Dear Dr. Baskett: I am planning on having bariatric surgery. Should I tell my family and friends?

Dear Reader: That is something I cannot answer for you. The decision to tell family, friends and colleagues that you are going to have this surgery is a personal one. Some people will choose to tell only their closest family member (e.g. a spouse) and not their children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. They wish to keep this matter private. People dont often want to tell others because they dont want to be watched or monitored on their weight loss journey. They dont want to hear Why are you eating that? or You shouldnt be eating that! or How much weight did you lose this week? or My sister lost a lot more weight than you after her surgery!

Surgical patients also encounter those people that wish to give them advice about what they should eat or not and what they should be doing for exercise or not. Surgical patients have also shared the feeling, If lots of people know that I have had bariatric surgery, and I regain my lost weight, they will think I am a failure.

Another reason I hear that patients dont want to share their decision to have bariatric surgery is the concern of getting the comment, Oh, you are taking the easy way out. Any patient who has had bariatric surgery has struggled with his/her weight for many preceding years and is often a pro at dieting. Surgery is a legitimate treatment option for the obese person. Anyone who has undergone bariatric surgery will tell you that it is not the easy way out.

Having said all of this, it can be helpful to share that you are having bariatric surgery with your close friends and family members. Remember, the surgery is not a cure; it is a tool to help you manage your weight. You will be making changes in your day-to-day living, which in turn does affect those closest to you. Having them on board, so to speak, with you will only help to further your success.

One last thing: For those people that dont want to share with the world that they have had bariatric surgery, the question I hear is, What do I tell people when they ask me how I am losing my weight? The response can be, I am working on getting healthier each and every day" because that is exactly what you are doing!

Dr. Kathleen T. Baskett is medical director of the St. Vincent Healthcare Weight Management Clinic.

Read the original:
Sharing decision to have weight loss surgery is purely personal choice - Billings Gazette

Amber Lost 140 Pounds in 1 Year With a Simple Tool

Sometimes something very simple is all you need to make a big change. In Amber's case, that simple something was an app that helped her lose 140 pounds in just one year.

The mother of three hit a point where she decided "enough is enough" and made a positive change for her health; her decision to do so brought her from a size 24 to a four! With the lost pounds and gained health, she found a new sense of confidence, and with that, Amber has felt inspired to pursue her dreams and a new career. Check out how she got to this amazing place by making simple changes (with a lot of hard work, of course) using an app called Lose It!

POPSUGAR: What made you decide to start your weight-loss journey?

Amber Anderson: My journey started when I saw a video of myself on social media and was embarrassed at how big I looked. My children were also making comments about how big I was (they were only 4 and 6 at the time). In the next week, I went shopping in a store that carried up to a size 24. When I tried on the size 24 pants, they didn't fit. I knew I had to make a change. I was fed up with myself and how overweight I let myself get.

I have been overweight since I was in the third grade. It just gradually got worse over the years. I would eat what I wanted and was not very active. As a young adult, I lost a little of the weight, but it always seemed to add back on and add more each time.

PS: What drew you to Lose It! specifically?

AA: I chose Lose It! because I was looking for an app that could keep me accountable as well as one that would keep track for me. I have tried many different diet fads, weight-loss pills, and exercise programs; none of them ever kept the weight off. Lose It! worked for me because it has helped to not only lose the weight, but to maintain the weight loss.

PS: What's your favorite way to work out?

AA: I love working out first thing in the morning. I love running now and doing light strength training.

PS: What's your weekly exercise schedule?

AA: Fitness was a huge part of my weight-loss plan and is something I continue to do daily. For the first 10 months of my weight-loss journey I attended a Spin class four days a week for 45 minutes every morning at 5 a.m. It started my day off on the right note and I felt better each day I went. Since losing the weight, I have continued incorporating fitness into my daily routine. I now include about 30 minutes of cardio each day as well as 30 minutes of strength training three days a week.

PS: How do you keep workouts exciting?

AA: I change my workouts up each month. I try and change it so that my body doesn't become accustomed and hit plateaus.

PS: How much weight have you lost?

AA: I have lost 140 pounds in just one year.

PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?

AA: Some nonscale victories have been to wear bathing suits without skirt bottoms for myself, being able to ride roller coasters at theme parks with my kids, and also fitting comfortably in airplane seats now. Weight loss has dramatically changed every aspect of my life. I feel so much better, I'm happier, more confident, and a lot healthier. I am more confident now and because of that, applied for my dream job as a behavioral therapist, and have been doing that now for 10 months now. I am more confident in myself and can now wear clothes that I always wanted to.

PS: How do you track your weight loss?

AA: I track my weight loss through the Lose It! app as well as a journal I started.

PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?

AA: My eating habits changed drastically. I eat completely different than before. I no longer crave fried and sweet foods. I eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables now. I look for foods that I know will fuel my body and mind rather than ones that will only satisfy immediate cravings but will have terrible side effects. I am trying new foods weekly and learning that I love foods I had never tried before. Before, I was eating breads, potatoes, and pasta daily. Now my meals consist of a lot of lean meats, veggies, and fruits.

PS: Do you count calories? What's the range of calories you eat per day?

AA: The Lose It! app sets a goal of calories for you to stay under each day depending on your current weight and goal weight. As you lose the weight, your daily calorie goal changes as well.

PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?

AA: Apples, celery, chicken, turkey, carrots, and cabbage.

PS: What role did Lose It! play in your journey? Would you recommend it?

AA: Lose It! played a huge role in my weight loss. It helped me to see what exactly I was eating and how healthy/unhealthy foods were for me. It also helped me to see how my weight-loss journey was going daily.

PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?

AA: Start small and slow. Take it one day at a time. Never give up on yourself.

Image Source: Amber Anderson

Solve the Brain-Teaser That Is Driving People on Facebook Insane

by Kelsey Garcia 3 weeks ago

You're Going to Tear Your Hair Out Trying to Find a Cell Phone in This Optical Illusion

by Ann-Marie Alcntara 17 hours ago

RuPaul's Drag Race's Peppermint Talks About Coming Out as Transgender on National Television

by Ryan Roschke 2 days ago

This Brick Wall Optical Illusion Is Making the Internet Go INSANE

by Macy Cate Williams 3 weeks ago

7 Sizzling Summer Books For Every Romance Reader

by BookSparks 3 hours ago

More:
Amber Lost 140 Pounds in 1 Year With a Simple Tool - POPSUGAR

The celebrity chef has lost two stone in recent years

NIGELLA Lawson wowed fans with her stunning new look after she posted a Instagram showing her filming her new cooking show.

The celebrity chef, 57, looked svelte in a black dress as she filmed TV series At My Table.

She captioned the snap: Day 2 on set with @robinfox78 on camera for new series, At My Table #atmytable.

Nigella has lost an impressive two stone in recent years, slimming down to a size 12.

Fans praised the cooks stunning appearance, with one commenting: You look gorgeous.

Rex Features

Another added: Looking fabulous Nigella, while others said she looked amazing and stunning.

Meanwhile, more fans said they were thrilled about the forthcoming series.

One wrote: So excited to hear you have a new show! and another chipped in: Cant wait to see it!

Getty Images

Nigella credited her weight loss to yoga, working out with a personal trainer and smaller portions.

Speaking to Good Housekeeping, she previously said: "I have never been on a diet to try to lose weight. I feel like I havent lost weight, but Im possibly in better shape."

Splash News

Rex Features

"As you get on in life, you value feeling well as opposed to looking well. Yoga certainly makes you feel great, and you want to carry on feeling great."

"No one should be put on this earth to go on a diet! No one should eat themselves ill either."

Fame Flynet

See the rest here:
Nigella Lawson shows off her incredible weight loss as she promotes new cookery show while fans praise her stunning ... - The Sun

With obesity still rising among certain groups of kids, a US government panel is renewing its advice that all children and adolescents ages 6 to 18 be screened for obesity. Screening is just the first step. Kids who are obese should then be referred to treatment programmes that use a variety of approaches to change their behaviour and help them slim down. The recommendations were issued recently by the US Preventive Services Task Force, a group of experts appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The task forces advice influences healthcare providers and the coverage offered by health insurers. The new recommendations, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, earned a B grade from the task force. That means the experts determined with moderate certainty that the overall benefit of obesity screening and treatment referral is moderate. Here are more details about the new recommendations. Is screening really necessary? I mean, cant you tell if a child is obese just by looking at them? Not necessarily. As extra pounds become the new normal, fewer parents are able to recognise when their childs weight is too high. Besides, the medical definition of childhood obesity is pretty specific. You start by measuring a childs height and weight and using that to calculate his or her body mass index. Thats weight (measured in kilograms) divided by height (measured in metres) squared. There are online calculators to help you. To determine if a child meets the criteria for obesity, you compare his or her BMI to the BMIs of other kids who are the same age. Doctors use growth charts from 2000 as a baseline for these comparisons. If a childs BMI is high enough to land him or her in the top 5 percent, he or she is considered obese. Today, about 17 percent of Americans ages 2 to 19 are in this category, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whats wrong with having a high BMI? Children with obesity are at greater risk for a variety of health conditions. These include asthma, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, orthopaedic problems and obstructive sleep apnoea. The task force also noted that obese children are more likely to experience mental health and psychological issues, as well as to be teased or be targeted by bullies. What if its just baby fat? Wont kids just grow out of it? Not necessarily. Tracking studies show that about 64 percent of pre-teens who are obese grow up to become obese adults. By the time kids become teenagers, the odds are even more stacked against them nearly 80 percent of obese teens go on to become obese adults. Adults who are obese (defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher) are more likely to develop serious chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease as well as certain types of cancer. OK, lets say my paediatrician tells me my kid is obese. Now what? The task force advises doctors to help their patients find a comprehensive, intensive behavioural intervention. Thats a fancy way of describing a weight-loss counselling programme. What am I looking for? In clinical trials, the programmes that were most effective shared several features: They included at least 26 contact hours with patients, spread out over a period of months. The ones with the best results had 52 contact hours, enough for one hour per week for an entire year. They involved not just the child but also his or her parents and siblings. They included instruction on healthful eating, including steps such as how to read nutrition information on food labels. They showed kids how to exercise safely and supervised some of their workouts. They taught kids the value of reducing their access to junk food, limiting their screen time and steering clear of other triggers that could undermine their progress. They helped kids learn how to set goals for themselves, monitor their progress and reward themselves when appropriate. Where am I going to find that? A programme like this can involve not just doctors but dietitians, psychologists, exercise physiologists and other kinds of specialists. The task force acknowledged that some families would have limited access to programmes like this, but it didnt dwell on this problem. Others did. In an editorial published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Drs Jason Block and Emily Oken of Harvard Medical School pointed out that in most areas of the United States, programmes like this simply arent available. Among childrens hospitals, for instance, only 60 percent have something that meets the task forces criteria, and only 25 percent have a programme that lasts a full year. Even if a kid is fortunate enough to live near one of these hospitals, his or her family might not be able to afford to use it, Block and Oken added. Three other doctors from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine were even more critical. In a JAMA editorial, Drs Rachel Thornton, Raquel Hernandez and Tina Cheng wrote that the task forces recommendations could wind up diverting resources from more practical public health measures that would probably do more to reduce childhood obesity. Like what? Thornton, Hernandez and Cheng touted efforts to keep junk foods out of schools and prevent companies from marketing sugary drinks to kids. Block and Oken mentioned some other policies that have been shown to improve kids eating habits, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages or changes in the rules governing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Greater focus on policies that support healthful behaviours across all settings will be essential not only in ensuring the sustained success of treatment for established obesity, but also in preventing its onset, the Harvard pair wrote. Cant the doctor just prescribe some kind of medicine? The task force considered two medications that are sometimes used to help kids lose weight, orlistat and metformin. Clinical trials have found that both drugs helped children lose about five to seven pounds. But that wasnt enough to reduce their BMIs by even 1 point. However, the drugs did cause side effects, such as vomiting, cramping and uncontrolled passage of stool, according to the panels report. Overall, the experts concluded that the clinical benefit of these drugs was uncertain. Didnt I hear that the childhood obesity epidemic had stabilised? Thats true for American kids overall its been around 17 percent for about the past decade, according to data from the CDCs National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. At the turn of the century, that figure was about 14 percent; in the 1970s, it was under 6 percent. But some groups of kids are still getting fatter. For instance, obesity rates are still rising among African-American girls and Latino boys. Also, the proportion of kids who are severely obese continues to grow. Los Angeles Times/TNS

View post:
Here's why experts say all kids ages 6 and up should be screened for obesity - Gulf Times

Most of us have been there: You're eating healthily, working out, and the pounds are coming off, then there's a break in the momentum and you gain a few pounds out of nowhere. It's a frustrating setback, to say the least.

Tired of yo-yo dieting and determined to find out what was keeping her from losing those last few pounds, Sylvia Tara, Ph.D., author of The Secret Life of Fat, spent five years researching fat and speaking with more than 50 world leaders in the field. The complicated answer involves genetics, bacteria, viruses, gender, age, hormones, and, yes, water weight.

Gaining a pound or two in just a few days is almost always the culprit of water weight, because fat takes more time to accumulate. Glycogen, the stored form of glucose, holds much more water than fat because of its biochemical makeup. Tara compares it to a checking account: something we reach for when our glucose levels are low. "It's not as readily available as glucose, the 'cash' in this scenario, but is nearby," says Tara. "Fat is a whole different, long chain molecule that follows a completely different pathway than fat. Fat can be compared to a certificate of deposit. You will burn it last. It holds a lot more energy, the most compact energy we have compared to glycogen."

Stored in the liver and muscle cells, glycogen is hydrated with three to four parts of water. (It's essentially hydrophilic or "water loving" and fat is hydrophobic or "water hating.") So, when you lose weight quickly, you lose glycogen stores, but that leaves the liver and muscles greedy and wont to hold onto any bit of glucose consumed and its accompanying water. Here's how to stabilize or lose water weight, according to Tara.

Read the original post:
How to Lose Water Weight - WomansDay.com (blog)

Small can be very powerfullooking at you, split atom, microchip, and mosquitoand that definitely holds true when it comes to bacteria in your gut. The 100 trillion tiny microbes, a.k.a. gut flora, that call your digestive tract home play a pivotal role in everything from your immune system to your digestion to your mood. But researchers are now convinced that theres something else your microbiome (your internal microbial ecosystem) affectsyour weight.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The gut is connected to everything, says Mark Hyman, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinics Center for Functional Medicine. If your microbiome is out of whack, i.e., it doesnt have enough good bacteria or too much bad bacteria, it can affect how your food is metabolized as well as lead to inflammation. Its a cascade of casualties: Bad bacteria in the gut can trigger inflammationin your skin, joints, brain, everywhereand send your bodys immune response into overdrive as it tries to rid the body of the bacteria. This can lead to insulin resistance, which can promote weight gain, says Hyman. The theory is that more good bacteria helps you process food more efficiently and reduces cravings. We are actually all born with very little bacteria in our guts, but through exposure that amount slowly increases. It varies wildly based on the type of birth (vaginal versus C-section), environment (city versus country), and diet and lifestyle factors. The average American today has a lot less bacteria than in the past, mostly because of a modern-day diet thats low in probiotics (live microorganisms, including bacteria) and prebiotics, the fibers that feed probiotics, says Josh Axe, a clinical nutritionist and the author of Eat Dirt. Top it all off with antibiotic and hand-sanitizer overuse, both of which wipe out vital gut flora, and you have an imbalanced gut that could be causing you to hold on to extra pounds.

If it all sounds rather dire, consider this happy fact: Changes that you make today can very quicklywithin a few daysbegin to overhaul your microbiome profile, improve your overall gut health, and help efforts to lose weight. Heres your action plan.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Avoid processed foods and items high in sugar and carbohydrates, says Axe. Studies have shown that both sugar and artificial sweeteners can decrease good bacteria levels in the gut.

Fiber can lower blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and promote weight loss, says Hyman. Whats more, fiber slows the rate at which food enters your bloodstream and increases the speed at which it exits your body through the digestive tract, keeping you fuller longer. While all fiber is good, here are some great prebiotic fiber sources: Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic, and leeks, as well as chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds. Aim for 25 grams a day, if not more. Or consider a fiber supplement, says Hyman. Try: PGX, a blend of konjac root and seaweed fibers.

In one study, women who took probiotics for 24 weeks lost 51 percent more weight than those who didnt. Yogurt and kefir products contain live, active cultures, as do fermented foods like kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut. Its also a smart bet to take a probiotic supplement twice daily, says Hyman. Look for at least 25 billion live CFUs [colony-forming units] from diversified strains of bacteria, such as lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, he adds.

Theres a complex interplay between your hormones and your gut and how they affect one another, notes Raphael Kellman, M.D., an integrative and functional medicine physician and the author of Low thyroid function, in particular, can contribute to gut sluggishness.

Nurturing the beneficial creatures in your digestive tract may be the surest route to reaching your healthiest weight. Within a week of following a gut-friendly diet, you will notice a drop in cravings, promises Kellman. And you could be eating the same amount of calories as you were before, but you will lose weight. In fact, you may be able to eat even more.

Link:
The New Way to Lose Weight Involves Healing Your Gut - HarpersBAZAAR.com

5 Proven Ways To Lose Weight Quickly :If you already have gained some weights, chances are you already know how hard it is to lose weight. Maybe not enough physical activity and poor food habits are two of the main reasons you are gaining more weights every day and finding it harder to lose any.

First of all, you need to know what works and what does not when it comes to losing body weights. And secondly, you must set a reasonable weight-loss goal and fully commit to it. Once you achieve your first goal, have another goal and keep working hard.

If you already have gained some weights, chances are you already know how hard it is to lose weight. Maybe not enough physical activity and poor food habits are two of the main reasons you are gaining more weights every day and finding it harder to lose any.

First of all, you need to know what works and what does not when it comes to losing body weights. And secondly, you must set a reasonable weight-loss goal and fully commit to it. Once you achieve your first goal, have another goal and keep working hard. Following are 5 proven ways to lose weights for both men and women:

Dieting is arguably the most effective way of losing weight. You can lose a significant amount of weight just not eating many foods you are eating on a daily basis. First of all, avoid junk foods such as pizza, French Fires, Potato Chips and Burger. If you regularly eat restaurant foods that include these junk foods, you have no other option than just changing the habit. Sugar, soy, frozen meals, fruit juice, artificially sweetened drinks, white bread, candy bars, ice cream are some other common food items you must avoid. I highly recommend you to consult a nutritionist to have a proper food chart that you can follow for losing weight.

Running is always one of the most effective exercises for losing weight. If you are too bulky, it might be difficult for you to run for long enough time to lose weight initially. In that case, you can just start by walking, then slowly move to jogging and finally running in standard speed to have a considerable result. Walk, jog or run at least half an hour daily and slowly increase the rate amount of time.

Swimming is always a good exercise for all parts of human body. If you already know how to swim, just hit a pool every day, swim as much as you can. It might not be that hard work mentally but it can be very effective to lose weight.

Football, cricket, volleyball, basketball, rugby are great games played by both men and women. If you already have a passion for one of these, just find an academy and follow the rigorous exercise drills of the academy on a regular basis. If can be a great way to chase your dream and lose weight effectively.

If you can go to a nearby gym, that will be best as you will get the opportunity to meet other people who want to lose weight as well. You can get inspiration from many successful fitness enthusiasts in the gym. In case you already have a job and dont have enough time for that, you can have your own home gym. Some of the most recommended items for a home gym are a complete set of dumbbells, an elliptical, a vertical climber, a pull-up bar and if possible a treadmill.

how to lose weight fast and easy, lose weight fast pills, how to lose weight fast with exercise, how to lose weight fast in 2 weeks, best way to lose weight from stomach, how to lose weight fast at home, how to lose weight fast without exercise, how to lose weight fast naturally,

See the original post:
5 Proven Ways To Lose Weight Quickly - Women Fitness (press release) (blog)

Madeline Cuddihy, WUSA 12:21 PM. EDT June 26, 2017

Z88 2.38281e+007 (Photo: TongRo Image Stock)

Though yo-yo dieting has told us many things, one of the most important tasks is keeping your body healthy - not just dieting! By boosting your metabolism naturally you can lose the weight & stay strong!

1. Don't just cut carbs - add fiber.

Adding fiber to your diet promotes a healthy guy bacteria which helps absorb a lot of bloating that happens in your stomach region.

2. Lift weights!

Don't just rely on cardio. Weight training at least 3 times per week is important to rev your metabolism and burn fat.

RECIPE: The perfect "flat-belly" meal plan

3. Eat protein at every meal

Eating more proteins at every meal, even in little ways like nuts and shakes for snacks, stores those calories as muscle rather than fat.

MORE: 3 Easy meal prep recipes for the work week

4. Don't be afraid of the night time fast.

Save those late night popcorn snacks and instead try for a 10 - 12 hour fast between your dinner and breakfast every day!

5. Practice healthy mind, healthy body.

it sounds simple, but studies say meditating at least once a day can change your entire heart health & boosts positive choices. Take those 5 minutes to focus on you instead of what you're eating next!

RECIPE: Healthy & quick quinoa burger

Want more articles like this? Follow Great Day Washington on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram for more! Watch everyday at 9am on WUSA9.

2017 WUSA-TV

See the rest here:
5 ways to boost your metabolism & lose weight - WBIR-TV

Runner's World

How Running Helped This 30-Year-Old Make an Epic Comeback and Lose 150 Pounds Runner's World When I first began running in college, I lost nearly 100 pounds. Sadly, I gained all of that back and then some. When I began my weight loss journey, I was 330 pounds on February 8th, 2016. Fast forward to today, and I have lost 150 pounds and hit my ...

More:
How Running Helped This 30-Year-Old Make an Epic Comeback and Lose 150 Pounds - Runner's World