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IOL News
2 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Home workouts: Effective exercises for beginners with no equipment required
Exercising at home is convenient and cost-effective. Image: DC Studio / Freepik Working out doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym or investing in expensive equipment. For many people, exercising at home offers a more convenient, cost-effective, and comfortable alternative. Whether it's due to a busy schedule, financial limitations, or simply preferring the privacy of home, at-home workouts are becoming an increasingly popular way to stay fit and healthy. Cape Town-based personal trainer Reemay Damons shares a series of effective, equipment-free exercises for beginners that prove you don't need fancy machines to get strong, toned, and energised. Warmup exercise Damons recommends doing a few warm-up exercises before starting your workout to ensure your muscles are properly prepared. Here are three basic exercises: Arm circles: Loosen up the shoulders and arms with small to large circles going forward and backwards. Leg swings: Swing one leg forward and backwards, then side to side, to open up the hips and hamstrings. Torso twists: Rotate your upper body side to side with controlled motion to loosen the spine and core. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Damons shares five simple beginner-friendly exercises that you can do at home without the use of equipment. Exercise 1: Wall pushups If you're a beginner, this can be done against a wall. Stand arm's length from a wall, place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, and lean in, bending your elbows until your nose almost touches the wall. Then, push back to the starting position. Exercise 2: Half crunches Half crunches are a good starting point for beginners or those seeking a less intense abdominal workout. In a half crunch, you lift your upper body only a few centimeters off the ground, engaging your core without fully extending your spine. Place your arms behind your head or across your chest. Exercise 3: Knee plank A knee plank is a simple, beginner-friendly way to get started on core strength. Start on your hands and knees. Lower your forearms to the ground with elbows directly under your shoulders. Walk your knees back slightly so your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders and avoid arching your back. Hold the position for 20 - 30 seconds. Exercise 4: Knee lifts Knee lifts are a simple yet effective cardio exercise. Start by jogging on the spot, lifting your knees as high as possible. Try to lift your knees to hip level while keeping your core tight. Exercise 5: Squats To do a beginner squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out, and chest up. Engage your core, bend your knees, and push your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Lower down until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as comfortable, keeping your knees in line with your toes. Press through your heels to stand back up.
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Hara Hachi Bu: Japan's secret to healthy eating
Hara Hachi Bu: Japan's secret to healthy eating Hara Hachi Bu is a Japanese phrase that loosely translates to: 'eat until you are 80 per cent full.' Credit: Freepik It is a traditional ritual that focuses on mindful eating - portion size, reducing over eating, weight control etc. Credit: Pexels The idea here is to pay attention to food and how you eat it. It requires one to slow down and help body realise when it is full. Eating till you are 80 per cent full gives your body the time to catch up and realise how satiated it really is. Credit: Unsplash This helps to reduce excessive calorie intake, risk of over eating, and may help in weight management as well. To practice Hara Hachi Bu, one needs to eat smaller portion size, chew slowly and properly. It also calls for steering clear of distractions like phone. This further helps in better digestion, enhances metabolic rate and healthy ageing as well. In today's fast paced world, making little lifestyle changes can help go a long way.
The Star
4 days ago
- General
- The Star
Go cold turkey: Actions parents need to take if their kid is addicted to screen
Parents should understand that there should be no screen in the kid's room. Photo: Freepik My 10-year-old regularly does not want to eat dinner with us. I've told him how important I think family time is and that I want him to eat with us, but he just wants to eat in his room. Sometimes I demand that he eats with us and this is a daily battle. Any suggestions on how to handle this? My son is in his room almost all day playing Roblox or watching TV. He does get out for some breaks, but I'm not sure it's often enough. Let's profoundly simplify things right up front: There should be no screen in your kid's room. Never, never, never. Ever. This is for the same reasons that your kid shouldn't have hard drugs in his room: They're highly addictive, they hurt the brain, there is no positive upside for kids having them, and if they have them, kids will be much less likely to want to be part of real life. Your kid is going to get upset because you have allowed him to use chemically addictive devices nonstop, all day every day. You are going to have a recovering addict on your hands. It's going to be very annoying for a long time. Here's how I'd put your kid on a diet of cold turkey. Kid Whisperer: Oh, dude. I owe you a huge apology. I am so, so sorry. I have allowed you to become addicted to screens. I apologise with all of my heart. Parenting is hard, and I've made a mistake. Kid: You are being weird. What are you going to do? Kid Whisperer: I have removed your computer and your TV from your room. I returned your smart phone to the store. Kid: No, seriously. What are you going to do? Kid Whisperer: Oh, dude. You are really going to hate this. From now on, you will be allowed to watch 30 minutes of TV and play 30 minutes of video games per day, the content of which will need to be approved by a parent, and this screen time will take place in the living room. This detox time is going to be hard. I love you and support you and I know that you'll get through this. Kid: What in the world am I supposed to do for fun? Kid Whisperer: Anything else that doesn't bother anyone would be fine. Also, breakfast, lunch and dinner will each take place every day. Those will be your only chances to eat and they will take place at the dinner table, unless we have a special movie night when we will eat in front of the TV. You certainly don't have to eat, but those will be your three chances to eat. We do require that you come to the table, without any technology. Kid: What if I simply do not accept this nonsense? What if I refuse to come to the dinner table? What if I do one of my signature temper tantrums and break everything in my room? What if I raid the pantry and live on a diet of breakfast cereal and candy? What then? Kid Whisperer: Oh, dude. I suppose that you will be able to have the excitement of trying those things and seeing what happens. In the event that Kid does, in fact, start sneaking food from the pantry, Kid Whisperer silently takes out the locks that he got at the hardware store and starts putting them on all pantry, freezer and refrigerator doors. Tantrums that include the breaking of objects result in Kid being charged for said objects. Tantrums that result in messes result in all items of value that are out of place being donated to Goodwill or a similar organisation and Kid being charged for trash pickup. Kid not coming to the meal table results in hunger and having to practise coming to the table until he gets it right. Allow Kid's life to be put on hold until he can detox and be ready, once again, for polite society. – Tribune News Service Behavioural consultant Scott Ervin is a parent and former teacher and principal. He is the author of The Classroom Behavior Manual: How To Build Relationships, Share Control, And Teach Positive Behaviors .
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Heatwaves are increasing pregnancy complications, study says
Exposure to extreme heat while pregnant has been linked to a range of problems, including a higher risk of premature birth and gestational diabetes. — Freepik Scorching heatwaves fuelled by global warming are increasing the risk of dangerous complications during pregnancies across the world, a report warned recently. Being exposed to extreme heat while pregnant has previously been linked to a range of problems, including a higher risk of premature birth, stillbirth, birth defects and gestational diabetes. The new report from the United States-based research group Climate Central sought to measure how much more pregnant women have been exposed to excessive heat since 2020 – and to what extent climate change is to blame. In 222 out of the 247 countries and territories studied, 'climate change at least doubled the average annual number of pregnancy heat-risk days experienced during the past five years', the report said. The biggest increases were in developing countries where access to healthcare is limited, such as in the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific islands, South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The researchers only looked at the rise in potentially dangerous hot days and did not examine the extent to which pregnant women were actually affected by heat in the countries. Ana Bonell, a maternal health and extreme heat researcher at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine not involved in the report, said it 'gives clear evidence of the growing exposure risk to extreme heat'. The findings could also apply to the elderly, another group who are more at risk during blisteringly hot periods, she said. While researchers are increasingly documenting the many ways that extreme heat can threaten human health, there remain 'many unknowns' about the physiological mechanisms to explain why this happens, Bonell said. A large 2024 study in Nature Medicine estimated that heatwaves increase the odds of having a complication during pregnancy by 1.25 times. Beyond wider efforts to fight climate change – which is largely caused by humans burning fossil fuels – experts advised local policies to help communities beat the heat. These include 'greening neighbourhoods, limiting pollution, creating cool areas and informing residents about the risks,' French epidemiologist Lucie Adelaide said. In a statement linked to the new report, she also recommended that existing information about the health risks of heatwaves include warnings for pregnant women, who are currently rarely mentioned in such efforts. – AFP
India.com
4 days ago
- India.com
7 Waterfalls You Must Witness In Full Glory This Monsoon
photoDetails english 2916684 Updated:Jun 16, 2025, 12:38 PM IST Falls, Goa: 1 / 7 This is known as one of the biggest waterfalls and it literally means 'Sewa of Milk" because of its milky-white cascade. This waterfall is nestled in the Western ghats. This Dudhsagar waterfall when viewed with a train passing in front looks beautiful. The trek through lust forests or a jeep safari from Mollens is an add on to the adventure. 2. Jog Falls, Karnataka: 2 / 7 This falls fall from a height of 830 feet and is considered as the second-highest waterfall in India. During Monsoon it transforms its segmented streams-Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket into one cascade. Jog Falls is located in Shimoga district of Karnataka. This fall offers a mesmerising misty view and can be best experienced during a short hike. 3. Nohkalikai Falls, Meghalaya: 3 / 7 This is India's tallest plunge waterfall which drops at a height of 1,115 feet and is set in Cherrapunji. When seen during Monsoon this waterfall turns into a fierce stream that flows into a turquoise-green pool below. Because of its dramatic cliffs and haunting folklore which is associated with the fall make it one of the memorable waterfalls. 4. Athirappilly Falls, Kerala: 4 / 7 This waterfall is often dubbed the 'Niagara of India' and in Kerala it is considered as the largest waterfall. It is surrounded by lush greenery and this flows from the Chalakudy River and then drops 80 feet down rocky terrain. And it turns into a wild and wide curtain of water. And also it has been featured in many Indian Films. 5. Bhagsu Waterfall, Himachal Pradesh: 5 / 7 This water is located near McLeod Ganj. This mesmerizing waterfall cascades through the Dhauladhar range and flows past the Bhagsunath Temple. It is also a popular hiking spot for nature lovers. Also explore the cafe's here after the trek. 6. Kune Falls, Maharashtra: 6 / 7 This waterfall is tucked between Lonavala and Khandala, It is a three tiered beauty that falls from a height of 200 meters. And this fall is surrounded by forest cover and cliff side views that become lush and dreamy during monsoon. 7. Soochipara Falls, Kerala: 7 / 7 This waterfall is also known as Sentinel Rock waterfall and it's also a three-tiered waterfall located in Wayanad. This fall is surrounded by dense forests and towering cliffs. And it will be more exciting as there's this trek to reach there. And the plunge pool at the bottom is a great spot to cool off. ( Image Credits: Freepik)
