Fitness - your take

How many of us really know the true meaning of Fitness? Yes, I know most of you have raised your hands, and the rest have already googled it. But my real question is how many of us “understand” the true meaning of Fitness.

Every now and then we religiously read articles in newspapers or magazines, and some of us even subscribe to newsletters of various Exercise and Diet websites but what do we do after that - take a chai break, get back to work or gobble down a samosa in the canteen. There is always a tomorrow for exercise right? Obviously we are being very ambitious when we want an exercise routine or a diet plan to work wonders in a jiffy, and so when that doesn’t quite happen, we discontinue the regime. The reason being it dint work. Ya right, if only the regime came with some magic wand. I mean come on!!! when we all believe in patience is virtue and hard work pays off, then why don’t we apply these qualities to everything we do and not only to things we get paid for? When I say “hard work,” I mean real workout and patience required to obtain positive results, in other words, results that are healthy and permanent.

There are no short cuts to a healthy body and there are no tomorrows to start a health regime.

Now, if all of us become so dedicated what will happen to all the excuses that I as a fitness professional get to hear daily? Every other day, my clients give me very creative yet lame excuses for giving a gym class a miss. The excuse list is endless, and yes your excuse is on the list too. But let me share with you a few unrealistic reasons I have come across in my career so far because of which the client decides to get started with a workout.

• The vey famous and overrated 36-24-36 hour glass look. “The figure”. Girls love to be skinny and “thin,” but they fail to understand that thin doesn’t necessarily mean FIT!

I fail to understand why we are so obsessed with “the figure.” These are just plain numbers. I am not saying that these numbers are unachievable but not everyone can achieve them. Each body type is different, and our goals need to be set according to that. Therefore, there is no harm in talking about complete overall fitness and changing your habits and lifestyle, rather than concentrating on the measuring tape.

• I want to loose only the last 5 kilo’s and ill be fine.

However perfect this reason might sound it keeps me wondering - how will they ever be fine? Is this what being fit is all about? Reaching your ideal weight? Its like saying I will be eating for only 5 days and ill be fine for the rest of my life. We know that’s not practically possible. What after that? How about maintaining your weight and raising the “fitness” bar?

• This one’s a killer. I am getting married. Well, congratulations! Something finally shook you to get started. It’s the most important day for which you have been waiting all your life, and u never thought of following a health regime earlier until you realised you had to be able to fit in the same frame as your husband! Again, short term and temporary because after the wedding, you are going to be unrecognizable.

• Otherwise it’s just cool to workout at “the gym” with “the celebrities”. A reason good enough to get going. Life would be boring without all the live page 3 gossip. You regularly hit the gym but the only body parts that get exercised are the eyes and ears.

Such a pity, so much awareness all around about health and fitness, but so little has been done to put it into practice. Why can’t a reason for going to the gym simply be yourself so that you can make a difference in your lifestyle and overall health?

Just to be FIT!

My Take :

My take on fitness is completely different. For me, fitness holds a different meaning. I don’t really focus on having “the figure” or being “size zero” (another obsession). When I say being FIT. I mean overall fitness of the mind, body, and soul which can be achieved by a combination of a good workout and a balanced diet.

If I can comfortably do my household chores without complaining about any aches and pains, if I can comfortably walk for a couple of kilometres while I am on the phone without getting breathless, if I can carry a bag of potatoes weighing 10 pounds without pulling a muscle, go biking for a couple of hours and not complain of severe soreness, I am FIT! It doesn’t always have to be about the external hour-shaped body and tone, what also matters is fitness within.

I don’t see myself starving to death to fit into a jeans two sizes small. But I definitely see myself hitting the gym and taking the right route to achieve what I want. Size zero can stay with the actors.

Write to me about your take and your fitness mantras and any story you have come across relating to fitness. And the next time you think of becoming “thin”, ask yourself are you really going to become FIT!!