Don't just work on slimming your hips or toning your butt. Get ready for body-mind fitness, says Nishtha Shukla

inge dieting and quick-fix weight loss programmes are passé. The savvy new age experts don't want to promise instant weight loss or inch loss for simply-divine bodies - they might not be as divine a few months or a few years down the line. Cash in on the windfall of a strong, toned and healthy mind-body.
Ground Rules Of The Mind-Body Form Of Fitness
• The right breathing and right posture can work wonders for your output.
• If you perform it mechanically, like you would cook a 'chapati', you had better not. The idea is to put your mind to it and notice the way your bones and muscles react to your moves.
• An essential workout is a balanced mix of cardiovascular exercises, weight training and meditation.

Great Results With The Right Technique
We're not claiming to provide an ideal workout, because there can be no right way of doing it. The idea is to do the right things with the right technique.

Nitin Vedi of Esporta fitness centre in Delhi says, "Although the kind of regime one follows depends on the individual's structure and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), cardio and weights make up a full workout. And these two with meditation would make a good workout."

Muscle integration is the buzzword, as everyone's talking of focusing on different muscles of the body for results to show in their entirety. Kiran Sawhney, a Delhi-based personal fitness trainer, agrees, "In one day, you can do any particular sort of activity. But over a week's time, you must vary your regime, because if you keep hitting a single muscle day after day, it reaches a saturation point and there are chances of injury.

"Take the example of a Swiss ball," says Kiran. "You can do things like crunches and wall squats with the Swiss ball, working on various body muscles from different angles. This way you strengthen your body, tone it, work your spine, and exercise your mind. The concentration required and the balancing act it entails, makes it good for developing the psyche as well."

If you go to a gym: Go in for cardio-vascular exercises such as kickboxing, steps, the recumbent cycle and the Swiss ball.

You could also opt for outdoor sport like tennis, squash or swimming. Nitin warns against attempts to jog on city roads. "It's like driving a car without shock absorbers. At a young age one might not realise it, but it weakens your joints and body strength. If you think weight training will give you muscles you would be shy of baring, don't worry!

We simply don't have the hormones that allow for increased muscle mass. Hasn't your guy ever raved about Jennifer Lopez's perfectly toned arms? Weights increase the muscle tissue in your body, which explains the weight gain. But this also means a cut in your fat percentage, since muscle tissues help you burn more calories even as you sit or stand. And voila! Isn't that what we're always craving?

Protect Your Bones
This strength training also helps the bones of the body, a powerful tool against osteoporosis. Osteoporosis increases chances of wrist, hip and spine fractures. But again, beware of hurting yourself if you work without an instructor. It is also important to work with the right kind of equipment.

If you exercise at home: Have a flat bench and varied dumbbells to work with, or you might end up with problems of the lower back, elbow and shoulder joints. If the angles of the machines hit all parts instead of working on one, you might risk pulling a muscle or two. And remember, warm-ups are important when working out with weights as well.

Work that spine: One part of the body that we haven't learnt to exercise is the all-important spine. A good workout can in fact, rehabilitate the spine, unless it is beyond repair. Stretching, strengthening and yoga asanas like the 'cobra' and 'sarvang asanas' are helpful. A newer form of the exercise is the European breath-centric Pilates.

And Finally, Meditation
Don't forget to meditate and relax. It could be passive guidance in 'Shavasana', where the trainer helps you to relax different parts of your body. Or active, where you meditate on your own.

Tai chi is also meditation in motion where you must bring the mind to a standpoint of zero, ridding it of all worries. You could cool down with stretching or five minutes of cardio to slow your metabolism rate and to bring down the body temperature.

A Word From Experts To Plan Your Regime
Work out at least five times a week.
If you are making a day plan, try 20 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weight training each day.
If you are making a weekly plan, keep three days for cardio, stretching and strengthening, and the other two for weights.
Add to this a casual walk after lunch or dinner or a climb up the stairs.
Be cautious about your cardio workouts. The wrong twist or move could hurt you - usually a complaint after aerobics.
Going by the needs of an average Indian body, if you do weights thrice a week, keep two days for the upper body (back, shoulders, chest and arms) and one for the lower body (calves, thighs, hips)
If you put your mind to follow your routine, the battle is yours!

Little things that have tremendous impact on your workout
• Always warm up prior to your workout. Set aside minutes for a cool-down, even if you are in a terrible rush.
• Forget what you've heard earlier; it is good to have some water before a workout, sips in between and enough of it half an hour after it.
• The flooring has to be appropriate. It is best to have carpeted or soft wooden flooring. Concrete flooring will ruin your joints.
• Wear the right footwear for the activity.
• Eat well. It is vital to fitness. Cut down on fried stuff, sweets and colas.
• Everyone knows how hard you have been working. But if you don't get your eight-hour sleep, you can't aspire to fitness.
• Think positive because the ideal body is never possible. It is more important to be comfortable with yourself.
• At least initially, exercise under a trained expert to avoid injury.