The advice for weight control used to be simple: eat less and exercise more. But emerging research suggests that not all calories are created equal. That bowl of frosted cereal for breakfast has a completely different impact on your body than an equivalent serving of oatmeal with fresh berries. Here are some of the foods that seem to contribute most to widespread obesity, and those with the most promise to help us slim down.

THE OFFENDERS

The sugar trap

Naturally occurring sugars in fruit, vegetables and dairy products give us necessary energy. But the added sweet stuff in our diets not only racks up empty calories, it numbs our cells to insulin, making the heart work harder to pump it out and bring blood sugar down to a normal range. Sugar that is not consumed by the body is also more likely than other calories to be stored as fat. Worse, perhaps, is that sugar releases feel-good opioids and dopamine in the brain and that high is habit-forming. According to researchers at the University of Tennessee, the increase in adults living with obesity is linked to the long-lasting effects of the high-sugar diets among children in the 1970s and 1980s.

Convenient caloriesThat a frozen pizza contributes more to obesity than a salad is no big surprise. But according to a recent report in Cell Metabolism, the first randomized, controlled trial of its kind, the problem is not simply bottom-line caloric intake or levels of macronutrients such as fats.

Over a period of one month, 20 healthy adult volunteers were admitted to the National Health Institutes Clinical Center in Maryland. For two weeks, they were given ultra-processed meals, bagels with cream cheese and turkey bacon, for example, or frozen dinners. For the other two weeks, they were fed unprocessed foods such as oatmeal with fruit and diners such as roast chicken with rice and peas. Both diets contained the same number of calories and the same amount of fat, fibre and carbohydrates. The key difference between the two menus: ingredients predominantly found in industrial food manufacturing, such as hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, flavoring agents, and emulsifiers.

The results were stark: Those on the ultra-processed diets ate faster, and about 500 calories more per day, than those on unprocessed diets. In fact, those on the unprocessed diets lost weight. Why processed foods led to these differences remains to be studied, but the scientists conclusion heavily processed foods cause overeating and weight gain in and of themselves.

Those on the ultra-processed diets ate faster, and about 500 calories more per day, than those on unprocessed diets

Potato chip pile-onClearly, chips arent a health food. Theyre loaded with salt and fried in oil, and people mindlessly crunch through large portions. How bad are they? Harvard University scientists say they are thebiggest culprit behind the pound-a-year weight creep.

By analyzing data collected over 20 years from more than 120,000 men and women in the U.S. who were not obese and were free of chronic diseases, researchers identified a number of specific foods linked to weight gain. Potato chips were the biggest offender: a daily one-ounce serving about 15 chips and 160 calories led to a 1.69-pound increase over four years.

As for healthier veggie sticks and straws? Theyre like a wolf in sheeps clothing, says Anna Taylor, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic. (They) lack fibre and protein, and are practically devoid of nutrients.

Grab-and-go smoothiesUnless you make them yourself, smoothies often come with hidden sugar and calories mainly from juice. But the fact that these drinks can pack as much sugar as a few bags of candy is only part of the reason they contribute to obesity. Nutrition and behaviour scientists at theUniversity of Bristol have found thatfruit smoothies and other energy-containing drinks are also less satiating than whole foods. We can gulp down anywhere from 300 to 700 calories of a spinach-and-berry-filled drink that wont keep us feeling as full as a whole-food option such as fruit slices with nut butter.

Refined grainsMany people think of carbs as the enemy when it comes to weight loss. But its important to focus on the right target: white rice, white bread, white pasta and all-purpose flour all of which lack the fibre and key nutrients of their whole-grain counterparts and carry a high glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale that ranks carb-loaded foods by how much they raise blood sugar. Spanish nutrition researchers reviewed abody of research on diet and obesityand found that people who regularly consume refined grains, as well as other foods with a high glycemic index, have more difficulty managing their weight.

THE HEROES

Nuts to that

Not all fats are a four-letter word. Anew study published in the online journalBMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Healthfound that eating a handful of nuts on a regular basis may help prevent excessive weight gain and lower the risk of obesity. Thats because most of the fat in nuts are good for us: monounsaturated fat, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, are essential to protect our organs, help us absorb nutrients and produce important hormones.

Researchers also say that the fat, protein and fibre combination in nuts takes longer to digest than foods with just carbohydrates and protein, keeping us feeling full longer. They found that a consistent intake of at least a half-ounce of nuts a day was associated with a 23 per cent lower risk of putting on 10 or more pounds over a four-year period. An added bonus, when nuts became a regular part of participants diets, their unhealthy food consumption decreased.

Beans and lentils

The biggest obstacle to lasting weight loss is also the most obvious: hunger. Eating protein at every meal can help, says Alexandra Johnstone, a specialist in obesity and metabolic health at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Aberdeen. Plant-based proteins, such as beans and lentils, can also have a positive impact on the trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that live in our digestive tract, according to astudy presented this October at the United European Gastroenterology Week in Barcelona. A healthy gut is foundational, responsible for better food absorption and overall system regulation.

Fermenting is your friend

Naturally fermented foods are also getting a lot of attention from health experts because of their role in strengthening our gut microbiome. Researchers have linked the loss of healthy bacteria and microorganisms to all sorts of health conditions, including obesity. Foods like kombucha tea, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut are preserved using a traditional process that boosts food shelf life and nutritional value, and provide a dose of healthy probiotics, the microorganisms essential to healthy digestion.

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What to eat (and avoid) if you're trying lose weight - National Post

Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning and tends to develop as people get older, although is not a natural part of ageing. Early warning signs of the condition include memory loss and an impaired judgement, but as the symptoms progress, symptoms can become more pronounced, and people tend to feel isolated from those around them. Although getting older is the biggest risk factor for dementia, evidence shows that lifestyle decisions can influence a persons risk of developing the condition too.

According to the Alzheimers Society, doing regular physical activity is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of dementia, and numerous studies have backed up this claim.

A new study published in The Lancet Public Health builds on the existing literature by exploring how fitness levels over time influence dementia risk.

"It is important to say that it is never too late to begin exercising. The average participant in our study was around 60 years old at baseline, and improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness was strongly linked to lower dementia risk. Those who had poor fitness in the 1980s but improved it within the next decade could expect to live two years longer without dementia," says lead author Atefe Tari of the Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

To arrive at this verdict, Tari and her research colleagues measured the fitness level of participants twice ten years apart. This approach enabled the researchers to evaluate how changes in fitness over time are related to dementia risk.

READ MORE:Dementia symptoms: Five ways you can prevent vascular dementia

Commenting on their findings, Tari said: "If you increase your cardiorespiratory fitness from poor to good you almost halve the risk of getting dementia. You also reduce the risk of dying from or with dementia.

Tari added: In our study, each increase of 1MET was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of getting dementia and a 10 percent lower risk of dementia-related death. This is an improvement that is very achievable for most people.

The metabolic equivalent (MET) is a unit that estimates the amount of energy used by the body during physical activity, as compared to resting metabolism.

The latest study adds to the existing body of research linking fitness levels to a reduced risk of dementia, and previous studies have also shed a light on the best exercise to reduce the risk of delay brain decline.

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According to a report conducted by the Mayo Clinic, any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's progression once it starts.

Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia.

The researchers broadly defined exercise as enough aerobic physical activity to raise the heart rate and increase the body's need for oxygen.

For many people, walking is a great choice for aerobic exercise but other examples include swimming, bicycling and jogging.

"We culled through all the scientific literature we could find on the subject of exercise and cognition, including animal studies and observational studies, reviewing over 1,600 papers, with 130 bearing directly on this issue. We attempted to put together a balanced view of the subject," said J. Eric Ahlskog, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic.

He added: "We concluded that you can make a very compelling argument for exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and for favourably modifying these processes once they have developed."

The researchers note that brain imaging studies have consistently revealed objective evidence of favourable effects of exercise on human brain integrity.

Also, they note, animal research has shown that exercise generates trophic factors that improve brain functioning, plus exercise facilitates brain connections.

To reap the optimal health benefits, the NHS recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity if you are already active, or a combination of both.

According to Alzheimers Society, a healthy, balanced diet may also reduce your risk of dementia, as well as other conditions including cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, stroke and heart disease.

According to the health body, a healthy, balanced diet should consist of:

It also important to avoid or cut down on certain items to reduce the risk of dementia, such as alcohol consumption, warns the charity.

At most, you should aim to drink no more than 14 units each week. If you regularly drink much more than this, youre at risk of alcohol-related brain damage, it said.

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Dementia care: The activity shown to lower your risk of developing the condition - Express

Visceral fat is deemed dangerous because its a type of body fat stored within the abdominal cavity. Its found near several vital organs which is why a persons risk of developing serious health problems is increased. Eating a poor diet has been found to lead to visceral fat build up, so making changes to the food youre eating is advised.

Diet plans come highly recommended for weight loss and fat loss, but with so many diets to choose from, which one is considered best?

Low-carb diets have been found to help get rid of visceral fat, and one in particular proven effective is the ketogenic, or keto, diet.

The keto diet shares many similarities with the Atkins diet, drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat.

A reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

READ MORE:How to get rid of visceral fat: This cheese could reduce the harmful belly fat

A study involving 28 overweight and obese adults found those who followed a ketogenic diet lost more fat, especially visceral fat, than people following a low-fat diet.

The participants also did this while eating roughly 300 more calories per day.

Low-carb diets in general have been shown to be key to visceral fat loss.

A greater proportion of the fat people lose on low-carb diets seems to come from the abdominal cavity.

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Low-carb diets have also been shown to lead to more weight loss at first.

Studies demonstrate people on low-carb diets lose more weight, faster, than those on low-fat diets.

This is believed to happen because low-carb diets act to rid excess water from the body, lowering insulin levels and leading to rapid weight loss in the first week or two.

In studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets, people restricting their carbs sometimes lose two to three times as much weight, without being hungry.

One study in obese adults found a low-carb diet particularly effective for up to six months, compared to a conventional weight loss diet.

But after that, the difference in weight loss between diets was insignificant.

Diet isnt the only way to get rid of visceral fat - regular aerobic exercise has also been shown to be effective.

An analysis of 15 studies in 852 people compared how well different types of exercise reduced visceral fat without dieting.

The authors found moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercises were most effective at reducing visceral fat without dieting.

But combining regular aerobic exercise with a healthy diet is more effective at targeting visceral fat than doing either one alone.

Examples of aerobic exercise include brisk walking, riding a bike, hiking and pushing a lawnmower.

As part of government guidelines, adults aged 19 to 64 should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week alongside strength exercises on two or more days a week.

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How to get rid of visceral fat: Best diet to reduce the harmful belly fat - foods to eat - Express

Its almost inevitable that you've scrolled past a sweaty selfie of a friend, co-worker or high school classmate bragging about their WOD and professing their love for CrossFit.

CrossFit became a super popular workout a few years ago when box gyms began popping up not only across the country, but the world. CrossFit is practiced by members of over 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries. In the U.S. alone, there are over 7,000 gyms offering the program. Its estimated that there are roughly 4 million CrossFitters, and its members are so devoted to the competitive approach to fitness that the community has even been described as cult-like.

With all this publicity, you may have wondered if this program could work for you. Before you jump into the box (ahem, thats CrossFit speak for gym), heres what you need to know about the workout craze and how to determine if it's right for you.

A form of high intensity interval training, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning workout that is made up of functional movement performed at a high intensity level.

These movements are actions that you perform in your day-to-day life, like squatting, pulling, pushing etc. Many workouts feature variations of squats, push-ups, and weight lifting that last for predetermined amounts of time to help build muscles. This varies from a traditional workout that may tell you how many reps to do over any period of time.

CrossFit Journal notes that the workouts are so effective because of their emphasis on the elements of load, distance and speed, which help participants develop high levels of power. The workout may utilize different equipment to accomplish this, including kettle bells, rowers and bikes, medicine balls, speed ropes, rings and plyo boxes.

CrossFit is similar to Orange Theory in that there is a standard "workout of the day" (WOD) that all members complete on the same day. The daily workout can be found on their website (which is always free), along with a guide to all the specialized lingo that is used. There is also a substitutions section on their FAQ page that suggests places to find level appropriate workouts. CrossFit is universally scalable and modifiable for all fitness levels, so it can be tailored to meet your goals and current fitness level, says Tracey Magee, owner and head coach of CrossFit Clan Performance Center.

You may have a preconceived notion of the type of person who belongs in a CrossFit gym (relatively young, jacked, etc.), but Tony Caravajal, certified L-2 CrossFit trainer with RSP Nutrition, strongly believes that CrossFit is hugely beneficial for the full spectrum of ages and athletic capabilities, starting with adolescents. CrossFit Kids classes are a fantastic way to help a child develop balance, coordination, as well as proper motor skills. He says that these skills are a fantastic way to put a child ahead of the game as well as instill a love for a healthily lifestyle.

Patrick Zeiher, owner of CrossFit Indian Trail, notes that one reason CrossFit is so beneficial for all ages is that the physical needs of a person vary by degree not by kind. We can literally have a 60-year-old athlete doing a similar variation of a workout as a 25-year-old competitive athlete, he says. Their needs don't vary by kind; in other words, they both need to be able to squat to a toilet, pick something up off the floor, or get themselves off the floor. The 25-year-old should just be able to do it all faster, says Zeiher.

Another essential element of CrossFit is the spirit of sports and competition. Many CrossFit gyms use strategic actions, like keeping a score board and posting winners to social media, as motivation rather than a reward system. So if youre someone who is motivated by competition to push yourself physically, CrossFit may prove a great exercise for you that drives fast results.

As with any high intensity workout, there is some risk involved. One study found that 20 percent of the CrossFit participants surveyed injured themselves while doing CrossFit endorsed workouts.

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The injury rate of CrossFit is about 20 percent, meaning 20 percent of people who perform CrossFit branded workouts regularly will be injured at some point, which is high for a recreational activity," says Cuyler Hudson, a physical therapist at Finish Line. "I personally see CrossFitters regularly in my physical therapy practice. Injuries will usually occur as an athlete fatigues, which causes their form to also fatigue, causing the load to be shifted from the areas it is supposed to be to areas that cannot handle the stress as well.

You may hear several acronyms and words thrown around during a class, either verbally or written on a board with the workout for the day. Here are some of the most common:

WOD: Workout of the Day

EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute

AMRAP: As Many Reps as Possible

Box: A CrossFit gym with the bare necessities to perform all the WODs.

Ladder: A series of exercises where you increase the number of reps by 1 each time they are performed. (i.e. 5 squats, then 6 squats, then 7 squats )

Zone Diet: The diet that CrossFit endorses. This diet is based on macronutrients.

SQ: Squat

PR: Personal Record. This refers to when you reach your personal best in a given exercise. For example, completing a certain number of push-ups in a minute.

Hero WOD: These workouts are named after first responders who have died in the line of duty. These workouts are especially difficult to remind CrossFitters of the sacrifices that these men and women made for their country.

Magee suggests that you communicate with your coach any limitations or restrictions you have, especially if youre just getting back into a workout routine or are a beginner. Once a person has been through their initial assessment, a qualified coach will help them determine the any modifications, such as particular movements or the volume of training for a particular workout, she says.

If you are a beginner, youre in luck. CrossFit accounts for this sector of the population. Some sort of beginner or foundations class is highly recommended for newcomers. In these classes, they'll learn the basics and improve fitness at their own pace. Once they learn the basic foundational skills and build their confidence, they can move into regular classes, explains Magee. A less experienced or very de-conditioned individual would be advised to start with fewer classes per week (usually 2-3), until their bodies have adapted to the new movements and the volume of training.

Even if you arent quite ready to jump full force into CrossFit, there are effective elements of the workout that you can incorporate into your current exercise routine.

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What is CrossFit? And is it right for you? Here's what you need to know - NBC News

To trim down the waistline, dieters can pick from a number of different weight loss diet plans. The keto, or ketogenic, diet is a popular choice for many slimmers and can help speed up fat burning results. However, an expert reveals the tips you must follow.

The low carb and high fat plan is thought to help promote fat loss, Elliot Upton, PT at ultimate performance and head of LiveUP online coaching, explained.

He told Express.co.uk: The idea of keto is to take in such a low amount of carbohydrates that your body switches to a metabolic state called 'ketosis' where it uses fat and ketones for fuel instead of glucose."

By following this plan, the body will start to burn through fat leaving those on the plan much trimmer.

READ MORE: Joe Wicks reveals simple workout plan to help burn fat - avoid making common mistake

Although many people may think they should avoid fat when trying to slim down, eating foods high in healthy fats could actually help them get into shape.

Pairing those foods with meals high in carbs and with a moderate protein content can give the best results.

Elliot added: People who follow the keto diet will eat a high proportion of their calories from fat, some protein and minimal or no intake from carbohydrates.

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Common foods people eat on the keto diet tend to be anything with a high fat and low carbohydrate content, such as oils, cheese and dairy products, eggs, nuts and some fatty meats or fish.

If switching onto the plan, he explained why dieters much ensure they still eat enough nutrients.

Removing a food group can leave slimmers lacking in certain things and the expert explained how to compensate for this.

When you cut out an entire food group, there is the potential to be lacking in key nutrients, he said.

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Weight loss: This surprising food can help you burn fat fast - what can you eat? - Express

Ample evidence shows that regular exercise is a surefire way to boost longevity, because it lowers the risk of developing a wide range of deadly conditions.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the greatest threats to longevity, for example, but it can largely be prevented by maintaining high fitness levels and following a healthy diet.

While numerous studies demonstrate the health benefits of exercise in general or focus on specific groups of exercise, there is a growing field of research that is shedding a light on the specific forms of exercise that will extend longevity.

One of those studies, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, makes the case for speeding up your walking pace.

The study found that walking at an average pace was found to be associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for all-cause mortality compared with walking at a slow pace, while walking at a brisk or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent.

A similar result was found for risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, with a reduction of 24 percent walking at an average pace and 21 percent walking at a brisk or fast pace, compared to walking at a slow pace.

Interestingly, the health benefits were most pronounced in older age groups, with average paced walkers aged 60 years or over experiencing a 46 percent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular causes, and fast paced walkers a 53 percent reduction.

READ MORE:How to live longer: Can eating an apple a day increase life expectancy? Dr Chris' verdict[INSIGHT]

A fast pace is generally five to seven kilometres per hour, but it really depends on a walker's fitness levels; an alternative indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty when sustained," said lead author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health.

The researchers sought to establish the link between walking pace and all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

To gather the findings, the researchers pooled together and analysed mortality records with the results of 11 population-based surveys in England and Scotland between 1994 and 2008 - in which participants self-reported their walking pace - the research team then adjusted for factors such as total amount and intensity of all physical activity taken, age, sex and body mass index.

"Walking pace is associated with all-cause mortality risk, but its specific role - independent from the total physical activity a person undertakes - has received little attention until now," Professor Stamatakis said.

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He continued: "While sex and body mass index did not appear to influence outcomes, walking at an average or fast pace was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. There was no evidence to suggest pace had a significant influence on cancer mortality however."

In light of the findings, the researchers are calling on public health bodies to promote walking pace as a simple and accessible way for people to help ward off developing life-threatening conditions.

Professor Stamatakis said: "Assuming our results reflect cause and effect, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality -- providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote.

"Especially in situations when walking more isn't possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up - one that most people can easily incorporate into their lives."

The health benefits of exercise can be reaped at any age, according to research led by Alexander Mok, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Mok and his team of researchers examined how changes in exercise levels over time affect a person's risk of dying from any cause, as well as dying from specific conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

The findings, which are the result of a large population-based cohort study comprised of almost 15,000 people, found that high levels of exercise and increased physical activity over time correlated with a lower mortality risk overall.

Significantly, the results suggested that even if someone decided to exercise after being physically inactive, they would still both their longevity.

The greatest longevity benefits were seen among individuals who had high physical activity levels at the start of the study and increased them even more with time. These highly active people were 42 percent less likely to die prematurely from any cause.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, when done regularly, moderate-and vigorous-intensity physical activity strengthens your heart muscle, and this improves your heart's ability to pump blood to your lungs and throughout your body, and as a result, more blood flows to your muscles, and oxygen levels in your blood rise.

The health said: Capillaries, your body's tiny blood vessels, also widen. This allows them to deliver more oxygen to your body and carry away waste products.

Heart-healthy eating is also essential to longevity, and the health site recommends opting for the following to protect heart health:

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How to live longer: The simple exercise shown to extend your lifespan - Express

Dramatic and quick weight loss is never a great idea. The long game dietary intervention alternative is always a better option. That being said, service members have a height and weight requirement that they must meet yearly.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to lose those last few pounds quickly, here's how to do it in a safe way. This method has nothing to do with those fat burners that have zero efficacy and that usually just induce fever-like symptoms in order to "burn" fat.

WARNING: This protocol, although safer than other methods, is still risky. Only attempt this if you have an actual reason to and with someone closely monitoring your progress. *This is not medical advice. I take no responsibility for any potential adverse effects.* In fact, I recommend you don't do this. This article is just to show a safer method of cutting weight than individuals typically conduct.

For that dietary intervention alternative, check out The Ultimate Composure Nutrition Guide in my Free Resources Vault, where I lay out the process in a step by step easy to follow protocol.

The name of the game is water manipulation.

(Photo by Cpl. Anthony Leite)

Water intake: You're over half water. By reducing the amount of water you drink, you are inherently reducing your weight. The other two factors that you'll be manipulating are simply ways for you to reduce your water retention. More on why you should be drinking water here.

Carbohydrate intake: Every gram of stored carbohydrate stores an additional 3-4 grams of water. This is why the word hydrate is included in the word carbohydrate. When you eat a higher carb diet, you may feel that you look softer, it's because you're holding on to more water. The extra water retention makes you look less cut in general.

Sodium intake: Electrolytes transport electrical signals throughout our body, it's how we work. When you manipulate your intake of electrolytes, especially sodium, you can trick your body into excreting more of them than usual, which will, in turn, expel more water and help reduce your weight.

The process starts 8 days before your weigh-in.

(U.S. Navy Photo by Burrell Parmer, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio Public Affairs/Released)

GET ACCESS TO THE PROTOCOL IN A STEP BY STEP GUIDE IN MY FREE RESOURCES VAULT HERE!

8 days prior:

6 days prior:

5 days prior

3 days prior

2 days prior

Day of weigh-in prior to weigh-in

Day of weigh-in and post weigh-in

A shiny trophy may be a great reason to cut weight. Make sure you don't cut so hard that you can't perform though.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin, 2d Cavalry Regiment)

This is a protocol very similar to what professional fighters and other weight-class athletes use to cut weight prior to a fight. Those individuals have coaches and medical professionals at their disposal to help monitor and implement the protocol. This is not the type of thing that should be undertaken flippantly.

Be smart.

If you want to lose fat, this is not how to do it. This protocol simply rids the body of water weight. All the weight you cut will be put back on in a matter of days, if not hours.

To lose fat, read my nutrition guide, The Ultimate Composure Nutrition Guide. It's free and you can get it in my Free Resources Vault.

To understand why diet manipulation is a better method for fat burning than exercising more read my article The key to your body goals here.

To learn what type of exercise burns the most fat and can compliment a caloric deficit, read this.

If you find this article helpful share it with a friend that needs to lose a few more pounds to make weight.

Email me at michael@composurefitness.com if you want a professional to help guide you through this process or if you have more questions concerning the intricacies of the protocol.

Join the Mighty Fit Facebook Group to keep this conversation going and learn everything you need to achieve your highest level of health.

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How to cut weight in a borderline safe way - We Are The Mighty

Weight loss diets usually require slimmers to eat less but it is important they pick the right foods. Eating foods high in protein can help dieters lose weight and gain lean muscle, an expert revealed. Is there a best time to have it?

By eating foods high in protein, dieters can boost their weight loss results, Harry Aitken, sports scientist and PT, told Express.co.uk.

He said: A high protein diet is simply one that is rich in protein intake, and lower, than normal, in calories.

So you will be consuming lots of protein, whilst still maintaining reduced calories to ensure you are in a calorie deficit, burning more calories than youre eating.

READ MORE: Weight loss: Top five exercises for flat abs revealed - full workout plan here

When upping protein in the diet, slimmers can get it from a host of different foods.

Harry explained meat like chicken, beef, and pork, dairy products and eggs are all a good source of protein.

Vegetarian options like seeds, buts, beans like lentils and broad beans, tofu, and manufactured protein sources made from soya or mycoproteins can also be eaten.

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These foods will keep hunger pains at bay and dieters are less likely to opt for unhealthy snacks.

This means those hoping to lose weight will notice the benefits adding a portion of protein into every meal.

High protein intake has been proven to keep you fuller for longer, and they have also been proven to reduce subsequent calorie intake, Harry added.

So this means that not only are your high protein means filling you up, and helping you stay full, but they also help to reduce you consuming more calories throughout the day.

A food that can keep you fuller for longer, without consisting of huge amounts of calories, when dieting is a fantastic solution to help you reduce your calorie intake.

Dieters will feel more satisfied and likely to stick to the meal plan they are following.

Harry explained: The problem with many diets is theyre often quite drastic, and they restrict food so much that people feel starving. By helping to keep you full, and therefore happy, you are much more likely to actually stick to the diet.

For those hoping to get into shape, following a high protein diet will also help build muscle and appear lean.

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Weight loss: This food can help you slim down fast - when is the best time to eat it? - Express

Its the latest hot topic. It seems every other person is doing some form of fasting these days. All sorts of acronyms get bandied about theres the 5:2, the 16:8, the Fast 800, intermittent fasting (IF) and alternate-day fasting (ADF).

Its been touted as the solution to everything from getting clearer skin, weight loss and increased longevity but is fasting a health fix or is it just a fad?

Intermittent fasting is probably the most popular approach. Most people already fast every day while they sleep. Intermittent fasting can be as simple as extending that fast a little longer.

You can do this by skipping breakfast, eating your first meal at noon and your last meal at 8pm. Then, youre technically fasting for 16 hours every day, and restricting your eating to an eight-hour eating window. This is the most popular form of intermittent fasting, known as the 16:8 method, and foollowed by a host of celebs including Jennifer Aniston.

Popularised by British journalist Dr Michael Mosley, the 5:2 diet consists of five days of the week that are normal eating days, while the other two restrict calories to 500-600 per day.

Alternate-day fasting is another approach the basic idea is that you fast on one day, and then eat what you want the next day.

This fasting lark, while on trend right now, is not new.

Plutarch and Plato were big fans of fasting. The Greeks observed that sick animals did not eat and saw that it should be no different for humans. They believed fasting could both heal illness and improve cognitive function.

And almost all religious and spiritual practices throughout the ages have advocated fasting in one form or another. Buddha, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad all fasted and believed in the power of fasting for physical, mental and spiritual benefit. A large number of religious fasting traditions are still practised today.

There is definitely something in it though.

Recent findings from the University of Graz, Austria, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggest other advantages, apart from weight loss, include reduced inflammation, better blood sugar control, improved heart health and boosted brain function in participants who undertook alternate day fasting.

Consultant rheumatologist Peter Browne believes there are definite benefits in fasting, but its not something that should be done in isolation. Browne, who works at the Bons Secours hospital in Tralee, says the evidence that intermittent fasting has health benefits is pretty clear. My initial interest in fasting was patient driven. Many of my patients want to try a non-medicine approach when they first see me for treatment and for some of them, fasting has very beneficial results.

He admits its not for everyone. Theres a cohort of patients who would struggle with adherence so its not an approach that can be universally applied, but there is no doubt that fasting can improve metabolic health with improvements in weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and improved blood sugars in many patients.

Fasting has benefits over and above weight loss too. Browne says it makes sense that allowing our bodies a break from eating, will divert energy to renewal instead. We have evolved to be in sync with the day/night cycle, ie, a circadian rhythm. Our metabolism has adapted to daytime food, night-time sleep. If our bodies are not digesting food at night, then theres time for repair.

This is a well-documented benefit of fasting autophagy, which plays a role in controlling inflammation and boosting immunity. When you fast, your body tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged the first cells to go are the faulty ones. If you are intermittent fasting, this will happen while you are asleep, Browne says.

Nutritional therapist and director of Irelands functional medicine conference Maev Creaven agrees. Most people associate fasting with weight loss, but the benefits go far beyond.

Its more than calorie restriction, its about changing your hormones. There is strong evidence to show that fasting lowers insulin levels. Healthy adults experience a reduction in insulin levels after fasting. Part of insulins role is to regulate blood sugar. Too much insulin has been linked to obesity and other chronic health conditions like heart disease, and diabetes. If insulin is known as the fat storage hormones and is produced in the presence of glucose [carbohydrates], then the best way to lose weight is to reduce insulin via fasting or carb restriction. Its common sense really. There is no more potent way to lower insulin than to fast.

For Tony Murphy, fasting has made a massive impact on his health. A shift worker, he was about 25lbs overweight when he went to the doctor with breathing problems. I had shortness of breath, I was sleepy after eating and I just felt out of sorts. A chat with a dietician got him overhauling his diet. After that chat, I knew I needed to make a change. I went to my doctor and I didnt want to take medication if possible. We agreed that I would adopt some healthy eating guidelines and stop eating at 6pm every day.

He ate brunch mid-morning and a healthy lunch and dinner now he has lost 20lbs, is sleeping properly and has brought his cholesterol down to normal levels. Its a very simple idea, but combined with a bit of exercise and choosing more healthy food, Ive managed to avoid the risk of a lifetime of illness and medication.

There are some caveats though.

Some health professionals have expressed concern about the rise in fasting and warned that some people should absolutely not dabble in this eating style.

Bodywhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, has warned that anyone whos previously struggled with an eating disorder or experienced disordered eating behaviours should steer clear of fasting.

Similarly, pregnant women, teenagers and anyone with a medical condition should not fast. Always check with your doctor before embarking on any diet regime.

Read the rest here:
The hard and fast rules when it comes to diet - The Irish Times

Im pretty sure that I, once upon a time, could have been classified as a perpetual dieter.

No, not quite a yo-yo dieter, because in order to yo-yo, I wouldve had to have experienced some measure of success. My weight wouldve had to come down before it would come back up, and that never happened for me.

I was a perpetual dieter. It was always something. One week, it would be a tea diet for 10 days, a diet where you only drank tea for breakfast and lunch; and another week, itd be all-Metabolife-everything, where I subsisted solely on diet pills for as long as I could before my brain started to beg for actual nourishment. A third week, Id be losing sleep because Id tried to sleep in a pulsing waistband designed to give my 50-inch waist the abs Id longed for all my life.

Dont laugh. Im serious.

No matter how often or how long I tortured myself, it was never enough. The weight never came off.

It eventually got to a point where I started to question everything. Why do I keep trying methods that just dont work? Why do I keep doing this, if its not giving me the desired outcome? It made me feel a perpetual sense of self-loathingam I the problem, here? If I follow the instructions on the little box correctly and still dont lose weight, am I simply destined to be over 300 pounds the rest of my life?

I genuinely believed Id simply have to accept 330 as a permanent number in my life.

That is, until, one day, my mother suggested something to me that shed never suggested before. She simply suggestedthat I just go to the damn gym.

I was shockedand surprisedby that. Thegym? I guess. Six months later progress. Minor progress, but hard-fought progress, nonetheless.

Another six months later, Id finally figure out that maybe, just maybe, if I gave up the taquitos and sour cream after my workouts, or the pineapple pop and goldfish cracker binges, I might be on to something. And, I was right.

Before too long, weight started flying off. Id finally experienced what I lovingly refer to as the come-to-fitness moment. Following through on it resulted in a triple-digit weight loss.

Your come-to-fitness moment is the moment when you decide that theres no diet, no snake oil, no pill, no wrap that can do for you what learning how to live can do for you. No pill could do what giving up soda pop could do for me. No wrap could do what giving up processed foods could do for me. None of it could make me feel the way being active and fit could make me feel.

Everyones come-to-fitness moment will be different, and thats OK. Its cornerstone, however, is the realization that you only need consistent exercise and clean eating habits to achieve your fitness goals. You may not have a pineapple sodapop fetish for you, it might be a certain brand of candy and you may not have an emotional eating challenge, but you still need to address it before you can experience the full benefits of your come-to-fitness moment.

And should you have that moment, what do you do?

1. Arm yourself. Find books, DVDs, favorite cooking shows, maybe an awesome blog or two, anything and everything that embodies the traits that you hope to make lifelong habits.

2. Dont be afraid to ask questions! You want to learn, and closed mouths dont get fed. We were all newbies at some point.

3. Enable yourself. Get excited about going to work out! Give yourself gratification by being proud of your new efforts. Working out, for someone who just had their come-to-fitness moment reflects more than the possibility of becoming more fit; it represents the development of an invaluable new life-long habit. Its important to allow yourself to be excited about it.

4. Dont be afraid to explore things that are new and unfamiliar to you or people you know. Believe me, if it were familiar to you, you wouldve done it by now which is all the more reason to dive in head first.

When you finally reach the point where you realize that nothing is going to bring you what hard work in the gym will, dont let the disappointment overtake you. Just get ready to sweat your hair out, and look forward to all the new flavors you can explore. As I always say, your body will thank you for it!

Erika Nicole Kendall is the writer behind the award winning blog, A Black Girls Guide to Weight Loss, where she blogs her journey of losing over 150lbs. A trainer certified in womens fitness, fitness nutrition and weight loss coaching, she can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Excerpt from:
Are You Ready to Have Your Come-to-Fitness Moment? - EBONY