What to Look For When Hiring a Health Coach or Fitness Trainer

FIT TO TRAIN

The right personal trainer is the most important element in the larger framework of fitness. Experts tell you what to look for when hiring a health coach

Just as one size doesn’t fit all, one uniform regimen doesn’t suit everyone. That’s where the role of a personal trainer comes in — to tailor the exercise schedule keeping variables such as your stamina and goal in mind. Here’s what you must keep in mind before putting him/her in charge of your fitness.

Satyajit Chourasia with his star client Aamir Khan

CREDENTIALS

Strong credentials will ensure that the trainer doesn’t put you on an unhealthy regimen and is equipped to deal with injuries, if any. “A basic college education of 10 + 2 is necessary in India. Additionally, the trainer must be certified in professional fitness courses. Many certifying organisations offer different classes and workshops. International certifications are also available. Moreover, the trainer must keep updating his/her knowledge with short-term courses,” says Althea Shah, fitness expert and General Manager Operations, Gold’s Gym India.

TRY IT OUT

“If you like the trainer, you can always opt for a trial session,” advises gym owner Satyajit Chourasia. Many trainers provide free trial sessions for prospective clients, while others charge a nominal fee. “Find out how your trainer works and how he/she communicates with you through the workout. Most importantly, observe how you ‘felt’ after the workout. Were you refreshed? Too stressed? If you work out with a good trainer, he/she will easily gauge your state of mind and direct you accordingly,” adds Chourasia.

FIT ENOUGH?

How good is a trainer who advises good diet and regular exercise, but finds it difficult to stick to his/her own regimen? “A trainer must have the right physique that can motivate clients. The trainer needn’t be a pehelwaan, rather he/she must have a toned, fit look. One, it gains admiration. Second, it boosts trust,” opines Chourasia.

TALK NUMBERS

“Always ask the hours that the trainer has available and what kind of flexibility will there be in scheduling your workouts,” advises Shah. Most professionals have a jam-packed schedule, as a result of which, changes in workout timings become common. If that’s the case with you, spell it out.

TAKE REFERENCES

“Find out if the trainer has worked with other clients who have had a similar starting fitness level and age. Also, if you are training for a specific goal, say a marathon, find out if the trainer has worked with others who have had similar goals,” says Shah.

GENDER BIAS

“Many people find it easier to take direction and motivation from a trainer of the opposite sex, while others may only feel comfortable with a trainer of his/her own gender,” suggests Shah. Be honest and ask yourself if you are okay with training with someone irrespective of his/her gender. If not, make your preferences clear and put it upfront when going about your search.

‘Sleep Is The Best Form of Rejuvenation!’ - Amit Jain

My exercise regime

I workout regularly and keep trying to change my routine. Earlier, I was into weight training, now I’m more into stretching and dancing. I try to stir up my regime by doing some yoga, kickboxing, or by playing a sport. Any physical activity that gets you to tone your body is good. Fitness is not just about getting a particular size or shape but should make you feel good.

My diet

When at home, I eat everything except deep fried and packaged foods. I make it a point to avoid oily snacks like samosas and kachoris. I think chocolate is a great energy booster and there’s nothing wrong in having a bar once in a while. A good way to keep healthy is to look for fat-free alternatives like skim-milk. Indulging in a scoop of ice-cream occasionally is fine, too, as long as it’s not after a heavy dinner. I usually have a high protein diet for building muscles. I make it a point to eat five to six small meals.

My happiness quotient

I love to read, watch films or even dance. I ensure that I only do things that make me happy. Freestyle Bollywood dancing is lots of fun and helps to loosen up body tension. I just let my body flow to the music.

My idea of relaxation

Listening to music is relaxing for me. But the best thing is to sleep and sleep some more. Too many people are sleep-deprived in this city. It’s the best form of rejuvenation!

‘I Need to Have Physical Activity Daily’: Shriya Saran

MY WORKOUT

A workout is something that has become essential for my existence! And not just because I’m an actress, but because I need to have some sort of physical activity every day. My workout is not the same everyday. I alternate between cardio thrice a week, a game and swimming. I love swimming and I can never get enough of it. I also practise yoga for 45 minutes, at least. I practise what is known as Isha Yoga and follow it with meditation and Sham Bhavi as well. The one thing I stay away from, is weights. I believe that they simply don’t suit me.

MY DIET

It’s very tough for me to follow a stringent diet when I’m travelling. However, when I’m at home, I begin my day with a glass of orange juice, since I believe it cuts the fats in the body. I follow that with a masala omelette (with only egg white), a dosa or sometimes a paneer paratha. I make sure that I eat every two hours. My mom makes channa cutlets for me, which are delicious, filling and healthy, all at the same time. When I’m travelling, my diet consists of a lot of grilled fish or chicken. Sometimes, I have muesli or a salad as an evening snack.

Dinner at home is whatever my mum fixes, although I avoid carbs at night. My weakness (and comfort food) is dark chocolate and I make sure that the fridge always has some, especially when I’m at home!

HAPPINESS QUOTIENT

Happiness is a habit we need to inculcate in ourselves. It has to be an everyday agenda — we have to work on it. For some people, it really has become a process today. I guess we have to figure out what makes us happy and then work on it. For me, a good read, time with friends, and work make me very happy.

IDEA OF RELAXATION

Listening to music, reading, dancing, swimming, yoga or spending a day at the spa pampering myself, relax and refresh me. Recently, I’ve discovered that playing with my nephew is completely rejuvenating!

Sonam Kapoor Talks About Her Major Weight-Loss Programme

Sonam Kapoor makes most women I know want to be like her. Naturally beautiful, super-fit and radiating health and happiness! She burst into the scene after a major weight-loss programme and has not looked back since.

She's the quintessential Prevention woman who took charge of her weight, health and came out looking fabulous! The actress speaks about her health routine.

Here's what Sonam looked like when she weighed 90-odd kgs

Sonam as she looks now

Peshawarls love rich food, how do you deal with your genes?
We are from Peshawar-a city where rich food and eating with abandon are
a way of life. I am very proud of my roots. But I realised it is neither healthy nor practical to live that way. Being an actor, I cannot afford to be sloppy. I need to be healthy all year round. Of course, having a health-conscious mother has been a blessing. She's always made sure we ate , wholesome meals, and as a family, we avoid overeating.

So how did you end up putting on weight?
I was in a boarding school in Singapore for two year and somehow put on a lot of weight while I was there. Since I never planned on a film career, I neglected my diet and put on so much weight.

You when did you decide to lose weight?
I would have continued being obese and unhealthy but for director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I started assisting him on Black, and one day out of the blue he asked me to take up acting. Acting in films means having a fit body. So I started working on my weight. Eventually he offered me Saawariya. But to set the record straight, I had actually started los¬ing weight before I was offered any film.

Tell us about your battle plan?
In all fairness, it was my mother who helped me get rid of my excess weight.
The first thing she did was to keep me off the stuff I was so fond of as a teenager-chocolates, ice creams, fried foods and sweets. My goal , was to lose 35 kilos.

I started weight training with trainers Shervir and Monisha; artistic yoga and Power Yoga with Bharat Thakur; Pilates with Yasmin Karachi¬wala and general fitness with trainer Zarine Watson. My training in Kathak helped me too. It's a vigorous form of classical dance and helps you get a toned body.

In addition, Zarine put me on six small meals a day-low on carbs and high on protein. My breakfast consisted of oatmeal and fruits. Post-work-out, I had brown bread with egg whites. Afterwards, it was a protein shake with juice. Lunch comprised dal, sabzi, one ragi roti, salad and a piece of chicken or fish. The evening snack, was high-fibre crackers with chicken cold cuts or egg whites. At dinner, it was soup, salad and a piece of chicken or fish. I followed this routine for a year and lost 35 kilos in all!

How do you keep healthy?
I never binge and eat everything in moderation. Also, I never ignore my cravings. I eat whenever a craving strikes, but in small portions. When I felt like chocolates three weeks ago, I didn't hold back, I took a small piece. When I'm traveling I carry an apple or sandwich or health bars to satisfy myself without piling on excess calories.

My grandmother taught me to sip on warm water first thing in the morning. It flushes out toxins from the system. I follow it up with honey and lime water. Another must for me is a 'no smoking' atmosphere, at home, work or in public places.

A lot of people still think starving can help you stay slim.
Yeah, looking at my figure people often assume that I don't eat much. On the contrary, I eat every two hours. Since my day is packed with strenuous physi¬cal activity-shooting, swimming or dancing-I never allow myself to go hungry for too long. If I feel peckish I snack on nuts and dry fruits.

Drinking plenty of fluids through the day is also a must for me. I drink coconut water every hour or two; it not only quenches my thirst but also helps me feel fun. Other natural drinks such as cucumber juice and buttermilk also help me stay hydrated and keep my energy levels up.

I am quite particular about avoiding fried foods and sweets. Salt and sugar are silent killers so I consume both in moderation by switching to natural sugars and seasoning in my food.

What's your Fitness Routine?
I was very sporty in school and played rugby, basketball and other games regu¬larly. This has helped me develop flexibil¬ity to step in and out of different exercise routines with ease. I feel cardiovascular exercises work best for me in combination with weight training. Each day of the week I focus on a particular body part, such as the abdomen, arms, shoulders or waist.

I do 30 minutes of cardio every day. Two days a week I follow it up with dance exercises learnt from Ashley Lobo. On other days I practice Bharat Thakur's Power Yoga. It is very strenuous but has immense health benefits. In summer, I like to swim as much as I can. Whenever I get the time, I play squash too, which requires a lot of strength. I try to do different workouts and balance them out in order to keep my motivation high; plus mixing exercises helps burn more calories.

What are your learnings from your weight-loss journey?
Erratic work schedules often make maintaining your weight difficult. But its possible as long as you eat healthy every day and work out a bit daily. Also its important to undergo a medical check-up to ensure that you havn't put on weight due to a medical condition.

What's next on your Agenda?
I thought I had slimmed down enough but my father got me a fat-free, sugar-free cake on my birthday this year, just to remind me that I am in an industry full of female actors who are slimmer than me! I know I need to be on top of my weight. Not because I am vain, because I have reached a stage when I cannot be anything but healthy!

Sonam's food diary

Breakfast
An egg white omlette, a toast, a seasonal fruit, a glass of warm water. When bored with this, I try an idli, or poha.

Lunch
Chicken, rotis, a seasonal vegetable, curd and fruits. I try to avoid red meat. Once in a blue moon, I do have white rice too. My rotis are made of bajra, bran or jowar or any low grade protein-rich wheat. I also have a few cups of tea without sugar through the day.

Dinner
What time I eat dinner is more important than what I eat. I usually have it by 6:30 pm. On most days it is a veg/chicken sandwich, salad and may be some crispy French fries (but not too many!). I also enjoy fish- grilled or cooked in a Spartan gravy. If I still feel hungry then I end my day with a glass of soya milk or a protein shake before going to bed. In addition, I take multi-vitamins.

Blood Type Diet Helps Sanjay Dutt Shed Kilos and Get Fitter

Sanjay Dutt is a much thinner man today. Since January 1, the actor gave up drinking and followed a diet strictly. And the effect is showing.

Says a source close to Dutt, "Sanju Baba has lost 15 kilos since Kidnap's release. He's also following a great diet called the Blood Type Diet. Also, when he had a party recently, the actor didn't touch liquor."

The source adds, "It has been tough to give it up completely but Sanju has managed. Recently, some people met him on the sets of Blue when he was shooting with Kylie Minogue and complimented him on his new slim and fabulous look."

Dutt is also following the Blood Type Diet. "Somebody gave him Dr Peter D'Adamo's book, Eat Right For Your Type. The book is about how one can eat right and lose weight if one follows the diet. Since then Sanju's been hooked to the diet. His blood group is 'O'. Apart from giving up alcohol completely, the Type 'O' diet says he can eat red meat but no oranges. Sanju's focusing more on lean, organic meats, vegetables and fruits and avoids wheat and dairy products. Sanju's also avoids too much caffeine. Caffeine can be particularly harmful because of its tendency to raise adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are already high for Type 'O'. Sanju is also regularly working out strenuously. Apart from films, Sanju has just flagged off his political career and wants to be fit so that he can give it his best."

It’s all in your blood - Peter D’Adamo who wrote the book, Eat Right For Your Type

'Eat Right For Your Type' Book available on Amazon.com. Get Details >>

What is The Blood Type Diet?

A chemical reaction occurs between one's blood and the foods one eats. The reaction is caused by a factor called lectins (proteins found in foods). These have agglutinating properties that affect one's blood. So when you eat a food containing lectins incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. Your blood type diet is the restoration of your natural genetic rhythm and works because you are able to follow a clear, logical, scientifically researched plan based on your cellular profile.

About Type O

There are four blood groups — A, B, AB and O. Type O profile was the first blood type. Aspects of the Type O profile include leadership, extroversion, energy and focus and Type O's can be powerful and productive. When Type O wiring gets crossed, as a result of a poor diet, lack of exercise, unhealthy behaviors or elevated stress levels, Type O's are more vulnerable to negative metabolic effects, including insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid activity, and weight gain.

Also Read: Let Your Blood Type Decide Your Diet

'Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight' by Kareena Kapoor's Dietician Rujuta Diwekar

Kareena Kapoor recently launched a book "Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight", penned by dietician Rujuta Diwekar, who's responsible for making the actress achieve her size-zero figure.

The book is No 1 on the bestseller list and has already sold 10,000 copies. Rujuta says, "Kareena had predicted that it'd be a sellout! That's why I have dedicated this book to her." The book - 'Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight' - also carries a foreword by the actress. BUY THE BOOK NOW FOR ONLY Rs 119/- CASH ON DELIVERY.

Lose it, right

Talking about how she got the idea for the book, Rujuta says, "I once met a 24-year old girl who was planning to get married and wanted to lose weight.

She wore electric belts that gave her rectal bleeding. She also had lot of coffee with sweeteners, to kill hunger pangs. In the process, she got so dehydrated that for nine months, she didn't get her periods.

I wanted to write a book for people like her. To educate them about the right way to lose weight; in a healthy manner, without any side effects."

Finally, it was Kareena who made national headlines last year with anorexia and size-zero rumours, who suggested that Rujuta write a book.

Rujuta says, "Bebo told me there was so much media speculation about her diet that it was time to set the record straight. Essentially, it was about maintaining the body shape while keeping her energy levels high."

Rujuta took three months to complete the book. "From October to Deember 2008, I switched off my cell from 8 am to 8 pm and just wrote and wrote about all my experiences in my diary and laptop." She gifted the first copy of her book to Kareena. BUY NOW >>

Bebo: Diet stickler

Today, Rujuta prescribes diets for Kareena and her beau Saif Ali Khan. "Bebo follows everything strictly but Saif sometimes eats what he feeels like.

He asked me to help him, after seeing Bebo's weight loss and toned body."

Recently, Rujuta worked out a diet for Kareena in Delhi when she was shooting for Rensil D'Silva's film. "Kareena was having daal makhni, parathas and paneer tikkas.

Because of the Delhi smog, she got a throat infection but since she had been eating correctly, she recovered faster than she would have normally done.

I am amazed at Bebo's dedication. She is the most down-to-earth star I have met."

Excerpts from Kareena's foreword:

"Rujuta focuses on nutrition and not just calories. Amazingly, she helps you to keep the nutritional value of what you eat, as compared to how many calories you consume, high.

And still enjoy what you're eating! I have learnt what Rujuta means when she says, 'Be smart about food.' Now, thanks to her book, you can too. I'm certain you'll find it good enough to eat."

Excerpts from Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight

Anti-aging

To keep the face and body from aging, work at keeping body weight to optimum. To have a young face, you must not allow your body weight to go up from its optimum.

The second thing that you must do is include healthy fats in your diet, like nuts (including peanuts), cheese, ghee, paneer and fish.

Including fats not just provides your facial skin with the moisture and raw material that it needs to keep from wrinkling, but also helps you burn fat effectively there, by not allowing your body fat levels (body weight) to go up.

Coffee post dinner

Well, coffee for one, will come in the way of your sleep, you know that. It will interfere in the digestion, specifically in the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium.

And on low levels of calcium and iron, fat burning suffers (oh no!). Wait, one more, coffee makes your stomach acidic so you wake up bloated and constipated.

And now for the proof. When you wake up in the morning, brush your teeth, stand in front of a mirror, put your tongue out and look at its colour.

It will have a thick deposit. These are the toxins settled on your tongue after your night's sleep. Still want that coffee?

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I Eat the Right Food, Do Yoga and a Bit of Pilates: Freida Pinto

Freida's thought for food
I am: Non-vegetarian.

My favourite food: I love Italian cuisine. My palate is pleased by seafood risotto with porcini mushrooms. Besides that I love my Manglorean seafood dishes and the sukha chicken.

Diet Routine:

I begin my day with: A few glasses of water.

My breakfast is: A bowl of cheerios honey nut cereal, a glass of milk and fruits.

My lunch is: Light and simple. Sprouts, vegetables, chapattis with curd and dal sometimes.

My evening snack is: Oatmeal cookies or nachini chips. Health food items fascinate me.

My dinner is: Baked fish or roasted chicken and vegetables. I avoid rice and chapattis for dinner.

My fitness regime:

I don't like to gym. I find it boring. So I eat the right food, do yoga and a bit of pilates.

Favourites

In sweets I like: Rasmalai… yummy! I also love dark chocolate.

My favourite restaurants abroad: In Singapore, I dined at Song of India. It serves Indian food with wine. The recipes are tweaked a little to incorporate a slightly western touch yet it retains the Indian flavour. The presentation is top class. There is nothing like our desi food with an international twist. I also loved the food I ate in these little restaurants by the sea in Phuket! They served the best seafood salad I've ever tasted!

I visited Afghanistan a few years back and had: An iftar feast! It's rich food but it's delectable to the core and a meat lover's paradise.

I am very much from Mumbai and I love: Mahesh Lunch Home, Apoorva, Basilico, White, Mezzo Mezzo and almost every restaurant at the Sheraton.

I can cook: Really good spaghetti Arrabiata, though I am not much of a cook.

My favourite cooks in my family: My mother and my grandmom. I love my naani's fish curry and mom is an expert at roast chicken and fish preparations.

My best dining friends are: My sister and my boyfriend. They both love experimenting with food. My sister tries dishes that may sound repulsive. Fortunately, she has a knack to pick out the best.

My idea of a romantic meal: By the sea or on a hill or mountain with Jack Johnson playing in the background! Wow!

My Sunday lunch is: Either some yummy sea food or a chicken dish. I have my roots in South India so instead of the regular rice and rotis, my mother makes rice pancakes and other rice preparations.

One thing I can't resist buying in foodstuff is: Health food items. I don't know if I enjoy eating it but I am plain fascinated with the concept!

I feel guilty after eating: Foodstuff with MSG and hydrogenated fats. Bakery products give me the strongest guilt pang.

My childhood memory of food is: Eating a special Manglorean jackfruit vegetable with rice in my dad's quaint little house in Mangalore. My dad's mum and sister-in-law would prepare the best traditional vegetable dishes Also, I remember gorging on my aunt's onion and aloo parathas in her Noida home.

I think I resemble: Strawberries! They are sensual, sweet, tangy and desirable!

My fridge always has: Sprouts and milk. But because my sister is a cheese lover we also stock cheese for her.

I always carry with me: Fruits, oatmeal cookies and granola bars.

My comfort food: Seafood. Give me dal, rice and stuffed mackerel and I will forget all my woes!

I am averse to: Custard apples.

My favourite spice: Bay leaf, black pepper corns and cardamom.

My favourite beverage: Fresh fruit juices.

My favourite kitchen appliance: None! They scare me.

My favourite foods are: Butter garlic calamari, shrimps, baked salmon, stuffed pomfrets, mackerels, mussels and shellfish. Apart from sea food, one dish I absolutely love is the nawabi galouti kebabs.

Sensual, sweet, tangy and desirable - That's how Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto describes strawberries — the fruit she most resembles

My director Danny Boyle's favourite food: Strange I never asked him that. But I can tell you my co-star Dev Patel's favourite food is the crabs at Mahesh Lunch Home! He misses it big time in London.

On the sets of Slumdog Millionaire: Tian were the official caterers. We had a wide variety of Italian, Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine. Sometimes I opted for simple dal rice and sabzis.

Anil Kapoor ate: I have no idea. I ate with my co-star and make up artists from Fat Mu! They were a lot of fun.

Freida's favourite recipe:

Roast chicken and red chilly

Ingredients
1/2 kg broiler chicken (cut into medium sized pieces)
1 tbsp oil
3 to 4 Kashmiri chillies
Few peppercorns
1 small piece cinnamon
Few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp cumin seed powder
2 to 3 tomatoes (finely chopped)
Salt to taste

Method
Clean and wash the chicken pieces.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chilies, peppercorns and cinnamon.
When the spices become hot, add the chicken pieces along with saffron and cumin seed powder. Add salt and mix well. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cook on a low flame till it becomes tender and dry. Serve hot.