Healthy Diet | The Ultimate Superfoods List 2020

You must have heard the term superfoods here or there. But what exactly are superfoods and why are they so termed? Some foods are so high in nutritional value that makes them the superman of foods. However, superfood is not a scientific term and you should not eat just “superfoods” to fulfil your body’s nutritional needs. However, some foods have been considered better (not preferable over though) others for decades like bananas. The tropical fruit is packed with energy and fibre, which puts it on the superfoods list 2020 because it gives you enough energy for a high-intensity workout and also boosts your metabolism. Get daily diet suggestions from personal nutritionists with FITFEAST by FITPASS. Eat the right foods for proper nutrition with the help of certified experts.

5 Amazing Superfoods

• Spinach

Whenever we hear this super green leafy vegetable, it reminds us of Popeye eating his can of spinach and defeating his rivals. It was mainly a way to get children to eat this superfood and it did work. Everyone can do better with its high nutrient value – adults and kids alike. Spinach is rich in iron, potassium and fiber. You might not be crazy for its taste but then there are a dozen ways to cook it. However, remember that when it is cooked in the conventional way, it loses most of its nutritional value. It is best when eaten raw or simply sautéed with a little oil or butter.

• Dark Chocolate

Whatever you do, remember it’s dark chocolate and not any other milk chocolate that is classified as a superfood. The 50% dark chocolate isn’t good either, you need something with 75% cocoa or more for it to be good. It is a great source of flavonoids – antioxidants – that helps in fighting inflammation caused due to stress or free radicals. The darker the chocolate, the better it is. When it contains a lot of sugar, it's not good because sugar itself causes inflammation.

• Oats

Nothing fills you up like a bowl of good old oatmeal. It is a complex carb that takes longer to digest and keeps you full for longer. As a result, you eat less, which is good news for your weight loss goals. Plus, oats contain protein as well. You need not have it the same way every time; you can add a bunch of things to it like fruit, cereal, seeds, nuts, etc.

• Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and other nutrients. Having whole eggs instead of just egg whites is preferable because they increase protein synthesis by 40%. Plus, most of the nutrients are present in the yolk. They are a little high in cholesterol, which is why you should include other sources of protein. Or have no more than 7 whole eggs a week. There are several ways to prepare eggs and that too in no time at all.

• Pomegranates

How can any superfoods list be complete without fruits? Pomegranate seeds are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. A cup full of pomegranates is a great source of fiber. And as you probably already know, they help in blood production in the body. Add pomegranate to a salad for some sweet flavor.

5 Reasons Dieting Might Not Be Working For You

Diet is a wide term and might mean different things to everyone. It is a common word for what people eat and drink in a culture or species. Or it can be a change in food intake for whatever reasons. The latter is how we usually define it with people becoming more and more health conscious these days. While it is essential to stay healthy, it is widely used (usually by restricting food intake) to lose weight and fat. Logically, it does not always work for everyone and there might be different reasons behind it. Consult certified nutritionists with FITFEAST by FITPASS to get the best dietary advice.

Why Dieting is Not Working For You

• Temporary weight loss goals

Weight loss is one of the biggest motivations for “dieting”. More often than not, people end up undereating which is not without disadvantages. In the short run, they lose weight through dieting but as soon as their diet changes slightly, they gain weight again. And this is more common than you would think. More than three fifths of people gain back more weight than they lose. Therefore, dieting should be done after consulting experts. It is more than just about losing weight .

• You are working out too hard

Workout is indispensable when it comes to losing weight in a healthy way. However, a lot of us end up doing a bit too much to get quick results. Sometimes, that might even lead to weight gain. You are likely to eat at irregular intervals or too much if you workout too hard because the body starts craving when your blood pressure drops. You should focus on working out moderately for the best results. If you want to workout hard, you should get your nutritionist to assign you a diet accordingly.

• Inconsistency

Let’s say you started a diet and lost some weight over a couple of weeks. Next week, you did not lose any weight even though you followed the diet. If you decide that diet might not work for you, you’re most likely wrong. The body loses water weight and excess fat initially and then it takes time for the metabolism to adjust and show results. Or if you give in to your cravings now and then (we know they are strong) then it’s not the diet that doesn’t suit you. Losing weight is a slow process and you have to stay consistent and give it time.

• Not sleeping enough

Sleep can be said to be more important than working out and dieting. Without it, you won’t see any good results because the body needs rest. When you modify your diet and work out, you need to give the body 7-8 hours of good sleep. It is a known fact that people who don't sleep enough are prone to gain weight easily.

• You’re consuming too many calories

Giving up on sugary drinks, fried foods, etc. is not enough to lose weight. You have to do these things in addition to adopting a calorie-deficit diet, which simply means that you must consume fewer calories than you burn. If you do not work out, it won’t be easy for you. When you give up junk food, you have to consume moderate portions at regular intervals throughout the day so that the body gets enough nutrition and cuts down on fat.

Home Workout | 5 Weightlifting Tips for Beginners

Weightlifting is an essential part of working out irrespective of whether you’re a beginner or want to add strength training to your routine. Cardio alone can’t help you reach your fitness goals. Visiting the gym might not be possible right now and you have to rely on the best bodyweight exercises or on your home gym equipment. Full body exercises at home can help you achieve the level of fitness you want. Strength training exercises put pressure on the muscles, which leads to minuscule breaks in its fibre. When these fibres are repaired after rest and good nutrition, the strength in the muscle increases. Get FITCOACH for workout recommendations by an AI-led fitness coach based on your needs and preferences.

How to Lift Weights at Home

• Start with bodyweight exercises

Start building strength in your mules with bodyweight exercises at home before you begin to use weight in your strength training routine. They are equally effective and have a low chance of injuries. Adding weights to exercise increases its complexity and the risk of injury. Full body workouts based on bodyweight exercises can help you build a good foundation for your workout routine.

• Focus on form

Having a personal trainer is the best way to focus on form and technique. Not only does it reduce the risk of injuries but helps you reach the highest level of fitness as well. Having the assistance of a personal trainer at a gym is not quite possible or easy at this moment. However, you can consult the best trainers across India online with FITPASS personal training classes. Even if you choose to do it yourself, ensure that your positioning is correct and doesn’t compromise your posture.

• Warm-up your muscles

A workout is not quite as effective without a proper warm-up. Do some warm-up exercises like jumping jacks, high knees, and dynamic stretches to wake up your muscles. You can use a foam roller as it helps loosen up tight muscles. A warmup is important because it preps up your muscles for a hard workout, which might otherwise cause injuries. Plus, a warm up increases the range of motion and allows you to move more freely.

• Don’t overdo it

Start with 3 days a week, no more. Strength training can be done three to five times a week. But you should not start with 5 days a week. Doing too much at an early stage will burn you out and might even lead to injuries. Also, it is better to work on multiple muscle groups at once with compound exercises instead of focusing on a single group of muscles. Do a bit of everything in each workout – lower body, core, and upper body for a balanced workout. Once you get comfortable with those 3 days a week, add another day and so on.

• Select the weight wisely

When you reach that level and feel like you need to add weights to your exercises, don’t do it without putting some thought into it. Add a combination of dumbbells, free weights, kettlebells, if you want to add muscle mass and increase strength. Lifting the right weight depends on the number of reps and how long it takes for you to complete them. 10-15 reps is a standard and if you can complete them with ease, you are ready for heavier weights.

Healthy Diet | How to Cook More at Home

Cooking at home is not only cheaper but much healthier as well, especially in the current situation. Ordering food or eating frozen dinners is convenient and more alluring but it is equally unhealthy as well. When you cook for yourself, you can customize the meal or the dish as per your preference and still make it delightfully delicious. However, If you work all day, it is harder to convince yourself to cook but with the right reasons you can inculcate the healthy habit of cooking at home. Get FITFEAST for expert dietary advice from professional nutritionists.

How to Get Yourself to Cook at Home

• Set aside time for cooking

Cooking does take time; we will give you that. You have to buy groceries, clean the veggies, meat, etc., and prep before you get down to cook. Like all things, plan your cooking as well. Set a day to do your shopping and stick to it no matter what. It’s just like taking time out for a TV series you like. You have to want to cook. It will probably take you a couple of hours to cook chicken breast with salad, so start at 7 if you want to have dinner at 9.

• Have the must-haves

That being said, you cannot step out every time to get a few things you need, which is why you need some things in advance. Sticking to the schedule is not possible all the time, which is why you should make a list of the kitchen essentials and keep a stock that lasts a considerable time. Having to buy something that can be stored can put you off and make you want to order pizza instead. You can store peas, spinach leaves, olives, sweet corn, etc. in your freezer. You can also store some meat but not for too long.

• Keep a list

Planning is important but it can be useless if you forget about it. Nor do we remember everything at once, Therefore, the best thing is to keep a list with you in which you can add stuff whenever it occurs to you. Keep it handy. And before you head out on your shopping day, check the list and modify it according to everything you might need over the next week or few days. Consider every meal so that you don’t have to compromise on your favorite Chinese meal on, say, Wednesday night.

• Consider cooking one-pot dishes

A lot of the dishes we like can be cooked in just a single piece of utensil. Soup and stew are great examples. You can add all the essential ingredients that contain protein, healthy fats, carbs, etc. without having to cook something else or an add-on with another utensil. Also, target big batches because you do not want to go over the process over and over again. Check out dishes that last some time like stew.

• Make the lot at one go

Preparing big batches at once is a good idea even if you’re just cooking for yourself. And the dish you’re cooking does not have to be an entire meal in itself. For example, rice cooked in the afternoon can also be used in the evening for lunch the next day. For that matter some meat you prepared for dinner can be used for your salad the next day.

How To Boost Your Metabolism for Good Health

We keep hearing things about it but exactly what is metabolism? Simply put, it’s the rate at which calories are burned in the body of a person. It depends on factors like age, sex, body fat, muscle mass, levels of activity, and genes. A person has no control whatsoever on their genetics that make a big difference but you can still do things to improve the way your body processes calories. By eating healthy foods and working out, you can improve your metabolism and therefore, manage your weight and muscle mass. Check out FITPASS for fitness solutions that help you improve your metabolism through healthy eating and exercise.

• Follow a strict eating schedule

Regularity and consistency are very important for the body to function properly. Eating at the same time every day helps the body in maintaining a good metabolic balance. If you eat too much at once and then go hungry for long periods, as a lot of us are prone to do these days, the body tends to burn calories slowly than it should and ends up burning more fat cells. This tendency can be managed by eating at regular intervals throughout the day. Having small meals every 3-4 hours is the best way to maintain a good metabolic rate.

• Do resistance training

Include strength training in your routine if you want to increase your metabolism. Muscle mass requires more energy and thus, has a higher metabolic rate than fat. Therefore, it is important to work in your muscles. However, as you age, the body loses muscle. Muscle mass can be maintained by doing resistance training regularly. You can either get a set of weights to lift at home, visit the gym, or do bodyweight strength training exercises. Get FITCOACH for dynamic workout recommendations.

• Eat enough

Weight loss is a big thing these days but what most people don’t realize is that it is not good if you lose weight by skipping meals. For that matter, undereating has the same effect on your metabolism. Not consuming enough calories slows down the metabolism to conserve energy. Women need 1600 to 2400 calories every day while men need 2000 to 3000 calories a day.

• Sleep enough

When you do not sleep enough, the body releases a hormone that makes you feel hungry. The body might also release another hormone that may make you feel full. Therefore, sleeping enough and well is important for miniating hormone balance. And if your hormones are balanced, you eat as much as you need, no more no less. Some people can function properly with just 6 hours of sleep while others need more. You should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

• Manage stress

Stress is known to affect hormone levels and thus, lead to the overproduction of cortisol. It is a hormone that regulates appetite, which when found extra in the body can affect your eating habits. Directly, it may lead to weight loss or gain or even unhealthy eating patterns that disrupt the metabolism in the long run. Moreover, stress affects sleep, which also affects metabolism. Therefore, reduce stress and try to stay happy.

How to Eat Well to Manage Anxiety

Stress is an inevitable part of our lives and we have to learn to deal with it the best we can. Stress never really completely leaves us. However, we can find tools and techniques to deal with it better. Focus on improving sleeping habits, workout regularly, practice mindfulness, and unplug from the digital world to reduce stress and therefore, anxiety. Improving eating habits can help you in managing stress levels.

That being said, there aren’t any foods that prevent anxiety. Consuming or avoiding certain foods may be associated with experiencing anxiety in the long run. The foods you eat, not any single meal, impact anxiety levels. Limiting junk foods, consuming omega-3 and Vitamin-D-rich foods, eating a variety of foods, cooking at home and other positive nutrition choices can help in reducing anxiety levels quite a bit. For that matter, having a food or drink labelled as “anxiety-reducing” once a week will hardly help.

Get in touch with expert nutritionists with FITFEAST – your personal nutritionist – by FITPASS. Get daily diet recommendations and access a bunch of in-app convenience tools to monitor your calorie and water intake.

• Comfort Foods

It sounds like a good idea to indulge in foods like fried chicken, potato chips, ice cream, etc. when you feel stressed or anxious. These comfort foods are often associated with feeling good. However, the relief from stress and anxiety offered by comfort foods is temporary.  According to research, people who consume foods rich in healthy fats and workout regularly face fewer anxiety issues. People with a high body mass index (BMI) are also known to have more anxiety. Comfort foods are essentially unhealthy because they lead to inflammation and contain lots of calories and therefore unhealthy. They cause weight gain and increase anxiety over time. Eating healthy fats and staying active are, on the other hand, associated with good mood and resilience to anxiety. You do not have to avoid comfort food altogether, but you must eat them in a controlled manner. You should eat healthy foods 80% of the time and comfort foods for the rest of the time.

• Brain Foods

  Foods rich in Vitamin-D, Calcium, Zinc, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, etc. are associated with low anxiety and a better mood. They are known to increase serotonin levels – chemicals that manage happiness, mental well-being, and sleep quality – or assist in its production. Make it a point to consume foods rich in these vitamins and minerals. This helps in the regulation of other macronutrients. Include a fish (twice a week) in your diet and you start a fish oil supplement. Eat vitamin-D rich foods like mushrooms, egg yolk, dairy, etc. Get 10 minutes of sunlight every day.

• Gut Foods

The relation between gut microbes and the brain is important when it comes to anxiety and depression. The microbiome – the set of microbes – in the gut is made up of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that reside in the intestines. They are linked to inflammation, hunger, blood sugar regulation, allergies, mental health, and metabolism. Inflammation or poor gut health is associated with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Foods that consist of added flavors, artificial colors, sweeteners, etc. can lead to poor gut health. Naturally produced foods in addition to whole foods that are packed with fiber are good for gut health. Experts suggest including a diverse variety of foods in your diet to maintain a healthy microbiome in your gut and thus reduce stress and anxiety.