5 diet myths debunked!

The term 'diet' immediately makes you think of a starving and depriving weight-loss regimen. But diet simply means what food we eat in the course of 24 hours, one week or one month. Nonetheless, certain myths have arisen surrounding this term too and which have been debunked here:

Myth 1: cutting carbohydrate helps you lose weight

You need carbohydrates for energy. A minimum of 130 grams of carbs is recommended each day which is a far cry from low carb diets that start with 20 grams or less. Fat diets aside, what matters is how refined the carbohydrates are. Refining removes grain's fibrous coating, which leads to faster food digestion. That&#x2019;s why whole fruits with their fiber and nutrients are good choices despite their simple carbohydrates. The idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour while loading up on healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Myth 2: diet foods help you drop pounds

If you scan labels for the lowest calorie and fat counts you might be doing yourself more harm than good. Pre-packaged diet foods have a lot more sugar and trans fat. As with carbs, it is the quality of fat and not the amount that matters. Monounsaturated fats (nuts, olive oils, avocados) and polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean) help your cardiovascular system and improve weight loss. Trans fat and saturated fat have been linked with heart disease and even cancer.

Myth 3: the more you cut calories, the more weight you will lose

If you cut your calories too far you'll end up decreasing your metabolism and muscle mass. To get the most out of calories you should choose whole foods like fresh meat and fish, and whole grains that are as close to their natural state as possible. They have higher nutrient density than refined foods as they pack more vitamins and minerals into fewer calories.

Myth 4: dairy products make you fat

A dairy-rich diet can double fat reduction and weight loss, and help prevent weight gain. Three servings of low or non-fat dairy a day is recommended every day. A cup of milk or yogurt or 1 and a half ounces of cheese equals one serving.

Myth 5: brown equals whole grain

Whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity, diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grain is essential. Whole grain foods tend to be richer in vitamin b and e than, refined grains.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 85% Indians are Making These DIET Mistakes! Are You One of Them?

If You Diet for Weight Loss, Here are 5 Myths You Might be Living With!

Ayurveda is a renowned life science that has been credited with changing lives since ancient times. Not only can it prevent diseases and ailments, but it can also cure them with its combination of herbal medication, everyday routine and yogic poses. Weight management is a field that also enjoys various Ayurvedic remedies. Some of them are as follows.

Herbs: Herbs are a way of healing used by Ayurveda, and the use of various herbs can help in hastening the metabolism for healthy weight management.

Taste: Ayurveda recognizes six distinct tastes that should be incorporated into one's daily diet. These tastes include salty, pungent, sour, sweet, bitter and finally, astringent. Each of these tastes has several properties that balance the various hormones and health factors in one's body. These tastes form the various counterpoints to alleviate all kinds of health problems, which finally help in effective weight management. Also, one must eat all the seasonal fruits and vegetables to keep the body and hormones in good balance.
 
Exercise: While a daily routine of exercise is a must in any life science, Ayurveda too propagates the devotion of at least 45 minutes to one hour towards some form of exercise. Walking is said to be the most important and effective forms of exercise, followed by several yoga poses that can help in better weight management. Also, as per Ayurveda, it is important to move after each and every meal, so that a routine of eating and activity is built into the system. 

Sleep: Ayurveda recognizes sleep or rest as one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. While good eating habits and exercise form one side of it, sleep or rest completes the triangle. One can also practice the Savasana or resting pose for a period of rest. And at least six to seven hours of sleep is a must as per Ayurveda.

Meditation: This practice helps in focusing on awareness which can instil the desired function like weight management in the body. Being mindful of what your body needs can also help in eating and exercising right.

Weight management is a lifelong process in Ayurveda.

Weight Management and Ayurveda

Burn fat while you sleep

Its unbelievable but true! you can lose weight even as you sleep if you strictly follow these lifestyle changes.

1. Eat small frequent meals every 2 hours during the day: your body needs energy for metabolic functions. Your body may crave for sweet and junk food, but have that in portions like cheese, butter, chocolate of your finger tip size, chicken/fish of your palm size is absolutely okay to have once a week, either you can substitute your cravings with healthy food like a date or a piece of dark chocolate for sweet cravings.
There are certain foods that burn fat while you sleep. 

A. Whole grains - including whole grains (whole wheat, barley, brown rice, quinoa, wheat germ etc), legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans etc), dairy foods, spicy foods, green tea, and citrus fruits, in your daily diets.
B. Have citrus foods daily - citrus fruits which includes vitamin c plays a role in body's fat burning process.
C. Consume green tea - it boosts your metabolism as it is rich in antioxidants.
D. Spicy foods - spices are known to improve metabolism. If you've had a tasty dinner, sleep without worry that your body will be losing calories while you sleep.

2. Sleep well: how long you sleep and how well you sleep, are both equally important for your body. Minimum 8 hours of sound sleep is very important.

3. Resistance training: for your hormones to function properly and for your body to burn fat
Weight or resistance training is a must if you want to keep your metabolism high. When you lift weights, you increase the amount of calories your body burns. Hours after you lifted weight, your body continues burning the fat.



Would You Like To Burn Fat While You Sleep?

Doing everything right can still make you gain weight. Irrespective of your diligent efforts, that paunch comes in the way of your crunches. Reviewing your exercise routine, diet and overall lifestyle may have no effect on the extra kilos. The reaction to such stagnation could be as many as the conspiring causes. Backpedaling into an unhealthy way of life is what cowards choose to do. The ideal way of approaching the problem is to find out the specific factors leading to excess weight.


These few factors can make you gain weight


1. Sleep deprivation results in significant bloating: You may not be aware, but a full night s sleep is indeed necessary. When a person rests, the human body carries on with repair work. Sleep helps your body to get rid of excess adipose tissues. A person who has not slept for two to three days at a stretch or has only slept insufficiently is likely to look fatter or bloated.


2. Being perpetually depressed could be the curse: Depression can lead to extreme ends; you may either gain a lot of weight or may even lose weight drastically. If your depression is at an advanced stage a medical practitioner will prescribe you with antidepressants. Antidepressants tend to fatten you up.


3. An irritable or slow bowel syndrome can prove to be adverse: If you suffer from problems related to the bowel your tummy might show. A patient of irritable or slow bowel syndrome feels bloated throughout the day. Since they face digestive problems, their bellies protrude.


4. The gray streaks of hair could be a reason: Gaining weight could also be the result of your age. If you are above thirty-five your metabolism decreases; this results in slower breakdown of food. Exercising can help, but it usually shows meager results once you have attained forty.


5. Nutrient deficiency should not be taken lightly: Being deficient in certain nutrients can also make you overweight. Vitamin C, folic acid and potassium are some of the nutrients that actively contribute to a person s body weight. A lack of these nutrients can make you fat.


6. Edema could be the underlying cause: Edema refers to a condition where a person s body retains water. Certain parts and joints become swollen. There are medications that can help push excess water out of the body through frequent urination. If not taken care of, edema could be the reason behind weight gain.

6 Strange Reasons you are Gaining Weight

Why are your gaining weight despite working out?

Many people have a common workout woe that while they are working out for hours they are not losing weight. The reason on a broad sense is simply that you are undoing your workout. Let me explain the reasons here.

1. Calorie overload/dieting - A general opinion amongst a lot of people is that since they are working out, they can binge on their favourite foods. Another group of people are those who workout with utmost sincerity but do not eat post workout.  Both are equally harmful and aide fat generation.
2. Not staying hydrated - While working out, our bodies lose a lot of water. Often, we confuse the feeling of being thirsty as being hungry. So after a workout, when one might actually be hungry, one ends up filling the stomach with food. Stay hydrated at all times, especially before and after workout.
3. Drinking alcohol - A lot of people workout during the day and drink in the evening. This is a strict no-no and if not adhered to, you will end up gaining more weight than losing. Usually it is recommended staying completely off alcohol while trying to lose weight because drinks have calories and high sugar content. If abstaining is difficult, restrict the quantity.
4. Not working out enough - Human mind can be fooled very easily into believing what is not. We often believe that we our workout is enough and we don’t need to increase the number of counts, level of difficulty etc. It is good to give yourself a pat in the back, but never too soon.
5. Rewarding yourself - Rewarding yourself after losing every kilo is a very bad idea. Set a big goal and reward yourself only once achieved.
6. Drinking energy drinks - Advertisements promote energy drinks as a must for people who are working out. What they conveniently hide is the fact that these drinks are full of sugar.
7. Not eating enough vegetables - Many people turn to protein shakes and unhealthy foods instead of eating regular home-cooked vegetables which are packed with nutrients.


If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.


Do You Know Why You Are Gaining Weight Despite WorkOuts?

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!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Weight Management online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Weight Management - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES