With the NFL Scouting Combine set to kick off next week, the focus of the Steelers will shift from prepping for free agency, which is what the front office and coaching staff spent time focusing on this week, back to the draft.

The Steelers' staff will spend the week in Indianapolis meeting with draft prospects, checking out their medicals and watching them work out on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

But with the Steelers not holding a first-round draft pick, their focus might be a little different than most other teams.

As general manager Kevin Colbert noted last week when talking about how the team might handle mock drafts prior to the draft, the Steelers know there at least 20 or so players they will have no shot at acquiring with the 49th pick, where their top pick lies.

"Take 20 guys out and say theres no way theyre getting to 18 in the second round," Colbert said.

So on which players will the Steelers focus on in Indianapolis? Here are a few on which to keep an eye:

RUNNING BACKS

Zack Moss, Utah: A 5-foot-10, 222-pound bowling ball-type, Moss has excellent balance and runs hard. What kind of speed does he have? And he had a meniscus injury in 2018. How does that check out? Moss' running style has been compared to that of Marion Barber. He enjoys contact, but has the wherewithal to roll through it. His cousins are speedy receivers Santana and Sinorice Moss, so it will be interesting to see what he runs in the 40. He also got a medical flag at the Senior Bowl. Is he healthy? Rounds 2-3

Cam Akers, Florida State: Akers' production at Florida State was up-and-down but it wasn't his fault. The Seminoles' offensive line was a mess. A lot of what he did came on his own. At 5-foot-11, 212 pounds, he has good size. Like Moss, a key for him will be his 40 time, not that the 40 time is a deal breaker at running back. Both guys are elusive. But unlike Moss, who had a number of big runs at Utah, Akers doesn't have those on his resume. Rounds 2-3

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU: Listed at 5-foot-8, Edwards-Helaire will be considered a small back by most. But how much weight does he pack onto that diminutive frame. He was listed at 205 pounds at LSU, which for a guy his height, is solid. Is that his actual weight or is he under 200 pounds? LSU has a good track record of producing solid NFL backs in recent years --Joseph Addai, Stevan Ridley, Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue, Jeremy Hill, Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice. Edwards-Helaire should be the next. Edwards-Helaire also returned kicks at LSU. Rounds 2-3

Eno Benjamin, Arizona State: Like Edwards-Helaire, at 5-foot-9, Benjamin is slightly vertically challenged. He's listed at around 200 pounds, but carried the ball 300 times in 2018 and over 200 in 2019. He also caught 77 passes over the past two seasons. Benjamin has an unorthodox running style that reminds some of the Bills' Devin Singletary. That's not a bad comparison. He's got some escapability, but like the others above him, how fast is he? Singletary ran a 4.66 40 at last year's combine, but it didn't affect his production. Can Benjamin be that type of player, as well? Rounds 3-4

Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State: There has to be at least one small-school gem on this list, right? Evans will be that guy among the running backs. He's a little undersized at 5-11, 200 pounds, but he's elusive, productive and tough. In 462 career college carries, he did not have a fumble. Evans also averaged over 25 yards per kick return in his career, scoring a touchdown on a kickoff in each of his three seasons. Rounds 4-5

Darius "Jet" Anderson, TCU: When you have the nickname "Jet," you'd better be fast. The question with Anderson, is whether he's big enough to be anything more than a change-of-pace back. Anderson is listed at 195 pounds on some draft sites and 212 on others. Nearly 20 pounds is a big difference. Rounds 4-5

TIGHT ENDS

Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic: At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Bryant has decent size. Can he add more weight to his frame or is he just a big receiver? Bryant is an accomplished receiver and might be the most well-rounded tight end in this draft. It's his ability to block -- at least his willingness to do so -- that could interest the Steelers. He could wind up being the top tight end in this draft. Round 2

AlbertOkwuegbunam, Missouri:Okwuegbunam (pronounced O-coo-WAY-boo-nham) has excellent size at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. Despite that, his blocking is a big question mark. Can he pick that up quickly at the NFL level?Okwuegbunam is an interesting prospect in a class that has a lot of "big receivers" but few guys who look like they will fit into the well-rounded game the Steelers expect out of their tight ends. Rounds 2-3

Cole Kmet, Notre Dame: Kmet is an interesting prospect. He's still very much a work in progress as a run blocker. But as a pass catcher, he's solid. He's a better all-around prospect than Zach Gentry, the Steelers' 2019 fifth-round draft pick, to be sure. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, he's got good size. Does he have what it takes to become a future starter? Rounds 2-3

Devin Asiasi, UCLA: At 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, Asiasi is built like a fullback. But he's a downfield threat -- he averaged 15.2 yards per catch in his career -- who can block. He was used most as a blocker early in his career -- at Michigan and then after his transfer to UCLA -- before having a breakout season as a pass catcher in 2019, when he caught 44 passes for 641 yards and four scores. His weight has gotten up as high as the 270s, so it will be critical for Asiasi to show he can be a natural 260-pound player. Rounds 3-5

Thaddeus Moss, LSU: Some Steelers fans are suggesting the team use its second round pick on Moss, the son of Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss. That's too high for him, in my opinion. He's slightly undersized at 6-foot-3, 249 pounds. Can he get a little bigger than that? There also are injury concerns as he missed the entire 2018 season with a foot injury after transferring from North Carolina State to LSU. That meant the bulk of his college production came in 2019, when he caught 47 passes for 520 yards and four touchdowns. He's decent as a blocker, which works in his favor, but he's not a second-round prospect, folks. Rounds 4-5

NOSE TACKLES

Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma: Gallimore is very much in the Javon Hargrave-class of nose tackles. It's all about a quick first step. He had seven sacks the past two seasons for the Sooners to go along with 11.5 tackles for a loss. But he might be a little undersized at 6-foot-2, 304 pounds. What's his base look like? Can he hold up inside or is he simply a player who has to rely on shooting gaps? Rounds 2-3

Rashard Lawrence, LSU: Like Gallimore, Lawrence possesses strong hands and a good motor. But is he a true nose tackle? Does he possess the base to hold up inside taking on double teams? At 6-foot-2, 308 pounds, he's only slightly bigger than Gallimore. He also was much better in 2018 than he was in 2019. Was that because of an undisclosed injury? Rounds 2-3

Leki Fotu, Utah: A former rugby star, Fotu didn't play football until his senior year in high school. So the best days are likely still ahead for this 6-foot-4, 335-pound behemoth. He's a massive run stuffer but isn't going to provide much as a pass rusher. Like Zack Moss, his Utah teammate, Fotu got a medical red flag at the Senior Bowl and was unable to participate. Is he healthy? And is it a lingering issue? Rounds 3-4

Benito Jones, Mississippi: At 6-foot-1, 326 pounds, Jones has the look of a true nose tackle. He's a bowling ball, though he's a little top heavy. Will that hurt him as an anchor or will his natural strength make up for that? Jones also has some pass rush skills as his 5.5 sacks in 2019 might suggest. Rounds 3-4

WIDE RECEIVERS

K.J. Hamler, Penn State: At just 5-foot-9, 174 pounds, Hamler isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. But he should kill the 40-yard dash. Can he be a Tyreek Hill-type, or will he be relegated to being a very fast slot receiver. Hamler also had some injury issues in college. Can he hold up to the beating against bigger, faster, stronger NFL players? Round 2

Michael Pittman, USC: At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Pittman is a specimen. He probably won't run anything below a 4.55 40, but with his size, he won't need to. He's plenty fast enough. He dealt with ankle and shoulder injuries in college. In this deep class of receivers, he falls into the second round, at the earliest, unless he surprises with an outstanding workout. Rounds 2-3

Tyler Johnson, Minnesota: Unlike Hamler, the question with Johnson is whether he's fast enough to play in the NFL. He's got everything else. His production at Minnesota was outstanding. And he was very good on the contested catch, much like a poor man's version of DeAndre Hopkins. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, he's a good-sized receiver. But if he runs anything over a 4.6 40, he's in trouble. Rounds 2-4

OFFENSIVE LINE

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to bore you with offensive linemen prospects to watch, especially since I don't believe the Steelers will take one before the fourth round.

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Forget the top guys, watch these Steelers prospects at the NFL Combine - DKPittsburghSports.com

Your vision needs a spark.It doesnt need a blaze.

So often, when we read articles about individuals in successful businesses, we assume its a blaze of an idea that sweeps through their life and lights their purpose and vision. While yes, that can be true, its also important to know that to strike light in the darkness, you only need a spark.

Think about your own life for a moment. Press into what elements of your life are the match. When youre around them, do they spark? Can you physically feel it? Does it immediately fuel your flame? That very thing is part of the leadership journey you are on. Listen to it. Let it be your guide.

What is rarely spoken about during your leadership journey is losing that light. Ask yourself, what happens when your light is snuffed out? Do you know how to overcome the challenge offinding it again? Its reclamation does not have to be a solitary one. It begins by allowing yourself to share with others what youre going through. The more comfortable you are at sharing 1-1, the more likely you are to feel a sense of acceptance and that youre not alone Theres additional insight on how to navigate the path. Not sharing whats going on, leaves us isolated and alone to fight the fight. As leaders, were not stronger fighting alone. We heal faster and continuously improve our resilience by having supporters cheering us on. Pursuing the mentorship of others comes at all ages and can refill your cup when it feels half empty. We may miss an opportunity to feel relief if we isolate ourselves from the support of others by placing potential mentors or guides in a box. Have you ever done this? Maybe you assumed that someone would not understand what youve been through only to hear later that they fully understood and had incredible wisdom to share?

Think about this. What does it mean to put a potential mentor or a guide in a box?Do you have a particular vision or thought of who your mentor should be? Maybe that they should live in the same city? That they were only meant for a specific season? If we exclude mentorship opportunities through false assumptions of what a mentor should be, we lose an opportunity for growth.

Mentors are here to guide our path. They encourage the positive aspects in us, help to make us stronger, wiser, and more articulate. Often times they will help purge the false thinking we create in our minds. Mentors can help us identify the truth and understand areas of improvement. Pause for a second and be honest with yourself.

Do you think of yourself as a mentor? You might carry a false belief that after x years of experience you can mentor others. However, the opposite is often true, and teaching moments can strike anytime. An example of this was in 2010 when I attended a Summer Seminar from Bradley University. It was an opportunity to meet advertising professionals from the Chicago area. It was on this trip I met David Bard (Senior Account Executive at Corporate Imaging Concepts) after submitting a presentation for the group. The classic you can never take back a first impression still remains and demonstrates the opportunities that can unfold if you treat every opportunity as one of growth.

Its been 10 years, and I have still kept in touch with him through my masters program and while living across the country. He reminds me to stay inspired, to reach out to incredible businesswomen for mentorship and shares excellent articles to trigger strategic thinking. As I went through a tragic personal summer in 2019, he reminded me of many professional women who have had to also make smart, sacrificial decisions to improve their future for their mental health, families, and well-being. His mentorship propelled me to undertake necessary and tough life decisions. I was beginning to get my spark back.

As this difficult season carried on, I felt like I was literally lost in the wind which for anyone who knows a Proverb or two can attest that being lost in the wind is anywhere but where you want to be. You feel like you are perishing in the wind. You want your feet on solid ground. You want to trust your gut. You want the self-confidence that once radiated in your decision-making. And guess what? If yours is missing, you can get it back.

There is power in our souls when we can proclaim that we feel grounded. However, when you dont feel grounded personally, financially, and professionally its one of the most uneasy feelings. In this state, youre quickly distracted, disappointed, discouraged and discontent. Youre grasping at straws trying to find the vision. Even the thought of daily habits and vision boarding sounds stressful because youre stuck rebuilding in the dark, desperate for a spark of light.

I thought all the vision I had was going to perish. I allowed so many voices to shift my behavior. I ultimately lost my self-confidence, my identity, and replaced them with needing the approval of others. I created a reliance ofselfbased on the comments of others.

How did this all start for me? Losing vision? If you havent lost it, take note, your chance to speak to others who are in the thick of it may come up.

Years ago, it started with criticism over health and nutrition facts I would share from publications like O and Shape magazine. They were my early on, go-to lifestyle magazines that my mother had influenced me to read. I cant remember a day that I didnt have a subscription. I felt my mindset improve and expand. I felt inspired, encouraged, and self-motivated. My engagement with these magazines influenced my leadership, goal-oriented thinking, and personal values. More specifically, my self-worth. When I stopped reading them because of someones comments, I realized a shift in my happiness and leadership mindset diminish. So, I went back to reading these magazines until the critique happened again years later. Little did I know I was a casual survivor of people-pleasing.

Over time, I realized within about seven years, I began to live a life based upon others opinions. I wasnt filtering their words I was taking it all in. My adaptability became overly adaptable, considerate and ultimately applied all the advice given not necessarily wisdom. I felt directionless, chasing everyone elses ideas lost in the wind.

It was the first time that I began to feel concerned for my future because I learned how imperative it was to carry and cast vision in my life. I would hear what do you want? or whats going to make you happy? and for the life of me, I couldnt find the answer. I was overwhelmed with the realization that I had lost my vision and direction.

In the fall of 2019, while I experienced one of the hardest seasons losing my husband, I opened up with a long-time mentor about what I was really going through. My world had essentially flipped upside down in every way. It was from David. He reminded me that we all ride the roller coaster of life. He sent meSparkby Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, and Sean Lynch. The focus of this book is directed around leading yourself to success with the help of others. It helped me articulate and understand the power of receiving help from others through the relentless pursuit of wisdom, inspiration, prayer, encouraging emails/texts, phone call check-ins, hand-written cards and much more. Spark not only helped me to get my life back in order but allowed mentorship into my search for vision, helped me to identify the emotional and leadership loss I was feeling.

The next step was reconciling with myself the grief process, being open to counseling, and being open to feel all the feels as they arrived. I decided Id rather face the loss instead of internalizing the pain of my loss.

Spark walks through values, action, and character. I particularly love how it walks you through establishing credibility principles, including the ability to narrow the say-do gap. For example, what you say and what you execute on. Whats the gap in time? Are you executing it quickly or are you repeatedly saying youll do something and not following through ultimately harming your credibility.

Years prior, I had worked on balancing the say-do gap before I knew it was a thing. I was such a people pleaser that this gap became an ambitious one. Instead, small daily wins helped me narrow the gap between what I said I would do and actually doing it. In your own life, avoid the ambition as that will naturally come with consistent execution. Execution isnt always an easy task, rather recognizing what youre committing to and executing on your word. Furthermore, this leads to accountability in leadership. A loss of vision feels threatening and stems from a root of insecurity in abilities when leadership is pulled from you.

The further I stepped into this book; I realized the action of:

decision making serving others consistency confidence

These were all elements that I was learning to rebuild. I had honestly never realized how innate these four elements were within me until I witnessed a series of events strike and steal these traits from me. Job loss and the loss of my husband, which are two extremely devastating events, however, I carried the weight, the need to push forward. Until I felt utterly shaken by them. I began to allow my mind to feel overwhelmed with failure. This feeling of failure finally evoked a sense of compassion for myself and the tremendous effort to build confidence and strong decision making from the ground up.

Think of someone who is a bit off-balance from what you know to be true about them. Take the time to invest, pursue, and stay consistently interested in igniting their fire. Ask them out to coffee. Schedule a bi-weekly FaceTime with them. Be the match to their spark. You never know what someone is facing and how you can help them find their vision again through a book recommendation or simply being a sense of inspiration. One of the greatest lessons from this journey is that this mentor (David) of mine helped me find that I had the ability to authentically be one of the solutions I was so desperately seeking. Spark knows exactly how to articulate this with action. In this tough season, I would repeat to myself that no one else was going to live my life for me or make life-changing decisions for me. And perhaps you have felt this same way.

Who can spark influence into your vision? And can you be the spark for someone?

I was grateful beyond measure to have a mentor who advocated so hard and pressed into the uncomfortable conversations of hard truth. This book walks out this concept in more depth, but I challenge you to consider being that mentor who presses into someone else close to you. Imagine the pressing of fine wine. You ultimately produce something beautiful on the other end with more depth and soul-filled connections with others if youre willing to be pressed in the waiting.

Nonetheless, theres a pressing in the waiting to find your spark. The waiting only renews your strength to encourage you beyond the days in front of you. Most of all, it begins with a leadership mindset. You must pursue the path because no one else can take a hold of this journey for you. Relentlessly pursue the giftings you discover about yourself and apply what others say they see working in and through you. Take time for meditation. Take time to rest and wake up early. Remember, if youre not in this season, you have the audacious ability to refuse to let someone close to you, go uninspired by your leadership or mentorship. Extract what you see good in them. Tell them. Remind them. Remind them again. Be consistent in your pursuit. Allow the pressing of their season to bring new wine from the investment of your time, encouragement, and faithful pursuit of positively influencing their leadership mindset.

Link:
Why Spark Influences Your Vision - Thrive Global

Pexels / Lisa Fotios I Tried Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, but I Didn't Expect to Break Free From Sugar

I first became curious about intermittent fasting after putting on an extra five pounds. I've always been comfortable with my weight, so I had limited experience in trying to lose it. I liked that intermittent fasting - in which you simply eat within a set window (usually six to 12 hours) and fast for the remainder of the day - didn't have a lot of complicated rules. You don't have to count calories or cut out any specific foods, for example. Plus, the idea that fasting could help your body more easily burn stored fat didn't seem far-fetched, especially since it had worked for several friends.

There was only one problem: I was accustomed to eating every two to three hours during the day. If I pushed it to fours hours without a snack, I felt sluggish and lightheaded. Naturally, I was concerned that intermittent fasting wouldn't be a good fit, but I decided to give it a try.

After reading up on intermittent fasting, I started with a small fasting window and gradually lengthened it, drinking plenty of water and black coffee to power through. But while I was able to stretch my fasting window, I didn't lose any weight. I also noticed that I sometimes felt headache-y after breaking my fast. Perplexed, I turned to an intermittent-fasting community on Facebook, hoping to find someone who had been in my shoes.

The experienced fasters wanted to know what I was eating, which was simple enough. I stuck mostly to my favorite foods: bread, pasta, and cookies. Wrong answer. Everyone immediately suggested I cut down on sugar and refined carbs (which turn into sugar in the body), switching them out for more dense proteins and fats like eggs, salmon, avocado, and yogurt. They explained that my headaches were likely due to a spike in blood sugar after my fast. They also suggested exercising during my fasting window to help me start losing weight.

As soon as I followed their advice and changed what I was eating, I dropped the weight I wanted to lose, and more importantly, I felt amazing. I had lasting energy for the first time in years, and I no longer experienced lightheadedness, even during longer fasting periods. It was even feasible to exercise during my fast, and as long as I was properly hydrated, I actually felt stronger and more powerful during my workouts than ever before.

Turns out, I had been confusing sugar cravings with hunger for most of my life. I had no idea that what I thought were moments of hanger were actually dips in my blood sugar. I thought it was normal to feel that crash and reach for another snack, but in reality, I was addicted to sugar, whether it came from sweets or refined carbs.

Sugary cereal, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies had been pillars in my diet for almost 30 years. And in that time, I lost touch with what hunger actually feels like. I thought I was hungry when I felt fuzzy and agitated, but because I ate in those moments, I never felt the growl or tightness in my stomach that signals hunger. Intermittent fasting helped me relearn my hunger cues, so now I can eat intuitively and feed my body what it needs when it needs it.

After trying out a few weeks of intermittent fasting, I've settled into a new normal. I eat a variety of foods throughout the day, but I don't snack at night anymore. I'm not overly strict about my sugar intake, but I'm much more aware of what I eat and whether it's really serving my body. And I feel better than ever.

Related video: Intermittent fasting may be the most natural diet trend you try in 2020 [via Veuer]

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I Tried Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, but I Didn't Expect to Break Free From Sugar - msnNOW

Sounds wonderful, right? Well, a new version of keto aimed at upping all of these perks has keto fanatics buzzing, but some health and nutrition pros say it may be even more unsustainable than the keto diet you already know. The new version is called Speed Keto, and dietitians aren't exactly recommending it if you're looking to lose weight or start eating healthier.

Still, if you're curious about the eating plan and its origin, here's what you need to know.

Basically, Speed Keto is a combination of the traditional keto diet (made up of 60 to 70 percent fat, 15 to 30 percent protein, and 5 to 10 percent carbs) and intermittent fasting (IF), which involves alternating between various periods of fasting and eating. One of the most common styles of IF is the 16:8 method , in which you fast for 16 hours and can eat during the 8-hour period that follows.

When it comes to Speed Keto, the goal is to get the dieter down to one meal per day, which also has to fit into the keto guidelines of being high-fat and low-carb. The goal of eating less carbs is to get the body into a state of ketosis, which is when your body burns fat, instead of carbohydrate stores, for fuel, which can lead to weight loss.

Speed Keto, which you can buy as a digital program , was created by Harlan Kilstein, an expert coach and motivator with a doctor of education degree, according to his website. Per the site, Speed Keto is meant to simplify the dieting process and help people get past weight-loss plateaus that might occur after eating a traditional keto diet for a few weeks.

"I think keto and 'Speed Keto' diets will result in weight loss," says Hillary Cecere, registered dietitian at Eat Clean Bro . "Any time food is restricted and a calorie deficit occurs, so will weight loss, and when your eating window is smaller, you are more likely to consume less calories."

That being said, Cecere doesn't support the diet as a healthy way of eating. "This diet is unsustainable. Once it's no longer being utilized, weight gain will happen," Cecere says. "I also think it eliminates a lot of nutrient-dense foods . This diet is not for health or longevityit's only for quick weight loss."

In order to maintain weight loss, it's crucial that the diet you follow is something you can sustain long-term, notes Cecere. And if eating keto in general isn't your cup of tea, that's totally fine, too. "You don't need to be in ketosis to lose weight," she says. "Weight loss is determined by calorie deficitthere are plenty of other healthy, sustainable ways to lose weight if that's something you're interested in."

It's also worth noting that combining keto and intermittent fasting isn't exactly new. Many people have been following a diet that combines the two because eating mostly fats and proteins does fill you up and make it easier to fast between meals. The difference here is that Speed Keto recommends a specific IF schedule and one meal a day.

"Combining a super restrictive diet with long periods of non-eating is not good," Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy , previously told WH . The body will cannibalize its own muscle for energy if intake from food is too low but the body does not differentiate between something like a calf muscle or a heart muscle. Keatley added that all your important organs are made of smooth muscle, "and going on a diet like this may harm something like your bladder or lungs just as much as provide fat loss."

It's also worth noting that following a regular keto diet can already have some not-so-pleasant side effects . At the end of the day, whether you want to follow a keto eating plan is up to you, but experts generally warn against pairing keto with an extreme intermittent fasting schedule in the way that the Speed Keto diet does, experts caution. Whatever you choose diet-wise, it's always wise to talk to a dietitian or trusted MD before you drastically overhaul your eating plan.

The bottom line: Speed Keto may not be a sustainable option when it comes to weight loss.

See the article here:
What Is Speed Keto? Everything To Know About The Buzzy Keto-Plus-Intermittent Fasting Plan - Pulse Ghana

Is Adele taking her weight loss too far? A new report in the upcoming March 2, 2020, issue of Ok! Magazine, says that she is and not only that, but her friends are a bit concerned. At issue is that Adele is rather tall in fact, shes clearly model height standing 59 but according to a source who spoke to the outlet, Adele wants to weigh a mere 115 pounds! This is underweight by any medical standard and would be considered by many to be scary skinny. The weight goal of 115 pounds is more in line with a woman who stands about 53 rather than 59!

The source dished on how Adele managed to lose approximately 100 pounds and the outlet says that though her friends are happy for her newfound happiness and confidence, they are worried she is taking the weight loss too far.

Adele turned heads when she showed up at Beyonces and Jay-Zs Oscars after-party (she also attended P.Diddys 50th birthday party) where people said that Adele was unrecognizable due to her weight loss, as reported by Ashley Mitchell.

Ok! reported the following.

From the moment she arrived, everyone was doing double takes and whispering, Is that Adele?

You may see a video report about Adeles weight loss and her appearance at Beyonces and Jay-Zs Chateau Marmont Oscars After-Party in the video player below.

There is no question that Adele has lost weight through hard work and determination. The mother of one child, a son named Angelo (7), exercised, trained at the gym and added pilates to her routine and is a strict adherent of the Sirtfood diet. It has been reported that Adele keeps her calories extremely low (about 1000 per day), though this hasnt been verified.

The source also dished to the magazine that Adele wants to weigh 115 pounds.

Her target weight is 115, which is very skinny for someone whos 59. Friends are a bit concerned that she may be taking this too far, but Adeles assured everyone they dont need to worry. Shes healthy and loves her new lifestyle.

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Diet trends may come and go, but one fact remains: The most scientifically proven method of weight loss is to reduce calories. What you may not realize, though, is that cutting your calories too low can actually be bad for your health and even derail your weight-loss goals.

Dipping below the recommended minimum calories could put your health at risk.

Credit: Rawpixel Ltd/iStock/GettyImages

We investigate what the minimum calories really are and how to get the nutrients you need on a low-calorie diet.

According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average adult woman needs between 1,800 and 2,400 calories a day (depending on age and activity level), while the average adult male should get between 2,400 and 3,200 to maintain a healthy weight.

The USDA has an easy-to-use table that can help you work out your own basic daily calorie needs. For a more detailed calculation and to tally your calories for weight loss, check out LIVESTRONG.com's MyPlate app.

A healthy rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Since a pound of fat equals about 3,500 calories, that means you'll need to cut 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake and increase your activity level, per the USDA.

Keep in mind that the speed of weight loss will slow after a few months, though.

"By the end of a year, one would typically expect as much as 50 pounds of weight loss if someone actually reduces their calories by 500 a day," says Michael Dansinger, MD, director of lifestyle coaching for diabetes weight loss at Tufts Medical Center, as well as nutrition doctor for NBC's The Biggest Loser.

Women shouldn't cut their calories below 1,200 calories a day, while men should stay above 1,500, according to both the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Harvard Health Publishing. These numbers are based on formulas that calculate the Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) or the amount of energy that the average body needs to function.

Dr. Dansinger explains that by using these numbers as lower limits, most people will avoid harming their bodies. "It's the number of calories that would produce weight loss without causing medical complications for the general public," he says.

Stay above the recommended minimum calories for healthy weight loss.

Credit: ShotShare/iStock/GettyImages

The most common problems caused by extremely low-calorie diets are fatigue, muscle loss, slowing of the metabolism and nutrient deficiency, Dr. Dansinger says.

"You could lose weight on a 1,200-calorie plan for sure, but that weight could be coming from precious muscle (in addition to fat), which could further lower your metabolism," says Kristin Kirkpatrick, RDN, dietitian, president of KAK Consulting and nutrition consultant at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.

Extremely low calorie intake also leads to adaptive thermogenesis, when your metabolism slows down disproportionally to the amount of weight you have lost. A November 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people still had slower resting metabolic rates a year after eating a very-low-calorie diet for eight weeks.

"The body is amazing at protecting you from death, but that mechanism can sometimes also come back to bite you when the goal is weight loss," Kirkpatrick says.

It's tempting to cut out whole food groups such as grains, fats or fruit as a shortcut to cutting calories. But all contain nutrients that are essential for your body to function, and cutting them can lead to nutrient deficiency. "Twelve hundred calories of candy is very different from 1,200 calories of fruits, vegetables and whole grains," Kirkpatrick says.

Long term, a very-low-calorie diet can also cause more serious problems like bone loss, gallstones, thyroid problems and amenorrhea (loss of periods) in women, Dr. Dansinger notes.

1. Choose Quality Over Quantity

On a low-calorie diet, you need to work harder to provide your body with the nutrients it needs. "What I tell my patients is that if they choose to engage in a 1,200-calorie restricted diet, then they can substitute quality for quantity," Kirkpatrick says. "Getting plenty of fruits, vegetables and healthy fats and protein is important."

2. Create a Balanced Plate

When planning meals and snacks, make sure each has a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber.

"I would suggest protein at breakfast, healthy fats in limited quantities (due to their high calories), such as a handful of nuts or some seeds on a salad, high-quality whole grains, good quality protein and plenty of vegetables, especially leafy greens and cruciferous veggies," Kirkpatrick says.

Intermittent fasting may help you stick with a minimum-calorie diet.

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3. Protein, Protein, Protein

Don't make the mistake of cutting back on protein in order to save calories. This macronutrient helps you feel satisfied, can help keep your blood sugar stable and can also help boost your metabolism.

A December 2012 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that across 24 trials, a high-protein, calorie-restricted diet resulted in greater reductions in weight and fat loss than a standard-protein diet.

4. Opt for Healthy Diet Products

Don't fall into the trap of assuming that all products labeled as "healthy" or "diet-friendly" are actually good for you. Look for products that are high in protein and fiber as well as low in sugar and artificial ingredients, Kirkpatrick says.

5. Try Intermittent Fasting

Kirkpatrick recommends time-restricted eating, when you eat only in an eight- or 10-hour window each day. You stick to the same nutrient-dense diet, but the limited timeframe has been found in studies to lead to what's called "unintentional calorie restriction."

"This will not only help with weight loss and reduce the risk of chronic disease, but it may make a 1,200 calorie diet easier to follow," she says.

A November 2018 pilot study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Science, found that a small group of people who only ate for eight to 10 hours a day ate less calories than those who were eating whenever they wanted.

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The Minimum Calories for Weight Loss for Men and Women - LIVESTRONG.COM