Back to Basics This Monsoon

Monsoons in Bangalore (my hometown) is the best season here. Every day for two months the sky is a little gloomy, a refreshing breeze and the lovely unpredictable rain! The weather is so special it makes you want to go out and stay home at the same time.

While you cozy up and cover up from the rain. It is a tough time if you love outdoor workouts and outdoor runs. This can mess-up a good training schedule and could leave you lazy and demotivated.

I always see this as a great time to get back to basics. While the rest of the year we spend maxing out our training schedules this is the time to take a pause and work on all those little skills we tend to ignore.

So here are a few tips on how to make this weather work best for you

Go back to a gym or indoor training center and re-visit your FORM for core movements. Is there a way to make your squat better, your push – up stronger and your deadlift heavier. Good work on these strength movements will influence your running/ cycling/ yoga etc.

From my post on Pilates ( Read here) you know that CORE is KING. You can get in some heavy-duty core strengthening work. If you need a good workout you can check out the Nike Training App which has great 4-6week programs on core and strength.
Flexibility, Agility , Plyometrics and Mobility– yup they all exist and now you can spend a good amount of time figuring out what they are. Throw these words at your trainers and demand a diverse training plan to attack these weak spots.

Lastly don’t completely ignore your running and other cardio training. Use the treadmill to do interval speed training and the elliptical to increase stamina. You could also give Spinning a try, which is great for stronger limbs.

For me the monsoons has been really busy, but it is time to visit the old and rework the new, half the year is almost done!

 

 

Safety first Cyclists

I started working on this post a few weeks ago when I went for my first ever long bike ride  (woot! Managed to clock a 23km) but a tragedy took place since that ride.

A well-known Bangalore rider was killed due to rash driving by a 4-wheeler. I don’t know this lovely young lady, but the news made me really depressed.

So instead of telling you how and why cycling rocks I rather discuss how to treat cyclists on the road. We must co-exist until cyclists can get their own lane and laws of protection.

Be patient when you see a cyclist. Give them the right of way. If he/ she wants to cross over, switch lanes or get ahead when they want. Honking them down is irritating and caus
es noise pollution. It can startle a rider causing him to lose his balance in his haste to get out of your way. It will only slow you down by a few seconds, but for the rider it means a lot more.

Be mindful of their movements and hand signals. They always indicate their next move through hand signs. Be aware of these and it will be easier to understand each other.

“Being Doored”  a common accident, when a cyclist is pedaling along, doesn’t notice a motorist getting out of a parked car, and is thrown, sometimes violently, when he or she hits the opening door. Both motorists and cyclists need to be alert here.

Road rage and cyclists is super common. It is almost weird to see a bus driver screaming at a cyclist! While it is common to lose it on Bangalore roads, keep your emotions in check. Yes they are allowed to break traffic signals, they move slower than you-they use their legs not an engine to move and they can really feel the pollution coming out of your car so be nice.

As for the cyclist I really respect the risk you take every time you hit the road. Make sure you know the rules and wear the appropriate safety gear.

Do your little bit to help grow the cyclist community, they are contributing to saving the planet.

click to be part of the safety petitions

Click to share your views on safer riding in Bangalore

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women On Top

As a believe in gender equality I feel there are many physical activities women shy away from doing due to stereotypes and social conditioning. Let this Women’s Day be about setting yourself free from countless gender biases!

Women should lift as heavy a weight as she wants too!

Weight training is a must for both genders as it helps build muscles, gives you great stamina, reduces body fat and gives you more energy. Read more on it in my previous post so break this fear and walk boldly to the male dominated weights section and pick up a hefty 15kg dumbell and do some bicep curls! Men be less intimidating and happily share your corner near the heavy weights section.

Outdoor Running

This is a tough one in India where women are leched at constantly and for a lady to run on the road makes me cringe too! But giving up in not an option because treadmill running will mess up your knees. Running outdoors reduces stress levels, increases lung capacity and speed due to adaptations on any terrain are few of the wonderful benefits. So brave up, sync in some good music and just run! Make sure you run in a well-lit and populated area and avoid running after 6pm. ( eg: cubbon park, joggers park) ( sorry to say this but safety first)

Martial Arts

Self-defense is only one of the numerous reasons women should learn martial arts. The “Budo” life is for everyone. Martial art teaches you discipline, improves flexibility and coordination and about harnessing internal energy systems. Plus you feel so badass! So join a boxing class, karate or mixed martial arts and let the inner dragon free. ( read more )

Football, Basketball, Cricket, Golf and pretty much every sport!

Life lessons are learnt on the sports-field which no book can teach you. The health benefits are incredible apart from improving muscle memory, making you more agile, better plyo-metrics and overall you’re metabolic rate is higher than non-athletes. Don’t think twice choose a sport you have aspired to play and just start.

Forget about crazy crash diets and looking “Skinny” focus on becoming healthy, fit and live a disease-free happy life. When you are sixty you rather be healthy then a sickly size zero!

HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY! 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Get Back to Training

This is probably not the most motivating “Let us Ring in the New Year” type of post but this blog is about sharing REAL issues.

Although I love to train and work out and run and do all the other things I write about. I have my dull days or weeks too. The downtime phrase hits everybody.

Once the festive season ended and the new year started I assumed I would be back to training regularly except instead I felt demotivated and just so lazy.It took me a while to really pull myself out of this rut.

I am sure many of us suffer from this. We have the aspirations but lack the will and discipline. The worst part is you know you were doing really good until an injury, a holiday, sudden work crisis, a festival or a wedding can really shake up the whole regiment.

My gym motivator: Nimisha

This is when you have two ways to fight the battle before you slide all the way to the bottom. A gym buddy, your coach, your crush or just about anyone who you knew from that life has to reach out to you. If they don’t connect with you, send them a message for help. Confess about the downward spiral and you will get a pep talk and even maybe a ride to the gym.

The second option is to fight your own demons. At some level we are committed to exercise daily. It is only a momentary lapse from the routine. Be unkind to yourself and really shake yourself out of it. Be over critical to a point that forces you to get up and get out of that door. Yes, feel bad, guilty, unhealthy and disgusted with your lack of an active lifestyle.

Lastly, I would go back to my favourite recommendation of “put a goal” to it. Work towards something – an event, pull-ups, muscle-ups, handstand and whatever else you are dreaming about.

If you fall into the third “I don’t really care” segment then we have to work a lot harder to convince you and your starting trouble needs to be addressed in a different manner. ( for another post)

Remember when the jeans get tight it is time to get back and in my case throw away the Christmas cake!

 

 

 

 

Take A Break Today

Thats me & my best buds taking an epic pano @the Great Wall of China, Beijing

I recently returned from an epic vacay. I can tell you while I grudgingly get back to my routine. The trip brought back the sparkle to my everyday life and things are not so boring anymore.  Also now my license to complain is suspended. It is not such a bad way to live!

Yes I did a handstand @ The Great Wall of China

We all carry about quite a bit of unwanted emotional luggage and stress every day. I like to question how important is it to stop, breath and rewind? Why is it a struggle to get time off? Why is it met with a guilt complex to be able to exhaust all the 22-25 days a company gives its employees?

Taking time off allows us to deal with both mental and emotional luggage which is when we suppress our feelings and just move on. The more you pack it all away the more likely a meltdown is around the corner.

Saw a bit of heaven @Yanghso Mountians Guilin with my besties

There is definite merit in turning off life mode and chilling. I believe to be happy we need to get out of our daily routine or we will end up feeling trapped. Time off could be anything from sitting at home, watching  movies, going for a hobby class, travelling or spending time with family.

Trekking in rice paddy fields with this mind numbing view & rain!

Pause life and do something radically off your schedule: to avoid getting burnt-out, miserable and disillusioned with life. Studies prove that taking a break every now and then increases productivity. Many western companies incentivise employees to take a vacation. Breaking away from the clutter we can gain a new perspective and open our mind to fresh ideas and creativity.

 

A break is required for you to remain physically healthy too. Mental stress results in poor quality of sleep, mood swings, fatigue, high blood pressure, risk of cardiovascular diseases, poor eating habits, obesity and malnutrition, panic attacks and tons of other stuff. Your immune system becomes suppressed and you are susceptible to infections. While exercising can release some of this stress it is not

Eating something awesome!

enough to help you combat all of life’s curve-balls. Doing a complete shutdown is  the only way to recharge.

The only way to grow is to evaluate and analyze. How do I want to live my life? Does this life make me happy? How can I make things better? Important questions that pop up, but are left unanswered. When we are most relaxed answers will flow. The healing will happen and you will be able to feel your place in this life.

Lastly while many of us love what we do and maybe happy with how things are going. Time off will push you out of your comfort zone. And, to quote a famous quote “Sometimes everything we want in life lies just beyond our comfort zone”

 

 

 

 

As the holiday season here take some time out to relax, celebrate your 2015 achievements and make a resolutions to chill more next year!

 

 

If you have a fitness story to share or a point of view to be discussed or just good information that has worked or not worked for you, send me an email on lunchboxlicense@gmail.com or a facebook message on the page and I will be happy to feature you. 

 

#Be Supreme

One of my favourite parts of the Alpha League Obstacle Race was the #Besupreme battle cry. It automatically made you feel like you have achieved the impossible. To me the Alpha League was just that, the kind of event I would never have been capable to participate in.

But luckily with a little encouragement I got the opportunity to take part in this challenging and exciting event. Before I knew it, I was signed up and had received my confirmation email with my time slot. There was no turning back now!

The Alpha League is a 5km run with 21 obstacles along the way – the obstacles are all tough, dirty, muddy, slushy and super challenging. From 20 feet high rope climbs, to crawling under barbwire they had it all! There were about 1800 registrations and tons of people who came to watch the fun. I hear the best timing was 35 minutes, but for many of us I think it wasn’t so much as a race but to finish every obstacle and see it through.

So how do you know that you are ready for an event like this?

I have said this before an event is always a good time to take stock of your fitness levels and figure out areas you need to work on. Upper body strength, stamina, legs, breathing etc. we all have our trouble areas and when you compete your weakness gets thrown up.

Secondly if you are fairly regular with exercise and have been monitoring your health standards then signing up for an Alpha League will definitely give you an additional push. You will have to go for all the training classes which were held prior to the events. They held classes for nearly four weeks across the entire city which helped participants get a good understanding of what to expect.

If you train at a fitness center that focuses on functional training (e.g. crossfit, boot camps etc.) along with endurance and strength then the event is a breeze… well okay not really! But you will be able to do almost all obstacles and not feel like you went through minor surgery the next day! You are used to many of the movements and obstacles as you would have experienced it during training sessions. e.g. rope climbs, jumping over boxes, bear walks, pull ups and other such movements.
Although I am a strong believer of mind over body and if you genuinely believe you can accomplish an obstacle course you can! BUT it would be a good idea to read up and watch videos that discuss mud races and how to handle them. Arm yourself with the right information and don’t forget to dress the part. Wearing the right clothes will help you avoid injuries and if you get soaked wearing cotton it will weigh you down when you are trying to climb a wall made of tyres.

As feedback for the organizers I think safety norms were not followed for all obstacles especially considering it was an open to all race. Maybe fitness parameters could be checked before signing up. There were no hydration station’s which was quite terrible for the participants who had enough to deal with. I do hope for a safer and better event next year!

I genuinely enjoyed participating in the Alpha League. It was a wonderful combination of challenging and fun. And I feel I am a stronger person to be part of the “be supreme” clan! I am sure they will have one more next year so gear up for it. It is a worthy life experience.

Special Thanks to my friends Karan, Karthik and Rakesh you paced me on the race and made sure I didn’t give up at any point. And Namma Crossfit where I train!

photo credits: flashbulbzzphotography

9 Tips to Stay Healthy while Travelling

I have been travelling of late for both professional and personal reasons. While travelling is my favorite hobby, I find it hard to stay disciplined towards my health. The temptation to try local delicacies, ends up with me eating a lot more than I usually do. Both in terms of quantity and type of food groups. Due to busy work travel schedules there is no time for exercise!

While none of us would like to give up the opportunity of visiting a new place the fact that we return with what is commonly known as “holiday weight” is added baggage that I don’t mind leaving behind.

If you don’t have the discipline to wake up early on your holidays/corporate travel to do an hour of exercise (running, yoga or free body workouts) then here are a few tips that can help you maintain basic health levels:

1. If you’re adventurous with your food like me then you have to be careful

   

   pumpkin mash soup, sauteed fish, Goa

   with your quantities. If you have a companion, go halves on meals this way you get to try what you like and exert portion control. If you are travelling alone then eat that something yummy for lunch, but keep breakfast and dinner lighter.

2. Take the stairs to your hotel room, office meeting, store visits every time, everywhere!
3. If you’re a tourist walk around and explore rather than using public transport. You can burn off your lunch and discover something special!
4. Use the stairs or the walk-a ways instead of the escalator and travel-porter in airports. I also like to take a long walk and check out the airport while waiting for my flight to be called.
5. Avoid airline food – eat either before you board the flight or after. Airline food is LOADED with preservatives, it tastes bad and is pointless calories!
6. Definitely enjoy every minute of your vacay, but there is no holiday from staying healthy. So keep the health filter on at all times!
7. If you’re on a long break (more than five days) then you have to find a way to do some kind of exercise. This could be – a 25 minute high intensity work out in your room (do five minutes of as many reps as possible of five exercises – squats, push ups, lunges, burpees, crunches) , a run, a walk, a swim or yoga. This is to ensure you keep your form in check and your muscles active.
8. Go Dancing – Dancing is good cardio and a FUN way to check out the night life!
9. The best way to keep your health levels up is to incorporate a few outdoor activities into your vacation – a cycle or walking tour of the city, a trek/hike to see the highest scenic point, a swim in the resort pool, a fishing adventure, scuba diving, etc.

Captures from a few of my (not so recent) travels: Walking up to get a good view of the Golden Gate bridge ( SF), Exploring the Fire Valley State Park (Las Vegas)

 

Horton Plains 9km Trek ( Sri Lanka),  Running on Candolim Beach, during sunset (Goa)

 

Travelling is to rejuvenate, refresh & recharge. But sometimes doing things slightly different can change your perspective on how to experience a holiday.

10,000 steps to Happiness

I recently started walking to work. It’s been a week, but I think I’m hooked already. I have to admit the walk is only twelve minutes and I should have started ages ago!

The best part of walking is that we already know how to do it! There is no preparation required, gear or learning anything new. After all we did learn how to walk even before we started talking!

Everyone has their own pace and style of walking, which makes it uncomplicated. There are parks, pavements (not many in India), roads, treadmills and apartment gardens to walk around in, which makes it safe, accessible and free.

I am sure many of you have heard of the 10,000 steps a day challenge. But what is the real deal with 10,000 steps anyway? The concept first originated in Japan in the early 1960s.

Most people take 3500-5000 steps a day (on an average, if you are doing lesser than this be sure you fall in the very inactive, unhealthy segment) Why  “10,000”-well it has been proven scientifically that doing 10,000 steps will help us burn 20% of our caloric intake and leads to a healthier, active lifestyle.

The Japs have been using this for years (explains their hour glass shape) it only spread to the rest of the world in the 90s. Interestingly, but not surprising it was seen that Americans do 5000 steps on an average, Japs around 7000 and the Aussies & Swiss 10,000!

What I love about it, is the simplicity and ease of incorporating it into your life. You can download free apps like runkeeper, runtastic, stepz,pacer etc or if you like the fancy gadgets go with a Fit-Bit. This will help you track your steps everyday. Note that it will not take into account movements like cycling and some of the movements you do at the gym.

You need to target at least 6000 steps through your daily routine.

Walk to work, take the stairs, walk to the water-cooler, take a walk after lunch, walk around and greet your colleagues at tea- time, park your car far away form the entrance, walk to the grocery store, do your own household chores, do a two minute walk every hour,

The remaining 4000 steps will have to come from 20-30 minutes of walking around your apartment complex, the park, treadmill etc.

10,000 steps translate to roughly 5 miles/8km. This is promised to have many positive impacts on your health. If you are on a weightloss than this may not help you achieve that. You will have to make larger efforts in diet & exercise to accomplish that.

With 10,000 steps you become a permanent member of the active healthy lifestyle club! It is the start of a beautiful journey towards health, wealth and happiness

Reclaim the Outdoors

Last weekend I signed up for a night trek. I was quite excited to give it a try considering I had never done this before. The itinerary was promising: Night trek for two hours, an hour of cave exploration, bonfire and a night under the stars with a perfect ending of watching the sunrise!

NIGHT TREK at ANTHRAGANGE

The benefits of getting outdoors is incredible. Apart from just connecting with nature and finding peace in the fresh air and moonlit skies. It is also a great way to be fit. If gym routines, group classes and other exercise regimes bore you than give the outdoors a try.

The best part of it is that you’re the king of the land – you can walk, run, climb, trek, swim, hike, go caving, plant trees, stretch, do squats or just lie under the sky and meditate. Outdoors is the only health routine which can heal your body, mind and soul

If you like running/ walking/ cycling/yoga than it is almost criminal to not go to the park and do it. The fresh air will fill your lungs and flush out toxins, the clear sky, chill breeze and greenery will encourage you to move faster and build stamina, the rough terrain makes your legs stronger & sturdier to take on more. The impact on your knees and ankles are zero if your running the right way as compared to a treadmill. Your breathing improves as the clean air expands your lungs to the maximum.

You can spend hours on the elliptical, spinning cycle or treadmill, but you will not get half the benefits compared to the outdoors. The calming scenery also  gives you thinking time that is much needed in our busy lives.

So try to get outdoors at least once a week if not more often. If you don’t like the mundane movements of running or cycling, you can do midnight treks or day treks like me.

Some Trekking Trivia:

There are two ways to do this either with a small group of friends or a friend, search online for nearby (50/60km from your city) trails and do this on your own. Walk at your pace and enjoy the beauty around you.

The second option is to go through a group or forums like Thrillophilia, Bangalore Trekking Club, India Hikes to name a few. Personally I felt going with a group restricts you to the company, the pace and the mood of the group. They may not be on the same page as you.

Start with small 2/3 hour day treks and if you get hooked you can aim for larger over night ones and finally even climb the Himalayas!

Make sure you pack a small bag with water & juice for hydration, nuts & bananas as a healthy snack to give you energy, a small packet to collect your trash- it is important to keep our environment clean, so follow a “leave no trace” policy, basic medical kit & your camera to click the breathtaking views.

India has many beautiful untouched trekking spots so get off your couch and start exploring and in the bargain you get free clean air to breathe, a fitness check for the day and who knows even a new hobby!

Sunday Trek at Savanduraga ( among the largest monolith hills in Asia)

Shivagange: we got to see a rainbow & a ton of monkeys!