Weight Loss vs Fat Loss

When you get on that dreaded scale and see the kilos melt away, the excitement is unparalleled. Some get motivated to work even harder; Some others drop off the fitness routine, thinking 'that's enough for now'. But what about the possibility that all you might have lost was body weight, and not fat? Reduction in weight from loss in bone density and muscle tissues and not from fat, is not healthy in the long term. When a person is extremely overweight or obese, any change in lifestyle or any new exercise will result in massive weight loss, mainly from water loss and initial fat loss. But the closer you come to your ideal weight, the more careful you need to be about whether you are losing weight the right way.

How do you know whether your weight loss is from fat or not?
How you feel is a very good indicator. When you are dropping weight on the scale, but feel weak, exhausted, cranky or maybe slightly nauseous, you are probably losing more than just fat. Beware of banking too hard on this indicator though, as the euphoria of the plummeting scale may just keep you elated enough not to pay heed to any of the above symptoms. If you are losing weight through fat loss, you may see the scales remain the same but your clothes will fit better. This means that you are gaining muscle and bone density but losing fat, which is why you feel stronger, with more energy and not fatigued.

How to lose fat and not muscle?
What you eat and how you workout determines how you lose weight. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you get fit the right way.

Don’t

• Starve. Instead, eat food rich in protein, complex carbs (including salads and fruits), and good fats for energy. Eating right, eating so that you are not hungry, and eating food that is nourishing is important so that you lose fat.
• Eat empty calories. Eating empty calories like biscuits or snacking on empty calories that do not satisfy you in anyway, needs conscious effort. Snack on healthy, filling snacks instead.
• Do only cardio. While cardio is important, you run the risk of losing muscle if you focus only on cardio and not on strength training. It is therefore advisable to mix up your workouts in order to get the best of both worlds. If your workout plan involves just running, swimming, or walking, it’s best if you throw some yoga, and weight training into the mix too. If you’re eating right, then this will be invaluable in building muscle, which in turn burns fat faster. 

Do

• Sprint. Throw in some really fast sprints on your cardio days. Even once a week is more than enough. This stimulates the HGH (human growth hormone) that facilitates the growth of muscle and resultant fat burn.
• Lift heavy weights. Push yourself to do bodyweight workouts, or lift heavy weights at the gym to grow muscle, that increases your metabolism and burns fat even when you are not working out. No you will not bulk up.
• Lead an active lifestyle. Sitting at your workplace for 10 hours a day and then being a couch potato for the rest of your waking hours is the perfect recipe to hamper all your hard work. Being active outside of the gym, low levels of cardio like evening walks, helps towards your fat loss goals.

Don’t worry too much if you’re looking better than ever, feeling energetic and active, and the weighing scale is not budging an inch. You may be losing fat and gaining muscle, the only path to good health and weight management in the long run.

Hand-y tips

-Always keep your hands clean at all times. They are the biggest means of transferring germs and bacteria to other parts of our body and can lead to illnesses. Preferably use an anti-bacterial hand wash, sanitizer or soap, instead of a scented soap.
-Moisturizing is equally important. Constant use of detergents can dry out the skin. Further, ones nails get dry and brittle with time and with the use of nail polish. Invest in a good hand cream or a body lotion and spread some on before sleeping every night.
-Cut and file your nails as and when required. The cuticle around the nails can become unsightly, so get it cleaned off at regular intervals.
-If you are planning to do any major housework or gardening, always wear gloves. This will help protect your hands from cuts and bruises and prevent them from getting rough.
-Once every week, give your hand a good exfoliation session. Soak your palms in warm water and then use your face scrub to get rid of all the grime around your nails. This will also help boost the blood circulation in the hands, leaving them soft.
-If you spend a lot of time outdoors, then make sure you wear sunscreen.
-Always try and give your nails a breather between the times you polish them. Polish is not healthy if left on for too long.

Eat to beat the heat

Food that can help in cooling your body from within as the mercury continues to soar; you are bound to feel tired, dehydrated and low on energy. Even though its vacation time, you cannot afford to indulge in rich, fried and junk food. Because what you eat plays a major role in how you feel. If you want to seek respite from the unbearable heat this season, make sure you eat the right foods. And by that, we mean foods that have a cooling effect on the body. Doing so will not only fulfill your appetite but also keep your energy -levels high. Here is a list of must-eat foods that are cooling and relaxing for the body:

WATERMELONS
This is the season where watermelons are available in plenty and they are one of best natural cooling foods. That’s because they contain almost 80% water, and are naturally sweet and low on calories too. Eating them makes one feel full, without having to worry about putting on weight. Even muskmelons serve the same purpose.

YOGURT
Eating yoghurt is one of the best ways to beat the summer heat. Curds contain good bacteria which help in the maintenance of the digestive tract. During the summer, the chances of getting a stomach infection are higher as foods tend to deteriorate faster in the heat. You can have it in the form of buttermilk, lassi, raita, or fruits mixed with curds.

ONIONS
Yes, you heard us right, and well tell you why. Red onions contain a chemical compound called quercetin, which contains anti-histamine properties. Histamine is an irritant that is known to cause heat rashes.

BANANAS
The body loses a lot of water due to excessive sweating. Bananas are a rich source of potassium and can help regulate fluids in the body. Besides bananas, green leafy vegetables and dried fruits are rich in potassium.

How to have a healthy meal?

Just the simple steps in your daily life-

-Have a full glass of water or iced tea or a beverage that's not very sweet, before you order .It'll help digest your meal and also fill you up a bit, so you don't feel as hungry.
-Before your main course, order a soup, and try to have a salad for your main course.-When ordering soup, remember that a cream-based soup is more fattening than a clear soup. Ask for that instead. The same way, cream based-sauces, used in pasta or other dishes, are higher in calories than tomato-based ones. Try to order before other people do, and if you're not having a salad for your main course, try and split it with someone.
-Have bread sticks instead of bread – they help you avoid oil and butter.
-Have a big lunch. It keeps you full for the major part of the day and gets digested more easily, so you can have a light dinner and feel full more quickly if you're dining out. Also remember to eat slowly, and stop when you're full.
-Avoid cakes, pastries and ice cream – have fruits for dessert.

15-minute workout can keep you fit

A 15-minute workout at the gym helps keep you young as well as fit, according to a study.

Researchers found that brief vigorous exercise tends to slow the ageing process.

Just 15 minutes of energetic activity a day reduces stress and prevents the deterioration of vital cells which lead to us feeling and looking older, reports express.co.uk.

Even if we are stressed, which tends to speed up the ageing process, we can hold time at bay by working up a sweat.
 

If we maintain the levels of physical activity recommended by public health bodies we can prevent the damage that psychological stress may have on our body.

 

 So just a15-minute workout can keep you fit

Toasts, croissants speed up ageing

The next time you eat that crispy toast in the breakfast, better think again, as scientists have suggested that these toasts could be fast-tracking ageing and chronic disease.

According to a study on how many common foods - toast and croissants included-can produce chemicals now suspected of fast-tracking ageing and chronic disease.

Named Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), these chemicals turn up in foods ranging from hash browns to cola drinks and coffee.

Forbes and researchers overseas have suggested that too many AGEs building up in the body can contribute to heart disease and diabetes - and the wrinkling and pigmentation that go with ageing skin.

The foods producing the most AGEs tend to be processed foods high in sugar or fat, especially animal fat, which are then grilled, baked or fried at high temperatures, often until they're crispy and golden. The more a food has sugar added to it and the more it's processed, the more AGEs it usually produces. Baked, crunchy breakfast cereals and toasted mueslis also produce AGEs, but raw oats and porridge are fine.

It seems that once you start mucking around with food the more AGEs it produces - there aren't many foods in their natural state that produce AGEs.

We can accumulate too many AGEs in two ways. One is from some foods; the other is when blood sugar levels are too high, as with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Although research into Age’s effects is still in the early stages, studies have suggested they can harm the immune system and contribute to hardened arteries and problems with kidney function.They can age skin by attacking collagen and promote arthritis by damaging the joints.

Walnuts help fight stress, lower BP

Walnuts, the brain shaped nuts, cut down cholesterol and may also help fight stress and reduce blood pressure. 

Those with high levels of bad cholesterol had lower blood pressure during stressful moments after following a diet rich in walnuts for three weeks.

Study participants were told to deliver a three-minute speech or sink one foot in cold water - both of which trigger stress and those who ate walnuts had lower blood pressure.

Isn’t it amazing to know that walnuts reduce blood pressure during stress? People who show an exaggerated biological response to stress are at higher risk of heart disease.

If 3 diets are considered -  one without nuts, one with walnuts and walnut oil and a third with walnuts and flaxseed oil then Adding flaxseed oil did not affect blood pressure, but did help create an anti-inflammatory effect in arteries which could reduce the risk of heart disease.

After each diet, if the subjects are asked to take the speech and cold-water stress tests.

Average diastolic blood pressure - the 'bottom number' or the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting - was significantly reduced for those on diets containing walnuts and walnut oil.

Reduce sodium in your diet

A high-sodium diet can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, asthma and strokes. Here's how you can cut down salt from your diet. 

- Avoid canned, processed foods because they contain a high amount of sodium. 
- Reduce consumption of salty snacks like chips, chivda, salted nuts and food accompaniments like pickles and papads.
- Prepare fresh soup, beans, pastas instead of canned ones.
- Processed meats like bacon, ham and salami, etc, have high sodium content, so avoid them.
- Reduce your consumption of soya sauce, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, etc.
- Curb the habit of using the salt shaker every time you eat.
- Street food is generally salty, avoid asking the vendor for salt.
- Avoid Chinese cuisine and fast foods like pizzas, burgers and fries.

8 Foods that ward off stress

Stress is in the air, while on the move, we stress over poor road sense of fellow drivers, in office over mounting workload, at parties over surging real estate rates, and round up as impatient listeners at home. But just who is not stressed today?

Experts blame an erratic diet as a predominant cause of stress, which usually spans into snack breaks, tea breaks and more snack breaks. Though we can do better by tweaking our diet chart to include foods that curb stress.

Here is a list of eight foods they'll do the trick ... 

Yoghurt : Yoghurt works well especially in summer, as it is light and digests easily. Yoghurt or any dairy product is rich in tyrosine which increases the serotonin level in the brain. Proteins increase neurohormone in the brain which eases stressed nerves and calms you down. If plain yoghurt bores you, try the ready-to-scoop-up, fruit flavored version. Strawberry, blackcurrant, litchi and mango are some popular flavored yoghurt. 

Dark chocolate : Dark chocolates are nothing short of a delicacy, they send our taste buds spiraling. But there is more to dark chocolate such as lowering stress hormone levels and improving other stress-related bio-chemical imbalances. Our body requires a fair dose of antioxidants, and in chocolate the antioxidants come in the form of flavonoids. Besides, the flavonoids are maximum in dark chocolate. Chocolates also go a long way in enhancing mood. Chocolates are good aphrodisiacs, also known as 'love chemical' which is a mood stimulant and booster. They contain phenethylamine - a safe natural ingredient that is released in the brain when positive emotions such as falling in love are experienced. 

Citrus fruits : Any fruit of your choice is good enough. Fruits have natural sugar which de-stresses the mind. It is best to go for citrus fruits or any summer fruit. Besides, the natural sugar in fruits is very healthy for the body. Make any one meal fruit rich, and you will feel the difference in your energy levels. 

Almonds : Almonds not only promote shiny mane, but also work as stress relievers. Almonds are packed with vitamin B2, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. B vitamins and magnesium are involved in the production of serotonin, which helps regulate mood and relieve stress. Zinc fights some of the negative effects of stress, while vitamin E is an antioxidant that destroys the free radicals related to stress and heart disease. 

Herbal tea : Black tea or herbal tea checks calories, and at the same time betters your mood. Chamomile tea, jasmine tea, tulsi tea and other herbal variants of tea do wonders to our system. The herbs act like medicine in calming and relaxing our mind. 

Fish : An abundant source of Omega 3 fatty acids, fish contains important B vitamins, particularly the renowned stress fighters B6 and B12. In fact, B12 is one of the most important vitamins involved in the synthesis of the 'happy' brain chemical serotonin; a vitamin B12 deficiency can even lead to depression. Seafood contains high amount of zinc which relives one from stress. 

Broccoli : Broccoli is such a happy, green vegetable. It works magic when added to pasta, rice, salad or simply saute with mushrooms and baby potatoes. But did you know the vegetable had stress-busting properties? "Broccoli is chock-full of stress-relieving B vitamins including frolic acid, which is also part of the vitamin B family. Frolic acid helps relieve stress, anxiety, panic, and even depression. It is also high in fiber content which is helpful in treating constipation and the loose stools associated irritable bowel syndrome which is one of the long term effects of stress," says he. 

Garlic : Garlic eases tension and stress, and reduces glucose levels in the body. If you are not sure about how else to include garlic in your diet, pickle it. Garlic pickle lives long and tastes good with quick snacks, rice and chapati. "The development of hypertension is implicated by a state called as oxidative stress where our body produces reactive oxygen species much higher than its antioxidant capacity. Garlic is rich in antioxidants and helps restore these antioxidants which in turn soothe our stress levels."

Reduce your caffeine intake

Missing that morning cup is worse than coming face to face with the most sordid superstition for many. Well, blame that on caffeine, the same element that helps us out of our stupor. Now we aren't saying you call it quits, and rely on a cold water shower!Especially since, it's a metabolic enhancer too.

Just keeping a tab on the caffeine intake is good enough and easy too, to ensure you just enjoy your brew and not become enslaved by it.

Deciphering caffeine cravings

"When a person gets up, they feel lethargic. That's because the sugar levels are low, as the last meal was almost eight to ten hours back. For that instant boost, we have been taking in caffeine since ages."

Why you need to cut it down?

We heard it a zillion times before  an excess of anything is bad. Well, it holds true even in context of caffeine as too much caffeine often causes gastric problems, acidity, sleep disorders and is a big factor in catalyzing the ageing process. Further, "Caffeine also reduces the capacity of the body to absorb Vitamin E, which often results in the darkening of the skin," she says.

How much is too much?

Anything below 300 milligrams is considered safe for adults. So in case your intake is higher than those, then you need to get into action. Also apart from tea, coffee, cold drinks, energy drinks, chocolate in its various forms also contains small amounts of caffeine, so it's best to keep some margin.

Start by reducing the amount of the caffeinated drink slowly. Initially may feel sleepy or lethargic, but this will go within some days. Dietician and nutritionist says, "Having three cups a day is the upper limit." They suggests you slowly try to switch to healthier versions of tea. "A variety of herbal tea is available. You could try green tea, lemon tea, ginger tea or even tulsi tea. In fact green tea is an excellent antioxidant and increases your body metabolic rate."

Teens especially should opt for 'caffeine-free' drinks. Look for these words or the word 'decaffeinated'.