Rachel Lindsay is gearing up for her first Christmas as a married woman & the former Bachelorette star shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, how she stays in shape during the holiday season!

Rachel Lindsay, 34, and new husband, Bryan Abasolo, are spending their very first Christmas together since getting married in Cancun, Mexico back in August. The newlyweds already have their plans set, as she told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, Our first Christmas as a married couple will be spent in Dallas because for the past few years weve spent Christmas with Bryans family in Miami. We dont have any Christmas traditions, yet, but Ive had so much fun decorating our home with all of the holiday decorations. Now that the holidays are right around the corner, Rachel shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, what workouts and diets she does to stay in shape during the holiday season especially, but all-year-round as well. We all know maintaining a healthy diet during the holidays is tough with all of the delicious food, so I focus on portion control and a moderately low carb diet, which means no desserts for me, Rachel admitted. To stay fit, I love that Bryan is my accountability partner because he keeps me on track, but when I cant make it to the gym, I really enjoy taking my dog on walks.

As for her diet, I always have a big breakfast. My favorites are eggs, bacon, fruit, and of course coffee. For lunch, I typically have a light salad with a protein and then for dinner, its a free-for-all, but I try to stay away from carbs, she shared. Not only does Rachel make sure to maintain a healthy diet, but she also works out consistently and has one workout that she swears by. I absolutely love yoga because it serves a dual purpose. Its a great physical workout to help tighten my core and build strength and its also a great mental exercise because I can leave any negative energy behind on the mat and re-energize my positivity for the day. No other workout gives me that feeling, she revealed.

Aside from Rachels amazingly toned figure, the former Bachelorette star has flawless skin. To maintain her glowing complexion throughout the holiday season, Rachel shared, I think consistency is key, especially during the holiday season because I am traveling so much as a guest host. Every morning, I start by washing my face with a creamy face wash to retain my skins moisture and then I follow up with a serum that has a ton of vitamin A, C & E. But the key to my glowy skin is the HydraFacial at Ideal Image MedSpa. The HydraFacial gives my skin instant radiance and its definitely become a staple in my skincare routine. Actually, Bryan got to come with me when I got the facial and, once he saw how amazing the HydraFacial was, he immediately got one. It was his first facial EVER!

When it comes to keeping her skin hydrated in the cold and dry winter months, Rachel revealed, I preach hydration! My intense travel schedule, especially during the colder months, really dries out my skin, so, to relieve the dryness, I stay away from exfoliators and really focus on drinking a lot of water and moisturizing throughout the day. I also love using hydrating face masks and getting HydraFacials at Ideal Image MedSpa.

See original here:
Rachel Lindsay Reveals Yoga & Portion Control Help Her Stay In Shape During The Holidays - Hollywood Life

Visceral fat is of particular concern as its a key player in a variety of health problems. High levels of visceral fat can increase the risk of serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A poor diet can lead to visceral fat build-up, so making changes to what you eat and drink is advised.

While many people think foods high in fat should be avoided, not all fats are unhealthy.

When it comes to cooking oil, coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats you can eat, and studies have shown the positive impact it can have on visceral fat.

Studies have shown the medium-chain fats in coconut oil may boot metabolism and decrease the amount of fat yo store in response to high calorie intake.

READ MORE:Type 2 diabetes: Foods that could increase your risk of developing the condition

Controlled studies have also suggested it may lead to abdominal fat loss.

In one study, obese men who consumed coconut oil daily for 12 weeks lost an average of 1.1 inches from their waists without changing their diets or exercise routines.

In most of the studies, taking about two tablespoons (30ml) of coconut oil per day was shown to be effective.

But coconut oil is high in calories, so rather than adding extra fat into your diet you should look to replace some of the fats youre already eating with coconut oil.

DON'T MISS

As an overall diet to follow, reducing carb intake has been found to be beneficial for losing fat, including abdominal fat.

Diets with under 50g of carbs per day cause belly fat loss in overweight people, those at risk of type 2 diabetes and women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

A strict low-carb diet isnt essential, as some research suggests simply replacing refined carbs with unprocessed starchy carb may improve metabolic health and reduce belly fat.

A Framingham Heart Study found people with the highest consumption of whole grains were 17 percent less likely to have excess abdominal fat than those who consumed diets high in refined grains.

Alongside eating a healthy diet, coconut oil and fewer carbs, exercise has been effective at getting rid of visceral fat.

Aerobic exercise has been found to be an effective way to improve a persons health and burn calories.

Studies have also shown its one of the most effective forms of exercise for reducing belly fat.

See the rest here:
How to lose visceral fat: Best cooking oil for reducing the harmful belly fat - Express

Registered dietitian Caroline Susie, who is a Lake Highlands High School alumna, works for a global healthcare company, advising clients of all sizes on how to improve their diets. Shes also shared health tips on episodes of Fox 4s Good Day. The best tip I can give: Dont take nutrition advice from Dr. Google or an influencer on social media.Work with a registered, licensed dietitian. Dietitians have degrees in nutrition, have completed a 1,200-hour supervised internship, passed national boards and complete ongoing continuing education. Look for RD or RDN in title, or when in doubt, ask Susie says.

Load up on H20

Hydration is so important, especially as we age, as water contributes to almost every function in our bodies.Research shows that having a glass of water before each meal can result in consuming fewer calories at the meal.To increase your water consumption, use a water tracker, get a cool water bottle, and vary your water flavors by making spa water, adding citrus or cucumbers.

Focus on adding foods, not eliminating

When you eliminate a specific food or food group from your diet, you cant help but think about it 24/7. I call this, the Chick-fil-A effect.What is the day of the week you always want Chick-fil-A? Sunday [when the fast-food restaurant is closed]. So instead of restricting yourself, focus on adding foods to your diet. This positive mindset will help you make healthier choices and feel good about them.

Dont fear carbs

Yes, its true, not all carbs are created equal, but to simply demonize the entire food category is not fair. We have decades of research associating complex carbs with decreased risk of developing heart disease, stroke and chronic conditions.Some great choices of complex carbs include whole-grain bread and beans, brown rice and fresh fruit.

Naturally occurring sugar is just fine

Remember back in the 90s, when we were so terrified of fat?Well sugar is the new fat.But here is the secret: Sugar is not the bad guy.In fact, naturally occurring sugar occurs in two forms: fruit [fructose] and milk [lactose]. In addition to natural energy, fruit and milkprovide a host of other nutrition benefits like vitamin A, C, D and calcium. If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, watch your portion sizes.

Choose lean

Lean protein is not only an essential nutrient imperative to many bodily processes, but research shows that consuming lean protein contributes to satiety, that feeling of staying fuller longer. Reach for fish, lean beef, Greek yogurt, chicken, pork, cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter, tofu and shrimp.

The perfect pair

I tell all my clients to always pair complex carbohydrates with lean protein at every meal and snack.The complex carbs provide energy, while protein provides that feeling of fullness.Pair them to balance out blood sugar levels. This will prevent you from being hangry later.

Stock up

Your freezer is your best friend. Stock up on healthy foods such as frozen veggies, fruits, grilled chicken and fish. These can save you in a time pinch.

Eat more veggies

Sneak veggies in everywhere.Add veggies to your eggs. Top your sandwich with spinach and a slice of tomato. Puree veggies into your marinara sauce. Incorporate a small salad with lunch and dinner, or try adding more veggies into soups and chilis. Try the crudite approach: finger friendly veggies such as mini peppers, carrots and cucumbers, served with a low-fat dip.

Make exercise a habit

Every step counts. Even if you only have 10 minutes, get moving. Your exercise goal is 150 minutesof moderate intensity exercise per week. Yes, brisk walking counts and yes, you can break this up into 10-minute segments. Schedule exercise into your day. Invest in a wearable device like a Fitbit for motivation. Find a group of friends who can hold you accountable. Always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Follow @CarolineSusieRD on Twitter and Instagram or check out her website for more tips.

Go here to see the original:
How to avoid the 'Chick-fil-a' effect and other healthy diet tips - Advocate Media

Victor seven tango three one sevenno waitthree one nineno one seven, one seven! Its one seven for sure. Spurted the tired athlete to the official.

Wrong! Thirty burpees. demanded the Spartan judge who was checking each racers memorized codes.

In the obstacle course world racers spend countless hours monthly training their bodies to handle climbing ropes, crawling under barb wired, swimming in frigid lakes but what they might not know is that their physical training is making their brain healthier too. Plus, theres an amazing and simple neuroscience hack that can help every athlete age smarter and the memorization codes during each Spartan Race hold the key.

When I was researching my upcoming book Fear is Fuel I spent a day with Professor John Ratey at Harvard University. Dr. Ratey, who is not just a professor at Harvard but also a practicing M.D. wrote a breakthrough book called Spark. (put it on your 202 reading list!) In which he shows the dramatic impact of exercise on brain function and health. He argues that schools need to put more exercise back into the curriculum (not just for our obesity epidemic but for brain health.) His findings intrigued me enough to ask how exercise impacts fear and courage. He said it quite succinctly:

In order to cope with anxiousness, for instance, you need to let certain well-worn paths grow over while you blaze alternate trails [in your brain]. By understanding such interactions between your body and your brain, you can manage the process, handle problems, and get your mind humming along smoothly. If you had half an hour of exercise this morning, youre in the right frame of mind to sit still and focus on this paragraph, and your brain is far more equipped to remember it. Ratey, John J. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (p. 6). Little, Brown and Company. Kindle Edition.

More recently researchers have shown that aerobic exercise can not only help increase what we call neuroplasticity the growing of new brain cells but also increase critical parts of the brain that deal effectively with fear.

The limbic system handles our fear response and two core components of the limbic brain are the hippocampus and amygdala. Exercise increases the volume of those areas making us better able to turn the fear reaction on and off. What you can learn in my book is that choosing courage can be done by anyone; using an area of the brain called the sgACC. This requires shutting off the reaction of the amygdala and engaging the prefrontal cortex. Exercise makes this easier. Thats right exercise can help build confidence and courage.

Neuroscientists have proven a clear link between aerobic exercise and benefits to other parts of the brain, especially growth of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), or what I refer to as the adult supervision for the brain. The augmentation of the PFC creates optimal executive cognitive functions, especially strategy, planning, courageous decision-making and rapid changing of focusall skills that, like your memory, decline with aging and decline exponentially with Alzheimers. Researchers think added connections between existing neurons, besides the birth of new neurons, creates the beneficial effects from exercise on the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions beyond the hippocampus.

If you are over 40 you also need to know that exercise combined with a cognitive challenge can stave off all kinds of issues associated with mental decline.

Several studies starting from 2011 show that aerobic exercise combined with a challenging mental task (a video game, memorizing numbers or quotes, planning strategy) can reduce cognitive decline and in fact can increase mental processing capabilities. Combine exercise with challenging mental tasks (like memorizing numbers during an obstacle course race) and focus on a healthy diet and you can actually get smarter as you get older.

A surprising finding over the last five years is that many people have Alzheimerswithout displaying any symptoms because their lifestyle has helped them create cognitive workarounds. One of the reasons this happens is intense exercise increases something called brain derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). BDNF has a critical role in memory function and is one of the first things to go as we age. [1]

From Scientific American Atrtcile Why your brain needs exercise. this graphic shows how the BDNF process works:

The bottom line is: exercise more as you age, eat a healthy diet low in carbohydrates and heavy on plants and try to challenge yourself mentally while you exercise. Theres no reason we shouldnt be living to 100 and playing tennis, running obstacle course races, skiing or doing other activities we love well into our 80s and 90s. The key is to plan for that when youre in your 30s and 40s and you grandkids wont have to sit around watching you drool but can chase you down a mountain instead, of course using fear as fuel!

[1] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00146/full

Read the rest here:
Will Obstacle Course Racers Age Better than You? - Thrive Global

1. Be mindful about what youre eating.

As humans age into adulthood, Chag says we tend to turn off a component in our brain that tells us when were full.

When you see a little kid with an ice cream cone, youll notice they stop eating it when theyre full, she said. But with adults, theres this clean the plate mentality.

Before and after each meal, Chag recommends thinking about how hungry or full you are on a scale of one to 10, with one being starving and 10 being Thanksgiving-dinner stuffed.

At the end of each meal, you want to feel about a six, seven, or eight, she said. You never want to be at a 10, but you also dont want to feel faint.

Chag said that mindless snacking and grazing also tends to happen when we turn off this mechanism. She says before you reach for between-meal foods to check in internally and ask, Am I hungry, or am I kind of dehydrated?

Sometimes, you just need a cup of water, she said.

And when it comes to mindful eating, practice makes perfect.

Its easy to talk about, but it takes a lot, she said. If you can tap back into it, it will be your guide. It takes time. Its not going to happen overnight. Be patient with yourself."

2. Fill up half your plate with veggies.

Gone are the days of meat and potatoes dominating dinner plates. To keep healthy, Chag recommends loading up half your plate, or a portion two to three times the size of your fist, with non-starch vegetables. (Starchy vegetables can include potatoes and corn.)

Vegetables to strive for include bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leafy greens the world is your oyster, Chag said.

However, when it comes to choosing veggies, variety is key. You dont want them just to be green. Get some color on the plate," Chag said, noting that different-colored foods can help supply a range of vitamins and minerals.

3. Adhere to the 80/20 rule.

In general, every meal should follow the 80/20 guideline, Chag said, where 20 percent of the food eaten is a lean protein like chicken, fish, or pork.

Red meat lovers: You can have your beef and eat it, too, as long as you opt for a lean cut like a top sirloin or prime rib and consume it in moderation, she said.

When it comes to starches like potatoes, rice, and bread, generally a portion the size of your fist, or half your fist, would be a Chag-approved goal. (Yes, that includes the mashed potatoes and Thanksgiving stuffing.)

4. Nightshades are now on the table (literally).

If Brady is known for any weird diet quirks (remember his well-documented love of avocados?) its his aversion to nightshades, which include tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes.

However, Chag said that now, for some people, nightshades are (literally) on the table. Chag said she and Guerrero Bradys controversial trainer and TB12 co-founder who helped develop the football stars diet and off-field exercise regimen look at what was historically said and evolve based on research and experience.

For example, if a veggie-averse client is only eating three vegetables a day and two of those are nightshades, then if theyre not feeling any negative effects, there would be no reason to cut them out of their diet.

Its person-dependent, she said. We want to make sure people are getting enough fruits and veggies a day, since theyre rich in vitamins and antioxidants."

So does this mean Brady himself is back on the nightshade train? With a laugh, Chag noted that Guerrero is the point person on Bradys diet, and that she had no idea if he has come around on tomatoes.

5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Another headline-grabbing statistic from The TB12 Method: Brady apparently drinks as much as 25 glasses of water a day.

Twenty-five . . . is a lot. Very much a lot, Alicia Romano, a clinical registered dietician at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center, previously told the Globe. I would never recommend that to a patient.

So when Chag begins to wax poetic about the benefits of staying hydrated, I ask what she thinks about the 20-some glasses of water a day.

Generally, she says people should take their body weight in pounds, divide it by two, and use that number in ounces as a baseline for how much water to guzzle a day. (Surprisingly, after doing the math, this seems pretty doable for most people.)

However, if youre active, she says, thats when we start taking other things into account, like what your sweat rate is, because we want to make sure were making up for losses.

6. When it comes to alcohol, moderation is key.

In order to fend off dehydration, Chag recommends opting for water or seltzer as a first drink when you arrive at bars, parties, or family dinners where alcohol is front and center.

If you skip the first one, you build a little bit of armor for yourself, she said. Alcohol is super pro-inflammatory and dehydrating, so we try to get the number of alcoholic drinks as low as we can.

She also notes that simply having a non-alcoholic drink in your hand can deter mindless alcohol intake.

"People are eager to get you a drink because they want to be a good host, but if you already have something in your hand, you can say youre all set.

You dont need to go alcohol free to be TB12-approved, though. And dont feel like you need to choke down vodka sodas in a quest to limit calories.

If youre drinking, pick something you enjoy and have it in moderation, she said. From a diet standpoint, I dont care where your number [of drinks per week] is, I just try to bring it down. Some of my clients have two drinks a week, max. Some of my clients are wine aficionados, and they have 15 glasses of wine a week.

For those of us more who are simply aiming to clean up our down-the-hatch act, Chag recommends against sugary cocktails that use rely heavily on juice or soda, since refined sugar is inflammatory. Go more straightforward, she said.

7. Its OK to enjoy guilty pleasures now and then.

Its the holidays. No one is expecting you to refuse every chocolate or home-baked sugar cookie, Chag said.

Avoiding sugar can be challenging, especially this time of year, she said. Dont beat yourself up over that Lindt chocolate ball.

In terms of how often you consume something, Chag says there are two categories: Sometimes foods and everyday foods. The sometimes foods tend to include the sugary, delectable treats that are a no-no in the TB12 world.

Its OK to just have them some of the time, she said. Its not not having it, but spreading it out. Make sure it becomes a sometimes food, not an everyday food."

And even if you pig out on foods that are unsanctioned by the TB12 nutritionist (gasp!), Chag said that its not a big deal to do once in a while.

Enjoy it, she said. Know that one meal wont undo one month or one years worth of hard work."

8. Dont forget to move.

Yes, Chag is aware that movement is not a food. But she says its still important to work into a healthy diet.

For example, after a family meal, get everyone together and go on a walk around the neighborhood, Chag suggests.

It doesnt have to be sweat-inducing," she said. Go on a leisurely walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Little things build up over time.

Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JaclynReiss

Excerpt from:
8 tips on holiday eating from a TB12 nutritionist - The Boston Globe

If there's one part of the body that most people would like to be free of excess fat, it's the belly. And it's not just for appearance's sake: The specific type of fat that accumulates around your midsection has been linked to a higher risk of disease, including some cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Core exercises can reduce the appearance of belly fat, but there are better ways to get rid of it altogether.

Credit: andresr/E+/GettyImages

Spot reduction, or the idea that you can target fat loss from specific areas of the body, is a myth, so there's no exercise or food that will magically melt away belly fat. But if you're looking to lose belly fat for the long haul, there are a number of research- and expert-backed things you can do.

The first step to getting rid of your belly fat is understanding how it's different from other types of body fat and how that factors in when it comes to weight loss.

There are two types of belly fat:

"As we get older and our hormones change, we tend to deposit more visceral fat, which is very pro-inflammatory and much more dangerous to health than subcutaneous fat," Luiza Petre, MD, a cardiologist and weight-management expert, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Generally, a waist size over 35 inches for women and over 40 inches for men indicates excess visceral fat, according to the National Institutes of Health.

First things first: Weight loss is a systemic process, which means that energy (read: fat) is burned at an equal rate throughout the body, Dr. Petre says. In other words, your body doesn't tap any one particular area before any other.

"What may seem to be focal weight loss is actually a product of how our fat tissue is distributed," she explains. Women tend to store more fat around the thighs and hips, while men carry more around the waist. Therefore, when weight loss occurs, it's more visible in those areas.

However, there is a difference when it comes to which type of fat goes first. Visceral fat is more readily metabolized into fatty acids, per Harvard Health Publishing, so it responds to diet and exercise more efficiently than soft fat on, say, the hips and thighs.

Once you create a healthy calorie deficit and implement the tips below, you can expect to see a difference in your belly in about two weeks.

Credit: Chaloemphon Wanitcharoentham / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages

How quickly can you expect to watch your belly disappear? Well, that all depends on your calorie deficit.

If you want to lose belly fat, you need to lose weight, which means you need to consume less calories than you burn. Most people can safely cut between 500 and 1,000 calories per day, which typically leads to between 1 and 2 pounds of weight loss per week, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Wondering how to calculate your calories for weight loss? Download the MyPlate app to do the job and help you track your intake, so you can stay focused and achieve your goals!

If you stick to that schedule, you should start to notice a difference in your abdominal area in about two weeks, says Holly Roser, a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist.

Don't fall for fads promising lightning-fast weight loss or six-pack abs in just a few days. Here's what really works when it comes to trimming your tummy and keeping visceral fat at bay.

Try High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

When you think about exercise for a flatter belly, your mind may immediately go to crunches and other core-targeting moves. But while abdominal exercises can tighten the muscles and make the abdomen look better, Dr. Petre says these moves won't actually trim down the fat around your waist. "Not all exercises are created equal when it comes to belly fat," she stresses.

Research, including a September 2019 study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, has found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective in reducing abdominal fat compared to other types of training. Researchers noted that people who practiced HIIT not only shaved more inches off their waists but also lost more body fat and gained more lean muscle mass than those who performed other moderate-intensity exercise, including brisk walking and cycling.

Compared to low-fat diets, Dr. Petre maintains that lower-carb diets are better when it comes to blasting visceral fat. One important study, published August 2019 in the Journal of Hepatology, found that a lower-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet was more effective at reducing belly fat than a diet lower in fat.

Everyone needs fat in his or her diet. But the type of fat you're eating is important, too. Those following a Mediterranean diet are encouraged to avoid or limit saturated fats found in such foods as butter, lard, full-fat dairy, fatty meats, fried foods and commercial baked goods and instead stick to unsaturated fats like olive oil, avocado and nuts.

The Mediterranean diet also puts the focus on whole grains over refined carbs, which can help put the kibosh on belly fat. According to Harvard Health Publishing, these refined foods (think: white bread and rice, chips, sweets and sugary drinks) cause sharp spikes in blood sugar and elevate your triglyceride levels, which cause your body to store more fat around the waist.

Avocados are a smart choice when you're trying to lose belly fat.

Credit: Milan_Jovic/E+/GettyImages

Ilana Muhlstein, RD, dietitian and co-creator of Beachbody's 2B Mindset, is a fan of cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, arugula, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts as great belly fat-blasting fuel. "They are low in calories but high in fiber," she explains.

Eating more fiber can help you feel full on less food, which helps with weight loss in general. And eating more soluble fiber such as the kind found in many veggies but also flax seeds, oranges, beans and oats in particular may be key in reducing abdominal fat. One oft-cited study published in the February 2012 issue of Obesity followed more than 1,000 people for five years and found that each 10-gram increase in soluble fiber intake decreased belly fat accumulation by 3.7 percent.

Before you get too caught up in exactly how much and which kind of fiber you should be getting, keep in mind that there's no perfect amount to aim for instead, simply fill your plate with a variety of veggies as often as possible.

"A combined program of a low-carbohydrate and high-fiber diet with regular exercise and a de-stress plan will allow you to see a waistline again."

Research has established a link between sleep and visceral fat, Dr. Petre says. Indeed, a May 2014 study published in Obesity found that those who sleep a healthy amount of time defined by researchers as seven to eight hours a day gained significantly less visceral fat than those who slept too little or too much.

One of the culprits here is cortisol, aka the stress hormone, which your body tends to release when you're short on shut-eye. Cortisol signals your body to store more fat in your belly while also increasing your hunger and negatively affecting your metabolism.

Speaking of cortisol, research has also connected higher stress levels to more belly fat. "High cortisol levels can actually increase your visceral fat, as the hormone is known to increase the amount of fat that clings to your body and magnifies the growth of your fat cells," Dr. Petre says.

Stressful situations are nearly unavoidable in everyday life, but you do have control over your response to them, which can help mitigate the effects of cortisol on your body: Check out eight ways to beat stress-induced belly fat.

Because there are so many components involved in blasting belly fat, Dr. Petre says that motivation and commitment are key even when you don't see results right away. "A combined program of a low-carbohydrate and high-fiber diet with regular exercise and a de-stress plan will allow you to see a waistline again," she says. "You can push past your genetics and bad habits to get rid of that elastic waistband forever."

Read more:
How to Lose Belly Fat: 6 Things That Really Work - LIVESTRONG.COM

Holly Willoughby has had a long career in television, spanning almost 20 years. She is a regular bubble of laughter and positivity on This Morning alongside her TV co-host Philip Schofield. Holly regularly posts images of herself on Instagram looking toned and in shape, and fans have noticed, with several people bombarding the star on a daily basis by asking questions about how she says in shape.

Holly has notable television credentials to her name which include Dancing on Ice, Celebrity Juice, Im A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! and The Voice UK.

Over the years, fans of the daytime television star have noticed changes in her frame.

However, despite seeming to look trimmer, the mum-of-three doesnt want to give away too much about her diet.

Speaking to Prima Magazine, Holly said: I try not to focus too much on my appearance. As long as Im being healthy, thats good enough for me.

READ MORE:Man loses175lbsusing 'life-changingdiet plan

Earlier this year, the television host revealed why she didn't want to talk about her diet.

She told the Sunday Times: It's a personal thing for me, and I think people get obsessive with it.

"Everybody knows what leads to a healthy lifestyle, but it's not up to me to give you a blow-by-blow account of what I've eaten that day. It's not helpful, and it's not what's important.

While she has remained tight-lipped about just how she stays fit and healthy, her Celebrity Juice co-star Keith Lemon wasn't quite so secretive.

DON'T MISS

Keith revealed her trim figure was down to boxing.

He told the Sun Online: "I've heard a rumour that it's some sort of boxing.

"I asked if she was going to be bringing a fitness DVD out, because everyone's going to be saying, 'I want a body like Holly Willoughby!"

And Keith says the TV presenter is "sick" of answering questions about it.

He said: "Ages ago she came back from holiday and I said she'd lost weight, I could see it in her face.

"Then everyone picked up on it, and we were at a party a while later and I said, 'I bet you're sick to death of everyone asking you how you've lost it...but how have you lost it?'

"Holly's always been a total babe.

Despite keeping tight-lipped about her slim figure, a TV source spoke out about Hollys diet.

The source told The Mirror: Holly is determined to keep her new-look body so she eats chicken, carrots, and hummus.

The source, however, did claim that Holly has a sweet tooth and occasionally can be spotted tucking into one particular sweet treat to calm her cravings.

Youll never see her without a pack of mango either, to satisfy her sweet tooth, they said.

The source added that Holly has rediscovered herself after adopting a new healthy lifestyle: "She says she's discovered a 'new me' and won't be giving up anytime soon."

As well as following a healthy diet, Lynne Robinson, director of London-based Body Control Pilates, has said she has worked with the star on her exercise routine.

I worked with Holly for several months, teaching her privately at her home once a week, she told The Sun.

Holly had postnatal matt work classes which concentrated on strengthening and toning her core.

Recently, Holly shared a series of images with her six million Instagram followers that showed off her trim physique.

In the images, Holly posed in a sleek red dress with a square neckline, black block belt and a pair of black suede heels.

She later also shared an image of herself in the same outfit alongside Father Christmas.

Excerpt from:
Holly Willoughby: This Morning presenter incredible weight loss - what has Holly said? - Express

Bananas are a true superfood in every sense. In fact, a lot of gym-goers prefer to have a glass full of banana smoothie before or after a grueling workout. A lot of athletes too, prefer to have a banana on the go. Plus, it makes for such a tasty fruit!

Had simply, in its original form or topped off in dishes and shakes, there is no denying that bananas make for an excellent addition to your diet, especially for those who are on the lookout for a simple weight loss plan. They are loaded with good digestive enzymes that fuel up the system, recharge the metabolism and also have the ability to satiate you, which can cut down on untimely hunger pangs and stop you from overeating. It also raises the production of dopamine in the body, which keeps you more energized to workout!

Bananas also release energy slowly in the body and fuel your exercise. It is also an excellent source of potassium, which ensures that your skeletal and heart muscles keep flexing and contracting while you workout. They also contain a good source of potassium and fiber content in them which helps in regulating body fat, fight toxins actively and recharge the body to fight away the free radicals in the body.

Well, what if we told you, there is another secret health benefit of the fruit-something that's hiding in its peels?

Yes, before you decide to simply throw away the peels after eating the pulpy fruit inside, think twice. Eating the peels can actually accelerate your weight loss mission in an easier way! Banana peels not just cut out on food wastage, but can also help you ditch the flab a little faster!

According to Australian dietician Susie Bowell, banana peels can be an easy way to lose weight and if consumed regularly, it can provide ample nourishment, specifically to trim down your waistline. Detailing the benefits of the same in a study, Bowell mentioned that eating the peels in any form can increase your overall fiber content (by at least 10%), which is a good addition. Plus, the skin also guarantees a whopping 20% more vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium content, supporting the fact that it is full of nutrition. With the fiber, you stand to regulate your digestion and smoothen up the weight loss problems from the root. Hence, this way, not just the bananas but the peel too can help lose weight faster.

According to experts, the colour of the banana skin also carries with it several other nutritious benefits that are super healthy for you. Ripe, green banana skins contain a good portion of tryptophan (which is an essential amino acid), resistant starch which is essential to maintain a good gut. Yellow skinned bananas, the most popularly found ones contain several antioxidants that have cancer-protecting properties and strengthen your immunity too. The nutrients in the skin can also supply melatonin, which can improve sleep quality.

While studies are still underway to test how successful and helpful they are for weight watchers, banana peels, are no doubt super healthy. You can boil them or have them raw, or introduce them to your diet in a slow manner. Be sure to clean and thoroughly wash the bananas before consuming them to ensure that you do not ingest traces of germs or pesticides along with the health benefits!

See original here:
Weight loss: Can eating banana peels help you lose weight? - Times of India

Fitness is not ripped muscles or abs. Fitness is a way of life a healthy life that makes you feel good everyday. For 42-year-old Narendra Firodia, losing weight was just the first step to realising this goal.

My goal was to get healthy and fit! And, I knew that to make it happen, the first step that Id have to take was - lose my bodys excess weight. This first step commenced two years ago when Firodia weighed a whopping 102 kgs.

Two years ago, as I was approaching my 40th birthday, I met Luke Coutinho, author, holistic lifestyle coach and co-founder of RESET - Holistic Living Concepts during the learning session of Entrepreneurs Organization Pune, he says. Coutinho is a well-known lifestyle coach, who forefronts healthy eating habits and wellness practices over fad diets. I had been following Luke on Facebook for a while before I saw him address the crowd in Pune that day. I had always thought that one day, when I meet him, Ill ask him to guide me on a path of holistic living, he informs.

When I finally met Luke, post the event, we went through my medical records, and consequently, I enrolled myself in Lukes one year program that was centered around eating right, exercising, sleeping and creating a balance between my professional and personal life to get started on my weight loss and fitness journey. Below, he highlights the key elements of this one year program and weight loss plan that eventually helped him lose 18 kgs and trim from 102 kgs to 84 kgs.

My weight loss plan, comprising a workout routine and a daily diet plan, was customised according to my body type. I was also assigned my own personal nutritionist, who charted a new diet plan for me devoid of wheat, milk, sugar, tea and coffee. While these food items were restricted from my diet, the new meals I started consuming werent that different from what I was used to eating.

The new diet focused more on tips for preparation of food, portion control and substituting rich and heavy foods with healthy alternatives such as Poha and Idlis, Jowar/Bajra rotis and Dal, various types of Khichdis and Soups and Salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Various types of detox routines also became a part of my overall weight loss plan. According to Luke and Dr Deepti Bagree, Head of Department - Healthcare Division, RESET - Holistic Living Concepts, these detox plans included foods that were easy to digest like fermented foods such as idlis, dosas, probiotic beverages like kombucha, dark coloured fruits and vegetables and makhanas, sprouts as snacks.

Apart from switching to healthier alternatives, following a monthly intermittent fasting routine also greatly helped me get in shape.

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesnt specify which foods you can or cannot eat. It only focuses on when you should eat them.

There are many IF plans and patterns that you can follow, but the most effective one, according to studies is the 16:8 IF diet. The 16:8 IF diet entails one to observe a 16-hour fasting period, followed by an 8-hour eating window.

You can commence a 16-hour fast at 10:00 pm in the night, after you eat your last meal of the day and go to sleep thats 7-8 hours gone right there. You can break the 16-hour fast at 2:00 pm with your lunch and eat small meals till 10:00 pm this makes up the 8-hour eating window. Alternatively, you can also begin your fast at 8 pm and break it at 12 pm, the next day.

ALSO READ: Is intermittent fasting really worth It?

As a part of his weight loss exercise regime, Firodia used to brisk walk 12000 steps every day and also devote time to practise Yoga and functional training. Id workout 6 days/week and 1 day was reserved for rest and recovery. But I felt quite energetic on this rest day as well, as I followed what's commonly known as active rest, which essentially translates to keeping the body active by focusing on your daily routine and mundane tasks.

"Luke's team did not just concentrate on tweaking my food habits but also made sure that I slept well and that my mental/emotional health were in tandem with my physical health. Moreover, through this transformation I have become like a brand ambassador of sorts for fitness and healthy food in my hometown of Ahmednagar in Pune. I have also motivated many of my family members and friends to eat healthy and exercise daily to stay fit."

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

NOW READ

Five easy yoga poses that will make you feel like a million bucks

Prakash Amritraj tells you how to take back your power and get ripped in the new year

How to lose weight like this guy who lost 61 kgs by making this one change in his daily diet

More on Fitness

See the article here:
How to lose weight like this 42-year-old who lost 18 kgs by tweaking his eating habits instead of crash dieting - GQ India - What a man's got to do

Christian Dye

A graduate student in the University of Hawaii at Mnoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) is conducting research that may have a significant impact on underserved and vulnerable populations. Christian Dye is probing the causes of diabetes and other chronic diseases prevalent in Native Hawaiian and other communities.

Dye, currently a faculty member at JABSOM, will earn his PhD from UH Mnoa in spring 2020.

My current research seeks to understand inflammation-associated disorders, like diabetes, from an epigenetics viewpointthe influence of environmental factors (diet, exercise, smoking, etc.) on how our cells function by influencing how genes are turned on, off, or even changed, he explained.

JABSOM has allowed me to be at the center of research that is not only meaningful, but was instrumental in allowing me to do so in the communities that I feel most passionate about, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, Dye said.

Dye focuses on epigenetics to determine the potential mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. We may be able to understand whether certain areas of the genome are epigenetically regulated and if such regulation may be involved in how immune cells function and whether this leads to immune dysfunction or inflammation.

Exciting results of Dyes research include the benefits of an intervention in Native Hawaiians with diabetes, which led to drastic changes in epigenetic profiles. The epigenetic alterations were linked to changes in gene expression and immune cell function (reduced inflammation) that were associated with better glycemic control. These findings have potentially bridged cell function and beneficial health outcomes with epigenetic modifications that may regulate genes enriched in biological functions important to immune cells, he said.

Dye plans to develop a network of community-based participatory research centers for investigation of cellular, molecular or biological mechanisms that may underlie the benefits of culturally-based practices and interventions. By bridging indigenous knowledge and practice within a western context of science, technology and medicine, we may be able to understand the science as to why these practices are beneficial to at-risk communities while also elucidating how certain cells, like immune cells, may function, and the potential that their regulation may be involved in beneficial health outcomes which can eventually be used in targeted strategies for understanding disease risk and possible therapeutics.

Dyes interest in the cellular and molecular biology of health disparities motivated him to work at the UH medical school. JABSOM has allowed me to be at the center of research that is not only meaningful, but was instrumental in allowing me to do so in the communities that I feel most passionate about, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, he said. JABSOM also allowed me to enter some of the communities where these health disparities are prevalent and use research to help understand them.

Read more on the JABSOM website.

More:
Native Hawaiian health focus of graduating JABSOM PhD - UH System Current News