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If you feel fitness is restricted to air-conditioned environs of high-tech gyms, you are wrong. Spending an hour at a power yoga or Pilate session is great, but if your idea is just to be fit and fine, the mantra lies in your everyday activities.Fitness instructor Dilip Dhore and kickboxing expert Amit Lalwani explain how seemingly mundane tasks can help you shed those extra kilos. Let?s say you weigh 60 kilos. Depending on the intensity of activity, here?s how you can shape up.
Train(ed) to run
An average Mumbaikar?s day often revolves around reaching the station on time for the everyday local. Running around crowded platforms and changing trains are not exactly the best de-stressers, but the silver lining is that you burn calories in the process. Don?t crib the next time you walk from your Fort office to Churchgate station. It?s actually good for you. Walking, be it to the station, bus stop or taxi stand gives your body a cardio workout. Ensure that you walk briskly, at a speed which makes you a little breathless.
Benefits
? When you get breathless, oxygen is depleted so the body burns more fat.
? It?s great for strengthening heart muscles.
? However, all your efforts will be wasted, if you give in to the temptation of having vada pav at the platform kiosk even as you wait for the Borivali fast. So, avoid it. FYI, a humble vada pav packs in 295 calories!
Vital Stats
You burn almost 100 calories with a 10-minute brisk walk.
House That
Women who complain they don?t have time to hit the gym because of housework need not feel guilty. Household activities such as dusting, washing dishes and clothes, fixing furniture, etc are a sure shot way to tone up as they burn two to three calories a minute.
Benefits
? Making rotis or ironing clothes give a good workout to your elbow joint, triceps and back muscles.
? Sweeping (as opposed to mopping the floor) is most effective. It tones your lower leg, back and arms. It?s as good as doing squats in the gym.
? Collectively, these activities keep your joints healthy, remove stiffness and make your body flexible.
Vital Stats
You can easily lose upto 200-250 calories by cleaning and scrubbing for an hour or more. Cooking for an hour helps you lose 160 calories. Re-arranging furniture for 20 minutes helps you lose about 150 calories.
Steping Up
Climbing stairs is another way to shape up. Of course you needn?t climb a 20 storey high rise, but you definitely can take the stairs if you wish to go to the third or fourth floor.
Benefits
? Walking up and down the stairs for a total of 10 minutes each day, is equivalent to spending 10 minutes on a stair machine.
? Climbing stairs exercises your lower body and abdominal muscles. It especially works on the leg and calf muscles in particular the quadriceps (front of the thigh) and your butt.
? It is important to ?climb? correctly for the results to show. Plant your foot firmly on each step, slightly lean forward as you climb, keep your chest straight and maintain rhythmic breathing pattern. Swing your arms a little so the upper body gets worked upon.
Vital Stats
You burn up to 150 calories in 15 minutes of stair climbing
Child?s Play
Running behind your kid, playing dodge ball, basketball or hide and seek with him/her results in you getting some much-needed physical activity.
Benefits
? When you play a game which involves throwing a ball or a Frisbee, you are giving your shoulders a good workout.
? Just three rounds of running behind your child, is equivalent to a mild jog or brisk walk. The key lies in consciously increasing the intensity.
Vital Stats
Playing with kids for about 30 minutes can help you lose about 120 calories.
Office Workout
Don?t complain about your hectic desk job; use it to your advantage. Stop depending on the office boy to get every file or paper. Instead do it yourself. Going out with colleagues for a quick working lunch? Grab that sandwich at an eatery that?s a little farther away from your office building.
Benefits
? If you look around, there will be plenty of opportunities to walk, bend or climb stairs in your office. All this will keep your metabolism ticking.
? Walking around your building is a better de-stresser than having another cup of coffee or going for a smoke.
Vital Stats
Almost 100 calories burnt with a mere 10-minute brisk walk.
Train(ed) to run
An average Mumbaikar?s day often revolves around reaching the station on time for the everyday local. Running around crowded platforms and changing trains are not exactly the best de-stressers, but the silver lining is that you burn calories in the process. Don?t crib the next time you walk from your Fort office to Churchgate station. It?s actually good for you. Walking, be it to the station, bus stop or taxi stand gives your body a cardio workout. Ensure that you walk briskly, at a speed which makes you a little breathless.
Benefits
? When you get breathless, oxygen is depleted so the body burns more fat.
? It?s great for strengthening heart muscles.
? However, all your efforts will be wasted, if you give in to the temptation of having vada pav at the platform kiosk even as you wait for the Borivali fast. So, avoid it. FYI, a humble vada pav packs in 295 calories!
Vital Stats
You burn almost 100 calories with a 10-minute brisk walk.
House That
Women who complain they don?t have time to hit the gym because of housework need not feel guilty. Household activities such as dusting, washing dishes and clothes, fixing furniture, etc are a sure shot way to tone up as they burn two to three calories a minute.
Benefits
? Making rotis or ironing clothes give a good workout to your elbow joint, triceps and back muscles.
? Sweeping (as opposed to mopping the floor) is most effective. It tones your lower leg, back and arms. It?s as good as doing squats in the gym.
? Collectively, these activities keep your joints healthy, remove stiffness and make your body flexible.
Vital Stats
You can easily lose upto 200-250 calories by cleaning and scrubbing for an hour or more. Cooking for an hour helps you lose 160 calories. Re-arranging furniture for 20 minutes helps you lose about 150 calories.
Steping Up
Climbing stairs is another way to shape up. Of course you needn?t climb a 20 storey high rise, but you definitely can take the stairs if you wish to go to the third or fourth floor.
Benefits
? Walking up and down the stairs for a total of 10 minutes each day, is equivalent to spending 10 minutes on a stair machine.
? Climbing stairs exercises your lower body and abdominal muscles. It especially works on the leg and calf muscles in particular the quadriceps (front of the thigh) and your butt.
? It is important to ?climb? correctly for the results to show. Plant your foot firmly on each step, slightly lean forward as you climb, keep your chest straight and maintain rhythmic breathing pattern. Swing your arms a little so the upper body gets worked upon.
Vital Stats
You burn up to 150 calories in 15 minutes of stair climbing
Child?s Play
Running behind your kid, playing dodge ball, basketball or hide and seek with him/her results in you getting some much-needed physical activity.
Benefits
? When you play a game which involves throwing a ball or a Frisbee, you are giving your shoulders a good workout.
? Just three rounds of running behind your child, is equivalent to a mild jog or brisk walk. The key lies in consciously increasing the intensity.
Vital Stats
Playing with kids for about 30 minutes can help you lose about 120 calories.
Office Workout
Don?t complain about your hectic desk job; use it to your advantage. Stop depending on the office boy to get every file or paper. Instead do it yourself. Going out with colleagues for a quick working lunch? Grab that sandwich at an eatery that?s a little farther away from your office building.
Benefits
? If you look around, there will be plenty of opportunities to walk, bend or climb stairs in your office. All this will keep your metabolism ticking.
? Walking around your building is a better de-stresser than having another cup of coffee or going for a smoke.
Vital Stats
Almost 100 calories burnt with a mere 10-minute brisk walk.