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July 19, 2023 By Luke Coutinho 6 Comments

Digestion: The Secret to Losing Weight

digestionHow often are you worried about that sneaky fat creeping up around your mid-section, a bloated belly after you eat or low energy sabotaging your workout? What do all of these have in common? They’re all reflections of the direct relationship between sluggish digestion, slow metabolism and weight gain. Overeating during the holidays and engaging in less physical activity means this process can really snowball in the winter.

However, The Good News!

By increasing digestive efficiency with diet, lifestyle and targeted supplements, we can effectively shed extra fat, boost metabolism and support nearly every other area of health in the process.
Good digestion goes beyond the idea that “You are what you eat”.

Digestion is at the very center of our core health. It sets the foundation for health, happiness and well-being. We now have greater insight into the many roles digestion plays in immunity, hormone balance, and even mental and emotional health.

Traditional healing practices around the world, especially traditional Asian medicine, have long recognized these relationships. In fact, some Eastern medical systems treat nearly every disease by addressing the digestive system. And most often, when we optimize it, everything else comes into balance — particularly, the bathroom scale.

Herbs & Supplements For Digestion 

The close relationship between herbs and supplements are mirrored by the fact that certain nutrients and herbs that support digestion also increase metabolism. They work by promoting mitochondrial function while also encouraging efficient nutrient breakdown and assimilation.

Other digestive-supporting herbs and ingredients work by increasing digestive enzymes, improving circulation while helping to soothe inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and throughout the body.

Black Pepper & Other Spices

Pungent culinary herbs and spices have long been recognized as digestive aids. Their strong aromas and spicy flavors stimulate the production of digestive enzymes for better food breakdown. They also bring warmth and circulation to the system to clear stagnation.

Their strong antimicrobial properties generally promote a healthy digestive environment. And now, researchers are finding that such long-cherished digestive aids also work in other ways to promote healthy weight. For example, black pepper, a spice that has been cherished for its ability to support digestion, works on a genetic level to block the formation of fat cells, helping to control weight. Black pepper is also mixed with the amazing Curcumin (Turmeric extract) to boost metabolism and weight loss.

Probiotics

Another factor that affects digestive health is the use of Probiotics. These friendly bacteria evolved with us to offer countless health benefits — particularly for digestion. New roles for these bacteria are continually being revealed.

Around the world, fermented probiotic foods, such as sauerkraut and miso, have been used for digestive and overall health. Probiotics help break down food into essential nutrients and efficiently eliminate wastes.

They control inflammation, support immunity and keep harmful bacteria at bay, while producing numerous enzymes and nutrients we need for digestion and overall health. Unsweetened yogurt is the easier bet to get your share of Probiotics. But, a new research shows these also play a key role in healthy weight management.

One Probiotic species in particular, Lactobacillus Gasseri, has been shown to reduce visceral fat (the dangerous fat around your midsection), by up to 9 percent after three months.

Cinnamon, Cardamom, Turmeric (Curcumin) & Ginger

The herbs Cinnamon, Cardamom, Turmeric (Curcumin) and Ginger are also excellent to improve digestive capacity, support metabolism and reduce inflammation. Asian medicine uses ginger to treat stomach aches. It’s generally considered safe when taken in small doses i.e. 1 to 3 grams per day.

They help warm the digestive system and reduce occasional digestive discomfort, and support healthy digestive function, metabolism and nutrient absorption.

Since digestion and metabolism are so closely linked with other systems of the body, it’s critical to take a holistic approach for healthy weight management and overall wellness. Stress in particular can wreak havoc on all systems but is especially harmful to digestion and metabolism.

Regular meditation and mind-body stress relief practices such as yoga and Tai Chi can help reduce inflammation, increase energy production and support overall digestion. In fact, almost any type of regular exercise can significantly support digestive and metabolic health. Good eating habits are also important. Our mothers were right when they said, “Don’t skip breakfast“. You can throw your metabolism out of balance and cause extra fat storage.

Chew Slowly

Thorough chewing of food and eating at a relaxed pace benefits digestion and weight in two ways, firstly, the extra chewing breaks down food more thoroughly, making it easier to absorb nutrients. Secondly, by proceeding slowly it allows time for your brain to receive the signal that you’re full, reducing the chance of overeating.

Whether you’re someone who eats to live or lives to eat, improving your digestion with targeted natural solutions produces ripple effects across all areas of health, not just weight. The first things you’ll notice when your digestion is functioning better are increased energy, less bloating, reduced water retention, more efficient elimination and a better sense of overall well-being.

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Find more articles on weight loss here or get these tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

June 30, 2023 By Palak Mittal 11 Comments

How To Break a Weight Loss Plateau

weight loss plateau

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

It’s pretty common and nothing to get discouraged about. It is normal for weight loss to slow down and even stall. But, by understanding what causes a weight loss plateau, you can decide how to respond and avoid backsliding on your new healthy habits.

Here are some ways you can overcome a weight loss plateau to stay on track and keep going!

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

Weight Loss Plateau - Eat more proteinProtein 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

Breaking weight loss - Eat more veggiesVegetables 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!

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! You can also find more articles on weight loss here. If you want to overcome a weight loss plateau and need some advice or guidance, reach out to our experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

May 4, 2023 By Urvi Gohil 3 Comments

5 Fat Loss Mistakes You Might Be Making

fat loss mistakesThe internet can be useful, there’s no denying it. Those fun DIY tricks and videos that can help you learn a new skill-set are pretty awesome indeed! But everything in this world has a downside and sadly, the internet has one too! While the internet helps you discover new things every day, it also leads you to fake news, tips and ‘hacks’ for instance – Quick Fat Loss Tips or Lose Fat in 10 days.

While there is no shortage of news that can lead you astray, you need to understand that there is no shortcut to fat loss and losing weight! Let’s bust some myths and check out some mistakes you might be making on your journey to fat loss!

1. Starving for Fat Loss 

Research indicates that chronic starvation reduces muscle mass and organ size by 20%. Weight loss via starvation decreases bone density and makes you more prone to injury. Along with this, starvation leads to a reduction in metabolic rate and your body functions slower. Also, post this eating phase, once you return to normal eating, you will gain all the fat back as the body starts storing extra calories as fat. So the rule of thumb is to eat healthy, balanced meals on time.

2. No Rest Day 

Are you thinking that if you over-train, you are losing more fat? The answer is NO! Rest days are important to prevent overuse of muscles and allow the body to recover. Lifting weights creates tiny tears in your muscles which repair only during rest. Your lean muscles actually grow when you rest. Overtraining can cause a plateau in your fat loss process. It can mess with your menstrual cycle and cause Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation i.e. 2-3 missed menstrual periods). Ideally, you can rest 1 day per week and do very light activities like slow walking, yoga, breathing exercises, etc.

3. Excess Protein Doesn’t Mean Better Fat Loss

Excess of anything is bad. Eating more protein can definitely help you lose weight but a high protein diet alone cannot. Protein can make you feel full for longer and helps in reducing overall calorie intake. Excess protein makes it difficult for the body to digest it. You need enough fruits, vegetables and complex carbs too for losing fat.

4. Lack of Optimum Sleep

Research indicates that sleeping fewer than 6hrs reduces hormone leptin and stimulates hormone ghrelin which makes you feel hungrier and less satiated. It is documented that dieters with enough sleep of 7 or more hours lose more fat and less muscle. To add on, inadequate sleep raises your cortisol (stress hormone) levels and it actually inhibits the breakdown of fat for energy and increases muscle breakdown. So if you are someone who sleeps late and wakes up early to exercise without completing optimum sleeping hours, it might not be the best idea!

5. Keeping Unrealistic Expectations

Definitely tangible goals can keep you motivated but having unrealistic expectations can work against you. It is reported that overweight and obese women who expect to lose more fat in a short amount of time are most likely to drop out of a health program after 6-12 months due to frustration. Make your goals more modest with the help of a certified health coach.

To get the right information on exercise and nutrition for fat loss, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Did you find this information valuable? Let us know in the comments below! Find more articles on weight loss here.

#BeTheForce 

March 12, 2023 By Neha Sharma 1 Comment

Lose Body Fat by Changing What You Eat

lose body fat

There are many of us who lead demanding and hectic lifestyles which are marred with extensive working hours, early mornings and late nights. In fact, late-night shifts affect our eating patterns a lot!

Due to erratic working patterns, processed foods, instant food items and junk food are in trend as they are easy to carry and can be ordered or eaten anywhere! People don’t carry home food as much and always eat food at work in a hurry, knowing that they are gulping their food without chewing.

If we pay a little attention to what we are eating and how we are eating it, it makes a big difference. The statement, “Lose body fat by changing what you eat” holds true in this context.

Can You Lose Body Fat with Food?

First of all, you have to see the natural foods around you which have the capability to help you lose body fat. Try including some of the following option in your daily meals.

  1. Whole Grains: contain a good amount of fiber and as they are complex in nature, they release carbohydrates slowly in the body. They need energy from the body to breakdown and in turn, help you lose fat. So, include brown rice, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra over refined flour like maida, suji and white rice.
  2. Pulses & Legumes: are an excellent source of fiber and vegetable protein. Protein gives you a feeling of satiety which stops you from overeating and decreases your total calorie intake resulting in fat loss. Choose whole pulses like white & black chana, cow pea, kidney bean, sprouts and have them in at least two meals.
  3. Vegetables & Fruits: are excellent sources of fiber and are low in calories. They require a lot of energy to breakdown and some fibers don’t digest in human bodies. They need to be excreted and absorb fat from the body while doing so, thereby reducing fat and cutting down total calorie intake. Have at least 2-3 servings of fruits & vegetables. Their way of cooking can be changed like sautéing, steaming, baking, shallow frying, or roasting instead of deep-frying.
  4. Healthy Fats: can be obtained through nuts, fish & seeds to improve omega 3 fatty acid which is anti-inflammatory and helps in controlling visceral fat accumulation. Cut down your intake of all types of visible fats such as butter, ghee, oils and avoid refined oils. Instead, use soybean oil, sesame oil, mustard & groundnut oil.
  5. Water: increases the metabolism of the body by flushing out toxins and cleansing the liver. The best part? It has zero calories. Drink at least 2-3 litres of water a day.
  6. Tea: Replacing your tea with green, turmeric or lemon tea and avoiding or minimizing visible intake of sugar [1tsp of sugar (5gm) = 20 calories] helps you lose weight.

Meal timings are also crucial in shedding extra fat. This is because the metabolism of the body slows down as the day progresses. That’s why late-night eaters are prone to weight gain. Low calorie and nutrient-dense food can be chosen by late eaters.

Chewing your food properly also increases the rate of absorption of nutrients and avoids extra accumulation of fat. Practicing mindful eating i.e. eating by paying attention and noticing each sip or bite, tasting your food, teaches you to control your hunger and actually helps in weight loss.

We hope these tips help you lose body fat. For more on how adjusting food habits can help you lose weight, ask a GOQii Coach for guidance by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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