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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! Get more healthy recipes here. To get more tips and guidance on your weight loss journey, speak with a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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11 Fat Burning Foods You Should Try For Weight Loss!

fat burning foods

You’ve been exercising, eating food in measured quantities, counting your calorie intake, controlling your cravings and drinking a good amount of water, yet, even after 5-6 weeks of doing everything you can possibly do, you don’t see results. That weight scale doesn’t tip the way you want it to and you wonder what could be wrong! Is it your choice of food? It just might be but don’t worry! Try these fat burning foods which will improve your metabolism and support weight loss.

Fat Burning Foods For Weight Loss

  1. Eggs: also called the nutritional power house, tops the list as it is a complete food. Being high in protein and healthy fat ,leaves you feeling fuller for a longer time. It is generally observed that most people who include eggs in their breakfast experience less cravings throughout the day and achieve good results in reducing waist circumference and reduction in body fat percentage.
  2. Green Tea: is a strong antioxidant which triggers fat cells to release fat stored in them for energy. Sipping on a cup of green tea can reduce body fat and lower cholesterol levels. Plus, it helps your body repair more quickly after high-intensity workouts. It contains flavonoids and phytochemicals that can help reduce weight and boost metabolism.
  3. Nuts & Seeds: such as almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds are high in micronutrients like magnesium, selenium, zinc and chromium. They help avoid hunger pangs and contain healthy fats which help in reducing belly fat. Flaxseeds, in particular, are high in fiber and rich in mucilage that forms a slimy, gum-like substance when mixed in water, creating a feeling of fullness and satiety
  4. Fatty Fish: like Salmon, Herring, Sardines, Mackerel and other oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which help in reducing inflammation. Fish is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Digesting protein leads to feeling of fullness and increases metabolic rate significantly.  The fats and protein in fish helps support lean muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolism and burns more fat during rest.
  5. Avocados: The monounsaturated fat, minerals like magnesium and potassium prevent water retention and bloating, aids weight loss and activates enzymes to control digestion, better absorption and utilization of nutrients and glucose by cells. With the healthy fats and fibre, avocados gives you a feeling of fullness for a longer time.
  6. Leafy Greens: like kale, spinach and collard greens are loaded with minerals like magnesium and iron which help reduce stress and carry oxygen throughout the body and support weight loss as weight loss is directly related to stress. Being good in fibre, they also delay the stomach emptying time and can also be easily incorporated in our diet.
  7. Probiotics like Curds and Yoghurt: help improve gut health, reduce bloating, improve immunity and prevent fluctuations in weight by promoting better absorption of nutrients. Imbalance in gut health slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain.
  8. Spices: like pepper and cinnamon encourage you to cut back on high sodium foods and avoid salt, plus, has mild diuretic effects, helping you flush out excess water. Pepper is high in capsaicin, which is proven to burn belly fat and boost the body’s ability to convert food to fuel. Daily consumption of capsaicin speeds up abdominal fat loss. Capsaicin counteracts the slowdown in metabolic rate that typically occurs with decreased calorie intake. Cinnamon helps better uptake of glucose by cells, supporting weight loss
  9. Apple Cider Vinegar: Having ACV before a meal slows the digestion of carbs. This helps in keeping your blood sugar from spiking, and blood sugar spikes are suppressed fat burning. Having apple cider vinegar before a meal can also help you feel fuller with less food. It also helps detox the body and maintain the stomach’s pH balance.
  10. Legumes: like beans, peas, chickpea, and lentils contain protein, fibre and complex carbs which take longer to break down. The protein in beans supports muscle formation. Having more muscle mass increases your caloric burn—even at rest. Having good fibre, they slow down the rate of digestion. They slow down the release of simple sugars and delay the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates from the digestive tract.
  11. Oils: like coconut oil and olive oil support weight loss. The MCT in coconut oil suppresses hunger and supports burning of fat efficiently and also keeps you fuller for a longer time. It also supports better uptake of thyroid hormone to support healthy metabolism.  On the other hand, olive oil helps improve insulin sensitivity and prevent spikes in blood sugar level.

So add these fat burning foods to your diet if you’re well on your weight loss journey. Before you try to add any of these foods, please consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian especially if you have any food allergies.

You can find more information on nutrition and weight loss here. To get sustainable weight loss tips directly from a GOQii Coach, subscribe to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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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 

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Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Promote Weight Loss?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has gained a lot of popularity for its weight loss properties but the real question is, does it really help one lose weight? Before we delve deeper into that, let’s understand what ACV is.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

ACV is acidic in nature due to its main component of acetic acid. It is prepared by the fermentation of crushed apples. It is the acetic acid which has numerous health benefits. Some of these include:

  1. Helps controlling blood sugar levels: Acetic acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar can improve the ability of the liver to utilize sugar more efficiently from the blood.
  2. Decreases insulin levels: If the ratio of insulin and glucagon reduces, it helps in increasing the fat burning process. This is done by acetic acid.
  3. Helps in boosting metabolism: which increases the fat burning process.
  4. It reduces fat storage and suppresses appetite resulting in low intake of food.
  5. Controls blood pressure naturally
  6. Helps in reducing bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol (HDL).
  7. Alleviates the symptoms of PCOS.

What Does Research Say? 

One of the researches done on humans (Japanese) states that Apple Cider Vinegar can really help in reducing weight and body fat.

Researchers gave 1 Tbsp (15ml) of ACV, 2Tbsp (30ml) of a placebo drink daily to 144 obese Japanese adults for 12 weeks, along with their usual diet and exercise routine. After 12 weeks, it was found that those who consumed 15ml of ACV per day reduced 1.2kgs, 0.7% of body fat, 0.5” of the waist and 26% Triglycerides. Those who consumed 30ml of ACV per day reduced 1.7kgs of weight, 0.9% body fat, 0.75” waist and 26% Triglycerides (same as 15ml).

On the other hand, those who were fed the placebo increased 0.4kgs and slight increment in waist circumference too.

So, the bottom line is that 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar per day can lead to weight loss and the reduction in body fat percentage, belly fat, and blood triglycerides.

How Do You Add ACV to Your Routine?

Mix 15-30ml of ACV in a full glass of water. However, it is always advised to break the doses 2-3 times a day preferably, at least 15 mins before a meal. If you can’t drink it due to its pungent taste and smell, then it can be used:

  • As a salad dressing with olive oil
  • For pickling of vegetables

Please Note: Do not consume ACV directly. Always dilute before consuming to avoid burning of the throat and stomach lining due to the strong acid. Also, excessive usage of apple cider vinegar may be harmful due to the acid content. Always consume within the safe limits or else it may lead to the erosion of teeth enamel and loss of potassium.

Before you begin using Apple Cider Vinegar, do consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. Want to try ACV? Get it from the GOQii Health Store here. 

If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below! Get this kind of information and more directly from an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. 

#BeTheForce 

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