::..FITNESS POINT..::

Congratulation! You have taken a First step towards improving your health & fitness by starting an exercise program. I have seen many people starting exercise program but very few continue it for more than six month & hardly any make it a part of their lifestyle. Most of us start with great enthusiasm but somehow along the way very few are able to lead a fitness life style for their life. With my experience I have observed a few reasons why people can’t continue.

Most basic and common problem is that they misunderstand how the body works. Your body will remain as you keep it. The body is mainly affected by our dietary habits and physical activity levels. The body will remain in good condition as long as you maintain your diet and exercise. If you change them the body will change. Most people do the gym and diet for short term, so the body will remain fit and in good shape for short term.

The other problem is of expecting too much too soon. Our body does not change overnight (for good or bad) It is a slow step by step process. Many start exercising with too much high expectations (unrealistic), and when those expectations are not met they drop out.

Many do the exercises without Heart & Mind. If you do it because you have to, then you have a high probability of discontinuing it. Do it because you want to do it. Enjoy your workout. Learn new exercises. Enjoy the process rather than the results. Observe and learn how your body responds to various exercises. If you enjoy your workouts then you have a chance of continuing it for the lifetime.

So no matter where you are along the spectrum of fitness, you can change your body. You can build muscles, get rid of fat, and get in shape. You will if you believe you can… Wish you a healthy life style….

Sure you don’t need to go to a health club to get in shape; Just stepping out of your front door for a walk, run or cycle ride will suffice, and eating healthy is equally important for getting fit. But ritual of going to the gym on daily basis or almost daily basis is what makes the difference at the end of the day.

It is said that the fitness is an attitude …….. Its’ an attitude towards life, attitude to do more, to do better in life, in whatever field you are. In the gym you meet like minded people who share this appreciation for exercise and healthy life style.

Apart from this the opportunity to lift the weight under the expert’s supervision helps in avoiding any injury risk and maximizing the gains from your workouts. So step out and make it a must in your daily schedule to visit the gym at least three to four days in a week.

The human body is an amazing machine. Though we may never know its full capabilities, we constantly discover new ways to challenge and extend its known limits. The body is capable of change. It responds to new stimuli and then adapts to the change. It heals itself. It learns. It remembers. There is nothing more pleasing like watching your body change before your own eyes, with each peek in the mirror becoming more rewarding than the last. And the compliments from the near and dear ones are the icing on the cake.

To change, you need to challenge your body. Do not compare it with somebody else, because it is different. It is different because of genetic factors. It is different because of eating habits. It is different because of physical activity levels and it’s different because of emotional balance. All these factors affect our body and our body changes accordingly. That is why one should not follow somebody else’s exercise program. Since your body is different, it needs a different set of exercises and a different diet plan to achieve your goals. The best way is to identify your goals and get your exercises planned with the help of your trainer to suit your needs.

There are various ways of defining fitness, but the important parameters on which the fitness level of an individual depends are Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Cardiovascular Endurance, Flexibility and Body Composition.

	Muscular Strength
	Indicates capacity of the muscle to lift maximum weight for one single contraction. More the weight lifted indicates higher strength. To improve muscular strength we need to do weight training.

	Muscular Endurance
	Indicates the capacity of the muscle or group of muscles to perform number of repeated contractions against a resistance without fatigue, or a length of time a contraction can be held without fatigue. More number of repetitions performed indicates higher muscular endurance. To improve muscular endurance we need to do a combination of weight training and aerobic (cardio) workout.

	Cardiovascular Endurance
	Indicates the ability of the heart, lungs and circulatory system to deliver oxygen to the working muscle to fuel further exercise and to carry away waste products (Lactic Acid). To improve cardiovascular endurance we need to do aerobic (cardio workout).

	Flexibility
	Indicates the range of movement at a particular joint. More the range of movement indicates more flexible body. To improve flexibility we need to do stretching exercises.

	Body Composition (Body Fat Percentage)
	The body composition indicates the constituents of the body. Our body is made up of bone, muscle, tissue, blood water, fluids etc. The excess energy in the body is stored in the form of fat. As the fat percentage in the body increases, the health risk increases. Excess fat has been associated with various health risks including Hypertension, Diabetes, and Arthritis etc. Increased fat percentage also increased the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. To improve body fat percentage we need to do a combination of weight training and aerobic (cardio) workout. Fat Percentage Men 15 % To 20 % Women 20 % To 25 %

Most important but widely neglected part of the workout is warm-up. If done correctly, a pre-exercise warm-up can have a multitude of beneficial effect on a person's workout and, consequently, their overall health.

When we begin exercising, initially our body is at rest. If we jump start to a high intensity workout, it puts an excessive load on our body. For example the load on the musculoskeletal system will increase rapidly and it may damage our joints. Similarly there will be sudden load on the cardiovascular system to supply more blood and oxygen to the working muscle. This sudden loading may damage the heart muscles as well as the arteries supplying blood to the working muscle.

The advantages of gradual warming up are many. It helps the body to prepare for the exertion phase of the workout in which we move our joints at a faster speed, we lift maximum weight etc. Slowly increasing the rate of blood flow will put lesser pressure on the heart and arteries reducing the risk of damage. Similarly gradually increasing the speed of joints movement helps the tissues in the joint to secrete a special fluid called as ‘Synovial Fluid’ which acts as lubricant. This helps prevent any injury to the joint.

Gradually increasing the intensity of the workout also increases the temperature of the muscle which helps in smoother muscle contraction as wormed up muscle is more flexible. Finally the warm up increases the mind muscle co-ordination.

The best way to warm up is to do spot jogging or slow walking and then activate all the joints starting from top to bottom, including neck, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. The warm up should not take more than five minute of your time.

So next time you begin your workout, do not forget to warm up and keep your self injury free.

Cooling down is exactly opposite to the warm-up. During the workout, our intensity is very high. The blood is moving faster through our body to supply sufficient oxygen to the working muscle. If we suddenly stop during the high intensity workout then the blood will be pooled near working muscle. This may result in heavy headedness or even in fainting. To avoid this it is always better to reduce the workout intensity gradually. Even lying down for a few minute after the workout will bring your heart rate to the normal.

	Advantages of cool down

		Helps the heart rate to come back to normal.
		Helps to prevent injuries(post exercise)
		Helps to prevent unnecessary drop in blood pressure.

Flexibility is one of the essential components of fitness. Stretching is one of the most essential exercises to increase flexibility and reduce injuries. It has been observed that lack of flexibility is the major reason for most of the back problems.

	Advantages of stretching

		Stimulates circulation.
		Improve flexibility and performance.
		Prevents injury risk.
		Tends to relieve many aches and pain.
		Loosens up ligaments, joints and muscles.
		Increases co-ordination and suppleness.
		Contributes in maintaining long term elasticity of the muscles those are being trained.

The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system to process and deliver oxygen more quickly and efficiently to every part of the body. For every movement we make, energy is required. Without energy we will not be able to even blink our eye. The energy in our body is derived from the food we eat. There are various complex chemical reactions involved to release the energy from the food. These chemical reactions can be broadly classified in two groups; reactions which need oxygen to release the energy, called Aerobic Pathway and those which do not need oxygen, called Anaerobic Pathway. Most of the time body produces energy by Aerobic pathway. So we can safely say that any activity in which body uses Aerobic Pathway to produce energy to fuel the activity can be termed as Aerobic Activity. So the activities like walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, dancing etc. are the aerobic activities. These activities improves the function of the cardio-respiratory system by improving capacity of the lungs to take in more air to transfer more oxygen to the blood; by improving the size of the heart and the strength of the heart muscle so that it can pump more blood with every contraction; by improving the flexibility of arteries and veins so that they can carry more blood to the working muscle. As the heart muscle becomes stronger and more efficient, a larger amount of blood can be pumped with each heartbeat. As a result, an individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the aerobic session. On an average around 20 minute of any aerobic activity every alternate day is sufficient to maintain your aerobic fitness.

	Advantages of the aerobic workout

		Helps reduce excess fats.
		Increases stamina.
		Improves respiratory and cardiovascular system.
		Reduces risk of heart and arterial diseases.
		Reduces stress and tension and aids relaxation.
		Improves sleep.
		Helps to relieve depression.
		Improves your concentration.
		Delays the signs of aging.

Strength training, popularly called as resistance training or Weight training is a way of exercising in which the weights are lifted to increase muscular strength and to develop additional muscles. Strength training doesn’t build only stronger muscles, though; the bones and connective tissue grow stronger as well. In essence entire body including mind becomes stronger and healthier.

	Advantages of strength training

	For below 15 years of age
		Prepares basic frame work of body
		Increase mind muscle co-ordination
		IIt strengthens muscle.
		Helps improve performance in sports

	For age group 15-35 years
		Increases Lean body Mass (Muscle weight)
		It improves strength.
		Gives aesthetic values in terms of personality development (Looks).
		Preparing body for old age
		Increases bone density.

	For age group 35- 55 years
		Most critical age when you need weight training.
		Maintain and improves muscle strength.
		Delay the symptoms of aging like avoiding flabby body.
		Good as precautionary measure for health problems like to prevent obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases (to control triglycerides, cholesterol).

		Prevent bone loss and problem like knee and back pain.

	For age group above 55 years
		Maintaining muscle power.
		Increase mind muscle co-ordination.
		Helps in avoiding accidents (imbalance).
		Helps in reducing joint pain due to orthopedic problems.
		Improves overall physical health.

Yes. Women need to do weight training as it makes them stronger and helps to tone up their body. Muscular strength is necessary to carry out daily activities in the life.

Women fear that if they do weight training they will put on muscles, loose their feminine look and will look muscular like men. This is not possible because for muscular development a hormone called ' testosterone ' is required which is in very low quantity in female. Due to this they can not put on muscles like men. At the same time putting on little bit of muscles is important as it improves strength. Even the resting energy consumption of the muscle tissue is higher resulting in higher metabolic rate, which helps in maintaining the body fat levels. From looks point of view also weight training helps you achieve that much desired ‘toned’ look.

So overall there are lots of benefits for women to do weight training.

For long time strength training was considered dangerous for children because of the fear that it might stunt their growth. This is not the case. An individuals’ height is determined mainly by the genetic factors. Other factor which may affect positively is the activity level and nutritional balance in the body. Exercise if at all affect will however help in increasing the height. In fact, some sports place more stress on the joints and bones than strength training does.

One has to understand that there is a basic difference in the weight training exercises for adults and children. The goal in case of adults is improvement in muscular strength and muscles, but in case of children the goal is to develop a balanced physique, improve mind muscle coordination and strengthen the bone structure. For this the exercises should be planned differently. The emphasis is more on lifting moderate weight with right techniques.

Pull-ups and push-ups are great strengthening exercises for kids since they must only support their own body weight. Children may work out two to three times per week, performing one set of seven or eight simple exercises at 10 to 15 repetitions. Biceps curls or leg extensions are best for young weightlifters. It is important that an adult closely supervises all strength-training exercises at all times. Children should avoid competitive weight lifting and concentrate on performing all exercises with proper training technique. Supervised strength-training programs enhance children’s strength, motor fitness skills and athletic performance and help prevent injuries.

While breathing is one of the most natural things you do, learning to successfully incorporate it into your exercise can be challenging. When doing basic muscle building exercises, generally the lifter should inhale before and during the lowering phase and exhale during the end of lifting phase of each repetition. While you may hold your breath to temporarily increase strength, you should also be aware of the risk associated with this practice. Holding your breath during a weight training repetition or set can result in higher blood pressure. While this may benefit the lift, the increase in B.P. is potentially hazardous. One should avoid excessive breath holding, such as for entire repetition. The increased B.P. makes it more difficult for your heart to pump blood and eventually reduces blood flow to the brain. This may result in dizziness, and nausea. This light headedness may result in fainting during or after an exercise. So one is better off emphasizing natural, rhythmic breathing as much as one can, even when the weights are heavy. On occasion you may need to hold your breath through a sticking point, but try to breathe smoothly throughout entire repetition.

	Breathing Technique

		Stimulates circulation.
		During aerobic workout the breathing should be rhythmic on regular basis.
		Weight Training
		During weight training one should breath-out while lifting the weight (when the muscle is contracting) and should breath-in while releasing the weight (when the muscle is relaxing).
		Abdominal Training
		During abdominal training, as in case of weight training one should breath-out when the muscles are contracted and should breath-in when the muscles are relaxing.

There are many misconceptions about the Steam Bath. The most common is about its role in weight loss and the way the steam bath should be taken.Steam Bath is a cold-hot treatment to the body. We take cold water shower first and then go to the steam room where the temperature is around 48 degree Celsius. This sudden changein the temperature makes the heart pump faster which results in improved blood circulation. As we take steam, due to high humidity there is lot of sweating. This results in reduction in weight due to fluid loss. This weight is replenished if we drink a glass of water. There is hardly any fat loss due to steam. How to take Steam Bath Again there are many misconceptions. Many take steam for long time. Just think: you are exposing your skin to a temperature of above 48 degree Celsius. At that temperature if you expose the skin for long duration it may burn outer layer. This may lead to dark circles especially on the face where the skin is delicate. Even taking steam for long duration may dehydrate you leaving your skin dry and scratchy. Some people apply some oil or moisturizer on the skin before taking the steam. This is entirely wrong. During steam you are going to sweat. So the body is going to throw away all the toxins in the body. If you apply oil on the skin then it will block that sweating process and will deprive you from the cleansing benefit. One can apply moisturizer to the skin after taking the steambath so that the moisturizer is maintained and skin does not become dry.

	Major Advantages are

		Improves Blood circulation
		Relaxes stressed muscles
		Cleans up body and skin by throwing out toxins.
		Cleans up sinuses.

	Ventilation
	During exercise the energy requirement of the body increases. To convert the energy stored in the body to usable form, chemical reactions takes place in the body. Oxygen is required for these chemical reactions. If we do the exercise with closed windows in that case the availability of the oxygen is less, as there is no free air circulation. So it is always advisable to do the exercise with open window. If there is no wind in that case one can even use ceiling fan. The concept that one should workout in a closed environment is a myth.

	Water Intake during Exercise
	When we exercise we sweat a lot because of which the water levels of the body go down. The body fluid levels are required to be maintained as it helps in transporting the nutrients to the working muscles and at the same time it also helps to drain out the waste products away from them. If fluid levels drop in that case there is accumulation of waste products in to the working muscles resulting in muscle cramps. To avoid this, one should replenish the fluid loss due to sweating by sipping (not drinking) water while doing exercise.

	Exercising During Menstruation
	Female body produces an egg every month for the reproductive function and also prepares uterus to provide favorable condition for development of a fertilized egg into fetus. But when egg is not fertilized, it is discarded out of the body along with the endometrial layer of the uterus. This process of discarding is actually bleeding from vagina, which continues for 3-5 days and is called menstruation. Menstruation is cyclic bleeding from vagina of non-pregnant women during her reproductive age it is basically cyclic production of estrogen and progesterone by ovaries.


		Regular exercising makes the pelvic muscles (muscles surrounding uterus) stronger, so during menstruation when body is undergoing stress, stronger pelvic muscles give the strength to bear the uterine contraction pain.
		During menstruation, feeling of dullness and lethargy is generally experienced; regular exercising may make you feel fresh.
		Psychology: - Just sitting at one place, we knowingly or unknowingly tend to concentrate on pain or feeling of discomfort, diverting the mind towards other activity may help.

	Why to avoid vigorous exercises
	Vigorous exercises should be avoided as body is already under stress. Abdominal exercises,which will put extra pressure on uterus, should be avoided because it can lead to more pain.

	Is Spot Reduction Possible?
	No. Though the idea is very appealing and desirable but unfortunately it doesn’t happen that way. When we're working a muscle or group of muscles to burn fat, we have no control over what part of the body we burn fat from. There is no such thing as "spot reducing". Fat generally is used up in pretty much the reverse order it was put on, (LIFO - Last in First Out). The effect is an overall improved fat percentage and body conditioning. If we workout a particular body part more than the other, then we will achieve more toning for those muscles.

	Weight remains constant, but inches are lost?
	When you exercise many changes take place in the body. Before exercising the fat percentage in your body is more while the muscle mass is less. But once you start exercising the fat is lost, simultaneously with weight training the muscle develop. Therefore the weight remains the same but the inches are lost.

Whenever we take a meal, blood flow increases to the stomach and adjoining areas. Therefore vigorous exercise immediately after a heavy meal might lead to a feeling of dizziness and even vomiting. If you ate something fairly light, you probably don't need to wait very long. So depending on how heavy a meal you have had, you should wait between 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours. At the same time if you are coming empty stomach for the workout, the body will not be able to support heavy exercise. During the heavy workout body needs ready source of energy; if you are empty stomach then there will not be ready availability of energy. In such situation you may feel dizzy. So the important aspect is that you should not be too full or empty stomach while exercising.

	Abdominal Workout
	You should treat your abdominal muscles like any other muscle group, which means you shouldn't train them every day. Your abdominals, like all of your other muscle groups, need recovery time between workouts. As with any resistance training exercise, you ideally want the last few repetitions to be difficult to complete. Performed correctly, 10 to 25 repetitions for one to three sets of abdominal exercises provide a more than adequate training stimulus. If you can perform more than 25 repetitions of an abdominal exercise, you are most likely performing the repetitions too rapidly or with improper form. You can increase the challenge and intensity of abdominal exercises by using added resistance, moving more slowly or performing the exercises on a slant board or exercise ball so that your head is at a lower elevation than your legs.

	Sweat
	Sweating is a very common phenomenon. Every individual sweat; some sweat more than the others. Sweating is a mechanism of the body by which the body controls its internal temperature. The reason for profuse sweating is that the body’s’ core temperature becomes significantly high during exercise. This cooling of the body is very important or else the excess heat may damage the tissues and delicate organs in the body. Workout in an environment where the temperature is comfortable. If you are sweating too much due to high humidity do not hesitate to switch on the fan. This will only help in cooling the body. Wipe out the sweat regularly. Amount of sweating does not indicate how many calories you have burn but it indicates that your body temperature is too high and you need to cool down.

	Time It Yourself
	When is the best time of the day to work out? In general, whenever works best for you. After all, if you exercise at the same intensity, you will burn the same number of calories regardless of the time of day. Every individual has a set body clock. Some wake up early and others need to sleep more. One has to understand this and choose the timing accordingly. If you are used to getting up late then there is no point choosing early morning timing for exercise; most probably you will not make it! Exercise has to be a part of lifestyle. It should perfectly fit into your daily routine. You need not make special efforts for it. Another aspect is you should be mentally free when you workout. If you are working out and at the same time you are looking at the time to catch the office, you will not be able to concentrate on the workout. Exercising is like meditation; you will reap maximum benefits if you can concentrate on your workout. If you are a regular exerciser, you may have already determined your most productive time to exercise. So follow a routine that works best for you.

	Following are the few reasons why kids should get plenty of exercise
		Kids who exercise are more likely to keep exercising as an adult.
		Exercise helps children achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
		Regular physical activity including Weight Training helps build and maintain strong, healthy muscles, bones and joints.
		Exercise aids in the development of important interpersonal skills– this is especially true for participation in team sports.
		Exercise improves the quantity and quality of sleep.
		Research shows that exercise promotes improved school attendance and enhances academic performance.
		Kids who exercise have greater self-esteem and better self-images.

	At what age can child begin strength training?
	It is never too late or too early to get kids physically active. Children as young as six years old may strength train as long as they follow directions and focus on proper form and technique. During training they should be under the constant supervision of an adult.

	No Pain No Gain- Is It True?
	In hardcore gym you will see many body builders subscribing to this view of ‘No Pain No Gain’. But is that really true? What do they mean by Pain? Many start believing it when they see body builders screaming out while pushing their limits during the last few repetitions. Let us try to understand what kind of pain body builders have to suffer when they lift heavy weights and is it worth while? When we lift the weight, Lactic acid starts accumulating within the muscles. During heavy weight lifting the quantity of Lactic acid secretion increases and it starts affecting muscle contraction. Large accumulation of Lactic acid in the muscles gives burning sensation within the muscles and at peak it may stop muscle contraction. This phenomenon can be experienced by every body. When we reach last few repetitions of final set, there is momentary failure, where we can not perform even one more repetition. This is the time when the lactic acid accumulation is at its peak. If we take rest for even one or two minutes, then we can perform a few more repetitions. This occurs because during the rest period the lactic acid is being removed from the muscles. When body builders refer to pain, they are referring to the muscle soreness because of accumulation of lactic acid within the working muscle. This muscle soreness is desired as it indicates you are using the full capacity of the muscle. But one has to be careful while lifting heavy weights. In the process we may compromise on exercise techniques resulting in muscle or connective tissue injury. One should be able to differentiate between pain due to muscles soreness (burning sensation) and pain due to muscle injury.

	Weight remains constant, but inches are lost?
	When you exercise many changes take place in the body. Before exercising the fat percentage in your body is more while the muscle mass is less. But once you start exercising the fat is lost, simultaneously with weight training the muscle develop. Therefore the weight remains the same but the inches are lost.

	Nutrition is defined as the scientific study of food and its relation to health. It can also be defined as the science which deals with those processes by which body utilizes food for energy, growth and maintenance of health.
	Balance Diet
	Balance diet is one, which contains different types of food groups in such quantities and proportions which satisfies the need for calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients of an individual.

	Basic Nutrients Are As Follows:

		Proteins
		Carbohydrates
		Fats
		Vitamins
		Minerals
		Water
		Fiber

	Food Groups

		Cereal and millets.
		Milk and Milk Products, Non-veg and seafood’s.
		Pulses and legumes, nuts and oilseeds.
		Vegetables and fruits.
		Fats and sugar.



	The Caloric Nutrients
	Protein, carbohydrates and Fat are the three nutrients that provide calories. These calories are used by the body to sustain life by helping to maintain body temperature and facilitating the growth and repair of all organs and tissues. Alcohol also provides calories, but is not considered a nutrient since it does not contribute to the growth, maintenance, or repair of the body tissue. Furthermore, alcohol can be converted to fat when total caloric intake exceeds caloric output.

		1 gram protein : 4 calories
		1 gram carbohydrate : 4 calories
		1 gram Fat : 9 calories
		1 gram Alcohol: 7 calories.

	Behavioral Modification<
	Behavioral modification should be incorporated as life style changes in daily routine. They are related to small changes in our habits, which are related to fitness and health.

		Eat in small plate and get the small portions look bigger.
		Eat properly on dining table; try to avoid eating in front of TV or while doing any other activity.
		Do not keep the extra quantities of food on table while eating.
		Preparation of food should be in a least harmful way (Steaming, roasting etc).
		Eating large mouthfuls and cleaning the plate completely should be avoided.
		Regularity in meal timings should be maintained.
		Chiwda, biscuits, farsan etc snack items should be stored in nontransparent containers.
		For shopping of food articles, one should prepare list of required things and then purchase from grocery shop.
		One should go for food purchasing while not feeling hungry.
		Do not eat to finish the food (small left over quantities).
		Keep self monitoring over the diet and your regular routine gym exercise.
		Energy density in each meal should be balanced and not high.

Water Basics
Water is one of the most essential components of the human body. Water regulates the body’s temperature, cushions and protects vital organs, and aids the digestive system. And, because water composes more than half of the human body, it is impossible to sustain life for more than a week without it. Necessary to the healthy function of all internal organs, water must be consumed to replace the amount lost each day during basic activities. Water not only composes 75 percent of all muscle tissue and 25 percent of fatty tissue, it also acts within each cell to transport nutrients and dispel waste. If there is not enough water for the body to cool itself through perspiration, the body enters a state of dehydration.

	Dehydration
	In a dehydrated state the body is unable to cool itself, leading to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke. Without an adequate supply of water the body will lack energy and muscles may develop cramps. For regular exercisers maintaining a constant supply of water in the body is essential to performance. Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue and loss of coordination. Even small amounts of water loss may hinder athletic performance. To prevent dehydration, exercisers must drink before, during and after the workout.

	Fluid Balance and Replenishment
	It is important to drink even before signs of thirst appear. Thirst is a signal that your body is already on the way to dehydration. It is important to drink more than thirst demands and to continue to drink throughout the day. One way to check your hydration level is to check the color of your urine. The color should be light to clear unless you are taking supplements, which will darken the color for several hours after consumption. Water is the best fluid replenished for all individuals, although sports drinks may replace lost electrolytes after high-intensity exercise exceeding 45 to 90 minutes. It is easy to prevent dehydration with pure, healthy, refreshing water, so drink up!

	Hydration Hints

		Drink one to two cups of fluid at least one hour before the start of exercise.
		Drink eight ounces of fluid 20 to 30 minutes prior to exercising.
		Drink an additional eight ounces of fluid within 30 minutes after exercising.
		Drink two cups of fluid for every pound of body weight lost after exercise.
		Drink four to eight ounces of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes or so during exercise.

While deciding the different exercises two factors are to be taken into consideration. First is that all the muscles should be exercised and second is that different exercises for the same muscle should be done. The first will help you to achieve a balanced growth of the body. If you concentrate on a few muscles only it can result in imbalance and increases risk of injury. The muscles grow in pair. We know that the muscles work in pairs and even they grow in pairs. It is highly unlikely that you will develop strong biceps without sufficient development in triceps. The second will help you achieve an overall development of the particular muscle. Different exercises for a particular muscle provide different angles, which results into overall development of that muscle.

	Exercise Sequence
	While planning the exercise sequence two factors needs attention, energy levels and duration of workout. At the start of the workout our energy levels are high. As we come to the end of the workout session, the energy levels are at its lowest. So while performing a series of strength training exercises, it is advisable to start with larger muscle and then go on to workout smaller muscles. For example if you are working pectorals and triceps in the same workout then begin with pectoral muscle exercises and then move on to triceps. This is because the larger muscles require higher energy levels and the smaller muscles are worked to a certain extent while working the larger muscle. If you workout smaller muscles first then it may happen that while working out the larger muscle the smaller muscle will fail to sustain the workout. For example if you are exercising for arms and if you workout forearms before the biceps then the forearms muscles will not be able to sustain the workout and will fail before the biceps muscles are worked out properly. Similarly when time is the constraint, the exercise sequence can be arranged in such a way that when we are working one muscle the other is resting. So we can cut down on the rest periods between the sets and can do more work in lesser time.

	Training Intensity
	Training intensity indicates the amount of physical work done in a specific time. Time, therefore, is an important factor in increasing training intensity. One can increase intensity by Doing same amount of work in less time. Doing increased amount of work in same time. Training intensity is an important aspect when you want to achieve results in a specific time frame. There are many individuals who just keep on doing exercises in gym for hours together without concentrating on the workout intensity. These people do not get many results even after spending so many hours in the gym. If you are walking on the treadmill for hours at a leisurely pace you will not reduce even a kg of weight but if you do a 15 minute high intense workout on the treadmill you will achieve very good results. Same is with weight training. If you keep on lifting a 5 kg dumbbell then you will never be able to develop a muscular body. The basic reason why we need to change or increase the intensity is our body adapts to the changes we make. When we start working out at a basic intensity, our body adjusts to that level, and then we challenge the body by increasing the intensity. To adjust to the additional workload, body has to make the changes in itself. After some time the body will adjust to the new level of intensity. Then we increase the intensity again and so on. This process of progressive increase in the intensity is termed as ‘Progressive Training Principle’. There are various factors which may reduce workout intensity for example talking while on the treadmill or lifting the weights, taking too much rest between the sets etc. The ideal rest period between the set is 30 to 60 seconds.It is not important how much time you workout. The important factor is at what intensity you workout. One should work at the fastest pace one is capable of, without getting sloppy in one’s technique. This will help one do maximum work in minimum time. So whenever you are working out in the gym always concentrate on the workout intensity.

Any thing in excess will always create problems. When people start exercising, they expect results too fast. When they start working out, the body starts responding. But, the greed of achieving faster results make them believe that if they double the exercising time, they will be able to double the results. That is too dangerous.

When we exercise our muscles get in action. They take up the load of the workout. During this process some muscle tissues get damaged. These are the microscopic damages which body can heal itself. The body needs rest to recover from these damages. Harder you work your body, more time it takes to recover and recuperate from that training. For a moderate intensity workout 24 hrs is sufficient time, but in case of highly intense workout body may need 48-72 hrs to recover. Rest and recuperation are very important. Although you stimulate growth by training, it is during the subsequent period of recuperation that actual growth takes place. So if you over train a muscle, forcing it to work too hard too quickly after the preceding session, you will not give it a chance to grow and your progress will slow down increasing the chance of muscle injury. This is called as over training. For a thumb rule, do not train a body part if it is sore due to previous workout.

Now days it has been observed that every individual is obsessed with Aerobic (cardio) work out and specifically with the treadmills.

Why this obsession? Because this concept has been promoted over the years. If you read any news paper, any magazine every where they would tell you to run to shed those excess kilos. So this perception of association of weight loss with running has been converted in to belief, but is this belief true? Lets us try to understand from where this concept came. To maintain healthy life style is must. It is always better to do something rather than nothing. The easiest way of exercising is walking or running, which is very cost effective and can be accommodate in almost every individuals lifestyle easily. As it is the most economic way of exercising with minimum skills required, it became the first choice with fitness expert as well as fitness freaks. But is that the only solution to weight loss?

Every day many ask me the same question; Even though I walk / run for 3-5 km every day, why am I not losing weight?
These people have misunderstood the whole concept. They think that for weight loss they have to run. They start with 1 km running, which gives them result for few days. After that this exercise routine stops giving result, so they increase running to 2 km. Again the story repeats. They go on increasing time and distance from 1-2 km to 5-6 km and from 20 min to 90 min. Now the body does not respond to 90 min workout also. This is common story with people who run on daily basis and still don’t get results.

It is important to understand that to get results on a continuous basis we need to keep on changing the workout. Change in terms of activities, change in terms of intensity, change in terms of duration and change in terms of frequency. If you keep on following the same routine, the body will get used to it and will stop getting results. There are various options for weight loss. Even though the cardio workout is an important part; that is not the only solution. Even in cardio workout one can introduce change. Cycling and Cross trainers (ellipticals) are very good options. Use them to good effect. For the body aerobic workout is an aerobic workout whether done on the treadmill or a cycle or a cross trainer; it’s the same. So use these equipments intelligently without body getting used to any one, and then stops giving the results.

To understand how our body loses weight we need to understand why we put on weight and how our body deals with it.Our body is the way it is because of various factors like our genes ( heredity ), our dietary intake, physical activity levels, hormonal levels, our emotional balance and even weather conditions etc. All these factors keep on affecting our body and our body adjusts itself accordingly.Out of these some factors we can control and others are out of our reach.

The two most important controllable factors are dietary intake and physical activity levels.
The food we eat is the energy source for our body. We supply this energy to the body on daily basis. If the body is getting more energy than required to carry out daily activities, it will store this energy. This excess energy is stored in the form of Fat. If we keep on supplying extra energy; the body will keep on accumulating this and our weight will keep on increasing.
Now how to shed that extra weight? Try to understand why you have put on the weight. The basic reason is that you have supplied more energy than required to the body. So to shed the weight we will have to reverse the process i.e. we will have to increase our activity levels and regulate the dietary intake. Both the things are important but diet plays a more important role than the exercise when targeting weight loss.

Many individuals have misconceptions about dieting. They think that dieting means eating less. They start starving themselves to get rid of those extra kilos. This is not the correct way. Dieting does not mean eating less; it means eating healthy. If you go on a starving diet your body may be deprived of some essential nutrients and you will become sick. If you want to diet for weight loss then get your diet planned from a qualified dietitian. Such diet will supply all the nutrients required by the body in the right quantities. At the same time increase the activity levels so that the energy from food will be a little less than the daily requirement of the body. This will create negative energy balance for which the body will turn to its stored energy. This is how our body will start losing those extra kilos in a step by step manner on daily basis. Continue this process till you achieve your healthy body weight.

Many individuals want quick results but patience is the key when targeting the ideal body weight. Do not try short cuts; you will end up having problems than good results. Just try to remember how many years it took to put on the weight. On an average around 2 to 2.5 kg weight loss per month is a very good rate.

Weight training is very important in weight loss. The popular perception is that only running will help in weight loss. Walking and running does help in burning calories during the workout but if you observe closely, weight training is more intense than the aerobic (cardio) workout. Just think, will you be able to do bench press for 20 min?

The weight training will burn more calories per unit time than the aerobic workout. At the same time with research it has been observed that the weight training elevates metabolic rate (calorie burning) during the exercise and keeps it elevated hours after the workout.

In totality weight training will burn more calories than the aerobic workout, helping in weight loss. So if you want to choose between the activities, one should do more weight training for fat loss than the aerobic workout.

This fact is evident if you observe body builders. Body builders always do high intense weight training, but they hardly get involved in to aerobic work out still their fat% are negligible. So it is better to do weight training and achieve healthy body weight and body fat% than to run for hours on the treadmills and reach no where.

The technique for brisk walking, whether it's power- or race walking, is the same. Below are some tips on technique.

	Legwork

		A common mistake for beginners when trying to walk fast is lengthening the stride (over-striding). Over-striding is biomechanically inefficient and can slow you down. It will burn more calories because it's inefficient (which might be a good thing), but you may burn fewer calories overall because you don't walk as far due to fatigue.
		Instead of over-striding to walk faster, concentrate on a powerful push off while the front foot lands closer to the body. This is what elite walkers do.

	Footwork

		Walk heel to toe and not flatfooted to increase speed.
		Contact the ground with your heel.
		Roll the foot forward over the center of your foot.
		Push off with your toes.
		While running; land on the front half of the foot. This will reduce the impact on the knee and ankle joint

	Hips

		Rotate your hips forward and backward as you walk.
		Your waist should twist. Race walkers can look funny because of the hip rotation but restricted hip movement decreases your speed.

	Torso

		Keep your torso upright. Leaning forward or back will slow you down.

	Arm work

		Keep your elbows at 90 degrees.
		Keep your hands relaxed.
		Swing your arms forward and back and keep them close to your body. Your hands should not cross the midline of your body to maintain efficiency.
		Speed up your arm swing to increase your speed and your legs will follow! This really works!

	Shut Up or Get-Out
	Gym hall is a place to do serious workout, but you will come across a few foul mouth who will be continuously chit-chatting. Beware of such individuals in the gym hall. These are the individuals who not only disturb their own workout, but that of others also. They are the attention seekers in the gym. They will make loud noice during the workout, while lifting the weights, bang the weights on the floor to show that they are lifting heavy weights (which actually they are not). They want people to notice them and pay attention to them. These are the people who will come up with irrelevant but interesting topic for discussion and will invite you to join the discussion.But remember; you have come to the gym to workout. You have invested your time and money to achieve certain goals which make you fit and healthy. Chit chatting during the workout not only reduces the intensity of your workout, reducing the possibility of achieving your goals, it actually increases the chance of injury during the workout for yourself and for others also.Just think, is it worth to spend your hard earned money and time on chit chatting and arguing on the topics which are irrelevant to you? Be aware of such ‘Distractors’ and if they approach to you tell them to just ‘Shut up or Get Out’.

The thought that maintaining a perfect body, for life time by doing exercise & diet for a few days, is very appealing. But if we start believing that, then we are day dreaming. Our body is constantly changing, depending on how we keep it. The body will change if there are changes in weather conditions, dietary intake, physical activity levels and emotional / stress level of the individual. So effectively the body is adjusting to the changes in above parameters. Out of these most controllable are dietary intake and physical activity levels. Most of us start exercise with great enthusiasm, but discontinue after few months. The common question asked at the gym is what will happen when I stop exercising?

One has to understand that if you change your diet and physical activity level for a short duration, then the results are going to be short term. Once you go back to your previous lifestyle, the body will also go back to its original shape. Short term efforts will give short term results. For long term results make positive changes in your lifestyle. Make exercise a part of your daily routine and follow a healthy and balanced diet. The most important is to observe and understand how your body reacts to thechanges in your dietary habits and exercise levels. Once you develop that understanding, maintaining a fit and healthy body is very easy.


		Clothing Clothing should be comfortable and should be able to absorb sweat.
		T-shirt Use cotton T-shirts with comfortable fitting.
		Track pant or slacks Use stretchable material which will allow free movements.
		Napkin Carry napkin to wipe out the sweat.
		Shoes Use sports ( jogging ) shoes which will provide support to your foot. Keep your shoes clean.
		Socks Use socks so that they absorb the sweat. Clean your socks daily.

		Wash workout cloths daily.
		More of sweat does not prove hard work.
		Use deodorants regularly. Your body odor may be irritating for others.
		Follow exercise cards planned for you by the trainer.
		Do not copy somebody else’s exercise routine.
		Be committed to come regularly for assured results.
		Do not talk/ SMS on mobile phone while exercising. It will reduce your workout intensity as well as disturb others.
		Gym is a public place so you should not carry any valuable with you in the gym.

Getting Started

The Gym Is The Cornerstone Of A Healthy Lifestyle

Every Body Is Different

Concept of Fitness

What Is Warm Up?

What Is Cool Down?

What Is Stretching?

Aerobic Training

Strength Training

Should Women Do Strength Training?

Will Strength Training Stunt The Height In Children?

Breathing

Steam Bath

Why to exercise during menstruation

How Long Should I Wait After Eating To Start Exercising?

Fit Kids

Nutrition

Healthy Hydration

Exercise Selection

Over Training

Obsession with Treadmills

Weight ( Fat ) Loss Strategies

Weight training and weight loss

Walking And Running Techniques

Develop a Healthy Lifestyle

Gym Etiquettes