Gone in 6 Days

080
Zone In Zone Out
Feature

Gone in 6 Days
You may have missed the good deals, but don’t miss the last flight out this summer!

With March bounding into view, another scorching summer with an increasingly restless family looms. But before you curse your globe-trotting neighbour and turn resignedly Ooty-wise, consider this: it’s not too late in the year for an impromptu foreign trip. No such thing, you say? Allow us to prove you wrong, with several deliciously picturesque examples.
We know what you’re thinking. The flights out of the country are the first to fill up, so not only have you missed the special holiday deals, there is also a chance you will be shelling out 30-50 percent more than the actual fare. But here’s how the glass is half-full: hotel bookings are more readily available and rooms are more affordable during off-peak season. And haggling with local vendors will be easier when there aren’t too many fleece-able tourists to drive prices high. Agreed, this isn’t your long-planned dream holiday. This is better.
Your options for the destination are endless. For instance, you can get last-minute reservations in most South East Asian countries – Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, Thailand, Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Of course, Nepal is passé now. Besides, as Girija Chandran, director, Hammock Holidays, says, “Why go to a place where there is a chance of getting caught in crossfire?” So leave the soaring mountains, and head for the cool blue beaches this summer.
Sri Lanka is a recommended destination if you want to have all the fun, without shelling out all that money. This island country is dotted with exotic resorts at half the cost of those in India. In fact, a trip to Sri Lanka might work out to be cheaper than a stay at an Ayurvedic spa resort in Kerala! Besides being easy on your bank balance, the country offers great beach fronts. The culture here is soaked in tradition, coloured by Buddhism.
Mauritius and Maldives are other fabulous seaside holiday destinations. Remember to pack that sunscreen if you don’t want to come back looking like a lobster. If soaking up the sun does not excite you, the snow-capped mountains in Europe will. All 16 countries require a Schengen visa.
“Ease in availability of visa depends on which European country you want to visit,” explains Monesh Devjani, Director Cloud 9. Visa for France, Austria and Italy are the easiest to acquire. Spain and Germany, on the other hand, are difficult. Acquiring a Schengen visa can take a week to ten days. But if you apply now, you can take your holiday when summer scorches Bangalore in May.
A trip down under to Australia and New Zealand is also a good option. Visas to these countries are hassle-free and don’t require too much documentation. And if all goes smoothly, you should have your visa in hand within a week.
Chandran is quite positive about last-minute travellers, “10-15 percent of our clients make last-minute travelling plans. But then there are always last-minute cancellations, which is a boon for eleventh-hour holiday planners. You can get through.”
It isn’t too late to leave on that jet plane. After all, the best thing about off-season is that the beach is still there, but the hammock is cheaper. So don’t shy away from split-second vacation plans, it’s in the blink of an eye that most miracles happen. And going from bored corporate lackey to chilled-out vacationer in 24 hours is nothing short of miraculous.

ECNR Explained
As per the Emigration Act, 1983, certain categories of Indian passport holders require to obtain ‘Emigration Clearance’ from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE) for going to certain countries. As per Emigration Act, ‘emigration’ refers to the leaving of an Indian citizen with the view of taking up employment in a foreign country.
(ECNR) Emigration Check Not Required is a clearance check required from the passport officials. You will need one full day off from office if you want an ECNR stamp on your passport. And no, your agent cannot help you out here. You have to submit the papers personally at the Passport Office in the morning and collect your stamped passport on the same afternoon.
Girija Chandran from Hammock Holidays advises, “Even if you are not planning to make a trip to any of these destinations, it’s a good idea to have your ECNR pre-approved; you never know when a good package may come your way!”
ECNR is a means to safeguard the interest of individuals who are of employable age. The Indian Constitution recognises a graduation certification as qualification for obtaining an ECNR. It protects the rights of gullible, illiterate citizens who might be in the danger of being shipped off for employment to foreign land by touts. Children do not need an ECNR.
However, there the laws concerning ECNR are arbitrary, so do check your facts. For example, in the eyes of emigration authorities, South-East Asian countries – Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand –are all at par. But it’s only if you are travelling to Malaysia that ECNR is mandatory.

Travel agents
Hammock Leisure Holiday Ph: 5126-2220, 2535-2877
Cloud 9 Holidays Ph: 5696-5570, 5697-8969
Thomas Cook Ph: 2558-1337, 5123-9071
Charter Tours Ph: 2532-0606/0707
Leisure Holidays Ph: 2558-5411, 5112-1911
Footloose Yatra Consultants Ph: 2535-7116/7
Holiday Mantra Ph: 3061-5955, 98456-64340
Travel Tours Ph: 2228-7027/28
SOTC Ph: 2238-4444/6128
P&O Travels Ph: 2551-8888
Cox & Kings Ph: 2223-9192, 2227-6021
Source: CityInfo

WWW
lastminutetravel.com
The site has on offer some of the online best deals. And you won’t have to pay through your nose, if you net the right ones.

Flit Like A Butterfly, Kick Like A Bull

080
Wellness
Feature

Flit Like A Butterfly, Kick Like A Bull

Cardio kickboxing is all the rage these days amongst those seeking more excitement in the daily exercise regimen.

Bored with your aerobics class? Looking for a workout that totally kicks butt? Want to increase your stamina, flexibility, and strength while listening to your favourite dance mixes?
If this sounds good to you, then cardio kickboxing may be your ticket to wellness.
Kickboxing combines the best of a variety of different exercise disciplines to provide an overall workout. It combines self-awareness and control of martial arts, the focus and strength of boxing, and the grace and rhythm of dance. Martial arts and boxing develop strength, speed, balance, coordination and awareness. The dance moves give the workout energy and rhythm that improves coordination and body awareness and provides a workout for the heart.

What is Kickboxing?
Cardio-kickboxing (aka aerobic boxing, aerobox, boxercise, boxaerobics) is a high-impact cardiovascular workout that blends elements of boxing, martial arts and traditional aerobics into a 30 to 60 min exercise routine to provide overall physical conditioning and toning.
The roots of kickboxing date back to the Far East 2,000 years ago. Kickboxing as we know it today developed under various influences. But modern competitive kickboxing was actually popularised by Billy Blanks’ in 1998.
Kickboxing is a unique way to improve endurance, confidence and strength. The one-hour sessions offer a great workout focusing on developing general fitness and body tone. It improves fitness, flexibility and stamina - an excellent workout. Essentially it is boxing with kicks - combining western and eastern techniques.

What’s the workout like?
Kickboxing classes usually comprise of 10 to 15-min warm-ups, which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks and push-ups, followed by a 30-min kickboxing session that includes movements such as knee strikes, kicks, and punches. After this, at least 5-mins is devoted to cooling down, followed by about 10-mins of stretching and muscle conditioning. Stretching is really important because beginners can strain their muscles, and slow, proper stretching helps relax muscles and prevent injury.

What can you expect?
- Cardio kickboxing does not involve physical contact between competitors.
- Classes vary but generally feature a variety of punches, kicks, knee strikes and other self-defence moves interspersed with a bouncing base move.
- Some cardio-kickboxing classes spend a part of the time kicking and punching weighted, padded targets or engaging in actual sparring.
- The class may also incorporate traditional exercises, such as jumping jacks, abdominal crunches, leg lifts and push-ups to create a total body workout.
- Unlike weight training programs, kickboxing uses your own body weight for the workout.

Why Kickboxing?
- Besides keeping your body fit, kickboxing has tons of other benefits.
- It is an ideal vehicle for physical, mental, personal and emotional development.
- Its rigorous workout - controlled punching and kicking movements carried out with the discipline and skills required for martial arts can do wonders for feelings of frustration and anger.
- Practicing kickboxing moves also helps improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
- Unlike the complicated moves of aerobics, kickboxing is very easy to learn and follow. The moves in cardio-kickboxing involve dance movements, which make you feel energised and explosive after the workout.
- Kickboxing reduces and relieves stress. Which is why even people with a cardiac problem, can do a kickboxing workout, with the help of a personal trainer.

How many calories does cardio-kickboxing burn?
- With 600-800 calorie burnout per hour, kickboxing has been rated as the highest calorie workout by Muscle & Fitness, America.
- A 60-70 per cent pulse rate is essential for weight loss, which can be achieved by everyone. If you want to increase your endurance and stamina, a 85% pulse needs to be reached. An 85% pulse workout is not for everyone and can be achieved with gradual increase in the intensity of workout.

You may not acquire fame as Jean Claude Van Damne did in Hong Kong for his kickboxing stunts, but it is surely a great way to get a total body workout. And in the bargain you will also learn simple self-defence moves.

Expert Speak:
Prakash Kumar, Director, Indian Fitness Academy
I introduced Tae Bo Do, commonly know as kickboxing, 5 years ago in Bangalore. My 26-year background of boxing and martial arts has definitely helped me train my students better.
Kickboxing is a stress reliever, since the workout demands a high amount of concentration, which involves the right level at which the kicks and boxes are aimed. Kickboxing requires strength, endurance, technique, and focus; it mandates your mind and soul as well as your body.
I insist that a fitness test should be taken before any person is enrolled onto the kickboxing programme. The fitness test decides the level of workout to be prescribed.

Karuna Horo, Fitness Expert, Talwalkars
Being a combination of martial arts and boxing, kickboxing involves several combinations of movements, which can be experimented with. This ensures that the workouts are not boring. It has also helped people feel more empowered and confident.
Women tend to put on weight on their mid-section and the lower body. Kickboxing helps target these problem areas and lose weight quickly. You can see the results within the first 3 months.

The Basics
Before you decide to jump in and sign up for a class, you should keep a few basic guidelines in mind:
- Know your current fitness level. Kickboxing is a high-intensity, high-impact form of exercise, so
it’s probably not a good idea to plunge in after a long stint as a couch potato.
- When you do begin kickboxing, allow yourself to be a beginner by working at your own pace and not overexerting yourself to the point of exhaustion.
- Check it out before you sign up. If possible, observe or try a class beforehand to see whether it’s right for you and to make sure the instructor is willing to modify the routine a bit to accommodate people’s different skill levels.
- Start slowly and don’t overdo it.

‘Tis The Season To Be Really Cool

Cover Story
080 - Feature in Cover Story
CityInfo - Dubai & India (Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata)

‘Tis The Season To Be Really Cool
What will you be gifting this season? Ties? Scarves? Soap on a rope? A toaster that can send emails?

Technology does not have to be dull. In fact, after dipping toes into the techno world, you will see why it’s so vital to a man’s existence. Take a peek at our wish list and see if any of these goodies will catch you his eye.

Garmin Street Pilot 2610
‘It’s right around the corner honey.’ Does that ring a familiar bell? If you want to reach from Point A to Point B without circumventing the entire city, gift your man the Garmin StreetPilot 2610. It will sit pretty on the car’s dashboard and guide you to your destination. It’s got a sensitive touch screen with four buttons for easy one-hand operation. Makes sure you reach the next baby shower party before the baby has been named.
Available at: www.garmin.com


Nokia 8800
He may not wear jewellery, but he will not mind being spotted with the Nokia 8800 adorning his palm. With a sleek and sexy stainless steel body, it slides down to reveal a deep black keypad beneath the shield. And if that hasn’t impressed him enough to junk his Smartphone, dim the bedroom lights. Fire it up. When the phone is on charge, it gives off a cool blue light. Didn’t you always want to do a blue light?
Available at: www.nokia.com

Exilim EX-S100
She’s sleek. She’s sexy. She’s a camera. Casio’s Exilim EX-S100 is the world’s smallest optical zoom digital camera. And don’t be misled by the size. It comes packed with powerful features such as 1.4 sec start-up speed, 0.01-release time lag and 7-point Multi Auto Focus. He will have eyes glued on its 2.0” LCD where he can see you through its 2.8x optical zoom lens.
Available at: www.casio.co.in

Casio Privia PX-500L
If your nephew gets butterfingers on the keyboard, let him paint by numbers. The digital lighting key function on Casio PX-500L will make playing Flight Of The Bumblebee child’s play. The key lights will make him master at the piano on the first go, as they show which key to play along with over 100 rhythms. He can now bid goodbye to his tutor.
Available at: www.casio.co.in


Oakley Thump
If his idea of a jog is plugging on an MP3 player, a smart pair of goggles, and a bottle of fresh lime on the hip, that’s what he ought to have. Oakley Thump is the world’s first digital music eyewear. It has flip-up lens, which filters out all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light while seamlessly pumping out 120 songs. So don’t wait for him to come back for breakfast; he ain’t gonna be back for another 6 hours.
Available at: www.oakley.com

Digital Photo Frame

In this age of paperless offices, and plastic money, memories still last forever. Now capture thousands of these joyous moments in a single frame with the Digital Photo Frame. Compatible with most memory cards, it will sit perfect on his new rosewood table at office. Now he can see thousands of your photos in one single frame.
Available at: www.ceiva.com

OSIM Massage Chair
Doing the salsa after a long day at work might do little to relieve him of stress. But a personal masseuse would certainly be welcome. The iMedic 200 will help him relieve those tired muscles and drive away the fatigue. After a 15-minute massage, you’ll can get down and enjoy a rumba.
Available at: www.osim.com


Tissot T Touch
Its blue, its Swiss and can tell more than just the time. Just a touch on the screen will bring alive its hands to activate one of the functions: Thermo, Alarm, Compass, Chrono, Altimeter and Meteo. This sapphire crystal watch will make sure he neither loses direction, nor does he fly his Micro Light too low.
Available at: www.tissot.ch

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
If the cheerleaders in the bedroom give you a headache in the FIFA Cup, then here is the perfect reliever. QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones use state of the art noise reduction technology which dramatically reduces unwanted noise. But remember, if are going to nag, he won’t be listening.
Available at: www.boseindia.com


SoundDock Digital Music System
First iPod put music into the pocket. Now bring home the ideal partner to enjoy its crisp and full sound. The SoundDock system is an ideal partner for his iPod. It’s simple; just dock the iPod and bring the evening to life. And a card-sized remote even controls basic iPod functions across the room. So rock on.
Available at: www.boseindia.com

iMate Jas Jar
Videoconference with him while he hits the road in California. Meanwhile he shoots sights of the city with the same phone. How you wonder? Because the iMate Jas Jar comes with two cameras onboard over a 3G network. And if that doesn’t make his business associate sit up and take notice, the swivel from a conventional PDA-cum-phone into a mini-laptop sure will make heads turn. Besides being the first 3G phone based phone, it also supports Wi-Fi, sports a QWERTY keyboard and a pivoting VGA screen.
Available at: www.imate.com

Digital Camera Binoculars
The coming racing season, the professional photographers will seek help from you and your partner. With these Digital Camera Binoculars you can capture all the action-packed moments.
Available at: www.meade.com/captureview

Sony PSP
Boys will always remain boys. Don’t believe us? Hand him a Sony PSP and he’ll be engrossed for hours. This sleek Playstation Portable comes packed with music, games, video and internet browsing.
Statutory Warning: This gizmo is highly addictive.
Available at: www.sony-mea.com

Creative Zen Vision
Can’t accompany him for his business trip to the Bahamas? Fret not. Hand him Creative Zen Vision. With a whopping memory of 30GB, it can click and store tens of thousands of photos, or up to 120 hours of video. It has a transflective screen that provides excellent image and Video quality even in bright sunlit conditions, ensuring you don’t miss any of the beautiful sights and scenes.
Available at: www.creative.com

Samsung Portable DVD Player
It’ll accompany you at the beach, resort or desert safari. And will make sure you are never bored even for a moment. The Samsung Portable DVD player with an extended 4.2hour Li-Ion battery, 3D sound, 2 headphone jacks and a picture CD viewer is the best companion. Even for a romantic getaway. You can watch your favourite movies take while sunbathing on the beach.
Available at: www.samsung.com

Sony DPP-FP50
He shot them. Now you produce the evidence of the crime. With the Sony DPP-FP50 portable printer, you can hand out family photos right away. You will get perfect lab printing quality, without the hassles of plugging onto a PC for download of images. It comes with an in built LCD, slots for memory stick, compact flash and SD media with PictBridge technology.
Available at: www.sony-mea.com

Unwind

080

Unwind
Shivamani’s high-voltage energy inaugurated the city’s newest music centre

After creating waves of music in Chennai, Unwind Center has entered Bangalore. The Center is a spot where amateur performers, students and well-known artists will come together to do what they love: Make music.
Percussion maestro Shivamani inaugurated the Center, holding the crowd spellbound with his magic on the drums for almost 45 minutes. He even jammed with a few Bangalore musicians, giving a great start to the story of Unwind Bangalore.
Bands from across India and abroad will come together to perform here, where all kinds of music is appreciated and encouraged. It is a unique platform for showcasing talent – and that’s everything from Jazz to Bengali folk, Metal to Veena performances.
The visionary behind it all is John Christian. He’s quick to point out that all the events at the Center are free of “drugs, alcohol and sexual suggestiveness.” The days of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin excess are long gone, in other words.
So father’s, don’t hesitate to send your daughters here as Unwind Center has religiously stood by its objective of ‘good, clean fun’.
They cater to the musical inclination of people of all ages. In fact, they even have an 8-year old studying guitar.

Unwind School of Music
The school features a six-month Fastlane course, which ensures learning an instrument. The tutors are professional musicians who are either studio artists or Live performers.

Academy of Music
The academy is offering 10-month courses in the disciplines of Audio Engineering, Live Audio Digital Recording and Digital Audio Workstations. Only 12 students will be enrolled for this course, which starts in November this year.

Unwind Center
280 Wilson Garden
10th Cross, Opp Wilson Garden Post Office
Ph – 5535-0737 or log on to www.unwindcenter.com

Taking The Atkins Road

080 The Bangalore Monthly Update

Taking The Atkins Road
All the world’s high on Atkins and low on carbs. Contrary to belief, the Atkins Diet is not a high-protein one but one which eliminates carbohydrates from your diet

Dr Atkins created his revolutionary diet on the basis of how our body uses energy. When food is consumed, the body first uses up the carbohydrates for energy. The fats and proteins meanwhile, are stored away in the body in the muscles. It is based on the premise that the elimination of carbohydrates from the diet will result in weight loss, good health, and euphoria.

Revolutionary idea
Atkins restricts processed/ refined carbohydrates (which make up more than 50 per cent of many people’s diet), such as high-sugar foods, breads, pasta, cereal and starchy vegetables.
Core vita-nutrient supplementation includes a full-spectrum multivitamin and an essential oils/ fatty acid formula. Unlike other weight-loss programmes, Atkins allows you to eat satisfying amounts of delicious, nutrient-dense foods – and customize the programme to your individual needs and tastes.
Read on for do’s and don’ts, and an item-by-item guide to what you should be eating while getting to the weight you’ve always wanted.

Atkins Diet Tips and Secrets for Success
- Eat enough calories. Try to get 8-10 calories per ½ kilo of current body weight every day. If you consume too few calories your body will go into ‘starvation mode’ and weight loss will slow or stop.
- The Atkins diet is all about learning how different foods affect you so that you can decide which foods to remove from your diet and which you may enjoy regularly.
- Drink enough water. At least 2000 ml per day. Drinking water aids in lipolysis (break down of fats) and in eliminating ketones. Yes, you do literally urinate your fat away!
- Eat the level of carbs that make you feel your best. You may be able to eat 90 grams per day, but if you feel better at 75 grams, you’re more likely to stick with it.
- And the most important of all; if you fall off the wagon, don’t give up. Forgive yourself and get right back with your Atkins diet plan.

Bookmark
The book Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution works because it targets our stored body fat. Fat is out body’s back-up system for fuel to general energy. If we take it out of the back-up position and convert our body to using it as a primary fuel source, the result is an extremely efficient weight loss and weigh maintenance programme.

What food is involved and why?
There are no calorie restrictions in the Atkins diet, so deciding on exactly what amounts of various foods to include in the menus is something of an arbitrary decision. Carbs to eat regularly include: apples, berries, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, green vegetables, onions, peppers, tomatoes, oatmeal, wheat bran, kidney beans, lentils, most nuts and seeds, milk, tofu and unsweetened soy products.

Carbs to eat in moderation include: apricots, grapes, kiwifruit, mangoes, melon, papaya, pineapple, carrots, peas, black-eyes beans, soy beans, peanuts, rye bread.

Carbs to eat sparingly include: bananas, fruit juice, prunes, raisins, sweet corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, white bread, white rice, pasta, pizza, cornflakes, ice cream (sweetened).

Benefits of low-carb eating
Dr Atkins’ low carb diet helps us to regulate insulin production and decrease circulating insulin; less insulin soon results in less fat storage and fewer food cravings. The diet is far from torturous though; those who have tried it attest that hunger is not a part of this plan.

Is exercise important on this diet?
Exercise is an essential part of Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, as you are advised to take certain nutritional supplements including calcium and fiber.

How expensive is this diet?
Sugar, fat and grains are our cheapest foods, and those are exactly the food types htat these low-carb diet wants to eliminate or reduce significantly. Protein – in particular fish, chicken and meat – cost more than pasta and rice.

Roadmap
Atkins Nutritional Approach
The popularity of the Atkins diet lies in its four-phase eating regimen in tandem with a vitamin and mineral supplementation and regular exercise. It is based on a personalized eating plan which gives you the freedom to select the right food based on your need to achieve weight loss and maintenance along with enjoying good health and preventing disease.

Phase 1: Induction
Cut down on those carbs to 20 grams each day and get your daily dose from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.

Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)
Add on the carbohydrates in the form of nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods by increasing to 25 grams daily the first week, 30 grams daily the next week and so on until weight loss stops. Then subtract 5 grams of carbohydrates from your daily intake so that you keep your promise of sustained, moderate weight loss.

Phase 3: Pre-maintenance
Make the prudent transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by increasing daily carbs intake in 10-gram increments each week so long as very gradual weight loss is maintained.

Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance
Gorge on a wide variety of foods while controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance.

Counting Carbs
These are some of the foods that contain food with 10% carbohydrates or less.
Meats – bacon, beef, calf liver, chicken, duck, ham, lamb, pork, sausage, steak
Fish – catfish, cod, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardine, snapper, trout, tuna
Shellfish – clams, crab, lobster, mussel, oysters, scallops, shrimp, squid
Daily – butter, cheese, cream, coffee, all egg, mineral water, mayonnaise, tea, water
Salads – alfalfa, sprouts, lettuce, celery, cucumber, mushrooms, olives, parsley, peppers, radish
Vegetables – asparagus, avocado, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery root, eggplant, onion, pumpkin, rhubarb, spinach, string or wax beans, tomato, turnips, water chestnuts, zucchini

Does it really work?
Since the inception of his first low-carb diet book in the 1970’s, Atkins’ books have sold over 15 million copies.

TGI Friday for more reasons than one
Atkins has partnered with TGI Friday’s restaurants to create mouth-watering menu items that meet the criteria of the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

Health Risk?
It has been claimed that people have suffered serious consequences under the Atkins diet. For one, extremely high protein diets, like Atkins, can lead to acidic urine. Acidic urine leaches calcium from the body which significantly increases one’s risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Induction Diet
Depending on how much weight you need to lose, the induction phase lasts for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of one year. You can generally expect to lose 10% of your excess weight during the first 14 days of induction.
For the first few days of induction, you will be withdrawing from sugar and caffeine. It will take 3-7 days for these substances to leave your system. During this time, you may find that withdrawal causes you to have headaches, diarrhea, nausea, “brain fog” (be careful driving), and muscle cramps. This is commonly referred to as “induction flu”. If you suffer from these symptoms take heart – they are very temporary. Soon, you will wake up with more energy than you’ve had in years, your moods will stabilize, and your hunger will disappear.

Books on the Subject
Dr Atkins’ Age-Defying Diet Revolution
Dr Atkins’ New Carbohydrate Gram Counter
Dr Atkins’ Quick & Easy New Diet Cookbook
Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution