Oats Oats Oats... Oats Everywhere!

We Indians do not use much of oats in our daily meals. But, these days its become quite a trend, even among us, to consume oats for breakfast. I had 2 kilos of oats lying in my kitchen shelf and I had absolutely no clues how to use them. It looked so dry and tasteless. I tried a few online recipes, but none of them impressed our taste buds.

One cool morning, I craved to eat hot spicy upma for breakfast, but I fell short of rava. Suddenly the thought of mixing some oats flashed my mind. I went ahead and tried mixing rava and oats in 3:1 proportions. To my surprize, my upma turned out so well. Another day, I mixed some roasted oats while preparing poha. Even that was a hit. My ideas went on growing. I added oats while preparing dosa/idli batter in small quantities. It blends so well that no one could guess I added oats in my dosas. 

One fine day, it was time to experiment on my chapatis. I added wheat flour and oats flour in 3:1 ratio. And bingo! There I ended up with soft fluffy chapatis as always.

Given that, oats is so beneficial to health, I want all my near and dear ones to enjoy your usual Indian breakfast, with a little dose of oats in it. Try my below tips and get healthier.

- Simply roast a large bowl of oats in a pan, until it slightly changes its color.

- Once it cools down, take half of it, put it into a mixer & make a fine powder of it. Store it in a jar.

- Take remaining roasted oats and make a coarse powder and store it separately in another jar.

- Use fine powder while preparing chapatis, paratas or akki rotti.

- Use coarse powder in Upma, kesari bath, poha or while preparing idli/dosa batter.

- You may add approximately one-third portion of oats powder to the actual main ingredient. If you are hesitant, use smaller quantities initially and you may slowly increase its proportion.

Some facts on oats:
- Oats are very rich in dietary fiber.
- They have a range of healthy cholesterol-lowering properties.
- It prevents heart disease.
- It reduces the risk of diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes.
- It is known to enhance immune response to various infections.

My First Crochet Project

During my teenage days I have done abit of knitting. But crocheting was a totally new skill for me. I was determined to learn and borrowed few library books, downloaded free tutorials and patterns from the internet. I did have some knotty time with the yarn and the needles.
It was then I found this site which was very helpful to me (links given below). The instructions were so simple and the video helped me a lot to start off.

What you'll need:
- Sufficient yarn : I used roughly 8 rolls
- Crochet Needle: UK Size 12 ( you can use any size depending on your stitch pattern).

Prerequisites:
- First of all, spend at least 2 days learning basic stitches (SC, DC, HDC - a few to name).
- Learn to decode the crochet instructions.
- Last but not the least "dedication" & "commitment" is a must. :)

Once you know the basics, you can begin your project. I personally felt traditional granny squares are the easiest patterns and you will hardly go wrong or make mistakes. I took about 3 weeks to complete this project. I spent roughly 1 hour every day (mostly while commuting to & from office) to complete a 25'' x 25'' baby blanket. Don't forget to block your project at the end to give a proper shape... and now I am so happy n proud about it. Can't wait to begin using it :)

Started on Jan 15, 2011

Completed on Feb 07, 2011

Links:
Granny Square Tutorial:
http://www.hookedonneedles.com/2009/02/learn-to-crochet-traditional-granny.html
Blocking Instructions:
http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/05/block_me_amadeus_1.html

Awaiting Your Arrival

My baby, here I stand awaiting you…

beneath the tree singing songs to you.

Counting months, counting weeks, counting days…

Truly, your existence has brought in such amaze!

My baby, here I stand talking to you…

about all the love and care I have for you.

Counting every single kick and move you make…

I know you are listening to me... you are still awake!

My baby, here I stand dreaming of you…

making all motherly plans for you.

Looking at those shining stars…

I sometimes wonder are you from Venus or from Mars!

My baby, here I stand praying for you…

may God shower all the joy, luck & good health on you.

Child, I consider you as my treasure…

You are now the source of all our pleasure!

My baby, here I write a little note to you…

this is just my way of welcoming you.

With your arrival, comes the moment of utmost glee…

I'm so delighted to say we are soon going to be three!!!

                                                                                - Sunraysgs

Note: This was an entry to one of the contests that I participated online (thanks to Divya for introducing me to it!). Very pleased to say that I won Runners-Up in the contest!

Would love to see ur remarks and suggestions on this :)

*Happy n Excited*

I Can, I Will...

Some of you might have heard about this diet called GM Diet (General Motors Weight Loss Diet). It is a seven day diet program. It is planned in such a way, that it cleanses your internal body and flushes away the impurities within your system. This program is targeted to those who want to lose weight.

During the diet, you need to follow the plan given in their website. You will basically live on fruits, veggies, milk and water for these seven days (for vegetarians). Non-vegetarians however have other options. For more details you can refer to this link:
http://msync.org/health/GeneralMotorsDiet.html

I thought why not give it a try. I do not want to loose any weight. I am however keen on cleansing my body. I am sure it will give a feeling of well being at the end of seven days.
To keep the spirit high, I thought why not blog my experiences :)

Key Factor: Drink atleast 10 glasses of water during this diet program

Day 1: Only fruits:
Eat as much fruits as you want (anything except banana).
So we went to the market and got Apples, Pears, Lychee, Rock Melon, Watermelon & Oranges. I think this will be sufficient for today. Actually I am feeling a little tired already. May be my body is getting prepared for it. :) I will get back with more updates tomorrow.

Day 2: Only Veggies:
For breakfast, eat one large boiled potato. Rest of the day, eat any raw/cooked vegetables of your choice.
I had 1 potato for breakfast. I prepared soup for afternoon (a simple mixture of tomato gravy, onion, capsicum, cabbage, & carrot gratings - cooked with very little salt).
(Check out in the above link for recipe of GM Soup). Also had 1 hour of cardio workout at the gym.

Day 3: Fruits + Veggies (except banana & potato):
I woke up this morning and I knew something was wrong. Man! I felt so weak and dizzy. I drank a big glass of water with glucose and rested for a while. :)
Then I began my day with apple, pears & carrot. For lunch I had watermelon, peach, carrot, cabbage & tender coconut. Dinner was beans, cabbage, tomato, pears & lychee.
You know what, life becomes so boring with only raw fruits & veggies. I realised it just now. I want some junk food. But I cant quit now :P

Day 4: Eight Bananas + 3 glass milk:
Aww finally some change. I was bored of eating only fruits & vegetables. Today I can eat banana & get some calcium out of milk. Also, I will prepare the GM wonder soup for lunch. Hope this day goes on smoothly. Will be back with more updates.

Day 5: Rice + Tomato:
You should feel lucky today to enjoy a bowl full of rice. Drink extra water today to flush off the extra uric acid produced in your body.

Day 6: Rice + Vegetables:
Again today you get to eat 1 bowl of rice and any amount of cooked/uncooked veggies. It was really tough for me to eat plain rice. So I had to break the rule. I ate curd rice with pickles. Hehe. I know, during a diet, pickle sounds a little junk. Afterall, rules are made to be broken :P

Day 7: Rice + Vegetables + Fresh Fruit Juice:
This is your last day of diet, so refresh yourself with fruit juice - as many as you want. Eat one bowl rice and (un)cooked veggies.
In the morning I did not find enough time to prepare juice. So I simply ate apple and drink lots of water. hehe. Let the processing happen in my stomach :P For afternoon I will be drinking kiwi & grape juice, also a cup of brown rice. For dinner it will be some veggie salad and fruit juice again.

Anyone wants to join me, start it rightaway. Lets walk towards feeling better :)

Adi is trying to distract me with Indian sweets, snacks and other junk food. Its right in front of my eyes. But i will not give up. :P
I know I can & I will succeed. Hehe :)

I won... I won... I won!!!

Well, I sometimes try my luck participating in online quizzes or other contests that happen all the time in Singapore local websites. I saw a similar Sony ad which said that I could win a pair of movie tickets if I wrote a creative, meaningful and touching "Thank You" note for my friend.

So, my friend (of course Adarsh) had to send me an e-card (which was an invitation for a movie) after which I had to reply back with a thank you note :) Well, I thought why not write a small poetry and this is what I submitted :)

Sweetheart,

I just want to write a note to thank you...

I always have a great time whenever I am with you...

The sweet person who cares for me is you and only you!!!

I am so grateful for the love you have lent...

I truly appreciate the time you have spent...

I am for sure accepting the invitation you just sent!!!

With lots of Hugs & Kisses.
Rashmi

Wow... and as you can guess... I did win a pair of movie tickets to watch the movie "Bounty Hunter".

Be it big or small, I think this is my first ever online prize and I am sooo happy for it.

Your RUN! Your WAY!

I wondered Aww! I was in such a cosy place then... decades before. Life was so beautiful. Where have I landed today. It feels so strange now. "This way is blocked, you cannot proceed ahead." said the man dressed in khaki, interrupting my thoughts. We all had to take the diversion and move ahead.

The space was very crowded. It was as if a race had begun and everyone were busy looking out for their treasure. I was not well acquainted with the place, and I was not sure if I headed right. I felt its best to follow the crowd and so kept walking along with the rest.

"Simply take a left turn here and you will directly hit the rear entrance to the palace. Its just 5 minutes walk from there." said a passerby.
"I do not advice young girls like you to take that path. You better catch a cab and he will drop you at the right place. It wont cost you much." said another lady. - Oh young girl! I'm flattered. I thought.
"We need to be the first ones to reach the palace. So better hurry up & stop talking to strangers" said another woman to her teenage daughter.

Looking at everyones' pace, I questioned myself Am I into a race or something? It does not really feel like a race when you don't know where you are headed towards. At least there should be some announcements of the race. When did it start and when will it end? Will I be able to reach the finish line ever? I think I better hurry up.

I walked faster, and picked up pace. Soon I realized I had begun to RUN. I zipped past many people and moved faster-and-faster. Sometimes, I would take right and left turns only to realize that I returned back to the original crossroad which I had already passed by few minutes before. This race wasn't like my previous marathons where there were directions and boards indicating the distance covered. In that, you at least know your final destination and how much more is remaining to cover. There is no one to guide you here. Its your race, your way!!!

Not to mention the ups and downs. The scorching heat was melting me. I was sweating like never before. I wondered if I had to spend the rest of my life running like this. Wasn't there a cheat code or something like that which would simply take me to the finish line on click of a button. Hmm... wish there was one.

Did I not mention...? my parents too were with me. Yeah! I was not alone. They kept me moving. I even came across many known faces. My friends, colleagues, teachers, their kids and whole lot of others were all a part of it.

After a long journey, we finally bumped into some refreshments. After hydrating ourselves, we resumed our RUN. There wasn't enough time to relax. Just a few minutes later, I spotted Adarsh amongst the crowd. I never knew he was running too. We continued together from there on. The race was fun. Down the way, we clicked several pictures, met new friends, ate chocolates and cookies... giggling and singing all the way. Probably, by now, I had begun to love running. I don't mind running all my life with such wonderful people around me.

Now, this is what each one of our life looks like. Its a race after all. Before you realize you are into it, you would have begun to RUN. All you do is RUN... Sometimes slower, sometimes faster... Sometimes shortcuts, other times longer ones... Sometimes alone, sometimes with loved ones, and at times... with enemies too...

Well, I began my run somewhere-like-a 2 decades back or could be more than that. Just recently, I realized that it was a hard core race I got into! I am having fun though. Learn to enjoy your journey. Click a few snaps, hold your memories tight. Take breaks, refresh yourself. Talk to your neighbors and make new friends. Nourish yourself and always be prepared for hurdles. You are not the only one. Everyone is into it. Make your journey worthwhile. 

Remember: Life is a journey, not a destination!

Happy Journey Folks!

My mind wants me to run more, but my foot is tired...

I was good at sports in my school days. I always bagged a prize in athletic sports. But as I grew up, I had to concentrate more on studies, and all running activities/sports were left behind. Now, after almost a decade, I have got a chance to enjoy it allover again. Thanks to Adarsh! Thanks to life! :)

We registered ourselves for the upcoming marathon. Adarsh would be running for 22Km and me 7.7Km. He has had enough practice and is confident. But its not the same for me. I had to start my drill from scratch. I did face some problems during the course of practice. I was aware of the general running rules, yet I did not follow some due to which I faced a few severe pain and strain in my foot and ankles.

I am writing this from my own experiences. Some basic stuffs that you ought to know before and during your run:

1. Get the right running shoes.
2. Always do warm up exercises and a little stretching before you run. It is very important that your muscles and body is warmed up to avoid a muscle catch or nerve twist.
3. Drink enough water (before,during and after the run) and stay well hydrated.
4. Always run on flat surface. Avoid uneven surface. This is very important and you wont realise until you experience it yourself. If you compromise on this, you will end up hurting your knee/ankle soon - just like me. :'(
5. You will definitely sweat a lot. So wear the right kind of clothes that breathes and help you feel comfortable.
6. Always listen to your body. "No pain No gain" simply does not work here. If you feel the pain, immediately stop and rest yourself. Pain is an indication from the body asking you to stop doing what you have been doing. So, simply give it a break.
7. Eat healthy - Follow a well balanced diet and make sure you do not eat junk food at least on the day of your long run. If you are running more than 10Km, you definitely need to follow a strict diet atleast a week before your run.
8. You can give yourself a 5-10minutes massage for your legs (ankle, knee, shin muscle) every weekend, which helps your joints well lubricated. Over a long run, this will surely prove beneficial.

Even after taking these extra care, you may simply end up with a sprain or a strain. In such cases, you need to follow the simple RICE treatment.

RICE is an abbreviation for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

• Rest - The pain indicates that you need rest. So stop any such activities that could increase the strain and rest until the pain reduces.
• Ice - If there is swelling, then apply ice several times a day.
• Compression - You can get an ankle guard or a compressive bandage so as to support you ankle.
• Elevation - Elevate your ankle above the heart level when you go to bed. This reduces your swelling.

Even after all this, if it still bothers you, immediately seek help. Go to a doctor, or get a good foot massage from certified professional massage centres. don't sit back and wait for it to heal all by itself ;) like the way I did :)

And then, after your recovery phase, simply drink a litre of water, get on to your fav sport shoes on, ON YOUR MARK, GET SET and GO! Rock it!

Marvels of Acupressure

I started my marathon preparations from December second week onwards. It was exciting to prepare for a long run. I was keen about noting time, distance and speed. The first time all I could run was 1.5Km which took me 10:56mins to complete. It was an easy run. I ran thrice every week and increased by 1Km by the end of the week. I went on well until 4.5Km. I took around 6mins/Km which I consider good enough for me. But then one sad day, this disaster had to happen :'(

Don't know when and how exactly it happened. I did not twist my leg anywhere, may be running at this rate was not fair enough for my flat feet. My right ankle started aching. I knew something was awry. As always, I neglected it and thought it would be fine in a day or two. So, again after 2 days I set out to run. But this time I could only run half a kilometer. Something was seriously wrong and I knew I had to listen to my feet. I went back home immediately and applied some oil and massaged my foot. Alas, it didn't help much. After few days, we got an ankle guard which supported my foot and helped me to some extent. Adarsh insisted that we go to a doctor, but I was reluctant and lazy as always. Pills never worked on my foot ever. I have had sprains and pain in my foot earlier. But they always heal themselves.

15 days of pain and it was high time I do something than just massage, internet guidance, multivitamin tablets and pain killers. Adarsh's manager, an athlete himself, suggested to go to a Chinese Acupressure Center who was specialized in bone ache, muscle pain and sprains.

I now either had to go to the doctor or try this new stuff. Going to the doctor only makes me gulp more tablets. Yuck!!! I hate pills. So, I did some research on the web about Chinese acupressure and thought it was best to give it a try.

We took an appointment and headed towards China Town after work.
The treatment was 25minutes of massage and it cost $20.

The specialist studied my feet and asked if I had any history of sprains or fractures. He soon learnt the exact point of pain. It was amazing. He applied pressure with his thumb and forefinger. Of course it hurt a lot when he pressed at the point where the pain originated. He kept saying "no pain no gain" every 10 minutes. :) I had to bear the pain. He continued applying pressure in different rhythms for nearly 40minutes with his aromatic massage oil.

To my surprise, he could pin-point the pain which I myself did not know. Earlier, I simply massaged my sore foot with visible green veins which had popped up due to strain. He then advised me to take 7-10 days rest though I could carry out my usual activities the normal way. I was advised not to run long-runs for next few days. He almost promised me that the pain would reduce soon.

We returned back home feeling satisfied. A 25 minute massage, which he actually did for almost 45 effective minutes. This was the best treatment I have ever had. The pain during the massage actually made me feel good. Because, now I knew the precise point where it hurts. I knew the pain would soon vanish. I had a good sleep and as you would expect, it was less painful the following days. Now, a week after the treatment, the pain is gone. I would rate 10 on 10 for the wonderful service provided at Chinese Acupressure Centre.







Thanks Eric!

Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009

It was December 6th, 2009. Early morning at 5.30 we were out - all set for the THE DAY!

Adarsh was participating in the Singapore Half Marathon event, and we were very excited about it. With three months of preperations, Adi felt it would take less than 2:15hrs to complete half marathon.

The event started at 6.30 in the morning and there were thousands of people taking part in the event.

Check out the below video of Singapore Marathon 2009.

Event: Adarsh in Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009.

Date: December 6th 2009

Venue: Singapore

Time taken to complete: 2:06:18 hrs

Photography/Videography: Rashmi

Bunny Rabbits

One of Adarsh's colleagues had a lovely rabbit with them which actually had 4 new born rabbit babies. So Adarsh decided to get two of them home. I was surprised to see the two cute, tiny rabbits at home. One is cream in color, with golden spots all around. The other is grey colored rabbit with white spots round the neck.

Adarsh also got along a large cage for it, some rabbit food, hay and bedding for them.
I felt very bad to see the two tiny beings caged and locked up. So I took them to the room, and slowly unlocked the door. The rabbits were very mild and scared to come out. So, I carried them and left them on the floor. They probably lost balance on the mosaic floor. I let them free for a while and then fed them with cabbage and carrots. Then we decorated its cage with bedding, a cloth, a mug filled with rabbit food, and some cabbage.

We soon started hunting for cute names for my cute bunny rabbits. Inu-Tinu, Chintu-Pintu, Sonu-Monu, Chooti-Cutie, Ini-Wini and many more such u's and i's. I din't like a few, few others dint really appeal Adarsh. After lots of other suggestions, we finally decided to go with Chintu-Pintu.

Being seperated from their mom, initial few days had been a tough time for them I guess. Slowly they got friendly and started their pranks. In the morning, we give them some veggies to eat. After coming back from office, in the evening we let them free in the house. They have become so naughty now, that they bite the telephone wires, eat news paper, hide underneath the cot, behind the fridge and play all their pranks on us. They very well know when its time to put them back to cage, so they try to hide away from us. Oh man! its such a tough job to put them back in cage... I tell you! And once they are cooped back, they always try to bite the metallic rods of the cage trying to free themselves. The best part in them it that they dont make the floor dirty. They very well know where and when to pee. Haha...

One fine day, I decided to spent the entire day with them. I sms'ed my boss telling that I was feeling unwell and applied for MC - Medical leave! ;)
Then I got busy feeding my pet. The whole evening, I simply spent clicking pictures and shooting videos. I then uploaded them in the internet, also sent it to all my friends. Funny uh! :) Check out the below video of Chintu-Pintu.

The two bambinos are so lovely and playful that we now never realize how the day begins and how it ends. Its really a mirthful experience with these veggie freaks!

ಪ್ರತೀಕ್ಷೆ

ನಿನ್ನಿ೦ದ ದೂರ ಸರೆದೆ,
ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬರ ಸನಿಹ ಬ೦ದೆ,
ದಿನ ಕಳೆದವು, ಮಾಸ ಉರಳಿದವು
ನಿನ್ನ ನೆನಪು, ನಿನ್ನ ಕನಸು ಕಾಡಿದವು

ಇರಲಾರೆ ಇನ್ನು... ಬರುತಿರುವೆ ನಾನು
ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ನೋಡಲು... ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಸೇರಲು,
ಮನ ಬಿಚ್ಚಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಲು,
ನಿನ್ನ ಕಷ್ಟ-ಸುಖಕ್ಕೆ ಕಿವಿ ಕೊಡಲು
ನೂರೆ೦ಟು ಸ೦ತಸದ ಕಥೆ ಹೇಳಲು,
ನಿನ್ನ ಕೈ ಅಡುಗೆ ಆಸ್ವಾಧಿಸಲು

ಓ ಅಮ್ಮ! ಆ ದಿನ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಬರುತಿದೆ,
ಪ್ರತೀಕ್ಷೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಮುಗಿಯುತಿದೆ!

-ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಮಗಳು,
ರಶ್ಮಿ!

Color Therapy

Color is an integral part of our life. We see color every moment. Have you ever wondered that colors do have an influence on our moods, body, mind and soul? Yes! Colors can have an impact on your life and can make one feel happy, calm, angry, excited and it even has the power to heal.

I guess many of you would have experienced a sense of happiness as you walk through the green lawn. Also, you would have heard that the bull gets wild on waving a red scarf close to its eyes. Have you not felt happier and healthier when the early morning-golden-sunrays falls on your skin? What is the reason for all this? The answer is COLOR!

Yes color has a big impact on your life. If it has the ability to change your moods so easily, it definitely has the power to heal certain problems too. It surely has the mightiness to help you lead a better life. Colors, when used in the right way can improve your lifestyle.

Infact, colors is being used in the world of medicine too. Way back in 1970s, a therapy called Photodynamic Therapy was introduced in the United States, which involved using red light to eliminate tumors and skin cancer.

Below is a list of various colors and its attributes listed in the book named Color Therapy written by Pauline Wills.

• Red - This color is very closely associated with the heart and blood and thus related to love and sexuality.
• Orange - This is a color of happiness and joy.
• Yellow - Yellow radiates warmth and joy. Yellow colors is good for skin and it improves the skin texture.
• Green - Lime Green is known to detoxify the liver. It cools the blood and animizes the nervous system. Light green symbolizes prosperity and success, while dark green is the color of deception.
• Turquoise - This is an immunity-boosting color. It can soote inflammatory conditions, particularly when used along with red or orange.
• Blue - Blue is the color of inspiration and peace.It is associated with sadness and depression. So do not dress in blue, if you are feeling depressed. But, blue can provide relief to people suffering from asthma, BP and stress.
• Indigo - Can you believe that this color has the capacity to induce anaesthesia in the physical body?! Yes, indigo is a painkiller. It helps purify blood stream. Also, it is known to relieve tension and muscular strains.
• Violet - This color can be used in various problems like schizophrenia and manic depression. It also helps to fight against bacteria and virus.
• Magenta - Magenta is a color of letting go - physically, emotionally and mentally.
• White - White contains all colors and is related to innocence, purity and spirituality.
• Black absorbs all colors and is generally associated with evil.

There are many more colors like rose pink, golden, silver, pearl which play significant role in healing or improving our lives. For further information you can refer to this wonderful book "Color Therapy" which is mentioned earlier. It introduces to various colors and its benifits and how color can improve ones life when used appropriately. Also it introduces to some wonderful techniques like Meditaion with Color, Color Breating, Color Massage and others.
So even you can imrpove your life by wearing the right colors, by choosing the right color schemes for you home, using the right colored furnitures and growing colorful plants and flowers in you garden.
Have a bright, colorful life!

Don't go bananas over your weight

"Don't go bananas over your weight. Start with two each morning!

Did you know that enjoying two DOLE Bananas with a glass of water each morning can speed up your slimming efforts?"

Yes! Its true. This is what I read in an ad pamphlet that I happened to get along with the local news paper this morning. They claim that DOLE Bananas aid weight loss in various ways.

Of course, various researches have proved that fruits and vegetables aid in better digestion, and can help in weight loss. The fibre content in them helps curb appetite and also takes away some of the fat content when travelling through your digestive system. I am a vegetarian and I love fruits. There are times when I consume only fruits and fruit juice for breakfast/lunch.

Now, from August 1st onwards, Dole bananas is available at various MRT stations across Singapore - For FREE. Here's what you got to do to lose weight:

1. Record your weight everyday in the morning and mark it on your calendar.

2. Pick your two FREE DOLE Bananas at any of the 8 MRT stations between 7am - 10am (Ang Mo Kio, Dhoby Ghaut, HarbourFront, Orchard, Outram, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, Toa Payoh).

3. Enjoy two DOLE Bananas with a glass of room-temperature water.

4. Repeat it everyday to gain healthful benefits.

For more information about DOLE Bananas, you can visit http://dolebananadiet.com/

As Simple as that! I am going to start my weight-losing-program right from August 1st onwards. How about you?

Zumba Fitness

Working out your body can be fun. But not as much fun as Zumba! Yes folks. Zumba is a fusion of hot Latino rhythms and easy-to-follow moves which is not just a dance but a energetic fitness program that will for sure change the way you look at body fitness and exercise. Its music and steps will surely blow you away.

Zumba is an aerobic fitness program created by Miami-based dancer and choreographer Beto Perez and two others, Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion. I can say that Zumba is a combination of rumba, cumbia, mambo, salsa, hip hop and many more with a mixture of fast and slow moves. It targets areas such as heart, arms, legs, abdomen and glutes. It is considered to be a very good aerobic exercise.

Recently, Jackie Chan's California fitness Club - Novena branch's 3rd anniversary celebration was held at Novena Square, Singapore. And of course, there was Jackie Chan inspiring the crowd with his Body Combat, Zumba Fitness and Boxing sessions.
Check out the below pictures - "Jackie Chan in Action". Its a snapshot of the Zumba Fitness that he is performing on the stage.


(Pictures above: Jackie Chan dancing at California Fitness - Novena Square, Singapore)

I never knew that working out at a gym or fitness club could be so much fun. Body Combat and Zumba are my all time favorites. I suggest each one of you who read this blog to try Zumba at least once. You wont stop once you start!

Lets Zumba!

Body Combat - California Fitness, Singapore:

Body Combat is a cardio work out and a very energetic program where you are totally unleashed. It is a combination of various martial arts like Karate, Boxing, Muay Thai and Thai Chi. It not only stimulates the body, but also the mind to function better. Overall, this cardio exercise with superb and vivid music will help you burn those unwanted carbs and help you reach your goal towards fitness.

It was somewhere the last week of December 2008 that I attended the first ever Body Combat Session at California Finess - Orchard, Singapore. It was Adarsh who dragged me into joining this fitness club. He felt it would be fun for both of us to workout together.

It was a one hour session which started off initially with a warm up, followed by various combat techniques and ended with a cool down exercise. The music was very energetic and the instructor's spirit made the atmosphere more vital.

(Check out the below snap with our instructors on stage.)



Initially I took it easy, and my moves were easy going and less powerful. I could see people beside me sweating out all their carbs while I stood there at ease :)

Within three-five such sessions, I began to love Body Combat. I picked up strength, power and force. My movements improved gradually. Now, its been around six months of Body Combat and all that I can say is: Its simply the best. All you fitness freaks need to explore the magic of BC and its tracks. I am sure you can't escape without being addicted to it.

Body Combat is for anyone and everyone. You need not have to know martial arts techniques to kick start it. Anyone with average fitness level can start Body Combat. One advice I would like to give to you before you set out: You are surely going to get hooked to Body Combat once you start. So watch out! Do not over-do. We - both me and Adarsh, practice it twice or thrice a week and that is sufficient.

Be active! The safest and most effective way to lose weight is to reduce calories and increase physical activities.

Bottom line is: Body Combat Rocks!!!