Sep 07

9 best Pilates exercises for strengthening your core and boosting posture

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A strong core is more than just an aesthetic goal; it’s essential for enhancing athletic performance, supporting lower back health, and improving posture. While we’ve previously highlighted some of the best ab workouts, incorporating Pilates into your routine offers a fresh and effective way to target your core muscles. Pilates, a “mind-body” exercise system developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, is renowned for its low-impact nature and suitability for all fitness levels. This method focuses on building strength, improving posture, and enhancing structural alignment. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that participants who practiced Pilates for one hour twice a week over 12 weeks experienced significant gains in abdominal endurance, upper-body strength, and hamstring flexibility. Not bad for a low-impact workout, hey? One of the great advantages of Pilates is its versatility; it can be practiced almost anywhere with minimal equipment, such as one of the best yoga mats, resistance bands, light weights, and Pilates rings. Below, we’ve collected nine of the best Pilates exercises to help you strengthen your core and reap the many benefits of this timeless fitness practice.   1. One Hundreds Often used as a warm-up, the one hundred […]
Sep 06

Life Fitness Coach Explains Excess Fat’s Impact On Metabolism, Shares Tips To Lose Weight

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Life Fitness Coach Luke Coutinho shared his two cents on metabolism and weight loss and how they are interlinked together. Be it starting a healthy living journey or seeking an energy boost, it’s important to take into account the role your metabolism plays. Your metabolism, which regulates vital body processes, has an impact on blood flow and weight regulation. Contrary to popular belief, gaining body fat doesn’t mean a slow metabolism, it can also happen due to the excess fat present in your body. Lifestyle fitness coach Luke Coutinho explains how shedding fat can actually result in an improved metabolism. A post shared by Luke on Instagram said, “Myth crusher: It’s not a slow metabolism that causes you to gain body fat, it is excess body fat that slows down metabolism. This means you can fire up your metabolism by shedding fat! Challenge muscle, increase protein, sleep deep, reduce chronic stress, dump junk, fast smartly.” Here is a detailed explanation of hacks suggested by nutritionist Luke Coutinho:   1. Challenge muscle Numerous forms of physical exercise can help you lose weight by raising your calorie burn. Your age, beginning weight, and diet may all have an impact on how much […]
Sep 05

9 Yoga Poses for Better Sleep Tonight

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Try these yoga poses shortly before bed for your best sleep.   There are plenty of tips and tricks out there that can help you fall asleep. However, if you have already tried reading, drinking a hot cup of herbal tea or journaling and those tips haven’t worked for you — that’s OK. One thing you might not have tried is yoga for sleep. There’s a very good reason why yoga helps you sleep. Practicing yoga and breathing techniques calms your nervous system, which helps your body relax enough for sleep. However, not all poses will help you achieve this goal. You’ll want to aim for relaxing movements that don’t get your heart rate up. We’ve rounded up the top yoga poses you should try if you have trouble sleeping at night.   How yoga can help you sleep Yoga, much like any form of exercise, can be a beneficial way to unwind and alleviate stress. Research suggests that engaging in yoga may lead to reduced levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. The extent of cortisol reduction may vary depending on factors such as the frequency and intensity of yoga practice. Additionally, some studies have shown promising results […]
Sep 04

20-Minute Full-Body Pilates Workout at Home

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You may think you must attend expensive Pilates classes in high-end studios to enjoy the perks of a low-impact, strength-building, muscle-toning Pilates workout. But you can do an effective Pilates exercise routine at home and experience all its benefits. Pilates is a workout developed by trainer Joseph Pilates in the early 1920s. It focuses on your core strength and is a full-body workout that can improve muscle strength, posture, mobility, and flexibility. Many people practice Pilates on a mat or a reformer machine. While Pilates studios exist throughout the world, this workout is accessible at home.   Home Pilates Workout Overview Dani Busko, senior Pilates instructor at Equinox SoHo in New York City, curated the following at-home Pilates workout that will work your core, glutes, arms, and shoulders. This series of seven moves takes around 20 minutes and only requires a mat or towel that you can comfortably work out on. The exercises include: Half roll-down Glute bridge Standing side-kick series Side plank Lower lift Criss-cross Pilates push-up   Benefits of Pilates Workouts Pilates has many benefits and is suitable for people of all ages. Some folks believe all workouts need to be grueling, but you can still increase your […]
Sep 03

Boost Your Immunity During Monsoon: Essential Tips For Staying Healthy

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During the monsoon season, boosting immunity is crucial due to increased humidity and infection risks. Hence, it is essential to keep your health in check and keep infections at bay. We got in touch with a health expert who shares tips to keep in mind for staying healthy during heavy showers. Read on. As the monsoon season brings much-needed rain and respite from the heat, it also brings in a higher risk of infections and health issues. The increase in humidity and damp conditions can weaken your immune system, making you more prone to illnesses such as colds, flu, and respiratory infections. To safeguard your health during this season, it’s crucial to adopt strategies that strengthen your immune system and enhance overall well-being. We got in touch with Dr Rakesh Gupta, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals who shares tips to boost your immune system and enjoy rainy days.   Tips To Boost Immunity During Monsoon   1. Stay Hydrated: While it may not be hot outside, your body still needs plenty of fluids. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. Warm herbal teas can also help boost immunity and provide comfort on chilly days. 2. Eat a […]
Sep 02

Memory begins to decline in your 30s: How to keep your brain sharp

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Taking care of our mind and body is crucial for living a happy and fulfilling life. So, on this International Mind-Body Wellness Day, let’s commit to prioritising our health and making self-care a daily habit. It happens to adults of all ages at one point or another: You leave work after a busy day and forget where you parked your car. Or you get up to grab an item from another room and can’t remember what it was once you get there. Is it the start of memory troubles? Could Alzheimer’s disease be looming in the future? Memory does naturally start to decline earlier than we think — when people are in their 30s — but such incidents are common and illustrate perfectly normal forgetting, said Dr. Richard Restak, a clinical professor of neurology and rehabilitation medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “These are things that people needlessly worry about,” Restak, author of the book “The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind,” told. In the case of the person unable to remember why they came into a room, “it sounds like a serious matter, but most of the time the person is […]
Sep 01

Does It Matter What Order You Complete Exercises In a Workout?

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The order of your moves actually changes how effective your workout is. Here, the rules you need to follow.   You already know that the order of certain things matters-cleanser before serum, socks before shoes, toaster before avocado mash. Well, when you’re working out in the gym, order matters too. Plain and simple, the workout order of your exercise movements is actually one of the defining factors in how effective your workout regimen is, according to strength and conditioning specialist Alena Luciani, M.S., C.S.C.S., founder of Training2xl. Full stop. If you remember one thing, make it this: Do more technical, harder, full-body movements before the smaller-muscle-focused accessory work, says Chelsea Axe, D.C., C.S.C.S., fitness expert at DrAxe.com. However, there’s no universally “right” order. “Asking for ‘the best exercise order’ would be like asking a chess master what the best move in chess is-it’s going to vary,” says Dariusz Stankiewicz, C.S.C.S., cofounder of Body Evolved, a physical therapy and strength coaching studio in New York City. Touché. That said, it can be daunting to plan your own workout routine if have no idea where to start. These seven rules of exercise order can help.   1. Should you do strength or […]
Aug 31

How to Be Active Safely in Warm Weather

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Ample sunshine, longer days and warmer temperatures provide more opportunities for the whole family to get outside and get active in the spring and summer.  Try walking, swimming, biking, skating, jumping rope, building a backyard obstacle course or organizing a neighborhood soccer game.  Even gardening, pushing a stroller or walking the dog counts.  Learn the American Heart Association’s Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and the recommendations in children. But when the temperature goes up, being active outdoors can be more challenging.  It’s easier to become overheated when the sun is beaming down all day.  The warm months also bring humidity to many parts of the country. With humidity, your sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly, so your body has a harder time releasing heat.    Be smart when working out Keep in mind these six tips when it’s warm outside:   Timing is key.  Try to avoid exercising outside in the early afternoon. It’s usually hottest between noon and 3 p.m. Hydrate.  Drink water before, during and after physical activity, even if you don’t feel thirsty.  Bring a bottle of water with you, or plan water stops along your route. Dress for success.  Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.  Moisture-wicking fabric also can be […]
Aug 30

Should you stretch before exercise? Or after? These tips on stretching could be beneficial

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Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. Resistance training can be an effective form of stretching too   For many people of a certain age, high school gym class began with reaching for their toes. Then, over the years, we were told it was better to stretch after exercise. It turns out, both those things can be true, but the differing advice has created some confusion. Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. David Behm, who researches human kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada, offers this advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely:   Warm up first It’s almost always good to stretch, but it’s better if you warm up first, said Behm, author of “The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching.” He recommends a light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling for five or 10 minutes. Follow that with some static stretching, the traditional way of reaching and holding a position (think back to that gym class). You can then do activity-specific dynamic stretching, in which […]
Aug 29

How to Prevent Injuries When Working Out at Home, According to Experts

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When it comes to strength training, injuries can happen — even in the comfort of your own living room. Without the heavy-lifting equipment of a gym or the intensity of a fitness studio, it’s easy to develop a false sense of security. But as with all exercise, strength training at home can still be intense, and it’s important to know how to keep yourself safe. In order to avoid strength-training injuries at home, you should first understand proper form and safety protocol. To help you ease into safe home training, we spoke to certified coaches about the best tips and tricks to keep in mind. Read on for their advice to avoid injury and build muscle safely — wherever your training takes place.   Preventing Injuries From At-Home Workouts   To keep yourself safe while training at home, here are a few things experts recommend:   Clear Out Space: There’s a reason gyms don’t typically have much on the floor besides workout equipment: clutter can be dangerous. And during home workouts, falling over a coffee table or tripping over your dog’s toy are very real concerns. Save yourself the stress (and potential body aches) by moving furniture and other items […]
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