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11 Easy Habits To Help You Lose Weight

easy habits to help you lose weight

As a lifestyle coach and weight management expert, I often see people struggling to lose weight. In my previous article, I have shared my insight on 11 Unhealthy Habits That Are Destroying Your Health. While I hope you read that, I will be sharing a few easy habits you can adopt to lose weight! By making small efforts and small changes in your habits, you can easily achieve your weight loss goals.

11 Habits For a Healthier You

  1. Read Food Labels: Reading food labels helps you make the right food choices! It helps with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, etc. by helping you avoid food with ingredients which may aggravate these conditions. On the label, the greatest quantities come first. A product that lists sugar or corn syrup as its first ingredient will always be high in calories.
  2. Maintain a Food Journal: After doing all of the above, if you’ve still not shed some weight, maintain a food journal. It will help you track your food and beverage intake. Then you can easily decide where you need to cut out extra calories which have affected your weight loss goals.
  3. Begin Your Day With Protein: We couldn’t stress enough on the importance of breakfast! Never skip it. Eating a high protein breakfast helps us curb cravings and aids weight loss. Give a kick-start to your day by including nuts, seeds, oats, cottage cheese, yogurt, buttermilk and eggs in your breakfast.
  4. Eat Slow and Chew More: The entire digestive process starts in the mouth with chewing. The faster you eat, the more food you will consume. Chewing food at a slower pace can help you reduce overall food intake. It can also help you get more nutrients from the food you eat.
  5. Let Dinner Be The Last Meal: Boredom or stress can lead to unhealthy snacking! People often eat out of boredom or stress even when they aren’t hungry. If you feel hungry even after a good dinner, go for lighter, healthier options which are rich in fiber and protein such as nuts, whole grains, legumes, hummus, yogurt, air-popped popcorn, etc.
  6. Don’t Skip Meals: Skipping meals can slow your metabolism down, making it harder to lose weight. It also leads to poor, unhealthy food choices, overeating and obesity. When you don’t eat enough, you don’t get the required nutrients for muscle growth, bone health and the immune system which leads to issues such as fatigue, hair loss and low immunity.
  7. Avoid TV and Gadgets While Eating: Working or Watching TV while eating has harmful effects on your health. By paying attention to what you eat, you are more likely to make healthier food choices. You will enjoy your meals more with its smell, flavor and texture!
  8. Use Smaller Plates: Using smaller plates helps one control the quantity of food consumed. It helps you maintain portion control. Using bigger plates often leads to overeating. If you are eating out, you can always ask for a half portion. This will save a lot of calories and prevent overeating.
  9. Aim For 8 Hours of Sleep: Lack of sleep is associated with an increase in calorie intake. Going to bed early and taking in 8 hours of sleep helps in reducing weight. Without enough sleep, it is difficult to plan meals and exercise. If you stay up late, you will definitely overeat.
  10. Drink Plenty of Water: Increasing your water intake reduces your appetite and helps you lose weight. Drinking 2-3 liters of water daily helps you flush toxins from your body and gives you a feeling of satiety too! Keep yourself well hydrated, always!
  11. Move More: Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining weight and good health. Regular physical activity can improve muscle strength and boost metabolism. Depending on your workout, it can either prevent weight gain or help you maintain your weight.

We hope this article has helped you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! To learn more tips and tricks for weight loss, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Top 5 Sources of Protein For Vegetarians

Protein For Vegetarians

Indian Dietetics Association claimed a few years back that vegetarian diets in our country are 84% protein deficient along with 65% protein deficiency in the diets of non-vegetarians too. Data also suggest that 93% of Indians are not aware about their ideal protein intake per day. Proteins are extremely crucial for the body. The word Protein comes from a greek word Proteos meaning “First Place” or “Primary”. Some important functions of protein are:

  • Growth and maintenance
  • Structural part of enzymes required for many biochemical reactions
  • Structural part of hormones which are key messengers in the body
  • Providing rigidity and stiffness to cells and tissues all over the body
  • Maintaining ideal pH and balancing fluids
  • Bolster immune health
  • Providing energy  
  • Transporting and storing nutrients

Recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 gram per kg body weight for normal healthy individuals. So if you are 60 kg, multiply it by 0.8, and your protein intake per day should be around 48 grams. Protein intake will vary based on various stages of life and for athletes, pregnant and lactating mothers, kidney & liver patients.

5 Sources of Protein For Vegetarians 

  1. Sattu (gram flour): Originated from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, Sattu is known as the poor man’s protein. But recently, it has gained popularity due to its amazing nutrient profile. It is basically roasted and grinded gram flour. You can make Sattu ki roti, traditional Sattu drink with lemon and pink salt, Sattu fortification in dhokla, idli, dosa, etc. Try to take at least 2 tablespoons of Sattu in a meal. Unlike other protein sources, Sattu is easier to digest and suits well to elderly also.
  2. Sprouted Pulses: The germinated pulses such as mung, kidney beans, black eyed beans, chana, chickpeas, etc. have more magnesium, protein, folate, minerals, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, manganese and phosphorus as compared to non-sprouted varieties. So increase the consumption of sprouts as it will give better nutrients in the same amount. You can make a fresh batch of sprouts daily and have a small cup with lunch and the same for dinner to enrich your meals with protein. Though you can store the sprouted pulses for 3 days in the fridge using a sealed container. Trying a variety of recipes on a daily basis like aloo-sprouts paratha, sprouts stuffed sandwich, sprouts salad, sprouts soup, etc. will also help.
  3. Paneer: is another amazing, well known source of protein for vegetarians. It is rich in healthy fats, protein and low on carbs. In a controlled portion size, it’s great for diabetics, weight watchers and almost everyone. Try to incorporate paneer in your regular meals like post workout meals, sandwiches, curries, grilled paneer with veggies for meals, etc.
  4. Nuts & Seeds: have an impressive number of protein and healthy fats in a single serving. It’s a great idea to add these in your mid meal and snack time. Walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. are concentrated sources of protein and healthy fats. About 2 tablespoon of them per day can help you in more ways than one.
  5. Hung Curd: is nothing but our home made curd which has drained off its water. Make curd using low fat milk or cow milk, tie it in a muslin cloth and hang it for 3-4 hours for all the excess water to be drained. 1 cup of homemade hung curd provides 10-12 grams of protein. It is great for digestion and also for meeting calcium requirements. You can use it for dips, raita, salad dressings or just a plain cup of hung curd with meals.

We hope these food sources of protein for vegetarians helps you! Before you add any of these foods to your diet, please consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian.

How do you fill in your daily protein requirement? Let us know in the comments below. For more on proteins, you can check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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5 Reasons Why You Need To Focus On Nutrition Over Calorie Counting

Nutrition over calorie counting

It’s funny how in an attempt to lose or gain weight, we begin counting every minute calorie intake, diligently doing the math, when we hated the subject in school. But the math isn’t too complicated, right? To lose weight, you go into a deficit where calories out > calories in, and the exact opposite if you want to bulk up. 

While we’re doing all this math, reading up articles on the internet, browsing through YouTube channels and relying on self-taught nutritionists and dietitians, are we really asking the right questions? Are we using food to only fill in whatever we can in our given calorie budgets? Are we using food to provide the right nutrition to our body? Are we even choosing the right foods while we’re at it?

Why You Shouldn’t Rely On Calorie Counting 

While counting calories to lose/gain weight might be the most popular and followed method, overdoing it may not be the correct one. It’s quite dangerous as it can lead to many nutritional deficiencies. 500 calories could look like 2 big slices of pizza or a plate with rice/roti, a bowl of vegetables or pulses with curd and salad. The goal can be attained with both, but are we making the right choice that’ll help us stay healthier in the long run? So, rather than counting calories, it would make more sense to look at the nutrients on your meal plate.

Why You Need To Choose Nutrition Over Calorie Counting  

Let’s look at a few reasons why the focus should be on nutrition over calorie counting

  1. Food Quality Matters: Calories do not look into the quality of food you are eating. A low-calorie food with well-balanced macro and micronutrients is considered healthier than a high calorie, nutritionally poor food. For instance, an apple may have the same calories as a cookie, but we know which one is healthier.
  2. Nutrient Dense Foods: When you follow calorie counting, one tends to avoid the natural calorie dense foods like nuts, seeds, ghee, oils, and avocados, etc. which are very healthy and important for good metabolism and maintaining healthy weight.
  3. Thermic Effect of Food: The number of calories used to digest our food is different for various food groups, so this can alter the effects of calorie counting to some extent. Food items made of processed and refined products are digested faster and are likely to spike up our sugar levels, than those made of natural and unrefined forms, which will take up more energy to break down and get digested and keep the sugar levels stabilized.
  4. Bioavailable Calories: Recent studies have indicated that many foods have less bioavailable calories than originally thought of. For instance, almonds, peanuts and pistachios all seem to be less completely digested, providing fewer calories, almost 20% less than what is mentioned on the label. This may be true for other foods with tough cell walls. So, calorie counting may not actually be accurate here.
  5. Effect of Food on our Satiety: Different foods have a different effect on our satiety levels, some give us a feeling of fullness for longer than others. So all foods are measured on a scale called the satiety index, which is basically the measure of the ability of the foods to reduce hunger, increase feeling of fullness and reduce calorie intake for the next few hours. Eating foods with a low satiety index will make you hungry faster than foods with a high satiety index. 500 calories from an ice cream/doughnut will make you hungry sooner than 500 calories from sprouts/beans and vegetable salad.

So, the bottom line is to make smart choices with your food and focus more on the nutritional aspect rather than calorie counting. Once you pick nutrition over calorie counting, you will notice more satiety, improved energy levels, reduced inflammation, you’ll be able to maintain healthy weight and witness an overall improvement in your health! 

We hope this article helps you make healthier choices. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads. If you want to know more about what kind of food you should incorporate, based on your weight loss or weight gain goals, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

#BeTheForce 

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Healthy Eating: Vegetable Quinoa Pulao

vegetable quinoa pulao

Quinoa is a gluten-free superfood that has been gaining a lot of popularity in the past few years, and it is actually pronounced as Kveen Vaa. Quinoa, though popular as a grain, is actually a seed. It has a nutty flavour and lacks the sweetness & stickiness of rice. It is easier to cook than rice and you will love the taste. Although it is not as economical as rice, it is definitely worth a try! So let’s learn how to prepare super healthy and simple Vegetable Quinoa Pulao!

What You Will Need:

  • Quinoa (wash and soak for 30 min) – 1 cup
  • Onion (chopped) – ¼ cup
  • Cauliflower (chopped) – ¼ cup
  • French Beans (chopped) – ¼ cup
  • Carrots (chopped) – ¼ cup
  • Corn Kernels – ¼ cup
  • Green Peas – ¼ cup
  • Spinach – 2 tbsp
  • Coriander – 2 tbsp
  • Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp
  • Bay Leaf – 1
  • Cinnamon Stick – ½
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric, red chili powder, coriander seeds powder, garam masala as per taste
  • Salt as per taste
  • Oil – 1 tbsp

How to Prepare:

  1. In a pan, heat oil and fry the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Then, allow the cumin seeds to sizzle.
  2. Add the chopped onion along with ginger garlic paste and roast it well until slightly brown.
  3. Now, add all the other vegetables along with turmeric, red chili powder, coriander seeds powder, garam masala and salt. Sauté them well for 4-5 min.
  4. It is time to add the soaked quinoa (discard the water), give it a quick stir and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Now add 1.5 to 2 cups of water.
  5. After a boil, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5-10 min until done. Mix the contents using a fork and not spatula to give it a Pulao consistency.
  6. Serve it hot with curd or raita.

Highlights of the Vegetable Quinoa Pulao

  • This absolutely easy recipe gives you everything required for a balanced meal.
  • It is high in protein and contains sufficient amount of all essential amino acids.
  • 100% satiety with the fiber content it has in limited portion size.
  • Fun Fact: A cup of Quinoa will provide twice the protein and about 5gm more fiber than the same amount of white rice.

Hope you try this awesome Vegetable Quinoa Pulao recipe and share your experience in the comments below! Click here for more healthy recipes, or get them directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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