Size zero and its side effects

For those of you who want to dump your curves and crave to be a size zero, here is a warning. Research have shown: girls dieting to be size zero could be risking their bones to long-term problems such as osteoporosis. The research conducted on 4,000 young girls, shows that fat mass plays an important role in building bones. It is also found that constant images of reed-thin, size-zero models, pop stars and actresses fuelled a rise in eating disorders amongst young women.

In India, Bollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor sparked the craze for size zero after she reportedly lost eight kilos to acquire a bikini body for Tashan in 2007.

While celebs like her can take pride in setting a trend, for young followers there could be health hazards. Building strong bones is particularly important for women, as they are three times more likely to develop osteoporosis and suffer up to three times more hip fractures than men. Actress Gul Panag points out, "Size zero has sparked low self-esteem issues, resulting in bulimia, anorexia and body dysmorphic disorders. Looking thin is like being a poster girl for sickness and bad health. I believe it's more important to be fit than be thin and look sick." Former Miss India Parvathy Omanakuttan agrees with Gul."The term size zero is a gimmick to sell certain products in the market."

Fitness experts point out that size zero is unhealthy and not many are aware of what it really implies. "Size zero refers to maintaining a slim figure. Do the right kind of exercises under the guidance of a certified trainer and have the right kind of food that can help you acquire a slim figure. Simply aping superstars and trying to be a size zero is something no sensible person will support," concludes fitness expert Dinaz Vervatwala.

Unhealthy fad
In early 2006, Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston, 21, died of anorexia on the eve of a Paris photoshoot after living on a diet of apples and tomatoes
Actress Nicole Richie was reported to have collapsed on set. Citing dehydration, she has tried in vain to quench rumours that she suffered from malnutrition.
And there are numerous other cases that can be stated.. so instead of craving for size zero try out for being fit...

Best brain foods for everyone

As you age, your memory goes for a toss. Eating right will help those grey cells in working condition and you in tip-top shape!

Can't find your keys ... again? Whether your momentary memory loss is linked to doing too many things at once or just a bad case of menopausal brain fog, you don't have to put up with it.

It is suggested that natural chemicals in these foods, spices, and drinks combat cognitive decline.

Here is a list of some of the foods that help us keep our memory active and sharp.

- Asparagus

- Blueberries

- Cocoa

- Coffee

- Egg yolks

- Indian curry

- Red wine

- Rosemary

- Salmon

- Tomato sauce

- Walnuts

Like celebs, shed post-pregnancy kilos

Take a cue from celebrity mothers and shed those post-pregnancy kilos. Here are a few things that work in your favour and make the ordeal easier

Celebrity mothers such as Aishwarya, Amrita Arora, her sexy older sibling Malaika Arora Khan, Hollywood hotties like Angelina Jolie and bootylicious singer Jennifer Lopez prance around setting an example for young mothers everywhere. While they may have a slew of helpers and nannies to take over when they tire, getting back into shape post delivery is as rewarding as it is difficult, much like childbirth itself. Gone are the days when all you could picture were double chins, saggy tummies and excess weight that's impossible to shed.

Here is a cheat sheet on how they do it and what you can do to get rid of your motherhood fat.

Eating on the run
When coping with a newborn it's almost impossible to sit down and enjoy three normal meals. So mums tend to eat little and often — between feeds and while the baby sleeps.

"This style of eating keeps energy levels up and boosts the metabolism," says nutritionist Louise Khan. The other secret for a faster fat-busting metabolism is breastfeeding, which burns an average of 500 calories a day. "It also helps stomach muscles contract and tighten post-birth for a flat tummy," says Louise.

It fixes your hormones
More and more mums — including celebs such as JLo and Victoria Beckham, have suffered from the common hormone imbalance polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Symptoms of this condition include irregular periods, infertility, miscarriages, excess hair, acne and obesity.

But although it can be tougher to conceive with this condition, after pregnancy many women with PCOS find their hormones balance out for the better. This means more stable blood sugar levels, so it's easier to keep weight off.

You burn more calories
It might sound obvious, but when you think that weight loss is down to a simple calculation of substracting calories, it's clear why the additional activity involved in looking after a newborn shifts fat.

Many new mums find that after years of leading a relatively sedentary life — sitting down at work all day, for example — they're now find themselves racing around from the moment they wake up until their head hits the pillow. Some also find it easier to walk to more places rather than load and unload the pram into the car for every short journey. Plus, the bigger your family the better, as with every additional baby your activity levels increase even further.

Exercise for the first time
For many new mums, trying to lose weight after pregnancy is the first time they've done any real exercise since school, so even women who were slim before wouldn't have had much muscle tone if they weren't working out. Wanting to shift the pregnancy weight gives mums an incentive to visit the gym or start swimming, which can reap big rewards. They find their body becomes stronger and better toned than ever before.

Respecting the body
Having a baby can put you more in tune with your body. You feel more confident and appreciative of your body and what it's capable of doing. Serial yo-yo dieters can find this newfound respect ends the 'binge-then-crash diet' cycle and they lose weight without trying, for the first time in their lives. New mums must eat well to have enough energy to cope, and this change of focus often stops them from obsessing about calories. They follow a healthy diet, with everything in moderation and no meal skipping, which is the real secret to sustained weight loss.

Post-baby body
Exercise throughout : Swimming or walking three times a week while pregnant will keep your muscles toned and fat stores down, without overdoing it.

Go steady after the birth: Ask your doctor at your six-week check up if you're safe to start exercising, and listen to your body— don't rush into exercise until you feel up to it.

Move more: If it's impossible to get to the gym, try to walk everywhere with your pram — the faster you go, the more calories you will burn.

Breast-feed: It's not just the best thing for your baby — it will help you lose weight faster too.

Eat right: A healthy diet with plenty of fruit, veges and lean protein is vital, and eating small mini meals fives times a day boosts your metabolism.

Fix your fat belly now!

We share with you four easy ways to fix your belly fat. Mind you, they are not exercises...

Are you also worried about your 'jelly' belly like millions of others around you? Have flat-abs diet failed you too often? We share some easy tips to drastically reduce belly fat. We are not suggesting exercises, only some quick lifestyle changes...

"Roll your shoulders back and down"
By default when you haunch, your belly pooches out. This is a simple posture correction that helps your tummy to stay in. This posture also makes you look slimmest.

"Pull up your abs and up"
Yes, you read it right. You don't have to go through the painful process of crunches and simply pull up your abs and then push them up.

"Keep your butt tucked in"
Many of you must have heard this trick somewhere but never took it seriously. It's time you start doing it!

"Bend 90 degrees"
Don't stress your back when you bend. When you pick up stuff ensure you bend 90 degrees. Do it few times a day and it will help push the belly fat in.

Dont like veggies.. here are some tips..

 

Love them or hate them, you cannot deny their importance.

Easily the most health-promoting food group on the planet, vegetables are powerhouses of fiber and antioxidants. So, what do self-confessed veggie haters (like most of us!) do? One thing's for sure, cheating veggie haters into eating generous portions of the leafy things works...everytime. Here are some tips for including vegetables in your daily diet without really tasting them...

 Add vegetables to your favourite dishes

You love lasagna? Add layers of chopped spinach or boiled and stir fried broccoli or carrots along with flavoured zucchini slices. You love macaroni and cheese? Stir fry a few seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, mushroom and tomatoes in olive oil. Add a dash of oregano or tomato puree to it, your healthy bowl of macaroni and cheese is ready. Fold them into quesadilla or omelettes.

 

Fold them into salads

 

Throw in all the vegetables you like (or tolerate) into your bowl of salad. There are many vegetables which will go well with salads - onions, radishes, grated carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, cauliflower florets or green beans. Perhaps a good way to include them is to slice them really thin...so they don't get in the way too much.

 

Have some fun mixing and matching

 

Some vegetables are best when combined with certain other vegetables. So add a bunch of them to a single dish - maybe grill some eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes for a single dish topped with your favourite sauce?

 

Serve them raw with a tasty homemade dip

 

The flavour of raw veggies is milder and the texture is crisp. Serve them with onion dip (use home prepared onion broth and add low fat cream to it) or simple make a flavoured tomato puree (boil tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper in one table spoon of olive oil).

 Sneak them into your evening snack

 

Place them inside hot or cold sandwiches. Add grated or finally chopped vegetables such as fresh basil, sliced zucchini, shredded cabbage of different colours. Tomato and sprouts go well with wraps and pitas too.

 

Drink your veggies!

 

Prepare homemade versions of bottled or canned juice and add your own healthy twist of veggies to it. Blend some carrot along with mango or orange juice.

Grill them!

 

Grill some vegetables, and add a dash of your favourite flavouring or simply salt and pepper will also do. Just make sure to brush them slightly with olive oil or light dressing, before grilling. Large pieces of mushroom and zucchini or eggplant can be placed neatly on a stick and grilled.

If you are somebody who dislikes eating overcooked vegetables, simply change your cooking style. Try cooking vegetables in texture enhancing ways such as light microwave cooking or simple stir-fries in your favourite sauce.

Merry Christmas...

Headache bothering you???

 

If you frequently suffer from headaches, try switching on to a more healthy diet comprising of fresh fruits and vegetables that provide the body ample vitamins and minerals and regular exercise.

Whether you have a headache due to cold, stress or lack of sleep, here are some remedies to help you deal with a headache:

Take a nap : Sleeping for a short while help to reduce headaches. However take care not to oversleep as it can aggravate the headache. A nap of 15-30 minutes is sufficient.

Practice breathing exercises : Take slow deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly. This helps to ease out the discomfort caused due to the headache.

Head massage : Massages are known to be effective in curing headaches. Gently massage your temples with your fingers in a circular motion. Also, gently tap your fingers on your forehead.

Aromatherapy : Sniffing some aromatic oils can not only reduce headache but also uplift your mood. Essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, sandalwood and vanilla are beneficial in soothing your stress away.

Easy ways to put on weight

Are you one of those struggling to put on weight? Here are some ways to achieve your goal

While realms of space has been dedicated solely to how you can knock off those unwanted pounds and lose those inches, there are also people that want to put on a little bit of weight, and have a tough time doing so. There's no reason to take supplements or weight gain pills to put on weight — a healthy diet and some positive attitude is all that you need. First of all you need to find out if you're suffering from a medical condition that is not allowing you to gain weight. Once you get the all clear from that, gear up to improve your diet.

- Since gaining weight is as tough as losing it, you need to be patient to get results. Make up a diet chart to ensure that you consume more calories than what you burn.

- The idea isn't to eat everything that comes your way, but to eat wisely. Consume healthy foods but frequently — say three small meals and three large ones. Make sure you keep a gap of at least three hours between each meal so you can digest them properly. Never keep a five hour gap between meals.

- If you think that to gain weight, you need to forget exercising, think again. Resistance training exercises not only help you gain muscle mass, they will also increase your metabolism. Ask a fitness trainer to give you some weight gaining exercises. Don't forget to protein rich foods after your workout.

- Foods that have great sources of protein include fish, low fat dairy products, milk, meats, almonds, sesame and sunflower seeds.

- Stay away from junk and fatty foods. Consult a dietician to know which high protein foods, high carbohydrate foods and healthy fats you can include in your diet. There is another misconception that beer helps you put on weight. Besides a beer belly you'll gain nothing else. Don't binge on it.

- Start your day with a healthy breakfast comprising a glass of milk and a banana or a banana milkshake, whole-grain toast, a fruit and some nuts. Stick to eating more fruit than having juices.

- Stick to wholegrain bread, green leafy vegetables, paneer, a chicken or fish dish, rice and dal for lunch. Eat dinner comprising of the same things albeit two hours before you hit the sack.

- Healthy snacks to eat in-between meals include fruits, cheese or chicken sandwiches, a bowl of plain or flavoured dahi or salads. Avoid fast foods like burgers, doughnuts and fried things.

6 Factors that kill your diet plans

 

So you have been dieting all this while and also keep a check on what you eat, still you feel you aren't losing much weight. Or does it come back after sometime? here are some solutions...

Don't give your food power:
It's all in your mind. Food can't make you eat it. Some people talk as if a chocolate bar holds them down, forcing them to eat it. You have the power to say No to food.

Good versus bad food:
So you think there are good and bad foods? Incorrect. Food is food; it could be fatty, salty, sweet, and low in fat, high in fibre, high in protein. You have to find the right balance and ensure that your body is not deprived of food.

Dieting can't go on forever:
You feel heavy today and you go on a diet plan. Once you lose the excess weight, you go off the diet. If you follow this pattern, you are most likely to regain all the weight. So eat well but eat right.

You can't lose weight without exercise:
So you think you can lose weight without exercising. It isn't impossible, but you would need to go on a controlled diet. But once you stop dieting, the weight will come back. It's very important to follow some kind of a fitness routine. It can even be a brisk walk, or any kind of increased activity.

All fats are not bad
Some fats are healthy. Nuts and seeds have good oils in them, so you should not avoid those oils. Also, you should keep alternating food oils. Do not stick to one kind of oil. The trans fat in fast food and packaged foods is bad for you.

Don't drink too many calories
If you are living in the misconception that soft drink is bad but juice and sports drink are good, think again. Juice has the same calories as soft drinks. And sports drinks are mostly full of sugar. It's best to eat your fruit than drinking it. And drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.

Walnuts...!!!

 

Research has shown that having walnuts daily can reduce the risk of heart disease and can help in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and the C-Reactive Protein.

When you are having a meal that is high in saturated fats, having a handful of raw walnuts can limit the ability of the harmful fat to damage arteries.

Walnuts contain less than four grams of saturated fats per 50 grams. However, all nuts are high in calories, so, having them in moderation is essential.

Walnuts are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fats and alpha linoleic acid.

Add it to your daily diet

- Begin the day in a healthy way with chopped walnuts in your breakfast cereal.

- Avoid meat in your salads and instead, sprinkle a handful of fresh walnuts on it.

- Give the sausages, eggs and processed meat a miss. Get your protein from roasted walnuts!

-Add some walnuts to ur cornflakes or oats mean in morning. 

Look for the fresh nut

- Shelled walnuts should be brittle. Avoid the rubbery ones. Opt for the ones with a darker skin.

Store them right

- No one likes a rancid walnut. So store them unshelled in the refrigerator for a couple of months.

 

Weightloss??? Here are some tips...

With fad diets and fitness routines round every corner, it is quite difficult to keep a tab on which weight loss tips really do work and which don't. Should you join that bhangra aerobics class, adopt that no-carb diet, or eat dinner at 6pm? Never mind all that loophole-ridden weight loss jargon, step over to the healthy side. Here are 5 tips for guaranteed weight loss that will set your weight straight, and help you adopt some really healthy, weight-friendly habits for life.

Weight loss tip 1: Stock your kitchen - Keep your house well-stocked with fruits, vegetables, healthy meats, grains, cereals, spices, and flavourers. Follow our tricks to healthy cooking, cooking vegetables for the week, and low-fat cooking posts to understand how best you can stock your kitchen with healthy and delicious ingredients. All of this will go into helping the next step - cooking healthy meals at home.

Weight loss tip 2: Eat healthy homecooked meals - Whether it's you who's cooking, a family member, or house help, ensure that every one practises healthy cooking methods, and ingredients. Ask any person who's lost weight the healthy way, and you will always hear about how healthy homecooked meals were a big reason behind it. Use less oil, low salt, fresh produce, and you'll start seeing results in no time.

Weight loss tip 3: Start a cardio workout - A healthy weight loss programme is incomplete without a good exercise routine cardio is the best way to lose weight. Of course, variations and forms exist, but any workout that stresses on muscle tone and increased heart rate will always help you lose weight and keep it off. You can either start a home workout today, or rely on gyms for fitness training.

Weight loss tip 4: Find a solution to combat stress - Stress is always detrimental to healthy weight loss in the long run. Find ways to combat stress and you'll soon realise that your diet and exercise aren't sabotaged anymore, and that you truly do see results. Look at yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simple hobbies like reading to fight stress.

Weight loss tip 5: Drink plenty of water - You've known that your body relies heavily on water for all important bodily functions, and yet you skimp on drinking adequate quantities of water every day. Well, it's time to stop that. Check out some exciting ways to make water interesting and you'll be packing it away in no time.

Get rid of puffy eyes!

Eyes are the indicators of our health condition. Puffy eyes usually make people look more tired and aged.

Causes
Lack of sleep, excessive crying, lots of sodium or salt intake, emotional or physical stress, build-up of toxins and wastes in the body, post-operation or surgical recovery, heredity or genetic predisposition, allergic reaction or dermatitis, excess consumption of alcoholic beverages, irritation from contact lenses, body fluid fluctuations due to hormones, sinus problems, vitamin deficiency.

Symptoms     
Swelling around or at the corners of the eyes. Puffiness of the eyelids, of the eyes. Difficulty or inability to open or close the eyes due to swelling.

Prevention
Sleep well
Give your eyes the muchneeded rest. Sleep deprivation makes them work overtime and causes bags underneath. This is because all the fats and fluids settle down and accumulate in the area. As the skin underneath the eyes is very thin and fragile, the extra fluid becomes more prominent.

Pamper your eyes
Apply cucumber slices or cool tea bags to your eyes on a regular basis. Tea bags contain tannin that reduces the swelling and discolouration of eye bags, while cucumber soothes the puffiness around the eyes. Keep cool cucumber slices or tea bags in the refrigerator overnight and the next day put them on your eyes for about 15 minutes.

Eat a balanced diet
Deficiency of Vitamin K or B12 is known to be a major cause of puffy eyes. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet along with plenty of water to get all the vitamins and minerals. Decrease your salt intake.

Quit smoking Smoking is bad for your health and can also cause under eye circles and puffiness.

Avoid rubbing your eyes
Rubbing on the eyes and eye contours may break the tiny capillaries underneath the skin and lead to more dark circles and puffiness.

Take care of eyes while you sleep
Before going to bed, dampen a soft cotton cloth in cold water and squeeze it to remove excess water. Then put this cloth over your eyes as you sleep.

Take regular breaks
Learn to take regular breaks during work, especially if you are working on computers.

Visit a doctor
If the swelling around the eyelids is 2-3 times more than normal, you should visit a physician immediately.

Want to increase your blood circulation!!!

Here are a few tips...

Good blood circulation in the body is essential for improving one's memory and concentration, preventing toxin-formation in the body and keeping the joints of the body agile. 

Walking
Walking is the most simplest and easiest form of exercise. Walk for at least 20 minutes a day.

Swimming
If you hate working out in the gym and wish to do something fun, then swimming is a good option. Swimming is not only loads of fun but it also is a good form of physical activity. Do the butterfly stroke, back stroke, breast stroke, anything that catches your fancy.

 Cycling
Cycling provides the heart and blood vessels a good work out, fostering blood circulation. Cycling regularly tones the muscles of the legs and thighs. This is specially beneficial for those with a sedentary lifestyle accompanied by lack of exercise.

Belly Dancing
Dancing, especially belly dancing, is very effective when it comes to blood circulation. It promotes cardio-vascular health, strengthens the abdominal muscles and bowel movements. Besides physical fitness, you can learn to groove seductively and wins hearts too!