7 Ways to Get in Shape without Hitting the Gym

Lifting dumbbells and running havoc on the treadmill won’t classify you in the category of being fit. Fitness is all about management your body, time and the food you eat.

Hitting gym not always give you desired results. Going to gym is good, but not always the best. Yes, these mean machines can at times do wonders but at a very high cost and can punch a big hole in our pockets. With little dedication, motivation and time management we can reap the benefits ourselves as compared to what the mad machines at the gym do for us. So let’s start and we are sure once you finish reading this piece, you will be well motivated with "Do it yourself" stuff!

The Zzzz reaction: Leptin and Ghrelin work like a team. These two bad boys contribute in maintaining energy balance in the body. In the midst of conflict Leptin tells you to leave the table whereas Ghrelin signals you to have another bite. As per a study sleeping less than 6 hours can lead to more than 25% increase in Ghrelin. In other words the less we sleep, the more we carve for a byte or two.. Also deprived sleep results in the fall of Leptin by 20. Thus a minimum of 8 hours of sleep is a "must" to stay in shape and reduce unwanted fat.

Blast from the past: As we celebrated yoga day on 21st June, we retreated the fact that it is the best form of physical activity that one can indulge in.It is also a form of meditation that calms your mind, increases heart function but also gives you healthy bones, flexibility and lower stress levels. Yoga poses such as Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana, UrdhavaHastotanasanas, BaddhaKonasana, gives you slim waist, broad chest, perfect shaped thigh and buttocks. So hit the floor mat and enjoy the asnas.

Brisk Walk: Another form of physical activity, which is a complete workout for the whole body. While walking, it’s our weight that helps in a complete fitness plan needed to be fit. It helps in maintaining weight as well as toning the muscles.

Right way to walk:

• Stand straight, spine should be tall
• Don’t lean back or forward as leaning can strain muscles
• Chin should be straight reducing weight on back
• Arms should be swinging, exactly at 90 degrees
• Maintain an optimum speed.

Push It Up, Pull It Up: Basic exercises such as push up’s, pull up’s, squat, lunges, jumping jacks, high knees, plank and crunches can be easily performed in the comfort of your home. These activities boost stamina, confidence and wake up those lazy muscles and burn all the calories who are pulling your weight up.

Right food mix: Eating is essential for survival but eating right can give whole new direction to your fitness regime and can make it more meaningful. Muscle building foods such as eggs, protein shakes, cottage cheese, nuts, chickpeas, lentils, dairy products, lean beef, salmon, chicken etc can make up for what you lost sweating out to be in shape. Moreover Whole grains and fruits and vegetables should form more than 30% of your diet individually. Muscles need healthy food so as to connect it’s fibres to make a strong and healthy bond.

Loose that flab: Want a perfect shaped body, then the flab around your stomach needs to go. It poses health risk. Reducing the number of beers can be effective, eating less carbs such as cutting back on potatoes, rice, pasta, breads can do wonders around your inflated waistline. Taking more of protein in daily diet and eating healthy fats such as fish oil increases the level of testosterone in body leading to fat loss.

Aerobics: Usually ignored & considered as tiresome, it can help in getting into shape quickly. Aerobics increases heart rate thus enabling the body to handle physical exertion efficiently making you stronger and healthier. It also helps in reducing weight and toning of loose skin.

Last words! One must indulge in biking, jogging and swimming as undertaking such activities not only levitates our mind but also eases pressure and is a great way to work out for whole body.