Showing posts with label Physical Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Physical Fitness. Show all posts
6 Exercises to beat the Stress | Health Diaries with Mickey Mehta
In part one of this feature, we discussed 6 important changes in our lifestyle, that can help beat the unnecessary stress and tension in our lives. In this part, holistic health guru Mickey Mehta discusses 6 exercises and workout routines, that will help beat stress and leave you feeling energetic, calm and cool.
• Cardio Workout: They help to improve blood circulation and oxygenation. Exercises like spot jogging, jumping jacks and activities like skipping, swimming, brisk walks among others can benefit an individual a lot. You can begin with some of these as a warm up exercise and gradually, increase the time devoted to each activity. It helps in breaking your otherwise mundane routine, and leaves you feeling refreshed.
• Strength Exercises: These are extremely beneficial for those feel tired and lethargic very often. Exercises like biceps curls, triceps extensions, push ups, squats and lunges helps strengthen your bones, ligaments and muscles. Regular routines will promote stamina and endurance. Say goodbye to Monday blues and unnecessary stress.
• Stretches: Perform suryanamaskar, tadasana, side stretch, neck rotation, arm rotation, shoulder shrugs among others on a regular basis. This will allow your body to get flexible and will relax your muscles, making you more agile. It will also help to alleviate neck pain, lower back pain, wrist aches, and other problems, that are often faced by those who sit in front of the computer for long hours in office.
• Yoga for Core Strength: Yogasanas like bhujangasana, naukasana, pawanmukhthasana, paschimotasana, sethubandhasana, plank pose among others are excellent for overall core strength and stability. Yoga builds your immune system and protects you against not just stress, coronary heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
• Deep Breathing Exercises: Pranayam helps in keeping your mind, body and soul calm. It helps in inner balance and revitalizes the body, clears clutter and confusion; thus bringing clarity to the mind. When stress builds up, it is important to allow your mind and body to relax.
• Have Realistic Goals and Targets: Being healthy is extremely important and that includes having the right balance of strength, stamina, tone and energy, with special emphasis on keeping your-self stress and disease free. A mix of yoga, right breathing techniques, sensible eating plan, meditation, simple exercises, adequate rest and relaxation is the perfect mix for a healthy, stress-free life!
By Mickey Mehta
for Diary of a Dancebee
Got a query or topic that you would like Holistic Health Guru and our celebrity columnist - Mickey Mehta - to answer or discuss? Send in your suggestions / questions on Twitter at @priyaadivarekar
How To Get Fit During Monsoon | Health Diaries with Mickey Mehta
Starting this July, we are excited to bring an all new monthly Celebrity Guest Feature as part of our fitness section. Our guest feature writer is none other than an extremely popular and respected Indian Holistic Health Guru. Yes, we are talking about none other than the leading expert with over more than 25 years of experience in the field of fitness - Mickey Mehta. The renowned health guru has a huge list of celebrity clients who swear by his teaching which includes Priyanka Chopra, Priety Zinta, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Smriti Irani and many more. A philosopher, life coach, an author and a fitness guru, Mickey Mehta has revolutionized health with his philosophies of zen, tao, tantra and ved, and blended the disciplines of exercises such as calisthenics, functional training, boot camp, agility drills, tai chi, pilates, yoga and swimming.
We are extremely delighted to have Mickey Mehta on board as the Celebrity Guest Writer, who will be providing fitness tips and answering reader queries every month on Diary of a Dancebee. This month, we got the Health Guru to talk about beneficial Monsoon Workouts.
A splash of cool rain drop on your face no doubt brings in a sense of relief from the scorching summer heat and makes you swoon with joy. It is a season to rejoice and enjoy the beauty bestowed by the rain God on mother earth. But this season tends to be the most difficult one for the fitness addicts. Unlike other seasons, during Monsoon, it not only becomes quite difficult to step out on rainy days but it also gets tough to cater to ones fitness needs. In this month's feature, I have put together some great exercises, especially for the ongoing monsoon season, that one can practice at home, without taking the trouble of traveling on rainy days.
JOG ON THE SPOT:
An indoor jog on the spot or around a house jog serves as a great warm up exercise and can be extremely beneficial. This is one important way to shed off the extra fat.
PUSH UPS:
Push ups serve as a complete body exercise and can be easily modified in order to make it more challenging for your body. Sometimes, even the most avid exerciser can find several reps of this exercise tough. For fitness enthusiasts who feel that a regular push up is too easy for you, try the Single Leg Push Up.
BURPEES:
One of the best exercises during monsoon is Burpees. This exercise serves as an intense, full body workout, and helps burn tons of calories. Burpees helps in increasing the metabolism rate as well. They are ideal for developing conditioning and endurance.
JUMPING LUNGES:
Lunges serve as an excellent thigh toning exercise. Add to that, jumps between these lunges and the entire exercise form - Jumping Lunges - turns into an incredible calorie burner. It also helps keep your legs toned and fit.
CLIMBING STAIRS:
The stairs in your building (home or office) serve as a superb exercising device by themselves. Walking up and down the stairs in between work is absolutely perfect for those who spent hours in front of the computer.
JUMP SQUATS:
Do a regular squat, then jump as powerfully as you can (reach up for the ceiling or sky). Jump Squats not only help in burning more calories, but also helps keep your legs fit and pushes you to challenge yourself for more.
JUMP ROPE:
Jump roping is an amazing and simple workout option. There is no end to the tricks and variations you can do with a jump rope. Not only jump rope is a good exercise, but it also helps you work on co-ordination and balancing your body. Jump roping burns a lot of calories and is also the cheapest form of exercise. No frills! Just a jump rope in your hand and you are good to go.
JUMPING JACKS:
Jumping jack is a structural workout. It is a full body workout and strengthens your core muscle very well. It also serves as a good warm up exercise. It is an effective exercise for the joints and also helps strengthen them.
YOGA:
Practicing Yoga on a regular basis is a must. Yoga is an incredible form of exercise that can be performed both indoors and outdoors. Select an airy, clean spot in your house, bring out your Yoga mat and practice simple asanas to keep yourself fit. Start with the basics like Pranayam, and slowly, move on to asanas like the Surya Namaskar. Yoga also helps diminish respiratory problems that are very common during the monsoon season.
DANCING:
Everybody loves dancing. And if you are someone who swears by it, then dance like no one's watching. Dance is an incredible form of exercise, who not only helps keep you fit, but also makes your body more flexible and free. Choose your favorite music and dance genre, and burn calories without having to worry about hitting the gym on a rainy day.
Make fitness and wellness a part of your daily lifestyle. A dash of discipline, good food habits, regular exercises, combined with adequate sleep, rest and relaxation and a graceful attitude will surely get you rejuvenated, revitalized and Mickeymized this Monsoon!
By Mickey Mehta
for Diary of a Dancebee
Master Class with Ramona Braganza - Part One (Office Exercises)
Finally, the master class that you have all been waiting for! It's been a week since we started off the Fitness Month campaign on our website and we are so grateful to all our readers, because the response have been amazing. While starting off the campaign, we promised you a series of fitness demonstration and advice videos featuring a popular celebrity trainer. Well, here we go!
Diary of a Dancebee brings you Master Fitness Class, with a popular celebrity fitness trainer, straight from Hollywood. She is none other than, Ramona Braganza. That's right, the name that is trusted by not just fitness enthusiasts, but also the who's who of the International film and music industry including Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Ashlee Simpson among many others. We have got exclusive tips and exercise demo videos coming up on our YouTube channel, all this month, where Ramona will answer your queries and help you get fit, the healthy way.
The trainer has recently launched her book, Feel Fit Look Fantastic in 3-2-1, published by Harper Collins. Well, we have already finished reading it and Oh boy! What a wonderful and inspirational read it has been. Don't worry folks, we have got a detailed review of the book coming up soon.
This week in our Master Class sessions, we have got Ramona talking about Office Exercises.
On Twitter and Facebook, most of you asked me to question Ramona about quick exercises, that can be performed in between work, without any hardcore training equipment. Keeping in mind the crazy lifestyle that we all deal with (and despite of being all optimistic), not everyone can afford to take out a precious hour or two to train in the gym (ask me, spending twelve hours in office was no joke). So, here's Ramona teaching a few exercises, which if done regularly, can not only help in maintaining your shape, but will also help improve your posture. Watch!
Keep watching this space (and subscribe to our YouTube Channel) for more Master Class videos.
Love
The Dancebee
Love
The Dancebee
Step Up | Fitness Month Outfit Post
"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." - John. F. Kennedy
Being born in a family, where your father is a fitness freak, is quite something. I am used to the everyday "Learn to push your limits and never give up" conversations. I have been brought up with the mindset that taking out even 15 - 30 minutes from one's busy schedule can work wonders for your body. I have grown up seeing my father do that and till date, continue to take inspiration from his "never say never" attitude. But in the last 15 months, I did play hide and seek with my self styled fitness regime, every now and then. Blame it on work (or the fact that we often make those "I am so tired, I can't even walk" excuse), but I did not enjoy missing out on my daily routine. To top it all, my food habits went on for a toss. I did feel guilty, but then, the work culture today doesn't give enough time to eat food on time, let alone exercise. The result? More stress, tiredness and that feeling of losing all my flexibility (especially my full split).
So, I decided to get back and ended up dedicating a tiny area in my room for my workouts. I personally believe that you don't need expensive gym plans and costly diets to get fit. If you have got the will, then the road to fitness can be in any form. You can take a walk, sign up for a dance class, indulge in some yoga or just pick up a few essentials to set up your own home friendly gym, where you can work out any time. There are days when I am swamped with work for 16 hours at a stretch. On such occasions, if I can't follow my self styled fitness regime, I simply put on the music and dance my heart out, after reaching home. Trust me, dance is one of the purest, simplest and one of the most effective ways to get fit. Other favorites are Yoga and Gymnastics. So in this case, its not about having time, its about making time, for your own good.
But hey, you need to have some patience, alright. Walking on any path and expecting quick results is not the right thing. Allow your body to get used to the workout and enjoy the process, instead of pushing yourself too much in order to achieve a coveted look. It might just affect you in the longer run and then what? An injury. So remember, don't exercise to get skinny. Its an unhealthy obsession. Exercise to stay fit for life. Also, stay away from diet fads that come and go like a breeze. Just eat to nourish your body enough and make sure that you eat everything in the right proportion. I maybe a fussy eater when it comes to a few veggies, but I don't starve myself, nor do I follow any diet. When you eat well and follow it up with the right workout, it will show. Nothing can stop you from looking good and feeling fantastic.
Every individual is different and needs a workout that suits their personality. Not everyone can follow the Paleo diet and become the next Tiger Shroff, okay? Treat exercise like a road to self discovery, because it indeed is one. As you begin to work out regularly and set specific goals, you realize your potential, limitations and the way your body is reacting to it. Some sets might work for you, others won't. After a few weeks, your body will automatically start giving you signals around your work out timings and push you to start training, even if it is for a few minutes.
Exercise is also the best stress reliever you can ever ask for. Workout and notice the glow on your face. Yes, it does add a lot to your beauty as well. So, your fitness regime, no matter how long or short, should be a part of your daily routine. Just like the way you remember to apply that moisturizer and use a lip balm. Don't treat fitness activities like a formal drill, make it a way of life.
If you still find it difficult to pull yourself towards the fantastic world of fitness, add fun elements and own it your way. Good fitness gear is one such part. Who said gym wear has to be dull and boring? Play with colors, bring on those funky track pants, experiment with colorful shoes and most importantly, invest in a good sports bra (in some fun colors, of course). Pick up a colorful bag, where you can pack your gym essentials. Make sure you have an attractive sports water bottle in that bag. Anything attractive is good enough to divert your attention. At least that way, you will remember to hydrate yourself with some H2O post workout.
Add fun a equipment like hula hoop or skipping rope to your daily regime. It not only breaks the monotony, but also keeps you charged up. Another aspect is the music. In case you work out in a gym and don't have the liberty to change the in-house music, carry an iPod and train like a beast on your favorite tunes. Those at home, blast those speakers with the best numbers. It will instantly add more energy and good vibes to your workout (Also, please avoid talking to people while working out. Focus and dedication is a must).
Well, there is a lot more to fitness than what I can explain in just one blog post.
And so, in order to promote the idea of a healthy mind, body and soul,
Diary of a Dancebee is excited and proud to celebrate Fitness Month.
Starting today, going all the way till December 20, we will be talking all things fitness, with a dash of health, food, beauty and of course, the other big F - fashion. With exclusive interviews, exercise regimes, fitness videos, the blend of fashion - fitness and tons of other exciting activities, we are quite sure that several readers will soon be motivated to walk this beautiful path of fitness and good health.
Keep watching this space and remember,
Good health is the real wealth. So, get started today. Tell yourself, nothing in life is impossible. If you want something, you gotta work hard to achieve it. The road maybe difficult, but the struggle is always worth it.
Outfit Details:
Top: Zara
Sports Bra: Nike
Track pants with sequins: Zara
Shoes: Nike Pink Flex 2014 Running Shoes
Watch: Swatch
Aviators: Ray-Ban
Location Courtesy: Spa Le Vie by L'Occitane, Mumbai
Love,
Dancebee
