Fitness Quiz: What’s your Health IQ?

Whats your health IQ?  Try this quick myth buster quiz, and test your fitness knowledge. For each question, note down your answer (True or False). Once you complete all 9 questions, check your answers with the correct answers below.

The best part about this quiz is that if you crack it, you can gloat in the glory of being a myth-buster And if you don’t crack it, then read the answers to become a myth-buster.

State whether the following statements are True or False:
1. Toe touching helps to reduce fat?
2. Potatoes are fattenning?
3. A non-vegetarian diet makes you fat?
4. By doing a 200 crunches a day, I can lose my paunch and get a six pack?
5. Eating Banana and Milk will make me fat?
6. Walking is a great exercise to get in shape?
7. I’m diabetic. I should avoid sugar, but refined flour (maida) is ok for my diet?
8. Nuts are high in fat, and thus bad for you?
9. Running is only for kids and athletes?

Answers are below.

If you score:
0-3: This is the average score for this quiz. Don’t believe any information without understanding why it is so. You should read the explanations below to understand better.
3-6: Congratulations, you are above the average fitness awareness levels. Read the answers below to understand more
6-9: You are well aware of fitness information. You should educate the people around you with this information. Hope you are using your knowledge of fitness information to your benefit.

Answers:
1- False, 2- False, 3-False, 4-False, 5-False, 6-partly true , 7-False, 8-partly false, 9- False

Answer Explanations:
1. Yoga has some toe touching exercises. From that a common myth has spread in India that toe touching will help lose fat from the belly.
What does toe touching do? Every time you bend to touch your feet, you stretch your back muscles, and compress your belly. So, your belly fat is getting compressed.
Now, think about an analogy- take a rubber ball. Compress it 20 times. Has the rubber reduced? Similarly, by compressing your fat, it doesn’t reduce. You might burn some calories doing this, but that calorie burn is minimal.

2. Potatoes are very healthy vegetables- they’re loaded with energy providing carbohydrates, fiber, protein, iron, Vitamin C and other minerals. They Glycemic Index of a potato is not high.
But potatoes absorb fat, so depending on the cooking process they might absorb the oil/butter. So, its the potato concoction that can be fattening, but not the poor spud by itself.

3. Many meats like fish and chicken are high in protein, and low in saturated fat (bad fat). The protein helps to build muscle, which in turn burns calories.
Again, the cooking process might make it fattenning. If you eat butter chicken, its not the chicken itself that is fattenning, but the curry that is loaded with cream and fat.

4. Crunches help you work those abdominal muscles, but not lose fat on that belly. Read on to see why crunches won’t help you get that six pack.

5. Banana and milk are not fattening. Both banana and milk have a relatively low Glycemic Index, so its not the carbohydrate content that makes you fat. The total calories from this concoction are lower than a bag of chips. Besides, it provides you with lots of nutrients- Read more on banana and milk are not fattening.

6. Walking is an exercise and may help you burn calories. But the calorie burn is not significant enough to make a big enough dent in your fat loss program.
Also, your body gets used to walking very fast, so it burns fewer calories when walking the same distance. What do you do then? Read to find out how to overcome weight loss plateau!

7. Maida (refined flour) has a very high Glycemic Index, and has the same effect on your body as sugar.

8. Nuts are loaded with unsaturated fat (good fat) and have cholesterol lowering power, along with protein. Read about Nutrition of nuts

9. Most adults in India assume this. But why should running be limited to kids and athletes. According to a recent study, running can actually help you live longer and healthier.

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008- Information, Registration and Motivation :)

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008 is here! This international marathon is going to be help on November 9, 2008. Registration starts on September 10, 2008 and end on October 15, 2008
Race information about events and prizes are below:

There are four events:

Half Marathon –
Distance: 21.09 km; Age eligibility: born on or before 08.11.1990
Registration Fees: Rs 300 for Indian citizens
Route for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon

Dream Run –
Distance: 6 km; Age eligibility: born on or before 08.11.1996
Registration Fees: Rs 300 for Indian citizens.
Route for Great Delhi Run

Senior Citizens Run –
Distance: 4.3 km; Age eligibility: born on or before 08.11.1948
Registration Fees: Rs 200 for Indian citizens. Route is here.

Wheelchair Event –
Distance: 2.5 km; Age eligibility: born on or before 08.11.1996
Registration Fees: Rs 200 for Indian citizens. Route is here.

Need motivation to participate? Total prize money is USD $210,000 !!

Prize categories include Top 10 runners- men and women, Top 10 Indian runner- men and women, Top veteran finisheers- men and women, Sr. Veterans and Super Sr. Veterans ( I didn’t know that category even existed!)

If the money doesn’t matter, then you get bragging rights! Suddenly, all of Delhi’s running community holds you with R-E-S-P-E-C-T

And you get your photo splashed all over the newspaper. We’ll even feature you on Fitho if you ask us
For more motivation, here’s a little info on one of our team members:

He started running in late 2003. In Feb 2004, he forced myself to register for a 5k. He hated running when he started it. After training for two months for the first 5k in May 2004 (Heart Mini Marathon), he timed in at 22 min, 45 sec. That is 4 min, 50 sec per km.
Later that year, he ran a 10 k in 5 degree celsius weather, in 48.5 minutes. And then the running didn’t stop.  The first half marathon was the US Air Force Marathon at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton. Timed in at 1 hour, 42 minutes (4 min, 50 sec per km).  It was a tough run, but it was a phenomenal experience. The excitement of running with thousands of people. The rush of accomplishing a personal feat. And the glory of beating your fear of running or the distance. Its something to experience.

Running is great way to burn fat and lose those love handles and show that elusive six pack! Besides this, running has many health benefits.

The half marathon is a great event. Register and start training now. The Dream Run is a great way to start running for non runners.

At Fitho, we’ll create running programs customized to your needs. If you have any questions

To participate/register, go here

Bored of the gym? Play a sport at Siri Fort

Everyone enjoys a little change in the usual boring routine. Working out in the gym can definitely get boring. So, why not play a sport?! If you’re looking for a gym, use our gym guide.

Active sports aid developing muscle, burning calories and improving reflex action- Due to the new movements and reflexes needed to develop for a new sport, your brain makes more connections between its neurons for this development. Studies have linked physical and mental development from such active sports and delay in the onset of disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. There are always the social benefits of meeting that hottie , or just catching up with friends.

Siri Fort Sports Complex, in the heart of the Delhi is the perfect venue for all kinds of sport activities- They have a bunch of racquets sports like clay tennis courts, badminton, glass walled squash courts and table tennis. Cricket, football and hockey fields and a soft 1 km running track- which is used by many runners and athletes to train for athletic events.

A driving range, putting area, skating area, gymnastics and even a shooting range. They also have the a gym, fitness center and a sports shop and a coffee shop.

If you don’t have membership, most activities are available on a pay as you go basis. And the charges are reasonable.

Next time you’re bored and want to do something new, hit the closest sport complex and try a new sport. Get fit, get smarter and have a ball. Be sure to hydrate yourself enough specially in hot and humid Indian weather.

Sleep health benefits- Weight Loss

When we’re dealing with overweight people, one thing common amongst all of them is that they rarely get enough sleep. Most common physical symptoms of sleep deprivation can be lethargy or dark circles.  But do you know that lack of sleep can even make you fat! Lack of sleep has much deeper effects on your health than you can imagine- It can adversely affect your mood, weight and general health.

Sleep is a function of body that is still not completely understood, but it is known to be used by your body for regeneration, building immunity and restoring all the damage done to your body through your daily activities, exposure to pollution, etc.

Not getting enough sleep means not giving the body enough time to perform these important functions. The lack of sleep makes your brain go into a stress mode. Your body’s physiological reaction to stress is to store energy, since it thinks that it will need this energy sometime in the future. So, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which leads to higher storage of belly fat. As Indians, we are already genetically prone to storing more fat in our belly. Cortisol increases that tendency even more. The ‘stressed out’ brain thinks that we need to store energy, so it make you want to eat more, especially food categories that are high on calories.

Think about the last time you jumped into the fridge for that midnight snack- was it celery and carrots, or was it calorie laden mind-blowing deliciousness. Yes, your brain is manipulating you into eating that food because you’re not giving it enough sleep. Bad enough that you’re storing more belly fat. To make it worse, you’re eating high calorie food.
So not getting enough sleep could be making you gain weight!

Sleep helps you regenerate. It gives your body a chance to strengthen your immune system. While daily activities create wear and tear on your muscles, sleep gives your body a chance to repair and build those muscles.

Sleep is a good thing, so get 7-8 hours of it. But too much of a good thing is probably not that good. Beyond 9 hours of sleep, the benefits reduce.

So snooze to get fitter!

Doing crunches for weight loss? Don’t waste your time

If you’ve tried to lose weight around your belly or hips, we’re positive someone you know suggested that you do ab crunches (commonly known as sit ups). We’re also positive, that the person suggesting this would not exactly be a picture of fitness.

We say this because, there is actually a huge myth that sit-ups can help you lose weight or get a six pack.

We’ll show you how this is a myth. I first want you to understand a basic principle of losing weight or fat. To lose weight, you have to burn calories. To burn calories, you need to exercise. And exercises vary in the amount of calorie burning. Some exercises are more effective than others. The number of calories burnt per exercise is dependent on three factors- the amount of muscle moved, the distance of muscle movement.
‘Amount of muscle moved’ means that if you move larger muscles for the exercise, you burn more calories.

Say for example your thigh muscles are much larger than your bicep muscles. So, a squat (thigh exercise) burns more calories than a bicep exercise.
The ‘distance of the muscle movement’ is just that. If you move the same muscle through a larger distance, you burn more calories.

Now Ab Crunches or Sit Ups work your abdominals muscles. These are a set of 8 small muscles in your abdominal region. When you perform sit ups, it only works this set of small muscles. Since the muscles are small, the calories you burn are also small. Actually, too small to make a dent in your fight against fat!

In fact, researchers at the University of Virginia found that it takes 250,000 crunches to burn 1 pound of fat — that’s 100 crunches a day for 7 years!

So, if someone swears by doing crunches to lose weight, tell them to go take a hike. Crunches help you work those abdominal muscles, but not lose fat on that belly. To lose fat, you need to burn more calories. Crunches don’t burn nearly as much calories as other exercises, like squats or push-ups. The key to burning more calories and building muscle is to work out larger muscles, like your legs, chest, shoulders and back muscles.

So to get a six pack, keep your crunches only as an additive to your workout. Kind of like dessert, not an everyday thing.

Lose weight to save the environment

Besides the basic advantages of losing weight like a healthier heart, lesser fat, healther mind and a hotter body .. it even helps the environment.
When you lose weight, you need fewer calories to do the same things, so you take in fewer calories. To take in these fewer calories, you will consume less food. Less food consumed, means more food for others and less pressure on the environment to produce it. This makes an even bigger dent, when you’re a meat eater. To produce 1 kg of meat, the animal/bird needs to eat a lot multiple times that amount of food. So you can eat less meat and feel good about saving the environment.
Now, most of us travel by cars, trains, planes, etc. When we weigh less, our cars burn less fuel to get from one place to another. Airline companies realize this- in 2007 there was a cost cutting proposal with a large American airline to charge over weight people the ticket cost for 2 seats, since they weigh much more and overflow into the other seat, so much that no one can sit next to them. (I’ve had a few such experiences during my years in the US) We all know that Americans are the fattest people in the world. We are far from there, but with the rapidly developing economy and easier access to food, we’re on our way to get fat. China is already facing an obesity epidemic, even among kids.
Putting this in an Indian context, an overweight family of 4 weighs about 70 kgs more than a fit family of 4. That’s more than the weight of an average Indian male.
So, if you want to rid those love handles and care about the environment, start moving and save the world!

Got some more ideas on how weight loss can save the world. Then, please comment and share with the rest of us.

Is health ignorance ‘cool’?

A personal contact recently had a life threatening experience. This guy is pretty jovial, 28 years old, is would be considered thin by Indian standards. Though, I would like to put him in the ‘skinny and fat‘ category. You’ll see why.
We’ll call him SnF. He is always willing to eat all the junk offered to him and seems like a happy go lucky guy. On a recent flight, he suddenly experience uneasiness, some chest pain, and this led to temporary paralysis neck down. Once the plane landed he had to be hauled off in a wheel chair. Was quite shaken from the experience.
His doctor thinks it could be a heart issue. SnF is also prone to genetic diabetes. So, his doctor advised he eat healthier and be more cautious of his diet. He told me about this incident, making fun of the doctor’s advice, “You know me. You think I’ll even try to eat better? I might as well enjoy what I do. Who cares about getting sick”
It made me wonder what could it be about SnF’s callous attitude towards his health- he’s not even 30 and is already facing health issues. But even then doesn’t care about taking any precautions. I think he feels that it makes him cool to seem aloof to ‘minor’ issues like health.

I meet a lot of such people in their 20s/30s who seem to throw all health caution to the wind. They’re avid smokers, drinkers and most of them are really out of shape. They know they’re so unfit, that if they attempt to improve their fitness, it could be a huge task. And they’re not willing to seem like they are trying. It is the fear of not always seeming cool that stands between them and better health.

Normally I don’t write about social issues of fitness, but this stark attitude difference between young affluent people in India and their counterparts in the developed Western countries. It might be partly attributed to the lack of physical work when you’re affluent in India. But I find this very concerning. As the Indian economy progresses, access to high calorie food will also increase, and so will obesity, diabetes and
other health related disorders.

Weight Loss Diets- Side Effects

Before we get into weight loss diets, let us first define diet- “it is the foods eaten by a particular person”. Often, ‘diet’ is assumed to be this low calorie diet to lose weight, etc. But it is not. Its simply what you eat. So, we are all on diets regardless of what we eat. What we use that diet to do is what classifies it- regular diet, weight loss diet, weight gain diet, etc.

Now, when most people decide that they have to get in better shape, often its about losing fat on their belly or hips/thighs. Now, everyone wants to lose weight fast. Regardless of how many months or years it took you to add the fat, everyone’s looking for a quick fix. Search for Weight Loss Diets and you find all sorts of diets. Now, the problem with weight loss diets on the internet, is that if you pick them up from just any site, there is no way for you to be sure that the diet is good for your health, or will help you lose weight.

Most people think that if your calorie intake is low enough, then you are bound to lose weight, i.e. Weight Loss= Less Calories in, More Calories out. Sure that sounds right but its not as simple. You might lose weight by that way, but you might land up losing is a lot of muscle instead of fat. With less muscle in your body, your body stores more fat. What you need to ensure that you’re losing the right kind of weight, which is fat. Know whether to lose fat or lose weight?

Crash dieting, i.e. significantly lowering your calorie intake, is an unhealthy way to attempt weight loss. Since your diet reduces drastically, you are perpetually hungry and thus unsatisfied and this makes people moody, short tempered.

If your diet has inadequate carbohydrates, it will cause ketosis. If it has inadequate protein, it will create muscle catabolism and reduce your metabolic rate. If it has inadequate fat, it can affect a number of biological processes.

You will also be low on energy. Since its an unhealthy diet, this can have significant side effects, including affecting your appearance. Its been known to cause dark circles, stretch marks, etc.

Besides calorie intake, and the basic protein, carbohydrates and fat, your diet should include adequate water, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Another key factor is the timing of your food. You shouldn’t just skip a meal. Skipping meals actually puts your body in a mode where it reduces your metabolic rate (and hence burns fewer calories), eats muscle and starts storing fat. Consuming food at the right time is key for providing optimum nutrition to your body, and increase fat burn.

There are many well endorsed diets like the Atkins Diet and the GM Diet (General Motors Diet), which at Fitho we don’t use because we consider them unhealthy since they are not balanced diets. They have their share of side effects-

Atkins Diet: Because of no carbohydrate intake, lack of calcium and high saturated fat content, it is considered dangerous. Your body goes into ketosis resulting in bad breath, weakness, insomnia, constipation, etc

GM Diet: We don’t consider this diet to be balanced. There are claims of hair loss, etc. Drastic loss of weight is not due to fat loss, but due to water loss.

Diets have to be customized to your needs. At Fitho, we provide you diet plans that are customized to you, that you will enjoy, and produce results. See our weight loss success stories.

So the next time you think about losing weight, get advice from a fitness and nutrition expert and also understands you and your needs.

To really lose weight, get on a proper weight loss plan. Or see any of our customized fitness plans, like personal training, diabetes management, hypothyroid, pregnancy weight loss, and more..

Is your office making you fat?

Most people spend more waking time in the office than anywhere else. And if you care about your health, or are trying to get healthier, why should you ignore the office as a space where you can’t be healthy. You’ll be surprised to know that most offices are not. There are health hazards all over the office. Its not that the office doesn’t want you to be healthy, its that you need to make some choices to stay healthy.

Office Tea/Coffee- Tea and Coffee are big things in most offices in India. A cup of tea and coffee isn’t harmful. The problem is that when they’re made in the office, they come loaded with sugar. That’s the stuff that’s not good for you. Most people in desk jobs aren’t active enough to burn off the extra calories from sugar. So, when you consume all that sugar, it goes and hits your belly and hips. Read here about the effects of sugar. What you can do to avoid this in your office is to either have tea/coffee without sugar. But if you can’t deal with that, tell them to bring you sugar separately. If that’s not possible, then keep tea bags of your favourite tea in the office. Get some hot water, dip, let brew and drink up. (I do that with green tea). Honey is a better alternative to sugar.

Office Snacking- All the cakes and samosas that are served in the office are probably worse than the tea. Tea at least has some antioxidants. But that samosa- its made of maida (refined flour) which has the same effect as sugar on your body, stuffed with oily potatoes and then deep fried! So, each samosa as wonderful as it tastes goes straight to that belly. Don’t even get me started on cakes/pastries- their basic ingredients are sugar, refined flour, butter, cream. Other snacks to watch out for- patties, rolls, cup cakes – equally bad for you.
So you’re wondering, what can I really eat in the office? Some commonly available foods- nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc), chana (roasted gram), fruits (don’t get me started on the delicious seasonal fruits in India), brown bread sandwich, low fat cheese- there are plenty of healthier food options. All these have vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, protein and give you the energy to get through your day! You can either bring these from home or easily find them around your office.

Smoking Coworkers- If you’re not smoking cigarettes, that’s great. But if someone around you is, then you are exposed to the second hand smoke. Everyone knows about the effects of smoking. Did you know that the effects of second hand smoke are about as bad as you smoking yourself? So, steer clear of areas that are the smoking joints in your office.

Staying healthy in the office takes some effort, but once you set it up, its easy to roll with.
Get yourself and then your co-workers on these habits and get fit.

Health benefits of Yoghurt: Weight Loss

Milk and Yoghurt (curd) are such essential part of the recommended ‘healthy Indian diet’. We’ve all heard about the calcium in milk and yoghurt and how it makes our bones stronger, but there is a lot more to yoghurt than just calcium. Can yogurt help you lose belly fat?

Yes, latest research shows that yogurt can even help you lose weight. The calcium in yoghurt not only helps to make your bone stronger. A study at University of Tennessee found that participants who consumed 3 daily servings of fat free yoghurt on a 12 week basis gained less fat around their mid-section than those who didn’t consumed dairy products containing less calcium. The mineral appears to help curb production of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to the accumulation of abdominal fat

Yogurt provides essential carbohydrates and a punch of protein. The carbs are good since they provide you the energy you need to get through the day. And the protein is good for building those muscle and their regular functioning. Yoghurt with fruits makes for a great post workout meal.

It is also a good source of your daily vitamin needs like vitamins B6 and B12. Yogurt is also a good source of Potassium. Studies have shown that potassium consumption helps with reducing hypertension and increase muscle retention. The bacterial cultures in yoghurt help to keep you regular.

There are plenty of ways to consume yoghurt: If you don’t like plain yoghurt, then you can always throw in some fruits and nuts. Or try these yoghurt smoothies or low calorie healthy smoothie recipes. Or just honey. Even granola tastes good with yoghurt.

To really lose weight, get on a proper weight loss plan. Or see any of our customized fitness plans, like personal training, diabetes management, hypothyroid, pregnancy weight loss, and more..

Does spot reduction work in weight loss, fat loss?

So often, we’ve been approached by people who say ‘oh you know, I want to lose fat only from my hips & thighs’ or ‘my thighs are too fat. I want to lose fat from there’ .. ‘how do I just lose fat from my belly (as they rub their belly)’.
Our reply to all these people is ‘it isn’t natural for your body to do spot reduction of fat loss from particular spots’.

You might have a tendency to put on more at on a certain part of your body, the two big areas being hips and belly. Most men tend to put on fat on their belly, and women tend to gain fat on their hips. But when you gain or lose fat, it happens all over your body, including your toes and your fingers. So, you can’t choose to lose fat from certain spots. Start making the effort the right way and results will happen.

The important thing is that you’ve identified an area that you want to reduce and you should get on a plan to help you lose the fat. Use this problem area as a yardstick to measure your progress. But don’t assume that you will only lose fat from your arms and not your shoulders.

So, get on a weight loss plan and lose all that extra weight you’re carrying around. Try it out. It really works. See all our weight loss success stories.

And beware of anyone promising spot reduction!

Running at Lodhi Garden- Stay fit in Delhi

If you’re a runner, one of the biggest challenges in most Indian cities is where do you run? Treadmill running is an option, but if you’ve run outside in a nice park, on a trail, on a hill- you know its a feeling that a treadmill will never get to. The open feeling, the breeze and the nature around you- it is exhilarating.

We’ve come across a few running trails in Delhi. One of them is at Lodhi Garden. Lodhi Garden is a nice park spread over 90 acres in the middle of the city, area called of Lutyens’ Delhi. It contains architectural work from the Lodhi dynasty, back in the 16th century.

The running trail is about 2 km long. The trail is a mix of soft and hard. Parts of it are paved. A good part of it is shaded under the huge trees at Lodhi Garden, which really helps in the Delhi heat. Also, you get some spectacular views of the architecture, of the rich foliage of the park- can be very rejuvenating.

Plenty of parking around the area. There are also toilets in the park, so in case you feel the need to go
Its packed in the mornings and evenings – Lodhi Garden is a popular walking destination.

Need a place to run in Delhi? Here’s a list- Siri Fort Sports Complex, Jahanpanah Forest, Hauz Khas Deer Park. These are all running trails in South Delhi and Central Delhi.

Welcome to Fitho!

Hello,

Welcome to Fitho, your resource to staying fit, while keeping up the busy schedules of living in an Indian metro!

Our goal is to arm you with the right knowledge and tools to achieve your fitness goal.

Fit can mean different things to different people. To some it means losing weight, others it means gaining muscle, and believe it or not, to some it means to gain weight.

Most of the advice is either on nutrition or on exercise. But what works is a combination of exercise and the right diet. So, what we do is understand you (your goals, your schedule, likes, dislikes, motivations) and then provide customized advice on nutrition and exercise with the goal of making to fitter than you are.

Living in the city, we realize the issues that people face when trying to stay fit along with keeping up with everything that’s going on. There’s work, friends, family, social events. Who has time to stay healthy. And health takes a back seat.

But do you ever sit back and think, why am I doing all this? To live a better life. But what is a better life without a fit body.

With a fit body and mind, you live a better life. You have more energy. Through multiple research studies, it has been proven that fitter people are more successful in the long run.

Now, there are plenty people who make new years resolutions to get into better shape (I have to lose my love handles, I have to reduce my paunch and I totally have to lose fat on my butt), but without the right knowledge and tools, they don’t get the results and return to their usual lives.

When they ask for advice, they get a one-size-fits-all-approach. Unrealistic diets. Who can just survive on moong dal all day?! What if you’re allergic to moong dal? What if it doesn’t suit your system? Then, I guess you can’t do the diet!

That’s where we come in. We realise that you need a realistic plan. We’ll get you results by incorporating a health plan into your schedule, without affecting your work, social and leisure time.

Feel free to contact us with any queries that you have: fitness@fitho.in

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