Growing up in a traditional Indian household I know first-hand the habits, responsibilities and expectations that lead to serious health concerns for our families, particularly our women. Our communities have some of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes known in the modern world. It is no surprise looking at the lack of activity amongst our communities and the focus on energy dense foods. Correct me if I am wrong, but most of the people we know if not ourselves are expanding at an alarming rate. We idolise slim film stars and try every fad diet out there – cut out carbs and give up on our dreams of being healthy and active so quickly. Ofcourse it’s hard going to an extreme and in my view – it’s unnecessary.
Most of us are very time poor. We cannot investment an hour to 2 hours at the gym every day. My approach to fitness is getting in shape and staying in shape is very simple.
- Want to lose weight? No 1! Start moving and sweating for it!!! Get a fitness tracker to see your movements and steps. Aim for that 10,000-12,000 steps every day. Play a team sport, go dancing, start boxing do anything you enjoy, that makes you lose your breath every day. This does not need to be for an hour – even 20 mins every day will add up.
- Strength train at least once a week. My clients have a very simple programming approach. We use their legs in either a squat, lunge or deadlift motion. We engage in some sort of pull motion like an assisted pull up, latpull down and a push motion like push ups, bench press or shoulder press. You don’t have to go to a gym to complete this – you’ll be surprised by how much you can achieve at home.
- The majority of the challenge lies on your plate. You don’t need to sacrifice our traditional Indian foods at all. They are full of spices and herbs that are very beneficial to our health. Simply keep an eye on the ghee, carbohydrate content and ensure you are getting enough protein. For example: in your paneer dishes go 50/50 with tofu and paneer – easy way to increase your protein and nutrients whilst keeping the taste and fat content lower!
Our society needs a big shift towards functional fitness – fitness that encourages a better quality of life. Following these 3 simple overall ideas will lead to some fantastic benefits that will get addictive!Fitness is a self-fulfilling prophecy- you get what you invest in it. There are so many rewards in finding time for yourself and investing in a simple exercise routine.
YOU WILL stop the cycle of guilt and create an action for the reaction you want- a better quality of life, being the young, vibrant, attractive person that you are.
YOU WILL boost your mood, experience a release in stress, a sense of achievement and satisfaction that will translate into other areas of your life.
YOU WILL get a strong cardiovascular system, more resilient heart and mind, stronger muscles and better quality body tissue that will provide you with a better quality of life.
YOU WILL get closer to the goal you at the end of every session whether that is weight loss, personal development or an athletic pursuit.
YOU WILL create a distraction that will stop the cycle of self-pity, guilt, overeating and starvation that happens closer to the weekend and our social events.
YOU WILL improve your sleep quality, perform better and want to fuel your body with the best quality foods.
Through my time as a trainer and professional I have found there to be so much information available on the best diet, best training program or supplement that will get you to your dream body. Simplicity is power- find something that makes logical sense, actually suits you and is something you enjoy. If you agree with my overall ideas – keep your eyes out for my articles. Looking forward to sharing more content with you all about how to do fitness our way!
All things positive, fit and fabulous,
About The Author
Meghna Garg is a passionate business and fitness professional and it is her passion to guide, inspire and motivate everyday people especially women to respect their bodies and i..
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