VIHAR

VIHAR includes our daily routine, recreation and relaxation time of the day. It consists of activities that help in taking our mind off the unnecessary stress which we carry on our shoulders all day, everyday.
I stress on the word ROUTINE because I have understood its importance and the conscious effort required to follow it.

1. Motivation

All of us struggle with this word, I do too. I have heard complaints and endless stories about how one lacked motivation to exercise or follow a task. It's not easy to be motivated everyday and get yourself to exercise instead of just sleeping for some more time. The voice in our head tells us to skip today and go tomorrow but this is where the challenge lies. Outsmart your mind and be strong enough to say NO, yet again.

There are ways to motivate yourself - Start with setting achievable goals. Nobody can motivate you to get things going but yourself. So stop cribbing about why you won't lose weight or fit in that size ‘whatever’ dress. It is not just about losing weight but how exercising makes you feel physically and mentally.
Having said that I'm no different from you, I do stress about how thin I used to be and how much weight I have gained now. Irrespective of the reason that led to gaining weight, we have today to change it. Understand that losing fat takes time, so hang in there and love yourself.

I believe that recreation has a lot to do with a hobby that you enjoy. Choose a sport that you like. It could be any sport as long as you consistently follow it.
For me, that's swimming. I have been swimming since childhood but I gave it up in between and tried other ways to workout. I joined a gym, started running too. Even though I enjoy running once a while I figured that swimming made me happy. It never seems like an exercise but a way to unwind myself. It's absolutely therapeutic being in water and this feeling is irreplaceable.



It is super important to find an activity that keeps you fit but at the same time doesn't feel like an exercise. It should blend in with your lifestyle and routine so that it stays a part of it for life. If you're one of those who hasn't played sports ever. You need to find what works for you.

Running
Cycling
MMA
Gym
Yoga
Dance
Karate
Zumba/Aerobics
Pilates

Exercising shouldn't be forced or temporary. You need to explore which activity you love and if you are willing to continue it for a long time. Once you decide, Give yourself time to get habituated to it, at least 3 months and you'll see the difference.

2. Priority

Neglecting your health is probably the worst thing you can do to yourself. I'm not your mother to tell you what's right and wrong. But come on, I think you deserve better, so does your body.
ROUTINE includes getting enough sleep and on time. You can't possibly be energetic if you end up sleeping at 3 am and expect your mind to function well the next day. We all have deadlines and work that can't be postponed. What we don't know is to MANAGE our time. You'll find excuses and ridicule this but I procrastinate too, I know how time flies if I let it.
In the virtual world, we are so caught up with stories, posts, snapchats and views/likes/comments that we forget how much time and energy is wasted. We are awake at night watching random shows and memes or chatting with friends which is the cause for Sleep Deprivation.
Putting my phone away one hour before I sleep, worked very well initially to stop the late night chats. This is where discipline comes into the picture. You have to choose what's more important and realize the long term effects of not getting enough sleep. Please put yourself first when your health is at stake, the rest can be managed.

So, get your priorities straight. Sleep for 6-7 hours, earlier the better. It does help to start your day on a fresh note so that you stay motivated and build a routine that becomes a habit.


3. Success

PATIENCE - FAITH - PERSEVERANCE (PFP)

Thomas Jefferson says, “If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done”. I completely live by this quote when it comes to achieving goals, especially fitness goals. I feel it isn't impossible to achieve anything if we put our mind to it and work hard to get there. Failure is a part of the game - a stepping stone to success.

Remove the fear to fail because you can't avoid it. This must sound familiar - starting a task and not following it through, cheating on your diet or procrastinating till the last moment. We all do it and fail miserably. I have failed more times than succeeded at a task but I build faith and encourage myself to do better the next time. Every time we fail, it gives us an opportunity to start over and grow. Take it positively, it's ALRIGHT to fail but bouncing back with double the motivation is the key. I learned to give myself a pat on the back once a while and avoid being too hard on myself.
Over stressing makes you move away from the path, therefore.

Have patience,
Have faith in yourself and your efforts,
Have perseverance to get there no matter what.

Champions are made, they aren't born