What you eat matters. Many studies have shown that the types of food you eat affect your health. But what about the timing? Scientists are just beginning to understand that when you eat may also make a difference.

Throughout history, people have experienced periods when food was either scarce or completely lacking, says Dr. Valter Longo, an NIH-funded longevity researcher at the University of Southern California. So, they were forced to fast, he says.

But current technologylike refrigeration, transportation, and electric lightinghave made food more readily available.

This has shifted our eating patterns, explains Dr. Vicki Catenacci, a nutrition researcher at the University of Colorado. People now eat, on average, throughout a 14-hour period each day.

Studies suggest that this constant food intake may lead to health problems. Researchers have started looking at whether fasting can have potential benefits for some people.

Fasting diets mainly focus on the timing of when you can eat. There are many different fasting diets, sometimes called intermittent fasting.

In time-restricted feeding, you eat every day but only during a limited number of hours. So, you may only eat between a six- to eight-hour window each day. For example, you might eat breakfast and lunch, but skip dinner. In alternate-day fasting, you eat every other day and no or few calories on the days in between. Another type restricts calories during the week but not on weekends.

But scientists dont know much about what happens to your body when you fast. Most research has been done in cells and animals in the lab. That work has provided early clues as to how periods without food might affect the body.

In some animals, certain fasting diets seem to protect against diabetes, heart disease, andcognitivedecline. Fasting has even slowed the aging process and protected against cancer in some experiments.

In mice, weve seen that one of the effects of fasting is to kill damaged cells, and then turn onstem cells, explains Longo. Damaged cells can speed up aging and lead to cancer if theyre not destroyed. When stem cells are turned on, new healthy cells can replace the damaged cells.

Now, studies are starting to look at what happens in people, too. Early results have found that some types of fasting may have positive effects on aspects of health like blood sugar control, blood pressure, andinflammation. But fasting can also cause weight loss. So researchers are studying whether the beneficial changes seen in the body are side effects of the weight loss or the fasting process itself.

For many people, the main reason to try fasting is to lose weight. Currently, most people try to lose weight by restricting how many calories they eat each day.

That doesnt work for everyone, Catenacci explains. It takes a lot of focus. It takes a lot of math, and a lot of willpower.

One of Catenaccis studies showed that, over a two-month period, adults who were overweight or obese were equally likely to lose about 15 pounds when they either completely fasted every other day or restricted their calories every day.

For some people, restricting calories every day may be the best approach. For others, it might be easier to not have to count calories every day and use an intermittent fasting strategy for weight loss, says Catenacci. The best diet for any given person is the one that they can adhere to. I dont think weight loss is a one size fits all approach.

Now her research team is running a similar study to compare how much weight participants lose with fasting versus calorie restriction, but over a one-year period. Theyre also testing whether adding a small meal on fasting days will make it easier to stick to as a longer-term weight loss strategy.

But are the benefits from fasting all due to weight loss or is there something more to it? Theres a lot of debate about whether the benefits of intermittent fasting are due to the extended fasting period itself, says Dr. Courtney Peterson, an NIH-funded nutrition researcher at the University of Alabama.

To understand this better, Peterson did a study in pre-diabetic men. It was designed so the volunteers would not lose weight. The men ate an early time-restricted feeding diet for five weeks. They could eat only between 8 am to 2 pm. They then fasted for the next 18 hours. Next, they ate the same amount of food but only during a 12-hour period per day for five weeks. None of the men lost weight.

The longer fasting period alone made a difference. The early time-restricted diet improved their blood sugar control, Peterson says. And we found a blood pressure lowering effect equivalent to what you see with a blood pressure medication.

These findings suggest that an extended fast or the timing of when you eateven when it doesnt affect your weightcan bring health benefits for some people.

Fasting may bring health benefits, but Longo cautions that theres still a lot we dont know. For some, fasting may cause problems. For example, studies have found that people who regularly fast more than 16 or 18 hours a day have a higher risk of gallstones. Theyre also more likely to need surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Eating for 12 hours and then fasting for 12 hours is likely safe for most people, Longo explains. That pattern of eating is very common among people who have record lifespans, he says. It seems to match both science and tradition.

Longo and his team are also looking at fasting-mimicking diets, which they hope will be safer and easier to follow than completely fasting. They designed a five-day, monthly fasting-mimicking diet that allows some food, but is low in calories. They tested the diet for three months in a recent study. Those who stayed on the diet lost weight and showed decreases in age-related disease risk factors.

But he and other experts caution against people trying fasting diets that are not based on research. If youre considering fasting, talk with your health care provider first. People with certain health conditions or who are taking certain medications should not try fasting at all (see the Wise Choices box).

Even if you fast sometimes, you still need to make healthy food choices overall, Peterson explains. It looks like when you eat matters a lot, but what you eat probably matters more.

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To Fast or Not to Fast - The Epoch Times

Menopausal weight gain can be notoriously hard to shift and while there are many diets out there promising fast results, experts warn that while they are "appealing", they're not "evidence-based". So what can women do to prevent expanding belly fat in their abdominal region?

Nanette Santoro, the chair of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora and a longtime menopause researcher explained: "There are a lot of compelling theories and good science being done around his question, but there are currently few answers.

"Mid-body weight gain is almost universal among menopausal women."

She noted that weight gain will differ from person to person, with a percentage of women experiencing "more rapid weight gain and more fat accumulating around the abdomen during the menopausal transition".

"Still, little is known about why these women seem to have to work much harder on maintaining their body weight during this time," she added.

READ MORE:Diet: Expert warns against common mistake

Due to declining oestrogen levels and age-related loss of muscle tissue, what a woman eats and how she exercises is very important when it comes to her weight.

Lifestyle factors such as a balanced diet made up of whole foods, fruits and vegetables is recommended by nutrition experts at Free Soul who also noted a recent study finding that vegan diets in particular could actually help them maintain a healthy weight.

The 2018 trial, published in the National Library for Medicine, uncovered that menopausal women who followed a vegan diet with no other food restrictions lost "more weight at a higher rate overall" than those following a low-fat restricted diet.

This indicated to the researchers that a balanced vegan diet could help to support a healthier lifestyle for those concerned with weight gain during menopause.

READ MORE:Michael Mosley weight loss: Remove three foods to stay slim

A vegan diet, like any, can be done under intermittent fasting regulations.

Dr Lynn Pattimakiel, a certified menopause practitioner, said this method could aid weight loss, adding: "This type of eating pattern can help you burn calories more efficiently."

She made it clear that skipping meals is a "no-go", but revealed some people have success by consuming their healthy goal calories within an eight-hour window.

While many diets need further research and scientific approval, there is evidence supporting the idea that intermittent fasting can help some people lose weight.

In a 2021 review published in JAMA Network Open, found there was "moderate to high quality" evidence of weight loss benefits for those suffering with the menopause.

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Menopause diet plan that works - and helps burn calories 'more efficiently' - Express

Over the years, Lisa Riley has stunned fans by dropping an incredible amount of weight. She has shed a whopping 12 stone, going from a dress size 28 and slimming down to a 12 or a 14, something she is extremely proud of.

The Mandy Dingle actress revealed she follows a very simple weight loss method that has helped with her success.

She said previously: "I have no food after 6.30pm."

This dieting technique is commonly referred to intermittent fasting.

It has become increasingly popular over recent years, with many swearing by the dieting process for their weight loss.

READ MORE:Diet: Expert warns against common mistake

It's an eating style that sees people follow an eating schedule every day, consuming food during a set number of hours during a specific window of time, then fast for the remaining hours.

Dietician Pamela Peeke, author of Body for Life for Women, advised: "Dont eat too much too late as eating later in the evening is murder for trying to keep weight off."

And in order to see maximum benefits, nutrition expert Tim Spector, suggested a 14-hour fasting window and in order to do this, people must push back their breakfast.

He identified that eating a later breakfast could benefit weight loss because people are eating dinner much later at night than in the past, with the average person stopping eating at 9pm.

Lisa stopped eating at 6:30pm to maximise her fasting.

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He said: "Fasting for 14 hours a day, using a later breakfast, but overall eating the same amount, is easier to achieve long term.

"It works because the microbes in our gut have a circadian rhythm like us and need a rest period.

"Studies suggest a later breakfast to achieve 14 hours of fasting could help people to lose four to 11 pounds of weight over several months of doing it."

Alongside this, Lisa's new look is the result of a combination of exercising, swapping to a healthy diet and cutting out alcohol.

READ MORE:Michael Mosley weight loss: Remove three foods to stay slim

Lisa now opts for "smaller portions" of food so she doesn't over-eat and stays away from "quick-fix" diet trends.

"I dont believe in fad diets, even though I have tried them before," she said.

"I've been going to Zumba classes which is fun," she added, revealing she finds the gym "boring".

"I only eat a carb if I need one and absolutely no bread or booze."

Lisa revealed she decided to stop drinking alcohol for initially nine months alongside her pregnant friends.

Read more:
Lisa Riley shed 12st with simple diet method that's 'easier to achieve' - how she did it - Express

Intermittent Fasting involves consuming all your calories within a set period and fasting for the rest of the day. There are different approaches to intermittent fasting, the most popular being an 8:16 split meaning you consume your calories in an eight-hour eating window and fast for the other 16 hours of the day.

You can also do a 10:16, 16:10, or even a 6:20 eating: fasting split. The concept is that you will eat fewer calories since you are squeezing them into a narrower timeframe instead of consuming them throughout the day.

Intermittent Fasting is the most popular diet online, receiving a huge 1.2 million average monthly searches worldwide. Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston are among the many celebrities to endorse the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.

Advantages of Intermittent Fasting: Leads to weight loss help improve insulin resistance, reduce oxidative stress on your cells, stabilize blood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of strokes.

Disadvantages of Intermittent Fasting: It can be challenging to stick with long-term due to low energy, cravings, habits, and the discipline required to stick to the specific time frames. Studies investigating intermittent fasting also point to specific side effects that may occur during the fasting stage, for example, mood swings, constipation, dehydration, or diminished sleep quality.

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The pros and cons of popular diets - HOLA! USA

Liam also revealed the point in his weight loss journey when he felt the most fully invested in his goals.

The first big jump in clothes really set us on our way, he said. There is nothing more satisfying than being able to see a visible difference. That took us both approximately six weeks.

Hannah added: Snacking always used to be a problem for us, but we soon realised that eating between meals didnt have to dramatically increase calorie counts.

Our main go-to is protein bars - they have satisfying textures and flavours, but you dont feel the usual guilt of having too much sugar. We opted for high in fibre, low in sugar snacking alternatives, which fuelled us for the whole day. Id say the key to snacking is to find something healthy that doesnt compromise on flavour or taste.

READ MORE:Michael Mosley used 'helpful' diet to lose 10kg and reverse diabetes

The rest is here:
Rapid weight loss diet that helped couple lose 12st for their wedding - 'So easy!' - Express

Internet commenters were outraged after one man shared a laundry list of complaints about his girlfriend's diet and weight with a popular online forum.

In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/unlucky_Revolution27 (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) issued multiple negative opinions about his partner's body and expressed his concern with moving forward without dramatic intervention.

Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for encouraging my girlfriend to lose weight?" the since-deleted post received more than 6,000 upvotes and 3,500 comments in the last day.

"I'm 27 years old and have a girlfriend of [six] years who I live with," OP began. "She's about 19 [pounds] heavier than when we first met and on her 5'2" frame it definitely shows."

Continuing to explain that his girlfriend regularly consumes cannabis and recently "started eating like s**t," the original poster said he confronted her about her habits and convinced her to follow his strict diet and exercise plan.

The original poster also said that he "did everything to support her in losing weight," but lamented that his efforts were all for naught.

"I finally sat her down last month and said enough is enough," OP wrote. "I paid for an expensive supplement program, I woke up early in the morning and prepared her healthy lunches she could take to work.

"Today I borrowed her car and found fast food wrappers everywhere...she's been picking up fast food everyday," OP continued. "I confronted her and she started crying.

"[My girlfriend's sister] said I was being controlling and an a**hole. But from my perspective I simply just want her to be healthy," OP added. "We don't even have kids yet so to be gaining this type of weight so rapidly is definitely concerning to me."

Expressing concern, or any other sentiment, about a loved one's weight is a delicate matter that needs to be handled accordingly.

Whether addressing a dangerous weight gain or loss, leading mental health publication Psychology Today maintains that there is a right wayand a wrong wayto do so.

Unfortunately, the "wrong" way is far more common, and closely mirrors the methodology detailed within the viral Reddit post.

While compassion, empathy, love and respect are necessary when speaking with a loved one about their weight, clinical psychologist and Psychology Today contributor Jennifer Kromberg advises against many popular strategies including offering "helpful" weight-related tips, framing discussions around weight and closely monitoring food and exercise.

"Keep the discussion focused on health," Kromberg recommends. "Stick to speaking about your love and concern for him or her personally. Do not focus on how he or she canor shouldreach the goal."

Despite the original poster's repeated assertions that he is concerned for his girlfriend's health, Redditors responding to the viral post were quick to call out how he addressed those concerns and speculated that his uneasiness is rooted outside the realm of physical well-being.

"[You're the a**hole]," Redditor u/StAlvis wrote in the post's top comment, which has received nearly 22,000 upvotes. "You don't attack people who need to work on healthier eating habits.

"You have no reason to suspect she isn't [healthy]," they continued. "You're just concerned with how attractive she is to you."

Redditor u/andravens, whose comment has received nearly 10,000 upvotes, offered a similar response.

"Have you ever considered asking her what's driving her to eat and the need to smoke?" they questioned. "You're offering all sorts of support for the physical and nothing for the mental and emotional.

"If you only care about why she's gaining weight because of her looks and passing care for her physical health you need to take a step back and re-evaluate," they continued. "Drop the talk about weight loss."

"If you no longer want to be with your girlfriend because she's gained 19 [pounds], just go ahead and break up with her," another Redditor chimed in, receiving nearly 4,000 upvotes.

"You're just a controlling a**hole who clearly values some impossibly strict physical beauty standards over your actual relationship with your very human girlfriend," they added.

Link:
Man Slammed for Complaints Over Girlfriend's Diet and Weight: 'Controlling' - Newsweek

The rift between the Democrats and Republicans is nothing compared to the chasm separating those on either side of the keto camp. But, love it or hate it, its undeniable that the ketogenic diet has left its mark on the minds and waistlines of the country.

According to data gathered from Google Trends, however, interest in the ketogenic diet has never been lower, dropping 94% since its peak in May 2018.

What is The Ketogenic Diet?

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a diet that flips conventional wisdom on its head. Instead of eating low fat and restricting calories, keto proponents tell us to eat high fat until were full.

The limitation, however (theres always a restriction somewhere when dieting), is that you must restrict carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates are in starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. However, quitting starchy foods is not enough to stay in ketosis. Most people on the ketogenic diet consume no fruit, root vegetables, or other foodstuff containing carbs.

Most recommend that you stay under 20g of net carbs daily to stay in ketosis. For reference, a single apple is 25g.

The preferred macronutrients by calorie split for ketogenic dieters:

75% fat20% protein5% carbohydrateCan You Really Lose Weight Eating Bacon and Butter?

For the uninitiated, the ketogenic diet seems absurd. A slab of butter in my morning coffee, followed by eggs and bacon, will help me lose weight?

No matter how counterintuitive it may seem, the results speak for themselves. Peoples personal experiences fill every keto-related comment thread, and theyve lost vast amounts of fat eating fat. I decided to try it in 2018 and lost 20 lbs in the first six weeks. So theres no doubt that the ketogenic diet is effective now, but how does it work?

Ketones are the key. Ketones are an alternative fuel source the body can use if glucose (blood sugar) levels are low. Ketones are produced in the liver from fat cells. Once the body switches to this alternative energy source, its said to be in ketosis.

A person in ketosis is essentially running on fat, that may be dietary fat, from a fatty cut of meat, for example, or stored body fat. This is how ketogenic dieters can achieve such extraordinary feats of fat loss. The body becomes so well adapted to using fat for energy that it willingly consumes body fat 24 hours a day.

When Did Keto Become Popular?

The ketogenic diet has been a known medical treatment for epilepsy since the 1920s, but it wasnt until 2016 that it became a popular diet people used to lose weight.

As the diet began gaining traction in 2018, two influential celebrities further catapulted it into the mainstream: Kourtney Kardashian and Joe Rogan. Rogan published several keto-related podcasts in 2017 and 2018 with experts such as Dom DAgostino, Ph.D. Kardashian wrote a blog post on February 27, 2018, titled I Tried the Ketosis Diet.

Its no surprise that in New Year 2019, more people were Googling the keto diet. Since then, however, searches have only decreased, up ticking each January when everyone makes resolutions, but monthly searches have now fallen 94%.

What Killed Keto?

Most people Googling the keto diet were likely looking for a definition or quick summary to understand the diet. So its natural now that most people know what keto is, these types of searches would go down. So instead, a better metric to track people using the diet is a search term like keto lunch ideas, which is more likely to be Googled by people on keto.

For this term, since its peak in January 2019, its fallen 60%.

I spoke to industry expert Carine Claudepierre who runs Sweet as Honey, a website focused on low carb and keto diet recipes, and asked her if she was feeling the downturn.

I think were at the point where the keto diet isnt a new thing anymore; it doesnt have anything to prove, says Claudepierre.

Most people are already aware of the ketogenic diet. They no longer need a top-level definition or summary, but theres more behind the dramatic loss of interest.

Keto recipes also cost more as they rely on expensive ingredients such as almond flour and avocados that have increased in price massively, says Claudepierre.

Inflation levels hit 13.1% for groceries in August, and stores across the country see increases in many goods, making already expensive keto foods simply out of reach for the budgets of most Americans.

Can Keto Be Affordable?

The ketogenic diet doesnt need to be expensive, you can swap the pricey foods for cheaper ones, but your meals will likely be repetitive and a little less inspired. If thats something you can sacrifice, keto can be affordable. Fatty cuts of meat are often cheaper than their lean counterparts, and leafy greens dont need to cost much.

Look for goods on a keto shopping list that you could see yourself eating and wont break the bank.

So why not buck the trend and make keto one of your goals this year?

Does the Weight Stay Off?

If you continue doing the ketogenic diet, the fat will continue to fall from you, but does it stay off when you shift back to a more traditional diet?

Most find that if they return to their previous bad eating habits, the weight will return, but it doesnt have to be that way. The ketogenic diet is the perfect reset diet. So after the reset, you can potentially have a whole new life if you dont return to your bad eating habits. This was the draw of the ketogenic diet when it first gained popularity in 2018.

Now that the novelty has worn off, however, fewer people are willing to undertake the intense restrictions that the ketogenic diet demands. Claudepierre sees it this way. The keto diet is evolving from a restrictive, permanent diet to a more on-and-off diet. The frequent fluctuations in the data would seem to agree.

My own ketogenic journey continued for 18 months until covid hit in 2020. I became leaner than ever, and despite a lax diet throughout the pandemic, I only regained 10 lbs. So Im now restarting my ketogenic journey and documenting it on Face Dragons.

Should You Give it a Try?

If you feel like youve already tried everything else and are committed to losing weight, the ketogenic diet is an excellent proven method to lose weight fast. Its very restrictive, but it will give you the desired results without starving yourself or enrolling in a Bootcamp.

Keto flu is also a consideration. As the body goes through this change, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and low blood sugar can cause whats known as keto flu, flu-like symptoms in the initial adaptation phase. However, there are natural keto flu cures; the key is staying hydrated and keeping your electrolyte levels high.

If you try the keto diet, give it some time to work. It can take the body weeks to become fully fat adapted, so dont quit if you arent seeing results in a few days. And, of course, talk to a doctor before starting any kind of diet or lifestyle change.

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The Keto Diet Is Losing Followers, Is Inflation to Blame? - The National Herald

FORMER fast food fan Shaine Tench has taken up window cleaning in a bid to lose weight after tipping the scales at 28st.

Shaine, 25, set about slimming down because he started fearing for his health.

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At his worst the ex-takeaway worker was scoffing an entire tub of cookie dough ice cream, two pizzas and three litres of Coca Cola a day.

Shaine who has to clean low level windows because he is too heavy for the ladders admitted: Fast food was destroying my life.

I had it in my head that it was going to kill me.

I realised Id never seen a fat window cleaner.

Theyre always slim and healthy looking, so I thought it would be a great way to lose weight.

Shaine, of Crewe, Cheshire, joined his brothers business A Star Window Cleaning last year.

He said: I believe Im the fattest window cleaner in Britain.

I work with other guys who are much slimmer than me, who can go up the ladders and clean the higher-up windows. Its my dream to be able to do that.

Reflecting on his past, he said Ive spent all my life working in fast food restaurants, meaning I kept piling on weight.

During a shift, Id eat two large pizzas, wedges, chicken strips, and up to three litres of Coke each day. And then I would eat an entire tub of cookie dough ice cream in the space of 15 minutes.

Shaine said he was initially too big to wear a proper window cleaners belt.

He said: I had to get creative and make my own. I ordered a 22in leather belt from Jacamo and added clips I could attach my tools to.

I received some nasty comments on Facebook about people not wanting a fat window cleaner because they didnt think Id be up to the job. It made me want to prove them wrong.

I was 28st and Im now 26st 5lb.

"Id need to lose another 8st to safely go up the ladders, but Im confident I will get there one day.

"I feel great and I am getting fitter.

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Im 28st and taken up window cleaning in bid to lose weight fast food destroyed my life... - The Sun