Exercise More Critical Than Diet To Maintain Weight Loss: Study

Washington D.C. , Mar 30 : A recent study has suggested that instead of focusing on diet, the trick to ensure one doesn't gain those extra ounces is to make regular physical activity a part of his/her routine."This study addresses the difficult question of why so many people struggle to keep weight off over a long period. By providing evidence that a group of successful weight-loss maintainers engages in high levels of physical activity to prevent weight regain - rather than chronically restricting their energy intake - is a step forward to clarifying the relationship between exercise and weight-loss maintenance," said Danielle Ostendorf, lead author of the study.

The findings reveal that successful weight-loss maintainers rely on physical activity to remain in energy balance (rather than chronic restriction of dietary intake) to avoid weight regain.

In the study, successful weight-loss maintainers are individuals who maintain a reduced body weight of 30 pounds or more for over a year.

Key findings of the study published in the Journal of Obesity include:

*The total calories burned (and consumed) each day by weight-loss maintainers was significantly higher (300 kcal/day) compared with that in individuals with normal body weight controls but was not significantly different from that in the individuals with overweight/obesity.

*Notably, of the total calories burned, the amount burned in physical activity by weight-loss maintainers was significantly higher (180 kcal/day) compared with that in both individuals of normal body weight and individuals with overweight/obesity. Despite the higher energy cost of moving a larger body mass incurred by individuals with overweight/obesity, weight-loss maintainers were burning more energy in physical activity, suggesting they were moving more.

*This is supported by the fact that the weight-loss maintainer group also demonstrated significantly higher levels of steps per day (12,000 steps per day) compared to participants at normal body weight (9,000 steps per day) and participants with overweight/obesity (6,500 steps per day).

"Our findings suggest that this group of successful weight-loss maintainers are consuming a similar number of calories per day as individuals with overweight and obesity but appear to avoid weight regain by compensating for this with high levels of physical activity," explained Victoria A. Catenacci, lead researcher of the study.

The study looked at successful weight-loss maintainers compared to two other groups: controls with normal body weight (Body Mass Index (BMI) similar to the current BMI of the weight-loss maintainers); and controls with overweight/obesity (whose current BMI was similar to the pre-weight-loss BMI of the maintainers). The weight-loss maintainers had a body weight of around 150 pounds, which was similar to the normal weight controls, while the controls with overweight and obesity had a body weight of around 213 pounds.

This study is one of the few to measure total daily energy expenditure in weight-reduced individuals using the gold standard doubly labeled water method. This method allows researchers to precisely determine an individual's energy expenditure through collecting urine samples over one to two weeks after people are given a dose of doubly labeled water. Doubly labeled water is water in which both the hydrogen and the oxygen atoms have been replaced (i.e. labeled) with an uncommon isotope of these elements for tracing purposes.

The measure of total daily energy expenditure from doubly labeled water also provides an estimate of energy intake when people are weight stable, as they were in this study. Prior studies used questionnaires or diet diaries to measure energy intake, which has significant limitations.

The researchers also measured each individual's resting metabolic rate in order to understand how much of the total daily energy expenditure is from energy expended at rest versus energy expended during physical activity. Prior studies used self-reported measures or activity monitors to measure physical activity, which are techniques that cannot provide the same accuracy.

10 POWER Foods To Build Your Muscles!

Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Here are a few foods for fitness buffs, that will help build up and energise muscles.

If you want to get toned and show off a ripped physique, you need to include the following muscle-friendly foods in your diet -- explanations as to how they help you accompany each!

1. Almonds

Almonds are a good source of protein, which is essential for the body to repair and build muscle after working out. Its fibre content helps fight food cravings.

Almonds are also loaded with Vitamin E -- the alpha-tocopherol kind that's best absorbed by your body and helps prevent free-radical damage that occurs after heavy workouts, indirectly speeding up the muscle recovery process.

Image: AlmondsPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Toss beans in salads or eat them with whole wheat pasta or brown rice. Beans are an inexpensive, perfect post workout meal as they are rich in both protein and carbs.

Besides complex protein and carbohydrates, they are loaded with dietary fibre that helps maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Many fail to understand that the vproper amount of dietary fibre plays a stabilising role vital for building muscle mass.

Image: BeansPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Spinach contains phytoecdysteroids, which increase the development of muscles and in turn muscle strength. It is also alkaline in nature and helps balance the acidic environment created by protein foods, thus preventing muscle and bone loss.

Spinach is packed with antioxidants like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folates that protect against free radical damage after intense exercise.

Image: SpinachPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

One cup of milk contains about nine grams of protein, and like other low-fat dairy products like yoghurt and cheese, helps refuel muscles and speed up muscle recovery.

Low-fat milk is a healthy mix of both carbohydrates and protein and makes an ideal drink post a workout session.

Image: Dairy productsPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Oats are rich in fibre and low on the glycemic index -- thus the carbohydrate content/sugar they contain is released gradually into your bloodstream, keeping you energetic for a couple of hours.

Oatmeal is also a good source of B vitamins, which help lower stress and energise by converting carbs into energy.

Image: OatmealPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Eggs are rich in complete proteins, which helps promote muscle growth and recovery. A large hard-boiled egg contains about six grams of protein.

Since egg yolks are cholesterol-rich, you may want to eat more egg white. Combine it with carbohydrates, as your muscles become depleted of glycogen during a workout and they need to be replenished.

Image: EggsPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Turkey is rich in a classic muscle-building nutrient -- protein.

How about a turkey whole grain sandwich? It's a cool mix of carbohydrates and protein post a workout, which will take the edge off your hunger, fuel your muscles with glycogenand speed up muscle repair.

Turkey is not only rich in protein, but is also a good source of the antioxidant trace mineral Selenium.

Image: TurkeyPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Beef is one of the top food sources for the amino acid creatine, which your body uses when you lift weights. But consume with discretion, as beef also contains saturated fats -- look for extra-leans cuts.

The meat is also rich in iron and Zinc 2 nutrients that are crucial for muscle-building or protein synthesis.

Image: BeefPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Peanut butter, though high in calories, is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that can increase your body's production of testosterone, which can help your muscles grow as well as speed up the muscle recovery process. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein, Vitamin E, niacin and magnesium.

Limit yourself to only two or three teaspoons of peanut butter a day, as it is calorie-rich.

Image: Peanut butterPhotographs: Courtesy Gud2Eat.com

Salmon is not only rich in protein, it contains omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce muscle protein breakdown and muscle inflammation, thereby improving muscle recovery.

Salmon also contains many nutrients that help in reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes

Are Eggs Bad For Your Heart?

A new, large study may serve up some confusing advice for egg lovers. Research from Northwestern Medicine finds that adults who ate several eggs per week and high amounts of dietary cholesterol had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death from any cause. 

The findings suggest it may be time to re-evaluate the current U.S. dietary guidelines that no longer limit cholesterol or eggs, the researchers say.

"The take-home message is really about cholesterol, which happens to be high in eggs and specifically yolks," one of the authors, Norrina Allen, Ph.D., an associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a statement. "As part of a healthy diet, people need to consume lower amounts of cholesterol. People who consume less cholesterol have a lower risk of heart disease."

Prior to 2015, nutrition guidelines recommended eating less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day. But that year, based on the available data at that time, the recommendations changed, eliminating the daily limit on cholesterol and focusing instead on the reduction of foods high in saturated fats.

The new research makes a strong case for bringing that limit back.

What the new study shows

Allen and her team pooled data on nearly 30,000 racially and ethnically diverse adults between 1985 and 2016. Participants were asked about their dietary habits over the last month or year in an extensive questionnaire. By the end of the follow-up period, the group had experienced 5,400 cardiovascular events and 6,132 deaths from any cause.

An analysis found that consuming 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day was associated with 17 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and 18 percent higher risk of death.

Eggs were then looked at specifically because they are one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol. One large egg contains about 186 milligrams of dietary cholesterol in the yolk.

The researchers found that eating three to four eggs per week was linked to a 6 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and an 8 percent higher risk of any cause of death. The findings were published today in JAMA.

Compared with previous studies, "this report is far more comprehensive, with enough data to make a strong statement that eggs and overall dietary cholesterol intake remain important in affecting the risk" of heart disease and death, Dr. Robert H. Eckel writes in an editorial published along with the study.

Why is there so much conflicting guidance on eggs?

With so much conflicting evidence, it can be hard for consumers to keep track of which foods are considered healthy choices.

"I can totally understand that people would be confused and frustrated," Dr. Leslie Cho, a preventive cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic, told CBS News.

She notes that while the JAMA report is scientifically sound and well-done, like any study it has its limitations.

"It's a very large study with a very large number of different types of patients. These are all good things," she said. "But in general, any dietary study is fraught with difficulty because of the problem of patient recall. Do you remember what you ate last week? Because I don't. It's the same thing with patients."

Most dietary studies are also observational, making their findings less reliable. That's because unlike a randomized controlled trial that tests the safety and efficacy of a drug, it's difficult to randomly control what people eat over a long period of time, especially with a large sample size.

However, though flawed, Cho says these studies are important for a better understanding of nutrition research.

"In science, the way it works is we don't think of it as one study having the final word," she said. "In science, we look at the preponderance of evidence to see where the field is going."

Bottom line: Moderation is key

It's important to note that no one, including the study authors, is saying you need to cut eggs completely out of your diet.

"We want to remind people there is cholesterol in eggs, specifically yolks, and this has a harmful effect," said Allen, who mentioned that she still cooks scrambled eggs for her children. "Eat them in moderation." 

Cho says she never stopped recommending her patients limit their dietary cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day or told patients they could eat as many eggs as they want.

"In addition to dietary cholesterol, there's a cancer risk involved in eating eggs and other animal products," she said. "We've always said you can have egg whites but you should probably limit your amount of egg yolk consumption."

She recommends sticking to a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in heart-healthy plant-based foods that are also low in cholesterol, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

"Time and time again, it's been shown to improve survival," Cho said. "This is the diet we should be adopting."

Understanding High Blood Pressure Helps Avoid Complications

HERSHEY, Pa. — A third of adults ages 40 to 59 have high blood pressure, or hypertension. So do nearly two-thirds of the population age 60 and older. That makes high blood pressure among the most common medical conditions in the United States.

It’s also among the most treatable.

“It’s something we check at almost every medical appointment no matter what,” said Dr. Kevin Wile, a family medicine physician with Penn State Health. “When we can detect it early, we can avoid complications.”

Wile said people with high blood pressure are often told the news during a routine office visit. It is rare for people to have any symptoms, even from a moderate increase in blood pressure, so patients are often unaware that they have it.

Age, ethnicity and genetic factors contribute to high blood pressure, but lifestyle factors, such as tobacco use, alcohol use, obesity, poor diet, a lack of exercise, or the presence of other health problems can increase an individual’s risk, as well.

Blood pressure measures how much force the blood exerts against the walls of an artery each time the heart beats (systolic pressure) and when it rests between beats (diastolic pressure).

The two numbers together form the reading taken at most office visits. Although readings of 140/90 and higher are often used to diagnose hypertension, the line between healthy and unhealthy can vary depending on other factors like age.

It’s natural for readings to fluctuate, but multiple and consistent high readings are a likely indicator of hypertension.

Once high blood pressure is detected, doctors work with patients to modify lifestyle factors they can control, such as smoking, alcohol use, diet, exercise and weight loss. They can also prescribe one of a number of common medications.

“If left untreated, it can lead to increased risk of a heart attack, heart failure, stroke and vision loss,” Wile said. “It essentially has the ability to affect almost any organ in the body if you go a long time without controlling it.”

People who have severely elevated blood pressure may experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, confusion, vision changes and chest pain. “Those are big red flags,” Wile said.

He advises patients to adhere to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan — which features fruits and vegetables and limits dairy and saturated fats — to help control high blood pressure. “Even if you are not losing weight, it helps,” he said.

Overweight people who lose even a modest amount of weight — anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds — can lower their blood pressure significantly

“As we do more research, we’ll learn better ways to prevent and treat it,” he said. “Ultimately, it is up to each and every patient.”

Learn more:

The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.

This Is Exactly How Much Cardio You Should Be Doing If You Want To Lose Weight

Strength training, cardio, and a healthy diet are said to make up the perfect formula for weight loss. But sometimes it's hard to know how much you need of each category. In particular, the amount of cardio you need in order to lose weight has been up for debate - some people think you need a lot, while others think that it's all about strength training.

Before deciding how much cardio is best for weight loss, Austin Lopez, CSCS and owner of Ausome Fit, said it's important to understand some basics of how your body functions; "3,500 is the number of calories in a single pound of fat and therefore the number required for you to burn in a week to lose one pound a week," Lopez told POPSUGAR.

This is how that breaks down in terms of sessions per week. According to Lopez, if you want to burn 3,500 calories in a week in order to lose one pound, you have three options:

Do 7 days of 30-minute cardio sessions and eat a clean diet with an average calorie intake.

Do 5 days of 30-minute cardio sessions and eat a lightly calorie-restricted diet.

Do 0 to 3 days of 30-minute cardio sessions and eat a medium calorie-restricted diet.

The third option might look appealing to you, but Lopez reminds us that "this becomes unsustainable very quickly." Here's the formula to determine how many calories you should eat to lose weight.

Similarly, Mahri Relin, certified personal trainer (NASM) and founder of Body Conceptions, said she encourages her clients do four to five sessions of cardio a week, each lasting about 30 to 45 minutes. NASM-certified celebrity fitness trainer and Katherine Greiner recommends at least 30 to 45 minutes of cardio a day or 20 minutes of HIIT cardio intervals.

It's important you don't overdo it, though. "Cardio-heavy workouts can leave people famished, only to replace, if not exceed, the calories they have burned," Relin told POPSUGAR. "When the body has too much cardio it can result in adrenal fatigue, which can actually lead to weight gain," Greiner added.

Another thing all three trainers agree on unanimously is that these sessions of cardio must also be paired with regular strength training. You can't have one without the other in the hunt for weight loss. Not sure where to start? Here are nine strength training workouts that you can do anywhere. And they're printable!