Toning For Fitness

So now I am completely on the roadmap of making myself fit through a psychology called Jeet Kune Do (JKD)

It all started on April 01^st 2009 which was the first day of my JKD training. Before that, I was dumb & lame, fitness wise. Ever since I left my school, I hardly did any exercise. College days passed by…and when I came here to Gurgaon for work, I could not realize how time moved and I gradually became fat, just like an air balloon. Especially when I went to Germany and US, I had to survive on all the fatty foods that those people eat. Since I never burnt them through physical workout, it just got added to my body and disfigured me completely. Even though I was back to my country, my belly continued to grow. So I jokingly started referring to my belly as – Daulat, jitna badhe utna achha. He he he…how silly was I…actually, it was nothing but an excuse to support my lethargic attitude towards fitness.

Just check out my belly in the photograph below, which were clicked on 21^st and 22^nd February 2009 respectively.

Finally on March 31, 2009, after listening to an ISB Hyderabad lecture on Youtube, I decided to move towards my true north (see one of my blog below). Subsequently, I started chasing my childhood passion for Martial Arts, especially JKD. Since April 01^st 2009, I started my JKD training with many problems. Due to my body full of fats, I realized that I will not be able to execute technical aspects of JKD realistically. And believe me, for the first two weeks, I was highly frustrated as my body used to pain a lot and I used to sleep more and more due to exertion. Those days I was preparing for my exam and so exertion was becoming a hindrance for my studies. So I took a break of about ten days to concentrate on my studies. And after my exams, I re-started my training with full rigor.

During my interaction with Shailly in my office, I learnt her technique of reducing fats. She revealed that she used to follow a diet pattern along with some gymnasium exercises and reduced about 10 Kgs in 2 months. It was then when I realized that even our juniors can motivate us by their deeds. I spent countless number of hours on Youtube and Internet to check out how to loose fats. I learnt that even celebrities like Sonam Kapoor and Adnan Sami were overweight and lost 30 Kgs and 100 Kgs respectively. Hooooooooo…quite shameful for me…isn’t it?

I weighted myself on 4^th April, 2009 to learn that I was of 68 Kgs. I calculated my Body Mass Index (BMI) which placed me in a category called – overweight. Subsequently, I was awakened…and then started a mental & physical journey towards toning myself for a human like body. Since that day, I used to follow the below mentioned diet plan…

After training – a full plate of Papaya along with sprouts including peas, almonds & pulses and cabbage soup flavored with boiled tomatoes, spinach and black pepper.

Noon – 2 chapattis with some cooked vegetables & dal

Night - 2 chapattis with some cooked vegetables

6 glasses of fresh Mixed Fruit juice (sweet lime, pineapple, Pomegranate) along with 1 glass of Mango Juice during the entire day.

I gave up rice completely. Many a times, I used to feel like eating more…kyaa kare? Mom cooks very delicious food…but then, sticking to our diet plan is more of a mental attitude. I considered myself in a testing time and continued with my diet plan strictly.

My exercise regime is very exhaustive. Right from crunches to push ups, from stretching to breathing, the entire warm up exerts me a lot. And the technical aspects of JKD including punches, carats, blocks, kicks along with few parkour techniques are enough to burn those extra fats in my body. Moreover, during my childhood days, my Sensai Virendra Lautkar taught dynamic tension – an art through which one can create physical tension in our own body which burns those extra fats and makes our body rock solid. So I started practicing dynamic tension at home itself.

In just 40 days, I can feel the difference. I have lost 3 Kgs since then. Today, I am more energetic than I used to be earlier. Though after my training, I feel like sleeping more and more…due to exertion, but when I wake up, I feel completely energized for the entire day. I can feel the strength within myself. Even my team members in my office have started complementing me for reducing the curvature of my belly. My friends tell me that I am growing slimmer day by day. My Mom tells me that I am looking younger than what I used to look 2 months ago. Yesterday my Sensai Gunjan Sharma told me that I have been progressing well in terms of reducing fats.

I don't aspire heavy muscles like Arnold or Sylvester...but I do posses a desire to make myself light, toned and rock solid with all those cuts and curves visible on my body. Bruce Lee is still a God to me...And JKD is a path to find God within...It's just the beginning...I have to dwel myself deep into the JKD psycology with timely introspection & analysis through meditation, so as to make myself a true martial.

Fitness is a lifelong journey which I never intend to stop…I have learnt my lesson - Working is good as it leads us to good life. But Workout should not be ignored, as it leads us to a healthy life.