Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Simplest Health Plan Ever.


It’s that time of the year when gymnasiums are raking in the moolah due to all the New Year resolutions. I’m not different; I’m resolving to live healthier this year. But no, not by enlisting in the gym, but by endeavoring to make small, measurable, consistent and incremental changes to my lifestyle.

Why now? How is it different from all the other years, one may ask? Well for me, I got hitched to my sweetheart last year, and it took about a year for the party to get over. I saw myself getting Jaundice, Typhoid, and my Diabetologist put me on prescription dosages. I saw my weight go from 78 kilos to 70, and then back. I got too immersed in work and married life, and I forgot the importance of good health. And eventually, I got scared. I had responsibilities, and I wouldn’t want poor health becoming a detriment towards fulfilling them.

At New Year’s eve, with the Missus, Dad and Doggie at Kasara for a vacation, I was alone at home. I chose to be, as I wanted to reflect on the year gone by. It had been a good year. Got married, new job, work was great, married life was great. There were newer challenges, new excitements, new dreams. However, in the midst of all this, I had let my health take a back seat. Not only had I gotten overweight, I had become indisciplined, lazy, cranky and unhealthy.

It is when this realization set in that I knew I had to get back on track. The “I’ll start from next week” funda suddenly was clearly revealed as a fraud, a delaying tactic.

I plan to get over this slowly, but surely. You should too. Here’s my plan.

1   Reflect on your current physical and mental health. Find out the gaps. There is always scope to live healthier.
Image courtesy of [ADAMR] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2. Find an able ally in your wife, friend, family, anyone. As they say in Hindi, “Ek se bhale do” (Two's company, always better than one!)
            

Image courtesy of [Stock Photos] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     3.  Minimize junk food intake to once a fortnight. Not stop, minimize. One you get healthier, you become aversive to junk. It may sound improbable, night impossible, but it happens. If it could happen with me- someone who used to be 92 kilos on a 5000 calorie junk diet- it can happen to anyone. Include fruit (one a day), salads, green leafy vegetables and other healthier options we know about but are plain lazy to incorporate in our lives. I could go on about the nutritional requirements, but that’s only tends to over complicate things.
a.       Eat more fresh food,
b.      Eat less junk food.
c.      Moderation is the key.
d.      Have different kinds of food.
e.      Drink more water that you’re already drinking. (Duh!)

Photo courtesy Stoonn/Freedigitalphotos.net




         
      4. No Gym, no investing in 10000 Rupee Running shoes, no aerobics class. Start Walking. Start with 30 mins a day (if need be, in 10 min sets of 3), and increase accordingly. Take this first step NOW! Do not feel walking is for turds, resolve to lift weights, and never get around to doing anything. Start walking. Bonus- Many attractive people rise and shine early for a morning walk ;). As they say, one week, you will notice, one fortnight, your body will notice, one month, the whole world will notice.

Image courtesy of [Stock Photos] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net




5      Take a few minutes to reflect at your day before sleeping, analyze your missteps, learn from them, and resolve to improve upon them. A single failure to comply with the fortnightly junk only rule does not mean you feel depressed and throw it all away. We’re human, we’re bound to falter. Fall in line. Trudge along. Give yourself more credit. You deserve it.
Photo courtesy Marin/Freedigitalphotos.net


I’m planning to follow this for the first quarter. Who is with me?