Be Athletic
World Athletics Day is celebrated on May 7 and as the country battles the severe surge in coronavirus, it is time to focus on staying fit.
Staying active on a regular basis is a must for overall well-being, and both running and walking provide numerous physical and mental health benefits. Walking or running helps improve fitness levels and burns calories.
WALK THE TALK
Walking and running not just aid weight loss but also help in overall fitness. It improves your heart health and reduces chances of cardiovascular diseases by improving your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and by keeping weight gain at bay. “Cardio exercises also help increase blood flow in the optic nerve and retina, this improves overall eye health. It also helps improve your stamina and endurance. Walking is great to keep immobility at bay especially in old age and helps strengthen joints and muscles. Just a 30-minute workout can stimulate and boost your immune system and help fight off diseases,” says Suvini Mehra, Fitness Expert, Cult.fit. Walking and running are not just costeffective forms of exercise but can be performed anywhere by anyone. “Walking and any form of athletic exercise can contribute to increasing activity levels without any cost. Activity Thermogenesis (AT) is a highly variable component of the total daily energy expenditure that is the total amount of energy we spend in a day. Walking is one of the easiest ways to increase AT, increase activity levels, and burn more calories," says Praveen Budhrani, INFS Faculty.
HOUSE WALKING
Being athletic at home does not necessarily mean that we must train like bodybuilders or pro-athletes. It all starts with some of the key parameters that need focus
lighting up the mood. Moreover, making small changes in everyday life, such as choosing walking over driving to run errands, parking your vehicle far away from the office can help people accelerate their road to fitness goals."
● Spend 5 minutes walking for every one hour spent sitting in front of a laptop/computer. Take stairs whenever possible.
● Park your car/bike a block or two away from your destination. Take voice calls while moving around in your house/block.
● Include 10-15 minutes of walking post-meal to increase your activity levels.
EASY WALKING TIPS
Walking stops the loss of bone mass for those suffering from osteoporosis, increases longevity, boosts mental health, strengthens muscles, improves sleep patterns and lowers Alzheimer’s risk among others
— JITENDRA CHOUKSEY, during training besides maintaining a healthy diet and regular sleep routine. Being an athletic person involves a regular exercise schedule. Saumil Majmudar, CoFounder, Sportz Village says, “The concept of house walking is fun and practically effortless. It is a great feeling to look at your fitness band after strolling around the house and see how many steps you have racked
● up. Just think about all the extra calories you are burning, without even really trying. It is also a great tool for weight loss.”
When you are walking, focus on standing tall with your chin parallel to the ground and your ears aligned above your shoulders. Keep your eyes and gaze forward. Jitendra Chouksey, CEO and Founder, Fittr, says, “Walking also stops the loss of bone mass for those suffering from osteoporosis, increases longevity, boosts mental health, strengthens muscles, improves sleep patterns and lowers Alzheimer’s risk among others. Walking releases pain-killing endorphins in the body naturally,
— SHOBHAN OJHA
BALANCED DIET
You should always ensure you have enough space to perform the movements especially if you are doing them at home. Get medical clearance before performing these movements. It is also important to ensure that form and posture are correct to yield the best results. “Before any workout, warm up is a must as are stretches before you end. Your body needs to prepare for any form of cardio or sports. The most important thing is to have a balanced nutrition intake as 80 per cent of your health is dependent on what goes into your body. So, ensure you have enough greens, proteins (paneer, pulses for vegetarian), drink enough water and get a good sound sleep for eight hours,” says Simrun Chopra, Deep Health Coach and Founder Nourish With Sim. Being athletic has an immense impact on a person's daily life and health as it not just gives an interesting routine but also a healthy body.
The concept of house walking is fun and practically effortless. It is a great feeling to look at your fitness band after strolling around the house and see how many steps you have racked up. Just think about all the extra calories you are burning, without even really trying. It is also a great tool for weight loss.”
When you are walking, focus on standing tall with your chin parallel to the ground and your ears aligned above your shoulders. Keep your eyes and gaze forward.
— SAUMIL MAJMUDAR, Co-Founder, Sportz Village
CEO and Founder, Fittr
Walking and any form of athletic exercise can contribute to increasing activity levels without any cost. Activity Thermogenesis (AT) is a highly variable component of the total daily energy expenditure that is the total amount of energy we spend in a day
— PRAVEEN BUDHRANI,
The most important thing is to have a balanced nutrition intake as 80 per cent of your health is dependent on what goes into your body. So, ensure you have enough greens, proteins, drink enough water
— SIMRUN CHOPRA, Deep Health Coach and Founder Nourish With Sim
Just a 30-minute workout can stimulate and boost your immune system and help fight off diseases
—SUVINI MEHRA,
INFS Faculty
Fitness Expert, Cult.fit