Elfin Recite

BURN FAT WITH THIS MULTI-MUSCLE CHALLENGE

This workout from Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., M.Sc., the owner of Turbulence training.com, works your entire body in only three exercises. Complete the sequence, rest 1 minute, and repeat as many times as you can in 15 minutes.

1 DUMBBELL SPLIT SQUAT

Holding a pair of dumbbells with your arms hanging at your sides, stand in a staggered stance, your right foot in front of your left. Keeping your torso upright, lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Raise yourself back up into the staggered stance and complete a total of 8 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat

2 CROSS-BODY MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

Assume a pushup position, your body forming a straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs—you’ll hold them that way for the entire exercise. Now pull your left knee as close as you can to your right shoulder, without allowing your hips to sag. Return to the starting position and repeat, this time rais¬ing your right knee toward your left shoul¬der. That’s 1 rep. Complete a total of 10.

3 CHINUP WITH KNEEUP

Grab a chinup bar with an underhand grip (palms facing your body}. Do a pullup so your chest reaches the bar, while also raising your knees to your chest. Then slowly lower your body and return to the start. If you can’t complete a chinup, simply raise your knees while hang¬ing from the bar. Complete 10 reps, or as many as you can.

DON’T LOSE… SNOOZE

Turns out, you can become a better athlete while you sleep. In a study on Stanford University swimmers, scientists discovered that team members who extended their sleep time experienced dramatic improvements in their overall speed, reaction time, and kick strokes. The extra shut-eye may have eliminated their sleep debt, allowing for a fully rested body, says researcher Cheri Mah. Her advice; Reduce your sleep debt by snoozing for an extra half hour every night.

STRONG MEDICINE

Go heavy to grow old: Muscular strength can improve your life expectancy, according to University of South Carolina researchers. The scientists found that total-body strength was linked to lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes. The likely reason: Activities that lead to a stronger body, such as resistance training, also help lower blood pressure, control cholesterol, and improve insulin sensitivity. Crunched for time? Try the 15-minute total-body workout in Male grams.

Cross-country skiing is a cardio butt-kicker. Its cousin, telemark, uses similar bindings; some telemark competitions include a cross-country stretch. Try it for an intense workout. “Telemark is the perfect exercise for strength, stability, and balance” says Jonas Enqvist, a physiology researcher for the Swedish Winter Sports Research Center.

1. THE STANCE
Bend your knees over your toes; keep your hands in front of you and stand tall with your back slightly hunched, as if you’re hug¬ging your aunt Melinda says Aaron Johnson, director of the MAS telemark school in Bear Valley, California.

2. THE TURN
With your skis parallel and shoulder-width apart begin gliding. To turn right plant your right pole down¬hill. Slide your right foot back under your hips, lifting the heel, and slide your left foot forward.

3. THE FINISH
To offset the turn, sink slightly in the center of your feet and skis by bending your ankles, knees, and hips. Keep your weight distributed and your upper body pointed downhill. This will stop you from skiing uphill.

Turns out, a picture may be worth 1.000 calories. University of Wisconsin researchers found that when people took photos of their meals before eating, they were less likely to have second helpings and subsequent snacks. One reason: Snapping a pic just before you dine forces you to examine whether or not you’re grubbing impulsively, say the scientists. Finally, a good use for that camera functions on your cell.

BEEF UP BREAKFAST
Skip the cold cereal: Eating eggs and bacon in the morning can help you control your hunger later in the day. Indiana University scientists determined that dieters who consumed their biggest dose of daily protein at breakfast felt full longer than those who ate more of the nutrient at lunch or dinner. The upshot: “They were less likely to overeat the rest of the day,” says study author. Heather Leidy, Ph.D. To fend off hunger, shoot for at least 20 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast.

BEAT THE BUFFET
Next time you step up to a smorgasbord, watch what you eat—and what you do, A study in the journal Obesity reports that people’s eating and sitting behaviors at a Chinese buffet can reflect their weight. “Fortunately, using this knowledge to monitor your actions can help you avoid overeating.” says Brian Wansink. Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating.

BIGGER CUP, BIGGER GUT

That “medium” soda may actually be a large. Duke University researchers have discovered that some fast-food chains are encouraging customers to buy larger soft drinks—which justifies higher prices—by increasing the number of ounces in all sizes of drinks. They know what you may not: Most people subcon­sciously pick the middle option without considering the actual amount, says study author Richard Staelin, Ph.D. Remem­ber, 8 ounces is one serving.

 THE FATTY FLAVOR?

A secret ingredient in packaged foods may be making you fat. University of North Carolina scientists found that people who ate monosodium glutamate (a.k.a. MSG} were more likely to be overweight than those who didn’t consume the flavor enhancer. The researchers speculate that the additive interferes with brain neurons, stimulating appetite. Most products don’t list monoso­dium glutamate on their labels, but if you see “hydrolyzed vegeta­ble protein” or “vegetable protein extract.” consider it code for MSG.

Think you’re eating healthy? Canadian scientists recently compared the cancer-protective properties of 33 vegetables and found that the most powerful tumor fighters—brussels sprouts, leeks, beets, and kale—are often among the ones least likely to land on your plate. If you find these winter vegetables hard to swallow, use our tips to unlock their flavor potential.

1. Brussels sprouts
Remove the outer layer of leaves, trim the stems, and toss with olive Oil and sea salt. Place them on a baking sheet and roast at 425′F until they’re nicely browned.
2. Leeks
Many restaurants offer potato-leek soup in the winter, but you can also finely slice leeks and add them to omelets, salads, and rice.
3. Beets
Wrap one or two beets in foil and bake them in a 350’F oven for an hour or until they’re cooked through. Then cut them into cubes to toss into a salad of greens and crumbled goat cheese. Add a drizzle of walnut oil
4. Kale
To temper kale’s bitter taste; gently sauté it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic, and pine nuts.

That order of fast-food fries may literally be a gut bomb. Eating Trans fats could increase your risk of colon cancer, say researchers at the University of North Carolina. In a recent study, participants who ate more than 6 grams of trans fat a day were almost twice as likely to have precancerous colon polyps as those who ate less than 4 grams. The scientists specu¬late that trans fats may disrupt the normal balance of bile acids in the colon, and that may cause the inflammation linked to colon cancer. Besides fast food, you’re most likely to eat trans fats in packaged cakes, cookies, and crackers, according to the FDA.

It’s good for your heart and skin, and now U.K. scientists have found that vitamin C may help you avoid diabetes, too. In their study, participants who ate about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day were 62 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who consumed about 3 servings. A likely reason: “Vitamin C may help prevent oxidative stress.’ says study coauthor Nita Forouhi, Ph.D. That’s important because oxidative stress can disrupt your body’s ability to process carbs, leading to high blood sugar. Stock up on the foods that contain some of the highest amounts of C: citrus fruits, red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Vijender Singh’s father, a bus driver, had to work overtime to pay for Vijender’s coaching. Although he went to win a bronze for India at the Beijing Olympics earlier this year, he still has to supplement his sport with a job in the Haryana police. Owing to his soft chocolate boy good looks, a welcome paradox to his steely fists of fury, he has been getting modelling offers in which he was rather interested and practised to take a step on the fashion walk. He even recently walked the ramp, and confessed in an interview to the BBC that it was tougher than boxing!

The first Indian woman to reach the singles quarterfinals at the Olympics. A badminton ace (her parents were both Haryana badminton champions, so she obviously got a head-start), Saina began in an arduous way, having to travel, at a very young age, almost 50 kilometres daily for her training. She is well-determined, dedicative and most beautiful player on the Indian side. Funding was also a problem back then, prompting her father to draw out his provident fund to invest it in her future. She hasn’t let him down. Her outstanding performance in the recent tournaments consistently gained the attention of audience on her side. Lots and lots of fans for her charm and storm.