Exercise cannot stave off Holiday weight gain

Study suggests moderation, nothing can replace high-calorie foods and beverages

By Brenda Goodman

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, 27 november, 2013 HealthDay News)-Hoping to counter all those Thanksgiving calories with the extra exercise?

A recent study suggests the strategy can't keep off the holiday pounds.

Researchers followed 48 men and 100 women for the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's celebrations. They ranged between 18 and 65 years.

Half reported to be serious and ordinary exercisers. On average, they said, they worked up a sweat nearly five hours each week, nearly twice as much moderate physical activity is recommended by the American Heart Association. The other half copped to being couch potatoes.

The researchers weighed and measured each person to calculate their body mass index (BMI) before and after the holidays. They are also a measure of the proportion of body fat and took their blood pressure.

From mid November to early January, people in the study had an average of one and a half pounds. Men were slightly more, around two pounds each, while the women got a little less about a pound apiece.

A kilo or two might not sound so bad, but studies have shown that on average, people get about two pounds each year. It's called weight creep. And studies have shown that when most people put it, they never take off.

After 10 years of small annual increases are an additional 20 pounds of fat. That means the holiday weight gain may be a more important factor in the obesity epidemic than many realize, says researcher Jamie Cooper, Assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

People who were obese at the start of the study had the largest increases in weight. They also had significant increase in their percentage of body fat. In fact, starting weight the best predictor of how much weight and fat a person can get.

Exercise had a significant impact on holiday weight gain. Scientists are not entirely sure why.

On the other hand, told Cooper that it could be that the study did not have enough participants to detect small differences in weight change between exercisers and non-exercisers.

But she said the results could also mean that people just eat more calories than they burn off, even with all that physical activity.

"If you think about walking in a run, if you are running in 30 minutes and to run three miles in that time, you burn about 300 calories. Well, a pumpkin pie without anything on it is about 300 calories, "Cooper said. "So, it's really easy to eat all these calories that you burn during exercise and then some."

Exercise also increases the appetite, which can lead to even more overeating.

Cooper said that there really is no substitute for moderation during the holidays, a time when food is much more likely to be loaded with hidden fats and sugars and calories.

The 2-Day Diabetes Diet: What to Eat to Lose Weight

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In the new Reader's Digest book, The 2-Day Diabetes Diet, dieting just two days a week blasts fat and balances blood sugar.

Travis Rathbone
Dinner: Spinach-Stuffed Meat Loaf

For folks with diabetes, weight loss is a natural form of “medication.” Reams of research prove that losing even just a few pounds is an effective way to control blood sugar or reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place.

But in an ironic twist, losing weight may be more difficult if you have type 2 diabetes. And the reason isn’t just a lack of willpower. Too often, diet plans don’t work for people with diabetes because the metabolism changes associated with blood sugar problems may increase appetite, slow down fat burning, and encourage fat storage.

Now breakthrough research has revealed a better way for people to lose weight and reduce insulin resistance. The secret is a concept called intermittent fasting.

British researchers created this revolutionary new diet, which strictly limits caloric intake for two days of the week but permits larger portions for the remainder. Women who followed the plan lost almost twice as much fat as those who restricted calories every day. Within three months, participants reduced insulin resistance by 25 percent more on nonfast days and inflammation by 8 percent more than people who dieted continuously.

Why Does this Particular Diabetes Diet Plan Work?

It counteracts the effects of “diabesity,” where blood sugar problems and excess body fat meet. Just a small amount of excess weight and a genetic tendency for metabolism problems can trigger a cascade of health issues, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, immune system problems, and hormonal imbalances.

Why it’s better to diet part-time.

This constellation of health problems is caused by a modern lifestyle that is out of sync with our genetic inheritance. Researchers theorize that because humans evolved during alternating periods of feast and famine, many of us inherited various “thrifty genes” that cause us to conserve energy (hoard fat stores) when calories are scarce and swiftly store energy (plump up fat cells even more) when food is plentiful. Thousands of years ago, humans with robust sets of thrifty genes were much likelier to survive and pass them on to future generations.

But now our thrifty bodies are confronted with an abundance of food and no famine. As a result, it’s incredibly difficult to maintain a healthy weight. Once we gain a little bit, the first hints of diabesity set in, making the upward progression of the scale hard to stop.

This excess fat also causes chronic inflammation. Fat tissue contains an abundance of immune molecules called cytokines, which respond to the excess fat as if it were an infection. This activates a process that seems to dull the body’s sensitivity to these key hormones: insulin, which cues cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream; the “stress hormone” cortisol; and leptin and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and appetite.

Researchers believe that intermittent fasting helps to reduce or quell inflammation and normalize the function of key hormones. By reversing this metabolic imbalance, intermittent fasting seems to control or prevent diabetes better than other ways of eating.

Next: You don’t have to count carbs, calories, fat grams, or anything else.

To learn more about the breakthrough science behind the 2-Day Diabetes Diet and to buy the book, visit 2daydiabetes.com.

Skipping Breakfast May Not Lead to Weight Gain After All

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Small study found it did not make college students eat more later in the day, contrary to popular belief

By Denise Mann

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Skipping breakfast may not sabotage your waistline after all, a small, new study suggests.

For years, people have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that missing it would encourage them to eat more later and pack on the pounds as a result.

Now, a study of 24 normal-weight college students suggests that you may actually consume fewer calories if you skip breakfast. The findings are published in the July issue of the journal Physiology and Behavior.

But several nutritionists were quick to caution that there are other important reasons to eat breakfast every day, and that the new findings don't apply to everyone.

As part of the study, researchers either fed breakfast to or withheld breakfast from a group of students. Half of the participants ate breakfast regularly, while the other half did not. They then measured how many calories the participants consumed during the rest of the day. Lunch was served buffet-style, and they were allowed to eat as much as they wanted.

Students who ate breakfast regularly were hungrier on the days they skipped the meal, but they did not overcompensate by eating more at lunch or at any other time during the day. They actually consumed 408 fewer calories on the days they bypassed the morning meal.

"If you are a breakfast eater and we take it away, you will be hungrier, but you won't overeat at subsequent meals," said study author Dr. David Levitsky, a professor of nutritional sciences and psychology at Cornell University. "You can skip breakfast and not feel that you will become overweight."

School-aged children are advised to eat breakfast so they can concentrate in class; the new study did not look at how skipping breakfast affects the ability to learn and think.

Christine Santori, lead nutritionist at the Center for Weight Management at Syosset Hospital in Syosset, N.Y., said it's caloric quality that is important to overall health and weight control, not just caloric intake.

"I have found ... that those who skip breakfast and go into the rest of the day very hungry tend to make high-fat choices, with compromised fruit and vegetable intake," Santori said.

Skipping breakfast also can lead to feelings of low energy and fatigue, which may result in lower overall activity levels. "For overall health, well being and weight control, I recommend consuming a healthy breakfast daily," she said.

The new study also was conducted on normal-weight individuals and may not translate to overweight or obese people, Santori said. "Skipping meals as a behavior has been strongly linked to obesity," she said.

A recent study in the journal Circulation showed that men who skip breakfast may be more likely to have a heart attack than men who eat breakfast every morning. The study authors speculated that missing the morning meal leads to weight gain and other heart disease risk factors associated with obesity.

Gut Bugs May Hold Key to Weight Control, Mouse Study Suggests

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Findings hint that obese people might benefit from transfer of stomach bacteria of thinner people

By Randy Dotinga

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The bacteria living in your digestive system may be the last thing on your mind, but a new study in mice raises the prospect that obese people might get benefits through the transfer of a thinner person's gut germs.

The research is preliminary, and there are a variety of obstacles, including as-yet-unknown side effects in people, cost and the "ick" factor. "Fecal transplants" are now used to treat people with an intestinal disorder, and they're not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Still, the findings from researchers at the University of Colorado reveal the potential promise of the approach.

In the future, there may be "a way to swap bacteria that's not gross," said Justin Sonnenburg, an assistant professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "There may even someday be a pill you could take."

At issue are the germs that live within your body and help you digest food, among other things. The bacteria live in communities, and "there's a huge, increasing interest in understanding these communities at a fundamental level," Sonnenburg said. "That way, we can prevent diseases they're associated with."

The new study looked at what might happen if germs from a thinner person were transferred into an obese person.

They took fecal bacteria from four sets of adult, female, human twins in which one sister was obese (a step above simply being overweight), and then transplanted the germs into mice. They then fed the mice various diets, including some meant to represent the typical unhealthy American diet.

"[The results] show that mice that get microbes from obese individuals gain more weight than those that get microbes from lean individuals," said study co-author Rob Knight, an associate professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "In other words, the weight gain can be transmitted from humans to mice by transferring their microbes."

There's another twist: Mice like to eat each other's feces, so they naturally transferred fecal bacteria to each other. The mice with germs from the obese twins appeared to be affected by their counterparts with germs from thinner twins and actually gained less weight.

But the opposite wasn't the case. And, the researchers found, a typical high-fat, American-style diet seemed to eliminate the benefits for the obese-twin mice of eating the feces of their thinner twin counterparts.

What does this all mean? It's possible to disrupt weight gain by transferring gut bacteria and to use mice to understand more about the germs inside humans, Knight said. Results of animal studies, however, often don't translate to humans.

The study, which appears in the Sept. 6 issue of the journal Science, was funded in part by the food company Kraft, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

Expert Q&A: Losing the Baby Weight

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An interview with Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD.

Gaining weight is essential during pregnancy, but once the baby arrives, most moms can’t wait to lose the extra weight. But losing weight after giving birth is different from losing weight at other times, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby. 

To get professional advice on how to lose baby weight the healthy way, WebMD turned to Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, an expert in pregnancy, lactation, and kids' nutrition, and author of Expect the Best. Here’s what she had to say.

It takes lots of calories and good nutrition to support the growth and development of a new life, so it is very important that you eat a healthy diet. But you also need to be careful not to gain too much or too little weight. 

Most doctors base their recommendation of weight gain on the weight of the mom before pregnancy.  Women with a normal BMI (body mass index) should gain anywhere between 25 and 35 pounds, and up to 45 for twins.  Overweight women may be able to safely gain between 15 and 25 pounds, but should not use pregnancy as a time to diet or lose weight.

Check with your doctor to determine if it is safe for you to gain less or more than the recommended range.  Pregnancy is a very personal journey, and what is most important is to take care of yourself, eat a healthy diet, and make sure you take your prenatal vitamins to ensure you get all the nutrients you need for you and the baby.

There will be more to lose after the baby is born, and studies show that if you don’t get it off within a year, the extra weight is more likely to become permanent. And if you are thinking about getting pregnant again, it is best to return to your healthy weight before conception.

That is a myth. Gaining too much weight will not necessarily cause the baby to be larger. Just because you are "eating for two" doesn’t mean you should eat twice as much. Gaining beyond 25-35 pounds for a single birth just makes it harder to lose after the baby is born.

Forget about dieting for at least six weeks postpartum and focus on eating a healthy diet.  Most women are sleep-deprived, tired, and lack the energy to exercise, prepare healthy meals, and do what it takes to lose weight.  

Losing the baby weight can take upwards of a year. Ideally, you should take the weight off gradually, aiming for 1-2 pounds per week.

Gut Bugs May Hold Key to Weight Control, Mouse Study Suggests

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AppId is over the quota
Findings hint that obese people might benefit from transfer of stomach bacteria of thinner people

By Randy Dotinga

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The bacteria living in your digestive system may be the last thing on your mind, but a new study in mice raises the prospect that obese people might get benefits through the transfer of a thinner person's gut germs.

The research is preliminary, and there are a variety of obstacles, including as-yet-unknown side effects in people, cost and the "ick" factor. "Fecal transplants" are now used to treat people with an intestinal disorder, and they're not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Still, the findings from researchers at the University of Colorado reveal the potential promise of the approach.

In the future, there may be "a way to swap bacteria that's not gross," said Justin Sonnenburg, an assistant professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "There may even someday be a pill you could take."

At issue are the germs that live within your body and help you digest food, among other things. The bacteria live in communities, and "there's a huge, increasing interest in understanding these communities at a fundamental level," Sonnenburg said. "That way, we can prevent diseases they're associated with."

The new study looked at what might happen if germs from a thinner person were transferred into an obese person.

They took fecal bacteria from four sets of adult, female, human twins in which one sister was obese (a step above simply being overweight), and then transplanted the germs into mice. They then fed the mice various diets, including some meant to represent the typical unhealthy American diet.

"[The results] show that mice that get microbes from obese individuals gain more weight than those that get microbes from lean individuals," said study co-author Rob Knight, an associate professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "In other words, the weight gain can be transmitted from humans to mice by transferring their microbes."

There's another twist: Mice like to eat each other's feces, so they naturally transferred fecal bacteria to each other. The mice with germs from the obese twins appeared to be affected by their counterparts with germs from thinner twins and actually gained less weight.

But the opposite wasn't the case. And, the researchers found, a typical high-fat, American-style diet seemed to eliminate the benefits for the obese-twin mice of eating the feces of their thinner twin counterparts.

What does this all mean? It's possible to disrupt weight gain by transferring gut bacteria and to use mice to understand more about the germs inside humans, Knight said. Results of animal studies, however, often don't translate to humans.

The study, which appears in the Sept. 6 issue of the journal Science, was funded in part by the food company Kraft, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

The Shift: Tory Johnson’s Weight Loss Journey

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Good Morning America frequent contributor Tory Johnson opens up in her new book The Shift about the key changes she made for a happier, healthier life.

Courtesy of Tory Johnson

Being fat dominates so many areas of your life—far beyond the obvious of how you look.

I know because until recently I was always fat. OK, obese. I’m 42.

I began to suffer little indignities starting as a child in Miami Beach. I was always last to be picked for a team in phys ed because no one wanted the fat girl on their team. They still don’t.

As a teenager, my concern about the way I looked took over my social schedule. I turned down invitations to pool parties because there was no way I’d wear a bathing suit in front of other kids.

As an adult, my negative body image meant I routinely steered clear of dinner parties and professional events—traditional ways people meet and develop friendships. No way I’d be the only woman in pants while others strutted in tight dresses. I can’t help but think of all the potential connections I missed. All because of my weight.

I got married in a blue suit because I would have looked absurd in a white gown. No one asked why I wasn’t wearing a wedding dress. They knew.

But it wasn’t always about petty vanity. I stayed away from doctors and didn’t have a single medical checkup for more than a decade after I gave birth to twins. I cringed at the thought of getting the inevitable lecture about my weight. Had something been wrong with me physically, I wouldn’t have known. For years, I never had a regular period. This all stemmed from my inability—my refusal—to do anything about my weight.

The Chat changed everything.

Tory’s top 10 weight loss secrets »

It happened 18 months ago when a woman named Barbara Fedida told me my clothes didn’t do me justice and that she wanted to send me to a stylist.

Barbara is the highest-ranking woman executive at ABC News and I am an on-air contributor for Good Morning America.

She never used the words “fat, diet or obesity” but her message was clear: I needed to lose weight. Let’s face it: on TV looks matter.

In my own way, I took her words to mean “lose weight or lose your job,” even though she didn’t come close to making that threat and has assured me to this day that my role was never in jeopardy.

Barbara changed my life. I think she may have actually saved my life. I know she rescued me from continuing on an unhealthy path both mentally and physically and for that I will be forever grateful to her.

That’s why I dedicated The Shift, my new book about how I lost 62 pounds in one year, to Barbara. She told me what I needed to hear and I was ready to listen. In a nutshell, what I came to learn was that what I put in my head is much more powerful than what I put in my mouth.

I’m on a mission to share that message and more with others who have battled weight for years and are finally ready to make The Shift and do something about it once and for all. If I can do it, anyone can.

I’ve always thought that companies should treat employees as people, to view them far more than worker bees. To care about their families and their lives. To invest in their health. In this tough, fast-paced economy, that personal concern has fallen by the wayside in many respects. We’re too busy to care—and that’s a problem.

From the White House to the boardroom, there’s obvious concern about obesity and its links to rising health costs, shorter life spans, lost productivity and absenteeism. Yet simply urging everyone to exercise more, eat right and smoke and drink less isn’t cutting it because Americans are fatter than ever.

It’s time for employers and colleagues to talk frankly about health and weight to peers to figure out a solution—together.

Thanks to that difficult chat, I’ll never again neglect my health.

I appreciate that Barbara cared enough about me, my appearance and my health to engage me with dignity and respect, not shame and embarrassment. All of us can be that person to someone else—and hopefully the recipient of that message will be as open to shifting as I was.

More weight-loss advice from Tory »

Courtesy of Tory Johnson

Tory Johnson is the author of The Shift: How I Finally Lost Weight and Discovered a Happier Life. Connect with her at www.shiftwithtory.com or on Twitter @ToryJohnson.com.