Top 10 Best Diet Tips

Still reeling under the festival time damage to your weight? Want to get fit before the Christmas and New Year parties come around? Too smart to go on some silly crash diet? Then you’re at the right place.

There’s no doubt that regular exercise and healthy eating make the best weight-loss tools. And to aid you with your healthy eating plan, we have some nifty little tips that’ll help you stay on track.

Top 10 diet tips 

1. Think of what you can eat, and not what you can’t. When most people think of going on a diet, the thought of saying no to a lot of foods can really turn them off. A good way to stay positive and inspired is to think of all the food you can eat – plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, veggie bhels etc. The options are substantial, healthy and quite mouth-watering.

2. Keep a food diary. Several studies have shown that those who keep a food diary see far better weight-loss results than those who don’t. By keeping a food diary, you’re ensuring that you’re eating healthy, nutritious food and avoiding foods that can derail your diet plans.

3. Weigh yourself regularly. You could either weigh yourself daily, or once a week, depending on how you want to go about it. Regular weight checks help to ensure that your diet is in fact, working for you.

4. Call it “eating healthy” and not “dieting”. The word “dieting” can get a variety of responses from your friends and family. Some friends may feel pity for you, while some older uncles and aunties might lecture you on how bad dieting is and how you’ll lose your glow etc. To avoid all these unnecessary discussions with well-wishers, just them you’re eating healthy while politely saying no to that samosa and grabbing a handful of nuts instead.

5. Drink two glasses of water just before your meal. This neat little trick helps to give you a feeling of fullness, so you don’t end up overeating.

6. Snack smart. The most important thing to remember about dieting is to never allow yourself to feel starved. Always carry healthy snacks like nuts, fruits or whole biscuits with you and just pop them in between meals, so you never feel deprived.

Weekend Top 10 – Diet myths that could fool you

More and more people today are trying different methods to get into shape to lead a healthier life. Unfortunately, with all these methods come a whole bunch of crazy misconceptions about what works and what doesn’t.

We have for you some of the most common diet myths that people believe to be true, only to end up crying in horror when they get on the weighing scale. Forget these myths and instead follow our sane advice for a healthier you!

Top 10 diet myths

1. All vegetarian food is healthy
This myth arises from the fact that vegetables have fewer calories than meat. However, you cannot overlook the way the food has been cooked. For instance, a grilled chicken will probably be healthier than a deep fried samosa.

So pay attention to not just the ingredients but also the method of cooking.

2. Liquid calories don’t countSome dieters will go to great lengths to say no to a square of chocolate and then go ahead and have a mocha cappuccino! Just because you’re not biting into them doesn’t mean the calories aren’t there.

Watch out for the hidden calories in beverages, fruit juices and alcohol.

3. Anything that’s fat-free is calorie-freeNamkeen and biscuit packets with the words ‘FAT FREE’ emblazoned on them are everywhere and innocent people are falling into their trap as we write this!  Remember, calories also come from sugar and carbohydrates so don’t go munching on those fat-free biscuits in the belief that they’re harmless.

Do read the nutrition label before buying something ‘healthy’.

4. Carbs are the enemy
With Atkins and South Beach and numerous other fad diets, carbs have taken a really bad rap over the last few years. While many dieters found good results when they reduced their carbohydrate intake, it’s a bad idea to cut them out altogether.

Every food group is essential for the functioning of the body, so don’t completely eliminate one and load up on another.

5. All fats are evilYou may have heard of the concept of good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats and bad (unsaturated and trans) fats. Bad fats that you should avoid as they increase your bad cholesterol are found in animal fat and partially or fully hydrogenated oils like dalda and vanaspati.

Good fats are found in foods like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, salmon, soy and sunflower oils.  These are good for the body and aid in weight loss.

6. Say no to milkFrom time to time, new reports suggest that milk is not the wonder food it’s made out to be and might in fact hinder your weight loss process. Different nutritionists have different takes on milk, but there’s no doubting the fact that milk and milk products can take care of many of your dietary needs.

If it’s the fat you’re worried about, simply go for a fat-free version of milk.

7. Snacking is strictly prohibitedThere’s long been a belief that if you want to lose weight, you should have just three big meals in a day and avoid snacking in between.

Studies suggest that eating 6 or 7 small meals through the day is not only healthier, but also shows better weight loss results. Watch out for the snacks you eat however. Say no to chips and biscuits and go in for fruits and nuts instead.

8. It’s OK to splurge on weekendsThis often ends up as one of the biggest setbacks for a dieter – being careful all week and then going crazy on the weekend with junk food and dessert.

Better than depriving yourself of food you love is to just eat it, albeit in small quantities.

Don’t say no today to just end up eating double on the weekend.

9. Skipping meals will help in weight lossThis is a terrible mistake and also a terribly common phenomenon amongst those looking to lose weight. Skipping a meal sends your body into starvation mode and you only end up eating more than you should later.

Eat all your meals and never ever starve yourself.

10. Those natural fat busters you see advertised actually workFat busters that promise startling results due to their secret ingredients from the Amazon rain forest or the surface of the moon or wherever might be the longest running April fool’s gag in history. They do not work and are designed for one purpose only – to take your money. Worse, they might actually be harmful and cause your body serious damage.

Don’t fall for things that seem too good to be true. Healthy eating + regular exercise + a good night’s sleep is the only proven formula to lose weight.

Weekend Top 10 – Tips to lose that holiday weight

Top 10 tips to lose that holiday weight 

1. Take a break this weekend

Give your body and mind a break this weekend and just relax. Do something quiet and peaceful and actually sleep on time for a change. Too much partying can be exhausting and you’ll find this “me time” relaxing and rejuvenating.

2. Sneak in some exercise

Don’t wait until Monday or the first of next month to (re) start your exercise routine. Start this weekend itself and you’ll begin to feel better instantly. Weigh yourself and make a plan of how much you would like to lose over the next few months and start working on it right away.

You don’t have to hit the gym, read our article on how you can get active, without turning your life upside down.

3. Incorporate weight training

Many of us, especially women, have a habit of focussing only on cardiovascular exercises to lose weight. The fact is that you can derive far more benefits from your workout program if you incorporate some weight training into it. By improving muscle mass, you improve your overall metabolism which is great for burning calories. If you don’t have access to weights, try doing push-ups, lunges and crunches.

4. Drink a lot of water

A lot of festival food tends to be spicy and high in salt, which causes one to feel bloated. Drinking a lot of water will help get rid of all that salt and make you feel healthier and fresher.

5. Ditch the guilt and move forward

One of the biggest hurdles in the road to post-festival recovery can be the guilt we accumulate over having binged so much over the last few days. Well, what’s done is done. Sometimes, guilt can induce more heavy eating and that’s one thing you don’t want to do. Don’t mull over what happened and just move on to a healthier today and tomorrow.

6. Eat light

You enjoyed the holiday goodies while the good times lasted. It’s time to completely cut out all those sweets, cakes, drinks and other heavy stuff now. Rediscover fresh salads, fruits, lean meats and whole grains and allow your system to recover from the assault of the last two weeks. Try our recipe for a simple and tasty salad.

7. High protein, low GI food

Another great diet tip is to go in for high protein foods that have a low glycaemic index. Foods that have low GI include milk, nuts, oranges, pears, urad dal, channa dal and many more. For the complete list, click here.

High protein foods include eggs, fish, chicken, rajma, soy and nuts like peanuts and almonds.

8. If you’re not going to eat those sweets, give them away

You may have decided to start eating healthy but that can get really hard to do with cakes, chocolates and mithai lying in the fridge. Why not give those away to someone who will actually eat them? You’ll make someone’s day and do yourself a favour by getting rid of all that temptation.

9. Don’t give in to your craving for 10 minutes

Here’s a tip that really works. Scientists have found that a craving for a certain food typically lasts for about 10 minutes. So if you suddenly find yourself dying to have a motichoor laddoo, just hang on for 10 minutes. Distract yourself by talking to a friend, or have some water. In 10 minutes, you’ll find that the craving has passed and you have managed to avoid consuming 150 calories. Perfect!

10. Ask friends/colleagues to join you

Embarking on a get-healthy program is always more fun with a buddy for company. Considering most people around you would be in a similar situation as you, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to get someone to join you. Two people help keep each other motivated, even on days when you just don’t want to get out of bed. Besides, you can be each other’s disciplinarian when temptation presents itself in the form of food.

Top 10 – Health tips for busy moms

A healthier mom is a happier mom

Motherhood – arguably the most challenging, stressful, fulfilling, frustrating, thankless, glorious and important job in the world! And like any other job, a mom needs to be in top shape to give the best to her work. So along with looking after the well-being of everyone else in the family, don’t forget to ensure that you are healthy and happy as well.

Top 10 health tips for busy moms

Here are the top 10 health tips for all you busy mothers out there.  Follow these so you may continue to do the great job you’re doing already.

1. Make yourself a priority. You’ve probably heard this repeated a lot. And yet most moms continue to keep putting themselves last on their to-do lists. Be it relaxing, eating, exercising or socialising, it’s important to make time for yourself. After all, only when you’re physically and mentally healthy can you give your best to your family.

2. Exercising tips. Regular exercise is important, there’s no argument there. However taking the time to exercise can be difficult for a busy mom.(i) One tip is to set a specific, achievable goal for yourself. For instance, you may decide that you want to walk for half-an-hour 4 times a week. Now you have a set goal that’s also very achievable.(ii) Another tip is to exercise whilst doing something else. (All you multi-tasking moms will like this!)  So if you’ve taken your child for a karate class, don’t just wait in the lobby. Use this half an hour to take a power walk in the street or in a park close by.

3. Food and you. Most moms have a less-than-ideal relationship with food and with all that effort they put into feeding their kids, they either eat too little or too much.(i) One rule you absolutely must follow is to never finish up the food your child has left. Eating the food left over on your child’s plate is a very common phenomenon and this leads to the mom eating double and gaining unnecessary weight.(ii) Mornings are an especially busy time with breakfast being cooked and lunch boxes being packed and often mothers end up skipping breakfast themselves. Make sure you sit down and eat a healthy breakfast; you could even pack it and carry it to work if that’s easier, but do not miss breakfast.(iii) When it’s time to feed your child dinner at the end of a long day, it’s a good idea to finish your meal first. Trying to feed a fussy child on an empty stomach will only make you irritable and impatient. Eat first and you’ll find you’re way more patient and energetic to tackle any challenges the dining table may throw up.

4. Sleep time. Just because you’re a mother now doesn’t mean you need less than 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Prioritise and cut out some activities if you must, just do whatever it takes to get the required amount of sleep.

5. Moms and stress. Stress is inevitable, but there are ways you can minimise it.(i) One tip is to keep expectations reasonable. Your child comes with his or her own set of talents and strengths. Do not expect unreasonable feats from your kids.(ii) Never compare your kids with others. It doesn’t matter if your sister-in-law’s daughter started walking 17 days before your own! Your child has qualities that she doesn’t and it’s best not to get into any comparisons.(iii) Quit the guilt. It’s OK to make mistakes. Everybody does! Don’t waste precious moments with your child feeling guilty about what you did or didn’t do. Just do the best you can and shower your kids with love.

6. Ask for help. They say it takes a village to raise a child. What that means is that you cannot do it solely on your own, and there’s no shame in getting help. Involve your husband, your mother, your neighbour, your nanny; nobody will think any less of you and you will be a happier, healthier woman through it all.

7. The supermom myth. Any mom will tell you – you cannot do everything. So stop worrying about trying to bring up children, while keeping a perfect house, having a successful career, looking like a supermodel, cooking like a pro and doing everything you used to before you had your child. It’s OK to have that pile of newspapers in the corner. You’ll get to it when you can.

8. Take a break from being a mom. Every once in a while it’s essential to take a break from kids and diapers and school admissions and homework. Call up a friend or go out and have an adult conversation. Discuss politics or fashion or indulge in a good old gossip session. You’ll feel rejuvenated and look forward to going back home to the kids

9. Physical pampering is important. A day at the spa or beauty salon does a lot to revive a tired mom’s spirits. You get a break, look better and it takes your mind off the stress of parenting.

10. Enjoy motherhood. It’s a great time full of challenges and triumphs and the most important thing is to enjoy it. All moms will tell you that it goes by really fast and when you look back at this time, you should remember all the laugher and fun you had.