Transient ischemic attack, often referred to as a ministroke, occurs when there is a temporary lack of blood flow to the brain. Almost a quarter-million Americans experience a TIA every year.

TIAs are a good news, bad news condition. The good news is that TIAs dont kill brain tissue or cause permanent disabilities. The bad news is that a TIA happens before about 15% of all strokes. Up to 25% of people who experience a TIA die within a year. About 33% of people who suffer a TIA have a more severe stroke within a year. Recognizing a TIA and getting immediate medical care are critical.

TIAs tend to be brief, and the symptoms can often clear up by the time you get to the doctor. This could cause people to believe that a TIA is a minor event. But that is not true.

Here is a list of common symptoms associated with a TIA:

Vision changes

Trouble speaking

Confusion

Balance issues

Numbness

Weakness

Tingling

Muscular weakness generally on one side of the body

Severe headache with no obvious cause

Although TIAs dont lead to permanent brain damage, emergency medical care is necessary because TIA symptoms are the same as those of a stroke. It is not possible for you to tell whether your symptoms are related to a TIA or a stroke. This can only be done by a medical professional.

Treating a TIA is focused on mitigating the chance of a future stroke. Medical professionals may start or adjust medication that improve blood flow to the brain.

Treatment options may include:

Medicines such as antiplatelet drugs, which help prevent blood clots, such as aspirin, Plavix, Effient or Aggrenox.

Surgery, called carotid endarterectomy, where your doctor clears the carotid arteries of fatty deposits and plaques.

Lifestyle changes can also reduce your risk of future TIAs or strokes. Some of these changes include:

Dont smoke. Stopping smoking reduces your risk of a TIA or a stroke.

Limit cholesterol and fat. Cutting back on cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat and trans fat, in your diet may reduce buildup of plaques in your arteries.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain nutrients such as potassium, folate and antioxidants, which may protect against a TIA or a stroke.

Limit sodium. If you have high blood pressure, avoiding salty foods and not adding salt to food may reduce your blood pressure. Avoiding salt may not prevent hypertension, but excess sodium may increase blood pressure in people who are sensitive to sodium.

Exercise regularly. If you have high blood pressure, regular exercise is one of the few ways you can lower your blood pressure without drugs.

Limit alcohol intake. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. The recommended limit is no more than one drink daily for women and two a day for men.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight contributes to other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Losing weight with diet and exercise may lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.

Dont use illicit drugs. Drugs such as cocaine are associated with an increased risk of a TIA or a stroke.

Control diabetes. You can manage diabetes and high blood pressure with diet, exercise, weight control and when necessary medication.

Educate yourself on the warning signs of stroke and do it FAST.

F Face drooping

A Arm weakness

S Speech slurred

T Time to call 911

A TIA can signal a future stroke. Take the warning seriously, and dont delay. According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of death.

Tracy Arabian is the communications officer at SeniorCare Inc., a local agency on aging that serves Gloucester, Beverly, Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, Topsfield and Wenham.

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SENIOR LOOKOUT: Don't ignore the warning that a TIA is giving - Gloucester Daily Times

Its almost inevitable that you've scrolled past a sweaty selfie of a friend, co-worker or high school classmate bragging about their WOD and professing their love for CrossFit.

CrossFit became a super popular workout a few years ago when box gyms began popping up not only across the country, but the world. CrossFit is practiced by members of over 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries. In the U.S. alone, there are over 7,000 gyms offering the program. Its estimated that there are roughly 4 million CrossFitters, and its members are so devoted to the competitive approach to fitness that the community has even been described as cult-like.

With all this publicity, you may have wondered if this program could work for you. Before you jump into the box (ahem, thats CrossFit speak for gym), heres what you need to know about the workout craze and how to determine if it's right for you.

A form of high intensity interval training, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning workout that is made up of functional movement performed at a high intensity level.

These movements are actions that you perform in your day-to-day life, like squatting, pulling, pushing etc. Many workouts feature variations of squats, push-ups, and weight lifting that last for predetermined amounts of time to help build muscles. This varies from a traditional workout that may tell you how many reps to do over any period of time.

CrossFit Journal notes that the workouts are so effective because of their emphasis on the elements of load, distance and speed, which help participants develop high levels of power. The workout may utilize different equipment to accomplish this, including kettle bells, rowers and bikes, medicine balls, speed ropes, rings and plyo boxes.

CrossFit is similar to Orange Theory in that there is a standard "workout of the day" (WOD) that all members complete on the same day. The daily workout can be found on their website (which is always free), along with a guide to all the specialized lingo that is used. There is also a substitutions section on their FAQ page that suggests places to find level appropriate workouts. CrossFit is universally scalable and modifiable for all fitness levels, so it can be tailored to meet your goals and current fitness level, says Tracey Magee, owner and head coach of CrossFit Clan Performance Center.

You may have a preconceived notion of the type of person who belongs in a CrossFit gym (relatively young, jacked, etc.), but Tony Caravajal, certified L-2 CrossFit trainer with RSP Nutrition, strongly believes that CrossFit is hugely beneficial for the full spectrum of ages and athletic capabilities, starting with adolescents. CrossFit Kids classes are a fantastic way to help a child develop balance, coordination, as well as proper motor skills. He says that these skills are a fantastic way to put a child ahead of the game as well as instill a love for a healthily lifestyle.

Patrick Zeiher, owner of CrossFit Indian Trail, notes that one reason CrossFit is so beneficial for all ages is that the physical needs of a person vary by degree not by kind. We can literally have a 60-year-old athlete doing a similar variation of a workout as a 25-year-old competitive athlete, he says. Their needs don't vary by kind; in other words, they both need to be able to squat to a toilet, pick something up off the floor, or get themselves off the floor. The 25-year-old should just be able to do it all faster, says Zeiher.

Another essential element of CrossFit is the spirit of sports and competition. Many CrossFit gyms use strategic actions, like keeping a score board and posting winners to social media, as motivation rather than a reward system. So if youre someone who is motivated by competition to push yourself physically, CrossFit may prove a great exercise for you that drives fast results.

As with any high intensity workout, there is some risk involved. One study found that 20 percent of the CrossFit participants surveyed injured themselves while doing CrossFit endorsed workouts.

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The injury rate of CrossFit is about 20 percent, meaning 20 percent of people who perform CrossFit branded workouts regularly will be injured at some point, which is high for a recreational activity," says Cuyler Hudson, a physical therapist at Finish Line. "I personally see CrossFitters regularly in my physical therapy practice. Injuries will usually occur as an athlete fatigues, which causes their form to also fatigue, causing the load to be shifted from the areas it is supposed to be to areas that cannot handle the stress as well.

You may hear several acronyms and words thrown around during a class, either verbally or written on a board with the workout for the day. Here are some of the most common:

WOD: Workout of the Day

EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute

AMRAP: As Many Reps as Possible

Box: A CrossFit gym with the bare necessities to perform all the WODs.

Ladder: A series of exercises where you increase the number of reps by 1 each time they are performed. (i.e. 5 squats, then 6 squats, then 7 squats )

Zone Diet: The diet that CrossFit endorses. This diet is based on macronutrients.

SQ: Squat

PR: Personal Record. This refers to when you reach your personal best in a given exercise. For example, completing a certain number of push-ups in a minute.

Hero WOD: These workouts are named after first responders who have died in the line of duty. These workouts are especially difficult to remind CrossFitters of the sacrifices that these men and women made for their country.

Magee suggests that you communicate with your coach any limitations or restrictions you have, especially if youre just getting back into a workout routine or are a beginner. Once a person has been through their initial assessment, a qualified coach will help them determine the any modifications, such as particular movements or the volume of training for a particular workout, she says.

If you are a beginner, youre in luck. CrossFit accounts for this sector of the population. Some sort of beginner or foundations class is highly recommended for newcomers. In these classes, they'll learn the basics and improve fitness at their own pace. Once they learn the basic foundational skills and build their confidence, they can move into regular classes, explains Magee. A less experienced or very de-conditioned individual would be advised to start with fewer classes per week (usually 2-3), until their bodies have adapted to the new movements and the volume of training.

Even if you arent quite ready to jump full force into CrossFit, there are effective elements of the workout that you can incorporate into your current exercise routine.

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What is CrossFit? And is it right for you? Here's what you need to know - NBC News

When it comes to losing weight, exercise and diet both play an important part in getting results. Making simple changes to the diet plan can be enough to help dieters lose weight and cut back on fat. Slimmers must ensure they eat foods high in protein to see the best results, Cecilia Harris, celebrity PT and co-founder of online fitness, nutrition and health platform, Results with Lucy, explained.

If you want to lose fat you need to burn more calories than you put in. In other words, create a calorie deficit.

When doing this, dieters must be mindful with what foods they cut out and eat foods high in protein.

Cecilia explained: Upping your protein intake will promote weight loss and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

If hoping to burn fat, slimmers will still need to eat the right nutrients when cutting back on calories.

DON'T MISS

Making small changes and swapping unhealthy habits will help dieters on their way to a tone midriff.

You still need to make sure you are getting all the right nutrients so really its about eating smart and making sure what you eat has nutritional value and is not wasted calories," Cecilia added.

Simple changes can make a big difference like cutting down portion sizes or swapping a milky coffee for green tea.

For each person the calorie deficit will be different depending on variables like your height, weight, gender and how active you are.

Dieters hope to lose fat quickly can achieve their goals by upping their protein intake and cutting back on unhealthy calories.

However, the trainer warned this is not for everyone and those already eating healthily might not need to cut back.

Cecilia added: I dont believe that day to day creating a calorie deficit is necessary if you are living a healthy, balanced lifestyle however, if you are looking to get that extra ab definition then creating a calorie deficit can work.

Continued here:
Weight loss: Using this diet trick can help burn belly fat fast - what can you eat? - Express

To trim down the waistline, dieters can pick from a number of different weight loss diet plans. The keto, or ketogenic, diet is a popular choice for many slimmers and can help speed up fat burning results. However, an expert reveals the tips you must follow.

The low carb and high fat plan is thought to help promote fat loss, Elliot Upton, PT at ultimate performance and head of LiveUP online coaching, explained.

He told Express.co.uk: The idea of keto is to take in such a low amount of carbohydrates that your body switches to a metabolic state called 'ketosis' where it uses fat and ketones for fuel instead of glucose."

By following this plan, the body will start to burn through fat leaving those on the plan much trimmer.

READ MORE: Joe Wicks reveals simple workout plan to help burn fat - avoid making common mistake

Although many people may think they should avoid fat when trying to slim down, eating foods high in healthy fats could actually help them get into shape.

Pairing those foods with meals high in carbs and with a moderate protein content can give the best results.

Elliot added: People who follow the keto diet will eat a high proportion of their calories from fat, some protein and minimal or no intake from carbohydrates.

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Common foods people eat on the keto diet tend to be anything with a high fat and low carbohydrate content, such as oils, cheese and dairy products, eggs, nuts and some fatty meats or fish.

If switching onto the plan, he explained why dieters much ensure they still eat enough nutrients.

Removing a food group can leave slimmers lacking in certain things and the expert explained how to compensate for this.

When you cut out an entire food group, there is the potential to be lacking in key nutrients, he said.

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Weight loss: This surprising food can help you burn fat fast - what can you eat? - Express

Ample evidence shows that regular exercise is a surefire way to boost longevity, because it lowers the risk of developing a wide range of deadly conditions.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the greatest threats to longevity, for example, but it can largely be prevented by maintaining high fitness levels and following a healthy diet.

While numerous studies demonstrate the health benefits of exercise in general or focus on specific groups of exercise, there is a growing field of research that is shedding a light on the specific forms of exercise that will extend longevity.

One of those studies, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, makes the case for speeding up your walking pace.

The study found that walking at an average pace was found to be associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for all-cause mortality compared with walking at a slow pace, while walking at a brisk or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent.

A similar result was found for risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, with a reduction of 24 percent walking at an average pace and 21 percent walking at a brisk or fast pace, compared to walking at a slow pace.

Interestingly, the health benefits were most pronounced in older age groups, with average paced walkers aged 60 years or over experiencing a 46 percent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular causes, and fast paced walkers a 53 percent reduction.

READ MORE:How to live longer: Can eating an apple a day increase life expectancy? Dr Chris' verdict[INSIGHT]

A fast pace is generally five to seven kilometres per hour, but it really depends on a walker's fitness levels; an alternative indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty when sustained," said lead author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health.

The researchers sought to establish the link between walking pace and all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

To gather the findings, the researchers pooled together and analysed mortality records with the results of 11 population-based surveys in England and Scotland between 1994 and 2008 - in which participants self-reported their walking pace - the research team then adjusted for factors such as total amount and intensity of all physical activity taken, age, sex and body mass index.

"Walking pace is associated with all-cause mortality risk, but its specific role - independent from the total physical activity a person undertakes - has received little attention until now," Professor Stamatakis said.

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He continued: "While sex and body mass index did not appear to influence outcomes, walking at an average or fast pace was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. There was no evidence to suggest pace had a significant influence on cancer mortality however."

In light of the findings, the researchers are calling on public health bodies to promote walking pace as a simple and accessible way for people to help ward off developing life-threatening conditions.

Professor Stamatakis said: "Assuming our results reflect cause and effect, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality -- providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote.

"Especially in situations when walking more isn't possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up - one that most people can easily incorporate into their lives."

The health benefits of exercise can be reaped at any age, according to research led by Alexander Mok, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Mok and his team of researchers examined how changes in exercise levels over time affect a person's risk of dying from any cause, as well as dying from specific conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

The findings, which are the result of a large population-based cohort study comprised of almost 15,000 people, found that high levels of exercise and increased physical activity over time correlated with a lower mortality risk overall.

Significantly, the results suggested that even if someone decided to exercise after being physically inactive, they would still both their longevity.

The greatest longevity benefits were seen among individuals who had high physical activity levels at the start of the study and increased them even more with time. These highly active people were 42 percent less likely to die prematurely from any cause.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, when done regularly, moderate-and vigorous-intensity physical activity strengthens your heart muscle, and this improves your heart's ability to pump blood to your lungs and throughout your body, and as a result, more blood flows to your muscles, and oxygen levels in your blood rise.

The health said: Capillaries, your body's tiny blood vessels, also widen. This allows them to deliver more oxygen to your body and carry away waste products.

Heart-healthy eating is also essential to longevity, and the health site recommends opting for the following to protect heart health:

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How to live longer: The simple exercise shown to extend your lifespan - Express

Dramatic and quick weight loss is never a great idea. The long game dietary intervention alternative is always a better option. That being said, service members have a height and weight requirement that they must meet yearly.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to lose those last few pounds quickly, here's how to do it in a safe way. This method has nothing to do with those fat burners that have zero efficacy and that usually just induce fever-like symptoms in order to "burn" fat.

WARNING: This protocol, although safer than other methods, is still risky. Only attempt this if you have an actual reason to and with someone closely monitoring your progress. *This is not medical advice. I take no responsibility for any potential adverse effects.* In fact, I recommend you don't do this. This article is just to show a safer method of cutting weight than individuals typically conduct.

For that dietary intervention alternative, check out The Ultimate Composure Nutrition Guide in my Free Resources Vault, where I lay out the process in a step by step easy to follow protocol.

The name of the game is water manipulation.

(Photo by Cpl. Anthony Leite)

Water intake: You're over half water. By reducing the amount of water you drink, you are inherently reducing your weight. The other two factors that you'll be manipulating are simply ways for you to reduce your water retention. More on why you should be drinking water here.

Carbohydrate intake: Every gram of stored carbohydrate stores an additional 3-4 grams of water. This is why the word hydrate is included in the word carbohydrate. When you eat a higher carb diet, you may feel that you look softer, it's because you're holding on to more water. The extra water retention makes you look less cut in general.

Sodium intake: Electrolytes transport electrical signals throughout our body, it's how we work. When you manipulate your intake of electrolytes, especially sodium, you can trick your body into excreting more of them than usual, which will, in turn, expel more water and help reduce your weight.

The process starts 8 days before your weigh-in.

(U.S. Navy Photo by Burrell Parmer, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio Public Affairs/Released)

GET ACCESS TO THE PROTOCOL IN A STEP BY STEP GUIDE IN MY FREE RESOURCES VAULT HERE!

8 days prior:

6 days prior:

5 days prior

3 days prior

2 days prior

Day of weigh-in prior to weigh-in

Day of weigh-in and post weigh-in

A shiny trophy may be a great reason to cut weight. Make sure you don't cut so hard that you can't perform though.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin, 2d Cavalry Regiment)

This is a protocol very similar to what professional fighters and other weight-class athletes use to cut weight prior to a fight. Those individuals have coaches and medical professionals at their disposal to help monitor and implement the protocol. This is not the type of thing that should be undertaken flippantly.

Be smart.

If you want to lose fat, this is not how to do it. This protocol simply rids the body of water weight. All the weight you cut will be put back on in a matter of days, if not hours.

To lose fat, read my nutrition guide, The Ultimate Composure Nutrition Guide. It's free and you can get it in my Free Resources Vault.

To understand why diet manipulation is a better method for fat burning than exercising more read my article The key to your body goals here.

To learn what type of exercise burns the most fat and can compliment a caloric deficit, read this.

If you find this article helpful share it with a friend that needs to lose a few more pounds to make weight.

Email me at michael@composurefitness.com if you want a professional to help guide you through this process or if you have more questions concerning the intricacies of the protocol.

Join the Mighty Fit Facebook Group to keep this conversation going and learn everything you need to achieve your highest level of health.

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How to cut weight in a borderline safe way - We Are The Mighty

Weight loss doesnt have to be a difficult journey, if you dont want it to be - that is. After all, weight loss isnt just black and white. There are many articles highlighting the different means to reach an ideal weight goal or achieve a total weight overhaul and have an incredible weight loss transformation in a couple of weeks.

However, even though many are spurred to lose weight, many struggle toget to grasp with what is actually required and trying out fad-diets or quick fix diets could lead to dangerous weight loss, with the weight coming back once the individual has stopped the diet.So, what can you do to keep the weight off?

Expertsadvise that when embarking on a weight loss journey, especially if previously the individual has had no experience in weight loss programmes, the trick is to start off small.

In fact, according to EatWell the easiest change someone can make is by starting the day with a healthy breakfast.

As, starting your day with healthy breakfast foods can help you maintain energy, fend off hunger attacks and lose weight, much easier.

READ MORE:Weight loss diet: Eating these common foods can help burn fat fast - what are they?[Expert Advice]

According to research, people who eat regular healthy breakfasts tend to be leaner and [are] more successful at losing weight - and keeping it off - when they eat breakfast.

A healthy breakfast should be a well-balanced mix of protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre and healthy fat to keep an individual feeling full and filed up for the rest of the day.

Recent research conducted in the Journal of Nutrition, suggested that eating more fibre is a great way to prevent weight gain or even encourage weight loss.

According to several sources, the quick and easy scrambled egg on hearty bread recipe is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss.

This is because it combines weight loss superfoods, egg and raspberries, with nutrient-packed spinach on wholegrain toast.

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According to EatingWell, there are five main foods that should be at the top of the list for any slimmer.

Start your weight loss journey with a low-calorie breakfast meal using some of the five healthy breakfast foods (oatmeal, peanut butter, yoghurt, eggs and raspberries) as eating them regularly can help with weight loss.

Remember to keep it simple, so why not try some of the recipes below to start off your weight loss transformation.

A firm fan favourite is spinach and scrambled egg on wholegrain toast with raspberries.

The protein and fibre in the breakfast will help fill an individual up while still maintaining a low-calorie count. It has been estimated that each spinach and scrambled egg with raspberries on wholegrain toast has under 300 calories!

Another favourite is a peanut butter smoothie bowl with granola, fresh berries, banana and dark chocolate shavings.

A recipe suggestion for the sweet tooth slimmer, is the peanut butter bowl as its great for keeping an individual feeling full for hours, curb cravings and more!

Smoothie bowls come in various colours and flavours but the texture is always the same: thicker tan a drinkable smoothie but thinner than a pudding.

Whats great about a smoothie bowl is that there are endless possibilities of ingredients to use and ways to construct a bowl.

However, one thing to note when creating a masterpiece such as this is to make sure to use frozen fruit to yield a creamy, frosty base for the toppings.

Avocado and kale omelette are also a healthy but delicious breakfast option for a slimmer, after all, weight loss doesnt mean plain.

Top a high-protein omelette with avocado and fibre-rich kale and this will help slimmers keep hunger at bay.

Play around with different spices and herbs to give it that extra kick of flavour.

Why not try your hand at baking and opt for a delicious bacon and egg mini quiches?

A super easy recipe to make, which is super keto-friendly, and perfect for lunchbox sized meals.

Bake a mini quiche using a muffin-tin with egg, slices of bacon, heavy cream and fresh basil to make a delicious and satisfying alternative to breakfast foods.

Finally, try brunching with a twist.

Make a fresh wholegrain waffle and top it with, avocado, cucumber, salmon and poached egg.

This makes for a delicious breakfast at a fraction of the calorie intake during breakfast of an averageBriton.

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Weight loss: Start your weight loss journey right with these top five breakfast ideas - Express

Weight loss diets usually require slimmers to eat less but it is important they pick the right foods. Eating foods high in protein can help dieters lose weight and gain lean muscle, an expert revealed. Is there a best time to have it?

By eating foods high in protein, dieters can boost their weight loss results, Harry Aitken, sports scientist and PT, told Express.co.uk.

He said: A high protein diet is simply one that is rich in protein intake, and lower, than normal, in calories.

So you will be consuming lots of protein, whilst still maintaining reduced calories to ensure you are in a calorie deficit, burning more calories than youre eating.

READ MORE: Weight loss: Top five exercises for flat abs revealed - full workout plan here

When upping protein in the diet, slimmers can get it from a host of different foods.

Harry explained meat like chicken, beef, and pork, dairy products and eggs are all a good source of protein.

Vegetarian options like seeds, buts, beans like lentils and broad beans, tofu, and manufactured protein sources made from soya or mycoproteins can also be eaten.

DON'T MISS

These foods will keep hunger pains at bay and dieters are less likely to opt for unhealthy snacks.

This means those hoping to lose weight will notice the benefits adding a portion of protein into every meal.

High protein intake has been proven to keep you fuller for longer, and they have also been proven to reduce subsequent calorie intake, Harry added.

So this means that not only are your high protein means filling you up, and helping you stay full, but they also help to reduce you consuming more calories throughout the day.

A food that can keep you fuller for longer, without consisting of huge amounts of calories, when dieting is a fantastic solution to help you reduce your calorie intake.

Dieters will feel more satisfied and likely to stick to the meal plan they are following.

Harry explained: The problem with many diets is theyre often quite drastic, and they restrict food so much that people feel starving. By helping to keep you full, and therefore happy, you are much more likely to actually stick to the diet.

For those hoping to get into shape, following a high protein diet will also help build muscle and appear lean.

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Weight loss: This food can help you slim down fast - when is the best time to eat it? - Express

Its the latest hot topic. It seems every other person is doing some form of fasting these days. All sorts of acronyms get bandied about theres the 5:2, the 16:8, the Fast 800, intermittent fasting (IF) and alternate-day fasting (ADF).

Its been touted as the solution to everything from getting clearer skin, weight loss and increased longevity but is fasting a health fix or is it just a fad?

Intermittent fasting is probably the most popular approach. Most people already fast every day while they sleep. Intermittent fasting can be as simple as extending that fast a little longer.

You can do this by skipping breakfast, eating your first meal at noon and your last meal at 8pm. Then, youre technically fasting for 16 hours every day, and restricting your eating to an eight-hour eating window. This is the most popular form of intermittent fasting, known as the 16:8 method, and foollowed by a host of celebs including Jennifer Aniston.

Popularised by British journalist Dr Michael Mosley, the 5:2 diet consists of five days of the week that are normal eating days, while the other two restrict calories to 500-600 per day.

Alternate-day fasting is another approach the basic idea is that you fast on one day, and then eat what you want the next day.

This fasting lark, while on trend right now, is not new.

Plutarch and Plato were big fans of fasting. The Greeks observed that sick animals did not eat and saw that it should be no different for humans. They believed fasting could both heal illness and improve cognitive function.

And almost all religious and spiritual practices throughout the ages have advocated fasting in one form or another. Buddha, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad all fasted and believed in the power of fasting for physical, mental and spiritual benefit. A large number of religious fasting traditions are still practised today.

There is definitely something in it though.

Recent findings from the University of Graz, Austria, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggest other advantages, apart from weight loss, include reduced inflammation, better blood sugar control, improved heart health and boosted brain function in participants who undertook alternate day fasting.

Consultant rheumatologist Peter Browne believes there are definite benefits in fasting, but its not something that should be done in isolation. Browne, who works at the Bons Secours hospital in Tralee, says the evidence that intermittent fasting has health benefits is pretty clear. My initial interest in fasting was patient driven. Many of my patients want to try a non-medicine approach when they first see me for treatment and for some of them, fasting has very beneficial results.

He admits its not for everyone. Theres a cohort of patients who would struggle with adherence so its not an approach that can be universally applied, but there is no doubt that fasting can improve metabolic health with improvements in weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and improved blood sugars in many patients.

Fasting has benefits over and above weight loss too. Browne says it makes sense that allowing our bodies a break from eating, will divert energy to renewal instead. We have evolved to be in sync with the day/night cycle, ie, a circadian rhythm. Our metabolism has adapted to daytime food, night-time sleep. If our bodies are not digesting food at night, then theres time for repair.

This is a well-documented benefit of fasting autophagy, which plays a role in controlling inflammation and boosting immunity. When you fast, your body tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged the first cells to go are the faulty ones. If you are intermittent fasting, this will happen while you are asleep, Browne says.

Nutritional therapist and director of Irelands functional medicine conference Maev Creaven agrees. Most people associate fasting with weight loss, but the benefits go far beyond.

Its more than calorie restriction, its about changing your hormones. There is strong evidence to show that fasting lowers insulin levels. Healthy adults experience a reduction in insulin levels after fasting. Part of insulins role is to regulate blood sugar. Too much insulin has been linked to obesity and other chronic health conditions like heart disease, and diabetes. If insulin is known as the fat storage hormones and is produced in the presence of glucose [carbohydrates], then the best way to lose weight is to reduce insulin via fasting or carb restriction. Its common sense really. There is no more potent way to lower insulin than to fast.

For Tony Murphy, fasting has made a massive impact on his health. A shift worker, he was about 25lbs overweight when he went to the doctor with breathing problems. I had shortness of breath, I was sleepy after eating and I just felt out of sorts. A chat with a dietician got him overhauling his diet. After that chat, I knew I needed to make a change. I went to my doctor and I didnt want to take medication if possible. We agreed that I would adopt some healthy eating guidelines and stop eating at 6pm every day.

He ate brunch mid-morning and a healthy lunch and dinner now he has lost 20lbs, is sleeping properly and has brought his cholesterol down to normal levels. Its a very simple idea, but combined with a bit of exercise and choosing more healthy food, Ive managed to avoid the risk of a lifetime of illness and medication.

There are some caveats though.

Some health professionals have expressed concern about the rise in fasting and warned that some people should absolutely not dabble in this eating style.

Bodywhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, has warned that anyone whos previously struggled with an eating disorder or experienced disordered eating behaviours should steer clear of fasting.

Similarly, pregnant women, teenagers and anyone with a medical condition should not fast. Always check with your doctor before embarking on any diet regime.

Read the rest here:
The hard and fast rules when it comes to diet - The Irish Times

Im pretty sure that I, once upon a time, could have been classified as a perpetual dieter.

No, not quite a yo-yo dieter, because in order to yo-yo, I wouldve had to have experienced some measure of success. My weight wouldve had to come down before it would come back up, and that never happened for me.

I was a perpetual dieter. It was always something. One week, it would be a tea diet for 10 days, a diet where you only drank tea for breakfast and lunch; and another week, itd be all-Metabolife-everything, where I subsisted solely on diet pills for as long as I could before my brain started to beg for actual nourishment. A third week, Id be losing sleep because Id tried to sleep in a pulsing waistband designed to give my 50-inch waist the abs Id longed for all my life.

Dont laugh. Im serious.

No matter how often or how long I tortured myself, it was never enough. The weight never came off.

It eventually got to a point where I started to question everything. Why do I keep trying methods that just dont work? Why do I keep doing this, if its not giving me the desired outcome? It made me feel a perpetual sense of self-loathingam I the problem, here? If I follow the instructions on the little box correctly and still dont lose weight, am I simply destined to be over 300 pounds the rest of my life?

I genuinely believed Id simply have to accept 330 as a permanent number in my life.

That is, until, one day, my mother suggested something to me that shed never suggested before. She simply suggestedthat I just go to the damn gym.

I was shockedand surprisedby that. Thegym? I guess. Six months later progress. Minor progress, but hard-fought progress, nonetheless.

Another six months later, Id finally figure out that maybe, just maybe, if I gave up the taquitos and sour cream after my workouts, or the pineapple pop and goldfish cracker binges, I might be on to something. And, I was right.

Before too long, weight started flying off. Id finally experienced what I lovingly refer to as the come-to-fitness moment. Following through on it resulted in a triple-digit weight loss.

Your come-to-fitness moment is the moment when you decide that theres no diet, no snake oil, no pill, no wrap that can do for you what learning how to live can do for you. No pill could do what giving up soda pop could do for me. No wrap could do what giving up processed foods could do for me. None of it could make me feel the way being active and fit could make me feel.

Everyones come-to-fitness moment will be different, and thats OK. Its cornerstone, however, is the realization that you only need consistent exercise and clean eating habits to achieve your fitness goals. You may not have a pineapple sodapop fetish for you, it might be a certain brand of candy and you may not have an emotional eating challenge, but you still need to address it before you can experience the full benefits of your come-to-fitness moment.

And should you have that moment, what do you do?

1. Arm yourself. Find books, DVDs, favorite cooking shows, maybe an awesome blog or two, anything and everything that embodies the traits that you hope to make lifelong habits.

2. Dont be afraid to ask questions! You want to learn, and closed mouths dont get fed. We were all newbies at some point.

3. Enable yourself. Get excited about going to work out! Give yourself gratification by being proud of your new efforts. Working out, for someone who just had their come-to-fitness moment reflects more than the possibility of becoming more fit; it represents the development of an invaluable new life-long habit. Its important to allow yourself to be excited about it.

4. Dont be afraid to explore things that are new and unfamiliar to you or people you know. Believe me, if it were familiar to you, you wouldve done it by now which is all the more reason to dive in head first.

When you finally reach the point where you realize that nothing is going to bring you what hard work in the gym will, dont let the disappointment overtake you. Just get ready to sweat your hair out, and look forward to all the new flavors you can explore. As I always say, your body will thank you for it!

Erika Nicole Kendall is the writer behind the award winning blog, A Black Girls Guide to Weight Loss, where she blogs her journey of losing over 150lbs. A trainer certified in womens fitness, fitness nutrition and weight loss coaching, she can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Excerpt from:
Are You Ready to Have Your Come-to-Fitness Moment? - EBONY