By Sumitra Nair, Team iDiva
You’ve read a hundred diet dos and don’ts, a lot of celebrity diets and some really crazy ones too. If you are still struggling to shed those pounds, we bring you the A to Z of effective dieting and fitness. This could be your guide to weight loss.
Antioxidants: Antioxidants play an important part in maintaining your health. They protect your organs from the wear and tear caused by UV rays and pollution. Antioxidants are found plenty in green tea, fruits and vegetables.
Big breakfast: All the diet gurus have gone on and on about the importance of a big breakfast. It is important to start your day with a big breakfast as it gives your metabolism a boost. It also keeps you going till lunch time, which means your body will not crave for as much sugar as it does on a day it has skipped breakfast or had a less filling one.
Crash diets: Crash diets are a big no-no. Experts say so, because even if you manage to lose weight with a crash diet, you are likely to gain all of it back. A lot of crash diets not just deprive your body of essential nutrients, but also of essential sugars and fats that it needs for energy. A crash diet will leave you feeling tired and more low than ever.
Drink lot of water: Water is one magic drink. It hydrates your body, makes sure all the vital nutrients are absorbed and helps you lose weight too. Water also aids in digestion and helps flush the toxins out of your system.
Eat frequently: Try eating small meals every 2-3 hours. This really works because it keeps your digestive system active thus maintaining your metabolism. But make sure you munch on something healthy like nuts, fruits, popcorn, raw veggies, yogurt, lean meat and so on.
Fatty foods: Do not eliminate fat from your diet completely in order to lose weight. We need fat in our body for many reasons like absorbing fat soluble nutrients like vitamins A, E and K; regulation of menstrual cycle among women; maintaining healthy hair and glowing skin among many others. So make sure you include the healthy fats in your diet in the form of eggs, dairy products, lean meat and oily fish.
Glycemic index: Glycemic index is the ability of a food to increase our blood sugar levels. The glycemic index of a food depends on the amount of sugar it contains. So consult a dietician to decide what foods you should be eating and which you shouldn’t be. Foods with high glycemic index could also add to your waistline as they might also be high in starch and complex carbs that are difficult to digest.
Health foods: Supermarkets are filled with healthy foods like granola bars, juices, cereals and more. But do not be fooled by labels that say low fat or sugar-free. Read the label carefully to make sure there aren’t any harmful preservatives included. Switching to fresh local produce will be your best bet if you want to be health-conscious.
Iron: Iron deficiency can make you feel tired. Iron is also one of the minerals you need for a healthy metabolism. So make sure you get this key nutrient from spinach, broccoli, lentils, turkey, mussels and clams. Iron also boosts flow of oxygen into your blood that provides you with enough energy to exercise.
Junk food: Serious about healthy living and weight loss? It’s time to eliminate junk food from your menu. It increases accumulation of bad cholesterol in your body over a period of time making you prone to lifestyle diseases like diabetes, blood pressure and heart disease.
K cal: K cal is the amount of energy in your food. In order to maintain weight, women are advised to eat 2,200 calories of food a day, and men 2,500. And in order to lose weight women are advised to consume just 1700 calories per day. However consult your dietician for the correct number depending on how active you are. Warning: If you simply count your calories without looking out for healthy sources of energy, you may be doing yourself more harm than good.
Eg a samosa contains around 300 calories, but it also contains starch in form of potatoes and it is fried, which means it could add inches to your waistline. So opting for a baked or grilled vegetable cutlet will be a better option if you want to lose weight.
Low carb diet: A lot of diets ask you to eliminate carbohydrates to lose weight. On the contrary, healthy carbohydrates like whole wheat leave you feeling satiated helping you curb hunger. It also helps blast belly fat by improving your metabolism.
Multi vitamins: Get your daily dose of vitamins from a balanced diet and also from a multi-vitamin pill once in a while. These help your body perform all its functions to its optimum.
Nuts: Nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts and pistachios make for yummy and healthy snacks. Just a handful of them can cure you of your snack craving. What’s more? They are packed with healthy fats that keep your cholesterol down with minerals like zinc and magnesium.
Organic food: Organic food is the healthiest food as you get maximum nutrients out of them and they are devoid of any harmful effects from pesticides and insecticides. Nor are these genetically modified, so you are protected from effects of radiation too. Cut these organic veggies into a salad and some lime and olive oil for a satiating, low calorie snack.
Protein: Want leaner, toned muscles? Include healthy protein from sources like dairy products; eggs, legumes like chic peas and green gram; chicken and veggies.
Quality food: Choose quality food over quantity, if you want to lose weight. Eg. Opt for sweet potato wedges instead of chips or a good helping of grilled veggies over the crispy fried ones.
Resistance training: Light strength training or resistance training will not only give you stronger bones, but leaner muscle too. It will help melt away the flab.
Sodium: Excess sodium can have a lot of side effects like water retention, high blood pressure, dandruff and acne. So ditch canned and ready-to-eat meals. Try whipping up quick and easy meals in your kitchen. You will feel more satisfied eating it too. And it will make sure you slip into that sexy LBD before that big bash with much ease. Wink wink!
Teas: Stock upon herbal infusions like jasmine, chamomile, green tea and citrus flavours. Herbal teas are said to have anti-inflammatory properties.
And some also help to soothe your nerves and get some deep sleep. Herbal teas also improve your metabolism and are a healthy way to lose weight.
Unsaturated fats: More of unsaturated fats is what you should include in your diet for optimum benefit. 22-25% of your ideal body weight is recommended by experts.
Veggies: Veggies are a treasure trove of all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. So stock them up in your fridge. The more colourful veggies you have, the better.
Whole grains: Whole grains like corn, wheat, ragi, etc. are a great source of dietary fibre. This helps in regulating bowel movements, improves metabolism and helps you get rid of excess fat.
eXercise: Regular exercise is your sure shot road to weight loss and weight maintenance. Up to 30 minutes of exercise five times a week that includes some cardio will improve your heart health and keep you in shape. It will also help you concentrate better and improve your sex drive.
Yo-yo: Following crash diets and health fads can put you on a mode of yo-yo weight loss. This means you rapidly lose weight and then gain it all again. To be consistently healthy, consult your dietician and GP for the right combination of exercise and diet and then, don’t change it up too often.
Z zzzz: According to research, getting adequate amount of sleep is essential to maintain a healthy metabolism.
Clocking 7-8 hours of sleep also helps to keep your blood sugar levels in check and minimize stress.
This is really good information on weight loss. You provide all the details very carefully and point to point. Weight loss is very useful for the body.
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