My Blogs

SLEEP Sleep deprivation can sabotage weight loss.How? Circadian rhythm .It is a biological internal 24hr clock that has a control center in the hypothalamus part of brain and it regulates sleep-wake cycles,hunger timings,heart rates,hormones and enzyme secretions. If the sleep timings are not according to the circadian rhythm ,the metabolism will not function properly. STRESS Stress is directly linked to hormone cortisol which is an anabolic hormone.It directly stores fat and has indirect action through insulin,it raises insulin level which results in drop in blood sugar which leads to sugar cravings/hunger. *Meditation really works!! *Chamomile tea in afternoon or at bed time is a good stress buster. HORMONES Medical conditions like hypothyroidism (lack of thyroxin ),polycystic ovarian syndrome( insulin resistance),cushing syndrome( cortisol excess) ,diabetes mellitus( insulin deficiency/resistance),excess estrogen are obvious culprits for weight gain. Leptin is a hormo...

Now a days superfoods are quite a buzz in the food industry.You must have noticed numerous powders and pills.I am a big advocate of natural ones which are right there sitting in everybody's kitchen cabinets.These are all those ancient things that our grandparents used to eat and they were fitter than us ,we sadly rely on the pre-packaged market stuff.. Here is what my friend Shumaila has to share with us, her grandma's secret superfoods MORINGA Our grandparents used to eat a veggie called DRUMSTICK/ sajna ki phalli. Moringa is nothing but the powdered form of drumstick leaves. Health benefit : contains high amount of vit C,calcium,potassium and protein.Best for arthritis,hormonal imbalances and fatigue. How to consume : Eat drumstick vegetable or powder the leaves and drink 1tsp in a glass of water. TURMERIC Health benefit:  Turmeric contains a chemical called CURCUMIN which has analgesic (pain relief), anti-inflammatory,anti-cancer,immune booster,liver detoxifier prop...

Mezze is a huge Middle-Eastern appetizer platter that is served before serving a big feast of BBQ/grilled main-course. Turkish/Lebanese/Greeks/Persian all cuisines serve it with their own little variations. It consists of a combination of dips ( Hummus,Mutabbal,Baba ghanoush,Labneh,Tzatziki) and a variety of finger foods like olives,cherry tomatoes,jalapenos,gherkins,pita wedges,feta cheese etc. Salads ( Tabbouleh,Fattoush), cold cut meats/salami, falafel,kibbeh. Perfect party starter snack tray, perfect for weekend movie nights,perfect for pot lucks,BBQ,picnics,sitting together and chatting with friends. So, habibe if you haven't tried it before , give it a go! Here is how to put it together, DIPS MUTABBAL/BABA GHANOUSH It is a smoked eggplant and tahini dip.Get the recipe  here HUMMUS Blend together chickpeas+tahini sauce+garlic+lemon juice+salt+pepper.Drizzle olive oil TABBOUEH Finely chopped onions,cucumber,tomatoes,green chilli,spring on...

I have listed down what to eat and what to ditch in a previous post  click here  to check it out.I have also pointed out some common mistakes and how to overcome click here  to check that. Today we'll chat about how to balance it all,how to make sure that we are eating enough,not too much,not too little,how to include all the macronutrients and how to incorporate micronutrients into everyday meals. CALORIE COUNTING In order to figure out how much is our daily recommended calorie requirement ,it is a good idea to use any google calorie calculator. Here  is a link to a good one that I use.It will inquire about your age,gender,height,weight,activity level, then it will calculate your BMI/BMR ( BMI under 18 is considered underweight, between 18-25 is normal, between 25-30 is overweight, above 30 is obese).This calculator will recommend you the amount of calorie/day, it will also calculate the daily recommended percentage of carbohydrate/fat/protein. A lot of...

Glycemic index is a term used in the nutrition world that indicates the rate at which carbohydrate is broken down into glucose and absorbed from the gut into blood.This results in increased blood glucose level which in turn triggers the secretion of the hormone  Insulin  which acts on the body cells to absorb that glucose from bloodstream and convert it into energy for body functions.That refers to the term Insulin spike. High glycemic index foods include simple carbohydrates that readily convert into glucose,raise the blood glucose quickly and cause speedy insulin spikes. Low glycemic index foods include complex carbohydrates that digest slowly and sustain the release of glucose into blood slowly for longer duration. Now, remember whenever there are frequent insulin spikes there is no question of losing weight. Here is why, High glycemic index foods> high blood glucose level> insulin spike> glucose enter the cells > cells utilize the required gluco...

For the workout posts i have collaborated with my friend Shumaila.She has done a dozen of diplomas and certifications from UK, related to basic and advanced nutrition,body transformation,exercise and sports nutrition to name a few.Here is what she recommends I want to point out few things to consider while following any workout routine. 1) Workout should be done 1-2 hrs after a main meal 2) Yoga can be done empty stomach (best  is early morning before bf) 3) If you plan to do early morning workout,eat 1 date or 1 small banana before starting workout.0 4) Always start with a warm up(3-5 mins) and finish off with stretching/cool down(3-5mins) WARM UP ROUTINE What should be the warmup postures?Answer is the postures you are going to do in main workout,same thing in less number and low frequency. For example, if circuit plan is 2-3 circuits of Squats with jump 20x Pushups 20x Donkey kicks 20x Russian twist 20x Warm up should consist of these same postures 5-7 times each ...

WHICH WORKOUT IS RIGHT FOR ME? There is so much variety out there and it is confusing to decide what to do.Let me simplify it. YOGA Yoga is a mind-body workout that everybody can do.No matter how much you weigh,you can easily do it.Yes,even if your weight lies between 80-90 kg category,you can start practicing yoga.Yoga improves flexibility,circulation,posture,alleviates stress and ease pains and one more thing you learn by yoga is patience & focus which is very much needed to get through the process. WALK/JOG If you weigh 70 kg+ you can do morning yoga with additional walk or jog anytime of the day.Check the walk  interval training technique i mentioned earlier  click here TABATA  As you touch 70kg mark you can do few advanced workouts.Tabata is a high intensity workout that activates all the muscles and guess what ,it activates the fat burning process in only 4 mins of starting it.Best for busy moms, 8-10 minutes tabata and 2 mins of stretching would do. ...

For this one I have collaborated with my friend,my support system,Shumaila.She is a professional nutrition & fitness advisor.Here is what she has to say The first and foremost thing is that it really depends on fitness level,body composition and mindset.For some the fat loss regimen is 70% diet and 30% workout while for some 60:40  works.Everybody is different and their bodies respond differently (depends on age/body weight/musculoskeletal fitness/stamina/metabolism/hormones) EVALUATE YOUR FITNESS LEVEL Firstly,it really depends on the body weight.If you are 70kg+  cardio is not your cup of tea because it puts extra pressure on lower body and can affect the knees.Also,when you are heavy, your stamina is not that high.Avoid doing cardio,HIIT,tabata etc RIGHT CHOICE OF WORKOUT The right one for you is the one you enjoy and carry on comfortably.Small changes are better than doing nothing.It is not a good idea to do a challenging workout one day and spend the rest of t...

DIET VS LIFESTYLE CHANGES The difference is that diet is a short term thing which might also give some results but those results don't last very long.However, lifestyle changes are meant to stay forever,quitting bad eating habits and saying goodbye forever ,that strategy will help maintain the weight loss and improve fitness. CALORIES VS NUTRIENTS Counting calories makes sense but considering the type of nutrient is also important. Nutrient dense foods include vegetables,fruits,whole grains,chicken,fish,milk,nuts, these foods contain calories but also provide various vitamins,minerals,healthy carbs and fats and proteins.Balanced nutrient dense foods help maintain health and nourishment for long-term. Empty calorie foods include ready to eat highly processed foods containing very high amount of sugars and added fats.e.g chips,cookies,candies,doughnuts,jams,fruit juices,sodas,desserts,burgers etc these foods are just calories ,they don't offer any healthy nutrients. Make ...