oleh admin | Apr 14, 2025 | body weight, health & fitness, news, obesity, weight loss
City desk journalist Oscar Liu recounts his journey of challenges and successes as he managed to reduce his weight from 98kg last September to 78kg this January.
I recall the day in July from last year when the anticipation for my upcoming three-week adventure across Europe rose within me as I purchased a new pair of running shoes and slipped them on.
However, when I looked down, I couldn’t spot my new shoes. My stomach was obstructing my view.
A few weeks later in Spain, as I ascended a gradual slope in Toledo, it started feeling akin to climbing a mountain. My lungs were afire, my heartbeat thundered, and I had to pause for breath.
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I had to acknowledge that after making inconsistent efforts to stay fit for eight years, I ended up being overweight, consuming excessive food and neglecting my health.
I had reached 98 kg (216 lbs), which was my highest weight ever and 23 kg over the desirable weight of 75 kg for someone of my stature.
It provided little comfort knowing that I belonged to the majority in Hong Kong, where 54.6 percent of adults were classified as overweight or obese, based on the Department of Health’s 2020-2022 Population Health Survey.
Men seldom confess their insecurities about their physical appearance, yet this battle had defined my existence.
Sei fei jai
, which literally translates to “deadly fat boy” in Cantonese, was a label that dogged me practically from the day I was born a robust 4kg and through a childhood of hurtful comments and being teased and bullied about my size.
While in college and seeking a rapid solution, I discovered a physician who provided me with weight-loss medication that I used for about nine months.
They were effective, yet they consistently made me feel restless and anxious. To steer clear of these side effects, I discontinued their use, and subsequently, all the weight I had shed came back.
Driven by desperation, I fell into a harmful pattern of binging and purging, which became a hidden source of deep embarrassment and erosion of my self-esteem over many years. It took me over ten years to confide in even my nearest companions about this struggle.
Until 2016, my parents didn’t appear worried about their youngest child’s weight. But once they were both diagnosed with diabetes that year, they started pressing me to make changes.
That year, I started a new fitness adventure by joining a CrossFit gym and diving into weightlifting, gymnastics, and intense metabolic conditioning workouts with great enthusiasm.
My trainers functioned more as life coaches, giving me a solid base in fitness for the very first time in my life.
I tried out more nutritious food options and various dietary approaches. As a result, the weight came off, my clothing became less snug, and I started feeling a sense of pride in these transformations. It was quite rewarding.
However, this situation also unraveled. The firm I was with shut down, which left me jobless for a year. Under stress, I reverted to my exercise routines, and previously abandoned habits resurfaced.
The weight came back. I was still stuck on that disheartening carousel, which served as an ongoing reminder of my failures.
I surrendered in the fight against weight gain and tried to wear a smile, yet deep down, I wasn’t truly content.
Next was the vacation last summer in Spain, struggling to see my feet as I huffed and puffed up that hill in Toledo.
It was time to attempt once more.
After coming back from Europe, I discovered a new fitness coach, began hitting the gym thrice weekly, focused on nutrition, and meticulously tracked and recorded everything I consumed.
The guiding principle of my trainer was that health is a way of life, which implied that beyond working out and monitoring my diet, I needed to focus on getting quality sleep and handling stress effectively.
Having empathetic coworkers who brought takeout lunches and stayed with me for these nutritious meals in the newsroom was quite beneficial.
It wasn’t simple, yet I successfully reduced my weight from 98kg last September to 78kg in January, and since then, I’ve kept myself under my targeted weight of 83kg.
Friends, family members, and coworkers have been giving me praise for the transformation they’ve observed. They mention that I seem more vibrant as well.
When I take time away from work, I prefer engaging in physical pursuits like jogging and trekking rather than lounging at home munching on potato chips and cheese while binging shows on Netflix.
On some days, I catch myself pondering whether this could be the authentic version of me, permanently in place.
Nevertheless, I remain acutely conscious that the allure of delicious cuisine and fine wines persists constantly. Additionally, nowadays, there’s considerable excitement surrounding novel diabetes medications like Ozempic, which can lead to significant weight reduction.
They are promoted as an easy solution for those dealing with excess weight. However, I still remember the episodes of anxiety I experienced from taking diet pills during my college days.
Should I admit that my life has been transformed? In the past, I looked for instant solutions, valuing an altered look more than making lasting changes to my way of living.
My current priority is achieving enduring wellness and a feeling of mastery over my life.
However, acquiring genuine confidence remains an ongoing endeavor. Acknowledging these uncertainties makes me feel exposed, particularly since societal norms demand that men should be resilient, even though this challenge isn’t exclusive to one gender.
Body image and eating problems impact numerous individuals, both women and men, yet perhaps discussing these matters candidly is an essential stride toward self-acceptance and collective assistance.
The difference this time around is that I am dedicated to constructing a healthier, more self-compassionate version of myself.
Fingers crossed as I attempt to avoid getting on the roller coaster.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
Copyright © 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
oleh admin | Mar 25, 2025 | celebrities, healthy living, lifestyle, nutrition, weight loss
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AFTV host Robbie Lyle has experienced significant weight loss over the past few months.
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The YouTube celebrity attributed his transformation to ‘nature’s ozempic’ in a recent upload.
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AFTV host Robbie Lyle attributes his significant transformation to what he calls ‘nature’s Ozempic.’
weight loss
in recent weeks.
Ozempic has become the newest celebrity obsession in recent months, catching the attention of numerous individuals including
Oprah
Oprah Winfrey and Kathy Bates — turning to it for assistance with their fitness journeys.
Nevertheless, Lyle has become part of a select group of celebrities who have opted for ‘nature’s Ozempic,’ widely recognized as berberine.
According to Medline, berberine aids in strengthening heart contractions and has additional benefits such as antibacterial properties, assisting in regulating blood glucose levels, and reducing inflammation.
One of the main ingredients in supplements produced by wellness brand Oxford Natural is what Lyle has utilized to aid in his remarkable physical metamorphosis.
Sharing thoughts via a video post
the brand’s Instagram account
Lyle clarified: “This is Robbie speaking! Let me take this moment to hype up Dr Andre and also extend my praise to everyone at the Oxford Natural Clinic.”
These supplements have truly been beneficial for me! Optimum Day and Optimum Night. This particular supplement really assists me in getting a quality rest at night.
This particular item has truly assisted me in maintaining a balanced diet and improved my metabolic rate. Let me assure you; I have shed quite a bit of weight because of it.
‘I am feeling fantastic. I’m working out regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, and these supplements have truly made a significant difference for me. Hence, kudos to them!’
Fans were swift to spot the physical transformation of Lyle, with someone sharing a before-and-after image comparing him from several months ago. The comment stated: ‘Well done to Robbie for losing weight.’
Based on what is stated on the Oxford Natural website, these supplements aim to purportedly ‘offer improved weight management, better metabolic function, and assistance with blood sugar levels’.
Berberine has been a
fixtures in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
For millennia, it has been used to address a wide range of issues such as conjunctivitis, itching, elevated blood glucose levels, and urinary tract infections, along with various bacterial infections.
In addition to Lyle, former Liverpool player Michael Owen is another ex-professional footballer who has supported Oxford Natural products.
On his website, Owen asserts that he has shed more than ’15kg’ after using the supplements.
In a video snippet, he mentioned: “Hello everyone, I just wanted to express my gratitude to Oxford Natural Clinic. Ever since I joined their program under Dr Andre’s guidance, I have shed 15kg. It has truly been quite a remarkable change!”
On the other hand, Ozempic imitates glucagon-like peptide-1, known as GLP-1, which is a hormone produced by your intestines upon eating. This substance suppresses appetite signals in the brain and prompts the pancreas to secrete insulin—a hormone responsible for controlling blood glucose levels.
Regarding Ozempic, numerous private physicians adhere to the policy of not prescribing it exclusively for weight management; however, a few might be willing to do so for individuals without diabetes.
Over the past several years, an increasing number of individuals have opted to use Type 2 diabetes medications. These drugs enable them to effortlessly lose weight that they had been struggling with for many years. However, these treatments might lead to potential unknown long-term side effects like pancreatitis.
Celebrity figures such as Kelly Clarkson, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Rebel Wilson, Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Lauren Manzo, Dolores Catania, and Golnesa ‘GG’ Gharagedaghi have acknowledged using semaglutide medications.
Read more
oleh admin | Mar 8, 2025 | diet and nutrition, health and exercise, healthy weight loss, nutrition, weight loss
KUALA LUMPUR – There is growing interest in using probiotics – which are supplements containing beneficial live microorganisms or bacteria meant to enhance ‘good’ bacteria levels within the body – as part of weight loss strategies.
However, do these supplements, readily accessible online as capsules or powders and heavily advertised on social media platforms, genuinely assist with shedding pounds?
Dr Deborah Chew Chia Hsin, a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) UKM, stated that although probiotics have an impact on gut microbiota—which is involved in metabolic processes and fat breakdown—their effectiveness for weight reduction remains unconfirmed.
She mentioned that research indicates people dealing with extra weight, obesity, and diabetes frequently encounter a situation referred to as gut dysbiosis, characterized by an absence of good gut microbiota. This scenario typically involves a greater proportion of detrimental bacteria such as Firmicutes, whereas helpful microbes like Bacteroides are found in smaller quantities.
Overall, a healthy digestive system should contain a greater amount of advantageous microbes compared to detrimental ones.
“But the question persists: does this disparity in gut bacteria trigger obesity, or does obesity result in an alteration of the bacterial balance in the gut? Researchers continue to debate this point,” she noted.
Dr. Chew mentioned that various research efforts have examined how probiotics can play a part in tackling obesity and promoting weight reduction; however, these findings have not always aligned. Certain investigations concluded that probiotic supplements did not yield substantial advantages, whereas some indicated modest to reasonable improvements in achieving weight loss goals.
She mentioned that probiotics work effectively only if they include the appropriate bacterial strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, along with proper storage conditions.
“It’s crucial to keep in mind that probiotics include living bacteria, which might perish if kept at temperatures higher than 25°C. Should this occur, people using probiotics could fail to gain the anticipated advantages,” she stated, stressing the significance of adhering to the suggested serving size to prevent issues such as bloating.
In the meantime, Jazlina Syahrul, a dietitian from Universiti Putra Malaysia, stated that even though probiotics may help boost metabolism and maintain a balanced gut microbiome, they should not be considered the main approach or an easy fix for losing weight.
She mentioned that although certain studies indicate a connection between gut microbiota and aspects such as metabolism, hunger levels, and fat storage—suggesting that keeping a healthy level of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system might aid in shedding pounds—more comprehensive investigations are necessary to validate the efficacy of probiotics for these purposes.
“In general, probiotics might aid in shedding pounds, yet their impact is modest and gradual when contrasted with changes in lifestyle such as eating habits and physical activity. Although initial findings show promise, probiotics aren’t a ‘miracle cure’ for losing weight. Instead, they act more as supplementary assistance rather than an alternative to maintaining a healthy diet and regular workout routine,” she explained.
Jazlina likewise suggested that people should assess various elements like caloric consumption, dietary habits, workout enhancement, and adequate rest if their attempts at losing weight haven’t borne fruit.
“They could be taking in hidden calories or adhering to an excessively strict diet… or perhaps not getting enough sleep,” she mentioned. – BERNAMA
