Now think about your own life. Were your parents physically active? Was that the image you had while growing up? Were they not really into fitness? How did their fitness affect you? Do you think you are as active as them, given the modern lifestyle differences? What kind of a role model do you want to be for your children? Movement comes naturally to each one of us and exercising can be an excellent way of spending time with your kids. By exercising, you can not only set a good example for your children but also work on your own fitness.

Stress

Many people undervalue the stress that comes while running a household and taking care of children. Honestly, most of us take it for granted. We think that women, who stay at home and take care of the household, don’t really do anything important or substantial. Actually a person who is in that situation feels stuck with never ending tasks. Cleaning, shopping, cooking, taking care of family, managing children’s schedules, coordinating and dealing with kids and their little fights, and handling staff isn’t as easy as it sounds.

In spite of being completely devoted and committed to your family, managing the household can be quite chaotic and tiresome. There are no breaks, no set working hours, and your life seems to revolve around everybody else’s. The key is to take time out from your daily routine and set time for yourself. This can be like your very own oasis, where you retreat to recharge yourself. This ‘me time’ can be utilised by doing anything that you find appealing. Just be sure to stick with whatever you choose to do. Your ‘me time’ should have the same priority as everything else you do for people around you. Even if you have to spend some time in reworking your schedule, the ‘me time’ should be spent exclusively on yourself and everyone else should respect and appreciate it.

Whenever possible, try meditation in order to create a balanced system and to soothe your mind. Taking out time for yourself will help you cope with everything in a better way. It will take away the feeling that life is passing by without you doing anything for yourself. On the other hand, by spending time in doing something that you enjoy will take away the feeling of being stuck. You will find yourself going through daily duties with much more ease and joy and the benefits will also be far-reaching.

Tree in the wind

Imagine yourself as a big tree with branches that reach out to the sky and wind that makes the leaves and branches sway to and fro. As the wind gets stronger, the branches teeter-totter and the tree bends down. After sometime, the wind starts blowing from the other direction making the tree branches move accordingly. You can also make wind-like blowing sounds while doing this fun exercise.

Growing tree stretch

Imagine yourself as a little seed, buried in the ground. Curl your body, squat, or lie down on one side. When it rains, the little seed starts sprouting and moves up to reach the surface of the ground. Get on to your knees and slowly move up your arms. Once the little sprout reaches the ground, it starts growing bigger and stronger; trying to reach towards the sun. It grows till it becomes a big, beautiful tree with its branches stretched out. Now this tree is so beautiful that you want to give it a big hug. So give that tree a hug and then go back to a being a little seed again. Repeat three times.

Hopping

Play a game with your kids. Ask them to name all the animals that hop. You can help them by giving clues like making sounds and mimicking those animals. This category will have animals like frogs-small, green ones hopping from one lotus leaf to another. Then there would be rabbits that are a little bigger, with long ears, little puffy tails, and a beautiful soft coat. Place your hands on your head and hop around. Ask your children to do the same. Then jumps in a big kangaroo; with a pouch where the mother keeps her babies. You can wrap dupattas around your waists, place a doll inside, and then hop around like kangaroos. Many birds like sparrows also hop. Flap your wings and hop like a little sparrow. I am sure you can find many more examples of animals that hop. Let your imagination take you on a fun-filled journey with your kids!

Walking

Mimic the way animals walk. You can mimic a cat, tiger, dog, monkey, horse, elephant, penguin, or any other animal that comes to your mind. If you are mimicking cats or dogs, stretch like them, wag your hip area, and then walk on all fours. Monkey walk is the most challenging exercise, though kids love it. You need to bend your knees and place your palms comfortably on the floor. Your weight should remain on the legs and arms should be used only for extra support. The distance between your hips and the ground should not be too much and your legs should be relaxed. If not, your monkey walk would turn into elephant walk! Now imagine yourself as a monkey and start chattering like one. If you have problems in your neck or shoulder area, do this exercise without placing your arms on the floor. Your way of walking would then resemble that of a chimpanzee’s rather than a monkey’s.

Flamingo Balance

There are many flamingos which are standing still, balanced on one leg. When they get tired they change legs and stand on the other leg. Perform the same exercise with your kids and change legs when you are tired.

Nature and animal kingdom

You can try many ways to involve your children while exercising. Begin by mimicking everything your kids do while playing and running around. You’ll’ probably find this quite challenging since children have abundant energy. Keeping up with them will help you keep in shape. You can also get creative and integrate exercises into their playing time. You can take inspiration from nature and the animal kingdom to create an exciting exercising routine. It will not only be fun but will also help you build a good rapport with your kids. Moreover, these exercises will take care of your, as well as your child’s overall fitness.

You may also like: Yoga for kids

Excerpted with permission from Work It Out Without a Work Out by Vesna P Jacob, Random House India.

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1. Walking to explore

Remember to include your most comfortable walking shoes when packing for a holiday. Walking can be the best way to stay active on a vacation. Even before you start your adventure, stroll up and down the airline terminal. Why sit and wait for your flight? You will be doing plenty of that once you’re on the plane.

Walking is perhaps the best way to experience local life of the place you are visiting. Look out for restaurants that are close to your hotel and enjoy a cool evening walk towards your dinner destination. Strap on your shoe laces and go hiking. Forget gaining wait, you may return home having lost a few kilos.

2. The elevator is not your friend

Elevators take both you and your weight up. Unless you have a severe knee problem or are suffering from arthritis, avoid using the elevator. Whether it’s in your own hotel or a museum you are visiting, climb the stairs.

3. Pack healthy snacks

When packing food for a holiday, we tend to choose foods that are easy to carry and have a longer shelf life. But don’t forget to consider their health quotient too. Carry whole grain crackers, dry fruits, energy bars and laddoos made out of dates and dry fruits. Carrying these healthy snacks diminishes your likelihood of binging on packaged junk food while travelling. Once you reach your destination, visit the local grocery and stack your bag with fruits and healthy local snacks. Eat more natural foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts; avoid or at least minimise your consumption of processed foods. Also check whether the hotel kitchen caters to requests like low-oil meals and green juices for breakfast.

4. Does your hotel have a gym?

If you are planning to stay at one location for a long time, make sure they have an in-house gym or a fitness centre nearby. If your hotel offers yoga or meditation classes, book a few sessions for yourself. It’s a beautiful experience to practise yoga on a holiday—it keeps you energetic and upbeat throughout the day.

5. Be consistent

“Doing something is a whole lot better than doing nothing at all,” says athlete Scott Danberg. Let this be your motto while vacationing. If you regularly workout at the gym, go for a run or do suryanamaskars, continue the practice. If you usually eat light for breakfast, don’t stuff yourself just because the breakfast is complimentary. Decide to have just one treat everyday and not let yourself loose at every meal. Another good rule is to avoid eating two heavy meals in a row. If one meal is heavy, keep the next one very light.

6. Stay hydrated

You probably already know that alcohol adds a lot of calories. But it’s vacation time and you want to drink. All right, but balance it out by avoiding the extra calories in colas, coffees or fruits juices with sugar. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Also, don’t order sodas or liquor to go with every meal. Moderation is the key.

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Most of us aced the wheels when we were kids. So it’s just tapping into our long-term memory. However, if you are a first timer, there’s nothing to worry—learning to cycle is no rocket science.

Why should you cycle to work?

• Improves your health
• A step [pedal] closer to a greener, cleaner Earth
• Keeps your money in your pocket
• Saves you the agony of traffic
• Old and young, everyone can ride one.

A few tips for making cycling your mode of commute

• Buy a bike which has a basket or a rear rack
• Keep your bike clean, always
• Get the tires, the chain etc. checked regularly
• Always ride in comfortable and bike appropriate clothes and footwear
• Carry a small bag with a change of clothes. And roll your clothes instead of folding them, this will prevent them from creasing. You can keep some essentials such as a hand towel, wet wipes and a face wash in your office drawer itself so you don’t have to carry them everyday.
• Look for a place nearby if you can’t change at your office
• Wear a helmet at all times
• Work out a proper route prior
• Strategise your clean up time beforehand
• Your cycle should have lights and reflectors if you are riding during the evening
• Keep yourself hydrated with a carry-on bottle.

Bring on the excuses

“I can’t reach work looking like I’ve been hit by a hurricane”

Nice one! But you can always freshen up and change your clothes after reaching office. Besides, think about how many people you’ll be inspiring and what a trendsetter you’ll become—the improvement in your health quotient is an added bonus. The changing and freshening up won’t take you more than 10 minutes. You will have to reach office a little earlier than usual—a small price to pay for so many benefits.

“Isn’t cycling in rush hours risky?”

Yes. However, it is possible to get around traffic. Using a cycle allows you to drive through shortcuts, which are not available to cars and heavy vehicles. If you can’t miss the traffic zones, you can go slow and even get off and walk along side your cycle for the first few times, until you gain the confidence. With time, your fears will subside and you will breeze through the traffic.

“My office is far! It will take me a lot of time!”

If you feel your office is too far, then find a way to carry your cycle in the car. Park your car 15 – 20 cycling minutes away from work and switch to your cycle after that. If you feel your car is small and your bike won’t fit in, you can get a bike holder fixed behind your car to carry your bike on it.

“What if it starts raining?”

It’s the 21st century. You can carry a water proof bag, which has all your work clothes; you can wear raincoats and windcheaters. Make sure your bike is suitable for slippery roads during the rains. Of course, on days when it pours heavily, you can skip your cycle ride.

“I think I am too old to ride a cycle. What if other people make fun of me?”

If you don’t cycle due to fear of ridicule, think again. Cycling does not have an age limit. In fact, cycling allows you to bond with people of various age groups.

“There are no cyclists in my locality.”

Then take the initiative of being the first one. “You must be the change you want to see in the world,” said Mahatma Gandhi. Take the plunge, inspire others and see how many will follow your lead.

Let your new resolution be “Cycling everyday, helps me in different ways.” Whoever said you have to wait till the New Year to make a positive change? You can start now.

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Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against fat people… as long as I don’t have to share a seat with them. They are usually a jolly good species and can devour buckets full of fried chicken minus the guilt pangs. An extra inch or two blends in harmoniously with their wide girth. The truth is, I secretly envy them. It’s me I have a problem with. You see, I was born with a manufacturing defect. I have wrists so thin that bangles slide down my arms like an avalanche in a hurry. Europe doesn’t make shoes my size. My dainty frame allows me no concession for extra kilos. And, to make it worse, that stupid gulab jamun I sometimes succumb to makes its way to my cheeks!

Imagine your embarrassment when a more than well-endowed aunt of yours sizes you up and says, “Aahh, P has become fat!” Secretly you are sputtering with rage and dying to bellow, “How dare you call me fat! When was the last time you checked yourself in the mirror, you stupid Cow!” With your appetite buried deep underground, you barely touch anything at the party, while your dear aunt’s face is strategically hidden behind the mountain of Biryani she’s gobbling.

I wrote these lines to justify my passionate love affair with fitness: Why my life seems incomplete if I don’t get to run on the treadmill; why everything seems pointless if I don’t raise my toes to the ceiling; why I think I might die if I miss even one day of my fitness regime. I have tumbled down the stairs and still gone for my morning walk. A bleeding knee, an aching back, a neck that scarcely moves—nothing discourages me from huffing and puffing.

My family insists that even if our house is on fire I will rush to the gym murmuring, “Darlings I will be back in 45, I’m sure you can manage till then!”

A bleeding knee, an aching back, a neck that scarcely moves—nothing discourages me from huffing and puffing

I wasn’t always a fitness fiend

Twenty years back, had someone gazed at the crystal ball and predicted that I will be a fitness fiend, I would have laughed at her face. Physical exercise and I could never see eye to eye. In school I made sure I bunked all my physical education classes. I played badminton just to shut my sports freak dad up. I was more into activities that did not disturb the rhythm of my assorted body parts—reading, music, yakking with friends. My brother would take care of my cardio. All I had to do was crack a joke at his expense and he would make me run all around the house. My mum’s eardrums would reverberate with my loud shrieks.

That girl who could demolish a box of chocolates in one sitting, the woman who had to have ice cream everyday during her pregnancy, is a stranger to me now.

Do I curse myself for favouring a healthier lifestyle? Not really, in fact I am quite proud of it. And it’s not as if I munch on carrots and seeds all through day and barf at the sight of ice creams. I still can’t live without my daily dark chocolate fix and binge on weekends.

Twenty years back, had someone gazed at the crystal ball and predicted that I will be a fitness fiend, I would have laughed at her face

I’m OK, you’re OK

What irks me is, when your close ones, who are well aware of your aversion to oil drenched delicacies, will still insist on plying you with it. Myths are woven around your so-called diet and you are projected as a fat-hating ninja. Dear God, now that you’ve had a pastry, will you be running for an hour on the treadmill! You smile even as you are trying to shove that sickeningly sweet cream in your mouth. Be damned if you do, be damned if you don’t.

And what I don’t understand is why certain people project their cholesterol loving and exercise shirking ways as an act of bravado. I am glad you can devour half a dozen bhature with chole for breakfast and still be alive and kicking. It’s great that exercise bores you and your idea of cardio is walking to the fridge to get yourself a beer. But don’t tch tch when I tell you I prefer yoghurt with fruits for breakfast and sigh in sympathy at my yoga-loving ways. I am old enough to decide what’s right for me and don’t need your unsolicited advice.

I fail to understand why most of us are so eager to project ourselves as the coolest and insist our way is the right way. Should your self-esteem always be at the cost of someone else’s sense of self-worth?

Yes, I suffer from guilt pangs when I reach out for another slice of brownie. I can’t remember the last time I had a samosa but I don’t miss it. But at least I don’t crib about my extra kilos as I tuck in yet another helping of aloo kachori. And don’t you worry, I will be the last one to call you fat. I don’t have the need to make you look bad to feel good about myself.

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Were you always on the heavier side or did you gain weight during your show Highway On My Plate?

Rocky: I was a national level hockey and football player and I boxed as a boy. So, being healthy and fit was a part of life for me. But you could say that I gained some kilos during the show.

Mayur: We grew up very active, and back then fitness was a way of life instead of the buzzword that it is today. The air was clean, the food and water was uncontaminated and exercise involved playing out in the open at least four hours a day. I was 78kg when we started HOMP in 2007. At my peak during HOMP I was a 104kg. So yes, I suspect it’s an occupational hazard. [winks]

Tell us about your new show Get Fit

Rocky: The show takes the two of us, a bit overfed, and puts us to work. We realised, “If we could do it then anyone could do it.” Apollo hospitals was working on a great public initiative for people to take better care of themselves. So we joined hands with them to show people how we do it. The show puts us through the paces and makes people realise that fitness is a good thing. Hopefully our journey will inspire people to start their own. Each person’s journey to health is unique and here’s hoping that people find the fitness route that’s best for them in order to get fit. Physically, I felt we were slowing down. When energy levels dip in our line of work, it’s usually the end of the line. So to make sure the free food kept coming our way for longer it was important to get into a better shape—and it is helping like you would not believe.

Mayur: Get Fit is correct. It’s not just “get thin” and it’s not about binge diets and random spurts of activity. It’s about a gradual and sustainable change in lifestyle. Pruning the excess six laddoos one at a time. [laughs]

Why we’re doing it? Do the math… get fit, live longer and eat more. Five years of life extended is equal to at least 1500 meals more and if even five per cent of that is a binge then that’s 75 extra opportunities to eat jalebis. [smiles]

Can healthy food actually be tasty too, what’s been your experience so far?

Rocky: There’s a whole world of healthier options out there. Fresh produce, seasonal vegetables, millet, ragi, bajra, dals… they are all so healthy and tasty. It’s not about how much food we are eating, it’s about what kind of food. Toss up a good salad with some delicious masala vinaigrette home made dressing, grab a whole wheat toast and a glass of skimmed soy milk and join us in getting healthier and fitter.

Mayur: Yes! Fresh fruit smoothies, yoghurt based dips, multigrain bread with nuts and seeds, almonds, walnuts, organic dark chocolate… what’s not to love? Almost everything you love to eat can be had in a healthier avatar. If it can’t, then I feel there’s no harm in eating those once in a while.

When it comes to losing weight and getting fit, what’s your mantra?

Rocky: I was 42 kilos over my ideal weight. So I’m hoping this journey will start me off to my ideal weight. With so much weight, the first step for me was to lose the extra kilos and I achieved it by eating healthier. Not eating less, not dieting, but just eating healthier. Now I’ve started exercising slowly, with consultation from a doctor [and make sure you do that too when you’re starting] but initially it was only healthier eating. The journey continues and now I’m in a ‘more exercise’ phase so it’s great fun. My mantra is simple… whether you’re partying or during festivals, no matter where or when, eat healthy.

Mayur: My mantra is eat small, eat often, do 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily, drink lots of water through the day and get more sleep.

What is the ultimate comfort food for Rocky and Mayur when back home?

Rocky: Spicy chicken curry, spicy bhindi, red chilli pickle, sliced onion with lime and chilly powder and a seven grain mixed roti. It has been my favourite since I was five years old. And my grandmother taught us all how to make it… it’s the best.

Mayur: Dal, roti, palak paneer with sliced onions, mint chutney and raita. Mmmm yeah!

Any fitness idols you have?

Rocky: Milkha Singh. The rock version of the song Bhag Milkha Bhag does it for me.

Mayur: My cousin Milan. He treks 30 odd days a year, cycles an average 50 km/day and plays squash twice a week. He’s not a professional athlete but at the age of 46 his resting pulse rate is in the low 60s. He also meditates everyday. Above all, he can actually touch his toes without bending his knees.

To lose weight, how much of it is about counting calories or following a dietician’s advice and how much is about instinctive eating?

Rocky: When you go to a dietician and find out what’s best for you [and YES, it’s VERY different for everybody], it’s hard for about two weeks. By the third week you start making better choices and putting your imagination to work and then it’s a lot of fun. Binge eating of unhealthy food is allowed too. I eat a mad meal once a week and then for the rest of the week it’s sensible, healthy, fun and varied eating.

Mayur: Much of it is about being sensible and listening to your own body. There are some golden rules and even those are best modified to your lifestyle, occupation, calendar and abilities. This is important as it will help you stay the course. If the calories go up then exercise a bit more.

Apart from your own book, which cook book and travel book do you recommend?

Rocky: I love books on local food from all over the world. Wherever I am, I always try and connect with a local chef. I was in Goa when I met a chef. She was a brilliant home cook, just a Goan housewife who had just started cooking one day and then gone on to become a brilliant chef. On her 60^th birthday [I think it was her 60^th] her family made a little book of her recipes which they photocopied for her friends and family. I am the proud owner of one of those homemade books. So if you love food, you will find the best for yourself. I recommend you look every time you have a chance. AND you make the chance.

Mayur: I love Bill Bryson’s books on travel. I’ll start consuming literature on food once they make edible books.

Indian cuisine is said to be one of the healthiest in the globe. Would you also vouch for that? What other cuisines are healthy?

Rocky: Yes, traditional Indian food is possibly the healthiest in the world. Fresh local produce [unfrozen] and a bunch of spices [medicinal]. A variety of items in a meal with at least one vegetable and a lentil and there’s your proof. We eat a wonderfully healthy diet across our nation and this we’ve done in every state in India since time immemorial.

Thai cuisine is another very healthy cuisine and one of my favourites just for the tastes of their food. The health aspect has only now become important to me.

Mayur: Indian food prepared right is very healthy especially as the herbs and spices we commonly use are a fount of medicinal and healing properties. Turmeric, tulsi, cinnamon, pepper, cloves are just a few examples of ingredients with phenomenal health benefits.

South East Asian cuisines with their limited use of oil and dairy are healthy in general.

Being a foodie is often used as an excuse for being unfit. You hope to change that perception?

Rocky: That’s the attempt. You and everyone reading this would know that we will NEVER stop eating the food we love. The food of India. Between us we eat everything and we are definitely “foodies” though I prefer being called the “hungries”. So that’s important and the way we can do that for many more years is by getting to a healthier place with our bodies and then enjoy things even more, without guilt.

Mayur: Being a “foodie” in my book means that the love for food is central to your existence. Giant portions of fat laden, deep fried food or food rich in preservatives and refined sugar have nothing to do with it. So stop making excuses! First step to changing anything is wanting to change. Second step is persevering and third step is celebrating each small success [though not necessarily with halwa!]

Tell us your most cherished moment from the show Jai Hind

Rocky: It was when we were shooting with the 42 Medium Regiment. A soldier, out on exercises in the desert, sang a song; it was his friend’s favourite song and he had lost his friend in action. The song was about a soldier who knew he was going to his certain death but did his duty by following orders and going still. It tells of the message he leaves behind for his comrades, his wife, his family and his nation. There was not a single dry eye in the compound when he sang this song by lamplight. The tears streamed down my face and I will never forget that emotion as long as I live.

Mayur: Seeing the surprise on the faces of the soldiers at the Commando Training School when we completed some radical elements of their obstacle course. They thought we’d never be able to manage it. Determination counts for a lot! Even when you are changing lifestyles.

You can watch Get Fit with Rocky and Mayur on NDTV Good Times every Sunday at 9:30pm. Follow their Facebook page.

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