No Gain Without Pain !!!

If pottering about the house is your idea of fitness, you have got it all wrong, says Norbert Rego

YOU walked to the railway station this morning, marched up the escalators, and when you get back home, you’ll walk your pet. Is this sufficient to remain fit? Sadly no, says research.

“Light exercises do not provide the required cardiovascular reserve. One has to indulge in a variety of fitness programmes — treadmill, swimming, light running and jogging. These exercises decrease fat, enhance and improve circulation, increase muscle mass, regulate body metabolism and keep a person fit, physically and psychologically, says Dr Sanjeev Jain, consultant, Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai.

Keeping fit generally means having a good exercise tolerance so that one does not tire easily. The main systems in the human body involved in day-today functioning and directly affected by exercise are the cardiovascular system (heart for pumping blood) and pulmonary system (lungs for supplying adequate oxygen for energy). A healthy cardio-respiratory system leads to a well-functioning gastrointestinal system (stomach, bowels, etc), which is then able to absorb the required nutrients and supply the body with proper nourishment. This leads to a healthy mind and body.

“To improve efficiency of the cardio-respiratory system, one needs aerobic exercise, ie, a workout which increases exercise tolerance. However, to be effective, it should be done at a pace that will surprise the body and force it to keep up with the higher level of activity. It is ideal to push heart rate up to 80 per cent of the maximum advisable limit for your age and health, after seeking medical advice. This will increase the overall Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) , and make the body more efficient,” says Dr Kaushal Malhan, consultant, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai.

“To remain fit, one has to keep all the joints moving and keep muscles toned to support skeletal system. This improves posture, controls muscular and joint aches, improves skin circulation,” adds Dr Jain.

A research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, found that women who did more than eight hours a week of heavy housework were actually slightly more likely to be overweight than those who did none — and no amount of vacuuming, scrubbing and cleaning lowered resting heart rate, which is an indicator of enhanced aerobic fitness.

Since we all have different levels of fitness, it's impossible to prescribe any single activity or target heart rate as suitable for all. There is evidence that brisk walking protects women from diabetes and heart disease, but for most middle-aged men, walking simply isn't challenging enough. Men who want to reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease should consider jogging, circuit training, running or competitive sports.

Source: Timesofindia

Fit 'n' Fine - Men's Fitness Tips

FIT 'n' FINE:

workouts sustain muscle tone and endurance, and keep the body operating effectively:

Muscular fitness has two components: Muscular strength and muscular endurance. Although muscular endurance and strength are separate fitness components, they are closely related. Progressively working against resistance will produce gains in both of these components. Even for optimal activities like sitting, running, carrying objects or doing household work, one needs strength. It helps maintain muscle tissue in the body and a higher resting metabolism and therefore regular exercise should be an integral part of everyone's life.

You can get an idea of your muscle strength levels by checking the number of sit-ups and push-ups you can do in a minute. For improving your muscular strength, the muscles have to be taxed beyond the regular accustomed loads. You can achieve it either by working out at a gym or even at home.

Exercises like step-ups and high jumps, push-ups, sit-ups, leg curl, arm curl and leg raises can easily be done at home. The factors one must keep in mind are the mode and resistance that is used to exert on the muscles and the frequency of training. You can do a total body workout or follow a split body workout routine where you can workout the upper body muscles one day and lower body muscles on the next day. It is necessary to rest the muscles for 24 hours to allow adequate recovery.

To achieve significant gains, a minimum of eight weeks of uninterrupted training is required. Once an ideal level of strength is achieved , two training sessions per week are sufficient to maintain the strength levels.

Glossary Of Fitness Terms

GLOSSARY OF FITNESS TERMS:

Aerobin exercise: The word aerobic means 'with oxygen'. These are activities where oxygen from the blood is required to fuel the body; eg: cycling and running.

Antioxidants: Substances such as Vitamins A, C and E and minerals such as copper, magnesium and zinc. They minimise tissue oxidation and help control free radicals and their negative effects.

BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate): Rate at which the body burns clories over a 24-hour period, while at complete rest.

Cardiovascular training: Training such as aerobics, running or cycling, which strengthens the heart and the blood vessels and helps build up general fitness.

Cross training: The training in one activity to improve performance in another, which helps prevent overuse injuries.

CVP: Cardiovascular protocol used on treadmills and cardio exercises.

Glycemic Index: Rating system that denotes how quickly a food is converted into glucose in the blood stream. A lower glycemic index means a slower rate of absorption.

Metabolism: The chemical and physical processes going on continuously in the body. Get physical as exercise and activity is the best way to increase your metabolism.

Overload principle: To improve fitness levels by progressively increasing the speed, weight and/or duration of exercise activities.

Pectoral muscles: The muscles in your chest that allow you to push your arms forward. Familiarly called the pecs.

Periodisation: The structured and sequential development of physical activity by organising training regimens into blocks of training cycles. It's a long-term workout schedule that keeps you moving towards your goal.

Power mindset: The state of being where you feel self reliant, confident and strong.

Runner's knee: Pain behind the kneecap either during or after a run. The kneecap travels up and down a groove as you run or walk. If you run frequently with poor technique, overtraining or muscle imbalance the kneecap can slip off track and rub on the protective cartilage behind it. It is important to reduce training if this pain occurs as it can wear away the cartilage by friction.


Stroke volume: The amount of blood the heart can pump out in one beat. Prolonged aerobic exercise can increase stroke volume, which frequently results in a slower heart rate.

Target Heart Rate (THR): The heart rate range that if maintained for a minimum of 20-30 minutes will produce training effects on the heart. Target heart rate is unique to each individual and it's important to stay within this range or else it could place strain on the heart.

Trapezius muscles: These are the largest muscles in the back and that draw the head backwards and rotate the scapula.

VOZ: Training which requires plenty of oxygen. It works your body's muscles that increases your heart rate and strengthens the heart and lungs.

Warm up: This is the preparation time before the proper work out. It includes light jogging to get the blood flowing through the muscles.

THIGH EXERCISES FOR WOMEN TO HAVE A SHAPELY LOWER BODY...

For women, shaping the muscles of the thighs is an important fitness goal. A shapely lower body is considered very feminine, and the right proportion of the waist to the hips is part of the equation. It's surprising, but true, thigh toning exercises can be done at home, without equipment and results can be seen in 4-6 weeks. Also, did you know that thigh and hip toning gadgets are not required if you know which exercises work, and how to do them. Most importantly, thigh exercises are most effective when combined with aerobic exercise and a healthy diet.

This means that women must not only do the right thigh exercises, but also include aerobic exercise and sound nutrition to get best results. The following exercises are the most effective front thigh exercises for women. The routine also includes inner thigh and rear thigh exercises.

For best results, start with 15-20 repetitions and one set. Increase gradually to 2 sets. Complete the routine at least 2 times a week for best results. This is an effective beginner to intermediate toning program. Please remember that these numbers are general guidelines only. For an optimum program tailored to your needs, please consult a certified personal trainer. If you have any injuries or medical ailments, please obtain a physicians clearance before starting any exercise program.

Wall Squat- Front Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position: – Place your upper back against a smooth wall. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Distribute your body weight equally between both feet and lean back against the wall.

Movement: – Inhale, keeping your heels in contact with the floor at all times, slowly lower into a squat position while sliding down the wall. Exhale as you slowly straighten your legs, keeping your head and chest up, returning to the starting position. Repeat as required.

Standing Dumbbell Squats- Front Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position:- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and allow them to hang down at your sides. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Distribute your body weight equally between both feet.

Movement:- Inhale, keeping your heels in contact with the floor at all times, slowly lower into a squat position. Exhale as you slowly straighten your legs, keeping your head and chest up, returning to the starting position. Repeat as required. 5 lb dumbbells work well, but you can start with 2 lbs and then work your way up to 5 lbs within 3-5 weeks.

Lunges- Front Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position: – Assume a standing position with your feet slightly less than shoulder width apart. Grasp a barbell with a wider than shoulder width grip and place it across your shoulders.

Movement: – Inhale, keeping your back vertical and slightly arched, slowly step forward with one leg making a long stride, lowering your body down slowly until your rear knee lightly touches the floor (if you cannot go as low as this, then work your way up to it over 2-3 weeks). Exhale and shift your weight backwards, taking one step (or 2-3 small steps if that sounds difficult) to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Remember to consult your doctor before this or any other knee exercises if you have had any knee trouble!

Lying Face Down- Front Thigh Stretch:

Starting Position: Lie on your stomach on a matt with your legs together.

Movement: Reach behind you and grasp your right ankle with your left hand. Pull your right heel up as far as you can. Hold this position for thirty seconds. Repeat as required on other side. Please remember to hold for 10 seconds for this stretch.

Seated Split Stretch-Inner Thigh Stretch:

Starting Position: Sit on an exercise matt and spread your legs as far as you can.

Movement: Lean to your right side and reach for your toes. Rest your hands on your toes or at your ankle. Hold this position for thirty seconds. Repeat as required on other side.

Seated Butterfly- Inner Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position: Sit on an exercise matt with your back straight.

Movement: Bring the soles of your feet together and pull them in as close to your body as you can. Allow your hands to rest on your feet or to apply light pressure to your thighs. Hold this position for thirty seconds. Hold this position for 10 seconds. You will find this most effective if you gently push your knees down using your hands, be careful not to push too much.

Seated Hip Twist- Outer Thigh And Rear Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position: Sit on an exercise matt with your legs straight out in front of you.

Movement: Bend your right knee and place your right foot over your left leg. Wrap your arms around your right knee and gently pull it in towards your left shoulder. Hold this position for thirty seconds. Repeat as required on other side. Remember to hold for 10 seconds.

Lying Leg Pull- Total Thigh Exercise:

Starting Position: Lie on your back on an exercise matt with your knees in the air and feet flat on the floor.

Movement: Bring your right heel to rest on your left thigh. Loop your hands around your left thigh and pull it towards your chest. Hold this position for thirty seconds. Repeat as required on other side. Remember to hold for 10 seconds in each set.

TIPS FOR FLATTEN STOMACH & TO LOSE BODY FAT...

Want a Six Pack Abs?

Simply follow these two steps - strengthen your abdominal muscles and lose body fat.

Sounds simple, but putting it into action is not. It will take dedication, willpower, patience and time to get a six pack but in the end, the effort is well worth it.

Build Muscles. Do crunches, sit ups, leg lifts, jackknife sit ups, V-ups, basically, anything that will help you build muscles on your abs. Don't forget oblique muscles too. If you spend time daily working on it and it may take months, but you'll slowly see results there. Remember, besides working it specifically, you can also stretch, bend, duck or twist the muscles while you are performing your daily activities (including those that you do with your partner). These movements will help to build your muscles too.

Next, lose fat. Do weights, cardiovascular exercises to drop your fat %. When you exercise, your body uses energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein, in that order. What you want to do is to burn out the carbohydrates and start burning fat. This will mean taking in less carbohydrates to ensure you start burning fat faster. Do not worry that you will burn the protein in your body. You'll not reach that stage before you end up in the hospital.

Keep your metabolism steady by eating small meals every other hour, which will help to burn calories even when you are not exercising. Eat breakfast. That will ensure you do not need to eat much during the rest of the day and will help to cut down on the amount of calories you take in. In addition, eat a very small dinner, early. Try to drink more water and take more food rich in fiber, eg. fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Make sure you eat your small meals regularly to avoid food binges.

You could keep an exercise journal to track your routine and you may even take monthly photos to monitor your body changes. Do not track your weight unless you have to. Since muscle tissue is denser than a similar volume of fat, you may not record weight loss and may even notice an increase in weight.

Know these facts:

1. There's no such thing as 'targeted fat loss'. You cannot decide which part of your body you want to lose fat.

2. Exercise with control. Do not overwork your body. See a doctor for a consultation if needed.

3. Do not snack. You do not want to eat small meals only to snack back the calories.

4. Supplements are not miracle pills. You will still need to work it.

POST-NATAL ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Top 10 POST-NATAL ABDOMINAL EXERCISES:



A number of women experience trouble bringing their abdomen back to its original tone and size after childbirth. For most, a combination of Kegel and abdominal exercises will work. The change in a most women's bodies is due to the laxity of the abdominal muscle wall. It is important to remember that your body has simply changed, and not necessarily for the worse. Some exercises can help your abdomen return to its original size. If your abdomen still does not seem to be returning to its original size and shape after you've give these exercises a try, you may wish to look into an actual physical reason for this.

It is important that you regain the strength of your abdominal muscles, after the birth of your baby as strong muscles help prevent lower back injury, prevent abdominal organs from " dropping forward" through lack of support and help you to regain a flat stomach. Try combining these with Kegel exercises to get the maximum benefit. The pelvic floor is a "sling" of muscles that supports your internal organs, e.g. your uterus, bladder and kidneys. To keep the pelvic floor (also called the Kegel muscles) strong, you need to exercise them. You can find your pelvic floor muscles by stopping and starting the flow of urine when you urinate. The squeezing that stops the flow of urine are the pelvic floor muscles contracting. Now try contracting and relaxing your Kegel muscles while sitting at your desk, driving in your car and watching television! Aim for a goal of 100 Kegels each day.

Regular abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crossover sit-ups, which target the sides of your abdomen, should not be done until a few weeks after delivery. A woman must also allow her abdominal muscles to heal before putting more strain on them. Any weight loss should be gradual and any exercise should only be done if it makes you feel better, not worse.

If your muscles are weak, concentrate on the regaining the strength by performing "Pelvic tilt" before trying anything harder.

1. Pelvic Tilt: Lie on your back, knee bent up and feet flat on the floor. Place hands on your stomach so that you can feel the tightening muscles. Gently tighten your stomach muscles and push the arch of your back towards the floor. Squeeze your bottom tight. Hold the position till the count of 6, and then relax.

2. Elbow to Knee lifts: Gently bring one knee and your opposite elbow together. Then bring your other elbow and knee together. Work up to 20 rep, altering sides.

3. Ab Crunch: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor and ankles pressing down on the floor. Hold your hands behind you head and then raise your head as you contract your stomach muscles. Breathe properly and work up to 10 rep.

4. Sit-Ups: Lie on your back with your knee bent and hands alongside your head. Sit up and touch you knee. Swing your hands up into the air repeat at least 10 times.

These are some of best post-natal abdominal exercises. As pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the pelvic floor muscles which support your bladder, it is important that you make Kegel a part of your workout routine. Kegel exercise strengthens muscles that hold the bladder and many other organs in place. You need to understand that any workout will show you long lasting effect only when combined with other parts of the body , a cardiovascular regime and a well balanced diet ,one that is especially designed for a postnatal woman.

Besides there are certain things you need to consider before starting on a post natal workout like. past experience with exercise, consultation with your doctor before commencing the workout, type of delivery you have had, stop immediately if you feel dizzy or sick etc.

Note: Let your body be the guide-never over do the exercises and stay committed.

SLIMMING EXERCISES FOR KEEPING BODY IN SHAPE...

There are a lot of slimming exercises out there. But, in order to keep in line with the theme of this site , i.e.: Health, Fitness, Beauty. We pick several exercises as follows. From A to D, they are solely slimming exercise; and from E to H, they are exercises to keep your body line as firm as you like. However, though these exercises are harmless to perform in most case, it is better to consult with your exercise coach or medical advisors.

Get Rid of Excess Meat:

(A) Say goodbye to double chin:

1. Sit down relaxly on a floor. Legs put close together and stretch forward. The upper part of your body push slightly upwards.

2. Your hands put backward with your palms on the floor to help to support your body weight. After you feel comfortable with your position, start to do the exercise.

3. Raise your chin as backward as possible, then move your chin towards your chest as close as possible. Repeat these movements for 10-20 times.

(B) Get rid of excessive meat from your thighs:

1. Lie down and face up, raise your legs upwards and make it at a right angle to your body.

2. Open your legs as wide as possible.

3. Cross both legs together as hard as possible until you feel sour and pain at the legs muscles. Repeat for 20-30 times.

(C) Intensify shank muscle and get rid of excessive meat:

1. It needs a slightly raised platform to do the exercise. Height of platform should be between 10-20cm . The building of the platform should be rigid and cannot be easily moved. Stand relaxely with one third area of shanks on the platform.

2. Use the muscle at the shanks to lift up the body as high as possible.

3. Then slowly let the body down. Repeat this exercise for 20-30 times.

(D) Get rid of excessive meat at shoulder part:

1. Held dumb bells with both hands , with the palms facing forward.

2. Hold up one hand first, and hold it up until it reaches to the shoulder level without bending the elbow.

3. Then slowly put the hand down. Repeat the same movement but with the other hand. Repeat the whole process again .

Build up Good Body Line:

(E) Get rid of excessive flesh below hips for more slender legs:

1. Put both legs close to each other, stand up straight. Place both hands behind the head, hold up the back, use nose to breathe in.

2. One leg steps out on a platform prepared earlier, slightly bend the kneecap, press down another leg until the knee cap almost touches the floor.

3.Then breathe out completely. Then take turn with the other legs and repeat the whole breathing process.

(F) To get rid of excessive flesh above hip to make it firmer and raise it higher:

1. Kneel with one knee , both hands hold the upper body; one leg stretch to the back with toe touching ground lightly.

2. Use force on the hip , breath while holding and stretch hind leg straight, hold still for one second, take turn for the other leg.

3. Retract tummy muscle during exercise; lower abdomen should not be droping. Repeat both legs for 10-20 times.

(G) Quick Slimming from Back to Hip:

1. Lie forward, hands and legs slightly open straight while breathing in .

2. Stretch all muscles of the whole body by raising up the hands and legs as much as possible. And slowly breathe out in the process. Do not bend kneecaps, use strength on hips.

3. Do it for about 10 times.

Note: This exercise is more difficult to do, do not do it after meals.

(H) Beautify the thighs and hip line:

1. Open both legs wider than the width of shoulders, place hands before the head, stand upright with chest out.

2. Hold back straight, bend kneecaps, breathe in, press down body like sitting on an unseen chair. Breathe out and return to the original post.

3. Repeat the movement slowly for 10-20 times.

Warning : Those with lap troubles are not advised to do this exercise.

BASIC UPPER BODY EXERCISES FOR LOSING UPPER ARM FLAB IN WOMEN

Basic Upper Body Exercises for losing upper arm flab in Women:

Best Arm and Chest Exercises For Women:

What woman in her right mind proudly shows off her upper arm flab? While you may be comfortable with your body image, you may also have pondered ways to get rid of upper arm flab several times during your life. Historically one of the most challenging areas for women to tone is the upper body. Women generally have far less upper body strength than men. The good news? There are plenty of exercises you can perform to help combat flabby arms and weak chest muscles.

Basic Upper Body Exercises:

There are several very easy exercises you can perform to tone your upper body. Let’s look at some of these in more detail below.

Push Ups -Pushups are an old standby for toning the arms and shoulders. You should aim to do at least 10 to 20 pushups every day. Once you build up some stamina you can increase the number or push ups you perform each week. Most women have trouble performing a standard push up. The good news is you can perform a modified push up quite easily. To perform a modified push up, simply push up from your knees to your arms instead of placing your weight on your hands and feet. Most women can perform a push up in this position.

Triceps Dips -Triceps dips or triceps push downs are another exercise you can perform to improve the shape and size of your arms. To perform this exercise, you’ll need to sit on the edge of a strong chair or bench. Place your hands next to you on the edge of the chair with your fingers pointed forward. Then lift your behind off the chair and bend down toward the floor. Gently raise back up again. This is an excellent exercise for toning the arms.

Bicep Curls -You can perform bicep curls safely and easily from the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have a set of barbells, you can get some inexpensively from your local sporting good store. Alternatively you can lift empty milk jugs filled with water. When performing bicep curls, you want to make sure you raise the weights one at a time, in a controlled motion. Lowering is just as important if not more important than lifting the weight. You should perform bicep curls on the same days you do triceps dips, so you evenly spread the weight bearing exercise to your arms.

Gym Exercises for the Arms:

If you belong to a gym or have access to one there are many other exercises you can perform to improve your upper body strength. Here are some popular exercises that will help you create strong and sexy arms.

* Lat pull downs
* Chest Press
* Shoulder Press
* Triceps pushdown
* Curl machine

Most gyms offer a free introductory session where they introduce you to the free weights and machines. If this is not the case, find out how much a single training session is so someone can show you how to use each of these machines safely. Remember that proper form is critical when strength training to prevent injury and produce the best results. You should try to strength train your arms at least two times every week, allowing at least a day or two between strength training sessions.

Weight Loss and Arm Training:

Now keep in mind the amount of ‘flab’ you have on your arms is related to how much extra weight you are carrying as much as it is related to how toned your arms are. All the toning exercises in the world aren’t going to do you much good if you are 20 pounds overweight. If you do need to lose weight you should combine your strength training program with a moderately intense cardiovascular regimen at least 4 times every week. You should also watch your dietary intake.

One way you can jump start your weight loss is by reducing your meal portions and eating six mini meals, rather than three large ones, every day. Believe it or not this is actually much more effective for promoting weight loss because it stimulates your metabolism to work more efficiently. Instead of getting one huge meal to process, your metabolism is constantly working to provide energy and fuel to the body by breaking down six mini meals.

If you have never engaged in a combined strength training and weight loss program, you are bound to start seeing results relatively quickly. Just remember you have to keep up your exercise program to maintain your results. Consider enlisting the help of a friend as an exercise body. Together you can encourage each other to fight the flab and start looking and feeling great!