Starting off your day? Let’s show you a way to start it off on a positive note! Stretch – that’s right! Stretch the moment you’re out of bed, and find yourself in a much happier space as you start your day! When you stretch, your body begins to shake off rigidity in every form, and lets your muscles wake up nice and good, so that you are good to go all day long! Here are a few stretches you should incorporate in your everyday routine:

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1.        The Upper Back Stretch: Perfect for the upper back and your shoulders, this helps you buoy your upper body. Start with your feet hip-distance apart. Clasp both your hands and round your upper back, all the while keeping your arms straight. Then, concentrate on spreading your shoulder blades wide across your back. Hold this for 2 or 3 breaths and repeat once more.

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2.          The Chest Stretch: This is great to help you release your stress and rigidity in your chest muscles, in the front of your shoulders and biceps. Stand against a wall, door, window frame or ledge or table, and hold onto it with your left arm. Step forward with the left leg and turn the body to the right, especially at the hips. Hold the stretch for about 4-5 breaths, and to increase the stretch, pivot from the hips.

3. Oblique Stretch: Stretching the side of your body, the obliques, shoulders and the IT band, this stretch involves standing with your right hand on the bed or on the wall, crossing the left leg in front of the right leg and keeping your feet pointing forward. Shift your weight out into the left hip and reach your left arm up and overhead. Your body should form a long line from the ankle to the fingertips. Hold it and breathe for 2 or 3 counts and repeat on the other side.

4. Hamstring Stretch: Done standing up, all you need to do is to bring your leg up onto a bench. Keep your legs hips-distance apart and parallel to each other. Lift one leg up onto a table, bench or chair, and keep the back leg straight. Place the front foot in a flexed position. Increase the height with time for a more powerful stretch.

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5. Deadlift Stretch: Perfect for your hamstrings and lower back, this involves a standing forward bend. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your knees slightly bent. Hinge forward at the hips and aAllow your upper body to hang over your legs and clasp your elbows if you want. Hold for 4-5 breaths, and slowly rise up.

References:

http://www.idiva.com/news-health/2-minute-stretches-to-energise-your-mornings/1506020

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/5-Stretches-Do-Morning-7751119#photo-7751119

http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=rise_and_shine_8_stretches_you_should_do_each_morning

It’s the monsoon season and it can be crazy to step outdoors with all that rainfall. While you may be an outdoors person enjoying a morning walk or a nice, long run, the monsoon – quite literally and figuratively, can be a damp squib on those plans. If you work out at the gym or in a workout space that needs you to travel, heavy rain can be a tough obstacle to deal with, even then. However, this does not mean that your fitness will take a hike! Here are a bunch of creative and fun indoor exercises that you can follow, so that you stay in shape, and don’t get wet in the rain while doing so!

1. Do Yoga! Surya namaskar, individual poses or even a vinyasa yoga sequence can come to your rescue to keep your body fit and energized.

                                                 
2. Run on the spot indoors! Sure, it probably sounds like a random activity to throw into your indoor spaces, but if you get off your couch and run on the spot for a good half hour, or forty-five minutes, you give your body a workout that can help you burn a lot of calories. Furthermore, it is also a very good way to shake up your body when the weather might make you feel clumsy and sluggish. Running on the spot as an exercise is a perfect way to give your body a cardio boost, and engage your body in entirety.

3. Take a brisk walk indoors. Clear out your furniture in the biggest room in your house, or if you feel up to it, across multiple rooms. Walk along the periphery of your spaces, and make it a brisk walk. Make it a point to indulge in it for about an hour or so, and you’ll find yourself having had a great work out! What’s more, the exposure to your own home scape through a brisk walk will let you see your space in new light, and help you break the monotony of staying indoors!

                                             
4. Jumping jacks are a clever way to work out in the course of your day while staying indoors. Add a bunch of scissor jacks, and make it a good 20-minute routine, followed by a nice long jog or a brisk walk. The fun part is that you can even do it sitting down! Sit down with your back straight and your knees bent and legs together with your toes touching the floor lightly. Quickly, open your legs and flex your feet and land on your heels with your arms touching overhead, and then return to the start position. Try to do this as fast as you can so your body begins to gain from the exercise.

                                             
5. Skate about. If you are a skater, you can strap on your skates and scoot about indoors. BUT, if you’re not, indulge in an adaptation of the exercise. Sit on the edge of your chair, bend the right knee out to the side and extend your left leg out straight towards the side. Keep your toes pointed. Extend your arms and lean forward, reach the left arm to the right foot and raise your arm above, behind your body, and twist through the torso.

References:
http://www.idiva.com/photogallery-health/10-indoor-exercises-that-will-keep-you-fit-in-the-monsoons/15072371/3

http://www.boldsky.com/health/diet-fitness/2011/monsoon-fitness-tips-160611-aid0165.html

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Cardiovascular exercises are one of the foremost forms of exercise that your body needs, both, to keep fit, and to stay in top shape and good health. While for most people, this is achieved through a session at the gym or in the pool, there is a cheaper option that is just as good, if not better – and arguably, has the potential to rank among the best forms of exercise around. Running is simple – you need a good pair of shoes, some comfortable clothes and some space on the street or a park. Running everyday will keep you healthy and fit – but it really is your best investment for your health for the following reasons:
• Running is highly efficient as an exercise simply because it burns calories. Adding intensity to your run through slopes and inclines, rough and tough terrains and increased durations can help you stay healthy and lose all those unnecessary and empty calories that your intake may be piling on you.

• Running helps influence weight loss, especially with the right kind of intensity and time duration, and the manner in which your body responds to running. It is a good tool to help keep your muscles supple, and when the metabolic rate rises, helps it burn all that excess fat.
• Running helps keep your heart healthy and supple. When you do intense cardiovascular exercises, the heart rate rises. When the heart rate rises, there is an automatic increase in the amount of blood pumped, and this spike in the pumping of blood helps increase the supply of blood to the body’s organs, and helps reduce bad cholesterol, thus keeping the heart healthy.
• Running can also boost your mental health significantly, since it helps keep you buoyed, happier and in good spirits, while also helping you reduce your stress levels and improve poor memory. Studies link regular cardio exercises like running to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia related illnesses.
• It is cheap, convenient and easy to do at whim, for all you need in order to run is yourself, a good pair of shoes, some comfortable clothing and some open spaces.
• Running also helps you get rid of toxins in the body, because it breaks your body out into a sweat, that helps release all the toxins from your system.
• Running is good for the skin – all that sweat and toxin in the pores are sent packing, and your skin is free of acne and blemishes.

References:
http://www.indiatimes.com/health/videos/14-reasons-running-is-the-only-exercise-you-need-to-stay-fit-243999.html
http://greatist.com/fitness/30-convincing-reasons-start-running-now
http://www.indiatimes.com/health/tips-tricks/6-reasons-why-running-is-the-best-workout-for-you-241614.html

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Tell me if you relate to this story:
You used to be active in college. Weight and fitness were never really a problem. Then you got married/ got responsible/ had children and piled on a few pounds. It wasn’t a big worry; you still could fit in those pants. Parties with friends meant a few extra glasses of drink and maybe a tub or two of dessert, you needed new clothes anyway. Life went on, you got older and suddenly you notice that there is a fat person in every one of your pictures.

What do you do now? Run like the wind till you no longer feel guilty about eating? Hire a nutritionist? Join every class listed at the gym near your place? Starve?
If you think you need to do any of these, let me kill the suspense and tell you how it end- in more weight gain, more unhappiness and a vicious binge-eating cycle that will ruin your chances at fitness all together.

Why?

Because the reason you’re unhappy with your weight in the first place is because you didn’t keep it simple. Your life is complicated, your job is complicated, having kids is complicated and you cannot really control these factors much. But you can keep your fitness simple. Complicating that will only set you up for failure.

When things get difficult, simplify, but stay consistent. Here’s how

1) Set goals which are achievable.
Baby steps. Promise to run/walk a mile a week. If you do more, great, if not, no problem, 1.6 km only takes 20 minutes and you have a week to get it done. Sounds too simple? Yes, that’s sort of the point. Start there. Add slowly

2) Strength train for 10 minutes a day
You don’t need a gym to do this. Set a clock to count down for ten minutes and repeat this sequence as many times as you can in that time:
10 Squats
10 Push-ups
10 crunches
It’s that simple.

3) Keep your nutrition simple.
You already know that cookies and fries are junk. Start by eliminating only the obvious stuff. The more complex macros can come after you’ve successfully simplified your life for at least 4 weeks.

That’s all. Some of us may have a longer journey ahead than others and we all need to start somewhere. So start by simplifying. We can complicate things slowly, when you’re ready, in the weeks to come.

The Author, Jyotsna John, is a fitness enthusiast who turned her passion for fitness into a full time career. She has travelled to UK and the US and studied a lot about fitness while she was there. She has a list of certifications, and is currently a trainer at The Unit, in Chennai.

Picture Courtesy : http://s.wsj.net/

Whether it was in his first brush with his six pack abs in Om Shanti Om, or in his continued perseverance at keeping that athletic frame intact all the way through to his recent magnum opus – Happy New Year, Shah Rukh Khan continues to remain among the set of actors for whom good health and fitness matters significantly. The actor believes in mindful eating, well thought out exercise regimens and properly structured fitness programs. Here are a couple of leaves from his book:

– He follows a strict diet that comprises low carbohydrates and high protein, which helps keeps his health in order.
– The focus on proteins includes relying on protein rich foods such as non fat milk, skinless chicken, egg whites, legumes and lean cuts of meat.
– He makes it a point to control fat in his diet. In his cooking, he tends to choose grilling over frying and avoids dishes that are made with oil and butter.
– He makes it a point to take protein drinks after his workouts.
– He makes it a point to avoiding sugar and refined grains. He tends to avoid all refined grains including white flour, white breads, rice products and sugar.
– His diet comprises some amount of whole grains, in the form of whole wheat toast with eggs and chicken sandwiches.
– His diet also comprises many kinds of plant based foods. Most of his dishes are filled with vegetables, which tend to become his primary source of carbohydrates, essential vitamins and minerals to his body.
– Instead of sweets, his meals are filled with fruits. Since fruits are high in simple carbohydrates, he swaps sweets with fruits, as they can be perfect substitutes for sweets.
– He also makes it a point to drink lots of water in a day, some non fat milk and fresh, unsweetened vegetable juices.
– His workout comprises 100 push ups, 60 pull ups, half hour of lifting weights for abdominal muscles; strength training only four times a week, resting one day in between and 30 minutes cardio exercises like jogging, running and cycling. He makes it a point not to train his abs for more than four times a week with one day rest in between.

References:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Shah-Rukh-Khans-5-step-diet-secrets-revealed/articleshow/48614973.cms

Shahrukh Khan Workout Routine & Diet Plan

http://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/shahrukh-khan-fitness-and-diet-regime/

Picture Courtesy :ytimg.com and  http://workoutinfoguru.com/

Many a time, when our lifestyles are sedentary, we wind up confined to a state of low fitness and physical incapacity. You can’t benefit much from a sedentary lifestyle – for sitting for too long has very damaging effects on one’s body, mind and health. When you sit for very long, your body becomes accustomed to a stooping posture – and this can cause a hunch, a bad back posture, the accumulation of weight in and around your bottom, and also a case of chronic low back pain. Your best bet is to find a way to adopt a less sedentary lifestyle – but that isn’t always possible.
Here are some sure shot ways to help prevent back pain with just a few moments of exercise during your day, regardless of whether you are at home or at work. Here are some useful few ways to do just that.
– Get up from your spot and take a brisk walk every now and then, no matter the distance. There are plenty of instances where you take a break while at work, to perhaps grab some coffee or to just munch a snack in the cafeteria. Instead of looking for a snack, a better alternative for you would be to take a nice, brisk walk and return to your desk. The burst of adrenaline and the exposure to the spaces outside the confines of your workstation can make you a whole lot more productive and your body on active mode.
Whenever you can, for a burst of energy, jog on the spot, getting up every now and then Sure, it probably sounds like a random activity to throw into your workday, but if you get off your desk and run on the spot for a good minute’s worth every few hours, you give your body a burst of energy, and helps circulation, which keeps you mentally and physically active. The exercise is a perfect way to give your body a cardio boost, and engage your body in entirety.
– If you already have a very bad back issue, make sure that you do not remain seated for long. Every few hours, get up and walk a short distance before you come in. As much as you can, always keep a good posture while at your desk – don’t hunch over or become too stiff in the way you sit and move about.
– Make sure to include the regular activities of bending, stretching, squatting and reaching in your everyday activities. This will help keep your body flexible, supple and the blood in circulation.
– Knee lifts and leg lifts help to tone your quadriceps, inner thighs and abs. Sit on the edge of the chair, extend your leg out straight with the other foot on the floor, and then switch. Another variation is to bend your leg and lift the knees up in alternation.
Sources:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/home-remedies/Home-remedies-for-backache/articleshow/38483704.cms
http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/guide/back-pain-symptoms-types

Picture Courtesy : healthandherbs

When you are busy doing a lot of things – running a family, furthering your career ambitions and goals and commitments, and you wind up working long hours, it can be exceptionally difficult to catch a couple of minutes every day to work out. And yet, physical activity and exercise cannot be dispensed with. It is exceptionally vital to ensure that one’s health remains in a comfortable balance, and that work does not take precedence to the point that one loses sight of their health. Working out while you are at work might seem a little amusing at first, but stick with us. We have a couple of simple routines for you to follow while you are work, so that you remain as fit as fit can be!

– While you are at work or even at home, it can be tough to get yourself a dose of high powered cardio. But a solution is still at hand! A simple effort of tapping your toes on the ground under your feet while you sit at your desk, or seated jogs can help keep the blood flowing in your legs. When you can help it, walk about at work, and climb up the stairs as opposed to using the lift or an escalator. If you can factor it in, get up every now and then, do a few jumping jacks or a few minutes’ worth of fast, on the spot jogging for a burst of cardio.

– It is important to keep your legs working in order to keep your fitness levels up. While walking and cardio are definitely good for your heart health, it is equally important to exercise your legs. Standing with your back to the wall and sliding your back down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or squatting while at your desk can help you strengthen your legs. Standing up every now and then, or even standing on one leg with a sense of balance works great. You can also squeeze your gluteus muscles while you sit, to help tone your bottom.

– Work your upper body through the day, too, in equal measure. your biceps and triceps with one-litre filled water bottles as weight substitutes, and do a few reps of overhead extensions to ensure that your triceps are well worked out as well. Stretch your chest by holding your hands as though you were doing a handshake with yourself, and pull them in opposing directions. Stretch out your chest and arm muscles with it, and glow with the workout.

– Sitting often causes one to gain a happy pot belly. Avoid the enormous Madhya Pradesh by resorting to a few simple cardio choices. Replace your chair or seat with a gym ball, which helps work your core without much effort on your part. Twist while you sit on your chair, by allowing your feet to hover over the floor, and use your core to power swivel and twist movements every now and then. It also helps if you sit where you are and squeeze and release your abdominal muscles. Hold it in for about 5 or 10 seconds and release, and repeat it as often as you can help.

– No matter what you do, in your everyday life, make sure that you do a good amount of the four core activities: squat, stretch, bend, reach! In your everyday office activity, always incorporate activities like stretching, bending and reaching, and make sure that your body is kept flexible and supple through the day.

References:

http://greatist.com/fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise-work http://www.wikihow.com/Promote-Fitness-at-Work

Picture Courtesy: http://blog.codyapp.com/

More than being a form of Pagan worship, bowing before the sun in the sequential style of the Surya Namaskar has tremendous benefits for one’s health and weight issues. A complete body workout in itself, Surya Namaskar only takes you about 15 minutes to do 12 sets – and in effect, you will be doing 288 powerful yoga postures within that span of time!
A simple sequence, the Surya Namaskar is all about building up into different yogic postures. It is most effective at sunrise, but there is no dearth of the benefits one can derive, regardless of when it is done. The postures, when done slow, can create a fantastic toning effect, a relaxing and meditative impact on the body. When done fast, it makes for the best kind of cardio exercise that can leave you panting and puffing, with all those calories burning.
The Surya Namaskar is a perfect sequence for the body – it helps you increment flexibility, prepares the body to stretch well, has a great impact on the heart, liver, intestine, stomach, chest, throat and legs and the entire body from top to bottom, and purifies the blood, improves bone and muscle strength, helps the circulatory system improve, strengthens the nerves and ensures the proper functioning of the stomach, the bowel and the nerve centres. The Surya Namaskar regimen helps to balance out the three constitutions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha that comprise the body. Here’s how it is done!
– Stand at the edge of your mat with your feet together and hold your palms together as a namaskar.
– Breathe in, lift your arms up and arch back, keeping your arms close to your ears. You can push your pelvis forward a little, and reach up to the sky with your fingers.
– Breathe out and bend forwards from the waist without bending your spine, and then bring your hands right down onto the floor beside your feet.
– Breathe in, push your right leg far back into a deep lunge, until the knee touches the floor, and look up at the sky.
– Breathe in and take the left leg back to take the whole body into a straight plank line.
– Bring your knees to the floor and exhale, but keep your hips back as you bring your chest and chin onto the floor. Raise your bottom up a bit.
– Raise your chest up into the air and look at the sky in the Cobra pose.
– Inhale, push your chest forward as you exhale, and then tuck your toes under and look into the downward dog position. Your hips and tail bone should be up in the air, keep your chest downwards in an inverted V.
– Breathe in and bring the right foot forward between both your hands, and leave your left knee down to the floor and press the hips down and look up.
– Exhale and bring the left foot forward with the palms on the floor.
– Bring your other leg in front and keep your nose to the knees and rise up with your hands, and bring them before your chest in a Namaskar.

Picture Courtesy : http://www.livechennai.com/

Shriya saran has made heads turn in every appearance she has made: whether it is in Tamil cinema or in Hindi cinema, or in her appearances at awards, shows and in the public eye. But the twist in the tale is that the actress doesn’t have a gym membership, and is a foodie. And yet, her figure is one that most women crave for.
She works out with her own range of free style exercises, and prefers to avoid being confined to the unhealthy air conditioned environments of a gym. She exercises every day, and derives much happiness and plenty of health benefits from her regimen. Her fitness program includes a combination of running, swimming, yoga and circuit training. Since she has an active metabolism, she also gets to reap the benefits of eating to her heart’s content – and enjoys Indian food more than anything else, since it offers a balanced diet. Moreover, her choices of food centre around the way in which it is cooked – so boiled and grilled food beat all kinds of fried and junk food.
Shriya Saran exercises about five times each week, and prefers keeping it outdoors so that it lets her stay one with nature. She starts with a warm up that involves running for 20 minutes. Next, she spends 25 minutes on circuit training, working out in high intensity to strengthen the body, but with basic workouts such as back extensions, squats, lunges, push-ups, side to side jumps, jumping jacks, sit ups, bicep curls, all in three sets of 15 repetitions each. Next, 10 minutes go into doing yoga, particularly the suryanamaskar, and the 60 minutes routine is done. Through the week, circuit training remains a constant, while running is substituted with swimming and yoga.
Shriya says she has a flexible body that is a result of the exercise routine that she follows – and her diet as well. She starts her morning with a glass of orange juice which gives her Vitamin C. After an hour, she has a masala omelette made from two egg whites, a bowl of porridge and a paratha. Between lunch and breakfast, she has fruits. Her lunch is usually a portion of grilled fish with two chapatis, some vegetables and daal. She enjoys Malabar, Andhra and Goan fish curry most, and enjoys most vegetables save for bitter gourd, and she stays away from red meat. Her evening snack is a portion of sprouts or vegetable salads with nuts, and dinner is done by 7:30 PM, since the metabolism slows down late at night and food is stored as fat the later one eats. Her day ends with a glass of hot milk with a little honey. The only thing that she indulges in is dark chocolate and coffee –but she makes it a point to keep her portions in order.
References:

http://idiva.com/news-health/celeb-fitness-mantra-shriya-saran/17739
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/shriya-sarans-makeup-beauty-and-fitness-secrets/
http://stylesatlife.com/articles/shriya-saran-beauty-secrets/