Bride

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Closing in on your wedding day without seeing any progress in weight loss plans? Fear not. These new diet rules for 2011 will give all the brides amongst us cause to heave a huge sigh of relief. Today, we're banishing all the old, redundant, false, weight loss myths that most young brides fall prey to so easily. No more skipped meals, gross tasting liquid concoctions, and old wives' tales. Here are some new diet rules that all 2011 brides can follow without damaging their bodies, minds or wedding days… *Images courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images

Old rule: Banish all alcohol.

New rule: Banish all unhealthy alcohol mixers, and allow neat or watered down drinks. Alcohol by itself, will only harm your weight loss plans if you binge drink and eat and drink it with unhealthy snacks or mixers. Allow yourself a glass or two of red wine, or a shot or two of vodka, whiskey, brandy, whatever the liquor of your choice is. Avoid too many beers, since maltose will, indeed, sabotage your weight loss plans. But no bride needs to fear liquor on the whole. After all, come wedding day, you should be able to hold your liquor down – you might need it!

Old rule: No more gross neem and bitter gourd morning drinks.

New rule: Get all your fibre and antioxidants from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You got lucky here. A decade or two ago you would’ve been downing daily neem shots in a bid to glow on your wedding day. Instead, science has proved that fibre, antioxidants and nutrients can easily be found in vegetables and whole grain cooked with healthy methods, and fruits consumed whole. Eat at least 3 fruits and take down at least 3 vegetable servings a day. As for whole grain, simply substitute all your current grain/cereal intake with whole grains like barley, corn, maize and wheat.

Old rule: No meals after 7pm.
New rule: Eat whenever you like, but eat right. Most dieticians admit that this post-7pm food deadline is primarily to aid digestion since people tend to eat heavy dinners, which the body finds hard to digest optimally before bed time. While there is some truth to the fact that it’s best to eat at least two hours before sleeping, the key lies in what you eat rather than when you eat. So if your bridal intentions are clear, then snack away on healthy salads, soups, broths, even low-fat desserts as long as you know which foods to avoid.

Old rule: Zero fats, low carbs and plenty of veggies.
New rule: Some fat, moderate carbs, plenty of protein, and yes the veggies are okay.Traditional diets tend to neglect protein. They don’t like fats at all and they’re not too keen on carbs. These tend to be ill-balanced diets that lead to unhealthy cravings, extra fat deposits and weakness. Instead, ensure that each meal contains plenty of vegetables (approx. 100-150gms), moderate carbs (approx. 50-100gms), adequate protein (50gms minimum) and some fat (about 10-20gms). This meal break-up gives your body what it needs to restore energy reserves and keep you full longer.

Old rule: Skip meals, and sit at home. 
New rule: Eat at regular intervals and exercise. Thankfully, those days of brides being seen as delicate flowers that need rest and more rest, are gone. Today, a bride is strong, independent, keen on being fit rather than being fragile, and definitely in control of her diet and workouts. So we say, get 4-5 nutritious meals a day and get out there and exercise. Come wedding day, you will not only look your best, but you will be energetic enough to enjoy your own wedding day.

Image and Article Credit: http://healthmeup.com

Diet Foods

The diets we choose say a lot about us. And if you go by the latest ones that are gaining in popularity the world over, you get the feeling that people are becoming more interested in holistic development. They don't want to follow extreme diets. That's good news, isn't it?

Learn diet
The Learn diet recommends 55 per cent to 60 per cent energy from carbohydrates and less than 10 per cent energy from saturated fat. Learn stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Relationships, and Nutrition. Recommended foods are fruits, veggies and legumes. Fatty foods should be avoided as much as possible. 
Pros
1. It encourages you to have good carbohydrates, and does not completely restrict one from consuming food with fat.
2. The diet does not just focus on the food. It's more holistic and helps make fundamental life choices that aid well-being.    
3. It teaches you to cope with situations wherein you are pressured to eat and how to handle eating away from home.
Cons
1. People, especially working professionals, find it difficult to stay motivated by their busy schedules.

Volumetric diet
It is based on the concept of energy density and satiety. Neither is it a lifestyle change nor a short-term quick fix. It includes high-moisture foods like fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content - tomatoes, broccoli, celery, and greens like lettuce and cabbage. You can eat whole-grain pasta and rice, high-fibre bread and cereal, non-cream-based soups, and salads with little dressing. Meat and dairy consumed under the Diet should be low-fat. You can consume sugar and alcohol in small amounts, but you should record the calories.
Pros
1. You get into a healthy eating habit.
Cons1. Foods with high water content - many fruits - are processed very quickly in the body, hence, one feels hungry very fast.
2. Preparation time is more and for those with a busy lifestyle.

Slim-Fast diet
Slim-Fast simplified its product line with the `3-2-1' diet plan. The plan emphasised three 100-calorie snacks, two meal replacements (shakes or meal bars) and one 500-calorie balanced meal per day for dinner. You can eat lean meat, fruits and vegetables. Avoid junk food and foods that are high in calories.
Pros
1. It's convenient as it is to be carried and consumed almost anywhere.
2. Easy to follow - no meal planning, no need to count calories and no need to measure food portions. 
3. The programme can be easily incorporated into a busy lifestyle.
Cons
1. Many people feel hungry, despite eating the recommended portions of food.
2. The programme does not teach you enough about other healthy foods.
3. It might not suit everyone.

Ornish diet
It focuses on a very low-fat, plant-based, vegetarian diet to combat heart disease, cancer and promote weight loss. Foods that can be eaten anytime include fruits and vegetables along with grains and beans. Food that can be eaten in moderation are non-fat and low-fat dairy products.
Pros
1. Smaller meals spread apart by only a few hours. You wouldn't have to go through those hunger pangs. This will, in turn, also increase your metabolic rate, helping you to burn more calories and lose weight.
2. Studies confirm that a low-fat diet combined with exercise, stress management and group support reduces coronary incidents.
Cons
1. It can be very difficult for a less disciplined person to stay with the diet for a long time. 
2. There's not enough protein in this diet.

Jenny Craig Diet
The Jenny Craig diet plan is a calorie-and-fat-controlled diet that helps people manage portion size through the use of prepackaged foods. This diet has menus that emphasise eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, reduced fat milk products and eart-healthy fats.They also include lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. Junk food and sodas are not recommended.
Pros
1. This is a well-balanced diet with easy-to-follow instructions.
2. You needn’t count calories.
3. No food is taboo. The stress is on portion control.
4. You begin to lose weight fairly quickly.
Cons
1. It is costly. In addition to a monthly fee, you have to buy Jenny Craig foods every day.
2. It can become time consuming if you need to prepare meals for your family while you will.

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Weight Lose

For someone who is trying to lose weight, the word weight loss is a daunting prospect and can cause the person a lot of stress and heartache. With so many weight loss myths out there, anybody attempting to lose weight can lose his or her mind. The moment a well wishing relative or friend realizes that you are trying to lose weight, there comes the advice.  Beta, eat this, don’t eat that, walk, run, don’t lift weights, lift weights… the advice is endless. And with the advice comes a wide selection of weight loss myths. 

Here are some common weight loss myths that you should steer clear off:

Myth: If you’re trying to lose weight do more and more cardio.

Fact: In order to lose weight you need to shock your body. If you have never exercised before, sure running everyday will definitely shock your body and make you lose a lot of weight initially, but for how long will you be able to sustain it is the question. Over time, you will reach a weight loss plateau and eventually start gaining weight again, because of repetitive workouts. Instead try a variety of workouts like yoga, weight training, and cardio. You can keep upping your weights and fine-tuning your workout, therefore bringing about a change in workout so necessary in sustained weight management.

Myth: Buy low fat foods when on a diet.

Fact: Yes, low fat foods are lower in calories, so when comparing the nutritional information on two packets anyone on a diet will tend to pick up something that is lower in calories, it’s only common sense right? But beware of the hidden calories from sugar. It is now a known fact that manufacturers increase fructose in many low fat foods (like slim milk) in order to ensure that the product tastes good. So when lowering fat content, more sugar gets added and consuming foods richer in hidden sugars is not the right approach to weight loss efforts. Another drawback with eating low-fat foods is that these products are highly processed. So moderation is ok, but depending on low fat for everything from your milk and yoghurt to ice cream and whipped cream is not.

Myth: I can snack on anything I want, as long as it is not fried, but baked.

Fact: There is a plethora of so-called ‘healthy’ baked snacks out there in the market. And people guiltless in their innocence, munch incessantly on these, happy with the knowledge that at least they are not snacking on something fried. While on the surface this is perfectly good logic, it depends on what the baked snack that you are munching on is. For e.g., if you are munching on baked nuts instead of fried nuts or baked chicken over fried chicken or baked nachni chips over fried, then by all means you are making a healthier choice by avoiding the excess oils. But let's say on the other hand that you are munching on baked chakris or baked bhakarvadis then you are indeed eating something that is highly processed, with high levels of sodium and maida. I would not call that a healthy snack in anyway, as it all adds up when you are trying to lose weight.

When confronted with weight loss dilemmas, it will make sense to dig deeper into what’s being said in order to make an informed decision. By just taking advice and tips at face value, you may not foresee the damage that is being caused by something that may not entirely ring true.

Image and Article Credit: http://healthmeup.com

One egg a day can help you lose weight

We all know that egg is one of the most nutrient-dense foods, but now a new study claims eating one egg daily can help fight obesity.

The British study, which analysed 71 research papers on the nutritional composition of eggs and their role in diet, found that eggs are packed with vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline that could also play a significant role in dieting and weight loss.

According to the researchers, a medium-sized egg has fewer than 80 calories and provides more than 20 per cent of the recommended daily allowance.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, an independent dietitian and lead author of the report, said: "There are clear nutritional benefits to eating eggs on a regular basis. Emerging evidence suggests that eggs may be beneficial for satiety, weight control and eye health.

"With previous limits on egg consumption lifted, most people would benefit from a return to the days of going to work on an egg."

he study confirmed that eggs contain the richest mix of essential amino acids -- crucial for children, adolescents and young adults since a balance of them is required for proper growth and repair, the Daily Mail reported.

It also claimed that the high levels of antioxidants found in eggs could even help prevent age-related muscular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.

The research team highlighted data from studies in the US which found that people who ate eggs had higher intakes of nearly all nutrients compared with non-egg eaters.

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with a host of medical conditions including poor bone health, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, immune disorders and mental health problems.

The study, which will appear in the June issue of journal Nutrition and Food Science, identified specific groups which could benefit from eating more eggs, including the young, heavy meat-eaters and those who shun milk.

Dr Ruxton added: "The health benefits of eggs would appear to be so great that it's perhaps no exaggeration to call them a superfood -- they are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.

"Eggs are not only low in calories but are packed with nutrients that are essential to healthy living. They are an ideal food at every stage of life, as well as being easy to cook and enjoyable to eat."

Article Source: Indian Express

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