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.

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!

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.

Puffed Rice Snack

From the time Iam off carbs for dinner, I am on the lookout for really low-cal foods for my last meal of the day! One such interesting (read tastebud-tingling) option is our good-old bhel! Puffed rice is the main ingredient in the snack which by itself is very low in calories and gives you a feeling of satiety!

What you will need -

Puffed Rice – 100 gms
Onions – finely chopped
Tomatoes – finely chopped
Green chillies – finely chopped
Cucumber – finely chopped
Coriander – finely chopped
Raw mango – finely chopped
Assorted Sprouts – Handful
Roasted Peanuts – Handful
Lime juice – as per taste
Chat masala – as per taste
Rock salt – as per taste
Green chutney
Sweet (jaggery/tamarind) chutney
Red chilli powder – For dry bhel
Boiled Potato – Diced (For usual bhel)

Mix all the above ingredients, toss it and gorge!

Without the green and sweet chutney what you will have is the dry bhel, which is a great snack too!  With all the above ingredients, what you have on hand is a snack that is low on calories but high on proteins! You could go for a bowl of this after fruits for a low-cal yet tasty dinner.

Do It Yourself

A hour of household chores is a good workout regime. Research indicates sweeping, mopping floors and doing general cleaning chores burns approx 230 calories. You can do away with that treadmill