The start of each new year is often accompanied with resolutions. From being mindful to focus on fitness, the promises one makes for self-improvement are aplenty.
However, “No New Year resolution lasts more than three months,” mentions Gagan Arora, celebrity trainer, lifestyle coach, and founder of Kosmic Fitness.
How does one lead a healthy and disciplined lifestyle in such a scenario? Three fitness experts from Delhi weigh in on the best ways to start and stick with a fitness routine.
Love thy practice
“Most gym enrollments do not work because people usually want to do too much, too soon,” says Arora. It is better to start small and try out a few regimens to understand what works best for you.
“Everyone is different. It is very important to understand the lifestyle of a person before stressing on exercise,” he adds.
Thus, the best way to stay fit and active is to always practise a routine one enjoys. Vesna Pericevic Jacob, a physiotherapist, Pilates teacher, and holistic fitness guru—originally from Bosnia, she has been living in Delhi for the past 17 years—mentions, “Fitness has to do with discipline. Finding what regimen works for you ensures longevity of practice.”
Fit from home
“I recently started going to the gym, and I have realised that the time taken to get ready and travel to the gym and back is equal to the time taken to complete a workout,” shares Ira Trivedi, a Yoga acharya, who shuttles between Delhi and Mumbai.
One might not have the appropriate equipment or a trainer at their disposal at home. However, there are a number of virtual platforms that will ensure you have a fit body from home.
“One can get great workouts at home, even in smaller spaces. I have been using books, pots, a pressure cooker, and suitcases to add resistance to my workout,” says Jacob.
Mindful beginnings
Living a healthy lifestyle also means being mindful. These experts mention that the best way to start one’s day is by practising Pranayama—a yogic practice of breath regulation—and meditations along with other simple core-developing exercises.
With work from home set to become a norm, Arora mentions, “People get tight hips and ankles. I suggest practising a few mobility exercises for this.”
Jacob concludes, “Mindfulness helps release stress and reconnect with your inner self. Exercising mindfully becomes meditation through movement; it benefits your body, mind, and emotional self.”