Deepika Padukone Likes to Shake Up Her Fitness Regimen With a Mix of Cardio, Pilates and Yoga

Blessed with an athlete’s body, Deepika Padukone does her bit to continue looking like the lean, toned stunner that she is

Former model and national level badminton player, 25-year-old Deepika Padukone, one would agree, has an enviably toned and lean body. The leggy actress has a figure that can carry of both Indian and western outfits with equal finesse and grace. An excruciatingly strong will power makes it easy for her to stick to exercise routines and diets without wavering. Here are a few things she and her trainer Yasmin Karachiwala are clearly getting right.


START YOUNG

“All throughout school, I would go for badminton practice from 5 to 7 am,” explains Deepika. “After school, I would practise for another two hours. It was a routine I stuck to every single day while growing up. So that definitely had a large role to play in how my body developed and maintained itself. However, after I stopped playing, I also discontinued exercising for quite a few years. And my initial training tided me over that period.”

Not known to be a chubby kid, she glided through her initial years of college and modelling without much training. It was only once work became more and more camera- centric that she felt the need to focus on her body and start to tone up again.

“I was always slim but I knew my body had the potential to really look defined. I wasn’t fat or out of shape, but I wanted to look a lot better. This is when I started training with Yasmin and she introduced me to Pilates and strength training. It did wonders for my tone and definition. I may have lost maybe a kilo or two at the most in all this time, but have lost inches all around and it shows,” she says.

MIX IT UP

Not one to enjoy conventional gym routines, Deepika likes to shake up her regimen with a mix of cardio, Pilates and yoga, constantly trying to mentally push the limits of her endurance and physical potential.

“I do a lot of freehand weights and four to five sets of stretching exercises with 10 to 20 reps, in between Pilates or stretching routines. I don’t particularly like running so I don’t do a lot of conventional gym exercises,” she says. “I try and exercise as often as I can, but when I’m travelling or shooting, I tend to skip it for days on end.”

One of the toughest things for Deepika was the effort to break her sweet tooth. “All my teeth are sweet. It’s my weakness. When I was younger, it was only chocolates; I wouldn’t touch any Indian sweets. But now I crave anything sweet, but I try and be good. I treat myself once in a while,” she says.

Deepika Padukone's Fitness Trainer Yasmin Karachiwala Talks

Yasmin goes into the details of Deepika’s training routine and emphasises on how important it is to have self-control and will power to control urges that work against you.

“Deepika tries to come in every day for an hour. But currently, for example, she is in South Africa and hasn’t been exercising for over 10 days. This is when she’ll usually work out at home with Pilates or yoga,” she explains.

Pilates has worked wonders on her body and uses a combination of strength and yoga to tighten the core muscles of the body and relax the mind. As a routine, it helps build flexibility and creates endurance in legs, abdominals, back and arms through resistance training. It also involves a steady control on breathing that helps to relieve stress and allow proper oxygen to reach core muscles. The flexibility helps coordination and balance and adequately trains all the muscle groups in the body.

BREAK A SWEAT

Deepika’s typical workout consists of functional training at the gym with a mix of freehand and light weights, depending on what body part is being worked upon.

In addition, the Pilates machine and props such as resistance bands, wunda chair, foam weights etc, are used for an overall workout. This gives her the lean look without making the body look too muscular. “We also have a jumping series of the Pilates, which is a combination of cardio and Pilates,” says Yasmin. “Here we do the jumping squat or walking lunges that may be accompanied by light weights of a kilo or two. I also like to intersperse a minute or two of cardio between other routines.” Since Deepika exercises daily, to prevent soreness in the body, weight training is kept at a minimum.

“If she has a shoot where she is wearing shorts or a short skirt, we emphasize on her legs; if it’s a halter that exposes her back and arms, we’ll focus on push ups or pull ups, and weights are decided accordingly,” says Yasmin. “For example, she has a beach scene in her upcoming movie, Cocktail, where we worked on her entire body’s look. Usually, it’s light weights and low reps and I like using a lot of props to keep the workout engaging and fun.”

As for her diet, Yasmin encourages eating small meals every two hours that contain a combination of carbs and proteins. “We recently discovered Quinoa, a carbohydrate substitute high in fiber, which has worked wonders for Deepika,” she says.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
This is what Deepika Padukone’s Diet Plan Looks Like:

» Breakfast: 2 egg whites
» Two hours later: Fruits
» Lunch: Proteins; usually fish and grilled vegetables
» Two hours later: A fruit or vegetable juice
» Dinner: Lean meat; grilled chicken or fish

Arjun Rampal's Workout Mantras For a Sculpted Body In Ra.One

Superb villain Workout: Arjun Rampal sculpted his delicious body in Ra.One on the back of an injury. He lets us in on his workout mantras

For Ra.One, Arjun Rampal spent countless hours in the gym bulking up and chiselling his body to ridiculous perfection. But like a balloon that is happy to not be at its inflated best, Arjun says he has never liked the ‘body-builder look’.

Arjun Rampal's Sculpted Body For Ra.One

“The minute my chest goes to 42 or 43, I feel like I would need a bra (laughs). It doesn’t feel natural,” Arjun says, adding that one must understand what kind of a body they are happy with. “I can bulk up very fast. I can lift heavy weights because, like most people, I started off with heavy workouts. That’s stayed in my muscle memory.” Pinching his denims, he says, “I feel horrible when I feel my jeans are getting tight. Work outs peace me out.”

A skinny boy in his school years, Arjun was always an athlete and used to work out during college. “I think it is easier for thinner people to build on a frame once you get lean muscle. I get bored lifting weights at the gym and it isn’t enough as your body becomes stiff. So I train in different ways such as core training, cardio with weights, playing sports such as tennis, cycling, swimming and running 10 kms once a week.”

STOP BEFORE YOU DROP

Upholding a dizzying level of fitness hasn’t been injury-free for Arjun. He winces as he recollects the excruciating pain that slipped discs brought him on two occasions. “The worst was when I was squatting, about to lift weights. And as I bent… pop… my spinal disc popped. I felt a biting bolt of current shoot through my legs,” recounts Arjun, who was then shooting for Housefull. “I took painkillers and continued shooting. The lesson here is you must listen to your body, because it can go into a spasm otherwise.”

TRAINING DAYS

His regular workouts turn into relentless five-day-a-week ironpumping affairs once he is getting ready for a role. “When I was shooting for Raajneeti, Shah Rukh told me I should also start shooting for Ra.One. Some crazy training was on its way.” Training essentially means two unforgiving hours in the gym. About 40 minutes of various cardio, 10 minutes on treadmill to warm-up and then a specific body part. “I find 12 pm as the best time to work out. During training, I do two body parts a day: chestback, back-triceps or chest-biceps so that my body doesn’t get used
to a pattern,” says Arjun.

The gruelling schedule is followed by 20 more minutes on the treadmill and 10 minutes of calming down. “I always stretch before a workout and run a lot so that my heart rate accelerates. I do my lower back exercises so that my core
and back are warmed up enough because I am scared of injuring myself again. I work out very fast. I don’t take breaks and train non-stop for 80 minutes.” When Arjun does these body parts for three days, he doesn’t lift weights on the fourth but does only core, cardio and stretching. He says, “At times, I do Tabata, a high-intensity Japanese training regimen, in which I must do 20 seconds of a specific body part with 10 seconds of rest. This must be done eight times within four minutes. Your heart rate shoots through the roof but you burn a lot of fat.”

THE MAKING OF A SUPER-VILLAIN

To carve a lethal body for Ra.One, on the back of his injury, meant he had to start very slow. “No weights, no bending… only core training. It was very tough. But in 15 days, I worked out with a vengeance and made my core really strong. Zarine Watson trained me very scientifically because she had seen the seriousness of my injury in the x-rays,” he says. Freehand training and a lot of cardio with altitude training (wearing masks that simulate the effect of exertion at high altitudes) enhanced Arjun’s stamina and metabolism. “By the end of it, I was doing close to 2500 sit ups and 40 pound dumbbells while hanging from a pull-up bar. You push your body and it all happens.”

His diet had also switched to what he has in his "training mode’. Two whole wheat toasts, a dozen egg whites and a protein shake in the morning. Dry fruits such as walnuts and cashews munched on every now and then. “I would eat five small meals, as they increase my metabolic rate. For lunch, I would include some carbs. So it would be a roti or two with dal, tandoori chicken and whole wheat bread sandwiches.”

FOOD NO BAR

There is hope for even the most hardened foodies when Arjun agrees with their mantra — eat everything. “I am a foodie and I don’t avoid anything. I know guys who have an occasional kheer or chocolate cake and fall sick. Now that is ridiculous. I don’t ever want to be in that space.”A red wine connoisseur with an aversion to aerated drinks, Arjun hails salads as ‘essential food’ and recommends eating half an avocado a day, ‘because it contains good fats and burns your stubborn fat.’

Then of course is the golden rule — wrap up your dinner by 8 pm. “Avoid carbs because after 9 pm, your system shuts down. So dining late means everything you are putting in there will stay like garbage, with no nutritional value.”

SMOKES AND SHAKES

Puffing on his fourth cigarette of the hour, Arjun admits he needs to quit his ‘terrible habit’. “I think if I wasn’t smoking I would be running for the Olympics (laughs).” After making his profession an excuse for making it difficult for him to give up, Arjun points out, “When I work out rigorously, somehow my cigarette intake reduces. I can almost feel how each drag is undoing all the good I am doing to my body.”

And does he agree with the latest ‘health supplement’ fads? “I take only whey protein shakes. I haven’t ever tried amino acids or creatine, let alone steroids. I find playing with hormones very dangerous. Each of our body types are unique and special. So when none of us look alike, why should our bodies look the same?”

Want Marilyn Monroe’s Killer Body- Her Diet and Exercise Secrets Revealed

She had one of the most famous bodies of all time – and women have coveted her curves ever since. But just how did Marilyn Monroe achieve her perfect hourglass figure?


Marilyn Monroe’s Diet

Unlike today’s celebs who seem to go from one fad diet to the next, Marilyn Monroe’s diet seemed pretty sensible. One of her supermarket receipts showed a healthy mix of fruit, veg, protein and carbohydrates – as well as one or two treats.

She bought artichokes, eggs, cucumber, radishes, cheddar cheese, corn-on-the-cob, strawberries, endive, steaks, milk, lamb chops and chicken.

She also had some English muffins and strawberry jam.

Her diet was fairly controlled though and she tended to work around a set menu every day.

Her food was simple and wholesome and she often cooked for herself.

Breakfast: A typical day would start with orange juice and two slices of white toast with butter.

Lunch: Lunch included two tablespoons of cottage cheese and a baked potato.

Dinner: For dinner she would eat some lean meat, either a lamb chop, chicken or roast beef, with a potato ‘any way but fried’ and vegetables.

Between meals the actress had a cup of milk and perhaps a cracker.

She finished the day with a glass of eggnog.

HER EXERCISE

Marilyn was ahead of her time when it came to working out. She got up early and went for jogs around her Los Angeles neighbourhood before coming home to lift dumb-bells to tone her arms. Marilyn also enjoyed dancing and was only too aware that as well as helping her have fun, exercising helped to maintain her amazing body.

Yash Birla Refutes Misconceptions/Myths About Working Out

FITNESS MYTHS DEBUNKED by Fitness enthusiast Yash Birla

There’s a quick fix out there somewhere: When you find it, please let me know. This is just pure wishful thinking. But before you decide to hit the gym and pump iron with full gusto, you need to be aware of some truths and disregard common myths doing the rounds.


Weight training makes you big; aerobic exercise cuts you up
Weight training enables one to stress existing muscles. This forces the muscle fibres to adapt by getting bigger and stronger in time. Aerobic exercise is generally meant to improve cardiovascular efficiency and improves the body’s ability to uptake oxygen but does not help in building muscles in the way strength training does and hence does not raise basal metabolic rate or get rid or the ‘after burn effect’. In the long run, weight training is more efficient than aerobics for burning up calories.

High repetitions make your muscles harder and more cut-up
If you can perform more than 15 repetitions in general, it simply means the load is not sufficient to force the muscles to adapt. Higher repetitions will only help in giving a pump but for strength gains ideally 3-7 reps are best and for muscle gains 8-12 reps are ideal. The only way that high repetitions would make a muscle more cut-up is if, by doing a higher number of reps, your body as a whole was in negative energy balance, and you were burning more calories than you were ingesting. The truth is, heavy weights, lifted for 5-12 reps per set, can build rock-hard muscles. You just have to get the fat off them to see how hard they are.

Training with weights causes your muscles to get tight and hinders flexibility and consequently athletic performance
Weight training when done properly will in fact increase flexibility. People who have consistently followed a weight training programme have not only built a strong physique but also enhanced their flexibility and performance like Martina Navratilova (tennis), Evander Holyfield (boxing), Madonna, Melvin Anthony (bodybuilding) to name a few.

If you stop working out, your muscle will turn into fat
Muscle is made up of individual cells — living, breathing cells that undergo all kinds of complex metabolic processes. Fat cells are simply storage sites of lipids. If you stop working out and stop applying resistance to your muscles on a consistent basis, they will simply adapt to the new condition. In other words, they’ll shrink.

Women will become huge if they weight train
Firstly, women do not produce high amounts of testosterone that is necessary to develop that degree of muscle mass, and secondly, most women do not possess the amount of strength to lift enough weights and furthermore eat enough to assimilate that much muscle mass.

Taking steroids will make you huge
Not true. Strength training and correct nutrition will grow muscle. Taking steroids without training will not make you muscular. Most steroids allow faster muscle growth through greater recovery, but this is possible only if the muscle is stimulated in the first place and given the right nutrients in the right proportions. Without food to build the muscle or training to stimulate it, nothing will happen. Most of the weight gain seen with the use of some steroids is due to water retention and is not actual muscle.

One needs exercises to work on lower abs to reduce a pot belly
First, there is no such thing as lower abs. The sixpack you’re going for is actually one long muscle, called the rectus abdominis, that extends from below your chest to your pelvis. To work your abs, you should do exercises to target all four muscles — the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis. Secondly, doing crunches will not help you get a sixpack if you have a layer of fat over your abdominal area. In order to the see the muscles; you must reduce your body fat.

Stretching before exercise reduces injury
Before exercising vigorously, your muscles and joints should be warm and limber. However, light exercise does this more efficiently than deep stretching and is less likely to result in injury. Stretching before exercise may actually increase the risk of injury. In fact, it is better to stretch during and after completing your workout.
- Yash Birla
Source: TOI

Chitrangda Singh Recommends Cardiobased Exercises For Women For a Toned Physique

BOLD AND BOOTY-FULL

Chitrangda Singh is not a size zero but has one of the most desirable bodies. She owes it to doing things in equal measure

Of the many enviable beauties in Bollywood, very few match up to the sultry allure of Chitrangda Singh. This 35-year-old mother of one has a slender, well-toned frame. Her mantra for a fit mind and body isn’t out of the ordinary. She sticks to a typical diet and exercise routine, and steers clear of new-age crash diets. She isn’t a fitness junkie and won’t be found sweating it out in a gym three hours a day.

She exercises four times a week, with gaps for weeks while she’s travelling or shooting. Chitrangada explains, “I’m not an exercise junkie but definitely an enthusiast. I like to try out different combinations of aerobics and cardio exercises for a wellrounded workout. I’m not fanatical about a regimen or schedule. I try to be regular and dedicated and when I have a project, I like to get into shape for it, but it happens over a course of a few months, on and off.”

SPORTY KIDS

“Thanks to my Army background, my father made sure we were involved in some sort of sports. He would wake us up in the wee hours and we’d head out for tennis or a jog, but my favourite was always swimming. My dream body is not a skeletal size zero but a beautifully toned swimmer’s or diver’s body.” Always a bit of a plump child, Singh didn’t really consider her weight an issue until modelling came her way. “I wasn’t fat but I was plump,” she says. “Once I started working, it was required of me to maintain a fit body. When I started work on Hazaron Khwaishen…, I realised my body needed a slight do-over. It didn’t bother me but I knew I had to get into shape.” There hasn’t been a substantial difference in weight since then, she has come down to 55 kg from 57-58 kg. “The drop in dress sizes has been more drastic, I used to be a UK 8 or 10 and am now UK 6,” she says. For Desi Boyz, she had to wear a lot of fitted dresses. “This didn’t require me to lose weight, but sculpting was important. Arms became a high priority,” she says. Her stamina has increased substantially. “Earlier, I used to take many breaks on the treadmill, but now I can go on for 30 minutes continously,” she says.

GETTING STARTED

After wrapping up Desi Boyz, Singh’s trainer Promod Dadlani, designed a workout to target problem areas. The regimen lasts an hour and fifteen minutes. Dadlani gives cardiobased exercises that last 40 minutes and include running, cycling or working on the cross trainer. “She gets bored easily, so I have come up with a range of exercises,” he explains. To avoid excessive muscle development, Singh trains with minimum weights but keeps a high repetition cycle — about 30 to 40 reps per exercise.

They focus on upper thighs and calf muscles. “These are my problem areas. I like to have shapely legs,” she says. “The impact of low weight-high repetition is higher for my body type and it’s got the result I was expecting. Women don’t have a high musculature so to maintain a toned physique, cardiobased exercises work well.”

WARM UP

Chitrangda chalks in a workout first thing in the morning, so it’s essential to get her pressure up and running before strenuous exercises. A jog for 10-15 minutes or cycling, or substituting either for a cross trainer does the job. She also does basic stretching exercises with one or two sets of light weights on her legs to warm up.

PROBLEM AREAS

The average duration of cardio is 40 to 50 minutes. “We also work on individual areas such as the upper body, triceps, biceps, back, hips and legs. Squats, lunges, step-ups, legpress, leg-extensions, and legcurls are great for the lower body. She does these with weights and 30 to 40 repetitions,” says Dadlani.
» Squats and lunges with 30 kg.
» Step-ups with 10 kg.
» Leg press, extensions and curls for toning hamstrings with about 75 kg.
» For upper body and arms, 3 kg dumbbells suffice.
» Cool down is a few stretches to make sure the body isn’t sore later.

Dadlani insists on correct posture while performing squats. Do not bend your back forward as you squat. Also, hip and leg should be at a 90 degree angle from each other at all times.

EATING RIGHT

Never a foodie, now more than ever, Singh keeps a tab on what she eats. High on protein and low on fat, her diet consists of fish, lean meat, fruits and nuts. “For breakfast,” she says. “I usually have an egg white sandwich, oats or nuts. I love fish so I have it grilled with vegetables and with bajra roti, brown rice or bread for lunch and dinner. After workouts, I snack on fruits, Oreo shakes or Twix bars. I indulge in my favourite fried eggs and bacon once a week.”

Omega 3 fatty acids oils are healthy, so she has a steady consumption of nuts and olive oil. Singh has five meals a day — three big meals and two snacks — at three-hour intervals.

Dino Morea Shares His Workout Fundas-No Complicated Fitness Regimes or Diets

WHILE he's had a six-pack since as long as we can remember, actor- entrepreneur Dino Morea has never been one for complicated fitness regimes or diets. And his definition of keeping it simple is roughing it out on the soccer field. The actor, who was a judge on a fitness show organised by a gym recently, shares his love for fitness:


Workout fundas

I play basketball and football twice a week for a couple of hours. So, sports comprises a major part of my workout. The rest of the days I visit the gym, where I do a lot of strength training. I also do balancing exercises on a regular basis. In fact, I have tied a rope to a tree in my garden. Everyday, I try to climb the rope, which is also a form of workout. When I was a kid, my father used to make me participate in all kinds of sports. I played tennis professionally till the age of 13, and then switched to basketball. I was also into athletics, football and hockey. So, fitness has been a part of my life since childhood.

Being a sport

Fitness is important for each one of us. It keeps your mind and body healthy. And it gives us urbanites a sense of discipline, because it’s always a challenge to incorporate fitness in our busy schedules. It also helps us unwind. When I play a game of football, my mind is totally on the game. It just drives away all the mental stress and pressure. For those who find going to the gym and exercising a drudgery, sports is the perfect option.

No diet dilemma

The concept of dieting didn't exist in the time when I was growing up. My parents told us to eat everything. I am a firm believer in moderation. I indulge in chocolates once in a while without any guilt because I know that I am going to burn off those extra calories once I hit the football field. The notion of ' size zero' is utter crap. You will die if you have a size zero body. I believe that an athletic body is what you should aim for since it facilitates faster movement. When I read about some of the modern diets, I just can't stop laughing.

Massage mantra

I meditate at times, and also love getting massages. A full body massage is a great way to relax your muscles. It helps me rejuvenate after a tiring day on the sports field. A good massage calms me down, not to mention that it makes me feel pampered (smiles).

Bipasha Basu's Diet and Workout For a Bikini Fit Body

Despite being a fitness freak Bipasha did not want to leave any stone unturned to look her best in a bikini in Players. She improved her diet and workouts 3 months in advance as she wanted to look really toned in her bikini scene. Bipasha has already worn a Bikini in Dhoom 2 and now wears a two-piece for a film five years after.


“I did not follow a different diet or workout regime to look perfect in the bikini, as I stay fit all year round. I only went on a strict, high-protein diet for some time and increased the intensity of my cardio workouts.”

Bipasha is said to have plans to launch another workout routine on how to get a good beach body. Find details of Bipasha's first fitness dvd 'Love Yourself' here

Bipasha’s bikini diet

Egg whites in all forms

Mushrooms and broccoli

Steamed fish with less salt

Snacking on nuts, apples and drinking several cups of green tea

And last but not the least, six weeks of rigorous discipline

Bipasha Basu wears a two-piece for Players five years after she did Dhoom: 2

The last time Bipasha Basu flaunted her bikini bod was in 2006, for Dhoom: 2. Five years later, she is donning one again for Players. The actor says, “I’m a beach bum and I love hanging out in the swimming pool, so I’m very comfortable wearing a bikini. My only concern was that the scene should be shot well, and the cinematographer Ravi K Chandran took care of that.”

The scene was shot in Wellington (New Zealand) in freezing cold water. Bips adds, “After the scene was done, the chief assistant director, Tinu, gave me a plate of muffins and Sikandar Kher and Omi Vaidya took me out for pizza, so it was worth it! We were supposed to shoot this scene on the morning of Abhishek Bachchan’s birthday, so I missed out on the fun the night before. I went out with them for a little while and came back sulking, as I had to be up early. The rest of them continued to party, though.”

The Bengali bombshell says she tried on several bikinis for the scene, but ultimately chose one from her personal wardrobe. She adds, “I did not follow a different diet or workout regime to look perfect in the bikini, as I stay fit all year round. I only went on a strict, high-protein diet for some time and increased the intensity of my cardio workouts.”

Recalling her Dhoom: 2 days, Bips says, “At that time, I was just thin. Today I am fitter and curvier. I programmed my workout to attain the perfect beach body. I was trained by Paul Britto, who has been my trainer for years.”

Bipasha Basu's Bikini body fitness, Diet that Bipasha Basu followed for a Bikiti fit body, Bipasha Basu's workout to attain Bikini body.

John Abraham's Diet and Workout Regime Pre and Post Force

Post his beefed-up look in Force, John Abraham works out just as hard to tone down his mega muscles and sport a lean, mean, fighting machine look. This is how he’s doing it

John Abraham's Force Look

While John Abraham has always had one of the best bodies in Bollywood, gearing up to be the bulked up fighting machine in Force took superhuman effort. The actor had eight months to beef up for the film and then had to return to his normal body size immediately after for his next project. This extreme change was overseen by his trainer Vinod Channa, who monitored his diet every day and varied John’s workouts to suit him.

It was no easy task. John talks about the rigours he put his body through, “I’ve grown up as a lean kid and I like the element of size. I weighed about 85-86 kilos before Force. I went up to 96 and now I weigh in at about 86. In terms of fitness, I can’t benchmark myself against anyone in this industry.”

John’s body type is ecto-mesomorph (long limbs, good endurance) and his diet and workouts were planned accordingly. His trainer Vinod says, “We had eight months to gain 8-10 kilos of muscle weight. I increased his carbohydrate and protein intake. You don’t need to put in more time working out if you practise the technique perfectly. Most people wrongly tend to put weight on joints, instead of the muscle.”

MUSCLING UP

An actor’s day is usually brimming over with commitments that result in long hours, but John was careful to never skip his workouts. Even if he had to do it at midnight or even later, he was committed to attain his target. As he jokes, “Working on the body is a full-time job. A high-end car requires high-end octane fuel. I’m a vegetarian but I eat egg whites and fish as my body, at 95 kg, needed 200 grams of proteins to stay alive.”

It’s fascinating when he talks about the difference between then and now. He says, “I consumed about 25-30 egg whites a day, now I eat about six-seven. I could do 1,200 leg presses, now it’s about 500-600. At one shot, I could do 150-200 pushups very easily, now it’s about 80-90. The day I finished shooting for Force, I ate biryani that was meant for seven-eight people! Now my diet has dropped to a tenth of what I consumed during Force.” Vinod adds that when John would work out, he would stand on the weights to intensify their impact, astonishing the others at the gym.

JOHN ABRAHAM’S REGIMEN PRE-FORCE:
Workout Regime John Abraham Followed to Achieve the Force Look

Vinod says, “To get the body you desire, 60 per cent depends on the diet and 40 per cent on the workout.” John burnt 6,000-7,000 kilo-calories and so needed a high protein, high carb diet. Vinod ensured that John got his proper dose of multivitamins, proteins and supplements which, if ignored, result in sideeffects like constipation and gas. “No steroids,” he says. They worked out for six seven days a week for Force.

John used to work out two body parts a day. Chest and triceps one day; back, the next. It would be followed by shoulder and biceps and then legs, twice a week. The actor would run for 20-25 minutes after the workout. Four sets of each exercise with 10-12 reps each. Each body part had four-five variations.of the exercise.

JOHN ABRAHAM’S REGIMEN POST-FORCE

It took John only a month to return to his original body weight and it was done systematically. Now five sessions a week suffice. The weights have reduced and so has the diet. Now it’s down to four-six egg whites, protein is limited to two scoops and the taboo list doesn’t change. As Vinod says, with appropriate guidance and discipline, the body is ready for sculpting.

JOHN ABRAHAM’S SPECIAL DIET FOR THE FORCE LOOK

» Oatmeal for breakfast

» 25-30 egg whites (12 in the morning, 6-7 for lunch, rest for dinner)

» 3-4 slices of steamed fish

» Pasta (for the carbs quotient)

» Whey proteins

» Salad (proteins)

» Bajra/ jowar/ nachni rotis (lunch/ dinner)
On the taboo list were maida, oil, rice and sweets. In fact, John can’t even remember the last time he ate ice-cream!

Find here: John Abraham's Fitness Regime To Get The Force Body/Look

Sarah Jane Dias Works Out at Least 3 Times a Week

‘I listen to my body’ ...says Sarah Jane Dias, who doesn’t overeat despite food being a weakness

MY EXERCISE REGIME

I try to squeeze in enough time to workout at least three times a week. A mix of cardio and strength training are a must for my body type. I also try to include yoga at least a couple of times a week. It is like an internal work out as well. Just to mix things and keep my work out interesting, I do boxing and kickboxing as well sometimes.

MY PROBLEM AREAS

My weight is pretty much under control but I find that if I do put on weight, it tends to be around my stomach and hips. Stomach and hips are areas that require nothing but cardio exercises, so that’s what I tend to focus on for these areas. I find boxing and kickboxing extremely effective for these areas.

MY STRENGTHS

I’m not really one to show off, but I would count on my legs as my strength. I’m not fanatical about my weight, but it definitely is important to me. Being fit and healthy is far more important than being skinny.

MY DIET

I am a non- vegetarian, but I eat good amounts of fruits and vegetables. I don’t have any particular diet that I follow, I eat almost everything, but am just careful about the quantity. Food is a weakness but I listen to my body and don’t overeat.

Ideal celeb body (male) Dino Morea because he’s not too bulky, not too lean, just right.

Ideal celeb body (female) Bipasha Basu for sure! She has an extremely toned, fit, yet feminine body.

Neha Dhupia is On a Macrobiotic Diet - Know Her Exercise and Diet Regime

MY EXERCISE REGIME

My workouts comprise indoor and outdoor routines with a mixture of cardio and weight training thrice a week. I also play squash and often go for a swim. Both are great forms of cardio that not only make you sweat but also help you disconnect from the woes of the world and help you focus on what you have at hand, thereby improving your ability to concentrate and maximize your output.

Playing a sport or swimming helps maintain the interest level in a workout and adds to the fun element. I also practise yoga, something I’ve been doing for many years. You need to have a balance in your workouts as cardio helps build stamina and yoga helps provide the necessary balance and overall wellbeing.

Neha Dhupia

MY PROBLEM AREAS

My curves. But I always use them to my advantage since I don’t believe in size zero.

MY STRENGTHS

While I enjoy sweating it out in the gym. I believe my strength lies in my attitude. When I work out I always feel it is mind over body and because of that I’m always able to push myself a little more.

MY DIET REGIMEN

I am currently on a macrobiotic diet which is 80% organic. I don’t eat anything that comes out of a can. I eat freshly cooked vegetables, fresh fruits and consume freshlymade fruit and vegetable juices. I tend to stay away from red meat but I do give in once in a while. I love ghar ka khana because I know it is fresh and without preservatives.

I start my day with a glass of warm water with honey and lemon. For breakfast, I have five almonds and a bowl of fruits. Then follows a mid-afternoon snack of four boiled eggs with brown bread. Lunch usually consists of rice, roti, vegetables, dal and sprouts. My mid-evening snack is green tea and dried figs. Dinner is usually grilled vegetables and salad. My diet is specially constructed according to my blood group.

Ideal celeb body male

Daniel Craig because he is lean, fit, muscular and ripped!

Ideal celeb body female

Scarlett Johansson as she is extremely curvaceous and gorgeous, and Halle Berry as she’s well-toned and super fit.

John Abraham Says There Are No Shortcuts to Losing Weight and Looking Fit

IF you thought that John Abraham was at his fittest best when you saw him in yellow tracks in Dostana, you need to look at him now. He spent eight long months working on his body for his upcoming film, because the filmmakers wanted him to build 96 kilos of muscle and look like Sylvester Stallone. The actor, who calls the gym his ' religion', talks about being India's sexiest bachelor and staying in shape: Body art I might have been voted as India's sexiest bachelor, but I don't find myself sexy.

Every morning I look in the mirror very critically and view my body as a piece of sculpture. I make a mental note of the part that needs to be chiselled and then down to work. I'm the happiest when I am working out. Even when I am down with fever, I make it a point to hit the gym. I’ve now reached 70 per cent of my optimum fitness level. In the next two years, I'll touch 90 per cent and then I'll be super fit.

When youngsters come to me saying that they like my physique because its proportionate, I love it. I tell them that it is important to stay fit. It’s good to know that have influenced a lot of people around me to become healthier.

Dare to bare People might say that he looks good in the ' yellow chaddi', but it takes guts to be able to bare that much. A great diet and great discipline are needed to look like that. And as actors, we need to have great bodies because cinema is a visual medium. Today, most stars are realising that and showing more skin than ever before. But frankly, I think all the actors in the industry need to work on their fitness, except maybe Akshay Kumar. Unfortunately, most stars have only focussed on their upper bodies. The Indian perception is that if your arms are big, you have good body. But you can have a six pack and still be unfit. It is important to workout every muscle in your body.

Gym jam I have been religiously eating healthy and exercising since the last 10 years. My target now is to look like Sylvester Stallone. I don't think there are any shortcuts to losing weight and looking fit. If you resort to a quick fix, you'll expand your glands or lose your hair or jeopardise your chances of having a baby. Trust me, it's not worth it.

Fitness Expert Deanne Panday's Book I’M NOT STRESSED

FITNESS EXPERT DEANNE PANDAY SHARES A LITTLE BIT OF THE JOURNEY THAT LED UP TO HER BOOK, 'I’M NOT STRESSED', WHICH SHE SAYS WILL HELP YOU TOO
I’M NOT STRESSED - BUY NOW FOR Rs 129 >>

Deanne Panday ’s debut book might be titled, I Am Not Stressed, but she wants us to know that it’s taken her a while before she could get to a place that was “ stress- free”. “I am a perfectionist, and I am also very particular about time management, so it upsets me when people don’t value my time or when my expectations are not met,” says Deanne, who adds that she has learnt to manage stress better, over the years, by defining her priorities.

“You have to choose and plan what you want to do; (define) what’s important and how much time you want to invest in each task,” explains the health and fitness expert.

“At the end of the day you don’t want to return home stressed and take it out on your family and friends. You have one life to live, you want to be happy, and to be there for the people who matter.” Defining one’s priorities also helps empower an individual to say ‘ no’ to tasks that are not aligned with those priorities. “ It’s taken me a while, but over the years, I too have learnt to say, ‘ no’. That is my number one tip for time management,” she shares.

Understanding stress is a key component in managing stress, Deanne explains, which is also why part one of the book is dedicated to defining stress, its causes, and effects on the body. “ If I can’t focus on anything that

I’m doing at the moment, that to me is stress,” explains Deanne, who lists working out and yoga among her favourite ways to de- stress.

Not surprising then that the book lists workout plans, warm- up exercises and stretches. BUY THE BOOK NOW >> “When I was younger, I always wanted to be active. My favourite now is yoga and deep- breathing, though, I’m still very disciplined about my workouts.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Deanne, who will soon celebrate her forty- third birthday, says that she too has her share of insecurities and concerns about the process of ageing, but that she is “not striving to be a size zero.” “I don’t get overly obsessed. I eat white rice and I ensure I eat every two hours. You don’t need to workout for two- and- a- half- hours a day, and you don’t have to run to the gym if you’ve eaten a piece of cake the previous day.” Her best advice for weight loss? “ Keep a food journal.

When you look back at what you have eaten over two weeks, you will be able to perceive the situation better.

It’s only when you feed your system rubbish that you lean into a craving.”

5 FOODS THAT HELP YOU DE-STRESS

1. Dark-coloured fruits and vegetables like apricots,blueberries, beetroot,okra, peas, pumpkin
2. Low-fat cottage cheese
3. Nuts like almonds and pistachios
4. Oily fish like salmon and tuna
5. Decaf green tea or rosemary tea. Also gulp down water with a few squeezes of lime (lemon is a natural metabolizer)

TIP TO SLEEP BETTER: CUT DOWN ON CAFFEINE

You know that coffee can keep you up. But you forget there’s caffeine in tea and aerated drinks as well. Here’s another revelation. Caffeine can swim around in your system for nearly 10 hours after you first drank it. So, the earlier you have your last cup, the better your sleep will be.

suggest you drink your last caffeinated beverage before 5 pm. And if you want to snuggle with a warm drink, opt for decaffeinated green tea, malted drinks or hot chocolate.

Indian Residents Can Buy The Book Here For Only Rs 129 (Cash On Delivery) >>

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Shama Sikandar Talks About Her Style Statement

AFTER a successful stint on TV, Shama Sikandar is now trying her hand at fashion. Here She talks about her style statement:



Fashion for me



Fashion is something that is constantly evolving and has the capability to transform a person. It can enhance a person’s look and make an overall difference to his persona.



My style statement



I love comfortable clothes that have little less bling and embroidery. Great fabrics and cuts are more my style. I think it's important to be comfortable in what you wear as that increases your sex appeal.



Beauty is all about confidence.



Accessorize



My simply love earrings. I will never have enough of them even if my whole house is filled with them. After earrings, it has to be bracelets. I have a weakness for small delicate earrings.



Colour of the season



According to me, red and purple are the two colours to watch out for this upcoming festive season. They are vibrant shades and have a happy feel about them.



Prized possession



I am very possessive about my Versace gown. It's red outfit with a cowl neck and drapes. I bought it in the USA and would never want to part from it.



Fashion faux



I think when you wear something that simply doesn’t suit you, you are in for a disaster.

How to Maintain Hair During the Monsoon Season

TRESS TALK



The monsoon season is not too kind on your hair and can lead to hair loss and other problems.



How does it feel to have a bad hair day every day? It feels terrible! But that is what monsoon is about — if you do not take regular care, you end up with bad hair problems. Experts say that hair fall increases during the monsoons but you don’t need to panic because it is a temporary phase and stressing about it may just aggravate the problem.



WASH REGULARLY



If you want to get lustrous hair, wash your hair regularly with a mild shampoo, advises asthetician Ritu Tanwar. “Your hair and scalp should be kept clean. So, washing frequently with a gentle shampoo can get rid of oily and limp hair,” says Tanwar.



DRY THOROUGHLY



Dr Sadhana Deshmukh cautions, “Avoid getting your hair wet in the rains and never tie wet hair. Dry it immediately, especially if you have long hair, otherwise the roots of your hair may rot and produce a bad smell. Suspended particles in the air can settle on your scalp and make it itchy and lead to hair problems.”



PROTECT IT



She advises people to cover their hair when going out in the rains. A trendy umbrella or a stylish raincoat can not only protect your hair, but also make a style statement.



Aesthetic dermatologist Dr Nishita Sheth adds, “Rainwater weakens the shaft bonds, which in turn makes your hair dull and limp.” She says it is important to avoid using too many hair products.



Dr Sheth suggests, “If you want to, invest in good quality products and use an anti-humidity hair gel to groom stubborn hair. Oil your hair every week and go easy on hair dryers and chemical treatments.”



KEEP IT SHORT



Hair expert Jawed Habib says that since monsoon is a bad time for hair and leads to all kinds of hair problems, the right length of hair can help ease some of it. Habib suggests, “You need to keep your hair short because that makes it easier to dry and take care of. Short hairstyles look good and are easily manageable.”



AVOID TOO MANY PRODUCTS



Perry Patel cautions against using hair styling products too often. “Using minimal hair products is ideal,” he says. Dr Sheth agrees. “Use a mild shampoo and a gentle conditioner. Apply conditioner on the hair shaft instead of the hair root. Keep your scalp clean and go for a hair style that is easy to manage,” she says.

Yoga For Weight Loss - by Bharat Thakur

Gaining weight and obesity is essentially a state of metabolic disturbance. We gain weight when there is an imbalance between the intake and expenditure of energy in the body. This imbalance in your system that can be cured with the help of simple and effective yogic techniques.
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Yoga works in a unique way. It works on the endocrinal system and changes the hormonal balance in the body. Unwanted fat from the body is removed by burning calories as well as by altering the hormonal balance of the whole body. Yogic asanas tone up the body by penetrating deep into each tissue and muscle which general exercises cannot achieve. Yoga will help you change the functioning of your entire system, lose weight and build a healthy muscle tone.

This book provides a comprehensive and straightforward account of the process of losing weight and then maintaining it the Yoga way - BUY NOW >> (Cash on Delivery)

Details of Book: Yoga For Weight Loss

Book: Yoga For Weight Loss
Author: Bharat Thakur
Number of Pages: 120
Language: English

About the Author

Bharat Thakur is an internationally renowned spiritual master who travels throughout the world conducting yoga and meditation workshops. The following Yoga Asana's for weight loss are his hand picked selections...

Buy The Book "Yoga for Weight Loss" By Bharath Thakur For Rs 116/- Here >>

List of Books Written By Bharat Thakur

Yoga for Flat Abs By Bharat Thakur
Yoga For The Family By Bharat Thakur
Yoga for Stress Relief By Bharat Thakur
Yoga For Diabetes Relief By Bharat Thakur
Desktop Yoga By Bharat Thakur
Yoga for Backache Relief By Bharat Thakur

Health Tips On How To Control Cholesterol Levels in the Body

Eating right

HIGH cholesterol levels are a matter of concern amongst most of us today. Irregular, callous food habits and lack of exercise are the two main reasons for this sort of an imbalance. Here is what you could do to monitor your cholesterol levels:

Eat lots of garlic. Add it to your dals, soups, pastas, vegetables and curries. The thing to remember is that you must crush the garlic right before you're going to use it. Garlic is said to help with high cholesterol by lowering the amount of lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the 'bad cholesterol) as well as increasing the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the 'good' cholesterol).

It's a good idea to increase your intake of soy foods. Enjoy more tofu, green soybeans, dried soybeans, and soya nuggets. Soy is extremely low on cholesterol and rich in protein. Tofu contains Omega 3 fatty acids that lower LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. This shortens the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Add beans to your diet three to five times a week. Try lentil soup, black beans and rice, kabuli chole, hummus and rajma beans. You can boil a handful of rajma beans and toss them into a salad.

Include a serving of fiber-rich fruit or vegetables at every meal and snack. Remember sprouts. They are low cholesterol and high in protein value.

Substitute olive oil or canola oil for butter, margarine and other refined oils in your cooking. Coconut oil is very rich in cholesterol, so it would be best to avoid it.

The Four-Week Countdown Diet: Now You Choose How You Lose By Namita Jain

You may have tried dieting before, but have you ever managed to change your shape in just four weeks? Namita Jain, a renowned wellness expert, draws on her experience of twenty years as a weight management and fitness specialist to design a diet regime that you can easily work into your everyday schedule. And if you follow it properly, you could drop a trouser size a month, or maybe even two!

What’s more, there is no need to run to the grocery store for unheard- of ingredients, no elaborate preparations, no tasteless, colourless dishes that force you to give up in despair. This diet uses vegetables and masalas found in every Indian kitchen to create meals that are oil-free, calorie- free, yet delicious to eat. The recipes involve minimum fuss, yet add that irresistible aroma to your food without the oil.

The Four-week Countdown Diet includes:

Diet and workout plans suited to your individual needs

Tips on how to stock your kitchen and bar

Easy-to-make recipes

Simple exercises you can do at home

Everything you need to know about spas, saunas and weight-loss Gadgets

Real life examples from clients

So don’t wait. Make a difference to your life BUY NOW! (Rs 133/- Cash on Delivery)

About the Author

Namita Jain is a highly respected lifestyle and weight-management specialist and authority in the wellness industry. She holds prestigious international certifications in several fitness-related disciplines and has been actively involved in the wellness space for over twenty years, offering holistic guidance and teaching hundreds of students to get fitter, faster. She is a clinical fitness specialist at Bombay Hospital in Mumbai, structuring training programmes for patients with special needs, training the trainers and conducting specialized classes. Namita writes a variety of columns for leading newspapers and magazines in India, covering health issues such as nutrition, exercise and related topics.

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Tooth Care Tips - How to Prevent Dental Cavities/Teeth Decay

Dental Care: Below are some tips on how to prevent tooth decay or painful cavities in Teeth

A dental cavity typically occurs when the bacteria present in the mouth cause tooth decay. In medical terms, this is called ‘dental caries’.

In many cases, it appears as a small chalky deposit, which may eventually develop into a large cavitation. Sometimes, a lesion may be directly visible. However, other methods of detection such as radiographs are required for less visible areas to judge the true extent of tooth destruction.

Caries or tooth decay is caused by teria in the mouth that convert all foods, specially starchy and sugary ones, into acids. These acids, in combination with saliva and food particles present in the mouth, form a sticky substance called plaque. It sticks to the outer-most layer of the teeth, and with time and poor oral hygiene; slowly makes its way in. Gradually, the acids move toward the inner layers of the teeth and if not treated by dentist, they may soon reach the softer, core part of the teeth which comprises the nerve chamber.

Caries lead to enormous pain, tooth destruction, infection of surrounding tissues and eventual loss of tooth.

Signs of Cavity in the Teeth

A cavity is usually painless at the initial stage. The earliest sign for a patient is toothache along with sensitivity to hot/cold foods and drinks.

Dental cavities can also cause bad breath and foul taste.

Risk factors

Individuals have varying degree of susceptibility to pain, depending on the shape of their teeth, oral hygiene habits, eating habits and the buffering capacity of their saliva.

Treatment

Treatment for cavity involves the use of fluoride sealants to seal caries within the initial stages, dental restorations, root canal therapy, and medication, or eventually tooth extraction as a last resort.

Adopting good oral care habits as well as making a few changes to one’s diet can stave off a cavity.

Preventive care is the best approach to treat cavities.

Let’s take a look at four easy steps to prevent the occurrence of a tooth cavity:

• Brush your teeth twice a day: It is important to use a fluoride-based toothpaste and brush using proper technique. It is advised that you use a soft-bristled brush and apply only medium pressure on the gums and enamel.



• Rinse with an essential-oil basedmouth wash twice a day, more so before going to sleep. Brushing alone cannot clean the complete mouth, whereas a liquid mouth wash can get to those hard-to-reach areas that brushing sometimes can’t.



• Rinsing the mouth with a gentle, anti-microbial mouthwash along with brushing offers better oral protection.



• Restrict the usage of starchy and sugary food items like cookies, pastries, junk food, aerated drinks, and drink plenty of water.



• Visit the doctor once in a year for a complete screening and proper cleaning of teeth to ensure your mouth is plaque and cavity-free. dh

Tattoo Care - Tips to Protect the Beauty of Your Tattoo

For the freshly inked, Before you start to flaunt it, here are a few essential tips to protect the beauty of your tattoo

It will break your heart if your tattoo doesn’t look as good as it used to be when you got it. You may even end up spending an extravagant sum of money on getting it touched up. It’s essential for a tattoo to look nice once it heals, and if you don’t want to be left with an inky eyesore, Mumbai tattoo artiste Al Alva offers a few important pointers:

CLEANING

A freshly etched tattoo is as good as a wound. The epidermis of the skin reacts to the wound and secretes a transparent fluid to protect germs from entering the body. The surface of the tattooed skin must be cleaned regularly and kept dry. Wet a piece of cloth and dab it on the tattoo to clean any germs, and then moisturise the tattoo with a body lotion.

APPLY OINTMENT

Calendula is a herbal remedy which heals wounds and soothes the skin. Apply a very thin layer of the cream on the tattoo thrice a day. Continue the treatment for the first 15 days.

DON’T GO FOR A SWIM

Take short showers when you bathe. But going for a swim or taking a steam bath will cause your skin to form scabs as a reaction to chlorine and heat respectively. The thicker the scabs, the lighter will the colour of your tattoo be when it heals.

AVOID SWEATING

If you are a health freak, don’t exercise for the first 15 days after you get a tattoo. The salt in your sweat causes the same damage to the tattoo as chlorine or sea water and it forms scabs.

KEEP AWAY FROM THE SUN

Long exposure to the sun could cause the tattoo to get discoloured. Avoid applying sunscreen and wear long sleeves to protect the area.

AVOID SHAVING

Avoid shaving till the tattoo is completely healed as it may cause your skin to peel, and erode the ink within.

NO SCRATCHING

Your tattoo will itch for the first few days, which is a sign of healing. Refrain from scratching. It is possible that by doing so, you may be scratching the ink out even before it settles

Medicinal Values of Tamarind

Tamarind juice is a mild laxative and can be used to treat bile disorders.

Studies have shown that it can effectively cut on cholesterol levels.

The pulp, leaves and flowers, in various combinations, are applied on painful and swollen joints.

Tamarind juice can be used to cure sore throats, and as a drink for relief from sunstroke.

Tamarind juice is used to cure conjunctivitis, under medical supervision. Eye drops made from tamarind seeds can be used as a treatment for dry eye syndrome. Tamarind seed polysaccharide is an adhesive, which enables it to stick to the surface of the eye.

Mix jaggery with tamarind pulp, cinnamon, cardamom, to make a tasty chutney to tackle loss of appetite.

Sonakshi Sinha Shares Some of Her Beauty Secrets

‘I buff my lips when they are dry’

SKIN-TILLATING!

I drink loads of water. Water is like a life saviour and does wonders to my skin. I also stay away from makeup when it’s not required. My mother has advised me to remove my make-up completely before I go to bed. I believe in letting my skin breathe.


MANE POINT:

My mom made it a point to oil my hair regularly when I was a child. And the tradition continues.

WOEFUL TEENS:

Like all other teenagers, I too, suffered from bad acne.

NATURALLY SPEAKING:

I do not indulge in any natural therapy. My mother has wonderful skin and I think I have just been lucky to have equally good skin.

QUICK FIX:

I have a problem of dry lips, so I gently buff my lips with a gentle brush and this helps remove the dead skin from my lips.

MUST-HAVE IN THE MAKE-UP KIT:

My lip balm, sunscreen and kohl.

See Health and Fitness as a Necessity, Not as a Chore Says Model Sahil Shroff

Models don’t have a choice but to look good. So it’s no wonder then that Sahil Shroff takes his fitness very seriously. He shares his workout plan

Working it out

My fitness regime these days is a balance off all kinds of energy systems being tilised in a week along with flexibility and strength training. With regards to cardio, I run once or twice a week and cover 12 kms in each run. I have at least one session of Taekwondo in a week, along with basketball or tennis to fill in the third and fourth day of cardio. I have an alternate day regime for cardio. I don't do body building or weight training anymore, I work a lot on core strength and use my body weight for my exercises. I hit every muscle in different angles using my body weight through push ups, pull ups, lower body exercise and intense band work. I also spend my mornings doing basic yoga breathing exercises and meditation. I keep changing my regime so I don't get bored.

Food for thought

My diet is very balanced. I don't take protein powders as I have a high protein diet. Oats and dry fruits in the morning, fruits in between main meals, lunch has fish and two vegetables with seven grain two rotis along with raw salad. At night, I have two rotis with one vegetable and a high protein dal n a piece of fish maybe. A lot of spinach, eggs, almonds, moong and fish complete my diet plan. I stopped chicken and meat a year ago. Oh yes, I can’t miss my daily cup of coffee and tea.

Tips

For starters, you shouldn’t see health and fitness as a chore, but as a necessity. It will make a difference in your overall health. You should do something that you enjoy doing that will also help you stay fit. Maybe, you could go back to a sport you played in school. Keep your workouts simple and goal oriented. Don't believe what you hear unless you’ve tried it out. The motivation statement is ‘go hard or go home’ (laughs).

Remedies To Remove Sun Tan

HOW TO REMOVE TAN

While a tan may be attractive for some, for others it's just one of the dreaded hazards of summer. Though most of us douse ourselves with sunscreen before stepping out, a sun tan invariably sets in. Besides, darkening our complexion, it can also cause skin cancer by destroying the skin cells.

For those who are stuck with a stubborn tan, here are some quick fix Methods to Remove Sun Tan and Burns:

- “Apply pure sandalwood paste on your face 10- 15 minutes before you go for a shower. It's very soothing and works wonders for your complexion,” says Asha Hariharan of Beyond the Fringe Salons and Spas.

- Prepare a mixture of besan ( gram flour) and rose water and apply it on the affected area. Leave it till it dries and wash it off with lukewarm water.

- Apply a paste of papaya, cream and sugar on the tanned area before bathing to get rid of the tan.

- Mix the juices of tomato and cucumber and apply it on your face on a daily basis to remove tans.

- “Grate cucumber and strain the juice in a bowl. Add some grated potatoes to it and spread it evenly over your face. This will brighten the skin and erase the tan”

- Mix sugar with the juice of a lemon. Add a little glycerin to it. Scrub the affected area with this mixture in a gentle circular motion. This will help get rid of the tan and soften the skin.

- Take a few teaspoons of hot coconuts oil, add 1 to 2 pieces of camphor and apply to the affected area every night before going to bed. You can also make a paste of sandalwood powder mixed with coconut oil and almond oil. Apply the paste on the exposed area and leave it for some time before washing off with cold water.

- Include items like lettuce, cucumber, radish, broccoli, tomatoes and other leafy vegetables in your diet. They will protect your skin from tanning.

- But the best way to avoid tans, is to use a good sunblock ranging from SPF 15 to 35, depending on the number of hours you spend outdoors.

Say no to tans

􀀗 Use a mixture of lime juice and glycerin. This also helps remove freckles and pigmentation spots
􀀗 Use Aloe Vera gel over a sunburn or a tan
􀀗 Use caladryl if you get skin rash due to sunburn
􀀗 To lighten a tan, use a mixture of curd and lime 10 minutes before bathing. This acts as a natural skin bleaching agent
􀀗 Take 1tsp of milk powder,½ tsp of sandalwood powder, ½ tsp of limejuice and add a few drops of honey. Make a paste and use this pack twice a week for 10 minutes
􀀗 Use of foundation and compact also helps to protect against a tan

I am Into Yoga & I Play Squash Says Kulraj Randhawa

Kulraj Randhawa made her presence felt when she starred opposite the Deol family in the comedy ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’. she made the audience noticed her dimpled smile and now, she seems to be enjoying every bit of her new found stardom. Here she talks about her Diet and fitness along with few of her favorite things.

Diet mantra

I am blessed with a lean body so I don’t do much. If I put on weight, then I usually lose it easily.

Favourite food

I love food. I am a Punjabi so I love good Punjabi food. I also like Thai cuisine.

Fitness regime

I am into yoga and I’m a very active person otherwise. I play squash. But since I am part of the industry, I have started weight training recently.

Free time and weekends

Weekends are mostly party time. I hang out with friends and also attend events.

Style statement

Fashion is what looks good on your body. Depending on the occasion and time, I wear dresses, gowns, denims, shorts and jumpers.

Favourite vacation spots

Leh and Ladhak. And I want to go to Kerela.

Favourite books

I read a lot of fictional war books.

Favourite movies

I am in the industry so I have to watch films. I love different kind of movies like ‘ThreeMuske teers’, ‘Life Is Beautiful’, Sholay , ‘Black’ and the Munnabhai series.

Favourite music

I mostly listen to classics. Favourite automobile - If I have to name one, it would be Jaguar. As told to Sonal Sher

Shibani Kashyap's Daily Skin and Hair Care Regime

‘I PREFER A NO MAKE-UP LOOK’ ...says singer Shibani Kashyap


My Daily Skin Care Regime

I like to keep my skin hydrated.Protection from the sun, cleansing of the skin and sleep are very important for a good, glowing skin. My daily skin care regime starts with washing my face with cool water, first thing in the morning. I leave it for at least half an hour and then rinse it off. Trust me, it works like magic on the skin! I always apply a sun block before stepping out of my house. I prefer going in for a no make-up look most of the time. I use make-up only during shoots. To beat the heat, I keep spraying rose water on my face to keep my skin fresh. Before going to bed, I use a light scrub to get rid of the grime, a soap-free facewash, followed by a toner and a light overnight cream to keep my face hydrated through the night. The skin of the entire body needs pampering, so I take a weekly body massage, body scrub and body polish. I believe in loving my skin and taking good care of it.

My Hair Care Regime

Hair they say, is the crowning glory of a woman. A good healthy high-protein diet is a must for healthy bouncy, shiny hair. In summer, I make it a point to wash my hair every alternate day with a good shampoo and conditioner. I avoid getting my hair coloured, highlighted or straightened. I do not like my hair to get subjected to chemicals. I oil my hair regularly with mustard oil and also use an egg pack with curd and honey. They are natural conditioners and leave the hair deeply conditioned.

TEENAGE PROBLEM

As a teenager, I did have pimples but not many. Elders in the family will always ask me to keep my tummy clean. I stayed away from oily food. I still follow that and eat curd. It is rich in protein and keeps you hydrated.

NATURALLY SPEAKING

The best home-made remedy I’ve come across to remove a tan is to apply curd and lime juice on your face and viola, the tan goes instantly. Multani mitti with a pinch of turmeric, honey and water/cold milk is an excellent face pack. For my hair, I massage hot oil on my scalp and keep it overnight. If time permits, I apply curd with a few drops of lime which removes oil and gives great shine to your hair.

QUICK FIX

If you have long hair and if if it is unmanageable for some reason, then just tie them into a ponytail. Keep a bodyspray or perfume handy and a lip gloss for that last minute.

MUST-HAVE IN THE MAKE-UP KIT

Always keep face wash, moisturiser, compact powder, kaajal and light lipstick or lipgloss in your bag.

‘I do 100 Surya Namaskaras’ Says Soha Ali Khan, Who Keeps Fit By Yoga & Badminton When Bored of the Gym

‘I do 100 Surya Namaskaras’ …says actress Soha Ali Khan, who keeps fit by doing yoga, playing badminton and climbing stairs when she’s bored of the gym


MY EXERCISE REGIME

It’s not fixed as whenever I get bored, I change my form of workout. But then, I keep an active lifestyle, so I can afford to not hit the gym everyday. Usually, I head to the gym for about two weeks, daily for an hour. Since I have always been fit, I don’t stress much on cardio. Moreover, I get bored running on the treadmill. Instead, I prefer doing light weights and sometimes, use the elliptical machine. On the other two weeks of the month, I keep fit by playing badminton, climbing stairs for 20 minutes and doing yoga. I do 100 Suryanamaskaras.

MY WEAKNESS

I think I have this Bengali cheeks. Since I have a petite frame, my cheeks tend to stand out. No matter how much body weight I lose, I can’t lose weight on my cheeks! I have tried doing facial exercises and make funny faces in front of the mirror, but it hasn’t really helped.

MY STRENGTHS

Many people say that I have a flat stomach. I don’t do any crunches or go on diet for it. My upper body is fine, so,I pay more attention to my lower body. I believe I have good arms. Also, I do not have weight issues as my weight has been almost constant, fluctuating from 49 to 50 kgs for the past 15 years.

MY DIET

I’m a non-vegetarian who doesn’t eat red meat. I eat lot of fish and chicken, besides soups, vegetables and fruits like papayas, strawberries, etc. I don’t believe in dieting and have a balanced meal. Also, I’m not one of those people who totally avoid carbs. I have carbs in the form of wholegrains products. But I have two vices: I’m addicted to diet cola and chocolates. I’m not into protein shakes but I do take vitamin supplements for three months, and after a gap of another three months. I do because taking too many vitamins can strain the kidneys.

My fitness role model

I don’t have a fitness role model because everybody has a different body and metabolism. I believe in competing with myself.

Ideal celeb body (male)

If I were a man, I’d like to have a body like Brad Pitt in the movie Fightclub.

Ideal celeb body (female)

Shilpa Shetty and Bipasha Basu have good, well maintained bodies

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The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, By Siddhartha Mukherjee

Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘The Emperor of All Maladies’ is a biography of cancer and of those who have fought it throughout history.







The Emperor of All Maladies іѕ a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” οf cancer—frοm іtѕ first documented appearances thousands οf being ago through thе epic battles іn thе twentieth century tο cure, control, аnd conquer іt tο a radical nеw understanding οf іtѕ essence. Physician, researcher, аnd award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer wіth a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, аnd a biographer’s passion. Thе result іѕ аn astonishingly lucid аnd moving chronicle οf a disease humans hаνе lived wіth—аnd perished frοm—fοr more thаn five thousand being.



Thе tаlе οf cancer іѕ a tаlе οf human ingenuity, resilience, аnd perseverance, bυt аlѕο οf hubris, paternalism, аnd misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries οf discoveries, setbacks, victories, аnd deaths, tοld through thе eyes οf hіѕ predecessors аnd peers, training thеіr wits against аn infinitely resourceful adversary thаt, јυѕt three decades ago, wаѕ рlοttіng tο bе easily beaten іn аn аll-out “war against cancer.”



Thе book reads lіkе a literary thriller wіth cancer аѕ thе protagonist. Frοm thе Persian Queen Atossa, whose Greek slave сυt οff hеr malignant breast, tο thе nineteenth-century recipients οf primitive radiation аnd chemotherapy tο Mukherjee’s οwn leukemia patient, Carla, Thе Royal leader οf All Maladies іѕ аbουt thе people whο hаνе soldiered through fiercely demanding regimens іn order tο survive—аnd tο increase ουr understanding οf thіѕ iconic disease. Riveting, urgent, аnd startling, Thе Royal leader οf All Maladies provides a fаѕсіnаtіng glimpse іntο thе prospect οf cancer treatments. It іѕ аn illuminating book thаt provides hope аnd clarity tο those seeking tο demystify cancer.



“In 2010, аbουt six hundred thousand Americans, аnd more thаn 7 million humans around thе world, wіll die οf cancer.” Wіth thіѕ sobering statistic, physician аnd researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee ѕtаrtѕ hіѕ comprehensive аnd moving “biography” οf one οf thе mοѕt virulent diseases οf ουr time. An exhaustive account οf cancer’s origins, Thе Royal leader οf All Maladies illustrates hοw modern treatments–multi-pronged chemotherapy, radiation, аnd surgery, аѕ well аѕ preventative care–came іntο existence thanks tο a century’s value οf research, trials, аnd small, essential breakthroughs around thе globe. Whіlе Thе Emperor οf All Maladies іѕ rich wіth thе science аnd history іn thе rear thе fight against cancer, іt іѕ аlѕο a meditation οn illness, medical ethics, аnd thе complex, intertwining lives οf doctors аnd patients. Mukherjee’s profound compassion–fοr cancer patients, thеіr families, аѕ well аѕ thе oncologists whο, аll tοο οftеn, саn offer small hope–mаkеѕ thіѕ book a very human history οf аn elusive аnd complicated disease.



Mukherjee gives a detailed history of the various attempts at cure, especially during the 20th century when the favoured methods shifted from removal of the entire breast and much surrounding tissue, with doses of radiation which changed over time, to chemotherapy and, more recently, a new understanding of the genetics of cancer.



Mukherjee conveys the emotional burden carried by a cancer specialist whose daily routine brings him close to people who may be about to die.



He once drove an hour and a half through heavy traffic to bring in person the good news that a patient’s bone marrow biopsy had proved free of malignancy. After five years of desperate disease, he could tell Carla Reed she was all clear.



This blood-and-guts volume is brightened by a handsome photograph of the oncologist looking like a Bollywood film star. This book is named by The New York Times as one of the 10 best books of 2010.



In its historical sweep, the book succeeds. It traces the first medical description of cancer to an Egyptian text of 2500BC, which told of “a bulging tumour in breast” and wrote there “is no treatment”. It highlights the ancient Persian queen Atossa who had a slave cut off her cancerous breast with a knife – a self-prescribed mastectomy.



In fact, not until 1890 was radical mastectomy introduced as a standard procedure – and “radical” was the right word: not only the tumour was excised but some deep chest muscles and lymph nodes under the armpit and the collarbone as well.



By the Fifties, the main breast cancer treatment had become simple mastectomy or a more minor lump removal called “lumpectomy”, followed by radiation. Since the Seventies, chemotherapy has become used more than surgery as a way to control tumour growth.



Today the emphasis is on genetics. Some young women who have been found to have one of the two genes now identified as cancer-carriers – BRCA1 and BRCA2 – choose to have bilateral mastectomy to free them from the fear of breast cancer. In future, women may arrive at the oncologist’s clinic with a thumb-sized flash drive containing the entire sequence of their cancer’s genome.



Mukherjee offers no false hope: “No single, universal cure is in sight – and is never likely to be.” Cancer will not disappear but rather in an ageing population will occur later and later in life, with new treatments enabling victims to live longer. “This war on cancer,” he concludes, “may best be ‘won’ by redefining victory.”



"Rarely have the science and poetry of illness been so elegantly braided together as they are in this erudite, engrossing, kind book."



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Simple Tips to Control Body Odour and Keep it at Bay

BODY odour can be the most embarrassing malady of the season. Below are a couple of simple tips to keep it at bay:

• Drinking plenty of water and fresh vegetable juices can reduce sweating and hydrate the body.


• If you are prone to body odour, a shower twice a day should help.
  What is important is that you bathe after working out, exercising or coming home from a sweaty day. Also, make sure you wash your sweaty clothes regularly.


• The underarms tend to accumulate more sweat so make sure you shave or wax regularly. The same goes for the genital region that tends to produce more sweat.


• Smelly feet can drive anyone up the wall. So change socks daily. Fabrics like cotton and linen are better at soaking in sweat than other fabrics.


• Deodorants do help to mask body odour, but because they cause the skin pores to clog, you can’t be using a deo every three hours. Wash yourself at regular intervals. You can even keep wet wipes handy.


• Adding lots of fibre to your body helps clear the trash away. So include as many raw veggies, unpeeled fruits and vegetables, unpolished rice, whole grains and salads in your diet. The more toxins get flushed out of your body, the lesser smells there'll be left for others to have to put up with!