The Power of Concentration - Concentration Exercises

Sharpening the needle of concentration requires practice, as everything else in life. Do you go to the gym? If you do, how many times during the week and for how long? Do you study a foreign language? If you do, how much time do you devote to it? Developing concentration is not different; training is required. Even ten minutes a day of concentration exercises will do you good.

The mind does not like discipline and will resist your efforts to discipline it. It loves its freedom more than anything else, and will try to stand in your way to master it, in any way it can. It will cause you to forget to do the exercises, tempt you to postpone performing them or make you feel too lazy. It will find many tricks to stop and disturb you, but you can and must be stronger.

You will find below, some simple concentration exercises to perform. Always remember that the choice is yours, to be a slave to the mind and its whims, or to be its master. By practicing mental exercises, it is possible to train the mind and master it, and put it in its proper place, as your servant, and not as your boss and master.

You are not the mind nor the thoughts that pass through it. Though it might be hard to accept this idea, the mind is not you, the real you, but only a tool that you use. It is an instrument, which has great value, but it has to be taught to obey you.

Most people believe that they are the mind, and erroneously believe that controlling the mind means holding themselves back and denying their freedom. They feel that controlling their mind is not natural, and that it is some sort of repression. These beliefs are not correct.

The proof that we are not the mind comes with training. Accept the idea in theory, and in time, as your control over your thoughts grows, you will know it as a fact. In reality, you, the real you, is the one mastering the mind. It is not the mind mastering itself.

Advice for Practicing The Concentration Exercises

Find a place where you can be alone and undisturbed. You can sit crossed legged on the floor if you can, or on a chair. Sit with your spine erect. Take a few calm deep breaths and then relax your body. Direct the attention to your body, and relax each muscle and part of it.

I will now give you some exercises to practice. Sit down to practice for about 10 minutes, and after a few weeks of training, lengthen the time to 15 minutes.

Start with the first exercise, practicing it daily, until you are able to do it without any distractions or forgetfulness, and without thinking about anything else, for at least three minutes. Every time you get distracted, start again, until the 10 or 15 minutes pass away. You have to be honest with yourself, and proceed to the next one, only after you are convinced that you have practiced it correctly and with full concentration.

No timetable can be given, as this may be frustrating. If for example, I tell you that a certain exercise has to completed in a week, two things may happen. You may get disappointed, if you cannot get the desired concentration within a week, or you may move on without practicing the exercise correctly. Mastering the exercises successfully might take days, weeks, months and sometimes even more.

Put your whole attention into the exercises, and do not think about anything else. Be careful not to fall asleep, daydream or think about other matters. The moment you find yourself thinking about something else, stop the exercise and start again. After you become proficient, lengthen the time, and if possible, include another session in the afternoon.

Do not attempt too much at the beginning, and don't try to perform them all at once. Go slowly, without overdoing them or tensing your brain.

If you find it too difficult, or thoughts distract you and make you think about other matters, don't despair. Everyone encounters difficulties along the way. If you persevere and never give up, in spite of difficulties and disturbances, success will crown your efforts. Remember, even those with powerful concentration had to exercise their minds.

It does not matter if your concentration is weak now, it can be developed and strengthened like any other ability, through training and investing the necessary time, energy and earnestness.

In time, you will find out that you can concentrate anywhere, anytime, no matter where you are. You will be able to focus your mind, think and function under the most trying circumstances, while remaining calm, relaxed and collected. The reward is worth the effort a thousand fold.

Now to the exercises. Some of them may be familiar to you, and some may seem too easy to perform. Some were taken from various sources, and others were created by me.

For full benefit, it is advisable that you practice each exercise for one additional week, after you are convinced that you are practicing it correctly and with full attention.

Concentration exercises

Exercise 1
Take a book and count the words in any one paragraph. Count them again to be sure that you have counted them correctly. Start with one paragraph and when it becomes easier, count the words in a whole page. Perform the counting mentally and only with your eyes, without pointing you finger at each word.

Exercise 2
Count backwards in your mind, from one hundred to one.

Exercise 3
Count in your mind from one hundred to one, skipping each three numbers, that is 100, 97, 94, etc.

Exercise 4
Choose an inspiring word, or just a simple sound, and repeat it silently in your mind for five minutes. When your mind can concentrate more easily, try to reach ten minutes of uninterrupted concentration.

Exercise 5
Take a fruit, an apple, orange, banana or any other fruit, and hold it in your hands. Examine the fruit from all its sides, while keeping your whole attention focused on it. Do not let yourself be carried away by irrelevant thoughts or associated thoughts that might arise, such as about the shop were you bought it, about how and where it was grown, its nutritive value, etc. Stay calm, while trying to ignore these thoughts and not be interested in them. Just look at the fruit, focus your attention on it without thinking about anything else, and examine its shape, smell, taste and the sensation it gives when touching and holding it.

Exercise 6
This is the same as exercise number 5, only that this time you visualize the fruit instead of looking at it. Start by looking at the fruit and examining it for about 2 minutes, just as in exercise number 5, and then do this one. Close your eyes, and try to see, smell, taste and touch the fruit in your imagination. Try to see a clear and well defined image. If the image becomes blurred, open your eyes, look at the fruit for a short while, and then close your eyes and continue the exercise. It might help if you imagine the fruit held in your hands, as in the previous exercise, or imagine it standing on a table.

Exercise 7
Take a small simple object such as a spoon, a fork, or a glass. Concentrate on one of these objects. Watch the object from all sides without any verbalization, that is, with no words in your mind. Just watch the object without thinking with words about it.

Exercise 8
After becoming proficient in the above exercises, you can come to this exercise. Draw a small geometrical figure, about three inches in size, such as a triangle, a rectangular or a circle, paint it with any color you wish, and concentrate on it. You should see only the figure, nothing else. Only the figure exists for you now, with no unrelated thoughts or any distractions. Try not to think with words during the exercise. Watch the figure in front of you and that's it. Try not to strain your eyes.

Exercise 9
The same as number 8, only this time visualize the figure with the eyes closed. As before, if you forget how the figure looks like, open your eyes for a few seconds and watch the figure and then close your eyes and continue with the exercise.

Exercise 10
The same as above in number 9 but the eyes open.

Exercise 11
Try for at least five minutes, to stay without thoughts. This exercise is to be attempted only after all the previous ones have been performed successfully. The previous exercises, if practiced correctly, will endow you with the ability to impose silence on your thoughts. In time it will become easier and easier.
______________________________________


The secret of success is constant practice. The more time you devote to the exercises the faster your success arrives. Go on gradually; ten minutes at the start and in time as you gain the ability to concentrate, give it more time. When you see that you are successful, you will begin to love the exercises, and in time they will become a habit. You will be able to concentrate your attention easily and effortlessly upon anything you want to concentrate on.

Are you jogging, exercising at the gym or studying a foreign language? How difficult it was in the start? How many times you wanted to quit? Yet, after a while you started to like what you were doing. It became a habit, needing no effort to perform. So it is with developing the power of concentration.

After some of time you will start to feel differently. It will be easier to concentrate. Your mind will be calm and relaxed, and you will radiate peace into your surroundings. Things, circumstances and events that used to agitate and anger you, will not influence your inner calmness. You will experience happiness, content and satisfaction, self-confidence and inner strength. You will be able to cope more easily and efficiently with the outer world.

You will feel a new form of consciousness growing in you, bringing you peace of mind. It may come every now and then for a brief moment, but in time it will grow and fill you completely. You will be able to make the mind work for you when you need its services, in a most efficient way. You will be able to silence it when its services are not needed.

I assure you, from personal experience, that the attitude to life and the reactions to events change after starting to practice concentration. It is some kind of automatic and gradual process. You come to know many things about the mind and how it functions, and you learn to deal with it efficiently.

HOW STRONG IS YOUR BACK?

Back Pain is one of the most prevalent problems in corporate employees. The Health Care Welfare Society [Mumbai, India], an NGO, surveyed 3,200 professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 and found that a majority of them suffered from back pain after sitting for eight hours at a stretch.

Common Causes of Back pain

*
Muscle strain or spasm
*
Sprain of ligaments
*
Muscle Weakness
*
Sitting too long in same position
*
Slipped disc
*
Spondylosis

Postures to avoid back pain

* Good Posture: Always sit / walk straight. While sleeping do not lie on your tummy.
* Take a break: Avoid sitting in a chair for longer than 30 minutes at a time; get up and move around.
* Practice relaxation techniques: Relax your back muscles, when you're sitting in one place for a long time. Stretch your upper and lower back. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds and slowly release.
* Drop the load: Exercise for 4-5 times a week to shed extra weight (if any). Aerobic exercise or yogasanas are good for preventing back pain.
* Exercise your back & Abdomen: Back exercises strengthen back muscles. Abdominal crunches strengthen abdominal muscles and this decreases the tendency towards back pain.

Good posture and back support are critical for reducing the incidence and levels of back pain. The result is freedom from back pain and a stronger, healthier back.

A New Year and a new YOU?

Let these New Year resolutions help you turn over a healthy new leaf:
1. I shall eat sensibly and not try FAD diets
Don't be tempted by the promise of super-fast results. The way to reach and maintain healthy weight is to adapt your lifestyle gradually, to reduce the amount you eat, include healthy foods and be more active. Crash diet aren't good for your health and they don't work in the long run.

2. I will eat breakfast everyday
This is a very worthwhile resolution, because a good breakfast provides the energy you need to begin your day. Make a healthy choice for breakfast as it can help in maintaining a healthy body weight. Remember that skipping breakfast will not help you to lose weight.

3. I will eat more fruits and vegetables
Get your natural dose of vitamins and minerals through fresh fruits and veggies. These are generally low in fat, help to fill you up and make very healthy snacks if you get hungry in between meals.
4. I shall limit sugary and salty foods
It's a good idea to try to cut down on foods and drinks that contain lots of added sugar, such as biscuits, cookies, sweets, jams and sugary juices and soft drinks. As for salt, it's important to cut down on salt as it contains sodium and having too much sodium can raise the blood pressure. Most of the salt in our diet comes from processed, packaged, restaurant, or fast food. So check the food labels and opt for lower sodium content foods.
5. I shall limit refined grain products
Avoid refined grain products like white breads, pastas,noodles and foods made with "maida". Instead go for whole grain cereals and legumes which are long lasting form of energy and will keep you full for longer.
6. I shall drink more water
Replace your calorie laden beverages like sodas, sugary drinks, excessive teas and coffees with plain water. Carry a refillable water bottle at all times to ensure that you are well hydrated throughout the day.
7. I shall start exercising and be regular
Being physically active is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle and one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off. Regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better. Whatever form of physical workout you choose, let it be enjoyable and try to do it regularly.
8. I will cut down on alcohol and STOP smoking
There is nothing wrong with an occasional drink, but drinking too much can cause problems. Alcohol is also source of "empty calories", so cutting down could help in controlling weight. Avoid binge drinking as drinking heavily over a long period can damage the liver.
Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and diminishes a person's overall health. The combination of smoking, liberal drinking and poor nutrition conceivably elevates the risk for various chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
So usher in the 2010 with some healthy resolutions to make it a "Happy, Healthy & Prosperous" New Year !
Cheers !

Junk Foods

JUNK FOODS
Junk food is everywhere. It’s become more of a convenient food to most of us, be it a sugar-laden biscuit or cake, chips, soft drinks, sweets, fast food like burgers or pizzas. We always associate the western foods to being junk, but even Indian foods like mixtures, murrukus, vadas, sweets or even some of the yummy evening chaats can be considered pleasurable only to the palate.

How do we define junk foods? Junk foods are those foods that are high in calories but low in other nutrition aspects. Read on to know what ill effects junk foods can have on you…..

Harmful Effects of Junk Food:

* The regular consumption of junk food is the leading cause for obesity and excess weight.
* Consumption of soft drinks containing sugar has been linked to weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes.
* Also the consumption of soft drinks that contain phosphoric acid, hinders the calcium absorption and leads to calcium loss in the bones.
* Junk foods increase the risk of heart disease.
* High fat from junk food puts undue strain on the liver, causing damage to this essential organ.
* Research has suggested that diets high in fat may also impair essential brain functions, like concentration and memory.
* Flavorings and colorings present in junk foods can cause asthma, rashes.

Consumption of soft drinks alone can increase the risk for:

* Osteoporosis : this can happen due to the phosphoric acid present in the soft drinks that leads to calcium loss in the bones
* Weight gain and obesity
* Tooth decay and dental caries due to the excess amount of sugars that sweeten the drink.

The junk food industry deliberately targets children to create brand preference. Children fall prey easily to the attractive advertisement, which would also include their favorite cartoon or super hero in the advertisement. Fast food chains use free toys to get the kids to buy their products. Artificial flavors like the tomato flavors in chips or strawberry flavors in wafers aimed at kids can be twice as sweet as the artificial flavors used in adult food. Parents also sometimes treat children with these foods to keep them from throwing tantrums. A better idea would be to reward them with something useful like a puzzle or a book instead of treating them to junk foods. You could even put your cooking skills to the test by making a healthy version of their favorite junk food and keep both happy.


Junking over a period of time becomes a habit. So try to stay away from it………..

Correct timing to take water

Correct timing to take water, will maximize its effectiveness to Human body.


Two (2) glass of water - After waking up - Helps activate internal organs
One (1) glasses of water - 30 minutes before meal - Help digestion
One (1) glass of water - Before taking a bath - Helps lower blood pressure
One (1) glass of water - Before sleep - To avoid stroke or heart attack

An Old Monkey Story With A New Ending

It’s an old story that we read in Class 3 but with a new ending.

A hat-seller who was passing by a forest decided to take a nap under one of the trees, so he left his whole basket of hats by the side. A few hours later, he woke
up and realized that all his hats were gone. He looked up and to his surprise, the tree was full of monkeys and they had taken all his hats.

The hat seller sits down and thinks of how he can get the hats down. While thinking he started to scratch his head. The next moment, the monkeys were doing the same.
Next, he took down his own hat, the monkeys did exactly the same. An idea came to his mind* He took his hat and threw it on the floor and the monkeys did that too. So
he finally managed to get all his hats back.

Fifty years later, his grandson, Sukhwinder, also became a hat-seller and had heard this monkey story from his grandfather. One day, just like his grandfather, he passed by the same forest. It was very hot, and he took a nap under the same tree and left the hats on the floor.

He woke up and realized that all his hats were taken by the monkeys on the tree.

He remembered his grandfather’s words, started scratching his head and the monkeys followed.

He took down his hat and fanned himself and again the monkeys followed.

Now, very convinced of his grandfather’s idea, Sukhwinder threw his hat on the floor but to his surprise, the monkeys still held on to all the hats.

Then one monkey climbed down the tree, grabbed the hat on the floor, gave him a slap and Guess!!! Said what???

****************

*************..

***********..

*********..

********

*****..

****.

***

**.

*.

*

.

.

.

“You think only you have a grandfather !!!???”

Devil's staff

One day while walking down the street a highly successful HR Director was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.

"Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Director make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," said the woman. "Well, I'd like to," replied St. Peter, "but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."

"Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven," said the woman.

"Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kinda cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved good-bye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and she found St. Peter waiting for her.

"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her. "So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," he said. The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell." So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell.

When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.



The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.


"I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."

The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you,



today you're staff..."

Difference between appraisal and resignation

A newly joined trainee engineer asks his boss "what is the meaning of appraisal?"

Boss: "Do you know the meaning of resignation? "

Trainee: "Yes I do"

Boss: "So let me make you understand what a appraisal is by comparing it with resignation"

Comparison study : Appraisal and Resignation

**********

In appraisal meeting they will speak only about your weakness, errors and failures.

In resignation meeting they will speak only about your strengths, past achievements and success.

**********

In appraisal you may need to cry and beg for even 10% hike.

In resignation you can easily demand (or get even without asking) more than 50-60% hike.

**********

During appraisal, they will deny promotion saying you didn't meet the expectation, you don't have leadership qualities, and you had several drawbacks in our objective/goal.

During resignation, they will say you are the core member of team; you are the vision of the company how can you go, you have to take the project in shoulder and lead your juniors to success.

*********

There is 90% chance for not getting any significant incentives after appraisal.

There is 90% chance of getting immediate hike after you put the resignation.

**********

Trainee: "Yes boss enough, now I understood my future. For an appraisal I will have to resign ... !!!"

**********

Some sweet extremes

EXTREME OF ISOLATION:
Two persons sitting side by side using emails to communicate with each other.

EXTREME OF COWARDICE:
Two persons fighting through emails.

EXTREME OF HELPLESSNESS:
Receiving no emails for a week.

EXTREME OF FRUSTRATION:
The email server being down.

EXTREME OF CARELESSNESS:
Writing a love mail and doing a ‘Send All.’

EXTREME OF ACHIEVEMENT:
A person sending email to a girl wanting to become friends and getting a reply.

EXTREME OF TIMEPASS:
A person sending email to himself.

EXTREME OF REPETITION:
Forwarding an email to someone and receiving the same email forwarded back to you by some one in the receiving chain.

EXTREME OF BROWSING:
You are swimming in the water tank and shout “F1 F1 F1?” instead of shouting “HELP” when u are unable to swim…

EXTREME OF MY FRIENDSHIP:
I always mail, u don’t.

EXTREME OF HAVING NO WORK:
You reading such mails.

LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE ….…..STARTING TODAY

"When diet goes wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need"


This is a famous saying that throws light on the importance of nutrition. We meet the doctor when in need but neglect the diet when we feel we are healthy!!!
The National Nutrition Week was celebrated from 1st to 7th September 2009, in India. During this week , people actually give more importance to the diet or food pattern that they follow. But this should not just be limited for a week, and this requires your effort for a lifetime…. starting now. The topic of Nutrition is an ocean. But we have a small blog on basic nutrition for our dear clients. Read along to know more…..


ABC-TO GOOD HEALTH

Aim for fitness

* Aim to manage your weight :Maintain a healthy weight for your height.
* Be physically active: Diet is the spark and exercise is the fuel. Without both, no fire and no results.

Build a healthy base

* Opt for a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol. More the saturated fats and cholesterol, more the risk of heart problems.
* Limit your intake of sugars: Keep extra sugars at bay, for diabetes you do not make way.
* Prepare foods with less salt :Limit salt to maintain a healthy blood pressure

Choose sensibly

* Let the food pyramid guide your food choices: To be healthy and fit, do not reverse it.
* Choose a variety of grains and pulses : Colour your food right with yellow, brown and white.
* Fruits & vegetables: Add more colour to your platter, to make you fitter.

Food colour

FOOD COLOUR

Colour is an important constituent of food. When we think of an apple, our mind shows a nice picture of a red apple, grapes are associated with blue or green colour. Addition of colour to food gives an attractive and appetizing appearance and also enhances its acceptability.

Ancient people used natural ingredients like saffron and ‘haldi’ or turmeric to give a rich orange or yellow color to various foods. Other natural foods such as carrots, grapes, spinach, tomatoes were also used as coloring agents.

With the advent of food technology we now have a wide range of artificial food colours as additives. A food colour is a substance that is added to food or drink to change its colour.
You can make a palak paneer look greener or a Manchurian look bright red. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and sometimes even in home cooking.

So what are the advantages and the disadvantages of these? This is something that you probably have not given a thought to.

The main and only advantage of the food colour is to make the food look more appetizing. When natural colours like turmeric are used, they are some health benefits too.

The disadvantages of using artificial food colouring seem to outweigh the advantages. The disadvantages may vary from the colours causing simple allergies to some heavy metallic colours that can be carcinogenic or cancer-causing. And more often than not even the safe food colours are used in excessive amounts to give the food a nice colour, which may be harmful. Some of the artificial colours can even destroy the nutrients in the food because of their chemical composition.

Synthetic Food Colours, also known as Artificial Food Colours, are manufactured chemically and are the most commonly used dyes in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Some of the chemicals used may not be under permissible values and hence make the whole food colour unsafe.

Go Natural!!! Natural colourants are extracted from natural herbs and plant parts. For example kokam, beetroot and safflower form a very large source of natural coloring agents. Usage of food colours is not bad, but the right use of the right colour is most important. Use natural colours found in foods like greens, bright red tomatoes, white radish, and turmeric.

Did you know?
" Blue colour is believed to be an appetite suppressant. Your foods might not look appetizing when you eat from a blue plate. In the hospitality industry, blue plates are not normally used in food service”

Dozing at the desk?

Confession time. At some point in our working lives, we've all suffered from classic cases of afternoon slumps and post-lunch dips. What is it about these pangs that simply steers us away from work? Researchers have for long emphasised the benefits of a good sound sleep and feel it is completely natural for humans to want to go back to sleep about seven hours after they have awakened. It is widely believed that the human mind can be wholly attentive for a period of only 35-40 minutes at best, after which it starts to wander and slacken.

Robert Stickgold, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, in a write-up in Harvard Business Review, even goes on to suggest that a few minutes of shut-eye at work could be good to combat the problem of lethargy. "Important memory processing occurs as you're falling asleep, and the brain appears to be tagging memories of unresolved problems for subsequent processing, he says. Even micronaps of six minutes not including the time it takes to fall asleep, which is about five minutes if you are really tired make a difference, according to Stickgold.

While catching up on some much-needed sleep at home is all very well, pro-napping policies aren't usually the norm in most organisations, and at times, are not always feasible. "Such plans are good for BPOs and fields like media and medicine that require long working hours, but not for organisations that entail eight-hour shifts. This is because our bodies can be easily attuned to put in those many hours, says Dr Rachna Khanna Singh, Lifestyle Expert and Psychological Counsellor, Artemis Health Institute, Delhi.

She attributes drowsiness to a host of stressrelated factors and instead of quick naps, suggests regular-moderate breathing exercises that release positive hormones and act as great stress busters. Diet plans and practices come next. Employees should stick to a designated time for all their meals and it would be a good idea to avoid fatty and fried stuff at the workplace. "Stick to raw salads and vegetables as they supply the much-needed nutrients to the brain. And that coffee will give you a temporary high, but the body is bound to feel sluggish eventually, she concludes.

SLEEP!! The missing mystery for Good Health

SLEEP!! The missing mystery for Good Health

You are doing your regular cardios, cutting down your fatty foods and sweets intake. Despite all this, you still feel burned out? Can’t drop those extra kilos? and Don’t have the energy to greet each day with enthusiasm? So what is that you are missing?

Sleep deprivation inhibit one’s ability to lose weight – even while exercising and eating right!!

Yes, it's SLEEP that’s missing in the puzzle. Sleep is essential as it is the time when our bodies replenish; repairing the mental and physical wear-and-tear we suffer during the day. However, our "24/7" culture has created a sleep-deprived generation. Cell phones, computers and television keep our brains stimulated. Resulting in fatigue, poor health and, surprisingly, weight gain.

Research shows that sleep regulates mood and is related to learning and memory functions. Not only will getting your zzzzzs help you perform well at work, but it is also a critical factor in your health, weight and energy level.

Food is also related to sleep by appetite and metabolism. This link between appetite and sleep provides further evidence that sleep and obesity are linked.

Sleep disorders occur for a variety of reasons. They can be caused by stress, medical problems and lifestyle changes.

Before Bed it’s Better to Avoid -
• Caffeine: is a natural chemical that activates the central nervous system, which means that it revs up nerves and thought processes. If you drink caffeinated drinks too close to bedtime, chances are it will keep you awake.
• Alcohol: Many people use alcohol to help them relax before bed, but the effect wear off and so they wake up in the middle of the night. Over time, alcohol-induced sleep becomes less restful, so sleeplessness will become a constant fact of life. I’m not saying you need to give up alcohol, but don’t use it like a sleeping pill; and if you have insomnia, I strongly recommend omitting alcohol for a few weeks to see if your sleep problem resolves.
• Large meals close to bedtime: when you lie down and try to sleep after a heavy dinner, your digestion will slow down, make you feel uncomfortable, and possibly keep you awake. It is recommended to eat dinner at least three hours before bed.
• Exercise: A good workout can make you more alert, speed up your metabolism and energize you for the day ahead, but exercise right before bedtime can lead to a poor night’s sleep. Thus properly timing exercise is necessary to maximize the beneficial effects. Sleep experts recommend exercising at least three hours before bedtime because body temperature is related to sleep. Body temperatures rise during exercise and it’s important to allow it to cool off before sleep.


Health is complex – if one part of the body suffers, you’re likely to see consequences in other areas of your life. Though diet and exercise are critical components of healthy lifestyles, it’s also important to remember that sleep is innately linked with our eating habits, our exercise routine and how we function on a daily basis. Getting proper amount of sleep each night is necessary to face the world with your best foot forward.

Sleep, along with good eating habits & good fitness routine is road to good health.

WEIGHT LOSS DIET PROGRAM

WEIGHT LOSS DIET
The program was developed in conjunction with the grant from U.S. Department of agriculture and their Food & Drug Administration. It was field tested at the John Hopkins Research Center and was approved by the Board of Directors of General Motor Corporation at a general meeting on August 15, 1995.
It is management's intention to facilitate a welfare and fitness program for everyone. This program is designed for a target weight loss of 5 to 6 Kgs per week.
It will also improve your attitude and emotions because of its systematic cleansing effects.
The effectiveness of this seven day plan is that the foods eaten burn more calories than they give to the body in calorific value.
This plan can be used as often as you like without any fear of complications. It is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you feeling of well being. After seven days you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds. You will have an abundance of Energy and an improved digestion.
DURING THESE SEVEN DAYS YOU MUST DRINK 10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY.
Day One:
All fruits except bananas: Your first day will consist of all fruits you want. It is suggested you consume lots of melons the first day, especially water melons.
Day Two:
All vegetables: You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw and cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit of the amount or type. Avoid Oil and coconut while cooking vegetables. Have a large boiled potato for breakfast.
Day Three:
Any mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice: Any amount, any quantity. No bananas and no potatoes today.
Day Four:
Bananas and Milk: today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. You can also have one bowl of vegetable soup.
Day Five:
Today is a feast day: You will eat 1 cup of rice. You also have to eat six whole tomatoes. Drink 13 glasses of water today to cleanse your system of the excess uric acid you will be producing.



Day Six:
Today is another all Vegetables day. You may eat 1 cup of rice today. Eat all vegetables you want cooked and uncooked to your hearts content.
Day Seven:
Today your food intake will consist of 1 cup of rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.
________________________________________
Tomorrow Morning you will be five to eight Kgs lighter than 1 week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. Repeat this program as often as you like. However it is suggested that you rest for three days before every repetition.
You have your system under control now and it will thank you for all the purging and cleansing you just gave it. Even more that a diet programs it is good to follow this diet once in a while to clean your digestive system and remove toxic substances that have accumulated in the system.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
The most important element of the program is 10 tall glasses of water a day. You can also flavour the water with some lemon to make the drinking easier.
While on program take only black coffee.
Never more that 1 teaspoon of oil. Preferably do not use oil because of high calorific content. No fruit juices before day seven.
Here is what happens to your body while you are on this program and how and why it works.
Day One: you are preparing your system for upcoming program. Your only source of nutrition is fresh fruits. Fruits are nature's perfect food. They provide everything you can possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.
Day two: Starts with mix of complex carbohydrates in the form of boiled potato. This is taken in the morning to provide energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables, which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibers.
Day three eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from fruits. Your system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds.
Day four bananas and milk sound the least desirable. Today is the day you can have coffee with milk. You are in for a surprise. You probably will not be able to eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and sodium you may have missed in last three days. You will experience a definite loss of desire for sweets and you will be surprised how easy this day will go.
Day five rice and tomatoes: The rice is for the carbohydrates and the tomatoes are for the digestion and the fiber. Lots and Lots of water purify your system. You should notice colorless urine today. Do not feel you have to eat 1 cup of rice, you may eat less. But you must eat the six tomatoes.
Day six is similar to five. Vitamins and fiber from vegetables and carbohydrates from the rice. By now your system is in a total weigh loss inclination. There should be noticeable difference in the way you look today compared to day one.
You may celebrate on day seven with Champaign. You may also have white wine instead of Champaign but in all practical programs and in all surveys done to measure success of the program, General Motors employees have always preferred Champaign to white wine.
More than 1 cup of coffee with milk is especially forbidden. No oil either. Milk and oil add empty calories to your diet. Avid coffee lovers can console themselves with black coffee.
However after the first week, it will help your digestion and settle your stomach. The key thing to remember is that you are not hungry at any time when dieting. The secret of this program is that you should never be hungry. If it is a vegetable day, eat as much vegetables that you are never hungry. If it is a fruits day, eat so much fruits that you are never hungry. You may be bored of eating vegetables all day, you should not be hungry. You can take any amount of General Motors wonder soup on any day.
WONDER SOUP
The following soup is intended as supplement to your diet. It can be eaten anytime of day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to drink
large quantities of this soup:
Water
Large Onions
Green Peppers
Whole tomatoes
Cabbage
Bunch celery
Program is highly recommended for women and men above 40 for whom excess weight is especially dangerous. Excess weight for women arthritis problems and lead to rapid joint decay. Pain and deterioration can be lessened by weight loss as weight loss removes the stress on knee joints. Weight is the most critical factor in keeping good health and excess weight is responsible for the problems including coronary deceases, heart problem, arthritis and cancel among other serious life long diseases. Most serious health problems can be avoided by the single function of maintaining ideal weight. Daily mild exercise of 20 minuets is also essential. Do not tire yourself out being doing your exercise and maintaining an ideal weight goes a long way in ensuring a happy healthy and long life.

Good one on men !

Thought 1
When we are born, our mothers get the compliments and the flowers.When we are married, our brides get the presents and the publicity.When we die, our widows get the life insurance. What do women want to be liberated from?
Thought 2
The average man's life consists of :Twenty years of having his mother ask him where he is going,Forty years of having his wife ask the same question;and at the end, the mourners wondering too.
Thought 3
A Man was walking down a street when he heard a voice from behind, 'If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you.'The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished. He went on, and after a while he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted, 'Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you, and you will die.' The man did as he was instructed, just as a car came careening around the corner, barely missing him. The man asked. 'Who are you?''I am your guardian angel,' the voice answered.'Oh, yeah?' the man asked 'And where the hell were you when I got married?'
This is the best!!!

Thought 4
Everyone in the wedding ceremony was watching the radiant bride as her father escorted her down the aisle to give away to the groom.They reached the altar and the waiting groom; the bride kissed her father and placed some thing in his hand. Everyone in the room was wondering what was given to the father by the bride.The father could feel the suspense in the air and all eyes were on him to divulge the secret and say something.So he announced 'Ladies and Gentlemen today is the luckiest day of my life.' Then he raised his hands with what his daughter gave him and continued, 'My daughter finally, finally returned my credit card to me.'
The whole audience including priest started laughing.......... but not the poor groom!

Weight & See

It seems that everyone today wants to have a trim body with a flat abdomen. Knowing the facts behind this is very important. In this regard I came across an interesting article which throws light on the real facts. Hope this should be useful to you.
How do we put on extra weight, and why? How do we lose excess weight? Why is the stomach the first place to show excess fat? Why on earth, if our weight is correct for our height, do our bodies still look so shapeless? And finally, why, why, why, when we are careful about our diet, and we do exercise, are we still not trim? To answer these questions, I must go into several body basics. Once you understand these concepts, you'll hopefully be better equipped to deal with a diet and exercise plan.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS The shape of your body depends on two things: body structure and fat distribution. The latter usually depends on the former.
Men and women have different body structures. Women are usually less muscled than men and have drooping shoulders, narrow waists and broad hips.
Men, on the other hand, tend to have broad shoulders, narrow waists and narrow hips. Women also have a higher body fat percentage than men, which is why, when they're overweight, the fat tends to deposit around the hips, thighs, breasts and arms, as well as the stomach.
(Incidentally, this fat is not all bad. For instance, during pregnancy, the fat around the hips helps in the development of the foetus's brain.
) Fat distribution in the body is not just affected by body structure. It's also influenced by the thyroid, sex (estrogen for women and testosterone for men) and adrenal hormones.
The secretion of these hormones is genetic - based on what runs in your family. But both sexes have a tendency to put on weight around the stomach because: There is no immediate bony support in abdominal area; We seldom exercise the abdominal muscles; Fat absorption happens mainly in the small intestine, which is immediately below the abdomen.
Women also tend to have a bigger stomach after childbirth because the abdomen stretches during pregnancy and / or after a caesarian section. ENERGY EXCHANGE To keep ourselves going on a daily basis, we require energy in the form of calories.
If you think of calories as electricity - they give us power - you'll be able to understand the role of fat in our bodies. Fat is created when our bodies store calories (energy) for future use, in the same way that the batteries on our phones store power for future use when we put them on to charge.
To meet our energy requirements, we need food. Food is a mixture of nutrients like carbohydrates, fat, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and water.
It doesn't only provide energy, but also fulfills other body requirements, such as muscle building, immunity, synthesis of hormones and so on. Carbohydrates provide us with instant energy.
Protein builds our cells. And fat, our stored energy, gives us power on days when, for some reason or the other, we have no access to food.
So fat in itself is not a bad thing. It becomes bad however when there's too much of it, and that has a lot to do with how much or little we eat and how much or how little of that energy we expend.
So if you want to understand why you put on weight, and how to lose it, you need to understand how your body deals with calories. BALANCE OF POWER Three factors need to be taken into account when you think of how your body deals with food.
The first is input - your calorie intake in terms of food. Next comes throughput - the amount of energy your body expends in dealing with its own processes, such as digestion.
('Throughput' is better known as metabolism.) And finally, there's output - how much energy you expend in terms of the activities you do.
If your input is greater than your throughput and output, then your body will store all that extra, unused, energy as fat and you'll put on weight. For every 7,000 calories extra you consume, you put on approximately one kilo of fat.
So if you eat 700 calories of extra food a day, in 10 days, you'll be one kilo heavier than before. The way this fat is distributed depends on your gender, your hormones and the types of activity you do.
Similarly, if your calorie throughput and output is greater than your calorie input, then you'll lose weight in the same manner. For every 7,000 calories less you eat, you'll lose one kilo of fat.
(Keep in mind though, that 'fat' and 'weight' are not necessarily the same thing. Water loss and water gain, and muscle loss and muscle gain also affect the needle on your weighing scale.
) This is both more simple than you think and more complicated than it appears. It's simple because, basically, if you eat more calories than you expend, you put on weight.
And if you eat fewer calories than you expend, you lose weight. More in than out: more fat.
More out than in: less fat. But it's complicated because of the 'throughput' factor - metabolism.
Metabolism is the joker in the pack. BODY AND SOUL If you want to understand why you put on weight easily, or take so long to lose weight however faithfully you follow a weight loss plan, you need to understand metabolism.
Metabolism, or Body Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the energy that the body expends while it's at rest to maintain normal bodily functions such as the beating of the heart, respiration, maintenance of body temperature, digestion and so on. This is continual work that 'burns' or expends about 60 to 70 per cent of the calories we take in, so a lot of our weight issues depend on how our metabolisms function.
Your BMR is influenced by a number of factors that are detailed below. Genetics: Some people are born with faster metabolisms, others with slower metabolisms.
Gender: Men have a greater muscle mass and a lower body fat percentage than women. This means that men have a higher BMR. Age: The BMR reduces with age.
After 20 years, it drops about two per cent per decade. Body fat percentage: The lower your body fat percentage, the higher your BMR. It's because the male body has a lower body fat percentage than the female body that men generally have a 10-15 per cent faster BMR than women.
Diet: Starvation or serious abrupt calorie-reduction can dramatically reduce BMR by up to 30 per cent. Restrictive low-calorie weight loss diets may cause your BMR to drop as much as 20 per cent.
Body temperature: For every increase of 0.5 and #176; C in the internal temperature of your body, the BMR increases by about seven per cent. Chemical reactions in the body actually occur more quickly at higher temperatures.
Therefore, a patient with a fever of 42 and #176; C (about 4 and #176; C above normal) would have an increase of about 50 per cent in BMR. External cold temperature: Temperature outside the body also affects BMR. Exposure to cold causes an increase in the BMR, because the body needs to create extra heat to maintain its internal temperature. External hot temperature: A short exposure to very high heat has little effect on the body's metabolism as it is compensated mainly by increased heat loss.
However, prolonged exposure to external heat can raise BMR. That's why steam baths, saunas and body heat wraps are often recommended as part of weight loss programmes. Glands: The more thyroxin (thyroid hormones) that the body produces, the higher the BMR. When only a little thyroxin is produced (a condition known as myxoedema), the BMR may shrink to 30-40 per cent of the normal rate.
Adrenaline also increases the BMR, but not to such a great extent. Exercise: Physical exercise not only influences body weight by burning calories, it also helps raise your BMR by building extra lean tissue.
Lean tissue is more metabolically demanding than fat tissue. Therefore, you burn more calories even when you sleep.
GO FOR IT Now that you understand these concepts, it's clear that the only way to lose excess fat is to eat less and make your body work more. The only way to gain weight is to eat more and make your body work less.
And the only way to maintain your weight, once it has been corrected, is to balance your calorie intake and your energy expenditure. Nothing else will work.
You can achieve this in the following ways: 1. Plan your diet carefully and stick to it.
2. Make an exercise plan after careful analysis of your daily activities.
3. Correct factors that could affect your BMR, such as hormonal imbalances and so on.
Remember, even if you go to a professional for a diet and / or exercise plan, you need to make sure that he or she takes into account your BMR and daily activities. While weight loss / gain / maintenance can all be achieved through a diet plan alone, it's always better to add on an exercise plan because exercise offers benefits beyond those affecting weight.

Ram's Bachelor Party

Date: 12th October 2006
Venue: Hotel Green Park, Chennai

The last G2G with my college friends was in Ram's Bachelor Party. As scheduled we agreed to meet @ Hotel. As usual started late by a hour. Rams, prabu, rajesh, vinay, thiru, Nettai rams & sivaraj were with me. Its after a long time I met my friends. Lots of fun and as usual I am one among the target. Nettai rams who joined late ended the 'water' session. To my surprise prabu was competing with rajesh in this.

Siva was busy with my mobile in taking snaps. Unfortunately he was not captured. Also his choice of food was sambar rice & curd rice (Thaangala!!) Pannai joined the veg group with me & siva(puratassi Month!!!).

Finally rajesh came to form in making fun of others. After lot of fun we departed late in the evening. Thanks rams for the nice evening....

More fun loaded @ http://picasaweb.google.com/karthikeyan.syritz/RamSBachelorParty

School friend's meet @ Nellai

Venue : My New Home @ Nellai

Date : 1st September 2007

I was there at nellai on 1st Sep. Ganesh told me that he too will be there. So we decided to meet there. But Selva came as a surprise visitor with subbiah.

Exhanged all our sweet experiences. Seaman selva shared many adventures. HR Ganesh too told his experiences amidst a few calls (should be someone special to him !!). Mudhalali, as usual told his future plans (Except Marriage...)

It was nice to see some of my school friends.. After a brief discussion, finally everyone departed late in the night..

Pics Archive

http://picasaweb.google.com/karthikeyan.syritz

Karthik's Visit to Vandalur Zoo

Date : 26th Aug 2007

Venue : Vandalur Zoo

Started to Vandalur zoo on a dry sunny day with appa and amma.. Had a nice time there at the zoo.

I was astonished about the size & diversity of the species in the zoo. Lion safari was a cool idea from the zoo authorites which impressed me.

Ferocious tiger & the majestic king, Lion (singam singatha paarthuthu !!)were the pick of the animals.

Worthy place to spend a weekend [with parents :-)]