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How Important is Cardio For Weight Loss?

cardio and weight lossYou are well aware of the fact that you lose weight when you burn more calories irrespective of how much you eat. The best way to lose weight is to follow a combination of cardio, strength training and a healthy diet.

Cardio is one of the key components because:

  • You burn more calories at one time.
  • Getting your heart rate into your target heart rate zone means your blood is pumping, you’re breathing hard, and you’re sweating and burning calories.
  • You can easily add intensity to increase your calorie burn. With cardio, it’s easy to increase your calorie burn with small changes, for instance running or walking faster, jumping higher, climbing hills or trying new activities that your body isn’t used to.
  • It adds to your overall calorie deficit. Burning calories with exercise means you don’t have to cut as many calories from your diet.
  • You can do cardio most days of the week. With strength training, your muscles require rest to recover and grow stronger. Cardio can be done most days of the week without worrying about injury or over-training.

The Best Cardio Exercises

While you know that cardio is important for weight loss, which exercises are best and how much do you really need for weight loss?

The truth is, there really isn’t any best cardio exercise. The best activity is the one you’ll do on a regular basis. So, finding something you like is critical to reaching your weight loss goals. That said, some exercises offer more intensity than others.

  • Impact activities: Exercises that involve some impact, like walking, will usually boost your heart rate quicker than no-impact activities like swimming or cycling.
  • High impact activities: High impact, or exercises that involve running or jumping, will often burn more calories than lower impact things like walking.
  • Whole body activities: When you involve both the upper and lower body, such as an aerobic activity which is also is known as cross training, it’s often easier to get the heart rate up and burn more calories.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother with low impact exercise. Both types of activities offer opportunities to burn calories and doing both gives you a well-rounded cardiovascular endurance development.

To get an idea of just how much cardio can do for you, check out the following list of common exercises. Below is the number of calories burned for a 150-pound person in 30 minutes:

  1. Step aerobics: 340 calories
  2. Stationary bike: 238 calories
  3. Swimming: 270 calories
  4. Walking 4 mph: 170 calories
  5. Running 5 mph: 270 calories
  6. kickboxing: 400 calories

Everything from walking to kickboxing can burn a significant number of calories!

How Much Do You Need?

It’s tough to know exactly how much cardio we need for weight loss. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity on most days of the week. But, the truth is how much cardio you need varies from person to person and depends on factors such as:

  • How many calories you eat
  • How hard you exercise
  • Metabolism, age and gender
  • Fitness levels
  • Body fat percentage and weight
  • Exercise schedule

That said, here are some tips for setting up an effective cardio program:

  1. If you’re a beginner, start with 3 days of the cardio exercise of your choice, working at a level you can handle.
  2. Add time each week to work your way up to 30 to 45 minutes of continuous exercise.
  3. As you get stronger, try interval training once a week to help boost endurance and burn more calories.
  4. Work your way up to 5 to 6 days of cardio and try to vary what you do and how hard you work.

It will help you lose weight but it is most effective when combined with strength training and a healthy, low-calorie diet and adequate rest.

How Much Do You Need To Build Muscle?

You may think you shouldn’t do cardio exercise if you’re trying to gain muscle. But, cardio isn’t just for weight loss. It also helps condition the heart and lungs and promotes health and well-being.

If your goal is to gain muscle, you won’t need tons of cardio. But, doing at least three 20-minute sessions a week won’t hurt your goals and will help you reap the benefits of cardio without burning too many calories.

These are some simple necessities for cardio in weight loss. After reading this, I am sure all your misconceptions about weight training and weight loss are cleared!

Want to know more or still have queries? Drop them in the comments below!

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7 Foods That Boost Immunity

7 FOODS that boosts immunity
Around 6 years ago, I woke up one morning feeling extremely dizzy. It was quite unusual as I wasn’t able to stand as well. My mom checked me for fever. The body temperature was high, my stomach was hurting terribly and I realized that I was really sick!

When we visited a doctor, he suggested a blood test. When the investigation reports were out, it was confirmed that I had Typhoid. It was a relapse. Just two months ago I had recovered from the same disease. The relapse of Typhoid was occurring every three to four months for almost a year. Finally, the doctor concluded this was happening because of eating junk food and the lifestyle I was leading.

To an extent, it was true. I was lax on eating healthy food and that was one of the reasons why my immunity levels were low and I kept falling sick time and time again. The moment I was cured through medication for my illness, I would get on the unhealthy food path.

What Is Immunity?

As the old adage goes, ‘Prevention is better than Cure’. Build a good immune system to prevent disease. The Immune system is an amazing protection mechanism situated inside every human body. It is designed to defend you against millions of bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites that love to invade the body. To understand the power of the immune system, all that one needs to do is to look at what happens to a living being when it dies. This might sound gross but it does tell us all something very important about our immune system.

When something dies, its immune system (along with everything else) shuts down. In a matter of hours, the body is invaded by all sorts of bacteria, microbes, and parasites. None of these things are able to get in when the immune system is strong, but the moment the immune system stops, the door is wide open for diseases to breed. Once you die, it only takes a few weeks for these organisms to completely dismantle your body and carry it away, until all that’s left is a skeleton. So safely, one can conclude that a strong immune system keeps all of that dismantling from happening when one is alive.

The immune system is complex, intricate and interesting. And there are at least two good reasons for every individual to know more about it. First, it is just plain fascinating to understand where things like fever, hives, inflammation, etc. come from when they happen inside your own body. You also hear a lot about the immune system in the news as new parts of it are understood and new drugs come in the market — knowing about the immune system makes these news stories understandable.

Now that we have understood what the Immune System is, I would like to take you through how the immune system works and how the immune system can be boosted with a proper diet.

It takes at least more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away. One should ensure that your body and the immune system function smoothly by rounding out your food plate with plenty of colorful servings of fruits and veggies, plus 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, at the very least. The following ingredients can add extra flu-fighting punch to your meal plan.

1. Yogurt
Probiotics, or the “live active cultures” found in Yogurts are the healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs, although they’re available in supplement form. A study from the University of Vienna in Austria found that a daily 7 ounce dose of yogurt was just as effective in boosting immunity as popping pills.

Your optimal dose: two 6-ounce servings a day

2. Oats and Barley
These grains contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities more potent than Echinacea, reports a Norwegian study. When animals eat this compound, they’re less likely to contract influenza, herpes, even anthrax; in humans, it boosts immunity, speeds wound healing, and may help antibiotics work better.

Your optimal dose: At least one in your three daily servings of whole grains.

3. Garlic
This potent onion relative contains the active ingredient Allicin, which fights infection and bacteria. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chew more than six cloves a week have a 30 percent lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50 percent lower rate of stomach cancer.

Your optimal dose: Two raw cloves a day and add crushed garlic to your cooking several times a week.

4. Tea
People who drank 5 cups a day of black tea for 2 weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than others who drank a placebo hot drink, according to a Harvard study. The amino acid that’s responsible for this immune boost, L-theanine, is abundant in both black and green tea—decaf versions have it, too.

Your optimal dose: Several cups daily. To get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.

5. Fish
Selenium, plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams, helps white blood cells produce cytokines—proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body. Salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections.

Your optimal dose: Two servings a week (unless you’re pregnant or planning to be).

6. Mushrooms
For centuries, people around the world have turned to mushrooms for a healthy immune system. According to experts and several studies, mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, making them more aggressive. This is a good thing when you have an infection.

Your optimal dose: Shiitake, Maitake, and Reishi mushrooms appear to pack the biggest immunity punch; experts recommend at least ¼ ounce to an ounce a few times a day for maximum immune benefits. Add a handful to pasta sauce, or sauté with a little oil and add to eggs

7. Beef
Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional shortfalls among most adults, especially for vegetarians and those who’ve cut back on beef, a prime source of this immunity-bolstering mineral. And that’s unfortunate, because even mild zinc deficiency can increase your risk of infection. Zinc in your diet is very important for the development of white blood cells, the intrepid immune system cells that recognize and destroy invading bacteria, viruses, and assorted other bad invaders

Your optimal dose: A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc. That’s often enough to make the difference between deficient and sufficient. Not a beef person? Try zinc-rich oysters, fortified cereals, pork, poultry, yogurt, or milk.

The above foods have proven to have boosted individuals’ immune system and produce more white cells in the body. Eat healthy and build your immune system. It will help you fight against all illnesses. So what are you waiting for? Get on the path of healthy eating and  keep your immune system active and more energetic than ever.

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10 Habits which can destroy your Health

Habits play an important role in our lives. From the time we wake up, till we hit the pillow at night most of the things that we do during the day are wrapped up in some form of habits. Of these habits some are towards keeping our self healthy and there are some habits which might be unnoticeable but yet very harmful for us. Let’s take a look at what these are……

1:- Having fruits along with meals:- We do get a good dose of carbohydrates in our regular meals and by adding extra carbohydrates, it will exceed the limit and lead to over intake of carbohydrates.

2:-Not having our meals on time:-We should always have our meals on time. Once you do that it helps us set up our body clock according to that specific meal time so that digestion and nutrient absorption happens at the same time every day and it won’t get distracted.

3:-Skipping breakfast or any other meals:-Skipping our meals and above all skipping breakfast is not a good idea. It may lead to muscle loss/fatigue/irritation as there might not be any energy and glucose for us to go on during a hectic day.

4:-Having a heavy dinner:-The calories and carbs which we have during dinner will not be utilized during the night time as we tend to sleep and unfortunately that is turned into fats and stored in our body.

5-Less water intake:-Less water intake may lead to dehydration and that can directly hit our immunity, which in turn can be the cause for many diseases. At least 2 to 3 liters of water in a day is must!

6:-Keeping a long gap between your meals:-We should never keep long gaps between our meals. Long gaps will lead to over eating our next meal and it will also slow down our BMR so that we eat more and that is the cause for weight gain.

7:-Chewing your food fast:-We should always take at least 20 minutes to complete a meal, as chewing fast will not help in absorption and breakdown the nutrients of the food that we consume.

8:-Having processed foods:- Having processed foods which contain sugar, white flour, corn flour, may risk us with water retention in our body and will also increase our salt intake because of the preservatives.

9:-Confusing thirst with hunger:-Sometimes when we feel thirsty we may confuse it with hunger and start eating an untimely meal, so it’s best to first feel, recognize and keep yourself hydrated so that we don’t feel hungry because of less water intake.

10:-Overeating:- Overeating can easily go unnoticed and this can cause problems like weight gain and obesity. This is often regarded as an eating disorder. If you are a binge eater, it’s time to make some changes. Controlling our portion is the best way to eat mindfully.

So sit back and think for a minute, are we performing any of these habits in our day to day life? If yes! Then don’t do it and bring on the positivity in your life!

 

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Cold water vs Hot Water: Which is better?

Water

After a tiring day, I always opt to drink water with no ice and more often than not people think I am crazy because largely when one tends to have cold water. But, honestly I am not crazy I have a strong reason for doing what I do.

Let us take a minute and close our eyes and picture the following situation: It is spring and you are standing on a wooden dock that extends into a high mountain lake. While the temperature in the air is fairly warm, the top layer of the lake has only recently melted and you can tell by the color of the crystal clear blue water that it is anything but warm. You close your eyes and dive in to in the lake.

What does your body do? What happens to your skin? Are you relaxed and open, or tight and constricted?

I am not sure how many actually know this fact that warm water opens your pores and makes your skin feel looser, while cold water closes your pores and constricts your skin. Guess what? Drinking cold water does the same thing to your digestive tract!

What Happens When You Drink Cold Water 

– When you drink cold beverages your blood vessels shrink, your digestion becomes restricted and hydration is hindered.

– Instead of working to digest the food and absorb the nutrients to create energy, your body is expending energy to regulate your temperature. This can lead to water loss.

– Drinking cold water after a meal creates excess mucus in your body, which can lead to a decrease in immune system function, making it easier to catch colds and illnesses.

– If you eat food while drinking cold beverages or immediately after, the water temperature solidifies fats from the foods we’ve just eaten and the body in turn finds it hard to digest the unwanted fats from our bodies.

Some people say that drinking ice cold water is beneficial because it burns more calories. I argue that we do not want to make our digestive system work harder; we want to make things as easy on it as we can. There are many other ways to burn calories. And one of the best ways to burn calories is exercising. 

Benefits to Drinking Warm Water

Here are some benefits to drinking water that is room temperature or warmer

– Faster + increased hydration

– Natural digestive enzymes are stimulated and therefore your digestion is enhanced

– Food breaks down more easily

– Your bowels move better (warm water with lemon in the morning is great for this)

– It purifies your blood and increases your bodies natural detoxification processes via your skin, kidneys and lymphatic system

Once you get into the habit of drinking water at room temperature or warm, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your digestion and the way your body feels while eating and after the meal. Some people have also reported reduction in sugar cravings.

So, the next time you eat out ask your server to “Hold the Ice!”

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