If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Should You Try Whole30? Here's What Registered Dietitians Say

Happy New Year; now let's lose weight! Ugh, it seems like so many people assume the two go hand-in-hand. Wanting to lose weight is such a common new year's resolution, and one popular plan to jumpstart weight loss is for people to hop on the Whole30 train. Before you embark on this 30-day plan for the sole purpose of losing weight, we asked dietitians to tell us if Whole30 is the best approach.

What is Whole30?

If you're unfamiliar with Whole30, for 30 days straight you eat whole, unprocessed food including meat, seafood, eggs, veggies, fruit, and natural fats, and you avoid dairy, added sugar (real or artificial), alcohol, grains, and legumes (which includes peanuts and all forms of soy). You also can't have any baked goods, junk food, or treats made with "approved" Whole30 ingredients, so no vegan "nice cream" or baked sweet potato fries. Oh, and did I mention, if you "cheat" then you have to start back at Day 1?

Will Whole30 Help You Lose Weight?

Whole30 can help with weight loss as it restricts many foods that most of us tend to overeat , such as sugar and refined carbs. You'll also feel full on less overall calories since this plan focuses on eating protein and vegetables. "However, it all comes down to how many calories you're consuming. If you end up eating just as many calories as you currently do, then you may not notice a significant change in weight," said registered dietitian Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, for the food tracking app Lose It!. You may also eat more fat like avocados and nuts, and complex carbs like sweet potatoes and bananas, which could make you gain weight.

If a person does end up losing a few pounds, said registered dietitian Jessica Levings, MS, of Balanced Pantry, "the weight loss is unlikely to be sustained when they go back to their normal eating patterns at the end of the 30 days."

What Dietitians Think of Whole30 For Weight Loss

Registered dietitian Jackie Ballou Erdos, MS, RD, CDN, owner of Balancing Act Nutrition, warns that although Whole30 makes a lot of claims - with weight loss being one of them - and you may feel desperate to make a change, not everyone will experience what Whole30 promises.

"Like many wellness trends these days, Whole30 is marketed as a sustainable, positive lifestyle change; however, it's really a diet in disguise," Jackie said. It asks participants to restrict certain foods, and it labels some foods as "approved" and others as "off-limits." For those people struggling with body image, their relationship with food, or with other disordered eating behaviors such as binge eating, such a restrictive diet could make those issues worse.

That's not to say you shouldn't try Whole30. It can be great for people who want to get started eating more whole, unprocessed foods, or to figure out if certain foods are triggering certain issues like digestive or skin problems. People rave about how good they feel after the 30 days. But it's not the best approach if you're only doing it to lose weight.

Related: An Anti-Diet Dietitian Shares the 5 Steps You Can Take to Become an Intuitive Eater

A Warning About Diets in General

We know from research that diets don't work. Although people may lose weight at first, if that way of eating is unsustainable (as most diets are), people will inevitably regain the weight back. This typically begins the vicious restrict-binge, yo-yo dieting cycle.

Jackie shared that literature shows weight cycling - losing weight, gaining weight, repeat - is actually more harmful to our health than just staying at a higher weight. One research article that reviewed over 30 studies on dieting conclude d that dieting is actually a predictor of weight gain.

"I worry people are setting themselves up for restrict-and-binge cycles, weight cycling, and feeling guilty and ashamed and like they failed, when in fact it's diets that fail us; it isn't us who fail on diets," Jackie said.

If Whole30 Isn't the Answer, How Should People Lose Weight?

"Just because something helps you lose weight does not mean that it is healthy in the long run," added registered dietitian nutritionist and NASM-certified personal trainer Whitney English Tabaie, MS. Focusing on eating to change how your body looks can only make you feel bad about yourself and lead to harmful eating habits. So skip the dieting-for-weight-loss mentality! "For optimal health, you should focus on a long-term sustainable way of eating, which emphasizes whole, healthy plant foods," and that makes you feel energized, happy, confident, and healthy.

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Banish these 5 secretly sugary foods in 2020 to lose weight, fast

Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability is subject to change.

Beautiful young woman over grunge grey wall eating tomato salad serious face thinking about question, very confused idea

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When you reach for a cookie, you're probably aware that it's not the healthiest snack.

What you might not know is that foods you don't even think of as sweet — like, ketchup, bread, crackers, and yogurt—can be loaded down with sugar (and its evil twins, refined carbs and artificial sweeteners), causing you to gain weight and putting your health at risk. I researched these sneaky sugar sources for my new book, Sugar Free 3, and wanted to share my findings.

Food scientists often engineer products to have just the right amount of sweetness to make you crave more... and more... and then stick it in everything from soft drinks to spaghetti sauce. "It creates a pl easing mouth-feel and tastes impossibly delicious when combined with other ingredients, like fat and salt," says health journalist Max Lugavere. "Sugar is complicit in the hyper-palatable nature of packaged foods, which are easy to over-consume — they're so tasty and convenient — and yet they are not satiating at all." 

It's true, food manufacturers (or Big Food, as the collective is referred to) spend countless dollars on research and development to create foods that taste so good that you become a reliable repeat customer.  "A lot of us have developed a sugar dependence—feeling sugar highs and lows," says registered dietitian Keri Gl assman, who explains: "The more we have, the more we want. But this dependence can disrupt sleep, leading to fatigue and increased consumption of other calories, which causes a whole host of health issues." 

And yet we keep consuming it. Logically, you may know that sugar is bad and can lead to adverse effects, but your reward center drives you to just keep eating. So why do we blatantly ignore the health experts — or even our own common sense?

The scary truth is, many of us don't even know when we're eating added sugars because they are snuck into surprising food. Some of top sources of hidden sugars:

Rigatoni bolognese with fresh mozzarella and basil in a big plate. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Pasta Sauce: They taste savory, but can have as much sugar as a chocolate chip cookie (10 grams or more) per half cup.

Ginger dressing added to a salad of smoked salmon, spinach, avocado and quinoa. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Bottled Salad Dressing: In a just a few tablespoons, you can consume more than 5 grams of sugar…way more, if you pour it on. 

Breakfast yogurt parfait with granola, mango, berries. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Yogurt: It contains calcium, protein and naturally occurring sugar from the milk. But the fruit varieties often have a whopping amount of sugar too. 

Granola bars with cranberries. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Granola Bars: They have a health "halo" because they sound super healthy, but most are packed with high-fructose corn syrup—a big NO NO.

Flavored seltzers are often a sneaky source of sugars. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Beverages: Teas, energy drinks and even some flavored seltzers can be teeming with sugar or artificial sweeteners—and in liquid form, it's easy to gulp them down. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calculated that here are over 60 different names used for "sugar" on food labels— with covert monikers such as dextrose, barley malt and sucrose. Check out my new book, Sugar Free 3, for a complete list of sneaky sugar aliases, plus tips on how to kick sugar, curb cravings, lose weight, get healthier-skin, sleep better and supercharge your health!

Michele Promaulayko is an influential voice on health, wellness, beauty, relationships and women's issues. She is an award-winning editor and journalist who has led world-class media brands s uch as Women's Health and Cosmopolitan and is the current Editorial-Director-at-Large for THE WELL. In her latest book, Sugar Free 3, Promaulayko tackles one of the biggest health problems Americans struggle with today — sugar dependency — and provides a simple, actionable solution for evading its detrimental impact.

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The Best Bathroom Scales to Track Your Weight Loss Goals

By The Good Housekeeping Institute of Good Housekeeping |

Using a digital scale can be a great way to monitor weight change over time and help you keep track of fitness and health goals, but some scales can be more reliable and useful than others. So it's definitely worth investing in a scale that's been proven to be dependable and offers great bonus features.

Because yes, your bathroom scale can now offer more than just a simple weigh in. There are so many smart scale options on the market today. In addition to simply providing your weight, some of our top scale picks can also measure body mass index, body fat percentage, metabolic rate, and even bone and muscle mass. Several of our best digital bathroom scales also link up to smartphone apps that help you manage your weight loss goals.

But when buying a new bathroom scale, it's important to keep in mind that the number on the scale can change on a daily basis, due to a variety of factors. One weigh-in should not make or break your fitness and health journey. Instead, the best way to make your scale work for you is to use it regularly and consistently, in order to track your weight and accurately measure it against your own ebbs and flows. Owning a scale that gives you more intel offers a more well-rounded approach to your goals. (Just remember to always take readings on a flat, even surface to get the best measurements!)

So go ahead and upgrade your bathroom scale with one of these top digital picks from the Good Housekeeping Institute:

© amazon

How WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Helped A Bride Lose 100 Pounds

Losing weight — and keeping it off — is a lot easier when you have expert guidance from the leader in weight loss and its supportive community. WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) just rolled out its most customized program ever, and it's poised to continue to help millions of members around the world accomplish their weight-loss and wellness goals in 2020. With myWW™, each new member takes a personal assessment which matches them with a customized program that can make losing weight easier.

While many members follow and succeed on the WW program using the WW app, those who would like a little extra expert guidance and consistent support swear by the weekly WW Workshops to keep them accountable and help them stay on track. WW Coaches host weekly 30-minute Workshops at over 800 studios nationwide.

Kerri Seales is a WW member at the WW Studio in Carle Place, New York. Learn more about her weight-loss journey and get inspired!

Answers have been edited f or clarity and length.

What made you start the WW program?

Kerri: Four years ago, I was newly engaged and absolutely terrified of getting married at 318 pounds. I had been obese my entire life and, sadly, never before had found a good enough reason to finally take control of my life. My upcoming wedding served as my anchor to stay consistent and never give up. I joined WW and have lost 100 pounds.

What is your favorite thing about WW?

Kerri: My favorite thing about WW is that whatever season you are in in life, what ever reason you joined WW, they will meet you there. My WW family at Workshops is always there to provide me with guidance and support through my most rewarding and challenging times. I have never felt alone, never feared failing — because there is always someone to lift me back up and remind me how far I have come. This program has brought so many amazing people into my life — from my WW Coaches to my fellow members. There's endless amounts of inspiration and motivation.

What excites you the most about the new customized myWW program?

Kerri: The myWW program fits my personal life style. People change and evolve, and we have different needs at different points in life. With myWW, the plans are customized and can change with us. The myWW plan provides structure without telling us how we have to implement that structure. I am on the Green Plan which means that I have 100 ZeroPoint food options of any food I choose without sacrificing my favorite things. (WW's proprietary SmartPoints™ system simplifies complex nutritional information into a simple number to easily guide your eating decisions to support weight loss. ZeroPoint foods form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern and are foods you don't have to track! Depending on your customized plan, they can include foods such as chicken breast, fat-free Greek yogurt, all vegetables and more.) I love it!

How has your local WW Studio helped you in your weight-loss and wellness journey?

Kerri: My WW family at my local studio in Carle Place, New York, is what I owe a majority of my success to. It's wonde rful to have support from family, friends, your spouse — but having a family of like-minded people surrounding you who just "get it" is absolutely everything. I owe it to both my fellow members in the Workshops, and the amazing members I have met on the internet — specifically on Instagram and Connect (WW's community within the WW app) — for befriending me, supporting me and lifting me up.

Follow Kerri on Instagram at @fashionfitfoodie__

Do you have any favorite WW Workshops or Coaches?

Kerri: Elyse Silver — I owe me walking into that first Workshop and coming back each week to her. Her bright, bubbly personality — and her little "Elyse-isms," as I call them — always made me think. The weeks I didn't believe in myself, she did. And when I did well, it was as if she did, too. She is the ultimate cheer squad, and I am forever grateful for everything she has done to help me reach my true potential.

What do you look forward to at your weekly Workshop?

Kerri: I love hearing about the obstacles people faced during the week — and the excitement in their voices when they share how they overcame them. I love hearing about low-SmartPoint food finds, too! Sharing recipes and information makes this journey that much easier!

What are the best nutrition and/or fitness tips you've picked up on?

Kerri: Nothing is off limits when it comes to food, whether you enjoy what you want in moderation or make slight modifications to make it more SmartPoint-friendly. I also love ZeroPoint foods. (ZeroPoint foods form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern, and are foods you don't have to track! Depending on your customized plan, they can include foods like chicken breast, fat-free Greek yogurt, all vegetables and more.) A few of my favorites are skinless chicken breast, salmon and corn. This allows me to indulge in foods that I love.

What is something about WW that surprises your friends or loved ones most when they hear you are on it?

Kerri: I enjoy waffles with powdered sugar and syrup at least three days a week. My family and friends who are not on WW are typically shocked and probably assume I am "off plan" when they see those things on my Facebook. But the reason myWW works for me is that I can get creative in the kitchen, and I've learned how to adapt any food I love into a healthy, SmartPoint-friendly alternative.

For my waffles, I use one egg, two tablespoons of flapjack mix, one teaspoon of vanilla extract and one mashed banana. Mix it well, pour into my waffle iron and voila! I enjoy it with a quarter-cup of sugar-free maple syrup and a dusting of confectioners sugar replacement. That waffle is only one SmartPoint on the Blue and Purple plan and 3 on the Green plan.

What is your favorite ZeroPoint food and favorite treat?

Kerri: Oddly enough, my favorite ZeroPoint food is apples. Before WW, I never kept fruit on hand, but now I buy a bag of apples every week and really enjoy them — especially with some peanut butter!

My favorite treat is ice cream. I have always had a sweet tooth, and now they have so many lower-calorie ice creams on the market. My favorite are the Greek yogurt bars and pints by Yasso and Enlightened.

What is your favorite local hot spot for a healthy meal? Or to indulge?

Kerri: Growing up on Long Island, diners were always my go-to. I used to go every weekend with my family, and now I'll go after a busy work day with my husband. The Hicksville Diner just feels like home, the staff is great and they alw ays remember us. They have the best menu, and the best thing about a diner is you can have it your way! I usually order the chargrilled chicken breast and ask them to hold the mozzarella. The meal comes with veggies and a sweet potato.

I also treat myself to fast food once a week. Staying on plan while eating from my favorite fast-food chain is easy because right in the WW app, there is a restaurant guide which gives you all the SmartPoints for places like Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Panera, Wendy's, etc.

What is your advice to others who want to lose weight but don't know how to get started?

Kerri: Don't wait. All you have to do is get started, sign up online — walk into a Workshop and you will be welcomed with open arms. And don't worry about how long it will take to lose the weight. Every day you wait is another day of your life passing you by. Just take it one day at a time. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Small changes over time add up to big results.

< p>The food you choose to fuel your body is what is most important. Make yourself proud. That's what kept me going, each week seeing progress — each week, I strived to do better than myself the week before. I was my only competition.

Beyond the weight loss, how has WW affected your lifestyle and your approach to wellness?

Kerri: My confidence. You should see my closet, I mean — I liked to shop before losing the weight, but it is so much more fun now. My closet is packed with bright colors, out-of-the-box styles, dresses and, dare I say, crop tops! My confidence has driven me in the path of so many wonderful opportunities I never saw for myself.

As far as wellness goes, I now choose foods that make me feel good — not because I have to but because I want to. I pick zucchini noodles over traditional pasta because after eating a full bowl of zoodles, I still have plenty of pep in my step and don't get that overly "full" feeling! Taking care of me — mind body and so ul — is now what is most important to me.

What is your New Year's resolution?

Kerri: I want to grow. On a personal level, I have become more myself these last four years than I ever was before. I am hopeful, focused and unbelievably driven. Even though my weight loss has been a winding road lately, I am still on the road, and I am so proud of that. I'm still here.

How WW Can Help You Find Success

WW is a weight-loss program that takes a people-focused, science-backed approach to promoting weight loss and healthy living. Its new program, myWW, is fully customized to make losing weight easier for you.

When you join myWW, you'll start with a personal assessment that asks a range of questions about your unique food preferences, activity level, lifestyle and approach to weight loss. Based on your responses, WW will scientifically match you with a customized, proven weight-loss plan that can make losing weight easier.

Get Started Losing Weight With WW Today! Why Visit a WW Studio?

Every person in the WW Studio is on your side! The friendly guides and expert Coaches will quickly become your greatest motivators and sources of support to make 2020 the year you reach your weight-loss goals!

Workshops held at WW Studio locations cover topics that are relevant to weight loss, health and wellness. You can participate as much or as little as you want. There are WW Workshops during the morning, afternoon and evening, seven days a week. This gives you flexibility to attend the Workshop time/day/location that works for during any particular week and ensure your accountability network is always accessible.

Based on years of research, the WW Workshop curriculum is always evolving to bring the best science-backed techniques to help you lose weight and build healthy habits for life.

Find Your Nearest New York City-Area Studio!

Fasting diets may add years to your life as well as help you lose weight, new study suggests

Intermittent fasting diets may add years to your life: study

A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University finds diets that involve intermittent fasting may add years to your life. Studies have linked fasting to improved metabolism, decreased blood pressure and improved control of blood sugar levels.

Fasting may be more than just fad.

New research suggests that people who use the trendy new diets that involve intermittent fasting may actually be adding years to their lives. It turns out the celebrities promoting the lifestyle, like Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston, may actually be onto something.

"We are at a transition point where we could soon consider adding information about intermittent fasting to medical school curricula alongside standard advice about healthy diets and exercise," Professor Mark Mattson told SWNS. (iStock)

There are several types of intermittent fasting diets, but most involve either limiting food intake to just an 8-hour window or not eating for two days a week.

VEGAN INFLUENCER EATS MEAT FOR 30 DAYS, SHOCKS FANS BY SAYING SHE'S HEALTHIER THEN SHE'S 'FELT IN YEARS'

A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University shows that this may help the body improve its metabolism, SWNS reports. While many people use the diet simply to lose weight, there might be added benefits.

Professor Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist, has studied the effects of the diet for over two decades (and has been practicing it himself for 20 years).

"We are at a transition point where we could soon consider adding information about intermittent fasting to medical school curricula alongside standard advice about healthy diets and exercise," Mattson told SWNS.

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His findings, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that fasting can trigger "metabolic switching," and evolutionary adaption. Studies show that aside from helping with metabolism, fasting has also been linked with decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and resting heart rates. It may also help control blood sugar levels, increase resistance to stress and suppress inflammation.

Of course, intermittent fasting has its downside as well.

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"Patients should be advised that feeling hungry and irritable is common initially and usually passes after two weeks to a month as the body and brain become accustomed to the new habit," Mattson explained.

Weight Loss: Four Cups of This Beverage Can Help You Reduce Fat Quickly

KEY POINTS

>160 million Americans are either overweight or obese

Study: Rats that consumed caffeine extracts gained 16% lesser weight 

Mate tea & caffeine can be considered anti-obesity agents  

Are you one of those individuals who cannot make it through the day without more than a couple of coffee? A new study suggests that extra caffeine intake could aid weight loss.

Researchers from the University of Illinois who sought to analyze the impact of caffeine on rat models have found that consuming around four cups of coffee per day can result in weight reduction.

The study was conducted on rat models for a period of four weeks where they were given caffeine extracted from mate tea. The rats were made to follow a diet containing 40% fat, 45% carbohydrates and 15% protein and were also given caffeine equivalents to four cups of coffee.

Mate tea is a herbal beverage enriched with phytochemicals, flavonoids, and amino acids. The beverage is widely consumed as stimulants among people in the Latin American countries. One serving of mate tea contains about 65-130 mg compared to 30-300 mg of caffeine contained in a cup of brewed coffee.

The findings reported that caffeine might also delay certain negative effects of an obesity-causing diet by reducing lipid storage in fat cells and limiting weight gain alongside triglyceride production.

Also, the lean body mass percentage in the various groups of rats was found to be differing significantly. Those ingested with caffeine from mate tea or synthetic sources of caffeine were found to have accumulated lesser body fat compared to rats in the other groups.

The findings add to the growing body of evidence that mate tea might help combat obesity alongside providing several other health benefits.

"Considering the findings, mate tea and caffeine can be considered anti-obesity agents," Masslive quoted the study's author Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia, director of the division of nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois. "The results of this research could be scaled to humans to understand the roles of mate tea and caffeine as potential strategies to prevent overweight and obesity, as well as the subsequent metabolic disorders associated with these conditions."

The researchers also tracked the expression of several genes associated with lipid metabolism and obesity which included the fatty acid synthase gene and lipoprotein gene.

Coffee trade prices account for only 10 percent of the price for a brew in the coffee shop Photo: AFP / CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN

Losing weight can trim expenses over a lifetime

If you're overweight or obese, shedding pounds can help improve your health and your longevity. What's more, doing so may also significantly boost your bank balance.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore wanted to know how a person's expenses and income might change if their weight went from obese to overweight to normal at different ages.

So they created a computer simulation that looked at a person's health and weight over the years. They considered time lost from work, health complications related to being overweight -- such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes -- and direct medical costs to insurers and health care facilities, among other things.

How much could you save? If you're 20, the research, which was published in the Journal of Obesity, found that slimming down from obese to overweight saves you more than $17,000 in direct medical costs and lost productivity over your lifetime. Reach a healthy weight and the savings exceed $28,000.

If you're in your 40s, going from obese to overweight saves you around $18,000. Drop to a healthy weight and you'll net an average lifetime savings of about $31,000.

Savings peak for those who slim down in the midlife years. A 50-year-old who goes from obese to overweight can see a lifetime savings of about $36,000. You'll add even more cash to your wallet if you work toward a healthy weight.

While there can be significant health costs associated with overweight, it's interesting to note that more than half of these costs are related to missed days at work.

Rethink your diet strategy today and you could be adding money to your nest egg tomorrow.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tips for healthy weight loss to get you started.

Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Time for A Cleanse? Need to Lose Weight? Here Are the 7 Best Detoxes on Amazon

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Start the Roaring Twenties off right! Take charge of 2020 with an internal cleanse and begin the new year with a clean body, fresh mind, and spirited outlook. Whether you're trying to lose weight, clean your digestive tract or both—even if you want to kickstart the Keto Diet—here are the seven best detoxes on Amazon.

After the long holiday season is over, we all feel like we need a reset. We ate too much, we drank too much, and worst of all, it's an awful lot of effort just to relax! We could all use to drop a few post-holiday pounds. But even the stress of the holidays—family, travel, gifts, all of it!—feels like it needs to be flushed away.

A cleanse is a great way to start any new year. The timing is right, and they're easier and more affordable than ever. Amazon has dozens of cleanses for the body. Whether it's pills, powders, or gummies, there's a cleanse for most every need.

Looking to flush your digestive tract and drop some water weight? Dozens of digestive and colon cleanses can help you approach 2020 with a clean, er, conscience. Party a bit too much this holiday season? We get it. Amazon has cleanses for the liver, kidney, gut, and even THC. We chose to focus on internal body cleanses for this list. But rest assured, there's a cleanse or best detox at Amazon for pretty much everything.

Did you know the human intestinal tract is 25 to 30 feet in length and covers a surface area the size of a tennis court? It's massive, and it needs the occasional detox. Furthermore, by the age of 40, the average person can have 10-20 pounds of hard, compacted fecal matter lodged in their intestinal tract. Flush it away and give your body a reset in 2020 with one of these awesome cleansers and detoxes available at Amazon.

Below are seven of the best detoxes on Amazon that we know are great and can recommend.

Check out all the best detoxes on Amazon here.

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Marie Osmond’s weight-loss journey

Among the many personal struggles actress and singer Marie Osmond has dealt with was her battle with weight.

As per People, Marie recently spoke to Fox News about someone body-shaming her when she was just 15 years old and had started Donny & Marie, the American variety show that aired from 1976 to 1979, and showcased her and her brother Donny.

 

"One day, I was taken out into a parking lot and one of the studio people told me that if I didn't drop 10 pounds, they were going to cancel the show. They said I was an embarrassment to my family and I needed to keep the food out of my fat face," recollected the Dancing with the Stars star. Soon, she began starving herself to lose weight even when she was only 47 kg, even losing to 5 kg without realising the mental abuse behind that.

Marie then spoke about how she had difficulty managing her fluctuating weight and about how her son begged her to lose weight for her health's sake. Now, after Dancing with the Stars began, Marie has lost 23 kg over four months.

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Can Intermittent Fasting Help You Lose Weight And Improve Your Health?

Clock on white plate with fork and knife, intermittent fasting, meal plan, weight loss concept on ... [+] blue table

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With the holidays upon us and everyone focused on watching their waistline, it's a natural to think about the ideal diet to prevent weight gain and maybe even promote weight a little loss.

Let's face it, it's really difficult to go on a "diet". Diets are faced with a high risk of failure with the bulk of them failing, ending with eventual weight gain above and beyond where you started.

The concept of caloric restriction which has been explored as a way to improve longevity has been shown to be successful in animal models (mice), offering an enticing possibility to humans. But implementing this into your daily lifestyle may be problematic and may not be realistic in the long run.

Another more intriguing approach that has been gaining popularity in the past decade is intermittent fasting (IF), a form of time-restricted eating.

In a nutshell, it's a way to extend the window of time during the day in which you don't eat. Instead of eating from the time you awaken, the goal is to delay the onset of eating, thereby extending your fasting period that naturally occurs when you sleep.

IF involves only eating for a defined period of time in a 24-hour period. For example, it may involve eating for an 8-hour period during the day—as opposed to grazing on food all day long—and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. (During the fast, you are permitted to drink water, have black coffee, or tea.) 

For example, instead of eating from 7 am when you awaken, you would begin eating at 11 am or noon until 7 or 8 pm. When you do eat, the goal is to eat moderately, although you are permitted to eat the foods that you would normally eat.

Variations on this theme include the 5:2 approach (eating normally 5 days a week and approximately 500-600 calories 2 days week), or alternate day fasting (ADF).

With IF becoming more popular, it's important that physicians and other healthcare professionals be aware of the principles and science behind the diet in order to have a rational discussion with their patients.

In an article published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, Mark Mattson, PhD, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, explains the nuances behind the approach to IF, along with why he adopted this approach to eating more than 20 years ago.

Mattson's personal reasons for adopting intermittent fasting  began well before he embarked research into the topic itself. It actually began about 35-40 years ago as a method he could use to reduce symptoms related to acid reflux which he found were worse if he ate breakfast and then rode his bike to work in the research lab.

"I started doing it way back in graduate school at the University of Iowa in the early 80s," he explained. "So I quit eating breakfast and found that I didn't get the reflux—and I haven't eaten breakfast since then!"

Little did he realize that this was at the beginning of a pursuit of a concept that would shape his research, and have broad implications for disease management, metabolism as well as weight loss.

Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

While certain subgroups of patients, including those with diabetes and pre-diabetes may benefit from adopting this approach to eating (by lowering HB A1C levels), its value and principles certainly extends to other subgroups including those with cardiovascular disease, neurologic ailments (multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease) and patients with cancer.

While IF may facilitate weight loss by reduced caloric intake, its more important benefits include improved glucose regulation via lower insulin levels, reduced blood pressure and lower resting heart rate, all indicators of improved health.

There may also be a reduction in weight-related medical conditions such as elevated cholesterol, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), offered Dr. Minisha Sood, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City.

"Importantly, intermittent fasting or alignment of eating with our natural circadian rhythms may positively impact the gut microbiome which could improve overall metabolism and health," she explained. 

Metabolic Switching

The concept by which this is facilitated is known as "metabolic switching", which according to Mattson, is a healthy homeostatic mechanism that evolved in Homo Sapiens over thousands of years during periods when food was scarce. This involves switching by our body's cells from using glucose during the fed state to free fatty acids (FFA) and ketone bodies during periods of starvation. This switch, which is metabolically advantageous, actually serves to reduce inflammation by utilizing adaptive pathways in our cellular machinery.

As Mattson explains, glucose is the normal fuel our bodies rely on during the "fed" state. When we eat, excess glucose beyond immediate caloric expenditures is stored as a compound known as glycogen in the liver for quick burst of energy, but excess as fats (triglycerides). Triglycerides or fat is broken down to compounds known as "free fatty acids" (FFA) along with glycerol. Further metabolism of FFA by the body produces compounds known as "ketone bodies" which are used by the brain, heart and other organs during periods when glucose is not immediately available.

Clearly IF is not for everyone, with lifestyle, age, medical history, work hours (shifts) and personal preference being key factors that may influence the ability to adhere to this lifestyle and approach to eating, as Mattson explains. There may also be sex differences and genetics that ultimately influence individual success with IF.

"Time restricted eating or intermittent fasting may be actually easier to stick with than daily calorie restriction or daily calorie control," explained Sood. When studied head-to-head, intermittent fasting and daily calorie restriction are both equally effective for weight loss so it's really a matter of finding an approach which works with one's lifestyle and which can be followed consistently."

In regard to potential downsides of IF, Sood explained that "some people may experience increased hunger toward the end of the fasting period each day—the hunger response may wane over time and people adjust. If they do not feel an improvement in hunger levels or they experience headache or fatigue while fasting they may want to consider a shorter fast or an alternative approach to weight loss."

Health coaches and fitness professionals also have seen encouraging results in terms of improved stamina and muscle strengthening after integrating IF into workouts and training sessions for clients.

"I've seen clients drop 1-2 lbs per week, making no changes to their diet at the start—only changing the time that they eat," said Nicole Winhoffer, a fitness artist, and creator of the NW Method in New York City. "Their brains functioned better, they performed better, and were able to execute 30% more in their workouts."

Elite athletes have also embraced this concept, according to Mattson. "It's clear that British athletes have excelled in the Tour de France in the last 5-7 years," he offered. The potential reason? The use of keto esther, a supplement which Mattson points out has surged in popularity among elite British cyclists in recent years. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), he explained, has cleared this compound since it is naturally derived. The results have been rather impressive to say the least.

 Intermittent Fasting to Treat Chronic Disease

Buy there are several areas where Mattson believes that IF may have positive benefits including cancer and neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease .

He points out various studies where improvement in tumor burden may be seen. His rationale for this approach is based on the premise that cancer cells can only use glucose to proliferate. With IF, with only ketone bodies available, the cells are unable to survive and the tumor burden is reduced.

Research also supports the numerous beneficial metabolic effects of IF related to neurologic function, including positive effects on verbal and working memory and cognition seen in older adults. The benefits further extend to disease states such as MS where ongoing trials hope to show improved function based on preliminary results seen thus far.

"Mattson's article is an important contribution to our understanding of metabolism. It demonstrates that beyond choosing healthy diets and avoiding high sugar/high fat and processed food, the amount of time between meals can provide significant benefits as well," offers Benjamin Hirsh, M.D., Director, Preventive Cardiology, Northwell Health's Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital, Manhasset, New York.

"Physician and public health guidance on how to implement healthy lifestyle choices overall will yield much greater benefits overall to individuals hoping to improve their health and the population at large, he explained. "However, for the individual who wants to try a diet where the pattern is as much about fasting as it is about food intake choices, there is now a dietary pattern that they can pursue." 

"However, this also must be done under the guidance of a physician very knowledgeable about this science, and the diet must be followed very strictly, which will be difficult to do outside the context of a clinical trial," he added.

Breakfast As The Least Likely Meal

Mattson sums his thoughts about IF up by stating that "from an evolutionary perspective, breakfast is the least likely meal", a reflection of his thoughts that embrace cellular adaptations and metabolic switching as products of evolution of human physiology. Mattson explains that we never awoke to a "ready-made" breakfast over ten thousand years ago, prior to the agricultural revolution.

Instead, humans had to forage or find food, or make a "kill". It involved work and time with the natural process of fasting already part of our existence before we could ever eat.

He also envisions how this approach could one day be adopted as part of an approach or treatment for obesity, to help jumpstart the process with inpatient stay, ideally reimbursed by insurance companies or other third party payers. Since we already treat alcohol use disorder and opiate abuse in this manner, why not obesity? The concept is compelling to say the least.

What good evening habits help your body lose weight healthily and effectively quickly?

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Many people are overweight and obese due to unhealthy habits. Here is a list of 5 good habits you can do in the evening to help control your weight and promote health. For those who are overweight and ...

Top Weight Loss Meal Delivery Kits

[unable to retrieve full-text content]But navigating weight loss can be confusing and difficult. "Weight loss is more complicated than just calories in and calories out," says Dr. Eric Pham, a weight loss expert and surgeon with St.

Your Poop Can Weigh Up To Four Pounds, But That Doesn't Mean You'll Lose Weight

© SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images Everyone feels lighter after pooping, but how much does poop weigh and does it actually promote weight loss? Experts reveal the truth and how to have healthier bowel movements.

Anyone who has ever hit the bathroom at Target or Barnes & Noble to emerge a new person has probably wondered (beyond "What is it about this place?") whether pooping actually affects weight loss.

It's a fair question. A nice, productive poop (I think you know what I'm talking about without me having to describe) can make you feel lighter and leaner and more comfortable in your jeans. Being "stuck" (a.k.a. constipated) makes you feel...the opposite. But is that lighter feeling after pooping real?

Turns out, it can be—but only a bit, says Mitzi Dulan, RD, author of The Pinterest Diet. "It's actually fairly simple," she says. "Depending on your size and how regular you are, your poop can vary from one to four pounds. It's likely to be on the higher end if you haven't pooped for a few days."

Wait...how much does poop weigh?

If you're thinking, "Four pounds, seriously?!" I get it...that's not exactly a small amount if you're struggling to lose weight. But you have to remember that your poo is made up of some pretty heavy stuff: Specifically, it's about 75 percent water, per UMass Memorial Healthcare, with the rest being composed of bacteria, mucous, dead blood cells, and duh, food remains.

That said, you have to think big picture here. Even four pounds isn't a significant amount of weight at the end of the day, since the number on the scale will consistently swing up and down as your bowel movements do. In other words, when you're backed up, your weight will increase a bit, and after you relieve yourself, it'll drop.

Either way, pooping won't affect your weight in any huge way—even if it does feel like you just dropped 10 pounds. That amazing feeling is more about de-bloating than actual loss of body mass. Sorry!

Oh, tell me more about weight loss versus de-bloating.

Bloating is that awful, uncomfortable, full feeling that strikes when your digestive system has trapped air or gas inside it, and it can be downright painful, not to mention make you look puffy AF. Even though your stomach might appear bigger when you're bloated, bloating doesn't necessarily mean you've gained actual weight (in terms of body mass).

"Pooping can reduce bloating and help you fit more comfortably in your clothes so you feel smaller overall," says Dulan. "It's not like after you poop you should be saying, 'This is my new weight!'"

If you're trying to track weight loss, Dulan suggests weighing yourself at similar times in the morning, sans clothes, to avoid letting your poops (or lack thereof) trick the scale. "If you have to go to the bathroom, go ahead because it will lower the scale a little bit," she says. "But if you don't need to poop, don't sit on the toilet trying to go so you weigh less. It won't be a substantial difference."

Ah, so what affects my ability to poop?

While the direct connection between pooping and weight loss is minimal (again, sorry!), there is one aspect of the link that you can use to your benefit: "Eating a diet that's higher in fiber causes you to not only be more regular, but it can also help you lose weight," says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, a nutritionist at B Nutritious.

How so? Stocking up on enough fiber throughout your day helps push food through your system to avoid constipation before it starts. "It actually stimulates your GI tract to promote movement," says Zeitlin. Beyond that, a high-fiber diet may help ward off certain cancers, especially that of the colon, and help regulate blood sugar and reduce cholesterol, studies show.

And when it comes to your weight, fiber fills you up like few nutrients can. "Fiber is found in three things: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains," says Zeitlin. "If you're incorporating fiber at every meal and snack, you're making sure you're eating one of these fabulous foods that promote weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. In addition, you're probably removing other things that aren't as great [from your diet]."

Speaking of things that aren't as great for your diet, here's how J.Lo and A-Rod pulled off a no-sugar challenge:

That said, don't overdo it on the F word: Zeitlin recommends women aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, because getting much more than that can not only constipate you but cause other GI distress symptoms, too.

According to Duke University, regularly consuming more than 70 grams of fiber may lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, cramps, and a decrease in appetite. Eating too much fiber can also limit nutrient absorption and even cause intestinal blockages (that's pretty serious stuff).

To get a healthy amount of fiber every day, try having a cup of a high-fiber food as part of your breakfast, like a cup of berries with Greek yogurt (it's high in probiotics, which "promote healthy GI bacteria to help move things along," says Zeitlin). You should also aim to eat two fistfuls of veggies at both lunch and dinner to keep your digestive system—and your weight—as regular as possible.

Oh, and don't forget about all the other stuff you do all day that affects how often you poop (fiber is just one piece of the puzzle!). As WH previously reported, you might find yourself pooping less frequently if you:

don't drink enough water

forget to manage your stress levels

change your schedule or travel frequently (hi, vacation constipation)

experience hormonal changes (thanks to PMS, pregnancy, or menopause)

take certain OTC or prescription medications

change up your diet or caloric intake

don't engage in regular physical activity

Of course, the reverse of all these factors is true, too; some medications can make you poop more often, as can your overall activity/hydration/caffeine levels. It's all one big balancing act.

So how do I find my "normal"?

If you're hoping for an exact number of bowel movements that's considered "healthy" or "normal," so sorry (gosh, I keep apologizing here). There is no one number, because the range of normal varies from person to person. Anywhere from three times a day to once every three days is generally considered healthy, so as long as you fall somewhere along that spectrum (and aren't experiencing anything painful or out of the ordinary), you're good.

Now, if you are experiencing something painful or out of the ordinary, you should contact your doctor. Depending on the issue, he or she may refer you to a gastroenterologist. According to Penn Medicine, having the following symptoms for any extended period of time (i.e. more than a few days) warrants a phone call or visit:

consistently off-colored poop (like pale, red, or black stool) or color changes not related to new dietary habits

sudden changes to the frequency of your bowel movements

bloody stool

severe abdominal pain while pooping

poop that floats (which can be a sign of infection)

poop that smells unusual or especially odorous

The bottom line? It's important to know that a slowdown in your regular bathroom habits may make you feel like you've gained a bunch of weight, but that's really not the case. A combination of bloating and discomfort—along with a couple extra pounds of poop—can make the situation seem more dire than it actually is.

When you do finally go, you'll feel lighter than air...but you'll still only weigh a leeeettle less than before. So if weight loss is your goal, you'll need to think outside the bathroom—good thing WH is here for that!

Eating chocolate can help you lose weight instead of gaining weight as you think

You often think eating chocolate is the culprit leading fat, but pure black chocolate has the effect of losing weight very effectively.

You need to know chocolate is not difficult if you buy the right type of pure chocolate, not doped or much milk. And you also need to eat chocolate properly to make the process of weight loss more effective. But do not think that science proves that eating chocolate can help you lose weight and be tolerated much! Anything taken too much is not good for the body. Moreover, not all chocolate will help eliminate fat and lose weight effectively

Is chocolate really the culprit causing weight gain?

Chocolate is one of the most loved flavors in the world. Ingredients of chocolate include cocoa and cocoa butter, added sugar, milk and a few other substances. Chocolate is a food that contains more energy than other foods but the ingredients in chocolate have the ability to help the metabolism take place more actively.

This means more fat in the body is burned than it tends to accumulate. An antioxidant compound called Catechins in chocolate can help burn more calories in the muscles when you exercise. Therefore, you should use dark chocolate (pure chocolate) instead of milk chocolate because of the less sugar in it, which results in a higher weight loss effect.

It doesn't mean eating as much as you want ...

Thus, not all types of chocolate can help you lose weight as you desire. Many types of ingredients such as butter, milk, sugar also make the body dizzy. Therefore, it is necessary to find out which chocolate is good for weight loss. According to research, dark chocolate (bitter chocolate, dark chocolate) is the type that has the best weight loss effect.

In the morning, instead of eating the usual food, you can eat a chocolate cake and still ensure the supply. Get enough calories including protein and sugar. The energy that comes with breakfast with chocolate will help maintain the normal functioning of the body.

The important thing is that the sweetness of Chocolate helps you control cravings throughout the day, which is beneficial for people losing weight. People who add chocolate to their diet do not suffer from junk food cravings and easily control the amount of sweets they eat. Eating dark chocolate makes it easier to control your diet.

Creates a feeling of fullness when eating, helping you eat less than regular dieters. However, eating too much Chocolate is not good for your health because Chocolate actually still contains lots of sugar and fat. Want to have good health and not lose weight control, you should only add chocolate and morning. The remaining meals will enhance green vegetables and fruits, combined with regular exercise will give you a healthy, balanced body.

So, chocolate does not make you gain weight, it helps you lose weight. But it must be dark chocolate (bitter taste) for this effect. If you eat chocolate with a lot of milk and sugar, then weight gain is obvious. Please pay attention to choose the right type of chocolate to promote their weight loss effects.

Watch: How to LOSE WEIGHT with CHOCOLATE

Ed Sheeran Details 50-Pound Weight Loss, Talks Being Pressured by Trolls

Ed Sheeran at Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards on July 5, 2019 in London, England. JM Enternational/Shutterstock

The shape of Ed! Ed Sheeran revealed his recent weight loss was partly due to "external pressure" he felt from the public to look like other male singers.

10 Easy Celeb-Approved Exercises and Self-Care Hacks to Get You on Track and Energized

The "Shape of You" singer detailed his 50-pound weight loss in a "Behind the Medal" podcast interview that was posted in December and revealed how he first got into running.

"I didn't run, I didn't even touch exercise for a long time," Sheeran, 28, told the podcast hosts Gary Damer and Dean Smith in the September interview that was released on December 20.

He noted that he used to play sports but once he started music and smoking, he stopped working out. He's now three years smoke-free, which lines up with when he started to work out again. "I started just to clean my lungs out," he explained.

In the beginning, the British singer explained that he would "literally run for three songs" and then he'd be done. "Now, I do, like, 45 minutes in the morning and then maybe have a swim or [do] sit-ups," he said.

The singer would eventually like to do a marathon now that he's healthier and enjoys running. "I think it's all about training," he said. "I think for me it would be doing a 10k first." If he were to start training, he noted, "I would have to do it somewhere where a lot of people aren't watching."

Ed Sheeran at The NRJ Music Awards on November 7, 2015 in Cannes, France. Laurent Vu/NMA2016/SIPA/Shutterstock Celebrity Runners: Stars Who Jog for Fitness

When on tour, the "Put It All on Me" crooner doesn't have as easy of a time maintaining his weight and workout regimen, however. "I had to make a real effort on this tour," Sheeran explained on the podcast. On the Multiply Tour he said he "ballooned" and it's all thanks to the food in the U.S.

"It's always America that gets me. America in buses," the "Perfect" singer admitted. "You finish a gig in America [and] you get a tray of chicken wings, sit in the back of the bus, watch The Simpsons, drink a couple bottles of wine. Then that's every single day so it just piles on you."

Before he got into running and cycling, the "Beautiful People" musician — who married Cherry Seaborn in 2018 — revealed that he didn't think too deeply about his size, until other people started to compare him to his fellow male musicians.

Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn: A Timeline of Their Relationship

"Whenever I've been big, there's always online trolls or newspapers or comments," the musician said. "In terms of actual pressure, internal pressure of, like, of record labels being, like, you have to be slimmer, no. The music industry is music first and then image second. I think there's definitely a lot of external pressures. You kind of get it in your head that you need to look like everyone else."

He added:  "I never once had any insecurities really about myself until people pointed them out."

Ed Sheeran Recalls His 50-Pound Weight Loss Journey

Mike Marsland/WireImage

Ed Sheeran famously sings about the shape of you, but it's the shape of him that he's talking about now. 

In a newly posted episode of the Behind the Medal podcast, the Grammy-winning musician reflected on the changes he made to his diet and fitness that led to losing around 50 pounds. 

As the star summarized of his fitness, he started music, then started smoking and then "it all kind of went out the window." Then, Sheeran stopped smoking nearly three years ago and started exercising. Noting he now "loves it," he shared his regimen consists of a 45-minute run in the morning followed by a swim or sit-ups, as compared with the 10-minute runs he used to do.

However, as he acknowledged, that wasn't always the case for the globe-trotting star. Sheeran recalled "ballooning" during his 2014-2015 X Tour followed by the Divide Tour in 2017. 

He recalled being "15 to 16 stone," upwards of 224 pounds, at the time of the X Tour and beginning of Divide Tour, as compared to being "12 stone" now, or 168 pounds.

As the star recalled, his days on the X Tour consisted of partying all night, not exercising and sleeping in until the late afternoon, which not only took a toll on his weight, but also left him without much to say about the places he had traveled to. While in America, he described being in the back of the tour bus with a tray of chicken wings and bottles of wine after a gig. 

"It's always America that gets me—America in buses," he quipped. 

During his self-proclaimed "fat stage," Sheeran also said he would put chips on top of pizza and eat it like a sandwich and noted he won two eating competitions in the United States. 

Then, once he stopped smoking, he was aware "my lungs were so full of s$&t that I needed to clear them out," so he began running outside while on the road, which also allowed him to take in the sights. The star also noted the shows are bigger, which makes for more set-up time, resulting in more time for him to have a routine. 

While he noted that it was his desire to clear out his lungs that got him exercising, Sheeran remembered the "online trolls," newspapers and comments that would point out his size when he was heavier and said there is definitely a lot of "external pressure" to look like other male stars. 

"You kind of get it in your head that you need to look like everyone else," he said, recalling the first years of his career around the time of Justin Bieber and One Direction. "Should I be looking like this?" the star thought. 

On the topic of his self-image, Sheeran said, "I never once had any insecurities really about myself until people pointed them out."

Nowadays, with help from his wife Cherry Seaborn, moderation is the singer's motto. "You can't be outwardly unhealthy, but also you have to find a balance." 

E! News returns Monday morning, Jan. 6 at 7 a.m.!

Timothy before his weight loss

December 23, 2019 - 18:34 GMT Sharnaz Shahid Harry Potter actor Timothy Spall talks about his weight loss transformation. Find out how the star slimmed down and see his before and after photos

Harry Potter actor Timothy Spall has wowed fans in recent months with his weight loss transformation. The 62-year-old star has completely changed his physique and recently spoke of his new appearance. Speaking to the Radio Times, Timothy said: "I wanted to change my lifestyle and lose weight. And it's done what I'd always hoped it might. As a character actor, it's put me in a position where I'm not hobbled by being a certain shape. I'm no longer that avuncular round bloke. It does feel liberating on many levels." Timothy looks fantastic and his decision to change his lifestyle is so inspiring.

The actor - who played Peter Pettigrew in the popular film franchise – also appeared on Lorraine earlier in the year and opened up about his weight loss. Asked if the change was down to an overhaul in lifestyle, the star replied: "I did really. If I was going to write a diet book, it would be two pages. The first one is, food and booze is lovely and exercise is horrible. Right, turn over the page, if you eat too much and drink too much, you put on weight. If you eat about the right amount, you don't. And that's it really!"

MORE: 12 of the best wellness apps to keep your winter fitness goals on track

Timothy before his weight loss

The dad-of-three previously explained that his transformation was also down to some exercise. "Lots of walking and watch ing what I put in my gob," he told Event magazine last year. "It's the scoff less diet. Simple science says that if you eat more than you burn, you put on weight. If you eat less, it comes off. But keeping it off isn't easy. You have to be vigilant."

MORE: Denise Welch, 61, flaunts incredible figure in swimsuit during luxurious holiday

However, cutting down alcohol is also key. "Booze is riddled with sugar and it doesn't fill you up," he added. "If you have a bottle of wine with your dinner, it's like having two dinners."

Is Weight Watchers' Extended Partnership With Oprah Winfrey a Boon for Shares?

Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ:WW) shares rose after the company announced that Oprah Winfrey has extended her partnership deal with the company. She will continue to be on WW's board of directors until 2025. The popular media personality has been a board member, strategic partner, and shareholder since 2015. Oprah will also partner with WW to host a 2020 Vision tour to nine U.S. cities, featuring bold names like Michele Obama and Jennifer Lopez.

As part of her updated deal, Winfrey will have the option to buy an additional 3.3 million shares of WW, or 4.3% of WW's outstanding shares, adding to her existing 8% stake in the company.

Oprah Winfrey's 2020 Vision Tour. Image Source: Weight Watchers International.

Meanwhile, Weight Watchers faces ongoing challenges to its sales growth, including increased competition and shifting consumer preferences. The company also went through a major rebranding last year, shifting its focus toward wellness overall. Is the company's deal with Oprah enough to keep growth going amid all these changes?

The extended deal is good, but the company has a lot on its plate

The wellness company's revenue fell 9.9% year over year during the second quarter and another 4.7% in the third quarter. Most of Weight Watchers' revenue comes from subscription sales for digital and studio packages. However, its pricier studio subscriptions have been seeing steady declines. In the third quarter, studio and digital subscribers decreased 7% year over year -- this followed an 11% decline in the second quarter. While digital sales are increasing, it hasn't been enough to offset the drop in the more profitable studio segment.

Meanwhile, consumers have an increasing number of options around weight loss and exercise goals. There's competitor Noom, an app-based wellness company that raised $58 million in funding earlier this year. Noom creates more flexible, personalized plans to help its customers reach health goals like weight loss. It also offers interactions with coaches. That's on top of the increasing number of health coaches and smaller wellness websites that sell their own subscription and coaching packages. 

Another issue that Weight Watchers is facing is its confusing brand messaging. In its effort to modernize and keep up with shifting consumer demands, the company could be confusing its core client base. It now uses the terms "workshop" and "studio" instead of "meetings" and "groups." The prior message seemed to be one of offering support and connection to clients. The new message does not appear to stand out amid a sea of wellness and diet offerings, as evidenced by declining subscriber numbers.

Are shares a buy?

Oprah Winfrey is an influential spokesperson who can connect with Weight Watchers' core audience. She has been open and public about her own weight loss and health struggles. Oprah's brand is also built around trust and connection with her audience, two factors that will help the company's brand.

But while the updated deal with Oprah represents a move in the right direction, it might not be enough to offset the headwinds. The current valuation already bakes in any boost from the Oprah partnership. The wellness company trades at 21 times forward earnings estimates, and the stock is already up 140% from its 2019 lows. Given the rapid declines in its studio business, I would wait for both a pullback in share price and evidence of stabilizing subscriber and sales figures to buy shares in Weight Watchers.

Are fruits bad for weight loss? We tell you

We can never imagine something as healthy as fruits to be bad for us in any way. In fact, fruits are our go-to-snacks when we are planning to eat something healthy. We also know that many diets criticise fruits for the natural sugar they have. Does that make fruits bad for weight loss?The simple and straight answer is NO!Sugar is the simplest form of carbohydrate and occurs naturally in many foods including milk, honey, vegetables and fruits. Talking about fruits, they contain several kinds of sugar and almost half of it comes from fructose.If you know, fructose makes up about half the carbohydrates in table sugar and high fructose corn syrup. And as fructose filled sweets have been linked with weight gain, many diets say that fructose from fruits can be problematic for weight loss. But that's rarely the case.

Researchers have found that people who eat fruits tend to be slimmer than those who don't eat fruits. In a study published in the journal Metabolism, 107 obese and overwe ight people volunteered. People were divided into two groups and both were fed with equal calorie plans. One group was fed with 20 grams of fructose from fruits while the other was fed with 50 – 70 grams of fructose from fruits.

The results were that high fruit eaters lost 48 per cent more weight than the people consume less fruits. Say YES to fruits Fruits are not just fructose. They are rich in fibre and magnesium, which is good for our overall health. It also helps our body to use insulin more effectively. Moreover, the fructose in fruits does not promote the blood sugar spikes in the way processed food does. In fact, eating fruits helps you create that calorie deficit required to lose weight. This is because you can easily load up on cola but never fruits. In fact, most of us are not having enough.

End of the article

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