Flex it

The rule of five Fs – Fast, Focused Flexible, Friendly and Fun holds relevance even in the fitness regime, writes Swetha Subbiah

The year 2020 has taught us all the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of good health, both physical and mental. While New Year resolutions (especially fitness-based) have a horrible reputation of crashing and burning (packed gyms on January 2 turn into ghost towns by mid-March), it is still worth your while to take this opportunity to hit the reset button and try and do things differently towards leading a healthier and more holistic life.

Doing things differently should start with your New Year fitness resolution, and whatever that may be (train 4 times a week and get leaner, cook at home and eat cleaner, run a marathon, etc.,) this year, resolve to set those goals within the context of your current reality, which can be unpredictable at times as demonstrated during the preceding 12 months. This means that we need to be realistic, focused and at the same time flexible, making our wellness journey in 2021 dynamic and exciting! Here are some real-life scenarios that you might be faced with and some ways by which you could make better choices within these scenarios, thereby not having to completely drop the ball when things don’t go as planned:

Scenario#1: You’ve made a fitness plan which includes 30-40 mins of training 4/5 days a week, but tight deadlines at work coupled with your other responsibilities mean that you can’t always find that amount of time to train. In this scenario, rather than getting demotivated and frustrated, improvise. Perhaps you could jog on the spot, do a few jumping jacks, or some push-ups and air squats as and when you have a few minutes to spare during the day.

Scenario#2: You had planned to start cooking more and eating clean but it's wedding season! Now, all of a sudden you have three nights in the week where you have to eat out and the food options you have don’t fit in with your plan. Here again, instead of going back on your resolution, just make the best choice you can within the range of options available to you.

Scenario#3: You’ve signed up for an online group class and minutes before the class begins there is an emergency that you have to tend to and you end up missing the class. Again, instead of doing nothing by way of fitness activity, download a free-to-use fitness app and do a workout from there or have a go-to workout plan handy for such instances.

Scenario#4: Travel! Perhaps this is not going to be a big one for at least the first half of the year, but you better be prepared for when things get back to normal and travel is once again on the cards. Travel has long been a favourite amongst the list of reasons one’s fitness regimen drops off the map when it really doesn’t have to be. You can be well prepared for this scenario by simply having a travel workout plan handy that you could do at your hotel room for 15-20 mins before the start of your day. You could also use this opportunity to spend more time on your feet, walking. Your diet too does not need to crash and burn if you just make better choices within the available options, practice portion control, etc.

An all or nothing approach seldom gets anyone anything. Real-life can be complex, messy and unpredictable.

Accepting this reality and preparing to some extent for things not to always go as planned can add a dimension of excitement to your wellness journey. So rather than feeling a sense of loss of control and demotivation, go ahead and embrace these unforeseen events.

(The author has over a decade of experience in the fitness industry. She is certified in various areas of fitness such as Posture Analysis, Suspension Training, Kettlebell, Advance Personal Training and Pre-Post Natal Training from one of the top institutes in the UK. In 2018, she became one of the few Sports Performance Coaches in the country.)