I was in my 50s when I joined TFL in 2014 with the intention of losing weight, becoming strong, agile and more flexible. Little did I know how much it would become an integral, inseparable cog of my life; how it would change my life.
Fitness means different things to different people. For me it means being able to keep up with a younger crowd when on a tour, walk long distances, see my toes and polish them effortlessly, lift and move pots around in my garden, correct an almost congenital slouch – some of the many things that we all take for granted and do without much thought. I could go on and on about the numerous physical changes that exercising with TFL has wrought, of the number of compliments that have come my way, of how energetic I have become. More importantly, it is about how it has made me feel about myself and my body. I have come to love my body and marvel at its adaptability, its ability to rise to every challenge whether it is trying out 6kg weights or a HIIT class.
Of course, a fit body without a fit mind is self-defeating. Dr. Sheela Nambiar’s workshops on positive psychology and frequent counseling sessions have helped to give my mind the required workout. Meditation, self-awareness, mindfulness and management of one’s thought processes are certain strategies that I have learned to use to not only cope with the stresses of daily life but also to enrich it.
No words are adequate enough to express my thanks to Dr. Nambiar who initiated my journey of self-discovery and has motivated me to remain on this path even when the going got tough.
– Jalaja Pillai
Training For Life 