Surya Namaskar - Full body workout in just 10 minutes

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We all are pressed with the paucity of time and so much for time, we aren’t very good with the enthusiasm factor either. No wonder exercise is only an excuse away and fitness is always a milestone, we want to walk towards a mile a minute without being on a double espresso shot. But is there an antidote for the curse of time & laziness in today’s world? Do we dwell as bean bags & machine dependent fitness freaks or is there something we all have under our nose but are missing to point it out? Let’s pull a leaf from the ancient scripture; all the way to an exotic land we commonly call as INDIA. So as rightly guessed Yoga has our answer but then don’t be under the slow & painfully twister form of the exercise, as it has a unique alternative too called SURYA NAMASKAR. If you haven’t heard of this word yet probably you must have come across it as power yoga as its variations.

Surya Namaskar origins & form – It is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas (Hand Yoga Poses). Its origins lie in a worship of Surya (Sun), the Hindu solar deity which literally translates to Sun Salutations. This sequence of movements and poses can be practiced on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete exercise which incorporates asana (positions), pranayam (breathing pattern), mantra (chants) and chakra meditation. The physical base of the practice links together twelve positions in a dynamically performed series. These asanas / positions are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya Namaskar  is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series. Some proponents of the use of Surya Namaskar as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most 'spiritually favorable' time of the day. There are numerous references of praising the Sun for the purpose of good health and prosperity, in Vedas. Some of these Vedic hymns were incorporated into Nitya Vidhi (Daily mandatory routine for a Hindu) for the well being of an individual, through salutations to the Sun. These daily procedures were termed as Surya Namaskar. Physical prostration to Sun, showing complete surrender of oneself to God, is the main aspect of these procedures. In a traditional Hindu context, Surya Namaskara is always performed facing in the direction of the rising (east) or setting (west) sun.

Full Body Workout in 10 min – So how does this form of Vedic exercise help us 21^st centurions to get our fitness in just 10 minutes, when a regular workout takes around 30 – 40 minutes a session? Like mentioned before Surya Namaskar comprises of 2 sets of 12 poses and they all have to be performed in one single repetition. You may think of it as a single choreographed movement with 12 positions back to back. Let’s go through every pose with its breathing pattern and mantra to understand its synchrony better.

Asana 1 - Pranamasana (Prayer pose) is performed as shown in the video below and the breathing pattern involved is exhaling. The mantra to be recited during the prayer pose is “om mitrāya namaḥ “and the chakra is anahata i.e. the heart.

Asana 2 - Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose) is performed by raising both arms upwards and bending them backwards with your back arched while inhaling deeply. This helps stretching both the arms & upper back. The mantra to be recited during the raised arms pose is “om ravaye namaḥ” and the chakra is vishuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 3 - Hastapaadasana (Standing Forward Bend pose) is performed by bringing the raised arms down to the feet and bending forward while exhaling & stretching the hamstrings (back of thigh), lower back and simultaneously flexing the lower abdominals. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om sūryāya namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 4 - Aekpaadprasarnaasana (Equestrian pose) is to be performed by inhaling and simultaneously stretching right leg behind with the palms touching the ground and the other leg bent and eyes facing upwards. This asana flexes the triceps, shoulders, and stretches the hamstrings. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om bhānave namaḥ” and the chakra is ajna i.e. forehead.

Asana 5 - Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) is to be performed by exhaling and stretching the left leg behind with the already stretched right leg from the previous asana. This doubles the effect on the muscles from the previous asana and gives a good resistance to the upper body as well as the lower body while also working on the abs. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om khagāya namaḥ “and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 6 - Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with the Eight Limbs pose) is to be performed by suspension of the breath and diving nose down to touch your legs, abs and chest to the ground. This relaxes all the muscles worked out in the previous pose. The mantra to be recited in this pose is “om puṣhṇe namaḥ “and the chakra is manipura i.e. solar plexus.

Asana 7 - Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) is to inhale & bring the chest upto the upper abs upwards from the ground forming an arch of the back while the legs and lower abs touch the ground. This stretches the lower back as well as the upper abs and flexes the biceps and triceps, shoulders and upper back. The mantra to be recited in this pose is “om hiraṇya garbhāya namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 8 - Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) is to exhale and bring the hips backwards &; facing upwards while the palms and feet touch the ground. The pose stretches the thighs, calf, arms. The mantra to be recited is “om marīchaye namaḥ” and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 9 - Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) is the same as asana 4 but run backwards. The breathing pattern is inhaling and the muscle group is in action as in asana 4. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om ādityāya namaḥ “and the chakra is ajna i.e. forehead.

Asana 10 - Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose) is similar to asana 3 run backwards while exhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om savitre namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 11 - Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose) is similar to pose 2 run backwards while inhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om arkāya namaḥ” and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 12 - Pranamasana (Prayer pose) is coming back to where the Namaskar began while exhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om bhāskarāya namaḥ” and the chakra is anahata i.e. the heart.

Cool Down – The Surya Namaskar sessions once completed has to be ended with a cool down by lying down on the mat as a dead body breathing in and out slowly.

Those were the 12 positions that need to be done in one single practice and every practice needs to be repeated back to back with the other without stopping. If you are doing it for the firs time its better to start with just 2 – 3 minutes gradually working upto 5 minutes by a week. Try to accommodate 2 namaskars in one minute span of time and later 3 namaskars in a minute. Get to a 10 minute session within 2 weeks and gradually proceeds to 15 minutes by a month. Even if you stick to a 10 minutes session with 3 namaskars per minute it will do your body a lot more than not working out at all. As you will notice once you get into the practice that it isn’t as easy to actually do the namskars as it appears to be. Even to continue for 10 minutes requires immense endurance and strength which builds up over a period of regular practice every week. Every muscle in your body is not only going through resistance training but is developing cardiovascular endurance too simultaneously and strengthening the lung capacity with the breathing patterns. What better can there be when you are so time tied and need that extra push of endurance and endorphin everyday. 

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Kick Boxing for great Abs

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Abdominal muscles usually take up most of the attention of a aspirant body builder or gym enthusiast or weight watcher or celebrity and its versions. Tight Abs or 6 pack abs are the core reason to workout on the core strength of the body. But of course like everything delicious in life, it takes hard work & patience but then who said hard work has to be boring? Alternative to the regular crunches and oblique benders etc there are variations that can give you a high. Kickboxing is one such great abs workout not many have yet discovered its role in core strength.

A Kick, A Jab & Abs - How can an exercise of kick & jabbing in the air or target work on the abdominal muscles that aren’t visually used for the same? Contrary to what is seen kickboxing is all about breathing in and out using your abdominal muscles while punching or throwing a kick. If you breathe only from the chest area it won’t have the same effect and you might end up back to square one. The inhaling and exhaling should come from within the belly and you must feel the abdominal muscle worked while jabbing or kicking. Don’t exhaust the muscles as that again is not the idea of the whole exercise.

Fun, Fitness & Frustration – The best exercise for your energy and mind balance too could easily be kickboxing. Corporate engulfment of your vital energy and patience reserves can have pent up emotional and physical frustration that can be vented out on a punching bag that isn’t a living form of life. Many have taken to kickboxing to channelize their emotional energy from the negative to positive. Yes how does that help your abs again? Well for starters the energy thrust does give an edge to the breathing and hence the abs. The more you concentrate in letting the kick or punch out with good flow of pent up anger or frustration or even joy the better the effect.

Key is the Stance – Kickboxing is as much about the stance as it is about breathing right. Stance can change the game completely and lead either to safety or injury. One need not get injured for his/her enthusiasm cause that would be opposite of the intention. While taking a stance to kick make sure to stand on both feet at shoulder distance apart from each other and knees slightly bent to keep the joint soft. Have one foot in the forward direction to the other and kick with the leg behind. The arms should also be with elbows in a soft angel and fists forward near the chest. Elbows to be kept as close to the body for better movement as well as better thrust while punching or jabbing. The importance of keeping your knee & elbows joint soft is so as to avoid injury and straining the joint. The feet apart gives the center of gravity and body weight to level out & provides better balance to avoid falling off or spraining a ligament while punching or kicking. Shoulders should be straight and not forward similarly the torso should remain in the same position and not bent forward or stooping. The hip joint should be in motion only while kicking and not twisting it while doing a cross jab. This ensures your breathing to be effective and gives enough resistance to the upper and lower abs to strengthen it.
Abs are a very small yet important muscle group in the body. It isn't only for beauty & presentation that we need to work on them but to provide stability to the whole body and give it support. Many forget the abs & back as stability provider to the body which is far more important than the sculpted figure. Flexibility is also a significant aspect people don't pay heed to but it serves far more crucial in times of need where the body could do well. Kick-boxing is a good exercise form to ensure better stability and flexibility to the core muscles of the body and is a better alternative to the mundane cardiovascular workout with machines. Plus it needs only a balanced firm terrain and can be done anywhere outside four walls amidst fresh air. 

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7 Habits of Ineffective Weight Watchers

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Inspired by the famous book its time to discuss some top 7 habits of all those ineffective weight watchers. Previously on the blog we covered the 5 reasons why people don't lose weight mostly with respect to diet and exercise, but in this post we'd break down the most crucial habits of anyone who has been attempting to watch their weight but in vain.

Habit 7: Lose the excuse - When wishing to lose the pounds on your waist and hips the first thing one must lose is the nasty habit of giving an excuse for repeated failure, lack of time, lack of space, lack of everything the world has to offer. There is only one thing lacking to stay in ship shape and that is attitude and integrity.

Habit 6: Speaking of Integrity -  A little waver here or there can cost a month long or even longer sabbatical from the goal accomplishment. Integrity to exercise especially to stick to the assigned routine and take responsibility towards any slacker is the key to reach the goal post. If you cheat own it, if you want to win abide by it. Show some integrity for your own dignity, that's the mantra.

Habit 5: Just Cardio on a treadmill - OMG! that is so old school to do just a treadmill for weight maintenance and fitness. I mean this ain't the 90's people we're in 2011 our bodies have come of age and how. We live in an era where exhaustion comes easier than energy, we need much more strength and stability than our fathers and grandfathers did, that's our world can't blame it alone but need to overcome it. Just cardio has never worked and never will to get an envious body and great fitness, as it needs to be supported with strength & resistance training. Those who are sheer lazy of taking pain with resistance training should also know that its not only about the body beautiful we're talking about but more importantly the body strength and vitality for years to come. Weight watchers make this one mistake unabashedly and later suffer the lack of a toned and strong body as well as the bursting happy hormone.

Habit 4: The DIET - It will never cease to repeat itself on the list of doing it all wrong to keep ship shape. Many try their tricks off the sleeve and fail miserably but most who do go the right path in seeking professional help do't really adapt their diet with the workout regime. Fitness regime depends a lot on your diet and vice-verse but rarely is this given due importance and rather treated as separate entities. If your diet lacks in pre exercise protein quality there ain't much one can expect from the outcome of that particular session. Similarly if it isn't equipped with enough protein-carbs energy post workout the rebuild and repair would also suffer.

Habit 3: Hydration - Either its done over the top or its taken to drought limits during weight loss periods. Hydration is necessary to repair, rebuild and rejuvenate the body into the desired shape as much as the food eaten or the fitness regime undertaken. Hydration or the lack of it leads to toxicity and acidity in the body which in turn leads to metabolic stress. We all are now aware how metabolic stress can hamper hormonal function essential to keep the fat metabolism along with other metabolic activity in check.

Habit 2: Overdrive - Getting on an overdrive with anything for a short stint and then burning out isn't a good strategy even to lose weight or keep it under check. Many come looking forward to lose as much as 20 lbs of weight in just a month and if turned around disappointed claim that the professional advise wasn't good enough. Crash workout or crash dieting or both together for a short period will show you great unbelievable results of your wish, however they will be unbelievable because they won't last longer than you can say "I don't believe it".

Habit 1: No Diet only Workout - What goes in must show out but even if you expend it in energy currency there is a limit to what and how much you can burn out. It isn't all about just the weight or the look because in good shape or bad your body will reflect your inner health outwardly and you need to take care of the health quotient.

Habits are hard break but if there really was an option between those habits or yourself what would you stick to? 

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5 best ways to diet & not lose weight

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Mirror Mirror on the wall... tell me has the diet been going wrong? The thought of listing out the top 5 must not's to lose weight that people invariably practice as a must have is as tempting as a dessert and we've got just a list for you weight watchers. Take it from those who see people go wrong and brag about it all the time almost every waking moment, the best diet tips could sometimes come from those who do it all wrong and blame it on the diet for getting no satisfaction. Find out the best 5 ways to diet and yet not lose enough weight.
#5 - Diet but No exercise or vice versa: Counting these people is like counting how many hair does one have. There are versions of these faux pas makers too like only cardio or only weight training or none or bouts of either. The reason this is one of the best ways not to lose weight is because the depot of fat that needs mobilization cannot occur uniformly and adequately without regular planned workout. When we workout adequately balancing both cardio and strength training we not only burn fat by enhancing our muscular strength but also by increasing endurance. Exercise not only helps burn fat in a momentum but also facilitates the body's priority to divert nutrition and blood flow where needed the most and adds up on strength.

#4 - Skipping meals: Its one of the most popular ways to try to lose weight but it always back fires on those who practice it. Skipping meals is equivalent to forced starvation or fasting. It motivates the body to store as much energy source in it so as to be able to use it for later when the body is made to starve/ fast. This invariably stores more fat and converts whatever excess sugar into fat to be deposited in the body as reserves. Whenever meals are eaten they would be eaten in excess due to previous fasting or if not then the body really goes into overdrive to not waste any nutritional source for energy but keep storing it while breaking down the body for energy. Whenever you feel like enough weight has been lost by skipping meals and want to go back to eating normally the body snaps out and adds up on a load of sudden energy gain making you even more fatter than you started out.

#3 - Crash/ Fad Dieting: Crash and burn is not how its done to be fair and honest. Fad diets or crash diets that can only last you for a week or two take away from the body more than the weight loss they promise. Going through one fad diet into another or sticking to the same leaves the body under nourished from vital minerals, vitamins, proteins and even carbohydrates and essential fats. The south beach, general motor, baby food, HCG, Atkins, cayenne pepper - lemon juice are all but ways and means to offer temporary delusions and not permanent solutions for a healthier you. Infact it gets you into a vicious cycle of not eating normal food filled with rich nutrients like omega 3 fats, Vitamin B complex, phyto-chemicals, amino acids, Vitamin C, A, D & E, zinc, mangnese, iron, calcium etc for weeks at a stretch leaving your body malnourished. Fat loss becomes a very distant possibility if the body isn't fulfilled with common nutrients itself for the enzyme & hormone function.

#2 - Reversing to old diet: Many people lose 20 pounds or more of their weight and switch back to their pre-weight loss diet and lifestyle as if this period of weight loss will be running long because of their time & money investment. Can it get any more illogical than that? The time and energy you have put into getting your body acclimatized to a lifestyle and diet that allows higher metabolic rate and burns fat more quicker why would you want to take it away just for momentary temptations?

#1 - Diet without professional help: There is a reason why this ranks on top of the charts because for every person who is looking to lose or manage weight there will always be 10 unqualified professionals to give two bits of their supposed tips. A very successful cardiac surgeon Dr. Hariawala from Harvard Medical once said in his oration "free advice is risky as compared to an advice with a fee, if you want to seek help for skin problems don't go to a cardiologist seek a dermatologist and vice versa". If you want any health related help seek the concerned professional like a registered dietitian not a person who had a successful experience with the professional. Paying for health advice and following through till completion is something most population in the world are wary of or just not habituated to. Nevertheless this #1 reason will always leave you wondering somewhere down the road what did you do wrong in losing weight when your friend/ relative succeeded with the same diet. Because diets like exercise are different for all individuals and there is no two ways about this.

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The Weight Plateau Diet Abuse & Facts

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They say the universe has a great sense of humor, that sometimes making your dreams come true can seem like a nightmare. One such instance is that of a weight loss when people guide themselves into a diet and exercise without any professional help or some professional help and then the inevitable happens. WEIGHT PLATEAU.
Early Weight loss - The first 2 months of weight loss are the most glorious if done to the tee. First and foremost the body is just about adapting to a lower calorie daily intake and is shedding off water content from the body due to physical workout and adjusting the metabolic activity. Beyond the fact that the first 2-3 weeks of your weight loss is predominantly water loss and little fat loss. The easiest way to lose weight is to shed off the excess water which inadvertently happens in the first few weeks giving us the impression that we are shedding off excess fat. In the next few weeks after the body has acclimatized to the water loss, low caloric intake and workout it slowly begins to mobilize the fat deposits stored in the adipose tissue. But fat isn't so easy to come off without the right amount of push to the metabolism and insulin regulation. Earlier on in the first 2 months of weight loss you cut back slowly and unevenly, but even if you eat absolutely like the diet recommends your insulin would need sometime to balance its act with a lower carb diet than before. Lowering carbs in your diet takes the insulin lower making the body mobilize fat more easily. However any further lowering in the carbs and the fat breakdown leads to acidity and ketone bodies in the blood and thats a bad news for liver and kidneys.
Approaching the Plateau - Slowly and steadily your body over the weeks takes on the fat burning process seriously than before and it catches up with momentum and makes sure your metabolism is in full swing with your diet and more so even if you have an odd day with a meal you'll be covered for a day. There comes a point after 3 months or more when the fat has been reduced to a level where the metabolic activity has come on par or complacence with the body fat present and needs to be on a turbo charge to go on another overdrive. This is the time when the plateau weight approaches and gets stuck like a broken record for days on leaving you wondering what's going on? Many people question their entire effort upto now and conclude that this is how far they can go as far as losing weight is concerned. When you do reach a plateau in your weight it means that the effort you put in with workout and diet together is now equivalent to your metabolic rate and if more fat has to be burn out it needs a kick start to the current metabolism. To kick start your metabolism at an already higher rate needs some good professional intervention of radical short term dietary changes and workout changes.

Plateau breaker diet - A good plateau breaking diet will not last for more than 48 hours and will give enough protein, simple sugars with high fiber and vitamins, minerals as nutrients to energize the body while starving it of fat, sodium, sucrose to cause a shift change in the body's total caloric intake but more so to push it to burn the fat and excess carbs in the body due to the lack of energy from the total diet. The workout would involve a little more on the cardio and weight training intensity as compared to previous sessions. The idea is to force the body into an overdrive of metabolism and in order to do so the body should get acclimatized to intensified workout with a sudden change of diet which is on the lighter side of the usual low cal diet regime. The body has nowhere to go with a sudden drop in diet energy and increase in the intensity of the workout but to break out of the plateau without starving or alarming measures.

Health Contraindications & Abuse of Plateau Diet - Its a old bad habit of many people who realize how powerful a plateau breaking diet is to get out of the rut of the whole weight stagnation to abuse the diet. This diet is abuse on their own terms and or as prescribed or recommended by a professional dietitian. Abusing the diet more than once a month for covering up for all the bad food days while keeping your weight in check is not only a temporary way to weight loss but also very dangerous to your body internally. The diet is meant to give the body a sudden jolt of metabolic rate and therefore does not extend for more than 48 hours with enough care and counseling done before and after the time. This means the diet is not for all whenever and wherever, it is to be taken according to prescription only. The health contraindications for this diet are plenty beginning with hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, low blood pressure, if taken more often as twice in 90 days. This diet although very stringent gives you enough energy to survive for 2 days but not more and definitely not more frequently.

Down the rabbit hole & back - Getting habitual with abusing the diet will get into a vicious cycle of losing weight and gaining it right back. Besides that the amount of nutrient depletion and water depletion it causes over time. When you stay on this diet for long enough a cardiac problem, thyroid hormone dysfunction and liver dysfunction and don't get started about the skin, hair, eyes and bones.

To get the plateau breaker diet to work for your Weight Loss Program use it only under prescription and not on your discretion for better results and healthier life.

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Food & Fitness women can't do without

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They can do without their bags, shoes and latest cosmetic range or just girl night out but they certainly can't do without these foods & fitness must have for all season and every reason. By the end of this post you will have a bag full of combat kit to live with in order to stay as healthy and looking like sunshine as you were meant to be. First up we discuss some of the foods women can't do without whether they like it or not. Then we discuss some of the fitness tips and facts women must take seriously if they have any inclination to look good & feel great about themselves.

Must Have Foods for Women - Its a myth that women do not need as much protein as a man infact women would need it more for the constant damage and repair their bodies go through. To maintain hormonal balance, skin repair and rejuvenation, bone strength, lower body muscular strength, uterine tissue repair and rebuild. This makes a good high biological value protein diet imperative for the womankind. Food ingredients that women cannot say a no to are variety of fresh salmon, organic tuna, mackrel, bombay duck, fresh mussels, oysters, soy flour, soy milk, soy bean, tofu, organic eggs. These ingredients not only give sufficient good proteins and amino acids but also ample of minerals like zinc, manganese, selenium, calcium, Vitamin E. Especially soy that in addition to the mentioned nutrients also provides women with phytoestrogens called "isoflavones" that act like estrogen in the female body and help regulate the hormonal imbalance. Walnuts & almonds are another food items women should have on their daily check list as they contain the omega 3 & 6 fats as well as rich in fiber, riboflavin (Vitamin B3), zinc and vitamin E. Turmeric and nutmeg as in the form of powder is the very essential ingredient for a women's skin as well as immunity, turmeric is well known for its medicinal qualities of an antiseptic and preventing nerve degeneration. Nutmeg on the other hand has healing qualities to detox liver and skin. Aloe vera & green tea should be used daily by women, of course during pregnancy contraindications exists. Both are excellent in hormone regulation and detoxification. Oats are one of the best ways a woman can get high soluble fiber, vitamin b, zinc, manganese. What a woman wants from head to toe is glowing flawless skin, considering some of our environments being toxic that is a hard to get, unless you live in the Alps or Himalaya. But what we all can do is to consume a lot of food that combats toxicity in our body and the best ingredients are deeply colored fruits and veggies like berries, avocado, papaya, greens and to dress it well use only olive oil or rice bran oil.

Must Do Fitness for Women - After a list of essential must haves in food lets move over to how essential is fitness to a woman's health & happiness. Fitness routine for at least 25 minutes each day is a total must have on a woman's list as it acts like a shot of happiness and beauty all put together. Exercise like discussed in our previous post is endorphin releaser which stimulates and elevates mood and creates a general sense of well being. Although to be fully active it needs to be triggered everyday to last about 12 - 18 hours. Exercise also allows the body to prioritize nutrient supply in various parts of the body's functioning rather than letting it go to waste. Apart from strengthening your body it also helps regulate hormones, skin tone, bone health. A workout could be anything and not just inside the confines of a gym, you could go exotic dancing, classical dancing, beach sports, functional training, as long as you get stamina, strength and flexibility from it all. Never forget core strength training though and to give an example of the perfect complete body workout is 'SURYANAMASKAR' otherwise known as yoga regime of the entire body. It has 12 different positions and looks simple but is extremely tough while you do it. So get up and get going with your must have list and be the beautiful woman you were always meant to be and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

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Lose Weight after Pregnancy

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At the risk of sounding too cautious let me inform you that it isn't feasible by people who have no nanny, chef, housekeeper, hair & make up staff and personal trainer to lose weight gained during pregnancy in just 3 weeks post delivery as claimed courtesy our celebs in 90210 zip code. However it is unwise to immediately hop on to the weight loss band wagon because Heidi Klum has done it thrice by now. Understand that your body has gone through well realistically almost a day long trauma in labor and if not then surgery in C section give it a breather for once. Here are some must knows every girl should keep in mind while entering this phase and yes the husband is going to do whatever it takes to stop you from losing weight asap post pregnancy so never tell him about it and yet get your hot body scientifically healthy way.

#1. The Natural Weight loss is Breast feeding - If you haven't already read my post on lactation diet I had mentioned how breast feeding is nature's way of shedding the excess weight gained. While producing milk the body utilizes its fat stores and carbohydrates to form the composite of breast milk mobilizing excess body fat. Do not over eat during lactation you only need 500 Kcals in excess to your non pregnancy dietary recommendation as compared to the 300 Kcals during pregnancy. The rest will be taken care by your body's hyper metabolism during the first 3-4 months of lactation. 

#2. What really gets you fat post pregnancy - Apart from the hormonal changes that occur so as to allow your body some breather from the physical exhaustion that can affect metabolism too. It is sheer tiredness while keeping the baby safe and sound not to mention the overnights. Your metabolism will sloppy down once it gets too comfy with the tiredness causing you to sleep whenever you can and have no energy to workout later on. Agreed that the baby really gets the biological clock topsy turvy and plus the noise, the clothes, the baby food, the diapers list goes on, but take a moment to keep your goal intact. You must give your body high fiber food and more hydration with fruits and veggies along with fluids to keep the metabolism kicked up during this phase. Sleep deprivation can be accustomed within 3 months of back up time that you have immediately after delivery. You must get your back up with food, fluids, sleep and energy on the ready by the first 3 months after delivery. Use the next 3 months to get your body stablized with enough energy, nutrition, metabolic regulation. You are totally ready after 6 months to lose that fat that no longer is required by you nor your baby, get started with a healthy yet leaner custom made diet plan that keeps in mind you and your baby's nutrition & of course the fitness regime that will obviously start out slow and go on to a steady moderate until your ready for an intense workout. 

#3. Maintain a good diet - I am going to come clean with this fact you have only the first year to lose tat baby weight and anything more than that is more excess baggage than you can handle. If you are a C section mom or a natural birth mom give your body a good protein rich, essential fat, moderate carb high fiber diet. Fiber will regulate the gastrointestinal system allowing slower gastric emptying therefore regulating insulin secretion and fat absorption as well as metabolism. Considering the body has a lot of damage control to do since the birth be it abdominally, internal tissues, muscle strength, blood volume, immune system precursors, bone strength a diet that will provide enough essential amino acids as well as antioxidants inherently in the protein food is a deal maker. Similarly to kick the metabolism a diet rich in good fats, and protein with antioxidant rich complex carbs makes sure you are prepared to lose that weight in the healthiest way possible. If you can keep up with the nutrient richness in your diet along with not gorging on excess fat "for the baby" food you and your baby will be well taken care of. Breast milk will surely depend on your diet but nobody said your diet is going to harm its nutrient content because you can provide rich breast milk and keep your fat and sugar intake in check simultaneously. We are not in the 1950's anymore so be fully aware of what works and what doesn't and trust me loading your diet with fat for the sake of breast milk is not either of the solution. 

#4. Fitness Or Fun - You have so much on your plate after a child is born you travel time for all intensive purposes. Your body and mind however cannot live up to it for long and they both need a time out. When you start out to lose the weight after pregnancy take it easy especially if you have had a C section delivery its always best to take it easy and then gear up. One needs a good stretching, lighter cardio and functional training to work the exercise into the body's functioning. Its also important you opt for more fun activities that benefit you in exercise as much like a sport or biking, exotic dancing, lighter pilates, power yoga, ice skating, roller skating, swimming, aqua sports, aqua resistance training. Stress is the first thing that needs to leave your body and mind if you intend to be a happy mother and a sexy woman again. 

#5. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise - Do not and I repeat this do not let anybody's opinion of you and your body get to you. There will be many who will ridicule you, tell you that you cannot look great post delivery or that its natural for women to look out of shape after child birth and that you're crazy for trying to lose the excess baggage after 6 months of your child's birth. You deserve to feel and look exactly the way YOU and only you desire. So if your desire is to be desire and envied by everyone including your partner you must get on the plan after the first 6 months of postpartum. Every women of any age has the capability, passion, and the right to look as beautiful and sexy as she wants to don't let anyone tell you any different. All you need is a moment of decision to go for the kill (read kill excess fat). Once that decision is made dive right in and come out a dazzling and gorgeous woman you were born to be. 

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Why is functional training essential for your career?

Functional training is a very vague concept in everybody's minds and yet has given the health & fitness industry a whiff of fresh air and a tremendous boost. Today I bring you a more functional explanation of this jargon of the fitness world so as to help you make your individual informed decisions about exercise routine.

What is it exactly? As the name suggests functional training is making your fitness regime as similar to your daily routine movements or activities. Now if I have to train a person whose job is being glued to his laptop or tablet for 9 hours working on the internet or a desk work I will aim at making his core muscles (abs & lower back) strong, stable and flexible also give him/her movements of the arms & shoulders as these tend to get stiff during the course of everyday work. So in other words with this form of regime functional training is just a type of exercise that trains our body to better adapt & be ready for activities of daily life without having any injuries. It originated as a rehabilitation program for people who suffered injuries, ailments of joints & bones or nerves, sportsman etc. From injuries to daily routine training functional training has come a long way piercing successfully into our average man's life.

What is the significance to your life? Well to say the least our average lives are equally stressful as any athlete or hi profile personality we just don't pay heed to our needs and thats what differentiates us from them. Be it a desk job, a chef, sales & marketing professional, computer engineer, web designer, hedge fund investor, project mangers, angel broker, housekeeper, wedding planner, fashion designer, hair stylists, housewife, nurses, doctor, lab attendants, teachers or a CEO each one of us has our own functional training requirements and like it or not we never pay attention to ourselves for the jobs we offer to others. To cut to the chase and hit the nail on its head your job and progress in the career depends not only on your talent to get the job done right but the ability to do the job in the first place. What is the difference between the two? Well lets just say I am a terrific chef, I have all the ingredients of creativity, budgeting skills, man power management, innovation, cultural diversity in culinary art and good communication skills but one thing I lack is doing my basic job cause of my inability to work physically or mentally due to some redundant ache, pain, flexibility issues or minor illness here and there occasionally. Occasional health problems aggregate to become a huge problem especially when you reach that critical point in your career when you're in line for the big pay day or promotion you've worked so many years for. Functional incapability is a core problem in most organizations as well as individual small businesses due to lack of awareness and forth right attitude towards the most important thing in our life that keeps us going - our life. Imagine being a little bit more functionally apt for the job, for the promotion, for your kids, for your family on vacations, for your group of friends over that weekend, for that corporate competition in a sport or a run. It takes 30 minutes every other day of the week to make that bridge between us and our success professionally as much personally. An inadequate fitness does no good to our work nor love life or family life. Thrusting that endorphin through your blood lines everyday keeps you going for at least 18 hours a day until.

Equipments & Exercise - The equipment used in the training is very easy to use, portable to carry wherever in a small bag and can be used at home, office and even outdoors. The equipment is mostly cable pulley, physio ball, resistant tubes, terra bands, dumbbells, medicine ball, balance discs. However you can do all the workouts focused on your daily functions with 2-3 things from the above mentioned. The most important aspect is the functional training exercises and they need to adhere to the individual's daily life. If the individual is a sales person on the field the exercises need to keep focus on the lower body stability, strength, power and flexibility not to mention the core stability. A computer engineer needs focus on the entire spine area apart from shoulders and upper body the same would go for banking tellers and BPO employees. In the hospitality industry including airlines and spas the focus in more on joints, spine and major muscle groups surrounding it including core muscles and endurance. The exercises need to be stabilizing at first, strengthening and progressive in the second stage and then giving it power with endurance depending on the tasks of real life. Exercises should literally mimic the daily chores or actions or responsibilities. This has two benefits firstly it trains the body exactly in the actions that take over in day to day pattern which gives the muscle tone more habitual actions and secondly the person can practice the exercises even at work as per suitability if it is mimics the work actions.

Difference between fixed equipment & functional training - In a research conducted by Spennewyn in 2009 that was later published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research which showed 58% better conditioning and strength of subjects that were functional training as against those who were doing the conventional fixed equipment weight training.

In order to get individual diet & fitness regime that adapts you to function & improve your daily activities visit our wellness programs for further information or sign up for free wellness consultation. For organization/ institutional wellness programs please write to contact@wellnessandi.com

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How to get curvy hips this new year ?

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Curvy hips have always been what every girl/ guy wants and not just for themselves but also in their partners. Its been a rage since Hollywood went beserk with the J Lo's, Beyonce's, Kim K's of the world jutted their derrières around at every photo op they could get. A curvy 'C' shaped hip also means your full body is in perspective the way it should be healthwise and of course attracting the opposite sex goes without saying. Although many people including boys as much as girls go in for a synthetic or should I say invasive methods of getting a perfect C grade on their behind which is not only a waste of money but also the process doesn't give you the high the way I'd recommend. Let us see what all and how all can you get your C shaped hip and have fun while doing it. Yes if its physical its gotta be fun....
What are they made of - The gluteals as the hip muscles are called anatomically are of three types gluteas maximus, gluteas medius and gluteas minimus. As their respective suffix suggests the three muscles have a size correspondingly maximus being the largest in the group and minimus being the smallest. Although thats not the only thing that contributes to the shape of the hips, panniculus adiposus. Panniculus Adiposus is where the fat deposition takes place and thus giving it a fuller look.

Why do you have a flat hip? - The gluteal muscles redue in form or as we call it anatomically go through atrophy by consistent sitting or lack of movement due to pressure of he body weight on them. Lack of group movement of the muscles as well as fat loss due to excessive loss in weight can deplete the fat storage in the hips making it look unshapely.

How to get the perfect curvy hips -
#1. Whip it out hard - Squats were my way to a perfect C shaped hips and yes add lunges to that if you will. Squats, Lunges, climbing stairwell, and leg press workout the gluteaus maximus muscle and strengthen them of course it also works out the leg area that is the thigh which tones up to make the hips more prominently shaped. Resistance exercises with terra bands, tubes, medicine ball and weight trainign machines are a great way to push your body to hte limit and boost up your bone mineral deposition as much as your metabolism would kick off. An intensive leg workout and core strength that also shapes up your abdominals and back makes your hips curvy as a 'C' just like you'd want it.

#2. Go biking, hiking - Want to taste a little nature for exercise go mountain biking or just plain biking over your neighborhood for a good 30 minute for 3 times a week and it will workout those hips for you. If you like to foot it out in the wild a mountain climbing or trekking on a uphill terrain would also give you the same effect as a squat or lunges and add up to the fun and excitement. Of course if you are amidst the big city a wall climbing exercise or just biking would also give you the edge on the hip.

#3. Dancing your booty - If you love dancing like I do this one will really make your workout more fun and get you the shape you want on your hips. I recommend dancing for enjoyment so go over for a latino dance with your friends or dates, try if you will belly dancing I assure you it is a great kick start to a fun evening. Both latino dances and belly dancing as much as the now famous 'Bollywood Dance' helps you firm the gluteals and shape them up.

#4. Kick off to a good start - Kick boxing is one of my favorite workout for a cardiovascular training. Kick boxing gives your legs a great workout as well as your hips. It is a great abs workout too since the punches and kicks need to use up the abdominal muscle strength including your breathing pattern. Any form of martial art that concentrates on your legs and back will do the trick too.

#5. Sporty up - If you have seen a lot of TV shows or movies that have scenes on a beach you'd probably recollect as you read this the beach volley ball game and of course the camera only focuses on the ship shape hips on the team. Yes you got it volley ball (need not be on a beach) or any sport that takes up your lower body strength seems just fine for getting a curvy hip. Go out and have more fun in the sun if you can or indoor courts.

If you need more information or a custom made diet & fitness regime visit our wellness programs that suit your needs or sign up for a free consultation to know what you need to do for a healthy lifestyle.

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Why do you need professional diet & fitness advice ?

With everything that needs intervention in your life to straighten things out you seek advice be it financial, career, emotional, marital, but why is it that when it comes to the most important thing in our lives, ironically the one that our life depends on to survive - our health we hesitate to take a step forward or look out for freebies ? If it is health insurance people wonder do I need a bigger coverage? If it is a medical advice people hesitate to go to the specialist in a good hospital thinking he/ she would charge more, and if it is a nutrition or fitness advice people  think its can wait a while until the real emergency arrives. So what is it about us civilized, educated, professionally & academically sound human beings that makes us so opposite to our instincts when it comes to our own health? Self preservation is our primary instinctive response but is it becoming secondary due to our slacker of habits viz, debts, fast food, convenience, too many options, too less time, too much money making frame of mind. All these bad lifestyle habits take us farther when it comes to making sound and informed decisions about our primary goal in life - to keep us healthy in order to be happy.

What you must know? - The most essential information you can and must know about your health is that you need to be in good professional hands in the preventive side as well as curative side. Preventive is fitness coach, dietitian trained academically and worked in clinical & exercise backgrounds, health insurance advisors, diagnostics via a M.D pathologist/ radiologist. Curative has to be a combination of a specialist i.e. M.D along with dietitian and a fitness coach/ physiotherapist/ chiropracter/ therapist of that particular disorder. Every individual after 30 needs these two teams working for them and no you don't need to be wealthy or a celeb for such perks you need it because you are just a human being who thrives in hostile environment and/ or lifestyle habits. If you already didn't know this make sure you do now and spread this word to whoever is oblivious of who they need when the need is a must. You must also know that every lifestyle disorder takes 3 months in first phase of cure and 3 - 6 months in the maintainability depending on the disorder. For instance a person who shows symptoms of hepatitis A or jaundice as we normally call it needs a minimum 3 months curative intervention and another 2-3 months of sustainability post cure. He/She needs a gastroenterologists and a dietitian to owrk hand in hand together for this period. Since most lifestyle disorders like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disorders, anorexia/ bulimia, liver disease, bone disorders, gastroenteric diseases take considerable amount of time to build up into a disorder it takes at least half the same time to get it under control and maintain it.

What you must ask? - You must ask for a academically trained professional. In my experience as a registered dietitian I have seen people take advice from amateurs who haven't a degree from a college in the vocation neither have they been honed the skills of diagnosis, therapy and post prognosis counselling and these naive patients fail miserably risking their health. When seeking advice for medicine go to a doctor with M.D, when going to test or diagnostic lab see if the doctor on board is a pathologist for lab tests ad radiologist for x-ray, CT scan, MRI, Sonography etc. When you need to seek advice for diet go to a dietitian not a fitness trainer not a doctor not a physician, or physiotherapist. Similarly do not seek physical therapy advice from a doctor or any other specialist. However what you can ask the other vocational expert is to guide you towards the other expert. Ask for a specific professional it is what you deserve. I don't give advice on diagnostics reports but I ask my patients to take certain tests which I need them to do so as to understand their internal system functionality well and prescribe a plan accordingly the same is the case for other professionals.

What action you need to take? - You need to act upon the advice asap. Which means you can't keep pondering on the action instead of acting on it just because it will cost you some money. Everything will cost you and health advice costs you higher than any other, but this is your life we're talking about not which car is better than the other for you to think about over weeks. People let go of the paid advice and do what they can with free stuff like a friend's experience with same situation or read it on the internet. Being an online practioner I do write a lot of useful information about lifestyle, health and fitness but I must warn you that the things I or any professional like me write about are basic know how everybody who isn't a professional should know to take an informed decision. I or anyone else for that matter cannot help you generically with an article on a disease for a simple fact that you are an individual and your disease may be common with others but your condition could be starkly different from many and needs customized treatment be it medicine or food or exercise. So don't make the common blunder all and sundry do stick on he regime quickly to benefit yourself from long term hassles.

How you can be a success? - Maintain a open and honest relationship with your advisor it will help them offer you the best treatment under the given circumstances. Follow their advice to the T do not slack around it will worsen if not benefit your condition. Make sure you inform amongst your friends and social circles that what advice suits you may not suit them and do not follow blindly what has worked for some like medicines, diets, exercises or other forms of therapies. Being healthy and staying that way isn't a piece of cake in today's scenario but having said that it isn't something so difficult to follow either that you can't do it. This new year be happy and one sure way is to be healthy the right way with the help of the right advisors.
For Lifestyle Management & Wellness advice contact@wellnessandi.com

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