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.

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!

Missing you Doctor!

My instructor(she is also a qualified physiotherapist) is away to attend a seminar last couple of weeks.  Frankly, the fitness class minus her is just that a “fitness class”, it’s definitely without the fun part of fitness! We all really miss her presence, her inputs, her cheerful banter, her amazingly toned body with stamina to match. Not to mention her abundant energy coupled with enthusiasm which is what makes all the back-breaking exercises fun.  She is definitely a great inspiration to me to keep it going and give the entire fitness funda my best shot. She adds a lot of variations so the entire class is a new experience each day! 

Gently nudging someone here, urging someone to go for a couple of crunches more or pushing someone to do a couple of minutes more on the killer treadmill in her own sweet way. Peppering her banter with words of appreciation and encouragement really wants you to do more.  It’s difficult not to listen to her for even the most stubborn exercise haters.  Her expertise and experience help us in targetting specific problem areas that each of us have with specific exercises to work out on the same.

All of us eagerly await her return so we can get back to enjoying our workouts to the fullest instead of just following the fitness program charts she has prepared for us mechanically!

Boost your energy

Are exhaustion, stress and anxiety are your constant daily companions? Yes, Yes, Yes!

For an instant enegry boost, try this: Count to four while inhaling through the nose slowly. Then count backwards from four to one while exhaling slowly. Pay attention to your stomach. While inhaling, your stomach should rise and fall as you slowly breathe out. This easy breathing exercise can be done while standing in the bus line, at your desk or while making your morning cuppa.