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!

THE BEST TIME TO EAT PROTEIN FOR MAXIMUM MUSCLE GROWTH

We all are aware that protein is an essential nutrient when it comes to exercise or weight loss. But what we are not aware of is that proper protein timing is an important part of our health and fitness regime.

It is not only important to consume enough protein but it is important to have it at the right times throughout the day or  you may make smaller performance gains than expected. Also you risk over training as you may not be giving your body the fuel to repair, rebuild and replenish muscles after exercise.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. Although fat and carbohydrates are also required for muscle function, it is the protein that builds muscle tissue. However, protein is not stored effectively in the human body, so if it is not used it is expelled as waste relatively quickly. This is why regular protein intake is required.

The key rules for protein timings are:

• Start the day with protein. Your body is in a catabolic/wear and tear state when you wake up and therefore you are at risk of breaking down muscle tissue for energy. So a quick protein boost helps you to change your metabolism to burn fat instead. Whey protein is best in the morning.
• Eat more protein as snacks in between your meals. Casein protein is a good choice throughout the day because it is a slow release protein which means protein will remain in your blood longer to keep replenishing muscle supplies.
• Protein after your workout. Most people are in agreement that this is the most important time to consume protein. Research has shown that protein should be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise for maximum benefit. The best way to take this protein is as a shake. Whey protein is an excellent choice.
• More protein before bed. As you will ideally be sleeping for at least 7-8 hours to give your body every chance to recover and rebuild, you need to stock up on protein before you sleep. A late night shake is always a good idea.

EATING WELL TO AGE WELL

It is rightly said, “You are what you eat?” When we choose a variety of foods in our diet we feel simply healthy in the mind and the body.

For elders, the benefits of healthy eating include increased mental alertness, resistance to illness and disease, higher energy levels, a stronger immune system, faster recuperation times, and better management of chronic health problems if any. Just like in the younger days, as we age, eating well becomes a key to a positive, emotionally balanced outlook to life.

Older adults can feel better immediately and stay healthy for the future by choosing healthy foods. A balanced diet along with physical activity contributes a lot to improving the quality of life for an older adult.

In order to understand the needs of an older adult it is important to understand the physical changes that are taking place in the body. Slower metabolism, lack of physical activity, weakened senses of taste and smell, side effects of medicines and illnesses affecting appetite and slowing digestive system (generate less saliva and stomach acid) are some of the physical changes that take place as you get older, making it more difficult for your body to process nutrients.

Tips to improve nutrition for the elderly

ü  Consume fewer calories and more nutrient dense foods, keeping weight in check.

ü  Eat a selection of brightly colored fruit, leafy veggies, certain fish and nuts packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

ü  Focus on whole fruits rather than juices for more fiber and vitamins and aim for around 1 ½ to 2 servings each day. Apart from apple and banana also let them indulge in color-rich fruits like berries, peaches or melons.

ü  Choose anti-oxidant rich dark leafy greens, such as fenugreek, spinach, and broccoli as well as oranges and yellows, such as carrots, squash, and yams. Try for 2 to 2 ½ cups of vegetables every day.

ü  Aging bone health depends on adequate calcium intake to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures. Adding calcium rich foods like of milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese or also tofu, broccoli, almonds, and kale are a good idea.

ü  Always choose whole grains over processed white flour for more nutrients and a higher fiber count. Try to indulge in pasta, breads, and cereals that are made of whole grains.

ü  Vary your protein sources with more fish, chicken, beans, peas, nuts, eggs, milk, cheese, dals, pulses and seeds.

ü  Seniors are prone to dehydration because their bodies lose some of its ability to regulate fluid levels and their sense of thirst is dulled. Place reminders for yourself telling you to sip water every hour and with meals to avoid urinary tract infections and constipation.

ü  After 50, your stomach produces less gastric acid making it difficult to absorb vitamin B-12—needed to help keep blood and nerves vital. Get the recommended daily intake of B12 from milk and fortified foods.

ü  We get most of vitamin D—essential to absorbing calcium—through sun exposure and a few foods (fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified milk). With age, our skin is less efficient at synthesizing vitamin D, so consult your doctor about supplementing with fortified foods or a multivitamin.

ü  Reduce salt in your diet to help prevent water retention and high blood pressure.

ü  Include good fats such as olive oil, avocados, salmon, walnuts, flaxseed, and other monounsaturated fats.

ü  Avoid constipation, lower the risk of chronic diseases, and feel fuller longer by increasing fiber intake. Raw fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, and beans are good sources.

ü  Avoid “bad” carbohydrates also known as simple or unhealthy carbohydrates such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients.

ü  Overindulging in sugary foods and snacks is very common. Instead of adding sugar, try increasing sweetness to meals by using naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, dates, honey or yams.

ü  Opt for healthy methods of cooking, like steaming, sautéing, grilling or baking as preserves nutrients. Avoid boiling and straining method as it drains nutrients.

ü  Avoid skipping meals as this causes the metabolism to slow down, which leads to feeling sluggish and poorer choices later in the day.

ü  Snack between meals by choosing high-fiber snacks to healthfully tide you over to your next meal. Choose almonds and raisins instead of chips, and fruit instead of sweets. Other smart snacks include yogurt, cottage cheese, apples and peanut butter, and veggies and hummus/ sprouts.

ü  For breakfast select high fiber breads and cereals, colorful fruit, and protein to fill you with energy for the day.

ü  For lunch keep your body fueled for the afternoon with a variety of whole-grain breads, lean protein, and fiber.

ü  Make dinner also a wholesome meal in order to avoid episodes of low energy/ blood sugar levels later in the night.

ü  Make chewing easier by drinking smoothies/ milkshakes made with fresh fruit, yogurt, and protein powder. Eat steamed veggies and soft food such as khichdi, couscous, rice, and yogurt/dal/ kadhi.

ü  Drink 8 -10 glasses of water each day. Take a drink of water after each bite of food; add sauces and gravies to foods to moisten it.

Remember; good and healthy foods are nutrition for the body, mind and soul. The right nutrition for seniors will help them live a longer and stronger life, sharpen the mind, feel better and lead a rich, marvelous and supercharged life.

HEALTHY DIET DURING RAMADAN

During Ramadan, the diet is radically altered. Meals get condensed in mornings (pre-dawn meal) and evenings, with no intake in-between for an extended period of time. The changes in diet aren't well tolerated by all if fasting is not followed properly.

Eating a variety of foods using principles of moderation and balance is not only important on other days but also during the Ramadan when you fast from dawn to sunset. During any fast the metabolic rate of a fasting person slows down and other regulatory mechanisms start functioning. Body and dietary fat is efficiently utilized. Consuming total food intake that is less than the total food intake during normal days is sufficient to maintain a person's health. A balanced diet improves blood cholesterol profile, reduces gastric acidity, prevents constipation and other digestive problems, and contributes to an active and healthy life style too. Remember, there is no need to consume excess food at any given meal.

The diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible.

Considering the long hours of fasting, one must consume slow
digesting foods i.e. fiber rich foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods provide energy which lasts up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods provide only short term energy lasting for about only 3 to 4 hours.
-Slow-digesting foods are whole-grains and seeds such as barley, wheat, oats, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, and unpolished rice. These are called complex carbohydrates. Also vegetables (like green beans, peas, and spinach), fruit with skin, dried fruit (such as dates, raisins, dried apricots, figs, prunes, and almonds) are all examples of fiber rich foods.
-Fast-burning foods are foods such as sugar and white flour. They are called refined carbohydrates.
To be healthy during this month, one must consume food from the major food groups: bread and cereal, milk and dairy product, meat, pulses and bean, vegetable and fruit.

Daily food group intake guideline:
1. Bread/Cereal/Rice, Pasta, Biscuits- Cereal Group: 6-11 servings/day;
2. Meat/Beans/ Pulses/Nut- Protein Group: 2-3 servings/day.
3. Milk and Milk Product- Dairy Group: 2-3 servings/day.
4. Vegetable Group: 3-5 servings/day;
5. Fruit Group: 2-4 servings/day.
6. Added sugar (table sugar): sparingly.
7. Added fat/oil- 6-8 teaspoons.

The pre-dawn meal:
The body's immediate need at the time of the pre-dawn meal is to get an easily available energy source in the form of glucose for every living cell, particularly the brain and nerve cells. Dates and juices are good sources of sugars. Dates and juice bring low blood glucose levels to normal levels. Juice and soup help maintain water and mineral balance in the body. An unbalanced diet and too many servings of sherbets and sweets with added sugar have been found to be unhealthy.

Dinner:
Consume foods from all the following food groups.

Meat/Bean/Pulse Group:
Include foods such as chicken, beef, lamb, goat, fish, green pea, chickpea (chana, humus), green gram, black gram, lentil, lima bean and other beans. Meat and beans are a good source of protein, minerals, and certain vitamins. Beans are a good source of dietary fiber, as well.
Bread/Cereal Group:
Include whole wheat bread, cooked rice or roti. This group is a good source of complex carbohydrates, which are a good source of energy and provide some protein, minerals, and dietary fiber.
Milk Group:
Milk or butter-milk, yogurt or cottage cheese. Milk and dairy products are good sources of protein and calcium.
Vegetable Group:
Include mixed vegetable salad (lettuce, carrot, parsley, cucumber, broccoli, coriander leaves, cauliflower or cabbage or beetroot as desired). Cooked vegetables such as guar beans, french beans, okra (bhindi), eggplant (baigan), bottle gourd (lauki), cabbage, spinach, methi. Vegetables are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, carotene, lycopenes, and other photochemicals, which are antioxidants.
Fruits Group:
Include citrus and/or other fruits. Eat fruits as the last item of the dinner or as dessert, to facilitate digestion and prevent many gastrointestinal problems. Citrus fruits provide vitamin C. Fruits are a good source of dietary fiber and many other minerals and vitamins.
Fruits and mixed nuts may be eaten as a snack after dinner or before sleep.
Some Tips:

o    Drink as much water, fruit juices, coconut water, lime water as possible between breaking fast and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time and also avoid dehydration.

o    Consume sufficient vegetables at meals. Eat fruits at the end of the meal.

o    Avoid intake of high sugar (table sugar) foods through sweets or other forms.

o    Avoid spicy foods.

o    Avoid over-eating in any meal.

o    Avoid excessive caffeine drinks such as coke, coffee or tea. Caffeine is a diuretic.

o    Smoking is a health risk factor. Avoid smoking cigarettes. Smoking negatively affects utilization of various vitamins, metabolites and enzyme systems in the body.  

o    Complex carbohydrates should be included at pre-dawn meals so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.

o    Dates/raisins are excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.

o    Almonds are rich in protein and fiber with less fat.

o    Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

o    It is recommended that everyone engage in some kind of light exercise, such as stretching or walking.
In summary, intake of a balanced diet is important to maintain good health, sustain an active lifestyle and attain the full benefits of Ramadan.