Almost three in four people in Scotland quit at least one attempt to undertake a health kick (72%) in 2019 according to new polling carried out by Diabetes UK.

The findings were revealed as January resolutions, which often revolve around diets and exercise, are in full swing.

Almost half (47%) of Scottish respondents said they were planning on going on a diet this January and over a quarter (27%) said they were considering signing up to a gym, to exercise classes or with a personal trainer in the New Year.

Nearly a quarter (24.5%) agreed that January worked best for them when it comes to making lifestyle changes that include a diet or health kick.

The charitys polling showed that more than six in 10 of those surveyed (64%) admitted they tended to gain weight with an average gain of 7lbs over the festive period. In addition, more than two in five (43%) of Scottish respondents who said they eat a larger amount of food over Christmas also said the weight gain could become uncontrollable.

However, Diabetes UK is urging the public to avoid fad diets and to approach any lifestyle changes in a healthy and sustainable way, to ensure these changes stick for the longer term.

Emma Elvin, senior clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, said: Sustainable weight loss for many people is one to two pounds a week, and while we tend to lose more at the beginning of a diet, this will largely be water.

It is important any diet is safe, and helps people keep the weight off in the long term. Getting support from a healthcare professional, your family or friends can really help to keep you on track.

In Scotland, 65% adults are overweight including 29% who are obese. As obesity accounts for 85% of your risk of type 2 diabetes action to maintain a health weight could potentially see more than half of all cases prevented or delayed.

Did you start a health kick this year? Let us know in how its going in the poll below.

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POLL: Research shows 3-in-4 people quit health kicks last year - are you trying to lose weight? - Evening Telegraph

Heres one that will make you rejoice and groan at the same time: Dieting is worse for you than being overweight. Thats right, the restrictive behavior of significantly reducing calories and eliminating entire categories of foods puts such a toll on a body, its better to simply be mildlyobese. But why? Its all due to weight-cycling, the well-established phenomenon that large shifts in eating habits lead to weight loss followed by even more weight gain. Studies show that along with excess pounds, a complex mess of changes to gut flora, metabolism, fats, and, yes, mental health all work together to make you fatter, unhealthier, and more miserable. So why should you quit your well-intentioned but altogether unhealthy diet plan? And what can you replace it with? Lets get into it.

Dieting Messes with Your Metabolism

Heres what happens when you follow a diet any diet that is restrictive compared to your everyday eating habits: Your basal metabolic rate, or the minimal amount of energy your body needs to perform simple functions at rest, drops. Put another way, when you drastically cut the number of calories you eat in a day, your body flips out and says, OK, Im going to drastically cut the number of calories I burn in a day, too. Its not doing this to spite you. Rather, it sees the massive drop in incoming energy and fears the worst: Theres a famine. Your body then launches starvation survival mode and refuses to burn any more calories than absolutely necessary, leaving you wondering why, on three slices of rye toast a day, youre still not losing weight. (The good news: You usually can reset your metabolism when you start eating like an adult again.)

Dieting Is a Nightmare for Your Gut Health

If youve ever had the experience of working hard to shed a few pounds, only to find yourself gaining back those pounds plus a few more the next time the holidays roll around, youre not alone. One of the insidious truths of weight cycling is that most people dont just lose X and gain X backthey gain X +Y back, too. A study in the journal Nature explains why: Every time you add or subtract pounds, a bunch of body-related variables change including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and the bacteria in your gut, known as your microbiome. When you gain weight, you develop more of a certain type of gut bacteria that supports the weight gain. But heres where it gets tricky: When you lose weight, changes in your microbiome are slow to follow suit. So if you begin to regain the weight you lost before your gut bacteria catch up to where youre at in your yo-yo cycle, the weight-gain-promoting bacteria still in your gut accelerates the process of packing on pounds, causing you to put on even more than before.

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Dieting Develops the Wrong Kind of Fat

Not all fat is created equal. Sure, fat of any kind will give you hell when you try to squeeze into the dress pants you bought for your cousins wedding. But under the surface, theres subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Its the latter, also referred to as deep belly fat, that begins to pile up in people who weight cycle and thats a problem because visceral fat tissue is metabolically active, meaning it plays a role in the production of hormones that contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and inflammation in your body. As your weight swings higher and lower, again and again, the amount of visceral fat continues to climb, putting you at risk for equal or greater health problems than you would face if you never lost the weight to begin with.

Dieting Is Horrible for Mental Health

Here you are trying to do the right thing for your health, and all youre managing is to make yourself feel worse. Yo-yo dieting has been linked with depression and low self-esteem as well as a decrease in the chemical production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter in your body responsible for the regulation of stuff like mood, sleep, and, the place the slippery slope begins, appetite. Depression causes its own negative feedback loop, as the worse you feel, the more food becomes a method for self-soothing, leading to weight gain, followed by more dieting, and greater depression. Theres also the less measurable but no less painful element of feeling like a failure: Regaining the weight youve worked so hard to lose makes you feel helpless and like you have no control.

So, screw dieting. When that term pertains to the restrictive behavior of significantly reducing calories and eliminating entire categories of foods in an effort to shed weight, one thing is clear: It doesnt work. But that doesnt mean you just throw in the towel. Instead and this is just as hard as dieting, but better for your mental and physical health you need to make small shifts in how you eat, exercise, and make healthy choices.

Practice Portion Control

So you know you dont want to have a wildly different or restrictive diet. But just because Atkins isnt going to work for you, doesnt mean you could do with eating a little less at every meal. Portion control is probably the number one way to lose a few pounds without messing up your body. Drop your portions by 10% each meal. It will add up and your basal metabolic rate wont know the different. So what does this look like?

Well, a serving of grilled chicken has 128 calories. A serving of steak has roughly 200. Hey, thats not so bad, youre thinking. Thats well within the 2000-calorie-a-day plan Im trying to follow. But when is the last time you ate a single serving of protein for dinner? For the record, thats 3 ounces of chicken or 3.5 ounces of red meat. What does that say there on your steakhouse menu? 16-ounce ribeye? Yeah. Take those 200 calories and multiply by 4.6, throw in a few hundred more for the sauce, and youll see the problem. Youve very nearly cleared your daily allotment with just one dinner entre (nevermind the sides).

You could, of course, order grilled fish instead. But we dont think so. When your belly is craving bloody red meat, give it the steak but give it a third as much as the menu offers. To make it easier on your judgment, ask your waiter to deliver said amount on your plate at the restaurant and doggy-bag the rest for later. If youre grilling at home, purchase smaller cuts or split the giant T-bone with your wife and kids, then load up the rest of your plate with lean greens.

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So youre a meat and potatoes person, aiming to become a gluten-free vegan in an effort to lose weight is like forcing yourself to do yoga when what you really love is football. It isnt going to work. Instead, eat your meat. And your potatoes. The secret is in how you prep them. Instead of going for the cheeseburger and fries, throw a slab of 90-percent lean meat on the grill and roast a few whole potatoes. Youll be delivering a ton more micronutrients to your body when you choose whole foods over processed while cutting your calorie consumption, ounce for ounce, in half.

Balance Your Plate

Growing up, you undoubtedly heard all about the food pyramid that wacky triangle thing with treats at the top and lettuce at the bottom. Thats still more or less the best way to think about the breakdown of your meals and overall daily food consumption. In practical terms, that means when you build your dinner plate, picture a clock face. 12 to 3 oclock should be your protein (chicken, fish, beans, or red meat); 3 to 6 oclock is your starch (rice, potatoes, pasta), the other halfor 6 to 12 oclockshould be veggies: Salad, steamed broccoli, green beans, roasted carrots, and so on. Laying out your meal this way saves you the trouble of counting every calorie, because its virtually impossible to overeat when the highest-cal foods are smallest servings on your plate.

Go for Strong

The numbers on the scale will tell you how much you weigh, but they will not tell you how big your biceps are, how strong your heart and lungs may be, or what percent of your body is made up of fat versus muscle. Quit fixating on some number you think it ideal for a guy your size, and start hitting the weights and pounding the pavement. On a vanity level, a fit body looks a hell of a lot better than a scrawny one. And on a life level, youll be buying yourself a few extra years you can use bonding with your family

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Dieting Will Kill You Faster Than Obesity. Heres What to Do Instead. - Fatherly

Is your new year's resolution is to lose belly fat and get fit? Although there's no magic bullet, there are ways to burn belly fat (or 'lose weight' as we used to call it) that are tried, trusted and true. That doesn't make them easy or quick, and this is not about telling you how to get a six pack although we have plenty of articles on that topic. No, this is just about having a healthy lifestyle and feeling comfortable with the girth of your stomach.

To that end we've got here for you proven advice and key tips to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you'll stay trim for good.Weve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear youll need to get started although, of course, the most important 'gear' is the bit between your ears.

There's no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won't last: it's as simple as that. In this article we lay out five principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you're a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas.

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, whether you've got time to hit the gym every day or a shift worker looking to manage your schedule. Dont try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don't fixate on 'belly fat'. It's important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are five strategies to help you start losing weight.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a "calorie deficit".

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there's a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure youre eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you're burning off. Certain foods are "empty calories" while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.

But before that, you'll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the Fitbit Versa Lite is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below.

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well

Fitbit Versa 2 | was 199.99 | now 159 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa 2 is getting regular price cuts for the new year and is currently 40 off at Amazon and various other fine online retailers. The Versa 2 features advanced cardio tracking as well as the usual steps and sleep stuff, and has Alexa built in. It's also unusually stylish for a Fitbit.View Deal

Fitbit Versa Lite | was 149.99 | now 116.38 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa Lite is the best affordable fitness tracker or smartwatch you can buy.It tracks deep and light sleep, steps, distance and calories, but that is barely scraping the surface of its capabilities. Via Fitbit's excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem, you can use it as the basis of a complete fitness and diet programme. You can also enter your meals to log calories consumed, so you can have all your dietary data in one place.View Deal

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S'Well Marble Drinking Water Bottle | now 25.00 at John LewisIn this case beauty is more than skin deep. This bottle is vacuum sealed, which means it should be able to keep liquids warm for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. Its stainless steel, has a capacity of 500ml and requires handwashing, and its definitely one for one-upping your co-workers boring flasks and supermarket specials.View Deal

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Spiralizing vegetables is a great alternative to pasta

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Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. Hugh Jackman's method of choice to get lean for Wolverine, it means significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week.

However, for serious trainees, there's the 16:8 diet (Hugh Jackman's strategy). With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you're feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period. Most trainees choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day.

Why do it? During the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the bodys fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you're used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you're exercising. You're going to get seriously cranky.

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Weight training is a great way to tip your muscle-fat ratio the right way

(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training.Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you're doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area's dominated by serious lifters, but you dont have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There's plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls.

Were not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you've done that, grab one of the best dumbbell sets on the market. They're not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements. Once you're comfortable in your own home, you can move on to more advanced equipment at the gym.

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All of this aside, dont neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

Electric Muscle Stimulation can help your muscles recover faster

(Image credit: PowerDot)

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don't roll your eyes just yet. While you can't just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It's not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use. Check out our choice below: the PowerDot 2.0, a smart muscle stimulating solution you can control from your phone.

Thanks to the physical improvements wrought by SIXPAD, Ronaldo can lift suitcases with ease

(Image credit: American Tourister)

Alternatively there is always SIXPAD as used by Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about 20. Needless to say we dont recommend these.

PowerDot 2.0 - Smart Electric Muscle Stimulator | now 185 at AmazonThis neat muscle stimulator works from your phone, allowing you to control intensity, stimulation and goal. Reduce your recovery time and increase muscular performance, as the PowerDot working to support your gym schedule. This model has two stimulators, but you can scale up to four for 325View Deal

Planks are a tough abs workout and a great end-of-workout finisher

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat its also important to switch up the pace of your workout.

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking.Its a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don't hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you're not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises.

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the Fitbit Versa Lite above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can't beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

Find out more about heart rate zone training

Garmin Forerunner 645 | now 274 at AmazonGarmin dominates the running/fitness watch category so totally, it's almost embarrassing for the competition. The most recent addition to their premium line, the Garmin 645, incorporates GPS and wrist heart-rate tracking, which is good for monitoring your resting and all-day rates. The 645 crunches a lot of data to suggest recovery times, make a decent stab at estimating your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load and lots, lots more.View Deal

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The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You'll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you'll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead.

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you'll need to get fit in 2020.To start with, you'll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on:

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro | now 219 on AmazonPowerbeats Pro are a 'game changer' for Beats; the quality of them is over and above anything the brand has produced before. Designed for workouts and running, the clever design of these true wireless buds means they stay still in your ears during even the most arduous physical jerks. Battery life is way better than most true wireless buds at 8-9 hours and they recharge incredibly fast.View Deal

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How to lose belly fat: 5 ways to feel better and reveal your abs in 2020 - T3

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Habits are something that may start out as a chore but as we do them over and over again, they become easier and part of our lifestyle. For example, as a kid your parents taught you to brush your teeth regularly. While you may have struggled to hold a toothbrush and squeeze out the toothpaste when you were a toddler, its now something you do automatically and easily every day.

Wouldnt it be great if we could turn weight-loss goals into daily habits that can last a lifetime? Heres the good news: You CAN!

Research has shown us that the healthiest people have certain habits that they stick to. Here are six of the most important habits for you to add to your daily routine in order to kick off your healthy lifestyle and weight loss regime.

(While there are a few factors that can influence weight loss/gain outside of these six habits such as medication, and hormones, these are a good foundation to begin with.)

Here are six healthy habits you should adopt today:

Eating in the morning is important for a variety of factors, including controlling the rest of the days eating, improving brain function, and supplying the energy to power you through the day.

You should ideally aim to have a high protein, and high carbohydrate breakfast like eggs and wholegrain toast, but if youre not a morning eater, then a protein shake will do. Just make sure to have something high in protein for best results.

This will keep you feeling fuller for longer, and you wont end up with a craving for donuts or high-carb treats by 10am. Set yourself up for success at the start of every day, and youll find that sticking your diet for the rest of the day is much easier!

JSHealth Breakfast Bowl recipe

While All4Women endeavours to ensure health articles are based on scientific research, health articles should not be considered as a replacement for professional medical advice. Should you have concerns related to this content, it is advised that you discuss them with your personal healthcare provider.

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6 Healthy habits that also help you hit your weight loss goals - All4Women

Lately, Adele has been making headlines beyond her stunning voice: After stepping out looking slimmer than usual, a frenzy of reports claim that the 31-year-old Someone Like You singer lost weight by following the Sirtfood Diet, a calorie-restricting eating plan, after her breakup with her husband Simon Konecki.

This isnt the first time Adeles name has been associated with the Sirtfood Diet. Back in 2016, the New York Post claimed the singer lost 30 pounds by eating foods rich in sirtuins, a.k.a. proteins that can be found in certain foods (they also occur naturally in the body). Her former Pilates instructor Camila Goodis also told The Sun that she believed the stars weight loss was 90% diet.

Adele hasnt publicly commented on the rumors swirling around her figure (why should she?!), but her trainer Pete Geracimo (who also works with Pippa Middleton) supposedly likes to put his clients on the Sirtfood Diet.

And as the seventh most Googled diet in 2019, people clearly want to know what its all about. Here, dietitians and a doctor explain what the Sirtfood Diet entails, the foods it encourages, and whether or not its a legit way to lose weight long-term.

The Sirtfood Diet is based on the book by the same name that was written by Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. The diet focuses on eating so-called sirtfoods, a group of wonderfoods that include nutrient-rich options like kale, cocoa, strawberries, and coffee.

The idea is that certain foods activate sirtuins in your body (a type of protein found in plants) that allegedly boast a slew of benefits, like protecting cells from inflammation, kick-starting your metabolism, reversing aging, and activating your skinny gene pathways, according to the diets website.

Some research, like one 2018 review published in the journal Circulation Research, suggests that sirtuins may help prevent age-related decline (in mice, at least). Another review published in Frontiers in Endocrinology concludes that sirtuins may help prevent insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. But again, this was based on animal studies.

While sirtuins are considered healthy, theres still a lot people dont know about them. The research on sirtuins is promising but more is definitely needed, especially on humans, to determine if any of the claims can be conclusively substantiated, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., a nutrition consultant based in New York City.

The Sirtfood Diet only mentions a few sirtfoods on its website and blog, but these options make the cut, all of which are nutrient-dense and healthy to eat regularly:

The diet is divided into two phases, and followers are encouraged to do them whenever they feel like they need a weight loss boost.

This lasts for seven days and its also split up. During the first three days, youll have three sirtfood green juices and one regular meal thats rich in sirtfoodsfor a total of 1,000 calories a day. On days four through seven, youll have two green juices and two daily meals for a total of 1,500 calories a day.

This is a 14-day maintenance phase thats designed to help you lose weight at a steady pace. During this phase, youll eat three balanced meals that are rich in sirtfoods, along with one green juice. Its unclear whether this phase has a set calorie intake.

The juices usually consist of matcha, the herb lovage, and buckwheat. As for the meals, recipes include soy yogurt with berries, walnuts, and dark chocolate, an omelette with bacon, red chicory, and parsley, a pita with turkey, cheese, and hummus, and stir-fried prawns with kale and buckwheat noodles.

Once youre done with the phases, youre supposed to look at the Sirtfood Diet as a way of life. You are encouraged, once youve completed the first three weeks, to continue eating a diet rich in sirtfoods and to continue drinking your daily green juice, the diets website says.

The official site also recommends that you stop working out or cutting back on your usual routine during the first phase, since youre not taking in many calories. But, once the diet becomes a way of life for you, it encourages exercising (and eating protein an hour after you work out to repair muscles and reduce soreness).

Yes, youll probably lose weight on the diet. Most people definitely will lose weight during phase one, since they are probably consuming way fewer calories than they usually do, says Gans. While a lot of this may be water weight, its possible to lose actual body fat too.

But that doesnt mean its healthy. It seems gimmicky, says Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. Any diet where theres a cycle of super restrictive eating and maintenance isnt really sustainable.

First, phase one of the diet is a bit extreme, says Scott Keatley, R.D., of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. A 1,000 calorie-diet is below what is used in almost all human research studies because it is deemed unsafe. People can lose fluid and lean muscle mass while having a caloric intake this low, and it can mess with your metabolism, he says.

Restricting your caloric intake this heavily can only be OK for a few days, but its really not ideal, says weight loss expert Michael Russo, M.D., a bariatric surgeon at MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. Its really important to pay attention to what types of calories youre getting in, he says. Getting adequate protein is crucial, because theyre the building blocks of the body.

The Mediterranean Diet Has Really Amazing Benefits

Why Intuitive Eating Is Better Than Diet Culture

The juicing part isnt exactly a hit with experts, either. Im not a huge fan of making juice out of foods, especially when were talking weight loss, as the blender is doing a lot of the work your body should be doing, Keatley says. Green juice is often much lower in gut-filling fiber than youd get if you just ate the ingredients themselves, Cording says, which is bound to leave you hungry.

The diet is also lacking an educational component of helping people better understand what foods are good for their health, and how to develop healthy eating patterns due to how restrictive it is, Cording adds. Finally, there are really no guidelines beyond the two phasesunless you buy the Sirtfood Diet books.

You should also speak with a dietitian or doctor before your dramatically reduce your calorie intake and glug a ton of juice in the name of weight loss.

Ultimately, the Sirtfood Diet isnt backed by significant research, so youre likely better off following a healthy diet you know you can stick to consistently (or a more scientifically-proven option, like the Mediterranean diet), exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.

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What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Inside Adele's Reported Weight Loss Plan - Prevention.com

That looks so delicious, but I can't eat things like that, it goes straight to my thighs.

In her previous job, working at a public library in a support role, Kate* regularly endured comments from a colleague like the one above, which left her feeling "frustrated and angry".

"They were either thoughtless or passive aggressive," she says.

The problem with talking about your 'naughty' afternoon snack at work.Credit:iStock

Kate isn't alone. Mik, who works in paediatric care, finds similar comments in her workplace are most common when she and her colleagues are sharing food.

Comments about being bad and taking leftover dessert or eating another portion, or claims about having to make it up later with exercise just grate on me," she says.

"I usually just respond with a shrug and a food has no moral value, but it depends on the day. Sometimes Im just so tired of it that it seems pointless to even try.

While many dread returning to work after the holiday season, other peoples New Year's resolutions can add another layer of anxiety. Common resolutions are weight or health-based join a gym, diet and, although not harmful in and of themselves, the way they are brought into the workplace can be.

Dieting and body image talk are triggering for people who have had or who have an eating disorder they may trigger a relapse into eating and/or weight and shape preoccupations and behaviours such as binge eating, fasting or purging," says Professor Phillipa Hay, foundation chair of mental health at Western Sydney University.

Michelle Sperling, the Butterfly Foundations national manager of treatment and support, notes the issues that can arise from diet and negative body image talk in the workplace.

Negative comparison between colleagues regarding weight, shape, appearance or even the meals they are eating is something that can occur as a result of such conversations in an office environment," Sperling says.

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"We know that when people make negative comparisons as such, they are more likely to engage in dangerous eating and exercise behaviours.

Allison, who works in the legal industry, has been questioned about why she is eating something weird at lunch so many times that she usually opts to eat at her desk instead, a move Sperling says isn't uncommon.

People isolate themselves at mealtimes from colleagues or they avoid work events so they arent left feeling uncomfortable.

Jasmine, who works in the financial services industry, has a colleague who opts to not eat lunch at all, but still joins her coworkers in the break room to talk to them about how bad their food is and why she cant eat it. So many people complained that HR eventually intervened, but the negative diet talk has continued.

I feel fine," she says of the comments. "But some people felt uncomfortable, so now they just dont go into the break room as much.

Given the ubiquity of New Years resolutions, what can be done to avoid the negative impact of diet talk in the workplace?

Professor Hay suggests information on eating disorders and potential negative impacts of diet and body image talk in the workplace should be included in workplace safety training for all staff, given at least one in 20 Australians will deal with an eating disorder in their lifetime.

Professor Hay also suggested workplaces where there may be a higher risk of disordered eating, such as dance companies, undergo eating disorder and mental health first aid training.

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For Sperling, it is managers who should be creating a culture where employees aren't talking about weight, shape or appearance, and instead focus more on how a person is feeling.

Sperling also stressed the importance of fostering a body neutral environment, which could include putting up signs in the office that promote body acceptance, hosting events that celebrate body positivity, and holding workshops for staff regarding the impact of negative diet and body image talk in the workplace.

*surnames withheld

Butterfly Foundation National Helpline 1800 33 4673.

Read more:
The problem with talking about your 'naughty' afternoon snack at work - The Age

My name is Simmy Hassan (@barbellebeautyy). Im 30 and I live in Dallas. I wear many hats, but my most important job is being a mom. I'm also currently a client relations manager and slowly working my way into the fitness industry. I did Whole30 to lose the weight I gained during pregnancy and got hooked on the healthy lifestyleand I've lost 70 pounds.

Before my weight-loss journey began, I was probably in the best shape of my life. I played volleyball in college, and then after college, I started doing CrossFit. I attended CrossFit sessions at least six times a week, and my gym (or "box," as we call them in the CrossFit community) was basically my second home.

Then, life happened. I got married and had a baby. In my head, I always pictured myself as that pregnant lady working out and still hanging out at CrossFit. Boy, was I in for a rude awakeningbecause that was absolutely *not* my experience.

I did manage to work out at least three to four times a month during pregnancy but my diet was pure trash. I quickly fell into the eating-for-two mentality. I thought I could just splurge and eat whatever I wanted. I had my baby on September 13, 2018.

I weighed 252 pounds after I had my son. I knew I wanted to lose the pregnancy weight. But at first, I fell back into the trap of making excuses. Friends and acquaintances would tell me things like, "Oh, if you are breastfeeding you can still eat whatever. It just falls off!" I would listen without questioning because it sounded easy.

I ate whatever I wanted, I didnt meal prep, and I was dealing with a lot of change being a first-time mom. I was not happy with how I looked even though I felt like the same person on the inside.

The next time I weighed myself wasn't until December 10, 2018, and I was at 243 pounds. I had lost some weight, but I knew I needed to come up with a real plan to get down to business and return to a body I felt like myself in.

I kept working out but not consistently, and my diet was still not up to par. It took me a while to find a plan that made sense for me, but eventually the Whole30 plan sort of fell onto my radar right when I needed it.

Whats The Difference Between Keto And Whole30?

I did some research on Whole30 after stumbling upon it online and decided to document my journey so that I could hopefully inspire others, and also to remind myself to keep pushing forward. I started my first round of Whole30 on February 17, 2019.

I had to mentally prepare myself by reading the books and creating a meal plan ahead of time so that I would successfully complete a round Whole30. I knew the plan was very strictit's essentially an elimination diet that cuts out grains, sugar, and dairyso I wanted to go into it with contingency plans. But Whole30 has worked so well for me.

I didnt even lose that much weight that first round! I started Whole30 when I was 230 pounds and ended up losing only 5 pounds. And for a quick second, I almost felt upset by the numbers, but then I realized that I felt amazing and I could see the results in my before-and-after pictures. It lit a fire in me and gave me the tools I needed to eat clean and practice discipline long term.

Walking soon enough turned into me wanting to try to doing much tougher stuff (I'm competitive even with myself!). I remember trying to do a jump-rope workout with double-unders, and I was quickly humbled. I had to go back to doing single-under jump ropes. I wasnt seeing progress, so I changed up my cardio. I ran my first mile on January 19, 2019, clocking in at 17:26.

What Is The Whole30 Diet?

I realized then that I had a ways to go with my fitness. I eventually signed up for a program called Street Parking because I was not ready to jump right back into a CrossFit box. Because I am a very competitive person, I didnt want to go back until I built up some type of strength. I also joined a cycle studio for one month, and that help me out tremendously because I enjoyed it so much that it made me want to keep going back.

In July 2019, I joined Strong Fitness in Dallas, and Im absolutely in love with it. Im back to going into the gym at least four times a week and Im starting to incorporate even more running. Im proud to say my mile time is now at 13:23 (!). I have a long way to go, but I am so happy with what I have already achieved.

I have to find types of exercise that I actually enjoy doing. For me, anything CrossFit or any cycle studio keeps me going when it comes to working out. A lot of people who approach me and ask about how I stay motivated to go to the gym every day, and I tell them that I love lifting as well as the happy, satisfied feeling I have after a workout.

My husband even knows that if I dont work out, my day is thrown off. So go out and try different studios in your area, and I promise you that you will find something you enjoyand a tribe that will hold you accountable.

The truth is, there are going to be sacrifices that you have to make to lose weight. But the results make it so worth it.

For instance, I wake up before everyone in my home every day and Im at the gym by 5 oclock in the morning. I then have to get myself and my little one ready for the day. I admit, its a lot of work. Its not just the working out, but the meal prepping too. I just say to everyone who asks that you must make your health a priority. That's it.

I'm also a big fan of treating yourself as you go after your goals. Buy new workout gear. Pay for a class you love. You will feel like a new woman, and it will help you feel good about yourself as you work out.

I definitely know that throughout my next pregnancy, Im going to keep up with this lifestyle that I am thriving in. This journey has helped me find my purpose.

I didnt want to stay where I was, in a place where I didnt feel so great physically. I wanted to be able to keep up with my baby and lift heavy weights again. Once I showed up for myself, everything fell in place.

But at first, I also wanted things to happen fast and quickly realized that I just needed to be patient to get to where I wanted to go. My journey has changed and is still changing my life for the better. Im finally stepping out of my comfort zone and making moves so that I can start a career in the fitness industry as a personal trainer.

To everyone: Become your own permission slip and do what makes you happy. You got this.

For more amazing beauty, fitness, and weight loss transformations, check out the rest of our Transformations Week collection.

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'I Did Whole30 After Having My Son And Got My Body And CrossFit Strength Back' - Women's Health

Its no secret that Nina Agdal has an amazingly toned figure & the model shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, how she gets her rockhard abs & youre not going to believe this she doesnt go to the gym!

Nina Agdal, 27, is known for her toned figure and rockhard abs, and the model shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, what workouts she does to get in shape. One of Ninas favorite workouts to do is the treadmill and she has become quite popular for her treadmill routines which she shares on Instagram. Nina shared her favorite workouts with HollywoodLife at the Leandro Limited launch event in NYC on Jan. 9, So I do a lot of home workouts. I do the treadmills twice a week, and then besides that, everything I do is basically done in my apartment on a mat with lighter weights, or a Pilates ring, but mostly body weights. Every exercise Nina does can be done from the comfort of your own home. In terms of classes, I love Solidcore for a good core class. It will really make your stomach burn. SLTs great for leaning out your legs. Pure Barre is great for leaning out your arms. But most of the stuff that I do is my own workouts.

As for some specific workouts you can do to ease yourself into the gym, Nina shared, I definitely think my treadmill workouts are super helpful for that. I used to hate cardio. I used to hate running, and even now, I just got back from a vacation, and I know the first thing Im going to do is to walk on an incline on a treadmill. I think its the best way to build endurance and to just get back into it and get motivated.

When it comes to Ninas diet, I actually dont eat breakfast, she revealed. I prefer to have a juice or a smoothie in the morning. Im a big believer in fasting, so I dont eat anything until lunch, which is usually around 2:00 P.M. or 3:00 P.M. For that, I will have some sort of protein, whether its eggs or fish, mixed with vegetables. For dinner, I kind of eat whatever I want, and stay away from anything red meat.

If you want to start the new year on a healthy note, Nina suggests, I think its picking one thing that you can do a day thats different, and in a positive way, whether its starting your morning with a glass of water with lemon, or its going for a walk, or its picking up a new hobby. I think anything thats positive and that makes you happy, I think taking one step will make you take the second.

Some beauty products and trends Nina is currently coveting include the new Leandro Limited Parting Tool. So obviously my new favorite thing is the headband from Leandro, which is the most perfect way to make the perfect side part or middle part. Ive never seen anything like this, and for someone who doesnt really know how to do hair, this is a must-have tool, Nina shared.

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Nina Agdal Reveals How She Gets Her Toned Abs Without Splurging On A Gym Membership - Hollywood Life

Scientists are increasingly certain that Alzheimers and other dementias are caused by many factors. Genetics certainly play a major role, but researchers are increasingly focusing on other issues such as inflammation, blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, among others. Even conditions such as untreated depression and anxiety are believed to contribute to the likelihood of developing dementia.

Thats why a new review that confirms that your diet can significantly influence mental health and well-being is drawing attention. Published in the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, the review found increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Among the reviews specific findings:

A high fat and low carbohydrate diet (also known as a ketogenic diet) can help children with epilepsy.

A vitamin B12 deficiency can contribute to fatigue, poor memory and depression.

A Mediterranean diet, high in vegetables and olive oil, provides some protection against depression and anxiety.

But the reviews lead author Suzanne Dickson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden cautions that studies about specific conditions are often spotty at best. With individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence, she said in a news release.

There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence, Dickson continued. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health.

One independent scientist who reviewed the study said that despite high-quality research (mostly involving animals), much remains to be discovered about the connection between nutrition and mental health in humans.

This comprehensive review sheds light on hypes and hopes, facts and fictions in the new field of nutritional psychiatry, Andreas Reid, a professor at University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, said in the news release.

The potential societal impact of this rapidly developing field is enormous, Reid cautioned. We must be scientifically sound in making our recommendations.

While researchers cannot point to one specific diet as the key to lessening depression, scientists are increasingly certain that getting evaluated and treated for depression can improve or maintain cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is considered to be the first stage of Alzheimers.

In addition, older adults with depression are believed to be twice as likely to develop dementia, and 65 percent more likely to develop Alzheimers.

Researchers are also increasingly certain that eating better and reducing weight to address issues such as type 2 diabetes, blood pressure and other so-called lifestyle conditions can make a difference in lowering risk for dementia. Boosting exercise is also seen as key.

The World Health Organization published a report on ways to prevent dementia, including undertaking 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise, eating a balanced diet and drinking in moderation (or not at all).

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Can Diet Improve Mental Health? Examining the Link Between the Brain and What You Eat - Being Patient

January usually happens like clockwork: a slew of new self-help books, articles and slimming blogs encourage you to be your best self, often by adopting a radical new diet that promises to blitz those spare inches around your waist for good.

The problem is, many crash diets encourage periods of miserable fasting and cutting out sometimes entire good groups overnight, and demonise food to the point where youre whole relationship with eating can be under threat.

According to fitness guru Joe Wicks who has successfully helped thousands of people to lose weight staying on these restrictive diets for a long period of time is often unrealistic and unhealthy. Even if you do lose weight initially, its not unusual to gain it again (plus even more, in some cases) before the spring comes around.

Thankfully, attitudes around diet culture are changing. A new survey commissioned by recipe box company Gousto (gousto.co.uk) has found two-thirds (68%) of UK adults believe the one-size-fits-all model just doesnt work.

So, how can you shed those excess pounds in a safe and effective way? We asked Wicks to give us some quick tips

Why should people avoid restrictive diets in January?

Its the time of year now where everyone wants to make changes to their life, whether thats with exercise or food, but the last thing you want to do especially if youre someone who really loves food is to go on a low-calorie diet, says Wicks, 33.

Sure, it will work in the short-term and youll probably lose weight on the scales, but emotionally its going to absolutely ruin you. Youre going to be so exhausted, you wont enjoy it and its not going to be a sustainable approach.Joe Wicks is urging people to avoid jumping on the crash-diet bandwagon (Gousto/PA)

Try to think about a long-term vision, as opposed to a quick crash diet. Incorporate it with exercise and cooking with fresh ingredients at home; youre much more likely to succeed throughout the year.

Why do people fail at New Years diets?

Because theyre awful, arent they? Dieting is normally all about how little you can eat and how much exercise you can do. When you combine those two things, it effects your sleep, your mood and your energy levels.

If I could give you one tip, its to focus on getting yourself moving instead. I always tell people to start with 15-20 minutes a day of exercise at home; this will get your energy levels up and your self-esteem boosted. Exercising is going to have a massive effect on your food choices and your ability to go into the kitchen and cook yourself something healthy.

Trying to do everything all at once is a bit much, he adds. Focus on fitness first, and the rest will hopefully follow.

What other tips do you have for those looking to lose weight this year?

Have a look at your portion control. Im not saying to count calories, but to keep your plate to a healthy size. The good thing about exercise is that it elevates your mental health and your mood so much that you dont want to go and put junk food in your body afterwards.

Meal prepping is one of the best things you can do too. If you leave the house without food, youre going to grab options on-the-go, which will likely be unhealthy convenience food.

Thats fine to do once or twice a week, but if youre doing it a lot, youre never going to truly know exactly how much youre consuming. The simple act of making some overnight oats for breakfast, or a salad for lunch can make a huge difference over time when it comes to staying lean.

What are you favourite ingredients for healthy eating?

I really think its great to have chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, curry powder, spices and tins of lentils, pulses, grains and beans in your cupboard. With these key ingredients, you can make really amazing veggie curries, or you could throw some chicken in there for some extra protein. Rice is also a great staple for making quick stir-fries after work.

Theres no magic fat-loss food; its all about getting a good balance of everything and getting lots of fruits and veg in your diet.

Its good to be a bit intuitive with it ask yourself what foods make you feel energised and healthy? Dont think you have to jump onto a certain diet because everyone else is doing it.

Do you follow a flexitarian diet yourself?

Yes. I eat a lot of veggie meals and with Gousto, I get four recipe boxes delivered per week that I can make at home. Three of those will be vegetarian and one will be meat-based.

Thats a massive step for me. During the process of researching and writing my veggie cookbook, Veggie Lean in 15 (16.99, Pan Macmillan), I realised that you can get really amazing food as a vegetarian. Im still not fully committed to going hardcore vegan though.

Many people feel like they dont have time to cook healthily, do you think thats untrue?

I really think you have to remove that time barrier from your mind. We know full well that we can smash a Netflix series in a couple of days or watch our soaps, so we can all find half an hour to exercise or cook well if we prioritise it.

It doesnt need to be hours in the kitchen either. My whole philosophy with my Lean in 15 series is that you can make a really healthy and nutritious meal in just 15 minutes, and have some leftover for lunch the next day.

Its that kind of mentality of prepping in advanced and being organised that works in the long-run.

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Joe Wicks on why you shouldn't try restrictive dieting this January - Irish Examiner