Losing weight is hard, but for businesses, it’s easy – the weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar one. There’s no shortage of potions, pills, exercise and diet books, and of course personal trainers and gyms. But, at least for women, the clouds seem to be parting as new research sheds light on a novel approach to weight loss that doesn’t involve dieting.
The new research shows that probiotics may help shed those extra pounds. It comes on the heels of exciting research about the gut microbiome, new faecal transplant procedures to cure c.diff infections, and a new probiotic, dubbed SER-109, developed by the Mayo Clinic. Here’s how you can take advantage of probiotics and other strategies to make losing weight easier.
Using Probiotics
Probiotics can help you lose weight. In most overweight individuals, a bacterium called Firmicutes was found to be dominant in the gut. This bacterium, on its own, isn’t necessarily pathogenic. But, in the ratios found in the gut, it is thought to promote weight gain. Bacteroides fragilis, a somewhat pathogenic bacteria, is found in the human gut as well.
However, in thin people, it’s believed to help reduce or maintain proper weight when it is kept in check by other bacteria.
While no probiotics on the market contain B. fragilis, there are plenty of foods and supplements that contain probiotics. And, these probiotics can lead to weight loss. In a study lasting 24 weeks, participants taking a probiotic pill lost an average of 10 pounds, while those taking a placebo lost only 6.
Reducing Calories
It’s known that reducing calorie intake helps promote weight loss, but this is because calorie reduction creates an energy deficit. In obese people, the body may adjust metabolism to compensate for any decrease in calories. However, it is known that calorie reduction is part of the equation necessary to create the energy deficit.
Calorie Cycling
For some, calorie reduction isn’t enough. Some women find that macronutrient cycling is necessary. What is macronutrient cycling? It’s when you change fats, carbohydrates, and protein levels on a daily or weekly basis to induce weight loss.
Often, this is combined with intermittent fasting, with spectacular results. For several days of the week, you may consume a low-carb diet. Then, at the end of the week, you will “binge” and eat a high-carb, low fat diet. This has the effect of shocking your body out of complacency and reduces the risk that your body will become accustomed to a particular method of eating to resist weight loss.
Intermittent fasting works on the idea that you fast for 16 hours of the day and eat for 8. It is grounded in scientific research showing mice that ate within a restricted eating window lost more weight than mice that did not.
Plastic Surgery After Rapid Weight Loss
For some, the rapid weight loss experienced by diet and exercise leaves unsightly skin folds. Specialist doctors perform plastic surgery that can the effects hide years of obesity – it’s not an option for everyone, but many women find it helps.
Get More Sleep
Finally, many studies show that getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential for weight loss to occur. So, if you’re not getting your 8 hours.
Dr. Kevin Ruhge is an Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon in Pasadena specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body. Committed to helping people feel and look better, he likes to share his insights by posting online. You can read his informative articles on a number of today's top websites and blogs.
1 Comment
Nice advice! Generally you could say that a healthy lifestyle is all that matters after all, but yeah, you can focus primarily on diet, exercises and sleep and make each better