What is my target weight??

It is everyone's dream to reach their target weight. Period.

But is it an achievable goal? Let's review this.

Each individual's body is different, with respect to it's composition, structure & metabolism. So then 2 people of the same gender of the same height & gender need not have the same composition. Target weights are calculated on the basis of solely the height & gender & hence it stands that 2 women of equal heights must have the same target weight. But what if one is muscle heavy and the other is not? Are we assuming that we must achieve target weight even at the cost of our muscle?

So let's keep the target weight aside or just refer to it as a ball park figure of what our weight must be for our height.

The second but the more important factor is our fat% which must be in general below 30% for women & below 25% in men. How is this calculated? Most gyms will have a BCA machine on which you can calculate your fat% almost accurately. Just remember to calculate this on 2.5 hrs of empty stomach, without any water too. And every time you do a comparative BCA, the body must be in the same conditions of hydration.

Third point  to keep in mind is that each individual will have a certain body frame & structure that allows him inch losses upto a certain extent. Acheiving weights, fat%s & body frames below that is a challenge to your body, it's metabolism & your mind, all of which will depend on your will & determination. Here again, we are not talking about health or fitness, we are talking about a person's perception of self and how far he wants to push his body to achieve the aesthetics he has seen for him/herself in the mind's eye.

So,
 - Realistic - be realistic in your weight loss goals
- Goal - determine them  after a through analysis of your BCA, seek professional help if you have to.
- Time - you must set your sight on when you want to see yourself at the predetermined fat% and/or weight. This helps you to stay on track.
-  Relax - never be in a tearing hurry to lose weight or you could end up wasting muscle which is uncalled for weight loss. This will kill your metabolism and peak you weight like never before.

We wait too long............................................

We wait too long, watching as if from the aisles as our bodies get bigger & bulkier. We gain a pound or 2, don't think much of it & move on to pick more sweets from "dragon's" dessert buffet. A year passes by as the scales slowly move up and the inches don't get smaller either. The waist buffs and we decide to get a corset instead of choosing to educate ourselves about the foods that could suit our body. Another year passes and suddenly we are nowhere near being thin anymore. "I'll lose it after this wedding for sure"....we think n thinking is where the intent stops. Another 2 years down the lane and our side profile doesn't fit in the mirror (the front view stopped fitting a year ago) anymore. Out come the old pre wedding snaps along with regret and disbelief of how it piled on so quick....5 years ain't quick darlings...you had time to stop yourself when the scale moved up a kg.....but you chose not to....you just waited too long to react....and now you have to wait really long to get back to what you were proud of, a healthier, fitter you.

                                   EAT RIGHT AND BE WISE

Today, everybody wants to be thin, not just thin, but the famous “Size Zero”. The question here is “At what cost?”. Girls and boys at the tender ages of 13 and 14 are as worried about their insignificantly increasing waist line as much as men and women at ages of 40 or 50. The second question that emerges stark clear in my mind struck by this impeding rush that everybody is in to see the scales dip is “Why the rush?” 

It is as important to stay nutritionally wholesome and keep your “happy” hormones, as I affectionately rechristened them, rushing through your body. “Happy” hormones are the endorphins that swim effortlessly into your blood when you exercise. They keep us feeling good about ourselves and I’d go a step further and say that their presence is addictive. Keep them coming steady and soon you’ll be the next door “nerd” who just can’t keep off exercise!!!

Losing weight has today emerged as a completely different science in itself of which everyone seems to know a little. And here lies the danger. In the urgency to fit into a smaller dress size & see that tummy go a wave inwards, we end up doing our body more harm than good. So, it is important to take professional help before we launch on that attack on our body that’s uncalled for. A good fat loss program must educate the mind about the body, balance what nutrients the body needs with what it demands for fat loss, and include a good regular exercise plan most suited for your lifestyle. Most importantly, the program you draw up must be sustainable and finally culminate into a lifestyle change that will see you healthy and fitter in the long run.

SOME NATURAL FAT BURNERS

CALCIUM:  Keep the natural sources of calcium coming!! Milk and milk products are some of the best absorbed forms of calcium. Calcium in the blood sends a message of the positive nutritional status of your body  to the brain ensuring the release and burning of fat.

Vitamin C rich foods: Like oranges, sweetlime, lime, kiwi juice raise your metabolic rate and help to metabolism and burn

Oats:  contain insoluble fibre that even in small quantities keeps one feeling full. It’s light weight requires low measures in cooking and consumption. Such is it’s profile that contributes  measurably to fat burn.

Eggs: 1 whole egg contains just 70kcals accompanied by a pool of nutrition through complete amino acid profile & 6 gms protein.  Even the fat in the yolk contains choline an important mineral which if not overcooked actually helps to reduce cholesterol.  Whole egg definitely a better fat burning snack to biscuits/cream crackers or the like.

Green tea: has a thermogenic effect, simply put it has the ability to burn fat and increase energy expenditure by 4% which over a period helps  to raise your metabolism and lose fat. It is also a well known antioxidant as it is packed with polyphenols.

Red chilli peppers:  Capsaicin, a compound found in red chilli/cayenne pepper helps to burn fat. Lemon juice in water with a few red pepper flakes in believed to be a potent fat burner if you can tolerate it!!!

AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST

Raw Vegetables:  These raw foods contain minerals, vitamins and also give roughage/fiber to the diet. More importantly for fat burn, they have a negative calorie effect which gets you body to burn more than you get from it’s consumption.