As big an issue the lack of weight loss is for a majority of people, the lack of weight gain can also be considered an issue for many people. Have a look at some of these foods that help one gain weight in the best way possible.

The best part about weight gain is that you literally have nothing to lose when experimenting with different kinds of food that help you gain weight. There are a ton of foods out there that help you gain weight quite efficiently, and by simply adding these to your daily diet, you can go a long way in gaining weight.

Rice:

This amazing low-costing carbohydrate source which can easily be found super conveniently is one of the best sources to help you gain weight in the right manner. This calorie-dense food can provide a person’s body with quite a high amount of both carbs and calories in just a single serving. As a result of this, you actually end up consuming more food.

This, in turn, helps increase your appetite and enable your stomach to take in more food, especially if you are someone who has a small appetite.

But always remember about portion control.

Too much of any food product can only cause adverse effects in the body if the consumption is not taken care of.

Starchy Foods

One of the best and safest ways to gain weight is by consuming foods that are high in starch. Things like potatoes, corn, oats, buckwheat, squash, etc are not only cost-effective but add a significant number of calories to your diet. The great thing about using these foods in your diet is that if you are someone who is looking to gain muscle as well, apart from gaining weight, then these foods help increase the glycogen levels too.

You see, considering that glycogen is the main fuel that helps people workout and participate in sports, this is a major plus for this food group without a doubt!

Whole-grain bread

Another amazing source of good carbs is whole grain bread. Simply by combining bread with high protein foods like eggs and cheese, you can actually make a great and nutritious meal for yourself with very little effort.

The good thing is that there are many options available in the market nowadays. From choosing things like oat bread to having the option to pick multigrain bread which has seeds in them, one can easily find their favorite choice from among the racks of the supermarket.

Cereal Bars

One of the best and healthiest on the go snacks, they are definite food products that even the best nutritionist will end up talking about. Most cereal bars essentially consist of carbs that are a combination of both fast and slow digesting carbohydrates making them quite an ideal choice for consumption prior to and even after training sessions.

Combining these cereal bars with yogurt, or even a protein shake will ensure that you consume a balanced meal filled with carbs, proteins, and minerals.

When it comes to the bottom line of things, one needs to remember that weight gain has a lot to do with consuming more calories than what is needed by the body. However, always remember to get these calories from healthy sources rather than from junk foods and the likes.

The post Top 4 foods to help you gain weight first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

But it can be quite a task to pick the perfect personal trainer for you! You could always start by observing the personal trainers in your gym and even ask around for recommendations. But to better pick a personal trainer, we do have here a few points that you can keep in mind. Have a look!

Focused:

You need to remember that a personal trainer has to be dedicated towards you. Her/his eyes should not leave you while you are busy sweating it out on the gym floor. If you think that your trainer is busier looking around while you are exercising then he/she is definitely not for you.

There is nothing worse than an unengaged trainer, who just tells you what to do and does not monitor you in the process. This could easily lead to you hurting yourself while exercising! Not a great experience!

A Great Teacher:

Anytime that they notice you are doing some exercise wrong, be it according to your posture or your technique, and they are open to correcting it, then you know you got a good trainer on your hands. Being strict is a good thing, and if your trainer constantly teaches you new techniques that will help change yours’ and cues you on what you are doing wrong, then remember, it really is for your own good! This means that they are truly paying attention to what you are doing!

Values your time (and makes the best of it) 

Remember those gaps that you take between your exercises? Well, if your trainer thinks that it is a waste of time and uses that very gap to squeeze in things like stretches or even uses this time to tell you what it is you are doing wrong and works with you on correcting the same, then he/she is a keeper!

They could also use this time to target some other muscle group in your body so that all your muscle groups are given their fair share of exercise! And if by the end of it if you genuinely feel like your time is being made good use of, then you know he/she is good for you!

 Knows your problems and aches:

A good trainer will always keep in mind any sort of issues you might have. If they are taking time to design an exercise routine around your spondylitis or your sore shoulder, then they are a keeper for sure! Any trainer who overlooks your pain and continues with the same exercise routine, that is worsening your condition, you need to say goodbye to!

Makes you look forward to working out:

What sort of a trainer would they be if they made you dread coming to the gym? A bad one, right? A personal trainer needs to motivate you, not de-motivate! A great personal trainer should genuinely want to make you come to the gym to workout and improve. They should be able to praise you when you are doing something well, and let you know, constructively when and where you need to improve!

Any trainer who makes you feel good about yourself and your accomplishments in the workout space needs a shout-out and is definitely someone you should stick to for long!

The post The Good Personal Trainer Qualities Checklist! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

We should never underestimate the power and importance of a good workout session even though it only constitutes 20% of the journey to a healthier you. But you also need to realize that the better the quality of your workouts, the more beneficial it will be for you. However, sometimes, thanks to our busy and monotonous day to day schedules, we are not able to take time out to go to the gym and workout! This is where a home gym comes to your rescue.

There really is something about strolling into your very own home gym and working out to your heart’s content, without feeling the need to travel all the way to that gym of yours! So to help you build that amazing yet basic home gym, here is a list of the top 4 types of equipment that you will have to invest in!

• Yoga Mat:

Contrary to popular belief and thanks to its name too, yoga mats aren’t only used to practice yoga on. Any floor exercise that you love doing, can be done easily with the help of this wonderful equipment. From your pushups and crunches to your planks and even squats, this little beauty will help support you throughout your workouts.

If you are tired of sliding on that floor of yours, well then the yoga mat will truly provide you with the support that you have needed all along!

• Skipping Rope:

Skipping ropes are one of the most underappreciated and yet the most versatile workout equipment that you will ever come across. All you need for this wonderful way of working out is a clear space. This is merely to ensure that you do not end up breaking things while you are busy exercising.

Skipping truly has to be, hands down, one of the best ways to catch up on your daily dose of cardio. Get your heart pumping and get ready to indulge in some of the best home workout session you will ever come across with this brilliant contraption.

• Dumbells:

We know that you obviously might not have space enough to accommodate that mile-long beauty from the gym, but have you thought that you can atleast get those smaller dumbbells that will greatly help you strengthen your muscles, and that too in the comfort of your own home!

The best part about such dumbbells is that one can easily store them anywhere in their house. Everything from under the couch to your wardrobe, all these little miracles need is a tiny corner to rest till they are taken out to be used again!

• Resistance Bands:

Another full body workout equipment, this is a must for any home gym. A resistance band is portable, extremely helpful and one can easily try out new and effective exercises with this wonder equipment. Trust us when we tell you that there is nothing better than feeling yourself stretch with the help of this product!

So if you are serious about building your own home gym, then trust us when we tell you that these equipments, apart from occupying the least amount of space will literally give you a complete workout! So, are you ready to become the healthiest version of yourself?

The post Top 4 Equipment to help build a Home Gym first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

And how does one get that inspiration? Well, for me it has to be, hands down, my workout playlist! I literally cannot think of working out without my earphones plugged in! I am sure it is pretty much the same for most of you! Am I right?

So since I love making sure that you have as great a time as I do when working out, here is my list of the must-have Workout Playlist! This is essentially a mixed bag of my favorite songs to workout to!

1. Bang Bang- (Bang Bang)
2. Kar Gayi Chull- (Kapoor & Sons)
3. Matargashti – (Tamasha)
4. Saturday Saturday- (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania)
5. Angreji Beat- (Cocktail)
6. Abhi To Party Shuru Hui Hai- (Khoobsurat)
7. Rock Tha Party- (Rocky Handsome)
8. Afghan Jalebi- (Phantom)
9. Sooraj Dooba Hai- (Roy)
10. Manali Trance- (The Shaukeens)
11. Malhari- (Bajirao Mastani)
12. Party All Night- (Boss)
13. London Thumakda- (Queen)
14. Rum And Whiskey- (Vicky Donor)
15. Hookah Bar- Khiladi 786)
16. Dhoom Machale Dhoom- (Dhoom 3)
17. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
18. Lose Yourself – Eminem
19. You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
20. Till I Collapse – Eminem
21. Good Feeling – Flo Rida
22. No Matter What – T.I.
23. Monster – Skillet
24. Fade To Black – Metallica
25. Fight the Power-Public Enemy
26. Don’t stop the Music-Rihanna
27. Powerman-Kinks
28. Body Movin’ – Bestie Boys
29. Paper Planes – M.I.A
30. Work Hard, Play Hard – Tiesto

Feel free to mix the songs up since I have not put them any particular order! Everything depends on your preferences, and whatever helps you keep going during your workout sessions!

Here’s hoping that you have a blast working out and are get more inspired during the new year!

The post The Must-Have Workout Playlist! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

We do know how important your smartphones are to you. We are also sure that you must be extremely confused as to why we have suddenly started talking about your smartphones, but bear with us because we have a reason for suddenly blabbering about these devices. Many smartphone apps have become an essential part of our daily life and we can hardly imagine life without them. So here is something that might inspire you! What would happen if we told you that your phone could be your window to achieving your fitness goal even during the laziest season of the year?

So to let you use the power of your smartphone in the most beneficial way, here is our list of the top 5 apps that will help motivate you during the winters.

1. Workout Trainer: If you are someone who believes in variety being the spice of life, this app is definitely for you. This brilliantly motivating app offers you more than 1000 intense workouts. These workouts range anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Every workout also has audio and video that further help in making sure that all the exercises that you are doing, you are doing right. Another great thing about this app is that you are able to choose which area you want to focus on when you workout. From strengthening your core to improving flexibility, this app offers you help in almost every aspect.

   

2. Sworkit: Sworkit, like workout trainer, also helps you concentrate on one aspect of your fitness journey first. Using this app, you can easily choose the basic type of workout that you are looking for. This app offers you a variety of things be it cardio, yoga or stretching. You can also choose the amount of time you want to spend on that particular area/method. Even the timings can fluctuate between 5 minutes to an hour. This proves essentially effective for people who are short on time but want to make the most of what they have got.

   

3. Freeletics: Our list is not complete without the mention of this wonderful app. If you are familiar with the HIIT(High-Intensity Interval Training) method of working out or are someone who wants to give it a go, then the app will prove especially useful for you. The app basically concentrates on 4 main platforms that also happen to be free. These are gym, body-weight workout and training, nutrition and running. So in short, everything! Offering videos of the routines that you need to follow also helps you to know how exactly to carry out the exercises step-by-step.

   

4. The 7 Minute Workout: This app goes one step further in making sure that you remain motivated and are more than willing to sweat it out. The app literally acts like your personal trainer, how cool it that? The name of the app itself says it all. We mean who cannot take out 7 minutes from their busy day to feel healthier and happier about it all? Even a mere 7 minutes with this app will leave you feeling extremely good about yourself post your workout! This too has different categories under what sort of workout you want to do. Makes everything so much easier we tell you!

   

5. Yoga-pedia: Yoga has always been one of the most appreciated forms of exercises that not only helps in shedding those extra kilos but also contributes a great deal to your overall well-being. You have to admit that no workout regime is complete without yoga in it. The app is a great one when it comes to teaching yoga to people who are new to the whole yoga experience. You can choose what asanas you want to learn depending on whether you want to improve your flexibility or help in relaxation. The app offers more than 80 asanas by category and also provides video instructions to the users!

We really hope that these apps prove to be of help to you when it comes to living a healthy, active and fit life. We ourselves are having a blast using these apps and still cannot decide which one we like the best!  And if you want someone to help you on the healthy food front, then we are always available to help you with that!

The post Top 5 Go to Apps for a Healthier You! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.