Fat-burning exercises for a very flat tummy

If you thought only crunches can give you washboard abs, think again. Here are some fat-burning exercises that are even better.

Losing fat on the belly is the hardest, they say. And when you want to strengthen your core and lose the flab, most probably what comes to mind are crunches and sit-ups. But recent research has found that exercises that are meant for the whole body can actually workout the core muscles better than the designated exercises for your abs.

Dumb-bells

Take an exercise mat and sit on it. Now stretch your feet out in front of you. Keep them around three feet apart. Take a pair of dumbbells in your hands and hold them near your shoulders. Keep your back straight. Contract your stomach muscles and push your arms straight up. Return to the starting position and repeat ten to 15 times.

Cheers for the chair

Take a chair and sit on it while keeping your spine straight. Hold the edge of the seat. Now engage your core and use the stomach muscles to bring your toes (pointing to the floor) two to four inches off the floor. Hold for at least three to five seconds then lower your feet down. Repeat for a few minutes.

Try this out

Begin this one by standing with your feet apart — a little more than hip-width apart. Take a dumb-bell and hold it at chest level with both hands. Now, while you bend your knees, lower yourself. Go as far as you can — your elbows should be inside your knees. All the while, work your abdominal muscles, contract them, and use that strength to lower your butt. Keep repeating these squats at least 10-1 5 times.

Lunge!

This is a lunge with a slight variation. Begin by standing with your feet together. Lunge back with your right leg as you bend your knees at right angles. Now reach right hand to left foot. Then go back to standing position. Now, lunge the right leg back and do the exercise again. After ten repetitions, switch sides.

Push-ups

This one is a variation of push-ups. Go to the beginning position (see the picture below). Now slowly lift your right arm and touch your left shoulder with your right hand. Then go back to touching the floor. Now, do the same with your other arm — left arm and right shoulder and back on the floor. Then, touch your left hand to your right thigh, and go back to the main position. Then touch your left thigh with your right arm. Repeat all four touches at least five to eight times each.

Squat for strength

Begin your squat, arms akimbo, and get both your knees bent at 90 degrees. Generally squats are considered to be an important exercise for developing core strength while working the legs and buttocks. Now, engage your core muscles to push your body up to the starting position. The thrust you need to raise your body up will work to burn your stomach fat. Do this at least eight to 10 times for each leg.

5 ways to reduce horrible arm fat

Have you stopped wearing sleeveless just because you have heavy arms? Now, there is no need to be upset.

Follow these easy tips and you can have the toned arms you wished for...

The most effective way to tone arms is being physically active. This doesn't mean that you need to hit the gym every day, but there are many household activities that requires intense arms movement, mopping, cleaning, rolling to name a few. But to melt down the bulky plump, you need determination and focus. You need to start with cutting down on unhealthy and high-calorie food, eating fresh to stay healthy and look healthy. Here are a few more tips.

Go for skipping

If you think it's irrelevant, then you are wrong. Skipping is the best cardio workout and it's inexpensive as well. It doesn't just help you sweat out the fat from your body, but gives you sleek and tone arms too. "Skipping rope affects arms muscles as you lift your body's weight as well as move your arms in circular motion. This increases the activity in the arms. Count seconds instead of skipping repetitions to make the process more effective," says Gautham Kumar, a fitness expert.

Keep stretching

Don't wait for the evening or morning fitness regime and stretch your arms as and when you get time. This will not only keep you active, but also release the tension. Gautham says, "Stretching tones the arm muscles and brings them back in shape. Do it in the office, post meeting or after finishing a report." He suggests these exercises that you can do in your office.

- Interlock your fingers behind your head and stretch your arms up. Make sure the elbows are behind your head. Now, bend your waist right for a few seconds and repeat the same on the left. Keep arms stretched and straight.

- Hold both your palms together behind the lower spine and interlock the fingers. Stretch both your arms backward so that chest comes forward. This is also beneficial to relieve the back stress.

Rotate wrist

Wrist rotation affects your shoulders and lower arms which are the plumpest areas. "Hold one to two pounds of dumbbells in each hand and stand up. The gap between your feet should be equal to your shoulder length. Extend both the hands forward and keep them firm. Now, swiftly rotate your wrist upward and inward as far as possible. This will help tone the arm muscles," says Gatuham.

Lift your body up

Do you remember how you used to do pull-ups in the park as a kid? You have to just follow the same. Hold a sturdy strong rod that can bear your body weight. Grasp it firmly and pull yourself up the floor. When you go up hold the position for a few seconds and let your arm muscles take all the strain. Do a set of 20 and after a two-minute break, repeat the set. In case, you are doing it for the first time, then, do as many pull-ups as you can, but don't strain yourself.

Triceps with one arm

Sit on the floor and place your hands almost a foot behind your hips; your fingers should point towards the butt. Your legs and feet should be pressed together, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arm straight to raise your hips above the floor. Bend your left elbow only with one arm and lower your butt as close to the floor as possible without actually touching it. Repeat it with right elbow.

Get the yummy mummy look!

New mothers sometimes find the many changes in their body and mind overwhelming. Emotional and psychological changes can be dealt with in time, but here are a few physical changes that you can get done to bring back your youthful body.

Motherhood is a blessing, and brings with it an amalgamation of not just immense joy, beautiful surprises and countless sleepless nights, but also a body that changes so much in a matter of just a few months, that for some it is almost like an identity crisis and a shock.

Dr Mohan Thomas, cosmetic surgeon, says, "Pregnancy can thus take a toll on a woman's body, affecting her breasts, tummies, legs and more. After pregnancy, especially multiple pregnancies or unusually large births or twins, women find it difficult to return to their pre-pregnancy shape." It is common knowledge that pregnancy can cause the stomach skin to stretch beyond natural repair, loosen the vagina and the breast shape and elasticity can also get damaged.

One can choose a healthy regimen of diet and exercise along with some surgical procedures that can improve the changes that women see with their bodies after pregnancy. Dr Thomas says, "This correction surgeries involve a tummy tuck, breast augmentation and/or a breast lift. A combination of all these procedures can help distraught mothers achieve the desired shape and also make them feel fit."

Here are the corrective measures...

Breast surgeries

Breast augmentation

Breast augmentation is a type of plastic surgery performed to improve the appearance of a woman's bustline. It involves the insertion of breast implants into the breast mounds to add volume and enhance shape.

Breast lift

This is for droopy breasts (may at times require a breast implant for loss of volume)

Breast reduction

This is to reduce large breasts enlarged further post pregnancy and is accompanied by a lift.

Body contouring

Liposuction

Liposuction is surgery to improve the contour of your body by removing pockets of excess fat from specific areas of the body.

Abdominoplasty

This procedure has many variants like:

-Mini tummy tuck where in the laxicity is only below the belly button and hence a predetermined portion of skin and fat is removed keeping the scar in the panty line.

-With relocation of belly button and tightening of the abdominal wall — this procedure is done when there is laxity above and below the belly button, looseness of the abdominal wall with protrusion of the abdomen.

-Pelvic slide, which often occurs following pregnancies, is also addressed at the time of the abdominoplasty by a pelvic lift.

Vaginoplasty

This procedure helps address the laxity of the vaginal canal by tightening it after the delivery. Dr Satish Arolkar, a senior plastic surgeon, cautions, "These procedures of vaginoplasty should not be undertaken before one year of delivery as immediately after delivery the tender areas tend to bleed excessively. Undue eagerness may result in a tighter impenetrable opening months later."

When should a new mother go for breast enhancement?

Surgeons suggest waiting till breast feeding is complete. Drugs administered to the mother find their way into the breast milk and harm the infant. Dr Arolkar states, "The option of breast implants is getting less popular for various reasons. The latest is again autologous fat transfer to the sagging breasts which may require two sittings six months apart. An increase of two cup sizes can be expected with this technique. It is undertaken under general anesthesia and is not a day care procedure as is made out to be. This transferred fat behaves like 'Stem Cells' and also helps contour unwanted bulges a welcome 'side-effect'."

Sex is not permitted for six weeks post surgery in both vaginoplasty and breast enhancement.

Case study: 

Prerana Singh*, 35, a senior manager in an event management company had a precious pregnancy after 10 years of marriage thanks to many cycles of IVF treatment. These treatments caused her to put on a lot of weight and the birth of her child took her mind away from her mis-shapen body issues for very long. When the child was about a year old, and she stopped breast feeding, she noticed her deflated breasts, fat deposits and loose skin in her abdomen and sides. Moreover, because of the normal delivery and a large child her genital area had become roomy. She felt unattractive. She wanted to go back to her work but also, wanted to look youthful and attractive and so underwent a complete makeover hospital-based procedures that included shaping her midriff by a combination of liposuction and tummy tuck, breast rejuvenation by a combination of an implant and a lift, and a vaginal tightening procedure.

She recovered quickly and she went home in three days and joined work in two weeks, confident, attractive and more youthful than ever before.

Keep in mind:

This is a very safe procedure and primarily involving the outer shell of the body leaving all important organs totally shielded and safe. These procedures should be done only after the child has stopped breast feeding and preferably after the family is complete.

5 healthy reasons to eat mangoes

Health benefits of mangoes

Aids digestion: 

Mangoes contain several enzymes that help in breaking down protein. This is the reason people eat mangoes after a hearty meal. The fibrous content of the fruit along with vitamins, minerals and probiotic dietary fibre help digest food easily.

Helps in diabetes: 

The fruit also contains a surprisingly low glycemic index (41-60), thus eating it in moderate quantities will not suddenly elevate your sugar levels.

Lowers cholesterol: 

The fiber, Vitamin C and pectin in mangoes helps lower serum cholesterol levels, especially the harmful Low-Density Lipoprotein commonly known as bad cholesterol.

Good for eyes: 

The high content of vitamin A found in Mangoes is great for eyes since the vitamin can help prevent night blindness and dry eyes. A cupful of the fruit supplies 25 percent of the daily need of vitamin A.

Aphrodisiac: 

Besides having high vitamin E which is a mild form of aphrodisiac, mangoes also have compounds that act like the hormone estrogen and thus has an aphrodisiac effect for both men and women.