Categories
Diet Tips

7 Benefits of Almonds That Will Surprise You

Almonds and its Nutrients

In today’s world, Fat loss often considered one of the major obsessions. But on the other hand, Fat is also vital to carry out various functions of the body. Among those functions, one is the absorption of vitamins from soluble fats. Almonds are the clear winner when it comes to boosting of absorption of Vitamins from the fats. The nutritional substances found in almonds are naturally low in sugars. Almonds are rich in fiber, protein, vitamin A, D, E, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and Healthy Fat. The nutritional profile of almonds makes them the lowest-calorie nuts. All the nutrients help in the process of nutrient extraction to the body, along with cholesterol synthesis.

Almonds

Benefits

Almonds almost consist of 17 nutrients in every one ounce, i.e., 28 grams, which are around a handful of 20-24 almonds. Almonds might seem like just a member of the nuts family, but it has surprising health benefits. Let’s see how routine consumption of almonds can benefit in so many ways to our body:

Improves Digestive Health: Almonds are rich in fiber, one of the significant elements of digestion. Almond and its skin promote the good gut bacteria. Our body has several good bacteria that are required to digest food and turn it into nutritional elements. Almonds increase these excellent bacteria due to its present probiotic compounds, thus supporting a healthy digestive system.

Almonds primarily represented in Ketogenic diets as many times, and the keto diet does not provide enough fiber to the body, increases constipation and diarrhea. The fiber in almonds helps feed with the healthy bacteria in your gut and manage to increase their population preventing ailments and nutritional deficiencies.

Act as an antioxidant: Almonds are a great source of antioxidants. Oxidative stress in the body increases inflammation. Oxidative stress by free radicals accumulation leading to cell damage. Almonds associates with lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation because of the nutrients that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Antioxidants prevent diseases and aging.

Further aging involves diseases that might attack our memory. Almonds help in boosting brain health because of reducing oxidative stress. Thus the antioxidative nature of almonds has a protective impact over cells.

Lower cholesterol: Almonds are among the best foods to help lower cholesterol naturally. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), well known as bad cholesterol, comes with the risk of heart diseases. Almonds are high in fat too, but the fat present in almonds is unsaturated and does not promote unhealthy cholesterol. Instead, the study shows that unsaturated fats improve a person’s blood cholesterol status.

Almonds promote high-density lipoprotein that means good cholesterol in the body. Healthy cholesterol levels lower your cardiovascular risks. Hence, routine consumption of almonds help protect the heart health

Lower Blood pressure: Almonds promote healthy artery walls as it blocks the plaque, which can clog arteries from blood flowing. Almonds are an excellent supplement for those who suffer from high blood pressure. Studies also suggest that high magnesium deficiencies can lead to high blood pressure, and almonds being rich in magnesium can prevent deficiency.

Magnesium also increases insulin sensitivity. People with diabetes are always struggling with insulin resistance, and almonds are excellent sources of magnesium that can reduce resistance. The excellent fiber content present in almonds also helps blood sugar regulation. Experts also say Almonds prevent blood sugar spikes after meals if consumed in the correct proportion. Hence, a correct serving of almonds in a day can help maintain blood sugar levels and reduce diabetic complications too.

Improves Heart Health: The primary benefit of almond is that it controls bad cholesterol and promotes high-density lipoprotein in the body, in turn, reduces the risk of heart diseases. Almonds also improve vascular function by helping blood vessels relax and reduce artery stiffness. The antioxidant property of almond reduces oxidation in bloodstreams and improves blood flow.

The substances in almonds, especially the antioxidant flavonoids, a plant present probiotic compounds that are present in the skin of almonds, prevent the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and having a heart attack. Minerals present in almonds like magnesium, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and arginine, plays a vital role in heart health and support cardiovascular function. Vitamin E in almonds also acts as an anti-inflammatory flavonoid and reduces inflammation in the body. Thus almonds promote smooth blood flow to heart reducing heart risks.

Improves cognitive function: Almonds improve not only memory skills but also overall brain function. Nutrients present in almonds are a great source to keep brainpower in check. The antioxidative property of almond combats inflammation and oxidation that prevents brain aging and memory decline.

Vitamin E present in almonds prevents cognitive decline. Also, studies have proved that almonds have neuroprotective benefits and prevent neurological disorders. Hence, including a serving of almonds can help you delay the cognitive aging process.

Aid weight regulation: Studies have shown that regular consumption of almonds reduces obesity. Almonds are a very preferred healthy food because of its nutrient profile, which makes it less calorie nut, improves gut bacteria, and promote digestion, suppresses appetite, fat burning, and antioxidation reduce oxidative stress. All these properties, one or the other way, helps to maintain weight.

Almonds contain several nutrients that help the body to break food and convert it into nutrients or get digested in the body. Also, nuts are said to increase metabolism levels in the body. Almonds make people feel satiated, and feeling full can help lose weight as they tempt less to eat unhealthy snacks. Almonds are weight loss friend nuts, and its nutrient profile enhances weight loss. Almonds reduce BMI and also reduces waist circumference. By keeping the digestive system on track, being an insoluble fat Almond are a great choice to maintain a healthy weight.

In addition to one’s dietary plans, one can use phen24 weight loss formula that assists in accelerating the healthy weight and feeling better through their two-time doses.

How to consume Almonds daily

Almonds are handy snacks and easily included in meals. Soaked almonds or natural almonds both are high in nutrients. As almonds make you feel full and suppress hunger. It’s always recommended choosing a handful of almonds over other unhealthy snacks. If you can’t control the portion size or the snack part just doesn’t work for you, you can simply start including it in your meal.

Below are some tips:

  • Replace the chicken garnishing with roasted almonds
  • Use in salad dressing
  • Sprinkle it over your regular yogurt
  • Add it to your cereals
  • Add up in your smoothie
  • Top your cookies, pancakes, waffles
  • Soak overnight and enjoy with breakfast
  • Pack with your on the way meal
  • Keep a handful beside your water bottle
  • Serve sliced almonds on curried vegetables

Conclusion

Almonds are the clear winner when it comes to the level of nutritional value. Almonds are naturally low in sugars has its benefits consumed with a meal, before a meal or at any time of the day. Almonds have many other benefits like it support immunity, provides omega fatty acid three and proteins equivalent to eggs. Its properties make it an excellent snack to people dealing with weight gain as it has some fantastic fat, insoluble components that promote nutrition extract and doesn’t promote fat collection in the body. Almonds also increase metabolism levels and help in reducing overweight.

Rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins, fibers, and other vital substances present in almonds promotes a healthy life. Many people misunderstand that almond is just tasty and rich in fats and doesn’t carry that much nutritional value. But almond has many other benefits that have a direct effect on the body’s blood flow and the brain’s functions too. Right from maintaining cholesterol levels in the body to help open the clog arteries to keep blood flow smooth almonds can reduce heart risks. Along with heart, almonds also help in preventing memory diseases and cognitive dysfunctions.

Almonds are highly suggested to vegans as its high fiber content fulfills the incomplete proportion that you get through meals. Fibers help in digestion and prevent constipation, helps to keep the stomach clean, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Almonds being so versatile nuts as they are suitable to blend in the diet in many ways. Whether consumed whole, sliced, chopped, or through butter, flour, it is yummily satisfying and has equal benefits.

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Stress

Ways To Avoid – Getting Stressed Out At Home

The saying “home sweet home” cannot be true every time. Like any other place like an office or school, our home can also become a stress zone sometimes.

The stress at home can be due to many reasons like

  • A very noisy environment like living in the heart of a city
  • Personal problems like financial issues
  • Physical pains, broken relationship
  • Tiring household chores like doing a ton of laundry, cleaning the house, etc.

Although it appears as a simple discomfort, stress is not something that can be taken lightly. Many psychologists say that stress can be related to many psychological and physical problems. Stress and anxiety are some common things experienced by people. About 60 to 70 percent of people pass through mild to extreme stress conditions.

Stress

What is stress?

Stress is a common feeling of both emotional and physical tension. It can happen because of any incident or thought that could make you feel irritated, angry, and nervous, and tensed. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge you are facing. It can be emotional or physical. Stress can sometimes be positive also. For example, if you are stressed about the work you have to do, then it will help you to complete the work at the right time. But if the stress you are experiencing persists for a long time, then it can cause damage to your both mental and physical health. There are mainly two types of stress:

  • Chronic stress: This type of stress can persist for a long period. It can be there for about weeks or even months. This stress can be many like money problems, relationship problems, work problems, etc. The main issue with this type of stress is that you can get adapted to the problem and may not even realize you have stress. If not treated timely manner, it may have repercussions like suicidal thoughts or depression.
  • Acute stress: This is short term stress. It will be there for just a moment, and then it will fade away. The reasons for this stress can be a fight, falling, hitting the hands or legs somewhere, etc. It can also be considered as positive stress since it can help you to overcome the bad situation. Most people have acute stress one time or another.

Symptoms of stress

To recognize and understand that you have stressed is the initial step to manage stress. Your body is an emotional, physical, and behavioral way that indicates that you have stress. Some of the stress signs exhibited by the body are:

  • Emotional signs: difficulty in sleeping, anxiety, depression, feeling of emptiness, nightmares, negative feelings etc.
  • Physical signs: body pains and aches, rapid heartbeat and breathing, tiredness, nausea, headache, sweaty palms, trouble in speaking and concentrating, etc.
  • Behavioral signs: anger, impatience, social isolation, change in appetite, no interest in doing anything, boredom, getting demotivated easily, irritability, aggression, etc.

When stressed, the body will release hormones called stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones alert the center of the brain, increase the pulse, and make muscles tense. These are good for the body to cope up with the stress. Cortisol will increase the glucose in the blood, thereby enhances the brain’s utilization of glucose and increase the availability of substances that repairs the tissues. Too much stress can also cause skin problems, menstrual problems, and sexual problems also.

Tips to reduce stress at home

Some of the strategies you can use to avoid stress at home are:

  • Make your schedule less tight:  If you have made a schedule that includes too many tasks to do without any break, it can induce some stress. Try not to take too many projects or commitments all at once and try to prioritize.
  • Speak for yourself: In the house, there can be many issues from small to big. If you are feeling mistreated or used, stand for yourself. Express what you are feeling. If the works of the house are too burdensome for you, then speak it out. You can diplomatically express what you are feeling. It can help you to strengthen your self-esteem also.
  • Surround yourself with supportive people: You are lucky if you have a supportive family. Try to be around people with a positive attitude who can help and support you. Be close to people who were there for you through your thick and thin if you can help to give you a positive mind and can relieve your stress.
  • Try to be more organized: If there is a lot of work to do, and you do not know where to start, it can make you stressed. Making a to-do list helps you in this situation. Living an organized life not only helps you to overcome the stress but also help you to do everything more easily and effectively.
  • Always find time for fun and relaxing: Try not to spend half of the life running to do things you want to do. Find yourself time and space to relax and explore yourself. Taking a break between the jobs also make you more productive. You can do simple things like hearing music, cooking something you like, reading a book, playing with your pet, etc. It will help to enhance the emotional center of the brain and can make you happier.
  • Find your personal space: Being alone for some time in your personal space can help you explore and know yourself more. It does not mean you have to forget about your responsibilities. In addition to caring and look after others, self-care is also important. The personal space can be anywhere like a lounge or a chair in the balcony somewhere calm. Make yourself happy.
  • Select a stress management activity: Even though you have many things to do, find a way to do something that can decrease your stress, and calm you. If you have things to do, like cleaning the house, try to do it along with some music. It can make you less stressed and also help you to be more productive. If you are working at home, take some snacks along with you. You can also have some yoga sessions, gardening, etc.
  • Try to solve the problem: There will make some reasons that are making you stressed. Find that reason and try to solve it. For example, if the problem is financial, try to solve it by preparing a budget, increasing your saying, or finding other sources of income. Trying to solve the problem is always better than solving the symptoms.
  • Try to convert your home to a more peaceful place: The surrounding of the place where you are living can have an impact on your behavior. If it is a noisy region, then it can be very stressful. Try to avoid those places if you are dealing with stress issues. You can also transform your home to a peaceful environment by adding decors like plants, stones, paintings, etc. that can give a warm feeling.

Related Read: Best Adderall Alternatives

Stress can be removed completely through proper caring and therapies. But you can also do something from your part to deal with stress. Our home is the only place where we can be ourselves. If you do not feel that the place you are living is not feeling like your home, it is very important to change it.

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Diet Tips

Weight Loss Cleanses: Do They Work?

Introduction 

The topic ‘weight loss’ can repeatedly be seen being pondered over, discussed, and researched upon for the benefit of one and all. Everyone wants to lose weight. Some opt for sustainable methods whilst some take refuge in crash diets and the likes. Various methods are being tried and tested to attain people’s desired goals. This article covers the role of weight loss cleanses in a person’s weight loss journey, what to expect from it and who should steer clear from it.

Lemonade diet

What Are Weight Loss Cleanses

Just as the name suggests, weight loss cleanses are yet another approach to attaining weight loss by cleansing or omitting certain types of food from your diet that may trigger weight gain. There is no hard and fast rule as to what needs to be included in a weight loss cleanse if one plans to go for it. Different types of cleanses are practiced by people to lose weight. The main factor which decides the formulation and opting of these cleanses are fat loss from specific body parts, weight loss and sometimes simply if the person is willing to rid the body of toxins or in other words detoxify the body of impurities. Weight loss cleanses give prompt results. However, happiness garnered thus is short-lived as it triggers rapid weight loss and the lost pounds may get right back into the body after a month or so.

Of the varieties of cleanses that people popularly opt for, one of the more sought-after forms is completely avoiding consumption of a particular type of food from your diet. Common food types that are avoided are:

  • Processed food
  • Junk or deep-fried food
  • Sugary treats and drinks
  • Soy
  • Dairy and dairy products
  • Alcohol
  • Gluten
  • Wheat

Other forms of cleanses include resorting to herbal cleanse supplements, adding specific types of teas to your diet, drinking herb infused-water, etc. Some people resort to specific exercise forms to attain this feat. Most weight loss cleanses are brief programs followed for short periods and often it does not facilitate long term weight loss or fat loss. However, before opting for an Ozempic weight loss cleanse program it would be wise to consult your nutritionist or garner more information from a health expert as to how much food needs to be omitted from your diet and for how long. Long-term and deliberate deprivation of specific nutrients from the body would do more harm than good so better to seek expert advice before opting for the same.

Benefits of Weight Loss Cleanses

A major requirement of weight loss cleansing programs that is worth mentioning is the fact that they promote healthy foods to be included in one’s diet and the omission of unhealthy foods that may trigger weight gain. Most cleansing programs encourage the consumption of whole foods inclusive of specific meals which are rich in nutrients, low in calories, and is good for the overall health of the person. Some studies have shown specific weight loss cleanses to reduce fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes whereas others have shown to promote a healthy heart. It is also a widely known fact that weight loss does improve a person’s overall health and weight loss cleanses do assist in this regard. They work as a motivating factor that encourages people to stick to a healthy weight.

Although it may seem a bit taxing initially to restrict certain types of food completely whilst the program lasts but once the person gets a gist of the general wellness that one feels owing to the program, sticking to the plan seems like a breeze. Slowly, not only do weight loss cleanses assist the person to achieve their weight loss goal but it also helps the person to get rid of frequent hunger pangs as well as reduce cravings and binge-eating habits. Weight loss cleanses also help to treat minor digestive issues like bloating, flatulence, acidity, etc that commonly arise due to unhealthy food habits

Common Types of Weight Loss Cleanses

Let us take a look at some popular cleanses that people tend to go for.

  1. Juice cleanses – as the name suggests, this program requires the person to consume only specific types of vegetable and fruit juices and to completely avoid consumption of all other types of food from one’s diet. Normally this program lasts for up to 7 days.
  2. Green Smoothie cleanse – this program lasts for 10 days and calls for the person to consume smoothies made out of fruits and vegetables and to completely restrict the diet from all other forms of food except vegetables rich in starch.
  3. Lemonade diet – this cleanse is referred to as the master cleanse and lasts for a period of 10 days. The only food allowed during this time is water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
  4. Whole 30 – this variety of weight loss cleanse calls for the person to strictly adhere to dietary modifications for 30 days. Lean proteins, fruits and vegetables can be consumed in abundance. However, during this period dairy, sugar, legumes, alcohol, etc should be completely avoided

Negative Effects of Weight Loss Cleanses

Although weight loss cleanses do garner positive results in terms of short-term weight loss, one must not overlook the negative impacts it may have on some people. It is important to remember that weight loss cleanses don’t have scientific backing so health experts don’t usually recommend this method for someone who is looking to lose weight healthily. Also, these cleanse promote rapid weight loss in very short periods so it may harm the body in ways more than one. Dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and the formation of gallstones have been some of the most commonly reported adverse effects of weight loss cleanses. Also, in some people, it could give rise to eating disorders as they may take a liking to this method of rapid weight loss. Such disorders can disrupt a person’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Those with underlying health conditions and chronic health diseases should indulge in a thorough discussion with their doctor before they opt for any weight loss plan especially the likes of weight loss cleanses.

Things To Remember

Before deciding to go for any weight loss plan it is good to make some notes to prepare one’s mind and body for the same to garner best results. Listed below are some of those:

  • Ask yourself if embarking on this journey is for health reasons or to simply look thin physically. If your answer is ‘yes’ for the former then you are on the right track.
  • Make a list of diet programs that suits your lifestyle and pocket, and short-list what may best work for you and your bodily needs.
  • Speak to your doctor or consult a nutritionist in order to play it safe.
  • Make a list of ingredients you may need to stick to as part of the program and stock up on the pantry.
  • Try to stick to a sensible weight loss plan so that it helps u in the long run.
  • Make sure it does not interfere with your medication in case you have existing health issues.
  • Focus on your goal.
  • Measure your success with the plan only once you have completed the time needed to finish it.
  • No matter which plans you opt for include daily exercises as part of your day’s routine

Related Read: Alpilean Reviews

Conclusion

If someone is looking to lose weight sustainably and healthily then weight loss cleanses may not be the right choice for you. However, occasionally if you are desperate to lose some pounds to fit into your favorite clothes to wear to an occasion then it is alright to go for these cleanses so long as you don’t have any underlying health issues. Just make sure you don’t get used to this idea in the long run as it may harm your body as discussed above. Be it weight loss or fat loss, it is best to stick to a realistic approach to garner sensible results.

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Exercise

General Principles Of Weight Training For Muscle Building

The beginning of another year is almost here and as the age-old practice goes, most of us would go and renew our gym membership which most of us might have seldom used, isn’t it? Since the breakdown of the novel coronavirus in our world, people have become very serious about their body’s health and function. The novel coronavirus has taught us the importance of keeping a body fit and healthy and ensuring that the immunity game is strong.

When it comes to the world of bodybuilding and gym, it is the way training for muscle building has gained popularity the most of recent years. You could be a beginner at the gym or a fitness enthusiast — everybody wants to start weight training in order to keep the muscles toned and stronger than ever.

Most of the time, it is a lack of knowledge about muscle building that makes us fall prey to injuries that could be easily avoided. And this article is all about helping you understand the fundamental principles of weight training for building your muscles. This will not only help you become informed about the choices you make when it comes to your body, but it will also pump the right kind of confidence in you to achieve those dream body goals in the healthiest way! Read on to know more.

First: Know Your Vocabulary

It is very important to understand the terminology that is used for weight training when you need to build your muscles. Most people do not really know the actual practical meaning of the words that are used by their personal tailors or gym buddies and they end up working out either more or less that always creates a negative impact on the body.

  • Rep: One complete motion of a particular exercise right from start to end is called one rep. For example, 1 complete squat is considered to be one rep.
  • Set: A group of reps equals one set of examples, your workout might ask you to do three sets of eight reps. The first eight reps are equal to 1 set.
  • Compound Exercise: this form of exercise is considered to be a movement where you are using more than one joint of your body to perform that movement. For example, we can consider a squat to be a compound movement as this involves the joints from your ankles, knees, and hips. And person trainers always recommend gym goers to prioritise compound exercises for greater results.
  • Isolation Exercise: This is a form of movement where only one joint is used. For example, an isolation movement can be seen in a bicep curl. Only the elbow joint is involved here.
  • Drop Set: When you’re performing any kind of movement, if you reach a failure point, you end up picking up lighter weights and you continue until you reach failure again.
  • Superset: if you are performing variant exercises in each set without taking any rest in between — this is called a superset. This routine keeps your heart rate elevated and ensures that your muscle fibres are involved more and therefore you end up burning more calories.
  • Pyramid Set: when you increase your weight with each set that you perform and you lower your reps, then it is called a pyramid set.
  • Supinated grip: this is a grip position where your lower needs to be rotated so that your palm faces upwards.
  • Pronated grip: this is a great position where your palms face downwards.

Second: Overload

You are considered to be overloaded if you expose your muscles to excessive weight stimulus or resistance that they can go through when compared to their normal everyday activities. The weight that you pick for any given exercise should allow you to complete all the repetitions incorrect form. If you struggle to maintain the technique while performing the petitions, you need to go back and complete your first set by decreasing the weight. On the other hand, if you successfully complete some extra Repps then you need to choose a heavier weight because your body has already recovered and got adapted to the tension that you made it go through.

Third: Progression

As we exercise more, our body gets stronger, and lifting the same weights that you did probably a week ago will not push your body as much as it did earlier. Therefore in order to ensure that the results are continuous, you will need to start overloading your muscles with more and more weight that is more stimulus over time. This is called aggressive overload and it is very necessary because your muscles continue to adapt. However, you don’t really have to always increase the weight. You could also increase your reps instead.

Fourth: Rest & Recovery

When you work out the stress from the overload causes minor damage to the muscle fibers. And when you sleep well, eat well, and rest, your body gets to start working by repairing and also reinforcing the little tears or damage that has been done to your muscle fibers. This process is like a look and can only be carried out when you are resting. Therefore never ever skip a rest day and secondly, you should not be training any harder than how you are being able to rest.

Fifth: Connection Between Muscle And Mind

Pushing, pulling, and lifting can be seen as very simple patterns therefore it is very easy for our mind to wander off and leave the bodies to go through the motions. However, we need to build our mind and muscle connection as it is just like meditation. It’s very important for us to get back to the present moment when we start thinking about our post workout meal while we are right in the middle of a set.

Ensure that for every single rate of exercise that you perform, you need to gather your attention on the muscles or the muscle that you’re working on. You need to visualise the concentric and eccentric contractions, you need to maintain awareness of the posture and alignment of your body and you need to also beware of any tension or stress that the muscles shouldn’t be facing when you are performing that exercise.

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Exercise

The Simple Weekly Workout Plan to Lose Weight

There are two essentials for efficient weight loss. A healthy diet and an effective workout plan. While diet serves as the fuel to your body, workout helps you burn calories and get into shape faster. A workout plan enables you to achieve your goals and helps you in keeping the weight off for a longer time. It is necessary to maintain the routine along with healthy eating habits to get faster results. It is necessary to understand that one workout plan may not work for all however, the plan discussed below can give you a push to workout. Changes can be done according to an individual’s needs later.

testosterone

A great way to begin with your workout is:

Strength Training

Strength training is necessary for sustainable weight loss. It can also increase muscle mass when practiced for a long time. When the body has more muscle it requires more energy to maintain it. This results in an increased basal metabolic rate (BMR). It is advised to carry out full-body strength training rather than strengthening specific body parts as you may miss a day or two of your workout plan and it can cause confusion. Below are given the exercises to practice on day one.

Carry out exercises like bodyweight squats followed by bench dips, planks, and other exercises that can help you strengthen your body.

Cardio Day

Day two is meant for keeping your heart pumping and blood flowing. With the help of cardio exercise, the body can use oxygen more efficiently. It helps you burn more calories and promotes weight loss by helping in maintaining the calorie deficit. Older adults who are overweight can also go for cardio exercises as it reduces the risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture. Various fun things can be done on a cardio day. For example, cycling, running, swimming, brisk walking, aerobics, and more.

Recovery Day

Recovery is necessary for rebuilding the muscles that you have worked out. On this day the body gets to rest and recover from the workout. However, this doesn’t mean you can laze around all day. A simple walk or some stretching exercises are recommended.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

This day involves pushing yourself a little more than your limits. Practice a HIIT session of around 20-30 minutes once a week. This enables you to burn more calories during the workout and after the workout since the body works harder to come to rest as compared to other days. It can also lead to muscle gain and enhance the oxygen consumption of the body.

Strength Training

Day five is the same as day one. You can carry out the same exercises as day one or you can modify them accordingly.

Recovery Day

Take a dip in hot water if your muscles feel sore and use anti-inflammatory herbs to reduce inflammation if needed. Do light exercise to keep the blood flowing for active recovery.

Cardio Day

The last day of the week will be the same as day two. You can practice the same cardio exercise or switch it up if needed.

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Diet Tips

How To Make A Satisfying Smoothie

It is difficult to identify the disadvantages of smoothies. These blended drinks are not only simple to create but also portable, making them ideal for on-the-go meals and snacks. Plus, they are a great way to meet your daily fruit and vegetable requirements.

Though you may believe that creating a smoothie is as easy as pressing a button on your Nutribullet or Vitamix — and in many cases, it is – just putting ingredients into the blender does not ensure an appetizing result. There is, contrary to popular belief, both an art and a science to producing a superb smoothie.

Smoothie Primers

Smoothies are really a catch-all for a vast assortment of ingredients and tastes. However, anybody who has made a fruit and spinach smoothie that turned an unappetizing brown color is witness to the fact that certain combinations just do not work.

To guarantee that your smoothie is tasty, nutritious, and visually appealing, you’ll need to start with a few basic ingredients: a liquid, a protein source, fruits and/or vegetables, and healthy fats.

As you create the ideal smoothie, keep your own health objectives in mind. If you’re concerned about the quantity of sugar in your smoothie, attempt to strike a balance between fruits and veggies. If weight management is a problem, take Protetox and  watch your quantities of high-calorie items such as nut butter and whole milk dairy. And for general health, it’s preferable to limit added-sugar foods; thus, avoid using chocolate chips and caramel sauce on a daily basis.

The choice then becomes whether to ice or not to freeze. The usual guideline for a refreshingly frosty smoothie is a ratio of around half cold or frozen components to half non-frozen ones. When you don’t have any frozen fruit on hand, use ice cubes. (With frozen fruit, ice is not required unless you like a slushy-like beverage.) Remember that you should consume a smoothie with ice immediately to avoid it from getting overly watery.

Liquid

A liquid is the fundamental component of the optimum smoothie consistency. Too little, and you won’t be able to drink it via a straw. For a single smoothie serving, you should generally not exceed 1 cup of liquid. If you are unclear about how a liquid will thin down your specific component mixture, pour it in gradually, keeping in mind that you may always add more.

The water content of fruits and vegetables is an additional aspect in achieving the ideal liquid balance. For smoothies made with high-water-content fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, or pineapple, or with vegetables such as cucumber, you may not need any liquid at all.

Protein Source

Smoothies may be readily fortified with protein. While certain proteins, such as chicken, are plainly unsuitable for smoothies, many others have the proper consistency for mixing.

The quantity of protein you add to your smoothie is entirely up to you, but keep serving sizes in mind while you do so. A portion of yogurt may be up to 1 cup. However, a serving of protein powder is often just 1 tablespoon. Check food labels to establish suitable serving sizes, and consider how the protein in your smoothie will interact with the liquid. (Nuts, for instance, may absorb liquid, while yogurt may thin your smoothie.)

Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables, from apples to zucchini, provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your blended pleasure. Whenever feasible, it is better to add frozen fruit. They will thicken and cool your concoction for that familiarly pleasant ahh. Meanwhile, their sweetness helps mask vegetables’ more harsh flavors and smells. Additionally, frozen fruit is often cheaper than fresh fruit and may be stored for longer durations.

Again, remember to consider the water content of all frozen fruits. When utilizing high-water-content fruits such as berries or melons, start with less liquid.

Vegetables may affect smoothies’ color and texture, necessitating extra planning when adding them. If you don’t mind a little pulp in your smoothie, you may add crisp vegetables such as bell peppers or celery to your protein, fat, and liquid in a high-powered blender. Otherwise, stick to tenderer options such as spinach or cucumber.

Obtaining a beautiful hue with vegetables may also require experimenting. Blended beets, for instance, provide a beautiful pink, but spinach and kale might clash with berries to produce an unattractive mud hue.

Personalize Smoothie Packs

Smoothies are handy, but premade smoothie packs may further simplify hectic mornings or afternoons. Why not put together your own? In plastic or silicone bags with zip-top closures, insert the necessary number of frozen fruits, protein sources, and healthy fat. Place the bags flat in the freezer for storage convenience. Include a date on the labels!

 

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Diet Tips

Gaining Weight After Working Out? Here’s Why?

So, you finally decided to step on your weight loss journey with 100% dedication. Got yourself a workout regime designed and you are sticking to it with utmost dedication and being consistent. But instead of seeing the numbers drop on the weight scale, you are saying that you are actually gaining weight. How can you gain weight when you’re actually working out? If Weight Loss is the journey you are on and even after so much effort if you see an increase in the skin, it can get very frustrating and demotivating.

But you need to know that this increase on the scale is not a blooper but it is backed by research as to why there might be a slight weight gain when you begin exercising. Weight gain includes several reasons such as water retention, muscle gain, supplement use, undigested food, or even inflammation caused because of post workout. In many cases, waiting because of post workout information is a temporary condition. Let us understand more about this. Read on.

Weight gain because of muscles

When you start working out, you are very likely to gain weight in your muscles. The amount of muscle that you gain highly depends on the type of workouts that you are doing and the diet that you’re following. Any slight increase in your physical activity will produce some improvements in your muscle mass and strength. If you have been doing workouts related to strength training and consuming a lot of protein, then there might be a drastic increase in your muscle mass. And of course, genetics also have a role to play in the amount of muscle looking when you’re on an exercise program. If you are gaining your muscles very easily, call yourself lucky! Because muscles are the ones that help to shape a healthy and strong body. And when you gain your muscles, the scheme is definitely going to increase.

If you are working out consistently, it is highly possible that you begin to lose inches before losing your weight. And a higher number on the weighing scale depicts that you are losing all the fat from your body while gaining muscle at the same time which is a very positive outcome if you are looking to go towards a stronger and leaner body.

Weight gain because of water retention

If there is any such thing called temporary weight gain, the other word for it is water retention. And this is very common with people who have high fluctuations in their hormones, for example, people who are in the their pre menopausal stage, those who suffer from hormonal onditions such as PCOS. Their body weight is prone to fluctuate a lot. With women it is very common, when women have periods a majority of them tend to suffer from some degree of bloating either during the period or just before that period. Exercise is the only way that can help reduce these premenstrual symptoms.

Sodium intake is another common cause for water retention leading to weight gain. When you consume foods that are high in salt, it increases your body weight. When people eat salty foods, they automatically go and try to drink a lot of water and this produces more urine. The extra fluid that is in our body generally adds up on the scale.

Weight gain caused because of post workout inflammation

A temporary weight gain can be caused as a result of your workout itself. This increase in your weight signals that you might be exercising dedicatedly in order to see healthy results. In other words, exercise tends to damage muscle tissue. And the repair process that a muscles undergo helps them to get stronger and grow more. And during this process, inflammation tends to occur in the muscle tissues. Exercise physiologists name this as EIMD, exercise induced muscle damage. It is considered to be a very temporary effect that occurs after performing a new exercise pattern or exceptionally performing your regular exercise pattern.

Weight gain caused by supplement use

Consuming supplements or post workout nutrition can also lead to a certain amount of weight gain after you workout. Exercise especially when it is prolonged like cycling or running-it tends to deplete a body of glycogen. And it is important to consume supplements post workout that contain carbs. Carbohydrates tend to restore the glycogen in our muscles. And for each gram of that like Cochin that is restored our body retains at least 3 g of water. And when there is an increase in the amount of water stored in a body, weight gain occurs.

This whole process is considered to be a very healthy recovery process and it is something that you must not avoid.

Weight gain caused by indigestion of fiber rich food

Which is very natural that you will be left feeling hungry after your workout. And if you choose to refuel by eating foods that are rich in fiber, this nutritious choice of food might lead to an increase in the weighing scale as it works its way within your body. Always remember that fiber leads to water retention in the colon area and this results in stools that are easier to excrete and less dry. If you are consuming Fiber that is insoluble then it could lead to an increase in your stool weight. In a particular research, it was found that each one of us produces at least 125 to 170 g of stool each day — or that’s equal to almost half a pound. However, there are certain other studies that claim that a daily stole Maid needs to be roughly around 106 g each day.

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Diet Tips

Stable Weight Tied To Cognitive Function As You Age

Ever since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the majority of the people in the world have begun to take health seriously. Earlier it was only fan tired and extra fancy jeans that were looked upon for being healthy. However, after the onset of coronavirus all over the world, people have started to take their weight, their overall BMI, and their healthy lifestyle a bit more seriously as it seems that the reality has struck the world with Covid.

We all know how parents were extremely cautious about nutrition and wellness when we were in the infants and toddlers stage. They ensure that the nearest a body with all the essential vitamins and minerals and also make sure that our body grows in a way that we have the best immunity to fight all kinds of diseases are there in the world. However, as we age, it is our responsibility to look after our health not just because it is in trend but we need to look at it with genuine sight so that our aging period is smooth and confined.

If we need to eat like red wine, it is a cognitive health problem that we need to lay focus on. If a cognitive head is rich, then the rest of the body parts function optimally automatically. Therefore as you wish, ensure that you are giving enough importance to cognitive health. There are several studies popping up these days that talk about weight management helping in maintaining cognitive health as one ages. Recent study that was published on dementia and Alzheimer’s talks about the ability of maintaining a stable weight as a significant factor for healthy brain health as one tends to get older. If there is stability in your BMI levels, then there will be a very slow rate of cognitive decline as you age and we are talking of not just specific cognitive functions but on a global cognition level as well.

Now who thought that just by maintaining weight, you can gain control over your brain’s health, right? Let’s read on to understand more about how weight management is connected to good cognitive health.

Understanding the study further

In this research, the researchers observed nearly 16,000 numbers of older adults who were made to undergo dementia screening every five years. The researchers found that those adults who had quite a lot of changes in their BMI levels represented nearly a 5% decrease or increase in their likelihood of decline in cognitive health. This result holds true regardless of the status of BMI at the start including those who had underweight or normal weight. One of the main reasons for stable DNI to protect cognitive health is that it helps maintain the equilibrium of the body with respect to other vital health markers such as cholesterol and BP. Certain research that was conducted before this one also indicates similar results saying that BMI stability is directly associated with less disability, frailty, and also early mortality. And there is clinical research that backs this result. And clinical values found in BMI are much easier to track as we age.

There is mixed evidence

Whether carrying excess weight is helpful or harmful for brain health while we age is still a topic that is up for debate. There are several doctors and researchers who have suffered from greater cognitive impairment and cases of dementia with greater BMI values in participants who are elderly in their previous studies. For example, a particular study came to a conclusion that circumference is directly correlated with poor cognitive health in older women who suffer from type two diabetes. Another study shows that nearly 45,000 people who are obese during a period of 12 years beginning from then midlife to ageing time found that there was an association between dementia and obesity for certain age groups. But the risk is known to diminish as one gets older. In old age, if you have a greater BMI, then it shows that you are at a much higher risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Consider movement more than weight loss

When we went through certain study results that were very recent in nature, we understood that it is highly possible to focus on certain weight changes for improved cognitive health and to lead a longer life. The emphasis is here to put as we age is to learn more words finding love in mobility and fitness. This holds true even for people who suffer from obesity. Recent research review of 2021 in the iscience journal states that there was a reduction in mortality risk as weight reduces compared to just doing physical activity. In this research, the researchers claim that people will benefit more from a neutral approach towards weight which focuses on health and not just weight management or weight loss. When a person becomes physically active, the body weight automatically decreases but this doesn’t hold true in most cases. And this might get very frustrating for the person who is trying to lose weight and keeping weight loss as their primary goal. Having an approach that is weight neutral will eliminate the weight loss from the result equation and focuses only on improving the overall health — for example, improved function, weight stability, and mobility. It also ensures that there is an improvement in certain health parameters like BP and blood sugar. There is data that shows just two minutes of walking at a speed of moderate to brisk every single hour helps improve blood sugar in the body.

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Diet Tips

Oatmeal Diet For Weight Loss

Unhealthy weight gain is the leading factor that gives rise to many health woes. In our quest to explore and eat delicious food, one forgets the importance of eating healthy. Every other person we know today is a food blogger in this age of social-media dependence and many youngsters as well as adults fall prey to the food habits promoted by them, who are often mistaken for nutritionists and health experts. Some of them do caution us to eat healthily but temptations cannot be overlooked. This, coupled with our tendency of lethargy with little to no physical activity creates havoc in our lives. This article covers weight gain and how resorting to the Oatmeal Diet plan is beneficial to us, weighing the pros and cons to give us a better idea about it.

oatmeal

Common Reasons For Unintentional Weight Gain

Most of our health issues are directly or indirectly attributed to being overweight. Let us take a look at some common factors that lead to unhealthy weight gain:

  • Processed food is a major culprit that contributes to a steady and unhealthy weight gain as they are loaded with unhealthy fats, sugars, chemical preservatives, too much salt, etc that do more harm than good.
  • Another major contributing factor to unhealthy weight gain is leading a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of exercise, laziness, procrastination, excuses, low self-esteem all define a person that embraces such a lifestyle. Binge-watching television, being glued to one’s phone, etc all are hobbies, the sooner one quits the better.
  • As per globenewswire.com, lack of sleep or neglecting an uninterrupted night-long sleep wreaks havoc to our physical health, mental health and contributes to unhealthy weight gain as well! Our metabolic functions get disrupted owing to this.
  • Getting worked up or stressed leads to many health issues. The stress hormone cortisol increases hunger pangs in people and an irresistible desire to binge eat takes over one’s mind, adding to calories and unhealthy weight gain.
  • Not being mindful of what and how much one eats is another contributing factor to weight gain. We tend to eat more of what appeases our palette ignoring wholesome, nutritious food. This undoubtedly adds to weight gain.
  • Underlying health conditions like diabetes, eating disorders, hypothyroidism, depressions, PCOS, etc tend to make people gain weight. Certain medicines also cause weight gain as a side-effect.

What Is The Oatmeal Diet

As the name suggests, the oatmeal diet primarily calls for people resorting to this diet plan to consume oatmeal for weight to attain their weight loss goals. Normally people consume oats as a breakfast option but in the oatmeal diet at least 2 meals of the day should consist of oatmeal as the main dish. Oatmeal is basically prepared from dry oats which has various health benefits. The recommended serving size per individual per meal is half a cup of oatmeal. Oatmeal in itself is bland and tasteless but by adding spices like cinnamon, cardamom, some cut fruits or boiled vegetables, etc. one can enhance the flavors and enjoy the meal. Low-fat yogurt, skimmed milk, etc. can also be consumed alongside oatmeal in case one feels hungry. Oatmeal can be prepared and consumed in both sweet and savory forms but be careful, those who prefer it sweet should opt for natural sweetening agents like honey, jaggery, etc. or the purpose of the diet may be lost.

There are 2 common ways in which this diet plan can be followed:

  1. In the first stage, oatmeal is cooked and consumed in its whole-grain form as the main dish in all 3 meals throughout the day. This should be continued for a week. Instant oats should not be used in this plan. Fruits and vegetables of your choice can be added to the oatmeal. After the 1st week, oatmeal should be consumed as the main course in 2 meals during the day and for the third meal, you can go for any healthy, low-calorie meal option of your choice. In this 2nd stage, you can add up on fruits and vegetable intake as well as can use instant oats to prepare your oatmeal.
  2. The other type of the oatmeal diet calls for 2 main meals of the day to consist of oatmeal to be followed for 6 days. Followed by the 7th day consisting of any low-calorie but nutritious meals that need to be consumed. And then to get back to consuming oatmeal the next day.

In both the above options, the third meal can consist of chicken preferably grilled or boiled, lean steak small portion, or grilled fish, with some vegetable fries like that of carrots or zucchini, etc. followed by low-fat fruit yogurt or fruits drizzled with honey as a dessert option.

Pros And Cons Of Oatmeal Diet

Let us round up the pros of the Oatmeal Diet:

  • This diet is highly nutritious as whole grain oats are rich in fiber, consist of proteins, and has zero sugars which is the most preferred choice for weight loss.
  • Oats constitute calcium and iron both of which are beneficial to the body.
  • Oatmeal makes one feel fuller for longer periods and helps to get rid of frequent hunger pangs.
  • Oatmeal is a versatile meal option. Add fruits or vegetables to make the meal seem heavy but with healthy additions.
  • They can be cooked in water, low-fat milk, or adding a little of both and can be consumed both sweet and savory.
  • It is very low in calories contains only about 1.5 grams of fat
  • Oatmeal helps to lower blood pressure and is heart-healthy.
  • Oatmeal promotes better digestion
  • Oatmeal curbs colorectal cancer
  • It is easy to prepare and hardly takes any time or effort.
  • Oatmeal can be consumed hot or cold and can be prepared in advance for ease and timely consumption.
  • Oatmeal is a cheap product so this diet plan goes easy on one’s pocket.
  • Owing to its long shelf-life oats can be bought in larger quantities and stored.

Some cons of the oatmeal diet to keep an eye out for:

  • Oatmeal is very low in calories so be wary of following this diet for prolonged periods as it may reduce nutrition within the body to unhealthy levels.
  • Some people find the repetition of oatmeal as the main dish taxing, so there is a tendency for people to unfollow this diet after a while owing to its monotonous nature. This will hinder the weight loss process.
  • The oatmeal diet is a restrictive diet so the lack of being able to explore more food options to please one’s palate may tend to seem boring to some people and this also may discourage them from continuing the diet plan.
  • Those with underlying health conditions need to strictly consult a doctor before they opt for this dieting method since it is extremely low in calories. For this reason, most doctors don’t approve of this diet.
  • It is a fad diet and encourages crash dieting which is not too beneficial to the body. The lost kgs may get right back into the body once the diet program is stopped in case the person resorts to careless eating once again.

Conclusion 

One would be surprised to know that certain factors which one deems harmless may contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Resorting to diet plans like the oatmeal diet is a safer bet at losing weight but unless there is some form of physical exercise involved coupled with healthy sleep patterns, no magical outcome can come out of any diet plan. One should at all times be mindful of what they eat. Only then can any diet plan grant the desired weight loss result.

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Diet Tips

The Unbearable Weight Of Diet Culture

For several generations now, we have all been drilled with this one single and mundane notion of there is a very “right” way of eating if you want to achieve a body that is very healthy and attractive. And we are also told that having a body as such will help us lead a much more fulfilling and meaningful life. The reality of this however is of a completely different tone, isn’t it?

Intermittent Fasting

And in at least a decade or so the word “diet culture” has been in the spotlight forever, isn’t it? And what time of every year does it trend the most? It is certainly at the dawn of the New Year! This is when every other person around us including us want to take earnest pledges to tone, shrink, chisel, or in general, alter our bodies. And this previous year of 2020, owing to the breakout of the novel coronavirus, we saw an even more increase in the number of people taking to following a certain specific type of diet to up their immunity game. Some did achieve their body goals, but some simply couldn’t, and this led them to begin eating even more and puff their bodies with all things harmful and bad in the long run. So, all we’re trying to say by mentioning so much is that you need to just stop now and wait right there!

We truly think that you need to firstly, “Detox our bodies from all the bad choices that we made” This whole concept or the language simply implies that our body has been poisoned by latkes, cookies, eggnog, etc. and that there is an urgent need to administer an antidote! Most of us step on the bandwagon of diet only to cheat on it and say that “Oh! I’ll make up for the cheese board I’m sharing with friends now” or “I’ll burn off the calories I’ll be gaining on because of this” We think that diet culture is all of this—it is about following a diet, talking about cheating on it only to be left with a much more damaged health and body and this is so intricately woven into our culture that most of us just fail to be consciously aware of this! Let’s dig a little deeper into this “diet culture” that the world has been following and gain consciousness over the same as well.

So, What Exactly Is Diet Culture?

Diet culture has so many facets and definitions, but if you ask us in a nutshell as to what it would mean, then we’ll tell you to consider it as a set of beliefs that holds thinness as the God and then equates it with health and moral values. And this dear reader has become a very dominant culture in today’s time. It’s just that we fail to notice as it is almost like the water we swim in!

Diet culture is this lens through which we view health, beauty, and our bodies. It is a lens that colors out the way we need to look and feel through our bodies—it is highly intriguing! And in this world of diet culture, people are given this special status of their bodies are thinner, eat always the right things, they are considered to have the correct will power and the right attitude to lead a healthy life.

All this being said, did you know that the success rate of diet stories is just 2% and that the remaining 98% of the stories are all about failed attempts? Considering this, there is no way that you can say a body is healthy only if it has undergone any weight loss! And there is an anti-diet movement that has been formed whose aim is to urge the people out there to question, examine, and ultimately say “no” to diet culture. This is what has given rise to the “body positivity” movement which is trending on all social media forums right now! People have started boycotting the before and after transformation pictures that used to trend once upon a time on social media. The problem here isn’t about following a particular diet, it is about the various choices that diet culture pops in our lives which seem like the right choices we are taking towards a healthy lifestyle but in reality, they are nothing but the wrong choices!

Here Are Some Examples Of Diet Culture

Have you seen how every man and woman end up adoring the Barbie figure? And how most people think that when a woman’s thighs touch each other, they are not healthy or attractive? And oh wait, have you wondered why companies that sell shapewear never go on a loss? These are all nothing but different examples of diet culture. It is in the very essence of diet culture that seed into us the thought that when you feel hungry, instead of feeding the body with much-needed food, we need to push the hunger away by drinking a no-calorie glass of some liquid. We are asked to believe that our body isn’t really hungry and that it’s just a sign of thirst that our body is going through. Have we ever woken up, looked into the mirror told ourselves that we love our body, we love our skin? In fact, we feel horrid at the sight of ourselves in the mirror and say things like let me start a diet to feel better!

What Is So Harmful About Diet Culture?

The anti-diet followers claim that diet culture harms each one of us who are unhappy with our bodies, more so among those of us who have a larger body frame. Here’s a look into some key issues that diet culture poses to each one of us:

  1. It Spreads Discrimination

A majority of us have some of the other childhood memory of being fat-shamed because of our weight, right? People are mocked and bullied because of their weight issues. And this discrimination concerning weight impacts accesses to some of the most important things in one’s life—right from finding a partner in life to getting a well-deserved job. It is extremely difficult for a person who is fat to live a happy and fruitful life in the diet-driven society of today!

  1. It Fuels Businesses To Make Money By Cheating You Off

Americans spend thousands of dollars into attaining the results that diet culture promotes every single year. The weight loss market in America seems to be growing by several notches with every passing day, forget about a year.

  1. It’s A Stage To Make You Feel Like A Complete Failure

If you try and understand a diet on scientific terms, then weight loss diets just don’t work out practically! There is a lack of research or let’s say no research at all that shows any particular diet style or product that promises weight loss 100%. Had there been an existence of any such thing, we all would have been notified about it by now, isn’t it? This is precisely why research claims that 98% of diets in the world today have recorded that many percentages of failure.

  1. It Distracts Us From The Actual Societal Issues Around Us

The individual culture that we all belong to dictates that if we are not thin it is not just a fault in our body but it is a fault as a human as well. Diet culture preaches that we eat those pre-workouts and post-workout drinks and means to get out of the larger frame when it comes to our body first stop however, it does not pay attention to all those societies and communities in our world which lack basic amenities like simple fresh fruits first stop

  1. It Normalizes The Norms Of Disorder Eating

You see, disordered eating is a medical condition. Disorder eating isn’t a condition in you just because you are fat or you have a larger body frame first stop disorder eating is in fact more related to a mental health condition. So, what diet culture says is that if you are someone who has extra weight and is meant to lose weight, then you fall under the category of people who have the disordered eating condition.

How Does One Resist Diet Culture?

Diet culture is nothing but fostering a way of toxic lifestyle amongst us first stop if you want to stay away from getting into diet culture, you will have to continue to pay heat to intuitive eating and also consider looking into health at every size of your body not just when you have gained weight or if you are fat. Never rain at the modifying structure of your body instead aim at transforming your body into a healthy body irrespective of its size and shape.