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September 13, 2016 By Hira Junaid 1 Comment

8 Foods you should include in your Pre-Workout Meal

Most people who work out regularly are very particular about their body and fitness levels. However,one of the main questions that they constantly battle within themselves is whether to feed or fast before a workout?For your body to continue performing well, you’ve got to fuel up-and that means eating the right foods before your workout. Not eating before a workout can result in low blood sugar, which leads to fatigue.

Manuel Villacorta, R.D., author of Eating Free and Peruvian Power Foods says, “If I don’t have my pre-exercise meal, my workout isn’t the same and it feels like a waste.” “If you fuel correctly, you will work out harder,” he adds.

Here are some Pre work out food options :

We are well aware that protein is vital for muscle growth and carbs are crucial for energy.But, certain foods are better than others for fueling up your body before you work out. After all, you use different muscles and burn out different levels of calories depending on if you’re lifting, doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or doing cardio.

Eating clean prior will give you the pump to rip up that work out. You should ideally eat at least 1 hour before the work out. This will do three things: sustain energy, boost your performance and speed up the recovery process.

Pre-workout food needs to have carbohydrates, some protein and some fat, to get you through longer workouts by providing you with energy. It also has to be light enough so that it doesn’t weigh you down or make you lethargic.

FRUITS

Fruits- mainly Banana and Apple are one of the most perfect pre workout food as they are loaded with digestible carbs, packed with minerals such as potassium and fiber which helps to maintain both nerve and muscle function. According to Dr. Louise Burke, head of Sports Nutrition at the Australian Institute of Sport and coauthor of The Complete Guide to Food for Sports Performance: Peak Nutrition for Your Sport, Bananas are nature’s Power Bar. They are also linked in lowering the blood pressure, boosting the alertness, etc.The carbs from fruits break down quickly and the protein is used later to prevent the damage of muscle.

PEANUT BAR

Peanut bar is a perfect pre workout snack if you’re hitting the gym straight from work/office, as these are portable and energizing yet wholesome. It provides carbs to fuel up your muscles and is rich in fiber, protein, necessary fats, etc. It will keep your stomach satisfied and the energy levels up.

GREEK YOGURT

It has double the amount of protein than a regular yogurt, has fewer carbs, sodium, and sugars, making it a pre-workout supplement power house. Unless you’re lactose intolerant, it is very easy on the stomach. What you get is a mix of fast and slow digesting proteins, which provide muscle-building amino acids while you work out. You can add fruit, whole-grain cereal or honey, for an extra kick of energy.

AVOCADO

For a sustained workout, eating an avocado just a few hours prior can provide valuable and healthy fat for that energy boost when depletion of carbohydrates occur. A small avocado is enoughsince you don’t need a lot of fat. But, don’t be afraid of this kind of fat. Avocado also contains vitamins that help your body metabolize all those healthy carbs and proteins you’ve been packing away.

NUTS & SEEDS

Munching nuts and seeds is the best for pre-workout nutrition as they cover all your macronutrient bases, having carbs, protein, and fat. Eating a few nuts/seeds during a sustained workout can also provide a boost of energy to keep you going during endurance activities. I personally love chia seeds, as they’re loaded with omega-3 fats for sustained energy, protein, and antioxidants. Having these just a few hours before a long, intense workout can really help in fueling up. You can even have them during sustained activity such as trekking or cycling to get a boost of energy.

ALMOND BUTTER/ PEANUT BUTTER

High in protein and unsaturated fats, Almond butter and peanut butter are great for your pre-workout meal. They are minimally processed with few added sugars and also has double the cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fat. Moreover, almonds can protect against insulin resistance and prediabetes. Spread Almond/Peanut butter on a slice of wholegrain bread for a long, slow-burning energy supply.

OATS

They are packed with fiber and you must be aware of why fiber is important for your diet. Slowly releasing glucose into the bloodstream without the insulin spike, and B vitamins boosts metabolic conversion, oatmeal gives you satiation and sustained energy. Steel-cut oats are the least processed as they are finely chopped. Ready-to-cook or instant oats are precooked, dried and mostly contain added sugar. So swap that instant oats pack with steel-cut oats.

WHOLEGRAIN BREAD

Wholegrain bread is a very good source of carbs. And, you can top it up with honey, low fat spread like almond butter, or eggs for high quality protein supplement etc. This means it has flexible partners. If you’re to hit the gym during lunch hours, eat this about 45 minutes before you head out.

Plan your exercise for the day, add some pre-workout supplements and nosh on these foods to fuel up your body to give your best during the workout.

So, how are you fueling up today?

August 26, 2016 By Trishala Chopra Leave a Comment

Know what Bone Mineral Density is ?

Woman are always considered to be the torch bearer of health and to pass on that heritage to the future generations, just like our grandmother did for our mother and everyone in the family. But, it is not easy to leave behind a legacy of health and harmony. To be able to do that women need to make sure that they make time for themselves amidst all the responsibilities they shoulder both at home and outside of home and lead a healthy life with good nutrition, exercise and rest.

IMPORTANT POINTS THAT ALL WOMEN SHOULD KNOW:-

Bone mineral density or also called as BMD is the density of minerals such as calcium which is present in the bone.
Bone mineral density reduces drastically in post-menopausal women
Bone mass is lost after a certain age.
In post-menopausal women, calcium is leached out of the body which is why they are at a higher risk of developing bone issues.
Bones naturally become thinner and this condition is called as ‘osteopenia’.
Bones loose minerals such as calcium, becomes less dense and gradually becomes porous which makes the bones more susceptible to fractures
If the bone gets more thinner, ‘osteopenia’ can lead to ‘osteoporosis’
So thicker the bones, longer it takes to cause osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Bone mineral density tests should be done to check the exact peak density of the bone.
It the tests results shows that bone density is a bit lower than normal which means that it is the start of osteopenia. In such cases, bone density can be increased.
Adequate calcium plays a key role in maintaining bone density.
It is advisable that all the women who have crossed 35 years of age and post- menopausal women should get their bone mineral density checked. After all ‘PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE’!

THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO DELAY BONE THINNING:-

It the tests results shows that bone density is a bit lower than normal which means that it is the start of osteopenia then the bone density can be increased by exercising, lifting weights, consuming adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D
Consuming adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D are the key to strengthen your bones.
Vitamin D helps in absorption of calcium in the body hence both of these nutrients go hand in hand.
Include lots of dark green leafy veggies which are a very good source of calcium.
Along with calcium, potassium and magnesium are also responsible in maintaining the bone health though in small amounts. Low levels of magnesium can hinder vitamin D balance.
Dairy products are again a well-known and rich source of calcium.
Most of the foods are fortified with calcium these days so that the peak bone mass problem does not occur in early ages.
Calcium supplements are also available which can be consumed.
Handful of almonds in your diet can be a very good calcium source.

Bone loss and Osteoporosis can be prevented in the future. So keep healthy- healthy habits such as eating foods in rich in calcium and Vitamin D and doing strength and weight bearing exercises such as walking, running, cycling or dancing all help.

July 25, 2016 By Luke Coutinho 3 Comments

Why eating too healthy is dangerous for your health

Fruit diets, fruit juice diets, banana and milk diets, high protein diets, chia seed infused water, salads, Vegan food, sugarless snacks, low-fat foods, organic foods, fortified foods, innumerable ranges of organic vitamins, supplements etc……

We have it all….We also have more obesity, more cancer, more diabetes, more depression, more mental decay, more medication, more vitamin deficiencies, more time spent with doctors and in hospitals.

In our endeavor to get healthy, we may actually be doing more harm than good, if we don’t understand the physiology of the human body and mind. Too much of a good thing is bad…..even food… Yes, fruits are extremely nutrient dense foods but, it does not mean we constantly eat them.
Protein is needed, it’s good for repair, tone, muscle, recovery but, it does not mean we need more and more of it.

Many fats may be bad, but it does not mean we stop eating fat completely. It’s a very common belief that to be healthy, we need to eat more and more healthy foods.

Pure Ghee on a fresh hot wheat roti? What’s’ worse, the ghee or the roti?

Most people say that Ghee, is a fat and fat causes cholesterol and high cholesterol causes heart attacks… which really isn’t’ the case in most people who have cardiac arrests or strokes. There are many other reasons. I would worry about the roti, the wheat, where has the wheat come from, is it GMO? How processed is it?

Our beliefs about healthy foods need to be balanced with the understanding of what our body really needs and how our body assimilates nutrients from the food we eat.

A fruit diet is not going to do anything but cleansing……

Too much protein intake is going to do more harm than just repair or muscle build. This is when good food turns bad. When we have too much of even a good thing, it ceases to be good, and can in fact cause harm. There is absolutely no doubt that fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and all things good, and that they also contain fibre, which prevents constipation and other gastric problems. But, too much fibre (for instance, when you eat platefuls of raw green leafy vegetables or salads like radish day in and out) can mess things up – big time. Excess fibre often causes bloating, abdominal cramps and gas right away.

In the long term, it can interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, causing some serious deficiencies. Fruits also contain natural sugars, no harm in that but, too much is bad…your body only uses what it needs, the rest gets stored as fat or becomes waste and all waste is waste, whether it’s a fruit or a samosa. Waste is toxic.

Insane workouts or working out too much, I have a question for you, is it really working? are you really getting the desired body you have in mind? Or are you using exercise as a way of punishing your body because you ate too much?

It just doesn’t work, your body has a life, so does your bones, your muscles and joints and over exercising will decrease your bone density, deplete vitamins from your body , raise cortisol levels, decrease immunity and leave you with ‘STUBBORN BELLY FAT AND LOVE HANDLES’…

The body needs not more than 30 minutes of smart exercise to stay health and if your fat and you are trying to lose weight, more exercise DOES NOT mean more exercise…it means looking smartly at your food choices, your alcohol intake, your sleep, your stress levels, your sugar and the consistency of your exercise program.

Does your choice of exercise suit your body or are you just following the latest fad ?

The body needs protein to repair and build muscle, but eating excessive amounts won’t do the job better. In fact, in a diet where the protein intake goes beyond 30 per cent of the daily caloric intake, a build-up of toxic ketones in the body may occur, causing the kidneys to go into overdrive in an attempt to flush them out. This may lead to a significant loss of water and calcium from the body, causing dehydration and bone loss.

Symptoms include a feeling of weakness and dizziness, dry skin, loss of hair, low appetite, nausea and bad breath. In the long term, this may strain the kidneys, stretch out the liver and put stress on your heart too.

Weight loss efforts go bust too, as excess protein is converted into fat. Another problem is that while making protein into carbs or fat, the body converts the protein’s nitrogen into urea or uric acid. In large amounts, this can mess up your kidneys, lead to gout (a condition that causes your joints to become inflamed, tender and painful to move) and cause gallstones and kidney stones.”

Be super careful with protein shakes and bars. The body can process only about four to five grams of protein per hour, so the 50 grams you got from that protein bar or shake will take about 10 hours to digest and absorb. Also, when you replace your meals with protein shakes, you run the risk of missing the vitamins and nutrients you get from real food.

The Japanese eat soya and stay healthy and live longer. It is high in protein and has zero cholesterol. So what could be wrong with that?

That’s true, but, what is also true is that most Japanese eat only about 8 to 10g of soy protein a day, and even soya causes problems when eaten in excess. If overeaten, it may promote cancer, dementia, reproductive abnormalities, and osteoporosis and thyroid disorders. Increased consumption could also increase a woman’s total estrogen level, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.

For men, excessive soya can raise the risk of infertility, physical changes, and hormonal havoc.

The body will only use what it needs…anything in excess becomes fat or waste and both are detrimental to your mind-body health.

May 11, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

“I thought I knew all about fitness until my GOQii Coach broke all myths”

He has been a fitness freak for the last 15 years. But, he was always under the impression that he knew it all until one day when all his myths about fitness and nutrition were busted. Now along with his regular fitness regime and better eating habits, Samir Dedhia is aiming for four pack abs and take his fitness to the next level…..let us hear from him what changes has he personally brought within himself after so many years of fitness training and how he took his fitness to the next level…..

I have been working out in the gym for the last 15 yrs. I have been on supplements and done lots of R&D on fitness and health. For the longest time, I thought I knew everything about diets, health, and supplements. In fact, my friends used to take advice from me on how to work out what to eat. I was their default go-to man for all their queries on fitness and nutrition. I had reached the stage in fitness where I was now looking for a fitness tracker or some device that could take my fitness to the next level.

What attracted me to GOQii is the product itself. I found it very different from the rest of the fitness products in the market that were there. It was different in the sense that, you have gyms, you have dieticians and you have things like the pedometer and they are three different things. And this was like two things combined i.e. an activity tracker and a coach who is a nutritionist. I became a part of GOQii since the beginning of its start in 2014.

GOQii was a total game changer for me. It has been a fantastic eye opener. The way my coach Vrushali dealt with me, the tips that she gave me on a real time basis was actually required by me at that point in time when I came on board to be able to take my fitness to the next level. Also, she broke all the myths I had on fitness and nutrition.

Broke myths in the sense that I had my own assumptions and presumptions about how fitness should be, diet etc. The myths I had around the combination of foods that you take, what to eat when, how much of carbs should you eat, and not mixing fruits with meals, water intake, what helps you to reach fitness goals etc.

For the last 15 years, my daily routine has been to work out for 45 minutes 6 times a week. Also, following a heavy diet has been a part of my routine, but everything was built on my myth. And then when I interacted with my coach all these concepts I had, were broken instantly and I am clear now on all concepts of fitness and nutrition.

Vrushali gave me the ideal nutritional tips for the kind of workouts I did. There were no major changes brought about to accommodate these tips. I always used to eat good healthy food but never realized I over ate or I mixed wrong food combinations like eating double carbs source in 1 meal etc. ( use to have Rice and Roti together in my meal). Then, by just altering my style of eating, I saw drastic changes which I never came across earlier when I was working out on my own.

Another major eye opener for me was that my water intake was very poor and I just realized when my coach noticed that it was poor. Now, I have at least 2.5 litres per day for the last 6 months.

What also helped me was that I was training alone for so many years and there was a certain level of boredom setting in. That was when my coach took over and kept me motivated all the time and that kept me going. Coaching has definitely added more value since I was already into all this, I was already fit and this was an add-on. After a point coaching helps as it makes you accountable.

On a real-time basis, there are a lot of ups and downs that a player has and you need someone to constantly monitor you and keep your focus. Vrushali used to tell me Samir you are diverting from your goals. You need someone at all times.

Overall fantastic change in my life to the extent that I picked bands for wife- cousins – business partner- gym buddy- office staff etc. etc.

What does Coach VrushaliAthavale have to say about Samir Dedhia?

Samir is a disciplined, dedicated person who works religiously on things once he is convinced about. There were very few visible things which needed to be changed in his routine like the correct combination of foods, increasing his protein intake which was not matching his hardcore workouts and improve water intake. We started with one habit at a time wherein the first habit was to reduce his carbohydrate intake at a time in a meal i.e instead of having rice and roti both at a time, we changed to consume either of them. This made a lot of difference in body fat%. We then moved to make sure his protein intake is sufficient enough to help him reach his goal of getting a lean body and along with this proper intake of fiber and increased intake of water.