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Lifestyle Diseases On The Rise In India | IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023

Lifestyle diseases on the rise

Lifestyle diseases are chronic health conditions that are caused by the way people live their lives. These illnesses develop over time and are largely caused due to leading an unhealthy lifestyle which consists of a poor diet, lack of exercise, etc. ​​Diabetes, High Cholesterol , High Blood Pressure and Thyroid disorders  are the four most common lifestyle problems among people in 2022 according to the IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023.

The World Health Organization estimates that these lifestyle diseases are responsible for 80% of all deaths worldwide. They are the leading cause of death in the developed world, and the numbers are increasing. Poor lifestyle choices are the main reason for these lifestyle illnesses which in turn result in the majority of these deaths. 

High Blood Pressure Is Still A Major Lifestyle Concern 

The report indicates that high blood pressure is still a cause for concern as it is still the most common ailment, which affects 24% of those polled.  This might be attributed to factors such as unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity and stress. Additionally, there is a lack of awareness regarding the risk factors associated with high blood pressure and the importance of regular monitoring. 

High Cholesterol is in second place affecting 18% of the population. This might be due to poor eating habits, lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking, consuming alcohol or family history. 

Diabetes is the third most common disease, affecting 17% of the population. Diabetes can be caused by excess weight, inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, junk food consumption, lack of sleep or a family history of the disease. When compared to its rivals, Thyroid disorders have a lower proportion of 7%. Iodine deficiency or any autoimmune illness might cause this sickness.

Lifestyle Diseases On The Rise 

The GOQii IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023 indicates that Lifestyle Illnesses over the last 3 years are consistently on the rise. The percentage of people with high blood pressure has increased from 23% in 2020 to 24% in 2022. High Blood Pressure still tops the chart.

Lifestyle diseases on the rise

High Cholesterol is another silent killer which has seen an increase. People with high cholesterol have increased from 16% in 2020 to 18% in 2022. People with Diabetes have increased from 15% in 2020 to 17% in 2022. The report indicates that 7% of people are suffering from Thyroid-related issues, out of which women are more affected by it than men. This has not changed over the years. 

To know more about how Lifestyle Diseases are impacting different age groups and cities within India, download the IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023 for a detailed breakdown here.

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Can’t Lose Weight? Try Intermittent Fasting!

intermittent fastingIt’s true that you can summit any mountain given you have the fortitude, mental strength and willpower. But more often than not, we come across weight loss struggles that no treadmill or fad diet in the world can solve. While you hack and plough your way through every routine your trainer throws at you with little or no results, your ideal weight seems that much farther from you. If you can’t lose weight, the answer doesn’t lie in pushing yourself to extremes. The answer, in fact, is quite simple. Two words: Intermittent Fasting!

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting simply means fasting for 15-16 hours post your dinner before breaking the fast with breakfast. If you are currently fasting for 12 hours post-dinner, then gradually increase it to 13 hours the first week and then 14 for the following to reach up to 16 hours of fasting time.

If you feel hungry, wait it out. Drink a large glass of water and distract yourself with something non-food related. You can make this more effective for weight loss by keeping a gap of a minimum of 4 hours between each meal, ensuring you start each meal with protein-rich foods. So ideally, you can have a breakfast of nuts, fruits and cereals at 10am, followed by lunch at 2pm which includes beans/pulses with rice/roti and a fresh vegetable salad. You can opt for egg, meat or fish too. Dinner can be had around 6pm with a vegetable or chicken soup with bread sticks. 

How Does It Help You Lose Weight? 

When you follow Intermittent Fasting with a 4-4-16 hour gap, you give insulin time to leave your body. Without energy from food, the body turns to your fat cells and the free fatty acids stored inside them for energy resource.

How to Break the Fast?

Eating protein as the first part of your meal, followed by complex carbohydrates, and finally any simple carbs allows proper utilisation of insulin. Eating in this order will help you get back into your Fat-Burning Zone much more quickly enabling you to lose weight effectively. This means you can begin your breakfast with some soaked nuts to grab on to proteins. You can opt for dairy or eggs depending on your food preferences too. Then include complex carbohydrates with fresh fiber rich fruits or vegetables followed by breakfast cereals that tend to be loaded with simple carbohydrates. 

For optimal benefit, combine Intermittent Fasting with good quality sleep, proper stress management and moderate exercise routine. 

Have you tried Intermittent Fasting before? A word of caution, please consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietician before attempting it. If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comments below!

Need more help on your weight loss journey? Check out Healthy Reads or sign up for GOQii Transform – a personalised weight management program. You can read more about it here: https://store.goqii.com/transform-weight-program

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Why Do We Gain Weight During Winter?

gain weight during winter

Have you noticed that you tend to gain weight during winter? While there are many factors at play here, is it true for everybody? If you’re one of those who gain weight during winter, it is best to know why it happens and take necessary measures to prevent it!

Let’s Analyse Why We Gain Weight During Winter

  1. Less Water Intake: As we aren’t thirsty and neither do we sweat as much as we do during summer, we tend to drink very little water which makes us lethargic and fatigued. The usual signs like dry and flaky skin is an indicator that one is not having enough water. We use moisturisers instead and not increase water intake which gives more room for frequent infection and dehydration leading to headache and dry cough
  2. Not Exercising Enough: With the pleasant winter chills, it is a little difficult to get off the couch or bed. This leads to fewer calories being burned and as a result, weight gain!
  3. Increased Production of Melatonin: Less sunlight and shorter days affect our hormones and some people tend to produce more of the hormone melatonin which controls our sleep-wake cycle. This increased production of melatonin induces sleep when it is not the time to sleep, making one lazy, lacking motivation and energy. It also increases appetite and leads to eating more.
  4. Increase in Metabolism: While this sounds great, it doesn’t really support your weight loss goals during winter. The sudden increase in metabolism will burn more calories to keep you warm but it will also make you hungrier.
  5. Staying Indoors: makes us lazy and bored. When bored, we begin binge-watching followed by binge-eating comfort or fried food which is high in sugar and salt. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that this contributes to weight gain as well.  

How Do We Prevent Gaining Weight This Season?

There is an effective way to break the vicious cycle of more sleep, less healthy food and little to no exercise! Here’s how you can avoid gaining weight during winter.

  1. Choose Foods Wisely: Choose healthy, home-cooked meals such as soups. Opt for green tea. You can even add natural spices to your meals which are warm and benefit your health. Choose foods which can be paired with others or can be eaten any time of the day. Swap options like sauces available in markets to homemade hummus or dips.
  2. Pick a Hobby: Concentrate on other things like hobbies, sports, painting or reading books. You can even clean your house if you’ve been postponing it. Do something that engages you instead of finding comfort in food.
  3. Time Your Sleep: Maintain sleep timings which will set your circadian rhythm and help you stay active through the day or take power naps in the afternoon instead of sleeping for long hours
  4. Exercise: Plan indoor activities and exercises like yoga, skipping, stair activities which will help you be active more regularly. In fact, you can tune in to GOQii Play and browse some indoor workouts by fitness experts or yoga and meditation by yoga specialists. You can even opt for making group plans which have less chances of failure. If you can’t find a group, join our LIVE, interactive, GOQii PRO sessions conducted by experts within the GOQii App. 

That’s all! Mind what you eat, sleep on time and exercise regularly to not gain weight during winter. We hope you found this article useful! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on weight loss, fitness and being healthy, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Can Running Lead To Muscle Loss?

running lead to muscle loss

Running is excellent cardio workout and a popular form of exercise. It is a simple way to stay active, improve stamina, build stronger bones and lose extra pounds. Running does not have great prerequisites, just determination and the correct technique can help you get started. It is a proven way to lose body fat, but can running also lead to muscle loss? There are some myths around this area of running. Let us look into the possibilities and know what happens to your body when you run. 

Does Running Lead To Muscle Loss? 

Running is an endurance activity which means it uses the aerobic energy system to generate energy. Glycogen and fat stores are majorly used to provide energy during the run duration. The switch between glycogen and fat uses some amino acids for short term energy use. In case of a low fuel store or adequate energy availability, muscles are broken down for energy. If you continue running in this state, your muscle mass decreases, causing fatigue, muscle injury and dehydration. 

What Can You Do To Prevent It? 

  • Balance your diet: Diet should be well balanced in carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Plenty of vegetables and fruits should be included to get the nutrients for muscle building. 
  • Plan on pre and post run meals: Having a pre-workout meal can support your energy during a run and keep your glycogen levels up to the mark. Muscles continue to breakdown after an exercise, so a good post workout meal aids recovery. Having foods high in carbohydrates and proteins will prevent muscle breakdown and promote muscle building. 
  • Focus on protein intake: It is recommended to have 0.8-1g of protein for beginners and 1.2 to 1.5g per kg of body weight for seasoned runners. Having protein in post workout meals will promote muscle protein synthesis.
  • Incorporate strength and resistance training along with running, to improve your muscle mass. High intensity running, like sprinting, improves muscle mass and should be incorporated in the training. Weight training with a good diet will increase your muscle mass and muscle endurance capacity. 
  • Stay hydrated to prevent muscle cramps and injuries: Make it a point to keep on drinking water every 10-15 mins to keep up with the fluids lost while sweating. You can also add electrolytes, coconut water or sweet lime water, if you’re planning for a half marathon or more. 

Preventing muscle loss is definitely avoidable by following correct training and a good diet! We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more on muscles and fitness, check out Healthy Reads or book a live, interactive, online session, conducted by certified experts on GOQii PRO through the GOQii App. 

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