5 Things to do in the Morning - Health and Fitness Goals

Here are my Top 5 things to do in the morning for a healthy, happy and fit day.

A Black Kite from the window

1. Listen to songs of nature. If you strain your ears in the morning, you will catch the tailorbird, babbler, sparrow, or drongo conversing, if you are lucky. Else there is the pigeon mynah or crow. A few minutes of listening to the titter and tatter sets a tranquil mood for the day. There are are other sounds of nature to catch too like the fall of leaves, rustle of wind or if you are lucky and near the coast, the breaking of the waves. So go ahead and find your songs of nature around you.

2. Sit quietly and reflect. Even a few minutes of absolute solitude helps set the tone for the day as one reaches out to one's core. It helps one figure out what is essential in life and what is not.

3. Observe a creature. This activity again connects us to other beings other than humans. Whether  it is an early bird looking for a worm or a bee looking for honey, a wasp going about building it's nest, little fishes swimming about trying to grasp their feed or even a dog trying to eke out its territory, the activities of other beings is fascinating. You will find every activity is a means to an end. 

4. Take an early bath. I have observed over the years that the people who do this have somehow more time and energy in their hands, are more disciplined and focused in their approach.

5. Mentally plan out the important activities for the day. A few minutes of planning for the day helps in having more time in your hands and important things getting done. Even a bad plan is better than no plan.

Everyday Household Chores Burn Calories and Help Weightloss - Better Than Going to the Gym?

Why go to the gym when there are plenty of effective weight loss options at home? Doing one's household chores not only saves a lot of money on procuring help but also improves one's feelings of self-worth, gives satisfaction and cleaner looking house. It also improves one's relationship with the spouse/partner I am sure if one is in a relationship! Oh, it saves on the gym costs too. 

Here's what you can expect to lose in calories if you start doing some basic chores

• Vacuuming: Vacuuming your carpets and floors for an hour can burn roughly 100-200 calories1. The more rooms you tackle, the more calories you’ll burn.

• Laundry: Loading and unloading the washer and dryer, putting away clothes, and transporting loads around the house can burn about 50-100 calories per hour1.

• Mopping: Mopping your floors can burn 100-200 calories in an hour.

• Scrubbing the Bathroom: An hour of scrubbing the bathroom can burn 180-300 calories.

• Rearranging Furniture: This activity can burn 400-500 calories per hour.

• Changing the Beds: Stripping and remaking beds for 30 minutes torches 180 - 300 calories. 

• Dusting High Fixtures: Dusting can burn about 180 calories per hour.

• Reorganizing the Pantry or Fridge: This task can use 50-200 calories.

• Cleaning Up After a Meal: Don’t just hit the sofa after a home-cooked meal. Spend 30 minutes washing dishes by hand and cleaning up the kitchen with moderate intensity to get rid of 180-300 calories depending on your weight and metabolism!

Outdoor chores also provide an opportunity to burn calories:

• Mowing the Lawn: Using a push mower for 30 minutes burns about 135 calories (for a 125-pound person) to 200 calories (for a 185-pound person)2.

• Gardening: An hour of gardening burns the same as mowing the lawn—350-500 calories2.

• Cleaning the Pool: Cleaning the pool can require anywhere from 300 to 500 calories1.

• Pressure-Washing: This activity burns 250-300 calories per hour1.

• Painting the Outside of the Home: Painting can use between 250 and 300 calories in an hour1.

• Washing the Car: Skip the drive-thru car wash and give your ride’s exterior and windows a thorough cleaning by hand. Washing the car for 30 minutes burns about 135 - 200 calories.

Remember, these estimates are general guidelines, and individual variations apply. The key is to stay active and incorporate movement into your daily routine.

#savingmoney #householdchores #effectiveweightloss

References

https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-calories-burned-by-household-chores

https://www.fitandwell.com/news/lose-weight-household-chores

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7832851/household-chores-calorie-burn/

https://www.wrenkitchens.com/blog/revealed-the-number-of-calories-household-chores-burn

Top 5 Breakfast Options by Nutrition Expert

Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and nutrition expert, has shared her top 5 breakfast options that are not only healthy but also beneficial for mental fitness. Here’s a summary of her recommendations:

Chia Pudding: A homemade chia seed pudding is one of her go-to breakfasts. It’s high in fiber, which supports a healthy gut microbiome and brain communication, and contains omega-3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory effects on the brain¹. 

Scramble, Omelet, or Baked Frittata: Eggs are a great source of healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins. The yolks are rich in vitamin D and serotonin, which help regulate mood. Dr. Naidoo suggests choosing eggs from pasture-raised, cage-free chickens for the best quality¹.

Savory Tofu Scramble: For those who prefer a plant-based option, a savory tofu scramble is an excellent choice. Tofu is rich in tryptophan and soy isoflavones, which are associated with reduced symptoms of depression¹.

Green Smoothie: A blend of leafy greens, berries, clean protein powder or silken tofu, and a bit of fat from hemp seeds or almond butter makes for a nutritious smoothie that’s easy to take on the go¹.

Nuts and Berries: Topping your breakfast with nuts and berries adds essential nutrients and functional compounds that promote better energy, clarity, and mental health¹.

These options are designed to provide key nutrients and functional compounds that enhance energy, clarity, and overall mental health. Enjoy your nutritious breakfast! 

1. https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/other/harvard-expert-uma-naidoo-studied-brain-foods-for-over-20-years-heres-her-top-5-breakfast-options/ar-BB1lBbFV

5 Things to Do to Run The Mumbai Marathon

Here are 5 Important things to do Before / After Running a Marathon (Not Training!)

Everyone knows there are important stuff to do before you actually run a marathon. A marathon is on many fitness lovers/freaks/fanatics to do list - "in things to do before one dies". So what is the important stuff to do before a marathon other than registering, practising, reaching the venue of the run, etc.

#1 to do before the Mumbai Marathon

Find your running legs. Ensure that those pair of femur, tibia and fibula muscle bound essentials are in place and not misplaced. Oil them and preserve them till the D-Day when you can unleash them on the usual suspects. That means no overdoing stuff before the run but still having enough miles in the bank.

#2 to before cracking the Mumbai Marathon

The marathon gear is as important as the actual running. What will you have to show after a 21 or 42 km run? A very sore pair of feet and sorer muscles? Well no. You will be showing selfies holding your timing placard and or your finishers medal. And more pics of proof you have crossed the line with you at the centre. So get your designer gear ready, the ear studs, the tattoos, the designer tee, shoes, runner's belt, smile (better cosmetized), skull candy and the practised V.

It helps however if the gear is comfortable as well as stylish.

PS - Gears would also include getting together your run playlist! And that means keeping your phone charged!


#3 to do For the SCMM Mumbai Marathon

 If you have been practising for the marathon - you would know about carbo loading. CARBO loading. Yes you got it right. Find the group of friends who ran with you and the nearest biriyani joint to hog it post run to make up for the lost calories. Your metabolism will be so high - it will be your safest chance to have a plate of mutton to go with that beer AND Biriyani. And if thats not incentive enough for a LSD (long slow distance run) then I dont know what is!

#4 to must do for the SCMM Mumbai Marathon

Fill your chiller tray with beers. As everyone knows - resting after a long run is as important as running. And resting = chilling = chilled beer

#5 essential for the SCMM Mumbai Marathon

Arrange for a pick-up.  You have run the 21 kms...Would you like to be stranded without friends? No way! For one thing you would have blisters. It would be mid morning - and most probably the trains would be crowded. Get you own private vehicle to take you to your destination!


Run Safe, Run Happy and I guarantee you will enjoy the experience - whatever the outcome!

Why Its Easier To gain Weight Than to Lose Weight?

I have heard this refrain hundreds of times - "I have only got to breathe air to gain weight" or "I go to the gym but havent lost any weight" or just simply "Why dont I lose weight?"

Let me tell you why.

No this is not going to be a brutal dissemination of your terrible eating habits. Just some plain fact about calories and how we gain them and lose them.

How much calorie to lose/gain 1 kg

It takes approximately 7700 calories to lose 1 kg of fat.

Suppose one goes about one's normal work eating normal everyday food. A 65-68 kgs person would need approximately 1800 calories in a day. The regular food we consume will total upto more or less that. By regular food I mean a bowl of cereal for breakfast with juice, some carbohydrates, protein and vegetables for lunch, some snacks and a regular supper. Nothing  high carbohydrate or junk included.

How we consume extra food without knowing

Suppose one consumes a pastry or a bag of chips extra - that would easily make 250 cal extra daily. Having an extra something and most often more than an extra something like one rich meal (atleast 500 cal extra), a couple of extra beer (again +500) calories - one would easily rack up a total of 7500 in a matter of 30 days.


People gradually put on weight forgetting about the little somethings they eat. They think "Ok, I will exercise it off" - and never get around to it. And what about the exercise?

Does a little exercise help? Lets do some calculations.

Lets say I have had a 4-5 beers in the week, had biriyani twice, consumed some crunchies with my drinks - and havent counted my calories. Lets count the extra calories.
4-5 beers - 1000 cal at least
Biriyani (or something equally rich) - 1000 cal at least - and more if Mutton Biriyani
Cunchies - 300 cal - lets say

I have not included any sweets here and already I am overcaloried by 2300!

Does the above calculations of overindulging sound plausible? I would say so. If its not the drink - then its the pastries or sweetened juice or fried wantons or something.

How periodic, unplanned exercise is not enough

So I plan to work it off on the weekend.

I walk /jog 5 kms twice a week. At approximately 60 calories per km (unless one is walking uphill) - I manage to lose around 600 calories. With more exertion I manage to shed 1000 calories. Believe me, if one is not a fitness freak and goes overboard - that is what one is likely to shed with diligent exercise twice or thrice a week.

Lets go back to the calculations again.

I have taken 2300 calories and lost 1000 calories in a week. I have an extra of 1300 calories. No heavy obvious bingeing, no drinking spree, no living off junk food - and I have gained 1300 calories extra in a week. In 6 weeks I will likely put on 1 kg, in one year 8 kgs or more. (52 wks X 1300 cal/7700cal = 8.8 kgs).

And it goes on for years. One puts on weight kg by kg, pound by pound, relentlessly, and before one knows it one is overweight!

I still dont know how I am gaining weight. I feel I am an occasional drinker. I dont party or overeat all the time, I do regular exercise in my opinion. But I am still gaining weight!

So do you see how its so much easier to gain weight than to lose weight!

What does one do about it?

You have diagnosed the problem. In my opinion - knowing why one is gaining weight is the biggest step in the direction of weightloss and an eventual healthy life.

How to shed that weight? Now that will be another article. Or a long process!

Workout - 19/10/2013

My Workout Regime for the day

Feeling positively awash with goodwill today. Had another great workout yesterday.

Here's how it went

Stretching

Round 1 

•  5 mins on the elliptical (read - 65 cal)

• A set of legs and arms workout on the home gym (Leg press, Leg Extension, Shoulder press), 100 twists on the spinner

Round 2 

• 11 mins on the treadmill (read - 100 cal)

• 2nd set of muscles workout

Round 3 

•  54 Mins on the treadmill (Read - 612 cal)

Maximum intensity - Incline 12, Speed - 6.7 km/hr

Check out the stats here

Finally did some post exercise lounging around, watching TV, listening to songs loud and cooling down :)

Workout - 17/10/2013

Today's Workout Log

7 Rounds around the campus

Time - 50 mins: Distance - 4 kms approx. I have to set my pedometer properly. It gets disconnected with too much movement of my arms!

Intensity - Not too high. Considerably hampered by gossiping

Feeling - Great

Gym - 3 rounds of leg press, leg extension, twister, arms crunch followed by a 5 mins on the vibration plate

Today's Food Log

Breakfast - 4 pooris and alu sabzi from Ganguram :-)
Lunch - Normal with saag, karela, mixed veg, daal and a little rice
Bsicuits - 4 Maries
Sweets - 1 Nalen gurer sandesh
1 bowl Papaya
Dinner - 1 plate homemade mattar chat (with farsan/chips on top)

Now how do I sum up these calories????

600 Calories on Treadmill - Tum dee dum

I worked out 600 calories on treadmill today. This is by far my BEST EVER effort on a treadmill. I had done 600 calories one roughly 10 months back when I was preparing for the marathon. However then since my concentration was on jogging - I couldnt log much calories even though I worked out longer.

Today's workout log

Calories Burnt - 600 cal
Workout - walking on incline on treadmill
Distance covered - 5 kms
Time - 50 mins

Maximum incline - 13
Maximum intensity - jogging for 1 min at 7 km per hour speed on 13 incline.

Followed this workout with some crunches, leg press and 6 minutes on the Vibration Plate

Feeling - good!

This workout came about after losing around 1.5 kgs this week because of an upset stomach which compelled me to a minimal diet. I feel positively lightweight and timble toed ;-)

Sandra Bullock - Gravity and Age Defying Fitness

I just read the review of Gravity in which Sandra Bullock plays a lost in space astronaut. At 50, Bullock is getting rave reviews for her yummy appearance.

Bullock was always one my favorite people on screen. With this performance (which I will be sure to watch) my admiration for her has gone up a notch or two. Just one generation back - 50 was considered to be irretrievably old. Male actors have transcended the 50 years barrier with meaty roles for sometime. Women havent been so lucky. Good roles yes - but "gravity" defining roles at 50 - cant remember any!

Bullock's role which must have demanded a load of stamina is a tribute to her fitness. Sandra trained specifically for her "weightlessness" in the movie. She admits she pushed her body to the extreme during training.

Read about how Sandra trained for Gravity here.

Bullock's fitness regime is apparently a combination of dance routines for cardio, yoga and pilates. She revealed on Today Show to Jay Leno recently that she does kick boxing and rides a bike whenever she can and runs when she is in Austin.

Sandra Bullock Workout Regime

Sandra's workout by as prescribed by her trainer Eden Paul includes
Squats
Reverse Lunges
Push ups
Dumbbell Workouts
Scissor Kicks for those killer abs
Side Lunges

Sandra reportedly has been working recently with Simone De La Rue at the Body by Simone Dance Studio on
Yoga, Pilates and Dance Cardio. She apparently puts in one hour every day six days a week with Simone to get her killer looks.

The number 1 in DVD workouts at Amazon


Best of Fitness DVDs

Sandra Bullock Diet

What diet does Sandra follow? Sandra apparently maintain her looks and fitness by a healthy eating habit. She has revealed at times that she doesnt have a specific diet plan as such but avoids junk food. She apparently cheats a day a week.

Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred

Such an example of health and fitness coupled with true beauty and acting skill - deserves a shout.

Keep it up Sandra!

www.procamrunning.in/scmm/ - Register For Mumbai Marathon 2013

You can register for Mumbai Marathon at the the website
http://www.procamrunning.in/scmm/

The registration for the Half Marathon is closed. However the Marathon is still open for registration. Enjoy the run!

The marathon page has a number of tips for runners. So even if you are not joining the marathon - you can prepare according to the schedule for fitness and training for a future run. Its always difficult to start from zero to run a marathon. The training schedule is for people who have had some running / walking experience as the first run/jog/ walk is 4 kms.

If you are starting from zero and wish to participate in a long distance run - my advise is just start with small steps - run 800 mts the first time - without giving up. Just let not the distance of 42 kms daunt you. Keep increasing till you are at the 3-4 kms level. This may take 15 days to 2 months depending upon your fitness level and commitment. But the fun and a feeling of achievement is guaranteed! And maybe you can run a marathon in 6-8 months.

Mumbai Marathon Registration

Oops - the registration to the Standard Chartered Half Marathon at Mumbai is already closed. I dont understand the Mumbai Marathon page. There seems to be a Quota system for ladies - but how does one register for it? Is it still open for the Half marathon? Apparently information is not easily available unless one registers and pays up. I mean its just the webpage for a Marathon - for us dumb runners - not an application form / webpage to the MIT for the geeky types! All Info should be clear. The navigation through the Mumbai Standard Chartered Marathon page is a bummer - period.

Do I dare try for the Mumbai Full Marathon?

I have been putting in some effort at the gym the last 3 days. Though not in any way good enough for a marathon.

Thursday - 530 calories in 1 hour, followed by muscle training and a steam bath.
Friday - 450 calories from a 6 km trip on the treadmill in 50 minutes. More running than walking and climbing.
Sunday - 3 kms in 30 minutes and just about 200 cal. Followed it up with some weight training.

All the marathon training schedules say that I need to put in at least 20 miles a week. I seem to be at the 10 miles a week level still. I do think i can complete a half marathon. Not at all sure about a Full Marathon though.

Using Gym Vibration Plates

Our gym has two brand new vibration plates. The gym trainers are advocating the use of those plates a lot. In fact one trainer suggested using the plates for 10 minutes would be equivalent of 100 push-ups. How true is that? I have no idea - but I doubt it. Yesterday I tried to do some upper body workout on the plates, kneeling down with the elbows on the plates. The body seemed to get a proper jingle - but I felt my brain pop out too! I think I will stick to standing on the plates and let my hips wiggle :-)

PS - Have been doing some more research on Gym Vibration Plates. While some dismiss the current vibration machine fad as a scam - there are many others fitness experts who are swearing by its efficacy.  The Russians apparently used it in their Space program and managed to stay for the longest period in a closed vehicle. It helped them lose less muscle mass and keep fit.

While the above is proven fact - I guess its the quality of machines, proper use that make the difference. Apparently the machines also assist to reverse osteoporosis!! So ladies it appears to be a much needed fitness equipment!

The price ranges from USD 200 to 2000. Check out some Vibration plates at Amazon here.

What is happening with my fitness?

Almost half a year gone and I haven't logged anything. I did have a lot of fitness issues the last few months. Will go over them in details later. For now, I have slightly changed my fitness regime. Reading my last posts I realise I was doing a lot of uphill walk on the treadmill. Nowadays I just jog 2-3 kms at a stretch and walk and then jog some more. Around 40 minutes per session. Looking at the skin tone - it looks decidedly unhealthy - I have incorporated some out walks / jogs in my schedule. So I have been walking outdoors at least twice a week. If I can make it to the park - I jog there.

Yesterday - Around 5 kms at the park. Jogged for 3.5 kms. Really refreshing. I have a major exam coming up. After it is over - i need to start my uphill / incline training on the treadmill. Really builds up stamina as well as upper body strength.

Still a long way to go before my first marathon. Can I make one in December this year...lets see.

Just because I havent been logging my efforts doesnt mean I have no fitness regime going!

Condo Gym or Real Gym

Do I enroll in a proper gym? Are aerobics workouts essential for overall body ftness? How important is muscle training? Sigh...My condo gym has just treadmills and the cycle. I guess its just not enough for overall fitness.