Tuesday 30 July 2013

Exercise to tighten tummy in 9 Minutes

Looking for an easy work out that will help tighten your abs?

Climbing a Rope Crunches
12 reps
Lie on your back with your lower back flat to the floor, legs extended in line with the hips, ankles crossed, and arms reaching up in line with the shoulders.
Exhale and engage the abs to lift your shoulder blades off the mat as you reach your right hand up and to the left as if climbing a rope up.
Inhale and lower back down to the starting position.
Exhale and engage the abs to lift your shoulder blades off the mat as you reach your left hand up and to the right as if grabbing a rope and climbing higher.
Inhale and lower back down to complete one rep.












Bicycle Crunches
10 slow reps, 8 fast reps
Lie on your back with your abs engaged, legs in tabletop (knees bent in line with the hips, shins parallel to the floor), hands behind the head for light support.
Exhale and crunch up, twisting from the waist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee as your opposite leg extends.
Inhale and return to center, keeping shoulder blades lifted.
Exhale switch sides to complete one rep.

















Toe Touch Crunches
8 reps
Lie on your back with abs engaged, left foot flat on the floor (and left knee bent), right leg extended up in line with the hip, right hand behind the head and neck, and left arm extended up in line with the shoulder.
Exhale and engage the abs to lift the shoulder blades from the mat as you reach your left hand towards your right toes.
Inhale and lower your shoulder blades back down as your lower your right leg towards the floor (as far as you can without arching your back), and your right arm overhead to complete one rep.
Finish all reps on this side before switching.
 

Continued

Friday 26 July 2013

Celebrities losing Post pregnancy weight



Ever wondered how Hollywood mothers get so thin quickly after pregnancy? Whilst you, a mere mortal is struggling to lose your baby weight 2 years post pregnancy? Well, the major difference that motivates them to lose weight is the fact that their ‘looks’ is their source of income and if they look a mess they lose business opportunities. Another is that they are constantly scrutinized by the tabloids, media, tv industry and even us, the Public. I mean who remembers the negative comments Ashwarya Rai Bachchnan, a woman once revered as ‘one of the most beautiful women in the world’got when she failed to lose her Post baby fat.

As much as doctors will say women should focus on taking care of themselves and their babies in the first few post partum months, these celebrities know they need to do what it takes to lose the excess weight.

Take our beloved Halle Berry who gained 35 pounds (about 15kg) after pregnancy. Her strategy for weight loss was to work out until she was 7 ½ months pregnant in order not to put on much weight in the first place. About 4 weeks after child birth, she started exercising with some cardio and stretching 5 times a week. She switched her cardio every week in other not to get bored with working out. She also ate small meals every few hours, avoided sodium rich foods which cause bloating, as well as stayed away from fried foods as this affects her blood sugar levels (she has Type II Diabetes), ate home made soups made with vegetables and beans, so were filling and ate a lot of leafy greens such as Spinach and Kale.

Another Strategy is that used by Gwyneth Paltrow and Debra Messing  who breast fed their babies to lose pregnancy weight. Yes, you heard right! Women burn as much as 500 calories a day producing breast milk whilst breast feeding.

Nicole Sullivan from Kings and Queens of comedy lost her pregnancy weight and even weighed less than she was before she got pregnant by sticking to a 1100 calorie diet whilst allowing herself one cheat day a week during which she was allowed to have Pizza. She also exercised by walking her dog or lifting her baby.

Our dearest Heidi Klum, was after all not a demi goddess, as she lost 30 lbs in 6 months after pregnancy by motivating herself to exercise with photographs of her nude body ever week to keep track of the way her body was changing…..she also breastfed.

Catherine Zeta Jones lost 50 pounds post pregnancy with the aid of Atkins diet by eating more low carb foods and high protein food…i.e. Lots of proteins and vegetables

Gabrielle Reece, a volleyball player and sports and fitness model lost 34 pounds in 5 months by going back to being naturally active doing Pilates, swimming, circuit training and following a diet of weight loss aiding foods such as oats, brown rice, salads and healthy proteins. And whenever she had sugar cravings, she would have some dark chocolate.

So, whats my advise?

The one thing that sticks out from all the information above is to lose your Post pregnancy weight, there is no magic. You need exercise as well as a good diet plan. So, treat exercise like an appointment and schedule it as part of your day, otherwise it will not happen. Since it’s too early to do any rigorous form of exercise, opt for easy cardio exercises such as walking or biking. Aim for at least 1 hour, 5 times a week to get optimal results. To sculpt your body, follow it with Pilates or Yoga or even Stretches at least 3 times a day for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Also, aim to eat right, by selecting a diet plan that will work for you….something you will stick to, find nutritious but will lead to weight loss!

 

Wednesday 24 July 2013

TIPS ON LOSING BELLY FAT


Hey All!

Sorry I have been gone for a while! You know how we all are always trying to lose some weight especially around our midsection……I go to the beach sometimes and I am so vain, I need to look great in my bikini! So here are some easy tips to help your belly fat in check pr even lose weight there!

v  CARRY WATER EVERYWHERE TO START LOSING STOMACH FAT

Whether you’re on a weight loss journey, you’re trying to lose belly fat, or you’re just trying to be healthier. It’s always a good idea to keep well-hydrated and to do that, you’ll want to keep a bottle of water handy with you everywhere you go. Sip from it every now and then, you’ll feel fuller, more invigorated, and you’ll also be a lot less likely to indulge in sugar-laden soda or juice if you’re not thirsty. This is a sure way to lose stomach fat fast, try it for a week and you’ll see what a difference it makes.

v  NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST

Skipping breakfast can actually be one of those things that cause stomach fat. If you don’t eat after many hours of sleeping, your body goes into starvation mode. This is bad news for shedding belly fat as it shows your metabolism down in an effort to save energy and burn less calories. A lot of dietitians’ advices that the best breakfast is a heavy one.

v  CUT OUT FAST FOOD

Fast food is the worst culprit in the battle against stomach fat. It’s convenient, sure but it is loaded with calories and fat which lead straight to our problem area. Skip fast foods or at lead opt for healthier fast food option, like salads[ without fried chicken or calories- rich ranch on them] instead of fries. But if you are really set on losing stomach fat fast. Avoid fast foods altogether.

v  CUT OUT SODA

A serving of soda contain more calories with none of the nutritional value. Many of those calories come from high fructose corn syrup, which our bodies don’t really know how to process, and often ends up turning into belly fat. Ditch the soda and save those calories for something much better.

v  DON’T STARVE YOURSELF

Starving yourself will not help you burn belly fat. Cut calories, by all means, especially empty calories but to be healthy and lose belly fat, you need to eat well. Starving yourself is dangerous, terribly unhealthy and it won’t work anyway. In addition, don’t feel you have to deprive yourself all the time either just because you want to lose stomach fat. But you can have a small dish, once in a while, to keep the edge off your craving, and to remind yourself that life is good.

v  DRINK A GLASS OF WATER BEFORE YOU EAT

If you’re thirsty, you’re going to eat more. Isn’t that strange? But it’s true. So before you sit down to eat, drink a glass of cool water, wait a few minutes, then dish out your sensible potion and begin to eat much better. Rather than eating three large meals every day, switch to five smaller meals: a light breakfast, a mid- morning snack, a light lunch, a mid- afternoon snack and a balanced dinner. Smaller portions more often will keep you from feeling hungry.

v  CUT DOWN OR ELIMINATE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Aside of the effects alcohol has on the liver, drinking alcohol slows down the body’s natural fat burning process. An occasional glass of red wine is probably the best option as not only is it low-carb but it has some other health benefits.

Remember excessive consumption of salt makes the body retain water. This makes the abdomen appear bloated. We can get enough salt from our diet without needing to add it to our food. Also junk foods contain a lot of salt and are best eliminated in order to lose excess fat.

Think about what could help to stay motivated. Keeping a food diary, joining an exercise class maybe with your best friend or rewarding yourself for small success are great ways to keep you on your toes. But most importantly, if you do hit a low. Don’t punish yourself or binge.