Hypothyroidism Diet for Weight Loss

There exists a complex relationship between hypothyroidism, BMR and body weight. Hypothyroidism slows down body’s metabolism as a resulting in weight gain. The extra weight gained during hypothyroidism is also the result of water retention which is very common symptom of hypothyroidism. One has to be careful while attempting to lose weight as in hypothyroidism the person’s metabolism is already low and crash diets can lower it further.

Hypothyroidism causes insulin resistance in the body resulting in weight gain. Carbohydrate intake needs to be monitored to avoid any chances of developing diabetes. To manage weight during hypothyroidism is challenging and therefore requires professional guidance to help you get on track. For thyroid patients simply cutting calories from the diet is not effective in bringing about the weight loss because already their metabolism is on the slower side. They require a combination of diet and exercise to achieve the goal. Exercise is critical to regulate the metabolism and burn calories.

Here are some basic dos and donts of a hypothyroid diet recommended by diet experts:

Diet: The diet for the hypothyroid patient on a weight loss plan should essentially be low in carbohydrates. Avoid pastas, potatoes, yam, and sweet potato, include more of complex carbohydrates in the form of fiber rich foods like whole cereals, vegetables, whole pulses etc. The diet need to be restricted in terms of high glycemic  foods such as corn, white bread, refined flour, muffins, cakes,  rich desserts etc.

The other important food that need to be avoided for hypothyroidism are goitrogens like soya and its products, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, spinach, strawberry, peaches, pears, peanuts etc. Goitrogens are the substances that interfere with the thyroid functioning and avoiding them provide relief from the symptoms. Read more

Post Pregnancy Weight Loss Plan

Weight Gain during pregnancy is absolutely normal . On an average a woman gains 10–12 kg during the entire span of pregnancy. Although the weight gain varies from woman-to-woman depending upon body type, eating pattern and severity of nausea and vomiting. A slow and steady rate of weight gain is considered ideal.

While its natural to put on weight during pregnancy it becomes really difficult for most to lose weight after it. Post pregnancy weight gain is a cause of concern and depression among many women but according to experts a woman should concentrate on eating healthy food for the first three months instead of weight loss. This is to ensure that new born gets complete nutrition and also to avoid nutrient depletion from the mother’s body which might lead to other complications later like osteoporosis, caused by deficiencies.

Here are some tips to get post pregnancy weight loss in a gradual but healthy way after you & your body are ready to get started:

Breast Feeding: Breast feeding is great not just to provide nutrition to your baby, but also for you to lose weight. Breast feeding is the reason why fat is accumulated in the mammary glads. As the mother uses stored nutrition from her body in the form of milk to feed the child not only does it is very extremely healthy for the baby but she also uses up the fat cells during this process burning calories & working towards getting back to the pre-pregnancy weight. So remember the more you prolong your baby’s dependency on the formula the better it will be for both you & your child.

Post Pregnancy Diet Plan: The body needs time to recover from the stresses of labor, delivery and the hormonal changes in the body. Dieting soon after giving birth can delay the recovery and make one feel more tired, low in energy and some cases also lead to deficiencies in the body. It can also have adverse effect on milk production thus affecting the baby’s health. During breast feeding the mother’s nutritional demands are higher not only in terms of calories but also minerals like calcium, so diet except for that prescribed by the doctor is not at all recommended. Read more

Sample Weight Loss Plan

Losing weight is easier done than said with Fitho’s weight loss programs that are a combination of diet and exercise. To understand the program better Fitho launches a free one day sample diet plan to show how you can lose weight successfully without having to travel anywhere. All you have to do is visit www.Fitho.in register and get started absolutely free of cost.

Fitho’s weight loss programs are based on yogic philosophy of three well- balanced, nutritional meals a day.  Each program is customized to your food habits, medical condition and fitness levels making it easier for you to follow and see results. Unlike other diet programs Fitho’s diet is based on recommended daily dietary intake that stabilises the nutrition intake and exercise which helps burn the excess calories in the system. You get assured weight loss of 4 kg a month without starving yourself. That’s why 97% of our clients manage to keep the weight off for more than over a year.

The unique part of this program is that even the exercise routine that is customized to your fitness levels and workout routine preference for eg whether you wish to workout at gym, outdoor or home. Exercise routine is a combination of different exercise techniques for example: plyometrics, strength training, cardio, endurance training, interval training, isometrics etc. Read more

How to Increase Muscle Mass

Simple fundamental of weight lifting and strength training can help you load on quick muscle mass and lose fat from the body. The basic logic behind using heavy weights is that it provides resistance to muscle which in return makes it bigger and stronger. But  simply pumping iron is not going to get you the muscle mass. Right nutrition is equally important for the muscle gain and development.

What happens when you lift weights? The tiny muscle fibers tear accelerating the process called muscle protein synthesis. This basically means the body uses available amino acids to repair muscles and avoid further damage. This is an on going process but every exercise session takes about 48 hours to actually show. So instead of pumping weights 7 days a week you can actually minimize it to about 3-4 days a week to see good results without over-working out your body.

Let us further explain what happens how energy is consumed during a workout session. While exercising our body takes energy from the glycogen reserves during the workouts. So more you workout your body ,the body is burning calories and using the energy reserve. After the workout the body naturally craves nutrition to replenish the used resources. So when you over train yourself then the reserves sometimes runs out of glycogen reserves. The body breaks down the protein in the muscles to get the glucose levels to normal affecting the muscle growth. This means over-working out might give you no muscle in return.

Proper diet with your exercise otherwise you might not gain the desired muscle mass. Everyone focuses on  protein, we agree they are important  but the body also requires carbohydrates to keep the glycogen levels intact, followed by fats for hormone functions. Muscle repair is not just for a few hours but continues for a longer period. Eat protein , carbohydrates and fats in through out the day to not get deficit of any nutrition.

Rest is important for the body as muscles recover during rest and require adequate time to recover and make up for the muscle wear and tear. If there is continuous muscle exertion and no rest given to the muscle then the muscle eats up its own reserves and the reverse happens. Instead of gaining muscle mass the body loses the muscle mass which is known as  catabolic state. This state also happens when you are fasting or eating very less and go without food for long time. Read more

Best Weight Lifting Exercises

Weight Lifting builds muscles and accelerates the metabolism of the body. More muscles inthe body will result in higher metabolic rate. You can do compound exercises, means multi-joint movement exercises that work multiple muscles at one time, either by using body weight or lifting weights that have been designed to work specific muscles in the body in order to build them.

Weight lifting is a technique that provides resistance to the muscle to increase their mass and strength. It is one of the more popular forms of strength training that helps building the size and strength of skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are the voluntary muscles in our body that are attached to the bones through bundles of fiber.There are many exercise that help develop and strengthen various skeletal muscles in the body. Below is  the list of  best weight lifting exercises for different muscle groups like biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, abs, quadriceps, hamstring, calves and forearms.

Best Weight Lifting Exercises

Best Weight Lifting Biceps Exercises

Barbell Curl: This is the most basic of bicep exercise where to increase its effective increase the weight with which you do not moe than 10 reps. You can do it alternately and do it with barbells for proportionate growth.

Preacher Curl: Preacher curl works the muscle in isolation and exerts stress on the muscle for increase in mas and strength. Helps work the fore arms also.

Close Grip Chin Ups: This is a great compound exercise where it requires lifting the body weight with biceps working the core as well. Build strength and stamina in the muscle.

Best Weight Lifting Triceps Exercise

Dumbbell Tricep Extension: You can do tricep extension either on the bench lying or sitting or on a decline bench. Triceps extension helps the muscle work in isolation and build triceps big.

Dips: Keep your body upright to allow maximum tension on the triceps to build power , strength and mass. You can do dips with a bench, parallel bars or by the side of your bed.

Bench Press: On of the most effective tricep exercise where you can increase tension by add extra weight. You can do bench press with dumbbells or barbells. It works the triceps and the chest also.

Best Weight Lifting Shoulders Exercise

Upright Rows: This exercise builds muscle mass and stregth and brings power to the shoulders. You can do upright rows with barbells or dumbbells.

Overhead Press: You could do overhead press with dumbbells or barbells. Overhead press is a highly effective shoulder exercise. Maintaining the right positions will build immense strength and muscle.

Lateral Raises : Lateral raises can be done with dumbbells and you could do two types of the raises. Front lateral raise for front deltoids and side lateral raise for side deltoids.

Best Weight Lifting Chest Exercise

Bench Press: It is a effective exercise for building upper body especially the chest and triceps as they exert maximum tension on them. There are many variations you can do with bench press like with dumbbells or barbells on decline, incline or flat bench. Increase weight for muscle mass.

Butterfly Machine: Butterfly machine pumps up the chest and builds big chest muscles. Cable cross over and dumbbell fly are also highly effective exercise.

Incline dumbbell Fly: Mind the posture while doing this exercise. It is a isolation exercise for chest and works for a big bulging muscular chest.

Best Weight Lifting Back Exercise

Pull Ups: One of the best back building exercise. The exercise is difficult in the beginning but gradually build endurance and strength in the core which involves the back. You can do variations with chin ups or pull ups. Do palms facing inwards, outwards, inverted chin ups and parallel grips.

Rowing: Rowing helps build overall back muscles in mass and width. You can choose between barbells and dumbbells and increase weight to increase intensity. You can do bent over row, dumbbell row or machine row.

Dead lift: It is a complete back exercise which involves power. The deadlift works the thighs, glutes and calves along with the complete back. Builds power, mass and strength and size.

Best Weight Lifting Abs Exercise

Crunches: Highly effective exercise for the rectus abdominis (6 packs). It is a beneficial exercise for beginners and works in building muscle and strength.

Hanging Leg Raises: This exercise works the entire core and involves hanging in the air while performing the exercise. It works the lower abdomin region and can be done with bent knee raises and staight knee leg raise. It buildd strength and enduarnce in the ab region.

Twist: As you need to burn fat from the sides and build oblique muscle twist exercise is a highly effective exercise for strengthening core muscles and losing fat from the sides. Tones the back and abs.

Best Weight Lifting Quadriceps Exercise

Squats: It works the front thighs, glutes and lower back. For strong lower body and and big muscles squats is highly effective. It can be done with barbells for increase in intensity. Mind the posture while doing squats.

Lunges: Maintaining a right posture and keep back straight is important while doing lunges. Exert pressure with front thighs to push body weight up and not the back. Tones the thighs, glutes, back and hips. Use dumbbels for bigger and toned muscles.

Leg Extension: This exercise is an isolation exercise for front thighs. It pumps up the thighs and helps build muscle mass and strength. One of the best exercise to build quadriceps.

Best Weight Lifting Hamstring Exercise

Romanian Dead lifts: This deadlift works the hamstring, glutes and lower back. It build muscle mass and strength in the hamstring for muscular thighs overall.

Straight Leg Dead lifts: It takes a lot of effort to do this exercise where you are supposed to keep your legs staright and not bent. Though is a compound exercise which works the calves, glutes but very effective for hamstring.

Lying Leg Curl: It is a isolation exercise completely for hamstring. Again a great exercise to build strength and muscles in the hamstring. Do it easily and properly for maximum benefits.

Best Weight Lifting Calves Exercise

Standing Calf Raise: It invoves raising your body slowly on your toes and stretching the most while at the top. Don’t jump while doing the exercise and add weights on the shoulders to increase the intensity. You can use a barbell, smith machine, hip belt, dumbbells to do variations with calf raises.

Seated Calf Raise: Concentrate on the bottom and top part while performing the exercise. Use weight to build big muscular calves. Check the momentum of the exercise and don’t hurry through.

Best Weight Lifting Forearms Exercise

Wrist Curl: This exercise works the inner forearms while it increase the width of the wrist for building muscles. It involves curling the wrist and can be done with weight for more muscle mass and strength.

Reverse Curl: This exercise works the outer forams. Usually this muscle of the forearms get missed out reducing the size of the forearms. Use weights to increase intensity of the exercise.

 

Core Exercises

Core is the centre of the body where the wondered six pack abs lies hidden beneath the fat. The abs, hips and lower back together are known as core.  Strong core is essential to do strength training, lift heavy weights, do any moving work faster and easily. Core brings a balance in the body and stabalizing it while aligning it as well for greater work efficiency. Therefore it becomes important to give priority to strengthening your core before you move on to any other fitness training. Most of the times we neglect exercising our core maybe thats also another reason behind increasing number of back pains amongst young people.

Strengthening the core improves the strength and athletic ability and reduces injury on lower back and midsection. Core comprises of pelvic, rectus abdomins(Abs), tranverse abdominis, internal and extarnal obliques and multifidus which is the deep muscles of the back. You must have seen people do crunches to build their abs but that is a half-hearted effort towards getting it right. You want a stronger and more defined core you need to work the whole section.

Here are some exercise to strengthen your core including your six pack abs Read more

Yoga for weight loss

Yoga helps in weight loss by improving muscle flexibility, strength, stamina and circulation of blood. The yoga asanas along with correct breathing technique and correct posture help in creating the perfect balance between the mind and body. Yoga compliments the other forms of more active exercises and can never substitute it.

Yoga is fit for beginners that want to start losing weight but are not motivated enough to start running or lifting weights. Yoga helps increase the flexibility in the body gradually motivating you to start more active form of physical activity.

Over the years some forms of yoga like power yoga, flow yoga  have become extremely popular for weight loss. There are many schools of yoga that have similar benefits as power yoga  and have infact helped people manage  heart diseases, asthama and other lifestyle diseases.. To know what style is most conducive to your lifestyle here are few schools listed out for your information.

Hot Yoga: Hot yoga is doing yoga poses in a heated room Read more

Strength Training

Strength training is anaerobic style of physical activity that increases the strength of muscles through resistance training, isometric training or weight lifting. The Strength training routine puts the muscles through short duration, high intensity activities that result is better performance and effective weight loss.

Strength training is safe for both men and women of all ages and can be worked according to one physical ability and benefits mental and emotional health. Strength training also helps people with health problems like diabetes, arthiritis, osteoporosis and heart diseases can benefit from it with a good exercise program made around their needs. Old people have many problems like knee pain, back pain which can be a problem in movements. Strength training with light exercise can slowly work on the problem and help you reduce the pain and become fit.

Working on your muscles has many advantages. Read more

How to Get a Six Pack

Reveal your six packs with the right combination of  diet and exercise. Everyone is born with abs but over a period of time they get covered by the layer of fat on our belly. Only exercising your abs will  make your stomach grow bigger and thicker. The secret to well defined abs is bringing down the body fat to 7-8 % and they will start showing itself. The fat percentage can be lowered by simply eating and exercising right.

Here are a very simple tips to get better abs:

1.Increase your water intake, drink cold water to rev up the metabolism.

2.Do high intensity interval cardio twice a week for fat loss and strength training to build muscles on your body. When there is more muscle then the body’s metabolism automatically increases even when the body is
not exercising.

3.Drink green tea as it is a natural metabolism booster and helps in fat loss.

4.Watch what you eat to cut down on the extra calorie intake. Avoid foods with fat, sugar and oil.

5.Don’t skip breakfast and eat lighter dinners. Keep some time between dinner and sleep. Read here for healthy breakfast ideas.

6.Work out the abs indirectly with exercises like planks, push ups, pull ups, legs ups etc. Working out the abs directly thickens your stomach taking you away from your abs and v shape.
8.Eat less sugar as insulin levels decrease the level of fat burn. Eat fish, fish oil tablets to drop the insulin level and increase fat burn.

Get started with your 6 pack abs resolution and achieve it this summers to enjoy your perfect body. Keep yourself motivated and every pound of fat loss will successfully reveal the  abs.

Weight Loss Holidays

If you are planning your short vacation and looking for a different holiday experience then we have the perfect holiday for you. ‘Lose weight in the Jungles’ is a revolutionary holiday experience that helps you get fit while you are on a holiday. This holiday has been especially designed for you by Fitho & Leisure Hotels at their luxury resort. Corbett Hideaway, at Corbett.

This concept of weight loss holidays is unique and helpful to people with hectic lifestyle but have a desire for a healthy body and life but busy lifestyle & social commitments come in the way. So let your health not be side-tracked for another day  and  leave it to the experts to get you fit as you holiday. Read more

Get a body like Shahid & Priyanka

Many of us want to be fit like a sportsperson or a super fit celebrity, aspire for a 6 pack like Hrithik Roshan or a body like Shahid Kapoor, or wish to have a perfect figure like Lara Dutta or Priyanka Chopra.

When you see Sachin Tendulkar sustaining 50 overs at 36 it inspires you and makes you believe  that you too can do it. We like setting ourselves a goal of reaching to a fitness level like our favorite celebrity but how many have you have really worked-out to enjoy the high standard of fitness level of stamina, endurance Read more

Why perform weight training? Benefits

Weight Training is one of those activities that many people believe is restricted to anyone who wants to build big muscle. But that’s a myth. The reality is that weight training exercises are for anyone looking to get in shape. It can help you lose weight as well as tone your complete body.

Besides all this, here’s a list of reasons why you should be strength training:

Increased Read more