EASY TO FOLLOW TIPS TO LOSE WEIGHT

In a fast paced, junk food crazy world, maintaining a healthy life style, can be hard enough, and healthy weight loss can be a real struggle. Adding to this weight loss struggle is the increasing number of fad diets and ‘quick fix’ plans that tend to tempt and confuse us and in the long run usually do not work.

Managing a healthy weight not only makes you look and feel good, it also sets a pattern for your future health. A healthy weight decreases your chances of developing serious health risks like diabetes and heart disease.

Despite what you may have read or think losing weight is not such a difficult task. In fact, weight loss does not necessarily involve strange diets, fitness pills or fitness gadgets. The secret to a healthy weight loss is to make those small changes in our daily routine and you will slowly see the results.

If your last diet attempt was not a success, don’t be discouraged. The key is to find a plan that works for “you” as per your body’s needs and make lasting lifestyle changes that can help you find long term, healthy weight loss and management success.

Some tips for losing weight.

1.       Set a goal that is realistic.

2.       Aim for a weight loss of about a pound per week.

3.       Do not be obsessed with calorie counter.

4.       Anticipate plateaus. They are common to all when undergoing a weight loss programme.

5.       Avoid commercially available low calorie foods as far as possible.

6.       Avoid a separate menu for yourself. Adapt your dietary needs from the regularly prepared family meals.

7.       When eating away from home avoid excesses but do not get upset if you miss your planning. Adjust the next meal to compensate for the excess calorie intake.

8.       Avoid use of appetite depressants.

9.       Do not think of any surgical methods.

10.   Let eating be a pure activity. Many times we snack while doing other things such as watching television or working on the computer and without even knowing it; we have consumed a few hundred extra calories.

11.   Do not change your meal or snack pattern. Decide on a time in a day when you can sit down and enjoy an unhurried breakfast, lunch or dinner.

12.    Eat healthily on a daily basis. Eat loads of fresh fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats throughout the day.

13.   Whenever you desire to have a snack indulge in a variety of vegetables as they provide a good amount of fiber which also helps give you a sense of satiety.

14.   Avoid a starchy late night snack as this gets converted to fats in the body.

15.   Start your day with an early breakfast and finish your day with an early dinner.

16.   Be honest with yourself. If you have a weakness for chips keeping them at home would give you more temptation than you can handle. So stuff your kitchen cabinets with more healthier choice of snacks.

17.   Take a brisk walk each and every day. Start with 15 minutes, building to 45 minutes and then 1 ½ hours.

18.   Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day. Water not only quenches your thirst but aids in speeding up the metabolism. Try and drink a glass of water before each meal.

19.   Get proper sleep. People with improper sleep are more prone to put on weight. Stress can make you feel hungrier and prone to opt for all the unhealthy foods.

20.   Try and have home cooked foods. Cooking food at home helps you to control both the portion size and also what goes into it. Restaurant and packaged food generally contain a lot more sodium, fat and calories as compared to home cooked foods.

21.   Eat small frequent meals. Eating six small meals is better to increase your metabolism as compared to the three large meal eating pattern. Snack on healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, protein-rich almonds instead of high fat fried foods.

22.   Be active. Learn to be more mobile. Take the stairs instead of the lift, walk it up to the bus-stop or station and walk rather than drive small distances.

23.   Do not let the common phrase “just this once, what will happen if you eat” mislead you.

Maintain a healthy weight and diet is not just about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather it’s about feeling great, having more of energy, keeping yourself as healthy as possible- all of which can be achieved by following some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.

LOSE YOUR WEIGHT NOT YOUR BREAKFAST

Why a healthy breakfast

Skipping breakfast is the most common mistake people do in order to lose weight. If you are one of the many people who believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, you are wrong. The body expects to be refueled a few times each day, starting with breakfast which is the first meal after a fast of more than 8-10 hours.

When you skip breakfast, you are likely to become tired as your brain and body run low on fuel. By mid-morning, you may grab a cup of coffee or tea or just a fruit juice before rushing off to work. This might work for a few minutes, but by lunch time you are so hungry, that you are bound to make you prone to make further unhealthy choices by lunch time.

Studies have always shown that adults or children feel better and perform better at work or school when they have had a healthy breakfast. When you are working hard at the office or school skipping breakfast has never been a healthy option.

Eating a good breakfast helps to set the tone for the rest of the day. Actually, eating a healthy breakfast is a good way to lose and maintain a healthy weight.

What consists a healthy breakfast

A healthy breakfast is a combination of foods providing proteins, complex carbohydrates and fiber. Proteins can be incorporated in the meal from low fat meats, eggs, beans, sprouts or dairy. Fiber can be found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast can be a simple meal of boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal (oats, daliya, poha, flakes) with low fat milk or a vegetable roll (with chapatti), a cup of low fat milk and an apple.

Avoid sugary and deep fried foods as a part of breakfast.

People with a busy schedule or those who are just not used to breakfast can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat an egg or a cereal at home, and after about an hour or two, take a break from work and snack on a fruit or a handful of healthy nuts like almonds or walnuts. Or if you have to, take along a piece of fruit, a container of milk and some crackers on the go.

Breakfast can be quick and flexible

We can have plenty of ways to incorporate a healthy breakfast each day, and it does not necessarily have to be a traditional time consuming breakfast menu.

Some healthy breakfast options:

1.     Any cooked cereal topped with almonds, dried apricots and raisins.

2.     A whole-wheat chapatti/ bread stuffed with hard-boiled eggs/ sprouts/ leftover vegetables/ paneer (cottage or fresh cheese).

3.     Leftover vegetables or meat dish as a topping for pizza.

4.     Whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese or peanut butter.

5.     A multigrain bread sandwich with lean meat/ low fat cheese/ egg whites/ lettuce, tomato, cucumber with a dressing of a coriander and mint chutney.

6.     Dosa/ Idli with a coriander and mint dip and a fruit.

7.     A whole egg or egg white omelet topped with any of your favourite vegetables.

Tips to fit in breakfast on a tight schedule

1.     Plan ahead. The night before, decide what you want to eat for breakfast. Set out all the ingredients so that they are quick to make in the morning.

2.     Make breakfast the night before, then just heat as needed in the morning.

3.     Pack a “to- go breakfast” the night before.

So just don’t skip this meal- it may be more important than you think. Keep these breakfast basics in your mind and set yourself up for healthier eating all day long.

WATER- THE MOST VITAL NUTRIENT

We all know water is good for us and you are convinced that water is the healthier fluid for your body, but you'd like to know more about how to make drinking water a daily habit.

Even if we know why we should drink water, it's not a habit that many people form because of many facts about drinking water which are fuzzy in our heads.

So, here are a few queries answered.

How much water does an adult need per day?

On an average adults should consume about 2.5 to 3 liters (10.5 to 12.5 cups) of fluid per day, but more is needed in warm environments or during exercise.

Do we need to have water at fixed times?

No, but it always helps to drink water just before breakfast as the fluid is absorbed more rapidly and stimulates drainage of toxins from the body. A glass of water before meals helps “freshen up" the palate. A glass of water during meals or between each course prepares your palate for different tastes. Between meals, never worry about drinking too much and consume at least one large glass every two hours. Before going to bed, drink a large glass of water to help digestion.

How often do I need to drink water?

Stay well hydrated by drinking water with meals and snacks. Always take small mouthfuls which quench the thirst more efficiently than big ones, you don't need to gulp it all down, in one go. Rather, sip as much as you can space it throughout the day.

Is drinking water with meals alright?

Drinking water with meals, before meals, or after meals is not harmful in any way. Eight ounces of fluid is generally allowable at each meal.

Is it okay to drink water during meals?

Many people are against drinking water with meals, believing it dilutes the stomach acid and, hence, interfere with proper digestion. Scientifically this is not true, as the water doesn't significantly mix with digestive juices. Only people who are having problems making enough stomach acid (Achlorhydria) or suffer from digestive ailments like acid reflux or hiatus hernia, which can be aggravated by drinking lots of water with meals, or if you have such a poor appetite that you find it hard to eat enough. In such situations, it's best to take small sips of water when eating and to make up your fluid requirement between meals.

Does water help reduce weight?

Water can be helpful in weight loss. The technique to drink several glasses of water just before eating, or during a meal, helps reduce food intake, because the water helps make the stomach feel full.

Is chilled water helpful in cooling you down in summers?

They do not really help cool you down in summers, though they make you cool for some time. Drinking really cold liquids when feeling hot may lead to a slight constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and decrease heat loss, which is not advisable when trying to cool down. Therefore always quench your initial thirst with a glass of water that is just room temperature.

Tips to increase your water intake:

·Keep handy a 1 liter bottle of water. Fill it with water and keep it handy throughout the day. Drink two of these each day.

·Water down your meals and snacks. Complement food with water, milk or juice. Occasionally start your meals with soup or end it with buttermilk.

·Refresh yourself at snack time with juice, milk or sparkling water.

·Before, during and after any physical activity, drink water, especially in hot weather. Consume 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes while you exercise. Don’t wait until you feel the thirst pangs.

·Add a lemon, lime or orange slice and 2-3 leaves of mint to jazz up your glass of water.

So just drink all the water you like!