by: Nancy Dell, Registered Dietitian

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) You would think the more exercise you do, the more calories you burn, and the more weight you would lose. But this may not be the case.

Studies show, couch potatoes need to move to lose weight. However, if you are already very active, increasing your exercise may not increase the calories you burn all day.

Researchers from City University of New York followed over 300 people for a week. They measured how much activity they did and how many calories they burned for the day. They found that people who did little activity saw some increase in the calories they burned all day when they increased their exercise.

However, people who were already really active did not burn more calories for the day when they increased their exercise. Somehow the body adapts when you do too much exercise so you do not burn extra calories.

More research is needed to find what level of exercise is just enough to burn calories and lose weight efficiently without wasting your time doing too much.

But at this point researchers say aim for an hour of exercise or a 2 mile walk a day. If you are trying to lose weight, you also need to adjust your diet.

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Food for Thought: Exercise and weight loss - WWLP.com

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) On the day after Christmas, many are feeling stuffed with some even thinking about diet resolutions for the new year. New research surfaced Thursday on a diet thats growing in popularity that has people abstaining from food for extended periods of time.

Its called intermittent fasting. Theres now more evidence that it can help not just weight loss but has benefits that include lower cholesterol and reduced stress.

So people might be thinking about trading holiday feasting for fasting.

Intermittent fasting diets see people stop eating for extended periods of time that triggers metabolic switching, where cells use up their fuel stores and convert fat to energy flipping a switch from fat-storing to fat being used for fuel.

The diets are growing in popularity. Google searches for them have quadrupled in the past three years.

I was 360 pounds, Donate Franklin said.

Franklin, a fitness trainer, credits a lot of his weight loss to intermittent fasting and careful food choices.

I have peanuts in a shell. I have some quinoa made quinoa with beans, theres some sausage, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, Franklin said.

There are two basic intermittent fasting diets:

One, only eating during a six-hour period and fasting for 18 on a daily basis.

Second, weekly fasting, eating on two days and fasting for five.

There doesnt seem to be any negative impact on the short burst of fasting, UNMC College of Public Health Dr. Paul Estabrooks said.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to help with weight loss and improve conditions like diabetes and heart disease and even boost memory and brain functioning.

But research has shown many people cant sustain fasting diets because theyre hungry and irritable common side effects that usually pass after a few weeks.

Another issue with fasting diets is, in the periods when people are allowed to eat they tend to go overboard because theyre so hungry.

An important note you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet.

Read more:
Study: Intermittent Fasting Appears To Have Many Health Benefits, Also Helps With Weight Loss - CBS Philly

The "Rolling in the Deep" singer posted to her Instagram a few festive photos from a Christmas party, but the Grinch friend she posed with was hardly the focus of attention. Fans were quick to point out Adele's considerable weight loss, which she flaunted in a silky Reformation gown. She looked stunning, but the massive reaction raised an issue with how modern society generally responds to weight loss.

There's a lot of concerning implications that can arise with complimenting someone for losing weight, whether directed at a celebrity or a member of your family. First, this reinforces the stereotype that thinner people are inherently more desirable and attractive. There's the false implication that losing weight is synonymous with good health, as well as infinite ways to become thinner dangerously: eating disorders, substance abuse, and dangerous fad diets among them. Praising someone for losing weight, however well-intended, propagates fat shame and implies that individuals are worth most at their thinnest.

Adele has spent her entire career championing plus-size (but actually average-size) women. Before eventually singing to XL, she reportedly had a strict policy for her potential record labels: Under no circumstances would she be encouraged to lose weight. But of course, that hadn't made her immune to negative comments on her body. In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld called the singer "a little too fat." "I've never wanted to look like models on the cover of magazines," Adele responded. "I represent the majority of women and I'm very proud of that."

No matter her size, Adele remains one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Let's leave weight out of the conversation.

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Adele and the Dangers of Praising Weight Loss - Popdust

What does your gut microbiome, the collection of trillions of bacteria living in your intestines, have to do with weight maintenance? More than you might think. Research has shown that the bacterial makeup in individuals who are obese is less diverse than in individuals who are lean.

But it presents a chicken-or-the-egg questiondoes the imbalance cause weight gain or does the extra weight somehow change the balance of bacteria? Renowned integrative physician Robert Rountree, M.D., thinks the evidence is clear, "There is no question that the bacteria in our gut can affect our weight."* He cites animal studies, in which obese mice are given a fecal transplant from lean mice and, consequently, lose weight and body fat.*

This might be due to how gut bacteria interact with our cells and digestive process. One study found that simply overeating can tip the balance in favor of bad bacteria. The problem? As Rountree explains it, "Certain bacteria are better at extracting energy from food than others." This means these bacteria can harvest even more calories from the increased intake of food, to be turned into energy and body fat.* A double weight-gain whammy, if you will.

In addition, gut bacteria play a role in appetite regulation and satiety.* When the "good" bacteria outnumber the "bad," the levels of short-chain fatty acids increase in the gut, triggering the production of hormones that regulate appetite.* So, if these hormones are out of balance, then you might not get the signal that you are full.

The result is a vicious weight-gain cycleyou overeat and the bad bacteria increases in your gut, possibly increasing body fat and lowering levels of short-chain fatty acids that would otherwise help control your appetite, causing you to eat more, which increases the bad bacteria, which...well, you get the idea.*

See the rest here:
Can Probiotics Help You Lose Weight? Here Are The Strains To Look For - mindbodygreen.com

By Garrett Kroeger, LMTonline.com / Laredo Morning Times

Block Gonzalez is exercising and cleaning up the city with Walk with Da Block, which was created on Facebook by his friend, Lou, to hold him accountable on his weight loss journey.

Block Gonzalez is exercising and cleaning up the city with Walk with Da Block, which was created on Facebook by his friend, Lou, to hold him accountable on his weight loss journey.

Block Gonzalez is exercising and cleaning up the city with Walk with Da Block, which was created on Facebook by his friend, Lou, to hold him accountable on his weight loss journey.

Block Gonzalez is exercising and cleaning up the city with Walk with Da Block, which was created on Facebook by his friend, Lou, to hold him accountable on his weight loss journey.

Walk with Da Block strives to beautify the city while exercising

Block Gonzalez loves Laredo and wants to see it thrive. He is also on a weight-loss journey. So, he decided to combine the two with Walk with Da Block.

READ MORE:Laredo pets dressed in festive sweaters for Pawliday party

Walk with Da Block is a Facebook page that helps keep Gonzalez committed and truthful to his weight-loss voyage. But it plays another role that has helped the Gateway City.

There are dozens upon dozens of areas and locations around Laredo that need cleaning primarily picking up litter. The city cannot do it all on its own, so Gonzalez and others have decided to help Laredo stay clean with Walk with Da Block.

Me and my friend, Lou, got together, and we talked about how (Laredo) was kind of messy, Gonzalez said. We both have been training to lose weight and stuff. So, we were like why dont we knock out two birds with one stone? So, we decided lets do some walking on Sundays and clean up areas.

We like our town and want to keep it nice.

Last Sunday was the eighth Walk with Da Block event. The walks started before Thanksgiving. The first place that Gonzalez and his wife along with Lou and his sister cleaned up was North Central Park. The latest site was Chacon Bat Park on the south side of Laredo.

Its kind of cool, Gonzalez said. We start at 8 in the morning, and we get a lot of joggers. A lot of people are like, Thank you very much.

The group that walks with Gonzalez has gotten bigger and bigger since the first event. More and more of his friends have joined in.

Gonzalez does not randomly choose which areas of the city to help clean. He listens to the residents of Laredo by asking people on the Laredo Sobriety and I Love Laredo Facebook pages where the group should head next.

We just ask people if they know of any place that needs to be cleaned, Gonzalez said. We have had people tell us that Slaughter Park needs to be cleaned. So, we go and clean up that area. We go on a good two-hour walk and just clean up the areas we go to.

Gonzalez hopes to clean parts of downtown after the holiday season because he knows it could become messy due to how hectic it can be this time of year.

Gonzalez finds it rewarding to help keep up Laredo. Yet that is not the only satisfying feeling he gets from the walks. The strolls are also set up to try and help people stay sober in whatever challenge they are facing.

We also try to help people, Gonzalez said. With sobriety, we dont mean just drugs and alcohol. Sometimes with sobriety, you must stay away from certain foods. What we started doing was we created the Facebook page to help keep us accountable.

Ive been on a journey. Ive lost almost 200 pounds. So, my friend, Lou, told me he created the Walk with Da Block page to keep me accountable. We help people. If people need help, we will help you. We will talk with them or just motivate them.

Gonzalez is unsure if there will be another Walk with Da Block event before the New Year. He said there is a possibility to have one on Sunday. It just depends on how the holidays go.

READ MORE:Internet erupts with memes mocking Cowboys' gutting loss

If someone wants to get involved, Gonzalez recommends visiting the Walk with Da Block Facebook page to see what location they will be cleaning up next.

gkroeger@lmtonline.com | Twitter: @gkroegs

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Walk with Da Block strives to beautify the city while exercising - Laredo Morning Times

The holidays are a time to kick back, relax, and remind ourselves of all the people that make our lives special or at least thats supposed to be the case. In reality, most of us just get more stressed than usual, scramble to buy gifts, and then count the seconds until we can hit the reset button and start a new year. Oh, and we eat a lot.

Packing on a few extra pounds around the holidays is something that a lot of us struggle with. Theres just so much good food floating around that its virtually impossible not to overindulge. The good news if youre a coffee drinker, at least is that the popular early morning beverage might actually help you keep those holiday pounds at bay.

In a new study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, researchers reveal that rats who were given diets high in fat and sugar managed to keep more weight off if their diets were also supplemented with caffeine.

For the study, the researchers used several groups of rodents, feeding them all a diet high in both fat and carbohydrates. For four weeks, the rats enjoyed their binge-friendly diet. During that time, one of the groups of rats was given caffeine-rich mate tea, while the others were given decaffeinated mate tea. Others were given caffeine extracted from coffee, and still another group was given synthetic caffeine.

The amount of caffeine the caffeinated rodents consumed was comparable to a human who drinks roughly four cups of coffee per day.When the month was up, the body mass of each rat was tallied. The lean body mass and body fat of each rat was recorded and then compared.

When the rats reached the finish line, to speak, the rodents who consumed the caffeine along with their high-calorie diet had gained approximately 16% less weight and, perhaps even more interesting, 22% less body fat.

The consumption of caffeine from mate or from other sources alleviated the negative impact of a high-fat, high-sucrose diet on body composition due to the modulation of certain lipogenic enzymes in both adipose tissue and the liver, Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia, co-author of the research, said in a statement. The decreased expression of Fasn and Lpl brought about lower synthesis and accumulation of triglycerides in the adipose tissue.

Its not a magic bullet for keeping weight off, of course, and drinking large quantities of caffeine carries its own potential health risks. Still, its an interesting finding, and a nice bonus if youre the kind of person who starts their day coffee anyway.

Image Source: Shutterstock

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Want to avoid the holiday bulge? Drink coffee - BGR

Martin Barraud/Getty Images

Is it OK to eat fruit on a diet? The answer to that question can be confusing, depending on the diet you're following. Low-carb diet proponents typically cut out fruit (too much sugar!). If you're following the keto diet, only the occasional berry is permitted. Oh, and then there's the infamous grapefruit diet, a diet that, although out of favor now, was one that revolved entirely around fruit.

But let's try to mitigate the confusion. There should absolutely be a place for fruit in your diet when you're trying to lose weight. In fact, research shows that the following fruits may actually help with your weight loss.

Both fruits deliver healthy doses of fiber (4 grams in a medium apple and 6 in a medium pear), and that alone makes them diet-friendly. But beyond that, there's also scientific research to show that snacking on apples and pears helps with weight loss. When overweight women were put on a reduced-calorie diet and given an apple or pear three times a day to snack on, they lost more weight over the 12-week study period (and also ended up eating fewer calories each day) than women who snacked on oatmeal cookies.

Dried Plums

You might know dried plums by their alter egos: prunes. "California prunes make this list for a handful of reasons," says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, of MohrResults.com. "First for their soluble fiber content (3 grams), which helps to keep you feeling full and regulates blood sugar levels." In fact, a 2010 study published in the journal Eating Behaviors found that overweight women who snacked on dried plums before a meal ate fewer calories at the meal, were more satisfied after eating, and had less of an appetite for dessert compared to when they snacked on a calorically equivalent piece of bread before their meal. Another boon for prunes: "They're portable, which makes them a practical choice," says Mohr.

Low in calories (one cup has only 46 calories) and packed with water, watermelon is naturally a great choice for dieters. But is it satisfying, and can it help you lose weight? One recent study suggests it can: When overweight or obese adults ate 2 cups of fresh, diced watermelon, they lost more weight and shrunk their hip-to-waist ratio more after a month compared to when they snacked on a calorically equivalent amount of vanilla wafers. Participants also reported being satisfied for longer after eating watermelon (90 minutes versus a mere 20 after eating the vanilla wafers).

Not a vegetable, but another juicy fruit! While tomatoes are a low-calorie, super-healthy choice, the weight loss research on this fruit was actually done with 100% tomato juice. In a study published in Nutrition, researchers found that when women added a bottle of tomato juice to their daily diet they trimmed their waistline and improved their cholesterol. Although the study was small (20 women), it's important to note that participants didn't make any diet changes whatsoever other than drinking a daily bottle of tomato juice. And that juice actually increased their total daily calorie intake. Still, the tomato juice drinkers reaped both weight and heart benefits.

When overweight adults replaced 50 grams of carbohydrates in their diet with 50 grams of blueberries, they slimmed down and improved their health. After 3 months, the blueberry eaters (when compared to their counterparts who didn't eat blueberries but continued to eat 50 grams of carbohydrates) lowered their BMI, lost more body fat, and improved some of their cholesterol levels.

Related Video: How Many Mouse Clicks Does It Take to Burn a Calorie? (Provided by Buzz60)

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Eat These Fruits If You're Trying to Lose Weight - msnNOW

One of Stan Lee's legacies with Marvel Comics was making characters relatable.

The Fantastic Four were a family and fought like one. Spider-Man had money troubles. The Hulk had anger management issues. Thor needed to hold on to his hammer or turn back into a human doctor with an injured leg.

OK, so superheroes don't always have the same problems as you and me.

Take weight loss. It's always one of the most popular New Year's resolutions, but very few heroes, or villains, really need to do it. Many of them wear costumes so form-fitting they wouldn't have anywhere else to store a few extra pounds.

The, ah, huskier comic book characters out there usually have a reason for it. For the Blob, it's his mutant power. And that time he lost it, well, he still had a lot of skin, so it didn't really work out for him. The Kingpin uses his size to intimidate people (even if you don't buy that "it's really all muscle" line he peddles).

And Bouncing Boy probably wouldn't bounce so well without a little additional junk in his 30th century trunk.

In other words, the following list of New Year's resolutions for comic book characters won't include losing weight or staying in shape. And that's one less introductory mechanism I'll have to choose from next year.

* Mister Miracle - Make sure my contract for the "New Gods" movie has a foolproof escape clause.

* Gambit - Get gambling legalized on Krakoa.

* Wonder Woman - Read George Orwell's "1984."

* Conan - Buy all the trades Marvel releases of my newest appearances before they lose my rights again.

* Flash - Take up the salmon ladder. With "Arrow" done, someone has to make sure the CW remains the AB-solute best.

* Black Widow - Gross more than the new Bond movie.

* Doctor Manhattan - Pull strings on Marvel continuity next. Maybe I could start some sort of war? Only it's a secret?

* Thor - Have Rocket program my Fitbit.

* Rick Grimes - Figure out how all these other comic book characters come back from the dead.

* Ikaris - Ask the Guardians of the Galaxy how to deal with being relevant after years of obscurity.

* Superman - May as well try contacts now.

* Kingpin - Congratulate Scorsese and Coppola for taking those so-called superheroes down a peg.

* Wally West - Quit framing people for deaths I cause.

* Venom - Floss regularly.

* Harley Quinn - Stalk Jaquin Phoenix.

* Beta Ray Bill - Quit horsing around.

* Green Lantern - Convince other Corps members to join me in taking the Lip Synch Challenge and do Beyonce's "Single Ladies."

* Thanos - Get another glove.

* Batman - Find out if Jarvis is happy with the Avengers or maybe looking for a change in careers. And universes.

Evan Bevins is the writer of the webcomic "Support Group."

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Weight loss for superheroes in 2020? Fat chance - GrafWV.com Entertainment, the arts, alternative news for W.Va. - Graffiti

Sandi Toksvig previously revealed that before starring on The Great British Bake Off, alongside Noel Fielding, she was a size 22 but in preparation for being on one of Britains most popular television shows, the 61-year-old presenter shed four stone - how did she do it?

Sandi Toksvig returns to British television screens tonight with The Great Christmas Bake Off, a spin-off from the popular baking show, alongside co-presenter Noel Fielding and jolly judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, to show off her trim physique after her four stone weight loss.

In tonight's episode,four bakers from earlier series (including pastry star baker Briony Williams from 2018 and Hollywood handshake recipient Chuen-Yan Yan from 2017)are competing in a set of festive baking challenges.

Sandi Toksvig is well known for presentingThe Great British Bake Offon Channel 4, but before she joined the show's line-up she wore a dress size 22.

Sincejoining the show, Sandi has trimmed her figure down to a size 10 in just 12 months.

READ MORE:Man loses175lbsusing 'life-changingdiet plan

Sandi revealed that she had lost the weight by making one major change to her diet - going sugar-free.

After her partner voiced concerns about her health, Sandi decided it was time to make a change.

The 61-year-old mother of three was frightened for her life when she sought help from thepersonaltrainer and weight loss expert Louise Parker.

I had tried every diet out there - I would lose weight for a bit, then put it back on again.

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Then, by chance, my partner, Debbie, and I saw an advert for Louise Parker in an airline magazine.

I liked what she had to say - she didn't make ridiculous promises.

With the newfound strength and boost of encouragement, Sandi got in touch with Louise Parker.

Sandi revealed: I was never interested in how I look. The number one thing in my whole life is my children and I want to be there for them, she added.

My dad died of a massive heart attack when he was 59, as he didn't look after himself. My brother had a heart attack [a few years] ago and you start thinking."

In an interview with Good House Keeping, Sandi reflected on her first encounter with Louise Parker: I sat on Louises sofa and told her: 'Im going to die.' And she said to me: Not on my watch, Sandi'.

The Louise Parker diet plan encourages followers to go sugar-free, exercise every day and cut out complex carbs.

As a result, by following the diet plan Sandi was able to change her life for good and managed to lose four stone in 12 months and go from a size 22 to a size 10.

Speaking in her column for Good Housekeeping, she said: "I'mnot quite as thin as I was, but I certainly haven't put it back on again."

Although Sandi did not keep off her initial weight loss, Sandi has still managed to maintain a trim figure and has stuck to her healthy eating habits.

The wonderful thing is I now have the tools to deal with it. Mostly now I don't eat carbs - actually, I'm not attracted to them anymore."

She revealed: At my worst, I was a size 22. When I first started I couldnt touch my knees. Now I can run 5K no problem.

The comedian and TV presenter looks better than ever and has managed to maintain her slimmed-down figure, but will no doubt find avoiding sugar quite difficult as one of the presenters on The Great British Bake Off.

Fellow TV presenter Paul Hollywood has also undergone a weight loss transformation.

The Great British Bake Off judge has lost a stone by making one change in his diet and revealed cutting out alcohol helped him start his weight loss journey.

Paul told the Sun: I don't have to go out now, I just drink water all day. I promise. It's helped shift a few pounds too.

Catch up with Sandi and the baking gang on The Great Christmas Bake Off tonight at 7:10pm on Channel 4.

Read more:
Sandi Toksvig weight loss: Presenter shed 4st after health scare - Im going to die' - Express.co.uk

Are you looking for a quick and effective exercise? Jumping ropes can be a good choice. Jumping ropes can help you lose weight and provide you many other health benefits.

Jumping ropes can provide you many health benefits

Are you finding it difficult to stick to your fitness routine? With a drop in temperature and holidays coming up skipping exercise can become a common issue. You might be having endless reasons to skip exercising during the winter season. But you must add some simple exercises to your routine. Jumping ropes is one simple exercise that can be a part of your daily routine. It can provide you many benefits and help you burn more calories. It will provide many health benefits. Jumping ropes will not require much time as well. Here are some health benefits of jumping ropes that you must know.

Jumping ropes can help you burn a huge amount of calories. You can burn a huge amount of calories with the help of jumping ropes. This will help you shed fat and result in weight loss. You can start with 3-5 minutes of jumping ropes each day. Later increase the time and intensity. High intensity will help you burn more calories.

Also read:Speed Up Your Metabolism With These Drinks For Effective Weight Loss

Jumping ropes is also good for your heart health. Cardio exercises are considered good for cardiovascular health. Jumping ropes is a great cardio exercise that can boost heart health. Studies suggest that jumping ropes from childhood can decrease the risk of heart diseases in younger population.

Cardio exercises are good for your heart healthPhoto Credit: iStock

Regular exercising is not just good for your physical health; it can boost your mental health as well. Jumping ropes is also good for your mental health. It can also increase your memory as well. There are many. Regular exercising also helps in controlling the symptoms of depression.

Also read:Skipping Exercise Too Often? Here's What Happens To Your Body If You Don't Exercise

Jumping ropes is a simple and easy exercise that you can do anywhere. You can take a jump rope anywhere. So you won't miss your exercise even when you are on a holiday. You can simply take your jump rope along.

Jumping ropes can help you improve bone density. Weak ones or bones with low density are at a higher risk of bone-related health issues like osteoporosis in elderly. Jumping ropes with moderate intensity will boost bone density.

Jumping ropes is also good for your bone healthPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Weight Loss: Try These High Protein Breakfast Options Which Can Help You Lose Weight

If you do not exercise regularly and you want to start with jumping rope; you can start with just one minute of jumping ropes. Later you can increase the duration and intensity.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Benefits Of Jumping Ropes: Weight Loss, Better Heart Health, Improved Mental Health And Many More - Doctor NDTV