Untitled

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Our instructors upgrading their knowledge in Singapore. All the very best girls, proud of you 😍#pilatesindia #pilateshyderabad #pilatessecunderabad (at Pilatique Pilates Singapore)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Thank you @arjunpradipak (at Reform's Physiotherapy & Pilates)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Super response to our first Workshop on posture and body awareness workshop. Thank you to all those who made this a huge success. And special and heartiest thank you, hugs 🤗 and kisses 😘 to my team. Looking forward to do more of this kind. #workshop #postureawareness #teamwork #pilateshyderabad #pilatessecunderabad #physiopilates #physiotherapy #pilatesindia (at Reform's Physiotherapy & Pilates)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Extremes are Easy. Strive for Balance - Colin Wright. These guys are definitely working towards balance with #shortspine prep on #foamroller. #reformerpilates #reformerhyderabad #reformersecunderabad #pilatesindia #pilateshyderabad #pilatessecunderabad (at Reform's Physiotherapy & Pilates)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Accomplished the Devils Circiut. Well done team 💪 #devilscircuit2017 #devilscircuithyderabad #pilates #reformsphysiopilates #pilateshyderabad #pilatessecunderabad #pilatesindia (at Moinabad Road)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

For all the early risers, here is what we have for you. Book your slots soon as we have limited slots only. @umaimavagh #earlymornings #reformsphysiopilates #matpilates #pilatesindia #pilatessecunderabad #pilateshyderabad (at Reform's Physiotherapy & Pilates)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

View this post on Instagram

Have been doing lot of new stuff with #trx. Doing this couple of times in a day really improves your spinal mobility. This #teaser and #longspine combo was inspired by @ruchamulay__pilates where she did this combo on #reformer. #trx can be carried and done anywhere. Try it but with care. #teasertuesday #reformsphysiopilates #reformerhyderabad #pilatesindia (at Reform's Physiotherapy & Pilates)

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Double Whammy - Pilates & Physiotherapy.

Pilates is an innovative and safe system of mind-body exercise that works on balancing and controlling movement. It targets the deep postural muscles of the body and aims to balance these muscles with the muscles which perform movement. By using controlled movements on good core stability, it improves posture, muscle tone and awareness. These exercises can be done using a floor mat or a variety of equipment like reformer, Cadillac, Chair, barrel and a number of assistive and resistive props. The most important feature its principles by Joseph Pilates, that can dramatically transform the way your body looks, feels and performs. Also as a result, Pilates builds strength without excess bulk, capable of creating a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen helping you look and feel your very best. It's principles teaches body awareness, good posture and easy, graceful movement. Pilates also improves flexibility, agility and economy of motion.  No matter what your age or condition, it will work for you, but don’t just take our word for it. According to the SGMA, in the U.S. alone nearly nine million people participated in Pilates in 2009 – a staggering 456% increase from 2000. Physiotherapy helps in PREVENTING and TREATING injuries, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice. It also helps in restoring movement and function after an injury, illness or disability. It takes a holistic approach that involves the patient directly in their own care.Physiotherapy can improve your physical activity while helping you to prevent further injuries. Manual Physical Therapy is a specialized form of physiotherapy delivered with the hands to mobilize and manipulate joints and soft tissue and is used in conjunction with conventional physiotherapy. At Reforms Physio Pilates, we  embrace the essence of what Pilates offers in a comprehensive way combining both the clinical experience of our rehabilitation team, with the fitness and movement experience of our instructors. We are experts at injury rehabilitation and we work to ensure you make the best possible recovery. We combine hands on mobilisation and stretching to facilitate exercise using Pilates’ equipment and props.   An important part of our approach is the use of exercises to help you rehabilitate from injury or even better to prevent injury from happening. Our approach to physiotherapy lies in the belief that keeping your body flexible and strong can help you to overcome chronic postural aches and pains and can give you the safety net of a supple and powerful body to use when the need arises. Manual therapy with a complete thorough assessment to fully understand what is going on with your body and Pilates to set your body up for success in whatever it does is the complete package that we offer at Reform’s. Whether you're training, toning or recovering, you will do it better, stronger, more efficiently. Here at Reform’s we strive for a healthy lifestyle by making a few changes in your habits and daily pursuits - most of which can be incorporated into your life with just a little effort. Live healthy, live longer.

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Ever Wonder What To Say To Some one Who Has Lost a Loved One.

In just few months of grieving for Praveen, I have been showered with condolences, opinions and advices from those who love me and want to help me in every possible way to get over it fast. But the truth is grieving is not a destination to be achieved or a race to be completed, rather, it’s a journey and every single person has their own pace and takes their own time. But friends and family in the process of comforting and not hurting me at least possible way, still end up in saying something that instantly boils my blood.

So I thought would write down a few things about ‘how can you help or support a loved one experiencing a sudden loss’ like mine. I was all set to pen down on this, and then I came across a very or I should say the exact points or words I would want to put in my post. However, mine wouldn’t have been so brutally honest and hilarious at the same time.So I decided to link you guys to this particular article that I came across than repeating them here.

Kelly Lynn, a comedian, writer, actor, and performer; residing just outside NYC, lost her husband too very young. She has written an article on "What Did You Just Say To Me?" - Things you should and should not say to a Widow. (click here to read this article) This article had every word I ever wanted to say to people who made good attempts in comforting me. So please, please read the whole article until the end as this will not only educate you on what to say and not to say to someone who has lost their partner, but will also give insights into their feelings at the time of their tragedy. Also, this is for people who feel uncomfortable and frightened that they may say or convey wrong things and never confront the person experiencing the loss.

If you liked this article then come back and give your thoughts regarding anything (I mean it! Even if it is negative) in the comment box.

My humble request for forgiveness: Please don’t take it personally. My intension in posting this is not to hurt or judge people who have made truthful and heartfelt attempts in supporting me, instead I want to educate and prepare you all for situations like these in future.

I would also take this as an opportunity to thank my family and all my friends have and are still supporting me in this painful journey. I am glad to have friends who have come back to see me later if not at the time of tragedy.

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL.

In loving memory of my husband Praveen

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Tips on Do's And Dont’s of Good Posture

Yesterday I had a visitor. This particular visitor, as part of his conversation was narrating how he is hurting from his lower back condition and all the trouble that he is going through to go for treatments and how much time consuming it is to execute all these. All this was fine, but what captured my interest the most was that that this person as he was narrating all this, his posture just wasn’t right. He was using his body poorly on the sofa. Then I thought even before he obtains all his long listed treatments, one simple correction could solve 50% of his condition and that’s POSTURE

So today I shall set up a post on the importance of requiring or improving POSTURE to enhance your health and well-being.

Firstly, what does a good posture mean? We may imagine, for instance, when standing, if we are slouching, then pulling the shoulders back and lifting the chest would make the posture right. Huh, let me think, NO. I will say slouching is bad, but lifting the chest and pulling the shoulders back is slouching BACKWARDS! Isn't it? Instead, I would say it’s neither forward nor backward, it’s a balanced position where it is comfortable and you are breathing effortlessly.

A good posture should make you feel and look good and making sure that our bodies function properly. Technically, posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting or lying down. A good posture is the correct alignment of body parts supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity.

Importance

You may think is it really that bad to have a bad posture? Yes quite a bit, as it turns out to be!

Let’s see the effects of not having a good posture:

                                                                 Wrong posture can cause misalignment in your body which can negatively affect the muscles and bones resulting in change in the way you move and can even limit your range of motion.

Bad circulation – when you slouch so does your spine affecting your circulation and in turn deteriorates the health of the spinal bones (vertebrae).

Chronic fatigue – moving your body with poor posture is taxing on your muscles and joints. Coupled with the circulation issues poor posture can cause, the result can be earlier exhaustion in many cases.

Chronic back, neck and shoulder pain – a bad position puts strain on the body whereas a neutral position relaxes the body.

Causes of bad posture

A bad posture is not always sign of laziness as perceived by many.  Some main causes are:

Weight issues – it changes how our skeleton and muscles support themselves.

Being less active – leading to increased risk for disease.

Poor muscle strength/fitness

Stress/low self-esteem

Unsupportive shoes

Genetics

Accidents or injuries

Foot problems/unsupportive footwear

Others –

o   Poor lumbar support while seated

o   Unsupportive mattress

o   Chairs that are too high or too low

o   Hunching to get closer to a screen

So what do you need to do?

Usually we do not consciously maintain normal/correct posture. Instead, several muscle groups, including hamstrings and back muscles maintain good posture.  Understanding good posture can help you realign your body the right way.

Our spine is strong and stable only when we practice healthy posture. Good posture helps in maintain the natural curves (cervical, thoracic and lumbar curves). Also a strong posture gives more confidence and makes you appear slimmer!!!

Achieving a correct posture does not end to just standing, sitting or lying down. Attaining a good posture during any activity is also a must.

So here are some tips for Great Posture in Every Position

Position

DO’s

DON’Ts

Sitting

·  Keep your head straight and not tilted up or down

·   Sit with your knees slightly lower than your hips.

·  Keep your shoulders back and try to relax

·  Keep weight evenly on both hips

·  Keep your feet flat on the floor

·  Try to keep your back ramrod straight

·  Tuck feet under the chair

·  Work without support for your arms

·  Cross your legs  above the knees as may cause poor circulation

·  Sitting in same position for more than 30 minutes

Standing

·  Keep your shoulders back and aligned

·  Use your stomach muscles to make your body straighter.

·  Slightly bend your knees to ease pressure on the hips

·  Use quality shoes that offer good support.

·  Stick your chest out. Instead try to keep your chest perpendicular to the ground.

·   Stand in the same position for long periods of time. Move around and shift your weight.

·  Wear high heels when standing for long periods of time.

Walking

·  Keep your chin parallel to the ground

·  Hit the ground with your heel first and then roll onto the toe.

·  Look down at your feet. Instead, look several feet ahead of you.

·  Arch your back.

Running

·  Keep your head up and looking forward

·  Keep your arms loose and elbows at a 90 degree angle

·  Lean forward slightly

·  Hit the ground with the midpoint of your foot and roll forward to the toe.

·  Hunch your shoulders

·  Bend at your waist

·  Lift your knees too high. Go with what feels natural.

Lifting

·  Bend at knees and lift.

·  Stand with wide stance close to the object

·  Keep the stomach muscles tight.

·  Bend forward at waist with your knees straight

·  Lifting heavy objects (>30 pounds) above waist level.

Sleeping or lying down

·  Use firm mattress that provides support.

·  Minimize spinal curves by using pillows as necessary or upgrading your mattress

·  Stretch before bed to ease tense muscles

·  Sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs, on your back, or under your knees for better support

·  Sleep on your stomach. It can cause pressure on the cervical spine (vertebrae in the neck)

·  Sleep with a tall stack of pillows that causes your neck to bend unnaturally.

Driving car

·  Use back support (lumbar roll) at lower curve of your back

·  Move the seat closer to the steering wheel, close enough to allow knees to bend and feet to reach the pedals.

·  Reach for things behind sitting in the driving seat        

Lifestyle tips:

Keeping your weight down can do wonders for improving your posture

Exercise can strengthen muscles which help hold your body in the correct position

Drink a lot of water

Proper nutrition remains important to maintain the health of your discs.

Although at first you might feel wooden or stiff but slowly by practicing good posture tips will make your posture feel natural.

And don't forget to say to yourself 'STAY TALL'.

SOURCES:

American Chiropractic Association. Tips to Maintain Good Posture.

North American Spine Society. 10 Tips for a Healthy Back.

www.livestrong.com

www.familydoctor.org

www.backrelief.ca

www.spine-health.com

www.emedicinehealth.com

www.mayoclinic.com

This information provided is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Is White Rice Bad For You ?

Over to you: What do you think about consuming white rice? Do you avoid it altogether or have in certain dishes? Or you could suggest any serving tips as well.

With all the hoo-hah happening around about losing weight, eating right and eating healthy foods, we see most of the times that white rice is always declared as a bad choice. You will find a great number of sources and trials stating white rice as the bane of modern health.

However, from centuries rice is the staple food for half of the world’s population. For these people rice is the main component of all the three main meals of the day and sometimes in desserts as well. Also, many feel their meal is incomplete without a bowl of rice. Yet, this population has maintained a lean body and stayed fairly fit, until recently, with westernization of their food, and stressed lifestyle.

Also, I will have to confess that I was among those who believed that all brown stuff was perfect for perfect health and not the white stuff. But now I’m starting to think it’s not as evil as we most of the times portray it. Yes, I do agree, white rice is nutritionally stripped, but I truly believe that todays’ health issues are more to be blamed on our over-processed foods, vegetable oils and preservatives in the food and not just the starches in white rice.

Why white rice is evil

Let’s look into the reason why we have been driven to think that white rice is no honorable option for our wellness.

It has a high Glycemic index: Glycemic index (GI) is a measurement carried out on carbohydrate-containing foods and their impact on our blood sugar levels. The higher the GI value, faster the food is digested and raises the blood sugar levels. According to this, white rice has higher GI value than other grains.  

High in starch and little or no nutrients: White rice is nothing but the latter result of the milling process of brown rice. In this process, brown rice, which has all its goodies in its bran and germ, is stripped off, leaving white rice filled with starches and little nutrients. The sole advantage of doing this process is allowing white rice to be stored for longer periods.

It makes you feel very full: yes, as white is rich in starches it will make you feel full instantly and digest quickly. But is it a bad thing? Let’s find out?

Ok, here before even making any conclusion on white rice, let’s compare white rice with one of the most favored rice in the world ‘the brown rice”.

This brown rice nutritional profile looks impressive right? Simply have me warn you here that this value is only when brown rice is raw not when it is cooked. Our body will convert all of this only when brown rice is cooked and fermented in a proper way (source and method). This seems a pile of work PHEW!

Ok, now white rice turn. Its nutritional profile is far less impressive than brown rice, I know. You may think this could lead into nutritional deficiencies quickly. But tell me one thing, who wants to and will eat white rice alone and just alone for all days or months. For that matter, I am sure nobody eats brown rice alone too. My argument is, even though the nutritional value of white rice is nil, one could make white rice meal nutritious and delicious by complimenting it with some steamed veggies (fibre), meat/chicken (protein) or even can be cooked in soup as is made in some parts of Asia. This way one could also lower the Glycemic Index of white rice in the whole meal. See, problem solved!

And people, tell me honestly, do you really savour the taste of brown rice as your main meal of the day. I simply cannot for three reasons:First and foremost thing – 

The taste (I believe it is everyone’s priority). How much ever I compliment this rice with different ingredients, I really cannot mask the tasteless and chewy taste of the brown rice.

Secondly, the cooking process. I have been advised and believe that brown rice should be cooked in a certain way. As mentioned above, this will restore all the good stuff that brown can provide. But it is time consuming for me.

Lastly, It keeps you full for a really long time because of its high fibre content. This may sound good, right? But people, trust me it is definitely not a good feeling to feel full for the rest of your afternoon and evening. I just feel bloated and sluggish. I am sure most of brown rice lovers out there wouldn’t agree more. Although, fibre is hyped for its ability to handle and prevent conditions from constipation to colon cancer, it can harm your intestinal tract by stretching from its normal range and destroying the good bacteria from the gut if ingested in extra quantities. Besides too much fibre can lead to gas, bloating and irritable bowel syndrome, basically all the conditions it claims to prevent (Source). I feel the amount of fibre that you get from vegetables and fruits are good enough to fulfill the basic requirement.

On the other hand white rice is easy to cook, makes you full and gives energy instantly, digests quickly and most importantly it tastes amazing. So why not pick white rice!

How to add white rice in your food regime

Measure rice with a cup or a bowl each time you serve in your plate. This will keep a check on your calorie count. If you eat too much of it you are putting yourself into calorie surplus. Also be mindful of anything you are adding to your white rice should be lower in calories too.

Make a rice variety once in a day as one big meal of the day. I suggest, keep it as a lunch option as our metabolic rate is higher during afternoons and will easily break down the carbs into energy. This may not be the case during the evening or night, where these partially digested carbs can be converted into fats. Also as white rice has high GI, it will digest pretty quickly too. So definitely a better choice if you want to be active for rest of the day.

If you are still hesitant to have white rice, then try to have twice or thrice weekly. This way you will not miss eating rice and also will be off the guilt of eating rice.

The bottom line…

So people, if you love your white rice then definitely you must consider consuming it. You can capture all the nutrients that brown rice holds, by eating white rice with the right combination. And psst… you can still not feel guilty of having white rice as your main meal of the day.

Caution: As white is rich in starch and raises your blood sugar level instantly, this may not be suitable choice for diabetics. They should choose this grain with care.

Note: There are many varieties of rice that have some or more nutritional value like the Bangladeshi rice or the Cambodian rice, but here I have mentioned only about white rice which is widely used among the Indians and around the world.

Remember eat a balanced diet at the right time of the day!

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Immunity Boosting Foods For Kids With Serving Tips

Having a good immune system will protect our bodies from day to day exposure to many germs and bacteria. We know too many immunity boosting foods. There is a lot of information out there about these variety foods. But when it comes to feeding these to our kids, it’s definitely a big mission. I struggle with giving these different varieties to my 1 yr old daughter. So I started in finding out the simplest way to feed these immunity-boosting foods to my daughter. So here I take the opportunity to share some serving tips on the foods, packed with immune-boosting nutrients to help boost your kid's natural defences.

These varieties are also easy to find at most of the grocery store and easy to prepare. Also, these can be used to keep your whole family healthy.

Veggies:

We all know that green and/or leafy vegetables are good sources of immune boosting nutrients and antioxidants. So here are some top veggies that help in immune boosting.

Spinach

When we think of green leafy vegetables, spinach is first one to flash in our minds. Spinach is packed with all sorts of vitamins and nutrients to keep bodies functioning well. Spinach densely contains Vitamin A, a key component of white blood cells that fights against infections.

                                                               Serving tips: Many moms have trouble feeding spinach as it can taste as nothing when cooked with lentils or stir-fried or even in salads. But one of my favorite ways of feeding spinach to my daughter is by preparing spinach rice, my daughter loves it! You can also add spinach and some mint leaves blended together in any meat recipes, tastes yummy!

Broccoli

This vegetable is becoming extremely popular among Indians now. Why not! This veggie is an excellent source of vitamin C, selenium, natural sulfur compounds; ok the bottom line is broccoli is one amazing veggie.

                                                        Serving tips: It is pretty difficult to convince your kids to eat broccoli as a floret. Being an adult I hate to eat broccoli as florets. But if it is served in fun and tasty way like slightly steamed and finely chopped into pasta or noodles or even include this as one of the ingredients as stuffing in their wraps. Also, blended broccoli soup could be a great option, as your kids won't even know they're eating their greens. Remember, to get the most health benefits from your broccoli don’t overcook it.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a great source of glutamine, an amino acid that is essential in maintaining a healthy gut.

                                                                               Serving tips: Chop it up and sauté it with potatoes or stir-fry with onions. You could use these two varieties as stuffing in wraps too. This could be a good lunch box idea J. Another good way to eat cabbage is by making cabbage soup. If you want you could blend it for young toddlers who may not able to eat cabbage chunks in the soups.

Tomatoes

Red tomatoes, in whatever form, are known for being the richest source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant, which protects from the damaging effects of free radicals, and to help boost your child’s immunity. Tomatoes contain plenty of vitamin C and beta-carotene to fortify your kid’s immune function protecting against infections.

                                                                            Serving tips: One has endless choices in using tomatoes in their food. You could use them in salads, soups, pasta or pasta sauce, pizza, rice, stir-fry or simply eat raw, my daughter loves it raw J. Only limit is your imagination.

Mushrooms

Button mushrooms are very high in selenium, which can fight severe flu symptoms.

                                                                              Serving tips: Slice and sauté them in olive oil, which tastes and smells amazing. Could also add some slices in salads and wraps.

Garlic

Garlic is well-known to be the best immune boosting ingredient, which could be included in almost in any recipes. It has been also known as one of nature's best medicines for centuries. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant. It is popular not only for its immune boosting powers, but it also enhances flavor of meals.

                                                                                Serving tips: like tomatoes, garlic can be used in about every recipe and in any form. You could use it raw in any kind of dips, soups, spaghetti, pastas, as garlic bread and in any stir-fries. Also, if garlic is served raw or added at the near end of your cooking, its immune enhancing antioxidants are retained to the fullest.

Fruits:

Fruits can be exciting with kids. But which ones is the immune boosting? Here are some options:

Berries

Berries that are bright and juicy like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are high in vitamin C and flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help, protect cells against injury.

                                                                                Serving tips: here is some good news; these naturally sweet berries don't need much dressing up to make them attractive or mouth-watering. You just have to either, cut and serve them as it is or with some vanilla yogurt or in their breakfast cereal. Also not very unfamiliar but you can also make some delicious smoothies too.

Lemon and Oranges

Lemon and Oranges are one of the most inexpensive and easily available fruits with some amazing benefits to our health. These fruits are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, which can improve the immune system.

                                                                          Serving tips: you could just squeeze some lemon on a salad or make a juice with some honey. Serve oranges as a whole or as juice.

Watermelon

Apart from being full of water, a natural body cleanser, watermelon is another great source of healing antioxidants.

Serving tips: there is no need to present it in any different way as this fruit is loved by most of the kids for sure.

Yogurt:

Yogurts have probiotics or you could say good bacteria which protect against gastrointestinal illnesses and may help increase the body's resistance to colds and other infections. Yogurts are now easily available in any super-markets and in different flavours too. But always look for products that say they contain live cultures. "If it's separated when you open it, and there's a little liquid on top, that's a good sign," says Leo A. Heitlinger MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics section on gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition. Yogurt is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin-vitamin B2, iodine, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid-vitamin B5, zinc, potassium, protein and molybdenum.

                                                             Serving tips: With the availability of different flavored yogurt can be your kids’ favorite dessert.  You could also serve it with some nuts, berries or honey drizzled on top.

Fish:

Oily fish like salmon and tuna are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help supercharge our white blood cells, which fight infections in our body. These are also rich in selenium and zinc, which are important minerals for giving the immune system a boost.

                                                               Serving tips: Salmon and tuna even from a can – could be tossed with olive oil and make some pasta or a sandwich or a wrap. You could also blend and add some cream and use it as a bread spread.

Nuts:

Nuts are loaded with immunity-boosting vitamins and minerals. Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which can ward off upper-respiratory infections, and they are great at boosting energy levels as well. Walnuts have healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Peanuts in addition to their monounsaturated fat (good fat) content, peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese.

                                                                               Serving tips: try almond or peanut butter (the ones with no hydrogenated or trans fats) on bread slices or simply sprinkle them over their yogurts or in their cereals. Remember not to give your young toddler whole nuts since they could pose a choking hazard. Instead, you could blend these nuts into their smoothie or powder them in their cereals.

P.S: check with your pediatrician before giving your child any nut products for the first time — nut allergic reactions can be very dangerous, even life-threatening.

Some general tips:

The above mentioned lists of foods are not the end of all immunity boosting and healthy foods.

Try to give a wide range of healthy foods. Don’t just hung up with yours or kids' favorite ones.

More is never better. If strawberry is a super fruit that doesn’t mean your kid should eat 10.

Remember, no food is a miracle food. If your child gets sick, it doesn’t mean that you did not give him/her a diet which was healthy enough. Kids with developing immune systems are constantly exposed to vulnerable environments. And these foods help to prevent or reduce the number or incidences of falling ill.

Try to give the foods in its original form or as a whole. Sure, watermelon juice also has antioxidants too, but watermelon as a whole; along with its nutrient values their fiber content can do wonders to your kids’ bodies.

Inspired by:

www.babble.com

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Motivate yourself to exercise

I like to exercise! All throughout my life I have indulged in some or the other kind of workouts. Its known and proven very well that exercising is good, nothing new in that. If you want to lose weight, exercise! If you want to get fit, exercise, if you have health issues, exercise! If you are stressed or depressed, exercise! Phew!!! The list is ongoing. However, I must confess that from the time I have become a mother, I was seeing all sorts of excuses to start with my workout and diet routines. I thought I will not find time with my little one, so let her be at least 6 months old and I will find some free time then came her 8 months and then her ten months. During this waiting time, while I was browsing the web I saw this particular pic. It was an eye opener and thought I will never get my free time for exercising, I need to find some. So I pulled out all my motivation and started with my diet and exercise regimes. Today I have become pretty consistent with these routines. This was not easy, but then followed few motivational methods (some mine and some from the web) which got me back on track.

A few weeks ago I picked up a book in my dad’s library whose cover page said “want to lose weight then read this”. I thought by just mere reading a book, will I lose weight? Well NO. This particular book was trying to build up your motivation levels to stick to your weight loss regimes.

Since I suspect that most of you also suffer gathering up the motivation to exercise and diet, I thought I would share some of the thighs that I have learned during this ‘getting back on track’ journey.

So here they are now:

Set a realistic goal and reward yourself

This is a very important step in your journey. Try not setting a goal that you will never achieve as you will only be disappointed and discouraged. Set small goals which will still push you to move forward and then reward yourself when you achieve these. For instance, you aimed and achieved to run for 20 minutes for 2 weeks in a row, you might want to buy a dress for yourself. Also remember you might want to stick to rewards that aren't food.

Start at home.

I tried this myself and it worked for me. Before hitting the gym or any other exercise classes, I would recommend that you start doing some amount of Cardio or stretching at home. This will help you to feel not out of the league when you reach any gym or exercise classes. Then try to go to the gym at least 2 times in a week. This will also help you to start at your own pace and not getting discouraged seeing others.

Maintain a balanced diet

Before you even start on a diet to lose weight I would say try and do your exercises regularly first. Once you have got into the routine of exercising regularly, then start planning your diet. Planning your diet doesn’t mean you starve yourself. It is very easy to quit when you starve or crave for food. Instead, I would say plan a diet where you’re able to maintain a balanced diet. In my experience during dieting, I have noticed that I crave for foods that are lacking in my diet plan. For instance, if I crave for sweets then I realize that my diet plan is lacking the right amount of sugars/carbohydrates. And the same applies with fried foods or greasy foods. Remember, for a human body to work efficiently fats and carbohydrates are equally important as your proteins and vitamins. This craving will definitely kill your motivation to move forward. However, you need to have the right forms of fats and carbs, not the junk.  You decide, do you want the junk food you have craved for an hour or the body you have craved for a lifetime.

Find a role model to look up to

A person who is fit and healthy must have achieved this by following some routines. Try to follow their advice. Have their images stuck to fridge or background of your phone so that these can act as constant reminders of your goals. For me it was me, myself before my pregnancy. This was also realistic to me as I dint have any goals to ramp walk for anybody J.

Find your preferred method of exercising

It is important to establish which forms of workouts are suitable for you and also which ones you enjoy. Every form of exercise may not be suitable for you in some or the other way. If you know which form of work outs fits you then try to make it fun by adding some variety like change the place of your workout. Now for those who don’t have any preferred form, then try different methods every single week. Like trying treadmill for a week, then cross trainer then Pilates then yoga and then some dance classes and so on. Whichever you enjoyed the most stick to that. If you enjoyed all of them then keep juggling between all to keep the variety stuff up. This will not only add spice to your workouts but also use variety of muscle groups each time. My preferred method of exercising is doing some Cardio (on the treadmill / cross trainer) and Pilates. These keep me fit, healthy and most importantly, I enjoy these so I stick to them.

Get a buddy

You are most likely to get up and go to the gym if you know you have a friend coming over to pick you or waiting for you at the gym. This buddy can also keep accountable for your actions and push you a little outside your comfort zone, which is very important in increasing your fitness levels. For me, as a mother, finding a buddy was not easy. So I chose a person who was a mother herself. Although we both were not exercising together, instead we took turns to babysit our kids J. So she is still my buddy.

Make no excuses 

We often get an excuse to ourselves and hang around it and also are ready with it if anybody asks us a reason for our poor fitness or physical structure.  Often these excuses tend to make self-explanations to ourselves and stop what we are doing. So here are some top excuses and tiny tips to overcome.

I don’t have time to work out – Seriously! You are busy I get it however you do find some time to go out with your family/kids or watch your favourite television show, right? Similarly, make some time and way to make health a priority. Include your workouts in your schedule like any other appointments or squeeze it on weekends. The bottom line is you must make time.

I have tried to lose weight before, but I just can’t do it – Now come on, if it is important to you, you will find a way not an excuse. The hardest thing about exercising is to start doing it. Once you are exercising regularly, trust me the hardest thing will be to stop.

I have too many business dinners and social gatherings. I can’t control even if I want to. Aha! This one, most of our favourite. Now if you are worried that you will offend people when they bring or offer you some food which is not suitable then you could just simply say no thank you or even better you yourself offer to bring them something.

Travel a lot and can’t get into a routine – I know this one is hard. But I am sure you can still do something if not everything of your regimes. Try to carry your own snacks if possible. Check in to hotels with gym services. Do some simple exercises in your hotel room. Also when you order food, order with high care, like foods that are grilled or baked, steamed veggies and so on.  

My friends /family eat poorly and it makes it difficult for me to eat healthy – I think you need to take responsibility on your own. Tell them what are your health priorities and goals. Ask them to help you in achieving them. Also, if they are eating and exercising poorly you should be the one to enlighten them ask them to follow your path. If not, then ask them not to push you on wrong path either.

Have patience with yourself

It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing, 8 weeks for your friends and 12 weeks for the rest of the world. Give it the full 12 weeks. DON’T QUIT

Now, over to you, dear readers.  Do you have anything that motivates you to exercise?

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

How to have a Healthy Breakfast and not a Big Breakfast

Begin your day with a heavy breakfast is what we have been advised from decades. All is well till here. But does this mean that one should eat a high protein, high carbs and high calorie breakfast to keep the hunger pangs at bay for the rest of the day?

Breakfast is the first meal of the day, which is essential to start and keep our metabolism rate high. However, eating breakfast can be a wonderful key element depending upon how and what you eat for your breakfast.

Here are some pointers to keep in mind when selecting your first meal of the day, even if it is in the middle of the day (for late risers):

Firstly, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all are important. Skipping meals can result in a reduced metabolism rate.

Breakfast literally means breaking the fast that one has been doing for the previous whole night of sleeping – where our body tends to cleanse and detoxes itself. Generally, according to research, when fasting, several biological changes occur in our body like diminished enzyme production of our digestive system and diminished mucus lining of the stomach. Therefore, gentle and slow re-introduction of food will allow the digestive system to re-establish the enzyme production and will make stomach linings less vulnerable to irritation.

You can begin with simple and easy to digest foods to support the above process. I would recommend a glass of water would be a great one to start with. H2O will hydrate you and fill you up instantly. Avoid any dairy/caffeine products to begin your day with.  However, you can always take a cup of coffee or tea a little later in the morning as it has been believed that caffeine produces increased wakefulness and suppresses appetite (if taken in right and limited amounts).

Just listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry, I am not suggesting you to skip breakfast, but I am also not suggesting you eat until you are too full. Some mornings, waking up not feeling hungry from the previous night’s dinner is normal, but try to consume little something in the morning. You need to break the fast J

Breakfast should be such that it should keep you more active during the day making you feel lighter and energetic and gives more chance to burn calories. Therefore a serving each of low-fat protein, whole fruit or vegetables, and whole-grain bread or cereal is a balanced way to start your day. I am convinced that a south Indian breakfast can be a good low fat, simple carbs and low calorie meal (with appropriate dips though). To know more about calorie counts in Indian foods click here.

For many of us, it is really difficult to hog a big breakfast as first thing in the dawning. So adopting the mantra of having a big breakfast is not practical for some of us. Besides having a heavy breakfast will not make you eat smaller lunch. Our body is designed to feel hungry every 4 hours. So if you eat a huge breakfast, you will need more snacks and caffeine by mid-forenoon.

According to David Sarwer, “The best approach is to eat small meals — 400 to 500 calories — supplemented with light snacks so you're never really hungry”, and still can stay within the overall calorie target intake (Recommended daily calorie intake is different for each one according to their lifestyle).

Lastly, do not take this mantra literally - ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper,'". What I have inferred is that always reduce the amount of food to be taken in as the day goes down.

So people definitely breakfast, as the first meal of the day, is essential for good health, but not clogging with heavy and difficult to digest foods. Rather try to select foods which are great in volume, but contain less calories.

                                 Breakfast studies have thrown us all confusing and contradicting results. Most of the tests were borne in a controlled environment and subjects were with unknown lifestyles. Also, there could be a possibility that these subjects may have some unknown underlying disorders. These studies are only correlative and difficult to apply in the real world. But listen to your body and savor!

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

Back to Blogging

Hey guys!

I know I know you all must be wondering where have I disappeared for an year! Well, I was quite busy with setting up my new Pilates studio and Physiotherapy clinic (Yippee at last!). So finally settled with the set up and now working towards its betterment. And now all I need is your best wishes and I promise that I will be regular in my postings, so watch out this space for more!!!

Also, I am sharing few glimpse of my new studio and clinic! Wish me luck guys!

So very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reformsphysiopilatesblog-blog]

9 Reasons Why You Should Try Pilates

Pilates is such a workout that can be done by people of all levels of fitness and coordination. I discovered my day of love and passion for Pilates while doing my Post-graduation in Australia. I learnt and got certified as Mat and Reformer Pilates Instructor. Since then I made Pilates as foundation for all of my workouts I do or teach. Pilates has meant to me so much in and outside my profession. So here I take the opportunity to let you know why you should be trying Pilates. I found this super concise Infographic on benefits of Pilates.