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The Right way to do Surya Namaskar

The Right way to do Surya Namaskar   How To Practice Surya Namaskar : In this Video watch our Yoga expert  Rajeswari Vaddiparthi  show you the correct postures while doing the Surya Namaskars. She also shows some floor asanas/excercises for added fitness and strength in Yoga.  

Cycling for lovely legs

Cycling for lovely legs Remember those carefree days when you would cycle with your friends in the neighborhood and have fun racing with each other. Time flies and you are caught up in the vicious circle of a routine life. Home, chores, kids, work, homework and the dinners to be made and then you hit the sack thinking about tomorrow’s tasks. The need to fit in exercise and stay in shape is another add on. So get back to that wonderful exercise and at least try cycling at the weekends and feel the benefits of the two wheels!   Cycling is a great workout to break into a sweat and work your legs. The advantage is you can push yourself at a higher intensity – so the harder you cycle the better. What does it do? Which you probably know already… ->Strengthens your legs, arms and back, ->Encourages your heart to work more efficiently and ->Aids in weight loss. Cheap way to stay fit If you can try Cycling to your work place or when you go to the market for groceries. Not recommended if you live in a high traffic zone though. So what are you waiting for? Pull out that unused bicycles and hit the roads with your friends for company...

Fitness Gear for Fitness and Style

Fitness Gear for Fitness and Style   With fitness being the buzz word,every soul you know  is hitting the road or gym for fitness, health and to lose weight .This significant trend has fuelled a market for fitness trackers and smart watches which have popped up in a  dime and dozen. In this flurry of gadgets, Samsung has come out with its own solution for fitness lovers who like to flaunt their fashion statement through their fitness gear too. The brand claims to offer the perfect solution through their Gear Fit – a fitness wrist band flaunting a stylish design with curved screen, as well as a heart rate monitor, pedometer and a few smart watch features thrown in. Samsung’s Gear 2, which has a more stylish design than its predecessor, features a refined design, heart rate monitor, bulbous camera, built-in IR blaster and heart-rate monitor. The My Apps features preloaded and third-party watch apps, which can also be removed from Favorites, the top-level menu on the watch. So for those who believe fitness and fashion go together this could be just the right gadget for you!

Fitness on the sandy beaches

Fitness on the Sandy Beaches   Sandy Beach Fitness:Sandy For those who have lived on the coastlines might have experienced the fun of running and playing on the sandy beaches. Research shows that, when done properly, shorter training sessions on a sandy surface may be beneficial to your fitness routine. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences that looked at an eight-week conditioning program for female athletes found that substituting sand for grass increased exercise intensity and training load, thereby improving overall aerobic fitness.   Running on sand will make you stronger because you’re dissipating energy out into the sand and working harder to achieve the same speed (as on a solid surface),” says Greg Wells, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. Running on sand helps in building muscle tone and fine motor control as it takes a lot of energy to run on sand. The West Indian Cricket players are known to practice their bowling skills on the beaches as it you have to exert a lot of force to make the ball bounce on the sand. It’s the same principle as it enables core muscles. So the next time you get an opportunity to go the beach try and practice running on the sands…

Fitness band that shocks you to Hit the Gym

Fitness band that shocks you to Hit the Gym   Pavlok,the new fitness band: The Pavlok is a new fitness band prototype that has all the functions of a regular fit band, created by Behavioral Technologies founder and CEO Maneesh Sethi, which  aims to alter your behavior and improve your fitness, too. It does this by prodding you through both positive and negative reinforcement. It will send little shocks to your wrist if you don't head to the gym when you say you're going to. Now that’s a pretty violent way of getting yourself motivated but it will definitely shock you into heading to the gym. Still in the beta stage it will hit the market in September 2014. How this work does: The bracelet and its accompanying app of the same name use a combination of negative and positive reinforcement to train your brain. This means that the bracelet can send a small shock to your wrist if you don’t meet a predetermined goal, such as heading to the gym at a certain time. What it does it do: The Pavlok band focuses on creating better habits in three particular areas of fitness, productivity, and sleep which could change your entire day and lead to better health and fitness. Shocking ways  to stay fit !

Balanced Diet for Working Women

Balanced Diet for Working Women Diet Plan For Working Women: Watch Dr. P. Janaki Srinath, Nutritionist speak about an appropriate Diet Plan for women who are working. Sometimes eating 2 square meals becomes a secondary priority as work pressure and maintaining a proper work life balance takes over more than food. Women need the right amount of calories and nutrients for a healthy life and career and they need to get these through a right diet which is explained in this video.    

Banana fights fatigue

Banana fights fatigue   The yellow banana has been seen as fruit which causes body weight but research says otherwise. Eating a banana which has three natural sugars, i.e. sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber can give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that two bananas are enough to provide energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. It has been a recommended fruit for all leading athletes and sports persons. Eating a banana after a strenuous workout  will give you that much needed burst of energy and another fact is that it has the power to prevent constipation , stimulates Hemoglobin and blood levels ,has high levels of potassium and iron and are  high in B vitamins that can  help calm the nervous system.  So add at least one banana to your diet for fitness and overcoming fatigue!  

Watch your calories not your Veggies

Watch your calories not your Veggies Eating  fruits and veggies alone can’t help you lose weight. But eating more of green leafy vegetables also  won't help you lose weight or  also won't make you gain weight, which may be just as important. So what is  that you need to follow in your diet for weight loss. Fruits and veggies, say researchers, can often fill you up and take the place of higher-calorie foods. And they're obviously a great source for getting your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. So don't skimp on the fruits and veggies just yet. According to a new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that eating fruits and vegetables actually has little to no impact on weight loss. Researchers examined data from more than 1,200 test subjects, and found that across the board, eating more healthy fruits and vegetables "had a near-zero effect on weight loss," said Kathryn Kaiser, of the UAB School of Public Health, who helped lead the team. Instead, the people who had the most success with losing extra kgs were those who cut their total calorie intake -- no matter what it was they were eating. So the key to weight loss is not fruits, veggies or leafy stalks but the overall intake of your calories that you consume through them that helps in losing weight.

Deeksha Seth's Fitness Tip

Deeksha Seth's  Fitness Tip Actress Deeksha Seth who disappeared from the South Film Industry only to resurface in Bollywood had to go through extensive training for her Hindi Film debut “Lekar Hum Deewana Dil”. A big foodie who doesn’t believe in dieting had to cut down on her binging to get in to shape for the movie. For their roles, both Deeksha and her co-star Armaan Jain underwent an extensive fitness training schedule for three months to fit into their roles and as part of that she shared her fitness tip - Pilates, which according to her is the in thing this season for her. Pilates demands a lot of focus where you have to concentrate on what you're doing all the time. And you must concentrate on your entire body for smooth movements. In Pilates the way that exercises are done is more important than the exercises themselves. According to her staying in shape means being fit not just being wafer thin. As part of her exercise routine she does a lot of walking and says that her general active personal lifestyle which including dancing and doing the Hula hoop with her friends make her a fit and active person and gymming is not really what she attributes her fitness to.

Jennifer Lopez new Vegan Diet

Jennifer Lopez new  Vegan Diet     Jennifer Lopez  new diet this season was a complete vegan diet eliminating dairy, meat and gluten for five weeks. With this she lost 10 pounds and went from size 4 to size 2. After crossing 40 it does become a bit difficult to lose the stubborn weight and with the help of her exercise physiologist Marco Borges’ diet plan she managed to do just that.A non vegetarian where her staple food included rice, beans and pork it was not quite the diet she had done eating only vegetarian food and  now she  has gradually begun incorporating staples such as fish back into her eating. Lopez works out hard, too, changing her exercise routine every 10 days to keep her toned gluts in shape and is now planning to develop her own  line of vegan health supplements. Her workout session normally lasts about an hour, out of  which 30 minutes are devoted just to her famous glutes. "I enjoy eating that way,” Lopez said, “I never did. And I didn't know how good you can feel when you put healthy stuff in your body." “I feel great mentally and physically!”  is what she said before signing off… inputs from fox news

Hop, Skip to Health and Fitness

  Hop, Skip to Health and Fitness       Something that we have done long ago as kids has always been the easiest way to burn fat, calories and lose weight. Cheap - all it costs is set of skipping rope which you can purchase in any good sports store and this easily portable exercise can be done anywhere. All you need is some space whether at home, or you are out of town – in your hotel room or on a holiday on the beach. This workout burns more calories per minute than any other workout. Consistent jump rope workouts and a healthy eating plan will likely lead to weight loss. The number of calories you burn from jumping rope 600 times depends on different factors, and you may have to adjust the time you jump to burn enough calories to lose weight.  If you jump at a rate of 70 times per minute, you can estimate the number of calories you burn per minute by multiplying your body weight by .074. If you do 125 jumps per minute, multiply your body weight by .080 to estimate the calories you burn in a minute. If you are faster on your feet and do 145 jumps per minute, estimate the number of calories you burn per minute by multiplying your weight by .089. So get jumping for a perfect exercise and plenty of fun. And the  best thing about skipping is  that you can do it with your kids too!

A Kit to measure how Fit you are

A Kit to measure how Fit you are         Described as the 'only multi-sensor media monitor available in the UK', Ki Fit is a highly tuned sensor that you wear on your upper arm and which accurately tracks calories burned and the number of steps you take, as well as the efficiency of your sleep.  Combined with a personal online account in which you log all your food and drink intake, you can then accurately track the number of calories burned against the calories you've consumed: the holy grail of weight loss. The device itself is pretty easy to work - you simply attach it to the outside of your upper arm with a Velcro fastening - and then it pretty much looks after itself.  Meanwhile, an online profile allows you to log in all your meals from a pretty comprehensive series of pre-programmed choices, which you can also modify. Once a day you need to sync the armband with your computer to get the day's report, while a separate beeper, which you can pop in your handbag, allows you to monitor your progress (it shows steps taken, hours of activity and calories burned). Your daily report includes a series of easy-to-read graphs of your sleep patterns, movements and food intake, which is also broken into a colourful pie-chart showing the percentage of carbs, protein and fat .The device allows the user to track the number of calories burned against the number consumed. The Ki Fit device is available in the United Kingdom as of now.   Source:Daily Mail

Padma Lakshmi’s diet secrets

Padma Lakshmi’s diet secrets   Padma Lakshmi may be remembered as novelist Salman Rushdie’s ex wife ,cook book writer and Top Chef host. But when it comes to her super slim and fit figure at the age of 44 she has her own way to fitness and health. Check out her fitness routine which is quite sensible and inspirational. Clean Diet She follows a clean diet: no meats, no sweets, no alcohol, no cheese, no fried food, no wheat. She works out five days a week, boxing three days, lifting weights the other two.   To maintain weight She is into strength-training , uses the treadmill and elliptical, and boxes three times a week. She also does the  planks at home and jump rope. She also carries a skipping rope and when she is working she finds time to skip as quick work out when there is no gym.   After pregnancy She got back to her usual workouts after 6 weeks of delivery. She also says that it’s important to get enough sleep because the body holds on to more calories when it's tired, and rest is important to weight loss. She also avoids using the lift and walks up 70 floors when she can. Healthy habits She drinks a homemade cleanse of two ounces of pure cranberry juice, six ounces of either green tea or plain water, one Vitamin C packet, and a teaspoon of fiber powder three times a day along with two to three liters of water a day.Apart from that she eats in moderation and enjoys her regular pizzas, nachos and cheese.

Get alert with this simple Hand Mudra

Get alert with this simple Hand Mudra       There are times when we get caught with the routines of work , home, children and you end up feeling lethargic and dull. These feelings could lead to stress, depression and general feeling of numbness and disorientation. It has nothing to do with the body but more of the mind and this can be resolved with not only exercise, taking  a holiday or in chronic cases – medication. The beauty of different mudras in yoga work wonderfully well on each aspect of the body and the Shankha or Conch mudra is the perfect and easy to do hand exercise which can help alleviate you from this lethargy. Follow these simple steps using your fingers as the positioning of the fingers in a particular way activates the brain. Bring your hands about three inches apart with the palms facing each other. Point the left thumb at the right palm. Wrap the four fingers of the right hand around the left thumb. Place the right thumb and the left middle finger together. The resulting formation of your hands should roughly resemble a conch shell. Place this mudra on your chest, close your eyes and bring your attention to your breathing. This Conch   mudra should be held for up to two minutes.

Some must have healthy foods in your home

Some must have healthy foods in your home       According to the popular Health magazine here are a few of a some must have foods in your home for health and energy. • Extra virgin olive oil: so prolific and necessary that it's earned its very own acronym, EVOO is the cornerstone of the peerlessly healthy Mediterranean diet.  • Nonfat Greek yogurt: because creamy and rich and healthy and low calorie are four descriptors you hardly ever find in the same sentence. Our desi yoghurt is just fine too. • Quinoa: Dietician Jenna Braddock says that "For one cup of cooked quinoa, you get 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber for just 222 calories. Plus, the hearty whole grain is a good source of energizing iron and B vitamins." Oh, and it's great in salads and soups or as a side dish. This trend has just started in India too. • Eggs: three words: healthy, affordable and filling and packed with protein. • Tomato paste: Packs flavor and richness without calories or fat. Plus, it's cheap and chock full of cancer-fighting lycopene.  • Bananas: cheap, hearty, healthy, flavorful, and diverse and filled with potassium.  • Garlic:Garlic allows you to add flavor to your dishes quickly and easily without unhealthy fats or processed ingredients. • Frozen shrimp: low in calories, high in flavor, pack a protein punch.  • Mustard: bursting with selenium and turmeric, two immune boosting and cancer-fighting components.  • Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate provides powerful disease-fighting polyphenols and has even been associated with weight loss." 

Sleep well to lose that belly

Sleep well to lose that belly     No we didn’t mean that literally!  but the studies have shown that its best to avoid late night parties and staying up late,  if you want to cut the belly fat from growing. There's a reason as to why sleep deprivation can cause belly fat. When you stay awake in the night , your cortisol (stress hormone) levels go high. Typically, cortisol levels drop as you approach your regular bedtime, but studies found that after just one night of no sleep, cortisol in sleep-deprived individuals decreased six times slower the following night than control subjects' who were snoozing as usual. The end result? A major cortisol buildup. High levels of the stress hormone reduce your ability to handle stress, making you more prone to panic attacks and chronic depression. The buildup also kick-starts a vicious cycle: you're tired during the day and can't sleep at night as your stress and the hormone begin to pile up. And this stress which is  linked to cortisol leads to high levels of belly fat in women.  So get that good night’s sleep for a healthy lifestyle and a healthier body.

A Kale veg-fruit smoothie for breakfast diet

A  Kale veg-fruit smoothie for breakfast diet    According to Terry Walters, nutrition expert and author of "Clean Food”, your breakfast smoothie isn't very diet-friendly,if you're blending together a bunch of fruit and not much else, the resulting drink is high in calories and not particularly filling. And we've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it really is true says So to make your go-to smoothie a bit more nutritious, Walters has a simple solution: Throw in some vegetables. "Follow this rule when using a blender: For every fruit that goes in, add a vegetable," she says. For a breakfast smoothie that will keep you full until the afternoon, she suggests using frozen peaches, banana, and as much kale as you can squeeze into the container. Kale is a super food that contains vitamins, antioxidants and cancer-fighting phytonutrients -- and it has tons of fiber, but only 36 calories per cup. This green leafy vegetable which belongs to the cabbage family is available in many countries and is called  karam saag in Hindi and is more prevalent in the northerm parts of India. Blend it with rice milk, ice, and a spoonful of maple syrup and you are good to go for the day!

Zumba for your butts

Zumba for your butts   The latest Latin American high intense dance exercises has taken the world by storm. Known for its quirky moves which are high intense and extremely fast they make you sweat and burn your calories and help in weight loss. This unique dance form is also extremely helpful for those who have tough time trying to cut the rear end of the body what we mean is the butt! The Latin-dance-inspired cardio dance is so full of shaking moves where your hips lead in almost every step as you salsa and dance to the contagious beats. Sixty minutes of dancing to the upbeat music is bound to make you feel happy anyway, but the bonus is what it does to your rear end; it's central to almost every dance move and having a little extra flesh back there means you have a little more weight to throw around and burn. So get yourself a DIY Zumba fitness CD or join a Zumba class near your place and  fill your IPods full of Latino Shakira and Lopez tunes and work your butt away!

Exercise during those Periods

Exercise during those Periods     There has been a never ending debate about whether you can exercise when you have periods. The traditional belief which is also endorsed by Ayurvedic physicians and old school of medicine which say that a woman must rest during menstrual flow is slowly changing. Yoga is banned during those 3-5 days  but fitness and weight loss which are the buzz words in the health scenario has seen a change where women are seen exercising during periods and  with the Sanitary napkin ads nowadays are also showing that you can exercise and not feel uncomfortable during “those” days. So we know that it is not impossible to exercise but if you have those usual cramps and pain in the stomach we suggest that you take rest till the phase of discomfort is over. Alisa Vitti, the author of WomanCode, and an expert on says that women need to be sensitive to the neuro-hormonal changes happening in their bodies while planning their exercise regimens. Follicular stage : Right after your period ends, in the follicular stage (7 to 10 days), you'll have fairly high energy levels. Vitti suggests you try a new cardio routine. "You have more new neural pathways being created during this phase, and they're more easily connected, so you're more likely to stick to a new exercise plan." Ovulatory  stage : In the ovulatory phase (3 to 4 days), right after the follicular stage, you'll be at full energy levels, and can go for an even more intense work out. "This is where we have a sharp rise in hormones, including a dramatic increase in estrogen and a nice surge of testosterone," explains Vitti. So a boot camp wouldn't be out of the question. Luetal stage: In the luetal phase, which lasts for 10 or 12 days, you'll start to slow down a bit. "Your energy may still be high if you're healthy," Vitti says. But as estrogen and progesterone decline, you'll slow down. That's when, suggests Vitti suggests strength training .When you reach the menstrual part of your period, you'll want to take it easy, and stick to low intensity workouts like walking or yoga. Trust us, your uterus will thank you.

Split Hops for added fitness

Split Hops for added fitness     As part of your daily fitness routine which includes brisk walking and running you can also incorporate the plyometric Split Hop which is a great way to improve your metabolism and fitness levels. The Split Hop is a combination of balance, timing, and power for your glutes and legs. 1.It’s simple , first come into a lunge position, one foot in front of the other, hip-width apart. 2.Bend both your knees and leap up into the air, leaving the ground with both feet at the same time. 3. As soon as you land, do it again. Do two jumps then switch your feet for two more. You can increase the number as you get better. And the best part is that you don’t need any fancy equipment or place, do it in the park or where you walk.