15 Things Nobody Tells You About Losing Weight

Unexpected effects of weight loss

Losing weight does more than give you an excuse to buy new clothes. Dropping just 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your overall health and reduce your risk for chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. But shedding unwanted pounds can also have less-obvious effects, and not always for the better, says Adam Tsai, MD, a physician at Kaiser Permanente Colorado and a spokesperson for the Obesity Society. Here are the good things—and the bad—that you don't normally hear about losing weight.

Your energy levels will skyrocket

A big energy boost is often the first thing people notice when they start dropping weight. Why? When you're carrying around fewer pounds, you use less energy to simply go about your day, says Dr. Tsai. Weight loss also improves oxygen efficiency, so you won't find yourself out of breath so easily when climbing stairs or hustling to catch the bus.

Your memory may improve

In a 2013 Swedish study, older women scored better on memory tests after six months of following a weight-loss plan. Brain scans showed more activity during the encoding process (when memories are formed) and less activity during memory retrieval, suggesting greater recall efficiency. "The altered brain activity after weight loss suggests that the brain becomes more active while storing new memories and therefore needs fewer brain resources to recollect stored information," said study author Andreas Pettersson, MD, in a press release. Previous research has also linked obesity to poor memory, especially in pear-shaped women who carry extra pounds around their hips.

Your relationship will be tested

Losing weight can make you feel sexier, but your slimmed-down body—and that newfound confidence—won't necessarily strengthen your bond with your spouse. In a 2013 study from North Carolina State University, researchers found that although dropping 60 pounds or more in two years or less usually improved couples' relationships, occasionally a dieter's partner felt jealous or threatened. Why? Your body transformation may force your significant other to consider his or her own health choices, says Gail Saltz, MD, Health‘s contributing psychology editor. Another problem: Your partner may worry about how your personality might change. “You feeling great, sexy, or confident could shift the balance of the relationship,” Dr. Saltz says. “They fear losing the identity of the more confident one or losing the upper hand.” Many of these challenges could apply to friendships, too.

Your risk of cancer will be lower

You know that smoking, sun exposure, and radiation can cause cancer, but obesity has been linked to several types of cancers as well, says Dr. Tsai. Being overweight causes inflammation that triggers cell changes within the body. Dangerous levels of inflammation can be lowered, however, by losing just 5% of your body weight, according to a 2012 study on post-menopausal women published in the journal Cancer Research. And a 2014 study published in Obesity Research found that morbidly obese men who underwent bariatric surgery reduced their cancer risk over the following years to roughly that of normal-weight people.

If you were depressed before, that may not change

Does being overweight make you depressed—or does being depressed lead to weight gain? It's not always possible to tell what comes first, says Dr. Tsai. And while most people feel happier after they've lost weight, it's not a cure-all. "For a smaller percentage of people, mood will not improve even after they lose 100 pounds," he says. That may be because weight loss doesn't address any underlying problems you may have, says Dr. Saltz.

Foods may taste different

Losing a lot of weight in a small amount of time may alter your taste buds. A recent Stanford University study revealed that after bariatric surgery, 87% of patients reported a change in their sense of taste. About half said food tasted sharper, while the other half said food tasted duller. The upshot: those who tasted food less intensely after surgery lost 20% more weight over three months than those who said foods tasted stronger. The study authors say more research is needed to determine why the change in taste occurs, but another recent study did have similar findings. The study, from Leicester Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom, found that three quarters of weight loss surgery patients developed a dislike for certain foods after their operations, most often meat and dairy products.

Working out will be more fun

When you're carrying around extra pounds, exercising can make your joints hurt and lungs burn more than someone who's at a normal weight, says Dr. Tsai. Once you start to slim down, exercise will start to feel less like a chore and more like the fun, energizing experience that it should be. Plus, being lighter can also make you faster and stronger. Take running, for example: It's generally believed that for every pound lost, an athlete can shave two seconds off the time it takes to run a mile.

Your bones may change

Ever heard that losing weight weakens your bones? While it's true that weight loss is associated with bone loss, it's only a big concern if you become underweight or follow an unhealthy diet, and the National Osteoporosis Foundation says that the benefits of weight loss usually outweigh the risks. Extra weight can make your bones stronger (they have to be, to carry the extra pounds) but it also damages joints. And new research suggests that visceral fat around the belly is particularly bad for bones, for both men and women. Losing weight can help, as well as reduce arthritis symptoms, according to a 2013 review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

You'll probably spend less on health care

Normal-weight people spend less money on medical bills and expenses than their overweight peers, according to a 2009 study published in the journal Health Affairs. Specifically, researchers found obese people spent $1,429 more—that's 42% higher—than their normal-weight peers, most of which went toward prescription medications needed to manage chronic conditions. And a 2014 report on Michigan residents found that annual health care costs for people who were extremely obese were a whopping 90% higher than those of normal-weight individuals. 

In related sad-but-true news, you might notice something else when you lose weight, as well: Doctors (whose bias against obese patients has been well documented) may treat you better, too.

You may get a raise

It's not just doctors who may treat you better after losing weight; your employer might, too. Studies have shown that obese people make less money than normal-weight workers, especially among women. In fact, a 2004 study published in Health Economics found that the average paycheck for an obese worker was about 2.5% lower than that of a thinner employee. Dropping down to a healthy weight may also get you more job offers, according to a 2014 British study.

You may be able to toss your meds

Maintaining a healthy weight can protect you against diabetes and heart disease—but what if you're already overweight and suffering from these conditions? Good news: Slimming down can still help. "These conditions won't necessarily go away, but you may be able to reduce your symptoms and the amount of medication you take," says Dr. Tsai.

You may be able to take less blood pressure or cholesterol medication, for example, or learn to manage your type 2 diabetes without giving yourself daily injections. Studies also show that losing weight may allow you control chronic conditions like asthma and heartburn without (or with less) medication, as well. In related sad-but-true news, you might notice something else when you lose weight, as well: Doctors (whose bias against obese patients has been well documented) may treat you better, too.

Your skin may sag

One thing many people aren't prepared for after a dramatic weight loss is the loose, sagging skin. It won't go away overnight—or perhaps ever—and it may leave you feeling disappointed with your new body. Some opt for body contouring procedures like a facelift, breast lift, or tummy tuck, but any surgery carries risks, and in most cases insurance will not cover these cosmetic surgeries.

You'll catch more zzz's

People who lost at least 5% of their body weight over a six-month period slept an average of 22 minutes longerthan they had previously in a 2014 University of Pennsylvania study. And earlier in the year, Finnish researchers reported that modest weight loss significantly improved symptoms of sleep apnea.

"Losing weight usually means there's less there to physically constrict your breathing and less soft tissue to block the upper airways," says Dr. Tsai. Better sleep also helps your body burn fat more efficiently, so getting a good night's sleep means you'll be more likely to keep those pounds off.

You could boost your chances of having a baby

If you've been trying to get pregnant, losing a few pounds may help. A 2009 study published in Fertility and Sterility found that obesity in women is associated with infertility and polycystic ovary syndrome, and that the younger a woman is when she becomes obese, the harder it could be for her to get pregnant.

Slimming down can also help ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, since a mom's weight during (and even before) has been linked to all sorts of health outcomes for her kids.

Your eye health will improve

Matthew McConaughey told interviewers that his rapid weight-loss in preparation for his role as an AIDS victim in Dallas Buyers Club caused him to start losing his eyesight. That may be the result of extreme calorie restriction or nutritional deficiencies—but for most people, weight loss can actually protect their vision from obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes.

A 2013 University of Georgia study, for example, found that higher body fat percentage was associated with lower levels of the antioxidants lutien and zeaxanthin in retinal tissue. "The results indicate that adiposity may affect the nutritional state of the retina," the authors wrote. "Such links may be one of the reasons that obesity promotes age-related degenerative conditions."

 

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20888773,00.html#unexpected-effects-of-weight-loss-0

STOP CALLING YOURSELF GROSS

You know what’s gross? Racism is gross. Homophobia, xenophobia, sexism—gross. Oppression and discrimination are gross. Telling people what they should and shouldn’t do with their bodies? Gross. Convincing people there is something inherently wrong with them in order to turn a profit? Gross.

Ketchup is gross. (Don’t argue.)

But you? Your body? Your body fat, cellulite, and wrinkles? NOT GROSS.

I got into this conversation with my dear friend recently, because she was trying on clothes in front of me and kept calling her body gross. It pained me to hear this coming from someone I love so dearly, someone whom I think is a both a goddess and a queen.

Now, I get it. I get that she’s not thrilled about her body fat or cellulite situations. I get that she’s frustrated and wants to change her body—and all of that is okay.

It’s okay to be displeased with aspects of yourself and want to change them in some way; what’s not okay is the belief that we are obligated to in order to fit into boxes that were created by societal constructs—boxes that very few of us fit into comfortably.

As a body image consultant and fitness coach, I think we do the term “body positivity” a grave disservice when we assume it means that loving ourselves precludes us from ever wanting to change.

We, as leaders, can often do harm by insinuating that self-love means you’re completely in love with the appearance of cellulite or stretch marks.

The truth is, you can love yourself as a whole person without necessarily loving every part of your body.

In fact, during the beginning stages of learning to step into a space of self-love, the idea that you have to love everything can feel really intimidating. It feels too big, too impossible—especially if you’ve spent years hating yourself and feeling never good enough.

But if you can learn to meet your perceived “flaws” without judgment and attached meaning, this will go a long way towards standing in your power.

As we embark on a journey to feel powerful and at home in our bodies, it’s important that we learn to reframe this language and see our features for what they are—without a negative connotation.

The leap from body hatred to body love is pretty far for many of us, especially when those body image issues run deep. Therefore the intention isn’t necessarily to love at first—rather to not hate.

We must affirm that the idea that our body fat, cellulite, wrinkles, and stretch marks are “bad” or “gross” isn’t part of our inherent nature. We didn’t decide that, nor did we create the unattainable standards of perfect with which we’re constantly inundated.

It isn’t our birthright to demean and disrespect ourselves with hurtful language, to strive forever on end to meet an arbitrary standard of beauty that constantly changes and varies.

You weren’t born to regard yourself as gross, to look in the mirror and hate what you see—you were born with radiance and magic.

But the first step towards manifesting that magic and stepping into a space of self-love and worthiness might not actually be love itself; for many of us, the first step is truth—a recognition of reality without added bias and learned labels.

Can we look in the mirror and learn to see ourselves with presence and truth, rather than disgust? I’ll tell you honestly that I don’t love my cellulite. It doesn’t define me or keep me from living in my fulness; I’m not obsessed with getting rid of it and I don’t think that doing so would make me more lovable or desirable.

I don’t look at my cellulite and think, “Gross,” but I also don’t look at it and think, “You are so beautiful, Cellulite; I love you so dearly.”

I accept that it’s a part of my body, and I love myself as a whole person. I love my body as a whole unit—but I don’t gaze upon the dimples in my but with fondness and reverence.

I’m just not there. And that has to be okay.

Rather than beating myself up for not loving my cellulite (hello—another way we make ourselves feel inadequate!), I understand that sometimes love isn’t the goal. Sometimes simply detaching from a narrative that steals from us is all we need to do in order to take back our power and feel alive in our bodies.

So instead of pinching your belly fat and saying “gross,” or looking at your cellulite in the mirror and thinking “gross,” try just calling it what it is. Touch those stretch marks and just say “stretch marks.”

Pinch that fat and literally just say, “fat.” Do this with as much openness, awareness, and curiosity that you can muster.

It doesn’t have to be good or bad—it can just be what it is. If we can do this, we can start to tap into the vibrant aliveness of our bodies; we can begin to see how miraculously interwoven our physical and emotional bodies are, and we can step onto the path of awakening that teaches us to love ourselves as whole, multidimensional beings.

And none of that is gross.

http://www.negharfonooni.com/cellulite-is-not-gross/

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JUICING

Can fruit and vegetable juices really sharpen your edge and turbocharge vitality? Experts weigh in on the trend—and tell you how to do it right.

 

With the influx of health nuts and fitness junkies slamming back cold-pressed juices, you'd be hard-pressed not to think about juicing. But, is it healthy and beneficial enough to be storming the juice bar or cranking out your own concotion; or is it just a health fad?

Well, you already know that diets packed with fruits and vegetables reduce your risk for chronic conditions and diseases that can lead to an untimely death; but produce also plays a key roll in weight management. And odds are good you're not getting the five servings a day recommended by the USDA. (In fact, CDC data shows only a third of US adults eat two-plus fruits, and about a quarter get three-plus veggies, daily. Yikes.) So to close up that gap, most experts agree that juicing can help pack more nutrients into your day. There’s some research (like this study in the journal Nutrition) that supports that recommendation as well.

Still, it’s not as simple as chugging juice. Here’s what nutrition experts say you need to know.

Can Fruit Make You Fat? >>>

1. Supplement, don’t cleanse. Nutritionists largely agree that juicing can offer a low-fat, nutrient-rich jolt of energy when added to already healthy, balanced diets—but as far as the cleanse-for-weight-loss meal replacement trend? Skip it. Juice digests quickly, and can cause the type of extreme hunger that leads to overeating and binging. “Drinking juice in lieu of eating food is not healthy or sustainable, no matter how nutrient-packed,” says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Juice cleanses (read: fasts) can also lead to unstable blood sugar, headaches, and lightheadedness. So, yeah, your workouts aren't going to happen; or you'll be so exhausted during them you won't have the energy to keep up and can up your odds for injury.

2. Pick the right ingredients. Certain vitamins are more easily absorbed as juice, like vitamin C and Bs, while others, like vitamin A, E, K are best taken through the full digestion process, says Cohn. And some vegetables, such as tomatoes, actually provide more nutritional value when cooked, points out Kelly O’Connor, RD, LDN, a registered dietician at Baltimore-based Mercy Medical Center. Keeping all this in mind, these best bets that will maximize nutrition: leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens), kiwi, papaya, grapefruit, red bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, asparagus and garlic. Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, author of The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices & Green Smoothies also favors parsley, blood-pressure-lowering beets (combine with carrot or apple to enhance taste), inflammation-fighter ginger root, potassium-packed cucumbers, and antibacterial lemons. Avoid overly mushy or tender fruits, like bananas (if craving potassium, use half) and peaches, which can make your juice too thick and mushy, says Cohn.

The Most Powerful Protein Shake Ingredients You’re Not Using >>>

3. Find the perfect mix. Warning: Vegetable juice might not knock your socks off at first, so you’ve got to experiment. Plot how you'll keep a variety of produce stocked, then have fun with it. Start with two cups of greens, which can taste bitter, balanced by one piece of fruit. Then, play around with the ratio, adding cayenne pepper or cinnamon for extra seasoning if desired. (Still not sure where to begin? We asked the experts for their favorite combos—grapefruit-orange-kale-cucumber for Cohn and carrot-apple-ginger for Calbom.)

4. Sip fast. Whipping up batches of liquid vitality for the week, or even day, isn’t most potent. “Guzzle that juice immediately,” says Cohn. “By changing the texture and integrity of fruits and vegetables from solid to liquid and removing protective skins, the foods quickly start to lose nutrients.”

The Fruits Lowest in Sugar That Will Help You Lose Weight, Ranked >>>

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/should-you-be-juicing

Binge Eating Story And How to Stop?

The benefits of good posture

The Effects Of Negative Emotions On Our Health

If you think emotions aren’t directly correlated with your biological systems, think again!

Humans experience an array of emotions, anything from happiness, to sadness to extreme joy and depression.

Each one of these emotions creates a different feeling within the body.

After all, our body releases different chemicals when we experience various things that make us happy and each chemical works to create a different environment within the body.

For example if your brain releases serotonin, dopamine or oxytocin, you will feel good and happy. Convexly, if your body releases cortisol while you are stressed, you will have an entirely different feeling associated more with the body kicking into survival mode.

What about when we are thinking negative thoughts all the time? Or how about when we are thinking positive thoughts? What about when we are not emotionally charged to neither positive nor negative?

Let’s explore how these affect our body and life.

POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE

Is there duality in our world?

Sure, you could say there is to a degree, but mostly we spend a lot of time defining and judging what is to be considered as positive and what we consider to be as negative.

The brain is a very powerful tool and as we define what something is or should be, we begin to have that result play out in our world.

Have you ever noticed, for example that someone driving can get cut off and lose their lid, get angry and suddenly they are feeling negative, down and in  bad mood?

Whereas someone else can get cut off while driving and simply apply the break slightly and move on with their day as if nothing happened.

In this case, the same experience yet one sees it as negative while the other doesn’t. So are things innately positive and negative? Or do we define things as positive and negative?

CUT THE PERCEPTIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

After thinking about it for a moment you might realize that there are in fact no positive or negative experiences other than what we define as such.

Therefore our very perception of an experience or situation has the ultimate power as to how we will feel when it’s happening and how our bodies will be affected.

While we can always work to move beyond our definitions of each experience and move into a state of mind/awareness/consciousness where we simply accept each experience for what it is and use it as a learning grounds for us, we may not be there yet and so it’s important to understand how certain emotions can affect our health.

“If someone wishes for good health, one must first ask oneself if he is ready to do away with the reasons for his illness. Only then is it possible to help him.” – Hippocrates

MIND BODY CONNECTION

The connection between your mind and body is very powerful and although it cannot be visually seen, the effects your mind can have on your physical body are profound.

We can have an overall positive mental attitude and deal directly with our internal challenges and in turn create a healthy lifestyle or we can be in negative, have self destructive thoughts and not deal with our internal issues, possibly even cloak those issues with affirmations and positivity without finding the route and in turn we can create an unhealthy lifestyle. Why is this?

Our emotions and experiences are essentially energy and they can be stored in the cellular memory of our bodies.

Have you ever experienced something in your life that left an emotional mark or pain in a certain area of your body? Almost as if you can still feel something that may have happened to you? It is likely because in that area of your body you still hold energy released from that experience that is remaining in that area.

I came across an interesting chart that explores some possible areas that various emotions might affect the body (featured above).

When you have a pain, tightness or injuries in certain areas, it’s often related to something emotionally you are feeling within yourself.

At first glance it may not seem this way because we are usually very out of touch with ourselves and our emotions in this fast paced world, but it’s often the truth.

When I’ve had chronic pains in my back, knees, neck or shoulders, it wasn’t exercise, physio or anything in a physical sense that healed it, it was when I dealt with the emotions behind it.

I know this because I spent the time and money going to physio and even though I wanted and believed I would get better, something wasn’t being addressed still. The more I addressed the unconscious thought pattern and emotions throughout my body, the more thins loosened up and pain went away.

When you get sick or are feeling a lot of tightness and pain, often times our body is asking us to observe yourself and find peace once again within yourself and your environment. It’s all a learning and growing process we don’t have to judge nor fear. 

YOU HAVE THE POWER

Davis Suzuki wrote in ‘The Sacred Life’, ‘condensed molecules from breath exhaled from verbal expressions of anger, hatred, and jealousy, contain toxins. Accumulated over 1 hr, these toxins are enough to kill 80 guinea pigs!’

Can you now imagine the harm you are doing to your body when you stay within negative emotions or unprocessed emotional experience throughout the body? Remember, you have all the power in you to get through anything life throws at you. Instead of labeling with perception the concepts of negative and positive as it relates to each experience you have in your life, try to see things from a big picture standpoint.

Ask yourself, how can this help me to see or learn something? Can I use this to shift my perception? Clear some emotion within myself? Realize something within another and accept it?

Whatever it may be, instead of simply reacting, slow things down and observe. You will find you have the tools to process emotions and illness quickly when you see them for what they are and explore why they came up. If you believe you will get sick all the time, and believe you have pain because it’s all out of your control, you will continue to have it all in an uncontrollable manner until you realize the control you have over much of what we attract within the body.

Joe Martino http://simplecapacity.com/2016/04/the-effects-of-negative-emotions-on-our-health/

Small Changes That Will Make a Big Difference

7 Small Changes That Will Make a Big Difference in Your Life

Our happiness and success rely on thinking constructive thoughts, acting with intent and creating strong relationships with others. The good news is we have control over all of these areas. We can choose to change.

These are the most common changes that can make the biggest impact in your life:

1. Mind your mind.

Your thoughts drive how you feel. How you feel drives your actions.

It is impossible to be confident and self-assured if your thoughts are filled with self-doubt and judgment. If you would never speak to others the way you internally speak to yourself, you can change.

It takes time to reprogram your thinking, but self-awareness is step one. Be more aware of your thoughts. Ask yourself: What is on my mind right now and why? Are my thoughts helping me?

A pause to reboot your internal thoughts can help you become more intentional and positive.

2. Separate how you feel from what you do.

Take time to acknowledge how you really feel. Minding your mind doesn’t mean hiding or ignoring your feelings. But separate your feelings from your actions—your actions are
a separate decision.

For example, if I am frustrated that a peer is difficult to work with on a project, I can acknowledge my frustration and then separately decide how to handle it. Or, a friend constantly misses commitments and you feel angry. Rather than ignore it or end the friendship, choose to be open and direct about the impact his or her actions are having on the friendship.

Your actions are a separate decision that you alone make based on your feelings.

3. Stop comparing.

There will always be someone more successful, more accomplished, with more medals, more money and a better promotion. This constant comparison game means you’ll likely never measure up. The bar is always moving and usually it’s up. So have your own internal bar of success based upon what matters most to you, your starting point and the progress you've made.

As a career mom, I learned over time that my value wasn’t measured by how much 

I volunteered at my sons’ schools compared to other mothers. My focus was on how our boys were doing and if they were thriving, rather than comparing myself to moms with more available volunteer time.

Find the real meaning in your efforts. Meaning is a powerful way to overcome comparison to others as you focus on impact and contribution.

4. Claim time for yourself at the start of each day.

Time is our greatest asset. If we are intentional in how we use it, we have a better chance of living the life we want. How you start each day plays a big role in being intentional.

Find a few minutes to think about how you want to spend your day, both in terms of time and the thoughts you want to have. Prayer, meditation, exercise and a little quiet time to think can have a monumental impact on your day, week and year.

I always ask my clients when they can create this thinking and planning time, and where this can best occur. My most important decisions and changes began after I had the time to really think about what I wanted.

Find a quiet corner to pause rather than a busy kitchen—make the time in your busy life.

5. Do something new every week.

Predictable days and habits keep us in a rut. Every week, pick one new small change you want to make.

A friend of mine declared a “year of living differently.” She took cooking lessons, made changes to her house, planned several small weekend trips and learned to fly fish.

Intentionally shake up the routine and try something you’ve never done before. Even a small change, such as watching an interesting TED Talk while getting ready in the morning or experimenting with a new menu item on the grill can trigger new energy.

6. Listen even when you want to talk.

Listening is the most powerful learning tool and relationship builder you have at your disposal, but in our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it is wildly underutilized.

Ask questions and really listen, rather than thinking about what you are going to say next. Your full attention is one of the greatest compliments you can give to someone.

7. Battle the addiction to being right.

The desire to always be right can overshadow even the strongest relationship. Being right at all costs might fulfill an inner need you have, but often at the expense of someone or something else.

Consider this situation: Is there only one answer? Do we need to agree? Is there new information here that I haven’t considered?

Of course, keep your point of view and speak up for values and causes that matter. But if your desire to be right overtakes you in any situation regardless of importance or relationship, a change might do some good. There is no joy in “winning the battle but losing the war.”

Small changes made consistently over time can have a big impact on your life. And they are all actions you can take starting today.

Patti Johnson http://www.success.com/blog/7-small-changes-that-will-make-a-big-difference-in-your-life