What is Making You Fat

We know enough about the repercussions of being fat, unfit or eating unhealthy foods which can cause metabolic disorder and cause weight gain. Though we read about healthy food options to include in our diet and presume to have fixed all the factors for weight loss but yet weight loss seems to not happen.

Did you fix quitting junk food that adds only calories, fats and not nutrition ? Have you started eating foods that are healthier than what you were eating earlier? You are reading the best of advices and following them too but the outcome is not satisfying. Where is it that you are going wrong and what is it that you do to make weight loss happen and not get fat. Fix the loopholes where you are going wrong and correct it to lose weight.

Its not just about eating the right amount of calories , it is about ensuring they meet the daily nutritional requirement intake for a healthy metabolic rate. Read below for factors that probably are holding you back from losing weight.

Fluids: It is lots of water that you have to drink through out the day and not energy drink, iced teas, lemon drinks, sodas and sweetened beverages. Do you know how many packets of sugar are these pre-packaged drinks are adding to your diet  even if they are being marketed as healthy. These drinks might even sabotaging your fitness routine by increasing your daily intake of required calories. Instead stick to water to rev up metabolim and keep the body hydrated.Water is zero calories and preloading with it before a meal can help you lose weight fast.

Portion Control: You feel unsatisfied when you eat small meals. Large meals make more calorie intake which is over your daily nutritional requirement and gets saved as fat. Eat in small plates, chew slowly and stop eating once you feel full.

No Fiber: Fiber helps in better digestion of food and absorbs lots of water from the body. If you have water retention then add fiber to your diet. Fiber also keeps you feel fuller for a longer time without adding any extra calories.

No Exercise: Exercise boosts weight loss. You are eating to your requirement which will help you lose weight but exerise will accelerate the calorie burn in the body and give quicker results. As more muscles are improtant higher metabolism and weight loss, regular exercise will develop muscles in the body.

Missing Meals: Some people miss meals to fasten their weight loss presuming to save calories for the day. Missing meals makes the body go in the mode of starvation where the body burns the reserves slowly. Eat you meals at time as you would miss on the nutrition for that meal. Eating the next meal after the missed meal makes you consume more calories as you are hungry, which would get saved as extra calories as skipping meals slows the body’s natural metabolic rate.

Cheat Meals: It is alright to have a cheat meal once or twice a week but if you are cheating more unhealthy meals for healthy meals then you are slimming your chances of losing fat. It disrupts the weight loss process as the body takes time to adjust to a pattern before showing results.

Balanced Diet

We are all familiar with the concept of eating right. There is so much information about all sorts of healthy foods and their calorie value. There is enough being written about how vitamins are good for you and what are the rich sources of this nutrient. But rarely do we get to know the approximate quantity that is required by the body on a daily basis. What makes a balanced diet. To make it a little simpler for you we decided to give you an overview of what should make your daily dietary intake.

 

The key nutrients that are required for smooth functioning of the diet are proteins, fat, fiber, minerals, iron, carbohydrates, vitamins and calcium. A diet that includes all these essential nutrients, in correct portion, is known as a balanced diet. Based on the average calorie requirement for a male weighing 60kgs: 2700 or a female weighing 55 kgs:2100 here is a list of essential foods to maintain your weight :

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Biscuits can promote weight gain

In India, there is a common notion that biscuits are healthy food. Many people eat them as a part of their weight loss diet. But the truth is that they’re really not that healthy. Read on to find out more.

The primary ingredients for biscuits are refined flour and sugar. Both sugar and refined flour are simple carbohydrates. When you consume these, it spikes your blood sugar level, and promotes fat storage in your body. Read here for more detail.

Since eating biscuits can spike your blood sugar, its not good for diabetics either. Biscuits are also loaded with fat used in the cooking process, so its adds up the calories and fat.

If you want a healthy snack, try these healthy smoothies- Choco PB Smoothie and Strawberry Smoothie, or this delicious dessert. You can even eat Almonds- loaded with protein, antioxidants, vitamins and healthy fats.

So, the next time someone offers biscuits as a weight loss food, feel free to enlighten them about the unhealthy side of bisuits

Recipe- Make unhealthy Samosas Healthy

Samosas are the ultimate moral war in the unhealthy world of Indian snacks. They are irresistible, but so unhealthy. If only there could be healthy samosas, life for many would be easy.

Well, we have some good news- a recipe for you to make healthy samosas. We still haven’t found a place where you can get healthy samosas, but we can tell you how to make them healthier.

The maida (refined flour) used for the crust acts inside your body the same way sugar would. It has a high glycemic index, so it spikes your blood sugar, and promotes fat storage. Read here for details. So, you know, even samosas are not sweet, they’re not good for diabetics.

Then, the samosa is deep fried, so the outer crust absorbs all the oil and gets loaded with calories. To further drop its health quotient, the unhealthy samosa is stuffed with potatoes that are cooked in oil and fat!

But worry not, Fitho is here to your rescue. Make the following three swaps in the samosa recipe, and your samosas will be much healthier.

- In the dough, instead of using only maida (refined flour), mix in equal amounts of atta (whole wheat flour). So, the samosa will still retain its flaky and crisp crust, but will have more fiber, protein and vitamins.

- Instead of deep frying them, bake them in an oven. This saves all the calories and your heart from all that saturated fat and cholesterol.

- Instead of the same potato stuffing, use other veggies like peas, carrot, cauliflower. You can even stuff them with any kind of cooked meat, and turn up their protein content.

So, make these swaps in your samosa recipe, and load up on these samosas! For more healthy recipes, click here

Chicken breast- Total fat burning, muscle food

In the world of muscle food, the chicken breast is held in high regard. Chicken breast without the skin, has a high protein content, very low fat and carbohydrate content. The protein helps to build some muscle. Chicken breast also contains a dose of vitamin B, which helps to metabolize food for energy in your body.

And chicken breast is really easy to cook- it can be grilled, roasted or pan fried. Top it with some cheese and have it with a side of grilled vegetables.  Shred it into a soup with vegetable, and it makes a nutrition balanced meal that fills you up.

Hidden calories in fruit smoothies

Are you trying not to gain weight, and do you drink fruit smoothies, because you think they are healthy? Well, watch out!

Many fruit smoothies contain added sugars and high-fructose corn syrup and are so high in calories, that they sabotage your diet, than help you lose weight. The key here really is in the ingredients. Check if the fruit smoothie contains added sugar, or syrup. Many fruit flavourings added to smoothie are loaded with sugar, so they seem healthy, but they’re really not. They syrups, flavouring and added sugar really pack on the calories and promote fat storage.

A healthy smoothie should be made from fruit, instead of fruit concentrate (since that contains added sugar) and made with plain yogurt instead of ice cream or frozen yoghurt will contain nearly half the calories and significantly less sugar. And, it will provide all of the calcium, vitamin and antioxidant capacity that a smoothie is supposed to have.

See this for more low calorie smoothie recipes

Potatoes nutrition- help weight loss

We all love potatoes! We know that potatoes are loaded with carbohydrates. Then, they’re often cooked in lots of oil and butter, so general belief is that they make us fat. So, do potatoes really make you fat?

Recent study shows that you can eat potatoes and it could help you lose weight! The study shows that foods with resistant starch helps you slim down and improve digestion by resisting immediate digestion, thus keeping you full – the same way, fiber would. This kind of starch is found in legumes (beans are a great source), potatoes, barley, brown rice, corn and other unprocessed whle grains (in their natural form)

The catch is that you can get this benefit from eating bananas (unprocessed), the others get their resistant starch during the cooling process after cooking. Since reheating destroys the benefits, only cool foods will do the trick.

Also, potatoes are loaded with fiber, and iron. They also provide vitamin B, C, potassium and protein. The fiber keeps you full for longer, the protein helps to build muscle, the carbohydrates provide energy. So, the potato by itself is not unhealthy. Its the cooking process that makes it that way. We all love french fries, and mashed potatoes with plenty of butter and cheese on them

A healthy way to eat them is baked with a little bit of cream and cheese sprinkled on top. If you can eat, with the skin- its loaded with fiber. Eaten the right way, they could actually help build muscle, and lose weight.

To really lose weight, get on a proper weight loss plan. Or see any of our customized fitness plans, like personal training, diabetes management, hypothyroid, pregnancy weight loss, and more..

Fruity Yoghurt is calorie loaded

Do you eat those yoghurt and fruit cups assuming that they’re healthy? Well then, you need to watch out.

The fruit and yoghurt cups sold in the stores are loaded with sugar- almost as much sugar as a soft drink. Sugar has a high glycemic index and promotes fat storage in your body. Yogurt has many health benefits (read here), and we all know about fruits being healthy. They’re also loaded with antioxidants.

Yoghurt and fruit is a great snack for anytime, whether you want to start your day with it, or as a post workout snack. So, make yourself some by mixing a cup of low fat plain yoghurt with half a cup of berries, or any other fruit that you like. It makes for a delicious snack, without all the hidden sugar and calories.

Check out these two simple recipes (Strawberry Smoothie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie) for some delicious, healthy and simple snacks

Healthy Hair Diet

Wonder what’s a healthy hair diet? To get healthy hair, we’re all bombarded with shampoo and conditioner advertisements that promise to do wonders to your hair, make it heathy, strong, etc etc.. But do you ever wonder about this- Your hair grows from inside your scalp. Its health is decided before it actually grows out of your scalp. Sure, the shampoos and conditioners ensure that they remain clean and all of that, but to really have healthy hair, its important for you to be healthy and consume a healthy diet that promotes healthy hair. Include the following foods in your diet- they won’t grow hair back on a bald patch, but they’re probably help salvage whatever is left of it, and will promote a healthier head of hair

Salmon- This delicious (we’re already drooling) and healthy fish is rich in protein and Omega-3. Sardines is also a good source of Omega-3, which helps to seal in shine in your healthy hair.

Bran- Not on the list of most delicious foods, but surely on the healthy list. Its rich is fiber, and it’s full of vitamin B, which slows hair loss and promotes growth of healthy hair. Other sources that are rich in Vitamin B are beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, nuts, and eggs.

Avocados- Not so easily available in India, you can find avocados a health food stores and international food markets. These are used extensively in Mexican cuisine and new-age American cuisine. This fleshy fruit can be eaten straight up, or mashed to make a bunch of dips, fillings, etc. These protect hair follicles.

Green tea- Green tea helps weight loss and is healthy for your hair too. Brew a strong pot, cool it, and then give your head a rinse to kill dandruff-causing fungus.

Is your brain making you fat?

A new study found that when people don’t sense enough satisfaction from food, they overeat to compensate. It has to do with the brain’s please chemical, dopamine. Earlier research showed that overweight people have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain. With fewer dopamine receptors, it makes them more vulnerable to compulsively eat food and become obese.

The good news is that you can control this tendency. Don’t overload your diet with unhealthy foods- the more you eat them, the more you’ll crave them. Instead find healthy and satisfying replacement. Try smoothies- we have two great ones- Strawberry Banana Smoothie and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie. These are really simple recipes and the smoothies are healthy, fill you up and keep you full for longer.

But once every week, allow yourself to eat anything you please. Yes, you heard that right- anything you crave! This will help you maximize the pleasure from your indulgence and since you won’t be completely deprived, you’ll stick to your diet plan better.

Running Tips

Running Tips, Run better- Part 1

Loads of people are training for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. But here is some information that will help you run better. When most people who don’t run hear the term ‘running better’, they look skeptical, assuming that running is a very natural movement and that it should be quite easy. But you’ll be surprised to know how small running tips and changes can make a big difference not just to your speed, but also prevent injuries. These tips make an even bigger difference when you’re training for an event. These tips will help improve running speed, running distance and reduce running injuries. In part 1, here are some basic but essential running tips to get you started.

1. Get energy: Running requires energy and for you to run well, you need to have energy stored in your body. So, ensure you feed yourself correctly before a run. If you run on an empty stomach, you’re body will look for energy stores within itself to get that energy. Its options are fat and muscle. First it goes after the muscle. So, by running on an empty stomach, you might be forcing your energy to cannibalize its own muscle, which clearly will not help you run faster. Now, about what you should eat- If you haven’t eaten anything and need some quick energy right before the run, eat some boiled sugar candy, jaggery or a glucose based drink. If you have say 30 minutes before your run, eat some slow burning carbohydrates like oatmeal, dalia, muesli with low fat milk or any other such breakfast cereal. Don’t overeat as it will make you feel heavy. Avoid a high fat snack right before or after the run, since fat slows absorption of nutrients into the body and before a run, you want relatively quicker absorption. So, get your nutrition right and see yourself bursting with energy

2. Hydrate well- When your body is not well hydrated, it affects your performance. To hydrate yourself well, drink water 30 minutes before your workout, the best health drink ever. Right before your run if you’re thirsty, have a glass of water, but if you drink too much, then it might sit in your belly while your running- not too much fun! And in a country like India where its so hot, its even more important to hydrate yourself properly before a run. If you need water while your running, you can run with a small bottle of water and keep sipping as you need. As you build up your running ability, your need to sip water while you run will reduce. If you can’t carry a bottle with you, then place it somewhere on your running track.

3. Wear the right clothing: As irrelevant as it seems, this can make a huge difference. Wear running shorts that are light- preferably made of material wicks sweat away from the skin. Cargo/khakhi shorts are a strict no. On top, avoid cotton tshirts for two reasons- one they can cause chaffing from all the rubbing against your skin. Nipple chaffing is a common problem among male runners who don’t wear the correct clothing. And the other reason is that cotton absorbs sweats and holds it, so it adds to the weight of the clothing. Also, it sticks to your skin. Psychologically and physically, it can affect your performance. For women, wearing a sports bra is essentail. It will make your run so much better. Ladies, invest in a few good sports bras and you’ll notice all the difference. Also, get running socks- they’re the absorbent kinds. Do not wear dress socks! Running socks help your feet get a better grip within the shoes and absorb the sweat, so no smelly feet

Now, that we’re done with the basic running tips, watch out for more running tips!

Running Tips to Run Better- Part 2

Running Tips to Run Better- Part 3

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Breakfast Recipe

Everyone’s heard that breakfast is good for you, but here’s a breakfast that really is. It is lip smackingly delicious and healthy.

Take 1/2 cup of low fat milk, 2 tbsp of chocolate syrup, 2 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 frozen ripe banana and 1 cup low fat yoghurt. Place it all in a blender and process until smooth. To make it better, you can use vanilla flavoured yoghurt. To increase the protein content and reduce carbohydrate count, substitute the chocolate syrup with chocolate whey protein powder.

This breakfast is loaded with protein, fiber to keep you satiated for longer. So you won’t get to the office and dig into all that junk food. Potassium from the banana will help you keep the blood pressure down on the morning drive The calcium from the dairy is good for your bones, and a recent study showed that dairy promotes belly fat loss. Also, this smoothie gives you good carbohydrates which will fuel your body through the morning.

This is a great breakfast smoothie recipe. Or even a pre workout smoothie. For a post workout smoothie, we recommend using only 1 tbsp of peanut butter.

To make it a weight gain smoothie, swap the yoghurt with vanilla ice cream and enjoy

See this for more health smoothie recipes

Guavas build immunity

Along with apples, another delicious and nutritious winter fruit is the guava. Its high in fiber, but its Vitamin C content is what is out of the ordinary. Orange is the fruit synonymous with Vitamin C- but a guava contains 5 times the amount of vitamin C as an orange.

Its also high in potassium, which helps to reduce blood pressure. Guava is among the few fruits that provide calcium, iron and carbohydrates (good carbs, since they are not quick dissolving).

So dig in to those guavas!

Weekly Health Round up

Here’s a round up of our posts over the last week:

Don’t care to run? That’s ok. We suggest stair climbing. Its quick on time and burning fat!. Read here -Don’t like Running? Try Stair Climbing! -

The festive season is here. With all the celebration, the loads of sweets and fried foods, its hard to keep that waistline in check. Here are a few simple tips to avoid weight gain during this festive season

Everyone wants to lose fat quick. But it took them months, even years to gain the fat. In fact, some serious hard work went into gaining weight. Here’s a quick round up on how much work it takes to gain weight and what you can do to avoid it.

Think you know a lot about nutrition and health. Then, take on our challenge and test your health IQ at Fitho’s Health IQ challenge! Show us what you got.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008 is here. Its on November 9. The half marathon is 21.09 km long. That can be a intimidating, but if you’re a new runner, there is the 6 km Dream Run. Its a lot of fun! Dust off those running shoes and get cracking of your run to a fitter and hotter you!

Need information, registration or just motivation? Check out our post on it- Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008- Information, Registration and Motivation!

How to stay fit in the festive season

With the navratras, the festive season kicks off- Eid, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali.. the list goes on. With all the celebrations, comes a truck load of fried food and sweets. With all the extra calories, it’s not surprising that this is when people put on the most weight. With the festive season any diet caution goes for a toss. Add to this the social gatherings, all the alcohol, the late night snacking, etc.

So, here’s a list of things to do this festive season to enjoy it and still not derail your health and gain all that unwanted weight:

1.    Be picky- Don’t eat because you’re being offered. Friends and family will try to force feed you, but be firm with them. If you must for courtesy, then eat a small portion.

2.    Indulge in the healthy sweets- We have the guide to the healthiest Indian sweets. Sandesh is a healthy option- since it is dairy based and is steamed. There are many low sugar desserts also available. We don’t suggest desserts with artificial sweeteners since there long term use might be associated with side effects.

3.    Portion Control- Part of the celebration is to enjoy all the sweets and the fried food. So, indulge but control the portions. Also, try to balance it with eating fruits and other lower calorie foods. Even with healthy sweets, the calories can add up. One large cup of Kheer can range from 300-500 calories. Halwa/Laddoos are even more calorie loaded for the same serving size, since they have higher fat content.

4.    Make time for exercise- Celebration shouldn’t mean not getting exercise. Take out at least 30 minutes for your exercise- go for a run, hit the gym, play a sport, do some yoga or just squeeze out a bunch of push-ups and squats at home

5.    Drink lots of water- Often our body mistakens thirst for hunger. When you’re craving a snack and you shouldn’t be, drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes. If you’re still hungry, go ahead and feed yourself sensibly.

6.    Take it easy on the alcohol- Besides being loaded with calories, it promotes fat storage in the body. So, its double damage- you’re consuming more calories and storing more fat.

7.    Eat your green vegetables- Your mom was right! Green vegetables loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients and fiber, which helps to keep you full for longer.

8.    Be Active- If you like Dandiya, dance away the night. Dancing burns a lot of calories. Vigorous dancing can burn up to 350 calories per hour, so burn that belly fat and have fun while you’re at it.

Use this festive season fitness guide and enjoy the festive season!

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