Hardika Vira, Author at GOQii

April 24, 2015 By Hardika Vira 3 Comments

5 WAYS TO BOOST METABOLISM

In so many years of my practice as a dietician consultant, I have seen people literally starving themselves to lose weight. But, what if I could convince you that without starving and just by eating healthy and your heart felt or more than what you generally eat, you can lose fats/ look more toned and reduce weight at the same time? You can achieve this by improving your basal metabolism.

What is basal metabolism?

It is the rate at which our body burns calories when even at rest. It includes calories burnt for the process of digestion, and carrying out basic functions of the body. Basically when you are not being physically active.

We have an assumption that exercising is the only way to improve metabolism. It is true but, there is loads to add to the list of foods that help improve metabolism like having small frequent meals i.e every 2.5-3 hours, quantity and quality of food consumed etc.

Today I will share 5 of easiest ways for the same

CONSUMING MORE FIBER RICH FOODS

Fiber is the undigestible material of the plant that provides bulk and adds satiety levels. When we include more fiber in the meals, our body takes more time and effort to break those fiber molecules thus spending/ burning more calories. There are 2 kinds of fibers, soluble and insoluble.

Here is a list of fiber rich foods: whole grains, bran, whole fruits, vegetables like carrots, cucumber, green leafy vegetables, cabbage, bell peppers, broccoli, etc., beans, nuts,

INCLUDE PROTEINS IN EACH MEAL

Proteins take more time to digest than carbs and hence the thermic effect of food i.e the calories that are burned during the digestion of proteins increases. Proteins also aids in functions of growth and development i.e. building muscles, growth and for wear and tear of the tissues used throughout the day this requires a lot of energy. Higher the muscle content in the body, higher is the metabolism.

Sources of proteins: Milk, paneer (cottage cheese), plain yoghurt, buttermilk, pulses, sprouts, soya, tofu, eggs, chicken, fish. Also lente carbs in chick peas (chhole) and kidney beans (rajma) keep you full for long time and helps increase the metabolis

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

2/3^rd of your body is water. Muscles are approx 75% water and cells, bones, blood hold water and float in it.Basically it is required to carry out each and every biological function in the body. Thus when the body is in the state of dehydration, the metabolism slows down as the ability to generate energy and body’s ability to utilize fat as fuel is severely inhibited.

INCORPORATE SPICES IN THE MEALS-

Ginger (gingerols and capsaicin), garlic (allicin), cinnamon, pepper and chillies (capsaicin), turmeric(curcumin) etc. also known as hot spices are known to improve metabolism and also help in carrying other antioxidant functions.

OPT FOR GREEN TEA-

Green tea is rich in polyphenols like catechins and flavonoids which are antioxidants. It also contains caffeine in small amounts. Through few studies, it has been seen that green tea increases metabolism and rate of fat burning. But ensure that you consume a glass of water after every cup of green tea as the caffeine present in the green tea helps in dehydration of cells apart from giving a boost to metabolism.

The above ways are the some of the simplest ones which can be controlled/ practiced without any difficulty. Apart from these as mentioned above exercise helps improve metabolism. But, do you really know which one is more effective?

Combining strengthening exercises in the schedule will really help improve the metabolic rate for a longer duration until the repair/wear and tear of the broken muscles occur as compared to the cardio exercises which raises metabolic rate only for a limited period. It is always better to practice each on alternate days. Afterall, every exercise has its own benefits.

December 15, 2014 By Hardika Vira 2 Comments

Role of Glycemic index in day to day life

Have you ever thought of why some foods can be eaten in good quantities without worrying about the sugar rise or weight increase while in some others portion control is important? Glycemic index is the concept that helps us to choose food wisely. Are you wondering what is glycemic index and how does it help?

Glycemic index or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down during digestion releasing glucose rapidly into the blood stream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI.

A lower glycemic index suggests slower rates of digestion and absorption of the foods’. Carbohydrates may also indicate greater extraction from the liver and periphery of the products of carbohydrate digestion. A lower glycemic response is often thought to equate to a lower insulin demand, better long-term blood glucose control and a reduction in blood lipids.

Glycemic index of foods

Glycemic index values can be interpreted intuitively as percentages on an absolute scale and are commonly interpreted as follows:

Classification	GI range	Examples
Low GI	55 or less	most fruit(apple, orange, peach, citrus fruits) and vegetables (except potatoes, watermelon), whole grainy breads, pasta, legumes/pulses, milk, curd products extremely low in carbohydrates (fish, eggs, meat, nuts, oils), brown rice, corn tortilla, wheat tortilla
Medium GI	56 – 69	whole wheat products, basmati rice, sweet potato, table sugar, most white rices ,Muesli, banana, Honey
High GI	70 and above	Corn flakes, baked potato, watermelon, croissant, white bread, extruded cereals (e.g., Rice crispies), straight glucose (100), peanuts

A low GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily. A high GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels and is suitable for energy recovery after endurance exercise or for a person with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia.

Benefits of the Glycemic Index

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be harmful to your health as it pushes your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbohydrates that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and will feel fuller for longer between meals.