For a Unique Honeymoon: 5 Exotic Spa Resorts in India


If you are planning for a luxurious honeymoon along with complete mind and body relaxation, spa resorts are the perfect choice for you. The concept that has caught up fast in India has been most couples’ favorite for the past few years, and why not? After all, not only do these resorts offer an exotic getaway for you and your partner, but they also take care of your complete physical and spiritual well-being. So, if you are looking for some peace and quiet with your sweetheart, we have for you the top five names to look for in India.

Ananda Spa, Rishikesh


India’s foremost destination spa, and the first one to be voted as the number one in the world by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, Ananda is a choice if you are looking for a divine experience. Sandwiched between the Ganges and the Himalayas, Ananda has a variety for options to get you both pampered- yoga, exotic massages and therapies using their homemade products, hydrotherapy and a special spa cuisine. But the most amazing spa experience for couples is their Kama Suite, where the environment is customized as per your choice.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor

Wildflower Hall Spa, The Oberoi, Shimla

22 acres of virgin wood with pine and cedar, the Wildflower Spa resort at The Oberoi, Shimla, is a fairy tale destination for everyone in love. It has been voted as one of the best luxury spas in the country by World Travel Awards. It offers aroma therapy using fresh plant and flower extracts. The outdoor Jacuzzi and hot tub at the cliff are attractions that most couples love to indulge in.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor

Sereno Spa, Park Hyatt, Goa

Sereno Spa at the Park Hyatt in Goa, has been voted as the ‘World's No. 1 Spa’ and ‘Best Spa in the Indian and Asian Subcontinent’ by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler in 2006. Sereno offers extremely traditional and rare to find Ayurvedic and Yogic treatments targeting the body and the soul. It is located on a stretch of beach along the Goan coastline, overlooking the Arabian Sea, and is spread over 36,000 sq. ft. The Synchronised Abhyanga “Four Hands” massage and the traditional Marma Facial are a must-try here.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor

Maya Spa, Zuri Hotels, Kumarakom

Its location itself makes it a honeymooners’ favorite! Situated at the pristine backwaters in Kerala, It is indeed difficult to put together a list of spa resorts in India and ignore the Maya Spa at the Zuri Hotels in Kumarakom. Awarded ‘Best Resort Spa’ at the 2007 Asia Spa Awards, the Maya Spa specializes in Ayurvedic, Oriental and Western-style spa treatments. They have 14 specially dedicated rooms to ensure a complete rejuvenation for you.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor

Jiva Spa, Vivaanta by Taj, Cochin

Located on a peaceful island, the Jiva Spa is a relaxing getaway for all couples in love. This is another Ayurveda specialist on our list for your complete well-being. But what makes Jiva unique is the fact that they have their own specially designed, signature treatments as well. It is especially known for its Jivaniya Treatment that promises to revitalise you by improving blood circulation. This is must-visit with your sweetheart for a peaceful and romantic vacation.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor

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For Faster Weight Loss you need 15 Small Changes


 If your goal is to lose weight and exercise more, forget the deprivation diet and marathon workouts. Research shows that taking baby steps--not giant leaps--is the best way to get lasting results.

A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that participants who made one small, potentially permanent change in their food choices and/or physical activity each week (such as drinking one fewer can of soda or walking 5 more minutes each day) lost more than twice as much belly fat, 2½ more inches off their waistlines, and about 4 times more weight during a 4-month program, compared with those who followed traditional calorie-restriction and physical-activity guidelines.
"When you focus on just a couple of small changes at a time, you begin to ingrain some healthy habits that last for a lifetime, rather than trying an all-or-nothing approach that more often than not fails because it's too hard to follow," says Lesley Lutes, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at East Carolina University.
We've uncovered 15 simple steps (with proven results) to help you move more, eat less, and look and feel better than ever. Add just one or two a week to your regular routine and you can lose nearly 3 inches off your waistline and be about 10 pounds lighter in a few months. Even better: Once these healthy habits become second nature, they'll benefit you for a lifetime.

RELATED: 7 Weight Loss Mistakes Even Healthy Women Make
1. Pick up a pen
Mindlessly munching on a bag of chips could result in easily polishing off the whole thing; write down how much you've eaten and you're more likely to practice portion control. Keeping a food log helps control extra calories in two ways: the combination of plain old reality check (I just ate 30 minutes ago!) and awareness that what you're putting in your mouth will soon be recorded for posterity. In a recent study, people who kept a food journal lost twice as much weight as those who didn't. When they combined it with a moderate diet and exercise plan, they lost an average of 13 pounds in 6 months. Journaling also gives you insight on your eating habits, says Dr. Lutes. Do you skip meals? Eat the same during the week as on the weekend? Binge when you're feeling stressed? "Knowing your routine helps you figure out what changes are right for you," she adds.
2. Skip through commercials
Get moving during your favorite TV shows. Skip, dance, go up and down some stairs, run in place--anything that gets your heart rate up so you feel somewhat breathless, says Geralyn Coopersmith, senior national manager at Equinox Fitness. Do it for each 2-minute break (forget the TiVo) during a typical 2-hour TV night and you'll burn an extra 270 calories a day--which can translate to a 28-pound weight loss in a year.
3. Limit high-fat foods
Tag the high-fat/high-calorie foods that are typically your favorites (our top five: cookies, candy, ice cream, potato chips, and fries) and gradually downshift. "If you're eating six of these foods a week, try to go down to five," says Dr. Lutes. Each week, drop another until you're at no more than one or two; at the same time, add in a good-for-you choices like baby carrots, sautéed broccoli, oranges, and other fresh fruits and veggies.
4. Sign up for e-newsletters
One study from Kaiser Permanente found that people who received weekly e-mails about diet and fitness for 16 weeks substantially increased their levels of physical activity and intake of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables while cutting back on trans and saturated fats. Sign up forPrevention's weekly weight loss newsletters like, "Exercise of the Week," "Eat Up, Slim Down," or "400 Calorie Fix."
5. Walk 5 minutes more
In Dr. Lutes's pilot study, increasing daily activity levels by just a few minutes at a time helped participants lose weight. Eventually, your goal should be to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day (burning off about 120 extra calories daily, or 12½ pounds a year), but it doesn't have to be all at once.

6. Add mini strength-training

Basic body-weight exercises like squats and push-ups are a simple way to build more metabolism-revving muscle in minutes, and research shows they're just as effective as hitting the gym. "Your muscles don't know the difference between working against your body's own resistance and on a fancy piece of equipment," says Wayne Westcott, PhD, fitness research director at Quincy College and Prevention advisor. "The one rule to follow is that each exercise should fatigue your muscles within 60 to 90 seconds."
Try this mini-workout: Do 10 reps each of knee push-ups, squats, crunches, lunges, and chair dips. Then gradually increase the number of reps it takes for your muscles to feel fully fatigued.

RELATED: 8 Effective Exercises You're Not Doing
7. Climb 3 extra flights
Have a choice between riding and climbing? Including 2 to 3 minutes of stair climbing per day--covering about three to five floors--can burn enough calories to eliminate the average American's annual weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds a year. It's also good for more than just your waistline: Men who climbed more than 70 flights of stairs a week had 18% lower mortality rates than those who climbed fewer than 20 flights a week, according to one Harvard study. Start with just a couple of flights a day; if you're already a dedicated climber, aim to add three more flights to your daily trek.
8. Take a pedometer with you
Just as you wouldn't leave home without your cell phone, make a pedometer a must-have accessory. Research shows pedometer users take nearly 2,500 more steps a day (over 1 mile, or about 100 calories) than nonusers. Over a year, that's enough to burn off about 10 pounds.
9. Brown-bag it more
You'll save thousands of calories (not to mention hundreds of dollars) over the course of a year. Consider this: A premade chicken Caesar wrap from a chain restaurant has 610 calories, more than 40% of which come from fat, as well as 1,440 mg of sodium (more than half the recommended daily amount). Make your own with presliced deli chicken breast on whole wheat bread with light mayo and romaine lettuce for about 230 calories. You'll cut almost 400 calories and about 520 mg of sodium, which leaves room for a side salad and could still add up to a 28-pound weight loss after a year. "When you make and eat your own food, you not only control the quality and portion sizes but also reduce the amount of sugar, salt, and fat that you're consuming, which can be significantly higher in restaurant fare," says Ashley Koff, RD, a Prevention advisor and nutrition consultant based in Los Angeles.
10. Obey the 1-mile rule
Americans use their cars for two-thirds of all trips that are less than 1 mile and 89% of all trips that are 1 to 2 miles, yet each additional hour you spend driving is associated with a 6% increase in obesity. Burn calories instead of gas by following this rule: If your errands are less than 1 mile away, vow to walk them at a brisk pace instead of driving. Or park where you can run several errands within a mile instead of moving your car each time. Walk every day and you'll be 13 to 17 pounds lighter next year.

11. Take 10 to eat a treat

Try this strategy to permanently reduce cravings: Portion out one serving of your favorite treat, taking a minute to smell it, look at it, and think about it. Take one small bite. Chew slowly, moving it around your mouth and focusing on the texture and taste, then swallow. Ask yourself whether you want another bite or if that satisfied you. If you still want more, repeat, this time chewing the food 20 times. Continue this eating exercise for as long as you want or until you finish the serving (it should take about 10 minutes).
"When you take the time to slow down and be more mindful of what something really tastes like, you'll feel more satisfied," says Dr. Lutes. "Many of our participants told us that after a while, they didn't enjoy the treat as much as they thought they would, or they were content after just a couple of bites and were better able to stop eating when they were satisfied."

RELATED: 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards
12. Eat fruit--don't drink 'em
Skip juice and eat the whole fruit, instead. You'll not only get more heart-healthy fiber in your diet (3.5 g for a small apple versus .5 g in a glass of juice), you'll also stay satisfied, longer. Research shows that fiber aside, liquid carbohydrates just aren't as filling as solids. "When you chew a food, you generate more saliva, which in turn carries a message to the brain that your gut needs to get ready for digestion," explains Koff. "Drinking doesn't require such digestion, so the body doesn't register that it's full as quickly." Plus there are the extra calories--48% more if you're drinking that juice rather than eating the whole apple. (Do that daily and you may gain up to 4 pounds by year's end.)

13. Get technical support

You know exercising with a friend makes you more accountable (nobody wants to leave a pal stranded on a street corner at 6 AM). But your workouts don't always have to be done face to face. One study found women who had some form of social support, either through in person counseling or an on-line chat group, lost more than 15 pounds over a 9-month period, dropping about 300 calories from their daily diet and walking about a mile more each day than from their starting point.
14. Go old school with coffee
A regular cup with a dash of milk and even a little sugar has hundreds of fewer calories then the blended drinks, which are practically dessert in a cup. One recent study of about 3,000 purchases from 115 coffee shops in New York City found that servings of brewed coffee or tea averaged about 63 calories (including milk and sugar), while the fancier drinks averaged nearly four times more, with 239 calories. A daily habit can translate to an 18-pound gain over a year.
15. Sleep away weight gain
Make a point of turning in earlier and you'll see weight loss within a week. Research from the University of Pennsylvania found even just a few nights of sleep deprivation can lead to almost immediate weight gain. Scientists asked participants to sleep about 10 hours a night for two days, followed by five nights of sleep restriction and four nights of recovery. After the 11 days, the sleep-deprived group gained almost 3 pounds, compared with a well-rested control group.

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LG announces L90, L70, L40 mid-range smartphones


Expanding its smartphone portfolio, LG has announced that it will be unveiling the third generation of its L-series smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014.
All L Series III models - L90, L70, L40 - will come with Android 4.4 KitKat. The L90 has a 4.7-inch display, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 8 megapixel camera and 1GB of RAM. The phone has an internal storage of 8GB.
The LG L70 has a 4.5-inch IPS display and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The phone will either come with an 8 megapixel or 5 megapixel camera - depending on market.
LG announces L90, L70, L40 mid-range smartphones; to be unveiled at MWC 2014

All L Series III models - L90, L70, L40 - will come with Android 4.4 KitKat.

The L40 features a 3.5-inch display, but quite like the L70, it also comes powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It has 512MB of RAM and 3 megapixel camera.
There will be Quick Window smart covers available for these phones. Quick Window, which comes in three vibrant colours, is the first cover from LG to be designed specifically for a mid-range smartphone.
According to LG, Quick Window offers functional benefits beyond just protection from drops and bumps, as the see-through window allows one to see who's calling and check the time without opening the cover.
The company is yet to announce their pricing and availability.
L90 Key Specifications:
- Processor: 1.2 GHz Quad-Core
- Display: 4.7-inch IPS (960 x 540) qHD
- Memory: 8GB / 1GB RAM
- Camera: 8.0MP / 1.3MP
- Battery: 2,540mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Size: 131.6 x 66.0 x 9.7mm
- Network: 3G (HSPA+21Mbps)

See the Price and Full Spec.


L70 Key Specifications:
- Processor: 1.2 GHz Dual-Core
- Display: 4.5-inch IPS (800 x 400)
- Memory: 4GB / 1GB RAM
- Camera: 8.0MP or 5.0MP / VGA - depends on market
- Battery: 2,100mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Size: 127.2 x 66.8 x 9.5mm
- Network: 3G (HSPA+21Mbps)

See the Price and Full Spec.

L40 Key Specifications:
- Processor: 1.2 GHz Dual-Core
- Display: 3.5-inch (480 x 320)
- Memory: 4GB / 512MB RAM
- Camera: 3.0MP
- Battery: 1,700mAh or 1,540mAh (removable) - depends on market
- Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Size: 109.4 x 59.0 x 11.9mm
- Network: 3G (HSDPA+14.4Mbps)

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A device that could help predict heart attacks

Facing a stiff competition from rivals in the mobile space, Apple seems to have decided to go a step ahead and expand into new product categories. But the new product Apple is reportedly working on is no less than a surprise.
According to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle, the Cupertino-based tech giant is planning to expand into both medical devices and cars.
If the report is to be believed, the company is currently working on a device that could predict heart attacks by listening to the sound of your blood. For this new device, Apple is working with audio engineer Tomlinson Holman, who is known for inventing THX and 10.2 surround sound, said the report.
Apple reportedly working on a device that could help predict heart attacks

Apple is working with audio engineer Tomlinson Holman, who is known for inventing THX and 10.2 surround sound. (Apple Store exterior, via Shutterstock)

Rumours are doing the rounds that, besides medical devices, Apple is also planning to foray into automobiles. However, there are no clear reports that can elucidate Apple's interest in cars.
The San Francisco Chronicle report said that Apple's Adrian Perica had met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk last spring, but there are no details as to what was the agenda of the meeting and what all disucssions had taken place during the meeting.

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Narendra Modi : Centre politicising gate installation at Narmada dam

Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Monday alleged that the Centre was ignoring the state's repeated demand to install gates at the Sardar Sarovar dam.
"Forty years after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of the project, the state is still fighting for the installation of gates at Narmada dam, only because of non-cooperation from the Congress government at Centre," Modi said in Gujarat on Monday.
He addressed a farmers' rally after laying the foundation stone of the ambitious Rs 10,000 crore Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Irrigation project, which will take Narmada water to 115 dams and reservoirs in Saurashtra. Saurashtra region gets less than average rainfall, and water shortage is a perennial problem.
Centre politicising gate installation at Narmada dam, says Narendra Modi
Centre politicising gate installation at Narmada dam, says Narendra Modi
"I met Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) many times and sought permission to install gates, but received a cold response... which has annoyed all of us," Modi said, adding that the installation work would take nearly three years. "Nearly 60 per cent of water from Narmada river goes to waste as the dam work is incomplete, which we could save by installing the gates," he said.
"Congress has a problem with chaiwala (tea seller), but politics should be in its place and Congress should not scuttle the aspirations of farmers of the Saurashtra region.
"We have an economist Prime Minister and a knowledgeable Finance Minister, but the country's growth rate in agriculture has stagnated at two or three per cent, while Gujarat, which is facing shortage of water, has achieved 10 per cent growth rate," Modi said.


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