How To Lose Weight Fast
Learn The Fast Way To Lose Weight

Extreme Weight Loss Methods

Are you s 00004000 ick and tired of being overweight? Do you huff and puff every time you do any kind of physical activity? Are you afraid you might have a heart attack or stroke?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, it's probably time you lost some weight. The problem is that if you're anything like me, you have a lot of trouble with willpower. The willpower problem gets worse the longer each diet and exercise program lasts.

What if you could strip off 20 pounds in just 30 days? What if you could lose 40 pounds in just 60 days? It's absolutely possible. I know. I've done it more than once, but the last time I did it, I also learned to keep it off. Now, I'll never be fat again.

Here's the big question. Would you really like to lose 40 pounds in the next 60 days and keep it off for the rest of your life?

Of course you would, who wouldn't?

I encourage you never to use diet pills, surgery, or diets that are so extreme they change your body chemistry. I don't recommend any of those things. You and your body are responsible for putting all that fat on you. Take the responsibility for getting it off.

Do you know how you gained that weight? I do. Over a long period of time, you took in more calories than your body burned. It may have only been 50 excess calories a day, but over a long span of time those calories turned into pounds of fat.

A pound of fat is equivalent to approximately 3,500 calories. If you took in 50 calories per day more than you burned, in 70 days you gained a pound. In 350 days you gained 5 pounds. In 5 years you gained 25 extra pounds.

A regular slice of white bread contains about 50 calories. Just one extra slice of bread per day over a five-year period, and you gain 25 pounds. That sounds discouraging, but it's not really. Why?

Because if just one extra slice of bread per day made you gain 25 pounds, then leaving off that bread means you won't gain more weight. Leaving off two slices of bread per day, means over the course of 5 years, you will lose that 25 pounds.

When I first started gaining weight in my early 30's, I drank one or more regular soft drinks every day. To stop gaining weight, I stopped drinking sugar-filled soft drinks and started drinking diet drinks. Soft drinks sweetened with sugar generally contain over 130 calories per 12-ounce can. Drinking one per day in excess of what your body is burning, translates into gaining more than a pound per month or 12 pounds per year.

The key to all weight loss that doesn't involve surgery or changing your body chemistry is increasing your daily activity and decreasing your caloric intake. That sounds simple enough.

The question then becomes, "How quickly do you want to lose weight?"

The fewer calories you take in and the more calories you burn each day, the faster you will lose weight.

A typical female who is fairly inactive normally burns about 1,800 calories per day. A male with similar activity burns about 2,200 calories per day.

If you set your calorie intake at 200 calories below the numbers above, and you do extra activities that burn 300 calories per day, you will lose 500 net calories per day, 3,500 per week, and you will lose approximately one pound per week.

The further you decrease your caloric intake and increase your activity, the faster you lose weight. I don't recommend going below a caloric intake of 1,000-1,500 calories per day. That can cause problems.

You can, however, increase your activity level gradually until you have a net calorie loss of up to 1,500-2,000 per day. When you do, you will lose about one-half pound per day. That's around 15 pounds per month. Now that's losing weight.

You can do even better, but you have to learn to turn your body into a furnace that burns far more calories than you eat. When you begin to lose fat and build muscle, you will be surprised at the change in your metabolism and how fast you can burn even more fat.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What are some extreme weight loss methods?
    I have to write a school speech on this subject and i need some extreme weight loss methods. I've heard off soaking cotton wool in orange juice as one method but i need more. Any help would be great.

    • ANSWER:
      The best method I think is to join a gym and do regular exercise.
      That helps a lot.

  2. QUESTION:
    I am looking for extreme weight loss solution - maybe extreme weight loss method or extreme weight loss tips?
    I am 22, female from Ohio. I weigh 210lbs. I cannot control my hunger. I love eating potatoes, meat,
    burgers and pissas. Cheese is another of my weaknesses.

    I get tired very soon. All my friends laugh at me. I am fed up of their taunts. I am therefore looking for extreme weight loss solution - maybe extreme weight loss method or extreme weight loss tips that will help me reduce 40-50 lbs in 2 months or less.

    Please help me.

    • ANSWER:

  3. QUESTION:
    What makes society say, its socially acceptable to use weight loss products, yet its wrong to self injure?
    They're both harmful.

    Why is self injuring considered more unacceptable then using extreme methods to lose weight?

    • ANSWER:
      It is because society is overtly accepting of the end result of that extremely dangerous weight loss; in other words, it is seen as marginally beneficially, in a superficial way. Self injury doesn't have an outward effect other than signaling that there is a problem within oneself, but excessive use of weight loss products, such a diuretics, is merely a social taboo that people look past, mainly due to their own inner insecurities.
      It doesn't really make all too much sense, and that's the problem, challenging societies values is a very illogical thing.

  4. QUESTION:
    Is it a good idea to go running with saran wrap on your body?
    I have read articles about quick weight loss methods and I was wondering if saran wrap is a good idea since it makes you sweat a lot or is it dangerous? Also what about using preparation H.
    Do you have any quick, extreme weight loss ideas?
    I meant using preparation H under the saran wrap. I read that it draws out more water.

    • ANSWER:
      Running with saran wrap is not a good ideal at all. Have no idea what prep. H can do. You can google for body wrap in your local area. You can loose inches within 2-3hours under professional supervision. You have to drink lot of water during the exercises though. What they will do is measure you first, ask for your problem area, then cloth wrap you, then pour mineral liquid on you then ask you to either do stair stepper or treadmill or elliptical exercises. When your cloth dried, they pour some more mineral liquid on you....once done, they measure you again and tell you how many inches you lost totally. Remember those inches lost only due to water, you have to get on a diet and exercises plan to maintain it.

  5. QUESTION:
    What are some methods for gaining weight back quickly?
    For some reason (probably stress) I have lost about 20 lbs in the past 2 months. I've gone from a very healthy 5'4'', 120 lbs to almost 100 lbs. Its taken a major toll on my immune system, I just missed an entire week of work fighting off a sinus infection that should have been over in a day or two.

    I work a desk job and try to eat whenever I have a free moment but I'm just never hungry. I'm the chief breadwinner, cook, maid, bookkeeper and caregiver to my very bright, but very troubled husband who suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder. I'm also managing my own Bipolar Disorder and working a demanding job at the same time. I'm doing all of this and I'm only 21. I think the weight loss started when I had a pregnancy scare back in January.

    Has anyone ever had weight loss due to extreme stress? How did you gain the weight back? Please help!

    • ANSWER:
      I assume you're on medication. You should get counselling along with the medication for best results.
      You just plain have to eat more- even when not hungry.
      If exercise makes you get an appetite, then try that.

  6. QUESTION:
    Emergency weight loss help??? ?
    I have just realised how much weight i have put on and need to lose it FAST!

    can anybody help me? I need to lose about a stone in weight asap.

    I can cope with any extreme methods, i dont mind wether it is healthy or unhealthy!

    I dont have any money to buy special food or gym equipment etc.

    And i cant work out at home (there is no space).

    I AM good at starving myself though.

    HELP!

    x

    • ANSWER:
      If you don't care about your health and want to lose weight, starve yourself. You'll look horrible and your body will eat your muscle tissue instead of fat, then you develop an eating disorder etc etc. When you start eating again, you will definetly put it back on quicker than you lost it, it happens everytime, and you won't be able to starve yourself much longer than a week.

      If you want to be not retarded and lose fat, which is bad, instead of weight, which is good, eat more. Only bad food hurts you, good food helps you. 6 meals every 2-3 hours everyday with no skipping becuase speeds up your metabolism, keeps you satisfied, and burns more calories than 3 meals or less because your body is constantly working to digest food. Drink water, lots of it over soda/beer/fruit juices. Do cardio for 30-60 minutes, find out how many calories you burn daily (BMR + exercise) and eat 500 calories less than that (any less than 1200-1300 and you're starving yourself, when you starve you lose muscle, not fat, not having muscle is much worse and much more unattaractive than having a little extra fat).

      If you lose more than 1-2 pounds a week, eat more because it's unhealthy and you'll put it back on because your body can't ease into the transition.

      It takes work, time, and dedication to look good. If it were as easy as not eating for a week or running to the bathroom and vomiting after meals, everyone would look good. But they don't, and it isn't.

  7. QUESTION:
    is this method of weight loss unsafe?
    hello yahoo , i am14 years old i am 5,8 and 1/2 and i weigh 228 pounds ....m bmi is 34.0 i am overweight ...although my doctor says i am healthy he recommends i lose the weight to avoid problems in the long run ...i have started a strict diet since last week ..the rules are to cut out all junk food and high fat foods ..cut down on yeast and wheat consumption and do 3 hours of excercise everyday ..i have already lost 2 pounds in a week because when i started last week i weighed 230 lbs .....i have even started to exercise in extreme conditions like rain and hail and i do feel alot more mobile then in december when i played xbox for most of my time ,i am considering selling my xbox and buying a bicycle or maybe saving it up .....i just wanted to know if my diet was healthy ...also when my dad saw me jogging for hours in the rain and doing push ups and pull ups he told me "take it easy son" "this aint marine bootcamp" he also told me to take it easy because he reminded me that i was lugging around 100 plus extra pound then my normal weight and he reminded me that people have had heart attacks from this and people who usually do this are on a high protien diet ....is my diet healthy? are there any dangers in my weightloss methods? if so please tell me

    • ANSWER:
      The amount of exercise you're doing every day sounds a bit extreme to me, but if you're losing weight and not hurting excessively or noticing any other problems, I guess you should go for it. Check with your doctor if you're really concerned. Good luck.

  8. QUESTION:
    Weight loss questions?
    I have a few questions about weight loss:

    1) Running. I've heard that running isn't even a very good method for losing weight, which doesn't sound correct to me because people are always running to lose weight. Is it true that a slow jog, fast walk, or sprinting/walking intervals, are better than running for a long time at a medium intensity? Why is there this myth if it's not true? I don't mind running that much if I have good music, but I'd rather do something that's more conducive to weight loss if it isn't.

    2) I'm 20, 5'7, 150 lb.s and want to get down to about 125-130, nothing too extreme. I've heard on average at my size you should only lose about 1 lb. a week which would take me 6 months to lose that much. I know if you lose weight too fast it will just come right back, so it's about lifestyle changes. But is there anything I could do to speed up the results, not too drastically, but maybe to 3-4 months?

    Any other good workout tips/advice are welcome!
    Thanks :)

    • ANSWER:
      Running is exercise for your heart and cardiovascular system. Although it CAN help you burn calories and lose weight, it is not the best. The best related exercise for losing weight is stairclimbing or walking uphill (this walking up stairs)

      Swimming is also very good, but many of us are constrained by limited access to pools or the time involved (changing, wet swim suits and so on).

      "Hands" has the right advice about treating it as a lifestyle change to make it last. I would add watching your eating habits. You are better off eating 5 times a day (in small amounts) than 3 bigger meals. I have a yogurt and banana for breakfast, another piece of fruit or some kind of nutritional bar at 10, I split my lunch between noon & 3 (sandwich at noon and salad at 3) and then have dinner BEFORE 7 pm.

      A short term "fix" that may not have a bad backlash in a few months might be to try vegetarian. Make sure you get plenty of protein through beans, legumes and so forth, but you won't store as much on your body as with meats. Also, cut down on your carbs (try not to eat carbs in the same sitting as proteins). If you go vegetarian, you can start eating meats again later on and it won't be as much a shock to your system when you change up your diet like any of the other fad diets do.

      Good luck.

  9. QUESTION:
    Tried everything- can't lose weight. :?
    Ok, I've tried nearly everything I can think of to lose weight. If you want some background, well, most of my Dad's family are big and some of my Mum's family are. I think that the Men in my Dad's family, the majority of them, have diabetes.
    I joined WeightWatchers for 12 weeks and I lost a total of 1 and a half lbs. (£5 x 12)+extras=£110+ and a waste of my time. I've been overweight most of my life and I really want to do something while I'm young. So, I thought about more extreme methods and I starved for about 2 weeks- eating as little as possible and exercising like mad. I lost...6lbs I think. It was the most I'd ever lost. I know it's bad for you, but it's really addicting, the weight loss. So off and on I've done it and lost but then put it all back again. Even the temporary weightloss was great.
    I'm trying to resist it again. But my weight just fluctuates and I'm really frustrated at the moment. My metabolism is probably messed up
    Please, only serious answers.
    Thanks. (:
    *I wanted some suggestions of what could be wrong.
    My usual day:
    Breakfast: cereal + skimmed milk
    Mid morning: water and occasional a cookie
    Dinner: potato, cheese and salad
    Tea: maybe pasta or on Friday's a pizza or Indian food.
    My Mum has an overactive thyroid I think, the one that makes you put on weight.
    I didn't realise that, thanks, guys. (:

    • ANSWER:
      First off, diets don't work. Weight watchers has some good ideas but they don't teach you averything you need to know. I believe a life transformation is a permanent solution and I have lost over 50lbs. since making my transformation. Quick tips:
      1. NEVER give up
      2. exercise daily even if it's just walking. I recommend bike riding and walking if you are extremely overweight.
      3. eat foods that won't severely spike your blood sugar levels. Eat Apples, more apples, and turkey, etc.
      4. eat foods that will help you maintain a good ph balance like cucumbers, grapes, and most veggies. You should eat more veggies then any other food.

      Good luck and feel free to email me if you have questions, I'm an expert.

  10. QUESTION:
    Does the Acai Berry/Colon Detox method really work for weight loss?
    im in a competition with some of my family members to lose the most weight by christmas. the winner gets 0----and i REALLY want to win it b/c im saving up for a new car. there arent any rules, so we can use pills, or even go to extremes and have surgery for it. lol. but i heard that the acai berry/colon cleanse thing works, but i wanna make sure......so does it?
    and i already am eating less and dieting more....but i just want to know if it actually works

    • ANSWER:
      It does help clean your insides out and you can loose weight from it buts its also a good time to think lets start over and go healthier.

      I'd get it done proffesionally then home remedy kits ;-) . Alot let mess id imagine then.

  11. QUESTION:
    I need a short term diet to help me lose weight fairly quickly?
    i'd like suggestions for a not too extreme or difficult short term diet to help me lose around half a stone (7 pounds) in about three to four weeks.
    i know the correct way to lose weight healthily is to exercise more and reduce calorie intake by eating more healthily, which i am, and will continue to do, however i am losing weight much slower than i would like to considering i have an event i want to lose weight for in the near future.
    so any ideas of effective methods of quick weight loss, plus any tips on losing/keeping off weight in the long term will be much appreciated =]
    thank youuu x

    • ANSWER:
      Well you could do the cabbage soup diet. I do it once or twice a year and it ALWAYS works. I usually will lose 10lbs in a week, and I only weigh 110 to begin with so if you weigh more you may lose more. It is awesome because you can eat as much of the soup as you want, plus everyday allows for different foods to be eaten (for example, one day all fruit, the next day all veggies). Just google it and you will find MANY pages devoted to the diet. Again, it only takes a week, so it is a crash diet, and it is easy to put the weight back on.

  12. QUESTION:
    Can you help me with a 6-week weight loss plan?
    I'm 5 foot 2 and 118 pounds. Over the past year and a half i've gained about 27 pounds from binging. I feel If I lose alot of weight quickly I can reteach myself how to eat properly and focus more on life than on food. I know must people shun deprivation when it comes to extreme dieting, but I think it will be helpful for me to refocus on the important things in life.

    I would like to be 100 pounds by september 1st. My question is this: what method will work? I prefer dieting to extreme excercise, but I don't mind moderate excercise.

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      DO YOU REALIZE SMALL CHILDREN WEIGH MORE THAN WHAT YOU WEIGH NOW OR WANT TO WEIGH BY SEPT 1? You have an eating disorder... get real before you kill yourself.

  13. QUESTION:
    Does the time of day you eat really affect weight loss/gain?
    Hey guys,

    I'm trying to lose a bit of weight - I'm within the healthy range but at the higher end and would prefer to get down to the lower end. The problem is, although I know I am eating healthily and exercising, (I grill rather then fry, have skimmed milk, reduced fat cheese and meat etc and weigh everything - I once did weightwatchers and know all the tricks!) I never seem to lose any weight - typically if I lose a pound one week, I'll put it back on the next, and vice versa. If I was trying to maintain my weight I swear I'd be a gold medallist! The only time I lose more weight is if I skip meals because I'm too busy to eat or not well, which obviously isn't a real method cos it's probably water and muscle, and the weight goes back on quickly.

    My dear Wii Fit has offered the explanation that it's the time of day I'm eating which is the problem and that eating later in the day means the food is more likely to be stored as fat. It's true I always have my main meal in the evening (between 7-8pm) due to my lifestyle and the fact that I'm simply not usually very hungry at lunchtime - I usually just have a sandwich or a cup-a-soup and toast. But there seems to be a great debate about whether the 'time of day' thing is genuine or not. I would have thought that it's the calories eaten and burned within each 24 hour period that matters. After all, it seems to make sense that if your calorie intake is, say, 1200, and you burn 200 through exercise, the total intake and outgoing is going to be the same no matter when you eat.

    I'd be interested to hear what people think about this, specially if switching times around has worked for you. I would prefer to stick with having my main meal in the evening, since it doesn't seem to make sense to eat a larger meal at lunchtime if I'm not hungry enough to enjoy it - but if it's made a dramatic difference to anyone I might be willing to have a go!

    Additional info... I'm 26 years old, 5'6 tall, and my weight fluctuates between 10st 2lb and 10st 5lb. The lightest I've ever been was 9st 6lb but that was in a period of extreme stress when I didn't eat properly for about a month, so I don't want to go there by that method again! My ideal goal would be 9st exactly, but I've never gotten closer than 9st 6lb yet - I don't think I've been that light since I was 8 years old!

    Any advice much appreciated!
    Additional: anyone suggesting Acai berries or whatever the latest supplement is will be growled at!

    • ANSWER:
      Firstly don't waste your money on pills, if they worked, many obese people would buy them and the whole world would be "looking" thin but still unhealthy. Anyway, no it doesn't matter what time of the day you eat your food, as long as you are eating the right amount of calories your body needs to maintain/lose weight. E.g. eating lat e at night won't make you fat as long as it's within your daily amount of calories. You probably stopped losing because you've reached a plateau or whatever its called and means you need to switch your current diet, like meal portion and calorie intake (Zig-Zag diet or Calorie Cycling)
      Hope i helped :)

  14. QUESTION:
    17 Year old losing weight? Is this a good method?
    Whats up guys, I turned 17 yesterday and I plan on losing some weight over the summer.
    I am currently about 6' 2" and I weigh about 230 lbs.

    I have done some research about this whole thing and I have come to a conclusion for this weight loss.

    I plan on not eating much at all really. Maybe a 1000 calories a day. Rather than eating large wholesome meals I am going to eat, maybe a banana for breakfast, maybe some watermelon or grapes for lunch, and some granola bars or some type of food like that throughout the day. I plan on only drinking water, nothing but water.

    I am also planning on burning around 200-250 calories a day by running on a treadmill, doing some crunches, and walking to destinations throughout my day, such as my friends house or a store.

    I want to maybe hit under 200 pounds in the future. With this method, how much weight would I lose before going back to school in September?

    ALSO: I am not gonna just stop when school starts, I will still exercise and eat somewhat healthy, It just won't be as extreme as I am doing it right now.

    • ANSWER:

  15. QUESTION:
    Is this a good essay? please help 10 points to best answer!?
    Super Size Me Essay
    By: Alyssa Marandola

    Ah, fast food. It’s convenient, it tastes good, and that’s all we need to know. That’s what most people think, but the reality is that fast food companies don’t want us to know. One man, Morgan Spurlock, delves into the world of fast food to get all the facts, in the award-winning documentary, Super Size Me, which explores the horror of school lunch programs, declining health and physical education classes, and the extreme measures people take lose weight.
    The school lunch programs these days are ridiculous. In the documentary Super Size Me, school food and prison food are compared! It is actually an accurate comparison, since they do have a lot of similarities. For example, both school food and prison food are rarely cooked. Usually they are just preheated. In fact, one school featured in the documentary only cooked 6 out of the 36 meals they served, and that is not a lot. Another big contributor to junk food in schools are vending machines. With almost 4 million vending machines worldwide, many are located in schools.
    Another concept discussed in the documentary is the lack of physical education and health classes in schools. Many school’s health classes don’t discuss healthy eating habits and exercise, and there is not nearly enough physical education classes in schools. Several schools reported teaching only 45 minutes of physical education a week, and some even less. That’s 15 minutes more exercise than kids should get every day! With the lack of physical activity and the unwholesome lunch programs in school, the students are becoming more and more unhealthy.
    Weight loss was another topic that came up in Super Size Me – people often go to extreme measures to lose weight. Gastric bypass surgery was just one of the methods discussed in the documentary, and Morgan decided to interview a patient, Bruce Howlett. Gastric bypass surgery is often turned to as a last resort, and there have been deaths caused by it! It doesn’t get more extreme than that. Morgan also interviewed Jared Fogle, who invented the Subway diet. He ate there for lunch and dinner every day, and learned not to eat so much fattening food the process. He lost a lot of weight using this method, which is also quite extreme considering the money amounts involved.
    So, although fast food is convenient and we love the taste, we have to learn how bad it is for us and cut down on it. We also have to exercise regularly, because, as we all know, our bodies won’t maintain themselves.

    -
    corrections, and I need help to make it flow and help with the intro and conclusion thanks so much :)

    • ANSWER:

  16. QUESTION:
    How do I stop eating?
    I have a tendency to overeat. I eat little bits of food throughout the day, but when I get home from school it gets worse. I eat whatever I want, without considering how it makes me feel. I've always been on the slimmer side, ranging from 110-120 (I'm 5'5" and 16). Lately I've noticed I'm 120-125, same age and height. Now, I'm not saying that I think I'm fat. I just don't want to keep gaining. I was happy with my size. Besides, even if I would be more healthy at this weight, this way of eating is definitely not healthy. I just notice that when I'm eating crackers, for example, I'll say "just one more" until I've had far too many. If I try to portion myself, taking them out of the box and on a plate, I end up going back for more, or going for a completely new food. I'm not asking for a diet or extreme measures of weight loss. I'm asking for a method to stop eating before I feel sick.

    Other notes that might be relevant:
    -I chew nearly half a pack a day of sugarfree gum during school hours and on weekends, but not much on weeknights.
    -I have some self image issues, but I am not in any way asking for a way to get back to my previous 105.
    -I am vegan.
    -I drink 6+ bottles of water a day.
    -I rarely work out, and don't have time to begin.

    • ANSWER:
      1. Make sure you chew gum that does NOT have the ingredient "aspartame." Aspartame causes many body issues like weight gain, blood sugar problems, and brain damage. It may even be making you hungry. Aspartame was originally, years ago, tested for medicinal usage. It was tested that it would be bad, but a scientist accidentally tasted it and said it was sweet. This is why we have aspartame; some countries even banned it.
      Note: It is commonly found in diet sodas, but your water consumption amounts tell me you don't drink soda.

      2. Make sure your grains are 100% whole wheat. Trust me, if you don't already eat wheat bread, it will taste realllly good after a week or so eating it.
      White rice should be brown rice. White rice is refined and lacks nutritional content.
      Tip: To transition to whole wheat, you can start with White-wheat bread. It's like half White half wheat. After a week or so of eating it, start eating 100% whole wheat.

      3. Make sure you're getting at least a few servings of fruits + veggies everyday.

      4. You don't need that much water. It may actually be causing you to seem heavier because of the water that stays in your system after consumption. It's not making you fatter, though. But seriously, 6 bottles is too much. Three bottles is good enough.

  17. QUESTION:
    Are you familiar with different experimental designs?
    I am conducting a study for a new drug that I think supresses appetite. I have gotten a small grant, due to my research, and plan to design an experiment that tests the effectiveness of my drug on morbidly obese people.

    Do you have any ideas on what experimental method I should use and can you justify why you think I should use it?

    What do you think my target population should be? I was thinking maybe those who were on waiting list for weight loss extremes, like surgery?

    Do you think that there will be any ethical issues involved in the design you think I should use?

    What do you think is going to happen?

    Are there any threats in internal validity or external validity?

    Limitations at all?

    recommendations for my future research?

    • ANSWER:
      If you're looking for morbidly obese people, the ones waiting for surgery would probably be a good option.

      You could try a between-subjects design, with the participants randomly allocated to one of 4 conditions; drug-no exercise, drug-and exercise, placebo-exercise, and placebo-no exercise.

      Ethical issues - Not providing a potentially effective weight loss drug to those in the control conditions, and discouraging exercise in the no drug-no exercise condition. To remedy this, you could offer the controls the option of trialling the drug and going on an exercise program when the experiment has concluded.

      I couldn't tell you what is going to happen without more information about the specific drug and background research.

      External validity could be a problem considering that most people who try to lose weight or who do on a drug program will not be quite as closely monitored as your participants will be. It has been shown that the closer the monitoring, and the closer the proximity of the monitoring person (e.g. reporting weight loss over the phone vs. being weighed in person), the more successful weight loss will be.

      I could only talk about limitations once presented with more definite details about the nature of the study.

      It's a bit premature for recommendations for future research. You will have to come up with your own recommendations upon the conclusion of your study.

  18. QUESTION:
    Am I developing an eating disorder?
    Hi, I'm 14 years old, 5'10, 140 pounds, and female. I'm not sure if I'm over-reacting or I should have cause for serious concern. You don't have to read all of this, although you can if you want.

    I started what began as a diet around November/December of 2010. I wanted to lose weight so I could model. I had read online that I weighed WAY too much to model for a prestigious agency. At first I began counting calories, restricting myself to a daily limit of 1200 calories. I mostly munched on fruits and vegetables to meet this requirement. At the time I was exercising a few times a week, but no excessive, extreme exercise.

    Over the course of a few months I began a yo-yo dieting cycle. I would be off my strict diet for a week, binging like crazy, and then start the diet again, feeling guilt over ditching my important goal.

    During these months, most of my friends noticed my sudden obsession with weight loss, foods, and modeling. They would look at me weird when I ate small meals, such as a handful of carrots for lunch. Anytime I mentioned being so fat, someone would say immediately, "You think you're fat? You're SO skinny!" The thing is, I know I'm thin. When I look in the mirror, I know that I'm thinner that some girls, but fatter than others. All I see though are my slightly-touching thighs and the way the fat from my lovehandles protrude from my hip bones when I stand on my hip. So I knew I was skinny, but not skinny enough for my liking. Or the modeling industry.

    When my previous method of weight loss proved unsuccessful (I would drop 5-10 pounds then regain it almost a week later), I changed to a more drastic lifestyle that HAD to be successful. So, a few weeks ago I became vegan. I stick to this diet and do not cheat under any circumstances. My friends make fun of me for being vegan to lose weight instead of for the animals. I've dropped five pounds already, and I expect to drop more in the coming weeks.

    I've never actually thrown up to lose weight, but I've attempted it a few times. Since those few times, I have decided to never attempt that again. I read online that barfing isn't even an effective weight loss strategy. Of course I drink lots of water all day long to help weight loss. I've even considered using diet pills, though they're too expensive anyway. I used to chew lots of gum and apply lipstick to prevent myself from eating, but now I eat whenever I want. I'm allowed to have a limited portion of healthy carbs for three of my major meals. However, any snack I choose to have in between those meals must be a fruit or vegetable.

    So please help. I know I'm not anorexic or bulimiac. I'm just scared that in a few years an ED will develop. The problem is though, I need to be thin for a future modeling career and for my own self-esteem. I'm very uncomfortable with how much I weigh. I'd prefer to be a maximum of 125 pounds. Do I need help? Has this "diet" gotten out of hand? I honestly find my habits normal, but I guess others would disagree.

    • ANSWER:
      I am the exact same weight and height as you are, but I just turned 30. People never believe I'm older than 25. I started modeling around town in Sunday ads and stuff when I was 13, and then when I turned 19 I got signed with a pretty prestigious agency in San Francisco. (not the big leagues, but still competitive, and good money) Let me tell you, the modeling business is full of SHARKS and mean people. I worked out obsessively and dieted for years. At my thinnest I weighed 113 and thought I looked fabulous, but now I look back at those photos and see a sick skeleton. My hair started getting really thin and my eyes were sunken in. I wanted to be a model because I thought it would be fun, but it sucked, hard. Unless you are okay with being talked down to on a regular basis, I would recommend choosing something else you are interested in and going to college.
      I know I could have gone further, and it was fun at times, but I had to escape the negativity.
      To this day I still obsess about food and weight, but not as much. 140 is the perfect weight for your height, and healthy is beautiful. Be beautiful from the inside out and determine your own self worth! You are okay! Maybe if you like fashion you could do something fun like photography or makeup or be a stylist? Have fun with your life:)

  19. QUESTION:
    Is this a rash or stretch marks?
    Alright, I'm 14 years old, and I have these red-purple marks on the back of my thighs. Well actually, when I first noticed them (about 2 summers ago), they were just on the back of my thighs, but now they seem to have spread to the back of my calves.

    I'm not sure people my age get stretch marks, because I heard somewhere that it may be caused by extreme weigh-loss or weight gain. Then again, I heard that it could also be caused by a lot of stress, and I have to admit that I live a very stressful life. If it is stretch marks, is there any way that I can make them go away quickly, because summer is here, and I don't want them to show when I wear my bikini O.O

    But in case it may be a rash, is there any product or method that works quickly?

    Thank you so much :]

    • ANSWER:
      I would go see the school nurse if you have one. Stretch marks usually don't have color to them other than light pink.

  20. QUESTION:
    How much do you really know about Graves Disease (hyperthyroidism)?
    Out of the list of symptoms listed below, which ones are associated with hyperthyroidism? Which ones are not?

    01. Rapid weight gain
    02. Severe muscle atrophy - to the point of being crippling
    03. Muscle pain
    04. Rapid heart rate
    05. High blood pressure
    06. Goiter
    07. Hair loss
    08. Brittle fingernails & toenails
    09. Extreme intolerance to cold
    10. Severe mood swings

    Can you think of any symptoms that are not listed here?

    Also, are there any methods for the treatment of this disease that does not involve popping any pills?

    • ANSWER:
      Graves' disease can manifest with any or all of the following:

      Shortness of breath

      Weakness

      Fatigue

      Pretibial myxedema (lumpy, reddish-colored thickening of the skin, usually on the shins)

      Double vision

      Muscle wasting

      Increased eye tearing

      Infrequent or absent menstrual periods

      Abnormal breast enlargement (men)

      Increased hair loss

      Diminished sex drive

      Brittle nails

      Treatment of Graves' Disease
      The choice of treatment depends upon the age and overall condition of the patient, the size of thyroid gland, and patient preference.

      Currently, there are at least three methods of treatment: drugs that inhibit production of thyroid hormone or provide symptomatic relief, the use of radioactive iodine to destroy part of the thyroid gland and thereby reduce hormone production, or surgical removal of part of the gland.

      Drug therapy. Your doctor will prescribe either methimazole (Tapazole) or propylthiouracil (PTU) pills. These drugs act to prevent the thyroid from manufacturing the thyroid hormone.

      The side effects of this medication may be drowsiness and minor lethargy; in rare cases, they can cause agranulocytosis, a blood disease. Most of the time, however, this form of therapy is safe and restores normal hormone balance within a couple of months.

      Another medication, propranolol, is a beta-blocker that helps relieve the symptoms of Graves' disease including rapid heart rate, tremor, sweating and anxiety. Iodinated contrast agents can also provide effective treatment for hyperthyroidism of any cause.

      Radioactive iodine therapy. This is an alternative if drug treatment fails. You are given a capsule or a drink of water containing radioactive iodine. After being swallowed, the "radioiodine" is rapidly absorbed by the overactive thyroid cells and are destroyed by the radiation, so less thyroid hormone is produced.

      The radioactivity disappears from the body within days. You should not undergo radioactive iodine therapy if you are pregnant as the radiation can adversely affect a developing fetus.

      Surgery. Thyroidectomy is surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. If only a single lump or nodule within the thyroid is producing too much hormone, the surgeon can take out just that small part of the gland. If the entire gland is overactive, which is more often the case, a total thyroidectomy is needed.

      Surgery is the preferred treatment for people with a large goiter who chronically relapse after drug therapy, if there is a risk of cancer, and for people who refuse or are not candidates for radioactive iodine therapy, such as pregnant women. Depending on how much of the gland is left after surgery, you may need subsequent thyroid replacement therapy.

  21. QUESTION:
    Dynamat Extreme Sound deadener vs. B-Quiet Sound Deadener?
    Could someone please take a look at these specs and let me know which one is better. The Dynamat Extreme is a very well known brand and is a bit more expensive. The B-Quiet is a newer brand and is a little cheaper. I need to know if i will really be able to tell a difference between the 2 products. Here are the specs for each:

    DYNAMAT EXTREME:
    Thickness:
    0.067" (1.7mm)

    Mass:
    0.45lb./ft2 (2.20kg/m2)

    Acoustic Loss Factor @ Temperature (Using ASTM method E756@ 200 Hz):
    0.081 @ +14F (-10C)
    0.240 @ +32F (+0C)
    0.257 @ +50F (+10C)
    0.417 @ +68F (+20C)
    0.259 @ +86F (+30C)
    0.194 @ +104F (+40C)
    0.140 @ +122F (+50C)
    0.094 @ +140F (+60C)

    Temperature Range (Optimal performance):
    14°F to+140°F (-10°C to +60°C)

    Temperature Range (Resistance):
    -65°F to +300°F (-54°C to +149°C )

    B-QUIET:
    Acoustic Loss Factor ASTM E756 @ 200 Hz:
    0.16 @ +0C (+32F)
    0.19 @ +10C (+50F)
    0.29 @ +20C (+68F)
    0.20 @ +30C (+86F)
    0.14 @ +40C (+104F)

    Temperature Range:
    -55C to +110C (-67F to +230F)

    Thickness:
    1.15mm (45mil) thick

    Weight:
    0.3 lb / sq. ft.

    • ANSWER:
      last one

  22. QUESTION:
    Experts in fitness!! Choose the best workout videos frm the list that work FAST please?!?
    Here's a list of wrkout videos that according to some reviews, are the best for weight loss and getting flat abs fast! Can u please choose the top 4-5 videos that u know for a fact wrk! Will eat healthy 2.

    Thanks!

    If u know other videos that wrk FAST please let me know!

    Jillian Michaels- 30 day shred
    10 Mnute solution- Blast off belly fat
    Jari Love- Get ripped 1000
    Jari Love- Get ripped to the core
    Jari Love- Get ripped slim&lean
    The Firm- 5 day abs
    The Firm- Jiggle free abs
    Tamilee- I want that body
    Denise Austin- Hit the spot rock hard abs (Gold Srs)
    Denise Austin- Hit the spot , core complete
    Cindy Crawford- Shape your body
    Cindy Crawford- Next Challenge
    Tracy Mallett- 6 Minute quick blast method, total body fat burn
    Swat- Extreme weightloss & fat burning
    Swat- Ultimate body definition
    Shape- Shape your abs
    Shape- Bikini body camp transformation wrkout
    Slim in 6
    Self- Firm flat abs fast
    Perfect core
    Perfect abs
    Winsor Pilates- Ab sculpt, your body slim

    • ANSWER:
      You don't have Billy Blank's Tae Bo on this list. Those workouts are awesome! They will whip you into shape, and they are fun to do! My favorites are the Boot Camp Elite with the billy bands, and the Tae Bo Amped with the amplifier bar. There are many, many to choose from though.

  23. QUESTION:
    How much do you know about diet and fitness??a quiz??
    whoever gets them all right first or whoever gets closest.
    Q1. Can you spot weight loss eg do sit ups and you lose tummy fat?
    Q2. Is not eating anything or little to nothing and drinking water the best way to lose weight?? why or why not?
    Q3. Is there a way to get a six pack without actually doing any exercise?? if so what is this method?
    Q4. Which of these is a healthy weight for a adult man.(skip if you are if you use imperial system)
    a. 160cm, 59kg
    b. 155cm, 79kg
    c. 180cm, 59kg
    d, 160cm, 79kg
    Q5
    What is bulimia?? is it good to have?
    Q6. Can you lose 5kg (10 lbs) in 4 days in normal conditions not doing anything extreme. If yes how??
    Q7 Can you get a six pack in two weeks??
    Q8. What is a BMI index and how does it work?
    Q9. In general how do you increase muscle endurance?
    Q10. In general how do you increase muscle strength?
    out of the 5 answers so far 3 are spam lol

    • ANSWER:
      1. No you cannot.
      2. Its is not the best way to loose weight, your metabolism slows down a lot and you loose 75% muscle.
      3. No.
      4.a.
      5. Bulimia is an eating disorder, where one binge eats and then may purge or take laxatives. It is not good to have, there are many dangers.
      6. No you cannot.
      7. It depends on your figure to begin with.
      8. BMI is body mass index, you work it out by dividing your weight in KG by your height in the form 1.60 squared.
      9. -
      10. Weight lifting.

  24. QUESTION:
    Please check the bellow English.?
    Young People should receive adequate nutrition in a form of well-balanced diet especially during their childhood and adolescence. Some diets can deprive the body of necessary nutrients, such as lipids. Also the harmful effects of starvation or extreme dieting during adolescence exceed the expected benefits, sometimes even leading to increased weight gains.

    The brain is unable to learn how to correlate taste with nutritional value. This reason is such children may consistently overeat later in their life despite adequate nutritional intake. A weight loss diet for overweight kids or a teenage diet should contain the full range of vital nutrition that adults require, and specifically not restricting intake of essential fats to ensure proper growth and development.

    Get your perfect body with the correct Diet method.

    You can find this information on the following website.
    http://www.beaudy.net/Blog.cfm?ID=103

    • ANSWER:
      Don't include "lipids" unless you plan to explain what lipids are and why they are important.
      Starvation is a form of extreme dieting.
      Exceeding the expected benefits would result in a state of being underweight.
      In the second paragraph the first two sentences sound interesting but don't make sense. I think it is missing information to make the idea complete.
      A full range of vital nutrients is important for all ages.
      Should the last sentence end with an exclamation point or is the words "Diet Method" keywords that should have a link to more information?

      I revised below...

      Everyone needs adequate nutrition. This is especially important during childhood and adolescence. Diets lacking balance can dangerously deprive the body of necessary nutrients. Extreme dieting during any age can result in the opposite of weight loss and instead cause an increase in weight gain.

      A weight loss diet for overweight kids and teenagers should contain the full range of vital nutrients and specifically not restrict the intake of essential fats to ensure proper growth and development.

      Get your perfect body with the correct diet method.

  25. QUESTION:
    Could these be symptoms of depression? or anything else? Thanks for any help!!?
    1. drastic change in sleep schedule (started during school, instead of going to sleep at 10:30/11:00, I went to bed no earlier than 1:30, and woke up at 5:45/6:00......every night)
    2. strange eating habits. - would eat a lot one week, then have no appetite the next week, eating much less
    3. weight loss/weight gain. I'm 5'4"ish...about a year ago, before all this stuff, I weighed about 110/112 or so. Since then, without sports/exercise/dieting, I've hit 102/103. My weight fluctuates a lot. In one week I can lose 2 or 3 pounds. It just goes back and forth now.
    4. I often have trouble breathing...well...I feel like I can't get a "full breath"
    5. Sometimes I have trouble remembering things...like what I did just two days ago.
    6. I have no interest in things that used to interest me (which makes me feel sad) ...things just like doing things outside/swimming, etc...
    7. Sometimes I'll be sarcastic/have an attitude with my family, and then I feel really badly :(
    8. I have uncontrollable/disturbing thoughts. I'll think about a family member getting harmed or something, and then I just can't stop.
    9. Lately I've been feeling super irritable. The weirdest things just set me off. I keep it to myself because I know it's irrational, but certain things drive me crazy.
    10. Self-pity
    11. Extreme sensitivity. example..During random movie previews, i'll start tearing up and feel really sad.
    12. Urges to cry. This rarely happens, but there have been times where I just break down. There's usually a reason, but it still comes on pretty strong.
    13. Constant stress. I'm always stressed about something...even if I don't know what that something is. I don't think I've had a stress free day in ages.
    14. Extreme paranoia. I always feel like someone is watching me. I have to have all doors locked, my blinds are closed at night. When I walk into a restaurant, well...any public place...I feel like all eyes are on me and I feel really paranoid.
    15. I don't like going to sleep anymore :/ ...I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. I've tried tv, no tv, calming music, guided meditation...The other night it took me 4 hours to fall asleep. I was trying the guided meditation method, and during it, I started breathing really heavily/rapidly, then started freaking out...it felt like some kind of attack. It felt like suffocation? that's how I'd describe it. I asked my mom, and she and several of her family members used to suffer from panic/anxiety attacks...
    16. During school, my work ethic decreased immensely. I stopped studying, I started homework at 9, or the day it was due, just major procrastination. I just didn't care at all. My grades were still B's/A's in AP/honors classes, but I definitely could have done better.
    17. I have a low self-confidence. There are only a few things that I do in life that I feel confident about.
    18. "Hopelessness" ... I feel like I won't get into the college I want to get into...I have no idea what career path I want to choose. I just feel like I'll go nowhere =/
    19. While I AM happy, I still feel like there is something missing. I constantly have this little feeling deep down that I'm not truly happy. I'll have good days, I love my family, friends, boyfriend more than anything, but still...I feel this constant sense of loneliness. To sum it up, I just haven't felt the same happiness in months that I used to feel.

    Any ideas as to what all of these symptoms point to, if anything?
    Thanks so much!!

    *also, I have a serious lack of energy. randomly. I can sleep in, getting a full 9 hours of sleep or so, but within hours I'm exhausted, falling asleep, getting unexplained headaches..

    • ANSWER:
      hey there. Andy here.

      First off all, you've really become very aware of all this, and listed your feelings and worries in great detail. Good start, although don't focus too much one them. I think if you are that worried, it does absolutely no harm talking to someone about it.

      Yes, it could be that some of what you're describing is "normal"..as in...its not related to some disorder or illness. But you have clearly noticed something, patterns, etc...

      The sadness you're feeling, and lack of interest in things, and sleeping issues...they can all be symptoms of depression, yes. Here is a page that explains about "major depression". (Don't get distracted by the ads...): http://depression.about.com/cs/diagnosis/a/mdd.htm And it's important to go see someone to talk about it. And just so you know...doctors have many many people come to them for these type of complaints.

      When I worked as a psychologist, some doctors told me they got 25-35% of people see them for symptoms of depression or anxiety..you're not alone.

      One thing I noticed: you're mum says that there are others in the family who have panic attacks and anxiety? So maybe there is a little bit of a connection. Doesn't mean you're "doomed" or anything, but it's interesting to note...the symptoms you described, the rapid breathing and "freaking out"...that does sound like some form of panic.
      I write about those things a lot ( http://www.overcomingpanicattackshelp.com/blog ) and there is plenty of help for those symptoms.

      Medication, like the previous respondent said, is not the solution long-term, although it can be helpful if you have to get yourself through a specific situation. If its depression, than a form of cognitive therapy, where you work on how you look at the world and yourself, is at least as good, and without side-effects of medication.

      Go talk to someone about this, look online for more help too, there are plenty of sources...but also...ask yourself: are there things you have done in the past that have picked you up, made you feel better? Make a list of those things, little things even (stroking a pet, reading a speficic book, go to the mirror and smile to yourself...tell yourself that you're a totally ok person (which you are!) etc.)
      And by writing helpful things down, you won't forget them, and you have a list of things you can do when you feel this sadness or anxiety come on.

      Or also: ask yourself; "What would make my life absolutely wonderful, now or in the future" and..."what small steps can I take today to get me closer to that goal?"...

      Good luck!

  26. QUESTION:
    Are these possible symptoms of mild depression, maybe a bi-polar disorder?...or am I looking too far into it..?
    1. drastic change in sleep schedule (started during school, instead of going to sleep at 10:30/11:00, I went to bed no earlier than 1:30, and woke up at 5:45/6:00......every night)
    2. strange eating habits. - would eat a lot one week, then have no appetite the next week, eating much less
    3. weight loss/weight gain. I'm 5'4"ish...about a year ago, before all this stuff, I weighed about 110/112 or so. Since then, without sports/exercise/dieting, I've hit 102/103. My weight fluctuates a lot. In one week I can lose 2 or 3 pounds. It just goes back and forth now.
    4. I often have trouble breathing...well...I feel like I can't get a "full breath"
    5. Sometimes I have trouble remembering things...like what I did just two days ago.
    6. I have no interest in things that used to interest me (which makes me feel sad) ...things just like doing things outside/swimming, etc...
    7. Sometimes I'll be sarcastic/have an attitude with my family, and then I feel really badly :(
    8. I have uncontrollable/disturbing thoughts. I'll think about a family member getting harmed or something, and then I just can't stop.
    9. Lately I've been feeling super irritable. The weirdest things just set me off. I keep it to myself because I know it's irrational, but certain things drive me crazy.
    10. Self-pity
    11. Extreme sensitivity. example..During random movie previews, i'll start tearing up and feel really sad.
    12. Urges to cry. This rarely happens, but there have been times where I just break down. There's usually a reason, but it still comes on pretty strong.
    13. Constant stress. I'm always stressed about something...even if I don't know what that something is. I don't think I've had a stress free day in ages.
    14. Extreme paranoia. I always feel like someone is watching me. I have to have all doors locked, my blinds are closed at night. When I walk into a restaurant, well...any public place...I feel like all eyes are on me and I feel really paranoid.
    15. I don't like going to sleep anymore :/ ...I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. I've tried tv, no tv, calming music, guided meditation...The other night it took me 4 hours to fall asleep. I was trying the guided meditation method, and during it, I started breathing really heavily/rapidly, then started freaking out...it felt like some kind of attack. It felt like suffocation? that's how I'd describe it. I asked my mom, and she and several of her family members used to suffer from panic/anxiety attacks...
    16. During school, my work ethic decreased immensely. I stopped studying, I started homework at 9, or the day it was due, just major procrastination. I just didn't care at all. My grades were still B's/A's in AP/honors classes, but I definitely could have done better.
    17. I have a low self-confidence. There are only a few things that I do in life that I feel confident about.
    18. "Hopelessness" ... I feel like I won't get into the college I want to get into...I have no idea what career path I want to choose. I just feel like I'll go nowhere =/
    19. While I AM happy, I still feel like there is something missing. I constantly have this little feeling deep down that I'm not truly happy. I'll have good days, I love my family, friends, boyfriend more than anything, but still...I feel this constant sense of loneliness. To sum it up, I just haven't felt the same happiness in months that I used to feel.

    Any ideas as to what all of these symptoms point to, if anything?
    Thanks so much!!
    *also, I have a serious lack of energy. randomly. I can sleep in, getting a full 9 hours of sleep or so, but within hours I'm exhausted, falling asleep, getting unexplained headaches..

    • ANSWER:
      You do have many signs of depression, and I wouldn't call it mild, but if I were you, before you go to a head doc, if its been awhile, I would go and get a complete physical or at least go to a GP and get some blood work done, to check your blood counts and sugars. For some reason this feels like it could be a physical problem causing your mental changes. It could even be visa versa but if you start to treat the mental before checking the physical, you will be going at this in the wrong way so make sure your healthy first then go and talk to someone who can help you with your depressed moods. You do need to get to a doctor. The faster you get started the faster you will start to get some answers and relief.

  27. QUESTION:
    Why am I feeling this way? Am I pregnant?
    Period is 8 days late. Had minor spotting of light brown discharge. Runny nose. Nausea throughout the day. Abdominal cramping all day that is normal sometimes, then gets more intense. Extreme fatigue. Peeing more. Overly emotional (get pissed for no reason.) No stress in my life. No weight gain or loss. I've actually been really calm, and happy lately. Dizzy spells. Headaches.

    I took a pregnancy test 7 days after missed period, which turned up negative.

    I'm not on birth control, and my fiance and I use no birth control methods.

    We aren't trying to get pregnant, but we aren't trying to not get pregnant.

    • ANSWER:
      i had the same problem. my home pregnancy test didnt come out possitive till 2 weeks after my missed period. if you think your pregnant go get a blood test done by your doctor. there is no fooling that. and only takes a day to get the results back

  28. QUESTION:
    Ideal time frame for bulking and cutting?
    My original plan was to gain weight constantly for about 5-7 months.

    I'm one month into the plan and I'm noticing a fat percentage spike, which is not only natural, but expected.

    My concern is the following months that will take shed it away. I'm concerned about the time frame, and the practicality of the method. Normally is this done in smaller time frames, 2 month bulk, 2 month cut?

    Are my numbers too extreme? I want to build optimum muscle mass, and have optimal fat loss by next summer. Any advice?

    • ANSWER:
      Sounds good!!! I bulked up to 205lbs. last June.. Now I've been cutting the fat for about 4and 1/2 weeks I'm down to 188lbs. with the same muscle mass. It took me about 10 months to gain 25lbs. naturally..

      I started the 6 meals a day diet mostly protein it's just awesome.. 2 meals are shakes made only of milk, peanut butter, and egg whites.

      age: 26
      height: 6ft.
      weight: 188lbs.
      chest: 45in.
      stomach at navel: 33in.
      biceps: 16.5in. cold....

      "Common Sense is not Common"

  29. QUESTION:
    what do you think of this extremity?
    Bile bear
    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    A bile bear or battery bear is the term used for Asiatic black bears kept in captivity in Vietnam and China so that bile may be extracted from them for sale as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). [1] The bears are also known as moon bears because of the cream-colored crescent moon shape on their chest.[1] The Asiatic black bear, the one most commonly used on bear farms, is listed as vulnerable on the World Conservation Union's (IUCN's) Red List of Threatened Animals.
    Contents
    [hide]
    •1 Extraction methods
    •2 Living conditions
    •3 Numbers
    •4 Bile trade
    •5 Pharmacology
    •6 Notes
    •7 References
    •8 See also
    •9 Further reading

    Extraction methods
    Latex catheter
    In a crude surgical procedure, a latex catheter is implanted into the bear’s abdominal wall and gall bladder, where the bile is stored. This method allows 10 and 20 ml of bile to be tapped from each bear twice daily, but is liable to clogging.
    Metal jacket
    A rubber catheter drains the bile into a fluid bag attached to the bear via a metal jacket. At up to 10kg in weight, this crude device is locked in place for years at a time, leading to infection, hairloss and painful irritation for the bear.
    Metal catheter
    Similar to the latex catheter method, the bears are forced to lie flat on the bottom of cage for more effective ‘milking’. Often a metal ‘crush’ forces the bears to remain in the flat position permanently, in some cases for years at a time.
    Free Drip
    A supposedly more humane method, instead of a catheter, a permanent hole or fistula is punched in the bear’s abdomen and gall bladder, from which bile can freely drip out. This open wound is, unsurprisingly, highly liable to infection.

    Living conditions
    To facilitate the bile milking process, the bears are commonly kept in cramped extraction cages, also known as crush cages. While this allows for easier access to the abdomen, it also prevents the bears from being able to stand upright, and in some extreme cases, move at all. Living up to twenty-five years in this extreme confinement, results in severe cases of mental stress as well as severe muscle atrophy.[2] The World Society for the Protection of Animals reports that investigators saw bears moaning, banging their heads against their cages, and chewing their own paws. The mortality rate is high. Bears in bile farms suffer from a variety of physical problems which include loss of hair, malnutrition, stunted growth, muscle mass loss and often have teeth and claws extracted.[3] When the bears stop producing bile after a few years, they are usually killed for their meat, fur, paws and gall bladders. Bear paws are considered a delicacy.

    Population figures for the Moon bears in China are causing concern, with estimates ranging from 50,000 to as low as 16,000. Some estimates put the total Asia-wide population as low as 25,000.
    There are estimated to be 4,000 bile bears in Vietnam, where their bile can sell for 100,000 dong (~ US.25) a millilitre (with 37,500 dong a week regarded as the poverty line for an urban resident), and around 9,000 bile bears in China. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) conducted a study in 1999 and 2000, and estimates that there are 247 bile-bear farms in China, holding 7,002 bears, [1] though the Chinese government has called the figures "pure speculation." [2]
    In July 2000, Animals Asia Foundation, a Hong-Kong based charity, signed an agreement with the Chinese government to remove 500 endangered Moon Bears from the worst bile farms in Sichuan province, and work towards ending the practice. Today, the China Bear Rescue has placed 219 previously farmed Moon Bears at a Sanctuary in Chengdu, and is helping to advance the concept of animal welfare in China.[3]
    The Chinese consider bear farms a way to reduce the demand on the wild bear population. Officially 7,600 captive bears are farmed in China. According to Chinese officials, 10,000 wild bears would need to be killed each year to produce as much bile.[4] The government sees farming as a reasonable answer to the loss of wild bears from poaching, and at the same time claim insouciance regarding the cruelty issues that concern Western animal rights activists. However, the government's agreement to allow the rescue of 500 bears may represent a softening of this stance.[4]

    Bile trade
    The monetary value of the bile comes from the traditional prescription of bear bile by doctors practising traditional Chinese medicine. Bear bile contains ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), which is believed to reduce fever, protect the liver, improve eyesight, break down gallstones, and act as an anti-inflammatory. The high demand for the bile has led to the introduction of intensive farming of bears. Because only minute amounts are used in traditional Chinese medicine, a total of 500 kg of bear bile is used by practitioners every year, but according to WSPA more than 7,000 kg is being pr

    • ANSWER:
      I think you wrote way too much.

  30. QUESTION:
    Gluten Allergy/Celiac disease questions?
    Ok i was told to get a blood test for gluten allergy and Celiac disease. i know that there is a difference but i am still confused on whether i have the right symptoms or whether i should bother to get the test done at all.
    my symptoms are memory loss, protein problems (can't keep my levels up properly), not producing enough tears, weight gain, O.C.D, A.D.H.D, mood swings, depression, no regular bowel movements (one extreme or the other), exhausted all the time, tingling in my hands and feet.
    I'm not sure why the O.C.D and A.D.H.D were on the symptom list my therapist gave me but i do have them i was diagnosed with them 4 years ago.

    the reason my therapist gave me the symptom list is because i was talking about the symptoms during my last session and she high recommended that i get a test done.

    i guess i just want a second opinion.

    what does everyone else think?

    i know from my research blood test isn't the more reliable method but i still want to get it done before i consider the biopsy
    i'm going to my family practioner on monday i'm going to try to see if he can do it if not refer me to a specialist.

    • ANSWER:
      Get a blood test. I'm a celiac, and you sound like you could be.

      Memory loss- I had that. It results from not absorbing enough nutrients and vitamins. When you're celiac, your immune system is busy attacking itself so you become malnourished.

      Protein problems- Same thing. You're not absorbing vitamins.

      Not enough tears- my mom had that and she's a celiac too. That's because your eyes are so dry. Your skin probably is too. Lack of nutrients also causes dry eyes, dry skin, brittle hair (like I had), etc.

      Weight gain- not as sure about this. Celiacs can be over and underweight. Just to repeat, since you're not absorbing nutrients, you are probably rarely full. You may overeat to compensate feelings of hunger, when in fact, you have had enough to eat. Your body just doesn't know it due to lack of vitamins.

      OCD and ADHD (especially ADHD) have been linked to celiac disease.

      Mood swings and depression- I had this. When you don't feel good from being sick, you just feel like crap anyway. That makes sense.

      Bowel movements- I had this too- gluten just makes it so they're not normal and usually too frequent because your body wants to get rid of the gluten it can't digest.

      Exhausted- I was. Due to amenia. Amenia results from lack of iron, another nutrient you may be missing. My ferritin (iron) levels on my blood test were forever low.

      Tingling in hands and feet- I HATE THIS- tingling results from lack of vitamin B12. If it goes on enough, it damages nerves.

      For the blood test, it measures several things. If you get one done, tTG and EMA are the ones that are most accurate for celiac. A blood test only takes a minute. You don't have anything to lose. If you do have celiac, trust me, there are much, much worse disease to have.

  31. QUESTION:
    Was the great founding father Thomas Paine ahead of his time?
    PRIVATE CHARITIES ALONE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS POVERTY
    "There are, in every country, some magnificent charities established by individuals. It is, however, but little that any individual can do, when the whole extent of the misery to be relieved is considered. He may satisfy his conscience, but not his heart. He may give all that he has, and that all will relieve but little. It is only by organizing civilization upon such principles as to act like a system of pulleys, that the whole weight of misery can be removed... The plan here proposed will reach the whole. It will immediately relieve and take out of view three classes of wretchedness-the blind, the lame, and the aged poor; and it will furnish the rising generation with means to prevent their becoming poor; and it will do this without deranging or interfering with any national measures."

    "It is the practice of what has unjustly obtained the name of civilization (and the practice merits not to be called either charity or policy) to make some provision for persons becoming poor and wretched only at the time they become so. Would it not, even as a matter of economy, be far better to adopt means to prevent their becoming poor? This can best be done by making every person when arrived at the age of twenty-one years an inheritor of something to begin with... The rugged face of society, checkered with the extremes of affluence and want, proves that some extraordinary violence has been committed upon it, and calls on justice for redress. The great mass of the poor in countries are become an hereditary race, and it is next to impossible them to get out of that state of themselves. It ought also to be observed that this mass increases in all countries that are called civilized. re persons fall annually into it than get out of it."
    - Thomas Paine, Agrarian Justice

    SUPPORT FOR A PENSION SYSTEM FOR THE ELDERLY
    "Having thus in a few words, opened the merits of the case, I shall now proceed to the plan I have to propose, which is... To create a national fund, out of which there shall be paid to every person, when arrived at the age of twenty-one years, the sum of fifteen pounds sterling, as a compensation in part, for the loss of his or her natural inheritance, by the introduction of the system of landed property: And also, the sum of ten pounds per annum, during life, to every person now living, of the age of fifty years, and to all others as they shall arrive at that age."
    - Thomas Paine, Agrarian Justice

    PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE MASSES
    "Having thus ascertained the greatest number that can be supposed to need support on account of young families, I proceed to the mode of relief or distribution, which is... To pay as a remission of taxes to every poor family, out of the surplus taxes, and in room of poor-rates, four pounds a year for every child under fourteen years of age; enjoining the parents of such children to send them to school, to learn reading, writing, and common arithmetic; the ministers of every parish, of every denomination to certify jointly to an office, for that purpose, that this duty is performed."

    "By adopting this method, not only the poverty of the parents will be relieved, but ignorance will be banished from the rising generation, and the number of poor will hereafter become less, because their abilities, by the aid of education, will be greater. Many a youth, with good natural genius, who is apprenticed to a mechanical trade, such as a carpenter, joiner, millwright, shipwright, blacksmith, etc., is prevented getting forward the whole of his life from the want of a little common education when a boy."

    "After all the above cases are provided for there will still be a number of families who, though not properly of the class of poor, yet find it difficult to give education to their children; and such children, under such a case, would be in a worse condition than if their parents were actually poor. A nation under a well-regulated government should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.

    Suppose, then, four hundred thousand children to be in this condition, which is a greater number than ought to be supposed after the provisions already made, the method will be: To allow for each of those children ten shillings a year for the expense of schooling for six years each, which will give them six months schooling each year, and half a crown a year for paper and spelling books. The expense of this will be annually £250,000.[36]"
    - Thomas Paine, Rights of Man

    GOVERNMENT WORK PROGRAMS
    "Many a youth comes up to London full of expectations, and with little or no money, and unless he get immediate employment he is already half undone; and boys bred up in London without any means of a livelihood, and as it often happens of dissolute parents, are in a still worse condition; and servants long out of place are not much better off. In short, a world of little cases is continually arising, which busy or affluent life knows not of, to open the first door to distress. Hunger is not among the postponable wants, and a day, even a few hours, in such a condition is often the crisis of a life of ruin.

    These circumstances which are the general cause of the little thefts and pilferings that lead to greater, may be prevented. There yet remain twenty thousand pounds out of the four millions of surplus taxes, which with another fund hereafter to be mentioned, amounting to about twenty thousand pounds more, cannot be better applied than to this purpose. The pl
    SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXATION (MEANING TAX THE RICH AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE)
    "The following table of progressive taxation is constructed on the above principles, and as a substitute for the commutation tax. It will reach the point of prohibition by a regular operation, and thereby supersede the aristocratical law of primogeniture... The foregoing table shows the progression per pound on every progressive thousand. The following table shows the amount of the tax on every thousand separately, and in the last column the total amount of all the separate sums collected... A progressive tax will, in a great measure, effect this object, and that as a matter of interest to the parties most immediately concerned, as will be seen by the following table; which shows the net produce upon every estate, after subtracting the tax... Plan of a progressive tax, operating to extirpate the unjust and unnatural law of primogeniture, and the vicious influence of the aristocratical system."
    - Thomas Paine

    OPPOSITION TO BOTH ARISTOCRACY AND THE DEATH PENALTY
    "Kill the king but spare the man."
    - Thomas Paine to Louis Caper during the French Revolution

    THOMAS PAINE, RIGHTS OF MAN, 1792
    http://www.constitution.org/tp/rightsman2.htm

    THOMAS PAINE, AGRARIAN JUSTICE, 1795
    http://www.constitution.org/tp/agjustice.htm

    • ANSWER:

  32. QUESTION:
    Is this a good essay? please help 10 points to best answer!?
    Super Size Me Essay
    By: Alyssa Marandola

    Ah, fast food. It’s convenient, it tastes good, and that’s all we need to know. That’s what most people think, but the reality is that fast food companies don’t want us to know. One man, Morgan Spurlock, delves into the world of fast food to get all the facts, in the award-winning documentary, Super Size Me, which explores the horror of school lunch programs, declining health and physical education classes, and the extreme measures people take lose weight.
    The school lunch programs these days are ridiculous. In the documentary Super Size Me, school food and prison food are compared! It is actually an accurate comparison, since they do have a lot of similarities. For example, both school food and prison food are rarely cooked. Usually they are just preheated. In fact, one school featured in the documentary only cooked 6 out of the 36 meals they served, and that is not a lot. Another big contributor to junk food in schools are vending machines. With almost 4 million vending machines worldwide, many are located in schools.
    Another concept discussed in the documentary is the lack of physical education and health classes in schools. Many school’s health classes don’t discuss healthy eating habits and exercise, and there is not nearly enough physical education classes in schools. Several schools reported teaching only 45 minutes of physical education a week, and some even less. That’s 15 minutes more exercise than kids should get every day! With the lack of physical activity and the unwholesome lunch programs in school, the students are becoming more and more unhealthy.
    Weight loss was another topic that came up in Super Size Me – people often go to extreme measures to lose weight. Gastric bypass surgery was just one of the methods discussed in the documentary, and Morgan decided to interview a patient, Bruce Howlett. Gastric bypass surgery is often turned to as a last resort, and there have been deaths caused by it! It doesn’t get more extreme than that. Morgan also interviewed Jared Fogle, who invented the Subway diet. He ate there for lunch and dinner every day, and learned not to eat so much fattening food the process. He lost a lot of weight using this method, which is also quite extreme considering the money amounts involved.
    So, although fast food is convenient and we love the taste, we have to learn how bad it is for us and cut down on it. We also have to exercise regularly, because, as we all know, our bodies won’t maintain themselves.

    -
    corrections, and I need help to make it flow and help with the intro and conclusion thanks so much :)

    • ANSWER:
      This is pretty good, but I would avoid making what are called "sweeping generalizations" such as "school lunches are ridiculous." That's hyperbole and it's not saying anything but that you are making an unsupported opinion. :) I would rephrase so that you are saying something more substantive, such as "the lack of attention to what we put into our mouths and our bodies is apparent when school systems determine ketchup packets are a serving of vegetables...especially when ketchup is made from a fruit, and is demonstrably no more nutritious than the packet it comes in." (And you can cite the food value of a tablespoon of ketchup.)

      Another thing that you should watch out for is using only one source for an essay, even it your essay is on a particular source. It makes you look like you cared if you look something else up and cite that information, you see.

      Also, I suggest you avoid the use of exclamation points, and lead into the various topic elements with parallel but not repetitive introductions. You use "X was a topic in SuperSize Me" for every different paragraph and concept, in almost the same language. Vary it up a bit and show your writing skills. You do have the ability to write well. You just have to look at what you are saying and rephrase a bit so that you have it work a bit more elegantly.

      As far as the conclusion goes, you change from stating what the movie's points are to drawing a conclusion of your own instead of sticking to what the movie says. If you want to draw a conclusion of your own, you need to change the way you state your various points so that you make the points and you use the movie to support them; otherwise you need to state what the movie was making as a conclusion. As your original title is that this is an essay on the movie, I think the latter is your proper conclusion.

      Additionally, ignore the too many commas remark, as you were spot on perfect with your use of them in that sentence they didn't like.