KEEPING FIT IN THE OFFICE

• Be physically active. Take the stairs, not the lift. Take a short walk, post lunch. Take short ‘work-out’ breaks. Get off the bus/auto a couple of stops earlier, and walk the rest of the way.
• Take up a sport/fitness activity, at least during the weekend.
• Discuss your fitness activity with colleagues, and help others who want to pursue an activity too.
• Organize office-bonding activities around sports such as athletics, a football match or a Sunday cycling event.
• Say ‘NO’ to tobacco.
• Relax by doing deep breathing exercises or pranayama. The risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and eventually be eliminated altogether.

The theme is being expressed by Ms. Hema Vijay in a daily news paper.

It is WORLD HEART DAY on September 27 with the theme “WORK WITH HEART”. One can incorporate work-outs into office hours.

A ‘HEARTY’ DIET

• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
• Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, especially spinach and sprouted grams which are rich in vitamins and minerals. Don’t overcook food, as it destroys nutrients.
• Eat plenty of salads.
• If you are a non-vegetarian, avoid red meat (lamb beef pork). Settle for lean meat like chicken and fish.
• Avoid oil rich in saturated fatty acids such as palm oil and coconut oil and vanaspathi, margarine, butter and ghee. Opt for oil rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids such as olive, corn, soya bean, sunflower or gingelly oil. Go for a mixture of oils.
• Limit your salt intake to two teaspoons a day. Stay off processed foods, as they have high salt content.
• Maintain a healthy weight. This, along with lowered salt intake, will
• lower blood pressure.

This article was read from a daily newspaper.

SIMPLE WAY TO STAY SLIM

• Eat small meals at regular intervals of 3 hours.
• Use whole grains, multi grain flour, barley, oat meals, millets (ragi, jowar, bajra) in your regular diet.
• Eat a minimum of 3 fresh fruits and 2.5 cups (standard measuring cup) of high fiber vegetables everyday.
• Eat your dinner 3 hours before bedtime.
• Buttermilk, fresh lime, green tea, herb tea, soups can be used as fillers between meals.
• Limit salt and sugar to 2 tsp per day.
• Keep away from hydrogenated fats, baked foods, refined flour (Maida based foods), excess sugar, oil and salt.
• Choose low fat milk and milk products. Prepare paneer at home with low fat milk.
• Include a handful of raw, unsalted nuts everyday to keep cholesterol in check.
• Limit whole eggs to 2-3 per week.
• Choose white meat and limit red meat to once/twice a month.
• Colorful fruits and vegetables like purple cabbage, capsicums, brinjal are loaded with anti oxidants which protect your heart-include them everyday.
• Oil-3 tsp per day.
• Exercise for 1 hour everyday. Meet a qualified fitness trainer before you embark on a program. Get your physician’s nod if you have suffered any serious health problem before you start your exercise regimen.
• Avoid active and passive cigarette smoking and excessive intake of alcohol.


These important tips are given Nutritionist Shiny Chandran

This news is read and published in support of “WORLD HEART DAY” for the diet conscious users.

பாரத Matrimony

12 WAYS TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN

How is it possible? Here are 12 commandments that will help you avoid weight gain. The three keys are attitude, planning and determination.

1. SEPARATE FOOD FROM TELEVISION

Eating, drinking, napping and channel-surfing. If these consume most of your leisure hours, you will end up gaining weight. Make healthy and light food choices; fill your plate with the quantity right for you. Be fully aware of what and how much goes into your system.

2. AVOID SKIPPING MEALS BEFORE A PARTY

Don’t starve yourself during the day in anticipation of an evening party. If you eat at regular intervals during the day, you are less likely to over-eat at night. The body has an internal clock and the metabolism is regulated by regular cycles. Learn to respect these cycles. When you are fuelled right, it is easier to avoid a feeling of “out-of-control” hunger.

3. WIN AT THE DRINKING GAME

Savor alcohol in small quantities instead of guzzling down your drinks. Mix your drink with carbonated water to cut back on calories. Alcohol consumption slows down the fat burning capabilities of the body. One gram pf fat is 9 calories and alcohol is 7 calories per gram. Too much will inhibit your inhibitions, making you careless about what you eat.

4. NIBBLE ON NUTS

When you drink, your body naturally loses salt, which is why you readily reach out for salted peanuts. A couple of handfuls, instead of one fistful can be a cause of concern. Instead, check if pretzels, popcorn or other low fat savories are available.

5. DIVIDE BEFORE YOU DEVOUR

Don’t desert the dessert. Divide it. Pleasure is best when shared. This way your taste buds are satisfied, portion size decreased and calorie intake reduced.

6. LEAVE SOMETHING ON YOUR PLATE

No one believes you’ve eaten enough if your plate is empty. If your plate has a little food you won’t be coaxed to eat more.

7. “EAT” LOTS OF WATER WITH OUR MEALS

Eat high water content foods that will fill you up and help you lose weight. Examples are watermelon, oranges, sweet lime, grape fruit, pineapple, tomatoes and cucumber. Starchy vegetables, on the other hand, such as corn and potatoes are harder to digest than those that contain more water. In addition, drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

8. TAKE BREAKS TO DEEP BREATH.

Do you binge eat when you are bored, angry or tense? Relax, deep breathe several times. Decide to do something to take your mind off food. This will help you distinguish between actual hunger and eating due to emotional responses.

9. DO NOT GET DERAILED IF YOU GO OFF TRACK

It is inevitable that even the most determined, get off track occasionally. Just remember, it’s the final goal that’s important. So get back on track as soon as possible. Do not get immobilized with quilt.

10. “EXCUSE PROOF” YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE

Schedule “workout” in your daily planner. Find an exercise trainer or a workout
Buddy to help you stay committed. Make exercise an important part of your daily life and write it down so that you are more likely to keep the “appointment”. Adding a well programmed weight training and cardiovascular workout will work wonders for you. You will burn calories, boost your metabolic rate and shape up.

11. REWARD YOURSELF

Book yourself a relaxing massage or a spa treatment you enjoy. Buy yourself an outfit that looks good on you.

12. BROADEN YOUR PALETTE ON PLEASURES

Avoid rich gravies, creamy sauces or dressings. They are laden with high fat. Instead, order sauces and dressings on the side and go easy on them. Eat in a way that doesn’t place all the emphasis on the pleasure of food alone-lay emphasis on ambiance, well-presented meals and good company.

When planning your meals make sure you eat five to six small meals a day. Your body needs only few calories at a time for energy and metabolism. Large meals overload the body’s digestive system, excess is stored as fat.

This useful information is gathered from a daily news paper.

The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist, as per the information.