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Fat Phobia is Ending – It’s Not the Fat That’s Making You Fat

January 13, 2018

Gympik is running a fitness contest and as I scanned the list of topics I casually dismissed them as too obvious to write about or not interesting enough. But blog contest topics are finite and I had to choose one from what was available. As someone who has fat phobia from time to time I thought it’s a good idea to revise why it’s not the fat that’s making us fat. And that’s reason enough for us to stop obsessing over the fat.

The thing is, there are many reasons why you may have a few extra kilos, but fat is not one of them. Here’s what I think.

It’s easy for a lot of people to just blame it on the food. On the unavailability or inaccessibility of healthier options when it comes to food. Maybe you are a frequent traveler, but that means it’s more important for you to devise ways that you can cook for yourself or ALWAYS go for the healthier option. Maybe you don’t have time to cook a healthy meal for yourself in the morning before work. Well then invest in your health and get a cook who can do it for you. Can’t afford a cook and don’t know how to cook? LEARN!
Your lifestyle is making you fat. The most used excuse is, I don’t have time to work out. Do you watch TV? Cut that out and go work out. Using the snooze button to stay in bed for half an hour longer? Cut that out and go workout. Plonk yourself in your chair post lunch and stare mindlessly at mails you don’t feel like responding to? Cut that out and go for a walk. If you have to sit all day because of your job then take frequent water breaks. And that will ensure frequent pee breaks. And that amounts to more movement. If your idea of a good weekend is to sleep until noon to recover from the rigors of a seated job, or to get piss drunk to recover from the rigors of said job, then…there are a lot of variables that need changing. Basically, it’s not the fat that’s making you fat, it’s your complacency about your lifestyle.
You have a medical condition that makes it difficult to lose weight. Certain conditions are beyond our control. But what is in our control is managing them. If you have a medical condition then don’t compound the problem by eating crap and vegetating the entire day. Above all, don’t use a medical condition as reasons to have a pity party for yourself when it comes to your weight. Don’t allow yourself to feel that it’s OK to feel sorry for yourself. It is an uphill climb, but do it so that you can feel better. And eventually you will feel better. No two ways about it.

And at the end of the day, fat is essential. That is, good fat. So blaming your weight issues on fat is just wrong. Good fats are important to keep your bones and joints strong. Your skin supple and glowing and your hair vibrant. Good fats result in a good, optimistic mood which is essential if you want to be happy, healthy and energetic.

[*Note: This article is written as a part of Gympik Fit-A-Thon contest and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Gympik is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.]

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Yoga

5 Random Facts About Me

January 9, 2018

Enjoying the cold weather at @ Hauz Khas Village.

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope 2018 is amazing for all of us and brings us only the best in health, wealth and happiness. Actually, since wealth and happiness come from good health, I should ideally only wish that for you. In any case, this blog will help you with all aspects of your health.

I thought the first blog of the year should be one through which you can get to know me a bit better. A lot of new people subscribed in the last couple of months, and they might not know me too well. So below are a some random facts about me that will help you get to know me better.

1. I’ve lived in 6 different countries and visited three times that number so far in my life.

2. I’m actually a software engineer and even worked as one for 8 years.

3. As a kid I wanted to be Nancy Drew when I grew up.

4. I’ve been journaling extensively since second grade.

5. I never thought of myself as a cook. But as and when I started looking for healthy recipes I realized that my friends actually like the taste of my experiments and that I’m actually a very good cook.

And now for a bonus random fact about me:

6. Kolhapuri chappals and Birkenstocks are my favorite shoes. This completely irrelevant fact is probably very typical of a yogi.

A collage of pictures that hangs in my house in Delhi. Can you spot me?

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Yoga

Year End Musings

December 28, 2017

Hello Friends/Subscribers/Yoga Enthusiasts/Family (virtual & otherwise)/Students!!!!

The year started with my hair dark, long and straight. As the months went on I got bored and decided I wanted to add depth to otherwise staid hair. I got some streaks put in. After a couple of weeks I decided the streaks needed something more and I added fuschia (Manic Panic Hot Pink). This is the perfect analogy for the year. What started as another year of classes turned into much much more.

This year has been about immense growth both on and off the mat. Two months in Pune were challenging and difficult. The teachers remembered me from last year but that didn’t stop them from literally swatting me into correct alignment. It’s true, there’s no success without a bit of hardship.

The Dengue fever which followed soon after was my first experience with illness. The weeks after that recovering was a time full of experimentation, a bit of fear and slowly getting back on track.

My website went live and brought all my interests under one roof. So if you want to read what I have to say you’ve only got to click on a link. If you want information about classes, you can just scroll to that page and if you want to drop me a line, you can do that very conveniently too. From blogging/vlogging with no clear plan, I started to look for a clear structure. The task became easier with a friend of mine coming on board and encouraging me to use my grey cells to focus on growth. All the new content on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube (which I hope you’re enjoying) is a result of that.

As students we’ve seen excess weight shed, clocking more running miles, making long term diet changes, instinctively making better food choices, taking ownership of your fitness, introspection, more meditation minutes. Together we’ve done runs, 108 Suryanamaskars on chilly mornings, post class breakfasts. We’ve done an amazing and one of a kind retreat away from the rigmarole of life deep in the heart of nature. We have inspired each other and been inspired by each other. We have watched each other collapse on our mats and then also watched as we pushed ourselves up to move ahead.

This is my last blog for the year and I’m so grateful that we’ve made a connection/continued being in touch this year. This past week has been about reviewing the year and making plans for the next year. I hope 2018 brings lots of good health, positivity and abundance into your life.

See you next year!

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Yoga

Spine Is a Metaphor for Life

December 6, 2017

In the Ashtanga system of yoga as propounded by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, you practice backbending daily. In the closing series, you practice the Urdhva Dhanurasana followed by the Sarvangasana and Halasana.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram and Facebook, you know that I’m focusing on my backbends a lot these days. Backbends have always been challenging for me, and for this reason I favor forward bends in my practice. It’s easier to do the stuff that comes naturally to you. But doing that which you know you’re not good at, now that requires real discipline.

I have forever intended to work on my backbends in my personal practice, but I never got around to it. But in Pune we devote an entire week of the month to backbends. So you see advanced practitioners doing the Urdhva Dhanurasana 108 times etc. There was one particular class that I feel changed my practice forever. My spine became accessible and I became open to the idea that I CAN do backbends in this lifetime. I resolved to continue the practice and I practice a back bending routine on most days. You can see a snapshot of a typical backbending practice in this video.

I often see students lamenting their inability to bend backwards (I’ve been there myself). Over the years I’ve learned that when it comes to bending back, more doesn’t always mean better.

The flexibility of your spine can give you a clue about how you approach life. Do you have a tendency to bend over backwards to accommodate people and situations ? Bending like you don’t have a spine can also be described as being ‘spineless’. Conversely, are you unable to bend back at all? Not able to be open to an uncomfortable situation or a different point of view?

In terms of yogasanas, a certain amount of resistance is necessary to execute the full expression of the asana. A body which can fold easily at every single joint has to work hard to provide the counterforce to hold an asana steady. So we see the inability to gauge the centre in Sirsasana and Natrajasana. We see an inability to hold Parsvakonasana.

Being too flexible is not always a good thing. Too flexible with your time, with your emotions, with your boundaries, with yourself…

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Yoga

Healthy Body, but Healthy Mind?

November 30, 2017

With the ongoing focus on mental health have you gauged the state of your mental health?

The only way yoga works for you on a physical level is by changing you at a mental level. Daily practice actually changes neural pathways in your brain which rewires you to think differently. Not only are you making a conscious connection between your body and mind, but you are also ensuring that vital hormones (which are responsible for your moods and feelings) are also secreted to your system in optimum amounts. Too little or too much leads to conditions such as Thyroidism, PCOS/D, PMS, anxiety, depression etc.

Exercising and eating a wholesome diet are key to overall good health. But there are a few easy guidelines you can follow to ensure your thoughts aren’t sabotaging your health.

Audit your quality time. Who are the 5 people you spend most of your time with? Do they make you feel good about yourself? Do they lift you up or ensure you’re always down? When those around us respect and love us, we feel stronger and more confident. This is because when you hang out with good friends chemicals called serotonin and oxytocin which cause feelings of well being, are released in your body. So think about the 5 people you’re spending most of your time with and consider making some changes for the better, if required
Journaling. I’ve been a compulsive journal writer since I was in second grade. You’ll still find stacks of my journals in my parents’ home. I was journaling all the way to the time I started working for Infosys. But as time went on and work got hectic, it took a back seat. Until my birthday earlier this year when one of my students gave me The Five Minute Journal. Sitting down to do this every day has actually had a positive impact on me. Use journaling as a means to think through things, vent, gain clarity. Write about whatever comes to your mind, even if its just a re-cap of your day. It feels great to be able to express yourself in a forum where you won’t be judged, where there is no right or wrong. Sometimes seeing your thoughts and feelings physically in front of you is just what you need to feel better.
Affirmations. I would actually club this under the umbrella of meditative practices. Write a few statements (on your phone works just fine) and go back to them often throughout the day. Statements should be positive such as ‘Everything happens for the best.’ Reading such statements often to yourself can change destructive deep seated thought patterns that you may be unconsciously holding on to. Repeating positive affirmations to yourself is a simple way to re-boot your mind set.

These are a few of my go-to tools to stay centred when everything around me is off balance. Like yoga, these tools will take some time and effort to work their magic. But once they do, you’ll have a healthy mind in a healthy body.