Pain Reliever Lowers Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetics, Study Says

But side effects of aspirin-like drug warrant further study

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- An aspirin-like drug appears to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

A study of the drug -- the prescription pain reliever salsalate -- also found it reduced inflammation associated with type 2 diabetes. But it produced unwelcome side effects that could limit its potential as a diabetes treatment.

"This trial is a test of possibly the oldest drug in Western use, and, because it's so old, there are no clinical trials on it," said study senior author Dr. Steven Shoelson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

"This trial was for a full year and showed that salsalate does lower blood glucose," said Shoelson, who is also the associate research director at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

The study, published in the July 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, included 286 people between 18 and 75 years old with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body no longer produces enough of the hormone insulin to convert carbohydrates from food into fuel for the body.

At the start of the study, the participants' average A1C levels -- a measure of blood sugar levels over several months -- were between 7 and 9.5 percent. The American Diabetes Association generally recommends a level of below 7 percent for adults.

The study volunteers were randomly assigned to 48 weeks of salsalate at a dose of 3.5 grams per day, or to an inactive placebo pill. No other changes were made to current diabetes, blood pressure or cholesterol medications during the first six months of the trial, the researchers noted.

Over 48 weeks, people taking the medication saw their A1C levels drop by 0.37 percent compared to placebo.

Shoelson said that people who have metabolic syndrome -- a group of risk factors (including type 2 diabetes) for cardiovascular disease -- often have higher than normal white blood cell counts, suggesting inflammation. In this study, people on salsalate saw a drop in their white blood cell counts, but Shoelson noted that they were "always well within the normal range."

Improvements were seen in several areas among those taking the drug, including: fasting blood sugar; uric acid, which is a chemical associated with gout; and levels of triglyceride, a type of blood fat. Levels of adiponectin -- a substance related to decreased insulin resistance -- and hematocrit, a measure of red blood cells, also improved for people taking salsalate.

Not all of the changes linked to the drug were beneficial, however. The medication appeared to cause a slight weight gain -- less than 3 pounds compared to those taking the placebo. Many type 2 diabetes medications have weight gain as a side effect, Shoelson said.

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Sun & Fitness

I love running & exercising outdoors, especially in the heat of the day.  It was 106 in Houston this weekend and I was mowing my lawn and loved every minute of it!  (I drink lots of water and use sunblock, so no one freak out.)  My question is, if I'm sweating more, does that mean I am burning more calories?

Edited Jul 01 2013 21:59 by coach_k
Reason: Moved to Fitness forum as more appropriate

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Staying healthy physically and emotionally - a tough few days

Hi guys, I wasn't really sure where to put this post but after some thinking I decided if anything what I am struggling with most is perhaps more an emotional health kind of thing.

Some of you might know I'm trying to adopt a healthy, normal mindset to food and exercise. I have never had an ED, but have certainly had 'disordered eating' in the past (like eating below 1200 cals 70% of the time then 'binging' on maybe 3000 or so other days, or over an hour of exercise daily to burn a splurge). My weight has never been below 105lbs or above 119lbs, I'm 5'4 female, 22 and currently 114lbs (well, last weigh in was a couple of weeks back). 

I've been trying to stick to sensible calories and exercise rather than going from one extreme to another. I've definetely got better, and I still splurge at weekends but am trying to realise that who doesn't? So long as it's not crazy binges and I still eat healthy foods, I'm healthy and active the rest of the time and I don't need to lose weight, so enjoy those treats, right? Easier said than done to keep that mindset and not to say 'need to restrict/exercise!'. My average calorie intake is just short of 2000, while calories burned averages at 220 per day.

These past few days have been hard. I had some temp work, 2 days of being up at 4am, working from 6am-6pm with at least 8 hours of that being on my feet, walking, carrying, going up and down stairs etc. This is not work I usually do. It completely exhausted me, and made me soo hungry - and so tired I didn't care atall what I ate! Must have been easily 3000 calories each day, maybe 4000. I was going to estimate and log, but honestly I don't think that would be mentally healthy. I especially binged when I came in before going to bed - I just felt the need to eat, eat, eat!

Today, I haven't been working. I slept in till 11am because I was so tired. But I have already eaten 1500 calories, and I have just felt so hungry. I still feel kind of hungry now - I am fantasising about peanut butter on toast lol. I'm definetely hydrated and eating my veggies and protein, but no exercise today because I just ache so much lol.

I am trying so hard to tell myself 'you worked hard, you probably need this food and rest, and even if the worst happens and you put on a few pounds, that's really not a huge deal'. But how can I make myself believe this?!

Sorry to ramble, guys, I could just really use some words of wisdom right now..!

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Do Heart Patients Get Too Many Cholesterol Tests?

Unnecessary screenings contribute to rising U.S. health costs, study suggests

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Many U.S. heart patients may be getting their cholesterol levels checked unnecessarily, a new study suggests.

Statistics on more than 35,000 patients with coronary heart disease treated in a Houston-based Veterans Affairs network suggest this is an area of over-testing that's contributing to the nation's soaring medical costs, the study authors said.

At this one network of seven hospitals, the cost of redundant cholesterol blood tests amounted to more than $200,000 in one year, the study found.

"These results represent health care resource overuse and possibly their waste," said lead researcher Dr. Salim Virani, a cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston.

The study, published online July 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine, zeroed in on almost 28,000 patients taking statin drugs that were keeping their cholesterol levels in check -- less than 100 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood.

Over 11 months, repeat tests were ordered for one-third of those patients even though their medication had not been increased, the researchers found.

In all, nearly 13,000 additional tests were performed at about $16 each, bringing the total cost for this one group of hospitals to almost $204,000.

"Apart from the costs associated with these lipid panels, this also carries with it the cost for the patient's time to undergo a repeat blood test and cost for the health care provider's time to follow up on these results after redundant testing and to inform the patient about these results," said Virani.

Most of those who underwent repeat testing had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and more frequent doctor visits, the research team found. The extra tests likely gave some of these patients a measure of comfort, the study authors noted.

The study drew mixed reactions from other experts.

Current national guidelines recommend that patients with coronary heart disease have their cholesterol checked every four to six months, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles and a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

"This new study shows a pattern of lipid testing that is entirely consistent with current guidelines," he said. "Whether less frequent testing and monitoring would result in similar outcomes at lower cost requires more study."

Using statin therapy to achieve and maintain appropriate LDL cholesterol levels remains one of the most cost-effective therapies for preventing recurrent cardiovascular events in men and women with coronary heart disease, he said.

Dr. Joseph Drozda Jr., author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that "seemingly inexpensive tests" really add up when done in large numbers.

"These cholesterol tests were being ordered with no benefit to the patient but cost the VA more than $200,000, and this was only in seven hospitals," said Drozda, from the Center for Innovative Care at Mercy Health in Chesterfield, Mo.

Drozda thinks this is just one example of the overuse of tests. "Most physicians will tell you this is not uncommon. A lot of tests are ordered without direct benefit to the patient and result in this kind of waste," he said.

"We need to be looking for all of these sources of waste and addressing them," he added.

About one of every six adult Americans has high blood cholesterol, putting them at risk of heart disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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How many calories? How many meals? Help?

Hi! I'm a 19 year-old female, and I weigh 210 lbs. I'm a pescetarian, and I also live a sedentary lifestyle at the moment. I don't drink soda; the most "unhealthy" thing I drink is Crystal Light Iced Tea once every other day. I try to drink water often, but I rarely hit the 8 cup or more mark. My TDEE is 2200 cals a day, and my BMR is 1765.9. My goal weight is roughly 130~120, but I know that I will stop losing and start maintaining once I feel and look healthy.

The real questions are:

Is 1200~1400 enough to lose at least 2 lbs per week considering my weight and sedentary lifestyle? 

How often do I eat?

Thank you. :) I'm hoping one day I can hit my goal weight and love myself even more then I do now.

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Older, Cheap Drug May Cut Suicide Risk for People With Mood Disorders

Review of data finds that lithium benefits people with depression, bipolar illnesses

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- A new review of data suggests than an old and inexpensive drug, lithium, may help lower suicide risk in people with mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder.

"The study provides further evidence that one of the most effective psychiatric medications for preventing suicide in patients with mood disorders is also one of our oldest," said one expert not connected to the research, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, chairman of psychiatry at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City.

According to background information from the researchers, people with mood disorders have a 30 times higher risk of suicide compared to the general population.

Treatment with mood-stabilizing drugs such as lithium, anticonvulsants or antipsychotics can help maintain mood within normal limits, but their role in suicide prevention has been unclear, according to background information in the review, which was published online June 27 in the journal BMJ.

The review was led by Andrea Cipriani, of the department of psychiatry at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. His team analyzed the results of 48 clinical trials involving more than 6,600 people.

The researchers found lithium to be linked with a 60 percent reduction in the risk of suicide and other causes of death compared with people who took a placebo.

They also found that lithium may reduce the risk of self-harm in people with mood disorders. "[The review] reinforces lithium as an effective agent to reduce the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders," the team said.

How the drug works to cut suicide risk remains unclear. Lithium may reduce relapses of mood disorders, but there also is "some evidence that lithium decreases aggression and possibly impulsivity, which might be another mechanism mediating the anti-suicidal effect," the researchers said.

The drug has many side effects, however, so the researchers said doctors "need to take a balanced view of the likely benefits and harm of lithium in the individual patient."

Dr. Robert Dicker, associate director of the Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Division at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., called the new study "a great reminder that lithium offers tremendous benefits in treating patients with mood disorders and suicide."

But Kolodny said the drug is not used as often as it could be. "Lithium, which is generic and not promoted by pharmaceutical companies, tends to be under-prescribed," he said. "Hopefully, this study will help change that."

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So what do I *actually* burn at my fitness class?

So I go to this kinda circuits class for an hour twice a week. You have a 5-10 min stretch and mobility drills and a 5 min jog/stretch cooldown. In between, you have intervals of intense effort with various movements with dumbbells/barbells (squats, presses, deadlifts), calisthenics, bodyweight exercises, box jumps, all sorts. Recoveries are short, You may have an extra minute or two as a new circuit is explained to you. Every week is different.

So CC says circuit training is about 556 cals/hour. I count my classes as about 40 min of circuits and 20 min of stretching. Does this sound about right to you? Am I overestimating my burn?

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Melanoma May Return Years Later in Some

But study also found those patients were less likely to die than those with early recurrence

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- New research shows that melanoma can recur decades after initial treatment in roughly 9 percent of patients.

The findings show that people who have had melanoma require lifelong follow-up, the study authors said.

The investigators looked at over 4,700 melanoma patients and found that recurrence occurred in 408 patients who had been disease-free for 10 or more years. The recurrence rates were nearly 7 percent after 15 years and 11 percent after 25 years, according to the study in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

But the researchers also found that patients whose melanoma recurred 10 or more years later were less likely to die than those whose melanoma recurred within three years of treatment. Those with late recurrence were about 40 percent less likely to die of melanoma than those with early recurrence, and those with late recurrence also had a better overall survival rate.

Patients whose melanoma did not come back until at least 10 years after treatment were younger on average than those with early recurrence (age 41 versus 51).

Also, patients with a later recurrence tended to have had an original melanoma with less dangerous characteristics, the researchers noted. They also found that men accounted for 66 percent of patients with early recurrence, compared with 57 percent of those with late recurrence.

"For patients with melanoma, survival beyond 10 years without a recurrence has been considered nearly synonymous with a cure," lead investigator Dr. Mark Faries, a professor of surgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., said in a journal news release. "However, most studies do not follow-up patients longer than 10 years. Our study found that late melanoma recurrence is not rare and that it occurs more frequently in certain patient groups," he noted.

"It appears the risk of melanoma recurrence is never completely gone," Faries said. "One change that should result from our study is that people need to be followed-up for life with a physician after a diagnosis of melanoma," he pointed out.

"Fortunately, the vast majority of melanoma patients who remain disease-free longer than 10 years will not have a recurrence," Faries added. "However, patients should be aware that persistent or unexplained symptoms anywhere in the body might indicate a recurrence of their melanoma, and they should return to their physician to make sure the symptoms are not related."

Nearly 76,700 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

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chest pain

So, I've been having some chest pains for the last two weeks. No, I can not go to the doctor, my mother has told me she can't afford it. She also said that it's probably just growing pains, and we agree that the push ups I have to go in gymnastics probably play into it. However, the answers in this forum make chest pains seem very dangerous. What do they mean?

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starting yet again

Deciding to give recovery a go again....finally starting to see it isnt as easy as i thought it would be....day 1 of no exercise. and eatting normal amounts of food...currently weigh 116 at 5"6 bmi of around 18.7....i think for me my biggest fear is people i know saying i. gained a lot of weight cause im always the "thin one" even my fiance will be out and see a woman who is alittle bigger and say something about her...which really discourages me buti know in the end its not people around me but my own thoughts that i cant get past.im 28. years old and havent been able to have anychildren for the past three years dueto my over excerising and under eatting...ive come along way. since i first started recovery back in september but am no where near recovered having fallen off the wagon multipe times.Heres to hoping this time i can really change really love my body for me and not the size i fit into.

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need to increase my calories?

Im finding it difficult to eat 1500 calories of healthy food without eating too much fat or carbs? Any suggestions of some high calorie, good, healthy food?

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Losing weight while training for half marathon

Hi,

I'm 16, 5'3.5 and weigh about 125-126. I know that this is a completely healthy weight but I'd like to lose 5-10 pounds. I'm training for a half marathon in October and I'm training three days a week. Tuesday easy run  of 4 miles, Thursday, speedwork 4 miles and Sunday long run. My miles per week increases by 10% every week. My longest distance yet is 7 miles. On the other days, I do NROLFW. I'm in stage 3 and I do that three days a week, usually lasting around 35-40 minutes. So I have one rest day a week.  It used to be very hard for me to lose weight. I used to eat between 1500-1600 calories a day and the scale did not budge. But I did some research and found that it's important to eat more to up your metabolism. So instead of following what CC says as a target calorie goal(which was a crazy low number of 1200, ugh) I used this calculator http://www.runnersworld.com/tools/daily-calories-calculator. It says that I burn about 2400 calories a day. So in order for me to lose a pound a week I should eat 1900 calories. Does this sound accurate for me? Should I be eating more or less? 

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Marital Spats May Decline as Couples Age

Over time, partners realize their differences won't change, so they try to defuse conflict, study says

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- One of the benefits of a long marriage may be fewer arguments as the years go by, a new study finds.

Researchers at San Francisco State University report that as married couples grow older, they become more likely to handle disagreements by simply changing the subject.

The findings are in keeping with prior research showing that as people age, they avoid conflict in favor of more positive experiences, to try to make the best of their remaining years.

The new study included 127 long-time married couples in middle or old age who were followed for 13 years. They were videotaped during 15-minute talks centered on contentious topics ranging from housework to finances.

The researchers wanted to see if the couples' use of a common and harmful type of communication -- called the demand-withdraw pattern -- changed as they aged. In this pattern, one partner blames or pressures the other for change, while the other partner tries to avoid talking about the problem and withdraws from the discussion.

This type of avoidance generally is believed to cause damage to relationships because it prevents conflict resolution, and this may be particularly true for younger couples who may be dealing with issues that are newer to them.

Most aspects of demand-withdraw communication remained steady over time among the couples in the study, the researchers said, but with age both partners became more prone to changing the subject or diverting attention away from the argument.

The researchers reasoned that older couples have already had decades to voice their disagreements, so avoidance may be a way for them to move the conversation away from "toxic" areas and toward something more pleasant.

The age of the partners in a marriage appears to drive this shift in communication, but the change might also be influenced by the length of the relationship.

"It may not be an either/or question. It may be that both age and marital duration play a role in increased avoidance," study author Sarah Holley, an assistant professor of psychology and director of the university's Relationships, Emotion and Health Lab, said in a university news release.

In order to learn more about these influences, Holley hopes to compare older couples in long-term marriages with older newlywed couples.

Holley said demand-withdraw communication occurs in all kinds of couples. She compared heterosexual, gay and lesbian couples in a 2010 study and found "strong support for the idea that the partner who desires more change ... will be much more likely to occupy the demanding role, whereas the partner who desires less change -- and therefore may benefit from maintaining the status quo -- will be more likely to occupy the withdrawing role."

The study was published online July 1 in the Journal of Marriage and Family.

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Can You Boost Low Testosterone Naturally?

By Eric Metcalf, MPH
WebMD Feature

If you're looking for ways to boost your testosterone level, start by looking at your daily habits. "I never prescribe testosterone alone without talking to men about their lifestyle," says Martin Miner, MD, co-director of the Men's Health Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I.

Some changes that are good for your overall health could also provide benefits in helping to maintain a healthy level of this important male hormone.

George Yu, MD, a urology professor at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., says that, for many men with low testosterone, poor sleep is the most important factor. A lack of sleep affects a variety of hormones and chemicals in your body. This, in turn, can have a harmful impact on your testosterone.

Make sleep a priority, aiming for 7 to 8 hours per night, even if it means rearranging your schedule or dropping your habit of late-night TV. Prize your sleep, just like you'd prize a healthy diet and active lifestyle. It's that important. 

If you're having problems getting good sleep on a regular basis, talk to your doctor.

Men who are overweight or obese often have low testosterone levels, says Alvin M. Matsumoto, MD, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

For those men, losing the extra weight can help bring testosterone back up, he says. Likewise, for men who are underweight, getting your weight up to a healthy level can also have a positive effect on the hormone.

Testosterone adapts to your body's needs, Yu says. If you spend most of your time lying on the couch, your brain gets the message that you don't need as much to bolster your muscles and bones.

But, he says, when you're physically active, your brain sends out the signal for more of the hormone.

If you're getting little exercise now, Miner suggests starting by:

Walking briskly at least 10 to 20 minutes a day.Building strength with several sessions of weights or elastic bands each week. Work with a trainer to learn proper form so you don't injure yourself.

Don't go overboard. Extreme amounts of endurance exercise -- working out at the level of elite athletes -- can lower your testosterone.

If you're under constant stress, your body will churn out a steady stream of the stress hormone cortisol. When it does, it will be less able to create testosterone. So, controlling your stress is important for keeping up your testosterone, Miner says.

Miner's advice to the over-stressed men he sees in his office is to:

Cut back on long work hours. If you're logging lots of overtime, try to whittle your workday down to 10 hours or less.Spend 2 hours a day on activities you like that aren't work- or exercise-related, such as reading or playing music.

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Saw My Weight For The First Time!!!!

I saw my weight for the first time today!i was shocked and angry at myself.lately i have been struggling and had done all the so called things to maintain my weight. I was feeling confident and beautiful for the first time since before i developed ED.I actually liked my body.then i heard the number and i was horrified with myself. i am 17 pounds heavier than i was when i got out of rehab!! I thought i had gotten toned exc!i now feel like everyone is lying to me about how i really look!! my mom was worried about my eating a week ago!if i dont eat completely normally now and i gained alot,what happens when i eat normally??

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BMI for your period to come?

hi :)

so my BMI is now 18, and i'm 14 years old. i've never had a period due to my eating disorder but the past few days i've been having discharge quite heavily as well as quite nasty stomach pains. i've been wearing TENA padding for aaaages due to my incontinence/anxiety problem so i've not had an issue with leaking...but i'm wondering - if i get my period, should i wear a sanitary pad over TENA? or use a tampon? or just TENA? i'm so confused! and is my weight high enough to menstruate?

thank you!

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Pricey New Blood Thinner Might Be Safer for Leg Clots

In trial, Eliquis worked as well as warfarin but with less risk of bleeding

By Brenda Goodman

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- The new pill Eliquis prevents dangerous blood clots in the legs and lungs as well as standard therapy, though with less risk of serious bleeding, a new study shows.

The research, published online July 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine, may point doctors toward a simpler, if more costly, way to prevent repeat blood clots in patients at risk for venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism includes two related conditions: deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Together, these conditions hospitalize more than 500,000 adults each year in the United States, according to the government's National Hospital Discharge Survey.

In DVT, a blood clot forms in the deep veins of the leg, causing swelling, redness, warmth and pain. If the blood clot breaks free, it can travel and lodge near the brain, heart or another vital organ, causing severe damage. If a clot blocks a blood vessel in the lungs, it's a life-threatening emergency called pulmonary embolism (PE). PEs are the third leading cause of cardiovascular death after heart attacks and strokes.

Blood clots in veins can happen without warning, but certain factors increase a person's risk including obesity, high blood pressure, long-distance travel, air pollution, cigarette smoking, pregnancy or recent surgery or injury.

Once a person has had one venous clot, they're more likely to get another, so doctors will often prescribe medication to lower the risk.

For years, the medication doctors relied on to prevent blood clots was a drug called warfarin, which is also sold under the brand name Coumadin.

Warfarin works well, but it's also tricky to take. Patients on the drug need regular blood tests -- these can be weekly at the start of treatment -- to make sure they're taking the right dose. And the dose can change from day to day or week to week. There are also a number of foods and drugs that can interact with warfarin, interfering with its effectiveness.

"It's really challenging for elderly patients to get it all right," said senior study author Dr. Jeffrey Weitz, a professor of medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug Eliquis. Like warfarin, Eliquis prevents blood clots, but it works in a slightly different way than the older medication. It also doesn't require regular blood tests or changing dosages, making it much easier to manage.

One drawback of Eliquis is its price. Mail-order pharmacies charge between $250 and $275 for a 30-day supply of the medication in the United States, according to the website pharmacychecker.com. Warfarin, on the other hand, is $4 for a 30-day supply at stores like Target and Walmart. That means that one Eliquis pill costs about as much as an entire month's supply of warfarin.

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hungry every few hours

I've recently upped my calories to just under 2000 from around 1500 and now find myself getting hungry quite often- does this mean my body is using what I'm giving it for repair and my metabolism is actually working?

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Where I stand, personally. Sharing my story.

Well I first started working out and decided I needed a change when I weighed in at 139lbs when I was 18 years old. I was eating crap and I wasn't taking care of myself and my ****ty relationship was no help either. I was unmotivated and before I knew it, I had gained a ton of weight and I was oblivious to it. I remember seeing a picture of myself and not realizing what the hell I had done to get so far off track. So that was when I started eating clean, cut out all junk food and fast food, started cardio and weights. Within the next year/two years I got down to 102lbs but maintained anywhere between 107-112lbs. It was a great weight and I was happy with those numbers.

I continued to count calories but not as religiously as I was when weight loss was my main goal. I was still running everyday, most days up to 7 miles, on top of walking to and from work (which ranged anywhere from 3-6 miles a day). I was happy, I loved my body, and for the first time in my life I was confident. Something I NEVER thought I would ever achieve. Hiking, jogging trails, working out in the park, these were all things I loved to do and I couldn't see myself without these things.

Fast forward to 2012. August 1st, worst day of my life to date. My mother passed away. Everything I knew and loved about being fit, eating clean and working out went completely out of the window. My motivation was shot. My confidence depleted by depression and severe anxiety. My life was forever changed because of this and I had no interest in participating in the things I once loved and were amazing for me. I began spiraling out of control. I was gaining weight, eating horribly and doing nothing to keep myself in shape.

I moved states that December where my workouts were still no where to be found and my eating habits included anything and everything that was no good for my figure. I tried to get myself back on track and motivated but it was difficult and I easily found myself giving up before I could give myself the chance to feel good about getting back into it.

So today, it's a Sunday. June 30th, 2013 to be exact and it's been almost a year since my mother has passed away and I'm not sure where the time has gone. It still feels as though it's August of 2012. I'm in a new state, I'm in a new apartment, I'm living off of money I should be saving. I feel as though I'm making a lot of really rash decisions but none of which are going to make me feel better and confident about myself. So, here I am. Back on BodySpace on BodyBuilding.com; The first place to actually show me that I can make something of myself and feel good about myself for once at a whopping 129lbs.

So I'm back at square one. I'm still slightly depressed, I'm looking for that confidence I had not so long ago. I don't feel like myself anymore and I miss that. I realize that I will never get how I felt back before my mom died, but I want to make a new me. I want to make myself proud and prove to myself that I can do this. Even if means starting back at square one, which kills me inside because I swore I'd never let myself get to this weigh again.

But here I am, and I'm hoping to not get myself back to where I was, but to get myself to a newer, better, and even MORE confident version of myself. Even if that means forcing myself to do this because I can't quit. I will not allow myself to quit or become an even worse version of myself than I am right now. So, there it is. This is me. This is my journey to a new me, a happier me. I know deep down I can do this, it's just a matter of how much I am willing to push myself.

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over 40 need to loose 50 lbs lets focus on the first 10% for now. I need support and people with the same goals

Hi

I am 47

CW 189

BBM 33

Height 5.3

GW 136 although I would be sooo happy with 140

looking for people with similar goals. It used to be easy to loose weight but always had problems with maintaining it. Since over 40 loosing weight is a real struggle. I need support

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why do I keep failing?

I workout 5 days a week. Stick with a healthy diet during the week. Weekends I fall off the wagon. I feel so good when I eat right. Every Monday I have to start over again . Very frustrating. I haven't lost weight and I know it's because of cheating on the weekends. I've dealt with this most of my life. I always seem to be thinking about food and I don't know why. I know there's others out there the same. How do you get past this? Thai Prawn Soup Recipe Straight From The Maldives Quick to fix low calorie soups make a perfect addition to a summer meal. Instead of your standard summer veggie soup recipe, try something new. Thai Prawn Soup is fast to make and it is simple to lighten the recipe! No Thai ingredients? No problem, with a few substitutions this 128 calorie soup is perfect for your first course tonight.


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Please explain the science

Yesterday I posted about how upset I was that my weight loss seems to stall when I work out... I worked out all last week, and really how it makes me feel, but like I said I either gain a few ounces or stay at the same weight week after week... If I do not work out I loose almost a pound a day... I'm eating a bit more on workouts days, but taking the advice to stay @ 1500 every day no matter if I work out or not... Bit can anyone help me on the science part of it? Is it water weight that I'm loosing? And water weight that I hold onto when I work out? I have to admit that I like seeing the numbers drop, since I'm trying to get to a healthy BMI number.... I just can not figure out why I loose so much when I'm not working out, if anyone could explain it all to me my brain would be much relieved! Stats-5'3, 42 yo female, 181.7 as of this morning....lost 41.7 pounds since March through diet & excersize...45 more to go...thanks so much!

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Loose weight in JULY

Hi

I am 47

CW 189

BBM 33

Height 5.3

GW 136 although I would be sooo happy with 140

looking for people with similar goals. It used to be easy to loose weight but always had problems with maintaining it. Since over 40 loosing weight is a real struggle. I need support

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water weight

Hello! 

So I am incredibly underweight and am trying to gain it back. I know many people post these types of things, but I was wondering how much of my weight is real and how much is water so far. I was 77 pounds two weeks ago. I worked my calories up to 1800 by adding about one hundred a week. After I reached 1800 I got hungry all the time and started adding 100 calories every two day. Once I reached 1800 my weight went to around 80 pounds where it has stayed for the past two weeks. I am now eating 2300 calories a day. How much of this is real, and when will I know if I am gaining? Also should I go to 3000 calories a day or 2500? 

Thanks! 

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Losing off chest and hips help

So I have 13 more pounds to go to reach my goal. Everything is good except nothing is moving off my chest and hips. I have been doing body weight and some weighted exercises as well as walking and have managed to lose about 17 lbs. I realize I'm an hourglass figure and can't shake that but really shouldn't I be losing everywhere?

Current stats: 39 (30i) -27-39 , 123 lbs 5'5" 36 yo

Yes my goal is 110 lbs, I have a very small frame with hypermobility and this weight was determined after discussing it with my doctor.  The extra weight compressed the discs in my lumbar area by 2". I've got most of my height back and working on the last half an inch.   I have most of my strength back as well.  But the weight still on my chest and hips are making it hard to get my posture back in shape.  

I can't do really heavy lifting (45 lbs max) as I run the risk of dislocating something. Jogging and running are also out of the question until I get my chest size down a bit and can actually fit into a commercially made sports bra, though I would love to get back into it.     

Is there anything I can do to encourage the weight to come off in those areas? I just don't want to get to 110 and be told I have to lose even more :( I really do like eating and as a first time dieter, counting calories sucks.   

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Vexed (TW)

Hi, I'm recovering from a relapse into anorexia (though I've been in a sort of suspense lately). Currently I'm 19, 5'2-3, and about 97 lbs. I got my period back 3 weeks ago, but it was lighter than usual and I'm not sure whether I'm getting it again this month either. My problem is that I'm "only" a few pounds underweight and I think I look "normal" (i.e. slim perhaps, but not particularly thin), although sometimes I do think myself quite (very?) thin--it differs from day to day, from hour to hour, or even from minute to minute. To make it worse, I have an eating disordered younger sister who is very thin--she probably gloats over how I'm so big compared to her!

Today my mom suggested that I could stop drinking Ensure because I seemed to be eating normal portions and had gotten back my period. I got very irritated because to me that meant she thought that I no longer had much struggle with food (a major mistake) and that I wasn't very thin anymore (she probably thinks I look normal!). As if I were just greedy for Ensure and were making myself fat (or heavier than my minimal healthy weight)!

Now, so what's wrong with looking "normal"? First, I still have this disordered mind that makes me desire extreme thinness even though I don't think it looks good (I have some theories about why this is, but these would be a digression here). Also, I can't help feeling my body no longer deserves to be nourished with care if it's no longer very thin. This bothers me a lot because I know this is not true, especially since in fact my body still hasn't quite finished recovering, and yet the thought keeps nagging at me. Moreover, my eating disorder is a symptom of other deeper problems, so my mom's supposed misunderstanding of my relationship with food makes me think she doesn't understand the issues behind my ED either. 

Thanks if you have read till here. I guess I just need to vent and to hear a few words of support/advice from you people! 

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Loose weight in JULY

Hi

I am 47

CW 189

BBM 33

Height 5.3

GW 136 although I would be sooo happy with 140

looking for people with similar goals. It used to be easy to loose weight but always had problems with maintaining it. Since over 40 loosing weight is a real struggle. I need support

View the original article here

Mystery weight gain

Hi all. 

I weighed myself on Thursday and weighed in at 61.4kg. I have not changed my diet at all in the last 4 days and certainly didn't overeat at the weekend. I weighed myself this morning on the same scales, same time of day, been to the toilet etc etc (basically everything was the same) and the scales registered 62.4kg - a gain of 1kg in four days. I weigh myself pretty regularly and haven't seen a jump like this in ages.

I am eating on average 1800 - 2200kcal (I'm 5ft 6.5") and I am maintaining my weight. I started the C25K challenge and am going into week 4 today and wondered if this has anything to do with it? I did 5 days last week and gave myself a break over the weekend as muscles were starting to get tired.

So basically I was just wondering if anyone out there has had suffered with quick/mysterious gain like this, knowing they haven't overeaten, and have started exercising recently??? 

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July 2013 Fitness Group -- All are Welcome

Anyone else need a little structure with their fitness commitments? In the past months years (since Sept 2010), a few of us certainly made working out and exercise a new, healthy hobby. Makes a person feel proud to accomplish goals, right?!

This will go throughout July in hopes that a whole month is enough to start a new, healthy habit of working out regularly. Tell me what you want to accomplish this week. Studies show that if you write it down, and say you WILL do something, you're more likely to stick to your word. It doesn't hurt to know that you'll report how you did either. No judgments here. If you missed a workout, let's talk about it and get you back on track. That's what we're here for :)

Set your own goals and keep us posted. I plan to update my progress every time I do something active.

You are OUR inspiration. Talk to us. Tell us what you've done. Drop by and see how motivating it can be to read about the progress of others. If you're feeling behind, talk to us. We're here for you.

Informative "How-To's":

Dork -to-Diva: Great pictures of how to perform a routine

Think that squatting is bad for your knees? Or that squatting will make you bulky? These, and other squatting myths debunked in the Learning the Squat series 1, 2, 3, 4! And after you're convinced (because you will be), Lurn to Squat Good -- E-ZY!

5x5 weight-lifting program: Scroll down for calendar; click on links for informative videos

Stronglifts 5x5

Hal Higgons Running Programs: Scroll down, select distance, select level (novice, intermediate, advanced, walk).  

Couch-2-5K: Never ran a 5K before? Here's the baby steps that get great reviews. Scroll down for the calendar.

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How can I get over my fear of going to the dentist?

Posted July 01, 2013, 2:00 am

I’m a rational person, but I have a deep fear of the dentist that I just can’t overcome. Any suggestions?

I don’t know too many people who enjoy a trip to the dentist. But the health of our teeth and gums are an important part of maintaining our dental and overall wellness. So we do it.

Some of my patients have such a fear of dentists that they avoid making dental appointments at all, or cancel appointments they do make. Almost to a person, they tell me they’ve “always” been afraid of dentists. Almost surely the fear began with a visit to the dentist — maybe their first — when they were a child.

Regardless of why you have this fear, there are several things you can try to get yourself into a dentist’s chair. Medications such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan) may help reduce anxiety. But they are best used in combination with the following cognitive and behavioral strategies:

Breathing techniques. Physical tension and emotional stress can make pain feel worse. Deep breathing can counter physical and mental tension. Breathe in slowly and count to five. Then exhale to another count of five.Muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and then releasing one group of muscles at a time. It can help to slow heart rate and promote calmness. Just a few minutes of progressive muscle relaxation may help during an appointment.Desensitization. This approach combines deep breathing and relaxation with gradual exposure to the thing that triggers your fear. If you’re afraid of needles, for example, you may look at pictures of a dentist’s needle in a safe environment such as at home, while practicing relaxation and breathing techniques. The goal is to help you learn to relax while confronting a trigger of your fear.Distraction. Focusing your mind elsewhere is another way to lessen anxiety and pain. The more complicated the task, the better. Listening to music may help. But counting tiles on the ceiling or slats on a window blind may be even more effective.

I know that this all may sound silly. If you’re tilted back in a dental chair, and a person wearing a mask is approaching your molars with a drill, is counting the tiles on the ceiling really going to make you relax? Yes: A combination of multiple relaxation techniques really can help. I’ve seen it happen, repeatedly.

Relaxation techniques have been used by people in Asia for thousands of years. On occasion, true nonsense can be perpetuated for thousands of years, but usually things that have lasted that long have proven their value. Recent research at Harvard Medical School has even shown that relaxation techniques literally change body chemistry. They alter which genes are turned on and off. So consider this approach to your fear of the dentist. It really could work.

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I need help loosing weight?!?!

I am very over weight I weight about 230 and am 5 foot 4 and I love to swim and just went swimming today at a lake for 3 hours and I swim a lot and it seems I don't lose weight I ride bikes about 2 hours every 2 days or so and I eat around 1300 calories I don't really know how much I need to eat but i just need so pointers thanks

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Anti-depressing food

Hi, I'm Eline, 19 years old and have had major depressive disorder for 4 years now (in episodes of course). I'm on meds, but lately I've been having the feeling that my meds (on sipralexa for a year now) 'stopped working'.

Now in the goals section I read that fish works a bit anti-depressing and I was wondering if any of you know other foods that have an 'anti-depressing' function. (or a reliable site) 

Thanks in advance and really sorry if it's a repost.

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Why reps for Rotator Cuff elastic band exercise are so small.

I been searching about strengthening the rotator cuff, and i only see that 12-15 is enough but its to easy. is there a reason why you cant do more with the elastic band. i want to do more but i don't want to mess up the exercise plan, but i though being fatigue is about strengthening the rotator cuff

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Is it better to go harder/shorter or easier/longer at the gym?

I'm trying to get healthier and I noticed that when I do the elliptical trainer I need to stop after 15 minutes but I can sit on the stationary bike for an hour. Looking at the calorie count it's about even (if the machines estimates are correct) so which is better for me? To exercise harder for a short period of time or lighter for a long period of time?

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what is the elimination???

Hey Guys,

I've been wanting to find something different than just the Tough Mudder and Spartan Races and this looks kinda cool: http://https//www.facebook.com/theelimination

What do you guys think? I was thinking of signing up for it.

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out patients vs in

Hello lovely people I have finally been contacted after 2 weeks of hell buy out patients to give me the option of in patients And I'm wondering what the major difrence a would be and if being in patente I could have my stuff like my paints with me? I have not asked yet my apponent is Friday

I'm really scared about it all

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Extremely frustrated

Hello everyone! I am having an issue with loosing weight and working out... I love how I feel after working out and how it tones my body, but I HATE that my weight gets "stuck" and won't budge.... I am very anxious to get down enough so that I am out of the "obese" category and with working out I feel like I will never get there... I took a week break from all workouts and lost 3 pounds! Then started again and lost nothing, and even gained a few ounces... If I was in "maintenance" mode I would not care, but I really want to loose this excess weight! I am 42, 5'3 and weigh 182.8...started my weight-loss journey on March 5 of this year and so far have lost 40 pounds- I really want to loose another 30-40 pounds... I was loosing weight with working out and diet until about a month ago.... On workout days I eat back the calories that I work off and the week that I took a break and didn't work out I ate between 1350-1400... I eat very clean and healthy. I'm thinking about working out every other week and taking a break in between or maybe working out less days- I don't know, I'm so torn. My workouts include a daily fast paced walk for an hour up and down hills in my neighborhood, I lift my son's weights, and do a series of videos by Joel Harper, sometimes I do a HIIT video... Does anyone else have this problem?? Can anyone give me some advice?? Of course my goal is to be healthy, but I really really also want to get rid of these pounds that I have to loose!! Thanks so much!

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do I have an eating disorder?

I constantly change diets. From paleo to vegan to raw to paleo again. I'm obsessed with food and controlling input and output. I used to eat 800 calories a day but during university and now working I eat 1200. I have cheat meals twice a week. I'm trying to lose weight but its still not coming off. I'm 5;5 130 pounds. I want to be 115 pounds

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Really really bad bloating issues - advice needed!

I am a 15 year old girl suffering from anorexia, height 166 cm  and weight 39 kg. Yesterday I severely restricted because I thought I had binged the day before, and today I have eaten quite a bit more than usual. I have really really bad bloating and indigestion, I am badly constipated and my chest hurts. Is this due to the fact that I restricted and then started eating normally again??

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Roll Call July 2013 Exercise Challenge!

How much do you want to exercise a month? How can you push yourself out that door when the last thing you want to do is go to the gym? Easy - Challenge yourself!!! Pick a goal and work towards it!!!

What is exercise you ask?
It is whatever you do over and above your normal everyday activity. If you start taking the stairs instead of the elevator due to your wanting to improve your health this is exercise - if you park further from the door and walk extra - this is exercise. However if your work requires you to be on your feet running around all day - this is lifestyle and not exercise and should be added to your "activity level" in your account. I think its important for you to be honest with yourself so you will truly get the benefit of this challenge.

Some fresh sites on where to look to get some guidance and ideas for working out: Simple ideas and inspirations for adding exercise and activity to your day 7 Benefits of Regular Fitness

Sign ups always open -- do not post a goal until you have actually worked out!!

Please post in the following format - accumulated time worked out/ goal.  It is your responsibility to keep track of your totals the timekeepers can not do this for you. Also, create a new post for each update. Don't update an older post as the timekeepers work from last post back to the post of the last person who updated.

750 minute challengers

1000 minute challengers

1250 minute challengers

1500 minute challengers

1750 minute challengers

2000 minute challengers

2500 and above minute challengers


***********************PLEASE READ*********************

Please do NOT post until you have accumulated some minutes towards 
your goal. We are no longer adding people until they actually have times
to post. Thank you!

The Exercise Challenge volunteers are :

coach_k
bobev
moodymomma1977
figurethefat 
claire314

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How long can marinating chicken stay in the fridge for?

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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How does this sound?

I'm trying to lose 15-20 pounds in 2 months! I am implementing this plan TOMORROW! July 1st. 

this is just a sample, won't be the same everyday 

breakfast: 200 calories (2 slices cinnamon raisin Ezekiel toast with 0 calorie butter spray, handful of strawberries) 

snack: 100 calories (a banana) 

lunch: 450 calories (turkey + avocado sandwich, some blueberries and crackers) 

snack: 100 calories (air popped popcorn) 

dinner: 500 calories (whatever my mom makes, in moderation, the occasional 2 slices of pizza or salmon or whatever!) 

snack: 150 calories (this is usually my dessert where I have fruit, or sometimes i'll have a little ice cream or chocolate treat haha - i'm a chocolate fiend!) 

I also exercise 7 days a week. I do 30-40 minutes on the Arc Trainer and I do the weight loss program at level 5 or 6. 

And i drink 2 liters of water per day and usually have a cup of green tea to start and end the day. 

So it adds up to 1500 calories and I burn around 300. (this is how I lost weight a few months ago, then i fell WAY off track trying to do starvation diets and i've finally come to my senses) 

anyway, how does it sound??? not perfectly healthy, i know. but i'm a teenager, it's summer, and I like to enjoy myself as much as possible.

and I am currently 5'7 around 140 lbs. I haven't actually weighed myself lately .. i may have actually gained some weight :/ and I'm 19

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Neoninjas

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Does eating healthy really help you lose weight?

I'm 38 and I need to lose at least 30lbs. I've tried slim fast and other diets but the weight doesn't stay off.

I'm going to try to eat very healthy and watch my calories not so much carbs...

I hope this works!!

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So out of proportion - Small top, massive legs

Hi everyone

Forgive me if someone has already posted this question but I am in need of help.

I have lost a significant amount of weight simply by moving more and eating less rubbish (no junk food whatsoever). I am very proud of my achievement which has left me with a 27inch waist and wearing a UK size 8 on top.

However, I have lost nothing whatsoever from my thighs or those dreaded saddlebags. I now measure 42 inches across my thighs and wear a size 12-14 on the bottom.

Now I actually feel worse than before I started my weight loss journey because I look so out of proportion. If I sit at a table from the top up I look slim, but from the bottom half down I still look big.

How on earth can I shift the weight from my legs? I don't really want to loose any more weight from my top half because I'll get too skinny.

I know I know that you can't spot reduce but surely there must be something I can do to target my legs.

It's making me really despondent like I want to just find the nearest shop and eat my way through their chocolate and biscuit aisles in order to proportion myself out a bit more.

HELP!!

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Please Help me!!!!! Anorexia recovery Advice!

Okay, I'll start with my stats. I'm 13, 157cm and I weigh around 37kg. Before my anorexia I weighed around 45kg and was probably 155cm tall. I started having issues with my body just after I got my first period. At first I didn't know much, so I didn't loose weight very fast and I still got my period two more times. So I researched more and learnt about calories and I starting restricting to 900 calories a day. As I began this I got my last period (in January) but it was light and lasted 7 days (not normal). Next, in March I decided to become vegetarian. I don't regret this decision even if it was partially made by my ED. Then people started realising my weight loss so I have tried to eat more. The problem is that I still want to be healthy! I have trouble eating more then 1000calories and I still get guilty and anxious if I exceed 1200 calories. I'm not really loosing weight anymore even though my calories are so low and I don't really want to gain weight either. The problem is that I want to get my period back! Also, my doctor said that my growth plates have almost closed so in almost finished growing. But I don't have a woman's body and I don't see how I could while being so short! Also, I really ENJOY counting calories and I don't know what to do!

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does it matter what time of the day you eat certain foods?

I workout every day right before dinner. When I look at what I eat, I usually eat high protein breakfasts , usually protein lunch and high carbs for dinner. I know protein helps rebuild your muscles after a workout so does it matter if I'm not eating protein for dinner? Should I eat a higher carb lunch

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recovery amounts

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Lactose Intolerance and Weight Gain

About a year ago, I became severely lactose intolerant. I only ate about 1000 calories (if I was lucky) per day for about three months. I lost probably about 15 pounds. I then finally figured out what I could eat and started eating a much more normal 2000 calories a day. I then not only gained the weight I lost back, but I gained an extra 25 pounds over the course of about 6-8 months. Is this normal? Is this a result of starvation mode or my body still adjusting to the intolerance?

Edited Jun 30 2013 10:28 by coach_k
Reason: Moved to Health and Support as more appropriate

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Weight loss & Exercising [Struggling to meet BMR]

Background information:

Age: 21

Weight: 91 Kg

Height: 161-163

For a long time I've been eating rather little due to a large lack of appetite; this has been going on for a little over two years. I can maybe stomach a meal or two a day. I am well aware this is not healthy and have tried to incorporate more food into my diet by trying to train my body to eat even when I'm not consciously hungry. I continuously gain weight despite this. Over the last year and a half I have gone from roughly 63-64 kilos to 91 because of lack of appetite.

Now I typically eat...

Breakfast:

Milo cereal with low fat milk

A banana

Lunch:

Two slices of bread with tuna on them.

Snack:

Apple

Dinner:

Usually chicken with salad.

I have been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. I cannot sit anymore for no more than 20-30 minutes at a time. I must keep active to keep mobile, reduce inflammation and for my sanity. My ESR is 44 (Should be <10) and my CRP is 17 (Should be <2.9) despite being on NSAID medication 

I am currently on Endep for migraines and Meloxicam for the inflammation. I have a membership at the local leisure centre that includes unlimited access to group exercises, the sauna, the spa, the steam room, the pools and the gym. I can't do high impact activities and so I swim for roughly 60-120 minutes a day ( I am still a novice and still learning to swim, so they are often not set laps! Leisure swimming, maybe some water aerobic classes). I have found that this has helped my pain levels significantly and it is not something I want to compromise on. I will also be starting my gym exercises on Monday when my gym plan is organised by my instructor.

In order to keep my inflammation down (Thereby slowing down the progression of AS) and to keep a level of mobility I have to exercise daily. However, because I've gone so long without eating properly I have to now eat a large amount (1600-1800 calories) with my exercising(According to the site) in order to lose weight and be healthy. I am severely struggling to eat this amount of food. I am looking for tips on small things, maybe nuts or whatever that is both healthy, beneficial and high in calories so that I am able to safely meet my weight loss goal. As a full time student living away from home, my parents help a little for my membership, but this means that I can't spend a lot of money on expensive food. I do not have a sweet toothe. I do not eat chocolate nor do I drink soda. I drink orange juice, milk and water primarily. 

Any tips would be very much appreciative! My main worry is that I won't be able to eat enough to lose weight with the amount of exercising I am doing, as this level of exercise will only increase and I absolutely cannot limit my exercising. My plan is to lose inches/weight so that I'm around the 60 kg mark again.

Thank you very much! 

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Constipation after increased calories

Hi. I know that this has been asked many times before. But can I deal with ED recovery constipation without taking fibre supplements or laxatives?

I have been on an increased calorie diet for 3 weeks. Approximately 2000cals a day. I eat an average of 2 servings each of fruit and vegetables every day. I get an average of 23g fibre, 60g fat and 60g protein per day. Admittedly, my dietary fat comes from less-than-ideal sources such as chocolates and biscuits.

I usually go to the bathroom at least once a day. But I have been having gas cramps the past few days and keep feeling like I need the toilet today but nothing will come out...? It's rather annoying to feel like I need a poo but I can't have a poo! Any advice?

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Is anyone trying to lose 300lbs or more?

I have just joined today and would like to chat to people that weigh 300lbs or more but if anyone else wants to chat feel free. I weighed myself this morning and weigh 302lbs, I want to cry but have to keep a brave face for my boys. I was seeing a eating disorders therapist but that has stopped as I have just started a new job and because I live in a small village with hardly no bus service I have to rely on taxis which can get very expensive. I spoke to my doctor about this but there is nothing they can do. I feel stuck. So I'm hoping that by joining and getting into a healthy eating pattern I will lose weight' I'm not in a rush but I can't keep eating the way I'm going.

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I have binged for 28 days straight...13 pound weight gain.

went from being anorexic 5"4 and 100 pounds and gained 8 pounds over the span of a month and a half. was at 108-109 June 1st. i have binged every single day since june 2nd to june 30th where i am currently laying in bed eating an icecream bar. I am now 122 pounds-13 pounds heavier in 28 days. i work out 1 and a half to 2 hours everyday to try to counteract the binges cause i know by 10 or 11 pm they are coming. I have never heard of anyone binging to this extent. If i had to average my daily intake for the last 28 days it would probably be about 3500 calories a day. I've eaten anywhere from 2900 (on a couple of "good days") to 4700. im not even hungry. I just like to taste test everything in my cupboards and i feel the need to eat everything..just cause. I am so disgusted with myself..I hide in my room now..my mom even commented on my eating habits cause she noticed all of the food gone the other day that was there when she went to bed..im 17. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm thinking maybe a 5 day juice fast to start? I swear I must be the only person in the world who has binged for 28 days straight...disgusting :'(

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Cannes Latest

This year, we're reporting live from Cannes with Calvin Klein Euphoria to tell you what it's really like at the most fashionable film festival of the year. 

Day Three
The festival is barely underway but alas, our final day in Cannes has arrived. And with it, the sun. Bloody typical. However, in the last 24 hours, we have achieved many fabulous things: we have danced with Cara Delevingne, chatted to Carey Mulligan about her mum and ordered room service in the Hotel Martinez at rougly 3.30am. 

After chatting to CK One Insider Bip Ling about all things make-up, and being made-over by make-up genius, CK Color head make-up artist Hung Vanngo, we headed out for some red carpet action.

All dressed up and positioned on the Calvin Klein black carpet, ready to talk to the stars... Pretty chic, non? Seriously, non. It was blowing a gale and pouring with rain. But while Nicole Kidman didn't want to stick around to chat (very sensible,) Carey Mulligan, Rooney Mara and Naomie Harris all braved the rain to talk to us about women in film. 

vine.co/v/bEX9F3dLZ5W

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 17, 2013

We'll be posting videos oh-so-soon so stay tuned to hear all about the three beautys' female inspirations. 

After two hours on the not-so-glamorous but still super-stylish CK black carpet, we were ready for a glass or three of champagne. Now off-duty, we could enjoy one of the famous Cannes parties. So imagine our joy when we were joined on the dance floor by none other than Cara Delevingne, looking super-stylish in a sequined black tux with a towering quiff. We can confirm - this girl looks even more beautiful in real life. And she's one of the most down-to-earth celebs we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was happy to chat, dance and take photos with anyone that approached her. With Rita not in town, perhaps she was in search of a new wifey? We were happy to volunteer. She told us about her aspirations to act and to sing, hinting that she might move on from modelling in the not-too-distant future. Before she retires though, she agreed to strike a pose with us. Profile picture = sorted. 

New #Cannes party pal: supremely beautiful @caradelevingne twitter.com/GlamourMagUK/s…

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 16, 2013

After a late-night croque-monsieur (when in France...) in our room at about 4am, we called it a night - waking this morning to find the sun shining for our last few Cannes hours. We'll sign off now to go for a final stroll down the sunny Promenade de la Croisette.

Oh sod it, it's bucketing down again. Marvellous. 

Day Two
Our mission this morning: to find out how the other half live. (Leo is still a no-show in our lives, by the way, NOT THAT WE CARE). A stroll down Boulevard de la Croisette (in the drizzle) takes us to the festival proper, where a grand, red-carpeted staircase leads to one of the screens. Last night it was filled with stars headed to get a first peek at The Great Gatsby (if they hadn't already caught a showing following its earlier US release, that is). This morning, the only celebrity in sight is Pudsey the dog, of BGT fame, who's being carried around in what we can only describe as a doggy Popemobile. 

Now on to the yachts - despite walking very slowly up and down the various jetties, no yacht-party invitations were forthcoming. The sun does make an appearance, however, and suddenly it's clear what makes Cannes just so fabulous: the warm Rivierra sunshine and the clear blue sea. C'est magnifique.  A spot of lunch with a glass of white goes from tres bien to parfait when The Lumineers strike up a song right next to us. You can hear six seconds of their song on repeat in our Vine post.

(We think you'll agree, we chose the best six seconds).

Lumineers #cannes vine.co/v/bEn0uUIlYWg

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 16, 2013

Alas, it's now back to work we go: tonight we'll be interviewing the likes of Carey Mulligan, Nicole Kidman and Naomie Harris at the Calvin Klein Euphoria/ Independent Film Project party to celebrate women in film, hosted by Francisco Costa, creative director of Calvin Klein. It's a hard life.

Yacht time #Cannes vine.co/v/bE1EvBuZn3l

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 16, 2013

DAY ONE
Let's just get this out of the way first off: we haven't seen Leo yet. It's the opening day of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and Leonardo DiCaprio is definitely in town (this picture was taken of him here - although it doesn't appear to be pouring with rain or blowing a gale force wind, which I can assure you, it is). But, this picture aside, we have yet to clap eyes on Jay Gatsby, the man of the hour, the man everyone in town is talking about. 

But aside from the Leo no-show, it's been pretty fabulous so far. On our plane out here were Naomie Harris and Rooney Mara (not bad flying companions). There was also a fluffy white Shih Tzu puppy who had his own seat.  On arrival at the Hotel Martinez, we were met with about 100 celeb spotters who, as you can imagine, were pretty excited when our car pulled up and we climbed out. Or not. They did get more excited, however, by Cara Delevingne, who arrived at our hotel just a few minutes after we did. 

Here's the moment we pulled up at the hotel...

#Cannes we're heeeere! vine.co/v/bEq3E25XYtg

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 15, 2013

This evening we spotted the likes of Julianne Moore and Fan Bing Bing headed to an opening night party, while we sipped champagne in the hotel bar trying to pluck up the courage to head out into the downpour. Let us tell you: Cannes in the rain is pretty much the same as anywhere else in the rain - people running around bumping umbrellas and trying to find anywhere to eat/get out of the rain/curl up and cry. There will be no yacht-hopping for us while this weather continues, so while we sit out the storm in the comfort of our hotel room, this is the closest we'll be getting to Leo...

Leo fever has hit #Cannes vine.co/v/bEMLFmepUdA

— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) May 15, 2013

Before we left, we wrote...

We're headed to Cannes with Calvin Klein to bring you all the gossip live from the most fashionable film festival of the year.

Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, Carey Mulligan, Naomie Harris and Lynne Ramsay are to be celebrated at a 'women in film' party at this year's Cannes festival, hosted by the IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project), Calvin Klein Collection and euphoria Calvin Klein.

We'll be reporting from the red carpet and inside the party, as well as star-spotting on the opening days of the festival.

Stay tuned! 

#Cannes vine.co/v/b0xDmJtEpiZ

— Rebecca Cox (@Rebecca_Cox) May 13, 2013

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Michelle Williams carries her luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport

Daft Punk day finally arrives… But does it live up to its astronomical hype? Plus, the latest from Maya Jane Coles, London Grammar, Laura Marling, Eddie Berman and a special Virgin Records announcement »

Read more »

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Night Owls May Pack on More Pounds

Study found they ate worst foods late at night, long after sound sleepers had hit the sack

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Night owls are more likely to gain weight than people who get good sleep because they tend to graze the kitchen for junk food in the wee hours of the morning, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that people who were kept up until 4 a.m. in a sleep lab ate more than 550 additional calories during the late-night hours.

"People consumed a substantial amount of calories during those late-night hours when they would normally be in bed," said study author Andrea Spaeth, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department at the University of Pennsylvania. "Those calories also were higher in fat compared to the calories consumed at other times of day."

As a result, subjects kept up late gained more weight during five days of sleep deprivation than people in a control group who were allowed to get good sleep, Spaeth said.

Late-night overeating is likely the result of hormonal changes that occur in people who are sleep-deprived, said Dr. W. Christopher Winter, medical director of the Martha Jefferson Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Va.

They tend to experience an increase in their levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger cravings, and a decrease in levels of leptin, a hormone that makes people feel full.

"Now you're in a situation where you are craving bad food and more of it, and your body feels less full when it gets that bad food," Winter said.

The research team monitored the eating habits of about 200 people who, for five days straight, were kept up until 4 a.m. and then allowed only four hours of sleep. They remained in the lab the whole time, going through in groups of four or five at a time.

Subjects were allowed to eat whenever they liked, and trained monitors in the sleep lab maintained a running tally of the amount consumed and the times at which they ate.

Researchers then compared their calorie intake and weight gain to that of a control group allowed a good night's sleep in the same lab with the same food availability.

"The only difference between the two groups was sleep," Spaeth said. "They lived in a suite, and in the suite there was a kitchen with a fridge and microwave."

The eating habits of the control group remained unchanged. The sleep-deprived group began eating additional calories between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., and they tended to eat fattier foods during that time period. "That does kind of mimic the real world, when you're up late at night and you drift over to your fridge," Spaeth said.

There was one key difference between the lab and the real world. Since the study took place in a hospital, the suite's kitchen was stocked with hospital food. "I'm wondering if the effect would be stronger in the real world, where you have access to more calorically dense foods," Spaeth said.

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Costlier Heart Device May Not Be Worth It, Study Suggests

Dual-chamber implanted defibrillators had more complications than single-chamber models

By Brenda Goodman

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients prone to dangerously fast heart rhythms may get just as much help and have fewer complications with less-expensive implanted defibrillators that run one wire to the heart instead of two, a new study shows.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators, or ICDs, are like having an emergency "crash cart" in the chest. The devices can sense runaway heart rhythms and deliver powerful shocks to jolt the heart back to a normal, steady pace.

Studies have shown that the devices cut deaths in patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest because their heart muscles are too weak to effectively pump blood throughout the body, a condition called cardiomyopathy.

But little evidence exists to help doctors decide when it's better to choose a single-chambered ICD for patients or the more complex dual-chambered model.

The study, published in the May 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared the fates of more than 32,000 Medicare patients who received ICDs, from 2006 through 2009. None of the patients also needed a pacemaker, a device that speeds up a slow heartbeat.

"There is evidence for greater risk of complications. Not clear evidence of benefit. That risk-benefit ratio really doesn't support the routine use of dual-chamber devices for primary prevention," said study co-author Dr. Pamela Peterson, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver.

About one-third of patients received a single-chamber ICD, in which an electrical lead is attached to the heart's lower right pumping chamber. The other two-thirds got dual-chamber devices, in which wires are attached to the upper and lower chambers of the heart's right side.

After a year, patients who got single-chamber ICDs were no more likely to die or be hospitalized than patients who got the more expensive dual-chamber models. They were, however, slightly less likely to face serious complications, including fluid build-up around the heart or lungs and mechanical problems with the device that required a second surgery to fix.

That was true even after researchers adjusted their results to control for any differences between patients who got single- and dual-chamber devices.

Overall, close to 4 percent of patients with single-chamber ICDs had complications with their devices compared to about 5 percent of patients with dual-chamber models, the investigators found.

The study was observational, which means researchers couldn't prove that the type of ICD was the only reason patients fared the way they did. Though they tried to carefully control their data for important differences between the two groups, other factors they couldn't measure, such as medications people were taking, may have influenced the results.

The study was funded by a grant from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

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How long did it take you to lose Belly Fat?

I've been been working out since last year summer, but my diet sucked while I was away at college (pretty active though) and I ended up regaining some weight I lost.

I've been reworking out again this summer and it's been week 7 and I've lost about 11 pounds. I've also toned up a lot around my arms and legs, but I just can not seem to lose that stubborn fat around my midsection.

So just wondering how long did it take you to lose your belly fat? and Realistically how long does it take to lose fat in that area?
Thanks!

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Procedure for Incontinence in Women May Lose Effectiveness With Time

In 7-year study, failure rate for pelvic organ prolapse surgery gradually increased

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- The success of a common surgery for pelvic organ prolapse -- a painful and distressing condition affecting many women -- lessens over time, according to a new study.

Abdominal sacrocolpopexy is a procedure used to relieve the problem. It involves stitching a piece of mesh on the top of the vagina and attaching it to a strong ligament from the back of the pelvic bone. This surgery helps to support the pelvic organs.

But the new study found that with each passing year, the rate of pelvic organ prolapse surgery failure increased. The rate of mesh erosion (the primary material used to provide support) reached 10.5 percent by seven years after surgery.

The study also found that the risk of urinary incontinence rose with each year after the surgery.

"This is the longest follow-up of a common operation for women with pelvic organ prolapse. We found that pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence rates increased gradually over follow-up," said study author Dr. Linda Brubaker, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and urology at Loyola University Medical Center.

Even though surgeons might define a procedure as a failure, many of the patients did not. Only about 17 percent of women had additional pelvic floor surgeries, according to the study.

Pelvic organ prolapse leads to surgery in 7 percent to 19 percent of women, according to study background information. Normally, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue keep all of the pelvic organs where they're supposed to be. But, weakness or tears in these supportive tissues can allow pelvic organs, such as the uterus and vagina, to protrude through the vaginal opening.

This can lead to problems with pelvic organs, according to the American Urogynecologic Society. For example, if the bowel is protruding, constipation or fecal incontinence can result. If the bladder is affected, urinary incontinence may occur.

As to why these surgeries might fail, Brubaker said, "surgeries don't stop time. Women continue to age and the underlying biology continues. Patients may gain weight, too," added Brubaker, who is also dean of the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Results of the study are published in the May 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Each year, as many as 225,000 American women have surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, the study authors noted. However, very little long-term follow-up data is available on the success of these procedures, Brubaker said. Most studies only follow women for two years.

The current study included seven years of follow-up. Abdominal sacrocolpopexy isn't the only procedure available for pelvic organ prolapse, but it is commonly used. And, in more recent years, the surgery is being done laparoscopically, so it's less invasive.

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Kim Kardashian on the street in LA

We have to hand it to Kim K: she's going out swinging on the maternity style front. The LWD is a hit this spring, and damn if we DON'T see the mummy-to-be modelling her favourite frock.

Kim Kardashian Is Not Fat: She's Human

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Maintenance Account Settings

When I joined CC I initially had myself at the light activity level. Even at 288 pounds I was reasonably active. I just ate way more than I ever could have ever burned off. When I changed my settings to maintenance I reviewed the activity levels and now it seems that I'm a lot more at the moderate activity level, but changing to that added about 200 calories to the daily allowance which was a little over 2500.

Reviewing my intake/burn history and just my "gut" feeling told me that my maintenance calorie intake should be closer to 2300. Changing my activity level back to light put it at just a little over 2300.

I think the lesson here is that your body and mind will tell you where you need to be and that the activity level settings are more of a guide. I would recommend erring on the conservative side.  

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Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in new The Hunger Games: Catching Fire poster

Another day, another awesome image of Jennifer Lawrence, this time reprising her role as The Hunger Games star Katniss Everdeen for a new Catching Fire teaser poster. Check her out totally owning that large bit of rock. She rules.

J-LAW'S BEST EVER QUOTES

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'Three Parent IVF' Technique Set for Approval

By Peter Russell
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Sheena Meredith, MD

June 28, 2013 -- The U.K. could become the first country to approve a cutting-edge in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique to prevent babies from being born with certain rare, crippling genetic disorders.

The technique produces embryos containing DNA from three people to help prevent serious mitochondrial diseases that are passed on from mother to child.

The government will publish proposed regulations later this year.

What are mitochondrial diseases and how does this controversial IVF technique work? Read our FAQ.

Mitochondria are parts of cells. They make energy that cells in our bodies need in order to function. They are sometimes referred to as the cell's "batteries." They are passed from mother to baby.

When babies are born with defective mitochondria, they can develop serious health problems, such as heart and liver disease and respiratory problems. It can even lead to death in infants.

One in 6,500 babies is born with mitochondrial disorder.

The technique involves transferring genetic material from the nucleus of an egg or embryo from a woman carrying a mitochondrial disease into an egg or embryo from a healthy donor that has had its nuclear DNA removed. This means the resulting embryo will have the affected mother’s nuclear DNA but will not inherit the mitochondrial disease, allowing a woman carrying defective mitochondria to have healthy children.

The resulting embryo has the nuclear DNA of the mother and father, but the mitochondrial DNA of the donor -- which explains the label "three-parent" IVF treatment.

The government in the U.K. says a public consultation found there was general support among U.K. citizens for mitochondria replacement, subject to strict safeguards and careful regulation.

The technique could save around 10 lives each year, the government says.

Sally Davies, the government's chief medical officer, says in a statement: "It’s only right that we look to introduce this life-saving treatment as soon as we can."

Proposed regulations will be published later this year and put out for further public consultation.

These regulations will set out strict safeguards covering when and how the technique can be used.

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Cellphone Calls During Blood Pressure Readings May Skew Results

Interruption can cause spike in systolic pressure, study found

By Alan Mozes

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- New Italian research offers some cautionary advice for patients with high blood pressure: The next time you take a blood pressure reading, turn off your cellphone.

The reason: Answering a cellphone call during a reading may cause a temporary but significant spike in blood pressure, rendering the results inaccurate and misleading.

"The cellular phone has burst into our everyday life, and is often an indispensable communication tool for business and social relations," said study author Dr. Giuseppe Crippa, head of the hypertension unit at Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital in Piacenza, Italy. "[Now] we know that the radio-frequency field generated by mobile phones does not affect blood pressure, and should not increase blood pressure in subjects suffering from hypertension.

"But what is the effect of the noise generated by the phone ringing and of the intrusion into our life of an unscheduled phone conversation?" Crippa asked. "In our study, we have shown that blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure, increases quickly and significantly in this situation."

The study authors said one in three Americans (and 1 billion people worldwide) currently struggles with high blood pressure.

Those grappling with keeping their high blood pressure under control often are instructed to either come in for routine readings taken by a health care professional, or to use one of many at-home monitoring kits that give patients the option of taking their own readings on a regular basis.

To explore the question of how cellphones might affect such readings, the authors focused on 49 Italian women with an average age of 53, all of whom were taking medication to control high blood pressure.

After discussing their general cellphone usage habits, all underwent two sets of multiple blood pressure readings, each set registering six readings at one-minute intervals. All the readings took place in a physician's office, where patients were left alone (in what the researchers described as a "comfortable" setting) after the first reading.

During one of the two readings, an investigator disabled caller ID and anonymously called each patient's cellphone three times, with a patient's response to at least one of the calls being deemed sufficient for testing purposes.

The result: By comparing readings taken with and without incoming calls, the team found that patients' systolic numbers (the top figure in a blood pressure reading, indicating blood pressure as the heart contracts) went up "significantly" whenever the patients answered their phones.

Patients who had indicated relatively heavy routine cellphone usage (30 or more calls per day), however, experienced a less steep rise in their systolic numbers during incoming calls. Since heavy users tended to be younger, the team theorized that a greater cellphone comfort level among younger patients may protect them from the cellphone dynamic.

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