Speaking about his life when he was 25-and-a-half stone, James, who is a teacher and lives in East London said he was living an unhealthy lifestyle and drinking too much beer, which would result in him snoring throughout the night, and waking up with a hangover at the weekend.

James said: My weight ballooned at secondary school. I grew to 5ft 11ins, but went up and outwards at the same time.

In 2011, aged 26, I weighed 20 stone, so I decided to count calories. I have an obsessive all-or-nothing nature, so it suited me at the time.

I would log everything on an app, restricting myself to 2,000 calories in the beginning, then down to 1,500 over six months.

When my weight hit 15 stone, I was happy, so I started eating normally again for about a year to 18 months, and, of course, the weight piled on.

That was the first big attempt to lose weight. And every attempt since there have been four over the past 10 years, has involved calorie counting, losing a couple of stone, and then putting on all the weight Id lost and more.

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Weight loss: Man shed 4st in 3 months by ditching calorie counting New version of myself' - Daily Express

The new year is upon us, which means many of us have set some resolutions and health-related goals for ourselves. If one of your goals is to lose some weight in 2022, you'll need some tools for setting yourself up for success.

Losing weight in a healthy way looks different for every individual, but it oftentimes requires some daily changes related to movement and diet. And while there's no one food that can make you gain or lose weight, there are certain foods that can have harmful effects on your goals.

Continue reading to learn about the foods that should be avoided or limited in 2022 in order to lose weight. And for more healthy weight loss tips, make sure to check out The Best Essential Foods to Eat to Lose Weight.

White bread is a processed carbohydrate that can quickly derail your health goals of losing weight.

"White bread doesn't help you stay full, so you might end up eating more calories than you need at your meal and gain weight over time," says Jinan Banna, PhD, RD, "especially because white bread has been stripped of the fiber you need to give you that sense of fullness. Because of this, it is better to choose whole-grain items to prevent weight gain in 2022."

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Your consumption of foods that are fried in oil should also be limited as much as possible. "Fried foods are generally high in calories, and if you consume more calories than you burn, this promotes weight gain," says Dr. Banna.

In one study, it was found that consumption of fried food was associated with a higher risk of gaining weight or developing obesity. And another study from the British Medical Journal found that it was crucial for those who might be genetically predisposed to limit their consumption of fried foods.

According to registered dietitian Janet Coleman, RD with The Consumer Mag, sugar substitutes can be troubling when you're trying to shed some pounds, even though they're technically calorie-free.

"It's important to recognize that even though these substitutes have zero calories, they still cause an increase in blood glucose levels which can affect your ability to lose weight," says Coleman, "and research has shown that sugar substitutes can actually encourage weight gain due to their effect on insulin sensitivity."

RELATED: 'Healthy' Foods That Are Actually Dangerous, According to Dietitians

"You should avoid foods that are low in fiberlike white bread, rice cakes, potato crisps, and other non-whole grain-based itemsas they can contribute to weight gain in several ways," says registered dietitian Kara Landau, RD, gut health expert and founder at Uplift Food, "for example, soluble fiber slows gastric emptying, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer so you are less likely to overeat at your next meal.

Landau also notes a lesser-known type of fiber that is still crucial for weight loss, called resistant starch. "This type of fiber resists digestion as it travels along your gut, and upon reaching your large intestine, is fermented by the beneficial bacteria living there. This fermentation process releases byproducts which improve the body's insulin response, ultimately reducing fat stored around the waistline."

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4 Foods You Must Avoid to Lose Weight in 2022 Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

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As 2022 is fast approaching, many people are thinking about New Years resolutions. One of the most common on the list is weight loss.

Last year, according to discoverhappyhabits.com, 50% of Americans listed weight loss as one of their top New Years resolution goals.

Jennifer James, a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified dietitian and health and wellness coach at Ogden Regional Medical Center, said many of these weight loss attempts end up failing because people are impatient or make unrealistic goals.

Losing weight is an investment in our health, James said. Just like building wealth, improving our health takes time. Expecting quick results with minimal effort is another approach that fails.

According to scientists at UCLA, the majority of people who diet gradually regain any weight they lost. Researchers also found the more diet attempts a person makes, the more likely they are to gain weight in the future. They concluded there is little support for the notion that diets lead to lasting weight loss or health benefits.

James said the more moderate of an approach a person takes, the more likely they are to stick with it. If it excludes entire food groups; promises quick weight loss; makes it difficult to enjoy eating out or eating with others; is extreme with calorie restriction; is outrageously expensive; requires special supplements, products or shakes; gives certain foods magical properties; or requires food combinations, eating at a particular time of day or other extreme measures, its more likely to fail.

The best way to lose weight is with a moderate, realistic approach that includes exercise, eating regular meals from all food groups, regular small amounts of favorite foods, a supportive person or group to interact with regularly, limited processed foods and very little or no sugary beverages, James said. Tracking ones food intake is a very effective tool. I recommend several online food diaries such as cronometer.com to track overall calories and diet quality.

James said in order to achieve successful weight loss, you should include your favorite foods in small amounts. Denying yourself can lead to binge eating later on. In addition, you should only aim for no more than 2 pounds of weight loss per week.

If we lose at a faster rate, we are probably losing water weight from a low-carb diet initially, she said. We lose more muscle tissue if it comes off too quickly.

But many people are anxious to get the weight off quickly, especially with the stress of being thin from society and the media that focuses a lot on appearance and weight.

Only a small percentage of us are naturally a size 2, James said. When we become obsessed with our weight, that can be a problem, especially if we are already at a healthy weight and an eating disorder ensues. You dont have to be skinny to be healthy, but extra weight does increase our risk of high cholesterol or blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, a fatty liver, joint pain and sleep apnea to name a few. We are also more likely to contract COVID and be hospitalized, especially if we have other health issues such as diabetes.

James said from her experience, one diet does not fit all. She encourages a whole foods, plant-based diet, not vegetarian necessarily, made from meals cooked from scratch more often than not. Tracking what you eat with a food diary has also been proven successful, she said.

There are, however, some medical reasons people have a difficult time losing weight and one should consult their personal physician for help. According to the Mayo Clinic, Cushing syndrome, antidepressants, steroids, anti-seizure medications and thyroid imbalances can all lead to unintentional weight gain. Age, hormonal changes and sleep loss can also contribute to weight gain.

Managing ones stress level and getting adequate sleep can have a huge impact on ones ability to lose weight, James said. Managing our negative emotion skillfully is very important, as poorly managed emotions often drive overeating. Many people use food as a coping mechanism when stressed.

James said meditation and exercise can be helpful for people suffering from anxiety. Above all, she said, maintaining a positive attitude and not having unrealistic expectations of how much weight you will lose every week will greatly help.

One of the main errors people make is they overly restrict their food intake which lowers the bodys metabolic rate, she said. They are hungry, grumpy, too tired to exercise and they dont lose much weight.

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Nutritionist: Keep New Years weight loss resolutions in perspective - Standard-Examiner

Dec. 28, 2021 -- Numbers are easier. That may be why a persons weight -- and the desire of millions of people to lose weight -- is the first topic under discussion when it comes to health and longevity. Not long after you walk into your doctors exam room, for example, youll step on a scale. Its usually the first measurement they take, ahead of vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate.

This makes sense. Its a number, which means its easy to see if your weight has changed in either direction since the last time they weighed you.

But theres an unintended result: You come away thinking that your weight is every bit as important as how well your heart and blood vessels are working, and that losing a few pounds will improve your health in tangible, long-lasting ways.

Yes, weight loss has proven health benefits. But should weight loss be the top priority for everyone classified as overweight or obese -- a demographic that now includes three-quarters of all American adults?

The weight loss message is not, and has not been, working, says Glenn Gaesser, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Arizona State University.

Hes among a growing number of health experts who believe that weight loss may not be the most important benefit when it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle. Thats especially true if you compare it to the benefits of increasing your fitness level, as Gaesser and a co-author did in a recent study.

Intentional weight loss -- that is, losing weight on purpose, rather than because of an injury or illness -- is usually associated in studies with a lower risk of death from any cause. The effect is most powerful among those with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes.

But heres an interesting wrinkle: The amount of weight lost doesnt seem to change the risk of dying. If the weight itself is the problem, why wouldnt those who lost the most get the biggest risk reduction?

Gaesser is skeptical that the health benefits of weight loss are entirely or even mainly caused by a lower number on the scale. Many clinical weight loss trials -- studies in which people take part in a structured program -- also include exercise and diet components.

Moving more and eating better are consistently and strongly linked to less risk of death from any cause. And the health benefits of exercise and diet are largely independent of weight loss, Gaesser says.

Thats especially true for exercise and living longer. Studies show that increasing physical activity lowers the risk of death from any cause by 15% to 50%, and the risk of heart disease by up to 40%.

The change is even more dramatic when you exercise with enough effort to improve your heart fitness. Moving from the lowest fitness category to a higher one can cut your mortality risk by 30% to 60%.

The Challenge of Sticking With It

But heres the rub: Exercise only helps if you do it, and a higher level of fitness works best if you maintain it.

Adherence to exercise is just as challenging as adherence to diets, Gaesser says. I think one of the reasons is that exercise has been promoted primarily as a means to lose weight.

Its not that exercise is doesnt work at all if youre trying to lose weight. According to a review of studies published in the 2010s, average weight loss ranges from 3 to 8 pounds, mostly from fat loss.

The problem is that the amount of weight you lose strictly from exercise tends to be disappointing. Your body will make up for many of the calories you burn during exercise (28%, according to one study) by slowing down your metabolism in other ways. Exercise can also increase your appetite, knocking any calorie savings for a loop.

If a person starts an exercise program with a particular weight loss goal, that person will quickly see theres a huge gap between actual and expected weight loss, Gaesser explains. Most will give up out of frustration.

Thats why he says our best hope is for people to finally realize just how important movement is to long-term vitality, and for doctors and other health professionals to encourage their sedentary patients and clients to exercise for their health and for a longer life. Still, he acknowledges that exercise tends to be a tough sell once you take the promise of weight loss off the table.

If theres an encouraging takeaway, its this: It doesnt matter why you exercise, or how you do it, or if you fall short of your goals.

There are health benefits to making the effort, Gaesser says. Exercise has intrinsic value, regardless of changes in body weight.

WebMD Health News

Glenn Gaesser, PhD, professor of exercise physiology, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University.

CDC, National Center for Health Statistics: Obesity and Overweight.

iScience: Obesity Treatment: Weight Loss Versus Increasing Fitness and Physical Activity for Reducing Health Risks.

Obesity Reviews: Effect of Exercise Training on Weight Loss, Body Composition Changes, and Weight Maintenance in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.

Current Biology: Energy Compensation and Adiposity in Humans.

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Fitness May Matter More Than Weight Loss for Health and Longevity - WebMD

Its inevitable, with the New Year comes New Years resolutionsmany of which have to do with losing weight. The problem: Concentrating on weight doesnt necessarily end in dropping pounds. In fact, it can lead to yo-yo dieting.

Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., study author of a recent review of research that examined the mortality risk reduction associated with weight loss compared to physical activity (FYI, risk was lower with the latter), tells Runners World that research shows an association between gaining and losing weight repeatedly and harmful health outcomes, including negative affects on cardiovascular health.

Previous research agrees, noting yo-yo-ing can contribute to cardiovascular morbidity, because of its effects on things like hypertension, visceral fat accumulation, changes in adipose tissue fatty acid composition, and insulin resistance. Thats why Gaesser points to promoting overall fitness rather than just shedding weight as a smarter New Years resolution.

It makes sense, too. Losing weight is a goal that takes time and we are generally not patient people, Haley Perlus, Ph.D.,a sport and performance psychologist tells Runners World. When we do not lose weight as quickly as we would like, we get discouraged and frustrated, often leading us to counteract any progress we made in a pint of ice cream, week off of fitness, or completely throwing our health regimens out the window.

This alone can take a toll on our mental well-being. Its a cycle of highs and lows emotionally, says Hillary Cauthen, PsyD, CMPC, co-owner of Texas Optimal Performance & Psychological Services, LLC in Austin, Texas and an executive board member for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. We are rewarded with the weight loss and gain improvement in our self-esteem; confidence increases as well as other physiological responses. However, when weight is gained, we can have a decrease in mood, lower confidence, self-critical comments and an increase in depressive symptoms.

Plus, when folks say they want to lose weight, what they really mean is you want to feel fit and healthy, Daniel Fulham ONeill, MD, EdD, a sports psychologist, orthopaedic surgeon and author of Survival of the Fit: How Physical Education Ensures Academic Achievement and a Healthy Life explains to Runners World. You want to feel some muscle tone when you are in the shower. You want to stand firm, strong, and balanced on your own two feet. You want to get out of bed in the morning looking forward to the day.

This idea of focusing on fitness is what will actually lead to a longer and better quality of life, and its also why you must be more intentional with the goals you set. So we tapped a few sports psychologists to help you do just that, as well as discuss why more movement- and health-based goals could be the real key to your New Year success. Consider this your wellness crib sheet for 2022.

Its not just about setting a fitness goal. To be effective, you need to explore why this goal means so much to you, Cauthen says. When we focus on the why, we can tap into our motivation to maintain progress toward the goal, then we can break down goals to be more process-oriented that will set us up for success.

Once you have your why or purpose, zero in in the details to get it done. Thats where S.M.A.R.T. specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-basedgoals come into play. Though Cauthen offers up the catch phrase: Dont be S.M.A.R. T. be S.M.A.R.T.E.R., adding evaluate and re-set into the mix. Having a process in place with setting the goal, knowing why you are setting the goal, and then how you will work toward your goal will enhance your effectiveness on reaching these goals, she says. We also need to be kind to ourselves and check in, which is why it is important to be reflective and intentional and be willing to change and adapt your goals.

For example, if your goal is increasing your fitness and moving your body more, you have to put a roadmap in place to achieve it. Does it mean being more intentional about moving your body for 30 minutes a day? And if so, what activities might you do to fulfill this? Is it through daily 30-minute (or longer) walks with your dog or running for 30 minutes each day?

Spending time not only setting the goal but placing it into your lifestyle and seeing how you will make small changes daily will allow you to maintain motivation and success on goal execution, adds Cauthen, who notes that building awareness in your physical capabilities, emotions, and energy level can help shift to a mindset of overall healthy living.

There are plenty of movement- and fitness-based goalsrunning your first 5K, hiking a trail with a new personal record time, achieving crow pose, increasing your push-ups by five more repsthat have nothing to do with weight loss, but can truly get you to that end result if you are consistent.

The catch is that you need to coach yourself while understanding the level you are at now, not where you aspire to be, Dr. O'Neill says. If you are a JV player, looking to have some laughs and get fit, don't treat yourself like something more. In other words, you dont/shouldnt have to train like Eliud Kipchoge to run your fastest marathonor even that person you envy on Instagram. Just push your own pace and mileage and focus on what you can do and how you can improve.

These goals should be set just above your current level of ability where you will feel a bit of nervous energy, adds Dr. Perlus, who notes this will give you the best shot at achieving something quickly. You can then use your successes to motivate you, increase confidence, and help you to focus on the next similar goal.

Dont let your but get in the way. If you set a goal to run after work, youll never achieve it if you always say I want to run, but Im too tired. The but story will always win in the end, Perlus says. However, reframing your but story to one that supports your goal is what will help us to break through and be successful.

Perlus recommendation: Instead of I want to run, but Im too tired, tell yourself, The truth is, my body has been sitting all day and is well rested. Its my mind and emotions that are tired. Running will give my body good stress and help me recover my mind and emotions. Perlus says that when you can create a supportive story for the goals you set, that will make them easier to achieve.

not feel like another job. Basketball, tennis, biking and hiking clubs, ski groups, broomball, and of course, run clubsthats the cool stuff, says Dr. O'Neill, who notes that getting fit should usually be the best part of your day. Know why you do some fun healthy activity every day? Because it makes you feel good, and every part of life gets easier, gets better, he adds.

Ultimately, there are no tricks or shortcuts to fitness, Dr. ONeill says. We need to reel it in slowly and methodically, giving ourselves claps on the back for small successes along the way. So start with an intention every day to be mindful of one area you can focus on that will help you feel better in the next 24 hours. Then, reset the next day, adds Cauthen.

Finally, Perlus suggests you ask yourself two questions every single day: What did I achieve today? And what do I get to do next? These questions will help you to be grateful for your effort towards your goals, achievement, and future successes, she says. In time, you will look in the mirror and love who you seeand what you see will take care of itself.

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New Year's Fitness Resolutions | How to Achieve Fitness Goals - Runner's World

A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, at least from a thermodynamic standpoint. It's defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius (2.2 pounds by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

But when it comes to health and your body's energy balance, not all calories are equal.

For example, some studies have reported that diets that are high-protein, low-carbohydrate or a combination of the two do yield greater weight loss than diets with other levels of fat, protein and carbs.

There are many factors that influence what a calorie means for your body. Here's what we understand about calories and nutrition so far.

Energy actually available to your bodyIn the late 1800s, chemist WO Atwater and his colleagues devised a system to figure out how much energy that is, how many calories various foods contain. Basically, he burned up food samples and recorded how much energy they released in the form of heat.

Not every bit of energy in food that can combust in the lab is actually available to your body, though. What scientists call metabolizable energy is the difference between the total energy of the food consumed and the energy that passes out of your body, undigested, in feces and urine. For each of the three macronutrients proteins, carbohydrates and fats Atwood devised a percentage of the calories they contained that would actually be metabolizable.

According to the Atwater system, one gram of each macronutrient is estimated to provide a certain number of calories. The U.S. Department of Agriculture still uses these calculations today to come up with an official calorie number for every food.

How much energy you useWhat you eat can affect what scientists call your body's energy expenditure. That's how much energy it takes to keep you alive energy you use breathing, digesting, keeping your blood flowing and so on along with what you exert moving your body. You might have heard this referred to as metabolism.

Diet quality can alter the body's energy expenditure, which is also called the thermic effect of food.

In another study, high-fat diets led to lower total energy expenditure than high-carb diets did. Other researchers reported that although substituting carbs for fat did not alter energy expenditure, people who increased their protein intake to 30%-35% of their diet used more energy.

In general, diets high in carbohydrates, fat or both produce a 4%-8% increase in energy expenditure, while meals high in protein cause an 11%-14% increase above the resting metabolic rate.

Quality of the calories you eat Dietitians pay attention to a food's glycemic index and glycemic load that is, how quickly and how much it will increase your blood glucose levels. A rise in blood glucose triggers the release of insulin, which in turn influences energy metabolism and storage of excess energy as fat.

Foods like white rice, cakes, cookies and chips are all high on the glycemic index/load. Green vegetables, raw peppers, mushrooms and legumes are all low on the glycemic index/load. There is some evidence to suggest that foods lower on the glycemic index/load may be better for keeping blood sugar levels regulated regardless of the calories they contain.

Reward centers in the brain light up when people eat high glycemic index/load foods, highlighting the pleasurable and addictive effect of foods like candy or white breads.

The fiber content of food is another thing to consider. Your body can't digest fiber found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans for energy. So foods high in fiber tend to have less metabolizable energy and can help you feel full on fewer calories.

Empty caloriesThose from foods with minimal or no nutritional value are another factor to consider. Things like white sugar, soft drinks and many ultra-processed snacks don't provide much, if any, benefit in the form of protein, vitamins or minerals along with their calories. The opposite would be nutrient-dense foods that are high in nutrients or fiber, while still being relatively low in calories. Examples are spinach, apples and beans.

And don't think of empty calories as neutral. Nutritionists consider them harmful calories because they can have a negative effect on health. Foods that are the biggest contributors to weight gain are potato chips, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages and meats, both processed and unprocessed. On the other hand, foods that are inversely associated with weight gain are vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and yogurt.

More to health than calories and weightIt is indisputable that for weight loss, the difference between the number of calories consumed and the number of calories exerted through exercise is the most important factor. But don't fool yourself. While weight plays a role in health and longevity, weight loss alone doesn't equate to health.

Yes, some high-protein diets seem to promote weight loss at least in the short term. But epidemiologists know that in areas where people live the longest close to 100 years on average they eat a primarily plant-based diet, with very low or no animal-based protein and low or moderate fat in the form of mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

I often hear friends or clients say things like it's those carbs that are making me fat or I need to go on a low-carb diet. But these complaints drive dietitians like me, well, nuts. Carbohydrates include foods like Coca-Cola and candy canes, but also apples and spinach. Cutting down on simple carbs like soft drinks, refined-flour bakery items, pasta and sweets will definitely have a positive impact on health. But eliminating carbohydrates like vegetables and fruit will have the opposite effect.

A plant-based diet high in plant-based protein and carbohydrates mostly from vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes is the healthiest diet researchers know of for longevity and prevention of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, hypertension and many other conditions.

The modern Western diet suffers from an increase in quantity of calories consumed with a concurrent decrease in the quality of calories consumed. And researchers now know that calories from different foods have different effects on fullness, insulin response, the process of turning carbs to body fat, and metabolic energy expenditure.

Where your health is concerned, count more on the quality of the calories you consume than the calorie count.

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Not all calories are equal: How different ways the kinds of foods you eat matter to your body - Economic Times

Whether the holidays were a time of a little extra indulging or its been a while since youve hit the gym regularly, you may be wondering if trying or cleanse or detox is the best way to jumpstart some weight loss, get back on a healthy diet plan, and reset your metabolism. Cleanses and detox diets are extremely popular. There are tons of commercial juice diets you can order, or enemas, or lemon and cayenne drinks recipes to follow, and expensive supplements and diet pills said to help detox your body, just to name a few.

Many of these popular programs claim to help rid your body of toxins, cleanse your blood and liver, and enable you to drop a significant amount of weight quickly. But do cleanses actually work? Are they safe? Is a cleanse the same thing as a detox diet? Is there an effective way to reset your metabolism and kickstart weight loss? Keep reading for the answers to these questions and the basics of cleanses and diet detoxes.

A cleanse is typically some kind of diet or regimen that aims to improve digestion and clean your system out, whereas a detox is said to systematically remove toxins that have built up in your blood, liver, or kidneys so that you feel more revitalized and healthy. Cleanses and detox diets usually involve a period of fasting followed by some kind of juice or liquid diet protocol with a strong emphasis on the complete avoidance of certain food groups like gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, sweeteners, and perhaps even solid food. There may also be specific herbs, teas, supplements, and or enemas involved in the cleanse or detox as well.

The most important takeaway is that several of the claims made by detox dietsmainly that they can stimulate your liver and kidneys to eliminate excess toxinsare not true. Providing your body with healthy nutrients and steering clear of inflammatory foods like sugar, alcohol, and processed ingredients will reduce inflammation, support digestion, and aid circulation, but the liver and kidneys already detoxify nearly all harmful compounds in circulation and remove them via urine, feces, sweat, and even expired air. Heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can build up in different tissues of the body over time; however, there is no evidence to suggest that detox diets can effectively get rid of these compounds. Therefore, the actual detoxing or toxin-eliminating claims of detox diets are not true. That said, there can be some health benefits to cleanses and detox diets.

While cleanses and detox diets do not increase the elimination of toxins in your body or spur your liver and kidneys to go into turbo mode, there can be physical and behavioral benefits to short-term cleanses and detoxes. For example, while a cleanse or detox diet wont remove heavy metals that are already in your body from storage, you likely wont be ingesting other inflammatory compounds during the cleanse. Foods containing trans fats and hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners and sugar, salt, food dyes, and chemicals, and even gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and certain other ingredients can be inflammatory. If youre following a cleanse that focuses on fresh produce like organic fruits and vegetables in their raw, cooked, or juiced forms, youll be giving your digestive system a break from breaking down fats, protein, and these other potentially inflammatory compounds from processed foods.

Because cleanses are so restrictive, most people do experience modest weight loss. However, results can be short-term if a healthy, calorie-controlled diet is not maintained after the end of the cleanse. That said, severe caloric restriction is not safe and not supportive of metabolic health, particularly if maintained beyond a couple of days. Consider intermittent fasting as an alternative way to get some of the weight loss benefits of a cleanse in a more metabolically effective and safe manner. Long-term starvation diets, in turn, will slow your metabolic rate and can disrupt hormonal balance and can encourage fat storage rather than fat loss.

Lastly, some people enjoy behavioral and emotional benefits from following a short-term cleanse or detox program. Just as a digital detox can be a much-needed break from technology and an eye-opener as to your reliance on phones, TV, and other devices, a diet detox or cleanse can help reset your palate, cravings, and unhealthy eating patterns. A cleanse may reduce sugar cravings and restore mindfulness around eating, helping you stick to a healthier, more balanced diet upon completion.

Again, the primary thing to keep in mind when embarking on a cleanse or detox diet is that you arent actually going to be eliminating any toxins from your body. Even if this isnt your only goal, there are still a few additional precautions to consider. Nearly all cleanses involve severe caloric restriction, which can cause low energy, headaches, blood sugar irregularities, arrhythmias, and bad breath. This may not be advisable for those with certain health conditions (particularly diabetes, eating disorders, and pregnancy/lactation), so you should consult your doctor if you take medications or have illnesses or medical disorders. Colon cleanses that use laxatives and diuretics often cause severe diarrhea and excessive urination and can lead to dehydration, nausea, and vomiting.

If you use commercial diet pills and herbal supplements as part of your cleanse, its important to keep in mind that many of these products are not regulated by the FDA. As such, they may be dangerous in high doses and the labels can be inaccurate. It is highly advisable to avoid any products that are not regulated and that may contain harmful substances or doses; just because something is herbal, does not mean it is safe; for example, ephedra can cause convulsions and heart irregularities.

These are some of the food groups that most cleanses eliminate:

Some even eliminate solid foods and only encourage juicing and drinking broths. That said, most allow free consumption of healthy vegetables and fresh fruits, which provide all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. There are some healthy juices packed with antioxidantsto reduce free radical damage and support health. For example, you might try cold-pressed juices from Factor, which retain all of the nutrients and have no added sugars. Green tea is also usually encouraged, as there is evidence that it increases metabolic rate, aids metabolism, and reduces oxidative damage in the body.

Cleanses and detox diets can be a potentially effective way to transition to a nutritious diet free from processed foods and excessive sugar, salt, and fat. That said, a detox diet does not eliminate toxins from the body and there are dangers associated with long-term or severe caloric restriction, diet pills, and supplements, laxatives, and diuretics.

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Do Cleanses and Detox Diets Really Work? - The Manual

When it comes to losing weight, we often hear the same thingseat well, exercise, get enough sleep. But there can be a lot of external factors that may make it harder, if not impossible, to maintain or lose weight. The functioning of your metabolism can play a big role in whether or not youre able to see results. Your metabolism refers to the process by which your body turns food and drink you digest into energy. If your metabolism isnt working how it should, it may reduce your bodys ability to burn caloriesthis can make weight loss particularly hard because being in a calorie deficit is necessary for this to occur. Lots of things can impact your metabolism, from stress to genetics, and even your age. This is why, as you get older, its important to lead a lifestyle that supports a healthy metabolism.

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First of all, why can your metabolisms functionality wane as you age? Losing muscle, which is common as you age, can affect it. [Muscle mass] helps keep your metabolism revved up, Says Lisa Young, PhD, a nutritionist in private practice, Limiting exercise can also slow down your metabolism as can yo-yo diets and severe calorie restriction. It may be tempting to try intense diets that promise quick results, but this is counterintuitive if your goal is lasting weight loss. Young shared with us her favorite tips for maintaining a diet that will keep your metabolism strong.

Skip the Soda

Sugary beverages have been linked to weight gain, obesity, and diabetes, and the over 40 crowd needs to be more careful to watch weight and sugar as the pounds creep on as you age. Sugary drinks, also dubbed liquid calories, can contribute to poor health and weight gain. Because you arent chewing, its easier to drink too much quickly without registering signals of fullness.

Limit Oversized Portions

Large portions contain more calories than small portions and encourage us to eat more. The over 40 crowd needs to watch calories and portions more closely.

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Being a Couch Potato

It is very important if you are over 40 to partake in an exercise routine to help keep your metabolism revved up and to avoid weight gain.

Limit Late Night Eating

When we eat late at night we tend to eat junk food and we dont have time to burn the calories making it easier to gain weight. Limit the ultra processed foods late at night and if you must have something, enjoy fresh fruit.

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Nutritionists Say You Should Be Breaking These 4 Habits To Boost Your Metabolism Over 40 - SheFinds