The sun’s out and
it’s time to hit the beach. You’re all set to take off that tee. How do you
want to look?
Fine, I agree it’s a
stupid question. We obviously all want to look great. And on occasions where we
get to flaunt our bodies, we want to be at nothing but our best.
With summer just
around the corner, it may be too late
for an ambitious workout plan. So, where do we go now?
Diet: The
Saviour
For centuries, diet
has come to the rescue of those who could not drag themselves past their living
room for a workout. And they cannot be blamed for it. It is a convenient,
relatively easy and less time consuming than most workouts. And to make matters
worse, it also comes with lesser pain.
But diet if
implemented well can actually do wonders for your body and accelerate your
metabolism. A good diet can set your system straight, make it more efficient
and also cleanse the body from within.
Deficit is Good
The only thing where
less is truly more is calories. You will only hear this from bodybuilders, ‘I’m
just not taking in enough calories’. For those with a paunch, it’s nothing
short of blasphemy.
If you want to lose
fat, the basic ground rule to follow, is to cut off sources of high calories in
your diet. If you listen to a person’s weight loss saga, this is the first step
that they may have taken.
No matter how much
you loathe mathematics, this is definitely a place where you have to put two
and two together. Whatever your calculations, you simply need to make sure that
you are consuming lesser calories than you have been until recently. This
calorie deficit shouldn’t be so huge so as to give you cravings every few
hours. Such a deficit only makes way for more pounds on you.
There are many
sophisticated applications that are available these days that can help us keep
count of the number of calories that we consume in a day. By making use of such
applications you can accurately determine your calorie requirement and
accordingly create a plan for weight loss.
Power your
Workouts
A diet should only be
treated as a secondary line of fat
treatment. It is important to do regular and intense workouts to
shape up the perfect summer body. Working out ensures that you burn calories
from the fat storehouses of your body and eventually get in the right shape.
If cardio exercises
are something you like, you should treat yourself to (if it can be called that)
a serving of lean protein and quick sources of carbohydrates as it can act as
the perfect fuel for your body. Foods like these give us the energy we need to
help us sustain a high intensity workout.
Protein Rich
Foods
Proteins are the
building blocks of our body. They are essential for the growth of muscles. A
deficiency of protein can result in poor muscle growth that can severely hamper
the quality of our workout.
Whether you’re
looking to have a heavy physique or a lean one like athletes, protein is your
best friend. Consumption of protein rich foods ensures that you do not feel
hungry every few hours, which defeats the purpose of a weight loss plan.
Protein helps to
build lean muscles, the kind that grows like steel on you. A body with lean
muscles is known to be a lot more flexible and efficient.
There are many
options for protein packed foods such as turkey, chicken, white fish, tuna,
eggs, red meat, dairy etc. While adding proteins to the diet one mustn’t forget
that it too has calories. If your choice of protein packed foods has excess
calories you may have to cut back on other sources of calories.
Fresh and
Seasonal
The key to perfect
health is to consume fresh produce. We may have learnt this in our school
textbooks but we sure have failed to implement it. The amount of nutrients in
our food drastically reduces when it is refrigerated or stored for a long time.
Fresh food has enormous portions of important micronutrients that can make a
huge difference to your health.
It is a good idea to
include foods like berries, fresh fruits, vegetables and other seasonal
attractions in your diets to help you prep for summer.
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