All About Fat/Weight Loss

How to Plan Your Diet Chart Smartly

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 23:06:00 -0700

There are more than a million reasons why people from all walks of life get a specialized diet chart made for themselves. While some want that flawless skin, some are looking for quick weight loss. Moreover, there are not just as many reasons for getting a diet chart made but as many diets as possibly can be. You might be more than amused to find solutions to almost every problem in a diet. In fact, Ayurveda states that a only that diet/food components should be consumed by you that suit your body characteristic, which falls under three categories: kapha, pita, tapas.

Weight Loss and Diet Charts

Though there are a number of reasons why people think that going to dieticians is wise, weight loss is something the propels or pushes them to go to one. So, while your diet chart can wait a month or two if it is about getting a better complexion, but if weight loss is the agenda then everything seems like urgency.

What Makes Diet Plans a Hit?

Well, if it is the first time that you are giving dieting a try; you might have your own prejudices against it. You might think of it as something that will require you to cut down on every delicacy that you have ever dreamt of gorging on. No chocolates, no puddings, no sweets and nothing that is fired should go into your mouth.

So, what comes into picture are people not being able to eat anything! That’s a wrong picture. There is nothing like starving when it comes to dieting. On the contrary, a good diet is something so filling ( and delicious) that it hardly leaves you starved or craving. Can you have chocolate occasionally when dieting? Well, why not! In fact dark chocolate is something that is recommended by dieticians so as to boost the amount of anti-oxidants in your body.

What Should A Good Diet Chart Be Like?

A good diet is delicious, filling, nutritious yet light. There are portions of proteins, minerals, vitamins, carbs and little bit of fat too in the diet (but the right quality fat). It sounds too good to be true, I know. But when you go to a dietician, she will tell you what is right for your body and what is wrong. Because weight loss charts are such that they need you to stop consuming fat and utilize the one that is stored in the body, be sure that you will be given a lot of Vitamin-C, D and Protein to eat. Want a sample diet chart to get an idea about what is in store for you if you are thinking about dieting? Here is one:

ONE DAY DIET PLAN-SAMPLE

7.00 A.M.: LUKE WARM WATER WITH HONEY AND LEMON

8.30: A.M.: A GLASS OF SKIMMED MILK WITH TWO BROWN BREAD TOASTS (NO BUTTER)

11:00 A.M.: A GLASS OF BUTTERMILK

1.30 P.M.: 2 CHAPPATIS, 1 BOWL CURD, 1 BOWL VEGETABLE (LIGHT SAUTED) AND SALAD

4.00 P.M.: TEA (half spoon sugar) AND TWO MARIE BISCUITS

6.30 P.M.: A BOWL FULL OF SOUP

730-8.30 P.M.: 1 CHAPPATI, 1 BOWL VEGETABLE, ½ BOWL PULSES, SALAD

WHILE SLEEPING: HALF CUP SKIMMED MILKED (no sugar)

Looking at the above weight loss chart , don’t you think after eating throughout the day, you won’t crave anything else? All the three or four meals of the day are being provided in this diet chart. How can one then call dieting starvation?

Now, the sample diet that has been mentioned is just an example. You don’t have to go by this without consulting your specialist. There are a number of charts and plans; and different dietitians believe in different ones.

So, while some expert might recommend Atkins for you, he might advise another patient of his against this diet plan/chart simply because it won’t work for the other person’s body type.

IN A NUTSHELL

When it comes to getting a diet chart for weight loss made, see to it that you share everything about your current diet very frankly with your diet expert. Let him/her know the amount of physical labor that you are doing every day, even if you are not doing any. If on any medication, discuss that too. You will be asked a few questions about your intake of food, allergy to certain foods, age etc. before your diet plan is made. Your BMI will also be assessed and thereafter a diet chart will be made solely for your body type. Another thing to remember is that while you are on the diet, do not go crazy measuring your weight. Results show up but take time. The dietician will first check what suits your body and what doesn’t. Give the expert some time and he or she will be able to work wonders. You will also need to exercise a bit to keep your body toned and metabolic rate up.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS AND WEIGHT LOSS: HOW IT WORKS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:57:00 -0700

Stubborn- this is how you can describe the excess body fat. With age, losing that extra fat becomes a herculean task. The world has looked up to India for solutions, even when it is an issue of weight management. Fortunately, the world has found its answer in the form of Ayurveda, one of the most ancient and effective sciences known to humans of today.

Ayurveda is an ancient science the focus of which strictly lies on balancing the body's life energies, namely vata, kapha and pitta,instead of focusing on individual symptoms. As a result, Ayurveda workds in a way that helps in bringing the body to its natural weight. Not only that, Ayurveda has its lasting effects of calmness, relaxation and of balance.

The age old techniques used in Ayurveda are capable of directly targeting the exercise-resistant fat by way of strengthening your digestive system. This very capability is one of the biggest differences between the conventional methods and the ayurvedic weight loss techniques including weight loss medicine.

These techniques, which focus on identifying the reasons that augment your fat cells and then work continuously towards rectifying them, have proved their worth since thousands of years. They can be performed daily without any of cause of worry or probability of harm.

Ama, a special concept, is an important constituent in the ayurvedic medicines that are meant for weight loss. Ama refers to the toxins which are nothing but impurities that get accumulated in human bodies as a result of chronic stress, improper diet and other environmental pollutants. The toxins which are soluble in water are the ones which are easier to terminate from body.

This can be done with the help of regular exercise and a proper diet. However, there are toxins which get stuck deep inside the fat cells, known as fat-soluble toxins. These fat cells keep expanding as they keep accumulating these toxins, thus, leading to weight gain. This is specially seen in the areas around the thighs, stomach and hips.

The techiniques used in Ayurveda aim at removing ama by shrinking the fat cells. The older one gets higher go the chances of having ama in the body. However, if a person follows detox programs and daily healthy habits, he or she can most certainly remove these toxins and they are removed from the roots before they can turn into a chronic issue.

Before one makes efforts to find the right ayurvedic medicine forweight loss, it is best to make sure of one thing. One should determine the presence of the toxins in body. Once it has been established as to what toxins are accumulated in your body, you will be in a better position to decide on the ayurvedic medicine.

Herbal supplements form part of ayurvedic medicine and these can be of great benefit in weight control. These supplements are generally free from any negative side effects of conventional drugs. Diet therapy alone is many times incapable of bringing significant changes and hence ayurvedic medicine becomes a necessity. As already mentioned, the defective metabolism is corrected by the ayurvedic medicines. Once the metabolism gets in shape, it becomes easier to shed and maintain the weight eventually.

Below are few herbalsupplements that can be taken for weight loss.

Takrarishta, a fermented preparation made with butter milk, along with guduchi, musta, devadaru, honey and triphala.
A formulation of the powder of amalaka and yava and amalaka is considered quite effective in most scenarios.
Juice of Agnimathaalong with Shilajita is a good forumlation.
You can also consider taking honey early in the morning every day.

Another option could be taking powder of Sunthi, Vidanga, Yavakshara, Aamalaki Yava, and Loha Bhasma.

Each one of these recommendations are going to help you shed those extra kilos. They are definitely useful even when taken individually. However, they are most effective when taken in combinations as specified above. These combinations, when taken regularly, not only help in losing weight but also ensure that you are able to keep that extra flab off at all times.

There are other more complex combinations that can also be treated as ayurvedic medicines for weight loss. Detox tea is one such formulation. Detox tea comprises of a combination of various ingredients which are meant to improve the digestion, help in breaking down fat more efficiently and unclogging the channels in our body with the removal of ama.

Another combination could be that of cumin, coriander and fennel. When the whole seeds of all these three spices are added to water and boiled for around five minutes, you will be left with a concoction once the seeds are strained out of the liquid.

However, it is important to make it a point to follow it up with strict diet and a workout regime. A wholesome approach towards weightloss will always be helpful.

Making Indian Diet Healthy for Weight and Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 23:41:00 -0700

While gaining those extra pounds comes naturally to many of us, getting rid of the unwanted flab is often a tricky proposition. Whether it is your arms, waistline, hips, thighs or bottoms, the stubborn fat won’t just go. The struggle for slimming down often gives you a hard time while your confidence and self-esteem takes a beating.

Well, fret not, for we bring to you an easy to follow Indian diet plan for weight loss. Yes, you read that right! An Indian diet plan can indeed help you get into shape. And you need not bring about revolutionary dietary variations in your meals to shed your weight. However, it is recommended that you take a glass of lukewarm water with lemon first thing in the morning.

Indian diet is notorious for the spices and the oil and what not. Though in a number of ways, it is nutritious as well, the sad part is that commercialization of foods and excessive dressing of things makes even nutritious food junk. There are a number of things about Indian diet that have been criticized time and again. However, is there a way to make our daily meals healthy? There are a number of dieticians who will advise you and chart out different diet plans for you. However, here are some ways which you can try for yourself before you head out to a fitness clinic.

Listed below is an Indian diet plan for weight loss and/or maintenance that could help you say goodbye to that extra fat:

Breakfast: Try having skimmed milk and cornflakes or poha or brown bread upma in your breakfast. If paranthas are what you swear by, then you should ensure that the paranthas have been cooked in less oil or ghee. For those willing to try a South Indian breakfast, can go for idli, dosa or uttapam. You can also go for besan chilla or moong chilla in your breakfast.

Mid-morning snacks: For your mid-morning snacks, you can always try mango milkshake made in low fat or skimmed milk. Ensure that you do not add any sugar or sweetener to it. At times, you could also try having fruit salad and add a pinch of rock salt to it.
Lunch: For lunch, you should have a proper balanced diet. This could include rotis or rice (without starch) with vegetables, dal and curd or raita and salads. You can also try khichdi. However, if you want to go for a non-vegetarian meal, then you could include grilled chicken breast in your lunch.

Evening snacks: For evening snacks, you can have tea without sugar, skimmed milk or just lemon juice. Along with tea, you can have roasted chanas or 2-3 wheat rusks. You can even try some seasonal fruits or dry fruits for evening snacks.
Dinner: It is recommended that you have an early dinner. Your typical dinner meal could include rotis or phulkas with vegetables and a bowl of curd. Or you could try having khichdi or pulao.

It is important to note that this diet plan won’t necessarily make you go from flab to fab within just a week. It is more about maintaining discipline, abstaining from overindulgence and eating right things at the right time.

Following are some pointers that you should keep in mind when following the Indian diet plan:

Include as much fruits as possible in your everyday diet.
You can always start your day by having fruits, such as grapes, apples and melons. However, you should not eat any fruits just after having a meal.
Decrease your consumption of caffeinated drinks.
Never skip breakfasts.

Breakfast is considered to be the most essential meal. Therefore, you should never skip breakfast

Increase your water intake.

As we all know, that water is a natural detoxifying agent and helps in digesting food, therefore, you should have at least 8 glasses of water in a day. You can also try lemon juice or coconut water instead of having plain water.

Reduce gaps between two meals.

Ensure that there is not much gap between two meals since whatever food you eat is converted into fat instead of being used for energy.

Refrain from mindless munching

While it is important to ensure that there are no long gaps between two meals, it is as much essential for you to restrict yourself from mindlessly munching when doing nothing.

Shun all kinds of junk foods including bakery products as these are high on calories.

Although the aforementioned Indian diet plan is very generic, it may or may not garner you the expected results. This is because the caloric requirement of every individual is unique. Therefore, it is advisable that you also consult a dietician or nutritionist to help you chalk out an Indian diet chart for weight loss that suits you and yields you the desired weight loss results.

The Main Key to Weight Loss: Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 00:15:00 -0700

Exercise has made it to the good books of people for all the right reasons. The advantages of exercising are myriad! From taking care of your body shape to boosting your overall health, physical workout has something for everyone. While most people take to exercise when they are looking forward to lose some weight, there are a lot many people who focus on workout so as to better their health.

While exercise is a sure shot solution for weight problems, in certain cases when the weight is related to stress or some hormonal problem physical workout fails to deliver the desired result. Another limitation of exercise is the weight and the BMI of the person.

An overweight person with a low bone density cannot exercise as much as a person who weighs less. Irony has it that those who need to benefit the most from exercise end up benefiting the least from it. Nonetheless, every fitness expert must teach that it’s not the intensity but the consistency that people should rely on when it comes to exercise.

Another complaint that a number of people have against exercise for weight loss is the lack of time they get for it. It is in fact evident from this statement that this is not a complaint against exercise, but against their own lack of discipline. Being focused on your goal is extremely important if you are serious about shedding kilos. Consistency is as important as discipline. Well, now that you have cultivated discipline in your routine, you probably need some amount of motivation as well. Keep a Tee-shirt that you want to fit it and try wearing it daily. Remind yourself that you have to challenge yourself to be able to wear it. This is one of the best ways of boosting your moral. Or, you could also write the words ‘LOSE WEIGHT NOW’ in front of your mirror and on the refrigerator.

Cardios are highly recommended for those who are looking forward to gain some vigor apart from losing weight. If you too are exercising for weight and inch loss, this article can be of great help. But first, let’s discuss some of the common reasons why people put on weight.

Sedentary Lifestyle: People who move around throughout the day are leaner than those who keep sitting all day long. One of the major culprits of weight gain is a sedentary lifestyle.
Stress: If you are one of those people who pile up kilos but are not careless about your diet and workout, probably stress is causing your weight gain. This kind of weight loss can be reduced to some extent by meditation.
Overeating: This is one of the main reasons why a number of people end up gaining a lot of belly fat. So, cutting down on excessive food intake and the extra calories, should be something that you should stop almost immediately.
Heredity: Another cause that you can’t ignore when it comes to weight problems is hereditary causes. In case you find it difficult to lose weight, it might be because your blood group is averse to weight loss. However, don’t blame it all on the genes.

EXERCISING FOR WEIGHT LOSS

May be you have to lose excessive fat from your thighs or upper arms while all you need to do for your stomach is to tone it up. If you don’t have the time to join a gym, listed are a few exercises that can help you with weight loss:

Ab Crunches: You need a mat for this one as you have to do this exercise on the floor. Lay down flat on the floor and put your hands under your head in a way that the elbows are parallel to each other. Now gently bring your head towards your stomach. Your feet should be firmly on the ground and knees folded in the air.
Squats: The perfect exercise for the butt and the thighs, squats can help you lose 50 calories in 15 minutes. Depending on the intensity of squats, you will need to increase or decrease the number.
Weight Lifts: A note here – the exercises that you do with weights need to be done very carefully. If you are doing lifts for the biceps, you should be careful about not mixing the exercises with those that are done for building triceps.
Yoga: Extremely popular amongst people of all ages, yoga asanas hold the power to cure a lot many physical ailments as well as weight issues. The best thing, you can learn yoga all by yourself just by reading a few books and watching a few video tutorials.

Everyone can benefit from exercising in some way or the other. It is important, however, to be able to reap the most out of your exercise regime that you consult a fitness expert who is able to chart out a weight loss exercise program and a good schedule for you.

Ways in Which Yoga Helps Keep Slim and Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 22:37:00 -0700

Yoga has been one of the most effective ancient art and science to have benefitted innumerable lives in all times. It was brought out by a great Indian Rishi---Patanjali Maharishi, who laid its framework. This age-old practice has been adopted globally and its results have always been obvious.

In today’s fast-paced life, people look up to Yoga as something that not only helps them maintain a lean, healthy body but also mind. The inter-link between mind and body have never been denied, a healthy body has a healthy mind and vice-versa. Because of the same reason, the effects of yoga have been far reaching and beyond comprehension at times.

Practicing yoga not only helps people lose but those who seek for gaining weight can also take its refuge as it works to bring the body at an optimal functioning and corrects whatever is not in line with its optimal functioning.

Yoga has enormous benefits. It does not need any equipment and can be practiced by anyone of any age. It can be practiced in the privacy of your own home on daily basis. It is the best and simplest of option for those who wish to lose weight or stay fit. It has no side effects and its results are long lasting. In this article, let us discuss how yoga helps in weight loss.

Yoga involves enormous minor—major asanas (postures) in standing, sitting and/or lying positions. For convenience, let us segregate them under 3 headings: stretching; bending; and twisting poses and find how yoga for weight loss works.

Stretching Postures

There are various postures that include stretching of various parts of the body and hence not just provide strength to them but also burn the fat in those portions and tone them.

The top standing postures that help stretching are Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Veerabhadrasana (Warrior Pose), and Garudasana (Eagle Pose). Tadasana not only helps in stretching of overall body but also helps in increasing height. Veerabhadrasana helps stretching of arms and torso. It not only helps keep the back healthy, but helps the stretching of belly, chest, and arms. On the other hand, Garudasana helps in stretching and toning of arms and thighs.

Top sitting postures that help stretching are Gomukhasana (Cow Pose), Singhasana (Lion Pose), and Kaagasana (Pigeon Pose). While Gomukhasana helps in the stretching and toning of shoulder muscles, arms and upper back, Singhasana helps in toning of thigh muscles as well and Kaagasana helps maintaining balance. Singhasana also helps in improving focus and confidence that indirectly affects the person’s overall attitude.

The lying posture is Naukasana (Boat Pose). It helps in stretching the arms, torso, thighs and calf muscles.

Bending Postures

A number of bending postures are there as well that help in more stretching and toning of various muscles. All bending postures involve stretching, however, for convenience, let us discuss them separately.

Some important bending postures in standing position are side-bend asana, trikonasana, and padahastasana. The former helps in reducing the fats on the sides of the waist and the latter helps not only in reducing the fat but also in toning and stretching the waist line and thighs. Padahastasana helps in stretching of arms and reducing the fat on the belly.

In the sitting position, some bending posture includes pashchimottanasana. It works wonders in stretching arms, spine and legs and hence helps in their good exercise. This asana also helps greatly in reducing the extra fats of the belly.

The bending postures in lying position are setu-bandh asana (Bridge Pose), Mandukasana (Frog Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), Pavanmuktasana (Wind-releasing Pose), Halasana and Sarvangasana. Setu-bandh asana gives an excellent massage to the thighs and lower back. Manduasana and Dhanurasana help greatly in getting rid of extra belly fat quickly. They also improve digestion which further helps in proper regulation of food and hence reduced weight gain. Pavanamuktasana helps in healing of gastritis and proves to be a great asana for saying good bye to belly and thigh fats. Halasana and Sarvangasana help in overall toning of the body and increase the circulation of blood in it. It quickens the metabolism and hence leads to better health as well.

Twisting Postures

Not many asanas include twisting which is another important part of yoga that helps in getting rid of belly fat and improving digestion.

In the standing postures, the most important twisting posture is Kati-chakrasana. This asana makes sure that the waist bends in a way that churns the stomach properly and improves digestion. It keeps the waist flexible and supple and helps removing extra fat.

In the sitting postures, the most important one that involves twisting in Ardhamatsyendrasana. It is another most wonderful asana to increase flexibility of the spine and waist and remove extra fat from belly and thighs.

All these asanas in yoga for weight loss, however, may require guidance from a professional yoga practitioner at least initially. Their effects remain visible within short duration and their success guaranteed. Yoga is the simplest, most effective and natural way to the body in shape and health.

THE ART OF YOGA: A YOGIS EXPERIENCE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 23:32:00 -0700

“Can Yoga help me lose fat?” I asked in a worrying voice to the instructor at the place where I was to enroll for yoga. I was worried because long before my friends suggested to take yoga, I had tried every other doctrine in an attempt to lower my weight and lose fat, alas – all of them in vain! “Yoga can certainly help you lose fat, not only temporarily but permanently” came the prompt reply. Reassured by the instructor, I thought there is nothing to lose really and so I enrolled in yoga for weight loss, still skeptical about the effectiveness of yoga.

Next morning I showed up in my new yoga pants with my yoga mat, and so the journey began. “Relax your muscles” my instructor told me. He explained in detail that human body muscles become stuff due to inactivity and lack of effort by our muscles. This muscle inactivity leads to stress on the joints and cause joint pains. The muscle, joints and the tendon work together to perform an activity. For example the thigh muscle, the knee joint and the tendons connecting the muscle with the bones work in tandem when we walk. If the thigh muscle or Quadriceps femoris as scientifically know becomes weak, then the load falls onto the knee joint causing pain and in extreme cases tendonitis – which is swelling of the tendon due to excessive load.

Yoga for weight loss, be it of any style, engages muscle groups as we perform “asana” which means to assume certain body position. During these positions, specific muscles are targeted and hence increases mobility of the body.“So mobility of muscles is a good thing” I thought, “but what about calories burnt?” After all calories burnt directly relates to weight loss. Calorie is basically unit to measure energy. When we eat food we intake energy. This energy is then spent by the human body when we perform any physical activity such as walking or swimming. Even when we don’t perform any physical activity some energy is spent which is decided by the metabolism of our body. The excessive energy is get deposited and stored as fat that contributes majorly towards weight gain. It is important to focus on weight loss by fat burning.

Yoga burns nearly 175 calories per hour, when compared against other aerobic other aerobic exercises such as running that burns 600 calories per hour, it might appear that yoga is ineffective. However, we should take into account that it is rather difficult to run for an hour at the same speed than it is to do yoga for an hour. Hence doing yoga can sufficiently increase heart rate – required to consume sugar flowing in the blood stream and supplement the sugar supply by breaking down fat, and put strain onto muscles – hence strengthening them.Nearly 21 million people in USA alone, actively participate in yoga. They spend more than $10 billion a year on classes and products (including equipment, clothing, retreats and videos). The majority of yoga practitioners cite general wellness, stress management or weight loss as one of their primary motivations for taking up the practice.

There is a special form of yoga, called the hot yoga or the power yoga that helps in faster burning of calories. This form of yoga is performed in hot and humid climatic conditions. In colder climate the human muscle contracts and does not perform to its capacity. Hot and humid conditions trigger calorie burning heart rate, mobility of muscles by loosening them, and sweating – which is a sign of the body breaking down sugar. This decrease in the sugar level in blood is compensated by breaking down fat stored in the body to replenish the sugar.

The more important benefit of yoga however is spiritual. “Yoga helps you adapt into a new lifestyle where the mind and body work towards wellbeing” explained my instructor.

He added that weight gain can make any person harsh on himself. Self-judgment is a common thing issue one faces. Yoga proves as an effective intervention here. It helps in counteracting by creating a positive and safe environment in order to facilitate reconnection with our bodies and put to rest the counterproductive messages that erupt in our minds. Also, getting engaged in physical activity (read asana practice) helps foster a greater sense of self control that translates into a more disciplined life.

Looking at it from physiological angle, there are certain styles of yoga that would be more appropriate for people specifically seeking weight loss. For instance, there is a Vinyasa-style asana where poses are linked together by breath and movement. This style builds heat that potentially result in burining comparatively more amount of calories. This style of practice can be supplemented with other aerobic exercise that you may be already involved in such as swimming, biking, walking or running.

So after listening to my instructor can I confidently tell him that yoga practice will help me lose weight? Well, yes.

How Power Yoga Helps Fight Difficult Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 02:23:00 -0700

Power yoga is a term we often get to come across with these days. What is it exactly? Is it any different from the traditional yoga? What is its methodology? What are its benefits? We would deal with all these questions in this article at length.

Power yoga is a modern way of yoga that is modeled on the traditional framework of Hatha Yoga of the East. It includes vigorous movements and is most focused on fitness. Power yoga for weight loss involves much more workout than that involved in traditional yoga. It is primarily based on Hatha Yoga, however, its movements and poses may widely vary from the former. A lot of sweating occurs in the process and calories burn more rapidly than ever. Hence, most of the times people who wish to lose weight as fast as possible usually take it up. The result is a more flexible and leaner body. There are various reasons why power yoga is quite efficient in weight loss.

1. Increases metabolism rate

Due to increased pace of movements, the extra activity causes the metabolism of the body to pick up pace. This leads to not just the digestive system picking up pace, but also get rid of many other problems related to food indigestion.

A high metabolism rate determines the extent of acidic content in your stomach which in turn is directly proportional to the speed with which you digest the food you took in your system. The faster the rate of metabolism, the lesser the storage of fats in your system will be.

2. Keeps your heart healthy

Due to increased rate of movements and their vigor in power yoga, your blood circulation increases considerably. This increases the need of blood in the entire body, to match which the heart pumps more blood to every part of the body. Hence, this helps in improving the cardiovascular system without putting extra pressure on the body. Not just that, it also helps in maintaining the body heat at an optimum level.

3. Improves the working of gastrointestinal tract

The poor the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is, so is the digestive system of the body. Various exercises that help in stretching the stomach and bending the back improve the functioning of the stomach and liver. This improves the functioning of both and hence improves digestion facilitating a better out-throw of toxins and undesirable material off the body. In addition, it reduces the fats on the belly.

The 3 types of bandhas (locks) help in maintaining and retaining the vital force in human body. These locks increase vitality and help in toning up the abs.

4. Brings flexibility and suppleness to the system:

In today’s fast-paced life, developing problems like cervical and slip disc have become common. They are caused due to weight gain or lack of movements in that particular body part. Various back-bending exercises and stretching exercises in power yoga help in bringing movement and hence flexibility to the spinal cord and reducing fat deposits of the body which further helps in maintaining a healthy body. Hence problems like joint pains, back pains, cervical and so forth can be easily dealt with and cured by power yoga.

5. Adds strength to body and mind:

All the poses of power yoga are, to varying degrees, muscular endurance exercises. When we think of such enduring exercises, we think they will make us tough. However, there is difference in being strong rather than hard, or tough. The power yoga postures involve exercises that include the workout of the muscles and build strength. They bring strength to out muscles, tissues and tendons bringing an overall strength in out musculoskeletal system.

It not only works on the body, but also involves mental steadiness and mindfulness. Exercises done with mindfulness result in lining up of the body, mind and spirit in such a way that leads to a healthier lifestyle that is beyond our imagination, with a leaner but stronger body.

6. Activates thyroid gland:

Most of the times, people put on weight due to malfunctioning of this gland that may lead to either of the two: hypo- or hyperthyrodism. Hypothyroidism leads to excessive weight gain. Thyroid problem usually occurs due to excessive stress due to which the secretion of thyroid suffers and leads to imbalance. Power yoga not only helps in combating it through exercises, but also leads to mental steadiness by reducing stress. This prevents any further hormonal imbalance and helps you lead a healthier life and maintain optimum body weight.

There are various posters in power yoga for weight loss that help in stretching and twisting on the waist. It improves the function of liver that further helps remove undesirable toxins from the body. Most of the toxins and pesticides are tightly held with fatty tissues of the body so their toxicity can be diluted. When these toxins are removed, no need of fat cells remains in the body either and hence a healthier and leaner body results.

Green Tea: The Key to Weight Loss and Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 00:53:00 -0700

Have you been looking out for a way to drop those pounds without sweating it out in the gym? Or are those workout sessions not yielding you the much anticipated results? If your answer to these questions is yes, then put all your worries to rest and start steeping some green tea.

You might think that it’s just another fad and there is actually no benefit of sipping green tea; however, a lot of research is being done on the value of this drink. Rich in anti-oxidants, this tea is herbal, refreshing and packed with energy.

The various benefits of this drink make it a favorite of a lot many people. However, the best part about it is that it can be had both in summers and in the winters. For best results, drink green tea early in the morning, on an empty stomach. Drinking it half an hour before your meals has been a proven way of dropping weight. There is simple science behind how green tea functions. We shall discuss much about this wonder product in this article, which hopefully helps you know it better.

Green tea for weight loss has been consumed by people all across the world since times immemorial, but it is just now that the researchers have been waking up to the numerous therapeutic benefits that it offers. To put it straight, long drawn researches have indicated that consuming this zero calorie beverage is one of the healthiest ways to lose weight.

Why Green Tea?

Produced from non-fermented leaves, green tea contains fairly high levels of antioxidants and bioactive ingredients known as polyphenol. The polyphenol found in green tea benefits for weight loss and helps you protect from a number of diseases and are classified as catechins, which are believed to stimulate the metabolism of fats. Furthermore, the polyphenols function together to activate an enzyme in your body that helps cut down the excess fat from your body. However, you should be consuming green tea on a regular basis for this to happen. Additionally, green tea is believed to do wonders when incorporated into your weight loss program.

Selecting a Suitable Green Tea

While the benefits of consuming green tea are many, it is important to note that you must find a green tea that you can enjoy sipping. This is because, often the people who are new to green tea find its taste unpleasant and bitter. Well, the fact that the green tea people buy could be of an inferior quality or it might not have been brewed properly could be the reason why people do not quite like the flavor of green tea initially.

Green Tea Brands

Listed below are some of the most popular and best-selling green tea brands in India:

Lipton Green Tea
Tetley Pure Green Tea
Taj Mahal Green Tea
Twinings Green Tea
Organic India Tulsi Green Tea
GAIA Green Tea

Whenever you buy green tea, read the ingredients on the label carefully. If the tea contains added sugar then you should probably not buy it.

Flavors of Green Tea

Green tea is available in a variety of flavors. You can choose the one that suits your tastes. The commonly available flavors include ginger, mint, lemon, jasmine, ginseng, honey, etc.

Brewing Green Tea

When brewing green tea, the temperature at which water is heated makes all the difference. The green tea might taste bitter if you heat the water more than it is required. Therefore, it is recommended that you heat the water at a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Celsius. If you have to use tea bags, you should brew the green tea for 2-3 minutes. But if you are using tea leaves, you should brew the tea for about 3-4 minutes.

Note that to maximize the fat burning potential of the green tea, you should not add any sugar to it. Furthermore, you should go for freshly brewed green tea instead of decaffeinated and instant tea as these contain lesser antioxidants that trigger the fat metabolism.

How Much Green Tea Can You Take?

As already mentioned, the benefits of consuming green tea are many. Since the caffeine content in green teas is quite low, therefore, there is no harm in taking even 3-4 cups of green tea in a day. However, to start with, you can go with 1-2 cups of green tea in a day and gradually increase your green tea consumption.

Though green tea is a healthy alternative for those willing to kick off the extra pounds, it must be worth noting that green tea alone cannot do wonders to your body. You need to follow a diet plan or hit it off in the gym and include green tea in your daily routine to be able to achieve the best results.

Weight Loss for Women: What it Takes to Look Great

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 00:51:00 -0700

Age no bar; every woman has weight lost on the top of her ‘to-do’ list. It is a time when looking good is not just a matter of social pride but also a factor that adds to self importance. If you are woman who has been working hard in the gym to kick those kilos off from your butt, you will second that not every woman is blessed to be trim and skinny; some just need to lose enough weight to look fine. Losing weight, dear ladies, is not a matter of months. It takes years to get your body to a level where it can lose weight as well as maintain it. Weight loss programs for women often preach that it takes consistency and hard work to lose weight from tough parts.

WEIGHT PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE LIKELY TO FACE

Though weight gain is a universal problem (since it doesn’t spare people of any country) affecting both men and women, when it comes to the latter, there are some typical issues that have been mentioned as follows:

Weight on the upper arms
Weight on the thighs
Flabby stomach that is not toned but sags
Inches piled up on the back.
Huge hips and a slender waist

The above listed are some weight problems that women are often found cussing and gossiping about. Women suffer losing inches from the listed areas the most. There might be exceptions, however.

WEIGHT LOSS MISTAKES EVERYONE MAKES

In the words of Chris Freytag ‘Eating should be a pleasant – not miserable- experience. To make it so, let’s first discuss some of the mistakes that women (even men) make with respect to weight loss.

Counting Calories: Often we act as our own fitness experts and mess up things more. One of the most common mistakes that almost everyone has made or is making on the mission to lose weight is to count calorie intake. Use common sense here! Does 500 calories from chocolate and chips equals to 500 calories from fruits?
Errands Equals Exercise: That is a myth! 15 minutes of wiping the floor might help you get flexible and fit, but it can hardly help in any weight loss. On the other hand, 15 minutes of cycling can help kick of kilos, if done regularly.
Exertion Equals Exercise: This is another fad that somehow a lot many people believe in. Exercising to the points of a breakdown isn’t something that should be popularized. You need to be consistent – that is the mantra!
You Can Eat Anything If You Exercise: Well, to an extent, you can forgive yourself some indulgency. However, this does not mean you can be careless with your diet. You won’t be able to lose any weight in case of the latter.
Any Amount of Nutritious Food Does Not Hurt: Another fallacy thrown your way is that you can eat as much of nutritious food as you want. Portions should always be kept under check. Eating four to five small meals throughout the day is the right way to lose weight.

Taking care of the above listed five things can help you battle out your weight issues steadily. No weight loss pills for women can do as much wonder as your own dedication.

WEIGHT LOSS FOR WOMEN

Women often complain about their super busy routines because of which they cannot find time for exercise. Majority of working women resort to diet plans so as to lose weight. As mentioned before, reducing your food intake only kills your metabolism. Moreover, when you resume your old diet, you end up gaining more weight. So, what is the solution? Here are some simple weight loss tips for women who want to stay fit and look beautiful:

Fruits are a Must: Don’t starve yourself when you are hungry. Reach out for a fruit like apple, blue berries, strawberries or pomegranates. Mixing them in yogurt is a recipe that makes excellent breakfast.
Take the Stairs: If you are not exercising, do not take the lift in your office. Take the stairs at least three times a day. This will help you keep your muscles flexible and the fat off your hips and thighs.
Walk: If your office is located at a distance of 2 to 3 kilometers from your home, you can walk instead of calling out for a rickshaw.
Yoga: It does not require you to spend hours out in the gym. Yoga can be done at home and you need only around fifteen minutes of it daily to trim down. Pranaayam and Kapaalbharti are known for decreasing belly fat.
Squatting: 20 squats a day can give you a toned butt like never before. Slowly increase the count of squats and the intensity as well.

These are some of the ways in which one can give their sluggish metabolism a push. Remember, losing weight it not a onetime task. After all, you have to maintain the kilos you have lost too!

Food for Weight Loss: Eating Right for Staying Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 00:50:00 -0700

A trim person is considered to be fit, healthy and attractive. True that research often points out that those who weigh a little more than their required weight live longer than those who weigh less than the optimum weight as per their height, there is a reason why people consider weight loss as a way of bettering quality of life. From spending hours in the gym to grueling morning walks and what not, those who wish to remain healthy, spend a considerable time on their body. After all, it is in a healthy body that a healthy mind resides! The sad part is that it is not as simple to lose weight as simple as it seems.

There is a misconception amongst people that dieting can help them effectively lose weight within a time period of two to five months. That is why you see so many people hogging on all kinds of foods and drinks unless and until they are about to get married or have to attend some function. When the time for them on which they believe they have to look their best, they pick up dieting like a crash course for looking slimmer.

REASONS FOR WEIGHT GAIN

There are myriad reasons why people put on weight. There are also a number of different areas where they put on weight. For women, generally it is the thighs, hips and upper arms where they pile up kilos. Men often, on the other hand, suffer from pot bellies. So, what are some of the reasons for weight gain? It could be any of the following:

Stress: You probably blame a sedentary life style the most, but something even more dangerous is stress. A hormone known as cortisol is excessively released when your body is under stress. Increased level of cortisol can cause hunger pangs and cravings. This is why a number of people binge eat when they are stressed.
Little or No Exercise: Another culprit of those tiers that you see on your waist is lack of exercise in your daily routine. Keeping the metabolic rate up is essential to staying slim and fit. Those who keep sitting throughout the day develop a sluggish metabolism. When that happens, you automatically keep gaining weight.
Heredity: Sometimes weight gain is your genes (a fact that you can’t help blaming). Because it is in your genes, it is also quite difficult to get rid of the weight if that’s the case. However, with requisite amount of effort, you can lose even the toughest kind of fat.

The above mentioned are three main factors that cause weight gain. There are a number of other reasons why people complain of increase in their weight.

THE RIGHT WAY TO WEIGHT LOSS

Ask any fitness expert and he or she will tell you that neither diet nor exercise can help you lose weight unless taken up together. However, in case you are overweight to exercise, you have to rely solely on diet for initially losing enough kilos so that your body can take the exertion that exercise can cause on your joints. Yes, there are certain foods that can help you lose up to two pounds a week; however, it is advised that you stick to gradual weight loss for retaining muscle. Believe me you, there is no single item that can be labeled as food for weight loss, but a healthy mix of things that can help you boost your metabolism. The following are a few weight loss foods that are known for their magical property of boosting enzymes in the body that help cut down weight as well as inches:

Apples: Filling, fibrous and loaded with anti-oxidants as well as minerals, apples are truly the best fruit ever! Begin your day with an apple or eat it as an evening snack for feeling full without loading up on carbs.
Eggs: Minus the yellow part, eggs are a treat! Egg white is recommended by almost every doctor and fitness expert if you are someone who wants to build muscle. A great source of protein, it is best eating boiled.
Oats: Healthy for the heart and extremely light on the stomach, oats are a wholesome food for weight loss. A number of people consume oats for a power packed breakfast.
Wild Salmon: For the non-vegetarians, there are a number of options in food, in case they are looking for weight loss. Wild salmon is just one of the innumerable foods that can be consumed for effective weight loss, and so does any other form of fish fat.
Almond Butter: This is probably the only kind of butter that you can eat without thinking twice in case you are you are targeting weight loss. Since almonds are rich in protein, this variety of butter is healthy.

The listed fantastic five foods, including natural weight loss food, are a blast of energy apart from being rich in nutrients. The last word here is that, even weight loss foods must be taken in moderation. It is better to eat light and stay light!