Oops! I’m Dieting Again

If you have an ‘On again-Off again’ relationship with your dieting plan, then you are not doing it right. Guess Britney Spears realised it a long time ago, she just passed it off by calling it a ‘mistake’ about a random guy who got her jewellery (!) Okay then. In this day and age, where there is no dearth of information and of course, food - why don’t our diets work for us?

We have put together some legitimate reasons as to why we mess up on our diets. Which one is yours?

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Regular exercise can help you lose only if you are truly utilizing it to burn additional calories, not as motivation to eat more. Don’t overeat during the day and tell yourself that you will shed it the next day. That will not help nor will you reach that goal overnight.

Having said that, do not simply reply on workout to help you lose weight. You will inevitably feel hungry post exercise and reach for a sandwich or a bowl of salad (even though it is a ‘healthier’ option). But that will not be enough. One needs to cut back on portion size as well as servings in one meal in addition to fat burning workout.

Be consistent - chalk out a workout plan as well as a meal plan and stick to it. Moderation is the key to dieting and life, in general. Don’t give up on your plan after a week or so. To see results, you need to give your body time. More importantly you need to muster up a ‘will’ to say NO to more food and YES to more exercise.

Your diet is full of fibre but no protein. Protein is an essential part of your nutrition intake. Your body requires protein to build muscles and maintain them.

Where there is alcohol, there is fat. Don’t kid yourself by skipping food and sticking to just drinks in order to avoid overeating. Alcohol slows down the fat burning process.

Don't give up completely on sugar and carbohydrates. These are great sources of energy and if you opt for low-carb or low-sugar foods, your craving for sweets will go up and make you give up eventually. Include the good fat in your diet and eliminate trans fats.

Water water everywhere except in your system. Drink up as much as you can in a day - especially before a meal. This helps you in portion control and if you drink cold water, it can even speed up your metabolism rate. Steer clear of aerated drinks and fruit juices.

Under no condition should you exercise on an empty stomach. Not only will this keep you from pushing yourself, you will also overeat post workout. Exercise on empty stomach means you overwork your muscles not the fat.

Last but not least, be patient and get enough sleep.

content source:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=8_reasons_why_youre_not_losing_weight#_a5y_p=2249571
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/best-motivational-quotes-fitness-and-weight-loss
http://authoritynutrition.com/5-most-common-low-carb-mistakes/
http://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/25-Reasons-Youre-Losing-Weight-37382320?stream_view=1#photo-37382302

Take It From The Trainer

If there is one person who will make you sweat, work and maybe even cry at the gym is none other than your mom trainer. When it comes to exercising, your trainer knows best. We bring you some tips form trainers all around the world.

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• Sleep well before you hit the gym for a strenuous workout and wake up at a reasonable time, everyday. Exercise is meant to revitalise your body not stress you out and leave you drained. Make this a habit. 

• Eat a good breakfast one hour prior to workout is essential. (Read our post on Pre workout foods) 

• Get in tune with your body - what it can and cannot do or which workouts suit you the most. Spend sometime on this little mental exercise and you will see that you will enjoy the physical exercise more. 

• Start with a small fitness goal, say spending not more than 20-30 minutes at the gym each day. As you get better and fitter, increase it to 45 minutes and so on. Increase the level of workouts alongside the time spent at the gym. Push yourself little by little to stay motivated. Log your food intake, time spent, variation in workout etc to keep track of your fitness.

• Find a way to squeeze in a workout in everything you do. Whether it is walking to the mall for shopping, walking your baby in the park, doing the laundry, walking to work, taking the steps instead of the elevator, carrying your grocery bags etc. You will continue to burn calories through the day and not do it all at once.

• Treat your time at the gym as the most important thing in your schedule. And ensure you work everything else around your workout, like an important doctor’s appointment. If this seems impossible with your routine/meetings, write down a minimum number of workouts you want to achieve in a week and most importantly, stick to it. Otherwise you will do everything to miss the gym!

• More than how to look, working out should make you feel fit from the inside. There will be days when you will simply want to stay in bed because your legs won’t move. But once you hit the treadmill, you will see how good you feel. Exercise should make you feel more energised and invigorated. So don’t waste time checking yourself out in the mirror or weighing yourself every other day.

• Reward yourself each time you achieve a weekly goal - we are talking about small materialistic rewards not a fancy meal. Something that is enough to reinforce your motivation and keep you going. 

• Eat right and you will see that you will need to spend less time breaking a sweat at the gym. Do let loose once in a while but think about all the calories you will have to burn at the gym the minute you start going overboard with that plate of fries or an extra burger. 

content source:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alicebevertonpalmer/get-fit#.byPrmWdy2
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=10_trainer_tips_that_will_transform_your_body#_a5y_p=3137433
http://www.skinnymom.com/trainer-tips-how-to-improve-your-workout/
http://www.skinnymom.com/get-in-the-know-23-secrets-from-the-worlds-best-trainers/

Egg-celent Facts You Should Know

Whether you are an eggetarian or a non-vegetarian, you will agree when we say that an egg is a superfood. There is simply so much you can do with an egg - baking, poached eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, sunny-side up, deviled eggs, fried, salads, mayonnaise, desserts and more!

Eggs are rich in high quality protein, vitamins like B12, B6, D and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. Although they are high in cholesterol content, certain eggs brands now come with Omega-3 fatty acids which are the good kind of fats. What’s better - eggs contain the essential amino acids that we need to intake from our daily diet.

www.jullianmichaels.com 

Some of the other important benefits of eggs are: 

• Eggs are full of muscle building protein. 

• The protein in eggs is good for hair growth and skin as they are loaded with sulphur-containing amino acids. 

• Eggs help boost your immunity. 

• They improve concentration and are a good source for brain development especially in children. 

• Eggs are a rich source of iron so they are also helpful for pregnant women (as long as they are well cooked). 

• An egg a day can keep the weight away. It has been recently found that eggs help with weight loss if had for breakfast. They cut down one’s craving to eat by keeping one full. 

• Being a good source of Vitamin D (the one that comes from sunshine), eggs can protect our bones. Eggs absorb calcium better from the dairy products that we consume. 

• It is not a very well known fact that eggs are rich in a nutrient called choline that is used by the body to build cell membranes. 

• Recent studies have actually proved that eggs reduce the LDL - bad cholesterol which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease. 

content source:
http://authoritynutrition.com/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs/
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-eggs
http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Healthy-foods/10-health-benefits-of-eggs-20120721

Vacation Workout

Do you pack your workout clothes with you when you are packing for a vacation? Either way, this article is for you. In our last article we discussed how you can stay healthy on your vacation by eating right and in moderation. We have for you some tips on how you can make the best of your vacation by not having to compromise on your fitness routine.

Now if your hotel has a recreational space or a gym, then by all means sweat it out in there! But if you find that there is no such facility around, then don’t fret. You can quite easily make some space in your hotel room for a little workout. All you need to really do is make time to do it.

www.health.com

www.themetapicture.com 

www.backonpointe.tumblr.com 

www.kamafitnesss.ca

Most hotels have a garden or a lawn around with benches or stools. You can easily do workouts using some steady garden furniture.

www.pumpsandiron.com 

A few things to keep in mind when you are working out on vacation:

Drink water regularly and hydrate yourself whether or not you are moving around.

Make a workout routine, type it out and save it either on your laptop or your phone.

Always walk to places. Instead of taking a bus or a cab, it is advisable to walk around the new place. In addition to exploring the places, you will burn calories faster by just walking around.

If you are vacationing near a beach, try running barefoot in the sand. This gives your lower body muscles a good workout.

If you are on a long vacation and have forgotten to carry appropriate clothes, then head out and buy some. The key is to carry your workout no matter where you go. Whether it is a yoga mat or resistance band, jumping rope etc.

Content source:
http://dailymakeover.com/beach-workouts/
http://stylecaster.com/jennifer-anistons-trainer-5-travel-workout-tips/#_a5y_p=797254
http://kamafitness.ca/2014/02/06/bodyweight-workouts-to-do-on-vacation/
http://www.skinnymom.com/five-practical-tips-for-keeping-fit-while-traveling/?_szp=336953

A Health Conscious Vacation

Vacation and health don’t always go together. Vacation is supposed to be free of worries and guilt of not eating healthy food. But being on vacation does not mean one should splurge on eating out and eating ‘exotic cuisine’. It will be that much more difficult to lose all that holiday weight once you are back home. We don’t want all that hard work in the gym to go to waste, do we?

A few tips to guide you on your fancy vacation so you are on top of things as far as health is concerned. And health, as we know, is always a concern.

Have a big breakfast and jump start your day. Don’t keep lolling in bed because you are taking time off. This will throw your eating routine out the window and you will inevitably eat rubbish to satisfy nasty cravings.

If you are planning on taking a guided tour or a walking tour, make sure you are packed on snacks. By snacks we don’t mean the crumbly packet of chips like you carried on a school field trip. Make your own healthy snacks instead of picking it on the go. Salads and cut fruits are really good options.

Don’t splurge on high-fat, high-calorie food items no matter how amazing they sound. Some people have a policy - if they can’t pronounce it, they don’t eat it.

Certain restaurants serve huge portions which makes us happy. Worth every penny, you think? Not worth the calories! In a bid to finish off your meal to get your money’s worth is going to make your weight a Herculean task. Instead, divide your portion in half or split it with someone. Not only do you save money but also save some calories, for another day. Another option is to order half portion, if the restaurant policy permits. 

www.24carrotlife.com

Start your meal with a hefty salad. By the time you are done with chomping on all that fibre, your hunger would subside. Subsequently you will not order that burger loaded with calories. Instead go for something baked or grilled. Get a side of sautéed vegetables and you are set.

More and more hotels and eateries are now becoming open to customising the customer’s request. So go ahead and find out if you can use that option. If you are in luck, then go ahead and order it the way you like it. Get honey instead of maple syrup or replace plain flour with wholemeal flour or even oats!

Carry water with you, no matter where you go. Even if you go to a fancy restaurant, make sure you have plenty of water before you step in. This will keep you hydrated in case you are having hard or dry alcoholic beverages. As we are always having a great time on our vacation, we tend to drink less water.

Don’t keep telling yourself “I’m on Vacation, OKAY!?” This will make you overeat every time. Moderation is the key. You should know when to stop. Your body will tell you to go easy, just remember to read the signs.

Content source:
http://www.webmd.com/women/features/vacation-eating?page=3