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Lunchtime Workouts to Stay Fit Anywhere!

It is easy to fall prey to a sedentary lifestyle especially with a hectic schedule that revolves around work, home and stress. Somewhere, a healthy life and fitness has taken a backseat for most people. But, most people forget that staying fit and active is a mantra to being more productive at work!

There may be many constraints that might prevent you from working out but there’s always a solution. We call it the Lunchtime Workouts! These workouts can be done anywhere, including your office. They are easy and can be wrapped up within 15-20mins flat!

Remember that it is recommended to aim for 2 and a half hours of moderate aerobic exercise weekly, and strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Try These Lunchtime Workouts

  1. Warm up with rotations of the hand and legs. End it with a cool down like stretching
  2. 4 min Tabata Workout: To get the best out of this workout, perform the following in the same order:
    • Jumping Jacks – 20 seconds
    • Rest – 10 seconds
    • Squats – 20 seconds
    • Rest – 10 seconds
    • Lunges – 20 seconds
    • Rest – 10 seconds
    • Push ups – 20 seconds
    • Rest – 10 seconds
    • Repeat once more in the same order
  3. Resistance and Stretching: Stretching can help you increase your blood circulation and bring flexibility to your body. It is also a great stress-busting method and it can ease lower back pain.
  4. Yoga and Meditation: Yoga relieves stress and tension, helps you take a break from daily routine and makes your day more energetic! Deep breathing directly recharges your entire body!

With so many options to choose from which are way below 20 minutes, you can move away from your desk for a little while and work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Keep going and #BeTheForce

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Planks: The Quick and Easy Way to Stay Fit!

Benefits of Plank

With everyone’s busy schedule, even squeezing in a 15 minute workout seems like a stretch. Quite honestly, we all want to be fit, lose weight, gain muscle, reduce belly fat or increase stamina and so on but very rarely find the time to do it.

In such a scenario, it is necessary to think about which workouts consume less time but are more effective. There are many exercises that you can perform at any time, anywhere and with no equipment. One such workout that not only keeps you fit but improves your focus, posture, balance and core is a Plank.

Planks strengthen your mid-section, upper-body and lower-body muscles along with the front of your body. It also strengthens the inner core muscles that support your joints. At a time, it works on all your core muscles.

In 2017, I was super excited to participate in my first ever 100km Oxfam Trailwalk. I began practicing regularly and then I realized that I was going through severe back problems. The result of the back pain led to my doctor forbidding me to participate in the Trailwalk and I missed the event.

I kept myself strong and promised that next year I will surely participate in the Trailwalker with a strong back bone. I started doing back strengthening exercises, worked on my diet and after some time I added Plank to my workouts. This workout has helped me to reduce my back pain, improve my posture, balance, and overall fitness.

How To Hold A Plank

  • Lie face down with forearms on the floor and hands clasped
  • Extend your legs behind the body and rise up on the toes
  • Keeping your back straight, tighten the core and hold the position for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can)

Plank Variations and How to Perform Them

There are different variations for the plank which are a little difficult to perform. Let’s explore them!

  1. Side Plank: Roll to the side and come up on one foot and elbow. Make sure your hips are lifted and the core is engaged. Hang tight for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can)
  2. Reverse Plank: Start by sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your palms on the floor, below your shoulders, squeeze your buttocks and thighs, and then push your body up into a reverse plank position. Alternatively, you can begin by placing your elbows rather than your hands on the floor, for a less dramatic lift. Keep your body in a straight diagonal line from your shoulders to heels. Ensure that your hips are in line
  3. Dynamic Prone Plank: Starting with a standard plank position, raise the hips as high as they can go and then lower them back down. Continue this movement for as long as possible. Make sure the Back stays straight and the hips don’t droop.
  4. Plank to Push-Up: Starting in a plank position, place down one hand at a time to lift up into a push-up position, with the back straight and the core engaged. Then, move one arm at a time back into the plank position (forearms on the ground). Repeat alternating the arm that makes the first move
  5. Jumping Jack Planks: There are planks, and then there are planks with pop! Start in a traditional plank (shoulders over the wrists and the body in one straight line) but keep your feet together. Then, simply do jumping jacks with the legs, moving them out to the sides, then back together. Aim for 12-15 hops (out and in is one)

Fun Fact: Just by holding a plank for 30 secs a day, you can make your core stronger. It also helps you lose fat!

One word of caution is being careful when performing planks. Overdoing it could lead to injury. This is important if you have back pain or an injury. If you’re trying it for the first time, get into it slowly and gradually till you can hold the plank for longer duration. The duration can be increased with  practice.

Points to Remember

  • Keep breathing while doing the Plank. In essence, don’t hold your breath
  • Ensure that your hips, head or shoulders do not drop
  • Don’t place your hands very close, it can create internal rotation and instability in your shoulder joint
  • Try to hold the Plank in a proper position for a short duration rather than holding it in a wrong position for a longer time

What do you think? Try out planks and its variations and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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Strength Training and It’s Benefits

strength training

Having covered so many topics across health and fitness, we wanted to focus today’s topic on Strength Training. I have always been fond of strength training. If performed correctly, strength training can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being.

Weight training can increase Bone Mineral Density and Muscle Mass. It also increases the strength and toughness of our tendons and ligaments, improves joint function and range of motion, and reduces potential for injury. Strength training will tone your muscles.

benefits of strength trainingStrength training or weight training or anaerobic training all are same. In anaerobic exercise, cells use ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) as a source of energy or glucose in the absence of oxygen. It usually lasts up to 2 minutes.

I began strength training at the age of 16 with traditional Indian squat, Surya Namaskar and push ups. At that time, my knowledge was limited. After some time I realized that my immune system is performing better. I used to fall sick more often with fever and/or cold but weight training really helped me make my immune system stronger.

Weight training can be done using body weight, elastic bands, dumbbells, barbells, and kettle bells. I prefer using my body weight as there is no investment which is required and sometimes, I use dumbbells for weight training.

If you are feeling depressed or stressed, try weight training. It helped me overcome depression and might work wonders for you! After a weight training session, endorphin levels increase in the body. Endorphins are the neurotransmitters released by the pituitary gland which makes one feel good. Neuro-muscular coordination improves.

One benefit of strength training is that during training you are burning calories but the effect will remain for more time because of the increased muscle mass. So weight training will help to increase the B.M.R. as muscle needs more energy to survive.

What Happens in Strength Training?

During strength training, there will be a wear and tear in the muscle fiber but that damage will be repaired after sleep and proper nutrition. Your muscles will become stronger. Your muscular strength and muscular endurance will go up after 2-3 sessions. For hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass), you need more training sessions, proper nutrition and rest.

During weight training, blood flow will increase to a particular muscle. There will be more supply of nutrients to that muscle and muscle will increase in size and strength. Smaller muscles need less time for recovery but bigger muscles like the hamstrings or quadriceps need more time and nutrition.

But before starting weight training you have to prepare your body and mind. Start with a good warm up. During or before you exercise, try ballistic stretching where you are not holding the stretch. After your training session, perform cool down and static stretching where you will hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds.

Want to know more about Strength Training? Leave your queries in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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Top 10 Weird Excuses We Make to Skip a Workout

TOP-10-weird-excuses-we-make-to-skip-a-WorkoutPulling someone out of bed for a workout can really be a task! In the field of health and fitness, I have come across people giving some very fickle excuses that are just not valid. This blog has been written not to help you make those excuses, but to convey the fact that these excuses are invalid. We need to get stronger and workout harder!

1. I Just Ate a Meal

I agree there should be a good 2 hour gap between your meal and workout but does this qualify as a reason to not workout? If you have just eaten your lunch, schedule your workout towards late noon or evening. But, include it in your “to-do” list. Do not skip it.

2. I am not going to wear my “brand new” shoes for a run

If you aren’t wearing them, then why did you buy them? To walk the ramp or just look at it and feel good? Unless you are heading for some mud run or splash in a mucky puddle, they are going to remain the same. Shoes are meant to get dirty. It is very important you wear the new shoes and run as you need to break into them as well.

3. I Can’t Afford a Gym

One doesn’t need to go to the gym to be fit. The roads are your playground and your coach is your motivator. Running / trekking/walking /stair climbing/youtube workout videos/GOQii Active Sundays are absolutely free and very much doable.

4. I Don’t Have the Time

This one is probably the most common excuse. A workout does not need to last for an hour. 15-20 minutes is also good enough. If that too sounds like a lot to spare for your health, then you should definitely be working out because such a thought itself is an indicator of stress. Set your priorities right! Break into some HIIT’s (High Intensity Interval Training). Have a SMART WORKOUT.

5. I Feel Sick

Now this sounds like a genuine one. A viral fever, dizziness or any condition that requires extra care are excused. But, days when you suffer from a mild headache, feel heavy, PMS or just not feel a 100%, a little exercise will actually help. Your body needs to get rid of the toxins.

6. I’m Too Tired

Next time, tell yourself, “10-15 minutes of a quick workout and I shall head home for a nap”. As a result of this you shall end up taking a nap with more satisfaction and contentment.

7. Blame My Crazy Travel Schedule

This is the time when Tabata, body-weight exercises, living-room workouts and other HIIT’s will make more sense to you. Most hotels already have the facility of an in-house gym. Avail that. Or else, take a brisk walk and explore your new surroundings. One more tip that comes handy is to book your room above the 3rd floor, so that you get a chance to climb the stairs.

8. I Worked Out Yesterday

One bite of pizza doesn’t harm you. Similarly, one day of activity is not going to help the goals you have set for yourself. We need to be consistent for at least 21 days till it becomes a habit (rest days included). It’s a lifestyle change. The old saying, ‘Tomorrow never comes’ still holds true.

9. My Buddy Did Not Turn Up

OK! This is serious! You need some serious motivation. Go solo, that’s alright. More often than not we are so dependent on our friends for any outdoor activities and this holds true for workouts as well. You can’t always wait for company to workout.  You are your own individual and cannot allow someone else to impact your fitness goals.

10.Bad Day at Work/Home

This calls for some “me” time then. Trust me, a workout will definitely make you feel better. It will refill your confidence, relieve your stress and elevate your mood. Whenever you feel like ‘it wasn’t your day’, get your favorite workout into picture and work off that tension.

Remember that the only person standing in your way is ‘YOU’. Go ahead and take a step towards a healthier lifestyle. Your body will thank you for it!

Did we miss out on anything? What are the most common excuses you have heard? Share them with us in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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