Shimpli Patil, Author at GOQii

She is passionate about Nutrition and that explains Shimpli’s Master’s degree in Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics. This topper from Mumbai University also has a certification in Food Processing and Preservation and in Nutrition and Exercise for Fitness. That’s not all; she has a keen interest in the area of product development and has worked on the development of protein fortified chocolates in collaboration with Cadbury India Pvt Ltd, as a part of MSc. RnD. For over 3 years now she has been practicing as a clinical nutrition consultant. Shimpli is also a trained dancer from Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts and strongly believes that dance is the best exercise for Mind and Body and when dance is combined with the right nutrition it is the correct recipe for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

August 28, 2015 By Shimpli Patil 7 Comments

Mysterious Coffee

Our very famous beverage and a favourite of many- Coffee, loves to be in the limelight! Personally, I am not too fond of this beverage, but the deep love that people have for coffee kind of triggers me to research upon it more to find out what is so good about this Coffee?

Coffee, as we all know, is a major source of caffeine, the world’s most widely used stimulant drug. Tiny amounts of caffeine can do good to our health, whereas a lot of caffeine can harm it. After all, anything in excess is bad, isn’t it?

The wonderfully enticing flavour of Coffee (taste+aroma) and the stimulant property that it possesses attracts people towards it and makes most of them dependent on it (addiction, you see). It gives us more energy, makes us feel more alert, improves athletic performance and so on. It gives us a super kick which helps us stay up during our long meetings/long hours of studying or while working on the most tedious project. It’s like a rocket fuel that keeps us going! No wonder so many love it?

Hold on, there’s more to it, coffee also suppresses appetite, so many people drink it to lose weight. Ahem! Now that’s something which definitely grabs attention. But that’s certainly not a healthy way of losing those extra pounds.

As I mentioned, I am not a usual coffee drinker, but there was this one day when I ended up drinking more than 4 cups of coffee as I was deeply engrossed in a project work with my buddies. They were grabbing coffee during breaks and I got carried along. I noticed something peculiar about myself on that day. I was eating more than I usually did and it was quite annoying to feel so hungry so often.

It’s true that our hunger and appetite are controlled by what we eat and drink, including coffee. Coffee is an appetite suppressant, that’s what I was aware about and I am sure most of you must have heard of its appetite suppressing property.

Coffee contains phytochemical compounds called chlorogenic acids, an important group of biologically active and antioxidant dietary phenols. Fruits like apples, pears, strawberries, pineapple, etc. also contain these compounds. Chlorogenic acids have captured attention in the field of obesity as researchers suggest that they can help decrease hunger. Caffeine, by itself, often masks hunger and fatigue as it provides a short-term boost in energy and alertness.

Now the question is, why did I feel so hungry on the day I drank too much coffee? It’s not just me, I have got this from many of my clients too.

After digging to find out more about this mysterious coffee, I finally unlocked its mysteries.

Here’s the story-

Coffee affects many neurotransmitters and hormones (such as cortisol and insulin).

Drinking more than 250-700 mg of caffeine during the day can actually lead to anxiety, hypertension, insomnia and nervousness. All these factors may spark off stress-related emotional eating. Reasons for this- going overboard with caffeine over stimulates the central nervous system, and our body responds to it by triggering the adrenal glands to generate cortisol (stress hormone), which tells our body to increase its energy stores by consuming calories. Exactly, why we are in this constant search of food.

Moreover, caffeine stimulates the secretion of insulin. Increased insulin secretion can result in a drop in blood sugar levels, which again makes us feel hungry and increases food cravings.

Additionally, caffeine is a diuretic, it draws water from our body cells leading to increased urination and dehydration. Thus, it actually makes us feel thirsty, but somehow, we may confuse the thirst with hunger and tend to eat more. Thirst and hunger cues are similar, remember my previous blog? (http://goqii.com/blog/how-important-is-it-to-know-if-youre-thirsty-or-hungry/)

Thus, coffee’s mixed effects are highly driven by the type of coffee (caffeinated/decaf), the amount we drink, when we drink it, our overall biological makeup, and so on.

How do we go about this mysterious beverage?

I would say, low or moderate consumption of caffeine doesn’t cause any noticeable side effects. A moderate caffeine intake would mean, around 200 to 300 milligrams per day, which is equal to anywhere between 2-4 cups of coffee.

I will never ask you to give up your love for coffee, after all, it gives you that extra boost you need to get out of your closet (and probably get to the gym!). All I would reiterate again is ‘Anything in excess is bad, so control your intake of caffeine’.

August 13, 2015 By Shimpli Patil 2 Comments

MCTs: The Good Fats

Most of us are ignorant about fat. The moment we hear fat, we associate it with high calories, weight gain, obesity, heart diseases, etc. But, the fact is, we need fat in order to live!

Having said the above not all fats are alike. The devil and angel concept applies here very well. We have good fats which are the essential fats and are needed for healthy brain functioning, immune system, hormone production, and energy production. There are bad fats too that can clog our arteries and lead to internal inflammation. All that we need to do is, choose the right kind of fat and consume it in the right way!

Heard of MCTs aka Medium Chain Triglycerides? Well these good fats are gaining fame in the health sector these days. They have received considerable attention in the past too.

MCTs, are the major fat components in coconut oil. We can find varying amounts of MCTs in olive oil, ghee, palm oil, butter and nuts too.

To understand why MCTs are so wonderfully beneficial for us, we need to get into a bit of chemistry.

MCTs are composed of only 6 to 10 carbon links, unlike other fats which have up to 22 carbon links, and because of their shorter chain length, they are absorbed faster by the body and are quickly metabolized (burned) as fuel/energy. Thus, rather than getting stored as fat, the calories contained in MCTs are very efficiently converted into fuel for instant use by our body.

Let me share some astonishing benefits that MCTs have to offer:

* Aid in weight loss:

This is one reason why most people are eager to get their hands on MCTs. Apart from being minimally stored as fat, MCTs are knows to induce thermogenesis and wake up the sluggish metabolism, which thereby accelerates the calorie-burning process. This makes it useful in case of Thyroid too, where the metabolism is terribly slowed down.

*Good for diabetics:

MCTs reduce the glycemic index of the meal to which MCT Oil is added as they have a slight hypoglycemic/blood sugar lowering effect.

* Good for heart:

It’s often said that fats are bad for heart. But, MCTs have shown to prove it wrong. Since they are metabolized faster, more like carbohydrates than fats, they provide instant energy to the diseased and stressed heart which is usually energy deficient. That’s not the only thing, MCTs also have an anti-coagulation and cholesterol lowering effect that safeguards our heart.

* Good for brain:

MCTs are like rocket fuel to the brain as they release ketones when they are metabolized. Ketones are an efficient fuel for brain and can boost cognitive performance. Thus, MCTs are considered beneficial in case of epilepsy, seizures and alzheimer’s disease.

*Powerhouse for Athletes:

Athletes usually depend on carbohydrates for instant energy. Carbs however provide lesser energy than fats. Since fats are absorbed slower than carbs, athletes choose to go for the latter. MCTs pick up the positive aspects of both- They are absorbed faster plus provide instant energy, which is an ideal combination to bolster an athletic performance.

* Malabsorptive conditions:

In conditions like liver and gastrointestinal issues, where absorption is severely affected, MCTs are a boon. After consuming MCT containing food, they are absorbed quickly from the small intestine and taken straight to the liver and are converted into energy without requiring a single drop of bile (produced by the liver), thus reducing the workload of the organs of an ill person.

*Cancer:

MCT containing oil is a super food for cancer as it heals the damaged cells, improve immunity and provide instant energy to the weak body.

The benefits of MCTs are incredible, aren’t they? Now the question is how to use MCTs containing oil in our day to day life?

Best way is to make use of coconut oil in your meal preparations OR you can bake some popcorn or foxnuts (makhanas) using ghee/coconut oil OR You can add it into your coffee or smoothie OR simply use it as a salad dressing.

1 tbsp a day is more than enough.

July 2, 2015 By Shimpli Patil Leave a Comment

Your Stair-case can be your gym!

Stair-case is the best saviour when it comes to missing workouts due to time constraints/busy schedule/no access to gym and all possible reasons for not working out (of course, pains and injuries are an exception).

Climbing up the stairs has many incredible advantages. It not only helps burn fat, but also strengthens the core and the lower body muscles along with improving stamina and endurance. Check out the detailed benefits in Master Coach Luke Coutinho’s blog- https://goqii.com/blog/stair-climbing-one-of-the-best-exercises/.

To make the stair workout adventurous and to prevent any possible chances of monotony, we can bring about certain variations and create a whole set of workouts on a staircase. All you need is just enough stairs on which you can run continuously for 10 to 15 seconds.

Check out these 10 staircase workouts to multiply the benefits of a regular stair-climbing workout:

1) Stair jog:

* Jog up the stairs but on descending walk to avoid falls

* To make it advanced, you can take 2 steps at a time

* Continue for minimum 5 minutes

2) Stair sprint:

* Sprint as fast as you can

* Make sure you take just one step at a time

* Breathe deeper while you sprint

3) Step ups:

* Step ups are simple, like you usually do on the stepper. But, doing it on a stair-case requires an extra effort.

* Make sure your knee doesn’t cross the toe. Apply maximum pressure on your heels to avoid any pressure on the knee.

* If you have no prominent knee pain, you can speed up a bit.

* Alternate the feet while you complete minimum 30 step ups.

4) Side step ups:

* This includes stepping up and stepping down sideways

* Complete minimum 30 step ups- 15 with right foot and the rest 15 with left foot

5) Stair lunges:

* Lunges are a great way to strengthen your quadriceps, gluteus, lower back and core

* You can either take one step or 2 steps for each lunge

* Do the stable lunges first and then try out the jump lunges alternating the left and the right foot. This is fun, I tell you!

6) Tricep dips:

* These help to strengthen the triceps and anterior deltoid (front part of the shoulder)

* All you have to do is, sit on the edge of the first or second step with your arms shoulder width apart. Keep your legs straight on the floor.Take your bottom up by pressing your palms against the step and then lower down your rear until your arms are at about a 90 degree angle. Continue with the up-down movement.

7) Double leg stair hops:

* Jump up on stairs with both the feet together.

* You can either keep your feet shoulder-width apart or keep both the feet together and hop. Maintain soft knees (slightly bent knees) and swing your arms backwards. Hop up the stairs and then come down walking.

8) Single leg hops:

* To add a twist to the hops, we can do it on one leg and make it more challenging

* This is going to engage your core big time as it works harder to stabilize the body

* Go one whole flight on your left foot, and then switch onto your right foot and perform the full flight

9) Incline push-ups:

* Incline push-ups help strengthen your chest, anterior deltoid and triceps too.

* Keep both the hands shoulder width apart on the step and extend your legs out. Maintain a straight back and feet close together and push push push!!

10) Skater steps:

* Keep your left foot on the left corner of the second step.Climb up with your right leg, bringing it to the right corner of the 4^th step. You skate through the stairs this way taking two steps at a time. Swing your arms and skate your way through this leg burner.

These 10 workouts form a whole set of workouts that train your upper and lower body both. Guess what? You have just turned a stair-case into a gym. You can perform a high intensity interval workout (HIIT) too using these stair exercises.

Pick any 4 or 5 exercises, perform each exercise for 20 seconds with a 10 seconds break in between and repeat the entire cycle once again. Believe me, you end up burning more calories in these few minutes than what you would have burnt in 1 hour of gyming.

Safety first! If you suffer from any knee/ankle pain, please avoid the exercises that involve these specific joints.

June 8, 2015 By Shimpli Patil 3 Comments

2 Minutes Healthy Snacks

When our mothers are out of town, when our workload is eating up most of our time, when studies are a priority and cooking finds less or no time at all, what do you do? You look out for some simple snacking options that can be prepared quickly and also satiate our hunger pangs.

When we talk of quick 2 minutes snacks, all that we can think of is the ready-to-eat processed foods. These are good when it comes to saving time but, little do we realize that they load us up with innumerable toxins in the form colours, flavours and preservatives. Of course their effects are not immediate but, they linger in our blood, reach our organs and initiate the degenerative process. Terrifying, isn’t it?

It’s time we make some healthier choices and protect our body from the distress that we have been exposing it to. We need to have some healthy alternatives to these ready-to-eat processed snacks. To feed this thought, I have penned down the top five 2 minutes snacks that would please your taste buds, satiate your hunger cues and save your time too!

Check out the super snacking options-

* Carrot Roast:

Slit the carrots and saute them in 1 tbsp Oil (olive oil would be a best choice). Add a few garlic cloves and season it with black pepper, oregano, red chilli powder and other seasonings of your choice. Your Beta-carotene rich Carrot Roast is ready to serve.

* Tempered Makhanas/Wheat puffs:

Makhanas (fox nuts) or wheat puffs are easily available in the market. Keep a stack of these ready at your place, so that you can grab a few, temper them and do the crunchy-munchy! As an add on, you can top it with chopped onion-tomato and squeeze a lemon to give it a tangy touch.

* Fruity-nutty yoghurt:

Chop your favourite fruits into small pieces, crush a few nuts (almonds/walnuts/pistachios/peanuts) and mix them in a cup of chilled yoghurt. Sprinkle some oregano or black pepper and enjoy this divine combo!

* Egg-o-Mania:

Make a scrambled egg, spread it on a slice of toasted whole wheat bread smeared with low fat cheese and garnish it with oregano/mixed herbs and black pepper. Being a perfect protein packed dish, it serves as a great post workout option. You can make this with one whole egg (with yolk). Yolk is rich in iron, vitamin A, B complex vitamins and amino acids too. We need not avoid it unless the person has high Triglycerides.

* Oats smoothie:

Blend half a cup of chilled yoghurt with half a cup of your favourite fruits, add 1 tbsp plain Oats and 4-5 pieces of walnut halves. Blend till smooth. You can add 1 tsp raw organic honey if you need it to be sweeter. It tastes better when served with mango, strawberries and fresh figs.

Easy, ain’t they? Some of these snacks can even be prepared on a long trek.

So you see, we need not rely on the ready-to-eat processed foods when we run short of time.

Enjoy these healthy ‘lip-smacking’ quick snacks and stay at your healthier best!

Mysterious Coffee

MCTs: The Good Fats

Your Stair-case can be your gym!

2 Minutes Healthy Snacks

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