My trip to Shekhawati, Rajasthan!

 Eid week-end I had a lovely trip to the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. The semi-desert region of Shekhawati is a colourful fantasy having a fascinating uniquely of its own. The open air art gallery, as it is popularly called is famous for its plethora of painted havelis, all commendable pieces of the rich artistic traditional of this region. 'Shekhawati', meanings the land of Shekhs clan derives its name from Rao Shekha (1433 A.D.-1488 A.D. ) a section of the Kachhwaha family of Jaipur. Earlier a part of the former Jaipur state, it now comprises of the districts of Jhunjhunu and Sikar.
Havelis: Shekhawati's magnificent havelis or mansions, built by rich merchants of the region, display a unique architectural style that evolved around the courtyards to ensure safety and privacy of the women folk and protection from the heat of the long and harsh summers.
The havelis, painted predominantly in the blue, maroon, yellows, green and indigo have beautiful wall paintings that adorn their walls. The earlier wall paintings (1830 AD -1900 AD)were largely based on the mythological themes, depicting local legends, animals, portraits, hunting and wrestling scenes and a glimpse of everyday life.To see photos and know more, please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/reema.sarin

Workouts for small spaces! With many of you residing in tiny homes, HealthyDunia.com talks to Reema Sarin, Founder BOLLYFIT and finds highlights workouts for small spaces.

Unless you are a die-hard fitness freak, you are bound to skip your exercise regimes.

With many of you residing in tiny homes, HealthyDunia.com talks to Reema Sarin, Founder BOLLYFIT and finds highlights workouts for small spaces. 

Blame laziness or detachment towards workouts, you are always ready with 101 excuses to not sweat it out! While majority of the training requires an open region or a spacious room, maintaining a toned body within a limited area is almost a challenge.


When someone works full time, takes care of children, or has other important responsibilities, it is often difficult to fit exercise into the daily routine. Despite this fact, there are ways to schedule exercise into a busy life.

“Another way to squeeze exercise into a busy schedule is to sneak snippets of physical activity into the day. For example, parking the car further away from the store is an excellent way to walk more. Other options include walking to nearby stores to get shopping done. Instead of using elevators all of the time, make an effort to take the stairs. Walking up stairs is a good way to fit in some exercise while at work or taking care of errands around town,” added Ms. Reema Sarin, Fitness Expert and Founder, Bollyfit.

While deciding your abode may depend on your budget, choosing to utilize the available spaces to have a toned body is entirely up to your wish and determination. Slight creative thinking and smart planning is all that you require. Here are eight workouts for small spaces:

Bicep curls: Weight training exercises targeting your biceps are the best when it comes to workouts in restricted spaces. It can be done with dumb-bells, barbells, cable machine, bicep curling machines etc. You can incorporate a variation of bicep curls for better results, which is called hammer curls.

Indoor cycling: For this you just need a corner! Let your love for cycling in open roads by setting up a bike in your home. Indoor cycling builds cardiovascular endurance, strengthens heart, improves mood and stimulate mind & body. Today indoor cycling has become very popular for its convenience and benefits.

Pull ups: You need a strong bar to do your back pulls. The usual motion involved in pull up is that your body is suspended by your arms while your hands are gripping a fixed bar. You then pull your body up using your arms until your head gets to be higher than your hands and your elbows are bent. A properly executed pull up relies on not swinging your body at all, but depends on solely your upper body power. Installing a pull up bar in your room can encourage you to get into the mood to exercise.

Dumb-bells: No you do not have to buy the full set – adjustable dumbbells can be the safest way to exercise in small spaces. They are smart and more durable. Adjustable dumbbells can be used for an extraordinarily wide variety of exercises. Unlike a single exercise machine, which is designed typically for one or a small number of purposes, adjustable dumbbells can be put to use in workouts for all different parts of the body.

Skipping rope: Also known as the jump rope, this is the most convenient workout. All that you need is enough space above your head to swing the rope and practice jumping. A favorite among the sportsperson, jump rope requires coordination, timing, balance, shoulder endurance and core stability. It helps to tone your muscles, increase cardiovascular fitness and weight loss.

Triceps overhead: This workout is carried in a standing position. With feet apart, grab a weight with both your hands and raise it above your head. Keep your elbows closer to your head and lower them behind your head again. Then raise it above your head with your arms straight. A repeat of more than ten times is enough for a fitter you.

“Use housework as a way to schedule exercise into the daily routine. Since house cleaning is a necessary part of life, everyone can fit physical fitness into their schedules. For example, sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, and mopping are all activities that can increase the heart rate. Incorporate lunges, jogging, and other movements in order to make housework an effective form of exercise,” added Reema Sarin.

Pushups: With the use of your own body weight, pushups require gravity to tone and condition muscles. Fitness experts suggest push-up as the closest thing to a perfect exercise. “One of the reasons the push-up has endured so long is it’s cheap, it’s easy, it doesn’t require any equipment, it can work multiple parts of the body at the same time -- and pretty much everyone, from beginners to athletes, can derive benefits,” said Jonathan Ross, spokesman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Yoga: A yoga mat and enough space to practice the asanas – yoga can be beneficial for those who prefer soothing exercises. “Yoga practice like ‘kapal bathi’, ‘anulom-vilom’ or breathing exercise is helpful for lungs and good blood circulation of the body. Right posture of ‘surya namaskar’ will also help you to keep fit from top to toe,” said Ajay Kumar, Fitness Instructor of Energy spa in Hotel the Royal Plaza.

http://healthydunia.com/article/952/14/workouts_for_small_spaces.html

Daddy are you Exercising! Exercise for Fathers!

Daddy are you Exercising! Exercise for Fathers!
HealthyDunia.com speaks to Fitness Expert Reema Sarin, Founder, Bollyfit to find out a few exercises that a father can practice either at home or office space:
http://www.healthydunia.com/article/939/14/exercise_for_fathers.html
Being a father means that even as you spend hours at work, you long to return home to spend some time with your kid.
And who has time for the gym in the middle of all this? For a good full-body home-based workout that doesn't require gym equipment.
1. Press-up: This will work every major muscle group in the body. If you’re not very strong, start by standing and doing them against a wall, progress to pushing with your hands braced against a table, and then on the floor. If you want to make it really hard, put your feet up on a sofa for extra leverage!
2. Squats: Keep your back straight and slowly sit down to chair level. Hold it for a moment and then stand back up. Take five seconds to get your knees to 90 degrees, and five to come back up.
3. Lunges: Put your feet together, then take a long stride forwards, bending the front leg so your knee is at 90 degrees, but your knee is not quite over the ankle! Thrust out your arm like a swordsman if it helps. And always keep your back straight.
4. Crunches: Lie down on your back, keep your feet on the floor, bend your knees and curl forwards until your shoulder blades are off the ground. Keep your arms behind your head and concentrate on flexing with your trunk. Now have a cup of tea.
“A Father provides maximum time at work place. So, options at work place work out are the best like crunches on chair, leg raises, stair-work with deep breathing and five to ten minutes meditation will help them to be a fit father. If you can do it in the morning with entire family that would be best,” adds Mr.Ajay kumar, Fitness Instructor at Energy spa, The Royal plaza.

Benefits of Walking! Health Dunia talks to BOLLYFIT Girl, Reema Sarin!

WALKING is the most popular and easiest exercise regime to follow and with excellent benefits! Read on to know more about some of these amazing benefits! By Reema Sarin.
http://www.healthydunia.com/article/931/14/immense_benefits_of_the_morning_walk.html

With changing lifestyles and increasing sedentary habits, most of us seem to be losing touch with the simple act of walking.

From home to vehicle, from vehicle to work and back home, we seem to be caught in this notorious cycle, ignoring the numerous physical, emotional and psychological benefits the simple exercise of walking brings with it.

A reminder! Walking is the most relaxing, refreshing and enlivening form of exercise which leads to numerous health benefits ranging from keeping one’s heart in a healthy shape to helping in the whole process of weight management.

HealthyDunia.com speaks to Ms. Reema Sarin, Fitness Expert & Founder, Bollyfit and finds out the forgotten benefits of Morning walk:

1. Manages your weight: One hour of brisk walking at 5 miles per hour or 12 minutes per mile, burns 530 calories. With a healthy diet, walking is great for weight loss.

2. Controls Blood Pressure: Physical activity strengthens the heart so it can pump more blood with less effort and with less pressure on the arteries.

3. Improves sleep: Out of many benefits one would be a sound sleep at night. Walking as an exercise that is done in the early morning increases metabolism and rests the body clock of a person.

4. Decreases risk of heart attack: Brisk walking for three hours a week or just half an hour a day is associated with 30% to 40% lower risk of heart disease in women. Walking boosts "good" cholesterol, it helps reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol) in the blood, which can cause plaque buildup along the artery walls - a major cause of heart attacks.

5. Reduces risk of Type-2 Diabetes: People can lower the risk of getting diabetes by combining consistent exercise like walking with lower fat intake and a 5% to 7% weight loss.

6. Lowers stress levels and lengthen one’s lifespan: Morning walk also adds time to your meditation and reduce stress. Quiet and calm mornings help your brain function at a higher level and enhance your working day.

7. Brings glow to your skin: Soaking the sun-rays at dawn can help improve your skin. Absorption of Vitamin D helps in providing a glowing skin.

8. Regular walking lowers the risk of needing gallstone surgery by 20% to 31%. It also reduces the risk of hip fractures.

9. Strengthens muscles, bones, and joints: Exercise is a vital tonic for the joints and muscles, and walking is one of the best way to keep these vitals parts of the body in motion.

Reema Sarin in Bollyfit and Bollywood action with the Ladies!

BOLLYFIT & BOLLYWOOD Dance Masti!

Welcome to the Monsoon BOLLYFIT & BOLLYWOOD Dance Masti! BOLLYFIT is a fantastic fusion of Bollywood, Bhangra, Salsa Flamenco, Jazz, Funk and Modern dance moves with international Dance Aerobics and Cardio Kick-Boxing moves with bollywood, jazz and funk dance to Bollywood music to favorite Bollywood and Bhangra Remix music at 200 beats per minute (bpms)! BOLLYFIT is an intense calorie burner and provides a great workout, burning anything from 350 to 500 calories!

BOLLYFIT wants your workout to party! This high energy dance-fitness class moves to popular Bollywood and Indipop remix music beats, instead of counting repetitions, and is a fantastic cardio calorie burner, muscle toning and strength training workout.

Call us to schedule your BOLLYFIT & BOLLYWOOD Dance session today!  For further details and register, please call 26873133; 9871698894. Email: r_sarin@hotmail.com

Web-site: www.reemabollyfit.com

Join on Facebook - Reema Sarin – The BOLLYFIT Girl!    

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reema-Sarin-BOLLYFIT-Girl/111587495844

Tour de la France!

Hello! Just wanted to share some images from my recent fantastic trip to France! I toured it extensively and loved every minute of it! It is truly a beautiful country and the French indeed are very nice and polite! I have written a little about all the places I traveled to. Cheers!
Photos are on:
Reema Sarin – The BOLLYFIT Girl!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reema-Sarin-BOLLYFIT-Girl/111587495844?fref=ts

Paris–Rouen–Honfleur–Caen We drove first to the fine old city of Rouen and walk through its center, rich in gothic architechture. Next, stop in lovely Honfleur and then in the world-famous seaside resort of Deauville.

Caen–Normandy Landing Beaches–Bayeux–Mont St. Michel Time to see Caen before a visit to the legendary beaches where the Allied troops landed more than 60 years ago. The highlights are Arromanches, St. Laurant, and the American Cemetery at Omaha. Next, journey to Bayeux, where you can admire the famous tapestry (entrance fee extra). Then, southwards to the unique beauty of Mont St. Michel, which stands on an island reached by a causeway!

Mont St. Michel–Angers–Loire Valley We visited Mont St. Michel before a mid-morning departure to Angers to visit its cathedral. Then, along the banks of the Loire to the lovely medieval historic city of Amboise

Loire Valley Here we saw some of the most spectacular castles of the Loire, steeped in the history of noblemen and kings since the 11th century. Gothic spires, medieval turrets, great fortresses, and beautiful châteaux make for splendid panoramas.

Loire Valley–Poitiers–La Rochelle–Bordeaux Travel on the comfortable AutorouteL’Aquitaine as far as Poitiers. Next stop was the picturesque town of La Rochelle, situated on the Atlantic coast. Continue westwards into the world-famous Cognac region to visit the Hennessy museum in Cognac. Then, journey to the beautiful city of Bordeaux!

Bordeaux–Dordogne–Rocamadour–Toulouse Saw the highlights of Bordeaux, then drove into the heart of one of France’s most scenic regions, the Dordogne. We stopped in the dramatically located medieval town of Rocamadour, perched high upon a cliff. Southwards by way of Cahors to Toulouse for an overnight.

Toulouse–Carcassonne–Nîmes–Pont Du Gard–Avignon Drove along the Autoroute des DeuxMers for an orientation walk in Carcassonne. Then, continue eastwards to Nîmes, an elegant city famed for its busy boulevards shaded by lotus trees. Also visited the famous Roman amphitheater. Get a view of the MaisonCarrée, one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the whole of France. Short picture stop at the famous Pont du Gard, before reaching Avignon for an overnight.

Avignon–Arles–Aix en Provence–French Riviera Went south this morning to visit Arles, the most famous of all the Provence towns, known the world over by the paintings of Van Gogh. Stop in Aix-en-Provence to see its main street, the Cours Mirabeau, lined with plane trees and its 17th-century palace, houses, and fountains. Finally, to the French Riviera on the shores of the Mediterranean! Visited the beautiful cities of Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Entibes, Juan de la Paix, Entibes and the artistic town of Eze.

French Riviera–Grasse–Lyon Area First to Grasse for a visit to a perfume workshop. See more of Provence and follow one of France’s great panoramic routes, the one Napoleon took on his return from Elba in 1815. From Grenoble, join the expressway to the Lyon area.

Lyon Area–Beaune–Paris Travel through the picturesque vineyards and fields of Burgundy to medieval Beaune, the region's wine capital since Roman times, where you visit the famous Hôtel-Dieu before continuing to the French capital and “City of Light,” Paris.

Paris In Paris visited the Notre Dame Cathedral. Then, many of the best-known Parisian sights: La Sorbonne, Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramid near the Louvre, the Invalides, and Champs Elysées, and the magnificent Palace and Gardens of Versailles!