Pilates

I thought of introducing something new and challenging to my regular workout regimen in my fitness club,so thought of incorporating Pilates in my fitness programme. The day I was introducing it I thought of asking my clients about what they think of Pilates  I asked them...some said its floor exercises,some said its yoga,some said its stretching exercises and some said its for women only etc ...and their responses varied.Then I found that they still need to feel Pilates to know what exactly it is.

Let me tell you,yoga is more about how it makes you feel while Pilates is about how you look -- how you carry yourself and move.Pilates is partly inspired by yoga, but is different in one key respect – yoga is made up of a series of static postures, while Pilates is based on putting yourself into unstable postures and challenging your body by moving the limbs.

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility, muscle strength and endurance in the legs, abdominal, arms, hips, and back.It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core or center, and improving coordination and balance.


In simple terms, Pilates is a form of exercise that targets the core of the body, ie the abdomen, back and hips while using the entire body.

The exercises are done lying down on the mat, and involve a series of controlled movements of the arm and leg that strengthens the abs, hips and back.

Pilates can challenge you whether you’re a beginner or an advanced practitioner. Through simple modifications, exercises can be made increasing difficult so that even the most advanced students can continue to be challenged.

Pilates builds an evenly toned body and helps prevent injuries as all muscles in the body are strengthened, even those at the tips for your toes. In conventional workouts, only certain muscle groups are engaged so weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. In Pilates, weaker muscles and targeted as much as the stronger ones, intimately creating a balance between the two which decreases injuries.

Pilates exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body.Pilates can include improved posture and increased flexibility.
Pilates can be an aerobic and non-aerobic form of exercise. It requires concentration and focus, because the body is moved through precise ranges of motion.

Benefits of Pilates

Some of the benefits of Pilates include:

1.Improved flexibility.
2.Increased muscle strength, particularly of the abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks (the ‘core muscles’ of the body).
3.Balanced muscular strength on both sides of the body.
4.Enhanced muscular control of the back and limbs.
5.Improved stabilization of the spine.
6.Greater awareness of posture.
7.Improved physical coordination and balance.
8.Relaxation of the shoulders, neck and upper back.
9.Safe rehabilitation of joint and spinal injuries.
10.Helps prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Things to remember

*Pilates (or the Pilates method) is a series of mat and equipment based exercises that improve flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness.
*You can perform exercises using your own body weight, or with the aid of various pieces of equipment.
*If you think Pilates is just stretching or just for women, you should try one of Pilates classes and see what you think! Men who've taken Pilates are amazed at what a total workout it really is.

There are many celebrities who do Pilates worldover. Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Hugh Grant, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman, Rod Stewart,Deepika Padukone,Miley Cyrus and Kristi Yamaguchi have something in common. They've all hopped on the Pilates trend for physical toning and spiritual relaxation!And the list of celebrities is endless those who do Pilates.

Stay Fit :)

Benefits of Strawberries

Why strawberries??

Diet

One cup of strawberries contains over 13% of the RDA of dietary fiber, yet only 43 calories. The dietary fiber in strawberries helps to keep digestion regular, as well as lowers blood pressure and curbs overeating.

Antioxidants

Strawberries contain a chemical compound called phenol, Anthocyanin.

Anti-Inflammatory

The phenol in strawberries also fight against many inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis, asthma and atherosclerosis.

Anti-Cancer 

The combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents found in strawberries is well-known to fight against the onset of many different forms of cancer.

Healthy Eyes

The Archives of Ophthalmology recently published a study in which three or more servings of strawberries (and other fruits) per day can decrease the possibility of contracting age-related macular degeneration by over one-third.

Bone Health

The potassium, vitamin K, and magnesium in strawberries are also important for bone health.

Stay Fit and eat strawberries ♥

How Often Should You Exercise?

The benefits of any exercise program will diminish if it's disrupted too frequently. A "stop-start" routine is not only ineffective, but can cause injuries. Being consistent with exercise, therefore, is probably the most important factor in achieving desired results.

People often assume that more is better. Wrong! Doing too much too soon or performing intense exercises on a daily basis will have deleterious effects, such as muscle/tendon strains, loss of lean tissue, and fitness-level plateaus.

Aerobics

The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system to process and deliver oxygen more quickly and efficiently to every part of the body.


As the heart muscle becomes stronger and more efficient, a larger amount of blood can be pumped with each heartbeat. As a result, a fit individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of an aerobics session.

Some health benefits of aerobic exercise:

-Increased mental agility – it improves memory1 and makes you feel more alert.
-Keeps the heart healthy by strengthening it.
-Increases stamina and helps reduce overall fatigue.
-Oxygen is used more efficiently resulting in increased fat burning during exercise.
-Helps to lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
-Weight loss in terms of body fat.
-Helps the body and mind to cope with emotional and psychological stress.
-Releases endorphins that boost your mood.

If you are a beginner, start off slower than you think you should. Three days per week is realistic, safe and effective. If you are experienced, do cardiovascular (aerobic) exercises such as walking, jogging and bicycling for no more than 200 minutes per week with no more than 60 minutes per session.

Weight Training

If you want to lose fat or change your body, one of the most important things you can do is lift weights. Diet and cardio are equally important, but when it comes to changing how your body looks, weight training wins hands down. If you've hesitated to start a strength training program, it may motivate you to know that lifting weights can:

-Help raise your metabolism.
-Muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn all day long.
-Strengthen bones, especially important for women
-Make you stronger and increase muscular endurance
-Help you avoid injuries
-Increase your confidence and self-esteem
-Improve coordination and balance



Weight training should be done no more than three times per week targeting the same muscle groups. Exercise the same muscle groups on non-consecutive days because muscles need adequate time to recover and cannot be effectively trained if they are tired or sore.

Stretching

Many people forget to stretch or make the excuse that they don't have the time. Flexibility is important, so make the time! Stretching can be done every day, but stick to a minimum of three times per week in order to reap the benefits. When the body is warmed up, such as after a workout session, perform five to 10 stretches that target the major muscle groups. Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds.


4 TIPS FOR STICKING TO YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE:

Tip #1 - Make It Fun and Sustainable - Pick a desired activity such as walking, cycling, running, or dancing and then just consistently commit to one hour per day. The consistency elevates the body's metabolism and will burn more calories around the clock, not just during exercise.

Tip #2 - Exercise At A Conversational Pace - The bottom line is to keep the heart rate below 80% of its maximum while developing an aerobic foundation and to build upon its capacity. This takes several months time and means no ego workouts. The no pain, no gain philosophy goes out the window.

Tip #3 - Hydrate Like Water Was The Workout - Drink early and often, long before becoming thirsty and drink all day long. The body is made up of over 60% water.

Tip #4 - Workout With A Partner - The socialization makes the commitment easier, more fun, and helps with staying committed for the long haul.

Stay Fit :)

Workout at home-For flat stomach

Abdominal Crunches:

-Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest.
-Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor.
-Slowly contract your abdominal, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor.
-Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up.
-Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously.
-Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way.

Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep.

-To add variation, bring your knees in at the same time you lift your upper body off the floor (full body crunch)

Tips:

-To keep your neck in proper alignment, place your fist under your chin to keep your head from moving.
-Keep your back flat against the floor throughout the entire movement.
-If your back arches, prop your feet on a step or platform to make it easier.

Stay Fit :)

Running benefits

The health benefit of running exercise are many and varied.
Running is one of the most efficient and inexpensive ways to stay healthy; the only equipment required is a good pair of shoes. 
Many start running to manage their weight, but later find it is a good way to get fit and stay healthy. Running is beneficial in three main categories, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Running Exercise Benefits:

-Running is one of the top activities for burning fat and keeping your metabolism high. In fact, with the exception of cross-country skiing, running burns more calories per minute than any other form of cardiovascular exercise.

-Running reduces the risk of heart attacks, by strengthening the heart and lowering blood pressure. Running lowers blood pressure and maintains the elasticity of arteries incredibly well because as you run your arteries expand and contract nearly three times as much as usual.

-Running also helps maintain and improve general health. It raises HDL(or "good") cholesterol, reduces the risk of blood clots and strokes, and encourages use of the 50% of your lungs that usually go unused.

-Running also boost the immune system by creating a higher concentration of lymphocytes (white blood cells that attack disease), thus reducing the risk of getting sick or contracting a disease.


Stay Healthy :)

Weight loss benefits of Aloevera

Though Aloevera have many more benefits...but am focussing on Weight loss benefit :)

Hope u ll like it 

It aids in removal of extra water in the cells. This means that your body generates water from internal sources besides the external or water that you drink.

Helps build enough supply of vitamins and minerals which help in burning excessive fats: there are Vitamins such as B12 that are required for metabolism.

Promotes a lean body: the use of Aloe vera helps in catabolism of fatty acids and leaves little stored in the skin and other body organs such as the heart muscles.

It reduces body mass index: this results in less energy demanded leading to less food intake.

It is rich in collagen protein: and therefore promotes muscle development and weight loss.

Stay Fit with Shape n Smile-The Fitness Club :)

Workout at home-For your abs

Abdominal Exercise: Sit Ups

-Lie on your back on the floor. Roll up a towel or mat and slip it underneath your lower back, just above the waistband (the size of the towel affects your body position during this movement - use a fairly large towel).

-Your knees should be bent about 90 degrees. Keep your feet close together and knees wide apart. This prevents the hip flexors from having a direct line of pull, helping to minimize their involvement.

-Do not anchor your feet or have someone hold them down. This automatically activates the hip flexors. You will get the most out of this exercise by minimizing their involvement.

-The difficulty of this exercise depends on where you hold your hands. The hardest position is above your head at arms-length, then beside your head, then across your chest, then straight down between your legs or at your sides. Start with the easiest first then progress to the other positions as you get stronger.

Stay Fit :)

 

You must know this

Studies have shown that for every 2300 mg of sodium you eat, 40 mg of calcium is removed from urine. Salt aids in elimination of calcium thereby causing bone loss and osteoporosis overtime. So as you age, cut down on your salt intake to avoid bone problems and others like high blood pressure and water retention.

Stay Fit :) 

Health benefits of Walnuts

-The nuts are rich source of energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.

-Eating just as much as 25 g each day provides about 90% of RDI (recommended daily intake) of omega-3 fatty acids. Research studies have suggested that n-3 fatty acids by their virtue of anti-inflammatory action helps to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers.

-They are rich source of many phyto-chemical substances that may contribute to their overall anti-oxidant activity, including melatonin, ellagic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids, and poly-phenolic compounds. These compounds have potential health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.

-They are also excellent source of vitamin E,These nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates.

-They also very are rich source of minerals like manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

Stay Fit with Shape n Smile-The Fitness Club

Hrithik Roshan's Mantra to losing fat and gaining muscle

Two Jobs, one Formula

Hrithik Roshan's Mantra to losing fat and gaining muscle.

Gaining weight and losing fat have a few common basics. Here are the general guidelines to follow:

-With a slow metabolism,its impossible to achieve either goal.So eat every 3 hours(don't go hungry for a minute more).

-Drink at least 4 litres of water everyday.

-Start your day with cardio,do weights on two days,then take one day off. Do light cardio post your weights session,and also on off days.

-Building muscle will speed fat loss.

-Consistency is the key. Even if you do less but do it everyday,you will definitely see results.

Stay Fit :)