Apple starts rejecting submissions with pricing info in app titles, screenshots & more

Apple’s rules have always prohibited developers from spicing up their screenshots on App Store with annoying marketing messages although a quick glance at App Store pages reveals the firm hasn’t been enforcing that particular rule. But things are now changing, for the better.

As first reported by VentureBeat, the Cupertino firm has began rejecting submissions that promote pricing like ”Free” in app titles/ icons and on App Store screenshots/previews.

For the past month, Apple’s been rejecting submissions to App Store and Mac App Store when metadata includes pricing information. Here’s the warning message iTunes Connect puts up when a developer submits an app that mentions “free” in its title.

Your app’s name, icons, screenshots, or previews to be displayed on the App Store include references to your app’s price, which is not considered a part of these metadata items.

Please remove any references to your app’s price from your app’s name, including any references to your app being free or discounted. If you would like to advertise changes to your app’s price, it would be appropriate to include this information in the app description. Changes to your app’s price can be made in the Pricing and Availability section of iTunes Connect.

An Apple spokesperson confirmed the changes.

While some iPhone, iPad and Mac apps still use the word “free” in their names or on screenshots, future updates will have to stop doing so to avoid being rejected.

I’ve always loathed “free” in app names. Apple prides itself for careful curating App Store content and this is definitely a step in the right direction, more so in light of the Great App Store Cleanup.

As mentioned, Apple has previously discouraged developers from using pricing information in their titles and screenshots in the official developer guide for iTunes Connect and its overview of App Store product pages.

“Don’t reference specific prices in your app screenshots,” Apple is advised, saying referencing a local currency can mislead customers in other store territories and cause confusion. “Also avoid including specific prices in your app description,” reads another passage on Apple’s website.

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Diets for Fast Weight Loss

Diets for Fast Weight Loss

Dansinger recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, he recommends focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.

Here are more tips from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet :

• Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get tempting foods out of your home.
• Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
• Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
• Don't skip meals.

Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.

"Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very effective tool for weight loss,". 

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How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight fast.

However, most of them will make you hungry and unsatisfied.

If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The plan outlined here will:

• Reduce your appetite significantly.
• Make you lose weight quickly, without hunger.
• Improve your metabolic health at the same time.

Here is a simple 3-step plan to lose weight fast.

1. Cut Back on Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches (carbs).

These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.

When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.

Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight.

It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.

This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women.

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.

Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger.

Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on “autopilot.”

2. Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

• Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
• Fish and Seafood – Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

The importance of eating plenty of protein can not be overstated.

This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day.

High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day… just by adding protein to your diet.

When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients. Period.

Low-Carb Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery....etc,.

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-50 net carbs per day.

A diet based on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.

Fat Sources:

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Butter
• Tallow

Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.

Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.

The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly.

There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fat doesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all.

To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and this list of low carb recipes.

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10 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Naturally (Backed by Science)

There is a lot of bad weight loss information on the internet.Much of what is recommended is questionable at best, and not based on any actual science.However, there are several natural methods that have actually been proven to work.

Here are 10 easy ways to lose weight naturally.

1. Take Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that have health benefits when eaten. They can improve digestive health and heart health, and may even help with with weight loss.

Studies have shown that overweight and obese people tend to have different gut bacteria than normal-weight people, which may influence weight.

Probiotics may help regulate the healthy gut bacteria. They may also block the absorption of dietary fat, while reducing appetite and inflammation.

Of all the probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus gasseri shows the most promising effects on weight loss.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is incredibly important for weight loss, as well as to prevent future weight gain.

Studies have shown that sleep-deprived people are up to 55% more likely to become obese, compared to those who get enough sleep. This number is even higher for children.

This is partly because sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones, leading to poor appetite regulation.

3. Eat More Fiber

Fiber-rich foods may help with weight loss.

Foods that contain water-soluble fiber may be especially helpful, since this type of fiber can help increase the feeling of fullness.

Fiber may delay stomach emptying, make the stomach expand and promote the release of satiety hormones.

Ultimately, this makes us eat less naturally, without having to think about it.

Furthermore, many types of fiber can feed the friendly gut bacteria. Healthy gut bacteria have been linked with a reduced risk of obesity.

Just make sure to increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid abdominal discomfort, such as bloating, cramps and diarrhea.

4. Brush Your Teeth After Meals

Many people brush or floss their teeth after eating, which may help limit the desire to snack or eat between meals.

This is because many people do not feel like eating after brushing their teeth. Plus, it can make food taste bad.

Therefore, if you brush or use mouthwash after eating, you may be be less tempted to grab an unnecessary snack.

5. Combat Your Food Addiction

Food addiction involves overpowering cravings and changes in your brain chemistry that make it harder to resist eating certain foods.

This is a major cause of overeating for many people, and affects a significant percentage of the population. In fact, a recent 2014 study found that almost 20% of people fulfilled the criteria for food addiction.

Some foods are much more likely to cause symptoms of addiction than others. This includes highly processed junk foods that are high in sugar, fat or both.

The best way to beat food addiction is to seek help.

6. Do Some Sort of Cardio

Doing cardio — whether it is jogging, running, cycling, power walking or hiking — is a great way to burn calories and improve both mental and physical health.

Cardio has been shown to improve many risk factors for heart disease. It can also help reduce body weight.

Cardio seems to be particularly effective at reducing the dangerous belly fat that builds up around your organs and causes metabolic disease.

7. Add Resistance Exercises

Loss of muscle mass is a common side effect of dieting.

If you lose a lot of muscle, your body will start burning fewer calories than before.

By lifting weights regularly, you’ll be able to prevent this loss in muscle mass.

As an added benefit, you’ll also look and feel much better.

8. Use Whey Protein

Most people get enough protein from diet alone. However, for those who don’t, taking a whey protein supplement is an effective way to boost protein intake.

One study shows that replacing part of your calories with whey protein can cause significant weight loss, while also increasing lean muscle mass.

Just make sure to read the ingredients list, because some varieties are loaded with added sugar and other unhealthy additives.

9. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is a method used to increase awareness while eating.

It helps you make conscious food choices and develop awareness of your hunger and satiety cues. It then helps you eat healthy in response to those cues.

Mindful eating has been shown to have significant effects on weight, eating behavior and stress in obese individuals. It is especially helpful against binge eating and emotional eating.

By making conscious food choices, increasing your awareness and listening to your body, weight loss should follow naturally and easily.

10. Focus on Changing Your Lifestyle

Dieting is one of those things that almost always fails in the long term. In fact, people who “diet” tend to gain more weight over time.

Instead of focusing only on losing weight, make it a primary goal to nourish your body with healthy food and nutrients.

Eat to become a healthier, happier, fitter person — not just to lose weight.

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10 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Naturally (Go on)

There is a lot of bad weight loss information on the internet.

Much of what is recommended is questionable at best, and not based on any actual science.

However, there are several natural methods that have actually been proven to work.

Here are 10 easy ways to lose weight naturally.

1. Fast Intermittently

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.

There are a few different ways to do intermittent fasting, including the diet, the  method and the eat-stop-eat method.

Generally, these methods make you eat fewer calories overall, without having to consciously restrict calories during the eating periods. This should lead to weight loss, as well as numerous other health benefits.

2. Drink (Unsweetened) Green Tea

Green tea is a natural beverage that is loaded with antioxidants.

Drinking green tea is linked with many benefits, such as increased fat burning and weight loss.

Green tea may increase energy expenditure by 4% and increase selective fat burning by up to 17%, especially harmful belly fat.

Matcha green tea is a variety of powdered green tea that may have even more powerful health benefits than regular green tea.

3. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are extremely healthy, weight-loss-friendly foods.

In addition to being high in water, nutrients and fiber, they usually have very low energy density. This makes it possible to eat large servings without consuming too many calories.

Numerous studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables tend to weigh less.

4. Count Calories Once in a While

Being aware of what you’re eating is very helpful when trying to lose weight.

There are several effective ways to do this, including counting calories, keeping a food diary or taking pictures of what you eat.

Using an app or another electronic tool may be even more beneficial than writing in a food diary.

5. Use Smaller Plates

Some studies have shown that using smaller plates helps you eat less, because it changes how you see portion sizes.

People seem to fill their plates the same, regardless of plate size, so they end up putting more food on larger plates than smaller ones.

Using smaller plates reduces how much food you eat, while giving you the perception of having eaten more.

6. Try a Low-Carb Diet

Many studies have shown that low-carb diets are very effective for weight loss.

Limiting carbs and eating more fat and protein reduces your appetite and helps you eat fewer calories.

This can result in weight loss that is up to 3 times greater than that from a standard low-fat diet.

A low-carb diet can also improve many risk factors for disease.

7. Eat More Slowly

If you eat too fast, you may eat way too many calories before your body even realizes that you are full.

Faster eaters are much more likely to become obese, compared to those who eat more slowly.

Chewing more slowly may help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones that are linked to weight loss.

8. Replace Some Fat with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is high in fats called medium-chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently than other fats.

Studies show that they can boost your metabolism slightly, while helping you eat fewer calories.

Coconut oil may be especially helpful in reducing the harmful belly fat.

Note that this does not mean that you should add this fat to your diet, but simply replace some of your other fat sources with coconut oil.

9. Add Eggs to Your Diet

Eggs are the ultimate weight loss food. They are cheap, low in calories, high in protein and loaded with all sorts of nutrients.

High-protein foods have been shown to reduce appetite and increase fullness, compared to foods that contain less protein.

Furthermore, eating eggs for breakfast may cause up to 65% greater weight loss over 8 weeks, compared to eating bagels for breakfast. It may also help you eat fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.

10. Spice Up Your Meals

Chili peppers and jalapenos contain a compound called capsaicin, which may boost metabolism and increase the burning of fat.

Capsaicin may also reduce appetite and calorie intake.

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10 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Naturally (End)

There is a lot of bad weight loss information on the internet.

Much of what is recommended is questionable at best, and not based on any actual science.

However, there are several natural methods that have actually been proven to work.

Here are 10 easy ways to lose weight naturally.

1. Add Protein to Your Diet

When it comes to weight loss, protein is the king of nutrients.

Your body burns calories when digesting and metabolizing the protein you eat, so a high-protein diet can boost metabolism by up to 80-100 calories per day.

A high-protein diet can also make you feel more full and reduce your appetite. In fact, some studies show that people eat over 400 fewer calories per day on a high-protein diet.

Even something as simple as eating a high-protein breakfast (like eggs) can have a powerful effect.

2. Eat Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods

One of the best things you can do to become healthier is to base your diet on whole, single-ingredient foods.

By doing this, you eliminate the vast majority of added sugar, added fat and processed food.

Most whole foods are naturally very filling, making it a lot easier to keep within healthy calorie limits.

Furthermore, eating whole foods also provides your body with the many essential nutrients that it needs to function properly.

Weight loss often follows as a natural “side effect” of eating whole foods.

3. Avoid Processed Foods

Processed foods are usually high in added sugars, added fats and calories.

What’s more, processed foods are engineered to make you eat as much as possible. They are much more likely to cause addictive-like eating than unprocessed foods.

4. Stock Up on Healthy Foods and Snacks

Studies have shown that the food you keep at home greatly affects weight and eating behavior.

By always having healthy food available, you reduce the chances of you or other family members eating unhealthy.

There are also many healthy and natural snacks that are easy to prepare and take with you on the go.

These include yogurt, whole fruit, nuts, carrots and hard-boiled eggs.

5. Limit Your Intake of Added Sugar

Eating a lot of added sugar is linked with some of the world’s leading diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

On average, Americans eat about 15 teaspoons of added sugar each day. This amount is usually hidden in various processed foods, so you may be consuming a lot of sugar without even realizing it.

Since sugar goes by many names in ingredient lists, it can be very difficult to figure out how much sugar a product actually contains.

Minimizing your intake of added sugar is a great way to improve your diet.

6. Drink Water

There is actually truth to the claim that drinking water can help with weight loss.

Drinking 0.5 liters (17 oz) of water may increase the calories you burn by 24–30% for an hour afterward.

Drinking water before meals may also lead to reduced calorie intake, especially for middle-aged and older people.

Water is particularly good for weight loss when it replaces other beverages that are high in calories and sugar.

7. Drink (Unsweetened) Coffee

Fortunately, people are realizing that coffee is a healthy beverage that is loaded with antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.

Coffee drinking may support weight loss by increasing energy levels and the amount of calories you burn.

Caffeinated coffee may boost your metabolism by 3–11% and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by a whopping 23–50%.

Furthermore, black coffee is very weight loss friendly, since it can make you feel full but contains almost no calories.

8. Supplement With Glucomannan

Glucomannan is one of several weight loss pills that has been proven to work.

This water-soluble, natural dietary fiber comes from the roots of the konjac plant, also known as the elephant yam.

Glucomannan is low in calories, takes up space in the stomach and delays stomach emptying. It also reduces the absorption of protein and fat, and feeds the beneficial gut bacteria.

Its exceptional ability to absorb water is believed to be what makes it so effective for weight loss. One capsule is able to turn an entire glass of water into gel.

9. Avoid Liquid Calories

Liquid calories come from beverages like sugary soft drinks, fruit juices, chocolate milk and energy drinks.

These drinks are bad for health in several ways, including an increased risk of obesity. One study showed a drastic 60% increase in the risk of obesity among children, for each daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage.

It’s also important to note that your brain does not register liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, so you end up adding these calories on top of everything else that you eat.

10. Limit Your Intake of Refined Carbs

Refined carbs are carbs that have had most of their beneficial nutrients and fiber removed.

The refining process leaves nothing but easily digested carbs, which can increase the risk of overeating and disease.

The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, sodas, pastries, snacks, sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals and added sugar.

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5 Quick Exercises to Tone Your Body in Less Time

The hems are shorter and the tops are teenier this time of year—so we don't blame you if you're looking for a few quick-and-dirty ways to tone up. We consulted trainer to the stars Harley Pasternak for his favorite moves for firming up fast. He recommends isolating your top-priority parts with these exercises that target the abs, booty, upper arms, and more. 

For each of these moves, start with 2 sets of 30 reps. Pasternak's advice: Avoid hitting a plateau by changing up the intensity. Do 3 sets of 25 reps on some days; on other days, do 4 sets of 20 reps or 5 sets of 16.

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