A health talk was recently organised in Delhi to debunk myths around health and exercise. Experts present on the occasion emphasised upon the benefits of home-cooked meals, deep sleep and mental health in improving gut health. Read on to know more about it…
Did you know that the secret to lose weight lies in your kitchen? Fret not, we aren’t making this up. Fitness expert Sumaya Dalmia revealed this secret at a health talk being organised in New Delhi.
She said, “If you want to lose weight, its 90% in the kitchen and 10% in the gym. The gym just puts you in a certain amount of calorie deficit but that’s marginal. Weight loss comes from your gut and digestion.”
The pandemic was harsh on people. Many people complained of weight gain and dependence on junk food to find happiness in the times of turmoil. Seema Jindal, Owner, Nourish Organics, said that weight gain during the pandemic happened due to work-from-home.
“Since parents and children were both at home, people’s dependency on food and gadgets increased. Though gadgets are a way of life but it’s very important to do stretching and lift weights. Some people find happiness in food. But one way to remain happy is through exercises. Exercise produces serotonin (happy hormone). If you are happy exercising then you would not reach out for unhealthy food to find happiness,” she said.
The younger generation, on the contrary, relooked at their physical health during the lockdown. Many people resorted to online fitness sessions while working from home. Yoga, meditation, cross training, tabata and Zumba became increasingly popular and slid as part of people’s daily routine.
This became evident even on Instagram when training at home became the new normal. It was around this time, several myths started making rounds too. Among them was what to exercise, how much to exercise and if overexercising is good for the body. Sumaya cleared the air around extensive exercising. She said that ‘less is more’ and quality plays an important role over quantity.
“Exercising makes a you healthy. When you train, you build muscle and increase your metabolism. But dedicating three hours a day is not ideal. I instead recommend to spend four to six hours a week in doing different forms of exercises,” she asserts.
Another myth that remains unanswered involves strength training in women. Sumaya clarifies that both boys and girls should also focus on strength training. “Strength training helps in building muscles. Muscles improve metabolism and speed up body’s capacity to lose weight,” she said.
She also insisted on the importance of understanding one’s body before taking up an exercise. “Following someone else’s shoes while exercising is not a good idea. People tend to follow what their friends are doing or what they see on social media pages. However, every person requires a different workout. People who look at others often end up doing a wrong exercise that may be lethal to their body,” she said.
Also, exercise alone is not enough do the magic of weight loss. Eating healthy is also essential. Seema shared, “Immunity is more about a holistic realm of things, i.e., how you feel, sleep and about your gut health. If you feel sad or depressed, have a life coach. I have tried vipassana or yoga to stay mentally fit. Sleep is also important. It helps your skin to glow and hair to grow. Everyone needs different amount of sleep. It’s not 10 hours a day, but at least six hours is essential for all. It is important to know that over exercising disturbs sleep,” she said.
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