‘How to get started’ is a major cause of concern. Whether it is sweating it out at the gym or going for long jogs, it is a tough call for most fitness novices. At such a juncture it is imperative to understand your body and its fitness requirement. And accordingly zero in on a work-out routine. We take a look at five fast fat burning moves...
Cardio exercises
Cardios are the best form of exercise for beginners. There is no refuting the fact that to blast calories you need to break a sweat. A lean body can never be yours without sweating out the excess flab. And cardio exercises help you achieve just that; they boost your stamina, make you energetic and flexible to take up an even rigorous fitness regime. Running on the treadmill, cross-trainer, cycling, swimming and skipping are the most popular forms of cardio. While a treadmill exercises the whole body, cross-trainers are for the hips and thighs. You can even go for the cycling option at a gym; there are two kinds of cycles, one for thighs and the other for thighs and stomach.
Diet
Once you have set up a routine, gradually cut down on fish, red meat, fries, butter, cheese and junk food of every kind. Take a good dose of water depending on your body requirement. Coconut water and fresh fruit juices too can be taken post meals.
Spinning
One might complain of lack of variety in a spinning class, as the exercise routine can get a tad monotonous. However, spinning is a wonderful way to burn calories and keeps your muscles toned. Agreed, cycling in the open is a far viable option as it lets you enjoy the local sights and take in fresh air, but rainy season and foggy winters can put a dampener on your fitness schedule. Request your trainer to come up with varied routines to keep up the interest. At a spinning studio, with the help of background music and varied lighting, a soothing and happy atmosphere is recreated. Not to mention, spinning works best when alternated with cardio exercises. It helps lose fat and build muscles. You can do 30-45 minutes of non-stop spinning once in eight days, if you are combining it with cardio.
Diet
Food intake should be half of your normal diet. You can consume small portions of all kinds of food you like, but say no to fries, butter and cheese.
Trapeze workout
The form of workout is named after the lesser-known trapeze muscle which all of us have, but isn’t very prominent. Trapeze muscles are connected at either ends to the collar bone and hence move parts of the skeleton. Little wonder, fitness addicts and body builders sport such a neat shoulder and neck line. To chisel out your trapeze muscles, the ‘Dumbbell shrugs’ and ‘Barbell shrugs’ are most effective. The former flexes your side form, while the latter is for the front form. It is to be noted that trapeze exercises are not for beginners, as it requires an already lean body. A few months of rigorous cardio and spinning can have you ready for trapeze. Outside of building swoon-worthy muscles, it helps keep sinus and cervical disorders at bay. A healthy trapeze routine requires each body part be exercised twice a week.
Diet
A wholesome diet, but avoid greasy and junk food at any cost. Drink plenty of water, fresh fruit juices and coconut water.
Aerobics and resistance training
Such an exercise routine is best practiced at a fitness club under the guidance of expert trainers who understand your fitness level better. Resistance and flexibility exercises help increase stamina, and if rigorously followed, bring you in shape. Resistance is a set of weight lifting exercises, while flexibility is for the lower body. With music in the backdrop, aerobic exercises are a fun way to burn extra fat and get fitter. It facilitates a great deal of interaction with your fellow practitioners and one could also pick up some interesting routines together. To achieve best results, do resistance workout at least thrice a week. Warm up with a set of cardio exercises such as jumping and skipping to build stamina. You burn more calories by alternating aerobics with resistance and flexibility exercises.
Diet
Avoid food with high carbohydrate content such as potato, banana etc. If you like eating rice, take a small portion in the afternoon. Simply keep away from all kinds of fried stuff.
Pilates
Pilates is also a kind of aerobic exercise which entails a whole set of routines on the floor - on a mat. Group classes are conducted at a fitness club, where the trainer shows new routines on a regular basis, depending on the ability of the students. After a basic two-day training, the body status of the student is decided and a goal is fixed for the week. Pilates exercises the whole body and burns calories. There are as many as one hundred routines for the abs only. While you are free to buy tapes and practice Pilates in your living room, the knowledge of a live trainer and his ability to access your body strength cannot be negated either. Ideally, about four kilograms a month is the healthiest way to shed weight.
Diet
A wholesome diet, but avoid greasy and junk food at any cost. Drink plenty of water, juices and coconut water. Not to mention, carbohydrate-rich food should be taken only occasionally.
Did you know, to lose a kilo you need to burn 7700 calories! Time you slipped into your track pants and broke some sweat. read moree.../timesofindia.indiatimes.com
What Kind of Yoga Will Help Me Lose Weight?
The type of yoga you need to do is called vinyasa or flow yoga. This style of yoga is based on the performance of a series of poses called sun salutations. Vinyasa includes many popular, athletic and sweat-drenched yoga styles. For weight loss purposes, try:
Ashtanga:
Ashtanga Yoga is a very vigorous style of practice with a few distinct advantages for those who want to lose weight. Ashtanga practitioners are among the most dedicated of yogis, and beginners are often encouraged to sign up for a series of classes, which will help with motivation. Another advantage is that once you learn the poses, Ashtanga Yoga is ideal for home practitioners.
Power Yoga:
Power Yoga is extremely popular, because it provides a very vigorous cardiovascular workout.
Hot Yoga:
Vinyasa yoga done in a hot room ups the ante by guaranteeing you’ll sweat buckets.
Keep in mind that if you are just starting to do yoga, are very overweight, or are quite out of shape, always choose a beginner-level class.
Yoga Workouts at Home
Keep yourself exercising by doing yoga at home on the days you can’t make a class. Follow along with a video or audio recording if you are new to yoga. When you are ready to plan your own workouts, use these yoga sequencing ideas to help you come up with yoga sessions of varying lengths that will fit your schedule.
Ashtanga:
Ashtanga Yoga is a very vigorous style of practice with a few distinct advantages for those who want to lose weight. Ashtanga practitioners are among the most dedicated of yogis, and beginners are often encouraged to sign up for a series of classes, which will help with motivation. Another advantage is that once you learn the poses, Ashtanga Yoga is ideal for home practitioners.
Power Yoga:
Power Yoga is extremely popular, because it provides a very vigorous cardiovascular workout.
Hot Yoga:
Vinyasa yoga done in a hot room ups the ante by guaranteeing you’ll sweat buckets.
Keep in mind that if you are just starting to do yoga, are very overweight, or are quite out of shape, always choose a beginner-level class.
Yoga Workouts at Home
Keep yourself exercising by doing yoga at home on the days you can’t make a class. Follow along with a video or audio recording if you are new to yoga. When you are ready to plan your own workouts, use these yoga sequencing ideas to help you come up with yoga sessions of varying lengths that will fit your schedule.
Will doing Yoga help me Lose Weight?
Practicing any type of yoga will build strength, but some types may not raise your heart-rate enough to make them the only form of exercise you need to include in your weight loss regime. It depends on the type of yoga you select and how frequently you practice it.
In order to lose weight, you must eat healthily and burn calories by doing exercise that raises your heart rate on a regular basis. Some types of yoga, such as Iyengar, in which yoga poses are held for several minutes with a resting period between each pose, will build muscles and improve your posture, but will not give you the cardiovascular workout you need to lose weight.
If you plan to make yoga your primary form of exercise, you must do a vigorous 90-minute yoga class at least three times a week. Many people also choose to combine yoga with running, walking or other aerobic exercise in order to reach their weight loss goals.
In order to lose weight, you must eat healthily and burn calories by doing exercise that raises your heart rate on a regular basis. Some types of yoga, such as Iyengar, in which yoga poses are held for several minutes with a resting period between each pose, will build muscles and improve your posture, but will not give you the cardiovascular workout you need to lose weight.
If you plan to make yoga your primary form of exercise, you must do a vigorous 90-minute yoga class at least three times a week. Many people also choose to combine yoga with running, walking or other aerobic exercise in order to reach their weight loss goals.
Top Ten Weight Loss Tips
"In November 2009, I weigh around 145 pounds. till from there my struggle starts. My struggle for Life, to look slim, to look beautiful, so fit in my favorite one piece dress. Till then from my hard work I am able to lose 45 pounds that too in three and a half months. Then , I thought that I will share my success tips with you all, as I am happy to have helped from my friends and family members. Feel free to add your own tips to this list, too!" -- Julia, Argentina
- Dietary control and exercise. It’s true what they say – all you need to do is watch what you eat, and expend more energy than you consume. It’s really that simple. You can quit reading this list now, you now know everything you need to know and didn’t need to fork over $500 for the privilege of me telling you the secret of losing weight. You don’t need to read a 4,000 page book, you don’t have to buy a tape series, you don’t need to stay up late at night to watch infomercials to understand this basic premise. It’s 100% true.
- Change your lifestyle. If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back (and more) within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re changing your habits – and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance. Don’t ever tell anybody you’re on a diet – ever. I’m speaking from experience, here – a reformed low-carber. Worked out well for a while, but ultimately failed because my entire lifestyle didn’t change (permanently).
- Take before and after photos. I know it sucks to see yourself as a chunky monkey (sorry, that’s what I called myself – if only to get myself motivated to meet my weight loss goal). However, there’s no easier way to illustrate your progress. The “after” photos are far more fun to capture and share, admittedly. Find yourself on Flickr! It’s good to see yourself how others see you. Do you like how you look? In many ways, Flickr helped me lose weight.
- Hire a substitute teacher. Don’t reach for the brands you know and love immediately – or without thinking first. Eggs are “good” for you, but consider using egg substitutes instead (in fact, many restaurants will let you order lower calorie foods). There are countless “lower” alternatives for you to try. If something different doesn’t taste good, by all means – find a better substitute, or eat less of the original. In some cases, the substitute may be worse for you than the regular version of the product. The good news is, healthier choices are silently replacing their “normal” counterparts – and they taste just as nice.
- Identify your exercise. No exercise was created equal. You might like running, so run. You might like jogging, so jog. You might like stationary bikes, so bike stationarily. Find the one that works best for you – that isn’t too much of a chore for you to do regularly throughout the week. Don’t pick a routine that you don’t like – or you won’t want to do it, and you certainly won’t stick with it for long. I also wouldn’t recommend buying into that whole “no pain, no gain” mantra. I’ve lost weight without hurting myself, and you probably can, too.
- Set realistic goals. You can lose 50 pounds in a week if you work out 12 hours a day and eat nothing but celery – but not if you’re human. Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t bite off more than you can chew – literally. Make small goals on your way to the bigger goal(s). In the end, you’ll have achieved more (and more frequently, might I add).
- Become a Gazelle. You’ve probably seen Tony Little on TV, selling his Gazelle glider – a low impact exercise machine. I can tell you: it works. It’s easy on my legs, and really gives me a workout when I apply myself on it. Some people say it’s awkward to use, but I love mine – and would consider recommending no other home exercise equipment at this point. Then again, I’m a wimpy geek who only wants to burn calories.
- Avoid trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I offer this suggestion for a few reasons. First, they’re not good for you anyway. Second, you’ll eliminate a lot of the “bad foods” outright – no questions asked. You’ll have to become more selective in what you eat by avoiding these two nasty ingredients – which are in more foods than you probably care to know.
- Take a magic pill. Nonsense! There is no such thing as a magic pill. Don’t fall victim to the hype of the latest fat-burning drug commercial. If you listen or read closely, you’ll see that every single one of these things is effective when combined with proper diet and exercise (which they even state in their advertisements). The side-effects for these drugs are usually worse than your additional weight, anyway.
- Ignore Ronald McDonald. You don’t have to eliminate fast food completely, but you should avoid it at all costs. Most of it is nasty, bad stuff anyway – if you’d even go as far as to call it food. If you’re looking for convenience, find a more convenient meal source. Besides, most of what they serve would be considered “food product,” not food. There’s a gigantic difference as far as your body is concerned. Your bloodstream does not have taste buds, need I remind you?
Hot Health--Losing Weight Means Eating More
Health is hot and getting to your ideal weight is even hotter. So how can you lose weight by eating more? It's simple, eat more often and smaller portion sizes.
That means snacks are a good thing! When you want to lose weight, starving is not the answer, as a matter of fact, if you do not eat often enough you can permanently slow your metabolism. That means your body will burn fat slower. But through portion control and frequent eating, you can boost your metabolism, satisfy your hunger and help your body lose weight.
But if you are eating 5 or 6 meals a day, you need to eat healthy. Fitness expert, explains how your plate should look. "You should have an inch around the outside of your plate and your food should be about an inch tall." He also adds, "You should have 1 meat, 1 vegetable and 1 carbohydrate." Your meat (chicken, meat or fish) should only be as big as your fist.
Depriving your body of food will not work and in the end your body will suffer. Fat diets and starving yourself will throw your body into what fitness experts call "starvation mode". That means you body will not digest all of your nutrients and instead will store them as fat. Your body will protect itself because it no longer knows when you will feed it again.
Also, to help you reach your weight goal add in an exercise routine. You can exercise for 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week. If you add in exercise along with extra meals, you will be able to reach your weight goal in no time.
That means snacks are a good thing! When you want to lose weight, starving is not the answer, as a matter of fact, if you do not eat often enough you can permanently slow your metabolism. That means your body will burn fat slower. But through portion control and frequent eating, you can boost your metabolism, satisfy your hunger and help your body lose weight.
But if you are eating 5 or 6 meals a day, you need to eat healthy. Fitness expert, explains how your plate should look. "You should have an inch around the outside of your plate and your food should be about an inch tall." He also adds, "You should have 1 meat, 1 vegetable and 1 carbohydrate." Your meat (chicken, meat or fish) should only be as big as your fist.
Depriving your body of food will not work and in the end your body will suffer. Fat diets and starving yourself will throw your body into what fitness experts call "starvation mode". That means you body will not digest all of your nutrients and instead will store them as fat. Your body will protect itself because it no longer knows when you will feed it again.
Also, to help you reach your weight goal add in an exercise routine. You can exercise for 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week. If you add in exercise along with extra meals, you will be able to reach your weight goal in no time.
'Myth-busting' Pregnancy Advice I
Pregnant women do not need to "eat for two", drink full fat milk or even alter how much food they eat for the first six months.
In the last three months they only need an extra 200 calories a day. It also urges women to have a "realistic expectation" of how long it will take to lose weight after birth. The myth-busting guidance is now out for consultation..Women trying to get pregnant who are obese - body mass index over 30 - should be advised about the increased risk to themselves and their babies, the guidelines, which are aimed at GPs, health visitors, midwives, and other health professionals, state.
Encouragement and advice on losing weight before pregnancy should be offered for this group, it says.
Pregnant women, especially those who are overweight or obese, should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet and do exercise.
But weight loss during pregnancy should not be advocated.
Women need to be aware that a moderate amount of exercise will not harm their baby and women who did exercise, such as running or aerobics, before pregnancy should be able to continue with no adverse effects.
Post pregnancy
Women should be sensitively encouraged to lose excess weight but be warned that sensible gradual weight loss will take time - in contrast to some high profile celebrities who seem to reach pre-baby weight within weeks of childbirth.
The recommendations also point out that eating healthily and taking regular exercise will not affect the quality or quantity of breast milk.
One need to get the message across that mothers should be encouraged to work towards reaching their pre- pregnancyweight as this is an important indicator of future health
10 Tips For Faster Weight Loss I
Losing weight can be a challenge, especially if you have many pounds to shed. It can be difficult to sift through all the fad diets, and downright dangerous supplements and pills on the market today. How do you know what works and what doesn’t? Whom should you believe?
Here are 10 no-nonsense tips for fast, healthy weight loss :
1) Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day - this helps flush your body of impurities and fat. You can also substitute a few glasses of water for green or herbal tea.
2) Break up your meals into 5 or 6 smaller ones - this will help speed up your metabolism and keep you from getting too hungry in between meals.
3) Increase your fruit and vegetable intake - these are packed with vitamins.
4) Decrease your fat intake - try for no more than 20 grams per day.
5) Exercise for 30 minutes each day - take a walk, or play a game with your kids. Just get moving.
6) Find a hobby - take up knitting or painting to keep your hands busy.
7) Don’t eat that late night snack - Try not to eat for at least 2 hours before going to bed.
8) Listen to your body - your body will tell you when it is full, hungry, stressed, tired. Learn the signs and obey what your body is telling you.
9) Increase your fiber - choose whole grain pasta and bread.
10) Cleanse and detoxify - this may be the most important. Rid your body of harmful toxins and chemicals, while allowing it to function normally.
Cleansing is an important part of long-term weight loss success. Our bodies are laden with insecticides, pesticides, lead, and dozens of other harmful substances. These chemicals clog our internal organs and our bodies respond by coating these chemicals with layers of fat.
One way to cleanse your body of harmful impurities is by using Acai Berry. This fruit is a nutritional powerhouse and will get your body functioning normally again, so it can fight illness and disease. It will also allow your body to burn calories and fat faster and more efficiently. You will see a faster rate of weight loss, and you will be able to keep it off.
Acai berry has many health benefits as well, including increased circulation, increased metabolism, and increased mental clarity and focus.
Here are 10 no-nonsense tips for fast, healthy weight loss :
1) Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day - this helps flush your body of impurities and fat. You can also substitute a few glasses of water for green or herbal tea.
2) Break up your meals into 5 or 6 smaller ones - this will help speed up your metabolism and keep you from getting too hungry in between meals.
3) Increase your fruit and vegetable intake - these are packed with vitamins.
4) Decrease your fat intake - try for no more than 20 grams per day.
5) Exercise for 30 minutes each day - take a walk, or play a game with your kids. Just get moving.
6) Find a hobby - take up knitting or painting to keep your hands busy.
7) Don’t eat that late night snack - Try not to eat for at least 2 hours before going to bed.
8) Listen to your body - your body will tell you when it is full, hungry, stressed, tired. Learn the signs and obey what your body is telling you.
9) Increase your fiber - choose whole grain pasta and bread.
10) Cleanse and detoxify - this may be the most important. Rid your body of harmful toxins and chemicals, while allowing it to function normally.
Cleansing is an important part of long-term weight loss success. Our bodies are laden with insecticides, pesticides, lead, and dozens of other harmful substances. These chemicals clog our internal organs and our bodies respond by coating these chemicals with layers of fat.
One way to cleanse your body of harmful impurities is by using Acai Berry. This fruit is a nutritional powerhouse and will get your body functioning normally again, so it can fight illness and disease. It will also allow your body to burn calories and fat faster and more efficiently. You will see a faster rate of weight loss, and you will be able to keep it off.
Acai berry has many health benefits as well, including increased circulation, increased metabolism, and increased mental clarity and focus.
