LOVE YOUR BODY….IT’S YOUR’S.

When we think of losing weight we must always understand one thing: learn to feel good about yourself; about your body. The better you feel about yourself the more you can support yourself and the easier it will be for you to attain your goal. When you decide to lose weight, you need to be your own best friend, because no one else knows you better than “you”.

Let’s remind ourselves about the many reasons for loving our body.

ü  Your body is a gift to help you fulfill your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.

ü  Make a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and you will see that you can add to it often.

ü  Remember your body is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.

ü  Think about all the people you admire or contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.

ü  Walk with your head held high; with pride and confidence in yourself as a person.

ü  Don’t let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.

ü  Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, that feel good to your body and not just what’s in trend.

ü  Count your blessings, not your blemishes.

ü  Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance.

ü  Be a friend and supporter to your body, not its enemy.

ü  Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it.

ü  Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.

ü  Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.

ü  Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for Fun and Fitness.

ü  Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

ü  Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.

ü  Keep a list of positive things about yourself--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!

ü  Put a sign on your cupboard and mirror saying, “I’m beautiful inside and out.”

ü  Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself.

ü  Start saying to yourself, “Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way”, and believe in it.

The next time when you weigh yourself on the scale; don’t weigh your Self-Esteem. It’s what’s inside that counts!

HEALTHY FESTIVE DIET

Festivals are a time when sweets are a part and parcel of the celeberations. And when it comes to Indian festivals, especially as important as Diwali, sweets and rich snack are not only made for the family but for friends too. If you are a person who easily gains weight or is on a diet, it is suggested to keep your taste buds in some control otherwise all your weight loss strategy will go waste. Here are some tips you can follow in order to enjoy the celebrations in a healthy way.

1) Moderation is the key to enjoy festive food. Eat fatty foods, sweets and other fried snacks in small amounts.

2) If you are making sweets yourself, use low fat ingredients- like low fat milk and other dairy products. Use natural sweeteners like jaggery, honey and dates to make sweets and avoid using refined sugar or excess of artificial sweeteners.

3) Before eating snacks, remember to drink water or maybe leave home after indulging in a few slices of cucumber or carrots to bring in the feeling of fullness.

4) Do not overindulge in sweets or snacks. Just take a few, may be one or two, items and chew them slowly and gradually.

5) If you are served fruits/dry fruits along with rich snacks, try to have more of the fruits.

6) Avoid having more of aeriated drinks. Instead, have some natural refreshing drinks like lemon juice, iced tea, or fresh fruit juice.

7) If you have to have sweets then go for a doodhi or carrot halwa or a kheer which is lesser in calories than fried gulab jamoons or mithais.

8) Don't try to eat all the sweets or fried snacks gifted to you. Eat them in moderation over a few days. Share them.

9) Always try to have a glass of warm water after indulging in sweets or fried snacks in order to help digestion and metabolism.

10) Get more active than before. Indulge in a good amount of cardio workouts as you need to burn the extra calories.

Enjoy this festive season without worring about weight gain.

LATE NIGHT FOOD CRAVINGS

With an increase in the people working extended hours and a change in our hectic lifestyles, obesity on the rise, we are beginning to hear more and more about the importance of avoiding eating late at night. Eating late at night is often the cause of obesity, disturbed sleep cycle and changes in the body’s metabolism and digestion. If your schedule makes eating late unavoidable, then choose foods that are appropriate, such as those low in calories and rich in whole grains. Here are three reasons to avoid eating late.

1.    Weight gain

2.    Disturbance in your sleep cycle

3.    Disturbed gastric motility

4.    Acidity or heartburn

Late night cravings can ruin your diet, and those extra calories are hard to burn off. These tips can help you fight late night cravings.

1)  Eat high fiber foods- High fiber foods are low in calories, but keep you feeling full longer. Eat a diet rich in fiber to control cravings and late night hunger pangs. Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels so that you don't wind up craving sugary treats at night, and insoluble fiber fills your stomach to reduce hunger pains. Eat a fiber rich evening meal/dinner that contains plenty of non starchy vegetables, and drink plenty of water throughout the day as well.

2) Keep yourself busy- One reason late night cravings occur is because you're unwinding after a long day, and looking for a low stress activity. Take up a hobby, like knitting, reading, meditation, jigsaw puzzles or any relaxing activity that keeps your mind occupied and off snacking. Try to get out of the house for a stroll. If you're not at home and feeling bored, you'll be less likely to snack.

3)  Have a late dinner- It is a good habit to eat dinner fairly early in the evening. But when you expect to be awake till late, the problem is that it leaves you more likely to get hungry and start having cravings late at night. Push dinner back an hour or two, and you'll find yourself ready for bed before you have a chance to start craving a snack.

4) Have a healthy night time snack- One way to resist gorging yourself on sugary or fatty foods late at night is to plan a healthy late night snack. Vegetable snacks, like high fiber carrot sticks, a high protein snack like low fat yogurt will help you resist sugary treats like cake and cookies. Choose a snack like popcorn (instead of the ever popular chips), that's low in fat and high in fiber, but can also be eaten slowly; you'll feel fuller with less food and you'll be able to indulge your impulse to snack for longer, without consuming too many extra calories.

5)  Have a regular small frequent eating pattern- Eating regular, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day helps to control your blood sugar levels so you're less likely to crave sugar and fats. Base your diet whole grains, plenty of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and lean meats. Eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up, and have small, healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks to keep your blood sugar levels stable in between meals.

6) Keep only healthy foods at home- The best way to avoid eating sugary, fatty snacks is not to bring them home. If you only have healthy snacks in the house, you'll be forced to eat only healthy snacks.

To be a successful dieter, you don’t always have to say “no” to your cravings. Sometimes cravings are just your body’s way of telling you it needs certain nutrition. However, you cannot mindlessly indulge in food whenever wants arise. Some snacks are full of salt, sugar, fat and calories, which can damage your body and cause weight rebounds. Late night snacking is especially risky for weight gain because your natural metabolism is at its slowest before bedtimes. Eating oily, high sweetened or salty snacks late in the evenings can disrupt both your sleep cycles and your weight loss plan. The following are a few low calorie healthy snacks that can satisfy your sudden cravings and help you get a sound night of sleep.

Here are a few low calorie late night snacks:

a)  Fruits- Fruits make the one the best snacks at any time of the day. They are all low in calories and are packed with antioxidants and other essential nutrients your body needs for proper function. Having a juicy and sweet tasting fruit like a pear, peach or some berries can quickly relieve your sugar cravings. A small banana or a cup of papaya chunks also make wonderful late night snacks. These fruits are loaded with magnesium, which can help you relax into a better night of sleep.

b) Low fat curd- Yogurts also make a healthy snack. Nonfat yogurts work especially well to satisfy your evening cravings for something sweet and creamy. They are easily digestible and are high in the amino acid tryptophan, calcium and vitamin D, which are very conducive to sleep. The live and active probiotic cultures in yogurts can trigger the production of anti-stress hormones, promote faster digestion and help reduce blood pressure. These qualities make yogurts a great aid for weight loss and insomnia.

c) Sugar free milk puddings or milk- When you have a sudden crave for chocolate; it usually means that your body is low on magnesium and iron. Unfortunately, you cannot just indulge in a chocolate bar to refill on these nutrients. Chocolates are very fattening and are especially high in the plaque forming saturated fat. Chocolate candies or desserts are also highly sugary and are loaded with calories, and snacking on these before bedtime is an absolute no for diets. Sugar-free chocolate puddings are rich and satisfying in taste and are the ideal solution for chocolate cravings you may have once a week.

d) Oatmeal- If you feel hungry late in the evenings, the best stomach filler is a small cup of oatmeal. Oatmeal is low in calories and fat and is highly nutritious with lots of complex carbohydrates, essential vitamins and minerals. Having a small serving of oatmeal with skim milk can relieve you of hunger and sooth your mind for a better night of sleep.

e) Water- Sometimes all you need is water to satisfy the craving. The mind at times plays tricks with us, so when you may think you are hungry actually you are only thirsty. Thus, having frequent intake of water throughout the day is important.

THE TRUE RELATIONSHIP OF EXERCISE TO FAT-LOSS

The function of aerobic exercise in a weight-loss program is not so much to burn energy as to change the way the body uses its energy reserves.

With aerobic exercise we train the body to burn fat rather than sugar. Sustained exertion requires the muscles to expend energy, which comes from three sources. One source is stored glycogen that is changed back to sugar by means of an hormone epinephrine. The other source is stored fat. The third source is the conversion of muscle protein into glucose, which can be burned.

The stores of glycogen are limited and can be depleted with extended exertion. Glycogen depletion causes a drop in blood sugar. Because the brain and vital organs require a certain level of blood sugar, the body takes steps to ensure that the level of blood sugar does not get too low. Where can this sugar come from? One might think that it can come from fat. Certainly, excess sugar is turned into stores of fat. However, whereas sugar can be changed to fat, fat can not easily be changed back to sugar. Protein can be and is easily converted to sugar, but substantial conversion is undesirable because it is at the expense of vital muscle tissue. Thus, frequent, sustained exertion places pressure on the body to burn fat more readily.
Extended vigorous muscular activity places a pressure on the body to use as little glycogen as possible. Repetition of any activity trains the body to improve its efficiency in utilizing stores of fat and to use as little glycogen as possible. Also, the body learns to store increased quantities of accessible glycogen to prevent a “glycogen famine.” When a seasoned runner is under unusual stress, glycogen levels tend not to be depleted, and the body comfortably utilizes fat for energy. Thus, low blood sugar and its consequent hunger are infrequent. In short, running and other aerobic exercises teach the body to comfortably burn excess fat and go for relatively long periods without hunger.
It is not said that a person who runs burns more energy and thus loses weight. Rather, what has been said is that the runner is better at burning fat than someone who does not run. The extra energy that is burned during a fraction of an hour of exercise is not consequential. However, the effect on the manner in which energy is utilized is crucial.
By contrast, the following happens to people who lead a sedentary life: Glycogen storage is small, and the muscles prefer to use glycogen for energy rather than fat. After short amounts of daily activity, glycogen reserves drop and low blood sugar occurs, with a consequent craving for refined carbohydrate. This food is usually eaten in excess of the limited glycogen-storage capacity of the body. The carbohydrate that cannot be stored as glycogen is then stored as fat. However, this fat is never burned. It remains. Thus, a sedentary person will constantly crave food, continue to gain weight easily, and have a difficult time losing weight. If weight is lost, that weight—and more—will most likely be regained.

WEIGHT LOSS – COMMIT TO CARDIO AND A HEALTHY DIET

Today everyone is looking for that miracle or secret recipe to losing weight. They are looking for something easy. But there is no easy way to lose the “right” weight, and it is also no secret. It’s basic and simple: burn more calories than you consume.

How does one do that? Commit to Cardio and a healthy diet!  

Many people underestimate the importance of cardio in their workout routine. If you truly want to lose weight, you need to be doing a good 45 minute to 1hour cardio workout 4 to 5 times per week. Less than that will help you to maintain your current weight, but won't help you to shed those kilos.

To make workout practical you need to find what you can enjoy, make it a priority, and work hard while you're at it! There are many options to choose from - running, cycling, cardio machines, and fitness classes.

Quit scheduling your workouts around everything else you have to do at home or at work, and instead schedule everything else around your workout. Write it in your planner if you need to, but don't let anything interfere. If you make it important in your daily routine, then you will find ways to work in everything else you need to do.

And while you're at it, work hard! Get your heart rate up into the aerobic zone and keep it there for at least 30 minutes. This is your workout, if you get into it, get the benefits of it. What's the point of working if you're not working hard? Don't cheat yourself by saying, “I am working out” when all you are doing is giving your body 15 minutes of warm-up."

Cardio exercise is one part of a weight-loss plan. You also need to revamp your eating habits. Also, keep in mind that losing weight is not as easy as it sounds on diet commercials. It takes a lot more commitment than just drinking that delicious shake/green tea for breakfast. And it takes time. Don't try to lose more than ½-1 kilo in about 7-10 days, and don't eat fewer than 1,000 calories per day. On a super-low-calorie diet, you deprive your body of essential nutrients, and you have a tougher time keeping the weight off because your metabolism slows down.

The benefits of a cardio workout routine go far beyond just losing weight and feeling better. Your heart will be healthier, you can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, it's a stress reducer, you will feel better about yourself, you will have more energy, and the list is endless. So quit making excuses and commit to cardio with a healthy diet today!