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Over half of the world’s population is suffering from the serious problem of obesity, which is the leading cause of many life-threatening diseases. as per the classification from who, obesity is mainly of 3 types – a. severe obesity – bmi ≥ 35 or 40 kg/m2 b. morbid obesity – a bmi of ≥ 35 kg/m2 and experiencing obesity-related health conditions or ≥40–44.9 kg/m2 c. super obesity – a bmi of ≥ 45 or 50 kg/m2 if you are overweight/obese, the probabilities of developing heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure increase significantly. let’s explore the top 10 obesity-related diseases: – 1. heart diseases american heart association has highlighted that obesity is a major risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. overweight people are at a higher risk of suffering a heart attack before the age of 45. obese adolescents have a greater chance of having a heart attack before the age of 35 than non-obese adolescents. 2. high cholesterol levels cholesterol is transported through your blood in two ways: the low-density lipoprotein (ldl), which transports cholesterol to the cells that need it, and the high-density lipoprotein (hdl), which is the healthy cholesterol that reduces your risk for heart attack. when you are overweight the levels of ldl increases in your blood, which ultimately results in raising the risks of having heart diseases by 20%. 3. diabetes the world health organization (who) has indicated that more than 90% of diabetes patients worldwide have type 2 –diabetes. obesity is the most significant factor responsible for type 2 – diabetes as it leads to development of insulin resistance in the body. being overweight contributes to the development of diabetes by making cells more resistant to the effects of insulin. 4. cancer american heart association has highlighted in one of the studies that being overweight increases your chances for developing cancer by 50%. women have a higher risk of developing cancer if they are more than 20 pounds overweight. regular exercise and a weight loss can significantly decrease this risk. 5. gallstones gallstones are caused when the liver releases excessive amounts of bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. being severely overweight increases the risk of developing gallstones. 6, skin problems obese individuals may have skin that folds over on itself. these creased areas can become irritated from the rubbing and sweating, which can lead to skin infections and serious skin problems as well. 7. infertility our bodies need to be at an appropriate weight to produce the right amount of hormones and regulate ovulation and menstruation. being overweight for females can result in ovarian failure. also, overweight men have a greater chance of developing motility and a low sperm count. 8. ulcers gastric ulcers occur when there is an imbalance between the amount of hydrochloric acid that is secreted and the enzyme pepsin. national institutes of health (nih) conducted a study and highlighted a result that obesity can be a contributing factor to the development of gastric ulcers. overweight men are at a greater risk of developing gastric ulcers than women. 9. high blood pressure blood pressure tends to increase with weight gain and age. high blood pressure is the primary cause of death among americans older than 25 years. studies have shown that obese patients displayed an increase in blood volume and arterial resistance, which is a responsible for diseases high blood pressure levels & related diseases. 10. back pain obesity is one the contributing factors of back and joint pain as the body has to bear the burden of excess weight. excessive weight can cause injury to the most vulnerable parts of the spine (spinal injury or structural damage increase), which carries the whole body weight. along with this, excessive weight increases the risk of osteoporosis, lower back pain, arthritis, and osteoarthritis. so, it is clear that obesity and lack of weight loss referrals are considered such serious issues, as there is a direct correlation between obesity and disease risk. now, is the time to reduce the probability of these diseases in your life by simply shedding off those extra pounds.

What is the best time of the day to workout? the answer may vary based on individual preferences, energy levels, motivation levels, and schedules, but one of the best ways to make sure that your exercise routine does not get lost in the shuffle is to go for morning workouts. morning workouts do more than just keeping you fit and controlling your weight. getting up early shows positive effects on overall mental health and wellness, though it is hard to follow for prolonged periods. however, did you know that much like everything else, the early morning workouts have their pitfalls too? read through the following points to explore the varied pros and cons of morning exercising: pros of morning workout/strong> 1. one of the biggest advantage of morning workouts is that it keeps you refreshed for the entire day. in case you put off the exercise to later hours of the day, you are probably likely to deem it as unpleasant and put it off due to the numerous other things to be accomplished. also, exercising in the morning is far more refreshing as compared to working out in the evening. 2. exercising helps in releasing the mood booster hormones which help to increase optimism and self-efficacy, ultimately having a positive influence on the rest of your day! a study from the university of glasgow showed that morning exercise boosts a person’s mood more than evening exercise. so with both mental and physical benefits, morning exercise sounds pretty good. 3. the metabolic rate is higher in the morning as compared to evening and hence you tend to burn more calories in the morning. along with this, the thermal effect of exercise (or activity) lasts at least four hours after a workout, which helps to increase the total calorie expenditure throughout the day. 4. if you want to lose weight faster go for morning exercises as they are more fruitful and show faster results. 5. exercising in the morning is the key to disciplined lifestyle as you tend to go to bed timely to rise up early in the morning! cons of morning workout 1. if you’re not a morning person, staying motivated to wake up in time to work out can be hard! 2. your body temperature is at it’s lowest in the morning, meaning that your muscles will be colder and less flexible, which increase the risk of injury and reduces the efficiency of exercise. 3. it is not advisable for people who don’t sleep early as sleeping less would increase the health in terms of diabetes, obesity and short life span. 4. it is not advisable for people who sacrifice their sleep for a workout as they might be prone to accidents whilst cycling or running due to lack of sleep. so now you can evaluate the pros against the cons and take the decision that whether you would like to choose working out early in the morning or not.

Our body needs all the nutrients like fats, carbs, proteins and fibers but in right proportion. fat is an important source of energy for your body and is also required by the body for the healthy development of hair, skin, and brain. however, consuming too much fat can result in obesity. certain types of fat, if consumed in excess, increases your risk for heart disease and hence should be taken in moderation. we at mevolife love to talk about weight loss and fat is one of the biggest contributors to make the weight loss journey successful. now how much fat you need in a day depends on how many calories you consume in a day during your weight loss regime. so before you jump into this, know how much calories you require as per your body weight and height in order to lose weight. if you have a daily allowance of 1200 calories, then you need approximately 20-35% of it i.e. 330 calories and 1 gram of fat equals to 9 calories. and hence you can consume 36-40 grams of fats in order to lose weight out of which only 7% should come from saturated fats. you can also look into the below chart to have a detailed vision of the relation between calories and fat: fat is available in many forms – some are good, some are bad and some are worse. so what fats are you actually supposed to eat and what to avoid? the good fat a) monounsaturated fats of all the fats, these get the most acceptance in medical and nutrition communities today. monounsaturated fats are found in varying levels in oils like olive, sunflower, sesame, flax, peanut, safflower, etc. these oils are not entirely made of monounsaturated fats but also have some levels of saturated and polyunsaturated fats. these fats, known as mufas, raise the good hdl cholesterol and lower the bad ldl cholesterol. along with this, they also protect against the buildup of plaque in your arteries. not only this, studies have also shown that they help to prevent belly fat. monounsaturated fat is mostly found in food items like a) olives and olive oil b) canola oil c) almonds d) cashews e) peanuts f) peanut butter g) sesame seeds h) avocados b) polyunsaturated fats polyunsaturated fats are the must have fat and they are required for normal body functions but your body can’t make them. so you must get them from food. polyunsaturated fats are used to build cell membranes and the covering of nerves. along with this, they are also essential for blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation. a polyunsaturated fat usually has 2 bonds in its carbon chain. there are two main types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids and both types offer health benefits. you can easily find this type of fat in – a) fish b) flaxseed c) chia seeds d) walnuts e) canola oil f) tofu g) corn h) safflower oil the bad fat saturated fats consists of triglycerides containing saturated fatty acids. saturated fatty acids don’t have a double bond between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. that is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully “saturated” with hydrogen atoms. these are usually those fats, which are available in the processed form. in addition, many baked goods and fried foods can contain high levels of saturated fats. some plant-based oils, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, also contain primarily saturated fats, but do not contain cholesterol. saturated fats have had a bad impression in increasing your triglycerides levels and eventually harming your cardiac health. the trick is not to avoid eating them completely but you can have them in moderation that will help you not have any impact on your health. you can limit the intake of following food items: a) fatty beef b) lamb c) pork d) poultry with skin e) beef fat (tallow) f) lard and cream g) butter h) cheese and i) other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk. the worse fat trans fats are made from oils through a food processing method called partial hydrogenation. by partially hydrogenating oils, they become easier to cook with and less likely to spoil than do naturally occurring oils. research studies show that these partially hydrogenated trans fats can increase unhealthy ldl cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (hdl) cholesterol. this can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and hence should not be consumed at all. also, if you are looking for weight loss then the trans fat play a very major role in being the road blocker. numerous studies have linked trans fat to heart disease, infertility, cancer, type 2 diabetes, liver problems, and obesity. trans fats raise bad ldl and lower good hdl, increasing inflammation throughout the body. dr. gerbstadt said that, “ they 100 percent promote heart disease”. a weight-control study in animals found that even with the exact same number of calories and identical amounts of fat, animals fed trans fat gained four times more weight and 30% more belly fat. a brandeis university study found that subjects who consumed products made with hydrogenated oil experienced a drop in their “good” hdl cholesterol a significant rise in blood sugar—about 20%, in just four weeks. isn’t that dangerous? well it surely is but you can try the below tips: – check the food label and see if there is any oil or hydrogenated oil/ partially hydrogenated oils mentioned in the label – try eating more vegetables & fruits – avoid deep fried foods – go easy with high fat dairy products – say big no to margarine, doughnuts, french fries, and processed foods such as crackers, cookies, chips, and cakes. so be smart in you choices with fat but don’t avoid it completely for healthy life. enjoy!

Weight training and aerobic activities are two most effective forms of exercise which help in boosting the weight loss process. there’s one single form of exercise that covers the benefits of these two – squats. squats are the perfect staple and they make your body look pretty amazing in just some time. they are a complete workout for your lower body including calves, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and lower back. not only does it shape your lower body especially the butt, it also to burn more calories in comparison to its counter types of exercises. today we have got some great variations in squats which will not only keep you addicted to this exercise but will also double the level of impact it makes on your body. checkout now- 1. body weight squats before trying out the advanced types of squats, it is very important to perform the basic squat in the right manner. this type of squat is the regular and most basic pose of the exercise which absolutely requires no equipment. the main key that will help you master this form of squat is to pretend that you are sitting on a chair and remember to put all your weight on the heels. following are the steps – a) feet hip width apart and slightly pointed out. b) squat down to where your knees reach a 90-degree angle. c) try to maintain the weight through your heels as you push yourself back up to start. d) repeat 2-3 sets of 15 body weight squats. it is very important that you do not lean forward and maintain a flat back while doing this exercise. 2. jump squats this is the advanced step for basic squats. use the same pose but instead of going down with your body weight explode up and land back safely in the squat position. use the following steps for perfect posture- a) place your fingers on the back of your head and pull your elbows back so that they’re in line with your body. b) dip your knees in preparation to leap. c) explosively jump as high as you can. d) when you land, immediately squat down and jump again. e) repeat 2-3 sets of 10 jump squats. 3. sumo squats in this type of squats, your feet need to be wider that you butt width and the feet need to be significantly angled in outward direction. this form of squats targets your inner thighs. to do it follow these simple steps- a) stand with your feet wide, toes pointing out. b) hold your hands in front of your chest and bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply so your thighs are parallel with the floor. c) rise back up, straightening the legs completely, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most out of the exercise. e) do two sets of 15 reps. f) if you want to make it more difficult grab some weight 4. pulse squats want to feel more heat and pressure? then this will really blow you off. see the steps now- a) get into basic squat form. b) once you reach the bottom of the squat, instead of coming back up all the way only come half way up, and then lower back down into the squat. c) repeat this 20 times 5. single leg squats another exciting variation in squats is to go for a single leg to increase the level of pressure to another level. to do this form of squats follow the listed steps- a) lift your left leg either behind you or keep it as straight as possible in front of you. b) now squat down on the right leg. c) repeat this 20 times and then switch the legs and follow the same process. 6. barbell/dumbbell squats now that you’ve got your basic form down, it’s time to add some weights to your squat. this type of squat is a pretty advanced exercise that needs to be done in the gym and with equipments. a) stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell or bar across your upper back with an overhand grip. b) bend your knees while keeping all the weight in your heels. c) don’t let your knees move beyond your toes or your knees roll out or in. d) press through your heels, and straighten your legs to return to standing. e) do 2-3 sets of 15 squats. benefits some of major benefits and results of opting for these squats forms in your daily exercise regime are highlighted as below – a) builds muscles throughout your body though the main target of squats is lower body and legs but they also promote muscle growth around your entire body. the major reason behind this is the high intensity of this exercise which creates an anabolic environment and pushes the body to release hormones that are vital for muscle growth. b) burns fat and boosts weight loss along with building and toning muscles, squats helps in faster calories burnout. the intensity level of this exercise is so high that the rate of fat and calorie burning increases by 50%. so squats make a superb general workout for health and weight loss, as well as being a specific muscle toning exercise. c) no equipment workout it is a completely no equipment workout which is one the biggest advantage as you can do it anywhere and anytime you want. this also explicates that even when you are not able to visit your gym you are not away from your fitness/weight loss regime. d) improved flexibility the bending and stretching of your knees will strengthen your knee muscles and allow more oxygen and blood to flow around the joints, thus helping to keep them flexible and strong at the same time. e) better functioning of the digestive system squats help you to remove waste from the body. it improves the pumping of body fluids, aiding in the removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all tissues, including organs and glands. they’re also useful for the improved movement of feces through your colon and more regular bowel movements. f) rounded butt benefits of squats wouldn’t be complete without including a butt toning in our list. squats can firm up your buttocks in no time at all! warning if you are new to the squats, you should start slowly. before each session, take time to warm up your body. be careful to keep your knees in proper alignment as you squat to avoid injuries.

The basics of gaining muscle, being informed keeps you from losing motivation when legendary gains don’t magically happen! how exactly do we build muscle? the question that everyone who steps into a gym for the first time asks himself and interestingly enough the question that even top athletes and trainers haven’t quite managed to answer. what is the fastest method to gain mass, what type of exercise offers the best gains in strength, how often should we exercise, what should we do when we’re not at the gym. just ask in any gym and you will receive 3-4 different answers. there isn’t really a definitive answer and if there is we are nowhere close to finding it. different people can have very different bodies and reactions to the same stimuli. much like physics though, even if bodybuilding lacks a unifying theory it doesn’t mean we haven’t covered the basics. i will try in this article to present some of these basic mechanics so that anyone who wishes to build muscle mass will have a comfortable, informed base to start on. as time passes and you get to know how your body reacts to weight training you will be able to fine tune your gain and experiment with the more subjective theories. at first the process of muscle gain can be a bit counter-intuitive. not only do we not gain muscle in the gym but we actually lose some muscle mass while we lift. the muscle groups we exercise, especially in resistance training do become bigger, but it is not actual muscle, they are simply engorged with blood rushed there by our bodies in order to raise the oxygen levels and burn more energy. it’s how we can withstand unusually high effort levels. the muscle itself suffers tears and begins to break down during that sustained effort so in reality when we leave the gym we actually have less muscle mass than when we went in. catabolism – the breakdown of complex molecules in living organisms to form simpler ones, together with the release of energy; destructive metabolism (oxford dictionary) that is basically what happens to our muscles when we lift, our body starts to break them down in an oxidation process that results in the energy that allows us to keep going and cellular waste like lactic acid which gives us the soreness we feel in our muscles. anabolism – the synthesis of complex molecules in living organisms from simpler ones together with the storage of energy; constructive metabolism (oxford dictionary) these types of metabolic pathways are our bread and butter. this is how we gain muscle mass. the micro-traumas we have inflicted on the muscle have weakened it and now the body overcompensates by not only rebuilding the muscle tissue but adding more so that the risk of repeat trauma is diminished. that causes myofibrillar hypertrophy or simply put muscle growth. this process does not take place in the gym, it happens when we rest. so even if we had an excellent workout session it is equally imperative to rest afterwards, to have a healthy sleeping program and to eat a lot of proteins in order to facilitate the muscle building process. it has been shown that working very hard in the gym without a healthy nutritious diet and proper sleeping we can actually lose muscle mass. we need to take all the steps to ensure that the rate of protein synthesis in our muscles is greater than the rate at which we break them down. they need to be predominantly in an anabolic state. how much you should sleep or what you should eat is always in the debate, countless diets protein diets and supplements. and if they perfectly fit your workout, weight, age, body type etc. they can indeed offer impressive results. as a safety net though you just need to remember to sleep eight hours a night and include one of the many sources of easily available protein in your meals; red meats such as stakes, chicken breast, ground turkey, eggs, nuts, tuna, salmon and dairy products. hypertrophy – the enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells hyperplasia – the enlargement of an organ or tissue caused by an increase in the reproduction rate of its cells one of the questions still left unanswered is whether muscle also grows thrfough hyperplasia. it is documented that the strains of the muscle become larger through the incorporation of proteins into existing myofibrils producing growth by increasing the size of existing cells. there have only been a few studies though supporting hyperplasia and so far all are inconclusive. regardless of the exact biological process however what we do know for certain is what growth responds to, and that is progressive overload. our bodies are very lazy and maintaining a large muscle mass can be a lot of work, that is why gaining mass can be so difficult, and especially keeping it. the body needs to be forced into action and for that we need to keep it at high levels of stress when we work out. progressive overload has been proven to be the best way of doing that, constantly increasing weight to avoid the body becoming comfortable with the exercise and varying the number of repetitions and sets to force it to adapt and constantly gain muscle mass in order to sustain the constantly increasing levels of effort. the best approach for building muscle is 10-12 repetitions and 4-6 sets. powerlifters use only 2-6 repetitions with maximum 3 sets they use very large weights, however, increases their strength very fast. unfortunately, most of that strength comes from neural adaptation; simply put they learn to use their muscles more efficiently. it is believed that can seriously hamper muscle gain, as we said before our body is very lazy and the more efficiently he can use the available muscle the less he needs to build more in order to keep up with lifting. ultimately however it all comes down to motivation. as long as you keep going to the gym, resting well and making sure your diet has enough protein you will gain mass. maybe not as fast as you could or as efficient, but as the months pass you will see results and slowly you will be able to adjust your routines in order to get the most out of your effort and time.

Pareto principle – a principle, named after economist vilfredo pareto was highlighted to explain an economic concept – how 80% of property in italy was owned by 20% of the country’s population. it is a standard principle and can be applied in a wide range of areas such as manufacturing, management, human resources, etc. in the context of weight loss the 80:20 rule is not any type of diet rather it refers to overall lifestyle change for faster achievement of results! the basic aim of a weight loss regime is to eat a perfect diet which can help you lose weight in a speedily manner. as soon as an individual plans to lose weight he/she adopts a rigid diet regime which rather than becoming a stepping stone becomes a hurdle in the process. this is where 80:20 rule comes into action as it helps you to stay realistic to your diet plans. it teaches you about balance and moderation, a concept that never exists in a fad diet. to keep it simple and straight the idea is to eat healthily for around 80% of the time, and then to feel free to eat the foods of your choice for the other 20% of time. it plays a key role in keeping you motivated and makes the whole clean-living thing feel doable for the long run. this rule gives more importance to healthy food choices which play a key role in achieving the desired goals. 8 healthy parts and 2 parts indulgence is what you should aim at to have a longer and happier diet routine. your 8 healthy parts should consist of a variety of fresh seasonal produce, lean organic protein, unprocessed whole grains and good quality essential fatty acids. to assist you with eating all the right foods is to simply think “rainbow” – if it’s full of brightly colored fresh produce you know you’re on the right track. for an effective application of this principle apply the 80% rule to weekdays and enjoy the 20% indulgence on weekends. it can be easier to live healthily monday to friday and roster in your treats and cheats as a reward on the weekend. just because you’re eating well 80% of the time, that doesn’t mean you should use the remaining 20% to go on an all-out unhealthy binge. you should still watch your portion sizes. they key to success is to plan your treat meals in advance so that you have something to look forward to. in case you don’t feel the need to indulge, avoid it! opt for ‘good’ food 80% of the time by cutting down on: 1. alcohol 2. white bread; refined flour 3. potatoes 4. sugar (visible and hidden) 5. bad fats 6. ready-made meals 7. fizzy drinks 8. caffeine 9. refined carbs what to do? 1. eat & cook healthily 2. breakfast is a must 3. eat slowly and stop when 80% full 4. exercise every day – or at least 4-5 times a week (half an hour) 5. drink at least 8 glasses of water 6. smart snacking – fruits, nuts, etc. 7. eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg daily! to sum up the above discussion, the 80/20 rule is a doable, healthy lifestyle plan that helps you to reach your weight loss goals without losing out on fun and taste!

Are you also one of those who top up their fries and burger with diet coke considering that it is less fattening than the regular coke? considering the impact of sugar on weight gain people have now switched their preferences towards various artificial chemicals that have been invented to replicate the flavors of sugar. these chemicals are known as “artificial” sweeteners; they are sweet in taste and are often added to foods and beverages that are labelled as weight loss friendly! there is a big misconception which highlights that to reduce weight and lower blood sugar artificial sweeteners can be helpful. the truth behind this is that these sweeteners can actually increase your caloric consumption, appetite, and ultimately weight. the main aim of these sweeteners is to satisfy your sweet craving without loading you with calories, but recent studies have explicated some detrimental effects of its consumption which definitely outweighs any benefits these sweeteners may have for weight loss. following are a few major consequence of including artificial sweeteners in you weight loss and diet regime: 1. when consuming artificial sugar, you tend to eat larger portions the main reason behind this is that when people consume foods with artificial sweeteners they tend to rate them as “healthy food items”. this is because people forget that though it low in sugar but it still contains calories in the form of carbs, fats and proteins. along with this, many studies have shown that the number of calories consumed from foods with natural sweeteners and foods with artificial sweeteners is almost same. this simply means that there is no calorie reduction by switching to artificial sweeteners! 2. hidden carbohydrate intake mostly these sweeteners are used in bakery items which have high carbohydrate content. though insulin-stimulated from carbohydrates are important for energy and healthy fats yet it must be considered that excess sugar or starch are converted into fat and cholesterol. this makes it clear that though artificial sweeteners contain negligible calories yet the associated calories also contribute in fat gain and ultimately delay the weight loss process. 3. increased sweet cravings it has been explicated that sweet flavors sizzle the taste buds and increase the appetite; despite of their source. since artificial sweeteners are sweet they are bound to increase your temptations for sweet and carbohydrate products. along with this, if you consume sweet or starches you really need to move and exercise in order to burn them off else they can result in weight gain. this makes it clear that when you have artificial sweeteners rather than consuming less calories you tend to intake them more. 4. metabolic confusions along with this, another major reason as to why artificial sweeteners act as a blocker in the weight loss journey is that your body does not get be fooled by the sweet taste without the associated calories. the scientific reason is that when you eat something sweet your brain release dopamine which activates the brain’s rewards system along with releasing the appetite-regulating hormone. this plays an important role in informing your brain that you are full after certain calories. since you try to trick your body with artificial sweet, the brain get activated but does not receive the associated calories. hence, there is an overall metabolic confusion which ultimately results in excessive eating. 5. research refute the diet claim studies that have been conducted over the period of last 30 years have highlighted that artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite, increase cravings for carbs, and produce a variety of metabolic dysfunctions that promote fat storage and weight gain. it clearly refutes any claim that highlights the use of artificial sweeteners for weight loss! though artificial sweeteners have the potential to benefit the people suffering from diabetes or high blood sugar, but their use can actually hinder the goals in terms of weight loss. instead of using natural or artificial sweeteners try to include other natural replacements like agave or honey!

Want to save time by skipping your warm-up sessions? don’t! your warm up is the most important part of your exercise routine. no matter how long you have been exercising or how good is your stamina level you should always begin your workout with a proper warm-up. the major reason that warming up is laid so much stress is because it stimulates the cardiovascular system and warms up the muscles that you will be using during the workout. many studies have shown that lack of such sessions increases the risk of injuries during exercise sessions. types of warm-up some of the common types of warm up sessions are explicated as under – passive warm-up it is the least effective form of warm-up as it makes use of external sources of heat like sauna, spa or steam rooms to help your body warm up and get charged. this method is not effective unless accompanied by one or more of the other types of warm-up because they do little to increase the temperature deep within the muscles. basic warm-up this type of warm-up plays an active role in stimulating and ultimately increasing the flow of blood to the muscles. some of the common activities which come under this type include – stretching, jogging, jumping jacks, aerobics step, basic calisthenics moves. these activities play a role in strengthening the cardiovascular system and lungs which ultimately prepares your body for vigorous workout sessions. targeted warm-up this warm-up is required for specific activities like training with weights. the name makes it clear that this type of warm-up prepares the targeted muscles that will be used in the specific sessions. benefits of warm-up here are some vital reasons for starting out with a warm-up and avoiding the shortcut route.: 1. it prepares you mentally for an event by clearing the mind, increasing focus, reviewing skills and strategy. positive imagery helps in relaxing your body and build concentration. 2. a proper warm up session increases the blood flow to the working muscle which helps in decreasing the muscle stiffness, reduces the risk of injury and improves performance. 3. it also helps in breaking down the chemical complex of oxygen, which enables it to separate from the blood and ultimately enhance oxygen delivery to the muscle for better output. this ultimately helps in increasing endurance levels! 4. contraction and reflex times are improved with higher muscle temperatures. 5. exercising without warm-up places a potentially dangerous stress on the heart. warming up reduces the stress on the heart. 6. sweat is good for weight loss and warm-up promotes sweating. sweating reduces the amount of heat stored in the body. 7. the probability of overstretching a muscle and causing injury is far less if your body is properly warmed up. 8. warming up helps in preparing the cardiovascular system for impending workload. duration of warm-up prior to your more specific warm-up, a general warm-up should last for at least 7-10 mins. the more vigorous the exercise program or higher skills required in the workout, the longer the warm-up should be. warm-up considerations heart rate is a good indicator for judging the effectiveness of your warm-up. the heart rate should be no more than 10 beats above or below the low-end of your training heart rate range. a break of light sweat is also another good indicator of a sufficient warm-up.

What if i told you there are some incredibly simple tricks to kick start or rev up your weight loss plan? not fad diets. not insane workouts. just some very clever ways to trick your brain. hard to believe? read on for tips on how to frame your mind to sculpt your body: 1. eat in smaller dinnerware: ever noticed the size of plates at a buffet is often smaller than a la carte? it’s a way for restaurants to cut costs and reduce food wastage. our brains perceive the same amount of food served in a smaller plate or bowl as substantial. large plates make the same serving of food look smaller. it’s an optical illusion that’s very effective in tricking our brain into believing we’ve eaten more than we actually have. you can put this trick to use at home. eat healthy foods like salads in larger plates. eat desserts in smaller bowls. use tall thin glasses for high-calorie drinks. 2. be a leftie at the movies: are you one of those people that can’t enjoy a movie without digging into a bag of popcorn? you’re not hungry, the popcorn is stale, but you eat it out of habit. try eating with your non-dominant hand. you’ll find it slows you down considerably and the amount of buttery salty popcorn you eat is substantially less. 3. switch off the idiot box: are your mealtimes centered around the television? this is a distraction that can easily lead to overeating. your brain is so wired with the images and sounds from the tv that it does not perceive a sense of satiety and you end up chomping down on food without stopping when you’re full. instead, make mealtimes all about the food. relish what you’re eating without distractions. 4. go grocery shopping when you’re stuffed: you’re more likely to buy unhealthy, sugar-loaded, calorie-dense food when you’re hungry. do your grocery shopping after a heavy meal. it’s easier to exercise your willpower and buy only healthy food when you’re feeling full. this will mean there are no unhealthy snacks to reach out for at home. you can’t eat what’s not there. 5. mirror, mirror on the (kitchen) wall: something as simple as a mirror on your refrigerator or in your kitchen can influence your eating habits. seeing your reflecting just as you’re about to reach for the cream cheese can be the signal your brain needs to stop and make a healthier choice. if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you’ll have to try every trick in the book. these are five easy to implement tips, but they’re not going to work in isolation – diet and exercise will have to part of the plan.

Detoxification, or detoxing as it’s commonly known, has earned a bad reputation. many people think of detoxing as 7, 14, or even 21 days of drinking nothing but liquids. these short-term, high-effort, and nutrient-poor diets are ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. in fact, the human body is designed to detox itself every day through the gut, kidneys, skin, liver, and lungs. when detoxing is done in a healthy and safe manner, it can remove toxins from your body, improve immunity, slow down aging, increase energy, give you radiant skin, and help you lose weight. here is an easy 6-step detox that you can incorporate into your daily routine: 1. drink plenty of h2o: the human body is made up of 60-75% water. drinking water is the easiest and the best way to detox. what you’re essentially doing is helping your kidneys flush out waste from your body. the aim should be to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water a day. keeping well hydrated also does wonders for your skin and helps weight loss by keeping hunger pangs at bay. 2. work up a sweat: if you’re spending all your time in an air conditioned environment, you’re missing out on a natural way to detox. sweat is one of the body’s primary ways of getting rid of toxins. make sure you sweat when you exercise. spend some time outdoors. if you have access to a sauna, use it to get those beads of sweat rolling and expel those toxins from your system. 3. take a deep breath: poor posture and bad breathing habits keep our lungs from inhaling enough oxygen and expelling all the carbon dioxide. try some yogic deep breathing exercises, preferably in the fresh air, to expel toxins via the aerial route. 4. go organic: are you aware of how much of your food comes out of cans, bottles, and boxes? any food that is processed in a factory has chemicals, preservatives, and additives that accumulate in our bodies. organically grown food is free from pesticides. for a natural way to detox, cut down on processed foods. make fruits and vegetables a big portion of your diet – their high fiber content helps regulate the bowels and flush out toxins via the digestive system. 5. spice it up: turmeric, cumin, cloves, mustard, ginger, garlic, saffron, red pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and cilantro are an inherent part of indian cuisine. they also happen to be excellent detox spices that are antioxidants and help the liver drive out toxins from our bodies. use these traditional indian ingredients in healthy recipes to help your body detox. 6. strike a pose: the systematic stretching and compressing of muscles in yoga stimulate the circulatory, digestive, and lymph systems of the body and helps them to cleanse and detox. in fact, exercise of any kind helps the body detoxify itself by breathing, sweating, circulating, and stretching. try these simple detoxing techniques to cleanse your body and restore its balance. you’ll feel more energetic, you’ll sleep better, you’ll look younger, and you’ll probably drop a few pounds in the bargain.

It’s not surprising to believe that commuting to work by bike or on foot will surely contribute towards your weight loss goals. though this is really effective but not the most optimum option owing to distance and time problems. don’t worry! new studies have shown that the same theory holds true for public transport as well. people who opt for public transport no matter how much they exercise or not they are likely to weigh 5-7 pounds lesser than people who commute via cars! this is simply because public transport involves a greater level of incidental physical activity like – walking from your home to the station, standing in a busy train carriage, sprinting up down the station stairs, etc. the related research was conducted in university of east anglia’s norwich medical school and the university of york; over more than 4,000 individuals in a three-part survey conducted between 2004 and 2007. the results of the study indicated that people who switched to travelling via public transport after previously commuting by car lost an average of 0.32 units – equivalent to around 1 kg – from their bmi over the period. this is mainly because you consider the activities related to public transmit more as a daily chore and you don’t even notice the amount of calories you are burning which ultimately contribute in weight loss! benefits some of the major ways in which inclusion of public transport in your daily life can prove helpful for weight loss are:- 1. daily workout you are working out on a daily basis and that too even without noticing it. repeating the activities on a daily basis make a deep impact on your body and weight. it has been analysed that people who commute using public transit for 30 or more minutes, have a reduction of around 2.25 bmi units, or around 7 kg (over one stone) over a period of 4-5 years. 2. controlled eating if you want to travel with public transport you have to be more punctual which automatically results in the controlled and timely intake of food. having food at the right time also plays a major role in boosting up the weight loss process. so indirectly public transit also helps you balance you food intake levels. 3. social support when travelling via public transport you are likely to meet people of similar mindset which results in building up a community for social support. social support from the community helps to increase the dedication and motivations towards weight loss goals accomplishment. so this makes it clear that public transit not only plays an active role in contributing positively towards economic and environmental benefits but has a major health significance as well. the above findings act as a motivation for all weight watchers commuters to opt for sustainable modes of transport.

All exercises are good, but when talking specifically for weight loss, it’s really hard to beat brisk walking. this activity will melt away the pounds, tone your flabby bits and leave you on an emotional high. it is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and get fit without restricting your diet or enrolling into any fitness club. scientists at the university of pittsburgh recently revealed that overweight people who walked briskly for around 30-60 mins a day lost weight even without much change in their other lifestyle habits. not only this, another american study highlighted that people who walked for at least 4 hours a week gained approximately 9 pounds lesser weight in comparison to other couch potatoes as they get older. benefits of brisk walking some of the major benefits of including this activity in your daily workout regime are highlighted as under:- 1. it works even when you’re at rest high-intensity workouts like brisk walking stimulates effective “after-burn” in comparison to low-intensity workouts. even if you compare brisk walking with other exercises, it has been highlighted that by certain studies that it (brisk walking) will lead to greater weight loss, most likely because your resting energy expenditure stays elevated even after you are done. not only this, certain comparison studies have shown that brisk walking leads to 90% more calorie burnout in comparions to the calories burned through weight lifting! 2. keeps you dedicated towards your goals the simple rule of exercising is that if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick to it. it has been highlighted by certain studies that brisk walking can actually get you high. there is a clear linkage between moderate to intense exercise and morphine-like brain chemicals called endocannabinoids, which suggest endorphins alone aren’t responsible for the occasional flood of euphoria that rushes over you during a hard run. that happy sensation you had after your last race makes you want to go for another, right? 3. time-efficient and convenient you can do it alone. you can do it almost anywhere. you don’t need any equipment beyond a pair of running shoes. these are some of the reasons, brisk walking is the best workout for weight loss – it’s cheap, it’s accessible, and there are fewer barriers to block your workout regime! how long should you walk each day to lose weight? on an average basis, an individual should walk at least 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) in a day to stay healthy and about 16,000 steps to lose weight. normally a person walks about 4500 steps daily for his regular chores. it is suggested to increase your walk timing by 5 minutes every 2 weeks. if you follow this workout plan religiously, in just 3 months the results will speak for themselves. types of walking if you are bored of your daily walking schedules or patterns, how about experimenting with some new ways of walking:- 1.nordic walking this type of walking uses ski-like poles. john pocari, a professor from the university of wisconsin, studied the benefits of walking with ski-like poles forces people to pick up their pace and work harder without realizing it. 2. mall walking also known as “mallercise” in u.s., this type of walking was derived by the doctors who encouraged cardiac patients to incorporate indoor walking in shopping malls to hasten their rehab. 3. treadmills treadmills are softer and have easier terrain, which makes them a good choice for walking as they are less strenuous than the hard road. it is really suitable for people with terrain and back problems. for better results set them on a slightly incline level. thus, it is clear that brisk walking is an effective way to lose weight and you must include it in your daily routine to see quick results of your efforts!