Intermittent fasting for weight loss: What you need to know

Cynthia Bello says she had no idea skipping breakfast would make her feel so fantastic.

The 40-year-old Los Angeles Police Department detective and mother of two from Placentia started intermittent fasting in March to lose weight after becoming a self-professed "junk food vegan."

"I was not happy with what I saw in the mirror," she says. "I had tried other weight-loss programs, and nothing ever worked."

But, Bello says, when she restricted her eating to a nine-hour window each day, the weight finally started coming off — about 15 pounds. She has lost 4 inches from her waist, 2 from her bust and an inch off each thigh.

"I was super scared of it because I don't do well when I'm hungry," she said. "But it was easier than I thought it would be." Bello now eats only between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and says it has helped her sleep better, given her more energy, and, surprisingly, resulted in fewer problems with seasonal allergies and irregular menstrual periods.

Cynthia Bello makes a raspberry açaí bowl with a thick blend of almond milk, one frozen banana, one açai packet and a cup of frozen raspberries topped with coconut flakes, natural peanut butter, granola and fresh raspberries.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Military wife Colleen Taylor, 52, who splits her time among a home in Huntington Beach, the Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos and Great Falls, Mont., said intermittent fasting helped her achieve similar success. Taylor lost 11 pounds the first month of an eight-hour-window eating plan outlined in the Clean & Lean diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith.

Sticking to black coffee in the morning and skipping a late-night glass of wine narrowed her eating window, she said. "It was really hard … but if I buy good coffee, it's OK," she says. "I also add a little bit of cinnamon."

But the sacrifice, she says, has been worth it. She's down 19 pounds on her 4-foot-11 frame just by maintaining a slightly relaxed, but still healthy diet in the eight-hour window. Her husband, Reginald, has lost weight too, just by eating in the same window.

Intermittent fasting has become somewhat of a darling in the wellness world, as a glance at Instagram can attest.

Adherents bill it as the right tool to bust through weight-loss plateaus and stave off a host of chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure.

It sounds scary and potentially painful — after all, "fasting" is in the name. But proponents say it's a simple hack for curbing the endless snacking and nibbling and nighttime eating that can pack on calories.

Cynthia Bello typically works out at home using instructional videos.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

At its most basic approach, you create a limited window for eating and stick to it. Bello, who eats her first meal at 11 a.m. and her last by 8 p.m., keeps her eating to a nine-hour window, and fasts 15 hours a day. (She followed an online program, the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, and was so taken with it, she now does coaching on the side.) Some followers take it to an extreme: Magician Penn Jillette says fasting 23 hours a day has helped him maintain his 100-pound weight loss.

Ashley Koff, a Los Angeles-based registered dietician who coaches clients on the finer points of intermittent fasting through her website, the Better Nutrition Program, says her followers love it because they don't have to think about counting protein, carbs and fat calories.

Intermittent fasting is a helpful approach for clients who do too much "back-loaded eating," getting the majority of their calories in the hours before bed, which makes weight loss and digestion more difficult, she sai d.

Results from dozens of clinical studies on intermittent fasting, taking a more rigorous look at its impact on disease as well as side effects, are expected to come out in 2020. In the meantime, we talked to fasting experts to come up with a list of eight things you should know if you want to give intermittent fasting a try.

1. You don't have to limit eating to an eight-hour window to reap the benefits. While many fasting plans advocate an eight-hour window, for many that can be problematic and tough to stick to over the long haul. And an eight-hour window is not necessary to obtain many of the obesity and disease-fighting benefits, says Satchin Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute and author of "The Circadian Code," an approach to weight loss that revolves around one's natural body clock.

"Ten is a good entry point" for weight loss, Panda says. That would mean having your first meal of the day at 8 a.m., for example, and making your last caloric intake of the day by 6 p.m. That alone could reduce overall calorie intake, especially since his research shows many Americans eat off and on for around 15 hours a day. A 12-hour eating window still confers many of the benefits to blood pressure and reduced gut inflammation, he said, and appears to be safe for people of all ages.

2. A shorter window, however, appears to confer more benefits for weight loss, and a reduction in disease markers.

In research published last year, Courtney Peterson, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, conducted a time-restricted eating study with pre-diabetic men, giving them an identical meal plan over two time frames — six hours or 12 hours. On the six-hour plan, the men had lower levels of insulin and oxidative stress, less nighttime hunger and significantly lower blood pressure. While it didn't significantly affect the number of calories participants burned, it did lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and increased fat-burning over the 24-hour day, the researcher found.

3. But … very restrictive intermittent fasting might not be a good long-term strategy. One concern is that eating in windows of six to eight hours could eventually slow your metabolic rate and cause you to regain even more weight when you return to a regular schedule, says Valter Longo, director of the USC Longevity Institute and author of "The Longevity Diet."

Moreover, there's some indication that tighter feeding windows over the long term might have an adverse effect on cardiovascular health, Longo said. However, more research is needed. "We don't want to get rid of a problem [such as weight] and give you another in the long run," he said. Once you lose the weight, it's a good ide a, he said, to slowly broaden your eating window closer to the "very safe sweet spot" of 12 hours.

4. It's OK to mess up occasionally. Life can be unpredictable, and with dinners out or vacations, a tight eating window can be difficult to adhere to. Intermittent fasting for five or six days a week confers many of the benefits, such as reduced body fat, reduced cholesterol, better glucose control, and improved endurance, experts say.

5. It could be an important tool in the fight against cancer. Studies show that fasting can help prevent malignancies, reduce tumor growth and increase the efficacy of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy. A 2015 analysis of data from the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study found that breast cancer survivors who didn't eat for at least 13 hours overnight had a 36% reduction in the risk of recurrence and were 21% less likely to die from breast cancer.

6. Beverages with calories will break your fast. One of the biggest problems people have getting started with intermittent fasting is accidentally breaking their fast too early in the morning with cream in their coffee or caloric beverages at night, says Smithauthor of "Clean & Lean," which advocates whole foods and time-restricted eating.

"Calories count," Smith says. "You want [to consume] no more than 25 calories during your fasting window" or you can consider your fast broken.

7. The old adage "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper" still holds. Even if you're cutting off your eating earlier in the evening, it's still better to eat your bigger meals earlier in the day, Panda says, because your body can digest them more efficiently. Israeli researchers found in studies that overweight women lost more weight and had greater improvement in blood sugar, insulin and other markers of cardiovascular disease when they ate a large first meal, modest lunch and small dinner compared with the reverse.

8. It's not for everyone. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders shouldn't undertake a very restrictive intermittent fasting program, our experts said. Diabetics or anyone on medication should consult their doctor before starting any program.

What Is Alternate-Day Fasting—And Is It A Safe Weight-Loss Method?

Another day, another intermittent fasting diet that's gaining serious buzz in the weight-loss-wanting community. This one? Alternate-day fasting (ADF), which is, at its most basic, what it sounds like.

Alternate-day fasting involves eating very minimally every other day, and eating whatever you want in between. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it's actually a bit complex...and more extreme than it sounds.

That's why I brought in the experts: Jessica Levinson, MS, RD, CDN, a culinary nutrition expert in New York City and author of 52-Week Meal Planner, and Alyssa Dweck, MD, a women's health expert. They've got the answers to all the Qs, because when it comes to any type of fasting, real news matters. Let's dig in...

So....what exactly is alternate-day fasting?

What Is The Best Intermittent Fasting Schedule?

You already know that it's a type of intermittent fasting (IF), which means you won't be eating during a designated period of time. But as mentioned, alternate-day fasting stands out from hours-based intermittent-fasting diets (like the ever-popular 16:8 diet), as it revolves around full days at a time. Typically, on fasting days (say, Monday, Wednesday, Friday), most people limit themselves to 500 or 600 calories for the entire day, Dweck says.

Keep in mind, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, women should be consuming about 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day. So limiting yourself to just 500 calories a dayâ€"even if it's just a few days of the weekâ€"is quite extreme, and can bring with it some serious side effects, both good and bad.

Ooh, let's start with the good. What are the health benefits of alternate-day fasting?

First, like most IF diets, alternate-day fasting can be easier for some people to maintain than other types of restrictive diets. "I like the fact that it's not eliminating a specific food group," says Levinson. This also means that you're less likely to miss out on essential nutrients that removing, say, grains from your diet could involve.

Then there's the weight-loss benefit, which I know you're interested in (obviously...you're here). Recent research looked at strict alternate-day fasting over a four-week period and found an improvement in (healthy, middle-aged) subjects' overall health, as well as a 37 percent average reduction in calories. The study also showed improved cardiovascular health, reduced fat mass, and improvements in fat-to-lean-mass ratio.

The asterisk, though? "My hesitation is that we don't have long-term studies on it," Levinson says. That's why she recommends moderation and portion control as a better, more reliable alternative. Dr. Dweck, on the other hand, is a huge fan of the Mediterranean diet, for all of its weight-loss, heart-healthy and brain-boosting bennies.

Want to learn more about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet?

Got it. But how does alternate-day fasting work for weight loss?

In short, it’s all about fat breakdown, according to Dweck. "The sugars and starches in your body are depleted first when you're expending calories [a.k.a. doing any kind of movement or work], and that doesn’t take very long. So after you use lose all of your stored carbohydrates, you start to burn fat," she explains.

But there are a few caveats. "If someone does overeat on a non-fasting day, it's very possible they don't lose weight at all," Levinson says. You can probably go over the recommended 1,800 to 2,000 calories and be okay, since you're consuming way less several days of the week, but you don't want to go overboard. At the end of the day (or week, rather), calories in versus calories out still matters.

It's not just the calories that count but what type they are, too, btw. "Planning is the most important thing, so when it comes time to eat, you’re not just grabbing the first thing you see," Dweck says. (Anyone who's ever fasted knows how easy that can be when you're ravenous and hangry AF.) So if you're thinking of adopting alternate-day fasting, you might want to start meal prepping at night, to avoid those unnecessary indulgences.

Understood! But...is alternate-day fasting safe?

Here's where it gets a bit fuzzy: The safety of ADF depends on the person. Overall, it's not terribly risky, but there are some people who shouldn't try it.

For starters, that's pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding."The nutrients needed during pregnancy [and breastfeeding] are so much higher," Levinson says. If this is you, any fasting diet isn't a good idea.

This type of fasting is also dangerous for diabetics, because they need to keep their insulin levels steady. People with a history of eating disorders should steer clear of ADF as well, since any kind of fasting diet can quickly devolve into something even more extreme.

On that note, if you're someone who works out multiple hours a day, alternate-day fasting could be a bit risky for you, too. "You need a certain amount of energy to work out," Levinson says. Without enough cals in, you might not have the energy you need to exert yourself (not to mention, enough nutrients to nourish your muscles afterward).

'I Lost 85 Lbs. When I Got My PCOS Under Control'

Now, if you're not one of those people, alternate-day fasting could be very helpful to you. Dr. Dweck deals with lots of women who currently struggle with PCOS, a hormone imbalance that occurs due to minimal ovulation. Women with PCOS often experience weight gain as a side effect and have a hard time losing weight; Dr. Dweck thinks alternate-day fasting could help them.

She also recommends ADF to her perimenopausal and menopausal patients. Due to age, loss of muscle mass, and hormonal changes, they often struggle with weight loss, too.

I'm ready! Anything else I need to know?

Yep! First, know that for many people, their first attempt at alternate-day fasting can make them feel fatigued, nauseous, dizzy, and/or foggy. You might have to stick with it for several days to see if those reactions turn around (for most, they do). If they don't, stop fasting, or try doing one fasting day every few days to work your way up to the alternating pattern.

Should You Combine Intermittent Fasting And Keto?

There are also certain nutrients that you could be missing out on by adopting this diet, Levinson says. For example, if you start eating way less dairy because you're cutting calories during fasting days, then you may not be getting the calcium you need. The same goes for protein. If you're skipping a few chicken dinners a week, you may not be getting the vitamin B12 you need.

That's why Dweck says, "when you do eat, you still have to mindful of the kind of diet you're ingesting." Be sure you're non-fasting days rely on wholesome, nutritious foods (fruit and veggies, lean proteins, legumes, etc....not packaged junk).

And the number one thing both experts agree on? Hydrate. With water first and foremost, of course. But also feel free to have coffee, which Dweck says can help curb your appetite (thanks, caffeine!).

So...should I try alternate-day fasting or not?

"With all the intermittent-fasting approaches, it's really what works for each individual person," Levinson says. "For some people alternate-day fasting is really helpful and beneficial to them." For others, though, it's really hard.

"I go back to moderation, knowing how to balance your plate, and portion control."

Either way, Levinson considers herself more of a mainstream-diet advocate. "I go back to moderation, knowing how to balance your plate, and portion control," she says. "I really believe that all foods for the most part can fit into a diet when consumed in moderation." Going on a diet that eliminates food for a specific period of time isn't as manageable for the long-term, she emphasizes.

Dweck, on the other hand, is a bit more optimistic about this fasting plan. While she sees does acknowledge it has its risk, she's seen a good number of patients have weight-loss success with it.

Regardless of their professional opinion, both experts emphasize the major bottom line: Talk to your doctor first! They'll know your medical conditions, health issues, and weight-loss historyâ€"all the info you need to get real, personalized, and honest advice about whether or not alternate-day fasting is right for you.

Alexis Jones Assistant Editor Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health.

Mediterranean Diet For Weight Loss: Does It Work?

© Pixabay The Mediterranean diet originated from the eating patterns of countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, such as Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Turkey. People living in these areas tend to have less susceptibility to chronic diseases, as per an article on Healthline. 

The reason the diet leads to weight loss is because the food groups are the focus and not calorie restriction, which leads to more anxiety than anything else. The diet encourages whole foods, whole grains and healthy fats while discouraging meat, calorie-dense foods, refined grains, added sugars and processed foods. Also, an important aspect of the diet are nuts, seeds, legumes as well as fruits and vegetables.

The Mediterranean diet includes plant-based foods in majority of the content, while certain exceptions for poultry, dairy and seafood are to be eaten in moderation. It is also similar with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends that alcohol should be limited to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. In order to enjoy the fruits of the diet, routine exercise is necessary.

Research has always supported the notion that the Meditteranean diet aids weight loss. Here are some of the studies that claim such diet works for people attempting to lose weight. 

A research published in 2016, which was conducted by the Jewish General Hospital that is affiliated with McGill University in Canada, investigated the potential of the diet to induce weight loss in less than 12 months. To measure the efficacy of the diet on obese or overweight people, a systematic review of five randomized clinical trials was done. They searched the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library of Clinical Trials for RCTs, with a follow-up period of 12 months to examine the effect of diet on weight loss. Cardiovascular risk factors were checked as well. 

About 998 subjects were studied. In the trials, comparisons were made to other diets. However, the Mediterranean diet aided better weight loss results only in comparison with the low-fat diet. Otherwise, the low-carbohydrate diet and American Diabetes Association diet had nearly the same results. 

"Moreover, the Mediterranean diet was generally similar to comparator diets at improving other cardiovascular risk factor levels, including blood pressure and lipid levels," the researchers stated in the study. 

"Our findings suggest that the Mediterranean diet results in similar weight loss and cardiovascular risk factor level reduction as comparator diets in overweight or obese individuals trying to lose weight," the researchers concluded. 

Another study conducted by Second University of Naples published in 2011 analyzed 16 randomized controlled trials through a meta-analysis. The participants were assigned to two different groups, with 1,848 subjects assigned to the Mediterranean diet and 1,588 subjects assigned to the control diet. 

"Mediterranean diet may be a useful tool to reduce body weight, especially when the Mediterranean diet is energy-restricted, associated with physical activity, and more than 6 months in length. Mediterranean diet does not cause weight gain, which removes the objection to its relatively high fat content. These results may be useful for helping people to lose weight," the study's conclusion read. 

Related video: Diet and brain health: You are what you eat? (Provided by CBS News)

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Changes in C-reactive protein, neopterin and lactoferrin differ after conservative and surgical weight loss in individuals with morbid obesity

Design and participants

Adults referred to the obesity centre at Innlandet Hospital Trust in South-Eastern Norway from December 2012 through September 2014 were eligible to this prospective study16. In the present sub-study, individuals with blood samples analysed for biomarkers and with complete data on weight, height, physical activity, and comorbidities comprising diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were included. Information from three visits was used; a first visit to the hospital, a second visit around 5 months later after the conservative weight loss intervention and before the bariatric surgery, and a third visit 6 month after surgery.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria were age between 18 and 65 years and MO, defined as BMI > 40 kg/m2 or BMI > 35 kg/m2 with obesity-related comorbidity17. Exclusion criteria were major psychiatric disorders, drug or alcohol addiction, and serious somatic disorders not judged as obesity-related, i.e. conditions that would preclude usual weight loss treatment at the clinic. The participants thus represented the usual selection of individuals treated at the clinic and were receiving standard care for any comorbidities. They were asked to report any ongoing illnesses, and blood sampling was performed during routine visits when they reported to be well.

The first visit

At the first study visit, clinical data were registered, and blood samples were drawn. Information about comorbidity was provided by the participant on a case report form. This information was reviewed by a physician with full access to the hospital records.

The conservative weight loss program

The participants underwent a five month long conservative weight loss intervention with changes in diet and physical activity18. This intervention was performed in groups and was based on a series of outpatient visits. It was comparable to weight loss programs used in other Norwegian hospitals in this time period19 with some small local changes due to availability of personnel. All included participants started with three hour-long consultations with three health professionals; a nurse, a nutritionist and a physician, which included personalized advice on diet and physical activity. These consultations were usually scheduled in three separate weeks to give the participant time to implement suggested changes. Subsequently, all participants were enrolled in a patient group with weekly four-hour meetings during seven consecutive weeks. The meetings included group counseling together with other participants with morbid obesity, and were led by nurses specialized in obesity, nutritioni sts, surgeons and a psychologist.

The dietary advice was based on reduction of total energy intake and choice of food rich in micronutrients18,20. The participants were recommended to eat more fiber and protein, less sugar and fat, and to distribute their food intake into 4–6 meals each day with 2–4 hour intervals between meals. Advice on specific dishes was individualized by a nutritionist based on the individual's former diet and food preferences. 21 days before the second study visit the participants were advised to follow a "crisp bread diet" containing 1000 kcal/day. The recommendations for this diet was intake of six pieces of crisp bread with low-fat high-protein topping (cheese, meat or fish), 4.5 dl of low-fat milk, a small dinner plate (meat or fish with vegetables), free amounts of vegetables (not corn, olives, or avocados) and free amounts of beverages without calorie content (preferentially above 2 litres). As an alternative to the crisp bread diet, the participants could use meal re placement powder giving 800–900 kcal with vegetables. All participants were told that acceptance to the clinic's public, free-of charge bariatric surgery program partly depended on their adherence to the given advice.

The second visit, before surgery

The second study visit took place after the conservative weight loss program, on average 23 weeks after the first visit, one week before planned bariatric surgery. Clinical data were registered, and blood samples were drawn.

The surgical procedure

The participants subsequently underwent bariatric surgery, either as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass21 or laparoscopic gastric sleeve22.

The follow-up visit six months after surgery

The third visit was a postoperative follow-up at the outpatient clinic for MO about six months after bariatric surgery, on average 49 weeks after the first visit. Clinical data were registered, and blood samples were drawn.

Variables

The present study used a subset of the variables in the main study. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI, calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters), comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, previous myocardial infarction, angina, previous stroke, hypertension), total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and HbA1c were registered in addition to serum concentrations of the inflammatory biomarkers CRP, neopterin and lactoferrin.

CRP and HbA1c were analysed at Innlandet Hospital Trust Gjøvik with a Cobas c501 instrument with the reagents CRPL3 and Tina-quant HbA1C (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany). Reference values were <5 mg/L for CRP and 4.0–6.0% for HbA1c. Neopterin was quantified using a commercial enzyme immunoassay (Genway Biotech, San Diego, USA). Lactoferrin was analysed using an enzyme immunoassay as previously reported23. For these assays, neopterin values above 10 nmol/L are evaluated as pathological. In a group of 302 blood donors, lactoferrin values were below <250 ug/L (V Videm, unpublished data). Total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL, respectively) cholesterol were analysed using standard methods at Innlandet Hospital Trust Gjøvik.

Statistical analysis

Data are given as mean (standard deviation – SD) or number (percentage). Statistical analysis was performed using mixed models. The time variable was coded as time 0 (first visit), 23 weeks (second visit) and 49 weeks (follow-up visit after bariatric surgery). Mixed models allow for simultaneous analysis of the three repeated (i.e. correlated) measurements in each individual and direct comparison of the changes after conservative weight loss with the changes following bariatric surgery. It also allows for individual trajectories of the variables in each individual, and different numbers of participants included at each time point due to attrition during follow-up. These are realistic assumptions for biomarkers of inflammation, which show large individual variations, and weight-loss interventions, where it is unrealistic that all participants will complete all steps of treatment.

Data were first analysed in univariate models with CRP, neopterin, lactoferrin, BMI, or HbA1c as the dependent variable, in order to investigate the observed values and changes after the two weight loss interventions. Each biomarker was thereafter analysed in a multivariable model including BMI and HbA1c to investigate associations of the biomarker changes with changes in adiposity and glucose tolerance, also including adjustments for age and sex to avoid confounding due to increased low-grade inflammation with older age or to sex-related differences. To evaluate whether the associations between each biomarker and BMI or HbA1c were different after the conservative and the surgical weight loss interventions, interaction terms with time were evaluated. Model fit was assessed using residual plots.

For an analysis of bivariate associations, Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated between changes in CRP, neopterin and lactoferrin as well as between changes in each biomarker and changes in BMI or HbA1c after the two weight loss interventions. This method does not take within-person correlation into account. Therefore, unadjusted mixed models including one biomarker as the dependent variable and another as the independent variable as well as an interaction term with time were also analysed, thus accounting for within-person correlation. Likewise, unadjusted mixed models including each biomarker as the dependent variable and either BMI or HbA1c as the independent variable and an interaction term with time were analysed to assess unadjusted associations between changes in each biomarker and changes in adiposity or glucose tolerance. Overall association in each of these models was evaluated using the between-person Snijders/Bosker R2 for mixed models. P-values <� ��0.05 were considered significant, and all tests were two-sided. Stata (v15.1, College Station, Texas, USA) was used for all analyses.

To assess the robustness of the findings in the analyses to investigate associations of the biomarker changes with changes in BMI and HbA1c, we performed sensitivity analyses with additional adjustment for smoking (coded as ever, former or present smoker) or gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass operation. We also analysed models where body weight was included instead of BMI.

Ethics

The study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics South East Norway (reference 2012/966) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

Oatmeal Can Help You Lose Weight. Here's How.

Poll the dietitian community about their oatmeal-eating habits and you might think that eating the whole grain is a requirement for the letters "R.D." after your name.

Me included.

I make my oatmeal with milk, raisins, banana, hemp seed, and wheat germ—and I eat it at least a couple times a week. I do it for the fiber, which keeps me feeling full. I also do it for the deliciousness.

Yet despite oatmeal being dietitian-approved, and loaded with fiber, and delicious, does that mean that it will help you lose weight?

That's a little more complicated.

The Health Benefits of Eating Oatmeal

Before we address the possible weight-loss effects of eating oatmeal, it's important to first understand its nutritional makeup.

One a cup of cooked oatmeal clocks in at only 150 calories, and you get 5 grams fiber (about 18 percent of your daily goal), a serving of whole grains, and a little bit of protein (about 6 grams, which is the same as an egg, to put things in perspective).

Plus, oatmeal contains a good source of other important nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, selenium, and potassium.

Research shows that oatmeal eaters—compared to non-oatmeal eaters—have healthier diets.

It's one of the many reasons road warriors, like Jen Fisher, the Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte (a client of mine), travels with it.

Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon, 2.36 Oz

Bob's Red Mill target.com

$1.99

"As a frequent traveler, oatmeal is a staple for me," Fisher says. "You never know what you'll find in hotels, but carrying packets of plain oatmeal allows me at the very least to make it in my room with the hot water from the coffee pot, though ideally I'd add some berries for added flavor and nutrition."

All in all, oatmeal is a solid, nutritious choice.

The (Possible) Weight Loss Benefits of Eating Oatmeal

Within oats there's a special kind of fiber called beta-glucan. This type of fiber, research shows, has been showed to regulate hunger hormones such that you may feel more satisfied after a meal.

This said, there is a notable difference between research that looks at what people eat and what they weigh or how healthy they are, and research that feeds study participants a food in an effort to yield a desired outcome.

And that scientific difference is where the weight loss powers of oatmeal get murky.

Take, for example, one study where overweight and obese women were put on a reduced-calorie diet that included two servings of (fibrous) oatmeal per day. Some of those women didn't lose any more weight than their counterparts who ate the same reduced-calorie diet that was low in fiber. But for some of the oatmeal-eating-dieters, the extra fiber helped them lose more weight. Similar findings were repeated in another study of overweight women.

"Longer study times, however, may show more of a [weight loss] difference," says Julie Miller Jones, Ph.D., CNS, Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emerita of Food & Nutrition at St. Catherine University. She pointed me to a study of diabetics. The participants that ate oats lost weight, and so did the non-oat-eaters.

But here's where the difference was: "diabetic subjects who ate oats daily maintained their changes for a year after the study," says Jones. Their counterparts who ate a healthy diet and no oats couldn't maintain their weight loss at the one-year mark.

The Bottom Line on Oatmeal and Weight Loss

Eating oatmeal may help you lose weight, particularly if you pair it with a calorie-controlled diet. More valuable, perhaps, is that eating oatmeal regularly will improve your personal nutrition, and also there is very solid research on its cholesterol-lowering and heart health potential.

Chris Mohr, PhD, RD Chris Mohr, PhD, RD is the co-owner of Mohr Results, Inc (MohrResults.com) a well-being consulting company

Shirtless James Van Der Beek shows off his dramatic weight loss after DWTS

JAMES Van Der Beek has shown-off his dramatic weight loss in shirtless selfies after finishing Dancing With The Stars.

The Dawson's Creek star, 42, shared snaps of his physique change from flabbier to chiselled with abs on Wednesday.

5

James Van Der Beek showed how his body was changed by three days of fighting, left, versus six hours of dancing a day, rightCredit: Instagram - VanderJames

5

The Dawson's Creek star was booted off Dancing With The Stars and came in fifth place - days after he announced that his wife suffered a miscarriageCredit: Getty - Contributor

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James revealed a slightly fuller-figure closer resembling a dad-bod back in a post from MayCredit: Instagram - VanderJames

He captioned the Instagram post, "Fight training vs. dancing..." in reference to how the two different workouts changed his body.

James wrote that he had been training in Muay Thai three days a week prior to when he "hit pause to dance six hours a day."

"Now I can rhumba," he added in the 50/50 split photo.

The actor came in fifth place on DWTS - days after he made the tragic announcement that he and his wife Kimberly had suffered a miscarriage while pregnant with their sixth child.

There is no trophy in the world that I wouldn't have traded to be home with my family.

James Van Der Beek

James was eliminated from the competition two weeks ago.

Later he said that he was happier to be with his wife and kids rather than dancing.

"There is no trophy in the world that I wouldn't have traded to be home with my family this week 100%," he added on Monday.

The final was won by ex-Bachelorette star Hannah Brown, who lifted the Mirrorball Trophy with partner Alan Bersten.

James attributed his weight loss success to learning the show's rigorous dance routines and lengthy rehearsals.

He also claimed that his food intake played a large part in the body transformation.

Replying to a fan, he wrote: "Lot of fruit, vegetables, lot of smoothies, salads.

"I danced early in the day so pretty much ate vegan until dinner.

"Had to keep it light fare because we didn't really take breaks.  

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"Not so much of a diet... more like only wanting to eat what I knew would make me feel good under the work load."

The selfies followed a similar set of shots from May 1, where he showed a fuller figure.

"Just giving up? Or just not giving a f***?" he wrote, along with the hashtags #Dadwear and #IHaveDaughters.

5

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Waitress sheds 125lbs after her grandfather begged her to lose weight on his deathbed

'He wanted me to have a better life': Waitress, 25, sheds 125LBS. after her beloved grandfather begged her to lose weight on his deathbed

Jessica Reid from Phoenix, Arizona, weighted 284lbs. in 2016

She decided to lose weight at the urging of her grandfather Robert Cross

He at 95 died in May 2016 and urged her to get healthy as his dying wish 

Reid altered her diet and joined CrossFit to help achieve the weight loss

She now weighs 160lbs. and has gone from a size 18 to a size six  

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 11:12 EST, 27 November 2019 | Updated: 12:18 EST, 27 November 2019

A waitress has shed 125lbs. after her grandfather begged her to lose weight on his deathbed.

Jessica Reid, 25, from Phoenix, Arizona, was t ipping the scales at a staggering 284lbs. when she heard her granddad Robert Cross's dying wish.

The veteran, who passed away at the age of 95, urged his granddaughter to drop the weight and get in shape.

Powerful: Jessica Reid from Phoenix, shed 125lbs. after her grandfather Robert Cross (pictured) asked her to get healthy as his dying wish 

Transformation: She weighed 284lbs. in 2016 (left) and has since altered her lifestyle to weigh 160lbs. (right) with the help of CrossFit and an altered diet

Making it work: Reid decided to join a bootcamp in 2016 to also help her lose the weight. This all came after her grandfather died at the age of 95

Feeling good: Joining a bootcamp and CrossFit helped Reid shed the weight 

'His dying wish was for me to get in shape and to be in good health,' Reid said. 'He ne ver bought up my weight before because he knew I was so sensitive about it and he thought I was beautiful anyway.'  

'But on his deathbed, he said: "Jessie, I want you to take care of your health and get in shape."

'After he told me that, I decided it was time to take care of myself. He wanted me to have a better life so my feelings weren't hurt.'

Time to listen: 'His dying wish was for me to get in shape and to be in good health,' Reid said about her grandfather

Reid weighted 284lbs. when her grandfather gave his dying wish and now weighs a healthy 160lbs. after getting her health on track. She also went from a size 18 in clothing to a size six.  

'I have been heavy my whole life,' Reid said. 'Everything revolved around food, we were eating out constantly. I grew up on Shirley Temples and chicken fingers.

'Food became my outlet.'

The waitress suffered bullying at school on account of her large size. This bullying then extended to Facebook pages with people going as far as to hack her own social media account.  

People would hack into my social media account and say nasty things,' she said. 'It was mostly about my weight. I was bullied for being heavier. I was never popular in high school or middle school.'

She continued: 'They could call me a cow and tell me to lose weight. I didn't want to step on the scales because I knew I weighed over 200 pounds.'

Reid's weight struggle became even worse when she turned 21 and started drinking sugary, calorie-laden cocktails. She blamed downing Bahama Mamas - made of coconut rum, syrup and fruit juices -  and fast food cravings for piling on even more pounds. 

'I put on more weight when I started drinking,' Reid said. 'Every night after drinking, I would get Jack In The Box tacos or chicken wings. I was constantly eating carbs and fried food.'

Baby steps: In August 2016, Reid swapped her daily diet of McDonald's, bags of chips and takeout pizza for healthy foods like salmon, vegetables and protein bars as snacks.

Pushing through: Reid also joined CrossFit and confessed to hating it at first. But she pushed on and the program helped her lose weight 

Strong: Even though she hated CrossFit at first, she did not give up on the program 

Reid tried to diet, but she admitted that she was never able to stick to a healthy eating plan. 

'I tried so many times,' she said. 'My half brother is really into healthy eating and he tried to help me. But I could never stay on track. Food was an addictio n for me.'

Eating was one way Reid said she could cope with her 'emotions and boredom'.  

Happy: Reid said she now has excess skin from the weight loss, but she chooses to love that part of her body 

'If I was bored, I would eat,' she admitted. 'I had been doing it ever since I was a child.' 

But in May 2016, Reid's grandfather Robert passed away after having a pacemaker fitted. On his deathbed in a hospice, he begged her to lose weight and she finally started to face up to her food issues. 

'It still took me a couple of months after he passed away to realize that I needed to change my life completely,' she said. 

'It wasn't until about August that I started to change my eating habits. I went to the grocery store and bought lots of vegetables. I slowly weaned myself off the bad things , I threw out all the garbage and I replaced it with fresh fruit and vegetables.'

In August 2016, Reid swapped her daily diet of McDonald's, bags of chips and takeout pizza for healthy foods like salmon, vegetables and protein bars as snacks. She also cut back on alcohol and only drank on special occasions.

As soon as she lost her first 10lbs., she enrolled at a bootcamp in Yuma, Arizona, where she was living at the time. 

'I lost about 17lbs. and a total of seven inches around my waist,' Reid said about the bootcamp.

She also discovered CrossFit, a fitness program involving squats, weightlifting, gymnastics, and running. 

'For my first month of CrossFit, I hated it,' Reid confessed. 'But I knew I had to keep pushing myself.'

Positive: 'Now I'm very positive. I wake up every morning think ing I want to be a better person than I was yesterday,' Reid said

Balance: She works out three to four times a week and eats healthily almost all the time - but she does allow herself one cheat meal per week

Guardian angel: 'I feel like my granddad pointed me in the right direction and he is with me all the time,' she said. 

Showing off: 'I have some loose skin and it doesn't bug me,' she said. 'I flaunt it. I wear crop tops and bikinis, I don't care'

She admitted that she struggled when her weight loss slowed down and hit a plateau.

'I lost 90lbs. and I was waiting to hit the 100lbs. mark and it took so long, she said. 'It took a month and a half to lose that 10lbs. My friends told me that I had to keep going and that I would get there.'

On November 2017, just after Thanksgiving, Reid hit her targe t weight of 160lbs.

'It was amazing,' she said about hitting the target. 'It was a whole lifestyle change, it wasn't a diet. This is how I live every day now. I don't even weigh myself anymore, I know I'm fit and I eat healthy so I'm not worried anymore.'

She added that friends don't even recognize her following the incredible transformation. 

'In October 2017, I went to Florida to visit some friends and they said they didn't even realize it was me,' Reid said. I'll post transformation pictures on my social media and my new friends can't believe I was ever that big.

'Clothes shopping is so much easier now.'

Since losing the weight, Reid has noticed she has loose skin but she is happy to show it off.

'I have some loose skin and it doesn't bug me,' she said. 'I flaunt it. I wear crop tops and bikinis, I don't care.'

She works out three to four times a week and eats healthily almost all the time - but she does allow herself one cheat meal per week.

'Usually I indulge on a Sunday and I'll eat chicken wings or whatever else I feel like,' Reid said. 'I'm a whole new person now. I had no confidence before, I was always really depressed. 

'Now I'm very positive. I wake up every morning thinking I want to be a better person than I was yesterday. I feel like my granddad pointed me in the right direction and he is with me all the time.'

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Juicing may get you started on fruits and veggies and help you lose weight too

We have all heard the term juicing. It means following a juice-only diet for a given number of days. Many people resort to it as a quick fix to an unhealthy lifestyle. Some say it is a great weight loss technique. But what exactly does it mean? It basically means that you squeeze the liquid out of veggies and fruits. This process gets rid of the fibre, which is left behind as waste pulp in your juicer.

Juicing has its own benefits. It is good for quick weight loss. When you go on a juice-only diet, you severely cut down on your calorie intake. This helps you get rid of some extra kilos. But experts say that the lost weight is usually water weight and not fat. So, if you need to lose weight quickly for some special occasion, you can definitely go juicing. But health professionals do not recommend it for long-term weight loss. Juicing can also help you detox. Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants. This helps in fighting free radicals.

But it has its own demerits too. It is definitely good an instant makeover. But if you go juicing for a longer time, say more than 2 to 3 days, you risk gaining back all the weight that you lost once you go back to your normal diet. It may also give you a sense of deprivation and make you overeat later. Moreover, you are depriving yourself of essential fibre, which keeps your digestive system healthy. This can adversely affect your gut microbiome. Juicing also means that your diet is not balanced, and you are missing out on the macronutrients and micronutrients, which your body needs. It may also lead to loss of muscle mass because you are not consuming any protein and slow down your metabolism.

STRIKE A BALANCE

As with all things, juicing comes with its own set of risks and benefits. If you don't usually eat a lot of fruits and vegetable, this can get you started. But it also means that you are depriving yourself of essential nutrients that come from a well-balanced meal.

Juicing in moderation is the key here. Don't overdo it. Stick to it for a couple of days and then go back to your regular diet. You can repeat every couple of months. This will ensure that you get the benefits without suffering from the adverse effects.

JUICES FOR A QUICK WEIGHT LOSS

As we said earlier, juicing can help you lose weight very fast. Let us take a look at a few fat burning juices.

Carrot juice

This is low in calories and packed with fibre. It keeps away the hunger pangs and increases the secretion of bile. This helps in burning away the unwanted fat.

Cucumber juice

Cucumber has a high water content and is very low in calorie. Its juice can keep you full for a longer time. You can also have it between meals without worrying about any weight gain.

Amla juice

This boosts metabolism and keeps your digestive system healthy. It also makes you more energetic. If you need to lose weight fast, add this to your diet.

Pineapple juice

This can effectively burn belly fat. It contains the enzyme bromelain. This metabolises protein and burns away ugly stomach fat. It also suppresses hunger.

Beetroot juice

This is free of fat and cholesterol and packed with nutrients. It also contains soluble and insoluble dietary fibre that ensure smooth bowel movement. All this aids in weight loss.

Published : November 27, 2019 10:20 am

I’m A Celebrity 2019 weight loss: What effect has the diet had on celebs?

With a diet consisting of such few calories, it's no wonder the celebs were feeling rather sluggish.

In fact, Express.co.uk spoke with Owner and Coach of Oxfordshire-based fitness company BSC Fitness, Rhys Jenkins, to find out just how this calorie deficit can affect the celebs.

Jenkins said: "The clear effect would be fat loss as the caloric deficit would be so extreme. (There'd also be) a lack of energy, increased hunger and a decrease in satiety (feeling of fullness)."

He also revealed how unsustainable this kind of diet would be in the real world when the celebs leave the jungle.

When asked if they could keep up the diet, Jenkins said: "Such a drastic deficit, in my opinion, no."

Fat Cops In Turkmenistan Told 'Lose Weight Or Lose Job'

"Lose weight or lose your job," police across Turkmenistan have been told as law-enforcement employees in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation undergo mandatory requalification tests.

The Interior Ministry has ordered officers to get in shape by December 25 if they want to keep their jobs, several police officers have told RFE/RL correspondents in Turkmenistan.

Some police say they've also been told to encourage relatives who live abroad to return to Turkmenistan by the end of 2019.

The officers spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals from a government that doesn't tolerate criticism or allow free speech.

They said the Interior Ministry has told them police must not weigh more than 100 kilograms because the country's newly appointed Interior Minister Mammedkhan Chakyev "doesn't like fat cops."

Those who fail to meet the weight-loss requirement must resign -- regardless of their rank, years of service, or other q ualifications.

Similar measures have previously been taken in neighboring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where authorities often criticize police about their fitness but rarely address allegations of widespread police corruption.

Turkmenistan's tight deadline for weight loss has led many officers to take up jogging or to start working out in stadiums, gyms, and public parks.

Police officers running and playing sports have suddenly become a common sight in the southeastern city of Mary, local RFE/RL correspondents report.

"In the stadium on Mary's Ashgabat Street, police officers can be seen running nowadays," our correspondents reported.

"They also play soccer and volleyball in a sports center located behind the prosecutors' office and work out in a gym at the Ylham Palace."

The requalification tests for Turkmen police also include background checks to determine if any of their close relatives have criminal records or live abroad.

Police in Lebap Province say they were told to convince relatives who live in other countries to return home by the end of the year, a local RFE/RL correspondent reported.

That's because Turkmen authorities are said to be concerned that many citizens are trying to flee the country to escape financial hardships and the lack of basic freedoms.

Superficial Changes

Turkmenistan is not the first country in Central Asia to order cops to shape up or ship out.

In 2017, Tajikistan's Interior Ministry announced that 10 officers were dismissed for failing to lose excess weight within a six-month deadline.

About 100 hefty Tajik police officers were given official warnings.

Tajikistan also has instructed police to attend theater performances at least once a month to "help boost their spiritual and moral awareness and to unwind after a difficult working day."

In Uzbekistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoev has said the country has "no need for an overweight police officer."

"We are giving them a deadline: three to six months," Mirziyoev said in March. "During this time, they should get in shape and shed that extra weight."

But chubby officers are the least concern for most ordinary citizens when it comes to fighting crime in Central Asia.

Police are notoriously corrupt in the region, with widespread allegations of police taking bribes and engaging in extortion, as well as being incompetent and mistreating detainees.

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WATCH: Think Turkmenistan Is Funny? Think Again

Turkmenistan's new interior minister reportedly has been taking measures to tackle corruption since he was appointed on October 1.

Our correspondents in Mary report that cameras have been installed to control traffic police officers, a move some residents have welcomed as bringing change.

"Instead of getting bribes as they usually did before, police are now writing penalty tickets to traffic offenders," RFE/RL's correspondent quoted local residents as saying.

Several officers were reportedly arrested in Mary after being caught in October trying to extort bribes.

Low police wages are often cited as an explanation for bribe-taking cops.

According to several law-enforcement agency employees who spoke to RFE/RL in Lebap Province, police salaries in the area range from $80 to $140 a month.

In the capital, Ashgabat, residents say the number of police on duty has increased significantly since Chakyev became interior minister.

"In my neigh borhood, they mostly catch people who cross the highway instead of using the underpass," one Ashgabat resident told RFE/RL, adding that people want real reforms not "superficial" changes.

14 celebrities who say they've been pressured to lose weight in order to succeed in Hollywood

Jennifer Lawrence said she was once told to lose 15 pounds in two weeks.

She said the experience made her feel "trapped." Cindy Ord/Getty Images

In 2017 at Elle's Women in Hollywood event, Jennifer Lawrence spoke out about the "humiliating" and "degrading" ways the film industry approaches body image.

"When I was much younger and starting out, I was told by producers of a film to lose 15 pounds in two weeks," she said. "During this time a female producer had me do a nude line-up with about five women who were much, much thinner than me."

"We all stood side-by-side with only tape on covering our privates … the female producer told me I should use the naked photos of myself as inspiration for my diet," she added. 

She went on to say that the experience made her feel "trapped" and that she now continuously reminds herself that she deserves to be treated with respect. 

Amber Riley said that unrealistic body expectations have made Hollywood "a very hard place to be in."

She said the film industry is tough for someone of her size. Jesse Grant/Getty Images

On an emotional episode of the 2012 MTV series "This Is How I Made It," actress Amber Riley explained that many industry professionals have told her she needed to "lose a little weight."

She added that many of the roles she has been offered were based on harmful, negative stereotypes related to her size, like "the girl who wanted to commit suicide 'cause she was fat" or the girl who sits and eats all day.

And for the "Glee" star, these situations and expectations have made Hollywood "a very hard place to be in" and she has never understood why casting directors can't just accept her for who she is.

Richard Madden said women aren't the only ones who are told to lose weight in Hollywood.

He said trying to look so thin on television projects an "unrealistic body image." Jason Merritt/Getty Images

In an interview with British Vogue, "Game of Thrones" star Richard Madden said he has had his "fat rolls" pinched and has been put in corset-like costumes because studios wanted him to look slim.

"I've done numerous jobs where you're told to lose weight and get to the gym," Madden told the publication. "It doesn't just happen to women, it happens to men all the time as well."

He acknowledged that trying to look thin on TV and in films projects "a very unrealistic body image," but admitted that he and other actors continue to do it anyway. 

Amber Tamblyn said her agent didn't believe she'd become a star unless she lost weight.

She's shared her story to help demand more diverse roles for people of all sizes. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Shortly after her success in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series, actress Amber Tamblyn said her agent told her she could only be a star if she lost some weight. 

"I think at that point I was 128 pounds and I'm 5'7". I remember my agent saying to me ... 'You have a real choice here. You can either be Nicole Kidman or you can be a character actress,'" Tamblyn recalled in a conversation with the New York Times.

She said the experience shaped her sense of self-worth for years and made her feel "violated," like she had to look a specific way or she was doomed for failure.

Sam Claflin said male actors are put under a lot of pressure to lose weight but it is "never talked about."

He said sometimes he's "felt like a piece of meat" in the film industry. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

In 2017, actor Sam Claflin told The Sydney Morning Herald that he has really struggled with body image and self-confidence while working in the film industry. 

"I remember doing one job when they literally made me pull my shirt up and were grabbing my fat and going, 'You need to lose a bit of weight.' This other time they were slapping me. I felt like a piece of meat," Claflin said. 

"I'm not saying it's anywhere near as bad as what women go through but I, as an actor approaching each job, am insecure — especially when I have to take my top off in it ... I get really worked up to the point where I spend hours and hours in the gym and not eating for weeks to achieve what I think they're going for," he added. 

He went on to say that this pressure to be muscular and trim presents an unrealistic body image that's "anything but normal." 

Jennifer Lopez said people tried to pressure her early on in her career.

Jennifer Lopez said she embraced her body and wasn't really fazed by the negative comments. Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Billboard

In 2018, Jennifer Lopez told InStyle that, early in her career, a lot of people in the industry told her she should lose weight. But instead of trying to change her appearance, she embraced her body type.

"They didn't bother me at all but I got a lot of flak for it from people in the industry. They'd say, 'You should lose a few pounds,' or 'You should do this or do that.' It finally got to the point that I was like, 'This is who I am. I'm shaped like this,'" Lopez told the publication.

"Everybody I grew up with looked like that, and they were all beautiful to me. I didn't see anything wrong with it. I still don't," she added. 

Amy Schumer said she was once told to lose weight just to star in a film she had written.

Amy Schumer said she would never lose weight for a role again. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Although she had a lot of creative control over her 2015 film "Trainwreck," Amy Schumer still had to deal with people telling her to lose weight for the lead role. 

In an interview on "The Jonathan Ross Show," Schumer jokingly described the experience by saying, " ... It was explained to me before I did that movie that if you weigh over 140 pounds as a woman in Hollywood, if you're on the screen it will hurt people's eyes." 

"So I lost some weight to do that, but never again," she added.

Supermodel Tyra Banks said she was once called "too big" to be on the runway.

These comments didn't stop her from becoming one of the most famous models ever. Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Tyra Banks previously told Business Insider that she's faced a lot of difficulties related to body image and unrealistic weight expectations while working in the modeling industry.

In an interview, she recalled that when she a young model at the height of her high-fashion career, designers at Milan Fashion Week called her "too big."

"'Her butt is getting too big and you need to go tell her to lose some weight,'" they told her mother Carolyn London, per Banks. She said she also got a list of designers who no longer wanted to work with her. 

"I started crying and I was like, 'Mom, OK, what do I do. Should I diet? Should I work out twice a day? Should I just have salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?'" she told Business Insider.

But Banks recalled her mom shutting down those ideas immediately, saying she'd "be damned" if her child "starved" for the modeling industry. 

As an actress, Ashley Benson said she was often told she should lose weight.

Ashley Benson said she now believes all sizes are healthy. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

In a 2016 interview with Health magazine, the "Pretty Little Liars" actress said that throughout her career she's been told to lose weight "all the time."

"I got that a month ago," Benson said. "It's just weird. With my stuff recently, it's been, 'You have to be skin and bones or you're not getting it.'"

She told the publication that she is still working on feeling confident in her body, but that she believes all sizes are healthy. 

Ashley Graham said an agent and her dad both suggested she lose weight in order to be a model.

Ashley Graham said she was bullied for her weight when she was younger. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

In 2017, Ashley Graham told the Las Vegas Review Journal that she has always experienced fat-shaming and bullying — but she didn't realize how much this pressure to be thin impacted her until she began pursuing a modeling career.

In the interview, she looked back on a time when a talent agent at a mall suggested she lose some weight so she could become a model.

"The really hard moment was when my dad said, 'Honey, if an agent is telling you to lose weight, then maybe you should lose weight.' I was 15, standing in our living room having a moment I will never forget. I never had a parent tell me to lose weight and it hurt," she recalled. 

But Graham said she doesn't blame her father for his words — she blames the modeling industry's unrealistic standards. 

"He was thinking like a businessman," she said. "It's not that my father didn't love me. He wanted me to succeed." 

Henry Cavill said a director called him too "chubby" to play James Bond.

Henry Cavill has starred in a number of superhero and fantasy shows and films. Getty

"Man of Steel" star Henry Cavill said when he auditioned to play James Bond in a film the director told him he was too "chubby" for the role. 

To audition, Cavill said he had to walk out with just a towel on. 

"I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, 'Looking a little chubby there, Henry,'" Cavill said in an interview with Men's Health magazine.

But Cavill said he was following a poor diet at the time and, overall, the director's comment made him rethink his physical health and how he eats.

"I didn't know how to train or diet," he told the publication. "And I'm glad Martin said something because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better." 

Jennifer Aniston said her agent once told her she was "too heavy" to get acting jobs.

She said she lost 30 pounds after her agent told her to lose weight. Getty/Rich Fury

In a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone, Jennifer Aniston said it was her agent who told her that she needed to slim down in order to make it in Hollywood. 

"My agent gave it to me straight," she said. "The disgusting thing of Hollywood [is] I wasn't getting lots of jobs 'cause I was too heavy."

Aniston went on to lose 30 pounds before auditioning for "Friends," adding that she doesn't think she would have gotten cast as Rachel if she hadn't lost the weight. 

David Harbour said he was told by a director that he was "too fat" to play The Blob.

He said a casting director said he was perfect for the "big" character. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In a 2017 interview with The Wrap, David Harbour said he got an audition to play the character The Blob in an upcoming "Wolverine" film after a casting director said he was perfect for the "big," "fat" character. 

"I was like 'Okay, wow, that's flattering,'" Harbour jokingly recalled. "And [the casting director] was like, 'No, no, it's not that you're fat, it's just that we need a big guy to wear the suit.'"

Harbour went to the audition anyway and jokingly showed his stomach to the director saying, "I've got your Blob right here." 

After the audition, Harbour said the director expressed "concerns" about his weight. 

"He was like, 'David, look, you're wonderful, we really think you're just a great actor, we're just concerned … we're really concerned … it's just, you lifted up your shirt and ... we're just a little worried about your health,'" Harbour told The Wrap. "I was like, 'Wait a minute. You are telling me I'm too fat to play The Blob?'"

Sophie Turner said that therapy helped her cope with the constant scrutiny she faced from TV studios.

Sophie Turner said she thinks it's necessary to talk to someone about how you're feeling. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Sophie Turner told Marie Claire Australia that when she gained weight while filming "Game of Thrones," TV studios put pressure on her to lose those extra pounds. 

"My metabolism suddenly decided to fall to the depths of the ocean and I started to get spotty and gain weight, and all of this was happening to me on camera," she recalled, adding that going to therapy helped her cope with the pressures she was facing. 

"People are constantly telling you you're not good enough and you don't look good enough," Turner said. "I think it's necessary to have someone to talk to and to help you through that."

Read More:

Weight Loss: Sleeping And Standing Among 5 Scientifically Proven Methods To Burn Fat

Losing weight is an important goal for many people globally. These individuals often struggle to be physically active and eat healthy. Well, there is good news for all those who are not interested in following a strict diet or exercising vigorously to shed the extra pounds in their bodies.

Scientifically, there are five simple ways to burn some extra fat. They are sleeping well, standing more, drinking water, reducing stress and planning every meal. By adopting these simple lifestyle changes, you can effectively lose some weight quickly.

Sleep Well

Several studies have proved that sleeplessness can lead to increased snacking, which eventually leads to gaining weight. Past studies have also reported that a sleep-deprived person feels less energetic. As a result, the individual burns fewer calories. These extra calories get stored in the person's body as fat.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity in June reported that weight loss is tied to the quality of sleep. According to the research, disrupted or insufficient sleep can increase the risk of weight gain.

"Our findings suggest that the less variability in sleep duration or an adequate sleep duration the greater the success of the lifestyle interventions in adiposity," the study noted.

Sit Less And Stand More

A study that was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology reported that standing more frequently than sitting can lead to relatively low effort and faster weight loss. According to the research, a person can burn 0.15 kcal more in a minute while standing. This means a person can lose about 5.5lbs (2.5 kg) in a year and about 22lbs (10 kg) in four years if he continues to follow the same diet.

"Standing not only burns more calories, the additional muscle activity is linked to lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes, so the benefits of standing could go beyond weight control," Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, senior study author and Chief of Preventive Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, said in a statement.

Reduce Stress

Stress is one of the major reasons for weight gain. Many individuals love to eat more when they feel stressed out, which eventually increases the risk of obesity and overweight. A study that was published in Cell Metabolism in April found that stress combined with a high-calorie diet can lead to weight gain.

"Our findings revealed a vicious cycle, where chronic, high insulin levels driven by stress and a high-calorie diet promoted more and more eating," Professor Herbert Herzog, lead researcher and head of the Eating Disorders laboratory at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, said in a statement. "This really reinforced the idea that while it's bad to eat junk food, eating high-calorie foods under stress is a double whammy that drives obesity."

Plan Every Meal

Planning your meal early will help you save some money and shed some extra pounds. You can also save time by planning your meals for the week over the weekend, reported The Sun. By following this plan, you will not have to rush to a cafe or restaurant every day to buy breakfast or lunch.

Drink A Lot Of Water

Drinking nearly two litres of water a day can help you stay hydrated and suppress your appetite. Water also acts as a natural body cleanser and metabolism booster. By increasing the water levels in your body, you can stay healthy.

However, it is worth noting that the hydration level varies from person to person. There are different ways to check your hydration level, like checking your urine color. If the urine color is amber or dark yellow, you need to drink more water. If your urine color is fairly clear or light yellow, it indicates that you are hydrated.

Alternate day fasting may lead to successful weight loss. Photo: Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

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If weight loss is your only goal for exercise, it's time to rethink your priorities

As an aesthetic society, we often demonize body fat and stigmatize people with lots of it. There's often an assumption that people carrying excess weight don't exercise and must be unhealthy.

But that's not true: you can be fat and fit. In fact, as we age, low levels of fitness can be more harmful to our health than high amounts of fat.

For those considering starting exercise, try looking beyond weight loss for motivation. No matter how much you weigh, there are always benefits to exercise.

Exercise actually does a pretty poor job of getting us to expend enough excess energy to lose weight. This is partly due to a compensatory effect of our appetite, which increases after we exercise.

Exercise changes our body composition—how much fat we have as a ratio to how much lean (muscle) tissue we have—but this doesn't always cause big changes on the scales.

Here are just five ways exercise improves our health, no matter how much we weigh.

1. Better cardiorespiratory fitness

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a measure of how far and hard you can run without needing to stop, or how many stairs you can climb without being out of breath. Running for longer, or climbing more stairs, means you have a higher absolute cardiorespiratory fitness which cannot be improved with weight loss alone.

Having a high body mass index (BMI) may reduce the absolute intensity you can exercise but it doesn't mean it is less effective.

You may be able to jog between every third lamppost, for example, but not run consistently for 1 km. While it may seem the periodic jogging is not as impressive, it's all relative to your baseline and any exercise is better than none.

If you're carrying a lot of excess weight, you might prefer non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming or cycling indoors to minimize stress on your joints—but this will depend on you and what you like doing. After all, you're more likely to continue exercising if you enjoy it.

If you're thinking "but I hate running/swimming/cycling/dancing and I'd rather lift weights," then lift weights! Although lifting weights doesn't have the same effects as cardio training, the benefits are still as important for mobility, joint function and maintaining muscle mass as we age.

2. Lowered risk of heart disease and stroke

Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, even in those with a chronic disease such as diabetes, irrespective of body fatness.

Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, improves delivery of blood throughout the body, and reduces inflammation, even in those with a high body mass index.

3. Reducing the 'bad' fat

Exercise improves our body's ability to use energy. We store large amounts of energy as fat, which is quite hard to break down, as it costs a lot of oxygen compared to "cheaper" fuels for the body to use like glucose.

But when we exercise regularly, we increase our body's ability to use fat as a fuel source as well as requiring more energy at rest.

This doesn't necessarily mean more exercise equals more fat loss, but it does mean more fat turnover, and typically less fat stored in and around the organs (the "bad" visceral fat).

4. Mental health benefits

Research has consistently shown that people who exercise (regardless of body size and shape) have better mental health and lower levels of stress, depression and emotional problems.

It does this via blood flow to the brain, increased release of endorphins that make us feel happy, and by helping to moderate the brain's response to stress.

Often, the hardest part is getting started with exercise or going to perform the exercise, but once you are moving the mental health benefits begin.

5. Preventing weight gain

While exercise may not help us lose a lot of weight on the scales, it's a good way to keep weight off and prevent weight regain.

Regular exercise continues to encourage the body to use stored fuels and remodel tissues (such as muscle) to grow healthier and stronger.

But preventing weight regain is tough. People who have lost weight may need greater amounts of exercise to counteract the physiological drive to return to the heavier body weight.

If you need some extra help getting started or finding a routine that suits you, talk to your GP or consider seeing an accredited exercise physiologist.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Simon Cowell weight loss: Star looks unrecognisable on date night with Lauren Silverman

Simon Cowell, celebrity judge and founder of Syco Entertainment was seen "drowning in [his] suit" on Wednesday night after he was spotted, with partner Lauren Silverman, for an opening night of "& Juliet" - a musical exploring an alternative ending to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - at Shaftesbury Theatre in London, England.

The X Factor: Celebrity judge is believed to have trimmed down by 20lb, or 1.4 stone, but what diet plan did he use? 

Currently, Simon is starring on The X Factor: Celebrity, after the show launched in October. 

The programme adds to the array of other television appearances the English businessman has made over the years. He's well-known for being the judge on The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, American's Got Talent and American idol.

However, recently, Simon has displayed an extremely trimmed down physique, how did he do it? 

READ MORE: Weight loss: Eating more of this food can help you burn fat - expert tip you must follow

Simon Cowell: Celebrity judge seen 'drowning in suit' after incredible weight loss (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman spotted on a date night to the opening night of & Juliet (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

In a previous interview, Simon confessed that he had taken up a vegan diet, meaning he has stopped consuming animal products, in order to ovehaul his lifestyle. 

But, it's not just ditching meat and dairy products which has led to Simon's slimming results.

The music mogul also reduced the amount of wheat and sugar which he has each day.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: "I cut out a lot of the stuff I shouldn't have been eating and that was primarily meat, dairy, wheat, sugar — those were the four main things."

In the same interview, Simon explained that his decision to switch-up his diet plan came after discovering an allergy to melon.

"I was allergic to melon, so I didn't eat it for six months, but I saw this man and he explained it and it made sense," the father-of-one explained.

"Within 24 hours I changed my diet and I've not looked back since. You feel better, you look better."

While he tends to stick to vegan options at mealtimes, Simon doesn't follow the practice of veganism 100 percent of the time.

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But, the TV talent show mogul has explained that he does see a full committal to the vegan diet plan in his future.

Documenting some of his favourite foods, he confessed: "I love jam tarts, hamburgers, spaghetti Bolognese.

"I can eat fish but this year I will go the whole way."

Simon also makes simple swaps during his everyday lives, such as saying no to yoghurt and cows milk, and instead enjoying almond-milk.

Aware that some fruits have a high sugar content, he also pays attention to the fresh produce that he eats.

Simon has also cut down on the amount of beer that he drinks, and the cigarettes that he smokes.

What's more, the producer appears to choose carefully when he does drink.

Simon Cowell: Before and after images of Simon's weight loss transformation (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

Previously when Simon was spotted with his partner, Lauren Silverman, he clutched onto a low-calorie lager, showing he is taking his health seriously.

Simon and Lauren became a couple in 2013 and have been together ever since.

They have a five-year-old son, Eric, who was born on Valentine's Day in 2014.

The celebrity judge also revealed that when he was hospitalised in 2017 for low blood pressure, it was a massive shock to his system. 

Speaking to Extra TV, Simon said: "I went to see this guy who's very well-known. And he said to me, after doing some blood work, 'You can't have red meat, dairy, sugar, bread or gluten'.

"He told me my diet was appalling and I had to cut out fatty foods and certain drinks."

Speaking about the first few weeks on his new diet plan, the star revealed that it was difficult in the beginning.

"I could see the difference. Cutting out sugar made a massive difference. The first few weeks were difficult, but then I actually stopped craving sugar.

However, he did confess that one of the reasons for wanting to change his diet and improve his overall weight is his young son, Eric.  

He said: "Part of the reason I did it was 'cause [my son] Eric is five this year. I realised that if I didn't sort myself out physically, I wouldn't be able to catch up with him."

Simon's new trim physique has sent social media into a frenzy with many commenting on how good he looks.

One fan expressed their support on a recent photograph of Simon, the comment read: "Wow, @SimonCowell looks amazing! He's practically swimming in that suit!"

Whilst another added: "He looks like a completely different person."

See Briana And Ryan Culberson's 128-Pound Weight Loss Transformation After A Year On Keto

Briana and Ryan Culberson just shared a photo of their 128-pound weight loss on the keto diet.

The RHOC alums have shared their weight loss journey thanks to keto since July 2018.

Briana, who was diagnosed with lupus in 2016, also spoken about how keto has "greatly improved" her health.

Briana Culberson, daughter of The Real Housewives of Orange County's Vicki Gunvalson, and her husband Ryan Culberson are practically spokespeople for the keto diet. The two have been steadily documenting their keto-fueled weight loss—and Ryan just shared another update on Instagram.

"Smiles from a couple that's down a combined 128 pounds!" he captioned a sweet photo of the couple posing together in the woods. "No fads, workouts, or magic pills just a consistent Keto lifestyle!"

Ryan and Briana first talked about doing keto in November 2018, when Ryan referred to Briana as a "keto queen" on Instagram. He noted that they'd been on the diet for five months at that point.

Fast forward to January 2019, and Briana posted on Ryan's Instagram that she'd lost 45 pounds on the diet. She also said that keto "greatly improved" her health. (Briana was diagnosed with lupus in 2016 and almost had to have her leg amputated in 2018 due to her condition, according to People.)

In March 2019, the couple revealed on Instagram that they lost 86 pounds together in eight months on the diet. "Celebrating being 86 pounds lighter between the two of us!" he captioned the shot. "What are you waiting for?"

And in July, the two shared that they were 107 pounds lighter on keto. "Happy 4th of July from my family to yours!" Ryan captioned a shot of himself, Brianna, their kids, and her stepfather Donn. "Swipe right and see the difference a year on keto has made, down 107 between the two of us!"

Ryan and Briana have also offered up little snippets of advice here and there including how it's possible to stay on the keto diet at Disneyland (JIC you were wondering… ).

So, yeah, they're now an amazing 128 pounds down. It's not hard to see why they're into keto.

Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, Glamour, and more.