Adopt these healthy office habits

You spend approximately 6 to 8 waking hours in your office. But are you aware of the fact that for most of us, the office is a hub of bad diet decisions accompanied with a sedentary lifestyle. Bid farewell to these unhealthy office foods with these healthy office habits from Ms. Divya Choudhary, Senior Nutritionist at Fortis Hospital, New Delhi.

Eat breakfast to keep hunger pangs at bay.Office life can wreck your diet decisions if you are are not careful. One of the most common reasons behind our urge to overeat at work is the lack of an adequate breakfast. Skipping breakfast leads to an erratic lifestyle pattern. It's the most important meal of the day, and we end up neglecting it. Come lunch, and we are so hungry that we hog on almost anything and everything. Click here for a few healthy breakfast ideas.

Be friendly with your coffee machine. Caffeine stimulates the heart and respiratory systems. But don't be too friendly. Limit your coffee consumption to just two cups a day. Make sure that for every coffee you drink, you drink two full glasses of water, to help your system replenish what the caffeine takes out.

Try and replace normal water intake with lukewarm water. Warm water has many health advantages, such as:
- It flushes out toxins from our system, which if accumulated can lead to aches, pains and headaches.
- Warm water helps our digestive system work more efficiently, while keeping gastro and colon related - diseases at bay.
- Warm water keeps our skin hydrated. Drinking enough water can combat skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, wrinkles etc.

Carry healthy meals from home. If possible, one should always carry home food because it has all the advantages of being infection free, and hygienic. Canteen or restauran food, when eaten too often, can also lead to all sorts of problems that arise from lack of essential nutrients since most cooking methods in fast food kill the nutrient value of food.

If you must exist in a cubicle, at least make it a healthy one . Eat your meals on time and preferably in a relaxed environment. Drink lots of water through the day. Always carry fruits (excellent snack without making you gain weight). Look at other snacks like roasted chana and 100% whole grain crackers instead of biscuits. Keep them in your desk drawer. You can also try unsalted almonds, walnuts or unsweetened figs.

Health Me Up's Tip for eating healthy in the office: Maintain a well-stocked office box or bag that contains healthy snacks and foods like yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, low fat string cheese, your favourite fruits, hummus, and raw veggies and put them in your office refrigerator. Don't forget to seal and mark it with your name. This will give you a great excuse to get off that chair every couple of hours, and will also serve your need to eat healthy at work. And yes, don't be too food-friendly when it comes to enjoying colleagues' birthdays, baby showers and receiving high calorie gifts from clients. Respect your limits!

All you wanted to know about wines

India is no stranger to wine. Tracing the history of the drink, its origins can be found in old religious writings. During the Vedic period, wine was often referred to as ‘Somarasa’. Hindu Gods Indra and Varuna are believed to have tasted a mixture of wine and herbs as per the Yajurveda. It’s no surprise that the drink is once again gaining popularity with Indians. Especially with rising incomes, people now have a reason to flaunt their affluence and there is no better way to do it than to be spotted swirling a glass of wine. Although the wine-growing culture in India is still in its nascent stage, its consumption is certainly witnessing a rapid growth. However, for most of us, the names of wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Beaujolais may be no more than tongue twisters, but if you want to know your drink, here’s a low-down... The wine connection There are a host of wine clubs to help people learn more about wines, host wine tasting sessions and dinners, arrange vineyard visits and other wine-centric events for its members. The Wine Society of India, one of the oldest of these organisations may be just a decade old but has managed to attract people interested in wines. The Delhi Wine Club is another such organisation that allows people to connect with other wine drinkers by hosting events. Ravi Sachdev, a businessman and a member of the Delhi Wine Club says, “I was a whisky drinker and it was the urge to try out something new and socialise that prompted me to become a member of the club. The club hosts wine tasting events and dinners where I get to taste wines from all over the world. I also get a lot of information on pairing wines with food.” And for people who are reluctant to join one of these ‘clubs’, there are other options to explore. The very appropriately named Tulleeho, for instance, is a beverage service provider open to everyone. But not everyone can become a member of these clubs. “We have a screening committee and prefer having only those people who are already wine drinkers,” says Subhash Arora, president of the Delhi Wine Club. “The wine culture in India is growing steadily without a doubt and its future is very rosy, but there is still a woeful lack of knowledge. At present, wine consumption is mainly in the metros but no longer confined only to the affluent consumer. Once Indians begin to enjoy wine with food and we can shop for wine like we buy our general provisions, we will reach the next level in our unfolding wine culture,” says Reva Singh publisher and editor of Sommelier India, the country’s only magazine dedicated to wines. “The most important factor contributing to its growth is that India is producing some really good wines. Many of these wines are making an appearance abroad and are becoming increasingly popular as a natural extension of Indian cuisine," she adds. All that you wanted to know about wines...

Trendy hairstyles

Last minute party plans?? Don't know what to do with your hair? Here are some tips to help you out. Curl your long or mid-length hair into an up-style. Wearing hair off your neck not only looks stylish but also very elegant. It's perfect for a formal party. If you don't like wearing your hair up, but want to style it off your face, try a hairstyle that's half up, half down. Hairstyles that are half up, half down can look elegant and give your hair a romantic style. Style your hair into large defined curls which sit beautifully on your shoulders while the top of your hair is pulled half back to create height and volume. This is an elegant style that is perfect for any occasion. Style your gorgeous long locks by adding lots of curls to the ends to create lots of weight and texture. To finish, style the top of your hair flat and smooth, making this a great combination hairstyle. Softly pin up your hair into captivating curls and wear a silk headband to add shape to your face and a touch of glamour to the classic style. You're sure to steal some hearts at the party.

Bag it: Bigger the better

The bigger the better seems to be the latest fashion mantra. This summer big, voluminous handbags have virtually replaced tiny pouches and wallets in offices, colleges and parties alike. So, we have huge bags in leather, jute, mattie and other materials in striking metallic shades of silver, golden, magenta, copper and the likes with big semi precious stones, huge bows and flowers. This chic clutter-carrier is a must-have for would-be fashionistas.And why not? The Summer Spring collection 2008 was titled ‘Big’ so here we have oversized bags, shoes, belts and earrings. Says model Sheetal Menon, “Remember, the Spring/Summer 2008 collection was titled ‘Big’? Now big and voluminous accessories will make their presence felt everywhere. Big bags, chunky jewellery, etc will dominate the fashion scene this season. Personally, I love big bags since they are extremely convenient. I can carry almost everything of my use – right from a water bottle to books to cosmetics. I love silver, golden, brown and green though my favourite is the big black colour bag in sheep leather.” For actress Shreya Saran, trendy big bags have come as a reliever as she used to carry a mini suitcase with her while travelling. She says, “Big bags are a must for me as I need to travel a lot. Earlier, I used to carry a mini suitcase with me. But now that I have a chic looking big bag, I just dump everything in it – be it my I-pod, cell phone, water bottle, books or my small makeup kit. These days I am flaunting a really smart black handbag which looks both formal and casual at the same time.” Trendsetters believe that the size of these accessories will get even bigger in the coming season. Prominent fashion designer of Kolkata, Suchismita Das Gupta, says, “Big size bags in the beach look are in these days. Metallic shades in all colours and especially gold, silver and copper are seen almost everywhere. In fact, next year, I see much bigger bags. Everything fashionable right from earrings, hair accessories to bags to belts, everything will just get bigger.” Not just models and actors but our city girls too have fallen for these big bags! Programming head of one of the popular radio channels, Ruchika Arora, says, “Big bags not just look trendy but they are super comfy as well. Whether it is monsoon or summer, you just put in your umbrella, water bottle, snacks, sunscreen and just about everything you wish to keep with yourself. I have a huge bag with a very sporty look.” These bags are also a great help for women with young children. All those pockets and compartments provide great storage space for items they can’t leave home without! Ravina Wadhawan, who recently had twin daughters, says, “I have to literally carry the entire household along with my twins. I have bought a very fancy pink metallic bag with two big roses embroidered on it. So, it serves both the purposes!” Call it flashy, loud, gaudy or a necessity, but the craze for big bags is here to stay!

Shopping's not just a stress-buster

Most of the people see shopping as a good stress-buster, and for the rest, it is a nice way of passing time. But, when we actually go out to the market to shop, it becomes a way of interacting with the world around us, says a researcher. According to Swedish ethnologist Erik Ottoson of Uppsala University, our relationship with objects is multi-layered and often very emotional, and this is expressed in the way we shop. Ottoson, in his research, has studied the way we look for things in shopping malls, town centres and flea markets. “Being a consumer sometimes means fantasising and dreaming about objects, and this is boosted when we come face-to-face with things that arouse various feelings of attraction and resistance,” says Ottoson, who has researched the way we look for things we want to acquire. He has observed how people behave in markets, make their way along shopping streets and through malls. According to Ottoson, searching in this way teaches us what is available and how we can track down what we are looking for. Agrees fashion designer Ranna Gill, “Shopping actually serves a manifold purpose for me – I enjoy it immensely. It’s great retail therapy and when you’re out shopping after a very busy and long period of work, it gives you a real high. After all, that’s when you congratulate yourself for a job well done.” At the same time, says Ottoson, shopping becomes an opportunity to look inside ourselves and explore our feelings when faced with what is actually available. “This means searching becomes a way for us to interact with the world around us, an experimental horizon where certain aspects loom large in the foreground while others are pushed into the background,” he says. Entrepreneur Timsy Anand says, “Everytime one goes out shopping, I make the most of the opportunity to interact with myself. And that’s also the time you sometimes strike up an interesting conversation with someone who’s there picking up something – so it also becomes a way of interacting with the world.” In particular, the research focuses on what is actually going on when we are window shopping. The people Ottoson has been studying search patiently for certain things, but more than anything, they are searching for the feeling of having found something that is better and finer that they could have imagined. Says Ranna, “Window shopping is amongst the best ways to stay connected with the latest. What’s more, it gives you a great topic of conversation when you’re with friends.” For Timsy, “Every time you go out shopping, the person you’re dreaming to be, comes alive.” The study also shows that what we call just looking is not just about looking with your eyes, it involves your entire body – walking till your feet ache, picking things up and putting them back and feeling things with your hands.

Lost weight? Now stop putting it back

It may be quite a struggle, but most of us do manage to lose weight - but keeping it off is another matter. So now an ongoing study has set out to identify the most effective diet to help adults stop regaining weight after initial loss. As part of the study, adult family members were required to lose at least eight percent of their body weight, before the whole family was allowed to enrol in a "dietary intervention" programme involving one of five diets. About 760 participants were successful, losing between them a total of 8,500 kg, equivalent to the weight of four fully-grown bull elephants and 11.2 kg on average for each person. After this successful weight loss phase, 565 families (763 adults and 787 children) were randomly chosen to follow a diet either high or low in protein or high or low in the glycaemic index (ranking carbohydrate foods according to their effect on blood glucose.) The fifth diet, the control diet, was based on the family's usual diet but with additional advice on the inclusion of healthy foods. In Copenhagen and Maastricht centres, supermarkets set up for the study provided families with free food for six months, followed by six months of dietary advice and support. The other six centres (Britain, Bulgaria, Crete, Czech Republic, Germany and Spain) provided families with six months of dietary advice and support only. "The real target in this research study is the prevention of weight regain after initial weight loss," said Arne Astrup of the University of Copenhagen and coordinator of the eight-country study. "Most of us can lose weight if we set our minds to it - but we are not so good at keeping it off." Preliminary results from study will be unveiled at the forthcoming European Congress of Obesity.