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.

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.

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.

Workouts with Namita – I

Hi

Another of Namita’s workout is linked up here. Namita writes about the benefits of running, training tips, the right technique for running and what stretching exercises must one perform before running.

Thigh and Hip Stretch

To loosen the stiffness and tone the hips and thigh area, this simple stretch exercise will help.

What
Thigh and Hip Stretch

How
Sit in upright position with your legs stretched out in front of you. Lift your left leg and place it on your right thigh with the left leg ankle touching the thigh bone. Lift your left thigh and bring it close to your chest similar to cradling a baby close to your chest. Hold for five seconds and then lower the thigh. Repeat five times with each leg. When your thigh is close to the chest, you will feel a pull in your thigh and hip region. This stretch will loosen your muscles, strengthen and tone the hips and thigh area and gradually reduce the flab.

When
Anytime of the day or add it to your daily exercise regime.

Crunch for your remote control

Reaching for the remote control during the breaks? Make reaching for the remote worth it by doing crunches. Place it out of reach on the coffee table or stand, if you’re lying down on the opposite arm of the couch. So every time an ad appears, you reach for the remote, do crunches until the show starts again. You should be able to do 50-100 crunches during the ad-time. Crunching tones the abs.

Lift your hips

Before you tuck yourself in, lie on your back on the floor with your legs up on the edge of the bed or a chair. Slowly bend your knees, lifting your hips off the floor. Hold for 10-sec and relax. Repeat 15 times. This workout strengthens your hamstrings and core.

Ballerina anyone

When you boil your coffee or tea, stand sideways, put one hand on the kitchen table and lift the outside leg straight out in front of you, keeping it extended. Keep your upper body straight, hold for 30-sec, and then move your extended leg to the side; hold again for 30-sec. Repeat 10 times on each leg. This warm up tones the outer thighs, hip flexors and quadriceps.

Good Morning Workout

When you open your eyes in the morning, sit up slowly without using your hands. Stretch your legs out and place your hands on your thighs. Lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your back, abs and hamstring. Trying reaching for your toes with your hands. Hold for a 30-sec. Come back in the start position and do 2 sets of 10 each.