FROM putting recruits through their paces in SAS Who Dares Wins to climbing Mount Everest - Ant Middleton knows a thing or two about fitness.

The ex-military man, 38, has also starred on the front cover of Men's Health and has made a career out of pushing his body to its limit.

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Here, Ant, who is the face of Garmin, talks us through his top tips to getting in shape - without splurging your hard-earned money on an expensive gym membership.

He told The Sun Online the key is balance when it comes to both dieting and exercise.

As someone who does most of his exercise in the harsh outdoors, Ant says it's a myth that the gym is the only place you can get fit.

In an exclusive interview, Ant says: "You also dont need a gym membership to stay in shape, just go out into the garden or a local park and do some circuits training.

"Anything that raises your heart rate will help keep you in shape."

It may sometimes be tricky to fit a workout into your busy week, but Ant says making a plan for your fitness schedule can really make a difference.

He also emphasises not to worry if you do miss out on exercise days sometimes.

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Ant says: "This is obviously not always possible but if you plan to work out seven days a week, you will probably end up working out four days a week which is definitely enough to stay in shape.

"If you plan for four days and it doesnt work out, because life just does get in the way sometimes (!), you will start to miss out on exercise days."

He may look as though he's solid protein, but Ant urges those wanting to lose weight to focus on "balance".

"I think you just need to listen to your body, I personally eat a lot of carbs and protein but this isnt necessarily right for everyone," he tells The Sun Online.

"As long as you have a balanced diet, you cant really go too wrong."

Ant is keen to emphasise the importance of working on your mental as well as your physical health.

Ant, who runs Mind Over Muscle day camps across the country, says: "Physical and physiological simulation comes hand in hand, if one suffers it tends to have a detrimental effect on the other.

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"We must challenge ourselves psychologically on a daily basis, as well as physically at least every other day, even if it just walking the dog or walking to the shop for that pint of milk.

"Physical activity has always been part of my life and once it becomes routine in your life thats when it becomes a lifestyle and you cant do without it."

Dieting can not only be draining but also have a negative impact on your mental health if you're trying to lose weight.

"I lead a sustainable lifestyle and tend not to diet, even when I lose extreme weight," Ant says.

"I let my body gradually build its way back up to the weight that I function efficiently at on a day to day basis."

Ant says if you're trying to shed the pounds or boost your fitness, not to rush.

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He says: "Its all a gradual process, these extreme weight drops and gains arent good for the body so I let natural run its course."

Ant recommends investing in a fitness watch which can help you track your progress.

Ant says he's a fan of the Garmin Fenix 6 watch as it means he can plan running routes wherever he is in the country.

The watch also comes with other features including full topographic maps and GPS, as well as PacePro which gives you a full view of elevation changes when out running or training.

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Ant says: "I have had a relationship with Garmin for the past 15 years, since I was in the military to now, the brand is always evolving and changing with the times which is something I love about it.

"One feature that has always helped with my training is the GPS system.

"It means I can go on a run wherever I am in the country and they will create a route for me, so handy when you are on tour and still trying to keep fit."

See more here:
Weight loss: Ditch the gym AND fad diets Ant Middletons easy tips to get in shape - The Sun

Visceral fat is deemed harmful because of where its stored in the body - in the abdominal cavity next to many vital organs. Because of its position in the body, having high levels of visceral fat can increase a persons risk of develop serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But some simple changes to lifestyle can help get rid of it.

Eating a poor diet can lead to visceral fat build up, so making changes to what you eat is advised.

When it comes to an essential in cooking and many meals, oil, which one should you choose to help get rid of visceral fat?

Coconut oil has proven increasingly popular over the last few years and has even earned the status of superfood.

A number of studies have demonstrated the positive impact it can have on visceral fat.

READ MORE:How to get rid of visceral fat: Why this food could help reduce the harmful belly fat

Studies show the medium-chain fats in coconut oil may boost metabolism and decrease the amount of fat you store in response to high calorie intake.

Controlled studies suggest it may also lead to abdominal fat loss.

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

To boost belly fat loss, its best to take about two tablespoons (30ml) of coconut oil per day, which is the amount used in most of the studies.

DON'T MISS

Coconut oil has also been shown to reduce hunger, helping you eat less, which could help with visceral fat loss.

In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to six healthy men.

The men eating the most MCTs ate 256 fewer calories per day, on average.

Another study in 14 healthy men discovered those who ate the most MCTs at breakfast ate fewer calories at lunch.

When it comes to an overall diet to follow to get rid of visceral fat, low-carb diets have proven effective.

In an eight-week study including 69 overweight men and women, scientists found people who followed a low-carb diet lost 10 percent more visceral fat and 4.4 percent more total fat than those on a low-fat diet.

One low-carb diet shown to help reduce visceral fat is the ketogenic diet.

Also known as the keto diet, the diet drastically reduces carb intake and replaces it with fat, putting the body in a natural metabolic state called ketosis.

A study including 28 overweight and obese adults found those who followed a ketogenic diet lost more fat, especially visceral fat, than those following a low-fat diet.

The participants did so while eating roughly 300 more calories per day.

Alongside making changes to diet, regular exercise can get rid of visceral fat.

Many studies have shown aerobic exercise can help you lose visceral fat, even without dieting.

An analysis of 15 studies in 852 people compared how well different types of exercise reduced visceral fat without dieting.

They found moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercises were most effective at reducing visceral fat without dieting.

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How to get rid of visceral fat: Best cooking oil to choose to reduce the harmful belly fat - Express

Green tea is enjoyed worldwide by those who enjoy its pleasant taste and hope to garner its many associated health benefits (1).

Perhaps surprisingly, when you choose to drink the beverage may affect your potential to reap these benefits, as well as the risk of certain negative side effects.

This article reviews the best and worst times of the day to drink green tea.

In some cases, timing can matter when it comes to reaping the benefits of green tea.

Many choose to drink a soothing cup of green tea first thing in the morning to boost focus and concentration.

The drinks mind-sharpening properties are partially due to the presence of caffeine, a stimulant shown to enhance attention and alertness (2, 3).

However, unlike coffee and other caffeinated drinks, green tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that exerts calming effects (4).

L-theanine and caffeine work together to improve brain function and mood without causing the negative side effects that may accompany consuming caffeine on its own (5, 6).

For this reason, enjoying this tea first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day off on the right foot.

Some research suggests that drinking green tea may be especially beneficial just before working out.

One study in 12 men found that consuming green tea extract before exercising increased fat burning by 17%, compared with a placebo (7).

Another study in 13 women showed that drinking 3 servings of green tea the day before working out and another serving 2 hours before increased fat burning during exercise (8).

Whats more, the tea may speed recovery after an intense workout, as one study in 20 men found that supplementing with 500 mg of green tea extract reduced markers of muscle damage caused by exercise (9).

Green tea contains caffeine and L-theanine, both of which can enhance alertness and attention, which is especially beneficial in the morning. Also, drinking this tea before exercise may increase fat burning and reduce muscle damage.

Though green tea offers many health benefits, it may come with some downsides.

Several compounds in green tea can bind to minerals in your body and block their absorption.

Particularly, tannins are compounds found in green tea that act as antinutrients and reduce iron absorption (10).

Furthermore, research shows that the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea can bind to minerals like iron, copper, and chromium, preventing their absorption in your body (11).

Several studies have demonstrated that drinking this tea with meals can reduce iron absorption, which may lead to a deficiency over time (12, 13, 14).

Therefore, its best to drink green tea between meals if possible, especially if you are deficient in iron or other key minerals.

One cup (237 ml) of green tea contains about 35 mg of caffeine (15).

While this is much less than the roughly 96 mg of caffeine provided by the same amount of coffee, it can still cause side effects in those who are sensitive to this stimulant (16).

Common side effects of caffeine consumption include anxiety, high blood pressure, fidgeting, and nervousness. Caffeine can also cause sleep disturbances even when consumed up to 6 hours before bedtime (17, 18).

Therefore, if you are sensitive to caffeine, consider avoiding drinking green tea for up to 6 hours before bed to prevent sleep problems.

Certain compounds in green tea may inhibit the absorption of iron and other minerals, so its best to drink it between meals. Plus, the caffeine content can cause sleep disturbances when consumed before bedtime.

The time of day you choose to drink your green tea comes down to personal preference.

While some people may enjoy drinking it at the beginning of the day or before working out to reap its health benefits, others might find that it fits better into their routine at other times.

Keep in mind that it contains caffeine, as well as certain compounds that can reduce the absorption of key minerals, so it may be best to avoid drinking it before bed or along with meals.

Read more:
Is There a Best Time to Drink Green Tea? - Healthline

About 35 percent of adults in the United States don't get the seven hours of sleep at night that they need. If you fell asleep reading that sentence, the statistic probably doesn't surprise you.

Losing sleep at night does more than just make you tired -- it can take a toll on your physical and mental health as well.

"Sleeping well at night can be an elusive goal, especially as people get older," says Dan Bushnell administrator at Gramercy Court Assisted Living. "Elderly people who do not get enough sleep can have a higher risk of falling and getting hurt, developing depression, and other complications."

Getting more sleep sounds like a great idea, but actually doing it isn't always so easy. You get caught up watching your favorite show or working through your bills, and your bedtime has passed you by before you know it.

If you find yourself getting less sleep than you'd like, give some of these ideas a try:

Skip the phone in bed

You have your smartphone in your hand all day long, checking text messages and emails, surfing the web, and maybe playing an online game or two. You might think that doing these things after you crawl into bed doesn't affect you or even helps you wind down, but you would be mistaken. If you need a reason to put your phone down when you go to bed, try this on for size: Studies have shown that light-emitting devices, like smartphones, make it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Using these devices at bedtime also makes your sleep worse and could leave you groggy in the morning.

Loud snoring doesn't just interrupt the sleep of all of your housemates -- it could also be a sign of something more serious than noise. Sleep apnea is a condition that can cause a person to stop breathing in their sleep, which can result in gasping or loud snoring. Sleep apnea can result in health problems, including poor sleep. If people complain about your snoring and you feel sleepy in the morning, it might be time to talk to your doctor.

Everyone deals with some level of stress, which is probably why a lot of people want to know how they can sleep better. High stress can make you more anxious and affect your sleep, so managing this stress could be one ticket for a better night's rest. Exercising is one way to reduce stress, so try that in the morning. Before bed -- since you should lay off the exercise at night -- try some stretches to calm yourself.

If you love a caramel macchiato with your breakfast each morning, that probably won't get in the way of a good night's sleep. If you like to follow that up with a latte at lunch and a diet cola with dinner, you might need to rethink your caffeine intake -- or at least what time of day you have your caffeine. Caffeine can take hours to leave your system, so loading up on it throughout the day could keep you up at night. If you have trouble falling asleep, try consuming less caffeine or cut yourself off by the afternoon.

Exercising for 30 minutes a day can help you sleep better at night, and not just because you're worn out. Scientists have found that exercise can help you calm down for sleep at night. It also leads to better deep sleep. These benefits are conditional, however. Exercising right before bed could wake you up instead of helping you sleep, so do your calisthenics an hour or two before you tuck yourself in for the night.

It's time to stop saying you'd like to get more sleep and actually do something about it. Diet, exercise and turning off that pesky smartphone will make more of a difference than you may think. Put these tips into practice and start catching some more ZZZs.

Click here for an infographic on how to sleep well with technology.

Dr. Amy Osmond Cook is a health care technology consultant and VP of marketing at Simplus, a platinum Salesforce partner.

See the article here:
The ABCs of catching zzz's: Five tips for getting better sleep - Daily Herald

One of the biggest reasons we start and stop a weight loss diet or a workout routine to lose weight is the lack of daily motivation required to pursue it. But 26-year-old Kishan Sharma tells us that he cracked the code to see his weight loss journey through till the end by spending big bucks on a one-year gym membership. It compelled me to stick to a routine everyday. If you pay for something in advance, you will definitely work for it (it's just human nature)! he confesses.

But the gym wasnt his first option. I started gaining weight at a very steady pace since college. I was a very big foodie, and would eat and drink anything and everything. But at the same time, I was also very active in sports, especially cricket, football and volleyball. My friends and family would often taunt me for gaining weight but I was unfazed by it. That is until I started working and all the physical activity and sports tournaments stopped, he says.

Now, I was just eating and eating very unhealthy food and going up weight classes and clothing sizes rapidly from XL to XXL. Reality finally hit me when even XXL-size shirts wouldnt fit me. I realised that I cant grown beyond this. This was my limit, now I had to find a way get back in shape by losing weight," he adds.

Thus to lose weight and reclaim my XL-size shirts, I decided to start running. And while running, daily,0 helped a little, the result wasnt satisfactory for me. So, I joined a gym for, as you now know, a whole year, and embarked on the below weight loss plan to not regret my decision, he informs.

I weighed around 97.4 kgs when I began my weight loss journey, and I credit the below weight loss workout and diet plan to my reduced weight of 81 kgs and waist size of 32 inches from 36 inches.

"While the initial few days in the gym were very hard, gradually I developed a habit of working out for 2 hours, a day, while focusing on a 40% HIIT and 60% Cardio routine. My workout plan can be divided into the following 2 phases" -

1. Warmup, which included shoulder stretch, hip flexor stretches, quadriceps stretch, side stretch, the forward hang, etc. Apart from these static exercises, I used to also do some dynamic warmup routines of Jumping Jacks, Squats and Lunges.

2. Burpees and walking up and down the stairs (with dumbbells) (15-20 counts, 3 sets). It is the best way to reduce weight (it worked for me).

3. HIIT - burpees (15-20 counts, 3 sets), mountain climbers (same), butt kicks (same), battle ropes (same) and tyre flip (10 counts, 3 sets)

This was followed by running on the treadmill for 10 mins, cycling 10 mins and forearm & side planks for 3-5 mins.

"After the initial two months, I began weight training. This routine comprised a reduced number of cardio exercises, warmups and HIIT and 40-50 minute window dedicated to weight training."

Straight Barbell Bench Press

Incline Barbell Bench Press (Both Up and Down)

Dumbbell Fly

Pec-Dec Fly

Dumbbell Pullover

Pushups

Pull-ups (10 counts, 3 sets)

Lat Pulldown (2-3 Variants)

Deadlift

Dumbbell Single Arm Row

Bent over Barbell row

Seated cable row

Barbell Push Press

Arnold Press

Dumbbell Lateral raise

Front Dumbbell raise

Seated Dumbbell shoulder press

Shrugs

Barbell Curl

Standing Cable Curl

Hammer curl

Dumbbell concentration curl

Bar Preacher curl

Cable Flex curl

Rope Tricep Pushdown

Tricep Dips

Overhead Triceps Extension

Skull crushers

Bench Dip

Dumbbell Squats

Dumbbell Lunges

Hack Squat

Seated Leg Curl

Leg Extensions

Lying Leg Curls

Leg Press

To ensure his diet was in tandem with his weight loss goals, Kishan restricted his sugar, oil and rice intake. This is the diet plan I was on, it may or may not work foryou but it did the trick for me, he says -

Early morning: A glass of warm water with half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of honey + almonds (after half an hour)

Breakfast: A light salad made from carrots, cucumbers and beetroots OR oats OR a sandwich made from brown bread

Post-workout: A bowl of freshly-cut fruits

Lunch: 2 chapatis with a gravy or dal preparation

Post-lunch: One apple + a cup of green tea (after one hour)

Evening snacks: Carrots or boiled beans

Dinner: 2 chapatis with a gravy or dal preparation

Post-dinner: A glass of warm water

"Ive been able to maintain my current weight by following and eating normal diet, not too much and not too little. I also try to not eat processed foods as much as possible; I prefer home-cooked food. But as a working professional, it gets a little difficult sometimes, yet I manage to eat only a selected few dishes from restaurants. Exercise is also as important as following a healthy diet, so I try and never miss a gym session either.

Dont ever compare yourself with anyone else, you know your body better than anyone else. You dont need to lift all those heavy weights if you cant. Start slow and steady and gradually pick up pace.

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.

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The eating pattern means the clock, not your body, dictates when you eat. TanyaJoy/Getty Images

The trend:

When it comes to Dorsey's fasting style, the CEO chooses to eat one time daily at 6:30 p.m., at which point he'll consume a protein (either fish, chicken, or steak) and some vegetables (an arugula or spinach salad, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts). Then he'll have a dessert of mixed berries or dark chocolate, which he consumes before 9 p.m.

On weekends, Dorsey fasts until Sunday evening. When he breaks his fast, he'll have bone broth and some red wine, though Dorsey didn't specify how often he consumes alcohol.

"It really has increased my appreciation for food and taste because I'm deprived of it for so long during the day," Dorsey told fitness authorBen Greenfield in April during an episode of Greenfield's podcast.

Dorsey's approach isn't the only way to go about intermittent fasting though. There are four popular types, according to the Cleveland Clinic, including a twice-weekly fast and a time-restricted method where a dieter eats only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., or between or noon and 8 p.m.

The science behind it:

Some research suggests intermittent fasting can help with weight loss better than restricting overall calories while eating throughout the day.

At the same time, research has found people have trouble sticking to intermittent fasting for the long term compared to other weight-loss plans.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, intermittent fasting isn't entirely proven as a helpful diet, but it does work for some people if they learn how to incorporate it into their lives without feeling deprived.

When it comes to Dorsey's more extreme style of fasting, some professionals see it as disordered eating. And, doing it over a long period of time could be especially detrimental to mental and physical health.

"Humans are mammals that need certain amounts of food and fluid to maintain our physiological [functions] and energy to do things we want to do in the world," Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, an internal-medicine doctor who specializes in eating disorders, previously told Business Insider.

"When people undercut their need for food with radical under-eating, the body doesn't care about the reasoning. It is just going react to save your life," Gaudiani said.

That reaction will include feelings of mental sharpness because the body is trying to determine when and where from it will get its next meal, according to Gaudiani, which could explain Dorsey's mention of increased mental acuity during the Greenfield interview.

Here is the original post:
7 health trends Silicon Valley tech bros are obsessed with, from dopamine fasting to the keto diet - Business Insider

Dear Rachel,

I'm a university student and I lost 20 pounds from January to April through eating healthily and regular exercise, which I loved. My confidence and mental health, which had been affecting me for a while, were so much better. At the beginning I went to the gym with a friend and we did workouts together, but by the end I was quite happy going by myself and going into the weights section alone. It was such a relief to finally be feeling good and so much more positive about my life.

Then something happened. I started feeling like I could treat myself more. Without noticing, I stopped going to the gym and wasn't making the right food choices. I started to stress-eat around exam time and shut off anything to do with exercise, spending time in the library eating chocolate bars and chips as a comfort blanket. I didn't really notice the weight piling back on. I tend to self-destruct like this when I feel like everything's too much.

It's now a few months later and I'm right back where I started. I feel so frustrated and angry for letting myself do this when I tried so hard. I try to eat healthily but after two days I'm back to binge-eating in the evenings for no reason. I have no motivation to exercise. I feel like I'm at a standstill and don't know how to get started again.

What can I do to improve my situation? I feel stuck in the same cycle that I've always found myself in and find it so hard to stick to a regular routine.

Yo-Yo Dieter

Dear Yo-Yo,

Your frustration is very understandable believe me, I know the feeling and I honestly believe keeping weight off may be harder than losing it in the first place.

For lots of people, you get in a "zone" when you're losing weight. A certain headspace, if you will, where you're focused on your goal. You find out what works for you, and you gradually get there. It feels good.

But then once you're feeling happy with the amount of fat you've lost, you want to move into maintenance and that's often the most difficult bit.

Firstly, it's hard to know how much you can "relax" in order to maintain your current body composition rather than gain weight. Once you move away from your weight loss mindset, it's also all too easy to slip right back into all your old eating habits, which for many of us were what got us feeling like we should slim down in the first place.

So what's the solution?

Firstly, as always, don't beat yourself up.

"While I'm not condoning eating copious quantities of chocolate and not taking part in any physical activity, have you ever thought that this constant berating of yourself is feeding into your behaviour?" sports and eating disorder specialist dietitian Renee McGregor asked.

McGregor told Insider that holding yourself to too high a standard could be setting yourself up to fail.

A post shared by Renee Mcgregor (@r_mcgregor)Sep 7, 2019 at 1:00am PDT

"It's obvious from your message that you have some real beliefs about what makes you happy and a good person. While training and eating right are healthy behaviors, they should also never become obsessive," she said.

"The issue now is that because you've got this belief system that to be healthy you have to go to the gym daily and eat in a certain way, when you don't quite meet this, you feel like you've failed and so you beat yourself up."

And if you don't switch this mindset, you'll never make any sustainable changes.

The key is to try and re-train your brain as much as your body.

McGregor pointed out that taking a black and white approach to "good" and "bad" days is unhelpful.

"What can often happen is that individuals over-restrict on 'good' days," she said. "The body then finds this difficult as it is always trying to achieve energy balance; similarly if you don't provide your body with enough fuel, you will crave more sugar as glucose is the body's preferred currency to provide energy.

"So you set yourself up to fail. You over-restrict, your blood sugars drop, you eat something you deem as 'bad' which then sets up the thinking that you have failed, resulting in you eating to excess, feeding back into the self-sabotage that you are a bad person."

But it's totally possible to move away from this downwards spiral, and that's what will make any changes you implement become part of a new healthy, sustainable lifestyle, meaning any weight lost in the process is more likely to stay off.

A post shared by Rachel Hosie (@rachel_hosie)Apr 22, 2019 at 4:45am PDT

You have to stop thinking about weight loss as something which has an end goal in sight. There's no finish line.

I don't mean for that to sound depressing, or make it seem like you're going to be trying to lose weight for the rest of your life. Instead, you should figure out which healthy habits are enjoyable enough for you to become part of your lifestyle.

This mindset also helped me stop beating myself up if, say, I indulged more than usual on a holiday and put on a few pounds as a result, I feel OK about it because I know in the scheme of my life, it's insignificant. I come back from holiday, and I go back to my normal routine.

Registered nutritionist Lily Soutter agrees that it's important to stop thinking about being on a diet.

"'Dieting' can be a huge driver for binge-eating. In fact, the more restrictive we are with our diet the more likely we are to binge-eat," she explained to Insider.

"Focusing on weight loss can be counterproductive to binge-eating recovery, however, binge-eating recovery can be the best step to achieving a healthy body weight."

A post shared by Lily Soutter BSc (hons) (@lily_soutter_nutrition)Oct 12, 2019 at 1:52am PDT

Don't cut anything out of your diet or tell yourself you can't have it, as that will just make you want it even more. If you love cookie dough ice cream, you're not going to be able to live the rest of your life without it, so allow yourself some and learn that "enough is as good as a feast" (or so my mother always says to me). This essentially means re-training yourself to be satisfied by a normal portion size rather than feeling like you need to consume vast amounts.

"If chocolate is a common binge food, instead of going cold-turkey, enjoy this food daily to reduce its desirability," Soutter recommended.

"But be mindful of portion-size and the environment in which you consume this food, only buy small packs and eat slowly and mindfully, ideally in the company of others.

"Often when we eat mindfully we tend to feel more satisfied with our food which better regulates our hunger and fullness cues."

It's never too late to start again when it comes to working towards a healthier lifestyle, and don't worry about the fact that you lost weight then regained it most of us try various approaches, diets, and ways of exercising before finding what's right for us.

It's not failing. It's how we learn.

But you need to start small.

"In order to change you need to make realistic changes, baby steps that don't feel too difficult," McGregor advised.

"If the gym feels like a big jump at the moment, why don't you start with daily walks; if this feels manageable then sign up to a class, something like yoga which may feel more nurturing than the gym.

"Similarly with eating, don't create any rules about what you should or shouldn't eat. The first aim should be to prevent blood sugar fluctuations to do this try to eat something at 3-4 hour intervals."

Soutter pointed out that eating regularly can help remove the urge to binge-eat, too.

A post shared by Lily Soutter BSc (hons) (@lily_soutter_nutrition)Oct 21, 2019 at 12:35am PDT

McGregor recommends eating satiating snacks like Greek yogurt with fruit, oatcakes with houmous or peanut butter, or an apple with brazil nuts.

"This more gentle approach will help you to create sustainable, balanced behaviours and focuses on having a healthy attitude towards food and exercise," she added.

Soutter agrees that taking on too much too quickly is likely to end in disaster.

"It can be all too easy to be overly restrictive when starting up an exercise and nutrition regime," she says. "However, following a routine which is overly taxing and unrealistic can trigger an 'all or nothing' mentality.

"On the other hand, small incremental and sustainable changes can make a big impact long term."

If you lose some weight and then gain some weight, that's OK. There's no rush. And remember, health really isn't to do with the number on the scale.

If you're making healthy decisions like snacking on an apple rather than a chocolate bar, prioritizing your sleep, and getting more activity into your day, applaud yourself for that. By trying to make positive changes, you're already doing amazing.

Wishing you well,

Rachel

As Insider's Senior Lifestyle Reporter and a self-confessed fitness fanatic, Rachel Hosie is fully immersed in the wellness scene and is here to answer all your burning questions. Whether you're struggling to find the motivation to go for a run, confused about light vs. heavy weights, or don't know whether you should be worried about how much sugar is in a mango, Rachel is here to give you the no-nonsense answers and advice you need, with strictly no fad diets in sight.

Rachel has a wealth of experience covering fitness, nutrition, and wellness, and she has the hottest experts at her fingertips she regularly speaks to some of the world's most knowledgeable and renowned personal trainers, dietitians, and coaches, ensuring she's always up-to-date with the latest science-backed facts you need to know to live your happiest, healthiest life.

Have a question? Ask Rachel at workingitout@insider.com orfill out this anonymous form. All questions will be published anonymously.

See the original post here:
How to avoid regaining weight and keep the pounds off - INSIDER

Americans are living longer thanks to medical and public health advances and greater access to health care. If youre a 65-year-old man in the U.S., you can expect to live another 20 years. American women can expect to live even longer to age 86.5.

While this is good news for most of us, increased longevity also creates new challenges. After we turn 65, our risk of developing dementia doubles every five years. By age 85, nearly one in three of us will have the disease. The impact on women is even greater.

New Milken Institute research estimates that by 2020, roughly 4.7 million women in the U.S. will have dementia, accounting for nearly two-thirds of everyone living with the disease. Women often experience a double whammy. Not only are they more likely to get the disease, they are also more likely to take on most caregiving responsibilities for spouses, parents, in-laws and friends.

Women caregivers are more likely to be impacted financially as they leave jobs or miss work to care for family members. Our analysis predicts that the economic costs of treatment, care and lost productivity due to women suffering from Alzheimers and dementia will total $2.1 trillion by 2040, representing over 80 percent of the cumulative costs.

Communities of color face an even greater threat. Older African Americans have the highest risk of dementia, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and Latinos. This increased risk, coupled with income differences and cultural attitudes toward family caregiving, results in communities of color shouldering more direct care for people living with dementia than white populations.

Ive experienced firsthand the devastating impacts of Alzheimers disease on families. My dad and his three siblings were diagnosed within a 10-year time frame. As in most families, the emotional and economic strains fell primarily on the women.

My Aunt Trudy, a Julliard-trained concert pianist, began showing signs of dementia in her early 70s. She had chosen her career over a family as many women of her generation had to do. Trudy had no kids, husband, or much savings, so my family patched together a mix of paid and volunteer caregivers to provide her meals, rides, and companionship.

After it became too much of a strain on our finances, young families, and work lives, we had to place her in a nursing home paid for by Medicaid a harrowing decision made by countless Americans every day. Aunt Trudy maintained her indomitable spirit until the end. When she could no longer speak, she could still play the piano by heart, to the delight of many who sang tunes beside her.

Unfortunately, 10 years since Aunt Trudy died, Alzheimers is the only disease among the top-10 causes of death in the U.S. with no known cure. Recent Phase III drug trial failures this year represented a setback in research.

But thanks to increased National Institutes of Health funding to study Alzheimers disease, researchers today understand better dementias pathology. Perhaps most hopeful for those of us at high risk for dementia, emerging evidence shows that despite family history and personal genetics, lifestyle changes such as a diet, exercise, and better sleep can improve brain health.

Increased participation by women in clinical trials has helped us understand why more women than men have dementia. Researchers believed dementia is primarily connected to longer life expectancy. But new studies have linked it to biological differences, such as hormonal imbalances, that change brain chemistry.

With no cure in sight, we must double our efforts to reduce the risk and cost of dementia. At the Milken Institute, we work to solve significant global problems. That is why we are making recommendations to improve brain health, reduce gender and racial disparities, and ultimately change the trajectory of this devastating disease.

Most importantly, we must spread awareness of how individuals, communities, and health professionals can improve cognitive function and brain health for all ages. If we can delay the onset of dementia by only five years, we can cut the incidence in half.

With more women working full-time and family size decreasing, we must increase efforts to create a dementia-capable workforce to effectively identify people with dementia, tailor services to meet their needs and those of their caregivers, and ensure those living with dementia get the right care at the right time. The high costs of care for Medicare beneficiaries with dementia are linked to avoidable hospitalizations, poor coordination across care teams, and ineffective care transitions.

We offer many more ideas in the new report, Reducing the Cost and Risk of Dementia: Recommendations to Improve Brain Health and Reduce Disparities. We are in a race against time. We want to ensure that all of us will be singing songs by heart and enjoying our family and friends as we age. To provide a better future for millions of Americans impacted by dementia, we must act now.

Nora Super is senior director of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging. She previously was executive director of the White House Conference on Aging.

More:
Dementia impacts women more and new approaches are needed | TheHill - The Hill

-We'll continue our interviews with candidates interviewing to be Boise's next mayor. Today, we're talking with the fourth candidate in our series of seven: Cortney Nielsen, who argues that Boiseans have lost interest in their government because they don't feel heard.

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Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet@KBSX915using #IdahoMatters

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On The Tuesday, October 29, 2019 Edition Of Idaho Matters - Boise State Public Radio

Drugs

Last week, a US biotechnology company claimed to have produced the first drug with the ability to slow down the development of Alzheimers. Biogen says it hopes to release aducanumab on to the market after it gets US Food and Drug Administration approval, which could take up to two years. Research into the drug had been abandoned but trials using higher doses of the drug are claimed to improve cognitive functions such as memory, orientation, and language.

A Mediterranean diet has been suggested to reduce cognitive decline. Limiting saturated fats and simple carbohydrates benefit the cardiovascular system, having an effect on overall health. While evidence based on these dietary recommendations is not yet conclusive, increased consumption of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish appears to have a beneficial effect on prevention and management.

Alzheimers disease may develop more quickly in people living solitary lives with limited interaction with others. Regular social engagement can spark new brain connections, which stimulate activity. A study over three years noted that participants who socialised less showed more cognitive decline. However, it did not consider factors stopping individuals from socialising, such as depression and anxiety.

Scientists have tested the effects of mental stimulation in relation to slowing down Alzheimers. People who engaged with puzzles, board games, learning a language or playing an instrument showed reduced severity of symptoms.

Numerous studies have shown a positive relationship between exercise and slowing cognitive decline. Studies in patients living with AD have shown a similar benefits, although further research is needed to define the amount and type of exercise.

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The five: ways to slow the onset of Alzheimers - The Guardian