Are you fit for life?

Byline: Here are tips and target-specific workouts for a healthy start

Take five minutes and answer the following questions truthfully. It could save your life. Is your diet rich in processed foods, sugar and trans fats? Roughly translated, it means chips, cookies, burgers, pizzas and sodas. Is your waist size larger than 32 A' inches (if you are a woman) or 35 inches (if you are a man)?

Do you eat on the go and miss meals due to your hectic schedule? Is pushing the buttons on your TV remote your idea of productive exercise? And finally, has your doctor told you to lose more than five kilograms? Answering to more than three questions on this list is cause for concern, as it brings you closer to a high-risk segment -- exposing you to lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

But you are not alone. Thousands of people in the UAE are waking up to health problems that have been creeping up on them from behind tall glasses of creamy milkshakes, cheesy burgers and carb-laden doughnuts. Statistics, for instance, have revealed that the UAE has the second-highest rate of diabetes in the world, and the numbers are rising exponentially.

A UAE university study puts the number of people suffering from the disease in the UAE at more than 20 per cent at present. The country also has a high incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) -- in fact, one of the highest in the region. Some of the factors that contribute to this condition are very familiar: physical inactivity, smoking and an unhealthy diet in addition to high blood pressure and cholesterol.

And if this isn't grim enough, the growing rate of obesity, child obesity in particular, is alarming. But what do these numbers mean to you? They are, as many experts would concur, the difference between a healthy life and endless trips to hospitals. Taking control of your health -- and life -- is not a complex process. It will, however, take hard work. For starters, you will need to eat well.

The results though, hinge on exercise -- and making it an important part of your life. Studies show that as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or activity can ward off diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), high cholesterol and viral illnesses, and strengthen your heart, mood and stamina.

Rama Chand, who has a degree in sports science and is a fitness manager with Fitness First, a leading international chain of health clubs, says that physical exercise offers many benefits to the human body, not only externally in the way we look (anti-aging) but also internally on how our cardiovascular and immune systems function (helps fight diseases and infections). He says, "Performing moderate exercise regularly will lead to an increase in muscular strength and endurance. This, in turn, increases the body's ability to oxidise (burn) fat.

AaIt also makes internal organs such as the heart and lungs function more efficiently thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes. In addition, exercise plays a big role in lowering stress and anxiety by releasing hormones known as endorphins, make us feel happy and better."

Cardiovascular workout

Chand recommends a blend of cardiovascular exercise, resistance training and flexibility moves to get the body in better shape. If you don't want to go to a gym, you can go for a brisk walk, hike up a mountain trail, run along the beach, cycle or even swim. Then there's always yoga, an eastern discipline that hones the body and mind through exercises, breathing techniques and meditation.

Sonia Anand, a Sivananda yoga practitioner and instructor, says yoga is a state of being "wherein there is equilibrium or a union of the body, mind and soul". Anand, Zen Yoga instructor in Dubai, says yoga brings increased flexibility and lubrication of the joints and ligaments. "It is perhaps the only form of activity that massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner.

Ailments related to glandular dysfunction (for example, obesity due to thyroid dysfunction) can be rectified with regular practice. Yoga is also used as a complementary therapy for various ailments under the guidance of registered therapists."

The exercise system also gently stretches muscles and joints ensuring optimum blood supply to the vital areas of the body. Yogic cleansing techniques called 'kriyas' also help flush out toxins that accumulate in our bodies due to a bad diet and unhealthy lifestyle.

Total relaxation and cardiovascular benefits are also achieved in yoga through effective breath work. Anand believes yoga can change your life as it did hers, especially if you are reeling from the effects of a fast-paced, stressful life.

Aa"Yoga helped me recondition my mind and structure my life. I was caught up in the rigmarole of a regular stressful job, and balancing that with other roles. I was very unhappy. In my pursuit of peace, I decided to complete my international teacher's training certification at the Sivananda Vedanta centre in India and then in Mysore, an international hub for yoga, where I spent hours practising both yoga and meditation.

Today, yoga has helped me achieve a lean, supple and healthy body. It has also helped me get in touch with my spirituality." Working with the breath is at the core of yoga, as it is with Pilates. Like yoga, Pilates is far gentler on the body compared to other exercises such as running, spinning or kick-boxing but it's just as effective in building core strength and flexibility.

Joseph Pilates, the founder of the Pilates Method, said that his exercises developed the body uniformly, corrected wrong postures, restored physical vitality, invigorated the mind and elevated the spirit.

Brian Ward, Programme Director and Pilates instructor at Club Stretch, a Pilates and Bikram Yoga studio based in Dubai, says this exercise method is structured to lengthen, strengthen and reinstate the body's balance.

Ward says Pilates involves floor exercises and uses equipment such as the 'reformer' to retrain the body and restore its optimum muscular and skeletal function. "This helps us move more efficiently and gracefully, and avoid injury or strain. It helps you develop a strong core to support your spine, and teaches you how to initiate and integrate movement from your centre.

By strengthening the core, you can also improve your posture, flatten your stomach, and prevent injuries. The movements are also designed to facilitate proper breathing and to stimulate and improve circulation," says Ward. Other benefits include increased flexibility, increased awareness of your body, better coordination and leaner muscles. Pilates is also great for rehabilitation after an injury or surgery. However, if going to a Pilates studio, yoga centre or even a gym seems too much to contend with initially, you can always try working out in the privacy of your home with your gaming console (I would, however, recommend that you get some expert advice before you try this out.).

Nintendo, for instance, has a game called Wii Fit, which is raking in big sales thanks to using technology to target weight loss. The game, which is doing well in Japan and Europe, comes bundled with a balance board that helps you calculate your body mass index, weight and measures shifts in your balance before you commence the programmes in the game. The game offers workouts incorporating strength training, yoga, aerobics and balance.

If that still seems daunting, you always have exercise videos. However, most people will attest to the fact that they don't really do much to motivate you in the long run. The weapons that work the best, however, are determination and discipline. Regardless of whether you choose to run six miles a day, lift weights or execute a perfect headstand, these factors will keep you focused on your goal -- a healthy life.

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