Living Fit, Healthy and Happy

Water and Other Zero Calorie Drinks Help People Lose Weight

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People who want to lose weight might benefit from drinking water and other noncaloric beverages, new research suggests. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists have found evidence that noncaloric beverages promote weight loss. 

Deborah Tate and her colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's departments of nutrition, health behavior and education developed a plan which replaced caloric beverages with water and other nonalcoholic beverages for consumption by overweight and obese adults. The experiment, known as Choose Healthy Options Consciously Everyday (CHOICE),  lasted for six months and was used as a method of weight loss.

Tate and her colleagues selected 318 obese and overweight adults and divided them into one of three groups:

• water group - volunteers' high calorie beverages were replaced with water
•  noncaloric beverage group - volunteers' high caloric beverages were replaced with beverages that didn't contain calories
• control group - these people were given tips on how to choose their own healthy foods
  

From the initiation of the experiment until its conclusion six months later, the research team noted significant declines in blood pressure, weight and waist circumference across all of the groups, but the water and noncaloric beverage groups lost more weight than the control group. 

According to results of the study, water was by far the best noncaloric beverage with volunteers' being better hydrated and experiencing lower fasting glucose than volunteers who were left to make their own food choices.

Tate's team concluded that since water and noncaloric beverages promote weight loss, it offers a "strategy" that "could have public health significance."

Actually this is a no-brainer. Of course water can promote weight loss. Not only does it add volume (and thus takes up space in the stomach which causes a sense of fullness), it hydrates the cells and promotes energy efficiency. 

Unfortunately, people don't drink enough water, they often dislike the bland taste. Noncaloric beverages (the flavored kind) taste better but they're admittedly more expensive than plain old water. But if you want to lose weight safely, water can help.

Afterall, since water is a cheap and natural (and thus healthy) way to lose weight, doesn't it make sense to include it as part of a healthy diet?

 

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Article Sources

Tate, D., Turner-McGrievy, G., Lyons, E., Stevens, J., Erickson, K., Polzien, K., Diamond, M., Wang, X., & Popkin, B. (2012). Replacing caloric beverages with water or diet beverages for weight loss in adults: main results of the Choose Healthy Options Consciously Everyday (CHOICE) randomized clinical trial American Journal of Clinical Nutrition DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.026278

Water: Have A Drink For Your Health

 

"Water and Other Zero Calorie Drinks Help People Lose Weight" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Obese People Are In Pain

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Obese people are in a state of pain, new research shows. In a report published in the journal Obesity, results from a survey of more than 1 million American adults reveals that obese people are more likely to suffer from daily pain than people whom are not obese.

This discovery was made after Stony Brook University researchers Arthur Stone and Joan Broderick analyzed the results of a proprietary survey conducted by the Gallup Organization. The survey, which took place between 2008 through 2010, involved phone interviews of 1,062,271 randomly selected American adults.

Survey participants responded to questions about pain conditions they experienced during the previous year, as well as any pain they had felt the previous day. Interviewees also supplied information about their height and weight which analysts used to calculate respondents' body mass index (BMI).

The results of the survey revealed that obese people are more likely to experience daily pain than non-obese people. The pain is not gender specific, as researchers noted that obese men and women responded that they experienced pain. Moreover, the problem seems to worsen with age.

Based on their findings, Stone and Broderick said: "We conclude that BMI and daily pain are positively correlated in the United States: people who are obese are considerably more prone to daily pain."

The researchers also noted that increasing BMI-pain associations among older groups could be the result of a "developmental process" which warrants further investigation.

The Stony Brook researchers analysis says a lot about the state of American health. Two thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. Last summer the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released their annual report which said forty-nine states have obesity levels above twenty percent. In plain terms that means America is obese!

When you think about it, obesity is linked to pain. Apart from diseases which contribute to pain (which Stone and Broderick took into account when conducting their analysis), obesity itself will cause pain. Why? One word: inflammation.

Obese people are in a constant state of inflammation. Fat cells release chemicals that cause inflammation. Therefore the release of chemical messengers that trigger inflammation is going to cause sensations of pain and tenderness in affected areas.

The obesity-pain survey underscores the fact that it really isn't possible to be healthy and obese.

The only way to correct the problem is for government, and state agencies working with health care providers, and community organizations to educate the public about the dangers of obesity. In the end,  though, it comes down to personal choice. If you're obese and living in pain, you have to make the decision to help yourself.

Are you up to it?

 

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Article Sources 

Stone, A., & Broderick, J. (2012). Obesity and Pain Are Associated in the United States Obesity DOI: 10.1038/oby.2011.397

Stienstra, R., Duval, C., Müller, M., & Kersten, S. (2007). PPARs, Obesity, and Inflammation PPAR Research, 2007, 1-10 DOI: 10.1155/2007/95974

Study of One Million Americans Shows Obesity and Pain Linked. Stony Brook University Press Release.

America's Obesity Epidemic Continues To Worsen

The Healthy Obese? Don't Bet Your Life On It

 

"Obese People Are In Pain" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Quick Weight Loss Diets And Healthy Snack Recipes

Quick Weight Loss Diets And Healthy Snack Recipes
By David L Lloyd

When you think of Increased Metabolism with quick weight loss
diets, just imagine your muscles literally filling up with
nutrients. You’ll not only be able to feel your muscles become
tighter and fuller, you’ll probably notice the changes in the
mirror. Why? Because you’ll be replenishing your glycogen stores
by eating a hefty close of carbohydrates. At the same time, this
influx of carbs will raise your insulin levels, which drives
even more nutrients such as the high-quality protein that you
eat to your muscles.

The result is a dramatic surge in muscle growth. And even
better, all of this occurs with out causing your body to store
fat. The reason: Whenever you enter the Increased Metabolism
Zone, your glycogen levels will be low, due to the time you’ve
spent in the Weight Loss Zone. This prepares your body to
embrace high-carb foods, without the negative consequences that
occur when your glycogen tank is overflowing.

You’ll probably notice that many of the Increased Metabolism
Zone foods are similar to those in the Weight Loss Zone. For
instance, meat, cheese, and eggs are all excellent sources of
muscle-building protein, which makes them ideal for both Zones.
However, since there’s no need to watch your carb intake in the
Increased Metabolism Zone, the approved list of high quality
protein sources expands to include yogurt, kefir, and milk. The
same goes for produce:

In addition to the options you have in the Weight Loss Zone,
you can now eat as much fruit as you want and add starchy
vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and corn to your meals.
The main change between the Weight Loss Zone And the Increased
Metabolism Zone is that you’ll now emphasize healthy, high
carbohydrate foods, such as grains and beans, and de-emphasize
foods that are high in fat. But again, the key is to keep the
diet simple, and you can do just that by following the nutrition
tactics below for quick weight loss diets.

THE NUTRITION TACTICS

1. Eat any combination of the Increased Metabolism Zone foods
along with the approved condiments and beverages until you feel
satisfied, but not stuffed. Again, don’t over-think this; just
eat. By following the general guidelines that we’ve laid out in
our diet plans, you’ll automatically avoid junk food, the
universal downfall of all diets.

2. Try to eat high quality protein at every meal and every 3
hours, if possible. The goal is to provide your muscles with a
steady supply of amino acids, in order to ensure that they have
the nutrients they need to grow. Think of it as if you were
constructing a new house: If you don’t have all of the necessary
building materials on hand, even the best builder can’t make
progress.

3. Consume carbohydrates at each meal. This shouldn’t be too
hard, since it’s in line with the way most people are accustomed
to eating. The idea is to boost your insulin levels at every
meal, in order to drive nutrients to your muscles. So during the
Increased Metabolism Zone, besides vegetables, you can enjoy
pasta, sandwiches, cereal, and pancakes, as well as snacks such
as fruit, popcorn, and pretzels.

4. Go easy on extra fats. The reason is simple: You can only
eat so many calories in a day without gaining fat. And since
you’ll be increasing your intake of carbs, that doesn’t leave a
lot of room for additional calories from sources such as nuts,
seeds, and butter. This doesn’t mean you should eliminate fat
altogether, only that your intake should be incidental. So limit
your diet to the fat that’s naturally found in meat or cheese,
or the kind needed to cook with, like olive oil.

5. Avoid added sugar and refined grains. Primarily, this means
foods that are made with sugar, regular soda, cake, cookies-or
with flour that isn’t 100 percent whole wheat, like white bread
and white pasta. Technically, these carbohydrates are allowed in
the Increased Metabolism Zone, when the purpose is to raise
insulin levels.

However, we highly encourage you to eat quality sources of
carbohydrates. That is, carb-rich foods that are also packed
with nutrients, such as 100 percent whole grain products and
high-fiber beans. These are what we call nutrient-dense
carbohydrates and our diet plans can be seen at the following
website link.

About the Author: Join in with the home based weight loss
revolution at ==> http://www.healthy-snackrecipes.com - Healthy
Snack Recipes provide Top Diet programs to learn the easy ways
to lose weight and keep the weight off. Go to ==>
http://www.healthy-snackrecipes.com/report - for more
information.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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Obesity Makes Fibromyalgia Worse

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Obesity certainly isn't doing fibromyalgia sufferers any favors, new research shows. According to a report published in the February issue of Arthritis Care & Research, obese people with fibromyalgia suffer worse symptoms and have a lower quality of life than normal weight people suffering from the disorder.

Scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea investigated links between body mass index (BMI) and severity of symptoms and quality of life in fibromyalgia patients.

For the study, they selected 888 patients who were enrolled in a fibromyalgia treatment program. All of the patients suffered from fibromyalgia but were separated into four groups according to body mass index according to the following distribution:

• 252 nonobese patients BMI <25.0 kg/m²
  
•  238 overweight patients BMI 25.0 - 29.9 kg/m²
  
• 197 moderately obese patients BMI 30.0 - 34.9 kg/m²
  
• 201 severly obese patients BMI greater than or equal to 35.0 kg/m²

Each of the patients completed a Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and health form survey which, along with the BMI measurements, were used to assess the impact of obesity on fibromyalgia symptoms and quality of life.  

The results of the study revealed that obesity negatively impacts the lives of fibromyalgia patients. Obese patients with fibromyalgia reportedly missed more work, suffered more pain and were less physically active than non-obese fibromyalgia patients. Moreover, their symptoms were much worse than patients with lower BMI.

Obesity worsens fibromyalgia symptoms and lowers patients' quality of life.  

Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder that is characterized by a variety of symptoms including chronic pain and diffuse pain throughout the entire body, heightened pain sensitivity and joint stiffness. Although the joints of fibromyalgia patients don't become inflamed, the disorder is known to cause severe pain within affected joints.

 

Why The Pain?

To date, medical science is unable to pin down a specific cause for fibromyalgia. But obesity and fibromyalgia share a common link: cytokines - the chemical messengers that are often associated with the body's immune system.

It's a fact that adipose tissue releases cytokines which helps produce the constant inflammation associated with obesity. Likewise, fibromyalgia patients release proinflammatory cytokines which increases their pain sensitivity. So it would be logical to conclude that since obese patients are always suffering from inflammation, it will only aggravate fibromyalgia symptoms. 

Some scientists actually looked into this. They measured levels of proinflammatory cytokines in fibromyalgia patients with high BMI, but found that release of inflammatory cytokines was independent BMI. 

So what could explain the link between obesity and worsened fibromyalgia symptoms? Fibromyalgia patients suffer intense pain. Pressure can induce pain. Excess weight can increase joint pressure and thereby cause intense pain.  

Chul-Hyun Kim and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic concluded that "...severe obesity is associated with higher levels of fibromyalgia symptoms and lower QOL."

Their study addresses the need for implementation of weight loss programs as a means of easing some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. At the very least, bringing fibromyalgia patients' weight down may reduce some of their pain which could have a profound effect on their quality of life.

 

For more information about fibromyalgia, visit the  National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases which is maintained by the National Institute of Health.

 

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Article Source 

Kim, C., Luedtke, C., Vincent, A., Thompson, J., & Oh, T. (2012). Association of body mass index with symptom severity and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia Arthritis Care & Research, 64 (2), 222-228 DOI: 10.1002/acr.20653  

Hernandez, M., Becerril, E., Perez, M., Leff, P., Anton, B., Estrada, S., Estrada, I., Sarasa, M., Serrano, E., & Pavon, L. (2010). Proinflammatory cytokine levels in fibromyalgia patients are independent of body mass index BMC Research Notes, 3 (1) DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-3-156  

Vick, M., Adams, A., Murphy, B., Sessions, D., Horohov, D., Cook, R., Shelton, B., & Fitzgerald, B. (2007). Relationships among inflammatory cytokines, obesity, and insulin sensitivity in the horse Journal of Animal Science, 85 (5), 1144-1155 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2006-673

 

"Obesity Makes Fibromyalgia Worse" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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America's Battle With Obesity Rages On

Obesity Rates Refuse To Go Down

 

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America is rapidly becoming an obese nation, and the trend shows no sign of decreasing, medical scientists say. Reports published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association, make it glaringly obvious that our country is succumbing to the obesity epidemic, an epidemic which is set to pose a healthcare crisis well into the foreseeable future.

According to the reports based on national survey data, 16.9 % of American adolescents and children were obese during 2009-2010, a number which has been holding steadfast since 2007. The figures are even worse for adults. During 2009 -2010, 35.5% of men and 35.8% of women were counted as obese, these percentages have remained relatively constant since 2003.

 

Are Americans Satisfied With Being Fat?

Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It's associated with cancer, heart disease, diabetes and aggravates and arthritis. By and large obesity is a totally reversible and preventable disease.

Most people don't become fat overnight, it's a gradual process brought on by years of physical inactivity and poor diet. 

Government studies have linked soft drinks to adolescent obesity. State governments can help reverse this trend by restricting the number of vending machines in and around public schools and other government facilities frequented by young people.

Parents and other caretakers can provide healthier foods to their children. Additionally, they can set a positive example by changing their own eating habits and taking up exercise.

Adult obesity has been trending upward for decades. Research shows that people mimic one another's behavior. If your family and neighbors overeat and don't exercise, you'll assume the same habits.

Studies show that office work is contributing to obesity. Employers can increase worker productivity and reduce the number of hours lost to illness by providing employee incentives to lose weight. Encouraging workers to exercise during fifteen minute breaks, and installing health food vending machines in break rooms would be very helpful in this regard.

But Americans don't have to be fat. As a nation, we can turn things around if we want to.

 

What about you? Do you think that health scientists and government officials are making too much of the obesity issue? Share your thoughts in the comments.

 

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Article Sources

Ogden, C., Carroll, M., Kit, B., & Flegal, K. (2012). Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in Body Mass Index Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2010 JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 307 (5), 483-490 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.40  

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Flegal, K., Carroll, M., Kit, B., & Ogden, C. (2012). Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in the Distribution of Body Mass Index Among US Adults, 1999-2010 JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 307 (5), 491-497 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.39

Sugary Drinks Contribute to Obesity in American Adolescents, CDC Report

Healthy Lifestyle May Prevent Cancer Deaths: WHO

Are The People You Associate With Secretly Making You Fat?

Why Is America Getting Fatter?

Office Work Is Making Americans

Diabetes Hits America Hard: CDC Reports That Diabetes Is On The Rise

 Arthritis Made Worse By Rising Obesity Rates - CDC Report

"America's Battle With Obesity Rages On" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Don't Count On Your Plate To Help You Lose Weight

Two Plates of...

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Having a large or small plate of food won't make a difference when it comes to losing weight, a ground breaking study asserts. According to a pilot study recently published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, plate size has no effect on weight loss.

Professor Meena Shah of the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, designed a pilot study which investigated whether plate size effected meal intake (and thus useful for controlling energy intake). It is often recommended that plate size could help control weight gain but Shah noted the lack of scientific evidence to support such a recommendation. To find the answer they selected ten normal weight and ten overweight or obese women who were attending a metabolic lab on two separate days for lunch.

Shah and her team tested the recommendation on the twenty female volunteers, randomly assigning them to two days of lunches using either a small (21.6 cm) or large (27.4 cm) plate. The women were instructed to eat alone at separate tables and helped themselves to a meal of spaghetti mixed with tomato sauce which was transferred from individual serving bowls to their assigned plates. Each volunteer ate until satiety.

When the women returned the second day, they used the opposite plate size from the one used the previous day.

The results of the experiment were quite surprising. Throughout the experiment, the amount of food that each woman had eaten and the energy consumed from each meal was calculated and analyzed to compare energy intake.

Contrary to what would have been expected, Shah's team found no evidence that plate size affected energy intake. They compared the energy intake of both groups of volunteers and found no significant differences in the meal energy intake for either group. The differences in plate size didn't change the way the women felt about the food they were eating i.e. hunger, desire for more, feeling of fullness, etc. Plate size had no effect whatsoever on any of these things.

Based on the observed results, Shah and her team concluded: "Plate size did not affect energy intake from a single meal in either the normal weight or overweight/obese subjects."

 

Basically this experiment is showing that plate size in and of itself simply doesn't matter.

 

But if plate size doesn't have any affect on how much we eat then how do we explain dietary weight loss? The power of the mind would be the logical explanation.

The women in Shah's experiment were given the same amount of food, it was freely within their power to decide how much they wanted to eat. All things being equal, if food is available, we'll eat as much or as little of it as we can. If we want to cut back, we'll cut back; conversly, if we want to eat until we're sick to our stomach, we'll do that, too. 

This experiment speaks of personal choice and self - restraint which definitely gives us food for thought.

 

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Article Source 

Shah, M., Schroeder, R., Winn, W., & Adams-Huet, B. (2011). A pilot study to investigate the effect of plate size on meal energy intake in normal weight and overweight/obese women Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 24 (6), 612-615 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2011.01210.x

 

"Don't Count On Your Plate To Help You Lose Weight" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Finding The Right Weight Loss Programs

Finding The Right Weight Loss Programs
By Joe R. Maldonado

Finding the right weight loss programs can be a very difficult
thing for someone to do, especially if they do not know what
they are looking for in the first place. Maybe you have been
though every weight loss program or diet that you have come
across and each one has let you down, or maybe this is your
first time looking into weight loss programs and diets. No
matter the case you have made the right choice by doing research
into the weight loss programs before just diving in. There are a
number of aspects that all weight loss programs must take into
account for there to be the slightest chance of success and we
will look at each of them.

Exercise
For any diet or weight loss program to be successful, you are
going to have to exercise and do so on a regular basis. This is
not only good practice for your body but will help keep you
healthy. By following a regular exercise regiment your body’s
metabolism will also increase, meaning it will be breaking down
the food you eat faster instead of turning it into fat to be
stored in the body. Any weight loss programs that work will
advise you to exercise daily.

Diet
Diet is the biggest portion of any weight loss programs. If a
program is asking you to cut out a specific food then don’t
bother with it. Along with being dangerous to your health, when
you come off the diet your body will look for that type of fat
or protein and stock up on it when you eat them, meaning that
you will effectively be putting on more weight then you lost.
Look for weight loss programs that ask you to cut back on intake
but still allow you to have all foods in moderation.

Lifestyle

Alone with diet and exercise you are going to have to make some
lifestyle changes as well in order for your diet to have a
better chance of success. This may mean not keeping that box of
cookies at your desk or staying up really late watching movies.
All weight loss programs that work will have a section of
lifestyle changes you need to look at.

Attitude
Your attitude is important when it comes to your diet. While
this is passed over by many doctors and health professions, it
does hold validity and is proven to be effective. If you are
positive about something there is a better chance for that
outcome. If you don’t have a positive outlook when it comes to
weight loss programs then don’t expect them to work for you
either.

Because there are so many weight loss programs out there that
do not follow these aspects we as health and fitness experts
have come together in order to devise this list of weight loss
programs and diets that do incorporate all of these aspects and
give you the greatest chance for success. While you still have
many to go though, not every one of them will work for you. Go
thought the different aspects and see which ones suit your needs
and lifestyle. Then after you have looked though the weight loss
programs and chosen one, you need to stick with it for there to
be any chance for success.

About the Author: To know more about weight loss programs,
diets that work, and weight loss plans, visit
http://www.topweightlossreviews.com today!

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Back Fat Can Hurt Your Spine

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Excess back fat might seriously damage your spine, researchers warn. In a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, researchers have discovered that obesity greatly increases the risk of spinal injury.

Chinese and Finnish researchers made the discovery after studying 2,599 men and women in southern China. The volunteers were recruited for an experiment which was designed to learn if being overweight or obese contributed to lumbar spinal degeneration in adults. To find the answer, they chose 1,040 men and 1,599 women (median age of volunteers was 41.9 years) and compared those with lumbar disc spinal degeneration to those who had healthy spines.

Using magnetic resonance imaging, the investigation revealed that 1,890 of the volunteers suffered from spinal degeneration. Scientists found that the majority of these subjects had higher BMI than healthy controls (23.3 kg/m²  vs. 21.7 kg/m²). In fact, the damage was even more profound among overweight and obese volunteers.

This study, one of the largest of its kind, proves just how dangerous excess body fat is to the health of the skeletal system. Three of the skeletal system's most important jobs is to protect the internal organs, provide structural support and mobility. Bones and cartilage are very strong and flexible, able to withstand tremendous force, but as with all living things, being subjected to constant stress, will eventually wear them down. 

The Chinese and Finnish research team wrote "In one of the largest studies to systematically assess lumbar disc degeneration on MRI, our study noted a significant association between the presence, increased extent, and global severity of disc degeneration in overweight and obese adults. "

Their conclusions shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. It's not uncommon for obese and overweight people to suffer from arthritis and inflamed joints. Over time, their bones begin to buckle under the strain.

Last December we wrote about a government survey which found that arthritis sufferers were less likely to participate in physical activities than people without arthritis. Other studies show that oveweight and obese people with arthritis endure constant pain and have a lower quality of life.

This newest report deals with dangers that excess weight can do to the bones that protect your spinal cord. If you lose functionality in this vital region, many parts of the body will be affected.

Bottom line: obesity and overweight pose serious threat to your health and wellbeing. Now that you have this information, it's up to you to decide what you'll do with it.

 

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Article Sources 

Samartzis, D., Karppinen, J., Chan, D., Luk, K., & Cheung, K. (2012). The association of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration on MRI in overweight and obese adults: A population-based study Arthritis & Rheumatism DOI: 10.1002/art.33462

Arthritis Interferes With The Physical Activity Of Millions Of Americans

Obesity Worsens Osteoarthritis Pain, Lowers Quality of Life in Older Americans

Arthritis Made Worse By Rising Obesity Rates - CDC Report

 

" Back Fat Can Hurt Your Spine" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

 

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Ways to Set Weight Loss Goals

Ways to Set Weight Loss Goals
By SANDRA ESSEX

Before setting out on a journey, you must have a clear idea of
where it is you are going, right? It’s no different when it
comes to losing weight. You must set a weight loss goal to
ensure you’re heading in the right direction. 

This will also help to measure your progress and to adjust your
tactics. 
Whether you’re losing weight for fundamental health reasons or
simply to look your best, your weight loss goal still needs to
follow the standards of goal-setting, namely, your goal must be
SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible.

Your first task is to determine why exactly you need to lose
weight, and how much weight you want to shed. In other words, do
you really need to lose weight? Most persons would answer yes to
that question, even those you’d think posses optimum body
weight. You sure have a right to decide how you want to look. 

But generally speaking, people who’re truly in need of weight
loss must fall within the following broad parameters: BMI must
be more than 25 Waist-Hip Ratio must be higher than 1.0 for
males or higher than 0.8 for females. Abdominal Girth
measurement must exceed 40 inches for men or 35 inches for
women.  

These are general rules, for sure. You may have other more
personal reasons for wanting to drop some pounds. But before
setting a weight loss goal based on reasons outside the ones
given here, ensure you see your doctor for proper advice.

But having determined that you DO NEED to lose weight, then
move to the next stage. Set a measurable and reasonable goal for
yourself. For most persons, the general recommendations set out
by the American College of Sports Medicine would work just fine:
aim at losing 5-10% of your body weight or one to two pounds per
week. 

Another way to go about it is to set a target that helps you
create continuous calorie deficit over time, and see how your
body responds to that. The focus in this method is sustaining
everyday health habits that help you reduce calories and lose
weight. This is best achieved with a combination of diet and
exercise.  

Whichever plan you elect to follow, you must measure your
achievements or results. This helps you keep track of your
progress—or the lack of it. To increase the chances of attaining
your weight loss goal, you must also be specific about how many
pounds you need to lose each week, each month or per year. This
will depend on your current weight and desired body weight, of
course.

Your goal must be realistic, otherwise it won’t be attainable.
If you set a goal that your current schedule, stamina, health
status or a combination of other factors would not allow, you’d
be setting yourself up for failure. Of course, being realistic
doesn’t mean you can more or less do next to nothing. 

Remember that one of the ingredients of a good goal is that it
must be TANGIBLE. The way to go about it is to set reasonable,
attainable goals and gradually scale things up. For example, you
could start by replacing your high-calorie breakfast meal with
something healthier. 

Goals are also easier to attain when you break things down into
smaller, specific units that are easier to focus on. It’s also
okay to adjust or even change your goals to make them easier to
attain, such as by increasing the length of time required to
lose specific weights. The most important thing is to stick to
your weight loss goals until they’re attained.

About the Author: Sandra Essex is a 16 –year Breast and Lung
cancer survivor. She enjoys sharing information that can help
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Diabetes Meds Promote Weight Loss

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Drugs that are designed to control type II diabetes can help obese diabetics lose weight, new research shows. In a groundbreaking new study recently published in the British Medical Journal, scientists have discovered that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1R) promotes weight loss in obese and overweight patients.

Danish endocrinologist Tina Vilsboll, from the University of Copenhagen and her colleagues, studied GLP-1R agonists (antidiabetic drugs) to learn of their effect on the weight of obese and overweight diabetic and nondiabetic patients. In essence they were curious to know if antidiabetic medicines could promote weight loss.

In order to find the answer they conducted an extensive analysis and review of 25 randomized controlled trials involving obese or overweight adults who received specific antidiabetic drugs (exenatide, liraglutide). Trial participants included diabetic and nondiabetics all of whom had a body mass index of 25 or greater.

 

Diabetes Medications Help Patients Lose Weight

Visboll's team learned that people who received GLP-1R agonists achieved significantly greater weight loss than people who did not take these antidiabetic medications. This effect was noted regardless of whether the participants were diabetic or nondiabetic but was greatest among people who did not have diabetes.

Even more remarkable, the researchers found that these medications had a positive effect on participants' blood pressure, cholesterol concentrations and glycemic control of patients with adult onset diabetes. 

But the team noted a few downsides as well. The GLP-1R agonists caused some participants to experience stomach problems i.e. feelings of nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. 

Still, the meta-analysis and data review provides evidence that certain medications which were designed for one function can yield other benefits, too.

 

Why Is This So Important?

GLP-1R agonists are used to treat type II diabetes mellitus. They specifically react with a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). This hormone is released from the small intestine immediately after you eat food. 

Scientists have studied this hormone and discovered that it has some remarkable effects on diabetes and weight loss. For example, it helps with glucose uptake, slows gastric emptying and food intake. 

GLP-1 slows digestion and suppresses appetite thereby promoting weight loss.

The GLP- 1 hormone needs to get into your cells to do its job. Therefore it must connect with a special lock called the glucagon like peptide -1 receptor or GLP-1R for short.

Pharmaceutical companies have begun manufacturing drugs that resemble the naturally occuring GLP-1 which they began selling to people with type II diabetes. These drugs are known as GLP-1 agonists because they perform the same function as natural GLP-1.

Well, since natural GLP-1 slows digestion and helps you feel fuller (and less likely to eat again until all the food is digested), it only makes sense that the agonists should have the same effect on the body.

Which brings us to why Villsboro's study is so important: GLP-1R agonists can help diabetic and nondiabetic overweight and obese people to lose weight. Even better, if overweight and obese people are able to achieve normal weight, it can drastically cut their chances of developing adult onset diabetes.

It's important to note, however, that although the potential benefits seem promising, Villsboro says that more research trials are needed to learn about its effects on cardiovascular disease.

 

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Article Sources 

Vilsboll, T., Christensen, M., Junker, A., Knop, F., & Gluud, L. (2012). Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on weight loss: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials BMJ, 344 (jan10 2) DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d7771 

Lim, G., & Brubaker, P. (2006). Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Secretion by the L-Cell: The View From Within Diabetes, 55 (Supplement_2) DOI: 10.2337/db06-S020

 

"Diabetes Meds Promote Weight Loss" copyright 2012 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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