You thought social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic was going to be your excuse to stress eat and binge watch television all day?

Think again, says nutritional biochemist Shawn Talbott, author of The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health and What You Can Do About It.

A period like this is actually the worst time to be sleeping on healthy habits: a healthy diet, exercise and, yes, plenty of rest, Talbott tells The Post.

Living through a global health and economic crisis can be stressful, to say the least.

Stress is at an all-time high, he says. We dont know when the pandemic is going to end; we dont know when quarantine will end; we dont know what is going to happen with our jobs. All of that creates uncertainty ... and leads to this chronically activated stress response.

That stress response isnt just bad for your psyche, Talbott says. It has the power to Error: Break shortcode syntax invalid down every single tissue in the body, a metabolic reaction called catabolism. This can lead to the immune system, muscle and skin breaking down, among other tissues, he says.

The only part of your body that doesnt seem to shrink is your waistline.

Your belly fat is the only tissue that expands in response to stress as a result of cortisol, warns Talbott, which we already know can also put you at a higher risk of heart disease.

Stress deals a double-whammy to the tummy, he adds: A stress-cortisol craving almost always is for high-sugar, high-fat junk food, and its constantly leading us to want to eat, eat, eat.

Snackers gotta snack, so when the urge strikes, reach for something eye-catching.

Some of the most effective nutrients we know of ... are [in] brightly colored fruits and vegetables, says Talbott. First, theyre full of fiber, which helps support healthy gut bacteria, and, in turn, your immune health.Healthy gut bacteria will gobble up that cortisol before it starts causing problems in other parts of your body, he says.

Flashy fruits such as kiwi, berries, citrus are also high in flavonoids, a nutritional compound which can have a direct anti-stress response in the body, he says.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also an effective way to short-circuit that stress signal in the body. Talbott says fatty or fishy fish, such as mackerel or tuna, are the best source of these so-called healthy fats. And nuts, seeds and flax are great vegetarian sources of omega-3s.

Stress-induced cortisol spikes are what triggers fight or flight mode in animals and the best way to deal with that is to mimic those two responses.

Movement is the most efficient way our bodies can make use of that cortisol, says Talbott. He suggests trying to make time for a little indoor exercise, whether that be jumping jacks, squats or TikTok dance videos. Thats going to be, in a sense, doing exactly what cortisol wants you to do, he says.

After a long day of working, eating right and light (or not) exercise inside your home, you will hopefully be well on your way to a good nights rest, which is also key to keeping stress at bay. If you are sleep deprived, thats going to be one of the things that will really increase your cortisol levels, says Talbott.

But if youre still lacking shut-eye, his favorite nighttime bite is yogurt with granola.

Its a delicious little snack, he says, that can help modulate your blood sugar and cortisol levels so youre less stressed out and have less of that stress eating the next day.

Originally posted here:
Coronavirus stress could lead to weight gain here's how to drop the pounds - New York Post

If you tend to overeat, then you should have a check on your portion control for foods. There are some easy tricks for portion control which can help you for weight loss and management.

We tend to do numerous things for weight loss and management. Workout and strict diet plan are the two most essential things about it. But you might have heard that there are some underlying reasons also which are responsible for the sudden weight gain. One of them is uncontrolled portion eating. We often eat a lot in one meal and then later, we cant even breathe properly. This is extremely unhealthy for our body. Even if its a special occasion, portion control eating is a must for weight loss and control. If we suddenly increase our food intake, the entire effort for dieting will be futile.

But people often cannot control or understand their food portions. Due to which, they increase their food intake. So, they need proper guidance to have a check on their portion eating regularly. So, here we have jotted down some easy ways to control the quantity of food to consume.

Portion Control for food intake: Try these easy tips to limit your food intake.

1- Drink a big glass of water before having your meal. This will give you a feeling of satiety. You wont be able to eat a lot. It will also reduce the risk of dehydration which often causes belly fat.

2-Add lots of veggies to your meal because they give you the feeling of satiety to prevent you from overeating. Spinach, sandwiches, etc. can be eaten as they are rich in fibre.

3- If you start to eat your snacks directly from the box then you will surely eat a lot. Just take a small amount of food and have it.

4-Have a bowl of tasty soup before your meal with a lot of veggies in it. This will make you feel fuller after which you will automatically eat less.

5-Turn off the TV and put your mobile phones away while eating. Research says generally it makes you eat more as you are distracted. As your full attention is on TV or phone, you cannot count on your food intake.

6-Take your food on a small bowl or plate to eat less. Its a great trick to control your food portion.

7-If you are prone to overeating, then keep one-third of your meal aside as if you can have it later. Generally, our hunger takes around 20 minutes to set in. So, by that time you will be satisfied with your meal without taking that extra one.

8-To make your portion more precise you can measure it with a cup before putting it on the plate. For example, take a medium-size cup and fill it half with rice. This quantity would be fixed for your rice consumption. You can decide it accordingly.

9-Use your hand for serving instead of using any measuring tools. For example, when you are having fish, poultry or beans then a palm-sized serving for a woman or a two-palm sized portion for a man is good. A fist-sized portion for women or two-fist sized portion for men is good to have for veggies and salads. For high-carb foods, use one cupped-hand portion for women and two for men. For butter, oils and nuts, use one thumb-sized portion for women and two for men.

10-Eating quickly makes you less aware of your food portion. So, whenever you eatfood, eat slowly, chew properly every bite and sip water in the middle of it to control your portion.

11-Just because you are extremely hungry, dont over eat. Even if you havent eaten for a longer time, always limit your portion.

12-You can consult a dietician for your portion control eating and try to maintain it religiously. You can also maintain a diary to keep a record of your food consumption, so that you can show it to your nutritionist next time.

Self isolation is lonely, let's become companions for each other. Click here to share your lockdown stories anonymously and read what other's have shared.

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Portion Control Eating: THESE are the easy tips to maintain quantity for your food intake - PINKVILLA

When Hamas arrested Palestinian peace activists last week for their participation in a conference call with Israeli counterparts, the New York Times got scooped by, well, just about everyone.

Times reporters David Halbfinger and Muhammed Najib first mentioned the Zoom call in an April 9 story that made no mention of the arrest earlier that day. Their article briefly referenced the conference call, which had taken place three days earlier, by relaying a joke by one of the Gazan activists:

In my opinion, thank you, corona, because corona put the Gaza Strip equal with everyone outside, joked Rami Aman, an activist with the Gaza Youth Committee, on a Zoom call with other Palestinians and Israelis on Monday night.

But by the time Halbfinger shared his article on Twitter around 1 pm eastern time Thursday, Aman was presumably not laughing. He had long been in Hamas custody, having been arrested earlier that morning for what the organizations officials had characterized as treason.

Iyad el Bozom, a Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman, posted on Facebook at 7am eastern time about the arrest, and Amans family confirmed he turned himself in that morning in Gaza.

Indeed, it was only one minute after Halbfinger shared his article on Twitter that Adam Rosgun, a correspondent for the Times of Israel, shared a post of his own about the arrest.

And hours before that, journalist Khaled Abu Toameh posted on Twitter, and on the Jerusalem Post, about the detention of the peace activists.

Had the New York Times bothered to dig even a little deeper, it might have discovered that Hamas has repeatedly arrested and harassed Aman for participating in such calls in the past, notwithstanding the activists open criticism of Israel. And it might have followed up by checking on his well-being after the most recent conference call. But the paper fell short.

Even after multiple Twitter users responded to Halbfingers post to inform him that the activist he mentioned had been arrested, the Times didnt update its article. So as the Associated Press, Reuters, Guardian, Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Agence France Presse, RND, Sputnik, and even Romanias Agerpress covered the arrest that day, the New York Times was playing catch-up. It wasnt until the following day, April 10, that the paper got around to informing readers of Hamass repressive measures against the Palestinian bridge-builders.

But late, as they say, is better than never a truism that felt all-the-more true when the newspaper, after the next extraordinary twist in the story, opted for never. A Gazan who betrayed the activists had been an employee of one of the most prominent human rights NGOs, and Times journalists didnt bother to mention it.

The newspapers story on the arrest pointed out that a journalist named Hind Khoudary had, just prior Amans incarceration, posted angry denunciations on Facebook of Mr. Aman and others on the call, tagging three Hamas officials to ensure it got their attention. It quickly emerged that the same Khoudary who demanded Hamas take action about the conference call was last year employed by Amnesty International.

Is it newsworthy that a so-called human rights organization would hire the type of person that collaborates with a terrorist group to ensure the oppression of peace activists? Not to the New York Times or other mainstream media outlets. It was left to Jewish and pro-Israel researchers to expose the scandalous relationship.

And theres more. Its clear from her social media posts that Khoudary has been a long-time and open supporter of both Hamas and Hezbollah acts of terrorism against Israelis, noted UN Watchs Hillel Neuer. The former Amnesty employee and so-called journalist also retweeted a post calling on Palestinians to self-censor in the interest of anti-Israel resistance.

At the time Amnesty considered hired her, the organization would have only had to look back a few months to find her retweeting a post that ends with a call for death to Israel. No big deal, apparently.

An August 8th, 2018 Twitter post retweeted by Khoudary calls for death to Israel.

Khoudarys relationship with Amnesty International underscores the corruption and bias of NGOs that so many in the media rely upon and treat as self-evidently credible. And it is part of a pattern.

For example, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, Marc Garlasco, who had helped the fallen organization sit in judgment of Israel, turned out to be an avid collector of Nazi memorabilia. (The leather SS jacket makes my blood go cold it is so COOL! he once wrote in an online forum for fellow collectors.)

The Israeli organization Btselem had employed Ataf Abu Rub, a Holocaust denier, to aid its anti-Israel activism. Its a lie, I dont believe it, he said of the Holocaust, unaware that he was being recorded with a hidden camera. Although Btselem spokesperson initially responded to the scandal by insisting the charges were part of a campaign of lies, the organization eventually admitted they were true and fired Abu Rub.

Breaking the Silence, another anti-Israel NGO, was discovered to have worked with and paid Ezra Nawi, an extremist activist who was caught on camera bragging that he acted as an informant for the Palestinian Authority, giving them the names of Palestinians interested in selling land to Israelis so that the Palestinian Authority could kill them.

The rot goes all the way to the top. Consider the way the executive director of Human Rights Watch, Ken Roth, responded to Hamass arrests for the crime of free speech, free association, and peace activism. Roth pulled no punches, turning to the word repressive to express his thoughts on the situation alas, not to describe Hamass repression, but rather to attack Israel.

Of course not all NGOs, and not all employees of human rights organizations, deny the Holocaust, brag about getting Palestinians killed, and encourage arresting peace activists. But it doesnt take much imagination to come to the realization that the organizations that hire such immoral extremists are also full of more vanilla anti-Israel partisans who are inclined to downplay or ignore Palestinian human rights violations. Theres a story there. We just shouldnt expect the New York Times to cover it.

Original post:
On Hamas Repression, the NY Times, and Amnesty International - Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America

Intermittent fasting is a term for meal timing schedules that involve voluntary fasting or reduced calories intake and non-fasting over a given period. Also called intermittent energy restriction, this controlled cycling between fasting and eating is a popular method to lose weight.

That being said, there is nothing new about it; intermittent fasting is a part of religious practices across the world, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism. Practised throughout human history, intermittent fasting might be the secret to health! Read on to know more.

Intermittent fasting is not similar to juicing or eating raw or whole foods because it's not a diet, rather, a pattern of eating. When practising intermittent fasting, you simply schedule your meals to get the most out of them, not changing what you eat, but when you eat.

In this type of intermittent fasting, you alternate between a 24-hour fast day and a 24-hour non-fast day or feasting period. Complete alternate-day fasting or total intermittent energy restriction requires no calories to be consumed on fast days. On the other hand, in modified alternate-day fasting or partial intermittent energy restriction, consumption of up to 25 per cent of daily calorie needs is allowed on fasting days. In simple words, this type of intermittent fasting is alternating days with normal eating and a low-calorie diet.

Periodic fasting is whole-day fasting and it involves a period of consecutive fasting thats more than 24 hours. In the 5:2 diet, for example, you fast one or two days per week. Theres also the extreme version with several days or weeks of fasting! Again, during fasting days, one can go for complete fasting or consume 25 per cent of daily caloric intake.

This involves eating food only during a particular number of hours each day; examples include skipping a meal or following the 16:8 diet, which is a cycle of 16 fasting hours and eight non-fasting hours.

Tip: Understand what intermittent fasting is before changing your diet plan and meal times.

A. Intermittent fasting is a diet plan that comes with bothpros and cons, so depending on your current health and health goals, you can pick a diet or meal plan that works for you.

Avoid intermittent fasting if you:

In women, fasting can cause sleeplessness, anxiety, and hormone dysregulation indicated by irregular periods, among others. So while females should start easy with intermittent fasting, also be cautious if you:

Intermittent fasting is said to bring about positive results for people have a job that allows low-performance periods, are already into dieting and exercising, or are able to monitor calorie and food intake well.

A. Follow these tips:

Identify Your Personal Goals

Whether your goal is to lose weight or improve overall health, identify your needs before getting started on any diet or exercise plan. Consider your lifestyle and design your diet plan and meal schedules accordingly. Remember to set small, realistic goals that you can easily achieve and progress towards instead of setting unattainable goals. Not being able to meet goals will only make youupset, so take it to step by step.

Determine Caloric Needs

With intermittent fasting, simply not eating for a certain period of time wont help you lose weight; you need to create a calorie deficit so youre burning more calories than youre consuming. On the other hand, if you want to gain weight, you need to be consuming more calories than you're burning. So figure out the calories and nutrients you consume and what changes you need to makethere are several tools available for the same. You can also speak to a dietitian for guidance.

Once you figure out your goals and caloric needs, consider how you want to go about meeting your daily and short or long-term goals. Understand the basics of each type of intermittent fasting plan and select one that you think will work for you. Typically, you should stick with any method for at least a month or longer to see if it works for you or not, before trying another one.

In addition to this, remember to start slowyou want to become a healthier version of yourself, not fall ill following extreme diet plans!

A. Keep in mind that hunger passes like a wave. Don't worry about your hunger becoming intolerable; if you ignore it and divert your mind to work or other activities, you'll be okay. When you fast for an extended period of time, hunger often increases on the second day, but it starts to recede gradually. By the third or fourth day, you can expect a complete loss of hunger sensation as your body stays powered by stored body fat!

Most importantly, remember to stay hydrated as more often than not, what you perceive to be hunger is just thirst. Drink up to eight glasses of water a day and sip on juices or teas. Prefer natural sweetenersand flavour enhancers like spices and herbs over sugar or you'll simply be intaking more calories.

Also, avoid looking at pictures and videos offood to keep yourself from temptation!

Read more:
Your Guide To Intermittent Fasting Is Here! - Femina

COLORADO SPRINGS How many stories about how to eat right, and not gain weight during our stay at home orders have you seen or heard? I have heard many of them, and if you're like me -- just hearing them isn't really helping me avoid the pitfalls.

Dr. Kristen Kells, D.C., B.S.c. owns Dr. Kells' Weight Loss in Colorado Springs. She has traveled her own weight loss path, losing 80 pounds nearly 20 years ago, and has been working ever since to research the science and help others find a healthy way of living.

Dr. Kells says, If putting a food plan in front of somebody or reading a story or an email worked, we would all be in perfect condition and have a six-pack.

Like so many of us, Dr. Kells is also dealing with the stresses and challenges of living life under quarantine and social distancing because of the global pandemic. She is doing it on a personal level as a wife and mother, and a small business owner.

When Colorado Governor Jared Polis ordered all non-essential business to close, Dr. Kells explains, We just scrambled, around the clock. Literally overnight, we transitioned everybody to their home so that we can still be fully functional and serve our clients. I am so blessed to have a full team working right now and that we can keep everybody employed and helping our clients. They're answering texts, phone calls, holding virtual meetings to follow up with clients. We've been able to do everything virtually and Im a little surprised we have so many people doing so well!

Emotional eating driven by stress and anxiety is something her team constantly helps clients learn how to cope with, but the isolation and stress brought on in our society by coronavirus has brought that issue to a new level for many.

Dr. Kells says, I've never seen anything like this before, nor has anybody alive. There's so much going on, and eating is one of those things that is a big challenge. Just being healthy is a big challenge.

As she learned for herself over the years, Dr. Kells says there is a science behind why some people are so susceptible to eating their emotions. Most people don't realize that in our gut we have more serotonin receptors that antidepressants target. Its that piece of our brain that tells us our happy thoughts. When we crave food there is a reason for it. Our gut has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system, and it has serotonin receptors that are denser and more populated than in our brain. So there is a reason that we stress eat. When we crave food there is a reason for it.

Dr. Kells also points out that this is an important time to think about losing weight and getting healthy. Looking forward to a healthier body may be key to avoiding the worst symptoms COVID-19 can bring on. We know that the mortality factors for COVID-19 and other illnesses are things like obesity, heart disease, lung problems and diabetes. So the things we can control [in terms of fighting the disease] are our health issues.

While we wait for treatments, and a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, Dr. Kells says you don't have to wait to make positive changes in your life during this very abnormal time when we might be tempted to go the other way. When people start our program we say to them, This is not about us dictating something to you, this is about us working in partnership with you, to empower you. A lot of people can do quick fast weight loss and get skinny, but it's about being healthy for a lifetime. I think if we allow this situation to change us in positive ways, use it as a time for healing, self-care, self-improvement, focusing on our health, our family and our relationships and on nature, we will be a better, kinder world. That's my hope; that's what gets us all through this. What does it look like on the other end? We can use this time to help ourselves and others.

Finally, if you think now is not the time to spend money on a healthier lifestyle, Dr. Kells says, People are financially dealing with a lot of insecurities right now, and we as a small business are working really hard with people that do want to get healthy, but have some insecurities around that. We're getting creative just like a lot of small businesses are, so there are many possibilities like spreading out payments, and other ways we can help people.

If you are interested in learning more about Kells Weight Loss Center, you can visit them on Facebook, or go directly to their webpage (HERE) or give them a call in Colorado Springs at 719-259-0773.

Kellls Weight Loss is a proud sponsor of Your Healthy Family

See more here:
Your Healthy Family: Pandemic stress eating and the dangers and science behind it - KOAA.com Colorado Springs and Pueblo News

Whether youre sending a Happy Birthday! or freaking out over the latest episode of your favorite TV show, you can easily send GIFs to your friends in your Instagram messages.

To send GIFS and animated stickers through Instagrams direct message feature, you have to use one of the social platforms built-in keyboards. After starting any new conversation or opening an old private message thread, you can access the GIF and sticker keyboards by tapping the smiley face icon in the message bar.

Once you select and tap the GIF you want, Instagram will automatically send the image to your friend. At present, sending GIFs through direct message is not yet possible while on Instagrams desktop site, and can only be done through the iOS or Android apps.

Heres how to send your friend GIFS in Instagram messages on your mobile device.

1. Open the Instagram app and enter your Message window by tapping the paper airplane icon in the upper right-hand corner of your newsfeed or by swiping left.

The messages icon remains visible regardless of how far down your feed youve scrolled.Abbey White/Business Insider

2. Choose the Instagram friend you want to send a message to either by tapping an existing conversation thread or by selecting the pencil and paper icon in the upper right to pick a friend.

Tapping the New Message icon opens up a list of friends you can message.Abbey White/Business Insider

3. Tap the smiley face icon in your Message bar.

This bar looks similar to Instagrams search bar and is located at the very bottom of the screen.Marissa Perino/Business Insider

4. A new menu will pop-up. Tap the rightmost GIF icon at the bottom of it.

5. You can select a GIF from the popular list or tap the search bar to search GIPHY.

To columns of the most popular gifs will appear beneath the GIPHY search bar.Marissa Perino/Business Insider

6. As you type, GIPHY will automatically populate results. Scroll by swiping up to view all the results.

The results will change as you add more text in the search bar.Marissa Perino/Business Insider

7. Tap a GIF to send it instantly in the message thread.

As soon as you tap, it will automatically send and appear in your message history.Marissa Perino/Business Insider

Read the original here:
Beyond Weight Loss: Healthy New Year Resolutions - News Lagoon

Photo credit: Courtesy Mark Johnson

From Men's Health

Name: Mark JohnsonAge: 48Occupation: Designated Supervisor of Locomotive EngineersHometown: Davenport, Iowa

Start Weight: 286 poundsEnd Weight: 167 poundsTime Running: 10 months

On July 21, 2019, I went to a training coach. At the time, I weighed 286 pounds, and my manager at the Canadian Pacific Railway recommended I go there to learn healthy habits.

I was the walking dead. I struggled to breathe when I walked. I had tried going to the gym, but I wasnt having success. My diet at the time was fast food and heavy meals at restaurants.

As I told the coach this, he and I both knew I had to make immediate changes. I told the coach that I enjoyed runninghe liked that answer, because he said runners are dedicated to their goals. I knew that if he was going to help me, I had to want it. And if I wanted it, I had to follow the plan 100 percent.

Nutrition was easily the biggest part of my weight-loss journey. I learned how to read food labels, and I made sure to keep my fats, sodium, and added sugars down. I switched to eating a serving of lean protein and a complex carbohydrate roughly every four hours. The protein and carb had to have fewer than three grams of fat, no more than 85 mg of sodium per serving, and very little added sugar.

Meal-prepping was also part of my education. Its crucial to keep me from going out to eat or grabbing a comfort food. Once I completed it for the week, the rest of the week was easy, especially when I work long hours and travel. Plus, as I tried new foods, the meals I made tasted better and better.

Seeing the scale go down each Monday at my weekly weigh-ina requirement from my trainer to hold me accountablewas super motivating, and it helped me to keep up with my plan.

While I was eating better, I was also moving my body more. I picked running because of the mental challenge it provided, in addition to the physical. I had run previously between 2014 and 16, so I knew I shouldnt go go out fast. I could barely walk at the time, so I started by walking on the treadmill. I remember celebrating going 3.2 mph.

Story continues

But each week, I upped the speed and went a little further. Id have the TV on while I ran, and during commercial breaks, Id play with the speed and incline before returning to my comfortable setting when the program returned. When I started jogging at 4.5 mph, I knew I would never stop. By Christmas, I had lost 93 pounds.

Now, I go outside early in the mornings for runs. What I love about this sport is it doesnt require others to go for a run. You dont have to be the fastest or go the furthestyou just have to find a pace that youre comfortable with and go.

Running and improved nutrition went hand-in-hand for me. The more I improved my diet, the more weight Id lose and better fueled Id be for my runs. The more I ran, the more I wanted to fuel my runs better and lose weight.

This has all led to me getting down to 167 poundstwo pounds off of my goal weight of 165. Ive gone from barely walking to being able to run 8- to 11-minute miles. Ive gone from a size 48/50 pants to a 32. All of this in less than a year.

If others wanted to go on a similar journey, I have a few pieces of advice. First, find someone to hold you accountable. For me, it was my coach, who checked in with me and made sure I was staying honest.

Also, nutrition and exercise need to be part of your plan. There are many ways to tackle nutrition, so find the plan that works for you. Then add at least 60 minutes of exercise everyday. The key is getting yourself out there.

Finally, make the change for yourself, not because others want you to change. If you want it you will achieve it, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.

You Might Also Like

Continue reading here:
Revamping His Nutrition and Running Daily Helped This Man Lose 119 Pounds - Yahoo Lifestyle

Let's look at life-changing habits of some people after one month of lockdown due to the virus pandemic, which yielded either positive or negative results:

Losing weight

Jem Chua

1. How much weight did you lose?

I lost 2.3kg (5 lbs)

2. Why do you think you lost weight?

I workout 4 to 5 times a week in quarantine compared to my normal of 3 to 4 times a week. I was also snacking less since there's no more temptation from officemates who love to snack!

Now, I'm mostly eating home-cooked meals since we only take out 1 or 2 times a week when we're craving for something or when my mom's lazy to cook. I only eat rice when ulam (viand) really calls for it and I've been sleeping for 8 hours compared to my usual 4 to 5 hours.

3. After quarantine, what will you do about it?

I will try to sustain a 4 to 5 times workout schedule after the quarantine. I will make up for my lost sessions with The Movement Studio and Planaforma because I really miss them.

I can limit my rice intake too, since I realized that I don't need to eat a lot of rice to get full. I will also eat out less, but maybe after I satisfy my cravings from this lockdown hehe.

Choi Co

1. How much weight did you lose?

I lost 3.6 kg (8 lbs).

2. Why do you think you lost weight?

It was a combination of exercise and diet (but not intentionally) because of quarantine.

I had less snacks because I used to have merienda (snacks) almost two times a day at work. I also did the Chloe Ting workout programs which were pretty intense, so I workout everyday and strictly eat 3 times a day only.

A solution to my sugar cravings was to switch candy, chocolate or cake with half a glass of Gatorade. It's still sweet, but it has less calories. Through this, I didn't feel so deprived of sweets.

3. After quarantine, what will you do about it?

I wanna continue my weight loss and convert fat to muscle. I also want to try and have less sweets.

I also realized that my snacking is related to stress, so I'm planning to have healthier snacks on my work shelf too.

Marco Javier

1. How much weight did you lose?

I lost a little under 3kg or 6 lbs so far.

2. Why do you think you lost weight?

I lost weight because I haven't been able to eat properly due to my new sleeping cycle. I sleep at 3 am and wake up at 11 am or 12 noon and since I work in the government, I was dealing with very urgent tasks for the past week and there's a lack of time to meal prep.

As a result, I've only been eating once or twice a day for the past week.

I think I'm also losing muscle built up from my consistent cardio routine. I haven't exercised at all since the enhanced community quarantine started.

3. After quarantine, what will you do about it?

I just want to get back to my exercise routine! Not really focused on the number on the scale at this point.

Gaining weight

Kim Uy

1. How much weight did you gain?

I gained almost 2 kg or over 3 lbs.

2. Why do you think you gained weight?

I started working out during the ECQ ,since I wanted to become fit and Ive been wanting to have an active lifestyle ever since I retired from swimming. I was gaining mostly muscle.

3. After quarantine, what will you do about it?

If time permits, I'd still love to continue doing home workouts everyday and Id love to join yoga and pilates classes every weekend next time.

Kevin Hapal

1. How much weight did you gain?

I have already gained almost 2 kg (4.4 lbs) this quarantine

2. Why do you think you gained weight?

Because Im lazy, char! The main reason I think is food Ive been eating a lot more often than Im used to. Part of it is just because Im bored out of my mind (or maybe its the stress), so Im craving for something to chew on most of the time.

Also, before the quarantine, Im outside for most of the day, so I eat out, which somehow limits my eating. But now Im at home with a well-stocked refrigerator because its better to buy groceries in bulk these days and theres almost always something to munch on.

It also doesnt help that the grocery store near my place runs out of fresh produce fast, so its not easy to make more balanced meals even if I try.

Then of course, theres the fact that I dont move around as much as before. I dont consider myself an active or fit person, but I at least get to walk to work or hit the gym before the quarantine.

This time, Im lying on my bed for most of my day, even while working (lets not pretend Im the only person who does this).

I tried to buy some home workout tools, but its really hard to motivate yourself to work out here when youre not used to it. Its like my brain is wired to sleep and be lazy whenever Im at home.

I envy people who can work out anywhere because changing my daily routine proved to be quite hard for me.

3. After quarantine, what will you do about it?

I will probably (try to) go on a diet and eat healthier food again but thats maybe a week or two after the quarantine. I need to get my post-lockdown samgpyeoupsal and ramen first.

Just being realistic. I dont think I can will myself to skip eating my favorite comfort foods after being stuck at home for more than a month. I deserve it, we all do.

But yes, Ill be a slave to the gym when the dust settles. Ive never felt as unhealthy. Im afraid if COVID-19 doesnt kill me, extra servings of rice will. Rappler.com

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After 1 month of lockdown, who lost and gained weight? - Rappler

The study explored when early frailty signs are detectable in people ages 40-75, and found that age is not a key determinant: Adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s all had high rates of pre-frailty. You dont have to be in your 70s or 80s to be heading down the path to frailty, says coauthor Sue Gordon, chair of restorative care in aging at Australias Flinders University, who suggests that interventions and self-management start at 40. (Pre-frailty can even show up before 40, but lets not think about that.)

Frailty is to be avoided, because it is associated with a variety of disastrous health outcomes. Frail adults are less able to fight off illness, recover from trauma, or adapt to challenging situations.

Signs of pre-frailty commonly include slow walking speed and weak handgrip, as well as low energy/exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, and low exercise (specifically: little walking and minimal moderate or intense physical activity each week).

Pre-frailty can swiftly progress to frailty with a variety of scenarios, including depression, anxiety, low sleep quality, living alone, and low exercisewhich, researchers note, are all prevalent during the pandemic lockdown.

Rather that sitting at home and growing more frail, the researchers suggest using this time to prevent pre-frailty.

People working from home during the self-isolation period can take the opportunity to reassess their health, habits, and routines to seek ways to make their daily routines and homes better places to live, and live longer in the process, says coauthor Anthony Maeder, chair of digital health systems at Flinders University.

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On lockdown and over 40: Here's how to prevent pre-frailty - Fast Company

Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS Shoes, should have been able to check every box and feel happy. He was a successful entrepreneurwho innovated a give-back program--called One for One-- which was the first"buy one, give one to someone in need" model now used by Bombas and others. Toms (stands for Tomorrow, optimistic that they are improving lives) began when Mycoskie traveled to Argentina and saw many, many kids without shoes. He first went there as a contestant on the Amazing Race andreturned on vacation --which is when he made the decision to launch a shoe company and provide shoes to kids in need.

Fast forward to a day spent surfing not long ago. Everything should have been great: He had sold half of the company, was worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars and yet. . . he was depressed. In his words: not "majorly" depressed but "got to make some changes" depressed. Giving back was one of the missing pieces for Mycoskie, but so was the idea that he wasn't sure what to do with the rest of his life. Checking boxes, other people's boxes, was not enough.

The ideafor a newcompany started to take hold, one that would help people reinvent themselves, change small habits, become better at everything from sleeping to time management, drinking more water and taking care of the things that stand in the way of reaching your fullest potential. It would be called "Madefor" as in helping you answer the question: "What are you made for?" "

Everyone asks what are you made of, Mycoskie says. "But that's not the right question."

He aligned the perfect partners, a dream team of a Stanford neurologist, a former Navy SEAL and himself, both seeker and finder. Theyfound other experts andtogether they created a uniquecurriculum guide that would help people to learn how to use scientifically proven techniques and behavioral changes to break bad habits, one by one--over the course of ten months--and ponder the bigger question: What are You Made For? It may not be what you think.

Made For launched right before this period of a forced time-out from the grind, and Mycoskie sees a strange synergy to the sheltering-at-home timeframe and his guidedprogram for change.The cost is steep: Made For customers pay $75 a month (all at once for $750 or ten payments of $95 one chunk at a time); they receive a kit or box with a self-improvementprops in it (it is proprietary but the websiteoffers a water bottle, a modern version of an hourglass timer,other beautifully curated items. They read a short article and start to learn to modify their behavior from the kit, tackling sleep, hydration, time management, etc. one each month. (MyCoski is quick to add that they do consider "scholarships" for those who need one.)

"You may think you have one of these under control but you learn you could do much better," he says.Here is what Blake has learned (his sleep habits needed a complete makeover) and what he wants you to get from the journey if you sign up to be a participant and use this gift of time to work on your essential self. Surprisingly people keep writing in that they are losing weight, though weight loss is not part of the plan. "It's just that as they get more mindful about what they are drinking, they get more mindful about everything," he explains. Blake's take:

A. The Toms story really leads to this story. It's an evolution of where I'm trying to help people and why. I sold the company four years ago and I felt that in that moment, at that time, I was checking some boxes that would make me feel fulfilled. I couldn't give it all theattention, [as I did when I founded it] because I just got married and had a child and I had worked since I was 18 years old and I was ready to take a break.

I had checked all the boxes that society and my parents told me would lead to a happy and fulfilled life. I got to the point where I had mild depression and contemplated taking anti-depressives, but really I found there were parts of my life that I was neglecting.

And that would create more of a feeling of wellbeing. Being in modern times, we are all constantly thinking 'I should be doing more.' But ultimately what led to going down this path and turning it into a business was meeting my partner, Pat who believed in teaching people practices to improve people's lives. So I started going down my own path.

A. Then we met Andrew Huberman, from Stanford, where they were really great research on some best practices and how to change some habits that would lead to people improving their lives. Pat's background in the military as a Navy Seal really resonated withme as well. But at that point, I had no idea that it would lead to creating a ten-month program that would lead to this kind of work

We launched this justtwo weeks before coronavirus pandemic hit. We had 1,300 people go through the beta last year and got incredible testimonials about how it improved their lives. The program helped them take control over small things that gave them a big impact. People say these gave them self control and self-agency. They feel a lack of control. They don't know whenthis crazy time is going to end, whether the will have a job afterward, or how to pay their rent. There is a total lack of control.

We have people in it who say it's the perfect time to help them have something good to take out of it--to be stronger.

A. Yes. You find the few small things that you can do every day that you can build a routine around, and that will help you get through this.

One example is a simple one. I do it every morning. I try to wake up every morning and not go to my digital devices first thing, and have 20 minutes to drink a cup of coffee or tea. I wake up before my kids, and I do a simple breathing exercise. Not an elaborate meditationbut I connect with myself and the day and that prepares me for everyone and everything I could be hit with. I am actually quarantined with my ex-wife, my current wife, and my kids who are 2 and 5, so I know there are things I can't control.

If you can move your body, but how do you connect with how your body moves, so it can feel good with all your environments. What are the basic movements everyone can do regardless of your fitness level; something that you can do every day, whether you are going for a walk or a vigorous workout. Something you can do every day and give structure to my day as well.

A. People are snacking like crazy. when you have stress. One way people deal with stress is by eating. And there is a whole month in Madefor where we focus on intuitive eating and we document what they are eating and how they feel after. If you bring intention and pay attention to what you're eating and how you're feeling and when you do that you will decide to eat better. Not any single diet works for everyone. But something important is what works for you. The only way to know that is to keep track of what you're eating and how you're feeling after. If eating a bunch of chips and sugary cereal probably not.

Madefor is all remote. We had no idea how it was going to happen ... Two things in the science that aretrue: You can't learn a new habit while you're learning something else. You can't listen to a podcast and change your life; You may be stimulated but you don't start that new habit from it. So we only focus on one thing at a time. You get a box that has all the tools and information to learn this new practice that month. Everything comes in the box. So the more you can focus on Madefor without digital distraction, the more you will do it.

A. The biggest change is Iput more emphasis on how I prepare for going to sleep and how I wake up and that improves the quality of my sleep. Starting two hours before going to bed, I get ready for sleep. So the protocols change and it helps me sleep better.

A. Life will not be normal again.People are learning to ask questions, to rethink theirenvironment, and capitalism, and government. And to engage with those things that we can control. The more you have personal control over your wellness and energy level, the more it will be better for you.

We didn't have a name for this until recently. I kept realizing the "made for" idea came up. The question we are trying to help people answer is what am I made for? We are helping people answer that question. You've got to have the stillness to answer it. That is why we made it analog. It forces people to be still and answer that question.

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Toms Founder Wants to Help You Break Bad Habits and Self Reinvent - The Beet