8 Wonder ways for a flat tummy

GUWAHATI: Ten deaths in the city this year alone in landslides point to the inherent dangers the hillocks are exposed to because of a rapid population growth, unscientific construction of houses and poor drainage. All the 19 hills of Guwahati face this threat. In the past 10 years, over 70 people died here because of landslides. "The population in the hills has increased manifold in the past 10-12 years. Huts, Assam-type houses and even RCC buildings have been constructed by cutting hill slopes. It's like inviting death," said Dhruba Jyoti Das, CEO of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kamrup (Metro) district. A survey instituted by the district administration in 2010 revealed the population in the hills was 65,894. Since then, the population has gone up and unofficial estimates say nearly two lakh people now live here. A population of over 21,000 people was recorded in Garbhanga, Narakasur and Fatasil hills. That number has also shot up in the past two years. On one hand there is a growing population pressure on the hills and on the other there's no instruction from the administration about the rules to follow while constructing houses. It's been over a decade now that the administration has been mulling a strategy to safeguard the hills and improve drainage. Das admitted that lack of proper drainage is one of the key factors for the recurrence of landslides in the hills. An official of DDMA informed that the Guwahati Landslide Mitigation Project will soon launch a website, where citizens will be assisted with advice on constructing houses. Many feel that since the Assamese are essentially dwellers of the plains, they have no expertise in building houses in the hills. This could be one possible reason why the hills are being cut haphazardly to make way for dwelling units. "We have entrusted the responsibility of conducting a Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) of the hills on an Assam Engineering College (AEC) team. The team is studying the factors triggering the landslides and will come up with a solution," Das said. The team will submit its observations before the DDMA in 15 days' time, said Diganta Goswami, associate professor of the civil engineering department of AEC. He put emphasis on keeping separate provisions for the hills in the existing building bylaws of Guwahati. "A scientific drainage system for the hills is needed urgently to prevent landslides. Since there is no proper drainage, drain water falls on the hill slopes triggering landslides. We will suggest a separate drainage network for the hills," said Goswami. An ideal diet and workout for every individual depends upon his/her weight loss requirement, body type and body shape," suggests Pandey. For instance, a pear shaped person may indulge in a less strenuous workout and minimal diet modifications to get the desired tummy in comparison to an apple shaped body, who is usually heavy in the tummy area. Here are a set of workout and physical activities, which when combined with an ideal eating plan and cardio workouts can assure you of the killer abs that you always dreamt of...

1. Naukasana- A common yoga posture that works wonders on your abs. Method: Lie flat on the ground, with your back on the floor. Raise your upper body and legs to an angle of 30 degrees and hold the posture for 30-40 seconds, then relax. Repeat this asana for 10 times to begin with, graduating to 30 times. Breathe normally all through the work out. "Holding onto the posture tightens and contracts your upper and lower abs while repeating the movement tones them up," tells yoga expert Usha Chegappa of Bharat Thankur's Artistic Yoga. 2. Ushtrasana : It is the counter pose to naukasana . Method: Stand on your knees, with heels facing upwards. Arch your back, placing your hands on your knees one by one. Hold your head behind pushing your belly outwards. Hold this posture for 30 seconds and repeat 30 times. "During naukasana , the ab muscles contract building up tension in the area, while ushtrasanareleases the tension by giving your tummy a good stretch. It is important to practice ushtrasana afternaukasana to save one's back from injury," explains Usha. 3. Basic crunch : The good old crunch still remains the best exercise to bag the perfect abs. Method: Lie on the floor with your legs off the floor in a right angle. Keep your shoulders just above the floor. Breathe in and bring your knees in towards your chest, while lifting your upper body to an angle of 30 degrees and breathe out while you relax. Repeat this exercise 15-20 times to begin with. "Don't arch your back. The crunches will help you contract your abdomninal muscles giving them an effective workout," suggests Deanne. 4. Bridging: Stretch till you feel the burn! Method: Lie flat on the floor with your hands resting by your sides, feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart and knees bent. Now, contract your abdominals, lower back and gluts and slowly lift your midsection to form a bridge from your knees, through your hips to your shoulders. Hold this position for a few seconds, and then slowly lower. Fitness expert Kiran Swahney suggests, "Avoid this exercise in case you are suffering from lower back problems."