Althea Shah

VP & Fitness Expert,

Gold’s Gym India

Life can be tiring and stressful. Every day we have to deal with work, family, crowded roads, stressful travel... So you need to keep your body in peak physical and mental condition to handle all the pressures. Since we are still in the first week of 2012, let’s start the year with some healthy tips.

Spare a few mins...

-10 min of exercise a day will lower your risk of diseases.

- 20 min, two or more times a week, will reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia later by 60 per cent.

- 10 min a day will help you prepare and eat a healthy meal.

Muscle Strength

Maximal muscle strength is achieved in the 20s and 30s. If you’re sedentary, you will start losing strength after age 50 at a rate of 2 to 5 per cent per decade.

Bad: There is decrease in strength and muscle mass, loss of flexibility, loss of balance.

Good: If you keep using your muscles, through activities such as weight training, you can maintain strength and flexibility even into your 90s.

Do:  Add resistance moves to your workout, and mix in some fast, dynamic exercise as well like dancing, tennis, volleyball etc.

HEALTHY HEART

When it comes to heart trouble, high blood pressure is the primary cause. A diet high in sodium is linked to high BP. As for cholesterol, the numbers to aim for are a total count of less than 200, with HDL greater than 60 and LDL around 70.

Bad: Foods rich in animal fat such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products are the biggest sources of cholesterol. If remained unchecked, cholesterol runs up with the blood and can clog up the arteries which is a cause of major diseases.

Good: Keep your diet low in salt and saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Do: Cardiovascular activities are good for the heart. 

BUILDING BONES

In your 30s, your body stops storing calcium, so if you don’t get enough in your diet, your body will start depleting its stores.

Bad: Weak bones lead to osteoporosis, fractures.

Good: Like muscle, bone is a live tissue, and needs to be stressed to grow. Anything that puts weight — stress — on the bones will help build bone mass.

Do: Activities that include a variety of movements, such as dancing. Women need between 1,000 and 1,200 mg of calcium in their daily diet or as a supplement, along with vit D and magnesium.

BACK CARE

Improve your posture.

Bad: A weak skeletal system leads to a weak posture.

Good: Strength training using correct technique and form will help you stand taller, sit straighter and protect your back from injury. Remember your spinal cord houses the network of nerves for your entire body. 

Do: It is a wise investment to keep your back strong and healthy through resistance training.

BREATHE EASY

Not being able to perform tasks because of weak lungs and inability to breathe is a problem.

Bad:  Loss of aerobic capacity.

Good:  Walking at a brisk pace on a regular basis can help maintain aerobic capacity.

Do: At any age, you can maximise your aerobic capacity with regular exercise.

(Look out for a few more tips on year-round fitness next week.)

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