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    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   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     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.

Diet and Exercise during Puberty   Watch Dr Padmaja Prasad our Nutrition expert talk about the right diet and exercise to be taken during Puberty. She talks about the importance of the right & nutritious food to be taken when child attains puberty. The right amount of calcium, hemoglobin, iron, vitamins and other nutrients are extremely important along with exercise for a child to grow healthily during the puberty phase.

Facial Fitness routine     Just like the body we also need to keep our facial muscles fit and by this we don’t mean that you should go to the nearest salon and get a facial done! Apart from that just by doing these simple exercises you can keep your facial muscles strong and avoid the double chin. Try these simple exercises which can be done at home, at work, in the train or even when you are sitting at the doctors reception lounge waiting for your turn... 1. Raise your eyebrows as high as you can and  open your eyes as wide as possible hold them for five seconds. 2. Open your mouth as wide as possible and stick your tongue out as far as you can and hold for a few seconds. This is also a yogic exercise. 3. Take a big breath through your mouth, and then puff the breath from cheek to cheek then release the air.  4. Do the OM chanting for as long as you can hold the breath 5. Frown using only your eyes and try not moving any other facial muscles. Done with a few repetitions, these simple but effective exercises can keep you looking young and beautiful for a long time.    

Save your Knees and Stay Fit   Knees are one of the important joints of our body which bear our weight. As we grow older the wear and tear also sets in. For those blessed with good health and are not overweight as they age it is important to incorporate a good diet and exercise to keep the whole body in tune and healthy. Apart from regular exercises you could do these few exercises to keep your knees from creaking and stay fit. These exercises can be done at home and at work and just by doing a few repetitions of these simple knee exercises every day you are ready to go!   Up the Stairs- Step-Up Place your left foot on the first step of a stairway and your hand on the wall or railing for balance. Slowly step up onto your left foot so you are standing tall on the step with your left foot, and your right foot's off the ground. Hold for a second, and then step back down off the step onto your right foot, so there's no weight on your left foot. Repeat up to 6 times. If Reverse legs, and repeat up to 6 times.     Sit  Up and Down Sit in a firm, armless chair with your feet flat on the floor and your arms crossed or loose at your sides. Slowly stand up, using deliberate, controlled movements, until you reach your full height. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly sit down again. Repeat this exercise for about 1 minute. Note: Check your knees -- when going up or down, they should never move forward beyond your toes. Knee Extensions Sit in a firm chair with your feet on the floor and your arms loose at the sides. Lift on leg up till it is extended straight at the Knee level. Hold for 10 to 15 secs and slowly bring it down. Repeat with the other leg. You can do 5 to 10 repetitions. Apart from these exercises the number-one secret for happy knees is to stay at a healthy weight. Every extra KG you gain puts extra f pressure on your knees when you walk .

Nutrition Tips for Working Women   Watch our Nutrition expert Dr Padmaja Prasad give tips as to how to maintain the right diet for women who are working and find difficulty in eating food on time. She speaks about the common problems like acidity and low vitamin D and calcium levels among women and how to avoid these problems apart from weight  gain.

Right Diet   Watch Nutritionist, Dr. Brindavani from Rainbow Hospital, Hyderabad  speak about the  Right Diet to follow and how to reduce carbohydrates from your food and also find a healthy alternate to your regular diet. She speaks about the importance of a healthy diet and how much to eat as you grow older.  

  Reduce the Muffin top   Excess Belly fat that gathers on the belly in the shape of a muffin can be exceeding odd to look and tough to reduce. The muffin top can also lead to medical conditions like stroke, heart diseases, BP and sometimes diabetes too. With a calorie free diet and regular exercise you can quickly reduce this flab. Presenting a 3-point exercise program to reduce the muffin top: Cardio- Step: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests doing 150 to 300 minutes of moderate cardio per week. Engage in cardio activities like bicycling, jogging, swimming or exercising on an elliptical machine or stair climber. HIIT Step: Incorporate high-intense interval training, also known as HIIT, in to your cardiovascular workout sessions. HIIT boosts your metabolism for hours after finishing your workout, resulting in more calories burned. Strength Step : Strength training maintains and increases muscle tissue, which uses up more energy than fat to sustain itself. You burn more calories, even after finishing your workout. Target all your major muscle groups with two to three sets of each exercise and eight to 12 repetitions per set. Apart from the above you can also add different exercises to your routine like circuit training, which increases your caloric burn. During circuit training you're doing a series of strength-training exercises without resting in between sets. You can combine both cardio and strength training.

Fitness Secret Of Bipasha Basu       Among all Bollywood heroines, Bipasha Basu is one of the most fittest lady. Her stats have always been a source of envy and a dream of every girl and that is 36-28-36. The 5 feet 8 inches dusky beauty maintains a strict fitness regime. Her food habits are disciplined and her daily routine is also organized. Bipasha works out in the following pattern.  1. Treadmill - 20 Minutes 2. Cycling - 20 Minutes 3. Cross Trainer - 10 Minutes.  Bipasha takes a day off from the entire week.  Day 1 - Upper Body Workout Day 2 - Concentration on abs Day 3 - Lower Body and Legs Workout Day 4 - A fixed gluteus regime Day 5 - Upper Body Workout again Day 6 - A combo of abs and gluteus exercise  Bipasha's Diet :  Egg whites in whichever form possible, steamed fish, nuts, green tea, vegetables like broccoli and mushrooms etc. Fresh fruit juices and coconut water for a glowing beautiful skin. 

Pray to get rid of our flabby arms     Flabby upper arms are the toughest part to work on and the last to go for those working out on a weight loss program. We have to admit it that they are a bit stubborn to work on. There are many exercises to get rid of those flabby arms like arm stretches, vigorous rolling of the hands and the classic windmill rotation where you move your arms like the fans of a windmill. Another exercise which can be done anywhere, at home, at work, at the park or if you are simply doing nothing is the Prayer Pose exercise. This exercise is highly effective  on the upper arms and is easy to do. The Prayer Pose Exercise Join your hands in a praying pose above your head. Bring your joined palms down to the front of your chest. Raise your joined hands again and repeat this up down motion. Joining the hands together like you are greeting a person with a Namasthe, engages your triceps and when you move your hand up and down will help you work on your biceps. The combined effect will help in toning your arms. But this has to be done in a set of 30 to 40 repetitions each, for you to have the desired results. You need to feel the burn in your upper arms which is an indication that you are doing it correctly. If you are doing Yoga/exercise early in the morning, you could try combining this exercise as another Salutation to the Sun!

Summer Pool - Fitness   Summer is the best time to  work out and lose weight and Swimming is one great way to that. Splash ,swim and work out with no fancy gadgets .All you need is a swim suit and if your are sacred of water –it doesn’t matter , just stick to the shallow side. But you never know you could also end up learning how to swim and for those who already know, it’s time to brush up the other styles of swimming. When it comes to working out in the pool first get in and get accustomed to the water. After walking around you could start by holding on to the side bar/rod of the pool and work on kicking your legs - do flutter kicks and frog kicks. You can also use the edge of the pool to keep your balance while doing leg lifts to work the muscles on your tummy, legs and bottom. Do 10 sets each of lifting your leg in front of you, to the side, and behind you. Run in the water to increase your heart rate. If you think you are going to lose balance and fall just hold on to the rod. And if you do just hold your breath and you will get back up. While standing you could also do vigorous jumping and twisting while holding the rod for improving your muscle strength. Face up and hold the rod and cycle in the water .You could increase the push and test yourself as to how fast you can do this.The added advantage is that you wont feel the pressure on your knees and it is good for people who are slightly on the heavier side. Enjoy Summer and splash in the pool along with your friends or kids and also get into shape!

 Freeze your fat away    A new way to cut down your fat by freezing away fat.This process called  cryolipolysis, uses cold instead of heat to break down fat cells. It has been around for a few years but the latest treatment uses a new technology to make it more effective and pain-free. The ProShock Ice combines two technologies to eliminate fat and tighten skin.  First, a small plate-like device is placed directly on to the skin over the areas to be treated and then rapidly cooled. This process destroys the fat cells which are then eliminated from the body naturally over the following weeks. The second stage of the treatment uses high-pressure acoustic waves to smooth and tighten the skin. To derive good results you need to take a course of four to six treatments and not to forget mentioning, pay a bomb for this treatment. Source: lesleyreynolds.com

5 benefits of lemon, Honey and Warm Water   Drinking a glass of warm water with honey and lemon early in the morning is good for health. A age old adage which is prescribed by naturopaths, fitness instructors and dietitians. Check these 5 reasons why drinking warm water with lemon and honey is good for your health. The benefit of drinking this mixture early in the morning is that it helps hydrate your system and also improves your immunity. Improves digestion: Lemon, honey and warm water combined help give your digestion an instant boost. Lemon helps your digestive system by adding to the already present acid and assists it in flushing out unwanted toxins. Antibacterial: Honey acts as an antibacterial and beats any infections that might be present in your body. It also helps in the production of intestinal mucus which aids in the flushing out of toxins from the body. Cleans lymphatic system: Lack of water and essential fluids in the lymphatic system can make you feel sluggish and fatigued, lead to constipation, disturbed sleep, high or low blood pressure, stress and an all-round lack in mental function. Energy booster: The honey-lemon-warm water  concoction acts as an instant energy booster – minus the calories. Water helps clear your mind by providing fresh blood to your brain, and lemon activates negatively charged enzymes in your stomach – a great way to combat positively charged enzymes that react with the food you eat adversely, leading to it being digested poorly. Helps in weight loss:  Apart from its properties of cleansing the stomach, lemon present in the mixture contains a type of fiber called pectin that helps make you feel full and keeps cravings at bay. The warm water, honey and lemon also creates a more alkaline atmosphere in your stomach helping you lose weight faster.

All about Phytonutrients   Phytonutrients are natural plant chemicals and nutrients, found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes. They naturally protect their plants against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. As a result, they act as scavengers of free radicals in our cells, slow the aging process, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.  Cooking and processing can destroy the phytonutrients in foods. Some remain in cooked foods, but the best way to get them in their most useful form is to eat raw or slightly steamed. The optimal function of any of these phytochemicals depends on the other chemicals normally found along with them. That's why vitamins and minerals taken by themselves sometimes just doesn't seem to work, they should be taken with whole foods for effective use.    Phytonutrients are present in:    Flax seeds, a good source of Omega-3 fats, lowers cholesterol and can inhibit the growth of estrogen-stimulated breast cancers.    Citrus fruits, as they contain phytochemicals with anti tumor and antioxidant properties.    Red wine and grape juice, as they contain phenols and red anthocyanins that protect against heart disease.   Garlic and onions, as they are rich in allylsulfides, which reduce cancer risk and blood clotting.   Green tea, as it has antioxidant flavonoids called Catechins.  

5 minute Fitness for your Lower half   We found this interesting routine which you can do in 5 minutes which focuses on your lower half of your body especially you legs and buttocks. For this 5 minute routine you need to go for each of the five moves as hard as you can for 50 seconds, rest for 10, and then go right into the next one. All you'll need is a pair of heavy dumbbells and sweat it out with these moves given below. 1. Glute Bridge Raise one leg, and switch legs after 25 seconds. You can also raise your arms so they're pointing straight up or lift your toes off the ground. 2. Swing with Dumbbells Hold the heavier-weight dumbbells as you swing your arms forward. 3. Alternating Curtsy Lunge Hold the heavier-weight dumbbells as you lunge forward. 4. Low Sumo Squat Hold the heavier weight as you squat. 5. Iso-Explosive Squat Now this is the toughest one and a test for your endurance. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back naturally arched, lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause for 4 seconds. Then jump explosively as high and as fast as you can. Once your feet hit the floor, lower your body and repeat. And all this with your dumbbells. The routine may be for 5 minutes but the magic lies in the dumbbell that you use for working out which has a great impact on the legs and lower body.

Eat healthy while you Work      One of the travails of a working woman is missing out on good meal either during breakfast or lunch. Most of us prefer to skip the breakfast due to lack of time in the morning or in an effort to lose weight. It is a known fact that eating breakfast can keep you healthy throughout the day so make sure to enjoy a nutritious breakfast like fresh fruit slices, oats, cereal and a slice of whole-wheat toast if you don’t have the time to make an elaborate breakfast. Skipping breakfast decreases your metabolism so whenever you don’t have time to eat, make sure pack your breakfast or lunch. Drinking orange juice, skim milk and plain brewed coffee can help you stay healthy while at work. Avoid those vending machine Tea and coffees as they are packed with sugar and can cause weight gain. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated come summer or winter.  Choose a healthy lunch like brown rice along with vegetables gives you the extra dietary fibre and has many health benefits compared to white rice. You could alternate with Rotis and brown bread sandwiches for keeping your tummy full and  can keep you healthy while at work.