Monthly Archives: January 2018

Muscle Building Myths

Many individuals want to look good with a flat stomach, toned muscles and a ripped body. Many want to look like the guy in the poster which is put up in the gym. But wait, are you aware of what it takes to get there? So, apart from the exercise routine given by your gym trainer what you really need is a proper diet routine to go along with your workout. Sure your gym trainer will give you tips on diet but do remember he/she is not a trained nutritionist. So remember, when he/she suggests you a diet ask �why?� without the fear of looking stupid. There are a lot of myths circulating with regards to gaining muscle. Here are 5 muscle building myths which we would like to clear:

1. Eating more protein will help you build muscle

This by far is the biggest myth that goes around in the gym. Even the individual who has just started working out will start including more protein in the diet and start with protein shakes. But wait, hold on, do you even require that much protein? To a point, sure protein helps. So, put down the shake for a while and read ahead to what science is telling you.
Protein has various important body functions. It also promotes the muscle-building process which requires a variety of amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins) � some of which are to be obtained from food since our body does not synthesize these amino acids. Muscle mass increases over time when there is a combination of the right nutrition with resistance exercise.

But for this, one does not require exorbitant levels of protein. 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is the recommended intake depending on the nature of exercise and the intensity. Elite athletes require more than this amount.
These levels can be generally met with diet alone � no additional amino acid and protein supplementation. Any extra protein is stored as fat and can lead to an increase in weight.
So, NO, excess protein won’t help you build muscle.

2. You can’t lose fat and gain muscle at the same time

Gaining muscle and losing fat is by no means an easy feat. However, the right combination of exercise and diet will help you do that. Losing fat will require a downsize of your calorie intake while gaining muscle requires an increase in the protein intake without an increase in the total calorie intake. Remember that your body can’t turn fat into muscle and vice versa. But if you are overweight, your body can use your stored energy to actually fuel the muscle building process.

3. Doing cardio will make you lose muscle

Doing cardio doesn’t jeopardize muscle gain or strength as per science. In fact, it may even help in increasing muscle. So how much of cardio is good enough? 20-40 minutes is good enough for you to gain muscle. Doing cardio till you drop (over exhaustion) or over training hinders muscle gain. Doing an aerobic exercise in fact improves aerobic capacity along with muscle mass. Interval training (alternate periods of high intensity with periods of low intensity) increases you’re the body’s production of the growth hormone which creates muscle mass.

4. Say no to carbohydrates

Eating the right, clean, healthy foods in each meal is the key. Don’t demonize the carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the fuel for your workout. Not eating enough means your workout may potentially suffer. In the absence of carbohydrates, the body uses the alternate source, the valuable proteins in your body to fuel the workout. So, to avoid any loss of lean body mass it is vital to maintain your carbohydrate stores.

5.More protein after a workout will give more muscle growth

Good quality protein after a workout does play a role in enhancing muscle growth. However, more protein does not mean more muscle growth. 25 gms of protein after a workout (within two hours of a workout) is sufficient to stimulate maximum protein synthesis.
Be wary of any promises made to you in the name of building muscle. Every suggestion by your trainer should have a scientific backing and not be just �a blind statement�. As far as diet is concerned a qualified sports nutritionist would be able to chalk out a meal plan with the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins and the good fats in the diet along with the essential micro nutrients. Many nutritionists besides offering weight loss in Mumbai are offering sports nutrition services for the sports and fitness enthusiasts.

Gain Weight And Build Muscle

Naturally thin people may be the way they are on account of their genetics or their low food intake which means they feel fuller faster thus prompting them to eat less or a hormonal imbalance or a high metabolism which metabolizes the food that they eat instantaneously thus increasing the overall requirement of the calories and other nutrients. According to the BMI (Body Mass Index) range, a BMI of less than 18.5 is qualified as being under weight. Though a growing minority, the underweight people may be at risk for health concerns like nutrient deficiencies, osteoporosis especially in women, lowered immune system and fertility issues in women to name a few.

‘Eat as much as you can’ is a common advice one gets when one is trying to gain weight, especially for someone who has always been lean and lanky. You may gain weight but it may not be the best indicator of how healthy you are. The body composition is a better tool to ascertain your health and fitness along with the weight. It is a measure of how much of your weight comes from lean mass, which includes muscle, bone, connective tissue and water, and how much comes from fat. It is commonly noticed that in spite of the weight and BMI being well within the normal range, the fat composition is very high suggesting that the fitness levels are not appropriate and this makes the individual susceptible to various metabolic diseases.

It may sound odd, but it’s possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same or even increase, even as you lose inches, a sign that you’re moving in the right direction. Similarly, while gaining weight it is again possible that the individual is gaining weight with an increase in the fat mass and not the muscle mass indicating that the weight gain is not happening in the right manner.

Here are some healthy ways to gain weight if you are underweight:

1. Eat more frequently: If you feel that you cannot eat more food at a time then it would be wise to eat five to six smaller meals rather than three main meals.

2. Increase the calorie intake: Determine your daily calorie needs with your BMR and gradually increase the number of calories (watch where you get them from).

3. Snack smart: Calorie dense snacks like nuts, cheese, dried fruits, hummus or guacamole with whole wheat breads, peanut or almond butter with bread, smoothies and milkshakes will help you get calories with other nutrients.

4. Pay attention to the fat: Avoid the saturated fats from butter, margarine, ghee, salad dressings like mayonnaise and thousand island dressing and full fat dairy and dairy products. They are not good for your heart. Instead use vegetable oils which contain the good fats. You could drizzle extra olive oil on salads, soups and breads (do not overdo it).

5. Don’t overdo the protein: Medical research shows that consuming more of protein could actually harm your body. Eating more protein and increasing the calorie intake will add up to the fat mass in the body and cause stress on the other body systems. So, consume proteins in moderation (15% of your total daily caloric intake). Lean chicken and fish are your best choices when it comes to animal proteins.

6. Chuck the junk: Avoid the sweet and processed foods. Your weight gain will be mainly fat gain which will increase your risk to the diseases that result from their consumption.

7. Remember to exercise: Exercise, especially weight training helps in building muscle and thus gain weight. Exercise also helps stimulate the appetite.

No matter what the reason is to put on weight, it is important to focus on the nutrient profile of the calorie dense foods and not just the quantity of calories in them. Eating more calories should not give one a license to binge on the junk foods that have only empty calories and no other nutrients in them. Eating more calories from the right foods along with a monitored exercise program will ensure that the weight you gain is the muscle weight and not from fat.
A qualified nutritionist plays an important role in formulating a good weight gain diet. She would be able to provide the right body building nutrition with appropriate percent of the macronutrients carbohydrates, proteins and fats in order to maintain the desired body composition. If one does not have means to visit a qualified fitness and sports nutritionist in and around their place there are various nutrition companies offering online nutrition services for the same.

Working Out In A Group Can Be A Great Fun

Your workout is one of the three important daily activities that help you to stay physically fit and flexible apart from becoming a lousy victim of a sedentary lifestyle. It’s important to make every minute of your workout count and avoid wasting time in order to derive the maximum benefit out of it. It’s also important for you to not to see your workout as a work because work adds to stress, which you don’t want to experience during �leisure time.� When people begin to take their workout as a regular work, sooner or later they will lose interest and their appearances to a local health club will be far and few. When the stress takes its toll on your mind and body, the first thing you are likely to do is to throw a gym session out of the window.

However, why not find an easy solution to this problem by working out with your friends at fitness classes conducted by an experienced and qualified Wellness Coach Los Angeles. It has been proved time and time again that workouts can be a great fun in the company of friends with whom you share a close relationship. Even if you don’t have any friends to workout with, you can make new friends in fitness classes with people like you have who have come from all walks of life with a solitary goal- to achieve the desired body shape and healthy lifestyle. Moreover, it has also been found in several studies that socialization helps to lift the spirits and self-confidence of people. There are other benefits too of attending fitness classes in group which are mentioned in this article. Read on to find more about it.

� Group workouts can bring a dramatic change to your normal routine. It has been found that many individuals who work out alone lose their motivation over time and may skip exercising all together due to losing interest. But when you work out in a group, group members encourage each other to give it their best shot. Your Wellness Coach Los Angeles pushes you to work hard and set challenges for you. You will find people in the class with whom you want to keep up. When you are motivated by the people who are working out around you, you’ll find it more entertaining and challenging.

� Working out in a group will help you iron out your flaws during exercising. People will be keenly watching you to spot any mistake while working out so that you don’t injure yourself seriously. Your fitness instructor will also guide you to how to perform complex moves in a correct manner so that you can do it in a right way.

� Group workouts also make you accountable in the sense that in case you miss a class, there will be people who will set you accountable and ask you questions related to your absence from the fitness class. Having a regular group to flex your muscles with is an added boon as it prevents you from becoming a �missing link� in your fitness class.

Wellness Activities To Stay Healthy

The workplace is like a second home for every employee. Creating an on-site wellness program is important because the majority of an employee’s time is spent at the workplace. Statistics from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention show that an average a healthy individual misses three days every year while an overweight or obese individual misses five days. Not to forget the employee productivity, and the cost to the company. This is precisely why many corporates are adopting ways to look after their work-force. It is also one of the ways to attract talent, create bonding between the employees and decrease the employee turnover.

Good health begins with good food. And what can be better than introducing healthy menu options for the employees in the workplace cafeteria. It is a proven fact that scarcity of time often compels the employee to eat the options available at hand and that usually turns out to be the options from the cafeteria. An in-house company menu which allows the employees to make healthy food choices and not resort to junk eating is an ideal value-add. Moreover, as many company profiles demand travelling, educating the staff about what kind of food selection to make on the go, reading the label can help them immensely.

Empowering the employees with the understanding of healthy balanced diet is a smart way to help them eat mindfully. Nutrition consultations, camps to educate the employees about the various health aspects like portions sizes, essential nutrients, assessing the body composition, workshops to discuss the concerns of the employees, and health assessments would all create an environment of awareness within the organization. Health updates through various newsletters or online updates can be a fun way to educate them too. Outsourcing nutrition experts to design a diet considering the likes, dislikes, allergies, lifestyle, economic status, health conditions, blood parameters, age, gender of the employee can be a tool to motivate employees to look after their health and fitness.

A lot of fun-based wellness activities can also be undertaken by the employer at the workplace. Conducting regular medical check-ups and preventive wellness screenings to diagnose any health conditions on time can be organized. Encouraging employer- sponsored athlete teams is another interesting way to bring employees under a health platform. Measuring the distances in the halls and compounds of the company to set walking goals for the employees can make the employees more active during the day. Many organizations also decide on a theme for the month like no sweets’ month, a 30 minute walk daily’ month, a low sugar’ month, or a salt-awareness’ month that keeps the excitement going.
Onsite fitness activities like yoga, Zumba, and aerobics can be another step. Research shows that employees who are given these facilities are better at managing stress and can improve their work productivity. Figuring out the rewards for the top achievers not only for the work targets but also for the health goals can further motivate employees to work towards a healthier being.

Occasional absenteeism is inevitable. But habitual absences are the ones that can cost a lot to the employers and compromise on the overall productivity of the company and what better way can there be than introducing health and wellness activities for the employees?

Steps To Take When You Are Tired Of Looking Fat

Herbalife nutrition drinks can be used to replace meals to cut calories. Instead of skipping meals replace them with Herbalife. Chuck that coffee and bagel. Go for a jog or a workout routine of your choice and finish with a Herbalife nutrition shake. Skipping the breakfast altogether is a bad idea as the body goes into fat-storing mode. Instead, choose to lose weight with Herbalife.

Salad diets to lose weight fast

Use cold-pressed oils like olive oil and black seed oil for dressings in your salad diet to lose weight fast. These oils mixed with vinegar are an effective way to lose weight fast than traditional salad dressings. Do not stick to one combination of veggies, keep switching them up. Incorporate a lot of leafy greens like lettuce, kale, rocket, and protein like boiled chicken
or egg whites in your salad.

How to lose weight in thighs and buttocks fast

Key exercises to lose weight in thighs and buttocks fast are kicks, leg lifts, and planks. Moreover, the reason for out of shape thighs and buttocks is cellulose. Cellulose loose needs to be flushed out of the body. You can do it by drinking cleansing drinks like green tea, citric fruit smoothies, and green detox blends. Just look in the refrigerator pick out some citrus fruit or some green veggies, blend them and drink.

How to lose weight for 11 year olds fast

Pediatric obesity requires special care as it can become a chronic condition. First of all, an expert should be consulted to find out the underlying causes. The general guideline to lose weight for 11 year olds fast is plenty of exercises, plenty of fluids, no junk food and more salad and lean protein. Inculcating good eating habits in kids of this age is a must for weight-management.

Diet for heart patients to lose weight fast

Heart patients have to limit their physical exertion. A proper diet for heart patients to lose weight fast includes foods like berries, carrots, lentils, oatmeal, olive oil, yogurt, salmon, kale and clarified butter made of cow milk (also known as ghee). Freshly made soups and broths also aid in weight loss while maintaining healthy body parameters. Following a healthy diet is the key to weight loss.

How to lose weight really fast is unhealthy

Even though the points mentioned above help lose weight quickly, it should be kept in mind that to lose weight really fast is unhealthy. The drastic and sudden change in lifestyle put all the vital organs under stress. Many of those desperate to lose weight fast find themselves in hospitals.

Do not be so desperate to lose weight fast, bring on the change in lifestyle gradually. Those tired of looking fat and trying to find out how to lose weight fast need to keep this mind.

Healthy Foods For Energy And Concentration At Work

Employees spend nearly half or a little more of their day in the office. Due to the lack of time or in a rush to meet the deadlines, healthy and nutritious meal/food is replaced by unhealthy munching or meals are skipped altogether. What you eat at your workplace has a great impact on your health and your productivity. Many of you who may follow healthy eating habits at home, give way to speed and convenience when it comes to the food choices that are made, often under pressure, during working hours.

Also, excessive caffeine is the lubricant of a workplace. Tiredness and exhaustion pushes people to caffeine often. Caffeine helps in remaining alert and improving the mood. However, this is short term and as soon as the effect wears off it has a negative impact on the mood. Caffeine also triggers adrenaline which puts your body in a hyper aroused state where your emotions outrun your behavior. Studies have shown that caffeine from up to four cups of coffee a day can cause dependence.

Calories and nutrients which are consumed at work count. A lot of emphasis needs to be put on workplace nutrition. Brain is functioning constantly and in order to keep your mind sharp and focused certain foods need to make the cut to your desk and in your stomach

Bananas: They are the secret weapons in your lunchbox. Easily available, rich in potassium that helps up the concentration levels this fruit helps in keeping the brain energized and alert during the crucial working hours.

Green Tea: Instead of rushing in for the cuppa coffee at intervals to keep you alert you can go in for the green tea. Why? Because it is a great alternative to coffee which has higher levels of caffeine. A cup of green tea has much lower amount of caffeine than a regular cup of coffee keeping your caffeine levels under check. Alternatively, a decaffeinated cup of green tea can just as keep you fresh with it’s refreshing taste and aroma.

Seeds: Seeds are rich in many micronutrients that are important for brain function. Carry a small tiffin with roasted seeds and enjoy as mid meal snacks.

Nuts and Dried Fruits: Nuts contain a host of brain-boosting nutrients, including vitamin E, healthy fats and plant compounds. When the hunger strikes, munch on almonds, walnuts and pistachios instead of chips. And when you get sweet cravings, bite on a date or anjeer instead of chocolates. Peanut chikki, til chikki and date rolls are good options too (in restricted amounts of course!).

Whole grains: Lunch and snacks can include rotis, brown rice, parathas, whole meal breads which are loaded with fiber, Vitamin E, B complex vitamins along with other nutrients that power the brain. They also help in keep the blood sugar levels in check and prevent unnecessary bingeing of unhealthy foods when hunger strikes.

Protein foods: A protein food at lunch like a dal, beans or a piece of chicken promotes alertness and also keeps you feeling full for a longer time.

Leafy greens: The B vitamins and folate from the leafy greens are food for your brain. So, make sure you pack them for lunch as vegetables or in salads.

Beetroot: They have natural nitrates which actually boost blood flow to the brain and helps with mental performance. Make a salad from grated beetroot and add carrots in it as well. Colourful yet healthy and tasty.

Avocadoes: They contain vitamin K and folate which helps in improving cognitive function, especially both memory and concentration. Mash the avocado and mix it with onion, tomatoes, lime juice and coriander to make a healthy spread for you sandwich. Use this instead of cheese or cream spreads. Alternatively, add them to the salads.

These are some of the foods that you can include in your daily diet and should be a part of your lunch at the workplace. Alternatively, companies should focus on making healthy eating choices accessible and affordable in the canteen/cafeteria. Cafeteria menus can be developed together with dietitians in Mumbai or nutritionist in Mumbai through their corporate wellness program and healthy options can be incorporated in the canteen/cafeterias. The benefits to businesses that care about healthy nutrition are far-reaching.

Seven Tips For A Long And Healthy Life

As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you from the problems caused by a life style that is unhealthy. Instead of getting a modern medical fix for every problem, it is far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever fall ill.

An ounce of prevention is certainly better than a pound of cure. Here are seven tips on how to live a long and healthy life. In addition, the same life style that helps you to avoid illness also helps you to lose weight.

1. Get Enough Exercise

In the past people had to use their physical bodies in the course of their normal work. But today someone may get up, go to work in a car, then sit down, get up to go home in the car and when arriving at home, sit down again for the rest of the day. In such a life there is no physical labor. This physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for a host of diseases. Sport, running. walking and other things must be added to our life if our normal work does not require us to exert ourselves physically. I

2. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy

This may sound simple, but many people stay up late even when their body is telling them that it is time to sleep. Yoga and Ayurvedic doctors also say that it is better to sleep in the night and be active during the day. However, people such as students will take coffee and stimulants to study late into the night. Others develop the habit of remaining active at night and sleeping during the day. While we can do this, it eventually takes a toll on health. Alternative health doctors say that this kind of unnatural living is one of the contributing factors in the causation of cancer and other diseases

3. Eat when you feel hungry

This is also a simple idea, but once again we often go against the messages of the body. If you eat out of habit or due to social pressure at certain time of the day, even when you have no real appetite, then you will not digest your food properly. Acidity and indigestion begin, and this contributes to the likelihood of other more complex diseases taking root. Having an appetite is actually a sign of good health, but if you have no appetite you should wait a bit and then eat. (If you have no appetite even after awaiting a reasonable amount of time, then you should consult a doctor because something is wrong.)

4.Fast on a Regular, Systematic Basis

If you would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some rest or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without a rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why periodic fasting is necessary. Refrain from eating for one complete day. This gives a rest to your digestive organs and also helps in the elimination of wastes from your body. Regular fasting allows a person to gain extra time for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice.

5. Wash with cool water before going to bed

As mentioned above, proper sleep is essential for the maintenance of health. If you wash your important motor and sensory organs (hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth, genitals) before sleep using cool water, this will relax you and prepare you for deep sleep.

6. Perform meditation on a regular basis

Your body is linked to your mind. Many of the diseases of this era are psychosomatic. Stress and anxiety take their toll on our physical health. Meditation is a mental exercise which, among other things, allows you to detach yourself from the worries of life. Learn a simple technique and do it regularly.

Meal Replacements Are Effective In Weight Loss

A large number of people are dealing with the problems of weight gain and obesity and most of them are not sure how they can deal with these conditions which have caused them to feel embarrassed and develop a sense of inferiority complex. Both of these conditions are typically caused due to two reasons- eating in excess and eating unhealthy food and drinks. It has been found that eating in excess has a primary role to play in people gaining excess weight.

Over-eating is a main contributor to obesity problems across the globe, not just western world. Portion sizes are much larger than now they used to be in the past, making people eat in excess amounts than their body really needs. Some people have this perception that if they eat more of a nutritional food, it will help them in Weight Loss Encino. But that’s far from truth because even too much a good can do bad to you. This article is composed with intention to provide useful information pertaining to reducing portion size to people who are concerned about increasing weight. Read on to know more about it.

– If you don’t have any idea of how to judge portion sizes, try to weigh your food on a good quality food scale. Also, you can scoop the rice or pasta with a half-cup measuring cup before you dish it out on your plate. Remember, it’s more convenient to put less than required amount of food and adding more to it if required instead of putting more than what is required in your plate and putting the leftovers to trash bin.

– In case you are dining out, remember that restaurants and hotels tend to serve 2-3 times more the amount of food than you otherwise eat in a single sitting. Divide your meal and take only the amount you can eat. If you cannot eat the whole meal, you can get it packed and take it to your home for the next day.

– If you are using a regular or large dinner plates or bowls, it’s high time you replace these with small sized ones. By doing this, you can really cut down on your portion intake. Also, avoid eating till you fill fulfilled; rather finish your meal while you are still feeling hungry to some extent.

– You can replace your regular meal with meal replacements which are very popular with people who are striving to achieve Weight Loss Encino. Nutritious shakes are ideal meal replacements as they tend to nourish your body with a right balance of nutrients while blocking your hunger for a longer period of time. Moreover, they are delicious in taste, affordable to buy, and feeds your body with more liquid which is always good to stay hydrated.

– Last but not least, drink pure water as much as you can to satisfy your cravings. Drinking water will also make you feel fulfilled for a longer duration of time. In addition, you can also increase intake of fresh fruits, dry fruits, and fruit juices.

Maintain Your Weight With These Easy Tricks

As is rightly said, losing weight is much tougher than to gain it. The reason behind this fact that you don’t have to work hard to gain weight but may have to bring a dramatic change in your lifestyle to get back to your desired body shape. You may have spent countless number of hours in the gym, followed a healthy diet plan, or hired a personal fitness trainer to shed extra flab from your body, but the truth is that you can very easily gain few pounds again if you fail to maintain and sustain your Weight Loss Encino.

You can maintain your weight if you choose to follow the instructions of your personal trainer in your daily routine. This article is composed with intention of providing useful information to readers about how they can maintain their weight loss by following simple instructions.

1. Build Lean Muscle. You can continue to build lean muscle for maintaining or even improving your metabolism. Muscle has been reported to have a higher metabolism as compared to body fat. You can add weight training to your weight management program, and add to the amount of weight you’re working with to make your training more challenging.

2. Reduce Your Food Cravings. You should learn to effectively deal with your hunger quotient. Focus on consuming more �filling� foods which can make you feel fulfilled for a longer period of time, which will reduce your food cravings considerably. At the same time, your body will not be deprived of essential nutrients that it requires to keep functioning normally. Protein shakes are healthy and delicious meal replacements which nourish your body as well as keep it filled for a longer duration of time. Food with high content of fiber can keep you filled for longer durations. Water also is a natural source which you should drink regularly to satiate your hunger quotient in between the meals. It will keep your Weight Loss Encino in check.

3. Don’t Give In To Temptation. It’s very easy to give in to temptation even when you’re on weight loss management program. A study has revealed that how people with normal weight are more successful in resisting temptation against forbidden treats. That is not to say that you shouldn’t enjoy a gooey desert again, but you have to be very selective and restrictive about the moments that you will be having this type of food.

4. Keep A Calorie Count. Don’t assume anything; rather keep an account of your calorie intake regularly. Regular calorie count can keep you updated about your daily calorie intake. You should know very well if you are consuming more calories than your body requires or you are well within the limits. When you have a clear picture with you, your life will be much more easier.

5. Add Minutes To Your Exercise Plan. You should avoid relaxing during your exercise plan just because you have achieved desired weight. Add minutes to your exercise plan to challenge yourself after every few days.