I have been experiencing pain in my heel and sole in the mornings but it vanishes after some time. But when I walk for 10-20 minutes, the pain resurfaces. I am 65 years old and have no major health problems. How can I get rid of the pain as I need to walk to digest food.

Answered by our expert Kris Gethin, a qualified sports therapist.

You may want to look into several conditions that could be causing the pain you are experiencing in your feet.

1. Your blood flow to your feet may be restricted. Check that the socks you are wearing aren’t too tight. Cutting blood circulation to your feet can cause this discomfort.

2. Check your blood pressure and look for what appears like grey bruising around your ankles. This is a telltale sign of inadequate blood flow to your feet. If this is the case, try adding heat rubs and including heat therapy to promote a better circulation.

3. Lastly, weight gain can have a negative impact on the health of your feet. Sometimes, dropping a few extra kilos can reduce the discomfort.

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 Hrithik Roshan: So what does Hrithik do to maintain those Greek God looks? He works out twice a day – morning and evening. His workout consists of cardio exercises, apart from weights. Hrithik keeps away from oily food and milk products, but has protein shakes. He breakfasts like a king, but follows it up with a light lunch, evening snack and dinner.

Salman Khan: B-town’s favorite bodybuilder hunk is going to learn a new form of combat for his next film. A complete fitness freak, Salman Khan makes sure he works out every day. His movie sets probably have more dumbbells and machines than most well-equipped gyms. And if he is shooting on the outskirts of Mumbai, he simply cycles his way there and back leaving many bystanders awestruck! Recently, he did it again to reach the sets of Ek Tha Tiger, his film with Katrina Kaif. Salman is relentless in the pursuit for the perfect physique and has been known to do 1,000 push-ups or 2,000 sit-ups a day. He hates junk and processed food and gorges on organic food mostly consisting of chicken, egg whites, fish, pulses and salads.

Aamir Khan: The chocolate boy bulked up for Ghajini with eight-pack abs and lost it just as easily to play a college kid in 3 Idiots, is at it again. He is all set to undergo yet another transformation, as he wants a lean-yet-fit body for his role in Dhoom 3 (think Brad Pitt in Fight Club). Aamir hired a desi trainer for Ghajini, but for Dhoom 3, Aamir has a British-Filipino expert stationed at his Bandra home. The actor believes that a healthy and balanced diet, exercise and rest are the key ingredients to good health. When he was bulking up for Ghajini, he ate small meals every half an hour, and followed tips from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding.

Shahrukh Khan: His six-pack abs in Om Shanti Om didn’t come easily. Neither did his lean and mean look for playing a superhero in RA.One. The 40-plus actor works out at least four times a week. However, his 100 push-ups and 60 pull ups are a daily affair. A lover of tandoori chicken and cola, Shahrukh reportedly changed his diet to include grilled food and lots of water, avoiding desserts completely.

John Abraham: The hot hunk is a sucker for various sports and kickboxing. He works out for two-three hours every day with a combo of weights, cardio and kickboxing. Although he is a PETA brand ambassador and a strict vegan he still eats egg whites for the protein. His diet includes juices, dry fruits, tofu, corn and dal, apart from toast and tea, chapattis and stir-fried veggies. Soups and protein shakes are also on the menu. John is one of those who believe in eating small meals every few hours keeping in mind the body needs constant nourishment. Like Kareena, John too is against crash dieting. He firmly believes a good night’s sleep is necessary and looking at his Adonis like looks we are inclined to agree.

Akshay Kumar: He is probably the only Bollywood actor in his 40s who wakes up in the wee hours to practice martial arts and yoga. But fitness is also about the mind for Akshay Kumar, who keeps his energy levels high through positive thinking and prayers. And just like our former PM, the late Indira Gandhi did, the actor digs into his inner reserves for that extra dose of energy. Akshay also goes to the gym, plays basketball, swims, meditates, jogs, walks and treks! Most importantly, he eats everything, but nothing in excess.

So we can see our Bollywood celebs do put in a hard shift to keep fit and if they can do it with their round-the-clock schedules and hectic lifestyle so can we.

Source: www.bollywoodlife.com

1. Training for a marathon

If you are an amateur marathoner or a seasoned runner, this app is tailor made just for you. Jeff Galloway’s Easy 5K uses a unique Run-Walk-Run method designed by the champion runner himself who averages about 7 marathons a year. Its 7-week program promises to help the runner complete his first 5K run without pain or injury and an additional 7-week program for seasoned runners helps them improve their 5K race time.

Pros: Not only does it have inbuilt music that adjusts to your pace, but it can also alter its beats to suit music that you upload on your phone.

Cons: Only compatible with iPhone.

2. Looking to get in shape

If body building isn’t your thing and you are just looking to get a fit, toned body then Adidas’ miCoach is right up your alley. This nifty app is akin to a personal trainer that customizes your workout session according to the goal you choose – getting fit, soccer, tennis or football. The Get Fit category is again divided into options like de-stress, lose weight etc. And track your distance, speed and calories burnt by connecting to miCoach.com.

Pros: Available for free and compatible with iPhone, Android as well as BlackBerry.

Cons:  The app relies on 3G technology so it needs iPhone 3G and above.

3. Training for a sport

Say bye-bye to your coach and hello to Nike Boom, the latest app in town for those looking to excel at a sport, be it hockey, rugby, football or basketball. Select the type of workout, time, music and get down to business. But what makes Nike Boom really stand out from the crowd is the motivational ‘attaboy!’ you get from your favourite athletes to boost your performance and achieve your goal.

Pros: Compatible with BlackBerry, iPhone and Android.

Cons: The app doesn’t include cricket as an option, considering it’s the most popular sport in the country.

4. For Yoga fanatics

The centuries old exercise for both mind and the body has made its way into the realm of mobile apps, and it’s called Pocket Yoga. It gives you a combination of 3 different practices, durations and difficulty levels – so a total of 27 options to choose from. The app also tracks your progress and guides you through every pose (there are 145 of them), even instructing you how to breathe.

Pros: One of the best apps on the market for Yoga that is available on BlackBerry, iPhone and Android. It also contains a library of poses to teach you a little about every pose.

Cons: Not for free. However, there’s a trial version available. It’s is slightly difficult for beginners to get accustomed to. The pace of the workouts may be a tad too fast for inexperienced users.

5. If you just love a good walk

Created for Apple by MapMyFitness, the operative word for iMapMyWalk app is simplicity. Of course it tracks your distance, speed, time and elevation but also provides a map that pinpoints your location – quite useful if you are in a city that you aren’t acquainted with. Once your walk is over, the app uploads your data to MapMyWalk.com where you can review your workout history and progress.

Pros: Simple to understand and operate and is available for free.

Cons: Some users have complained that the calorie counter may not be completely reliable.

So here we are – five great fitness apps to choose from – customized to your choice of workout. So what are you waiting for? Get, set and go!

We attribute pain and injuries to the fact that we haven’t walked in a long time so it’ll obviously hurt a little but be cautious because the real reason may be that you are not striding the right way. Here are a few tips to take into account:

• Smaller steps: Subconsciously we start taking big steps which is almost like lunging ahead so that we can cover more distance but this is a bad idea because it causes a lot of strain on your feet and shins. Instead, take smaller steps – you can quicken your pace though. You can also keep a moderate pace and walk for half an hour to 60 minutes.
• Increase the distance: The more you walk, the more you stand a chance of a better workout. Increase your distance every day by half a kilometre – small enough to be easy. For those who have just begun walking, this will help build your leg muscles.
• Stretch: Before you commence your walk, remember to stretch amply in order to loosen up those muscles – and not just your legs but your entire body. This helps avoid the sore pain the next day. Stretching should also be done after a walk.
• Watch your pace: How quick is quick, you might be wondering. To begin with, don’t stroll. Walk fast enough so that you can still talk but your breathing is harder than usual.  Increase your pace as the week passes because you are stronger now.
• Limb movements: Don’t walk like a robot – let your shoulders move naturally and swing your arms in a natural motion; don’t try to keep them tight by your side. Keep your elbows close to your body. Don’t look down when you walk – keep your chin parallel to the ground.
• Take a break: Don’t push yourself up to walking every single day – your body needs rest so take a break once in a week. If you have to exercise, opt for upper body workouts.
• Watch what you eat: If you are going to exercise, you need to keep an eye on your food intake as well, specifically calories. For women, 1200 calories and for men or active women 1500-1600 calories is the upper limit.
• Track your progress: Get yourself some digital assistance to progress how well you are really doing. A pedometer can help you track your distances and time so that you know how far you’ve walked on any given day.
• Mix it up: If you want some variety in your walking schedule, revise your workout a little. One day you can walk slow but longer distance, the next you can walk fast for a shorter distance. This helps stave off boredom too.
• Go easy on the post-walk eating: Of course you’ve walked a long way and obviously you are hungry – you could probably eat for two tonight – don’t. For the first few days it’ll be difficult ignoring the hunger pangs you get after you’ve begun walking regularly but instead of heavy dinner (if you are an evening walker, that is), have a fruit instead or a salad.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about walking the right way:

• Do I need special shoes?

No, because walking doesn’t need shock absorbents like running shoes do. But if you have had any past foot or knee injuries it’s best to consult your doctor in case you need some special support on your ankle. Apart from that all you need to see is that the shoe fits snugly and not tight or loose. Try walking in them and judge whether they are right for you. Needless to say, flip flops or open sandals aren’t the right footwear.

• Can I jog in intervals instead of walking continuously?

Yes. Warm up with a short walk and break into a slow jog or a run, whichever you like. If you walk for 15 minutes, you can run for 5 mins. However, once you are done jogging, start walking immediately to avoid your legs from tiring. If you take a break, it becomes difficult to run the next time.

• I listen to music while walking – is that ok?

Why not? Find yourself some peppy numbers and be on your way. It’s a great way from keeping walks dull and is a good motivating tool. Very important, however, that you make sure you pay attention to passersby and vehicles.

• Company is good, right?

Not always. While it’s good moral support to have someone along with you, you also need to make sure you don’t dawdle or that your brisk walk turns into a stroll while you gossip. Also don’t be so dependent on your companion that if they can’t walk, you have a ready excuse not to.

• Does walking on tar roads harm my knees?

A lot of experts have said that running on tarred roads does, at least over an extended period of time. This is because of the hardness of the surface the shock of which the knee can’t tolerate. It’s better to be cautious even if you are just walking, especially if you are older. Find a park or any non-tar surface to walk on. If you can find yourself a beach – great! Having a treadmill at home is also a good option but nothing beats the fresh air of outdoors.

• What if I have had a knee operation or any other kind of lower limb surgery/injury?

This cannot be stressed enough: if you have had any kind of injury, however minimal, please don’t push yourself into a walking regimen without consulting a doctor. For all you know, you’ll make it worse. Even if you’ve had a surgery, get a doctor’s opinion (and a second opinion) to make sure you are fit enough to walk. And of course, try to find a soft surface to walk on.

Walking is a great exercise option – no fuss no muss and you can go whenever you want, there’s no equipment or special workout dress code you need to follow – but walking the right way is just as important if you are looking for a weight loss option. Stick by these tips and you’ll see the difference for yourself!

In keeping with its philosophy of placing customer’s health first, Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited today announced the launch of one of its kind multi-city initiative Walk for Health. Aimed at encouraging people to build more walking into their daily routine, Max Bupa Walk for Health, is an attempt to bring about positive long term sustainable behavioural change into their lives.

 As a part of the initiative, Walk for Health will be organized during October and November 2012 in 11 cities for people of all age groups. On October 27 and 28, 2012, the walks will be organized in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Surat, Pune and Kochi. These will be followed by Walk for Health in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore on November 4, 2012. www.walkforhealth.in, is a dedicated website on the initiative that has been created for participants to register online with their friends and family and get access to useful tips on walking.

 Speaking about the launch of the new health initiative, Manasije Mishra, Chief Executive (Designate), Max Bupa said, ‘Max Bupa Walk for Health is a unique initiative keeping with our mission to help people lead healthier and more successful lives.  We have taken up the cause of walking as it is one the simplest and most accessible forms of physical activity. Through this initiative, we aim to spread awareness about the benefits of walking and encourage people to build more walking into their everyday life to enhance their overall well-being.’

He further added, ‘Our research shows that 13% of men and 15% women in India agree that they use their cars for journeys which are short enough to walk. This figure is much higher than other countries like US, Hong Kong, Egypt and Brazil. Through Max Bupa Walk for Health, we want people to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.’

Bipasha Basu: One of the fittest actresses in Bollywood, we are certain her ex-beau John Abraham’s fitness mania rubbed off on her. The Bong girl is a fitness freak and has different training routines for each day of the week! Each of them focusses on specific body parts. Bips does everything in moderation. That includes yoga, stretching, dance, cardio, spinning and circuit training. Surya namaskars are her favourite and she is known to do a hundred of them every day! Looking at her bootylicious figure we are inclined to believe that she is doing it right!

Sonam Kapoor: 

It’s a well-known fact that the actress had adolescent weight problems. It seems like not only has she left those problems behind but seems to have a set new precedence for fitness in the industry. She follows a strict regime of Bikram yoga. She also does other things like weight training, yoga and Pilates. When she gets the time she plays squash or swims. Considering her earlier weight problems, we recommend the lassie stick to her regime strictly.

Kareena Kapoor: B-town’s original size-zero girl, Bebo is back in her size zero avatar for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine with the help of celeb dietician Rujuta Diwekar and trainer Payal Gidwani Tiwari. Her regime includes power yoga and surya namaskars. She also does 500 kapalbhatis a day. For those not in the know, kapalbhatis are a form of breathing exercise that helps increase lung capacity, popularized by Baba Ramdev.

Bebo also stays away from crash diets and eats several small, well-planned meals throughout the day. This keeps her metabolism up and helps burn calories even at rest. Her diet is mostly vegan and consists of soups, fruits, salads, hummus and yogurt.

Shilpa Shetty: One of the first actresses to release a fitness DVD, Shilpa has always been one of the fittest yet curvaceous ladies in the industry. She is a big yoga fan, particularly the Ashtanga variety. Apart from working out, the actress does simple things like taking the stairs instead of the lift. She strictly adheres to a soup and salad diet. Other things you will find on her table include pulses, brown rice and brown bread. To maintain her flawless skin she drinks aloe vera juice and green tea.

Hope you’ve been inspired by these B-town gals to start a fitness regime of your own and stick to it. Film star or not, it takes dedication and perseverance to stick to your fitness goal.

Source: www.bollywoodlife.com 

Berman, however, cautioned that such walks are not a replacement for existing and well-validated treatments for clinical depression, such as psychotherapy and drug treatment, the Journal of Affective Disorders reports. Berman’s research is part of a cognitive science field known as Attention Restoration Theory (ART) which proposes that people concentrate better after spending time in nature or looking at scenes of nature, according to Baycrest statement. The reason, according to ART, is that people interacting with peaceful nature settings aren’t bombarded with external distractions that relentlessly tax their working memory and attention systems. 

In a previous study reported in the journal Psychological Science, Berman showed that adults who were not diagnosed with any illness received a mental boost after an hour-long walk in a woodland park – improving their performance on memory and attention tests by 20 percent – compared to an hour-long stroll in a noisy urban environment. In this study, Berman and his team explored whether a nature walk would provide similar cognitive benefits, and also improve the mood for people with clinical depression. 

They recruited individuals from the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor area with a history of clinical depression. Participants exhibited a 16 percent increase in attention and working memory after the nature walk relative to the urban walk. 

Source: IANS

“I hide from the mirror. It’s the inner confidence that makes you feel sexy, especially when doing a lingerie shoot. It’s always uncomfortable because there are a million people around doing the lighting and stuff, so it’s not the intimate thing you think it is when you see the photo. You just have to give your best. It’s a whole production but no one even pays attention,” she said.

Perhaps the socialite is unaware about the debilitating effect of those high heels on her posture and general well-being. While most women may view high heels as a style statement or find them as an essential in their wardrobes, it could actually be proving bad for their health, a study has suggested.

 A first of its kind scientific study has found that lovers of heels walk markedly different from those with flat shoes and put greater strain on their calf muscles. Researchers noticed that stiletto wearers move with shorter, more forceful strides than women who wear flats. For the study, Scientists asked a group of young women, who regularly wear heels and others who do not, to walk barefoot.

Those who wore heels for more than 40 hours a week had feet that were constantly in a flexed, toes-pointed position even after they had kicked off their expensive fashion accessories. They take shorter, more aggressive steps and the fibres in their calf muscles shorten, placing a huge strain on their bodies.

Women who shun heels walk in a far healthier and efficient way. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, shows that after only two years of wearing heels, women are more likely to suffer muscle fatigue and strain injuries or topple over and injure themselves.  The researchers advise women to wear heels “once or twice a week” and remove them whenever they can.

Source: IANS

Scientists have discovered that the secret to staving off the flab is taking a regular one-hour stroll, as they believe walking can reduce the influence of genes thought to cause obesity by 50 percent, the Daily Express reported.

The conclusions were reached after a study of 10,000 people with a genetic disposition to obesity by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA.

“In our study, a brisk one-hour daily walk reduced the genetic influence towards obesity, measured by differences in body mass index, by half,” said lead researcher Qibin Qi. 

But those who love slobbing out on the sofa watching TV for four hours a day see their genetic risk of obesity increase by 50 percent, the researchers warned.

Source: IANS

It’s called winter blues. It’s just the time when it’s ideal to laze around and cuddle up in bed. One can’t be blamed for either that sense of lethargy or not feeling motivated to wake up early. Nevertheless, one can always make up for it by inculcating a healthy routine. You can be still be energized by exercising indoors and be trim, even if you wake up late in the morning.  

All that’s required is to choose a convenient time to exercise and stick to it. “Coffee breaks, lunch time, evening, or pre-dinner time can be used for exercising or walking for short periods. Other activities like stair-climbing instead of using the elevator or pacing while talking on the phone can help in burning a few extra calories,” said Sheela Krishnaswamy, Bangalore-based Independent Diet, Nutrition & Wellness Consultant.

A healthy diet low in fats, sugars, refined foods and sodium is recommended for all. Besides, there’s no excuse for not exercising. “Exercise is not only about weight maintenance but also relates to better heart health, better bone health, better blood circulation, better mood, better control of blood sugar and blood pressure,” explained Krishnaswamy. Exercise, yoga or any other form of physical activity should be part of your daily routine. It’s a vital part of healthy living.

Winter is ideal to open your home to various exercising equipment; it could be a treadmill or an exercise machine. Engage a personal trainer and make sure you get into an exercise routine at home.

It’s beneficial to invest in a set of dumbbells, resistance bands and a jump rope. Both dumbbells and resistance bands help in resistance training, while the jump rope is for the cardio fitness routine. You can try out simple exercises like squats and mid and lower abdomen crunches. Cycling indoors is also a nice way of shedding flab.

In case all this isn’t possible, team up with a few friends and follow an exercise video. You can sweat it out even in your living room.

Whether its summer or winter, it’s important to remain well hydrated. One can become dehydrated after exercising during winter months. Along with hydration, one should follow a healthy diet. There’s nothing better than an appetizing soup, which is not only nutritive but is also recommended for those cold winter evenings. Rather than piling up kilos with corn flour and starch, try lentil soup or stew. Every season, the crop of fruit and vegetables help build the immune system, besides offering other benefits. So make the best use of these seasonal varieties as they help flush out toxins and keep the skin supple. Have generous helpings of berries, walnuts and  brown rice. Spice up your evenings, literally. Sip on some cinnamon and clove tea, which helps improve digestion.

Breathe deeply. Not only does deep breathing improves your skin tone, it helps keep the stress levels in check. Mix it up with some yogasanas to really reap the benefits.

This is the time to really get your sleep rhythms in place. When the body doesn’t have sufficient sleep, it leads to irritability and even weight gain and seriously speaking there is no better time to snuggle up in your blanket!

Just because it’s winter, it’s no reason to switch into hibernation mode. There is a vast array of exercise regimes and dietary amendments that one can adhere to this winter.  Follow some of them and by the time New Year’s Eve comes knocking, you won’t need a new resolution.