Health Assessment Tool

General health statistics are dwindling all over the world. The rate of health disorders caused by bad lifestyle is increasing. Diabetes and heart health are the leading causes of deaths around the world. India is on the brink of being called the World Diabetes Capital. People dont have to lose their lives due to them as both these conditions are preventable and reversible provided you adopt a healthy lifestyle.

What is a healthy lifestyle? It is a combination of healthy diet and exercise. There has been an increase in awareness amongst people at large when it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle.  Result of which can be seen around us where a reasonable amount of people are either eating well or leading an active life.  The biggest catch in this is that if some people are exercising but might not paying attention to their diet and vice a versa. Infact some recent studies have shown that some people put on weight when they start exercising. Mostly its because people assume that now that they are exercising they can eat as much as they want to. In some cases it might have worked but would not sustain good health in the long run. Combination of eating right and exercise is the only valid & successful approach to being healthy.

They say its never too late. Fortunately most of the lifestyle health disorders are reversible if you start watching what you eat and taking some time out for exercise. Eating healthy does not mean reducing your calorie intake. It means being more conscious of the quality of food you are taking in instead of the quantity. Most of us consider ourselves intelligent to differentiate between unhealthy and healthy food habits. Some healthy habits are obvious but there are some habits that are unhealthy but not so obvious to us. These unaccounted for habits might be gradually causing a lot of harm to your system and reversing everything thing else right being done to lead a healthy lifestyle.

There are a million sources that talk about “eat this and not that”. But how many look into your current dietary pattern and understand what is actually good and what is not so good for you. To help you give a brief insight into your daily dietary intake experts at Fitho have created a special health tool called the “Health Assessment Report’ that does exactly that. And it gets better as this tool is completely free of cost.

This general health assessment report is a powerful preventive tool for helping you understand your current health status and take action towards maintaining optimal levels of physical well-being. Free health assessment is a personalized health tool that helps you analyze your dietary habits and predicts health risks in relation to your current lifestyle. It also gives you dietary recommendations to help improve your general health and help you get fitter.

If this was not enough it even challenges you to take a before and after test in just three steps. First step is to take the test and get the results. Second step is ask for a 7 day trial diet and see the difference it will make to your health and fitness levels. Lastly take the test all over again and test it for yourself.

This 7 day trial diet plan is a free weight loss plan that guarantees weight loss. To know more you can mail us at fitness@fitho.in.

 

Ideal Weight Loss

If you were given a choice to lose weight how much would you want to lose and what should be your ideal weight loss.It would make life comfortable if you know that how much weight you could lose within a month and after x months you would reach a desired weight. Suppose you lose 4 kgs a month and by the end of 6 months you would be able to lose 24 kgs. You could actually calculate the expected weight loss and set the time limits according to your own choice. Read this article on ideal weight to set target for your weight loss.

There are some important points that you should keep in mind while planning your ideal weight loss.

Body Composition Analysis: This is the first step towards Ideal weight loss. Body composition analysis gives you a report which tells you about how much fat and muscle percentage is there in your body at different parts. BCA also tells you what your daily caloric requirement is and how many calories you require to maintain the same weight. It also tells how much visceral fat is present in the body. BCA also includes on the basis of your height and weight to be more precise and effective weight loss.

Once you have your BCA report it is time to start taking action. We understand that we have to eat a limited amount of calories per day as the body requires it whether we are at rest or work. It is advisable to not starve yourself as it makes weight loss difficult. Suppose if your daily caloric requirement is of 2000 calories then spread your meals through out the
day on the basis of this. You could break 500 calories for each meal which would be 1500 calories and the rest 500 calories you could distribute for your snacks, biscuits, mid meals etc.

Keep things in mind that don’t assume your daily calorie requirement and eat on an assumed basis. Choose healthy food options which are low in calories and not provide empty calories. Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, legumes, dairy, lean meats, nuts and seeds etc. Follow the food pyramid for correct distribution of carbohydrates, protein, fats and
fiber. Read more

Benefits of Seasonal Fruits

Eat a fruit every time you have a growling stomach. Its the healthiest substitute for a snack as it is packed with nutrition and can actually boost your metabolism. There are variety of fruits present through out the year offering loads of nutrition packed in different flavors. Binging on fruits is specially helpful when you are trying to lose weight or are on a  weight loss diet. Seasonal fruits then become an ideal in-between meal snacks. Fruits contain phyto-chemicals and antioxidants help fight free radicals and diseases in the body.

Regular consumption of fruits promote healthy heart health reducing the chances of cardiac problems, lower blood pressure and keeps cholesterol in check. The vitamins and mineral quality of fruits can’t be replaced with supplements as it is a natural source and gets absorbed by the body easily. Summers offer a range of fruits which are full of taste, colour and nutrition. Add 1-2 fruits in your diet and experience the change.

Some Summer Seasonal Fruits

Water Melon: Eating 100 gms would add just 20 calories to your diet. Though it is sweet but the high amount of water and fiber lessen the calories present in it. It is refreshing and reduces body temperature, blood pressure, inflammation and many other health conditions. It has the highest concentration of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which improves heart health. It contains vitamin, A,C and B and minerals like potassium, calcium and is fat free. Enjoy its juice or eat raw in salads.

Mangoes: 65 calories is what it provides for 100 gms. You could eat a small sized mango before a workout as it is high is carbohydrates but with a low glycemic index. vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium along with phenolic compounds are present in mangoes. It is rich in minerals and has high anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory properties. Check the portion control while eating mangoes for weight loss.

Plum: 52 calories Potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous are minerals present in plum along with Vitamin A, E and c. It provides 55-60 calories per 100 gms though consume 2 fruits. It is high in fiber and boost immunity and protects against cancer. It is a healthy fruits.

Jamun/Jambul: High in vitamins and minerals like  iron, manganese, zinc, calcium, sodium and potassium. It contains antioxidants like Tannic acid, Gallic acid and oxalic acids along with alkonoids. It is beneficial for diabetics and eating 100 gms adds 60 calories approx.

Musk Melon: Eating a cup of muskmelon will add 50-55 calories with lots of fiber and carbs for energy. It is rich in vitamin A, B and C along with potassium, magnesium and sodium. Improves constipation problem. It has anti-oxidation properties and improves metabolism.

How to Control In-between Meal Snacking

We ensure that most of our meals are healthy. The problem comes when we crave food in between meals. If you feel hungry so often then you certainly need to watch out as eating more  food whether healthy or junk leads to weight gain.

The biggest trouble with in between snacking is that one craves something that is satisfying and ready to eat. Unfortunately we dont find having salads or fruits as snacks satisfying enough. While junk food or fattening foods manage to hit the spot, instantly satisfying the hunger pang. Gradually these small food breaks stop having the same satiating effect. After sometime the portion size increases  giving way to more food cravings and constant need to eat something Most of the times this snacking is psychological, as in we condition ourselves to feeling hungry even after having proper meals. Here are some reasons and tips to keep the hunger pangs in control, making you eat less.

Untimely Meals: Not having meals on time is a big factor in making you feel hungry at odd times . The body follows no patterns and gets used to giving a call at random times which pushes us to eat more than a usual meal. Time your meals and eat food with high fiber and protein to keep you feeling fuller.

Breakfast: People who don’t have a balanced and satisfying breakfast often find themselves bingeing on odd time. The unsatisfaction of the previous meal  makes the mind want for more and eating unhealthy. Have a good nutritious breakfast with satisfying food. Read more

Watermelon & Its Health Benefits

Health Benefits

Watermelon is not only a refreshing fruit to beat the heat on a hot summer day but it has a few health advantages. Water melon is also very effective in reducing your body temperature and blood pressure. This fruit may also help in reducing inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. Watermelon is full of water, carbohydrates and fiber along with essential vitamins and minerals that provides  nutrition to the body for better metabolism.

Healthy Options When You Eat Outside

Celebrations and gatherings often take you out for lunches and dinners. Parties, marriages and office meeting wire you up all the time and you probably eat out most of the time. You get variety of food that confuses your mind and makes you indulge in eating all your favorite food laden with butter, cream, sweets, hydrogenated flour, oil, alcohol and of course no one to stop you for the portion control. You need to realize that it is not healthy to eat everything fattening because when you eat more than your caloric requirement the body starts to store the extra calories which eventually show up on your back, hips, thighs, hands and chin. You  would not like that, would you ?

Usually you find fattening, rich and oily food served across all restaurants and food chains. The reason why these foods dominate the menu is that they are cheaper to prepare and are delicious to taste.  But this shouldn’t let you get distracted from making healthy decisions and still enjoy eating out.

Here are few handy tips that will keep you stay on track. Drink a glass of water before you pick the plate up. Know some of the options that you can choose from when you eat out. Read more

5 Big Mistakes of Weight Loss

You have tried everything to keep your fat away. You have a healthy lifestyle and are doing everything right to stay fit. Yet the weighing machine doesn’t make you happy. Even after knowing and following everything about a healthy lifestyle by the book certain loopholes in our lifestyle can cause situations leading to the imbalance in the body which causes fat accumulation. We have a few tips on how you can easily overcome these shortfalls and get on track towards being a slimmer you.

Unscheduled Meals: Quite a lot of people have the problem of untimely meals which is a big issue. With heavy work pressure, tight schedule, lifestyle and changing body psychology disturbs our eating cycle which slows down the metabolism Read more

Easy Ways to Get Fitter

Does the image of running indoors and pile of weights in the gym put you off ? If the monotony of gym workouts is coming in your way of kick-starting a fitness routine we have a few ideas that are fun and as effective as any gym workout routine. Plus there are added benefits of working out outdoors.

Swimming: Summers are creeping in with hot and humid afternoons. A swim in the evening will cool you down and will burn sufficient calories for a workout depending upon the duration and your weight. Thirty minutes of swimming is sufficient to burn a few calories and feel energized. Swimming improves your heart health and doesn’t strain the connective tissues. It improves the circulation and energy, strength, flexibility and endurance balance.

Water Polo: Nothing can be better than enjoying your workouts for best results. What about playing some ball in the pool with your friends for enjoyment as well as burning calories. This will also give you the motivation to stretch your game from half an hour to an hour. Team sports are more involving and engaging  than a solo gym workout routine.

Fitness Holiday: Giving the body and mind a break with fitness holidays can reboot your energy level and adventure can Distress and rejuvenate you. Fitness while holidaying is a great idea with a balance of exercise and nutrition to make the body recover and transform your body from unfit to a fit mode.

Walk your dog: Take the responsibility of walking your door. Once out try running instead of walking your dog.  A companion while running can be of help and of course dogs are very agile which will keep you on your toes. One study even found that older people are more likely to take regular walks if the walking companion is canine rather than human.

Join a Boot Camp: Register your self for a boot camp. Some serious exercise with experts for 2-3 times a week apart from your workout schedule can give you an advantage for a higher level of fitness and stamina. Workouts in group also gives the motivation to work harder than the people around you. A boot camp will also give you a check of your fitness levels with other people in your group. Aren’t you the toughest of all ?

Sports Complex: Sport complex’s offer variety of activities from aerobics, swimming, sports and space to do your workouts in clean and green environments. Join a group playing some sport or take a run in the field. You can add variety to your workouts with many options available there.

Play Cricket: You can find group of people playing cricket in a park, street or fields. Join them and stop a few boundaries and score a few runs. It will distress you and add the fitness element to your schedule. Cricket is not very intense and adds the choice of resting, running, jumping and gives a complete body workout along with the joy the game gives.

We have given you a lot of fun reasons to get started. Pick your favorite activity and call your friends!

Easy Ways to Control Post Dinner Snacking

Do you eat at midnight ? A research suggests that snacking post dinner increases your weight and drags you towards being fat. Eating after dinner adds extra calories to your body at a time when it is not required. Late night munching is an acquired habit that one gets addicted to after sometime and gets into a cycle of  binging on high calorie food like ice-creams, junk food, chips, chocolates etc post dinner.

Night time is also the time when our bodies are resting and eating food at this time leads to piling up of the calories. For many people midnight munching is a habit Read more

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Skipping breakfast doubles your odds of obesity says a research. It is a must for everyone, especially if you’ve got a busy lifestyle. A good nutritious breakfast gives you energy, promotes brain activity and helps you lose weight as you will be craving less for the unhealthy snacks. If you skip breakfast you might not make up for the nutrients missed for the day.

Here are some healthy breakfast ideas and about how it should not be a large meal. ‘Breakfast like a king’ does not mean eat a huge breakfast, as even one very large meal increases your chances of gaining weight.

Basics for a Healthy Breakfast

The breakfast should have a balance of complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and some amount of fat in moderation. This will give you maximum health benefits and keep you satisfied and not giving the churns in your stomach.

Here are a few options that you can include in your daily breakfast:

Whole grains: This includes breads and cereals made with 100% whole grain.
Low Fat Protein: Eggs, beans, lean meats, nuts and seeds.
Low Fat Dairy: Low fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk, low fat cream.
Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetable juices without any sugar or eat the fruits raw.

Portion Control: Don’t over eat because the extra calories will just get stored as fat.

Benefits of Eating Breakfast

Get the body requirement of nutrients.
You will eat less later through out the day.
Eating healthy breakfast helps lower cholesterol level.
Gives you energy and concentration during work, making you less sluggish.
It helps you in controlling weight.
Keeping cholesterol level down will keep your heart healthy and keep you pumping for longer time.

So, make sure you don’t skip breakfast, and eat it correctly!

Heart Health Indian Women- Go Red Sari and Fitho

At Fitho, we believe in improving health and fitness levels for Indians across the world. Indians are prone to hypertension and diabetes. Indians are also genetically prone to more harmful belly fat, that puts us at a higher risk for heart disease and other disorders. We have tied up with Go Red Sari initiative to promote heart health among Indian women across the world.

About Go Red Sari: This initiative has been created for the Asian Indian women, in order to alleviate heart health issues. By working with the women, we will also reach our secondary target population of men. Women within the Asian Indian society, manage the health and well being of the family and often neglect their own health for their family. Our goal is to help women become aware of their health, especially that of the heart, and learn positive behaviors to better it. Through Go Red Sari, we aspire to make every woman and her family live healthier and longer lives.

Did you know that high carb foods can cause Heart Attacks?

And you might be obese according to the new Indian health guidelines?

The GoRedSari campaign is now over.

Which is the healthiest chocolate?

Chocolate is considered junk food, but it can be healthy- read this. Chocolate comes in so many different forms, but in its basic types, there are basically three- white, milk and dark, in the order of increasing cocoa content.

We talked about how cocoa contains flavanoids, which are basically heart healthy compounds. Between dark, milk and regular chocolate- dark contains the highest amount of cocoa, then its milk and then its white. Read our previous post on dark chocolate.

Milk chocolate usually contains higher amount of sugar than dark chocolate. And, white chocolate actually does not contain cocoa. It is made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar.

Between milk, white and dark chocolate, their calorific value from sugar and fat is about the same, but flavanoid packed dark chocolate comes out a winner in this race.

Chocolate Health Benefits

You think chocolate is unhealthy because is high in both sugar and fat? Well, it is high in sugar and fat, but its not exactly unhealthy.

Cocoa is rich in flavanoids—the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100 milligrams (mg) of flavanoids relaxes your blood vessels, which improves blood flow to your heart.

What about the fat and the calories? The fat is mostly stearic and oleic acids. Yes, it can be high on the calories, so get a bar of chocolate and split it with your friends. A couple of pieces will benefit you, but a whole bar will pack on the pounds!

Among white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate, know which chocolate is the healthiest? Also, read here about which is the healthiest chocolate bar in India.

Margarine is unhealthy?

Margarine is often used as a substitute for butter since its made from vegetable oils that do not contain saturated fats. Sounds like the perfect heart healthy food! But not all margarine is good for you.

Margarine is produced using a method called hydrogenation, which results in unhealthy trans fats. Some types of margarine contain high amount of trans fats, which can be even more harmful than saturated fats.

Several studies have linked trans fats to coronary heart disease. Trans fats raise bad LDL cholesterol and reduce good HDL cholesterol. Since trans fats don’t occur naturally in nature, our bodies don’t know how to deal with the effectively and can affect crucial cellular reactions.

Eating trans-fatty acids in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is also linked to increased cancer risks, inflammation, and accelerated aging and degenerative changes in tissues.

So, if you want something buttery to spread, we suggest butter. But consumed it in moderation because of its levels of saturated fats. Or have some peanut butter

Like peanut butter? Check out these yummy and healthy recipes- dessert and smoothie.

Eat Dark Chocolate, keep your weight down!

Not all chocolates are equal. A recent study showed that eating dark chocolate might help you consume fewer calories than those who did not.

Participants in the study were divided into two groups- one was fed dark chocolate, and the other, milk chocolate. A few hours after their chocolate snack, they were given pizza and told to eat till they were comfortably full. The dark chocolate group ate 15% less pizza than the milk chocolate group.

Dark chocolate has a high cocoa content. Cocoa is rich in antioxidants, and antioxidants are good for your health. So, the higher the cocoa content in dark chocolate, the more the antioxidants.

Dark chocolate contains flavanoids which have shown to increase blood flow to your brain for up to 3 hours. So, while helping you manage weight, chocolate can make you smarter too!

So, is all dark chocolate good for you? The higher the cocoa content in your dark chocolate, the better it is for you. The best kind of dark chocolate is unprocessed. Processed dark chocolate can contain high sugar and fat content, so watch out before the calories add up.

Indulge in moderation

Next Page »