10 Barriers to Weight Training

It's finally dawned on you that despite working out everyday, you are not getting anywhere. Where is it that you're going wrong? Are you aware of the right principals that go into meeting your specific goal? Stop to think for a moment. Here's a quick checklist you can run through to figure out what you need to rectify.



TOO COOL
No warm up, sudden start

The body has to prepare for the routine that is to follow thus a warm-up phase is absolutely essential prior to the workout. Jump-starting this period will only lead to sudden muscle pulls and tendons tears, and terrorise the body. Also if you've had some gaps in your workout, do not presume that you can restart at the same pace. Be sensible and gradually ease into your exercise schedule.


TOO MUCH
Weight without enough experience

There is a keen, competitive, eagerness to ape the guy framed on the poster staring right in front of you. He has probably taken ages to get there and is on the wall to inspire you not wrestle with you in direct competition. Be realistic in your goal setting and aim to achieve one milestone at a time. Chart your progress and reward your successes amply.


TOO LITTLE
Importance on cardio-vascular work

You may be keen on building brawn but must also consider aerobic workouts significant enough. Do not carry the false belief that you will lose much of what you have worked for in the first place. Each effort, involving muscle building, heart and lung efficiency and increase in flexibility, work on different principles. And each of them requires that they be trained separately. A well-balanced program will give you much better long-term results and will make you feel fitter rather than just look fit.


TOO LATE
Close to dinner

Life in the fast lane today leaves us with very little time for ourselves. But there are some who manage to spend a couple of hours over a heavy-duty routine in the gym even way past 10.00 pm. However, working out too close to your bedtime will leave you charged up and will interfere in the quality of sleep.


TOO FAST
Control rather than momentum

Rather than mindlessly pumping weights at the pace of a racehorse, if you were to think about engaging the muscle (when contracting it during the exercise) EVEN when you are not using an iota of weight, you can specifically work that muscle more effectively. The idea is to target the muscle and work with concentration not speed, control not momentum.


TOO SOON
No less than 48 hours gap

A common fallacy people have, is to work at the same muscle or muscle group day after day, in the fear that if you don't use it you'll lose it. This fear has no grounding because muscle need time to repair, recover and the benefits take place during the rest period. At least 48 hours between your last work on that muscle/group is what's required.


TOO MANY
Sets for the same muscle / group

Endlessly working on the same biceps or abdominal muscle is just a waste of time. A minimum of 8 or 12 or 18 repetitions done in two to three sets is all you really need. Use the rest of the time in a fruitful manner by training on the treadmill or cycle or work on improving your flexibility instead.


TOO CONFUSED
With breathing

Just remember the EX-EX principal, breathe out or exhale on the exertion, when you are contracting a muscle. Inhale when you have finished the move.


TOO HOT
Cool down and stretch

Do not walk away without working at getting the original length of the muscles back in order. The easiest way is by stretching them of course! And remember that weight training involves bursts of energy that heat the body. There is a very strong need for the body to be brought back to homeostasis for it to benefit entirely from the hard work you have put in.


TOO STALE
Vary your program

Do not get stuck in a rut and go over the same exercises week after week. The body gets accustomed to a certain routine and then does not produce the required results. Instead, keep the body guessing by frequently changing the equipment (dumbbells instead of barbell), the stances (standing rather than sitting, sitting rather than lying). This requires a small amount of ingenuity but is worth the while in the long run. Variety training will keep the body on its toes and you will achieve more stunning results in no time!
Overcome these barriers and there'll be no stopping you!

Meat Myths

You are an avid meat eater whose meals are incomplete without the addition of meat. You firmly believe that eating meat is necessary for a healthy life as it is the richest source of proteins and good quality amino acid. No other food can provide you with the same quality nutrition. Vegetarians are losing out on vital nutrients because they don't eat meat.

If you believe in any of the above, then it's time for you to do a reality check. It's true that meat is an excellent source of protein, but it's not the only food rich in proteins. In fact, vegetarian foods compare very well with meats. Many of us continue to eat meat out of ignorance because we don't know any better. This article aims at dispelling certain myths regarding meats.

* You need to eat meat to be healthy. This is totally baseless. You think you need meat because of its proteins but many other non-meat foods like cheese, beans and groundnuts have more proteins per ounce than a burger stuffed with ham. Do you believe that you need to consume a lot of proteins? That is a misconception. The truth is that the pulses, cereals, milk, vegetables and nuts that you eat provide you with sufficient proteins to meet your body's requirements. Moreover, these proteins are easier for your body to assimilate as well as free of any micro- organisms that can invade your health and that are found in meat. At the same time vegetarian foods are cholesterol free and hence healthy for heart as compared to meats.
* Your meal is incomplete without meats. How does meat get its typical taste? It is because of the seasonings and condiments that you add to the meat while cooking. Substitute the meat with some vegetarian products using the same flavourings and you will get the same meat-like taste. Try veggie burgers with the same seasoning as meat or cook soy nuggets the same way and you will find your meal as tasty, if not more than if you had included meat.
* It is okay to consume fish and eggs. Most of us believe that red meat can be harmful, but it is perfectly fine to consume fish and eggs. But all fish do not have the same properties. Do you know which fish is rich in fat and cholesterol and which is not? For all you know, you may be just loading yourself with cholesterol out of ignorance. Egg yolk is also a very rich source of cholesterol. Hence it can also be equally unhealthy.
* It is difficult to start a vegetarian diet. Turning vegetarian is not difficult, but the only thing is to avoid the temptation of giving in to eating meat. Think about the health benefits of eating a vegetarian diet and you'll never want to eat meat again. They not only have a longer shelf life but are also easier to prepare requiring relatively little oil and spices. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet far outnumber that of a non-vegetarian diet.
* Vegetarians are weaker than non-vegetarians. This is a complete myth. There is absolutely no evidence to support this. Vegetarian food gives you sufficient calories, proteins and other vitamins and minerals that are able to meet the requirements of your body. At the same time, a vegetarian diet provides you with various nutrients and non-nutrients that protect you from diseases. This is lacking in non-vegetarian foods, thus making you more prone to heart diseases. Hence it is a fallacy that vegetarians are weaker.

So the next time you eat meat, remember that all the nutrients that you need come from plants and cereals and not meat. Thus meat is not a necessary food for life. This does not imply that you stop consuming it, but do get rid of all the myths that you believed in. Vegetarian food is equally healthy. So if you have been chomping on that juicy red steak because of health compulsions, it's time to bite into something else.

Squash For Women

Very few women make it to professional squash due to the injury factor. Moreover, women are slower in reflexes. However, many clubs now have a growing dossier on women squash players. In the present climate of concern for fitness and health, it seems entirely appropriate for squash to form part of a weekly routine, particularly when some female participants are able to help utilize club facilities to the full by playing during off-peak hours in the day.
Women can do better.

The prowess of women relative to men is always of interest. There are several aspects to consider in matching the two. First, it is arguable as to whether sheer strength is a deciding factor in its own right because it is the combination of strength and accuracy that culminate in a winning formula, so it has to be said that there is probably not a great deal of difference in this area alone. Second, however, there are what are perhaps the deciding factors of speed off the mark, speed around the court and, most significant of all, the ability to turn quickly. This is where the physiological advantage tends to lie with the men. Finally, there is little question of stamina, but this is rarely put to the test.

How to Lose Weight Permanently

Look into the mirror and you’ll know that you are putting on weight. What the mirror cannot do is diagnose the casues for your increasing weight. In other words, if you are trying to lose weight quickly by crash dieting, you are making no effort to correct the original cause of your excess weight. That is why there are countless people who half-starve themselves both quantitatively and nutritionally to lose weight. And later gain it back, usually with additional kilos. This process of losing and gaining weight repeatedly is known as the Yo-Yo syndrome. Yo-Yo dieting makes it harder to lose weight but easier to regain it. This kind of fluctuation also aggravates physiological changes in your body which play havoc with your metabolism.

Three things make it extremely difficult to maintain a long-term loss by severe dieting or crash methods. First, you have no well-balanced dietary guidelines to help you change your eating habits.Without these it is impossible to maintain a healthy and desirable weight. Second, weight lost by crash dieting isn't likely to stay lost. Recent studies show that not all obesity is caused simply by overeating, although, in most cases this may have triggered it. Third, crash dieting throws your body system out of gear and therefore when you resume regular eating your metabolic system may not be behaving properly. In fact, with crash dieting, your body may be storing considerable fat, simply because your food is not being used or burnt properly.

Most crash diets are based on two assumptions. First, diets do not effect the speed at which the body works, i.e. the metabolic rate. And second, weight lost on a crash diet is mostly fat. On the contrary, it is usually water or muscle. That is why to achieve a permanent weight loss you must:

• lose weight in small steps
• with food intake control, not with supplements, powders or machines
• complement this with regular exercise.

Remember that retention is all about sticking to your diet plan. The challenge lies in maintaining those shed kilos. Sustainability and not fads is the key to permanent weight loss. Adjust your lifestyle to your diet, and see the emergence of a new fitter you.

Gastric Surgery May Ease Breathing Problems

The study and results: people who are clinically defined as obese often suffer shortness of breath and chest pains that keep them from the physical activity that could help them lose weight. As part of an ongoing study, Swedish researchers investigated whether gastric surgery to reduce stomach size and
induce weight loss could relieve obese people from these symptoms. They compared 1,210 people who had gastric surgery to 1,099 who had received dietary recommendations from health providers. The people who had surgery lost an average of 62 pounds, while the other group stayed at essentially the same weight. In addition, on average, the surgery patients� problems with high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing and chest pain all decreased. They also had increased levels of physical activity in the 2 years following the surgery.

Benefits of Fitness

What's so important about being fit and trim? Well, a lot. The secret of feeling healthy and happy lies in leading an active lifestyle. It's the perfect remedy for stress, a solution for ennui and restlessness and more refreshing than an ice-cold lemonade. So get off that couch and take the first step towards staying fit - exercise. Regular exercise will improve your cardiovascular health, help you lose weight and increase your stamina and live life rather than allowing life to just pass by.

Weight management, circulatory or aerobic efficiency, proportionate body structure and psychological benefits are the noticeable effects of exercising.

• Weight management : Exercise decreases fat in the body and can contribute to effective weight maintenance or fat reduction. It increases your lean body mass. Since lean tissue (especially muscles) burns more calories, as it is more oxygenated than fat tissue it helps to keep your body's metabolic processes going higher. This also means that you are at a lower risk from diseases related with fat, obesity and excessive weight. Also it makes your body look symmetrical and balanced in proportion.

• Circulatory or aerobic efficiency : Regular exercise increases the heart's capacity to deliver oxygen quickly to the different parts of your body. This results in not only prevention and amelioration of heart diseases but also in convalescence. Regular exercise lowers the cholesterol and general blood-fat levels, as well as increasing levels of high-density lipo-proteins that have a protective effect on the heart. Exercise keeps the arteries free from fat, deposits and clots. It increases the health and functional capacity of your heart, lungs and circulatory systems. Exercise also firms up your flab, helps you tone up and get in shape. In older persons, exercise stimulates formation of new bone tissue and prevents osteoporosis. Regular physical activity can, by and large, prevent or delay the onset of certain degenerative processes typically associated with aging and could help you lead an active, independent old age.

• Psychological benefits : It is believed that exercising your body can leave your mind feeling refreshed and invigorated. You feel better in general as regular exercise can increase the "feel good" chemicals in the brain. To many, exercise is a cathartic experience-a emotional release -- which helps forget troubles and makes you relax both during and after the period of actual physical activity. Exercise is probably the best preventive prescription for hypo-kinetic diseases such as migraine, menstrual cramps and nicotine craving. Since regular exercise promotes relaxation and a sense of well-being, it can help you want to give up smoking, drinking, and make other positive changes in your lifestyle. Also, the personal challenge offered by a rigorous exercise routine gives a sense of personal accomplishment.

The best thing about the human body is the ability to adopt. So no matter how old or how inactive or how low your base fitness levels are do not despair. As you slowly start exercising the body will adapt to it and ask for more. So go on, put the excuses in the bin and get going.

Swimming Compared with Land Workouts

Swimming is clearly one of the best forms of exercise besides being an enjoyable and fun-filled activity. However one frequently asked question about swimming is that is it any different from other land workouts and if so what is the difference? Which is better? Find out more. Tones your muscles Swimming is one sport that works all your major muscle groups. Very few sports can do this. Although it may appear that you are using only your shoulders, arms and legs while swimming but in reality almost all large muscle groups play a part. Since most of the power, which you need for swimming, comes from the upper half of your body except during butterfly where it is equal to the lower half, you see changes in your chest, shoulders and arms more quickly. However your lower half also plays an important part. The breaststroke kick is especially good for your inner and outer thigh muscles. Swimming is one sport and workout where your body fat actually helps you as it adds to your buoyancy and makes swimming easy. Calorie burning and swimming Although swimming is not considered as the best calorie burner but there is no doubt that you actually burn calories while swimming. If you are aiming for weight loss by burning calories then land-based exercises like tread mill, running and weight training are better and less cumbersome. However, experts estimate that if your weight is 150 pounds and you swim at a moderate pace freestyle than you will lose 600 calories in an hour. Interestingly, your calories burned will increase slightly in cold water, as your body has to do some extra work to keep itself warm in the cold water. You can get dehydrated in water You may not feel it while swimming, or even otherwise, but swimming can dehydrate you. Swimming is a good whole body workout and if done at a good pace can break a lot of sweat. However since you are in water, which acts as a coolant, you may not feel thirsty. A vigorous and continuous swimming for about 45 minutes is enough to take a drink break. Just get out of the pool for five minutes to drink some water or keep your water bottle ready by the side of the pool. Unlike land workouts you may not get sweaty or feel thirsty but after swimming you need some water so don't ignore it or you may fall ill. Swimming is a good physical training pursuit but remember it is different from all land exercises and has its own set of precautions and benefits that should be adhered to get the most out of your swim.

Demystifying Weight Loss Myths

The moment you decide to implement your weight loss plan you are flooded with lot of fly-by-night information, most of which is unfortunately incorrect. These false notions or beliefs are myths and can put your plan into disarray. If you are overweight then losing weight is no doubt a great idea but before that you must get rid of the dead weight of myths and beliefs. Here are some popular myths exposed:

Myth 1: You can't lose weight.
The truth is that you can lose weight. However, the process is slow and time-consuming, probably slower than what you expected. If you strive for it constantly you will surely succeed in the end.

Myth 2: Sweat loss equals weight loss.
Sweat loss means loss of water, not weight. However, when you sweat heavily and step on the weighing scale it shows a pound or two less. Don't confuse this with loss in weight as it is actually loss of water, which you will regain the moment you are properly hydrated. Always remember that you cannot permanently lose weight unless you are able to cut calories.

Myth 3: You can effectively lose weight by dieting.
You cannot lose weight by dieting or depriving yourself of basic nutrients. Losing weight involves building permanent healthy eating habits throughout life and combining the same with moderate exercise. Weight loss by dieting is gained back in 90 per cent of those who blindly diet.

Myth 4: Weight training hampers the weight loss process.
According to this myth if you start weight training before you have lost weight, it will stop the weight loss. Weight training can, in fact, speed up your weight loss process for two reasons: Although muscles weigh more than fat, muscles are denser thus taking up less place in the body (what is called toned muscles). More muscles (what is known as lean percentage in the body) equals more calories burnt, even when the body is at rest.

Myth 5: Jogging a mile burns more calories than walking a mile.
This is not true. The caloric expenditure is 62 calories per 100 pounds body weight per mile travelled, irrespective of whether you are walking or jogging. What is true is that although while jogging you will spend more overall calories because of higher effort involved, brisk walking will in fact burn calories from the fat stores in the body.

Myth 6: Exercise on an empty stomach to burn more calories.
This myth is baseless. In fact, the body requires energy to exercise properly and exercising on an empty stomach may be harmful. So, if you are exercising in the morning take a glass of juice or a fruit instead of getting swayed by this myth.

Myth 7: Heavy people have a harder time burning calories
Remember the law of physics to crack this myth. Move a greater mass and you will get more work done. Keeping this in mind, the more you weigh, the more calories per minute you're guaranteed to burn while you're doing weight bearing exercises.

Myth 8: Exercise is a sure shot way to lose weight
No doubt exercise is one of the most important components of a weight loss program but if you think exercise alone can do all the magic then you are mistaken. Weight gain or loss is affected by many other factors like dietary intake and genetics.

Myth 9: Exercising for 30 minutes two to three times per week is sufficient for weight loss
Although exercising 2-3 times per week is better than doing nothing but clearly it is not enough to achieve maximum weight loss. In fact, exercising regularly everyday is ideal for weight loss and maintaining general fitness.

So if you want to lose weight then get moving but remember to steer clear of myths and half-truths.

Stretch Your Quadriceps

How often have you experienced a wrench in your thighs after walking briskly for a while or climbing up stairs? Is sitting cross-legged on the floor an ordeal for you? If yes, chances are that your quadriceps-the major muscle group of your upper legs-needs to be suppler!

Stiff quadriceps exerts stress on your knees during movements, such as walking, running, swimming climbing up stairs or cycling. If left unattended, there could be inflammation around the kneecap and even immobility in extreme cases. Strong quadriceps also supports the knees making them stronger.

How to Have Supple Quadriceps:

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Use a counter or chair back for balance.
3. Lift your right leg off the ground, holding your ankle to your buttock with your knee pointed toward the floor, hips forward and level (don't let the right hip drop).
4. Contract your abdominal muscles to avoid arching your back.
5. Feel the stretch in the front of your thigh.
6. Hold the pose for 15 to 20 seconds Repeat steps 3 to 6 with the other leg.

Repeat the exercises at least once every day in the beginning. Gradually, all the muscles, tendons and joints of your thighs, pelvic girdle and backbone will be stretched, extended and relaxed. You will feel a free flow of energy to the lower torso and much less fatigue after walking, standing or running up and down the stairs.

Handy Tips

1. If you have difficulty grabbing your ankle, wrap a cloth around your ankle to extend your reach.
2. If you want more of a stretch, tighten your hips.
3. Breathe as naturally and spontaneously as possible.

Precautions

1. Do not hurry through the steps. If you cannot hold the pose, you need not! To be slow but steady is the best strategy.
2. Are you finding it too difficult to stand on one leg? Lie on your left side and perform steps 3 through 7, making sure your right knee points toward your left foot.
3. If you are suffering from arthritis or rheumatism, or if you feel pain in your knees while walking downstairs, please consult a qualified orthopaedist before starting on the stretching exercises.

Flexible or sinuous quadriceps impart harmony, peace of mind and an overall sense of well being besides adding years to your active lifestyle. So stretch those quads now!

Seven Golden Habits of a Good Posture

"Stand up straight! Don't slouch! Hold your head up!" Even if you didn't obey your mother when she nagged you, it's never too late to start improving your posture with good practices. What is posture? It is the way you stand, sit, bend or lie down. Do you impact others positively, without resorting to speech, gestures or written words? If yes, chances are that you have good posture. Many people think straightening up is important only for appearance. Although good posture does project confidence, strength and poise, it is also important because it contributes to your health and wellbeing. Poor posture may cause fatigue, muscular strain, compression of blood vessels and pain. In addition, faulty posture can affect the position and function of major organs. Seven good posture habits 1. Do not allow the head to move forward when looking at the computer. Once the head moves forward, posture is thrown off and the body compensates for the shift. The neck moves forward, the shoulders become rounded and a compensatory sway in the back develops. The result of this poor posture is pain, muscle aches, tension and headaches. 2. Do not wear clothes or accessories that force your body to assume unnatural shapes. Avoid wearing high heeled shoes, boots, tight clothing and wide belts 3. Do not slouch. This is the worst and most common postural habit of the sedentary generation. 4. Do not sway back. Whatever you do, do not keep curving your back too much as when you peer into books. With habit, a hunch sets in, impairing your backbone permanently. 5. Keep moving your toes and fingers continually even though immediate activity does not require it. This will help in blood circulation in these areas and prevent them from stiffening in the future. 6. Never arch your back to pick up an object from the floor. Keeping the back in its normal posture, bend the knees to do the job. 7. Roll your shoulders regularly. Take both shoulders upwards to your ears, then gently and slowly roll them backwards and drop them down. Reverse the direction. Do these a couple of times during the day. This will ensure they are kept in their place and maintain their correct posture. If you follow these seven rules, you will find correcting bad posture isn't all that difficult.

Getting Started With Cycling

Imagine how you used to cycle as a child enjoying the feeling of freedom, the wind in your hair and the world at your feet. In your childhood, pedaling was merely fun but as you grow older cycling is a terrific way to burn calories and keep your hearts and lungs in shape, besides being an inexpensive and convenient way to exercise.

However, if it is the first time you are cycling, then here are some points to remember:

Cost

The cost of cycling lies in the kind of cycle you use. You can get a simple bike for as much as Rs 1,000 while a hi-fi bike with gears will set you back by a cool Rs 2,000. Other accessories like a helmet etc can also add to the cost of your cycling experience. However, if you are not sure about the kind of bike you want you can first try few by hiring and then choose the best one.

Suspension

If you are planning to ride on plain city roads you don't need extraordinary suspensions. A front suspension will do. However, if you are going for a spin on the mountains and the hills, then go in for a dual suspension bike. It will give you a smoother ride though can be heavy.

Helmet

This is for your own safety. A helmet will protect your head, the most important thing you have.

Headphones

Avoid headphones while cycling, as this will make you more vulnerable to accidents. However, there is no harm in using them on your stationary bikes at home or in the gym.

Be alert on the road

Always ride at a moderate speed and remain in a straight line. Always signal before turning or stopping and avoid sudden moves on the road. Watch out for potholes and bumps as they can easily damage your bike and you. If you are riding along a queue of parked cars keep an eye on the door of the cars, which may open anytime. Never cut sharply into the main stream of the traffic if a door opens; just go slowly so that you may be able to stop any time.

Riding on wet roads

You may love to cycle in the rain but be careful of wet roads as they become slippery and secondly your brakes may not work very effectively. Therefore, it is preferable to go slow on wet roads especially while negotiating a curve because there are more chances of skidding on a wet road. Moreover, apply brakes in advance and often so that the brakes are effective as the rim may dry up.

So what are you waiting for? Get your bike out, enjoy the wind and get in shape. What better way could there be of getting fit!

Dealing with a Weight Loss Plateau

Have you reached a weight loss plateau? Your weight loss program has been going according to plan when suddenly you find your weight has reached a plateau. You wonder what could be the reason or what went wrong. However, a plateau is what most weight watchers are confronted with at some point in their weight loss campaign. However, this pause is only momentary and need not be permanent.

Look for the cause

If you hit a plateau then the first thing to do is determine the cause of this situation. There can be several reasons for this plateau: you may be eating more calories than what you should to lose weight. Research proves that most people under report the number of calories they eat. It's not that they are lying but they just don't know how to make an accurate assessment of what they are eating. It could be that you are eating just enough calories to maintain your present weight and not less than that, which is actually desired to lose weight. Suppose you need 1,800 calories per day to lose a certain amount of weight. However if you hit a plateau, 1,800 calories may be the exact amount you need to stay at your current weight. On the other hand, you could have slowly changed into a less active mode by doing less physical exercise and thinking that you are doing more.

What you can do

A situation like this presents two broad options. Either you cut the calorie intake by eating less or burn more by exercising more. In both the cases you can go past the plateau. Let's consider both possibilities. Cutting the intake of calories is not a better idea because it may result in cutting those essential nutrients that your body essentially needs. This may be harmful for your body as a whole. Even otherwise it may be difficult to continue with such an option as you may find yourself binging off and on.

The same will be the case with exercise too. If you are planning to burn too many calories, then you are certainly heading for a complete halt in your weight loss march. Firstly it will be difficult for you to devote enough time to the increased schedule and secondly you may get injuries because of overuse. Thus keeping all these factors in view it is suggested that a weight loss plateau can be best dealt with a combination of both options done in moderation. Try this: multiply your goal weight by 10 calories per pound, and add more calories according to how active you are. Don't attempt to burn too much. Stick to moderate 30 minutes activity for most of the weekdays if not all. However, as you get comfortable with this increase the intensity and duration of your exercise sessions, though gradually. Again, don't make your workout boring if you want to continue with it for long. Include exercises that you enjoy as this would help to break the monotony.

So if you have hit a plateau then don't be in a rush to press the panic button. Just rethink your schedule, introduce some changes and you will soon find yourself back on track.

Despelling Food Myths

Do you think that sugar is the main cause of diabetes or that it is the only culprit responsible for your fat? The more cake you tuck into or the more chocolate that you bite into, the more prone you are to increase your blood sugar. If you think so, then you are one of those who are reeling under some myths about sugar. This is the perfect place to clear all your myths and be updated about those sweet sugar facts.

Myth: Sugar is linked to hyperactivity

Fact: There is no scientific evidence to support this. You may see signs of hyperactive behaviour in kids after an intake of sweet snacks but don't blame the food for it. Pay attention to the overall environment of the child. There might be some special occasion or a party or a treat that has triggered off this hyperactive behaviour. So the next your child becomes hyper after consuming a sweet, analyse the environment and the occasion and discover for yourself what is the trigger.

Myth: Sugar causes diabetes

Fact: Diabetes is a disorder in the way the body handles sugar. Studies have pointed evidence to the fact that sugar does not cause diabetes. In diabetes, the body is unable to utilize sugar and the causes for this are yet to be fully known. Though in the past people were strictly warned against sugar but today, the view has changed. Sugars and starches have similar effects on blood sugar. According to the American Diabetic Association, a moderate amount of sugar can be part of a well-balanced diabetic diet.

Myth: Sugar causes weight gain

Fact: How do you put on excess weight? This happens when your calorie intake exceeds your expenditure. Excess calorie from any source can make you fat, so why blame sugar alone. Sugar is not an appetizer that will stimulate your appetite. All high sugar foods are high fat. So it is the fat that gives you more calories and adds on to your weight. Research has shown that sugars do not interfere with the bodily controls for energy balance. Hence sugar alone does not result in weight gain.

Myth: Natural sugars such as honey are better than refined white sugar

Fact: There are no nutritional differences among sugars. The body does not distinguish between white table sugar or honey or fruit sugar or milk sugar. They all provide you with approximately the same amount of calories. In the body all sugars break into simple sugars, which then travel through the blood stream and reach the body cells where they provide the energy.

Myth: Sugars are the main cause of dental cavities

Fact: Tooth decay is associated with a number of factors such as heredity, fluoride content etc. Sugars and other starchy foods are only part of the problem. What you eat is not discriminated by the bacteria present in the teeth. They feed on the foods that cling to the teeth and produce acid. The acids then breakdown the teeth enamel to form a cavity. Hence any food that sticks to the teeth increases the chances of tooth decay.

These are just some of the myths regarding sugar. Learn to separate the facts from fiction and you will go a long way in updating your nutritional knowledge that will keep you strong and healthy.

Busting Some Food Myths

Food is the basis of our existence but all our food habits are prefixed. We follow what we have learnt since childhood, irrespective of whether it is right or wrong. These give rise to a number of food myths. Myths are what you believe are right but in reality they have no truth in them and are insignificant Hence it is better to understand these myths and separate the fact from the myth:

• Junk food does not have any nutritive value. The fact is that no food is nutrient free. All foods have some nutrients in them. The foods categorized as junk foods have an imbalance of nutrients, which means that they may be a concentrated source of one nutrient and very low in other. So you can have some amount of junk food and still have a healthy balanced diet. Potato chips apart from fat contain vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and copper. Eat potato chips with low fat cheeseburger, salad and glass of juice or a whole fruit and you have a fairly balanced diet.
• As an athlete you need thrice the amount of protein compared to a non-athlete. It is true that the protein requirement of an athlete is higher than that of non-athletes but no research suggests that the requirement is thrice compared to a non-athlete. The requirement for a normal adult is about 1 gram per kilogram body weight and for an athlete; it is raised to about 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight. For this amount, no excessive supplements are necessary. This amount can be easily obtained from the additional protein in the diet. For example, two glasses of skimmed milk provide about 70 grams of protein.
• Excess sugar results in hyperactivity. Most people living in rural areas take in excessive amounts of sugar in their diet. Are they all hyperactive? Although research on this subject is yet to establish a direct cause and effect relation, but it has been reported that it is the occasion and not the diet that makes the people hyperactive.
• A zero fat diet is healthier than low fat diet. Fat if taken in excess is bad for health but if curtailed from the diet, is worse. You need some amount of fat in your diet to maintain your health. The current recommendations suggest a fat intake of 30 per cent of total calorie intake, of which less than 10 per cent should be from saturated fat sources. Fat is needed to generate essential fatty acids for the body. So a zero fat diet can pose health risks for you.
• It is best to eat fruits at the end of the meal. After a meal, the food is still in the process of being broken down and when you take in fruit, the fruit has to wait for its turn to get digested. In the meantime, the fruit gets fermented and you are prone to acidity and feel bloated. So it is best to have fruits alone, away from the mealtime.
• Only eating meat can meet your protein requirements. There are plenty of sources of protein, other than meats that can help you to meet your protein requirement. Cereals, pulses, milk and milk products are all good sources of proteins. Supplement cereals with pulses and you get a good quality protein source. In fact, excess meat results in excess intake of saturated fat and can hence cause health problems.

Exercise and Weight Loss

Have you been meaning to start exercising for a long time? Maybe it was a New Year’s resolution which you still have to implement; or maybe your mirror just emphatically told you to. Either ways, there’s no better time than now to get started. Regular exercise will improve your cardiovascular health, help you lose weight, build up your stamina and increase muscle mass.

Here are some tips for making exercise a lifelong habit:

• Select activities you enjoy: This is important because if you pursue something you don’t like, chances are that you’ll give it up sooner than you began. It is better to select a variety of activities to prevent boredom from setting in. Try new exercises and see what your friends are doing.
• Write your goals and achievements: Seeing your progress in writing will act as a great motivator and will boost your exercise plan.
• Find a convenient place: Find a place that is close to your home or office to workout. You’ll get fed up if you have to travel huge distances to exercise.
• Exercise with friends or a support group: Friends help to motivate each other while shedding sticky pounds.
• Log everything you do for a week: Make exercise an integral part of your routine. Look at your calender, mark the days that you are free and make an appointment with yourself to exercise.
• Reward yourself: As you keep accomplishing parts of your goal, treat yourself to a movie, a meal or a new outfit.

Remember that regular exercising is the key to feeling healthy and happy. It’s the perfect antidote to stress and believe it or not even more energising than a cup of hot chocolate.

Getting Motivated

Losing weight is all about setting goals and sticking to them. After all, you wouldn�t start a business or a project without a clear-cut idea of what you want to achieve, and how you plan to do that. Your weight loss plan deserves the same kind of attention. You need to set goals that are realistic, track your progress regularly and stay committed to your plan.

Setting goals
Setting goals is easy; setting goals that can be implemented is difficult. When you start a weight loss programme, you need to set both short-term as well as long-term goals. This is necessary as long-term goals may seem initially virtually impossible and may lead you to abandon your diet plan. For instance, trying to lose 20 kgs in four months may seem too distant, and you may get discouraged by the slow pace.

To stay motivated, you need to feel a sense of success along the way. So start by choosing small and easily unattainable goals, such as restricting eating out to once a week or trying a new exercise. Whatever goals you set, don�t be a slave to them. If your fitness schedule isn�t going according to plan, don�t fret. Take a break and try something different. Keep your goals specific, measurable, achievable and realistic and see how quickly you get to them.

Behavioural Modification
To achieve healthy eating habits, you need to revamp your behavioural patterns. Make a list of your dietary intake and identify the problem areas. It could be that you are eating too much, or are eating the wrong kind of food. Setting and reaching short-term goals, such as eating slowly or putting your spoon down in between bites, would help you achieve your long-term goals. Other behaviour modification techniques which could help you follow healthy eating habits include:

• Try not to do anything while you eat. Turn off the TV or shut that magazine before you start to eat
• Eat at the same place everyday, preferably your dining table.
• Serve yourself small portions and go back if you need more
• Learn to say no to foods that you know you should avoid.
• Stock your fridge with healthy stuff so that you eat only that
• Drink water before you start eating. This will make you full, without adding any calories. .
• Chew slowly, relax and enjoy your food. Make mealtimes a pleasurable and relaxing activity rather than a rushed affair.

Planning well ahead is one of the key factors in staying motivated. If you did not get time to cook your lunch or you forgot your lunch at home, don�t take the easy way out and order a pizza. Buy some fruit instead. By determining what you should eat will save you a whole lot of calories and fat. Also distract yourself away from unhealthy foods. Do you really need that pizza? Does it fit in with your weight loss plan? Think of other healthy options.

And always focus on small positive changes and concentrate on goals that are achievable and will keep you motivated to adhere to your diet plan.

Winning the Battle of the Bulge

Do you go on an eating spree when you are depressed or angry? You stuff yourself till you feel sick and then repent at your overindulgence. Rather than help you combat your moods, bingeing will only increase the inches and add to your weight. You need to kick the "I'm miserable, let me eat habit for good!' Loneliness, depression, anger and boredom are just some of the pressures that can drive you [to] nuts. And to chocolates, burgers and potato chips. Most chronically overweight people indulge in food because of these emotional triggers and not because they are responding to genuine hunger signals. Food is a primitive form of oral gratification and a brief phase of unhappiness can drift you to this "quickie" reward that momentarily calms and soothes edgy nerves. Do you use eating as a quick fix against upsetting problems instead of getting to the emotional roots of your unhappiness?

You are not to blame, entirely�
Most of these problems stem from incidents in early childhood. Many overweight adults had mothers who habitually criticised their appearance in childhood. "Eat or you'll get sick." Later, the same mothers told them: "You are too plump. Wear loose clothes." This form of brow beating made the growing child angry at the mother and himself, and usually resulted in overeating as a way to vent that anger.

Of course, a few of us grow up with eating disorders that require serious therapy, but most of us need just a little guidance to develop a sense of power and control over our excessive behaviour. The first step in this direction is to stop treating food as an escape route and deal with your emotions constructively.

Have you met them?
Generally, people who overeat can be classified into four categories:

1. The Overburdened Housewife
Studies have shown that the charm for chocolates (or anything sweet) grows manifolds when life becomes predictable and monotonous for the woman who stays at home, caring for her husband, children and "in-laws" (in that order).

2. The Jilted Lover
For such people, food (for thought and for stomach) is the most important factor. Among urban males, an extra bottle of whisky is considered just right to chill grating nerve-ends. For women, it is watching the idiot box and munching. Eclairs, cookies, milk chocolates, all rich in carbohydrates, are all ideal "love" substitutes.

3. The Overzealous Executive
This breed of super-workers has worked its way up the corporate ladder, and spends a typical day attending meetings or snatching extra workload that should have been delegated ["I'm a perfectionist, you know!"] after office hours. And what else? Having several hurried bites at fried pakoras, pancakes and sandwiches in between faxes or e-mails, followed by a quick dash to the bar with colleagues or alone. The competition is fierce, and one wrong step could derail a bright career.

4. The Bubbly Child
You can see him in all parks, hogging the limelight. A brightly smiling and plump child in his mother's lap, getting all her attention (and kisses). And inviting a peck from older children and neighbours. The child obviously senses he is special and knows that he can demand anything that could keep him busy. So all he needs to do is just point his chubby finger at any of the food (or ice cream) vendors around the park. Quick as a flash, his mother darts to the vendor and gets him a mouthful-disregarding the fact that her love could actually smother the kid's healthy development. Such children are wont to borrow money to have whatever food or drink attracts them. It is easy to see that such early indulgences can lead to a serious emotion-triggered consumption tendency as the child grows up.

All these four types of people have a different problem at the root of their overeating. However, they are all guilty of letting their emotions get the better of their lives. Food is not a weapon to combat emotions-it will never make up for what is lacking in your life. You are the ones who have to stand up and face the stress head on.

The Big Five Stress Triggers & How to Fight Them

• ANGER Go out to a desolate corner and scream. Yes, S-C-R-E-A-M! Or punch a pillow. Or knead a handful of dough with all the force you can muster. Count 1 to 10 and drink a glass of cold water. Treat yourself to a beauty sleep (rather than cookies) or go out and buy a new dress.
  
  
• DEPRESSION Expression is the best antidote of depression. Sounds nice? Phone a friend as soon as depression threats to whack you. Or, take out a notebook from the briefcase or shelf to pour out all your pent-up emotions. Or how about watching the fantasy world of Walt Disney characters!
  
  
• FRUSTRATION "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." A familiar quote but do you implement it? When frustration strikes, get going instead of sitting and sulking. Go out and smell the roses, play with a child and listen to his pranks.
  
  
• BOREDOM "I get bored too soon." How often have you heard that said? "Nothing holds my interest for long!" The best way to fight these bouts of ennui is by picking up something you have not done for a long time. Maybe reading comics or listening to an old songs. Variety is the spice of life, and you should have a long list of "must-dos" handy whenever boredom threatens to upset your equilibrium.
  
  
• ANXIETY "To be tense or not to be" is the question. Doctors say that anxiety is a neurosis, an apprehension of the unknown. Anxiety stems from an over-burdened mental state and an unsettled life. "Too many things to do, barely any energy to do it all, so stuff oneself with food whenever one can" sums up the lifestyle of anxiety-prone people. However, the best way to fight this condition is to relax! And there's no better way than some Yoga or meditation to soothe those frayed nerves and relax.
  
  So remember the next time you are upset and sneak into the kitchen, turn right back and engage your attention into doing something positive, that distracts you and keeps your mind off food.

Fat or Fit

Appearances are deceptive. This is especially true when declaring someone fat or fit. A person who�s overweight but athletic can be fit than someone who�s thin but does not exercise. In spite of the notion that weight loss is the ultimate reason to work out, exercise offers other important health benefits. Exercise is helpful whether you lose weight or not. High fitness levels are correlated with overall health. It's not unusual, in fact, to come across recreational joggers who may be in fantastic shape despite the extra 15 pounds they appear to carry. The reason they don't look as lean as, say, athletes or runners, is not because they're unfit, but because their workouts are less intense and frequent, and because they probably don�t adhere to the type of strict nutritional regimen often required of athletes. To better understand why people who are overweight can still be athletic, let us break down the components of fitness itself: endurance, strength and flexibility.

1. Endurance
Some people are just natural athletes with stronger hearts and lungs despite the fact that they might be overweight. From marathon runners to swimmers and those who play team sports, there are plenty of people who are fit in a cardiovascular sense, even if they can't claim low body fat percentage.

2. Strength
Carrying extra weight in the form of fat doesn't preclude having strong muscles. Some of the most powerful athletes in the world -- sumo wrestlers for example -- can cruise through a serious weight workout that would be impossible for most of us.

3. Flexibility
Weight doesn't have a direct affect on flexibility unless a person's size makes it mechanically impossible to stretch the muscles they wish to train. Inactivity is much more likely to prevent good flexibility than will a few extra kilos. You will probably now understand why we make assumptions based on what we can see, which is the weight, rather than what we can't (their strength, endurance and flexibility).

Unfortunately, fitness assessments are based almost exclusively on appearance perception. Always remember if you're not currently exercising, you're not optimizing your health, regardless of how much you weigh.

What is a Balanced Diet

Balancing your meals can be tough. For a balanced diet requires you to eat all the nutrients in the right proportion to meet the requirements of your body. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals constitute the five main nutrients of food. You get these nutrients from the food you eat. You need to know how to get the right amount of of each -- either too little or too much can be harmful. When your body gets an adequate supply of these five nutrients in the right proportion, you are eating a balanced diet.

A balanced diet can be achieved by blending the different food groups: cereals and pulses, vegetables and fruits, milk and milk products and oils and fats.

Cereals & Pulses: Wheat and rice are the two commonly eaten cereals. These should be taken in sufficient quantity as they are a rich source of protein and various other vitamins and minerals.
Lentils, dals and gram form the pulse group and are a rich source of protein, and Vitamin B complex. Complement pulses with cereals and your protein needs are taken care of.

Vegetables & Fruits: Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, mustard leaves and other vegetables such as potato and lady finger should be consumed adequately. You get a lot of vitamin A, B and C and minerals such as calcium and iron from these. No wonder, vegetables are considered to be a potent health tonic that keep you healthy.
Like vegetables, eat fruits daily as they are concentrated sources of vitamin A,B, and C. Remember the childhood saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It's true.

Milk & milk products: Milk is one food that provides you with all the nutrients in a balanced proportion. So you need to drink milk everyday. Besides, consume milk products like paneer, that are rich in protein.

Fats & Oils: Fats are a concentrated source of energy for you and you should include both saturated and unsaturated fats in your diet. Though be careful to eat fats within limits, as an excess of these can be harmful.

Other foods such as meat, chicken, fish and eggs provide you with an ample quantity of proteins, vitamins and minerals such as iron. For a non-vegetarian diet, substitute the pulse group with the meat group but always prefer white meat over red meat.

Nutrient requirements vary with age, gender, physical activity and thus there can be no one universal balanced diet. However, according to the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, a balanced diet should provide 60-70 per cent of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably starch, about 10-12 per cent from proteins and 20-25 per cent from fat. Such a combination will give maximum efficiency to the organism as a whole. In addition, a balanced diet should provide other non-nutrients such as dietary fibre and antioxidants which result in positive health benefits.

Saying No to Snacking

Do you feel hungry even after you have had your lunch or dinner? You go sneaking into the kitchen or peep into the refrigerator to look for something to munch on. This uncontrollable desire to snack, irrespective of the fact that you have just eaten a full meal, has left you bursting at the seams. No matter how much you try, you can't get over that urge to snack. Well, if you are in this situation, then this article is a must for you. Here are some easy-to-do tips that will help you fight snacking:

• Think about your hunger. If you are feeling hungry, don't just start walking towards the kitchen. Think about your hunger. Ask yourself are you really hungry. If your answer is yes, then the possible reason for your hunger is that you ate an incomplete meal and hence now you are hungry. If this is the case, then have a light snack like an apple but do not overstuff yourself and feel guilty later on. However, if you have eaten a full meal, then ask yourself why do you want to munch? Are you tired, bored, lonely or in a habit of snacking? If you are tired, relax; if you are bored, watch a movie or read a book; if you are lonely, call up a friend and if you snack out of habit, then try to forget about it and divert your mind.
• Remain busy all the time. Boredom is the main cause for snacking. Learn new activities and remain occupied with them. You could involve yourself in some productive activities like letter writing, gardening, reading, cleaning the house etc and keep your mind off food.
• Close the kitchen. This is a good technique to keep your mind off food. After your main meal shut the kitchen door. You will automatically turn back seeing the kitchen closed.
• Set your eating guidelines. You can create your own guidelines like never to eat while watching television or while talking over the phone, eating only at the dining table and at fixed times. This will enable you to eat your meal with concentration and not leave you hungry later on.
• Drink water. If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water. Water has the ability to fill you up. This will lessen your urge to have a snack.
• Clear your house of high calorie snacks. Remove all tempting snacks such as chips and biscuits from your kitchen shelves. Instead, stock your fridge with various fruits and vegetables and munch on these when you are really hungry. By eating such foods you will not be guilty about adding extra calories.

Choose what method suits you best, follow that religiously and you will soon find yourself saying no to snacks.

Eating Out Healthy

Do you love eating out but at the same time are afraid to do so? Do you think "here goes my diet plan", whenever you go out? Do you also avoid socializing because you are dieting? If you have answered yes to all these questions, then it's time you took a reality check and discovered that eating out can be a happy and healthy experience.

Do you know that:

• No one gets fat from one meal. It takes a number of them for fat to accumulate.
• Eating out once every three weeks is a viable option if you have the self-control to come back on line the following day.
• When you eat a working lunch five times a week it won't work, because you're establishing a pattern which good meals and exercise cannot negate.
• Eating too much and then going berserk on the treadmill the next day leads to tiredness, and endangers your health. Don't do it.

Then should you stop eating out? No. The best solution is to choose restaurants that offer healthy foods and make selections that tie in with what you want to achieve. But if this is not possible, you have to select what you eat with care. Having the odd curry once every two or three weeks isn't so damaging.

Here are some top tips when you eat out:

• Eat smaller portions of fatty foods: If there's something you really want but shouldn't be eating, share it with someone else.
• Ask the waiter not to bring bread and butter to the table: Also ask dressings and sauces to be served separately. That way you can control how much you want to use, or skip them altogether.
• Ask them to reduce the amounts of fattening items: Such as cheese or butter that come with the dish.
• Ask for a starter: If you must have a dish that is rich in fat. And for your main course order something low-fat. Remember that soup and plain pasta are good fillers.
• Serving sizes: These are relevant, so order one serving of meat, fish or poultry, two servings of vegetables and three servings of grains, rice, pasta, cereals etc. By ordering like this, you're much more likely to stay on track.

Cooking styles and methods vary from country to country and cuisine to cuisine. Let's check out the different types of restaurants and see what's on offer:

1. Fast-food outlets
If you eat regularly from these joints, then it will be difficult for you to cut your fat. Fast food joints offer mainly burgers, fries, milkshakes, pizzas etc, which will only add to your calories. Instead, go in for the healthy options -- though limited here -- and eat only salads, fruit juices or fruit salads.

2. British Cafe
The British mainly rely on the griddle or deep-fat fryer to cook a lot of their food. Try to avoid items that are cooked in this way. Instead go in for baked beans on dry brown toast, poached eggs, baked potato with low-fat fillings like tuna, sweet corn or chicken strips with peppers. Another healthy alternative is to have soup, a whole meal sandwich or roll with a salad and lean meat, fish or poultry filling and fresh fruit. Avoid mayonnaise, coleslaw, butter, margarine and sugary sweets and confectionery.

3. Italian restaurant
Italian cooking uses a lot of olive oil, which is healthier in comparison to saturated fat, but it's still fattening. Cheeses like mozzarella and Parmesan are also widely used, especially in pizza. If eating Italian, maximize on the excellent fresh salads available. Ask for dressings on the side or use lemon juice instead. Always aim for tomato-based pasta sauces instead of the cream ones and limit the use of Parmesan cheese. If your favorite pizza topping is Pepporoni, then you would be advised to stay away from it as it has a high fat content. Avoid cream-based sweets like tiramisu. Instead, think healthy and just have a spoonful of fresh fruit.

4. Chinese restaurant
Chinese food is cooked in a wok or a deep-fat fryer. The wok cooks the food quickly, which means that the vitamins are retained in the food. However, Chinese in general is a high-fat type, especially those dishes that are deep-fried in batter. Here too, opt for steamed rather than fried rice and remember that sweet and sour sauce contains a lot of sugar, so don't have too much of that. For dessert, choose the fruit on offer.

5. Japanese restaurants
Japanese food is usually healthy and nutritious. Apart from one or two notable exceptions, most of the food can be ordered easily. Eat lots of Sushi or raw fish, a Japanese delicacy, is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Stay away from the tempura batter-fried dishes as they are rich in calories. Even sake (rice wine) is loaded with too many calories, so it is better to give it a miss and opt for the green tea. You can eat a lot of vegetables as the Japanese use little oil. And finally since they are not known to have a sweet tooth, always go in for the beautifully prepared fresh fruit.

6. Indian restaurant
No Indian dish is complete without adding dollops of ghee in it, which increases the fat intake of the dish. So if eating in a Indian restaurant, be careful to select what you eat.

• Go in for boiled rice rather than fried rice.
• Eat wheatflour-based chapattis rather than naan (which is heavier as it is made from maida) or parantha to which fat has been added.
• Avoid cream-based curries like korma dishes.
• Eat little gravy as it has a lot of fat content.
• Don't order papads; they are fried and highly fattening.
• Order Chicken tikka as it is comparatively low-fat.
• Drink water instead of an aerated drink or beer or you may end up with a beer belly.
  
  

Sauna and Steam Health Risks

The next time you plan to go for a steam or sauna bath, think before indulging yourself.
The enjoyment could prove to be risky and could actually endanger your health and well-being.

Here’s why:

• Danger of dehydration. Steam and sauna baths cause dehydration as the excessive heat leads you to sweat profusely. In the process, important salts such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron are lost. Many believe that drinking water before and after a bath can prevent dehydration. But the truth is that no amount of plain water can replace the loss of vital body salts. What's more, as sweat loss progresses circulatory capacity is affected.
• Blood circulation impaired. This happens because sweating causes a decrease in the blood volume, lowers blood pressure and leads to a decline in the circulation of body tissues. The blood circulation is impaired and consequently, oxygen supply to the vital body tissues also reduces. Dizziness, nausea and weakness are common symptoms of this.
• Adverse effect on sperm production. A higher temperature, such as in the case of a steam and sauna bath, is not conducive to proper sperm production. Statistical studies have shown that in any case, sperm production is hampered in an obese man. Subject him to additional heat and it could cause a severe decrease in sperm count, leading to infertility.
• Sweat glands fatigued. Prolonged periods of sweating causes fatigue in these glands, leading to the development of ‘Milaria’, commonly referred to as prickly heat.
• Fungal infections. Appearance of white patches over the body (tenia versicolour) are frequently found after a sauna bath. Sweating in the skin folds also encourages bacterial and other fungal infections. Remember these risks the next time you plan to step into a sauna or steam bath.

Dieting Myths

All of us have tried losing weight at some point or the other. And the most commonly used method to shed those sticky pounds is dieting. Many believe that simply by starving or eating less, avoiding sugars or oily food is the key to a slimmer self. However, that is not entirely true. In fact, dieting and dieters have given rise to a number of myths. If you too believe in some dieting myths, here is your chance to clear them up.

Myth No 1: Dieting means stop eating all favorite foods

Fact: Dieting means reducing your total food intake. However, this can be accompanied by increased intake of high fibre foods such as plain salads so that you never remain hungry.

Myth No 2: While dieting, never eat in between meals

Fact: You should in fact have smaller main meals and go in for low calorie munches such as cucumbers, carrots, clear soups etc as fillers in between. This way you will be able to control your intake at the main meals and hence eat less.

Myth No 3: Carbohydrates such as bread make you fat

Fact: Carbohydrates are the foundation to any diet. A look at the food pyramid clearly shows that the carbohydrates stand right at the base of the pyramid. The recommended allowance for carbohydrates varies between six to eleven servings per day. So it is the quantity that matters. It is not the carbohydrates but the accompaniments with the carbohydrates that make you fat.

Myth No 4: All salads are diet foods

Fact: It is true that plain green salads without any added ingredients is good for dieters as it is rich in fibre, which is important in controlling weight. However, this is not true for all salads. Salads with high fat salad dressings in fact add to the weight due to the high fat content.

Myth No 5: Any amount of fat free food can be taken freely

Fact: Fat free foods does not imply calorie free. All foods do have some calorie content. So if you continue indulging on fat free foods, the calories will keep getting accumulated. Hence you do not lose weight.

Myth No 6: Eat the maximum at dinnertime

Fact: It should be the opposite. You should be eating the least at dinnertime. This is because your body is not able to completely utilise the meal eaten during dinner. Hence you should try and eat the maximum before the evening and only go in for small meals at night.

Myth No 7: Indulge in grilled foods when eating out

Fact: Restaurants can add any amount of fat and other ingredients to sell their products. So if you eat a plate of grilled vegetables you might be mistaken. It just might be loaded with fat to make it tasty and look appealing. So, check before indulging.

Myth No 8: Fat is the only thing that matters

Fact: No food is calorie free. So along with fat, calories also have to be taken into account. It is a fact that the calories from all foods keep getting accumulated. The only thing to remember is that fat gives more calories compared to other foods and that is why its intake should be reduced.

Myth No 9: Brown sugar is better than white sugar

Fact: There is no difference between the two types of sugars in terms of nutrition. Both add on to the calories and are best avoided or restricted while on a diet.

Myth No 10: Skipping meals help in losing weight

Fact: There is a gap of about 10 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning. During this phase your body has been on a fast and needs fuel. If you don't eat in the morning, you cover up for it in the next meal and hence eat more.

Eating for Energy Hints

Nutrients Your Body Needs EVERYDAY

1. Protein: not stored by the body; responsible for building tissues
2. Carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, grains
3. Fat: Essential for energy; avoid saturated; stay at or below 30% or calories each day
4. Water

Helpful Hints for Energy

• Eat 1-2 oz. of protein at breakfast and 2-3 oz. at lunch and dinner. 2-3 oz. is about the size of a deck of cards.
• Try to replace some "grain-based" carbohydrates with fruits and vegetables: instead of a large serving of pasta (1 cup or more) and a small salad (1-2 cups of lettuce), eat a large salad (4-5 cups of lettuce) and a small serving of pasta (1/2 cup) and don't forget a bit of lean protein to go with it.
• Never go for more than four hours without eating. Your best bet is breakfast, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, dinner, and a light before-bed snack.
• Be sure your snacks are well-balanced -- they should include a little protein, carbohydrates, and fat, instead of carbohydrates alone. See the snack suggestions below for ideas.
• As always, drink plenty of water ... herbal tea is a good choice, too.
• Avoid caffeine; it can interfere with blood sugar stabilization and fat-utilization.
• Eat whole fruit when possible, instead of drinking juices. The whole fruit contains essential fiber -- juice is high in sugar with NO fiber.

Following these guidelines will help you access your body fat storage for energy.

Low-Fat Protein Choices

Skinless chicken breast
Skinless turkey breast
Lean ground turkey
Veal
Fish (haddock, halibut, swordfish, tuna, flounder)
Egg whites (2 whites = 1 whole egg)
Low-fat milk
Low-fat cottage cheese (1/2 cup)
Low-fat yogurt (1/2 cup)
Mozzarella cheese (part-skim) (1 inch cube = 1 oz.)
Low-fat cheddar (1 inch cube = 1 oz.)
Tofu
Protein Powder

Medium-Fat Protein Choices

Lean beef
Canadian bacon
Lean ham
Lamb
Pork
Salmon
Eggs (3 per week is OK)

Good Fat Sources

almonds, peanuts, walnuts
olive oil
peanut oil
canola oil
old-fashioned peanut butter or cashew butter

Balanced Snack Ideas

• 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/2 an orange, 6 peanuts
• 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt with 3/4 tsp. sliverd almonds
• 1 oz. low-fat cheddar cheese, 1/2 apple
• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/3 cup lite fruit cocktail
• 1/2 pita pocket topped with 1 tbl. pizza sauce and 1 oz. mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz. tuna mixed with 1/2 tsp low-fat mayo on 9 Wheat Thins crackers
• 1 oz. low-fat jack cheese melted on 1 oz. baked tortilla chips with salsa
• 1 cup milk, warmed with a few drops of vanilla -- mixed with 1 cup decaf coffee
• 1 slice toast with 1 oz. melted low-fat cheese; sprinkle with paprika

Eating for Energy

Turn on the TV or flip through a magazine and you're bombarded with conflicting messages about what you should eat, when you should eat, how much you should eat, and how you should feel about it. It can all be very confusing -- and discouraging. Despite what supermodels and superstars may say by their actions, skipping meals, smoking cigarettes, and exercising 2-4 hours a day with a personal trainer will not lead to a perfect body and perfect bliss. It's unhealthy to analyze the food we eat and to calculate just how many miles we have to run or how many hours we have to exercise to rid ourselves of it. Happiness, energy, and a strong, realistic body-image are nurtured through a combination of sensible exercise, adequate rest, and good nutrition.


What you should eat

There are four basic building blocks of nutrition that your body needs everyday: protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water. Give it these things regularly, and it will run like a zippy little sports car fresh from the factory.

Protein
A funny thing has happened in recent years. There was a time when we all ate way too much protein; eggs-and-ham, burgers, and steaks were considered "health food" because they "put meat on your bones" and had lots of iron. Then everyone became more educated and health-conscious; meat was a no-no and pasta was going to save us all. Now, the pendulum seems to be swinging around again toward a higher-protein diet, but the healthiest way to eat is the same as it has always been ... balanced among the essential nutrients with a wide variety of foods.

Adequate protein is essential to keep your body functioning properly and, therefore, to have the energy you need for your everyday life and exercise, too. About half of our dry weight -- including muscles, hair, nails, and skin -- is composed of protein. Our cells and immune system rely on protein for maintenance and re-building. Our bodies don't have the ability to store protein or synthesize all the amino acids (building blocks of protein) we need -- that's why eating some protein every day is so important.


Carbohydrates
Aaah, the lovely carbohydrate. Who doesn't think of bagels and pasta as two of the primary food groups (along with chocolate and pizza, right?). As wonderful as carbohydrates are for providing energy quickly, too many carbs can send us into a tailspin of low blood sugar from an insulin-dump. It's the job of insulin to lower our blood sugar levels when they get too high; it does this by taking the excess sugar in our blood and storing it as fat so we have energy later. Insulin doesn't know the difference between plain white sugar and a really wonderfully chewy bagel -- if there are extra carbs there, the insulin wants it. See the cycle developing here?

Too much sugar --> insulin --> low blood sugar & fat storage --> "I'm tired & hungry."

The easiest and best way to avoid extra fat storage and dipping energy levels is to eat the right amount of high-fiber carbohydrates so that the sugar in the food enters our blood slowing, thus keeping the pancreas from releasing high quantities of insulin into the bloodstream.


Fat
If there is a big, bad wolf of nutrition, it is surely fat. We can hardly say the word without disgust entering our voices. Yet fat is the best form of fuel for energy. It's concentrated; we've got lots of it in storage; and it's easy to include in our diets. So how can we make peace with the enemy?

The key to making fat part of a healthy, sensible diet is to eat the right kind. Any fat that is solid at room temperature is not our friend -- it's saturated and brings with it the risks for all kinds of health problems. The best sources of fat come from vegetable sources and are mono- or poly-unsaturated: peanut, canola, olive, walnut. This, of course, doesn't mean that we should feel free to drown our salads in olive oil; moderation is the key.


Water
Is water the greatest thing on the planet, or what?! It tastes great. It has no calories or fat. It can be drunk warm when we're cold and cold when we're hot. It goes with everything, and can be found just about anywhere.

It's also essential to keeping us happy and healthy. Next time you inexplicably feel crabby, check the calendar to make sure it's not that time of the month, then think back to the last time you drank a glass of water. Dehydration can lead to crankiness and a whole host of other, more serious, conditions. As a rule of thumb, we should try to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water everyday -- and more on workout days. A big glass about 10-20 minutes before a workout, and 4-8 ounces every ten minutes during a workout, keeps us feeling good and functioning optimally.

Drinking enough water is especially important for aiding fat loss. The liver is responsible for metabolizing fat. When our kidneys don't get enough water to perform their functions, they recruit the liver to help them out. If the liver is busy helping the kidneys, it can't do its own job of using up that stored fat for fuel. In addition, our bodies need water to keep cool during exercise, and to help in digesting the food we eat.


When you should eat

My brother has a wonderful gift for eating when he's hungry. It seems like a simple enough concept, but anyone who's ever devoured a slab of chocolate cake after a filling meal will understand that eating only when hungry doesn't come naturally to everyone. Since our appetities are affected by so many outside influences, some guidelines to help determine an eating schedule are helpful. But bear in mind, any time we are physically hungry, we should eat. There is no good reason in the world to go hungry -- particularly for athletes (which we all are) or for people trying to lose weight. To keep our metabolisms humming and keep our muscles fueled, we need to eat.

And we need to eat about every four hours or so. A balanced meal should keep blood sugar levels stable for about 4-5 hours. If time between meals stretches longer than that, a balanced snack will save the day. This part of my advice is not optional; if we "starve" our bodies between meals, irritability, fatigue, and slowed metabolisms are unavoidable. Stay fueled up.

There have been raging debates in the past about when during the day we should eat and when we should exercise. "Don't eat after 6:00 p.m." "Exercise first thing in the morning." "Workout in the afternoon." "Only eat fruit until lunch time." Here are the basics: Eat within one hour of waking in the morning to jump-start the system and restore blood sugar levels. They dip during sleep (because we're going without fuel for 6-10 hours) and need to be supplied in the morning. A light balanced snack about an hour before bed not only allows for a good night's sleep, but also supplies fuel for our bodies to repair and re-build during the night.


How much you should eat

There are no hard and fast rules on how much we need to eat. Sure, we can read charts and calculate calories-needed based on calories-expended, but I think it's naive and presumptuous of us to think an organism as wonderfully complex as our bodies can be described by a formula in which we multiply our weight by some arbitrary number devised by some guy in a lab somewhere. (Whew! I'm glad to have that off my chest.)

Rather than talk about absolute quantities (eat this much bread and this much peanut butter), we're going to use relative proportions. It's easier. It's more sensible. And it feels more natural. I've used the word "balanced" to describe meals and snacks throughout this article. By "balance" I mean some protein, some carbohydrates, and some fat. Eating this way is the surest way to maintain blood sugar stability, energy levels, fat-burning, and happy moods.

And rather than give directions that would have everyone scurrying for kitchen scales and measuring cups, I'm going to suggest that we use the "eyeball" method for constructing our meals. Roughly speaking, we should eat about 1-2 ounces of protein at breakfast and 2-3 ounces at lunch and dinner. (Click here if you're too impatient to wait till the end of the article to read about different low-fat, healthy protein sources you might want to add into your diet.) I promised no scales, so just keep in mind that 3 ounces of fish, chicken, lean beef, or pork is about the size of a deck of cards ... it will fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. A little over, a little under -- it's not critical. What is crucial is that we get some protein every day and at every meal or snack that we eat.

Along with that protein, we get to have the fun stuff -- carbohydrates. Carbs that enter the bloodstream slowly (like fruits and vegetables, thanks to the fiber in them) should be our first choices. Not only do we get the vitamins and minerals they naturally supply, but the fiber in them makes us feel full. A balance throughout the day between grain-based carbs and fruit / veggie carbs is the best way to feel great. In addition, a small amount of fat (the equivalent of 1-2 teaspoons of oil per meal) will also keep the rate of sugar absorption down and keep our energy at optimum levels.


How you should feel about it

We all should feel great about food. It's the source of our power and our strength. What's a birthday party without the celebratory cake? And what's the end of a race without the "these-are-the-best-bagels-and-orange-slices-ever" found at the finish line? We all need to get over our fear of eating the wrong thing or eating too much and listen to our bodies. If we pay attention, our bodies will tell us just what we need to know. I hope these guidelines help your body "speak up."

Bon appetit!

Balance Training Program

Balance Training Tips

• Begin each exercise with your standing leg bent. Hold the "START" position for 30 seconds, then gradually straighten the standing leg as much as possible, without losing the feeling of center.
• Do this routine 2-3 times per week for optimal performance.
• Try to keep the "lift in your ribcage" throughout each exercise.
• Don't hold your breath -- breath deeply and rythmically to keep your center.
• Do these exercises close to a wall or keep a chair nearby for balance. Even just your fingertips lightly resting on a stable surface can help you maintain your balance until you master these exercises.
• When the routine is getting "too easy," do exercises 1, 2, and 3 IN A ROW on the right, then switch to the left leg.

You may have done versions of these exercises lying on the floor in an exercise class or with a videotape. These standing exercises have several advantages over the prone versions:

1. Standing during these moves alleviates a lot of the pressure on your lower back. Be sure to contract your abdominals throughout the exercises to support your back.
2. By standing, you work both legs at once. If you keep your standing knee slightly bent with your weight in your heels, you will feel the quadriceps and gluteals of your standing leg working just as hard as the leg that is moving.
3. You are actively in charge of your posture during these standing exercises. Your posture will not only improve, but you'll develop a greater sense of body awareness.

Balance Training Program

1. Posture Alignment This exercise helps you align your posture and find your "center." Remember the feeling of straight posture throughout the other exercises. This is a great way to improve your kinesthetic awareness. 1. Stand with feet about hip width apart (The farther apart your feet are, the more balanced you will feel.) 2. As you reach your arms overhead, slowly rise up onto the tips of your toes at the same time. 3. Tighten your abdominal muscles and glutes (buns). 4. Relax your shoulders and slowly lower your heels to the floor. 5. Let your arms float down to hang loosely by your sides. You should feel like there is a lot of room between the bottom of your ribcage and the top of your hip bones. Feel the way your vetebrae are stacked up, one on top of the other. This is aligned posture. Keep this feeling throughout your workout. As you feel more comfortable with this exercise, you may want to add another step: After Step #3, gently wiggle your hips and shoulders until you feel your rib cage separate from your hips. Then continue on to Step #4.

2. Front Knee Lift + Extension 1. Stand on your left foot, knee slightly bent. 2. Lift your right knee up to hip level. Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds. 3. Point your right toes and, without moving your knee, extend your right leg. Pause and bend to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times. 4. Switch legs and repeat.

3. Lateral Extension + Pulse 1. Stand on your left foot, knee slightly bent. 2. Lift your right leg out to the side, up to hip level. Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds. 3. Slowly lower your toes to the floor and raise up to hip level. Repeat 10-15 times. 4. Hold your leg in the lifted position for 10 seconds, then do 10 small, pulsing lifts. Slowly lower to the floor. 5. Switch legs and repeat.

4. Rear Extension + Hamstring Curl 1. Stand on your left foot, knee slightly bent. 2. Without bending your right knee, lift your right leg behind you, squeezing your glutes. Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds. 3. Slowly lower your toes to the floor and raise up to hip level. Repeat 10-15 times. 4. Hold your leg in the lifted position for 10 seconds, then flex your foot and bend your foot in toward your buns. Extend and bend 10-15 times. Slowly lower to the floor. 5. Switch legs and repeat.

5. Calf Raises: Gastroc + Soleus This exercise works both muscles in your calf. 1. Stand with feet about hip width apart, knees soft. 2. Slowly lift up onto your toes, pause, and lower your heels to the floor. Repeat 15-20 times. 3. Now, bend both knees so you are in a slight squat position. Make sure your weight in focused in the heels of your feet and not on your toes. 4. Keeping both knees bent, slowly rise up onto your toes. (This may feel awkward, but it's the best way to isolate the soleus muscle.) Lower your heels to the floor and repeat 15-20 times.

6. Wall Press 1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms overhead with fingers laced togehter and palms facing the ceiling. 2. Pull in abs and tighten buns. 3. Slowly lower into a squat position, with toes toruned out, while you lower your arms to shoulder level and press out toward the walls with your palms. 4. Move your upper torso to the left, then to the right -- as if you're trying to reach out to press your palm against the wall. Then drop you arms to your sides, relax, and repeat.

Exercises to Improve Precision and Strength

What visual image pops into your head when someone says the word "balance?" Shannon Miller on the balance beam? A tightrope walker suspended above the circus stands? Or maybe even a ballerina en pointe? From now on, when you think "balance," visualize yourself doing whatever YOUR favorite physical activity. We all use and need balance in everything we do.

For most of us, having "good balance" means we can walk and chew gum at the same time. To determine how good your balance really is, ask yourself these three questions about your physical condition:

1. Do your quadriceps and core muscles provide a solid foundation for movement?
2. Are you able to maintain precision in your movements?
3. Are your muscle groups symmetrical in terms of strength?

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Solid as a Rock: Quad & core strength

One of the first exercises I do with a new client is evaluate the strength of their "foundation," or lower body. I have them stand on one leg with a bend in their knee. We always keep a chair nearby, just in case, while they stand on one leg as long as they can. If the don't wobble, they're encouraged to gradually straighten their standing leg. This "test" is a wonderful way to check on postural alignment, as well as quadricep and abdominal strength. Try it yourself and see how you do. Most people benefit from working on exercises designed to increase the strength of their "foundation."

By strengthening your foundation, you prevent a host of injuries -- especially if you play a sport marred by the threat of falls. In-line skating, ice hockey, hiking, and gymnastics are just a few of the sports that benefit from balance training. Strengthening the muscles of your quads and gluts helps you recover more quickly when your balance is compromised and can keep you from "losing your balance" in the first place. For example, when you're skating across the ice rink, start to wobble, and get that "I'm gonna fall!" feeling, strong abdominals and quadriceps can pull your body back into balance. And by strengthening these muscles even more, you avoid reaching the panic stage in the first place.

In addition, by conditioning your foundation, you help fight fatigue in these important muscle groups. By the end of a game, a hike, or a race, our muscles have been pushed close to their limits. Through training, these muscles gain endurance that keeps us upright to cross the finish line, take a victory lap around the field, or trudge up the stairs of the house to the tub for a relaxing soak.

To the Point: Precision Movements

According to Robyn Eresfield, a champion rock climber, precision is the key to impeccable performance, no matter what your sport may be. "Think of the best athlete in your sport," she says. "It's the precision that defines the distane between your level and hers." By training with precision you begin to find your body in the same position in space every time you perform a certain movement. And that leads to perfect balance and performance. You're always steady. You're always physically prepared.

Precision has 3 important components:

Time: Think ahead and be prepared for your next move. In swimming, that means planning for the flip-turn at the wall ... in biking it means shifting to meet the incline of a hill ... Plan your attack on the opponent or obstacle in your path to perform at your best every time.

Space: Know where you are in space. The technical term for this is "kinesthetic awareness." Good kinesthetic awareness means that if your coach says to you, "Your left shoulder is easing up when you shoot. Press your shoulders down." you'll begin to sense when your left shoulder is creeping up and will instinctually press it down in reponse. This kind of body awareness can be difficult to learn. If you have trouble, practice moving in front of a mirror tom memorize how different positions feel. For example, watch yourself in a mirror and shrug your shoulders up and down. Relax them into the down position and memorize that feeling. Shrug your shoulders up and down with your eyes closed. Try to relax them into the down position again and check yourself in the mirror. Are they down? This drill works for just about any position you are trying to master. With practice, they will eventually become second-nature and you'll be able to re-create them on the field, court, or exercise floor.

Energy: To perform with the highest level of endurance and skill, it's essential to learn just how much energy is enough to get the job done. Exert too much too early and you may not finish. Hold back and you might miss the winning shot or blow your opportunity for a really killer workout. So how much is "just right"? Only practice will tell you. One of the things we tend ot forget is that training and exercising aren't only for the immediate beenfits -- they also teach us about our bodies and their abilities. Take the time during your workouts to test your limits a little bit. Add sprints to your running workout, see just how far from the basket you can stand and still sink it, test how many times in a row you can spike the volleyball ... whatever it takes to push yourself past the limits you may have set in your head.

By combining these three components, you begin to improve the precision of your movements; you'll be able to accurately predict where your body will be and when it will be there. That, in turn, leads to excellent balance.

Mirror Images: Muscular symmetry

Another key to preventing injury and improving performance is maintaining equality among the strength of your opposing muscle groups. For the most part, muscles are in pairs:

• biceps and triceps
• quadriceps and hamstrings
• calf (gastrocnemius) and shin (anterior tibialis)
• chest (pectorals) and back(trapezius, rhomboids, latisimuss dorsi)

Sports that encourage us to be one-handed (tennis, baseball, softball, etc.) can develop more strength in one side of our bodies than the other. These imbalances are often more obvious, and easier to correct, than the ones that can occur through a natural inclination to use one side of our bodies more than the other. And this second kind of imbalance can affect all of us.

The easiest way to prevent and correct this favoritism is to be sure to always train muscle groups in pairs and, when you do you strength training exercises, don't move on to a heavier weight until both sides of your body are ready for the increase. Also, an emphasis on exercises that use many muscle groups simultaneously -- push-ups, overhead presses, squats, and lunges, for example, can help restore symmetry.

If you play one sport exclusively, you'll want to add some cross training to your fitness routine to avoid over-use injuries and maintain muscular balance. Research has shown that rather than detract from performance in an athlete's primary sport, cross-training actually helped athletes improve their speed, accuracy, and endurance. Here are some ideas on ways to add cross-training to your workout plan:

Primary Activity	Try adding ...
Aerobics classes	Cycling, Swimming
Cycling	In-line skating, Rowing
In-line skating	Running, Cycling, Rowing
Running	Cycling, Swimming
Stair climbing, Step aerobics	Walking, X-country skiing, Rowing
Swimming	Rowing, In-line skating, Running
Walking	Cycling, Swimming, In-line skating

The last word

Improving your balance can enhance your performance and enjoyment of every activity in which you participate. The confidence that results from knowing the strength of your body can't be beat. In addition, your posture will improve, you'll avoid falls that might put the brakes on your sports season, ... and you'll always win bets based on how long you can stand on one foot! Add some balance exercises to your regular workout routine and build a strong foundation on which you can build all of your movements.