Posts Tagged weight-loss regime

A refresher course in fitness!

So you are a workoholic who hates health and fitness regimes as they are so complicated and you have not time for it. Now take a deep breath and listen. There are ways to remain fit without all this sweat. And the simplest ways are often the best too.

Try this refresher course and get started. All you need is just a little concern for your health and fitness. If you have it, there are simple ways to work at them. Here’s how:

Take 30: Wake up just half an hour earlier than your usual time. Now just devote atleast 30 minutes pushing your body beyond what it’s used to doing. Stretch. Hands up and down and up and down. Bend down and sit up. One advantage: you feel fit and fresh throughout the day. It slows down aging too.

Naturals: Get five to seven servings of fruits and veggies a day. Not only do they reduce your risk of getting some forms of cancer, they are heart healthy, and give you more nutrition. With the added fiber, you feel fuller even when you’re eating less. So fruits and veggies are waistline-friendly.

Learn to say NO: If you are busier than you ought to be, you are saying Yes to too many people. Learn to say NO to responsibilities that are not yours. That way, you will really be able to save some time just for yourself to relax.

Beauty sleep: One reason why people start aging so early is that they don’t get enough sleep. Depriving yourself of sleep not only makes you petulant, it also kills your productivity. You are at a risk of serious illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. So sleep for a steady 7-8 hours each night.

Eat well drink well: If you want plenty of energy in addition to boosting your metabolism, 2 or 3 meals a day just won’t do it. Spread your meals throughout the day (4-6), balance them with protein, fruits and veggies, and a little bit of good fats such as walnuts or almonds, or oils like olive or safflower, and your body will be a well-oiled, leaner, energized, peak-performing machine. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day because even a slight dehydration can make you feel lethargic.

These are just five simple steps that can make a huge different to your life. They are worth trying and wont take long either. Go ahead, trust us, you need them.

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Time for a good swim!

Controlled abdominal fat. Great body. Greater muscle strength. These are just a few of the many marvelous benefits of swimming. Recall your rustic relatives in their youth. Why did they seem to be so fit? That’s simply because they swam in the nearby river every day.

Of course the bare necessity of swimming in a village stream is a luxury for the urbane. Yet, this doesn’t make it less benefiting. Many of you would be performing swimming exercise regularly while others might be doing it as just as a hobby. Still others might be doing it considering the health benefits of swimming. Most of us know that swimming is amongst the best forms of exercise. Swimming is definitely good for health.  So here are a few of the very many advantages of swimming:

Tones body: One of the prominent swimming health benefits is that it tones up your entire body. This is the reason most of the women opt for swimming regularly. Moreover, it provides great exercise for your lungs which increases lung capacity. This is one of the best health benefits of swimming for older people.
Cardio workout: Swimming is known to be an effective cardiovascular exercise. It easily increases your heart rate, builds endurance and strengthens your muscles.

Muscle strength: While most of the exercises concentrate on a single section of your muscles, swimming exercise works on your overall muscles and helps strengthen them.

Shedding fat: One of the swimming health facts is that it promotes fat loss. It is the best exercise to burn calories and lose body weight. So, swimming leads to weight loss which you can get by regularly performing it along with resistance training program.

Good for mothers: Another beneficial aspect of swimming workout is it can also be performed by pregnant women. It is a cardio workout which helps the cardiovascular system perform well, which is essential for proper development of the uterus. It also helps maintain healthy weight essential for healthy pregnancy. It increases the flexibility of a woman’s body and softens her body tissues. It helps you get relaxed and reduces your stress, which is much essential during pregnancy.

Breathing patterns: Swimming helps regulate your breathing pattern and it also increases the oxygen flow towards your muscles. It further helps improve the blood circulation.

Good for the disabled: Swimming is known to be good for the physically challenged people. With swimming, health problems like leg pain and backache can be effectively cured. One of the cold water swimming health benefits is that it helps your strained spine get relaxed. A strained spine can lead to problems like headache and weakness. Swimming is known to cure problems of joint pains and high blood pressure as well.

Now that you are convinced about the benefits of swimming, we must also share with you about various swimming strokes. It is better to try all of them instead of sticking to just one. Trying new swimming techniques will help you make it a more interesting exercise. It is good to perform some warm-up and cool-down exercises before and after swimming in order to gain maximum health benefits of swimming. You can always take your kids along with you for this classic form of exercise. Make sure you pay attention to the safety and rules of the swimming pool and teach the same to your kids.

One swimming health tip would be to follow the right diet to complement swimming health benefits. Also, to gain maximum swimming health benefits, you must do it regularly. If you have a medical history of health conditions, it is best to consult a medical practitioner before you opt for swimming.

Another important aspect of swimming is to follow the swimming pool safety rules and regulations. Swimming is designed to better your health and not to put your life in danger. However, there cannot be anything healthier than a safe swim every week.

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Interested in water sports? Try Kayaking!

Watching people going up and down the crazy waters in a kayak is exciting for sure. Many of you would have loved these videos that looks to thrilling and breathtaking. Paddling a kayak, however, can be much more kicking than that. Even in India, now you cannot give anyone a lame excuse of the lack of facilities. All you need is to first learn every sutra of kayaking.

There are several different options available to learn this adventure sport. For example, learn from an experienced friend, hire an expert, watch YOUtube videos on kayaking or wing it on your own.

All of these options can work, and have for thousands of paddlers. Yet, learning on can be tricky. You’ll probably make every mistake in the book before you get comfortable, but it certainly is a viable option.

What you need?

GO kayaking!

You have to be in a reasonable aerobic condition, have a modest amount of smarts and common sense, and are willing to be patient. You need a good kayak ofcourse. And lots of will power.

People in the journey

A good kayaking instructor can make the whole process much easier – and safer – and it doesn’t have to be a formal instructor from a paddling shop or business.

Nobody can tell you better than friends or family who are experienced paddlers, consider asking them for some informal instruction. You can just let them know that you’re just starting out, and that you’ll need a lot of patience and understanding for the first few excursions. If you have access to a pool that allows kayaks in the water, this can provide a great way to get some initial training, especially in getting your roll mechanics down.

In the absence of these you may consider joining a local kayak club in your area. These clubs and organizations can be great resources for all kinds of paddling information, tours, instruction, and networking. You may even find someone in the club who’s a certified instructor or who’s willing to help a newbie get their feet (and all their other parts) wet.

Professional help

And then, of course, there’s the option of finding a certified kayaking instructor. This could be even more tricky in a country like India. Yet, places like Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Laddakh do have many certified kayak instructors. In addition, there are kayaking schools also available at your disposal.

In case of hiring an instructor, you may first ask to see the person’s resume, and any certifications and formal training he or she’s had. And before you whip out your cheque book, ask to see your prospective instructor on the water.

Use lots of common sense here. Does he or she seem skilled and confident when handling their kayak? Does their equipment look to be well maintained? Do they explain what they’re doing and why they’re doing it?

Most of all, how does this person come across? Do they appear to be patient and approachable? Do they answer your questions quickly and with confidence? Is this someone who makes you feel comfortable? Without a good rapport, after all, it’s almost impossible to get the most out of any instruction, paddling or otherwise.

But as stated, not every part of India has certified instructors, you may surely end up doing it on your own. The most important rule in this case is to keep safety first. If you decide to go with an instructor, take the time to choose wisely, and get the most for your training rupees.

Kayaking is not all that impossible in India as it has been made out. All you need is a willing heart to give it a shot.

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Aerobics Exercises (via aerobic training exercises)

If anyone wants to know about aerobics and benefits. This is a great read!
Thanks,
Merifitness

Aerobics Exercises Image : http://www.flickr.com The aerobics exercises are good cardio vascular exercise. These exercises help to develop cardio vascular strength as well as stamina to the body. These exercises help to work large muscle gropes together bringing activeness to the body.As such these exercises help to make the lungs work harder that develop the lung power of the body and increase the respiratory system. This also means that it improves the stamina of … Read More

via aerobic training exercises

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Bollywood’s Shilpa Shetty goes into fitness business (via Latest bollywood news)

People should be encouraged more to become fit and healthy in this fast paced life.
Thanks!
https://merifitness.wordpress.com/

Bollywood's Shilpa Shetty goes into fitness business

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty entered the celebrity physical fitness business on Friday, launching a new yoga video she called a “management system for life.”The 32-year-old actress, who produced and stars in the video, said she made it in response to fans’ questions about how she stayed fit.”A lot of fans have asked about my fitness regime — I think this is the best way to tell them what to do to be healthy,” Shetty told reporters as she release … Read More

via Latest bollywood news

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Fitness Boot Camps For Summer (via Malanbars)

This is a unique and refreshing concept on fitness that people should know more about!!

Thanks!

Fitness boot camps are notable weighloss camp contained by demand for men. Fitness camps are notable grounding programs designed for men during the happening for defensible prices. Incorporated is a unique concept that offers the most innovative instructional fitness programming anywhere. Boxing helps to improve co-ordination and cardiovascular fitness as it is a high intensity workout using all the limbs. Sports scientists agree that cardio boxi … Read More

via Malanbars

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‘Power’-packed Yoga

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Activate the no-big-deal fitness!

Alright lets face it. You are guilty as you cannot spend a lot of time on physical activity  regularly. This guilt has been with you for almost ages and yet you haven’t been able to do anything about it.
No big deal really: You could start right here and right now. The better part of the news is you don’t have to drastically change anything. All you need is to take little steps one at a time to walk your way through a healthier and more fit lifestyle.
But before we begin: Lets have a look at some symptoms that may result into serious illnesses in future. If you are suffering from these symptoms, you might as well get a good reason to get going.
Cranky, stressed-out and sleepy: These are the three commonest symptoms to a deteriorating physical health. Yet, you still don’t need to run a marathon or do aerobics all at once. You just have to pick some little things from your own lifestyle and convert them into health tools.
Lets see what we can do with your life:
Sleep minus 30 min: Get up only 30 minutes earlier in the morning and take a brisk walk to start your day. Bring a neighbor or friend to make it more pleasant.
My car is happy to be washed: Wash your car yourself instead of the drive-through car wash. You will save money at the same time.
No elevators: Make it a habit now to take the stairs come what may, instead of elevators. It is an excellent and easy-to-do and effortless exercise. Walking up stairs is a great heart exerciser and calorie burner.
Parking at bay: Another way to get your body to some physical activity is to park at the far end of a parking lot. This would give you some yards to walk. Similarly, get off the bus a stop ahead, then walk the rest of the way to your destination.
Comp needs a break: Take it this way, you and your computer need to give each other space while working for longer hours. Move your body at least five minutes for every hour of computer time.
Steal away walking: Walk around your building-outside or inside-during your coffee break. You’ll burn energy rather than being tempted to nibble or snack.
Walk the talk: Before and after dinner, walk and talk with your family. To burn more energy, if you are a parent or caregiver of an infant, use a baby carrier on your back rather than pushing a stroller.
Gardening: Keep the weekends to do some backyard gardening. In the fall, rake leaves or dig some ground to grow better carpet grass. This burns fat and gets it out through sweating.
Cycling: Ride your good old cycle to work or to a friend’s home, say on weekends. Walk to do errands that are just a few blocks away.
Watch n do: Another simple way to physical activity daily is to do household chores or projects, such as mopping the kitchen floor or refinishing a piece of furniture while watching television.
Housework: Deliberately pick up some pending chores back home that involve physical activity like climbing on metal stairs, nailing a painting on the wall etc or washing windows, clean the floor etc.
Backyard exercising: Search for exercise equipments you already have. Ride your stationary bicycle while you read or watch the news while you work out on rowing machine to make exercising more interesting.
Go trekking: Once in a while, instead of going to a theatre with family, plan a trekking expedition nearby or a picnic.

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Working out a better cardio workout!

How would you feel if you discover that your prescribed 30-minute cardio could actually be harmful for your body? Well that’s what the results of a recent research have shown. The research has clearly indicated that all the crash-exercises, diets and hurried weight-loss programmes have been doing more harm than good.

Now that you know the biggest fitness faux pas, it’s time to know what is best when it comes to weight reduction through exercising. First, the cardio exercise has to be approached very differently. The aforesaid research has suggested that your body will respond much better to a pattern of variable exercises.

Interestingly man is the only animal who puts his body through the crash-exercise punishment which is never healthy. Most animals experience short bursts of high energy exertion, followed by intervals of rest. They are either chasing their prey or they are running away from their attackers. So, in terms of exercise, the whole evolutionary track for mammals seems to focus on variable exertion as the norm.

That is why cardio, if done overtly, can actually be dangerous. One, it is often boring to do cardio. And two, it can actually weaken your joints over time because of the constant repetitive stress. As your legs are going thump, thump, thump, thump, in constant rhythm, the stress tends to build up in the joints. This does not happen with variable exercise, where there are periods of recovery scattered throughout the exercise routine.

In addition, there are several other disadvantages of cardio exercise. The research has shown that long term continuous exercise of this nature (say, more than 60 minutes on a treadmill) can actually reduce the immune function of the body. What it amounts to is that steady long-term repetitive exercise is not natural to the body. Therefore, it is not effective in improving fitness.

Compare this with variable and easy-going exercise usually has a very positive effects on your fitness level. Lets look at it this way. We exercise in order to stay fit so we feel good. So if our cardio workout is freaking us out, it cannot be fit or healthy.

So how do you go about a healthier cardio workout? It’s not such a big deal either. As an example, in using a treadmill, keep varying the speed and load every few minutes. Make it so that you spend, say, one or two minutes at high speed and load, followed by 3 or 4 minutes at a much slower speed and load. Repeat this at an even higher speed and load for another one or two minutes, and so on.

If you run or jog, don’t do your whole trip at a constant rate. After you have warmed up, do short bursts flat out, followed by intervals of slow jogging, or even walking.

This highly variable cardio exercise has been linked to the increased production of anti-oxidants, which can greatly improve your immune system. It will also encourage a healthier cardio vascular system and actually increase the metabolic rate. This means that your heart will be in better shape and you will burn more fat. .

Always remember that exercise, be it cardio or any other, is meant to make us healthy and good. If any exercise is stressing your body out, it is certainly not healthy or beneficial. So get yourself out of that torturous cardio experience and start doing it more pragmatically. Don’t forget to feel good in the process.

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Make a good health headline

Good Morning. Today’s news. This is the fourth consecutive week of the fifth consecutive month that you haven’t exercised. This morning is different only because you woke up 15 minutes before eight!!  So congratulations on that. You still feel fatigued despite almost seven hours of sleep. You are yet to start having fruit juice instead of coffee to start the day. Once again you feel like bunking college/office as you don’t feel enough energy to go on. You catch yourself wishing once again if this were a Sunday and you could rest a bit more…….

Get set to get fit

Are these your morning headlines? If yes, it’s time to put a full stop and think. Ten years later, the headlines could be as serious as a cardiac arrest or a high blood pressure. Lack of physical activity, consistent lethargy and a dearth of energy are signs of serious health conditions in future.

Not that most Indians do not know this. Amid the hustle and bustle, the junk meals and quick sandwiches, they are aware something is seriously wrong. Only that they don’t take one step of change.

Today lets take that step. It wouldn’t be a drastic change but a gradual one. Energizing your body has the power of energizing your entire life. So take it more seriously by following these simple steps:

Wake up with a lark: No there’s a short cut to this. Try to get up early in the morning. There are countless benefits but one major benefit is- you will get extra time, which can be utilized for exercise.

One with yourself: Stop laughing on people who meditate. It is the only time and your only chance to relax your mind and soul. It can simply save you from rushing everything and getting stressed out.

Breakfast before tea: You don’t have to totally renounce your favorite coffee mug. You just have to make it wait for sometime. Instead of starting the day with a cup of coffee or tea, eat real food within 15 to 20 minutes of your waking. Tea or caffeine makes the body stressed out by increasing blood pressure and heart beat. This on the other hand disturbs our digestive system and depletes us from many nutrients.

Sleep Dark: Sleeping in night lamp or light prevents a sound sleep. So try to sleep in total darkness because it stimulates the release of a hormone called melatonin. This hormone helps in regulating the body’s circadian rhythm. It also helps control the timing and release of female reproduction hormones and menstruation.

Eat Eight: Instead of eating three to four meals, eat eight meals a day, almost every two hours. It will provide the body with energy required to perform all the activities. This also to some extent prevents weight gain. Add bright colored foods and green veggies in your diet. You can eat whatever you want but try to control your quantity. Small quantity is easier to digest and the nutrients are utilized better by the body. Keep yourself hydrated and consume less salt.

Hot water bag: At the end of the day, lye down with a hot water bottle on your stomach. You will feel all your tensions getting released. It also stimulates digestion. Another thing you can try is acupressure. Even if you don’t know the exact points, just press the soul of your feet with your thumb and you will feel your body getting all the energy back.

Is that so much of effort? Of course not. It isn’t so difficult either. Most importantly, there is a very strange joy of following a good routine every day. So it’s time to change your health headline. Make it healthy.

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