Going vegetarian may be healthy but doesn’t guarantee to be healthier
There are some vegetarian foods which are high in calories. If a vegetarian eats large amount of food s/he can also face obesity. But it’s true that several studies have proved, vegetarians tend to have lower BMI (body mass index). That means they tends to have less fat in their body. Vegetarians have lower rate of obesity and heart disease. Usually we get some nutrients from animal products like meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. So if you decide to go for vegetarian diet to lose weight you need to make sure you are getting necessary nutrients from your vegetarian diet plan.
Grains can be both healthy and unhealthy
You may hear some people saying grain products are not healthy and fattening. We should avoid food items like bread, rice and pasta. But it’s not the whole picture. Whole grains and refined grains are two different things. Whole grains have the entire kernel; that is bran, germ, and endosperm. But refining process removes the bran and the germ which increases shelf life. But removing bran and germ means removing various B vitamins, iron and dietary fiber. So we can conclude whole grains like wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are healthy but refined grains are not. Whole grains decreases risk of developing many chronic diseases including heart diseases. Diet guidelines usually advise to consume at least half of grains from whole grains.
Stay physically active
Exercise should be part of your daily life. May be you don’t have enough time for daily exercise. But you can do some gardening tasks, join weekly dance in a dance club, swim, instead of using elevators you can use stairs, instead of ordering grocery online you can walk to the grocery store. You can play games with your family members or colleagues. Healthy diet and physical exercise will reduce chance of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and type two diabetes.
Lifting weight isn’t bad
Some people think they should avoid lifting weight because it may make them bulk up. But it’s a misconception. Muscle burns calories and strong muscle burns more calories. Lifting weight and other physical activities like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or crunches help you to build stronger muscles. That means yours muscles burn more calories. As I have discussed earlier, burning calories is your only goal to lose weight with physical activities. Strengthening exercise two to three days in a week will not bulk you up. Only intense exercise can do it.
Adults are advised to do strengthening exercise at least two times in a week. Household tasks and gardening tasks which include lifting and digging are always helpful. You can also work with rubber resistance bands for better result. 150 to 300 minutes of intense aerobic activities like brisk walking or cycling is recommended. These activities makes you sweat and breath faster which is good for cardiac health. Some people say, they can’t manage 150 minutes in a week. Don’t worry. Experts say even ten minutes of exercise in a session will be helpful. You just need to spread sessions over the week and make sure you are doing 150 – 300 minutes of exercise in a week. Three ten minutes sessions in a day will give you 150 minutes of exercise in five days. So it’s very easy. Instead of stairs you can use elevator, you can take a little walking break during working hours, can get off the bus one stoppage early. Every activities count. In weekends you can go for hangout and dance with friends. Please don’t forget that dancing also helps to burn calories. Playing basketball, soccer, tennis, hiking, running anything can be included in weekend activities. Don’t forget that spending longtime in front of computer, television or using hand-held devices like mobile phones or tablet computers may be a reason why you are not losing weight.
Skipping meal will do the reverse
Some people skip meal to lose weight. Actually it does the opposite. Skipping breakfast makes you starved and you eat more than normal at the next meal. Several studies have shown that, people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier than who take healthy meal during breakfast. Instead of skipping meal you should make some healthy choice. This may include oatmeal, low-fat milk, fruits, whole-wheat toast, berries, etc. You can also pack your next day launch at night, so that you don’t take unhealthy foods at workplace. You should also make ready some healthy snacks for the next day, which may include low-fat yogurt, peanut butter, whole-wheat crackers, etc.
