The post The Body Shop Box of Wishes & Wonder Advent Calendar appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

Sometimes all you need to kickstart your weight loss journey is to make tiny dietary changes, and that would set the stage for success. It’s not necessary to stay hungry or starve to burn excess fat, just remember to eat right. In fact, on the Speed Slim challenge on Rati Beauty, you get to lose inches as well burn fat from your problem areas such as thighs, waist, and back. Weight loss is a process but if you find counting every single calorie exhausting, make these 9 simple dietary changes that boost weight. Read on:

1. Eat only When Hungry, Not Because It’s Meal Time: It’s essential to practice mindful eating to lose weight or not, and listening to huger cues that indicate physiological hunger rather than because it’s meal time or because you are stressed out, bored, anxious or angry will help you a great deal in cutting down unnecessary calories. We often turn to comfort foods when we are tired, bored, stressed out, or anxious, and that’s why, we would suggest you to refrain from reaching out for food when you aren’t really hungry. In most of such cases, you are more likely to turn towards unhealthy food and snacks.
2. Eat Until 80% Full: This one simple rule can boost your weight loss and improve overall health as well – stop eating when you are 80% full! “Hara Hachi Bu” is an eating technique that originated from Okinawa region of Japan. “Hara Hachi Bu,” literally translates to “eat until you are 80% full.” This practice promotes putting a stop to eating once a person reaches 80% satiety. It’s a part of mindful eating where one is alert about cues from the body when the satiety point has been reached. For weight loss to happen, it is important to remain in calorie deficit, and hara hachi bu is an effective eating practice that can help us shed weight by keeping us in calorie deficit. It’s a fact that your brain takes about 20 minutes to register how much your body has eaten, and when you stop at 80% full, it would mean you are actually full, and stopping at 100% full, would mean you have overeaten!
3. Chew Slowly, Pause Between Each Bite: Research says people who eat fast tend to eat more food and thereby consume more calories. People who eat quickly and at a fast pace are usually putting their health at risk and also tend to gain weight compared to those who take their sweet time chewing slowly. When you eat too fast, your brain doesn’t get the signal to stop once you are full. This means that you often eat more than you actually require. A slow-paced meal will make you think that you have eaten a good amount of food. When you eat too quickly, you lose count of the food intake.
4. Eat a lot of Plant-Based Foods: Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients, have high fiber content, and you can feel fuller with low calories. One of the most effective weight loss tips to feel fuller and maintain a calorie deficit, is to fill half of your plate with veggies, and if those vegetables are green leafy things, that’s a double bonus. Most green leafy vegetables are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fiber, that form essential components of a healthy diet. Leafy greens are great for everyone, from kids to adults to the elderly, and of course, for people who want to lose weight as well with their low calorie, high nutrient content, along with metabolism-boosting properties.
5. Make your Plate Look Like a Rainbow: Carrot, cucumber, brinjal, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, spinach, brown rice, quinoa, avocado, beetroot, tomato, onion – make your plate look like a rainbow to get loads of nutrients and antioxidants that are found abundantly in colorful veggies and grains. Making meal plate colorful ensures that you are getting maximum amount of nutrients. Experts say you should have 5 portions of veggies and 2 portions of fruit for optimum health. It’s not necessary to eat them all at one go or in every meal – just make sure one major meal of the day is colorful enough.
6. Avoid Processed Food: Instant noodles, white bread, breakfast cereals, cakes, muffins, canned fruits, biscuits, cookies, ready-to-eat meals are heavily processed and contain refined carbs that lead to quick weight gain. Moreover, food additives, emulsifiers (carboxymethycellulose, polysorbate-80), artificial colors have been linked to weight gain. Most ingredients in processed food also raise inflammation which is another factor leading to obesity.
7. Eliminate Refined Grains: All forms of carbs are receiving flak in weight loss circles due to the common belief that they are fattening in nature and lead to increase of fat in the body; however, not all carbs are bad. Food items such as sugar, candies, white bread, pizza, donuts, cookies, burgers, chocolates, etc. have refined carbs that spike insulin levels and have loads of calories that quickly add up and get stored as fat in cells, and make it difficult to shed extra weight. Swap refined carbs with foods with complex carbs such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, etc. instead.
8. Eat without Distractions: One of the prerequisites of mindful eating is to eat without any distractions, which means switch off the TV, keep away the phone, and eat in peace so that once the satiety hormone kicks in, you can keep away the fork and spoon to avoid consuming extra calories. Eat without any kind of distraction, in peace, and enjoy each bite, so that the brain feels fuller with the optimum amount of calories, without pushing you to overeat.
9. Eat Protein with Each Meal: This macronutrient is absolutely essential for the body to function, and it is needed to burn fat as well. Protein increases the levels of the satiety hormone “leptin,” curbs appetite, keeps you fuller for longer, and also increases thermogenesis in the body which means we get to burn more calories. Since protein helps to build muscle, more calories are torched even at rest. So, make a conscious effort to amp up protein and include one protein source in every meal. If you are vegetarian and cannot have eggs or chicken, here’s a list of “14 Inexpensive Plant-Based Protein Sources” for weight loss.

How Chewing Food Slowly Can Help you Lose Weight?
12 Secrets To Lose Weight on a Busy Schedule

The post 9 Simple Dietary Changes That Boost Weight Loss appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

Don’t tell us you have tried every fad diet there can ever be and still find it difficult to shake off the excess pounds. We understand the struggle – it can be quite frustrating when you cannot zero in what the real issue is when no amount of dieting or exercise is taking you nearer to your goal weight. At the outset, we would like to mention that there could be certain sneaky weight loss mistakes that you could be making that can hamper your weight loss efforts. These mistakes add up – most of them keep you overweight despite your hard work. So, let’s check out these 7 weight loss mistakes that are keeping you overweight one by one.

1. Focusing on Food Deprivation instead of Proper Nourishment: In a quest to go as low as possible, calorie-wise, you may ignore the fact that nutrients are important for the body to function – even for fat burning to happen. Vitamin D, calcium, chromium, magnesium, iron, protein, fiber, and trace minerals like chromium are all important in the weight loss process. Without proper nourishment, the metabolism will become sluggish – in which case, dieting and exercise would be of little help. Check out the Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty app to find out how you can lose weight without compromising on nutrition.

2. Not Eating Enough: So, you have repeatedly heard that you can eat less and lose more, but that’s such a faulty strategy. When we don’t provide the body with optimum number of calories, it goes into a “famine” mode conserving its fat stores, thereby making it extremely difficult to burn the locked-up fat. Do eat food, the right kind of food, so that your body’s energy demands are met.

3. Overeating Every Superfood and Healthy Food: You tend to override/forget the “calorie counting” rule with healthy food and superfoods (oats, avocado, chia seeds to name a few). Portion control is important with every food, even with “superfoods” that claim to effectively melt away extra fat. Also read: “14 Healthy Foods you are Probably Overeating.”

4. Not Giving Importance To Choice of Cooking Oil: Most cooking oils in the market are highly inflammatory in nature that trigger weight gain. Do invest in weight-loss friendly cooking oils such as olive oil and avocado oil. Though coconut oil, ghee are also healthy, they are high on saturated fats, and need to be used in moderation to remain in a calorie deficit for weight loss to happen.

5. Giving Too Much Importance to Cardio: This is another misconception that needs to be busted, taking you off track. Most people think spending a lot of time in the gym doing cardio will melt away extra fat faster. With cardio alone, you can torch up calories only during the workout whereas with functional and strength training, and not to forget high intensity interval training (HIIT) burn calories long after the workout is over. Therefore, don’t rely on cardio alone to lose weight. Be active, on your feet as much as possible, and consistent with your exercise routine, even if it’s brisk walking for one hour.

6. Eating Too Much Processed So-Called Healthy Food: Another area of concern – the market is flooded with too many “so-called” healthy foods that are highly processed and contain harmful ingredients, and loads of empty calories. Flavoured green yogurt, breakfast cereals are processed and high on sugar and calories, but they are deemed healthy. If you have made these “healthy foods” a part of your daily diet, losing weight would be a struggle. Try to eat food in its natural form as much as possible.

7. Focusing on Will Power instead of Being Consistent: Last but not the least, focus on being consistent and disciplined to achieve the goal instead of mustering will power every single time and looking for motivation. Both motivation and will power will fizzle out after a period of time but being consistent will bring you closer to your goal. Also read: “16 Reasons Why you are Struggling to Lose Weight.”

Summing up, if you are struggling to lose weight, do check out the Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty app to reach your goal weight which is not based on the concept of food deprivation or crash dieting, and proper guidance is provided at every step.

16 Reasons Why you are Struggling to Lose Weight
14 Healthy Foods you are Probably Overeating

The post 7 Weight Loss Mistakes Keeping you Overweight appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post One/Size Fantasize Mascara appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

Most of the times, the most common reason why people fail to follow through their weight loss program is their intense cravings for unhealthy and junk food. These cravings can slide you off the weight loss wagon. Intense foods cravings can induce overeating and increase the calorie count by a great measure. As we all know by now, maintaining a calorie deficit is essential to shed extra fat stored in the body. People report that they experience intense cravings with crash dieting or extreme food deprivation when they are on a weight loss diet. Even in the absence of food deprivation – factors such as stress, boredom, anxiety, hormonal imbalance, blood sugar imbalance, addiction to hyperpalatable foods can all trigger cravings. Rather than spending lots of money synthetic appetite suppressants (in powder/pill form), there are certain natural foods that can strike them down really well. The amazing thing is that all these foods are nutrient dense and meet the energy demand of the body; experts say “undernutrition” or not eating enough food/lack of nutrients in food can make the cravings intense. So, let’s see which foods can actually help boost your weight loss efforts.

1. Dark Chocolate: Full of antioxidants, a few squares of dark chocolate can stimulate fat breakdown and helps fight stress. Dark chocolate also boosts metabolism, curb appetite for sweet and salty food. A small bite of dark chocolate can make you feel full and satiated and prevent binging on high-calorie junk food. A bite into a square of dark chocolate can curb appetite for sweet and junk food considerably by triggering the release of satiety hormone “leptin” so that you can feel full and eat less in your next meal, bringing down the calorie intake.

2. Pistachios: Almond, walnut, cashew, pistachios, hazelnuts are all weight-loss friendly nuts with good amount of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and other essential minerals, but the nut with the lowest calorie count is pistachio. These delicious nuts have antioxidants, vitamins, and curb intense cravings for unhealthy food. But do remember not to go over a handful. Also read: “17 Best Salad Ingredients For Weight Loss.”

3. Cottage Cheese: Foods with high protein content are extremely satiating and cottage cheese or paneer is major plant-based protein source. You can grill it, make it into a curry, or just add to salads to suppress appetite and cravings.

4. Coffee: The caffeine content in coffee, experts say, can curb cravings and suppress appetite as well. A cup or two of coffee can boost metabolism by a good degree as well.

5. Almonds: Whenever cravings strike, pick a handful of nuts, such as almonds, that with their high protein, healthy fats content would help suppress cravings and boost metabolism as well.

6. Apple: You have heard it numerous times, from your parents, teachers, and every well wisher out there – “an apple a day, can keep the doctor away,” but did you know, an apple a day can even keep the unhealthy cravings away, because it has pectin and soluble fiber that keeps you fuller for longer, curbs cravings for sweet treats, and prevents overeating as well.

7. Eggs: A nutrient-dense food that’s absolutely great for overall health as well. Eggs are considered to be a superfood if you are planning to lose weight. In facts, eggs are considered the best way to kickstart the day with its nutrient-dense properties that also boost metabolism. Additionally, egg keeps one fuller for longer thereby cutting the body’s craving for additional cravings in the form of unhealthy snacks. Also read: “10 Reasons Why Eggs are Good For Weight Loss.”

Most importantly, if you are struggling to lose weight, do check out the Rati Beauty diet on the Rati Beauty app.

17 Best Salad Ingredients For Weight Loss
10 Reasons Why Eggs are Good For Weight Loss

The post 7 Foods That Help Curb Intense Cravings appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post NEOM De-Stress Candle Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

There are many superfoods that do not get their due importance compared to other over-hyped foods like chia seeds and blueberries, and “fig” is one of them. Fig, also called “anjeer” in Hindi, is a nutrient-dense fruit loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, fiber and healthy fats that is affordable and easily available throughout the year, whether in fresh or dry form. Soaked figs are thought to be more beneficial than fresh variety, particularly when trying to lose weight. So, let’s find out if there’s any substance behind these beliefs?

Starting with calories, there are approximately 50 calories in a single dried fig and 100 gm of fresh figs have 100 calories. The best thing about figs is that you can eat the flesh, fruit, and the seeds as well. As we have mentioned above, fig is a nutrient powerhouse with vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium. Figs have been used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The polyphenols in figs have antioxidant properties and fight free radicals.

The majority of minerals found in figs boost metabolism and are necessary to run all functions smoothly. Minerals are nutrients that are necessary to run a lot of important body functions, from carrying blood to your vital organs to relaying neurotransmitters in the brain. Calcium and magnesium are some minerals that are required to run up to 300 functions in the human body, and you can find them both in figs.

Figs are a good source of:

1. Magnesium: Helps to calm your mind down and decrease stress levels in the body, and also to increase serotonin (which is also called “happy chemical”) that regulates feelings such as mood and happiness. High serotonin level means you would feel good about yourself and life in general. Interestingly, people with major depression have been found to have magnesium deficiency, so up your intake of magnesium through a healthy diet.

2. Calcium: It helps you burn more fat stored in the body. Within the body cells, if there is adequate calcium, that cell will burn more fat. Adequate calcium in the body increases breakdown of fat in the bloodstream and preserves thermogenesis, accelerating the weight loss process. When the calcium levels are low, the body tends to make more fat cells. That’s a lot of research to show calcium helps burn fat. Diets that are high in calcium are associated with reduced rates of being obese. If one takes the recommended daily intake of calcium, there are less chances of that person developing belly fat. Calcium also suppresses appetite, lowering hunger sensations by 12%. Interestingly, when there is calcium deficiency, the body produces higher levels of calcitriol which is a hormone that leads to production of fat cells. Adequate calcium lowers calcitriol levels, leading to breakdown of fat, lesser production of fat cells, helping you slim down.

3. Iron: It is one mineral which gets its due importance because when there is a drop in iron, you can immediately feel it with a lack of energy, iron-deficiency anemia, and lethargy. Iron is needed to carry oxygen all through your body and improve muscle strength and endurance. When your iron levels are low, you also tend to gain weight because it directly affects thyroid gland, leading to hypothyroidism, making it quite difficult to lose weight. And because you lack energy and metabolism drops, the body stops losing weight.

4. Potassium: It is an essential mineral that is needed in good proportion in the body to maintain the pH level of body. It also boosts metabolism and improves muscle function. Potassium helps to boost metabolism, particularly resting metabolic rate which is the amount of calories that you burn while staying at rest.

5. Manganese: It’s a mineral that reduces inflammation in the body and helps regulate blood sugar level. It also activates certain enzymes that are needed for metabolic activity and that’s the reason why it is essential for burning of calories.

Most importantly, fig is a rich source of fiber which promotes fullness, keeps appetite in check, and keeps gut bacteria healthy and promotes fat burning. No weight loss diet is complete without fiber.

With so many benefits associated with figs, it’s prudent to include figs in your daily diet. If not fresh, you can pick them and soak them overnight because in the soaked form, the nutrients are more absorbable. Furthermore, since figs have a natural sweetness to them, you can use them to curb cravings if you have a habit of eating something sweet after dinner. Just soak two to three figs overnight in water. Also, for festive occasions, you can completely eliminate refined sugar and make sweets out of dates and figs.

Summing up, there’s no magic pill or superfood that can melt away all extra fat. A good weight loss diet like the Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty that gives great importance on nutrition and consistent exercise can bring about effective weight loss. If you have that imaginary sweet tooth, you now know which fruit to pick up.

6 Minerals That Help you Shed Extra Weight
30 Inexpensive Indian Superfoods you Should be Eating Often for Weight Loss

The post Can Soaked Figs Boost Weight Loss? appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post Dr Hauschka Advent Calendar appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

There’s nothing more disappointing than when your weight loss journey comes to a screeching halt after just a few weeks on it and you can no longer see the numbers drop steeply as before, even though there have been no major changes to the diet or exercise routine. It might be baffling, but let’s say that the honeymoon period is now over, and you may need to employ more effective strategies in order to get over the plateau. It’s that point where contrary to your expectations, the body switches to a fat-conservation mode because with weight loss, the body becomes efficient at functioning at lower calories. Also, if you lose some muscle along with fat, the metabolism dips further (more muscles means more calories get torched). These are some basic theories why you have stopped losing weight after a certain point, but there are more reasons that you should know and take steps to overcome those. We will go over them one by one:

1. Becoming Complacent After Losing Some Weight: If you have lost considerable amount of weight and now know how it all works, don’t become complacent or let guards down yet. A small bite here and there, a few extra cupcakes, bringing back the dessert after every meal, skipping the gym – all these can slow down the pace and even stall the fat-burning process. Do not become complacent until you reach the goal, and even after that.

2. Metabolism Has Dipped: If you are trying to lose weight, keeping the metabolism robust should be high on the list of priorities. Metabolism should be robust at all times because it is the process through which calories are torched and converted into energy form. But to conserve energy and fat, the body tends to lower metabolism, and this dip can stop weight loss. Lift weights, do compound exercises, and focus on building muscle in the gym (more the muscles, better the metabolism). Dark chocolate, sipping on green tea have also been found to boost metabolism. Most importantly, protein helps build and repair tissues in the body, it also boosts metabolism to a great degree (quinoa, eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, beans, legumes, green peas) are amazing sources of protein that you can include in your daily diet.

3. Overindulgence on Healthy Food: In a quest to dig into everything healthy, we might actually skip the “calorie counting” part. There’s no doubt that clean and healthy eating is the foundation of a good weight loss strategy, but the point is to remain within the calorie deficit even with the healthiest of foods. No food is calorie free (some of them are extremely high in calories), and without mindful eating, they can put you into calorie surplus and lead to weight gain instead. There’s a wrong notion that there’s no need to count calories with healthy food, but do remember, peanut butter, almonds, dry fruits, avocado, quinoa, etc. are calorie-dense foods and you need to practice portion control with these too. Also read: “14 Healthy Foods you are Probably Overeating.”

4. Overeating Post Workout: Are you overestimating calories burnt at the gym and “eating back” to compensate with energy drinks and high-calorie food? Machines like treadmill, elliptical trainer, stationary bike tend to show inaccurate readings with the respect to calories, so never rely on them to estimate the total number of calories burnt. Post-workout meal should not put back extra calories into the body that would become difficult to burn off later.

5. Compromising on Sleep Routine: Sleep deprivation is not only about waking up with tired and puffy eyes, in fact not getting enough shut eye, can increase your waistline. Important hormones like insulin, cortisol, ghrelin that play a major role in weight gain/weight loss, can slide either way, depending on whether you are sleep deprived or having a good-quality sleep each night. Lack of sleep increases appetite, lowers metabolism, and shoots up stress – making sure you do not lose any weight. Experts do recommend sleeping for 7 hours or more each night to boosts weight loss efforts and to improve overall health as well.

6. Chronic Stress is Taking a Toll: As we have mentioned above, stress can stand between you and your goal weight, triggering overeating and overindulgence in sugary, high-fat food that help to calm down jittery nerves. Simple activities like walking, listening to music, dancing, exercising, playing with a pet, etc., can help to beat the stress, and make sure you continue to lose weight.

Summing up, it’s quite natural to get frustrated and get off the weight loss wagon when you can no longer lose weight despite sincere efforts and hard work. Making a few simple tweaks to the diet, changing the workout routine a bit, can help overcome these hurdles and kickstart your weight loss journey all over again. Most importantly, when you feel like quitting, remember why you started in the first place. If you are struggling to shed extra pounds, check out my Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty app for a leaner and healthier you.

14 Healthy Foods you are Probably Overeating
How To Lose Weight without Slowing Down Metabolism

The post 6 Reasons you Stopped Losing Weight appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post Paula’s Choice Niacinamide Body Serum appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Delilah Easy To Love Essentials appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Jack Fragrance by Richard E. Grant appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post StaticJam Frizz Tamer appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

Eating less does not always translate to weight loss but overeating will most definitely translate to weight gain in the future. Most of us are confused how we cannot find self control, muster will power, and put an end to binge eating, and go on a guilt trip once overeating episode is over. But where will power fails, discipline slays. Somebody rightly said “discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” Overeating and sedentary lifestyle can spell death knell for your weight loss journey, and if you cannot get into a calorie deficit because of overeating issues, it’s time to weed out reasons that drive you to eat more and more food in the absence of physiological hunger pangs. Let’s go over them one by one.

1. Starving Through the day and Saving All Calories for the End of the Day: Starving the whole day in the name of dieting and then hoarding all the calories and spending it all at dinner time will definitely need to overeating. Avoid food deprivation and banking the calories, eat at scheduled timings, and you will see a big difference in your appetite.
2. Shopping and Stocking up Unhealthy Food: While grocery shopping, we tend to mindlessly pick high-calorie, processed, and sugar-rich foods that can trigger hunger pangs and binge eating because most of them are hyperpalatable foods (they are manufactured in such a way that they are pleasing to the tastebuds and you continue binging on them even if you are full). Pretzels, French fries, potato chips, brownies, cupcakes, desserts, ice creams are a few examples of hyperpalatable foods. If you stop shopping and stocking up these high-calorie hyperpalatable foods, there are lesser chances to overeat because “out of sight is out of mind.” Also read: “24 Worst Foods in your Fridge that Prevent Weight Loss.”
3. You are Emotionally Attached To Certain Foods: Stress eating or emotional eating is a situation where someone eats to feel good, to cope up with trauma, to vent out anger, to deal with stress, or when plain bored than to satisfy hunger. The food to cope with such situations is usually high-calorie stuff, mostly sugary delights, hight-fat, basically unhealthy food that leads to rapid weight gain. When you eat such food, the brain releases certain “feel-good chemicals” such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine that helps to temporarily elevate the mood and calm down nerves. The problem is that these food items also cause sharp insulin spikes, providing instant energy but the subsequent drop in blood sugar level can leave one fatigued and craving for “more food” all over again. You start to depend more and more on such unhealthy food to deal with jittery nerves, and overeat such foods. In short, people resort to emotional eating to feel better, relieve stress, and cope up with traumatic situations which would lead to overeating. Wanna know how to overcome this wrong eating practice –  read all about “How To Conquer Emotional Eating with Effective Tricks.”
4. Your Meals Lack Nutrients: Food that is high in empty calories do help to calm down hunger pangs for a little while, but because they lack nutrients, the brain senses lack of energy and instructs the body to eat more, which leads to overeating. Your diet should be high in nutrient-dense foods to avoid overeating.
5. You are Surrounded by Food Pushers: A “food pusher” is someone who thinks you are starving and not eating enough food, someone who loves to cook and would like you to be the official food taster, or maybe someone who might be jealous of your weight loss When you are counting every single calorie, on an earnest mission to burn extra weight and get leaner, but then comes along a “food pusher” who tempts you to eat more food. These “food pushers,” can knowingly or unknowingly derail your weight loss plan, by encouraging you to eat more food. It becomes extremely difficult to say “no” to food pushers, especially when they are family, friends, and relatives, and also particularly, when they are moving around a plate of freshly-baked cinnamon buns, but if you want to lose weight at any cost, you have to practice saying “no” to food pushers, and obviously find polite ways to do so. In fact, read about “7 Polite Ways to Say No To Food Pushers,” in this post.

Also, if you are struggling to lose weight, do check out our Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty app, to shed extra pounds and lose some inches as well.

How To Conquer Emotional Eating with Effective Tricks
24 Worst Foods in your Fridge that Prevent Weight Loss

The post 5 Reasons you are Still Overeating appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

Bread and jam, bread and eggs, sandwiches these are some of the staple breakfast options the world over. Experts agree that a good breakfast can help you kickstart the day in the right way by providing you energy, boosting metabolism, and may actually help burn calories through the day. In fact, people who eat a healthy breakfast actually end up eating fewer calories through the day. Picking up a loaf of bread, buttering up a few slices, we all agree bread is a convenient option, especially for busy bees who do not have time to prepare elaborate breakfast and rely on grab-and-go bites in the morning rush hour. And how many calories can a few slices of bread have? Does not matter if it’s white, brown or any other color. But when you are looking at breakfast that nourishes – wanna find out which bread fares better? Let’s find out: You have every right to know why your butter deserves a better companion than white bread:

Why White Bread is Not a Healthy Breakfast Option?

White bread cannot be a healthy breakfast option because it leaves you hungry soon after. Also, because it has high glycemic index, it raises blood sugar, gets quickly digested, and with its low fiber content, will make you hungry soon after once the blood sugar slumps. Made entirely of refined flour, sugar, low in fiber, everything about white bread is unhealthy and you are de-railing your weight loss journey, if you are starting your day with bread and jam as breakfast.

Why Brown Bread is a Good Breakfast Option?

Brown bread is made with whole wheat, with bran intact, with better fiber content and better nutrient profile. It also has a lower glycemic index than white bread, hence does not spike up blood sugar.

Now comparing white bread with brown bread:

A slice of white bread:
80 calories
14 gm carbs
0.3 gm fiber

A slice of Brown Bread:
44 calories
8.25 gm carbs

1. 1 gm  fiber.

So, if you are trying to lose weight, here are some points to keep in mind while picking up bread:

You should go for “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” breads.
A bread slice should ideally have at least 3 grams of fiber.
Don’t buy bread which contains more than 3 gm of sugar.

You should also make sure there is no transfat, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners in the ingredient list of your bread. If it contains any of the following, simply skip buying that.

In fact, here are some weight-loss friendly bread options:

1. Wholemeal bread: This bread is far better for weight loss when compared to white bread since it comes free of processed flour. It is made from a more unrefined version of flour that contains relatively higher amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Other than that, this bread scores lower on the GI index than white bread which implies that eating this bread will reduce your hunger cravings and will benefit you on your weight loss journey. Just make sure it has 100% whole wheat flour mentioned on the label.

2. Wholegrain bread: This is another class of healthy bread option that you can eat for weight loss. Made from 100% whole grain, it would have a good amount of fiber.

3. Sourdough bread: High in fiber content, it helps to control cravings. This bread is prepared by fermenting the dough for several days and good for gut health as well.

4. Flaxseed Bread: Another great option for people trying to lose weight. This bread has huge nutritional benefits as it comes loaded with useful vitamins and minerals like manganese, potassium and selenium, essential fatty acids, dietary fiber and phytoestrogens. It helps the body to easily burn calories and repels storage of body fat. Anyway, if you love flaxseeds, you can easily incorporate this bread in your diet.

5. Sprout Bread: Low in calories, high in fiber, with lower carbs, this bread type does not spike up blood sugar or insulin. It also has more nutrients compared to other bread types. Also read: “50 Healthy Food Swaps That Everyone Should Absolutely Try.”

Summing up, white carbs are bad for weight loss, so is white bread. If you absolutely love bread, switch to brown bread or other options mentioned above. Also, don’t fall for marketing strategies of some brands which use healthy-sounding words, like “natural” or “multigrain” for white bread. Always, go through the ingredients list to pick up the right kind of bread to butter up.

Also, if you want to know better healthy breakfast options to lose weight, check out our Speed Slim challenge on Rati Beauty app.

Can I Eat Bread and Still Lose Weight?
50 Healthy Food Swaps That Everyone Should Absolutely Try

The post White Bread vs Brown Bread – Which One is Better appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

Diwali is finally here! The festival of lights is also the festival of sweets, and we consider exchanging of treats and sweets as a means to spread cheer and happiness, and celebrate the essence of Diwali. And that means even the most calorie conscious and iron-willed dieters out there cannot excuse themselves out of mouthing a few ladoos and extra bites of incredibly delectable kaju katlis. But there’s one main ingredient that goes into the making of Diwali sweets that people trying to lose weight are most worried about – sugar! Health and weight loss experts unanimously agree that eliminating refined sugar from  the diet can be a game-changer if you are trying to lose weight and improve overall health as well. In fact, white sugar is labeled as “white poison” because it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and obesity. Regular consumption of sugar also has a negative impact on liver and gut health. Giving up sugar is thought to be an effective way to lose a few extra pounds without breaking a sweat. So, how can you celebrate Diwali without going on a guilt trip every time you pick up a piece of barfi or milk peda? It’s easy – there are way better alternatives to make sweets without allowing white sugar to put a dent in your Diwali festivities.

Why Sugar is not Good for Weight Loss and Health?

Refined sugar not only leads to weight gain, it effects overall health negatively too. Here’s how:

1. Sugar has a high amount of empty calories – 1 tablespoon sugar has around 48 calories. Just think about how many calories you are consuming by adding sugar to tea, coffee, fruit juice, lassi, lemonade, cola, sweets, desserts, cupcakes, pastries, cakes, through the day, without even realizing that all those extra calories are getting stored as fat.
2. Consuming too much sugar can cause wrinkles – sugar accelerates skin ageing through a process called glycation, where the sugar in bloodstream attaches to protein and produces free radicals that damage collagen and elastin, and the skin loses its youthfulness and firmness.
3. Overconsumption of sugar is one of the major causes of polycystic ovarian disease/PCOS.
4. Causes hormonal imbalances.
5. Sugar can cause bloating.
6. Increases risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.

6 Sugar Substitutes To Make Diwali Sweets:

1. Xylitol: It is a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits and veggies, and has only half the calories as white sugar (2.4 calories/gram whereas white sugar has 4 calories). It does not raise blood sugar sharply and thus insulin spike is not too high. Additionally, xylitol is considered good for dental health because it prevents tooth decay. Xylitol can be bought in powder form and just a little bit is needed to sweeten things up.
2. Coconut Sugar: It’s extracted from coconuts and is a better option compared to table sugar, it’s also low on the glycemic index. Since coconut sugar is unrefined, it retains most of its vitamins and minerals, and doesn’t cause sudden fluctuations in blood sugar. However, coconut sugar has the same amount of calories as white sugar, but sugar has empty calories and doesn’t have any nutritional value.
3. Jaggery: Rich in potassium, iron, and other minerals, it’s much better than refined sugar. Available in block and powder forms, jaggery (Indian gud) is an unrefined sweetener (usually sourced from sugarcane, coconut palm, and date palm), used since ancient times in India to make sweets and treats. White sugar, on the other hand, even though extracted from sugarcane, undergoes heavy processing, gets refined, and has loads of empty calories (no nutritional value). Calorie wise, jaggery has 383 per 100 gm and white sugar has 385 calories. But considering the nutritional value, jaggery is a better choice.
4. Dates: They are very nutritious and contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. They do contain a good amount of calories but high in fiber and contain antioxidants that fight free radicals. You can make anything from ladoo to halwa to kheer with dates.
5. Erythritol: It’s a sugar alcohol like xylitol but has low amount of calories, just 0.2 calories per gm. And also it has just 70% sweetness compared to white sugar. Recent studies have shown that erythritol even has antioxidant properties as well. You might have already noticed how “sugar free” sweets out in the market are using “erythritol” instead of white sugar.
6. Honey: Make your kaju katli with honey this Diwali! Also, honey dipped balushahi, even honey gulab jamun! Rich in nutrients, with good amount of vitamins and minerals, honey has a high nutritional profile. Though there are more calories in honey (64 calories per tbsp) compared to white sugar (45 calories per tbsp), honey is way sweeter but with a lower glycemic index (does not raise blood sugar sharply).

Summing up, you should never allow anyone or anything to put a dent on your festivities. Diwali is a festival which brings family, friends, and everyone else together and sweets are a central part of this festival. So, do indulge and soak in the festive fervour, but do remember to get back on track right after. Also, if you are struggling to lose weight, check out the Speed Slim program on the Rati Beauty app.

7 Snack Ideas to Curb Your Sweet Tooth
7 Reasons you Crave For Something “Meetha” after Dinner

The post 6 Sugar Substitutes To Make Diwali Sweets appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post Friday Treat Green Scarf appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post UK Sephora Overview appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Jurlique Advent Calendar 2022 appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Origins Advent Calendar 2022 appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Juliette Has A Gun Ego Stratis Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Ilia Beauty At Sephora.co.uk appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Nails Inc Pinks appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post #AD The Body Shop Edelweiss Collection – Drops Of Youth Reinvented appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Unlocked Limited Edition appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Dior Autumn 2022 Dior En Rouge appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Odile Paris The Balancing Mask appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

Who can melt your heart in moments, make you go weak in the knees, trigger emotions of love and passion, and someone you can say never “no” to – it’s not your college or office crush – it’s chocolate! Men and women agree that there’s nothing that a bar of chocolate cannot fix and by no means is it an exaggeration. But chocolate is considered a guilty pleasure and a complete no-no when trying to lose weight. On the other hand, there’s a lot of buzz about how “all calories are equal” and you can have every food out there but in moderation. This kind of a theory can sabotage your weight loss goals as well as health. All calories are not equal and you cannot have “bad and unhealthy” foods in “moderation.” So, does chocolate come under the “can have in moderation” or “completely stay away” category? Also answering every chocolate lover’s question – can we eat chocolate while trying to lose weight? So, here we go:

Why Eating Chocolate Everyday is Not Good?

The problem with most chocolates that you see in grocery stores and supermarkets is that they have “sugar” as the first ingredient. And additionally, they have so much extra sugar in them, and in so many different forms (high maltose corn syrup, invert sugar, etc)., they can just not only derail your weight loss efforts, regular consumption can increase the risk of heart disease, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, etc. Sugar, as we all know, is a major reason why people gain weight and find it extremely difficult to lose weight. An addiction to anything sugary lays the foundation to obesity. Sugar not only raises blood sugar, it also heightens the level of inflammation. Tried every trick in the book to get lean, try quitting sugar

Coming back to chocolate, if you have to have chocolate every single day, then you have to choose between that velvety bar of sugary delight and your goal and health. We agree that while extreme deprivation will lead to binging and unhealthy cravings, and you can go off track, we would recommend reserving regular “milk and sugar-based chocolates” for cheat days or as a rare indulgence, not part of a daily dietary habit.

But does that mean all chocolates are bad? Not at all, in fact, dark chocolate has been found to boost the whole weight loss process. Various studies have shown that that dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa (our vote is for 90% cocoa content), can actually help shed extra pounds. Though not exactly low on calories, one ounce of dark chocolate with 60 percent or more of cacao has about 170 calories, it has many health benefits, and it has been found to boost weight loss. Here’s how:

How Dark Chocolate Benefits Weight Loss?

1. It has antioxidants like polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins that fight inflammation and speed up metabolism (also read “12 Foods That Slow Down Metabolism”).
2. Curbs appetite, great snack for people who claim to have a “sweet tooth.”

3. Contain a good percentage of healthy fats that boost metabolism and promote fat burning.

4. Polyphenols in dark chocolate improve insulin sensitivity.

5. Biggest benefit of having a few bites from a bar of dark chocolate is that it can lower stress and as we all know by now, chronic stress is strongly related to weight gain and belly fat. Also read: “10 Tips to Lower Stress in order to Lose Weight.”

So, please keep in mind that you cannot have a full bar of chocolate that has “sugar” as its first ingredient and expect to lose weight. Your best bet would be “dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa” and that too two or three squares at the most. Chocolate is an irresistible thing, but then, say “yes” to the right kind of chocolate, i.e., dark chocolate. And if losing weight is your number #1 priority right now, you can check out our “Speed Slim” challenge on Rati Beauty.

12 Foods That Slow Down Metabolism
10 Tips to Lower Stress in order to Lose Weight

The post Can We Eat Chocolate While Trying To Lose Weight? appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

The post GENSEE Mixed Media Matte Liquid Eyeshadow appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Dior Creme Abricot Limited Edition appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post L’Occitane Classic Advent Calendar 2022 appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post MDLondon Blow Hair Dryer Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Proud To Be Pink Bobbi Brown Gloss Duo appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Chantecaille Just Skin Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post The Most Useful Accessory Ever? Phone Bags appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Boy Smells Neopeche Candle appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Charlotte Tilbury Diamond Chest Of Beauty Stars Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Guerlain Parure Gold Matte Foundation appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Treaclemoon Bath & Shower Gel appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish Powder Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Travalo Milano Travel Atomizer appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The post Grazia Parfum Review appeared first on British Beauty Blogger.

The biggest cultural festival of Bengal and bengalis is here. The festive mood, the spirit, the energy has reached a feverish pitch not only in the state but the world over where “poojo” is celebrated with much passion and grandeur. Especially, in Bengal, the mood is palpable where Durga pooja is not only a religious festival, it’s also a cultural and social festival where family and friends get together, spread positivity, revel in the spirit of dhak and dhunuchi, and spread joy all around. And of course, feasting is a major part of the festivities. In fact, pandal hopping and feasting are two inseparable factors of Durga pooja. The state transforms itself into a food lover’s paradise with pandals serving delicious bhog comprising of khichuri, payesh, labra, mishti, and so much more. In fact, the best time to visit West Bengal is during Durga Puja to experience the rich culture, heritage, frenzy, and of course great food of the state. Bhog is served at pandals with the food having all the elements of celebration, and in the evening, it’s all about having more food from the stalls lined out on the street. The variety of food that you can dig into during pooja is unlimited – from puchkas, biryani, to Chinese food stalls selling chowmein and chop suey, you can get just about everything in stalls lined all along the streets. It’s also a time when we entirely let the guards down because it’s time of celebration and there’s nothing else except celebration and feasting on the mind. Worried about gaining weight during Durga pooja? Don’t fret, because there are clever ways to avoid putting on excess weight without dampening the spirit of this amazing festival. We list out the problem areas and how to tackle them one by one.

1. Late Night Pandal Hopping: As mentioned before, pandal hopping is a part of the social fabric and culture of the city, but it’s also a time when we let down guards and indulge in a lot of food, and that too at odd times. Most of the popular food served out there on the streets can be considered junk food and that’s why late-night pandal hopping can lead to weight gain. But you can actually turn things around, visit as many pandals as possible, and do so by foot every single time. You will be burn off all the excess calories just by being on your feet and moving as much as possible. Also, do remember to carry a water bottle to avoid reaching out for fizzy and carbonated drinks (high on sugar and empty calories).

2. Overindulgence in Decadent Sweets: Rosgolla, chom chom, ladoo, sandesh – the list of mouth-watering sweet treats during pooja is endless. Well, here’s a trick that you can implement where you can enjoy the treats without worrying about them expanding your waistline. Eat the desserts slowly, in fact, stop at three bites. Take break between each bite, and you will notice that by the third bite, you are done with the dessert and would most likely push the plate away. If you are out with friends and family, you can share the treats with them

3. Overconsumption of soda, mojito, mocktails, ice cream, soft drinks, carbonated sugary beverages to go along with all the mouth-watering delicacies and also to replenish energy during long hours of pandal hopping. Please stay away as much as you can from these sugar shots (bad for your waistline) and try to quench your thirst with plain water, coconut water, lassi, etc. to prevent dehydration and quench thirst.

4. Five-day Festivity Extends into a 3-Month “Time-Off” From Diet and Healthy Eating: Durga pooja is considered the beginning of festivities, with Dusshera, Diwali, Christmas, and New Year coming in quick succession, most people tend to take extended “time off” from their diet and weight loss program, and wait till New Year’s to kickstart their weight loss journey once again. Needless to mention, we just add “weight loss” to every new year’s resolution year after year. But please don’t wait till all festivities are over or for the New year to get back on the diet, you can begin all over again. Enjoy the 5 days with full fervour, indulge in the awesome food, and get back right on track once the carnival settles down. Consider each meal as an opportunity to lose weight.

Summing up, it’s okay to celebrate this festival in its glory, enjoy the delicious delicacies, and let your guards down for these five days, but make a promise to yourself to jump back on track once the festivities come to a close. Also, if you are struggling to  lose weight, try Rati Beauty diet to lose excess pounds as well as inches off your waist.

14 Tips to Avoid During Diwali to Prevent Belly Fat
10 Ways to Cut Hundreds of Empty Calories Through The Day

The post 4 Ways To Avoid Weight Gain During Durga Pooja appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.