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How To Build Endurance And Stamina For Going Back To The Gym?

Who doesn’t love to be energetic? In fact, if there is one thing that you could choose, just one integrant of fitness that you could improve magically you might say strength or speed but the underdog, the less focused upon element, stamina is something that would give your overall fitness a boost and help you stay energetic. If you have been feeling off track or having an energy crisis lately then building stamina would help you get back your zest!

If you are wondering about how to build stamina for gym and still unsure about what to do then here are some easy but certain ways to do so:

Maintain Your Balance

Now this might seem odd but cutting down a bit on your recovery time actually helps boost your stamina but it's important to remember that your body still requires some time for rest and recovery. Pushing yourself everyday will only make matters worse. So, it's better to maintain a balance and train hard on some days and keep it low on others.

Go For Long Walks

Another one of the stamina building exercises is walking. Moving your body for longer intervals is a great way to build endurance and have stamina. Take out 30-60 minutes everyday and go for a long walk. This simple exercise is really helpful and anyone from a beginner to a pro can do this to build endurance and stamina.

Take A Healthy Diet

Everyone knows the importance of having a healthy diet. Since stamina building is not just about being fit and indulging in physical activity but also about performing exercises effectively, your body needs energy and for that you should take a healthy diet. Try having a high protein and low fat diet but make sure you include carbohydrates.

Take Proper Rest

Another one of the important factors and a simple answer to how to increase stamina for gym is getting enough sleep and being well rested. Limiting your rest time between sets is a way to build endurance, taking proper rest is important for your body to recover and get back in shape and have more strength and endurance.

Short Meals After Short Breaks

We can not stress enough about how important this is in the process of understanding how to gain stamina for gym. Switching from 3 big meals to 6 smaller ones will boost your metabolism and provide a constant supply of energy. Have a healthy diet and take smaller portions for better stamina.

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Healthy Diet | 5 Foods for Weight Gain

Being underweight can be as bad as being overweight. Although it may be easy for you to fit into clothes, it can also mean low energy levels, strength, and resistance to diseases. However, there is a simple way to gain weight – eating foods that make you gain weight. When choosing foods that help you gain weight, always remember that a good-looking body is not necessarily a healthy body. People of all shapes and sizes lead healthy lives but not if the fat percentage is too high; a balanced body mass index (BMI) is important. Find out about high-calorie foods for weight gain from certified nutritionists on FITFEAST.

5 High-calorie Foods for Weight Gain

Rice

Almost everyone has rice and almost everyone loves rice. However, experts ask you to reduce the portion of rice in your diet if you want to lose weight. Therefore, they’re a superfood for weight gain. They contain around 200 calories in each cup along with a considerable amount of fiber and some protein. Rice with veggies or daals promotes healthy weight gain. If you do not like white rice, you can go for a healthier variant – brown rice.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruits are calorie-dense and also contain a lot of vitamins and antioxidants, all good for healthy weight gain. You can easily dry up berries, apples, and apricots and have them as healthy snacks throughout the day. Since the water content dries up, the fruit is energy-dense. Dried dates, figs, and prunes are great options too.

Nuts

Nuts are one of the best high-calorie foods that make you gain weight. They’re easily available and you can carry them with you without any hassle. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pecans, etc. are packed with nutrients and thus, very healthy. Even though they are calorie-dense, they’re good calories since they consist of polyunsaturated fats. Add nuts and seeds to your oatmeal or you can have them just like that for a quick snack. You can also have a tablespoon of peanut butter. Check out trail mix recipes as they are the healthiest snacks to gain weight.

Potatoes

Your weight gain diet should have potatoes in it because they contain lots of calories. They are also packed with carbs and are a good source of Vitamin K. Their starch contents facilitate energy release in the form of glucose. There are many delicious ways to cook them – French fries (preferably baked), wedges, etc. The best option however is mashed potatoes with veggies for a wholesome meal to gain weight.

Fish

Foods with high protein content are one of the best options to gain weight. Salmon and other seafood are rich in Omega fatty acids that are essential for the heart and brain functionality. Since it contains lots of protein and calories, it is a good food to gain weight. Preferably, cook salmon or sardine at home and have it with a source of carbs.

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How to Prevent Injuries When You Go Back to the Gym

When everything was shut down in March due to COVID-19, we had to work out at home with online workout classes or did the basic exercises in our rooms. It certainly wasn’t easy to stay in shape and healthy with limited space and equipment but we managed. Now that gyms are about to open again, most people just want to get back to their favorite places. It won’t be exactly like before; you will have to reserve time slots, wear a mask, sanitize often, and so on. So much time away from the gym must have affected your levels of activity in some manner. As a result, you will be more prone to injuries. With a few simple steps, you can avoid that. FITPASS is reopening soon. Access gyms and fitness centers across India to workout anywhere, anytime.

5 Tips to prevent injury as you back to the gym

Don’t go all out

When we work out after a while, the body uses the stored energy and responds well. The first session after a while is always high-power but you might want to take it easy. Starting with the same intensity with which you were working out just before the lockdown might not be the best idea. Start with easy exercises to build your strength and endurance back again. Pushing yourself too far will lead to injuries, which will postpone fitness even further and even demotivate you. Let’s say you were lifting 15 KG dumbbells before lockdown. In this case, you might want to restart with 10 KG dumbbells.

Never miss the warm-up

No matter what type of workout you do, a warm-up is essential. It is like revving up the car before taking it out on a cold day. 5-10 minutes if warm-up exercises open up the muscles and prepare them for difficult exercises like weight lifting. It loosens the joints and increases blood flow to the muscles. Warmed up muscles are less likely to be injured and also get less sore or stiff.

Allow your muscles to recover

A cool-down is as important as a warm-up as it helps you to lower your heart rate and bring the breathing back to normal. Depending on the workout, you need to s[end 5-10 minutes cooling down your body. A brisk walk can also work as a cool-down after a running session.

More importantly, taking rest days between workout sessions is important, especially when you haven’t worked out for a long time. The rest day allows your muscles, nerves, bones and connective tissue to heal and grow. Yoga classes are a great way to take care of your body parts.

Focus on technique

Working on your technique is very important even when you have been working out for a long time. A lot of injuries are caused when you’re not performing the exercise correctly or your form is incorrect. Doing exercises without weights is a good way to improve your technique. Working with a professional is a good idea if you’re new to the world of gym workouts.

Eat well

Getting enough nutrients after a workout is indispensable. You do not have to go on a calorie-deficit diet right away because you might have been eating a little extra during the lockdown. Eat the right foods, especially protein-rich foods, to have enough energy for the workouts. Drink plenty of water and have a carb-rich meal 2 hours before your workout. A Protein-rich meal will take you a long way. Do not forget to replenish fluids after a sweaty workout session.

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How to Safely Return to the Gym Post-Lockdown

Staying safe while going back to the gym after the COVID-19 lockdowns should be a priority. Gyms and fitness centers are slowly opening doors for their customers. There is no doubt that there has been a drop in activity levels since March of this rather slow year. If you have been staying active with home workouts, then hats off to you. Even if you were, there’s a chance that you have lost some fitness because it is hard to work out at home with the same intensity unless you have good guidance. You can get customized workout recommendations for your home workouts with FITCOACH – your smart fitness coach that offers dynamic workout suggestions.

5 tips for restarting your gym routine after lockdown

Increase the gap between gym days

Unless you own a home gym or a lot of equipment, you must be out of practice. Keeping that in mind you should give yourself 48 hours (2 days) before you hit the gym again. This is a suggestion but it will do you good to start with 3 days a week for starters. Giving your tissues some time is important for then to be able to adapt to the higher load of exercises you perform in the gym.

Drop the weights

That is to say, your focus should be on form rather than the load. If you were involved in some type of activity during the lockdown, you can increase the weights at 15% per week, which should take you about a month to get back to the weights you were lifting before March. This is if you start with half the weight. If you have not been working out since the first lockdown, you should proceed even more gradually.

Focus on warm-up for muscle activation and mobility

Include a comprehensive warm-up before any gym session. You may consider warming up at home so that you can complete a good workout at the gym. Make sure that the exercises in your warm-up routine focus on mobilizing and activating main muscle groups and joints. A comprehensive warm-up is important for sessions when your activity levels have been slow for some time.

Be careful with plyometrics

High-impact activities such as jumping, hopping, skipping, etc. should be done with great caution. These activities put a lot of stress on your bones and tendons. It can take you up to  3 days to recover from these exercises. Limiting these exercises to twice a week if you have stayed active throughout the lockdown is a wise choice. Gradually increase the time sup jump, hop, skip, etc. If you have been inactive throughout the lockdown, you might want to start with low-impact exercises that do not involve jumping and stuff.

Sleep well and eat healthy

These are the two most important things to make sure your workouts are effective. Sleep is very important for recovery, especially when you exercise a lot. Therefore, focus on getting at least 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye each night.

When it comes to weight loss and muscle gain, you must moderate your calorie intake. Eat nutrient-dense foods to help the body recover well. It is also important to lose weight you might have gained over the last few months.

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5 Foods that Provide High Energy Throughout the Day

When you feel low, you can have a cup of coffee for instant energy. But if you do that all day, you might end up affecting your metabolism and not be able to sleep at night. Moreover, when you consume lots of carbs or sugary foods, you feel all energetic for a while until your blood sugar drops and you feel like you’re dragging yourself. Subsequently, you get cravings for more sweets. Eating too many sweets or drinking too much coffee is not healthy. Eating energy-boosting yet healthy foods like buts, yogurt, whole grains is a good way to stay active without consuming too many calories. Consult certified nutritionists with FITFEAST by FITPASS. Get the best diet plans to achieve your health goals.

5 High-energy Foods

Almonds

You can say that almonds are the best snacks out there that contain essential nutrients like magnesium and B Vitamins that help the conversion of food to energy. People who get tired easily while exercising have low levels of magnesium; it plays an important role in energy metabolism. Moreover B vitamins keep you away from fatigue, irritability, low levels of concentration, etc. Having around 20 almonds every day in winters is a great way to stay active. You can have about half in the summers after soaking them in water overnight. They are calorie-dense, so you do not want to overeat almonds.

Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter is yet another calorie-dense food that is loved by some and not so much by others. Of course people with peanut allergies cannot have it. It contains healthy fats, protein, and fiber that help keep you full for a long time and maintains blood sugar levels. It is a great substitute for regular butter and jams (very high in sugar). Just do not get the ones with added sugar and do not have more than 2 tablespoons a day.

Bananas

Bananas are one of the healthiest snacks that are easily available and you can carry them with you as you like. They are packed with Vitamin B6, potassium, and fiber that improve muscle function and promote good energy sustenance in the body. They are great pre-workout foods; a couple of bananas 30-60 minutes before a workout give you enough energy to sustain a high intensity workout. Having a banana with milk in the morning is a good breakfast idea.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is in every nutritionist’s diet plans because of its high-fiber contents. It fills you up and provides ample energy till lunch If you have it for breakfast. Oatmeal promotes stable blood sugar levels and keeps you energized and focused without making you feel the need for lots of coffee. Add seeds, nuts, and fruits to make a complete meal.

Greek Yogurt

The Greek variant of the yogurt is among some of the most filling foods. It is high in protein, which makes it a great post workout snack. You can add a variety of ingredients – nuts and fruits to make it more nutritious and tasty. Berries are especially good with Greek yogurt. That being said, always look for non-fat Greek Yogurt without any added sugar.

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Healthy Diet | The Ultimate Superfoods List 2020

You must have heard the term superfoods here or there. But what exactly are superfoods and why are they so termed? Some foods are so high in nutritional value that makes them the superman of foods. However, superfood is not a scientific term and you should not eat just “superfoods” to fulfil your body’s nutritional needs. However, some foods have been considered better (not preferable over though) others for decades like bananas. The tropical fruit is packed with energy and fibre, which puts it on the superfoods list 2020 because it gives you enough energy for a high-intensity workout and also boosts your metabolism. Get daily diet suggestions from personal nutritionists with FITFEAST by FITPASS. Eat the right foods for proper nutrition with the help of certified experts.

5 Amazing Superfoods

Spinach

Whenever we hear this super green leafy vegetable, it reminds us of Popeye eating his can of spinach and defeating his rivals. It was mainly a way to get children to eat this superfood and it did work. Everyone can do better with its high nutrient value – adults and kids alike. Spinach is rich in iron, potassium and fiber. You might not be crazy for its taste but then there are a dozen ways to cook it. However, remember that when it is cooked in the conventional way, it loses most of its nutritional value. It is best when eaten raw or simply sautéed with a little oil or butter.

Dark Chocolate

Whatever you do, remember it’s dark chocolate and not any other milk chocolate that is classified as a superfood. The 50% dark chocolate isn’t good either, you need something with 75% cocoa or more for it to be good. It is a great source of flavonoids – antioxidants – that helps in fighting inflammation caused due to stress or free radicals. The darker the chocolate, the better it is. When it contains a lot of sugar, it's not good because sugar itself causes inflammation.

Oats

Nothing fills you up like a bowl of good old oatmeal. It is a complex carb that takes longer to digest and keeps you full for longer. As a result, you eat less, which is good news for your weight loss goals. Plus, oats contain protein as well. You need not have it the same way every time; you can add a bunch of things to it like fruit, cereal, seeds, nuts, etc.

Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and other nutrients. Having whole eggs instead of just egg whites is preferable because they increase protein synthesis by 40%. Plus, most of the nutrients are present in the yolk. They are a little high in cholesterol, which is why you should include other sources of protein. Or have no more than 7 whole eggs a week. There are several ways to prepare eggs and that too in no time at all.

Pomegranates

How can any superfoods list be complete without fruits? Pomegranate seeds are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. A cup full of pomegranates is a great source of fiber. And as you probably already know, they help in blood production in the body. Add pomegranate to a salad for some sweet flavor.

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5 Reasons Dieting Might Not Be Working For You

Diet is a wide term and might mean different things to everyone. It is a common word for what people eat and drink in a culture or species. Or it can be a change in food intake for whatever reasons. The latter is how we usually define it with people becoming more and more health conscious these days. While it is essential to stay healthy, it is widely used (usually by restricting food intake) to lose weight and fat. Logically, it does not always work for everyone and there might be different reasons behind it. Consult certified nutritionists with FITFEAST by FITPASS to get the best dietary advice.

Why Dieting is Not Working For You

Temporary weight loss goals

Weight loss is one of the biggest motivations for “dieting”. More often than not, people end up undereating which is not without disadvantages. In the short run, they lose weight through dieting but as soon as their diet changes slightly, they gain weight again. And this is more common than you would think. More than three fifths of people gain back more weight than they lose. Therefore, dieting should be done after consulting experts. It is more than just about losing weight.

You are working out too hard

Workout is indispensable when it comes to losing weight in a healthy way. However, a lot of us end up doing a bit too much to get quick results. Sometimes, that might even lead to weight gain. You are likely to eat at irregular intervals or too much if you workout too hard because the body starts craving when your blood pressure drops. You should focus on working out moderately for the best results. If you want to workout hard, you should get your nutritionist to assign you a diet accordingly.

Inconsistency

Let’s say you started a diet and lost some weight over a couple of weeks. Next week, you did not lose any weight even though you followed the diet. If you decide that diet might not work for you, you’re most likely wrong. The body loses water weight and excess fat initially and then it takes time for the metabolism to adjust and show results. Or if you give in to your cravings now and then (we know they are strong) then it’s not the diet that doesn’t suit you. Losing weight is a slow process and you have to stay consistent and give it time.

Not sleeping enough

Sleep can be said to be more important than working out and dieting. Without it, you won’t see any good results because the body needs rest. When you modify your diet and work out, you need to give the body 7-8 hours of good sleep. It is a known fact that people who don't sleep enough are prone to gain weight easily.

You’re consuming too many calories

Giving up on sugary drinks, fried foods, etc. is not enough to lose weight. You have to do these things in addition to adopting a calorie-deficit diet, which simply means that you must consume fewer calories than you burn. If you do not work out, it won’t be easy for you. When you give up junk food, you have to consume moderate portions at regular intervals throughout the day so that the body gets enough nutrition and cuts down on fat.

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Home Workout | 5 Weightlifting Tips for Beginners

Weightlifting is an essential part of working out irrespective of whether you’re a beginner or want to add strength training to your routine. Cardio alone can’t help you reach your fitness goals. Visiting the gym might not be possible right now and you have to rely on the best bodyweight exercises or on your home gym equipment. Full body exercises at home can help you achieve the level of fitness you want. Strength training exercises put pressure on the muscles, which leads to minuscule breaks in its fibre. When these fibres are repaired after rest and good nutrition, the strength in the muscle increases. Get FITCOACH for workout recommendations by an AI-led fitness coach based on your needs and preferences.

How to Lift Weights at Home

Start with bodyweight exercises

Start building strength in your mules with bodyweight exercises at home before you begin to use weight in your strength training routine. They are equally effective and have a low chance of injuries. Adding weights to exercise increases its complexity and the risk of injury. Full body workouts based on bodyweight exercises can help you build a good foundation for your workout routine.

Focus on form

Having a personal trainer is the best way to focus on form and technique. Not only does it reduce the risk of injuries but helps you reach the highest level of fitness as well. Having the assistance of a personal trainer at a gym is not quite possible or easy at this moment. However, you can consult the best trainers across India online with FITPASS personal training classes. Even if you choose to do it yourself, ensure that your positioning is correct and doesn’t compromise your posture.

Warm-up your muscles

A workout is not quite as effective without a proper warm-up. Do some warm-up exercises like jumping jacks, high knees, and dynamic stretches to wake up your muscles. You can use a foam roller as it helps loosen up tight muscles. A warmup is important because it preps up your muscles for a hard workout, which might otherwise cause injuries. Plus, a warm up increases the range of motion and allows you to move more freely.

Don’t overdo it

Start with 3 days a week, no more. Strength training can be done three to five times a week. But you should not start with 5 days a week. Doing too much at an early stage will burn you out and might even lead to injuries. Also, it is better to work on multiple muscle groups at once with compound exercises instead of focusing on a single group of muscles. Do a bit of everything in each workout – lower body, core, and upper body for a balanced workout. Once you get comfortable with those 3 days a week, add another day and so on.

Select the weight wisely

When you reach that level and feel like you need to add weights to your exercises, don’t do it without putting some thought into it. Add a combination of dumbbells, free weights, kettlebells, if you want to add muscle mass and increase strength. Lifting the right weight depends on the number of reps and how long it takes for you to complete them. 10-15 reps is a standard and if you can complete them with ease, you are ready for heavier weights.

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Healthy Diet | How to Cook More at Home

Cooking at home is not only cheaper but much healthier as well, especially in the current situation. Ordering food or eating frozen dinners is convenient and more alluring but it is equally unhealthy as well. When you cook for yourself, you can customize the meal or the dish as per your preference and still make it delightfully delicious. However, If you work all day, it is harder to convince yourself to cook but with the right reasons you can inculcate the healthy habit of cooking at home. Get FITFEAST for expert dietary advice from professional nutritionists.

How to Get Yourself to Cook at Home

Set aside time for cooking

Cooking does take time; we will give you that. You have to buy groceries, clean the veggies, meat, etc., and prep before you get down to cook. Like all things, plan your cooking as well. Set a day to do your shopping and stick to it no matter what. It’s just like taking time out for a TV series you like. You have to want to cook. It will probably take you a couple of hours to cook chicken breast with salad, so start at 7 if you want to have dinner at 9.

Have the must-haves

That being said, you cannot step out every time to get a few things you need, which is why you need some things in advance. Sticking to the schedule is not possible all the time, which is why you should make a list of the kitchen essentials and keep a stock that lasts a considerable time. Having to buy something that can be stored can put you off and make you want to order pizza instead. You can store peas, spinach leaves, olives, sweet corn, etc. in your freezer. You can also store some meat but not for too long.

Keep a list

Planning is important but it can be useless if you forget about it. Nor do we remember everything at once, Therefore, the best thing is to keep a list with you in which you can add stuff whenever it occurs to you. Keep it handy. And before you head out on your shopping day, check the list and modify it according to everything you might need over the next week or few days. Consider every meal so that you don’t have to compromise on your favorite Chinese meal on, say, Wednesday night.

Consider cooking one-pot dishes

A lot of the dishes we like can be cooked in just a single piece of utensil. Soup and stew are great examples. You can add all the essential ingredients that contain protein, healthy fats, carbs, etc. without having to cook something else or an add-on with another utensil. Also, target big batches because you do not want to go over the process over and over again. Check out dishes that last some time like stew.

Make the lot at one go

Preparing big batches at once is a good idea even if you’re just cooking for yourself. And the dish you’re cooking does not have to be an entire meal in itself. For example, rice cooked in the afternoon can also be used in the evening for lunch the next day. For that matter some meat you prepared for dinner can be used for your salad the next day.

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How To Boost Your Metabolism for Good Health

We keep hearing things about it but exactly what is metabolism? Simply put, it’s the rate at which calories are burned in the body of a person. It depends on factors like age, sex, body fat, muscle mass, levels of activity, and genes. A person has no control whatsoever on their genetics that make a big difference but you can still do things to improve the way your body processes calories. By eating healthy foods and working out, you can improve your metabolism and therefore, manage your weight and muscle mass. Check out FITPASS for fitness solutions that help you improve your metabolism through healthy eating and exercise.

Follow a strict eating schedule

Regularity and consistency are very important for the body to function properly. Eating at the same time every day helps the body in maintaining a good metabolic balance. If you eat too much at once and then go hungry for long periods, as a lot of us are prone to do these days, the body tends to burn calories slowly than it should and ends up burning more fat cells. This tendency can be managed by eating at regular intervals throughout the day. Having small meals every 3-4 hours is the best way to maintain a good metabolic rate.

Do resistance training

Include strength training in your routine if you want to increase your metabolism. Muscle mass requires more energy and thus, has a higher metabolic rate than fat. Therefore, it is important to work in your muscles. However, as you age, the body loses muscle. Muscle mass can be maintained by doing resistance training regularly. You can either get a set of weights to lift at home, visit the gym, or do bodyweight strength training exercises. Get FITCOACH for dynamic workout recommendations.

Eat enough

Weight loss is a big thing these days but what most people don’t realize is that it is not good if you lose weight by skipping meals. For that matter, undereating has the same effect on your metabolism. Not consuming enough calories slows down the metabolism to conserve energy. Women need 1600 to 2400 calories every day while men need 2000 to 3000 calories a day.

Sleep enough

When you do not sleep enough, the body releases a hormone that makes you feel hungry. The body might also release another hormone that may make you feel full. Therefore, sleeping enough and well is important for miniating hormone balance. And if your hormones are balanced, you eat as much as you need, no more no less. Some people can function properly with just 6 hours of sleep while others need more. You should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Manage stress

Stress is known to affect hormone levels and thus, lead to the overproduction of cortisol. It is a hormone that regulates appetite, which when found extra in the body can affect your eating habits. Directly, it may lead to weight loss or gain or even unhealthy eating patterns that disrupt the metabolism in the long run. Moreover, stress affects sleep, which also affects metabolism. Therefore, reduce stress and try to stay happy.

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How to Eat Well to Manage Anxiety

Stress is an inevitable part of our lives and we have to learn to deal with it the best we can. Stress never really completely leaves us. However, we can find tools and techniques to deal with it better. Focus on improving sleeping habits, workout regularly, practice mindfulness, and unplug from the digital world to reduce stress and therefore, anxiety. Improving eating habits can help you in managing stress levels.

That being said, there aren’t any foods that prevent anxiety. Consuming or avoiding certain foods may be associated with experiencing anxiety in the long run. The foods you eat, not any single meal, impact anxiety levels. Limiting junk foods, consuming omega-3 and Vitamin-D-rich foods, eating a variety of foods, cooking at home and other positive nutrition choices can help in reducing anxiety levels quite a bit. For that matter, having a food or drink labelled as “anxiety-reducing” once a week will hardly help.

Get in touch with expert nutritionists with FITFEAST – your personal nutritionist – by FITPASS. Get daily diet recommendations and access a bunch of in-app convenience tools to monitor your calorie and water intake.

Comfort Foods

It sounds like a good idea to indulge in foods like fried chicken, potato chips, ice cream, etc. when you feel stressed or anxious. These comfort foods are often associated with feeling good. However, the relief from stress and anxiety offered by comfort foods is temporary.  According to research, people who consume foods rich in healthy fats and workout regularly face fewer anxiety issues. People with a high body mass index (BMI) are also known to have more anxiety. Comfort foods are essentially unhealthy because they lead to inflammation and contain lots of calories and therefore unhealthy. They cause weight gain and increase anxiety over time. Eating healthy fats and staying active are, on the other hand, associated with good mood and resilience to anxiety. You do not have to avoid comfort food altogether, but you must eat them in a controlled manner. You should eat healthy foods 80% of the time and comfort foods for the rest of the time.

Brain Foods

Foods rich in Vitamin-D, Calcium, Zinc, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, etc. are associated with low anxiety and a better mood. They are known to increase serotonin levels – chemicals that manage happiness, mental well-being, and sleep quality – or assist in its production. Make it a point to consume foods rich in these vitamins and minerals. This helps in the regulation of other macronutrients. Include a fish (twice a week) in your diet and you start a fish oil supplement. Eat vitamin-D rich foods like mushrooms, egg yolk, dairy, etc. Get 10 minutes of sunlight every day.

Gut Foods

The relation between gut microbes and the brain is important when it comes to anxiety and depression. The microbiome – the set of microbes – in the gut is made up of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that reside in the intestines. They are linked to inflammation, hunger, blood sugar regulation, allergies, mental health, and metabolism. Inflammation or poor gut health is associated with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Foods that consist of added flavors, artificial colors, sweeteners, etc. can lead to poor gut health. Naturally produced foods in addition to whole foods that are packed with fiber are good for gut health. Experts suggest including a diverse variety of foods in your diet to maintain a healthy microbiome in your gut and thus reduce stress and anxiety.

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How to Wash Your Veggies & Fruits

Washing fruits and vegetables is unavoidable, irrespective of how you eat them later. The use of pesticides, being moved by hand, and left out in the open exposes them to a lot of pathogens. It has become even more dangerous since the coronavirus pandemic; the disease can also be transmitted through contaminated objects. And since everyone visits the veggies and fruits section, you can never be sure.

Eating fruits and vegetables cannot and should not be avoided altogether because they make up for an important part of your meal. Get FITEFAST to consult certified nutritionists for customized diet plans based on your needs and preferences.

How big is the risk?

The problem is that the seemingly clean and healthy fruits and vegetables might be contaminated on the surface with COVID-19. And there are other harmful pathogens to worry about as well. Experts say that washing them thoroughly is indispensable because they are handled by growers, pickers, truckers, store owners, and finally shoppers. While anyone could be carrying coronavirus, there’s also a chance the farming practices might have contaminated them.

While experts say that the risk is low, there are still a lot of unknowns besides there being a possibility of it. Therefore, it is understandable if you want to take extra precautions by washing them thoroughly. Coronavirus isn’t the only threat – there’s a threat of foodborne illnesses like hepatitis A, salmonella, E. coli, listeria, etc.

Does rinsing fruits & veggies suffice?

There’s no “official” position on how to wash your fruits and vegetables. However, several suggestions going around. According to experts, washing vegetables with just water is good enough and even if it leaves a few pathogens, they won’t be strong enough to bother you. However, if you have low immunity, you might want to do much more. Rinsing removes pesticide residue. If you do get sick from eating veggies and fruits after washing them, there are probably a lot of pathogens on them. Clearly, rinsing isn’t enough in these cases.

How to wash fruits & veggies

If you have microbes on your hands, they can easily be transferred to fruits and veggies, which is why you should wash your hands before washing the veggies. You should follow the same before washing utensils. The majority of the fruits and vegetables can be simply cleaned by rubbing them with your hands for a few seconds. This gets rid of more than 90% of the germs.

Washing with soaps and detergents is strictly unadvisable. That being said, you should wash everything – not just the fruits and veggies whose skins are edible but those whose skins aren’t as well. For example, melon, oranges, mangoes, pineapples, and most vegetables. If you don’t, microbes can be transferred in the pulp when you cut them. So, it’s always best to wash and peel them before cutting them.

Note that you should wash the vegetables just before you start to cook them or eat them because extra moisture creates a hospitable environment for microbes. Visibly dirty or not, just keep them in an isolated place and wash them just before cooking or eating. You can use salt water or vinegar water to clean them thoroughly. Although it is not necessary, it is prudent in the time of a pandemic.

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Why Online Workout Videos Are Beneficial for Home Workouts

When you work out at home and do not have a trainer to oversee your movements and guide you on form and technique, online workout videos come to the rescue. Since home workouts are the most practical idea these days, there’s nothing better than watching workout videos online posted by trained professionals. Not only do you get to know about the right technique but you also find out about new exercises. Online workout videos usually include warm-up, main workout, and cool-down exercises. Moreover, they give a structure to your exercise routine, which is rather hard to maintain without a concrete plan. There’s no dearth of online workout videos and you can keep adding exercises from them to your routine. Get access to HD workout videos created by celebrity trainers, arranged in dynamic workouts by a revolutionary AI fitness coach – FITCOACH.

Online Workout Videos Benefits

Convenience

You see, with online workout videos, you do not have to follow a schedule and can choose to work out whenever you can make time for it. Even if you’re traveling, they’re easily accessible through platforms like FITPASS. Unlike with trainers at your gym, you do not have to wait for someone to finish consulting them. They are available 24/7 – all you have to do is to get yourself to start. So, with online workout videos, it just comes down to your motivation level.

Work out as much as you want

You do not always have to give the same amount of time to your workout with online workout videos. Some days you feel exhausted in half an hour and other days you don’t feel like stopping. So, when you watch online workout videos, you can stop them whenever you like or go on to another one.  If you miss a class, you have to wait for the other one, whereas with online workout videos, you just need to get it sometime during the day.

Variety

With workout videos, you have a plethora of options when it comes to workout types. You can choose from specifics like no jumping, low or high impact, high or low intensity as well. One day you can watch and follow a yoga class video and then you can watch a dance workout video the next day. And the best thing is that you do not have to compromise on the trainers because some of the best across the world make online workout videos.

Depth

If you prefer depth over variety, online workout videos have you covered. Say, you like Pilates classes. You do not have to change your workout every day, you can do workouts with different purposes and focuses - strength, agility, flexibility, or a mix of them. With products such as FITCOACH, you can customize your workouts by filling in your needs and preferences.

Cost-effective

Online workout videos cost very little as compared to gym memberships and they last like forever. Since the quality and the instructions are good, they’re a good investment. You can also browse from several free ones but it is always best to buy them for a proper workout experience.

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How to Naturally Boost Your Immunity

Nothing can protect you against diseases and illnesses or help manage, let’s say, coronavirus symptoms like your immune system. The better you fuel it, the better it protects you. Therefore, it is important to follow healthy lifestyle habits that help the organs work as they should and thus protect you against pathogens.

While it is important to eat healthy and exercise regularly, you must also have a good health insurance policy that protects you and your family in case of an emergency. Check out the FITPASS + Health Insurance Plan, which includes 3-month FITCOACH & FITFEAST memberships and health insurance policy benefits of up to ₹50,000.

Natural Ways to Boost Immunity

Eat well

For the immune system to function properly, you must eat healthy foods, especially, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices. For that matter, a plant-based diet is considered to be much healthier than its counterparts because it has antiviral and antimicrobial properties that ward off infections. Make sure that your diet provides the following nutrients:

Zinc

Folate

Iron

Copper

Selenium

Vitamins A, C, E, B6, and B12

All these are essential for your immune system to work properly. For example, if you have a Vitamin C deficiency, your body is prone to illnesses. Include good sources of protein in your diet as it helps build the immune system.

Stress management

Studies have proved that long-term stress leads to an increase in cortisol – the hormone responsible for managing immune system response. High levels of cortisol are associated with low response rates of the immune system, which makes you more prone to diseases. Learning to deal with stress is one of the most important things, especially in these times. Try yoga, meditation, journaling your thoughts, etc. It’s also about not doing things that induce stress or anxiety, like staying on electronic gadgets throughout the day; avoid it. Checkout health insurance plans and get the best health insurance policy for peace of mind.

Get plenty of sleep

The body regenerates and heals while you sleep, which is why experts give as much importance to it as they do. The body produces and distributes immune cells when you sleep. Logically, sleeping too little or irregular sleep patterns reduce the effectiveness of your immune system. This leaves your body vulnerable to diseases. Studies affirm that people who sleep well are healthier than those who do not or have problems like insomnia. Sleep deprivation also causes an increase in cortisol levels, which is, as mentioned earlier, bad for your immunity. Get a good Mediclaim policy and sleep without any cares or troubles in your mind.

Workout regularly

Regular exercise helps the body prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Also, it prevents viral and bacterial infections. When you workout, your body releases endorphins – hormones responsible for reducing pain and creating a feeling of pressure. It is a great activity to reduce stress, which is known to negatively impact the immune response. Find out more about FITPASS + Health Insurance Plan that gives your complete cover against diseases.

Reduce alcohol intake & stop smoking

Drinking too much alcohol leads to negative health effects like low immunity. The body spends most of the time detoxifying instead of taking care of the pathogens when you drink regularly. People who drink too much and too often are at a higher risk of pneumonia, liver disease, and cancers. The chemicals present in cigarettes affect the function and growth of immune cells. Smoking worsens infections (viral and bacterial). Stop smoking to improve your immunity.

Check out health insurance plans by FITPASS today to protect your savings and be prepared for any illnesses and diseases.

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5 Tips on How to Become a Vegan

Eating animal products has its benefits but they lead to several health conditions – high cholesterol level, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. On the other hand, following a vegetable-based diet is much healthier. Since you’re here, you’re probably wondering how to cut down on animal products and start including more vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits in your diet.

For starters, you need a customized diet plan that ensures proper nutrition. Sadly, there are hundreds of processed vegan foods in the market from which you steer clear. Get FITFEAST to consult certified nutritionists and get any dietary suggestions based on your body type and eating preferences.

How to go Vegan

Vegetables, vegetables, and more vegetables

We all end up focusing on the foods we cannot eat instead of what we can when we start a new diet. You must have heard or read that every protein-rich meal is a good one but that source of protein does not have to be meat-based. Vegetables contain protein as well; moreover, they are packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and minerals like potassium. They contain less calories and lots of fiber to keep you healthy and full. So, add lots of veggies to your meals.

Include a variety of foods in your diet

A vegan diet is based on consuming different types of foods to get proper nutrition. Plan your meals to create a balanced intake of nutrients. Have beans for fiber and protein, green leafy vegetables for Vitamins A, C, and K. Include veggies and fruits of all colors in your diet. Tomatoes are good for the heart, blueberries are good for the brain, sweet potato is good for the eyes, and so on.

Go for whole grains

A vegan should be open to getting protein from wherever he or she can since animal-products (complete proteins) are off the table. Processed grains or refined grains like white bread and white pasta do not contain proteins. Whole grains, for that matter, like brown rice and quinoa among others contain protein as well as B vitamins, which are essential for the body. These nutrients are removed in the refinement process. Also, whole grains are packed with fiber that helps you lose weight.

Try new foods

Irrespective of which diet you follow, always be open to trying something new. Therefore, if you’re going for a vegan diet, consume plant-based proteins. Animal products like meat and cheese contain lots of unhealthy saturated fats, whereas vegan sources do not. So, try tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, beans, and chickpeas. Also, have lots of nuts like almonds and walnuts in addition to seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. for protein.

Don’t assume

There’s a general belief that all vegan products are healthy. That’s not true. Vegan cookies, for example, will have almost the same effects regular cookies do. Similarly, garlic bread made with vegan ingredients isn’t necessarily good for your heart. All diets are healthy when you make the effort to have natural, unprocessed foods. Processed vegan foods contain saturated fats in the form of palm and coconut oil. Instead of eating these foods, just have dishes like carrots with hummus, trail mix, etc.

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How To Start Working Out After Coronavirus

A lot of things are still uncertain about coronavirus – symptoms, immunity after infection, and more. A lot of people, including you, want to know if it’s safe to exercise after you have recovered from coronavirus. We still do not have clear-cut answers. With all the uncertainty, it can be a little dangerous to exercise with all the complications relating to COVID-19. It is believed that the more severe the infection, the longer the complications might persist.

Unfortunately, the complications aren’t restricted to the lungs but might cause multi-system organ distress as well. So, while it affects your respiratory tract, it can also affect your heart and other organs. Therefore, you must ensure that these organs are working properly for you to work out well. A lot of people recover from the disease and are unsure about recovery.

Coronavirus Symptoms on the Lungs

Coronavirus affects both upper and lower respiratory tracts, which leads to symptoms like runny nose & cough and breathing difficulties, respectively. As the body fights the virus, it triggers inflammation in the lungs, which might lead to pneumonia.

The inflammation can cause fibrosis in the lungs in the long run but there’s not enough data to ascertain whether it is due to COVID-19 or not. For those who have been put on respiratory support will need months to recover and start exercising. In some cases, COVID-19 leads to adult-onset asthma, which causes chest tightness, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, etc. when you exert yourself. However, a majority of people get back normal lung function soon after recovering according to experts. However, it can take up to 6 weeks for you to feel good enough to start working out again.

How Coronavirus Affects the Heart

While heart problems due to coronavirus are rare, they can still occur in people with serious cases. Some cases were even found in which coronavirus triggered cardiac arrest. The rate of heart problems due to other viral illnesses is much lower. Cardiac problems are numerous but this virus weakens the heart due to inflammation, which causes arryhthmias and blood clots. The latter can lead to heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolism, etc. In some cases, it can lead to the inflammation of the heart wall as well.

When to Start Exercising after Coronavirus

You should ideally take a break and return to your workout schedule gradually. Athletes are advised to wait for at least 10 days after the symptoms have subsided to start working out again. Some doctors advise waiting for at least 2 weeks before starting light exercise routines, even to those who are asymptomatic. Those who are hospitalised should seek the advice of their doctors to resume training.

How to Ease Back in Exercising after Coronavirus

As mentioned earlier, you might have to wait a little longer to get back to your regular exercise routine after recovering from coronavirus. According to some reports, you might feel fatigued for a few weeks after the symptoms subside. This will obviously make working out a little difficult. However, it is alright to walk around a little and maybe even visit the park. It is normal if you feel quite bad after starting working out again. Therefore, you will have to start gradually.

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Why You Feel Nauseated After Working Out

Feeling nauseated after working out is more common than you think. When you push yourself to work out harder, it is only logical to feel a little queasy during or after the workout. However, it’s nothing to worry about. Working out a little too hard can also lead to complications, especially in times like the pandemic when you need to keep your immunity up.

You might drain out by working out too hard, which accumulated with social, financial, medical and other stressors can make the immune system more vulnerable. However, you should still work out and focus on not working out too hard. Check out FITCOACH – AI-enabled fitness coach – that provides dynamic workout recommendations based on your fitness needs.

The Cause of Nausea after Working Out

When you work out hard, blood starts pumping harder and that’s a little difficult on the digestive tract. The body distributes blood to the muscles for more oxygen and nutrition when you put it all in. What happens, as a result, is that very little blood is left circulating the stomach and intestines, which then causes nausea or a vomiting sensation.

Therefore, when a challenging workout makes you push harder, you feel like you might just puke, especially if you’re working out that hard for the first time. The body is unable to manage the accumulation of metabolic waste due to working out too hard. The body is unable to fulfill the oxygen needs of the muscles. This leads to the build-up of metabolic waste (carbon dioxide, lactic acid, hydrogen ions, etc.), which leads to acidity and thus nausea. No matter the level of fitness, everyone can witness nausea.

Workouts Likely to Cause Nausea

The hard and long workouts like sprints, tempo run, HIIT circuits, etc. can be a cause for unwanted nausea. This also depends on your posture during the workout. It is highly possible during cycling due to the pressure on the abdomen, especially when you lower your torso to increase your speed.

For that matter, weight-lifting workouts are even worse because the body needs high levels of blood flow. Consider leg day; the size of the muscles and their volume is high in addition to the fact that they can take more load than the upper body muscles. This means that the body might not be able to direct enough oxygen to the leg muscles and you might feel nauseous.

The Role of Food in Feeling Nauseous

It is important to eat well and stay hydrated if you workout. However, if you have a little too much before a workout, you are bound to witness nausea after or during a workout. That is because the stomach area won’t have enough blood to digest all the extra food and liquids. That’s why experts suggest keeping a gap of at least 90 to 180 minutes between eating and working out. Eating foods that contain healthy fats that keep you full for longer is not a good idea before a workout. Avoid fiber and protein before the workout as well. Consult expert nutritionists at your convenience with FITFEAST. Get daily diet recommendations to suit your workout needs and achieve the best results.