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Recognise yourself first

How is your lifestyle that you are living? Is it healthy yet you are gaining weight? Then there is something that you are doing wrong. Your first step to great lifestyle is to recognize what it is that you are doing wrong?

To find out what is the mistake that you are making you first need to start writing a dairy. In that dairy you will write about your whole day. How it went? What did you eat? What you didn't eat? What you did? What is it that you are feeling?

When you are done with the complete records for 0ne whole week read that whole thing to yourself when you are in a good mood in order to understand where you have gone wrong. After you read that you yourself will recognize where your mistakes are.

Eat chocolate stay healthy!

Now you might think that I am a fool for asking people to eat chocolate to stay healthy when all that a chocolate can give you is calories. But let me tell you that all that you have learnt about chocolate since your childhood is all wrong. In fact chocolate are as beneficial for you as walnuts are. But let me tell you that I am not talking about milk chocolate or caramel for that instance. All that I am talking about is dark chocolate. I know that dark chocolate are bitter to taste but the lesser the amount of sugar the better it is for your health.

Now let me tell you about its health benefits:

Flavanols in dark chocolate are effective in:

lowering blood pressure
lowering cholesterol
lifting depression
providing anti-aging effects
serving as natural stimulant

It has been medicinally used in history as:

to gain healthy weight for people who were underweight
to improve digestion and elimination
to improve bowel function
to reduce Kidney stone
to reduce or alleviate effects of anemia
to increase appetite
to eliminate mental fatigue
to increase breast milk production
to aid in the symptoms and discomfort of influenza
to aid in symptoms of tuberculosis
to reduce fever
to alleviate gout symptoms
to help pass kidney stones
to increase sexual drive
to energize and stimulate

People who eat one bar of dark chocolate a week were slimmer than those who don't. Flavonoides found in dark chocolate help reduce bad cholesterol levels, improves blood flow to the brain and heart which insures proper functioning of the organs and lowers your risks for a blood clot. The copper, zinc and iron content in dark chocolate help cell renewal for your skin and hair. Dark chocolate boost serotonin and endorphins which are also know as feeling happy hormones hence reducing your sugar cravings!

I would recommend you to eat 2 to 3 squares of dark chocolate a day!

The bitter the better!

Orange you are so orange!

Sweet and juicy to taste, orange is one of the most popular fruits in India as well as the world. Belonging to a group of citrus fruits called hesperedium, oranges have more health benefits than one. Here are the top 10 health benefits of the fruit.

1. Boosts your immunity

A single orange can meet more than 100% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C. This vital nutrient helps improve your immunity, keeping you free from diseases and infections.

2. Good for your skin

As we grow older, our skin along with other body parts suffers from free radical damage. This process is similar to how metals rust after exposure to air. Even though it is inevitable, oranges are packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C which slows down the process and makes you look younger than your age!

3. Great for your eyes

Along with our skin, our eye too suffers from damage as we grow older. Oranges are rich in nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium which are great for your eyes. So, if you want your vision to be just as good as it is now, eat an orange every day!

4. Prevents heart disease

One of the reasons why people get heart disease is because their arteries are blocked due to unhealthy lifestyles and consumption of junk food. Oranges have Flavonoides like hesperidin which reduces cholesterol and prevents your arteries from getting blocked. This, in turn protects you from heart attack and various other cardiovascular diseases.

5. Helps in brain development

Foliate and folic acid present in oranges promotes brain development and keeps the vital organ in mint condition. In fact, these nutrients also make orange a healthy fruit for pregnant woman as it prevents the baby from having neurological disorders later.

6. Prevents cancer

Having cancer can be a tough and harrowing experience for both the patient and the care giver. Research has shown that a compound called D – limonene present in oranges can prevent various types of cancer like lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, etc. Additionally, the antioxidants and Vitamin C help promote the body’s immunity which helps in fighting cancer cells.

7. Keeps you free from stomach ulcers

Oranges are a very good source of fiber which helps keep your stomach and intestines healthy. A diet rich in fiber will ensure that you are not affected with ailments like stomach ulcers and constipation.

8. Improves the quality of your sperm

Death is inevitable, but our legacy may live on through our offspring. The antioxidants and Vitamin C present in most fruits, including oranges improves the quality and motility of your sperm thus keeping you fertile.

9. Great for diabetics

People who have diabetes are unable to absorb glucose since the beta-cells present in their pancreas either fail to produce insulin or the body’s cells are unable to respond to the insulin produced. Oranges are high in fiber and have a high glycaemic index which makes it a good food option for diabetics. Also worth mentioning is that good oranges have a sweet taste, and since diabetics aren’t allowed to eat sweets or other sugary foods, they can eat oranges to tingle their taste buds.

10. Prevents hair loss

Orange has high Vitamin C content which is required for producing collagen which, in turn, is responsible for keeping the tissues in your hair together. Nobody likes bald patches on their head, and eating oranges can ensure that you do not have to part with your lovely hair as you grow older.

Tip: When you cut an orange, make sure you do it in a way that the inner peel doesn’t come off since it is very nutritious and has higher amounts of hesperidins than the flesh itself.

Pineapples!

One of my most favorite fruits has an interesting history to narrate. The fruit is actually indigenous to Paraguay, in South America. It spread from its native by the local Indians up through the South and Central Americas and to the West Indies. Later, it was brought to Spain when Columbus discovered Americas’ in 1493, from where; it spread to rest of the world by the sailors (just like tomatoes) who carried it along with them for protection from scurvy (a disease caused by the deficiency of vitamin C) wherever they went.

Scientifically, it is known as "Ananas comosus" and belongs to the family of Bromeliaceae, in the genus: Ananas.

Now I don't want to bore you to death by giving you scientific information over it! Let's get straight to the point!

Its health benefits’:

Fresh pineapple is low in calories. Nonetheless, it is a storehouse of several unique health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
100 g fruit provides just about 50 calories equivalent to that of apples. Its flesh contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; however, it is rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber like pectin.
Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that digests food by breaking down protein. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that consumption of pineapple regularly helps fight against arthritis, indigestion and worm infestation.
Fresh pineapple is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin; vitamin C. 100 g fruit contains 47.8 or 80% of this vitamin. Vitamin C is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
It also contains small amount Vitamin A (provides 58 IU per 100 g) and beta-carotene levels. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes, skin and essential for vision. Studies have suggested that consumption of natural fruits rich in Flavonoides helps the human body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
In addition, this fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like foliates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is a helpful cofactor for red blood cell synthesis. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger.

The nutritional profile for canned pineapple is different from raw pineapple. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, canned pineapple in light syrup has 131 calories per cup and 31.88 grams of sugar. It also contains fewer vitamins and minerals. If you do opt for canned pineapple, try to get it with no added sugar or look for a variety that is canned in fruit juice instead of syrup.

Some other health benefits’ are:

Immune system support

Pineapple contains half of the daily-recommended value of vitamin C, according to the FDA. Vitamin C is a primary water-soluble antioxidant that fights cell damage. This makes vitamin C a helpful fighter against problems such as heart disease and joint pain.

Bone strength

Pineapple may help you keep standing tall and strong. The fruit contains nearly 75 percent of the daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue, according to the. One 1994 study suggested that manganese, along with other trace minerals, may be helpful in preventing osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

Eye health

“Pineapples can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants it contains,” Flores said.

Digestion

Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is essential in keeping you regular and in keeping your intestines healthy. But unlike many other fruits and veggies, pineapple contains significant amounts of bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, possibly helping digestion.

Anti-Inflammatory benefits

“Due to a complex mixture of substances that can be extracted from the core of the pineapple, well known as bromelain, pineapples can help reduce severe inflammation ... and can reduce tumor growth,” Flores said. A variety of studies have indicated that bromelain may be helpful in treating osteoarthritis, though more research is needed.

Excessive inflammation is often associated with cancer, bromelain and other proteolytic enzymes have been shown to increase the survival rates of animals with various tumors. There is not yet, however, clinical evidence to show that such results will happen in humans.

Blood clot reduction

Flores noted that because of their bromelain levels, pineapples can help reduce excessive coagulation of the blood. This makes pineapple a good snack for frequent fliers and others at risk for blood clots.

Common cold and sinus inflammation

In addition to having lots of vitamin C, pineapple’s bromelain may help reduce mucus in the throat and nose. So if your cold has you coughing, try some pineapple chunks. Those with allergies may want to consider incorporating pineapple into their diets more regularly to reduce sinus mucus long term.

Caution:

Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that may cause excessive uterine bleeding if consumed in large quantities during pregnancy.

“Because pineapple is a great meat tenderizer, eating too much can result in tenderness of the mouth, including the lips, tongue and cheeks,” Flores said. “But, [it] should resolve itself within a few hours.” If it does not, or if you experience a rash, hives or breathing difficulties, you should seek a medical help immediately. You could have a pineapple allergy.

Flores pointed out a possible negative to pineapple’s high levels of vitamin C. “Because of the high amount of vitamin C that pineapples contain, consuming large quantities may induce diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or heart burn,” she said.

Additionally, extremely high amounts of bromelain can cause skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive menstrual bleeding. Bromelain can also interact with some medications. Those taking antibiotics, anticoagulants, blood thinners, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, insomnia drugs and tricyclic antidepressants should be careful not to eat too much pineapple.

Eating unripe pineapple or drinking unripe pineapple juice is dangerous. In this state, it is toxic to humans and can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting. Eating a great deal of pineapple cores can also cause fiber balls to form in the digestive tract.

Some interesting facts!

The word "pineapple," derived from the Spanish wordpiña, was first used in 1398 to refer to a pinecone. This changed about 300 years later, with the word "pinecone" being introduced so pineapple could be used exclusively for the fruit.
Pineapples were discovered by Europeans in 1493 on the Caribbean island of Guadalupe.
Early attempts by Europeans to cultivate the fruit failed until they realized that the fruit needs a tropical climate to flourish. By the end of the 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers introduced pineapples into their Asian, African and South Pacific colonies.
Because pineapples are very perishable, fresh pineapples were a rarity for early American colonists. Glazed, sugar-coated pineapples were a luxurious treat, and fresh pineapple itself became a symbol of prestige and social class.
Pineapples were first cultivated in Hawaii in the 18th century. Hawaii is the only U.S. state in which they are still grown.
Other countries that commercially grow pineapples include Thailand, the Philippines, China, Brazil and Mexico.
It takes almost three years for a pineapple to mature.
Pineapple canneries use every bit of the pineapple. The skins, core and end portions are used to make a variety of products, including vinegar, alcohol and animal food.

Top diet trends!

Basically I don't support Fad Diets but these are some that are worth trying and won't harm you if you follow them for some time. This article is extracted from Times Life Newspaper. When I read it I felt that the readers should know about this one article so here it goes!

2015 will be the year of liberal diets-no food curfews or flavorless regimes. Just Learn to make right choices. Here are the best five you need to know about.

1 Good Fat: Blanket bans have never worked. So how could an absolute veto on fat survive? First of all, fatless food is flavorless. Secondly, the body needs some amount of good fats to function properly; finally, weight gain isn't always about fat consumption. It could be high salt or sugar diet too. So, this year will be the year of fat resurgence. Food Writers, chefs, restaurants and health experts will go back to golden age when fats were not at all that bad. You may still be wary of a binge, but it won't harm to dig into fatty meats, ghee, coconut oil, creams, creamy yogurts or full fat cheeses once in a while. Just watch out for good fats on the market shelves.

Various theories suggesting 'saturated fats are bad for you' have been given a serious simmering by counter researches. The biggest blow to these was journalist Nina Theicholz's book The Big Fat Surprise, establishing that fat intake is not solely responsible for cholesterol and heart disease. In fact, a study in reputed journal Annals of medicine stated that lack of saturated fats in the body could be damaging.

No wonder Indian chefs are going back to greasing their dinner plates-from lacing their foods with cocoa butter, grapeseed, avocado and pumpkin oil to stir-frying in natural fats. "You just can't cook without fats. Most cuisines involve oils and fats for either cooking or dressing to extract the best flavor out of the ingredients. Good quality unsalted butter, flavored butters and oils with high smoking point will be extensively used along with duck or chicken fats this year for French and Italian preparations," says chef Sujan S of Olive.

Chef Vikram Khatri of guppy by al, a specialitist in Asian cuisine, insists that every meal must comprise at least 8-10% fats. In order to get this balance right in your daily diet, he cites the example of Indian, Asian and European cuisines that anyway use oil, cheese and even animal fats in the preparation. Khatri also recommends extra virgin linseed and sesame oils as healthy options.

2 DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension): This diet plan was originally developed as an eating style to help lower blood pressure. Soon, it emerged as a viable and popular plan for weight loss that could be followed for life. High on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy and nuts, it is a diet plan that lets you lose weight without making you feel you are on strict diet.

3 Paleo Diet: Want to stay lean, strong and energetic? Then why not eat like a caveman? An acronym for the Paleothic Age or the Stone Age, when man first used tools, a true Paleo diet helps cleanse the body of Trans fats and sugars. Lean and undercooked meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, lots of wild plants and healthy natural fats from the core of this diet. Processed food, Starch, grains, legumes and alcohol are a complete no.

4 No Fixed Diet: This is a diet plan you'd love to follow. No forbidden food or perfect cuisine. One diet doesn't suit all body types. The safest bet is just to eat seasonal produce and local ingredients.

5 Ingredient Vacation: Do you also give up salts and fats when your doctor asks you to avoid sugar? This diet plan lets you give up or cut down on only that one ingredient which is affecting your health or metabolism. This lets you eat without making drastic changes in the diet.

Salads!

Just because there are fresh fruits and vegetables on your plate doesn't mean you're eating healthy. We all know its health and well-being tossed in a bowl. But how to get that right balance, proportion, color and flavor out of your crunchy meal is a question that still daunts most of us. Here are some salad basics...

Think outside the bowl! Give up on predictable staples like chickpeas and sprouts and spruce up your salad with new entrents every week. Go for fresh herbs, beet slices, avocado, low fat goat cheese or power packed pumpkin seeds. This will not only keep you interested in the salad regime but also pack in different nutrients and flavors.

Darker the better: Not all salad greens are equally healthy. Iceberg lettuce is crunchy and attractive on a salad plate but not very high on the nutrition meter. Go for darker leaves instead, like baby spinach, rocket leaves, red and green leaf and Romaine lettuce or kale as they pack in more vitamins and minerals. There plant-based wonders may help protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even cancer.

Don't fall for crunch: Adding those crispy noodles or croutons to your Thai or Asian salad might up the yummy quotient but it doesn't favor your waist-line. Croutons are made from processed white bread, which equates to empty carbohydrates and high calories. Walnuts or water chestnut are a much healthier way to get the crunch you want. For those who cheat at time in their diets I would say that once in a month adding the crispy noodles or croutons to your salad won't harm you.

Eat salad for desert: There's an ongoing debate about when to have your salad...before or after the meal? Well, in Italy and France, they have it after aperitifs and main course. Not bad, since salad improves digestion after a long and heavy meal. If your after-dinner snack is high in fat, it can lead to indigestion that makes it difficult to sleep soundly. Salad, however, is lighter and less likely to affect the quality of your sleep.

Don't pile on mindlessly: Keeping the ratio right in a salad is the key thing. Try to take up about three-fourths of your plate with greens, so you'll have less calorie stuff.

Munch before a run: Salad in the morning helps your body rehydrate after a mad night out and provides enough antioxidants and slow burning carbohydrates perfect for a run.

Fluids! Part-1

Fluids form a huge part of our lives! Water is one of the basic fluids that we consume every single day of our lives. A new born baby consists of about 80% of water in their body; a normal adult has about 70% of water in their body. An elderly person has about 50% of water in their body. 90% of our cells are made up of water, 85% of the blood, 80% of brain and muscles and 25% of our bones are made up of water.

Water boosts your immune system
Makes you look and feel younger
Keeps your kidney healthy
Energizes
Improves your skin
Prevents headaches
Improves circulation
Gives Muscle Relief
Improves digestion
Detoxifies
Also helps in weight loss
Maintains your body's Ph levels
Water is needed to survive in this world!
Helps in controlling blood pressure.
It is also a key to beautiful hair
Helps you leave longer
Helps prevent cavities!

Many a times we get headaches and the simple reason for these severe headaches is dehydration. So drinking enough water will surely cure your headache problems! Whenever you feel hungry between the meals it's a sign that you are dehydrated and that your body needs water. Our human body has wired ways of saying what it needs and we usually end up interpreting it wrong and just ruin everything. So when you feel Hungry between Meals just grab your water bottle and sip some water. If this doesn't ease your hunger then grab a fruit like an apple, orange, pineapple, watermelon, pear, cucumber, Muskmelon, papaya, berries, strawberries, Mango. The Next thing that people ask the most is how much water should one drink in a day?? Here is an image, a chart to how much water should one drink!-

Now it says at least 8-12 glasses but that doesn't mean that when you are done with your 12 glasses of water for the day you stop there!!! No you have to continue drinking water!!! Water needs differ everyday depending on the temperature, how much you are sweating, what you are eating!! Etc.

Now there is a method of drinking water!!! First thing in the morning after waking up is to drink water!! Drink water 30mins before your meal this will make you eat less, after you are done with eating don't drink water for next 45mins!! Have eaten something spicy?? Eat sweet! Just a bit! Or a teaspoon of full fat milk cream. This will ease the burning sensation in your mouth. Drink 2 hrs before and 2 hrs after workouts. A little in between your workout sessions. Well that's all for now!! I'll update about it further soon!!!

Weight gain habits to avoid

Habits can't be broken, they need to be replaced. Indulging in a chocolate cake once in a while or having a day on the couch with your chips or pakodas is not going to make you unfit, however doing it every single day, will! Here are some weight gain habits to look out for:

Lack of sleep may be making you fat. According to studies, partial sleep deprivation slows down your metabolism by 5-20% and alters your level of hunger hormones, making you hungrier all day and seriously bingeing the next.

Eating in the car. If you buy "easy to eat" meals like a burger or samosas on your way, you may end up eating your daily calorie quota in one hit. If you do travel long distances, plan ahead and carry a healthy meal and a bottle of water with you.

Eating in front of the TV. You should savor every bite, relishing the flavors and textures, not to mention be grateful for them. Eating in front of the TV makes you eat fast. The brain takes time to communicate that you are indeed satiated, so allow that to happen.

Food rut - eating the same thing day in and day out. Even if you think that you are eating healthy, you could be stuffing yourself with too much of the same thing on a daily basis, making it mundane and boring for one, which will tempt you to have frequent "pig-out" sessions with the foods you love.

Finishing everything on your plate and peer pressure. Some will probably slay me for saying this, but wasted food is wasted food, putting it all in your belly is not going to save a starving child. Serve yourself as much as you want to eat. Don't go for seconds. My mom too told me not to treat my stomach like a garbage bin. "Coffee shopping" or for some of us it is the "meet up for a drink". Many of us make it a habit to meet up with friends for coffee where the preferred flavor is hazelnut cream with a slice of a brownie. Need I say more? The equal fat habit is a few beers every night.

Some Lean Habits you could instill to replace some of the fat ones. Smell your food. Smell peppermint and smell each spoonful before you eat. It tricks your mind into believing you have eaten a little more than you have. When I wanted to shed 10 kilos in 3 months, I smelled chocolate whenever I had a craving.

Walk for an hour every day, instead of watching TV. If you have a treadmill or you can go to a gym, then you can multitask. If not, take your iPod and listen to music or audio-books while you walk those kilos away.

Practice one form of resistance training every day. I love Pilates, but if you prefer Yoga or weight training, go for it. The more lean muscle you build, the faster you will shed weight and gain definition. Meet up with friends you used to go for drinks or coffee with for a run or a yoga class instead.

Drink lots of water and herbal teas. This is a good way to replace mindless munching; you can even replace the nightly drink or juice with iced herbal tea served chilled with a slice of lime in a nice glass. Make everything look enticingly tempting.

Stock up on what I like to call "free-foods" and drinks like cucumbers, celery, lettuce and herbal teas. You can eat as much of those as you want. They probably burn up more calories munching them than they actually carry themselves.

What now? You need to have a reality check. I was once talking to a client who told me how healthy he was eating. After careful investigation, we discovered 8 slices of bread, be it they were brown, but who needs 8 slices a day, unless you are running a marathon. Where do you think it is going to store? So, for 2 days, list every single thing that you did and every morsel and drop that went into your mouth, the amount of liquids you consumed, if you are a smoker, the number of cigarettes. Even if they are things you consider healthy, like juice.

Write down also all the activities you did, the number of hours you slept or watched TV, if you went to the bathroom, if you went for a walk or jog or played a sport or got a massage. At the end of the 48 hours, get some help from a coach or a nutritionist. Identify the "fat-habits" and replace them with lean habits. Think of what a fit and healthy person would be doing daily and let that guide you as your list new habits.

5 daily habits that are making you fat!

If you've been piling on excess kilos lately, you might have a reason to blame these few reasons —

Taking big bites: It is widely believed that people who take big bites while eating, consume more calories as compared to those who take smaller bites. So, when you take a bite, chew it properly so that it gives you the feeling of having eaten enough.

Not drinking enough water: People, who consume less water through the day, are susceptible to putting on weight than those who keep drinking water. This is because water flushes out the toxins in your body that makes you feel bloated.

Eating on larger plates: Those who eat off larger plates are believed to put on weight than those who eat off smaller plates. The bigger your plate is, the more food you will put in it. So, the best way to control your hunger is by eating on small plates.

Not getting enough rest: Well, weight gain is not restricted to eating habits alone. One may even pile on kilos if he/she does not get enough sleep. Did you know that your body burns fat even while you are sleeping? So, now you know what ought to be done.

Going out with unhealthy friends: Those who hang out with people who are used to eating and drinking unhealthy may also end up putting on weight, says studies. This is because you end up eating the same food that your friends order, since you do not have much of a choice.

Why breakfast is important?

How many times have you heard the adage, 'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar'? Well, don't dismiss it. This age-old wisdom holds true even today, say nutritionists, dieticians and obesity consultants.

Break your fast Consulting nutritionist and clinical dietitian Pooja Makhija says, "The most important meal of the day, undoubtedly, is breakfast. The first food intake after a minimum gap of seven-eight hours, it acts as a fuel to jump-start the body."

Pooja says a person's breakfast habit decides if his/her body goes into burning (high BMR) or storing (low BMR, high fat-storing) mode. Nutritionist Deepshikha Agarwal says, "You break your night-long fast with this meal. It provides 25% of the total energy and nutrients required by the body. It will boost your energy levels and concentration."

Missing it is dangerous No breakfast means a sluggish start to the day. It also makes a person eat larger meals in the course of the day, says Pooja. "Since activity level, for most people, is maximum in the day, whatever you eat for breakfast is burnt well. So, it can be the biggest meal of the day. In fact, it is the best time for a cheat-meal," she says.

The best breakfast Says Deepshikha, "The first meal of the day should be a perfect combination of carbohydrates, protein and fiber." An ideal breakfast must include all the "five pillars of nutrition", adds Pooja. Carbohydrates: Poha/upma/bread/idli/dosa/paratha/wheatflakes.

Proteins: Sprouts/milk/curd/egg white/sausage.

Fat: All foods contain inherent or invisible fat.

Vitamins and minerals: Though required in very little quantities, these two are extremely important for a balanced breakfast. Fruits and vegetables are their best sources.

Try this her breakfast, says Pooja, includes a glass of vegetable juice, three-four egg whites and a slice of bread. "This ensures a complete, nourishing, balanced, supercharging and roaring start."

Other options for a good breakfast: Cornflakes/wheatflakes/muesli + milk + fruit

Upma/poha with vegetables and sprouts

Idli/dosa + sambhar with vegetables

Dal paratha + vegetable raita

Dal chilla with vegetables + bread/roti

Vegetable sandwich + milkshake

Egg/sausage + bread + vegetables

Beware Never start your day with caffeine. Eat something (fruit/biscuit/plain milk) first and about 20 minutes later, have tea or coffee.

Six habits that aid weight loss

Your new year’s resolution was to lose a few kilos, for which you made diet-charts, workout plans, set reminders, even planned on what your weight loss reward would be.

But its mid-year already and you have completely gone off-track from your weight loss plan. Worry not! With these six habits that aid weight loss, you will soon be on the right track to healthy weight loss and a fitter you.

Weight loss tip #1: Be consistent What ever is the exercise regime you take up to support your weight loss plans- swimming, running, yoga or squash, be consistent with it. This will take a lot of will power and some co-operation from your loved ones. But, being consistent with your weight loss workout regime will do you good in the long run. Vary the kind of workout you do every few months or weeks, but do not skip sessions except for on rest days. Vary the kind of workout you do every few months or weeks, but do not skip sessions except for on rest days.

Weight loss tip #2: Eat on time By now, you already know a lot about what you should eat to support weight loss. It is just as important to eat on time. Eat your meals at regular intervals- whether it is six small meals a day or three big ones; do no skip any. Skipping meals or eating irregularly can lead to many other health complications like bloating and acidity, apart from sabotaging your weight loss plans. Tip: Keep yourself hydrated, so that you do not go on a binge.

Weight loss tip #3: Be on the move Be active. Get going, whenever you can. Don't let your job chain you to your desk all day. Get up, go for short walks, get some fresh air every two hours or so. It will improve your circulation and avoid the flab from piling up. Also try to walk small distances like to the grocery store, to the station, to the bus stop etc.

Weight loss tip #4: Sleep well Sleep well and sleep right. Your body needs to recover and regenerate itself after a long working day. You need to give it enough time for that. Seven-eight hours of sleep every night is essential. Sleeping lesser or more could lead to accumulation of fat. So make sure you get enough rest.

Weight loss tip #5: Breathe right How many of us really pay attention to the way we breathe? Hardly anyone! It is about time you started paying attention to this tiny but vital function and start doing it right. The right way according to yoga experts is to expand your diaphragm as you inhale and push it in as you exhale. Paying attention to the way you breath will help you beat stress, which can play a major spoil sport in your weight loss plan.

Weight loss tip #6: Strike a balance Remember: When planning for weight loss, It pays to be patient. You are not going to lose weight overnight. So don't be discouraged and don't punish your body if you don't see instant results. Starving yourself or putting in overtime at the gym is never the answer. It will only lead to exhaustion, fatigue and will eventually lower your immunity. In fact, you will benefit a lot if you take breaks in between your routine workouts. And occasionally, treating yourself to a piece of chocolate or a slice of pizza will not do any harm to your weight loss plans.

Knowing your body and respecting its demands is the key to successful weight loss. Fad diets and crash exercise routines may help you get the body you want, but if you don't develop these seven habits to healthy weight loss, you'll lose it in no time.

My story, my journey.

Well from now on in this book I am going to write my story. No more boring fact filled chapter but instead my journey, what I did to get what I have got today. Well it’s kind of interesting to know the background first, from where it all started.

In India, education system is quite different than the one around the globe. Here one finishes high school in 10th grade itself. And until a kid give the final exam his future is already decided (either by the parents or the kid decides it for himself/herself) for 11th grade the person has to choose which field it wants to start a career in and then choose a subject. Art, commerce or science. Basically if one chooses science that person can do anything in life. Whatever that person wishes to. Like do fine arts for graduation or graduate from commerce or become a doctor or an engineer etc. whereas if a person chooses to do commerce or arts that person cannot go to the fields that a science student can enter. Typical subjects that a science students study for 2 years consist of these:

Physics
Chemistry
Biology/computer science/electronics
Mathematics/geography (recently added as an option for those who are weak in math and wanna study medicine in future)
French/Information technology/Hindi
Environmental science
English
Physical training (aka health and physical education)

Basically my subjects where phy, chem, math, bio, IT, E.V.S, eng, PT. being a science student is like being a royalty. Everyone treats you like one (royalty). Reason is simple, we are all rounder’s, we can do whatever we like, we are honored, even if we don’t pay attention in lecture’s, no one punishes us. Cause teachers know that we all will get amazing grades (if we couldn’t we wouldn’t ever get admission for science stream). We were the privileged (but we had earned that through hard work and studies!) we did take part in everything and anything we liked to. Teacher does never stop us saying it would affect our studies.

I would sit on the last benches with my friends during lecture and would play games like x and o’s; name, place, animal, thing; red hand; and many more such games. If teacher caught us playing she wouldn’t stop us or anything. But then there would be surprise quiz taking place once in a week (for which we had to be prepared). But then with many privileges there is something more, life of a science student is not at all easy.

One has to reach college by 7:45 am; if you are not on the premises before the first bell you miss the first lecture. Usually college leaves at 1:30 pm for everyone but if you are in the lab you have to complete the experiment you are doing, note down observations, get it signed by the teacher, cleanup your apparatus and place it in your cupboard’s, clean the table you were using to do the experiment, collect all your materials. Only after you have done all this you are allowed to leave the college. After reaching home one only gets half an hour to change the uniform freshen up have lunch. After that one has to do the homework. At 3:00 pm usually any science student would have their classes (a substitute for not paying attention in the lectures) everyone in classes would pay attention to the lecture (obviously or we would lose our reputation) these would go on until 8:00 pm with a small break of half an hour in between. But paying attention to these lectures was fun. Being the first bench student, I was like any other scholar (knew about everything, that teacher is going to teach, in advance). Usually in math lectures I would compete with my teacher on who finishes the sum first? No one in my class could match up with me in math. Commerce students would come to me to study calculus. (Even though people say it’s tough. It actually isn’t at all..!) I would take pleasure in teaching them; they would pay me by buying me my favorite chocolates, or buy me some snacks (cookies mostly) (because I hardly got time to eat anything. My breaks would be used up in teaching these kids) etc. at 8:00 pm I would start going towards my house. It was half an hour walk. After reaching home I would have dinner and then would start studying. Doing homework etc. I would only get some 4-5 hours of sleep only.

Now being such privileged one has to pay a price. There is a saying among the students of India. ‘One takes science stream for studies only when one hates oneself.’ Well it’s true to an extents cause when you are a science student you pay a price. That price is one gets hair fall, breakouts, put’s on weight, immunity get weaker, u start falling sick more often, you start looking malnourished, puffy eyes with dark circles, dry skin, hormonal imbalance, mood swings (we keep them in check by studying constantly), bad eyes (almost 90% of the student after taking science stream ends up getting specs).

I had to pay this price as well. I had lost the well sculpted body that I had created by working hard in high school. I had breakouts, dry skin, hair fall, everything listed above happened with me. Including I got specs in the first term of 11th grade itself.

From here on I’ll be telling you about what I did to tackle all this. I’ll share with you every detail possible. Also I’ll write the conversation (first one when from whence she started helping me) with my mentor, my biology teacher who helped me with becoming better and tackling all this problems, in next chapter. Keep waiting for the updates. And this book will guide you through everything possible!

The art of self-love

Learn to love yourself unconditionally without fail, and find the time to explore and indulge yourself. Happiness will follow…

I know my dear readers that I promised I would be writing about my journey to love myself but today I came across an article on self-love which I wanted to share with you people hence I am writing that here.

Article extracted from Times Life…rev up your life! Weekly Newspaper (4 pages, A supplement of Sunday Times of India August 2, 2015; MUM)

If you want to live happy life, tie it to a goal, not objects or a person, Albert Einstein had said. These days, psychologists, happiness coaches and meditation gurus are going a step further saying that the first step to lead to a happy life on a day-to-day basis begins when one makes self-love the first goal of life. It doesn’t mean one stops caring for other people; the mantra of self-love is to set happiness goals for yourself, without expectations from others, or involving loved ones. Self-love does not depend on gender or marital status. Whether married or single, man or woman, people are travelling alone, romancing and indulging themselves and even marrying themselves! A Japanese travel company recently started a new service to let women enjoy solo weddings- marrying without the groom. Single women enjoy all the fun and glamour of the Big Day, including spending the honeymoon night in a fancy hotel.

Whether you are single or married, man or woman- travelling alone, pampering yourself and loving yourself unconditionally has to be taken seriously. Jean Fain, author of The Self-Compassion Diet, says “The notion of kindness to the self needs to be spread. Unless there’s a conscious effort to love oneself, we’d all get caught up in the frenzy of our hectic daily schedules and be unhappy.”

“Practice Self-Compassion and Self-Love”

Manasi Scott, Singer:

Women should stop looking outwards at anyone to make themselves happy. Be committed to yourself to experience joy. Give yourself happiness, love, respect, and treat yourself right, can you show it to others. Devote 10 minutes to self-kindness meditation and promise to love your faults and strengths. Be your own admirer.

“Self-Kindness starts with you”

Tahir Ali, Model:

We look for approval for every little thing we do. Loving yourself will raise your self-esteem. How do you love yourself? Create a self-love ritual, evolve spiritually, and treat your body as your temple. Let go off negative people and episodes. Loving yourself is all about finding your happy place and being there.

Solo romance

Snow White doesn’t wait for prince charming to find and love her- she saves herself with a kiss and hug; neither does sleeping beauty wait for the prince to wake her from her eternal sleep- she to wakes herself up, gives herself a tight hug and kiss. Middle Eastern artist Saint Hoax gave a new bold message to young women in his series, ‘Save yourself’ where he removed men from fairy tales and replaced them with princesses kissing and hugging themselves. He says “My series is about self-love. The message doesn’t mean you are not allowed to love anyone else. On the contrary, once you understand and appreciate yourself, it’s easier to love other people.”

How I lost weight?

Well this chapter will be all about what I did in order to lose weight!

It wasn’t easy to do so. But I can tell you one thing it was worth all the hard work. My day would start with me having milk and some breakfast. Mostly eggs because they are good source of protein and can be made in variety of ways. I would carry some nuts and dates with me to snack on during in between lectures. For lunch I would have vegetables with roti (i.e. Indian bread). As I love to eat rice more than roti I would at times indulge in eating rice without worrying that it’ll fatten me up.

There is a myth about rice that people say that one who eats more rice fattens up. But that’s totally wrong. It is not so at all. If you love to eat rice you can do so. It is not what you eat but instead it’s about how much you eat.

Rest of the day I would try not to indulge in the street food or the so called fast food. Instead if I felt hungry like really very hungry then I would indulge in toasted vegetable sandwich. For dinner I would have whatever was made at home. Be it heavy or light food. Only the portion would vary. If there was light food like salad and vegetables I would eat more but if there was some heavy food like biryani or mughlai food with lots of cream and oil I would eat less. As I would be staying awake till late I would have midnight snacks. No midnight snacks won’t make you heavy if you are about to stay awake. In fact when you stay awake till late then your body does need those calories.

Even when one follows this it won’t show you results because it’s not only about what we eat or how much we eat but also about what we think about what we are thinking. A food will make you gain or lose weight when you think it will make you gain or lose weight respectively. If you will think of your food as only some calories then that’s how your food will be for you. Instead try to enjoy what you are eating. And eat what you love you. You want to have that bowl of your favorite ice cream go ahead and enjoy you won’t put on weight.

Impressum

Texte: all text related copyrights are held by me
Bildmaterialien: google.co.in
Lektorat: me
Übersetzung: me
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.11.2014

Widmung:
to all my friends and family for supporting me and for all readers who wanna live a great life! thanks you! :)

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