The Anti-Wrinkle Diet

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Slow down, you’re moving too fast

• The anti-wrinkle diet

• On our radar

Nutrition 
Slow Down, You’re Moving Too Fast

The oldest trick in Hollywood is that if you want to look more muscular, focus on cutting more body fat. But recent research suggests there’s a catch: 

If you push too hard or fast with weight loss, you might unintentionally cause muscle loss and stress your immune system. 

While rapid weight loss is a common diet sell— you’ve seen all the promises to “Get back in shape in just 4 weeks!” — researchers wanted to know if these drastic methods work. And, more importantly, how the instant gratification approach to weight loss impacts your body composition, strength, and immune markers.

Scientists compared an aggressive 6-week fat loss plan to a more gradual approach. The aggressive group tried to lose 15 percent of their body weight, while the more moderate approach focused on about 5 percent weight loss. 

On the surface, the aggressive group was the clear winner — they lost 15 pounds (7 kg) of fat compared to 9 pounds (4 kg). Those numbers get the headlines, but they hide the reality of what happened.

The aggressive fat loss group lost 11 pounds (5 kg) of muscle compared to about 1.75 pounds (.8 kg) in the slow and steady group.

If you do the math, the more aggressive group — despite the increase in overall fat loss — had a worse overall outcome because of the significant loss of muscle mass in such a short time. It’s the case of the scale going down, but your appearance is not improving.

That wasn’t the only reason you might want to pump the brakes on trying to lose weight as quickly as possible. The study revealed that aggressive weight loss could affect cytokines, which are proteins released by your cells to help your immune system. 

Too much body fat can weaken your immunity and increase inflammation, so weight loss not only makes you healthier but also helps you fight off sickness. But if you lose too much too fast, research suggests it could negatively impact immunity. 

While seeing changes as quickly as possible might sound appealing, the research suggests a more moderate approach is likely the better route to achieve your desired results. Not to mention, your actions will be more sustainable, meaning you’re less likely to gain back the weight. 

Longevity 
The Anti-Wrinkle Diet

They say, “You are what you eat,” and that advice might be more valuable than most of the expensive anti-aging solutions. 

Research suggests a healthy diet could be more effective than creams and lotions at giving you healthier, younger-looking skin.  

While genetics and sun exposure are well-known factors in skin aging, this study aimed to understand how dietary choices influence the development of wrinkles.

This study analyzed data from more than 2,700 women over the age of 50, assessing both their dietary habits and the degree of facial wrinkling. Participants were evaluated based on a diet quality score, reflecting how closely their diets adhered to healthy guidelines, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The researchers then compared diet quality scores to the presence and severity of wrinkles.

Women who followed a healthy diet have significantly fewer facial wrinkles, suggesting that nutrition could play a key role in slowing visible aging. Even after controlling for age, smoking status, and sun exposure, the results still held up, suggesting that diet directly influences skin aging.

More specifically, diets rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fats—from sources like fruits, vegetables, and fish—appeared to have the strongest association with fewer wrinkles. These nutrients may help protect the skin by reducing oxidative stress, one of the main factors in aging.

On the other hand, diets high in processed foods, such as refined sugars and unhealthy fats were associated with more pronounced wrinkling. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat these foods. However, if they are consumed more often — or make up the majority of our diet — it does appear to impact aging. 

Health
On Our Radar: Solving Sleep Deprivation

Did you know that more than 30 percent of adults don’t get at least 7 hours of sleep per night? Ok, maybe that’s not very surprising.

But, if you want to turn those sleepless nights into better rest, working your way into a slumber might be more effective than popping pills.

New research found that intense exercise substantially improves sleep quality and duration. 

The study analyzed data from 19 randomized controlled trials involving insomnia participants. These trials compared different types of exercise — such as aerobic exercise, resistance training, and stretching — against control groups with no exercise intervention. The researchers assessed changes in sleep onset latency (time to fall asleep), sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and overall insomnia severity.

Exercise was associated with sleeping up to an hour longer, falling asleep faster, increasing uninterrupted sleep, and decreasing insomnia symptoms. 

Every aspect of exercise is designed to help you sleep better. When you get your heart rate up, it improves your mood, boosts the production of hormones that help you relax, and helps stabilize your circadian rhythm. Not to mention, when you’re at a healthier weight, it puts less strain on your body and upgrades your rest.

Better sleep influences every imaginable health outcome, so if you struggle with sleep, commit to moving more and getting at least one to three workouts per week. The research found that workouts as short as 10 minutes can help support better rest.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell