How To Effectively Reduce Belly Fat

Jelly Belly. Love Handles. Dunlap Disease. Whatever you want to call it, the excess fat around your midsection that wiggles and jiggles in all the wrong places just isn't pretty. Not only is belly fat unattractive, it can be downright dangerous to your health. Extra fat carried around your abdomen can increase your risk of heart disease. With so many pills, potions and programs flooding the weight loss industry today, many people are left feeling just plain confused about how to effectively reduce belly fat.

The first thing you must know about how to effectively reduce belly fat is that there is no magic bullet when it comes to weight loss. Reducing body fat levels requires a three pronged approach that doesn't come from popping diet pills or gulping down foul tasting drinks. Belly fat also won't come off by trying to spot reduce only doing sit-ups or crunches. It's just not possible to spot reduce, so don't waste your time.

So, the question remains, how do you effectively reduce belly fat? Here is a safe, practical three pronged approach to get rid of belly fat.

1. Healthy Meals. Notice the word diet isn't part of the equation. That's because the word diet conjures up visions of carrots and celery and not much else. The word diet gives us nightmares of deprivation and hunger, and that's not the image we're looking for with permanent weight loss. Just because the word diet isn't used does not mean you're free to gorge on junk food at will. Healthy meals consist of lean protein, lots of vegetables, whole grains and some fruit. Your should consistantly choose foods that are as close as possible to their natural state.

2. Cardiovascular Exercise. Regular cardiovascular exercise will reduce body fat levels. Where should you start? Wallking is great cardio! Put your shoes on and get moving for at least 30 minutes per day. It doesn't matter how fast or how far you walk in the beginning, the most important point is that you're moving your body aerobically on a regular basis. If you don't enjoy walking then ride a bike, rollerskate, jog, run. Participate in whatever aerobic activity you enjoy.

3. Lift Weights. Yes, you did read that correctly! If you're wondering what lifting weights has to do with effectively reducing belly fat, then read on. Regular weight lifting has several beneficial effects for those folks trying to reduce their body fat levels. Muscles burn extra calories. The more muscle you carry on your frame, the more calories you burn in a 24 hour period which translates into extra fat burning power. Muscles take up about one third less space than fat. Muscles give you the power to carry on your daily activities more effectively and with energy to spare.

Learning how to effectively reduce belly fat isn't a difficult task. The three principle keys to getting rid of your gut rely on diet, cardiovascular exercise and weight lifting on a regular basis. Remember, you didn't sprout belly fat overnight and you can't get rid of belly fat in a day, but you can reduce belly fat if you're willing to put forth a bit of effort.

What’s the common and sexy link between Posh Spice and Kareena Kapoor

Their size zero figures! It’s been the talk of the international fashion scene lately and especially back home after Kareena dropped oodles of weight for her new look in the much maligned film Tashan. However, as BT discovered, there exists no such thing as a size zero, really.

So what are Posh and Bebo talking about?

Designer Manish Malhotra said size zero is so not in, not even in Bollywood, that factory of dreams. “You’ve got to have a bustline and a good butt to complement your waistline.

But in getting a slim waist, most women’s bodies go flat, and that’s a turn off for most men,” said Manish “I have never designed any clothes for size zero. Abroad, many women flaunt a slim waist and get a boob and butt job done to get that accentuated look. But in India, a woman tries to get that look naturally and ends up going all flat. Size zero’s so not done, girls. Get back to your curves.” Designer Nikasha Tawade, on the other hand, said size zero does exist, but it’s American sizing. “To me, this size means the girl has either disappeared into thin air or is just pre-pubescent. And am glad, I’ve never had the privilege to meet anyone of that size.”

Meanwhile, are Posh and Bebo really looked upon for their waif-thin looks? Posh is nicknamed ‘Skeletal Spice’ abroad because of her twig-like frame. In fact, she has turned down women like herself from modelling her denim range. Her belief is that girls don’t have to be ultra skinny to look good. And Posh doesn’t want to be accused of giving young girls a complex about their image and putting pressure on them to be ‘as skinny as her’.

While in Bollywood, Bebo’s slim look didn’t go too well with the audiences in Tashan either. Sporting a blonde hairwig and flaunting a tight, short red dress, Bebo’s curves were lost. Designers Falguni and Shane Peacock declared, “Neither in India nor abroad, have we designed a garment for a size zero woman.”

Wat size is zero?
Size zero is a concept within the fashion media relating to models with low body mass. But, yes, size zero does exist in women’s clothing. A US size zero is equivalent to UK size 4 or a Europe size 32-34. It is a petite size for women with busts of 31.5 inches, waists of 23 inches and hips of 32 inches. Size zero has often been linked to anorexia nervosa and bulimia as many women have to lose a large amount of weight to become so thin.

Single motherhood is no longer the taboo

Thanks to glam gal Sushmita Sen and her gorgeous daughter Renee, single motherhood is no longer the taboo it once was.


Single parents's family portrait with a difference. Babies are in and daddies are out. For more and more women in Delhi, being single doesn't necessarily mean being alone.

Thanks to glam gal Sushmita Sen and her gorgeous daughter Renee, single motherhood is no longer the taboo it once was. Thanks to glam gal Sushmita Sen and her gorgeous daughter Renee, single motherhood is no longer the taboo it once was. And with other celebrities like Raveena Tandon also adopting, many women are determined not to let the absence of a partner dampen their maternal instincts.

"I have been accustomed to living on my own. I adopted a child because I believe you don't always have to be related by blood. I am 43 years of age and still unmarried. It's just so silly to think that a woman needs a man to become a mother! In fact it's good to be a single parent because I can raise my child how I want," says Neena Duggal, who's the proud mom to a 3-year-old bundle of joy.

However the road to motherhood is paved with challenges, and architect Kiran Majumdar admits as much.

According to her: "When I told my family that I wanted to adopt, they were livid. Everyone boycotted me. Even after I got Jhanvi home in 2003, the barbs didn't stop coming. They said horrible things like if I could get pregnant, what was the need to raise someone else's baby? But I was firm about what I wanted from life. There are so many homeless kids in this country and if I wished to take care of one of them, well, that is exactly what I was going to do!"

Neena too had her share of worries. "I am a working woman and my job demands a lot of travel. This became a huge problem after I adopted my daughter. But I was adamant that I wouldn't leave her alone, in a crèche or with a maid. So, I decided to work from home for some time," she says.

No matter what the difficulties, single moms have few regrets about their decision. Sushmita isn't the only one for whom life has become 'very beautiful' after adoption. Interestingly, the maximum number of adoptions took place in 2004.

Each single mom has her own reason for adopting, claims Leela Beigh, secretary of CVARA. Some do it because they don't feel the need for a man, others because they don't want interference from anyone. Being financially and emotionally independent also makes things easier.

"Women are definitely more confident of themselves today but their decision is often circumstantial. It could be a bad marriage or no marriage at all. Circumstances play a very important role," she says.

Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure - with single moms around, 'no man's land' will never be barren. It will bloom into life each time a new sapling is planted.

A Change We Have To Accept

Unmarried Women Gear up
for Parenthood

Despite the traditionally low social status of the women in India, and the bad treatment given to them, times have changed for the better. Indian women in the 21st century are career orientated, happy and are remaining single - all by choice. Gone are the days when women spoke only with their eyes and their bowed heads. They have decided to re-write the rules of the fairly conservative Indian society.

Indian women have now taken a step further, and are enjoying the satisfaction of becoming mothers (something that makes any woman “complete”), even though many of them remain single. Skipping the ‘attachment’ of marriage and men, they are opting to become single parents – by adopting a child.

Single women celebrities like Raveena Tandon and Sushmita Sen have publicly adopted children. Questions, however, in the minds of many are:

• Why have single women opted for adoption?
• What motivates them into accepting the responsibility of a child – especially a female child?

When Sushmita Sen, ex-Ms Universe (1994), was asked about her adopted daughter, Renee, she said that she had wanted to adopt a child ever since she was 18. “As Femina Miss India, I saw so many poor children and from so close, that I wanted to adopt a girl child. It took me years to get one,” she has said. She received a call from an institution in Mumbai that had a pattern of allowing people who are single, to adopt children. The sixth baby that they introduced to Sushmita was sick and not a healthy child. This, coincidently, was the child Sushmita chose to adopt. Sushmita says that single motherhood has been “very beautiful”. She has changed her habits, so that they would not influence the child as she grows up. She has learnt that Renee is her responsibility and she would have to take good care of her.

Raveena Tandon, another celebrity, had adopted two children some ten years ago. When asked how it felt like to be a mother, she replied saying, “It's just wonderful. It's the greatest feeling in the world. And I strongly believe and advocate adoption. I think instead of spending money, injecting someone else's embryo, etc., why not take care of a life that is already alive? As it is the country is so over-populated. If there's a soul already breathing on this planet and crying out for help, why do we need artificial insemination?”

Reema Gupta, 38 and a financial consultant says that she did not get married out of choice. Earlier in her life, she was very focused on just her career and did not want any kind of distractions. She did not even give marriage a thought. Now, being financially settled, she would like to make the most of her earnings for a good cause, and have a sense of satisfaction for having done something for the society. Well, what better way than to adopt a child?

Saini Singh, a lecturer, has decided to adopt an orphan girl-child. Initially, her family was against the idea, but later, they agreed to it. She says that she would definitely adopt a female child because she still believes that women in the Indian society do not enjoy, and are not yet given the true status and respect that they deserve. “This decision of mine would give me the satisfaction of having done something for women in a small way during my lifetime”.

Men, such as Prateek Rastogi, a 24-year-old graduate in Computer Science Engineering and a “Bombayite” in nature, support the concept of a single parent, as long as the child is adopted. “Infact,” he says, “I would place the lady at a higher level”.

Despite the popularity of such a bold concept, there are people who say that the adopted child would never be brought up the same way other children around them would have, just because a single parent does not make a complete family. This, in my opinion, would only be true to some extent. However, a single parent would be able to devote more of his or her time towards the child. His or her priorities would be completely different. The most common argument of a non-believer is that a single woman would never do justice to the child because of the social dishonor attached to unwed mothers. They are thought of as the “bottom of the barrel”.

What I think is the reason that discourages un-wed women to adopt children in this present day and age, is the fear of who would take care of the child in the incident of her death.

The whole concept of a family is undergoing a massive change, but whether it is the beginning of a revolution or not, is still a question that has yet to be answered. This, however, shows that the social status of women in India has improved, and that the Indian society has begun to accept women as individuals, and not just mere pieces of decoration. Nevertheless, the good news is that the Indian law is in the favor of single parent adoption.

We, as educated human beings – educated Indians, rather – should take a stand, allow and encourage these kind of gradual changes in our society. That is the only way that we will be able to truly enhance the image of the women in our country. That is when they will really be worshiped for being the “second half”, or the Ardhangani of a man.

Naian tara: redhot

rahul gandhi: Turban boy

kareena; happy Birth day

King of tollywood: Mahesh

Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu, who is son of Telugu Superstar Krishna and Indira Devi, was born on 9 August 1974 in Chennai India. Mahesh Babu, popularly known as Prince, had his education in Chennai. He completed his B.Com graduation in Loyola College, Chennai. He has an elder brother called Ramesh, two elder sisters Padmavathi, Manjula and one younger sister Priyadarsini.He set up his filmy career as a child actor in his Superstar father's film. He entered The Telugu Cinema as hero through the movie Rajakumarudu opposite Bollywood actress Preity Zinta in 1999. The movie Rajakumarudu got good response at the Box Office. He earned a good name from the movie, which became stepping stone for him.

In 2000, his second movie Yuvaraju in which he acted opposite Sakshi Sivanand and Simran, was released. The movie was a big flop at the Box Office. In the same year, Movie Vamsi in which his father Krishna appeared in a pivotal role hit the Telugu screen. He acted with Namratha Shirodkar. Then came his fourth movie Murari directed by Krishna Vamsi and co-starring Sonali Bendre. The music of the movie was a big hit. Though all these three movies were big flops at the box office, he was able to establish himself as hero with good acting in Telugu Cinema.Despite heavy expectations, his fifth movie Takkari Donga did an average collections at the box office. Again his sixth movie Bobby directed by shoban opposite Arti Agarwal was a big flop at the Box Office. With these two flop movies, year 2002 was a very dull phase in Mahesh Babu's career.Finally in 2003, Mahesh babu rocked Telugu audiences with his movie Okkadu, directed by Gunasekhar. The movie became the biggest hit and earned highest amount in Telugu Cinema Industry till date. With this movie Mahesh became the Superstar of Telugu Filmdom. In the same year, his next movie Nijam became big flop at the Box Office. But the movie got him Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance.While acting in the movie Vamsi in 2000, Mahesh Babu fell in Love with Bollywood actress Namrata. And finally, he married Namrata Shirodkar in February 2005. Mahesh and Namrata gave birth to a son named Gautam Gattamaneni on 31 August 2006.In 2004, Mahesh acted in Tamil hit remake Naani directed By surya and was a big flop at the Box Office. Same year his next flick Arjun was released in summer. The movie was an average grosser at the Box office. In June 2004, Mahesh signed up for film Athadu directed By Trivikram srinivas, which was released in July 2005. The movie was a super hit both in India and overseas. In April 2006, his next two movies, Pokiri and Sainikudu became the highest grosser in the Telugu Cinema Industry. At this point of time, Mahesh had improved his performance a lot. In these two movies, his performance was extremely good and he received rave reviews. In September 2007, his next flick Athidhi in which he paired with Amrita Rao, hit the screens and was a successful movie at the Box Office.Recently, Mahesh Babu gave voice over for movie Jalsa directed by Trivikram and made several heads to turn. Now Prince Mahesh Babu has signed to act in the film Varudu directed by Trivikram Srinivas and produced by Singanamala Ramesh. Parvati Melton has already been signed up as the second heroine. Mahesh Babu is searching for first heroine. Names of Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana are being heard for the same. So the search is still on for a glam doll. Mahesh babu has also signed an untitled movie directed by Puri Jagannath project and produced by Warner Bros-Soundarya Rajinikanth. The shooting of the movie will start in end of 2008 and will be released in 2009.According to reliable sources, Mahesh Babu has also given his consent to act in a multi-starrer untitled film to be directed by VV Vinayak and produced by YS Jagan son of Chief Minister YS Rajashekar Reddy. In order to pursue the current trend, the Prince is busy doing physical exercises very hard. He will appear in a novel six-pack get up. In addition, Mahesh is the brand ambassador of Thums Up beverage in South India and is also the brand ambassador of Hero Honda motorcycle.

dasavatharam

Kamal plays US President George Bush, a bumbling RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) operative, a selfless scientist, an old hag, terrorist, Dalit activist, a medieval Vishnu devotee, a cancer-stricken Punjabi pop singer, Kung-fu martial arts expert and a 10-ft tall Muslim - not necessarily in that order.Starting with the drowning punishment of a Vishnu devotee, "Dasavathaaram", for no apparent reason, morphs into an action extravaganza - full of chases over a deadly virus involving a scientist and assisted and hindered in turn by the other characters - all played by Kamal.Asin plays a double role in the film that is a part-comedy-part-tragedy mishmash. Mallika Sherawat flits across the screen in skimpy costumes and ends up dead.While the cinematography by Ravi Varma, background score by Devi Sri Prasad and Kamal's acting are the film's highlights, the Himesh Reshammiya numbers have as much Tamil nativity as George Bush.Dramatic incidents galore are actually one of the minus points of the film, of which there are one too many.Kamal is in every frame of the movie and knowing his methods, director Ravi Kumar's role in the film seems to be seriously limited. The unsolved puzzle as to why there are 10 Kamals when one would have been more than enough remains an unpleasant hangover long after the movie.In all, "Dasavathaaram" is a movie that every Kamal fan would want to watch. As for the rest of the audience, it is the case of a Kamal-overkill

nisha kothari

celina jaitely

lara dutta

Is 'Sarkar Raj' a hit? The debate

Is "Sarkar Raj" a hit? While the movie-going public is not conscerned about its box-office fate after having seen the film, Bollywood trade circles are still debating over claims made by its producers and distributors that it is a "hit".The political thriller, featuring Bollywod icon Amitabh Bachchan along with his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya, was directed by Ram Gopal Varma and produced by K Sera Sera and Z Picture Company. It is rare in Bollywood that a producer and a distributor reveal their account books, but "Sarkar Raj" producers last week inserted an advertisement in Bollywood trade magazines, revealing the movie's financial details.Generally, the yardstick to judge a movie's performance, is never known to others. Because it is never disclosed how much money has actually gone into its making and how much it has collected at the box-office. So, the financial details of "Sarkar Raj" published in the trade magazine seem a bit intriguing. As per the advertisement, "Sarkar Raj," made at a cost of Rs.250 million, recovered Rs.380 million by selling its world theatrical and satellite rights to Balaji Distributors and another Rs.25 million from the sale of audio and home video rights to T-Series.Thus, the movie accrued to the producer a profit of Rs.130 million even before it was released. Out of Rs.380 million spent for acquiring the rights of "Sarkar Raj", Balaji earned Rs.220 million across the table by selling the overseas rights for Rs.80 million and the satellite rights for Rs.140 million.According to the advertisement, all that Balaji needed to break even was another Rs.160 million from the domestic box-office, which is projected to fetch Rs.300 million, earning it a cool profit of Rs.140 million.In the fourth of week of its run so far, "Sarkar Raj" has yet to touch the magic figure of Rs.160 million. It has just about earned so much as to enable the sub-distributors to earn their commission from the domestic box-office sales."In film parlance, 'Sarkar Raj' can be strictly termed as 'a commission earner'. In layman's language, it is a semi-hit film," Shyam Shroff of Shringar Films, a well-known Mumbai-based distribution firm, told IANS.

mallika sheravat

neha dhupia