What is PNF stretching, and will it improve my flexibility?

Undrey/Shutterstock Lewis Ingram, University of South Australia and Hunter Bennett, University of South Australia

Whether improving your flexibility was one of your new year’s resolutions, or you’ve been inspired watching certain tennis stars warming up at the Australian Open, maybe 2025 has you keen to focus on regular stretching.

However, a quick Google search might leave you overwhelmed by all the different stretching techniques. There’s static stretching and dynamic stretching, which can be regarded as the main types of stretching.

But there are also some other potentially lesser known types of stretching, such as PNF stretching. So if you’ve come across PNF stretching and it piques your interest, what do you need to know?

What is PNF stretching?

PNF stretching stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. It was developed in the 1940s in the United States by neurologist Herman Kabat and physical therapists Margaret Knott and Dorothy Voss.

PNF stretching was initially designed to help patients with neurological conditions that affect the movement of muscles, such as polio and multiple sclerosis.

By the 1970s, its popularity had seen PNF stretching expand beyond the clinic and into the sporting arena where it was used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts during their warm-up and to improve their flexibility.

Although the specifics have evolved over time, PNF essentially combines static stretching (where a muscle is held in a lengthened position for a short period of time) with isometric muscle contractions (where the muscle produces force without changing length).

PNF stretching is typically performed with the help of a partner.

There are 2 main types

The two most common types of PNF stretching are the “contract-relax” and “contract-relax-agonist-contract” methods.

The contract-relax method involves putting a muscle into a stretched position, followed immediately by an isometric contraction of the same muscle. When the person stops contracting, the muscle is then moved into a deeper stretch before the process is repeated.

For example, to improve your hamstring flexibility, you could lie down and get a partner to lift your leg up just to the point where you begin to feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.

Once this sensation eases, attempt to push your leg back towards the ground as your partner resists the movement. After this, your partner should now be able to lift your leg up slightly higher than before until you feel the same stretching sensation.

This technique was based on the premise that the contracted muscle would fall “electrically silent” following the isometric contraction and therefore not offer its usual level of resistance to further stretching (called “autogenic inhibition”). The contract-relax method attempts to exploit this brief window to create a deeper stretch than would otherwise be possible without the prior muscle contraction.

The contract-relax-agonist-contract method is similar. But after the isometric contraction of the stretched muscle, you perform an additional contraction of the muscle group opposing the muscle being stretched (referred to as the “agonist” muscle), before the muscle is moved into a static stretch once more.

Again, if you’re trying to improve hamstring flexibility, immediately after trying to push your leg towards the ground you would attempt to lift it back towards the ceiling (this bit without partner resistance). You would do this by contracting the muscles on the front of the thigh (the quadriceps, the agonist muscle in this case).

Likewise, after this, your partner should be able to lift your leg up slightly higher than before.

The contract-relax-agonist-contract method is said to take advantage of a phenomenon known as “reciprocal inhibition.” This is where contracting the muscle group opposite that of the muscle being stretched leads to a short period of reduced activation of the stretched muscle, allowing the muscle to stretch further than normal.

What does the evidence say?

Research has shown PNF stretching is associated with improved flexibility.

While it has been suggested that both PNF methods improve flexibility via changes in nervous system function, research suggests they may simply improve our ability to tolerate stretching.

It’s worth noting most of the research on PNF stretching and flexibility has focused on healthy populations. This makes it difficult to provide evidence-based recommendations for people with clinical conditions.

And it may not be the most effective method if you’re looking to improve your flexibility in the long term. A 2018 review found static stretching was better for improving flexibility compared to PNF stretching. But other research has found it could offer greater immediate benefits for flexibility than static stretching.

At present, similar to other types of stretching, research linking PNF stretching to injury prevention and improved athletic performance is relatively inconclusive.

PNF stretching may actually lead to small temporary deficits in performance of strength, power, and speed-based activities if performed immediately beforehand. So it’s probably best done after exercise or as a part of a standalone flexibility session.

Static stretching may be a more effective way to improve flexibility over the long-term. GaudiLab/Shutterstock

How much should you do?

It appears that a single contract-relax or contract-relax-agonist-contract repetition per muscle, performed twice per week, is enough to improve flexibility.

The contraction itself doesn’t need to be hard and forceful – only about 20% of your maximal effort should suffice. The contraction should be held for at least three seconds, while the static stretching component should be maintained until the stretching sensation eases.

So PNF stretching is potentially a more time-efficient way to improve flexibility, compared to, for example, static stretching. In a recent study we found four minutes of static stretching per muscle during a single session is optimal for an immediate improvement in flexibility.

Is PNF stretching the right choice for me?

Providing you have a partner who can help you, PNF stretching could be a good option. It might also provide a faster way to become more flexible for those who are time poor.

However, if you’re about to perform any activities that require strength, power, or speed, it may be wise to limit PNF stretching to afterwards to avoid any potential deficits in performance.

Lewis Ingram, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of South Australia and Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Most adults will gain half a kilo this year – and every year. Here’s how to stop ‘weight creep’

Allgo/Unsplash

Nick Fuller, University of Sydney

As we enter a new year armed with resolutions to improve our lives, there’s a good chance we’ll also be carrying something less helpful: extra kilos. At least half a kilogram, to be precise.

“Weight creep” doesn’t have to be inevitable. Here’s what’s behind this sneaky annual occurrence and some practical steps to prevent it.

Small gains add up

Adults tend to gain weight progressively as they age and typically gain an average of 0.5 to 1kg every year.

While this doesn’t seem like much each year, it amounts to 5kg over a decade. The slow-but-steady nature of weight creep is why many of us won’t notice the extra weight gained until we’re in our fifties.

Why do we gain weight?

Subtle, gradual lifestyle shifts as we progress through life and age-related biological changes cause us to gain weight. Our:

• activity levels decline. Longer work hours and family commitments can see us become more sedentary and have less time for exercise, which means we burn fewer calories

• diets worsen. With frenetic work and family schedules, we sometimes turn to pre-packaged and fast foods. These processed and discretionary foods are loaded with hidden sugars, salts and unhealthy fats. A better financial position later in life can also result in more dining out, which is associated with a higher total energy intake

• sleep decreases. Busy lives and screen use can mean we don’t get enough sleep. This disturbs our body’s energy balance, increasing our feelings of hunger, triggering cravings and decreasing our energy

Insufficient sleep can increase our appetite. Craig Adderley/Pexels

• stress increases. Financial, relationship and work-related stress increases our body’s production of cortisol, triggering food cravings and promoting fat storage

• metabolism slows. Around the age of 40, our muscle mass naturally declines, and our body fat starts increasing. Muscle mass helps determine our metabolic rate, so when our muscle mass decreases, our bodies start to burn fewer calories at rest.

We also tend to gain a small amount of weight during festive periods – times filled with calorie-rich foods and drinks, when exercise and sleep are often overlooked. One study of Australian adults found participants gained 0.5 kilograms on average over the Christmas/New Year period and an average of 0.25 kilograms around Easter.

Why we need to prevent weight creep

It’s important to prevent weight creep for two key reasons:

1. Weight creep resets our body’s set point

Set-point theory suggests we each have a predetermined weight or set point. Our body works to keep our weight around this set point, adjusting our biological systems to regulate how much we eat, how we store fat and expend energy.

When we gain weight, our set point resets to the new, higher weight. Our body adapts to protect this new weight, making it challenging to lose the weight we’ve gained.

But it’s also possible to lower your set point if you lose weight gradually and with an interval weight loss approach. Specifically, losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain – periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight.

Holidays can also come with weight gain. Zan Lazarevic/Unsplash

2. Weight creep can lead to obesity and health issues

Undetected and unmanaged weight creep can result in obesity which can increase our risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and several types of cancers (including breast, colorectal, oesophageal, kidney, gallbladder, uterine, pancreatic and liver).

A large study examined the link between weight gain from early to middle adulthood and health outcomes later in life, following people for around 15 years. It found those who gained 2.5 to 10kg over this period had an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes, obesity-related cancer and death compared to participants who had maintained a stable weight.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take to build lasting habits that will make weight creep a thing of the past.

7 practical steps to prevent weight creep

1. Eat from big to small

Aim to consume most of your food earlier in the day and taper your meal sizes to ensure dinner is the smallest meal you eat.

A low-calorie or small breakfast leads to increased feelings of hunger, specifically appetite for sweets, across the course of the day.

We burn the calories from a meal 2.5 times more efficiently in the morning than in the evening. So emphasising breakfast over dinner is also good for weight management.

Aim to consume bigger breakfasts and smaller dinners. Michael Burrows/Pexels

2. Use chopsticks, a teaspoon or an oyster fork

Sit at the table for dinner and use different utensils to encourage eating more slowly.

This gives your brain time to recognise and adapt to signals from your stomach telling you you’re full.

3. Eat the full rainbow

Fill your plate with vegetables and fruits of different colours first to support eating a high-fibre, nutrient-dense diet that will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Meals also need to be balanced and include a source of protein, wholegrain carbohydrates and healthy fat to meet our dietary needs – for example, eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.

4. Reach for nature first

Retrain your brain to rely on nature’s treats – fresh vegetables, fruit, honey, nuts and seeds. In their natural state, these foods release the same pleasure response in the brain as ultra-processed and fast foods, helping you avoid unnecessary calories, sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.

5. Choose to move

Look for ways to incorporate incidental activity into your daily routine – such as taking the stairs instead of the lift – and boost your exercise by challenging yourself to try a new activity.

Just be sure to include variety, as doing the same activities every day often results in boredom and avoidance.

Try new activities or sports to keep your interest up. Cottonbro Studio/Pexels

6. Prioritise sleep

Set yourself a goal of getting a minimum of seven hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, and help yourself achieve it by avoiding screens for an hour or two before bed.

7. Weigh yourself regularly

Getting into the habit of weighing yourself weekly is a guaranteed way to help avoid the kilos creeping up on us. Aim to weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time and in the same environment each week and use the best quality scales you can afford.

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At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register here to express your interest.

Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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New research shows how long, hard and often you need to stretch to improve your flexibility

Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels Lewis Ingram, University of South Australia; Grant R. Tomkinson, University of South Australia, and Hunter Bennett, University of South Australia

Can you reach down and touch your toes without bending your knees? Can you reach both arms overhead? If these sound like a struggle, you may be lacking flexibility.

Flexibility is the ability to move a joint to through its full range of motion. It helps you perform most sporting activities and may prevent muscle injuries. And because most daily activities require a certain amount of flexibility (like bending down or twisting), it will help you maintain functional independence as you age.

Although there are many types of stretching, static stretching is the most common. It involves positioning a joint to lengthen the muscles and holding still for a set period – usually between 15 and 60 seconds. An example would be to stand in front of a chair, placing one foot on the chair and straightening your knee to stretch your hamstrings.

Static stretching is widely used to improve flexibility. But there are no clear recommendations on the optimal amount required. Our new research examined how long, how hard and how often you need to stretch to improve your flexibility – it’s probably less than you expect.

Static stretching means positioning and lengthening muscles while holding still. Cliff Booth/Pexels

Assessing the data

Our research team spent the past year gathering data from hundreds of studies on thousands of adults from around the world. We looked at 189 studies of more than 6,500 adults.

The studies compared the effects of a single session or multiple sessions of static stretching on one or more flexibility outcomes, compared to those who didn’t stretch.

How long?

We found holding a stretch for around four minutes (cumulatively) in a single session is optimal for an immediate improvement in flexibility. Any longer and you don’t appear to get any more improvement.

For permanent improvements in flexibility, it looks like you need to stretch a muscle for longer – around ten minutes per week for the biggest improvement. But this doesn’t need to occur all at once.

How hard?

You can think of stretching as being hard, when you stretch into pain, or easy, when the stretch you feel isn’t uncomfortable.

The good news is how hard you stretch doesn’t seem to matter – both hard (stretching to the point of discomfort or pain) and easy stretching (stretching below the point of discomfort) equally improve flexibility.

Stretching doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable. Valeria Ushakova/Pexels

How often?

If you are looking to improve your flexibility, it doesn’t matter how often you stretch each week. What is important is that you aim for up to ten minutes per week for each muscle that you stretch.

So, for example, you could stretch each muscle for a little more than one minute a day, or five minutes twice a week.

The amount of time you should spend stretching will ultimately depend on how many muscles you need to stretch. If you are less flexible, you will likely need to dedicate more time, given you’ll have more “tight” muscles to stretch compared to someone more flexible.

Can everyone improve their flexibility?

Encouragingly, it doesn’t matter what muscle you stretch, how old you are, your sex, or whether you are a couch potato or an elite athlete – everyone can improve their flexibility.

Static stretching can be done anywhere and at any time. And you don’t need any equipment. You can stretch while watching your favourite TV show, when in the office, or after walking the dog to help you relax. It’s a great way to start and end your day.

You can stretch anywhere, at any time. Shutterstock

Although the exact stretches needed will depend on which muscles are “tight”, examples of some very common stretches include:

• placing one foot upon on bench and leaning forward at the waist while keeping your knee straight to stretch your hamstrings
• bending your knee and holding your ankle against your buttock to stretch your quadriceps muscles
• reaching one arm while bending your elbow to stretch your triceps muscles.

However, the best advice is to visit a qualified health professional, such as a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist, who can perform an assessment and prescribe you a list of stretches specific to your individual needs.

As you can see, it really isn’t too much of a stretch to become more flexible.

Lewis Ingram, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of South Australia; Grant R. Tomkinson, Professor of Exercise and Sport Science, University of South Australia, and Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Surya Namaskar serves as coping mechanism for Shambhavi Singh, helps her 'stay energised'

Mumbai, June 20 (IANS) Actress Shambhavi Singh has shared how Surya Namaskar serves as her coping mechanism amid a hectic acting schedule.

Ahead of the International Day of Yoga, Shambhavi, who is known for playing Preeti in the supernatural thriller '10:29 Ki Aakhri Dastak', shared that she underscores yoga’s advocacy for a healthy lifestyle and its profound mental wellness benefits, including a youthful glow and skin benefits.

The actress said: "Yoga holds great importance in my life. With my career and studies, my mind and body are always active, which can affect my health. Discovering yoga's healing power prompted me to make it part of my daily routine. This practice helps me centre myself, keeping me energised and fresh throughout the day."

Each morning, Shambhavi ensures she starts her day with yoga, including Surya Namaskar and meditation.

"I begin my day with yoga and meditation. It helps me stay energised and fresh throughout the day, especially with our hectic shooting schedule for '10:29 Ki Aakhri Dastak', which demands long hours. Yoga helps me cope with the demands, and I recommend everyone spend at least half an hour daily on yoga to stay balanced in this fast-paced life," Shambhavi added.

The show also stars Rajveer Singh, Aayushi Bhave, and Krip Suri.

It airs on Star Bharat, Surya Namaskar serves as coping mechanism for Shambhavi Singh, helps her 'stay energised' | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Consulate General of India in Sri Lanka organised special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life

The Consulate General of India at Jaffna in Sri Lanka organised on Thursday a special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life. The workshop was held at the Chief Secretary Auditorium in Jaffna. The event saw the participation of several dignitaries including Consul General of India, Sai Murali, as well as Chief Secretary, Northern Province, L. Ilaangovan among others.

Taking to social media platform X, CGI Jaffna added that over 150 Sri Lankan officials participated and engaged in learning the therapeutic benefits of Yoga for a healthier life, Consulate General of India in Sri Lanka organised special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life

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Run streaks: is it safe to run every day?

 

Running every day could cause harm to your body. muse studio/ Shutterstock Jonathan Melville, Anglia Ruskin University and Matthew Slater, Anglia Ruskin University

Running is a great form of exercise that has numerous benefits for our health. For instance, people who consistently run at least an hour a week throughout their lives tend to live three years longer and have fewer chronic illnesses, compared with people who don’t do any exercise.

But some people are taking their love of running up a notch – running every day for as many days in a row as possible. This trend is being referred to online as a “run streak”. The rules of the run streak trend are simple: runners must complete a minimum of one mile (1.6km) every day, either on road, trail or the treadmill.

There are some remarkable streaks currently ongoing. Jim Taylor is said to have the longest streak among runners in Britain, having completed at least a mile a day for over 30 years. Globally, the longest streak is held by Jon Sutherland, a US runner who has reportedly run at least mile a day for over 50 years.

These are certainly incredible feats – but what are the effects on the body of running every day? Is it actually safe?

Whether you’re an amateur or professional runner, in order to get fitter you need to follow a training regime that places just the right amount of stress on the body so it can adapt. This is usually done through low-intensity runs and interval training, followed by periods of rest.

When this cycle is consistently repeated over months, runners will notice many changes in their fitness. These include a 5%-10% improvement in maximal oxygen consumption (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use and transport to its working muscles), reduced heart rate during low-intensity runs, and improved ability to use fat for energy. All of these improvements help runners get faster or run further with less fatigue.

But a key element to becoming a better runner is taking rest periods. This allows the joints and ligaments to recover from the stress that running places on them. Rest also permits the body to replenish carbohydrate stores in the muscles, ensuring the body has energy for subsequent training days. Rest days can also help improve a runner’s recovery time between workouts.

But the nature of the run streak trend means there are no days off. This could have many potential pitfalls that runners should know about.

Continual training without adequate rest can cause many harms to the body. In extreme cases – such as ultra-endurance running – mild scarring of the heart can occur.

It can also weaken the immune system by reducing the function of immune cells. This can increase risk of respiratory infections and cause drastic changes in hormones, such as an up-to-40% reduction in adrenaline and testosterone. This may lead to poor recovery between runs and symptoms of overtraining – including changes in mood or muscle damage.

 

Overuse injuries affect up to 70% of elite and recreational runners. Dragana Gordic/ Shutterstock

Runners must also be mindful of potential overuse injuries. These affect up to 70% of elite and recreational runners and could derail a run streak. One of the leading causes of overuse injuries is poor hip-muscle stabilisation in runners. This type of injury is more likely to happen as the training volume increases.

Is there a safe way to run every day?

To complete a run streak safely, pay attention to your training load – a combination of the volume, frequency and intensity of your workouts. It’s pivotal to manage this – taking particular care with the intensity of your runs, since the frequency of training is daily and the duration of runs is at least one mile.

High-intensity runs – such as intense sprint intervals – place more stress on the body and take longer to recover from, compared with low-intensity runs.

There’s also a window when the immune system is suppressed after high-intensity running of up to two hours. Keeping most of the runs easy will not only help you stay consistent, it will also reduce the chances of illness and injuries.

When starting a run streak, consider simply completing the minimum distance required (one mile per day) before gradually increasing the amount of running you do.

If you’re worried about taking days off, active recovery may be useful. This involves doing light exercise on your easier run streak days – such as a very light jog. Or, if you’re willing to break your streak but don’t want to take time off from exercise, you could always go for a brisk walk instead. This allows muscles to recover from the stress of running and can reduce muscle soreness.

Rest days are still strongly recommended, however. Even elite runners have periods away from running or incorporate rest blocks during a week of training. In fact, passive recovery) – which involves doing no exercise at all – is generally considered better than active recovery for helping the body to repair itself and adapt to the stress of training.

Not taking any rest and attempting run to every day could also result in obsessive behaviour towards exercise – and in turn, have negative effects on your body. Before starting a run streak, evaluate whether it’s really in line with your fitness goals.

Running is a great way to improve your health, both physically and mentally. But runners should proceed with caution if they’re thinking of going for a run streak, to prevent overtraining and other risks to their health. Keep in mind things such as intensity and be sure to properly fuel after each run. This will reduce the likelihood of injury and health complications, and should ensure a more enjoyable run streak experience.

Jonathan Melville, PhD Candidate, Sport and Exercise Science, Anglia Ruskin University and Matthew Slater, PhD Candidate, Exercise Physiology, Anglia Ruskin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Healthy eating & exercise can reverse ageing marker in obese kids: Study

New York, (IANS) Eating a healthy diet and doing regular exercise can reverse a genetic marker linked to premature ageing in children with obesity, according to a study.

Like the solid segment at the end of a shoelace, telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes from fraying.

In all people, telomeres gradually shorten with ageing. Various conditions, including obesity, cause premature shortening of the telomeres.

But a six-month diet and exercise programme by researchers at the University of Stanford showed that children's telomeres -- protective molecular "caps" on the chromosomes -- were longer during the weight management programme. However, they became shorter again in the year after the programme ended, revealed the research, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity.

The discovery may help scientists understand how the biological benefits of losing weight, eating healthier, and being more physically active occur.

The findings also imply that telomere length may be a good marker for measuring the benefits of healthy dietary changes, physical activity and weight management, as changes in telomere length appeared to be somewhat independent of traditional markers such as body mass index .

The study included 158 children, all of whom were 8 to 12 years old and had obesity, defined as a body mass index, or BMI, above the 95th percentile for their age and sex.

"We saw that the recommended behaviours everyone knows about -- eating fewer high-fat or high-sugar foods and fewer calories, increasing physical activity, and reducing screen time -- can slow down biological ageing associated with obesity in children," said Thomas Robinson, Professor in Child Health and a Professor of paediatrics and of medicine.

"It's remarkable to see effects on the chromosomes with behavioural treatments," he said.

Understanding how behaviour changes to reduce obesity are biologically linked with other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes would help scientists understand how the process might be slowed or reversed, the researchers said.

"We know a lot about cardiovascular risk for adults, but for kids, we've just said 'obesity is bad,' yet we don't know, biologically, how cardiovascular risks linked to obesity start in children," said lead author David Rehkopf, Associate Professor of epidemiology and population health and of medicine.

"To have this biological measure with a strong genetic component turn out to be changeable when we give kids resources to be healthier, especially over a short period of time, was very interesting and exciting," Rehkopf said Healthy eating & exercise can reverse ageing marker in obese kids: Study | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Wellness in the work place encourage movement

As the awareness around mental health increases, wellness in the workplace should be a priority for every business.

In the United States alone, around 200 million workdays are lost annually to mental health issues. In the United Kingdom, mental health issues account for more than half of the 130 million annual sick days. And, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): “Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year.” These stats should make even the most hardened leaders sit up and take notice. And, for the most part, companies are doing their part to improve wellness in the workplace. In the early 2000s, tech companies like Google and Facebook famously designed their workplaces and benefits around employee wellness. A trend that’s since been adopted globally across all industries. We don’t all have budgets like Google and Facebook, but wellness in the workplace doesn’t have to cost lots of money. It starts with assessing your work environment more consciously and identifying areas to improve wellness and morale. So, how can you improve wellness in the workplace in 2021 for both stay-at-home and office employees?

• Encourage Movement:  Sitting or long periods of inactivity is extremely detrimental to our health. Inactivity has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and obesity. Conversely, exercise improves mental health and gets you in shape. This doesn’t mean you need to get employees doing laps around the building, but perhaps consider encouraging standing desks, walking meetings, or use the stairs instead of the lifts. If your employees work from home, offer them time during the day to go out and walk. You could also encourage employees who live near one another to arrange walks together during office hours.
• Step Counting: One way to get the ball rolling is to start a step count competition. You don’t need any fancy equipment; most smartphones have built-in features to track step count.
• Add a Gym: If your company has the financial resources, consider adding a gym or workout space to your office. You don’t even need lots of expensive equipment. A few sets of dumbells, jump ropes, a few pull-up bars, boxes for box jumps, and perhaps some exercise bikes, and you have a functional fitness room. This facility may even save employees time as they won’t have to make an extra stop at the gym. Less time commuting is definitely better for mental health! If you can’t afford a gym or most of your people work remotely, consider subsidising a gym membership for employees.
• Encourage Meditation: Encouraging mindfulness and meditation can be incredibly beneficial for wellness in the workplace. Mindfulness practice doesn’t have to be complicated. To get started, encourage employees to close their eyes and focus on their breathing for several minutes. Simple. You could also create silent rooms with comfortable lounge chairs or bean bags where employees can sit in silence while they meditate. A simple solution could be to offer employees a paid meditation app subscription or mindfulness packs to get them started.
• Gratefulness Workshops & Book Clubs: Part of being mindful is being grateful for life, what you have and where you are. Hosting gratitude or gratefulness workshops allow employees to share ideas, books or experiences that have helped them. A book club is another way for employees to exercise the mind and interact with each other. You could encourage books about productivity, business topics, and self-help, which might uncover new strategies and ideas for the company.
• Encourage Better Eating Has your office got a vending machine or snack tray filled with biscuits, chocolates, crisps, and other sugary or salty snacks? According to the UK-based Mental Health Foundation, what we eat may affect both mental and physical health. “One 2014 study found high levels of wellbeing were reported by individuals who ate more fruit and vegetables.” With that in mind, why not ditch the unhealthy snacks and offer your employees healthier options. You don’t want to be a complete killjoy, so perhaps have Friday as a cheat day ;). If your company has a wellness budget, consider subsidising your employees’ groceries for items like fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and other organic produce.
• Afterhours Cooking Classes: Another way to build morale and get people eating better is to arrange a cooking class. These classes are a great way to have fun while learning to cook simple, nutritious meals, which benefit employees and their families.
• Remind People to Drink Water: In addition to better eating, you should encourage employees to drink more water during the day. Dehydration causes unclear thinking and mood changes, things you want to avoid in a productive workplace! According to the NHS, we should be drinking between 6-8 glasses of water per day.
• A Pet-Friendly Office: The benefits of interacting with animals are proven to reduce stress and anxiety. A study by the University of Southern California found that “pets in the workplace reduce stress and nurture productivity.” Designing a pet-friendly office can be challenging, especially for employees who either don’t like animals or are allergic. For this reason, you might want to consider designated office space for employees who wish to bring their pets. The added benefit of bringing a dog is that dogs need to be walked. Regular dog walks will encourage exercise, which goes back to our first recommendation: getting employees to move more during work hours. If you can’t have animals in the office, consider a volunteer program at your local pet shelter as part of your company’s corporate social responsibility. Employees will get the mental health benefits of interacting with animals and physical exercise.
• Add Plants to the Office: Nature has a profound effect on mental health. Adding plants to the office could be another way to improve wellness in the workplace. Plants or a live wall are also great ways to break up an office to create different spaces or departments without separating people with glass or walls.
• Add a Yoga Studio: Like a gym, a yoga studio would be a fantastic way to incorporate exercise and wellness in your workplace. A yoga studio could double as your meditation room. The beauty of yoga is that employees can do it anywhere, even from home. If most employees work-from-home, you could host daily or weekly virtual yoga classes.
• Join a Corporate Sports League: Another way to encourage exercise is to join a corporate sports league. These leagues are in most major cities worldwide and include sports like cricket, indoor football, five-a-side football, softball, netball, volleyball, and more. If you can’t find a corporate league in your area, invite clients, competitors, and suppliers to start your own. Corporate sports leagues allow employees and management to interact in a “relaxed” environment outside of work, ultimately building camaraderie within the office.
• Make the Office Fun: Sterile office environments kill creativity and can be depressing places to work. Some offices have foosball, mini basketball hoops, table tennis, a pool table, hula hoops and other activities to keep employees entertained. These sorts of activities also encourage mingling between departments which could help share ideas and boost overall morale.
• Conclusion: Many of these suggestions might seem like distractions from work, but humans must be healthy and happy to be productive. We spend so much of our waking hours at work; making it a place people want to be is essential not only for wellness but for attracting and retaining the best people for your organisation.We have to consider a holistic approach to wellness in the workplace—mind, body, and soul. Wellness in the work place encourage movement

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How To Identify & Utilize Your Talent

Do you lack self-esteem? Are you not confident about your abilities? Do you feel you don’t have talents? This post is for you. If you’re experiencing an identity crisis, don’t worry; you belong to the majority. The following are ways to identify and utilize your talent for your good.

Taking a life assessment

If you take a life assessment, you can discover your potential in life. With this assessment, you will know your performance in various aspects of your life. So, it can give you an idea of what field you need more of your attention in.

Additionally, personality tests are an effective way to know what excites you. You may use a tool that will assist you in understanding patterns in your complex personality. It will also help you know your life motivations. Once you identify the category you belong to, you begin to view your weaknesses and strengths in your daily living clearly. You can take advantage of it on your first date, job interview, and other high-stakes life situations.

Ask the opinion of your friends about your worst and best qualities

Another way to discover your talent is to ask your friends about your qualities. Be ready since they will be honest with you. You can ask your trusted friends about your strengths and weaknesses and find out how different people see you. It is a helpful indicator to discover your talent. As you understand how others see you, you can understand which aspects of your personality need to change and improve.

Determine what makes you feel strong

There are circumstances that everything feels light and easy. There are also times when you feel your strongest. You can use it to find opportunities that make you feel that way. For example, if you’re good with children, you can volunteer in an after-school program. Make sure to use your strengths to make you feel satisfied, motivated, and strong.

Ask your family about the things you love when you’re a child

The people who have known you the longest are the people who know you best. So, you can ask your family about the things you loved when you were a kid. For example, if you love to play specific sports, makeup stories, play alone or with your friends, read books, draw, write, and more. If you love these things, you may still love them today.

Identify the things you spend the most of your money

Usually, you spend your money on the things you desire. It will help you know what you value the most. If you observe that you spend most of your money in a fitness class, it’s a sign of your athleticism. You can also pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Write a journal

You can also write a journal to know your talents. You can keep a journal of your thoughts and experience to reflect on what you want in life. It can help you discover what you desire. You can use writing to find the answers to your questions and what you need.

With a journal, you can also list your strengths and weaknesses. So, you can find out the aspects that you want to change and improve. Even more importantly, you can also set goals aligned with your strengths.

Look for talent in other people

It is also helpful to look for talent in other individuals. With this, you can get inspiration on what things you’re good at. You can identify if you have similar skills and interests with others. Seeing the talent of others can also help you get connections and opportunities as you discover yourself.

Be ready for change

As you grow older, your tastes may change, and you can develop other strengths. You should be ready to face change in your life. Allow yourself for change to determine your new talents. If you’re open to change, you can survive any challenges that you can encounter in your life.

Think of the things you’re thankful for

The things you’re thankful for can also help you identify your talents and utilize them. Ask yourself about the things that you’re blessed with. Are you a good writer? A good teacher? Are you good at sports? With that, you can understand your talents and enhance more of them.

Take stock of your music, book, or movie collections

The media you consume can say a lot about your taste and values. It is an effective identity maker. Your collections of books, movies, and music can tell about your interests. It can also help you with your talents.

Why is it important to know your talents and utilize them?

Your talents are blessings that you need to be thankful for. In addition, you should also use them to help you enhance your growth and success. You may not know it, but your talents can help you determine your love job. The following are the reasons why you should identify and use your talent.

Enhance self-confidence

If you know your strengths, you can enhance your self-confidence. You will be more inspired to hone your skills and abilities with this.

Improve your life quality

You can apply your talents to get your dream job as you know your talents. You can also determine your interests which can make you happy and satisfied. With this, you can live the life you desire.

Self-fulfillment

If you’re blessed with talents, you can have self-fulfillment. It is beneficial to trust yourself and handle different challenges that you can encounter in your life.

Allows you to discover your passions in life

If you discover your talents, you can also understand your passions in life. With this, you can give more attention to what you need to focus on in your life.

Conclusion To sum it up, talent matching can help you discover your hidden talents. With this, you will know your strengths and weaknesses. By knowing your abilities, you can utilize them to improve your life quality. How To Identify & Utilize Your Talent | HR News

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Love At First Fight

Divya Unny at practice during a Kalaripayattu class at IIT Mumbai (Photo: RITESH UTTAMCHANDANI)

BY Divya Unny: Gyms were too cold. Yoga was too slow. Going for a jog required too much discipline, and a swim was too expensive in Mumbai. For years, I was ready with an excuse when it came to pushing my body—partly because I’m blessed with the metabolism of a new-born and partly because I never really craved a regular workout. With the lifestyle a city like Mumbai offers, you spend half your time swinging out of local trains, and the other half, working towards never having to take such trains again. As a result, your body is more or less warmed up most of the time. Plus, the secret motto of my subconscious was: ‘You are thin, why not wait until that extra layer of fat accumulates, if it does?’ All that changed towards the end of last September when I dunked myself into a 21-foot deep kuzhi kalari (underground mud pit) built on the edges of Adishakti Theatre camp near Auroville, about two hours from Chennai. To the smell of incense and the chill of wet earth, we, 20 young artists from various cities, attempted to accomplish the initial few moves of India’s oldest martial art form. We were being introduced to kalaripayattu as the first step of our actor’s training workshop. Most of us were from a space where martial arts were part of pop culture (read Jackie Chan, and in my case, Mammootty) than real life. As a Keralite, the state where kalaripayattuoriginated, for me it was about flying bodies, the clinking of metal arms and thoroughly choreographed combat moves that could only be mastered by training from a very young age. To pursue it in everyday life seemed far-fetched. That was among many other perceptions about to be shattered over the next 11 days. Our mornings would begin at 7 am in the kalari that was dotted with deities in each corner. If legend is to be believed, we were training in a 3,000-year-old spot that had hosted some of the greatest warriors of all time. The energy within the mud pit engulfed and cocooned us from the outside world for that one hour. “Kalaripayattu was always taught in isolation, away from the prying eyes of the enemy. It prepares you to combat the brutalities in the real world,” said our master Vinodji when we asked him about the significance of the closed space. With the flicker of the flame shining in front of the deities, we warmed up. We began learning the vadakkan (northern style ofkalaripayattu) by paying salutations to a seven-tier platform symbolising the seven stages of the art form. Some of us were classical dancers, others had dabbled in tai chi and taekwondo, and a few owed their flexiblity to gym equipment. But as we began with the kalari moves, our bodies surprised us. In a half sitting position for almost a minute, I was losing sense of my shin. My torso was parallel to the earth and arms extended straight following my eye line. Sweat that began accumulating on my forehead was now making the ground around me moist. “Focus on one point,” is what I thought I heard Vinodji say. As a Bharatanatyam dancer, my body was used to gravitating towards the ground, but kalaripayattu demands that you be as close to the earth as possible. It was challenging, and we had to find a motivation we did not know we had within us. The crouches, the leaps, the kicks, every thump of the leg, every cross-split, every scissor cut we attempted drew inspiration from the raw power and sinuous strength of animals; moves graciously borrowed from the lion, the tiger, the snake, the elephant, even the cock. The first few days were pain-ridden, but the key was to keep focus. What amazed me was that after an intense hour of class, I’d never feel out of energy. Instead, I felt a source of strength unleashing itself at the navel point. It empowered me like no other physical activity had. For the first time in 30 years, my body craved being wrung in ways it didn’t know it could be. “The form is so organic that it brings you closer to nature. You draw energy from the earth. It makes you agile, and once you really discover it, it’s a different kind of high,” says Nimmy Raphael, 32, the actor who coached us after our kalaripayattu sessions. Those 11 days had started something, and it was a fight I knew I couldn’t leave half way. Once I was back in Mumbai, I immediately enrolled myself for classes. The classes were conducted by Belraj Soni, kalaripayattu instructor at Mumbai’s Somaiya College and founder-director of Navaneetham Cultural Trust, Thrissur, Kerala. He had been teaching the art form for over 20 years. The sprawling sports ground at IIT Mumbai, where it was conducted, was however far removed from the quiet mud pit I had crawled out of in Auroville. There were students playing basketball on one side, hockey on the other, and right in the middle were 30 of us, kalari beginners, bare feet, with our bodies the only instrument to work with. Distractions were aplenty, and hence the challenge to combat them. Young and old, people from various walks of life diligently followed the Malayalam instructions the moves were coupled with. “Edathu neere, valathu neere, edathu neere, valathu neere,” Belraj Sir would say, instructing us to kick our legs one-by-one high up in the air and back. We trembled, limped, sometimes even cried our way through class, but did not give up. We performed in track pants instead of the traditional half dhoti, but the appeal of kalari went beyond its costumes. “Eight years ago, when I started practising it in Mumbai, barely two students were actively involved. Now, due to the overwhelming response, I am forced to limit the seats on a first- come-first-served basis,” says Belraj, who has trained over 600 students from Mumbai so far. Of late, the art form has found resonance with urban folk irrespective of age or gender. Like 17-year-old Poorvi Bellur and her mother, 45-year-old Sumana Srinivasan, who started learning it together a month ago. “I have a really stressful schedule because of my 12th grade boards. So there’s a different kind of satisfaction coming out here and letting yourself get physically beaten up. You feel like you have done some substantial work, which you don’t after six hours of studying,” says Poorvi, who has also been a classical dancer for 12 years. “The aggression of martial arts wasn’t something I really saw myself doing. As a dancer, my physical exercise has always been paired with some amount of aesthetic appeal. But that perception of kalari being aggressive has completely evaporated.” Sumana is a patient of rheumatoid arthritis. “I was always told by doctors to keep my body active. Yoga and a few other forms helped, but I was always curious about kalari,” she says, “I was most concerned about my knees and elbows, as they don’t have a complete range of motion. But with kalari, when I started doing the squats, my quads got very strong. My knee and shoulder pain has considerably reduced and I haven’t had the need to take painkillers ever since I started learning it.” I discovered that kalari in Mumbai was finding students in ad executives to housewives to PhD candidates. “I could barely climb two flights of stairs before I started practising kalaripayattu. It’s the kind of workout that works on your body and your mind. I feel way calmer and better equipped to deal with the kind of rushed lifestyle I lead,” says Priya Anchan, a 30-year-old brand manager at Lowe Lintas who has been training for over a year now. “My mother thinks I’ll build muscles and no one might marry me because of this,” she adds with a smile, “but that’s a misconception.” Purists may express dissent over the art form being perceived primarily as another method of exercise, but there is no dispute about its rising popularity. “It is good that awareness is increasing. Other forms of martial arts, gymming or aerobics concentrate on improvement and strengthening of one’s physique, but it doesn’t work your mind. Kalari aims at the balanced growth of both. The training is more acute and time consuming. It cannot be treated as a hobby,” says Belraj. As an actor, there are few tools that have helped me hold my own on stage as much as kalari. During performances, I am more aware of my body and consequently more in control of it. There is a sense of calm that has replaced the incessant nervous energy that would often rule me on stage. Kalari has always been used as a form of self-expression. But I am now able to identify the train of thought behind a series of contemporary works that have used the art form to communicate their stories. I am particularly intrigued by the Bengali play Tomar Dake, conceptualised by Theatre Shine, a group of under 25-year-olds from Kolkata. The play is a visually striking portrayal of social injustice and violence, where kalari motifs are glaringly used to symbolise growing anarchy. Says its director Suvojit Bhandopadhyay, “We specialise in psychophysics threatre, and the history of the art form worked for us. We trained in kalari for about four months before applying it to text. We used the kalari pranam to symbolise a new ruling power emerging within states. The attack and defence modes inkalari became a strong and aesthetic tool for us to portray social violence.” +++ For others, like the artists from the Adishakti Theatre group, founded by the late Veenapani Chawla, kalaripayattu is a way of life. So too for Nimmy Raphael, popular for reprising the mythological figures Laxmana and Kumbakarna in her play Nidrawathwam. “I’m a performer who doesn’t feel gender on stage,” she says, “I don’t have a very feminine body, neither do I feel very masculine. Kalari helped me with my journey in being able to transcend gender on stage. Whatever movement you do, it forces you to find something. It trains you psychologically as an actor, it lays down the basics of your movements.” Be it the Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bangalore or National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, kalari is being used by institutions to add aesthetic and emotional appeal to works of art. This includes a recent play called Zubaan, where I perform a series of monologues to promote gender sensitisation. The play, which also has Tom Alter, requires me to act out an attack sequence as a rape victim, and to my surprise while choreographing my moves, I found myself using several kalari stances. The role, which began as a disturbing experience for me, has transformed into one where I feel better equipped to fight the perpetrator. That was perhaps also the reason for my response when my learning was recently put to test in real life. It happened one evening about five months into my kalari training. I was riding in an autorickshaw to the IIT ground. A minor dispute with the auto driver turned into a fight that had the burly man grab me by the collar, threatening to slap me right across the face. He was twice my size. But something within me nipped my fear. I did not attack him, but I found the strength to undo myself from his hold and turn him over to the police. I missed class by 45 minutes that day. “You should have done theashwa vadivu on him,” one of my kalari girlfriends told me. It was the day I realised I have a long way to go. The martial art form helps centre the mind, keep the body in shape, and for urban women living in an increasingly turbulent environment, it is an ideal tool for self-defence. “My confidence levels have increased a lot,” says Dilna Shreedhar, a 26-year-old PhD student, “The way I sit, carry myself, my personality, my walk, everything has changed. I am short and small of frame, and I often felt weak, but now I feel like I have the inner strength to deal with anything that comes my way.” We are currently learning attack and defence moves. “Look into the eyes of the person you are attacking,” Belraj Sir would reiterate. Each time he’d pick me as his opponent, I’d anticipate the pain and cringe. There are days when we students compare the blisters on our forearms, but this is only a minor price to pay. We’re gradually hoping to be introduced to sticks and daggers and swords. Full training demands a temple-like environment and a residential schedule with one’s guru. I hope to get back soon to my mud pit for a month-long workshop. But before that, I need to perfect my split. “Push, push yourself a little more,” the instructions go. Believe me, I’m trying. Source: OPEN Magazine

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Chocolate milk claimed as the best drink to recover from workouts

London: Chocolate milk is the best fitness drink, and has been preferred by the health conscious, a new research has revealed. Even the most basic version of its shake was found to top  “isotonic”  drinks  such  as  Powerade, Gatorade and Lucozade at helping the body recover from workouts. Physiologist Dr Michael Saunders of America’s James Madison University in Virginia hailed choc-flavoured milk “a unique beverage” at an Institute of Physics conference on the science of exercise. Saunders' tests showed that the drink's benefits came from its carbohydrate-to-protein ratio, plus its electrolytes and blend of minerals including calcium and potassium. He said it was just as good as isotonic drinks if not more effective, and also said it was cheap, a media report said. His research follows previous studies showing plain milk to be a good choice for athletes after training sessions. Source: Indian Expres

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Billy Slater challenges Aussies to get fit

NRL legend Billy Slater is inspiring Aussies to lead healthy, active lifestyles

with the launch of two exercise videos and a national competition in an exciting new campaign for Australian Bananas. The two workout videos, to be launched on YouTube and Facebook on 13 March, comprise a mix of fun, quirky and challenging exercises for Aussies of all ages to enjoy. The first video is tongue-in-cheek and features Billy teaching ‘Two Bananas’ how to try a couple of simple exercises with hilarious results. The other video is ideal for people who want to discover Billy’s approach to training and incorporate them as part of their normal exercise routine. The former Queenslander, who grew up in banana-growing region Innisfail, said he is a massive fan of ‘Nature’s Long Lasting Energy Snack’ which plays an important role in his health regime. “Part of my routine includes stretching before and after exercise and drinking plenty of water. I also love having a home-grown banana to keep my energy levels up and to help me stay focused. So if you want to achieve your health and fitness goals, ditch the no-nos and go for the na-nas,” Billy said. “Australian bananas are perfect to eat before trying my fitness videos, because they give you longer lasting energy. Being a dad of two young kids, I also try to make sure that they eat bananas too, as an ideal alternative to unhealthy, highly-processed food and drinks,” he said. Australian Bananas Accredited Practising Dietitian, Glenn Cardwell, said while bananas are full of energy, they have no fat or cholesterol, so are great as part of a balanced diet or weight loss program. “Foods that are high in carbohydrate and low in fat are perfect and crucial for topping up the natural energy used by muscles. That’s why bananas are great for active Aussies. Not only do they taste great, they’re also nutritious and packed full of vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, potassium, fibre and antioxidants,” he said. To celebrate Billy Slater’s 10 year partnership with Australian Bananas and the launch of the ‘Get Fit with Billy’ videos, Australian Bananas is running a national three week competition to win the ultimate fitness experience with the Rugby League star - a two hour boot camp. 

• Visit: facebook.com/australianbananas to enter the ‘Get Fit With Billy’ competition and download the videos.

For more information:

• Fleur Maxwell-Garrett
• Crossman Communications
• Tel: +61 02 9361 6099
• Email: fleur@crossmancommunications.com.au

Source: Fresh Plaza

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Hrithik Roshan's body in 'Krrish 3' will wow audience, says trainer Kris

Mumbai Superstar Hrithik Roshan has left no stone unturned to get into shape for his upcoming superhero film Krrish 3 and his trainers vouch for his dedication towards fitness. There were reports that Hrithik was in a bad shape both physically and mentally, with injuries and issues in his personal life. But he has managed to bounce back in a short time with an excellent physique for Krrish 3with the help of famous American trainers Kris Gethin and his wife Maraica Johnsoone. "He (Hrithik) is good as a student and I appreciate his hard work. It made my job easy. And no wonder why he is at the top as an actor as he is very dedicated towards his work," Kris told PTI. Krrish 3 is an superhero science fiction, produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan. Kris had seen the previous version of the films before working with the 39-year-old actor on Krrish 3. "I had seen his film and him and the images as to how it (character) looked like. When he came to me...he was am I able to attain that again, can I look like that again. He attained the results in short time and then progressed upon," he said. "Its (body) 110 per cent better than what he has done in the past. I am sure people will be blown away seeing him on screen. His physique is better.. he is more muscular and athletic in Krrish 3," the trainer added. Source: Express India

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Fauja Singh shines at last race

A 101-year-old Sikh believed to be the world's oldest distance runner retired Sunday after ending his last race in  Hong Kong  on a high,  describing  it  as one of the "happiest days" of his long life. Fauja Singh,  nicknamed the Turbaned Tornado, finished the 10-kilometre (6 mile) run at the Hong Kong Marathon in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds -- half a minute faster than at the same event last year."Today is one of my happiest days," the Indian-born British national, who only speaks Punjabi, said through his interpreter after he crossed the finishing line with a broad smile and waving the Hong Kong flag. "I felt so fresh and so good. I felt I'm full of power today. "I will remember this day and I will miss it, but I will not stop running for charity," added Singh, who was mobbed by supporters when he completed his final competitive event. The centenarian, who was a farmer in his home state of Punjab before settling in England, began running at 89 and has since completed nine 42-kilometre (26 mile) marathons in London, Toronto and New York. His best time was in Toronto, where he clocked five hours, 40 minutes and four seconds. The great-great-grandfather, who turns 102 on April 1, has said that while he is quitting competitive events, he will not stop running for personal fitness. He was inspired to take up marathons after he saw television coverage of one 12 years ago, not long after the death of his wife and a son, at a time when he said he needed a new focus in life. Although widely regarded as the world's oldest marathon runner, Guinness World Records has not certified him since Singh cannot prove his birth date. He has said there were no birth certificates available when he was born under British colonial rule. Fauja Singh shines at last race - Hindustan Times

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Attention! Meet the newest Men’s Health cover star army boy Captain Charles Powell (and his winning six-pack)

Halt! Charles Powell has been crowned the winner of the Men's Health Cover Model Competition 2012

It's the magazine that describes its reader's as 'active, successful, intelligent men' whose rippling abs grace its cover month after month. And now, after sifting through hundreds of entries, the readers of Men’s Health have spoken and chosen the winner of the iconic title of Cover Model 2012. Meet Charlie Powell, a 32-year-old army captain from Stamford in Lincolnshire, who has been crowned with the prestigious title of Men’s

Read all about it: The October issue will feature the full interview (and plenty of pictures) of this year's winner Health Cover Model 2012. 

Charlie, who features on the cover of this month’s Men’s Health, raked in a staggering 4,270 votes to win the title and is sure to have appealed to the women who like their men in a uniform. He has trained at the prestigious Sandhurst, where he built his toned physique and prides himself on his

Guns of steele: Charles trained at Sandhurst and has completed two tours of Afghanistan

ability to strap 100lbs of kit to his back and fight in any environment in the world.'If that does not embody fitness I don’t know what does,' he said in his application. His level of fitness has helped him to complete two physically demanding tours of Afghanistan and he has pushed himself to his physical limits. He said: 'It's extremely important for my job to be fit, as a Captain in the Infantry, I am expected to lead my men from the front in extremely arduous and dangerous conditions. Being fit in my jobcan quite literally save lives.' He embodies the magazine’s ideal of motivating himself to stay in great shape, wherever he might be. 'I never wanted to work in an officeTravelfwd+: Attention! Meet the newest Men’s Health cover star

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'Size-zero' Bebo calls Vidya, Sonakshi fat?

Agencies, New Delhi, Kareena Kapoor who has lost oodles of weight for Halkat Jawani, her Heroine song, says she's back to her size zero look. The actor also slammed 'fat' actresses like Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha who love their curves. Wonder if she has forgotten her 'plump' days! The actress tells TOI: "I have gone back to the size-zero look I had in Tashan, but this time it is curvier. I wanted this body for my item song in the film. Since it is a rigorous and raunchy number, I decided to go for a slim and sexy look. But I still have curves in the right places. It may be a trend now with some actors, but I definitely don't want to look plump or fat!"  When mentioned that Vidya and Sonakshi aren't just comfortable with their curves, they're calling it sexy, Bebo told the daily, "Being fat is not sexy! Anyone who says that is talking crap. Voluptuous is sexy, but fat is out. Any woman who says she doesn't want to be thin is talking nonsense. It's every girl's dream." Kareena goes on to give tips for sexy body: "The key to a sexy figure is a great diet, combined with the right exercise. Rujuta combines fat and protein, and tells me to eat everything in moderation, and every two hours. She keeps changing my diet so that my body doesn't get bored. I recently went to Turkey for eight days and it was more like a health trip. I was training twice a day and was on a strict diet. I ate salads, hummus with pita bread, strawberries and olives. For dinner, I had an Indian cook make daal, rice and sabzi," the actress tells the newspaper. "I did my regular yoga exercises there too. I do 40 minutes of asanas and 50 surya namaskars," she added. Kareena her her plump avatar Earlier Kareena had defended her plump avatar: "I think size zero was at a time when my role and character needed it in a film. Everybody is relieved now and so am I. Yes, I am feeling good," she had said at EMAET promotional event in Dubai. "Saif likes me fit, but voluptuous. He doesn't like me too thin," Bebo had admitted. Source: Hindustan Times

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