Fitho

Airtel Kolkata Marathon 2010

Fitho — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:51:56 +0000

In 2009, 20,000 people took part in 2009 Kolkata Marathon. The 2010 Kolkata Marathon is here!

Kolkata Marathon Women's Run

This is the 6th year of the Kolkata Marathon, starting in 2005. Need tips to start running? Need tips to prepare for a marathon and nutrition tips during and after a marathon here. Here is a list of running tracks in Kolkata.

In 2010, the Kolkata Marathon is on Sunday, Feb 21, 2010.

Need motivation to start running? Running can help you lose weight. See more running benefits.
Meet the young woman who went from the fear of running to running addiction in 2 months, in our run training success stories - how we converted non runners into people who can’t stop running!

Need marathon & run training? See our marathon & run training programs.

And make sure you stretch after training & workouts Click here and enter your email to get marathon updates.

Registrations and more details on Kolkata Marathon 2010, coming soon!

- Get your Weight Loss Diet: call (0)98108-20937 or email neha@fitho.in
- Get Fitho’s Weight Loss Diet Guide worth Rs 675, for free- click here.
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- Protein Supplements| Weight Gain Supplements | Weight Loss Pills
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Hot dog- Fatty, Unhealthy, Cancerous & more?

Fitho — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:01:29 +0000

Do you like hot dogs? Well, we have bad news for you. Not one, but two pieces of bad news for hot dog eaters, who care about either their health or fitness.

Hot Dog bun with mustard (busybrain@flickr)

Let’s first talk about how hot dogs are bad for your fitness. Hot dogs are basically processed meat, that is loaded with saturated fat. A regular hot dog has about 18 gms of fat. All the saturated fat besides clogging your arteries and increasing your risk of heart disease, adds to the calorie count of hot dogs! A regular hot dog with ketchup in a white bread roll totals up to 315 calories. Besides the fat and calories, hot dogs are loaded with sodium (to increase their shelf life and flavour). A regular hot dog contain upto 1000 mg of sodium. And we all know high sodium foods & weight gain, water retention, bloating and temporary weight gain, besides increasing blood pressure. To make it worse, hot dogs are eaten within a white bread bun. You’ve read about how unhealthy white bread really is - we call it the weight loss enemy.

So, you can really wonder how anyone on a diet can ever eat a hot dog! In India, hot dog kind of food is sold at a Hog Dog locations. These are equally unhealthy as hot dogs if not worse (they taste much worse).

Like we said, we have two pieces of bad news for hot dog lovers. We’re only done with one. The second piece of bad news is that hot dogs and other processed meats like salami, etc contain nitrites (used in preservatives). When broken down during the digestion process, nitrites might be carcinogenic (cancer causing), but this link is yet to be proven. Regardless of the link between the consumption of processed meats and cancer, its best to eat fresh foods. The fresher your food, the healthier it is, and the better it tastes.

So, if you’re indulging in hot dogs or its like, its best to make sure its an ocassional indulgence. Just in case you were wondering, soy dogs aren’t any better, since soy has its own health controversy. The good news is that if you stay off the hot dogs and other unhealthy diet habits, you’re likely to get closer to that six pack!

*calorie & nutrition information source: calorieking

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Are your genes making you fat?

Fitho — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:32:33 +0000

Have you ever met someone who said they are fat because its genetic? You probably have. Do you think you can be fat because of your genes? At Fitho, we don’t think* that you should just blame your genetics for being fat, and let it be. We’ll tell you why. If you blame your genes for your weight gain, then you must read this.

Fat Family on the Beach (fabbianoaccorsi@flickr)

Its a common phenomenon that over weight parents have over weight kids. But equally often, you will see overweight parents with skinny children and vice versa. So, what is the deal? Do your genetics really play a role?

Genetics can increase your tendency to gain weight, but if you gain weight, in most cases its because of the parental physical & eating habits that can make you fat. What we mean is that, people gain weight because they consume more calories than they burn. Now, overweight people are in the habit of doing so. It might be because of the meals they eat, the snacks they consume, what they drink (juices, alcohol), their portion sizes, or a combination of all these, and the lack of physical activity.

When they have children, unconsciously the same calorie consumption habits get inculcated in the kids, along with the physical activity habits. As a result, the kids also gain weight.

Think back … its true! Your genetics might increase your tendency to gain weight, but its more of the eating and physical activity habits that make you gain weight.

Even though you might watch what you eat now, it might not be enough to help you lose weight. To make a real dent in your weight loss, play sports to lose weight or get on a proper weight loss plan, that combines both diet and exercise.

*in certain medical situation like genetic hypothyroidism, etc, genetics could play a significant role in weight gain.

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Special K Diet Challenge: Does it work?

Fitho — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:39:56 +0000

You’ve probably seen the Special K cereal advertisement for the Kellogg’s Special K Diet Challenge: 2 meals, 2 weeks, and lose upto 2.5 kg of weight!

What is the Special K diet? Does the Special K diet really help you lose weight? If it does, is the Special K diet really good for your health? And will the weight loss stay off?

Kelloggs Special K Cereal Diet (kelloggsuk@flickr)

We did the research, so read on..

What is the Special K Diet? On the Special K Diet, you are supposed to eat two bowls of Kellogs Special K cereal and one fruit for breakfast and another meal (lunch or dinner). The 3rd meal is supposed to be a healthy well balanced meal. If you’re hungry between meals, then you can have 3 to 5 servings of fruits and or vegetables. Along with this, you are also supposed to exercise for 30 minutes a day.

One bowl of Special K cereal contains 120 ml of skim milk and 30 gm of Special K cereal. Totally, that is 210 calories. Add a fruit, at approx 60-100 calories. That is 300 calories per Special K cereal meal. An average healthy meal is say about 600 calories. Add a couple more snacks of fruits and veggies in the day, each at about 100 calories. That’s a total of 1200-1500 calories per day. Most people’s daily calorie intake ranges between 2100 to 2500 calories. So, on the Special K diet, you are consuming upto 900-1000 calories less per day.

Such a large reduction in your daily calorie intake (about 1000 calories less) can almost be considered a crash diet. If you add 30 minutes of moderate exercise, that’s another 250-300 calories. So, the Special K diet and 30 minutes of exercise, can create a daily calorie deficit of upto 1300 calories.

Is the Special K Diet healthy? Two bowls of Kellogg’s Special K with skim milk does provide some nutrition- you get the benefits of milk. The Special K challenge could be healthy or unhealthy, depending on how you balance the third meal, and your other mid meal snacks.

Is it Special K Diet challenge realistic? Reducing upto a 1000 calories per day besides can be unhealthy, and unsustainable, since the sudden calorie reduction will make your body crave the food its missing a lot more.

So, what’s the verdict on the Kellogg’s Special K Diet Challenge? We think its difficult, since it cuts down your calories significantly. Over 2 weeks, this could lead to 2.5 kg of weight loss, but assuming that you are currently doing no physical activity.

If you really want to lose weight the right way, get on a proper weight loss plan. Don’t just lose the weight, keep it off!

- Weight Loss Plan-Diet & Exercise: call 98108-20937, Email neha@fitho.in
- Get Fitho’s Weight Loss Diet Guide worth Rs 675, for free- click here.
- See our Weight Loss Success Stories | Health Fitness Discussion Forums
- Protein Supplements| Weight Gain Supplements | Weight Loss Pills
- Got questions on heath/fitness- Get answers from fitness experts

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Should you lose weight or lose fat?

Fitho — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:02:25 +0000

Often, both fat loss and weight loss are mistaken to be the same, but its really not. Think about it- losing weight basically means that when you step on that weighing scale, you should weigh less. Now you’ve lost this weight since there is less of something in your body. The options are fat, muscle or water. Losing fat is ideal, but losing muscle is detrimental to your health. Muscles help burn calories even when you’re sleeping. Basically, your body takes energy to maintain itself. If you have more muscle in your body, then it takes more energy to maintain it. In fact, it takes about 10 times the energy to maintain the same amount of muscle as it takes to maintain fat.

Slim female waist (helgasms@flickr)

With incorrect weight loss strategies, like skipping meals, fad diets, and staying hungry, people end up losing muscle. Your body has to maintain itself whether you feed it or not. So, when you don’t feed it for a long time (like when you skip meals), it starts looking for stored energy in your body. Instead of burning fat, it burns muscle to get that energy. So, when you skip a meal the next time, remember that you’re harming your muscles. Lesser the muscle in your body, lesser the energy it takes to maintain it. But you still eat the same amount of food, so you land up storing the extra energy in the form of fat. Its a vicious cycle.

Also, muscle is denser that fat. So, you might lose fat, gain muscle- as a result you look slimmer and are much fitter. But on the weighing scale, you might still weigh the same.

So you see, using your weight as your fitness yard stick is inaccurate.

The solution, use your fat loss as a yard stick. How do you measure it? No, you don’t need a $200 body fat measuring contraption. All you need is a simple measuring tape & you’re set. Measure your waist, thighs, hips, arms- whatever your problem areas are. Get on a good weight loss plan. Note down the measurements on a periodic basis, keep track and watch that shy six pack reveal itself!

This method helps to measure key areas and losing size on your problems area, will help to keep track of your fat loss. That belly fat is quite harmful to your body .

Besides the obvious benefits of fat loss- looking hot, healthy heart- did you know that weight loss benefits your sex life too! Further, sex has many health benefits!

- Get your Weight Loss Diet: call (0)98108-20937 or email neha@fitho.in
- Get Fitho’s Weight Loss Diet Guide worth Rs 275, for free- click here.
- See our Weight Loss Success Stories | Health Fitness Discussion Forums
- Protein Supplements| Weight Gain Supplements | Weight Loss Pills
- Got questions on heath/fitness- Get answers from fitness experts

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Is your ab workout hurting your back?

Fitho — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:48:28 +0000

With most movie stars flaunting 6 pack abs, its all the rage in gyms across India. Many people have a general consensus that you get a 6 pack by doing lots of crunches!
Not true. We’ve told you the secret to 6 pack abs. And to get them, you don’t need to workout your abs extensively.

Defined Male Six Pack Abdominal Muscles

Besides being futile for most people to gain a defined mid section, working out your abs extensively can actually hurt your back. Read on to see how:

Muscular imbalance: Focusing on working out your abdominal muscles, and not focusing on other muscles surrounding your mid section like your back, and obliques, can create a muscular imbalance. Its like working out your left side, and not your right!

Strain on your lower back: As a result of this muscular imbalance, when you lift weights (even your own body weight), it will put more strain on your back. Due to bad posture while sitting and standing, we anyway put our backs at higher risk of strain. This further enhances the strain on the lower back.

So, what can you do to avoid this strain? For one, perform exercises to strengthen your lower back.
Your back muscles, abdominal muscles and other muscle surrounding your mid section are called core muscles. It is important to work out all these muscles in a balanced way. This will increase your overall musculature, muscle tone, reduce body fat, and reduces risk of back pain. The plank is a great exercise for strengthening the core.

How to perform the Plank exercise: Start by lying on your stomach, on a mat. Place your elbows on the ground, beneath your shoulders. Hold your body in a straight line, with only your elbows & your toes touching the ground. Do this exercise in front of a mirror or with a partner to help you achieve the right form.

Plank can be performed on a mat, on a Swiss Ball (with your legs resting on a Swiss Ball), and if you’re really confident, then on 2 Swiss balls (arms resting on 1 Swiss Ball, and your legs on the other)!

Perform core muscle exercises, don’t waste time doing crunches, and you’ll be on your way to a 6 pack!

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Avoid extra weight gain during pregnancy

Fitho — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:23:55 +0000

When you’re pregnant it is understood that you are eating for two but that does not really mean twice as much as you normally do. Its healthy to gain 10-15 kg during the course of pregnancy, but some people gain over 20-25 kgs. That’s not healthy. All these extra kilos will show the most after pregnancy and will be extremely difficult to get rid of. So, we’re here to tell you how you can avoid gaining extra weight during your pregnancy.

Big Pregnant Woman Belly (ivona&kris@flickr)

Important thing to keep in mind is that exercise during pregnancy is no to lose weight. It is so that you prepare your body for the physical stress of baby weight, and birth, makes you feel & look better, and helps you regain shape faster again your pregnancy. Here are a few ways to stay fit during pregnancy. The key is doing everything in moderation:

Eat right: Most women need 2500-3000 calories. Get 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. Avoid excessive sugary and fatty food- its only empty calories. So, even though pregnancy seems like a great excuse to chow down on two big double chocolate chip brownies after your meal, its only an excuse. You will pay for it in weight gain.

Pre-Natal Yoga: Yoga poses are a great way to ease the discomforts of pregnancy and prepare the body for child birth. It also helps in healthy development of the fetus, reduces stress, helps calm the mind and increases awareness of the bodily changes. Practicing yoga has added benifits of helping you lose weight after delivery.

Walking: As you go into pregnancy its important to reduce high impact exercise. Walking is the simplest and the easiest way to stay fit when you’re pregnant. It also helps increase your endurance level resulting in easier labour pains, and is great way to rejuvenate and reduce stress. Note: Pregnancy or physical ailment is the only time we recommend walking as a great way to exercise and stay fit

Cycling: Indoor cycling is a safe, low impact way to exercise. Check with your doctor and take the necessary precautions. At all times, keep your self hydrated with lots of water.

Ensure that your exercise is not very strenuous, and don’t over exert yourself. And as we mentioned earlier, do not try to lose weight during your pregnancy.

If you have already delivered and want to lose your pregnancy weight, then see out tips of post pregnancy weight loss.

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Damage control after new years eve

Fitho — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:23 +0000

We would love to remind you of the best weight loss tips for the party season, but you’ve really lived it up till now, and with new years eve almost here, we won’t be a kill joy and tell you not to drink high calorie alcoholic drinks and swap them with low calorie drinks. Or why you should not drink alcohol at all, or which are the healthiest Indian desserts.

New Year's Party (pkabz@flickr)

Since you have been doing all these things, we’ll tell you what you can do in the new year to control all that damage to your waistline:

1. Be picky- Stick to healthy food for a few days to reduce the damage from the festive season. Friends and family might try to force feed you, but be firm with them. If you must for courtesy, then eat a small portion.

2. Skip the sweets- Really! Its time you controlled the sweets. You know how those sweets make you gain weight. Even all the artificially sweetened food will not help weight loss.

3. Portion Control- Eat small meals. Eat often if you must, but control those portions. Try this 3 bite rule.

4. Make time for exercise- Celebration time is over. Priority should be getting fit. Take out at least 30 minutes for your exercise- go for a run, hit the gym, play a sport, do some yoga or just squeeze out a bunch of push-ups and squats at home

5. Drink lots of water- Yes, water can help you lose weight.

6. Skip the alcohol- We won’t elaborate on this one. You know why

Use these tips and get fit. Also, make the best new years resolutions to get fit.

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