Baby Steps Go A Long Way

“I have to start gym again” he said looking at his reflection that showed a protruding belly.

“I started this diet plan and lost 2 kgs over the last 3 days” she said looking at the Cream roll on the counter

“Oh God it is so difficult to lose weight once you gain it” she sighed cradling the baby who had just slept.

“I wish I could buy that little black dress..” she said as she turned to the plus size section.

“Did you see him, wonder how he lost so much! How did he build his shoulders so much” he said while trying to tie his shoe laces without falling short of breath.

These remarks and so many others greet me no matter where I go… May it be our neighbor, friendly passenger on the next seat in the train or my best friend; everyone has this one topic to discuss apart from the resent #MeToo campaign. All I keep hearing to, hearing not listening, is Weight! Fat! Obese!

Having been overweight myself for as long as I can remember, I have never been ashamed about the way I look. I have learnt to carry myself with that air of “I don’t care about my weight. What’s inside is what matters!” But it makes me wonder…

Why does a fat girl have to be the target? I mean it’s bad enough that we girls have to control our feelings – apart from crying. We have to wear the most uncomfortable attire at times to look fashionable or traditional – can’t discount yards of fabric or skinny jeans and the body hugging blouse in smoldering heat! Isn’t it cruel enough that we have to get our eyebrows, upper lips, under arms, legs and arms silky smooth by a process called threading and waxing? And gods forbid if you have a good hair growth, every fortnight or month! We are expected to look perfect with layers of make up, excellent clothes and those painful high heels! Yeah… that’s the idea of perfect woman, but no one has given a thought to how much effort and hard work goes into this picture perfect woman! To add on to it you are shamed, pretty much every waking moment of the day, about being Fat!

Why does the guy with the belly get shot down and ridiculed? Isn’t it painful enough that your gym trainer makes you give 10 push-ups more than you can do? Think about every time you have deprived yourself from the simple pleasure of enjoying a bar of your favourite chocolate. Think about every time your heart ached for that slice of creamy cake or donuts or waffle slathered in maple syrup. Think about every time you have blamed yourself for enjoying the Burger and fries meal or cheese burst pizza instead of having the salad. Isn’t that cruelty that after being depressed, stressed, guilty or whatever that negative feeling you want to name, your weight still won’t budge?

Now look at yourself in the mirror… Give yourself the right to say "You are beautiful!" Because you are what you believe! There is no norm in this world that can deem you imperfect. Because “The Big Guy Up There” made you unique. So what if you gathered a few pounds on your way… so what if you have to visit a tailor rather than an over the counter dress… it doesn’t matter unless you are comfortable in your skin. The moment that you are convinced about your own self as a confident person, no weighing scale can make you feel bad.

Being beautiful isn’t about having the perfect body and enviously shiny hair and white radiant skin… that applies to fairies that exist in fairy tales! The ones we idolize today spend hundreds of thousands of currency to tuck their problem areas in and tone their muscles and get blemishes off their skin and get the hair that looks like waves of the sea! They have all the time and money to work on themselves because that’s what sells!

Imagine, if you will, your favorite model or actress getting up at the crack of dawn, cooking, packing the lunch boxes for 3 to 4 family - members, taking a quick shower, getting ready while getting the kids ready, travelling for 3 to 4 hours, working for 8 to 10 hours and reaching back home to attend to evening chores… would she look as glamorous as she does? Maybe… but mostly No!

Having said that, the truth remains that real beauty comes from a healthy body and an even healthier mind. It comes from a lifestyle that helps you with a fit body that is ready to battle diseases and a happy mind that keeps the negative thoughts out! The more you imbibe this positive thoughts the more results this lifestyle will fetch. Now I am no health guru, but I have observed my Grandmother, mother, myself and many like me who in their own way have proven that beauty indeed comes from within! Here are a few things that I recommend as the first few steps towards a healthier life. 

• Water is not just a universal solvent

Water works wonders on your body. There is a science behind it, which I have no idea about… but I started tracking my water intake and believe me or not it did things that I cannot imagine. They say 8 glasses is what you need… but I noticed that I need much more than that. Reason being, I sweat a lot and easily fee dehydrated. So I have kept a target of 10 glasses during the day and since I wake up very often during the night (thanks to asthma and my dog who has to scratch me every time the blanket slips off his back) up to 1 liter during the night.

What a regular intake of water did to me was incredible. Feels like every glass wakes up every organ inside, in turn making me feel energetic and surprisingly lighter. It was a thorough detox when I started. Somehow it reduced bloating and to a large extent flushed out the retained water. My kidneys functioned better. I went to the bathroom often at the beginning, but I noticed a clearer and less acidic output. Which in itself is a sigh that your organs are getting healthier.

• The To and Fro Technique!

I am the most lazy person and even so in the mornings. I literally have to kick myself out of the bed if I have to wake up before 10.00 am. It is a struggle! Then how does one walk! I took up something easier. I did not walk for reducing weight… no! Neither did I count steps… that’s too much hard work… set targets and when they collapse you push yourself into a guilt trip and depression takes over. Basically you go back to square 1! So, I started walking within the house. I replaced my water bottles to 500 ml ones… some are 250 ml too… that ways I have to walk to and fro from the water dispenser to get water. I have a small garden in the balcony that needs watering… I water the plans using 500 ml bottle so that makes me walk to and fro from the sink. I usually keep my purse in the other room which means every time I need something from it I have to go to the other room. And after every meal I ensure that I walk to and fro from one point to the other in the house… approximately 100 steps. This is called Shatapauli and is a proven technique to improve your digestion.

What all of this did to me was, I started becoming more active. My laziness reduced slowly and somehow agility has increased. I am able to squat easily as compared to the rusted knees I had before. I am not as breathless when I walk outside now which in turn means more willingness to walk.

• Stand up for yourself

Whenever possible I try to stand rather than sit. This not only helps burn more calories, but it also helps build stamina. Stand while you wait for the bus or the train or cab… stand while cutting and chopping. I had the habit of sitting and chopping veggies. Changing that has helped me a lot. Keep on your feet every chance you get. It will not be easy… you will feel tired and will want to lean on something… which is okay. You will have to make a conscious effort to do it. Whenever you can, stand erect.

It has helped me improve my posture a lot. I don’t slouch as much as I used to. It has helped me tuck in the tummy a little too… because I tend to hold it in when I stand erect, the muscles are slowly responding.

• Eat your way through the day.

Starving yourself is the worst thing you can do to your body. You have to realize the fact that the more you starve the more your body is going to store. So even if you have counted calories and eaten healthy, but you have a huge gap between two meals, the diet plan might not be effective. So plan your meals in such a way that you feed yourself with 3 big meals and 2 to 3 small ones. A big meal doesn’t mean a pizza and small one doesn’t include fries! You still have to keep a watchful eye on what you eat.

What I did was I ate exactly what I used to eat before but divided the same portion of food into two to three smaller ones. I started my day with some warm water as soon as I woke up. There are many other drinks that you can try – Turmeric Tea, Honey, lemon, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, mint and so on… take whatever you like. For me plain water works just fine. Then after 30 to 45 mins I eat - simple breakfast of egg on toast, bhurji, 2 parathas, a bowl of poha or upma etc. I still haven’t switched to brown bread because I don’t like it… multigrain is okay. But I have remarkably reduced the portion size. After 2 hours I have a glass of juice or some lemon water. Then comes lunch by 1 ish… if I have chapatti I avoid rice and if I have rice I avoid chapatti… but the vegetables intake hasn’t reduced. I ensure that I add some or the other protein and also include carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, curd and lentils as much as possible. This helps with fiber as well. Then evening is usually biscuits or some puffed rice chivda. And then comes the dinner which has moved from maggi to homemade soups. Between these whenever I crave for something I eat it – but control the amount i.e. the portion size…  

I have effectively improved my metabolism and it feels so much lighter on the stomach. It also gives enough time for digestion, in turn keeping your energy level where it should be.

• Tableware matters

I have been researching easy ways to stay healthy and the easiest way is to control the food you eat. There are two aspects to it… Diet plan and the Plates and bowls we use. Surprised yet? The colors of the plate matter and so does the size. Quite a few smart people have researched and proven that cooler colors make you eat less. So Blues and Greens help you have a calm and peaceful meal, which means your mind reaches satisfaction point easier and faster because it is already put to rest. Also if you use smaller tableware mind perceives it as a plate full of food which is a very satisfying thought.

Smaller cutlery means smaller morsels which mean it takes you a substantial time to finish your meal. And before you know it, you brain tells you that you are full… again there is some big logic behind it. In simple words, calm and composed mind is easier satisfied. Your brain doesn’t count how much you eat but it does understand for how long you have been eating… in about 20 to 25 mins your brain will tell you that your hunger is satisfied even if you haven’t eaten much.

There are so many other ways like taking the stairs, those 3 to 4 minutes work outs, diet plans, yoga, stretches and cardio and so many more… but some simple things can get you started. These are just a few things I have started and the result is a more energetic, enthusiastic and healthier Me… maybe, if I had to push myself more to follow a more rigid routine I will be able to at least give it a try.

Lesson Learnt :

Our body is truly a blessing. It is our responsibility to use it carefully and to maintain it beautifully. It is our duty to treat it with respect and help it harbor a healthy biological and mental system.

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