Health&Beauty
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT – AND KEEP IT OFF As we emerge from lockdown, Dr Tanja Harrison – programme leader on obesity and weight management at the University of Chester – gives us some tips to tackle those expanded waistlines
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re you among the many that did their than before and can end up overeating again. fair share of comfort eating over this The successful diet is no longer successful. past year (or even before that)? Does the waistband feel just that bit tighter now? What can we do about this? Or do your summer clothes seem to have Slowly does it. Think tortoise rather than shrunk? Rather than splashing out on a new hare. It is better to improve the quality of wardrobe, you may want to go back to feeling the food that we eat rather than simply (and dressing) like your former self. At this focusing on calories as a quick fix. One way stage it is very tempting to follow a quickof doing this is by incorporating more fruit fix crash diet just in time for the and vegetables in our diet, for holiday next month. However, our by snacking on fresh “Improve example bodies often sabotage this kind pineapple rather than a chocolate the of weight loss and even if we lose biscuit. This way not only are we those extra pounds, the weight consuming fewer calories, but quality of can come back on – and more. we are also eating more fibre, the food which will help us not to feel Our bodies have one major job: to provide us with enough again quite so soon. you eat” hungry energy to keep us alive. This is a Calcium-rich foods such as system that serves us well when dairy products, fortified plant we are battling a illness (or when we’re milks (check the label!), seeds and some stranded on a desert island). The problem is dark green leafy vegetables have also shown that our bodies do not know the difference promising results for weight loss. A part between losing weight because of illness of the calcium is thought to bind to fat in or starvation and losing weight because the gut, meaning we absorb less of it (and we are on a calorie-restricted diet. This so fewer calories). These foods also give means that after a while our bodies become you lots of extra vitamins and minerals. better at preserving energy and holding on to body fat. Suddenly a jog around the The bottom line block expends less energy than before our Ultimately, the priority should be to eat successful diet, so we require fewer calories more healthily in order to feel better.
Myth buster
Whether you’re a buffer or a nibbler, here’s the truth behind myths about nails
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It’s harmless to cut your cuticles Most of us don’t think twice before pushing back our cuticles or allowing a technician to cut them, but they are there to keep bacteria out. When you trim them away, you risk infection or nail problems. Instead of trimming them, keep them soft with moisturiser so they continue to act as a natural barrier.
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White spots indicate a calcium deficiency This is one of the most persistent nail myths but more often than not, white marks
Going slow and steady and decreasing your energy intake gradually by eating more of the authentically colourful foods (think fruit and veggies) and less of the artificially colourful foods (think chocolate-coated
Eat colourful, fibre-rich foods
peanuts and sweets) will tell your body that you are not on the brink of starvation. This will give it time to adjust and successful weight loss can turn into successful weight maintenance. And there’s no better time to start sharing those wonderful colourful meals together with loved ones, now that we can spend time with family and friends freely again! are actually the result of nail trauma: picking, biting, a bad gel or acrylic manicure, using nail tools improperly or any other damage to the nail can cause white spots, which are harmless and grow out. The NHS says: “White spots or streaks are normal and nothing to worry about, but parallel white lines that extend all the way across the nails, known as Muehrcke’s lines, are a sign of low levels of protein in the blood.”
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Men’s nails grow faster than women’s This one’s true – although the difference is hardly mind-blowing. A study found that men’s nails tend to grow faster; they also discovered that the nail on our pinky grows slowest and that fingernails grow much faster than toenails. July/August 2021 | SHIRE MAGAZINE 105
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