Weight Loss Archives

September 11, 2020 By Soni Thakur 1 Comment

Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight!

Has your scale been stuck at the same number? And no matter how hard you try, it does not move an inch? During a time like this, it gets difficult to stay motivated to get rid of the weight we’ve been trying to lose, despite working out and eating healthy. There could be certain other factors at work here which are preventing you from losing weight. Let’s understand them!

Factors That Prevent You From Losing Weight

You Are Not Eating Enough: Our body requires fuel in order to keep working. It’s like a car – you can’t run it without enough fuel. The same goes for our body. You can’t expect your body to function efficiently or lose weight while you’re starving. Eat within a calorie budget as eating less or eating more can both be the reason why you aren’t losing weight.
Compromised Gut Health: Eating food is only half the story of good nutrition. How that food is absorbed and digested is the other half. If your gut is not healed and healthy, then it can be one of the strongest reasons for you not being able to lose weight.
Less Supply Of Fat To The Body: Fats are important for the absorption of certain vitamins and also for optimal functioning of our brain, heart and body cells. Choose plant based fats like walnuts, almonds, olives, avocados, flaxseeds, etc. as they contain the healthiest types of fatty acids.
You Are Stressed: Chronic stress releases cortisol, which in turn raises blood sugar levels and this again triggers the pancreas to release more insulin and more insulin means more sugar to the cells which gets stored as fat.
You Aren’t Sleeping Enough: When you sleep, your body is in the recovery stage with the help of certain hormones. If you are not sleeping enough, then your body’s first priority is to fight inflammation instead of helping you lose weight.
You Are Overtraining: Indulging yourself in rigorous workouts for more than an hour every day without rest creates inflammation in the body and the body goes into stress mode – which is again not in the favour of weight loss. Aim for only 45-60 minutes exercise for 6 days a week followed by 1 day for rest and recovery.
Your Vitamin D3 and B12 May Be Low: Studies have shown that deficiency of any of the vitamins can cause weight gain too. In fact, several studies investigating the effects of vitamin D on weight loss suggested that it could suppress the storage of fat cells and effectively reduce the fat accumulation in the body. So, make sure to keep your vitamin D3 at an adequate level. Vitamin B12 is often associated with weight loss because of its ability to boost metabolism and provide lasting energy.
Your Thyroid May Be Underactive: When a person’s thyroid is underactive, metabolism goes down very slow due to certain changes in the body. So losing weight will be slower as compared to a healthy individual.
You May Have Food Sensitivity: In several studies, it has been found that nearly 70% of people are dairy intolerant and 30% have gluten sensitivity. If a person with any of these consumes dairy and gluten-rich foods, it leads to inflammation and the body heals that first. This hinders weight loss.
Your Meals Are Not Balanced: Losing weight is all about eating a well-balanced diet by including complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and fibres in order to nourish your body with all the essential nutrients. You may lose a good amount of weight by going low or high on one or the other food groups but that happens for just for a short duration of time and is going to hamper your metabolism in the long run.
Expecting Too Much or Being Unrealistic: Setting an unrealistic goal and bounding your body within a time frame will increase your stress levels. Set a goal which is not only for losing weight and going back into your desired shape, but is also a holistic approach which should have a time period which is more realistic and not a quick magical expectation. If you have not gained this weight in a month or two, how can you expect to lose it in such a short period of time?

We hope this article helps you understand why you are not losing weight. You can additionally consult with a GOQii Coach or a GOQii Doctor by opting for a subscription. To read more articles on weight loss, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to free LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

August 11, 2020 By Roopa Tandur 1 Comment

11 Fat Burning Foods You Should Try For Weight Loss!

You’ve been exercising, eating food in measured quantities, counting your calorie intake, controlling your cravings and drinking a good amount of water, yet, even after 5-6 weeks of doing everything you can possibly do, you don’t see results. That weight scale doesn’t tip the way you want it to and you wonder what could be wrong! Is it your choice of food? It just might be but don’t worry! Try these fat burning foods which will improve your metabolism and support weight loss.

Fat Burning Foods For Weight Loss

Eggs: also called the nutritional power house, tops the list as it is a complete food. Being high in protein and healthy fat ,leaves you feeling fuller for a longer time. It is generally observed that most people who include eggs in their breakfast experience less cravings throughout the day and achieve good results in reducing waist circumference and reduction in body fat percentage.
Green Tea: is a strong antioxidant which triggers fat cells to release fat stored in them for energy. Sipping on a cup of green tea can reduce body fat and lower cholesterol levels. Plus, it helps your body repair more quickly after high-intensity workouts. It contains flavonoids and phytochemicals that can help reduce weight and boost metabolism.
Nuts & Seeds: such as almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds are high in micronutrients like magnesium, selenium, zinc and chromium. They help avoid hunger pangs and contain healthy fats which help in reducing belly fat. Flaxseeds, in particular, are high in fiber and rich in mucilage that forms a slimy, gum-like substance when mixed in water, creating a feeling of fullness and satiety
Fatty Fish: like Salmon, Herring, Sardines, Mackerel and other oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which help in reducing inflammation. Fish is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Digesting protein leads to feeling of fullness and increases metabolic rate significantly. The fats and protein in fish helps support lean muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolism and burns more fat during rest.
Avocados: The monounsaturated fat, minerals like magnesium and potassium prevent water retention and bloating, aids weight loss and activates enzymes to control digestion, better absorption and utilization of nutrients and glucose by cells. With the healthy fats and fibre, avocados gives you a feeling of fullness for a longer time.
Leafy Greens: like kale, spinach and collard greens are loaded with minerals like magnesium and iron which help reduce stress and carry oxygen throughout the body and support weight loss as weight loss is directly related to stress. Being good in fibre, they also delay the stomach emptying time and can also be easily incorporated in our diet.
Probiotics like Curds and Yoghurt: help improve gut health, reduce bloating, improve immunity and prevent fluctuations in weight by promoting better absorption of nutrients. Imbalance in gut health slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain.
Spices: like pepper and cinnamon encourage you to cut back on high sodium foods and avoid salt, plus, has mild diuretic effects, helping you flush out excess water. Pepper is high in capsaicin, which is proven to burn belly fat and boost the body’s ability to convert food to fuel. Daily consumption of capsaicin speeds up abdominal fat loss. Capsaicin counteracts the slowdown in metabolic rate that typically occurs with decreased calorie intake. Cinnamon helps better uptake of glucose by cells, supporting weight loss
Apple Cider Vinegar: Having ACV before a meal slows the digestion of carbs. This helps in keeping your blood sugar from spiking, and blood sugar spikes are suppressed fat burning. Having apple cider vinegar before a meal can also help you feel fuller with less food. It also helps detox the body and maintain the stomach’s pH balance.
Legumes: like beans, peas, chickpea, and lentils contain protein, fibre and complex carbs which take longer to break down. The protein in beans supports muscle formation. Having more muscle mass increases your caloric burn—even at rest. Having good fibre, they slow down the rate of digestion. They slow down the release of simple sugars and delay the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates from the digestive tract.
Oils: like coconut oil and olive oil support weight loss. The MCT in coconut oil suppresses hunger and supports burning of fat efficiently and also keeps you fuller for a longer time. It also supports better uptake of thyroid hormone to support healthy metabolism. On the other hand, olive oil helps improve insulin sensitivity and prevent spikes in blood sugar level.

So add these fat burning foods to your diet if you’re well on your weight loss journey. Before you try to add any of these foods, please consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian especially if you have any food allergies.

For more healthy foods such as these and to learn more about nutrition and weight loss, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. You can even get healthy nuts and seeds, oils, ACV, etc. from the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App for a discount using GOQii Cash.

Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

April 30, 2020 By Palak Mittal 5 Comments

Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Promote Weight Loss?

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has gained a lot of popularity for its weight loss properties but the real question is, does it really help one lose weight? Before we delve deeper into that, let’s understand what ACV is.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

ACV is acidic in nature due to its main component of acetic acid. It is prepared by the fermentation of crushed apples. It is the acetic acid which has numerous health benefits. Some of these include:

Helps controlling blood sugar levels: Acetic acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar can improve the ability of the liver to utilize sugar more efficiently from the blood.
Decreases insulin levels: If the ratio of insulin and glucagon reduces, it helps in increasing the fat burning process. This is done by acetic acid.
Helps in boosting metabolism: which increases the fat burning process.
It reduces fat storage and suppresses appetite resulting in low intake of food.
Controls blood pressure naturally
Helps in reducing bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol (HDL).
Alleviates the symptoms of PCOS.

What Does Research Say?

One of the researches done on humans (Japanese) states that Apple Cider Vinegar can really help in reducing weight and body fat.

Researchers gave 1 Tbsp (15ml) of ACV, 2Tbsp (30ml) of a placebo drink daily to 144 obese Japanese adults for 12 weeks, along with their usual diet and exercise routine. After 12 weeks, it was found that those who consumed 15ml of ACV per day reduced 1.2kgs, 0.7% of body fat, 0.5” of the waist and 26% Triglycerides. Those who consumed 30ml of ACV per day reduced 1.7kgs of weight, 0.9% body fat, 0.75” waist and 26% Triglycerides (same as 15ml).

On the other hand, those who were fed the placebo increased 0.4kgs and slight increment in waist circumference too.

So, the bottom line is that 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar per day can lead to weight loss and the reduction in body fat percentage, belly fat, and blood triglycerides.

How Do You Add ACV to Your Routine?

Mix 15-30ml of ACV in a full glass of water. However, it is always advised to break the doses 2-3 times a day preferably, at least 15 mins before a meal. If you can’t drink it due to its pungent taste and smell, then it can be used:

As a salad dressing with olive oil
For pickling of vegetables

Please Note: Do not consume ACV directly. Always dilute before consuming to avoid burning of the throat and stomach lining due to the strong acid. Also, excessive usage of apple cider vinegar may be harmful due to the acid content. Always consume within the safe limits or else it may lead to the erosion of teeth enamel and loss of potassium.

We hope this article helps you. Before you begin using Apple Cider Vinegar, do consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. To know more about ACV, browse through classes by nutrition experts on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

February 24, 2020 By Alfana Khatri 1 Comment

Unable to Lose Weight? 7 Secrets for Sustainable Weight Loss

During your weight loss journey, have you contemplated the impossibility of you reaching your weight loss goal? How many times were you close to giving up? Despite all your struggles with following proper exercise routines and eating the right food, you don’t seem to lose weight. If you resonate with this, it is fairly common. Such situations or instances are faced by people who are trying to lose weight. And yes, we understand how frustrating that can be. The real question here is – is there anything more beyond diet and exercise?

7 Acceptable and Easier Secrets to Lose Weight

1. Focusing on a Single Number
How frequently do you check your weight and get disheartened? The thing is that weight loss isn’t just about losing weight in kg but also about losing fat mass and gaining muscle mass. Your body type, ethnic group and muscle mass can change the meaning of the number that you see on the scale. How much fat loss and how much bone density has improved are the numbers you should be looking at. A Body Composition Analysis (BCA) once a month would be a better indicator than a weighing scale alone. Also, measuring waist and hip circumference in inches gives insight on your inch loss. Measure it once in 15 days along with weight.

2. Setting Unrealistic Goals
Always set tangible and measurable goals. Aim for slow and steady weight loss i.e. 1.5 – 2 kg/month as it’s easy to achieve and maintain. Setting short term quick fixes will not help you with sustainable weight loss and the chances to regain the shed kilos increases. A goal without a plan is just a wish. Accompany your health goals with good planning, take some expert advice for goal setting and guidelines which will also help you track them daily.

3. Sitting Time
If you haven’t been able to lose weight despite working out for an hour a day, 7 times a week, then there’s a good explanation for it. Researchers conclude that sitting continuously for hours is as dangerous as smoking! When you stay seated, your body metabolism slows, you burn less calories, your muscles and joints stiffen up, and your back may hurt. Rather, get up every 30 minutes and stretch or take a short walk, as every bit counts. You can also try this workout routine you can do anywhere.

4. Sleep Well
Adults usually need 7-9 hours of sleep. Our bodies use that time to detoxify, fix tissues, make hormones, and grow muscles. Our brains use it to process the information and learning of the day into memories. Not enough sleep can make you hungrier and make junk food more appealing. Quantity of sleep is as important as quality of sleep. It’s important to train your body’s circadian rhythm to sleep early and wake up early. Your body responds well if you sleep during the magical hours of 10pm to 6am.

5. Manage Stress
How many times have you been stressed out over not reaching your target weight? Stress can make the weight loss journey nearly impossible. Stress eating is a type of emotional eating, where the body usually craves high fat, high sugar foods. Stress produces cortisol, a hormone which promotes body fat and makes it harder to lose weight, especially belly fat. It also causes disturbance in sleep. Less sleep, chronic fatigue leads to the rise of the hormone – Ghrelin, which is the primary hunger hormone, which makes you feel hungry even when you don’t need to eat. Constant stress, however, can wreak havoc on your emotional and physical health by causing anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation.

6. Water Intake
Many of us cannot draw a distinction between thirst and hunger. The first thing that comes to mind is always ‘food’, even if it is just thirst. In most cases, a glass of water might do the trick instead of eating a snack. To set a baseline, drink one glass of water before you eat anything. Drink adequate water before, during and post-workout.

7. Nutrient Deficiencies
Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D3 are the major vitamins involved in the fat loss process. Vitamin B12 converts fats and proteins into energy and aids in the breakdown of carbohydrates too. The sunshine Vitamin D3 decreases body fat and limits weight gain by altering the storage and formation of fat cells and it also increases the levels of serotonin (happy hormone) and testosterone (affects bone and muscle mass) in the body. Unfortunately, nearly 50% of people worldwide suffer from low Vitamin D levels.

If you’re still looking for a “magic pill” to aid weight loss, it is the combination of the above points. They can help you succeed in your weight loss journey as well as sustain it. There is no shortcut to it, only consistency. We hope this article helps you out. For more tips on weight loss, watch LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#LevelUp Your Weight Loss Journey and #BeTheForce!