Happy New Year 2015!

Whether 2014 has a fruitful year or not,

Whether 2014 has been a heartwarming or a heartbreaking year,

Whether you've put on extra pounds or lost some,

Whether you've been committed to your health or not,

Whether you've been exercising regularly or not,

2014 is gone now.

Not saying that it's too late here,

Just reminding you that the past cannot the changed.

But the coming year, 2015, can be your year.

It can be the year where you ace it all!

Make 2015 a memorable one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! :)

30 minutes workout routine- Strength, Cardio and Abs

The number one reason which people give for not exercising is TIME. We’re too busy. But not anymore! You can complete your workout and get fit in only 30 minutes a day. Aren't 30 minutes worth the fit and lean body you’ll end up with?

Before you close this window thinking that only 30 minutes of exercise a day won’t help in any way, let me tell you that you’re dead wrong. Thirty minutes of exercise a day may be the magic number to lose weight. A new study shows 30 minutes of exercise a day works just as well as an hour in helping overweight adults lose weight. Researchers found moderately overweight men who exercised hard enough to sweat for 30 minutes a day lost an average of 8 pounds over three months compared to an average weight loss of 6 pounds among men who worked out for 60 minutes a day.

Read More: HIIT–Burn fat faster with shorter exercise time

Here is your 30 minutes workout plan:

The workout program consists of:

• 5 minutes warm-up
• 3 circuits each made up of 3 minutes of strength exercises, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs exercises.
• 4 minutes cool-down stretches

Start with a 5 minutes warm-up:

The whole idea here is to get the body warmed-up and to get blood pumping.

1) Jogging in place

2) Jumping Jacks - Assume an erect position, with feet together and arms at your side. Slightly bend your knees, and propel yourself a few inches into the air. While in air, bring your legs out to the side about shoulder width or slightly wider. As you are moving your legs outward, you should raise your arms up over your head; arms should be slightly bent throughout the entire in-air movement. Your feet should land shoulder width or wider as your hands meet above your head with arms slightly bent

3) Windmills – Stand shoulder width apart. Extend your arms by your side. Start rotating your arms while keeping them straight. Rotate in a forward direction and switch arms for each rotation.

4) High Knee Skips - Bend your knee and raise your upper leg until it’s horizontal to the ground. Similar to jumping rope, the stride requires a double-foot strike pattern, or right-right followed by left-left hops.

5) Lunges - Keep your upper body straight with your shoulders back and relaxed and chin up. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle, not pushed out too far, and make sure your other knee doesn't touch the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Instruction: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds and then repeat the whole thing one more time.

Strength Exercises:

Each move is a "compound" exercise, meaning it targets multiple muscle groups, so you get a really big bang for your strength-training buck!

1) Squat to Overhead Press - Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, elbows bent, a 5-pound weight in each hand at shoulder height, palms forward. Lower into a squat (don’t let knees go past toes); hold for a moment. Push through heels to stand up, pressing weights overhead. Return to starting position.

2) Curtsy Lunge - Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Take a giant step diagonally back with left foot and cross it behind your right; bend knees (as if curtsying) as you reach your left hand toward floor on the outside of your right foot. Return to starting position. Switch side and repeat.

3) Superman - Lie face down with arms and legs extended, toes pointed, palms down. Inhale while raising arms and legs as high as you can; pause, then exhale while slowly returning to starting position.

Instruction: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds and then repeat the whole thing one more time.

Read More: Get Those ZZZs - Insomnia Linked to Health Problems

Cardio Exercises:

Get that heart rate up!

1) High Knees - Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Raise up your right knee as high as it’ll go, and then place the leg back down. Alternate legs and start picking up the pace.

2) Squat Jump - Perform a normal bodyweight squat (keeping the heels on the ground while bending the hips and knees until the thighs are parallel to the floor). Jump up immediately at the bottom of the squat and extend your arms overhead.

Instruction: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds and then repeat the whole thing one more time.

Ab Exercises:

Let’s target that stubborn belly fat!

1) Teaser - Lie on your back with knees bent to 90-degree angles and feet lifted. Tighten abs as you inhale, and lift arms up and back over head. Exhale and swing arms forward, straightening legs so your body forms a V. If needed, put hands on the floor for support. Roll down slowly, bending knees and bringing arms overhead.

2) Opposite Arm and Leg Raise - Begin on all fours, aligning your knees under your hips and your wrists under your shoulders. Raise your left arm to shoulder height and your left leg to hip height. Hold for 2 counts, reaching forward with your fingers and back with your heels. Repeat this exercise on the opposite side.

Instruction: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds.

4 minutes cool-down stretches:

1) Child's pose – 30 seconds: Begin by kneeling on the floor. Lower your butt onto your heels and simultaneously stretch your torso and arms down and forward. Your stomach should be resting on your thighs and your forearms should be on the floor in front of you.

2) Buttock Stretch – 30 seconds each leg: To do a buttock stretch, bring knees up to chest. Cross right leg over left thigh. Grasp back of left thigh with both hands. Pull left leg toward chest. Repeat with opposite leg.

3) Inner Thigh Stretch – 30 seconds: For the inner thigh stretch, sit down with your back straight and bend your legs, putting the soles of your feet together. Holding on to your feet, try to lower your knees towards the floor.

4) Hamstring Stretch – 30 seconds each leg: To do a hamstring stretch, lie on your back and raise your right leg. Keeping your left leg bent with your foot on the floor, pull your right leg towards you keeping it straight. Don’t hold at the knee level. Repeat with opposite leg.

5) Calf Stretch – 30 seconds each leg: For the calf stretch, step your right leg forward, keeping it bent and lean forwards slightly. Keep your left leg straight and try to lower the left heel to the ground. Repeat with opposite leg.

Repeat the strength-cardio-abs circuit so that you perform the whole circuit 3 times.

Take 1 minute rest in between each circuit.

GOOD LUCK! :)

Read More: 8 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight

To boost your weight loss, try an all natural, easy step-by-step way to lose weight with the PROSHAPE All Natural Dietary Pill. CLICK HERE TO ORDER

8 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight

You've been keeping track of all the calories you consume and running miles but haven’t seen the needle on your scale budge at all? That must be frustrating. But guess what? You’ll be glad to know that you aren't the only one! Many people do these simple things which ruin their weight loss efforts in no time. To be able to get back on the right track and start getting rid of that extra weight, it’s absolutely necessary that you are aware of what you've been doing wrong all this time.

MISTAKE NO. 1! You’re misjudging your portion sizes.

Humans, especially dieters, are notorious for misjudging portion sizes, specifically large portion sizes. Research has shown that while we are decent at judging the calories in smaller dishes, we vastly underestimate the number of calories in larger portions and as a result overeat much more than we realize.

Solution: Keep a food journal. Read More: 10 FAQs Diet And Weight Loss

MISTAKE NO. 2! You’re working out too much.

While exercise definitely improves health, it also promotes hunger. Too much exercise can therefore be a barrier to weight loss for some people, because it makes it nearly impossible to control your appetite. Work out just as much as you should but do more effective exercises. Read More: Go for Compound Exercises Instead!

Solution: Exercise but also know when to chill out.

MISTAKE NO. 3! You don’t chew.

Practicing mindful eating is still the best way I've found to slow down, eat less, and enjoy my food more. The problem is that it’s really hard to do. One way to address this issue is to focus on something concrete that forces you to pay attention to the food in your mouth. This is where chewing can help.

Solution: Count your chews.

MISTAKE NO. 4! You aren’t sleeping enough.

Our brains and bodies rely tremendously on a variety of hormones that regulate when we eat and sleep. Because of these circadian rhythms, we function optimally when we eat our meals, sleep and wake at the same time each day. Similarly, too little sleep has been associated with weight gain. Read More: Get Those ZZZs -Insomnia Linked to Health Problems

Solution: Prioritize sleep.

MISTAKE NO. 5! You’re under too much stress.

The stress response system is subconscious; it responds to stimuli and nothing else. Stress causes the body to produce cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone that catabolizes muscle, worsens insulin resistance, and promotes the storage of fat. Read More: Jump Start Your Weight Loss Journey in Just 7 Days

Solution: Take a step back from your life and learn to relax.

MISTAKE NO. 6! You’re adding muscle.

A lot of people complain that they're not seeing the scale move, even though they are losing inches and clothing sizes. Despite these obvious signs that they're getting leaner, they still want to see the scale change. The scale might not always reflect that you've lose weight but ultimately it is the shape of your body and the amount of lean muscle vs. body fat you have that shows you're making progress.

Solution: Don't just rely on the scale to measure your weight loss.

MISTAKE NO. 7! You haven’t given it enough time.

Some people get instant results from dropping carbs, grains, sugar, and vegetable oils, while others have to take a month or more to get acclimated and only then does the weight begin to slide off. Either way, though, this is a lifestyle. You’re in it for the long run.

Solution: Approach it with the right mindset and you won’t get discouraged.

MISTAKE NO. 8! You’ve reached a healthy homeostasis.

It may be that your body has reached its “ideal” weight - its effective, genetic set point. Reaching this level is generally painless and effortless, but it won’t necessarily correspond to your desired level of leanness. Women, especially, tend to achieve healthy homeostasis at higher body fat levels. Breaking through plateaus can be hard enough, but plateaus ordained by the body itself can be nearly impossible. Then, the question becomes: do you want to mess with a good thing?

Solution: It’s probably going to take some serious tinkering with carbs, calories, activity levels, sleep, and stress.

Read More: HIIT – Burn fat faster with shorter exercise time

Spot Reduction - Nothing but a myth!

If you've been doing hundreds of crunches and sit-ups a day in an attempt to lose that belly fat, let me break the bad news to you right now. YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG. What you've been trying to do is spot reducing belly fat and we know now for a fact that SPOT REDUCTION IS NOTHING BUT A MYTH. Unfortunately, yes! We have been bombarded by infomercials which try to make us believe that we can lose fat in specific areas of the body, especially in trouble areas such as the belly, butt, thighs or love handles. This is not how you lose unwanted fat. This ‘technique’ just doesn't work. It would be safe to say that no such thing even exists. The only way you lose fat in those trouble areas is by losing fat all over your body.

Read More: 7 Day Jump Start Plan - Jump Start your Weight Loss Journey in Just 7 Days

To lose fat, you have to burn more calories than you eat.  When you do that, you create a calorie deficit that causes your body to steal more energy from your cells. Hopefully, the ones with all the fat in them.  When that energy is taken, those cells get smaller and smaller, leading to what is, hopefully, a smaller body with more muscle and less fat. Here's where things get frustrating.  The body doesn't only draw energy from the cells in the area we're working.  It gets energy from the body as a whole, which means that leg lifts won't do much for removing fat from the thighs, although they can increase strength and endurance in your lower body (not a bad thing).

Tip: Do whole body, compound exercises. You'll expend more energy doing a squat than doing a bunch of leg lefts.  A squat is a complex exercise that works multiple muscles namely the glutes, the hips, the thighs, the calves and even the core.  A leg lift, especially if you're lying down, only works the outer thigh of one leg. You'll burn more calories by involving the larger muscles of the body - The glutes and thighs in the lower body and the chest and back in the upper body.  Or go even further and do combination exercises like squats with an overhead press. Click here: Go for Compound Exercises Instead!

Read More: Weight Gain? Blame the lack of sleep.

10 easy ways to burn 100 more calories a day

Isn't this good news? You can actually burn 100 more calories a day in easy and simple ways. Rest assured, I’m not going to ask you to put on your gym outfit and sweat it off. What you have to do instead, is slightly modify your routine and watch how you burn those 100 extra calories every day! You can burn 100 calories in just a few short minutes of your day.

1. Take It Outside

Skip the treadmill altogether and walk or jog outdoors. The natural terrain forces your body to work harder and eliminates the use of handlebars for support, which can burn up to 100 extra calories during a 30 minute workout.

2. Burn Calories in Your Sleep

Adding two to five pounds of lean muscle mass can burn an estimated 100 extra calories overnight while you sleep. To boost your muscle mass, up your protein intake and incorporate more resistance and strength training into your gym routine.

3. Get Your Dose of D

Getting enough Vitamin D may help you burn both calories and fat. A 2009 study found overweight women with low calcium levels who took vitamin D and calcium supplements saw a much bigger fat loss than those who didn't. Other research suggests consuming recommended amounts of Vitamin D may allow your body to burn up to 10 percent more calories per day.

4. Meditate

A calorie-busting move that doesn't actually involve moving at all? A short meditation, even if it's an just an eight-count breath in and out, helps reduce stress, and lowers cortisol. When you decrease stress, your hormones are in a better place to burn calories.

5. Break It Up

Set reminder timers throughout the day to fit in three 10-minute walking or stretching breaks. Or, do 10 squats and 10 push-ups against the wall three times a day for a quick total body workout.

6. Try a 'Free' Workout

Use free weights instead of machines during your next half-hour strength training session. “Because your body is recruiting more muscles to stabilize the weight you’ll burn 100 more calories than you would by using machines that allow the rest of your body to relax during the same 30-minute workout,” says Corrective Exercise Specialist Kristen Dusold.

7. Stand Up While You Wait

It may be unrealistic to install a standing desk at your workstation, but staying upright is a must in our largely sedentary daily lives. Standing burns 33 percent more calories than sitting, so skip collapsing onto the folding chairs while waiting for your doctor, or lounging on the bleachers during your son's soccer game.

8. Spice Things Up

When you bite into a really hot pepper, you may notice sweat building on your nose, and feel as if your body is heating up. It is. Those are all little signals that something is going on internally to speed up calorie burning. Studies have found that using a half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper naturally raises your metabolism, so for dinner tonight, consider southwestern chicken.

9. Turn Up The Music

Vacuuming up dog hair for the umpteenth time this week isn't exactly enjoyable, but you might as well make count. Blast your favorite upbeat tunes next time you do household chores and you may just break a sweat. If the movement is twisting-oriented, you more than likely will move your body faster while doing the unpleasant activity.

10. Pace While You Walk

Whether you're arranging play-dates, paying bills, or in the office, take calls on a mobile or cordless phone, and use talk-time as an opportunity to pace around. Before you've gone to the gym or done any kind of real workout, you'll easily hit that 100-calorie mark.

Merry Christmas'14! :)

Merry Christmas! I hope you're all having a good time with friends and family. 

No long paragraphs for you to read today, just wishing you good health. 

Do not forget to sneak in a few minutes of exercise from time to time ;) 

MERRY CHRISTMAS'14! :)

10 Tips to Stay Healthy over Christmas

We all know the drill. It can be INCREDIBLY HARD to stay healthy when you have delicious desserts pouring in from all directions! Yes, it’s Christmas again. It’s the time of the year when you can so easily ruin your whole year’s weight loss efforts. Isn't that freaky? Well, it’s one of the worst things I can imagine happening to me at least! Luckily, there are a few things which we can all do to maintain that waistline. Rest assured, I’m not going to ask you to completely ignore all those delicacies. It’s practically impossible, I know! Just follow these few tips I’m bringing to you and hopefully, we’ll all survive this time of the year. And of course, the Christmas fun will still be there! Your body will thank you for this!

TIP 1: MAKE A PLAN

The party buffet isn't going away, so make a game out of it. For instance, promise yourself six bites of the very best stuff, and that's it, so what will it be? If you know the desserts are great and the alcohol isn't so important to you, pre-plan for it. Put the focus on choosing the very best, most delicious stuff and really enjoying your selections. It'll help you change your mindset from one of deprivation to one of satisfaction.

TIP 2: KEEP THE FOCUS ON FUN, NOT FOOD

Most holidays are associated with certain foods. Christmas at your house might not be the same without your aunt's green bean casserole, but that doesn't mean food has to be the main focus. Instead, throw yourself into the other rituals a holiday brings, whether it's caroling or tree trimming. How about shopping or just hitting the mall with friends? It’s still better than eating all the time.

TIP 3: EVERYTHING STARTS WITH BREAKFAST

If you’re going out in the evening, start the day with a generous bowl of porridge, topped with a handful of cranberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Porridge stabilises blood sugar levels, which helps control appetite later in the day. Also, add a good dollop of probiotic yogurt, which helps boost immunity as well as combat some of the less beneficial effects of the party season, like too much alcohol and not enough sleep.

TIP 4: STOCK THE FREEZER WITH HEALTHY MEALS

Everyone is overly busy during the holidays, and most of us want to spend our time shopping, decorating, or seeing friends and family, which leaves less time to cook healthy meals. Take defensive action several weeks ahead of time by cooking meals intended specifically for the freezer. You'll be thankful later when you can pop one of the meals into the oven or microwave and turn your attention instead to writing out holiday cards with a personal message in each.

TIP 5: FIT IN SNEAKY EXERCISE

Keep up your exercise to counter the food. Visit the gym (usually half-empty at this time of year), take up swimming or go for a brisk walk after dinner in the cool of the evening. Walk the dog. Run. Play cricket in the back yard. Keep up with your regular exercise routine and you won’t feel like you’re actually exercising during Christmas time.

TIP 6: STAY HYDRATED

On the day of a big night out, and the day after, make a conscious effort to drink 6-8 glasses of water, or plenty of herbal teas or diluted juice. Even mild dehydration can lead to a headache and combined with the diuretic effects of alcohol makes maintaining your fluid intake so important. Regular teas and coffee count towards your fluid intake, but caffeinated versions shouldn't make up your full quota.

TIP 7: BE MINDFUL

A comparative three-month study showed that when it comes to weight loss, practicing a mindful approach to eating is just as effective as following a strict diet, indicating that responding to hunger and fullness cues is as important as vowing to skip dessert. So once you're sated, move away from the food, and enjoy catching up with a friend or family member you haven't seen in a while.

TIP 8: MUNCH ON WHAT YOU WANT NOW, NOT LATER

"The trick is to right away load up on all that tasty stuff," says Dr. Smith. If your aunt's artichoke dip isn't the healthiest appetizer, but you love it and know you'll end up having some eventually, take a sampling as soon as you walk in the door. Instead of feeling guilty and defeated, you'll feel like you get to have your cake and eat it too!

TIP 9: EAT SLOWLY AND DON’T GO TO PARTIES HUNGRY

If you are attending a holiday party, eat a small healthy snack before you go. Then try to be mindful of what you decide to eat when you arrive at the party or dinner event. “Don’t stand near the nut bowl and don’t mindlessly pick at food.” Eating slowly is important and you’re advised to set down your cutlery in between bites so that the brain has time to register that you are full.

TIP 10: TAKE A DEEP BREATH

If you feel stressed or anxious, your unconscious response is to take faster, shallower breaths that can contribute to feelings of panic. Practise taking a few slow, deep breaths every so often when you remember or when you feel panic rise. Your pulse will slow to match your breathing and restore calm. Keep telling yourself: ‘I’ve got this. I can do hard things. I’m strong. It will be okay’. I promise, it helps!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2014! :)