Skipping

Skipping is the ideal form of exercise at home. A rope of medium thickness about 9 ft long is enough. The ends of the rope are stitched or a knot at the ends to increase durability. If the rope touches the feet while one is skipping, it means the rope is too short, if it touches the ground, it is a bit too long.

For the purpose of weight management, the skipping exercise should be done for a longer period of time with a hop in between-one skip and one jump in a rhythm.

Skipping strengthens the muscles of the legs, abdomen, back and arms with its circular rhythmic movement.

It is used for developing many other conditional qualities in addition to endurance, like agility, speed and throwing and jumping power etc.

4 Week Sample Programme for Skipping

The skipping programme, when undertaken in the house should be at a place where the height of the ceiling is more than 10 feet above the ground level. There should no hinderance from any quarter while the exercise being done.

Beginners can skip continuous for 30 to 90 seconds depending upon their capability. This can be done 3 to 4 times with a proper lapse of time in between. The rest period can be reduced slowly as the skipping capacity improves. As one improves, the time for continuous skipping improves along with the number of sets during a training programme. A sample training programme is detailed in Table 16.2 to start with.

A Sample Skipping Programme

Types of Skipping	Rest between Sets	Duration of Exercise	No. of Sets	Training in week	Week
Two leg skipping with hop in between	30 sec	30 to 90 sec	3 to 5	5 times	1
Two leg skipping with hop in between One leg skipping Skipping while running	30 sec	30 to 90 sec	4 to 5	3 to 5 times	2
Two leg skipping with hop One leg skipping Skipping while running Two leg skipping	30 sec	60 to 90 sec	5	3 to 5 times	3
Two legs with a hop in between One leg skipping Skipping and running One leg skipping	30 Sec	300 sec	6	3 to 5 times	4

Walking

Walking is the cheapest, easiest and most convenient form of exercise for all age groups, and can be easily adopted if one has the Will-to-do-it. It accounts for more than half the body muscles and joints, exercises, spinal cord, shoulders, arms, feet, heart, lungs and brain.

Walking helps cultivate relationships, makes one forget worries, and eases the mind. It aids digestion, stimulates the brain, and helps the blood flow evenly throughout the body.

LOOK AT SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF "WALKING" ? Almost everyone can do it You can do it almost anywhere You can do it almost anytime It doesn't cost anything. Strengthens your heart Helps lower cholesterol Relieves stress and worry

Improves balance and helps prevent falls Strengthens joints Helps control weight Contributes to "brain fitness" Gives you energy and a good night's rest Strengthens bones Helps lower blood pressure and reduces risk of stroke

Since obesity and high blood pressure are among the leading risk factors for heart attack and stroke, "Walking" offers protection against two of our major killers.

Pre requisites for walking :

1. Wear loose clothes and well fitted canvas shoes.

2. Preferably go on a empty stomach or with just a glass of water/lemon juice.

3. You can walk in any pace with which you are comfortable.

4. Try to be regular in your walks and each walk should at least be more than 15 minutes.

5. If you are walking daily then a walk of 5 kms or 45-60 minutes would do.

6. Try to walk in the early morning.

7. One can walk alone or maybe in a company as per your comfort.

8. Brisk walking with a rhythmic movement of arms and feet, coupled with controlled breathing, enhances the benefits.

How to Walk :

- Warm up exercise before commencing walks.

- Maintain an erect posture while walking.

- Inhale deeply to regularize swinging your arms.- After every 4 steps, inhale deeply, as much as your lungs can take.

- After every 4 steps hold breath. (neither inhaling nor exhaling)

- Start the above cycle again.

Walking helps in burning calories. It takes 3500 calories to gain or loose one pound.
Following table shows how walking affects the calories :

How Long?

An hour a day, or a total of seven hours a week, is associated with decreased risk for breast cancer and diabetes. As little as a half hour a day, or three hours a week, is associated with decreased risk of heart disease

Pace	Calories per minute	Per hour
Strolling (1 MPH) Walking (3 MPH) Running (5 MPH)	2-2.5 calories 4-5 calories 10-11 calories	120-150 calories 240-300 calories 600-660 calories

Swimming - A Rejuvenating Experiece

A swim a day:

It's easy to get hooked on to swimming. If you're a convert already, you know how alive you feel in the water and how relaxed you are when you get out. As you glide along, the water seems to massage your muscles and clear your mind. Even after a vigorous workout, you feel refreshed and relaxed. Many people like to start their day with a swim, while others swim at the end of the day, letting the water rid them of accumulated stress and tension.

Great exercise and therapy:

Swimming can be very demanding for the beginner. Exercise at a comfortable pace and periodically check your heart rate to make sure you're staying in your training range. It is recommended that beginners swim 12-20 minutes, building endurance with time. As you progress, you'll be able to swim farther and faster at each workout, and the efficiency of your strokes will improve. Intermediate swimmers should swim 20-30 minutes and advanced swimmers 30-60 minutes. The freestyle, or crawl, is the most efficient and strenuous stroke. A 150 pound person burns about 8.5 calories, a minute, swimming freestyle.

If you get tired, switch to a less strenuous stroke, such as the sidestroke or breaststroke, or swim a few laps with a kickboard. Swimming in sets - 4 laps freestyle, 4 laps breaststroke, 4 laps backstroke, for example - will make your workout more interesting and will exercise more muscles.

Simple water exercises:

>Kick with a kickboard or holding on to the side of the pool to tone legs, back and stomach.

>Leg lifts also condition legs, back and stomach.

>Holding on to the side of the pool, lift each leg 10 times in front of you, behind you and to each side.

>Running in the water increases your heart rate just as swimming does. Many people who can't run on land can run in the water without a problem. Because of the water's resistance, the impact on your body is far less. In chest-high water, begin by running with your hands on your head, and as you become more fit, paddle with your arms. You can alternate running with skipping, hopping, or even dancing in the water.

>Bobbing up and down in the water improves breathing and muscle tone.

>Treading in the water improves arm and leg strength. Whatever your level of ability, remember to cool down afterwards with water or stretching exercises.

Cycling

People who face problems in adopting other forms of exercise because of weak joints and excess body weight can take on cycling as a suitable form of exercise.

Not only does cycling give one an opportunity to enjoy nature in the outskirts of the city, it also involves all the muscles of the legs and strengthens then. The muscles of the upper body and arms are only used to maintain the correct position when cycling. Thereafter, it is advisable to add some exercises for the upper body and arms along with the cycling programme.

Cycling at full speed on a busy road is risky. A circular road with a few openings should be chosen.

Beginners should be careful when taking on a cycling programme. The first few days of cycling can be taken on only for adopting the body to the new regime. This will help in you becoming familiar with the route and the environment. It can even be included into the daily routine. One may use it to get to work or to perform household duties of fetching the required groceries from the market, depositing telephone and electricity bills etc.

Cycling in a leisurely manner may not be of much use. The pulse rate must be brought to the training zone to attain the maximum benefit from exercising. The distance must be measured to calculate the estimated speed.

One of the best ways to measure speed is to measure the outer length of the front wheel of the cycle and measure the total distance by measuring marking the wheel with a thread and then multiplying the total rounds of the wheel to know the distance. Now distance is divided with time taken to know the speed.

Do not cycle at full speed at the start. Adapt your body to the rhythm for a few minutes before starting the work out.

Calculate the distance as under e.g.

IR = 2.16m

Total Round x2.16m = Total distance covered.

The following programme should be adopted for weight management.

Calories Burnt by Cycling in an Hour

	Weight in Kilogram
Km/H	55	65	75	85	95
9	195	230	265	301	336
10	235	278	321	364	407
15	296	350	403	457	511
20	471	556	642	728	813
30	660	780	900	1020	1140

Running

Running is good form of Exercise for people of all age groups, including children and those in the older age group. It involves almost all the muscles and strengthens them. It has a salubrious effect on the heart and multifarious advantages.

Those who have adopted it seriously have not only been able to lose weight upto 10 to 12 kilograms in 12 week's time, but have also been able to run a half marathon, that is, 22 kilometres at a good tempo.

How will I benefit from running?

For starters, it tones muscles in your legs, hips, and abdomen. The jarring nature of jogging also wards off osteoporosis; all that pounding strengthens your bones. And, as an aerobic exercise, it builds cardiovascular health by working your heart muscle and improving oxygen supply to your muscles. What's more, running reduces your risk of heart attack, develops your endurance, relieves stress, and burns calories quickly. Depending on factors including your weight, pace, and how hilly your route is, you'll burn 500 to as much as 1,000 calories an hour.

How do I get started?

Find routes that you can use year round (you'll want a well-lit option when the days get short) and that have smooth, relatively soft surfaces, like asphalt or dirt. Variety is the spice of life, and it'll do the same for your workouts. But if you're a beginner, you'll probably be happiest at the local high school's track -- at least until you get to know your limits.

The right shoes are vital to comfort and safety; a pair that fits poorly can cause blistering, soreness, even knee and back trouble. Well-made running shoes have padded, flexible inner soles, a forgiving, breathable material for the upper body, and good traction on the outer sole. Your arch should be well supported (if you have high arches, you may need to buy inserts). Ask a salesperson at a store that specializes in running shoes to help you choose, and be sure to replace your shoes every 400 to 500 miles.

How often and how far should I run?

Three times a week is plenty. Start with a slow pace on easy terrain, and jog for only about 15 minutes. You should be breathing hard but still able to carry on a conversation. If that means you have to stop and walk every so often, fine. Give yourself six to eight weeks to build up to a 30-minute session, and rest at least every other day.

According to the American Running and Fitness Association, you shouldn't increase your mileage by more than 10 percent a week. Concentrate on jogging smoothly, and don't worry about how fast you're going. Though you may be tempted to run daily once you're comfortable, give yourself at least two days off each week (all that pounding can lead to shinsplints or stress fractures). Remember that three days a week is all you need to gain and maintain good health, especially if you mix in other exercise (weight training is an excellent complement). You can also experiment with hilly courses or alternate your runs between short routes to build speed and longer ones to increase endurance.

What's a good running technique?

Warm up first with a brisk walk or slow jog. Drop your shoulders to keep them relaxed, and swing your arms easily at your sides. Your foot should land heel first and roll forward, and then push off with your toes. (If you decide to mix up your pace occasionally, try sprinting on your toes for 15 to 30 seconds.) Cool down afterward by walking for a few minutes and then stretching your ankles, calves, and thighs.

Cautions

If your route takes you by any streets, run facing traffic. When you reach an intersection, make eye contact with drivers to insure that they see you before crossing. Most running organizations discourage jogging at night. But if that's your only option, wear light-colored clothing and consider purchasing reflective vests and armbands; a lightweight blinking bicycle light will also make you more visible to drivers. For safety, try to run with a partner and vary your route.

Running puts a great deal of stress on your bones and joints -- about three to four times your body weight with every step -- so if you have a history of back, joint, or orthopedic problems, check with your doctor before getting started.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise burns fat and calories, helps you to lose weight, strengthens your heart muscle, increases your ability to use oxygen and relieves stress. It is important for everyone to get aerobic exercise at least three to five times per week for 20 to 60 minutes.

To keep your exercise routine fresh and fun, vary your activities whenever possible. Aerobic exercises are very effective in strengthening the heart and lungs, strengthening the organ's ability to contract. Stronger contractions mean an improved, stronger blood flow, in turn making a body better equipped for exercise. It is also a good aid for loosing weight. As beneficial as aerobic exercise is, however, it's not enough to add muscle and shape to your body.

Not all sport activities provide an effective aerobic workout. If you participate in a sport where the action is not continuous, or where players are often substituted in play for short periods of time, you may need more aerobic activity to balance out your fitness routine or to achieve weight loss.

Aerobic sports include cycling, hiking, running, and tennis.
An aerobics class will improve cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance, muscular strength, coordination and balance.

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A typical aerobic class should have the following format:

Warm-up (5-10 minutes): Marching in place and step-touches are common. The warm-up will also include stretching exercises to increase muscle flexibility and prevent injury.

Aerobic segment (20 to 50 minutes): Common exercises include knee lifts, light jogging, leg kicks, lunges, grapevines, calisthenics and/or various dance movements.

Cool-down (5 to 10 minutes): Gradually reduces the heart rate and decreases blood flow to the muscles. The cool-down involves slower, less intense movements of the large muscles. It is also important to perform stretching exercises during the cool-down.
After the aerobics session, the body needs time to recover and grow. Alternating days and staggering intensity of workout can aid in your overall development and prevent injury. Paying attention to your body's messages -- soreness, tension, aches -- can help you figure out when to work and when to rest.

Exercise Ratings

Aerobics
Calories per 10 min : Moderate-50; Moderate high-75;
High - 110.
Benefits : Can be done anywhere. Good for body composition and cardiovascular fitness.
Considerations : High impact aerobics may cause leg injuries. Low impact aerobics may not raise heart rate. Difficult to measure week-to-week progress.

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Cycling
Calories per 10 min : 5.5 mph-40; 10mph-70; 13 mph-110;
18 mph-145
Benefits : Strengthens leg muscles. Good for body composition and cardiovascular fitness.
Considerations : Cycling in traffic has risks. Good bicycles are expensive. Most people pedal too slowly to derive good benefit.

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Climbing stairs
Calories per 10 min : 7" riser:30 steps/min 1 at a time : 110 40steps/min 1 at a time : 140 ; 40 steps/min 2 at a time : 190
Benefits : Good for body composition and cardiovascular fitness.
Considerations : Too strenuous for some people. Very boring.

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Yoga/stretching
Calories per 10 min : 40 or less
Benefits : Excellent for improving flexibility. No equipment required.
Considerations : No improvement in cardiovascular fitness, reduce body fat or improve muscle endurance and strength.

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Walking
Calories per 10 min : 3 mph - 50; 4 mph - 60; 5mph - 95; 5.5 mph - 110;
Benefits: Good for body composition and cardiovascular fitness. Low injury rate and very safe.
Considerations: Takes longer than other activities to improve cardiovascular fitness and derive the full benefit. Does little to condition muscles of upper body and waist.

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* Approximate calorie usage for a person weighing 150 pounds. Add 10% for every 15 pounds over this weight and subtract 10% for every 15 pounds under 150 pounds.

Low calorie Indian Recipes: 4

Mixed Pulses with Vegetables

Preparation Time: 20 minutes * Cooking Time: 50 minutes * Serves 8

Ingredients 2 tablespoons whole moong 2 tablespoons gram (chana) 1 tablespoons whole masoor 175 grams cauliflower 6 to 7 small whole onions 2 sliced onions 2 large chopped tomatoes 3 teaspoons ghee Salt to taste 1 sliced tomato and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander for decoration To be ground into a paste 8 cloves garlic 8 red chilies 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 25 mm piece ginger Soak the moong, gram and masoor in water for at least 6 hours. Drain and allow to sprout for 12 hours Add 2 teacups of water and cook in a pressure cooker Cut the cauliflower into big pieces and boil with whole onions How to Proceed Heat the oil and fry the sliced onions for 3 minutes Add the paste and fry again for 3 to 4 minutes Add the soaked pulses and cook for a few minutes Add the cauliflower, whole onions, tomatoes and salt and cook for at least 10 minutes. If you like, add 3 to 4 teaspoons of tamarind water before serving. * Serve hot decorated with tomato slices and chopped coriander.

Health Information: This combination of pulses and mixed vegetables gives a protein rich dish

Per Serving: Calories: 88 * Protein: 4g * Carbohydrates: 13g * Fat: 2.6g

Moong Dal Dahi Vadas

Preparation Time: 15 minutes * Cooking Time: 15 minutes * Makes 8 Vadas

Ingredients 1/2 teacup moong dal (with skin) 2 green chilies A pinch of Asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon soda bi-carb or fruit salt 2 teacups fresh curds 2 pinches roasted cumin powder 2 pinches chili powder 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (optional) Salt to taste For the Seasoning 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 3 to 4 pieces green chilies A pinch of Asafoetida 1-1/2 teaspoons oil Soak the moong dal for 3 to 4 hours. Drain Add the green chilies and blend in a mixer with very little water Add the asafoetida and soda bi-carb and mix well Heat a non-stick sandwich toaster and spread 1 teaspoon of the mixture in each cavity. Close the heat. When ready, the mixture will be toasted into pieces of triangular shape. Take out the toasts Dip the toasts in water for 5 minutes. Thereafter, squeeze out the water and arrange the vadas on a plate Beat the curds with the salt To prepare the seasoning, heat the oil and fry the mustard seeds for 1/2 minute. Add the green chilies and asafoetida. Mix the seasoning with the beaten curds * Spread the seasoned curds over the vadas. Sprinkle the cumin powder, chili powder and coriander on top and serve. If you like, also sprinkle sweet and sour chutney

Health Information: Instead of the traditional method of frying dahi vadas, this recipe uses a different cooking technique to give a healthier dish which is lower in calories and fat.

Per Vada: Calories: 61 * Protein: 4.5g * Carbohydrates: 7.5g * Fat: 1.6g

Nawabi Curry

Preparation time: 25 minutes * Cooking time: 15 minutes * Serves 6.

Ingredients · 3 large tomatoes · 100 grams finely chopped mixed boiled vegetables. (French beans, carrots, cauliflower) · ½ teaspoon sugar · 1 tablespoon oil · Salt to taste To be ground into a paste · 1 large onion · 1 tablespoon coriander seeds · 1 tablespoon cumin seeds · 1 tablespoon khus-khus · 2 teaspoons aniseed · 25 mm piece of ginger · 2 green chilies · 3 cardamoms · 3 cloves · 2 sticks cinnamon Accompaniment: Plain parathas 1. Chop the tomatoes. Add 1-1/2 teacups of water and cook until soft 2. Pass through a sieve to make a tomato puree. 3. Heat the oil and fry the paste for 2 to 3 minutes. 4. Add the tomato puree, vegetables, sugar and salt. 5. Serve hot with plain parathas Note: Each plain paratha contains 54 calories.

Health Information: A royal curry that is low in calories and goes wonderfully with parathas. A combination of herbs and spices brings out the taste with less salt.

Per Serving: Calories 66 * Protein 2g * Carbohydrates 7g * Fat 3.9g

Fruit and Vegetable Raita Preparation time: 10 minutes *No cooking * Serves 7 Ingredients 1 teacup fresh curds 1 teacup chopped apples 1 chopped cucumber ½ teacup chopped raw cabbage 1 teaspoon sugar 1 chopped green chili 2 tablespoons cut grapes Salt to taste Beat the curds Mix the remaining ingredients Put in the refrigerator to cool. * Serve cold. Health Information: A dish with the goodness of fresh curds combined with vitamins and mineral rich fruits and vegetables. Per Serving: Calories: 27 * Protein: 1g * Carbohydrates: 6g * Serves: 8

Spinach Raita

Preparation time: 10 minutes * Cooking time: 10 minutes * Serves 5

Ingredients 100 grams chopped spinach 1 teacup fresh curds ¼ teaspoon chili-ginger paste Salt and pepper to taste Steam the spinach Beat the curds. Add the chili-ginger paste, salt and pepper and mix well. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly. Put in the refrigerator to cool *Serve cold.

Health Information: A protein rich accompaniment to parathas. Full of vitamins and minerals.

Per Serving: Calories 18 * Protein 2g * Carbohydrates 2g * Fat 0.2 g

Eggplant Dip Preparation time: 5 minutes * Cooking time: 15 minutes * Serves 8. ½ kg. Medium eggplant (brinjals) 2 chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1clove garlic, finely crushed 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon cumin powder Salt and pepper to taste Accompaniment Baked puris (optional) Grill or burn the eggplant on the gas until soft. Peel, wash and mash. Add 1 chopped tomato and blend in a mixer until soft. Place the mixture in a serving bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with baked puris. Note: 1 baked puri contains 13 calories Health Information: This low calorie dip using eggplant flavoured with herbs and spices is rich in iron and Vitamin C. Per Serving: Calories:27 * Proteins:1g * Carbohydrates: 6g * Fat: 0.4

Thousand Island Curds Dressing

Preparation time: 10 minutes * No cooking * Serves 8

Ingredients ¾ teacup thick fresh curds 1 teaspoon mustard powder 1 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup 1 teaspoon chilli sauce 2 teaspoons chopped onion 2 teaspoons chopped capsicum ½ teaspoon chopped green chilli 1 teaspoon salt Mix all the ingredients thoroughly Use the same day

Health Information: The delicious taste of Thousand Island dressing without the calories and the cholesterol of cream. What is more, your guests will hardly notice the difference.

Per Serving: Calories: 15 * Proteins: 0.8g *Carbohydrates: 3g * Fat 0.1g