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How to do intermittent fasting safely – CNET

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

Fasting for weight loss can be effective, but you need to do it safely.

You've probably heard of intermittent fasting, the popular diet that involves restricting the hours during which you can eat. It's heralded as a weight loss method, and research suggests that it can also boost your immune system, cure high blood pressure and more.

Intermittent fasting is well-known, but it's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fasting diets in general. There's practically infinite ways you can adopt a fasting regime that suits your own lifestyle and health needs. Let's take a look at all the different fasting diets, the health benefits they may bring and how to do them safely.

Fasting is essentially not eating food for a defined amount of time. Civilizations around the world have incorporated fasting into their religious and cultural lives for thousands of years, but it's recently grown popular as a way to possibly lose weight and experience other health benefits.

You can modify a fasting diet in any way it works for you, but here are some of the most common patterns:

Usually when people fast, the only things they consume during the fasting period is plain black coffee, tea and water -- you can even put a dash of salt in the water for electrolytes. However, a lot of people believe that consuming anything under 50 calories will keep you in a fasted state, so you could throw a dash of heavy cream or oil in your coffee to help tide you over.

There's a lot of preliminary research on fasting that points to some pretty promising benefits, but many more studies are needed to back up the claims.

One major benefit of fasting is that it helps promote autophagy -- a process in which your cells essentially "take out the trash" by removing dysfunctional components. Increased autophagy can possibly regenerate the immune system and increase your cell's protection against stress.

Some research suggests that fasting can also lower blood pressure, as well as making your body more sensitive to insulin. Being more insulin-sensitive means that you'll store energy from food more efficiently, and get less hungry between meals.

Now to the main reason people try fasting -- to lose weight. While one study showed that both fasting and caloric restriction (eating less throughout the day) had the same weight loss results, losing weight is a highly individual journey. If you've been struggling to find a way of eating that helps you be your best self, you may want to give fasting a try.

People with diabetes shouldn't fast, at least not without consulting a doctor first.

Fasting is not recommended for people with chronic health issues, especially anyone with diabetes or gout. Medical professionals also discourage fasting for people who are underweight or have experienced disordered eating in the past.

However, if you're in good condition and want an alternate way to lose weight or are interested in the benefits of autophagy, you may want to give fasting a try. Or, if you already feel sluggish after eating a meal upon waking up, you could try out an intermittent fasting schedule that better suits your needs.

Still, you should always talk to your doctor before starting a fasting diet -- they'll know how to help you approach it in the safest way possible.

Generally, if you feel bad enough during a fast to the point where it's impacting your daily life, you should highly consider stopping.

Besides that, there are some sure fire signs that you should break your fast. If you notice yourself feeling extra dizzy, confused, light-headed or are having trouble concentrating, get some nutrients and calories in your body. Binge eating after your fast ends is another sign that you're falling into some emotionally unhealthy behaviors.

If you've been fasting for more than just a few hours, start slow with the re-feeding -- try to sip on light soup or something easily digestible like crackers before you attack a full meal.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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How to do intermittent fasting safely - CNET

‘I Do Keto, Intermittent Fasting, And Tae Bo WorkoutsAnd I’ve Lost 135 Pounds’ – Women’s Health

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

My name is Mayra Arias (@low.carb.love), and Im a 35-year-old mom and self-employed businesswoman based in Laguna Beach, California. After battling my weight for years, I committed to a consistent workout routine and the keto lifestyle. Ive lost over 100 pounds and kept it off.

I never thought about my weight when I was growing up. I was surrounded by family and friends who accepted me for who I was. I was a happy kid and ate whatever I wanted, which included lots of highly processed foods and munchies.

It wasnt until my 17th birthday that I really noticed my weight in an impactful way. When I developed photos from my camera from that day, I was utterly shocked by my size. At that exact moment, I decided to change. I got a gym membership and started working out every day.

But looking back, I made some less-than-healthy choices to slim down as fast as possible during that time. I overdid it with my workouts and ate an overly restrictive diet. Yes, I lost weight, but my approaches were not safe or sustainable.

I maintained my weight until I got pregnant at the age of 24 in January 2010. During my pregnancy, I stayed active, walked every day, hit the gym three times a week, and watched what I ate. Still, I gained 100 pounds. At the peak of my pregnancy, I weighed 278 pounds. After I gave birth to my daughter on November 13, 2010, I lost 40 pounds naturally as a result of breastfeeding, taking care of my daughter, and recovering from my pregnancy. But I was still overweight and ready to see lasting change.

I began working out at home five days a week, as I needed to be home to take care of my daughter. My workouts consisted of cardio, squats, and lots of crunches. For cardio sessions, I did old-school (and fan-favorite!) Tae Bo workouts (think: a mix of martial arts, boxing, and dance), as well as hot yoga and weight training.

I knew I needed to start eating fewer calories than my body required to maintain my current weight. And, tbh, losing weight after my pregnancy required a ton of focus and determination, so I also got rid of temptations to help me stay on track. For example, I threw out all of my junk food, sweets, chips, soda, and bread.

My diet consisted of healthy protein sources like chicken, steak, salmon, tuna, and eggs, salads and veggies, cheese and plain yogurt, olive oil, some fruit, and protein shakes for on-the-go nutrition.

By June 2011, five months into my weight-loss journey, I had lost over 100 pounds. For the next five years, I worked out at the gym every day to maintain my weight and stay fit. This was, as you can imagine, a lot of work. But it was worth it.

It sounded like something I could incorporate into my lifestyle, so I tried it for a week. In just that one week, I lost six poundsand I was sold. Its been my way of eating ever since. For me, its less a so-called diet and more a lifestyle. I also started intermittent fasting in January 2018. Generally, my eating window is about six to eight hours (so I often skip breakfast).

I eat keto-friendly foods about 90 percent of the time. The other 10 percent of the time, I eat outside of keto rules so that I can enjoy special occasions and different cuisines around the world as I travel with my family.

Over the last two years, Ive committed to sharing my weight-loss journey and the tips I've learned with friends and followers. Its my personal mission to transform as many lives as I can by sharing my story, as well as simple recipes and alternatives to traditional high-carb, less-healthy foods on my Instagram. I enjoy experimenting with baking low-carb, sugar-free desserts like cupcakes, cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls, danishes, brownies, ice cream, and more. Im also big on keto-friendly drinks like shakes, smoothies, teas, and coffee drinks.

Some examples (trust me, you can do these, too!): I replaced my go-to pasta with zoodles, swapped rice for cauliflower rice, and ditched my go-to desserts for homemade keto versions. I also swapped soda for sparkling water and replaced high-sugar drinks with homemade, sugar-free versions that were keto-friendly.

Breakfast: A cup of coffee with a splash of heavy cream.

Lunch: Chicken or beef with veggies (plus butter and salt), salad, and healthy fats (like dressings, sauces, avocado, grilled cheese, or spicy mayo).

Dinner: Chicken, steak, or salmon and veggies.

I've now lost about 135 pounds. As someone who's had ups and downs with her weight, my biggest advice is to remember that weight loss is a journey, and its okay to go at your own pace. Having lost weight *too* fast the first time, Id advise anyone to make a healthy plan to lose weight over a realistic time period. Find a lifestyle you can stick with long-term. For me, that was keto, but its important to find something that works for you and your body.

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'I Do Keto, Intermittent Fasting, And Tae Bo WorkoutsAnd I've Lost 135 Pounds' - Women's Health

This SAS workout will make your body and mind stronger – T3

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

This SAS workout is a bit different from the workout routines we normally post here. It's not as good for building muscle definition as the two-day push-pull workout or as rookie-friendly as the best bodyweight workout for beginners. In terms of gruelling strength building and endurance testing, it has more in common with, naturally enough, the US Navy SEAL workout.

The reason being, in order to pass the 3-stage SAS selection process, you will need a lot of endurance, as opposed to 'just' muscle mass. This doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the basic rules of how to get stronger but if you want to build endurance, you will need to move on from only doing bicep curls to practicing more compound exercises, like squats and deadlifts.

In fact, if you are especially time-poor, in order to build overall strength, you can follow our best full body workout routine to build strength. If you would like to get your body ready for the SAS selection test, however, you'll need to introduce a few more additional days of training throughout the week to build endurance as well as strength.

Most importantly, as much as the SAS workout is good for burning fat and building strength, if you ever struggled with obesity or have not been doing much (or any) physical training, you might want to consider losing weight fast first and/or get fit before you opt in for doing hard core military-style training.

The SAS selection test is gruelling both for the body and the mind and consists of three parts:

This stage lasts for three weeks (!) and takes place in the hilly area in South Wales. Candidates have to carry a backpack full of equipment called bergen over a series of long timed hikes, navigating between checkpoints.

The bergen gets heavier as the days pass and the endurance phase culminates with 'the long drag', a 40-mile trek carrying a 55lb (25kg) bergen, that must be completed in under 24 hours.

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Training takes place in Belize in Central-America, deep in the jungles. Those few who have passed the first stage will have to learn the basics of surviving and patrolling in the humid and warm conditions, surrounded by dense vegetation and bothered by small insects as well as noises coming from the forest.

For the escape and evasion (E&E) portion of the course, the candidates are given brief instructions on appropriate techniques then let loose in the countryside. They have to make their way to a series of waypoints without being captured by the 'hunter force' of SAS soldiers. This portion lasts for three days after which all candidates report for TQ, a.k.a. interrogation 'practice'.

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It's not difficult to tell apart a bodybuilder for a strongmen. The former might look more appealing to some, but the latter can move some serious weights at will. Of course, as you get stronger your muscles get more defined as well but if you want to be ready for a challenge like the SAS selection test, you will need strength and not well defined shoulder muscles and low body-fat percentage.

if neither of the above rings a bell, don't worry. Runners and cyclists are more familiar with these terms and they refer to how well your muscles and cardiovascular system can withstand elongated periods of moderate-to-high intensity exercising.

VO2 max is "the maximum or optimum rate at which the heart, lungs, and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise, used as a way of measuring a person's individual aerobic capacity." The more oxygen your muscles can digest, the later you'll feel fatigued.

Lactate thresholdis "the maximal effort or intensity that an athlete can maintain for an extended period of time with little or no increase inlactatein the blood" (definition taken from lactate.com).

Both can be improved by doing cardio regularly and there are also specific HIIT workouts that can boost either or both in the same time.

Your body can only sustain its fitness levels if you do a certain amount of exercising. If it wasn't the case, pro athletes wouldn't have to put in extreme efforts to stay on the levels where they are.

This also means that you can't get fit by exercising more and then expect your body to maintain its fitness level without you doing any physical activity. Your body will revert back to its previous state when you abandon your workout routine, although it will be easier to get back into it later on once you were fit before.

Of course, being fit (as in healthy) has loads of health benefits so it worth spending a few hours a week looking after your fitness.

The SAS selection is almost as hard to endure mentally as it is to overcome physically. If you get distracted easily, have temper issues and/or lack focus, you will singled out pretty soon, regardless of your physical readiness.

Meditation has been proven to be an effective tool to regain control over one's mind and to harness the thoughts that go through your mind at any point, which can come in handy when you are submerged in cold water for hours on end, a practice which may or may not be part of the selection process.

Protein is great for muscle building as well as muscle repair

(Image credit: Getty images)

If you want to build muscles and lose fat, you will need to eat right and keep a balanced diet which includes ample amount of protein and good fats as well as clean carbs. Being more mindful about what your body requires to perform better is crucial part of endurance tests and the SAS selection process is no different.

Either you are trying to lose fat or want to build muscle, eating more protein is beneficial for you. If you fall in the former category, try swapping some bad fats and carbs most of the processed food falls into this category to protein snacks, let them be protein bars or just a small portion of high-carb nuts.

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and are naturally skinny, try adding some high protein mass gainers, like Bulk Powders' Informed Mass or The Protein Works' Total Mass Matrix.

Drinking more water also helps, so fill up your gym water bottle and drink that water!

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Make stretching an integral part of your workouts

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Apart from doing multiple exercise sessions a week, the SAS endurance workout also involves plenty of cardio elements as well as strengthening exercises, so stretching before and after the workouts is essential. Stretching can help you perform the exercises better and can also help reducing the risk of injury.

Use a foam roller and/or resistance bands, both of which can relieve muscle tension andknots in all areas of the body. On our best massage tools guide, you'll find plenty of options, like the aforementioned foam rollers, but also massage balls great for the calves and percussion massagers like the Theragun G3.

IMPORTANT: if you have any medical condition or experiencing pain of any sort especially back pain please consult a medical professional before you start working out. Some of the below exercises put a lot of stress on your lower back and if you are ever unsure how to perform them, get a PT or a trained athlete to show you the correct form.

The weekly-breakdown of the SAS workout:

For getting ready for the mental part of the selection process, we recommend the new SAS workout app from the boys at Who Dares Wins. This app has a unique approach to training by incorporating mental exercises as well as training tips and even diet options.

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In-depth: 5-exercise full body workout

On the first day of the week, you want to give your body a run for its money. Our full-body workout consists of five exercises: deadlift, squat, bench press, shoulder press and bent-over row.

These exercises are probably the best compound exercises to build overall strength with the least amount different movement involved and focuses on large muscle groups and using free weights as opposed to machines.

If you don't want to sign up for a gym membership (just yet), you can perform these exercises at home, using resistance bands or dumbbells/barbell or even kettlebells.

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Resting your body after intense exercising is almost as important as the exercises themselves

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After bombing your body with weights the day before, you'll probably feel the effect of DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This occurs after your muscles especially the glutes and legs area are worked hard and please also note the 'delayed' nature of the phenomena: it can happen up to 2-3 days later than the workout.

Giving your muscles a break can help them repair more efficiently and recover better, meaning you can expect to see results quicker by resting your muscles after heavy workouts.

Even on rest days, you can do light cardio e.g. brisk walking and stretching would definitely help also.

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Running is an excellent cardio exercise to build endurance

(Image credit: Brooks Running)

Depending on your cardio levels, on the third day you should go the distance.To be fit enough to be even considered to be selected as a member of the SAS (or SBS), you'll need to be able to comfortably run a 10K in under 50 minutes, ideally closer to 40 minutes.

Once you are comfortable with that speed, you can introduce more and more trail running sessions to your training plan. Trail running is somewhat different to road running obviously since you have to take the terrain into account as you run. You'll need different shoes as well for trail running: have a look at our best trail running shoes guide for inspiration.

Trail running is very popular worldwide and especially in the UK, where there are many groups you can join. Trail runners are a famously close-knit bunch who appreciate each other's company as much as the nature that surrounds them. By joining a trail running club, you get fit and be a bit more social, two birds with one stone.

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The HIIT part will get those heart-rate levels high

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In depth: Full body HIIT workout gets you fit with only running shoes required

On the fourth day, your DOMS should have completely subsided and you are ready for a more intense workout: a HIIT workout! There are many reasons why you should try HIIT, it torches fat, boosts metabolism, can improve heart health and also super time efficient.

Ideally, you would like to do the entirety of the full body HIIT workout detailed in the linked article, for the same reason why you should perform all five exercises on the first day: by doing more exercises, you get stronger and also build endurance, which you will need for the selection process.

All the better, since we are talking about HIIT, the whole session can be done in under half an hour, 45 minutes tops. Make sure you go as hard as you can doing the circuits and don't let your heart rate drop too much in between them.

To monitor your heart rate, you should get a running watch or at least a heart rate chest-strap so you can track your heart rate on the accompanying apps. the new Polar H9 costs the fraction of a smart watch and will provide you with more accurate readings than wrist based optical sensors.

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Same as above, give your body a rest on the fifth day and let your muscles regenerate.

One thing you can try is to do some light training in the form of EMS. Electric Muscle Stimulation is not your golden ticket to six-pack abs heaven, but it can compliment training well by targeting high load-bearing muscles, such as the abs, on days when you would like to give the rest of your body a bit of a break.

Many EMS devices can also be used in other areas of the body too, like the arms or even the shoulders, making them a versatile tool for athletes.

You could also try using a percussion massager, like the Theragun, to fully loosen the muscles and get them ready for more training. Percussion massagers are like electric toothbrushes for your muscles: although the manual toothbrush does the job just fine, you can clean way more effectively with an electric one.

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Both cycling and swimming build endurance and improve overall cardiovascular health

(Image credit: Rapha)

For best results, do cycling one week and swimming on the other. Either way, we are not talking about leisurely pedalling/splashing around the water: after your rest day, you would like to go the distance again and cover long distances on the bike/in the water.

As for cycling, you don't need to do the full Ironman distance 112 miles but you would like to cover as many miles as possible within an hour. Depending on the terrain, you are looking at doing around 15-20 miles for a good session. Should the weather permit, ride for even longer, two, maybe even three hours at the time to train your heart for sustained medium-intensity efforts.

In the pool, an hour-long session is ideal and you are looking at doing around two kilometres within that timeframe. You'd better master that freestyle swimming technique!

To track heart rate under water, we recommend using a triathlon watch and/or a swim proof chest strap like the Garmin HRM-Swim.

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This SAS workout will make your body and mind stronger - T3

How to Lose Weight Fast and Transform your Body – BOXROX

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

How to lose weight fast By knowing what and what not to eat, you will maximize your efforts trying to lose fat. Calorie balance is an essential aspect of this understanding.

Calorie balance is the ratio between calories taken in and calories expended in any one individual at any given time. This is the MOST IMPORTANT factor when it comes to changing your weight. What you actually need on a daily basis will be individual to you based on your age, lifestyle and fitness habits.

There are 3 states of calorie balance:

It is impossible to be in more than one of these states at any one time.

The second most important aspect is making sure that you are eating the correct amount of macronutrients that your body needs. Macronutrients consist of:

There is technically a 4th, alcohol, but Im not going into that one specifically. However if you drink alcohol, you should know that 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories and they do count. They just wont build muscle.

The seven tips below will guide you on your way to proper nutrition and efficient weight loss.

The most crucial part to cut off in your diet when trying to lose weight is carbohydrates (starches). To give you a little bit of a background, insulin is responsible for storing your fat. Insulin-release is also stimulated when you eat too much sugar that comes from starch or carbohydrates.

The more sugar you eat, the more your body releases insulin, and the more it stores fat. But when insulin goes down, you dont give your body a lot of chance to store up on fat, making it burn more to fuel your body instead.

Another benefit of lowered your insulin level is that it allows your kidneys to do what they are supposed to do and that is to get rid of excess sodium and water in your body. Excess sodium causes you to bloat up and store the water as weight exces. As soon as you get rid of carbohydrates on the first few weeks of your diet, you will notice you are losing more weight than expected.

Nutrition for performance

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How to Lose Weight Fast and Transform your Body - BOXROX

‘I Lost 60 Pounds With Intermittent Fasting and Running’ – LIVESTRONG.COM

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

Ask Daniel Johns, 36, and he'll tell you that intermittent fasting coupled with intense cardio helped him lose 60 pounds and keep off the weight since he began a get-healthy regimen in January 2018.

Daniel Johns lost 60 pounds with the help of intermittent fasting, running and a whole lot of discipline.

Credit: Daniel Johns/LIVESTRONG.com Creative

Now that he's on the path to wellness, this father of a son with special needs says he finally feels like the person he's always wanted to be. Read on as this music teacher shares his story.

Ever since I was a child, I had always been overweight. My health continued to deteriorate into my 30s because I was binge eating, smoking and drinking. I was completely inactive and I kept gaining weight each year.

In May 2016, my son was born with Fragile X syndrome, one of the leading causes of intellectual disabilities. I had a very difficult time meeting the demands of my teaching career and fatherhood, and I was always sluggish and lethargic.

In early 2018, I tipped the scales at 200 pounds. It was then that I made a decision to become the best version of myself possible, not only for my family, but for myself as well.

During the first year, I did nothing but intensive cardio. But I started slow. I started jogging two days a week and added more with time. Ultimately, I got up to about 6 to 8 miles four to five times a week.

Running started tearing up my knees, so in 2019, I started strength training four times a week. This was the turning point for me because while cardio made the scale drop, lifting weights completely changed the shape of my body. I can't stress enough how important lifting weight has been for me. Running was the jumping-off point, but lifting weights has become the cornerstone of my health and fitness.

As for my eating habits, I started practicing intermittent fasting, which for me is the 16:8 approach, which means I fast for 16 hours each day and eat my meals during the other eight hours. This means I skip breakfast, eat lunch at noon (I usually eat a grilled chicken breast, rice and broccoli), snack on fruit and a protein bar and make dinner the biggest meal of the day.

For dinner, I'll eat a wide variety of foods anything from pork loin with sweet potatoes and green beans to pizza to steak and potatoes.

I am human, by the way, so every now and then I'll have some chocolate. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my Achilles heel, but my go-to dessert is peanut butter spread on a whole-wheat tortilla, lightly drizzled with honey and raisins. It's delicious!

I chose intermittent fasting because I'm an all-or-nothing person. Moderation is very difficult for me. This also fits my schedule because I rarely have time for breakfast. The first two weeks were very difficult but my body adjusted over that time.

I also practice mindful eating and I track what I eat. The MyPlate app played a huge role and I still use this app to help me track. I focus on overall calories and protein. I don't get too caught up in carbs and fat.

Daniel's family inspired him to get healthy after decades of being overweight and inactive.

Credit: Daniel Johns/LIVESTRONG.com Creative

Making time to work out has been the greatest challenge. I work two jobs I'm a public school music teacher during the day and a private guitar teacher in the evening. I work a lot of 12-hour days and sometimes even weekends.

Now, I wake up at 3 a.m. to workout. All of my workouts are fasted, meaning I don't eat beforehand. No matter what, I don't have my first meal until noon. That's how I've made it work.

Discipline is crucial, but this diet and exercise regimen fits my home life perfectly. I only have to worry about two meals and a snack, and I do meal prep on Sunday nights. This is a seven-day-a-week regimen I don't take breaks!

My family is the one thing that has really helped me overall. My wife, Emma, cooks delicious and healthy meals for dinner. She allows me to be obsessive about my health and fitness and never judges me.

Be patient. Making these changes will not always be fun. I always say: Don't get too high on yourself and don't get too low, either. It's a marathon.

For me, lifting weights was the total game-changer. I've come to realize that running was only the spark that lit the fire. What I enjoy most about lifting weights is trying to be better than you were the workout before, focusing on progressive overload and adding weight to the bar. So my best advice is to fall in love with the process and find a workout you really love.

Join the LIVESTRONG.com Challenge Group on Facebook to learn about the latest 30-day challenges and get support and encouragement from other members along the way!

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'I Lost 60 Pounds With Intermittent Fasting and Running' - LIVESTRONG.COM

This Navy SEAL workout puts your strength and endurance to the test – T3

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

The Navy SEAL workout is tough, because being a Navy SEAL is a tough business. The workout we are going to discuss here uses your body only as resistance and therefore classifies it as a calisthenics workout. It also relies on endurance more than counting sets and reps. In fact, you won't even need to count reps; the only thing you might want to check is the time.

Here, we will talk about the Navy SEAL fitness test and how you can benefit from getting ready for it, even if you aren't planning on joining the US military. The test requires you to do as many reps as you can in the set time interval and therefore is perfect to build muscles and endurance,as well as torching fat.

See how it compares with this SAS workout

If you prefer something a little less gung ho, there are plenty of ways to lose weight fast and build muscle at the same time. For example, you can do a push-pull workout or even a five-move full body workout. In general, the more muscles you move, the more calories you burn, so if weight loss is your aim, try doing more compound exercises, like deadlifts and squats.

As part of the test, you will need to perform five different exercises within a set amount of time. The requirements are as follows:

What is great about this test that it measures the fitness levels of your whole body. You'll need a strong back and shoulders for the swim, monster pecs and triceps for the pushups, rock hard abs and core for situps, godly lats and biceps for the pullups and swift quads, calves and glutes for the run.

Another good aspect of the test is that it's time limited and bodyweight only: you won't have to count weights and volume here, just do as many reps as you can within the set time. Doesn't get less complicated than that.

Due to the high rep count, working out using this method is not all that dissimilar to doing CrossFit, for example, and builds endurance as well.

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Protein brownies are a great source of protein and carbs, as well as being low on sugar and fats

(Image credit: The Protein Works)

If you want to build muscles and lose fat, you will need to eat right, no question about it.Even if your aim is to lose weight doing this exercise, you will need to get a better understanding of what you eat and most importantly, how much carbs, fats and protein do you consume a day.

If it sounds daunting and a lot of hassle to count macros, it really isn't. There are free apps that literally tells you what's in the food you eat by scanning the barcode of the product, such as MyFitnessPal. Once you know what's in it, you can decide whether you need that last slice of large Dominos pepperoni pizza (you don't).

Either you are trying to lose fat or want to build muscle, eating more protein is beneficial for you. If you fall in the former category, try swapping some bad fats and carbs most of the processed food falls into this category to protein snacks, let them be protein bars or just a small portion of high-carb nuts.

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and are naturally skinny, try adding some high protein mass gainers, like Bulk Powders' Informed Mass or The Protein Works' Total Mass Matrix.

Drinking more water also helps, so fill up your gym water bottle and drink that water!

Bulk Powders Protein Flap Jack, box of 12 | Sale price 12.99 | Was 19.99 | Save 7 at Bulk PowdersThe Bulk Powders Protein Flap Jack not only tastes amazing but it also has 21 grams of muscle building protein in each 85-gram bar as well as loads of fibres too. Choose from three equally as delicious flavours: Chocolate Chip, Golden Syrup and White Chocolate Berry. A bit on the sugary side so be careful not to eat the whole box in the one sitting!View Deal

Make stretching an integral part of your workouts

(Image credit: Future)

Although this workout uses plenty of cardio elements, you want to get ready even for those. Light jogging and stretching helps priming the muscles and your body for the upcoming exercises.

Stretching and relaxing tense muscles after the workout is also very beneficial. Use a foam roller and/or resistance bands, both of which can relieve muscle tension and

IMPORTANT: if you have any medical condition or experiencing pain of any sort especially back pain please consult a medical professional before you start working out. Some of the below exercises put a lot of stress on your lower back and if you are ever unsure how to perform them, get a PT or a trained athlete to show you the correct form.

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Swimming is good for your whole body. Period.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Muscles worked: delts, lats, traps, triceps, biceps, abs, hams, glutes (all of them, really)

Time: swim continuously for half an hour

This exercise will most likely be performed separately from the rest of the exercises for practical reasons, but it's all for the better since adding a swim day to your workout calendar will introduce variety to your strength training.

Not only that, but swimming is good for your overall cardivascular health, is a joint-friendly sport and will make your body strong overall as well as more robust. Doing freestyle swimming will work your shoulders and lats and will give you that V-back you always wanted.

Make sure you warm up for your swims with some shoulder exercises, like rolling shoulder circles and arm circles. especially if you haven't swam for a while, you will feel your shoulders quite prominently in the upcoming days after the exercise if you don't warm up. Probably even if you do, but at least with warmup you can avoid injuries.

SKLZ Core Wheels Dynamic Strength & Ab Trainer | Buy it at Amazon for 36.27Ab rollers are amazing tools to train your core and abs but the SKLZ Core Wheels go even further: train your lats and shoulders as well as your core with the dual-wheel rollers. Using the SKLZ Core Wheels can compliment your swimming training and using them even just for a few minutes will strengthen your shoulders significantly.View Deal

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Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows and get as close to the ground as you can in the lowest position

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: how to do a push-up

Muscles worked: pecs, triceps, core

Time: do as many as you can in two minutes/do 50 pushups in the least amount of sets possible

Starting position is arms extended and shoulder-width apart whilst you are facing the floor. Make sure your palms are directly under your shoulders on the floor. Core and glutes engaged, back straight.

At the lowest position, your nose should almost touch the floor and again, your body should be straight.

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Keep your back straight and pull with your abs

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: how to do ab crunches

Muscles worked: abs, obliques, core, lats

Time: do as many as you can in two minutes/ do 75 in the least amount of sets possible.

Don't try to do sit ups without leg support, that'll put way too much pressure on your back. You can get anunder door crunch barif you are working out at home or asit up bench(or a multi-functionalweights bench).

Also and I can't tress this enough don't have your hands behind your neck or head. Most people try to cheat doing sit ups by pulling their head with their arms. The only thing you'll achieve with that is spine injury and neck pain.

Keep you hands either on the side of your head or crossed in front of your chest. The former is better if your abs are not that strong just yet and you want a bit of momentum before your engage your core.

Either way, engage your core all the way through the movement and keep your back straight. By engaging your core and not using your hands/arms to help, you can avoid potential back injuries.

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Shoulders should be in-line with wrist at the highest position

(Image credit: Future)

In depth: best back exercises

Muscles worked: lats, traps, biceps

Sets/Reps: do as many as you can in one go

If you are exercising at home and unfamiliar with pullups, get one a door pull up bar and start doing pullups your legs resting on a chair. Please,please, make sure the bar is fitted properly and that it can support your bodyweight before you start hanging off it.

If you are frequenting the gym, you can use a pull up assist machine first. Same thing as doing a regular pull up, but you do it kneeling on a weighted pad.

Bodyweight pull ups are the next step up from supported leg pullups. If you really want concentrate on your lats, use a wide overhand grip. Chin ups use your arms muscles more (they are excellent nevertheless).

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Not many exercises will work your lower body as well as running

(Image credit: Saucony)

In depth: why you should try running

Muscles worked: quads, hams, glutes, calves

Time: run for half an hour

Put one feet in front of the other in a quick succession.

Jokes aside, to pass the test, you will need to achieve a 5 min/km pace, which is not a break neck speed but still sort-of brisk, so concentrate on landing softly and if you are indeed going for a half an hour run, do the first couple of kilometres in a less demanding .

Also, keep your chest open and shoulders wide as you run. Keeping your upper body straight means you won't compress your lungs (by slumping), which then can turn around more oxygen, which in turn can keep your muscles from tiring

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This Navy SEAL workout puts your strength and endurance to the test - T3

Jatenzo, an Oral Testosterone Replacement Therapy, Now Available – Renal and Urology News

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:45 am

Jatenzo (testosterone undecanoate; Clarus Therapeutics), an oral testosterone replacement therapy, is now available for the treatment of hypogonadism.

Specifically, Jatenzo is indicated for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone:

Jatenzo is not intended for use in males with age-related hypogonadism and its safety and efficacy have not been established in males <18 years old.

The treatment carries a Boxed Warning related to blood pressure (BP) increases that could potentially increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. In a clinical trial, Jatenzo increased systolic BP during 4 months of treatment by an average of 4.9 mmHg based on ambulatory BP monitoring and by an average of 2.8 mmHg from baseline based on BP cuff measurements. For this reason, baseline cardiovascular risk should be considered before initiating therapy and BP should be adequately controlled. Among study patients treated with Jatenzo, 7% were started on antihypertensive medications or required intensification of their antihypertensive medication regimen during the 4-month trial.

Jatenzo, a Schedule III controlled substance, is available in 158mg, 198mg, and 237mg softgels. Dosage should be individualized based on serum testosterone concentrations.

Jatenzo offers patients a convenient softgel formulation, and eliminates the worry of gel transference, skin irritation from patches, or pain from injections that other testosterone treatments carry, said Dr Ronald S. Swerdloff, lead investigator of the inTUne trial, the pivotal study that established the safety and efficacy of the treatment.

For more information visit jatenzo.com.

This article originally appeared on MPR

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Jatenzo, an Oral Testosterone Replacement Therapy, Now Available - Renal and Urology News

10 of the Best Keto-Friendly Protein Bars – Healthline

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:43 am

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works.

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a very low carb, high fat diet thats associated with several health benefits, including weight loss (1).

For those following this diet, protein bars can be a convenient, grab-and-go option when you need a quick meal or filling snack. However, finding a keto-friendly bar can be difficult because most protein bars are either too high in carbs or too low in fat.

Plus, even protein bars that meet the right criteria arent always healthy options, as they often contain large amounts of artificial ingredients, additives, and preservatives.

Still, if you look carefully, you can find protein bars that are both keto-friendly and nutritious. Alternatively, you can make them on your own.

Here are 10 healthy keto-friendly protein bars.

Specifically formulated for the keto diet, these protein bars come in five flavors, including cinnamon roll, salted caramel, and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Perfect Keto designs its bars to provide just 23 net carbs per bar, along with around 17 grams of fat and 11 grams of protein.

Keto-friendly bars like these regularly contain fiber and sugar alcohols, which your body cant fully digest and absorb. Therefore, subtracting the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs gives you the number of net (digestible) carbs.

Youll often see the number of net carbs highlighted on the packaging though this value is likely lower than the number of total carbs listed among the nutritional information.

Perfect Keto bars have a relatively short ingredient list, which includes almond butter, tapioca fiber, cocoa butter, cashews, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, grass-fed collagen, and stevia.

While more research is needed, the fatty acids found in MCT oil may improve exercise performance and promote weight loss by reducing body fat (2, 3).

If you cant find Perfect Keto bars in your local health food or supplement store, try looking online.

MariGold protein bars come in seven flavors and are renowned for their homemade taste and texture.

Each bar offers 23 grams of net carbs, 58 grams of fiber, 1618 grams of fat, and an impressive 2021 grams of protein. Theyre made with just a few ingredients, including grass-fed whey protein powder.

Whey powder is a popular supplement because its protein can be quickly absorbed by your body. As a result, it may promote significant increases in strength, muscle mass, and even fat loss (4, 5, 6, 7).

The bars are also free of sugar alcohols, which are natural or manufactured carbs that taste sweet yet have half the number of calories as sugar. Some people may wish to avoid sugar alcohols because they can sometimes cause digestive distress (8).

Instead, these bars are sweetened with stevia, monk fruit extract, or a combination of the two. Both are zero-calorie, natural sugar alternatives.

Additionally, some MariGold bars are low in short-chain, undigestible carbs called FODMAPs, which may cause digestive side effects like bloating, gas, and constipation in some individuals (9).

Your supermarket may offer Marigold bars, but it may be easier to shop for them online.

If you love jerky, DNX bars may be right up your alley.

Made from free-range chicken or grass-fed bison or beef, DNX bars are free of added sugars. Additional ingredients include egg whites, dates, dehydrated vegetables, nuts, seeds, and spices.

For an extra boost of nutrition, the bars boast sacha inchi oil. Also called sacha peanut, sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) is a plant that produces seeds rich in calcium, vitamin A, and essential omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce inflammation (10).

DNX bars offer comparable amounts of nutrients. For example, their bar made from grass-fed beef, uncured bacon, and jalapeos provides 140 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1 gram of net carbs, 1 gram of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

Consider buying these bars online if you cant find them locally.

Founded in 2012, Keto Bars was one of the first companies to create protein bars specifically for the keto diet. In addition to being high in fat and low in net carbs, their bars are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free.

All four of their flavors have short ingredient lists and are made with a base of unsweetened chocolate, coconut, and nut butter. To keep them sugar-free, Keto Bars use two alternative sweeteners stevia and erythritol.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some fruits like watermelon and grapes, as well as fermented foods like cheese and wine. However, it can also be manufactured (11).

Although erythritol appears to be very safe, one study found that consuming 50 grams of it resulted in digestive side effects, including nausea and stomach discomfort (11, 12).

As one Keto Bar contains just 5 grams of this sweetener, its highly unlikely to result in these side effects.

While the bars vary slightly in calorie count and macronutrient content, they generally provide around 230 calories, 20 grams of fat, 3 grams of net carbs, 7 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

You can find Keto Bars in some supermarkets, as well as online.

With 6 dessert-inspired flavors and a cookie dough consistency, Atlas protein bars offer approximately 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein, and 5 grams of net carbs each.

Unlike many competitors, Atlas doesnt use any artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Instead, each bar is lightly sweetened with monk fruit extract a natural, zero-calorie sweetener.

Furthermore, the bars include two herbs considered to be adaptogens ashwagandha extract and maca root powder. Research suggests that adaptogens may help manage stress, boost energy levels, and ease anxiety (13, 14, 15).

Keep an eye out for Atlas protein bars online or at your local grocery store or health food market.

BHUs keto-friendly protein bars have a fudgy texture and are made without any artificial sweeteners or preservatives. As a result, they need to be kept refrigerated.

While all 5 flavors vary in nutrient content, each bar packs 200270 calories, 1518 grams of fat, 23 grams of net carbs, 811 grams of protein, and an impressive 912 grams of fiber.

One unique ingredient in these bars is organic tapioca flour, which contains prebiotic fiber. This nondigestable fiber helps feed beneficial bacteria in your gut, supporting proper digestion, a strong immune system, and heart health (16, 17, 18).

You can find BHU keto bars in some stores and online.

Many of the ingredients in Dang bars are instantly recognizable as nutritious and keto-friendly, such as nuts, pea protein, and chia and sunflower seeds.

Each bar has 45 grams of net carbs, 1416 grams of fat, and 910 grams of protein.

Notably, Dangs products are also vegan.

Plus, these bars contain chicory root fiber, which is an excellent source of gut-healthy prebiotic fiber. Yet, its also high in FODMAPs, so some individuals may not tolerate these bars particularly well (19, 20).

If FODMAPs arent a concern for you, you can shop for Dang bars locally or online.

While you may know Primal Kitchen from their avocado oil or minimal ingredient salad dressings, the company also offers a line of keto-friendly protein bars.

All of the current five flavors are made from a base of nuts, egg whites, coconut oil, and various spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Theyre then sweetened with monk fruit extract and a touch of honey.

Many of the bars also contain flax seeds, which are an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to reducing inflammation, omega-3s are important for your heart, brain, and immune system (21, 22, 23, 24).

Each bar provides approximately 200 calories, 16 grams of fat, 89 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of net carbs.

If these bars arent available at your local supermarket, you can find them online.

Homemade keto bars are ideal if you want to carefully control the ingredients used or simply enjoy the craft of concocting your own foods.

This recipe makes bars with 319 calories and 7 grams of protein each. Furthermore, each bar provides a whopping 28 grams of fat and only 4 grams of net carbs.

In addition to a handful of other whole ingredients, these bars are rich in almonds, pecans, and almond butter. Research has shown that regular nut intake may aid weight loss and help reduce chronic inflammation (25, 26, 27).

Anyone who loves peanut butter cups will enjoy these no-bake peanut butter protein bars that take under 10 minutes to make.

All you need are five low carb ingredients coconut flour, a protein powder of your choice, peanut butter, a sticky sweetener of your choice, and chocolate chips.

To keep these bars keto-compliant, the recipe recommends using monk fruit syrup because its carb-free. You may want to double-check that both your protein powder and chocolate chips are keto-friendly as well.

There are several versions of the keto diet, though the most popular one encourages you to get at least 70% of your daily calories from fat, 20% from protein, and no more than 10% from carbs (1).

Thus, youll want to stick to this macronutrient breakdown as closely as possible when choosing a keto protein bar (1, 28).

For a 200-calorie bar, this ratio would equal 16 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, and no more than 5 grams of carbs.

Try to avoid bars with a long list of ingredients you dont recognize, such as artificial sweeteners or preservatives, as these indicate that the bar is heavily processed.

Diets high in processed foods are linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and obesity (29, 30, 31).

Instead, choose bars made mostly from real foods, such as oils, spices, natural sweeteners, nuts, and seeds. As the keto diet is high in fat, you should also look for healthy fats like nuts and nut butters, MCT oil, avocado oil, and flax, chia, or hemp seeds.

Numerous low carb, high fat protein bars align with the keto diet to keep you full between meals or provide a quick and easy breakfast.

Its important to look for ones that pack a decent amount of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and other nutritious ingredients.

Of course, whipping up a batch of homemade bars is a great option as well.

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10 of the Best Keto-Friendly Protein Bars - Healthline

How to Make Motivation Stick – Thrive Global

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:43 am

I was talking to my Mom today and she mentioned that its already February, Its crazy how quickly time passes by.

As I thought about January, I was reflecting on the things I did or said I would do. With the energy and buzz of the New Year having passed, some of us may also be thinking about the resolutions weve set (or maybe were trying to forget we set any at all).

Ive definitely set resolutions in the past and found myself not following through with them, soI looked into it. It turns out that 35% of those that set resolutions break them by the end of January.And only 23% of them actually see their goals to completion.So, dont beat yourself up if youre disappointed in yourself, its normal behaviour. It also doesnt mean you should quit, its only February, so this can be an opportunity to re-align, set new goals, and keep going.

But motivation is a tricky topic. How do you keep yourself going when the honeymoon phase of goal setting fades away? On a coaching call recently, an interesting question was raised by a coachee aboutdrive, Where does it come from? Is it a byproduct of working towards a purpose? Or is it something you have?

Lets start with this: if you work towards a goal that isnt important to you, motivation wont work. It will start to feel heavy and difficult over time. You need to clearly understand and define your purpose before you start on the journey of achieving it. While your goal has to matter to you, having a purpose may not be enough to make you work towards it every day (otherwise 77% of people wouldnt quit their resolutions).

So how do we stay committed?

This is where the process of goal setting becomes important. While the goal has to matter, its the process of getting to the goal that determines your success. It can lead to incremental changes in your behaviour which makes your goals a reality. Since many of us have weight loss goals, lets use the goal of losing 20 pounds by June, as an example. What do you have to do to get there?

Here are some tools Ive used that may be helpful to you:

1. Track your habits

First, ask yourself, what changes do I need to make in my daily routine in order to actually lose weight? Think about the groceries you need to buy, or how far away the gym is from your home. If the weather is cold, think about what you can do daily to make sure this is not an obstacle. You can throw your gym bag in the car so you can go there after work, or pack a snack to give you energy so you dont have to buy fast food. You can also tell your coworkers you need to leave at 5 so they can also be mindful of your time. Schedule gym in your calendar once its set, youre less likely to avoid it.

Its helpful to look at how you can optimize your life in order to achieve your goal. When we set goals, we often dont complete a holistic look at our lives to assess feasibility. How can you lose weight, if you eat the same thing, go to bed late, and work late? It doesnt work.

When you realize what it is you have to do everyday in order to achieve your goal, write it down. Use an app (there are many of them) to track your habits. As my coach tells me, if you miss a day, its okay, if you miss 2, its a habit. As you track your progress, it will make sense very quickly why you didnt achieve your goal.

2. Be consistent: show up when you dont want to

There are days when youre not going to want to go to the gym. Obviously. These are the hard days.

As a friend of mine told me: Your ability to go from good to great depends on your ability to overcome inertia.

Being consistent is more important than being intense at the gym because you start to cultivate the mindset of showing up. This is why the first step of habit tracking is so important. It will help you see results as you continue to show up. Then a week or two later, you notice youre a pound lighter. CELEBRATE THAT! When youre not motivated to go to the gym anymore, dont focus on the 20 pounds you want to lose since thats far away, but focus on how far youve come. Losing a pound is better than eating chips at home, so use that reward as motivation to keep you going. Be proud of yourself that emotion alone will remind you its important to keep showing up.

And when youre really stuck, focus on the emotion you want to feel when you actually accomplish your goal (losing 20 pounds). Youll be proud, accomplished, healthier, faster, etc; focus on those emotions to drive your habits.

3. Believe in yourself

There are endless stories of people that have undergone transformation. They werent born with a unique willpower that you dont have: Superman isnt real. Even The Rock was scrawny when he was younger. Oprah wasnt taken seriously when she first started out. It was also thought that no one could run a 4 minute mile, until Roger Bannister did it. These people just tried everyday and believed they could. It doesnt matter whether or not you actually hit your goal, if you dont believe you can, your thoughts wont allow you to get there.

So how can we control our thoughts?

There are many tools, like journaling, gratitude and meditation that you can use. One of the biggest methods that Ive noticed many of us struggle with, is positive self-talk.

Believing in yourself often equates to being kind to yourself. It means forgiving yourself so you could do better next time.

Tell yourself: Its okay if you mess up or if you skipped a day at the gym. Its okay if you have a donut or two today. Its okay that I just watched Netflix. Positive reinforcementis a proven wayto keep yourself motivated. It helps you be a little less tough on yourself.

Remember that it takes, on average, 18 days to 254 days to create a new habit. And its not an all or nothing process. If you mess up once, it doesnt mean you failed; get back up because thats part of the process of creating habits. Check outJames Clears articleon the topic.

Motivation is the product of working hard every day. When you show up to work, you become good at what you do after a while. When a basketball player practices everyday, they can have a shot at being in the NBA. When you cook everyday, you start tweaking recipes and creating healthier meals. But if you dont put in the work, not only do you not get to the results, but you start believing that you cant achieve your goal and so you lose motivation.

To answer my coachees question: having drive is not something you wake up and have; its something you do everyday.

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FDA In Brief: FDA Requests Voluntary Withdrawal of Weight-Loss Medication After Clinical Trial Shows an Increased Occurrence of Cancer – Yahoo Finance

Posted: February 19, 2020 at 10:43 am

SILVER SPRING, Md., Feb. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The following quote is attributed to Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research:

"Public health and safety of drugs that Americans rely on is a top priority at the FDA both before and after approval. We're taking steps to notify the public about a particular weight-loss medication and have requested that the company voluntarily withdraw the product from the market because our review of the full clinical trial results shows that the potential risk of cancer associated with the drug outweighs the benefit of treatment. The company has submitted a request to voluntarily withdraw the drug.

"As noted in a new Drug Safety Communication issued today, patients should stop using the medication Belviq and Belviq XR (lorcaserin) and talk to their health care professionals about other treatment options for weight loss.Health care professionals should stop prescribing and dispensing Belviq and Belviq XR.

"The FDA is not recommending special screening for patients who have taken Belviq. Standard screening recommendationsfor cancer should be implemented for any patient, regardless of prior Belviq treatment.

"The agency's actions follow our alert to the public earlier this year about the possible risk of cancer associated this medication based on preliminary analysis of the clinical trial data.

"We will continue to track safety issues with medications on the market and use science and data as our guide to act quickly when we have determined that the risks associated with drugs are greater than the benefits of treatment."

Additional Resources:

Media Contact:Monique Richards, 240-402-3014Consumer Inquiries: Email, 888-INFO-FDA

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

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