Eye Care "20-20-20" Rule - Important for PC Users
During a recent visit to an optician, one of my friends was told of an
exercise for the eyes by a specialist doctor that he termed as
20-20-20 ." It is apt for all of us, who spend long hours at our desks,
looking at the computer screen.
I Thought I'd share it with you. 20-20-20
Step I :
After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn your
head and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This
changes the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for the tired eyes.
Step II :
Try and blink your eyes for 20 times in succession, to moisten them.
Step III :
Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the entire body.
Tell your friends if you care for them and their eyes.
They say that your eyes r mirror of your soul, so do take care of them, they are priceless.
exercise for the eyes by a specialist doctor that he termed as
20-20-20 ." It is apt for all of us, who spend long hours at our desks,
looking at the computer screen.
I Thought I'd share it with you. 20-20-20
Step I :
After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn your
head and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This
changes the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for the tired eyes.
Step II :
Try and blink your eyes for 20 times in succession, to moisten them.
Step III :
Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the entire body.
Tell your friends if you care for them and their eyes.
They say that your eyes r mirror of your soul, so do take care of them, they are priceless.
Internet Computer Addiction Among Teens
Internet computer addiction among teens is a growing trend. Unfortunately it is not a positive trend, but a negative and often destructive one that can have a major effect on not only the teen internet computer addict, but his or her family and friends as well.
The internet and computers are almost a necessity for a teenager who is going through high school. Even kids in lower grades require computers to type and research assignments. In this information age, if you don't have a computer you will be left behind.
So how does a parent combat internet computer addiction among teens without completely confiscating the equipment? That is the challenge faced by parents of teens who are suffering from computer and internet addiction.
Internet computer addiction among teens can range from being addicted to games to spending hours upon hours in chat rooms living out a fantasy life. The internet is often an escape for teens who feel they do not fit in with the 'real world'. Online, teens can be whoever they choose. At the click of a mouse, they can dive into another world.
Unfortunately for a minority of teens, this sort of role playing turns into a full on addiction. Teen internet computer addicts can spend every waking hour in a chat room or playing a game. They often stay up all night and will forego social and family events so they can use their computer instead.
In the worst cases, teens will quit school or college in favor of their computer and internet addiction.
Computer internet addiction is similar to other addiction such as smoking and alcohol. The symptoms can include mood changes, withdrawal, anger and impact on social relationships.
Preventing and ending internet computer addiction among teens can be a challenge. .parents can act with due diligence by trying to limit hours spent on the computer. Encouraging the child to take up other hobbies will in most cases sway their attention from the computer.
There is an organization set up solely for this cause called the The Center of On-Line Addiction. They have treated many thousands of teens and people of all ages with computer addiction.
The internet and computers are almost a necessity for a teenager who is going through high school. Even kids in lower grades require computers to type and research assignments. In this information age, if you don't have a computer you will be left behind.
So how does a parent combat internet computer addiction among teens without completely confiscating the equipment? That is the challenge faced by parents of teens who are suffering from computer and internet addiction.
Internet computer addiction among teens can range from being addicted to games to spending hours upon hours in chat rooms living out a fantasy life. The internet is often an escape for teens who feel they do not fit in with the 'real world'. Online, teens can be whoever they choose. At the click of a mouse, they can dive into another world.
Unfortunately for a minority of teens, this sort of role playing turns into a full on addiction. Teen internet computer addicts can spend every waking hour in a chat room or playing a game. They often stay up all night and will forego social and family events so they can use their computer instead.
In the worst cases, teens will quit school or college in favor of their computer and internet addiction.
Computer internet addiction is similar to other addiction such as smoking and alcohol. The symptoms can include mood changes, withdrawal, anger and impact on social relationships.
Preventing and ending internet computer addiction among teens can be a challenge. .parents can act with due diligence by trying to limit hours spent on the computer. Encouraging the child to take up other hobbies will in most cases sway their attention from the computer.
There is an organization set up solely for this cause called the The Center of On-Line Addiction. They have treated many thousands of teens and people of all ages with computer addiction.
Top 10 Tips For Finding Time For Exercise
Top 10 Tips For Finding Time For Exercise
If you're like most people, finding time for
exercise is difficult. Here are my "top 10"
tips to help you in that quest..
1. Make exercise a priority. We all make time
in our lives for the things that are most
important to us. If I told you I'd give you a
million dollars if you exercised everyday for
the next 30 days, would you do it? Sure you
would, because it would suddenly become a
priority. If you're serious about finding time
for exercise, then it must be a priority in
your life.
2. Block out the same time period everyday
for exercise. This way it becomes part of your
daily routine just like brushing your teeth.
Vehemently guard this time period. It is your
time to take care of yourself.
3. Exercise first thing in the morning. This
is when your exercise time is least likely to
get interrupted by other things.
4. Turn off the television. The average adult
spends 16 hours per week watching television.
One of my clients told me that she resolved to
only watch television while she was exercising.
You may not be interested in taking it that far
but you can certainly cut out a few hours of
television a week to make time for exercise.
5. Wake up earlier in the morning to exercise.
Try going to sleep a little earlier and getting
up a little earlier to get your exercise done
first thing in the morning.
6. Spend 30 minutes or so exercising on your
lunch break.
7. Get a book rack for your stair climber or
treadmill and spend some of your reading time
exercising.
8. Visit with your spouse or friend while walking
around the neighborhood rather than sitting on
the couch.
9. Take a couple of days to write down how you
spend your time everyday, then determine how
you can better use your time to fit in exercise.
10. Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible.
You will be much more likely to find time for
things you enjoy.
Get movin'!
If you're like most people, finding time for
exercise is difficult. Here are my "top 10"
tips to help you in that quest..
1. Make exercise a priority. We all make time
in our lives for the things that are most
important to us. If I told you I'd give you a
million dollars if you exercised everyday for
the next 30 days, would you do it? Sure you
would, because it would suddenly become a
priority. If you're serious about finding time
for exercise, then it must be a priority in
your life.
2. Block out the same time period everyday
for exercise. This way it becomes part of your
daily routine just like brushing your teeth.
Vehemently guard this time period. It is your
time to take care of yourself.
3. Exercise first thing in the morning. This
is when your exercise time is least likely to
get interrupted by other things.
4. Turn off the television. The average adult
spends 16 hours per week watching television.
One of my clients told me that she resolved to
only watch television while she was exercising.
You may not be interested in taking it that far
but you can certainly cut out a few hours of
television a week to make time for exercise.
5. Wake up earlier in the morning to exercise.
Try going to sleep a little earlier and getting
up a little earlier to get your exercise done
first thing in the morning.
6. Spend 30 minutes or so exercising on your
lunch break.
7. Get a book rack for your stair climber or
treadmill and spend some of your reading time
exercising.
8. Visit with your spouse or friend while walking
around the neighborhood rather than sitting on
the couch.
9. Take a couple of days to write down how you
spend your time everyday, then determine how
you can better use your time to fit in exercise.
10. Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible.
You will be much more likely to find time for
things you enjoy.
Get movin'!
Chronic Depression: Disease or Charcter Flaw?
Chronic Depression: Disease or Charcter Flaw?
A major survey on depression symptoms from the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), released in july 2001, revealed adramatic degree of progress in public understanding. Yet even amid this promising trend, the survey sheds light on thedifficulties faced by millions of people striving to manage this sometimes chronic, life-long illness.
The NMHA survey shows a major shift in public opinion in the last decade about the cause of depression. A majority (55 percent) ofthose polled who have never been diagnosed with depression symptoms understand depression is a disease, and not "a state of mindthat a person can snap out of." In 1991, only 38 percent recognized depression as an illness.
The survey also sketches a troubling portrait of the socio-economic lives of some people with depression symptoms. Survey respondentswith depression symptoms reported higher levels of unemployment and divorce than respondents who don't have the disorder.
"We set out to get a snapshot of the state of depression and its treatment," said Michael M. Faenza, president and CEO of the NMHA."The good news is that there is greater public understanding of depression and that people living with depression are finding substantialrelief by following their treatment plans. The challenging part is understanding the degree to which public perceptions impact those intreatment," said Faenza.
In this year's survey, nearly one in three Americans say they believe depression symptoms is a state of mind. "Fifty-five percent understand thetruth about depression. That is good, but it is not enough," said Faenza. "You'd never hear 31 percent of the population deny that diabetesand heart disease are real. Erroneous beliefs about depression fuel stigma, bad public policies and poor personal choices by thoseliving with the illness and may impede their recovery."
The survey also describes a strong correlation between clinical depression symptoms and diminished social and economic circumstancesfor families. Survey respondents with depression report greater rates of divorce and unemployment than the general public. What's more,respondents who have experienced multiple depressive episodes are even more likely to be divorced or unemployed. They also aremore likely to have lower income and educational levels.The NMHA survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies LLC, comprised interviews with 500 adults currently being treated fordepression, 300 primary care physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists and 800 members of the general public.
Gap Between Knowledge and Behavior
Survey respondents who are living with depression symptoms overwhelmingly feel that treatment, including medication, psychotherapy orboth, works. (Their average self-rated symptom severity dropped from 8.5 before treatment to 3.6 within six to 12 months after startingtreatment, using a severity scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most severe.)
Yet people are finding that staying with treatment is hard work. While they seem to understand the value of long-term treatment (in fact,most respondents believe that adhering to treatment is not difficult) nearly one-third (29 percent) of people on antidepressants reportskipping doses during the week and nearly one-fourth (24 percent) have difficulty attending regular psychotherapy sessions. However,physicians and psychiatrists surveyed believe adherence is much lower than people in treatment profess. Almost 40 percent of doctorsbelieve those they treat have difficulty staying with their medication regimens (a number consistent with most studies), and half (52 percent)say those they treat have difficulty staying with their psychotherapy regimens.
The survey suggests many reasons why some people don't stick with treatment. In addition to struggling with the nature and demandsof the depression symptoms, they may find the requirements of long-term vigilance overwhelming. A majority of doctors (70 percent) saythose they treat for depression symptoms might find adherence easier if they could take medication less often. But medication is not theonly issue. Though people with depression symptoms believe diet and exercise to be beneficial to long-term wellness, they neverthelessreport not adhering with these regimens either.
"The survey clearly shows that the fewer episodes of depression people reported, the more likely they were to have stayed withtreatment, whatever that treatment may be," said Faenza. "Facing up to this illness and taking personal responsibility for its treatmentare vital. Yet some may not acknowledge and seek treatment for depression because of negative public attitudes and misperceptions."
In fact, even as people with depression symptoms struggle with the illness itself, they also seem to be searching to determine theirbest course of treatment, how long they should stay in treatment, what they might expect from treatment and whether they will ultimatelyrecover. As a result, more people are employing a combination of techniques to get and stay well.
Perceptions Diverge
Public perceptions about depression symptoms often diverge significantly from the perceptions of people in treatment and maydiscourage them from seeking effective therapeutic approaches. For example, the survey results showed that the general publicranks regular exercise, a healthy diet and psychotherapy higher than medication for effectiveness in warding off future episodes ofdepression symptoms. In contrast, doctors and people in long-term treatment rate staying on medication as the most effective way toprevent a relapse, even as they seek the right mix of psychotherapy and lifestyle choices.
Perceptions also diverge when it comes to understanding what treatment can deliver. Thirty-five percent of the general public believethat a person can be cured completely of depression symptoms, a belief held by only 12 percent of people in long-term treatment forthe illness. It is likely that many in this group are struggling to achieve realistic expectations for treatment because the majority of subjectsin the survey sample are in long-term treatment for multiple episodes of depression symptoms.
About half of those who experience depression symptoms will never have another episode; half will. The findings suggest that peopletreated for clinical depression symptoms understand the frequently episodic nature of this common illness. More than three-quarters(76 percent) believe that they will need some type of treatment for the rest of their lives, and most understand that their treatment willcontrol, but not necessarily cure, their depression symptoms.However, even as more people come to terms with the long-term demands of depression symptoms, too many still find it difficult to make atreatment plan work for them. "The upshot is that people living with depression conduct highly individualized searches for the right mixof therapies-medical, psychological or lifestyle. The last thing they need is for stigma or public misperceptions to diminish their efforts,"said Faenza.
A major survey on depression symptoms from the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), released in july 2001, revealed adramatic degree of progress in public understanding. Yet even amid this promising trend, the survey sheds light on thedifficulties faced by millions of people striving to manage this sometimes chronic, life-long illness.
The NMHA survey shows a major shift in public opinion in the last decade about the cause of depression. A majority (55 percent) ofthose polled who have never been diagnosed with depression symptoms understand depression is a disease, and not "a state of mindthat a person can snap out of." In 1991, only 38 percent recognized depression as an illness.
The survey also sketches a troubling portrait of the socio-economic lives of some people with depression symptoms. Survey respondentswith depression symptoms reported higher levels of unemployment and divorce than respondents who don't have the disorder.
"We set out to get a snapshot of the state of depression and its treatment," said Michael M. Faenza, president and CEO of the NMHA."The good news is that there is greater public understanding of depression and that people living with depression are finding substantialrelief by following their treatment plans. The challenging part is understanding the degree to which public perceptions impact those intreatment," said Faenza.
In this year's survey, nearly one in three Americans say they believe depression symptoms is a state of mind. "Fifty-five percent understand thetruth about depression. That is good, but it is not enough," said Faenza. "You'd never hear 31 percent of the population deny that diabetesand heart disease are real. Erroneous beliefs about depression fuel stigma, bad public policies and poor personal choices by thoseliving with the illness and may impede their recovery."
The survey also describes a strong correlation between clinical depression symptoms and diminished social and economic circumstancesfor families. Survey respondents with depression report greater rates of divorce and unemployment than the general public. What's more,respondents who have experienced multiple depressive episodes are even more likely to be divorced or unemployed. They also aremore likely to have lower income and educational levels.The NMHA survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies LLC, comprised interviews with 500 adults currently being treated fordepression, 300 primary care physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists and 800 members of the general public.
Gap Between Knowledge and Behavior
Survey respondents who are living with depression symptoms overwhelmingly feel that treatment, including medication, psychotherapy orboth, works. (Their average self-rated symptom severity dropped from 8.5 before treatment to 3.6 within six to 12 months after startingtreatment, using a severity scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most severe.)
Yet people are finding that staying with treatment is hard work. While they seem to understand the value of long-term treatment (in fact,most respondents believe that adhering to treatment is not difficult) nearly one-third (29 percent) of people on antidepressants reportskipping doses during the week and nearly one-fourth (24 percent) have difficulty attending regular psychotherapy sessions. However,physicians and psychiatrists surveyed believe adherence is much lower than people in treatment profess. Almost 40 percent of doctorsbelieve those they treat have difficulty staying with their medication regimens (a number consistent with most studies), and half (52 percent)say those they treat have difficulty staying with their psychotherapy regimens.
The survey suggests many reasons why some people don't stick with treatment. In addition to struggling with the nature and demandsof the depression symptoms, they may find the requirements of long-term vigilance overwhelming. A majority of doctors (70 percent) saythose they treat for depression symptoms might find adherence easier if they could take medication less often. But medication is not theonly issue. Though people with depression symptoms believe diet and exercise to be beneficial to long-term wellness, they neverthelessreport not adhering with these regimens either.
"The survey clearly shows that the fewer episodes of depression people reported, the more likely they were to have stayed withtreatment, whatever that treatment may be," said Faenza. "Facing up to this illness and taking personal responsibility for its treatmentare vital. Yet some may not acknowledge and seek treatment for depression because of negative public attitudes and misperceptions."
In fact, even as people with depression symptoms struggle with the illness itself, they also seem to be searching to determine theirbest course of treatment, how long they should stay in treatment, what they might expect from treatment and whether they will ultimatelyrecover. As a result, more people are employing a combination of techniques to get and stay well.
Perceptions Diverge
Public perceptions about depression symptoms often diverge significantly from the perceptions of people in treatment and maydiscourage them from seeking effective therapeutic approaches. For example, the survey results showed that the general publicranks regular exercise, a healthy diet and psychotherapy higher than medication for effectiveness in warding off future episodes ofdepression symptoms. In contrast, doctors and people in long-term treatment rate staying on medication as the most effective way toprevent a relapse, even as they seek the right mix of psychotherapy and lifestyle choices.
Perceptions also diverge when it comes to understanding what treatment can deliver. Thirty-five percent of the general public believethat a person can be cured completely of depression symptoms, a belief held by only 12 percent of people in long-term treatment forthe illness. It is likely that many in this group are struggling to achieve realistic expectations for treatment because the majority of subjectsin the survey sample are in long-term treatment for multiple episodes of depression symptoms.
About half of those who experience depression symptoms will never have another episode; half will. The findings suggest that peopletreated for clinical depression symptoms understand the frequently episodic nature of this common illness. More than three-quarters(76 percent) believe that they will need some type of treatment for the rest of their lives, and most understand that their treatment willcontrol, but not necessarily cure, their depression symptoms.However, even as more people come to terms with the long-term demands of depression symptoms, too many still find it difficult to make atreatment plan work for them. "The upshot is that people living with depression conduct highly individualized searches for the right mixof therapies-medical, psychological or lifestyle. The last thing they need is for stigma or public misperceptions to diminish their efforts,"said Faenza.
The Abs... More Important Than You Think
The Abs... More Important Than You Think
What comes to your mind when I say the word "abs"? Do you think of the infomercials advertising "6 second abs" or the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue? Most people focus on training their abs to look thinner or sexier. But, do you realize the importance of your abs in everyday activities? Most yoga instructors do. And that's why one of the focuses of yoga is to build your core abdominal strength.
Important for posture
Your abs attach to your spine and pelvis, helping balance your back in good posture. Often times, when your back is not supported in the correct posture by your abdominals and back muscles, back pain occurs. Did you know that back pain accounts for approximately 50 billion dollars in health care costs each year. This is not something to be taken lightly -- so remember -- one of the best ways to prevent back pain is to strengthen your abs.
It often takes a conscious effort to sit in good posture. But, even if you get into a good sitting posture, you will need the abdominal and back endurance to maintain it! How are you sitting at your computer right now? I would bet most of you are sitting in a slumped posture?.some more than others. To sit in good posture, you should have a slight inward curve in your back with your ears directly over your shoulders.
One way to strengthen your abs while working on your computer is to use an exercise ball as your chair. Yes, you heard me right! In fact, I am sitting on my exercise ball as I write this article.
Important for balance
Without abdominal strength, you will have difficulty sitting, standing and walking. Your center of gravity is located at your sacrum or roughly just below your belly button. Therefore, your abs play an important part in keeping you balanced at your center of gravity.
Think about someone who is a quadriplegic or paralyzed from the neck down. They are not able to sit by themselves because their back and abdominal muscles are paralyzed. In other words, they are no longer able to balance themselves. In contrast, a paraplegic, someone paralyzed from the waist down, is able to balance and sit by themselves because only their legs are paralyzed leaving their abdominal and back muscles intact. This proves that our abdominals are important for our balance.
If you are now sitting on your exercise ball, you can practice some balance exercises and strengthen your abs simply by rolling your hips forward, backward and side to side. Make sure to pull your stomach inward during these motions.
Exercise your abs
Now that you know the importance of your abs, you need to integrate abdominal strengthening into your regular strength training. Abs should be trained like any other muscle ? 8 to 12 repetitions, 3 times per week.
What comes to your mind when I say the word "abs"? Do you think of the infomercials advertising "6 second abs" or the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue? Most people focus on training their abs to look thinner or sexier. But, do you realize the importance of your abs in everyday activities? Most yoga instructors do. And that's why one of the focuses of yoga is to build your core abdominal strength.
Important for posture
Your abs attach to your spine and pelvis, helping balance your back in good posture. Often times, when your back is not supported in the correct posture by your abdominals and back muscles, back pain occurs. Did you know that back pain accounts for approximately 50 billion dollars in health care costs each year. This is not something to be taken lightly -- so remember -- one of the best ways to prevent back pain is to strengthen your abs.
It often takes a conscious effort to sit in good posture. But, even if you get into a good sitting posture, you will need the abdominal and back endurance to maintain it! How are you sitting at your computer right now? I would bet most of you are sitting in a slumped posture?.some more than others. To sit in good posture, you should have a slight inward curve in your back with your ears directly over your shoulders.
One way to strengthen your abs while working on your computer is to use an exercise ball as your chair. Yes, you heard me right! In fact, I am sitting on my exercise ball as I write this article.
Important for balance
Without abdominal strength, you will have difficulty sitting, standing and walking. Your center of gravity is located at your sacrum or roughly just below your belly button. Therefore, your abs play an important part in keeping you balanced at your center of gravity.
Think about someone who is a quadriplegic or paralyzed from the neck down. They are not able to sit by themselves because their back and abdominal muscles are paralyzed. In other words, they are no longer able to balance themselves. In contrast, a paraplegic, someone paralyzed from the waist down, is able to balance and sit by themselves because only their legs are paralyzed leaving their abdominal and back muscles intact. This proves that our abdominals are important for our balance.
If you are now sitting on your exercise ball, you can practice some balance exercises and strengthen your abs simply by rolling your hips forward, backward and side to side. Make sure to pull your stomach inward during these motions.
Exercise your abs
Now that you know the importance of your abs, you need to integrate abdominal strengthening into your regular strength training. Abs should be trained like any other muscle ? 8 to 12 repetitions, 3 times per week.
Salsa: fusion of fun and fitness
The beat and the rhythm of Salsa, that had gripped the West in the sixties and seventies, is now capturing the imagination of Indians.
While the dance form and music are popular as a source of fun and entertainment all over the world, its practitioners are now presenting it as a wonderful way of keeping physically fit as well. Many fitness enthusiasts -- and youngsters in particular -- are turning to Salsa.
"It is a blend of 'fun and fitness'," says Amanpreet, a New Delhi resident who has been learning Salsa since the last six months. "After taking to this dance, my life has changed. Not only am I physically fit, I also feel mentally more confident," she says.
The term Salsa, which means sauce in Spanish, was used for the first time by a Cuban composer in the song Eechale Salsita in 1937. Later, in the 1960s, Izzy Sanabria brought a lot of rhythms from Cuba and the Caribbean under one roof and chose to name it Salsa.
In India, this dance form was introduced in its original form only in the late nineties. Today, there are many Salsa training centres in New Delhi and Mumbai. Similar training schools are coming up in other metropolitan cities next year.
Shally Sharma, a Salsa teacher who runs a dance school in North Delhi, says, "Salsa is a very easy dance. It can be learnt by anyone, at any age. It is a superb way of maintaining fitness. Even film actors are now including it in their fitness schedule."
Salsa has also emerged as a stress buster in the Western countries. "Since it is basically a party dance with easy yet enjoyable steps, it can help reduce mental stress and depression," says Sharma.
"I dance to the beats of Salsa at least two to three times a week. I have noticed that this always keeps me tension free, in a better frame of mind," says Amanpreet.
"Salsa's popularity is a proof of the effectiveness and beauty of this wonderful dance form," says Sharma.
JustSalsa.com, a website dedicated to this dance form says, 'The beats of the Salsa are infectious. The secret of its popularity is its 'have to move' nature. In other words, you have to dance with the beats."
Salsa has also emerged as a viable career option even in India. "Salsa parties are the new craze. Corporates approach Salsa dancers for performances in their functions; these dancers are in great demand now," says Sharma.
While the dance form and music are popular as a source of fun and entertainment all over the world, its practitioners are now presenting it as a wonderful way of keeping physically fit as well. Many fitness enthusiasts -- and youngsters in particular -- are turning to Salsa.
"It is a blend of 'fun and fitness'," says Amanpreet, a New Delhi resident who has been learning Salsa since the last six months. "After taking to this dance, my life has changed. Not only am I physically fit, I also feel mentally more confident," she says.
The term Salsa, which means sauce in Spanish, was used for the first time by a Cuban composer in the song Eechale Salsita in 1937. Later, in the 1960s, Izzy Sanabria brought a lot of rhythms from Cuba and the Caribbean under one roof and chose to name it Salsa.
In India, this dance form was introduced in its original form only in the late nineties. Today, there are many Salsa training centres in New Delhi and Mumbai. Similar training schools are coming up in other metropolitan cities next year.
Shally Sharma, a Salsa teacher who runs a dance school in North Delhi, says, "Salsa is a very easy dance. It can be learnt by anyone, at any age. It is a superb way of maintaining fitness. Even film actors are now including it in their fitness schedule."
Salsa has also emerged as a stress buster in the Western countries. "Since it is basically a party dance with easy yet enjoyable steps, it can help reduce mental stress and depression," says Sharma.
"I dance to the beats of Salsa at least two to three times a week. I have noticed that this always keeps me tension free, in a better frame of mind," says Amanpreet.
"Salsa's popularity is a proof of the effectiveness and beauty of this wonderful dance form," says Sharma.
JustSalsa.com, a website dedicated to this dance form says, 'The beats of the Salsa are infectious. The secret of its popularity is its 'have to move' nature. In other words, you have to dance with the beats."
Salsa has also emerged as a viable career option even in India. "Salsa parties are the new craze. Corporates approach Salsa dancers for performances in their functions; these dancers are in great demand now," says Sharma.
Chocolate... it doesn't get better than this
The sinfully rich, gooey food, often feared by weight-watchers and desired by most, is now on the menu of spas, health clubs and fitness dieticians the world over
The chocolate diet
Strong on the inside
Its charismatic and propitious presence has led many cultures to the claim that consuming chocolate instilled strength, health, faith and passion in those who drank it. Derived by processing the pods of the cacao tree, this tasty secret was discovered 2000 years ago in the rainforests of the Americas. From a rainforest treasure to a luscious treat, chocolate has always been revered for the effect it has on the functioning of our body.
The chocolate diet
"Contrary to popular belief, chocolate is fattening only if you eat too much of it and blow your calorie budget on a whole bag of M&Ms or batch of brownies. Do not grab on chocolates when you are very hungry," advises nutritionist Naini Setalvad.
"Theobromine, an integral part of chocolate stimulates the body and has a slimming effect,” says Dr Apratim Goel, cosmetic dermatologist. Dark chocolates made with cocoa and natural sweeteners like dry fruits, jaggery, and honey, natural fats like walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and other nuts are very good for health if eaten in moderation, and taste delicious too!
Strong on the inside
The next time you pop in a chocolate, don’t feel guilty – it’s good to indulge in a piece or two. "Chocolate stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation that stimulates the body to produce a powerful antibody called secretory immunoglobulin A, which strengthens the immune system,” explains Setalvad. It also contains essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron calcium and potassium, and vitamins A, B1, C, D and E.
Chocolate also contains caffeine, which makes it an instant energy and mood lifter, and a powerful fighter of fatigue; and polyphenol compounds, which contain anti-aging properties.
A heart-y effect
Legend says chocolate is a powerful love potion. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac, so there are no doubts of its use in several romantic escapades. Casanova, reportedly the greatest lover who ever lived, was said to have drunk chocolate daily to increase his amorous energy.
But the romantic part of the heart aside, chocolate also protects your heart and helps it function better. Eating chocolate results in higher antioxidants, which cut cholesterol. What’s more, it reduces the formation of internal blood clots, further lowering the chances of a coronary blockage. It is a myth that eating chocolates results in increased cholesterol. Chocolate is a product of plants, and it contains no cholesterol at all, though it does contain calories.
Divine relaxation
Chocolate is fast becoming one of the nutritive edible items used in spas and beauty salons for massages and therapy. “Chocolate is very rejuvenating for your skin. It is moisturizing and good for cell renewal. Since it is made from cocoa, it is rich in anti-oxidants (vitamins A and E) and cocoa butter hydrates, and soothes the skin. There are more than 300 different compounds that can contribute to one's health and beauty," says Lovina Gidhwani Jha, manager operations and development, Franck Provost Spa/Salon/ Academy. A mixture of almond oil, chocolate extract and crushed cocoa beans also makes for an excellent exfoliant and can help relax stressed muscles.
And for those who are feeling stressed and blue, chocolate may just be the thing to get the smile back on their face. The serotonin present in chocolate has an anti-depressant effect on the body. "Chocolate releases 'feel good' happy hormones,” says Dr Goel. “It releases chemicals in the brain that produce a similar feeling to when one first falls in love, enhancing feelings of well being and relaxation.”
So, succumb to your fantasies and indulge the next time you feel like having a piece of chocolate. After all, it is the food of the Gods!
Doodh not so cool!
Lactose intolerance, a phrase that is being bandied about a lot more these days than during the times of our parents, is basically intolerance to lactose (the sugar that is present only in milk and some processed foods).
Under normal circumstances, lactose is digested by an enzyme known as lactase produced by the most superficial lining of the small intestine, to be broken down to simple sugars, which are then readily absorbed into the blood. It is the deficiency of this enzyme that leads to lactose intolerance.In small infants and young children, this may result in persistent diarrhoea after an attack of gastroenteritis. Related stools are typically watery, frothy and acidic causing redness over the buttocks and areas around the anus, also causing bloating of the abdomen, gas production, general discomfort and weight loss. In older children, gas production causing crampy abdominal pain is the dominant problem rather than diarrhoea itself.
Causes of lactose intolerance
Normally lactase levels are highest at birth (to suit milk intake) and start to fall gradually from the age of three years. Also, the levels are at best marginal which are just enough to digest milk in the early years of life. Hence a variety of conditions like gastroenteritis, malnutrition, drugs, milk protein allergy etc can cause harm to the superficial lining of the intestine resulting in temporary deficiency of the enzyme. This leads to persistent diarrhoea even when the infection is under control. Within a few days to weeks, the superficial lining regenerates and the enzymes are restored and the symptoms disappear. Very rarely the enzyme levels are deficient by birth.Diagnosis
Is done by detection of acidic stools while the child is still on milk diet. Also cessation of diarrhoea upon withdrawal of milk suggests lactose intolerance.
Is done by detection of acidic stools while the child is still on milk diet. Also cessation of diarrhoea upon withdrawal of milk suggests lactose intolerance.
Treatment
- A large majority of infants and children have a temporary lactose intolerance following an infection. Symptoms usually subside when the child is kept on a low lactose or a lactose free diet. If the symptoms do not subside the diagnosis of lactose intolerance should be doubted as a cause
of persistent diarrhoea. - Breast-feeding should be continued as most infants continue to thrive even when passing abnormal stools for a few days after an infection.
- Total elimination of milk is not required routinely. Also milk should not be diluted with water as it reduces the energy levels of the diet .It is better to substitute a part of the milk feeds by diets based on milk with cereals (e.g. milk or curd rice gruel. milk sooji gruel or dalia) or diets based on lactose free milk protein (casein), oil, sugar, soyabean etc.
- In older children and adults, milk elimination should not be total. Stopping milk ingestion as a beverage is important. In such patients, lactose in milk with a meal is better tolerated than alone milk. Lactose intolerant adults may continue to have milk and milk products in small amounts.
- A lactase preparation (lactrase, not available in India) when added to milk or when taken with a milk-based diet may even prove to be helpful.
Depression – a big deal
| Depression is a serious medical condition that involves the body, mind, and emotions. It affects the way we eats and sleep, and feels about our self |
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| Depressive is a disorder and not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who have depression.  Types of DepressionDepression comes in different forms. The three main depressive disorders are: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.
Symptoms of Depression Not everyone with a depressive disorder experiences every symptom. The number and severity of symptoms may vary among individuals and also over time. In addition, men and women may experience depression differently. Symptoms of depression include:
Treatments The majority of people with depressive disorders improve when they receive appropriate treatment. The first step to getting treatment is a physical examination by a physician to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms. Next, the physician should conduct a diagnostic evaluation for depression or refer the patient to a mental health professional for this evaluation. Treatment choice will depend on the patient's diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and preference. A variety of treatments, including medications and short-term psychotherapies, have proven effective for depression. In general, severe depressive illnesses, particularly those that are recurrent, will require a combination of treatments for the best outcome. It usually takes a few weeks of treatment before the full therapeutic effect occurs. Once the person is feeling better, treatment may need to be continued for several months-and in some cases, indefinitely-to prevent a relapse. |
Obesity 'epidemic' turns global
People are getting fatter in all parts of the world, with the possible exception of south and east Asia, a one-day global snapshot shows.
Between half and two-thirds of men and women in 63 countries across five continents - not including the US - were overweight or obese in 2006.
The Circulation journal study included over 168,000 people evaluated by a primary care doctor.
Experts said the findings were deeply worrying.
Excess body weight is pandemic 
Lead researcher Beverley Balkau
People who are overweight have a higher risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes and other diseases including some cancers.
The International Day for the Evaluation of Obesity (IDEA) study looked at two measures of fatness - waist circumference and a calculation called body mass index or BMI.
A BMI (weight in kg divided by square of height in meters) of 18.5 to 25 is considered healthy.
A BMI over 25 is deemed overweight and greater than 30 is obese.
Pandemic
Just 7% of people in eastern Asia were obese, compared to 36% of people seeing their doctors in Canada, 38% of women in Middle Eastern countries and 40% in South Africa.
Canada and South Africa led in the percentage of overweight people, with an average BMI of 29 among both men and women in Canada and 29 among South African women.
In Northern Europe men had an average BMI of 27 and women 26 - just into the overweight category. In southern Europe, the average BMI was 28. In Australia BMI was 28 for men and 27.5 for women while in Latin America the average BMI was just under 28.
Waist circumference was also high - 56% of men and 71% of women carried too much weight around their middle.
"The study results show that excess body weight is pandemic, with one-half to two-thirds of the overall study population being overweight or obese," said Beverley Balkau, director of research at the French National health research institute INSERM in Villejuif, who led the study.
That puts the rest of the world close to par with the US, long considered the country with the worst weight problem.
Last Updated: Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 12:43 GMT 13:43 UK  |
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version | Obesity 'epidemic' turns global | |||||
Between half and two-thirds of men and women in 63 countries across five continents - not including the US - were overweight or obese in 2006. The Circulation journal study included over 168,000 people evaluated by a primary care doctor. Experts said the findings were deeply worrying. People who are overweight have a higher risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes and other diseases including some cancers. The International Day for the Evaluation of Obesity (IDEA) study looked at two measures of fatness - waist circumference and a calculation called body mass index or BMI. A BMI (weight in kg divided by square of height in meters) of 18.5 to 25 is considered healthy. A BMI over 25 is deemed overweight and greater than 30 is obese. Pandemic Just 7% of people in eastern Asia were obese, compared to 36% of people seeing their doctors in Canada, 38% of women in Middle Eastern countries and 40% in South Africa. Canada and South Africa led in the percentage of overweight people, with an average BMI of 29 among both men and women in Canada and 29 among South African women. In Northern Europe men had an average BMI of 27 and women 26 - just into the overweight category. In southern Europe, the average BMI was 28. In Australia BMI was 28 for men and 27.5 for women while in Latin America the average BMI was just under 28. Waist circumference was also high - 56% of men and 71% of women carried too much weight around their middle. "The study results show that excess body weight is pandemic, with one-half to two-thirds of the overall study population being overweight or obese," said Beverley Balkau, director of research at the French National health research institute INSERM in Villejuif, who led the study. That puts the rest of the world close to par with the US, long considered the country with the worst weight problem. An estimated two-thirds of Americans are overweight and a third of these are obese. In the US, the lifetime risk of developing diabetes, is also high - 33% for men and 38% for women. In the study, the overall frequency of heart disease was 16% in men and 13% in women. There was a high frequency of heart disease in Eastern European men, 27%, and women, 24%, in contrast to Canada where the frequency in women was 8%, and in men 16%. The frequency of diabetes varied across regions. Overall, 13% of men and 11% of women were diagnosed with diabetes. Ellen Mason of the British Heart Foundation said: "It is tragic irony that whilst much of the world is starving, many developed countries across the world are in the grips of an obesity crisis. "Whilst it is vital not to stigmatise people in our society for being overweight, it is important we all know the health risks from being obese. The worrying increase of diabetes in the UK is clearly linked to rising obesity levels and plummeting physical activity levels. Being obese or diabetic, or worse, both, increases your chance of getting heart disease. "Whilst the UK may not be the worst offender in this global study, we are aware that it's a major health issue in our country. After seeing the heart attack death rate reduce in the UK in the last few years, there is a real risk that this figure could go back up if diabetes and obesity continue to rise as they currently are."
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Plan Your Cardio Workout
The key to fat burning is using interval workouts
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Getting Up to Speed
They say that slow and steady wins the race. But the cardiovascular key to fat burning is using interval workouts - workouts that alternate high-intensity levels with lower-intensity effort. As I mentioned earlier, that formula keeps your body burning calories long after you've stopped working out.
Interval workouts mimic sports - start-and-stop motions with periods of sprinting or close-to-sprinting speeds followed by light jogging or rest. You can use interval workouts any way you want - running, cycling, swimming, on elliptical trainers, even walking if you alternate a speed walk and slow walk.
You can also vary the intensity levels in different combinations. To start, here are three options for setting your workout. (If you use exercise machines, don't choose the interval workout; choose the manual one, and create your own intensities by adjusting it yourself. It'll give you greater control over the speeds and will help you burn fat faster.) You'll derive benefits in as little as a 20-minute interval workout. As you build up endurance and strength, you can add time to your workout.
Interval Variation I: Standard
The following is a typical interval workout. You alternate the same period of low intensity with the same period of higher intensity.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup (light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warmup period)
2. 1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6 - 8 times)
3. 3 - 5 minutes cooldown (light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cooldown period)
Interval Variation II: Pyramid
This pyramid structure allows you to start with short bursts of speed, and then you'll peak at the longest surge of energy in the middle of your workout before coming back down.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup
2. 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
3. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
4. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
5. 90 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
6. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
7. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
8. 30 seconds high intensity
9. 3-5 minutes cooldown
Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning
Sports are unpredictable. This interval simulates some of that unpredictability by having you doing different times and different intensities. You can mix and match the orders and repetitions as much as you want. Rest longer after the periods in which you use the most energy.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup
2. 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once
3. 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times)
4. 60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds if not running) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times)
5. 3 - 5 minutes cooldown
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Getting Up to Speed
They say that slow and steady wins the race. But the cardiovascular key to fat burning is using interval workouts - workouts that alternate high-intensity levels with lower-intensity effort. As I mentioned earlier, that formula keeps your body burning calories long after you've stopped working out.
Interval workouts mimic sports - start-and-stop motions with periods of sprinting or close-to-sprinting speeds followed by light jogging or rest. You can use interval workouts any way you want - running, cycling, swimming, on elliptical trainers, even walking if you alternate a speed walk and slow walk.
You can also vary the intensity levels in different combinations. To start, here are three options for setting your workout. (If you use exercise machines, don't choose the interval workout; choose the manual one, and create your own intensities by adjusting it yourself. It'll give you greater control over the speeds and will help you burn fat faster.) You'll derive benefits in as little as a 20-minute interval workout. As you build up endurance and strength, you can add time to your workout.
Interval Variation I: Standard
The following is a typical interval workout. You alternate the same period of low intensity with the same period of higher intensity.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup (light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warmup period)
2. 1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6 - 8 times)
3. 3 - 5 minutes cooldown (light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cooldown period)
Interval Variation II: Pyramid
This pyramid structure allows you to start with short bursts of speed, and then you'll peak at the longest surge of energy in the middle of your workout before coming back down.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup
2. 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
3. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
4. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
5. 90 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
6. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
7. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity
8. 30 seconds high intensity
9. 3-5 minutes cooldown
Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning
Sports are unpredictable. This interval simulates some of that unpredictability by having you doing different times and different intensities. You can mix and match the orders and repetitions as much as you want. Rest longer after the periods in which you use the most energy.
1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup
2. 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once
3. 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times)
4. 60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds if not running) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times)
5. 3 - 5 minutes cooldown
The Abs Diet Exercise Plan
If you want to find your abs, you have to burn the fat. Eating right is critical, and by following the nutrition principles of the Abs Diet and centering your meals around the Abs Diet Powerfoods, you'll lose fat pretty effortlessly. But to maximize your weight loss and turn your fat into muscle, you need an exercise plan. Exercise will not only make you healthier; it'll make you lose weight faster. It'll make you stronger. Most important, it'll make your body turn fat into muscle -- by converting energy that's stored in fat into energy that feeds muscle.
The Abs Diet Workout Principles
Having worked at Men's Health for more than 10 years, I know all the latest trends in exercise, but I also scour the latest and most credible scientific research measuring the effectiveness of various workout plans. With that knowledge, I've constructed the exercise portion of the plan to help you burn fat at the highest levels possible in the least amount of time.
I know you don't have time to spend hours a day exercising, so I want you to get the most out of every workout. And I know that flexibility and convenience are the keys to formulating a plan you can stick to, so I've created a workout you can do in your local gym -- or in your living room. This plan allows you to keep your workouts short and focused, while still keeping you on target for your ultimate goal. Pound for pound, it's the best workout possible for finding your abs. These are the workout principles.
Focus on Your Diet First
The first 2 weeks of exercise are optional. If you already exercise regularly, you can jump right into the Abs Diet Workout, and you should, because you'll burn even more fat than with the Abs Diet alone. But if you're a beginner or you haven't exercised in a long time, take the first 2 weeks to adjust to your new eating plan before starting the workout. If you're champing at the bit to begin maximizing your weight loss, start getting in the exercise habit by walking briskly for up to 30 minutes a day.
Focus on Muscles
I used to work with a guy who was about 30 pounds overweight. He decided he'd enter a race as motivation to help him lose weight. He ran 6 days a week and followed his running program religiously, but he didn't lose a pound. Sure, he was able to run farther than he ever had, but his body stayed the same. Why? First, because he still based his diet around pizza, pasta, and wings, and second, because steady-state cardiovascular exercise doesn't burn fat the way strength training does. (Incidentally, when the same guy went on the Abs Diet and started a weight-lifting program, he lost nearly 20 pounds in less than 2 months.)
Your muscles are hungry little suckers, and in order to keep themselves well nourished, they want to churn and burn those calories you're ingesting. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn -- in the gym, on the job, even in bed. This program focuses on working your large muscle groups -- your legs, chest, back, and shoulders -- because that's where you can build the most muscle in the least amount of time. Plus, when you work your larger muscles, you fire up your metabolism by creating a longer calorie afterburn -- one that can last right up to your very next workout!
Think about the small fraction of time you spend exercising. Even if you work out four or five times a day for an hour at a time, that's nothing compared to the amount of time you're not exercising every day. So in order to gain the most metabolic benefit, you want to maximize the calories you're burning when you're not working out.
Focus on spending less time in the gym. The Abs Diet Workout employs two simple concepts to maximize muscle growth and fat-burning and minimize the time you spend exercising.
Circuit Training
This term refers to the practice of performing different exercises one right after another. For example, we'll have you do a set of leg exercises followed immediately by a set of an upper-body exercise, until you do 8 to 10 different exercises in a row. There are two reasons circuit training works. First, by keeping you moving and cutting down the rest periods between exercises, circuit training keeps your heart rate elevated throughout your training session, maximizing your fat burn while providing tremendous cardiovascular fitness benefits. Second, circuit training keeps your workout short -- you won't waste time resting between sets of an exercise, which means you can get on with the rest of your busy life.
Compound Exercises
Another key part of the strength-training program is compound exercises, that is, exercises that call into play multiple muscle groups rather than just focusing on one. For example, with the Abs Diet Workout, we don't want you to exercise your chest, and then your shoulders, and then your triceps, and then your forearms. We want you to hit many different muscles at the same time and then get out of the gym. One study showed that you can put on 6 pounds of muscle and lose 15 pounds of fat in 6 weeks by following an exercise program that employs the compound exercises found in the Abs Diet Workout. What's even better is that those subjects followed an exercise plan for only 20 minutes three times a week.
Not only do compound exercises make your workout more fun and more challenging, they will also increase the demands on your muscles -- even though you're not actually doing more work. (For instance, the squat hits a whopping 256 muscles with just one movement!)
Greater muscle demand triggers your body to produce more human growth hormone -- a potent fat burner.
If the only weight you've ever picked up is around your gut and not in the gym, don't worry that you're not familiar with working with weights. You can start by lifting any amount of weight that you're comfortable with -- whether it's a pair of light dumbbells or a couple of cans of beans. Even if you start small, you'll grow stronger, start to build muscle, and keep your metabolism revved. As you progress, you'll build and burn more.
The Abs Diet Workout Principles
Having worked at Men's Health for more than 10 years, I know all the latest trends in exercise, but I also scour the latest and most credible scientific research measuring the effectiveness of various workout plans. With that knowledge, I've constructed the exercise portion of the plan to help you burn fat at the highest levels possible in the least amount of time.
I know you don't have time to spend hours a day exercising, so I want you to get the most out of every workout. And I know that flexibility and convenience are the keys to formulating a plan you can stick to, so I've created a workout you can do in your local gym -- or in your living room. This plan allows you to keep your workouts short and focused, while still keeping you on target for your ultimate goal. Pound for pound, it's the best workout possible for finding your abs. These are the workout principles.
Focus on Your Diet First
The first 2 weeks of exercise are optional. If you already exercise regularly, you can jump right into the Abs Diet Workout, and you should, because you'll burn even more fat than with the Abs Diet alone. But if you're a beginner or you haven't exercised in a long time, take the first 2 weeks to adjust to your new eating plan before starting the workout. If you're champing at the bit to begin maximizing your weight loss, start getting in the exercise habit by walking briskly for up to 30 minutes a day.
Focus on Muscles
I used to work with a guy who was about 30 pounds overweight. He decided he'd enter a race as motivation to help him lose weight. He ran 6 days a week and followed his running program religiously, but he didn't lose a pound. Sure, he was able to run farther than he ever had, but his body stayed the same. Why? First, because he still based his diet around pizza, pasta, and wings, and second, because steady-state cardiovascular exercise doesn't burn fat the way strength training does. (Incidentally, when the same guy went on the Abs Diet and started a weight-lifting program, he lost nearly 20 pounds in less than 2 months.)
Your muscles are hungry little suckers, and in order to keep themselves well nourished, they want to churn and burn those calories you're ingesting. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn -- in the gym, on the job, even in bed. This program focuses on working your large muscle groups -- your legs, chest, back, and shoulders -- because that's where you can build the most muscle in the least amount of time. Plus, when you work your larger muscles, you fire up your metabolism by creating a longer calorie afterburn -- one that can last right up to your very next workout!
Think about the small fraction of time you spend exercising. Even if you work out four or five times a day for an hour at a time, that's nothing compared to the amount of time you're not exercising every day. So in order to gain the most metabolic benefit, you want to maximize the calories you're burning when you're not working out.
Focus on spending less time in the gym. The Abs Diet Workout employs two simple concepts to maximize muscle growth and fat-burning and minimize the time you spend exercising.
Circuit Training
This term refers to the practice of performing different exercises one right after another. For example, we'll have you do a set of leg exercises followed immediately by a set of an upper-body exercise, until you do 8 to 10 different exercises in a row. There are two reasons circuit training works. First, by keeping you moving and cutting down the rest periods between exercises, circuit training keeps your heart rate elevated throughout your training session, maximizing your fat burn while providing tremendous cardiovascular fitness benefits. Second, circuit training keeps your workout short -- you won't waste time resting between sets of an exercise, which means you can get on with the rest of your busy life.
Compound Exercises
Another key part of the strength-training program is compound exercises, that is, exercises that call into play multiple muscle groups rather than just focusing on one. For example, with the Abs Diet Workout, we don't want you to exercise your chest, and then your shoulders, and then your triceps, and then your forearms. We want you to hit many different muscles at the same time and then get out of the gym. One study showed that you can put on 6 pounds of muscle and lose 15 pounds of fat in 6 weeks by following an exercise program that employs the compound exercises found in the Abs Diet Workout. What's even better is that those subjects followed an exercise plan for only 20 minutes three times a week.
Not only do compound exercises make your workout more fun and more challenging, they will also increase the demands on your muscles -- even though you're not actually doing more work. (For instance, the squat hits a whopping 256 muscles with just one movement!)
Greater muscle demand triggers your body to produce more human growth hormone -- a potent fat burner.
If the only weight you've ever picked up is around your gut and not in the gym, don't worry that you're not familiar with working with weights. You can start by lifting any amount of weight that you're comfortable with -- whether it's a pair of light dumbbells or a couple of cans of beans. Even if you start small, you'll grow stronger, start to build muscle, and keep your metabolism revved. As you progress, you'll build and burn more.
Q. How do I get six-pack or washboard abs?
A. Where is the one place you tend to store extra fat? If you said your abs, you're not alone. Genetically, many of us hoard extra fat around our bellies and it's difficult to get rid of. If you want flatter abs, get the facts and learn the right way to reach your goals.
How do I get six-pack or washboard abs?
The first thing you need to understand is this: we ALL have six-packs! Six-packs aren't 'created' by doing ab exercises...they already exist. Don't believe me? Take a look at Figure 1 (above) for a peek at what your abs really look like.
The reason most of us can't see our abs is because they're covered by a layer of fat. What this means is that:
* Doing ab exercises to achieve a six-pack is an impossible goal
* The only way to see your six-pack is to reduce your body fat
* The best way to reduce your body fat is with cardio, strength training and a healthy, low-calorie diet
This doesn't mean that ab exercises serve no purpose--strong abs support your spine and protect your back.
However, keep in mind that your ab workout is just one part of a complete program when it comes to getting a six-pack.
Q. How often should I work my abs?
A. Your abs are no different than the rest of your muscles. You wouldn't work your shoulders every day and, similarly, you shouldn't work your abs every day either. Your body needs recovery time In order to grow stronger and change.
Work your abs 2-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking care to target all your ab muscles:
* Rectus abdominis - ball crunches are just one way to target this muscle
* Transverse abdominis - the plank is a great way to strengthen your TVA
* Internal and external obliques - the bicycle works all your ab muscles!
Another important note: whenever you work your abs, make sure you work your lower back too.
How many sets/reps of ab exercises should I do?
As mentioned above, your ab muscles are just like other muscles in your body. That means you want to do between 10-16 reps of each exercise for 2-3 sets. If you've been doing abs for a while and find that you're not fatigued at the end of each set:
* Check Your Form. Don't use momentum or other body parts (like your neck or your hip flexors) to help you.
* Slow down. The slower you go, the more your muscles will work.
* Challenge yourself with different exercises.
* Try dynamic activities such as Pilates to target your abdominals in a whole new way.
Work your abs 2-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking care to target all your ab muscles:
* Rectus abdominis - ball crunches are just one way to target this muscle
* Transverse abdominis - the plank is a great way to strengthen your TVA
* Internal and external obliques - the bicycle works all your ab muscles!
Another important note: whenever you work your abs, make sure you work your lower back too.
How many sets/reps of ab exercises should I do?
As mentioned above, your ab muscles are just like other muscles in your body. That means you want to do between 10-16 reps of each exercise for 2-3 sets. If you've been doing abs for a while and find that you're not fatigued at the end of each set:
* Check Your Form. Don't use momentum or other body parts (like your neck or your hip flexors) to help you.
* Slow down. The slower you go, the more your muscles will work.
* Challenge yourself with different exercises.
* Try dynamic activities such as Pilates to target your abdominals in a whole new way.
Q. How do I get rid of that spare tire or lower belly pooch around my abs?
Ab exercises won't necessarily reduce fat over the abs. We can't spot reduce fat from different areas of the body with specific exercises, although that doesn't mean you can't lose fat from the abdominal area. That can happen if you reduce your overall body fat, although your genes will determine where the fat comes off. The following steps will help you get started:
Regular cardio exercise in your Target Heart Rate Zone. Beginners might start with 2-3 days of cardio (such as walking) for as long as you can or up to about 30 minutes, increasing your time gradually each week. For intermediate or advanced exercisers, you should shoot for some type of activity most days of the week for 30-90 minutes in your target heart rate zone.
Strength training for your entire body 1-3 non-consecutive days a week.
* A healthy low-calorie diet. This is by far the most crucial part of your program. To make it work you need to:
o Keep a food log in which you write down everything you eat or drink.
o Use a food calculator to determine about how many calories you eat each day.
o Begin changing bad habits by replacing them, one by one, with healthier choices (fruits and veggies will fill you up and give you nutrients and fiber).
o Keep an eye on your portion sizes.
o Make small changes every day instead of changing everything at once.
Important note: Even if you lose fat, there's no guarantee you'll lose it from your abs. Your body decides when, where and how much fat you'll lose. Some of us will never get rid of all the fat over the abs without taking the body fat to unhealthy levels. It's always best to focus on what you can control--what you eat, how much exercise you get and how healthy your lifestyle is.
Regular cardio exercise in your Target Heart Rate Zone. Beginners might start with 2-3 days of cardio (such as walking) for as long as you can or up to about 30 minutes, increasing your time gradually each week. For intermediate or advanced exercisers, you should shoot for some type of activity most days of the week for 30-90 minutes in your target heart rate zone.
Strength training for your entire body 1-3 non-consecutive days a week.
* A healthy low-calorie diet. This is by far the most crucial part of your program. To make it work you need to:
o Keep a food log in which you write down everything you eat or drink.
o Use a food calculator to determine about how many calories you eat each day.
o Begin changing bad habits by replacing them, one by one, with healthier choices (fruits and veggies will fill you up and give you nutrients and fiber).
o Keep an eye on your portion sizes.
o Make small changes every day instead of changing everything at once.
Important note: Even if you lose fat, there's no guarantee you'll lose it from your abs. Your body decides when, where and how much fat you'll lose. Some of us will never get rid of all the fat over the abs without taking the body fat to unhealthy levels. It's always best to focus on what you can control--what you eat, how much exercise you get and how healthy your lifestyle is.
Plank on Elbows and Toes
The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:
1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.
Ab Rocker
The Ab Rocker (or roller) is number 9 for targeting the rectus abdominis. To do it right:
1. Sit on the Ab Rocker and grab the bars in each hand.
2. Contract the abs and rock forward, originating the movement from the abs rather than using momentum.
3. Release and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
4. Go slowly to reduce momentum. Try to focus on the abs rather than pushing with the arms.
Full Vertical Crunch
In a full verticul crunch, you really work the abs by involving both the upper and lower body. To do it right:
1. Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.
2. Place hands behind your head (lightly cupping it) and contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. At the same time, press the heels towards the ceiling, creating a 'u' shape with the torso.
4. Lower down and repeat for 12-16 reps.
What You Really Need for Flat Abs
Despite what you think, ab exercises are NOT the number one thing you need to do for flat abs. In fact, getting flat abs requires hard work, commitment and something else you have no control over: cooperative genes.
The only way to get flat abs is to lose body fat and you already know what that requires:
1. Regular cardio exercise
2. Strength Training for the ENTIRE BODY (treating the abs just like any other muscle in the body)
3. A healthy, low-calorie diet
You must get all three of these (especially your diet) right on a consistent basis in order to even get close to flat abs. And, something else important: If you've lost body fat and you still don't have flat abs, don't be terribly surprised. Many of us will never see that six-pack because:
* The body fat level required to get flat abs is lower than you can sustain with your current lifestyle/schedule, or
* The body fat level required is lower than is healthy for your body to function.
So, even if you follow a perfect program and a perfect diet, flat abs still may elude you. Does that mean you should give up? You shouldn't give up on exercise but, maybe, giving up the ideal of six-pack abs is exactly what you need to make your life better.
Giving Up on the 'Ideal'
Now you know the truth: The goal to get flat abs may:
* Require more exercise than your schedule will allow and more than you can mentally handle
* Require more attention to your diet than you're willing/able to expend
* Require more strict adherence to diet/and exercise than you have the time or energy to spare
* Not be in your genetic cards
If that's the case, maybe it's time to get rid of that goal. It may seem foreign to imagine an exercise life without it, but it's possible and tossing that goal may actually be a relief, allowing you to focus on what you CAN change.
Now's the time to ask yourself:
* Do I really want flat abs?
* Am I willing to work as hard as I need to to get them?
* If I will work that hard, am I willing to accept that it still may not happen, even if I do everything right?
* If I did get six-pack abs, what will that change in my life? What will flat abs actually do for me?
* What would happen if I let go of this ideal and focused on other goals?
Accepting that your body works as a whole and not in pieces and parts is the first step towards releasing that ideal body that lurks in your mind and embracing the one you have now--belly flab and all. Maybe it's time to finally let that goal go and realize you aren't a failure for not reaching it.
The only way to get flat abs is to lose body fat and you already know what that requires:
1. Regular cardio exercise
2. Strength Training for the ENTIRE BODY (treating the abs just like any other muscle in the body)
3. A healthy, low-calorie diet
You must get all three of these (especially your diet) right on a consistent basis in order to even get close to flat abs. And, something else important: If you've lost body fat and you still don't have flat abs, don't be terribly surprised. Many of us will never see that six-pack because:
* The body fat level required to get flat abs is lower than you can sustain with your current lifestyle/schedule, or
* The body fat level required is lower than is healthy for your body to function.
So, even if you follow a perfect program and a perfect diet, flat abs still may elude you. Does that mean you should give up? You shouldn't give up on exercise but, maybe, giving up the ideal of six-pack abs is exactly what you need to make your life better.
Giving Up on the 'Ideal'
Now you know the truth: The goal to get flat abs may:
* Require more exercise than your schedule will allow and more than you can mentally handle
* Require more attention to your diet than you're willing/able to expend
* Require more strict adherence to diet/and exercise than you have the time or energy to spare
* Not be in your genetic cards
If that's the case, maybe it's time to get rid of that goal. It may seem foreign to imagine an exercise life without it, but it's possible and tossing that goal may actually be a relief, allowing you to focus on what you CAN change.
Now's the time to ask yourself:
* Do I really want flat abs?
* Am I willing to work as hard as I need to to get them?
* If I will work that hard, am I willing to accept that it still may not happen, even if I do everything right?
* If I did get six-pack abs, what will that change in my life? What will flat abs actually do for me?
* What would happen if I let go of this ideal and focused on other goals?
Accepting that your body works as a whole and not in pieces and parts is the first step towards releasing that ideal body that lurks in your mind and embracing the one you have now--belly flab and all. Maybe it's time to finally let that goal go and realize you aren't a failure for not reaching it.
The Myth That Wouldn't Die
If you've been doing crunches forever and are miffed that you still don't have flat abs, you're no doubt operating under what I consider the biggest myth of weight loss in existence (a.k.a. The Myth That Wouldn't Die): That you can do an exercise for a certain area of your body and get rid of the fat there.
Why else would you spend so much time doing crunches if you didn't believe they would burn the fat off your belly? And it's no wonder we still think this...pick up any popular fitness magazine and you'll find plenty of headlines to feed that belief. For example, in the February issue of Fitness Magazine, the giant title on the front cover? "Banish Belly Fat - Tone, tighten , trim in just 7 moves." 7 moves to flat abs? Who wouldn't want that? But it's these kinds of headlines that keep us stuck in the same place for months and years, trying the same thing over and over and thinking we'll finally get it right.
The truth is, six-pack abs are difficult to get. I've been exercising for 14 years and consider myself in excellent shape. I don't have a six-pack and never have (and not for lack of trying). It took me years to understand that goal wasn't right for me and, when I finally did, my life changed for the better. What about you? Is it time to let go of old goals and set new ones? Maybe it'll help to get a clear idea of what it takes to get flat abs.
Why else would you spend so much time doing crunches if you didn't believe they would burn the fat off your belly? And it's no wonder we still think this...pick up any popular fitness magazine and you'll find plenty of headlines to feed that belief. For example, in the February issue of Fitness Magazine, the giant title on the front cover? "Banish Belly Fat - Tone, tighten , trim in just 7 moves." 7 moves to flat abs? Who wouldn't want that? But it's these kinds of headlines that keep us stuck in the same place for months and years, trying the same thing over and over and thinking we'll finally get it right.
The truth is, six-pack abs are difficult to get. I've been exercising for 14 years and consider myself in excellent shape. I don't have a six-pack and never have (and not for lack of trying). It took me years to understand that goal wasn't right for me and, when I finally did, my life changed for the better. What about you? Is it time to let go of old goals and set new ones? Maybe it'll help to get a clear idea of what it takes to get flat abs.
Are you wasting your time?
You want flat abs. I know this because of the constant emails, the forum posts and from the fact that the number one search term on my site each and every week is 'Abs.' One post that made me stop and think was this one: "I've been working on my lower belly pooch for about 2.5 years and it still won't go away even though I have a good diet." That's a long time, but I'll bet many of you have been working at it even longer. If that's the case, have you ever wondered why you persist? Is there anything in life you'd stay with for that long when you've failed at it?
Despite the facts, many people still think they can get flat abs if they just keep doing enough ab exercises. In other words, we think we can't reach this goal because we're doing doing something wrong. The truth is, getting six-pack abs is hard and, if you haven't seen yours yet, maybe it's not what you're doing that's the problem
Despite the facts, many people still think they can get flat abs if they just keep doing enough ab exercises. In other words, we think we can't reach this goal because we're doing doing something wrong. The truth is, getting six-pack abs is hard and, if you haven't seen yours yet, maybe it's not what you're doing that's the problem
Reverse Crunch
It may seem like the reverse crunch is for the lower abs but, remember, the rectus abdominis is one long muscle, so you can't separate upper from lower. To do this move right:
1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.
Long Arm Crunch
This move, ranked 6th in the ACE study, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right:
1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
Torso Track
The Torso Track is a tough exercise because it can hurt your back if you're not careful.
1. Grip the handles of the Torso Track and pull the abs in without holding your breath (as though bracing them).
2. Exhale and glide forward as far as you comfortably can. If you collapse in the middle and feel it in your back, you've gone too far.
3. Contract the abs to pull your body back.
4. Add tension by using more tension chords.
Vertical Leg Crunch
The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. To do it right:
1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
Exercise Ball Crunch
The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and comes out number three for working the rectus abdominis. To do it right:
1. Lie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back.
2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll).
5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps.
Captain's Chair
The Captain's Chair is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. To do it right:
1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don't arch the back and remember to breathe smoothly.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 12-16 reps.
Top 10 Most Effective Ab Exercises
The following exercises are part of the American Council on Exercise's study to determine the most effective ab exercises. Keep in mind that ab exercises won't reduce fat over the abs or create the coveted 'six-pack' abs. That comes with good genes and low body fat, although you should strengthen the abs along with the rest of the body to build muscle and raise your metabolism.
The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:
1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straight the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.
Why exercise when we can diet and get slim!!!!!
That's the most heard myth among the common people. They think that it is better to diet by skipping meals to get slimmer instead of exercising daily after their daily office work or routine work. They simply don't want to use their free time to work on their bodies which is one of the most beautiful gifts given to us by the nature. First of all, if u ask any trainer or dietician his first suggestion would be not to skip meals or diet. One cannot simply lose weight because of it. You may get slim by this method but one you are back to your eating habits your fats would come back.
It is very important to exercise to not only lose those extra kilos but also to look much fitter and much more younger than ur age.
I myself have lost 36 kilos in the last 2 years. It was hard to concentrate but my dietician and trainers really worked on me and now the results are in front of me. Every now and then I keep getting compliments from people about my looks. And mind you this also helps to keep your skin healthy and helps a lot in improving your self confidence which is a must in todays world.
So keep reading to know more about the benefits of exercising.
Happy exercising!!!!
It is very important to exercise to not only lose those extra kilos but also to look much fitter and much more younger than ur age.
I myself have lost 36 kilos in the last 2 years. It was hard to concentrate but my dietician and trainers really worked on me and now the results are in front of me. Every now and then I keep getting compliments from people about my looks. And mind you this also helps to keep your skin healthy and helps a lot in improving your self confidence which is a must in todays world.
So keep reading to know more about the benefits of exercising.
Happy exercising!!!!
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