Melt the fat in you

The latest trend in losing weight is by having diet pills or by having procedures done or so it seems. I have been seeing ads for weight loss either by taking pills which melts the fat away or by following a diet system that is based on Glycemic index. To add to this, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first non-Prescription Diet drug called Alli that can be obtained over the counter. The drug will be available in the market around the month of March, so people who like to solve their weight loss problems can start on this drug to be in shape for this summer.


With the advent of this new drug, will we see a decrease in the obesity issue? To support this drug and to control the obesity problem, FCC will have ads of these pills before and after every ad for junk food. The results of this solution maybe slightly different in which we can have all the junk food we want and then pop-in a pill to counteract all the fat that we just had. Imagine how fitness-fanatics will respond to this drug. As it is they are seen in the gym most of the time and also they watch what they eat. Along with all this, they will take the drug to take fitness to the next level. FDA should have some restrictions on who should have this pill.


Some credit has to be given for regular exercises, eating habits and watching your calories. This is the safest means by which one can lose weight and stay in shape. But if time is the essence or if even after exercising the fat packets don’t respond, then what is the solution? Taking pills that dissolves the fat cells; only to hope that it dissolves where it is required. Why risk on a drug that is not yet fully known for its side effects when the simple solution is to have determination to lose weight by exercising and watching the diet. One can’t expect to reach a goal without motivation, determination and sacrifice to attain what is needed.

Watch out, while you are at the Gym

My kith and kin would laugh at me if I said that I am a regular attendee at the gym. I have been going on and off to the gym for over 10 years, whenever all my stars align perfectly. Initially I started going to the Field house in GMU and then to Bally’s and then to my final destination at Life Time Fitness in Centreville. I have been a member of this facility since they started it. I go to this facility for all the machines that they provide for workout, aerobics and Yoga classes they offer, in addition to other services like spa, sauna, child care center, racquet ball court and such; more over it is closer to my home.

I am sure everyone goes to the gym for various reasons. It may be to achieve your goal of getting fit, to shed some pounds and staying healthy, to tone your muscles, to relieve your stress, to relax your mind and body or at the very least to socialize. But I am sure no one goes to the gym to get sick, right? Gym is a place for germs to dwell, especially in the locker rooms, pool area and sauna. There are intestinal types of bacteria that are present in such areas. You might be saying that I am either making this up or that the gym maintainers clean them perfectly that there is no chance of such occurrences. But I am not the one who is saying this; it is from a report on gym sanity that was published in ‘Today’.

These germs can cause diarrhea, cramps and pneumonia. Even water fountains in gym have molds that cause lung and skin infections. Next time you have cramps after your work out; don’t neglect it saying that it is because of those 100 sit-ups you did, to get those ‘abs of steel’. I am sure the management at the gym makes an effort to clean the machines and areas thoroughly and more regularly. They also keep cleaning products in every nook and corner possible for you to use. Cleanliness is a two-way street; so use those paper towels on machines that you are going to be working on, not just after you are done but also before using it. Put on those sneakers while working out and while in locker room or sauna, use flip-flops, sit on a clean towel if you must seat yourself while at gym. Work out more regularly so the immune system kicks in to fight against these germs. It is a chicken and egg situation where you have to work out to fight against these germs and these germs are present in the place where you are working out.

The other day I was using the tread mill and as I was running I saw two men walk up to the tread mill next to mine. One of them got on while the other was waiting for a tread mill to free up. After I was done I got off to get the wipe to clean the machine before letting the other guy to use it. To my surprise, the guy started using the machine even before I could clean up for him. Sheepishly, the other friend said that he was a dirty guy and all I could say in return was ‘I hope he takes a shower after his work-out’. If you are impatient to start using a machine, at the very least make an attempt to clean it before using it. Now that I let out some of the risks of using the machines at your gym, take your time to clean before and after using it. Your goal is to shed those extra pounds by working out and not by getting sick.

Fight or Flight

All of you must have heard this phrase that is used as the title in today’s topic, used in one way or the other. This is the fundamental walk of how our life moves on in our day-to-day ventures. It starts off early in our life as a kid in school. What happens when a kid is encountered by a bully who wants his candy or snack? The kid either yields to giving what the bully asked for (a situation of escape) or stand-up against the bully and protest against yielding to the situation (a fight) or run away from the bully if he could (a flight – most likely he will be stumble upon the bully again anyways). But the bottom-line is you either fight or flee from the situation.

This applies to every situation we are in – whether in school or at work (that would be the time when you should get a hint and start looking!), or in sports (offensive and defensive). Why even our body mechanics function that way. When we are stressed about some things in our lives, our internal system uses this mechanics to fight the cause or flight – that is when the body produces more sugar leading to Diabetes or produces more cholesterol leading to heart attacks or simply puts you to sleep. This is the basic flow in dealing with any situation.

In relation to what I mentioned above, 2 articles in the paper caught my eye, each of the two supporting the topic. In one article, an 80 year old woman was watching football last Sunday when she saw an intruder in the house. When she asked what that man was doing in her house, he attacked her. As a defense, she pretended to have a heart attack which made the intruder flee from the spot. What a great flight, from the situation by both the intruder and the old woman?

In another article, an 85 year old woman came out the house in the morning to pick up her newspaper while she was attacked by a rabid cat. She caught the charging cat by its tail and beat the feline into submission against a nearby utility pole. Talk about beating the devil out of someone and a good fight against the suddenly attacking cat.

One should have a strategy in dealing with any situation that we encounter. Analyze whether the position calls for a fight or flight. Fight the cause with all might and fight till the last be it physical or mental – don’t give up. But when you see that the opponent is stronger than you are, just flee – it is not rocket science.

Give it to Phil

Last Friday was Groundhog Day, when the old Phil came out of its burrow after weeks of hibernation, to predict an early spring rather than six more weeks of winter or so they say. It is an old legend that is followed for years during this time of the year in the U.S. to tie our present to the past and most importantly tying our weather forecast to the beast. Animals, in general, have a sense of direction, sense to weather changes and a sense to acclimate to their surroundings. Birds migrate long distances every year around the same time as a flock and they don’t get lost nor use a GPS system to navigate themselves. Bears, hogs and similar animals hibernate during long winters to protect themselves from freezing cold without the use of thermals or heaters and they come out on time for spring without alarm clocks to wake them up.

Technology has advanced tremendously these days that we can predict the arrival of approaching storms, earthquakes or showers or snow for that matter. Meteorologists predict the weather and climate changes using their latest technology and tools. If you watch the weather forecast on TV, you would be amazed at the details they provide on the weather. It would be to a point that it would seem that the weather person traveled in time to the future and saw what happened in terms of weather and has come back to deliver the news to us.

Past couple of weeks, the weather folks called in for snow showers and said that it was definitely bound to happen except to see a bright sunny day with warm temperatures. I have learned to take these forecasts with a grain of salt (and some on my driveway). If the possibility of what they say would happen is very low, then why bother to have one? I am better off listening to Phil (Groundhog) and Bill (Blue Bill Birds) who are likely to predict exactly as to whether spring is around the corner or if six more weeks of winter ahead, than to listen to the forecasters on TV and Radio. What is the use of such advancement in technology when we cannot do any better than five sensed animals? I don’t know about you but I always carry an umbrella and wind cheater with me to use as needed than to believe the forecast.

Sushi, Chopsticks and Me

Last week I happened to go to a Sushi place for lunch. The place had a good décor with candles, mini oriental fans hanging on the walls, swords placed on stands near the tables – gave the place, a true Japanese look. It was lunch time and they were serving Sushi on a buffet with other goodies like soup, tempura, shrimp battered and fried – oh my favorite, and various other items. The Sushi buffet in itself had a stack of various sushis. It was a feast for those who were dining there and most importantly liked ‘Sushi’. Now that I mentioned about the décor and food in that place, I saw many customers eating their way out, trying all the different food that was set out for them.

I started my way through trying the various dishes as it was ‘All you can eat’ anyways. But the fun part of it was using the chopsticks. I am now able to use chopsticks when eating oriental food but about five years ago, I would ask for a fork in such places. I remembered about how I would make an effort to use the chopsticks and struggle with it to get through a few morsels and then give up looking at all the food that everyone would pipe down in a flash. It would all make sense if someone does not want to eat in that place but pretend to be eating something, but not for someone who is hungry. This is not the time to learn to use chopsticks, I must say.

Using chopsticks and eating sushi is an art in itself. One might think, ‘what is there to it? You pick up the sushi with your chopsticks, dip it in your sauce mix’ – which can be just soy sauce or soy sauce mixed with Wasabi, to give your that tangy taste, that would leave your nose and eyes to water. In the process of doing this, you might leave the rice behind in the sauce bowl and then you spend the next couple of minutes picking those up. The trick is not to soak your rice in the sauce. Just dip the top portion with the fish into the sauce and put the sushi into your mouth with the fish side touching your tongue – intriguing isn’t it? Thanks to my friends who educated me on ‘Sushi 101’. 

In ancient times, different chopsticks were in play like the wooden chopsticks with carvings, golden or silver ones with artwork to show the richness of the one who is providing it and such. Aristocrats used silver chopsticks, because it turned color when it comes in contact with poison. Only use of it now that I think of is to use it when eating Fugu puffer fish sushi. I want to try that once (hopefully not the last time in my life) and I will make sure to use the silver chopsticks at that time. You can use chopsticks in these Asian places to show that you are a Roman while in Rome but not knowing the proper techniques to eat at these specialty places will show that you are pretentious. If you can’t use chopsticks, feel free to use your hands – nothing can surpass that.

Super Bowl XLI

As you all know it is Super Bowl (Bears vs Colts in Miami, FL.) this Sunday; friends and families will be organizing for a get-together to watch the game and to see who is declared the champion of the league for this year. I am not a football fan nor do I watch the game regularly but this time I will give it an honest effort to watch and follow the game to its end, despite the fact no one in our house watches the game. I am soccer and a cricket fan and I have hosted parties and watched world cup soccer last year and world cup cricket, years back. So I know how the atmosphere in a game room is and how the set up for the game-watching begins.

Let us steal a look at the preparation for the big game. Shall we? It begins by calling your friends and families who share the same interest to the game day. Have lots of popcorn, chips and beer ready for the game. Also making sure you have a good cable connection to watch the game. What is the use of all this preparation, if you are not able to watch the game when the deciding goal (touch down in this case – this proves I am a soccer fan ;-) ) is about to happen. I have gone through this situation while watching the semi-final soccer game last year and it was raining heavily at that time. Because of the down pour, our satellite dish signal was lost and for me, it was like someone was pushing me into the deep waters. Until the signal came back, I was fidgeting to the point where I decided to just go to the neighbors to watch the rest of the game. Well, that is history.

In addition to the munchies and a stable cable connection, a fan would also make sure that their TV quality is good to the point where they are able to see every bead of sweat glistening from every player’s pores. And how does one achieve this? Go HDTV! This is the time of the year when football fans make their purchase of HDTV for their size and quality and really, sales of HDTV have gone up for the big game. I can vouch for it as I enjoyed my soccer games in my 52” HDTV. After all this is done, fans watch the game and in the midst of it, one can order pizza or wings as well. Lot of the pizza chains will run specials around this time, especially during the game night. One touch down gets you a free topping or if a particular team is winning till the half-time, 10th customer will get a free pizza, any style (I had to throw in that bit).

While watching the game, the atmosphere in the room builds up. If your team is winning, there is more beer for you on the way; if your team is losing, popcorn is thrown all over the room. During the game is when the delightful or sulking attitude of the watcher can be observed, depending on whether your favorite is winning or losing. Bottom-line to all this is, get together with your friends and families on the game night, have a beer, eat right and healthy (don’t eat junk food) and enjoy the game even if your favorite team in not playing or winning. Think of it as a fun time together and enjoy.

Sit straight, will you?

How many times in your life, have you heard this phrase that I used in the Title? You must have heard it from your parents, your teacher or from your coaches. May it be in any Martial arts class or dance class or Yoga class; you will hear the instructors asking you to keep your back straight. Keeping your back straight keeps you focused on what you are doing, helps in digestion and gives a good look of being plugged into what you are doing.

Most white collar jobs require us to be seated while working in front of the computer. Bearing in mind what we heard about sitting straight, (but didn’t follow while in schools) we try to keep our back straight while working for obvious reasons. Not anymore. Studies have shown that sitting straight puts pressure on the spine and that you are better off slouching and slumping. Our back is at its best when we recline at 135 degrees while working versus being straight or hunching. To top it off, it is even better while we are lying down.

Now this is getting even better. As a continuation to my argument from yesterday’s post of taking a nap while working in offices to improve productivity, this will be an added bonus to take those questionable naps; reason simply being the health of back and productivity; can’t beat that. You will have a valid reason for your disappearance from your seat when your boss asks you where you were when you were supposed to be making a presentation to the client. If you will excuse me, I am off to check out that mattress sale; I have to be productive and healthy while at my work. ;-)