Post Pregnancy-Weight Loss

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing to happen to a woman's life. It also adds weight to the beautiful figure you had before. Getting back to shape & looking like a sexy Mom surely is on the top of the list. Just to help out all those women I'm writing this post.

1. Breastfeeding: It is good for you & your baby both. Breastfeeding helps burn around 500 calories.

2. Drink Water: Drinking water helps you keep hydrated & during breastfeeding the body has a tendency to dehydrate.

3. Eat smaller meals, many times a day: Eating small meals are related to weight loss & helps weight maintenance. Skipping meals is not a good idea, as then the body tends to store carbs for future use. Eating lots of vegetables, fruits & fiber filled foods help you feel full for longer.

4. Avoid craving: Eat only when hungry & keep tempting foods out of sight. This will not only help you reduce the excess weight but also help the baby get the right nutrient share. You are the source of nutrients to the baby when you breastfeed.

5. Exercise: Do not hit the gym! Light exercise including walking, aerobics & yoga can be of great help in this phase.

If the above steps are taken care of especially taking care of the diet will surely help.

Spa Water- Health Benefits

Hi Friends! Today I will write about Spa Water & it's benefits. What it is? Why is it good for you? When I say Spa Water you don't need to think that it is something which is very costly or cannot be made at home. Spa Water is just flavored water with natural elements, just add cut lemon pieces, cucumber, limes, mint, watermelon etc. Choose your flavor, just add it to the water you drink, refrigerate it & cold flavored water is ready for you. It actually has some benefits which you cannot deny, especially in summers when you are thirsty and can't just keep on drinking plain water.

Benefits of Spa Water:

1. It is Easy: Your flavored water is ready without any hassle just cut a few pieces of lemon or anything you like the flavor & add it to the water you drink. You do not have to make juices or any other cumbersome process. And readily you have access to a different flavor, in your drink.

2. It is refreshing: Spa Water is much more refreshing as compared to plain water. It is filled with anti-oxidants from the ingredients energizing & recharging your senses. Like cucumber helps fight free radicals & thus slowing your aging. Lime has loads of Vitamin C, important for your body.

3. Get Rid of Soda: This will quench your thirst & will help you get rid of the calorie filled sodas & beverages. You can definitely lose a few inches once you switch your sugar filled beverages with spa water. Also the presence of the nutrients from the ingredients make it power water to lose weight.

4. Heal a Hangover: It is a great way to get rid of head ache from last night's hangover. You replenish your dehydrated body with H2O by drinking spa water. Also essential electrolytes, vitamins & minerals help you detoxify your body.

5. Great for supple skin: Water is great for your skin & so is cucumber, lemon, tangerine etc. why not add their benefits together in the spa water. You will definitely have a supple soft baby skin you always wished for. It increases the moisture & elasticity of the skin by keeping the skin hydrated, also detox yourself with the benefits of the other ingredients.

Hope these benefits will encourage you ditch that cola & help you choose this option. Please do share your views with me, if you want to add anything. Thanks!

Pranayam (Yoga) for Healthy Life-2

Hi Friends! This post is in continuation to my previous post on Pranayam. I had informed about three ways of doing Pranayam to be healthy & will continue with the rest of the three. To read about the previous ones already discussed & benefits of Pranayam please click here.

Bahya Pranayam
1. Sit with cross legged on the floor or ground.
2. Inhale fresh air & fill your lungs, hold.
3. Exhale the air forcefully (do not make it uncomfortable)
4. Now touch your chin to the chest & pull your stomach in so that it feels that you are trying to touch your back with your stomach.
5. Next lift your chin & breathe in slowly, hold it. Then exhale.
6. Repeat this 5-6 times.

Brahmari Pranayam
1. Close your eyes & start breathing.
2. Close your ears with the thumb & place the index finger above the eyebrow. Place the rest of the fingers on your eyes & face.
3. Keep your little fingers near your nostrils.
4. Now start breathing & fill your lungs with air.
5. Partially close your nostril with your little finger & breathe out with a humming sound like a bee originating from the throat.
6. Repeat thhis 3-5 times.

Udgeeth Pranayam
1. Breathe into fill your lungs with air.
2. Then slowly breathe out chanting "Om" originating from the throat with an emphasis on O and a short M.
3. Repeat this 5 times.

Enjoy doing Pranayam daily & let me know how you feel. Thanks Friends!

Turmeric: Benefits for health

Hi Friends! Turmeric as we all know is a root used for spice in a curry, gives a bright yellow color & has a warm & bitter taste. It has been known to our sages & saints in ancient times & they have described it for medicinal use. The health benefits are associated to curcumin the main ingredient responsible. The studies conducted with high level of this compound which is present in much lesser quantities in actual diet. Taking it with black pepper has shown increased absorption of curcumin in the bloodstream.

The benefits of turmeric can be listed as follows:

1. Anti-inflammatory agent: Inflammation is a way of fighting foreign invaders & also has a role in repairing damage. But chronic inflammation has been studied to be cause of many diseases like cancers, neurodegenerative disorders and artherosclerosis. Curcumin helps fight these conditions as it helps fight agents associated with these.

2. Antioxidant: It is also a powerful antioxidant it helps fight the free radicals present in the body which are responsible for damaging the DNA, proteins etc. It can be a reason for different diseases like cancers caused due to mutation & other neurological disorders.

3. Liver related diseases: Research has shown positive results on chronic liver damages. The antioxidant & anti-inflammatory action of turmeric is helpful in these actions. It has shown results in reversing cirrhosis.

4. Heart diseases: Blood pressure, blood clotting, heart attack & stroke have been seen to be affected by the endothelial dysfucntion. Endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels. Curcumin has shown to improve the function of this lining. Alongwith this the antioxidant property is important for proper functioning of the heart.

5. Depression: As stated in my previous posts depression is a psychotic condition which is related to the functioning of the brain. Turmeric has shown proven results in improving the cognitive abilities & memory. Turmeric also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin & dopamine.

6. Anti-ageing: As it is a powerful antioxidant & anti-inflammatory agent can play a major role in anti-ageing. It is a derived function of many factors in which oxidation & inflammation plays a major role.

7. Weight Loss: It is a weight loss agent as one of the major reason for obesity & related diseases is presence of macrophages in fat tissues. These cause inflammation in organs like heart, islets of pancreas and also increases insulin resistance.

Turmeric is an ancient healer and being used in the Indian society for century. I have listed only some of the benefits from this root. There are other benefits also of this root which are known to many, in case you want to know more please tell me I can make another post about the other common uses. Thanks!

Chickpeas or Bengal Gram

Hi Friends! As promised my today's topic is related to the benefits associated with chickpeas or bengal gram commonly eaten across India. It is a great source of vegan protein & also gluten-free.
Let's list it down:

1. Weight Loss: It is an important ingredient of the weight loss diet. It has a low glycemic index makes it digested slowly thus while consuming a chickpea preparation will keep you full for longer & control your appetite. Apart from it has high fiber content thus makes the bile to be forced out & prevent constipation.

2. Diabetes: This is a high fiber diet & as well a low GI food of around 28-31 which makes the digestion slow & release of sugar is delayed people with insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, diabetes are benefited by this. Also as it is gluten-free it is better for digestion.

3. Heart & Blood Health: It has high potassium content which is necessary for keeping blood pressure under control. Alongwith this it has fibers, Vitamin C, & Vitamin B-6 content which makes ita n excellent food for the heart. It also doesn't have any cholesterol. Also the fibers present help clean your system of cholesterol in the blood reducing risk of heart stroke. And in addition to this it contains iron which is important for you to prevent anemia, especially menstruating women & pregnant women are greatly benefited.

4. Bone health: The presence of micro-nutrients makes it important for bone health also. Calcium & phosphorus balance is required for the building of bone minerals, whereas manganese, zinc & iron play crucial role in formation of collagen. Vitamin K has been proved to improve the absorption of calcium & improving proteins of bone matrix. Lesser intake of Vit K has shown higher risk of bone fractures.

5. Cancers: Selenium is present in chickpeas has shown role in liver enzyme function & reduces inflammation & growth rate of tumors. Also it has folates which are known for good DNA health and protects from mutations. Also a compound called saponin is present in chickpeas which prevents cancer cells to grow & multiply throughout the body. Additionally Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which fight against free radical damage.

You can see how power packed a bowl of chickpeas or chhole is. Including it in the daily diet is a very good option, or you can have atleast 2-3 times a week. Enjoy it in salads, curries etc.
Hope you had a good insight on the health benefits. Thanks!

Some More Tips to Lose Weight

Hi Friends! Welcome back after the weekend. Hope you all had a great one. I want to start your week with maintaining weight or losing unwanted weight. Again these are just a few simple tips which are not very difficult to follow. This is in continuation to my previous post 10 tips to lose weight

1. Work out in short intervals: If you walk for 10 min in 4 slots a day rather than walking 40 min at one shot you will have a better workout. This will ensure that the calories you take are burnt out at regular interval & does not let it add up. Also the hunger you feel after a long work out will also not be there.

2. Ditch the juice, rather have the fruit: This will help you to avoid the calories added from the sugar added to the drinks & also the fruit has fibers which help your digestive system.

3. Do not eat till you are hungry: You must have seen that kids are very choosy & avoid food at times, this is the natural instinct of the human body which we tend to lose as we grow up. We eat at regular intervals whether hungry or not. We eat any time if we are sad stressed or anything else. This is the reason why we put on extra calories.

4. Drink Water before meals: It will suppress your appetite so you will restrict your eating. This will also count your calories & eventually weight loss on your way.

5. Take your Multivitamins regularly: It has been seen that a regular dose of multivitamins help you maintain weight & helps reduce your appetite when on a weight loss plan. This has been proved in research taken place.

I hope this would help you plan your week ahead well. Friends these points are the things which can be followed very easily. If these points are there on your mind you can follow them more consciously. Our motive is to live a normal life & remain healthy. Enjoy your day friends!

Milk or Yogurt?

Dear Friends we all know that dairy products are great for health, but to know what are the specific benefits of milk & yogurt. Though both come from the same source the calories, calcium, and other nutrients. So, we need to know which one is better for which purpose. The list is as follows:

Yogurt is fermented milk, but as seen above the properties differ. And as being dairy products are excellent source of different kind of nutrients. You can see that both have certain good qualities and should be included in diet. Actually it is also seen that milk has better quantities of these Vitamin D & K. Milk provides 30-45% of your daily Vitamin intake, which I am sure would be not possible by any other source. And the variety of vitamins & minerals present in milk & dairy products is the highest compared to any other food. But as milk has some adverse effects on digestion people with these problem should have caution in taking milk in their diet. Yogurt is a better substitute to these people. Though people with no such problems should include portions of both in their diet. Also milk & yogurt both can be enjoyed in various forms. You can have shakes, smoothies, and raita etc. can be had easily & made enjoyable. 

A healthy note to add is no addition of sugar either in milk or yogurt, sweeten it with natural fruits rather than sugar. Sugar addition have negative effects on the dentures & also can make you lack in concentration. So, stray from sugar and use other alternative natural food to sweeten.

Thanks!!

Why can't I fit in my Old Jeans after losing 5 kgs? :(

I know there are lot of people who would have lost weight but it doesn't show at the right places. I mentioned in one of my blogs "10 Tips to Lose Weight" (http://healthyyumfood.blogspot.in/2015/02/10-tips-to-lose-weight.html)  to wear a skinny jeans & set goals to maintain schedule but even after enough the waist line seems to remain unaffected. Now skinny jeans really doesn't look nice then. There are surgical methods like targeted liposuction but its costly as well as risky. I will never dare go for that.

Here goes easy 5 tips which you can follow & :

1. There are several exercises recommended at the gym or people who exercise at home for a flat belly but a lack of time is really the reason where we find it difficult to follow those. But our yoga asans pranayam are very effective & consumes very less time. I am talking about Kapalbhati pranayam, it is an exercise which is very easy & can be done any time of the day (when your stomach is empty) not only helps you lose the inches but also helps in digestion & relieves you from problems related to stomach. If you are unaware of the method, please check a video online before trying it out.

2. When talking about yoga & exercising, I cannot miss on Stretches. Side stretches as seen in the picture below can be great in burning fat on your hip, as most of the hip is not moved, this creates a stress on the area for the fat to burn. This will also help you become more flexible.

3. In the morning have a good breakfast which I have said a lot of times before as this is the prime meal of the day & decides the activity of the body during the day. Especially a breakfast with eggs instead of sugary carbs has shown great effect on the waistline. Add a cup of coffee or tea (caffeinated) to increase the burning of fat.

4. At night if you read a book for an hour it has shown to help lose inches. It relaxes your body & help fight the stress around the day which is blamed for some belly & hip fat. So, keeping a light schedule at night helps you relax & fight stress,

5. Sleep well for 7-8 hours everyday, it has been seen that people who sleep less than 5-6 hours a day have shown to put on weight easily. Or you can say that the people trying to lose weight will lose less. The efforts taken up by you will be rewarded with an extra hour of sleep. :)

Thank you all for your support & reading my blog. Awaiting your comments & suggestions.

Will you have a cup of Tea?

A cup of tea can be very useful to have a healthy life. There are several good benefits attached to the cup. Here is a list of the benefits you will love your cup of tea a bit more.

1. Tea is full of antioxidants (polyphenols) which acts as an anti-aging agent and ravages the effect of pollution. The antioxidants present also boost your ability to burn fat and improved muscle endurance. Most importantly helps you fight a range of cancers breast, colorectal, skin, lungs, eosophagus, stomach etc.

2. Tea helps fight free radicals, it helps fight free radicals which destroy the DNA. This activity of free radicals is also linked to cancer, heart disease and neurological disorder. 

3. Tea reduces the chances of heart attack & stroke. Drinking tea helps keep the arteries smooth and clog free, thus reducing the chances of heart attack which is mainly stimulated by unwanted blood clots due to cholesterol.

4. Tea is also acknowledged for improving bone mineral density. Tea is also known to improve the dental looks as it has fluoride & tannins which keeps plaque away. Please keep it unsweetened else no use :).

5. Tea also helps improve the immune defenses of the body as shown in research. 

Ek cup chai ho jaye!!

Have a great day and thanks!!

The dreaded Hypothyroidism: Combat it!!

Friends most of you must have people complaining of thyroid & getting obese. They are talking about hypothyroidism. This is a condition of the thyroid gland not producing enough thyroid hormone to run the body's mechanism. And surprisingly most of the people do not know their thyroid hormone deficiency.So, the number of people affected with this deficiency is far higher than the no. recorded. The main causes identified are autoimmune thyroiditis i.e. leaving the part of the gland inflamed leaves the cells dead and no producing enough hormones this is triggered by the patient's own body's immune system, this is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. The second case is of medical treatments, in some conditions surgical removal of part of the thyroid gland and can leave a small part which is not enough to meet the body's requirement.

There are no such foods which can cure your situation of hypothyroidism, but eating well & avoiding certain food can help you stay better. These hormones are attached with your mood swings, depression, lethargy, body temperature, heart rate & blood health. Along with the thyroid medication a well balanced diet helps in bolstering the thyroid hormone.

I will list down a few foods which would boost your system & also the ones which you should avoid.

EAT THESE MORE

1. Fish: The Omega-3 fatty acids present in fatty fishes are responsible to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and also increase immunity and decrease the inflammation due to presence of Selenium which helps in reducing inflammation. Also in sea fish especially the Iodine content is high which helps the normal functioning of the gland.

2. Whole grains: Whole grains have dietary fibers which help with bowel regularity, as constipation is a symptom highly noticed in these patients though it has shown interference with the synthetic medication, so medication for hypothyroidism is advised to be taken much before the consumption of any high fiber food.

3. Fresh Vegetables: Early signs of hypothyroidism includes massive weight gain, so  low calorie & nutrient rich food like bell peppers, sweet potatoes etc. is recommended in this scenario. Additionally foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, spinach, radish, soybean etc.are goitrogenic in nature which interferes with the production of the thyroid hormone. Research has shown that the cooking of these foods have made them effective in making the goitrogens inactive. There are also certain fruits which are effective in reducing your calorie intake eg strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches etc.

4. Dairy Products: Milk has always been a good source of nutrients, and in this case has shown to fulfill needs of Vitamin D commonly seen to be lacking in people with hypothyroidism, as well as provides calcium, protein and iodine in good amount. The good bacteria in yogurt has shown effects in digestion & help other gut bacteria, as digestion is also affected in people with hypothyroidism.

5. Bananas, Avocados & Almonds: These foods are high in tyrosine an amino acid which has shown to combine with iodine & produce thyroid hormones. Zinc, Vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12 and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E are also known to improve the thyroid function.

6. Beans: They are a great source of protein & dietary fibers and can be consumed in various ways in our daily diet. It has shown good effect on energy levels as this disease leaves you drained & fatigued. They contain variety of nutrients which helps you.

AVOID THESE FOODS

1. Fatty Foods: The lowering of metabolism associated with this disease will make you more susceptible to weight gain. Also it has a negative effect on the production of the hormone.

2. Sugary Food: The body becomes less active & lethargy prevails with the less production of the hormone which will reduce you capability to burn out the sugar. It can lead to problems of blood sugar etc.

3. Processed Foods: These food usually have high sodium content an underactive thyroid can lead to blood pressure issues. Look out for food with low sodium content.

4. Alcohol: It acts as a toxic agent on the gland and suppresses the ability of the body to use the hormone completely. The medication or synthetic hormone becomes inactive in such a condition.

5. Uncooked Cruciferous Vegetables: Do not eat uncooked vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy etc which falls under the cruciferous categories of vegetables. As previously mentioned they are goitrogenic in nature and should be cooked to inactive the goitrogens.

6. Dietary fiber with medication: Keep sufficient gap between medication and eating anything with fiber, as it affects the functioning of the synthetic hormone. Do not consume too much dietary fiber as well.

Friends hope this is helpful. Circulate it friends & family for more & more people to be aware. People with history in family & women nearing menopause should be more careful. Thanks!!

Why I never believed in Gymming?

Firstly I am lazy, so one reason was very obvious for not joining the gym. Then again I was overweight making more & more lazy. The vicious circle as I say laziness to obesity to laziness. So, nobody could ever take me to gym. The beautiful flat tummy photos made me envy that, but nothing was motivating enough. Then when I lost weight also still I never went to the gym. Today I can say it is something for the good.

I have seen lot of people who went to the gym left it for personal & professional reasons, the result was putting on weight. The reason is not only loss of exercising from schedule, but also change in the eating habits. When you gym you burn lots of calories and tend to eat more. Your trainer also makes you eat protein-rich food, the habit is not easy to change. Also when you stop going to the gym you become more relaxed and the food habits are also changed & you tend to put on more.

It is always better to get involved in light exercises like walking, running, cycling etc. These are the things you can easily continue & be a part of your daily routine. Enjoy this short post and enjoy your life. Thanks!!

Coffee: Good or Bad?

Coffee has been discredited by many as bad for health. There have been lot of posts on bad effects of coffee. Now recent research has come up with lot of good effects of coffee, mainly the caffeine content. Though high dosage of caffeinated coffee is not good for health, more than 28 cups in a week can have adverse effects. Let's start with some good points in favor of coffee:

1. Coffee has been known as an energy drink for ages & that is due to caffeine present which helps in blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter named Adenosine. This helps in other transmitters to become active which make your brain more receptive & increases functioning of the brain. It increases energy levels, memorizing capability, reaction time & general cognitive function.

2. Caffeine can improve fat burning in the cells, boosting the metabolic rate by 3-10%. Also adrenaline levels are increased due to caffeine which makes us more active & can make us ready for physical exertion. So, again this can help in losing weight & staying in shape.

3. Coffee is known as lowering Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia. Coffee drinkers have shown upto 65% lower risk of getting these diseases, also risk of Parkinson's disease can be reduced.

4. Coffee reduces the risk of stroke & risk of some types of cancer (liver and colorectal). Often coffee is associated with high blood pressure it is true but is very small & regularly drinking coffee leaves no effect on the blood pressure. Women have shown reduced risk of stroke on drinking caffeinated coffee.

5. Coffee with its huge antioxidant properties have shown reduced risk of deadly skin cancer. It has properties of signal tissue repair which helps in regulating cell re-growth increased collagen level giving a healthy looking & increased skin elasticity.

Friends these can be a good reason for drinking coffee but beware of the side effects. Do not drink too much coffee as it can lead to insomnia & if taken with some medication (anti-depressants, psychiatric drug, thyroid medication, and antibiotics) can have bad effects. Please take care & stay well. Thanks!!

Bust the Myths to Lose Weight

Hey Friends!!! There are lot of myths around weight loss. I just figured out it could be an interesting topic to talk about. People who speak about weight loss will never want you to know these. Whenever you join a gym or a slimming center, they will feed you with information which is misleading. I will try to point out the most common myths around.

1. Magical food for weight loss: There are no such magic ingredients for weight loss, no fruit or vegetable solely is so powerful that it can burn the fat in your body. The best way to clean your system of fat is high dietary fiber. It makes you fuller easily with less calories.

2. Only one kind of food makes you slimmer: "Eating carbohydrates & proteins together makes you gain weight", this is what I was told at a slimming center. Eat only proteins then your body will easily shed off. This is totally wrong. Our body is accustomed to digest different kinds of food easily, & in fact different variety of food has different nutrients which can make your diet complete. For eg Vitamin D present in eggs helps absorb Calcium in milk.

3. Avoid all carbohydrates & fats: Carbohydrates are source of energy to the body, depriving your body from it would just make it worse. In fact the presence of complex carbohydrates in meals make your body's metabolism more active. Similarly all fat is not bad, Monounsaturated fats or MUSF are essential fats required by the body. It helps keep your heart healthy & also helps prevent cancer.

4. Heavy exercising is the only way to shed extra kilos: This is absolutely not true, a regular work out might be a good idea but not the only way to lose weight. A 30 min walk can also help you lose weight. In fact just doing your daily chores throughout the day can help you burn around 650 calories according to research. So Walk while you Talk :), and be happy.

5. Only fruit Breakfast is good for weight loss: Again a bad idea, in fact in my previous posts also I have mentioned that it deprives the body of necessary carbohydrates, fats & proteins. Like all my previous posts I would make a reminder to eat a good breakfast.

Friends to go from Size XL to Size M is a journey I have seen and I know how difficult it is. I want you guys to know the mistakes I did so you can avoid those. Thanks!!

Low calorie Baked Dinner Recipe: Baked Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hi Friends!!
Today I will speak about two low calorie dinner options which can be enjoyed guilt free. The recipes are easy to prepare & have good nutrient value. I have one vegetarian baked recipe for all my friends.

Baked Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
Bell peppers: 2 large (choose your color make your impression)
Onion: 1 medium
Tomato: 1 small
Cottage cheese: 100 g (fat free)
Peas: 1/4 cup
Green Chili: 1
Dried Parsley leaves: 1/2 teaspoon
Olive oil: 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation:
1. Cut the bell peppers into half. Clean the inside, to make them look like bowls. Grease the inside with a brush.
2. Chop the Onion, tomato, green chili finely. Crumble the cottage cheese (paneer) into small pieces.
3. Mix the ingredients above in a bowl. Add the salt, parsley leaves, pepper to the mix. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil.
4. Fill the bell pepper halves with the mix & place it on a plate to bake.
5. Preheat the oven at 350 F. In the pre-heated oven place the plate & bake for 10-15 min. It can be done on the stove also on a low flame on the tawa with a cover.

It is known that cooking reduces the nutrients in the food so try avoid too much cooking. I have used the filling raw & cooked the whole at once only. This is a twist to the usual Shimla mirch ka bharwa. It has less spices, oils & simple. Hope you guys like this. Thanks Friends!!

10 Tips to Lose Weight

Dear Friends thanks for your support, I feel very optimistic about going forward. To lose weight is a tedious task & some ways you can avoid to control your cravings. These are some simple ways you can avoid those delicious looking snacks & dessert. Listing down a few very interesting ones:

1. Take a photo: Take a picture of yourself before your weight loss & look at it every time you feel like overeating or having that amazing dessert. The picture actually shows you how you look to others.

2. Wear a skinny jeans: If you see a perfect figure in those jeans it will give you a boost to control. Once you are in shape compliments will automatically come your way.

3. Skip the ads: Ads with high calorie foods stimulate the brain's appetite & makes you feel hungry. Just check your phone or talk to your family in the break.

4. Talk to your friends: When you talk to someone about your weight loss or your plans. They tend to ask & talk about it may be join with you, this boosts your morale.

5. Eat more times a day: Eat small portions multiple times a day. the body recognizes it as incoming source of energy & happily lets you invest it in calorie burning activities. If you eat after long gaps the body acts as a storage & does not let you spend the energy and rather store it for future use.

6. Carry light snacking items: Eat a nutribar or a fruit at intervals when you tend to feel hungry or your office is about serve you with samosas or bread pakoras. It will fill you & avoid those temptation to eat the oily samosa.

7. Change your menu: Do not eat same kind of food for days & months. Your body will become used to it & will not react, lowering the metabolism. Change in what you eat will trigger your body to act differently & improve the metabolism.

8. Don't buy snacks in your grocery monthly shopping: If you buy the potato chips & cookies in the monthly grocery, remove it from the list. When something is easily not available & you have to go to the store to get it when you crave might actually be ignored for inconvenience. Same applies to cold-drinks.

9. Music helps: It has been seen as a great source of stress-reliever. It helps you pep-up, also sets the mood for some good walk or workout. You might also feel like shaking your hip once in a while.

10. Set Goals: This is a very important part of this kind of an initiative. If you do not know what you want to achieve you cannot achieve. If you want to lose 5 kgs in 15 days check your weight after 15 days, if you have not achieved your goal, re-analyse what you are doing and if it needs a change.

So, friends I follow these small tips in my daily routine & have helped me. I hope you also get a good result on your goals. To lose weight is important & to maintain is equally important. Post about something you would like to know or talk about. Waiting for your responses. Thanks Friends!!

Recipe- Power breakfast for health & weight loss

Hi Friends!! Today is a very interesting day in the Indian Politics, trying to clean out politics, let's try to clean out our body systems... Today will talk about a breakfast recipe. Breakfast always emphasized by me as the most important meal, should be easy & quick as well to make.

Spiced Carrot Pancakes

Ingredients:
Multi-grain flour: 1 1/2 cup
Low fat milk: 2 tablespoons
Eggs: 2
Grated carrots: 1/4 cup
Olive oil/ Canola oil
Cinnamon:1/2 teaspoon
Baking Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Chopped Chilies: 1-2 (if you like spicy)
Salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Mix the flour with Cinnamon powder, salt, baking powder, eggs, 1 tablespoon oil, milk to get a smooth batter. Add the grated carrot & Chilies to the batter & mix well.
2. Heat the non-stick pan. Spray/ brush the pan with oil.
3. Pour the batter in small portions on to the pan. Wait for it to be cooked on low flame. Toss it over to the next side for it to cook as well.

Your pan cakes are ready to serve. It has the perfect combination of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, omega-3 & anti-oxidants. A good start for the morning.

Thanks friends!! I will keep it short today, have a mood to enjoy Saturday.

Recipe- Healthy & Yummy for Weight Loss

Hi Friends!! I have been talking about ingredients which should be there in your diet which promote a healthy lifestyle. Today thought of spicing up a bit with recipes which are easy to make & tasty to eat. Giving two recipes which are powered with great ingredients already spoken about some.

Tofu Shimla Mirch:

Ingredients:
Tofu: 250 g (Generally it is cooked with Paneer or cottage cheese, tofu chosen over the same for                               providing high quality proteins)
Green bell pepper: 1
Yellow bell pepper: 1
Red Bell Pepper: 1
Onion: 1 large
Tomatoes: 2 medium
Garlic: 2 cloves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder or Kashmiri mirch powder
Some Oregano leaves for flavor
Black Pepper
Olive Oil for cooking
Salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Cut the 3 bell peppers into one-inch squares. The three colors have been chosen to make the food look colorful. Also their good nutrient source can be used. Cut the onion also in the same way. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes
2. Puree the tomatoes & garlic.
3. Heat a non-stick deep frying pan. Pour small amount of olive oil into the pan. Add the onions & the bell peppers. Cook till they are sauteed well & move in a separate bowl.
4. In a little oil add the puree & the turmeric & Chilli powder. Cook till the gravy thickens & changes color. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the tofu & stir for some time later add the cooked onion & bell peppers. When the preparation is well mixed & gravy is well spread over the ingredients add half ground black pepper & some dry oregano leaves powder. Adding Oregano will give a nice different flavor to the preparation and also help in case of any stomach ailments.

Grilled Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients:
Chicken: Breast pieces 4
Lime juice: 1/2 cup
Garlic: 4-6 cloves (small) or 2 cloves (large) minced
Mustard paste: 1 teaspoon
Ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
Olive oil: 1/2 tablespoon
Salt if required

Preparation:
1. Wash the chicken pieces & make 2-3 slits on both sides of the pieces.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Add salt if the soy sauce does not have any according to your taste.
2. Coat the chicken pieces well with the mix & keep it refrigerated for 1-2 hours in a closed container. The chicken would be marinated well in this time.
3. Spread the chicken on the grilling plate over a piece of aluminium foil & place it in a pre-heated oven at 160F, or in case of microwaves you can choose grill for poultry. You can grill for approx 15 min. turn around in between to grill both the sides well.
4. You can check the chicken whether it is cooked or not by poking it with a fork. If it is cooked it will go inside well.

Don't have photos for the same, sorry for that.

I hope you like these recipes. They are low fat & low cal recipes & very easy to cook, don't require too much preparation time as well. Tell me whether you like it or not. Awaiting you suggestions & comments. Thanks!!

Weight Loss- Power Foods 2

I will again try to list a few food items which can be easily made available in the day to day meal. When I started to become calorie conscious I started the wrong way. I started with what not to eat but it soon started to feel like I have no options to eat. So, want people o find out what to eat before what not to eat. If you know what you eat the not to do would automatically follow. I am a foodie & like different types of cuisines & food, so I know how difficult it is for people to stop eating. The concern should be 'What to eat' & 'How to eat'.

1. Eggs: We all know that eggs are great source of nutrition to the body. Egg whites are great source of lean proteins but mind you egg yolk is equally important. You might say that it has cholesterol in it then how can it be good, and you are right because that's what earlier research use to say. But in new research it has been found that egg cholesterol is an important part of providing dietary cholesterol which has been seen to lower LDL (bad cholesterol). Also eggs are good source of Vitamin D, Vitamin B (B6, B12, riboflavin, folate & choline) and Omega 3 fatty acids & 7g proteins (half in egg white & rest in the yolk). Eggs can be made in different recipes & can be very tasty. Avoid use of saturated fats while cooking the egg, that will only have negative impact. Boiled, poached, baked, fried (in lite olive oil) enjoy it as you wish.

2. Apples: As the old saying goes "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Please don't substitute it with the apple juice, I know it tastes great but you miss a good portion of the fiber present in the whole fruit. The fruit has good amount of vitamins & minerals. The fiber present helps clear cholesterol from bloodstream & slows down the absorption of carbohydrates in the body thus controlling release of sugar into the bloodstream. Nowadays apples are sprayed with wax to give a glossy shine which also attracts more pesticides & chemicals, so peeling is a good option though some good fiber may be gone with the peel.

3. Carrots: A very easily available vegetable in the winters. It has a great amount of fiber content, out of which most is soluble a chemical called calcium pectate. This soluble fiber easily reduces blood cholesterol levels. Also the Vitamin A present in carrots can not easily be found in most other competition. It has been known as a strong anti-oxidant & helps prevents cancers stomach, cervix, uterus etc. Eyes will also be benefited & cataract can be delayed by having good amount of carrots. You can enjoy the same in salads & different dishes (Gajar Ka halwa not suggested ;)).

4. Dairy Products: Dairy products are important in our day to day diet. The choice of the product used is of essential concern in the case. Milk, yogurt & cheese (not many options in India) are good source of Calcium, proteins, Zinc and some Vitamin B complexes. Dairy products also are source of high fat & calorie intake so the variants to be chosen are the low fat ones. It's also seen that the low fat or skimmed milk has more protein & Calcium compared to full fat milk. The calcium is believed to break down the body fats. And whey protein, linoleic acid are already known for healthy muscles & reducing fat.

5. Almonds: Nuts are great snack between meals, though many would say that it is high in fats & high calories. It is not so true because actually the calories estimated in almonds are much lower. Also the fats present are again healthy fats required by the body. And nonetheless the Vitamin E in Almonds is very high which is responsible for good skin & hair. A snack of almonds satisfies the hunger (high fiber keeps you full) & also provides with good benefits. The calories present are not very high but enough to satisfy the mid meal hunger & prevents over eating at meals.

Thanks for your reads & supports. Friends please help me improve my blog by your valuable comments on the content. Would like to know from you what you would like further in the blog. Thanks!!

Weight Loss- Power Foods

Hi Friends!! I am looking for some responses about the content I am writing, it will help me to improve my posts. Well this one talk about foods which have proven in reducing fat in the body. These foods are considered as power foods. These foods are available very easily & can be added to our daily diet easily and help us with the weight loss plans. Well listing down a few which I know:

1. Peppers/ Chilies: Chilies provide a great source of Capsaicin, this is the chemical which provides the pungent characteristic to the peppers. This induces a food generated thermogenesis which converts a part of the meal to heat immediately. There could be many people who cannot have very spicy food for them the alternative is bell peppers. It also provides with colorful & flavorful taste. It can be taken in simple preparations without much hassle.

2. Lemon/ Lime: In some places it can be known as a lemon diet which has shown incredible effect on weight loss. It helps energize & cleanse your body thereby removing toxins (Simply known as DETOX). It also helps you maintain blood sugar levels at normal. This very simple ingredient has the quality to slow down the process of breaking down carbs thus regulating the blood sugar levels.

3. Sweet Potatoes: Surprisingly to most of the people sweet potato has a very good effect over weight loss & maintaining blood sugar levels. The vegetable has very less calories which are obtained from carbohydrates & not fats. It has small amount of protein & high fiber content which helps in the daily roughage requirements. Needless to say fiber helps the system clean & promotes cardiovascular activity, makes your tummy full. In latest research it has been seen to contain a compound named anthocyanin which acts as a great antioxidant. It increases metabolism & promotes weight loss.

4. Ginger: This is the most common ingredients in an Indian dish. Ginger is known for its qualities to improve immune system & anybody who has had cold must have been advised from time to time to have ginger tea or ginger with salt. But lesser known facts includes its effect on the blood cholesterol level & also acts as a blood thinner thus helping reduce blood pressure. The compound gingerol present in the root is an anti-inflammatory agent disallowing inflammation of blood vessels. This increases the body heat & makes the body burn fats.

4. Chocolates: Now this one has always been my favorite in the list. It has been seen that a bar (2 inches typically not bigger than that) of dark chocolate (70% cocoa, not white & milk chocolates which have high sugar content) just before the meal controls craving for sweet, salty & fatty foods. This helps in reducing Insulin spikes which have been culprit to storage of sugars directly to fat cells. The high content of cocoa (high in flavanols) in dark chocolates has been seen to possess great anti-obesity & anti-diabetic activity.

This is a huge topic & can be written in extents. I will be coming up with more on this topic in coming days. Do share your thoughts on this topic. Thanks!!

Dieting- Does it help?

Hi friends! Great to see your response in a day. I am very happy & optimistic about writing more about the topic. I invite you also to express your views & concerns about anything you wish to know.
Today I again wish to speak about one of the topics everyone talks on a day to day basis "Dieting". If someone asks you to eat & you refuse for any reason, the next question which comes is known to all of you "Are you dieting?".
A basic question which arises is "What does dieting mean?". I have seen many people living on one apple in the morning & afternoon. I am surprised at this from day one when I started understanding what dieting is (not the correct meaning though :P). I am startled today also  How can an apple fulfill all my body's needs. This is one thing all of us should look into ourselves & ask. It cannot. Dieting ideally means to maintain a balanced diet which includes carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, roughage & water. I told you in my last blog that I had joined certain therapy services (of no help ;)), they advised me to stop eating carbs totally. Also sometimes to eat only fruits a day. I tried all of it & I guarantee didn't help much, I felt exhausted & drained. They kept on saying that is because the fats in my body were being used up by my body. I kept doing that for a good 2 months. And believe one day if I ate even a small scoop of ice-cream my weight would shoot up 10 times the ice cream's weight. I was very upset as well & always felt an urge to eat good things, an urge I could not control and today I actually laugh at it. I left all of it one day & started living normally, though I didn't lose weight I didn't gain any. So, please any of you if following such things request to please stop it. You are depriving your body of the basic needs.
Today I do follow an easy diet plan it actually might vary from person to person but should be more or less same. EAT CARBOHYDRATES in small or medium quantities but do eat, choose the right one for you. It is seen in research if the body is deprived of carbs the body feels skeptic about our intention & starts storing them. So, if you don't eat one meal & eat the next, the body will respond as a storage vault & store it for future use. Also we feel a tendency to overeat in such cases. HAVE FATS in your diet in small quantities, as the body does need fat. There are good cholesterol compounds which help our requirements of Vitamin D which is essential for absorption of Calcium, also helps keep our skin more fresh & young, also for better eyes & heart functions. Again the choice of fats have to be judicious & should not be exceeded. Now comes the PROTEINS, they are the building blocks of our body. Our muscles, hair & nails our mainly build of proteins. Also the enzymes our body uses are made of amino acids which are broken down from proteins. And the most important, protein helps to decrease the urge of hunger & keeps you full for a longer time as it takes more tie for the body to break down proteins than carbohydrates. So objective of dieting is also fulfilled.
I will keep this till here, and wait for your comments and suggestions. Thanks!!