One Step at a Time

It has been awhile, since I wrote for the blog. Many things are happening in my life… A breather today was welcomed with open arms .

So how are things going for me? Pretty good! Lost a bit of weight in last month. And now 15 days into Ramadan, more weight loss should happen.

So what’s my current weight? Hey, you know I hardly measure myself on the scales. So how do I know that I have lost few kilos? The fit of my clothes says it all. They are bit loose than before, my wedding ring glides easily onto my finger and I can feel the increase in my energy levels. The whole process wasn’t easy for me though.

All along, I took small steps and achieved victories at each step. And trust me, these small victories have been good motivator for my weight loss journey. Few baby steps and good habits at a time made way for healthier me.

Earlier I tried various ways to shed pounds, but I burned out too easily. After some good soul searching, I decided to take small achievable steps. Did you know that it takes about three good weeks to establish a habit? I found this when i was pushing myself religiously, sometimes once/twice a day to do my yoga exercises. Besides working out at home, I would look forward to my classes. Yoga helped me calm down and enjoy ‘me’ time, which was rare.

Before starting yoga, I was not sure how to get started. So I sat down with my list of changes and chose weight loss as the first change. I haven’t been able to do a makeover in my entire diet, but it is happening in bits and pieces.

I feel confident each day with my renewed sense of energy. I am positive that I will be able to check off all the items on my list for change soon.

Have you hit the Weight Plateau?

You did the right exercises, ate the right foods, and controlled your portion sizes, but still the scales did not budge. Isn’t it extremely frustrating, when scales stop co-operating?

Just because you haven’t lost weight, avoid the temptation to drown your sorrows by taking extreme measures such as skipping meals or excessive workouts. A weight plateau is no reason to give up on a healthy plan. Instead, it could mean that you’re ready for something more.

The numbers on the scales don’t tell us all that is needed to assess fitness levels. Calm down, regroup your priorities and consider other ways to measure your progress. It’s time to see health rewards elsewhere other than on the bathroom scales.

Monitoring numbers such as body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, BMI, blood pressure, heart beat rate, cholesterol and stress levels and improved overall quality of life denote positive change in the weight loss efforts.

Few ways to trace your progress:

Keep a daily journal of your fitness activities, measurements, dietary needs, sleep and your day-to-day feelings.

The fit of your clothes is the best indicator of how is your body shaping up with regular exercise and healthy food habits. If your clothes hang looser in all the right spots unlike earlier, then your weight loss program is effective

Test your fitness level to measure your muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, stamina and flexibility. Repeat these tests at regular intervals and compare the results. Difference in numbers should tell all.

Stalling in a weight loss program is natural. A plateau means that your body needs a change in the intensity, frequency and/or type of workout. The ideal way to get over weight plateau is to bring about small changes in kinds of exercises, speed and intensity of doing them.

I too, have reached weight plateau many a times and frankly it is uninspiring. But my fitness success is not measured by bathroom scales alone. Fit of the clothes and finger ring, increase in flexibility, stamina and energy levels to do various things gauge my weight loss progress.

Joggers Path

Jog in the scenic outdoors

If you have hit a plateau in terms of weight loss, cardiovascular fitness or are plain bored with walking, try jogging.   Jogging can be as addictive as walking once you get the right technique.  Regularity is the key, if you are regular with jogging, you will soon begin to look forward to your jog each day.  Your body looks forward to its daily dose of cardiovascular fitness!

 

Jogging is definitely a faster way to burn up calories and thereby shed excess pounds.  If you have no issues with your joints, then jogging is surely worth a shot.  Whether on the treadmill or the outdoors, go for a jog and enjoy the benefits of an all round workout! Jogging even for half an hour burns 100-200 calories more than walking!  Personally, I prefer the outdoors where the air is fresh and your body has the leverage to adjust the pace and rhythm with each step unlike the hi-tech treadmill with airconditioner on full blast and the idiot-box for company! Added hand movements while jogging helps you get the rhythm, increase or decrease your pace and gives your arms a good workout too!

Start with a good stretch, be sure to spend an ample amount of time on stretching and not to hurry it up.  Proper stretching is the best way to stave off injuries and tears to the muscle tissues.  The next step is to warm up, this could be light, on-the-spot jogging and jumping which gradually gets your heart rate going before moving to the maximum capacity.  Once this is done, you can start jogging, starting with a slow pace, gradually moving on to medium and then onto your maximum speed.  Control the speed as per your body’s demands, slow down, but try to keep moving so you don’t bring the heart rate to the bare minimum.  Stop when you feel that its been a good jog or when you have completed the target distance/time that you have set for yourself.  Don’t forget the cool down and another round of  light stretches which will complete your workout session.

A good pair of trainers is a must have, so that your feet are in the best possible condition.  Loose cotton clothing, T-shirts n trackpants or shorts work best.  Access to drinking water is essential, so that you can hydrate at regular intervals especially in the summers.  Go, enjoy this free, anytime, anywhere workout!

Hip Stretch

Hips are hurting? Here’s a good stretch for them.

Sit with your legs extended. Bend and bring your left foot towards the right hip and place it underneath your right leg. The outer portion of your left foot (thigh area) should rest on the ground.

Next, lift your right foot and cross it over your left foot, so that your right knee is bent directly above the left knee.

Feel a good stretch in your hips at this point. If you can’t balance yourself, place your hands on the floor for support.

Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, switch sides and repeat it thrice on each side.

For a deeper stretch, lean your torso forward over your legs.

Happy Stretching

I’m sure you all must have heard that it is good to stretch before and after your workouts. Do you know why? Simply because stretching reduces the risk of injuries, keeps our body supple and more resilient in the long run. It helps in improving blood circulation, reduces wear and tear, relieves tension allowing you to relax and hold your body in a more balanced way.

Stretching exercises are not meant to strain muscles. There are various stretching exercises targeted at major muscle groups. Focus should be on arms, legs, abs, back and neck. A light body warm-up is a must.  Start your stretch by taking a deep breath, continuing as far as you can without pain (for 20 seconds or a minute) and then slowly breathe out. Be sure never to bounce while stretching!

Stretching exercises are ideally performed in sets of three for 30 seconds to one minute. Eventually, you should listen to your body. It’s best to include a variety of stretches, holding them for as long as you can and releasing yourself from the position when you feel the pain.

If you exercise regularly, perform stretching exercises daily. Having a diary with a list of stretching exercises targeted at major muscle group ensures that you stretch all the muscles in your body.

Walk-jog

For regular walkers, who are looking for some variation or add a “bit” more to their daily brisk walk, can add jogging to their fitness pursuit. If a full-fledged jog intimidates you, you can start by jogging a stretch a day in between your walk. Like I do, after a round of brisk walk, which serves as a warm up, add a stretch of light jogging. Stop when you feel like it but continue with your brisk walk pace. Doing this intermittently will spice up your walk routine. Choose your pace, find out the pace that suits you best and stay with it for a while before increasing it. Lengthen the jog stretches gradually and soon you will find yourself able to jog more and more distance without tiring out soon and feeling breathless.

 A walk-jog gives you a complete cardio workout without tiring out your muscles unduly. It also improves your stamina and overall cardiovascular fitness. For those interested in making the shift from brisk walking to jogging, this is the way to go. Brisk walk-Walk-jog-Jogging. Make sure you cool down well and give your calves and hamstrings a good stretch after your walk-jog session. Expect a bit of pain in the shin on the first couple of days, your leg muscles will soon get used to the impact of carrying your weight in the new activity and the pain will disappear.

The Multigrain Mantra

Without doubt, bhakris are the best (healthier n tastier) , but making them (right) is not everyone’s cup of tea! These storehouses of complex carbs give you the best combination with regards to energy and have a low glycemic index, which basically only means that the sugar is low and the energy is released more slowly into the system. The multi-grain atta gives you enough fibre and vitamins that your body needs. But preparing them is the biggest issue in modern households today.

The other viable alternative that you could try is – Since rotis/chapatis/phulkas are a staple in this part of the globe, try making it multigrain. By multigrain I do not mean using the readily available multigrain atta (there are not many brands available,besides being relatively more expensive than regular atta, it is also difficult to knead into a ball). I have supplies of soyabean, Raagi, Jowari and Bajri atta ready at hand. I add a handful of any one/two of those mentioned above with the regular whole wheat atta while making the dough for rotis. Your multi-grain rotis turn out soft and easy to make, just as usual rotis! Other than the colour of the rotis, there isn’t much change in the taste or texture of the final product. So, you can be rest assured that your brats won’t know a thing, if you can just convince them about the change in colour of the rotis! Healthy eating that’s easier on the pockets too!

Interval Walking

If your regular walking exercise has become boring and drab, add intervals to your regular walking plan to make it more interesting.

Interval walking is all about walking briskly, faster than your normal pace for short time period followed by recovery period of walking at your regular speed.

Before you start with interval walking, few minutes of warm-up like strolling and stretching is a must as it allows your muscles to warm up.

Determine your interval levels. Start with short periods of brisk walk followed by a longer period of recovery walking.

When you start the first interval walk, walk at twice the speed of your normal pace for a minute or two. Start by adding one or two five-minute high intensity intervals to your walk to build your stamina. Gradually increase your period of interval walking.

Maintain good posture while walking. Hold your abdominal muscles tight; lift your chest and keep your chin parallel to the ground. Keeping your arms bended at 90^o helps you walk at a faster pace than your usual speed.

Slow down to allow your body to recover from your strenuous workout. The recovery interval should be about twice as long as you’re walking interval.

Once you’ve mastered interval training and enjoyed the benefits, you might be tempted to push yourself to do even more. Avoid doing so as your body needs to rest and recover.

+ves

Interval walking burns fat and calories and challenges your body to prevent it from hitting a weight loss plateau.

It improves your cardiovascular fitness. Faster walking means your heart beats faster, showing a higher demand for oxygen. That strengthens your heart; increases your blood flow and improves you’re overall fitness level.

After a Workout

Many of us have a great workout routine. We drink plenty of water before hitting the gym, do warm stretches, work the entire body and even throw in some cardio. After the last set of exercises, you head back to your locker, shower, change and head home to get started with your daily work.

But have you ever thought of how you should treat your body in the next 15-20 minutes after your training to avoid muscle soreness and stiffness, increase muscle strength and growth and staying hydrated. Here are few things to do cool your body after a training session.

Cool Down. That is the first thing you need to do. Do few light exercises such a slow walk on the treadmill for five minutes to bring down your heart rate to a slow and steady pace.

Stretch. Light stretching exercises allows your muscles to get the full benefit of your workout. It relaxes your muscles, helps speed circulation to joints and tissues, thereby reducing the soreness and stiffness of muscles from a workout routine.

Drink water. Replenish yourself with water to avoid dehydration.

Refuel. Experts recommend eating healthy foods within 60 minutes of your workout to repair your muscles and boost your energy levels.  Eat foods that are packed with complex carbs and proteins.The sooner the better.

Workout Buddy

Revamping you’re eating habits, starting an exercise plan and improving your overall lifestyle is not easy. These are big changes and one definitely could use all the encouragement and support required to maintain these changes.

Experts say people who have support and encouragement are successful in maintaining their diet and exercise programs.

Having a support or making a commitment to improve your lifestyle along with someone like a close girlfriend/buddy, significant other or your own child – will make you want to stick to your program, simply because that person is counting on you.

If you’re on a look out for a buddy, ask your neighbour to commit to walking together for 30 minutes daily a week, sign up for a dance class with your friend/spouse, play a sport with your child or cook healthy meals over weekend for your family. This will help you keep up your new lifestyle changes.

You can also look for support online. Like your best pal, who is just an email away or sign up with any of the weight watchers sites where you will come across inspiring stories of people who have successfully managed to shed off pounds and improve their lifestyle through proper healthy diet plans and exercise regimes.

Sindhu and I started this blog for supporting and encouraging one another in our journey towards healthier lifestyle. Along the way, we have come across people who appreciate that the fact, a workout buddy is a must. We have been successful to a certain extent, but we still have a long way to go.

Go find that extra support. There is no time to waste.