Excessive weight gain leading to obesity has become one of the biggest challenges facing the world now. It is affecting people worldwide, posing great health risks in addition to the extra weight being a problem in itself. Both children and adults alike are victims of this disease.
It is believed that if this trend continues, by the year 2015, more than 700 million people around the world will be obese. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and most importantly an improper diet are the primary causes of obesity. There is an utmost need to maintain a balance between the calories consumed and the calories spent. Hence, the diet that you intake is crucial. You may have heard of the Atkins diet which is a diet low in carbohydrates meant to resolve overweight issues. Well, now it’s time to illuminate you on another equally renowned diet plan.
General Motors, the American corporate giant that builds cars, has created a worldwide phenomenon by introducing the General Motors Diet plan, more popularly known as the GM Diet. This was mainly devised keeping in mind the needs of the employees of General Motors and their families. It was field tested at the Johns Hopkins Research Centre and thereafter secured the approval for distribution from the board of directors on August 15, 1985. This entails a wellness program designed to cleanse the system so that one can experience a change in their attitudes and emotions in addition to the weight loss it brings about.
This diet can be followed by any person of any age. This raging phenomenon claims to make a person lose up to 8 kilograms in one week of following a miracle diet. But does it?
I have to confess that I am a bit on the plumper side and would like nothing more than to get those extra kilos off my body. I have tried exercise, yoga, Pilates, diets and what not. Sadly, my body has a mind of its own. It doesn’t seem to want to lose weight. Well actually, I don’t want to lose weight either. It’s the bulk I am more worried about. I do not want to be affected by any nasty disease due to those extra kilos. So when I heard of the GM diet, as usual, I was eager to try it out. Millions of people around the world claim to have benefited from this weight loss diet program. People say that unlike some complicated diet plans, this is doable which is why so many vouch for it. After reading this, I clearly saw a silver lining among the clouds. Read on to know about the GM diet plan in detail and also whether it did any good to me. I am sure you are eager to know about my personal experience with this.
GM Diet Chart: The Beginning:
The GM diet is a week-long diet with a specific food intake for each of the seven days. If followed exactly, the GM diet claims to make the follower lose 5-8 kilos in the duration of the diet. Moreover, the GM diet is said to be safe and one can try it without the fear of complications. It helps to flush out all the impurities from your system so that you experience a sense of overall well being and good health.
It is claimed that once the diet is over, that is, after seven days the person will feel a lot lighter as his weight goes down. He or she will be high on energy and will be endowed with a positive approach towards life. The trick of the GM diet is to not go hungry but to fill yourself with so much food that we don’t go hungry at all.
My curiosity was further aroused. This is a diet in which we actually eat! It’s a diet which doesn’t make us starve! I had never heard of this before. Hence, I surely wanted to try it out as soon as possible. So I began my preparation. So let’s read about the procedure on how to lose weight in 7 days.
Note: While following this diet plan, one has to completely abstain from alcohol.
1. GM Diet – Day One:
The first day of the GM Diet is your preparation for the upcoming program that you have enrolled yourself in. Day one is an all fruits day. The GM Diet Chart instructed me to eat all the fruits we possibly can with the exception of bananas. Any fruit can be had any time except bananas. The suggestion was to intake more of watermelon and cantaloupe. Also, we were supposed to drink 8-12 glasses of water throughout the day. If one feels hungry, that person is not doing the diet properly. Moreover, it is suggested that if one consumes just melons on the first day of the diet, one can lose about a kilogram of weight which is massive!
I followed day one to a T. I crammed myself with fruits. I had oranges, papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, pomegranate, apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, custard apples and all else. And of course, water as advised. I did not experience hunger. Whenever I was hungry, I had more fruits. And thus went day one, peacefully.
2. GM Diet – Day Two:
Day two was an all vegetables day. We could eat any cooked and uncooked vegetables of our choice. Make sure to use no oil while cooking the vegetables. In fact, there is no limit on the type or amount of vegetables you can eat! My day happily started with a large boiled potato (for the complex carbohydrates it contains) for breakfast. And again, 8-12 glasses of water throughout the day.
By day two, I was feeling very enthusiastic. I had not experienced any hunger the day before. So I was pretty sure I could manage day two as well. I started off with the boiled potato. It was funny having the potato with nothing, but I somehow got it down. The rest of the day I spent eating veggies. I downed cucumber, carrots uncooked as well as boiled, boiled beans, raw lettuce, boiled bottle guard and water. By evening I was feeling a bit uncomfortable. The fiber in the vegetables had me rushing to the toilet again and again. But ultimately my digestive system was being cleaned up. So I was fine with it. Again, no hunger on day two.
3. GM Diet – Day Three:
Day three of the GM diet plan is a fruit and vegetable day. Any quantity of it is allowed. No potatoes on this day and no bananas still. Same with the water – 8-12 glasses of water throughout the day.
By day three, my system got used to all the rabbit food I was giving it. I had a happy day with the variety of fruits and vegetables the market had to offer. Except the toilet situation, I was happy with the diet till now.
4. GM Diet – Day Four:
The fourth day of the GM diet chart and plan is supposed to be a bananas and milk day! Did that catch you by surprise? We are supposed to have as many as 8-10 bananas and 3-4 glasses of milk throughout the day.
I was a little worried about day four. I wasn’t sure whether 8-10 bananas and 3 glasses of milk would be enough to last me through the day. I started off with one banana and a glass of milk for breakfast. By mid-morning, I was hungry enough for two more bananas. For lunch, I had one more glass of milk with two more bananas. I was surprised. Five bananas and half a day was already over. I had one more banana in the evening with another glass of milk. And for dinner I had two bananas. By the end of the day I was really surprised. I managed the day with just three glasses of milk and 8 bananas, and no sign of hunger! I was so full with all the bananas I was having. That was truly amazing!
5. GM Diet – Day Five:
Day five is a feast day on the GM Diet plan. We can have one cup of rice for lunch and have to have six large tomatoes throughout the day. By day five, we would be producing a lot more of uric acid in our body, so the water intake has to be increased to 15 glasses throughout the day.
Here came the problem. I hate tomatoes. No matter in which form, raw or cooked, I just cannot eat tomatoes. They do not go down my throat. So I was a little worried about how I was going to handle the tomatoes. Then my mom suggested, why not puree the tomatoes, cook them, add coriander, cumin, pepper, salt and make it into a soup. Well, I can eat tomato soup. And thus, my tomatoes were ground and eaten up as soup. I had this soup throughout the day. Not the ideal way may be but I surely got the tomatoes down.
6. GM Diet – Day Six:
Day six is another feast day in the GM Diet. We could have one cup of rice for lunch and all the vegetables we can eat throughout the day. Again the water intake was to be 8-12 glasses throughout the day.
By day six, I was definitely feeling lighter. I did not weight myself at any point during the GM Diet, but I was feeling much lighter. I had no trouble with the vegetables on day six as my body had gotten used to the diet already. Drank the required amount of water. I realised, whether or not I was losing weight, I was definitely improving my digestive system.
By day six, I was definitely feeling lighter. I did not weigh myself at any point during the GM Diet, but I was feeling much lighter. I had no trouble with the vegetables on day six as my body had got used to the diet already. I drank the required amount of water. I realised, whether or not I was losing weight, I was definitely improving my digestive system.
7. GM Diet – Day Seven:
This is the last day of the GM Diet. Day seven consists of one cup rice, all the vegetables we care to consume and any fruit juice.
Day seven is a perfect finale to the diet. We eat all the vegetables we can possibly eat and flush out everything with fruit juices.
I was so happy that I managed to stick to the diet and complete it. My face was glowing with all the nutrients I gave my body. My digestion was back on track after the superb cleansing I put it through and I was definitely looking less rotund. I had noticeably thinned down after the diet.
I got onto the scales to see how much weight I had lost during the course of the diet. To my horror, I had lost only about 3 kilos. I was so disappointed that I had not achieved the 5-8 kilos mentioned. Then I realised, all my dresses which weren’t fitting earlier, are now comfortably sliding down me. I had lost three inches off my body which is quite an achievement.
My body is grateful to me that I put it through such a wonderful wellness diet that it rewarded me with the required inch loss rather than the weight loss.
So for all you enthusiasts who are starving yourselves to achieve a slimmer trimmer you, please stop. There is a much healthier way to get what you want. The GM Diet is really a miraculous diet. Try it for yourself and share your experiences with us. Wish you good luck!
Here is a simple Android GM Diet App that should help you with the process.
The temperature that mother earth is generating during hot summer days is too much. We get just drained out with all the sweating throughout the day. The heat is just unbarring, so if you are a diabetic patient you need to be extra cautious. Diabetic patients have a very high metabolic rate; they feel hungry and thirsty very frequently. With the summer heat, hunger and thirst pangs increases automatically. Diabetic patients need to be careful at all times, but during summers they need to take some precautions.
How to care for your skin?
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Oliver Allen
Diabetic patients often suffer from a lot of skin issues during summer like carbuncles, boils, abscesses, furuncles and these infections get quite serious at times if not taken proper care of. Some simple precautions can prevent these infections.
i. As diabetic patients sweat a lot, if not cleaned properly, infections may also rise due to perspiration. Take a proper bath at least twice a day. Bathing using antiseptic lotion will prevent bacterial growth on your body.
ii. Wear light-weight, free flowing cotton clothes to ventilate a lot of air. Avoid synthetic clothes altogether.
iii. Always use a sunscreen whenever going out. Sunburns result in rising blood sugar level. Buy a sunscreen with high SPF to protect your skin from sunburns. Do not forget to use sunscreen when you are on a long drive with your friends or spouse. You may think that you are inside the car and the sun won’t harm you; but the rays of the sun reach your skin through windows and open sunroofs. So sunscreens are a must even if you are inside a car.
iv. However it is most important to maintain glucose level in your diet.
i. As diabetic patients sweat a lot, if not cleaned properly, infections may also rise due to perspiration. Take a proper bath at least twice a day. Bathing using antiseptic lotion will prevent bacterial growth on your body.
ii. Wear light-weight, free flowing cotton clothes to ventilate a lot of air. Avoid synthetic clothes altogether.
iii. Always use a sunscreen whenever going out. Sunburns result in rising blood sugar level. Buy a sunscreen with high SPF to protect your skin from sunburns. Do not forget to use sunscreen when you are on a long drive with your friends or spouse. You may think that you are inside the car and the sun won’t harm you; but the rays of the sun reach your skin through windows and open sunroofs. So sunscreens are a must even if you are inside a car.
iv. However it is most important to maintain glucose level in your diet.
How to care for foot?
Those suffering from chronic diabetes, suffer from foot injury and infection or ulceration as they have poor glycaemic control.
i. Take care that you are not developing any infections or cellulite in your foot.
ii. Always keep your feet clean, wash and dry them properly and keep following up with your doctor.
iii. During summers your feet has a tendency to sweat with the socks and closed shoes that you wear in office. However in office it is not possible to open your socks and shoes. So you may wear cotton socks during summers. Avoid synthetic material as much as possible.
iv. If you go out for a vacation or picnic, on a beach, avoid walking bare-footed. Although it is fun walking on the sand without shoes and sandals, diabetic patients should never do that. Go for flip-flops that are fashionable and at the same time will protect your feet from any cuts and sores. For those with high blood sugar level, simple cuts can lead to infection and takes a lot of time to heal. Never go around bare-footed.
i. Take care that you are not developing any infections or cellulite in your foot.
ii. Always keep your feet clean, wash and dry them properly and keep following up with your doctor.
iii. During summers your feet has a tendency to sweat with the socks and closed shoes that you wear in office. However in office it is not possible to open your socks and shoes. So you may wear cotton socks during summers. Avoid synthetic material as much as possible.
iv. If you go out for a vacation or picnic, on a beach, avoid walking bare-footed. Although it is fun walking on the sand without shoes and sandals, diabetic patients should never do that. Go for flip-flops that are fashionable and at the same time will protect your feet from any cuts and sores. For those with high blood sugar level, simple cuts can lead to infection and takes a lot of time to heal. Never go around bare-footed.
How to deal with dehydration?
With the rise in blood sugar level, urination is one of the symptoms of diabetic patients. And as the extreme heat and humidity leads to excessive sweating, therefore they get dehydrated very soon. However, if you do not drink water with the fear that you have to urinate again and again, and then it may lead to adverse situations like dry mouth, your sweating will reduce and urination will also decrease considerably which is not very good for health.
Doctors say that if diabetic patients do not take enough amount of water to keep them hydrated, then water level in blood decreases resulting in the productions of ketones. This will lead to bad breath.
Dehydration in diabetic patients can be so serious that it may also lead to the damage of brain and other organs.
i. During summer days, even if you feel a mild dehydration, immediately drink a lot of water to compensate for the water loss from your body through perspiration and urine. Whenever you go out in the sun or workouts or even yoga, carry a bottle of water with you so that you can keep yourself properly hydrated.
ii. As we know that summer calls for a lot of yummy and fresh fruit juices, coconut water, soda and aerated cold drinks which are quite tempting; but all of these are very high in glucose. So if you are diabetic, avoid all of these drinks. Even alcohol and coffee or chocolate drinks should be strongly avoided. Having lime water is a much safer option.
Doctors say that if diabetic patients do not take enough amount of water to keep them hydrated, then water level in blood decreases resulting in the productions of ketones. This will lead to bad breath.
Dehydration in diabetic patients can be so serious that it may also lead to the damage of brain and other organs.
i. During summer days, even if you feel a mild dehydration, immediately drink a lot of water to compensate for the water loss from your body through perspiration and urine. Whenever you go out in the sun or workouts or even yoga, carry a bottle of water with you so that you can keep yourself properly hydrated.
ii. As we know that summer calls for a lot of yummy and fresh fruit juices, coconut water, soda and aerated cold drinks which are quite tempting; but all of these are very high in glucose. So if you are diabetic, avoid all of these drinks. Even alcohol and coffee or chocolate drinks should be strongly avoided. Having lime water is a much safer option.
iii. During summers, diabetic patients should more often go out for swimming and practice yoga. Avoid working out in the gym as it leads to more sweating and fatigue.
Self-check:
If you are diabetic and working out in the sun, there may be chances that your body temperature may shoot up all of a sudden. The following symptoms should not be avoided:
- Feeling dizzy and nausea
- Excessive sweating
- Muscle cramps
- Sudden coldness of skin
- Increased rate of heart beat
- Headaches
If you experience any of these symptoms, immediately go to an air conditioned room and drink plenty of water. Also consult your physician.
If you have to exercise during summers, workout in an air conditioned gym or may be early in the morning and in the evening when the weather stays cool.
Keep checking your blood sugar levels around four times a day. During summers, blood sugar level tends to fluctuate a lot.
Don’t forget your medications.
If you have to exercise during summers, workout in an air conditioned gym or may be early in the morning and in the evening when the weather stays cool.
Keep checking your blood sugar levels around four times a day. During summers, blood sugar level tends to fluctuate a lot.
Don’t forget your medications.
Diet tips for diabetic patients during summer:
Healthy diet means a healthy life. As already discussed, diabetic patients have a fetish for food and they feel hungry and thirsty very frequently, therefore taking proper care of what they should eat is very important.
Summer season calls for a lot of evening barbeque parties. Quite tempting though the food and drinks may sound, but control your temptations.
i. Whenever you go out to attend such parties, make sure you eat your prescribed diet to keep yourself quite full so that you do not get tempted to try out those unhealthy palates.
ii. If you are a non-vegetarian, have some grilled chicken breast and fish instead of those tandoori leg pieces. Fried chicken pieces and red meat may beckon you but avoiding them is quite a smart move.
iii. Or you can avoid non-veg altogether and fill your plate with some colorful veggie salad. Don’t use mayo to dress, instead use mustard sauce.
iv. Now for the alcohol part, we would say NO. But if you have decided to have alcohol, we will suggest to you to have half a peg or even better, you can go for a cocktail.
v. Avoid desserts or opt for some fresh fruits.
Summer season calls for a lot of evening barbeque parties. Quite tempting though the food and drinks may sound, but control your temptations.
i. Whenever you go out to attend such parties, make sure you eat your prescribed diet to keep yourself quite full so that you do not get tempted to try out those unhealthy palates.
ii. If you are a non-vegetarian, have some grilled chicken breast and fish instead of those tandoori leg pieces. Fried chicken pieces and red meat may beckon you but avoiding them is quite a smart move.
iii. Or you can avoid non-veg altogether and fill your plate with some colorful veggie salad. Don’t use mayo to dress, instead use mustard sauce.
iv. Now for the alcohol part, we would say NO. But if you have decided to have alcohol, we will suggest to you to have half a peg or even better, you can go for a cocktail.
v. Avoid desserts or opt for some fresh fruits.
These are some health tips you should never forget to enjoy a sunny and fun-filled summer
The
Lemon Diet
, also known as the master cleanse, is a diet resulting in rapid weight loss over a period of several days to about a week. Lemons being rich in antioxidants and vitamins, helps to detox the body. Thus, it is very important to introduce citrus fruits like lemon, grapefruit, oranges and kiwi in your daily diet.
The lemon detox diet was popularized by singer Beyonce Knowles who announced at the Oprah Winfrey Show that she lived on a lemon diet with cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 15 days and lost 20 pounds (9 kgs) in two weeks.
Nevertheless, the lemonade diet has been around for 50 years. Originally developed by Stanley Burroughs, this is designed to cleanse your body of toxins, the major benefit being rapid weight loss. The main reason for this weight loss is that this diet limits your caloric intake by a tremendous amount. This dramatic cut in calories results in a loss of considerable amount of weight in a very short period of time. This diet can be resorted to by someone who has to attend a social function in a couple of weeks and need to lose a lot of weight to look their best for the event.
How to follow the lemon diet?
Things needed:
- Spring water
- Grade B maple syrup
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper sea salt
Instructions:
1. Lemon diet should be followed on a clear schedule. This diet is not suitable for a vacation or during a hectic period. Thus it should be undertaken in a relaxed manner, preferably at home or close to home.
2. Mix 12-14 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper and 12-14 tablespoons of maple syrup in 2 litres of water. This mixture is enough to last for the whole day.
3. Keep sipping small amounts of this mixture during the day whenever you feel hunger pangs. The mixture can be followed with plain water, if necessary.
4. Make a salt water flush by mixing 1 tablespoon sea salt in 1 litre of water and drink it all at once. It might seem difficult but it yields better results. The major reason for following this diet at home is because within an hour of drinking the salt water flush, one will experience a bowel movement lasting for about 30 to 60 minutes. It is more preferable to prepare the salt water flush in the evening.
5. This diet should be followed for 3 to10 days by drinking the same amount of lemon mixture and salt water flush each day.
Food Combination with the Lemon Diet
While following this diet, no solid food is allowed. It calls for 6 or more servings of the specialized lemonade mixture everyday. In addition to this, the salt water flush helps to cleanse the body. Different people incorporate this diet for varying amounts of time, mostly lasting for 2 days. Combining food throughout the entire process would, therefore, defeat its main purpose. However, food can be combined in the beginning and at the end of the lemon diet to ease your body into and off the diet.
Things needed:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Orange juice
- Grade B syrup,
- Lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper
- Unrefined sea salt
- Non processed foods
Instructions:
1. Only fruits and vegetables should be consumed on the first day of the diet to ease your body into what it will be going through during the course of diet. The fruits and vegetables should, preferably, be raw.
2. Drink 3 litres of orange juice with 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup in it during the second day. Decide the period of detox. Most people detox for 2 days during which they can only consume 2 litres of lemonade per day when they feel hunger pains.
3. Drink a mixture of 3 litres of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup during the first day after you have finished detoxing.
4. Fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) should be consumed on the second day after completion of detox.
5. Fruits, vegetables and non- processed foods can be eaten during the third day after stopping of detox. This should be followed by grains such as brown rice and oats to ease you back into your regular diet.
Points to be kept in mind
- Lemon diet is basically a detoxification diet, not a weight loss plan. Therefore, one is likely to regain at least half of the weight lost in the course of diet once the diet is over.
- It is absolutely essential to wean yourself off of caffeine before beginning the diet to avoid unpleasant withdrawal effects.
- This diet should not be followed for a period of more than 2 weeks (10 days being the maximum). In case of health issues, consult the doctor before following the diet.
Benefits Of Lemonade Diet:
1. The benefit of this diet is often explained in the form of rapid weight loss. To put it in a better way, this program enables the body to regain its balance of elements and maintain its optimum weight. Those who are not over weight lose between 2-3 kgs and those who are underweight re-establish the balance of the body’s metabolism. The process would have taken much longer if the body had to burn off all the excess fat.
2. The loss of weight is only a secondary effect, the principal effect being detoxification of the organs of the body. Moreover, the body gets rid of fat deposits. It is in the course of this purification that the skin and hair get embellished.
3. Detoxification will allegedly rid the body of warts, arthritis, asthma, stomach troubles etc. Besides, lemon juice and cayenne pepper will flush out excess fat from your body leading to rapid weight loss during the diet and cleanse the lymphatic system, of toxins. The maple syrup contains all the nutrients your body needs to function during this time.
Side effects of Lemon Diet:
As it is a master cleanse, the lemon diet will release toxins into your body causing symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea or a general feeling of being tired and possibly other symptoms. The magnitude and occurrence of these symptoms depend on how many toxins you have in your body.
To conclude, just like any other diet, in case of a lemon diet also, it is appropriate to consult your physician before starting it.
How to Lose Weight without Dieting?
Going on a diet and hitting the gym are often considered as effective options to lose weight. Fortunately, they yield results. But, considering our daily hectic schedules, dieting and exercising is not everybody’s cup of tea. We are often left with very little time to pay attention to diet or to working out for hours in a gym. Moreover, diets and exercise programmes can help in losing a few pounds in a short time, but this weight loss is only temporary. Dieters are likely to get back all their lost weight and perhaps some extra weight as well after reverting to their normal schedule.
It is a misconception that weight loss can be achieved only through dieting or rigorous exercising. So how to lose weight without a diet plan? Following a healthy lifestyle is equally important in maintaining an ideal body weight. By trying the following strategies, you can slim down in a healthy and painless manner without suffering from starvation or from monotony of following a diet.
Here is how you can lose weight without dieting.
1. Get Proper Sleep:
Sleep is believed to be the nature’s preservative that nourishes the mind at the end of a day’s hard work and tiredness. The importance of sleep cannot be ignored when it comes to triggering weight loss. While you are asleep, your body is working to regulate your systems and heal any damage done from any wear and tear. Even the digestive system is pumping hard to process your food, metabolize the carbohydrates and break down fats. Sleep deprivation results in changes in hormone levels, particularly cortisol and insulin. Cortisol regulates sugar, fat, protein, mineral and water metabolism and insulin is responsible for blood sugar and fat storage. Sleep deprivation triggers cortisol production and leads to increased levels of insulin which makes weight loss even more challenging. Thus, treating yourself to a good night sleep can help a lot in reducing weight.
2. Chew your food properly:
Studies have proved that if you spend longer time in chewing food, you are likely to consume lesser calories. Moreover, chewing for a longer time prevents over-eating because it gives the brain extra time to receive signals from the stomach that it is full. This also facilitates proper digestion and limits your portion size. Therefore, it is recommended that the food should be chewed about 35 to 50 times per mouthful.
3. Pay Attention on your Food:
We have often heard (and even ignored) our elders advising us not to talk, read or watch TV while eating food. When you are multitasking during your meals, you are likely to consume more amount of food and put on extra pounds. Hence, paying attention on what you are eating is very important.
4. Avoid Overcooking:
Overcooking your food results in considerable reduction of nutrients. If you are deprived of nutrients, you do not feel satisfied and may crave for junk food. In order to prevent this you can increase the consumption of raw foods like salads and sushi. It is advisable to eat steamed, baked, blanched or grilled vegetables and grilled or baked meat and fish.
5. Eat more Produce and Whole grains:
Low calorie fruits and vegetables should be consumed more than other foods that are high in fat and calories. Vegetables should be consumed more often than meat as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fibre. Whole grains like whole wheat breads and pastas, brown rice, bran flakes, popcorn should be substituted for refined grains like white bread, cakes, cookies and pretzels as they provide the much needed fibre, thus keeping you full for a longer time.
6. Have Breakfast Everyday:
It is a misconception that skipping breakfast is a way to cut calories and lose weight. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should not be ignored at any cost. Refuelling your body a few times a day is very important. But when you skip your breakfast, you start feeling extremely hungry by the lunch time and end up overeating and choosing unhealthy food items. Missing breakfast also slows down your metabolism. Therefore, always eat your breakfast within an hour of waking up. A bowl of whole grain cereal and low fat dairy can give a nutritious start to your day.
7. Have Frequent, Smaller Meals:
Eating frequent meals accelerates your metabolism and keeps it working at an elevated level continuously throughout the day. Hence, it is ideal to eat five to six times per day with a two to three hour break between each meal and snack. Portion control is important to prevent over-eating. This can be achieved by using small bowls, plates and cups. Reducing your portions by 10% to 20% can be conducive to weight loss.
8. Eat Fruits before Meals:
Make it a habit to eat fruits at least 30 minutes before any heavy meal as fruits can be digested quickly. Eating fruits on an empty stomach detoxifies your system and makes you eat less.
9. Finish your Dinner by 8 p.m.:
Late night eating should not be resorted to as you are likely to pile on extra pounds. In fact, you should eat your last meal before eight in the evening to avoid binging on a snack before dinner time. Herbal tea is a good option to satisfy your hunger after dinner time and then brush your teeth to switch off your mind from the idea of eating.
10. Be Careful in choosing Liquid Calories:
Sweetened drinks should be avoided as they are high in calories. Satisfy your thirst with water, skim or low fat milk or small portions of 100% fruit juices or low calorie vegetable juice. Limiting alcohol can save considerable amount of calories as alcohol calories add up quickly.
11. Drink Enough Water:
Drinking enough water is a key to a healthy lifestyle. Drinking cold water boosts your metabolism as your body will work harder to warm up the liquid resulting in more calories being burnt. Besides, it keeps you feeling full so that you do not snack. It keeps your system hydrated and helps release muscle-building hormones in your body.
12. Have Protein at every Meal and Snack:
Foods containing lean or low fat protein should form part of every meal or snack as they provide a feeling of fullness for longer periods, thus keeping you from over-eating. Low-yoghurt, small portion of nuts, peanut butter, eggs, beans and lean meats are recommended.
13. Drink Green Tea:
In addition to water, green tea is also a great metabolism booster. Studies have shown that drinking green tea can result in 400 extra calories burnt in a week. It also has an antioxidant power.
14. Try to increase your steps:
Walking is considered a great exercise when it comes to losing weight. 10000 steps are recommended in a day for favourable results. Pedometer can be used to calculate and add more steps.
15. Laughter and Weight Loss:
Laughter is considered to be the best medicine and the same holds true when it comes to burning calories as well. A giggle increases your heart rate, blood circulation and tones your abdominal muscles, and hence providing a natural cardio workout. Laughing heartily five times a day has the same benefits as 10 minutes on a rowing machine. Ten to fifteen minutes of solid laughter can burn 50 calories, which can add up to burning 4.4 pounds in a year.
16. Way of Breathing:
Breathing in a proper way to burn more calories. Unfortunately, most of us don’t do this. Diaphragmatic breathing is the correct way of breathing – in through the nose and out through the mouth. Full diaphragmatic breathing burns more calories and tones abs by actively using the muscles and delivering more oxygen to the blood and muscles, thereby allowing us to work out harder and longer.
Thus, we have seen here that dieting is not the only option to lose weight. Also it’s not about what you eat, but about how you eat. Instead of depriving yourself of the food you love and starving to lose weight, you can eat everything in moderation and maintain an ideal weight. Following a healthy lifestyle and being emotionally ready to incorporate these changes is the key to success.
