Hey guys! Hope you are still sticking to your fitness resolutions which you promised to follow this year. In case, you are struggling to make your fitness train move, don’t worry at all. This struggle is a good thing, it shows that you are serious about your health and weight loss. The problem arises when you stop taking your fitness or for that matter your fitness resolution seriously. Today, I want to talk about some of the best cardio exercises for beginners. I’m saying best since these have worked great for me.

There are only a handful of people who actually achieve their health & fitness goals. This post is for all you people who are beginning their fitness journey and need some motivation. I know how you feel because I am also standing at this juncture.

I lost 3 Kg in 3 weeks with only simple cardio exercises and easy lifestyle changes.

And, I hope it will help you to move a step forward in your fitness journey. And, of course, you will see that stubborn fat melting & those muscles getting toned. Let’s get started!

How to Begin the Cardio Exercises?

For beginners, looking to start their fitness journey, it’s important to get into a routine first. And, to easily slip into a fitness routine, one should have a perfect fitness plan. So, before you hit the gym or start running, have a plan in hand.  Design your plan keeping in mind your body’s endurance capacity. Exerting yourself by doing an hour of aerobics on Day 1 doesn’t make any sense.

Start slow, divide your time effectively and if possible, maintain a journal. By keeping a record, you will observe a pattern which will help you in the long run with your fitness goal.

Let’s see 5 Cardio Exercises which are best suited for Beginners

In simple words, a cardio workout includes low-intensity, long duration exercises which raise your heart rate. Cardio exercise is also known as aerobic exercise since these are aimed to convert body fat into energy.

1- Walking

If you have just started your cardio, walking will be your best buddy to build your stamina. Yes, for starters, gaining stamina should be the focus for the first few days. You will need it later in your long duration cardio workout.

Source – Photo by Andres Siimon on Unsplash

Start with walking 15 mins daily for a week. It is safe and easy and within a week you will feel your stamina shoot up. Later, you can easily replace walking with jogging or running as per your capacity.

2- Swimming as a cardio exercise

Do you know swimming as a cardio workout works better than running for losing calories? That too, without putting any pressure on your joints. Also, with swimming, you get a full body workout since your upper body works in sync with your lower body.

Source – Photo by Guadalupe Garcia on Unsplash

So, beginners what are you waiting for? Now is the time to renew your pool membership & shop for those cool swimming costumes. Try including both walking & swimming in your workout and see your body getting toned swiftly.

3- Cycling

Another great option for beginners is cycling as a cardio exercise. It is a fun way to lose calories, you can keep it for the weekends though. Or, if you can manage cycling daily for an hour, then nothing can beat it. Just grab a bike, put on your gears, plug in those earphones and go on a beautiful ride.

Source – Photo by Marc Kleen on Unsplash

You can even consider riding to your college or work on your bicycle. Moreover, you can make a cool statement with that. If you don’t have a cycle, you can even do stair climbing, start with climbing 50 stairs at a time.

4- Dancing as cardio exercise

One of the best aerobic exercises and most famous amongst fitness lovers, is dancing. It not only has physical benefits but mental benefits as well.

Source – Photo by Leon Liu on Unsplash

Dancing is known to instantly uplift mood if you are grooving on your favorite number. The best part is, you can do it at home, alone or in a group, in any way, dancing will benefit you. And, you can choose your favorite dancing style too.

5- A complete cardio workout session

Now, another great way to start with your cardio workout is by designing your own workout session. Or, following a low-intensity cardio workout session available online. If you know how your body reacts to certain exercises, it’s better to design a session for yourself. You can group 5 or more low impact cardio exercises and do the repetitions as per your strength & stamina.

Low Impact Cardio Workout by Joanna Soh

It’s better to start with 5 exercises, do each for 45 sec, rest for 15 sec before moving onto the next. Do at least 2 repetitions and it will become your 10-minute low-intensity cardio workout. With time, you can add more exercises & increase the intensity. I like to follow Joanna Soh’s  20 min low impact cardio workout.

PIN IT!

So, these are the 5 easy cardio exercises which can help beginners in their fitness and weight loss journey. I hope you liked this post and found it helpful. What is your fitness goal for this year? Do share with me in the comments below.

Also, don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family. Sharing is Caring!

The post 5 Simple Cardio Exercises Best Suited for Beginners appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, hope you all had a lovely time with your Valentine. A small announcement, today is my 4th marriage anniversary, Yay! So, you guys can leave all your love & wishes in the comments below. You can even DM me, I won’t mind. Jokes apart, now that I count myself in fitness freaks, I thought of writing this post dedicated to health-conscious couples & people whose partners are fitness enthusiasts.

In this post, I will be sharing some gift ideas around health and fitness (yes, gifts are on my mind!!!). So, if your anniversary or your partner’s birthday is around the corner, and you have no idea what to buy for your health-conscious partner, this post may save you from all the stress.

Gifts are always special. And your day becomes even more special if the gifts are useful and thoughtfully curated.

A few days ago, I was thinking if I had to get a gift for myself what would I choose? Flowers, chocolates or jewelry are not my kinds of gift. I like things which are useful for me & also go well with my personality.

You guys are already aware that I have recently turned very health-conscious. My day is made if I get up early & do my morning workout. I feel so happy & satisfied when I indulge in mindful eating. Adopting a healthy lifestyle & getting fit is my main goal for this year.

Hence, for obvious reasons, I would like to get something which will aid me in my fitness journey. That gift will not only be useful for me but will be valued since it will be helpful in achieving my ultimate fitness goal.

The same goes for you as well. Instead of gifting the usual cheesy stuff, why not gift something which relates to your partner’s current requirements.

I am listing down 5 Gifts which can be a great buy for your health-conscious partner. These gifts top my wishlist too.

PIN IT!

1- InstaCuppa’s Vacuum Insulated Thermos Green Tea Detox Bottle

If your partner is health conscious, then I am sure they love drinking green tea. I know this because even I started drinking green tea for detox from day 1 of my fitness journey. This is the easiest change one can bring into their lifestyle. And we all know the numerous health benefits of drinking green tea.

Source – Amazon

So, for all the health conscious people or the green tea lovers, this Green Tea Detox Bottle by InstaCuppa would be a perfect gift. The best part is it is insulated & can be used as a fruit, tea, as well as coffee infuser.

2- Fitness Band or SmartWatch

Now, this is something which is a must for health-conscious people. A fitness tracker or a cool smartwatch comes with a range of features which suit everyone’s pocket. It not only keeps you motivated to be active but also, keeps a track of your activities.

Source – Apple

I have heard some very good reviews about Fitbit Charge 3. And, in case your partner owns an Apple iPhone, then an Apple smartwatch is a great option for gifting.

3- Wireless Earphones

I love listening to music while doing my walks and cardio. Music in my ears helps me keep focused. And am sure, most of the people who like working out alone love music. So, why not gift your fitness freak partner a cool pair of wireless earphones. Did you know music can prove to be a great workout partner as well?

Source – Google

There’s a whole variety of Bluetooth earphones available in the market. Get the one which best suits your partner’s workout style & personality.

4- Workout Wear & Accessories

If you have always been gifting dresses or jewelry to your partner, try changing that pattern and instead choose to gift some cool & comfy workout wear.

Source – Flipkart

Let them know that you are with them in their journey to be fit and healthy. If you will see online, the gym wear trend is at its peak. Choose the one which is comfy as well as stylish for that special gift.

5- Diet/Fitness Planner

Last but not least, a fitness planner is a must for someone who likes to plan their fitness routine. It is also a great way to track your progress. I can’t start my day if I don’t have everything planned out & written on a paper. I have noticed that writing down my goals always keeps me motivated.

Source – Amazon

So, these are the 5 best gift ideas which any fitness enthusiast would love to get on their special day. Also, one very important point, if you are even 1% doubtful about your partner’s choice, ask them for their wishlist. It will make your task much easier & save you from later embarrassment.

Here’s my video for #SuperBloggerChallenge where I’ve shared my views about this challenge. This is my first attempt & am thoroughly enjoying every part of it. Check out the video to know my fav #Instacuppa product.@misra_amrita @drbushra_aatw @instacuppa pic.twitter.com/FZTThbszM0

— Neha Sharma (@growingwitnemit) February 26, 2019

I hope you liked this post and if you have any other ideas, do mention them in the comments below. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family. Sharing is caring!

“Note: This article is written as a part of SuperBloggerChallenge2019 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com, Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge2019 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.”

The post 5 Best Gift Ideas for your Health Conscious Partner appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

A few days ago, I had shared in my Insta stories that I lost 3 Kg weight in 3 Weeks last month with my Self-designed Fitness Plan. I know it’s not a big deal for someone who religiously follows a fitness routine. But it was a miracle for someone like me who has only seen her weight graph go up over the years.

And the exciting part is, my fitness plan doesn’t even include any dieting or gymming or any harsh restrictions on myself. I designed this plan keeping in mind how my body reacts to certain exercises, which I learned over the years. And also knowing my body’s endurance capacity.

Check out this post on Instagram to know what daily schedule I am following-

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Jan 24, 2019 at 11:24pm PST

Today, I am going to share my secrets with you guys. But let me tell you, I have started this fitness routine this year only, it’s been just a month. I am not claiming that anyone can lose weight by following the fitness plan I have made. I just want to record my progress & hope that it works for you as well.

This year, I have pledged to adopt a healthy lifestyle and follow a well planned fitness routine

Check out this post on Facebook to know how I keep myself motivated –

I feel the most important step before embarking on any fitness journey is to acknowledge the fact that there is something wrong with our body & our way of living. Only then we can work towards improving it.

STEP – 1

I know my problem areas and the first step in designing my fitness plan was to write them down.

1. Most critical of all, I fall under the overweight category.
2. I have PCOD & Hypothyroidism.
3. Every now & then, I crave for junk foods especially burger & pizza.
4. I spend 90% of my time in front of a screen be it a laptop or a mobile phone.
5. I wake up very late in the morning & sleep quite late at night.
6. There is almost zero physical activity in my daily routine.

STEP – 2

Now, that I know what are my problems areas, I need to find out a way to curb these issues. After thinking over, I decided to include 4 major lifestyle changes in my fitness plan.

• A- To start a workout routine
• B- To limit my screen time
• C- To change my sleeping pattern
• D- To bring a change in my eating habits.

Lifestyle changes may differ for each one of us depending on our problem areas.

STEP – 3

The job until here was quite simple. Now, the next step was to implement these changes in my lifestyle.

In my upcoming posts, I will take up each point one by one and explain how I am implementing the changes. Also, I’ll share the roadblocks which I am facing.

Before ending this post, I want to include one very important point here. The one which is often neglected, like the way I didn’t even mention it in my list. And that is the benefits of liquid intake in weight loss.

I am saying liquid and not water because for me drinking plain water is so very boring. This doesn’t mean that I drink sugar-laden packaged fruit juices or preservatives-filled soft drinks. Instead, I try to make my plain water delicious, healthy and interesting. I drink flavored green tea, fruit infused water, detox water, detox fruit juices all prepared in minutes at home. Will talk about this as well in my next posts.

Meanwhile, you can check out Instacuppa‘s range of products which help anyone drink healthy natural beverages anywhere!

I hope you liked reading this post & now you know what are the 3 simple steps to design a fitness plan. Do share this post with your friends and family. And let me know in the comments below if you have ever designed your fitness plan & followed it?

“Note: This article is written as a part of SuperBloggerChallenge2019 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com, Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge2019 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.”

The post 3 Simple Steps to self-design an Effective Fitness Plan appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, it’s Monday and I am back with another set of power packed stories written by two strong mommies for our MAA – The Mom Series. Well, we all mothers know how pregnancy and delivery takes a toll on our health if not taken care of properly. We go through a lot many dilemmas when our life takes a totally new path and sometimes we are left with choices which are in fact the most difficult ones to make. Read the stories of moms who fought depression and weight gain with their strong will and determination.

Postpartum Depression “TEARS TO CHEERS”

– By Rupal Agarwal

It’s not at all easy for me to write this. I wanted to share my story written with my heart. No one had ever told me about postpartum depression during my whole pregnancy time. You can’t guess that the new mom is suffering from PPD just by looking at her.

The problem is that people have many expectations from a new mother and they think that those first days or weeks or even months after child’s birth should be the happiest days of a mother’s life. Yes, I was overwhelmed with love for ‘Prisha’ no doubt but at the same time, I didn’t want to see anyone during those initial days as I knew they would expect me to be the happiest glowing new mom, who’s ready to face the world but no, the reality was far from that.

Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and changes in sleeping or eating patterns. Onset is typically between one week and one month following childbirth. PPD can also negatively affect the person’s child.

Source – Wikipedia

PPD occurred when I delivered my baby girl after 9 years of marriage, no it’s not because I delivered a girl child, but because of the pressure, I received from family members to feed the baby, which I couldn’t even after trying really hard. I wished someone could understand the emotions I was going through. I went into the black hole of depression that I stopped feeling my worth and just couldn’t connect with the baby.

I remember a visit from my sister and papa and that time I just wanted to run and hide somewhere, had an emotional breakdown for no obvious reason. There was a time when I had cried for days, every other relative visiting us to bless the baby just wanted to know whether I was feeding the baby or not and that would make me so sad as well as mad. I didn’t understand why everyone has to offer an advice. I am a mother and I know what my baby needs. If I am not able to breastfeed my baby, I will bottle feed but why every other person has to come and ask the same thing over and again.

I tell you this is a crazy world. But I have just one thing to say to them.

My baby – My choice. 

I was telling myself this is just the PPD and it will pass soon. But it was not that soon for us, I had a difficult time dealing with what I was going through. Looking at my baby gave me strength and confidence that every mother does the best for her baby and so was I. Maybe I am not a perfect mother, but I am trying to do my best for her. For the world, she may be 20 months old but for me, she is 29 months old, I know her since she was in my womb.

I hit the rock bottom, I wanted to feel better for my family, my husband and most importantly for my baby. I was telling myself daily that I am a strong lady and a good mother. I fed her with the bottle and loved her every day despite my anxiety.

I didn’t expect new motherhood to be such a wild wave of emotion, that is why I wanted to share my story here. I wish I gave myself a little more grace and didn’t put so much pressure on myself. It took me almost 1.5 years to share this very personal struggle with you all. I finally decided to open up in hope that I too can help at least one person who may be dealing with this disorder that is not often recognized.

There will be so many times you feel like you have failed but in the eyes, heart and mind of your child you are SUPER MOM!

Deliver the baby but not your health 

– By Rashmi Datta

It’s been 20months since I gave birth to a sweet little girl and time is passing like anything. My baby has turned into a beautiful angel, but am I as beautiful as I was pre-delivery?

It was 4th of July 2015, when I saw the two pink lines and trust me it was the happiest day of my life, my husband and I were on cloud nine. I had to leave my job in the first trimester due to official policies and then started the weight gain. I used to be at home all day resting and taking in high-calorie food which was full of tallow.

In our Indian culture, we are supposed to eat ghee, oil and dry fruits for normal delivery and also the intake go double as the elders keep saying “you have to eat for two now”. And the problem is you can’t even say no to them.

Now when the delivery goes normal, you are again forced to eat the same dishes full of ghee and loaded with sugar. My veggies and dal always used to have extra butter added to them, even my tea was made with full cream milk. When I saw myself in the mirror almost a week after my delivery, I realized how much weight I have gained and trust me that was disheartening because I myself didn’t like to see that fat over my body.

It was the moment when I decided what I want to do. On the 25th day after delivery, I stood up and started performing the household chores. I was too firm to get back into the shape, while most women aren’t bothered about it but for me, it was an alarming call. What I gathered was that there was just a need for some extra efforts from our end.

“Health is your biggest asset, if you stay fit and healthy you live long and happy”

Getting married at the age of 26 and delivering a baby at the age of 29 made me think that getting back to my beautiful self, was a far fledged dream now. But this trauma didn’t last for long. All the credit goes to my husband who is tall, lean, has abs and is diet conscious. He is my biggest motivation. I too wanted to look healthy and pretty hence I decided to dedicate some time to the workout. Henceforth I joined aerobics and yoga classes but it wasn’t that easy to leave the baby at home and go out especially when the baby is still on breastfeed and is always looking for you, this time support came in from my Mother-in-law who supported me by taking care of the baby when I went out. Moreover, she took my side by answering back the neighbors as well who would mock me for leaving the baby at home to go to the gym.

I was delighted when my gym trainer, a week ago, appreciated me for being a mother to a 20-months-old angel. His words that you don’t seem to be rearing a child since you look so fit and in shape, made me reach the seventh heaven. So all this has been keeping me motivated and at the end, I want to say “love yourself and people will love you back”.

Health is not about the weight you lose, but about the life you gain.

This week, we also have one fun contribution from a super lady who aspires to write fiction stories someday, she is not yet a mother but understands a lot about motherhood.

Mommy and Time Machines

– By Neetika Soam

Whenever a woman becomes a mother, she automatically becomes super-talented and comes under the super-goddess species. They know everything and they can do anything. Even the super-fast “BOLT” can’t beat them the way they have the power to smell, watch, hear, and numerous other things they can do in just a frame of time.

Though I am not a mother yet still I carry a handful of experience in my belly and all the credit goes to my super-mom-friends who are the source of my crunchy, utterly-buttery flavors of motherhood.

Usually, mothers get emotional while revisiting their kid’s childhood memories. But during those days, they also wanted to get rid of sleepless nights and edgy days. This is the reason why I think that TIME MACHINES are just perfect for our super-moms so that they can ditch those edgy moments and re-live the cutest & happiest ones.

Statements like, “O God I am tired of these mood swings”. And after 9 months, “O god I love my little monster”.

And like these, “Can someone take this little one away for a while so that I can take my power nap”. And the very next moment, “where are they, where are my kids?”.

Now imagine if we give them a “Time Machine” to relive the best memories. Scenario would be like – “Aji sunte ho mujhe gudiya ki bahut yaad aa rahi hai, mein kuch waqt time machine me hoke aati hun” (I am missing my girl a lot, oh I should go in the time machine for some time and will be back soon)

I hope one day this would be possible and we all can re-visit our sweetest moments spent with our kids.

I totally loved reading these stories and once again I have got inspired by these moms to keep going in life, to stay positive and think about our health too for the sake of our kids and family.

Thanks a lot, Rupal, Rashmi and Neetika for taking out time and sharing your write-ups with me. Means a lot!

Mothers can not give from a depleted source. Every mother needs emotional, mental, physical and spiritual validation, nourishment and support. When a mother is respected and well cared for, she and her whole family will benefit. 

I hope you are liking this series and getting inspired by the beautiful stories shared by the lovely mommies. Do leave a comment below to show your love and support. And do come back next Monday to read the last set of stories for this month!

The post Mother’s health after childbirth – Stories of strong will and determination appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

I know I know, I am very late to post this, September is already past and we are almost nearing mid of October. But, its never too late to share the good things with people whom we care about.

As many of you know the last few days of September were quite busy as I happened to take part in 9 days of Blogathon which was my first ever Blog writing and Insta micro-blogging challenge. I did not anticipate the Blogathon to be that much tedious and tiring.

But the name says it all, Blogathon is Blogging Marathon and these are supposed to be hectic as well as challenging.

Well, I am happy and a little bit sad too, happy because I took the Weight Loss Challenge, and sad as I was not able to complete it as planned. I updated about my workout journey till the 2nd week, (>> Click here << to read about it), but I almost ditched the last 2 weeks, although not completely but there was no fixed schedule that I followed neither was there any Cardio that I did.

I am writing this post to share the final snippets of my September journey, people behind it’s success and the much awaited results.

But, before sharing anything else, I want to let everyone know that I am feeling much healthier and my stamina has greatly improved which is like a bonus of losing weight. So, the whole credit of the month goes to my mom and my hubby for being so supportive and understanding at every stage.

They are the ones who motivated me each day to keep going and they are the ones who encouraged me with all the love and good vibes which I needed every day.

As you know, I stayed at my mom’s house for the whole month of September and that means a lot more work for her and no rest at all in return. She took the complete responsibility of taking care of Nemit from making him feed healthy nutritious homemade food to playing with him and keeping him engaged in so many educational activities. I can never do this at her age, her energy level is commendable. Thanks, Mumma.

And my hubby, he is a real hero and a sweetheart, no I am not saying this just like that. I really mean it. Sumit never stays away from us, if I come to mom’s house he accompanies us and stays with us, even if that requires him to travel 2 hours to reach his office. But this time I wanted him to stay at home with Caesar and after much discussion, he agreed. We took this pic on a Friday when he came directly from his office to the Sports complex to pick me up. It was a pleasant surprise. Thanks, hubby.

Alright now coming back to the weight loss challenge, let me first introduce you all to the lady behind The Tabata. (What? Don’t you know what is TABATA? Oh My God, then you are missing on everything. >> Click here << to get enlightened).

My aerobics trainer ‘Rekha Sharma‘ is the person who introduced me to the Tabata workout for the very first time and included this in our daily aerobic sessions, which I consider to be the main reason for my weight loss.

She is a true inspiration to many women like me as she herself has a story to tell about her weight loss journey.

Can you believe she is a MOM and has 2 teenager kids. If you will meet her you will say she has the energy level of a teenager. She’s been gyming since 10 years now. What a transformation!

Her mantra for weight loss is –

• Fitness – Follow a workout routine
• Lifestyle – Bring in a few lifestyle changes
• Passion – Make workout your passion

She says she has nothing special about her but that’s all about being modest. Isn’t it? She is a personal trainer and a passionate dancer. I can bet you will drool over her brilliant dance moves. You can check out her Insta handle here >> Click <<

The BIG REVEAL

You all must be thinking I am talking about everything and everyone but the results. Yes, the result of Weight loss September challenge. Oh and yes the result of Blogathon too!

I took the September challenge to lose 3 Kgs weight in 30 days but I got the opportunity to participate in Navratri Blogathon which I didn’t want to miss, so I had to leave my workout mid-way. But I was not sad as it was a win-win for me, 20 days of Workout and 9 days of Blogathon. (2-in-1 fun)

And the Results of September Challenge are –

20 days of Workout – I lost 2 kgs + 2 inches (followed mindful eating with regular workout which included swimming and aerobics)

You can read all my September challenge – workout posts >> HERE <<

9 days of Blogathon – Won the Insta Microblog Contest and will be getting a hamper from The Moms Co.

You can read all my 9 Days of Womanhood Blogathon posts >> HERE <<

I am thankful to my family and friends, who were always there to support me through my September Challenge and I am so grateful to my lovely readers who liked reading my posts and blogs which motivated me and kept me going through the whole 9 hectic days of Blogathon. Thanks for all the love!

And special thanks to the Blogathon Hosts for making this whole event a huge success – Mummasaurus, My Little Muffin, The Mom Sagas, The Reading Momster. 

This Weight loss and Blogathon September challenges that I took part in were life-changing experiences for me. Have you experienced anything like this, which was totally unexpected and changed you for better? Anything that left you motivated to try more new avenues and test your limits. Share with me in the comments below! Would love to read your stories.

The post September Challenge – Weightloss and Blogathon appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello Friends, hope you all are finding my posts good to read and I am sure some of you can relate to them too. The series I am doing ‘September Challenge-My Weight Loss Journey’ is very close to my heart, the efforts I am putting in my workout sessions are genuine and I really really want to leave my old self and see myself as a Happy, Healthy and Fit mommy at the end of this month.

I know the fact that losing weight is not easy especially when you are a mom having a baby who needs your attention 24 hours 7 days a week, when you are a woman and have to deal with quirky hormonal issues every now and then and above all when you feel like a hungry lioness all the time even after getting all your meals on time.

This is getting difficult and more challenging as the second week of my journey has ended; I want to take a moment rather I would take this whole post to reflect on what is going on behind the scenes of this journey and what else I am doing to make it work. Hope to get lots of positive vibes and motivational comments to pump up my weight loss journey.

We have this beautiful Floral Yoga mat from Strauss, you can check it here for more details!

To start with, I want to share my routine and what changes I have made in my diet to complement my work out regime.

Routine

• My work-out week starts from Tuesday, yes because Sports Complex stay closed on Sundays and Mondays.
• Tues/Wed/Fri/Sat – Morning 45 mins swimming session.
• Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri – Evening 60 mins Aerobics class.
• Rest of the days I stick to 15-45 mins of Walking. These days are my rejuvenation days and I prepare my body and mind for the next week.

Diet

I am not dieting; I can’t as I said earlier I feel hunger pangs all the time and my toddler still breastfeeds.

• Before and after work-out meals play a crucial role, pre-workout snack is important to fuel the muscles and provide enough energy to stay on your toes through the session. What snack to choose and the portion size depend on the intensity of the workout. Similarly, post-workout recovery snack is as important to replenish the lost carbohydrate stores of our body and proteins for muscle recovery.

• Swimming is considered a light low impact workout; hence I stick to a banana only, 30 mins prior to my session. After a 45 min swimming session, I take a glass of skimmed milk without sugar, and after an hour indulge in light breakfast.

• Aerobics is more intense cardio; I take handful of mix nuts and a serving of any fruit 30 mins prior to session. After a high intensity workout one should take carbohydrates and proteins within 30 mins after finishing the session. I take a glass of milk shake with 3-4 Threptin biscuits.

To know more about about these high calorie protein supplement, Click Here!

• I am going really light with my breakfast and dinner but take a good lunch which mostly includes 1 chapatti, 1 small bowl of rice, 1 small bowl of dal, 1 serving of vegetable, salad and yogurt.

• Keeping your body hydrated is equally important to bring the best out of your workout. Don’t eat snack and drink water simultaneously as that can result in some nasty enzymes develop in your stomach and make your body feel bloated or can result in acidity. Always have water at least 15-20 mins after your pre and post workout snacks.

That’s the routine and diet I am following. Now that I have already shared some facts and tips about walking and swimming in my previous post – Story behind the weight, it’s time to know more about Aerobics- my hectic evening workout sessions.

Aerobics

• Any activity which is done more than a few minutes while heart, lungs and muscles work harder and lots of sweating is there, is known as ‘Aerobic exercise‘, also known as ‘Cardio‘.

• Aerobic exercise can help prevent or reduce the chance of developing some cancers, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

• An aerobic exercise plan should be simple, practical, and realistic. Specific equipment (such as cardio machines) may be used but is not necessary for successful aerobic exercise.

Below is the snapshot I took from my trainer’s diary, the day when I almost fainted from the exhaustion of 5-minute high intensity fat burning ‘Tabata Workout‘.

Let me share some tiring facts about HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)- Tabata Workout-

• This is the hardest exercise to choose where one can experience symptoms like passing out after being repeatedly punched by someone, yes that’s what I felt during a 15-minute session.

• ‘But that’s worth it‘- as exclaimed by my trainer. The results you can get from 5-minute of Tabata are equivalent to an hour of running.

• The trick is to choose 5 different cardio activities and go as hard as you can, one activity for 50 secs and then rest for 10 secs, then second activity for 50 secs and rest for 10 secs, continue same with all the 5 activities.

• Beginners can start with 5-minutes of tabata twice a week, but as my trainer is quite strict and know that we have stubborn fat and during a 5-min workout we will work for only 2-3 min and will spend rest of the time pulling ourselves up, she started with a 15-min workout.

So, the 15-min workout had 3 sessions of 5-min each, having different set of exercises.

Session-1 (5 exercises to be done for 50 secs each with 10 secs break in between)

1. 50 secs- Jumping Jacks –> 10 sec rest
2. 50 secs- Jumping Squats –> 10 sec rest
3. 50 secs- Plank –> 10 sec rest
4. 50 secs- High knees –> 10 sec rest
5. 50 secs- Wall sit –>10 sec rest

Source- Google Images

Session-2 (5 exercises to be done for 50 secs each with 10 secs break in between)

1. 50 secs- Burpees –> 10 sec rest
2. 50 secs- Sumo Squats –> 10 sec rest
3. 50 secs- Bicycle Crunches –> 10 sec rest
4. 50 secs- Climbers –> 10 sec rest
5. 50 secs- Lunges –>10 sec rest

Source- Workoutlab.com

Session-3 (5 exercises to be done for 50 secs each with 10 secs break in between)

1. 50 secs- Jump rope –> 10 sec rest
2. 50 secs- Knee push ups –> 10 sec rest
3. 50 secs- Plank twists –> 10 sec rest
4. 50 secs- Climbers –> 10 sec rest
5. 50 secs- On the spot jogging –>10 sec rest

Source- Pinterest

Now let me share the truth also, I was almost dead in the last session and couldn’t stand even for 2 mins. So, I will say start with only 1 session of 5-minutes twice a week and then 2 sessions of 5-minutes twice in the next week and increase it so on and as per your capability. BUT….

Always Listen to your Body, The Body never Lies.

Stop and take rest if you feel like dying…I mean don’t over-exert yourself at any point of time, push your body to the limits you can handle.

And do you want to know what Nemit & Nani do back at home while I sweat it out at the sports complex? Scroll down…

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Happiness is…….doing nothing still having so much fun!

I am gearing up for next week’s workout session, hoping to see some weight loss in the 3rd week of September Challenge.

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The post Hectic workout sessions – September Challenge appeared first on Growing With Nemit.