Weight loss should be well planned

Weight loss should be well planned. With miracle diets around every corner, here are the basic rules of weight loss...

To lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. A weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is safe. To lose 1 pound a week you need to cut back on 500 calories a day. That is a total of 3500 calories a week. The best way to achieve this is by reducing your calorie intake and increasing calorie expenditure through exercise.

If you do without your 250-calorie chocolate bar and burn 250 calories by running three miles, you will create a calorie deficit of 500 calories. Do this everyday and you will have a deficit of 3500 calories in one week.

How many calories should you consume to lose weight?

To lose weight, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum consumption of 1200 calories per day. If your calorie consumption is less than 1000 a day, your body is in danger of not receiving an adequate supply of nutrients. The body then enters a state of semi-starvation, lowering the metabolic rate and depleting the body of its energy stores.

Weight loss may affect your bones

Researchers from University of Missouri and University of Kansas have revealed that weight loss may have an adverse impact on bones during weight maintenance.

They suggest that during weight loss through calorie-restricted diets, bones are being remodelled. At the same time, bone density decreases causing increased fragility.

During the study, the team examined protein markers of bone breakdown and formation in 37 obese, middle-aged adults who lost 20 per cent of their body weight through a severe calorie-restricted diet. Protein markers, which are released during bone breakdown and formation, were used as indirect indicators of bone remodelling.

During a 3-month weight-loss programme, bone remodelling was elevated and bone formation and breakdown were imbalanced as a result of a low energy intake. After weight loss phase, bone remodelling remained elevated during the 9-month weight maintenance, but bone formation and breakdown appeared to be balanced.

"When people increased their calorie intake after weight loss, the bone remodelling markers did not respond and remained above what they were before weight loss," said Pam Hinton, associate professor of nutritional sciences in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences. "However unlike the weight loss phase, it appeared that bone breakdown and bone formation were balanced. Rapid rates of bone remodelling, regardless of the balance of breakdown and formation, can increase bone fragility," she added.

The study showed that a greater reduction in body weight led to a greater increase in bone breakdown. "From this study alone, it is impossible to determine the consequences of accelerated bone remodeling during weight maintenance. Because bone strength adapts to match skeletal load, body weight is one of the strongest predictors of bone mass," said Pam.

"People planning on losing a significant amount of weight should consider incorporating high-impact weight-bearing physical activity into their exercise routine and consuming adequate calcium to improve bone health," she added.


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'Losing weight is not as difficult as sustaining whatever weight one has lost'

Snack on the champagne diet

'Losing weight is not as difficult as sustaining whatever weight one has lost'

CHANDIGARH: Nothing could be more delightful than splurging on our favourite dishes and nothing could be more tormenting than not being able to taste them.

Most who are in the process of weight loss, follow diet prescribed by weight loss centers, which are either too fancy to follow or too restrictive to adhere.

Such short term and myopic weight lose programmes may help you shed couple of kilograms but as soon as you are done with the weight loss plan, the weighing scale starts hinting that you are coming back to square one! This is because most weight loss programmes make you change your food habits during the plan, but once you are out of it your obsession for food comes back naturally.

"Losing weight is not as difficult as sustaining whatever weight one has lost. Indians are so fixated with food that it is tough to change their traditional eating habits for long but if by certain means their BMR is boosted then weight loss becomes easier," says Dr Sonia Gandhi, Sr. Clinical Nutritionist at a city based hospital.

Think of any occasion- college treat, office party or a usual weekend break, there is food all around. It seems food haunts you all the time, tantalizing your taste buds.

Modifying your usual dietary pattern for a month or two to reduce weight does not solve your problem as it does not yield any sustainable weight loss. In fact, studies show that over-restriction of calories can result in nutrient deficiencies and muscle loss, which slows metabolism leading to weight gain.

"Women should not blindly follow restrictive diets which are calorie as well as nutrient deficient as they might do more harm than good. Many such diets can cause hormonal imbalances and may result in dangerously low levels of micro nutrients in the body," says Gandhi.
Shimona Kanwar, TNN


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Snack on the champagne diet

Weight Loss Tips

Snack on the champagne diet

It not only allows you to consume alcohol, but also recommends a daily flute or two as part of your weight-loss plan!

With the holiday season just round the corner, everyone wants to look their best. However, it's hard to do so with so many events to attend, and all those sweet treats and alcohol binges to indulge in. Enter the Champagne Diet, a dream come true for those who love their booze!

How it works
The Champagne Diet allows you to consume alcohol and even recommends a daily flute or two as part of the weight-loss plan. According to US resident Cara Alwill Leyba, 31, who came up with the regime, the Champagne Diet is two parts healthy living, one part fun.

There are no forbidden foods and the focus is on eating high-quality, nutrient-dense and tasty things (totalling around 1,200-1,400 calories a day). "I encourage glamourising your meals," she says. "Don't order the fatty cheeseburger with fries and cola. Instead, get a smoked salmon bagel with a mixed greens salad and a glass of champagne. Start putting the best into your body." Cara's theory is that eating 'classy' foods makes you value your body more and you are less likely to overeat.

Pros and cons
Dr Pallavi Srivastava, a nutritionist, says, "This diet focuses on about 1,200 kcal/day, which is a healthy way to lose weight. It emphasises eating a nutrient rich diet that includes greens, having food that is smoked or grilled, which is encouraged in a balanced weight loss diet plan and is a healthy way to achieve weight loss."

For people who are habituated to alcohol, the diet happily allows you to drink a glass or two a day of champagne. Findings have shown that champagne can help protect the brain against neurological injuries during a stroke. It also protects the brain from the degenerative effects of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Consuming champagne is a health benefit because of the high level of polyphenols found in it. These antioxidants assist in avoiding cell death when there is oxidative stress. On the flip side, champagne is known to be more intoxicating than other alcoholic beverages.

Drinking too much will increase the risk of long-term damage to your health, including coronary heart disease and stroke. A healthy way to achieve weight loss is through a combination of a nutrient rich diet with proper carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water and regular exercise with a consumption of safe limit of alcohol.
Melissa D'costa



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5 Natural Ways To Treat Acne

One way to get inspired in living a healthier lifestyle is to follow some of the healthier habits our folks used. How did they maintain their beauty and healthy physical appearance? Something like acne was often treated much more naturally, without the chemicals that are often used today like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Try out these natural remedies for acne, and you’ll not only save some money on expensive products, but you’ll hopefully find like I have, that there are effective ways to treat acne that are non-toxic.

1. Brown Sugar Scrub. Brown sugar is one of the things that initially inspired me to stop using more toxic acne products and go for the more natural items instead. Here’s how to do it. First, take a hot shower and once your pores have opened up, start scrubbing the affected areas with brown sugar. This will help eliminate dead skin cells, dirt and oil that are clogging your pores and will leave your skin soft. You will notice a change in your acne the next day – and your skin will be silky smooth. This scrub should not be used on a daily basis because it dramatically opens up the pores and overusing may cause an overproduction of oil that could worsen your acne. I recommend that you use this brown sugar scrub 2 to 3 times a month only.
2. Egg White Facial. You might have heard of or at least tried this before. The purpose of the egg white facial is to remove excess oil from the skin. You will need 1 or 2 eggs to do this. First, crack the eggs and separate the whites from the yolk, put the whites in a bowl and beat them gently until consistent. Next, simply spread the egg whites all over your face and allow 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing.
3. Honey Blemish Killer. Many scrubs and facials use honey because of its antibacterial property. For individual blemishes, place a dab of honey directly on it and cover with a band aid to keep it in place. It will remove the blemish or make it significantly smaller OVERNIGHT! To get a clearer complexion, use honey as a facial mask. Spread it on your face and leave on for an hour. You’ll see great results the following day.
4. Egg Yolk Mask. Just like egg whites, egg yolks help battle acne as well. In addition, egg yolks are loaded with Vitamin A, which contains retinoids and one of them is Retin-A. Retin-A is used in many beauty products because it helps regulate the production of skin cells which in turn prevents pores from clogging. 13-cis-retinol can also be found in Vitamin A. This helps in regulating the production of oil and bacteria. To make an egg yolk mask, you will need 1 to 2 eggs. Separate the yolks from the whites, mix in a bowl, then apply evenly all over your face. In just few minutes, the yolk will harden. Let it sit for another 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off.
5. Lemon Juice Toner. The level of acid found in lemon juice is quite high so you don’t want to leave it on your face for very long. To use a toner, juice a fresh lemon into a cup or bowl, then apply to your face with a cotton ball for 15 minutes, then wash it off. This short duration is all that’s needed for the lemon juice to clean off the excess oil, dirt and dead skin on your face. Don’t use this treatment too often though -- because it’s so strong overusing it can cause your skin to become very sensitive. It’s best to use for severe acne, only when needed.

Hopefully these tips will help you fight off acne naturally. They will also help you save money from buying expensive acne treatments. Go ahead and give it a try and let  me know how you fare!

John Revo Puno


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The Secret to All-Natural Beauty Is in Your Kitchen

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The Secret to All-Natural Beauty Is in Your Kitchen

Consider this food for thought: Great skin is as much about what you put in your body as what you put on it. But what if the same food you put in your body for healthy hair and skin could do the same good on your outside too? Celebrity makeup artist Shalini Vadhera says if you want to get gorgeous, hit the fridge. Inspired by her global travels, the founder of Global Goddess Beauty shares her top 4 all-natural beauty secrets from women around the globe.

Go bananas for healthy hair
If your hair is starting to show signs of damage from heat styling or color treatments, try this Hawaiian secret for super-shiny tresses: Use a fork to mash one banana in a bowl, then slather the mixture from root to tip. Leave the treatment on for 15 minutes, then wash with shampoo. Bananas help improve the health and natural elasticity of your hair thanks to their high levels of potassium.

Smooth skin with this sweetener
Take a cue from fresh-faced Polish women, who apply honey on their faces as an intensive moisturizer. Just a thin layer does the trick. The sweet golden goo’s firming and moisture-retaining properties make it a popular anti-aging ingredient, too. An added bonus? It helps protect the skin from the damage of UV rays.

Warm a small pot of honey in a double boiler over low heat. After testing a small dab on the inside of your elbow for a safe temperature, apply the honey generously over your entire face. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm, then cool water.

Go with garlic for stronger nails
Add chopped garlic to a bottle of clear nail polish. Let it sit for 7 to 10 days, then paint the mixture onto your nails. It's a little secret Dominican women use to strengthen their nails—and it makes them feel stronger than acrylic tips!

Dry, dull skin is the pits
Skip expensive body scrubs or spa treatments in favor of a natural, budget-friendly body treatment. Next time you snack on Greek olives or whip up a tapenade, hold on to the pits—they are a great natural remedy for dry skin. Grind them up in a food processor and use them as a body scrub to remove dry, dead skin cells.

Kate Stinchfield


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