Tips to Lose 100 Pounds or More

It's All About Planning If you have a lot of weight to lose, you're playing a long game. During the time, you face challenges. Weight loss experts and people who have done this, offer several ideas to curb calories, fight the "hangry<" make exercise easier, and how to stay on track more. Some are tried-and-true, but others may surprise you. Go for a Big Breakfast Eating more in the morning and less at night can make you lose more weight. Studies suggest starting your day with a high-protein meal, especially if ti's warm, with sold food, makes you feel fuller and less hungry later. Shoot for 350 - 400 calories at the least with 25 grams of protein, according to Damenica Rubio, M.D., Director of Washington Center for Weight Management & Research. Keep a Photo Diary We all have "terrible memories of what we eat", says Susan Albers, PsyD., author of "EatQ." She says to save photos of the foods you've eaten in a daily file. Before you eat your next snack or meal, review the file. It will remind you of what you've already eaten. Plus, it may help you to downsize and choose something else. Use an App If you "don't see food or portions the way normally thin people do", says blogger Lisa Durant. Use MyFitnessPal to focus on your relationship with food. It tracks what you've eaten and how much so you can be more honest with yourself. You can also set weight loss and fitness goals to track your progress. Without the app, you may risk "gaining the weight back." Try a Meal Replacement Plan If you're under a licensed professional's care, eat one regular meal per day and swap with other special shakes, soups and bars. If you "stick to it," youll see big results within 6 months to a year, says Ken Fujioku, M.D., Obesity Specialist at Scripps Clinic, San Diego. Set Up Your Food Storage Get it out of your sight and out of your mind, so it stays out of your mouth. If you have a habit of purging for treats you can't resist, Albers recommends taking it a step further: Assign shelves in your pantry or refrigerator so you can see the healthy foods and are in easy reach. Keep fresh veggies and fruit at eye level instead of inside the drawer, so you'll be more likely to grab one when you open the door. Shop Smart Don't leave your meals to chance. Have ingredients on hand so your not tempted to take-out. If you think menus work for your household: try a veggie stir-fry side dish or two. Make a grocery list together with your family, even if you all cook separately. Stay away from bulk warehouse stores where oversized items can invite overeating. Find a Fan Club Finding a support group can help you lose more weight than if you go it alone. It can help you gain more perspective as well as give you encouragement tips, give you a little competition, or give you some motivation. You can check out online forums, social media and your family and friends for support and encouragement. Outsmart Your Inner Critic If you do get off track, you may find it hard to forgive yourself. If you pretend a friend slipped up and is upset, write a note to them. Then read it aloud to yourself. You may find yourself being kinder and more encouraging than the little voice in your head. Try Physical Therapy Learn to reconnect with your body by working with a trained physical therapist who's trained to work with people who have medical issues or trouble moving in their daily lives. You can think of PT as someone to get you ready for a personal trainer. The therapist can design a program that is tailored for you, to improve your balance, your strength and your range of motion. PTs can also ease joint pain as well. Work Your Muscles Build up your muscles by moving extra weight. If you're losing weight, you want to keep muscles and burn fat and calories. "Don't use them, lose them," says Mira Rasmussen, an exercise physiologist, who likes to use wall squats to help with an exercise ball for body alignment. It works the major muscles below the waist at once. Get in the Pool Swimming can give you a whole-body a non-impact workout with a fantastic calorie burn, says Rasmussen. Water helps hold you up, so there's no pressure on your joints. It also saves time by combining cardio with muscle-building in one single activity. If you exercise too hard, try doing in chest-deep water to reduce swelling, enhance circulation, and relieve pain from inflammation. Look Past Pounds Despite what the scale says, your body is changing in a good way (Rubino). "Remind yourself if you've gained in losing weight by looser clothes, losing inches, your blood pressure's better, your diabetic sugar levels have improved, and you can handle more exercise--CELEBRATE, non-scale victories as well. Get Checked for Sleep Apnea If you're not resting as well, or your condition interrupts your breathing while sleeping, which is common in overweight people, it can disrupt your slumber withou you knowing it. Studies show that a lack of sleep alters the hormones which control hunger. Rubino suggests to be tested and treated. Ask about Weight Loss Medicine If you've lost 5 - 10% of your weight, your body makes adjustments to fight you losing more (Fijioka). Hormones signal that you've had enough to eat and don't get sent to the brain, making you still hungry. You can use medication to give you the feeling of being full (Fujioka). You can talk with your doctor about prescription drugs or over-the-counter products to help keep you on track. Play Down Plateaus When the scale won't move despite what you do--don't think of yourself as a "failure." Instead, give yourself for not adding more pounds. That alone is TRIUMPH (Rubino). If there's no change for 3 months, revisit your diet and exercise plan. Consider Weight Loss Surgery "Having weight loss surgery gave me back my health and a helping hand when I need to make permanent changes," says Michelle Vicari, Obesity Action Coalition. After spending most of my teen and adult life "trying the latest, greatest diet," I had gastric bypass surgery, and lsot 158 pounds, to get rid of a host of health problems, like high blood pressure and acid reflux." Source www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/ss/slideshow-obesity-weight-loss-tips.

How Well Do You Know Your Gallbladder?

YOUR GALLBLADDER helps your immune system and your digestive system make hormones. It is a small pear-shaped organ connected to the liver and intestines and stores a digestive fluid called bile. When eating, the gallbladder releases bile through tubes called S-ducts that break down food. Even if the gallbladder is gone, bile can flow from the liver through the duct directly to the small intestine. Most people do well after the gallbladder is removed. With some changes in bowel habits, it clears up soon. Just be careful what you eat. GALL STONES are hardened fluid, another term for kidney stones, are small, non-canerous tumors, made of cholesterol and as small as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball. They may go away on their own, but if they cause serious medical problems if they block bile ducts and cause a gallbladder attack. MEN AND WOMEN who get too much of the hormone, estrogen, can lead to too much cholesterol in the bile. Pregnancy and birth control pills can also play in the role. Others may have a high risk of gallstones if they are over 40 or a family history. GALLBLADDER ATTACKs usually happens in the morning on an empty stomach, in the middle of the day after a workout, or at night after a heavy meal. It passes when a gallstone moves away from the bile duct. The attacks can last more than a few hours and cause pain and problems like swelling or infection. POSSIBLE SIGNS OF A gallbladder attack are stomach pain or vomiting, yellowish eyes and skin, tea-colored urine or light-colored stools, or all of the above. A common symptom is stomach pain. You should call a doctor if it lasts more than 5 hours or is severe, and call immediately if there are any other symptoms. THE USUAL TREATMENT for gallbladder attacks is medication or surgery. Shockwaves are used if the gallstones won't move from the bile ducts; the doctor can tell you if your gallbladder needs to be removed. If your not healthy enough for surgery, your doctor can try medication to dissolve them or shockwave to break them up. But it doesn't work as well. Half of people treated with medication have gallstones again within 5 years. AFTER GALLSTONE SURGERY, you should try to avoid bran cereals and fried foods and leafy greens. A fatty diet is not good for you, especially if the gall bladder is removed. Stay away from greasy food, high-fat sauces and gravies. Some people have problems with caffeine (coffee, tea and sodas), and dairy. Fruits and vegetables, lean chicken or fish are some good choices to have. Source: www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/rm-quiz-gallbladder-knowledge.

How to Keep Your Kids' Eyes Healthy

What's Your Eye-Q? Kids learn their eyes, so healthy vision is critical for reading, writing, seeing the chalkboard, computer and play--more than seeing clearly up close and far away. Eyes also help distinguish between certain letters like "b" and "d". They also allow you to remember the details in what you read to the pictures in your mind. Subtle Symptoms If your child can't see well, they may have trouble learning. They might lose their place while reading and avoid reading. Their grades may fall. Signs of eye problems are always obvious, so some to watch for are they: Rubs their eyes alot, they squint or blink much of the time, they have lots of headaches due to eye strain, tilts their head to one side, they cover one eye to see, they hold books close to their face, they have trouble remembering what they read, and they have a short attention span. Problems You Can See Changes in the way a child sees or looks can be a hint that something's wrong. Look for bulging eyes, dropping eyelids, redness, eyes that don't work together, a gray or cloudy center, pus or crusty drainage, rapid movements--up/down-side to side, eyes constantly watering, white pupils taken with flash, or a child complains their eyes hurt or feel itchy. Early Detection is Key The most oommon eye problems in kids are blurred vision (refractable errors), crossed eyes (strabismus), and lazy eye (amblyopia). Regular eye exams can catch these early on before you or your child notices anything wrong. The longer the vision problem is left untreated, the more the brain will work to make up for it and may lead to future issues that are harder to treat. Is It Time to See An Eye Doctor? Children 3 and up can get a complete eye exam by an eye doctor once every 1 - 2 years. Many kids get a check up at school called a "vision screening." But it can't diagonse them. These tests can miss up to 60% of problems. Even newborns should get an eye assessment and get an assessment during each checkup after. Bring along a toy or stuffed animal to hold in your lap to distract from fussing with the equipment. What Happens During the Exam? Detailed eye exams usually take 2 hours and involves many test. Doctors might change things to get close enough yet not scare young children. The doctor checks the outside of eyes and watches how they follow a light or toy. He'll cover one eye to see how the other moves and focuses. The doctor will measure the near and distance vision with an eye chart and ask the child to read letters he can clearly see. Those who can't read can identify shapes instead. The doctor will also check for colorblindness, and in older kids, the doctor will ask older kids to look for numbers in colored dots--younger kids will look for shapes. Focusing on Vision A large device with a bunch of lenses on it is called a phoropter, pronounced "fer-rop-ter." Your child will peer through to look at the eye chart. The doctor switches from one lens to another asking the child which is clear or fuzzy. This is called refraction testing. It shows the power of eye lenses the child needs to see clearly. The doctor might use a lighted tool called a retinoscope to learn more about how your child's eyes focus. Shine a Light on Eye Problems The light provides an up-close look inside the child's eye. The doctor uses a flashlight-like tool called an ophthalmoscope to peek inside the eye. Older children get eye drops to widen, or dilate, the pupils 30 minutes before the test. You can prepare your child for this by telling her drops may sting and make things blurry a bit. The doctor may use another lighted tool called a slit lamp microscope to get a 3-D view. Correcting Kids' Vision If a child fails a vision exam, prescription eyewear may help. Kids can wear glasses at any age. Choose plastic frames with elastic straps if you have a toddler. Let your older child choose their own glasses, but make sure they have spring hinges to last longer. Most kids are not mature enough to clean or use contacts until after age 10. Vision correction surgery is not advised for growing kids. Kids with glasses need an eye exam every year. Treating Other Eye Problems If your child has a lazy eye, she'll get an eye patch or eye drops to blur her vision in one eye. This retrains the brain tosee with the weak one. Glasses don't always mae a differnece when used alone, but paired with exercise, they help kids with crossed eyes. Eye muscle surgery may straighten out eyes, but it won't improve their vision. Babies bron cloudy eye lenses (cataracts) may have surgery too. Glasses for Young Athletes Well-fitted, protective eyewear is a must for kids who wear glases and play sports to prevent vision threatening eye injuries. Everyday prescription glasses aren't good choices for gym, track, rink, or ball field. The eye doctor can help you choose what's right for your child. You'll want frames that are made of tough stuff that won't break like polycarbonate. Since kids are in the sun alot, ask about sunglasses to protect their eyes from harmful ultraviolet light. First Aid for Eyes Treat eye injuries right away. Don't let a child rub their eye as it can scratch the delicate surface. If there is something in the eye, flip the upper eyelid over eyelashes and ask your child to blink several times. The tears will help wash debris away. You can also flush the eye with clean water. If it doesn't come out, go to the ER. Get emergency care if something hits the eye, a chemical touches the eye, or the eye is bleeding. Source www.webmd.com/eye-heatlh/ss/slideshow-kids-healthy-eyes.

9 Ways to Eat Clean

Pick Whole Foods The basic idea to clean eating is to choose Foods close to the natural form as possible. Instead of boxed, bagged, or packaged foods--try fresh whole ones. Think whole turkey instead of frozen turkey meatballs; raw grapes instead of gummy snacks made with fruit juice. The Bonus: When you avoid highly processed foods like chips, cookies, and ready-to-eat meals, you skip loads of calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat. Eat More Whole Grains Refined carbohydrates, like white bread, pasta, and rice, lose their nutritional value during the manufacturing process. Trade them for whole wheat bread, pasta, or brown or white rice. Opt for other whole grains like oatmeal, popcorn, barley, or bulgur. The change will have a big impact as studies have shown a diet high in whole grains have a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. Load Up On Fruits and Veggies These natural foods are the two staples to clean eating. Some clean eaters say all your produce should be fresh. Others say you can have frozen or canned options as the next best thing since they have just as many nutrients. Read the label to make sure you're not getting extra sugar or salt. Choose whole fruits instead of juices, which have less fiber and more sugar. Aim get at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Watch Out for Salt and Added Sugar Clean foods are naturally low in salt and sugar, and adding goes against as natural as possible approach. Processed foods are major source you can slash the intake avoiding them. Read the food labels for added sweeteners and salts, even in food that looks healthy like yogurt and tomato sauce. Keep tabs on how much to add to foods and drinks. Flavor with spices and herbs instead. Skip Artificial Ingredients Artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and other man-made ingredients have no place in a clean-eating diet. At the grocery store, read the food labels and avoid items with fake stuff. Sip Plenty of Water Instead of sugar-heavy soft drinks and juices, sip low-calorie beverages like water and herbal teas. Water curbs hunger and makes you feel fuller, fends off fatigue and gives more energy. Try infusing water with a slice of citrus or sprig of mint. Rethink Alcohol and Caffeine Some clean eaters cut alcohol and caffeine completely in order to drink lots of water. Others say it is alright to have alcohol or caffeine in moderation. Clean eater or not, experts recommend no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine (that's 3 - 5 [8-ounce cups of coffee] a day), and one serving of alcohol for women and 2 for men. Also skip the sugary extras and opt for plain tea or coffee; and avoid the sweet mixer for alcohol. Decide if You'll Go Organic Organic farmers use natural pesticides and avoid man-made ones. Some people say organic produce is the best way to eat clean. It is up to you to decide how important it will be in your diet. Shop at local farmers markets to find out what kinds of pesticides vendors use. Another tip is to use pesticides that end up on the outsides of fruits and veggies, so choose non-organic foods with skins you don't eat like avocados, corn and onions. Be Smart About Meat and Dairy Meat, dairy and eggs bought at the store may come from animals that get growth hormones and antibiotics. Clean eaters avoid them and choose organic or opt for local sources that raise animals humanely. Farmer's markets are good place to learn more about where meat and dairy come from. Seafood is labeled organic, so look for items low in mercury that use sustainable fishing. The cleanist approach to protein is to get the most from nuts, beans and legumes. Source www.webmd.com/diet/ss/sliedshow-how-to-eat-clean.