HEALTH AND FITNESS


Foods to avoid if you want six pack abs

here are some foods that you must avoid if you want six pack abs.

Generally, we tend to consume these foods out of laziness and availability, but you can't be careless when you're working on your six pack. We have listed the foods that you should avoid if you want a toned defined midsection.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #1

Whole milk:
To build abs you need to cut down on calories. So consume low fat milk and avoid whole milk due to its high calories.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #2

Commercial peanut butter:
Peanut butter is one of the best foods you can consume if you want to build muscle, due to its high protein content. Peanut butter is also a great post workout snack. But try and avoid consuming commercial peanut butter. The packaged and ready-to-eat peanut butter is rich in fats, calories and additives.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #3

Diet foods:
In order to build muscle, it is important to have a balanced diet which includes carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Diet foods and diet meal plans prevent you from consuming a balanced diet. Plus there is an urge to consume far more calories when you are on a diet.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #4

Crackers:
Crackers are recommended for good digestion, but they are prepared with refined flour and sugar, both of which are not good for building muscle.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #5

High fructose corn syrup:
This is the main ingredient in several processed foods, but this sugar has a different method of processing in the body compared to regular sugar. It doesn't have nutritional benefits and does nothing for building muscle.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #6

Processed cheese:
There is a different between fresh organic cheese and processed cheese. The worst enemy for building abs is processed cheese - it lacks nutritional value, contains fats, salts and excess calories.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #7

Processed starch food:
Potatoes are rich in starch, which is healthy. But processed starch has no nutritional value and loads of calories. Avoid processed starchy food to build abs without gaining weight.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #8

Sausage:
This again is a processed food and rich in calories and fats. Stay away from processed meats like bacon, sausages and salami if you want toned and defined abs.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #9

Artificial sweetener:
Artificial sweeteners have no nutritional value and get you addicted to sugar and junk food. These sweeteners make you gain weight and prevent you from developing abs.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #10

High sugar breakfast cereals:
Breakfast cereals that have additional flavours and artificial sweeteners only increase weight. Instead, buy wholegrain healthy cereals.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #11

Ice cream:
It may be a tempting way to cool off, but it can prevent you from building abs. Ice cream is rich in calories, artificial sweeteners and flavours.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #12

Refined flour:
Unlike flour sourced from wholegrain, refined flour lacks nutritional value. Refined flour increases your sugar levels and increases the storage of fat in the body.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #13

Donuts:
It is popular snack and can be addictive, but donuts are unhealthy as they contain refined sugar and flour. Hence, donuts make you gain weight by storing fat.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #14

Margarine:
This is cheaper than butter, but margarine is unhealthy and makes you gain weight. It is rich in calories and is closely linked to cholesterol related health problems.

Muscle building: Worst foods for abs #15

Trans fat:
Trans fat is LDL and increases fat in your body. Consuming fast food can reduce your chances of developing abs and increase your chances of developing heart problems. Obesity is also linked to the consumption of trans-fat along with a sedentary lifestyle.




Weight loss: Top 20 ways to boost metabolism
Metabolic rate is based on age, height, weight and activity level.

This will help to determine how many calories your body can consume and the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising.

Metabolism is the process of breaking down carbohydrates, protein and fats to give your body energy. When you're young, the muscle mass stores up energy, preventing weight gain. By the time you reach 30- 40, your metabolism starts to slow down. That's why, fat gets accumulated and your weight increases. Deepali Mairal - Dietitian / Nutritionist at Simply Health 10, gives you simple tips to boost your metabolism to lose weight.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 1:

Do not cut your daily calorie intake drastically, your body goes into starvation mode; this actually slows metabolism. The best way to diet effectively is to cut out a small amount of calories.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 2:

Add more protein to your diet (Only if you don't have any kidney problems). The digestion of proteins is the most time consuming. It takes over three hours to break down and assimilate proteins and burn calories.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 3:

Eat within an hour of waking up to keep your body from going into hunger overdrive and starvation mode. Eating also improves your mood and concentration.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 4:

Try to have three meals a day, plus two healthy snacks. This technique will help you stay full and avoid overeating.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 5:

You may try coffee or black tea for weight loss, due to the presence of caffeine, which boosts metabolism. However, be cautious while adding extra milk or sugar, to avoid extra calorie consumption.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 6:

Add green tea to your diet. Green tea helps in raising resting metabolism by 5%, and it does not have much caffeine. It also contains catechins, an antioxidant, which helps in maintain a healthy weight. 

Way to Boost Metabolism # 7:

Dark chocolate also contains catechins and caffeine, which can help you lose weight. But, don't go overboard, make sure that you are only eating about 28gm per day to limit the fat and calories.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 8:

Zinc reduces hunger by increasing your level of leptin, a hormone that gives you a feeling of satiety. Zinc rich foods /fruits are wheat, pumpkin seeds, cashewnuts, spinach, fish, mushroom, chocolate, pomegranates, dates, cabbage, potatoes and broccoli.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 9:

Cpsaicin, a chemical present in capsicums, gives the peppers their pungency. This chemical uses more energy for several hours after eating; which helps burn fat.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 10:

Do any kind of exercise .When you exercise, your muscles wake up, demand more calories and this helps burn calories faster.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 11:

Maintaining a good mood will help you stick to a healthy diet, it also makes you productive, and increases your confidence and personality.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 12:

Have any kind of fruit within an hour of waking up. Fruits are nutritious and healthy. Besides, they will keep you full for a longer time.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 13:

Eat small meals throughout the day. Include meals like salads, nuts etc, when you are feeling hungry.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 14:

Include good quality protein in your diet. Like eggs and meat, if you are a vegetarian then you can get good or complete protein by mixing cereals and pulses together like khichadi. There are many other sources of protein like soya, nuts, whole grains, and sprouts.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 15:

Keep yourself very well hydrated, by sipping on water at regular intervals. Don't confuse thirst with hunger.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 16:

Eat something before you exercise. Exercising on an empty stomach will ensure that your body uses a small amount of calories during exercise because you have fed nothing to the muscles. This leaves you feeling hungrier later, you may overeat.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 17:

Eat less, but never starve. Starvation can cause you to overeat and ruin your efforts to lose weight.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 18:

Try interval training, which will involve changing the intensity of your workout throughout each session. For example, if you walk for fitness, try jogging for one minute every five minutes.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 19:

Good metabolism cannot just be achieved by eating healthy food and exercise, you also need a goodnight's rest. So, make it a point to sleep well.

Way to Boost Metabolism # 20:

Limit is the key. Don't go overboard with anything. This will just ruin your health. So, moderation and limitation are key for good health and successful weight loss





5 Steps to a flat tummy in 7 days 


You've been missing your routine at the gym very often thanks to your busy schedule (or plain laziness) and suddenly you realize that in one week you have to attend a wedding.
You want to wear your favourite saree or figure-hugging dress but are worried about your flabby stomach bulging out. Well, you still have a last option. While you cannot reduce fat, you can lose belly fat by decreasing your total body fat percentage. And you don't have to completely alter your daily habits to get a flat stomach within 7 days!
Step one:
                  If you want to build muscle and burn fat at the same time, you have to perform circuit training, three days per week. How can you achieve this? Indulge in full body exercises like lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups, for one set of 15 repetitions. Don't forget to follow everyexercise with one minute of jumping rope. You should be able to burn around 500 to 600 calories per workout.
Step two:
You have to work on your abdominal muscles three times in the week. Crunches and leg raises for three sets of 20 repetitions should be done. Also, do planks by holding your body in a push-up position on your elbows for 30 to 60 seconds for four sets.
Step three:
The kind of food you will eat in this period is vital in bringing about any change. Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and pastas, chicken, beef, fish and low fat dairy should replace processed foods full of sugar.
Step four:
To minimize water retention, lower your sodium intake. This means you need to avoid salt. You can flavour your food with other herbs and spices instead.
Step five:
Stressing and anxiety can cause the over-production of a certain hormone called cortisol, which encourages weight gain about the belly area. So try to keep your cool!




foods for radiant, healthy skin

Always wanted clear, glowing skin but couldn't find the right cosmetics to help you get there? Well, you should know better! Great skin comes from what's going on inside, not what you do on the outside. So get your diet in order! 


ORANGESDark under-eye circles can make you look like the Crypt Keeper-not cute. But the vitamin C in oranges banishes bags. It strengthens collagen, the skin's supportive structure, to lift sunken areas that create shadows.

SALMONIt's packed with omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that hydrates dry patches, Sandquist says. Omega-3s may also help increase the production of collagen and elastin, two essentials for soft, no-flake skin

CHICKPEAS: To help diminish scratches, scars and dark marks, start snacking on hummus. Chickpeas' protein delivers the amino acids essential for tissue growth and repair, says Dee Sandquist, R.D., a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics


WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD: A rosy blush is pretty; blotchy red splotches, not so much. Niacin in whole grains reduces redness from acne, rosacea and more by inhibiting inflammatory agents, says Jody Levine, M.D., head of dermatology at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of New York City.

ALMONDSParty all night and still look fresh and dewy the next morning. Almonds' vitamin E brightens drab "hungover" skin by neutralizing free radicals, molecules that dull your look. Plus, almonds' fatty acids make you gleam, say SELF contributing experts Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D

APRICOTS: The fruit throws wrinkles into reverse. Our bodies convert apricots' vitamin A to retinol, a compound that helps produce new cells. "These cells have smoother-looking barriers, as if they were 20 years younger," says Kenneth Beer, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the University of Miami. 
CRABA crab roll (whether in a hot dog bun or sushi) helps keep your face zit-free. When nasty stuff like oil and bacteria clogs pores, it leads to inflammation and acne. Enter crab's zinc: It helps reduce inflammation to minimize the pimple-making damage. 
BRAZIL NUTS: Meet your new beach essential. The savory snack fights sunburn fallout with selenium, a mineral that makes skin cells more resistant to turning into "sunburn cells" that produce faulty DNA and can eventually lead to cancer, Dr. Beer says. 




Indian foods that help with weight loss


 1.Cardamom: Cardamom aids the digestive process, helping the body break down and assimilate nutrients. It is also known to boost metabolism and burn body fat, aiding with weight-loss. Toss in a few cloves of cardamom into your evening chai for a steamy cup of good health.

2.Garlic: Garlic has long been used in cooking, for both its full-bodied flavor and its healthy properties. Garlic has strong anti-bacterial effects, helps reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and unhealthy fat levels in the body. Now there’s a good reason why the ubiquitous ginger-garlic paste is found in dishes across every region in India.

3.Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a drink full of good health, and easy to make at home. It provides the body with essential nutrients and is very low on fat and calorie content. Chop up from fresh coriander and green chillies to it, add a little salt and pepper, and you have a refreshing, healthy homemade drink



4.Chillies: Chillies are another great ingredient to ramp up your metabolic rate and burn that excess fat. The component capsaicin generates heat and boosts metabolism, helping burn calories for upto 20 minutes after your meal. So slice ‘em up and toss ‘em in! 

5.HONEY:A spoonful of honey with warm water is a great way to start your mornings. Honey helps burn fat and is a widely used home-remedy for obesity.





How to Remain Slim after Weight Loss


 You try hard for losing your weight. Dieting and exercise in gym help a lot in that. But still of these hard work you start gaining your weight again. It is important to stay fit for a long time even if you stop dieting. Have you ever thought about why this problem occurs? It you want your fitness for a long time so it is important to follow some important things which can help you to stay slim.
Stop old diet habits - It may leave a negative impact on your body if you stop your balanced food habits after a certain period of time. Don't follow any fatty dish if you think for a change in your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Don't compromise in exercise - Work out is an essential part when you are losing weight. So even after hard exercise you should continue follow your work out, otherwise it will start putting on with double speed.
Make short term goals - Healthy diet and yoga are the main keys of stay fit. You should make your life style balanced for early effects on health. Yoga and proper water drinking are very necessary to slim your body. So make small targets and go step by step.
Change your routine - Along with eating habits, you have to change your routine as well. Use stairs instead of lift and prefer walking if you are going to a short distance. These small points are easy to follow and effective if you want to remain slim after losing weight.

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