Lighter space-crafts are easier to launch into the heavens, it's simpler to travel light than with all your figurative and literal baggage, and – oh, I love this one – light, little hatchbacks are way easier to drive around in than big, long sedans and annoyingly popular SUVs. Even better if they have a nice, feisty motor between their front wheels.
Inspired by this whole 'lighter is better' scheme of things, a lot of us embark upon an arduous, perilous, and oftentimes pointless journey called weight-loss. Yep, I said it. The whole rant about losing weight, the slim waistline and having a super-proportionate body, yada, yada, yada is crap. In fact, a lot of it is just a gimmick to allow big conglomerates to eat into your savings. Ever seen that ghastly ad where they try to sell you the ab machine that gives you a toned six-pack in 3 months? What about that fat-loss pill ad, where they show this chubby chap transformed into a ripped Greek god? Greek god, because all of it is properly, and positively Greek.
But, none of it is their fault. We're fed the sort of hogwash we see because of a few reasons.
Number one.... We. Watch. TV.
Number two.... It's time for someone to make an application that allows us to watch Youtube videos without the ordeal of braving unskippable (and painful) ads. I hope someone's already made it. That's not just for fat-loss videos, it's just a general plea from all the horribly pissed Youtubers I suppose.
Number three.... We need to understand that weight loss does not equal fitness. I know, it's common sense, but no one is going to tell you that. You don't need to lose weight to be fitter. Yes, if you feel like you want to shed a few kilos, do that by all means. But do that because you want to do it, and not because you saw some ripped human who eats half a garlic clove for breakfast.
Another misconception. We need to lose fat. Wrong! Dead wrong. Why, you ask? Fat-loss is a consequence, not the result, for fuck's sake. The more you develop your musculature, the more you'll lose fat. The reason, too, is pretty straightforward. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body needs to maintain them. And your fatty parts become a ready source of energy for your muscley bits to gorge on. So please, do not pound your knees on that fugly treadmill, thinking you'll lose the love-handles for good. Pick up the dumbbells. Actually, you don't need a Rs 25k gymnasium membership, or dumbbells for that matter to put on muscle.
Is your office on the fifth floor? Ditch the lift, use the stairs instead. Can't climb all the way? Climb till where you can, then use the lift, maybe. However, I strongly recommend that you climb all the way and do the "Gonna fly now" dance from the movie Rocky.
Have a little free time in the evening? Get a jump-rope and do a set of 50 skips. Fifty feels easy? Bump it up to 100, then do 2-3 sets. If you're motivated enough, aim for 1000 skips in a set. The least I can say is that you feel like a superhuman when you cross 1000 and have more left in the tank. Not only is skipping quicker, more intense and more fun than the treadmill, it strengthens and sculpts your legs and shoulders.
Ah, for those who say "Skipping gives you bad knees", a word of caution. You are partly right because jumping rope is a bit taxing on your joints (even sitting on your favourite chair for long is taxing on your backbone!). But, there's a way around it. Use, a soft surface (garden grass, or a rubber mat; wear shoes when working out), stay on the balls of your feet, and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
There's easier stuff you can do too. I, like most people, rely heavily on pushups. lunges and squats when I can't do my usual routine; nothing like it if I can find a monkey-bar or a high ledge for pull-ups. No equipment, no fuss; all you need is your own bodyweight. To top it off, the heavier you are, the better it is in this case; more weight = more resistance = more strength and health gains. Simple.
Plus, you don't need to go ballistic to get results. So 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions each. For starters, 10 pushups and 20 squats should be easy-peasy. Build your endurance from thereon. It will be a matter of a month before you start seeing results if you're at it 4-5 times a week.
If you get bored, there are a gazillion variations of the push-up, pull-up, squat, and the lunge; the advanced kind can, and absolutely will, whoop your arse. But meh, it's all worth the health benefits you gain in the process. Mind you, you still haven't shelled a dime.
Food can save your soul too. Chuck the chips, cold-drink and biscuits, and your body will thank you. Sadly, there's no one-fits-all diet plan, from what I understand. Some of us lucky ones can gorge on ice cream and stay svelte, while others just can't. Either way, we intrinsically know what's healthy and what's not. Stick to what your gut says, and we'll all be fine.
You know what's most endearing? It's to see someone happy in their own skin. Skinny, fatty, plump, ripped, six-pack, four-pack, family-pack, cornetto, cup, who gives a flying fuck? Look at the person in the mirror. Admire the curves if you have them. And by the way, who the fuck gave you the right to be so gorgeous 24x7, eh?
Peace!
Inspired by this whole 'lighter is better' scheme of things, a lot of us embark upon an arduous, perilous, and oftentimes pointless journey called weight-loss. Yep, I said it. The whole rant about losing weight, the slim waistline and having a super-proportionate body, yada, yada, yada is crap. In fact, a lot of it is just a gimmick to allow big conglomerates to eat into your savings. Ever seen that ghastly ad where they try to sell you the ab machine that gives you a toned six-pack in 3 months? What about that fat-loss pill ad, where they show this chubby chap transformed into a ripped Greek god? Greek god, because all of it is properly, and positively Greek.
But, none of it is their fault. We're fed the sort of hogwash we see because of a few reasons.
Number one.... We. Watch. TV.
Number two.... It's time for someone to make an application that allows us to watch Youtube videos without the ordeal of braving unskippable (and painful) ads. I hope someone's already made it. That's not just for fat-loss videos, it's just a general plea from all the horribly pissed Youtubers I suppose.
Number three.... We need to understand that weight loss does not equal fitness. I know, it's common sense, but no one is going to tell you that. You don't need to lose weight to be fitter. Yes, if you feel like you want to shed a few kilos, do that by all means. But do that because you want to do it, and not because you saw some ripped human who eats half a garlic clove for breakfast.
Another misconception. We need to lose fat. Wrong! Dead wrong. Why, you ask? Fat-loss is a consequence, not the result, for fuck's sake. The more you develop your musculature, the more you'll lose fat. The reason, too, is pretty straightforward. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body needs to maintain them. And your fatty parts become a ready source of energy for your muscley bits to gorge on. So please, do not pound your knees on that fugly treadmill, thinking you'll lose the love-handles for good. Pick up the dumbbells. Actually, you don't need a Rs 25k gymnasium membership, or dumbbells for that matter to put on muscle.
Is your office on the fifth floor? Ditch the lift, use the stairs instead. Can't climb all the way? Climb till where you can, then use the lift, maybe. However, I strongly recommend that you climb all the way and do the "Gonna fly now" dance from the movie Rocky.
Have a little free time in the evening? Get a jump-rope and do a set of 50 skips. Fifty feels easy? Bump it up to 100, then do 2-3 sets. If you're motivated enough, aim for 1000 skips in a set. The least I can say is that you feel like a superhuman when you cross 1000 and have more left in the tank. Not only is skipping quicker, more intense and more fun than the treadmill, it strengthens and sculpts your legs and shoulders.
Ah, for those who say "Skipping gives you bad knees", a word of caution. You are partly right because jumping rope is a bit taxing on your joints (even sitting on your favourite chair for long is taxing on your backbone!). But, there's a way around it. Use, a soft surface (garden grass, or a rubber mat; wear shoes when working out), stay on the balls of your feet, and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
There's easier stuff you can do too. I, like most people, rely heavily on pushups. lunges and squats when I can't do my usual routine; nothing like it if I can find a monkey-bar or a high ledge for pull-ups. No equipment, no fuss; all you need is your own bodyweight. To top it off, the heavier you are, the better it is in this case; more weight = more resistance = more strength and health gains. Simple.
Plus, you don't need to go ballistic to get results. So 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions each. For starters, 10 pushups and 20 squats should be easy-peasy. Build your endurance from thereon. It will be a matter of a month before you start seeing results if you're at it 4-5 times a week.
If you get bored, there are a gazillion variations of the push-up, pull-up, squat, and the lunge; the advanced kind can, and absolutely will, whoop your arse. But meh, it's all worth the health benefits you gain in the process. Mind you, you still haven't shelled a dime.
Food can save your soul too. Chuck the chips, cold-drink and biscuits, and your body will thank you. Sadly, there's no one-fits-all diet plan, from what I understand. Some of us lucky ones can gorge on ice cream and stay svelte, while others just can't. Either way, we intrinsically know what's healthy and what's not. Stick to what your gut says, and we'll all be fine.
You know what's most endearing? It's to see someone happy in their own skin. Skinny, fatty, plump, ripped, six-pack, four-pack, family-pack, cornetto, cup, who gives a flying fuck? Look at the person in the mirror. Admire the curves if you have them. And by the way, who the fuck gave you the right to be so gorgeous 24x7, eh?
Peace!
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