Tyre Troubles

PRETTY soon the results of our seasonal indulgences will be exposed via a distinctly prosperous middle. And the regular 30-minute walk regim...

PRETTY soon the results of our seasonal indulgences will be exposed via a distinctly prosperous middle. And the regular 30-minute walk regimen won8217;t help regain the old figure.

Why is the stomach vulnerable to fat?
Experts say it8217;s nature8217;s warning system. 8216;8216;It8217;s the first place to put on weight, and indicates a changed lifestyle,8217;8217; says Dr Prateek Gupta, sports medicine consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

8216;8216;The body can be divided into actual machinery, backing material and shock absorbers. Fat is both backing material and shock absorber. It can either be tightly packed between two layers8212;as in the thighs, where fat deposition is limited8212;or appear on the abdomen or chest, where there are no restrictions.8217;8217;

How do we control it?
Fat gain is based on a simple equation: Input food-output work=fat. Only diet control and regular exercise can control fat, says Dr Gupta.

EATING RIGHT

Nutritionist Dr Shikha Sharma suggests:
8226; Light dinners
8226; Cut out carbs after 7 pm
8226; Increase fibre content
8226; Eat more white meats
8226; Eat cereals, fruits with skin and salads
8226; Avoid fried food, sugar and high sugar-conversion foods such as biscuits, noodles and pop corn
8226; 4 All fruits8212;except mangoes, chikoo and grapes8212;are fine. Ditto for vegetables,
including potatoes in combination with other veggies

REGULAR EXERCISE
According to Dr Gupta, an ideal exercise regimen is decided by the age and health of a person. For healthy individuals in the 20-50 age group, a brisk walk and moderate workout is sufficient. 8216;8216;The ideal workout8212;15-20 minutes of walking, point jogging, treadmill, stepper or a game of tennis or squash8212;works up a sweat,8217;8217; he says.

ABDOMINAL WORKOUT
8216;8216;You can lose weight by regular exercise but to tone the abdominal muscles, point exercises are essential,8217;8217; says Dr Gupta. 8216;8216;Regular crunches hit the upper rectus fibers while reverse crunches hit the lower fibers. It will help to do both.8217;8217;

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BASIC CRUNCH: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place hands behind the head so that your thumbs are behind your ears. Hold your elbows out to the sides, slightly rounded. Tilt your chin so that there8217;re a few inches of space between your chin and chest. Gently pulling your abdominals inward, curl up and forward so that your head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, then lower yourself slowly.

REVERSE CRUNCH: Lie on your back with legs off the floor, your knees bent and positioned directly over your hips; cross your ankles and drop your heels toward your butt. Rest your arms on the floor beside you. Rest your head on the floor, relax your shoulders, and pull your abdominals inward. Lift your lower back one or two inches off the floor so that your legs move directly up. Hold the position for a moment, and then lower slowly.

CRUNCH WITH A TWIST: Follow all the regular crunch directions till you curl your head, neck and shoulder blades off the floor. As you do, twist your torso to the right, bringing your left shoulder toward your right knee. Your shoulder doesn8217;t need to touch your knee. Lower yourself back. On the next repetition, twist your torso to the left, bringing your right shoulder to your left knee.

WARNING: Don8217;t try these with a bad back.