Best Weight Loss Tips Ever!

In the era of commercialization, we find various weight loss pills, anti-cellulite products and expensive fitness gadgets popping up on the internet and television screens, but these can only cause frustration and may prove detrimental to our health. Natural herbal remedies are safe and promising in reducing weight.

Eat a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet and any form of exercise plays a vital role in reducing as well as maintaining a normal weight. One should eat a diet good in green vegetables and fresh fruits. Some of the fat burning spices such as black pepper, long pepper, mustard, ginger, cinnamon and cayenne should be added to the meals or used in preparations. 

Fish like tuna & salmonare high in Lectin, a protein, which helps improve metabolism and aids fat loss. Reduce the intake of salt & carbohydrate rich, high calorie foods (eg. rice, potatoes). Having vegetable soup or eating papaya at dinner time is helpful in reducing weight. Eating a cabbage salad also helps reduce weight as tartaric acid, an ingredient in the vegetable is known to inhibit conversion of dietary sugar to fat.

Follow any Form of Exercise Regularly

Along with diet, regular exercise is quite beneficial. Brisk walk, skipping a rope, jogging, aerobics, yoga and pranayam (yogic breathing exercises) are among few exercises that can be of help to attain a healthy weight. Also, one should eat slowly as it satisfies hunger with less food, thereby reducing calorie intake. Drink plenty of water (3-4 litres/ day) as it has no calories and reduces hunger.

Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss

Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise regime, do try some of these natural herbal remedies for controlling weight in a healthy manner, that too, without any side effects.

• Squeeze a lemon in a glass of bitter gourd juice and have it every morning.
• Boil about 10 gm of triphala (a combination of equal amount of Amla, Harra & Beheda powder in a glass of water for 10 minutes. Consume it warm in the morning.
• Consuming 2 cups of Green tea is also believed to shed excess fat.
• To keep a check on weight, soak a few leaves of Indian plum/ Jamun overnight. Discard the leaves & drink water in the morning on an empty stomach.
• Take ½ tsp of guggal powder, a tsp of ginger rhizome powder and mix in honey to make it into a paste. Administer it once a day to lose weight.
• Mix in a glass of lukewarm water, a tsp of honey with ½ tsp lemon juice. Drink it every morning and evening to lose weight.
• Pound a ginger rhizome & boil the same in water. Add to it, ½ tsp lemon juice and 1/4^th tsp black pepper powder. Have it when hot.
• Having a tomato or two in morning is said to be beneficial in reducing weight.

Remember Folks, losing weight isn't a mysterious process… it’s a matter of burning more calories than we eat! So get going! All the best!

Yoga for Weight Loss

Practicing yoga regularly offers various health benefits by building strength & improving the mental and physical well being. Yogic exercises tend to tone up the muscles, help balance our body and improve body posture. Yoga can also help lose weight by bringing you to a better in tune with your body, improving sense of well-being and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Some yoga poses, when performed correctly, massage the endocrine glands and the digestive system which improves digestion. Yogic asanas are believed to regulate the desire to eat. Regular practice can give you a valuable body consciousness that would help you eat less and the right kind of food. Listed here are some of the benefits of yogic exercises for weight loss-

• Surya Namaskar (Sun salutation) is an intelligent yoga practice that without stressing the nervous system or causing fatigue helps lose weight. This cycle of asanas gets the heart rate up for a very short burst and then drops it right down, then getting it up and then dropping it down.

• Bhujangasana (cobra pose), Dhanurasana (bow pose), Chakrasana (wheel pose) and Matsyendrasana (spinal twist) are certain backbend yoga postures that strengthen the liver and help it carry out all the essentials body functions as detoxifier, purifier and cleanser.

• Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) followed by the Matsyasana (fish pose) keep a check on the functioning of the thyroid gland which is known to regulate our metabolism. Many people who suffer from weight gain have hypothyroidism. These postures help to correct this dysfunction.

• Yogic asanas such as Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) and Janushirasana (head to knee pose) maintain the pH balance of the body. If the body pH is low (i.e., acidic), then the body tends to protect itself from the acid by storing fat and using it as a buffer. This is dangerous as accumulation of fats within the veins and arteries would lead to a condition known as arteriosclerosis.

• Asanas such as Savasana (corpse pose) and Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) relax the nervous system as these help cope up with day to day stress and anxiety. This further, helps those who indulge in ‘stress-eating’ habits which lead to weight gain.

• Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) and the Anjaneyasana (lunge) asanas create warmth in the body through generating internal heat by creating nerve tension. This heat burns up the visceral fat as well as the subcutaneous fat which helps lose weight.

• Bakasana (crane), Pincha Mayurasana (feathered peacock), Tolasana (scale pose) and Chaturanga (plank) postures engage every muscle of the body into work and help burn fat. 

Easy Tricks to Lose Weight!

The healthiest way to lose weight is neither crash diets nor bursts of exercise. The body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise. So, if you need to lose weight, what should you do? To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up the stored fats and the most effective way is to reduce the amount of calories you eat and increase the levels of daily activities. Find here some of the easy tricks to keep a check on your weight!

• Eat at the same times every day. Try adding foods to your diet instead of subtracting them. Add in healthy foods you really love, like deep-red cherries, juicy grapes, etc. Slip those favorite fruits into your bag lunch and breakfast cereal; add the veggies into soups, stews, and sauces. It isn't at all difficult.. is it?
• Instead of making high calorie meals for the family and low calorie for yourself, make only one meal. Weight loss is easier when everyone's eating the same thing and you're not tempted to taste calorie rich food in the other plate.
• Drinking a glass of water before a meal helps watch what you eat! You won’t just hog everything, since you wouldn't feel ‘so hungry’. Water is a no calorie drink that keeps a check on the body weight. Also, keeping your body refreshed with plenty of water may also help your workout as it keeps body well hydrated!
• One of the easiest ways to cut down on fat intake is to switch to lower calorie foods. While trimming fat calories, one should keep an eye on boosting fiber as it helps you feel satisfied longer.
• Serve your meals on a small plate! While a small portion served on a large plate can leave you craving more, a smaller plate full of food just feels more satisfying than a large plate with that same amount of food on it. Not only does the pleasure last longer, but your body has time to register the food you've eaten.
  
• Take the stairs every chance you get. Crank the music the next time you mop or vacuum. It all adds up. If you walk twice a day for 10 minutes and try a few of these tips, you may find yourself with a low-impact, 30-minute workout easily tucked under your belt. Other simple ways invigorate muscles can be riding bikes, swimming, hiking, washing the car, cleaning rooms, playing Frisbee or chasing the dog around the yard.
• Try dancing to the music or enjoy watching your favorite TV show while pedaling your stationery bike or walking the treadmill. Aim for at least 15 minutes and if you get really engrossed, you just might outlast the last survivor.

Weight loss is a journey guided by our unique needs, so hook into what works for you and do it! Finally, be patient and you may find your way to sweet weight loss success. Good Luck!