Drinking sufficient water is important for your exercise performance

Some of you may be a part of a virtual fitness challenge, or workout challenge with a buddy at the gym. You may also be following a healthy diet-low calorie, low fat, low carb or protein-rich-depending on the goal you are seeking to achieve. However, you may not be able to achieve much in the desired pace, if you are not drinking sufficient water or are not hydrated enough. Sweat trainer Kayla Itsines recently took to Instagram to talk about the importance of hydration for enabling the body to function at its best.

By not drinking enough water, you feel tired and fatigued throughout the day. Lack of sufficient water intake can also make you feel hungrier than usual. By increasing your daily water intake, you can notice huge improvements in how you feel, says Itsines.

Apart from improving your exercise performance, it can also help in imparting a natural glow to your skin and also improve your digestion.

Also read:5 Ways Your Body Tells You Are Severely Dehydrated

Itsines shares a unique formula to calculate how much water you should drink every day. Here's what she recommends:

Convert your weight into pounds. So if you weight 70kgs, in pounds you will weigh somewhere around 154 pounds. Then, divide your weight in pounds, by 2. In this case, 154/2 is 77. You need to drink 77 ounces of water every day.

Another way of calculating how much water you need to drink in a day is by checking the colour of your pee. When you are sufficiently hydrated, the colour of your pee will be clear or pale yellow. If it has a deeper colour, then you need to drink more water.

Drink enough water so the colour of your pee is clear or pale yellow Photo Credit: iStock

Also read:Will Drinking Cold Water Make You Fat?

But, many people do struggle to drink sufficient water. Well, you can work on making water slightly more interesting. Add a lemon or lime wedge to it and it. Other options include mint, cucumber, orange, grapefruit, strawberries or blueberries. Get a nice water bottle for yourself and try these delicious infusions to make drinking water more fun.

Drink up and stay hydrated at all times!

Also read:Does Drinking Water With Meals Cause Weight Gain? Nutritionists Explain

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Weight Loss: Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise And This Important Step Are The Key To Achieve Your Goals On Time - NDTV

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If the year 2020 has taught us anything, its that our health takes priority.

In addition to the many societal changes of last year, the way we exercise has changed, too. With more people staying at home without access to gyms, the fitness landscape has transformed dramatically.

With 2021 upon us, we can expect to see even more changes to fitness culture. Industry experts are predicting massive shifts, so you may wonder what this year has in store.

Here are the top 9 fitness trends predicted for 2021.

With gym restrictions in place for the foreseeable future, consumers are expected to continue to invest in at-home fitness experiences.

According to a recent poll of 2,000 people by OnePoll, 75% of people believe its easier to stay fit at home. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, 64% of respondents stated that theyre more interested in at-home exercise than ever before.

As the uncertainty of the pandemic continues into 2021, its anticipated that most people will stick with at-home workouts, dedicating living space to personalized home gyms.

Notably, you can get in a good workout without needing to buy expensive equipment. The average American spent $95.79 on home gym equipment during quarantine considerably less than a gym membership.

With a pair of dumbbells and exercise bands, you can make getting in shape accessible and affordable.

Though using a home gym works for some people, many dont have enough space. Whats more, its possible to get in a good workout without spending a penny.

Going forward, expect to see more people utilizing free YouTube videos and exercise apps to guide them through workouts. Many of these exercises require minimal or no equipment and use your body weight for resistance.

Gym and boutique fitness studio closures during the pandemic led to a surge in sales of high-end workout equipment.

In fact, the treadmill and stationary bike company Peloton experienced a 232% increase in sales during the first quarter of 2020. Though these exercise machines require an initial investment, theyre hugely popular and highly rated.

Affluent customers are expected to create customized, fully equipped home gyms replete with items like high-end treadmills, stationary bikes, row machines, and workout mirrors.

Due to a surge in interest in whole-body health, many people are approaching fitness as one piece of a larger health puzzle rather than a way to simply gain strength. To that end, theyre balancing exercise with restorative activities like sleep and meditation.

As people become savvier about workouts, theyre using post-workout time to recover faster and enhance performance. Access to top-of-the-line recovery tools once reserved for professional athletes and physical therapists are making their way into homes.

Sales of products that soothe sore or tight muscles, improve circulation, and increase relaxation are expected to increase in 2021, just as they did the year prior.

Furthermore, people are increasingly focused on whole-body wellness, which involves treating all aspects of health, such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress, and mindfulness.

As such, theyll be looking for products, apps, and tools to help them track their progress, sleep better, and improve overall well-being.

Wearable devices have soared in popularity over the past decade. In fact, its predicted that by 2022 over 900 million people will wear these devices. By 2025, the industry is expected to be worth over $70 billion.

People will rely on these devices to provide detailed information about their health, sleep habits, and recovery, alongside personalized recommendations.

Over the course of the pandemic, people have become interested in combining exercise and mental relaxation to relieve stress. Fitness enthusiasts are looking for ways to promote physical and mental well-being in unison rather than as two separate activities.

Thus, yoga, pilates, and other mind-body activities are gaining popularity and expected to become a $66 billion industry by 2027. This figure includes in-person and virtual classes, equipment, and apparel.

Theres also a growing push for more intentional exercise, with focus placed on form and muscle activation instead of mindlessly going through the motions of a workout. These changes may improve workout quality and keep your mind focused on the task at hand (1).

If you cant attend in-person classes, you can easily find free yoga videos online or pay for a subscription.

Virtual fitness has surged in popularity as entire populations are now stuck at home. From platforms that allow athletes to train and compete in a virtual world to video games that get you moving and socializing, there are options for everyone.

Though physical or social distancing will be in place throughout 2021 in numerous locations, athletes are finding new ways to train and stay competitive. These include options from digital at-home cycling programs to online workout communities.

Users can log in to live or prerecorded workouts taught by real trainers and share their progress with peers. This industry is forecasted to be worth $30 billion by 2026.

Though training apps are popular, the video game industry is also incorporating fitness into their games by using body movement as the main controller.

You can play by yourself, with friends, or strangers online to get in a fun workout.

Staying indoors for most of 2020 and into the new year has been a difficult feat for most of us. Depending on where you live, you may have been allowed to go outside and get some much-needed activity.

One 2020 trend thats expected to continue are sports that naturally lend themselves to social distancing, such as golf, outdoor cycling, and surfing.

According to figures from Golf Datatech, the number of rounds played in August 2020 was up 20.6% from the year prior. Outdoor cycling has enjoyed a similar surge, with bicycle sales up 121%.

Surfing has gained traction along the East and West Coasts of the United States as a physically and mentally demanding sport. As such, these solo sports may continue to grow post-pandemic as a way to get outside while still practicing physical distancing.

In 2021 you can expect to see a huge shift in the fitness industry.

With ever-changing technology, the fitness industry is expected to keep up with the times and provide a more personalized approach to fitness and health.

From at-home workouts to virtual training and health monitoring, 2021 promises to make fitness more accessible and enjoyable for all.

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The Top 9 Fitness Trends on the Horizon in 2021 - Healthline

Legendary Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman says that, in March, when the pandemic was just beginning, he decided he was going to get in the best shape of his life. Then he laughs, catching himself.

When you say you're in the best shape of your life, usually what that means is that you're old, the now 54-year-old adds with a chuckle. You don't hear 20-year-olds saying, I'm in the best shape of my life! But I feel really good. I think it's as healthy as I've ever been, physically, mentally and emotionally.

If he is indeed in the best shape of his lifeand he looks like he might bethat would be quite a feat considering that, in the 1990s, he won three Super Bowls in four years as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Forced to retire in 2000 because of back pain after a 12-year career, its not clear that Aikman has spent any time in the intervening years out of shape. (Thanks, in large part, to a workout regimen that, until two years ago, kept him working out 360 days a year.) Keeping tabs has been relatively easy given that hes been on TV since 2001 as part of FOX Sports NFL broadcast team. Now the lead analyst, hell call this Sundays NFC Championship game between the Tampa Bay Bucs Tom Brady and the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers, two quarterbacks wholl eventually join Aikman in the Hall of Fame.

GQ caught up with Aikman earlier this week to see how hes stayed fit into his fifties, what hed change about his workout and diet routine in his 20s, and how hes adjusted to exercise during the pandemic.

For Real-Life Diet, GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in between about their diet, exercise routines, and pursuit of wellness. Keep in mind that what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

GQ: I don't think I've ever seen you out of shape. Have you been in good shape since you stopped playing?

Troy Aikman: I've always worked out. I've always been pretty strict about it, and worked out pretty hard. So that hasn't changed. My diet has. I've gotten really strict since the quarantining started last March. I felt that people were going to go one of two ways: they were going to be in the best shape of their life or they're gonna be in the worst shape of their life. I decided that I was gonna be in the best shape of my life. So I've just tried to take it to a little bit of a different level for me. I'm eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, whole foods, and a lot of fish and lean meats. I feel really good.

When you say super strict, are there certain things you've cut out?

I love peanut M&M'sI've got a big bowl right here on my table in my officeand vanilla ice cream and oatmeal cookies. I haven't had any since last March. I cut out all sweets. I bought a juicer about that about a month ago, because I read how a celery juice was a big thing. I've been doing that each morning and I've really noticed a huge difference in the way that I feel.

How does it make you feel?

I've had a sinus issue for years. I've had a couple of surgeries. My doctor gave me a new antibiotic just a couple of weeks ago. I did that and it cleared up some of the issues within a couple of days. I didn't want to stay on the antibiotics. Thats when I was told about celery juice, that it might be a preventative deal going forward. So that's why I got the juicer and started doing celery juice. It's made a huge difference. I never really had an answer for it.

What a typical day of eating and a week of working out?

I do the juice in the morning. At lunch, turkey chili is my general go-to. And then in the evenings, I'll have a big dinner relatively early. Usually around 5:00. That's when I eat a lot of vegetables: broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, asparagus. And fish, things like that.

For my workouts, I lift four days a week. As for cardio, I'm 54 now and I feel like I may have been overtrained in the past. I'm trying to take more days off. It used to be, in a year365 daysI would maybe take five days off from cardio. Then I started taking Sundays off during the football season before broadcasting games. I would just use that as a day of rest. I found it to be helpful. Now, I'm mixing in more days off and not beating myself up so much mentally when I do it. Ive just read more and more about how you need to give your body a break, and rest is important.

More:
The Real Life Diet of Troy Aikman, Who Knows Better Than to Look at the Peloton Leaderboard - GQ

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By Gina Cousineau

My entire adult life, I have talked diets, either because I was on one or someone I knew was on one.

As a fitness professional, trained chef, and as a nutrition expert, I regularly want to pull my hair out over the conversations I overhear, paired with all the noise I see across the internet regarding diets.

The best one yet was a diet program in which you can win money. It was the perfect storm for those with disordered eatingthe majority of uspaired with gambling. Oh, my!

So lets unpack the latest and greatest, as we once again hear fromU.S. News & World ReportsBest Diets 2021.

Leading the way, as in years past, are omnivore-type diets, including the Mediterranean, DASH, and Flexitarian diets, which are plant-focused. In other words, a plant-based diet that includes dairy, as well as animal and plant proteins mixed in. They all promote a whole food nutrition approach that islowin sugar, saturated fat, sodium, along with limiting highly processed foods. Not brain surgery, folks.

Macronutrients, or macros, remain high on the list of buzzwords when it comes to diet-speak. In reality, macronutrients are foods that provide calories, which include carbohydrates, fat, and protein.

There are all kinds of spewing of if it fits my macros, macro percentages, and I count macros going on. But what does this really mean?

Fact is, counting macros tells us nothing of food quality, nor the number of calories that are being consumed, so I use this opportunity to educate my readers as to why you should know what macros are and how they can help you reach your goals for the New Year.

Bottom line, if you are on a diet, you either want to lose, gain or maintain your weight; are concerned about improving or holding onto your current health scenario; and/or you want to improve your performance (speed, body composition, strength, etc.).

If you have no concern for these things, you likely eat foods that are convenient, regardless of their repercussions.

Macros provide the calories needed to exist in life. If you over-consume them, you store body fat and potentially increase your risk of lifestyle diseases linked to obesity, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancers and the like.

Under-consume calories, and you risk sarcopenia, the loss of lean tissue mass, including muscle and bone, leading to a host of health concerns. Malnutrition and lack of proper nutrition can happen no matter how many calories you consume.

Homeostasis is the bodys happy place and the home in which I want my clients to reside.

The type of macros you consume is dictated by the foods you choose. Carbohydrates are the bodys preferred and primary fuel source. Wholesome foods rich in carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, whole grains/starches, and dairy products.

Fats are imperative for most every metabolic process in the body. Healthier options include fats from foods such as avocados, olives, nuts, seeds and oils from these foods. Protein helps to build and repair, along with it being the matrix of our skin, muscle and bones. Nutritious picks are lean animal and dairy sources, eggs, and plants rich in soy and legumes.

Those macros in combination are called meals and snacks, and not only can bring joy to our lives, but wonderful nutrition to our bodies. They can also be our demise.

Recommendation from Mama G: Choose wholesome macronutrients most of the time as close to nature as possible. Stay tuned for more on macros next month.

Gina Cousineau sees clients virtually and in person out of her San Clemente office. Her extensive educationa BS in dietetics and MS in integrative and functional nutritionchef training, and 30-plus years as a fitness professional allow her to help clients lose weight and improve their health.You can reach her at mamag@mamagslifestyle.com, 949.842.9975, and on Instagram and Facebook @mamagslifestyle.

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Health and Nutrition 101: Macros, Calories and Exercise ... Oh, My! (Part 1) - Capistrano Dispatch

Choosing to go on a diet isn't a 100% healthy endeavor. After all, if you're cutting yourself off from certain nutritious foods or entire food groups, drastically limiting your calorie intake overall, fasting for prolonged periods of time, or signing up for a fad-like program that promises extreme results in short order, there's a good chance you're actually embarking on a path that your body may not actually respond favorably to. Whether you're trying the Ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting, going low carb or low fat, below are some common side effects of going on a super-strict dieting regimen you should be aware of. And for more healthy weight loss tips, don't miss this list of Sneaky Weight Loss Tricks That Totally Work, According to Experts.

If you're considering intermittent fasting, in which you restrict your food consumption for long stretches on certain days of the week, you'd be wise to consider some of the consequences. "Depending on the length of the fasting period," write the health experts at Harvard Medical School, "people may experience headaches, lethargy, crankiness, and constipation. To decrease some of these unwanted side effects, you may want to switch from alternate-day fasting to periodic fasting or a time-restricted eating plan that allows you to eat every day within a certain time period."

RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter for daily healthy eating advice.

A simple fact: If you eat less food (also known as fuel), your body will have less energy to burn and you'll ultimately feel sluggish. One study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that cutting carbohydrates from your diet was associated with a greater risk of fatigue. Another study, which focused entirely on the Ketogenic diet and was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found that "low-carbohydrate diets enhance fatigability and can reduce the desire to exercises in free-living individuals."

Cutting carbs completely from your diet isn't your only path to lower energy levels. Other studies have linked diets that restrict nutrients such as vitamin B12, folate, and iron with fatigue, as well as anemia. For more weight loss tips, make sure you're aware of the 12 Foods That Drive the Most Weight Loss of All, Say Experts.

A now-famous study published in the journal Obesity that analyzed the weight-loss efforts of contestants of NBC's wildly popular series The Biggest Loser, which was conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, found that people who go on an extreme crash diet hobbled their metabolisms so profoundly that they never fully recovered. The chief reason, according to the researchers, was the influence of leptin, the body's hormone that tells you you're satiated, or no longer hungry. Over the course of the crash diet, the contestants' leptin levels essentially flatlined. The researchers also tracked their ghrelin levelsthe hormone that tells you when you're hungryand it had actually risen. In effect, the dieters had reprogrammed their bodies to be fat-storing, low-energy machines.

According to a study published in the journal Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, embarking on a low-calorie diet is associated with hair loss, as the lack of nutrients disrupts your hair follicles to function as intended. "Nutritional deficiency may impact both hair structure and hair growth," write the researchers. "Effects on hair growth include acute telogen effluvium (TE), a well-known effect of sudden weight loss or decreased protein intake, as well as the diffuse alopecia seen in niacin deficiency."

For a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Kiel in Germany took 32 non-obese males and slashed their calories by an average of 1,300 for a three-week period. On the whole, the subjects emerged from the experience having gained weight while seeing a dramatic decrease in muscle massroughly 5% across the board.

RELATED: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work

"A lack of proper nutrition due to a fad diet can actually strain your organs and muscles," says Ashlee Van Buskirk, a nurse, health and wellness coach with a BS in Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Studies, and the founder of Whole Intent. "For instance, a high-protein diet can actually lead to dehydration, which may place a significant strain on your kidneys as you may be more prone to developing kidney stones."

"Most diets fail most of the time [and] repeated diet failure is a negative predictor for successful long term weight loss," writes Anna Guerdjikova, Ph.D., LISW, CCRC, director of administrative services at the Harold C. Schott Foundation Eating Disorders Program at the University of Cincinnati. "Chronic dieters consistently report guilt and self-blame, irritability, anxiety and depression, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. Their self-esteem is decreased by continuous feelings of failure related to 'messing my diet up again,' leading to feelings of lack of control over one's food choices and further life in general. Dieting can be particularly problematic in adolescents."

RELATED: This Diet Mistake Can Make Your Depression Worse, Science Says

"Fad diets are not always terrible, but people should understand the food groups and should try to ingest foods from all of them to keep vitamin and mineral balance," says Stephen Newhart, Ph.D., owner of Vigor Active. "Grains provide energy, fiber, iron, and help with constipation, dairy provides calcium and iron, fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and protein supports muscle mass. Always try and eat something from all the food groups to sustain health, just be sure to eliminate the sugars."

If you're older and you're trying intermittent fasting, you could be at risk of losing too much weight. "If you're already marginal as far as body weight goes, I'd be concerned that you'd lose too much weight, which can affect your bones, overall immune system, and energy level," Kathy McManus, RD, director of the Department of Nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told Harvard Medical School.

According to the International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35% of "normal dieters" may become pathological dieters, and 20 to 25% of those are prone to develop an eating disorder. "The onset of eating disorders has commonly been associated with following restrictive diets, as they become a way for individuals to exercise control, counting calories and fat grams, limiting types and amounts of food, and obsessing about a number on the scale," write the experts at Behavioral Nutrition.

As the Cleveland Clinic notes, many health experts believe that "80 to 95% of dieters gain weight back that they've worked so hard to lose." If that's an experience you're aware of, don't miss these tips for Losing Weight and Keeping it Off for Good.

The rest is here:
Dangerous Side Effects of Going on a Diet, According to Science | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Shannon McDaniel grew up playing just about every sport basketball, track, cheerleading and gymnastics. Her eating, though, didnt get quite the same attention. She simply wasnt raised in a home that focused on nutrition, she said.

Shannon McDaniel, owner and head coach at Iron Bridge CrossFit in West Ashley

Although McDaniel remained active into adulthood, it wasnt until she started CrossFit at age 40 that she really emphasized healthy eating. The mom of five kids ranging in age from 6 to 20 years old has seen firsthand the power of promoting good eating habits at home.

For example, her youngest son, whos been raised to value vegetables, will pick steamed broccoli over anything else on his plate, McDaniel said.

McDaniel and her husband, Donnie, own Iron Bridge CrossFit in West Ashley, where McDaniel is head coach and also runs the CrossFit Kids program. While she cant control what the kids in her classes are eating at home, she talks about nutrition and the importance of making healthy choices.

Healthy eating becomes a habit with practice

The kids see some of our athletes who are very healthy and in shape. They dont get that way just by working out, she said.

McDaniel highlights the importance of both exercise and a good diet a message that many fitness professionals, nutritionists and doctors preach nonstop. Its a gold standard for heart health and building those heart-healthy habits at a young age will follow children into adulthood.

Be a good role model

Janet Carter is program manager and lead dietician of the Heart Health program at MUSC Childrens Hospital. She urges parents to tap into their childrens natural enthusiasm for good health.

Janet Carter, program manager and lead dietician of the Heart Health program at MUSC Childrens Hospital

One thing Ive noticed in my entire career working with kids is that pretty much all kids have an innate desire to be healthy, Carter said. If I talk to kids in a school setting and ask, Do you want a healthy body? every child raises their hand. They dont even think about it.

Carter said parents can leverage their childs desire to be healthy by promoting health and wellness at home. Have conversations about why you picked a certain veggie-packed dinner and how to make nutritious choices. It helps your kids buy into eating well, Carter said.

First and foremost, parents have to be good role models themselves, Carter said. Parents may need to take a hard look at their own habits and make adjustments.

Your child wants your heart to be healthy too

Go on a flavor adventure

As parents are instilling good nutritional habits, Carter cautions against dinner table fights.

Forcing them to try something new is never really going to work, Carter said. It usually will cause them to be resistant in general.

Instead, she suggests setting a family rule that everyone has to try at least one bite of something new. Then, if your child doesnt like a particular food the first time they try it, dont take it off the list forever. Tastes change, so offer that food another time.

Always keep mealtimes positive, Carter said. If you ever start making mealtimes a battle or a fight, kids end up with disordered meal patterns.

Display new foods in a fun ways and try them as a family

Turn trying new foods into an adventure. With her own 3-year-old, shes taken a cue from the movie Ratatouille, in which the character tries the combination of cheese and fruit, calling it a flavor sensation. In her house, Carter encourages flavor sensations.

Physical activity is a must

When it comes to creating heart-healthy habits, exercise is just as important as healthy eating.

According to the American Heart Association, fewer than 50% of teens between 12 and 19 years old get enough physical activity each day to keep their hearts healthy.

Whats more important, the sun setting or the sun rising? Carter asks patients when they wonder if they should focus on diet or exercise. Both are so incredibly important. You cant really be as healthy as possible without working on both of them. That doesnt mean you have to be perfect. You dont want to have an all or nothing mentality.

Carter said kids should be moving their bodies as much as possible. Younger children dont necessarily need a formal exercise plan, but older children and teens should be getting their heart rate up for 30 to 45 minutes each day.

Any time youre moving your body, it helps, but getting your heart rate up improves cardiovascular health, she said. Thats what strengthens the heart.

Get the entire family involved in exercise

McDaniel preaches daily movement to her CrossFit Kids classes and to own her own children. Her 14-year-old son put on a few extra pounds during the quarantine.

So, she encouraged him to get moving take the dog for a walk, get into a CrossFit class two or three times a week, ride his bike to the bus stop.

Do something healthy every day. As a coach, I promote a healthy lifestyle even outside of class, McDaniel said. Its a lifestyle. Build healthy habits for the future.

Four pillars of good health

Working in family medicine, Dr. Marcus Salo said the increasing number of children and teens who are overweight is concerning. He points to the availability of processed food and lack of exercise as key contributors to the rising rates of obesity among young people.

The American Heart Association reports about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese. Children under the age of 13 that are overweight my start developing heart disease as early as age 25.

Learning negative habits can be difficult to overcome

The increasing rates of childhood obesity leads to increased risk of developing diabetes and cholesterol abnormalities and other vitamin deficiencies. It just snowballs, Salo said.

When conducting well-child visits, Salo counsels parents to focus on four pillars of health: diet, exercise, sleep and social engagement.

Most childrens diets are lacking in fruits and vegetables and fresh food, Salo said. Missing out on healthy fruits and vegetables can lead to deficiencies in iron, zinc and Vitamin B12, which are critical in children to encourage growth.

Salo also encourages regular cardiovascular exercise and getting that heart rate up to the point you cant have a full conversation.

An often-overlooked pillar of health is sleep. For growing children, sleep is vital for repairing damage to the body and for regeneration.

The rise in screen time has led to a decrease in the amount of sleep children and teens are getting. Salo said elementary and middle school children should be getting at least 10 hours of sleep for adequate regeneration.

Even though it may not seem to relate directly to a healthy heart, Salo encourages parents to pay attention to social and family dynamics. Children are developing their personalities and establishing good core values all part of full-body health.

Just as they would notice slipping grades as a cause for the concern, parents also should pay attention to early signs of weight gain.

Parents think kids will grow out of any weight issue they have. Thats not the case, Carter said. They dont grow out of an overweight situation. Science shows us that kids who are overweight or obese as a child or teen are much more likely to become overweight adults.

Read the rest here:
Heart health in kids starts in the home | Families | postandcourier.com - Charleston Post Courier

Workout meal: Enough protein-rich foods can help in muscle recovery

Workout helps in burning stored energy. You lose fat but over a time but your muscles are also lost in strenuous workouts as you aim to push your body. An effective method to not burning off your muscles is healthy pre and post workout nutrition. The pre workout meal recharges your blood with carbohydrate energy and a small amount of protein. This allows you to push the muscle into burning fat whilst it's getting its fuel. Most workouts happen early morning on an empty stomach or later in the evening where people are dashing from work into the gym. In both these scenarios, not eating pre-workout results in a weight loss plateau.

Also read:Kick Start Your Day With These Quick Exercises On Bed

During your workout, have a green tea lemonade with no sugar and 5 grams of Brached Chain Amino acids added.

Your pre and post workout meals affect the results of your workout Photo Credit: iStock

Post workout a 10-15 grams of vegan protein powder or whey protein is best. Try to avoid any powders with chemical sweeteners. Instead add the protein powder to a curd or almond milk and shake it up and consume within 20 mins of finishing a workout.

It is advised to eat the heaviest meal post workout. This ensures you retain muscle. Then you grow muscle due to your intense workout and finally this added muscle that you accumulate on a week to week basis, raises your metabolism and this is the secret fat burning machine, i.e., your own muscles.

One should also do a bi-monthly body assessment of weight, fat and muscle and determine how the decrease or increase are happening. Managing your daily calorie intake is important. Men are encouraged to work out on an empty stomach and women to eat a good meal 1-2 hours prior and then workout. You will then not hold your weight loss plateau for long.

Also read:Exercise At Home: Follow These Workout Tips To Maximise Results

Finally remember losing weight via nutrition and exercise is a calculated strategy. Food unfortunately is very difficult to be exacting on the proteins, carbs and fats. Total calories on a daily basis can be off by over 30% causing daily mismatch of targeted calorie loss via diet. So for your exercise strategy to maximise muscle growth and fat burn at the same time, please get your pre and post workout meals balanced perfectly for the best results.

(Ryan Fernando is a CelebrityandSports Nutritionist)

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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Pre And Post Workout Nutrition: Expert Reveals What You Should To Eat For Maximum Results - NDTV Doctor

Whether you are aiming to achieve your fitness goals or simply wanting to look good, getting six-pack abs is a goal shared by many.

Apart from some hard work, a targeted approach is all that you need to get those chiseled abs.

But before we move on to the right way to get those abs, let us understand what abs are. Ab is the short form for rectus abdominis muscle, which is a group of muscles that covers your body and is divided into three segments, upper abs, your internal oblique, and your deep four (which includes the pelvic floor, diaphragm, multifidus, and transverse abdominis).

We all have abs but why can't we see them? Because we have fat over our belly and to make our abs visible we have to cut down our fat percentage of our body.

To get abs, first, you need to calculate your body fat percentage, which you can measure using a body fat calculator. Once you calculate your body fat percentage, you have to reduce 10 percent to make those abs visible. For example, if your body fat percentage is around 20-22 percent, so with proper diet, exercise, and sleep you will drop 0.5 percent per week, and to go down to 9 percent you will have your abs in 22 to 24 weeks.

To get abs, you need to create a calorie deficit. When you are on a calorie deficit diet, you can eat any healthy food but your protein intake should be 2g per kilo of your body weight. For example, if you are 70kgs, you need to consume 140g of protein per day and your fats and carbohydrates should be in the ratio of 10 to 30 per cent of carbs and 10 to 20 per cent of fats per body weight. Avoid eating oily foods and junk food, but you can one cheat day in a week. You do not need to follow any strict diet, just stick to these simple rules

You can train your abs 5 to 6 times in a week as abs are the muscles that can recover within 24 hours. You can train them in the following manner:

Cardio is the main tool to bring down the fat percentage. You can do any type of cardio like running, cycling, swimming, treadmill, etc. to boost your journey to have abs. The best time to do cardio is on an empty stomach in the morning or after your workout is done.

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How to build abs! - Times of India

Diet is crucial when it comes to managing high cholesterol. Eating the wrong foods will tip your health into bad shape, while eating the right foods can put you on the best path for longevity. The NHS confirmed you can "lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise". As certified by the national health body, if you'd like to lower your cholesterol levels the best type of fish to eat is "oily fish".

However, don't go overboard, eating more than two portions of oily fish per week can actually do some harm.

For example, oily fish can contain "low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body".

In addition, try to avoid eating too much of the following white fish for the same reason:

Getting a cholesterol test at the doctor's will inform you of the following:

Together, these figures taken from your blood sample will give you a clear picture of your health.

The total amount of cholesterol tell you how much "good" and "bad" cholesterol is in your blood.

"Good" cholesterol i.e. high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol reduces your risk of heart problems.

"Bad" cholesterol i.e. low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - increases your risk of heart problems.

Triglycerides are a "fatty substance similar to 'bad' cholesterol" in the blood.

As a general guide, here are the "healthy levels" of cholesterol:

"The levels you should aim for might be different. Ask your doctor or nurse what your levels should be," said the NHS.

In addition to eating oily fish, also make sure you're cutting down on "fatty food".

Fatty foods include the following:

As well as being mindful of your diet, high cholesterol really does come down when you make regular exercise part of your lifestyle.

People are encouraged to do at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, which can include walking or cycling.

"Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it," said the NHS.

It'll also help not to smoke and to cut down on any alcohol in order to reduce cholesterol levels.

See more here:
High cholesterol: The best fish to help lower levels of 'bad' cholesterol - Express

Workout tips: Have one fresh local fruit or a banana before your workout

Eating right is important to get the best results from your exercise routine. Nutritionist Jinal Shah from team Rujuta Diwekar recently took to Instagram to share a few tips that can help make you more informed decisions on your diet, in order to get the best and most efficient results from your exercise routine. Exercise is something that helps your brain to be constantly sharp. It helps your heart healthy, bones strong and dense also facilitates hormonal balance. When combined with a healthy diet, it can help you stay strong, fit and healthy in a holistic manner.

According to Shah, your exercise routine should address the four pillars of fitness: strength, stamina, stability and flexibility. Whenever you are exercising, you need to work towards achieving all four of these, in order to make progress consistently and efficiently, and to achieve optimum health and fitness.

Yoga, cycling, running, strength training and weight training can all help in achieving these goals. You need to take up what suits your routine and try to do it consistently.

Also read:Workout Tips: Here's Why This Fitness Trainer Doesn't Prefer Running

A healthy diet goes hand in hand with your exercise routine for getting fitter and healthier. However, there are a few foods that can help in improving your exercise performance. in Including them in your daily diet can help in maximising the benefits you get from exercise. Here are they:

1. Coconut: It is a local food, which is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs help in improving physical stamina and mental strength. Both of these are need to perform well in daily life as well as exercise. Make sure coconut is included in your daily diet. You can have it in the form of nariyal paani or coconut water (as a mid-morning drink). It can help in regulating blood pressure and is rich in electrolytes, which can keep your body well-hydrated. You can also have it dried coconut with jaggery, you can garnish your poha, chutneys etc with it.

2. Rice: Rice contains a chain of three essential amino acids known as Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA). These amino acids help in preserving muscles in the body. Have rice in traditional combinations like dal rice, biryani, khichdi, curd rice or whatever way you like it. You can also have rice for your dinner. Not only will allow you to sleep well at night, but will also help you wake up feeling more energised. Have the local variety of single-polished hand-pound white rice.

You can include rice in your daily diet Photo Credit: iStock

3. Tuber vegetables: You must have these vegetables at least a few times in a week. Sweet potato, suran, arbi are all tuber vegetables which are in season right now. They are rich in prebiotics, which feed good bacteria in the gut, and help in improving gut health. A healthy gut can facilitate good digestion. You can have them in the form of sabzi (with coconut if possible) or as an evening snack.

Also read:Weight Loss: This 15-Minute Workout Overcomes All Hurdles Of Exercising At Home- Watch Video

You need to follow the 4 R's of post-workout nutrition:

Make sure you cater to all four R's of post-workout nutrition.

Do not follow calorie-restrictive diets or food groups in the name of weight loss or any other fitness goal. "It is not going to help you and will only come in the way of the results you want to achieve from exercise," says Shah in her IGTV.

Also read:Muscle Soreness, Better Range Of Motion And Other Reasons To Own A Foam Roller Right Now

(Jinal Shah is a nutritionist with Team Rujuta Diwekar)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Workout Tips: Maximise The Results Of Your Workout With These Expert-Recommended Diet Tips - NDTV