Alcohol And Weight Gain. Here Is The Lowdown.

You’ve probably heard that alcohol contains empty calories and, if you want to lose weight, it’s a good idea to scale back on how much you drink. But there’s a difference between hearing your friend’s cousin lost a bunch of weight after she stopped drinking beer and knowing the actual science around weight and alcohol. 

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, people who drink heavily when they’re younger have a higher risk of gaining excess weight and becoming overweight or obese when they’re older. For the study, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health from people when they were in their late teens and early twenties and again when they were in their mid- to late-twenties and early thirties.

 People who were heavy drinkers (which is defined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as having four or more drinks on any day or eight or more drinks per week for women) had a 41 percent higher risk of going from a normal weight BMI to an overweight BMI when compared with people who weren’t heavy drinkers, and a 36 percent higher risk of going from an overweight BMI to an obese BMI by the time they hit their mid-twenties. If someone was already obese, they had a 35 percent higher risk of staying that way and gaining more weight. 

Research Suggests This May Be Best Way To Lose Weight.

A “tortoise and the hare” approach to weight loss is most likely to succeed in the race to slim, research has shown.

As in the well known Aesop’s fable, consistent plodding appeared to be more effective than a mad dash to the finish line.

The study of 183 participants found that “hares” most likely to crash diet their way to slimness lost less weight over two years than “tortoises” who shed a consistent number of pounds each week. 

6 Healthy Tricks When Dining Out.

Check out this video with some cool tips for watching those calories as you dine out with freinds and family. Let me know what you think?

5 Signs That You May Already Be At The Right Weight For Your Body

Sometimes a stall in your weight loss is just a sign that you need to shake things up. Other times, however, it could be your body’s way of telling you that it’s pretty happy right where it is, thank you very much.

The fact is, a healthy weight doesn’t always look the same as what you see on TV, in fitness magazines, or even in pictures of yourself from 15 or 20 years ago, says registered dietician Jennifer McDaniel. If your weight goals are based off those kinds of cues, it can be tough to know when you’ve reached your sweet spot.

So how can you tell? Consider these five important signs. If any of them seem familiar, you might already be at your happy weight.

YOU’D NEED A TEAM OF PROS TO HELP YOU HIT YOUR GOAL WEIGHT.

It’s no secret that metabolism starts to slow down with age, which makes it harder to lose weight. So even though you might have been a certain size when you were younger, it might not be the right size for you now. 

Are Those Boxsets Ruining Your Weight Loss Plan?

We all curl up with a great show and takeout once in a while, but research has shown that people who eat while distracted not only consume more but also lack awareness of how much they've eaten. So whether you live alone or with others, start by planning one night per week for a sit-down dinner, and then build toward making it at least three times a week.

Related: 3 Ways Mindful Eating Can Help You Stay Slim

At those meals, put food on a plate—even if it's delivery, you'll enjoy it more—and focus on learning about each other's day, or just relish a few moments of quiet on your own. The more you practice, the more you'll realize how much more you can appreciate every bite and flavor of food and be able to better interpret your hunger cues. In other words, you'll be eating more mindfully. You may even stop eating sooner than usual and have leftovers for lunch the next day.

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5 Tips To Help Prevent Comfort Eating.

When you're feeling a little down in the dumps, chowing down on a helping of comfort food may seem like a quick fix, but you're only doing your body injustice. Stress eating is a real issue that affects our ability to lose weight and keep it off.

1.     Remember, you're in control. When you feel like you're not in control of what you're eating, you won't be. You're the only person with the power to change this problem. Recognising your propensity to reach for solace in the form or fast food or sweet treats is the first step to taking control back.

2.   Stop snacking mindlessly as you watch TV. Coming out of a slight daze and realising you've inhaled a bag of chips is not the best feeling in the world. If watching TV and snacking go hand in hand in your house, make a point to stop the cycle. If you can't give up snack time while you're by the tube, make it a point to snack on something clean and healthy.  

7 Fat Burning Foods To Boost Metabolism

Check out these foods that help to boost metabolism. Let me know if you agree?

Eat More Of These Foods To Lose the Most Weight.

As we age and our metabolisms slow, it's easy to pack on a few pounds without realising it. But a new study has found that making consistent changes to your eating habits can lead to big weight-loss results over time.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, followed the dietary habits of over 120,000 people for 16 years and found that those who ate foods that had a high glycemic load (which includes refined grains, starches, and sugars) gained more weight than those who ate foods with a low glycemic load (foods such as nuts, dairy, and certain fruits and vegetables).

This isn't surprising or new; other research has shown that going lower on the glycemic index (GI) scale will help you lose weight. What is interesting in the new study, however, is that other key habits can mean the difference between pounds on the scale. Check out what else the researchers found about weight gain and loss:

Boost Your Weight Loss By Increasing Your Daily Activity.

There are many ways to lose and maintain weight: newfangled diets, special pills, and day after day of super-intense workouts without rest are a few options. But, when you try those and fail to lose the weight you want because these aren’t healthy long-term solutions, you’ll learn that it takes a commitment to changing your lifestyle in order to realize weight-loss success that’s sustainable.

To lose weight and make it stick, pair a sensible, nutrient-packed eating plan that doesn’t feel overly restrictive with an exercise routine that includes cardio and strength training with the right mix of intensity and recovery. But, you should also try to work in more overall activity — in addition to your exercise plan — into each day.

Identify opportunities in your day that allow for more physical activity. Seemingly insignificant movement adds up over the course of days and weeks to help you lose weight, so don’t dismiss anything. Whether it’s walking up an extra flight of stairs or vacuuming your living room more often, these things burn calories whether you call them exercise or not.

How Long Does It Take To Lose 10 Pounds?

You’ve probably heard at some point that people should strive to lose excess weight at a rate of one to two pounds a week. But we all know that weight loss doesn't always come easily or consistently. 

With that in mind, we reached out to the people behind the popular weight-loss app Lose It! to get more real-world numbers. According to their data, the average Lose It! users lost 10 pounds in about seven weeks, and 90 percent of their users who lost 10 pounds did it in less than 13 weeks.

It’s definitely good to hear that it takes most people longer than five weeks to drop 10 pounds (you're not alone if the scale seems stuck!), and that it’s also doable within three months or so. But if you’re trying to drop 10 pounds, it’s important to keep this in mind: Everyone moves at their own pace.

6 Ways To Cut Calories Every Day

Some really simple tips but it all adds up. Let me know what you think?

The Real Reason Americans Are So Fat.

The logic seems impeccable: In 1980, the U.S. government officially recommended that all Americans eat a low-fat diet. The entire country fell in line. Food manufacturers cranked out low-fat versions of everything from pastries to pork (“the other white meat”). 

Nutrition scientists published studies in support of higher-carb, lower-fat diets. The media jumped on board.

You know what happened next: Americans got really fat, really fast. The obesity rate tripled, and with it came a tsunami of type 2 diabetes. The dual epidemics even got a clever name—“diabesity”—making it the Brangelina of diseases. More to the point, it caught everyone by surprise, including the experts who thought no one could get fat on a low-fat diet.

Lose Weight With No Calorie Counting? Is It Possible?

Counting macros and tracking calories may be great ways to maintain control over your diet when you're trying to lose weight, but the downside is they're unsustainable over the long run and can easily lead to unhealthily obsessive habits. Eating healthy doesn't have to be a numbers game though. If you're trying to lose weight as part of a long-term lifestyle change, intuitive eating might be your answer.

According to nutritionist Laura Tilt, intuitive eating is "a way of eating that encourages you to tune into your body's hunger and satiety cues to help you determine when, how much, and what to eat rather than following external rules like diets, or lists of good and bad foods." It's essentially eating what you like, but being aware of your mind and body signals, not just your taste buds. She explains, "By really tuning in whilst eating, we can become better at identifying the move from hunger to satiety — and then fullness. Stopping when we're satisfied rather than full is a skill, but one that's worth experimenting with in terms of reaching a healthy weight."

Cardio? Is It Ruining Your Lose Weight Plan?

I used to think going for a run was the quickest way to jump-start my weight-loss goals. From the outside, cardio seems to be the quickest way to burn fat and shed a few pounds, especially if you push yourself to the point of heavy breathing and sweating. 

I've learned over the years, though, that cardio isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, it might be the very thing that's stopping you from dropping those extra pounds.

"While doing cardio is great for your heart, lungs, and even your stress level, it’s not the fastest way to lose fat," said Lauren Clare, personal trainer and certified holistic health coach. The real key to losing fat is by building more muscle. "Having more lean muscle on your body helps increases your metabolism, which means you will be burning more calories on a daily basis," Clare explained.

What To Do If You've Hit A Weight Loss Plateau.

Really like some of these tips. Let me know what you think.

Check out some of these other tips:

Related: Weight Loss Plateau? Why it Is Not As Bad As You Think

Related: Overcoming the Plateau! Tips to Break Through

Is All Oil Bad For You When Trying To Losing Weight?

I'd always believed that things like coconut oil and olive oil were part of a healthy diet. I ate them regularly with just about every meal — I cooked with olive oil, spread coconut oil on my toast, and drizzled avocado oil on my hummus. 

A few months ago, though, I learned that oil is technically not part of a whole-foods, plant-based diet. I was shocked to learn that there was virtually no nutritional value to the oils that we're so used to eating on a daily basis.

What Are Macros? And Should You Count Them For Weight Loss?

Both fitness stars and gym rats embrace counting macros to achieve flawlessly cut muscles. This popular strategy is based on eating just the right balance of macros instead of slashing calories indiscriminately. While it is one step ahead of calorie counting, will it lead to the weight loss you’re hoping for? Let’s find out.

“Macros” is the cute nickname given to macronutrients. Food is made up of three macronutrients that provide you with the calories you need. These are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Remember calories? They play a starring role in weight loss because the tenet of eating fewer calories for weight loss is still legit and isn’t going to die any time soon.

But, it’s 2017 people! We know not all calories are created equally. Whole food is in, and processed food is out. The bottom line: Food quality matters.

5 Afternoon Habits That WILL make you gain weight.

Let's be real: Making it to lunch without committing any diet sins is actually pretty easy. We all know it's those afternoon hours that make it nearly impossible to stay in the clear  until it’s time for a healthy dinner. 

Everything from sitting in meetings all afternoon to giving into mindless midday munching at your desk can quickly contribute to added pounds. (We’re looking at you leftover dessert tray and vending machine full of temping salty snacks...)

To get the skinny on where waistline saboteurs might be lying, we spoke to Alissa Rumsey, R.D., C.S.C.S., author of Three Steps to a Healthier You, about the most common afternoon habits that are making you gain weight and how to turn them into habits that are actually healthy.

According to Rumsey, here are the top five afternoon behaviors you should pay attention to: 

5 Simple Tricks To Stick To Your Weight Loss Goals

Really good advice. What do you think? Let me know your thoughts.

3 Mistakes Not To Make At The Start Of Your Diet

Unwanted weight gain, especially when you're supposed to be on a healthy eating journey, can be frustrating.

 While there's no wrong or right way to live a healthier lifestyle, there may be things you're doing to hinder your progress. Before throwing the towel in and settling back into your unhealthy habits, read on to find out if the following things are standing in the way of your success.

Sleeping Beauty Diet? What Is It And Why Are People Doing It?

In the category of things you should never do to lose weight, this one tops the list. It’s called the Sleeping Beauty Diet, and it’s one heck of a dangerous way to shed pounds.

Women in online communities—particularly pro-anorexia communities—are encouraging each other to take a sedative like Xanax to sleep at least 10 hours a day in order to avoid eating, according to one report from Metro UK. Followers also encourage one another to exercise and “severely restrict” calories during the day.

The verdict: Don’t do it. Seriously.

Binge Eating - How This One Thing Helped

For as long as I can remember, I've struggled with emotional eating. It started when I was an angsty teenager who was bullied incessantly at school, but it continued well into my adult years. I've experienced many mornings when I wake up feeling immensely guilty for all the binge-eating I did the night before. This is an extremely common battle among many women across the country, and you'll find a variety of different advice online that is supposed to help you stop binging.

We're encouraged to journal how we feel, identify our triggers, and answer cravings when they arise rather than ignore them altogether. In many cases, you'll hear that moderation is the name of the game. My battle against binge-eating had nothing to do with any of that advice, though. The only thing that stopped me from emotional eating was logging every single thing I ate into my phone and putting myself on a strict diet.

How To Stop Workout Overeating

Some really good tips especially after a workout. Let me know what you think?

7 Breakfast Mistakes You Are Probably Making

Starting your morning right can set you up for a successful day. And if eating well and staying on a healthy track is part of what makes your day successful, try not to make the following breakfast mistakes that the nutritionists at Fresh Fitness Food warn against.

Going Crazy for Granola

Compared to sugary, processed cereals, granola may seem like the healthier choice, but store-bought toasted versions are often packed with added sugars and fats. This breakfast staple is filling enough without the hidden additions, so reach for untoasted granola when hitting the supermarket, or simply make your own.