JANUARY usually happens like clockwork: a slew of new self-help books, articles and slimming blogs encourage you to 'be your best self', often by adopting a radical new diet that promises to blitz those spare inches around your waist for good.

The problem is, many crash diets encourage periods of miserable fasting and cutting out sometimes entire good groups overnight, and demonise food to the point where you're whole relationship with eating can be under threat.

According to fitness guru Joe Wicks who has successfully helped thousands of people to lose weight staying on these restrictive diets for a long period of time is often unrealistic and unhealthy. Even if you do lose weight initially, it's not unusual to gain it again (plus even more, in some cases) before the spring comes around.

Thankfully, attitudes around diet culture are changing. A new survey commissioned by recipe box company Gousto (gousto.co.uk) has found two-thirds (68 per cent) of UK adults believe the one-size-fits-all model just doesn't work.

So, how can you shed those excess pounds in a safe and effective way? We asked Wicks to give us some quick tips...

Why should people avoid restrictive diets in January?

"It's the time of year now where everyone wants to make changes to their life, whether that's with exercise or food, but the last thing you want to do especially if you're someone who really loves food is to go on a low-calorie diet," says Wicks (33).

"Sure, it will work in the short-term and you'll probably lose weight on the scales, but emotionally it's going to absolutely ruin you. You're going to be so exhausted, you won't enjoy it and it's not going to be a sustainable approach.

"Try to think about a long-term vision, as opposed to a quick crash diet. Incorporate it with exercise and cooking with fresh ingredients at home; you're much more likely to succeed throughout the year."

Why do people fail at New Year's diets?

"Because they're awful, aren't they? Dieting is normally all about how little you can eat and how much exercise you can do. When you combine those two things, it effects your sleep, your mood and your energy levels.

"If I could give you one tip, it's to focus on getting yourself moving instead. I always tell people to start with 15-20 minutes a day of exercise at home; this will get your energy levels up and your self-esteem boosted. Exercising is going to have a massive effect on your food choices and your ability to go into the kitchen and cook yourself something healthy.

"Trying to do everything all at once is a bit much," he adds. "Focus on fitness first, and the rest will hopefully follow."

What other tips do you have for those looking to lose weight this year?

"Have a look at your portion control. I'm not saying to count calories, but to keep your plate to a healthy size. The good thing about exercise is that it elevates your mental health and your mood so much that you don't want to go and put junk food in your body afterwards.

"Meal prepping is one of the best things you can do too. If you leave the house without food, you're going to grab options on-the-go, which will likely be unhealthy convenience food.

"That's fine to do once or twice a week, but if you're doing it a lot, you're never going to truly know exactly how much you're consuming. The simple act of making some overnight oats for breakfast, or a salad for lunch can make a huge difference over time when it comes to staying lean."

What are you favourite ingredients for healthy eating?

"I really think it's great to have chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, curry powder, spices and tins of lentils, pulses, grains and beans in your cupboard. With these key ingredients, you can make really amazing veggie curries, or you could throw some chicken in there for some extra protein. Rice is also a great staple for making quick stir-fries after work.

"There's no magic fat-loss food; it's all about getting a good balance of everything and getting lots of fruits and veg in your diet.

"It's good to be a bit intuitive with it ask yourself what foods make you feel energised and healthy? Don't think you have to jump on to a certain diet because everyone else is doing it."

Do you follow a flexitarian diet yourself?

"Yes. I eat a lot of veggie meals and with Gousto, I get four recipe boxes delivered per week that I can make at home. Three of those will be vegetarian and one will be meat-based.

"That's a massive step for me. During the process of researching and writing my veggie cookbook, Veggie Lean in 15 (16.99, Pan Macmillan), I realised that you can get really amazing food as a vegetarian. I'm still not fully committed to going hardcore vegan though."

Many people feel like they don't have time to cook healthily, do you think that's untrue?

"I really think you have to remove that time barrier from your mind. We know full well that we can smash a Netflix series in a couple of days or watch our soaps, so we can all find half an hour to exercise or cook well if we prioritise it.

"It doesn't need to be hours in the kitchen either. My whole philosophy with my Lean in 15 series is that you can make a really healthy and nutritious meal in just 15 minutes, and have some leftover for lunch the next day.

"It's that kind of mentality of prepping in advanced and being organised that works in the long-run."

Excerpt from:
Nutrition: Joe Wicks on why you shouldn't try restrictive dieting this Janaury - The Irish News

Enlarge / This is the exact moment in the goop lab's third episode in which Gwyneth Paltrow admits she doesn't know the difference between a vagina and a vulva. She's making a hand gesture to say what she thought the "vagina" was.

Netflix

Disclaimer: This review contains detailed information about the Netflix series the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow. If you plan to watch the show (please, don't) and do not wish to know details in advance, this is not the review for you. Normally, we would refer to such information as "spoilers," but in our editorial opinion, nothing in this series is spoil-able.

In the third episode of Goop's Netflix series, a female guest remarks that us women are seen as "very dangerous when we're knowledgeable." [Ep. 3, 33:35]

"Tell me about it," Gwyneth Paltrow knowingly replies amid "mm-hmms"as if she has a first-hand understanding of this.

In fact, earlier in that same episode, we learn that the 47-year-old actor didn't even know what a vagina is.

"It's our favorite subjectvaginas!" Paltrow proclaims gleefully [Ep.3, 3:05]. Then the same guest, feminist sex educator Betty Dodson, corrects her: "The vagina is the birth canalonly. You want to talk about the vulva, which is the clitoris, and the inner lips, and all that good shit around it."

Paltrow giggles before responding, "The vagina is only the birth canal? Oh! See, I'm getting an anatomy lesson that I didn'tI thought that the vagina was the whole..."

"No, no, no, no," Dodson cuts her off.

To be fair, a lot of women might not be clear on this particular anatomical point. But for Paltrow, who claims to help empower women while touting dubious and dangerous products and treatments for said body partahem, vaginal steaming, cough, jade eggsyou'd hope she had a tight understanding of what a vagina isor isn't in this case.

But sadly, she didn't. And throughout the rest of the series, her ignorance and lack of critical thinking skills are on full display as a parade of questionable "experts" and ridiculous claims about health and science march across the small screen unchallenged.

(To be clear, Dodson was not among the dubious guests I'm referring to here; she is knowledgeable and respectable and was probably the most interesting and informative guest on the show.)

I'll go through each episode in more detail below, but for those who want to spare themselves from the bulk of the absurdity, I'll summarize here:

In so many ways, the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow is exactly what you'd expect based on what we already know about the Goop brand. The series provides a platform for junk science, gibberish, and unproven health claims from snake-oil-salesmen guests. It's a platform on which respected, trained medical experts are not considered the authorities on health and medical topics; where logic and critical thinking are enemies of open mindedness; where anecdotes about undefined health improvements are considered evidence for specific medical treatment claims; where the subjective experiences of a few select individuals are equivalent to the results of randomized, controlled clinical trials; and where promoting unproven, potentially dangerous health claims is a means to empower women.

Paltrow and Loehnen sit in Goop's headquarters for an interview.

Netflix

Members of the "Goop gang" convene in Jamaica to convince themselves that magic mushrooms are a crucial part of a therapeutic journey.

Netflix

This woman isn't crying because she's on the goop lab. Instead, the tears are apparently coming on because she took a dose of psilocybin as part of a "therapy retreat" in Jamaica.

Netflix

A Gooper lies on the floor while tripping.

Netflix

These are often paired with anecdotes about participants in limited clinical trials. We hear their success stories without context about how the associated study at-large turned out or whether any positive results came with side effects or issues with bias.

Netflix

A Gooper gets a hug while tripping.

Netflix

Just another day in Jamaica, where Goopers gather to take shrooms, cry, and hug.

Netflix

The problem with this boilerplate statement is that most of the goop lab is full of one-sided, anecdotal claims that standard Western medical practice is all wrong. Right or wrong, that is mostly certainly a type of "medical advice," Gwyneth and co.

Netflix

But, beyond all of that, the show is just, well, boring.

Each episode uses the exact same structure. Each presents one of six health topics, which are (in order): psychedelics;"iceman" Wim Hof's breathing and cold-treatment method; female pleasure; anti-aging; energy healing; and psychics.

In each episode, you see Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop's chief content officer Elise Loehnen interview a couple of people involved in the episode's topic. The interviews takes place in an airy, stylishly decorated office at Goop's Santa Monica headquarters. Interspersed between snippets of those interviews, you see groups of Goop-employee volunteers subject themselves to some therapy or experience related to the episode's topic. The interview dialogue from Goop headquarters is used to essentially narrate the Goopers' experiences. The Goopers' results are, in turn, intended to back up whatever claims the interviewees make.

It's a tiring structure for six straight episodes, and it's often not done well. The pacing is slow at times; some of the Goopers' experiences are just not engaging and seem like filler; some of their personal stories are introduced at the start of episodes then inexplicably abandoned at the end; the interviews at Goop headquarters can seem drawn out and dry; and there are random tangents about Gwyneth Paltrow's life and the office environment at Goop headquarters.

Even if you're interested in the topics, getting through the episodes can feel like a slogand they're each only 30-35 minutes long.

It feels like the momentum of each episode is supposed to be driven by anticipation of how the Goopers' experiences match what the interviewees are saying. But we hardly ever get satisfying conclusions on that frontand we wouldn't be convinced even if we did. Instead, the show seems to move each episode along more by leaning on shock content that might best appeal to middle schoolersshowing glimpses of a woman having an orgasm, a Goop staffer getting a face lift using string that pulls her smile toward her ears, and a group of Goopers tripping on mushrooms.

Meanwhile, the goop lab makes no effort to question or critically evaluate any of its claims. There are no fact checks or counterpoints offered. There's no mention of any criticism and little to no warnings of potential harms.

In all, it's a show that you can safely skip. But, if you still want to know more about why the goop lab is so bad, let's run through the six episodes.

The first episode covers psychedelics and their potential to improve mental health. Paltrow and Loehnen sit down with Will Siu (a psychiatrist who supports "psychedelic Integration" in therapies) and Mark Haden (executive director of MAPS Canada, which is an affiliate of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit created in 1985 to advocate for the medical benefits and use of psychedelic drugs, such as MDMA and LSD). Siu received training at MAPS.

"Being the person that people perceive me to be is inherentlytraumatic."

For instance, in 2016 the Food and Drug Administration greenlighted the first Phase III trial to assess whether or 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)known as "molly" or "ecstasy"can improve the symptoms of PTSD. And treatments with psilocybin, the psychedelic component of "magic" mushrooms, has yielded positive results in small trials on people struggling with depression.

While that research is legitimate and interesting, the Goop episode approached the topic in the dumbest possible way: a group of four Goop employees hop on a plane to Jamaica to trip on mushrooms. Two of the Goopers weren't trying to address mental health. One Gooper said she wanted to feel more creative and like her "authentic self," and Loehnen, who went, said she wanted a "psychospiritual experience." The other two were trying to "process some personal trauma."

While the clinical trials are evaluating specific drug doses to treat well-defined symptoms in tightly controlled, weeks-long programs, the Goopers drank mushroom tea once, in a "more ceremonial setting," surrounded by what they described as "psychedelic elders."

Meanwhile, the interview back at Goop headquarters starts rambling, with discussion around vague mental health issues, the value of "connecting people," harmful societal norms, and how basically everyone is suffering. Paltrow notes at one point that she, too, suffers mental-health problems despite her wealth and status, and she adds that "being the person that people perceive me to be is inherently traumatic." [Ep.1, 29:00] Poor Gwyneth.

At the end of the episode, some of the Goopers talk about how the experience was intensewell, yeah. We don't hear back from the woman who wanted to be more creative, so we can only hope things worked out for her. But one of the Goopers processing trauma (in his case, trauma of having an emotionally distant father) said in a final one-on-one discussion with Paltrow that he felt more of an "openness" after the experience. He thanked Paltrow for letting him go.

Yeah, OK.

NEXT.

Go here to read the rest:
Goops Netflix series: Its so much worse than I expected and I cant unsee it - Ars Technica

You might have already hear about the excellent One You Couch to 5K app, if you haven't, check it out in the app store:

It gives you excellent guidance and more importantly, a plan to stick to when you have just started running.

The couch-to-5K phase is probably the most mentally challenging part of the whole running journey, because you have to go from doing nothing to doing something, and that can feel quite overwhelming.

We are not trying to reinvent the wheel here; some of these tips you might have heard elsewhere already. What we are trying to do, though, is to give you the absolute best, tried-and-tested advice that'll will most likely to get you out and about ASAP.

One good way to start is to get a fitness tracker or a running watch. They will help you have a better understanding on how you run and most importantly, track your exercises so you can see your progress. They are also great tools to help you pace yourself better and to keep your heart rate at bay.

IMPORTANT: If you have any medical conditions that you think might prevent you from exercising regularly, please consult your doctor before you do so.

Without further ado, here are the top 5 tips to turn you into a running machine you know you are!

Signing up to a race can be really motivating

(Image credit: Nike)

Did you know that many free online courses contain almost as good learning material as their paid-for counterparts? The main reason why the completion percentage is very low on these courses is not because they are subpar quality, but because they are free and have no deadlines either.

An end point gives your efforts a purpose and keeps you on track. Want to start running? Want to be able to run 5k without panting three minutes into the run? Sign up for a 5k race in two or three months' time. Pay for the race, too.

Humans are simple creatures. We have a lot of biases, too. One of them is called loss aversion. And interestingly enough, loss aversion is a stronger bias than knowing your efforts will pay off significantly in the future.

This means that by undertaking a financial obligation, you are more likely to keep at your plan than without. Knowing that by not going to the race will lose you 50 is more of a stimuli than knowing you will be able to run 5k comfortably in 12 weeks.

There are loads of training plans available online

(Image credit: Fitbit)

5k running plans are everywhere on the internet. Even the NHS has a 9-week running plan for beginners. And truth to be told, most of the plans online are actually fine.

What you really need to do is to stick to a plan. Don't fall into the dieting-trap, when you just buy keto and paleo bars in the shop but keep on eating everything else like you before you started your 'new diet'.

Pick a plan and stick it on the fridge door. Find a race that's close to the end date of your plan, sign up for it. Cross off each day on the plan as you go along so you can see your progress.

Even better if you can find someone to train with you. There will be days when you won't feel like going out for a run, but if you have a running partner, they can make you train.

Also, train consistently and not sporadically. If you are running three days a week, let them be Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, not Monday-Wednesday. Give your body time to adjust.

A good pair of running shoes can prevent injury and improve comfort

(Image credit: Fitbit)

This probably goes without saying, but having a good pair of running shoes and compression tights can not only help you avoid injuries, it can also boost your performance.

You don't need loads of gear, though, so don't raid your nearest fitness apparel store. Although running is a full body workout, it will put work mostly your leg muscles and put the most pressure on your joints below your waistline.

Having well-cushioned running shoes, like the Asics Gel-Nimbus 21 or the Nike Joyride Flyknit (the latter being the perfect couch-to-5k shoes), can help you feel less sore and recover more quickly.

Compression wear (e.g. compression shorts or compression tights) can improve muscle oxygenation and also make exercising feel like less of an effort. They can also reduce muscle fatigue by keeping your muscles nice and tight.

In general, choose running gear that is comfortable and makes you comfortable being in them.

Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2...

ASICS GEL-Nimbus 21 Running...

Nike Women's Joyride Run...

Always stretch after your runs

(Image credit: Future)

Your muscles will grow, one way or another, when you start using them. Even doing only cardio exercises will make you stronger, and definitely leaner.

The muscle growing process, in a nutshell, is basically as follows: when you exercise, microscopic tears will appear on your muscles that will get repaired when you rest (especially when you sleep). Your body will use protein to repair the tissues and in the process, they will get bigger.

This means that without adequate amount of rest/sleep, your muscles can't repair and therefore instead of getting stronger, you'll just injure yourself exercising. Give yourself enough time to rest so you can maximise your efforts.

Also, always warm up before and stretch after your runs. Foam rollers and resistance bands can do wonders, even if you just use them five minutes a day.

Eating the right food can mean all the difference

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It is paramount to feed your body right when you exercise. Taking in the right macronutrients can mean the difference between feeling pleasantly exhausted after a run or feeling like you're about to puke as soon as you stop.

Needless to say, you will have to try and eat a bit healthier. You don't have to go crazy and change your diet from one day to another. What you'll need to do is to consume less high GI carbs (e.g. potatoes, white bread and short-grain rice) and bad fats (fried foods like potato chips, doughnuts, deep-fried fast foods and margarine).

When changing your diet, be gradual about it. First, lose the added sugar and high-sugar snacks. Try introducing more fibres and definitely more variety. Lessen the red meat consumption and drink more water. Drinking water is the easiest way to cleanse your body. Not only that, but water is also cheap.

It's peculiar how pretty much everyone knows that eating pizza regularly is bad for you, yet everyone does it nevertheless. Fast food like pizza encompasses everything you should avoid in your diet: three slices of a regular classic crust Domino's American Hot pizza contains 25.8 grams of fat (of which 11.8 saturated), 14.4 grams of sugar and over 600 calories. Not great.

You don't have to go full keto diet to see positive changes in your body. Just be more mindful about your consumption and definitely track your calorie intake, using an app like myfitnesspal.

Fitbit Versa - LITE Edition...

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music...

Fitbit Fitbit Ionic Fitness...

POLAR IGNITE - Advanced...

Fitbit - Charge 3 Special...

Garmin Forerunner 935 Running...

Fitbit Inspire HR, Fitness...

Suunto 9 Multisport GPS Watch...

Garmin Forerunner 235 GPS...

Fitbit Versa Peach Band...

See the article here:
Beginner running tips that will get you run a 5K faster than using 'Couch To 5K' only - T3

Hilary Duff feels it, too.

The mom to 7-year-old son Luca and daughter Banks, 15 months, often feels bad about missing time with her kids when shes filming her TV Land show Younger, the much-anticipated reboot of Lizzie McGuire or anything else.

Then she realizes thats absurd.

Sometimes I tend to get really caught up in work and then feel like Im not giving enough for my kids or whatever, and I am, Duff tells Yahoo Lifestyle. I do everything I can to put them first and be there first and do everything for them, and I think that the second that I miss a bedtime or something at school that I couldnt be at, I give myself the hardest time, and Im not superwoman.

Duff vows to spend more time just being wherever shes at, be it work or home or anywhere else, in 2020.

I love to work, and I love my job. I love the confidence that it gives me or the power that I feel sometimes, Duff says. I think that just being present and having a good time I have so much to be grateful for and I hope to carry that through the rest of the year.

Shes also working to stay healthy in the months ahead by continuing her macrobiotic diet, which shes done in the past and returned to before her wedding in December. (I actually feel really good now! she says.)

Duff has also partnered with Zicam to promote the brands homeopathic products to shorten colds, for those times when she does feel under the weather.

As shes grown older, Duff has found herself turning to natural brands more and more.

I think being conscious of the products we buy, food-wise, Duff explains. I do a lot of oils and stuff like that in my bath and their bath... I put oils on the kidss feet at night before bed. Now they just expect it and they like it. Its almost like a nighttime ritual, you know, thats just fun to do with your kids. We drink a lot of water.

Duff adds immune boosters to her kidss water, she says.

I think half the battle is trying to defend yourself against your kids, too, she says. Trying to worry about what were doing for them and we have to put ourselves first because were the ones driving the ship.

In that spirit, Duff intends to take shorter versions of her honeymoon to South Africa more frequently.

We had the best time. Were always so worried about our kids, but it was nice to just not be, to sit in it and be together and be a little selfish, she says. So were going to try to make a pact to, throughout the year, take little three-day trips, even though its obviously not as far as South Africa.

Of course, Duffs daily life with the kids is an adventure, too. Luca, her son with former husband Mike Comrie, has a cute reaction to his moms job.

Right before school was over last year, there were a bunch of Younger posters all over our neighborhood, and so he would always see them, and hes just funny about it, Duff says. Hell sometimes be like, Oh, hey, Mom, if a bus passes by and Im on it. He notices, but its normal for him, I guess.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox?Sign up herefor Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyles newsletter.

Link:
Hilary Duff talks guilt over being a working parent: 'I give myself the hardest time' - Yahoo Food

Fad diets come and go, as do the accompanying promises to fix weight issues or gym struggles that, in nearly every case, could be addressed simply by combining frequent exercise with a diet that avoids caloric counts more suitable for a woolly mammoth.

The Military Diet is another such fad, except this groundbreaking eating regimen is largely built on a foundation of not eating.

The stunted calorie plan dieters are instructed to eat only 1,000 to 1,300 calories per day despite putting participants at risk for malnutrition promises to shave off 10 pounds in just three days.

With results like that, you too can achieve the skeletal, prisoner of war beach bod youve always dreamed of.

In contrast, those in the special operations community are instructed to consume anywhere from 2,200 to 3,400 calories each day.

Certainly any time you restrict calories that heavily and deprive the body of needed nutrients, youre going to have rapid loss of weight, dietitian Rachael Hartley told Insider. A thousand calories is under the daily amount recommended for a 2 year old.

The Military Diet, which has nothing to do with the military, has been endorsed by exactly zero individuals with credibility. The site, as noted by Insiders Gabby Landsverk, lists Wikipedia as its primary source of foundational science.

Nutrition science is for nerds anyways, a dieter says as he gnaws on a 3-inch sliver of tree bark for dinner.

Get the military's most comprehensive news and information every morning

(please select a country) United States United Kingdom Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Subscribe

By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Early Bird Brief.

The diets website lays out extensive restrictions participants are expected to adhere to.

On Day 3, for example, dieters are to enjoy a heaping breakfast of 5 saltine crackers, 1 slice of cheddar cheese, 1 small apple. For lunch on the same day, gorge yourself on 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, 5 saltine crackers.

Participants are then encouraged to stand in front of a mirror for approximately 15 to 30 minutes and hurl insults at the disgusting reflection confronting them.

But what about coffee? you might be asking. The Military Diet can accommodate you! From the diets site:

For coffee addicts: We really love (need) coffee too, so we understand why everyone has questions about coffee on the Military Diet! Caffeine withdrawal is no fun, especially when youre already on a low calorie diet. So heres some good news Black coffee has less than 5 calories per cup, so if you need to sneak in a cup here and there, just cut out the equivalent calories elsewhere. Do not add cream and sugar. You can add Stevia if you like. Youre welcome

Uh, thanks?

Just cut out the equivalent calories elsewhere, like scaling back that heaping dinner serving of individual cashews from three to two.

Sacrifices must be made to get that six pack youve always wanted, which will arrive by default due to your malnourished skin simply not having anywhere else to go.

So, what are you waiting for?

If getting rid of energy, adding surging headaches, fatigue and irritability, and enduring an existence of pure misery is your goal, the Military Diet is right for you.

Original post:
'The Military Diet' is the worst diet since starvation - Military Times

Sleep disturbances such as insomnia are extremely common, especially in women after menopause. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, sleep disturbance varies from 16% to 42% before menopause, from 39% to 47% during perimenopause, and from 35% to 60% after menopause.

Insomnia is a serious medical problem defined by frequent difficulty falling or staying asleep that impacts a persons life in a negative way. Hormone changes around menopause can lead to sleep problems for many reasons, including changing sleep requirements, increased irritability, and hot flashes.

Researchers recently looked at detailed dietary data from over 50,000 postmenopausal women (average age 63) enrolled in the Womens Health Initiative study between 1994 and 2001. Carbohydrate intake was measured in several ways: glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), measures of added sugars, starch, total carbohydrate, and dietary fiber, and specific carbohydrate-containing foods such as whole grains, processed or refined grains, whole fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. They then looked at each participants risk of developing insomnia after three years of follow-up.

They found that the risk of developing insomnia was greater in women with a higher-GI diet, as well as in women who included more added sugars in their diet. Added sugars included white and brown sugar, syrups, honey, and molasses. The risk of developing insomnia was lower in women who ate more whole fruits and vegetables.

The researchers accounted for and adjusted for many potentially confounding factors, including demographic (education, income, marital status), behavioral (smoking, alcohol, caffeine intake, physical activity), psychosocial (stress, social connection), and medical factors (body mass index, various medical diagnoses, hormone therapy, snoring).

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of foods on a scale from 0 to 100 according to how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating them. Ive written previously about planning meals with knowledge of the GI and the glycemic load of foods. High-GI foods are those that are rapidly digested, absorbed, and metabolized, and cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. Some examples of high-GI foods include anything made with processed grains (bread, pasta, baked goods, white rice) and anything containing added sugars (sugary beverages, sweets).

Low-GI foods dont cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike, and include plant foods such as most fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Even plant foods that have a high GI such as bananas and watermelon are not likely bad for you when eaten in moderation.

Researchers hypothesize that high-GI foods cause insomnia because of the rapid spike and then crash of blood sugar levels. Essentially, what goes up must come down, and after blood sugar and insulin levels peak, they tend to drop, which can cause a lot of symptoms, including awakening from sleep. The researchers of this new study cite multiple studies supporting this theory.

Endless research connects the quality of our diet with our risk for heart disease, strokes, dementia, depression, and cancer. This new research notes that diet can also impact our risk for certain sleep problems. Its not just about eating the obviously healthy foods, but also about avoiding the obviously unhealthy foods.

In addition to practicing good sleep habits, here are some additional ways postmenopausal women can incorporate what we have learned from this study to sleep better (and be all-around healthier):

Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, August 2007.

National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: management of menopausal symptoms. Annals of Internal Medicine, June 21, 2005.

High glycemic load and glycemic index diets as risk factors for insomnia: analyses from the Womens Health Initiative. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 11, 2019.

Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. The Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy, August 2015.

About Glycemic index. The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney.

Read more:
Menopause and insomnia: Could a low-GI diet help? - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health

Although we're basically more advanced as a society now than ever before, some people believe that reverting back to certain ways of our ancient ancestors can result in healthier lives. Enter: The Paleo diet.

The Paleo diet is a modern diet that's supposed to be based on the way our ancient human ancestors ate during the Paleolithic Era, also known as the Old Stone Age, which began over 2 million years ago. These early humans were hunter-gatherers, eating what they could find and hunt in their surroundings.

So, the Paleo diet in a way is eating like certain cavemen and women may have eaten. But whether, or not, that will actually help you lead a healthier life is up for debate. Here's what you need to know about the Paleo diet.

Gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin introduced the Paleo diet in the 1970s as a way for humans to eat better. He believed that modern humans could learn how to eat healthier by following suit of our Paleolithic ancestors hence the name Paleo diet.

But it wasn't until the early 2000s when the diet really took off in popularity, largely thanks to Loren Cordain and his book The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat. In his book, Cordain lays out the guidelines of the paleo diet, as we know it today.

Mainly, the focus is on nutrient-rich plants and protein-rich lean meats and, of course, no processed foods, something that certainly wasn't around back then.

According to Mayo Clinic, the main staples of the diet are:

As for what to avoid, processed foods like potato chips and candy bars are an obvious no-no. But anything related to agriculture is also off-limits since the Paleolithic Era was before the time humans invented farming, 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. That means grains and dairy are out.

The diet also limits starchy foods like tubers such as potatoes and jicama and legumes like lentils, beans, and peanuts.

Unlike some diets, the paleo diet doesn't require you to follow a specific daily caloric intake. But it's likely that you'll consume fewer calories if you're sticking to it, since you're cutting out so many high-calorie foods, whether it's processed junk food, pizza and other fast foods, or high-sugar foods and drinks.

When you're cutting out entire food groups from your diet like grains and dairy you have to consider the fact that you'll be missing out on the nutrients and health benefits of those food groups.

"There are certain things like brown rice or whole grains that are great for your diet they help lower cholesterol and give you increased fiber so you may want to just take a closer look and see whether or not it's really worth giving that up," says Leah Kaufman, MS, CDE, and RD at NYU Langone Health's Weight Management Program.

Kaufman also urges people to be careful not to become calcium deficient when giving up dairy. Eating chia seeds, almonds, and sardines are all good sources of calcium within the paleo diet. But Kaufman says if you are deficient, the best way to get sufficient calcium can be through a supplement.

To be safe, you may want to meet with a registered dietitian who can help you plan your paleo diet to make sure that you're meeting your nutrition needs.

If you're interested in going paleo but are worried about the risks and restrictions that may come along with cutting out certain food groups, you can try out a modified paleo diet, where the diet serves as a guideline for eating but isn't followed so strictly. For example, you can include some whole grains or legumes if you want more flexibility and added nutrition.

The Paleo diet may be effective for people who want to lose weight, as you will replace any processed foods which are linked with weight gain with whole and minimally processed foods like fiber- and water-rich vegetables.

However, there are no studies investigating whether, or not, the Paleo diet can help you lose weight and keep it off long-term. Nor are there long-term studies to suggest whether this diet can lower the risk of common health problems like heart disease.

The studies that do exist, suggest that the diet shows promise over short periods of time.

For example, a 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the paleo diet resulted in short term improvement in metabolic syndrome conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes when compared with a control group.

Other small-scale, older studies such as one published in 2008 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the paleo diet can reduce BMI, weight, and waist circumference over a period of three weeks.

Most of these studies have been done with small sample groups, so research is still needed on larger groups for longer periods of time as well as with comparison diets to better understand the effects of the Paleo diet.

Go here to read the rest:
What is the Paleo diet and whether it helps you lose weight - INSIDER

Although diet can influence mental health and cognitive function, evidence of benefit for many specific diets is actually quite weak, a new review suggests.

In the "most up-to-date overview of the new field of nutritional psychiatry," investigators with the Nutrition Network of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) found strong evidence that following a ketogenic diet of high fat and low carbohydrates may reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. They also confirmed that the Mediterranean diet guards against depression and anxiety.

In addition, there is a strong link between vitamin B12 deficiency and an increased risk of fatigue, depression, and memory problems.

However, evidence of any efficacy of vitamin D supplements or any nutrient in mitigating symptoms of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is "inconclusive," the researchers note.

"We have found that there is increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders, including anxiety and depression," principal investigator Suzanne L. Dickson, PhD, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said in a press release.

"However, many common beliefs about the health effects of certain foods are not supported by solid evidence...[and] with individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence," she added.

The findings were published in the December issue of European Neuropsychopharmacology.

As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, there have been numerous studies linking diet and mental health, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that has been tied to lower depression risk.

Large population-based studies have also suggested links between mental health and specific nutrients, but they often "do not demonstrate cause, benefit, or remedy," the current investigators note. However, they add, there is "reason for optimism."

The review showed there are "strong correlations" between a healthy diet and better mental health, especially with increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

However, although several recent studies and analyses have shown a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk for depression or even a protective effect against the disease, a meta-analysis of 14 cohort studies published in 2019 and consisting of more than 56,000 participants showed no significant association.

Still, "when cross-sectional studies were analyzed an inverse significant association was found between depression odds and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet," the researchers write.

"Together, these studies provide a reasonable evidence base to further investigate the effect of specific dietary interventions on mental health," they add.

When assessing the effect of vitamins, investigators found that "the link is strongest" between deficiencies inB12and fatigue, lethargy, depression, mania, psychosis, and depression; in thiamine and CNS symptoms; in folic acid and neurodevelopment in utero and infancy and depression in adults; and niacin and dementia.

"Yet even for these deficiencies, the role of mild 'subclinical' or multiple mild deficiencies in the genesis of mental dysfunction is unclear," the researchers write.

For example, research into the role of vitamin D supplementation has shown conflicting results.

Overall, the investigators note that a diet rich in polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and nutritional supplements "has been reported to exert favorable effects on mental health, including on cognitive performance, mood, stress, reactivity, and neuroinflammation."

As for ADHD and autism, several studies have suggested a benefit from particular dietary elements or risk from a poor diet.

"We can see an increase in the quantity of refined sugar in the diet seems to increase ADHD and hyperactivity, whereas eating more fresh fruit and vegetables seems to protect against these conditions," Dickson said.

However, "there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects," she added.

"Results of nutritional interventions...in autism are also very diverse and have not been subjected to rigorous meta-analyses," the investigators note.

On the other hand, there is strong evidence that nutritional decisions in early life can affect later-life brain function. A high-quality diet is strongly linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline and improved cognitive function in older adults, whereas a poor diet appears to increase cognitive decline and other health problems.

However, "at present we lack a detailed understanding of the metabolic and cellular mechanisms that underpin these associations," the researchers note.

This is also true of gut microbiota. Although "it is clear" that it can potentially affect mental health, the mechanism "has yet to be elucidated."

Future research will need to focus on "provable dietary causes" associated with psychiatric conditions, the investigators note in the release.

"There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health," said Dickson.

She noted that some individuals may respond better than others to dietary changes because of subtle differences in their metabolism.

In addition, "a food is not a drug, so it needs to be tested differently to a drug." For example, there are no "placebo" foods that can be used in a randomized controlled trial, she said.

"Nutritional psychiatry is a new field. The message of this paper is that the effects of diet on mental health are real, but that we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions on the basis of provisional evidence," Dickson said.

Commenting on the findings for Medscape Medical News, Wolfgang Marx, PhD, head of the Nutraceutical Research stream at the Food & Mood Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, said the investigators provided a "clear and objective overview" of the current state of nutritional psychiatry.

This includes the "largely consistent epidemiological, clinical, and meta-analytic data supporting the link between diet quality and depression," he said. "Crucially, the authors also identify key research questions that are required to be addressed to advance the field, including the need for large clinical trials to further test efficacy and mechanistic studies to improve our understanding of how diet, and dietary components, may improve symptoms."

Marx, who was not involved with the research, noted that the researchers "rightly highlight" some of the challenges of developing evidence in this area, such as the difficulty of blinding dietary interventions.

"It is important to note that in addition to the emerging data supporting the role of diet in reducing risk of mental illness, dietary interventions can be effective in reducing the elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseasescommon in people with mental illness," he said.

"While more research is required to support the role of dietary interventions as a therapy for mental disorders, there is already sufficient evidenceto suggest that dietary interventions, as well as other lifestyle interventions such as physical activity, should be incorporated into routine clinical care from the outset to address the physical comorbidities associated with mental illness," Marx said.

"This review is an important and scholarly contribution," Andreas Reif, MD, PhD, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, said in the release.

Reif, who was not involved with the research, is also chair of the ECNP Scientific Program Committee.

"The interface between gut and the brain on the one side and diet and mental health on the other side is one of the most debated issues in biological psychiatry at the moment, and is an exciting development which has gained momentum in the last decade," he noted.

He added that the high-quality evidence from mostly animal studies published in recent years contrasts with the "comparative shortage of hard evidence" in humans.

"This leaves room for speculation and flawed science," Reif said. "This comprehensive review is therefore much needed as it sheds light on hypes and hopes, facts and fiction."

"As the potential societal impact of this rapidly developing field is enormous, we must be scientifically sound in making our recommendations," he concluded.

The study was supported by the ECNP. Dickson and Marx have reported no relevant financial relationships.

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;29:1321-1332. Full article

Follow Deborah Brauser on Twitter: @MedscapeDeb. For more Medscape Neurology news, join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Read more here:
Diet and Mental Health: The Evidence to Date - Medscape

DASH stands fordietary approaches to stop hypertension and was developed in the early 1990s when the National Institutes of Health was researching ways to lower blood pressure.

It emphasizes low-sodium, nutrient-dense foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. It also includes low-fat dairy and lean meat in moderation.

Although not specifically intended for weight loss, the DASH diet has been shown in some studies to help people lose weight by helping them cut back on processed foods and salty or sugary snacks.

No foods are forbidden on the diet, but the plan suggests limiting sugary items like candy, cookies, and soda to fewer than five servings a week, and limiting alcohol to no more than one serving a day for women and two for men, per CDC recommendations.

The diet also recommends cutting back on red meat, fat, and sodium.

If you are looking to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the DASH diet offers several calorie levels, from 1,600 calories a day to 3,000.

While the diet "is very safe and sustainable for anybody who's looking to eat healthier," registered dietitian Lisa Sasson previously told Insider,a possible pitfall of the plan is that it includes very broad recommendations, and some people may need more specific guidance if they lack experience in cooking or meal planning, according to Harvard Health.

Otherwise, here's what you can expect to eat on DASH.

Read the original:
The DASH diet is more than half carbs, and experts say it's one of the healthiest ways to eat - INSIDER

With the start of the new year, there always seems to come a renewed interest in dieting, exercise, and generally getting in shape. While the Madison County Public Library has a wide range of books on these topics, including all the hottest new diet trends, sometimes you need to take a break and just enjoy a good novel where the protagonist may be facing some of the same eating challenges as you.

So this week's book list focuses on the humorous, the mysterious, and the downright scary aspects of dieting. Enjoy!

Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding

"Bridget Jones' Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud daily chronicle of Bridget's permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement -- a year in which she resolves to: reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and learn to program the VCR.

"Over the course of the year, Bridget loses a total of 72 pounds but gains a total of 74. She remains, however, optimistic. Through it all, Bridget will have you helpless with laughter, and -- like millions of readers the world round -- you'll find yourself shouting, "Bridget Jones is me!'" from GoodReads.com

Available in print in Berea

Dietland, by Sarai Walker

"Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you're fat, to be noticed is to be judged. Or mocked. Or worse. With her job answering fan mail for a popular teen girls' magazine, she is biding her time until her weight-loss surgery. Only then can her true life as a thin person finally begin.

"Then, when a mysterious woman starts following her, Plum finds herself falling down a rabbit hole and into an underground community of women who live life on their own terms. There Plum agrees to a series of challenges that force her to deal with her past, her doubts, and the real costs of becoming "beautiful." At the same time, a dangerous guerrilla group called "Jennifer" begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women, and as Plum grapples with her personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot. The consequences are explosive." From GoodReads.com

Available in regular print in Richmond and Berea, large type print in Richmond, and eBook through KY Libraries Unbound/Overdrive

Worth the Weight, by Eileen Palma

"How much weight is too much for one romance to bear?

"When Kate Richards, the effervescent host of television's KidFit and the author of kid-friendly diet cookbooks, runs into Jack Moskowitz at a dog park, sparks fly. He's attractive, charming, and single. She has no idea that he's also the one man who could cost Kate her career--the CEO of Considerable Carriages, a company that profits from childhood obesity.

"Jack knows exactly who Kate is, though. She tore his company apart on television only the day before! Seeing an opportunity, Jack starts digging up dirt on his nemesis, to put her crusade on ice once and for all. But the more time the two spend together, the more his lie--and his feelings for Kate--spiral out of control.

"When Jack and Kate try to tip the scales of romance it brings chaos, heartbreak and hilarity and more than a few laps around love's track." From GoodReads.com

Available in eBook format through KY Libraries Unbound/Overdrive

Thinner, by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

"Attorney Billy Halleck seriously enjoys living his life of upper-class excess. He's got it all--an expensive home in Connecticut, a loving family...and fifty extra pounds that his doctor repeatedly warns will be the death of him. Then, in a moment of carelessness, Halleck commits vehicular manslaughter when he strikes a jaywalking old woman crossing the street. But Halleck has some powerful local connections, and gets off with a slap on the wrist...much to the fury of the woman's mysterious and ancient father, who exacts revenge with a single word: 'Thinner.' Now a terrified Halleck finds the weight once so difficult to shed dropping effortlessly--and rapidly--by the week. Soon there will be nothing left of Billy Halleck...unless he can somehow locate the source of his living nightmare and reverse what's happened to him before he utterly wastes away. . ." from the cover

Available in print in Richmond and Berea and eBook and eAudio through KY Libraries Unbound

See original here:
Different type of diet reading | Community - Richmond Register