Be Careful What You Wish For - Jeffrey Archer

I am back to reading after a gap of 16 months. I started where I left - Be Careful What You Wish For by Jeffrey Archer. Let me begin by saying, he is one of my favorite authors. There is always a story and a learning from his books, but this time I am hugely disappointed. I understand this book is a series, but there was nothing in it, not even thrill. 

To be really honest, it was predictable, long and has no real story. If you want to read it - read the whole series or dump it. He has better books, pick any other except for this.

P. S. - It's good to be back to reading. :)

The Right Way to Eat and Lose Weight

I have always been plump. And there were times when I was overweight. In the past 10 years, twice I exceeded the healthy weight levels. It was a difficult time, extra fat is not good for your looks and health. During the phase of losing weight, I combined healthy-balanced diet with moderate exercise to achieve desired results. Few of my acquaintances have suggested crash diets - skipping carbs, eating only protein, all fruit diets, which I feel are not healthy. There are many tempting articles on the internet that suggests instant weight loss, but all that comes at the price of losing energy, glow and stamina. Sometimes, it causes irreparable organ damage.

On the other hand, a balanced diet is something everyone should aim at, whether you are perfect shape, overweight or obese. A balanced diet is the right mix of various nutrients that are required to help your body function. If you are in shape, it helps to maintain weight and boosts metabolism, hence improving your lifestyle. And, if you are overweight or obese, it helps in shedding those extra kilos without damaging your body or reducing your energy level. I, for one, always make sure to have the right combination when I am on a weight loss regime. When it comes to a balanced diet, I have simple rules -

• Skip sugar or substitute healthier versions, like stevia, sugar free, jaggery or honey.
• Eat proper meals - right combination of carbohydrates, protein, fiber and fats.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Add more greens and fruits in my diet.
• Healthy snacking
• Early and light dinner, preferably salads.
• No dieting or skipping meals.

I lost 17 pounds in 3 months following these rules. Of course, I combined it with moderate exercise. Trust me, when I say that I never felt weak or hungry. I was always full and I lost a lot of extra kilos. In fact, there were many positive changes I observed in myself, while I was on balanced diet -

• I was more active.
• I had less mood swings or cravings. May be, because I was always full with the right quantity and nutrients.
• It improved my skin and metabolism.

When I told my mother that I am on a weight loss regime, she suggested a few of the tricks that worked for her post her surgery. She suggested to take flax seeds in the morning or drink lukewarm water with lemon and honey. I tried latter when the weather allowed and it worked wonders, specially for my skin. Honey is an amazing substitute for sugar and I developed a liking for it. I even started adding a teaspoon to my green tea. Recently, I landed on Dabur Honey website and found many ways to add honey to our diet. We can add it to our drinks, snacks, salads and desserts. It’s tastes yum and has many health benefits. They call it Honey Diet. After reading extensively about it, I added a big bottle of Dabur Honey to my grocery list. Since the summer is back in action and I need to lose 4-5 pounds, I feel I should substitute sugar with honey to get results faster without compromising on the nutritional value of my diet.

P. S. - Do check ‘3 Clicks Diet Planner’ on their website. It’s gives detailed diet plan according to your age, body type and lifestyle.

Watch and Surf at Blazing Speed

It won’t be an exaggeration that cricket runs in our blood. We love every aspect of the game. Even if I can’t watch the entire game, I need to have all the updates. So, how do you stay connected with the game? Lucky are those who have access to live version on TV. But, seriously, how many of us can afford to stick to our TVs during a match? And, that’s one reason, most of us rely on our mobiles and tablets.

When the World Cup was in action, I downloaded the app which gave me instant updates. So much so, that when I woke up, all the highlights flashed on the home screen of my iPad. Some of my friends get their match updates on Twitter or Facebook; they follow accounts dedicated to cricket. However, there is another thrill in watching it live. Sadly, when it comes to watching a live match of portable device, it takes a hell lot of time to buffer. In between the loading time, many overs are bowled. Worse it when you try to refresh it, it takes an eternity and you end up in frustration. What if, there is something ultra fast and works at blazing speed? You must be thinking of another app. No, there is a new browser that is a blessing for all those who love the thrill each ball of cricket offers. Yes, you heard me right. It’s UC Browser - a browser that works at blazing speed.

I watched the above commercial where Yuvraj Singh talks about how fast UC browser is - instant videos, zero buffer time. You can watch the match in action live, not on your TV, but on all your internet powered devices, with zero blur and all clarity. You can watch all the Yuvraj’s sixes then and there, and live every moment of the game. I was so thrilled after watching the commercial that I tried to download it on my Mac, but sadly there was no version issue with my computer. Actually, it’s not only cricket that plays fast on this browser, this browser has so many other cool features which tempted me to download it -

• It can show all your updates, like Facebook and Twitter. There is no need for all the apps.
• It dims downs the light at night, so you don’t disturb others sleeping with you. (watch the commercial where Shivji is astonished by this cool browser)
• Specially dedicated to cricket lovers in our country, UC Cricket - An awesome feature where one can get all the cricket related news and updates. Once you have UC browser, just download the cricket feature and enjoy non-stop cricket extravaganza on your device. There is no need to Google anything related to cricket after that. You will get all you need to know about cricket in one place. What an amazing feature!

So, from now onwards, rather than using apps and social media to stay connected with cricket. I will use UC Browser and UC Cricket to be in touch with the game, and will enjoy every aspect of it without missing anything. So, what are you all waiting for? Download UC Browser and enjoy!

Dabur - Natural, Healthy and Chemical Free

We all want the best of things for us and when it comes to our children, we are extra cautious. We wash their feeders multiple times to get rid of germs, we change them whenever we spot a speck of dust and we use best products to take care of their body. And why not? Our lil’ angels need extra care and pampering, being super delicate they are. So, what’s is best for them, I ask? Organic fruits, cotton clothes, best baby care products - basically all that is chemical free, like Dabur Baby Massage Oil. A product that is a storehouse of natural oils which provides wholesome nourishment to our children.

There are many advantages of using a massage oil with natural ingredients, the first one being - chemical free. And then, each of the natural ingredients has dozens of benefits that ensures baby’s skin is soft and supple, and natural oils helps in strengthening the bones and helps in child’s development.

Almond Oil - Indians are using almond oil from many centuries. Almond oil is very nourishing as it has many vitamins A, E, B1, B2 and B6 which help in keeping baby’s skin soft. It also keeps a baby healthy. Massaging with almond oil heals dryness and itchiness which babies are prone to. Many recommend applying almond oil while changing nappies. Almond oil is a rich source of emollient that makes it perfect to take care of sensitive skin. Also, it doesn’t clog pores and prevents skin problems. Massaging with almond oil helps not only in skin care and bone nourishment, it also puts the baby to sound sleep. No wonder, it's the first choice of many households when it comes to massaging their kids.

Olive Oil - Olive oil has many nutrients that are essential for baby’s health and growth. It is a good source of vitamin E and K which are very good for skin. Massaging with olive oil makes a child active. It also aids in muscle and bone development, which are the main reason parents massage their infants. And olive oil is among the best when it comes to keeping skin soft, healthy and soft. Most of the creams, moisturizers and skin care products contain olive oil because of this quality. If a child has dry skin, there is nothing best for him than to have massage with olive oil, as it locks the moisture and retains the natural oil of the body.

Gone are the days when people used to buy fancy products. Now, we like using products that have good source of natural herbs, oils, nuts and fruits for our children. It keeps the baby healthy, helps in their development and ensures that there are no side effect. I remember, we used home-made packs, kajal and antiseptics in our childhood. Dabur is one of  the first brands that comes to my mind when I think of little table that has my brother’s baby products. If you haven’t tried it, buy a bottle and see the wonders for yourself. It has the perfect concoctions of two of the best oils and is perfect for kids.

I am participating in the #FirstLove activity at BlogAdda in association with Dabur”.