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Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts

January 18, 2022

My Fitness Journey 2

This blog is in continuation of my blog "My Fitness Journey which I planned and chiseled on the way"  written mainly during 2019-2020 time period where I followed my diet and kept up with my exercises.

I was happy with what I could achieve until July 2020 and what I could maintain until Feb 2021. But after Feb 2021 I lost track of my weight at my conscience level because I was regularly measuring my weight. I let my other stresses take over me.

In July 2020, I had an injury in my left leg. It is called IT Band syndrome. I got it when I was running for some 10km one day. There was some difficulty and a kind of noise or uncomfortableness around the left side of the left knee. I still wanted to continue my running. But the pain forced me to stop after 1km. After that I could not even walk for 3 days. 

I tried to study about it. Yes, I went to Dr.Google. I self diagnosed it as IT band syndrome. I gave it some rest and was doing some strengthening exercises using massage balls, foam rollers etc. But all those things helped only a little bit. I could only manage walking. Whenever I tried running I can run only for 1 km. 

Once November 2020 hit, Regina's winter (-20 to -50deg celcius) didn't even let me to walk. However, I was running my 1 year old daughter inside the home and I could easily manage achieve 7000 steps per day in my FitBit. This let me maintain weight around 66kg. However, in Feb 2021, my family went to India for a quick vacation and I also got into a sedentary workstyle job which means I hardly did 1000 steps per day. This led to increase in weight by almost 1.5kg per month. By Jan 2022, I am now at approximately 80kg. This is unpardonable actually.

I did follow exercises that were recommended by physiotherapists, yoga masters etc. But I wasn't very disciplined. I was expecting quick results. But, it wasn't coming. Moreover, I got demotivated with the 6-7 exercises that they gave me.

One day I spoke very sadly to my yoga master. My yoga master Piyush suggested me to take help of Chiropractor. I went to the Chiropractor and he did helped me. He started with two simple exercises initially. But I have to do that 5 min exercises 3-5 times a day. That really helped me. Because it was taking only 5minutes. And also only 2 exercises. I was glad that I could finish a task quickly. Also, he prescribed me to keep hot water or ice pack therapy at the affected area. This therapy helps to improve the blood flow in that region by dilating the blood vessels. More blood flow helps in healing of the inflammation in that region. 

Right from session 1, my Chiropractor performed a massage with a steel knife (meant for massages). I think the steel knife massages helps to unblock the blockages in the micro capillaries in blood vessels and helps to heal the inflammation around the knee area soon.

I think hot water / ice pack therapy, exercises and massages helped to heal better.

Slowly, my chiropractor increased the number of exercises and intensity of exercises. I would say that it helped me. However, one must be more disciplined in order to see results soon and come out of the treatment and save money.

Also, my chiropractor told that it is not just a IT band issue. It is also a knee problem.

Main learnings

1) Find the right therapist as early as possible. Take it upon yourself. Understand why you are been asked to something. Because it will motivate you. A hot water/cold water therapy might sound not used for a muscle problem. But we will understand the problem is mainly due to inflammation in the muscles. So, in order to get rid of inflammation it is important that blood flows are at best.

Have a disciplined approach. Have goals. 3 months should be enough to heal. 6 months is max to get back on track. 

2) Have the right shoes. Change your shoes frequently 

3) Manage your running load. If you over do running, it will hurt you knees. By overloading yourself or your knees, you might be able to burn more calories. However, if you injure your knees or muscle groups, you will not be able to do any exercise and that will make you gain lot of weight. Have no hurry in losing weight. 

4) Do not change your running position on your own or by friend's suggestion. Change your running position (i.e. angle of landing, place of landing etc) only with the help of professional certified athlete. Because change of these angle in running has the potential to manifest a runners knee problem. 


My weight as on 15-Jan-2022 is 79.9 kg


Jan 2016 to Jan 2022 Weight graph

Jan 2018 to Jan 2022 weight graph


Now it is time to get back on track. I am going to take the following
1) Sugabedhi / சுகபேதி (Dysentery treatment) - Used castor oil to cleanse my stomach (flush away toxins out of my stomach) - 17 Jan 2022
2) Intermittent Fasting 16hr fasting 8hr eating period
3) Calorie Restricted eating 1600 calories per day
4) No Sugar. I.e., No tea / No Coffee (i.e no milk and sugar)
5) Minimal rice / wheat/maida 
6) Flax seeds / Pumpkin Seeds / Brazil Nuts / Vallarai maathirai  / Vit B12 / Vit D
7) Vegetables / Spinach
8) Cold shower in morning and night. Salt (pranic healing)


Other things
1) Pranayama 
2) Knee Strengthening
3) Basic Yoga
Total 30mins

December 01, 2020

Dangers of Breathing Cold Air

Dangers of Breathing Cold Air (Credit: Cold Avenger)

Prolonged exposure to cold air can present a serious threat to the body's vital organs and systems.

The body uses a few different means to protect itself from cold air, the first lines of defense being the nose, mucus system, and lungs.

The nose helps protect the lungs by adding moisture and increasing temperature to inhaled air. When a person is exposed to cold temperatures, the tissue lining the nose swells as the capillaries open. This brings warm blood to the nose to heat the cold air. In fact, often it's too much blood in the nose (not increased mucus) which results in nasal congestion.

The body's next defense against cold air is the mucus lining in the airways. The mucus lining acts as a barrier protecting the airways from dangerous particles and organisms, including bacteria that can cause the common cold and other airway infections. As the mucus lining in the airways is exposed to cold air it thickens through inflammation and dehydration and can block airways. Cold can incite inflammation and airway swelling leading to asthma.

If cold air does reach the lungs despite the body's natural nose and mucus defenses, the lungs may react by releasing histamine and other inflammatory mediators. Histamine is a natural chemical often released by the body during allergic reactions. In people with sensitive airways or asthma this causes wheezing.

On average, a human breathes 1,100 times per hour, with each breath measuring about one liter in volume and requiring humidification to keep the lungs and airway from drying. When inhaled air is cold, the body works to heat the air to 98°F and humidify it to 100%. This extra work represents a significant effort and heat loss to the body.

By passively humidifying and gently warming inhaled air with a ColdAvenger face mask, lungs are protected from the damaging effects of dry/cold air.

Why cold air makes your nose run (Credit CNN)

About 50-90% of people get a runny nose when it's cold. We call this "cold-induced rhinitis", or "skier nose". People with asthma, eczema and hay fever seem to experience it more.

It's the job of your nose to make the air you breathe in warm and wet so that when it gets to your lungs it does not irritate the cells.

When inhaling air through the nose at subfreezing temperatures, the air in the back of the nose is usually about 26°C (78.8˚F), but can be as high as 30°C (86˚F). And the humidity of air at the back of the nose is usually around 100%, irrespective of how cold the air is we're breathing in.

This shows the nose is very effective at making sure the air we breathe becomes warm and wet before it reaches the lungs.

So how does it do this?

Cold, dry air stimulates the nerves inside your nose, which send a message through your nerves to your brain. Your brain then responds to this impulse by increasing the blood flow to the nose, and these dilated blood vessels warm the air passing over them.

Secondly, the nose is triggered to produce more secretions via the mucous glands in order to provide the moisture to humidify the air coming through.

Simple nudges can increase physical activity

The cold, dry air also stimulates cells of your immune system (called "mast cells") in your nose. These cells trigger the production of more liquid in your nose to make the air more moist. It's estimated you can lose up to 300-400mL of fluid daily through your nose as it performs this function.

Your brain performs better when it's cold outside

Heat and water loss are closely related: heating the air in the nasal cavities means the lining of the nasal cavity (mucosa) becomes cooler than core body temperature; at the same time, water evaporates (becomes vapour) to make the air moist.

Water evaporation, which requires large amounts of heat, takes heat from the nose, thus making it cooler.

In response, the blood flow to the nose increases further, as the task of warming the air that's breathed in takes precedence over heat loss from the nose (the body's normal response to cold is to shunt blood away from the surface to the deep vessels to minimise heat loss from the skin).

So it's a difficult balancing act to achieve the correct amount of heat and moisture lost from the nose.

When the compensatory mechanism is a little too overactive, moisture in excess of that needed to humidify this cold, dry air will drip from the nostrils.

Mast cells are usually more sensitive in people with asthma and allergies, and blood vessel changes more reactive in those who are sensitive to environmental irritants and temperature changes. So nasal congestion and even sneezing can be triggered by the cold air.

Treatment is usually simply to carry some tissues or a handkerchief. Although the use of anticholinergic (blocks nerve impulses) and anti-inflammatory nasal sprays such as Atropine and Ipratropium have been trialled with some success.


Cold Weather and Runny Noses (Credit: Very Well Health)

While you may wish you could turn your runny nose off like a faucet, that drip actually serves several important purposes in protecting your health. The moisture protects your mucous membranes, traps germs such as bacteria and viruses, and keeps foreign substances out of your nasal passages and body.


Woman blowing nose in Fall season

While your body produces between one and two quarts of mucus every day, certain conditions can increase that amount.1 Allergies caused by pollen or mold in the air, rhinoviruses (also known as the common cold) and irritation can all cause your body to secrete excess mucus, as can exposure to cold weather.

What to Do When You Get a Cold

Vasomotor Rhinitis

When you only have a runny nose while outdoors in cooler temperatures and no other symptoms of allergies or illness, the culprit could be vasomotor rhinitis, a type of nonallergic rhinitis caused by changes in temperature, humidity, and exposure to strong odors and perfumes.2 Usually, a person with vasomotor rhinitis will have production of clear nasal discharge that may drain out of the front of the nose, down the back of the throat, or result in nasal congestion.

Why Temperature Matters

Your body has an inherent intelligence that prompts it to take action to protect itself when needed. When exposed to cold temperatures, the additional mucus warms and moisturizes the air taken in through your nasal passages. This protects your mucous membranes in your nose from damage due to the dry, cold air and also protects the bronchioles (delicate air sacs) in your lungs from damage.

In addition, a runny nose due to cold temperatures is a phenomenon similar to condensation. While the air you breathe in may be cold, your body temperature warms the air and when you exhale, you release that warm, moist air into the environment (which is cold). As these two temperatures meet, droplets of water are produced, ultimately dripping down from your nose along with the mucus they mix with.

How to Prevent Cold-Weather Runny Nose

The only way to effectively prevent a runny nose from developing due to cold exposure is to avoid breathing in cold air. One way to do that is by covering your nose and mouth with a wrap or scarf while outdoors, which allows the air to become warm and moist before you inhale it.

Vasomotor rhinitis will not usually get better with antihistamines but may get better by using a nasal steroid or nasal antihistamine spray. The best medication for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis, especially when the symptoms are a nose that “runs like a faucet," is Atrovent (ipratropium bromide) nasal spray.2 Atrovent works by drying up the mucus-producing cells in the nose and can be used as needed since the spray will start working within an hour. Atrovent nasal spray is available by prescription only—check with your doctor to see if this medication is right for you.

Finally, use a humidifier while indoors.1 Even if the temperature in your home is mild, air is generally drier during cold-weather months. Humidification can help keep your mucous membranes optimally moistened.

September 25, 2020

A Step-By-Step Guide To Yogic Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)






Today, you’ll take between 17,280 – 23,040 breaths. (1)

Since breathing is something you do automatically, you probably don’t give it much thought. 

And yet, something as overlooked as your own breath is one of the most potent health-inducing, performance-enhancing, and stress-busting assets you already have at your disposal. 

With each inhale and exhale your breath is reflecting how healthy your mind and body are.




Believe it or not, your breath can even predict how long you’ll live. 

According to the Framingham study researchers, lung function is an indicator of health and “literally a measure of living capacity.” (2)

Let that sit with you for a moment. 

How well you breathe determines how long you’ll live… and how well you’ll live. 

So let’s have a look at what right breathing looks like and why most of us have been doing it wrong…

1) Engaging the Diaphragm for Optimal Breathing

The secret to optimal breathing lies in the top part of your belly. 

There, at the bottom of your rib cage, you’ll find your diaphragm. 

The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic cavity (containing your heart and lungs), from the abdominal cavity. 

The diaphragm is the most efficient muscle in the breathing process and is considered the main respiratory muscle. 

Your abdominal muscles act out a supporting role and help the diaphragm move to the rhythm of your breath. 

When you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts downwardly while the intercostal muscles (the muscles in between your ribs) contract and pull upward. 

As you exhale, the reverse happens. 

Your diaphragm moves upward and the intercostals move downward.




Diaphragmatic breathing (aka belly breathing, abdominal breathing, controlled breathing, and deep breathing) is a type of breathing training/ breathing technique that helps to strengthen your diaphragm so you can breathe better to live better. 

It can also be considered an important stress management tool because it’s one of the easiest relaxation techniques you have at your disposal.

2) Oxygen – the Breath of Life


Oxygen is the breath of life. It’s a carrier for what the Chinese call Chi, the Japanese call Ki, and the yogis call Prana… Vital Energy.

The breathing process consists of two phases, the inspiration (inhalation) and expiration (exhalation.) 

The word inspire literally means ‘to breathe life into.’  

With each full conscious breath, you can fill yourself with vital energy. 

Inspiration (done properly) begins with the intake of oxygen-rich air in through the nostrils, down the throat, all the way into the bottom half of your lungs. 

Here’s a short video detailing the breathing process:



The lower half of your lungs is the thickest and most closely compacted, which means more oxygen can enter the bloodstream. 

Consciously breathing into the lower half of your lungs by engaging the diaphragm, literally allows you to ‘breath more life into’… you. 

Oxygenated blood travels to the heart, where it’s pumped to the rest of the body via blood vessels that move into surrounding tissues. 

Ultimately, oxygen reaches every cell that makes up the body. (3)

Almost all cells in your body need oxygen to survive. Literally and metaphorically, breathing adds more life into you and the majority of your +/- 30 trillion cells.  

3) Chest Breathing vs. Diaphragmatic Breathing


If your upper chest is moving when you breathe then you’re not using the lower part of your lungs, which means you’re not breathing optimally. 

Chest breathing engages only the top part of your lungs, and remember that the lower half of your lungs is the most oxygen-rich. 

If you’re breathing with your chest and not your diaphragm/ belly you’ll likely overuse your neck and shoulder muscles, which are not meant to be breathing muscles. 

This can lead to muscle tension and pain, which is never fun. 

Chest breathing can also trigger stress signals (fight-or-flight mode) in the body, which is also not fun. 

Which is why breathing with your chest is also known as stress breathing! 

Since most of us experience some degree of stress regularly, we may be stress breathing and not even know it. 

This can take a big toll on your health, immunity, and energy reserves, not to mention your mental and emotional wellbeing. 

We can turn this around by becoming intentional belly breathers instead.  

This means learning to strengthen and control our diaphragm by cultivating the habit of breathing with our bellies. 

True, regenerating deep breathing… is belly breathing. 

You know you’re breathing with your diaphragm when your lower belly rises as your lungs fill with air during each inhale.

As you exhale your belly will contract inwardly towards your spine as the diaphragm relaxes and moves upwards while pressing on the lungs.

4) 10 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing



The body needs three main forms of nourishment to survive: food, water, and air. 

You can live up to three weeks without food. 

You can live a few days without water, but you can only live a few minutes if you stop breathing. 

Your brain can only survive around 6 minutes without oxygen before it starts dying. (4)


Diaphragmatic breathing has proven to:  
a) Improve respiratory function, by relaxing tight chest (5) muscles and by increasing lung capacity (6). Research suggests that diaphragmatic breathing can be especially helpful to those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (7) 

b) Lower heart rate and blood pressure, and is even recognized by the FDA in the treatment and regulation of hypertension. (8) It also improves circulatory system function by maximizing the delivery of oxygen to the bloodstream and to each of the trillions of cells in your body. 

c) Maintain blood pH levels (the scale of alkalinity to acidity.) (9) Blood acidity is neutralized with the release of carbon dioxide from the lungs. Deep, slow breathing helps the brain and lungs continuously optimize pH levels. (10)


d) Engage your diaphragm internally which in turn massages your abdominal organs and glands, stimulating them and promoting their healthy and optimal function. (11) 

e) Boost the immune system because as the diaphragm massages the internal organs and glands it helps move lymph (fluid containing the immune system’s white blood cells) throughout the body to their targeted locations. (12)


f) Detoxify the body. 
Controlled breathing stimulates lymphatic movement. One of the key functions of your lymphatic system is to flush toxins out of your body. Your lungs are also a major excretory organ. With every maximized exhale, you expel waste, toxins, and excess carbon dioxide from your system. (13) 

g) Maintain healthy digestive function and help ease upset tummies. The same diaphragmatic massaging motion that helps flush toxins also helps stimulate blood flow of your intestinal tract, ensuring your gut muscles keep on moving as they’re intended to. Breathing deeply can help prevent acid reflux, bloating, hiatal hernia, and intestinal spasms. (14) 

Deep breathing also helps quell the stress response, which compromises digestion. It’s worthy to note here that multiple studies and research confirm a high correlation between digestive/ gastrointestinal issues (i.e.: IBS) and mental health imbalances such as anxiety and depression. (15)


Deep breathing also helps quell the stress response, which compromises digestion. It’s worthy to note here that multiple studies and research confirm a high correlation between digestive/ gastrointestinal issues (i.e.: IBS) and mental health imbalances such as anxiety and depression. (13) 

h) Increase theta brain waves.(14) Theta brainwaves are associated with the state of deep relaxation and dreaming sleep, as well as increased creativity, super-learning, integrative experiences, and increased memory. (15)


i) Relaxation Technique. This is because your breath acts as a switching station for your nervous system, specifically between the two branches of your autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system (stress response), and the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response.) Deep, slow breathing relieves stress and relaxes you, and also engages your sympathetic in ways that work for you, not against you. In this way, deep breathing helps send your body signals of safety so that you can enter into a higher state of functioning – one that is healing, regenerating, and conducive to sustained fulfillment and thriving. (18) 

j) Be an effective option for treating emotional and mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. (19) Just do a Google search and you’ll find numerous studies and other literature published on this subject, like this one published in the Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback





5) Nostril Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing

The most effective way to breathe is to inhale and exhale through the nose, not the mouth. 

Remember the last time you had a bad cold and your nasal airways were swollen and closed off? 

That’s temporary mouth breathing. 

Some of us have developed the habit of chronic mouth breathing and we may not even be aware of it. 

It’s common to think that ‘deep breathing’ or other breathing exercises performed via an open mouth offer the same benefits, but they don’t. 

Quite the opposite.   

Chronic mouth breathing can actually damage our health and wellbeing for various reasons:  

– Nostril breathing protects us from various harmful external particles like dust, bacteria, and microbes via tiny little hairs called cilia. These hairs clean, warm, and humidify the incoming air and guard us from as many as 20 billion outside particles daily. (20) 

– Nostril exhaling creates more air pressure and slows the exhalation down because it is a smaller orifice than the mouth. This helps the lungs optimize oxygen intake. (21) 

Nose breathing imposes approximately 50 percent more resistance to the air stream, as compared to mouth breathing.  

This results in 10 to 20 percent more oxygen uptake.  
– Dr. Alan Ruth, Behavioural Medicine Practitioner 

– Helps us engage our diaphragm more efficiently. (22) 

– Nostril inhalation increases nitric oxide intake, which helps ensure smooth transportation of more oxygen throughout the whole body. (22) 

Here’s why you’ll want to switch from mouth breathing to nostril breathing: 

– Chronic mouth breathing can lead to chronic over-breathing and chest breathing.
 
– Mouth breathing signals to your brain that carbon dioxide levels are quickly decreasing, so the body produces more mucus as an attempt to get you to breathe more slowly. (21) 

– Chronic mouth breathing can alter your facial structure and change your facial features. For example, it can make your face and jaw more narrow and droopy, which can lead to obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. (23) 

– Chronic mouth breathing dries the mucous lining of the airways, and it doesn’t warm or moisturize air as nostril breathing does, so it also doesn’t protect from pathogens and allergens either. (24) 

– Mouth breathing can lead to trauma to soft tissues in the airways as well as enlarged tonsils and adenoids. (22) Temporary mouth breathing due to a cold, for example, is not the same as chronic mouth breathing, which is a learned state. 

This will require some reprogramming of habits and behaviors to correct.   

6)Breath Training




Improper breathing is a common cause of ill health.  

If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.  

There is no single more powerful – or more simple – daily practice to further your health and wellbeing than breathwork. 
– Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Healing 

The best investment you can make in your mental, emotional and physical health is to create the habit of a daily breathwork practice. 

This isn’t new knowledge. 

In ancient traditions such as Yoga and Buddhist mindfulness, the breath is a tool that can help to calm the mind, increase focus and awareness, and strengthen and protect the body from disease. 

Breathwork is so important in Yoga that it has its own dedicated discipline called Pranayama, or the regulation of vital energy via the breath. 

There are many effective diaphragmatic breathing exercises you can try to get started with a daily practice. 

Here’s a step-by-step how-to of the diaphragmatic breathing technique which is widely recommended by high-profile institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Medical School.   

There are three variations of this technique: 
1 – lying down 
2 – sitting 
3 – standing  

Lying down:  
Step 1 – Lie on your back on a flat surface (i.e. your bed, couch, or a yoga mat.) 

Step 2 – Make sure your neck is supported and your knees bent (put pillows or cushion under them if necessary.) 

Step 3 – Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage on your belly, this is where your diaphragm is and you’ll be able to feel it move as you breathe. (You can also place a book over your belly and watch it move as you breathe.) 

Step 4 – Inhale through the nose and notice the hand on your belly go up with the in-breath, and back down towards your spine with the exhale. (The hand on your belly should move up and down with each breath while the hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.) 

Step 5 – Inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. (1 full round = 10 counts) 

Step 7 – Repeat for a minimum of 6 full rounds, although ideally, 18 full rounds are best. (6 rounds = 1 minute, 18 rounds = 3 minutes)   

Sitting:  
Step 1 – Sit comfortably with your back against a chair, couch, or the wall. 

Step 2 – Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage on your belly, this is where your diaphragm is and you’ll be able to feel it move as you breathe. 

Step 3 – Inhale through the nose and notice the hand on your belly go up with the in-breath, and back down towards your spine with the exhale. (The hand on your belly should move up and down with each breath while the hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.) 

Step 4 – Inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. (1 full round = 10 counts) 

Step 5 – Repeat for a minimum of 6 full rounds, although ideally, 18 full rounds are best. (6 rounds = 1 minute, 18 rounds = 3 minutes)   

Standing:  
Step 1 – Stand with your back upright. You can stand against a wall if that is more comfortable. 

Step 2 – Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage on your belly, this is where your diaphragm is and you’ll be able to feel it move as you breathe. 

Step 3 – Inhale through the nose and notice the hand on your belly go up with the in-breath, and back down towards your spine with the exhale. (The hand on your belly should move up and down with each breath while the hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.) 

Step 4 – Inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. (1 full round = 10 counts) 

Step 5 – Repeat for a minimum of 6 full rounds, although ideally, 18 full rounds are best. (6 rounds = 1 minute, 18 rounds = 3 minutes)   

Keep the inhale for 5/ exhale for 5 breathing rate if that is comfortable or adjust it as necessary. 

You shouldn’t be straining or feel forced – this exercise should flow naturally and feel comfortable. 

You can follow along with the emblem as you inhale and exhale. Imagine your lungs expanding with air as you breath in for 5 and then contracting as you breathe out for 5: 

You can follow along with the emblem as you inhale and exhale. Imagine your lungs expanding with air as you breath in for 5 and then contracting as you breathe out for 5: 

How often should I practice this technique?


According to the Cleveland Clinic, diaphragmatic breathing exercises should be practiced 5-10 minutes about 3-4 times per day. 

This may seem like a lot, especially if you’re just starting out and aren’t used to it. Just start where you are and chunk it down. 

It’s better to do just 1 minute of breathing training a day every day than 5 minutes twice a week.

Start with 1 minute a day until you feel it’s become a habit in your life. 

Then increase to 3 minutes a day and so on. At first, this way of breathing may seem unnatural or effortful. 

That’s ok. 

Be gentle and patient with your self. 

Some of us have to reprogram decades and even a lifetime of chest breathing. 

The more you practice and the more it becomes an ingrained habit, diaphragmatic breathing will seem like less effort.             

References: 
(1) https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2014/04/how-many-breaths-do-you-take-each-day/ 
(2) https://www.oxygenesis.org/physical.html 
(3) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hlw/whathappens 
(4) https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/brain-death1.htm 
(5) http://www.ndhealthfacts.org/wiki/Breathing 
(6) http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/46/4/714.short 
(7) https://www.copdfoundation.org/Learn-More/I-am-a-Person-with-COPD/Breathing-Techniques.aspx 
(8) http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/46/4/714.short 
(9) http://education.seattlepi.com/respiratory-systems-role-homeostasis-3740.html 
(10) http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/acid-base-balance/overview-of-acid-base-balance 
(11) Wayne, Peter (2013-04-09). The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications) (p. 174). Shambhala. 
(12) Hahnke O.M.D., Roger (2013-07-02). The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques To Release Your Body’s Own Medicine *Movement *Massage *Meditation *Breathing (p. 40). HarperCollins. 
(13) https://drhealthbenefits.com/lifestyle/healthy/healthy-habits/health-benefits-of-deep-breathing-exercise 
(14) Matveikova, Irina (2014-06-16). Digestive Intelligence: A Holistic View of Your Second Brain (p. 159). Findhorn Press. 
(15) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19552631 
(16) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16624497 
(17) http://www.centerpointe.com/articles/articles-research 
(18) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAL-MMYptQc 
(19) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8 
(20) Yahya, Harun (2003). Miracles in Our Bodies (p.93). Goodword Books. 
(21) https://www.livestrong.com/article/255298-mouth-breathing-vs-nasal-breathing/ 
(22) http://www.lenus.ie/hse/bitstream/10147/559021/1/JAN15Art7.pdf 
(23) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20824738 
(24) http://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/preventive-care/article/mouth-breathing-problem   Benefits of Deep & Controlled Belly Breathing – Relieve Stress & Control Anxiety. Activate Your Relaxation Response Through Breathing Techniques & Exercises for Stress Relief.

August 31, 2019

Salt Shower bath

Credit: Pranic Healing 

Benefits of having a salt bath

We understand the importance of regular bathing for maintaining the hygiene of our body, but have we given some thought to maintaining the cleanliness of our energy aura? Energy hygiene is just as important as physical hygiene.

We are subjected to various energies internally (e.g. our thought patterns) and externally (e.g. people or things we interact with at home, work, socially) on a daily basis. Some are positive and some are not so positive.

These energies need to be harmonised by eliminating the build up of negative energies, which can remain in our aura for long periods of time.

This can then manifest as irritability, stress, anxiety, fatigue, over-excitement, inability to focus and so many more.

This is why it is essential to regularly cleanse our energy bodies, to include our chakras, mind, emotions and energy levels.

Using salt as a cleanser is an inexpensive and efficient way to cleanse both our physical and energy bodies.

The humble salt grains are responsible for:

- disintegrating the negative energies in our aura

- helping to purify the body by facilitating the skin to absorb essential trace minerals

- drawing out toxins, bacteria and heavy metals from the body

The effectiveness of salt baths before a meditation

“Sea water or water with salt is very effective in removing diseased energy from the energy body. The water-with-salt treatment will substantially clean the energy body and gradually strengthen the body and its defense system. Although this treatment is simple, it is quite effective and therefore should be taken seriously.” – Master Choa Kok Sui

In order for new, fresh, divine energy to enter your body, the old, dirty, unwanted energy must be removed. A salt water bath can effectively remove these energies and help us become more receptive and increase our capacity to absorb the huge downpour of divine energy during a meditation session.

How to take a Salt water Bath effectively

1) Salt water has countless cleansing properties on many levels, which is why a dip in the ocean can be so therapeutic. If you are fortunate enough to live by the sea, your salt cleansing ritual awaits you! For us town and city dwellers, do not fret! You are able to recreate your own dip in the ocean in your own personal bathtub. Here’s how:

2) Be sure to cleanse your body with soap/shower gel prior to stepping into a salt bath

3) Place approximately 2-3kg sea salt or regular table salt into a bathtub of warm water. Allow the salt to dissolve

4) You may also add 15-20 drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil, but this is optional

5) Close your eyes, relax and soak in the bath for between 25-30 minutes

6) Rinse off with cool water. Be sure not to soap your body after the salt bath in order to allow the effects of the salt to penetrate your energy bodies.

How to take a Salt water Shower effectively

Short on time? Or don’t have a bath tub? A salt water shower can be just as effective, if done correctly.

Here’s how:

1) Prepare a bowl of at least 2 handfuls of salt (you may add a few drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil to the salt)

2) Wash and cleanse your body as you would normally with soap and water

3) When you are ready for the salt scrub, add some warm water to turn the dry salt grains into a thick paste. Switch off the water.

4) While your body is damp start to rub the salt scrub starting from the soles of your feet, moving upwards.

5) If you are able to, you may also gently rub the scrub on your face and hair/scalp

6) Leave the salt scrub on your body for at least 3 minutes. This step is essential to allow the salt to disintegrate and extract the negative energies effectively. 

Keep the salt on your body for 3 minutes - this is very important. After that you may wash off the salt from your body, and continue with your regular shower. The most important part is keeping the salt on the body for 3 minutes before washing it away. This allows enough time for the salt to disintegrate and extract a lot of dirty energies from the aura before washing it off. Some people, due to a lack of time, dissolve the salt in a bucket of water and just pour the water over their body. While this is better than not taking a salt bath at all, it has its limitations. For instance, when you want to apply soap on your body, do you dissolve the soap in the water and then pour the suds all over yourself? That isn’t particularly effective. You need to really apply the soap on your body for it to have its cleansing effect. That’s why rubbing the fine salt on the body is recommended for maximum effect.

7) Wash this off with luke warm water. Using cooler water will help to maximise the effects of the salt on the body

8) Remember not to apply any other cleansers or soap once you have washed the salt scrub off

Please note: If your skin is prone to dryness you may use an organic, preservative-free moisturiser after your bath/shower.

Spiritual Bath

3 Spiritual Baths to Cleanse Your Aura From Negative Energy

Regularly cleansing your aura and your personal energy is an essential act. Whether or not you know it, you come into contact with various people and environments, all of which have their own energy vibrations. Not all of these frequencies are high and positive.

Thus, your energy field is constantly taking in and putting out vibrations, some of the vibrations (including your own thoughts, as well as external influences) are low and will bring you down if left unchecked. While our energy body is constantly readjusting itself to bring our energy back into harmony, the negative energies can linger and build up over time. A monthly salt water bath is an easy and very relaxing way to cleanse your aura of negative energy.

We’ve mentioned other methods before, so why a bath? It’s because it’s a great ritual that combines to tie in body and spirit. When you immerse yourself in a ritual bath, you are participating in an initiation to open yourself up spiritually. 

Ritual bathing cleanses you from physical grime and negative spiritual grime, thus purifying both your body and your aura. It is a signal that you are willing to listen to your Higher Self and begin to trust something outside of your rational mind. It indicates that you are open to ask the universe to transform what you believe needs to be changed within yourself.

What is a Spiritual Bath?

We’ve mentioned other methods before, so why a bath? It’s because it’s a great ritual that combines body and spirit. When you immerse yourself in a ritual bath, you are participating in an initiation to open yourself up spiritually. 

Ritual bathing cleanses you from physical grime and negative spiritual grime, thus purifying both your body and your aura. It is a signal that you are willing to listen to your Higher Self and begin to trust something outside of your rational mind. It indicates that you are open to ask the universe to transform what you believe needs to be changed within yourself.

Taking a spiritual or ritual bath is meant to cleanse and protect a person spiritually; therefore, making it different from a normal bath you might do every day. There are very specific directions to follow in order to maximize the effect. Among these instructions is not using any soap, shampoo, or bath oil, etc. Once you step into the water, you are entering a spiritual experience, so it’s important to distinguish regular bathing from ritual bathing.

Benefits of Spiritual Bathing

Though they are different, spiritual bathing or ritual bathing can have great effects on your physical wellbeing, as well. According to Gateways to Inner Peace, here are just a few benefits:

-- The skin is an organ of elimination, and a saltwater soak will draw toxins and heavy metals from the tissues.

-- Bath salts can be used to relieve skin inflammation and irritation caused by eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and athlete’s foot.

-- The essential trace minerals your body needs are absorbed through the skin to enhance your health

-- Skin conditions can be aided, as bacteria and other debris are also drawn from the skin, leaving it feeling fresh and rejuvenated

-- Saltwater baths can help to relieve muscular aches and pains as well as sore joints

-- Circulation is increased, which your body can always use

Other important notes before getting started: this first bath is to be used only once a month, as it is very strong. It’s recommended to try it on a Friday close to a full moon for the best results. Energy therapist Lidia Frederico also advises, “do NOT prepare or have the bath around 6 am, 12 noon, 6 pm, 12 midnight. This– this includes half an hour before & afterward (so NOT between 5:.30-6:.30 or 11:.30-12:.30 for both am & pm)!”

Top 10 Reasons You Should Take A Salt Bath

Inspiring wellness and self-care, taking a salt bath can help keep our bodies clean while also easing muscle aches, calming the mind, and eliminating pathogens all in one sitting.  Minerals like magnesium and potassium found in Epsom salt and sea salt can be drawn into the bloodstream during a warm bath to eliminate toxins and balance the entire body. Plus, the salt mixture helps purge impurities from the skin, leaving you with a healthful glow and skin feeling supple and soft. 

The extensive list of benefits from salt baths prompted us to add a line of our ownBath Salts to the Edens Garden collection. On top of the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, there are a myriad of reasons to incorporate salt baths into your routine. 

1) Builds Immunity - By regularly indulging in sea salt baths, we expose ourselves to highly absorptive minerals that boost our resistance to illness and disease. Similar to the effects of physical exercise, warm baths have also been found to trigger an anti-inflammatory response that is vital for increasing our body’s ability to ward off and fight diseases and illness. TheFighting Five Bath Salt was meticulously crafted to contribute to this immune-boosting effect of salt baths. High in antibacterial properties, the soak helps eliminate pathogens while staving off harmful microbes.

2) Increases Energy - When our bodies are not getting the minerals they need, fatigue begins to set in. Magnesium, in particular, is important for managing our stress response, but unfortunately,57% of adults do not meet their recommended magnesium intake. This deficiency can lead to disrupted sleep and muscle fatigue. By indulging in a Salt Soak, you can restore the energy in your cells and make your way to a revitalized self.

3) Balances Alkalinity - Excess acidity in the body from an improper diet can lead to overworking of our vital organs, which then must take minerals from our bones and tissue. The baking soda in our salt soaks is a naturally alkaline substance with a reputation for removing toxins effectively. Introducing salt soaks to your life is a great way to remove excess acid from the cells and reintroduce trace minerals back into your body.

4) Soothes Muscle Injury - Being in a warm bath can ease pain by taking the weight off joints and muscles.It can also help your body to heal faster after an injury or surgery. When used with warm water, the magnesium-rich salt helps relieve muscle spasms and menstrual cramps. We love the idea of settling into a bath with ourYuzu Cannabliss Bath Saltafter a hard workout or a long day for indulgent relief.

5) Promotes Restful Sleep - A warm salt bath is perfect for helping us relax when we’re anxious or tense. The temperature changes your body goes through when switching from a warm bath to cooler air can actually help improve sleep. In addition, the proper ratio of water and salt exposure can help prevent the need to urinate during the night, leading to less disrupted sleep. The Good Night Bath Saltis packed with ultra-relaxing essential oils like Lavender and Chamomile to enhance your nighttime sleep routine.

6) Improves Skin Health - The minerals inside a high-quality salt soak promote healthy, more youthful skin. When we emerge from the water, our skin is left silky and smooth. Salt soaks also help purge impurities from the skin and balances skin moisture levels. The use of dead sea salts has also been implemented for the treatment of psoriasis. Not only is salt good for dry, itchy skin and acne, but research also suggests that the baking soda in salt soaks may be useful as an antifungal agent for skin and nails.

7) Decreases Congestion - Allergies and infections can lead to a buildup of mucus, which everyone has to cope with at one time or another. Not only does a salt bath help to eliminate existing mucus buildup, but it can also help to prevent it. TheEucalyptus Cardamom Bath Salt includes Eucalyptus essential oil, which works alongside the nutrient-dense salts to actively help decongest the respiratory system.

8) Aids in Chronic Pain Relief - While we may not be able to free ourselves from chronic pain, we can soothe our bodies in a nourishing salt bath. Warm water baths are highly effective at treating lower back pain, and dead sea salts have been utilized for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. 

9) Boosts Overall Health - Studies show that these baths can improve our health in general. Benefits range from regulating blood sugar and improving cardiovascular health, to boosting circulatory and nerve function. We suggest pairing the natural healing qualities of a warm salt bath with aromatherapy for further rejuvenation. OurGrapefruit Pink Pepper Bath Salt is particularly effective at supporting the lymphatic system and fighting free radicals.

10) Because They Feel Good!- Not only is salt soaks healing for the body, but they are also so beneficial to our mental wellbeing. Don’t just take a bath because you need it, take one because you want to.Tangerine Jasmine Bath Salt is for those times when you just need to treat yourself. Sit back, relax, and indulge in the restorative properties of Epsom and sea salts and the therapeutic benefits of 100% pure essential oil

August 24, 2019

My Fitness Journey which I planned and chiseled on the way

I started writing this below blog post after the first stint in my fitness journey in which I moved the weight needle from 79kg to 69kg in 6 months (Nov2018/Jan 2019 to June2019) (79 to 67 in 8 months) and sustaining around 69kg for 3 months. This journey got sculpted or planned along the way while I was learning about exercise, diet and about my body. I regularly update this blog post with my learnings along the journey. Hence, there would not be a proper structure. It will be very random.

Note: If you want to get in the best shape of your life, you need to focus on exercise and what you eat. There is no way to avoid this. The two go hand-in-hand.
When you use the power of your mind and imagination, you will make much faster progress.

Tools used
I used HealthifyMe app to track my calorie intake and fitness programs.
I used GoogleFit to count my foot steps as I walk, run, yoga and meditate.
I used Fitbit app to sync with my fitbit versa 2 watch.

Devices used
I started this fitness journey in Jan 2019.
However, I started using Fitbit only from March 2020. Fitbit helped me mainly to understand my resting heart rate and sleep pattern and sleep quality thereby helping me to make decisions such as working out in the morning and taking cold showers in the night.

Professional Trainers
I took help of a diet coach and yoga coach from HealthifyMe for 6 months
I took help of a Yoga master from Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry to learn Yoga personally for 2 months

Books read
Changing Body Composition through Diet and Exercises - Audible Book
Diabetes Code 
Salt Fix Method
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
Running is a therapy
Anti-Aging Hacks (200+ ways to feel and look younger)
Yoga
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandra - Swami Satyanandha Saraswathi
Surya Namaskara - Swami Satyanandha Saraswathi
A Yogic Approach to Stress - Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani
Measure What Matters
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams -  Matthew Walker
Happy for No Reason - Mandira Bedi

Unsalted Nuts and Dry Fruits that I consume
Flax Seeds - 2 to 3 tsp per day - Omega 3 Fatty acids - I grind and roast it once in a month so that it doesn't oxidize
Macademia Nuts - 4 - 10 pcs per day - Omega 7 Fatty acids (a rare source)
Brazil Nuts - 1 to 2 per day (A good source for Selenium) 
Almond
Pistachios
Walnuts (Omega 3 Fatty acids)
Pecan
Dates
Apricot
Raisins
Cranberry raisins - Crasins
Fig
Prunes
Pumpkin Seeds

Herbal
Fenugreek Powder - 2 tsp per day (Sprouted Fenugreek is dried in shade and not in direct sunlight. Grinded) or Soak Fenugreek overnight and chew in next morning (for 1 tsp of dry fenugreek, used 250ml of water so that next day morning fenugreek water is not bitter)
Ceylon Cinnamon - 1 tsp per day (regular Cassia Cinnamon is not good for health has it has carcinogenic elements)
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp per day
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp per day
Hibiscus tea
Tulsi Tea (planning to try it in July 2020)
Eladi Churanam
Arjuna Powder (Mixed 1tsp in 100ml warm milk. Drink after 10mins)
Sugar - 3-5 tsp (at max 8 tsp)

Protein
Whey - Gold Standard Optimum Nutrition 1-1.5 tsp per day
Low fat or normal Panneer dishes
Soya dishes
Tofu dishes
Dal dishes (all types of dal)
Sprouted Green gram
Zero fat or low fat milk

Carbs
Low carb (180-200g per day)
Low carb in night especially

Healthy fat sources
Avocado

Things to consume less (do not avoid. the more you avoid the more you will break the plan)
Rice
Wheat
Snacks (Namkeens)

Things to avoid (at least 80% has to be cut. I.e a biscuit packet (150calorie once in a week) 200g of snacks/namkeens/deep-friend items once in a month)
All purpose flour / Maida 
Sweets
Donuts
Cookies
Biscuits
All sugar products (Read Nutrition information)

Body Fat Percentage Chart (click link for source)


Oils
Each oil has its own benefits. Consume multiple oils at same time because there is no perfect or best oil. 
Consuming a total of only 500ml per month (including ghee) is good. 
Sesame /Gingelly Oil
Peanut Oil
Olive Oil
Mustard Oil
Ghee (Clarified Butter. Not butter) (which is in general good for digestive system. Take 1 tsp per day)
Avocado Oil (I have not tried this)

Avoid following oils
Saffola Oil (not sure though)
Sunflower Oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Vegetable Oils
Soybean Oil

Breakfast
Sathumaavu Kanji / Ragi Porridge

Greens
Spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, Spirulina, parsley 

Potassium Sources
Beans
Potatoes (Most of a potato’s potassium is found in the flesh, but about one-third of the potassium content is concentrated in the skin. For this reason, consuming unpeeled potatoes gets you the most of this important mineral )
Sweet Potatoes
Beets / Beetroots
Spinach
Tomatoes
Oranges
Bananas
Avocados
Yogurt
Coconut Water / Tender Coconut Water
Pomegranate 

General
Eat lots of fiber and protein
Do HIIT exercises for 15mins a day or 15min intense running to gain muscle mass (and use protein effectively). Good muscles burns fat
Do Yoga for 10mins a day
Eat less carbs in general.
Eat very less carbs in night
Eat 1 cup of Tur dal rich thick Sambar and 2-3 tbsp of rice
Track in a google spreadsheet / MS Excel sheet though you can use apps such as Healthifyme. But problem with app is you cannot own the data or do an analysis of 6 months. However, usage of HealthifyMe for calorie calculation is unavoidable
Drink 9 to 12 glasses (250ml) of water every day. If you take protein powder drink at least 10 glasses of water
Eat protein powder only in case you workout for 45mins (with an HIIT of 15mins or Resistant Training of 15mins)
Not taking in enough protein? - you need the amino acids to rebuild stronger. Take in 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. Take a protein supplement or shake.

Dressing Makes Salad More Nutritious (Click link to read about it)
Food combining can be healthy as well as unhealthy in some cases. Add some amount of healthy oils or fats alongwith salads.

1. Vitamin c and plant-based Iron
2. Tomatoes and Olive oil
3. Turmeric and Black Pepper
4. Vitamin D and Calcium
5. Complimentary proteins (with some starch)
6. Beans or Chickpeas with rice

7. Fat and fat-soluble vitamins

Pranayama
Surya Nadi Pranayama
Chandra Nadi pranayama
Brahma Mudra Pranayama
Pravanava Pranayama
Savithri Pranayama
Nadi Sudhi Pranayama
Nadi Sodhana Pranayama
Ujjayi Pranayama

Quit (Cutting) Sugar
I started quitting/ cutting sugar only in June 2020. But, it helped me loose almost 4kgs even though I worked out. I am sure cutting sugar helped me accelerate the weight loss. I am sure, it will help me loose weight int he future as well.

Honestly, I haven't quit sugar completely yet. I don't think it is possible or it is pragmatic. I don't think it is worth taking so much stress (some might feel like is quitting sugar so much stress?). It is a stress because my yoga guru used to tell me that whenever you focus on something or would like to something your subconscious (which is in the back of the brain) will play all the tricks to break your young conscious brain (in the forehead). You need to really do a lifetime tapas to win your subconscious brain. Understanding the power of sub-conscious mind, I just started cutting milk from my tea with milk/latte and coffee with milk/latte. But cutting milk, I reduced the number of calories I consume. Second benefit is I didn't want to talk a black tea (without milk) often (3 times). So, I took black tea only two times a day. For black tea, I replaced sugar with jaggery because jaggery is unrefined sugar which contains some amount of molasses etc. 

Technically speaking, replacing refined carbs and sugary foods in a diet with healthy fats helps keep the insulin levels stable, so fewer calories get stored as fat. As a result, "hunger decreases, metabolism speeds up, and one can lose weight with less struggle."

This greatly helped me to loose lot of weight and also reduced my waist line by an inch within a month. Also, I have felt more energized and alert throughout the day. 
However, once in a week I do have tea or coffee with milk. I do take one or two biscuits. 

Cutting Namkeens/Snacks
I used to take 300 to 400gs of Namkeens/snacks every week. Namkeens are snacks deep fried in oils. They contain good amount of salt and oil. Hence, it is very tasty. I have reduced my Namkeen consumption from 400g per week(1600 per month) to 200g per month. It has greatly helped me accelerate my weight loss. 

Remember, there is no point in just loosing weight. One should loose FAT nor muscles
Because one's weight loss should not come by losing muscles. Weight loss should come from loosing fat. 
4 Reasons Why You’re Losing Muscle and Not Fat
1. You’re not eating enough protein.
Many fad diets often lack protein. These fat diets cause your body to enter a “muscle destroying starvation mode, [called] catabolism". 
So, while you should be in a calorie deficit to lose fat, you should be focusing on healthy whole foods, with a healthy amount of protein. To help maintain or build muscle, Gallo recommends eating “fish, lean meat, eggs, tofu, and low-fat dairy.”

2. You’re not using your muscles.
Not using your muscles can cause them to waste away, so make sure that you strength train. “Resistance exercises and high-intensity cardio are fantastic for building muscle and cutting fat,” says Gallo. “I love multi-joint compound exercises, such as squats, deadlift, bench press, pull-ups, and any high-intensity cardio.”

Not to mention, because muscles burn more calories than fat, you will be helping yourself if you strength train. Not only will you be able to grow muscle, but you can aid in your weight loss. So, use those muscles or lose them

3. You’re not allowing yourself to recover.
Too much cardio is the classic muscle loss enemy, but [it] gets a bad rap. Doing too much cardio with inadequate recovery will certainly lead to muscle wasting.

fI you consume some protein in your cardio recovery and train resistance/weights at least two to three times per week, there should be no reason to lose muscle.” So, the key is to make sure that you get that protein in, without neglecting your strength training for cardio

4. You’re not sleeping enough.
Part of that pivotal recovery progress is getting enough shut-eye. Not getting enough sleep raises cortisol levels in the body.

This imbalance can mess with growth hormone production, which increases the chance that the carbs you consume will be stored as fat. It also slows muscle growth which leads to—you guessed it—more fat.

Fitness
1 hour of walking which includes 10mins of running and 10mins of HIIT. Basically walking is relaxation in between HIIT sessions and in between running sessions
Do Shavasana at end of walking and yoga
Do Pranayama and meditation at end of walking or yoga
Scared to do fasted cardio in the morning ??- muscle tissue won't vanish if you don't eat every 3 hours. Fasted cardio in the morning is the best way to burn fat. Do it in your target zone (see Alpha's notes in video). Quadracarn and CLA are recommended.

Most of the people you see in mags that have amazing abs, they’re runners, swimmers, athletes; they are not doing a bunch of crunches. How they got so lean? Their diet is clean, and they get a tremendous amount of calorie expenditure in their cardio. Marriott is a huge advocate of one trick: when you do cardio work, pull your navel into your core. Even as you walk or run, don’t just focus on the cardio, think about your abs and pull them in. You’ll see increased strength from that (Click the link).


Morning Vs Evening Exercises
When I started taking fitness seriously, I used to workout in the evenings and take showers. After which sleep and wake up late. However, when I woke up I always felt tired and sleepy.

One key health parameter that got affected was resting heart rate. It was an around 60 to 65 bpm whenever I worked out in the evenings. On the days when I just walked, the resting heart rate came down to 58. That's when I realized that my workout is actually impacting resting heart rate. Ideally workouts should improve resting heart rate. But, in my case, it was not improving. (I won't say deteriorating because my resting heart rate was still in a healthy range). Reading about it further, I learnt that working out in evening keeps the body temperature higher during the nigh as the metabolism is pretty much active. 

That's when I decided to workout in the morning. After working out in mornings, my resting heart rate consistently fell below 59bpm and mostly around 58bpm which is very good. The main reason is as we work out in the morning, the increased body temperature due to calorie burning decreases as the day problems..

Other benefits of working out in the morning are
1) Exercises breaks the negative stress circuits in the body. So, morning exercises breaks that negative stress circuits and releases endorphins which sets the start of the day on a positive note. 
A morning workout may be a better match for your body’s hormonal fluctuations. Cortisol is a hormone that keeps you awake and alert. It’s often called the stress hormone, but it only causes problems when ther’s too much or too little of it. Typically, cortisol increases in the morning and drops in the evening. It reaches its peak around 8 a.m. Hence, morning workout is better.
2) As, I started working out in the morning, my body was well rested in the night (as evenings were very relaxed), hence my body helped me to wake up early in the morning.
3) Better Sleep - As, I worked out in the morning, I was damn exhausted by the time sleep and also my body temperature was lower, hence, once I entered the bed, I slept immediately/easily. On the contrary, whenever I worked out in the evening, there was some trouble in sleeping immediately after entering the bed. Also, the quality of sleep improved a lot with good amount of deep and REM sleep.
4) My evenings were completely for me which I utilized for other activities in my life.
5) Morning exercise is associated with more movement throughout the day. After walking for 45 minutes in the morning, the participants showed an increase in physical activity over the next 24 hours.
6) One thing off the to-do-list (overcome procrastination). Hence, there is no anxiety to find time for exercises in the evening or there is no anxiety about missing the workout.
7) Better mood, more physical and mental energy, less tress
8) Established routine 
9) You'll consume fewer unnecessary calories.
10) You'll be more active all day long.
11) You'll burn more fat. (burn 20% more fat) and lose weight because burning body fat as fuel (due to increase in fat oxidation) is linked to weight loss.
12) You'll lower your blood pressure. (lower 10%)
13) You'll sleep better at night.
14) You'll protect yourself from diabetes.
15) You'll build muscle more efficiently.
16) You'll tap into the health benefits tied to exercising.
17) Morning Workouts Enhance Your Metabolism
The purple section of the graph shows how oxygen consumption (and calorie-burning) takes time to return to normal after your workout.

How does running improve fitness? (Click the Link for source)
Running, along with other endurance activities, also make many of our muscles stronger but none more so than the heart. Endurance is about sustained exercise with repetition and this combination makes for a healthy heart. When we run our muscles ask for more oxygen and we ask our heart to pump more oxygen carrying blood to them. Our heart then increases the number of beats per minute and pushes out more blood with each stroke than it would otherwise. Cardiac output is increased.

Over time your heart adapts and finds it easier to pump out more blood with each stroke, your heart rate comes down, as it doesn't need to beat as often to send the blood around the body, and then running feels easier as your heart is working at a lower rate than it previously did. We can relate this to a car that has a top speed of 120mph. It can maintain a speed of 80mph with much less strain or wear and tear for a longer time than a car which has a top speed of 80mph. The first car is working in its "comfort zone" whereas the second car is working to the limit of its capacity. Through running you can increase the capacity of, not only your heart, but your lungs and muscles which replaces your 600cc engine with a 2L engine and this will help you to run further at a comfortable pace or to run your usual distance faster!

Oxygen rich blood travels to your muscles via a network of  blood vessels. Tiny capillaries feed the cells in the muscles where they extract oxygen and nutrients and send back carbon dioxide and waste products. Running strengthens the heart, increases the number of capillaries in the body, increases the number of red blood cells and the capacity of the muscles to use the oxygen when it gets to them. The oxygen is then utilised to create a series of reactions needed to release fat or glycogen to be used as energy.

Moderate Exercise - 50%-70% of Maximum Heart Rate
Vigorous Exercise  - 70%-85% of Maximum Heart Rate

Max Heart Rate

Walking 2 minutes an hour
People who got up and moved around for at least two minutes every hour had a 33 percent lower risk of dying, according to researchers the University Of Utah School Of Medicine.

People who had chronic kidney disease saw a 41 percent lower risk of dying in the time period studied, which was just under three years on average. And those 383 people were also the most sedentary, spending 41 minutes of each hour immobile, compared to 34 minutes in the group as a whole.

What Are the Benefits of Long Slow Distance Runs? (Source: Virtual Runner)
There are many benefits to going on a long slow distance run:

They promote an efficient running form
They help to strengthen your muscles – especially in your legs, arms and torso
They train your respiratory, cardio and muscular systems to be more efficient
They improve your ability to handle physical discomfort, whilst making you a more patient and disciplined runner
They effectively adapt your ligaments, tendons, bones and joints to the stress of running
They increase the quantity and size of mitochondria, which help you to improve your use of oxygen, and glycogen storage levels

Cold Water Shower (Healthline)
Cold showers are any showers with a water temperature below 70°F
1) Increases Endorphins (helps in reducing depression y 10%)
Taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week, was shown to help relieve symptoms of depression in a clinical trial.

For people with depression, cold showers can work as a kind of gentle electroshock therapy. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain. They jolt your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins, which are sometimes called happiness hormones, are also released. This effect leads to feelings of well-being and optimism.

2) Improves Metabolism 
White fat is the fat we associate with conditions such as obesity and heart disease, but we are all born with brown fat. Researchers have found that brown fat plays an important role in adult health. Healthy levels of brown fat also indicate that white fat will be at a healthy level. And brown fat is activated by exposure to cold temperature. 

Cold water can even out certain hormone levels and heal the gastrointestinal system. These effects may add to the cold shower’s ability to lead to weight loss.


3) Improves circulation
It can feel uncomfortable to immerse our bodies in cold water, but it can also be invigorating. That’s because water that’s colder than our natural body temperature causes the body to work slightly harder to maintain its core temperature. When taken regularly, cold showers can make our circulatory system more efficient. Some people also report that their skin looks better as a result of cold showers, probably because of better circulation.

Athletes have known this benefit for years, even if we have only recently seen data that supports cold water for healing after a sport injury. It’s the same reason that ice brings down inflammation when we bruise or tear a muscle. By bringing the temperature of an area of the body down, we speed up the delivery of warmer, freshly oxygenated blood to that area. And that speeds up recovery time. Some people may benefit from cold showers as a way to help their blood move through their body more quickly. These include people with poor circulation, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

4) Helps fight off common illnesses
Our bodies are designed to become resistant to the elements we are exposed to. For example, leukocytes help fight infection in the body. The shock of cold water in the bloodstream stimulates leukocytes. This means that taking cold showers can help your resistance to common illnesses, like colds and the flu.

One study even indicated that cold showers could make the body more resistant to certain types of cancer

Hot versus vs Cold Night Showers
Morning: It is generally good to take a lukewarm or normal room temperature water head bath in the mornings because the Pita (Pita is a term used in Ayurveda. Pita should be in balance and within limits for a healthy body else higher or lower Pita would result in diseses) would come down. Pita increases in the body because the body temperature increase in the day due to many activities, exercises etc and it is very high after sleep.

Evening: Evening cold showers (even if we workout in the morning) before the meal/sleep would help to reduce the body temperature thereby inducing sleep and also giving a very good quality sleep.

This also helped in reducing the resting heart rate. Once again, I have observed it recently in 2020 between 2020-Dec-27 and 2020-Dec-31 for 4 days when I didn't take cold water shower in the night, my resting heart rate increased every day by 1 bpm. This confirmed me the fact that cold night shower decreases resting heart rate.

Note: It is fine to take hot water shower once in a while. Hot water shower provides certain other benefits.

Resting Heart Rate (Harvard Link)
Results of observational research studies support a link between health and heart rate. 

Compared to people whose resting heart rates were under 70 beats per minute at the study’s start and its end, those whose resting heart rate rose from under 70 to more than 85 were 90% more likely to have died during the course of the study. The increase in risk was slightly less for those with resting heart rates of 70 to 85 at the study’s start and who had a greater than 85 at the study’s end.

Although 90% sounds like a huge and scary increase, let me put it in perspective. Among the group whose heart rates stayed under 70 throughout the study, there were 8.2 deaths per 10,000 people per year. Among those whose heart rates rose above 85, there were 17.2 deaths per 10,000 people per year.

The results also suggested that lowering your resting heart rate over time may be beneficial, but the researchers could not say that for certain.

By doing these 4 things you can start to lower your resting heart rate and also help maintain a healthy heart:

1. Exercise more.When you take a brisk walk, swim, or bicycle, your heart beats faster during the activity and for a short time afterward. But exercising every day gradually slows the resting heart rate.
2. Reduce stress.Performing the relaxation response, meditation, tai chi, and other stress-busting techniques lowers the resting heart rate over time.
3. Avoid tobacco products.Smokers have higher resting heart rates. Quitting brings it back down.
4. Lose weight if necessary.The larger the body, the more the heart must work to supply it with blood. Losing weight can help slow an elevated resting heart rate.
5) Take evening/night cold water showers (2-3 hour before bed)

Personal observation: Resting heart rate would be higher when we workout in the evenings when compared with working out in the mornings. Hence, working out in the mornings are preferred. Also taking a night cold shower before sleep also helps in reducing the body temperature thereby helping in reducing the resting heart rate and improved quality of sleep.

Usage of Heater and Resting Heart Rate:Also, during winter, my resting heart rate suddenly spiked from 60bpm to 67bpm. I kept a small compact heater below the window and near my chest region (3ft-4ft away). This helped to warm the air. Hence, my body didn't have to suffer much with the cold. After using it for just two weeks, I saw that my resting heart rate came down to 62bpm. [Mid of Nov 2020]. This also helped to keep the cold away.

Cold Air and runny nose
I had a problem of getting mucus and phlegm in the night due to cold air. Due to cold air I had difficulty in breathing especially when I slept near windows during fall,  winter and spring seasons in cold countries such as Canada. I experienced nasal congestion which gave me disturbed sleep thereby affecting sleep quality a lot. When I reduced my weight, the difficulty in breathing greatly reduced. But, I still had mucus and my sleep quality suffered. But, accidently I observed one great improvement. I kept a heater between my chest region and below the window. This provided warm or normal room temperature air for me to inhale. Hence, my nose was dry when I woke up. Also, it reduced my resting heart rate by 5 beats per minute (From 67 to 62 bpm). This is certainly significant. The lesser the resting heart rate the better the hearth health. Also, my Fitbit sleep score improved from 78 to 85 which is really a great improvement. 

Also, I regret taking allergic medications for cold because the root cause is cold air not allergic reactions. 
Read an entire blog about in my blog post on Cold Air (Click the link). You would get a bried over view on Why cold air makes your nose run?, Cold Weather and Runny Noses and Dangers of Breathing Cold Air

Shavasana or Corpose Pose
Shavasana or corpose pose is a yoga pose done as final step in a yoga practice. It is a relaxation technique. I do this after yoga exercises and also after working out. 

The major benefit of shavasana that I felt is it helps to take advantage of the endorphins released by the body after doing workouts or yoga. The body is completely rested after a good amount of workout. This helps to feel energized after coming out of shavasana and throughout the day. Or else, we might feel sleeping or tired during the day(morning) in office or very tired in the afternoons.

Fat Burner: Longer Runs (Link)
When you run for longer than about 90 minutes, you improve your body's ability to use fat as fuel.
The lesson?? Complete a long run every week. Since these workouts are more taxing on the body, it's a good idea to only run one every week.

Several studies have shown that the longer a subject exercised, the longer it took for the metabolic rate to return to pre-exercise levels. Event at relatively moderate exercise duration, the benefit is significant. Another study found that this "exercise after-burn is more than doubled when exercise is increased from 30 to 45 minutes. And after 60 minutes? Metabolic rate increases by a factor of five. 

My Long run trend-line


Other Long Runs

Amount of Exercise Vs Relative Risk

HDL Vs BMI

Dine before 8pm
According to your circadian rhythm, nighttime is for resting, not eating. Researchers tracked the eating habits of 52 adults, they found that those who ate past 8 p.m. consumed more total calories than earlier eaters. The extra calories consumed by late eaters could lead to weight gain over time 


Health Benefits of Walking after a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) (August 2020)
Brisk walking right after a meal helps in better digestion and reduces belly fat, which simply occurs due to no physical activity after eating. Also when we take a walk after eating we use up our consumed nutrients more efficiently 

1) Helps in digestion :: Even 15 minutes of walking after finishing a meal can help with digestion and improve blood sugar levels, speeding the rate at which food moves through the stomach. Other research has found that walking after a meal may improve gastric emptying in patients with longstanding diabetes, where food may typically take longer to digest and empty from the stomach.

2) Boost metabolism :: a walk after a meal helps in stimulating your metabolism, which in turn helps in burning calories. The faster your metabolism, the faster you’ll burn calories, and thus, the better your weight will be controlled. Light exercise after a meal will increase your metabolism and cause your body to burn its fat more quickly. Because you are doing this right after a meal, your body does not have time to turn that food into fat. This is probably the main reason that after-dinner walkers have reported good results in terms of weight loss.


4) Lower Blood sugar :: Why go through medication when you can lower your blood sugar by walking for just 30 minutes after consuming a meal?  Walking for 15 minutes shortly after each meal improved daily blood sugar levels to a greater extent than a single 45-minute walk in the morning. Researchers say that a post-meal stroll helps clear glucose from the bloodstream in part because more of it is taken up by the muscles. 

5) Have a restful sleep :: Take a walk after your supper which will not only help in reducing stress levels, but also boost your blood circulation - both important for a good night's sleep! I fell asleep—and woke up—less stressed. One of the most plausible theories is that exercise produces an increase in body temperature as calories are burned. After a light exercise such as walking, there is a corresponding drop in the body temperature, and this may trigger a “sleepy” effect.

6) Lowers blood pressure ::What’s more, several 10-minute walks throughout the day appear to be more beneficial for lowering blood pressure than one continuous session. Another study in sedentary individuals found that starting a walking program can reduce systolic blood pressure by as much as 13%, or about 21 points

7) Improves Blood Circulation :: A 15-minute walk after eating your dinner enhances blood circulation to various parts of the body. This is mainly due to the fact that walking ensures proper supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart which in turn causes better blood circulation.

Sleep
No fitness blog post is complete without emphasizing the importance of sleep. We put our body through of physical stress during exercise and emotional stress due to work and life. Hence, it is essential to have a good amount of sleep. 7-8 hours of quality is highly recommended

I set a goal in my fitbit app to have a sleep of 7 hours. To implement this it is essential have a fixed bed time. I normally set my bed time to be 1030 a.m. and wake up time to be 5:30 a.m.

Using my fitbit versa 2 device, I monitored the quality of my sleep through various parameters such as amount of DEEP, REM, Light sleep, sleep score, resting heart rate, oxygen levels.

Morning exercises (rather than evening exercises) and cold (rather than hot) showers at night especially helped to improve my quality sleep.

Fitness Measurement
Weight (On a particular day of the week at particular time, without drinking water or eating breakfast and without dress)
Body Fat
Muscle Mass
Water Ratio
BMI

Fitness Test
1)  Running Test (1-mile in 13 mins - Excellent, For less than 40  - 13.3 min per mile -excellent 13.31 to 16 minutes is good . 16.0 to 18.30 minutes- average ... over age 40, 14.3 minutes or fewer excellent, 14.31 to 17 minutes good,  17.01 to 19.3) (basic fitness for endurance)
Sit up challenge (basic fitness for flexibility)
2) Blowing Balloon Test - Read about it. Yet to do it
-- Balloon Therapy for Better Breathing (Strengthens diaphragm and abdomen muscles, Resistance training for muscles for respiration. Reduces mental and physical fatigue by increasing oxygenation levels in blood. Use 12 inch balloon. 3 sets of 3 breaths. 3 times a day) 
-- Performance Running Breathing - 90-90 Balloon Blow (Lay on floor. Keep the legs on wall. Thighs at 90degree to legs and to stomach. Blow the balloon)
-- Balloon Breathing Exercise for Improved Lung Capacity (Blowing balloons works out the intercostals muscles that are responsible for spreading and elevating your diaphragm and ribcage.....Blowing up balloons, while effectively exercising the lungs’ ability to expand and take in air, does not affect the size or number of alveoli contained in the lungs. Alveoli are air sacs through which oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange happens with the blood......The more oxygen you supply to the body during exercise, the longer you will last without becoming breathless and fatigued. Oxygen restores energy to cells and muscles by breaking down glucose and creating fuel for muscles. When plenty of oxygen is available, your muscles will equip themselves with more energy reserves that will increase your lung endurance. Committing to a daily routine of blowing up 10 or 20 balloons will steadily increase lung capacity and will also amplify the lungs’ ability to maintain a sufficient supply of oxygen over time. Start with a few a day and then build up to more. ......When you steadily blow up several balloons, it effectively exercises all these muscles, building your lung capacity and stamina.) 


4) Cooper Test - A 12 minute running Test (Note: Cooper studied the effect of exercise in the late 1960s and used the term "training effect"[12] although that term had been used before.[13][14] The measured effects were that muscles of respiration were strengthened, the heart was strengthened, blood pressure was sometimes lowered and the total amount of blood and number of red blood cells increased, making the blood a more efficient carrier of oxygen. VO2 Max was increased.)

New Goal - Body Fat Percentage - Less than 12%. When Body fat percentage is less than 10%, your Abs becomes clearly visible because you directly train them or not.

Some notes
It takes 2-3 hours to enter into fasted state to utilize fat storage - Perform exercise during that stage.  Hence, weight training, abs exercise in the morning helps to break the fat faster.

Do with higher weights for lesser reps (improves strength) than lighter weights for higher reps (improves anaerobic capacity without increasing strength) . Higher weights also improves metabolic rate. Compound lifts like squats, dead-lifts burn the most post workout calories

Loss of muscle and strength leads to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, life span, decline of metabolic health. Build muscles by weight training.

High intensity cardio exercises/sessions result in greater fat loss over time than low intensity sessions.
High intensity cardio sessions is more muscle sparing than low intensity cardio
High intensity cardio sessions have increased resting metabolic rate.

HIIT Protocol - 2-3 minutes of low intensity warm up, 30-60 sec HIIT and 30 sec recovery period - Repeat for 20-30 minutes. 2-3 minutes cool down

You can fast up to 3 days because after 3 days only proteins starts breaking down. Until then body relies on body fat, glycogen stores in live and muscles for energy.

A 16-24 hour fasting helps to burn more fat - Intermittent fasting

Pre work meal should be 30g of Protein and 30g of carbohydrates while Post work out meal should be 30 grams of protein and 30-40% of daily carbohydrates.

Cutting carbs means storage of glycogen in live is reduced and the water retention is also reduced. So low carb diets helps in faster weight loss in 3 months while in 12 months low carb is insignificant when compared with normal healthy diet. Hence, calorie deficit matters than low carbs.

Body - Use (Exercise) it or lose it

Exercise - Controls weight, prevents diseases, enhances flexibility, improves stamina, strengthens and tones, improves quality of life,

Consistency is required once you begin to workout

A good night sleep has positive impact on next day exercise.

Exercise plan should be :
1) A warm up (walking)
2) A cardiovascular aerobic workout  (running, climbing stairs etc)
3) Strength Building Exercises (pushups, abdominal crunches, dumbbells),
4) Flexibility moves (Yoga)
5) Pranayama
6) Cool Down

Important: When you are working on a muscle, you should feel it

Basic Strength Training Exercises - Ab crunches (crunches, twist, bicycle crunch), push ups, triceps dips, knee raises, leg raises, pull ups, star jumps (jumping and coming down in squats),

Simple Beginner Body Weight Circuit: 20 body weight squats, 20 walking/side lunges, 15 pushes (and incline push-ups), 10 hip raises(i.e, bridges), 15-30 second plank, 8-12 Floor Y-T-I Raises, 10 dumbbell rows (Don't do dumbbell rows on consecutive days)
To make it interesting - Mix push up and side plank(for just 1 sec)

Fitness Ball is good idea to sit at office while doing work - say 30 minutes a day

Intermittent Fasting -  As long as you stay under 50 calories, you'll remain in the fasted state. So you can take 50 ml of Coffee.

Sleep - DO NOT SNOOZE and assault your CARDIO-VASCULAR SYSTEM
Source 1 : Reverie 
When you artificially wake yourself from sleep by an alarm, it’s a shock to your system, spiking your blood pressure and accelerating your heart rate.

Sleep scientist Matthew Walker in his informative Why We Sleep details the toll this shock takes on your average worker with a habit of punching snooze: “If alarming your heart...were not bad enough, using the snooze feature means that you will inflict that cardiovascular assault again and again within a short span of time”.

“Step and repeat this at least five days a week,” he explains, “and you begin to understand the multiplicative abuse your heart and nervous system will suffer across a lifespan”

Source 2: Independent
If alarming your heart, quite literally, were not bad enough, using the snooze feature means you will repeatedly inflict that cardiovascular assault again and again within a short span of time,

Source 3: Book : Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Using the snooze feature means you will repeatedly inflict that cardiovascular assault again and again within a short span of time," Walker explained. "Repeating this at least five days a week in your working life, can cause multiplicative abuse to your heart and nervous system."

Early Morning Exercise
You must begin your day with intense exercise. This is non negotiable.  Doing exercise will not only wake you up fully but electrify your focus and energy, amplify your self discipline and launch your day in a way that makes you feel on fire. Workout can be jumping jacks, bur-pees, skipping, wind sprints etc., Make sure you sweat. Because cortisol is the hormone of fear (made from the cortex of adrenal glands and released into the blood) which is highest in the morning.

Exercising lowers your cortisol hence you will automatically dial for your top performance.

Working out first thing in the morning also elevates your metabolism and it fuels fat burning engine of your body so you burn any excess more efficiently and lean out more quickly.

Other Benefits of Exercise
Today (10-Sep-2020), I felt really good in the morning. Usually, after relocating to Canada, when there is mist or whenever I sleep near window, I get cold. When I contacted a pulmonologist (lung specialist) friend he told me that it could be due to allergies, perhaps pollen allergy. I had tried medicines like Allegra-D and Claritin. Allegra-D worked better for me when I was in 75kg weight range. After weight loss in last 4-5 months, I am observing that I am not getting these allergic reactions. I was thinking about and explored in internet. Internet literature says that "Overweight puts a burden on the adrenal glands, which are involved in managing asthma and allergies. Being overweight is also a strain upon the respiratory system and can exacerbate asthma symptoms" (Source:Everyday Health). I am glad that I am currently not getting those allergic reactions. I hope it continues this way in coming months. I will update it as well.

Personal Challenges - 90 Day Challenge - Building Rhythm
Since Nov 2018, I have been in to fitness especially diet and exercise. For some 6 months I was 80% consistent. But after that my consistency was somewhere around 40 to 50% in month at max. It was worst at even 20%. Whenever, I restarted I lost the motivation after 2 weeks either due to no progress in weight loss or due to body ache or due to food carvings. 

95% people who diet for weight loss gain it back in 2-3 years


Hence, during the COVID-19 lock down I got inspired by my Yoga aacharya/mentor Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani of Sri Anandha Ashram, Pondicherry. Dr.Ananda was doing Facebook live (and later recordings uploaded in Youtube) sessions every day on various topics of yoga, pranayamas etc. A spark ignited in my mind that I should also do something productive. So, I started took a 90 day challenge doing at least 45minutes of exercise (could be walking, running, weights, yoga, HIIT etc), 10minutes of Pranayama, 10 minutes of meditation and in the night a 10-15minutes of Yoga Nidra before sleep. I titled my challenge as 90 Day Challenge - Building Rhythm because my main goal is to build a rhythm and overcome lethargy, excuses and train my sub-conscious mind.  Also, following celebrity Mandira Bedi's personal challenge of 100 days off exercise extended to 365days as part of fit india movement also inspired me 

Another thing that I did in this personal challenge is I put it in Instagram as I want to be accountable to my friends (especially my MBA friends) and colleagues. I did this because I am accountability person (thanks to book Better than before. I hoped that this accountability factor would drive me long. Also, after 2 days, I started putting more stats such as strike numbers for each and every thing such as exercise (N/N), pranayama (N/N), meditation (N,N), yoga Nidra (N/N).

I started this personal Challenge on May 4th 2020 and completed it on 1st August 2020. I must say that the accountability factor really helped me to do the exercise every day even if I missed some of the other stuffs few days because my personal brand was at stake.

My tracking scorecard is 
Yoga Nidra - 36/90 
Exercise (Yogasana, Running, Walking, Weights - Min 45+mins) -  90//90
Pranayama - 84/90
Meditation - 84/90
Overall - 90/90

Other Stats from Fitbit (May 1 to July 31  2020)
Total Distance walked/ran - 978km
Total Steps - 12.05 Lakh Steps
Total Active Minutes - 8322 minutes
Total Calories Burnt - 279246 calories 

My Net weight loss w.r.t 4th May 2020 was 6.1kgs (i.e 13.45 lbs) in the 90 days. However I lost 6.8kgs (15 lbs) in the last 60 days because during the initial 30 days I didn't have a weight measuring scale. After 30 days when I realized that I had not made progress I was determined to fix the mistakes that I made 1) focus on diet 2) focus on weight measurement. I focused on diet from 40th to 65th day. And I manage to check my weight and found that during those 3 weeks I had lost 3 kgs. This motivated me further and I lost another 3.8kgs in next 25 days. Overall I lost 6.8kgs. Most importantly I achieved this without going to gym by diet (50%) and exercises (49% running, yoga, body weight exercises and perhaps 1% on 5lb dumbbells for may be 10 days)

I lost significant amount of belly fat (though a significant amount is still left out) and love handles. 
My waist size reduce by at least 4 inches. 
My face lost a significant amount of fat during the last 2 months. But during the last 2 weeks, the amount of fat lost in my face/cheeks made me look lot younger like in my 2007-2008 days.

Process Learnings' from this 90 days challenge::
So, by being accountable, tracking the efforts, measuring the results, what I majorly learnt once again is "what gets measured gets managed".

As I started seeing progress I started setting goals for weight loss. For a long time I have been wanting to be around 67 kgs which is the mid point of my healthily BMI weight range. As I am already 67.4kg on 2nd August 2020 and since 2 months is left before winter arrives, I want to loose another 8kg and reach 60kg so that during winter I can manage to not put more than 5kgs. 
Once I saw progress, I started setting bigger goals for my self.

Most importantly, what I realized is 
"Motivation is a bullshit.
Mastery of self-discipline is what you need to  succeed"
✔️ We don't always have motivation to do our workouts
✔️ But if we the discipline, we will do it whatever it takes!



Learning about my body and mind during this 90-day challenge:
I have explained in detail everything in this blog itself. Hence, I am just writing down
1. Morning Workouts, helps sleep soon and better. Helps in waking up early, helps in focusing on others tasks, reduces anxiety of missing the workout for that day, improves/reduces resting heart rate.
2. Cold Showers in the night help in sleeping better
3. Cold showers in the morning helps in reducing the pita because of the higher body temperature due to exercises. 
4. If someone wakes you up orally (thanks to my house mate Inayathulla Jafar Ali) at 5am, you can wake up easily
5. Most importantly, the sub-conscious mind is conquerable, trainable, rewireable if we are disciplined. However developing discipline is not an easy tasks. But, any longest journey starts with the first step which only you/I have to take for yourself/myself.
6. Sub-conscious mind plays lot of tricks. Don't get scared. They are finite in number because you only introduced those tricks to your sub-conscious mid. So, you can manage it by discipline.
7. One long work out or one long run (say 10k run) every weeks helps in accelerating the progress and also challenge ourselves mentally and physically
8. Cutting sugar (80%), snacks (80%, milk (60%) helps a lot in cutting the calorie. We will easily cut 200 to 300 calorie every day which is very significant amount in terms of calorie deficit which we can achieve without working out or cutting our meals  (i.e without starving)
9. It is better to suffer the pain for discipline than to suffer the pain of regret because now after achieve the weight loss and building rhythm this joy (out of all suffering) is really worth it but the pain of regret for not doing exercise doesn't yield any joy except the momentary  happiness of not doing a exercise or not waking up (such happiness is max 5mins because after that pain of regret starts).
10. Try to find out what is going to push to persevere. For me it was accountability factor. My personal brand.
11. When your personal brand is at stake, you will do everything possible to not tamper it and not find any sort of excuses. You will at least do a bare minimum to save your face.
12. Most importantly if we pursue any goal by mastering self-discipline we can achieve any goal.

Long Term Benefits/ Other Benefits that I realized after almost 7 months since I took the challenge
1. Reduction in Allergic Reactions - Cold
Whenever I was in India during the winter or in Korea, USA during the extreme winters, until 2016, I didn't get cold in the night hours (to such an extent I had difficulty in breathing during sleep). I consulted a doctor and he told me that it could be due to weather or pollen allergies or pollution or because of location (in North America it is common to get allergies as I am from not India and not used to this environment). So, as per doctor suggestion I took Allergy tablets from 2 months. Once, summer started I stopped taking the tablets. During summer, I lost almost 10 kgs.

Now, in Nov 2020, I do get cold. But it has reduced a lot. It is not to the extent of blockages or difficulties in breathing. I told my doctor (pulmonologist) about this observation and also the weight loss. He told me that Weight loss helps to have a lot in having a better respiration. That is the major reason for the improved response from your lungs in tackling winter weather. 

Usage of Heater and Resting Heart Rate:Also, during winter, my resting heart rate suddenly spiked from 60bpm to 67bpm. I kept a small compact heater below the window and near my chest region (3ft-4ft away). This helped to warm the air. Hence, my body didn't have to suffer much with the cold. After using it for just two weeks, I saw that my resting heart rate came down to 62bpm. [Mid of Nov 2020]. This also helped to keep the cold away.

2. Reduction in Allergic Reactions - Dry Skin
I used to have a tough time with my skin especially my leg regions. It used to get dry and itch me a lot. I itch them frequently and sometimes small wounds happen. Nowadays, I observe that my skin doesn't get dried easily. This could be attributed to lift in my mood due to less stress after reducing weight and gain new perspective and confidence.

3. Reduction in Snoring
I used to snore heavily. I think, after weight loss, my snoring has reduced. I have to ask my wife once I return to Regina [TBD]

Results
Bad news first: I was working towards my goal of 65kg. I was weighting 67.2kgs something during the end of August 2019. But myself to mainly blame I gained 7 kgs and reached 74.1 kgs in next 3 months thanks to my family and also my uncontrolled consumption.

Good news: I checked my lipid profile in first week of January 2020, my HDL Cholesterol reached 38 for first time in 7 years. The highest I have ever known. Rest of my lipid profile was also in healthy range. I am wondering how much better lipid profile and my HDL Cholesterol would have been had it maintained the 67kg. I must acknowledge that my walking, running has certainly helped a lot in improving my HDL cholesterol.

Current Status
As on 2 Aug 2020 after I completed a 90 day challenge, my weight is at 67.4 kg which is within my healthy BMI range. 

As on 24 October 2020, my weight is at 65.3 kg which is within my healthy BMI range. During September 2020 and until mid of October 2020, I was able to sustain my weight between 63.5kg and 64.3kg. But in third week of October, due to erratic eating, my weight increased again to 65.3kg. 

As on 16 Nov 2020, my weight is at 65.6kg which is within my healthy BMI range. Last 2 months have been little granted eating patterns. I guess it led to weight gain. Have to come to 58kgs soon.

My goal is to reach 60kg which is at the bottom of my BMI(60kg to 75kg for 177cm /5ft 10inch). I hope my tummy would largely disappear when I am at 60kg.

My Weight Timeline since 2005


My Weight Loss Timeline since Nov-2018


My Weight Loss Timeline since June-2020


Pending Experiments/Goals
1) Cutting Salt intake
I have been observing that I consume almost around 300+ grams of salt per month i.e approximately 10grams per day which is way higher than the recommended intake of only 2.3g per day. There are various theories saying that salt is not the culprit while sugar is actually the culprit. In spite of those theories, anything in moderate is good. Moreover, few benefits of low salt diet are 1)we would consume lesser than what we might end up eating when sugar is more than required. 2) we would normally subscribe ourself to the artificial taste which was enhanced due to salt addition. When we cut down salt, we enjoy the true taste of our food which is really good. Hence, we would eat consciously and mindfully.

2) Strength Training / Weight Training
TBD

3) Diaphragm Breathing
I learnt from my Yoga Therapist that I was doing breathing wrongly. My yoga therapist suggested me to practice diaphragm breathing. The practice starts with diaphragm breathing - 5 deep breathing (in 1 minute) every 15 minutes during the day time. It would take few months for diaphragm breathing to follow a healthy breathing style. It is really worth as its benefits are alot.

I have a put a separate post on how to do diaphragm yogic breathing.

4) Salt Water Birth
I have been trying salt water shower since mid of Nov 2020. I read that salt baths are known for their therapeutic and healing properties, as well as their ability to ease stress and boost your overall health.

Your skin, which is your body’s largest organ, will also thank you for indulging in a sea salt bath

If you’re looking for a way to relieve stress, ease achy muscles, and treat irritated skin, you may want to consider taking a sea salt bath.

Board-certified dermatologists are recommending sea salt baths for patients with psoriasis, eczema, and other dry skin conditions.

Soaking in a sea salt bath before bed can also promote better sleep.

The skin is an organ of elimination, and a saltwater soak will draw toxins and heavy metals from the tissues.

The essential trace minerals your body needs are absorbed through the skin to enhance your health.

Skin conditions can be aided, as bacteria and other debris are also drawn from the skin, leaving it feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

Bath salts can be used to relieve skin inflammation and irritation caused by eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and athlete’s foot. 

Other benefits of taking a sea salt bath are said to include:
- stimulating circulation
- easing muscle cramps
- helping to relieve stiffness in joints
- soothing achy, overworked legs and feet

I have put a separate post on how to take salt water shower.

Other notes came across while reading
1) Other Benefits of Weight Loss
Given the established association between weight change and blood pressure status, the question arises as to how this interaction functions physiologically. Rocchini33 identifies numerous potential biological mechanisms by which weight loss or fat loss might lead to parallel declines in blood pressure. Among them are reductions in insulin resistance, enhanced sodium retention, alterations in vascular structure and function, changes in ion transport, enhanced stimulation of the rennin-aldosterone-angiotensin system, increased activation of sympathetic nervous system, and changes in natriuretic peptide. The wide range of potential mechanisms also may be a major factor in accounting for the apparent heterogeneity in blood pressure response to any treatment. Weight loss may variably and simultaneously impact one of more of these proposed routes of action. Because weight status itself is a result of multiple causes, the fashion in which it induces blood pressure change would not surprisingly be variable.

Examination of these possible mechanisms raises one important caveat about recommending weight loss for blood pressure control. This is the possibility that the effects of weight loss are mediated through some other system and that weight loss might not be an independent influence on blood pressure status.

Because most weight loss is accomplished through dietary manipulation, it is possible that some aspects of diet, when altered, are the true determinants of blood pressure reduction.

2) Weight Loss Graphs
This link will give you all forms of weight loss graphs. You can infer which ones are best and which ones do you think will work out for you well. It is important to know to this in order to maintain a sustainable healthy weight. 


Marjoram's Results Graph

Marjoram’s Weight Loss Graph
Marjoram's Results Graph
Marjoram started off all guns blazing with a 2 stone loss in 3 months – around 2.3 lbs a week. This is a seemingly great result but, as the graph shows, not entirely sustainable.

It’s likely that Marjoram became fed up with having to be so strict all the time – resulting in a regain of 10-12lbs over the next few months. However, despite the ups and downs, Marjoram has lost nearly 3 stone in just over a year and is within touching distance of her healthy weight range.

That’s an overall average loss of about ¾lb a week. It’s possible that Marjoram may have found it a little easier (on mind and body), if she had set an initial target to lose 1lb a week rather than two. This would have added around 400-500 calories a day to her calorie allowance. That’s quite a lot of extra food, with room for treats and drinks, making the whole weight loss experience much easier.

Cinnamon’s Weight Loss Graph
Cinnamon's Results Graph
Cinnamon’s graph is a perfect example of how steady weight loss, based on habit changes you can live with, provides the right conditions for weight maintenance.

Cinnamon lost 3 stone 10lbs in a year, an average of 1lb a week. Better still she has been able to maintain that loss to within a pound or two up and down.

Basil’s Weight Loss Graph
Basil's Results Graph
An impressive 8 kgs are lost in the first four weeks of Basil’s weight loss. The problem is that losing 2kg (4.4lbs) a week is not sustainable over the longer time Basil needs, if his goal is to get within a healthy weight range. The graph shows about 4 weeks of maintenance after the initial blast – which is actually really good going after such a large quick loss.

Then the graph settles down to a more realistic average of 1kg (2.2lb) a week. This is still quite a fast rate of loss, but is sustainable where somebody is starting out at quite a high weight – in this instance 108kg (17 stones).

This is because, generally speaking, the more you weigh the more calories you need. When Basil gets closer to his healthy weight range he’ll probably need to slow down his rate of weight loss, in order to ensure his diet doesn’t become overly restrictive and difficult to live with.

Saffron's Weight Loss Graph
Saffron's Results Graph
Saffron lost 2 stone 10lbs in 10 months – an average of just under a pound a week.

The beauty of this graph is it shows that losing weight at sensible and steady rate makes maintenance much more likely. Saffron has maintained her 9 stone to 9 stone 4 range for nearly four years - that’s a fabulous result.

Nigella’s Weight Loss Graph
Turmeric's Results Graph
Nigella’s graph is quite interesting, showing that it can take some time to get in the swing when you’re trying to change your habits.

But after a fairly hesitant start, losing just a stone overall in the first 7 months or so, Nigella goes on to lose a further 3½ stone in the following 9 months at a steady and sustainable rate of 1¼ pounds a week.

Paprika’s Weight Loss Graph

Paprika's Results Graph
Starting at over 23 stone, Paprika lost over 5 stones in the first year and a further 4 in the following 2 years. Plus she has managed to maintain to within around a stone in the following 2 years.

This is slow and steady weight loss that works over the long term. The first year’s rate of loss is around 1.3lbs a week, followed by an average of just over half a pound a week in years 2 and 3.

Allspice’s Weight Loss Graph

Allspice's Results Graph
The faster initial weight loss Allspice achieved – a stone in six weeks, is followed by a 7½ month period of maintenance.

It’s not clear if Allspice needed a break from the restriction of losing weight at such a quick rate, or whether life just got in the way – as it frequently does!

In any event Allspice continues her journey to her goal weight, losing weight at the easier to live with rate of just over a pound a week. Dropping a further 2 stone in six months and maintaining that loss over the next six months.

So, How Long Does it Take to Lose Weight ?
On the whole, our successful losers graphs suggest that a rate of loss of around a pound a week produces the best results for:

Being relatively easy to stick to – you don’t have to starve yourself
Significant weight loss, the losses shown range from a couple of stones to over 9 stones
Maintainability – losing a pound a week doesn’t leave your body, and mind, exhausted and hanging onto every calorie it can.
Finally...

Never Give Up!

Quotes on Motivation and Discipline
Note: You can understand these quotes only after doing a successful 90 day challenge. Until then they are just motivational quotes which won't be there in mind always.