The Inside Life: Behind The Scenes With A Fitness Instructor – Part 2

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive – Checkout the introduction to the Inside Life Series here

We’re back with the last and final part of our series on the Inside life of a Fitness Instructor. Checkout the first part of this series here. We continue our conversation with former gymnast and fitness expert Lia McInnis and delve in deeper into what her daily life is like:

DelhiPlanet (DP) : What kind of challenges would you say are involved in this profession. Do you have to ensure that you regularly practice your routines and stay at the top level of fitness at all times ?

Lia Mcinnis(LM) : The biggest challenge with this profession is that you cannot be sick or injured. It is very reliant on your own fitness and falling sick means a loss of income for that period unlike any other job where there is sick leave. You also need to be updated about all the latest trends and changes in fitness. I have to stay at the top level of my fitness and at this point I cannot live without Exercise. I was actually too involved in exercising before but have changed that now (from 3 hrs to 45 minutes) per day.

DP: What kind of preparation do you do before every class ? Do you feel nervous at any time ?

LM: Music is a very important part of my classes so I arrange my music before the classes. Most of my preparation is mental as I just need to choose the drill to do and I have 100′s of them in my mind.

Teaching a fitness class is actually about pleasing people and is all about customer orientation. People have to like you otherwise they will not return to your class and eventually that class would be closed which would impact me and the gym. When I join a new gym , I feel nervous in the beginning just like when one joins a new job. Because the people are new I have to prove myself again and have to make sure people like the classes. I feel nervous when the people in the classes are new(first timers) as they have to be won over so that they come back next time.

DP: That’s very interesting, I guess Fitness Instructors inherently get to know a lot about Customer Service through their occupation. Describe your average and most hectic day, what motivates you to work hard and teach up to 5 – 6 classes a day.

LM: I’m normally up at 5:15 am and teach my first class called Bootcamp from 6 – 7 a.m . Then I teach another class for Older people from 8 – 10 a.m. Thereafter I go to the university for my classes till 12:30 p.m. Then I teach another class from 1 – 2 pm and then I teach private classes from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. Sometimes I also teach Boxing from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

DP: That is truly mind-blowing. Coming back to the joys of the profession, your occupation involves interacting and meeting a lot of people. Have you made any really close friendships from people you have met in your classes ?

LM: Every regular student at any of my classes is a friend and someone I would stop and say hello to. If I work at a Gym for a long time I end up making good friends with some of my students.

DP: What would you say is the one best and one worst thing about being a fitness instructor ?

LM: Best Thing: I can be loud, crazy and strict and still get paid for it and people love me for that.
Worst Thing: The sound of the alarm in the morning.

DP: Women across the world spend a lot of time and money in trying to look fit and sexy and at times get involved in unhealthy habits like severe dieting, excessive smoking etc. What is your advice to people in this regard ?

LM: One should do everything in moderation including exercise. Diet is key to looking good and staying fit. One should strive to eat clean with diets containing less sugar, oil and fat. Lots of salad, protein, Pasta and Healthy Sandwiches are good for the body. One should always stay well hydrated but drink more water.

DP: Thank you Lia for your time and for sharing your thoughts with us. What is your goal in Life and what countries would you like to visit in the future ?

LM: My goal in life is to make a difference in people’s lives by teaching fitness to young people, and as I get older to old people. I suppose I will always be involved in fitness.

I would like to goto San Francisco and New York in Summers. Also Cambodia and South America. I have never been to India would love to come someday.

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Inside Life: Behind The Scenes With A Fitness Instructor – Part 1

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive – Checkout the introduction to the Inside Life Series here

Tall, Slender, Slim, highly attractive and very fit. Five characteristics that can make a woman extremely desirable. However, for a fitness instructor these characteristics are not only important but highly essential.

Stop for a moment and think about the lives of fitness instructors. Their job is to make you us feel good and to keep us healthy. They work their minds and bodies at the same time and if you’ve ever been to a fitness class you will have noticed as to how they speak out the instructions, demonstrate the poses and also observe that people are doing them right, all at the same time. A good fitness instructor not only needs to know the skills of what she teaches but also needs to look stunningly fit, so that she can develop an aspirational effect (The desire to look as good as your instructor by regularly attending their classes and adhering to their advice) around her. While we have the luxury to fall sick or chuck a sickie a fitness instructor doesn’t have this luxury. Falling sick is equal to leave without pay and very rarely do the instructors get paid leave.

Down Under, in Australia fitness is a big deal as is evident from the superlative performances of Australia in various different sports. Thus, we decided to take you behind the scenes into the life of a gorgeous, stunning and extremely flexible Aussie fitness instructor. We talked to Lia Mcinnis, who is a boxacise instructor at the University Gym in UNSW to get an idea of what her life is and what she feels about her occupation.

DelhiPlanet (DP) : Hi Lia, Welcome to DelhiPlanet. A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet. Let’s start by getting to know you better, please tell us something about yourself.

Lia Mcinnis(LM) : Hi, my name is Lia Mcinnis and I was born and raised in Canberra, Australia. I was a competitive gymnast from the age of five, a sport which took me all around Australia for various competitions. I competed in gymnastics till the age of 18 after which I focused more on my education.

At the age of 18, I wanted to be either a psychologist, a nutriontist or a physiotherapist. Since I couldn’t make up my mind I decided to do a double degree in psychology and sports science. My life as a gymnast along with my academic interests drew me to fitness and so I started working as a fitness instructor at the age of 18 and have now been doing it for eight years (and with that I just gave you my age).

DP: That’s a really interesting story. What is it like to grow up in a country like Australia where there is great importance placed on fitness and sports ? Was it something that was a part of your family legacy ?

LM: Although I have been born and brought up in Australia, I have grown up with some exposure to American culture. My father is American and is a big fan of Baseball. When he came to Australia he became a part of the local Baseball league and eventually played for the Australian Base League. Thus from a very young age I was exposed to sports and fitness. I also think that I had special talents and a gifted body as I could do my first cartwheel at the age of four years.

DP: A cartwheel at the age of four, no wonder you became a Gymnast !!! How challenging is it to become a gymnast. Please share some of your favorite memories with us.

LM: I started training as a gymnast at the AIS at the age of five and was selected to be in the Olympics 2000 squad for Artistic Gymnastics, so the training actually started 12 years before the Olympics. I continued to be a part of the squad for the next three years but then made the choice to pull out as the squad members attended gym school and not normal school.

The preparation was also too hard and demanding for a seven year old. However I continued training at a local club and was a part of the National squad that traveled to Hawaii for the Aloha Fest. Our team won the Bronze medal. In Australia, gymnasts are not put under that much pressure as compared to countries like Russia and China. However we did train for 30 hours a week. I learned a lot of good lessons and inculcated qualities of team spirit and hard work through this experience.

DP: You are very experienced fitness instructor having taught in various health clubs across Australia. What kind of training programs does one need to take to become a fitness trainer in Australia?

LM: To be a fitness trainer in Australia one needs to have a level -3 certification in order to teach on the Gym floor and level – 4 certification to teach Personal clients. To teach fitness classes one needs to do an Aerobics Modules, while to teach Boxing you need to do Boxing workshops. The skills in these areas keep changing and you need to get re-certified every two years. I finished the first two courses by the age of 18 and started working thereafter. I started working at Hyatt, Canberra followed by Alive Health and Fitness, Southern Cross and then Anytime Fitness in Canberra. Currently I work at UNSW in Sydney. I also have my own Business where I run Bootcamps for women.

DP: Now let’s talk a little bit about the profession of a Fitness Instructor. How long does it take to become comfortable in the role after having gained the necessary certifications ?

LM: Initially I started teaching one on one classes as I didn’t think I could do group classes. I actually started teaching group classes by accident or you could call it “fate“. One day while working at the Southern cross gymnasium in Canberra one of the instructors pulled out of a class at the last minute and no one else was available. At that point I had to jump in and fill in for her. I thoroughly enjoyed that experience and decided to take advance certifications that allowed me to do different kinds of group classes.

We’ll continue the rest of the conversation with Lia and give you an idea of what life as a fitness instructor is in the next part of this episode. Stay tuned.

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Michael Phelps – The Real Life AquaMan

In the DC Comics Aquaman, is the “Lord Of The Sea” or the “Superman Of The Oceans“. Aquaman has the ability to extract oxygen from water, allowing him to ‘breathe‘ while being submerged. He can swim at very high speeds and he also has the telepathic ability to communicate with/command oceanic life.

While Aquaman is ficiton and a creation of the human imagination, Michael Phelps is a real human who can easily be a contender for the title of ‘Aquaman‘, if there ever were such a competition to be held. After his record haul of 8 golds in the ongoing Beijing Olympics he is being hailed as the greatest Olympian of all time. Although most experts would strongly dismiss any suggestions of Phelps being the greatest (the honor being credited to Carl Lewis) he has certainly triggered a worldwide hysteria with his amazing achievement making this year’s Olympics an event that would be remembered for a long time.

Just like Aquaman, Michael Phelps is a man built to swim. It is believed that he has a crazy addiction of always needing to be close to water. From the year 1997 to 2004, Phelps spent only 5 days without being in the water atleast once. At 6 feet 4 inches, 195 pounds, size 14 feet, broad shoulders and slim hips he possesses a classic swimmer’s physique or as his coach Bob Bowman would say ‘an aquatic body‘ . He has also been gifted with another unique physical ability, he has a wingspan of 6 feet 7 inches, that is 3 inches more than his height (quite evident from the picture above).

Michael Phelps also has some other natural gifts, like the ability to train 5 hours a day, 6 days a week and digest a daily 12,000 calorie diet without putting on an ounce of fat. Details about his diet have spread all over the media and it’s just unbelievable to see that he can consume such a diet and still compete in the way he does. If you haven’t read about the ‘Phelps Diet‘, so far then you might want to have a look at it now:

Breakfast: three fried egg sandwiches, with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise, followed by three chocolate-chip pancakes; a five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast and a bowl of grits (a maize-based porridge), washed down with two cups of coffee.

Lunch: half a kilogram (one pound) of enriched pasta; two large ham and cheese sandwiches on white bread smothered with mayonnaise, washed down by energy drinks.

Dinner: Another half-kilogram of pasta, perhaps with a carbonara sauce, followed by a large pizza and more energy drinks.

Now that’s a diet that only a swimmer can consume given the fact the swimming definitely works up the appetite. This year’s Olympics saw Phelps and his team win all the swimming events by comfortable margins except for the men’s 100m butterfly event where he snatched victory by one-hundredth of a second over Milorad Cavic of Serbia (catch the video below).

It took 32 years and 8 olympics for a Phelps to beat Mark Spitz’s record and it is likely that it would take atleast another 8 olympics for anyone else to match phelp’s record. Congratulations Michael on this great achievement, your feat will certainly inspire a lot of kids to take to swimming as a sport.

Tags: phelps, swimming, beijing, olympics, diet, records, comics, aquaman, superman, aquatic, water

Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 2

We’re back with the last and final part of our exclusive interview with the amazing Kristin Mcgee. If you’re new to yoga and are looking for a place to start then look no further cause with Kristin McGee’s invigorating yoga techniques you’ll find yourself on the road to fitness much earlier than you imagined. You can catch our previous coverage on Kristin and her yoga programs at the following links:

1. Uniting The World With Yoga : An Interview With Kristin McGee, Part -1
2. Introducing Kristin McGee – The Queen Yogini Of The West

And now for the remaining part of our interview.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Kristin, you are an incredibly fit person, do you diet or avoid any particular kind of foods. Also do you suggest any diet to your students so that they can achieve the true benefits of your program. We recently talked to our readers regarding the Paul McKenna theory of “eat whatever you want, whenever you are hungry but in the right amounts“. Do you also believe in this.

Kristin: I really believe in the “everything in moderation” approach. I try not to label foods as bad and good but as how do I feel when I eat this. Sometimes my body craves a good steak. Most often I really love fruits, veggies, yogurts, fish, chicken, whole grains and tofu, oh yeah and a glass of wine and dark chocolate! I think Paul McKenna is right when he says listen to your body and try and go off of internal cues when you are hungry eat and stop when you are full and listen to your body if it tells you it wants something let it have it but also know how much is right for you.

DP: “Everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you“, happens to be one of your favorite quotes which was actually created by you. In today’s world there is so much greed, want and desire and every person is just chasing material benefits. How do you think one can overcome this and actually get to feel the way your quote describes. How does yoga help in achieving Mind Control

Kristin: I think the benefits of yoga are very subtle and it’s not so much about controlling the mind but getting to a mind state where you start to realize that truly all we really need is to take care of our health and our self, be with the people we love, do something we really enjoy in order to have food and shelter and certain treats and other than that there isn’t much more to life. I’ve been realizing after 14 years in NY that I really don’t need all that much. I love teaching yoga, I like staying healthy, I love my boyfriend, my family and my friends and I just keep trying to remind myself every day how lucky I am to be alive and breathing. When you are more conscious of your breath in yoga practice, you become more conscious of each awesome breath you take each day and you don’t feel you need much more to make you happy.

DP: Please Describe what a normal Kristin McGee Working Day is like.

Kristin: I wake up very early and sometimes do stomach churning. Then I have a nice healthy breakfast—my favorite meal of the day—then I’m off to teach. I walk everywhere or take the subway to and from client’s homes and the gyms and studios where I work. I always carry snacks for mid morning and mid afternoon and I usually have a healthy sandwich of tofu or hummus for lunch. I do my own practice sometime during the day and when I get home at night I check my emails and write for Veria where I have a blog. I make a healthy dinner and read some of my yoga magazines or do a crossword puzzle. I’ve been trying to make more space for mediation and if my honey is in town we share a glass of wine and take a walk along the river on the West Side highway. I’m in bed around 10 or 11 most nights.

DP: Yes folks, we forgot to mention that Kristin is a great writer too and has her own blog here. Kristin, please tell us something about your retreat workshops. We know that you recently held a retreat course at Morgan’s rock in Nicaragua and prior to that in Marrakesh, Morrocco. What kind of retreats would you like to do in future ?

Kristin:I met a woman named Erica who leads retreats to exotic locations through her company called Escape To Shape and she hires me as their premier yoga instructor. I loved the trip I did in Sicily and Morocco was very interesting. I’m teaching at Kripalu in September and next June was asked to lead a retreat in Nicaragua. It is such a great way to see a new part of the world and wake up and do yoga every morning and meet wonderful people from all over the world. I would love to do a yoga/wine retreat or a yoga/chocolate retreat. I will look in to organizing that and I’d also love to do something like that out in Sun Valley, Idaho where I’m from and maybe combine it with sking in the winter or hiking in the summer.

DP: That’s sounds great, you surely are Uniting the world with Yoga. Tell us, do you believe that in order to be true yogi it is necessary to shed all materialistic desires and lead a very simple life devoid of any body pleasures. This happens to be a kind of impressions a lot of people have about yogis.

Kristin: Not at all. I think yoga fits in to any lifestyle. It is human nature to want nice things and we should give ourselves the things we like—body pleasures especially. People crave touch. Babies love to be hugged and nurtured. Adults love to connect on a physical level with each other and I think that is the most beautiful forms of union of them all.

DP: How affordable are the yoga classes that you take. Are the meant for only upscale New Yorkers or for the average man as well ?

Kristin: No. Classes range from as little as $15 up to $150 for privates. And many studios offer work exchange programs. I have a sliding scale for my private clients and try to accommodate everyone I can. Privates are definitely expensive but group classes and dvds and home practices are very inexpensive or free!

DP: Please share with us your experience of training the Winter Olympics particpants at Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002. Were any of the participants fitter than you .

Kristin: Oh yes! All the Olympic athletes are in incredible shape. I loved working with them and showing them ways to actually not push so hard but to feel good when they practice. The Olympics are all about competing, in yoga there is no competition so it was wonderful for them to drop that armor and just do something good for their bodies and minds.

DP: Do you believe in the concepts of Karma, Past Life and Re-Incarnation. Also would you like to be born again and if so as what and where ?

Kristin: Ooh that is a very tough question and one that I may not be able to answer until I’m in my 80’s! I think karma is real—what you give is what you get. I’m not 100% about the reincarnation. I kind of believe that we regenerate through nature and when my body decomposes it becomes part of the earth which makes beautiful flowers which bring sunshine and happiness to the next generations.

DP: You come from a family that loves music and we know that your father is a great piano player. Please name some of your favorite present day music artists. Do you also listen to Indian music.

Kristin: I love Indian music and often play a lot of Ram Das and Krishna Das in my classes. I know those are more chanting and I’d like to hear other types of Indian music when I come to visit India. I’ve always loved James Taylor and I like John Mayer and Coldplay and anything my boyfriend, Tim, plays. He is the real DJ in our relationship and he introduces me to great music all the time I just don’t remember the names of the bands half the time!

DP: Please tell us something about your hobbies. What else do you like to do in your spare time ?

Kristin: I love to ski and play tennis. I like to be in nature and hike and camp and fish and I’m rafting the Colorado River with my dad in the Grand Canyon for 19 days in July. I love to do crossword puzzles. I like seeing my friends and going to movies. I love going out to dinner and to the theater. I love to dance and I love to sing. I love when I’m home in Idaho with my whole family and we make homemade tacos and play board games. I like to read and I like to learn more about wines and cooking and I love to travel.

DP: Finally, What is the Dream or Mission of Your Life and How would you like to be remembered as ?

Kristin: My dream mission in life is to continually grow in to being a better person. I would hate to stop learning or discovering all that this world has to offer. I want to keep discovering my inner world, as wel, and share the most authentic me that I possibly can. I want to inspire people of all ages to do the same and to be happy and feel connected to their truest self. I want to build my Bendigirl brand and help build young girls and boys self esteem one breath at a time. I want to get married to my boyfriend Tim O’Shea and make little O’Shea babies so I can nurture them and bring them in to this incredible world. I want to be even half as incredible and amazing as my parents have been to me. I want to share what they’ve given me with my children and grandchildren. I want to give back to my parents as much as I can. That goes for my brothers and their wives as well anyone who has helped me continue on my path. I never ever want to take any of these people, Tim, mom, dad, Kraig, Kara, KT, KC, Kristopher, Julia, Daniel for granted.

I’d like to be remembered as a really good person, one who always tried her best and learned from her mistakes and who was truly wonderful and giving from the depths of her heart.

DP: Thank you so much Kristin for sparing some time for us, I am sure lots of people will benefit from your knowledge and you are really doing some wonderful work. I hope that you had a nice time talking to us.

Kristin: I want to thank you so much. The fact that we have already connected makes me feel like I’m on the right path and doing something good in my life. You inspire me to continue on this path. I want to visit you in India and I want to learn. Together you can teach me more and more about your culture and I can show you what I’ve learned so far in my Yogini life in NYC.

Namaste

Oh yeah and “Always always remember that everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you”.

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 1

It is an ancient science that was crafted by the gods with the purpose of keeping all human beings fit and healthy. This science makes a person “aware” of oneself by uniting the body, mind and soul. It is known around the world as “Yoga“.

In today’s fast paced world, each one of us has so many desires and wishes and the only way one can work towards fulfilling them is to stay away from all kinds of health problems. One of the ways to stay fit, healthy and content is to become aware or as people would like to say become “yogic“. The word yoga has many mis-conceptions associated with it and many people think that “being yogic” means to shed all desires and lead a plain and simple life. Well, it’s time to clear those mis-conceptions and give you an insight into how you can become a Yogi In The 21^st century.

As promised earlier we are delighted to bring to you an exclusive two part interview with the world-renowned American Yogini Kristin McGee (read all about her in our introduction article here). We asked Kristin a range of questions about what she thinks about yoga, what it means in today’s world, her role in spreading the knowledge of yoga and her interest in coming to India. Ofcourse, we also peppered it up with some personal questions about herself and her life in one of the most happening cities of the world, NYC.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Namaste Kristin Ji, A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet and all the people of India. How do you feel about talking to us and connecting to the people in India ?

Kristin: I am super excited!

DP: Have you or anyone from your family ever visited India ?

Kristin: Unfortunately, no!

DP: So then, what places would you like to visit in India and how well do you understand Hindi ?

Kristin: I would love to visit Mysore since it is the home of Astanga and Patabi Jois. I’d also love to go to Pune where BKS Iyenger has his home. I would love a full tour of the country actually and am open to experience every part of the wonderful history and culture that you have. What are your recommendations for me?

I believe Hindi is the language still spoken by many Indians and it is a direct descent of the Sanskrit language which I use when I teach yoga asanas.

DP: Well, I am sure you would like to go the Taj Mahal in Agra. You should also visit Rajasthan, Kashmir, Kerala and ofcourse our city Delhi . Tell us something about your initial interest in acting. How were you drawn to it and what kind of roles did you enjoy doing the most.

Kristin: I wanted to be an actress from the day I was 4. I used to sing Shirley Temple songs like “on the good ship lollipop” to my dolls and perform in my bedroom. I’ve always loved live theater and musical theater and I think I would adore the glamour and beauty and drama of the Bollywood films produced in India. I like taking on any role that challenges me to open up more and find something new about myself. I think acting and yoga are very similar in that respect.

DP: Have You Seen Any Bollywood Movies. If so, please tell us which ones have you seen and which one is your favorite ?

Kristin: One of my all time favorite movies is Monsoon Wedding–I’m not sure if it is considered a Bollywood film or not. I love Mira Nair as a director. I love the colors and the sights and the beauty and the humor. I love how happy the Indian culture is and how they love to make things larger than life. They don’t settle for dull or mediocre. Please introduce me to some more Bollywood films that you recommend.

Recently, I just ordered 4 dvds from Hemalaaya all on Bollywood Dance. I can’t wait to try them!

DP: While still studying Acting at NYU you decided that you also wanted to master Yoga. What caused this sudden transformation ? Was it a desire to stay slim and fit or something else ?

Kristin: We were doing yoga in the morning to open us up and help us connect to our breathing which is very important for actors. I actually realized that staying slim and fit was just an added bonus to the focus and flexibility I was getting from the practice.

DP: Today if I were to take you back in time by 10-12 years and offer you a choice of being “Kristin McGee – The Great Actress” or “Kristin McGee – The Great Yoga Guru”, then which one would you choose.

Kristin: Most definitely Kristin McGee the Great Yoga Guru but I feel unworthy of such a title and feel like I don’t quite deserver the title of Guru how about Kristin McGee the Great Yogini !

DP: The past few years have seen the development and introduction of new yoga techniques in India where more time is devoted to intense breathing exercises than doing asanas. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art Of Living Foundation has made Bhastrika and Ujayi breathing a part of his yoga workouts while Swami Ramdev teaches Kapalbhatti breathing. Do you constantly update and innovate with your Yoga workouts to include such elements or do they stay the same for long periods of time

Kristin: I completely agree with both Swami Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that the breath is the foundation of the practice and it’s important to incorporate pranayama such as kapalabhati and bhastrika in the asana practice. I’ve recently been doing an hour long pranayama class every Wednesday before a two hour asana practice and it is incredible. I love alternate nostril breathing.

DP: Yoga was like Love at First Sight for you. You were able to do the most difficult asanas after only a few classes. For the average person who is slightly above the recommended weight how long would it take to see the benefits of yoga, provided regular practice 3-5 times a week.

Kristin: Yes yoga was love at first sight for me but I definitely couldn’t do the most difficult asanas after just a few classes! I actually was good at the headstands and arm balances but it’s taken me years to get more open in my hamstrings and to develop strength in my core and lower back. I think the beautiful thing about the yoga practice is it is a life long endeavor and there is no end result we need to achieve. If you start doing yoga, you’ll feel so good you’ll want to do it as often as possible. Any time you do any asanas, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day, your body will feel and see the results. 3 to 5 times a week is great as well. Listen to your body and you’ll know when and how often you like to practice.

DP: The Girls and Women of today, around the world are highly influenced by Media and Television and choose unhealthy eating habits inorder to appear like the models and actressses that they see. What message do you have for such girls and women. Can one achieve the perfect model figure by healthy eating and yoga.

Kristin: I think there really is no such thing as “perfect” by other people’s standards. I try and tell everyone to just realize they are already perfect just as they are. The yoga practice helps us get more connected to our self and eventually we do what makes us happy as opposed to trying to fit some unreal image that they plaster in Hollywood magazines. I really hate to see what it does to people and I myself have struggled with eating disorders in the past and when I discovered yoga, I found that I need to love my body from the inside out first and foremost. The rest will start to take care of itself—I promise !

DP: You yourself are an extremely attractive and fit person, so do you ever worry about putting on weight or ageing ?

Kristin: I am a woman so of course I worry about all those things! But I look at the yoginis in their 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s and they’ve aged so gracefully and beautifully. I think laugh lines are gorgeous and I think even a little tummy filled with love is attractive. I’m trying to embrace more of myself everyday and do what feels good as opposed to worrying about the external fears and pressures.

DP: Many people in India and around the world believe that in order to enjoy the true benefits of yoga or anything spiritual one must completely abstain from all forms of non-vegetarian food and alcohol. Please share with us your thoughts on this.

Kristin: I try not to be too dogmatic in my approach and believe spirituality and diet and lifestyle are all very personal things. I don’t like to preach to my students and I think ultimately it’s best to do what makes you feel good. If you prefer to abstain from alcohol and red meat I think that is fine and if you like to eat hamburgers and drink a beer I think that is fine too!

Well, that’s all for Part – 1 of this series. Stay Tuned for Part – 2 and find answers to the kind of diet you should take while doing yoga, the effect of yoga on calming the mind, Kristin’s yoga retreats and much more (Catch Kristin in yoga action with young kids in the picture below ).

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

Introducing Kristin McGee: The Queen Yogini Of The West

Desiring to teach yoga to the world, he is said to have fallen from heaven into the open palms of a woman.

So goes the famous phrase describing Lord Patanjali, the founder of Yoga. Yoga is one of the most ancient sciences of the world which possibly dates back to 3300 B.C. It was designed for the purpose of cultivating a steady mind and a healthy body. It is believed that during the Golden Ages (a period known as Satya Yuga in Hinduism) every individual had the knowledge of yoga and people used to live for centuries together. All the great sages and warriors of the Indian epics were master yogis who had perfect control over their mind and body.

That is hardly the case in the 21^st century. The world today is dogged by poverty, disease, addictions and poor health. People today find it difficult to spare some time for themselves, let alone sparing time for their loved ones.

Things are however changing for the better as more and more people realise the importance of being healthy, because “good health is the one thing that money can’t buy“. The lost art of yoga is slowly making a comeback thanks to some great people who have been blessed with complete knowledge of this science. In India, yoga has been revived due to the efforts of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (and his Art Of living Foundation) and Swami Ramdev whose free yoga sessions on Television have managed to create a cult following of millions around the country.

In the west however it is rare to find any sort of “cult following“. Yoga is alive and kicking in the United States Of America, Europe, Mexico, Latin America and many other countries today, thanks to the efforts of a number of people, who have devoted their lives to spread the knowledge of yoga among the people of their country. One such great person is the master yogini, Kristen McGee.

Kristin grew up in Pocatello, Idaho and moved to New York City in 1994 to pursue a career in acting. Today however she is a fitness celebrity. “Oops“, did we say celebrity. Well, she is a celebrity but she gives that term a whole new meaning as she has none of the negative qualities that one associates with famous people. Kristin discovered yoga, while attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Kristin claims that she was hooked to Yoga after her very first session and could do a headstand in her very second class. After a long stint at studying yoga with some of the America’s finest instructors, Kristin created her own style that was an instant hit for its upbeat, refreshingly hip approach.

Kristin’s yoga workouts known as Power Yoga are highly intensive, power packed workouts that would make your gym sessions feel like a piece of cake (Power Yoga is said to be the secret behind SRK’s six packs and Kareena Kapoor’s zero size figure). Kristin is well-known for her MTV Power Yoga DVD and more recently her own Power Yoga DVD. While most yoga gurus devote their attention towards training the adults, Kristin teaches yoga to both kids and adults. She is very famous for her yoga workouts with young boys and girls and has even hosted programs for pregnant women. Her yoga workouts are a lot of fun and are highly recommended for the young people.

A yoga and pilates instructor since 1996, Kristin has also provided special yoga classes for athletes who participated in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City, Utah. She has made numerous appearances in books, videos, commercials, TV shows and news spots, including Sex and the City, the CBS Morning show and CNN Headline News. Kristin has also been featured in national print and television campaigns for MTV and Lady Foot Locker Yoga, has served as consultant to the Nike Goddess web site and currently is a contributing editor to Fit Yoga Magazine. If you haven’t seen Kristin in action before then checkout a brief preview of her Power Yoga DVD below.

We would soon be publishing an exclusive interview with Kristin McGee right here on DelhiPlanet, so stay tuned. If you wish to know more about Kristin or you wish to buy any of her videos then visit www.kristinmcgee.com.

Aamir, ShahRukh, Big B – India Gets Big On Celeb Blogging

It’s been more than a decade since the blog was invented (or maybe more, check here for the argument) and in all these years it’s mostly been the common man who has made the maximum use of this medium. In many cases normal people who otherwise would never have had a taste of fame became highly well known and super rich, just by blogging and giving people the online content they desired (All of you know about Paris Hilton, but there’s someone else known as Perez Hilton, who’s famous for her coverage of hollywood celebs).

Till now the blogosphere has been the place where the common man can become popular, well-known and rich. So it comes as a surprise when film-stars, celebrities and other already famous people start hogging the limelight with their blogs, because the blog was never meant for these people.

Some really smart and responsible celebrities like Aamir Khan however (checkout his blog here) have been using this medium to give the people an insight into their life and work. Aamir uses his blog to reach out to his fans and his posts are mostly candid and frank. So unlike Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan who blog only when they are paid obscene amounts for the same, Aamir does it because he likes it (Checkout Big B’s blog here, rumour has it that he was paid a sum of Rs 115 crore to start blogging. He denies this fact in his latest post, but the big question is why did he choose Big Adda, owned by pal Anil Ambani to start his blog).

The past week saw some high action in the Indian Blogosphere thanks mainly to news about Big B’s blog and Aamir’s controversial post where he talks about “shahrukh khan licking his feet” . Well, the media and some film jounalists have surely played up this matter with some of them even going to the extent of saying that “what aamir has done is in bad taste” (Source). Well, if you really wanna know the truth on this matter, better checkout the original post by aamir and judge it for yourself. One wonders what problem the media has with aamir’s post, given the fact that SRK himself didn’t mind it. “I have never bothered about it because I also say a lot of things in fun and I think I am also may be stressing somebody else out. I don’t get stressed when friends pass comments like this. Actually I enjoyed it,” Shah Rukh said.

Well, it seems that battle of the stars is going to keep the Indian Blogosphere really hot for sometime to come. Especially with news that SRK’s going to join the party soon (Read here). And past experience tells us that when SRK does something, he does it in the most glamourous and outrageous fashion.

Tags: aamir, srk, big b, ambani, reliance, adda, bollywood, rumors

One Man, One Voice, He Is The Voice Of God

He Came, He Saw and He Became: A Voice. Throughout history, man had marveled at the vast complexity of the universe. Without a single unified voice, humanity has been left searching for answers to the abnormal, now one man has the power to change that and to spread his voice across the earth to all of mankind to hear. One Man, One Voice : Don LaFontaine . (Source)

If there was ever one person who would unanimously be chosen to represent the Voice Of God it would be Don LaFontaine. If you still haven’t recognized who this guy is then probably these nicknames would help you guess, “The King of Movie Trailers”, “Mr. Voice,” “Thunder Throat”, “The Movie Voice Over Announcer Guy”, “Mr. In-A-World” . Well if you still haven’t been able to place who the Don is then try listening to the trailers of any big budget hollywood movie. The deep voice that you hear is none other than the Don himself and that as a matter of fact is his original voice.

Donald LaFontaine is a legendary voice actor famous for recording over 5,000 movie trailers, television commercials, network promotions, and video game trailers. His signature voice is both ominous and sonorous.

Don LaFontaine is a native of Duluth, Minnesota. After graduating from High School, he joined the army and eventually was stationed at Fort Meyer, Virginia, outside of Washington DC. He was assigned to the United States Army Band and Chorus as a recording engineer. After his discharge from the service, he moved to New York City where he found work at National Recording Studios as a sound engineer/editor. In 1965, a mix-up in scheduling prevented an announcer from making a session, and LaFontaine was forced to create a “scratch” narration for radio spots for the film “Gunfighters Of Casa Grande” in order to present something to the client, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. To his surprise, they bought his performance.

Since then, LaFontaine has cemented position as the “King of Voice-overs” Aside from his continuing work in the trailer industry, he has also been the voice of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. By conservative estimates, he has voiced thousands of television and radio spots, including commercials for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonalds, Coke, and many other corporate sponsors. At last count, he has worked on nearly 5000 films, including appearances as the in-show announcer for the Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards.

Well, so while sitting in that hall staring at the big screen if you ever wondered who was the guy(you may have also thought that it was a computer generated voice) who did that voice, then it’s time to bring a smile on your face cause now you know.

Below you can catch a nice video where you’ll actually get to see a behind the scenes look at Don and his work.

Movie Trailer Voice Over Guy – Watch a funny movie here

Tags: voice, god, trailers, movies, don, hollywood, announcer

When Great Men Were Left Embarrassed

Many a times in life people get into situations which end up in the thought “What the Hell was I Thinking” or “ What in the World was I doing back there“. The former usually happens when there is fear and uncertainity in the mind, for example, when trying to ask a girl out. The latter happens due to over-confidence, fear and pressure, for example, when trying to impress a girl and doing everything wrong. Both these scenarios leave the person embarrassed and at times even humilated.

When such incidents happen to really famous and well known people they become the talk of the town. DelhiPlanet takes a look at a few such moments.

George Bush When He ……………

George “Dubya” Bush may not have contributed to World Peace in anyway but has definetly given the world two new words : Bushisms and DubyaSpeak. His rather clumsy and most often funny antics however seem to have no effect on him, but it surely makes the people watching him doubt his capability as the “Most Powerful Man In The World“. In the past he is known to have choked on a pretzel while watching a game of football (see here), dropped his dog before boarding a plane(see here), fallen off a cycle while trying to pedal, wave and speak at the same time(see here) and many more.

Watch the video below to catch our man in action and try to think about how you would have felt in the depicted situations.

When Bill Gates Got Creamed

While Mr. Bush usually ends up embarrassing himself, Mr. Gates however was once highly humilated when he had a cream pie smashed in his face(watch the video below). No, it wasn’t some linux or macintosh fan who did it but a notorius belgian cream pie flinger known as Noel Godin. Noel has in the past cream pied many other famous people including current French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Godin’s goal has long been to “entarte,” as he calls it, as many people like Gates as possible — people he feels are particularly full of self-importance and particularly lacking in a sense of humor.

Well we sure hope that you enjoyed our 100th attempt to bring you news and information that no one else does. DelhiPlanet would like to thank it’s entire team and all it’s readers for their continuous support, which has enabled to us to complete a century of articles today.

Tags: bill, gates, cream, pie, noel, godin, president, bush, dubya, bushisms, 100

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