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Nutritionist Explains: Is Breakfast Really Important?

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Science can be conflicting over whether you should partake in what many people tout as the most important meal of the day. Do you find yourself grabbing coffee or tea and skipping breakfast most days? Have you skipped believing you’ll lose weight by consuming fewer calories?

Mornings can be hectic for some families, so maybe skipping isn’t always intentional. You could be doing your body more harm than good though. Not eating a meal on a regular basis can have some adverse effects on your physical and mental health.

First, let’s look at where the saying received its start and the expertise behind the words.

Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day

We’ve all heard this saying. It isn’t a marketing scam put out by cereal companies; the saying is a quote from the best-selling nutrition author and renowned nutritionist Adelle Davis. She’s often called the Queen of Nutrition, and her books have redefined wellness for many.

Her books brought light to a growing concern during the Great Depression when many Americans didn’t have enough to eat. She highlighted the importance of nutrition, vitamin deficiency, and continued to do so in her books that followed.

Her actual saying covers all three of your main meals, assigning a hierarchy to your eating habits that tapers as your day progresses.

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner as a pauper.”

In simple terms, that first meal should be your heaviest meal. Keep in mind that she doesn’t give you free reign or suggest you should eat whatever or however much of any certain food. Adelle wasn’t a vegetarian or vegan, but she didn’t eat a fatty, traditional American breakfast either.

You will likely recognize many of her quotes on nutrition, and these are sayings we still repeat today. Pass them on to your children, grandchildren, or to the next generation. They will hold merit for many years to come.

Your Food’s Quality Matters

Another title she carries is the Queen of Optimal Eating. Her advice focuses on quality of food over quantity as well as proper nutrient balance. Her ideal morning meal isn’t a sugar-laden bowl of cereal or pastries masquerading as morning fare.

Adelle Davis ate how she preached. A normal morning for her included granola (she invented it), thin pancakes, or healthy wheat germ muffins with walnuts. She might have included her special Pep-up drink too.

What she ate gives us a deeper perspective of where her advice holds merit today. She didn’t believe in eating processed foods, chemicals created in a laboratory, or empty calorie beverages. Much of what Americans eat today falls into one of those three categories.

Still, should we skip if all we have to eat in our home is processed junk? Or should we redefine our breakfasts into healthy choices that fit Adelle’s ideals?

What Science Says about It

Quality matters in every meal or food we put into our bodies. Few people can argue that processed food is healthier than or as nutritious as real, fresh food. However, does this add scientific merit to your breakfast being the most important meal of your day?

Maybe. It depends. No. Yes.

Unhelpful advice, we know. The current response from the majority of the scientific community on breakfast benefits is mixed at best. The factors they talk about are your current health, including your weight and goals.

Benefits do exist on both sides for weight loss and health, but the scientific community isn’t ready to throw their support behind your morning meal being any more or less important than lunch and dinner.

Right now scientists are continuing to delve deeper into the types and quality of foods. Whether they change current opinions will depend on the outcome of the studies, but many nutritionists believe scientific views will alter the moment traditional morning fare goes up against real, healthy whole foods.

Let’s face it. It’s hard to say breakfast benefits anyone when it consists of huge amounts of saturated fat, little to no vegetables, even fewer good fats, and gobs of simple carbohydrates. If we take Adelle’s healthy approach instead, it’s harder to refute the importance of eating in the morning.

Should We Skip to Lose Weight and Save Calories?

While this seems like a pure logical yes, the truth reveals a hard, fast no. When you’re trying to lose weight, calories in and out matter, but it’s only part of the big picture. Studies show that people who skip their morning meal consume fewer calories, but they typically gain more weight and have higher BMI scales. (1)

On the other hand, a study that had people alter their morning habits showed little difference. However, people weren’t offered a healthy eating plan or guidelines in the study. More studies with stauncher food control, meal plans, and guidelines might paint a clearer picture. We don’t know what participants chose to eat on the study to determine the true breakfast benefits for weight loss and control. (2)

Does Skipping Benefit Your Overall Health?

This one is a flat no. You’re removing an entire meal that you could’ve packed full of healthy foods. Those foods contain the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients your body requires to function. Why would you starve yourself of the basic building blocks your body requires to function?

Furthermore, scientific evidence shows you’re at a greater risk for certain diseases and metabolic conditions when you skip your morning meal.

Eating Breakfast Benefits (3, 4):

• Reduced type 2 diabetes risk
• Lower heart disease risk
• Lower risk of hypotension and hypoglycemia
• Improved metabolism
• Mood stability
• Enhanced cognitive function

The morning meal can enhance areas of your life science can’t measure, and this is especially true for families and couples. That togetherness can bring you closer and strengthen relationships. The mental boost this offers can go a long way to promoting overall well-being.

Speaking of mental well-being, did you know partaking in a morning meal could reduce anxiety and improve mental clarity? Most adults who skip the meal complain about physical sluggish feelings, being grumpy, and having an overall slowed thinking process. (5)

The 48% of the adults in the poll admit to skipping to their morning meal on a regular basis too. That leaves little room for thought. Why are they repeating the same mistake every morning and continuing to skip? Why not enjoy a small or to-go type breakfast?

Morning Meal Ideas

Your morning meal doesn’t need to be extravagant. You also can and should think outside the cereal box or standard bacon, sausage, toast, potatoes, and eggs.

Do you find it difficult to eat after waking? Grab a handful of nuts, seeds, or homemade trail mix instead of settling for coffee or tea. Also, if you work out in the morning, you will need to refuel your body with more than caffeine or water.

Quick, Healthy, and Easy Recipes

• Oatmeal
• Fresh fruit
• Yogurt
• Homemade granola or Muesli
• Low-sugar dry cereal with a plant-based milk
• Whole-wheat toast with 100% fruit preserves
• Overnight oats
• Chia pudding
• Avocado toast
• Soy-based scrambles
• Soy- or mushroom-based meat replacements

If you have more time, you might enjoy some healthier versions of classics, such as vegan French toast or a chickpea pancake found on our site. Many recipes are vegan, vegetarian, and friendly to a low-carb lifestyle.

breakfast

Need a portable option? Try making your own granola or protein bars. The majority of recipes make 12 servings, and you can store them in the fridge or freezer. If you don’t have time to bake, you can also pick up pre-made bars. Just be sure to read the labels and pick one without fillers or junk.

Foods to Limit in the Morning

• Sugary cereals
• Pastries, including the toaster variety
• Doughnuts
• Biscuits, unless homemade with whole grains
• Processed foods and meats
• Fruit juice
It’s okay to treat yourself on an occasion here and there, but you shouldn’t feed your body these foods on a daily basis.

Fruit juice might surprise you, but it’s mostly a fast-acting sugar that will spike and crash your system. It also lacks fiber. Choosing complex carbohydrates will gradually raise your blood glucose levels without the side effects. If you must drink juice, use a small serving and sip it.

Final Thoughts on Breakfast Benefits

Food should nourish your body, and your body needs fuel in the morning. Every meal you eat is important to your overall health. Skipping mealtimes has a large impact on your well-being today and later in life.

Eating in the morning fuels your body for the day. You don’t have sugar crashes that lead you to eating whatever is in your sights. It reduces your risks for diabetes, and it allows your body to reach nutritional recommendations of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients.

Morning fare can be quick, easy, and nutritious. Even a handful of nuts and seeds or a piece of fruit is more beneficial than eating nothing at all.

Enough scientific and dietary evidence supports the importance of eating breakfast, especially if you’re eating whole foods. Keep up the good work if you’re already starting your morning off right.

Not eating breakfast yet? Start small with quality foods to fuel your body, mind, and soul.

Man Who Lost 220 Pounds Explains 7 Secrets to Lose Weight

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John Gabriel, a Wall Street broker, lost a whopping 220 pounds without extreme diets or exercise programs. His methods have assisted people in over 60 countries in losing unwanted weight and leading a healthier lifestyle. As opposed to traditional weight loss programs that tell people to practically starve themselves and sweat buckets to lose weight, Gabriel focuses more on the relationship between the mind and body. He helps clients correct hormonal imbalances and reduce stress to lose weight.

Because of his overwhelming success in shedding hundreds of pounds, we wanted to share his techniques with you if you want to start your own weight loss journey.

In 2001, Gabriel weighed 400 pounds. He had done diets and worked with nutrition experts, but he always gained the weight back eventually. Workouts helped his stamina, but not his weight loss efforts since extreme exercise just made him want to eat more.

After missing his flight that crashed into the Twin Towers on 9/11, John had a whole new outlook on life. Feeling like he’d been given a second chance, John wanted to get his health in order. He hated his job and felt stressed out all the time, so he decided to follow his passions by studying the human body so he could learn how to lose weight sustainably while helping others do the same. John researched how hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters in the brain affect weight loss.

After doing extensive research, John concluded that overeating doesn’t cause weight gain, but is a consequence of being overstressed or emotionally unstable. He says that creating a healthy environment in your gut and mind by eating nutrient-dense foods and limiting stress are the keys to keeping the weight off.

Here are a few important tips from John about how to lose weight:

1. He stopped dieting.

 

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Instead, he focused on eating mostly whole foods packed with nutrients, but didn’t beat himself up for having a few treats here and there. If you want to lose weight, you have to learn to go a little easy on yourself but not become too lax, either.

2. He fixed his gut health.

 

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John began to eat more fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and other foods with healthy bacteria. He also started drinking bone broth since it contains collagen that helps to heal the intestinal lining. He found that when the body doesn’t have the right gut bacteria, this can create an imbalance and cause weight gain.

3. He focused on healing his emotional issues.

 

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“Approximately 65-70% of my clients use their weight as a certain form of protection. I call it emotional obesity,” John says.

He used powerful visualization techniques where he imagined a white light enveloping his body and shielding him from any pain. Once he stopped feeling like he needed his excess weight to protect him from the outside world, he started losing weight.

4. He made sleep a priority.

 

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John went to a doctor about his sleep apnea, which was causing him to lose out on necessary sleep. Once he corrected his sleeping problems, he felt well-rested and didn’t reach for unhealthy snacks anymore such as pizza or sweets. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more cortisol, which can make you crave fattening, sugary foods instead of healthy ones.

5. He worked on eliminating stress.

 

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Most people don’t realize that too much stress activates certain hormones in the body that make it difficult to lose weight. John started meditating and using visualization to lose unwanted pounds; of course, his problems haven’t disappeared from his life, but he feels like he can approach them with a better mindset now. Having too many stress hormones in the body causes your hunger drive to increase, and this becomes a vicious cycle if you don’t learn to manage this stress.

Yoga, meditation, or martial arts provide wonderful ways to manage stress and clear your mind.

Intermittent fasting

6. He adopted a lifestyle that he loved.

 

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John eliminated excess material items that weighed him down, moved to a cheaper house, and started growing his own fruits and vegetables. He used visualization techniques to curb his sweet tooth, imagining sugar as tiny pieces of glass. This helped him eliminate sugar from his diet and prompted him to come up with his own recipes that didn’t contain added sugar.

7. He fed his body the nutrients it needed.

 

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John admitted that the last 40 pounds didn’t come off very easily at first. To correct this problem, he started eating foods such as salad, greens, green juices, super greens, spirulina, chlorella, and sprouts. He also drank more water and added lemon to it. After doing all of this, he said the last 40 pounds just fell right off.

We hope these tips helped you with your weight loss journey. Remember not to beat yourself up if you get off track; just eat mostly whole foods and move your body! Also, engage in positive thinking and mindfulness, because stress can really hamper your weight loss efforts. Work on fixing your gut health and mental state, and you will see that losing weight doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

10 Reasons People Don’t Lose Weight (Even When They Exercise)

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Okay, so we all know that diet and exercise aren’t everything when it comes to helping us lose weight. But despite this knowledge, many (and perhaps most) of us fall far short of reaching our desired weight.

In this article, we’re going to discuss the factors that affect weight loss and weight gain, along with ten reasons why people don’t lose weight. We’ll also cover actionable steps you can take to increase the chances of shedding those stubborn pounds! Let’s do this!

10 Reasons People Don’t Lose Weight

“Our dreams of losing weight do not become a reality through magic; there are no magic diet pills; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Felicity Luckey

  1. They don’t get enough sleep

A definite relationship exists between the quantity and quality of one’s sleep and the tendency to gain (or lose) weight. Lack of sleep manifests physiologically as energy shortages and feelings of exhaustion. To compensate for this shortage, the body will insist on getting more food – a completely normal response – and the body has to get fuel from somewhere.

The problem is that, under such conditions, we’re more likely to reach for foods rich in carbohydrates or a drink loaded with sugar. Why? Because to the body they’re a much quicker means of providing the energy.

Fix: The Natural Sleep Foundation (NSF) is perhaps the foremost authority on sleep in the United States.

beta males

Per the NSF, here are the minimum sleep guidelines by age:

  • Newborns (less than 4 months) – 12 to 18 hours per day
  • Infants (4-11 months): 12 to 15 hours
  • Toddlers (1-2 years): 11 to 14 hours
  • Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10 to 13 hours
  • School-age children (6-13 years): 9 to 11 hours
  • Teenagers (14-17 years): 8 to 10 hours
  • Young adults (18-25 years): 7 to 9 hours
  • Adults (26-64 years): 7 to 9 hours
  • Older adults (65 years and over): 7 to 8 hours

If you experience difficulties falling and staying asleep, it is essential to speak with a healthcare professional.

  1. They’re experiencing a lot of stress

When we encounter a lot of pressure, our bodies release excess stress hormones like cortisol. Cortisol may cause the body to resist insulin, thereby raising blood sugar and increasing fat storage. Weight gain resulting from stress probably has stronger roots in psychology than biology, however. Psychologically, “stress eating” is a genuine phenomenon, occurring when there’s a decrease in blood sugar levels. Sudden drops in blood sugar can stimulate appetite and lead to impulsive eating.

Fix: There are many ways to decrease stress levels. But first, it is vital to understand that stress is a normal part of life and that exposure to reasonable amounts of it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, when high levels of stress begin to interfere with things like sleeping and eating, it’s time to take a close look at the catalyst(s) and then minimize your exposure. Exercise, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises are among the best ways to reduce immediate stress.

  1. They’re getting older.

You’re smart enough to know that getting older pumps the brakes on your metabolism, making it much easier to gain stubborn pounds. We’ve all heard the phrase “muscle weighs more than fat,” which is true. Unfortunately, as we age the body is less able to produce muscle. Adults who ignore these facts and continue to eat unhealthily will quickly notice fat accumulation, muscle loss, and weight gain.

Fix: Understand the physiological effects of aging and adjust your lifestyle accordingly. As it pertains to diet, make sure to take in more fruits and vegetables and less junk. Drink plenty of water (see below) and perform regular exercise within your physical capabilities.

  1. They’re not drinking enough water to lose weight.

H2O helps regulate our metabolism and digestion along with numerous other functions. Besides throwing a wrench into our metabolic and digestive systems, dehydration increases appetite. Too often, the body is signaling for more water – not food – but we mistakenly indulge in the latter nonetheless. This is a very bad unconscious habit to have when trying to maintain a healthy weight and body.

Fix: Know the minimum recommended daily intake of water and drink it. Remembering to “drink eight 8-ounce glasses” of water is easy – and is recommended by most health authorities. It is most beneficial to spread this water intake throughout the day.

  1. Their family history.

If overweightness or obesity runs in the family, you have a much higher chance of being overweight or obese. Genetics is believed to factor in up to 70 percent (!) of a person’s weight. Experts state that your ethnicity also affects your propensity for or against weight gain. For example, studies show that African-American females are more prone to high blood sugar caused by insulin resistance as well as a lower basal metabolic rate. Both are known contributors to weight gain.

Fix: There is no known “fix” for inherited genes that increase susceptibility for weight gain. However, following a regular diet and exercise regimen, and otherwise maintaining a healthy lifestyle, make it much easier to acquire and keep a healthy weight.

  1. They take certain prescription meds, which makes it hard to lose weight.

Many prescription medications are known to increase the likelihood of weight gain. Such drugs include beta-blockers (for hypertension and high blood pressure), antidepressants, anticonvulsants (for seizure disorders), antipsychotics, diabetes medicines (e.g. insulin), and steroids.

Fix: Certain medical conditions necessitate the use of prescription drugs. It may be worthwhile, however, to have a conversation with your doctor regarding side-effects, including weight gain. Depending on certain factors such as time on medication, and the type and degree of side effects, the physician may opt to place you on an alternative medication.

  1. They have an underlying medical condition.

Certain medical conditions also increase the likelihood of weight gain. Known conditions include bipolar disorder, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, fluid retention, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), prolactinoma, underactive thyroid, and many more.

Fix: Weight gain due to an unknown medical condition is quite common. The best approach when dealing with a potential health condition is just to see a doctor ASAP. Early diagnosis makes life much easier on the patient by enabling them to manage the situation better, perhaps leading to more favorable outcomes including a healthy weight.

exercise

Research reveals why your brain does not want you to exercise.

  1. They don’t lose weight because they have erratic eating habits.

Living in a society that encourages relentless “hustling and bustling,” it can be hard to set and stick to a regular and healthy eating schedule. Crash dieting also falls under this umbrella, as do trips to the local fast food joint. The former does nothing to solve weight problems in the long term; the latter is a sure means of getting fatter and otherwise unhealthier.

Fix: You don’t have to watch the second hand on a clock to have a healthy eating schedule. Merely having a flexible but non-negotiable time window to eat your meals is enough. If you work outside of the home, you can best accomplish this by learning how to cook and put together a few quick, healthy meals. Get some Tupperware and bring your food to work. If crunched for time, prepare a bit extra and have leftovers for dinner!

  1. They keep dieting.

Successful dieting, if defined as “losing weight and keeping it off,” has a horrendous track record. While the official number is probably less than the “95 percent” failure rate frequently cited by diet-haters, it’s bad nonetheless. While a diet may be helpful for an upcoming event or a trip to Hawaii, too often, positive dieting effects turn out to be cyclical and short-lived. If one has any hope of maintaining a healthy weight, they must adopt healthy eating habits over the long-term. While the phrase, “It’s a lifestyle,” when applied to health may be annoying and redundant, it remains valid.

Fix: Understand the nutritional requirements according to your age, gender, and weight. Implement a long-term goal of eating predominantly fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. And never pick up another diet book again! If you continue to struggle, it may be helpful to see a dietician or nutritionist about ways to lose weight and keep it off.

  1. They forget about “liquid sugar.”

sugar

We’ve known for some time now that sugar makes you fat. The reason sugar makes you fat is simple: high concentrations of blood sugar accelerate the storage of food as fat, not energy. Sugar and calorie-laden beverages and fruit juices are perhaps the most overlooked reason for unnecessary weight gain. Not only do these drinks drastically increase the odds of obesity of overweightness, but they are also terribly unhealthy.

Fix:  Abstain from sugary drinks and take in more water if you hope to lose weight. When you prioritize water consumption, the urge to drink soda and other unhealthy beverages disappear. If you must drink something other than H2O, drink a diet soda or low-sugar fruit juice or tea. Just don’t make it a habit.

Experts Explain 6 Ways To Burn Belly Fat Naturally At Home

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Belly fat will not only make you look bad, but it will also cause many health conditions. Having plenty of fat in the abdomen is related to diseases like heart conditions and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, burning tummy fat has numerous benefits to your health and can aid you in living longer.

The estimation of belly fat is done through the measurement of the waist circumference. You can simply do this at home with a tape measure. Anything more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men is referred to as abdominal obesity.

In case you have plenty of extra fat around the waistline, you require taking some measures to eliminate it. Luckily, there are a number of proven strategies that have been shown to target fat in the tummy area more than other body areas. Here, an expert shares the tips to burn belly fat naturally at home.

1. Track Your Meals

What you consume is crucial to the amount of tummy fat you have. But most people lack the knowledge of what they are consuming. People normally think they are consuming a low-carb, high protein, or some other healthy meal, but usually under- or overestimate.If you want to optimize your diet, it is critical that you track your foods for some time. However, this fails to mean that you measure and weigh everything for all your life. You can do it for a few days in a row so that you can determine where changes are crucial.

In case you want to increase the intake of protein to 30 percent of calories, merely consuming foods that are richer in protein will not suffice. You require measuring and fine-tuning to reach your objective. You can use online calorie calculators as well as online apps and tools to track what you are consuming.

Doing this every few months by weighing and measuring everything you eat will aid you in seeing your diet. In this way, you will know where to make adjustments that will help you in burning abdominal fat.

to lose belly fat

2. Work Out

Exercise is essential for many reasons. If you want to avoid conditions as well as live a healthy and prolonged life, you need to do exercises. While there is are a lot of benefits you can enjoy from doing exercises, minimizing belly fat is one of these amazing advantages.

But beware that exercise, in this case, does not refer to abdominal exercises. This is because losing fat in one place, also referred to as spot reduction is not possible. Hence, performing numerous ab workouts will not help you to burn belly fat.

According to research, participants performed abdominal exercises for 1.5 months, but there was no measurable effect on the amount of fat in the abdomen or waist circumference. However, there are some other types of exercises that can prove effective.

Studies have shown that aerobic exercises, such as swimming, walking, and running have helped in reducing significant amounts of tummy fat. A particular study discovered that exercises entirely prevented individuals from regaining tummy fat after losing weight, showing that exercises are especially critical in the maintenance of weight.

Exercises also result in minimized inflammation, reduced levels of blood sugar, and other improvements in all metabolic abnormalities related to excess tummy fat.

3. Eat Foods with High Fiber Levels

Dietary fiber is mostly plant matter that cannot be digested. Many people claim that consuming plenty of fiber can assist you to lose weight. While this is true, it is critical to remember that not all fiber is made equal.

The kinds of fiber that have an impact on your weight are viscous and soluble fibers. These fibers usually combine with water to create a thick gel that sits in your digestive system.

This gel slows the movement of food through your gut and reduces the speed of digestion and nutrient absorption. As a result, you will feel full for longer and have decreased appetite.

According to a study, an extra 14 grams of soluble fiber per day was linked to a 10 percent reduction in calorie intake and weight loss of 2 kg over 16 weeks. In a study that lasted for five years, consumption of 10 grams of soluble fiber daily was related to a 3.7 percent decrease in the amount of tummy fat.

The ideal way to consume more fiber is to eat plenty of plant foods such as fruits and vegetables. Legumes are also an excellent source, together with cereals such as whole oats.

Additionally, you could attempt eating a fiber supplement called glucomannan, which is one of the top viscous fibers. Several studies have shown its capacity to burn belly fat.

4. Avoid Carbs

Carb restriction is one of the most effective ways to lose body fat. Numerous studies have discovered that when people avoid carbs, they lose both appetite and weight. Research shows that low-carb diets result in 2-3 times more fat loss than low-fat diets.

This happens even when you consume as much as you want, as compared to those who avoid fats and calories as well as stay hungry for longer. Low-carb diets also result in a fast decrease in water weight, which offers people almost immediate results. A scale difference is usually noticed within 1-2 days.

Many studies reveal that diets low in carbohydrates mainly target the fat in the tummy, and around the liver and other organs. This means that tummy fat is hazardous and promotes diseases. Just keeping away from refined carbs such as white bread, sugar, and candy is enough, particularly if you consume a lot of protein.

But if you need fast weight loss results, you require reducing your daily carb intake to 50 grams. This will put your body into ketosis, kill your appetite, and make your body to start burning main fats for fuel. Low carb-diets will not only burn belly fat, but they will also prevent type 2 diabetes.

5. Eat More Proteins

Protein is an essential macronutrient during the process of losing weight. It has been proved to reduce cravings by 60 percent, improve metabolism by 80-100 calories per day, and aid you in consuming up to 441 calories every day.

If you want to burn belly fat, then increasing protein in your meals is the most effective adjustment to your diet. In addition to losing weight, proteins will aid you in weight maintenance in case you stop trying to lose weight.

According to research, the quality and amount of protein eaten were inversely associated with belly fat. This means that participants who consumed better and more proteins had less fat in the belly. Another research revealed that protein was related to a significantly decreased risk of tummy fat gain over 5 years.

The study also revealed that refined carbs, as well as oils, were related to high amounts of tummy fat, but vegetables and fruits were associated with minimal tummy fat. Most of these studies showed protein was effective when consumed at 25-30 percent of calories.

Therefore, try increasing your consumption of foods that are high in protein, like dairy products, meat, legumes, fish, nuts, seafood, and whole eggs. They are the best sources of protein. If you face a challenge in consuming sufficient protein, then take a quality protein supplement such as whey protein, which is a convenient and healthy way to increase your overall intake.

Additionally, consider cooking with coconut oil. Research shows that consuming two tablespoons daily affects the reduction of tummy fat.

6. Avoid Sugar and Sugar-Sweetened Drinks

One of the unhealthiest foods includes added sugar. Studies reveal that added sugar causes some harmful effects on your health. Sugar is 50 percent glucose, 50 percent fructose, and fructose can only undergo metabolism in the liver when the amounts are significant.

When plenty of sugars are consumed, there is an overload of fructose in the liver, which is forced to convert it into fats. Research has discovered that excess sugar, especially due to high amounts of fructose, can result in high amounts of belly fat and liver fat.

belly fat

Some researchers believe this is the central mechanism behind the harmful effects of sugar on your health. The high amounts of tummy fat and liver fat results in insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.

In this case, liquid sugar has worse effects. Solid sugars are registered by the brain differently from liquid sugar. Therefore, when you consume sugar-sweetened beverages, you consume more overall calories.

According to research, sugar-sweetened beverages are related to 60 percent increased risk of childhood obesity, for each serving per day. Ensure you reduce the quantities of sugar in your diet and entirely avoid sugary drinks. This includes sugary sodas, high-sugar sports drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fruit juices.

Remember that this does not apply to whole fruits, which are nutritious with a lot of fiber that controls the negative impacts of fructose. The quantity of fructose you consume from fruit is negligible as compared consumption of foods that are rich in refined sugar.

If you intend to reduce refined sugar, then you require reading labels. Even foods that are labeled health foods can have high amounts of sugar.

Conclusion

If you want to be healthy and have an appealing body, then you need to burn your belly fat with these scientifically proven strategies. They are not just effective, but they are also natural.

Whether it is avoiding carbs, doing exercises, increasing protein in the diet, avoiding sugars, increasing soluble fiber in your food, or tracking our meals, your belly fat will disappear in no time.

Scientists Explain 21 Benefits of Yoga For Your Health

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Our health and lifestyle matter more than you can imagine. Yoga for health, in particular, has been used for many generations. Despite the debates regarding its origin, there are several benefits of yoga that have shaped lives over time. If you happen to be active in yoga, you’ll likely agree that a long-term commitment has brought you various physical and mental changes.

This could include better quality and lengths of sleep, increased and controlled metabolism, and even increased flexibility. All in all, the benefits don’t come easy, and this is why you need to be committed to the activity. Here is how yoga can boost your overall health.

Benefits of Yoga

 

1. Builds Muscle Strength

Yoga for health is simply a life changer. Putting in work to do those stretches may seem weird and strange at first, but your muscle strength depends on it. Scientifically, stretching your muscles reduces tension and builds up muscle tissue. This is the reason why yoga for health lowers your risk of back pain and arthritis through muscle build-up. (1)

2. Spinal Protection

If you know one or two things about the spinal cord, you’ll agree that the spinal discs have a complex structure. Ideally, the arrangement of your spinal discs allows them to compress nerves when necessary, to absorb any sort of shock.

This means that your spinal discs require proper movement via stretching in order to remain robust and intact. These movements mostly include backward, forwards, and side bends as done in yoga.

3. Posture Perfection

The human body is created with complexity that you may not seem to comprehend. Consequently, our spinal cord is the central support system of the entire body, since it also directly supports the head. The neck and back muscles are strong enough to support your weight, but once you begin to lean on any direction for long, you’ll notice the strain. (2)

This is why yoga helps to improve posture by making sure that the spine is always straight.

4. Increased Flexibility

If you have been a yoga practitioner for a fairly long period of time, you will notice that improved flexibility is one of the main benefits of the activity. The first time you started off was probably harder than you could imagine. Being able to touch your toes can be hard the first few times, but with perseverance, you’ll notice that you were finally able to do the impossible.

5. Joint Breakdown and Cartilage Prevention

Among the many benefits of yoga, this is quite vital. All the times you fully stretch your joints, they’re able to go through a full range of motion that helps to squeeze out the fluids in between the cartilage. This allows for replacement, therefore allowing it to receive fresh nutrients.

6. Increases Your Heart Rate

So far, we have witnessed that the benefits of yoga are numerous. Either way, both vigorous and calm yoga can elevate your heart rate into an aerobic heartbeat range. This eventually lowers your levels of depression and the risk of heart attack.

7. The Increase of Blood Flow

Yoga exercise mostly entails the stretching of your joints and muscles. This movement involves contraction of muscles which helps to increase the rate of blood flow. The organs that benefit the most are your hands and feet, due to tension release and increased oxygen supply to the cells.

8. Better Bone Health

Scientifically, any exercise that involves bearing your own weight helps to prevent osteoporosis. Fortunately, yoga for health requires you to lift your own body weight through some stretches such as the “upward” and “downward facing dog.” This type of stretch helps to toughen your arm bone strength, which is considered vulnerable to osteoporosis.

9. Immunity Boost

One of the most underrated benefits of yoga is the upgrade it does to your immune health. Usually, stretching of joints and muscles leads to the release of lymph fluid, which has a high concentration of immune cells. This fluid facilitates the enhancement of the immune system.

10. Lifts Energy Levels

You’ve seen the way yoga positively alters several functions and conditions in your body. Just among the few that have been mentioned, the benefits such as increase in muscle strength, robust immune system, and better bone health collectively increase your body’s energy levels. Even so, this can leave you in high spirits, hence making you a happier individual.

11. Regulates Adrenaline

The thing about yoga for health is that it helps to regulate your adrenal glands. In the event of an acute crisis, your adrenal glands must emit cortisol that is important for the maintenance of your immune system. Therefore, if the cortisol levels remain high even after a crisis, your immune system remains uncompromised.

12. Drops Blood Pressure

Have you ever sat down for long hours and stood up to stretch? Yoga exercise is as healthy as any other exercise, and studies have shown that among the benefits of yoga, a decrease in hypertension is one of them.

This is because stretching your spine, joints, and muscles offer a relieving sensation. The “corpse” pose in yoga was recorded to have a 26-point drop in systolic blood pressure.

13. Lowers Blood Sugar

Science has already shown how yoga has helped to increase heart rate and decrease depression. In addition, yoga stretching has also been seen to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and enhance good blood sugar (HDL). This also leads to a drop in blood sugar.

Blood sugar has always been linked with diabetes, and this is why maintaining the right blood sugar levels is necessary for a diabetes-free life.

14. Upgrades Your Focus

You’ve probably experiences times when you’ve had a specific song or thought play constantly in your mind like a tape loop. These sort of patterns are associated with a drop in your brain’s focus. There are many mental benefits of yoga, one of them being an increase in focus.

Yoga involves deep meditation, which can help keep any sort of mental distractions far away.

15. Helps You Build A Healthier Lifestyle

Yoga is almost just like any other exercise, and this means that the proper diet ought to be followed in order for you to reap the full benefits. Moreover, yoga can prompt you to get rid of some habits such as smoking. This is because the activity creates both body and mind nourishment.

16. Betters Your Balance

Stretching in yoga involves the effort of several muscles in your body, such as the psoas muscle. Some of these muscles are quite crucial since they help to support overall body weight. This is why yoga helps you develop a better understanding of what your body is doing and where exactly it is in time and space.

This can have an overall positive effect on your balance which means that you could have fewer falls, if you tend to be uncoordinated or accident-prone.

17. Increases Quality of Sleep

Although the excitement and stimulation that your body receives from various activities is good for the brain, you should also keep in mind that excess could translate to adverse effects. Yoga stretching is considered a great escape from the physical and mental struggles that you go through daily.

Due to its effect on body-brain health, yoga helps you to experience deeper slumber that leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning.

18. Tension Release in The Limbs

There are probably many times when you lazily stare at your phone screen while holding it up for hours. You may even find yourself developing sedentary postures that can inflict lots of tension in-between your limbs. Yoga helps to get rid of the chronic tension, soreness, and muscle fatigue that may be caused by any sort of strenuous or repetitive activity.

Wherever your tension may be located, constant yoga practice can help you locate and relieve the affected areas.

19. Increases Lung Capacity

Yoga can involve heavy breath holds, similar to swimming, that help to increase your lung capacity. Yoga consists not only of stretching, but also meditation that requires you to hold in your breathe so as to become one with the environment around you. This ultimately increases your breath volume and boosts the efficiency of exhalation.

All the same, there are yoga techniques that are employed to simplify this process such as “complete breathing.”

20. Relaxes Your Mind

Yoga has always been used as a thought cleanser, and this is why you’re allowed to refer to it as the medicine of the mind. Yoga is a powerful tool used to boost mental energy. Meditation, being a major part of its process, helps relax your mind and take away distress.(3)

yoga for health

 

21. Self-Esteem Booster

Have you ever taken part in a weekly physical challenge or even a diet program? Developing a strict routine that allows you to practice yoga over a period of time can have an encouraging impact on your confidence and self-esteem. This is mainly because of the sensation and satisfaction obtained after a series of completed sessions.

This accomplishment will reflect both mental and physical upgrades which will boost your self-esteem.

Final Thoughts on Benefits of Yoga

Our health is one crucial aspect that requires the right attention on a regular basis. Therefore, yoga practice ought to be followed with a fixed mind in order for you to reap the best results possible.

The Laws Of Karma (That Will Change Your Life)

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You have likely heard of karma, but you may not be as familiar with the laws of karma. Essentially, the basic idea that when you do something kind for others good things will happen to you and, likewise, if you do cruel things to others or ignore the needs of others, the same feelings will eventually come back to you. Those who believe in karma work hard to bring themselves good karma.

The laws of karma are more complicated than that basic definition, however. In order to truly understand the benefits of the laws of karma, you have to be familiar with them and what they mean. You also have to understand what karma really is and where it comes from.

What Is Karma?

The idea of karma stems from a Buddhist belief of the law of moral causation. Any action, thoughts, or words that were intentional is considered to be used by Karma. In other words, any type of action or thought can bring good or bad karma, depending on the type of action it was.

It is important to mention that any actions that were not intentional are not Karma, because intention is the determining factor. If you believe in Karma, you should know that there are laws of karma that must be followed to avoid attracting bad karma or to rid yourself of it. The actions in your life that affect karma include:

  • How you treat others
  • How you view yourself internally
  • How you use your resources
  • How you develop your character

Creating good karma for yourself not only makes you feel good, but it may also improve your life in all areas. Those who believe in karma believe that it can lead to good things in your career, finances, relationships, and your overall sense of well-being.

12 Laws of Karma That Will Change Your Life

 

1. The Law of Cause and Effect

Also known as “The Great Law”, The Law of Cause and Effect focuses on the idea that you will only get what you give. For example; be honest, and you will get honesty. Be kind, and you will receive kindness, and if you want love, give love.

This same idea goes for all aspects, both positive and negative.

2. The Law of Creation

You cannot get what you desire without working to get it. It is necessary to go after what you want instead of sitting around waiting for it to happen. Essentially, this law means that when you are not satisfied with your life, you should look inside of yourself to see what needs to be changed.

3. The Law of Humility

The basic idea of the Law of Humility is that you have to accept things before you can change them. This means that blaming others for things that are actually your fault is unacceptable, and it also means that you cannot treat others differently if they disagree with your opinion.

4. The Law of Growth

Wherever you are in the world requires adaptation on your part. You must expect to change yourself before the rest of the world will change, that includes the people who surround you. This can be thought of as growing to embrace your surroundings, hence the Law of Growth.

You have to focus on adapting yourself for the kind of world you want, not trying to change or control those around you. Each person must focus on their own growth.

5. The Law of Responsibility

In order to positively change your life, you have to understand that you are responsible for what is happening in your life. For everything that happens to you, it is a reflection of what is happening inside of you. This law of karma is similar to the Law of Growth because it also means that you should be looking at yourself and not blaming others for what is happening.

6. The Law of Connection

The Law of Connection focuses on the connection between your past, present, and future. With this law, you can release yourself from the curse of bad karma by focusing on controlling your present and future. Each positive thing you do can help relieve the bad karma, plus you can address any specific wrong-doings from the past and make big strides toward eliminating the bad karma from your life.

7. The Law of Focus

By training your mind to focus on only one thought at a time, you are allowing yourself to experience the benefits of this law of Karma. Since our minds are not supposed to follow multiple thoughts at one time, trying to do so can bring you bad karma.

One way to begin training your mind to focus on one thing at a time is to write down all the important goals you have for yourself. Then, you should rank them in order from most important to least important and focus on one thing at a time

If you are trying to focus on all of your goals at one time, you aren’t giving those goals the attention and energy that you should be. One other benefit to this law is that by focusing on the important goals, you aren’t leaving yourself time to focus on the things that don’t matter.

8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality

The things that you believe in should be regularly practiced, and you will be expected to show that you are committed to what you believe in. Your actions should always reflect those beliefs and, if they do, you will experience the benefits of karma.

On the other hand, if you do not practice what you believe you will receive bad karma. When you are receiving bad karma because of the Law of Giving and Hospitality, you need to reflect on your own character and make necessary changes.

9. The Law of Here and Now

You must accept the reality that you are living in, no matter the environment. Focusing on and spending time thinking about your past will mean that you are never truly living in the “here and now”.

The same idea applies to attempting to live in the future. Focusing on your anxiety about the future or focusing your thoughts on acquiring money also means that you aren’t living in the present.

You should instead focus your energy on those who are in your life at the moment, making the most of your financial situation, and engaging in your present life.

10. The Law of Change

Change is necessary for a better life. The same things will happen repeatedly until you learn this law. This is karma’s way of telling you that you have a lesson to learn before change will occur.

You will know that you’ve been successful in learning that lesson when things start to change for you. If life suddenly becomes different (in a better way) it is likely that you made the necessary change.

11. The Law of Patience and Reward

In order to reap the benefits of hard work, you must learn to be patient and keep working even when you don’t see progress right away. If you do not remain patient and stop working to succeed at your goals, then you may fail or your successes won’t be as great as they could be.

12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration

This law of karma is intended to work to boost your motivation and to boost your spirits when you are down on yourself. You must believe in yourself and know that you matter in this world.

karma quote

Knowing that you make a difference (no matter how large your actions are) and working to bring happiness and love into the world will bring you good karma. In turn you will receive happiness and love in your own life.

How You Can Recover From Bad Karma

If you have done some things in your past that you aren’t proud of and that you think may have brought bad karma into your life you don’t have to be cursed for life. Luckily, there are ways to reverse that bad karma and begin bringing yourself good karma. The way you can do this is by continuously working on the following:

  • Apologize to anyone you have wronged
  • Show love to every person you encounter
  • Work on being patient with all aspects of your life
  • Learn from your past mistakes
  • Learn to control your thoughts and keep them positive at all times

Final Thoughts On 12 Laws of Karma That Will Change Your Life

The laws of karma can and will change your life in one way or another. This change will either be good or bad, and it is essentially up to you which way your life will go. You can either work to honor the laws and live a life full of benefits and happiness, or you can go against the laws and receive bad karma in return.

It may seem overwhelming to follow all 12 laws of karma, but with regular practice and working intentionally to have positive actions, it will soon become a normal part of living. In return, you will receive positivity and other great things in return.

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