Climb Your Way To Fitness

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression "use it or lose it". And when it comes to exercise, this expression holds true. If you don't use your body, you are sure to lose it. Your muscles will become slack and fragile. Your heart and lungs won't function efficiently and your joints will become stiff and prone to injuries. Did you know that inactivity is as much of a health risk as smoking!

If you are looking for a simple work out that is convenient and provides aerobic conditioning, strength and endurance, stair climbing could be the right choice. It works well if you find it difficult to hit the gym or regularly attend aerobic sessions.

Walking up and down the stairs has not only proved to be a complete work out in itself but also perks up the cardiovascular health of the person.

But there are certain points that you must keep in mind before you make it a part of your fitness regimen. One, it is very important to maintain the right posture while climbing stairs. Slumping or bending forward may injure your lower back. Two, keep your foot firmly on the step, look straight and keep your back straight. Three, stair climbing should be done only three or four days in a week so that the muscles are not overexerted. You can do some running or cycling on other days. Last but not the least is safety.

Climbing down the stairs is more strenuous as compared to upward movement as you have to hold your feet back. So, go easy, at least for a first few days and ensure that the area is well-lit.

Let me share with you the many benefits of stair climbing;

It is a great way of losing body fat and toning up thigh muscles. It firms up legs, stomach and butt.

It is highly time efficient. Stair climbing takes just half the time of what other aerobic activities take to burn up a given number of calories.

This activity can be combined with running, swimming, and cycling for best results.

You don’t require any expensive or specific equipment and can therefore be carried out at any time of the day.

Studies have proved that stair climbing improves bone density and if it is incorporated in your daily exercise regimen, good cholesterol levels rise in the body.

A word of caution; those suffering from hypertension should avoid this activity because it has been confirmed that blood pressure rises during stair climbing exercises. People with certain cardiovascular disorders or orthopedic problems should also consult their doctor before taking up this vigorous exercise.

Put this to the test right away and make stair climbing a regular physical activity. To make it more interesting, you can even play some music while going up and getting down the stairs.

Every Day is A New Day

Ever wondered how sometimes life changes radically without experiencing something new, impressive, or special? Well, I can guarantee that as it has for me, it must have for you as well.

I’ll share some of my experiences that I believe have been the “moments of truth” at different stages in my life so far.

Here goes the first one. It would not be wrong to say that I was an average student all through my academic years. Since I studied because I had to study, I never felt motivated enough to “study hard” and make it to the top ranks. Things went on like this until I got admitted to a new school that offered one of the new courses that “I” wanted to pursue.

On the very first day, the entire bunch of new students was addressed by our new class teacher. I don’t remember a single word from the 20 minute long speech except for a few words. That day, I wasn’t aware then that these words were about to define my journey to a new life altogether.

Because all of us had come from different schools to study a new stream, almost all of us were new to each other. So this new class teacher of ours, very rightly said “You are all new here and hardly know each other. Take this as an opportunity to let go of the past and start things anew. If there are habits you wish to chuck, or a reputation you desire to change, this is your chance. Nobody knows how good or bad have you been as a person, student, friend, or a classmate. You’ve got the chance to become a new you, create a new impression and live the kind of life you always wanted to, by replacing everything that is undesirable with what is pleasant and satisfying. ”

This idea gelled so well with my psyche that without giving it a second thought, I made it my slogan in life. I went on to make new friends, followed brighter students in my class, discovered my potential and with a good amount of effort, I gradually became a well accepted student with exceptionally good grades and a knack for learning new things.

Even today, when I find myself stuck in a certain lifestyle, unable to move out of a droning situation, I look for an opportunity in life to start once again. It gives me a new perspective to become what I have always wanted to be. It has worked wonders for my self-esteem, confidence, personal and professional growth and you know what, I’m very happy.

Did you notice how many times have I used the word”new” in this write up? Assuming that you did notice it, let me conclude by saying that, in life; always be on a lookout for anything new that happens, no matter how small it may seem; Always and All ways. Good Luck!

Work Upon Striking A Work Life Balance

Rich as it is, the relationship between personal and professional life can be unsteady and to maintain the work life balance is often a complicated issue. The challenges we face in business affect our personal lives and personal challenges affect our businesses.

I work as an independent professional and have therefore realized that the first step to do it is to get a hold on the mood swings and energy shifts if you want be successful as a professional.

Schedule more time for yourself, don't make plans for every weekend, and find effective ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the maximum stress.

Learn to Manage Your Time. Become Organized: For a majority of people, most of the stress they feel comes from being disorganized and putting things off.

Resolve to set more realistic goals and deadlines and then stick to them. You'll find that not only are you less stressed, but more productive and better organized.

Share the Load: Albeit we may sometimes feel that we're the only ones capable of doing every task, it's usually not the case. Get your partner and other family members to help you with all your household chores or family responsibilities.

Remember, taking care of the household, children, and parents should not be the sole responsibility of one person.

Just let go of Things once in a while: It's easier said than done, but learn to let go of things, occasionally. So what if the house is not cleaned one day or that the food is ordered from your favorite restaurant sometimes.

Try and identify the things that don't really impact your life in a big way and allow yourself to set yourself free from them without feeling guilty.

Explore Your Options. If you are feeling weighed down with your responsibilities, please find help if you can afford it. Find a baby sitter for your children, a reliable care taker for aging parents, and domestic help for doing the household chores. This will offer you a much needed break for some time or you may make it a permanent arrangement if you wish.

In most of the cases, you have options. All you need to do is take the time to find them.

Take Charge. Set your Priorities. Most of us allow ourselves to feel besieged rather than taking charge and creating a prioritized list of important or things that need to be done. If you’re also in this league, you need to go against the trend.

Make a list. Manage your priorities well and then take pleasure in striking the things off your list.

Make things simpler. Find a way to simplify your life. It comes naturally to almost all of us to take on too many tasks and responsibilities, and then not finding enough time, resources, and energy to do everything by ourselves.

Try and change your way of life. Learn to say no whenever you can afford to. Get rid of all the chaos and disorder in your mind, your work, house, and your life.

At the end of the day, balance is the key. You need to strike the right balance depending on what works for you and what does not. Celebrate your achievements and learn from your failures.

Life is too short, so don't let things pass you in a blur. Take initiatives to stop and smell the flowers along the way, enjoy small happenings in life, and enjoy being with people you love.

Don't be Weak in Organizing Your Weeks

How does one know at the end of the day if he has had a good day? Most people I know try to remain busy all day, so they don’t feel guilty of not making the most of their time. And when the day is over, they can feel good about the fact that they had a very busy day. It makes them feel really good.

But actually things that are not urgent or are irrelevant do not become important even if you do them well. Managing your time is what is required that just spending time doing trivial things.

One of the best ways to meet this challenge is a concept that I came across while doing some random reading. It recommends dividing your week into three types of days:

Working days: On a working day you do only those activities which bring you money, i.e., attending office, doing professional assignments and tasks. You have to carry out only those activities that bring you money.

Buffer days: On a buffer day all you do is prepare for the working days; paper work and research etc. You know it’s a buffer day and you concentrate only on getting ready for the working days.

Free Days: On a free day, you don’t do any activity related to work. You have the freedom to use those days for relaxation, party, and doing family activities.

It all starts with blocking the days in your calendar at the beginning of every week or month and then stick to it.

You might find a bit odd in the beginning because it will force you to live in a certain way till the time you get accustomed to it. But if you religiously follow it, your life will change for good.

Your next step? Spend 10 minutes and divide your activities into working days and buffer days. Fix one day to remain free and see what happens. Good Luck!