Review: Sachin: A Billion Dreams!

Cast: Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali Tendulkar

Direction: James Erskine

Rating: ****

‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ is a trip down memory lane for many of us. For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, an era when there was limited access to various forms of entertainment, cricket and Bollywood were the only religions we knew.

All of us wanted the win of the 1983 Cricket World Cup to be replicated because we were too young to have any actual recollection of the real match. A 10-year-old Sachin too had the same dream.

As we retraced Sachin Tendulkar’s steps, we were almost reintroduced to our childhood – Doordarshan was the only channel we could watch on our black-and-white television sets, people would crowd around the few television sets available in the neighbourhood to watch matches and the epic India-Pakistan matches that were like war.

This film also gives us an insight into how this maverick batsman became one of the few Indian cricketers to command respect and adulation not only in India but globally, among the cricketing community and even, among other sportspersons as well.

This documentary feature is the incredible journey of a Mumbai boy who went on to break many a world record and had a nation of a billion cheer him on as the team lifted the World Cup in 2011, 28 years after India’s first win.

Honestly, I wasn’t really looking forward to watching this film. I had been very disappointed by the previous films on cricketers – ‘Azhar’ (2016) and ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’ (2016); they were more like hagiographies than biopics.

In fact, I had hardly watched much cricket for many years now. Like many ardent fans, I was completely disillusioned after the match-fixing scam that made the gentleman’s game infamous in 2000.

Also, I had never been a huge Sachin Tendulkar fan. ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ was also a new format and I was unsure how that would work.

This film does a brilliant job of contextualizing why Sachin is so important to the collective conscience of this country. A nation that looks for hope and escape from their daily strife when they watch Shah Rukh Khan romance or watch Sachin Tendulkar bat. We are crazy about our demi-gods and when they fail, we take it personally. The enthusiasm almost assumes manic proportions.

We get an insight into Sachin Tendulkar’s life and how difficult it had been for him to juggle his own disappointment and that of an entire nation when he failed to perform – the times when he was struggling with injuries, when the team wasn’t performing like he thought they would and when he was letdown by the very people who had made ‘Sachin! Sachin!’ their mantra.

He was also the 23-year-old on whose young but capable shoulders the responsibility of captaincy was placed. There were seniors in the team who found that difficult to accept and the game suffered. For someone, who had played for so long, the decision to replace him as a captain came from the media – that would have hurt the best of us.

While there are team members who swore their allegiance to the master blaster, there were moments of friction with Mohammed Azharuddin, former coach Greg Chappell and even the board, at times. The dressing-room dynamics make for an interesting watch.

Sporting wonders are not just born; they are nurtured over years with blood and sweat. Ajit Tendulkar, Sachin’s elder brother has mentally batted with him from the first time that he picked up his bat to every single time that the Little Master walked down to the cricket field. His entire family was completely supportive of him, they knew that for Sachin cricket always came first.

It is also incredible how incredibly supportive Anjali Tendulkar has been throughout this journey. A qualified doctor, she gave up her career to be the robust support system for the family. During the difficult times, Sachin would withdraw into a shell and she wouldn’t know if she had done anything wrong or how she could help.

This film ties the various facets of this game and this larger-than-life person in a way that is easy for someone, who may not even be a cricket fan, to comprehend.

The voiceovers, the interviews with the various cricketers and coaches, actual match footage and even the handheld camera footage of private moments are seamlessly merged. The narrative is compelling and consistent.

‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ is definitely a must watch for cricket fans. And even for ones like me, you might have stopped watching cricket a while back – if you still secretly do a fist pump every time India performs well in international cricket, watch this one, you will not be disappointed.

Sachin! Sachin!

If cricket is religion in India and Sachin is god, then I am a convert. I might start watching cricket once again.

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WhatsApp fined over $3 million for data sharing in Italy!

WhatsApp has been fined over $3.3 million in Italy for ‘forcing’ users to share their personal data with its parent company Facebook.

The popular chat app has been asked by all of the 28 European Union data protection authorities to stop sharing users’ data with Facebook as there were doubts over the validity of users’ consent, Express.co.uk reported on Friday.

“We’re reviewing the decision and we look forward to responding to officials,” the report quoted a WhatsApp spokesman as saying.

Facebook took over WhatsApp in 2014 and in August 2016, it changed its privacy policy to allow the transfer of its users’ personal information to the parent company for processing -- a move that also created a furore in India.

The Indian government told the Supreme Court in April that it was actively considering to put in place a law to protect data and curb sharing of individual data on social networking sites and online messaging services.

The petitioners challenged a September 23, 2016, Delhi High Court order which allowed WhatsApp to roll out its new privacy policy.

Although the high court did say that it could not share the data of its users collected up to September 25, 2016, with Facebook or any other related company.

During the acquisition, Facebook had claimed that respect for users’ privacy was “coded into its DNA”.

But Italy’s antitrust regulator alleged that “the opportunity for WhatsApp users to refuse the handover of data to Facebook was available ‘but it was inadequately flagged’.”

The German authorities in April banned Facebook from collecting information on its WhatsApp users in the country, after it was found to have breached data protection laws.

Since Facebook took over WhatsApp, it has been surrounded by controversies related to privacy.

Earlier in 2017, The Guardian reported a security vulnerability that could be used to allow Facebook and others to intercept and read encrypted messages had been found within its WhatsApp messaging service.

WhatsApp denied the allegation saying it had a design decision relating to message delivery, with new keys being generated for offline users in order to ensure messages did not get lost in transit.

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2 long unbeaten records come to an end for Mourinho!

Jose Mourinho hadn't lost a Premier League game in more than six months. He had never lost a competitive game against rival coach Arsene Wenger in almost 13 years.

Two long, proud, unbeaten records came to an end for the Manchester United manager on Sunday.

United lost 2-0 at Arsenal at Emirates Stadium for a result that, according to Mourinho, makes it "impossible" for his team to finish in the top four and secure Champions League qualification through its league placing.

"All on the Europa League," Mourinho said, piling the pressure on his players ahead of the second leg of a semifinal that United leads 1-0 against Celta Vigo on Thursday.

Mourinho used to ridicule the Europa League. Now, the competition could be his savior.

Leaving Arsenal's ground as a losing coach for the first time in his managerial career, Mourinho bemoaned a grueling fixture schedule that led to him making eight changes — including leaving out the world's most expensive player, Paul Pogba — and giving debuts to two youngsters, 19-year-old defender Axel Tuanzebe and 20-year-old midfielder Scott McTominay.

He also attempted to have the last laugh over Wenger, who hadn't come out on the winning side against Mourinho in 15 competitive games until Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck struck within four minutes of each other in the second half.

"Arsene Wenger is not a small manager. He is a big manager so to have that record ... is something that is not normal," Mourinho said.

"Finally, I leave this stadium with Arsenal fans happy," he added. "I leave Emirates, they were crying. I leave Highbury (Arsenal's old ground), they were crying. They walk in the streets with their head low. So finally today, they sing, they (twirl) scarves. It's nice for them."

Indeed, the toughest of Wenger's 21 years at Arsenal could yet have a happy ending.

This win lifted Arsenal to within two points of fifth-placed United, having played one game fewer, and within seven points of third-placed Liverpool, having played two games fewer. Liverpool could only draw 0-0 at home to Southampton in the other league game played on Sunday.

With four games remaining, Arsenal could yet squeeze into the top four and play in the Champions League for a 20th straight season. The team also has an FA Cup final against Chelsea at the end of May.

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'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' Looks to Kick Off Summer 2017 with a Bang!

SATURDAY AM UPDATE: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 delivered an estimated $56.2 million on Friday and has Disney anticipating an opening around $140 million as it's well below the $68.8 million Friday for Iron Man 3, which opened with $174.1 million and ahead of the $51.2 million brought in by Iron Man 2, which debuted with $128.1 million. The film scored an "A" CinemaScore, which is right in line with pretty much every other film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all of which have scored in the "A" range outside of Thor, which scored a "B+".

You can check out all of Friday's estimates right here and we'll be back tomorrow morning with a complete look at the weekend.

FRIDAY AM UPDATE: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 brought in an impressive $17 million last night from Thursday previews, which includes a double feature event in 558 theaters around the country with the original Guardians film. Recent comparisons within this range include Beauty and the Beast earlier this year, which brought in $16.3 million from previews before opening with $174 million and Furious 7, which brought in $15.8 million in April 2015 before opening with $147.1 million. In terms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 3 brought in $15.6 million from previews before opening with $174 million and The Avengers scored $18.7 million before opening with $207.4 million.

All that said, Disney is anticipating an opening around $150+ million for the weekend, though a few of those examples above prove it would't be surprising to see it go higher.

Additionally, the film continues its international rollout and currently stands at $167 million internationally as of end of day yesterday. The film opened in China on Friday where early estimates have it grossing over $15 million for the first day. Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow with Friday estimates.

WEEKEND PREVIEW: The summer movie season is upon us as Disney and Marvel release Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 into theaters as the lone new wide release of the weekend. This latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will debut in over 4,300 theaters domestically after opening in ~58% of the international marketplace last weekend and pulling in over $106 million. This weekend it adds several new international markets, including China, as it hopes to become the second Disney release of 2017 to top $1 billion globally.

Opening in 4,347 theaters, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the tenth widest opening of all-time and industry estimates have it pegged for a $140+ million opening. Of those theaters, this includes 3,800+ 3D locations, 388 IMAX screens, 588 Premium Large Format locations and 194 D-Box locations. Adding to the roll-out, not only will Guardians 2 hold Thursday night previews beginning at 7PM, but 558 theaters around the country will be playing a Guardians double feature event, all of which will ultimately be rolled into the film's Friday box office haul.

As for our expectations, from where we stand an opening over $150 million seems almost a guarantee. However, to look at historical averages for sequels in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (outside of the Avengers films and not including Civil War) it shows sequels improving by 35.6%, on average, over their predecessors, which would put the Guardians 2 opening around $127.9 million given the $94.3 million opening for the original back in 2014.

Of course, a more telling number to look at is the 3.53 multiplier the original Guardians had based on its opening weekend. It was a film that not only opened well beyond expectations, it kept on delivering over the course of its theatrical run to the point it has the largest multiplier out of any other film in the MCU, a fact that suggests audience anticipating for more Guardians is virtually a guarantee. All that being said, we're anticipating an opening around $158 million, which, while nearly $20 million above industry expectations, still feels a little conservative even though that's enough to make it one of the top five May openings of all-time.

Internationally, Guardians 2 is currently at $154 million as of end of day Wednesday (5/3) and with the film openign in South Korea yesterday, followed by debuts in Russia and Argentina today and an opening in China tomorrow. The previous Guardians film debuted with $30 million in China and went on to gross $96.4 million, the film's highest grossing market outside of North America.

Elsewhere, after finishing atop the weekend box office for three weeks in a row, Universal's Fate of the Furious will fall to second this weekend where it should pull in around $9.5 million as its domestic cume will push over $200 million.

Third place should go to Lionsgate and Pantelion's smash hit How to be a Latin Lover, which stormed the box office last weekend, bringing in over $12 million from just 1,118 theaters. This weekend the film adds 85 theaters and considering there really is no precedent for a film like this in the domestic marketplace it's tough to say just how well it will do. Looking at the past performance of similar openers we're anticipating a drop around 34% and a second weekend around $7.7 million.

Fourth place is likely to go to Fox's The Boss Baby, which just topped $150 million domestically on Wednesday and will look to add another $5.7 million or so this weekend.

Rounding out the top five is Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which continues inching toward $500 million domestically. This weekend we're anticipating another $4.7 million or so will be added to the coffers bringing its total over $487 million.

Outside the top five, we're expecting a rather steep drop for STX's The Circle as that "D+" CinemaScore and some pretty dismal reviews don't provide much encouragement in terms of long legs. That said, we may be a little too generous with our forecast for a 54% drop and a sophomore session around $4.16 million considering films that opened within the same range as The Circle dropped, on average, 58% when they received a "D+" CinemaScore.

There's also question as to how will Baahubali 2: The Conclusion do this weekend after its monster, $10.35 million opening last weekend from just 425 theaters. We have not received a theater count for the film and are working under the assumption it will continue to play in the same 425 theaters or thereabouts. We're also thinking it's likely to perform similarly to its predecessor and dip around 60% or so this weekend for a $4.14 million second frame.

Outside the top ten and in limited release this weekend, The Weinstein Company will release 3 Generations, a transgender drama for which the Weinstein Co. had to go to battle with the MPAA, appealing the original R-rating and ultimately receiving a PG-13 just a week before the film hits theaters. This week it debuts in six theaters in New York and Los Angeles and will expand further next weekend.

Other limited openers include the Julian Assange documentary Risk from Citizenfour director Laura Poitras, which will open in 36 theaters courtesy of Neon. A24 will release The Lovers into four theaters; Crimson Forest will release Shock Wave, which topped the box office in China last weekend, into 19 locations; and IFC will release Chuck into four theaters.

This weekend's forecast is directly below. This post will be updated on Friday morning with Thursday night preview results followed by Friday estimates on Saturday morning, and a complete weekend recap on Sunday morning.

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (4,347 theaters) - $158.3 M
• The Fate of the Furious (3,592 theaters) - $9.5 M
• How to be a Latin Lover (1,203 theaters) - $7.7 M
• The Boss Baby (3,284 theaters) - $5.7 M
• Beauty and the Beast (2,680 theaters) - $4.7 M
• The Circle (3,163 theaters) - $4.2 M
• Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (425 theaters*) - $4.1 M * Estimated theater count 
• Smurfs: The Lost Village (1,902 theaters) - $2.2 M
• Gifted (1,874 theaters) - $1.9 M
• Going in Style (2,033 theaters) - $1.9 M

From BoxOffice Mojo

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Try this scrambled egg hacks, you'll love it!

Sad and rubbery scrambled eggs are a great pet peeve. As such, you should always try to find ways to cook them so you don't have to experience that a.m. disappointment. While you'll undoubtedly hear about dozens of methods for achieving the ultimate plate of scrambled eggs, keep in mind that some characteristics of this perfection are universal and others are purely subjective. Read on to find out about some incredible ways to improve your scrambled eggs, depending on what you're going for. While no one wants to eat overcooked eggs that taste dry from the outset, each person prefers a different level of creaminess, richness, and firmness. We encourage you to experiment with these egg hacks and see what works for you and your sophisticated palate.

Add last night's leftovers to your scramble

Not sure what to do with your leftovers from last night's dinner? Um, that's basically happens all the time. Luckily, most leftovers taste amazing when added to your scrambled eggs the next morning. From day-old roasted veggies and cooked chicken to that last cup of chili or the weekend pot roast, there is arguably no easier way to use up leftover food than by throwing it all into your infinitely forgiving egg scramble. Since your cooked meals have already been well-seasoned with plenty of time to meld flavors, incorporating them into eggs means you get to enjoy an insta-meal loaded with goodness and skip the hard work. If this sounds too good to be true, here are a few leftover scrambled egg ideas to get you wasting less food and eating better breakfasts in no time.

This recipe from Meals for Modern Man shows you how to use up your leftover steak and bruschetta to enhance plain old scrambled eggs. Spoiler alert: you add everything to the pan.

Go for a farmer's breakfast whether you farm or not when you whip up this recipe from Daily Rebecca. Scrambled eggs get a hearty upgrade with the addition of leftover potatoes and veggies.

Start adding leftover chili to your morning scramble and you'll never turn back. This easy, satisfying recipe from Inside the Kaganoff Kitchen shows you just how to do it. Game changer.

Whisk in dairy for extra fluffy eggs


If you're a fan of super soft, creamy scrambled eggs, try adding a splash of milk or heavy cream to the mix. You can also use thicker dairy options like sour cream or creme fraiche if you're going for extra luxe eggs. The more liquid you incorporate into your eggs, the softer and moister they will be. Add milk if you want a slight upgrade, and move to thicker dairy depending on how custardy you want the texture of your finished eggs to be. Keep in mind that while thicker ingredients like sour cream will make the eggs richer, they also make them slightly firmer. My advice? Experiment with different dairy add-ins and amounts. Eating creamy scrambled eggs on the reg until you figure out the perfect formula doesn't sound like a bad way to pass time in the morning.

To help get you started, here are a few solid recipes. This recipe from BBC Good Food opts for milk as the go-to scrambled egg enhancer, and it totally works. You shall be rewarded with soft, fluffy eggs and all will be well in the world — at least during breakfast.

Paula Deen's scrambled egg recipe for Food Network is decidedly more decadent, kind of like Paula herself. Sour cream lends richness, while a splash of water keeps the curds light.

This recipe from Broke Ass Gourmet turns inexpensive eggs into French-inspired fare. Cream cheese and half-and-half result in soft French-style scrambled eggs without too much effort.

Splash in sparkling wine for lightness

Light, fluffy scrambled eggs are #egggoals. We can all agree, right? Try adding sparkling wine the next time you make scrambled eggs to achieve this coveted texture. A little bit of prosecco or cava can do wonders. Whisk in about ¼ cup for every two eggs and you'll have yourself some impossibly delicate, pillowy eggs in no time. The bonus? In addition to altering the texture of your eggs in the best way, sparkling wine lends a unique brightness that contrasts beautifully against the dish's inherent creamy richness. Don't take my word, though! Give these fantastic recipes a go and discover a delicious new way to use up last night's sparkling wine.

This recipe from Food & Wine uses cava wine to imbue an already flavorful dish of scrambled eggs with vibrancy and lightness of texture.

ABC TV's recipe for scrambled eggs transforms a standard breakfast into an elegant dish with the addition of sparkling wine. Fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and decadent shaved black truffle lend helping hands.

Got extra yolks?

Maybe you made meringue and now you have leftover yolks. Perhaps you froze yolks a few weeks back and you're looking for ways to use them up. Whatever the reason for your yolk surplus, rest assured, there are ways to take care of your wealth of riches. By the tenor of this article, you might have guessed that one such way is by incorporating a few extra yolks into your scrambled eggs. Surprise! First off, additional yolks lend the scramble a beautiful, saturated golden color. Moreover, they give the eggs fabulous depth of flavor and loads of richness. While this dish might be too decadent for every day, it does make for a great indulgent treat on some mornings. Here are some balanced ways to add yolks to your scrambled eggs.

This video from Lifehacker shows you how to seamlessly incorporate rich yolks into your already delicious scrambled eggs. Serve with toast for a complete breakfast fit for royalty.

Try this recipe from Hither & Thither for extra-rich eggs to get you going the a.m. Rule of thumb in this one? One extra yolk for every four eggs.

A splash of OJ does the trick

Sure, orange juice is a popular beverage at breakfast time, but in your eggs? Yes! While it may sound crazy to add any kind of juice to your egg dish, trust me on this one. A splash of OJ works like a crazy elixir, enhancing the flavor of your eggs tenfold. Orange juice brightens rich scrambled eggs without overwhelming them, so you might taste something different — better — but not be able to pinpoint the exact cause for the improvement. Adding citrus to your scrambled eggs is like getting a really good face lift that no one can detect — everyone just knows you look glorious. Does that help? If not, here are some recipes to try so you can taste for yourself.

This recipe from The Kitchy Kitchen uses no more than a couple tablespoons of OJ, but that's plenty to make all the difference. Brighter, lighter, better eggs are within your grasp.

Try this recipe from Hungry Runner for a delectable plate of scrambled eggs that's one grade above the rest. Greek yogurt and almond milk lend their own unique flavor and richness, along with the orange juice.

This recipe from The Sneaky Kitchen keeps it simple. In addition to orange juice, the zest gives the scramble a nice vibrant lift.

Use clarified butter or ghee instead of regular butter

While most of us coat our pans with butter when we make scrambled eggs, there is a better option available: ghee, or clarified butter. Since regular butter is a fat with a low smoking point, it tends to burn. As a result, your eggs retain some of that burnt flavor. No good. On the other hand, clarified butter is the milk fat from butter after the solids have been separated from the milk proteins and water. Use a tablespoon of this pure butterfat to cook your eggs and you can avoid any residual burning butter taste. If you like the sound of this, here's a step-by-step guide from PopSugar to help walk you through scrambling eggs with clarified butter.

Cornstarch? Yeah!

Often used as an egg substitute, cornstarch is actually a great addition to scrambled eggs. Huh! As a thickener, it helps to make your eggs creamy in a shorter amount of time. Talk about a life hack. Since eggs are pretty delicate, cooking them too quickly on too much heat usually results in proteins seizing up and subsequent dry, tough, unsavory curds. By adding just a small amount of cornstarch to the eggs, you essentially slow down the process of contracting proteins, which grants you a magical shield against overcooked, rubbery eggs.

Give this recipe from Food52 a try if you don't believe me about that miracle cornstarch. Fifteen-second eggs sound great to me.

There you have it. Give these amazing scrambled egg hacks a try and see which results suit you best. Each person ought to have a favorite way to make their best scrambled eggs, right?

From mashed.com

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NASA’s Cassini discovers the space between Saturn’s rings is empty!

NASA scientists have dubbed the space between Saturn’s rings “the big empty,” after gaining readings from the Cassini spacecraft. During the first of its final dives, Cassini revealed the void between the rings is largely dust-free, much to the surprise of scientists analyzing the results.

Cassini ventured into the space between Saturn’s rings on April 26—the first in a sequence of dives that mark the mission’s grand finale. Scientists from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory want to find out how much dust there is in the environment between Saturn’s rings as this will help them plan whether the spacecraft uses its antennae as a protective shield, meaning it would change when it could make observations.

If the environment were very dusty, scientists would hear a lot of crackling and popping in the readings—the sound of dust hitting the spacecraft. This would mean Cassini needed to shield its equipment for future maneuvers. However, as Cassini entered the 1,200-mile-wide void, scientists heard very little.

William Kurth leads the team in charge of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument, which detects particles as it crosses through Saturn’s environments. "It was a bit disorienting—we weren't hearing what we expected to hear," he said in a statement. "I've listened to our data from the first dive several times and I can probably count on my hands the number of dust particle impacts I hear."

For comparison, NASA released the recording of when Cassini crossed one of Saturn’s faint dusty rings in December 2016. In this recording, particles hitting the spacecraft can be heard clearly.

Cassini project manager Earl Maize said: "The region between the rings and Saturn is 'the big empty,' apparently. Cassini will stay the course, while the scientists work on the mystery of why the dust level is much lower than expected."

Understanding how dusty the environment is between Saturn’s rings will now help researchers prepare for the next 21 dives. Four of these will require a protective shield to be erected around Cassini, but for the others, the instruments should be safe from large particles hitting and potentially damaging them.

In April, the spacecraft made the notable revelation that one of Saturn’s moons could provide a source of energy for microorganisms—according to astrophysicists, the observation that Enceladus is releasing hydrogen means it is a good place to look for signs of life.

Cassini finds the region between the planet's rings is a big, empty space. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Cassini’s next dive between Saturn’s rings will take place Wednesday when it will enter a region close to the April 26 maneuver. Results from this are expected on May 3. The mission will come to an end on September 15, when the spacecraft will plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, where it will break apart and burn up.

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Research: The best type of exercise for weight loss!

For years, the big question on everyone's lips – and something that divides many fitness experts – is whether cardio or lifting weights is best for losing the pounds. The hotly-debated topic (which has the tendency to jump back and forth) might finally have some resolution, according to Health.com.

According to a Duke University study – the largest of its kind – the best exercise for weight loss was found to be aerobic. Also known as cardio, this type of exercise requires an increase in your heart and breathing rates, and gets your blood pumping.

The researchers tracked 119 overweight (and previously sedentary) volunteers as they embarked on one of three exercise programmes – resistance/strength-based training, cardio or a combination of both. The group performing aerobic exercise became the clear winners when it came to weight loss – and lost 4lbs, compared to their strength-based training peers who lost 2lbs.

It is important to highlight that, those who did strength training, added to their weight with lean mass, but the added muscle didn't lead to meaningful fat loss. Those doing cardio exercises actually lost more body fat, despite exercising 47 minutes less a week than the strength-based exercisers.

What about the cardio and resistance team? Although they spent twice as long in the gym, compared to both the other groups, these participants improved their body composition the best – adding muscle and losing the most fat.

Study co-author Cris Slentz, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University told Health.com:

"Minute per minute, cardio burns more calories, so it works best for reducing fat mass and body mass… Resistance training is important for maintaining lean body mass, strength and function, and being functionally fit is important for daily living no matter what your size."

What we can take from the study is not just about weight-loss (in many instances, this isn't indicative of health), but the benefits of a varied regime, which incorporates strength-based exercises and cardio. In fact, as you get older strength-based exercises/body resistance workouts have been found to provide protective benefits – maintaining muscle mass and strength, and protecting weakening joints. While cardio helps keep your heart healthy and your stress levels down. Not to mention, a varied regime is likely to keep you more motivated.

We asked NetDoctor fitness expert, Laura Williams, for her thoughts:

"Cardiovascular exercise is fabulous for increasing fitness levels and helping to manage weight so it's great this has been highlighted in the study. There's been a huge bias towards resistance training when it comes to weight management so hopefully this study will go some way to redressing that balance. Fitness professionals need to promote and include both types of training in order to offer a balanced programme."

Laura adds:

"A balanced exercise routine will include both low-to-moderate and higher intensity cardiovascular exercise to tick fitness, bone density and weight management boxes while resistance training should be varied for best results, with exercises including all major muscle groups, not forgetting the core muscles. Resistance training is key to keeping bones and muscles strong and well supported, as well as helping to maintain an efficient metabolic rate."

From NetDoctor 

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The fancy “Avatar” restaurant in Disney World!

Avatar, the story of a tribe of blue aliens who live in a world in which we all wished we lived, is becoming a new theme land at Walt Disney World. And, as is to be expected with all Disney theme areas, Pandora: World of Avatar will have a corresponding theme restaurant.

We’ve been obsessing over Avatar Land for a while now. But, it’s the menu for the Satu’li Canteen, the land’s fast casual restaurant, that’s making us price out flights. We can’t get there soon enough.

Inspired by the Na’vi’s love and care for the land from which they come, the establishment will serve up healthy and sustainable foods with South American and Asian touches. And they’ll also serve up more standard American food, too. A “sustainable fish bowl” shares space on the menu with “cheeseburger steamed pods,” and a “slow roasted sliced grilled beef bowl.”

But it’s the desserts that have caught our fancies.

The decadent desserts in Na’vi colors look like vibrant illustrations.

The Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse sports a decadent blue and yellow space-age orb with passion fruit. We want to both revel in it and eat it.

The Chocolate Cake with a Crunchy Cookie, Banana Cream, and Goji Berries might look like an Earth Turkey, but sounds like it’ll taste other-worldly. Made with antioxidant rich dark chocolate, it’s topped with a crunchy wafer and a goji berry.

“The chocolate-banana is a great flavor combination,” Executive Pastry Chef Stefan Riemer told the Disney Parks blog. “Then we added goji berry on top – it tastes a little like a raisin, and we hydrated it with simple syrup. The taste of the goji berry with the banana cream and chocolate is a lovely balance of flavors.”

Brightly-colored Pandora-themed refreshments are available at a stand called Pongu Pongu, which means “party party” in Na’vi. And we have to admit we love the sound of that. Plus, guests can wash down their desserts with a “bioluminescent frozen cocktail” and “indigenous beers.” Um…yes please!

If you can’t transport yourself there right now, you can at least take a virtual tour - Watch this!

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20 militants killed in Afghanistan airstrikes!

Kabul, May 2 (IANS) At least 20 militants were killed when the military aircraft pounded Taliban hideouts in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, a police official said on Tuesday.

"Acting upon intelligence reports, the aircraft of security forces targeted the hideouts of the armed Taliban insurgents in Zebak district late last night, killing at least 20 enemies on the spot," General Shir Aziz Kamawal told Xinhua news agency.

Six vehicles and two motorbikes of the militants were also destroyed in the Monday attacks, the official said.

The deadly air raids were conducted after the Taliban captured Zebak district a couple of days ago.

Taliban militants, according to the locals, have been attempting to overrun Zebak's neighbouring Ashkashim district too and government forces have been fighting back to foil the plans.

--IANS

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Size of your plate is directly proportional to your waistline!

When it comes to nutrition, weight loss, and weight management, two of the most important factors to consider are portion sizes and food choices. People consistently consume more food and drink (i.e., more calories) when offered larger-sized portions compared to when smaller-sized portions are offered. In fact, researchers found that adults, on an average, consume about 15% more, or about 250 calories, when offered larger serving sizes. An excess of such calorie equals to about 5 kgs of weight gain over the course of a year!So its obvious, size matters, and one way to influence your portion sizes is by using smaller plates. People tend to over-serve on larger plates, and on average, people eat about 92% of what they put on their plates. Simply put, larger plates mean greater food intake. Controlling portion sizes at home is the easiest. Choose a medium size plate for your meals. Imagine a mid section line dividing the plate in two halves. Half should be covered with vegetables, a quarter with serving of protein and a quarter with brown rice. Check your utensils too, use a smaller spoon. Another productive way of controlling portion size at home would be to serve foods directly from the kitchen itself onto the plates and not from the dining table as this encourages a second serving. At restaurants, deliberately ask for half portions, as sometimes their portions can suffice for more than two people. If you are still in doubt, take your portion size by the judgement of your palm size. Avoid eating at buffets. The more we are served, the more we eat, and the effect can be tough on your body. A'la carte would be easier on the wallet as well as on your stomach. Do not eat directly from the bag or box, people tend to eat 50% more chips / pretzels when they eat directly from bag. For cocktails / mocktail, use tall and thin glasses. Turn off the TV and put your smart phone away while you eat. Control portion and feel full on fewer calories. Again, it seems simple, but its true, and by reducing from 12-inch to 10-inch plates, you could reduce the number of calories served by over 20%. If the average dinner is 800 calories, that little change could result in a weight loss of more than 1.5 Kgs in just 3 months.--

This article was originally published on Practo Health Feed by Dr. Renu Garg, Homeopath