01/6Here’s why you’re not losing belly fat?

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Craving for a bowl of sweet potato fries? There is no doubt that sweet potatoes are good for your health since they are loaded with vitamins, fiber, potassium and other nutrients that help your body do its intended functions. 

However, as far as your weight loss goals are concerned, how you prepare and eat sweet potatoes can either boost or negate their benefits. Compared to other vegetables such as leafy greens, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes, sweet potatoes (and potatoes in general) are significantly high in carbohydrates, according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Huggins.

If you are concerned about preparation and consumption of sweet potatoes for guaranteed weight loss, Huggins and registered dietitian Alana Kessler shared the best ways to prepare and eat them:

How To Prepare 

Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes contain resistant starch, but Huggins said that the latter has more antioxidants and fiber than the former and have a slightly lower calorie amount. However, this depends on how you prepare them. Huggins added that “how they are prepared can make or break the nutritional profile of either potato.”

Kessler said that sweet potatoes either in fry form or with added high-calorie toppings such as bacon have little positive effect in your weight loss goals. Instead, she recommended steaming or roasting your sweet potatoes with a bit of cinnamon. 

“Cinnamon is a spice used to help keep blood sugar levels balanced and help manage cravings,” Kessler said. “The combination of these two together with healthy portion control and regular exercise offer a delicious option that is satisfying without compromising weight loss goals.” 

Huggins advised that you should explore using a variety of other warm spices, such as sweet paprika or nutmeg, on your baked, roasted or steamed sweet potatoes for an extra dash of flavor. 

How To Eat 

Since sweet potatoes are higher in carbs than other veggies, it is good to see them as grains when planning your meals. Though they are good sources of healthy carbs, it is best to moderate your servings if you are watching your carb intake. 

Huggins said that sweet potatoes come in various shapes and sizes, and that the size will determine the carb and calorie quantity you’re getting for the day. “An eight-ounce sweet potato is often referred to as medium, while a 12-ounce potato is large – about the size of two tennis balls sitting next to each other,” she explained, adding that once cooked, a plain large sweet potato packs nearly 250 calories and 60 grams of carbs. 

Though your servings might depend on your health goals, Kessler said that a proper serving may be comparable to a clenched fist worth of sweet potatoes, or about 3 to 4 ounces. If you are on a keto diet, Huggins advised skipping sweet potatoes completely since “there is not much room for the carbs from potatoes” on that diet.

Should you practice other types of low-carb diets, Huggins added that there may be room for sweet potatoes on your plate when mixed with other veggies but it depends how low-carb you want to go. “You may be able to include a small amount of them as an accent in a meal,” she said. “For example, you might mix 1/4 cup of sweet potatoes in with a more generous serving of roasted broccoli.”

The post Best Ways To Prepare, Eat Sweet Potatoes For Guaranteed Weight Loss appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A key part of following a ketogenic, or keto, diet is reducing your sugar intake.

This is necessary for your body to enter ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat rather than sugar for energy.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sweet-tasting foods.

Sugar alcohols are sweeteners that have tastes and textures similar to those of sugar, but fewer calories and a less significant effect on blood sugar levels.

As a result, they can be a satisfying option for individuals looking to reduce their sugar intake, such as those following a keto diet.

This article explains whether sugar alcohols are keto-friendly, as well as which ones may be better options for you.

Sugar alcohols occur naturally in some fruits and vegetables. However, most are commercially manufactured in a lab.

While there are many types of sugar alcohols, common ones you may see on food labels include.

• Erythritol. Often made by fermenting the glucose found in cornstarch, erythritol has 70% of the sweetness of sugar but 5% of the calories.
• Isomalt. Isomalt is a mixture of two sugar alcohols — mannitol and sorbitol. Providing 50% fewer calories than sugar, it’s most commonly used to make sugar-free hard candies and 50% as sweet.
• Maltitol. Maltitol is processed from the sugar maltose. It’s 90% as sweet as sugar with almost half the calories.
• Sorbitol. Commercially produced from glucose, sorbitol is 60% as sweet as sugar with about 60% of the calories.
• Xylitol. One of the most common sugar alcohols, xylitol is as sweet as regular sugar but has 40% fewer calories.

Due to their low calorie contents, sugar alcohols are frequently used to sweeten sugar-free or diet products like gum, yogurts, ice cream, coffee creamers, salad dressings, and protein bars and shakes.

When you eat sugar, your body breaks it down into smaller molecules. These molecules are then absorbed into your bloodstream, which causes your blood sugar levels to rise.

In contrast, your body cannot fully break down and absorb carbs from sugar alcohols. As a result, they cause a much smaller rise in blood sugar levels.

One way to compare the effects of these sweeteners is their glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly foods can raise your blood sugar.

Here are the GI values of common sugar alcohols.

• Erythritol: 0
• Isomalt: 2
• Maltitol: 35–52
• Sorbitol: 9
• Xylitol: 7–13

Overall, most sugar alcohols have negligible effects on your blood sugar levels. To compare, white table sugar (sucrose) has a glycemic index of 65. 

Sugar intake is limited on a keto diet, as eating it causes your blood sugar levels to rise.

This is an issue, as raised blood sugar levels can make it difficult for your body to remain in ketosis, which is key for reaping the benefits of the keto diet.

Given that sugar alcohols have a much less significant effect on blood sugar levels, they’re commonly found in keto-friendly products.

Furthermore, since they aren’t fully digestible, keto dieters often subtract the sugar alcohols and fiber from the total number of carbs in a food item. The resulting number is referred to as net carbs.

Still, due to the variation in GIs of different types of sugar alcohols, some are better for the keto diet than others.

Erythritol is a good keto-friendly option, as it has a glycemic index of 0 and works well in both cooking and baking. Plus, due to its small particle size, erythritol tends to be better tolerated than other sugar alcohols.

Still, xylitol, sorbitol, and isomalt are all suitable on a keto diet. You may simply want to scale back your intake if you notice any gastrointestinal side effects.

One sugar alcohol that appears to be less keto-friendly is maltitol.

Maltitol has a lower GI than sugar. However, with a GI of up to 52, it’s likely to have a more significant effect on your blood sugar levels than other sugar alcohols.

As such, if you’re on a keto diet, you may want to limit your intake of maltitol and choose a sugar alternative with a lower GI.

When consumed in normal amounts through food, sugar alcohols are considered safe for most individuals.

However, they do have the potential to cause digestive issues, especially in larger amounts. Side effects like bloating, nausea, and diarrhea have been observed when intake of sugar alcohols exceeds 35–40 grams per day.

Additionally, individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience negative side effects with any amount of sugar alcohols. As a result, if you have IBS, you may want to avoid sugar alcohol completely.The bottom line

Sugar alcohols are low calorie sweeteners that generally have little to no effect on your blood sugar levels. As a result, they’re a popular keto-friendly option for sweetening foods and beverages.

Just keep in mind that some may be better choices than others.

For example, maltitol has a much greater effect on blood sugar levels than erythritol, which has a GI of 0.

The next time you’re looking to add sweetener to your coffee or make homemade keto-friendly protein bars, try using a sugar alcohol like erythritol or xylitol.

Just be sure to consume these sweeteners in moderation to avoid any potential digestive distress.

The post Are Sugar Alcohols Keto-Friendly? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Courtney Smith credits a diagnosis of pre-diabetes with changing the course of her life.

Smith, 40, of Houston, was motivated by the diagnosis two years ago to overhaul her lifestyle. She has since lost 105 pounds.

“I went into my kitchen and threw away all of the things that were bad for me,” Smith told “Good Morning America” of how she started her weight loss journey. “I hit the ground running.”

Smith credits the ketogenic, or keto, diet, which calls for cutting carbohydrates and eating more fat and protein, with spurring her weight loss.

“Within three to four weeks, I noticed that I was losing weight and I felt motivated to keep going,” she said. “I thought to myself, this is something that could work. This is something I can see myself doing long term.”

Smith, who works in the insurance industry, travels frequently for work and would rely on quick foods like pizza, burgers, potato chips and French fries to fuel her.

Now she focuses on eating healthy fats, proteins and vegetables, limiting her carbohydrates and listening intuitively to her body.

“I’ll have Bulletproof coffee in the morning and lunch is a protein like a chicken breast and some broccoli and cheese and a deviled egg,” Smith said. “Dinner would be like a rib-eye and a big salad.”

“I focus on what I can have instead of what I can’t have,” she said.

Smith turned to Instagram for motivation as she was trying to lose weight. She now has her own Instagram following of more than 3,000 who turn to her for motivation and recipe ideas.

“I thought not only will it hold me accountable but it will inspire other people to get motivated and want to lose weight,” she said of sharing her weight loss on Instagram. “I get so many wonderful notes and messages from people.”

Now at age 40, Smith says she has more energy and is in better health, including no longer being pre-diabetic.

Of all the things she has learned in her two-year weight loss journey, Smith boiled them down to these nine things she wants other people hoping to change their lives to know.

1. “Everybody’s journey is their own and no two journeys will be their own.”

2. “You have to make your mind up to be ready.”

3. “Just start one day at a time. Each day is a new day.”

4. “Do your research and find out what lifestyle or diet works for you.”

5. “Be mindful and intentional with the way that you’re shopping and the food that you’re bringing home. Make a list and stick to the list.”

6. “Plan and prep your meals.”

7. “Drink water like it’s your job.”

8. “Don’t starve yourself. If you’re hungry, eat. When I started, I wasn’t eating enough. When I realized that I don’t have to do this, I can eat and enjoy food, that’s when it started to click for me.”

9. “Don’t beat yourself up if you do fall off the wagon. Tomorrow is a new day, give yourself some grace.”

Smith’s weight loss has changed her cooking, too. Coming from a tradition of Southern cooking, Smith focuses on finding ways to make the meals she grew up with low carb.

Here are two of her favorite recipes she has made keto-friendly.

Maple bacon doughnuts

Ingredients:
Swerve vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter
5 T Swerve (or another low-sugar brand) powdered sugar
5 T Swerve (or another low-sugar brand) brown sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 T heavy cream
Crumbled bacon for topping

Icing directions
Melt one stick of butter.

Add five tablespoons of Swerve powdered sugar and five tablespoons of Swerve brown sugar.

Mix well and stir in one tablespoon of heavy cream and one tablespoon vanilla extract.

Add one tablespoon of sugar-free maple syrup.

Doughnut directions:
Prepare Swerve vanilla cake mix per instructions on packaging (I substituted almond milk for water and butter for oil).

Grease doughnut molds with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Timing may be different depending on your oven.

Let cool and then add icing and crumbled bacon. (Pre-bake bacon in 375 degree oven for 22 minutes).

Taco stuffed peppers

Ingredients:
Bell peppers
Ground turkey or beef
Taco seasoning
Garlic powder
Himalayan pink salt
1 can tomatoes
1/2 block cream cheese
Shredded cheese for topping

Directions:
Season ground turkey or beef with onion powder, garlic powder, Himalayan pink salt, pepper and taco seasoning.

Sauté/brown the meat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add a can of tomatoes and a let simmer.

Add half a block of cream cheese.

Stir mixture until combined.

Scoop mixture into bell pepper halves. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

The post Woman who lost 105 pounds shares favorite keto-friendly recipes appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A doctor developed a simple weight loss hack over a decade ago, which simply uses a towel to burn belly fat. So we asked an expert if it actually works…   We’d try everything to lose belly fat these days.

From hopping on the celery juice trend, to attempting intermittent fasting or the keto diet, there’s nothing we haven’t tried. And yet, that stubborn belly fat won’t seem to budge.

But one less common method many of us haven’t tried yet, is the Japanese towel method.

Over 10 years ago, a Japanese physician named Toshiki Fukutsudzi developed a unique method to get the body in shape. The method claims to help get rid of belly fat, improve posture and strengthen back pain, simply by using a towel.

The reason Fukutsudzi says it works is because he discovered that that an extra layer of fat around the belly is actually a result of misplacement of your pelvic. By correctly exercising this area and the pelvis placement, your waistline is reduced.

How to do the Japanese towel exercise:

1. Take a medium-sized towel and roll it into a cylinder, no less than 38 cm long and approximately 10 cm wide. Wrap it with some sort of string or band so it stays put.

2. Sit yourself down on a flat, hard surface. A yoga mat on the floor will work best. Put the towel behind you.

3. Gently lie down on your back holding the towel so that it is placed at the parallel to your navel, against the small of your back.

4. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be touching each other.

5. Stretch your arms above your head, palms down, with your pinkies touching. Make sure your toes and pinkies are facing each other.

6. Now hold this position for at least 5 minutes.

7. Afterwards, stand up slowly as your bones and joints may have slightly moved during the exercise.

According to Fukutsudzi, you’ll notice results within a month if performed daily.

Does the Japanese towel method actually work?

But as magical as the method sounds, is this just another weight loss hack we should be sceptical about? And how much truth is behind this technique?

According to personal trainer and yoga instructor Kirsten Scott, it’s a little bit more complicated than just losing belly fat.

“All our organs and limbs, including the intestine and stomach, connect to the brain via the vertebral column,” she explains to body+soul. “It is true that misalignment of the bones, reflected in bad posture, can mean that nerve pathways are constricted.

“The part of the spine between the ribs and the small of your back is where the intestine nerves are connected, so if you slouch or push your pelvis too far back, it may result in digestion issues, such as constipation, bloating, gas and acid reflux.”

So… “while constipation and bloating make your belly appear bigger, it is not fat; it’s just the waste that is not being eliminated.”

Basically, some of the weight you may lose as a result of practising the method every day might just be a result of your food baby disappearing.

The post Does the 5-minute Japanese towel method actually burn belly fat? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The ketogenic diet which is commonly known as Keto diet is one of the popular diets right now. It is a low-carb and high-fat diet is mostly followed by weight watchers. However, aside from weight loss, as per studies, there are other health benefits of it as well including better blood sugar levels, fight cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease among others. If you are following this diet then you are asked to drastically reduce the consumption of carbs and replace it with fat. As the reduction in carbs puts our body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When we are in the state of ketosis, body burns fat for energy. With increased fat breakdown, there is also a reduction in insulin levels. Also, the liver starts producing high numbers of ketones to supply energy for your brain. So, how, to know whether you are in the state of ketosis or not. As per Healthline.com’s article, there are several signs which can hint about the same. Read on to know about the common symptoms of ketosis.

1. Bad breath 
 bad breath once they reach full ketosis. The specific culprit is acetone, a ketone that exits the body in your urine and breath. Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day or use sugar-free gum to solve the issue.

2. Fast weight loss
As per studies, Keto followers witness a major drop in weight. The reason could be a massive fat loss as stored carbs and water gets used up. After water weight, body loses fat consistently if you stick to the diet and calorie deficit. 

3. Appetite Suppression
Many people experienced decreased appetite after following the keto diet. The reasons are still being investigated. However, experts believe that hunger reduction could be due to an increase in protein and veggies’ intake and also the body’s hunger hormones changes. The ketones may also affect your brain to reduce appetite.

4. Better focus and more energy
Many people initially experience keto flu i.e. they feel sick, experience fatigue, and brain fog by following a low-carb diet. However, long-term ketogenic dieters reported that they experience better focus and more energy. The same could be due to stabilized blood sugar levels and lesser carbs in the body. 

5. Digestion issues 
Major changes in diet happen when we follow the Keto diet so digestion such as constipation and diarrhea happens in the beginning. However, it mostly gets subsided after the transition period. Also, be mindful of foods as chances of nutrient deficiencies are also high along with digestion issues. 

Note: Please consult a doctor before you start following this diet. And ask a dietician to chalk up a custom diet as per your body needs for you. 

The post Keto Diet: 5 signs that prove you are in the state of Ketosis appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Health and wellness have been on everyone’s mind of late, and unsurprisingly, the health and wellness industry has grown. In 2018, the global health and wellness industry was valued at an estimated $4.5 trillion. Additionally, as more people are on-the-go and too busy to spend time on health matters, there is now a growing demand for portable devices that can help them keep their healthy routine and ease their conditions even when they are out and about. In fact, some analysts expect the fitness tracking technologies market to grow by as much 20% annually going forward. With an emergence of these health related gadgets, it begs the question, which technologies provide the most value?

Portable Blood Pressure Monitor

Nearly one-third of deaths in Singapore are caused by cardiovascular disease. For this reason, individuals are often interested in tracking their blood pressure. However, blood pressure tests may seem like an inconvenient, time consuming, and even expensive undertaking. Fortunately, portable blood pressure monitors are now increasingly affordable and accurate, and can be easily purchased online. For example, our research suggests that the Omron Smart Elite blood pressure monitor costs about S$175, which includes free delivery and a 5-year warranty. Meanwhile, a visit to a general practitioner typically costs S$47.25 – S$125 per visit. This means that individuals that plan to check their blood pressure a handful of times a year will easily break even, and those that need frequent checks will save even more. Not only that, the Omron Smart Elite, which is lightweight and can be synced to a mobile app for reviewing past and current records. Additionally by acquiring the monitor, blood pressure tracking can be conducted more regularly, hence ensuring that users can always be well informed about their health.

Fitness Watch with Built-In Heart-Rate Monitor

As mentioned above, good heart health should be a point of emphasis for all individuals. While tracking your blood pressure is a great idea, it is also important to maintain an active lifestyle in order to maintain and improve your general health. Thankfully, new technologies allow us to monitor our fitness goals and even our heart rates. Whether you are working out or doing your usual errands, these devices can track your heart-rates with sensors and algorithms to reveal insights about your body, fitness and health.

Consumers may not know where to start as there are a variety of fitness watches available. For those with a bigger budget, the latest Series 5 Apple Watch could be a good fit. This device features a number of fitness related tracking functions including an ECG function that flags risks of irregular heart rhythms. However, the Apple Watch costs S$599, which may deter those seeking a more affordable option. Alternatively, Garmin (S$299) and Fitbit (S$188) offer competitive products with great features as well. For example, Garmin Forerunner 45 incorporates an easy-to-use heart-rate monitor with GPS to track work-out pace and distance. It also provides training plans that bring personalized coaching information through the watch.

Metabolism Tracker to Optimise Health Planning

Besides heart health, many individuals have the specific goal to lose weight. Keeping your body slim and fit can be a lot easier if you can monitor your metabolism and track it to optimise your diet and fitness plans. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker claims to do all of those things. By breathing into the device, the tracker will be able to track our metabolism, sleep, nutrition, and fitness data. It can also tell if we have enough energy before a workout or whether we need to re-organise our diet for the day to improve our metabolism. Priced at S$490, this portable device has very few competitors in the market that offers such an easy-to-use model. Another metabolism tracker is the Breezing, which is available for pre-order only (~S$355) through a crowdfunding page. The device currently only works with Android, though the creators are actively working on an iPhone version.

However, are these devices really worth their high prices? This depends on your perspective. If we can compare the cost of purchasing a Lumen with taking a 30-day Keto diet, which claims to fix a sluggish metabolism, acquiring a Lumen may help to establish a longer-term method of maintaining wellness if one is self-disciplined enough to follow through with the recommendations provided by the device. Additionally, the Keto method can actually cost significantly more than a balanced diet. In the end, it is best to consult a doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or investing in a metabolism tracker.

Sleep Gadget for More Comfortable Rest

According to a study conducted with 43 cities, Singapore is ranked as the third most sleep-deprived. Chronic sleep deprivation can significantly affect our health, work performance, safety, and even lead to depression. Nursing a sleep disorder can be a costly affair, even a subsidised polysomnogram, which is an in-laboratory sleep study, costs S$708 at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and this does not even cover the treatment. For that matter, many sleep gadgets have been invented to improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety and mood without the need to visit a sleep specialist. One such product is the Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet that uses natural frequency to strengthen the human biomagnetic field and restore the body’s ability to sleep deeply and restfully.

There are also cheaper options like the Philips Somneo Sleep and Withings Sleep Tracking Pad, which promise to regulate sleep cycles and heal sleep disorders. However, given that these devices do cost hundreds of dollars, we recommend that you consult your primary care physician to make sure investment is a good fit for your health needs.

Explore the World of Health Care Technology

Health treatments do not work the same way for all people, similarly, health care technology may need a fair bit of trial and error before you can find the right fit for your needs. The trick is to identify the well-researched and well-developed technological products that can help to improve your health and well-being. When you get the right fit, it can even prevent serious conditions or cure diseases with little effort at a relatively low cost.

The post 4 Portable Health Gadgets That Are Worth Purchasing appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The keto diet has transformed the way hundreds of thousands of people live, unlocking the body’s potential for weight loss, muscle-building, and energy generation. 

But in these times of social distancing, many people are taking extra precautions to make sure they reduce physical contact with others, which can make it difficult to shop for the kinds of high-quality meats that can help fuel a successful keto diet. 

If you want to make sure you can keep doing keto the healthy way, but you are finding it hard to access your regular providers of quality meat, here’s why you should consider shopping for your keto-friendly meats online.  

is an important part of the keto diet. But doing keto in a healthy way means choosing whole foods dense in proteins, and rich in fats and nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.   

If you are looking for ways to get meat-based protein for your keto diet that contain the vitamins you need but don’t require you to go far out of your way to pick them up, ordering a meat box from an online meat delivery company like truLOCAL can be a great way to fuel your keto diet sustainably. 

Online meat delivery doesn’t just give you access to high quality products – because you can sign up for a regular subscription, ordering meat means getting a fresh box of your favourite cuts is delivered to your door every two weeks. This way, you can maintain a healthy keto diet without violating social distancing.  

Most people who try the keto diet do so for health reasons. As awareness of the dangers of a carb-heavy diet become more widely understood, a growing number of people are choosing to cut carbohydrates out of their diets altogether. 

Doing a clean version of keto can be an important first step toward a healthier diet, but if you really want to make sure that the food you’re using to fuel yourself is doing the maximal amount of good, you should also try to eat local as much as possible. 

Local, artisanal meat comes from animals raised in sustainable and environmentally responsible ways, and this makes a huge difference in the meat itself. If you want keto fuel that will build a healthy body and a healthy mind, going local is one of the best ways to do so. 

Ironically, shopping online is often the easiest way to ensure that the meat you’re eating is local, as meat delivery services like truLOCAL source your meat boxes from farmers and producers in your own region.

One of the reasons the keto diet has proven so popular is because it is a comprehensive approach to eating, one that is based in science and designed to deliver results. If you want to build a healthy lifestyle that will give you energy and clarity, however, you need to make sure you fuel your keto diet using high quality meats that contain the nutrients you need. 

Because online delivery helps you connect with local producers and get premium products delivered to your door, meat subscription services are a perfect go-to for social distancing keto-eaters.

The post Fuelling a Keto Diet the Right Way appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian, Adriana Lima … The list of celebrities and celebrities who follow the latest fad diet is almost endless. The Keto diet, which dispenses with carbohydrates, is trending. Its results vary depending on people, but there are those who claim to have lost 15 kilos in just a few weeks. Here are the keys:

The keto diet eliminates – or minimizes – the intake of carbohydrates. Instead, go for fats and proteins. This is a formula that is prescribed to many athletes, especially when it is intended to lose weight.

How does it work? La keto is a ketogenic diet. This “word” derives from ketosis, the name of a metabolic process where the body produces enough energy to keep it going.What happens when you don’t get enough glucose from carbohydrates for energy production. This is when the body then has to use fats to generate energy, also known as beta-oxidation.

For this, what is done is to suppress carbohydrates, thus achieving the “burning” of fats is anticipated. Hence the weight loss. There are also those who assure that this diet favors brain activity.

What there is also scientific evidence for is that this diet is not a miracle for weight loss. It is a diet considered one of the most restrictive, for the limited range of food it allows.

Long-term use is also not recommended, as it can have dangerous effects on the body, especially on the bones.. Alcoholics and diabetics are especially discouraged.
For best results, experts advise combining it with physical exercise. Both activities will increase the weight loss of the user.

If you are willing to follow this diet you will need to know what type of food you can eat. Here are some: all kinds of meats –including red meats–, fish –especially blue meats– and seafood, eggs, dairy products –preferably the most fatty ones, such as cream, cream or cured cheeses–, cocoa, avocado, nuts, coconut and its derivatives, vegetable oils, seeds, creams and vegetable pates.

Therefore, foods such as bread, pasta, cereals, sugars, legumes and some fruits and legumes should be suppressed.

However, experts advise against starting this type of diet on your own. It is recommended to consult a doctor first, because assuming this mode of feeding can be seriously detrimental to health depending on which cases.

The post Weight loss tips: The miracle diet in fashion among the famous with which you can lose 15 kilos in 12 weeks appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Tomato-Beetroot Juice: Besides adding flavour to our food, tomatoes are packed with several nutrients and have number of health benefits; weight loss being one of them.

Tomato-Beetroot Juice: Have you ever imagined a curry without tomatoes? They make an important part of the Indian cuisine. Tomatoes not only add falvour (tanginess) to a dish, but are also responsible for the texture and consistency of gravy. However, the usage of these red-coloured fruits do not limit to gravy-based dishes. They are also added to different other dishes like raitas, salads, chutneys etc. Besides adding flavour to our food, tomatoes are packed with several nutrients and have number of health benefits; weight loss being one of them. Hence, we bring you a tomato-based juice recipe (tomato-beetroot juice) that also has the goodness of beetroot.

How Tomato-Beetroot Juice Promote Weight Loss?

• Tomatoes are low in calorie and rich in fibre, which keeps a person full for a longer time. It also helps to promote better metabolism, leading to weight loss.
• Beetroot also packed with dietary fibre which makes it an ideal vegetable for the people who are trying to shed the extra kilos.
• Both tomatoes and beetroot are rich in antioxidants, which help to flush out the toxins from body and boost energy. Hence this juice in the morning can provide a healthy start to the day.
• Tomato-beetroot juice is also rich in vitamin C, which helps to strengthen immunity.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes- 2-3

Beetroot- 1

Mint leaves- 3-4

Pink/black salt- as per taste

Black pepper powder- 1 teaspoon

Honey- 1.5 teaspoon

Lemon juice- 1-2 teaspoon

Ice- 1/4th cup (crushed)

Preparation:-

Step 1. Deseed tomatoes and dice them.

Step 2. Peel beetroot and chop it into small pieces.

Step 3. Add the tomatoes and beetroot in a juicer and blend them well. Do not add extra water.

Step 4. Add mint leaves blend again.

Step 5. Take a tall glass; add the crushed ice cubes as base.

Step 6. Strain the juice in the glass and add honey, black pepper powder, pink/black salt and lemon juice and stir.

Step 7. Garnish with a mint leaf and lemon slice and serve cold.

This tomato-beetroot juice may also help to protect the skin from extreme heat during the summer season and make it soft, supple and glowing from within. So try this at home and give yourself a dose of all things good. Stay healthy, stay safe!

The post Weight Loss: This Tomato-Beetroot Juice May Help You Shed Extra Kilos (Recipe Inside) appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Make your weight-loss-friendly, detox tea with ajwain (carom seeds) and jeera (cumin seeds) to attain a healthy and fit body. Both these spices belch out all their properties in this tea, letting us reap their full health benefits.

Losing weight might seem like a monumental task, but little effort on your part can make a huge difference. Small things can make a big impact, only if done regularly. Even a cup of tea with the right ingredients can push you towards your weight loss goal. Make your weight-loss-friendly, detox tea with ajwain (carom seeds) and jeera (cumin seeds) to attain a healthy and fit body. Both these spices are regularly used in Indian cooking; they belch out all their properties in this tea, letting us reap their full health benefits.

Ajwain for weight loss:

You must have noticed the presence of ajwain on most of the heavy foods we cook – pooris, kachoris etc. This is done not just for its unique flavour, but also for its ability to help digest and eliminate the food easily. A good digestive system prevents weight gain. Thymol present in ajwain, imparts the spice its distinct taste and aroma, and also helps release gastric juices in the stomach that may aid digestion. Ajwain is also rich in antioxidants that may flush out toxins from the body, besides improving our metabolism.

Jeera is used as a base ingredient in almost all food preparations. Jeera-infused water releases digestive enzymes that may sooth the digestion process and may help in relieving stomach problems like indigestion, bloating and acidity.

Consultant Nutritionist Rupali Datta explains, “The body is unable to absorb nutrients properly that result in slower rate of waste elimination in case of poor digestion. This may lead to lower metabolism power, which makes it tough for the body to burn calories. Hence, consuming digestion-friendly foods may automatically accelerate the weight loss process. 

How to make ajwain jeera tea for weight loss –

Soak half teaspoon ajwain and 1 tsp jeera in a glass of water for about 2 hours or overnight. Then boil the water along with the seeds for 5 minutes. Strain the tea, add few drops of lemon juice and drink.

Feel free to add variations to the tea according to your taste preference. You can even add other weight-loss friendly foods like mint leaves or ginger. You can also replace lemon juice with honey if you like your tea sweet.

Infusing these spices in water before making the tea ensures proper absorption of their nutrients. Take a step ahead in your weight loss journey with this weight loss herbal concoction.

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Are you trying to lose weight this summer? If yes, you need to make some healthy changes in your diet and lifestyle. Here are some summer foods and drinks you must add to your diet for weight loss.

Diet plays a major role in weight management. A perfect combination of diet and regular exercise can help in healthy weight loss. This summer you can lose weight while staying at home. Due to the lockdown, the chances of eating out has already reduced. When at home, you consume fresh homemade food. For effective weight loss, you need to add some foods and drinks to your diet. This summer, exercise at home and follow a healthy diet for weight management. Here’s a list of food and drinks you should try for weight loss.

Weight loss tips: Summer foods and drinks for weight loss.

1. Watermelon

This summer fruits can offer you multiple health benefits. It can also help in weight loss. Maximum portion of a watermelon is loaded with water. This fruit contains essential nutrients including vitamin A, C, lycopene and plenty of antioxidants. It also contains very few calories and keeps you hydrated. Not just watermelon, you can also eat different summer fruits.

2. Cucumber

Cucumber is also weight loss friendly. It is also low in calories with high water content. Cucumber also contains fibre which can keep you full for longer. You can eat cucumber as a snack or add it to your salad. It can also be used to prepare refreshing cool drinks.

3. Detox drink

During the summer season, you need to drink more water to stay hydrated. You can prepare detox drinks which can help in weight loss as well as help you get rid of toxins. To prepare detox water, take water on a large jar and add your favourite fruits to it. You can also add ginger slices, chopped cucumber, lemon slices and some mint leaves. Keep this in the fridge to cool down. Drink this water throughout the day and refill when required.

4. Grilled vegetables

Vegetables should be an important part of your weight loss diet. Most vegetables are loaded with fibre which can keep you full for longer. These will also provide you plenty of nutrients. You can take a variety of vegetables for grilling. Enjoy these with low-fat dip.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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While intermittent fasting and the keto diet are two of the most hyped mediums of weight loss, a lot of people are unaware of the fact that you can actually combine the two to tailor your fitness regime. 24-year-old Mohanish Rajendra Devrukhkar, a personal trainer and an online fitness coach, tells us that he was able to trim from 128 kg to 95 kg in 7 months by mixing the two approaches along with following a dedicated exercise routine.

He shares that growing up, he wanted to become a cricket player but got injured and the injury led him to commence following a fitter lifestyle. “I like to think that my injury brought me into the beautiful world of fitness,” he says and also breaks down his weight loss journey below.

How to lose 33 kg –

“I weighed 128 kg when I commenced my weight loss journey, and speaking from experience the first and foremost step of any weight loss and body transformation journey is acceptance. You have to accept your body first and then take steps to change it! I did, by embarking on the below weight loss plan.”

Weight loss plan he followed to lose 33 kg –

“I started with indulging in lots and lots of cardio in the gym. I was a foodie as well so being on a constant diet was very tough for me but then I got to know about the keto diet. It worked wonders for me because I am a meat lover and also helped me stick to one diet for a long period of time.”

What is the keto diet?

A keto diet (also known as the ketogenic diet) is a special diet plan that ensures you are eating foods that are high in fat (about 70 per cent), moderate in protein (about 25 per cent) and extremely low in carbohydrates (about 5 per cent). The main purpose of this diet is to help your body achieve the state of ketosis. When in ketosis, your body is constantly burning fat at a very high rate.

QUICK READ: What is the ketogenic diet and how does it help you lose weight

“Post following keto for a bit, I shifted my focus to weight training with a good amount of daily cardio and a cross training session once every week in the gym. With this new change in my routine, I started following a 16:8 intermittent fasting split alongside keto.”

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent Fasting (popularly also known as IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you can or cannot eat when you break your fast, but only on the duration of the fast, which often ranges between a 12-hour to 20-hour window.

There are many IF patterns that you can follow — the 12:12 method (fasting for 12 hours and eating during the next 12), the 5:2 method (eating regularly for 5 days and then fasting or eating very little for the next 2 days), the Warrior Diet (fasting for 20 hours and eating only during the remaining 4-hour window) and the 16:8 method (fasting for 16 hours and eating during the next 8 hours of the day). Notably, the 16:8 diet is regarded as the most effective intermittent fasting plan.

How to combine keto diet with intermittent fasting?

Follow a 16:8 pattern of eating and consume only keto-friendly food during the eating window. This will help your body achieve ketosis at an even faster rate.

How to maintain your current weight after a drastic body transformation ?

“Currently, I am not trying to maintain my weight as there is no maintenance—for me, it is improvement. You need to always improve when it comes to fitness! I lost 33 kg in 2016, and since then have improved my physique every single day.”

Any tips for someone who’s trying to lose weight?

• “Stay consistent and focused. Motivation will help ignite that spark but only dedication and consistency will take you to higher levels of fitness.
• Try to hit the gym as often as possible and stay on track, the results will come eventually and please don’t ever be afraid to ask for help in the gym.”

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The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that is in vogue for quite some time now. The diet offers various health benefits and shares many similarities with the Atkins and other low-carb diets, which involve significantly low intake of carbs and replacing it with good fat.

This reduction in carbohydrates puts our body into a metabolic state, known as ketosis. Usually, our bodies need glucose for sustainability, and glucose is produced when our body breaks down carbs. But in keto diet, when we cut back on carbs, it looks for other energy sources to fill the gap. Fat is that energy source that our body uses as its second best choice for energy.

Since one of the amazing health benefits of keto diet is that it facilitates weight loss and helps manage it, a lot of people have adopted keto diet in an attempt to lose weight fast and efficiently. However, if you are on keto diet or planning to start with it, you must get all your facts right and consult your nutritionist. We often tend to make silly mistakes while we are on keto diet; we try to accommodate keto diet in our routine rather than adjusting our lifestyle according to it.

To help us avoid doing mistakes on keto diet, famous YouTube chef, Sahil Makhija, has laid down a few common mistakes to avoid while you are on keto diet.

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