Employees who are offered a weight loss behavioral intervention by their employer are most successful when given repeat or on-going access to the program, according to a new study.

The study, publishedin the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that employers can help employees lose weight and keep it off long-term when they offer repeat or on-going access to employer-sponsored weight loss programs.

For the study, the weight loss and health improvements of 11,825 employees from two different companies were tracked as they participated in a behavioral weight loss intervention consecutive times. These employees chose to repeat the program approximately one year after they initially completed it. The average time between a participant starting the program for the first time and starting it a second time was 372 days,but ranged from 56 to 945 days. Males lost an average of 4.7% of their body weight and women lost an average of 4.4% of their body weight.

The employees we followed initially lost weight when they completed the program,but on average, experienced some weight regain after they stopped participating. After taking the program a second time, participants again lost weight, leading to an average long-term weight loss of approximately 4.5% of their initial body weight, says Rob Butler,chief executive officer of Naturally Slim, a digital behavioral health company based in Dallas that is focused on metabolic syndrome (MetS) reversal, diabetes prevention, and weight management within the employer-sponsored space. As reported by the National Institutes of Health, by losing as little as 3% of their body weight, these participants likely decreased their chances of developing costly diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.

Related: Study Finds Prediabetes More Common Among Adolescents And Young Adults

Just as with any learned skill, it is important to provide repeated instruction to help participants brush up on the skills they learned. Just ask any golfer, you dont take one lesson and expect to be a pro, Butler says. You are continually learning, seeking instruction, and practicing your learned skills to improve over the long-term.

It has been demonstrated in the clinical setting that long-term behavioral intervention is a successful approach to produce and maintain weight loss, according to Butler.

The study sought to determine if a digital intervention offered by employers to their employees would achieve the same success, he says. Employers are interested in finding solutions to help their employees improve their health and reduce disease risk factors that lead to costly chronic diseases. Similarly, employees want solutions to improve their health to feel better and improve their quality of life. The goal of this study was to determine if a digital weight loss intervention, which is scalable and cost-effective for employers to offer their population repeatedly, could produce the same results as the more labor-intensive and expensive clinical programs. And, the answer is yes.

Healthcare executives are acutely aware of the impact of obesity and MetS within the populations they serve, says Butler.

MetS, a combination of risk factors, such a waist circumference, high blood glucose, and high blood pressure, increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and more, he says.The CDC estimates the medical costs of obesity in the United States is approximately $147 billion annually, and the associated medical costs per obese individual is $1,429 higher than normal weight individuals.Unfortunately, healthcare employees are often more focused on the health of their patients than they are on their own health. By offering a cost-effective, behavioral weight loss intervention to their employee population, healthcare executives can help their employees practice what they preach to their patients.

Naturally Slim funded the study.

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Study Shows Effectiveness of Ongoing Employer-Sponsored Weight Loss Programs - Managed Healthcare Executive

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Time-restricted dieting can lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure - Tribune-Review

The basics: I'm Nakeshia Thompson (@keeshnicoletv), 25, and I live in Austin, Texas, as an assistant property manager. After breaking my ankle at 240 pounds and losing some of my mobility, I realized I needed to make a change and overhauled my diet and fitness routine. I've lost 94 pounds.

Food was my comfort whenever I dealt with anything that was remotely emotional in my life. Whether I was feeling happy, sad, angry, or bored, I felt as if there wasnt an emotion that food couldnt fix.

My idea of a good time was being as sedentary as possible and loading up on delicious foods, rotating between salty, savory, and sweet. I hated the idea of working out because I viewed it as something I would never actually be able to master.

I would look at big, beautiful women on Instagram and think, maybe if I act like Im a proud, plus-size girl, Ill learn to be happy in the body Im in. But the truth of the matter was, I couldnt fool myself forever. Deep down, I hated the way I looked.

Things eventually got so bad that I would avoid the mirrors in my home and out in public so I wouldn't see how big I was getting. I even hid from taking full-body photos like it was the plague.

I had tried to lose weight a couple of times in the past, only to gain it back and then some. Obesity runs in my family, too, so I also carried the belief with me that I was destined to be overweight..forever.

Losing my mobility over the months that followed helped to bring into perspective just how completely out of shape I was and how little I would be able to do for myself if I ever lost my mobility permanently.

Even hopping on one leg to grab the remote felt like running a 10k to me. I flat out told my doctor that crutches would not be an option because I couldn't bare the weight of my own body. I vowed to myself that the minute I could stand on two feet again, I would begin to change my lifestyle and commit to losing weight.

As time progressed (and with clearance and guidance from my doctor), I was able to complete more treadmill and elliptical workouts. Once the number on the scale finally started to move, I became even more excited and began incorporating healthier snacks and home-cooked recipes into my diet, which ultimately helped kick my weight-loss journey into full effect.

Ive learned that the secret to losing weight and keeping it off is choosing a diet that youll be willing to stick to for the rest of your life. Diets that require extreme calorie restriction or completely cutting out an entire food group are almost certain to fail in the long run. I mean, who really could go for the rest of their life avoiding bread? Thats absurd to me.

So instead, I increased the amount of healthy food I was eating and decreased the less nutritious onessimple as that. Its okay to have a cupcake once in a while, I know. The point I try to make is to not over-indulge in those foods, but to treat myself here and there so I never feel deprived.

My "all the time" foods included fresh/frozen vegetables, water, lean meats, fresh fruits, plain yogurts, etc. My "sometimes" foods included chips, juice/soda/alcohol, sweets, fried foods, red meat, and others.

For me, sometimes meant about once every week or two, and all the time meant at any point during breakfast, lunch, as a snack, or dinner, every day. Thinking of food as part of these two categories allowed me to learn how to eat to livenot the other way around.

Also, it allowed chips and candies to become more of a treat for me, and I quickly grew to appreciate those foods much more than when I was eating them on the regular.

An important point here that I wish more women realized is that on the days when you do decide to have a slice of chocolate cake, if youve been working your butt off up to that point, you can't beat yourself up about it. Girl, close your eyes and savor every piece of that slice. Guilt-tripping yourself will only rob you of the pleasurable experience cake is designed to offer. As long as you pick right back up where you left off on your healthy lifestyle, your journey will still be right on track (trust me).

I've also learned how to savor a cheat meal, as opposed to a cheat day. Enjoying my favorite foods doesnt always have to end in a binge. Ive learned to enjoy one delicious meal without going overboard with breakfast, lunch, dinner, *and* snacks in between just because I feel like it.

I would walk until I started to work up a sweat and I could feel my heart beating at an uncomfortable, yet tolerable pace. From there, I began walking on an incline. Inclines turned into light jogs, and jogs turned into full-blown running. Now I run every day, sometimes indoors and other times outside. I also suffer from asthma, so running used to be *such* a struggle, but now I fight to push my pace on the regular.

In the past year or so Ive also been incorporating more strength exercises. Muscle mass helps to burn fat, so once Im done with a run I take about 10 to 20 minutes to lift dumbbells and perform a few bodyweight exercises such as lunges, push-ups, and crunches.

Not all victories are won on the scale, I realized. So I came up with other metrics to use for measuring my progress. Obsessing over my weight did nothing but make me lose confidence. Instead, I now put more emphasis on other types of measurements such as:

Using more than just my scale weight or waist inches as measurement has proved to be much more satisfying than throwing myself to the mercy of a scale each week.

No matter what the scale says, no matter how my clothes fit, no matter what the reflection in the mirror staring back at me looks like, choosing to keep going on this journey is the number one reason why Ive lost so much weight. I am a force to be reckoned with because I refused to give up on myself.

This journey is beyond worth it. I feel like Im living a new life in a new body. Losing weight has impacted so many other facets in my life outside of just getting better in the gym. My self-discipline is so much more refined in every aspect of my life, and it impacts the way I work, the way I do business, and even the way I treat others.

This journey has been long and hard, but to have it any other way would be to lose the magic of the process. As the J.Cole lyric goes, Theres beauty in the struggle."

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'I Started Rethinking Cheat Days And Got Into RunningAnd I've Lost 94 Pounds' - Women's Health

MedicoExperts introduced sustainable and cost-efficient weight solutions to obese individuals

MUMBAI, India (PRWEB) December 17, 2019

Recent medical research suggests that weight loss procedures like gastric balloon and gastric sleeve are gaining popularity in India. This popularity can be credited to MedicoExperts for making both the procedures cost-effective and result oriented. These procedures can not only assure weight loss but also have the capability to correct sugar and blood pressure levels. Depending upon the target weight, BMI, patients own personal preference to the nature of the procedure, other co-morbidities like diabetes and blood pressure, etc. the bariatric surgeon will recommend either gastric balloon or gastric sleeve procedure.

Gastric sleeve and gastric balloon are procedures that help to lose weight and also get rid of weight-related problems like diabetes, hypertension, etc. Gastric sleeve surgery is done laparoscopically where the size of the stomach is significantly reduced. Gastric sleeve can also be done robotically which involves minimal cuts. A gastric balloon is done endoscopically i.e. without any cut. In this procedure, a saline-filled balloon is placed in the stomach for a period of 6 to 12 months.

As undergoing any type of weight loss procedure is expensive and generally not covered by insurance, MedicoExperts offers cost-efficient options in India where the healthcare facilities are at par with international standards. MedicoExperts has empanelled the most experienced and highly-qualified surgeons who are trained in the finest institutes of the world. Moreover, the cost of choosing a weight loss surgery in India is one-sixth of what it costs in any other country like the US or UK. The cost of gastric sleeve in India starts from USD 6000 while the cost of a gastric balloon in India starts from USD 3500.

Young and unmarried women, and even married women who are yet to complete their families choose gastric balloon. Reason being the procedure involves no cut, can be reversed and does not change the physiology of the body yet helps lose about 22-44 pounds (10-20 kgs). Gastric sleeve surgery is suggested when patients need to lose about 33-88 pounds (15-40 kgs). Both these procedures are highly successful but are recommended to separate pools of patients depending on the amount of weight they need to lose, states Priyanka, Senior Patient Care Manager with MedicoExperts.

When considering to travel to India for surgery, we highly recommend that you choose the right bariatric surgeon who has the best experience & success rate. Furthermore, identify the hospital which is having appropriate infrastructure and luxury according to your budget. As a company, our main focus is always to provide our patients with highly skilled surgeons that gives them the liberty to make a choice according to their budget and preference, states Monal Bagga, Senior Patient Care Manager with MedicoExperts.

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MedicoExperts launched effective and economical weight loss procedures in India - PR Web

Meghan King Edmonds is doing her best to keep her head up after a trying year. In the last several months, The Real Housewives of Orange County alum has dealt with a divorce, health issues surrounding her son Hart, and other "unfortunate events,"and in a recent post on Instagram and her blog,she explains how all of those factors are taking a toll on her body image after several critical comments from followers.

On December 15, Meghan shared a pic on Instagram of her holding her daughter Aspenwhere the two lovely ladies were all smiles. Though things seemed rosy in the image, Meghan explained in her caption that things aren't always as they seem when it comes to her physique.

"'Eat a burger.'Thats what they say," she startedher caption."Ill be real with you: Im too thin. But please, I deserve some grace. I am doing the damn thing with all of the dignity I can muster as I put my kiddos before anything else. Much more on this (why Ive actually lost so much weight, how I feel about it, and what Im doing about it)."

Meghan expanded on her blog about the additional pressure this time of year. "But right now, I am too skinny. I dont like it. I wont weigh myself because Im scared to see what the scale says," she wrote."When my clothes dont fit I pretend like they do anyway. But Im not hungry. I know I should eat butIm surviving on adrenaline but decaying on stress(did I mention what has happened in the last 150 days? And lets just really lay it on by being in the thick of the holidays)."

The mom-of-three is well aware of how she looks and is looking for support as she gets through the year. "Acknowledgement is powerful and allows me to psychologically take back control. However, you hurt me when you mention it. Im working on it," she concluded.

Wishing you the best, Meghan!

Bravos Style & Living is your window to the fabulous lifestyles of Bravolebrities. Be the first to know about all the best fashion and beauty looks, the breathtaking homes Bravo stars live in, everything theyre eating and drinking, and so much more. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and get exclusive extras.

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Meghan King Edmonds Addresses Her Recent Weight Loss: "I'm Too Thin" - Bravo

(Reuters Health) - Doctors rarely talk about weight concerns with patients who are overweight or obese, and when they do, patients experiences tend to be negative, according to a new review of research based on interviews.

Most often, doctors avoid the topic, leaving patients feeling stigmatized and neglected, the study team reports in the journal Clinical Obesity. When doctors do talk about weight issues, they often seem to assume patients simply arent trying to address their weight, and offer banal advice.

As a doctor myself, listening to these patients stories was, in many cases, uncomfortable. Many patients recounted tales where they had been patronized, marginalized unintentionally, or occasionally insulted, senior study author Paul Aveyard of the University of Oxford in the UK told Reuters Health in an email.

We know that obesity is caused by a collision between susceptibility due to our genetic make-up and a food environment that makes appetite control really hard, he said. You would imagine that doctors and nurses would know this, and this might be uppermost in their mind when they consulted patients.

More than 2.5 billion adults worldwide - about 40% of the population - are overweight or obese worldwide, Aveyard and colleagues note in their report. Being overweight increases risks for diabetes, cancer, heart disease and poor mental health.

Guidelines recommend that doctors intervene when a patient is obese, but its unclear how many do and how patients respond, Aveyard and colleagues write.

To better understand how obesity is discussed in clinical visits, they analyzed 21 studies that interviewed a total of 466 people who were overweight or obese about appointments with their primary care doctors. Eleven studies were conducted in the U.S. or Canada, and the rest in the UK, Germany, Norway, Australia and New Zealand.

Overall, patients and doctors didnt discuss weight concerns often, yet many patients said they would have liked to have those conversations. Some patients believed the discussions didnt happen because they were viewed as unworthy of medical time or doctors didnt think their weight was a serious risk. Patients also internalized stigmas around weight and picked up on clues that suggested doctors judged them negatively.

When conversations did occur, patients said doctors offered banal or flippant advice, which assumed the patient didnt eat well, exercise or try to address weight problems. In addition, patients felt doctors assumed their symptoms were related to their obesity, even without taking a full medical history or performing an exam, and these patients feared a serious illness may have been missed as a result.

For several patients, the term obese made them feel demotivated and hopeless. Others had experiences with nurses or doctors who directly said a procedure would be a lot easier if they were smaller.

It seems that the general view, that obesity is due to a failure of willpower, is so ingrained that this dominates thinking, at least on some occasions, Aveyard said. As a result, doctors and nurses sometimes say unhelpful things that undermine the motivation of their patients to lose weight.

At the same time, patients tended to respond positively to supportive advice around weight loss and active monitoring of weight control. Some said when a doctor commented on weight loss, even small changes, they felt motivated to keep going.

It doesnt take a lot for the conversation to be a big positive for patients, Aveyard said. Doctors and nurses could notice small changes in weight, perhaps by regularly weighing their patients, and commenting on modest losses.

Doctors and nurses can also discuss a range of options available and offer referrals, he said.

There are many missed opportunities to discuss the health risks associated with overweight and obesity with doctors. These missed opportunities can lead to misunderstandings between doctors and their patients, said Kristen Glenister of the University of Melbourne in Australia, who wasnt involved in the study.

Discussions regarding overweight and obesity in the context of increased risk of developing chronic diseases are important to have but need to be undertaken with the appropriate language and tone, permissive approach, with trusted clinicians, adequate time and tailored advice, Glenister told Reuters Health by email.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2S1TGeb Clinical Obesity, online December 2, 2019.

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Patients face difficulty talking about weight with doctors - Reuters

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New year, new him.

While a lot of people usually wait until after the holidays to start getting into shape, actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani got an early start. The star took to his Instagram to show off his shocking body transformation for his film Eternals. The world is used to seeing the funny man as the nerdy technology obsessed characterDinesh Chugtai in the hit HBO series Silicon Valley, but he's sporting a much different look these days.

"I never thought I'd be one of those people who would post a thirsty shirtless, but I've worked way too hard for way too long so here we are," the comedian joked about his new muscular physique. "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

The pictures in question feature a shirtless Kumail with his newly minted six pack and bulging arms on full display. The comedian posted these two first-look photos of his body, and in one he's cheekily looking off to the side, while in the other you can see him facing the camera straight on in all his newfound glory.

"I found out a year ago I was going to be in Marvel's Eternals and decided I wanted to transform how I looked," he shared about his transformation process. "I would not have been able to do this if I didn't have a full year with the best trainers and nutritionists paid for by the biggest studio in the world. I'm glad I look like this, but I also understand why I never did before. It would have been impossible without these resources and time."

The comedian went on to thank all the people responsible for getting him to this place and the people who got him this far.Eternals is a Marvel's newest and most exciting project on the horizon. The film will follow a race of immortal beings and Kumail will play Kingo. Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden and Salma Hayek will also star in the film.

Congrats on the hard work, Kumail!

Watch the 2019: What E! Year end-of-year special Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 10 p.m.! E! News returns Monday morning, Jan. 6 at 7 a.m.!

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Kumail Nanjiani's Eternals Body Transformation Will Shock You - E! NEWS

Apple Cider Vinegar, or ACV, hassomething of a cult following as a diet hero, complete withentire websites devoted to it as a weight-loss elixir. It's used for detoxing, curing stomachailments and even is known to cure warts. Hippocrates (c.420 BC) used vinegar medicinally to manage wounds. But the most common use today is for weight loss.

So how does apple cider vinegar help people lose weight? According to Healthline, acetic acid is the vinegars main active component which is a short-chain fatty acid that dissolves into acetate and hydrogen in your body. Studies have shown a correlation between apple cider vinegar and the regulation of fat and metabolism burn by the increased fat burn and decrease of fat storage from short-chain fatty acids.

Apple cider vinegar appears to speed up metabolism by accelerating the bodys ability to break down nutrients efficiently and quickly, giving your food less opportunity to stick -- and lowering your blood sugar levels.

You can drink a detox tea with it oreasily incorporate it into your meals, as a simple salad dressing.Apple cider vinegar consists of both malic acid and acetic acidalong withpectin, potassium, and several other minerals, and vitamins, all of which appear to be beneficial to your gut health.

It's a simple two-step process, that's very similar to how kombucha is made.

1. Crush apples and squeeze out the juice, which allows for the alcoholic fermentation process because the liquid is exposed to bacteria and yeast.

2. Once the bacteria become active, the fermented alcohol turns into acetic acid (the main active compound in vinegar).

While ACV is knownfor its bitter taste, it goes way beyond that. It can be used to cook almost anything in a pan, like stir fry, pancakes instead of butter or oil. It works to sautee meatless meatballs andratatouille. Its powerful flavor contrasts well with stovetop foods because it takes away their bitterness.Add it to your vegetable broth for more flavor and tangy taste to your minestrone soup.

Simple Tangy ACV Salad Dressing:

Place ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir it together until ingredients combine. If you want a thicker taste, add olive oil as necessary until you are satisfied with thetexture.

If you have a special recipe or specific way you like to use apple cider vinegar, email us at info@thebeet.com, we would love to share it with everyone.

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This Simple Ingredient Has Proven Weight-Loss and Health Benefits - The Beet

Starting your day off with a healthy meal can be a key component in achieving sustainable weight loss. Specifically, incorporating high protein foods into your favorite breakfast recipes is an easy routine shift that could yield considerable weight loss results.

To make it easier for you to find flat-belly breakfast recipes, we collected four of our favorite morning meals that can help you lose weight fast.

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If you have a sweet tooth, this is an excellent healthy breakfast option for you. This gluten-free breakfast is high in protein and a healthy way to start your day, especially if you love the combination of chocolate and bananas

What You'll Need: chocolate whey protein, pancake flour, chia seeds, baking powder, eggs, banana, almond milk

Recipe: Dr. Axe

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If you need a quick breakfast before starting your day, this is a fantastic recipe that is healthy and easily customizable. Although oatmeal is delicious on its own, the egg adds necessary protein for a well-balanced breakfast. Choose either sweet or savory toppings depending on what you are craving.

What You'll Need: almond milk, old fashioned oats, egg, salt

Recipe: Nutrition Starring You

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If you're looking for a more savory breakfast option, this is another delicious recipe that will keep you full and prevent you from snacking before lunch. Summer Yule, RDN, explains, "This dish is low-calorie but high in protein and veggies, with enough fat to leave you feeling satisfied."

What You'll Need: eggs, cheese, olive oil, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, baby kale

Recipe: Summer Yule

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If you want to meal prep a healthy breakfast, this is a fantastic option that can incorporate protein and fruit into your diet. Combining protein, almonds, and cherries, this is a great recipe and easy way to add more nutrients into your diet first thing in the morning.

What You'll Need: rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, bananas, vanilla extract, egg whites, almond milk, cherries, almonds

Recipe: Radical Strength

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4 Flat-Belly Breakfast Recipes You Should Try This Week For Weight Loss - SheFinds