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November 23, 2023 By Farida Gohil 2 Comments

Top four reasons why diets fail?

494985-belly-fat

The battle of the bulge is on –any movement on the scale yet? “Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance,” says Jessica Bartfield, MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at the Loyala Centre for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care.

Despite the fact that two-thirds of Americans say they are on a diet to improve their health, very few are actually decreasing in size. According to Bartfield, “Dieting is a skill, much like riding a bicycle, and requires practice and good Instructions.” But, this is not a case unique to the Americans alone, it is the case with most people on the heavier side and who go on diets to lose weight. Their constant complaint is that they do not lose weight.

Here are top four reasons why dieters don’t lose weight?

  1. Underestimating Calories Consumed

Most people underestimate the number of calories they eat per day. Writing down everything that you eat-including drinks and “bites” or “tastes” of food – can help increase self-awareness. Pay attention to serving sizes and use measuring cups and spoons as serving utensils to keep portions reasonable. Foods eaten outside of the home tends to be in much larger portion sizes and much higher in calories. So try and look up nutrition information of your favourite take-out meal or restaurant and select a healthy meal before picking up the phone or going out to eat.

  1. Overestimating Activity and Calories burned

Typically you need to cut 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb (pound) per week. This is very difficult to achieve through exercise alone, and would require 60 minutes or more of vigorous activity every day. A more attainable goal would be to try and increase activity throughout the day and get a total of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. Buy a tracker to track your steps; try to increase your goal of 10,000 steps per day. But, be careful – exercise is not an excuse to eat more!

  1. Poor Timing of Meals

You need a steady stream of glucose throughout the day to maintain optimal energy and to prevent metabolism from slowing down. Eat breakfast everyday within one hour of waking up, then eat a healthy snack or meal every two to three hours. Try not to go longer than 5 hours without eating a healthy snack or meal to keep your metabolism steady.

  1. Inadequate sleep

Studies have shown that people who get fewer than six hours of sleep have higher levels of ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite, particularly for high-carbohydrate/high-calorie foods. In addition, less sleep raises levels of cortisol, a stress hormone which can lead to weight gain.

Avoid doing the above mentioned, avoid go on diets and have a normal balanced meal daily and you will be able to maintain your weight and health.

Good health practices are more than just learnt, they become a regular habit and a way of life.

If you found these tips valuable and have more questions or thoughts to share, drop a comment below! Explore more insights on maintaining a healthy diet through Healthy Reads. For personalized information and guidance, subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

November 7, 2019 By Varsha Jangid 1 Comment

The Difference Between Keto, Paleo and Atkins

keto, atkins and paleo

With fad diets running around in full swing, you’re bound to wonder what they are about. To give you a quick gist, Keto, Atkins and Paleo are all low carbohydrate diets that serve different purposes. To understand the difference between them, let’s delve into details first!

1. Ketogenic or Keto Diet

This diet was created in the 1920s as a mode of treating epilepsy. The classic Keto diet requires 90% of the calories coming from fat, 6% from proteins and 4% from carbohydrates. The purpose of this diet is to force the body to go into ketosis, which is a metabolic state that utilizes fat for energy instead of glucose (i.e. from Carbs).

Although the diet is low-carb, its main focus is to be high in fat with some protein. There are no restrictions on the type of fat to be consumed.  So followers can have bacon, avocados, butter, etc.

Pros:

  • High-fat and high-protein foods keep you fuller for longer.
  • You can eat up to four ounces of cheese (For some of us, that’s key).
  • Protein is more limited than on Atkins, so your liver will not end up processing it.
  • Your cholesterol is going to get better as the good cholesterol will go up and the bad triglycerides will go down.
  • It can also help lower blood pressure.
  • The keto diet has been shown, in some studies, to improve the health of women with PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome), reduce cholesterol, decrease seizures in epileptic children, and improve acne.

Cons: 

  • Have you heard of the Keto flu? When you start the diet, you may begin feeling grumpy and foggy while your body and brain adjust to using ketones instead of glucose for fuel. The Keto flu can last from 2 days to 2 weeks.
  • You cannot eat any fruit.
  • As the fiber content in the diet is low, it can cause issues such as constipation.
  • You need to be careful about dehydration.
  • You need to get ketone urine testing strips to confirm you’re in ketosis at regular intervals.
  • If you are accustomed to a high-fiber diet, you might need a supplement.
  • If you are on medication for hypertension, diabetes, or other conditions, you must talk to a doctor before starting the diet.

2. Atkins Diet

This diet is specifically labelled as a low-carb diet. There are 2 versions of Atkins diet: Atkin 20 which is the original diet and Atkin 40, which is a diet created for those looking to lose less than 40 pounds (approx. 18 kg).

The Classic Atkins diet has 4 phases: The 1st phase starts off with having 20-25gms of carbs per day and then slowly progresses to phase 4 in which people are allowed 80-100gms of carbs, which is still considered low-carb.

Atkins focuses on net carb intake. Instead of counting all carbs as the same, this diet takes fiber and sugars into account, whereas Paleo and Keto don’t. So if a food has 10gms of carbs, but 3gms of fiber, and 1gm of sugar, than your net carb intake would be 6gms.

Pros: 

  • You won’t be hungry. You will feel satisfied.
  • Weight comes off quickly, although some of it will be water weight. 
  • The four phases allow you to slowly add some carbs back in, making it somewhat easier to sustain. 
  • Atkins has a line of snack bars, shakes, and frozen meals, which make compliance convenient.
  • There is evidence that the diet helps improve both cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Cons: 

  • Your initial dramatic weight loss is a whole lot of water — you won’t keep losing at the same level and the minute you eat carbs again it will come back on. 
  • You eat too much protein, which can cause serious liver issues.
  • This can also prevent you from going into ketosis, which means you won’t lose weight. 
  • Eating barely any carbs can, at first, make you feel cranky, lethargic, and even achy — mainly because your brain takes time to adjust from processing glucose to ketones.
  • Being in a state of ketosis causes stinky breath — and since bad breath doesn’t come from your mouth, brushing isn’t going to help.
  • The Atkins line of foods and snacks often contain artificial sweeteners and other processed ingredients.

3. Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet follows the eating pattern followed during the Paleolithic era, 2.6 million years ago, which is basically eating like a hunter- gatherer. It focuses mostly on a high-protein diet with lots of vegetables and fruit. Unlike Keto and Atkins, this diet doesn’t aim to be low-carb. It cuts down the intake of carbs from grains, dairy, legumes, refined and processed foods.

While keto diet doesn’t discriminate between the types of fats that needs to be included, the Paleo diet advises its followers to avoid certain types of oils and trans-fats. Although you can eat all the peanut butter you want to on a keto diet, the paleo diet cuts out the peanut butter because technically peanuts are classified under legumes.

Pros: 

  • The focus of Paleo is on whole, nutrient-dense foods.
  • You can have proteins, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats (like those from avocado, nuts, and seeds). 
  • Low-glycemic diets have been shown to lower blood sugar and cholesterol and reduce visceral fat. 
  • You don’t have to give up sweets, as long as they are natural (honey, maple syrup, etc.). 
  • People with gut issues may find eliminating wheat, dairy, and processed foods also eliminates digestive discomfort. 
  • It is higher in fiber and other nutrients than Atkins and Keto.

Cons: 

  • The diet is restrictive and difficult to implement. 
  • Be prepared to shop and cook for every meal, because it’s challenging to eat out on Paleo. 
  • This diet might burn a hole in your pockets as grass-fed meats, free-range poultry and organic produce are expensive. 
  • Without dairy, you may need to increase your efforts to consume enough calcium. 
  • Weight loss, if any, may be more gradual than on the other diets.

While GOQii does not advocate, promote or instruct its players to follow fad diets, if you’re still adamant on choosing any one of these, you may want to consult your GOQii Coach within the app, nutritionist or dietician before proceeding as the same diet doesn’t work for everyone. You might even want to check with your doctor in case you have food allergies.

We hope this article helps you! Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

March 12, 2018 By Palak Mittal 12 Comments

10 health and diet tips for Women

eating-healthy-and-exercising

March 8th is considered International woman’s day but at GOQii we dedicate this whole month to focus on Women’s health. This month, I want you to sit back and relax and take some time out to focus on your health. I have carved out some easy-to-follow tips that will help you keep up with your health and fitness along with your diet habits.

Here are some of the health and diet tips every woman must follow to remain healthy and fit

  1. Do not cut out any food groups from your diet

If you are dieting, do not think of cutting down on any food groups, be it carbohydrate or fat. Include lean proteins, calcium and other nutritional foods that will help your body function better. All you need to do is to ensure portion control and not go overboard, especially with unhealthy foods. Moderation is the key to a healthy you!

  1. Load up on lots of water

Water is the one solution to all your health problems; it helps flush out the hazardous toxins produced in the body due to poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, et al. Drink lots of water or just add some lemon and honey to make it healthier. Not only will it help keep your body hydrated but also will leave your skin glowing.

  1. Kick-start your day with a healthy and heavy breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; no matter how busy or caught up you are, take out some time to indulge in a good and healthy breakfast full of proteins to keep you energized through the day.

  1. Do not obsess over dieting

One must not obsess over dieting. It is okay to accept your body as it is; what is important is to ensure eating healthy and keeping yourself physically fit. Focus on building your stamina and engage in exercises.

  1. Feed your skin with healthy and natural ingredients

It shouldn’t be only your overall health but also your skin that needs some attention. For once, toss your chemical-laden commercial skincare products and use natural kitchen ingredients instead. They will help you get a gleaming skin.

  1. Do not forget to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise

 It is not just your diet that will ensure a healthy body, but also some physical activity or exercise. It is not necessary to spend two hours at the gym, but just 30 minutes of your favourite outdoor sport, gaming, running, walking, et al can help you out.

  1. Get yourself checked every six months

In order to take care of others in the family, we neglect minute health problems we generally go through. Take some time out and get your body checked for any suspicious growth or anything that you think should be flagged before it gets too late. Go in for a comprehensive health check up once in a year.

  1. Do not stop yourself from indulging

Keeping yourself healthy does not mean you forget munching on your favourite foods. Indulge in these foods once in a while to make yourself and your tummy happy and going. Do make sure you don’t overeat only to ruin your diet.

  1. Stop stressing! Include bright coloured foods to up your mood and get going

Nowadays, stress has become synonymous with us humans and one cannot avoid considering the many pressures in personal and professional lives. Load up on de-stressing foods and include more bright coloured fruits and vegetables in your diet that will help liven up your mood instantly.

  1. Avoid smoking and alcohol

While occasional drinking is fine, making it a lifestyle habit is extremely dangerous. Not only do smoking and drinking cut short your lifespan, but also make you look a lot older and dull.

Follow these basic health and diet tips to lead a positive, fit and enduring life!

November 28, 2017 By Zehra Fatima 4 Comments

Myths and Facts about Dieting

diet myths

Dieting is synonymous with Weight loss. But what does dieting mean? There is a lot of misconception among people that going on a diet means not eating enough food is dieting.

Let’s clear this misconception by proper examples and scientific approach.

1. Dieting means to skip meals?

The major misconception that leads to health risk is skipping meals which people assume will help them to achieve weight loss. Skipping meals will only increase acidity levels, more food cravings and large portion size. The sensible approach is to take lesser quantity food at regular intervals what we call as “small ad frequent meals”.

2.Reducing calories

Reducing calories doesn’t mean you skip your major course meals, for instance, skipping rice, roti or oats. The smart approach is to fill your stomach with low calorie and more fluid foods. If you take a salad plate include more cucumber and sprouts which will fill your stomach with a good amount of food but are low in calories.

3.Restrict non-vegetarian food

The non-vegetarian food contains all the essential amino acids that lack in vegetarian or vegan food. However, food preference is a matter of choice for each individual. If you choose chicken, fish or lean beef you are probably increasing proteins in your diet. Make sure the portion size is not more. Your plate should have more of low calorie, high protein food and less of calorie dense food.

4. Cut back on carbs to lose weight.

Carbohydrates come in different forms: simple and complex. Simple carbs found in foods like cookies and candy lack vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Cutting back on these sweets is a great way to eat healthier. Foods with complex carbs like whole-wheat bread, beans, and fruit, have lots of nutrients that are good for you. Cut back on simple carbs but keep complex carbs on the menu.

5. You need fat in your diet. Fat keeps you full and satisfied.

Fat is the slowest food component to clear the stomach. For ages, it was assumed that fatty foods slow digestion and keep you feeling full longer. Recent research proves that the proportion of sugar and fat has little or no difference in satiety ratings. What’s more, fat actually has twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates. In reality, protein tends to leave people feeling more satisfied than either carbohydrates or fat while fibre and whole grains affect feelings of fullness and satisfaction. To stay full longer, eat healthy foods that are high in fibre, like fruits and veggies and lots of healthy whole grains.

6. Only dieting will promote weight loss.

Weight loss is 50% with proper diet (as mentioned above) and 50% with exercise. You need to burn already stored calories in the body to lose weight. Extra calories and extra carbs are converted into fat in the body for storage. Extra proteins get converted to uric acid. You need to burn out and eliminate that extra energy. Choose exercise from low intensity to gradually increasing to moderate and then high.

7.Detoxification is the quickest way to lose weight.

The truth is that while detox actually does help you lose weight very quickly, most of the weight loss is body water and the weight will come right back on as soon as you stop doing it. Detox can also help you lose stool through diarrhoea and that will cause your weight to drop fast but as soon as you eat, the stool will build up again. You can lose only so much weight when participating in a cleanse diet. It is much better to lose weight the conventional way—through eating a low-calorie diet and exercising in order to lose the extra pounds.

 

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