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If 2020 is like the years gone by, chances are your resolve has already broken down one week into the new year. For those with a little more staying power, next weekend is likely to serve up the first major hurdle: January 19, 2020 will be the day most people give up their new commitments, according to new research by Strava, the social network for athletes. The people behind the app analysed more than 822 million global activities around the world in 2019 to arrive at what theyre calling Quitters Day.

The data chimes with previous research; a study by researchers at the University of Scanton in Pennsylvania found that 80 per cent of all new year determination runs out by February, and only some 8 per cent of people actually manage to achieve those goals.

Resolutions are usually considered synonymous with a negative outcome, says UAE-based medical practitioner and nutrition advisor Dr Remy Shanker. They often serve to be unachievable.

She advises focusing on incremental lifestyle changes rather than drastic modifications that yield little more than stress. Set small goals you want to achieve every month with a small indulgence you can treat yourself to when achieving it. Incentivising your achievement structure helps you to stay on track or at least serves as a reminder.

How do you put that into practice when it comes to creating a new eating plan for yourself? We put the question to Farheen Dinda, Clinical Dietitian at Dubai Health Authority. She suggests the following dietary guidelines for creating and sticking to your new diet.

1. Eat healthy at every meal

Forget about fad diets, Dinda says, and focus instead on eating healthy at every meal. The USDA recommends a healthy eating pattern at an appropriate calorie level to help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, support nutrient adequacy, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. If youre reading this, youre well aware of the sort of foods you should be putting on your plate (and into your mouth) theyre not that far removed from everything your mum told you.

Dinda says, A healthy eating pattern includes a variety of vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, dairy or its substitutes, a variety of proteins and healthy fats. A healthy eating pattern also limits saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium. So skip the sodas and junk the fast food in favour of home recipes, and when you cant, such as if youre at a work meeting, make nourishing, wholesome choices. Make good food a part of your lifestyle, Dinda says, and youll begin to see the changes quickly enough.

2. Focus on variety, nutrient density and portion control

Eating a range of different foods, such as a variety of vegetables for example, keeps things interesting and makes sure your body is able to get the nutrients it needs. Re-examine your portions youre likely eating too much. A good way to determine the correct portion sizes is to look at your hand.

The recommended serving of meat or proteins is the size of your palm, or about the size of a deck of cards. Pasta or starches should be half a cup, or the front of your clenched fist. Vegetables should be double that amount, as much as your entire fist, or half your plate at each meal.

Managing calorie intake is fundamental to achieving calorie balance, Dinda explains.

The best way to determine whether an eating pattern is at an appropriate number of calories is to monitor body weight and adjust calorie intake and expenditure in physical activity based on changes in weight over time.

3. Add in vegetables and fruits

If you arent eating five servings of vegetables and fruit a day, youre not eating enough. Scientists now recommend at least ten servings per day. One serving is about a cup full of vegetables, and juice, no matter how many glasses you drink, counts as one serving.

DHA guidelines are in line with the Healthy Eating Plate guidelines created by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School and widely accepted around the world. About 50 per cent of your plate should be vegetables and fruit, beans and legumes, with the rest split evenly between whole grains and protein. Again, Dinda says locally grown vegetables and fruits should be your first choice, while making sure theyre prepared in a healthy way.

4. Support healthy eating patterns for all

When it comes to making a dietary change, its important to get everyone on board. Involve the family even if everyone else is healthy, theyll benefit from better eating habits. Rope in your friends, too, so youre not tempted to fall off the wagon at work or on a night out.

Everyone plays a role in creating and supporting healthy eating patterns across multiple settings, from home environments to school, workplaces and community gatherings and events, Dinda explains. Healthy eating habits must be followed by all members of the family. Take the kids along for grocery shopping and allow them to choose fresh vegetables and fruits in order to instil healthy eating habits early on. A habit can go a long way to keeping you healthy. Follow these guidelines and by this time next year, you wont need to read another diet article.

5. Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats, and reduce sodium intake

Cut out the junk in your diet and limit anything thats deep fried or loaded with extra salt or sugar to an occasional treat if youre serious about getting your diet on track. Eliminate foods and beverages that have added sugars or salt theyre just not healthy, Dinda advises.

Thats especially true of processed foods such as crisps, cookies, tinned vegetables, breakfast cereals, cold cuts and microwave-ready meals. If theyre not full of added sugars and syrups, theyre likely to be loaded with sodium too much of which can increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease. Such foods are also likely full of trans fats such as margarine and vegetable shortening, which are also linked to insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease.

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5 ways to rejig your diet in 2020 | Health - Gulf News

Jennifer Still

Over the past year, I've lost more than 120 pounds following the ketogenic diet.

Eating lots of fat, moderate protein, and very few carbs undoubtedly helped me shed the weight quickly and relatively painlessly while also helping to heal my dysfunctional relationship with food, specifically sugar.

However, I've decided to leave keto behind and venture on a new way of eating.

This may come as a surprise to some people, but this is a choice I need to make for myself. Here's why I'm breaking up with the keto diet.

I felt like I was missing out on certain nutrients

That's not to say that keto can't be a nutritionally dense diet. After all, while the common misconception is that those on keto eat only bacon, cheese, mayonnaise, and butter, the reality is that the formula of high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrates can be enacted in any variety of ways.

Vegetables are allowed and even encouraged, and it's not as though lean meats are outlawed.

Still, I was aware that I was struggling with my intake of specific nutrients, particularly fiber. Given that adequate fiber intake can help relieve constipation, help lower cholesterol, and keep you fuller, among other benefits, I wanted to up my intake.

Coming off the keto diet and focusing more on whole, nutritious foods has reintroduced wonderfully nutritious things like beans, oats, and whole grains, and I feel much better for it.

I was tired of eating so much fat

Again, the "high fat" part of the keto diet isn't gospel - there are people out there doing low-fat, low-carb diets - but it's suggested for satiety.

While on keto, I often ensured I wasn't overly hungry and stayed full by eating high amounts of fat, from the aforementioned bacon and butter to things like sausages, steaks, and cheese.

It was delicious, for sure, but it also made me feel a little "blah" after a while - I was unenthused about the idea of having to try to find more sources of fat and increase my intake of it all the time so that I wasn't starving.

By coming off keto, I can find other ways to feel full, like carbs, protein, and, yes, fiber. I can still enjoy fat when I want to, but I don't have to rely on it as much.

My cholesterol levels went up

After getting some routine bloodwork done, I expected to see great numbers across the board, especially in terms of my cholesterol. After all, the ketogenic diet has shown promise in small studies by lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in the majority of participants.

Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect for me.

My doctor was concerned at my high LDL level, though I did have a good triglyceride/HDL ratio and good levels of HDL in general. Although those high LDL numbers may be totally incidental, I can't help but feel like my high-fat diet may have contributed, so I'm trying a different approach to see if I can bring them down naturally.

It made going out to eat pretty difficult and less enjoyable

It's true that there are keto options at pretty much every restaurant. After all, you can always order a bunless burger, fried eggs, or a steak - and believe me, I've done this on many occasions.

However, after a while, I got tired of being so limited in my choices, and the people I went out to meals with were also annoyed by my rigidity in adhering to keto.

I was always stressing about what was keto-friendly on a particular restaurant's menu, or if I'd be able to customize an order to make it low-carb. That took a lot of mental energy that I got used to spending but eventually began to begrudge.

These days, I do look for the healthiest options on restaurant menus, but I also don't stress if something has breadcrumbs in it somewhere or if the sauce on a given dish has sugar.

I just eat a reasonably sized portion and move on with my life - and I have to admit, I feel pretty good about it. It's made eating out fun again.

I want more variety in my diet

Simply put, this is the bottom line.

The keto diet was a fantastic weight-loss vehicle for me, and I couldn't have made the progress I did in the amount of time I made it without following this way of eating. It has incredible value for those who are seriously overweight or who have a food addiction, diabetes, or any number of other health issues.

I would certainly never discourage anyone from trying keto or claim that it doesn't work and isn't worth it, because it totally is. That said, I feel like I'm in a place now in my health and fitness journey where strict keto is no longer a good fit for me.

I'm still focusing heavily on the "calories in, calories out" method and choosing carbohydrates that are whole, unprocessed, and slow to digest. I haven't come off keto so that I could start chowing down on french fries or eating peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches on white bread every day.

Instead, I'm focusing on things like oats with unsweetened almond milk and seeds for breakfast, or adding in things like quinoa or butternut squash with my evening meals. (And yes, sometimes it's nice to eat a regular cookie now and then.)

Video: Top diet trends: Mediterranean, Dash, Keto

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I lost more than 120 pounds on the keto diet. Here's why I'm quitting it. - msnNOW

Diet plus exercise equals the key equation to stay in a caloric deficit and, therefore, to lose weight. You can try losing weight without exercise, but working out will help preserve your muscle mass and keep your metabolism up. Likewise, if you tried to maintain your caloric deficit through workouts alone, it would be incredibly difficult, as experts have explained to us in the past.

Registered dietitian and NASM-certified personal trainer Alix Turoff, MS, knows that finding the right workout and eating plan for weight loss is easier said than done; results are different for everyone. Plus, there are other factors that come into play like genetics, as well as stress levels and sleep.

Alix, whom we've interviewed in the past, posted the Instagram seen here to indicate that oftentimes people tend to focus on everything on the left to lose weight intermittent fasting or keto, fasted cardio, or even apple cider vinegar. While some of these can absolutely work she pointed to intermittent fasting, as an example it isn't sustainable for everyone and it's not actually necessary to see results.

Alix told POPSUGAR via email that the main point of that post was to indicate that the only thing required for weight loss is a caloric deficit. "For some people, intermittent fasting can help them achieve a caloric deficit more easily," she explained. "It creates rules and some people do well with that. For other people, stressing about intermittent fasting can actually make matters worse."

Keto too, Alix said, can yield results. "That said, it does require a very controlled carbohydrate intake, and for most people, that's not going to be sustainable long term," she explained, adding that keto is also much different from just a low-carb diet because you need to be strict about eating precise carbs and protein. She explained, "Protein can be converted into glucose, which could take the body out of ketosis. So to really get in to ketosis, you won't be able to have an off day or a day where you eat some extra fruit, which makes it very hard to be flexible."

While Alix has recommended the keto diet for people with uncontrolled blood sugars, she typically doesn't advocate for cutting out specific foods to lose weight, but rather limiting them. Plus, while intermittent fasting, for instance, does work for some people, other things on the left side of the graphic she shared, such as supplements or adaptogens, "really have no research to support their use in weight loss," she noted. And, Alix wrote in her Instagram caption that oftentimes people don't even have the fat-loss basics down before they try those left-side strategies.

Alix told POPSUGAR that these fat-loss basics begin with understanding calories and macronutrients. If you skip that part, you won't learn how to balance your food, she said. Here's how to calculate how many calories you should be eating in a day for a healthy caloric deficit. And, here's one way to calculate macros for weight loss. She said you should also look at your exercise routine, too here's a four-week workout plan for weight loss but try to pick workouts you enjoy since that's what you are more likely to stick with. And, you should be focused on your sleep, mood, and relationships, Alix said. "If you're on a diet and you're losing weight, but your sleep is terrible or you're in a bad mood all the time, it doesn't matter how much weight you're losing because you're prioritizing weight loss over general health," she stated.

Alix concluded in her post that you should focus on the big picture, and get the basics down first. Then, you can experiment and see how you feel. As the graphic she made states, she wants people to find a way to eat in a caloric deficit while still choosing nutrient-dense foods that don't sacrifice what these people actually want to eat. Diets may work, but relying on something that isn't sustainable in the long run isn't sufficient for long-term weight loss.

Alix told POPSUGAR that working with a registered dietitian, if possible, can help you make sound decisions about what lifestyle changes are right for you. It's important, too, even without a dietitian, to be honest with yourself. "If you find yourself starting and stopping or getting on and off track, it's time to look at why that's happening," Alix said. "Does the diet cut out foods that you love? Is it too restrictive? Are you trying to be so 'perfect,' and then having it backfire?"

Alix continued on to say that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to weight loss. That's why it's important to be realistic with your expectations. "Healthy weight loss might be anywhere from half a pound to two pounds per week, depending no how much weight you have to lose," she said. So, if a diet promises you'll lose weight faster than that, it's a red flag.

An effective weight-loss regimen that's safe won't jeopardize your mental health, Alix noted in the graphic and further told POPSUGAR. Here's how to tell if a diet is affecting your mental health, according to Alix:

Lastly, Alix wants you to unfollow anyone who promotes unhealthy ways to lose weight. "Remember that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist," she said. "Sure, there are some non-RDs that are great sources of information, but I would be very careful about who you follow." She continued on to say that you should look into their education and credentials, and you should question everything. (Here's a good place to start for creditable sources.)

"Understand that there are NO QUICK FIXES," Alix wrote to POPSUGAR via email (we're a big fan of the all caps she used here). "If there were, I'd be doing it. There's no one diet that works for everyone, so if someone is claiming that they have the answer for everyone, run the other way!" Remember all of this, and for more on strategies to lose weight, here's our expert-approved guide.

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An RD Says Diets Like Keto and IF Aren't Necessary to Healthily Lose Weight Here's Why - POPSUGAR

Muhammad Syafiq Adnan / EyeEmGetty Images

With much talk of New Year being a time to lose weight, you may be feeling a little confused if your goal is to gain weight - and do it healthily. Gaining weight can be a difficult experience in terms of both physical and mental health, particularly if youre aiming to increase your BMI following a traumatic experience or eating disorder.

Many individuals struggle with gaining weight because culturally there is so much emphasis on thinness as the ideal that we should all be working towards, Uxshely Carcamo, owner of The Food Psychology Clinic told Cosmopolitan. But you absolutely can gain weight in a healthy way with the right guidance. We spoke to the experts to find out what you should be focused on.

Weight naturally fluctuates, but being vastly underweight as an adult can have serious health consequences. Weight is generally measured as being healthy via your BMI, but if you suspect that youre underweight you should book an appointment with your GP to discuss further.

Being underweight from eating less than your body needs can lead to reduced fertility and irregular or missed periods, Dr Sally Norton, an NHS weight consultant surgeon tells Cosmopolitan. It can lead to weakness, shortness of breath, poor sleep, a lowered immune system or weak bones. And it can contribute to poor mental health, low concentration and more."

Anna Bizon / EyeEmGetty Images

For a number of reasons, you should see your doctor first before deciding to lose weight.

Dealing with any underlying cause such as thyroid disease, tackling stress or getting support with severe grief or eating disorders is the first place to start, says Dr Sally. But then you need to think about how to gain back your weight in a healthy way. And simply filling up with calories from high-sugar, high-fat processed food isnt the way to go. Yes, you may put on weight but it will be mainly fat that wont improve your health much, if at all.

So while the odd pizza and chocolate indulgence is fine, its important to also make sure youre eating healthily - even when trying to gain weight.

Your body needs to replenish with nutrients, protein and healthy fats. Not only will these increase your weight, but they will fire up your brain again, boost your mood and positivity, strengthen bones and immunity and give a whole host of other benefits. Sally recommends adding the following foods into your diet, depending on your personal requirements:

"And couple your healthy-eating regime with some strength training to build weakened muscles and keep you toned as you gain weight," she adds.

"Remember, whether you are trying to lose weight or gain weight it is important not to focus solely on calories though many of us think that calories are the only thing worth counting!"

Both losing and gaining weight can be a struggle for the mind, but with constant messaging - especially around the new year - that slimming down is the answer to your happiness, it can be extremely difficult to purposely put on pounds.

Food psychologist Uxshely explains: "I work with many people that know logically and rationally that they need to put on weight, however they find it difficult to force themselves to eat more.

"Firstly, this is because they have just fallen into the habit of under-eating and restricting their food intake and this restriction can make them feel more in control. Secondly, there can be a fear that gaining weight will make them less attractive or will make them lose their identity. Thirdly, not eating (just like eating) is actually a coping mechanism too - some people cope with things like stress and emotions by not eating - so forcing somebody to eat can be a way of taking away the only coping mechanism that they know."

"It's important to start finding pleasure in food again"

If that sounds familiar, Uxhshely explains that it's important to constantly bring the focus back to you. "When I am working with someone that needs to gain weight, I work with them to establish why they want to or need to put on weight - often looking into the future and what they want for themselves long-term. It could be that their low weight has affected their menstrual cycle and yet they know that in the future they want to have children. Or it could be that they love dancing or a sport and their low weight and lack of energy means that they aren't performing at their best.

"It's also important to establish a regular pattern of eating and new habits around food. Ensuring that the individual eats regularly - even though they do not feel hungry - is really key. A lot of my clients tell me that they do not want to eat because they do not feel hungry. However, often they do not feel hungry because they are just not in the habit of eating at certain times of the day. Our body loves routine - and to gain weight an individual needs to establish a routine of eating more regularly even if they are not hungry. This is why concepts such as "intuitive eating" can be very dangerous for some individuals - this encourages individuals to respond to their natural hunger cues - however for most people our hunger is triggered by habitual patterns of eating - so we just feel hungry at the same time as we did the previous day typically."

"It's important to start finding pleasure in food again," says Uxhsely. "Whilst I would never recommend just eating highly processed and sugary foods - I would encourage an individual to think about nourishing dishes that they also enjoy. It is much easier to eat more when the food an individual is eating is something that they really enjoy. It can also be helpful to add in more unsaturated fats into the diet e.g. peanut butter, olive oil, nuts, seeds etc. are all calorie dense foods that can help an individual to gain weight without leaving them feeling too full."

Here's to a healthy new year.

Follow Abbi on Instagram.

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How to gain weight safely and healthily - cosmopolitan.com

Getting ripped for a movie role seems to be a common prerequisite of late for practically every actor considering the action genre dominates so much in theaters and streaming. While dozens of examples can be listed, Henry Cavill is now the latest who had to get beefed up for shirtless scenes in Netflixs popular The Witcher.

Even though Cavill played Superman for a time, there hasnt been a new movie with the character in a couple of years. Its easy to get a little out of shape if doing more normal roles that dont require stripping down. Then again, most of his movie input has been action-oriented since he last played Superman.

According to People recently, Cavill went to extremes to make sure his bare-chested scenes in The Witcher looked just right. Is it just another example of crazy diets that ultimately hurt health, or was his technique safe?

In the People interview, Cavill explained what he did to make his muscles look more toned in his disrobing scenes. Some fans no doubt bristled when hearing he ended up dehydrating himself for sometimes up to several days at a time.

Doing this apparently allowed him to maintain the perfect body weight and create a literal thin skin to accent his ab muscles. Its a diet process he clearly pointed out is a bit tortuous, but also arguably madness while somehow citing it as a safe health technique.

No doubt fans want to know whether dehydrating ones self really is worth doing safely if wanting to show off a more toned body in front of cameras. Is it really, or is it just another fad like the recent news fasting for a couple of days at a time can help ones health?

Most medical experts say staying hydrated is a better method for weight loss than not drinking water. Even though Cavill only did his dehydration technique for a limited time, there arent many medical professionals recommending a normal person do such a thing long-term.

Based on medical facts, water often acts as an appetite suppressant, not including helping to increase how a person burns calories. Even more importantly, it removes wastes from the body, the latter of which could otherwise bring long-term repercussions.

With simple knowledge available like this, its still not surprising someone from Hollywood would try a fad diet trick to look physically better. While there are no signs it hurt Cavills health, lets hope others who arent nearly in as good of shape wont try the same thing.

After news came out about fasting possibly being healthy, its worth taking caution when diet claims without medical evidence show up on top media sites.

During his People interview, Cavill notes he takes his health seriously to keep his energy up while filming grueling shows like The Witcher. How many people might think forcibly dehydrating is really healthy, though? Plus, it appears he also reduced his food intake to get in shape for the show.

At one point, he says cutting out food and having to forego water made him kind of cranky on set. Thats only a normal reaction when abstaining from things everyone requires to live normally.

Lets hope Cavill doesnt do this regularly if theres a second season of The Witcher. Outside of some earlier criticism of the show, its creating a lot of popular buzz now that its on.

Perhaps a nutritionist will speak up and remind everyone to stay away from the extremes of diet fads. Its far too easy now for the media to convince the public at large to try these techniques, which may require a caveat message on every celebrity article from now on.

More:
Henry Cavill Prepared for Shirtless 'The Witcher' Scenes in This Extreme and Dangerous Way - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The NHS has this week warned new year dieters against quick-fix solutions as Brits look to lose weight for 2020.

A senior NHS doctor has said some faddy diets can lead to heart problems and even unplanned pregnancies.

So, how do you make incremental changes - which keep you in pursuit of your weight loss goals, while maintaining a diet of fun food?

A fitness blogger has moved to recreate your favourite dishes with up to 400 fewer calories.

Graeme Tomlinson - also known as The Fitness Chef - wants to help you hit your January weight loss goals.

He recreated 10 of the country's most-loved meals with a healthy twist, as part of Frylight's #CaloriesUncovered campaign.

It comes as NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis said using pills and detox teas have a "slim chance of success" and can cause serious complications.

Going on a diet is the most common New Year's Resolution and, although the NHS endorses getting in shape, Prof Powis advised against using diet pills, "tea-toxes", and appetite suppressant products, which can be harmful.

Products promising quick weight loss by reducing appetite and fatigue can have damaging side-effects, ranging from diarrhoea to heart problems, and can even interfere with oral contraception, causing unplanned pregnancies.

Graeme, 30, made shepherd's pie, fry-up and spaghetti bolognese with alternative ingredients.

Impressively, he managed to cut out up to 400 calories per meal.

Graeme tells MailOnline : "I'm a firm believer in small changes reaping big rewards.

"Looking at ways to reduce the calories in the food you already know is the easiest way to make a positive step towards a calorie deficit for fat loss."

His swaps are actually very simple, too, with 20 per cent fat mince with a five per cent fat alternative in the chili and spaghetti bolognese.

In his low-calorie bangers and mash dish, he changes pork sausages for chicken alternatives and potatoes for mashed carrot, swede and parsnips.

In his fry-up, he uses bacon medallions NOT rashers.

Helen Bond - Frylight consultant nutritionist - explains: "People need to ditch the 'diet' mentality - going on a diet infers there's a start and stop date, so you only change your diet during these times.

"Instead, plan to change your eating habits for good, making small steps towards a healthier diet, and focus on the huge number of other benefits that eating well will have for your weight and overall health."

Prof Powis, meanwhile, has advised those wanting to shed a few Christmas pounds to lose weight "gradually and safely".

He said: "New Year's Resolutions are a great time to make a change, but the reality is there's a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas - and people could end up doing more harm than good."

This follows calls earlier this year for social media giants to crack down on celebrities posting misleading "get fit quick" adverts, prompting Instagram and Facebook to restrict endorsements of risky products.

Prof Powis recommended the NHS Long Term Plan, a 12-week weight-loss schedule to be used alongside an app, for those wanting to get in shape.

The NHS also offers a Diabetes Prevention Programme, and both of these regimes can be found on its website along with healthy recipes.

Health professionals also recommend the Couch To 5K app for first-time runners, Strength And Flex, and the NHS Fitness Studio apps.

Quitting smoking is the second most popular New Year's Resolution, and the NHS Smokefree app can help those wanting to cut down.

The Drink Free Days app is also recommended by the NHS for people wanting to try Dry January.

Prof Powis has also spoken out against so-called "party drips".

"At a time when health misinformation is running riot on social media, it is reckless and exploitative of these companies to peddle ineffective and misleading treatments, and those celebrities and influencers who help them do this are letting their fans down.

"People who are healthy do not need IV drips. At best they are an expensive way to fill your bladder - and then flush hundreds of pounds down the toilet - but at worst they can cause significant damage to your health.

"While many of us want to enjoy ourselves at this time of year, it is important to remember that nothing beats eating well and drinking sensibly when it comes to staying well, and a much better way to 'cure' a hangover is through drinking plenty of water and getting some fresh air.

"Miracle hangover cures and quick fixes simply don't exist, and anyone online who says they do is probably out to make a quick buck at your expense."

Originally posted here:
How to shave hundreds of calories off your favourite meals to lose weight in 2020 - Birmingham Live