Bhutan

On a recent visit to Bhutan with two dear friends, I was witness to the most amazing architecture and natural beauty. The Tiger’s Nest monastery was particularly stunning. Built in the 17th century on the edge of a precipice, one cannot even fathom how such a feat could have been accomplished! It appears to teeter on the cliff, surrounded by the most staggeringly raw landscape. It is said to have been burnt down completely in 1998 (from one of the ‘butter lamps’ tipping over, no doubt). It was then restored to its original glory.

The climb to the monastery is no easy feat. Although the actual climb is only about 700 meters, it is steep and narrow almost all the way. Having rained the previous night, it was also frighteningly slippery in parts. A fellow tourist cheerfully told us that since we were wearing fluorescent bright jackets, there would be absolutely no problem finding us if we do fall off the edge! Not very reassuring,

The enormous number of beautiful wild dogs on the way up was another amazing sight. They looked like huskies, a little shy but happy to share your breakfast with you.

The dense forest surrounding the monastery comprised of the most incredible trees. On these trees grew beautiful strands of moss that hung down like gossamer curtains creating a surreal appearance.

Breathless much of the way, but exhilarated and awe struck it occurred to me just how many people would not be able to climb to such places solely on account of their lack of fitness. Fitness to many (such as me) is often a means to this very end – to be able to really enjoy life’s recreational activities without feeling uncertain about ones ability to
last out or follow through. No, its not the same thing to see these places on Tv or in photographs. The smells, sights, the travel with friends or family, the food, all make up for the entire experience. It is these experiences that also mould us in ways we don’t often recognise. These very experiences that add a different dimension and richness to
our days.

Getting fit therefore should have other objectives than losing weight. A more holistic approach keeps one motivated to continue to exercise and improve our fitness levels. After a while it stops being just about ‘weight’ and ‘size’, but also about how much we can do while enjoying it. These are little things that make all the difference.

 

Life Begins at 50

Like all women in Indian society, I put my husband and family first and took the back seat where my own wellness was concerned. I got my wake-up call one day in 2013, when I got on to the scales and was completely shocked! I was horrendously overweight, had swollen ankles, and was waddling around like a duck. I realised that I desperately
needed to turn my life around.I had heard about TFL, but… was apprehensive and embarrassed about starting exercise at this ‘late stage’ of my life. I wondered whether it would be possible to lose the weight I had gained. I met with Dr. Sheela Nambiar, got a physical and joined TFL. The first few months were really tough. The pain was excruciating in my back and in my legs. Muscles I had never used had woken up and were protesting! But, I was determined! The other ladies in TFL were also terribly encouraging. Now, after nearly two years, I have become healthier, my aches and pains have almost disappeared and I have lost a lot of weight.

Once we hit 50, we tend to throw in our gloves, wait for menopause and lifestyle diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure to pounce on us. Yes, this could be the case if we don’t exercise and don’t eat appropriately. But….who says that as you get older, life has to be a never-ending cycle of aches and sickness? Why should life stop or decline after 50? We are lucky to have Dr. Sheela as our guide/instructor who, despite her busy schedule, takes a personal interest in each one of us. TFL has built up my confidence, helped me to make new friends, has improved my health and changed my view of life. For me, life began at 50 and I’m going to make the rest of my life the best of my life.

By Rekha Peter

How to Begin Strength Training

This article was first published in The Hindu on March 12, 2018.

Myths debunked, questions answered and doubts cleared, here

Strength, like stamina and flexibility, is one of the primary pillars of fitness. It helps retain and build muscle mass, increase strength and even aid fat loss.

Know the means

There are two ways of increasing strength and muscle mass. You could perform exercises using your own body weight (pushups, squats, lunges), or you could use external weights like dumbbells, barbells or machines. I recommend that a beginner start with using lightweights with dumbbells or machines, and gradually build strength in order to be able to handle their own body weight. Once you build enough strength by using external weights, you could move on to using your own body weight to challenge your muscles further, and proceed to do a combination of own-body-weight exercises and those with external weights. All the exercises need to be learnt from a professional so that risk of injury is minimised. Before starting a strength-training programme, do get a clearance from your physician.

Begin right

A couple of pairs of dumbbells (about 2-4 kg each), a mat, weight training gloves, water and proper (fitted) attire is all that is required. How much weight you lift for each exercise will vary. Typically, the larger muscles of the body like the chest, back, shoulders and glutes will be able to lift a heavier weight than the smaller peripheral muscles like the arms and calves.

Know the terminology

A routine typically consists of a series of exercises addressing different muscles or groups of muscles.

Each exercise is repeated several times (repetitions or reps) until the muscle tires. After a short period of rest, the next set is attempted and the exercise is repeated again until the muscle tires once more. Ideally, for muscle growth, you should not be able to perform more than 6-10 repetitions of the given exercise in one set. This means that after about eight reps, your muscle begins to protest, and by rep 10, it is so fatigued that you cannot push for more reps. Only you can decide what weight to use for each exercise. The weight you use will also differ from exercise to exercise. In time, you need to be able to push yourself gradually to increase the weight you use for each.

Performing each exercise with perfect ‘form’ is important if you want to prevent injury. Each exercise has dos and don’ts. These need to be adhered to meticulously. Understanding and remembering all the instructions for each and every exercise, (such as breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you lift, keep the back flat, keep the core engaged, keep the head lifted, spine aligned and so on), takes time and effort. While the exercise may appear simple, many get injured, especially as weight increases. This is one of the reasons why it is always preferable to have a trainer guide you to correct mistakes during the first few months of your initiation into weight training. Make sure the same muscle is not worked within 48 hours. So for instance, if you perform all the upper body exercises on a Monday, you should rest those body parts and aim to work them again only on a Thursday. You could then perform all the lower body exercises on a Tuesday and a Friday.