We are always worried about our weight; while few of us want to shed a few pounds there will be others who are concentrating on gaining weight. Both are equally challenging and in this post, we are trying to find a solution for the losing weight problem. We have often seen that even though we are working out, we seem to have a few extra pounds in the wrong places. That’s because we miss considering those little snacks, cookies and cakes we keep having every now and then. Weight management is a mix of diet and working out and when the goal is to lose weight, being a disciplinarian is important. So, here’re few tips on how to lose weight.
Drinking water is one of the first rules in weight loss programs. You need to drink at least 3 litres of water every day. If accounting the intake becomes a job for you, hire an app that can help you out. There are various water intake apps available for users to manage water intake better.
Drink warm lime water in the morning. You can also drink apple cider vinegar instead of lime water. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to warm water and drink. This intake increases your metabolism. Repeat this before going to bed at the night.
Rapid or sudden loss of weight is not recommended as it usually leads to serious health implications and may be a sign of impending type 1 diabetes.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.
There’s a saying that you should always have breakfast like a king. It is the most important meal of the day. A nutritious breakfast sets the tone for the day by managing blood glucose levels in the body and metabolism. You can take cereals, eggs and milk for your breakfast.
As your goal is to lose weight in 10 days, you should aim at cutting down 500 calories through diet management and 500 calories through exercise every day. According to nutritionists, women should intake 1200 calories and men should intake 1800 a day.
Start with 30 minutes and gradually try to follow a 1-hour workout program. The least you can try doing is running up and down the stairs. You can add squats, lunges and crunches to your workout schedule. Yoga is also one of the best forms of physical activity for weight loss and management.
Also Read: Mounjaro for Weight Loss: Unveiling the Truth
You can replace your milk tea and coffee with green tea. Two cups of green tea would not just help in your metabolism but also make you feel fresh. If not, avoid more than two cups of tea or coffee in a day.
In my experience of all the remedies for weight loss, Intermittent fasting for 16 hrs a day often gives good results in people who are otherwise healthy. But people with underlying conditions like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease should not try fasting without consulting their doctor.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Also Read: How to Reduce Weight Without Exercise: Proven Strategies and Science-Backed Methods
Make a habit of sleeping for at least eight hours a day. There are various ways you can train your mind to sleep in a few minutes. With this practice, you can sleep on time and give your body the adequate amount that is necessary.
Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, and white rice, contain more carbs in them than any other food item, are low in fibre and high in calories. Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. They’re a great source of energy for your workouts as well as vitamins and minerals. A high intake of refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, has been related to weight gain. Eliminating refined carbs from your diet helps in weight management.
Spicy foods can actually aid in calorie reduction. Capsaicin, a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers, may slightly stimulate your body’s release of stress hormones like adrenaline, which can help you burn calories faster. Furthermore, consuming spicy peppers may aid in slowing down your eating and preventing overeating. When you’re full, you’re more likely to be aware of it. Ginger and turmeric, in addition to hot peppers, are excellent choices.
Sweetened beverages are high in calories, yet they don’t satisfy hunger the way solid foods do. Water, sparkling water with citrus, skim or low-fat milk or small servings of 100% fruit juice will quench your thirst. If you’re hungry in between meals, try a glass of healthful and low-calorie vegetable juice. Keep an eye on your alcohol calories, since they can easily pile up. Limiting alcohol to the weekends can save you a lot of calories if you consume a glass or two of wine or a cocktail every day.
Many popular snacks nowadays are calorie-dense but not nutrient-dense. Refined grains like cereals, chips, crackers and cookies, as well as calorie-dense liquids like juice and soda, are common culprits. To lose weight, keep snacks under 300 calories and choose nutritious snacks with at least 4 grams of fibre and 4 grams of protein to keep you full. Choose foods that are low in added sugar and sodium, if possible.
Besides these, there are some small changes that you can bring to your lifestyle and boost your weight loss plan. For example, ditch the lift/elevator and take the stairs, avoid colas and packaged drinks, do not sleep immediately after food, go for a short walk after a heavy meal, choose steamed and baked food over fried etc.
While you follow all of the above, understand the rule to not starve your body. You should have smaller meals at regular intervals. Also, snacking can be healthy; just add some healthy snacks to your routine. Besides, when your body craves some sweet or junk, it is okay to surrender to that craving once in a while but make sure to restrict the portion size.
Last but not the least, healthy weight loss is a slow process but incorporating some small lifestyle changes can definitely help you shed those extra pounds in 10 days.
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Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
The deadly COVID has put a stop to the way we go about our daily routine, may it be going to the office, school or going out for a jog. Well, this is the right time we all need to move out of our comfort zones and try a different approach to stay healthy.
Remember, a healthy exercise schedule can prevent you from risks of developing heart diseases, diabetes and many more. It can also help you manage these conditions better. For instance, exercises for diabetes can help lower blood sugar levels and avoid further complications. One of the best exercises to include in your exercise routine would be a plank. What is a plank exercise? How will this be beneficial during the pandemic and how to perform one are questions that this article will answer.
Did You Know ?
A plank exercise is the best exercise to strengthen your core and abdomen. These exercises strengthen your hips, lower back and abdomen and improve your body balance. It is used in yoga, by professional boxers and sports like hockey, cricket and football.
The number of calories you would burn depends on how many minutes you perform a plank exercise daily. For instance, a person weighing 65 kgs would burn 3 calories every minute doing a plank. Here is what your body could benefit from plank exercising.
Apart from muscle growth and endurance, a plank can also help achieve better body balance, posture, as well as coordination. The reason the plank is considered a fundamental part of an exercise routine is because of this. With great balance, you are less susceptible to incurring injuries to single muscle groups during your workout.
The core of your body consists of the spine, shoulder bones, pelvis and joints. With a strong core, you will be able to better perform certain exercises. The 4 most important muscle groups (transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, oblique muscles, and glutes) that constitute your core are strengthened with the help of the plank exercise.
Practicing the plank pose daily can help to stretch your core muscle groups mentioned earlier. This has a lot of benefits especially for those who engage in yoga.
Since the plank pose mainly works your core abdominal muscles, it is a great exercise to get rid of stubborn belly fat. Holding a plank for a few minutes each day can alone help to trump down belly fat and provide an appealing shape to your body.
The plank posture helps to perfectly align the vertebrae (small bones) in the backbone. This can help alleviate back pain and even delay the onset of or prevent back pain in old age. Moreover, since this pose strengthens your abdominal muscles, it will help support the weight of your body when walking upright. This will further help to prevent back pain.
This pose helps to build abdominal muscles and in many cases even boosts the development of muscles in other parts of the body (due to added core strength). With more muscle mass, you will burn more calories and this will regulate a healthy appetite. Therefore, the plank pose if practised daily can help to improve metabolism as well.
The plank exercise is a type of isometric exercise. Isometric exercises are mainly performed to improve strength. These exercises don’t need movement and can be done in one place. As there is no movement involved, it will provide strength in a certain position only. Therefore, isometric exercises like plank can be done during injuries. Athletes who want to build strength are advised to practice planks.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
There are many variations of this all-around exercise and each of them provides a unique set of benefits for your body.
The front plank is a rather simple form of this exercise and promotes strengthening of the upper as well as lower body. The side plank, on the other hand, helps to strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles. This can be beneficial in reducing fat on your waist. However, a reverse plank is a slightly uncommon variation of this popular exercise pose. It is, as the name suggests, a reverse of the original position and helps to strengthen your hip muscles (glutes) and inner thigh muscles (hamstrings).
This is the traditional posture of the plank but the difference is that you will need to hold this posture for 2 whole minutes. For people who regularly workout, this may not seem very significant, but for beginners, these 2 minutes could seem quite challenging. This type of plan exercise is great for testing muscle endurance.
These are considered the next level in plank exercises as it puts immense pressure on your core muscles, making them even stronger. You will need to lie down in the original plank position and raise either one hand or one leg. You can alternate between the two for an intense workout. You can also combine this with a side plank and achieve a combination of benefits.
This is one of the most challenging and fruitful variations of the planks that are usually recommended for seasoned gym-goers. However, with careful and steady practice you can achieve this at home as well. All you need to do is lie down in a side plank position and push your leg into your body as you do in crunches. This exercise not only works the core abdominal muscles but also helps strengthen the hip joints.
The plank can also be performed using resistance bands as well. This is an advanced level of plank exercises that you can do if you think you have mastered the basic variations. You can tie a resistance band around your wrists and ankles and slowly push out against it while in the original plank position. This added strain to your muscles and joints will help them become stronger.
Plank exercise focuses on building stamina, endurance, and core strength. This exercise mainly focuses on muscle groups which include the erector spinae (ES), the external oblique (EO) and the rectus abdominis (RA).
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
Level: Beginner
Type: Front Plank/ High Plank
There are many ways to do a plank exercise, and one simple way is doing the high plank or front plank. This type is similar to push-ups, but the only difference is that instead of resting your body weight on your palms, you should rest it on your elbows.
| Step 1 | Lye down flat on the ground. |
| Step 2 | Place your elbow and legs flat (like Push-ups). |
| Step 3 | Push your body upward and keep your chin tight to your neck. |
| Step 4 | Hold your position for 10 seconds. |
| Step 5 | Bring your body downwards and continue this 3 times and then take a break. |
NOTE: Make sure your back is completely straight when doing this exercise. A plank exercise can be modified into a plank with a leg lift and arm lift. However, if you are a beginner it is recommended you do the front plank workout and it will do you good.
Do not do planks in the following cases:
NOTE: Consult a doctor if for more insight regarding conducting this exercise if you feel any of the above-listed pain.
Ultimately, enjoy the whole process. As and when you give time to this process, you will get tougher and sturdier. And then”¦keep adding few seconds to your stunning plank pose.
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YES, plank exercise is a good calorie burner that reduces belly fat. Make sure you also stick to a healthy diet while performing this exercise. Add fresh fruits, whole grains, fish, banana, yoghurt, green tea and avocados to your everyday diet. Also, make sure that you perform this exercise regularly and in the right manner. Between pushing upward and downwards hold the position for 10 seconds and then release your body. Your overall workout must be for 60 seconds.
Planks target the entire body, like the core, arms and shoulders. This full-body exercise can even help in improving your posture and lessening your back pain. So it is important to get your plank exercise position correct. A sloppy plank can cause a variety of ailments that can cause any plank exercise injury, like wrist, shoulder, neck and lower-back injuries. Some of the common posture mistakes are as follows:
In both high planks (full arm extended) and low plank (only forearms) exercises, you might make the mistake of dropping your hips. By doing this, you are releasing the core muscles where you hoped to target, not to mention the additional strain this puts on the lower back and shoulders. To correct your posture, always keep your hips in line with your shoulders.
While doing side planks, keeping your support arm too far away from your body may cause strain on your shoulder, wrist and neck as well. Your shoulder should be aligned over the top of your wrist during side planks to avoid any plank exercise injury. For a perfect plank position, align your support hand directly over your shoulder and hold your other hand high above and legs stretched out, forming a ‘T’.
A lot of people have the mistake of having their palms angled towards the centre of their body while doing their planks. This can make them find difficulty in stabilizing their shoulders and cause a chest collapse. A correct palm position would be to place hands parallel to each other without breaking at the elbows and fingers slightly turned out. This will prevent any injuries.
With so many benefits of this apparently simple exercise pose, it is no wonder that the plank posture is quickly becoming popular among fitness enthusiasts. There are many fitness trainers who have developed their own innovative variations of the plank. Even if you are not able to do the same, you can always go for the different variations and tips given here for similar results. Since the plank is indeed a total body workout as well as an addition to other workout positions, you should definitely consider adding to your workout routine.
Also Read: Exercises for Hip Pain: A Research-Based Guide to Relief
A plank exercise is the best way that you can burn belly fat and improve your body strength. If you’re looking to get into fitness, consider adding this exercise to your everyday schedule. Here are some frequently asked questions that will give you an insight into some of its other facets.
YES, you can do a 3-minute plank workout provided you are in an advanced workout schedule. A 1-minute plank workout is more than required for a beginner, while a 3-minute workout plan could mean that you are at an advanced workout level. However, if you cannot hold a plank for 120 seconds in advanced workout schedules, it could mean you are fat or weak or you may be doing it in the wrong manner.
Here’s what you can benefit from it:
Improves body flexibility
Passes body energy to your arms, legs and spine
Improves running speed and efficiency
It is advised that you plank for not more than 2 minutes. A minimum would be for 1 minute (beginner).
Planks make you tremble in the beginning because this exercise applies your entire body weight to your muscles which means a lot of force.
No, plank exercises strengthen your spine and shoulder, reduce body fat and prevent backaches. It is a simple exercise to stay fit and improve body balance and flexibility. It is advised that you go out for a jog, run cycling or swim to ensure that you look trim.
Planking is a simple exercise that everyone should add to their workout schedule as it strengthens the body core which is the main muscle that carries your entire body weight. However, follow the above-listed steps to perform it in the right manner and you will have whiteness results.
Live Healthy, Stay Safe!
Also read: 5 simple ways to stay fit and healthy
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Author – Mona Mehta
M.Sc Nutraceuticals
Staying healthy and fit is considered to be one of the biggest attended obstacles these days! Due to the fast-paced urban lifestyle, many often complain of less or no time to invest in health and fitness-related activities. Social media, fast food, junk habits, digital devices, work, socializing are often observed to take away a chunk of our everyday life and make it herculean to stay healthy and fit.
You can relate. Often touted as ”next to impossible”, daily nutrition and fitness is now a regular chase. But how to overcome this challenge? How to stay fit and healthy every day?
We know you have a lot of questions in mind and we are here to help you!
Here are a few tips! Just follow them daily and you’re a step closer to achieving health and fitness goals!
First things first Begin your day early with Yoga, Healthy Breakfast and an all in one Multivitamin drink.
Why Daily Multivitamins?
Our daily diet habits do not allow us to fulfil our nutritional demands. We tend to get lesser than required nutrients like vitamins, minerals, rare trace minerals in our diet which may lead to a deficiency of deficiency-related diseases soon. A multivitamin a day helps bridge the nutritional gap for overall health and maintenance. Effervescent Multivitamins from Fast&Up are one of the most effective daily multivitamins in the market which offers all essential nutrients along with natural beetroot extract and guess what all in just one tasty drink.
Remember: Well begun is half done!
Kick bad food habits. Well, some of them at least!
Eat a lot of colours (P.S. Colours do not mean candies here). Try and make your plate colourful with many fruits and veggies. Make sure you incorporate the habit of a balanced and healthy diet. It is also essential that you plan your meals well. You may make your own food calendar and set timings for a meal. The number one reason that diets fail is that cravings take over, so choose a way of eating that still incorporates some of our favourite food, but do not overeat. Change your mindset from ”dieting” to adopting to healthy and active ”lifestyle”.
Remember: Balance is the key!
Hydration is very crucial when it comes to good health. The electrolytes play a critical role in maintaining fitness as they help reduce muscle soreness, aid digestion, prevent fatigue and exhaustion, improve performance. Many health-related issues are related to dehydration in the body. Energising effervescent hydration drinks like Fast&Up Reload offer instant and effective hydration and energy with no added sugar.
Staying healthy is simple. EAT RIGHT AND TIMELY, EXCERCISE DAILY AND SLEEP MINIMUM 7 HRS PER DAY.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Remember: Dehydration is deadly!
Getting your body moving is one of the best things you can do for a shift towards health and fitness. You might want to go slow on yourself while exercising. Start with moderate workout exercises with the goal of a healthy and active lifestyle in mind. If you don’t have the time to join the gym, yoga, Zumba institutes, then you may opt for easy home workout exercises like planks, squats, lunges, etc. Cardio can do wonders too. You may take stairs or even consider morning or evening jog runs to start with. Make sure you work out for 30-40 minutes a day.
Regular physical activity and excercise for at least 4 hours per week will go a long way to improve your cardiovascular status, help control blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.
Remember: Something is better than nothing!
Read More: What is The Best Time to Exercise?
Many compromise on sleeping hours due to travel or working hours. These only increases stress in the body which pushes you towards sickness and tiredness. There is nothing better than getting a good sound sleep. Sleep for 7-8 hours at night.
Remember: Sleep well or stay unwell!
It pays to stay informed. This phrase holds true for your health too. Regular and timely check-ups help you remain aware of your body and system’s progression over time. It also helps to identify any underlying issues that could be problematic. An early diagnosis would not only save you thousands in healthcare but also potentially help save your life.
Remember: It really does pay to stay informed!
It’s never too late to work towards being a healthy you!
Start now!
Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.
