Healthy living with meditation   It is not uncommon to come across people who talk about mediation and how it has changed their life. It is true, meditation does have a very positive effect on the health of the people who practice it on a regular basis. However, it is important to understand that meditation is like an art and one has to practice it… master it. Indeed, it is very important to first know how to meditate if you want to see the benefits.   Techniques of meditation might be slightly different depending upon what form of meditation you opt for but in most cases, the basics remain stable and of course, you will benefit just as much with any form of meditation as long as you do it right. Like I said before, mediation is an art and obviously it takes time to master it. So don’t rush, keep patience even if you do not see the result in a week’s time!   The first thing for a good meditation experience is finding a quiet secluded place. Be it a quiet room in your house, a temple, or just about any place, it should be a place where nothing and no one will distract you. You may put your headphones on and hear some soft meditation audio. That surely enhances your meditation experience. It’s not necessary that you buy any special outfits for meditation but make sure you are comfortable in whatever you are wearing. Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight.   Although, it is best to meditate early in the morning after a shower, not everyone can do that in this fast paced life. But that is not a problem, you can meditate any time of the day but try not to change the schedule. Avoid meditation after your meals. Your posture while meditating is very important. In fact, no article on meditation is complete if it fails to talk about the posture! It is best to sit on the floor, placing a mat. Always sit erect and rest your palms on your knees.   The amount of time you spend for meditation is far less important than the way you meditate. Just keep it to 15 to 20 minutes in the beginning but focus on quality. It’s very important to concentrate. Focus on your inner strength and it improves your self awareness. Let all the positive thoughts float in your mind and erase all the negativities in your mind.   You may find it a bit difficult when you start off but don’t give up. Keep practicing and you will soon uncover the health benefits that you could have hardly even imagined!   ---------------------------------------------   When weight gain becomes a challenge   Are you one of those unfortunate men or women who always wanted to gain some weight… look good and wear some great outfits? Being thin is extremely frustrating and such people face a number of problems and develop lot of inferiority complex. It hurts when their friends jokingly call them AIDS patients and when no one wants to be your girlfriend and boyfriend.   People who find it difficult to gain weight are called ectomorphs. You will be surprised but it is far more difficult to gain weight for ectomorphs than it is for one to lose some! In case of ectomorphs, the rate of metabolism is very high making the weight gain very difficult.   But don’t worry and don’t give up hopes! You can overcome it! So what is it that you need to get big? Well, simply eat big and lift big! Diet and exercising are the most important factors in weight gain. Here are a few expert tips that will help you gain a few pounds…   1.         Keep tab on the amount of calories your take in everyday. This will help you to make all the corrections that you need to make in the existing one and plan your routine diet. Keep a count of your calories consumption in a day.   2.         Now that you know how many calories you consume everyday, start raising the calorie intake by 500 calories per day. You may find it difficult if you stick to your traditional meal pattern of 3 meals per day. Instead, go for 6 smaller meals per day.   3.         Now it’s time to hit the gym and begin lifting some heavy weights. This is very important but make sure you get yourself a good trainer who can guide through your weight gain regime.    4.         Don’t check your weight everyday. That will only pile up frustration. Instead, check your weight on weekly basis. If you are gaining a pound or two every week, you are on the right track!   5.         You will reach a stage when you will realize that you are not gaining weight anymore. If this lasts for a couple of weeks, it’s time to eat even more and lift heavier weights!   6.         Remember, your calories should come mainly from proteins. Try to keep away from the fats and say good bye to candies and cookies.   7.         It is crucial that you are able to digest the food that you eat and for this you need to consume loads of water. So you need at least 8 glasses of water everyday.   8.         Sleep well! Make sure you get sound sleep at night for at least 8 hours if you want to remain health and feel fresh.   It is going to be a challenge to gain the kind of body that you’ve been dreaming all your life. But trust me, it’s not impossible. Just keep your spirits high, eat healthy, keep pumping weights and you will see the changes happening!   ---------------------------------------------------