Diet Plan:

Tiger Shroff’s diet plan is based on the principles of clean eating. He focuses on consuming whole, unprocessed foods and avoids consuming processed foods, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. He believes in the concept of “Eat clean, train dirty”

He starts his day with a glass of warm water with lemon and honey. His breakfast usually includes a bowl of oats with fruits like banana and berries, and a cup of green tea. He also consumes a lot of protein-rich foods throughout the day such as eggs, chicken, fish, and paneer. He also includes a lot of vegetables and fruits in his diet like broccoli, spinach, and apple, which are rich in fiber and vitamins. He also consumes brown rice, quinoa, and lentils as sources of complex carbohydrates.

For lunch, he eats a bowl of mixed vegetables, dal, and brown rice. He also includes a small portion of lean protein like chicken or fish. For dinner, he eats a bowl of mixed vegetable soup or a salad with a small portion of protein like fish or chicken.

He also includes a lot of healthy fats in his diet like nuts, avocado, and olive oil, which are essential for maintaining energy levels and promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails.

He also believes in the concept of Intermittent fasting and follows it regularly. He also drinks a lot of water throughout the day, to stay hydrated and to flush out toxins from the body.

Workout Plan:

Tiger Shroff is known for his impressive martial arts skills, and his workout routine is focused on building strength and endurance. He works out six days a week, and his workout routine includes a combination of weight training, cardio, and martial arts training.

He starts his workout with a warm-up session that includes stretching and cardio exercises. He then moves on to weight training, focusing on exercises like bench press, deadlifts, and squats. He also includes exercises that work on his core such as planks and leg raises. He also includes exercises that work on his legs such as lunges and calf raises.

He also includes martial arts training such as kickboxing and gymnastics in his workout routine. He also includes cardio exercises such as running, cycling, and swimming in his workout routine.

In addition to his regular workout routine, he also includes activities like parkour, and gymnastics which help him to improve his flexibility, balance, and coordination.

In conclusion, Tiger Shroff’s diet and workout plan is based on the principles of clean eating and regular exercise. He focuses on consuming whole, unprocessed foods and avoids consuming processed foods, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. He also includes a lot of healthy fats in his diet like nuts, avocado, and olive oil, which are essential for maintaining energy levels and promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails. His workout routine is focused on building strength and endurance and includes a combination of weight training, cardio, and martial arts training. It’s important to note that a diet and workout plan should be tailored to an individual’s specific needs and goals, and consulting a healthcare professional or a fitness expert is always recommended before starting any new plan.

The post Tiger Shroff’s Diet Plan for his chiseled physique appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

If there is anything other than cricket that has brought the nation together its Bahubali. People, no matter what the age, profession or race; are talking about this magnum opus that has shattered all the box office records without breaking a sweat. The man who played the legendary character Bahubali, Prabhas, has become a craze for men and women alike. And why not? Where do you see such dedication and passion for work in today’s film world? Be it Prabhas or Rana, every actor in the movie has given more than their best which is why Bahubali has succeeded in making history on several fronts. Prabhas as Amarendra Bahubali became a national sensation owing to his heart melting looks and Greek god physique. Want to get a physique like that? Well, here is Prabhas’ workout and diet for amazing 6 pack abs. Let us be frank…it’s not going to be easy to catch up with Bahubali!

How Prabhas became Bahubali?

Prabhas proved in every way that he was the right choice for this iconic character. It might surprise you to know that Bahubali spent a year in pre-production and Prabhas started working on his body as long as 8 months before the production could begin. He underwent a massive transformation to get into the skin of the character throughout the movie. Prabhas did not sign any other movie or even a commercial while he was on Bahubali for 3 years.

The character of Sivudu (son) was leaner as compared to Amarendra Bahubali (father). The later was a warrior and therefore had to look like one in every sense. Thus, Prabhas gradually shifted from one body type to the other across the movie.

Weight Gain

Prabhas definitely has a great height. He stands tall as 6 feet 2 inches. However, just like an actor he had a lean body type with a weight of 85 kg which was not suitable for the epic drama. For the first part, Prabhas had reached a body weight of around 105 kg by putting on 20 kg. To bring Amarendra Bahubali to life, Prabhas put on another 30 kg for the sequel – Bahubali The Conclusion and reached 135 kg (approx). There are even statements circulating all over the internet that Prabhas scaled up to 150 kg for the sequel. The tough part was that he needed to bulk up and get more muscular and not just fat. Putting on muscles in such a fashion required heavy diet control and very detailed workout plan.

Inspiration and Preparation

Prabhas took inspiration from WWE wrestlers who perfectly fit the criteria of huge and muscular body types. It has been said that he personally observed them, interacted with them to understand the crux of bodybuilding. Interestingly, even though he took inspiration from international stars, Prabhas did not hire any renowned international fitness trainer for himself.

Instead, he brought with him an entire gym. Yes, to focus on his workout day and night, Prabhas bought the latest international gym equipment worth 1.5 crore rupees on his own accord and set up his own fitness area – an outdoor gym in his house garden. Prabhas enjoyed working out amidst the greenery of his garden where he can take in naturally clean air.

Trainer

Prabhas Diet Plan

Since Prabhas had to put on 20 kg in 6 months, he had to go on a heavy calorie diet which focused more on non vegetarian foods to make the diet as naturally protein rich as possible. Prabhas’ diet was managed between 2000 calories/day to 4000 calories/day which were divided between 6 meals during the day. Prabhas followed the policy of small, balanced and regular meals. He used to eat every 2 hours.

It has been reported by some of the media sources that Prabhas started his day with 40 egg whites to gain muscles faster. The egg whites were half boiled and blended with protein powder. At some places it has been mentioned that the 40 eggs were taken during the course of the day.  

Along with eggs, chicken was integral part of his diet. He consumed 500 grams of chicken a day. Along with this, he had nuts, almonds, ample of vegetables like broccoli, spinach and fishes to supply his body with all the nutrition it needed for that massive gain.

He was on a zero carbs diet. His lunch included a small amount of brown rice, oat meal along with boiled vegetables and chicken or fish. His diet also included protein powders and Prabhas used to have one serving of protein powder with milk or light soup after his workout sessions and before he went to bed.

The next crucial thing Prabhas focused on was hydration. He made it a habit to have 10 to 12 glasses of water at least to avoid any possible dehydration that can lead to weakness and loss of stamina.

Prabhas is strictly against steroids and all that you see on the screen is his sheer hard work. He has followed an extremely stringent diet and workout to gain those muscles and six pack abs. Prabhas states that steroids are body building drugs and they can cause health issues. Steroids can ‘give results but for short time’. He strongly supports natural diet and healthy workout.

Prabhas Workout Plan

P.C.: recentmovies.in

Prabhas followed the 70/30 rule – 30% workout and 70% diet. Prabhas stated that an appropriate pre and post work diet plan is crucial to ensure that you get the right results from your hours at the gym. He spent 6 hours at the gym everyday divided between morning and evening sessions.

The morning began with cardio sessions followed by stretching and yoga. This was followed by intense stamina building sessions including plyometric and cross-fit exercises.

P.C.: jansatta.com

The evening involved muscle building exercises i.e. weight training. Instead of relying on isolation exercises, Laxman put him on compound routines like squats, bench presses and dead lifts. This helped him to get more muscular in lesser time. In addition, Prabhas also remained active outdoor activities like cycling, swimming etc.

We hope now you know why Prabhas has gained all that fame. He has followed an exhaustive routine and a very strict diet. Yet, he did not deviate from his goal at any given point of time in those 3 years. He gave his 100 percent to workout, diet and acting. That is how he became Bahubali and won the hearts of millions overnight. If you too want 6 pack abs like Prabhas then ensure that you stay head strong and motivated all the time for that is the key to his success.

The post Bahubali Actor Prabhas Workout And Diet For A Six Pack Body appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

Lean Mass v/s Muscle Mass

Yes, by all means, these two are 2 different terms. Often used interchangeably, these terms mislead the health enthusiasts.

Lean Mass: Also called as Leans Body Mass is actually the weight of your entire body composition minus the fat. It includes the weight of your organs, bones, skin, muscles, water and everything else, except for fat.

Muscle Mass: As the term clearly indicates, muscle mass is the weight of your muscles. When you talk about gaining muscle mass, you are actually talking about the skeletal muscles. This is the only muscle type that can be manipulated with exercise and diet. This means that muscle mass is actually a part of lean mass.

How to Calculate Lean Body Mass

While you do need to know muscle mass and gain, it is rather difficult to do so. You would need hi-end sophisticated equipment to accurately assess muscle gain. However, you can calculate Lean Body Mass rather easily which is definitely a crucial step in planning the path to your health goal.

All you need is a Body Fat Scale and a calculator. Body fat scales are economical and easily available. You might find it at your local gym as well.

• Find your body fat percentage through the body fat scale.
• Deduct the body fat percentage from 100 to get lean mass percentage.

E.g. If body fat percentage was 30% then lean mass percentage will be 100 – 30 i.e. 70%

• Divide the percentage by 100 for the lean mass factor. E.g. 70/100 i.e. 0.75
• Multiply the lean mass factor with your body weight to get lean mass. So if your body weight is 80 kilos, then your lean mass will be 80 X 0.75 = 60 kilos.

If you are at 30% body fat and wish to come down to 20% then you can calculate the target weight as follows:

Target Weight = Lean Body Mass X (100% – target body fat%)

= 60 X (1- 0.2) = 48 kilos.

This means that you will need to come down to 48 kilos to get body fat percentage of 20%.

Why is diet so important for gaining muscle mass?

Another important requirement is dietary fibre and healthy carbs. These are required to promote a healthy digestion so that your body can uptake nutrients being provided. Post workout, carbs also help in raising insulin response which allows muscles to take up maximum protein.

Another reason, to take care of your diet is water retention. Lean mass is largely affected by any change in the concentration of body fluids. With a good diet, you can ensure that your body is avoiding fluid retention. For example: high sodium intake or increased glycogen leads to water retention causing an increase in the lean mass.

We can create ideal conditions for healthy muscle gain for the body with a good diet and healthy habits. Here are the Best Indian foods that are a must if you want to gain muscle mass.

• 1) Eggs

Egg whites are one of the richest sources of complete protein i.e. it has all the 9 essential amino acids needed by our bodies. It is also a rich source of choline, an essential nutrient required for muscle control and neurological efficiency.

In addition to this, the egg yolk, which often is termed as bad, is actually a source of good fat. One yolk a day is actually helpful. Eggs are also rich in Vitamin D. They are in every way ideal for muscle gain.

• 2) Chicken

Chicken is by far the most popular source of protein. It is delicious, easy to prepare, can be cooked with almost anything and is economical too.

Chicken is a complete source of high quality protein. You can easily bag 25 to 35 grams of protein per 100 gram of meat. In addition, you also get a decent supply for Vitamin B6 and Iron. Toss in a few vegetables to your chicken or have it with brown rice to make your meal protein as well as fibre rich – a perfect combination for muscle gain.

• 3) Fish

Fish is again, a very popular source of protein. It is highly recommended due to its lean meat and rich omega 3 which takes part in many bodily processes including fat deposition. Omega 3 also plays an important role in controlling inflammation. Hence, it is a great treat for your exhausted muscles.

• 4) Milk / Paneer / Cheese

Milk and dairy products are all rich sources of complete protein. Incorporating sufficient amounts of dairy products in your diet is an easy way to ensure protein intake. Be it milk, paneer, cheese, yogurt, curd or buttermilk; every dairy product is loaded with whey and casein. In addition to protein, dairy products also supply an impressive amount of calcium, iron and other essential minerals.

• 5) Beans / Pulses

For vegetarians, beans and pulses are the richest and cheapest options for protein foods. They are easy to cook and loaded with numerous nutrients including minerals, iron and dietary fibres. Be it rajma, masoor or soya bean; adding these to your diet is a super healthy way to gain health.

How to build Muscle Strength?

Well, with a good diet you can ensure a healthy and steady muscle gain. However, for gaining muscle strength you will have to do a little more than just eating healthy. Muscle Strength is defined as the force your muscle can exert in one time and this can be achieved with a dedicated workout.

Now that does not mean you ignore the diet. Muscle gain is a prerequisite for muscle strength. More the muscles, more is the strength that you can achieve. These are a few exercises you should focus on to gain muscle strength:

• 1) Mighty four

You must ensure that your workout routine has room for dead lift, bench press, squat and shoulder press. These four are the best exercises for gaining muscle strength.

• 2) Barbells and Dumbbells

These two are the main equipment you need to focus on. Barbells are the best as they let you take a lot of weight which is essential for strength training. You may use these while doing squats or other exercises.

• 3) Core Training

You cannot ignore the core when it come strength training. Muscles in the core i.e. abdomen, back etc. are very essential for your form, balance and the overall efficiency of your workout routines. Focus on crunches, reverse crunches, knee raise and hanging knee raise, planks etc for a strong core.

• 4) Rest

Give your muscles sufficient time to recover post a workout. Keep a gap of 24 to 48 hours before working out on the same muscle again. Also, sleeping is very important. Growth hormone which is required actively for your muscular repair and growth is released when you sleep. Hence, getting 6 to 8 hours is a must.

It goes without saying that muscle gain and strength is a successful union of a good diet and good workout. You miss on either of them and you might find yourself struggling to reach your goal.

The post Best Indian foods to gain muscle mass and strength appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

Did you know that amino acids can do wonders?

In addition, the chain of amino acids comprising oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen play a key role for building fabric of bones, hormones, muscles, skin, hair and more.

Out of all the amino acids, L-Glutamine particularly stands out for its ability to enhance muscle growth, fight cancer and blood sugar, boost digestive health, and improve athletic performance. We would discuss more benefits of this amino acid in this post. So, read on.

What is L-Glutamine?

As discussed in the beginning, L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is useful for human body. This amino acid is commonly found in muscles. In fact, more than 61 percent of skeletal muscle is Glutamine, which consists of 19 percent nitrogen, and carries nitrogen into muscle cells.

Various studies have revealed that L-Glutamine can minimize muscle breakdowns and improve protein metabolism.

Key Facts about L-Glutamine at a Glance:

• It is an essential amino acid that a human body needs in a significant amount
• L-Glutamine promotes digestive/brain health, accelerates muscle growth, and improves athletic performance
• Prevents diseases like cancer and high blood sugar
• Exists in both plant and animal proteins
• Available as a supplement

During intense workouts, the levels of Glutamine get substantially depleted in the body, along with decreased strength and stamina. It may take up to six days for Glutamine levels to return to normal.

When You Need More L-Glutamine

Not just bodybuilders or athletes, L-Glutamine is essential for everyone to keep the body functions up and running. Particularly, people who are suffering from intestinal dysfunction and low immune response, need to increase the levels of this amino acid in their body for healthy living.

The white bloods cells in the body use Glutamine and help restoring the normal immune-system function. People with muscle-wasting and immune-system related illnesses where their body is incapable of producing this key amino acid, may benefit from consuming glutamine supplements along with other amino acids. Getting sick often or losing lean muscles are potential signs of glutamine deficiency. A nutritionist or dietician can easily diagnose such deficiency, and prescribe consuming foods or supplements that contain L- Glutamine.

Overall, in the following cases you need to have more L-Glutamine:

• When you need to maintain body cell volume and hydration
• For speeding up healing from wound and burn
• When trying to produce growth hormone levels. Studies show that 2 grams of L-Glutamine can increase growth hormones by more than 400 percent
• For boosting your immune system
• For maintaining the bowel movement
• For curing ulcers. Researchers have found that consuming 1.6 grams of Glutamine every day may have 92 percent cure rate in four weeks
• For improving gastrointestinal health as L-Glutamine is a vital nutrient for the intestines
• For improving memory and focus as this amino acid is an essential neurotransmitter in the brain
• For promoting muscle growth and decreasing muscle wasting
• For improving endurance and recovery from workouts
• For improving metabolism and cellular detoxification
• For reducing cravings for sugar and alcohol

Dietary Sources of Glutamine

The common dietary sources of L-Glutamine are plant and animal proteins. Foods such as milk, cottage cheese, cabbage, yogurt and raw spinach are good sources of this amino acid.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Centre, glutamine is usually found in the form of L-Glutamine, you can either get it from natural food sources or as a protein supplement such as powder, capsules, and tablets.

5 Foods in India with L-Glutamine

India is the home to a wide range of raw, leafy vegetables that contain high levels of glutamine. Remember that cooking can destroy glutamine, and eating raw vegetables can maximize the glutamine content and increase bioavailability.

Here are the five foods available in India that contain a substantial level of glutamine:

1. Spinach

Raw spinach is a great source of L-Glutamine. You can make a delicious and healthy spinach salad while having meal every day and enjoy the benefits of glutamine. Reiterating that cooking this vegetable will destroy the properties of amino acid, so consume them raw with your salad or cook as minimally as possible.

2. Cabbage

Cabbage is well-known for having a significant amount of glutamine. For a large dose of the amino acid, drink freshly juiced cabbage. It will help build your immunity and improve your overall health. For juicing or fermenting, you can use cold filtered water to maintain the nutrition value.

3. Beans

All types of beans are excellent sources of L-Glutamine. No matter whether you are a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, include beans regularly into your diet to get the adequate amount of dietary protein. Consuming beans as salad or vegetable juice are the best ways to get the maximum benefits.

4. Dairy Products

India has abundance of dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, which can get you the required amount of glutamine. Usually, milk is consumed in India hot, however, to maintain the benefits of glutamine, drinking it cold by preparing a shake is ideal.  

5. Eggs

Egg whites contain high-levels essential amino acids, particularly L-Glutamine. In 100 grams of egg whites, you can get nearly 10.9 grams of glutamic acid. Human body can produce 10 amino acids itself, which are called “nonessential amino acids.” There are nine essential amino acids that human body cannot produce, and are required to be obtained through diet. Consuming egg whites is a good way fill that void.

Closing Words

Other than the foods listed in this post, various animal proteins such as fish and organic meats are rich sources of L-glutamine. Though it is suggested to consume foods without heating, you can still get glutamine from some cooked foods such as sushi and sashimi.

All these discussions give us many reasons to believe that L-Glutamine is not only important for sportspersons such as bodybuilders and athletes but also for average people to improve metabolism and keep off diseases. So, don’t delay, include these foods in your diet to get the daily dose of the much-needed L-Glutamine.

References:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-109033/Hidden-wonders-amino-acids-food.html
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glutamine.htm
https://draxe.com/l-glutamine-benefits-side-effects-dosage/
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=RsQdCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT58&lpg=PT58&dq=indian+foods+with+L-Glutamine&source=bl&ots=coUalByNGT&sig=RF8eAFt4jQunAUVPlHEBzVWrNh0&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=indian%20foods%20with%20L-Glutamine&f=false
http://www.livestrong.com/article/517284-vegetables-with-high-glutamine-content/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/249890-list-of-foods-that-contain-glutamine/
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/glutamine-rich-foods-you-should-add-to-your-diet/#gref

The post Top 5 Foods in India that are Great Sources of L-Glutamine appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

However, you can’t just jump into the ocean and eat the first thing that you catch. So, let’s tell you all that you need to know about fishes. We will also help you with the best Indian fishes for a protein rich diet. So let’s dive into the nutritious world of marine animals.

Types of Fishes

With majority of area being under water, the effect of climate is more pronounced on the aquatic beings. To keep things simpler, we will classify fishes on a very broad index – type of water. Based on this we have:

• Fresh Water Fish

As the name suggests, these are the fishes that stay in fresh or non-saline water. In spite of the fact that fresh water on Earth is really limited, about 41% of total fishes we know of are found in fresh water.

India is pretty rich in terms of fresh water fishes. The two main fresh water fish zones in India are the Western Ghats and the North East. Some commonly consumed fresh water fishes are catfish, carp, crappie, bluegill or bream, trout, walleye, bass, drum etc. Fortunately, a lot of these are abundantly available in India.

• Salt Water Fish

As the name suggests, this type of fish survives in a salt rich or to be more specific, in a basic environment (around 8.2 pH). Almost 60% of the known marine species reside in the salty oceanic and sea waters.

India, being surrounded by the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, enjoys an impressive variety of salt water fishes. Almost all the widely consumed salt water fishes are found in India. Some of the most popular names are salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines, snapper, cod, mackerel, pomfret, herring etc.

• Others

When it comes to edible marine animals, the list does not highlight only fishes. Some of the other marine animals that are an integral part of a seafood menu in India are prawns, shrimps, lobsters, squids, crabs, clams and oysters.

Benefits of having fish or seafood

• Rich in protein
• Low in saturated fats
• High in Omega 3 (essential fatty acids)
• Rich source of vitamins and minerals

Fishes provide a generous amount of protein without unnecessary saturated fats. As, we all know, high protein is essential for muscle development and energy production. Fishes are therefore, highly preferred by bodybuilders, athletes and fitness lovers as a source of protein.  In addition, fishes are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

The three most important Omega 3 fatty acids are ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid). They are required by body for the development, structuring, maintenance and efficient functioning of major organs like brain, skin, heart etc.

Some of the most prominent benefits of having Omega 3 are:

• Helps in controlling blood pressure
• Prevents heart failure
• Prevents heart attacks
• Helps in weight management
• Is a great anti-inflammatory agent
• Helps in arthritis
• Essential for having a great skin
• Supports the mental development of young children
• Enhances cognitive functions

It has been stated that a normal adult should have at least two portions (140 grams each when cooked) of fish each week. Since Omega 3 has such a profound impact on the development of major organs including brain and cognitive functions, health experts insist that pregnant women and young children should have regular intakes of Omega 3. However, sea food comes with its risk as well and the vulnerable group i.e. pregnant ladies, lactating mothers and young children should be very careful with their choice of sea food.

Fish or seafood Contaminants – Mercury and More

The risk factor arising from fishes is due to the contaminants that they harbour in their bodies. On consumption, these toxic substances enter our bodies too. The contaminants usually found in fishes are:

Mercury:

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that becomes a part of fish food chain and gets stored in their flesh. Every fish therefore, contains some amount of mercury which in normal amounts does not pose a potential threat to us.

The only problem here is that more and more mercury is being released into the atmosphere due to human activities like energy generation, combustion etc. This mercury makes it way to the oceans where oceanic bacteria convert it to methyl-mercury. This is taken up by microorganisms that fishes feed on. Thus, fish meat is now home to methyl-mercury which is very toxic to humans in high concentrations. It has been observed that larger fishes (predators that consume other fishes) and fishes with longer life spans contain more mercury than smaller and shorter lived ones.

Other contaminant in fishes or seafood:

Due to industrial wastes and chemicals being washed into the oceans, the number of contaminants entering the oceanic food chain has increased. Worth mentioning here are heavy metals like lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane and even DDT. Fishes that graze on the oceanic grounds (where these contaminants settle down), are more toxic than the others.

Risks and Precautions when consuming fishes or seafood

Health regulating bodies, advice the vulnerable group to stay away from high-mercury fishes altogether. They should consume a max of 340 grams of low mercury fish in a week. It is not recommended to abstain from fish altogether as omega 3 and protein are a necessity during pregnancy. They can protect the child from an array of illness and birth disorders.

Normal adults can have as much fish as they like as long as they are striking a balance between high and low level mercury fishes.

Keeping all the dos and don’ts in mind, here is our list of the Top 10 best Indian fishes or seafood for a protein rich diet. However, our selection will also consider the Omega 3 content and the mercury levels of these fishes so that it is a win-win situation for you.

1)   Rawas (Indian Salmon)

Protein per 100 grams: 25 to 26 grams

Omega 3: 2260 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Salmon is one of the most popular edible fish. Rawas, as it is called in India, is a widely available fish popular for its pink to orange meat and mild flavour. Rawas is an oily fish i.e. it contains oil almost all over its body – tissues as well as the belly cavity. Approximately, a Salmon fillet (boneless piece of meat) contains around 30% of oil. This oil is rich in Omega 3, Vitamin A and Vitamin D.

Even though salmon is low in mercury, it might contain other contaminants like PCBs. So do not have salmon more than 170 grams in a week.

Rawas Nutritional Value per 100 grams

The fish has an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of 0.2 which is great. It is provides a great deal of protein as well as essential fatty acids. As per an FDA program that checked the level of mercury in fishes, fresh or frozen salmon had around 0.022 ppm (parts per million) of mercury which is considered as low. This value is for US Salmon; however even Indian salmon can be considered as a low mercury fish

2)   Katla (Indian Carp or Bengal Carp)

Protein per 100 grams: 23 grams

Omega 3: 902 mg

Mercury: 0.09 to 0.29 ppm (Moderate Level)

Katla is a fresh water fish that is widely found in the lakes and rivers of North India and Assam. A mature fish can attain an average weight of 2 kg. Katla is a very widely consumed oily fish. It is a rich source of protein and essential fatty acids.

Katla Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Katla has an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of 0.7 which is good enough. It is a moderate mercury level fish. It contains somewhere between 0.09 to 0.20 ppm of mercury depending upon the environment. Moderate level means that the fish is safe to eat. You can couple it up with some low-level mercury fish to complete your weekly quota.

3)   Rohu (Roho or Carpo Fish)

Protein per 100 grams: 17 grams

Total Unsaturated Fat: 1.4 gram

Mercury: 0.09 to 0.29 ppm (Moderate Level) 

Rohu is also a member of the Carp family. It is a freshwater fish that is widely available in Northern as well as Central India. Due to the fish attaining an average weight of up to 2 kilograms, the fish is widely consumed for its meat. However, being an oily fish, it is rich in Omega fatty acids too.

Rohu Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Rohu is one of the best options for Indians as it is easily available at affordable rates. The ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is almost 1. Just like Katla, this one too, is a moderate mercury level fish and therefore is safe to eat.

4)   Bangda (Indian Mackerel)

Protein per 100 grams: 17 grams

Omega 3: 2646 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Indian mackerel or Bangda as it is popularly called is one of the staple fishes of India. It is a salt water fish that is widely found in the Indian Ocean and the surrounding seas. Mackerel is an oily fish and therefore is a good source of Omega 3 in addition to protein.

Bangda Nutritional Value per 100 grams

The fish has an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ration of less than 0.1 i.e. it is very rich in Omega 3. It is also a great source of protein. The best part is that it is a very reasonably priced. Mackerel is a low mercury level fish and hence can be enjoyed everyone.

5)   Rani (Pink perch)

Protein per 100 grams: 25 grams

Omega 3: 375 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Ran is yet again a very commonly sold freshwater fish in India. Characterised by the pink colour, the fish is small in size with a mild flavour when cooked. The fish is not an oily fish i.e. it has less than 5 percent body fat and hence it is called as lean fish. A good contender, if protein is your sole criteria for having fish.

Rani Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Pink Perch is high in protein and is low on mercury. It is a great choice for athletes who are looking for a dense protein source. Since, it is not an oily fish; it is moderate in terms of Omega 3 supply. Yet again, Rani is a very reasonable priced fish in India due to its abundance. You can definitely have Rani at least twice to thrice a week.

6)   Surmai (Seer Fish / King Mackerel / King Fish)

Protein per 100 grams: 26 grams

Omega 3: 423 mg

Mercury: More than 0.7 ppm (Highest Level)

Surmai is one of the most popular and among the costliest fishes in India. It is more popular in South and Central India. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc. treat Surmai as a delicacy. Categorically, Surmai is a type of mackerel and is called “King Mackerel” or “Indo-Pacific Mackerel”.

Surmai Nutritional Value per 100 grams

As you can see, Surmai is rich in protein, good in Omega 3 and potent with respect to other minerals and vitamins. However, the fish has a notorious fame for being high on mercury. Now, this does not mean that you cannot have this delicious fish. Since there is a possibility, the vulnerable group should stay away from this fish. However, normal adults can have this fish once a week. Just ensure that if you have this fish, do not have any other fish in that week.

7)   Paplet (Pomfret / Indian Butter Fish)

Protein per 100 grams: 18 grams

Omega 3: 1230 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Paplet is again, one of the most exotically enjoyed fishes in India. Pomfret is a type of Butterfish that is widely found in South Asia including the Indian Ocean.  Pomfret is a non-oily fish and has white meat which is highly delicious. Silver or white pomfret and black pomfret are the two most popularly sold fishes in India.

Paplet Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Paplet supplies a good deal of protein and omega 3. However, the fish is among the costliest fishes in India owing to its novelty. The white meat and rich flavour fetches a great price for this fish.

8)   Hilsa (Herring / Indian Shad / Ilish)

Protein per 100 grams: 21 grams

Omega 3: 2418 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Who hasn’t heard about Hilsa? It is the most popular Bengali fish (national fish of Bangladesh) and very popular in Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat etc. It is a delicacy not just in India but also all over South Asia.

Hilsa Nutritional Value per 100 grams

15% to 20% of the global Ilish catch is done by India.  It is an oily fish and very rich in its Omega 3 content. The ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is 0.1 which is great. It is delicious with tender meat. It is among the costliest fishes in India with cost per kg going up to INR 3000 usually. Hilsa is being highly fished and the population is gradually decreasing. So be wise and do not put Hilsa on your plate too often.

9)   Kekda (Crab)

Protein per 100 grams: 21 grams

Omega 3: 2418 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Kekda is not a fish but it is an integral part of healthy sea food list. Hence, we have placed it in this list. Another reason is that crab is available all over India easily and is enjoyed as a delicacy. Crab meat as healthy as any oily fish.

Kekda Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Crab is a treat in every way. The meat is delicious, tender and healthy. Another important nutrient that crab is rich in is Selenium (44.4 mcg per 100 grams). Selenium has a protective function on the brain and counteracts the hazardous effects of mercury. Crab is easily available and moderately priced too.

10)        Jhinga (Prawns and Shrimps)

Protein per 100 grams: 21 grams

Omega 3: 2418 mg

Mercury: Less than 0.09 ppm (Low Level)

Although prawns and shrimps are different, they are very commonly referred to as jhinga in India. Even across the globe, prawns and shrimps are addressed interchangeably. Both can be found in fresh as well as sea water. Both almost have the same tastes and flavour. The major difference is that prawns are larger in size than shrimps.

Jhinga Nutritional Value per 100 grams

Jhinga is also a rich source of iron (3.1 mg per 100 gram) and selenium (39.6 mcg per 100 gram). The best part about prawns or shrimps is that they are widely available in any local market at pretty affordable prices.

So these are the ten best fishes that can not only treat you to a protein rich meal but also enhance your overall health – both physical and mental. Fish is a highly nutritious and beneficial meal. So get your familiy, especially your young ones, to start savouring sea food regulalrly. Fish is a  preferred protein rich food that is not only dense in nutrition but also a delectable choice when it comes to diet of athletes and bodybuilders.

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Facts about Fat Burning

There are three types of fat burn in the body:

• Basal Metabolic Rate: BMR literally means resting metabolism. This deals with the calories you burn when the body is at rest. Even when your body is physically at rest, there are hundreds of activities taking place inside. Circulation, respiration, cell division, hormone synthesis, muscle development, tear, and repair etc. require a lot of energy. BMR thus accounts for up to 60 to 70 percent of your daily calorie burn. Thus, you can burn fat even by lying on the sofa watching TV, provided you are not accompanied by nasty snacks and cold drinks.
• Digestion: Your body requires a good amount of energy for digesting the food you supply it with. Breaking down food into the chemical moieties like that can be utilized by the body burns a lot of fat – carbohydrates to simple sugars, fats to fatty acids and proteins to amino acids. Your body burns the maximum calories while digesting proteins. Digestion accounts for 10 to 15 percent of your daily calorie burn.
• Movement: In order to sustain its physical activities and movements, your body spends a considerable number of calories. From typing on your phone to running at the gym, every movement leads to fat burn. This is 20 to 30 percent of your daily calorie burn.

Now if you notice, up to 15 percent of your daily calorie burn is reserved for digestion. Our aim today is to maximum benefits from this. We will give our body all the ingredients that will make it burn more fat. Hence a lot of our ingredients will focus on healthy fats and lots of protein that lead to maximum fat burn.

Here are the 10 easily available fat burning foods. The best part is that most of these are there in your kitchen right now!

1)   Chicken

If you are a bodybuilding enthusiast, then you would know that chicken is one of the most popular sources of protein and is highly preferred for gaining a good lean mass. Chicken meat especially chicken breast, thighs and wings are very rich in protein. About 100 grams of chicken gives you 31 grams of protein. Your body needs to convert proteins to amino acids to digest them and that requires a lot of calories. The second best part is that chicken meat is quite lean i.e. it does not have much of fat. Hence, chicken meat compels your body to burn fat without supplying it with additional.

Note: It is preferable to have baked or smoked chicken. Do not use a lot of oil to cook chicken as that will increase your fat intake.

You can check out our 10 best chicken recipes that can help you to make delicious chicken without fats or carbs.

2)   Milk

As we mentioned earlier, in the process of digestion, maximum fat is burnt while digesting protein. Hence, protein rich sources are natural fat burners. Milk is one of the richest protein sources in nature (1 cup of milk gives you 8 grams of proteins) and hence, is a good fat burner. Other than proteins, milk also gives you plenty of calcium, potassium, carbohydrates with very little fats (if you are having skimmed milk). Protein also keeps you full for long. It has also been proven that Calcium is linked to healthy weight loss. Hence, milk is a total weight loss and fat burn food. Have 2 to 3 cups a day (preferably without sugar). It acts as a complete meal without the disadvantages of fats and carbs.

Note: Just like milk, other dairy products like LOW FAT cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese etc. are also great fat burners. You can include these in your diet in small proportions to enjoy satiety for long.

3)   Eggs

Eggs are the richest and cheapest sources of proteins. Each egg gives you 12 grams of proteins. This protein makes your body burn more fat and also keeps you full for long. Having 2 eggs for breakfast also prevents any food cravings till lunch. It has been proven in a research study that people who tend to have eggs for breakfast burn more calories than people who have fermented or wheat based breakfasts.  The protein also leads to muscle development in the body.  The best part about the egg is that it can be had in numerous ways, and goes with almost anything.

Note: All the protein rests in the egg white. The yellow yolk is 100 percent cholesterol which will only lead to more fat in the body. Hence, it is advisable to have only egg whites for your meals and discard the yolk.

4)   Whole Grains

The germ and bran also increase the fiber content of the grains making them great for bowel movements as well. Thus, whole grains act as a complete boost to your metabolism. All this makes whole grains a great candidate for fat burn meals.

The most commonly available whole grains in India are wheat, brown rice, oats, maize or corn, ragi, barley etc. Replace polished white rice with brown rice and start having a bowl of oats for breakfast or as an evening snack. You can have popcorn too if it is not flavored with cheese and caramel.

Note: The simplest way to introduce whole grains into your diet is to have brown bread. It is easily available and is not expensive as well. Having brown bread sandwiches can become a great healthy snack.

5)   Fish

The numerous health benefits of fishes are not unknown to us. We all know that fishes are naturally rich in Omega 3 fatty acids that are required by the body for efficient metabolism as well as to lower triglyceride levels in the blood. It is also a rich source of protein. However, in weight management, fishes get the credit because of their ability to influence leptin – the satiety hormone in the human body. Fishes help in balancing the level of leptin in the blood thus ensuring our hunger and cravings are well under control. Leptin also influences the fat metabolism in the body.

Note: Almost all the fishes are rich in protein and Omega 3. However, try to have wild fish instead of cultivated and hybrid ones.

6)   Beans

Beans are the richest vegetarian sources of proteins and are potent fat burners. In addition, beans are in rich in dietary fibers that along with protein tend to keep you fuller for long. Since beans are naturally very low in calories, you do not load up your body with unwanted carbs and fats even on having bean-heavy dishes. You can have beans the way you want. Have them as such or add them to your favorite vegetables or soups.

Note: Do not go for the marketed ready-to-eat bean preparation as they tend to contain a high amount of sodium and saturated fats. As far as possible, try to have boiled beans in combination with other veggies or soups.

7)   Cinnamon (Dalchini)

India is the land of spices and almost all the spices are loaded with health benefits. Cinnamon is of exceptional benefit when it comes to fat burn and weight loss. It does so through numerous ways. Cinnamon tends to regulate the levels of sugar in the blood i.e. it acts like insulin. We all know that excess of unutilized sugar is stored as fat. Also, abnormal level of sugar in the blood is bad for your health. Cinnamon also stimulates metabolism. The most exceptional trait is that it attacks the fat around the belly which is the most problematic form of fat. Adding to it all, it even suppresses appetite. Thus, there cannot be anything better than cinnamon for burning fat and losing weight.

Note: For effective weight loss you need to have one-fourth of a teaspoon of cinnamon daily. You can add it your drinking water or sprinkle powdered cinnamon on your food. Cinnamon tea with honey is a great way of having cinnamon.

8)   Coconut and Olive Oil

Indian food largely is not completed without incorporation of fats or oils. Be it chicken, fishes or vegetables, we need some amount of oil to cook it. Hence, would not it be great if this oil could be healthy as well? Coconut oil is rich in Medium Chained Triglycerides that are largely used by the body for production of energy. Hence, the chance for it to be stored in your body is less likely. It is exceptional at helping people lose abdominal fat. The benefits of olive oil are well known. It helps in lowering the bad cholesterols from the blood and is good for cardiovascular health.

Note: You can have both the oils simultaneously. Use Coconut Oil for cooking your meals and use olive oil for your salads or whenever you stir fry your vegetables.

9)   Greens

Vegetables do not need any introduction when it comes to health benefits. Vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers and are exceptionally low on fats and calories. Hence, vegetables keep you full for long in a healthy way. They are also rich in anti-oxidants and help to detox your body. You can have as many vegetables as you want – make a salad, stir fry them or add them to your soups. Some of the must-have vegetables are tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and cucumber etc.

Note: To get maximum benefits, cook veggies as little as possible. Heating destroys a major chunk of vitamins and minerals. The best way is to have them raw as a salad.

10)        Fruits

Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Their naturally sweet taste helps to kill your food cravings too. Fruits are rich in carbohydrates that require substantial calories for their digestion. The antioxidants protect the body from harmful free radicals.  Apples and pears are rich in pectin that keeps you full for long. Musk Melon too is another great fruit for weight loss. It is high in fiber and has a good amount of beta-carotene. Pineapple too is very effective for weight loss.

Note: Avoid having fruits juices as you lose fruit fibers then. Juices are also acidic and tend to have a bad effect on teeth enamel.

These are the top 10 fat burning foods that are very easily available and are economical too. The basic idea is to fill up your body with nutrients that are slow to digest so that the body stays full for long and you eat less. When the food is digested slowly, your body burns more calories in digesting them. The overall effect is more fat burn and utilization.

When you get the most calorie burn from your digestion, you automatically begin to harness maximum calorie burn from BMR too and the major component in this is muscles. When the fat in your body decreases, the muscles increase. Muscles are natural fat burners. They require a lot of calories simply for their sustenance. Hence, more the number of muscles in the body more is the fat burn and more the fat burn more is the number of muscles. Thus, your body steps into a healthy fat burn circle that goes on.

Eating healthy and losing all the visceral fat from around the vital organs, helps the bodily functions tremendously. Less fat and abundant nutrients allow the systems – be it cardiovascular system, respiratory system, cellular processes or synthesis within the body, to function at their best. Thus, you get a maximum fat burn from here as well. Thus, effective digestion fat burn directly boosts your BMR fat burn.

We have said this time and again that health is a habit; it is a lifestyle. Right from your food, to your sleeping habits everything needs to be in place to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Replace street and junk food with healthy meals, add a little exercise to your routines and give your body sufficient rest and that’s it. You will enjoy a healthy life like never before.

The post 10 Most Effective Fat Burning Indian Foods appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

The best past about chicken is that you can enjoy it in any form – a healthy salad with crispy veggies, a yummy soup with beans and cream, fried or baked pieces with sauce, delicious curry with steamed brown rice, etc. There is no end to what you can do with chicken. Indian cuisine has hundreds of recipes to offer that can help you enjoy a chicken rich diet. Buthow can we forget the extra oils, fats and carbs that come along with the delicious chicken dishes. Remember how you had dig through a half an inch of oily layer to reach the chicken curry underneath? Well, no doubt the Indian cuisines are delicious but they, at times, are unsuitable for bodybuilders and fitness athletes who are always on a strict diet. However, we have selected some special recipes that do justice to Indian flavors and yet are low on fat and carbs. It is time for you to add some new chicken dishes to your diet chart.

1)    Chicken Tikka Masala

The mere name is enough to make your drool. Every chicken fan would agree with us that Tikka Masala is one of the best chicken preparations. It is delicious, fulfilling and can be had with bread, roti or rice – anything that you like. The traditional way of making utilizes a generous amount of fat and spices however, this recipe from The Health Site has mellowed down the fat levels to almost none. With a perfect combination of spices and absolutely no use of oil, this recipe brings out the taste of Tikka in a very healthy way. Follow this simple recipe and enjoy a lavish protein rich meal. Click here to see the recipe.

2)    Roasted Chicken

This is a brilliant recipe shared by India Times especially for the bodybuilding community. It has been laid down by Mike Jackson who is a Nutritional Consultant hence, this recipe is the real thing. You no longer have to dig into bland and boiled chicken chunks. With this recipe, you can relish some yummy mustard flavored roasted chicken that is delicious, low on fat and carbs and loaded with proteins. The recipe uses Dijon Mustard, which is easily available online and in many retails. You can replace the it with a mustard sauce that you like. So follow this simple recipe and treat yourself to some scrumptious roasted chicken. Click here to see the recipe.

3)    Chicken Biryani

Who does not love Biryani? It is one of the most Indian cuisines and has a fan following all across the world. However, we know that you have to deprive yourself of this delicious offering due to its high fat content, but not anymore. India Times, yet again has come to your rescue with low fat chicken biryani recipe. You can replace plain rice with brown rice and turn this entire recipe into a health blast that is low on carbs and high in protein. The recipe is simple to follow and explains every step clearly. So don’t sulk anymore, dig into some tasty and healthy chicken biryani and be loyal to your diet plan at the same time. Click here to see the recipe.

4)    Honey and Garlic Chicken Wings

Have those KFC ads given you a hard time? No matter how much you love those delicious looking juicy chicken wings, you have to keep yourself away from it because chicken wings are a tad too oily but not anymore. This interesting recipe from Savory Simple has completely transformed chicken wings into a healthy food. With the garlic and honey used as marinade, these chicken wings are oozing with flavors. This recipe uses microwave for cooking but you can also shallow fry the wings in a non-stick pan with little oil. You can use Olive oil or Rice bran oil as both contain 0% cholesterol and Carbs. Click here to see the recipe.

5)    Low Carb Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is one of the most popular chicken recipes. It is a Punjabi dish but is enjoyed whole heartedly throughout the nation. Just like any other Punjabi food, Butter Chicken too is full of fats and carbs. However a low carb version of this dish has been presented by Fitness v/s Weight Loss. The recipe simple and does not require any special ingredient and hence can be easily made at home. It is preferable to use Olive or Rice Bran oil wherever required. If you wish you can also cut down a little on the butter content to make this recipe low on fat as well. So enjoy your plate of butter chicken without any worries. Click here to see the recipe.

6)    Chicken Kebabs

7)    Chicken Sukka

Chicken Sukka is a very popular South Indian chicken recipe. It combines the juicy tenderness of chicken with the spices just perfectly. Chicken uses a lot of dry powders spices and is hence, a very healthy preparation. The best part is that it is made using almost negligent amount of oil. It is super delicious, easy to make and healthy too. Simple Indian Recipes has presented a very simplified version of making Chicken Sukka that will treat your taste buds and satisfy your health requirements in a balanced way. Have it with roti or plain steamed rice, it works well with both.  Click here to see the recipe.

8)    Garlic Chicken

Chicken is full of protein that helps you in gaining lean mass. Garlic has numerous health benefits like being anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, fights cholesterol, etc. Now combine the two and you get an amazingly delicious recipe that is full of health. Indian Healthy Recipes has presented this delicious recipe that is easy to make and tasty to have. You can have it as such or mix with some other filler like noodle or rice. While it is high on nutrition, it takes very little oil to make it. The healthier the oil, the more nutritious this dish gets. Click here to see the recipe.

9)    Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is a great recipe for your lunch. The salad combines the benefits of chicken as well several other vegetables. Salads are a great choice because they do not load your body with unnecessary carbs and fats. You can use as many vegetables as you like and make this salad all the more filling. This delicious Coconut Coated Chicken Salad has been presented by India Times. The recipe says to use extra virgin coconut oil but you can replace it with extra virgin Olive Oil too, if you do not refer a strong coconut flavor. It is easy to make and requires basic ingredients that are available in a regular kitchen. Click here to see the recipe.

10) Guru Mann’s Tawa Chicken

This is probably the simplest chicken recipe you can come across. Even if you are someone who has never stepped into the chicken, you can still make this dish with ease. This recipe has been presented by Guru Mann – a very popular Fitness Trainer. Hence, you know that if the recipe comes from him, it is definitely worth a try. The recipe is easy to make and requires only a couple of ingredients. You can see him personally making this dish on his YouTube Channel Health and Fitness. Check out the video to see how Guru Mann makes Tawa Chicken.

The post 10 Best Indian Healthy Chicken Recipes appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

Going Paleo is to follow the diet of the ancient humans who relied on raw nature for obtaining their calories. Therefore, Paleo says to have lean meat, fishes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and even seeds. It strictly forbids the follower from having any grains, legumes, pulses, dairy products, cereals, salt, sugar and any kind of processed food.

Paleo Diet in India

India follows largely a 3-meal per day pattern (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) and knowingly or unknowingly, all the three meals are heavy; not an advisable thing to do from the health perspective. Hence, India is one nation that can benefit appreciatively by adopting a Paleo Diet. This ancient diet has tremendous potential some of which are –

Effective against Diabetes

It might surprise you to know that approximately 10 lakhs Indians die every year due to diabetes and diabetes related disorders.  Around 7.1% of the Indian Adult population suffers from Diabetes. Lack of exercise and improper diet are the two major causes of diabetes. The Paleo diet focuses on a protein, vitamin and fiber rich diet and excludes most of the carbohydrates and foods that are high on glycemic index – any food that elevates the level of sugar tremendously in the blood after consumption. Thus, following a Paleo diet protect the body from ingredients that increase your chances of getting diabetes. Several researches have shown that Diabetics when put on Paleo diet showed better insulin response.

Good on the Heart

Another accepted benefit of the Paleo Diet is its beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. The Paleo Diet promotes the consumption of healthy fats. Secondly, it prevents the follower from having any junk food or processed food all of which are acclaimed to be health disasters. Thus, it controls the level of cholesterol in the blood and thereby prevents the occurrence of any heart and blood related disorder.

Autoimmune and Allergies

In autoimmune disorders, the body’s self defense mistakes the other cells in the body as foreign elements and starts destroying them. It has been proved scientifically that diet is one of the most crucial factors that can promote or prevent the onset of autoimmune disorders. The Paleo Diet being all natural and free from any chemical or processed ingredient protects the body’s internal environment and thereby prevents autoimmune disorders. There have been reported incidences where people have recovered from autoimmune disorders after switching to a Paleo Diet.

The healthy ingredients in Paleo contain anti inflammatory properties and thus it is beneficial for people who are prone to allergies. It is beneficial for asthmatics too.

Degenerative Diseases

Degenerative diseases are the ones that occur due to the degeneration of the cells that leads to the break down or malfunctioning of the associated organ or tissue. Some of the most popularly known degenerative diseases are Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, etc. Robb Wolf (student of Loren Cordain) has published on several occasions how the current diet is leading to increased occurrences of degenerative diseases.  Paleo diet has been advocated as one of the way to protect you from these illnesses.

In order to adopt the Paleo diet you need to know which ingredients are allowed and which are restricted. We are sharing a list of the ingredients keeping in mind the general Indian diet so that you are able to make your food choices carefully.

Foods that are YES for Paleo

1)     Vegetables:

Paleo Diet welcomes all the veggies generously. You are free to eat as many vegetables as you want. The better the quality of the vegetables, the better will be your overall result. Vegetables are rich in minerals, vitamins and dietary fibers. These are therefore, of utmost importance to achieve your health goal. Now an exception to this rule is the vegetables that are high on carbs. Having an unrestricted amount of these vegetables will become problematic for people who are adopting Paleo diet for weight loss. Otherwise, these vegetables won’t harm you in any way. Here is a list of the vegetables that you can include in your meals.

NOTE: Almost the entire vegetable kingdom is acceptable. The below list includes the ones that have high nutritional value and therefore should be there in your meals.

2)     Fruits:

Just like vegetables, almost all the fruits are accepted as Paleo. You are free to eat as many fruits as you want. Fruits, just like vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in anti oxidants that are very important to protect the body from free radicals. However, if you are on a weight loss plan, limit your intake of Bananas as they are naturally rich in sugars.

3)     Meat:

A Paleo diet cannot be completed without meat. Since the primitive man relied on meat majorly for his nutrition, a Paleo diet focuses extensively on consumption of lean meat (meat without fat). Meat is a rich source of protein. It is required for healthy muscles and for smooth functioning of the inner body. Almost 25 to 30% of the daily calorie intake is to be obtained from meat and fish.

4)     Fish

Fishes are loaded with nutrients and are a great source of healthy fats specially Omega 3 fatty acids. This particular fatty acid is very good for the cardiovascular health. In addition, fishes are a great source of protein too. Having some amount of fish in the diet is therefore a dietary recommendation.

5)     Fats and Oils

An Indian diet is incomplete without oil and fats. Secondly, we cannot have raw meat. It needs to be cooked and we would need oil or fat for it. In order to avoid the large amount of saturated fats in available in oils, only certain oils are allowed under the Paleo Diet.

6)     Nuts

Nuts are a great source of nutrition. They are high in healthy fats, vitamin and minerals. Nuts form a great snack however it needs to be kept in mind that certain nuts are high in fats like cashew nuts that need to be avoided. Stay low on nuts especially if you are trying to lose weight.

7)     Other Ingredients

Eggs: Paleo Diet lets you have eggs. They are natural, unprocessed and great source of nutrition. However, if you are on a weight loss regimen avoid the egg yolk. If you don’t exercise heavily then limit your egg consumption from 1 to 2 per day only.

Tea: You can have the regular tea but in moderate amounts. Adding green tea to your diet is a great way to detox your body.

Honey: You can have honey provided it is pure and unadulterated. Limit your consumption of honey as it is rich in sugars.

Coconut water: It is a great source of nutrition. However do not have access of it. Once in a while is allowed.

Coffee: Limit your consumption of Coffee. You can have black coffee in moderation or coffee with very little milk.

Alcohol: You can have alcohol but only on occasions. It is permissible, because a person cannot give up on alcohol overnight. So a limited amount is allowed.

Note: The meat, egg and even butter and ghee is permissible if it is ‘grass fed’. This means that animal that it is obtained from should not be bred on grains or injected with chemicals. The animal should be bred naturally on grass.

Foods that are NO for Paleo

Keeping in mind the availability of resources in the ancient era, there are many ingredients that are not permissible under the Paleo diet. Here is a brief list –

1)     Legumes or Beans

Since the ancient men did not know cultivation and beans were not available in the wild, they are restricted in the Paleo diet. Beans are also rich in Phytic acid that has many health disorders. Hence, all the beans and pulses are restricted. Black beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Peas, Chick Peas, Soya Beans, Peanuts, Moong, etc are a big NO!

2)     Grains

Yes, not even grains! Grains were introduced only after agriculture came into the picture. More importantly, grains are high in Carbs. Plus grains available today are highly hybridized and processed. Hence, Paleo forbids you from having any kind of grain. Rice, wheat, bajra, Oats, Corn, Grams are not allowed. Derived from grains – Bread, Brown bread, Pasta, Corn Syrup etc. are also forbidden.

3)     Processed Items

Anything that was processed and is not natural is restricted. Hence, say good-byes to your pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, cakes, muffins, wafers, chips, French fries, Pasta, biscuits, cookies, sauces, juices, candies and anything that you pick up from the market.

Foods that are Grey Zoned

1)     Salt

Salt is the richest source of sodium for humans. Even though Sodium and Chlorine (the elements in salt) are of immense importance for humans, many health experts have condemned it. No research studies have so far shown that salt when taken in moderate proportions affect the health in a negative way.  Secondly, having food without a pinch of salt seems non palatable. Hence, you may consume salt in small proportions if you cannot give upon it.

2)     Dairy

Paleo experts have restricted milk as an ingredient on the menu. Boycotting something as valuable as milk is a debatable concept under this diet plan and hence it has been grey zoned. The reasoning given to explain this is that the ancient men did not have milk except for when they were infants. Advocators of Paleo Diet condemn the fact that humans are the only species that have milk of other animals throughout their life. Rest of the animal kingdom relies on mother’s milk only up to a certain age.

Second reasoning is that a considerable population all across the world is lactose intolerant (a prominent sugar in Milk). This leads to problems like leaky gut, indigestion, acne etc. However, not everyone is lactose intolerant and for them milk is a rich source of nutrition for them that cannot simply be kicked off the list.

Hence, whether you should have milk or not is up to you. If you are certain that you can tolerate milk and dairy products really well, then you may continue with it. It is better to have fresh, raw and grass-fed milk instead of pasteurized one. You certainly cannot have cottage cheese or paneer, butter and ghee if it is not grass fed, buttermilk or chaas, cream, ice cream, yogurt, etc.

Limitation of Paleo Diet in India

Applicability of Paleo as a diet format in India is quite challenging.

• We are born to rely on grains for our nutrition. India is the land of grains. Roti and rice are our staple items. Giving up on them entirely is definitely going to be difficult.
• A large number of Indians are vegetarian and Paleo promotes consumption of lean meat. It can be said that Paleo s incomplete without meat, fish and eggs. This makes it difficult for the veg. to take up Paleo.
• Even if Vegetarians do take up Paleo, they will soon deprive themselves of a vital nutrient like protein. The veg sources of protein like legumes and pulses are forbidden under Paleo. Thus sooner or later, the person will begin to feel the impact. To say it frankly, if you are a vegetarian, do not go for a Paleo diet.
• Paleo forbids from having milk and dairy products that are rich in Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamin D. These are vital nutrients for the body. Competing staying off dairy is a debatable topic.
• The Paleo Diet is definitely not easy on the pocket. Fruits, vegetables, grass fed lean meat, fishes, milk, nuts, definitely add to your expenses heavily. Thus, Paleo diet cannot be on everyone’s menu in India at least.

Paleo Diet Plan

If you are sure by now that you indeed want to take up a Paleo challenge then here is an easy to follow 7 Day Paleo Diet Plan. Instead of a 3 meal per day routine, we have broken it down to a 4 meal per day plan. You can modify it further to a 5 meal per day by adding a small snack meal between breakfast and lunch.

Day 1

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Day 2

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Day 3

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Day 4

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Day 5

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Day 6

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Day 7

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This is just a week plan for Paleo Diet. You can continue on the diet as much as you want. Paleo is not just a diet it is a way of life. You can modify your lifestyle and eating habits to favour your health and fitness with the help of this ancient concept of having meals. Give it a try and see the change for yourself. All the best!

The post 7 Days Indian Paleo Diet Plan and Recipes appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

Which proteins to consume?

Proteins are large classified as essential amino acids and non essential proteins amino acids. Non-essential proteins are the ones that are naturally produced within the body. Hence, a person need not obtain it from the diet. On the contrary, essential amino acids are the ones that are not produced within the body. Hence, it is essential for a person to obtain them through external sources. There are 9 essential amino acids – histidine, isoleucine, lysine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine, and valine.

Foods or sources that provide all the 9 essential amino acids are called whole protein or complete protein. Usually, animal derived sources protein are complete sources of protein while plant derived sources are incomplete sources. Hence, if you do not want to rely on animal sources, then make sure to combine two or more plant derived sources to obtain all the essential ones. Here are the 10 affordable sources of protein for you to count on. Since, all the protein that you take may not be digestible and available; it is advisable not to rely only on one single source of protein.

1)   Milk (1 gram protein = Rs. 1.275)

Milk is the most affordable and the most commonly available source of protein that you can come across. A cup of whole milk has about 8 grams of protein and almost equal amounts of fat. Hence, it is advisable to have low fat or skimmed milk that gives the same amount of protein without any or little fat.

Coming to base structure, milk (irrespective of whole or skimmed) contains 18 amino acids which includes all the 9 essential amino acids. Hence, it is a complete source of protein.

Second benefit of having milk lies in its chemical composition. No matter which type of milk you choose, its composition largely is 80% Casein proteins and 20% whey proteins. Whey, as we all know, is a rapidly digestible protein. Casein on the other hand is a sustained form and slowly releases itself into the blood stream.Thus, having milk after working out is a smart choice. Whey part will take cares of the immediate needs and Casein part will give a long term supply.

2)   Chicken (1 gram proteins = Re. 1)

It is widely known that meat is a great source of protein. Chicken is probably the most popular meat source of protein. It is highly preferred because it is cheaper as compared to beef or red meat, more easily available, easy to cook and is a delicacy. Chicken breasts supplies about 31 grams of proteins per 100 grams. Thus, about 200 to 300 grams of chicken a day can take care of the daily protein intake of an average person.

Chicken is also a complete source of protein. It contains about 18 to 19 amino acids which include all the 9 essential amino acids in generous amounts. In addition, it contains small amount of vitamins, considerable amounts of mineral as well. It is better not to subdue the benefits of this ingredient by cooking it an unhealthy manner. Try to stick to low oil or grilled or smoked chicken.

3)   Rajma or Kidney Beans (1 grams proteins = Rs. 0.3)

Beans are one of the most popular ingredients when it comes to vegetable derived sources of proteins. Every 28 grams of Kidney Beans serves around 7 grams of proteins. This is for raw kidney beans. The nutritive value reduces when you boil the beans for cooking.

Although, kidney beans are a great affordable source of protein, they are an incomplete source. They do not provide all the essential amino acids and hence, they need to be coupled up with some other source. It is advisable to have kidney beans along with brown rice and they both make up for each other.

4)   Badaam or Almonds (1 grams proteins = Rs. 2.3)

Nuts have a high reputation when it comes to nutritive foods. They are often included in the diet in small portions to give a boost of nutrition.  The most widely known nut and acclaimed for its nutritive value is Almond. Every 28 grams of Almonds gives 6 grams of proteins.

Almonds are too an incomplete source of protein but since they can be consumer raw, you get almost all of their nutritive components. Have a handful of almonds in the evening as a high energy snack. Almond is just a member of the nuts family. Other nuts like Walnuts also score high on the nutrition index.

5)   Peanut Butter (1 grams proteins = Re. 1 – Rs 2)

There can no easier way of obtaining protein than having peanut butter. It is one of the most commonly available and affordable products in the market. You can pick up peanut butter from any brand that you like. One serving i.e. 32 grams provides 8 grams of proteins.

6)   Paneer or Cottage Cheese (1 gram protein = Rs. 2.5)

Basically, all the dairy products, since derived from milk, are a great source of proteins. Paneer is easily available in the market and can also be made at home with ease. One serving of Cottage Cheese i.e. 100 grams gives 12 grams of proteins.

Derived from milk, cottage cheese too, is a complete source of protein. It has all the 9 essential amino acids and also supplied a good amount of vitamins and minerals. You can have paneer or cottage cheese in any way you like. Simply toss a few chunks in a dish or soup that you like.  You can also barbeque the paneer chunks and have them with vegetables. You can buy Paneer from the market or make it at home with ease. Check out how to make it at home here.

7)   Eggs (1 gram protein / Rs. 0.4)

Eggs are yet again, a very cheap, easy available and one of the richest natural sources of proteins. Every serving i.e. 1 egg provides 6 grams of proteins.

Eggs are also a complete source of protein. They contain all the amino acids that are found in milk. You just need to be careful about one thing. Protein in contained in the egg white while the egg yolk (yellow part) is just cholesterol. Hence, have egg whites and discard the yolk if you are trying to cut down on the body fat. Egg white omelets are popular among bodybuilding enthusiasts. You can also have boiled eggs which are healthier than omelets asthey do not contain any added oil.

8)   Masoor ki Daal or Lentils (1 gram protein = Rs. 0.4)

Pulses are a source of choice for people who are looking for vegetarian sources of proteins. Lentils are highly proteinaceous and every serving of 28 grams provides 7 grams of proteins.

Lentils are incomplete sources of proteins and they do not contain cysteine and methionine – 2 of the 9 essential amino acids. In order to cover up, you can have lentils with whole grains like rice or wheat (chapatti)as they contain good amounts of these 2 amino acids. Moreover, rice and wheat do not have lysine which lentils have in good proportions. This combination ensures that you get all the essential amino acids through your diet in good proportions.

9)   Fish (1 gram protein =  Re. 1 to Rs. 1.25)

Fish is widely known for its nutritive value. It has long been suggested by health experts for great heart health. Different fishes have different concentrations of proteins. However, in general, fishes are a great source of protein. Rohu or Cod Fish provides about 20.8 grams of per fillet i.e. 116 grams. Baangda or Mackerel provides 21 gram of protein per fillet i.e. 112 grams.

10) Cheese (1 gram protein = Rs. 1.75)

Cheese is often regarded as an unhealthy ingredient however this is far from truth. Cheese is a highly nutritious food and is a very rich and an easily available, affordable source of protein. Each serving of Swiss cheese i.e. 28 grams contains about 8 grams of protein.

Swiss cheese is a very commonly available type of cheese. It is the regular yellow coloured cheese that is widely available in the market. Derived from milk, cheese is a complete source of protein. Since, cheese is also rich in fat, its intake should be monitored by people who are weigh conscious. Having a limited amount of cheese is indeed a nutrition boost.

If you monitor your diet and eat what is right, you won’t need to rely on expensive Protein supplements. With these easily available and affordable ingredients, you can get enough protein solely with your diet.

The post 10 Affordable Indian Protein Sources For Muscle Building appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.

Incase you are in a hurry and want the full GM Diet Plan in a single file for quick reference. Then dont worry, we have converted the entire 7 Days GM Diet Plan into a PDF Cheat Sheet. Feel free to download the copy below and refer to it as you go on GM diet plan.

Since this article is very long, we have created the below table of content to allow you to jump to any section directly.

We are pretty sure most of you must be new to the term GM Diet. Hence, let us give you a brief introduction to this routine. The term GM diet came into existence somewhere in the year 1985. It is said that GM stands for General Motors (An automobile manufacturing company) and it came up with this diet plan to ensure that its employees are in best shape and health. GM collaborated with the US FDA and Department of Agriculture to study this diet plan and got it tested for efficiency at the Hopkins Research Centre. Now all this being said, there is no documented evidence that it was actually General Motors that came up with this diet plan. GM spokespersons have repeatedly denied that there is no such thing as a GM Diet Plan and hence, no one knows why it called the GM Diet plan. It is also popularly called as the Sacred Heart Diet or the Cabbage Soup Diet.

Now, if you remember, we said we will share with you the 7 Day GM Diet – “Indian Version”. The globally followed GM diet plan includes non-vegetarian components for its Day 5 and Day 6 diet plan. However, since many Indians have several restrictions when it comes to a non-veg diet; the GM plan was slightly modified and made vegetarian to suit our needs. With this simple substitution, we got the 7 Day GM Diet which turns out to be the best Indian vegetarian diet to Lose Weight.

How does the GM Diet work?

You might be wondering how one can lose about 7 kg of weight in just a week right. The answer lies in its ingredients. The diet plan follows a sequence and subjects your body to a different set of ingredients that boost your body’s metabolism and help in flushing out the waste and toxins i.e. a thorough detoxification. The ingredients have been selected such that they burn more calories and thus, avoid deposition of fat in your body. After 7 days, your body tends to have a rejuvenated metabolism and digestive system. You feel light, energetic and you are in a better shape.

Prepare yourself for the 7 Day GM diet

There are some things that you need to keep in mind before you start with your 7 Day routine.

• Water Intake:

One of the requirements for the success of the GM diet is excessive intake of water. Ideal consumption is to have at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. If you are not used to having large amounts of water then it might get difficult for you to instantly start having 10 glasses once on the GM diet. So, prepare your body for it. In a week or two prior to the start of the GM diet, gradually start increasing your water consumption. This will prepare your body for the targeted week.

• No alcohol:

The GM diet is basically a restart for your entire metabolism. It flushes your entire gut and thus, alcohol consumption is to be avoided. Alcohol causes water retention in the body and thus, it will drastically reduce the efficiency of the entire plan. Stop having alcohol at least a week prior to the targeted day so that your body is completely free of alcohol. While on the plan, have as much water as possible. Additionally, you can have Black tea or coffee and green tea without any added sugar.

• Stock your house:

GM Diet involves good amounts of fruits and vegetables. Hence, make sure that your refrigerator is stocked well for the upcoming days. It is advisable to have a variety of vegetables and fruits so that you get a holistic diet. GM Diet does not put a restriction on the consumption of fruits and vegetables. You can have as such as you want throughout the day. Hence, buy a good quantity for yourself. (We will share with you below the list of vegetables and fruits you should go for).

• Consult your physician:

GM Diet Plan subjects your body to something that you are not used to. If you are healthy and simply need to lose weight then this is a perfect way out for you. However, if you have medical conditions like diabetes, hyper or hypo tension, heart conditions, you are pregnant or a lactating mother, then it is better to consult your doctor before starting with the GM diet. Consult with your doctor what vegetables and fruits you can have, whether you can have your medicines along with such a plan etc.

• Exercise:

GM is a cleansing process for your body. You restrict certain ingredient and have certain ingredients in excess. To make sure that your body copes up with this well, try to exercise for around 30 to 45 minutes each day. This will loosen up your muscles and prevent any kind of fatigue. Start this routine a week prior so that your body is not cramped in the targeted week.

7 Days GM Diet

Here is your 7 Day plan that will help you to lose about 2 to 7 kg in a week. Let us tell you that it requires a lot of determination to successfully complete this diet plan. You might get food cravings, your sweet tooth might go wild, you might miss your favorite aerated drinks etc. Prepare your mind well in advance for what you are about to start. Keep reminding yourself that in just 7 days you will achieve what you want. If you pull thorough first two days then you will definitely complete the 7 days without breaking any sweat.

Day 1 All Fruits Day

The day one of your diet plan focuses on preparing your system for the upcoming days. Fruits are rich in water, vitamins, and other nutrients that your body needs. This will also kick start your process of detoxification. On Day 1, you will have only fruits and nothing else. Right from your breakfast to your dinner, the only thing on your plate would be fruits, fruits and just fruits. You can have as much as you want. There is no cap on the upper limit. Eat 5 times or 20 times a day, but you will consume only fruits. Do not add anything to the fruits like sugars, syrups etc.

Fruits to have: Watermelons, melons, lime, apples, strawberries, pomegranates and oranges. These are the fruits you should largely have on the Day 1. Melons and watermelons will help you to stay full for long so have more of these.

Fruits not to have: Grapes, bananas, litchi and mangoes. These fruits are high on glycemic index and probably this is the reason that they are restricted. Bananas will become a part of your routine ahead. At least on Day 1 say no to Bananas.

Alternate Fruits that can be consumed during GM 7 Days Diet

Fruits will be a part of your GM Diet for the first 3 days. Hence, make sure that you have a variety of fruits in good quantities to get maximum benefits. Since some fruits are seasonal and cannot be found easily, here is the list of alternate fruits that you can choose from for your GM diet.

Day 1 Diet Plan:

This is just one of the suggestive diet plans for the day 1. You do not have to be restricted to this. Just ensure that you stick to the All Fruits diet. Fruits will provide with minimal to no carbohydrates. Thus, you are bound to feel light by the end of your first day itself. Also, ensure that you have plenty water.

Breakfast: The breakfast should be richest meal of the day. So start your day with a plateful of fruits like melon, papaya and apple coupled with up to 1 to 2 glasses of water. These fruits being rich in fiber and pectin, keep you full for longer. Also, being sweet, they would combat the unnecessary cravings too.

Lunch: Try to have more of watery fruits on the lunch. Have your lunch between 12 to 2 pm. You can have 1 to 2 bowls of apples or watermelons. You can also have kiwi as it is very nutritious and also keeps you full for long. Kiwi smoothie is rather popular among people who want to lose weight. Have about 2 glasses of water.

Dinner: You can have oranges, kiwi, pear, guava, melons or any other fruit of your choice for dinner. Avoid more of melons in the night as they take more time to get digested. Have up to 2 glasses of water along with the fruits.

Besides the three main meals, incorporate fruits and only fruits for you morning and evening snacks. Whenever you get hunger pangs, have a fruit and 1 to 2 glasses of water.

A Sample for Day 1 Diet Plan:

Day 2 All Vegetables Day

While your first day is all fruits day, the second day is solely dedicated to vegetables. This day will subject your body to a complete detoxification process. Your body by now will already feel light and more agile due to an all fruit diet on Day 1. Vegetables are rich in water content, minerals and most importantly fibers that are essential to clean your gut. Again, there is no restriction on the amount of vegetables that you can intake. It is as per your satiety. All you have to ensure is that you do not have anything else other than vegetables.

Vegetables to have: Cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower etc.  Potatoes too are included, but only once a day. You can have all the watery vegetables.

Vegetables not to have: Try to avoid peas and corn or any other starchy vegetable.

Alternate Vegetables that can be consumed during GM 7 Days Diet

Vegetables will be a part of your throughout the GM Diet from Day 2 onwards.  Hence, make sure that you have a variety of vegetables in good quantities to get maximum benefits. These are the vegetables that you can choose from for your GM diet.

Day 2 Diet Plan:

The rule is to have as many vegetables as you can both in terms of quantity and variety. If you are fond of salads then prepare the salad of your choice. You should have either raw or boiled vegetables. You can sprinkle a spice of your choice like black pepper or oregano to improve the taste. You can also squeeze some amount of lemon to add a bit of palatability.

Breakfast: Since your body was off carbs on Day 1, you need to have a source of energy to begin your Day 2. So have a boiled potato for breakfast. You can add a dab of butter or olive oil to it so that this breakfast can give you enough energy for the rest of the day. If available, you can also replace regular potato with a sweet potato. You must not have potato after this, throughout the day. Have up to 2 glasses of water in the breakfast.

Lunch: The lunch should be light and include vegetables that are rich in water. Have more of salads and raw vegetables. Ingredients like cabbage, cucumber and lettuce have sufficient water and fiber content to keep you full for long. Have up to 2 glasses of water along with the meal.

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Dinner: For your dinner, rely more on green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage etc. Simply boil these vegetables and have them with a little bit of lemon or pepper on them. Have up to 2 glasses of water along with the meal.

Mid day snacks: You can have fresh lettuce or cabbage. Cherry tomatoes will serve as a good mid day snack as their taste tends to subdue the craving as well. Whenever you feel hungry, have 1 to 2 glasses of water. Keep your body well hydrated throughout the day.

A Sample for Day 2 Diet Plan:

Day 3 Fruit + Vegetable Day

The third day focuses on a blend of Day 1 and Day 2. On the first day, we focused only on fruits to have a non-carb diet. On the second day, we focused on vegetables to take in a fiber rich diet. Now we will mix the two and have an all fruit and vegetable diet for the Day 3 of your 7 Day GM Diet. With such water rich, nutritious and low on fat and carb ingredients on your plate, your body’s newly cleansed digestive tract gets the perfect boost to kick starts its activities.

Day 3 Diet Plan:

Yet again, the rule is pretty simple. You have to consume as many vegetables and fruits as you can along with sufficient intake of water. We have already told you which fruits and vegetables you can consume and which of them are restricted. On the day 3, you will follow the same instructions. From the list of vegetables and fruits you can decide what combination you want to have. You just have to ensure that by the end of the day, you have consumed a good variety of fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast: It is always better to have a sufficient breakfast so that your body is ready to for the busy day ahead. You many start your day with apples or melons just like Day 1 or boiled potato with a dab of butter just like Day 2. You can also mix the two and have 1 small apple and 1 boiled potato for breakfast. This will give you enough energy and keep you satiated till lunch. However, please remember that you cannot have any more potato throughout the day. Have up to 2 glasses of water.

[cooked-recipe id=1430]

Lunch: You can again go for a blend of fruits and vegetables with a little more preference to vegetables. Just like Day 2, have cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, spinach, tomatoes, etc. Add a few slices of one or two fruits to give you a little variety and some sweet taste to beat the craving. Remember that the vegetables either needs to be raw of parboiled. For flavor you can have an olive oil or vinegar dressing. Have up to 2 glasses of water.

Dinner: Salads would be a good option for dinner as they are light, easy to make and really fulfilling. Alternatively, you can have parboiled vegetables and garnish them black pepper, oregano or chili flakes and some lemon juice. This will give you some flavor as well. You can have some fruits after this as your dessert for the day. Have up to 2 glasses of water.

Mid Day Snack: We would suggest that have more of fruits for your snacks as the sweet and tangy flavors will help to kill the cravings. Along with fruits you can also have broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Support your mid day snacks with good amount of water to kill the hunger.

A Sample for Day 3 Diet Plan:

Day 4 (Banana, Milk and Soup Day)

Day 4 of the GM Diet plan comes as big surprise for all those who have stuck to the plan until now. The first 3 days of the plan have been no carbs diet. We only had vegetables and fruits. To help your body in coping with all the carbs that it has lost and to replenish minerals like potassium and sodium that are largely lost due to excessive water intake; Day 4 will solely focus on restoration with Bananas, Milk and Soup.

Day 4 Diet Plan:

Banana is rich in carbs, potassium and sodium and thus, on Day 4 this fruit will act as your balance restorer. You can have up to 6 to 8 bananas and up to 4 glasses of milk throughout the day. Once in the day, you can have the luxury of having a soup. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water throughout the day.

Breakfast: You can kick start your day with a highly energizing combination of bananas and milk. You can have about 2 bananas and 1 glass of milk for the breakfast. This will give you sufficient energy until lunch. You can have bananas and milk separately or you can slice the bananas and pour cold milk over it and have it.

Lunch: Since, banana and milk is all you have to play with, you can make your lunch interesting by choosing different recipes of consuming them. If you want you can have banana milk shake or smoothie (without adding any sugar). Making milkshake or smoothie is almost similar. Simple blend the two ingredients and add water or ice to give the consistency that you desire. This is a refreshing way of having banana and milk. Do not forget to have sufficient water.

Dinner: Having banana and milk throughout the day can be a little depressing. So for dinner, give yourself the luxury of having a soup. The most beneficial soups to go for would be tomato soup and cabbage soup. They are highly nutritious, keep you full and have a natural flavor to them. Soup is also preferable during night as it is light as compared to milk and banana combo.

[cooked-recipe id=1434]

If you want you can add more vegetables to the soup and make it a mix vegetable soup.

Mid Day Snack: Well there is not much to play with here. For your mid day snack too you will have just bananas and milk. If you had smoothie for lunch, then you can have milk shake for mid day snack and vice-versa. Have sufficient water to keep your stomach full and body hydrated.

A Sample for Day 4 Diet Plan:

Day 5 Protein & Paneer Day

Finally, it is time to bring protein back into the frame. Until Day 4, you focused on fibers, sodium, potassium, vitamins, minerals etc. Your muscles will start feeling the lack of protein by now. Hence, now with Day 5, we will put you on a protein rich diet so that your muscles don’t succumb to fatigue. This day will also give you a break from the monotony of fruits and vegetables. The global version of GM Diet actually has consumption of meat on Day 5. We have substituted it veg. sources of proteins in the Indian version.

Day 5 Diet Plan:

With day 5, you have the luxury of having sprouts, tomatoes and cottage cheese i.e. paneer, yummy right. You can consume around 6 tomatoes and around 250 to 500 grams of paneer throughout the day. If you are not so fond of paneer, then you can have some soya chunks too as well as some low fat curd.

Breakfast: You can start your day with a healthy breakfast consisting of sprouts and tomatoes. Sprouts are very nutritious and they keep you fulfilled for long. Similarly, you can also have soya chunks, boiled and sprinkled with salt and pepper. For some palatability, you can use 1 tsp of olive oil and toss the boiled soya chunks in it to make them a little crispier. Have a good amount of water.

Lunch: For lunch, you can have a protein rich soup consisting of mixed vegetables and add paneer chunks to it. This will give you loads of nutrients and will keep you satiated sufficiently. Don’t forget to have a good amount of water. You can also try your hands on palak paneer without using much of oil and spices.

[cooked-recipe id=1436]

Dinner: For dinner you can again experiment with a different soup. You can also have something like Scrambled paneer or paneer bhurji if you want. Simply chop some vegetables like bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, a few green chilies and toss it in a pan with 1 tsp of olive oil.  Once it is nicely sauteed, toss in fine paneer chunks to it. This is just like making scrambled eggs. Also have up to 2 glasses of water.

Mid Day Snacks: For your snack meals you can have a good amount of sprouts. The easiest and yummiest way of having sprouts is to make a sprout salad. Take the sprouts that you want in a dish, put some finely chopped onions, tomatoes, and 1 spoon of olive oil to it. Sprinkle salt, and chili flakes and roasted jeera powder on it. Mix it well and your sprout salad is ready. Have a good amount of water with it. Alternatively, you can also have curd with a pinch of salt.

A Sample for Day 5 Diet Plan:

Day 6 No Tomato Day

On the Day 6 of the 7-Day GM diet, you need to continue with the protein rich diet. You will continue to have sprouts, cottage cheese, vegetables but excluding tomatoes. While on the Day 5, you relied heavily on tomatoes, on Day 6, you need to avoid it. Continue to have soups, par cooked vegetables and a great amount of water. You will start noticing a great change in your body by now.

Day 6 Diet Plan:

Soup is encouraged on Day 6 as well as it lets have a good amount of vegetables in a healthy and tasty manner. Soup also allows intake of a good amount of water. All the vegetables provide you great amounts of fiber that help in keeping your gut at its functional best. Cottage cheese, soya chunks, etc. will take care of the protein requirement.

Breakfast: You can start your day with a nice bowl of sprouts or boiled kidney beans along with 2 to 3 glasses of water. You can use some spices like black pepper, oregano, chili flakes etc. to add a little flavor to your breakfast bowl. You can also have a bowl of salad if you wish including vegetables like cabbage, bell pepper, carrots etc. You must not have tomatoes or potatoes. If you wish you can munch on a fruit except for banana.

Lunch: You make your lunch fulfilling by having a nice bowl of yummy hot cabbage soup. We told you above that GM Diet is also called as the Cabbage soup diet. It is because cabbage soup is a great weight loss tonic and you can have as much cabbage soup as you want. Alternatively, you can have the mixed vegetable cottage cheese soup if you want for lunch.

[cooked-recipe id=1438]

Dinner: For dinner you can have scrambled cottage cheese or you can go for slightly tossed soya chunks. Add to this a light salad. Have an apple or an orange to appease you sweet craving. Also consume lots of water along with your meal.

Mid Day Snacks: Rely on sprouts largely for your snacks as they are tasty and keep you full for long. Sprouts salad is a good option. You can have more of soup for your snack time as well. A few slices of fruits can also be a part of your mid day snack. Remember to have a good amount of water.

A Sample for Day 6 Diet Plan:

Day 7 Rice and Chapatti Day

This is the last and final day of your difficult 7 Day GM Diet Plan. If you have reached till here then you should be really proud of yourself. On this day, you will get a little liberty as you have done everything as suggested in the last 6 days. You can have fruit juices, 1 to 2 cups of BROWN RICE and ½ to 1 Chapatti. Continue to have vegetables and fruits.

Day 7 Diet Plan:

You have to make sure that you do not deviate from the diet plan just because this is the last day. Even Day 7 is very important. Since for the past 6 days, your body has been completely aloof from starch; on Day 7, you can again introduce healthy starch in your diet like having brown rice preferably and having wheat chapatti. You can have sprouts as well.

Breakfast: Since the idea is to burn calories during the day, we suggest that you have rice in the morning itself. However, if you wish to have it for lunch, then have a breakfast consisting of sprouts or fruits. Have melons or watermelon and papaya as they will keep you full for long.

Lunch: You can have a basic lunch with a bowl of boiled brown rice and some slightly cooked vegetables like cabbage or bell pepper or broccoli. Even today, keep potatoes off the menu. To make this boring lunch a little interesting, you can cook the rice and vegetables together to make a pulav.

[cooked-recipe id=1440]

Dinner: Since, you already had rice for lunch, try having chapatti for dinner. Have 1 chapatti with a vegetable. Make sure that the vegetable is not too oily or spicy. You are still on a diet don’t forget. After this have a vegetable salad or a fruit of your choice. Have sufficient amount of water.

Mid Day Snacks: You can have fruit or vegetable salad or sprouts salad for your snacks. You can also go for any kind of soup like cabbage soup, tomato soup or mixed vegetable soup. You can also grab a bite of your favorite fruit. You can have what you want. Keep having sufficient water to keep the hunger pangs under control.

A Sample for Day 7 Diet Plan:

This is a detailed layout of your 7 Day GM Diet Plan – Indian Version or Vegetarian Version. If you are able to keep complete this successfully then nothing can keep you from losing 2 to 7 kg in just a week. It might sound miraculous, but GM diet is based on a very simple concept that if you burn more than you eat then you will lose weight. By limiting your food intake, you ensure that the body is burning all the possible accumulated glycogen and calories thus, promoting your weight loss.

Things to remember:

• 7 days complete one GM cycle. You can subject your body through as many cycles as you want. Just ensure that there is a gap of 2 to 3 days between two 7 Day Plans.
• Whether you are on a diet plan or not, you need to have sufficient amount of water. Keeping your body well hydrated is one of the pre-requisites of good health. Have around 8 glasses of water at least on your regular days. The more the better.
• It is better to have some amount of exercise each day to maintain a healthy body. To ensure that the effect of the GM diet stays for long, exercise for at least 30 to 45 minutes a day.

Pros and Cons of GM Diet:

Although the GM diet does a great job, it is not completely flawless. There are some pluses and some minuses as well.

Pros:

• • The biggest advantage is that the GM Diet Plan can be followed by anyone. Be it a student, a housewife or an elderly person. Since, it simply controls and modifies what you eat, its applicability is impressive.
  • Another positive thing is that, it surely has helped a lot of people is losing weight. Even though there is no documented evidence, people who have followed a GM Diet plan have definitely seen great results.
  • You have to rely on fruits and vegetables and sprouts that are easily available in a local market. Hence, preparing for the diet is not actually a hassle. Compared to the paid weight loss plans, GM Diet Plan is freely available on the net and the ingredients are not that expensive.

Cons:

• • The most bothersome disadvantage of a GM Diet plan is the bounce back effect. People have definitely lost weight while on the diet plan. However, once they resumed their regular diet and life, their body bounced back to the original weight. Thus, it can be said that even after the plan is over, you have to monitor your diet and lifestyle strictly to have a long term effect.
  • You may get headaches and muscle cramps in the first 3 days of the Diet Plan. Depriving your body completely of carbs and proteins in the first 3 days has its effect on the muscles. You need to be physically active to overcome the cramping.
  • While you do have a lot of fruits and vegetables, you deprive your body of protein and fats which are also very essential for the body. Hence, following a GM Diet plan repeatedly can definitely cause nutritional deficiencies.
  • The cabbage soup that is highly prescribed is very rich in sodium. Having large amounts for longer duration can again lead to nutritional deficiencies as increased sodium will cause excretion of other elements. Increase sodium can also be problematic hypertensive patients.

To sum it up, we would say that such a promising plan is definitely worth a try. If bounce back effect is a concern, then ensure that follow the principle of a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet. It is not difficult to plan your dietary and exercise routines. You can do at least this much for a great and admirable physique right?

So what are you waiting for? Your dream physique is not that far after all. Get on the GM diet Plan and shed those extra kilos from your body in just 7 Days. We are sure that you can do it! All the Best.

Disclaimer: Team IBB has provided this information for educational purposes only, and any decision on the reader’s part to use this information is their personal choice. IBB is not a medical organization authorized to provide medical advice or diagnosis. Please seek the advice of a qualified physician before deciding to opt for any weight loss program of any kind.

The post 7 Days GM Diet – The Best Indian Vegetarian Diet to Lose Weight appeared first on IBB - Indian Bodybuilding.