"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 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.

"Sleepless in the City"

principalspage.com

Signals of Sleep Trouble...


Do you often find yourself lying in bed for up to an hour or more, tossing and turning, waiting to fall asleep?

Often wake up several times during the night and then find that its hard going back to sleep?

Find yourself waking up many hours before the alarm goes off?

 Frequently wake up feeling exhausted, like you haven’t had enough sleep?

Feel cranky, sleepy, or stressed and have difficultly getting things done during the daytime?



Why so sleepless?

Stress– this is why you need to make sure you leave the office stress behind when you leave. All the tension and stress built up from the days work, if left unchecked, can manifest itself through insomnia when even though your body is lying down, your mind is running at 100km an hour!

Bad night time habits – this includes activities like watching tv before you go to sleep – something which many of us do, but also leads to overstimulation of brain activity making it difficult to sleep. Other night time no-nos? Coffee, tea, alcohol, nicotine and other stimulants before bed time.

Physical pain – discomfort of the body can also affect its ability to rest.

Changes in environment – jet lag, sleeping in a new bed, moving to a new home, can all impact the ability of the body and brain to go into deep relaxation and sleep.

Little or no exercise – if the body is completely sedentary (ie a couch potato), it tends to have an adverse effect on its natural ability to fall asleep.


Secrets to a good nights sleep:
Routine - try to wake up and go to bed at around the same time every day. This allows your body to develop a natural system where it begins to naturally feel tired and ready to rest at the right time for you.

Exercise – make sure to do some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. You could try early morning walks or a yoga class (which is also sure to bring down your stress levels). Be sure to finish your work out at least 4 hours before bedtime so your endorphins are released and the body is ready to rest.

Change in lifestyle – cut out the late night binges. Be it fast food, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol, the less of the stuff in your system, the better you will sleep.
So good night, and sleep tight! :)

"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!

"The Secret"

oralchelation.com

The two biggest excuses, ahem, I mean reasons, people use to justify the fact that they are not regularly doing some kind of exercise are as follows:


“Dude, I have soo much work. I chase clients all day, go up the wall meeting deadline, and have to my deal with my permanently pissed-off boss. Come home at ten at night, just DON’T HAVE THE TIME to work out!”

“Hello??? I wake up at the crack of dawn to commute to my godforsaken office which happens to be conveniently located at the ends of the earth. By the time I fight traffic from hell to get home, its close to mid-night and I AM WAY TOO TIRED to move an inch!”

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to inform you of a little known truth. But believe you me, its HUGE.

Fact: The best way to deal with fatigue is to exercise.



Just a little movement goes a long way. And there are actually ways to work out proven to give you that little pick-me-up you need and restore energy levels to the body.

This concept is based on the theory that there are 2 kinds of energy. Type A which is what you could call “tense energy” – something a lot of us, particularly those who work is high-pressure, demanding, time-consuming jobs, tend to have. This is the energy gained when people work out with a high-intensity (think an hour running on the treadmill, 45 mins of kick-boxing) and although it does rid the body of stress, it also tends to leave you more agitated and tired than anything. On, the other hand there is another like of energy, called “calm energy”. This is the stuff which leaves you with longer lasting energy that actually allows you to get through the rest of your crazy day.

And how do you unleash this zen energy?? With the right kind of exercise, specifically, activities which lower in physical intensity, but work on a high levels of physical and mental energy. Here are the magic words: Yoga, Pilates, Tai-chi, Dance classes (salsa, bollywood, ballroom), short durations of (10-15 mins) of power walking. Even if you don’t have the time to leave work, just get that butt out of your chair and walk around your office for 10 minutes! To get that extra boost, grab some fruit (an apply or banana would be perfect!) before you begin. And remember, dehydration is a major cause for fatigue so drink, drink, and drink some more water pre, mid, and post exercise to reduce fatigue and supply oxygen to blood and muscles.