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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.

Spend 20 minutes to heal respiratory problems

Spend 20 minutes to heal respiratory problems   Watch Dr CV Rao show us how Yoga can help us in reducing respiratory problems. From a basic cold to asthma, to other chronic respiratory problems which occur because of drinking cold beverages, pollution and the weather, you can cure and heal these breathing problems by just spending 20 minutes of your time doing Yoga and Pranayama. A must watch for those who have chronic respiratory problems.    

Diet and Exercise during Puberty

Diet and Exercise during Puberty   Watch Dr Padmaja Prasad talk about the importance of diet and exercise during the onset of puberty.She emphasizes the need for exercise to regularize the hormones which are stimulated during puberty period. A healthy diet is also essential as it keeps the skin free from acne and pimples which are an outcome of hormonal imbalance during puberty. She gives very important tips about what should be eaten during the puberty phase.

Tricep Bench Dips for toned arms

Tricep Bench Dips for toned arms   Summer means sleeveless tops and when you wear them we also expect toned arms that go with it. Apart from your regular exercise for the hands the Tricep Bench Dips are an excellent way to tone your arms from flab to fit. How to do it 1.     Sit low on the bench making sure that your knuckles are facing your back as you grip the edge. 2.      Slowly walk your legs forward until your thighs are parallel to the floor keeping your feet flat on the ground. 3.      As you inhale, lower your body until your upper arms are almost horizontal, then exhale as you bring yourself back to your starting position. The best part is you can even do it using a chair while at work or at home!

Ileana Fitness Secrets

Ileana Fitness Secrets       The hourglass beauty is very well known for her slim figure and a great structure. Any guy would go crazy and any lady would envy this pretty woman. After a string of movies in Tollywood and Kollywood, Ileana has now shifted her complete focus towards Bollywood. With films like Barfi, Phata Poster Nikla Hero and Main Tera Hero, she is currently lucky in the tinsel town. Let us check out the fitness secrets of Ileana which also includes her daily diet.  Ileana's Stats : HEIGHT: 5’5’’ or 165cm WEIGHT: 56kg or 123 pounds MEASUREMENT: 32-24-38 in or 81-61-96cm Workout Routine : 1. Ileana has the habit of Running a good distance thrice in a week. This helps her in maintaining the right figure.  2. Swimming is something Ileana love. Being a Goan, it is natural for a person to love Swimming. She has the stamina of doing 100 laps without any strain. Ileana goes for swimming two days in a week.  3. Ileana believes in training with breaks. Initially she starts off from sprints and then shifts to slow jogging and later on she comes back to sprint. These intervals will help Ileana in loosening her muscles. This habit will generally help people in avoiding cramps and injuries during exercise.  Diet Regime : Ileana is one actress who does not believe in crash diet to be fit. On the contrary she loves food and mainly prefers Indian cuisine. Oily and fried food are excluded. Ileana eats absolutely healthy food that gives her a lot of nourishment. Here is Ileana's menu for a day !!! 1. Breakfast : Fresh Juice, Two Eggs (Poached) and two slices of Wheat Bread. 2. Lunch : Two Rotis, Fish or Chicken, Fresh or Boiled Vegetables and Daal.    3. Dinner : Fresh or Boiled Vegetables, Chicken or Fish, Two Rotis and a Glass of Milk.

Triple-interval training

  Triple-interval training      If you are the serious gym freak checks out the Triple interval training schedule. Here's how it works: instead of alternating between two intervals, fast and slow, as you would during an HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout, you alternate between 30-, 20-, and 10-second bouts, building your burn from slow to fast to max. Benefits: It pushes you harder without your even realizing it. Even when you think you're in high gear, you probably have the capacity to push a little bit more. Here, the last interval forces you to dig down and find whatever you have left to burn and because you know it'll be brief (you can do anything for 10 seconds), you're less likely to slack off, says Nisha Varma, Pune-based Reebok University master trainer. Those last seconds spike metabolism, endurance and speed. Runners tried it and proved the theory: they shaved seconds off their times and lowered their blood pressure, all while cutting their mileage in half. When tested on walkers, they lost up to 5 kilos and more than 12 inches in 8 weeks. Try it with whichever activity you like best to supercharge your burn; throw in some lower-body toning moves; and balance it with set of calming exercises to keep you cool.  

Habitual Diet and Pre Digested food

Habitual Diet and Pre Digested food     Habitual Diet : Watch  Dr Brindavani, Nutritionist speak about pre-digested food which we eat on a regular basis as a habitual diet. These foods go through several processes e.g., idly which is soaked, ground, fermented and eaten. These foods have nutrient benefits, but because of the time taken to make them, people are resorting to eating conventional breakfasts which are faster to make. But the end result is we are missing a lot of nutrients because of these foods. She also gives healthy tips to balance our meals through a proper habitual diet.

High Impact exercises are good for the Bones

High Impact exercises are good for the Bones   Contrary to the fact that women should be careful while doing high impact exercises as they tend to cause wear and tear if done excessively and could also jar the bones , but research shows  that  subjecting the bones to periodic stress bursts in the form of High intensive exercise would actually add mass to the bones  as people age which is good on the long run. Recently researchers at the University of Bristol gathered male and female adolescents — the body accumulates bone mass rapidly at this time of life — and had them go about their daily routines while they wore activity monitors. The bone density of the volunteers’ hips was also measured. A week later, the scientists reclaimed the monitors to check each teenager’s exposure to G forces¬, a measure of impact. Those who experienced impacts of 4.2 G’s or greater — though these were infrequent — had notably sturdier hipbones. Additional work done by the same researchers showed that running a 10-minute mile or jumping up onto and down from a box at least 15 inches high was needed to produce forces that great. The significance of these findings is that people should probably run pretty fast or jump high to generate forces great enough to help build bone. So, Dr. Tobias says, young people and healthy adults should probably pound the ground, at least sometimes. Sprint. Jump off a box 15 inches or higher at your gym and jump back up. Hop in place. A study by other researchers published in January found that women between 25 and 50 who hopped at least 10 times twice a day, with 30 seconds between each hop, significantly increased their hipbone density after four months. Another group of subjects, who hopped 20 times daily, showed even greater gains.

Share Your Diet with your best friends

Share Your Diet with your best friends   With any endeavor to lose weight, most women think they need to go on a diet, says Lisa Sanders, MD, a clinician-educator in primary care at Yale University and author of The Perfect Fit Diet. But that's not exactly true. A diet is simply what you eat, which means you're already on one. That diet either works for you so you achieve and maintain the weight you want, or it doesn't. The real secret to eating healthier and losing weight is finding a diet you can stick to – one that suits your tastes and lifestyle. You need to help you find your own personal diet strategy. If you are the one who turns to friends and pros for answers Your ideal diet & weight loss plan involves plenty of support from women who've been there - sharing your battles with chocolate fudge and meeting you for late-night walks around the block. Check out weight loss programs that meet weekly for fun, camaraderie, and tips on nutrition, or go the fitness route and join an aerobics or Pilates class with a core group of members. Sessions with a personal trainer can give you regular, one-on-one help with your unique weight loss demons. If you're a stellar follower, but not so good at coming up with methods yourself, choose a diet plan that offers sample meals and grocery lists, says Suzanne Farrell, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and owner of Cherry Creek Nutrition in Denver. Or start your own diet support group, choosing dependable friends who actually have time to offer weight loss help and won't let you get away with making excuses. A group of three or four friends can keep you firmly on the fitness wagon even when one member can't show up. Designate a leader, set a plan of attack and be sure to let your supporters know exactly what you need most from them, whether it's gentle encouragement or the toughest of love.

Value of Drinking Water

Value of Drinking Water   Right Diet || Value of Water : Watch  Dr Brindavani, Nutritionist speak about the importance of drinking water.She speaks about the right quantity of water to be had, based on the age and weight of a person. The metabolism factor plays an important role in how much water your drink and it is important that you make drinking water a discipline.  

Yoga Solutions for Neck Pain

Yoga Solutions for Neck Pain     Yoga For Neck Pain Solutions by Dr. C.V. Rao: Watch Swdharma Yogi, Dr. C.V. Rao of the Kapila Maharshi Yoga Kendram explain various Yoga exercises for Neck Pain Problems which are sitting in front of the Computer regularly, for those with Spondylosis , Vertigo , Giddiness  and other neck problems.

Health Benefits with 'Rasam'

Health Benefits with 'Rasam'   Right Diet || Health Benefits with 'Rasam' ||  Watch Dr Brindavani, talk about the health benefits of eating -Rasam a flavored soup made with tomatoes, tamarind etc. This traditional South Indian soup has micro nutrients and water content which helps us in digestion, cleansing and also helps in reducing fat.  

Benefits of Pawan Muktasan

Benefits of  Pawan Muktasan For those who are already into Yoga will be well versed with the Pawan Muktasan . For the uninitiated this position involves the thighs which are pressed against the abdomen and the wrists or elbows are clasped. The neck is bent towards the knees and if possible the forehead or chin is touching the knees. The breath is relaxed. Try to hold for as long as you can. This pose is known to relieve constipation and release any gasses in the intestines and keep the stomach clear. Apart from this Pawan Muktasan has numerous benefits for women which include: 1.  Improves the blood circulation and stimulation of nerves. 2.  Strengthens the lower back muscles and loosens the spinal vertebrae. 3.  Improves Sterility and reduces impotence. 4.  Massages the pelvic muscles and reproductive organs. 5.  Beneficial for menstrual disorders and regulates blood flow. 6.  Reduces fats in the abdominal area, thighs and buttocks. This posture can be practiced anywhere on the floor or also when you just get up from bed. Holding it for at least 1 minute will be highly effective and in the long term you can see visible reduction in belly fat also. NOTE: Must be avoided if there is recent abdominal surgery, suffering from hernia or piles, by pregnant women and any chronic pain in the neck.

Right Diet for Glowing skin

Right Diet for Glowing skin   Right Diet || ‪Foods For Beautiful Glowing Skin Watch our Nutrition Expert Dr. Brindavani, talk about what you should eat to have glowing skin, hair and complexion. She talks about the importance of having essential foods like milk, nuts, dates, pineapples etc., for teenagers. The emphasis is on micro nutrients which are necessary for healthy skin and hair for growing teens.

What to avoid in the Gym Routine

What to avoid in the Gym Routine   Those who have incorporated a healthy lifestyle and head to the gym to stay fit do a lot of planning so that their schedule stays uninterrupted and hassle free. Here are a few things to avoid so that you can have comfortable routine and enjoy your gym time. ·  Avoid uncomfortable gear ·  Don’t wear old and smelly gym clothes. ·  Avoid ill fitting, loose pants which you need to keep pulling up every time you bend. ·  Avoid wearing normal bras or too tight ones that constrict your breathing. ·  Please don’t wear cleavage revealing, tight gym clothes which not only distract you but also your fellow gym mates, (especially if you are in unisex gym).We don’t need unwarranted attention. ·  Avoid wearing worn out ear buds when you are listening to your iPod where you have to keep readjusting  them. Buy a good quality headphones · Plan and time your gym sessions so that you don’t end waiting for machines to become free and delay your time. · If the place is a constraint and there are too many people you could consider getting your small equipment which you can carry, like resistance bands,  kettle bell, a mat, some dumbbells, or jump rope and not wait around for the person to finish and you get your turn. ·  Avoid any kind of impolite or offending behavior at the gym. If someone is behaving like that quickly bring it to your Gym instructor/owners notice and they will take care of the issue. Don’t get into any altercations which can spoil your mood and others and cause any unpleasantness. Work out, make friends, enjoy your gym routine and stay in shape –Both in health and mind!  

Bridge pose for the Glutes

Bridge pose for the Glutes    The Gluteus muscles or to simply put it the buttocks are quite tough to go. There is one particular exercise which can be done any time at home or while simply lying down in front of the TV called the Bridge Pose which is a yogic posture and highly beneficial for strengthening the glute muscles and also help in reducing them. How to Do It: Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet parallel on the floor and hip-distance apart. Once you have settled in, press your feet evenly into the mat and lift your spine off of the floor, pressing your hips up. Scoop your tailbone under, and if you like, wriggle up onto the shoulders, interlacing the fingers and clasping the hands underneath you. Slowly lower down, one vertebra at a time. Benefits: For those who cannot hold the pose, can use a block, which supports you and eases weight from the shoulders. It will be helpful in holding this position for five deep breaths. If that's easy for you to maintain, try raising your right leg for five breaths and repeating on your left leg.  

What you think you eat also matters

What you think you eat also matters   Research says that not only what we eat that affects our bodies but also what we think we're eating that matters. As per the new anecdotal research from Alia Crum, a clinical psychologist at Columbia Business School in New York who discovered this new habit by the human brain. Crum was interested in the way that a particular hormone called ghrelin operated in our bodies. Ghrelin's known as the hunger hormone, because it lets the body know when it's time to seek out food. When ghrelin levels in the stomach rise, it signals to the brain that it's time to eat food. When you satiate your ghrelin levels, your hunger drops and your metabolism kicks into gear to burn the calories that you've just consumed.  To test her theory about the brain's role in ghrelin production, Crum had volunteers drink two drinks -- one was labeled as a dessert drink called Indulgence with around 620 per bottle, the other was labeled a low-cal drink called Sensishake, advertised as only having 140 calories, zero fat, and zero added sugar. The trick? Both beverages were actually made from the same vanilla milkshake mix containing around 300 calories per serving.  Amazingly, the people who believed they were drinking Indulgence produced way less ghrelin than those that produced the sensible shake. That's to say -- when people thought they were eating more calories, their ghrelin production responded in kind. The takeaway? If you believe you're eating a heavy, calorie-rich meal, your hormones will back that up and behave in kind.  Source:www.npr.org

Habitual and Mixed Diet

Habitual and Mixed Diet     Watch this video on Mixed Diet by Dr Brindavani, Nutritionist. She speaks about the usual mixed diet that we regularly have and the importance of a right diet where there should a be healthy mix of vegetables, pulses and grains.