The height of a childs biological parents can be a good indicator of how tall a child will be, as genetics play a prominent role in determining height. However, this can vary, and siblings with the same parents may all reach different heights. Other factors, such as biological sex, overall health, nutrition, sleep, and exercise, during developmental years all factor into height and growth.

The height a person reaches by adulthood can depend on the genes they inherit from their biological parents, although some factors may mean a child does not reach their full potential height.

Nutrition and overall health during childhood and adolescence also affect human growth and height. Over hundreds of years, the average human height has increased due to improved nourishment in children and a reduction in illness and infections.

This article explores methods people may use to predict height, factors that affect growth in children and adolescents, and when to speak with a doctor if growth becomes a concern.

A combination of genetics and external factors can affect how tall a child will grow.

Health experts believe that 80% of a persons height is genetic. This means the height of biological parents can be an indicator of a childs height, although this is not always a reliable predictor.

Siblings with the same parents can vary in height, and one child in the family may be taller or shorter compared to the rest of the family.

Other factors, such as nutrition, illness, or premature birth, can also play a part in height and growth and may prevent a child from reaching their full potential height.

Learn more about which factors can influence a persons height.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people may wish to try the following formula for predicting how tall a child will be:

However, note that predictive methods such as these are not concrete, and a childs adult height could change depending on different factors.

Learn how to measure height accurately.

According to the Society for Endocrinology, people can usually expect the following average growth patterns in children and adolescents:

Learn about the signs and stages of puberty.

Most females will have a growth spurt in the year before they start their first menstrual period. Their feet and hands will likely increase in size first, followed by the rest of the body.

Female growth slows down after their first menstrual period, but females will usually still grow 12 in after this time.

According to health experts, males usually have a growth spurt in puberty 2 years after most females. The peak time of growth is before sperm develops, and males will grow about 9 cm a year. Males also usually have longer growth spurts than females.

According to the Society for Endocrinology, there is no set age for when males and females will stop growing. Once a person has gone through all the stages of puberty to reach adult development, their growth will slow down and stop.

Additionally, growth plates in the bones fuse together at this stage, meaning individuals will not grow any taller.

Learn about when male children might stop growing.

Learn about when female children might stop growing.

Adolescents go through puberty at different stages, so variations in growth spurts can be normal. In some cases, going through puberty at a slower rate can be due to an inherited pattern, known as constitutional delay.

If there is too much variation, such as a growth spurt not occurring or females not menstruating by the age of 16 years, then it is important to speak with a doctor for a checkup.

In some cases, unusual growth or development in a young person may be the result of an underlying medical condition, such as:

Treating the underlying condition may help improve growth. In the case of a growth hormone deficiency, people may need treatment with artificial growth hormone.

Although genetics largely determine a persons height, proper nutrition is an important factor in healthy growth and development for children and adolescents.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a balanced and nutritious diet for healthy growth and development includes:

According to a 2018 study, both exercise and good sleep can help increase height, as they elevate the release of growth hormones.

Sometimes, children or adolescents may face peer pressure or bullying for being a different height than those around them. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, or depression.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry provides the following advice for parents and caregivers to help young people deal with peer pressure:

Learn more about teen anxiety and depression.

How tall a child or teenager will grow largely depends on the genes they inherit from their biological parents.

Good nutrition, exercise, and sleep also all play an important role in healthy growth and development. Illness, infection, or premature birth may all affect whether a child reaches their potential full height or not.

In most cases, young people will not be able to have much impact on their height other than living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. In some cases, children or adolescents may have a deficiency in growth hormone, which may require medical treatment to resolve.

If a child or adolescent is not growing or developing as expected for their age and biological sex, misses a growth spurt, or females do not have their first period by 16 years, then individuals can consult with their doctor for a checkup.

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How tall will I be? A guide for parents and children - Medical News Today

When it comes to longevity, much of the focus has been on the foods you eat and the best types of exercise. For good reason too - regular exercise and eating well can slash your risk of chronic disease, namely heart disease, which claims millions of lives each year. However, there are other lifestyle habits that contribute to longevity and research suggests they should not be overlooked.

Specifically, the researchers sought to determine the extent to which social relationships influence risk for mortality, which aspects of social relationships are most highly predictive, and which factors may moderate the risk.

Data were extracted on several participant characteristics, including cause of mortality, initial health status, and pre-existing health conditions, as well as on study characteristics, including length of follow-up and type of assessment of social relationships.

Drawing on 148 studies, the researchers put a 50 percent increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships.

This finding remained consistent across age, sex, initial health status, cause of death, and follow-up period.

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Significant differences were found across the type of social dynamic evaluated.

For example, the association was strongest for complex measures of social integration.

In contrast, the outcomes were poorest for those living alone.

The result is not entirely surprising.

Although its hard to measure social isolation and loneliness precisely, there is strong evidence that many adults aged 50 and older are socially isolated or lonely in ways that put their health at risk.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cite a number of studies found that tie social isolation to poorer health outcomes.

In one study, social isolation significantly increased a persons risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

In another, social isolation was associated with about a 50 percent increased risk of dementia.

What's more, poor social relationships (characterised by social isolation or loneliness) was associated with a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke.

Other evidence suggests loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.

Furthermore, loneliness among heart failure patients was associated with a nearly four times increased risk of death, 68 percent increased risk of hospitalisation, and 57 percent increased risk of emergency department visits in one study.

"Your doctor can assess your risk for loneliness and social isolation and get you connected to community resources for help, if needed," notes the CDC.

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The habit that may increase your chances of longevity by 50% - its not exercise or diet - Express

That's even though many cheap and easy treatments exist -- from healthier diet and exercise to pills that safely lower blood pressure using a variety of mechanisms.

"We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30-79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment," the global team, led by Majid Ezzati, a global health specialist at Imperial College London, wrote.

"We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure (the top number of a blood pressure reading) 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number of a reading) 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension."

The researchers looked at data covering 184 countries. The number of people with high blood pressure doubled from 648 million in 1990 to nearly 1.3 billion by 2019, they found.

"Policies that enable people in the poorest countries to access healthier foodsparticularly reducing salt intake and making fruit and vegetables more affordable and accessiblealongside improving detection by expanding universal health coverage and primary care, and ensuring uninterrupted access to effective drugs, must be financed and implemented to slow the growing epidemic of high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries," Ezzati said in a statement.

Many high-income countries, including Canada, Switzerland, the UK and Spain reported their numbers of people with hypertension at all-time lows, but low- and middle-income countries such as Paraguay and central European countries including Hungary, Poland, and Croatia had high rates. Canada and Peru had the lowest rates of high blood pressure. "Hypertension prevalence was highest throughout central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, southern Africa, and some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean," the team wrote.

Overall, just under a third of men and women globally ages 30 to 79 had high blood pressure, the study found.

"The pandemic of cardiovascular disease has received less attention in the last 18 months but reflects concerning worldwide trends in unhealthy lifestyle choices such as high fat, sugar, salt and alcohol intake, sedentary lifestyles with avoidance of exercise, and smoking, all of which lead to higher blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels that cause damage to the blood vessels that supply the heart and brain," said Robert Storey, a professor of cardiology at the University of Sheffield who was not involved in the study.

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Number of people with high blood pressure has doubled globally, large study finds - CNN

Whether she's lighting up the stage as a member of the Pussycat Dolls or bringing her signature enthusiasm to The Masked Singer, Nicole Scherzinger has a seemingly endless font of energy. It's not just her dedication to her craft that keeps her in such good spirits (and great shape), howeverthe star relies on a tough workout routine to ensure she's ready to always bring her A-game to her devoted fans. In a new video, a bikini-clad Scherzinger reveals the exercise routine that keeps her so fit. Read on to discover the star's exact workout. And for more on how your favorite stars stay in amazing shape, Khloe Kardashian Reveals Her Exact Butt and Abs Workout.

On August 21, Scherzinger showed off her grueling workout routine to fans in a new Instagram video. In the clip, a bikini-clad Scherzinger can be seen doing a series of lunges and overhead dumbbell presses. She follows this with a quick workout on a stationary bike, after which she completes a series of yoga-inspired moves on a weight bench. A dancer at heart, Scherzinger rounds out her routine with some twerking on all fours. "I don't danceI WERK," she captioned the clip.

For more on how A-listers really shape up, These Are the Exact Foods Ciara Ate to Lose 39 Pounds.

Intense weight-bearing workouts aren't the only way Scherzinger stays fit, however.

In June, the multihyphenate star revealed that she makes dance-based workouts a priority, too. In a clip posted to her Instagram, Scherzinger showed off some Latin dance-inspired movesand once again, ended things with a little twerking. "I mean, I heard that dancing and laughing gives you better abs than crunches anyway?" she captioned the video.

It's not her commitment to exercise alone that keeps Scherzinger in such amazing shape. The Masked Singer judge revealed that when she's trying to shed a few pounds, she incorporates intermittent fasting into her routine.

"When I'm really watching my weight, I refrain from eating late at night," she revealed to People.

While Scherzinger admitted in her People interview that her diet is largely healthy and plant-based, she doesn't deprive herself of treats, either.

"When I'm going to indulge, I love pasta, pizza, I love Mexican with lots of cheese. I love French fries, or [chips]," she revealed in a 2019 interview with Women's Health. For more on how your favorite stars stay fit, Chris Hemsworth's Trainer Reveals His Exact Workout Plan, and for the latest celebrity health and fitness news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter!

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Nicole Scherzinger Reveals Her Exact Workout Routine in New Bikini Video | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to isolate and disrupted our usual routinesespecially those related to exercise. If you haven't resumed regular physical activity, a new study might make you want to get back on the horse (or bike, as it were). It found that being inactive has a potentially very serious consequence. Read on to find out moreand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You Have "Long" COVID and May Not Even Know It.

According to the study published in the journal Stroke, people younger than 60 who reported sitting for eight or more hours dailyand not being otherwise physically activewere seven times more likely to have a stroke than people who were sedentary for less than four hours and got at least 10 minutes of exercise every day.

Researchers looked at the health data of 143,000 adults registered with the Canadian Community Health Survey, which tracked participantsall 40 years and older, with no prior history of strokefor an average of 9.4 years.

"Sedentary time is increasing in the United States and Canada," said lead study author Dr. Raed Joundi of the University of Calgary. "Sedentary time is the duration of awake activities that are done sitting or lying down. Leisure sedentary time is specific to the sedentary activities done while not at work. It is important to understand whether high amounts of sedentary time can lead to stroke in young individuals, as a stroke can cause premature death or significantly impair function and quality of life."

"Sedentary time is thought to impair glucose, lipid metabolism and blood flow, and increase inflammation in the body," Joundi told CNN. "These changes, over time, may have adverse effects on the blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke."

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"Physical activity has a very important role in that it reduces the actual time spent sedentary, and it also seems to diminish the negative impact of excess sedentary time," said Joundi.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, each week.

Joundi told CNN that ideally, that activity is done for more than 10 minutes at a time. "Activities are considered moderate intensity when you are exercising enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, such as brisk walking or biking." Examples of vigorous activity include running, rowing or swimming.

RELATED: The #1 Cause of Alzheimer's, According to Science

Other studies have found that 10 risk factors are associated with 90% of strokes, Joundi said, so "90% of strokes could in theory be avoided if all of these risk factors were removed in a population." They are:

"Improving physical activity is only one important component of stroke risk reduction, together with a nutritious diet, smoking cessation, and diagnosing and treating conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes," said Joundi. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

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Never Do This or Risk a Stroke, Says New Study | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Written by Jane E. Brody

The childhood admonition to refrain from swimming for an hour after eating, ostensibly to avoid cramp, is not nearly long enough for me anymore. I now have to wait at least two hours before attempting any vigorous activity, or chores that involve bending over, to avoid the miserable sensation of acid reflux, commonly recognized by its frequent symptom of heartburn.

Ive also found that a favorite breakfast food peanut butter is especially troublesome, along with smoked fish, pickled herring or brewed coffee on an empty stomach.

How common is acid reflux?

Acid reflux is among the most frequent health complaints of American adults, and may have become even more common in the wake of pandemic-related stress and weight gain. Late last year, pharmacies reported an unprecedented run on antacids by people described as having a pandemic stomach, leaving those with serious ailments that required such products often out of luck.

Even before the pandemic, an online survey from 2019 of more than 71,000 adults found that nearly a third reported that they were affected at least weekly by the discomforting symptoms of acid reflux, in which a small amount of stomach contents reverses course and backs up into the esophagus.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms include a burning feeling in the chest, a sensation of a lump in the throat, belching and bloating, and regurgitation into the mouth of highly acidic, partially digested food from the stomach. Reflux can also affect the respiratory tract, resulting in hoarseness, wheezing, postnasal drip, cough or asthma.

But persistent acid reflux is more than just annoying. If it occurs too often and persists for too long, it can erode the lining of the esophagus and increase the risk of developing a deadly cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma.

5 ways to reduce your reflux risk?

A Harvard research team recently reported that many people could avoid this misery by adhering to an anti-reflux lifestyle. The researchers analyzed periodic health surveys over 12 years from more than 40,000 nurses and identified five lifestyle characteristics that helped keep acid reflux at bay.

The more of these behaviors the nurses adhered to, the lower their risk of developing GERD, the popular acronym for gastroesophageal reflux disease, the most persistent and potentially serious form of acid reflux. Following all five behaviors reduced the overall risk of developing GERD symptoms by 37 percent.

1. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT: An analysis of the medical literature led by Dr. Jesper Lagergren of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that GERD affected about 22 percent of people who were classified as obese, compared with about 14 percent of those who were not obese. After you eat, a muscular sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus opens to let food enter the stomach, and then closes to keep it from reversing direction. An oversized abdomen can put excess pressure on this sphincter and may prevent it from closing when it should, allowing contents from the acidic stomach to leach into the esophagus.

2. DONT SMOKE: Dr. Lagergrens team found that tobacco can extend the time it takes for acidic foods to leave the esophagus. In an analysis of 30 studies, GERD affected about 20 percent of smokers, compared with about 16 percent of nonsmokers.

3. EXERCISE: Those who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day were less likely to develop symptoms of GERD, the Harvard team reported.

4. CUT DOWN ON COFFEE, TEA AND SODA: The risk of GERD was reduced among those who consumed no more than two cups of coffee, tea or soda each day.

5. FOLLOW A HEART-HEALTHY DIET: Those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet, for example, featuring fruits and vegetables, legumes, fish, poultry and whole grains, but little or no red meat and other sources of saturated fats, were less likely to develop acid reflux.

Genetics can also affect ones risk of developing acid reflux, so people with a family history of the problem would do best to avoid the risks highlighted above. Doing so will also help protect against leading killers like heart disease, diabetes and many forms of cancer.

How to manage symptoms

If you already have acid reflux, theres much you can do to minimize symptoms and perhaps avoid them entirely. Instead of consuming large meals, eat smaller ones more often. Minimize fatty foods and skip fried and fast foods entirely. A friend uses an air fryer to achieve a crispy skin on chicken, but I prefer grilled chicken and skip the skin. Choose lean meats (if you eat meat) and low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and avoid eating within three hours of bedtime. Also, try sleeping as if on a recliner, with the head of the bed propped higher than the foot.

Foods that many people with GERD find most irritating include tomatoes and citrus (like oranges and grapefruit) and their juices, coffee (even decaf for some people), alcoholic and carbonated beverages, spicy foods, garlic, chocolate and peppermint. I long ago switched to low-acid orange juice, consuming only a few ounces a day to dissolve a fiber supplement. Ive also found instant coffee to be less irritating than brewed, and drink the latter only with food to help protect my digestive tract.

To counter an occasional unexpected attack of heartburn, many people use a quick-acting antacid like Tums (calcium carbonate) to help neutralize stomach acid. A more modern remedy, an H2 receptor blocker like Pepcid (famotidine), can relieve symptoms within about 20 minutes by blocking the histamine receptors in the stomach that trigger acid production.

But chronic reflux sufferers may find the most effective relief with medications called proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.s, that shut down acid production in the stomach. Popular brands, sold over-the-counter and in higher doses by prescription, include Nexium (esomeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole). Theyre among the countrys top-selling drugs.

However, like any medication, drugs that fight reflux can have side effects, so trial-and-error may be needed to find a product that works best for you. Also, the drugs should be used only as long as needed to control symptoms. Taken long-term, the P.P.I.s have been linked to a small increased risk of developing serious complications, including kidney disease, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, C. difficile infection and pneumonia.

Thus, your best bet in avoiding or controlling acid reflux might be to combine the lifestyle factors described above with a course of doctor-prescribed medication for as short a time as needed.

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5 diet and lifestyle measures to ward off heartburn - The Indian Express

Jeremy Clarkson will host ITVs Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? tonight at 8:30pm. The car fanatic became the hosts show in 2018, taking Chris Tarrants place.

They just have a better diet out there.

Plus I had a bicycle rather than a car.

Cycling is not a good thing to do, Im all broken as a result of it but I did lose a lot of weight.

Where I was staying was separated from the small town by a mountain but it was much bigger than Everest.

Although he cycles, Jeremy does not enjoy going to the gym or running.

He has previously compared his lifestyle to Her Majestys, telling The Sun in 2019: The Queen doesnt go to the gym, and she doesnt run, and shes 93 and shes all right.

Apparently, she only has a forkful, she only has a tiny bit, thats what Ive heard.

Shell sit down and just have one little bit of mousse and bit of a lettuce leaf.

Although Jeremy admitted he put on a few pounds during lockdown, he has managed to maintain his slim frame by being outside, walking, and working on his farm.

Clarksons Farm was broadcast on Amazon this year and documents Jeremys attempts at running a farm in Oxfordshire.

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Jeremy Clarkson weight loss: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? star on losing 2st in weeks - Express

Restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have made it more challenging to exercise as often (or as intensely) as some people did before.

In fact, many of us have found ourselves practicing a more sedentary lifestyle, gaining unwanted weight over the past year.

But as restrictions ease, a number of us have started thinking how to approach losing weight and embracing exercise in a healthy, measured way.

New research published in the journal Nutrients may make that task easier.

The study examined the connection between physical activity and its effects on both how and what we eat.

The findings offer some interesting insight into our relationship with fitness and food, and may help provide a clearer road map for people looking to make lifestyle changes.

For the study, researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Nebraska surveyed 41 healthy adults 23 women and 18 men between ages 19 and 29.

The participants had an average body mass index (BMI) of 23.7. This is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.

Generally, a BMI over 25 indicates a person might be overweight.

They were then randomly assigned either a 45-minute session of exercise or a 45-minute rest period at their first visit. They would then switch and complete the opposite session at their second visit with the researchers.

During each visit, those assigned to the exercise group were given electronic questionnaires before physical activity about how hungry or full they were, their preferred amount of food to eat, and a choice between types of food that differed in how long it would take to eat them.

The participants would then let the researchers know what their preferred food quantities were by writing down the portion size they would like for each type of food item.

The researchers collected these preferences for both immediate and later consumption of the food after 4 hours.

Once they answered this questionnaire, participants would complete their 45 minutes of exercise on a bicycle ergometer. Right after finishing, they would complete the questionnaire a second time and then again after a 30-minute recess.

Those who werent in the exercise group still completed all three rounds of questionnaires, but instead of 45 minutes of exercise, they had periods of rest.

The results?

The researchers found that exercise offered a greater increase in food quantities people chose. This was both right after exercise and then 30 minutes later.

They also found that exercise resulted in more desire for immediate consumption right after finishing their workout and 30 minutes after.

Most surprising to us was that the increase in hypothetical preferences for food amount and immediate consumption were already apparent, albeit not as strong, immediately after the exercise bout, study author Karsten Khler, PhD, professor of exercise, nutrition, and health at TUM, told Healthline.

Khler said that his research team expected the increase would be noticeable after the 30-minute postexercise period, but anticipated no increase right after exercise.

He said this is due to whats called exercise-induced anorexia, or a reduction in a persons sense of hunger or appetite during and right after exercise.

This phenomenon is caused by anorexigenic hormones and reactions in appetite-stimulating hormones as a result of exercise.

However, the fact that increases were less robust immediately after exercise when compared to 30-minute postexercise somewhat validates our initial assumption, he added.

When asked why someone might overeat or eat higher quantities of food after exercising, Khler said we generally know that the body responds to both psychological and physiological cues from exercise.

The psychological involves the sense of seeking a reward for completing a workout, while the physiological derives from metabolic and endocrine cues from your body that stimulate food intake in order to compensate for the increased energy expenditure of exercise, he said.

The research done by Khler and his team is certainly timely.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that obesity defined as a BMI of 30 or higher has tripled globally since 1975, and that 39 percent of adults 18 and over were overweight, according to 2016 figures.

About 13 percent of these people were living with obesity.

Concerns over weight and whether people are practicing enough physical activity have only been exacerbated during the pandemic.

Another recent study showed 61 percent of U.S. adults gained weight during the current health crisis, citing stress, lack of activity, and unhealthy shifts in eating habits as main drivers for weight changes.

When asked how common it is for people to practice the eating behaviors shown by the new study, Erica Sander, an exercise physiologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), said that your body is smart, it will want to replace the energy it used.

The highly palatable foods, like pizza, can be more appealing when you are famished from a workout. If you are trying to lose fat mass and continuing rewarding every workout with extra calories, the scale wont budge, she told Healthline.

Sander, who wasnt affiliated with the new study, said that fat loss is not a math equation of calories in and calories out, its more like a chemistry set yoga, running, french fries, kale, stress from work, and a comfy couch at home all have a different impact on hormones in your body.

In order to lose weight, you need to maintain a caloric deficit, which is mainly driven by reduced calorie intake, Sander explained.

David Janke, an exercise physiologist at UCSF, added that most people know in general what they should or shouldnt eat after a workout.

I think there is a portion of people that exercise so they think they can eat whatever they want. However, this is a huge misconception that people have. To lose weight you must consume less calories than your body is using, he told Healthline, echoing Sander.

Janke used the example of someone doing a big workout that burns 600 calories, such as an hour of vigorous cardio exercise. Following that physical activity, they then consume a large jelly doughnut thats also roughly 600 calories.

The hard work and exercise they did is now a wash because consuming a food that has literally no nutritional value and tons [of] calories puts the person right back where they started before the hour of cardio, said Janke, who also wasnt affiliated with the new study.

A huge portion of losing weight comes from what you eat, he added.

Khler said that planning your postexercise snack or meal before you actually work out might be a good way to go, rather than impulsively opting for those doughnuts.

Secondly, we also saw that there is a rather large inter-individual variability. Some participants wanted much more, others wanted less, he said.

That way, not everyone needs to follow my first advice. However, based on what we know from the literature and also from some preliminary analyses of our data set, those who are more likely to overeat following exercise also tend to have a higher weight/BMI, Khler explained.

Janke recommends you try to eat your meals at the same time each day. This allows your body to know when food is coming, and it can have something of a domino effect, helping with your appetite, digestion, and the rate at which your body processes fat, sugar, and cholesterol.

I also recommend that if someone is trying to lose weight and really has to have an unhealthy calorie-dense meal, then they should consume that meal for breakfast, Janke added. Giving your body a chance to use those calories throughout the day and for the exercise session.

Sander agreed with the above points, saying that having a plan is key. You should always plan to fuel your exercise as well as your recovery from exercise.

Your plan doesnt have to be stacked containers of meal prep in the fridge, it can start by only buying the food that fits your plan, she added.

What about recommendations for go-to foods?

Janke encourages people to have a snack of some kind within 30 to 45 minutes after their workout. He said thats the crucial anabolic window when its best to refuel your muscles after exercise.

A few of my go-to recommendations for a postexercise snack include: apples with a natural nut butter no additives hummus with carrots and broccoli, plain organic Greek yogurt with berries, and almonds with sweet potatoes, he said.

Sander said it really depends on the individual.

It varies depending on that persons nutritional needs and the kinds of exercise theyve just completed. A heavy gym session or a long bike ride might require completely different fuel before and after workout.

Sander also asserted that snacks and meals are different.

Some people swear they love a green protein shake after a workout where I usually prefer to have a meal. One of my first suggestions that fits many diet styles is to add more veggies and drink water, Sander said.

As a mountain biker, I need to have a plan for pre-, during, and post-rides. I like having a stack of waffles in the freezer, both sweet and savory; and its always a crowd pleaser if you bring enough to share, Sander added.

Both Janke and Sander said the pandemic weve been living through has certainly made life more complicated especially when it comes to approaching overall health, exercise, and nutrition.

The pandemic has created a unique situation where a lot of people are gaining weight. I believe there are several factors that contribute to the recent gain in weight seen in many Americans. Factors such as stress eating and increased inactivity due to the inability to do the physical activities people once did, Janke said.

Gyms have been closed, group exercise classes have been canceled, and the push to socially distance ourselves have made it harder for a lot of Americans to get the recommended amount of physical activity they should be getting, he added.

Sander said that its been a challenge for many this past year, especially with the loss of a sense of routine.

Today is a great day to start: Can you find an activity that you are comfortable with?' she said.

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How Exercise Can Influence What We Eat and How Much - Healthline

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, the weather turns warmer and we see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, its also a time of renewed interest in setting new health goals.

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Many of us found our diets going a bit awry and workout routines disrupted throughout the pandemic. Plus there was an emotional component, the stress of the pandemic taking a toll on us all in different ways.

So as we come out of the pandemic, how can we establish new, healthier routines? Whats the best way to lose the weight weve gained during the pandemic? And where should our focus be as we start?

We spoke with psychologist and weight management specialist Leslie Heinberg, PhD to get the answers.

The first thing to understand, says Dr. Heinberg, is that a lot of us are in the same boat. Were now seeing the data and people did gain weight during the pandemic, she says. One study showed bout one-quarter of people whose BMI is in the normal range gained weight as did one-third of people whose BMI classifies them as obese.

Similar results from other studies show this has been a wide-scale issue during the pandemic so youre not alone. Theres a lot of thinking by people that, Oh, everyone else was training for a marathon and look what happened to me, says Dr. Heinberg. But thats not the case at all. Weve all been facing similar struggles.

The pandemic has brought about a series of lifestyle changes for many that are both good and bad, she says.

With the pandemic, weve seen data that shows people were eating much less fast food, doing more cooking at home and eating with their families more. And when you cook at home, you tend to have healthier eating habits, she notes.

That also applies to alcohol. During the pandemic, people have been less likely to go to bars or go to restaurants and drink, she says. Alcohol also lowers inhibitions and so can lead to more food intake, especially at a restaurant. Thats why restaurants love when you order a drink: Youre more likely to order an appetizer or dessert.

The flip side, she says, is that with so many of us stuck at home, theres been more snacking and, with that, consumption of sweets and even sugar-sweetened beverages like soda went up, too.

When youre home, youre where all the food is, she points out. That makes it really easy to snack, to have a random cookie.

And that applies to alcohol, too. Theres some indication, based on data from earlier in the pandemic, that even if they werent going out, people were still consuming more alcoholic drinks, she notes.

Whether its because youre vaccinated and ready to return to at least a relative feeling of normalcy or because youre simply ready to get back into the healthy swing of things, there are some key approaches that can help ensure greater success.

Those new habits we just talked about? You can start with those. Says Dr. Heinberg, Chances are, youve established some of those good habits. Keep those habits and try to get away from the bad ones.

One way to help yourself, she says, is to leave trigger foods behind. If cookies or chips are your trigger foods, dont buy those on your next grocery run, she suggests. Thats especially important if youre still working from home, even part-time.

Some people are able to change their habits and pivot to a healthier lifestyle at the drop of a hat. But not everyone can make that transition at the same pace. In the long run, consistency is of bigger importance than speed.

Whether its a New Years resolution or coming out of a global pandemic, we know people are more likely to be successful with behavioral change if they make small, successive goals, says Dr. Heinberg.

If you set a really lofty goal like going to the gym every single day, giving up alcohol and ditching fast food, all at the same time, you inevitably fail, she says. Its easy to fall into this all-or-nothing thinking.

Instead, Dr. Heinberg says, start with goals that are much easier to achieve and act as building blocks for future success. Rather than try to change everything, try one thing, like cutting back on fast food until youve successfully given it up. Once thats established, she points out, you can add on.

She compares it running, saying, You dont just go from not exercising at all to running marathons. You have to build up, slowly adding just a little bit more each day. Eventually, you get to a point where that success feeds on itself.

That same small goals approach goes for building a healthy diet, too. Saying youre going to eat a good diet is too vague, Dr. Heinberg says. Theres no real way to mark that as an achievable goal.

Instead, she says, make small, specific changes that alter habits for the better and can provide those key building blocks for broader change. Whether its packing your lunch for work instead of getting takeout or switching your afternoon pastry snack for fruits and veggies, these are goals that are easy to meet and are not just healthy, but provide positive reinforcement, too.

With gyms closed and exercise classes canceled, the pandemic resulted in a more sedentary lifestyle for many with much less physical activity. One study, using smartphone data, showed that the number of steps taken by health tracker users dropped significantly. We found ourselves more likely to binge-watch television than to exercise, says Dr. Heinberg.

With more adults being vaccinated against COVID-19 every day and winter behind us, there should be more opportunities to get out and get active. Even just a 20-30 minute walk every day can have a big impact.

Again, you should go slow and take measurable steps, Dr. Heinberg says. If you go out after a year at home and try to run four miles right away, you might have a horrible experience and not want to continue.

Instead, focus on those walks during your lunch break or after dinner, maybe even short runs that can build up to longer runs over time.

As we adjust to our changing environment as the pandemic fades, its important to remember how much our lives have been altered in the last year. Change is hard and nothing about transitioning back to whatever the new normal is will be easy.

Humans do not like change and all of the changes the past year were hard and anxiety-producing, says Dr. Heinberg. And, yet, while it felt awful at the time, now it feels comfortable. Staying home, staying sedentary, its what were now used to.

After all of that, she says, its understandable that youll feel anxiety about heading back to the gym. That first time can be really hard and scary, she says.

But, she adds, we can learn from everything weve been through. If the last year has taught us anything, its that we can do really hard things and, even if we dont like change, were highly adaptable.

Using that experience to provide reinforcement for yourself can be helpful for making these new changes. After everything that weve all been through with the pandemic and its challenges, starting a new health routine or even returning to an old one isnt a big deal.

The big thing to remember, according to Dr. Heinberg, is that there will be ups and downs. We have to recognize that any time were trying to make positive change, its not a clear, linear and upward trajectory.

Whether its diet, exercise, or managing stress, there will always be a step back along the way and its important to remember to keep your focus on the long term, not just today.

Link:
How to Shake Pandemic Weight Gain and Get Your Health Back On Track - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Dr Michael Mosley is a TV presenter, journalist, and doctor with expert knowledge of biology and medicine. He spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about the best ways to lose weight.

Dr Mosley went on to give an example of why healthy eating is better for weight loss than exercise.

Recently, he visited Loughborough University for research and found that, while running, he can burn 160 calories per mile.

Not bad, I thought, Mr Mosley said.

However, he added: But put it in perspective. A small bar of chocolate contains about 240 calories, while a chocolate muffin comes in around 500 calories.

So, if you decide to have a muffin and a medium latte (150 calories) after your run then you are topping yourself up with 650 calories.

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Mr Mosley continued: So, whilst exercising is a great way to stay healthy and fit, it shouldnt be substituted for healthy eating they need to go hand in hand.

So, go for that run, but leave the muffin alone.

The doctor added that new research shows that by leading a physically active lifestyle, humans are less likely to contract diseases.

He said: Regular exercise may just bolster your immune system on top of its more obvious benefits of fitness and strength.

Dr Mosley explained: Low-carb diets are not greeted with much enthusiasm by doctors or dieticians as you have to eat a lot of fat. However, clinical trials consistently show that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss, over and above low-fat diets that once proved popular for those slimming down and watching their weight.

The expert advised against cutting out carbs completely, but instead being choosy about the ones you regularly eat.

He said: If you want to try going lower-carb than white bread, white pasta, potatoes and sugars, including maple syrup and agave nectar, are best eaten sparingly, if at all.

They are easily digestible carbohydrates, meaning they are rapidly absorbed by the body, creating a big spike in your blood-sugar levels.

Instead, eat carbohydrates that contain lots of fibre. Fibre reduces the blood sugar spike, provides protection against bowel cancer and feeds the good bacteria that live in your guts.

Examples of fibrous carbs include vegetables, chickpeas, lentils, barley, oats, buckwheat, and rye.

Continue reading here:
Dr Michael Mosley: Diet helps weight loss more than exercise - 'leave that muffin alone!' - Express