February 4, 2008 by Kavit Haria
What are you tolerating?
One month into the new year. How are you keeping up with your goals and targets set at the beginning of the year? And specifically, how did you cope in the January Wellness Challenge?
Today as we enter a new month, I wanted to discuss tolerations. Our health is one of the most important, if not the most important asset in our life and as a result it is important that we do all we can to look after it.
That means we must stop putting up with things that we only half want and things that are not giving immediate energy and vitality to us. To do this, make a list of 5 to 10 things you’re putting up with and currently tolerating in your health. You must feel that when you get rid of the things on your list, you will feel more complete, committed and in closer alignment with greater health for you and those around you.
For example, if you’re tolerating drinking because you want a pint of beer once in a while and you still know you don’t feel great after it, commit to just making the decision that you can stop drinking the beer and have a glass of water or wine instead. As you eliminate each toleration by removing it or finding a better substitution for it, feel yourself come into closer alignment with better health in the coming days and weeks.
The idea is to bring about better health, internal comfort and feeling for your mind and body.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Stumble it!February 3, 2008 by Kavit Haria
Best of January 2008
January was a phenomenal month and a great start to the year for this website.If you missed any of the posts this month, or want a great roundup, here are five of the most popular posts:
How to Cut the Fat and Feel Good
I was also an author of three posts on Lifehack.org, a Technorati Top 100 blog. Here they are:
8 Tips for Healthy Living on the Go
In February, I have more quality posts coming on this site, Lifehack.org and other websites.
Popularity: 3% [?]
January 31, 2008 by Kavit Haria
40 Ways To Lose Weight Fast… And Keep It Off
Photo from hans s
The majority of people who look at their health usually start off their quest for wellness with losing weight. In this month of February, as people are still working on their goals and resolutions, there are more advertisements and promotions for weight loss and fitness videos, programs and workouts.
I set myself on the quest to compile a list of 40 ways one could lose weight fast and more importantly keep off putting the weight back on. The list is by no means conclusive, but it is a collection of ideas, methods and strategies from all around the world.
1. Count your calories - the most straightforward method is simply to count up the number of calories you take in and the number of calories you give off and then you simply give off more calories than you take in.
2. Increase your dietary protein by having a protein shake at least once a day. Protein will help your body facilitate weight loss and can be important to a good plan.
3. Pay attention to what you eat. Document it daily in your journal and consciously create more water-rich healthier meals.
4. Buddy up. Find a friend who is also interested in weight loss and work together, giving each other support in your plans. The support and accountability a friend gives is massive. The Get A Life 2008 system provides a great structure for this.
5. Decrease your carb intake. Eat less bread and pasta.
6. Avoid junk food altogether. No more McDonalds, Burger Kind, KFC. Junk food gives you “empty calories” and unneeded weight loss.
7. Keep hydrated. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Read about starting your day with a pint of water in the free How to Live Healthy in an Unhealthy World book.
8. Plan your workouts. Your workouts need to be planned - journal exactly what you’re going to do and make sure you follow it strictly for a few weeks.
9. Get some good sleep. Sleep is vital to body rejuvenation and repair so make sure you get some good sleep and keep your timings consistent. Lack of sleep can contribute to lack of weight loss.
10. Go on a juice detox.
11. Listen to subliminal or self-hypnosis weight loss CDs or downloads.
12. A positive attitude. Get your attitude in check and realise the outlook is positive when you get going and sheding the amount of weight you want to lose.
13. Accept how weight loss works. This one is important. Some people don’t want to accept the natural processes of body and are looking for quick rewards. Weight loss takes place over time so be consistent and committed, and you will see big results.
14. Keep hunger quiet. When you feel hungry, opt for fresh fruit or a glass of water. This will help cover the hunger.
15. Get your free gym trial and see if it’s for you. Meet with a personal trainer and map out your plan for weight loss. These guys are the experts in helping you get a safe plan that meets your time schedules.
16. Follow Honey Kalaria’s Bollywood Workout, also used by Madonna - a fun way to workout and lose weight.
17. Read Tom Venuto’s “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” and all his extra free bonuses.
18. Increase Metabolism. If you’re having trouble losing weight, try a natural supplement that helps do this.
19. Go on a low fat diet. Low fat is good for your heart too.
20. The Atkins Diet. This seems to work as there are success stories but many people feel nauseated by the high fat content. It also doesn’t seem to keep you healthy for life.
21. Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.
22. Try the Lemonade Diet and Master Cleanse.
23. Form a new weight loss habit in 21 days.
24. Take Suvaril. This is a revolutionary weight loss pill helping people achieve healthy and great looking bodies the natural way.
25. Eat only until satisfied. Too many people eat and eat and eat even if they’ve had enough. Eat only till your satisfied.
26. Jog up a hill. Hills are like lifting weights for runners. Do this only if you have enough endurance built up. It will also help convert useful fat to a little muscle.
27. Follow Leo’s Zen Weight Loss plan.
28. Stay away from sweetened and fizzy drinks.
29. Drink a glass of water before you start the meal. Water naturally needs some space so that you feel fuller without actually having to stuff yourself.
30. Stay away from fried foods. Fried foods are fried in oil or fat. And even if the external oil is drained away, there is still a lot of hidden oil in it so stay away from it.
31. Avoid chocolate. Chocolates are not or at least they should not be a part of your diet. So do not indulge too much in them.
32. Consider going Vegetarian or Vegan. Here’s how.
33. Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day instead of three large meals. It is an excellent way of having smaller quantities of food.
34. No more beer. Beer can be fattening if had on a regular basis.
35. Boil your vegetables instead of cooking them, or even better, eat them fresh.
36. Do not be a couch potato.
37. Try out Carol Vorderman’s 28 Day Detox Diet.
38. Attend The Raw Food Party with Peter Pure.
39. Try yoga. Yoga is one of the best ways of losing weight. And it seems to be massive in 2008!
40. Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone’s plans, body and patterns are different. Work at your own pace.
Popularity: 13% [?]
January 29, 2008 by Kavit Haria
Keeping you fuller for longer
Naturally Gorgeous is an innovative new smoothie developed jointly with nutritionist Amanda Ursell is marketed as the drink for the health conscious made with a compound called PinnoThin that keeps you fuller for longer.
Currently there are only two drink flavours on the market - ruby orange & strawberry, and coconut and pineapple - and I’m sure more flavours are expected soon. The magical ingriedient that helps to do what it says on the box, called PinnoThin is a completely natural ingridient derived from pine nut oil and mixes essential fats that will take control of your hunger. Pine nuts are a naturally rich source of essential fats and have been consumed in Asian countries for centuries.
Before Naturally Gorgeous came along, people were drinking smoothies not aware fully of their high calories and so by drinking Naturally Gorgeous with PinnoThin, one can stay fuller for longer and avoid excessive calorie consumption.
According to Amanda Ursell,
“The problem is, when we drink calories rather than eating them in foods, it seems that the area of our brains which tell us that we are feeling full do not get triggered very effectively. In other words we can slurp down drinks and not register the calories that we are adding to our daily total. The idea that a drink may be able to fulfill the role off both a drink and be filling fascinates me. Naturally Gorgeous drinks have been made using low GI ingredients including fruit juices, skimmed milk, agave nectar (a natural sweetener which comes from the blue cactus plant in Mexico), pectin (a soluble fibre which appears to slow down stomach emptying) and a fascinating ingredient made from pine nuts called PinnoThin”
Seems like a good thing, but does it do what it says on the carton. Would love to hear your comments below.
Popularity: 5% [?]
January 27, 2008 by Kavit Haria
350 calorie breakfast meals
This post follows on from my post on easy weight loss by counting your calories.
In that post, the message was simple: to lose weight, consume less calories than you should give off. I also suggested splitting your meals throughout the day and thus lowering the calories per time. I used the example of splitting into five segments of around 350 calories each so to explore that more, here are some meals that calculate to 350 calories.
Cereal - 300 calories
- 1 cup of cereal
- 8 oz 2% milk
- 1 banana
- 1 coffee or tea
An egg-muffin breakfast - 320 calories
- 1 whole wheat English muffin
- 2 pats low fat butter
- 1 hard boiled egg
- 1/2 cup of fruit
- 8 oz fruit juice
- 8 oz water
An oatmeal breakfast - 300 calories
- Oatmeal - 325 Calories
- 1 cup oatmeal with raisins
- 1 cup of fruit
- 1 cup coffee or tea
- 1 banana
Popularity: 6% [?]
January 25, 2008 by Kavit Haria
Five awesome ways to improve breakfast
Photo from ginamig
Mum always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day and a healthy breakfast would make me a healthy young man. She was right and I should have listened more than I did.
I’d like to think that my breakfast is the exciting meal of my day, mixed with so many juices and fruits that it’s electrifying and energizing like something out of this world. But I know that for most people, it’s not like this so here I’m offering five awesome ways to improve your breakfast daily and listen to what mum said.
Some people have time but just aren’t bothered about having a decent meal when they get up. To try and cater and offer some alternatives, I’ve come up with five things that aren’t the norm for breakfast and I hope it’ll inspire you to get up and try something different.
1. Frozen fruit. Get up and have a bowl of your favorite frozen berries. My favorites are raspberries but you could mix them with blueberries and/or blackberries. Frozen mango is also a favorite of mine aside from berries. Why frozen? I have no idea - it’s just something different.
2. Porridge or oatmeal. Have a bowl of oatmeal. You could even add your frozen fruits to it to sweeten the oatmeal and make it more tasty.
3. Go all nutty. Eat a selection of your favorite nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc) whilst you sip your hot green tea. The nuts are rich in nutrition when taken in small amounts and can be washed down easily with your drink.
4. Make yourself a protein shake. I remember when I used to go to the gym actively about a year ago to work on my upper body muscle. After a heavy workout routine, I’d spend a £2 on a small bottle of strawberry flavored protein shake. It was the tastiest and most filling drink I’ve ever had and was it not for it’s expensive tag (I was already buying 4 a week at that time) I would have bought more than one every day. Now I’ve learnt to make my own. Simple: get a teaspoon of protein powder and add it to milk or water and have yourself an nutritious protein shake!
5. Water. I can’t forget water of a list. My regular readers know I’m a big water drinker. Drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning. If you don’t like water, squeeze some fresh lime into it to give taste and drink it. You’ll be grateful.
There are five ways you can improve your breakfast. Add some more by leaving a comment…
Popularity: 11% [?]
January 23, 2008 by Kavit Haria
How to make your smile more attractive
Photo from yoshimov
Ever look at the opposite (or even the same) sex, they give you a really warm and nice-looking smile and you get a really good feeling about that person - whether it’s that you’re on the same wavelength, you’re attracted to them or you just want to go over and make conversation?
A nice looking smile is an important aspect of non-verbal communication. A smile is the center of giving thanks, showing appreciation, accepting a deal, falling in love, making small talk and exhibiting inner happiness. I find that when I am naturally happy, grateful for all that I am and have, I smile more realistically than when I just smile for the sake of it.
As science has revealed, there are natural ways to increase the quality of your smile. Here are five ways you can have a warm, nicer looking and much more attractive smile:
1. Brush your teeth properly. Many people restrict their smile because they’re ashamed at the quality of their teeth. Make sure you give your teeth the time necessary to keep bacteria and plaque away. One lady I recently made gave me one of the most amazing smiles I’ve ever seen. I asked her how she smiled so nicely. She told me that as she takes care and time in brushing her teeth, she has nothing to worry about how she looks. (By the way, asking how a lady smiles so well - good or bad pickup line?)
2. Avoid snacking. Snacks that are high in sugar and carbs are worse as they can attack your teeth using the acid for as long as 20 minuts. Bacteria feed on the sugar and may start to grow on your teeth and gums. These include simple sugars in fruits, breads and vegetables. So ensure you time your eating with cleaning your teeth.
3. Drink plenty water. The most prominent feature when it comes to your overall health is always about water. Water will ensure your body has plenty fluid and doesn’t suffer from internal dehydration allowing your skin and lips to look smooth and sensational. Also, by drinking lots of water, you’ll prevent getting bad breath.
4. Straight teeth. We’re talking about a good smile here so I’ve got to write about teeth. Having straight teeth is an important facet of beautiful smiling. If you haven’t got straight teeth, do your best to get some by seeing a dentist/orthodontist and the effort you put in now will be great for future years. A more faster approach but more costly is cosmetic dentistry.
5. Live a healthy lifestyle. The most beautiful smile shines from within. Working out, eating right and practicing good overall hygiene will not only promote healthy teeth and gums, it will make you feel good about yourself. Your self-confidence and positive energy will radiate out of your expression’s most important asset - your beautiful smile.
Popularity: 12% [?]
January 21, 2008 by Kavit Haria
Facial Yoga - Get rid of your wrinkles faster
A couple of weeks back, I read an article in TIME magazine that discussed a new form of yoga for reducing aging. So much emphasis has been put on anti-aging and the market is huge for providers and practitioners because of today’s boomers.
I wondered if there really was anything new to this kind of yoga or if it really just meant for people to get back to their younger ages and make silly faces and movements with the cheek and face bones so that they are being exercised.
The focus of facial yoga from a marketing perspective is to help boomers reduce their wrinkles so they can look and feel more younger. And as it’s less painful than surgery and cheaper than Botox, it becomes an attractive thing. Also, there’s the huge social element of going to a facial yoga class once or twice a week, making silly faces and movements and then heading back home to daily life - call it a time to get away from the hustle and bustle of life that causes the wrinkles anyway.
Check out some of the facial expressions yourself and try them (it could even be a party game!). New York instructor Annelise Hagen demonstrates them in this UK Daily Mail article. If you can learn this off a book, you could do it anywhere. But do you really need to learn how to make faces from a book? Aren’t these silly faces things you did as you grew up and now you’ve just got to do it again for a health and wellness benefit?
Make of it what you think for yourself. For me, it’s yet another simple service that boomers can buy into for the social aspect of working with others. Aside from that, you could even just practice facial yoga walking down the street.
Watch this video for a quick tip or two:
Popularity: 8% [?]
January 18, 2008 by Kavit Haria
5 Ways To Quit Eating Junk Food
Photo from aprilandrandy
About a month ago, I wrote about what the WHO termed ‘globesity’ and how USA is now second to the UK in the inability to get off junk food. We all know the negative effects of junk food on our health and lifestyle but quitting it is always a totally different story - and it’s not exactly a question of using willpower otherwise more people would have quit already.
Here are five ways to quit eating junk food:
1. Always have your reason. Tony Robbins said that when you have enough reasons for something you want to do, you’ll be able to do anything you want. What are your reasons for quitting junk food: losing weight? becoming healthy? lower cholesterol? Be clear on your reasons and write them down.
2. Quitting doesn’t happen overnight. So plan well. Cut down slowly over time. For example, if you eat junk food more than once a week, cut down to once a week. Then cut down to twice a month. Then to once a month, then cut it out totally. Create whatever plan is good for you and include your groceries, shopping and cooking.
3. Play some fun sports. Playing sports, as well as being good for your body, makes you feel good about yourself. You also get into the habit of wanting to keep up the good health and naturally motivate yourself to stay off the junk food.
4. Enjoy eating. Food is to be eaten and enjoyed. I don’t like the look of commercial and unhealthy junk food. If I were to eat it, I wouldn’t enjoy it. I’ve gone of it totally. Take time to prepare a tasty healthy meal and enjoy eating it knowing what goodness you’re providing to you body and life.
5. Control. The article I wrote a while back showed that people can’t control their ability to eat junk food. In fact, you could put it this way: The junk food controls their health, rather than their health controlling the junk food. Don’t let it get to that. Control your food and think. Why did you quit in the first place? What is more important to you - eating junk food or achieving your goal?
Popularity: 15% [?]
January 16, 2008 by Kavit Haria
My current breakfast plan
My current (and favorite to date) breakfast plan is a very simple and elegant one.
I get up at 7am and have a pint of water usually on it’s own as I like the taste of water. During the course of the night, we lose a lot of water through our breathing, snoring and heat so drinking a glass of water is essential to internal detoxification, cleansing and recycling. Regardless of what you have for breakfast, I highly recommend you drink a glass of water as soon as you get up. If you don’t like water, squeeze some fresh lime into it for taste.
By 7.30am I’ve had a shower and am ready to go. Between 7.45 and 8am, I make and drink a half pint of freshly squeezed carrot, apple and ginger juice. I love juicing fresh fruits. I usually buy enough fruits to last me the whole week at the weekend but if I run out, I will go to the shop and get some more. I also select fruits from the supermarket to ensure they ripe in time for when I need them. With fresh juice, you can also consume a lot more fruit than you would by eating it.
It is important to eat your fruit at least 30-60 minutes before a meal as it is water-rich and composed of simple sugars which are digested in the small intestine. If you eat fruit after a meal, you stop it from reaching its required destination, the small intestine, as it gets stuck in between food in the stomach. This is all part of the science of food combining and I have written about this particular item in more depth in my book How to Live Healthy in an Unhealthy World. Get it free here.
At 10am, I eat a handful of fresh berries with almonds or cashew nuts. I have decided in this current breakfast plan not to eat a proper meal before noon and for that reason I make up a mix of good nutritious stuff by having some kind of berries or grapes with a handful of nuts.
At 11.15am, I eat a healthy fruit salad. During this time, I try not to mix too acidic fruits with those that are not too acidic. Each requires different enzymes to digest the fruits and a large mix of un-similar fruits will disturb the system. Usually, I would have pineapple with apple or grapes. Or pear with kiwis, melons, bananas, oranges. The best way is to chop them all up into small pieces and mix up into a bowl of fruit or a “fruit salad”
At 12.00, I proceed to prepare a delicious lunch. Breakfast is officially over and in another post I’ll cover lunch options I’m currently on.
The underlying message is that I consume a lot of fruit in the morning when my system is empty and can take up a lot of its required nutrients, vitamins and minerals from fruits very easily. At lunch, I’ll introduce the proteins and/or carbs. The other important message is planning. Plan your breakfast (or any meal) in advance and work at it and as a result you’ll see your benefits more readily.
Popularity: 8% [?]
