If you want to speed up your weight loss through the 3 day military diet, then you should include the exercise plan in your routine. If you dont know yet, scientific evidences show that 70% of your weight loss success is attributed to diet, while the remaining 30% credit is given to workouts.

The good thing about exercise is that through strength training, youll not only burn calories during the session but also burn them throughout the day. It is because of the development of the muscle tissue. A single pound of muscle burns about 50 calories, even while youre resting. So imagine, what if youve built 10 pounds of muscle? Youll easily burn 500 calories in a day without doing anything.

It is a well-known fact that many people who try to lose weight only through diet suffer with excess skin or loose skin. But, this can be avoided if you include strength training in your daily routine.

Its like killing two birds with one shot youll lose weight and at the same time prevent your skin from sagging.

There is no doubt in saying that cardio workouts like running on a treadmill or zumba are excellent to burn calories. But, not many know that too much cardio can send your body into a catabolic state, where it burns muscle instead of fat, which is not recommended.

Instead of allocating 1 hour for cardio sessions, it is suggested to allot 20-30 minutes of your time for cardio, while the rest for building muscles through weight lifting.

If you follow a low carb diet plan and include these workouts in your routine, youll lose the extra weight super fast.

Unfortunately, since were living in a busy world, not everyone could afford so much time for exercises. So, here are some of the most effective HIIT workouts that burn more calories in less time without hitting the GYM.

Science says that HIIT exercises improves your metabolism thereby letting your body burn calories even after youve stopped working out (throughout the day). So, include these workouts along with the military diet or any diet for that matter and lose weight naturally in less time.

P.S: Flat Belly Diet Drink Recipe & Calorie Counting Procedure

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You can perform these workouts at the comfort of your home. All you need is to allocate 10 minutes of your time every day. After all, youre doing your body a great favor by reducing its burden (weight). No equipment needed. And yes, you can perform these workouts while on the Military diet to lose more weight.

As for any other workout, youll need to perform a few warm up stretches before starting the workout. Id suggest you to do a light to moderate cardio or walking for a few minutes. In case you feel uncomfortable with any of these workouts, skip that one and go to the next workout. The rest period shouldnt be more than 30 secs to 1 minute, else the heart rate drops to normal and it wont be called a HIIT workout anymore. That being said, you wont be able to reap in the benefits of a High intensity workout.

Below are a few HIIT workouts that can be performed in under 10 minutes. To burn more calories, repeat the cycle multiple times (if youve time).

By performing this workout, youll be able to tone your body and gain excellent time management skills.

Unlike the earlier HIIT exercise, this emphasized more on using your own bodyweight to reap more fat burning benefits.

In this video, Funk performs the Ultimate kettlebell workout that burns a lot of calories in just 10 minutes. All you need is a kettlebell and a little space at your home.

The Military Diet helps you lose around 10 pounds in 3 days. If you want to improve your weight loss results further, then simply add these HIIT exercises to your routine. Once you finish the 3 day diet, you can follow this 1200 calorie meal plan.

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3 Day Military Diet & Exercise: Best Workout Plan for ...

Good nutrition is essential for health. Insufficient nutrition can hinder growth and development. Excessive calorie consumption, however, can lead to overweight and obesity, especially when paired with too little physical activity. Inadequate physical activity itself also contributes to increased risk of a number of conditions including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers [1].

While healthy food and regular exercise are important to health, half of adults and nearly 72% of high school students in the US do not meet the CDCs recommended physical activity levels, and American adults walk less than adults in any other industrialized country. As of 2013, 29 million Americans lived in a food desert, without access to affordable, healthy food. Those with lower education levels, already at-risk for poor health outcomes, frequently live in food deserts [1].

More than two-thirds of all American adults and approximately 32% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Obesity is one of the biggest drivers of preventable chronic diseases in the US. Being overweight or obese increases the risk for many health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, Alzheimers disease, dementia, liver disease, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, and respiratory problems [1].

Unhealthy food intake and insufficient exercise have economic impacts for individuals and communities. Current estimates for obesity-related health care costs in the US range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion annually, and productivity losses due to obesity-related job absenteeism cost an additional $4 billion each year [1].

Increasing opportunities for exercise and access to healthy foods in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces can help children and adults eat healthy meals and reach recommended daily physical activity levels.

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Diet and Exercise | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

Nathalie Emmanuel's diet and exercise regime helps her on-set stamina

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Nathalie Emmanuel loves tucking into vegan chocolate when she craves a sweet treat.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/fashion-beauty/nathalie-emmanuels-diet-and-exercise-regime-helps-her-onset-stamina-36080796.html

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/fashion-beauty/article36080795.ece/1159e/AUTOCROP/h342/cover_media_cmg6a57d8f2-a82a-4360-8113-76c826b2eda7_0

Nathalie Emmanuel loves tucking into vegan chocolate when she craves a sweet treat.

Nathalie Emmanuels dedication to health and fitness helps her get through long days on the Game of Thrones set.

English actress Nathalie plays Missandei in HBOs popular show, which had its season seven finale on Sunday (27Aug17), leaving fans with just one final series to go.

Although Nathalie has been known to flash the flesh on the show, the fitness fanatic admits its not just vanity that spurs her on at the gym.

"If you're lethargic and not taking care of yourself, your body has to work 10 times harder on long, busy days, she told Shape magazine. So I decided it was important to maintain a certain level of health and fitness. I became a vegan about four years ago, and I try to stay away from processed foods. I love yoga, boxing, and running.

"(Yoga is) my favourite form of exercise because it isn't just physical. And I consider mental health to be part of my overall health.

Nathalie also shared that her healthy diet includes vegan chocolate, as she doesnt believe in depriving herself of sweet treats.

"Good vegan chocolate has become a thing with me, she smiled. The more you silence your cravings, the bigger they become, so I prefer to have a little bit and get on with my day."

And when asked the advice she'd share with her younger self, the 28-year-old simply said shed tell herself that she was just fine.

"I used to straighten my hair for auditions. But now I want to be remembered for my work, not the way I look, she stated.

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Nathalie Emmanuel's diet and exercise regime helps her on-set stamina - Belfast Telegraph

A NHS worker was left flabbergasted after learning his unhealthy diet had aged his body by a staggering 22 years.

Patrick Luckie, 51, from Brentwood, Essex, admitted he was aself-confessed junk food fiend, but believed he could get away with eating processed treats because of his trim physique.

BBC

Appearing on BBC Ones How To Stay Young, Patrick underwent 23 tests which identified his real body age, compared to that of his birth one.

Hosts Dr Chris van Tulleken and Angela Rippon said many of us are ageing too fast because of our unhealthy modern lifestyles.

Patrick said his long working hours have caused him to regularly snack on chocolate, sweets and crisps.

Tests showed his body age was 73 22 years older than his birth one.

Good grief. Im massively surprised. Its shocking. Its screaming at me that is, he said.

Those numbers really made me think about my future and where Im heading. I need to make positive changes.

BBC

Patrick was put on a three month plan, which involved him overhauling his diet and doing more exercise.

He swapped chocolate for nuts, and began eating avocados, fruit, porridge and hummus.

I want to be as healthy on the inside as I look on the outside, he said.

Patrick also visited the John Radcliffe Hospital, where doctors used an ultra scan to check the arteries in his neck.

His arteries were found to be thicker than they should be for someone of his age, which could put him at risk of heart attack or stroke.

BBC

I think Ive had my head in the sand for so long but it is better to know, he said.

After 12 weeks, Patrick returned to the lab to see if the changes hed made had a positive effect on his body.

His calorie intake had reduced from 4,157 a day to 2,908, and his cholesterol had plummeted from 6.3 to a healthy 5.1.

He had also knocked nine years off his body age, which is now 64.

Im well pleased with that, Im really chuffed, he said.

BBC

The programme also featured Jenifer Tutty, who struggled with insomnia.

The 47-year-oldssleeping problems began last year after she battled ovarian cancer.

Since the operation, my mind was racing and I cant sleep even though I want to, she said.

I definitely think its ageing me more. Sleep is the biggest thing for me, if I could get that done I would be elated.

The experts told her: Sleep is crucial to restore wear and tear in our brains. Its very important for healthy ageing.

BBC

Jenifer is told that her real body age is 71. That is terrible, that is so bad, she said.

She was advised to up her exercise regime and taught techniques to combat her insomnia.

She only sleeps for five hours a night, when the recommended amount is eight.

A lack of sleep can put you at risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Television and anything else in her bedroom that could cause a distraction was banned, and she had to learn how to limit her sleep.

Jenifer is told to go to bed at 1am and wake up at 6am every day.

The idea is that if she restricts her time, shell feel sleepy quicker and should sleep better.

Although Im not sleeping for longer, Ive having longer patches of deep sleep, she said.

My life is completely transformed, Im much happier, more focused.

By learning to sleep better, Jenifer knocked 14 years off her body age to 57.

How To Stay Young airs on BBC One on September 13, 2017

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Junk food fan's shock after learning his 'terrible' diet has aged his body by a staggering 22 YEARS - The Sun

Over the years, Robert Kushner has seen many obese patients get tripped up trying to keep pounds off because they rely on fast food, juggle too many tasks and dislike exercise.

So Kushner, an obesity expert, began helping patients plan diet and physical activity around their lifestyles and habits.

We dont necessarily put people on any specific diet; it really gets to what is their life, what are their struggles, he said. We believe obesity care cant be inconsistent with culture, family or how you lead your life.

He recently suggested that a patient split meals with his wife when they dined out, rather than each having large portions or avoiding restaurants entirely. When the man said he was uncomfortable sharing a meal with his wife when the couple was out with friends, Kushner said to do it anyway.

I said, Its a strategy that works whether youre with other people or not. ... Be assertive, said Kushner. I think people dont think about it because they just arent raised to share.

The patient kept track of the foods he was eating, learning to avoid larger portions and fattening dishes. He has lost 15 pounds in six months, cutting about 500 to 700 calories per day.

More than a third of U.S. adults are obese, according to a 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kushner, who directs the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said he realized in the 1980s that obesity was a looming problem. He started combining diet, nutrition, exercise and behavioral changes into a plan for patients.

Since then, whats changed is the maturity of the area, understanding more about the effects of stress and sleep on body weight, and some of the behavioral-change techniques have expanded, he said.

In addition to promoting good sleep habits and stress management techniques such as meditation, Kushner and his colleagues suggest bariatric surgery for patients with a body mass index of 40 or more and for some who are less obese but who have medical problems such as Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and heart disease. They also recommend medication for patients with BMIs as low as 30 who have additional medical problems or have failed to lose weight despite lifestyle changes.

While studies havent generally proved that lifestyle changes are effective for weight loss, Kushner said patients often have trouble shedding pounds unless problems like stress are managed.

Kushners approach proposes gentler, moderate changes. Rather than tell patients to cut out every unhealthy food they love, Kushner suggests focusing on alternatives with higher fiber and water content but fewer calories. (Think beans, vegetables, salads, fruits, broth-based soups and whole grains such as oatmeal.)

For the couch potato who finds exercise overwhelming, Kushner advises walking for short periods, building up to three 10-minute brisk walks daily to boost your energy level and mood while you also burn calories.

He also suggests that dog owners walk their pet for 30 minutes daily rather than leave Fido in the back yard. Kushner found that dog-walking helped overweight and obese people lose weight in a study, and he wrote a book about it Fitness Unleashed!: A Dog and Owners Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together with veterinarian Marty Becker.

I call it an exercise machine on a leash, Kushner said. It is a way for people to think about moving their body around in a fun way.

Most of his patients lose about 10 percent of their body weight (some more than 20 percent) after six months and keep it off during the program, Kushner said.

Patients say they feel understood and more motivated as they are given personalized direction to make positive changes in their lifestyle, he said.

Kushner created a questionnaire to screen patients for traits that prevent weight loss such as eating whats convenient rather than planning healthy meals or having an all-or-nothing mentality traits that Kushner and colleagues found in a study to be strongly linked with obesity.

Once you take the quiz and know your factor type, I can personalize a plan to help you lose weight and keep it off, Kushner said.

Another way Kushner hopes to help patients tackle obesity is by teaching medical students about treating and preventing it. He found in a recent study that the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination was focusing much more on diagnosing and treating obesity-related illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea, than on how to counsel patients on diet, physical activity, behavior changes, the use of medications and bariatric surgery.

But Kushner said his approach isnt only about weight loss.

We know that as little as 5 to 10 percent weight loss will improve the health and well-being of individuals and can also improve blood sugar, blood pressure, the fats in your blood, arthritis or reflux symptoms, as well as your mood and energy level.

Read more

Changing your perspective about weight loss may change the outcome, too

A weight-loss expert changes his tune: Focus on enjoyment, not perfection

Weight loss, especially with surgery, tied to lower risk of heart failure

Originally posted here:
Losing weight gets personal: Combining diet and behavioral changes may help - Washington Post

A study suggests exercising on an empty stomach can in fact promote more favourable changes in body fat.

Research carried out by the University of Bath studied 10 overweight men by asking them to walk for 60 minutes at 60 per cent oxygen consumption, first on an empty stomach and then after eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

Blood and fat tissue samples were then taken before and after exercise for analysis.

The researchers found two genes (PDK4 and HSL) increased when they walked on an empty stomach but decreased when they had eaten the carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

The rise in the genes suggests that exercising on an empty stomach burns fat as energy.

Previous research has supported this idea, but other studies on weight loss suggests eating breakfast is essential in shedding the pounds.

Milton Stokes, R.S., author of Flat Belly Diet! For Men, told Mens Fitness: Its like putting logs on a wood-burning stove. You need that initial input to get your metabolism going for the day.

The aim should be to intake around 400-600 calories within an hour of waking up.

Stokes advised focusing on protein, healthy fats and fibre, as these will leave dieters feeling fuller for longer.

There are a few meals to try in the morning that cover all of these ideals.

Jorge Cruise, author of The Belly Fat Cure, advised eggs with avocado/

He said: Avocados are nature's ideal fruit for weight loss. They replace sugar with appetite-curbing good fat."

If you prefer a quick shake, then choose one with whey protein.

David Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life said: Whey is rich in branched chain amino acids, which stimulate muscle growth.

The more muscle you have, the greater the fat-burning capacity of your metabolism.

Finally, a simple yoghurt topped with fresh fruit to make it interesting and sprinkled with high-fibre cereal is another option.

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Weight loss diet: Eating THIS before exercise could affect how your body burns fat - Express.co.uk

Sharing his story to Reddit as user MikeMarx153, the man explained how he started out at 31 stone and four pounds before losing more than 18 stone over two years.

Explaining what he thought was the most important factor in his weight loss apart from diet and exercise, he said: It all came down to flawed thinking. For me, I think the fear of failure was most responsible.

Trying and failing at losing weight would only confirm the worst thoughts about myself. It would be further evidence that I wasnt deserving of a better life.

He revealed it was only when someone at his workplace got weight loss surgery and he knew he could use that as a back-up plan if he was unsuccessful on his own that he was able to consider starting to try to lose weight.

Going in to detail about he got to where he is today, MikeMarx153 said: To lose weight you have to swim against the current. You cant have the meals you see advertised on a regular basis, you cant fall for the latest health fad being pushed. You cant eat mindlessly like the majority of the population.

Weight loss is possible - I think this is another piece of flawed thinking that holds people back. Knowing that weight loss is possible is essential to success because it gives you control.

He also explained: Know what a reasonable amount of food looks like. I can honestly say that I had no idea how much I should be eating, or what it would look like, or what it should make me feel like.

My daily calorie goal has always been 1500, and so I tried to shoot for that, but I felt that I had a successful day if I was below 1700.

I also decided that I was going to quit cheating and eating between meals. No more extra piece of pizza, no more cookies in the break room, no more candy from the candy bowl.

"If I went a bit over 1500 because of my three meals that was one thing, but I wouldnt go over because I was snacking.

He reiterated: Count calories, use a food scale, and be honest with yourself. Plus, my Myfitnesspal journal is public (username mikemarx153), so you can just go there and look at what I did.

His final piece of advice, which comes as another man revealed how he lost three stone in four months, was to get to a place in your diet and exercise regime where its only a matter of time before you reach your goal.

He explained: This advice might be more controversial than it first appears. What it means is that I was often creating a caloric deficit larger than that traditional maximum of 1000 (including exercise). Im not saying thats right for everyone, but it worked for me.

The most important thing is that your calorie level be sustainable, so if you can only create a 500, or 250 calorie deficit, then do that.

As well as his key tips, MikeMarx153 shared some other general advice and said: Focus on the things in your life you enjoy that arent food and see treats for what they are.

Think about your favourite not-so-healthy food. Lets stick with Oreos. Do you realise the amount of Oreos you can eat in a lifetime? Thats tens of thousands of Oreos youll be eating, so you dont have to eat them all today.

He also revealed his current diet and exercise plan:

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Weight loss: Man lost over 18 stone with new diet plan and THIS small change - Express.co.uk

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Not sure whether to try juicing or low carb? Well youre probably better steering clear from both if you want a trimmer figure.

New research has revealed the most effective diet for achieving and maintaining weight loss and it doesnt even involve milkshakes or skipping meals.

The extensive study by Ticketgum.com quizzed 1,245 slimmers about which diet plan they follow and whether or not it helped them reach their weight loss goal.

It turns out a whopping 83% of people admitting to hitting their slimming target by following the Paleo diet and 89% achieved their goal weight by combining the caveman eating plan with exercise.

20 fat-burning foods that help you lose weight

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Avacodo - includes monosaturated fatty acids that are more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat

Furthermore 67% of people said they maintained their goal weight by sticking to Paleo principles.

The second most effective diet was Slimming World, which helped 78% of people drop pounds, followed by Weight Watchers which worked for 73% of dieters.

On the less successful end of the scale, just 17% of people managed to lose fat with Slim Fast and only 11% got lean by juicing.

We spoke to Paleo diet specialists Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore, who answered all your burning questions about the prehistoric eating plan.

PH

Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Online, the pair who co-authored The Paleo Primer: A Second Helping explained the principles of eating Paleo.

What is the Paleo diet?

Essentially the Paleo diet or the Paleo-ish diet as we like to call it is a diet based upon predominantly unprocessed foods including meat, poultry, fish, fruit, herbs, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The principle benefit to favouring these foods is the fact that they're some of the most nutritious foods available to us in terms of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant content, plus these foods have always been the foundation of the human diet.

Good news dieters! The 23 foods that contain NO calories because you burn more than you consume as you eat

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APRICOTS - Calorie content: 12 kcals per apricotEating apricots is said to help reduce the risk of strokes, and heart attacks. They're also full of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fibre, which all promote good heart health

How can the Paleo diet help you lose weight?

One of the biggest factors is the reduction in processed foods, most of which are loaded with poor quality fats, refined carbohydrates, excess salt and food additives all which make them highly palatable, difficult to portion control and can lead to an energy excess in the body.

Replacing these with natural, nutritious ingredients, especially more vegetables, means your calorie consumption is effortlessly reduced whilst still eating a similar volume of food.

Furthermore the foods emphasised on the paleo diet are loaded with micronutrients that fuel your metabolism including zinc, magnesium, iodine and B vitamins, plus the increase in protein and fibre provide more satiating meals which allows you to increase the gaps between meals and eliminate snacking.

GETTY

Can you drink alcohol on a Paleo diet?

Sure you can with our flexible approach, you can also eat cake or cookies too, the key is moderation.

As the saying goes it's not a diet its a lifestyle and the reality is there are numerous occasions you don't want to be weighed down by restrictions.

You can join in and celebrate birthdays, holidays and meet friends for a few drinks if that's what you enjoy, then just start the following day with a nutritious breakfast and continue your usual tasty, healthy meals.

If you are looking to lose that belly fat, try these simple easy to follow tips that will help you on the road

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Eat every three hours - Passing on breakfast will send your body into starvation mode, meaning your body starts to store everything youve eaten as fat, and youre midsection is the first to suffer the consequences

Do you have to stick to a certain amount of calories per day?

We offer guidance on calories and macronutrients, however, we dont believe in counting calories on a daily basis.

Your calorie consumption is effortlessly reduced whilst still eating a similar volume of food

Educating yourself so you have a better understanding and awareness of foods is essential as this allows you to meet your basic needs and establish healthy portion sizes.

Some people will need to adapt things slightly once in a consistent Paleo-ish routine and possibly increase their protein intake or limit carbohydrates depending upon their body composition and lifestyle.

It's important to note that sleep, exercise, sunlight exposure and stress management play a fundamental role in health and fat loss, we call these maxi-nutrients.

Does the Paleo diet improve your overall health?

The Paleo-ish diet can have an astounding impact on overall health.

The increase in healthy macronutrients plus extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants improves mood health, enhances energy levels and digestive function.

It also supports a healthy immune system by lowering levels of systemic inflammation in the body and therefore your risk of chronic disease.

Ideally these nutritional changes are implemented alongside increased physical activity, sufficient sleep and a means of supporting mental health with mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

We have helped numerous individuals use the paleo diet as an intervention for type-2 diabetes and other inflammatory driven diseases and achieved great results.

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83% of people lose weight on THIS diet without exercising - Daily Star

Kate Upton.Jordan Strauss/AP

Supermodel Kate Upton may be taking on more movie roles, but she is not acting around when she steps into the gym. In a recent interview with Shape, the 25-year-old actress spoke about how she worked her way up to lifting 500-pound weights and stopped looking at the scale.

Here's what she did to change her approach to diet and exercise.

Hip thrusts, sled pulls, and deadlifts are just a few of the exercises Upton's trainer Ben Bruno has her doing. But Upton had to work her way up to lifting heavy weights and wasn't quick to jump onboard.

"When I started training with him, he would say, 'Let's put 500 pounds on the sled,' and I would immediately say, 'I can't do that,'" she told Shape. "So he started standing on the sled so I couldn't see how much weight was on there. Now my attitude has changed completely, and I'm always pushing myself to do more."

And she actually has been pushing more and more weight on the sled, as Bruno posted to Instagram.

"To me, exercise is about working really hard in the gym to be healthy and feel good and confident about my body," she said. "Weight training helps me do that the best. Lifting heavy weights leans you out if you do it the correct way."

She has worked hard to learn how to lift the right way.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for Upton who trains earlier on in the day. She likes to eat a lot of protein and calls herself "a female Popeye" because of how much spinach she eats.

"I always have breakfast because I can't do a hard workout if I don't eat," she said. "I usually have eggs and spinach beforehand or an omelet with a bunch of veggies in it and maybe a little feta. If I'm at the gym acting like a badass lifting all those weights, it would be pretty embarrassing if I fainted."

Upton claims that to deal with the pressure of the fashion industry and to have to be a certain weight, she took herself out of the conversation and started focusing on her strength not her size.

"Once I started focusing on being strong and doing weight training, I became the size that I needed to be for modeling," she said. "I changed the battle inside my head to be about strength and having balance in my life instead of fitting into a pair of jeans."

A few of the things Upton mentioned in her interview include wine, french fries, chocolate, chips, cheese, and bread and she definitely isn't into deprivation. While the model likes to stick with healthier options to fuel her everyday, she isn't afraid to indulge occasionally and even eats one "bad" food daily.

"I like to have a little 'bad' every day," she said. "Having a treat makes you feel like it's worth it."

Not only has Upton's confidence been boosted with weight training, but so has her physical strength, appetite, and desire to be a "badass" every day and it's inspiring us, too.

Read more here:
25-year-old supermodel Kate Upton says weightlifting completely changed her body and outlook on fitness - INSIDER

What if I could prescribe a pill that could prevent or treat high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, even depression and dementia? And what if researchers had extensively researched this pill and the result was: ample proof that its effective. On top of that, its practically free and has no bad side effects. As a matter of fact, its only side effects are improved sleep, increased energy, and weight loss.

Actually, folks, this powerful medicine exists. Its real and readily available for everyone. Its called intensive lifestyle change. Its active ingredients are physical activity and drastic improvements in diet, and it works well. Amazingly well. If it were an actual pill, no doubt millions of people would be clamoring for it and some pharmaceutical company would reap massive profits. But heres how you can get it. Intensive lifestyle changes involves knowledge and action which many doctors think is just too difficult to teach, and many patients think is too difficult to do.

Im here to report that intensive lifestyle change is doable, sensible, and essential for good health. Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish is a pioneer of intensive lifestyle change. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at the Harvard Medical School Lifestyle Medicine Conference in July. (You can listen to his TED talks here.) Dr. Ornish and his team started researching this program decades ago, and they have consistently found positive results.

So, what exactly that does their program look like? It emphasizes nutrition and exercise, as one would expect, but it also addresses psychological factors like loneliness, isolation, depression, and anger. Why? Because research shows emotional and social health is associated with a reduced risk of disease and premature death. He spoke about the importance (research-proven) of connection, intimacy, and love. He points out that a lot of bad behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and overeating are actually peoples attempts to self-medicate emotional pain.

Heres how it works: nine weeks of nutrition and meal prep instruction on a plant-based, low-refined-carb and low-trans-fat diet, as well as shared meals with the group; recommendation for and guidance in three to five hours of moderate physical activity, along with two or three strength-training sessions per week; stress management, communications skills, and relaxation instruction; and a support group. The goal is for patients to adopt these health-promoting strategies for the rest of their lives.

The overall message for physicians is this: an intensive lifestyle change program wont work if its just ordered by docs, or if patients are expected to engage with it based on threats and warnings. During the course I learned the importance of avoiding guilt, shame, and scare tactics, and getting away from labels such as good or bad. Any lifestyle change has to be meaningful and pleasurable. If its meaningful and pleasurable, people will do it. For these changes to be most effective, people have to want to continue them for the rest of their lives. The physicians job is to act as a coach for the patient, encouraging and guiding their efforts, without judgment.

The Ornish program is just one approach to diet, exercise, and psychological lifestyle changes. Dr. Ornish is honest about this, and he himself points out that many programs emphasize the same things as his does:

He also emphasizes that any increase in physical activity is desirable, and patients can follow the specific recommendations from their physical therapists, doctors, or trainers. And of course, people can use a variety of resources and methods to improve stress management, coping, and communication skills.

Interested in online resources for healthy diet, exercise, and psychological change? Heres some additional reading.

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Intensive lifestyle change: It works, and it's more than diet and exercise - Harvard Health (blog)