There is one story that invariably comes to me mind whenever I see my friends tying themselves into complex knots when pursuing fitness. These friends go around with long lists of what to eat and what not to eat, time schedules that appear to my mind as roaring dictators, actionable plans that leave no space for anything else, and go around with worry lines on their foreheads and long faces with expressions of ‘come and hug me as I am distraught and lonely’. Come on, fitness isn’t about any of these steps. Fitness is a much simpler concept and is as easy as writing a story is for a writer who cannot stay away from the charm and mesmerizing power of imagination. So before we fork out fitness again for a more wholesome discussion, let me first tell you that story that is connected to what I have to say.
This is one story that my maternal grandmother or Nani told me more than once and she always added, ‘Never forget this story’ and I nodded my head every time. The story was about a little girl who wanted to read fiction and not her text-books. So her father tied her neatly braided hair to a thin but strong jute rope that hung from the ceiling. The arrangement did not hamper this girl’s movements but only prevented her from reaching the shelf where all the novels were kept. The text-books were helpfully kept in front of her. ‘And now you will study only what matters and score well in your exams,’ said her father with a smug smile.
‘What happened then,’ I asked my Nani.
‘That little girl kept her textbooks open and was always seen writing or making notes in her copies. Her father was pleased and whispered to his wife, ‘Now you shall see, this girl is going to shine like a beacon.’ A friend of her father who was also a writer, came to visit them once and when he pepped into her notes he said, ‘Good work!’ No, nothing more was said. But he did come the next day with more blank notebooks that he gave to her in exchange for the ones that were filled. ‘Let me read your notes thoroughly,’ he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
‘What was there in the notebooks?’ I asked, almost assuming that there was something terrible just waiting to happen, ‘What happened to them?’
‘Well, I don’t know what happened to the notebooks,’ said my Nani, ‘but this man came back one fine day with a book that had a colourful cover and a picture of this girl.’
‘She was a writer pretending to study science,’ I said, finding this ending simply awesome.
Yes, Nani went on, this writer told the girl’s father, ‘Your daughter has more talent than you will ever understand. Untie her hair now and let her read whatever she wishes to read. And don’t worry, she will also pass her exams.’
At my age I am now able to recollect this story and see what could have helped that little girl. Let me add to my list of recalls a bit of practical tip for the fitness seeker as well…
1. Her love for imagination was way beyond the harsh remarks of her critics. So those who aim for fitness need to stop bothering about criticism and start by imagining fitness as a part of their existence.
2. She knew she did not want ideas to wait… and so she wrote. Well, fitness is all about finding the time to walk around every day. After all, how much time do a few push-ups or sit-ups take? And do you need an extensive range of equipment for them?
3. That girl in my Nani’s story never panicked. She simply found the best alternate way. This is what fitness seekers also need to do. If you don’t like martial arts, just pick up Zumba or yoga. Or you can dance your way into a fit body. Alternatively, go for aerobics. Jog. Sprint. Cycle. You have all the choices right there to pick at will. And, if you’re looking for a more structured approach, consider pursuing certification from American Sports and Fitness. Just do not panic.
4. That girl knew needed to have enough time because a story doesn’t sprint into existence. This is what fitness seekers too need to know. Give everything some time. You cannot mutter ‘abracadabra!’ and become fit overnight.
5. That girl was completely in love with words and all that they could weave. Fitness is all about loving work-outs, walks, runs or whatever you have decided to opt for. Throwing tantrums and finding excuses for not doing what you’ve decided to do is not going to be helpful at all.
Of course, there are a few other tips for getting fit and they include the importance of remaining consistent, being able to celebrate every little moment of triumph that you experience, keeping your goals reasonable and letting them get bigger gradually… and, the most important tip that I can share is what I’ve learned from watching ‘countdowns’ on the television. You remember how they go 9…8…7… and then reach 0 and everything changes? Well, each morning while getting up I give myself this 5 second countdown and, believe me, it works every time. I do this before I begin each exercise or every round during my walks in the park. And yes, before I finally say no to diet food because I know that they do not help me remain fit.. but then we’ll talk about diet food in some other post.
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Note: This article is written as a part of Gympik Fit-A-Thon contest and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Gympik is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.
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Getting fit is almost like writing a short-story. #Gympik
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Arvind Passey
21 December 2017
