Weight Loss

Burning calories is not that easy as many of us think, but it is achievable as long as you’re dedicated and determined. There are many ways to burn calories either going to the gym or perform exercises diligently.

As you want to burn calories, you should anticipate that there are several factors that determine the success of this task. The fitness level and the weight of the person should be considered. Likewise, the duration, intensity, and type of activity also play a big part in burning calories.

The good thing is that it is possible to burn calories even without going to the gym. All you have to do is to pick a high-intensity exercise that requires the use of more energy, thus burn more calories.

If you aim to burn 1000 calories per day, the best thing to do is to perform exercises at a time within the day. You can use a calorie burn calculator or a heart rate monitor to calculate the calories burned accurately.

Best Weight Loss Tips 2021

1. Never Skip Breakfast

If you have a few extra pounds or kilos and you think that not eating breakfast prevents you from consuming calories that you do not need, you are wrong! Eating breakfast prevents you from starving when it’s 11 in the morning and from producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat and lose weight.

2. Eat Plenty of Fruit and Veg or Fiber-Rich Foods

Unlike simple carbohydrates, the body has the ability to digest fiber easily, which prevents it from causing high spikes in blood sugar. It improves intestinal transit avoiding constipation, and thus gas and fluid retention. Also, it has a satiating effect making us have less appetite.

3. Get More Active

For good health, you must engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. There are some simple ways you can meet your daily activity needs, such as joining a sports team, riding a bike, jumping rope, throwing a ball or frisbee, spending time in the playground or doing the household chores.

4. Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking at least 500 ml of water before or after meals is associated with losing 5% of the initial weight. In addition to maintaining correct hydration, water during a weight reduction diet favors kidney function (increases urination) and intestinal function, avoiding constipation, which is usually frequent at the beginning of diets

5. Use A Smaller Plate

There are people who do not change their diet but eat half of it. This way they reduce the servings while convincing themselves that they’re eating the same thing. In other words, even if you lose weight by eating half (due to the decrease in calories), if the menu consists of healthy foods, fewer calories would also be consumed without the need to give up large portions.

6. Cut Down on Alcohol

A study’s statistics revealed that 6 out of 10 participants lost weight during that month in which they stopped drinking. They confirmed that it is also beneficial to stop smoking. People, who stop drinking alcohol, also have the quality of their skin improved, slept better and saved money.

7. Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting does a lot more than just restricting your calorie intake. It also changes your body’s hormones so they can make better use of your fat stores.

8. Chew More Slowly

Chewing is the first stage of digestion. When we start chewing, our salivary glands produce something called salivary amylase that helps break down food, making it easier for the body to digest the food.

9. Avoid Junk Food

Junk and processed food, including ready-to-eat packaged food and your favorite cookies, are full of empty calories, lots of carbohydrates, sugar, salt, and industrial preservatives that are naturally fattening and very low in nutrition. Replace junk and processed food with fresh fruit or a bowl of oatmeal for lunch. Or make yourself a fresh salad and fill it with crunchy almonds and walnuts.

10. Get Good Sleep

Research shows that people who habitually sleep less than 7 hours a night are 7.5 times more likely to be overweight, even after controlling for physical activity, family history, and weight loss, demographic factors. Researchers believe this is primarily due to hormonal changes caused by lack of sleep – not getting enough sleep stimulates the appetite.

11. Make a Good Meal Plan

To lose weight, it is enough to follow a series of guidelines, and prioritize some foods over others. Avoid following a diet to lose 10 kg in a month, that’s unrealistic. It will affect your health and you will get a rebound effect in the following months that will affect your future ability to maintain a healthy weight.

12. Drink Green Tea

Drinking three to five cups of green tea a day will help burn 35% to 43% more fat. If you don’t have time to make your own green tea then you can simply take a green tea diet pill.

How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks

Repeat these every day to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks

• 50 Crunches
• 45 Jumping Jacks
• 20 Lunges
• 35 Squats
• 60 Sec. running in a place
• 50 Second Plank

Take 1-minute break

• 50 Crunches
• 45 Jumping Jacks
• 20 Lunges
• 35 Squats
• 20 High Knees

Take 1-minute break

• 40 Jumping Jacks
• 20 Lunges
• 20 Donkey Kicks
• 20 Plies
• 20 Lunges
• Walk for 10 Minutes

Ideal Activities that Help Burn More Calories

1. Running

Image Source: pixabay

In just a short span of time, you can burn more calories through running. A 150 lb individual can burn about 1,022 calories by running 6 mph within 90 minutes.

Running stairs help to burn 1,020 calories an hour. You can burn 670 calories per hour by running 5.2 mph.

2. Jumping Rope

Image Source: https://flic.kr/p/RFNX1j

Jumping rope is a high calorie-burning exercise as it can burn around 11 calories per minute. This means that to burn more calories, you should increase the intensity and speed of jumping.

According to a study, jumping at a moderate level of 140 revolutions per minute can achieve burning 1,022 calories within 90 minutes.

If you will do this activity at a fast pace of 180 to 200 rpm, the same amount of calories will be burned in 75 minutes.

Read: BMI Chart – Find your Ideal Weight

2. Bicycling

Image Source: pixabay

The result of bicycling on burning calories depends on the terrain and intensity. Likewise, the number of calories burned also varies between riding an outdoor bike or riding a stationary bike.

Biking at a racing pace of 16 to 19 minutes per hour within 75 minutes will help you burn approximately 1,020 calories.

Read: 10 Best Exercises To Lose Arm Fat At Home

3. Interval training

Interval training is a combination of less intense recovery exercises and a short span of high-intensity exercises. A good example of this exercise is doing 2 minutes sprint with a one-minute recovery jog. The high intensity of sprinting plays a big part in burning more calories.

Doing high-intensity walking can shorten the span of walking. The results of interval training depending on the type of exercise implemented.

Other recovery exercises that you can combine with high-intensity exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, and bicep curls.

Source: stylecraze.com

4. Swimming

Image Source: pixabay

Another activity that can help burn more calories is swimming. It is a low-impact aerobic exercise that can burn around 744 calories per hour. Doing the butterfly stroke can burn 818 calories per hour.

5. Sports

Playing some popular sports can help you to burn 1,000 calories.

• Football at least 85 minutes
• Basketball at least 90 minutes
• Soccer at least 80 minutes
• Hockey at least 75 minutes

While you want to burn more calories without going to the gym, make sure to consult first your doctor before starting a fitness routine. It is recommended to choose and employ a routine based on the diet and metabolism as well as fitness level. This way, you can ensure burning more calories effectively.

Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson is a nutritionist. She loves to share her healthy lifestyle and diet tips.

Are you tired or afraid about weigh loss supplement? if yes than you should try Ayurveda recommended spices and herbs for weight loss. In this article we have selected 10 best herbs which really help you to reduce weight. You can easily get these herbs and more over there are no side effects.

Obesity and weight gain are common concern for many people. It seems like a battle or challenge to burn off extra calories through proper diet and regular exercise.

However, there are other factors that cause weight gain and weight lose including hormonal fluctuations and genetics. Inactivity, poor eating habits, excessive stress, inadequate sleep and taking certain medications are other causes to add weight.

The problem is that being overweight can trigger various health issues such as developing type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis.

To help in managing your weight, it is a must to follow an exercise program and healthy diet. But, the good thing is that there are herbs that can also help in your weight loss effort.

List of Top 10 Herbs for Weight Loss

1. Ginger

According to a study, ginger is one of the herbs very common in your kitchen that plays a big role in weight loss (1).

Consuming ginger improves the thermic effect of the food, thus makes you feel full longer.

This will prevent compulsive eating and unnecessary snacking. It also boosts your metabolism and improves digestion. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ginger that relaxes the intestines.

2. Green tea

Drinking green tea is an effective way to improve your metabolism that eventually stimulate to burn more calories. This herb contains catechins, an antioxidant that fuel up the fat-burning process.

It also contains small amount of caffeine that is helpful not only for fat burning but also to achieve better muscle performance.

Green tea has the ability to suppress appetite that can curb cravings (2).  The best time to drink green tea is at least 30 minutes before meal.

3. Turmeric

One of the active ingredients of turmeric is curcumin that is a great help for weight loss. It’s because this ingredient improves the flow of bile that is significant in breaking down fat.

It also lowers the bad cholesterol levels and reduces inflammatory symptoms related to metabolic disorders and obesity (3).

Aside from promoting weight loss, it also supports skin and gut health. Turmeric also prevents microbial infections, reduces pain and is effective to heal wounds. But, you should not take it in excess because it can cause low blood pressure, increased menstrual flow and nausea.

4. Hibiscus

This herb is packed with nutrients, various minerals and flavonoids that controls absorption of carbohydrates and fats into your body.

The diuretic effect of hibiscus is also essential for weight management through shedding of water weight.

Researchers revealed that taking hibiscus supplement for 12 weeks provides effective results in losing weight (4). You can notice decrease in hip-to-waist ratio, body fat percentage and waist circumference.

If you’re taking medication or pregnant or breastfeeding, you should talk first to your doctor prior of taking hibiscus.

5. Dandelion

Dandelion is deemed to be helpful for those who want to succeed in their weight loss effort. It has phytochemicals that provides laxative and diuretic effects. Thus, the frequency and volume of urination is increased, thus reduces water weight.

It also helps to regulate the blood sugar and rids the toxins from your body (5). Likewise, drinking dandelion tea before each meal suppresses appetite, thus curb hunger pangs. Dandelion also has the ability to fight inflammation.

Dandelion is also packed with minerals, dietary fiber, vitamin K1 and antioxidants. This herb also has beta-carotene that protects your liver and eliminates free radicals out of your body.

If you are taking certain medications, you should consult first your doctor as it may have adverse interaction with your medications.

6. Korean ginseng

This herb is very popular and commonly used in many health supplements and weight loss supplements as well.

It can speed up your metabolism and improves energy levels that is essential for weight loss.

Korean ginseng can improve insulin sensitivity, but it shouldn’t be taken for extended time as it may pose adverse effects. It is not also recommended for those experiencing hormone-related problems.

7. Oregano

If you’re looking for a safe and cheap way to lose weight, you should consider oregano. This herb can dissolve fat because of its carvacrol content. It prevents bloating and improves digestion.

Stress and depression are the common causes of weight gain and overeating. You can make your oregano tea or mix few drops of oregano oil in a low-calorie fruit juice. You can also find oregano capsules or supplement.

8. Sage

This is a great herb for weight loss because of its antioxidant, diuretic and stimulant properties. It improves the metabolic rate so that your body can burn more calories. Drinking sage tea can reduce inflammation.

You can also expect sound sleep by drinking sage tea before sleep and can treat anxiety as well. This herb is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women (6).

9. Rosemary

This is a perennial herb that is commonly used in various food recipes. It contains higher level of the enzyme lipase that helps in melting fat molecules. It is also rich in fiber that provides satiety and prevents fat absorption.

Adding dried or fresh rosemary in your food can help weight loss or you can make a rosemary tea. Other health benefits of rosemary include improving your metabolism and digestion. It averts bloating and flush out the free radicals from your colon (7).

Consume only the right amount of rosemary as it can cause nausea and diarrhea. It’s not also recommended during pregnancy.

10. Milk Thistle

This herb is effective for weight management. It contains silymarin that supports optimal functioning of the liver. This enables your body to do the natural detoxification process. Thus, you can expect losing weight efficiently (8).

Aside from its detoxification effects, milk thistle improves your metabolism and fat burning process. This herb is available in tincture or capsule form.

Final word

No single workout regimen or diet program can give your permanent results of losing weight. You can integrate lifestyle changes and using herbs for weight loss.

Herbs are natural that’s why there’s nothing to worry about adverse effects. But, to ensure your safety, you should ask your doctor’s advice before taking any of those herbs listed above.

Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson is a nutritionist. She loves to share her healthy lifestyle and diet tips.

If all the body organs are functioning well, you are in the best state of health. But, how can you ensure that your organs will function properly and save them from possible damages?

The liver is one of the body organs that play a significant role to make a person healthy. But, there are factors that can damage the liver. The best way to keep your liver healthy is to cleanse it and get rid of the toxins accumulated within.

Liver cleansing is a technique to get rid of toxic materials and many people have been practicing such a technique to lose weight. It is important to cleanse the liver to avoid bladder obstruction, constipation or soft feces, and improper micturition.

A liver cleanse may help you to lose weight, but prior to doing it, you should consult first your healthcare provider. Make sure not to abuse using the liver cleanse and keep in mind that it’s not a cure for liver diseases or complications.

Why should you cleanse your liver?

As mentioned above, there are factors that can cause damage to your liver such as eating imbalanced food, lack of exercise, and an unhealthy lifestyle.

This may cause accumulation of fat in the liver, thus it is necessary to cleanse your liver. Liver detoxification can increase energy levels and liver function. This means that you’ll feel a lot better and eventually lose weight.

Foods that help cleanse your liver

The main objective of liver cleanse is to eliminate toxic residue. There are much liver cleanse recipes to follow, but be careful in making your choice. It makes sense knowing the foods that can help to detoxify the liver.

• Green tea – It contains antioxidants such as catechins that improves the liver function.
• Whole grains – They help proper functioning of the liver and improve metabolizing fats.
• Apples – The pectin content of apples along with other chemical components help to eliminate toxins accumulated from the digestive system.
• Grapes – They contain antioxidants and natural sugars that activate proper liver functioning and stimulate the production of bile.
• Leafy green vegetables – The chlorophyll present in green leafy vegetables is a great help for cleansing the liver. It absorbs the toxins from the bloodstream and other major organs of the body.
• Beets and carrots – They are rich in beta-carotene and flavonoids that stimulate the liver function.
• Avocado – Consuming avocado protects the liver from accumulating toxins and at the same time increases the cleansing power.

Liver Detox Recipes

After knowing the foods that provide great cleansing power, it makes sense knowing some liver detox recipes. You can make your own detox drink recipes using different ingredients that also provide various effects.

• Warm lemon water

This detox drink recipe is simple to make using lemon. You can consume it in the morning prior to eating breakfast. Aside from being a detox drink, it also boosts the immune system and metabolism that is the key to weight loss.

• Slim Down Detox Water

The ingredients that you will use in making this detox drink include lemons, cucumber, grapefruit, limes and water. The diuretic effect of cucumber helps your body to release water. The lemons and lime flush out toxins accumulated in the digestive tract, while the grapefruit helps to burn fat. Read cucumber lemon water recipe.

• • • Strawberry Kiwi Detox Water

Strawberries and grapefruit are rich in vitamins and minerals. This drink isn’t only ideal for detox but also for keeping your body hydrated and balances the sugar level.

• • • Citrus Detox Water

The combination of cucumbers, citrus fruits and mint leaves can result in a powerful detox drink. Aside from vitamin C, this drink is also rich in lycopene, potassium, phosphorous and calcium.

• • • Chia Detox Water

Chia is one of the super foods that are rich in fiber and calcium. Adding chia seeds to water create gel-like consistency thus absorbs the water and curbs appetite.

• • • Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Water

Apple cider vinegar greatly helps to flush out toxins. Adding it to water is an effective detox drink. You can also add lemon, cucumber, and mint to the apple cider vinegar and water mixture.

• • • Cayenne pepper and Lemon Detox

Combining cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and organic lemon juice is a perfect drink that cleanses not only the digestive system but also the liver. Drinking this beverage flushes out toxins from the body.

Aside from detox drink recipes, you can also consider making a liver detox smoothie. There are healthy detox smoothie recipes that you can find online.

Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson is a nutritionist. She loves to share her healthy lifestyle and diet tips.

Many people spending a huge amount of money to buy synthetic and natural supplements, weight loss gadgets, and bariatric surgeries.

But, not all can provide good results. It’s because the reaction of the body differs from one person to another.

The good thing is that there are weight loss supplements or products that are made with all natural ingredients. Turmeric is one of the natural ingredients that can help you shed unwanted pounds while keeping your body in optimal health.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric is an Asian spice that is scientifically called as Curcuma Longa. The rhizome is used in cooking, traditional medicines, and cosmetics.

The bioactive compounds present in turmeric provide several medicinal benefits. Curcumin is the most versatile and active compound of turmeric. Other compounds include Vitamins B and C, sodium, potassium, iron, volatile oils, α-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrate, proteins, fibers, and others.

These compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, thermogenic, and analgesic properties.

How Does Turmeric Help in Weight Loss?

Turmeric is popularly used for weight loss as it works to prevent fat accumulation. A study showed that curcumin has the ability to prevent fat deposits in the liver as well as the production of fetuin-A (1).

The liver of an overweight person synthesizes fetuin-A and emits it into the bloodstream. The fetuin-A is one of the causes of different metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver (2).

You can speed up fat loss by adding turmeric in your cooking. Turmeric stimulates the metabolism and boosts thermogenesis, thus burn fat (3). In this case, the accumulated fat within the tissues is eliminated.

How Turmeric Benefits In Weight Loss

1. Turmeric prevents fat accumulation and hastens fat loss

The fat accumulates in the adipose tissues that lead to obesity or excessive weight. However, angiogenesis or the formation of the new blood vessels is linked to fat deposits. Thus, it is important to target angiogenesis to reduce the accumulation of fat.

The curcumin present in turmeric prevents the fat accumulation, particularly in the adipose tissues. Likewise, it also reduces the size of the adipose tissues and reduction of fat.

It was also observed that fat deposition can be prevented by using turmeric. With this, the lipid profile of liver and blood improves.  This means that using turmeric is helpful in managing your weight.

2. Turmeric can accelerate diet-induced weight loss

If you want to lose weight, you should pay attention to your diet. It is also important to check your calorie intake. With this, avoiding high-fat diet and consuming food that can help you to lose weight can help a lot.

Consider integrating turmeric in your diet that can induce weight loss. Although this spice contains carbohydrate, it doesn’t absorb into your body.

Turmeric also has dietary fibers that are also helpful to shedding extra pounds. The curcumin component of turmeric can significantly reduce fat, thus maintain the recommended BMI.

3. Turmeric promotes browning of white adipose tissue

The brown adipose tissue is responsible for heat production that can burn lipids and glucose. The heat production of the brown tissue works as a therapeutic against obesity.

Curcumin facilitates browning of the white adipose tissue. Thus, the accumulated fat in your body is burned.  The browning of the adipose tissue prevents excessive weight gain.

4. Turmeric has thermogenic action

Turmeric works as a thermogenic by burning the calories for energy expenditure. The thermogenic action promotes weight loss. If you’re into weight management, you should follow a diet that can increase the thermogenesis process in your body.

Adding turmeric to your diet can stimulate thermogenesis, thus lose weight. 6-gingerol is a component that is present in both ginger and turmeric. Through the thermogenic action, the metabolic rate is increased that results in burning of calories.

5. Turmeric suppresses inflammation associated with obesity

Curcumin has an anti-inflammatory property that can address inflammation as a result of obesity. Apparently, the inflammation can lead to metabolic disorders and inability of the body to regulate the blood sugar.

Consuming turmeric slows down the production of pro-inflammatory factors, thus inflammation of the fat cells is prevented. In the same manner, the adipose tissue produces substances called as adipokines that have to pose inflammatory effect.

Turmeric can reduce inflammation as well as oxidative stress. With this, obesity-related disorders will be at bay.

6. Turmeric has anti-diabetic action

Obese individuals are at higher risk of developing diabetes. Turmeric has the anti-diabetic effect that is useful to prevent or treat diabetes among obese individuals. The curcumin content of turmeric can reduce the blood sugar level.

7. Turmeric prevents metabolic syndrome

Another health issue that is related to obesity is a metabolic syndrome. It is very common for obese people in which the fat is accumulated around the abdomen area. In this case, there’s a possibility to experience metabolic syndrome that in the worse case may result in coronary heart problems.

The best way to prevent metabolic syndrome is to reduce weight. Consuming turmeric is an effective way to fight against metabolic syndrome. It also reduces blood sugar levels, triglyceride, and cholesterol.

8. Turmeric reduces depression

Finding the right way to reduce weight can cause depression not to mention the detrimental effects of being an overweight. This means that obesity can cause depression or the other way around.

The metabolic disturbance in the body caused by obesity can trigger depressive behavior. The metabolic disturbances include hormonal disorders, insulin resistance, and inflammatory signals.

How to use Turmeric for Weight Loss?

There are many options on how you can use turmeric for weight loss. You can choose supplements that are available in capsule or tablet form. If you will take turmeric orally, you should take it along with black pepper so that it will fully absorb into your body.

Drinking turmeric tea can also help to shed extra pounds because of its thermogenic effects that speed up the metabolism and burn fat faster. This may result in quick, yet safe weight loss. It is also helpful as a remedy for digestive problems and inflammation.

Aside from losing weight, consuming turmeric tea regulates blood sugar and prevents cardiovascular diseases.

You can make your own turmeric tea by boiling water and the spice. Add some honey to enhance the taste or drink it plain. Drink turmeric tea regularly to start losing weight and achieve a leaner weight.

Another way to use turmeric to lose weight is by adding the spice when cooking or blending it with smoothies. This won’t only make the food delicious but also prevents fat accumulation.

The Dosage of Turmeric for Weight loss

There’s no specific dosage of turmeric if you’ll use it for weight loss. It is believed that this spice is safe to take regularly. The main concern is how the body absorbs the turmeric. It is recommended to use turmeric little by little and slowly increase the amount gradually.

The daily recommended consumption of fresh root or powdered Turmeric root should be limited to 1 to 3 grams per day. If you prefer to take the Turmeric supplements, then don’t exceed the limit of 400-600 mg, 3 times per day (source: University of Maryland Medical Center).

You can start 1 teaspoon three times a day. However, do not take it on an empty stomach. It should not be taken along with medication to avoid negative interaction.

Generally, the dosage varies from one person to another depending on the tolerance of the stomach.

Who Should Not Use Turmeric?

Turmeric provides health benefits and helps in weight loss, but not all can take it. Some individuals should not take it including the following:

1. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Pregnant or breastfeeding women are not advised to take turmeric or any weight loss supplements. Instead, you can add turmeric when cooking for safety purposed to avoid the concentrated amount of curcumin.

2. Individuals with gallbladder obstruction

Curcumin is deemed to be helpful in preventing gallstone formation. But, if a person already has gallstones, it is recommended to avoid curcumin supplements. Otherwise, you may experience severe pain due to contraction of the gallbladder.

3. Individuals taking medications

Curcumin may cause adverse drug interactions when it interacts with some enzymes. That’s why if you’re taking medications you should consult first your doctor prior to taking turmeric supplements.

4. People who are at risk of developing kidney stones

Turmeric has oxalate content that can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. That’s why those who are at high risk should take the spice in moderation or not at all.

Conclusion

If you will use turmeric for weight loss you can expect for long-term results. Likewise, it is also safe to use and effective as well as cost-effective.

It is effective for weight reduction and prevents fat accumulation. Because of its anti-inflammatory property, it can make white adipose tissue turns to brown. Likewise, it increases the metabolic rate of the body.

Turmeric fights complications associated with obesity that’s why it is a practical option to lose weight.

Mounota

Dietitian with around 5 years of experience in assessing the nutritional needs of patients, counselling individuals, communicating the appropriate nutritional information to other members of the health care team and implementing nutritional care plans by following all the standards.