By Nawaz Modi Singhania

Now that you’ve decided to start a fitness routine (and stick to it!), there are a number of ways in which you can improve it to maximise results, says Nawaz Modi Singhania. All of us have a limited amount of time to squeeze a fitness regimen into, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your physical health. By making time for fitness, as well as by being committed to your fitness goals, you can succeed.
Where’s The Fire? Make sure you’re driven by your own burning desire to get fit — not your best friend’s, your mother’s or your husband’s. Anything else is a waste of time and effort. Don’t bother kidding yourself.
What’s Good Enough? Do cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week for 30 to 40 minutes continuously. Recent American research has shown that the effects of exercise are cumulative. They add up. So if you are really busy and can spare only 10 or 15 minutes every day, this would be acceptable on a something-is-better-than-nothing basis.
A Good Support System Even the most beloved of friends and family members may feel that making changes in your lifestyle is an unnecessary exercise, which imposes upon them. If you can identify people who will support you, their encouragement will make it easier for you to stick to your new lifestyle. Steer clear of those who undermine your weight-loss programme. If they really cared about you, they’d want you to be happy, healthy and in great shape.
Start Here And Now Remember, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. No matter where you’re currently at, just get going. It’s never too late.
Walk The Talk If you’re new to exercise, you might want to consider starting with walking. It’ll give you an endorphin high that’ll spur you on to taking classes and lifting those weights.
Get A Partner Enrol in a class or at a gym with a friend or spouse. When you’re feeling lazy, they will motivate you to keep your act together, and vice versa.
Don’t Whine Dieting can wreck havoc on your close personal relationships. Recent studies have found that a woman’s obsession with her weight, crash dieting and low body esteem can lead to marital problems, even divorce. A husband, close relatives and friends can lose patience and tolerance with a dieter’s constant cribbing or sad, negative self-image. Keep your problems to yourself. Don’t be a talker, be a doer!
Go Vegetarian By cutting back on all that protein and the excess fat in non-veg food, you’ll lose fat and centimetres fast. If you can’t find it in yourself to do this, try and stick to seafood and chicken. Wait For 10 Minutes After The First Helping It’s a fact, and a handy little trick: Wait for 10 minutes after your first helping. It takes the hypothalamus (a section of the brain) that much time to figure that the stomach is full and satisfied. It actually takes 20, but you’ve taken an average of 10 minutes already while consuming the first helping.
Take A Break From Restaurants Cook yourself healthy, low-fat, low-sodium meals at home. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you for it.
Social Events Don’t Have To Feature Food Instead of meeting friends for lunch or dinner, join a fitness centre together or take a walk together. You’ll get a thrill out of enjoying each other’s company and knowing that you’re improving your health and fitness levels!
Keep Healthy Snacks Close At Hand Destiny shapes our ends, but caloric intake is what shapes our middles! When those hunger pangs hit, you’ll want to grab the first available edible item. Make sure it’s low in fat and calories, while being nutritionally-rich.
Drop The Salt Add the zing to your meal by using chilli sauce, black pepper, vinegar, paprika seeds, mustard or lime juice instead of salt. Besides keeping your blood pressure in check, you’ll cut down on that belly bloat you otherwise get from salt consumption.
Age Gracefully It’s okay to gain 1.5 kg to 2 kg every decade, after the age of 20. Putting on a bit of weight as we get older is good for the body and the soul. Besides, a very thin face is also far more likely to show wrinkles earlier.
Eat Smart On The Job! Overeating is not the way up the corporate ladder! It’ll keep you from feeling sleepy, lazy and sluggish all day. Keep your mind on the business at hand. Stay focused.
Check On Inch-Loss, Not Weight-Loss Though you may be working out diligently, your weight might stay the same. This is because you’ve probably built up muscle tissue, which weighs more than fat. Go by the measure tape and how your clothes fit, and how you look in the mirror — not by the weighing scale.
Mind Over Matter Carry yourself, walk and think like a thin person. It actually works wonders.
Have Fun! Don’t get too obsessed with and stressed about achieving your goals. Relax, have a good time working out, and before you know it, you’ll meet a new and improved you!
Credit Yourself See how far you’ve come with your plan and how much you’ve accomplished. Compare old photographs of yourself when you were at your heaviest with recent ones — huge difference! Imagine how great you’ll look and feel when you do achieve your eventual goals! All the best! Got comments or questions? e-mail us at femina@timesgroup.com with ‘Fine tune your fitness regimen’ in the subject line.