Avoid backpain by changing simple things

Backaches are no longer a problem plaguing only the elderly. An increasing number of people in their 20s and 30s suffer from it these days. Follow these simple tips for some relief.

Readjust your pillows
The way you sleep is crucial. If you are in the habit of sleeping on your back, place a pillow under the knees. If you tend to sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees and draw your legs towards the chest. And while sleeping on your stomach, place a small pillow under your abdomen to prevent the lower back from sagging.

Caution while exercising
While lifting weights above your head, squeeze the buttock muscles. This will force your body into a position that will automatically stabilise your spine, thereby reducing the risk of lower-back injuries.

Change your posture frequently
Frequent changes in posture prevents the concentration of stress in one particular area of the spine. But remember to maintain the natural arch of your back while changing postures.

Get your vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency increases the chance of osteoporosis. According to a recent study, 80% people suffering from backache were deficient in this vitamin. So, spend about five to 10 minutes in the sun daily.

Adjust car seat
Avoid reclining your car seat. Frequently craning your neck to look outside will end up putting strain on the lower neck. So, adjust your car seat in such a way that you can get a full view of the road ahead while your head is on the headrest.

Sit on exercise ball
Try sitting on an exercise ball/Swiss ball daily for 15 to 20 minutes. It will strengthen your coremuscles and alleviate the backache that is caused by too much sitting.

Do crunches
Ab crunches can reduce lower-back pains by almost 75%. When your ab muscles are weak, the buttock muscles and the muscles at the back of your legs have to work harder in order to keep the spine more stable.

Read More

Top 8 fruits that are good for health

1)      Apple

One medium-size apple is a filling, ready-to-eat snack that is packed with four grams of soluble fiber—17% of the Daily Value (DV), or the amount you need each day. “This is important for colon health and controlling blood sugar levels,” says Elson Haas, M.D., author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition. “It’s also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.” Apples also contain quercetin, which has antihistamine and antiallergy properties.

2)      Grape

Research has shown that consuming high-glycemic carbs after workouts produces a greater amount of glycogen—replenishing what you’ve depleted after a hard session—than consuming carbs that are lower on the glycemic index (GI). “Grapes are a very highglycemic fruit,” says nutritionist and physique specialist John Kiefer, “which makes them an ideal post-training snack.” They’re also loaded with vitamins A, C, and B6, and folate, in addition to several essential minerals.

3)      Cherry

Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, says inflammation in the body is the root cause of most disease and discomfort. “Chronic inflammation can wreak havoc on your vascular system,” he says, “but a lot of guys also suffer acute inflammation caused by sports injuries.” Studies suggest weekend warriors can ease aches and pains by eating tart cherries. These have the highest concentration of anthocyanins 1 and 2, which help block enzymes associated with inflammation.

4)      Pomegranate

If you’ve ever suffered from erectile dysfunction, try adding this “natural Viagra” to your daily diet. Research shows that the powerful antioxidant agents in pomegranate seeds and juice can help reverse oxidative damage—what nutritionist Oz Garcia, Ph.D., calls “natural rusting”—to the vascular system, which plays a major role in the ability to achieve and maintain erections. Perhaps this is why some theologians believe the pomegranate—and not the apple—was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

5)      Blackberry

Garcia recommends blackberries for their exceptional phytonutrient power and vitamin K content (36 percent of the DV). “This is important for men because it’s been shown to help lower risk of prostate cancer,” he says. “It’s also high in the mineral manganese, which helps support optimal testosterone production.” Blackberries—along with blueberries, bilberries, and raspberries—are also rich in the antioxidant lutein, which helps promote eye health by helping prevent macular degeneration.

6)      Grapefruit

The famous Scripps Clinic “Grapefruit Diet” study showed that participants who ate half a grapefruit before each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks. “It’s a great appetite suppressant,” Bowden says. “It also contains pectin, a soluble fiber that’s been shown to slow the progression of atherosclerosis.” Avoid eating grapefruit when taking prescription (or over-the-counter) medications, though. “It interacts with liver enzymes in a way that can keep the medication in your system longer than expected.”

7)      Lemon

“The citric acid in lemons helps break down lipids and stimulates digestive juices,” says Haas, who does a 10-day lemonade cleanse each year to reduce body fat and cholesterol. “Adding the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water every morning supports liver and gall bladder function.” Drink some fresh lemon juice before your next meeting. The energizing scent has been shown to mitigate fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness, and can increase concentration and alertness.

8)      Papaya

Papain, an enzyme in papaya, has been shown to relieve gas from indigestion. Another of its enzymes, chymopapain, has been used to relieve inflammation. One cup of fresh, ripe papaya has only 60 calories, yet packs a whopping 144 percent of the DV of vitamin C (88mg). “When buying papayas,” Garcia says, “look for ones that are mostly yellow and yield slightly to pressure.

Read More

New Iphone app for keeping yourself fit

Exercise is difficult enough without it being complicated with complex instructions. Fitwirr is a new iPhone workout app that is designed to simplify abdominal and glute workouts with easy to follow visual instructions that only take 5-8 seconds to master. "Most apps require up to 2 minutes of learning time for every exercise learned. This is well outside even a focused adult's attention span and discourages people from exercising. A shorter learning curve means lower barrier to entry and equates a more productive workout," says Misato Alexandre, an iOS developer for Fitwirr.

The problem with many workout apps on the market is that they presume a level of expertise with gym equipment that the average woman does not possess. Fitwirr helps women spend less time on complex instruction and more time pursuing personal fitness goals with exercises that make the greatest impact. The App presents each exercise with precise visual instructions and images that integrate the movements as a series of arrows and pointers. "We want to provide instant recognition of posture and key movements with minimal assistance. Our users need a workout that is easy to follow, yet highly focused and result oriented." Alexandre said.

Fitwirr's workouts are designed to be home friendly and can be performed with bodyweight only, or with accessible home equipment such as hand weights and towels. It seeks to balance a user friendly women's fitness app with a quality workout. "Our app was made under the direction of certified fitness professionals to ensure the highest quality." Alexandre, said "We aim to be the easiest to follow workout guide that maximizes workout time and brings results to the average woman."

Fitwire Inc is a tech company formed in 2011 in New York, NY. Fitwirr App is a women's fitness app available in the iTune App Store for free download.

Read More

Qualities to look out for in your personal trainer

Finding a personal trainer who makes you feel comfortable enough to expose your biggest flaws can be challenging. But they're called "personal" trainers for a reason -- they're there to guide you to your personal fitness goals, and to do so, they need to fit with your personality.

Here are five qualities you should look for in a personal trainer:

1. Patience

Patience is the key to a good client-trainer relationship. Trainers should understand that what works for one client may not work for another. He or she should do an assessment of your body when you first meet to familiarize themselves with your needs.Trainers should also find a comfortable pace for their clients . Some clients may progress at a faster rate, while others may require more coaching and assistance.

2. Communication

Your trainer likely will not be with you at all times during your workouts. That said, they should be able to explain things to you on the phone and teach you how to do certain moves without physically being present through every workout. Communication should always be two way not the usual where the trainer gives lecture and the client listens to it.

3. Professionalism

While it's important to maintain a close relationship with a client, Borden says, there also needs to be a level of professionalism. The duration of your training session, the location and the experience level of your personal trainer will dictate the cost of your session.

Lastly, the clothes your trainer wears should be simple and plain. The attention should be on the client, not on what the trainer is wearing or not wearing.

4. Education

Trainers should have -- and be able to show you -- an appropriate fitness certification for their area of expertise. To become certified, personal trainers must pass an exam through accredited organizations such as The American Council on Exercise (ACE), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Most exams cover exercise physiology, training and exercise procedures, nutrition, functional anatomy of the body and weight management. Each organization's certification exam will ask different questions.

A high school diploma or GED is necessary to enroll in certification classes; however, not all employers require college degrees -- this will depend on whether your trainer practices privately or through an institution.Trainers should also stay up-to-date with the latest fitness trends and new research published in scientific journals.

5. Personality

As a client, you want to feel comfortable and trust that your trainer has your best interest in mind.Once you have established what kind of personal trainer you want, you can start looking for them. There are certain online tools that can help you locate the personal trainers available in your area and filter your results to cater to your activity of interest, price range and gender.

Read More

Why you need a personal trainer?

Personal trainer is one who should take complete care of you by knowing all about you and your strength and weakness. He/she should try to convert your weakness to atleast comfortable region if not strength. Some personal trainers are worth their weight in gold-plated dumbbells, whereas others are incompetent scammers deserving nothing.

First, I’ll start off with five reasons why you might need a personal trainer, and then give you some tips on how to find a good one.

1. You are new to lifting

Pumping iron is a little more complicated that just lifting heavy things up and putting them back down again. Sure, your pumped-up buddy may say he knows how to train you, but does he really? Also, if you’re relying on a workout partner to show you the exercises, then you’re not getting the personalized attention you need in order to achieve your goals. Working out with a friend is great and can be highly motivating, but I would advise a professional trainer for a few sessions to learn the exercises.

2. Spending too much time on machines

When it comes to lifting, old-school is the only school, and that means free weights. Some machines serve a purpose, but I largely use them as “finishing” exercises. As an example, after four sets of dumbbell bench press, then three sets of barbell bench press, my pecs are done for free weights, but can slam out a few more sets on a machine. I would never start my routine on a machine though. Do rope exercises before you start with dumbbells.

3. Focusing on the bar muscles

A good personal trainer can put together a comprehensive lifting program that helps you meet your specific goals and also gives you a healthy and high-performance body that women find appealing. A little bit of biceps-pumping is OK, but you need to take an all-body focus using multi-joint movements: squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, chin-ups and rows.

4. Getting hurt and not reaching your goals

Weightlifting technique is important. You need a trained eye to make sure you’re lifting properly to maximize your results and protect the joints. You shouldn’t be flopping around like an ant that accidentally fell into a pool of water while trying to bench more than you should.

5. You’re getting bored or have hit a plateau

Even if you’re an accomplished lifter who has obtained great results, a trainer can help you mix things up to help keep loving lifting and to reach a higher level of awesome. You may be working with enthusiasm on the first month of joining the gym and then the interest may slide away gradually because you may not achieve what you wanted. So you need a trainer to boost your physical and mental health when you hit a plateau.

Read More

Choose the right gym like you choose your life partner

If you are on the hunt for the right gym, approach it like finding the perfect life partner. Consider your gym selection as your partner in health.

Evaluate the features you need

 Evaluate what features are most important to you and then make sure the gym you select is a match. Want a menu of group fitness classes to select from? If you are a strength trainer then choose according to it or if you are planning to shed weight by only doing cardio go for the normal gyms. The gym you select should have what you care about most.

Going Solo or all in the family? 

If your kids are young, find a gym with quality childcare options. Check out what they have to offer, cost, and hours. If your kids are old enough to use the gym, do find a family friendly gym or one that offers a nice price point for the whole family to sign up. Some gyms may even have events for kids, spas, cafes for family dining, and other family friendly perks.

What is your budget?

Budget is one of the prime factor in selecting the gym you want. What amenities do you want vs. what you can afford? Consider initial fees and monthly dues and find out what’s included in that price. Does it include a personal assessment of your fitness? Access to unlimited group fitness classes? Don’t forget to ask about discounts or special packages offered, especially around the holidays. Consider that you may not want to get locked into a long-term contract if it has early termination fees. On that note, see if the gym you are checking out has a free trial period.

Location of your gym

Long distance relationships typically don’t work. Consider making your life easier by not having a long commute to the gym. Let’s face facts: People do what’s easy to do. If you gym is near your house or work, you’ll be more likely to show up and use that membership.

Want some personal attention? 

A lot of gyms have personal training packages or personal trainers who can give one-on-one attention. Learn about the programs offered.  Ask to make sure the personal trainers hold a certification(s) accredited by the NCCA. Be sure to check out what’s available before becoming a member.

Most important tip:

Once you find your gym match, invest in your relationship by visiting your new partner in health regularly—at least five times a week.

Read More

Fitness motivation

Weight loss and exercising more among the most common resolutions every New Year day. And surprisingly, statistics are not all that bad – about 60% of people who make a resolution will stay consistent for around 6 months!

But since we all know that exercising comes with a host of mind/body benefits, it's important that exercise is part of your lifestyle. You don't have to run a 5K or do a triathlon to be healthy or even join a gym. You just have to move your body and do so daily (and often). 

1) TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

The best way to reach a fitness goal is to be consistent. We don’t want perfection, we want progress. It’s easy to sign up for a gym membership and then tell yourself that you are going to workout for 1 hour a day, 7 days a week until you reach your fitness goal. But that’s not practical to be superhuman in your first week of working out with a new or improved plan.

 In order to set yourself up for fitness success you have to adapt to the stress you put on your body and then you have to recover. 
I recommend to write down short and long term goals and then have a plan and track your progress in a journal. Start slow. Every two weeks you should be making a small change in your routine to move you closer to your goals.

2)BE YOUR OWN COACH

Having a personal trainer or coach is great for they help you make the most efficient use of your time and customize a plan to your own goals and lifestyle. But with the help of apps on your phone or tablet, you can be your own coach to keep yourself motivated with purpose to every workout. Also, use social media to let others know about your workouts for accountability or join a group so that your friends can make sure you don't fall behind while others in your group are making fitness gains.

3) REDUCE RISK FOR INJURY

Before every workout, dedicate 5-10 minutes to warming up your muscles with dynamic stretching or foam rolling, especially if you workout first thing in the morning or after sitting at work all day. Foam rolling is an effective and affordable way to wake up your tendons and muscles. After your workout, light stretching is recommended. 

4) NEW GEAR = INSTANT MOTIVATION

Having the right gear is instant motivation. Anytime you are feeling a plateau in your workout routine, by a new outfit or consider using technology to give you instant feedback during your workouts. For clothing, choose moisture wicking material that is breathable and flexible. If you workout in the dark, choose reflective gear. Also, layers are great as your body warms during a workout.

Also, music is a great way to improve your mood, just be sure to get a good pair of headphones that allow you to move without the buds slipping out of your ears (especially when you sweat).

5) RECOVERY NUTRITION

After you have damaged your body, it's time to do the serious work...recover! This is where the magic happens. To be consistent you want to adapt to training stress and recover to repeat it all again during the next workout. Cow's milk is a great recovery drink to deliver a nice mix of carbohydrates, protein, fluids and electrolytes to your damaged tissues. Your type of recovery nutrition may vary based on your fitness routine.

Read More

Basic Weightlifting guide

I won’t go too much into the rea­sons why lift­ing heavy weights is good for you — Like the Nike slo­gan: just do it. This post is a basic guide on HOW to lift heavy weights.

Some Food for thought:

There is a bunch of BS sur­round­ing weight-lifting and fit­ness in gen­eral. Most of what works is easy to under­stand and the rest is mostly smoke and mir­rors meant to sell books, ad-space, or the lat­est gim­micky fit­ness prod­uct. I’m going to let you in on a secret: Don’t buy the hype.

Fit­ness and weight-lifting is very sim­ple to under­stand and uni­ver­sally applic­a­ble for 99% of the pop­u­la­tion.The weightlift­ing prin­ci­ples are based on how we have sur­vived in nature for thou­sands of years and evolved to our cur­rent con­di­tion. Human beings are made to pick up, drag, and move heavy objects.  It has been an inte­gral part of the human sur­vival and growth.  

Now-a-days peo­ple aren’t forced to move any­thing heavy unless by choice and this inac­tiv­ity has a large cor­re­la­tion to the obe­sity pan­demic in this coun­try.  Lift­ing weights is a basic human func­tion we all must do; male or female, young or old.  

Weightlift­ing is exactly, absolutely,  undoubtedly,  and 100% what you need to have develop any kind of tone-ness or firm­ness for men and women!

A BONUS

A huge ben­e­fit of build­ing mus­cle through lift­ing weights is the ther­mo­genic effect that your body has after you train. Your body turns into a calorie-burning furnace. Think of it as ‘car­dio’ for free–you burn calo­ries when you aren’t moving.

When you lift weights you will firm-tone-and-tighten (I hate these words but just so we are on the same page) your entire body, and after you lift weights, for the next 24 hours you will expe­ri­ence calorie-burning that will help shed the hardest-to-shed area of your body: the stom­ach.

THE 3 BASIC BAR­BELL LIFTS ARE: SQUAT, DEAD­LIFT, SHOUL­DER PRESS

Stand up, sit down, pick stuff up, press it over­head. Any human can per­form these move­ments. Maybe not with weight, maybe not with­out assis­tance, maybe not per­fectly, but they def­i­nitely can be done. The point is to start doing them and to start at what­ever point your fit­ness level deter­mines. Flex­i­bil­ity, gen­eral fit­ness con­di­tion, and many other fac­tors will come into play in deter­min­ing where you should start and how long it will take to reach goals you set for yourself.

squat

Deadlift

Shoulder press

The key is to get started, take it slow, and be safe. Do not pressurise yourself or dont get into any kind of excitement in the beginning. Do not try to lift heavy weights intially otherwise you will face serious troubles.

GEN­ERAL STRENGTH ROU­TINE GUIDELINES

1. Lift 2–4 times a week

2. Fol­low pro­gres­sive over­load prin­ci­ples (increase weight smartly)

3. Track your progress

4. Analyze fail­ure (usu­ally) with proper intensity

5. Rest between sessions

6. Train in a bal­anced way and work mobility

7.  Use a work­out part­ner and spot­ter. Be safe (if you get hurt you can’t train and that is counterproductive)

8. Eat a clean diet that empha­sizes whole foods that will improve recovery

9. Drink water

10.  Keep reps moderate-to-heavy  in the 8–15 range most of the time. Do heavy 1–5 rep sets some­times (advanced) and do 10+ rep sets sometimes

11. Use proper warm-up sets with light weight and build to work­ing sets.

Read More