All, Health and Wellness, Just for Fun, Recent posts

Does Avoiding Late Night Eating Support Weight Loss?

34 Tasty & Healthy Midnight Snack Ideas | Food For Net

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We are inundated with methods to lose weight and get into shape. One example is the claim that avoiding eating after 8 PM will help you lose weight or maintain a lower weight. However, this may not necessarily be true. 

 

Overall, the two main dietary aspects to focus on with regard to weight loss are caloric intake and macronutrient distribution. Caloric intake relates to the amount of total calories eaten during the day, and one’s recommended intake depends on factors like activity level and body type. Macronutrient distribution relates to the makeup of calories being eaten during the day. This organizes meals into categories of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. 

 

Intuitively, it seems like these aspects along with physical activity are the most important factors to effectively lose weight. Why would the timing of the meals matter as long as you eat the correct caloric intake and macronutrient distribution?

 

Some research  suggests there is a circadian clock (24-hour cycle) in adipose tissue, or body fat. The way the body burns fat may change throughout the day. It is postulated that the timing of meals can influence whether the adipose tissue stores fat or mobilizes fat to be burned. Supporters of this concept cite studies finding that late eaters lost significantly less weight than early eaters controlling for calorie intake and activity. There are other possible explanations for the findings.  There may be genetic variations in fat metabolism that are associated with late eating or a higher susceptibility to obesity. And there is some evidence that late eaters tend to eat foods with more calories and a lower nutritional value.  

 

When aiming for a healthy weight, the most important principle is limited calorie intake.  The importance of other factors, such as timing of an evening meal, are more difficult to sort out. 

 

Garaulet M, Gómez-Abellán P, Alburquerque-Béjar JJ, et al. Timing of food intake predicts weight loss effectiveness. International Journal of Obesity (2005). 2013 Apr;37(4):604-611. DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2012.229. PMID: 23357955; PMCID: PMC3756673.

 

http://europepmc.org/article/MED/23357955

 

https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/blog/health/eating-before-bed

All, Common Myths, Health and Wellness, Recent posts

Does weight training stunt growth?

In a Hurry? Try Express Weight Training - The New York Times

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Adolescents and pre-adolescents may start thinking about taking up weight training. You may have heard rumors that weight training can stunt growth. 

 

The concern is that weight training can injure the areas of the bone that grow (the growth plates) and limit stature. There is no evidence that high-impact sports like gymnastics, soccer, football, and basketball harm growth plates. The same is true for weight training. 

 

There is a risk of injury from lifting more weight than one can control. In other words, the weights and machines can cause direct blunt trauma. But in general, the health benefits of lifting weights outweigh the risks. Weight training can improve strength, confidence, coordination, psychological well-being, and healthy weight. Weight training strengthens bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, thereby decreasing the risk of injury to these structures. 

 

The key is understanding how to safely lift heavy weights and the potential dangers of a weight room. 

 

Sources:

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth

 

https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a36530187/does-weight-lifting-stunt-growth/

 

https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/weight-lifting-for-children-and-teens.html

 

https://www.nike.com/a/can-weight-lifting-stunt-growth

 

https://www.livestrong.com/article/430166-can-lifting-weights-when-young-stunt-your-growth/

 

All, Medicine

When does the brain stop developing?

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As early as 5 years of age, our brains have reached 90% of their potential volume. However, we all know that our brains continue to develop for many years; in fact, our brains continue evolving until death. So why then, do many people worry about cognitive decline with aging, and are their fears misplaced?

While it is evident and typical that specific cognitive functions decline with age, this is not necessarily associated with a cease in brain growth or weakened memory formation. General intelligence is complicated. It can be subdivided into two categories: crystallized and fluid intelligence.

Fluid intelligence allows you to solve problems without experience or knowledge—this type of intelligence peaks early in adulthood and declines later in life. Crystalized intelligence uses experience and prior knowledge to assess future relationships. This type of intelligence increases until approximately 60 years of age and then declines slightly. Therefore, skills like vocabulary, comprehension of new information, and arithmetic improve long after the brain ceases to grow in size and remain relatively stable throughout life. Other crystalized skills, such as conflict resolution and emotional regulation can continue to improve beyond 60 years of age.

The brain is an evolving organ as our lives go on. There might not be a moment in which our brains operate at maximum cognitive function in every specific area. So, next time you lose your keys, remember that just because your brain has stopped growing does not mean that your cognitive function is declining. 

 

https://azpbs.org/2017/11/early-childhood-brain-development-lifelong-impact/

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/ten-surprising-facts-about-your-brain

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051

https://www.simplypsychology.org/fluid-crystallized-intelligence.html
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-cognitive-upside-of-aging