They say eat less to weigh less, well, not always. There are some super foods that make you lose weight by their sheer nutritional value. Now let us understand what we mean by lose weight. Lose weight = lose fat, not muscle! Losing weight involves building muscle, in fact. The more you build muscle, the faster you will lose fat. Here are a few foods that help you lose weight, the fat weight that is…
An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Well, it keeps the weight gain away as well! Apples are the ideal on-the-go low-calorie snack.
Steak
Organic beef is actually good for you! The protein in beef can actually help you gain muscle and increase your metabolism, which in turn, will help you burn more fat and lose weight.
Eggs
One more food item that stacks on protein is an egg. Eggs are usually most healthy when boiled and it helps you lose weight as it builds muscle.
Besides being loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants, they’re low in calories and high in fibre.
Yogurt
Most dieticians suggest plain yogurt as a great diet food. The reason being it can stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady.
Avocado
Avocadoes are high in monounsaturated fats
Well, when you hear about the fat content in an avocado, you may be discouraged. However, this fat is monounsaturated fat and it increases satiety. Thus, preventing you from gorging on unnecessary junk food.
Olive oil
Just like avocado, olive oil also contains monounsaturated fat that increases satiety. Research has also shown that it has anti-inflammatory properties that prevents bloating.
If you want to lose weight, you must reduce your calorie intake or burn your calories. Most people find it tedious to work on burning so many calories, so the easier way out is to reduce your intake. Usually, to lose a pound, you must reduce 3500 calories. But obviously, you shouldn’t reduce your calorie intake suddenly. Here we list a strategic way to start reducing your calorie intake to lose weight and maintain optimum health.
Weight loss goals can be achieved by reducing calorie intake
Eat eggs for breakfast
If you want to reduce your calorie intake for the day, try having eggs for breakfast. Dieticians claim, those who eat eggs for breakfast end up having 400 calories lesser than those who don’t. Try having boiled eggs rather than fried to reduce calorie intake further.
Cut out the soda
Sweetened sodas have high calories
Sweetened sodas are high on calorific value and we’re not talking about the good calories. Sugars in soda can cause your blood sugar level to spike. Cutting out sodas from your diet will make you lose a significant amount of weight by reducing calorie intake.
Don’t eat in front of the television
Eating while entertainment is on will make you end up taking in more calories than you initially desired. Usually, when you pay attention to what you are eating, you are more likely to eat lesser.
Serve smaller portions
Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. Parents have also taught us to finish what’s on our plate. Well, wouldn’t it be wiser to just serve ourselves lesser, if that’s the case? If you still feel hungry you can serve yourself again. But by serving yourself a smaller portion, you can easily monitor your calorie intake. Besides this, you can also try using a smaller plate.
Reduce sugar based confectionery
Sugar confectionery can throw your calorie count out the window
When it comes to taste, health is most often thrown out the window. Such treats are usually made with no intention of being healthy and thus must be a rare indulgence if you are looking to reduce calorie intake.
If you can follow this regimen to start off your ‘calorie deficit weight loss plan’ then you can surely give your metabolism a good jump start to prepare for serious weight loss.
Ever wondered why the finish line keeps moving away from you in your race to a fit body? There are times when your fitness goals are so close yet so far. But what could be the problem? Well, we’re here to let you know just that. Here are a few common mistakes that we make which actually slow down our weight loss.
If you are one of those who have your breakfast on the run, well, then you aren’t doing your weight loss goals any favours. Although you may think that you are eating less each morning, a protein deficient breakfast is going to add to your cravings throughout the day.
There are some people who swear by cardio alone. Those who live by cardio will work their asses out and take the longest route to their fitness goals. Well, it’s more like following the finish line that keeps moving away without doing anything about it. Here’s the trick. Build lean muscle by incorporating strength training in your fitness regime. This will help you lose weight faster. Easier route, isn’t it?
For those of you who do lift weights, lift heavy, or at least as heavy as you can. Research has shown that using heavier weights for fewer reps can burn more calories than using lighter weights for more reps.
Poor pre-workout nutrition
Most people want to keep the calorie intake on a minimal level when they are looking to lose weight. However, you must understand that protein will actually help you to lose weight faster. A good protein meal before a workout will help you boost your metabolism and make you burn more calories than before.
Well, soda is soda, and soda contains sugar. Although the amount of sugar is lesser in diet soda, in no way is it healthy for your body. Diet soda can stack a large amount of calories that maybe hard to burn away.
If you can stay away from these common mistakes that we commit, then your weight loss goals will be an easy target rather than a far-fetched goal.
Are you one of those people who find hitting the gym or doing yoga boring? Are you looking out for an effective way of losing weight the fun way? Then, why don’t you try dancing! That’s right! Dancing works on the whole body – be it hands, legs, back, tummy. Moreover, you can choose a dance form that you’ll enjoy. Here we have a few dance styles that are popular for their calorie-burning, body toning characteristics.
Groove on Bollywood style
Bollywood dance is your Mecca if you love groovy numbers! Look no further than the Bollywood style of dancing to shed those extra kilos. Since this dance form is groovy and peppy, it is taking the world by rage. A combination of Bhangra with a little hip-hop and other modern Indian dances combine to form a pulsating session of workout.
Salsa for the lovebirds
There is nothing better if you have your beloved bucking you up at every step? Match him step-for-step while keeping him close as you both start on salsa lessons together. This dance form is perfect for keeping you fit. Through this you can meet new people or capture some memorable moments with your loved one. This cardio-intensive workout, with its many movements, will help you lose 10 calories by the minute. Thus, by the end of an hour, you would have lost an awesome 600 calories, and got some titillating moments with your loved one.
Go Zumba!
What about partying to lose weight and ditching your workout regime? Sounds interesting right? Add some spice to your daily workout schedules with Zumba. Imagine learning a little bit of salsa, calypso, belly dancing, samba and many such dance forms in just one amazing dance exercise. Zumba helps in cardio exercise blending all dance forms in one.
Put on your Ballerina shoes
Taking an inspiration from Black Swan? Make the best use of your ballerina shoes to good use and enroll in a ballet class. Improve your posture, get more flexible and build your hips, abdomen and thighs with this amazing dance form. Ballet definitely sounds more fun than lifting weights at your gym.
No matter how much effort you put into your workout, if your post workout habits are inappropriate, you’ll be losing out on your desired results. Pretty soon, you may find yourself de-motivated to work out and give up on your health goals. Therefore, it is necessary to maximise your workouts by paying attention to healthy post workout habits. Here we take a look at a few unhealthy post workout habits that you have.
Letting your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels cuts your risk of injury, according to experts. We hardly ever pay attention to this and return to our regular chores after a rigorous workout. The best solution is to end your workout with a light aerobic exercise to bring back your body to the normal resting levels gradually.
Stretching can prevent muscle soreness on the following day. Less soreness will mean you can hit the gym the sooner than ever and get back to working those muscles to attain your dream body!
Nutrition
Yogurt is a great post-workout snack
Nutrition helps your muscles repair after a break-down workout. A combination of carbs and protein, like yogurt or a handful of nuts, is a great post workout snack to revitalize your body!
Make sure you take a shower and change your clothes after a workout
This may or may not apply to you; however, there are some people out there who don’t change their clothes or wash their bodies after a workout. Gross as it sounds, it obviously has more to it than just plain dirtiness. It can lead to yeast infections!
Sleep
Sleep is essential if you work out
Most people do not find the time to rest their bodies adequately due to hectic schedules. But what is important to note is that a good 7-8 hours of sleep is imperative for a person who works out.
A lean figure is something we all desire, and when we look at some Bollywood celebs, we tend to think they had it easy. Well, not always. Some stars had to work their asses off to tone down to look fab. Let us look at a few.
Alia Bhatt
This sexy chic was not always slender like in the movie ‘Student Of The Year’. She had to go on a weight loss spree to get rid of the excess weight. She lost an enormous 16 kilos before facing cameras for the movie! Quite an inspiration!
Sonam Kapoor
Even Anil Kapoor’s daughter did not get everything on a platter. She had to work out a lot to get the slim figure she enjoys today. She had to lose 30 kilos to slim down from her initial weight of whopping 90 kilos!
Adnan Sami
Singer Adnan Sami once needed a wheelchair to move around because his weight, at an unbelievable 230 kilos, was too much. That very man burned around 150 kilos to look fit and fab!
Parineeti Chopra
Having a cousin like Priyanka Chopra in the industry was motivation enough for Parineeti to try. However, she had to lose considerable amount of weight to get into the industry. Parineeti went from chubby to chic in about ten months of a strict diet, yet she was criticised for being shapeless. For months she was adamant that wouldn’t want to lose any more weight, but after constant criticism she finally gave in and restarted her weight loss regime.
Arjun Kapoor
Arjun initially looked nothing like the star he is today and his weight loss story was indeed a life transformation. He is now rated as one of the hottest Bollywood actors in the industry!
Kareena Kapoor
The actress who made size zero a trend in India wasn’t always slim! In fact, for her item number in ‘Don’ (2006), she was criticised for her inability to maintain her figure following which she took up the challenge and transformed!
Zarine Khan
This chubby actress lost weight before entering into the Bollywood circuit. She lost so much weight that Salman Khan even asked her to put on some weight for one of her movies!
Sonakshi Sinha:
Our very own Rajjo, Sonakshi Sinha never thought she can be an actress. She was quite on a heavier side and was planning to pursue her career in Fashion Designing. However, Salman Khan told the 90kgs Sonakshi to lose weight and enter Bollywood. She lost around 30 kilos in 2 years and became a perfect heroine to star opposite Salman in the film ‘Dabangg’.
Jackky Bhagnani:
Well, his six-pack-abs were the talk of the town when he made his debut in the film ‘Kal Kissne Dekha’. But, not many know that it took 2 years for Jackky to get that body. The actor was around 130kgs before he thought of making his acting debut.
Karan Johar:
Karan Johar is surely a great filmmaker, but if you would have seen him few years ago, you wouldn’t have recognized him. He was fat and weighed 120kgs. However, he decided to lose weight and you can see what he is right now.
A close friend’s wedding is coming up! All your attempts to lose weight have failed, and you’re getting panicky. You want to appear thinner instantly, without going to the gym in these last few days? And without those silly crash diets? Well, of course you do! Here’s how you can!
Stand up straight
Standing up straight will make you look thinner
When you improve your posture, not only do you visibly decrease your stomach fat, but you also gain confidence.
Wear proper fitting underwear
An ill fitting bra or underwear will make fat spill over. Wear the proper size and you will look a whole lot thinner.
Wear long fitting tops
Wearing a long fitting top or shirt will stretch out your torso and thus make you appear thinner.
Choose colours carefully
Choose your clothes’ colours wisely
Avoid bright colours and patterns as they make you appear bigger than you are. Dark colours are known to make your heavier sections appear smaller.
Shoes should match your body
The shoes you wear should match your body type and size. If you are on the heavier side, try and look out for bulkier shoes, and don’t go in for slender heels!
Wear the right size of clothes. Do not go in for a larger size or anything too tight. If you try to squeeze into a size 12 if you’re a size 16, then you are surely going to accentuate your body fat, even the little that there is.
Stay away from horizontal striped tops/t-shirts
Don’t wear horizontal striped t-shirts or tops as they made you appear wider. But if they are vertically striped, they make you appear thinner.
When it comes to eating right, one of the worst things to do is treat it like a chore. And because our mentality has it that healthy food is boring, we don’t even take a minute before calling for pizza. But guess what? Comfort foods, like everybody’s favourite pizza, burger, or fries, can be made healthy too!
Of course, you’ll have to do away with all the bucket loads of oil and fattening ingredients that are not doing any good for your waistline. Today I’m going to share a few recipes for healthy homemade everyone’s favourite junk food, which will not give you a reason to worry about your weight!
Hot’n’crispy French fries:
Who loves hot crispy fries? I do! And because I can never satiate my cravings for a huge bag full of French fries I decided to make them healthier. Here’s how…
Baked french fries are a tasty yet healthy option to calm your junk food craving
You will need:
4 large potatoes or sweet potatoes if you want extra, extra healthy
One tablespoon olive oil
Salt as per taste
Water
Method: Wash and cut the potatoes into thin long slices (you may keep a little bit of the skin on for taste and health benefits). In a large pan, boil some water and dunk the potatoes in with some salt. Once they’re done, drain them on a piece of clean cloth and give it a shake to make the edges a little rough. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil and spread the potatoes out on the tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Yummy, crispy and healthy French fries are ready to serve. Don’t forget the salsa dip!
Hamburgers top everybody’s favourite foods list. When it comes to burgers, bigger is always better. But the best burger and the current favourite of mine is my mom’s recipe of a good healthy homemade one. It’s a must try.
When it comes to burgers, it’s always the bigger the better
Method: This one is no less than a food extravaganza. Get your chicken ham slices/veg patties and the burger buns grilled. Wash and slice the tomatoes and onions. Wash the lettuce and cabbage leaves thoroughly and pat them dry with a soft kitchen towel or simply spread them on a plate and put them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Now, once you’ve got all your ingredients handy, start piling them up in 2-4 layers however you like it. For a fun food session, let your family members do the stacking themselves! Vegetarians can make the same by using veg patties instead of the chicken.
Crunchy crust pizza: Pizzas may be a takeout speciality but once you try this pizza-made-healthy option you’ll definitely know why it’s better. Most times, the chewy pizza crust adds to the inches on our belly; so in this homemade variety I used the ever so healthy whole grain chapattis with a twist!
Whole wheat pizza can also be yummy! Try it to believe it.
Method: Combine the whole wheat flour and the all purpose flour with yeast, salt and hot water in a food processor, to make a light and fluffy dough. Knead well so that the dough is soft. Lightly flour a flat surface covered with plastic wrap; let the dough rest for 30 minutes maximum. Meanwhile, chop the olives, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and the herbs. Roll out the dough in circles or rectangles and use a fork or toothpick to prick it. Spread a thick layer of salsa spread on each rolled out crust. Top the pizza crust with the chopped veggies, herbs, and cottage cheese/chicken (or whatever you are using as a main ingredient) and season it with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta and mozzarella cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees C for 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately.
