Author: Delna Pooniwala

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started”

We imagine ourselves in a particular way. With a tiny waistline or a few pounds lighter or participating in a run, dancing, doing ballistic stretches. The next phase is when we make plans to start a regime & especially at the start of the New Year.

But how many of us actually start off!!

We are already on the second day of the year & so let’s get onto it. No matter what your resolution is, just start it.

Because “The secret of getting ahead is getting Started..”

Wishing everyone a Fabulous 2016.

“Beauty attracts attention, but personality captures the heart.”

Beauty is something that is God-gifted. No one can alter it except for enhancing it further. We require grooming a pleasant, soothing personality and enhance this beauty.

We need to mould ourselves into simple humble beings striving to improve physically, mentally & spiritually by eating clean, working out daily, indulging in a daily mental activity & meditating .

Learn to think positive & forgive by being big & magnanimous. Run away from negative thoughts, anger, jealousy & false pride.

The personality that would emote at the end of this daily exercise would capture hearts.

“Diets’ like clothes should be tailored to you”

Often people would ask you what diet you are following because they would like to mimic it after seeing the new sculpted mold your body has developed.

Do you wear clothes of your friends’ size, just because it fits the friend well? Then why would you want to copy their diet?

We require to understand that each person is made up of a unique composition comprising of muscle component, bone density, fat %, and genetic structure and may also have specific requirements of sodium, iron rich foods, minerals, antioxidants or calcium, based on their deficiency or aesthetic needs.

Not only do Diets have to compliment your activity and work towards a goal, but also require to be consumed at specific timings for best results.

Diets, like a designer outfit have to be custom fitted for you.

“Nothing can be compared to a Morning walk”

Despite waking up early, a morning walk would make you feel fresh & not tired. Imagine walking out in the open amidst trees and greenery with a cool breeze caress your face and fresh air filling your lungs.

The smell of fresh morning dew & soil beneath the grass lends a positive energetic feeling throughout the day & the clean oxygen supplied to the brain increases memory.

A half hour walk each day can lower your weight and also woman’s risk of heart disease by 40%.
It reduces diabetes, dementia, blood pressure, anxiety, depression & hypertension.

Brisk walking is an effective aerobic exercise that helps in the formation of Red Blood Corpuscles & sheds the dead cells from the body, providing a radiant and shining skin.

So make a morning walk your personal tonic to Fab health & beauty.!!

“Fitness is not a Destination. It is a way of life”

People set goals for occasions like Weddings, New year, Birthday. They work hard to slim down & tone up for that special day, but once the occasion is over, their routine goes for a toss.

Why not make routine a ‘Way of life, rather than a Destination’.

Motivate yourself to have a daily activity no matter what it is. Walk yourself into a track every morning, or join a yoga class or gym. However, select an activity that YOU enjoy & look forward to every single day.

“Season’s greetings for Happy Fitness”

“A Fit & Healthy body is The Best Fashion Statement.”

We reach out for the wardrobe for several events we go to & spend moments deciding what to wear. Some outfits are a bit tight and some cling on revealing your belly fat. And the ones that fit are some old dresses that are not in Vogue.
But what is evergreen & trendy is a great strong physique.
So Ladies, try and be consistent with your activity be it yoga, walking, callisthenics, isometrics, weight training or dancing. If you are consistently engaged in any activity, our muscles look toned and taught. The body appears strong and lean & this is ‘The Best Fashion Statement’.
Once you develop a great physique, any outfit would make you look ‘Fabulous’..

“Stop Wishing & Start Doing”

After all the fun we had with Sweets & Mithai’s during Diwali and the wedding food throughout this season, we feel so drowned in the ‘sins’ of food indulgence, that we console ourselves with our New Years resolution of being on a healthy diet & workout schedule.

Apparently, we still have 5 days for the New Year & so technically we feel so comforted that we can actually eat wrong & neglect our body for a few more days.

WOW- how relaxing is the thought… Party more, put on a little more because we have pushed away our responsibility towards ourselves for a few more days.

But doesn’t this show that we may not be motivating ourselves enough. Instead, why not say “I have 5 days to go & I will lose a kilo by New Year. I want to look ‘Fab & Famous’ in my group of friends on the first day of 2016 & hence I will eat right, not over indulge & workout for an hour each day..

We need to stop wishing we were slimmer or more chiseled & start doing something about it NOW.

Wishing all my readers a Fabulous ‘YOU’ for the New Year.!!

“Your Daily Exercise does not end at the gym.”- Delna Pooniwala.

Many people I consult are completely guilt-free when they inform me that they are present at the gym for an hour, 4 to 5 times a week.
They feel their responsibility towards themselves & their daily activity is complete & some also justify indulgent eating, just because they gym.

To start with, most are not aware about the intensity of their training or how many calories the activity is burning.
They are also less aware about the quantity and amount of calories consumed. But surprisingly, all of them are shocked when they put on weight or inches or do not find positive results.

A good lifestyle habit is to find ways & make some activity during your daily routine. If you use a metro, choose to walk from the station to your office. If you take a bus, get off a stop prior and walk. Or if you drive, park your car a kilometre away from the office so that you get that additional 2 kilometre walk every day, besides your regular gym routine.
“You need to walk yourself to a healthier and slimmer you.”

“Eat a handful of nuts as a substitute for bakery foods.”

We often get tempted with the sight of soft warm muffins, topped with that bright red cherry in a bakery store or open up & consume a packet of cookies.
Since we know we may crave for foods at a certain hour of day, why not keep healthy substitutes around us. Nuts are a wholesome healthy food that you could safely carry in your bag or car or just keep around your work station.
Nuts are rich in essential nutrients like fiber, protein, minerals, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, several B group vitamins (including folate), vitamin E, minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, antioxidant minerals (selenium, manganese and copper), plus other phytochemicals such as antioxidant compounds (flavonoids and resveratrol) and might also lower risk of mortality and developing chronic diseases, including respiratory disease, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
What do these nuts give you:
• Almonds: protein, calcium and vitamin E
• Cashews: non haem (plant based) iron and a low GI rating
• Macadamias: highest in monounsaturated fats, thiamin and manganese
• Pistachios: protein, potassium, plant sterols and the antioxidant resveratrol
• Walnuts: alpha linoleic acid: plant omega 3 and antioxidants
I would always recommend raw nuts. Roasting reduces the water content of nuts, concentrating the nutrients and also reduces the concentration of several B group vitamins as they are not heat stable. Salted Roasted nuts may also have a higher sodium content.
A big question is how many nuts are in 30 grams:
• 20 almonds
• 15 cashews
• 30 pistachio kernels
• 9 walnut kernels
• a small handful of mixed nuts or about four of each of the above

So the next time you go grocery shopping, do not shop for cookies and cakes. Invest in some great ‘Nutty’ health instead.