Princess Amalia suffers 'body shaming' during tour - a look at 'beautiful' royal's diet

 Princess Amalia of The Netherlands, 19, is the heir to the Dutch throne and is currently on tour in the Dutch Caribbean Islands with her parents. The Princess has experienced some "body shaming" online during the tour - but what diet does she follow?

Princess Catharina-Amalia of The Netherlands, who is known as Amalia, is currently on tour in the Dutch Caribbean Islands with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. The royal has experienced some body shaming online due to her weight.

Royal fan @cambridgepower tweeted: "People who are body shaming Princess Amalia of Netherlands are the same who body shaming Princess Catherine because she is too skinny with no curves.

"That's the reality in this social media, people hate that you are happy with yourself and that somebody loves you for the way you are."

Royal watcher added: "I think she is absolutely beautiful!"

In addition, @FrankieAgubi commented: "Catharina-Amalia is a beautiful girl."

What diet does the Dutch Princess follow?

Amalia has never spoken openly about her diet, but told MSN that she often sees a therapist due to online hate that she has received.

“Sometimes it becomes all too much for me, school, friends, and then I talk to someone”, Amalia said.

“Everyone talks about healthy food and sports. And that’s also important”, Amalia emphasised.

"But mental health is equally important", the Dutch Princess added.

A Spanish magazine came under fire in the past after it described the heir to the Dutch throne as "plus-size" on its front cover. 

Princess Amalia was pictured alongside her mother on Caras, a celebrity gossip and royal news magazine published in Spanish and Portuguese. 

The photograph was published alongside a headline that read: "Maxima's oldest daughter proudly wears her "plus-size" look".

The magazine's subhead, once translated, reads: "The harassed heir to the throne of the Netherlands faces criticism with force and with the support of her parents.

"A Princess who goes through puberty without taboos and defends her figure of 'real woman'."

However, it is not thought the Princess provided any quotes to the magazine or has ever commented on her weight in public. 

Social media users and media outlets from Maxima's native Argentina blasted the magazine for using the term to describe the teenage royal, saying it was extremely dangerous.

Queen Maxima previously shared her mother's recipe for her "favourite cookies", Argentine alfajores, which is a dessert likely enjoyed by her three daughters, Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane.

The Dutch Queen said: "I grew up with alfajores, they are my favourite cookies! I bake them according to my mother's recipe, which I am pleased to share with you.

"So you can bake them yourself at home."

It has been reported that traditional continental breakfast foods are cooked at Huis Ten Bosch palace, the home of the Dutch Royal Family.

Pippa Middleton stays slim with clever 'choices' - her 'delicious' everyday breakfast

 Pippa Middleton has three children with her millionaire husband James Matthews: Arthur, Grace and Rose.

Pippa Middleton has been recently pictured on the island of St Bart's, in the Caribbean, with her husband James Matthews and their three children. The Princess of Wales's sister looked fantastic in a tiny red bikini, but what is her secret to losing weight after having children and staying slim?

Pippa Middleton explained that exercising is "part of my weekly routine", especially running and fitness.

However, she admitted that this has changed since having children: "Family life and motherhood has consumed much of my spare time.

"I suppose, my running has been more after babies and toddlers than crossing finish lines, which I’m fine with — for now!" she said during an interview with activewear brand Hoka.

Kate's sister continued: "Being active with my son in the park or playground, transporting him on the back of my bike, and buggy running when he was a baby have been ways in which I have been able to include outdoor exercise whilst being a hands-on mummy."

The socialite explained that regular exercise helps "manage my weight" and the time she spends running and playing with the kids "is time efficient".

"It gives us both the chance to enjoy the fresh air and explore the great outdoors," Pippa explained.

But it is a combination of exercise and diet that helps her maintain her fantastic figure as she admitted in the past that she follows a healthy and varied diet.

Pippa explained that she never leaves the house without having breakfast. "Can't start the day properly without breakfast," she said.

Normally, she has "lots of porridge or boiled eggs with soldiers" in the morning but other times she opts for yoghurt, avocado on toast, and muesli.

"My usual breakfast is either plain yoghurt with chopped fruit and toasted seeds, oats and nuts or toasted rye bread with eggs or avocado," Pippa told The i.

She also enjoys "Bircher muesli with fresh berries on top" and "you can even make a batch for the whole week," she suggested.

To maintain the desired weight and stay slim, balance and moderation are key although some sugary treats from time to time are allowed.

"I grew up with the belief that good health is about moderation in all things, so I’ll be celebrating healthy living through exercise, a balanced diet and a little of the naughty stuff sprinkled in - I'm talking chocolate, crisps and an occasional glass of wine," she wrote in Waitrose magazine.

Pippa revealed that she has never tried the Dukan diet, attempted Atkins or "exercised religiously seven days a week" to lose weight.

"But I do believe in making healthy choices - keeping refined carbs such as white bread and pasta to a minimum, and sticking to sensible portion sizes," she said.

Pippa also revealed that after having children, she worked out "for 45 minutes, three or four times a week, depending on my energy levels".

In terms of future fitness goals, Kate's sister said that she would like to participate in the London and New York marathons or the Coast-to-Coast multi-sport event in New Zealand.

Her dream is to take part in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc MCC, the 40km race, and the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

"One day, my dream would be to participate in a sporting challenge or epic adventure with my own children," she added.

Though 100 percent fruit juice is nutrient-dense, some fruit juices can be deceptive. This was highlighted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2012, which stated: “High consumption of fruit juice and other sources of fructose has been shown to promote weight gain and specifically visceral fat adiposity in adulthood. It added: “Fruit juice and additional sources of fructose in food and beverage are well known to contribute to weight gain and abdominal adiposity in adults." It’s important to recognise that different types of fruit juices contain different quantities of sugar, fibre and other micronutrients. Though 100 fruit juice packs a significant amount of sugar, it is unlikely to have the same health as sugar-sweetened drinks like soda.

 One study of more than 52,000 women found those who consumed higher amounts of milk had an increased risk for breast cancer.

Our diet plays a huge role in our health and wellbeing. It is widely accepted that certain foods can raise our risk for certain problems - such as saturated fats and the link with high cholesterol. However, there is one drink that has been shown to increase the risk of both breast and prostate cancer.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Doctor Shireen Kassam - consultant haematologist, lecturer and founder of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, warned about some of the risks of drinking milk.

She said: “Even though certain animal-derived foods such as dairy are considered healthy despite the processing involved, these foods do not provide the same level of protection against cancer.

“In fact, dairy consumption has been consistently associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and may increase the risk of breast cancer.”

Breast cancer

A study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in 2020, looked at the link between milk and breast cancer.

As part of the research the team considered data on more than 52,700 North American Women who were initially cancer free.

They completed food frequency questionnaires, and more than 1,000 filled out six 24 hour dietary recalls - a quick questionnaire about the last 24 hours.

Participants were followed for eight years, with breast cancer diagnoses noted. In that time there were 1,057 new cases of breast cancer.

Researchers then found links between certain products consumed and the rates of disease.

The study said: “No clear associations were found between soy products and breast cancer, independently of dairy.

“However, higher intakes of dairy calories and dairy milk were associated with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.22, respectively, comparing 90th to 10th percentiles of intakes.

“Full fat and reduced fat milks produced similar results. No important associations were noted with cheese and yoghurt.”

It concluded: “Higher intakes of dairy milk were associated with greater risk of breast cancer, when adjusted for soy intake. Current guidelines for dairy milk consumption could be viewed with some caution.”

Prostate cancer

Separate research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2022, established a link between prostate cancer and dairy.

Similar to the other study, participants, of which there were more than 28,000 men, completed food frequency questionnaires and 24 hour dietary recalls to establish what they were consuming.

Over the next eight years 1,254 cases of prostate cancer - including 190 advanced cases - were diagnosed.

The study said: “Men at the 90th percentile of dairy intake (430 grams a day) compared with the 10th percentile (20.2 grams a day) had higher prostate cancer risk.

Visceral fat: Four drinks may directly cause a build-up of 'dangerous' fat in the abdomen

 The beverages have been shown to significantly increase waist size within years when consumed daily.

Body fat poses obvious risks to our health, but when it sits in the body’s midsection and wraps around internal organs like the liver and pancreas, it can cause unique complications. Over time visceral fat impairs the function of hormones like insulin, setting the body up for diabetes and other metabolic disturbances. Research has consistently shown that certain types of beverages contribute to the build-up of abdominal fat.

Visceral fat is a pernicious type of lipid that sits deep within the abdominal cavity and encases the vital organs can be "dangerous", according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Not only does it interfere with hormone production, but it also secretes low-inflammatory chemicals into the blood that hike the risk of a heart attack.

According to some studies, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages - such as soda, carbonated drinks, fruit juices and lemonade - daily could specifically increase visceral fat measurements over time.

A study of 1,003 people aged around 450 years of age, published in the Circulation in 2016, was able to quantify the effects of sugar-sweetened drinks on the body.

The researchers looked at both sugar-sweetened drinks and diet soda intake, but they did not find any association between diet soda and visceral fat adiposity.

All volunteers underwent a series of CT scans at the outset and at the end of the study to help researchers measure body fat changes.

The sample was split into four categories:

•     Non-drinkers
•     Occasional drinkers (defined as drinking sugar-sweetened beverages once a month or less than once a week)
•     Frequent drinkers (once a week or less than once a day)
•     Those who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily.

Over a six-year follow-up period, scientists observed that visceral fat volume increased by:

•     658 centimetres cubed for non-drinkers
•     649 centimetres cubed for occasional drinkers
•     707 centimetres cubed for frequent drinkers
•     852 centimetres cubed for those who drank one beverage daily.

The researchers hope the study will serve as a reminder of the importance of following guidelines when drinking sweetened beverages.

“Our message to consumers is to follow the current dietary guidelines and to be mindful of how much sugar-sweetened beverages they drink,” they said at the time.

The two problematic components of sugar-sweetened drinks appear to be fructose and sucrose, according to past research.

These are typically found in body caffeinated and de-caffeinated soda, carbonate and non-carbonated drinks with added sugar, juices and lemonade.

Though 100 percent fruit juice is nutrient-dense, some fruit juices can be deceptive.

This was highlighted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2012, which stated: “High consumption of fruit juice and other sources of fructose has been shown to promote weight gain and specifically visceral fat adiposity in adulthood.

It added: “Fruit juice and additional sources of fructose in food and beverage are well known to contribute to weight gain and abdominal adiposity in adults."

It’s important to recognise that different types of fruit juices contain different quantities of sugar, fibre and other micronutrients.

Though 100 fruit juice packs a significant amount of sugar, it is unlikely to have the same health as sugar-sweetened drinks like soda.

Swap regular cuppa for another tea to blast visceral fat - 'aids' metabolism

 A study showed one certain tea could not only lower visceral fat but also body mass index and waist circumference.

Visceral fat can be found deep within the belly. A certain amount is required to help insulate and protect vital organs. However, too much is known to cause serious health issues including heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

One major cause of an excess of visceral fat is diet.Cutting back on foods high in calories, sugar and saturated fats is one way to shed weight.

But what you drink can also make a difference.Personal trainer at Bio-Synergy, Nathan Honess, spoke with Express.co.uk to explain more.

“Visceral fat is the belly fat that wraps around your abdominal organs,” he said.

“It’s sometimes referred to as ‘hidden fat’ because it’s stored deep in your body and can be hard to distinguish.

“Too much visceral fat can lead to health problems such as lower back pain, heart disease and diabetes.”

He specifically recommended switching out regular tea for either matcha green tea, green tea or peppermint tea.

Mr Honess continued: “To help reduce visceral fat, there’s a few easy changes you can make to your diet and one involves boiling the kettle.

“Instead of your normal cuppa try switching to matcha green tea – a study found that the key nutrient – catechin – helped reduce the visceral fat in its participants, as well as overall body fat.

“If matcha is not for you, try a cup of green or peppermint tea to aid digestion and your metabolism.”

The study referenced by Mr Honess was published in Obesity journal in 2007.

As part of the research 240 men and women with “visceral fat-type obesity” were given green tea with different levels of catechins every day for 12 weeks.

It concluded that those who drank green tea containing 583mg of catechins (the higher amount) saw a greater reduction in fat.

“Decreases in body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, body fat mass, waist circumference, hip circumference, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area were found to be greater in the catechin group than in the control group,” it said.

“The continuous ingestion of a green tea extract high in catechins led to a reduction in body fat, systolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, suggesting that the ingestion of such an extract contributes to a decrease in obesity and cardiovascular disease risks.”

The juicy tonic combo that could cause ‘serious heart issues’ - potentially ‘deadly’

 By inhibiting the metabolism of enzymes in the body, some fruits may increase the risk of side effects from supplements and drinks.

Grapefruit juice has long been enjoyed for its sensory properties and low-calorie profile. Its popularity, however, was dented after scientists discovered it could have deleterious interactions with an extensive list of drugs. Some studies have suggested the fruit may also interact dangerously with tonic water when consumed by certain people.

The main problem with grapefruit is that it inhibits the enzyme CYP3A4, which metabolises more than 65 percent of all drugs.

“A considerable number of drugs are affected, but the most important causes of concern are probably some of the statins, extensively prescribed as cholesterol reducers,” explains Science Direct.

According to various bodies of research, mixing grapefruit with tonic water containing quinine - a naturally occurring substance - may spur similar effects.

“People who have a heart rhythm disorder should avoid taking grapefruit juice and tonic water together. That combination might worsen some heart conditions,” cautions Medline Plus.

“Also, don’t drink red wine and grapefruit juice together if you take any medications. This combination can make grapefruit juice interact with medications even more.”

Science Direct explains that the tonic and grapefruit combination is dangerous because the juice may inhibit enzymes responsible for the metabolism of quinine.

Thus, the concomitant use of grapefruit juice with quinine may increase concentrations of the nutrient in the blood, and increase the risk of quinine side effects.

In 2003, the American Journal of Medicine highlighted the risk in a report titled "Grapefruit and tonic: a deadly combination in a patient with the long QT syndrome".

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Your fall baking list is now complete with the addition of these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins! Studded with chocolate chips and pecans, you’re really in for a treat!

‘Tis the season for all the pumpkin goodies – pies, bars, smoothies, cookies, muffins and more. Cooking and baking with pumpkin brings me so much joy. I love this time of year, the flavor of pumpkin spice, the aroma of pumpkin goodies baking away in the oven – it’s simply the best. You know what also brings me joy? Sharing my favorite recipe creations with you so you can experience the joy, too. You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when you sink your teeth into one of these soft, fluffy, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. Pure joy!

P.S. This recipe was not a planned share. Jess and I have our editorial calendar planned months in advance, but I couldn’t resist sharing this recipe with you as a bonus post for the week. Especially after I saw the gorgeous photos that were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter who helps us with about 50% of recipe photos. Girl’s got skills!

Soft, fluffy and made with less sugar, these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are calling your name!
I know you’re going to love this recipe. It’s very similar to our Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, which have become a reader favorite. In fact, this recipe was created when I wanted to make the banana muffins during a meal prep a couple weekends ago, but didn’t have any ripe bananas on hand so I grabbed my lonely can of pumpkin instead. Some of my best recipes are created on a whim and purely by accident, and I love when that happens.

These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are soft, tender, fluffy and studded to perfection with chocolate chips and pecans. They’re incredibly easy to make and perfect for weekend meal preps, adding to lunchboxes, breakfast on the go, afternoon snacking, serving at a party or gift giving to a new parent or heck, anyone who could use a little pick-me-up! You’ll also appreciate that they’re made with less sugar yet you’ll never know. They’re just so darn good!

Women's Health Tips for Heart, Mind, and Body

Looking for the path toward a healthier you? It's not hard to find. The journey begins with some simple tweaks to your lifestyle. The right diet, exercise, and stress-relief plan all play a big role.

Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
There's an easy recipe if your goal is to keep away problems like heart disease and strokes.


Eat more fruits and veggies.
Choose whole grains. Try brown rice instead of white. Switch to whole wheat pasta.
Choose lean proteins like poultry, fish, beans, and legumes.
Cut down on processed foods, sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
When eating healthy, flexibility often works best, says Joyce Meng, MD, assistant professor at the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health. If you like to follow a strict diet plan, go for it. If not, it's OK. "Find what works for you."

Tricia Montgomery, 52, the founder of K9 Fit Club, knows first-hand how the right diet and lifestyle can help. For her, choosing healthy foods and planning small, frequent meals works well. "I don't deny myself anything," she says. "I still have dessert -- key lime pie, yum! -- and I love frozen gummy bears, but moderation is key."

Exercise Every Day The more active you are, the better, Meng says. Exercise boosts your heart health, builds muscle and bone strength, and wards off health problems.

Aim for 2 and a half hours of moderate activity, like brisk walking or dancing, every week. If you're OK with vigorous exercise, stick to 1 hour and 15 minutes a week of things like running or playing tennis. Add a couple of days of strength training, too.

If you're busy, try short bursts of activity throughout the day. Walk often. A good target is 10,000 steps a day. Take the stairs. Park your car far away from your destination.
Montgomery exercises every day, often with her dog. By adding lunges, squats, and stairs to a walk, she turns it into a power workout. "I also am a huge Pilates fan," she says.


Lose Weight When you shed pounds you'll lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Weight loss story: Know the diet this guy followed to lose 50 kilos!

Imagine being rejected just because you are overweight. For 31-year-old Noshirwan Dumasia battling unsolicited comments and getting rejected had become a way of life. Slowly, he realised that he was unable to do even his day-to-day work because of his increasing weight. That was the point he decided to put sincere efforts to bring out the best version of himself and the result is there for all to see.

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Name: Noshirwan Dumasia

Occupation: Fitness professionals

Age: 31 years

Height: 6 feet

Highest weight recorded: 125 kgs

Weight lost: 50 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 9 months

The turning point: It does not matter what your profession is, your looks always make the first impression. Wherever I went, I was rejected because of my obesity. Additionally, I was not able to do my day-to-day work that is when I realised I had to put my foot down and do something.

My breakfast: 1 grated carrot, half a radish with one lime squeezed and a cup of green tea

My lunch: Chicken/eggs/paneer sauteed in vegetables and a cup of green tea afterwards

My dinner: A glass of warm milk

Pre-workout meal: A cup of black coffee

Post-workout meal: Protein shake or boiled egg or paneer

I indulge in: I eat subway, chicken biryani or chicken burger if I feel like but I calculate the calories carefully. I make it a point to burn at least half of them before eating and a bit after the meal.

My workout: I work out every day and target the major muscles with low intensity and frequent repetitions. I follow it by doing cardio for 30 minutes.

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I eat a handful of oats with hot water in a 300 ml mug.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: Intermittent fasting with Keto diet worked like a miracle for me.

How do I stay motivated? At the end of each day, I take a photo myself in the locker room to capture the progress. These pictures act as a challenge that I have to beat this achievement and improve more.

How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? Whenever I used to feel demotivated or unfocused, I would look back at how far I’ve come and what all I have achieved.

What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? It does not matter how good you are as a person as people will first judge you based on your looks only. It was very heartbreaking to be constantly judged on the basis of my looks.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to work hard to achieve a more chiselled and muscular body.

What are the lifestyle changes you made? Here are some of the changes I made:

1. Making sure that I only eat healthy food items

2. Sleeping on time

3. Maintaining a proper workout schedule

What was the lowest point for you? It was really heartbreaking to be criticised and singled out because of my weight.

I Tried Going Vegan To Lose Weight And It Backfired In The Worst Way

Women's Health investigates why some women are turning in their V-cards.

Stephanie Schwartz, a New Yorker who works in retail, tried a 21-day vegan challenge with a friend in 2015 because "I wanted to lose a few pounds and see if I could get visible abs, like all the yogi vegan Instagram girls, and this seemed like a healthy way to do it." So Schwartz, then 25, abstained from all animal products—meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and eggs. The trial period came and went and she stuck with it, absorbing the plan's "cruelty-free" ethos. As her passion for animal welfare grew, though, something else did too: her waistline.

Instead of toning up, within four months "I gained 12 pounds, lost muscle tone, and felt so bloated," she says. She also overheated easily and lost her period. "My body was like, 'Excuse me, I don't like this.'" She couldn't figure it out, but she did notice she always felt ravenous—and was constantly eating. Like 70 percent of people who try going vegan, Stephanie ultimately went back to eating some animal products. Interest in veganism, the stricter, coconut milk-ier cousin of vegetarianism, has surged in recent years. In Hollywood and on social media, it seems as if every flat-bellied celeb (Olivia Wilde, Jennifer Lopez, Lea Michele) is reported to have tried the lifestyle, and luminous-skinned fitfluencers (vegan chef Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows; blogger Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella; Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram, the local-organic-raw pioneer behind FullyRawKristina) have been touting the lifestyle. Some sources show that the number of vegans in the U.S. has spiked by as much as 600 percent in the past three years, and search interest in veganism was 460 percent higher than vegetarianism in the past year alone.

It's not surprising that an increasing number of women have taken Schwartz's tack, looking beyond veganism's moral raison d'etre and health benefits—which include a reduced risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood-sugar issues, hypertension, and overall mortality—to a hope of weight loss. After all, while veganism is not considered a weight-loss diet per se, multiple studies have shown that people who shun animal products tend to be lighter than their omnivorous counterparts. A recent Harvard University meta-analysis found that vegans lost about five pounds more than meat eaters over an average of 18 weeks. Another study found that vegan women tend to have a BMI of 22, which is 1.5 points lower than the average of those who dig meat. But people who go vegan specifically to shed inches may be doing themselves a disservice, says Pittsfield, Massachusetts, nutritional consultant Virginia Messina, R.D., M.P.H., creator of TheVeganRD.com and coauthor of four vegan-centric books. "Women read stories that promise the pounds will just melt away"—but simply starting your day with a quinoa bowl rather than an omelet doesn't mean you're automatically going to drop pounds.

VEGAN DIET TRAPS

Newbie vegans hit some common dietary roadblocks, says NYC dietitian Cynthia Sass, R.D., M.P.H. First, plenty of foods can be vegan without being good for weight loss. "Healthy, filling vegan diets require knowledge and planning," says Sass. "Twenty years ago, eating vegan meant lots of whole grains, produce, and pulses, like beans and lentils." Now the aisles are packed with higher-calorie shortcuts like mock meat and cheese products, and it's easy for new converts to assume that any item with an "All Vegan!" label will be somehow better. But eating processed foods means "you'll miss out on fiber, which slows down digestion, keeping you feeling fuller longer," says Sass. She adds that fiber feeds the good-for-you gut bacteria associated with weight management.

Even if you do stick to the healthier vegan fare, it's easy to OD on portion size, given the health halo sported by "clean" but calorie-dense foods like avocados, cashews, and coconuts. Sass had a female client whose breakfast was a jumbo smoothie bowl that "probably had about 700 calories, and then she'd be sedentary all day." Vegan or not, "anytime you eat more than you can burn, the surplus will either prevent weight loss or cause weight gain."

Another pound-adding culprit? Skimping on protein, which is needed to maintain the muscle mass that helps keep your metabolic rate up, Sass says. Too little could lead to a loss in muscle tone, as Schwartz experienced. And finally, in the life-ain't-fair department, Messina points out that if you're already eating a healthy diet with generous amounts of fiber, good carbs like whole grains, and fruits and vegetables, you're less likely to see a stark difference on the scale when you drop all animal foods. Someone who goes from egg-and-bacon sandwiches and hamburgers to a well-rounded vegan diet, though, may start losing weight more easily. (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better NakedDVD.)

THE COMMITMENT FACTOR

Motivation also comes into play, says Sarah Hoffman, an epidemiology doctoral student at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill (and happily vegan for the past 16 years). Her study in the journal Appetite shows that subjects who decided to become vegan for ethical reasons remained so for years longer than people who went plants-only hoping for weight loss or other health-related benefits. "If you're doing it to lose weight and you have unpleasant effects, like fatigue or digestion issues, you may stop, while an ethical vegan may be more likely to stick it out, because avoiding animal products is about something bigger than themselves," she explains.

Side effects often include cravings, which can be more intense in vegans who are looking to slim down, says Art Markman, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and an expert on motivation and behavioral change. Without the larger goal of saving animals from suffering, "you may still psychologically crave the foods you're not eating and eventually give in." Someone who feels eating beef is gross, in other words, is less likely to crave a burger. All diets involve some deprivation, but it can help to recast yourself as "plant-based" instead of "vegan," says Markman. That reminds you of all you can eat (produce, grains, nuts, beans) and is less likely to lead to sex dreams featuring a gaucho at a Brazilian churrascaria.

WHEN IT GOES TOO FAR

The experience of Jordan Younger, 27—whose blog, The Blonde Vegan, debuted in 2013—points to a more insidious drawback to veganism. Younger says she amassed 30,000 followers in just three months with recipes like Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups. But a year later, she was increasingly restricting her eating choices, cutting whole categories of foods (gluten, oil, sugar), and at one point even eating 10-banana smoothies as a meal. She realized she had veered into a form of disordered eating: orthorexia, a rigid fixation with eating healthfully.

Studies have shown that women with eating disorders are more likely to be vegetarians than omnivores. That doesn't mean vegetarianism or veganism causes eating disorders, explains Steven Bratman, M.D., author of Health Food Junkies: Orthorexia Nervosa—Overcoming the Obsession with Healthful Eating. But someone predisposed to disordered eating "may use veganism as a socially acceptable way to carry it out," he says.

In 2014, Younger stopped eating vegan and changed her blog name to The Balanced Blonde. Initially she lost more than 30,000 followers, but now she has 179,000 Instagram followers and 3 million downloads of the podcast she started in 2016. "I'm spreading the word that if you want to be plant-based, that's cool," she says, "but you can also live healthier and eat more foods from the earth without being radically extreme."

Stephanie Schwartz, too, felt that veganism triggered a relapse of her prior anorexia. When she went back to fish and eggs, "my clothes fit better and my energy returned. Some days I'm still vegan, and I love the conscious aspect of eating that way, but I definitely have more energy in yoga or HIIT class when breakfast is scrambled eggs with lox, avocado, and hot sauce." The first thing she lists now on her Bumble and Tinder dating profiles? "Recovering vegan."

How This Woman Has Maintained Her 125 Lbs. Weight Loss for Over 7 Years

Samantha Call found success with the Atkins diet.

This article originally appeared on People.com.

Samantha Call’s weight loss journey began as the result of a tragic loss.

Call – who said she was “always the big girl” growing up and reached 265 lbs. by her senior year of high school – lost her father to heart disease in 2008. Her dad, who had struggled with obesity, was just 48-years-old.

“I’ll never forget sitting with my [12-year-old] brother after my dad had passed, when he told me ‘Samantha, I don’t want you to die like daddy did,’ Call, now 33, told PEOPLE.  “That broke my heart but gave me the drive that I needed to start my journey.”

First, the Callis, Maine resident consulted with her doctor. “My blood pressure was through the roof,” says Call. “I had wanted to get gastric bypass [surgery] because I felt like I had failed so many times on diets. I couldn’t stick with it. But, my doctor pushed me to lose the weight for myself and on my own. It lit a fire under me.”

In early 2009, Call found success with Atkins. And after a year and a half got down to 132 lbs. Call has maintained her weight loss for about seven years.

“I’ve always been someone who loved bacon and loved eggs, that was easy to me,” Call said of her new low carb program. “How many diets can you do that you get to eat bacon and eggs every morning?”

She also learned to love lean meats and vegetables, and now enjoys making her own healthy meals. “My fiancé is very supportive with what I cook us for dinner,” she says. “He’s always been a physically fit guy so it helps. He’s a huge support.”

While losing weight, Call gradually added in exercise, and now works out for an hour in the morning before work. “It’s part of my daily routine,” says Call, who switches between fitness DVDs, a Pilates ball and at-home gym equipment.  She even ran a half-marathon two years ago, and hopes to do more in the future.

Still on Atkins, she also allows herself a cheat day once a week, but doesn’t go overboard. “I have my mind fixated on one thing that I’m going to have,” she says. For example, instead of the three large plates of fried, carb-heavy food she used to get a Chinese buffet, Call now has a small plate and maybe half an egg roll. “It’s all about portion control.”

Another big change? Her confidence. Call, who was married once before, felt uncomfortable wearing her wedding dress at her previous size.

“I look at those photos and it was unflattering,” she says. “I’m excited for the fact that I’ll be able to pick out a beautiful dress and feel good about myself because I was very self-conscious about myself the first time around. I’m happy that I’ll look and feel good.”

A Healthy Diet For A Healthy Body

Nowadays, it is very likely you understand that there are no weight-loss alternatives which will work miracles and the only way to lose weight is to follow a proper healthy diet. Some of the ways to lose weight include adjusting your eating habits by cutting those extra fats, sweets, and unhealthy food.

Below are just several proper food concepts and healthy diet plans that you could carry out:

BREAKFAST

You might have seen or heard this saying many times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Starting to eat from the first hours you wake up helps you to sustain blood sugar level along with hormone quantities, which will keep your energy level high during the entire day also makes certain that you don't eat way too much during lunch time.

Balanced Breakfast Ideas: 

1. Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter as well as apple butter and an apple. 
2. A cup of granola or high-fiber cereal put together with fat-free fruit yogurt.
3. Smaller whole-wheat bagel with light cheese or light jam.

Heavy breakfast such as buttered breads, muffins, donuts and many others should not be eaten. You will not lose fat, consuming these types of food stuff.

LUNCH

Lunch is actually as important as breakfast in terms of keeping away from a mid-afternoon energy drop, which in turn may lead to high-sugar levels.

Balanced Lunch Concepts: 

1. Turkey: flour tortilla, light mayonnaise, thin pieces involving deli turkey, shredded lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese.
2. Grill Chicken: romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, peppers, 3 slices of tomato, cucumber, corns, along with low-fat dressing of your choice.
3. Maine crabs: properly cooked jumbo crab meat, light mayonnaise, pickle, and scallion along with hot dog buns.

Some of the food you need to stay away from as part of your lunch are generally heavy dressing salads, junk food, French fries as well as fried meats. A healthy diet is the only way to achieving a fit body and losing weight.

DINNER

Stay away from having a heavy dinner as you will probably not be undertaking any exercising at this hour, and it is unlikely for you to burn your calorie consumption. Nevertheless always have a very satisfying meal which includes health proteins, glucose and, please avoid snacking while you're watching TV.

Balanced Dinner Concepts: 

1. Bake or grill chicken or broiled fish, boiled potato, steamed broccoli, with margarine.
2. Grilled meat served on tortilla called "Fajita", baked onions with peppers and salsa with low-fat cream.
3. Pasta Primavera; cooked pasta, steamed broccoli, carrots, and zucchini with Parmesan cheese.

Some of the foods that you need to stay away from during dinner time are those with creamy extra fat sauces and the extra fat desserts.

Eating a mix of the above types of food will help you to shed the extra pounds of fat and at the same time your body will receive vital nutrients and vitamins. Never take the same food daily, mix them around. If not you might get bored and return to your old, poor diet regime. You'll be able to burn those fats if you place your mind on it; it is all about making small changes in your healthy diet.

The Best Weight Loss Friendly Tips For A Healthier Backyard Barbecue

If you're starting a healthier lifestyle or simply watching your weight, there are plenty of ways on how you can make your upcoming backyard barbecues more weight-loss friendly. It's a matter of choosing more nutritious options when planning your menu - from the main course all the way to dessert.

Follow these simple tips so you won't have to worry about your weight the next time you take out your grill:

1. Serve chicken breasts as your main course

Change your barbecue menu for once and serve grilled chicken breasts instead of the usual burgers and hotdogs. Chicken breasts have a lower calorie and fat content but are equally filling as any other grilled meat. You can add flavor to it with any sauce or marinade you like without the guilt.

2. Skewer it up

If you're not a fan of chicken breasts, you can opt to serve your grilled meat in skewers. Alternate small pieces of meat with fruits or vegetables like onions, bell peppers and tomatoes for a more filling, well-balanced grilled dish.

3. Choose healthy side dishes

Grilled fruits and vegetables as well as a vegetable salad are great choices for side dishes when you're aiming for a healthier barbecue. You can fill up on these low-calorie appetizers to help keep your appetite at bay especially when the main course is served. Remember to go easy on the salad dressings and dips! Also, it is ideal that you don't serve mayonnaise-based side dishes such as coleslaw or potato salad. Instead, opt for vinegar-based ones which are more ideal for weight loss.

4. Have healthy beverages ready

Most guests enjoy their barbecue with an ice-cold beer or a cocktail in hand. Serving liquor at your party is okay as long as you have healthy beverage choices as well. Do steer clear of margaritas and other heavy drinks and instead opt for a refreshing glass of homemade lemon iced tea. Having non-liquor drinks ready is also ideal when you're expecting children at your barbecue.

5. Go for desserts that are weight loss-friendly

You chose to serve more nutritious choices for your main course, side dishes and drinks. Why not do the same with your desserts? Fruits are the best choice when it comes to healthy desserts. Eat them fresh or turn them into a mouth-watering smoothie, your sweet tooth will surely be satisfied and at the same time you won't have to worry about added calories!

Don't let your journey to weight loss stop you from enjoying a backyard barbecue. Follow these simple yet effective healthy barbecue tips for a guilt-free party!

 

3 Delicious Grilled Vegetable Recipes Perfect For Weight Loss

If you want to take a break from the usual salads and steamed vegetables, fire up your grill! Grilling lets you do more with the food you have, plus it won't get in the way of your weight loss journey because it's yet another healthy way of preparing food. If you want to stick to a fruit and vegetable diet plus other weight loss friendly foods like chicken breast and fish, throw them into your grill - you won't even feel like you're on a diet!

 
Here are 3 mouth-watering grilled vegetable dishes for weight loss that you can't afford to miss:

1. Mediterranean Style Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

What you need:

·                     1 loaf focaccia bread

·                     1 medium eggplant, sliced into strips

·                     2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced

·                     2 red bell peppers

·                     3 cloves garlic, crushed

·                     4 tbsps. mayonnaise

·                     2 tbsps. Olive oil, divided

Preparation:

Place eggplant strips, mushroom slices and red bell peppers in a grill rack. Brush with olive oil then cook in a pre-heated grill over medium-high heat. Grill until eggplant and mushrooms are tender and bell peppers are blackened. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes. Slice bread loaf lengthwise. Combine crushed garlic and mayonnaise to make the sauce and spread the mixture on each half of the focaccia bread. Peel, core and slice cooled bell peppers then arrange it on the bread together with the eggplant and mushrooms.

2. Grilled Chicken and Greens

What you need:

·                     4 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves

·                     4 zucchinis, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

·                     1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

·                     4 cloves garlic, minced

·                     1/2 cup plain yogurt

·                     1/4 cup olive oil

·                     6 tsps. masala, divided

·                     1 tsp. salt

·                     1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine 4 tsps. masala, garlic, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Place each chicken breast half in an aluminum foil about 12 x 18 inches, then coat each with the mixture and sprinkle each piece with 1/2 tsp. masala. Place onion and zucchini slices on top of the chicken. Seal packets but leave room for heat circulation. Cook on a pre-heated grill over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Serve topped with yogurt.

3. Classic Barbecue Grilled Vegetables

What you need:

·                     1 eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices

·                     6 mushrooms, stems removed

·                     3 zucchinis, sliced

·                     2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips

·                     2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

·                     1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

·                     1/4 cup lemon juice

·                     1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Place eggplant slices, mushrooms, zucchini slices and red bell peppers in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine garlic, basil, lemon juice and olive oil. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. When ready, cook on a pre-heated grill over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through. Allow to cool before serving.

Aiming for weight loss is now a lot easier with these healthy and delicious grilled vegetable dishes!