Anuradha Varanasi
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Written By: Anuradha Varanasi | Updated : February 1, 2016 6:12 PM IST
The first month of 2016 is now drawing to an end and if you ve been able to stick to most of the fitness plan days, by now you feel fitter, more confident and also healthier. However, if you weren t able to exercise everyday as you had earlier planned, don t be too hard on yourself. The very fact that you re reading this and trying to achieve your fitness goal means you are doing much better than you think. The biggest challenge one faces while trying to get fitter is being more disciplined and keeping a fixed schedule for exercising. Hitting the gym after a long day at work is almost impossible at times since you might not be that motivated every day. However, by looking for a group of like-minded people with similar fitness goals, you can easily stay on track.
Morning Start your day by waking up half an hour earlier than usual and organise your dressing table or desk in your room along with your drawers. By living in a cluttered environment, your mind tends to feel extremely disorganised as well and it becomes difficult to set an agenda for the day and actually stick to it. Do a quick clean up of your most used drawers and get rid of whatever you don t need. You will immediately feel better and also, more confident about facing a brand new day.
Healthy recipes
Breakfast Begin your day with an apple and pineapple smoothie. Both of these fruits have very high fibre content and could also help clear your stomach within a few minutes after drinking it if you ve been suffering from constipation. Pineapples contain compound called bromelain that is effective in fighting against high cholesterol levels, sinusitis, indigestion, bloating, and also heart diseases. Also, these are the 10 ways apples can help in keeping a doctor away.
Lunch To avoid hunger pangs later in the afternoon, begin your lunch with lemon and coriander soup. If you re worried about spending too much time on preparing your lunch, especially if you have to pack it, don t fret. You can make this super quick and easy frankie with leftovers. Not only will it taste great, but it won t take more than 10-15 minutes and is again, high in fibre and wholesome.
Dinner By late evening, you can t help but feel exhausted and drained out after surviving yet another day of not only eating healthier and saying no to junk food, but also exercising. You can end your day by making this quick high fibre pasta. This is one of the easiest dishes to cook without any hassle and by adding whatever vegetables are available in your kitchen, it is a far healthier option than having rice with curry or any other heavy bhaaji. Always remember to stock your kitchen with a big packet of whole wheat pasta instead of the white maida one.
Snacks For snacks, you can whip up a lip smacking dish if you have paneer and some roasted peanuts in your kitchen. Paneer and peanuts are high in proteins and will help in promoting muscle growth. This healthy recipe is called paneer and peanut pate which tastes great with crackers or even toast. Again, this is a quick and easy recipe as well as highly nutritious. These are the 5 reasons why it s a good idea to add paneer to your diet.
Exercise
Even if you haven t been able to exercise everyday due to your busy schedule or just because you were sore or feeling unmotivated, don t feel bad about it! In fact, resting is an extremely important part of exercising and even if you are able to do any form of exercises thrice a week, it is enough. However, if you re finding it difficult to stay on track, these tips should be able to help.
At home When most people think of exercising, it is seen more as a chore or something that they have to force themselves to do. Instead, forget about doing crunches or any of those other dreaded exercises. Lock your room door for some privacy, and play your all time favourite songs on your iPod or mobile phone and dance. You need not be good at dancing or look up videos on a certain dance form, just go for it! Move around your room instead of standing in one place and dancing, use your hands and legs. If you want to set the mood further, dance while watching music videos on YouTube. You can try dancing to at least six different songs to complete a 30 minutes dance workout session.
In the gym Going to the gym can become an extremely tedious activity if you only alternate between cardio and weight lifting. To beat the boredom of going to the gym, instead enquire about whether they organize aerobics classes in their premises. Almost all gyms have aerobics classes especially for women at no additional cost or for a small fee, if you re a member. Immediately sign up for it. This way, you can break the monotony of your usual workout schedule and still continue losing weight. Here are the 6 reasons why you should sign up for an aerobics class. You will also meet other people trying to get fit just like you which will help in staying motivated.
Yoga End your workout session with the vinsaya flow yoga asana. This pose is ideal if you re trying to get rid of belly fat and is effective in toning your arms and back as well. Remember to focus on your breath while you re doing it.
Sleep well tip Many people have difficulty sleeping even after a fairly busy day because they have so much on their mind and are also stressed out about something or the other. One highly effective way of clearing your mind and calming down is to listen to classical music while lying down in bed. You can try listening to Mozart, Beethoven or Chopin for an almost instant relaxing effect. Plug your earphones in, play a symphony of your choice and just concentrate on the soothing music. You will immediately feel relaxed. Concentrate on your breathing and slowly start clearing your mind out with the help of the music. You will find it easier to fall asleep.
Well, if you are motivated to start your New Year with a bang, spread the word by tagging your friends and #NewYearNewYou and @HealthSite4U. You can even mail your pictures and we ll post in onFacebook, Instagram and share it with our TheHealthSite.com Community.
Disclaimer: If you follow a fitness plan already, consult your nutritionist before switching to this one. If you are allergic to any of the foods/ingredients mentioned, please do not consume it. Do not follow this plan without consulting your doctor if you suffer from a health condition hypertension, hypotension, diabetes, etc. or are pregnant.
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