Showing posts with label Workout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Workout. Show all posts
Yoga is the road to Happiness - Shilpa Shetty Kundra | Interview
If there is anyone from the Indian film industry who has promoted Yoga like no other, it is Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The actress and entrepreneur, who often takes to social media and discusses the importance of overall wellbeing, has always spoken about the benefits of this ancient exercise and healing form. With a perfectly toned body that inspires several fans everyday, Shilpa has always advocated the art of eating well and balancing it out with a dedicated exercise routine everyday. Her 'Sunday Binge' videos have always been a 'treat' to watch on social media. However, the actress confesses that it is 'Yoga' that helps her maintain this fine balance.
On International Yoga Day, here's Shilpa talking about her workout routine, diet and why she has always focused on the benefits of Yoga.
What is your daily workout routine like?
If I can't do my entire workout regime, I make sure that I concentrate on my breathing for at least 15 minutes a day. I follow my fitness schedule thrice a week. It includes Yoga and weight training. There are also rope workouts, which I really enjoy learning. I am also doing advance yoga right now, so that requires a lot of core strength building. You need to understand that once you are over 35 years of age, you lose a lot of muscle mass and bone density. You need to work on strength and agility. There are different kinds of workouts that help you target different problems and different body parts.
You need to understand that once you are over 35 years of age, you lose a lot of muscle mass and bone density. You need to work on strength and agility
You mentioned that you focus on Yoga and Weight Training. So, do you devote some time for cardio as well?
I just walk take the stairs wherever I can. There is no separate cardio session that I focus on.
Diet plays a crucial role in overall well being. What are some of the rules you have set, when it comes to food? Is there any specific diet that you follow?
I have made a few modifications. I eat a heavy breakfast, heavy lunch and a lighter dinner. You only need energy in the day that is why we need to keep the carbs low at night. I take a high-protein fibre diet. It is important to choose the right carbs. I eat lots of raw vegetables and fruits, that have fibre and minerals.
You feel peaceful after doing yoga and peace equals to happiness. I feel yoga is the road to happiness
What are some food items that you try to avoid?
I try to avoid refined things like white sugar, white bread and fine flour. Not so much rice though. I try and stick to red rice and brown rice. A few times, if I like to have naan with butter or biryani, I do
indulge in it.
Water intake is another important element, that people often forget. How do you ensure your water intake is balanced?
I have at least two litres of water, that is, eight to 10 glasses of water. It may not necessarily be just water. It can be lime water with mint. I always carry a glass bottle that has mint, sauf (fennel seed)
and jeera (black cumin).
You have always stressed on the importance of Yoga. When was the first time you leaned towards this ancient form of exercise?
I was suffering from cervical spondylosis and my physiotherapist advised me to do yoga. That is how I got into this and realised that it not only healed my neck, but had strengthened it as well. The most important thing about any injury is that you need to strengthen it back again from the core. And yoga helps you do that. Yoga is quite brilliant. You feel peaceful after doing yoga and peace equals to happiness. I feel yoga is the road to happiness.
What is that one special element about Yoga, that stands out for you?
Yoga is all about body balance and building core strength. It not only strengthens your body, but also your mind and bones and the alignment of these three aspects of your life make you far more centred, energetic and stronger.
What according to you would be the best time to perform Yoga?
Early morning or evening before sunset is great, as long as you haven’t eaten at least 2-3 hrs before.
Another thing that you have stressed on is 'Savasana'. What makes this simple, yet crucial asana so special?
Savasana relaxes the body and stomach breathing improves circulation, concentration and relaxes the muscles. It is greatly beneficial for mental health as it calms the nerves.
Is 'Yoga' a part of your everyday workout routine? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on Yoga or Join the conversation on
Fitness First | Get Fit with Celebrity Nutritionist Luke Coutinho - Exclusive
The marathon season has officially begun, and the season of resolutions for the year ahead is also just around the corner. Several people take up to hard core training and fitness routines around this time, mostly as a resolution for the brand new year (and to add everyday exercise to our daily routine) or simply, to look our best for the most coveted NYE party in town. However, for many others, fitness means serious business and is an important part of their lifestyle. Constant work pressure and stress takes a toll on us, and taking out some time for a walk, run or even Yoga can do wonders to take us away from the monotonous routine. In addition, it also keeps us fit, flexible and energetic.
Interestingly, Celebrity Nutritionist Luke Coutinho also believes the same. Coutinho, who is also an Exercise Physiologist and celebrated author of ‘The Great Indian Diet’ (with actress Shilpa Shetty), believes in lifestyle change and helps coach people to make ‘shifts’ in their respective lifestyles, in order to achieve their health goals. Coutinho is the founder and director of Pure Nutrition, well known for their wide range of organic health products. He is also the head nutritionist, master coach and mastermind behind the popular GOQii lifestyle and health coaching model. Coutinho enjoys a strong clientele across the globe and works towards a simple vision - “To empower people with skills and knowledge to live longer, healthier, and happier lives, through methods of consulting, mentoring, counselling and professional advice,” he says.
Since many of you asked us to share fitness tips for the ongoing season, we got Coutinho to discuss fitness at large in this feature. Right from tips for a marathon or gym beginner to eating right, workout do’s and don’ts and fitness trackers; we’ve got your covered on everything in this exclusive chat with the master coach and nutritionist.
Basic tips that a beginner should keep in mind before hitting the gym
Luke: Make sure you set your goals and duration to achieve them
Start some light walk or exercise before joining any gym, in order to see if you are and can be regular
Optimise location, so you aren’t bored to hit the gym
Make targets on daily basis to achieve the goals
Workout do’s and don’ts for the winter season
Luke: Do’s - Drink plenty of fluids
Protect your hands and feet, as while exercising, blood supply is to the core and in winter, extremities might freeze out. So, please take care. Wear socks and hand gloves
Don’ts - Don’t over exert yourself.
Don’t skip your meals during winters
How much does a fitness tracker benefit an individual, especially to track their progress, whether in the gym or while running / walking?
Luke: Fitness tracker proves to be beneficial in terms of keeping you motivated if you have set goals for yourself
Build up correct goals that you can achieve as per your previous records
Shows realistic picture of your current health and fitness status
Also helps to understand if you had sound sleep as that is also one of the major part towards health and fitness
Five everyday exercises that are a must and perfect for every individual, irrespective of age or gender
Luke: The utmost important exercises to be done daily by any age group are:
Pranayama, Stretching exercises, Walking, Yoga, Side kick
Five important tips for a beginner, who is looking to prepare for a marathon
Luke: If you are interested in taking part at any marathon, it is important to take care of the following things -
Eating meals on time with small gaps
Focusing on a balance in between carbs and proteins with fibre
Hydrating body is most important of all
Keep natural sugars like jaggery, dates, figs etc handy to munch on, especially when you feel low on energy
The best pre-workout food / snack?
Luke: The best pre workout food needs to be a good combination of carbs with protein, as they help you in maintaining good energy levels while working out. For eg: 1 whole wheat bread peanut butter sandwich or / 1 Fruit with handful of nuts or /1 bowl of curd with fruits (yogurt parfait) among others.
Your thoughts on dietary supplements. How do they benefit an individual?
Luke: Dietary supplements are not mandatory for all. They are best suited for people who are malnourished, have deficiency, suffering from digestive problems that hamper nutrient absorption, some medical conditions that need extra nutrition among others. These supplement help nourish them by supplementing those extra micronutrients that are needed to lead a healthy life.
Diet plays a crucial role in staying fit. What is your thought on people who only concentrate on pumping the iron at gyms, but staying away from nutritious food?
Luke: Together, both Diet and physical activity play an important role in staying fit. Diet plays 80% role in maintaining healthy and fit lifestyle. Just pumping out will not give any good results. Instead, it will affect the body more negatively, making it vulnerable to catching infections by weakening the immune system, digestive system and more over, loss of muscles that can lead to other related diseases and may end up giving you a distorted body shape.
An important workout tip that you always swear by
Luke: Daily aiming to do 8,000 – 10,000 steps a day is most important for everyone. It is better than 1 hour of continuous workout.
Love,
The Dancebee
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
Training like a Pro | Nike (Part II)
Before I start, here's wishing all the fans and readers of Diary of a Dancebee a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Personally, 2014 has been a great year and I truly felt like the almighty has blessed me in the best way possible. I took some major decisions, drifted away from a few things and decided to hold on to things I love the most. And to be honest, I am glad I took this step. It gave me the confidence to believe in my work and rise above the usual. I can't thank my family enough for their support, but over and above everything, I must thank all of you. Yes, the readers and well wishers who stood by Diary of a Dancebee and my work for weeks and months, while I juggled a full time job as a journalist. While I do realize that the first half of 2014 saw days when there were no posts or updates, I promised myself to get back with a bang in the second half. And I, along with everyone associated with Diary of a Dancebee, did that in style. The brand transformed itself and presented new dimensions, that will continue to entertain the readers. Thank you for making 2014 a special year for me and Team Diary of a Dancebee. Keep showering your love! xoxo
And now, on to the second part of our 'Training like a Pro' feature with Nike.
While in the first part, we spoke about the fabric, technology, style that Nike swears by, along with putting together the perfect look for training in winters. I have now tweaked the look for a pre-training look (before heading to the gym) or for those want to see how they can style the same look for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2015. Remember, these looks are a sure no-no inside the training area, except for one shown towards the end, where we have kept the jacket aside. Post workout, you can put on the jacket again and head back home with it on, in order to keep your muscles warm and maintain the body temperature. If you catch the cold breeze in anyway, its really not a good thing for your body.
In case you plan to meet your friends before the workout and would like to jazz up the training outfit a bit, play with the way you are wearing that jacket. Wear it over your shoulders for that classic look or just go the casual way by tying it around your waist. These two looks never go wrong and can add a nice twist to the outfit. What's interesting is that Nike has got jackets in different fabrics and a fantastic variety of colors. If you are not the color loving individual, worry not, because you always have the good ol' black or grey option to choose from.
For the training period (and for those who don't want to carry a jacket along to a pre-workout meet up) can just pick a T-shirt in a pretty, bold color and opt for a material that is comfortable for all forms of exercise (be it aerobics, weight lifting, Pilates among others). Wear it with a pair of colorful track pants or workout leggings (or go the sober way by opting for a steel grey hue). Remember to tie your hair up in a neat pony tail or bun during the workout. Once done, leave it open so that the extra sweat doesn't stay there to build residue.
With 2015 just a day away, I am sure most of you would get down to jotting resolutions in a diary somewhere. Going back to the gym or getting fit will surely make its way to most resolution lists. If you are one of them, let me tell you one thing. If you do take up the challenge, don't leave it mid-way. The journey might be a tough one, but the results will only benefit you and that too, on a long term.
So get out there and Just do it!
Have a wonderful NYE and we shall see you in 2015, with tons of new articles, updates, videos and a brand new campaign!
Outfit Details
Obsessed FZ hoodie
Slim Fit swoosh tee in Purple
Hyperwarm Mezzo Training tights
Studio Training shoes - (All) Nike
Love
The Dancebee
Training like a pro | Nike
The road to fitness is not just about investing in good equipment and fancy food items. A very important aspect, that most people fail to take seriously, is the workout wear. Buying the right pair of shoes and apparel is a must. The market is filled with a variety of options, right from fancy running shoes, to training specific ones and even wraps (perfect for exercises that are traditionally performed bare feet). And when it comes to the perfect blend of fitness and a splash of colors, no one does it better than Nike.
Since childhood, I have been a workout wear hoarder and a trip to the Nike store always topped my agenda while shopping. Why? Well, my reasons as a kid was because I loved the way they play with bright colors (I love my workout gear in happy hues). Then as a teen, I absolutely adored their range of shoes, both for comfort and style (plus, my favorites - Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova wore Nike on the court, so I would always eye their limited edition gear). And as years passed by, I suddenly noticed that an entire shelf in my wardrobe is filled with Nike workout gear (apparel and accessories).
One glance at the Nike women range of apparel, accessories, shoes and you will notice that although the brand has successfully stuck to their signature elements, they have never shied away from experimenting. Be it with patterns, colors or constantly churning out different shoe technologies for specific needs, the brand has always dared to be different. A dash of neon green on teal or a stroke of steel grey on purple, every collection and the products part of it are sure to keep you happy.
But over and above every aspect, be it style, color among others, what I really love about the brand is their mission to offer every individual the technology that athletes swear by. From Dri-FIT fabrics to slim fit cotton tees, or Training shoes with upper mesh that allow room for air, thus improving breath-ability; each product focuses on not just improving your training and keeping injury at bay, but keeping you comfortable as well.
I chose hues of purple and teal for one of my recent trip to the joggers park. Keeping the cold weather in mind, and the fact that I always feel cold, no matter what, I paired this super comfortable hyperwarm mezzo training tights (made in an ultra-soft Dri-FIT jersey fabric, which helps keep sweat away and also keeps you warm) with a slim fit swoosh tee and of course my favourite - a full zip hoodie in cotton blend, to maintain the body temperature and keep it warm post a workout (which is essential). Keeping my feet comfy while I twist, twirl and jump is the Nike Studio Trainer. The fitsole sockliner with cushioned footbed makes this extremely lightweight pair of shoes a complete winner. While dancing (and jumping in between), I can land on the ball of my foot with ease, and the front mesh ensures that there is no trace of sweat inside (which is a boon in the otherwise humid climate that we deal with).
But that's not all, we have got another part of this post reserved for you.
Apart from talks on workout gear and our favorite items from Nike, we will be changing a few things here and there in the same outfit, to show off a different look.
Till then... Keep smiling, switch on your training mode and stay fit!
Outfit Details
Obsessed FZ hoodie
Slim Fit swoosh tee
Hyperwarm Mezzo Training tights
Studio Training shoes - (All) Nike
Love
The Dancebee
