The age-old secret to a longer life really comes down to a healthy lifestyle including regular exercise, limiting alcohol intake, not smoking and eating a healthy balanced diet. Good nutrition is key to leading a healthy lifestyle. The foods a person eats gives the body information and materials they need to function properly. If a person eats too much food, or food that gives the body the wrong instructions, their risk of potentially life-threatening diseases increases and lifespan shortens. What is the best diet to help a person live a long, healthy life and reduce their risk of deadly diseases?

A study has been published in the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal and reignites debate around increasingly popular vegan diets amid conflicting medical advice and evidence over the impact of ones health.

The study found every three percent in calories form plant protein was found to reduce risk of death by 10 percent.

The figure rises to 12 percent for risk of dying from heart disease. By contrast, raising the share of animal protein in ones diet by 10 percent led to a two percent higher risk of death from all causes.

DONT MISS

Experts recommend eating more plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Lean protein and low-fat dairy products are also recommended.

Numerous research suggests eating at least seven portions of fresh fruits and vegetables per day may lower the risk of dying from cancer by up to 15 percent.

Dr Mingyang Song said: Overall, studies have supported the importance of the sources of dietary protein for long-term health outcomes.

Read more:
How to live longer: The diet proven to help you stave off cancer and boost life expectancy - Express

Dementia is an umbrella term for a cluster of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning that tends to affect people as they age, but it is not a natural part of ageing.

Alzheimers disease, a neurological disorder characterised by memory loss and cognitive decline, is the most common form of dementia.

While it is not known how to prevent the neurological disorders associated with dementia, such as Alzheimers, a report published today adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that early lifestyle interventions may reduce your risk.

The report, conducted by The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, has revealed that drinking coffee can help to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

To gather the findings, the researchers, led by Dr Elisabet Rothenberg, analysed previous studies investigating the role of specific dietary decisions play in reducing the risk of neurological disorders including Alzheimers disease (AD) and Parkinsons (PD).

Their analysis suggests that a higher intake of coffee could not only help to keep the risks of developing these disorders at bay, but it may also alleviate symptoms.

According to Dr Rothenberg, research suggests that drinking up to five cups of coffee a day could offer a defence against developing neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinsons Disease.

READ MORE:Dementia: How Alzheimer's disease could be predicted decades before symptoms develop

While research is yet to explain the association, the researchers hope the findings will encourage further studies into coffee.

Dr Rothenberg added: Neurodegenerative conditions such as AD and PD markedly change life conditions by successively impairing functional capacity, with profound effects on independence and well-being.

Currently no curative treatment is available, and therefore ways to reduce the risk of developing these conditions or relieve symptoms is laudable.

At present research has shown promising results regarding the impact of life-style factors including diet. The Mediterranean diet has been of main interest.

DON'T MISSHow to live longer: The diet proven to help you stave off cancer and boost life expectancy[TIPS] Type 2 diabetes: The popular vegetable shown to lower your blood sugar[TIPS] How to live longer: This activity has been proven to boost life expectancy[INSIGHT]

There are also some interesting studies regarding coffee consumption suggesting that caffeine is potentially beneficial in preventing AD and PD.

However, it is still too early to draw firm conclusions regarding causal relationship between dietary factors and the risk of developing AD and PD. Further research is required.

According to the Alzheimers Society, of all the lifestyle changes that have been studied, taking regular physical exercise appears to be one of the most promising ways to reduce your risk of getting dementia.

Several studies looking at the effect of aerobic exercise in middle-aged or older adults have reported improvements in thinking and memory, and reduced rates of dementia.

Several prospective studies have looked at middle-aged people and the effects of physical exercise on their thinking and memory in later life.

Combining the results of 11 studies shows that regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia by about 30 percent.

For Alzheimer's disease specifically, the risk was reduced by 45 percent.

One particular study looked at health behaviours of over 2,000 men in Wales, and followed them for 35 years.

Of the five behaviours that were assessed (regular exercise, not smoking, moderate alcohol intake, healthy body weight and healthy diet), exercise had the greatest effect in terms of reducing dementia risk.

Overall, people who followed four or five of the above behaviours were up to 60 percent less likely to develop dementia.

In the short term, aerobic exercise can also improve the performance of healthy adults on thinking tests.

Aggregating the results of 29 clinical trials revealed that a month or more of regular aerobic exercise resulted in improvements in memory, attention and processing speed when compared with regular non-aerobic exercise such as stretching and toning.

View post:
Dementia: The hot drink shown to help lower your risk of developing the condition - Express

High blood pressure happens when your blood pressure, which naturally naturally fluctuates throughout the day and night, is consistently too high. It means that your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body - a mechanism that can lead to cardiovascular complications if steps are taken to lower your reading. Fortunately, making healthy lifestyle decisions can lower high blood pressure and ward off the threat of developing serious health conditions.

Exercising regularly is one key lifestyle measure proven to lower high blood pressure, as the Mayo Clinic explained: Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.

Crucially, as the health body points out, becoming more active can lower your systolic blood pressure the top number in a blood pressure reading by an average of four to nine millimetres of mercury (mm Hg).

That's as good as some blood pressure medications. For some people, getting some exercise is enough to reduce the need for blood pressure medication, noted the health site.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers - the first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats.

READ MORE:High blood pressure: Avoid eating these five foods to reduce risk of serious complications

The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats.

According to Blood Pressure UK, systolic blood pressure is more important than diastolic blood pressure because it gives the best idea of your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

Knowing where to begin with exercise can sometimes seem overwhelming but recent research suggests that doing a simple exercise every morning may provide blood pressure-lowering benefits.

The study, published in the journal Hypertension, found that just 30 minutes of exercise every morning may be as effective as medication at lowering blood pressure for the rest of the day.

DON'T MISSHow to live longer: A blue zones diet could increase life expectancy[TIPS] How to live longer: Following this diet once a month could increase your life expectancy[TIPS] Andy Whyment health: Im A Celebrity star had problems at birth - why?[INSIGHT]

The study found that a short burst of treadmill walking each morning reduced high blood pressure, and that the effect was more pronounced in people that took additional short walks later in the day.

To gather the findings, 35 women and 32 men aged between 55 and 80 followed three different daily plans, in a random order, with at least six days between each one.

The first plan consisted of uninterrupted sitting for eight hours, while the second consisted of one hour of sitting before 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill at moderate intensity, followed by 6.5 hours of sitting down.

The final plan was one hour of sitting before 30 minutes of treadmill walking, followed by 6.5 hours of sitting, which was interrupted every 30 minutes with three minutes of walking at a light intensity.

Commenting on the findings, study author Michael Wheeler of the University of Western Australia in Perth, said: For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting approached what might be expected from anti-hypertensive medication in this population to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke.

The study echoes extensive evidence that shows regular physical activity can help lower your blood pressure and help reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes, said Chris Allen at the British Heart Foundation.

It can also give both your body and mind a boost, which is why 30 minutes of activity in the morning is a great way to set yourself up for the day, he said.

In addition to exercise, overhauling your diet is also essential to lowering high blood pressure and warding off the threat of developing deadly complications.

Eating too much salt, for example, can send your reading soaring so to keep the risks at bay, you should cut your salt intake to less than 6g (0.2oz) a day, which is about a teaspoonful, advises the NHS.

According to Mayo Clinic, upping your potassium intake can counter the negative effects of eating too much salt.

The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements, noted the health site.

It added: Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure.

Read the original post:
High blood pressure: Do this for 30 minutes in the morning to lower your reading - Express

Constipation is the medical term for infrequent or hard-to-pass bowel movements. A person may have constipation if they have not had a bowel movement in 3 or more days, or if they need to strain very hard when they do have one.

Sometimes, a person may experience a headache in addition to constipation. In some cases, these two symptoms could share the same underlying cause.

Common underlying causes of both symptoms include not drinking enough water or eating enough of certain nutrients. In these instances, drinking more water and eating more fiber may help resolve the symptoms.

If constipation and headaches frequently occur together, it may be due to a long-term condition that requires medical treatment or lifestyle changes.

This article outlines some health conditions that could cause headaches and constipation, along with their associated treatment options.

Many people who experience headaches also complain of constipation. A 2015 study sought to investigate this link.

The researchers assessed the medical records of 96 children who went to the hospital complaining of headache. Of these, 24 had constipation and received appropriate treatment. At a follow-up consultation, all 24 of those children showed improvements in both constipation and headache.

The study authors therefore conclude that successful treatment of constipation can improve headache particularly tension-type headache. However, they could not determine whether constipation triggers headache or constipation and headache are both symptoms of the same underlying cause.

Often, both headaches and constipation develop as a result of not consuming enough fluids or having a balanced diet.

Dehydration, which occurs when someone loses more fluid than they take in, can result in both constipation and headaches.

Constipation can also occur due to eating foods that contain little or no fiber. Many of these foods, such as fast foods and processed foods, are high in sugar. This may cause headaches.

In these instances, taking in more fluid and eating more nutritious high fiber foods could help resolve both symptoms.

There are also several underlying conditions that may cause both constipation and headaches. A person with one of these conditions may experience the two symptoms at the same time. These conditions include:

Celiac disease is a type of autoimmune condition. People who have celiac disease experience intestinal inflammation and damage as a result of eating gluten. Gluten is a protein present in wheat and wheat products.

There are three types of celiac disease: classical, nonclassical, and silent.

Classical celiac disease is characterized by intestinal malabsorption. This refers to when the intestines become so damaged that they are unable to absorb enough nutrients from the diet. Some signs of intestinal malabsorption include:

A person with nonclassical celiac disease may experience mild gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating. They may also experience:

Silent celiac disease is so-called because those who have it are unlikely to experience any symptoms. They may, however, experience improved health after adopting a gluten-free diet.

Treatment

The only treatment for celiac disease is to follow a strict gluten-free diet. This will allow the small intestine to heal, which should lead to a reduction in GI symptoms.

Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety can trigger tension headaches and GI issues.

Some additional symptoms of depression include:

There are also several types of anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common. People with GAD experience persistent and excessive worry that interferes with their daily life.

They may also experience symptoms such as:

Treatment

A doctor may prescribe medications for people with depression or anxiety. However, these medications can take some time to work. People may also need to try several medications before finding a drug that works well for them.

People with either mood disorder may also benefit from talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

Some people with fibromyalgia may experience migraine or tension headaches. They may also experience digestive issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Treatment

The most effective treatment for fibromyalgia is physical exercise. Aerobic exercise may be particularly effective.

People with fibromyalgia may also benefit from taking certain medications. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved the following three drugs for the treatment of fibromyalgia:

People with fibromyalgia may also benefit from the following treatments:

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that causes a person to feel overwhelmingly tired or fatigued. As a result, a person may have great difficulty carrying out normal daily activities.

CFS can cause headaches and, in some instances, constipation. Other symptoms may include:

Treatment

There is currently no cure for CFS. However, there are things a person can do to alleviate their symptoms. This may include spreading out activities that they know will drain them of energy. Certain supplements and relaxation therapies may also help.

The symptoms of CFS differ from one person to another. For this reason, a person should talk to their doctor about their specific symptoms and the possible treatment options.

Headaches and constipation can both be side effects of certain medications. Two medications that may cause these symptoms are opioids and statins.

A person should talk to their doctor if they develop constipation or headaches after starting a new medication.

Treatment

If medication is the cause of both constipation and headaches, a doctor may lower the dosage. When possible, they may even prescribe an alternative medication.

If these options are not feasible, a doctor may prescribe medications to help alleviate the side effects.

Constipation and headaches can sometimes occur together. In some cases, these symptoms may share the same underlying cause. This may be a lack of fluid or fiber.

However, there are also several health conditions that can cause both constipation and headaches. Treating the underlying condition can help alleviate these symptoms.

In some cases, constipation and headaches may occur as side effects of a medication. If this is the case, a doctor may lower the dosage of the medication or prescribe an alternative drug.

A person should see a healthcare provider if they experience persistent or recurrent constipation, headaches, or both.

View original post here:
Can constipation cause a headache? What to know - Medical News Today

Obesity is increasing worldwide, especially among children and teenagers. More than 150 million children in the world are obese in 2019. These children have increased risk of heart disease, cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

Teenagers with obesity are likely to remain obese as adults. If these trends continue, 70 per cent of adults aged 40 years could be either overweight or obese by 2040.

I am a neuroscientist and my research investigates how diet changes the brain. I want to understand how unhealthy diets impact the developing brain, and also why young people today are so prone to developing obesity.

Adolescents are the greatest consumers of calorie-rich junk foods. During puberty, many children have an insatiable appetite as rapid growth requires lots of energy. Heightened metabolism and growth spurts can protect against obesity, to an extent. But excessively eating high-calorie junk foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles can outweigh any metabolic protection.

The teenage years are a key window of brain development. Adolescence coincides with a new-found social autonomy and the independence to make personal food choices.

Read more: Your brain on sugar: What the science actually says

During adolescence, connections between different brain regions and individual neurons are also being refined and strengthened. The adolescent brain is malleable because of increased levels of neuroplasticity.

This means the brain is highly receptive to being shaped and rewired by the environment including diet. In turn, these changes can become hardwired when development is complete. So the adolescent brain is vulnerable to diet-induced changes, but these changes may endure through life.

Neuroscientists use functional brain imaging to examine how the brain responds to specific events. Brain scans show that the prefrontal cortex a key brain area for behavioural control and decision-making doesnt fully mature until the early 20s.

The prefrontal cortex controls and overrides urges triggered by events in the environment. Resisting eating a whole bag of candy or buying cheap junk foods can be particularly difficult for teenagers.

In contrast to the immature prefrontal cortex, the brains reward system the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system is fully developed at a much earlier age.

Teenagers are particularly drawn to rewards, including sweet and calorie-dense foods. This is due to increased numbers of dopamine receptors in the adolescent brain, so the feeling of reward can be exaggerated. Frequent stimulation of the reward system results in enduring brain adaptations.

During adolescence, these changes may cause long-lasting shifts to the balance of brain chemicals.

Taken together, the teenage brain has a voracious drive for reward, diminished behavioural control and a susceptibility to be shaped by experience.

This manifests as a reduced ability to resist rewarding behaviours. So its not surprising that teenagers prefer to eat foods that are easy to obtain and immediately gratifying, even in the face of health advice to the contrary. But what are the enduring brain consequences?

Functional imaging studies show brain activity during tasks or viewing images of foods. Brain circuits that process food rewards are more active in adolescents with obesity compared to those considered normal weight.

Interestingly, lower activity is seen in regions of the prefrontal cortex. This shows that obesity can both heighten activation of the reward system and reduce brain activity in centres that can override the desire to eat.

Importantly, successful weight loss in adolescents restores levels of activity in the prefrontal cortex. This provides critical knowledge that the prefrontal cortex is a key area of the brain for controlling food intake, and that diet interventions increase activity in brain regions that exert self control.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a way scientists can modify brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, can change inhibitory control of eating behaviour. Repeated TMS treatment could be a new therapy to restore cognitive control over eating, helping with long-term weight loss.

Excessively eating junk foods during adolescence could alter brain development, leading to lasting poor diet habits. But, like a muscle, the brain can be exercised to improve willpower.

Increased brain plasticity during adolescence means the young mind may be more receptive to lifestyle changes. Physical exercise boosts brain plasticity, helping to set in place new healthy habits. Identifying how the brain is changed by obesity provides opportunities to identify and intervene.

Functional brain imaging adds a new layer of information where clinicians can identify at-risk individuals and track brain changes during nutritional and lifestyle interventions.

Even more, TMS could be a new treatment approach to improve re-calibration of the young brain to prevent enduring changes into adulthood.

[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.]

See original here:
How junk food shapes the developing teenage brain - The Conversation CA

Susanna Reid is a journalist and broadcaster who has made changes in her diet plan to slim down. The presenter managed to shed an impressive 1st 7lb by cutting certain things out of her diet. What did she eat?

The presenter was first prompted to change her life after a doctors visit raised health concerns.

Susanna started making small changes to her lifestyle which included cutting back on alcohol.

Speaking to Prima Magazine, she said: Ive lost a stone-and-a-half and I feel fantastic.

"This time last year, I went to the doctor with a skin problem and he told me I could do with losing some weight.

READ MORE: Can you lose weight in two days? Diet plan review

It turned out I was at the upper end of my BMI and, I have to admit, Id been feeling a little heavy for a while.

By removing alcohol from her diet plan, Susanna noticed the weight started to fall off.

Drinking alcohol has been shown to slow down weight loss for many slimmers, according to Healthline.com.

Alcohol also plays a large role in weight management, the website stated.

DON'T MISS

Anyone looking to drop those final stubborn pounds may want to consider skipping their evening glass of wine.

Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as empty calories. This means that they provide your body with calories but contain very little nutrients.

Opening up about her new slim frame, Susanna revealed another bad habit she ditched to become healthier.

The presenter explained she cut back on snacking in a bid to reduce the number of calories she consumed.

Speaking on ITV show, Lorraine, she said: It can creep up without you noticing, and what I did was cut out snacking.

I found waking up so early in the morning, and you're in a sort of energy deficit and all your body can think of is to have toast and biscuits. And you can pile it on really quickly.

As well as controlling how much she would snack, Susanna would go to the gym to burn extra calories.

She added: I'd stopped going for a while because it gave me an excuse to over-snack. But the good feeling of doing exercise is unbeatable.

Last year, Susanna publicly made another change in her diet after taking the advice of professional boxer, Tyson Fury.

He told her to reduce her calorie intake by ditching milk from her coffee during an interview on Good Morning Britain.

The boxer later appeared back on the morning show and Susannas co-star, Piers Morgan, explained how helpful his advice was.

He said: She's lost two stone Tyson. After your little pep talk, Susanna's wasting away!"

Susanna added: You suggested that I eliminate, well take away, milk from my coffee so now it's black coffee only. Thank you very much for that tip!"

See the original post:
Susanna Reid weight loss: GMB host cut one thing from diet plan to shed 1st 7lb - Express

In this modern working-class life, people are vulnerable to back pain. It can be triggered by many things - from sitting down for too long to moving exceptionally heavy boxes that youre not advised to. Back pain can cause discomfort and there are ways you can prevent it from ruining your life. Lets take a look at these four simple things to prevent back pain:

Also read:Fitness Tips: Easy Shoulder Exercise To Do At Your Workplace To Release Stress

Keeping the spine neutral helps disperse the load when youre carrying heavyweights. This will also allow your glutes to distribute work. A spine has three segments - cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. Keeping the spine neutral means that you have to maintain those natural curves. Keep your posture firm and dont drag your shoulders down like there is some imaginary weight on them.

Sleeping can heal your body. It can also heal existing aches. To stave off back pain, make sure you are resting well. Stop binging for longer hours as this does no good for your back. Spend some more time in the sheets and your body will take care of the rest. Also, dont be in one position for a long time. Provide exercise and movement to your body at regular intervals.

It is true that what you eat can affect your back. If you consume foods that inflame your gut, that can put unnecessary stress on your joints. Eat foods that are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols, which give the bodys defense systems a hand by helping to negate the damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Cut down on refined carbohydrates like white bread, rice, and pasta, along with fried foods and fatty meats.

This is probably going to help you the most with your back pain and also help prevent it. By strengthening the muscle groups that support the spine, you can go a long way. Always stretch your body before you exercise. And even when youre done exercising, perform the cat-cow to restore your movement. Another source is the plank. Performing planks not only strengthen your core but also strengthens back muscles.

Also read |Fitness: Exercise Tips That Will Help You Stay Driven To Workout

See more here:
Back pain remedies: Exercise, diet, and numerous other ways to prevent back pain - Republic World - Republic World

Are you constantly on a diet or worrying about what you're eating? If so, you're not alone. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), we spend $60 billion a year on dieting and diet products in the U.S. yet 95 percent of dieters will regain their lost weight within five years.

Intuitive eating aims to change your relationship with food.

Credit: Granger Wootz/Tetra images/GettyImages

What if there was a better way? Read on to discover the world of intuitive eating. An anti-diet philosophy, backed up by science, that may just change your relationship with food forever.

It's time to get real: Diets don't work. More people are trying to lose weight than ever before, according to a study published November 2019 in JAMA Network Open, and the most common methods are cutting calories and exercising more. And yet, BMI and rates of obesity continue to rise.

"We know that diets come with a whole host of negative side effects, from being more obsessive and preoccupied around food and with your body to having lower self-esteem, lower confidence, poor coping skills and higher stress levels," Alissa Rumsey, RD, a registered dietician, nutrition therapist and certified intuitive eating counselor, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

"Yo-yo dieting or weight cycling is also associated with increased risk of several different diseases," she says. "So not only are you not achieving health, you're also potentially harming your health when the focus is on body size or weight."

Are You an Unconscious Dieter?

Even if they don't count calories, many people are unconscious dieters. From plant-based to paleo, Whole30 to keto, anything that has strict rules and banned foods is a diet. "Our bodies still interpret it as this external thing that's trying to control them. It really is this nuanced, sneaky diet culture that we might not be aware of," says Rumsey.

The problem is that restriction makes the body think it is being starved. "In response to that, our body increases cravings and increases our appetite hormones because it's trying to keep us alive," says Rumsey. It can even slow your metabolism.

"It's really all about trust. It's about trusting your body to give you all the information you need."

"Intuitive eating is a dynamic interplay of instinct, emotion and thought," explains Elyse Resch, RDN, a registered dietician and nutritional therapist. Resch and her colleague, dietitian Evelyn Tribole, RD, first originated the term back in 1995, when they released their paradigm-shifting book: Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works.

"It's really all about trust. It's about trusting your body to give you all the information you need," says Resch.

The principles are pretty simple: Eat what you want when you are hungry, stop when full and enjoy your food. At its core, intuitive eating encourages followers to listen to their body's cues to get all the nutrition they need, without rules and restrictions. Most importantly, it tells us to accept our body shape.

IE has been shown by many studies to lead to improved health and wellbeing. A January 2016 review in the journal Appetite, for example, found a strong correlation between IE and less disordered eating, better body image and greater emotional functioning in adult women.

If you want to give it a try, you may realize that tuning into your body's signals can be challenging after a lifetime of ignoring them (think: restricting calories, avoiding certain foods, labeling foods as "good" or "bad"). So Resch and Tribole created 10 principles to help you reconnect. And keep in mind that, while some people are able to get the hang of it on their own, others may find it helpful to seek out a trained intuitive eating counselor for support.

Learn how to fill your plate with healthy, nutrient-dense foods by logging your meals on the MyPlate app. Download now to fine-tune your diet today!

Notice the constant flow of external messages you receive about what to eat and how you should look. Ask yourself whether you are restricting any type of food or following any food rules in order to be "healthy," and work to let go of that thinking.

2. Discover the Satisfaction Factor

Satisfaction underpins all of the IE principles. "The best tip is to focus on finding the most satisfaction you can find in eating," says Resch.

Food is meant to be enjoyed and eating is supposed to be a sensual, pleasurable experience. Eat things that you know will satisfy you, in an environment that's conducive to enjoyment. Eat when you are at the right level of hunger: not too full, not too hungry. Be present and eat mindfully. Savor each bite and you will find it easier to stop when you are full.

Hunger is a signal to eat. If you ignore it, your body triggers a primal drive to overeat.

Eat when you are hungry and give your body the energy it needs; don't wait until you are ravenous.

4. Make Peace with All Foods

A June 2012 study in the journal Appetite found that dieters experienced significantly more cravings than non-dieters. When you ban foods, your body craves them more and you're more likely to overindulge.

Instead, throw out the idea of good and bad foods. Give yourself permission to eat what you want, as long as you are hungry and you find it satisfying. Many worry this will lead to overeating, Tribole says, but once you realize you can eat things whenever you want to, you crave them less.

"Knowing you can eat that ice cream takes away the urgency," Tribole says.

Credit: santypan/iStock/GettyImages

5. Challenge the Food Police

Along with banning foods, the internal "food police" tell us to skip lunch because we had a big breakfast, or gives us permission to have a cookie only if we go for a run.

Ignore the inner voices telling you what you should and shouldn't be eating based on outside factors like the scale.

Learn the body signals that tell you that you are comfortably full. And keep in mind that you don't necessarily feel full when your stomach is full. The feeling comes when your stomach signals to your brain that you're sated, according to Michigan Medicine, and that can take a while. Pause in the middle of a meal and ask yourself how the food tastes and how hungry you still are. This can be difficult at first, so focus on satisfaction and learn as you go.

7. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food

If you are an emotional eater (i.e. if you often find yourself eating when you're stressed, upset or just bored) create a toolkit of alternative coping strategies that don't involve food.

It's totally fine to comfort-eat if it helps, as long as you are hungry and it leaves you feeling satisfied, Tribole says. Often, though, it won't. Indeed, a study published December 2014 in Health Psychology found that eating comfort foods does not lead to any significant improvements in mood.

Accept your body and understand that thin doesn't automatically equate to healthy. "Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally as futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectation with body size," Resch and Tribole note in their book.

Choose exercise that you enjoy and that makes you feel good.

Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages

9. Exercise for the Right Reasons

Focus on what your body is telling you about exercise. Does it make you feel good? Exercise to feel strong, happy and healthy, not to change your body shape.

As a bonus, taking this approach to your workouts may help you stick to a routine. One study, published August 2014 in BMC Public Health, found that among previously inactive people with obesity who tried high-intensity functional training, those who enjoyed the exercise initially were more likely to continue doing it. The moral, then? Try different workouts until you find one that you truly enjoy.

Choose foods that make you feel great, taste good and are good for you.

Remember there is no perfect diet; rather, it's what you eat over time that's important. One meal, snack or day of food isn't going to ruin your health forever.

Original post:
How Intuitive Eating Works, and How to Get Started - LIVESTRONG.COM

caption Jillian Michaels. source Danny Moloshok / Reuters

Question: I recently gave birth to my first child and Im finding it harder than expected to get back into shape. How can a new mom like me bounce back from their postpartum body?

Jillian Michaels: One of the all-time most frequent questions I get is How do I lose the baby weight?

First of all, give yourself a break. You just built a human and it sounds like you are in your fourth trimester the crucial three-to-six-month period after birth when many of the physical, psychological, emotional, and social effects of pregnancy continue.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that has an underlying expectation of women to look just like they did pre-baby ASAP. We literally go from talking about how beautiful the baby bump is and how pregnant mommies glow to saying wrap things up, tuck away the evidence, and apologize for the mess, as was so well put by Kate Baer.

And this is absurd. Of course, you will eventually want to bounce back key work being eventually.

Focusing on weight loss immediately after giving birth is not advantageous. You will be in the process of healing from delivery, exhausted, and possibly breastfeeding. Adding weight loss to your plate is a recipe for heightened stress, a decrease in breast milk production, and an even higher risk of postpartum depression in other words, totally counterproductive. Yes, we have all seen the Hollywood actresses and rock stars that drop crazy amounts of weight seemingly overnight but God only knows what kind of a toll its taking on them in other areas.

So, my first piece of advice is to give yourself a year off to slowly return to your postpartum weight and level of fitness.

Our primary goals in this fourth trimester time period should be as follows:

Side note: I use words like healing because it is true, in so many ways. Healing encapsulates the physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual changes youre faced with right now.

The word isnt meant to scare you. Its meant to validate anything you may be dealing with postpartum whether its experiencing postpartum depression, recovering from cesarean sections or episiotomies, having feelings of resentment, or noticing a decrease in libido and assure you that its all normal and all will be OK. But there is simply no need to put extra pressure on yourself to bounce back quickly, and trying to do so could compromise all of the above.

Now, that weve gotten that out of the way, the how-to of bouncing back is actually pretty straightforward. Baby weight is the same as any weight you want to lose, from a physiological perspective. That means stored fat, no matter how or why you gained it, can only be burned off one way: eating better and moving more.

So, exactly how much less should you be eating and how often and intensely should you be moving post-delivery?

You must create a calorie deficit to lose weight roughly 3,500 calories to lose a pound, or 500 calories every day in a week, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But you shouldnt go for fast and dramatic weight loss at this time in your life. Even if you arent breastfeeding, you will still need enough calories and nutrients to fend off fatigue, mitigate postpartum depression, and aid in recovery from pregnancy and delivery. So if you arent breastfeeding, 1,600 calories a day with unlimited green vegetables is as low as I would recommend you take your diet for at least three months postpartum. Then, if cleared by your doctor, you can go to 1,400 after that, provided you have more than 10 to 15 pounds to lose.

If you are breastfeeding, things get a bit more complicated. Are you looking to shed excess pounds that were gained, or simply maintain your weight? When I say excess, I mean over 10 to 15 lbs. Remember that your body needed to add roughly 9 pounds of fat for breastfeeding purposes. So if you have gained 20 or more pounds of excess fat, then, yes, you are going to want to lose it safely, and in a reasonable time frame that doesnt compromise your health, your sanity, or your babys milk supply.

If you are breastfeeding, you will want to eat no less than 1,800 calories and you will want to lose no more than two pounds a week. In helping many women get back in shape after having a baby, I have found pretty unilaterally that when new mothers drop more than two pounds a week, the milk supply can be compromised.

If you are only 10 to 15 pounds or so away from your pre-baby weight, this should come off naturally as you continue to breastfeed and exercise over the next three months, without reducing your calorie intake much at all. You could eat anywhere from 2,000 to 2,300 calories a day, going toward the higher end on days you exercise.

Now, in order to determine what you should be doing for exercise, how many times a week, and for how long per session, we need to first establish what your delivery was like.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says its OK to slowly resume exercising as soon as you feel up to it. As a general rule though, its strongly recommended that no matter the manner of your babys birth, six weeks off any strenuous training is a must. The body needs time to heal.

If you were fit during pregnancy and had a complication-free vaginal delivery, most doctors will allow or even recommend light cardio activity (think biking, incline walking, or swimming), stretching, resistance training with light weights, or modified body-weight exercises during the first six weeks. Again: This is only for those who had a complication-free delivery and had a decent level of fitness prior to and during pregnancy.

Now, once those six weeks have passed, you should start to acclimate a bit, and anyone can begin to steadily push the up button on your regimen with light resistance training and moderate cardio.

If you had a diastasis recti, or had an episiotomy, C-section, or another procedure, you must speak with your doctor about what is safe for you to do after giving birth.

Once you have hit the three-month postpartum mark, you are generally in the clear to exercise in any way you choose, provided you have had no healing complications and have been diligent about your steady return to fitness.

Keep in mind that many women are not feeling 100% until around six months post-delivery. So during this time period, as you think about returning to more aggressive types of fitness, keep your intensity level at about 70% of what it was pre-pregnancy. That may mean cutting back on your running speed or the amount of weight youre lifting.

On a final note, be gentle, kind, and patient with yourself. Follow the above guidelines if cleared by your doctor and take a year to slowly acclimate to lifes changes while returning your body to its pre-baby state.

Original post:
Ask Jillian Michaels: I recently gave birth to my first child how do I lose the baby weight and get back in shape? - Business Insider

Yes, you can enjoy the festive season without piling on the Christmas weight. Even better news it doesnt mean having to diet.

We all want to look our best at this time of year, but with the Christmas buffet blowouts, it can be a challenge to avoid Christmas weight gain.

In fact, according to the British Dietician Association, the average person consumes this many extra calories per day in the lead-up to Christmas (equating to around 5lb by January)!

There are so many opportunities at this time of year to overeat and feel bad, however, you can still enjoy the party without feeling rubbish the next morning, says Marina Newington, nutritionist and health coach. All it takes is a little know-how from our experts to avoid Christmas weight gain.

It can be helpful to view Christmas time as a series of events, rather than a free pass to indulge throughout the entire month.There might be a few more celebrations than your average month, but where many people run into trouble is through daily excess, says nutritionist Kim.

Enjoy yourself when its time to celebrate and in between, aim to maintain your usual healthy lifestyle to avoid Christmas weight gain.

Get your diary out and plan the key events that youll want to enjoy. Then, in the days around them, make sure you eat well and exercise, so you dont feel guilty on the indulgent days.

READ MORE: The shocking amount of sugar in your favourite festive drinks!

The festive season means supermarket aisles are laden with tempting treats. However, its best to avoid them until the big day.

Shops often stock Christmas foods months in advance. It can be tempting to take advantage of offers, but will it last until Christmas? Or are you likely to tuck in before? says Kim.

I know I dont have the willpower so I have my food delivered just a few days before Christmas. Plus, booking your food delivery also avoids supermarket stress! An added bonus if you ask us.

Credit: Getty

Hitting the shops or heading out for a brisk winter walk are great ways to burn off the mince pies and avoid Christmas weight gain. The average Brit walks a total of 20 miles when doing their Christmas shopping across the festive period, which equates to roughly 1,500 calories, according to a study by Udozi and YouGov.

However, make sure youre carrying a healthy snack when you shop, in order to avoid succumbing to a calorific gingerbread latte or sugary festive drink when out and about.

Were all guilty of reaching for quick, sugary fixes when were on the go, but these bursts of energy lead to a sugar crash later in the day, says Bradley, personal trainer. Opt for a nutrient-dense snack, such as almonds, which will help you feel less fatigued in the long run, he advises.

Its the holidays, and youre bound to want a boozy Christmas drink. So, make some clever switches to save on calories rather than going cold turkey.

Its a good idea to avoid the more sugary drinks like mojitos and creamy ones like eggnog, says Marina. Vodka, lime and sodas and slimline G&Ts are your best bet.

By changing your mixer to one that is sugar-free, you will significantly reduce your calorie intake, says Ro, nutritionist and dietician. Remember to alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water to stay properly hydrated and hangover free.

Credit: Getty

Firstly, set an intention before going to the party, of whether or not you will eat dinner after the Christmas canaps. If the answer is yes and you do plan to have dinner afterwards, only have two or three canaps, says Marina.

If the canaps are your dinner, however, you can eat more, but be conscious of how many you have all together. Ask yourself if the amount is bigger than a dinner portion. If its coming close, then stop.

Stick to the canaps that are based around proteins like beef, fish or chicken and veggies. Avoid the breaded ones, or tartlets and quiches. Plus, the deep-fried canaps and ones with a lot of cheese, she says.

The secret weapon to weight loss? Just say No, thank you. Refusing food is steeped in emotional meaning both for you and for the host, says Ailsa, nutritional therapist.

However, we need to remove the guilt associated with turning down foods when were watching our weight. It doesnt mean anything if you dont want to stuff yourself to the gunnels with mince pies, and it doesnt mean anything about how you feel about the host, explains Ailsa. You just dont want the sausage rolls! Once youve hit your limit, feel free to politely decline.

Credit: Getty

But, its not just us adults who like to indulge during this time of year there are an incredible amount of extra sweets, cakes and chocolates around for children too.

But, with so many seasonal treats around its actually a great time to steer them in the direction of healthier options too.

Lauren Prentice, founder of childs cookery school Nutritional Ninjas says, Christmas is the perfect time to introduce children to new foods that they havent tried before.

However, many of our favourite treats such as gingerbread, mince pies and Yule chocolate log are not particularly healthy, particularly if theyre bought from the shops.

Lauren suggests, So that no one misses out on the best that Christmas has to offer, why not try baking your own with the kids? That way you can always control exactly how much sugar and other naughty ingredients go in.

She continued, By getting involved with the cooking, children get a great understanding of exactly what goes into their food. And if youre making sweet treats, its also the perfect opportunity to discuss how everything is OK in moderation.

Go here to see the original:
Christmas weight gain: How to avoid piling on those holiday pounds in the festive season - goodtoknow