Dr. Madhu Gupta

Fitness tip for working woman # 1: Stay active throughout the day

Walk and talk with a hands-free as much as possible, stand up maybe during meetings, or keep standing while working if you do not have much typing work to do. Take a short walk during your lunch break, take short breaks every half hour where you walk around for a minute and then get back to your desk. The options are there, you just have to make up your mind and do it.

Fitness tip for working woman # 2: Store your house with healthy snacks

Even if you have the habit of snacking throughout the day, healthy snacks will come to your rescue, instead of harming your health. So, stock up with all the healthy snacks to stay away from various lifestyle diseases.

Fitness tip for working woman # 3: Create an effective exercise pattern

Choose an exercise pattern according to your own convenience. Try adapting to strength training, for at least 20 minutes at least twice a week or interval training like walking or running which will help to tone your entire body.

Fitness tip for working woman # 4: Eat a good breakfast

Working women should also maintain a proper diet with the workouts in order to stay healthy. Include lots of fresh fruits in your breakfast, as fresh fruits that contain glucose will help to keep sweet cravings at bay. With fresh fruits you can also include some dry fruits in your breakfast for energy.

Fitness tip for working woman # 5: Turn on the magic of treadmill

Just do a 10 minutes treadmill session along with holding a 3-5 pound dumbbell in each hand. Set the speed to brisk walk. Do one-minute set each of biceps curls, triceps extensions, side laterals, and standing triceps one after another as you walk. This exercise will tone your upper body as well as pump your heart smoothly.

Fitness tip for working woman # 6: Crunches technique

Most of the times, women tend to use their neck muscles more than their abs when they do crunches. This practice is completely a waste of time. Instead focus back to your abdominal muscles by pressing your tongue flush against the roof of your mouth before starting your crunches.

Fitness tip for working woman # 7: Drink lots of water

Enough water is very essential for the proper functioning of your body. Keep drinking water at regular intervals, so that you don't de-hydrate yourself.

Fitness tip for working woman # 8: Chart your progress

To stay focused and motivated, make a fitness report card for your own reference. Jot down the subjects as various workouts you will be trying out, and grade yourself as you progress. This will help you to be motivated and will help you to notice various improvements.

Fitness tip for working woman # 9: Reduce refined carbs intake

Limit your refined carb rich foods like cookies, chocolates, honey and white rice. When you eat a refined carb rich food, it will spike your blood sugar level and further will produce more insulin which will increase the fat in your body.

Fitness tip for working woman # 10: Never overdo anything

Women need not more than an hour of health and fitness training. Hence, never over do any form of exercise as doing extra exercises or spending more time in the gym, will just make you tired and exhausted. Hence, focus on limited exercises within a certain time frame to make your training session fun and effective.

Fitness tip for working woman # 11: Recover from all desk jobs

Take a rubber band or hair scrunchie. Take the affected hand and touch all five finger tips together, forming a sort of point. Slip the band or scrunchy around all five fingers and draw them apart against the resistance of the band. It's like a reverse squeeze. Do this casually whenever you have time - in between emails, at home while watching TV, even while driving. This will relax your fingers, hands and can act as a stress buster.

Fitness tip for working woman # 12: Be flexible

Trying to stick to a routine may get impossible at times. So if you have dedicated your mornings to workouts, and something comes up, be open enough to take it in your stride. Instead of sticking to a routine, make up your mind that you will go to the gym, anytime in the day whenever you have a window of an hour. If you have to attend a meeting, start 45 minutes earlier. Go to the gym, change and then go on your way. Giving yourself some leeway is the key here.

Fitness tip for working woman # 13: Workout with a buddy

If you are bored to work out alone, then call your best friend or take your pet along with for a workout session. Working out with someone whom you know will help you to achieve goals and keep you motivated as well. Besides, working out in company is always fun and cool.

Fitness tip for working woman # 14: Carbs are important

Carbs are very important, as they fuel your body with energy. Hence, up your intake of fruits and other high-fiber crackers. Also include some protein in your diet, so that the carbs break down more slowly.

Fitness tip for working woman # 15: Stretching is crucial

Warming up your muscles before starting up your exercise routine is very important. Warm ups will prevent muscle injury during workouts. Thus, before starting any workout regime, start at the lowest speed and increase it gradually.

Fitness tip for working woman # 15: Never focus on weight loss

If you just focus on reducing the numbers on your scale, then ultimately you will land up gaining pounds. Instead, you goal should be to maintain a healthy and fit life, by eating right food and practicing right exercise.

Fitness tip for working woman # 16: Pre-workout snack is important

Munching on a energy bar before the gym can actually pump up your energy, as all those bars are high in fiber and sugar. If you're very hungry beforehand, opt for a banana instead which is digested super quickly and will also provide the necessary energy.

Fitness tip for working woman # 17: Keep an eye on your heart rate

Women should work out at 75-85% of their maximum heart rate. When your heart rate is too low, it's a sign that you're not working to your full potential. Too high a rate, on the other hand, shows that you're pushing yourself to a potentially dangerous level. Keep a heart rate monitor on hand or do a manual count incrementally during your workout to ensure that you're reaching, but not exceeding, your ideal target heart rate.

Fitness tip for working woman # 18: Pay attention how you sit

If you're sitting, you may find it most comfortable for your monitor to be at or even slightly above eye level. This helps you look straight ahead without requiring downward head tilt, which often leads the rest of the upper thoracic into a slumping pattern - especially if you're not vigilant and you're prone to lapsing back into bad habits. This simple habit change will go a long way in ensuring reduced back, neck and shoulder aches that are so common among the cubicle crowds.

Fitness tip for working woman # 19: Be happy

As the popular saying goes,' Laughter is the best medicine' and it is 100% percent true . When you laugh out loud or just are happy, your body will release feel good hormones and this will kill the villain stress hormone cortisol. Hence, giggle as much as you can to achieve good health by watching back to back comedy videos or by joining a laughter club. Besides, laughter is also a very good workout option to tone your face muscles.

# 20: Never hurry for results

Finally, remember that even if you follow all these tips, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories. Just be patient, and don't give up.
 

Gone are the days when the sole purpose of having a salad was to lose the stubborn and unwanted body fats. Salads can be extremely healthy and nutritious. With salads around, the long and gruesome hours in the kitchen are a thing of the past. A bowl full of lip smacking salad, well structured with fruits, vegetables and quality oils, will do your health a world of good. Preparing salads is no rocket science. Get all the ingredients together, and switch to the way of health and nourishment.

1. A feeling of fullness like never before: Experiencing an irresistible craving for food? Salad is at your service. A bowl of salad will give you a feeling of fullness, keeping the hunger pangs and cravings at bay. With salads, you don't even need to be repetitive. A little modification, and your taste buds are in for a treat.
2. Say no to dehydration: Most of the vegetables that go into your salad have high water content. Scorching summers or sweltering heat can leave a person dehydrated. Salads come as a great relief. It works amazingly to hydrate your body, thereby re-energizing you fully.
3. Lettuce to fight insomnia: If a good sleep is all that you desire, salad is what you need. 'Lectucarium', a substance found in lettuce, work miraculously to treat insomnia. All the more reasons to include lettuce leaves in your salad.
4. The goodness of vitamins and minerals are retained: A lot of important vitamins, minerals and some enzymes (mostly digestive, that gets denatured) are lost to cooking. Taking in raw vegetables ensure that the important vitamins and minerals are not lost. Some raw vegetables contain important enzymes (live) that can greatly aid the digestion process.
5. A salad rich in broccoli, avocados, bell peppers, berries: Are a rich source of antioxidants. Such salads work wonders and are an excellent boost for the immune system.
6. Do not let wrinkles and saggy skin bother you: Some of the fruits and vegetables present in the salad help in collagen synthesis, thus giving your skin a natural glow. It is needless to say that spinach, lettuce and romaine, that form an integral part of your salads, are excellent for the eyesight.
7. Walnut oil, sunflower oil (organic), olive oil and pumpkin seed oil: Are rich in omega fatty acids. Using these oils in salad dressings can be extremely beneficial.
8. Some of the fibrous fruits and vegetables can effectively clean the intestine and colon.

The benefits of salads are immense.