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Tag: fitness

Are Desk-Bound Individuals More Susceptible to Health and Mobility Issues?​

Posted on by prathod

Ever feel the ache from sitting too much at your desk? Shikha Puri Arora has the game plan you need in her latest book, Move Better.  This book isn’t just about sitting less; it’s your ticket to feeling awesome every day and staying away from ache-y postures and limited mobility.

Read this exclusive excerpt to learn simple tricks that can make sitting at your desk a breeze, keeping discomfort away and bringing more pep to your step.
Say goodbye to desk discomfort and hello to a healthier, happier you!

Move Better
Move Better || Shikha Puri Arora

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A comprehensive approach to employee quality of life needs to be adopted so that they can deliver top-notch performance while thinking of their long-term well-being. Most approaches ignore the following factors:

• Most individuals are sedentary twenty-three hours a day and move just an hour. This makes them struggle with the basics of human function and health.

 

• A deskbound individual has limited range of motion in the joints and stiff muscles that are the consequence of inadequate hydration and poor posture. Efforts to increase mobility without addressing the causes are of little use.

 

• Stored muscle tension and emotions that are not removed from the physical body cause breathing limitations, which lead to anxiety and nervous tension. The state of the body detracts from the value of the courses undertaken to improve mental health. Troubleshooting the physical body thus becomes a pre-requisite for mental health.

 

• Basic movement mechanics of spinal stability, sitting, bending, standing, walking are untrained, thus neutralizing any benefit derived from fitness activities.

 

General fitness and corporate programmes don’t provide solutions to these causes and their effects. Employee welfare can be addressed only by including all these above aspects into a programme that focuses on the basics of health and well-being.

 

These techniques must be used by deskbound individuals to add mobility solutions to their daily life. Besides combating pain, the solutions provided make the brain alert and promote relaxation in the body. None of these divert the already preoccupied mind while working and can be used every day to increase blood circulation. These self-care techniques counter the effects of daily life stress and come with many benefits.

 

 

• Sitting with a wedge cushion keeps the spine erect and brain alert. The spine can stay erect longer without a back support and feel no fatigue. This is half the battle won as mobility isn’t compromised.

 

• Using a stick/rolling pin or ball under the foot at a standing desk prevents the fatigue (from standing), enhances posture and increases blood circulation. This is a position that encourages brain activity, improves concentration and creativity, and charges up the brain with ideas, increasing output. This is also a great way to increase NEAT calories for those individuals who have excessive sedentary hours.

 

• Rubbing a myofascial ball along the sides of the neck, jaw and head is an anxiety and stress-buster that increases circulation in the head and eyes. The entire action is inconspicuous!

 

• Myofascial release for the glutes keeps the hip mobile. Simply place a hard to medium ball under the buttocks. To prevent the ball from sinking into your chair you can use a hard placemat under the ball. This technique also massages the glutes and increases blood circulation in the area.

 

• Myofascial release for hamstrings ensures you will never have to experience back pain because of sitting! Imagine the magic of lengthening your hamstrings while you sit. For details on the technique, refer to page 205.

 

 

• Wrist, palm and forearm release with a ball not only improves mobility in the wrist, fingers and forearm, but it counters the stress on the palms, fingers, wrist and forearms caused by using devices.

 

Image 1: Place a ball under the wrist with your palms facing upwards. Place the other hand on top to put a gentle pressure and mobilize the wrist by moving it up and down. This instantly gives relief from wrist pain.

 

Image 2: While standing, lean forward and put your body weight on a medium to hard ball placed under your palms. The pressure will automatically make your palm and fingers feel light. Those with carpal tunnel will get some ease from this simple release technique.

 

Image 3: Place a hard to medium ball on one forearm and dig into various areas of the forearm. This gives instantly relief for those suffering from tennis elbow.

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Get your copy of Move Better by Shikha Puri Arora wherever books are sold

Get moving into a healthy life

Posted on by ashmita

‘Movement is the cure’

– Shwetambari Shetty

 

‘I’ve trained with many people who completely turned around their circumstances once they started incorporating exercise they enjoyed in their fitness regime’, writes Shwetambari Shetty. Her book, Get Moving!, is, among other things, a curation of the ways of fitness. The focus of her exercises, and the broader driving philosophy is that the human body is made for movement; it is in its natural habitat when moving. In her book, Shetty also details how exercise, diet and fitness routines have helped people with lifestyle diseases, and she explains the impact of physical movement on some of these medical conditions:

 

  1. Diabetes

Regular exercise keeps blood glucose levels low, and Shetty says that a brisk 45-minute walk for 5–6 days a week is a great start. If yoga or weight training is added to the routine, it enhances the benefits. Weight gain in diabetes is most likely due to inactivity, and a well-planned diet with reduced sugar intake can help reduce excess fat. Taking the stairs instead of the lift, watering the plants instead of assigning it to someone else, doing the dishes instead of using a dishwasher or walking to the grocery store instead of taking your car are small changes that can have a big positive impact on our health.

 

 

  1. Thyroid

A modified diet should be accompanied by training 4 to 6 times a week. Patients with hypothyroidism can boost their metabolism through exercise, but intense activities can cause fatigue. The key here is to choose medium- to low-intensity workouts. Combining cardio and light weight training is a constructive change, in addition to functional training and circuit training without heavy lifting. If this not possible, brisk walking once or twice a day can clock in 10,000 to 12,000 steps daily, and is a good substitute.

front cover Get Moving
Get Moving!||Shwetambari Shetty

 

 

  1. PCOS/D

Working out regularly stabilizes the hormone levels in the body, and helps manage PCOS/D more easily. Walking, running, dancing, rowing, boxing and exercising on the cross trainer or treadmill are all great. Another good option is cycling, which works the abs and burns a lot of calories. Swimming also works as great strength and cardio training. Combining it with a bit of light weight training protects the muscle mass and make fat burn more effective.

 

 

  1. Arthritis

People with arthritis should avoid processed food (especially sugar) as it causes inflammation and bloating. Bone broths, on the other hand, are extremely beneficial. In addition to diet, the focus in terms of exercise should be on strengthening the muscles around the joints. Stronger muscles help mitigate the pain and increase the range of motion, delaying stiffness, allowing you to keep exercising and managing the condition better. Water-based activities such as water walking (if you can’t swim) are much safer and less painful. They build resistance, help gain strength and burn calories in the process. Aerobics, dance, weightlifting and squats too can be done more easily in water.

 

 

A lot of the conditions described are amplified by a sedentary lifestyle, and therefore, consistent activity throughout the day is a good way to keep the symptoms at bay. Lifestyle diseases do not preclude people from working out; it only means that the workouts need to be tailored in such a way that they address the specific problems at hand. Movement, as a rule of thumb, is the best way to avoid these conditions from getting out of control, allowing us more manageable and healthy lifestyles, where nothing is an impediment.

 

 

 

Reader to Yogi: 14 Books That Will Help You Welcome Yoga In Your Life

Posted on by Penguin India

Self-care is the new mantra of 2018 because you can’t feel healthy and happy without some quality time with yourself. While everyone’s self care differs, we recommend adding yoga into your self care routine because of a plethora of benefits and enriching qualities. For instance, Yoga is an ideal workout for anyone because it’s quiet, meditative and requires very little interaction with other humans. And if practised sincerely and regularly, yoga can cure anything from anxiety to back pain.
So if you are a beginner or an expert, commit yourself to regular yoga this yoga day and let these informative books about yoga and natural healing be your guide.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra by Shyam Ranganathan


Patañjali’s Yoga Sutra (second century CE) is the basic text of one of the nine canonical schools of Indian philosophy. In it the legendary author lays down the blueprint for success in yoga; now practised the world over. Patañjali draws upon many ideas of his time; and the result is a unique work of Indian moral philosophy that has been the foundational text for the practice of yoga since. The Yoga Sutra sets out a sophisticated theory of moral psychology and perhaps the oldest theory of psychoanalysis.

Laughter Yoga by Madan Kataria 


Laughter yoga is a revolutionary idea: simple and profound. A practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter, it is based on scientific studies that have concluded that such laughter offers the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. This comprehensive book by the founder of the laughter yoga club movement, Dr Madan Kataria, tells you what laughter yoga is, how it works, what its benefits are and how you can apply it to everyday life.

Hair Yoga : Caring for your hair the right way by Jawed Habib 


There are two things that are common to most people: we all want gorgeous hair and we all have at least one hair issue. From styling celebrities to running one of the most popular salon chains in India, Jawed Habib is undoubtedly someone you can trust with your hair. In Hair Yoga, Jawed takes you back to the basics of hair care and tackles all of your hair troubles. Packed with tips and remedies, this is the ultimate book to take hair health into your hands so that you have a good hair day, everyday.

The Essence of Yoga by Osho 


In this book Osho explains how, through yoga, one can attain the grace of the body and of God. He talks about crucial concerns of love, marriage, faith and contentment. It is a perfect blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary knowledge.

Textbook of Yoga by Yogeswar


In the past few years, the popularity of yoga as the ultimate key to fitness, both physical and mental, has resulted in a plethora of books, videos and audio tapes designed to guide a learner through the various asanas prescribed by the Yogasutra. The Textbook of Yoga goes one step further: it is the one book that tells you not merely how to practise an asana the right way, to maximum effect, but also explains how best to share your knowledge and teach others the theory and practice of yoga. It is like a textbook in its approach: lesson by lesson, you are introduced first to the basics and then to the more advanced levels of practice. Alongside the text, the illustrations allow you to understand exactly how the body should be moved and positioned without fear of error or injury.

Own the Bump by Payal Gidwani Tiwari 


Motherhood is a life-changing event in a woman’s life. Keeping in mind the fast-paced lives of nuclear families and sometimes unhealthy lifestyles, Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari, brings to fore the importance of preparing the body and soul for such a change. From pre-pregnancy to post-natal, Gidwani utilizes her age-old knowledge of yoga and provides essential advice to take care of oneself before, during and after the birth.

Body Goddess: The Complete Guide on Yoga for Women by Payal Gidwani Tiwari


Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari comes to your rescue. From the basics of yoga to their practical application in our day to day life–Payal’s essential mantras guarantee not just weight loss but also promise a healthier lifestyle. Designed for all age groups, this book comes enriched with easy to follow exercise regimes and invaluable tips. Body Goddess is indispensable for every woman who wants to look and feel like a diva.

Book of Woman by Osho


Osho talks about various issues like motherhood, relationships, family and birth control. Questioning the concept of marriage, he says it is the ‘ugliest institution invented by man’ as its aim is to monopolize a woman. He is equally critical of the institution of family which ‘corrupts the human mind’. A woman, he says, should not imitate man.

Book of Man by Osho 

Osho perceives man as becoming increasingly alienated from his inner self, gradually losing his natural innocence and creativity in the mindless quest for worldly power and success. For Osho, the ideal man is Zorba, the Buddha—a perfect blend of matter and soul. This seamless collection of discourses takes the reader through the various stages of man’s evolution: from Adam to Slave, Son, Homosexual, Priest and Politician, until he attains the pinnacle of his consciousness as the Rebel or Zorba.
 Ayurveda : Life; Health and Longevity by Robert E Svoboda
Developed from the Vedas, India’s ancient books of wisdom, Ayurveda combines physical, psychological and spiritual therapies in an approach to health that is as relevant to the modern world as it was to the ancient world.  Utilizing herbs and minerals, proper nutrition and purification and, above all, affirmative ways of living, Ayurveda treats not just the ailment but the whole person and emphasises prevention of disease to avoid the need for cure.

Everyday Ayurveda by Bhaswati Bhattacharya


Time is scarce and precious in today’s world and we seek solutions that are quick. While allopathic medicine tends to focus on the management of disease, the ancient study of Ayurveda provides us with holistic knowledge for preventing disease and eliminating its root cause. Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya takes you through a day in the life of Ayurvedic living.

From XL to XS: A fitness guru’s guide to changing your body by Payal Gidwani Tiwari 

Can you change the shape of your body? Yes, you can. Payal Gidwani Tiwari, Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, tells you how to go From XL to XS. With simple and easy to follow principles and exercise routines, learn how to lose (or gain) weight, stay fit, and transform your body structure
Yoga : The Supreme Science by Osho
Drawing on the teachings of Patanjali, Osho gives an entirely new perspective on the fundamental questions of life, the nature of heaven, religion and God. For Osho it is not a question of being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or of a God in the sky, but of each individual becoming aware of his being and attaining kaivalya— the ultimate state of enlightenment when the meditator goes beyond all desire. This process draws on the inner science of yoga.

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

The story of a personal and spiritual awakening, Autobiography of a Yogi is a seminal work that continues to aspire and change millions of lives. In his wise, accessible and gentle manner, Paramahansa Yogananda has demystified ancient traditions like yoga and meditation; he imparts truths that are instructive and enriching; and he offers comfort and counsel. From Steve Jobs to the Beatles and Ravi Shankar, Autobiography of a Yogi has been a companion to all those who seek to lead a more spiritual, content life.

Listicle: 6 exercises to get you warmed up for functional fitness

Posted on by Penguin India

Shivoham is the trainer behind Aamir Khan’s muscular look in Dhoom 3, Sonakshi Sinha’s bodacious curves in Dabangg, Jacqueline Fernandez’s lean physique and Abhishek Bachchan’s fitness. His book, The Shivfit Way will ensure that you won’t just get back in shape, you’ll also look forward to working out. The book is co authored by Shrenik Avlani, who is a newsroom veteran with nearly two decades of work experience as a leading writer in the field of endurance sport and fitness.

Here are 6 warming up exercises from the book that get you warmed up for functional fitness.



Do these seem helpful?

Get your copy of The Shivfit Way: A Comprehensive Functional Fitness Programme and start working on your fitness goals.

What is the meaning of fitness?

Posted on by Penguin India

Shivoham is one of India’s foremost fitness trainers. In his book,‘The Shivfit Way’ he shows how to work out without any equipment or machines. He combines cardio, strength training and weight exercises for a full-body workout. He also offers a whole new perspective on what it means to be fit and how to motivate yourself to start exercising. This book is coauthored by Shrenik Avlani, who is a newsroom veteran with nearly two decades of work experience as a leading writer in the field of endurance sport and fitness.


The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines fitness as ‘the quality or state of being fit’, while fit is defined as ‘sound physically and mentally’. Though the word was first used in 1580 ad, its dictionary definition does not tell us much about what fitness actually is.
We have seen triathletes compete in Ironman races which involve swimming 3.86 kilometres, followed by cycling 180.25 km and then immediately running a full marathon of 42.195 km, being crowned the fittest men and women in the world. but put them in a gym and ask them to lift weights, and you will find that they fare rather poorly. Even a boy or girl of average strength will be able to lift more than the fittest men and women on earth if endurance sport is the measure of fitness, as it mainly enhances the aerobic capacity of an individual.
But walk into a weightlifting clinic or lifter training for the Olympics and you would find the smallest of them lifting much more than their body weight. Lifters usually describe their colleagues as strong, not fit. Now ask them to run a couple of kilometres or swim just 500 metres, you are most likely to see them struggling and gasping for breath pretty quickly. so, strength alone also cannot be a parameter to measure fitness.
Clearly, fitness means different things to different people. Depending on who you ask, fitness is likely to be defined in terms of things people are good at or specialize in. For a runner, being able to run a full marathon in under four hours is being fit. For a body-builder, big muscles are clear indicators of fitness. Then again, talk to weightlifters, and they will tell you that their ability to lift weights three times heavier than themselves is proof of their fitness. For the average person, fitness could mean something as simple as going through an entire day of work and having enough energy to indulge in their hobbies or run and play freely with their kids without feeling exhausted.
In the many years I have spent in this industry, and during the course of my own journey, I have come to realize that no single parameter can measure fitness. several factors measure different attributes of your body, and the ones you pay more attention to depend on which school of fitness you follow. For example, if you believe having sculpted abs is a mark of fitness, then you will strive for low body fat percentage. For others, it could be achieving the ideal weight according to their height and body type.
Since I believe in and practice CrossFit, I follow its founder Greg Glassman’s definition of fitness, which is based on the following ten general physical skills:
Cardiovascular or respiratory endurance: The ability of the body to gather, process and deliver oxygen to its different parts.
Stamina: The ability of the body systems to process, deliver, store and utilize energy.
Strength: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
Flexibility: The ability to maximize range of motion at a given joint.
Power: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
Speed: The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
Coordination: The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
Agility: The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
Balance: The ability to control the placement of the body’s centre of gravity with regard to its support base.
Accuracy: The ability to control a movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
Find this book: The Shivfit Way

5 Important Points of the Pioppi Diet

Posted on by Penguin India

The Pioppi Diet allows red wine, chocolate and the most delicious Italian food and yet helps you to lose weight, de-stress and live a healthier and longer life.
Based on five years of research and drawing on over 100 studies on Pioppi, Dr Aseem Malhotra, a trained cardiologist, has created a plan which is designed to provide readers with the joy and wellbeing of a Mediterranean lifestyle by making small ‘marginal gains’ over a 21-day period.
Here are five key points of the pioppi diet that will help you lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.
What Should You Eat?
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What Should You Avoid?
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How much meat should you consume?
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How much should you drink?
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When should you not eat?
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Tell us how did you benefit from the Pioppi Diet.
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