sexiest figure

Trainers have been suggesting that their clients and visitors to the gym have sex thrice a week. Sex has been known to burn calories but how many and depending on what factors. Here's an insight into it.

Some may call it synchronized gymnastics and others choose to call it "making love", but it all just eventually boils down to a three letter word s-e-x. The age old practice we so proudly flaunt as our own since the advent of the Khajuraho Temples to the ultimate guide to sex called The Kamasutra, we have always been known to be the pioneers in innovative and complex love making.

We transcend from being flamboyant, curious teens to more experienced and well-read adults. Giggles and sniggers prevail over new found discoveries after endless surfing over the net, reading dirty magazines and receiving the dirty bits from experienced friends. We live in a country where we proudly wear the fact that we wrote the sex book but we also live in times where it could be taboo, making us complete aliens in the society. Well, heads up for what's coming then. It' not the million crunches and squats you do that help you burn up your calories, its much more than that! Don't be surprised if your fitness charts read, "Sex thrice a week" because that's exactly what trainers have been advising their clients to get down to their business.

A Human Movement specialist states that sex is aerobic in some parts and anaerobic in others. "Sex unfortunately as practiced today, as an act of pent up stress, an act of lust etc will burn calories. But that by itself is not sufficient to replace jogging". Badrinath focuses on the fact that jogging, running and other forms of aerobic activity actually help people to have better sex that last longer, helps them recover faster after climax and have more energy and endurance to last. When his trainer asked him to turn up the heat, Gokul Govardhan, a fitness was under the notion that he would have to increase his workout sessions and get into a more rigorous routing. Little did he know that his trainer was actually asking him to have sex thrice a week. "I didn't think it was not possible.

I believe in what my trainer tells me to do. Sex removes the fat content that sticks on to the body and wipes out all the toxins". Gokul has been working out under the same trainer for the last 2 years and he believes if this is a solution for burning calories, then be it! Shreya, another regular visitor of the gym says that sex is an amazing way to lose weight and it also defies the statement "no pain, no gain". "I don't see anything wrong in having sex thrice a week, if not everyday.

It's a great cardio and ab workout." Hollywood celebs have sworn their toned bodies on amazing sex and that is proof enough to say that trainers are right about this. "The trainer is my guru and according to me, the teacher is always right!" says Shreya.

The calories burnt of course depends on a lot of factors like age, duration of sex, foreplay, and the intensity with which the act is done.

Calories burnt (depends on factors like age and gender)

On average 170 calories or more are burnt in the age group of 18 to 25.

On average 135 calories or more are burnt in the age group of 25 to 40

If a man's not doing much work, then he burns about 120 calories, in the age group of 40 plus Indian male.

Women burn more calories only if they're doing the work during sex. On an average, men and women burn about the same because the work they do is similar.

Movement analysis:
If you were to do a movement analysis of one nights sex - 5 to 10 minutes goes in foreplay (basically kissing, touching and caressing) caloric output is negligible (20 cal).

The act itself lasts for 20 minutes (100 calories), cool down and sleep (10 calories)!

If you have multiple sex (2) or intercourse in one hour then you may look at 300 calories

The additional 60 cal could get you back into the game and passion also increases the body temperature.

Celine Dion may have to change the title of her famous love song - My Heart Will Go On, for according to medical experts with each passing day, our hearts are ageing faster than other parts of our bodies and are finding it difficult to go on. Your heart age can be different from your actual age.

A sedentary lifestyle, stress, long work hours, a growing appetite for junk food, excessive smoking and drinking are some of the factors that can make your heart older a lot faster than you actually age.

Age: Just a number?
You may know the shape of your heart, but there are sites online which claim to calculate the age of your heart (see box). However, cardiologist Dr Hasmukh Ravat says you shouldn't rely on them, "There is no way to calculate the age of your heart. When doctors use the term 'ageing heart', what they are referring to is a tendency among young people who would otherwise have a very low risk of heart disease now grappling with cardiovascular disease, which is largely prevalent at later stages in life."

Teens under attack
Heart age is an estimated 'age'of the heart as compared to a person's chronological age. It's based on the influence that physical and lifestyle factors have on heart health. The age group of people suffering from heart disease now includes teenagers, claims Ravat. He says, "I have had cases of 17 and 19-year-olds coming to me with heart problems."

It's essential that you measure your risk of heart disease and make a plan for how to prevent it in the near future. Shailesh Trivedi, a 21-year-old working professional, who suffered a heart attack a year ago, adds, "I was lucky to survive. Often, we do not realise the toll junk food and a stressed environment can take on your heart. I had to get an angioplasty done to rectify the damage to my heart. Counselling, quitting smoking, regular exercise and modifications in my diet helped me get through it."

Whatever your age, keeping your heart healthy is well worth it, because a strong heart is ultimately what keeps you young and vital.

Here's how to keep a healthy heart
If you have high cholesterol, avoid red meat Avoid fried, junk, salty and oily food Exercise regularly, go for a brisk walk, for 45 minutes to an hour, three to four times a week. It helps increase good cholesterol Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Drinking in moderation is not harmful. One or two pegs a day, two or three times a week, is okay Check your weight and maintain it Quit smoking and control BP and blood sugar levels.

Test your heart age
The heart forecaster reveals your age after getting your heart numbers, which are your blood pressure and your cholesterol ratio. With a few simple questions, the Heart Age Forecast will estimate the current condition of your heart. It will also give you insight into how healthy your heart is and also the effect that your lifestyle has on your body. You can do the test on heartagecalculator.com.au/. If you want to have very accurate answers, you need to submit your cholesterol levels and blood pressure. However, it will also do the calculations based on average numbers for your age and other risk factors.

A survey of 1,800 school-aged children to find out what they consumed in a typical day.

15% of the students did not eat any vegetables
40% ate only potatoes or tomato sauce (aka French Fries and ketchup)
20% of the students did not consume any fruit

Currently, children ages 6-12 eat an average of 2.5 fruits and vegetables a day, only half of the recommended servings. These poor eating habits have made today's children susceptible to heart disease and obesity and a prime target for improved nutrition and increased education. It is important to monitor your child's fruit and vegetable intake and find creative healthy ways to help increase fruits and veggies in children's diets.

Children need a variety of foods to grow strong and healthy. Their appetites decrease or increase as they go through growth spurts.

The brew that energises can also help you lose weight. Here's how...

It's widely known that just one cup of tea can prevent strokes, arthritis, tooth decay and even keep cancer at bay. While it's regarded as nature's tranquiliser for its soothing properties, the brew also has another great benefit - it helps shed weight. Scientists have shown that tea has high levels of compounds that battle the absorption of fat.

Here are 5 teas that can result in a slimmer you...

1. Star anise tea: promotes digestion
Star anise, the fruit of a small evergreen tree (Illicium verum) native to China, can be used in the treatment of digestive troubles such an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea etc. One may drink a tea made from it by steeping a whole pod in one cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Strain this and sweeten it if required. Sip on this slowly when an upset stomach occurs.

2. Peppermint tea: controls what you eat
If you like peppermint tea then try and rotate that with a green tea drink as both speed up digestion and thus help you burn more calories. The peppermint leaves can be used to make a light, refreshing tea, which can be drunk either hot or chilled. To prepare the tea, take a tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves and add them to boiling water and let it steep for four to five minutes. Strain and add honey, if needed.

3. Green tea: builds metabolism
Research says the chemical EGCG found in green tea that speeds up the body's metabolism, is responsible for helping people lose the kilos - it can burn a whopping 70 calories a day! Green tea also raises the level of antioxidants. It's believed the antioxidant catechins in green tea boost metabolism and helps burn fat (can burn a whopping 70 calories a day!) Steeping time for the tea: two to three minutes at 85 Degrees Celsius.

4. Rose tea: prevents constipation
One of the oldest flavouring teas available, rose tea - made by mixing fresh roses and the bud of the tea - has a major therapeutic effect on the human body. Apart from clearing toxins and beautifying the skin, rose tea contains vitamins A, B3, C, D and E and is known to act against infections. It also prevents constipation and helps one lose weight.

5. Oolong tea: guards against obesity
Research reveals that oolong, a semi-fermented tea may have a stronger effect than even green tea. It promotes fat burning is said to help reduce cholesterol and the concentration of fat in the body. About two cups per day is recommended. Steep oolong tea anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes, for a more full-bodied cup.