A weight loss program is a marathon. While making up the mind to go for a weight loss program is the first step, there are other things to consider before plunging into the diet and exercise regime. Here is a list of 10 things to consider before a weight loss program--

Not everything works for everyone- Just because a strict diet program helped someone to lose 5 pounds, doesn t necessarily mean that it will work out for every single person. It is important to figure whether diet, exercise, workout or a combination of everything is required to lose weight.
Make the environment conducive to match the goal- If the goal is to lose weight, it is essential to skip old habits. For instance, keeping a fruit bowl close by will refrain the thought of having a candy bar, skipping the idea of weekends parties for a while will help to stay away from few extra drinks, a leafy and salad rich lunch would help to stay away from the thought of fast food etc.
The combination of exercise and diet is necessary- It is necessary to have a healthy mix of diet and exercise. This helps the body to lose weight fast while ensuring that the health is maintained at the same time.
A plan comes handy- It is necessary to chalk out a plan to get into the weight loss program. For instance, 3 days of gym, 2 days of salad consumption for lunch, 3 days of walking after dinner etc. This will help to beat the monotony and keep the motivation going.
Set a realistic goal- Losing too much weight in a short span of time is neither healthy nor realistic. It is, therefore, necessary to keep patience and work steadily towards the weight loss goal. An ideal time-frame could range from 3-6 months to attain the desired weight.
Find the right reason- Since a lot will depend on the long-term discipline, it is, therefore, necessary to find the right reason to lose weight. Looking good or fitting into a skinny-jeans is not the right set of motivational factors to lose weight.
It is necessary to have coping strategies- There should be a backup plan ready when a craving for chocolate, fast food or ice cream crops up. Healthy alternative such as custard, icy fruit salad, cool drinks can help to cope up with the craving face.
A workout buddy can prove to be extremely beneficial- Since the process of losing weight is a lonely affair, it makes sense to find a workout buddy. This keeps the boredom of working out at bay and helps to get into a healthy competition.
A food diary comes handy- While it is practically impossible to keep track all calorie consumption, a food diary will give a rough estimate of the calorie count consumed in a day. This will further help to design a diet for the week.
Keeping many options open- It is not necessary to spend hours in the gym or only consume fruits to lose weight. Other alternatives such as cycling, swimming, adventure sport also help to lose weight.

Top 10 Things To Consider Before Weight Loss

In this fast-moving world, there is no room for self. Growth of IT firms and other long-hour demanding work has led to compromises in your lifestyle - long hours in front of computer, sleeplessness, late-night sleeping, quick bites, leaving us with emotions of anger, anxiety, stress and so on. This is a major reason why people today are hypertensive.

Diseases due to Hypertension: Tension and stress are the building blocks of numerous serious ailments like cardiovascular diseases, asthma, spondylitis (back pain) and grey hair. You may also suffer from gastritis leading to ulcer.

Natural ways to treat Hypertension : Ideally, tension and stress are not diseases. If you can control these, you can control the conditions that take root because of them. Naturopathic (or alternative medicine) treatments for tension and stress are most ideal.

Here are some natural ways to treat hypertension.



Sleep well: An adult should sleep for a minimum of 7-8 hours daily. Your body cells rejuvenate while you are in a relaxed state. Many jobs demand late-night work or night shift work. However, your body is meant to sleep early at night. Instead of working late night, you can start your work early.
Eat right: Stress leads to elevated levels of sugar in your body. Try to avoid sugary content food. Your body needs balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, less of fats, and more of vitamins and minerals. For proteins, eat fish, eggs or white meat. For vegetarians, you can have soy, cereals and protein drinks. Diet must include milk products like yoghurt, milk, vegetables rich in minerals and vitamins and roughage (salads).
Destressing exercises: Nowadays, most of the jobs demand sitting for long hours. Physical activity is one of the ways to de-stress your body. A 45-minute walk would also help. Alternatively, yoga or tai-chi type martial art helps to de-stress. Breathing techniques involved in meditation also play a vital role.
Anger management: Develop patience. That would automatically lead to anger management at your workplace as well as at home. Be a good listener. Laughter therapy also helps as it releases many happy hormones in the body.
Supplement for stress: This has to be the last tip when you do not perform the first four. Multivitamins containing vitamin B and minerals such as magnesium are recommended. You can count on certain herbs such as Ashwaganda, Ginseng, Rhodiola and St. John's Wort.
Despite following these tips, you may still face problems because every human is different and reaction to every remedy could be different. In such cases, approach for expert advice.

Naturopathic Treatment For Tension And Stress!

Seldom you will come across a person who is satisfied with their body weight. While some people try everything under the sun to lose the extra and unwanted kilos, other pray for some healthy weight gain. There can be a plethora of factors responsible for the weight gain (unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle, overeating, or medical condition such as Hypothyroidism) and the weight loss (chronic illness, depression, parasitic or viral infections, to name a few). However, leaving the condition attended for too long will further complicate things.

Ayurveda for effective weight loss

As per Ayurveda, one of the underlying factors that result in excess body weight or obesity is an elevation of the Kapha Dosha and vice versa (obesity can also trigger a vitiation or an increase in the Kapha in the body).
Thus, to treat obesity and to facilitate a healthy weight loss, it is necessary to balance and pacify the Kapha.
Yoga and exercise, without any doubt, contribute significantly to the weight loss.
Be it the Surya Namaskar or Anulom Vilom, the yogas or pranayamas are powerful and helps to relax and calm the body (physical as well as mental). It also contributes significantly towards the detoxification process to ensure the body is free of the harmful Ama.
According to Ayurveda, the digestive capacity of the body is the most powerful in the period between 11am-2pm. Thus, Ayurveda suggests that the lunch should be your main meal
The dinner, on the other hand, should be light and preferably between 6pm-7pm.
Munching on snacks in between should, however, be avoided.
The diet should help to pacify the Kapha. Opt for light and warm foods.
Enrich the diet with foods such as asparagus, onion, carrots, celery, broccoli, spinach, winter squash, wheat bran, rice, quinoa, apples, pomegranate, cherry, berries, pears, figs, to name a few.
Keep the body hydrated and maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
Ayurveda for weight gain

Severe weight loss (underweight) is triggered by disorders that affect the Vata Dosha.
Pacifying the Vata Dosha can work wonders for a healthy weight gain.
The Ayurvedic approach includes switching over to a Vata pacifying diet along with exercise, yoga, meditation, healthy lifestyle practices, and a body detoxification.
If you want to gain weight, proper rest, a sound sleep (6-8 hours daily) and minimizing the physical, mental and emotional stress are a must.
A 15 minutes yoga, especially the Nadi Shodhana is known to have a soothing effect on the Vata Dosha. Practice the yoga daily without fail.
3 meals a day is also recommended for weight gain.
The diet should contain ghee and a variety of oils (olive oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil).
Warm, smooth, and oily foods are highly beneficial. Include berries, avocados, pistachios, dates, peach, banana, apples, beets, avocados, garlic, cilantro, pumpkin, onion, and carrots (cooked), wheat, rice, quinoa, oats, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, cheese, butter, buttermilk, yogurt, eggs, fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), meat (chicken, turkey, duck, beef).
Ayurveda suggests that the body should be well hydrated.


Weight Loss & Weight Gain - Know How Ayurvedic Tips Can Help!

Being overweight or obese leads to many health problems and thus, controlling your diet to reduce fat and weight can help you get your life back. However, one the other side of the spectrum, being too skinny can also be unhealthy. You could also be clinically of proper weight but might want to put on some muscle. Diets for both sides will thus vary greatly.

Diet for weight loss:

Include more of dark leafy vegetables in your diet: These vegetables are storehouses of many important nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, fibres and antioxidants and also contain no fats.
Cereals and grains: It is important that we replace refined flour and fried food items, such as parathas or poori with whole healthy grains. Some examples of these grains are whole wheat bread, brown rice, rotis and oats.
Lean meats: Certain forms of meat, which have been prepared without too much oil and spice are good as weight loss diet ingredients. Chicken, turkey, sweet-water fish among others are good choices.
Fruits: Fruits are also a good option as they have natural sugar within them and can provide a boost of energy without requiring processed sugars. Melons, Oranges, berries, guavas are all good examples as they also help in regulating body functions.
Diets for weight gain:

Peanuts: This ingredient is a good source of protein and unsaturated fats, which will help you build muscle and put on some extra weight. If you are working out at the gym to gain muscles peanuts can provide you with the required calories and protein to put on weight.
Bananas: This fruit is not only a source of potassium, but also a source of good sugar which can easily be converted into energy within the body and can help build muscles and thus enable you to put on weight the healthy way.
Eggs: Eggs, especially egg yolk is known to be rich in protein and fats and can help you gain weight quickly. However, it is advised not to eat multiple eggs and limit its consumption to three or four eggs weekly as it can contribute to bad cholesterol within the body.
Chocolate: Some amount of chocolate in your food also helps you to put on weight although excessive consumption may lead to elevated blood sugar levels. However, chocolates in moderation and regularity will help you put on weight healthily.

Diet For Weight Loss And Weight Gain!

If you have been that extremely skinny guy in your high school days, never getting picked for the soccer team, then it is time to fix that stubborn weight issue. Worry not, it s fairly easy, all you have to do is make changes in your diet. Diet is the primary component that can help gain weight.

Some tips you can follow and design your diet plan accordingly are mentioned below: 

Increase your appetite by eating more to gain weight. But do it step-by-step and not by stuffing yourself too much at one go. Add one extra chapatti or more rice than you normally consume, or you even start with fruits by eating an extra one every day. Ghee, oil or butter can not only help increase your weight, but it may increase weight by increasing your fat percentage in your body. Rather you can eat a proper well-nourished diet and increase your muscle mass and not only the fat accumulation in the body.

Carbohydrates are needed to gain weight but include healthier options like banana, potato, mango, whole grain, rice, etc. Instead of sugar-rich food items like chocolates and other junk food items. Carbohydrates are classified into simple and complex carbs. Reduce on your simple carbs like sugar and sweets which later on converts to fats. Complex carbs like whole grains, beans or fibre-rich vegetables and fruits can be consumed for a healthy weight gain.

Consume protein-rich food items after your workout to increase your muscle mass. And eat good fats like nuts and seeds in your diet. Eating a handful of pumpkin or flaxseeds is a good way to give your body the fat intake it needs. Though junk food items like vada pav or burgers are loaded with calories, they only increase body fat and not muscle mass. This is not the right way to go around. Every meal should comprise of carbs and protein. Post-workout nutrients and a well-balanced diet with the proper combination of carbohydrates and protein is the most important to maintain your muscle mass and weight gain process.
Sample Meal Plan -

To give you more opportunities to get the calories to gain weight, aim to eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. For breakfast, enjoy generous servings of whole grains like whole-wheat bread with beans or egg whites, paneer or Cereals and a glass of milk with nuts will be a good combination.

Mid-morning can be fruit juices, fruit milkshakes, 1-2 serving of fruit or granola bars. Lunch and dinner can be incorporated with 3-4 wholegrain chapattis with a serving of pulses, paneer, chicken or fish and a serving of vegetables with a portion of rice OR 1 bowl of khichdi which serves you with good cereal pulse combination. In between meals if you feel hungry you can have sprouts or roasted channa. Evening you can either grab a whole wheat sandwich, a whole wheat roll or a whole wheat sub.

Bedtime you can either have a glass of milk or either banana /mango/strawberry milkshake.

Right Ways To Gain Weight!

According to physiologists, human bodies are of three types: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Endomorphs are round and fat; they find it difficult to lose weight. Mesomorphs are neither too fat nor too thin; they can lose the weight they gain very easily. Ectomorphs are usually thin and tall; they can eat whatever they want without gaining much weight.

If you are an ectomorph and you wish to gain weight, the bad news is that it will be difficult for you. Your metabolic rate is too high and your muscle growth is comparatively lower. If you want to gain muscles, you need a comprehensive workout routine and the right diet. Along with the right training, you need to remember to eat from the three major food groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

I. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate is the main energy source for your body and you need 50-60 per cent of it in your daily intake. The foods you can include in your diet are as follows:
1. Fruits
2. Oatmeal
3. Potatoes
4. Yam
5. Pasta
6. Whole grain cereal
7. Quinoa
8. Vegetables

II. Proteins: Protein is the most important macronutrient (food you need in huge amounts in your diet). Protein plays an important part in repairing your body and building muscles. You need 1.5 grams of protein intake as per your bodyweight. Proteins you can eat include:
1. Lean meat (Such as turkey or chicken)
2. Fish (Such as halibut, tilapia, cod, etc.)
3. Seafood (Such as crabs, prawns or lobsters)
4. Eggs
5. Skim milk
6. Whey protein
7. Cottage cheese

III. Fats: The correct fat intake will raise your testosterone levels (this hormone is responsible for muscle growth), protect the joints in your body, provide extra energy and improve your mood. You can add fat to your diet by consuming the following foods:
1. Nuts
2. Organic nut butter (Such as peanut butter or almond butter)
3. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel and herring
4. Healthy oils (Such as olive oil, fish oil or flaxseed oil)
5. Avocado

Diet Tips for an Ectomorph

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