Women's Health

Follow These 9 Simple Steps To Set Yourself Up For Weight-Loss Success Women's Health Preparation is a critical factor in one's success losing weight and keeping it off, says nutritionist Rania Batayneh, M.P.H., owner of Essential Nutrition for You. She explains that before you can expect any weight-loss attempt to be successful, you ...

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Follow These 9 Simple Steps To Set Yourself Up For Weight-Loss Success - Women's Health

Its been a rough couple of weeks for the members of Big Bang. Earlier this month,member T.O.P brushed with death after overdosing on tranquilizers (and possibly other drugs). T.O.P survived, but now attention is shifting towards another potentially troubled member: G-Dragon.

Just yesterday, G-Dragon made an appearance at Chanels Mademoiselle Priv Exhibition in Seoul. The singer was looking drastically thin, with VIPs questioning whether the singer is suddenly anorexic.

Here are just a few troubling shots fans snapped (or videotaped) during the event.

G-Dragon in Gaon Chart Music Awards, 2016 (Photo: gasi0308 (CC by 2.0))

That was less than one year ago, prompting serious alarms among fans. He looks sick, one fan stated. Hes so underweight, another observed.

Others questioned if the singer is suffering from anorexia, or simply not eating regularly on tour. He mustve lost weight from his solo tour, another fan commented. Please eat well.

+Big Bangs T.O.P Suffers Massive Tranquilizer Overdose (Updated)

Meanwhile, no word on the recovery of fellow Big Banger T.O.P, though its hard to imagine either are putting on the pounds. All of which raises some questions over whether the non-stop rigors of Kpop stardom are affecting the pair. Just this morning, AoA member ChoA announced her retirement, and blamed depression, anxiety, and persistent insomnia for the break. Those are hazards for any popular group, though Big Bang has a blaring spotlight to deal with.

All of which raises some questions about newer Kpop outfits like BTS and EXO. Both groups are now enjoying a surge in popularity, though intense pressure from relentless touring and fan adulation. Indeed, rumors of forced plastic surgery and grueling appearance schedules is enough to exhaust anyone, and younger stars are undoubtedly susceptible to melting down.

More as this develops.

G-Dragon

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Big Bang VIPs Shocked at G-Dragon's Drastic Weight Loss - Digital Music News

LA JARA Interested in losing weight? Feeling better, less arthritis pain, more energy, and better sleep? Not to mention clothes that fit better or smaller sized clothes?

Area Extension Agent Mary Ellen Fleming will be teaching a weight loss class beginning on June 27th (Tuesdays) at 4:30 p.m. at the Public Health Office (Nurses Office) in La Jara. The class will meet once a week on Tuesdays for 15 weeks. Cost of the class is $30. Call the Extension Office at 852-7381 to register for the class.

The last weight loss class was completed in Alamosa with 16 participants having lost a total of 246 pounds!

Here are some words from people who just completed this class:

I feel better.

I enjoy eating healthier.

The group class and support are very helpful.

I am noticing many items; sleeping better, more energy, am eating less.

I lost 39 lbs. in this class. I have gone down two pant sizes and one shirt size. My energy level has improved; I sleep better and have lowered my blood sugar.

My knee does not hurt anymore. It really helps to get 20 pounds off of my joints!

I can now tie my shoes!

Clothes are fitting better, self-esteem is improving!

Im not short of breath anymore and I dont snore as much.

The plan in this class is based on nutrition. Participants will follow a low carbohydrate/high vegetable diet that will provide a slow steady weight loss. That is why the group will meet for 15 weeks, slow and steady. Any diet that offers a 5 to 10 pound weight loss in the first week is not going to work over the long term. In most cases, it is water that is lost, not fat.

Of course, the first thing a person needs is motivation and commitment. Participants must decide to make a change and commit to doing their best to follow the eating plan. What are the payoffs? Participants feel better, clothes will fit better, have improved self-esteem, joints will feel better, blood pressure may go down, sleep better, and have more energy. Sound good? Give it a try.

Sugar is the basic form of energy that the body uses. A starch is very similar chemically to sugar. So the body takes sugars and starches and converts them to the very basic form of sugar called glucose. Then the body puts the glucose in the blood to circulate throughout the body delivering the glucose to organs, muscles, etc. to be used. This glucose is also burned when folks exercise. The problem is too many sugars and starches are consumed and then not burned off through exercise. If these sugars are not burned they are then converted to fat and added to our bodies.

We know what sugars are and where they are found. What foods contain starch? Carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, grains, potatoes, corn, rice, etc. Think about it, any food that is starchy. So in order to lose weight, folks need to cut down on sugar and starches.

For more information contact Mary Ellen Fleming, at 719-852-7381 or visit the CSU Extension office for the San Luis Valley Area at 1899 E Hwy 160, Monte Vista. Please feel free to visit http://sanluisvalley.colostate.edu for information about services provided.

Extension programs are available to all without discrimination, Colorado State University Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating.

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Weight Loss that Works class set - Valley Courier

Tia Mowrys hard work has paid off!

After being diagnosed with endometriosis, the Sister Sisteractress overhauled her diet and has been sticking to the principles outlined in her cookbook Whole New You. She shuns processed, packaged foods and instead opts for whole foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds and whole grains, she told PEOPLE.

And the Tia Mowry At Home star, 38, is thrilled with the results, which she recently shared on Instagram. The mom posted an image of herself wearing leggings and lifting up her t-shirt to reveal her abs, Ive lost 20 pounds! Many asked how? Diet and cooking out of my cook book #wholenewyou, she captioned the photo.

Although she mostly sticks to clean eating, Mowry will still indulge in the occasional treat. Prior to posting her weight loss photo, the star took to Instagram to share a picture of herself licking an ice cream cone. Ice cream didnt stand a chance, she wrote.

Mowry didnt always have such a healthy relationship with food. In her cookbook, she reveals she developed poor eating habits on the set ofSister Sister, where she would snack on candy, cookies and potato chips. She then tried to counteract the junk food by taking diet pills.

FROM PEN:Christie Brinkleys Girls Alexa and Sailor Reveal How Theyve Conquered Bullies and Body Shamers

I didnt feel fat, but the pressure of being on television and wanting to look sexy and beautiful took over, she wrote in her book. Im not proud of it. I got skinny, true, but the pills caused my heart to race, and I knew in my gut that I was hurting myself.

Now the star is focused on her healthy lifestyle. Her daily food log mightinclude gluten-free pancakes,kale and almond fried rice for lunch, and a light fish with veggies for dinner. What I eat and what I put into my body is extremely important to me, she wrote.

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Tia Mowry Shows Off Her Toned Stomach After 20-Lb. Weight Loss - PEOPLE.com

The formula for losing weight is simple: Eat fewer calories than you burn. But the methods of doing this can vary. In truth, there is no one "best" way to lose weight what works for you might not work for someone else. To get the lowdown on the latest science on weight loss, Live Science conducted a months-long search for the best information. We contacted nearly a dozen experts who have researched weight loss, and looked at the most well-regarded studies of weight loss done to date.

We wanted to know what these studies found and, most importantly, when all the science and evidence were boiled down, what experts recommend for people who would like to shed pounds in a safe, healthy manner. All of the experts emphasized one thing: A person's approach to weight loss should be one that is enjoyable and can be maintained over the long term. Weight loss shouldn't be about deprivation, because diets that deprive people of their favorite foods tend to be short-lived, said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School andgeneral internist at Cambridge Health Alliance.

"If you make this commitment to lifestyle changes, then maybe five years from now, you're 10 pounds [4.5 kilograms] lighter," Cohen said. "If you're doing crash diets, you would probably be 10 pounds more."

People should focus on making lifestyle changes sometimes even small ones, like cutting down on the sugar in coffee to reduce their overall calorie intake. While these changes might not lead to drastic amounts of weight loss in short periods, they can produce healthy, gradual weight loss that will counter the natural tendency for people to gain weight as they age, Cohen said.

As we'll describe in detail below, a successful weight loss program usually involves cutting back on your calories, increasing your physical activity and making behavioral changes to help you stick with a diet and exercise regimen over the long term. [How to Get Started on a Weight Loss Program]

Should you lose weight? Find out below how to calculate your BMI.

Who should lose weight?

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States. Over the past 15 years, the nation's obesity rate rose by 24 percent (7.2 percentage points) amongadults, from 30.5 percent in the years 1999-2000 to 37.7 percent in 2013-2014, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published in November 2015. The adult obesity rate in 2013-2014 was the highest ever for the nation, and equates to more than 78 million people.

The extra pounds come with baggage; they increase the likelihood of many health conditions, including the following:

Though science has yet to establish a surefire link between obesity and each health risk, the extra fat tissue seems to be the biggest culprit. More fat in the neck has been tied to sleep apnea, while compounds released by fat cells may increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, the more body fat a person carries, the more blood is needed to provide the tissue with oxygen and nutrients, resulting in higher blood pressure. (On the other hand, losing weight can relieve such burdens on the body, leading to health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.)

Chart shows relationship of healthy weight and height.

That's why one of the most widely used gauges of whether a person needs to shed pounds is body mass index (BMI) an indicator of body fatness developed by Belgian statistician Adolphe Queteletin 1832 that's based on the ratio of height to weight. For example, a person who is 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 meters) and weighs 172 lbs. (78 kg) would have a BMI of 27. [BMI Calculator: What's My BMI]

The goal with BMI is to be what the National Institutes of Health considers "normal." The lowest risk for health conditions related to weight has been tied to a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 (labeled "normal weight"). Risks go up as a person climbs this BMI ladder, with numbers between 25 and 29.9 considered overweight, and BMIs of 30 or greater considered obese, according to the NIH.

Although BMI is easy to calculate, it is not a perfect measure of body fatness. For example, people with a high amount of muscle mass can have a high BMI without being overweight or obese.

If your BMI places you in the obese category, it's time to lose weight, according to the most recent (2013) weight management guidelines from the American Heart Association and other professional organizations. Weight loss is also recommended if you're overweight and have other risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or a waist circumference greater than 35 inches (88 centimeters) for women and 40 inches (102 centimeters) for men.

The 2013 guidelines were put together by an expert panel from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Obesity Society, and were reviewed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The guidelines are based on a rigorous review of recent scientific studies.

People who are normal weight, or overweight and do not have any additional risk factors for heart disease, should focus on avoiding weight gain, rather than losing weight, the guidelines say, because there is no strong evidence that weight loss provides health benefits for these people. However, additional weight gain could lead to problems, experts said.

"It's common to gain weight with age, and weight maintenance is much easier than weight loss, so the best plan for these patients is to maintain their weight, eat healthier and exercise more but not to focus on weight loss," Cohen said.

How much weight should you aim to lose?

Obese people who lose as little as 3 to 5 percent of their body weight improve their health. Research suggests that losing 5 percent of body weight results in a 3-mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading, which is a measure of the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats) and a 2-mmHg drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, which is a measure of the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats), according to the 2013 guidelines. Losing even more weight is associated with greater health benefits, so the guidelines recommend that people start out with a goal of losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight over six months.

To accomplish this weight loss, most experts interviewed by Live Science recommended that you shed 0.5 to 2 lbs. (0.23 to 0.9 kg) every week. This usually means cutting 250 to 1,000 calories out of your daily diet. (If you cut 500 daily calories, you'll lose about a pound per week.)

For women, that means consuming about 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. For men, it means a daily intake of about 1,500 to 1,800 calories. However, the number of calories you should consume can vary depending on your current weight and activity level.

Chart shows daily calorie range for a 40-year-old woman.

To figure out how many calories to consume, you may want to use a calculator, such as the National Institutes of Health Body Weight Planner, which takes into account your current weight and activity level to determine how many calories a day are needed to maintain your current weight and how many are needed to achieve your desired weight loss.

You'll lose more weight if you cut even more calories. However, trimming too many calories will likely backfire and can even kill you.

Experts warn that severely restrictive diets which cut more than 1,000 calories per day tend to be unsustainable. You might see a rapid weight loss at first, but you'll likely regain much of the weight. For example, Oprah Winfrey famously lost 67 lbs. (30 kg) on a diet that allowed her to consume just 420 calories a day, only to later regain the weight.

Over the long term, severely restrictive diets tend to result in about the same amount of weight loss as diets that are less restrictive, said Robert Jeffery, director of the University of Minnesota Obesity Prevention Center.

For example, researchers reviewed data from six trials of very-low-calorie diets (fewer than 800 calories a day) and found that, after about 26 weeks, participants lost 16 percent of their initial body weight, whereas participants on a typical low-calorie diet (1,000 to 1,800 calories a day) lost about 10 percent of their body weight. But after about two years, both groups retained about the same amount of weight loss around 5 to 6 percent of their initial body weight, according to the 2012 study.

The study is notable because it looked at data from clinical trials that directly compared very-low-calorie diets with typical low-calorie diets, which is a better method than looking at studies that do not involve a comparison, and instead include only a single diet.

Even the weight you lose on these restrictive diets may not be the right kind of weight, as cutting too many calories can cause you to lose muscle instead of fat, said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill-Cornell Medical College in New York.

"If you lose weight very rapidly, on a diet like a cleanse, then you're going to lose excess muscle," Aronne said. Muscle loss can be detrimental, because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue; therefore, keeping muscle tissue can help with weight loss and maintenance, said Aronne, who is the author of the upcoming book "The Change Your Biology Diet" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016).

Finally, any adult diet that allows fewer than 800 calories per day can be harmful and should only be undertaken under the supervision of a medical professional, according to the 2013 guidelines. People who follow such a diet may experience dehydration, irregular periods (for women), kidney infections and even sudden death, among other health problems, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Such diets also increase the risk of developing gallstones.

It's important to have realistic expectations for weight loss with a reduced-calorie diet over the long term. Studies suggest that people can lose about 9 to 26 lbs. (4 to 12 kg) after six months of a typical reduced-calorie diet. Afterward, people usually gain back some of that weight, so they end up with a total of 9 to 22 lbs. (4 to 10 kg) of weight loss after one year, and 6 to 9 lbs. (3 to 4 kg) of weight loss after two years, according to the 2013 guidelines. [2016 Best Bathroom Scales]

Is there a "best" diet for weight loss?

People can lose weight on a number of different diets, as long as they consume fewer calories than they burn. "There's no one diet that's superior to other diets for long-term weight loss and maintenance," said Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

A successful plan for weight loss is often one that is tailored to an individual's lifestyle and other personal factors. McManus and her colleagues found that the breakdown of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates doesn't matter for weight loss. They followed 800 people assigned to different calorie amounts from these food categories. After two years, the participants had dropped about 9 lbs. (4 kg), on average. Few diet studies have followed such a diverse group the McManus study involved people ages 30 to 70 with a wide range of incomes, from cities in the northern and southern United States for more than a year.

Often, even small changes in your diet can help you lose weight. For instance, just replacing an unhealthy snack every day with fruits and vegetables, or eliminating an evening snack, can result in weight loss, said Katherine Tallmadge, a registered dietitian and an op-ed contributor to Live Science. "If people make minor changes that they can live with, it's more likely that they can lose the weight and keep it off," Tallmadge said. [ 4 Calorie-Cutting Tips That Won't Leave You Hungry]

Moreover, nothing magical happens when you cut fat it doesn't result in extra weight loss, studies have shown. A recent study, published in October 2015, found that people on a low-fat diet lost about the same amount of weight as people on diets with more of their calories from fat.

Which foods keep you full for longer? Find out below.

But what if you're the type of person who "cheats" because you feel hungry? That's where the type of calories and a few other tricks come in.

Though not foolproof, a low-glycemic diet that's chock-full of protein, fiber and healthy oils, and low in starches and other sugars, may help combat feelings of hunger. Researchers think that nutrients like protein and fiber help to create the "I'm full" feeling, while sugars and refined carbohydrates cause spikes in blood sugar that may increase hunger later, Aronne said. In that way, people on a low-glycemic diet may feel more satisfied while cutting back on overall calories and thus may be more likely to stick with the diet.

Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis, said she recommends a diet that is about 20 percent protein (about 60 to 70 grams, or 2 to 2.5 ounces, per day), spread across all three meals. This recommendation agrees with findings from a study of people in the National Weight Control Registry who have lost at least 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) and kept it off for at least a year. An analysis of 900 people in this registry showed that about 18 to 20 percent of their daily calories came from protein. This would be the equivalent of eating 6 ounces of Greek yogurt at breakfast (17 grams of protein), 3 ounces of salmon for lunch (21 grams of protein) 1 ounce of nuts for a snack (7 grams of protein) and 3 ounces of chicken for dinner (19 grams of protein).

Applegate also encourages people not to skip meals, because that deprivation often causes people to overeat later in the day. In particular, studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to weigh more than people who eat a healthy morning meal, according to the NIH.

According to a 2015 report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which advises on the nation's diet recommendations, people tend to have a healthy body weight if they eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains; moderate in dairy products; and low in meats and sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

In addition, since alcoholic drinks are essentially "empty" calories they don't contribute towards you're daily nutrition cutting back on alcohol may be one way to help you lose weight, experts said.

Surprise! Alcohol contains calories.

As an alternative to eating a reduced-calorie diet every day, some people try to do "intermittent fasting." This means they significantly cut their calories on a few days per week and eat normally the other days. This diet is generally not recommended, but early research suggests that some people may find it easier to follow this diet than a traditional one, Tallmadge said. A review study published in April 2015 found that people on intermittent-fasting diets lost about 9 percent of their body weight over six months, and about 80 percent of the participants were able to stick with the diet.

Still, studies on this type of dieting are limited, and more research is needed to confirm the findings, the researchers said.

As for commercial weight loss programs, the most effective programs are in-person ones, where people regularly meet with a trained health professional, according to the 2013 guidelines. People should look for a program that lets them meet with a registered dietitian, psychologist, exercise specialist or health counselor at least 14 times over a six-month period, the guidelines say. If you can't attend an in-person program, some studies show that programs that use telephone calls, email or text messages to provide feedback on your progress can also help with weight loss.

How much exercise do you need?

You've worked on the calorie intake part of the equation. Now what about the "calories out?" Studies show that people who exercise while dieting lose more weight, and are better able to keep it off, than people who diet and do not exercise, said Wayne Miller, programs director at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine's Center for Rural and Community Health.

Miller and his colleagues reviewed 25 years' worth of weight loss research and found that, during a typical 15-week weight loss program, people lost, on average, 23 lbs. (10.4 kg) by only dieting and 24 lbs. (10.9 kg) by dieting and exercising, they reported in 1997. That difference may seem small, but after one year, the people who only dieted kept off 14 lbs. (6.4 kg), on average, whereas those who dieted and exercised kept off 19 lbs. (8.6 kg). [2016 Best Heart Rate Monitor Watches]

As for how strenuous the exercise has to be, experts recommend that people who want to lose weight meet the government's guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) every week, or about 30 minutes a day for five days a week.

But those who want to maintain weight loss over the long term may need to do more exercise. A 2008 study of the National Weight Control Registry involving 3,600 people who lost at least 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) and kept it off for a year or longer found that they reported at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity per day. [Best GPS Watches]

The National Institutes of Health also recommends resistance training to strengthen muscles at least twice a week. These activities include lifting weights and doing push-ups and crunches, which can help build muscle. Resistance training exercises are important for weight loss maintenance because muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain itself, meaning you will burn more calories just by having more muscle. [ 4 Easy Ways to Get More Exercise]

Do diet pills and supplements work?

If weight loss sounds like a lot of physical and mental work, that's because it is. And there's no magic pill: Dietary supplements that claim to help people lose weight have not been proven to work, and they have the potential to be dangerous, Cohen said. Many nutritionists and researchers agree that such supplements can do more harm than good. Supplements can contain drugs that are not listed on the label, and may have harmful side effects. In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration identified more than 30 weight loss supplements that contained hidden drugs, but only seven of these were recalled by their manufacturers.

Weight loss supplements send more than 4,600 people to the emergency room every year, often due to heart symptoms, such as chest pain and a rapid heart rate, according to an estimate by a study published in October 2015.

The bottom line, many experts told Live Science, is that there is often no scientific evidence supporting a supplement's claims. The makers of diet supplements do not need to prove that their supplements actually help people lose weight in order to sell them in stores.

In contrast, makers of prescription and over-the-counter weight loss drugs, such as orlistat (brand names: Alli and Xenical) and lorcaserin (brand name: Belviq), must conduct studies showing that the drugs can lead to weight loss before the pills are approved by the FDA for use in obese individuals and those considered overweight (BMI of 27 or greater) who also have obesity-related risk factors.

Generally, people who take weight loss drugs which often work by decreasing appetite and increasing feelings of satiety can lose an average of 5 to 10 percent of their body weight in a year, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, these drugs still need to be used along with diet and exercise for people to achieve this level of weight loss. (Studies of these drugs involve people who have also made changes to their diet and activity level.)

According to the 2013 guidelines, the drugs might be helpful for people who aren't able to lose weight with diet and exercise alone, but people should consider discontinuing the drugs if they don't lose at least 5 percent of their body weight within 12 weeks of starting them.

However, Cohen cautioned that the long-term safety of weight loss drugs hasn't been studied. Most of the studies look at these drugs' safety after just one year, he said, and some earlier drugs that were approved by the FDA were later taken off the market because of their side effects. For example, in 2010, the weight loss drug sibutramine (sold under the brand name Meridia) was removed from the market even though it had originally been approved because it was later linked with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

In any case, weight loss drugs may not be a long-term method for keeping weight off, because people may regain the weight when they stop taking the drugs, Cohen said.

Lack of sleep increases the odds youll gain weight. Find out below how much shuteye you need.

Can a lack of sleep cause weight gain?

Here's a bit of advice that may make a dieter smile, or yawn: Get more sleep. A growing body of evidence suggests that getting insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity. However, most of these studies have been conducted at a single point in time, which makes it hard to determine whether a small amount of sleep was a cause or an effect of weight gain.

The longest-running study on the link between short sleep and weight gain followed about 68,000 women for 16 years. It found that women who slept 5 hours or less per night gained about 2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) more, on average, than those who slept at least 7 hours per night, over 16 years. In addition, those who got 5 hours or less were 15 percent more likely to become obese during the study period than those who got at least 7 hours of sleep.

Getting too little sleep, which most experts define as less than 7 hours of shut-eye per night, may increase levels of an appetite-stimulating hormone called ghrelin, and decrease levels of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full, according to the NIH. This may lead to an increase in hunger. In addition, people who sleep less could have more time to eat. In a small study of 11 people who stayed in a sleep lab, participants ate more snacks when they slept for just 5.5 hours than when they slept for 8.5 hours. This increase in snacking occurred mostly during the late-night hours.

Still, it's not clear if getting more sleep actually helps people lose weight. However, studies are now being conducted to answer that question. In one study, researchers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases will look at whether obese people who usually sleep less than 6.5 hours a night see changes in their weight if they increase their sleep by an hour per night. [Best Fitness Trackers]

Should you consider bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery, an operation on the stomach and intestine used to treat obesity, may be an option for people who are still severely obese after attempting to lose weight through other methods, such as diet and exercise. People with a BMI of 40 or greater, or those with a BMI of 35 or greater who also have obesity-related health conditions (such as type 2 diabetes), are candidates for this invasive surgery, according to the NIH.

People who have bariatric surgery will still need to make lifestyle changes, including following a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise, to lose weight and keep it off.

A 2009 study that reviewed outcomes for more than 11,000 bariatric surgery patients found that patients typically lost about 56 percent of their excess body weight, or nearly 85 lbs. (38.5 kg), and maintained it for at least two years. Scientists who reviewed 89 studies on weight loss after bariatric surgery found that patients with a BMI of 40 or higher benefited most from the surgery, losing 44 to 66 lbs. (20 to 30 kg), on average, and maintained that weight loss for up to 10 years, they reported in 2005 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The operation has the following side effects:

How can you keep weight off?

It's typically harder to keep weight off than it is to lose it, the experts agreed. Many studies show that people usually experience their maximum weight loss after about six months of a diet-and-exercise program. After that, the pounds come creeping back, although most people don't regain all of the weight. For example, a 2007 review of 80 diet studies involving more than 26,000 people found that dieters lost about 11 to 19 lbs. (5 to 8.5 kg) after six months, but then their weight loss plateaued, and after four years, they maintained about 6.5 to 13 lbs. (3 to 6 kg) of weight loss.

Chart of the habits of those who successfully keep weight off.

Participating in a program that focuses on maintaining weight loss one that meets at least once per month for a year or more can increase the chances that you'll keep the weight off. A 2008 study of more than 1,000 people who lost about 19 lbs. found that people who participated in a weight loss maintenance program that met in-person once a month kept off about 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) more over a 2.5-year period than people who didn't participate in the program.

To assist any weight loss effort, weigh yourself twice a week, continue the lower-calorie approach indefinitely and exercise at least 200 minutes per week, according to the 2013 guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you make a plan for how to keep up your healthy eating pattern, even on weekends, vacations and special occasions. [2016 Best Pedometers]

Eating breakfast may also stave off hunger later in the day. In a 2002 National Weight Control Registry study of nearly 3,000 people who kept off 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) for at least a year, researchers concluded that one habit that stood out was eating a morning meal: 78 percent of the participants ate breakfast every day.

Once you've lost weight, keeping it off can seem like a never-ending battle. But it's a battle worth fighting, even if you slip sometimes. Trying, even if you don't always succeed, is better than not doing so, scientists say. There's no clear evidence that "yo-yo dieting" or weight cycling, as researchers call it is linked with an increased risk of early death or disease, compared with remaining obese, McManus noted. And very few studies report harmful effects of yo-yo dieting.

"Weight loss intervention should not be discouraged because of a person's tendency to be a weight cycler," McManus said.

In a nutshell, the bulk of the evidence says that maintaining your weight loss is achievable if you do the following: keep up your healthy diet, continue to exercise and monitor your weight so you notice when your regimen needs adjusting.

This article is part of a Live Science Special Report on the Science of Weight Loss. Itwill be updated whenever significant new research warrants. Note that any significant change in diet should be undertaken only after consultation with a physician.

Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. FollowLive Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science.

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The Best Way to Lose Weight Safely - livescience.com

Prevention.com

Yes, That's Acne On Your Vagina. Here's How To Treat It. Prevention.com No matter how diligent you are about keeping your skin squeaky clean and your pores clear, acne has a way of showing up at the worst possible timesand sometimes, in the worst possible places. Like on your vagina. Don't freak out, though: Vaginal acne ...

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Yes, That's Acne On Your Vagina. Here's How To Treat It. - Prevention.com

Flagler Beach City Commission Chair Jane Mealy walked to the edge of the the pier for the first time since Hurricane Matthew as workers put on the finishing touches. Standing in the middle was David Marine, one of the workers with the contractor, who happens to live a block and a half away from the pier. Click on the image for larger view. ( FlaglerLive)

Its really nice just standing out hereI love coming out here and looking at the city, Jane Mealy, who chairs the Flagler Beach City Commission, said this morning. She was standing at the very end of the rebuilt Flagler Beach Pier, where workers were still applying coats of paint to a couple of kiosks and nailing down benches.

It was her first walk to the end of the pier in eight months, the first walk anyone not involved in the reconstruction had taken to the end of the pier since the rest of it163 feet of itwas sheared off by Hurricane Matthew, since 600 floorboards were damaged or knocked out and lost and the pier itself was shaken to its foundations, requiring nearly $1 million in repairs.

Those repairs are coming to an end. This evening at the Flagler Beach Commission meeting, City Manager Larry Newsom made an announcement hes been waiting to make for months: the pier is finally reopening.

It is reopening Saturday.

Im just ready for it to get opened so I can move on to the next 40 projects, Newsom said in an interview. This is kind of an economic engine for the area, so you get that done, it takes off a lot of pressure, that and dune access points.

One last section of the pier needed its planks. Click on the image for larger view. ( FlaglerLive)

Originally the project was expected to call for the replacement of 18 floor boards, those planks rich in etchings of memorials and commemorationsof weddings, of anniversaries, of love declarations for Flagler Beach, and of memorials for the departed. The project instead ended up requiring 665 planks, this time screwed in with stainless steel screws rather than with nails, since nails more easily rust and get pulled when waves crash against the floorboard from below.

The new wood contrasted with the old like horizontal layers of geological time, the smell of new wood still more pungent the smell of fish that will start replacing it after Saturday, when the fishermen return. Aside from its lost tip, which is no small lossin length and width, as the tip had formed an ample T enabling a spread of fishermen to fish with elbow roomthe pier will not look different than it had before the storm, though its 10 benches are much improved. Theyre manufactured with a plastic-like recycled material that looks like wood and thatll be a lot more resilient, smooth to the touch and splinter-free. The kiosks will be back, as will the low lighting.

Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom, who got it done. ( FlaglerLive)

The cost will not change to use the pier, and anybody who already had passes were working that out as far as pro-rating it out, Newsom said. (The walk-on daily rate is $1.50 for most, $1 for senior citizens and members of the military, and the fishing rate for a day pass is $6, but various passes are also available. Details here.)

Meanwhile, the city got its $1.2 million insurance check for pier damage, Newsom said, which should cover the cost of much of the repairs, though the FEMA settlement is still being worked on. That process is very slow, says John Rigling, a disaster recovery consultant for the city, from the firm CDR McGuire (which also works with Flagler County). We have not submitted a project at this point to FEMA. There were ongoing changes to the project. Once all the documentation is put together, well submit it. Rigling added: That doesnt mean the cost for the recovery has climbed. The documentation has increased.

The city plans a soft opening of the pier Saturday, then a more celebratory ribbon-cutting about a week later.

Kiosks in the making. Click on the image for larger view. ( FlaglerLive)

Newsom paused. A few waves rolled beneath more calmly than the half dozen surfers wished. Then he said: Now all weve got to do is get A1A fixed and all the dunes access points, and were good to go.

Newsom didnt actually make it all the way to the edge of the rebuilt pier. He had another meeting to get to. So he left that to Belhumeur and Mealy. I see how much safer, of course stronger theyve made the pier, Mealy said on that edge. It feels really good to be standing here and not waving back and forth. Im excited that it will be opened soon and people can go back to fishing. Its one more back to normal, after the hurricane. I know the fishermen have been really, really anxious to return, and of course its more income to the city.

Looking at the edge: From left, Construct Co. Vice President Lindsay Buchanan, Jane Mealy, Rick Belhumeur, MiCha Johnson, the senior estimator and project manager for Construct Co., and Chad Liner, the project engineer. Click on the image for larger view. ( FlaglerLive)

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637-Ft. Flagler Beach Pier Re-Opens Saturday, 8 Months After Hurricane Matthew Lobotomy - FlaglerLive.com

Men's Health

This UFC Fighter Lost 36 Pounds Using This TechniqueHere's Why You Shouldn't Do It Men's Health The Four-Pack Revolution: How You Can Aim Lower, Cheat on Your Diet, and Still Lose Weight & Keep It Off, written by famed MMA fighter Chael Sonnen and MMA sports performance expert Ryan Parsons, uses the latest science and motivational exercises ...

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This UFC Fighter Lost 36 Pounds Using This TechniqueHere's Why You Shouldn't Do It - Men's Health

At her yearly medical checkups, Helen Costa-Giles would nod along as the doctor told her she was in the morbidly obese category and insistedshe lose weight. She would try weight loss pills and low-carb diets, but it would never stick until 2014, when at 220 lbs., her doctor told her she was headed for major chronic health problems.

My numbers were really off the charts and it scared the life out of me, Costa-Giles, 38, tells PEOPLE. That was exactly my turning point.

The mom of two boys had watched her own family members deal with health problems from poor eating habits, and she didnt want her sons to witness the same thing.

I had to break that cycle, because it was up to me to lead them to a healthier lifestyle, she says. I basically came down from the doctors that day and I had my paperwork and I slammed it down on the kitchen counter and said, Thats it. Were done. No more yo-yo dieting, no more fads.

Costa-Giles immediately rid the familys pantry of any processed or preservative-filled foods, and we were literally left with no food, she says. And then we had to get groceries because we didnt have anything in the fridge!

For 30 days, she ate only 100 percent clean foods, and spent hours every Sunday prepping healthy meals like vegetable-filled omelets for each day of the week. Those first days were really hard, but she started getting her energy back and saw her weight drop. She adjusted the diet slightly to include meal replacement shakes and cut down on her prep time, and in six months she lost the majority of her weight.

FROM PEN: Half Their Size: Christina Jordan on the Moment She Decided to Lose Weight

Costa-Giles was tracking her progress with weekly photos and soon decided it was time to hit the gym.

My body reacted very quickly to weightlifting, and I started to lean out, she says. The scale wasnt making huge differences, but the inches were changing. I kind of got obsessed because for the first time in my life, my body was actually doing what I asked it to do.

She added HIIT training and Spartan Races for endurance, and eventually lost a total of 90 lbs.

Costa-Giles even started her own free workout classes out of her garage in San Antoinio, Texas four days a week at 4 a.m.

My passion is to make it a movement, she says. We actually moved out of my garage because we got too big. We call it the No More Excuses Lifestyle. And some of these people dont need to get up at 4 a.m., but they get a boost from the energy level of the other people. Some of them come and then go back to sleep!

Costa-Giles, who also works full-time as a supervisor in automotive distribution, says her story shows that anyone has the time to lose weight shes even helped her husband drop 60 lbs.

I have two kids and a full-time job, she says. I know many people dont start their fitness journeys because they have too many excuses. I like to share my story because its so relatable.

And now, with her muscle-bound body, Costa-Giles is proud.

Ill be honest, I love everything about me. And thats the first time in my life that Ive been able to say that, she says. I take so much pride in every inch of my body because I know what its been through.

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Mom of 2 Loses 90 Lbs. Through Weightlifting and Starts Her Own Fitness Classes! - PEOPLE.com

FAT seems to disappear when you slim down, but this is whats really going on in your body.

GETTY

If youve ever lost weight, you may have wondered what happened to that bit of fat that used to be on your belly but theres a bit of confusion about it.

Professor Andrew Brown, from the University of New South Wales in Australia, claims that many health experts dont know where body fat really goes when you lose weight.

He said: There is surprising ignorance and confusion about the metabolic process of weight loss.

So he teamed up with TV science presenter Ruben Meerman to find out what happens to those pounds and their findings were published in the British Medical Journal.

The quickest ways to kick start your body fat weight loss

1 / 10

CLEAN UP YOUR DIET - It's true what they say, you can't out-exercise a bad diet. And abs are made in the kitchen. So the first step to any fat-loss plan starts with improving your diet. First, cut out processed foods, fake sugars and refined carbs.

Ruben said: The correct answer is that most of the mass is breathed out as carbon dioxide.

It goes into thin air.

Former physicist Ruben was interested in the science behind weight loss after shedding 15kgs himself back in 2013.

He said: I simply wanted to know where those kilograms were going.

"After a self-directed, crash course in biochemistry, I stumbled onto this amazing result.

It goes into thin air

With a worldwide obesity crisis occurring, we should all know the answer to the simple question of where the fat goes.

The fact that almost nobody could answer it took me by surprise, but it was only when I showed Andrew my calculations that we both realised how poorly this topic is being taught.

The Aussie TV personality tracked every atom in 10kgs of fat as they are lost and 8.4 of those kgs are exhaled as carbon dioxide through the lungs.

If you are looking to lose that belly fat, try these simple easy to follow tips that will help you on the road

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Eat every three hours - Passing on breakfast will send your body into starvation mode, meaning your body starts to store everything youve eaten as fat, and youre midsection is the first to suffer the consequences

The remaining 1.6kgs becomes water, which the body gets rid of by urinating, sweating, breathing or crying.

Ruben said: None of this is obvious to people because the carbon dioxide gas we exhale is invisible.

But this doesnt mean that breathing more can lead to weight loss.

The researchers warn that breathing more than required by a persons metabolic rate leads to hyperventilation, which can result in dizziness, palpitations and loss of consciousness.

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This is where your fat REALLY goes when you lose weight - Daily Star