical impairments.

Also pay attention to your parents home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Is the yard overgrown?

Any changes in the way your parents do things around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, scorched pots could mean your parents are forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Issues such as failing to pay bills, having problems shopping and neglecting housework also might be signs of depression, dementia or other concerns.

2. Are your parents experiencing memory loss?

Everyone forgets things from time to time. Modest memory problems are a fairly common part of aging, and sometimes medication side effects or underlying conditions contribute to memory loss.

Theres a difference, though, between normal changes in memory and the type of memory loss that makes it hard to do everyday things such as driving and shopping. Signs of this type of memory loss might include:

Asking the same questions over and over again

Getting lost in familiar places

Not being able to follow instructions

Becoming confused about time, people and places

3. Are your parents safe in their home?

Take a look around your parents home, keeping an eye out for any red flags.

Do your parents have difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? Has either parent fallen recently? Are they able to read directions on medication containers? When asked, can your parents explain how they set up or take their medications?

4. Are your parents safe on the road?

Driving can be challenging for older adults. If your parents become confused while driving or youre concerned about their ability to drive safely especially if they have experienced a moving violation or an accident it might be time to stop driving.

5. Have your parents lost weight?

Losing weight without trying could be a sign that somethings wrong. Weight loss could be related to many factors, including:

Difficulty cooking. Your parents might be having difficulty finding the energy to cook, grasping the necessary tools, or reading labels or directions on food products.

Loss of taste or smell. Your parents might not be interested in eating if food doesnt taste or smell as good as it used to.

Social issues. Your parents might have difficulty shopping or have financial concerns that limit buying groceries.

Underlying conditions. Sometimes weight loss indicates a serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression or cancer.

6. Are your parents in good spirits?

Note your parents moods and ask how theyre feeling. A drastically different mood or outlook could be a sign of depression or other health concerns.

7. Are your parents still social?

Talk to your parents about their activities. Are they connecting with friends? Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? Are they involved in organizations, clubs or faith-based communities?

If a parent gives up on being with others, it could be a sign of a problem.

8. Are your parents able to get around?

Pay attention to how your parents walk. Are they reluctant or unable to walk usual distances? Have they fallen recently? Would a cane or walker help?

Issues such as muscle weakness and joint pain can make it difficult to move around as well. If your parents are unsteady on their feet, they might be at risk of falling a major cause of disability among older adults.

TAKING ACTION

There are many steps you can take to ensure your parents health and well-being, even if you dont live nearby. Try to:

Share your concerns: Talk to your parents. Your concern might motivate them to see a doctor or make other changes. Consider including other people who care about your parents in the conversation, such as close friends.

Encourage regular medical checkups: If youre worried about a parents weight loss, depressed mood, memory loss, or other signs and symptoms, encourage your parent to schedule a doctors visit. You might offer to schedule the visit or to accompany your parent to a health care provider or to find someone else to attend the visit. Ask about follow-up visits as well.

Address safety issues: Point out any potential safety issues to your parents then make a plan to address the problems. For example, a higher toilet seat or handrails in the bathroom might help prevent falls. If your parents are no longer able to drive safely, suggest other transportation options such as taking the bus, using a car or van service, or hiring a driver.

Consider home care services: You could hire someone to clean the house and run errands. But discuss this with your loved one first. A home health care aide could help with daily activities, such as bathing, and Meals on Wheels or other community services might prepare food. If remaining at home is too challenging, you might suggest moving to an assisted living facility.

Contact the health care provider for guidance: If your parents dismiss your concerns, consider contacting the health care provider directly. Your insights can help the health care provider understand what to look for during upcoming visits. Keep in mind that the health care provider might need to verify that he or she has permission to speak with you about your parents care, which might include a signed form or waiver from your parents.

Seek help from local agencies: Your local agency on aging which you can find using the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging can connect you with services in your parents area. For example, the county in which your parents live might have social workers who can evaluate your parents needs and connect them with services, such as home care workers.

Sometimes parents wont admit they cant do something on their own, and others dont realize they need help. Thats where you come in. Make sure your parents understand the problem and your proposed solution.

Remind your parents that you care about them and that you want to help promote their health and well-being, both today and in the years to come.

See the original post:
Aging parents: 8 warning signs of health problems | Journey - Wyoming Tribune

In addition to being a great,keto-friendlysource ofprotein,eggsalso contain amino acids essential to human nutrition and have been linked to decreased blood pressure and increased testosterone in men. Inspired by the strapping Gaston fromBeauty & The Beastand his diet of three dozen eggs a day, YouTube'sSimple Mandecided to test how eating more eggs would affect his health, and started eating 12 eggs every day, using home testing kits to track changes in his blood pressure, cholesterol and testosterone.

WATCH: Celebrity Chef Manu Makes The Perfect Scrambled Eggs

At the beginning of the challenge, he weighs 93kg, with a body fat percentage of 20.7 and a 37.5 inch waist. His blood pressure is 127/87, and he has acholesterol levelof 253 mg/dL which is already pretty high. "I was completely unaware that my cholesterol was this high when I started the experiment," he says. "You can look fine to the eye, but with cholesterol you just never know."

He keeps his calorie intake the same each day at 2,000, with around 840 calories taken up by the 12 eggs. Each morning he eats them poached, then in the evenings he eitherscramblesor fries them, makes omelettes, or improvises "egg tacos" to introduce a little novelty. "Towards the end of this experiment I was so sick of eggs I started to say screw it, I'm gonna get all 12 of these eggs in one meal," he says. "Honestly, by the end of this challenge I swore that I'd never eat another egg."

After eating 12 eggs a day for a whole week (that's 84 eggs), his weight had dropped by 1.5kg pounds to 91.5, and his body fat had gone down by 0.8 percent. "My waist also saw a noticeable decrease in size in just 7 days, decreasing by one and a half inches," he says. "While eating eggs I did certainly notice that my midsection slimmed down and the amount of fat in this area definitely decreased."

However, while he achieved some pretty fast weight loss results, the dozen egg diet also had other effects on his body.

His blood pressure also changed from 127/87 to 120/88, and his testosterone actually dipped slightly. His already-high cholesterol went up even further, from 253 to 276 mg/dL, although he notes that therewasan incremental increase in his good cholesterol HDL, which went from 48 to 52 mg/dL. However, his bad cholesterol went up too. "It's a good thing I stopped after one week because my cholesterol was not improving, it was only getting worse," he says.

This article originally appeared on Men's Health

Read this article:
What Happens To Your Body When You Eat 12 Eggs A Day - Men's Health

Gyms can be quite intimidating, even for people who have been frequenting them for a while, let alone to newcomers. Gym etiquette can be rather confusing and there are quite few unspoken rules in pretty much every gym, so getting lost in the dos and don'ts is commonplace. In this listicle, we collected ten things you shouldn't do in the gym, especially if don't want to be that person everyone knows for all the wrong reasons.

Once you've done poring through the list below, please check out our handy guide on how to pack a gym bag or the one about the top 5 gym machines for beginners. Not to mention our best workout shoes guide or the best full body workout routine.

Without further ado, let's see the list of 10 things you should avoid doing in the gym!

Fitbit Versa 2 Fitness Smartwatch | Prices from 155 at AmazonWant to see what Fitbit has to offer in one handsome package? GEt the Fitbit Versa 2. A refinement of the original Versa rather than a revolution, Versa 2 offers better styling and integrated Alexa smart assistant feature she can respond in text only rather than speaking, which is quite cool. Fitbit Pay lets you pay with your wrist and load compatible credit and debit cards to your Wallet in the Fitbit app.View Deal

Fitbit Versa 2 Health &...

Fitbit Versa 2 SE Smart Watch...

Fitbit Versa 2 Smart Fitness...

Fitbit Versa 2 - Petal/Copper...

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We are all in the gym to have a good session, undoubtedly. Sometimes, a gym session might even involve lifting pretty heavy weights I know, crazy! And also sometimes, as you exhale, you might make a sound, a groan maybe. But what you shouldn't do is to shout every single time you finish a rep, because it A) won't help at all and B) it will disturb other people in the gym trying to concentrate on their own session.

I'm not saying you should not make any noise, but try to avoid the attention-seeking loud groans and the rattling of the weights before or after you used them. Also, dropping the weights on the floor is also considered rude and just bad practice in general.

Oatein Hype Protein Bar, Box of 12, Salty Caramel Flavour | 25.36 at AmazonA 60-gram Oatein Hype Bar contains 18 grams of protein and it's also suitable for vegetarians since it doesn't contain collagen. Also, it is under 200 calories per bar and has less than 2 grams of sugar. Most importantly, it tastes amazing. And we don't mean 'considering it's a health bar'. The Oatein Hype bar tastes great on its own terms. A truly delightful and healthy high-protein snack.View Deal

Oatein Hype Protein Bar, 60...

Put those dumbbells back where they came from

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Talking about dropping weights: one of the worst sins you can commit in a gym is not to re-rack the weights after you used them. Keeping the gym tidy will make your and other gym-goers experience way better, not to mention the reduced risk of health and safety issues.

Most usually, weights are located close to the free weight area (they are in the free weight area) so taking the weights back to the rack shouldn't take longer than a few seconds, literally.

Even better, by carrying the weights back, especially the dumbbells, you can sneak in some extra exercising as well: farmer's carry is good for the traps and shoulders too. Free pro tip right there for you.

Theragun Liv | Buy it for 229 at theragun.comThe Liv is most affordable advanced deep muscle treatment machine, and now it got even cheaper. It comes with two attachments and the same high-spec motor to rid the pain that bothers you. Get a Theragun for under 200 this Black Friday!View Deal

Theragun Liv Essential Black

Theragun liv Percussive...

You won't need the whole rack of dumbbells for the full duration of your workout

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And whilst we are in the free weight area, there is another habit you should try to avoid: hoarding weights. Collecting all the weights you are going to use for the whole session and letting them hang around for 20+ minutes takes those weights out of the circulation.

What's the worst that could happen? They won't be available when you need them. What you can do is to get one size lighter or heavier weights and do more/less reps with those weights. You still get the same pump if you do the same volume (more info on this in the volume tips for better abs article) and it will also be less annoying for everyone else in the gym.

SIXPAD Electric Muscle Stimulation Training Gear | Prices from 175 at AmazonSIXPAD training gear won't replace hard work but it can make it more effective. These cordless pads can effectively enhance muscle stimulation and can "help users achieve a 8% improvement in abdominal muscle size after 4 weeks alongside a balanced diet and exercise" or so does SIXPAD claim. The percentage goes up to 12% after 8 weeks and many SIXPAD products can be used in other areas than just your abs.View Deal

SIXPAD Unisex Ems Trainer...

One side for your face, the other to wipe off the seat pad

(Image credit: Getty)

There are really only three things you need in the gym: a towel (travel towels are great for this purpose), a gym water bottle and something to track your workout with, like a running watch or a smartphone. All three items are essential but a towel is probably the most important item of the lot, because there is most usually at least one water fountain in gyms and you can always just freestyle your workout, but nothing will replace a towel.

Why do you need a towel? For two reasons: to keep your sweat off the machines and to keep other people's sweat away from your skin. Gym machines are used by thousands of people and you really don't want to rub your sweaty skin against the pads other people have sat on/leaned against before you.

Best to use a towel that has two different-coloured sides; this way you'll know which one was against the machine and which against your skin. Also, once you finished using a machine, use the towel to wipe off any excess moisture from the pads. And, most importantly, wash your gym towel regularly.

Garmin Forerunner 245 GPS Running Smartwatch | Prices from 249 at AmazonThe Garmin Forerunner 245 has it all: built-in sports apps, wrist-based heart rate, integrated GPS, VO2 max estimation, Pulse Ox sensor, training effect and status indicator and even features like Body Battery and menstrual tracking. Not to mention, the Garmin Forerunner 245 supports smart notifications and has an incident detection feature too.

Garmin Forerunner 245, GPS...

Garmin Forerunner 245 GPS...

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Gym selfies have been in existence ever since smartphones became a handbag staple, and it's completely understandable that we take photos of our bodies just after a good workout session: our muscles are pumped, they look pretty good, might as well snap a quick selfie in the mirror, right?

The issue arises when you spend more time taking photos in the mirror than actually doing a workout. It's the same issue as with loud moaning: taking selfies from every angle will disturb other gym goers. You might do the absolute worst and try to snap the best image of you squatting in the squat rack, hogging said rack.

Keep image taking time to the minimum and ideally, move away from the crowded areas or try to do extensive selfie sessions when the gym is less busy.

Fitbit Ionic Fitness Smartwatch | Sale Price 199.99 | Was 249.99 | You save 50 at FitbitThe Ionic is much like the Versa, but with a bigger screen and it comes with integrated GPS too. The Fitbit Ionic is also water rated to 5ATM, supports contactless payments and can store music on the watch itself. As such, the Fitbit Ionic is the best Fitbit for more serious outdoor exercisers.View Deal

Fitbit Ionic Health & Fitness...

Squat racks should be used for doing squats

(Image credit: Leon Poultney)

It's in the name: squat racks should mainly be used for doing weighted squats. Not bicep curls, maybe overhead extensions or even hanging leg raises. Squat racks are big gym machines and therefore there aren't many in most gyms; so it can be quite frustrating when you are waiting for your turn in the squat rack, just to see some random bloke sitting in there busy texting somebody.

The issue with weighted squats and we are talking about the ones performed with a barbell, not goblet squats or even bodyweight squats is that you need a steady frame to store the barbell on between sets. Barbells are loaded with more weights that you can safely lift onto your shoulders, so the frame is essential.

Many other exercises can be performed outside the squat rack, including the rack pull, which is a great beginner deadlift alternative (more on this subject here: how to deadlift correctly). You can use a pair of aerobic steppers to elevate the barbells slightly.

Fitbit Aria Air Smart Bathroom Scale | Buy it for 50 at ArgosTrack changes in your weight and BMI using the Fitbit Aria Air. All data is fed back to the Fitbit App where you can further analyse all your body metrics using easy-to-understand charts. The Fitbit Aria Air runs on three triple-A batteries and measures weight up to a 180 kilos (that's around 28 and a half stones).View Deal

Fitbit Aria Air Smart Scale

Battle rope is a great exercise, as long as it is being done in the correct area

(Image credit: Fitbit)

Whilst we are at aerobic exercises, it is also recommended not to do them outside the designated areas. There is a reason why battle ropes are kept over at the HIIT area: it takes up quite lot of space and it will disturb other people if you tried to perform this exercise anywhere else.

You definitely want to steer clear away from the free weight area with any non-weight lifting related exercises. It is not only annoying but also dangerous: doing burpees and jumping jacks around people who try to lift heavy weights will put your and others' well-being in jeopardy.

Kings Vegan Friendly Black Bean Sauce Flavour Veggie Jerky, Box of 16 | Buy it for 22.99 at AmazonThe Kings Veggie Jerky contains 100% plant based meat-free proteins: each 25-gram portion has 22.5 grams of plant protein. This vegan-friendly jerky is also low on saturated 'bad' fats and has plenty of fibres too (6.8 grams to be precise). Perfect mid afternoon snack when you fancy something non-sweet.View Deal

Farmer's carry is one of the few exercises you can do with weights outside the free weight area

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You not only shouldn't move your calisthenics exercise into the free weight area, you also don't want to move weights away from the free weight area. It is bad enough when people don't re-rack their dumbbells, it's way worse when they leave it on the other side of the gym.

There are a few exceptions, of course: some exercises will require you to carry weights back and forth, like the excellent farmer's walk, but even after doing such exercises, you should always bring back the weights where you picked them up from, as soon as you finished with the exercise.

Percko Lyne Fit Sports T-Shirt | Buy it for 109 at PerckoThe Percko Lyne Fit t-shirts' tensors accompany your bodys movements during exercise to readjust your posture. Lyne Fit helps you realign your spine and free your diaphragm. The Lyne Fit won't won't replace your chiropractor but it will help slightly pulling your shoulders back so you don't slump as you workout.View Deal

Land a helping hand to inexperienced gym-goers

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You'll see a lot of new faces in the gym on a regular basis and this is especially apparent at the beginning of the year. Many people will wonder aimlessly around gyms in January, trying to find the correct machines and even if they did, they will be a bit lost on how to use correctly.

Given how detached we are from reaching out to other people when we are confused, we'd much rather just perform exercises incorrectly and use machines the wrong way instead of asking for help. The worst thing a more experienced gym goer can do is to mock these people who are clearly embarrassed and baffled.

This is largely frustrating since buff gym dudes are more than happy to give advice, even if they haven't been asked, let alone if they were. All you need to do is ask someone who looks like they know what they are doing and they will be happy to help.

Join PureGym today | Low prices | Over 250 gyms across the UK | No contractThinking about joining the gym? PureGym has over 250 units all across the UK and you won't need a contact either when you sign up leave anytime if you change your mind. Students save even more on fixed term memberships: up to 30% off. Find your nearest gym by clicking on the button below.View Deal

It's best to keep your private parts...private

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And finally, let's not forget about the changing rooms: in general, try to keep your pants on when in the changing rooms and avoid being nude for extended periods of time. Of course, while at the gym, you might want to shower and change clothing and that is absolutely fine.

What is not fine is walking around naked in the changing room, making other people uncomfortable around you. The way it should be, you get undressed, towel goes on, shower, dry your body and put clean clothing on. You shouldn't be too exposed for longer than a minute or so. If you follow these easy steps, you can save other people some 'cannot be unseen' memories.

See the article here:
Gym etiquette 101: avoid doing THESE 10 things in a gym (for everyone's sake) - T3