"The Power of Three"

blog.kir.com

Find your perfect blend of diet, exercise, and lifestyle!

Managing your weight in a healthy way is more complicated than it looks. It comprises of a balanced mix of three elements: diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. And while some people like to pick just one of these elements and focus on it to get healthy, that never really works. Just focusing on diet without doing any exercise or resting may well give you results when it comes to weight loss, but this is rarely sustainable. More often than not, the minute the diet is over, the weight comes back.


Then there are those who like to concentrate on just intense working out. While that may result in burning calories and building some muscle, it’s really a waste of time if those gymaholics are chomping down cheeseburgers and pizzas right after their workouts. Even those who try to live a clean lifestyle cutting out the alcohol and late nights are not really gaining any health benefits if they are leading a sedentary lifestyle with no restrictions on diet at all.

When it comes to getting it right it is vitally important to remember that it’s the whole package that matters. That means you need to think about all three aspects of your life when you want to get the best results. For instance eating right is not simply about going on a binge diet every few months during which time you starve yourself in order to fit into that killer dress. Instead, one needs to evaluate the way we make our food choices on a daily basis. Homemade meals versus those meals eaten out, the kind of preparation we use to cook our foods (frying, steaming, raw), and even the mix of grains, meats, fruits, vegetables, and sugars we consume. Looking at food through this multi-angled lens then allows you to be more aware of what and how you are eating.

In the same way, as long as exercise is a “chore” or something you dread, it will never be a permanent part of your life. For that to happen, you need to figure out some physical activity that you truly enjoy doing. Dancing, swimming, running, yoga, soccer, weights, pilates, kickboxing, squash, the list of choices is limitless. Just find what you love, and do it. The calorie burning, muscle power, and strengthening will all follow naturally.

Finally, the pyramid of three gets perfected once you are able to balance your lifestyle choices to complement the exercise and diet you like.

"Play Time"

doggypads.com

Best friends. Who says they have to be human? After all, many of us share our closest friendships with creatures who are often much more loveable, huggable, cuddly, and definitely more forgiving that most high-maintenance humans we know. And while it’s a joy unlike any other to come home to that friendly wagging tail, and those puppy dog eyes that can melt the hardest soul, its also true that with that joy comes responsibility. Just like you need to look after your own health, its vital that you ensure your furry friend is getting the right kind of food and exercise as well! And hey, while you are at it, why not burn some calories of your own? Look at it this way, not only are you ensuring that your darling doggie gets to like a long, happy and healthy life, you are also getting to spend quality time with your best friend WHILE you work off that chocolate cake! It’s play time folks.



Jogging: Choose between an early morning run or a sunset jog with your four-legged friend and enjoy burning those calories while giving him that energizing run. Especially perfect for those with bigger, more athletic dogs who need the exercise.

Swimming: If your Fido likes the water, there’s nothing for fun than enjoying some pool time together. You can do your 20 laps while he does the doggy paddle.

Park play: got a playful puppy? Nothing makes them happier than chasing an object flying across a field. Play Frisbee or even Go Fetch and teach him to catch and bring it back to you so you can keep the game going. A great way to work those arms and get puppy tired enough to sleep through the night!

Walking: Probably the safest, most comfortable form of exercise for all pets and owners. Take your pooch out to a pet-friendly track, hook up your ipod and get yourself a nice long power walk.

Dancing: Having tried this one myself, I can honestly say, it’s got to be the most fun way to stay fit with your pet. Just put on a rocking new track (say “I gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas), pump up the volume, and shake what yo mama gave you! Your dog will love it and so will you :)

Hiking: for those of you who love the great outdoors, why not take your dog along? You’d be amazed how fast they take to natural surroundings while you are exploring new places.

"The Return of the Packed Lunch"

delight.com

It’s officially been a month into the new year and you’ve just about got things under control. Work is going full swing while all the relatives and friends who were visiting for the holidays have returned to their homes. New Year’s resolutions of diets, quitting those bad habits, and exercising regularly are all going strong and yes, you are feeling pretty darn good about things. So where’s the problem?


Well, for some reason it feels like despite all your attempts at a regime of healthy breakfasts combined with light dinners, your jeans don’t seem to be getting any looser. Instead, they fit just the same as they always have, sometimes even tighter than they were BEFORE you began your diet. The villain in this scary picture? Lunch. And by lunch I mean your office lunch. That greasy, oily, fatty, calorie-loaded, monster of a menu which offers only food geared to give you early cholesterol.

You need to lose that lunch people. Don’t panic. I am not advocating you skip meals to get skinny. Now that’s a really bad idea. No, what I am suggesting is that you get smart about your lunch and make it a power packed one. Think about it, not only will you end up saving money by using what’s already in your fridge or shopping smart instead of wasting money on a huge amount of unnecessary calories, you will also get a super-healthy, yummy lunch that’s fresh and fantastic. Picture this. A multi-grain sandwich made with pesto, rocket, sundried tomatoes and maybe a little grilled chicken. A lightly tossed salad with mung sprouts, cucumber, red, green and yellow peppers doused with a dressing of lemon and olive oil. Even a creative pasta salad topped with some crunchy pine nuts using leftovers from last night.

Take a month to try it, and thank me after those jeans show you the difference. :)

"Vacation Work Out"

vacationspot.com

It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year. Dreaming about the shopping. Fantasizing about the sun-kissed beaches. Salivating over the different kinds of yumminess you are going to get to eat. It’s literally been on your mind 24/7 for the last six months! And its almost here. Your annual long vacation.


So what could possibly be a dark cloud on this perfectly sunny dream holiday? Absolutely nothing. Except, perhaps, just maybe, an eensy weensy chance that after all those deliciously long, dessert filled days, you might come home with more than just overweight suitcases. Ummm, you might just come home with an oversized ass….et other than summer sale shopping.

Sorry girls and boys, don’t mean to be a drag, but the truth is that after all those weeks, scratch that, months, of working out to get into that perfect bathing suit, do you really want to throw it away on a few days of indulging? You know what? I am here to tell you that in this case, you can literally have your cake and eat it too. All you need to do is to be a little smart about it!

How? It’s simple, you just work out on your vacation.

Hahaha before you freak out, don’t. I am not here to tell you to pack your weights with you, or even ask you to join the local gym on that gorgeous Goa beach you are on. Just follow a few of these simple tricks and stay in shape no matter how many days you’ll be away!

Walk: while you shop, when you are going to that special dinner, when you want to go dancing, when you want to find a nice sunset spot, just walk wherever you can. And guess what? Chances are, you will get to see the prettiest places that way as well!

Mix it up: while walking will get your feet moving, it goes only so far to get your blood pumping. So while you are soaking up those rays why not do a little bit of dancing, swimming, beach volleyball, or even some snorkeling so you can watch the beautiful marine life while burning some of those extra calories. Whatever the activity, pick something you enjoy and it will be like your vacation, and not work!

Serving sizes: ok so don’t worry, I am not telling you to ban anything from your diet on your dream trip. It is your vacation after all, and just as important as it is to be disciplined during the rest of your year, holidays are made for some naughtiness, so go ahead and order those desserts. Just ask for a couple of extra spoons. Sharing is an amazingly easy way to get a taste of all those sugary delights, while eating smarter. :)

"Blame it on the Rain!"

weatherpicturesweatherphotos.net

So it’s a brand new year and you wake up with a smile on your face. There’s a definite spring in your step as you bounce out of bed and you know you got it. This time your new years weight loss resolution (2010 is my year to slink into those sexy skinny blue jeans!) is going to work and there’s nothing, nothing that can stop you from making it real.


Nothing that is, but the weather. Tip tip tip. Drip drip drip. Cold, grey, cloudy, and windy. No, unfortunately I am not describing the background to a scary ghost story about a haunted house on a hill. I am talking about the reality of life right outside your front door. Make that dripping from your ceiling.

Too bad. Too sad. Guess the gym is going to have to wait for another day and you can put those sneakers back in the closet right? Wrong.

It’s time to take control people. So what if it looks like doomsday outside your window? Who says you can’t do something super-energetic and calorie-burning right there in your living room? I am here to tell you that you don’t have to be a slave to the gym or be disheartened because the weather isn’t on your side today. When you want to work off all that guilt from your holiday eating, you just have to work out. And honey, when you can’t get to the gym, you just got to make that gym come to you.

Here are 4 fabulous ways to keep your fitness resolutions this year!

Push ups: you can choose between girly style (on your knees lifting your torso weight only) or good old military style (on your toes lifting your entire body weight evenly). Either way, you are going to get your heart pumping and your body screaming --- in a good way! Do two sets of 10.

Squats: Get your posture right by practicing with a trainer or someone experienced with the exercise the first few times. Once you have your positioning right you can try and go for 4 sets of 15 each of these free squats. Amongst one of the most efficient movements for a full body workout, these killers work all the way up from your calves and hamstrings right to your abdominal core. Burn baby burn.

Jumping Jacks: Get back to the old days of PT in school! Boosting the blood pumped to the heart this works as a great cardiovascular workout when you don’t have access to a treadmill. Also, it can actually be a lot of fun. Think 2 to 3 sets of 20 reps each depending on how much you want to push it.

Spot Jogging: Cant get to the park? Rain upto your knees keeping you from your beloved treadmill in the gym. Use your very own bedroom floor instead. Just crank up some Tiesto on your ipod dock and start running. While you stay in the same spot. Keep jogging till your tune is done. Then lie down, relax and breathe.

Most importantly, always, always, enjoy your work out!

"Soups Up"

blog.sigsiv.com

It’s the perfect meal when you want to go light. It’s the ideal feel-good food when you are feeling far from good. It’s the winter food which keeps you feeling warm. It’s all the nutrients and health you need fitting perfectly in a bowl.


Undoubtedly, one of the nicest benefits to adding soup to your regular diet is the fact that even though it fills you up with its yumminess, it can easily be a low-calorie; nearly fat-free meal in itself. A good example is any clear vegetable soup. Basic rules say if the soup is clear it means it doesn’t contain any cream, butter, or milk --- which means its practically water people! Instead just adding some boiled veggies to some clear vegetable stock soup can make for a super-delicious meal. So not only do you get a taste of something warm and nourishing, adding comfort to your day, you get a healthy way to lose those extra kilos :)

And here’s another reason why you should think about soup. Since soup is more or less liquid in form, you can put all kinds of wholesome goodness into the blender and add it to soup making sure its packed with all the vitamins, antioxidants, and immunity boosting foods you need to keep you fighting fit. Which is why soup is also a smart thing to eat if you are ever feeling a little under the weather. Take your pick from a wide range of ingredients to make tomato, spinach, pea, mixed veggie, broccoli, beetroot, pumpkin, cabbage, even lentil soup! If you are a carnivore who cant do without meat on your plate you could consider adding a little shredded chicken, or some shrimp into your bowl as well. So the next time you are wondering what to have for lunch, just think about all the wellness power in that little bowl of soup and drink up!

"Go for the Green"

musikality.com

Sometimes the simplest solution is the one that’s right there staring you in the face. As human beings living in the times of instant cash, instant noodles, and yes, even instant fixes we are all moving at the speed of light. All the time. Answering phone, replying to emails, sending texts, even “poking” or “pinging” each other literally every minute of the day. So when the moment of burnout comes, and yes, it does come for us all girls and boys, what’s the best way to escape the chaos around? Like I said, its so simple, it scares me. Just step outside.

I mean literally, leave the four corners of your air-conditioned worlds and get outside (where the animals live). Reconnecting with nature has been proven time and again to have several benefits both from the physical point of view as well as from an emotional/mental/some could call it spiritual perspective.

Think about how good you feel when you are driving out of the crazy city traffic on those weekends to the beach or the hills. It almost feels like the minute you leave the intensity of the urban life and start moving towards the quieter strength of nature, that you begin to feel a sense of calm. If you can’t manage to take a weekend break too often, find a park near your home or office and just spend a half hour walking there after work. Trust me, you will get home with a fresh feeling of optimism and energy. Walking not only gives you a great form of calorie-burning exercise, the time spent outdoors and away from the constant demands of the laptop and phone gives you something special.

Of course you can find this sense of space in other ways. Some people are literally spa-aholics, for whom missing their weekly massage is equivalent to the apocalypse. What I am selling is free. And from my experience, the best way to rejuvenate the tired body, mind , and spirit.

It’s out there for all of us to enjoy – the magic of mother nature.

"Good vs Evil: The 2 Sides of Holiday Foods"

maxwebber.hunter.cuny.edu

Its that time of the year again people. Pool parties, birthday bashes, annual extravaganzas, and crazy music festivals. Its officially party time. You know what that means don’t you? Cake, pudding, chocolate pie, strawberry cupcakes, butter cookies, and much much more… Ok, you can stop the drooling! Before you reach for that second, make that, THIRD slice of the caramel toffee cake stop and take a second to read on. For I have for you a neat little list of the not-so- goodies on our holiday plates, just to help you know when its worth another bite, and when its most definitely not!


And I am not just talking about a little big of struggling to get into those fitted jeans. According to statistics, the average person puts on about a half kg every festive season (make that 1kg for us Indians since we like to party during Diwali and at the end of the year!), and most people do not end up losing that extra kg, leading to progressive weight gain year after year!

Listen up, and learn girls and boys.

Chicken with the skin on – you’ll be surprised to learn that the skin of the chicken actually contains a whole lot of saturated fat which is usually the stuff that likes to clog up your arteries, not to mention add some ummm…bump to your backside. Another warning – pick white meat (chicken, turkey, pork) over red meat (mutton, beef) when possible since the latter has more fat per bite than the former!

Mashed, soft –as-heaven potatoes – you can bet your last rupee this stuff has got dollops of butter and other creamy delights inside its innocent looking exterior and trust me, you don’t want to go there. If you want to eat potatoes, pick the grilled or even the roasted kind…yummy, without the tummy.

Pecan/Apple Pie – don’t fool yourself into thinking that because its named after a healthy fruit or nut, its super light and healthy. On the contrary, these desserts usually come loaded with all kinds of fatty stuff like butter, milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup. On average, one slice of a pecan pie can be between 500 and 800 calories. Now how long does it take to work that off on the treadmill?? Hmmm, about 90 minutes for most of us!

So before you attack that buffet table at random, think twice people.

"Believe it or Not!"

 tombronk.com

1.25% of your bones are located in your feet

2. Walking on hard dirt can burn up to 7 percent more calories than walking on the pavement

3. A sneeze can travel as fast as 100miles per hour.

4. Contrary to what most believe, chocolate does not cause acne

5. Crushed cockroaches can be applied to a stinging wound to help relieve the pain.

6. From the age of 30 onwards, human beings gradually begin to shrink!

7. If you unfolded your brain, it could cover an ironing board.

8. A lung from the human body, when rolled out flat, would be the size of a tennis court.

9. If the stomach failed to produce a new layer of mucous every two weeks, it would digest itself.

10. It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown

11. Just like fingerprint, every one has a “tongue print” which is unique to them!

12. A common ingredient found in lipsticks: fish scales

13. Dreams can last between 5 to 20 minutes.

14. The average person has 1460 dreams every year.

15 .More people use blue toothbrushes as compared to red ones

16. One out of every 20 people has an extra rib

17. Pain travels through your body at 350 feet per second

18. Sweat has no smell: it’s the bacteria on the skin which creates the odor.

19. The average human body contains enough fat to make 7 bars of soap.

20. The average office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet.

21. A taste bud in the human mouth lives for only ten days before it dies and is replaced by a new one.

22. The most push-ups ever performed in a day was 46,001

23. The strongest muscle in the human body: your tongue.

24. During your lifetime, you will eat about 60.000 pounds of food, that’s the weight of about 6 elephants!

25. When a person blushes, the lining of their stomach turns red too.

26. You have no sense of smell while you are sleeping!

27. Hair grows faster in the morning than at any other time during the day!

28. Apples are 25 percent air.

29. Bananas aren’t fruit – they’re a kind of herb!

30. Food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.

"Enough is Enough"

workout-planet.com

You know how fantastic it feels when you have just finished your gym work out? The adrenalin is pumping, the endorphins are flowing and boy, do you feel goooood. I personally rate that first hour after an intense workout amongst the top 3 most amazing feelings in the world. You literally feel unstoppable, unbeatable, and unbreakable. Until about four hours down the line that is.

It happens to the best of us. When you find yourself in the “zone’ of your exercise routine – it could be running, lifting weights, doing squats, or even surya namaskars, you reach a certain point where you are faced with a choice. You could stop and end the session. Or you could push your body just a little further. The endorphin junkies amongst us would choose the second option. And push further. Nothing wrong with this as long as it’s within sensible limits, but once you go there, you have to deal with the consequences. Aching muscles. Pain when you walk, sit down, lie down, get up, and basically make any physical movement other than blink.

And at this point, you need to keep all lines of communications between you and your body clear. It is absolutely essential that you learn to interpret what your body is telling you to ensure that you are not only able to recover from an intense workout, but so that you can come back stronger and fitter. Here are what I like to call the Three Golden Rules.

First things first: ice works. A friend of mine convinced me to start using ice packs on my knees post my outdoor running sessions and since then I haven’t looked back. Trust me, this is the best medicine you could put on any sore muscles you might have after a workout. The cold temperature of the ice works to contract the inflamed muscle tissue and by doing so, prevents that feeling like you cant get out of bed the next day. Just take 15 to 20 minutes post workout to ice the areas which need it and you will be amazed how grateful your body will be. 

Second:  fuel your system. As important as getting an intense workout every so often is making sure you feed your body well after you exercise. During any heavy exercise you are burning a lot of energy, and while its important to burn extra calories, its also important to refuel your system post the workout to ensure that it is able to recover properly. Proteins are the key to efficient muscle recovery so make sure you are getting plenty of egg whites (omelets, boiled, or poached) and chicken (grilled is best) in your diet. If you are a vegetarian, load up on soya, tofu, and pulses (dals, chickpeas, kidney beans).

Third: rest. Perhaps most important of all the rules, this one is also hardest to follow, especially for those of us who looooove to sweat. But the best thing you can do for your body after an intensive exercise session, or a minor injury, is to rest it. Listen to the signals your body is sending to you. Rest it for a day or even two between workouts and you will appreciate how well it can bounce back.

So be smart with your body and come back harder, better, faster and stronger!

"Liquids in your Diet"

dietmag.org

Alright so lets get one thing straight right away. I am the last person to recommend any kind of so called fad diets. None of that weird cabbage soup diet, or eating just carrots for a week thing for me, and not for you either my sweethearts. Truthfully, although these highly exclusive (usually they exclude food of most kinds!) can lead to weight loss, the effects are not very long-lasting (ie you bounce back to your size 10 or worse, to a size 12 within weeks of going back to normal eating) and they can often be downright bad for your health. So this is not a piece on liquid diets. This is about ensuring that you are getting the right liquids in your diet. The kind that lead to higher caloric burning and not a wider waist.

So first things first. Know your liquids. Number one on the no-no list is always the aerated coke, pepsi, seven-up, fanta, Miranda nonsense which is loaded with sugary sweetness that does absolutely nothing good for your body! Even if you do switch the diet variety of these drinks, go easy and remember just because they contain fewer calories does not mean they are good for you. Another dangerously innocent looking liquid is the milkshake also known as the smoothie. Trust me, these guys are almost also filled with full-fat milk, whipped cream, sugar, ice-cream, not to mention the chocolate sauce! One of these is enough to finish your calorie requirement for the entire day. Approach with caution and have them once in a while as a special treat!

Other devils in disguise would include any “fresh juice” drink which contains added sugar (always ask the waiter and ask for 100% pure fruit juice and read all labels carefully) and cocktails (alcoholic more so than non-alcoholic) which taste great but usually contain way too much sugar syrup in them. Where are the heroes in this story of villainous liquids?
Here are some guaranteed good guys to get your fill of:


- Water: not only is it great for your skin and digestive system, it also works to improve your metabolism. Drinking 2 glasses before you eat also fills your stomach ensuring that you keep your meals lighter.

- Green tea: filled with free radical fighting antioxidants which protect your body against disease, this stuff also revs up your metabolic rate allowing you to burn calories faster – yay :)

- Vegetable juices: tomato juice not only contains about half the calories of a glass of orange juice, it also fills you up so that you can eat a light meal followed by it.

"The Truth about Exercise: Fact versus Fiction"

fitsugar.com

Exercise right - Know your facts!

Running on the treadmill is safer on the knees than road running: the truth is any form of running is going to have an impact on your knees. Experts say the best way to avoid chronic pain and keep your running injury-free is to combine it with other activities. So if you are running on the treadmill thrice a week, use the alternate days to work on the elliptical or the cycling machines, which tend to have a lower impact on the knee joints. Bottom line: watch yourself. If you find you are beginning to have a chronic pain which isn’t going away, switch to another activity.


Working out on an empty stomach will help you lose more weight: the theory that less is more in this case just doesn’t work. In order to have a good workout in which you burn enough calories, you need to have some food in your stomach to fuel the workout. Understandably, this is not for everyone and there are those who like to exercise on an empty stomach, however the idea that weight loss will be faster doing this is simply not the case. Usually, you end up feeling ravenous post work out in this case, and eat enough to make up for being on an empty stomach pre-workout. My advice? Try and get a little something to eat before you hit the gym: a granola bar, an apple or banana, even a protein shake all do great to give you a strong workout.


No sweat means nothing happened: Sweating is a sign that your body needs to cool down. It’s a way the body naturally controls its temperature. This does not mean that without sweating buckets its impossible to lose weight. In fact, some activities like walking or yoga may burn several calories without you even breaking a sweat.


Yoga can relieve all back problems: While it is true that a regular practice of yoga can strengthen the spine as well as increase flexibility, its not always advisable as a solution to all back problems In fact, in some circumstances, practicing deep backbends can lead to further pain for someone who is suffering from backaches. The best thing to do is to identify the kind of back problem one has and then ask your doctor if practicing yoga (or even modified yoga) will help to alleviate the discomfort.


Doing crunches will make you lose your belly fat: I am sorry to break your bubble boys and girls but doing just crunches alone are not enough to rid you of that unwanted flab on your tummy. Although crunches will strengthen the muscles of your abdomen, for these to show (ie to get a flat stomach) you need to combine crunches with other forms of cardiovascular and weight-training activities. This encourages weight loss for the entire body, including the core area, which in turn will look trimmer through the muscle toning achieved through crunches.

"Eating Out: Do it Right"

graphics8.nytimes.com

So you’ve been on the most awesome diet for the last two weeks. Combined with the balanced, mini-meals you have been dutifully feeding yourself, you have also on the most kick-ass workout regime. You tummy is flatter, thighs are workin it, you butt is fitting into those jeans just right, and your arms are looking to-die-for. All in all, life is good.


And then it happens. The phone rings and you hear those words which you’ve been avoiding all month long…"lets go out for dinner tonight!” And in the next five minutes you can literally visualize all those hours of blood, sweat, and tears going straight down……to your hips!

But don’t worry, there’s always hope girls and boys. I am here to give you some simple tips on eating out so that you can enjoy your meals in peace, without worrying about putting on any extra pounds and ensuring that you still have a fantastic social life!

Pre-Dinner Preps: Alright so this might sound a little strange, but trust me, it’s the answer to eating a sensible dinner out. Eat before you eat. Confused? Basically, you need to eat a little something before you head out to dinner. Think about it, most of the time, dinners out tend to be late. And between your lunch and maybe coffee break, your stomach has been empty.The result? You end up so ravenous by the time you get to the restaurant; you are ready to eat a horse. And so you end up overordering, and yup, that means overeating. An easy way to avoid this is to have a small bowl of salad, vegetables, or even some grilled chicken before you go out and you are all set.

Grill it, bake it,steam it, sauté it: Open up almost any menu and you are hit with choices, choices and more choices. Vegetarian, seafood, red meat and white, its all there. So how do you know what to pick? The key is to choose the dish which has been prepared in the healthiest method. So choose from grilled, baked, steamed, or even sautéed dishes and you are golden girls and boys. If you are watching the weighing scales and want to be safe, avoid the fried stuff entirely if possible.

Skip the sweet stuff: Finally, the meal is over and you are a rockstar who has had an amazing grilled fish with a side of sautéed mushrooms. Just right to fill you up after your pre-meal salad. So don’t spoil it all by ordering the gooey chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream and whipped cream! Be smart, skip the dessert and order some green tea instead.

"Workin it without Working out!"

sodahead.com

Alright so it’s finally here ladies and gentlemen. The party season is upon us. Pool parties, birthdays, barbeques and rain dances, its the season to move it shake it rock it! And yes, it’s definitely the most time of that long year spent chained to the office desk or pouring over text books, second only to the new year season. Finally, you can fully enjoy the party :)


Unfortunately, along with the festivities and general chaotic fun, there’s one aspect of life that tends to get a little…ummmm, shall we say neglected? No, I’m not talking about the lack of sleep everyone suffers from these next few months (a little Garnier Eye Cream or cold sliced cucumbers covering closed eyes will clear those dark raccoon eyes right up!). I am talking about the fact that in the midst of the hectic schedule (party, sleep, eat, make-up, party, sleep, make-up) one sorta kinda “sacrifices” time spent on any semblance of exercise. Basically, we eat, drink and party piling on the weight while we are at it, leaving us all with the same new years resolution every year (I muuuust lose xx kilos/inches this year!)

Not to worry, for Diya is here to help you. The bottom line is, you can’t create more hours in the day, but you can make those hours you do have count for something! So here are 5 simple ways you can sneak a mini-workout into your party days :)


1. Hit the dance floor – get that party started people. If there’s music at a party, don’t just stand around guzzling drinks at the bar or worse stuffing yourself at the buffet. Get your booty on that dance floor and shake it :) trust me, you will find that not only are you having a blast, but you’re also burning all those empty calories away into oblivion!

2. Walk and talk – like the ad says, in the middle of all that busy socializing – you know you spend at least a couple of hours yakking to your buds/girls about what said what to who last night, and what she was wearing, not to mention who he was with. All I am saying is while you’re giving your mouth a lot of work, why not move your body while you’re at it? Walk and talk people.

3. Save energy – take the stairs! This one’s easy, where you see stairs – take them! Of course as long as you aren’t climbing 10 flights, in which case you may want to have an ambulance handy, but all numbers below 6 are golden in my books!

4. Go grocery shopping – think of it as retail therapy for a purpose. Swap roles with the maid for a couple of weeks and walk around the store picking up your weekly supply of stocks. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, get to that fruit and veggie market and spend a little time walking through the lanes of fresh fruit! Not only will you feel great being able to choose your own, you get an excellent walk out of it too.

5. Play with the kids/pets – Want to score some major brownie points? Volunteer to babysit your sisters 3 year old while she goes to the spa! Or spend a little time taking your furry friend George outside to the park. Playing with our pets and hanging out with little kids are guaranteed to get you moving, not to mention giving your family a reason to be glad you are spending some time at home in the middle of your party season!

"Kick that flab to the curb"

bangkokfitnesstraining.com

Wishing you could back into those super sexy skinny jeans? Sick and tired of the same old, boring workout routine week after week? Trying to figure out a way to lose those extra kilos without starving yourself silly? Let me tell you about a total body workout that literally kicks butt! Combining a way to build your stamina, flexibility, strength, and core power which listening to your favorite tracks: It’s intense, powerful, and leaves you exhausted and aching. But boy, does it work. And yes, it gets your mojo going again. Welcome to the world of kickboxing.


But, just like anything else, you need to know your facts about this form of exercise before you go into it guns blazing. Kickboxing, unlike aerobics, or your generic body workout, is an old martial art that finds its roots dating up to 2000 years ago. Which makes it a true blue form of fighting. It takes a lot of energy, strength, and ability to endure the sometimes severe aches and pains which go along with learning to master the basic forms in kickboxing. Besides keeping your body at a supremely fit level, kickboxing has other benefits. According to some studies, you can burn anywhere from 350 to 450 calories an hour with kickboxing! Now if that’s not motivation, then I don’t know what is 

In addition, kickboxing also reduces and relieves the effect of stress. Think about it, the power and skill needed to perform this demanding and rigorous workout — controlled punching and kicking movements carried out with the discipline and skills required for martial arts — is the perfect way to deal with a tough day at work. It’s the perfect remedy to release your frustration and anger so that it doesn’t stay inside your system and do some serious damage. Practicing kickboxing moves on a regular basis also help to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.

Another bonus especially for the ladies: Kickboxing , while being an awesome way to get a total body workout, also teaches you some fierce self defense tactics, helping you feel more confident. So get out there and jab, punch, and kick your way to your highest fitness level!

"Just Dance"

tech2.com

Ballroom. Ballet. Jazz.Hip-Hop. Salsa. Classical. Modern. And perhaps best of all and my personal favourite, Freestyle.


Dance. Its more than just movement to music. Its freedom. Its an expression of the spirit. It’s a release. Its an escape. And yes, it does the body good.

Dancing gets your body moving,your blood pumping, your heart beating, and your pulse racing. Not only does it burn calories (a half hour can burn between 200 and 400), as an exercise it can be as effective as walking, swimming and even cycling. It also works as a great way to increase your flexibility and agility. Think about a typical belly dancing class, which focuses on the isometric movement of the hips, improving not only the muscles in the hip joints, but also working on the strength of the core. Similarly, Salsa teaches one how to move with speed and grace, keeping the back firm and body in perfect alignment while twirling, twisting, dipping, and side-stepping! Most forms of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching, so dancers naturally become more flexible by simply dancing. Yet another benefit from dancing is the fact that it builds stamina. The more you dance, the greater your endurance. The greater your endurance, the longer and stronger your body can go without feeling fatigue. The less fatigue you feel, the healthier and fitter you feel. And finally, what I believe to be the most important benefit to dancing. ITS FUN.

So go out there, find your flavor, and get moving :)



And just to get you started, here is a list of my current Top ten dance tracks!



I gotta feeling –Black Eyed Peas

Love in Gone –David Guetta

Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough - Micheal Jackson

Sexy Chick –Akon feat. David Guetta

Dhan tha nan – Kaminey Soundtrack

Fire Burning the Dancefloor –Sean Kingston

I know You want Me –Pitbull

Just Dance – Lady Gaga feat. Akon

Love Today – Mika

American Boy – Estelle feat. Kayne West

"Party Smart"

embridge.gov.uk

The festive season. Diwali, Christmas, and New Years Eve. The best friends wedding. Your brothers birthday. Not to mention so-and-sos anniversary. And of course their sons 1st birthday! The list goes on and on and on…..and so does the eating, the drinking, the merriment, and the mayhem.


And after a few short weeks you start to notice the not-so-small things. Those jeans that don’t zip up as easily. That dress that now fills out in all the wrong places. The suit that fits a little too snugly. Welcome to the festive season - in which you mourn the loss of your waistline, your 6-pack, and that oh-so-toned butt! So whats a party animal to do?

Not to worry, I am here to help :) Its time to take control ladies and gentlemen. Here are a few simple tricks to surviving this party season with your waistline (and party reputation!) intact



Pre-Dinner Dinner! Want to know where the worst damage from this season of celebration comes from? Steaming hot, usually fried, superloaded with sugar, ghee, cream, snacks aka dinner party meals that are served during this time of the year. Think about it. If you are planning a party inviting 50 odd people who you want to impress, the last thing you are going to offer them is a plate of steamed veggies and salad right?! That’s exactly why you tend to see an assortment of chips, pakoras, parathas, kebabs, and other heavy dishes served at these events. Now, I am not saying be a saint and don’t touch the stuff. Instead,I would suggest, grab a little something light and healthy to eat at home before you head out to the party. Call it a mini-meal, maybe a bowl of sabzi with a little dal. This way you kill 2 birds with one stone: the first being that you don’t attack the buffet the minute you see it (which is usually past ten at most parties) since you are already full from your earlier meal. And when you do decide you indulge a little (and hey we all should since the season only comes around once a year!) you can keep things under control (just one pakora and not 4).Secondly, your stomach is well lined before you begin to drink up.


Liquid Diets – Which brings me to tip number two. If eating out is the cause of your greatest downfall in this season, then drinking is the sneakiest, most stealthy adversary out there. To tell the truth, most of us would never have guessed that even if you are balanced with your eating, and carefully watch what you fill your plate with at parties, you can often get more calories from a couple of drinks than from all that stuff on your plate. Shocking, but sadly, true girls and boys. Hard alcohol, particularly whiskey, vodka, and rum, can all set you back a couple of hundred calories per drink. In contrast, beer and wine are lower in caloric count. So beware of any cocktails that sound like they belong in a travel catalogue “Sunset in Paradise” or have multiple alcohols “Long Island Iced Teas”.while they may look like the prettiest and taste more like dessert than drinks, they are most often loaded with sugars and syrups, and usually the culprit for getting a little “too happy”.

An Active Social Life – I like to think of the famous quote “work hard, party harder” and tweak it slightly to make it “party hard, work out harder” :) this ones a no brainer people. In order to stay in somewhat decent shape through the season of overindulgent, utterly decadent, over the top parties, you need to literally put your back into it! So get yourself into those walking shoes and get your morning jog, power yoga class, gym hour, kickboxing going in high gear and combat those killer calories coming your way!

"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"

 

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Fact: Running outdoors can burn up to 40% more calories than running on the treadmill in the gym.

It’s the ultimate in its “feed-good” factor. It challenges you each time to do it. It works the ENTIRE body. And, oh yes, it guarantees you look…F-I-T.

Getting started – at the onset, you may find yourself getting breathless very easily making it difficult for you to jog continuously. In this case, I would suggest jogging at an even pace for one minute, and then walking at a brisk pace for four minutes. As your endurance increases, you can increase the amount of time spent running vs walking.

Going outside – Road running can be hard on the body. Because of the fact that you are dealing with a constantly changing incline in the road, with shifting wind patterns, not to mention the outdoor weather (verrrry different from your 21 degree air-conditioned gym temps!), you need to run smarter. First off, start by running on a softer surface like mud or a running track in a park. This is kinder on the knees while getting you used to the external environment. Then, gradually begin to run on asphalt, keeping it slow and steady so as not to injure yourself or overdo it too soon!

Finding your path – Its always a good idea to spend some time thinking about the details of your running route: how long its going to take, which part is going to be tough, the bit that’s a little easier, and where you’ll need to push yourself. If you prepare yourself for the run mentally, it will give you that much more ability to put it your 100% effort.

Mixing it up – Change the speed, distance covered, and terrain of your run by spending some days working on distance, others covering flyovers (increased incline), and some just running fast on shorter distances. Avoid doing the same route more than twice a week if possible – it will keep you from getting mentally fatigued and will also boost your body’s fitness by forcing it to adapt.

So get out there and do something which really gets the body going, believe me, it will leave you feeling fitter, and better than ever before!!

"Smart Snacking"

oregonwomensreport.com

Remember when we were kids and ate practically everything in sight without a second thought? Back when we counted scoops of ice-cream and not calories, when “deep fried” and “trans fat” were not evil words, and when we were ALWAYS ready for seconds? Sigh! Unfortunately, as adults we see the consequences of our eating habits show up pretty soon (usually in the form of a widening ummm silhouette or having to fight your way into that pair of jeans which used to fit like a dream!) Reality Check: You are what you Eat and the sooner you start taking control of your eating habits, the fewer issues you can expect later in life (read: high bp, obesity, diabetes, heart problems).
Here are 3 easy ways to get started snacking smart!



1. Save your second helping. For tomorrow. – This is not your last day on the planet. In any case, no food tastes as good if you’re eating it after you are already full. the secret to eating the right quantity? Stop when you are three quarters full, and then just wait… Voila! You will notice that in about fifteen minutes you are not in the least bit hungry. And best of all, you don’t feel like you have stuffed yourself silly!

2. Chew, Chew and Chew again! It’s a proven fact that the more you chew and the slower you eat, the more time your body has to register fullness. Not just that, when you chew your food completely (say about 18 times per morsel) the saliva in your mouth is able to work on it most effectively and begins to start breaking it down immediately, making it that much easier to digest!

3. If it’s not around, you cant eat it! You’re on your fav spot on the sofa watching “Channel V’s Get Gorgeous” when you suddenly get the urge for Brand X Extra Cheesy Potato Chips. If all you have to do is walk to the kitchen, you’re guaranteed to grab that bag and attack! But what if you have to put on your shoes, get in the car, and drive to the store? Chances are you just couldn’t be bothered. Guess laziness isn’t always a bad thing. :)