It s frustrating to see that though there is little change in diet, weight gain becomes normal as we get older.  Tyres  around the tummy and heavy hips are often seen as a sign of being middle aged. There are many reasons for this change in the rate of weight gain. Some of them are:


Lower metabolic rate: As children and teenagers, the body is constantly growing and changing and hence has a high metabolic rate. Metabolic rate refers to the speed with which fat is burned to produce energy. After the age of 30, this metabolic rate naturally slows down and fewer calories are burned. This leads to the accumulation of fat. The only way to boost your metabolic rate and burn fat is by exercising. 
Less muscle mass: With age, the muscles in the body also begin to shrink. Thus, instead of forming muscle, fat cells are formed as a result of digestion. When comparing muscles and fat cells, the former burn more calories and hence when they are unavailable, the rate of burning calories is lowered leading to weight gain. 
Weight gain in menopause: When it comes to women, menopause is another trigger for weight gain. This is because, this condition is marked by hormonal imbalances. This leads to a sudden drop in estrogen levels that triggers a response in the body to draw out more estrogen from the fat cells. Ultimately, this leads to the formation of more fat. Men too can suffer from hormonal imbalances as they age. This is seen by a drop in testosterone levels that leads to abdominal weight gain.
Sedentary lifestyle: As we get older, our lifestyle turns more sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle is very unhealthy and leads to not only weight gain, but a number of other problems as well. Without regular exercise, the body s existing metabolic rate further reduces leading to accumulation of fat cells. To combat this, take half an hour out of your schedule every day to go for a walk, cycle or practice any form of exercise. 
Stress: Stress not only affects your psychological health, but your physical well-being as well. Being under pressure or anxious can increase the cortisol levels in the body. This creates hunger pangs that lead to unhealthy snacking. When eating in a stressful condition, little or no attention is paid to the food being eaten or the messages your body is trying to give you. This often results in overeating that causes weight gain.

5 Reasons Why You Gain Weight As You Age

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?

Are bananas really your ticket to weight loss?

Bananas are your friends, truly!

Bananas as against the age old myth can really help in your weight loss process. A medium sized banana has a number of healthy nutrients that can help you in losing weight. A 100gm banana has about 90 calories, 3 gm of fiber and 23 gm of carbohydrates. It is a filling and satiating snack and can really give you a good dose of nutrients in minimum calories. Coming to the reasons that make this fruit an ideal weight loss food option, here are a few reasons:

1. Boosts your body's metabolic rate while controlling your appetite

Unripe bananas contain a form of starch known as resistant starch that slows down the digestion process. It works by feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut, causing oxidation of the fat tissues and suppression of your hunger pangs. According to findings published in a study, if you replace 5% of your carbohydrate requirement with a food rich in resistant starch, it can result in about 30% of fat burning post your meal.

2. Rids you of your bloating complaints

Since this fruit contains a good amount of potassium, it can help in diminishing water retention, thereby reducing the instances of belly bloat.

3. Forms the bulk of your fiber intake

Being a good source of fiber, having bananas every day can help in improving your digestion and subsequently aid in weight loss. Since fiber can't be digested by the body, it helps you to meet the bulk of your food requirements, which makes you fell fuller for a longer time and reduces your chances of overeating.

4. Is a fuel for your body

Bananas are considered to be the best source of energy before and after a workout. They provide your body with all the nutrients it requires. They are rich in easily digestible natural sugar that provides your body with optimal energy. They are also a rich source of potassium, making them perfect for warding off dizziness and muscle cramps that sometimes accompany a post-workout. Starting your day with a banana can reduce your sweet cravings in the later half of the day.

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

Related Tip:&#x00a0;3 Amazing Ways To Melt Belly Fat with Bananas

Are Bananas Really Your Ticket to Weight Loss?

How to use bananas to melt stomach fat?

Banana is one fruit that is available in all the seasons and is extremely nutritious because of presence of fibre, mineral and potassium in it. Its taste and ‘easy-to-eat’ quality makes it everyone’s favourite. It also helps in flushing out toxins from the body and enhances metabolism too. But did you know that as a result of these qualities, banana helps you with melting stomach fat also. Yes! Banana is one of those very few fruits which have a tendency to melt the stomach fat. Let’s see how and why?

1. Fruit: Banana is an excellent source of energy because it has glucose, fructose and sucrose in it. Consumption of banana decreases the feeling of hunger. So, when we take banana, we will not be hungry for a long time which will also help in lessening the stomach fat.

2. Banana Smoothie: Banana prevents retention of water in the body and because of this quality, it helps in melting the stomach fat. A banana drink is a great idea for that. Not only by adding few other ingredients it becomes tastier but also helps in melting the stomach fat easily and faster. You just have to mix things like an orange, ¼ table spoon ginger, 2 table spoons of flax seeds and whey powder, yoghurt, along with a spoonful of coconut oil in one banana. It will give good results if it’s taken on an empty stomach. It can also be taken after drinking a glass of lukewarm water early morning. But taking it just once won’t serve the purpose. You have to take it regularly to get the desired results.

3. As a Combination Food: Apart from taking banana in its original form and in the form of smoothie, mixing bananas with cranberries, raspberries or blueberries along with ginger, honey and little water will also provide the same result. Likewise, in place of berries, if you add spinach, it will also help in reducing stomach fat making you look much slimmer.

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3 Amazing Ways To Melt Belly Fat with Bananas

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.


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Do You Know Why You Are Gaining Weight Despite WorkOuts?

Obesity doesn't happen overnight. It develops gradually over time, as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices.

Obesity occurs when a person has too much fat stored in his/her body. This extra weight can come from body water, fat, bone and muscle. Obesity usually occurs when you consume more calories than you can burn. It is caused due to a variety of factors such as being physically inactive, eating foods containing a high fat content, overeating and genetic makeup. Obesity can have a lot of complications such as cancer, arthritis, stroke, heart diseases and diabetes.

How do people become obese?

Consuming too much calories: Nowadays people are consuming more food than they did in the previous generations. Consuming too much unhealthy calories can make people obese which may lead to a lot of complications in the future.
Leading a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle: With the growth of technology, people have become more inactive and are leading a more sedentary lifestyle as compared to their past generations. With the advent of shopping malls and grocery outlets people don t have to walk miles for food. This also leads to an inactive lifestyle which later results in obesity.
Not getting enough sleep: According to studies, sleep deprivation may also lead to obesity. This happens due to an increased appetite because of hormonal changes. Sleep deprivation leads your body to produce less amounts of a hormone (leptin) which increases appetite.
Medications: Certain medications can also lead to rapid weight gain. In such cases, alternate therapy should be opted especially for those people who are predisposed to obesity and weight gain.
Obesity gene: According to statistics people who have the FTO gene variant in their bloodstream tend to eat more than usual. They also prefer fatty and high energy foods.
It is very difficult for obese people to reduce their weight. By changing in lifestyle like Diet, Physical activity level, water intake and sleeping pattern, if changed under supervision of specialist with dedication, discipline and faith in their dietitian, can give wonderful results for lifetime.

World Obesity Day - Why People Become Overweight?

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