Sedentary work and a lazy lifestyle - something almost every young professional faces in the first few years of one's job. I was a typical example - gaining kilos an kilos of weight. Not that I liked it ... but there didn't seem a way out.
Some solutions people gave me were - go to a gym, do yoga-pranayam - my response to all of them was - I don't have the time. And it isn't that I am downright lazy! I really did not get a continuous 1/2 hour in the day for any of this (my long hours of net surfing to be blamed probably). In fact, I used to take cabs even for short distances, not to avoid walking but to save time - and it was taking its toll on me! I was at 74 KGs (almost 10 KGs overweight as per my height) when I left for UK in July last year.
And then almost a miracle occurred! Simply speaking, I was forced to walk - from home to the tube station, from tube station to the office .... and so on. Without realizing, I started liking the walks - they were not just exercises for the body. Walking alone in the morning (actually one of my habits in my Engineering days) gave time to think, to ponder and hence to develop oneself.
The day I was packing my stuff for my return to India, I got a weighing machine to weigh the luggage. And just out of curiosity when I checked my weight - lo! It was 67 KGs - I had reduced 7 KGs of weight just by increased walking!!
I had never believed that only walking could be effective enough to help one reduce weight - I always thought it was a very mild form of exercise and hence could only help maintain status quo - never reduce! I was wrong all the way!
But realizing the trick, I have continued walking even after my return to India. I make sure I walk to the train station if it is within 15 minutes (walk). I make sure I do not use my bike to go to the nearest market (at least for regular tasks) . I make sure I utilize every opportunity to take a small walk - whether it is from the bus stop to my place or from a friend's to home. I even ask the Cab/ Auto wallah to stop a few paces away from my home, so that I walk the rest of the distance!
The best part about walking is that it does not need your time for a stretch. You can walk in small chunks of time - not necessarily an hour at a stretch. Walk 15 minutes thrice a day, or 20 minutes twice a day or 10 minutes four times a day. Walk more on weekends, less on weekdays.
Walk less carrying a load on yourself (laptop, grocery), walk more when your hands are free. Walk early mornings or late nights ... the damn thing is so simple and flexible that you don't need to discipline yourself to do it - just keep your mind focussed on making sure you do a bit of it everyday!
I weighed myself today and I am now down to 64KGs - Hurray! - the correct weight for my height. And I am delighted .... and for all those who want any suggestions ...
Keep Walking !
Some solutions people gave me were - go to a gym, do yoga-pranayam - my response to all of them was - I don't have the time. And it isn't that I am downright lazy! I really did not get a continuous 1/2 hour in the day for any of this (my long hours of net surfing to be blamed probably). In fact, I used to take cabs even for short distances, not to avoid walking but to save time - and it was taking its toll on me! I was at 74 KGs (almost 10 KGs overweight as per my height) when I left for UK in July last year.
And then almost a miracle occurred! Simply speaking, I was forced to walk - from home to the tube station, from tube station to the office .... and so on. Without realizing, I started liking the walks - they were not just exercises for the body. Walking alone in the morning (actually one of my habits in my Engineering days) gave time to think, to ponder and hence to develop oneself.
The day I was packing my stuff for my return to India, I got a weighing machine to weigh the luggage. And just out of curiosity when I checked my weight - lo! It was 67 KGs - I had reduced 7 KGs of weight just by increased walking!!
I had never believed that only walking could be effective enough to help one reduce weight - I always thought it was a very mild form of exercise and hence could only help maintain status quo - never reduce! I was wrong all the way!
But realizing the trick, I have continued walking even after my return to India. I make sure I walk to the train station if it is within 15 minutes (walk). I make sure I do not use my bike to go to the nearest market (at least for regular tasks) . I make sure I utilize every opportunity to take a small walk - whether it is from the bus stop to my place or from a friend's to home. I even ask the Cab/ Auto wallah to stop a few paces away from my home, so that I walk the rest of the distance!
The best part about walking is that it does not need your time for a stretch. You can walk in small chunks of time - not necessarily an hour at a stretch. Walk 15 minutes thrice a day, or 20 minutes twice a day or 10 minutes four times a day. Walk more on weekends, less on weekdays.
Walk less carrying a load on yourself (laptop, grocery), walk more when your hands are free. Walk early mornings or late nights ... the damn thing is so simple and flexible that you don't need to discipline yourself to do it - just keep your mind focussed on making sure you do a bit of it everyday!
I weighed myself today and I am now down to 64KGs - Hurray! - the correct weight for my height. And I am delighted .... and for all those who want any suggestions ...
Keep Walking !
So, after the same collge, same B-school, same passion for IT and Arbit, we have one more thing in common.. Our weights!! I too am 64 kgs. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had moved up to 70 kgs during my days at that blissful places called th Infy bench, but work has taken the extra kilos from me since then.