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Overcome Worry – The Biggest Obstacle To Weight Loss & Your Health!

Overcome worryDo you eat food peacefully or with worry on your mind? Do you exercise happily or with worry on your mind? Do you also go to bed worried? Are you low on energy through the day and only the thought of outside food or entertainment can cheer you up? Are you unable to overcome worry?

Do you accept defeat when:

  • Your weight does not budge
  • You have a restless night sleep
  • You give in to food cravings
  • Your friends around you seem to lose weight faster or look better than you

A roadside advertisement for a certain brand of motor oil read “A clean engine always delivers power”…

So will a mind, free of negative thoughts, and very positive or in other words, a clean mind will deliver power! Therefore, flush out your negative thoughts, give yourself a clean mental engine, remembering that a clean mind, can always deliver power.

Why You Need To Overcome Worry

Overcome worry - obstacle to weight lossMost of our obstacles to weight loss and health are mental in character. You might say, “mine are not mental, they are real”, perhaps so, but your attitude towards them is clearly mental. “Worry” is the most subtle and destructive of all human diseases. Through “worry”, we have the dangerous ability to manifest diseases, stress, failure, defeat, anger, frustration and depression.

Do not accept defeat so easily. When your weight does not budge, be patient and instead of giving up, be more consistent with the things you should be doing to lose weight. It took you months or years to pile on fat, what makes you think it will go in few weeks without some sacrifice and effort?

Are you being honest with yourself when it comes to your food, exercise and eating outside?

Ask yourself, if the defeat that you have accepted is because you keep comparing yourself or your body to those around you? Your friends? Your social circle? If yes, then you will never be happy with the progress you make, you will get further depressed and you will fail. Have you even seen any two actors with the same body type? How can you ever have the same body as someone else then?

Comparing ourselves with others is the most drastic mistake one can make when it comes to our health or weight. Your benchmark for progress should be you and what you did yesterday, compared to what you will do today and tomorrow. Keep getting better, getting consistent and that will get you to your goal and peace of mind.

If you struggle to sleep, filter your thoughts and your mind. Easy to say, but hard to do. However, you must make the effort if you want to sleep well again. Worry stems of our insecurity, greed, fear, low confidence, guilt and other factors. Sometimes, you have to let go and if you don’t, your health will make that decision for you.

One of the best exercises to combat insecurities is to count your blessings

overcome worry - gratitudeTake a paper and write down all the things that you have and are grateful for. This should come from your heart. When you are done with this, your problems and insecurities will suddenly seem less. When you begin to eliminate worry, your energy levels automatically increase.

You see, we have over 60,000 thoughts running through our heads everyday. So it’s difficult to focus on what we have (which is usually enough) and instead fill our minds with chaos, which in turn stems worry and negativity. This causes stress and we all know by now that stress causes disease, a weak immune system, and is the biggest- I repeat ‘THE BIGGEST’ obstacle to fat loss and sleep.

Don’t see yoga or breathing as just an exercise. Use that one hour or 45 minutes to actually reflect, count your blessings, pray or analyze the goodness in your life. It is being proved today that the best way to cure a disease or a pain, is not to focus on it, instead focus on everything else that’s going well in your life.

To reach our goal, just have faith. All religions preach this and most people fail to follow or believe in that. Use a day or a weekend in a month for you to weed out negative thoughts, detox your mind, relax your body and count your blessings. Worry is a down payment on a problem that may NEVER occur and worry has never been known to solve a problem.

We hope this article helps you stress less and overcome worry! To know more about how you can beat stress, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach for further guidance by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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5 Healthy Juices For Weight Loss

Juices for weight loss

One of the golden rules to live by is to include at least 2 servings of fruits and vegetables to our diet every day. While this seems hard for some people because of the sugar content in fruit juices, you can’t deny the fact that one can get numerous micronutrients from them. While juices alone won’t help you lose weight, you can add these nutrient rich, less sugar blends to your existing regime and see drastic improvements! Try these amazing juices for weight loss now!

Best Natural Juices For Weight Loss

Below are some recipes we think can help you in your journey to lose weight. More greens are useful than fruits but this variety and blends will definitely help you a lot to not just detox, but supply your body with the nutrients it needs.

1. Clean and Green Detox Juice

juices for weight loss

Ingredients:

  • Apples
  • Kale
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers
  • Basil

Method:

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender
  2. Add 1/4th cup of water. Mix thoroughly. Add water and/or ice in order to make the smoothie thicker or thinner based on your preference

This smoothie is excellent for detox as it flushes out all toxins from your body and contains antioxidants from the basil to make this one of the effective vegetable juices for fat loss.

2. Beetroot, Carrot & Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • Beetroots
  • Carrots
  • Strawberries

Method:

  1. Peel beetroots and chop the carrots. Add strawberries to the veggies and blend it in a blender
  2. Add 1/4th cup of water. Add water and/or ice in order to make the smoothie thicker or thinner based on your preference

Beetroot juice will help you work out harder in the gym and this is one of the fruit juices for weight loss that contain a high amount of soluble and insoluble fiber that assists in weight loss.

3. Mint, Watermelon and Kale Juice

Ingredients:

  • Watermelon: 1.5-2 cups
  • Mint leaves: 1 fistful
  • Kale: 3 leaves

Method:

  1. Wash mint and kale leaves and put in blender. Chop the watermelon, remove the seeds and place in blender.
  2. Add 1/4th cup of water and mix well. Add water and/or ice in order to make the smoothie thicker or thinner based on your preference.

Watermelon, by nature, are mainly water and sugar, thus making them a low calorie, weight loss assistant. This is a handy juice for weight loss because of the mint leaves. Mint leaves are a natural appetite suppressant. So forget your hunger pangs after having one of these smoothies!

4. Green Spinach Lemonade

Ingredients:

  • Lemon: 1/4th cup
  • Water: 1/2 cup
  • Spinach: 1 whole
  • Apple (secret ingredient)

Method:

  1. Cut up lemons and remove seeds. Add spinach, lemon and water to blender.
  2. Add 1 apple with skin. Mix thoroughly. Add more apple if you want to sweeten more.
  3. Add water and/or ice in order to make the smoothie thicker or thinner based on your preference

The key ingredient to this, as you may have noticed, is the apple. Not only is it a fantastic sweetener, but it is also a fantastic source of antioxidants and minerals. This is the best juice for weight loss because it contains the minerals and micro-nutrients from spinach and apples but also assists in weight loss due to the lemons.

5. Cucumber Kiwi Juice

Ingredients:

  • Kiwi – 2 whole
  • Cucumber – 1 whole
  • Lemon – 1/2
  • Water – 1/4 Cup

Method:

  1. Chop and peel the kiwis and cucumber. Blend together.
  2. Add water and/or ice in order to make the smoothie thicker or thinner based on your preference

This recipe is the best juice recipe to get rid of belly fat because it is high in water and low in sodium. Low sodium juices reduce the overall bloating of the body and because this juice is lower than 50 calories, it is a fantastic way to satiate your hunger and be in a caloric deficit. A must try option for effective weight loss.

There you go! We hope these juices aid you on your weight loss journey. More importantly, consult with your doctor before trying these in case you have any allergies.

Which recipe did you like the most? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more recipes, check out Healthy Reads. To get more tips and guidance on your weight loss journey, speak with a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Myths, Tips and Tricks for Weight Loss

Weight Loss
Are you facing issues with weight loss? Have you tried everything from fad diets to exercises to health clubs but found no permanent results? At some point, you may have even gained the kilos almost as quickly as you lost them. So when it comes to weight loss, what exactly works?

As each person’s body needs and compositions differ, weight loss works differently for different people. What remains common is the fact that weight loss needs to be holistic and diet alone isn’t the best method. The ideal method is a combination of various lifestyle factors.

The key to weight loss is making permanent changes in your eating habits as well as lifestyle. It is said that weight gain is not quick and is not the result of days or even a few months. It’s a result of years of overeating. The safest and the most effective way of slimming is to lose weight sensibly. For instance, a kilo in a week is quick, safe and manageable.

Crash diets should be avoided because more often than not, they fail. A severe diet can slow the body’s metabolism down. The key to successful weight loss is making permanent changes in your eating habits. Do not try to revamp your diet all at once. Start with a few adjustments and gradually build on them until balanced nutrition choices become a regular part of your routine. Gradual changes in diet are more likely to become habits eventually.

Some Myths, Tips & Funny Tricks For Weight Loss

Myths

  • A glass of warm water in the morning helps you lose weight: Many believe that consuming warm water on an empty stomach is a cure for excess weight. They believe that hot water dissolves fat but the truth is that fat does not dissolve in water
  • Switching sugar with honey will aid weight loss: I agree that honey has many therapeutic and curative powers but curing obesity is not one of them
  • Bananas are fattening: This is the most misunderstood fruit and has calories as much as any other fruit. Also they are a wonderful source of potassium. They are filling and assuage constipation
  • Standing while eating burns more calories: The truth is you tend to eat more while standing. I always recommend one to sit and eat unless circumstances demand otherwise
  • Skipping breakfast is good during dieting: It’s recommended never to skip breakfast or else you tend to overeat in your next meal. After dinner, our body is in the fasting state and next morning when we wake up, our body needs fuel to get going
  • Potatoes are fattening: It’s safer to consume potatoes over breads as breads are twice as fattening as potatoes. Go for boiled potatoes rather than fried ones
  • Saunas help in shedding kilos: You may feel rejuvenated and great sitting in a sauna but what you really lose after one session is merely the weight of water. Once the fluids have been replenished, your weight comes back to normal

Tips

  • Eat plenty of green leafy veggies, fruits, and whole grains
  • Drink plenty of water. This will keep off hunger. Sometimes, what we often think as hunger is in fact thirst. Here’s how you can differentiate between hunger and thirst
  • You need to watch the nutrients that you consume. Divide your entire day’s plate into 4 quarters. Fill more than half of your plate with veggies and fruits. Remaining could be balanced between dairy, beans or cereals
  • Try to go for small frequent meals instead of typical 3 square meals i.e. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Ideally, you should consume some food after every 2.5- 3 hours
  • Have a colourful meal. By colours I don’t mean artificial/synthetic colours. What I mean is choose foods with colourful veggies and fruits and make your plate aesthetically attractive
  • Eat your meals mindfully and chew thoroughly. This will help in portion control, better digestion and reduces the chances of overeating
  • If you have a sweet tooth, don’t hold the guilt, satisfy it. Choose a sweet, like a candy or peppermint, which will last in your mouth for some time and tastes heavenly. If it is a high calorie sweet loaded with sugar and fat, take just a bite. Remember taste is what you want, not the calories
  • If you happen to treat yourself with some sweets or fried foods, do so at breakfast. As our metabolism is more active during this time of the day. Plus, you have an entire day to burn off the extra calories
  • Sleep deprivation can cause you to snack unnecessarily. Have a good rest and sleep for weight moderation
  • Focus on deep breathing, into your stomach and not just your chest. Oxygen is one key to lose weight, as fat burns in the flame of oxygen. Take equal time to exhale so as to eliminate toxins from the body
  • Don’t miss your daily workout. If you don’t have the luxury of time, try and be active for at least 20 minutes per day as it’s always said that a little workout is better than no workout

Tricks

  • Develop a reward system. It’s proven that when you have something to look forward to at the end of each milestone, it automatically helps to mentally and emotionally shorten the cycle of long term success
  • While setting a target, try to be realistic and do not dream of a petite figure. It will boost your confidence once you achieve that realistic goal
  • This sounds silly but really works (personal experience). When you are tempted to reach out for that forbidden snack, before satisfying your taste buds, just take a deep breath & count to 100. Usually, by the time you finish counting to 100, your craving would have vanished
  • Chocolate craving is the most addictive of all. Next time you feel like eating a chocolate, just take a whiff of a strong perfume. This eases the craving
  • Pinch your ear to lose your appetite! Surprising, isn’t it? Well Reflexologists believe that pinching your ear will curb cravings and reduce your appetite
  • Above all, always be motivated! Think thin and fit. Imagine yourself at the weight you would like to be or the clothes you would like to fit in. Also picture how others will react to you at your new weight and look. Enjoy the feelings that these thoughts will evoke as they will keep you motivated for the long run!

The takeaway message here is that weight loss comes as a by product of an active and healthy lifestyle. It’s you who has to get you off the couch to exercise, cook a healthy meal and move that body!

Do you have any other myths, tips or tricks you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments below! For more on Weight Loss, check out Healthy Reads. For the right guidance and motivation to work towards your health goals, subscribe for GOQii’s personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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How To Break a Weight Loss Plateau

weight loss plateau

You have been working hard on your weight loss journey. This includes following a healthy, low-calorie diet, improving your exercise habits and your reward has been watching your weight go down. At some point, your weight stops decreasing. The weighing scale doesn’t tip anymore and you’re left frustrated! Don’t worry. You’ve hit a weight loss plateau.

Don’t get discouraged. It is normal for weight loss to slow and even stall. By understanding what causes a weight-loss plateau, you can decide how to respond and avoid backsliding on your new healthy habits.

How Can You Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau?

When you reach a plateau, you may have lost all of the weight you can on your current diet and exercise plan. Ask yourself if you’re satisfied with your current weight or if you want to lose more. In which case, you’ll need to adjust your weight loss program.

If you’re committed to lose more weight, try these tips for getting past the plateau:

  1. Drop Your Calorie Intake: To cut down fat, a calorie deficit diet is needed. Consume fewer calories than you burn per day. Maintain a food journal to track your calories. Then slowly reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories per day to boost fat loss. Fat percentage can be measured either by using callipers or with the BCA machine.
  2. Rotate Your Workout Routine: Have you been addicted to the treadmill and cross training for the past 4 months? It’s time to switch! Once your muscles become familiar with the same old workout, it makes your regular routine less effective. To see a change in body fat, you have to get outside your fitness comfort zone. Introduce High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to burn body fat effectively. Try a total-body circuit. Instead of a basic sprint interval, you’ll work your entire body which will boost your metabolism. Also note that you need to progress slowly and deliberately when incorporating high-intensity exercise into your routine. Doing too much too fast can leave you too sore, tired or even injured.
  3. Eat More Protein: Protein is essential to fat loss, as it maintains your muscle during a calorie deficit. It keeps you satiated, which prevents overeating and snacking on junk food. Also, it boosts your calorie burn throughout the day because takes more energy to digest as compared to carbs or fat. Eat at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day and get your protein from whole sources like nuts, eggs, lean meats, yogurts, and quality protein powders.
  4. Eat More Healthy Fats: To lose more fat, eat more fat. This might seem absurd but healthy fats such as animal fats, real butter, coconut oil, nuts, and avocados actually make you leaner and more muscular—they keep you full & maintain your good testosterone levels. Eating healthy fats force you to lower your carbohydrate intake. Get at least 30 percent of your calories from good sources of fat and never consume artificial fats, which can cause health problems like heart disease.
  5. Stay Hydrated: Hydration is important as your body often craves food even when you are mildly dehydrated. We are often confused whether we are thirsty or hungry because the symptoms of hunger and thirst are similar. Aim to drink 2-3L of water per day plus additional fluids lost during activity.
  6. Try Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting increases fat oxidation, which promotes more fat loss. Also, fasting along with exercise boosts the insulin sensitivity, helping your body send nutrients to muscle rather than fat. Fasting during a calorie-restricted diet can lead to weight loss.
  7. Get Plenty of Sleep: Insufficient sleep can interfere with weight loss by reducing your metabolic rate and shifting your hormone levels to promote hunger and fat storage. Hence, have at least 7-8hrs of good quality sleep.
  8. Eat Your Veggies: Vegetables are loaded with important nutrients and are low in calories and carbs. The fiber in your greens aids digestion and also provide your body the essential antioxidants it needs. Including them might help you break through the weight loss plateau.
  9. Don’t Rely on a Weighing Scale: The numbers flashing on your weighing scale might be misleading because it does not reflect the loss of body fat. Instead, focus on how you feel, whether your old clothes fit you or if your measurements have changed.
  10. Check for Medical Conditions: If you’re still stuck on the weight loss plateau despite all your efforts, then you might need to check for a medical condition. Check your thyroid levels, hormonal imbalance, PCOD, or for Vitamin deficiencies such as Vitamin D or B12. You will first need to correct a medical issue to lose more weight.

Stress also plays a part in weight loss as it raises the level of cortisol in the body which in turn increases weight. Most important of all, don’t get demotivated and work towards your goals. The weight loss plateau is a part of the journey and with the right direction, you can overcome it!

We hope this article helps you. For more on weight loss, check out Healthy Reads or get the right advice and guidance from a certified expert by subscribing for GOQii’s personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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