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Postura #januaryobsession

How often do we think about our posture on a daily basis? It was not a New Year resolution and I was just learning more about how to work on my fitness level. ‘Posture’ immediately takes me back to the picture in my school textbook of a boy balancing a notebook while he sits and stands.

I asked myself if I was missing out anything when it came to posture. I have had a bad neck on and off and I keep blaming it on my workout. I have a tendency to shrug my shoulders when I’m doing any workout, so may be I hadn’t really noticed how I sit and walk around. Which lead me to focus a bit on this topic.

I did some extensive reading and found out a few things about how I had constantly engaged my shoulders, walked with feet flopping out a little, didn’t stand enough compared to how many hours I sit and my postures on a daily life wasn’t the best. I happened to visit Dr. Prathap a Chiropractor at my gym who also gave me a few tips on how to sit when I’m at work and how sitting for 6 hours would nullify the effect of my 1 hours workout. All this and I knew some changes had to be made.

Not like the next morning I was up and about all fixed and aligned. I was catching myself slouching, straining my neck too while using my phone, lying on the bed and reading books, slowly melting on the couch while watching TV. The worst was I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, to get back to sitting, moving and doing things how we are naturally meant to do as humans. Mostly I saw a pattern with technology and external factors that were making my body tense up and accept an unusual posture as comfortable, my body got accustomed to such an extent that it almost felt normal to my body. Firstly I had to notice my movements and separate right from wrong as much as possible. So this was the painful stage.

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Using too much of my phone and laptop were causing a bad posture most of the times, switching from facebook to instagram and then to whatsapp. I decided to delete all the apps on my phone for more than a month and I was able to notice myself and it became easier to correct myself. This was definitely a great experience and everyone should try a digital detox once in a while its totally worth it, at your own risk as your people really need to be understanding for you to do this.

I had a problem with my toes turning out when I stand and understood how I can improve it through one of these articles. (1,2)

How things affect you emotionally also influences your posture and this was news to me. Overtime whenever I came around an authoritative figure or I wasn’t feeling too buzzed I’d notice my shoulders were already drooping like whole body language was showing what I felt.

It’s been almost a month and it still doesn’t feel easy to maintain the right posture, and I’m catching myself every time I’m faltering. It is not permanent yet but my neck pain isn’t there anymore.

To make it come naturally and make it permanent I will have to change the furniture (chairs) and pillows I’m using. So instead of slouching on the bed I use the dining table if I have to read something for now.

If I can spread this message to all the young people out there who are learning to live with wrong postures, please correct yourselves before its too late and not so easy to unlearn and before it causes any injuries to your body. Good habits are easily lost and so hard to get back and this ones just one of those.

My take back from this January’s obsession turning into a lifestyle change is being active and half the problem is solved.

Note: Find more videos and information on the Facebook wall of @mycoffeeweather #january

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Arabian Potato Wedges

(Serves 2)

(No fry + No sugar)

Cook Time: 45 min

**HEALTHY 

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INGREDIENTS:

3 Potatoes

Handful washed Mint Leaves

5 whole Walnuts

5 Deseeded Dates roughly chopped (unsweetened)

1/2 Table spoon- Lemon juice

Salt to taste

STEPS: 

  1. Half Boil 3 medium-sized potatoes (around 15 min). Till then step 2..
  2. Paste: Add the dates, mint leaves and the walnuts to a mixer grinder and make a paste, can add some water. To the paste add the lemon juice and keep aside. **The lemon juice is to cut the sweetness from the dates so taste and add as per your personal taste.
  3. Once potatoes are half boiled remove it and chop it into halves till you get 8 or more wedges from each potato. Brush with very little olive oil just to bake. **The thinner, the better to bake. Now line the baking tray and bake it for 20–25 min in the pre-heated oven at a regular heat of 200–220. Bake till it is brown
  4. Take them out mix it with paste in a bowl as much required and add salt to taste. Its not yet crisp, if you want them to be crisp then you can now put it back in the oven for 5-10 min. **Crispy is better

Serve hot and add a little bit more salt while serving.

**Do read!! The cooking time is long, as the potatoes don’t go undercooked. You can store the paste for next time in the refrigerator and it wont take long if you have the paste the next time you make it.

I have got good feedback for this recipe so do try it, and please get back to me for any doubts!

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How to get started #getfit

How do you get started? Getting straight to the point:

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  •  Have a Goal

Ask yourself ‘why do you want to get fit?’ Make it as detailed as possible. List down all the reasons (even if it is peer pressure) that are forcing you to work towards fitness. Without a GOAL you will not have a purpose and you may lose the interest.FullSizeRender-7

  • Join a fitness club or gym

If you’re enrolled in a gym or club, you know you’ve paid for it and you will mostly stick to going there. Seeing many people heading in the same direction will also motivate you to keep up with your goal. The environment will set the tone for your fitness goal. Talk to the instructors and get to know more about what you should be doing, ask questions to understand more.

  • See a Nutritionist

I used to always feel like I can read up and not visit a nutritionist but I feel if you’re starting up its best to meet a professional at least for a one time session to get an idea about the food you need and don’t for your body. It’s important to understand that a nutritionist can gauge your current situation and give you the exact information you need to get started.

  • Watch a few Movies, Videos and Read books

Watching a few sports related, fitness related and needn’t be all serious but just watch a few movies and videos to help you get an idea what your in for. There is so much information on the web so tap on it.

  • Review your GOAL

Time to have a real Goal. Once the above is in motion we know a little bit more about what we really want so if we review our goal we can make it much easier to fix on it. We may have met people at the gym who have many other goals and may have given us ideas, the nutritionist may have changed our minds about what we want, all of which needs to be considered. You can have short term and long-term goals based on everything learnt.

  • Gear up

Every workout is different and we need to understand the basic requirements- SHOES! It’s not really important to spend in every gear available and get it all, but as it goes we can invest a little every now and then, which also is a huge motivation to workout. So start of with a really good pair of shoes, without which you will face injuries.

  • Plan your day

Before you go to bed just take 10 minutes to think what you’re going to do tomorrow at the gym, how you’ll fit it in your schedule and if you need to prep and list any food, which meal you’ll need to have to take with you to work to avoid eating out. It’s a whole lot of things to think about but if you just give 10 minutes it will make a huge difference. Also a friend of mine suggested me to watch a lot of videos before you sleep so you can’t wait to get started the next day- totally worked for me!FullSizeRender-8

  • Sleep

Probably work hours don’t allow you, other responsibilities come in the way, family time eats away sleep time, the TV plays a huge role in life post bed time, you need to catch up on some friends. Whatever the reason is please keep in mind a good 6-7 hours sleep is a priority for any human being. If you’re cutting corners on sleep you can forget about because physically your body isn’t designed to allow that kind of cheat. I put a ‘Go To Sleep’ alarm on my phone 7 and a half hours prior to my wake up time, so I know I have half an hour more to do what I have to- so finish whatever is priority.

  • Think of your goal as you wake up

As you wake up think of what your goal was and GO FOR IT!

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I know all this seems like too much but once you get on with it, it’s like a part of the routine. If you fall back anytime due to any reason, get back, as long as you get back to the routine every time nothing will stop you from achieving whatever you have in mind.

Continue reading How to get started #getfit

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Fitspiration Much?

Do you find yourself in need of someone to tell you to be active, to stop giving-in to your cravings, remind you to have enough water, push you to workout and basically get fit?

To get FIT all you need to do is look around and take inspiration. Trust me I do it like a continuous process, doesn’t have to be your favourite movie start getting fit, just look out at your gym, at work, friends and people in your lives, there is “fitspiration” all around you. Just hunt them down and interrogate how they got fit! This is what I got:

  1. What is fitness to you in one word?

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  1. Who is your fitness inspiration?

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  1. What is your fitness mantra?

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  1. How many years have you consciously been into fitness?

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  1. How do you make time for it?

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  1. What food is a complete no no!?

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  1. How much water do you drink in a day?

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  2. Are injuries unavoidable? Have you got any and how did you cope with it?

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  3. What is your current goal for your fitness journey?

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  1. Is it okay for women to have muscles?

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If so many people from different walks of life can make fitness a priority in their lives, it shouldn’t be impossible for us and everyone should take inspiration and make efforts to become fit.

 

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On Expressing

It’s a long time since I lost that bubble I use to live in where I wouldn’t take everything so seriously in the first place. Everything is okay as a child, like walking around alone at a playground is fine, didn’t have to necessarily mean anything. Everything was so easy going, like not getting what you want was totally fine, as soon as your mom distracted you with a random insect on the wall. Everything would be fine in just a few milliseconds, like one second I was barking at my sibling for pulling my hair, the next we’re sharing food and giggling at some stranger. Expressing every thought was like an auto-set thing, blabbing away everything.a821f2dad2c25bd54472476fe039628332c1bf838adc47a86b55dc0921e24a86_1

Did I have no emotions? Was I not mature then? Or was it that I saw the world differently when I wasn’t busy behaving like “grown ups” (ADULT-ING)?

Why does everything have to become so much more complicated when we are adults? Like I got that a lot “ Grow up!” as a kid and I was, physically, but my mental state was like how do I do that? I though it was all about taking responsibilities and not letting people know exactly how you felt. But trust me I had it all wrong all this while.

My friend Kavita told me this once, even a toddler has a responsibility of learning how to talk and walk, and call its mom for a loo break, which made so much sense. About sharing Landmark Education has made a life altering learning for me. Not telling people how you feel is like having a cellphone and pretending to message someone when you’re awkward around people. We are all growing, learning and feeling different things at all the points of our lives. None of that stops whether you’re 20, 40 or 8 years old.

We all have some emotional baggage when we don’t let people in our lives know how we feel and here is a friend willing to share his experience on how some alone time at Prague really gave him the perspective in his life and his relationships and how speaking about how he feels made a world of a difference.

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“I just had a breakup and ‘Prague The Romantic City’ was my Snapchat filter. Trust me it made me fall in love, the place. Life doesn’t run a clear course all the time. I just had a break and I was in a romantic city. It was suicidal. I was thrilled; I was on a holiday in Europe doing what I always wanted to do and at the same time there was an empty feeling. I would walk down old lanes, squares and sit by the river lost in memories I have cherished.

There are times we just can’t get over things. You love someone because you can’t help it. It stays even when you just met, when you are dating and even much after you breakup. It’s not in us to start hating someone we love. When you fall in love with someone you learn from them. You give your 100% in the relationship because it means something to you. The memories one carries are so beautiful he would carry them to the grave. I packed it with me to Prague.

Sometimes things don’t last and situations change and there are different things we want from life. There could be ambitions, or we have different dreams. I think not ending up together, doesn’t change the significance of what we had. It just means it has done its part. I had sleepless nights for weeks because it was something real to both of us.

What did Europe have to do? – For me it was the travel. When you travel you meet yourself or so I had heard. Well I felt, you spend time with the person you are and who you have become over time. How life has played with you. There are moments you are all alone. I was in a place where I didn’t know anyone. I couldn’t share the way I felt. I gave things a thought.

It made me realize I was holding on to something that was long gone. And in the process of which ruining myself. I felt I had changed. Rude replies, ignorant about my close ones. Someone who didn’t care anymore. I would just want to avoid people. Anyone in that case.

“It’s only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you’re not expressing the utmost of your human experience.” Lupita Nyong’o

The sooner you realize it’s not worth crying over spilt milk the better. When I got back I had learnt there was so much more to life. So many opportunities, and how beautiful life is. I decided to make that call. Putting everything aside and coming to a place where we could be friends. Letting your heart out to them. I know it’s very difficult to make that call. Just know that it’s important for what you had with them, because no one knows what you had better than them.

I told her how special were the times we have had. That I was glad I had her in my life. That I’m fine with how things are.

It’s tough to be emotionally attached and accept things later. The feeling you get when you let it off your chest. That’s just fantastic and peaceful.”

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So that’s something we were really good at as kids, just pouring our hearts out and heaving a sigh of relief. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience, it gives me so much courage to just be like that again, where I wasn’t scared to say what I feel and I wouldn’t take everything so seriously in the first place.

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Travelling as an Indian tourist 

I want my country to be the best and this is coming from the small kid in me who sang the Indian national anthem in her school, everyday at morning assembly. This patriotic feeling will never go away and I’m not a soldier but just an honest citizen.

I have been to many countries with my family, and coming directly to the point, not many countries are happy to have us, Indians, around. My first thought when I felt this resistance was ‘oh! racism!’. It was easy to just give it a word.

Then more travelling and I also came to this understanding that there are Indian restaurants in every corner of the world, there are more Indian tourists in so many parts of the world than tourists of any other nationality, there are so many countries depending on the Indian tourists for their tourism industry. They should be waiting to have us then, don’t you think?

Then came some more travelling and believe me I can’t stand some of the Indian tourists, not for more than 10 min. I hope you’re not one of them. I know there is still more travelling to do and more to understand but at this point I have to write, I have been challenged to protect my country from getting a bad reputation, how am I supposed to face that when I’m on a holiday.


So I write this to every Indian who is holding a passport and plans to leave India, do not push in any queue or cut lines in a queue, you have got to wait for your turn and I’m sure we’ve learnt that in our country, if not now is the time.

There isn’t anything as one’s “Personal Standard Time”, we have to stick to the time we say we want to reach a place and by doing that we save a lot of trouble for the people helping us see their country.

We cannot look down upon people based on their professions or their occupation standards, they are living their lives in their capacity and we have to respect them as humans and behave as you would expect them to behave with us.

We know we love our celebrations and the festive feel when we have a big group with us, but is it fair to encroach upon the space of other people by bringing the noise along with us where ever we go? We need to understand that space means so much more than just physical body, it’s the whole environment around us and we need to respect others’ spaces. Keep it quiet if there are others commuting or in public areas have fun in your own space.
Yes we have a very different culture back in our country and we can learn how to adjust incase we travel, not throw garbage around their city, or cross the roads everywhere.


Yes, I was lucky to have parents who have helped me learn, but I can now understand that it’s a culture clash and many have not had the opportunity to travel and for first timers it can be a challenge to face different cultures. But please let’s do our best and build some good reputation for our future, so our kids don’t face resistance just because they are Indians.

A word to other countries, please stop generalising, one bad experience does not mean every Indian you meet is going to give you a tough time and it is mutual tolerance at the end of the day, we all have something to learn. Let’s have patience and help each other.

For India, because the more I travel the more I love my country and people, we are so much more as a country and we can change for the better and we will.
Jai hind!

TED talk: A Brilliant watch-

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YMyofREc5Jk

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All In A Toothbrush

My life is moving fast,

So is yours my friend.

From the toothbrush at dawn

To the toothbrush at bed,

I’m thinking, and my brain is running;

Running at the speed of lightning.

Can you see the sparks?

My heart is racing with time,

90 beats per min, now a 100.

And all the food that my tummy tastes,

My muscles have consumed.

I feel things at the drop of words

And they send a whirlwind up my mind.

Physically; emotionally; mentally;

Every second down to my soul,

I’M ALIVE!

And suddenly, thud! A rock bottom;

An iceberg in my life.

Yes, I’m still very much alive,

And I’m drained. I need my friend

To kick my rear with her spiky shoe,

Startling my worries away;

Jolting up to a new dawn,

A new toothbrush to bed.

I’m in and out this circle of life.

Everyday I am,

Physically, emotionally and mentally

Balancing my walk on a tight rope.

Exhilarated and toiling at the same time.

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Its perspective I learn, like a compass

That sails your journey of life.

Like a coin with many sides, call it a die.

We can be stubborn, angry,

Screaming at our neighbors, complaining,

Arguing, or doing worse to a friend;

Or: we can breathe in some light,

Spread the confetti called love,

Look at the sun, wear those shades,

Carry that smile bright

And meet humans we call strangers like friends.

Now every morn when I’ve brushed my teeth,

A look at my brush and I know I’ve done enough

To keep me ALIVE. It’s just the smile,

It’s just the outlook of my mind.

Your perspective will sail you ahead

And bring you back to your toothbrush,

With a smile you’ll go back to bed.

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Mission H2O

We are all aware of all the facts about water and why we should be drinking it. Why has it been a challenge for many to keep up even to an 8-glass rule then? Why has this habit been really not that easy to inculcate? Should we drink water only when thirsty?

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In my experience I’m the biggest cheater when it comes to drinking water. A few months back, there were days where I wouldn’t have had even a single glass. I have been doing my homework to get myself to drink 8 glasses of 300ml a day and it has been the whole of April and I haven’t failed. Yes you can clap for me. 😛

There are a host of things to help you, like for me it was this app called Plant Nanny, it has all the best features to keep you motivated to drink sufficient water throughout the day. It’s the best water app I’ve come across.

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You can even keep a written track near your bed and record the number of glasses you have consumed every day. When you miss out 2-3 days by just one or two glasses you wont feel too good about it and that’s going to motivate you to do better the next day.

If you never feel thirsty, it doesn’t mean you’re well hydrated, it could be over-eating or your body has just gotten used to getting in less water, which causes a lot of bloating and water retention which means your body thinks its getting ready for drought. So it’s best to meet the measured and recommended requirement of your body even if you’re not thirsty. I can see the difference it made to me and I do feel thirsty automatically now.

Nutritionist Nikita Suresh suggested me to have a glass of water 10-15 min prior to every meal so that I can get 3 glasses in easily. I started off with that tip and it has been such a boon. Water is essential, but how we drink it is also important. Grandma Tips that I’ve heard is ‘drink water with closed teeth’ probably so you don’t fill up your mouth by expanding your cheeks. I have yet to do my research on this but it seems to make me more consciously drink every sip and be aware that I’m having water. On a general day when a person’s thirsty they would just gulp down 2 glasses without even realizing what they’re doing.

You could flavor your water by soaking a few cucumber slices, lemon slices, or mint leaves over night. It is super refreshing and needs to be consumed by the next day or it gets too sour. You cannot forget to have it then. Detox water is different and requires a certain diet to be followed with it.

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Lime juice has become my best friend this summer 2016. I have it first thing in the morning with a spoon of honey mixed well. In the day (I got this recipe from a friend for) Chia Lemon juice, a brilliant concoction to keep cool. I didn’t add the sugar. Also sometimes when I feel too full after a meal I have a lime juice with some black salt (pink colour) after a gap of 10 min. Easy to get hydrated with some taste and Vit C.

So far so good, I’ll be honest I haven’t become all glowy or there hasn’t been a drastic change in my appearance as I’ve read in a few articles, but I feel less lethargic and drowsy, don’t get dehydration head-aches, muscles cramping has reduced, lot of people telling me I’ve lost weight and the best thing is at least I feel thirsty now.

Oh! Oh just one more, having water from the earthen vessels just got cooler with Mitticool selling these earthen clay water bottles, it’s the best thing that could happen this summer! Love the taste of the water once its been in the clay bottle. You can find it on amazon!

For more questions do connect by email or message on Fb, I would love to share whatever little I know from my experience.

*Tip before the monsoons cools off everything, keep some water out for the birds, our little part we can do to give back.

 

 

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To expect is human, to fly is not,(not yet). 

A mother, a home maker, has so many roles to play from the minute she blinks open her eyes to nightfall. In those hours she has to manage to make her husband have a happy wife, her kids have a caring and responsible mother, her in-laws have a good daughter-in-law, her friends have an available time slot if not a decent friendship, her relatives to keep in touch with, her house to look after and keep maintained, her help to keep satisfied, forget a great career if she has pets I think she is doomed.

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Are you a home-maker? No? Me neither. Don’t worry you won’t get away with it, even if you’re just a 5 year old, people are expecting you to rise up to their standards of expectations. Everyone has relationships and that’s what human beings are about, we have become social animals with great expectations for our social endeavours.

What is the cost of being this social animal? Your health? Your time for yourself? Self worth and your identity?

Many people sacrifice to be someone they’re not everyday to fulfil others expectations (willingly or unwillingly) and feel stuck after a point in time, forgetting their way back or forward. It’s not wrong to do things that make you happy because that’s exactly what makes you who you are. That identity must only be your choice to alter, by choosing to do things that gives you immense joy wether through building others or spending time on yourself.


When he was a little boy he had dreams of flying a plane, of being a writer, of being a dramatist, a world best fire-fighter, may be a violinist. He had dreams just like you and me. Then he was acquainted with one relationship after another and he let go of all those tiny little hopes of making himself feel accomplished, happy and proud. ‘You will be a doctor, just like your father.’

Building relations is like collecting tools, they help you build your life. We expect things from the people in our lives. I am trying very hard to meet everyone’s expectations I know. I have expectations from everyone I’ve met or known and now decide to give them a chance to understand and chose to help me or NOT. That’s right they can say no to me. All my acquaintances and people, were born to reach their own heights and not to be who I expect them to be. My father doesn’t have to take out time for lengthy conversations with me everyday just for me to know he cares, my mom doesn’t have to be able to guess what’s upsetting me 24/7 just to make me feel like she knows me.

I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.

Bruce Lee

It’s very easy to have expectations from others and a challenge to guess and fulfil another person’s expectations from you.

Why do we latch our relations with expectations, why do we not give them a choice? Why are the relationships conditioned on our expectations fulfilled? When a person does fulfill your expectations out of choice the feeling is unmatched, unlike when they do it with the fear of keeping the relationship intact.

A healthy relationship would then be where mutual expectations needn’t be guessed but communicated and understood, fulfilment of which is not mandatory/forced and burdensome, but out of choice done with a sense of love and a bit of pride.

So what happens when you are not willing to fulfil someone’s expectations, then you communicate with regret for not being able to be their support on the matter. May be you will find the will to do so in future but your relationship will come through if you both just want to be in it no matter what.
We need to understand that it’s not barter where I build you so now it’s my turn to be built by him/her. We give ourselves wholly to build the pillars of our relationships so that the roof is intact and ,nothing can shake it .We trust eventually when we know the pillars’ strength is strong enough to hold in spite of unfulfilled expectations.

So chose to make those pillars out of trust or fear. Do you wish to extend an understanding hand to a friend who can’t make time for you, to a maid who always goes to her village every alternate weekend, to your spouse, family, relatives everyone? Question this in every relationship ‘what are the pillars really made of?’ and it will be a lasting and meaningful one.

Further watch:

 

 

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On Learning

Learning happens bit by bit,

It is like water to a growing seed;

Sunlight on forest floor, path to peak’s summit;

Cannot but overflow, it knows no greed.

 

When every leaf on every tree,

When marking on each finger, palm.

When in all the land and all the sea

Nothing is so similar, all is unique, everything calm.

 

Then learning is boundless, endless.

Still every mind learns unique, thinks different.

His destiny he chooses and learns, mindless

Of the end or of the courses it takes, learning is but diligent.

 

It is so calm; it is so diligent, it happens bit by bit.

You will never know what you have learnt

Till the day you implement it.

So be calm, the wick hasn’t but burnt.

 

Learning leads to knowledge and in turn to wisdom.

It is wise men, who conquer the world,

Live cherished lives, chartered planes to The Kingdom

Fly them away, like tea leaves in baskets hurled.

 

What you learn is what you become.

So, my friend, don’t limit yourself.

Be free, see the world, and acquaint with some

More. Be learned. Be the true light to others reflecting from one’s own self.

27th November 2011

Sneha Bhuwalka

 

If you want to get inspired:

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ज़िंदगी एक पतंग उड़ाने जैसा

#deandreyoga #yogaismorethanasana

On my home-yoga-practice, I really give myself enough time on that shavasana. Its a thoughtless state and sometimes after I’m out, there is this rush of thoughts which feel like someone is putting words in my head. One of those shavasana experience I would like to share:

ज़िंदगी एक पतंग उड़ाने जैसा

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ज़िंदगी एक पतंग उड़ाने जैसा है,
कभी माँझे को ढील और कभी खिंचना है।
हवा के रूख को महसूस करना होगा;
हर पल में ध्यान लगाना होगा।

सब सीखेगा तू चिंता ना करना,
बस मंज़िल को मन में याद रखना।
लटाई लिए बंधू है पीछे खड़ा,
जिसके बिना ना कोई उड़ान हो पूरा।

ज़िंदगी है एक पतंग उड़ाने जैसा,
हर पल में है अनुभव वैसा ।।

Life is just like flying a kite, you work and rest and that continues and the cycle never stops till the end. I love to learn but as I write I realise that only work is not learning, you also learn when you are resting.I don’t want to miss out on any possibility of learning, so I’ve only been working my brain and mind. Doing nothing is a rest to the brain so when its working the next time it will learn more.

Being too focused, goal-oriented and controlled about my life makes me forget to feel all the effort going into making it amazing and I forget to breathe. I overwork and then gasp for air. I can also plan my days and weeks and everything I do, in a way that its relaxing and has its spaces to breathe.Its not about numbers, achievements, goals achieved, it is about feeling and experiencing every single moment.

 

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

Havelock Ellis

Life happens in every single second as I write , right now, now in every moment. The previous moment is gone and it is a memory in the mind. You can dwell in the previous moment and feel sad or nostalgic but that isn’t your present life. Life is in every tick of life as you read. So its all about letting go a little when things are not in the direction we expected and going head on when everything is in favour of what we want.

In every way of living it is like flying a kite.

http://www.doyouyoga.com/the-hardest-yoga-pose-dont-you-dare-skip-savasana/

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‘I Workout to Eat’-To-Eat right!

I have always wanted that beach-abs that I’ve seen on Instagram posts of fitness models and other crazy fit people. Kept thinking it’s to do with a lot of crunches and avoiding oily food. Read a few articles about how water can help you get them flat abs. I have not yet cracked how people drink 3-4 liters of water in 24 hours looks like a huge task.

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I was in this zone, deciding if my workout should be changed or what should I do to just be able to look like that. It wasn’t all aesthetics but, a little bit, it was. I believed my core was strong, not knowing that it can and should have been much stronger, than my imagination. I worked out 6 days a week, had decent the ‘8 glass water’ rule, ate at regular intervals and portion wasn’t too much. What was wrong?

I didn’t want to go to a dietician/nutritionist, just didn’t, so now what? I have read a lot on the Internet about Paleo, Vegan and other kinds of diets to follow, but I don’t want to risk following it without help either. My dad and me had a challenge (we weren’t too serious at first). No sugar, No fry, No spicy. Spicy you can count that out, I don’t think I can survive without my spicy food, but at first stopped everything and it lasted for about 1-2 months and I started having again.

It was an epic fail, then I decided to just forgo sugar. It’s not easy, and till now I haven’t stopped wanting it. Jalebi, gulab jamun, my toughest one is ice cream, and coffee tasted so different (slapping myself in my head). Yes, if you live in India it’s a challenge to leave sugar, especially if you have a big sweet tooth. You have to set your mind on what you want more! It’s all you! No dietician can come and slap the sugar off your hands if you don’t want the fitness then you won’t do it!

So first rule is don’t start any diet if you’re really not interested in the results. Rule 1.

It’s made all the difference in my body, leaving sugar for good! ‘It’s a lifestyle, not a diet’ yeah, that sentence finally bit me too. (I do have a bit of honey/Jaggery rarely)

Then came the fry, a sucker for samosa- pakora, with chai combo, kachori, puri, my homemade delicacies, golgappa(puchka). Can’t, can’t stop this right? And one day decided – ‘stop fried’. Air-fryer is now coming handy but I don’t trust what side effect that machine can have (my head isn’t totally convinced) so using it in rarity.

It’s super duper tough, can not decide what to eat when I’m out at a restaurant. Now Pizza and salad is like a regular, if it’s not a South Indian place.

So far so good, in one month I’ve cheated once with my fav (samosa-chai) combo, and not had fried otherwise. So may be what Crossfit Coach Prashanth had said once is now in handy “One at a time”.

Now talking about the results, there is no one thing that leads to results, there are many factors involved. Have I got my six packs? Not yet. But I’m positive about the journey and it feels a lot less lethargic for starters. It’s not about looks anymore, I could look like anything and not care as long as it felt fit.  Feeling fit became a priority than looking magazine ready.

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May be it’s also helpful if you have your folks at home also join you in the journey, a lot of trouble is saved; no temptation, no extra cooking, more motivation, and less chances of failing.

While weight loss is important, what’s more important is the quality of food you put in your body – food is information that quickly changes your metabolism and genes.” Mark Hyman

I know now that there is a whole world of information out there and we need to read and understand a lot about it, because we don’t get much information on nutrition in our school education. It’s not safe to start any diet without consulting your doctor, or a specialist, but we can always read and be curious about what we are eating. Ignorance is only going to cost us our health.

So my fitness journey is just getting started here and I have a long way to go. I have to get the water-intake right, next goal. Till then just focusing on ‘why I’m doing what I’m doing’!

Links:

Take the Sugar quiz its worth it: http://eatlocalgrown.com/quiz/14410-which-has-more-sugar.html?ref=sidebar

 Super helpful (Total thumbs up): http://www.prevention.com/food/secrets-every-nutritionist-knows 

 Sugar sugar: http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/sugar-in-healthy-foods

 Metabolism: https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/thermodynamics-14/the-first-law-of-thermodynamics-117/human-metabolism-410-6345/

 Healthy eating: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/upshot/simple-rules-for-healthy-eating.html?_r=2&referer=

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Resolution time! Don’t beat yourself!

Why do we need landmarks, like a new year resolution, a Monday to change our weekly goals, a festival to clean out a messy house, new beginnings and those sort of things?

The concept of time was invented by humans; if we were crows we might not realise it’s 2015 ,December or any other date. We’d know it’s cold though. Why are we always depending on some targeted time for things to start and end? Just be like crows wake up, with the sun and do whatever you have to till sundown to survive and then go to bed with sun down. Simple.

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No! We are evolved creatures, to all the people who say new year resolutions are not a good idea. Why do you think our grandfather invented that clock, to help us make the best use of every moment till the next one came along. The digital time on our smart phones also serves the same purpose.

So any resolution—could be birthday or new year, monthly resolution, helps in achieving something till the next achieving moment arrives. Reminds you of how much time has passed and how much is left to bear the burden of this resolution.

Yes, me and you have been making burdensome resolutions! The problem is not in making a resolution but the resolution itself.

I’m guilty of making crappy new year resolutions too, which I already know I’m not sticking to and I hate the idea of it, but for a week or 2 it gives me some kind of a mental occupation.

No one’s ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that’s abandoned by February.”  Suze Orman

I realised making resolutions should be more fun and not just work. Like it could be the ‘100daysofhappiness’ that was doing rounds on social media a while back. It was something very open ended and what anyone would want to stick to. It needn’t be crowding the Internet everyday but as long as you counted it, it’s making a difference.

No one said save Rs 25 a day for a year! Or watch a Ted talk everyday for a year! I would love to try that! Whatever you like can also help you grow, doesn’t have to be disciplinary and boring.

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Taking up a resolution needs a lot of guts because if you don’t keep up with it, you basically take yourself so lightly. So if you know you’re not going to do something like no-coffee-for-a-year, what sense does it make to beat yourself up? Might as well  go for a month, like a monthly resolution and decide hence forth.

Decide the time frame smaller if the resolution is really a burden. If you know you can stick to it for longer then go for it and challenge yourself to extend it further! So it’s time to prepare for some serious fun in the coming year, let’s play smart and make sensible choices in making our resolutions which we can enjoy while we’re at it. To many more New Years and good times! May we learn to enjoy living life.

A different side to the coin – http://www.businessinsider.in/A-Harvard-psychologist-explains-why-your-New-Years-resolution-may-do-more-harm-than-good/articleshow/50337650.cms

To each their own! 🙂

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Over the Fear!

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Yoga (A Union with the Self)

What comes to your head when you think of yoga? Are you thinking of meditation in some mountains, or forest? What is yoga to you?

A few people have been very clear- ‘Yoga is not for me, it’s too slow.’, ‘Yoga isn’t very interesting it’s for people who have to deal with stress.’ There are many versions of this. My version was ‘Yoga makes me sleepy and tired.’

I have been practicing yoga on and off for about 10 years, and it’s something I swear by. When I started off I was still studying and I was hating the idea of my dad forcing me into it. It was a challenge for my teacher (Miss Dolly) to get me to close my eyes. The soreness was like a part of my body and I tried my level best to evade the class.

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Today I can sit with my eyes closed and not want to get out of it at all. It’s made my muscles strong and flexible, helped me maintain a good posture. It’s been a journey with a number of places and teachers I learnt yoga from. We have to try different forms of yoga, which suits us and it’s best to go with one teacher because they can help us improve from where we left off.

The whole idea of Yoga being very boring, I don’t get it better than anyone, but it’s something that needs to rub off on you. Once you start seeing the results you will never stop practicing yoga.
Yoga doesn’t really preach you to sit in the forest or mountains or seclude yourself. Yoga is about the balance. Yoga is for everybody and can be done anywhere. It has to be done as per your own physical state and limits, and there will only be things to take back.
Yoga for me has been all about accepting who you are and getting to know yourself better. It’s like your exploring time, where you are and where you need to get, how you feel and letting go of what’s not needed and being more alert, balance. There is so much to this art I feel like I’m just getting started with yoga now.

Yoga is unique in its knowledge of breathing techniques. Breathing techniques are something more deep and there is a different science to it that we are unaware of as beginners but we cannot underestimate its’ power. We have to completely trust our teacher and follow the instructions to feel the benefits.

Hatha Yoga is really good and I really like the Iyengar form of yoga. Then there are others like the Kundalini yoga, Pranayama, Yin-Yang, Hot Yoga. I’ve had really bad experiences too, like this person who taught power yoga once, it just didn’t feel right. You’ve got to go with your gut feeling, and try out another place or with another teacher till you find your balance.
If you’re into other sports or workouts and you feel you’re already a pro, so you don’t need to yoga. Trust me, it will help you improve your form and it’s the best to mix a little bit yoga into your routine. The co-ordination of movement with breadth makes all the difference.
You may be really happy and stress free yoga may seem totally not needed, but there are times when we are not aware of what emotions or mind-blocks we are holding on to. May be physical mind blocks even, it can help in bringing it up and letting go of it.

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Yoga means Union, a balance between things, and if this piece of information hasn’t got you interested please checkout the links below to be more enlightened and give yourself the opportunity to see what yoga can do to you!

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/yoga-questions-answered/

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/which-yoga-is-right-for-you-2/

https://www.instagram.com/kinoyoga/

https://www.instagram.com/deandreyoga/

https://www.instagram.com/andrew7sealy/

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Love in everything..

A lot of emphasis is given to finding the true love, keeping that love alive and what true love feels like.If you truly love you already know that Love is not a just a feeling, it is a power. It is a power because love can make people do things they would not do otherwise. By calling love a feeling we are really confining its powers to its emotional boundaries, and not experiencing its true power. Any act done with love will only bring great results.

Loving something with all your heart makes you insouciant about getting something in return. I take inspiration from Nature, “Has it ever demanded anything of us in return for whatever it offers to the human beings?”. Nature is always giving its dues with all its love.

You gave someone chocolates and did not even get a thank you for that. You felt bad? Then that’s not love. It did sound melodramatic at first but when you love you don’t look for things in return, you do it for love.

Yes, hence relationships don’t workout many a times I guess. People have expectations and when its not fulfilled they make themselves believe there isn’t any love. Love isn’t some deal, based on conditions applied and expectations fulfilled. So rise above this fairy-tale idea of love. Love is not a guarantee card for happily-ever-after. Love is when you fight for someone or something in any situation and through any emotion, be it anger, sadness, joy or happiness.

Screen Shot 2015-12-16 at 11.29.43 AM.pngWe can sometimes forget that we loved something or someone. It fades away. May be we’ve experienced something we could love more. Or may be we feel the next thing is going to make us love so much that we will turn out to be better people. Love makes us want to be better people.

Most important, its said a lot, if you cannot love yourself you cannot love others. If you’re the source of the love only then can you share it with others. If you are not in a positive state of mind then its not possible to transfer any positive energy. You need to understand things about yourself, like what makes you happy, what gives you a positive outlook of mind, what would you like to do to become a source of happiness. Yes, its important to be alert about your reactions to things and keep doing things that make you a positive person. You can then pass on that vibe to people you meet. If someone loves to cook, but is constantly thinking about his wife’s sickness and the quarrels at his house, he will not be able to cook his best dishes with the same love.

Love Bourneville, Love birds, Love parents, love children, love stories, love rain and trees… love beaches, love nature, love chaat , love fruits, love friends, love music and love everything around you and you will never get short of love.

Love is not blind; we are but blind to love. Love is all around us. Every single thing in this world can be loved. As I saw the rain pour down on my outstretched palm, no it was not the first time it was raining or I wasn’t seeing it for the first time, but I knew that feeling made me love it. I know not if some Supreme Power exists, but I know that there is a force that loves you and me more than anything. As we see glimpses of this force we get a sense of hope and faith. That force is love, the power that can be shared with anyone.

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Do Read:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242811

https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03/31/how-to-love-thich-nhat-hanh/ 

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Crossfit

How Crossfit is making a difference in my life! #statusupdates
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What is strength? For me strength isn’t just physical, it’s also a mind game. I learnt this in one of my morning classes with Crossfit Coach Sudeep at The Tribe Fitness Club, learning back squats. He said, “It’s how you approach the bar.” So what I am thinking makes me achieve it or not. At first I thought, ‘Sounds cliche but let’s do it anyways’. It really works if you do it. If you believe in something only then will you get the result. Stop doubting yourself first, you will give space for it to happen! #psychometricyeah  #knowledgesharing #amazingstuff #crossfit #awesomecoach #ican

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So I have come to this comfort stage with the way my body looks and it’s okay that I don’t have a thigh gap and I don’t have a six pack yet! It’s okay I don’t look super duper cut because what matters to me now is how fit I feel and how well I can perform with this amazing physical phenomena of a body. I’ve started appreciating how hard it works every time I squeeze in an extra rep or its challenged. There is so much a human body can do that making ‘looks’ an important factor is like demeaning it’s awesome functionality. You need to get your priorities right if you’re going to the gym to get a good looking body, it’s not just aesthetics, because if you look good and you can’t lift a bucket of water, it’s no good. Crossfit is a lot more psychological like my coach says, and it makes so much sense week after week as I realize the way my body is improving functionally! Looking good is just the cherry on the top! #crossfit #lovecrossfit #mymeditation #psychometricyeah

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So there was this teacher in my school who said, ‘ I don’t do things half heartedly’, ‘I put my heart and soul into whatever I do and I make sure everyone in my team do that too.’ Mrs James. It’s something that I’ve totally imbibed in my life. Thank you. Crossfit really made me ask myself, ‘If you’re not giving your 100% out there, why are you there?’ just ask yourself! It’s made a whole lot of a difference in my life. I use it in every aspect of my life now, give my best and there will always be something new to learn. #learner #Crossfit #inspired

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There have been days where we have 150 wall ball shots for time/ or 100 burpees for time for the WOD. It is daunting and mentally challenging to do numbers like that. But it has taught me to persevere and the voice in my head has now been trained to tell me ‘It’s just a few more you can do it’. I am more than thankful to Crossfit to be able to imbibe this quality in my life. I have been a person who gives up before finishing things in most of my endeavors. Things have turned around ever since I’ve done big WODs and I really owe it to this sport. #Crossfit #mentaltraining #physicalisauxilliary #perseverance

18/12/15

Helen
3 rounds for time (cap 15 min)
500m row
21 KB swings
12 pull ups

(Looking easy eh? Wait till you’re done with round 1. It’s a killer this girl.)

I must say over confidence can sometimes get you to miscalculate your plan, rather make you think you don’t need a plan. But you do, you always need a plan. I gave all on my first round of rowing and had no breath left for anything else, legs sore I was just dragging myself to finish the rest of the WOD. I am a planner in general but I just saw what over confidence can do to me. Lesson learnt. Thankyou Crossfit, and Helen I was hating you but Thanks for teaching me today.

05/03/16

I’ve registered for The 2016 Open and it’s the 2nd week. I have 3 take backs already from this,

1st the Open is not really about competing out there, it’s still a competition with yourself. It’s still learning wether you win or lose or stand or fall or scale or Rx. It’s still learning. 2nd treat every WOD on an everyday like an Open WOD, give it your everything like how you give it now.

3rd Don’t shy away from anything that you can achieve, the consequence is a waste of being there in the first place and all your hard work of the entire year not showing up when called for. Ask for help and do what you have to, to give your best.

29/03/16

#reebokcrossfitgames2016open

Out of all the crazy things I do to find myself, this has been one which was worth it. After 5 gruelling, challenging and insane workouts. I now know how much I can push myself beyond where I think where my limits are and it feels more than happy to have had this experience. #crossfitprimero #thetribefitnessclub #crossfitopen2016 #crossfitter #feelinggood #notabouttheleaderboard #justgivingmeselfbelief
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*The above post will be updated as and when.. do keep up!If you’re really interested and want to know more about Crossfit may be read the following article for a beginner: http://www.boxrox.com/training/beginners-guide/

And this for everyone: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/Foundations.pdf

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To Make a Difference

Have you felt this feeling of Stillness? Its not some trance mode, I’m talking about. Its that feeling that everything has slowed down a bit and your thoughts are coming to you one at a time, everything is in sync, your mind, breath and heart beat, the wind around you. Everything is under a calm spell. No, I’m not even talking about the famous ‘Shav-Asana’ in yoga.

This is the best feeling in the world to me. Its one of those rarest times, not that I had no ‘to do lists’ in my mind or I had done a major deed. It just comes when I make the effort to wake up and look at the sunrise, or feed some banana to the cows, when I meet small babies and they smile for no reason and I get to smile back at them, when I thank someone for their regular job and that’s made their day, or greet the old security guard I see everyday and buying flowers for folks at home for no reason at all. So, I figured that whenever it involves someone else’s benefit/happiness instead of mine it gives me this sense of calm and bliss. I could, may be, call it “Bliss-mode”.

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I had a friend who would go out of her way to celebrate people’s birthdays, get them gifts, the dogs got their share of biscuits even if that got her late for a class and randomly get books for her friends. I know her secret of smiling all the time now, she isn’t crazy after all. Its inspiring to have people like that around you and know there are people out there waiting to bring a smile on your face for no personal gain.

I have been contemplating of how most of my days throughout the week is focused all around myself. My day starts with my workout time, then my bath and breakfast, my office work, then after I’m back home probably I’m learning how to cook for my happiness, or I’m mostly on the internet reading something for my own interest, watching sitcoms, lazing around. Oh! and the workout has been making me eat so much food I’m actually feeling sick of myself, “gluttony feels”. All this encouragement about “ME Time” on the internet got me too serious about doing things for myself. Bliss-mode was long gone and I was wondering what I’m not doing right.

Me- time is as important as Bliss-mode. You obviously need to love yourself and do things to make yourself feel good but there is a thin line between that and becoming selfish. Frankly, even I haven’t got that perfect balance. We must all try and find happiness in giving happiness is the mantra. I guess everyone needs to feel this way once in a while and its all about the balance.

It doesnt stay forever this Bliss-mode. We need to keep working towards keeping it on. You constantly need to water the plant for it to grow, you’re body needs constant supply of oxygen and the same way the feeling of bringing joy to other living beings and making a difference.

When you make a difference to the world, you’re existence gets more validated in your own eyes and it gives you this sense of satisfaction. There is no end to the kindness we can offer to this world around us and make it a better place. So look for what is the small thing that gives you a sense of peace while you make a difference.

“Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness. More important than being loved, therefore, is to love.” His Holiness The Dalai Lama

An interesting read:

Why we need to slow down our lives