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Getting Fit - Slowly but surely

Updated on February 19, 2015

Twelve tips for permanent fitness

A fit mind can exist only in a fit body. Here are some sure-shot tips that will get you to lose at least 10 kgs in three months time. So go ahead and incorporate a few changes into your existing lifestyle and see the pounds drop!! It is not necessary to do all of the following steps at one go - Go easy - baby-steps is the trick.

1. Get some movement into your life : Move Move Move - I love walking, So I walk - every morning. I also lead a busy life - so I set my mobile phone timer for 15 minutes - walk for 15 minutes and walk back when the timer rings. That is my 30 minutes of movement - everyday. I hate going to the gym. So I don't. The point is select an activity that you enjoy doing - That way you stick with the movement for a long time. Read more on how to get moving in my hub www.hubpages.com/hub/bring-movement

2. Drink water - lots of it: Water does amazing things to your system. It cleans up the system. It is good for the skin, hair and body. It aids in digestion, excretion and many other functions of the body. The excess gets flushed out. So there is no hazard of over doing it. I keep a half litre bottle of water on my work table and drink up every hour. I fill the bottle 3-4 times a day and get my 2 litres. It also helps to drink water first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed. So drink up!

3. Enthusiasm is good - But don't overdo: We all are notorious for starting things with a bang and putting an end to it equally fast. If you have joined a gym, go easy the first week. Do easy movements - less repetitions. Increase only if you are comfortable with it (no backaches, muscle pains, joint pains, etc) I joined a yoga class last week and did 15 surya namaskars (sun salutations) enthusiastically and couldn't move my back for the next three days and then did not feel like going back for another week. Get the point?

4. Eat natural foods: That means avoiding sugar supplements, processed foods, etc. Replace a orangejuice with an orange, white bread with whole wheat bread or chappati, have whole grains and loads of raw vegetables and fruit. Recently I had whole peas boiled (with the shells that we normally throw away!) and it was so tasty. I also had raw spinach in a salad. So experiment with raw unprocessed foods.

5. Make it tasty- Spice it up: And yes, if the food that you eat on your plate is not tasty - you are most likely to give it up. So use lime juice, pepper, garlic, ginger and a whole lot of spices to pep it up to suit your tongue! My favourite wholesome snack is alu-chat. Boiled potatoes topped with a chutney made by grinding a bunch of coriander leaves with cumin, salt, a green chilly, and some tamarind or lime juice. Hmmn Yum. Have a look at fat free recipes in yummy fat-free recipes.

6. Go nuts - they are good: To avoid deprivation of fatty foods absolutely - have nuts. Any nuts - my favourites are almonds and walnuts. They are absolutely good for the skin that could otherwise sag with lack of fats. Even dry fruits like dry figs, dry apricots, raisins, dates are wonderful substitutes for chocolates and other sweets. I have a sweet tooth and would always look for a bar of snickers after lunch and dinner. Now I pop one date and an almond together into my mouth - A delicious combination!

7. Eat what you LIKE: You don't have to suffer on a diet. You have to enjoy your food. I love fatty yogurt - so I have it everyday! That is something i cannot compromise. But there are 100 other things that I can give up! What I do is make a list of stuff that I love eating and classify them into fattening and non-fattening foods. There you go! Now you have a number of items that you can pick and choose from. Go ahead. Stock your fridge with them! And you could treat yourself with a fattening item when you have met a goal! Read more about the EAT WHAT YOU LIKE program at my hub www.hubpages.com/hub/eat-what-you-like-and-slim

8. Increase time and intensity of movement: After about 3 weeks of movement increase the time period or the intensity. I personally prefer increasing the intensity. We are all short of time. I used to walk around my building for 30 minutes. Then I started walking on a slightly uphill road. Now I walk up a small hill near my house. And I plan to carry two 300ml bottles of water on either hand as i go up. The point is increase the intensity of exercise and keep varying it. i also signed up for a yoga class. Success motivates you to do many more things that are rewarding!

9. Move whenever you get time: Walk errands instead of using the car. Incorporate movement into your life. Do twenty standing push-ups every time you visit the toilet. Do planks for a minute in your bed - before retiring for the day and first thing when you get up in the morning. Do facial exercises for a minute after you brush your teeth. Stick post-its to remind you to do them everyday. The Internet has thousands of exercises to tone each and every part of your body. Select the ones that suit your personality and lifestyle best and stick to it for a minimum of two weeks.

10. Increase body metabolism: Don't let your body guess what you are doing and RELAX! Maintain an element of suspense and change. Vary your diet - more proteins some days, more carbs some days, a weekly help of reasonable fats, different cuisines, etc. More the variation less chances of getting into a plateau. Similarly vary the movement. Add dancing, hiking with friends, golf, tennis, swimming, playing with children, football, anything - Anything that is enjoyable and strenuous. incorporate it into your routine.

11. Have a positive attitude: Just having a great brawn and no mind to balance it makes no sense. Hence enjoy the moment, stay in the present, work hard, work smart, accept new challenges, have faith in your self, express love and gratitude, be active, have a positive mind, go into the unknown and listen to your intiution. In short LIVE every moment - Don't just be.

12. Lastly, use creative ways to measure success: Don't just rely on the weighing scales to measure your success. Look at the clothes you wear. Are they telling you something? The way you feel after a walk. Does that feel good? Do you feel peaceful after a yoga session? These are also measures of success not only the kilogrammes you lost. Sometimes you lose inches first then lose weight. So don't lose heart, Keep going.

The bottom line is customize your weight-loss plan according to your needs and enjoy the process. You are the best judge of what you like, what program you will stick to. There are so many tried and tested diet programs that can never work for you. You need to first make up your mind that you really want to lose weight and lead a healthy active life. Then be a little determined and incorporate the above suggestions slowly into your life. In three months I can guarantee that you will have not only lost weight - but changed your whole outlook to life! Good luck!

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