Garlic’s reputation is well established and has been heralded for its health benefits for centuries. The Greeks, Romans, Native Americans, Japanese, Chinese, and Egyptians have been using it as a tasty cooking spice and health elixir. Recent research also indicates that weight management is another viable reason for adding this seasoning to our diet. Overweight people everywhere should consider garlic’s natural weight loss properties as a part of an overall diet strategy.
Research Studies Reveal Garlic’s Impact on Weight Loss
A study that investigated garlic’s effect on mice that were fed a high-fat diet shows promising results about this popular seasoning’s link to weight management. In one study, researchers gave mice a diet aimed at fattening them up for a period of eight weeks. Then, the scientists fed mice the same high-fat diet with two to five percent garlic-approved additives mixed in over the next seven weeks.
Study findings indicated that the addition of this flavorful seasoning to the mice’s diet decreased body weight with an added benefit of less fat stored. Shape reports that this spice minimized the negative impact of the unhealthy diet on both blood makeup and liver health. Oxford Academic explains garlic’s antiobesity influence as attributable to the activation of AMPK, a boost in thermogenesis, and suppression of genes linked to adipogenesis.
Within the last ten years, America has seen a significant increase in its obesity rates. The two most common causes are diets high in calories and a lack of exercise. And this has led to a series of health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The good news is, you can overcome obesity by consulting with a professional. While most people assume that they should only rely on their primary physician for weight loss advice, everyone’s needs are different. You may require the help of a specialist. Here are a few of the most popular types of doctors that you could see for weight issues.
General Practitioner
If you’re concerned about your weight, one of the first types of doctors you should consult with is your general practitioner. They’re most commonly referred to as family physicians. The benefit of consulting with your primary physician is that they understand your history. And this means they can offer insight into what’s causing your weight gain and what changes need to be made.
They can suggest specific exercises, changes that you should make to your diet, and give you a list of the foods that you should avoid altogether. Another huge benefit of starting with a general practitioner is that they can refer you to someone who specializes in the area in which you need help.
When people refer to water weight, they are referring to water that your body is retaining in its tissues rather than sending it to the kidneys. Water retention typically occurs when the body is dehydrated. Your body will hold onto any water it gets rather than sending it to the kidneys to be flushed out of your system. Sometimes water retention occurs because your salt/water ratio is off and the kidneys have to wait until the balance is restored. This will lead to bloating.
Between 50 and 60 percent of your total body weight is made up of water. Any extra water is because of bloating. If your body weight tends to fluctuate by a few pounds every day, it is probably due to water retention.
The good news about the water retention – and the extra pounds it adds – is that it is relatively easy to lose. Some people turn to saunas or steam houses as a quick and easy way to melt the pounds away.
How much weight can you lose in a sauna?
Steam houses heat the body up, which causes you to sweat out the water retained in your tissues and clear out your lymphatic system. It is suggested that you can lose up to 5 pounds in a 20 minute session. Beware that this weight loss is only temporary and you may gain back the weight as you eat or drink.
Even though losing water retention is not a permanent way to keep pounds off, there are other ways in which steam houses can lead to weight loss.
Speed up metabolism
As your body heat increases, so does your metabolism. Your body burns more calories regulating its temperature. A study showed that the heat from a steam house can raise a person’s metabolic rate by 20% and lead to a decrease in body mass.
Workout recovery
If you are new to working out, you will feel the inevitable pain that is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness the day following a brand-new workout routine. Many experts believe that heat aids in recovery and muscle soreness relief. A 2015 study showed that the use of spas after exercise aided in the improvement of muscle functions. After a particularly intense workout, you may be sore for days and unable to get back to the gym. But if you use heat from steam houses to help you recover faster, you will be able to keep on track with your workout routine, contributing to faster weight loss in the long run.
Stress relief
When you are stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol. Excessive amounts of cortisol can contribute to weight gain. It will be easier to lose weight if you keep your stress levels down. Steam houses are known stress-relievers. They are often placed in spas to relax and soothe clients. Research shows that steam houses do in fact lower blood pressure.
Other ways to lose water weight
Not everybody has everyday access to a spa house. Fortunately, there are other ways to regulate water retention. Drink water.
Our schedules often prohibit us from finding the time to develop the kind of physique we want to achieve for a healthy life. Disheartening as it may be, this fact also leads to the unnecessary accumulation of fat which only invites poor health. There’s the saying that “The Body is your Temple, keep it clean for the soul to reside in”. The statement though might be highly metaphoric but one thing is for sure, if you want to stay healthy and fit, you need to look out for yourself. This includes consuming the right kind of food. A lot of buzz is out there regarding ‘The Raw Food Diet’. Well, let’s just dig in and see what it’s all about.
Understanding the functions of the human body is very important when picking an effective weight loss technique. The human body undergoes life-sustaining metabolism in order for it to function. There is catabolism which is the primary function of breaking up molecules found in food that we consume to generate energy. There is also anabolism which is the fusion of the obtained energy into the cells. For proper metabolism to take place in the body, a person will need to take in the right quantity of nutrients such as minerals, carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins.
Because of the modern lifestyle of most people, it is becoming quite common to find people who are overweight and obese. The main reason for this is that
people are taking in more calories than they burn. This leads to the body accumulating excess fat. Like most people, you will want to look into ways through which you can reduce your excess body weight. A popular way to cutting down your weight is to do vigorous daily exercises. However, eating spicy food in order to lose weight is becoming a trendy weight loss trick that
is being embraced by many people.
How spicy food increases the body’s metabolism
Spicy Foods
There are several factors that enhance metabolism in your body. Exercising is definitely a good way to increase the rate of metabolism in your body. Once you exercise, you increase the rate of anabolism as well as catabolism. The net result is that more calories get used up than those you are taking in. The temperature of the body goes up and this makes it ideal for more calories to be burnt up. When you take spicy food, you tend to sweat because the temperature of your body has gone up. By eating hot spicy food, your body temperature goes up by a margin of up to 8% which increases your body’s metabolism by the same margin.
The higher the temperature your body has, the more energy it expends. Cayenne which is a component of most spices is ideal to help you lose a few pounds. You don’t really need to do vigorous exercises in order to lose weight while you are using spicy food as your weight loss technique. However, it’s good to note that spicy food won’t enable you to lose large amounts of fat fast but rather it helps your body adapt a more efficient metabolism which eventually helps you in losing weight.
Several studies have been conducted and it has been proven that by eating it, your appetite goes down a notch. Of course, this is a good thing in your fight against excess weight because you will consume less while enhancing your body’s metabolism. The cravings for sweet salty foods which are also fatty become lesser once you consume cayenne. With you eating spicy food, there is a lesser chance of overeating also.
How does spicy food help you lose weight?
Hot Peppers
Most spices do have cayenne as a compound. Cayenne is hot and the element that gives it that hotness is called capsaicin. Capsaicin is also found in habaneras, jalapenos,
and a wide variety of chilies. In the many types of research done in chili-eating countries, it has been established that people who consume chili more have lesser chances of getting blood clot-related
ailments. It is preferred because it tends to thin the blood.
There are numerous studies conducted on the effect of spicy food on a person’s body. While there are those that will argue on the exact effect it has on the body, many agree that your body will get a higher temperature during and after you have eaten the food. Even at that brief moment, the metabolism will be higher than normal and this obviously means that you are burning up more energy.
When you eat capsaicin-spiced food, your stomach tends to feel fuller earlier than if you were eating nonspiced food. Studies have shown that men who took hot sauces ate 200 calories less than those who ate food without spices. These studies done severally by different organizations have found that by eating spiced food, you will reduce calorie intake by up to 16%. If eating lesser food combined with a higher metabolism can be sustained for a reasonable length of time, then you can rest assured that good weight loss results will be realized.
Eating spicy food is definitely a great thing if you are looking forward to losing the excess waistline that you have acquired over the years. While this is a very effective way to help you not gain weight, it might prove to be a hard endeavor if you are looking to lose weight when you are only using it. However, with a lot of discipline and a high appetite for spices in your food, you can rest assured that within a year (or a reasonable length of time), your weight will be less by several pounds. For faster results, many people will consider doing vigorous physical exercises together with adopting a spicy food diet. The results will be reached at a much faster rate this way.
Other benefits of eating spicy food
Eating spicy food is good because your food will be tasty. With chili, you have room to make a wide variety of dishes. Besides a nice flavor and the obvious weight loss benefit there are other benefits of eating spicy foods which include;
Capsaicin is used as an anti-inflammatory agent. It is also used in the controlling of pain.
Spicy food with capsaicin is ideal for your body because it helps in the thinning of the blood. This consequently helps your body fight blood clotting diseases which are on the increase.
Spicy food is directly associated with the reduction of cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol is a leading cause of serious diseases such as diabetes, lower blood pressure, and heart attacks among others.
Spicy food boosts the production of serotonin in your body. Serotonin is the compound that helps you feel happy. It is also a compound that reduces stress.
Many people today live a fast life especially those in the cities. Your daily program is probably to wake up in the morning and rush to take your breakfast cereals and a cup of coffee as you head out to the office. During the day, you spend most of your time sitting in a slouched pose and over lunch hour you take a bite of French fries. When you arrive home in the evening, because of the tiredness experienced, you decide to ask for a pizza delivery and a soda. While you might say that you will only be doing this when you are tired, you will very soon find that this will turn out to be your everyday routine.
Not Enough Time?
Many people will find that they aren’t with enough time to do some morning or evening physical exercises because of their ever-busy daily schedules. However, it is because of this very lifestyle that many people lead which has led to 35% of the American population being obese. It is also important to note that over 6% of Americans struggle with extreme obesity. Becoming overweight never happens overnight and it is with the overlooking of simple things such as eating healthy food, exercising, and living a healthy life that most people find themselves struggling with weight-related issues.
Where Does Yoga Fit In?
There are several things that a person can do to reduce weight and also to prevent their body from gaining unwanted fat. One of the increasingly popular weight loss techniques that have been embraced by many is yoga.
In order to fully benefit from yoga with respect to weight loss, you must understand what yoga is and the different poses and techniques that you can use it. In a very strict definition, yoga is the spiritual and ascetic discipline that includes meditation, taking control of one’s breathing, and adopting the right sitting, standing, and lying posture. Yoga has been practiced by Hindus since around 3,000 BC. Over the years, the Indian sages have perfected the art of yoga and this has subsequently led to the type of yoga we know today which has been embraced by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Many people over the centuries have come to believe that for perfection or success to be achieved in their lives, they have to find a solution outside their bodies. This is increasingly so today mainly because of the fast lifestyle and the many life obligations that can only be fulfilled financially. With the regular practice of yoga, you stand to regain your former shapely body frame but not as fast as the other traditional methods such as using the treadmill, jogging, or lifting weights.
Why Yoga?
Your body losses weight once the calories consumed in your body are fewer than those burned up. While yoga is accredited to being an effective weight loss technique that everyone should try out, it comes with a whole long list of other benefits which a person trying to reduce weight will be glad of. Unlike other exercises that you can do to reduce weight, yoga is unique in that you become mindful of the way you relate with your body. Rather than looking for solutions outside the body, you will come to accept and embrace the fact that solutions lie deep within you. You will now be able to make better decisions on what to eat and when to eat it. It is with total control of our bodies and spirits that we are able to reap the numerous benefits that yoga comes with.
Everything about yoga revolves around harnessing one’s ability. If you start practicing yoga today, you will find that the urge to eat junk food goes down. You will become mindful of the need to eat healthier foods which will enable your body to lose any unwanted fat. Because of the lifestyle which many people have, many of them suffer from stress and in severe circumstances depression. When stressed, many people tend to eat more without minding what they are eating. When you start practicing yoga, you put yourself in a state where you can manage your stresses and dictate what you will eat rather than leaving that prerogative to your tongue.
There are various poses and procedures that are included in yoga classes. However, there are specific poses that have been found to be ideal for those people who are willing to lose some fat from their waistline. Moreover, these steps are easy to follow for any person who is determined to take up yoga. Here are the poses to consider;
The Crescent
This is probably the simplest of yoga poses. The pose is manageable by everyone and all you need to do is stand and put your feet together. Your arms should be by your sides. Inhale deeply and put your arms over your head. Follow this with exhaling and bending forward from the hips and bringing your hands to the floor. This procedure serves as a warm-up to the higher or more complex poses of yoga.
The Crescent
The Willow
This is a yoga pose that is well known to help you firm the sides of your abdomen. It mainly involves you standing on one leg and keeping the left leg on a curve.
The Willow
Rocking Boat
This is definitely a hard one for most people but with practice, it helps one concentrate. Just sit and lift your legs at 45 degrees and do the same with the head. See how long you can sustain the pose. It is ideal for your back and abdomen.
Rocking Boat
Forming A Chair
For this pose, you will need to stand straight and then bend your knees for 45 degrees. For effect, lift your hands straight. This pose is ideal for thighs and butt.
For great results to be achieved, you will need to have a mat or some carpet space. You will also need to practice your poses at least three times a week. Where possible, do your yoga in a quiet place where concentration is guaranteed. By adopting yoga into your daily life, you will be amazed at just how fast your excess body fat will go away.
