New Year Resolutions, Anyone?

It's become normal parlance to ask people their new year's resolutions.
The question then arises, should we make some only to be broken later, or just procrastinate till we are more sure about making up our minds.

There are 4 key areas in which making new year resolutions would really makes world of difference .

Number 1
Health
This one is crucial, ignore this one and you won't be around to find out the repercussions.
Keeping the weight in check.
Getting a good nights sleep, monitoring stress levels and then doing something about releasing or channeling  it, not paying importance to the above can lead you closer to disease or death.

Number 2
Spiritual Health
Lot of us believe this is humbug and much ado about nothing.
But it's proven that faith can make life better and help us in staying grounded. It also equips us with coping skills to handle success and failures that come our way.

Number 3
Family
This is one odd love-hate relationship. As they say, we love to hate them. And hate that we love them.
No one can press your buttons like family can. Parents and siblings have the unique power to bring out all the childhood and teenage angst ( if you were one of the luckier ones who never experienced any childhood or teenage woes , well then, that's good for you!) Family knows! And they'll insist in reminding you of all the embarrassing growing up moments, you rather forget. At the same time no one can support you like your family can. Through thick and thin is the statement that comes to mind when you think of family.
They keep you humble and rooted with honest criticism and they have your back.
Smart people will keep this bunch happy. Without them you are alone. The rest of the world might never know the real you. But your family will.
So whoever falls in your family. It could be friends you grew up with, neighbors, uncle's and aunts, cousins, whoever you consider as your family; is people you want to nurture. They form your core support group. And no one messes with that but you!
Hopefully not, like I said earlier , smart people keep their core support group safe. Because its ultimately all about loving your family.

Number 4
Work
And finally, something worthwhile to do. We all need someway to contribute. If your lucky to contribute through your chosen profession, if what you do is what you love. Then your already on track.
But if what you do, is not what you love and you are not contributing in some way to make this planet better. Then ennui is going to set in. You will feel lost, and dissatisfied. The only way to escape this is to balance it with something which makes you feel, that you as an individual is making a positive difference.
 It is then crucial that you find a hobby or some passion in life. Something which makes you feel you are adding value to the planet. Doing what you love is making time to be you.

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous year ahead!

Stress Management For The Office Goer

5 effective tips to manage office stress.

Breathe

Breathing is the secret to a calmer mind, especially if your work entitles making key decisions.

Breath control is everything.

The most common layman tip when your angry is count till ten before you speak.

Yoga experts recommend taking ten slow deep breaths before you react or say anything.

Practice ten deep breaths daily three times a day, maybe more if you feel anxiety or any kind of discomfort. This will tackle any stress before it sets in and becomes a physical symptom.

First thing in the morning when you wake up. Sit in a quiet place, spine straight, close your eyes

and take deep breaths, slowing down the exhalation.  Visualize yourself relaxing and becoming light with each exhalation.

Do this three times a day. You will soon get better at it. And then let the magic begin.

Sleep

I have often heard students and clients boasting about how they can make do with just 4 to 5 hrs. of asleep.

For someone who needs 8 hrs sleep, this is shocking for me.

Without adequate sleep the body is not able to fully recoup and repair from its daily rigorous routine.

If you have a packed day, which most of us do. It’s even more important to get your required amount of sleep.

Or you will compromise your immunity and end up spending you hard earned money on medicines or god forbid, hospital bills.

I say, “a good night’s sleep, is a pound saved.”

Exercise

All health and exercise research bodies recommend three times a week of resistance training and three times a week of cardiovascular exercise to stay fit.

Most Doctors recommend walking, it’s the best way to keep disease at bay, especially if you are

pre-disposed to hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc.

If time is the constraint then introduce 20to30 mins of walking minimum twice a week on your weekly holidays. If you don’t know what that is, then we have a serious problem here.

Nurture

Do you get ‘me’ time? Do you get time alone with yourself?

Nurture yourself, don’t lose yourself in the daily routine. Spend time doing something you enjoy daily. It could be watching a sunset, enjoying the breeze, going for a massage, sitting in the garden listening to the birds chirping, sipping a hot cup of tea in solitude, reading your favourite book, listening to your favourite music, any hobby which makes you happy etc

Spend time with yourself.  Constant talking is also very draining.

Take care of yourself. Be aware of all that you do or say. Be in the moment.

Attitude

Do you constantly feel life has been unjust to you? That you have got a raw deal?

Things never go your way… before you know it, frustration sets in and along comes depression.

We all have plenty of reasons to be thankful for, psychologist say that an attitude of gratitude plays an important part in your mental makeup and success.

Happy people take things positively and bounce back faster, they are also better at taking care of themselves.

Creating and harbouring negative thoughts is harmful for your overall well-being and also weakens your inherent coping mechanism, leaving you vulnerable to all kinds of attacks like disease, accidents etc

Negativity will decrease your awareness and sap your energy as a result you could be easily taken advantage of or become sloppy eg, forgetting your phone in the cab.

Develop the right attitude. Write down 5 things you are grateful for daily in your diary. Be kind to yourself and others. Smile often. Be safe.

The Bollywood OVERDOSE!

The Bollywood cardio workout

Is a choreographed aerobics class done on latest Bollywood tracks.

Our popular themes for these classes are:

1) ‘Go Govinda’

Learn the dance moves of the most popular one man show.

Pelvic jhatkas and matkas along with the expressions. Have a blast working out.

2) ‘Sangeet tamasha’

Exercise on wedding songs, popular moves and steps performed at a typical Indian sangeet.

3) ‘Item song&dance’

Want to feel like an item girl or item guy. Groove on these famous item numbers and feel like a star.

4) ‘Punjab di groove’

Get a cardio workout on popular Punjabi folk and pop songs

5) ‘Disco club moves’

Be a mover and shaker at all parties. Learn to groove on all kinds of music.

This class will help you find the dancer within.

Just the way you are

Just the way you are…

One of the many things I like doing, is dedicating songs to all the amazing people I meet,

 coming from the land of Bollywood films, been ‘filmi’ (local lingo for melodrama) comes naturally to me.

 I so want to paste a smiley wink after that sentence, I have to hold myself back and reprimand myself that this is not BBM or an sms.

So no dramatics.

 To come to the point, what if someone asks you to dedicate a song to yourself, 

which one would you choose and why?

 Write to me, I would love to know more about you and of course what better way to learn about music then from someone who knows theirs.

It would be tough for me to name just one, but for the moment let’s say I choose

‘Just the way you are’ originally sung by Billy Joel , the version I like is by Diana Krall .

It’s a song I dedicate to myself.
In our quest for physical perfection we sometimes lose ourselves, forgetting who we are and what makes us unique.

Wellness to me means revelling in our differences and aspiring for balance and harmony in our lives. Nurturing what makes us inherently who we are; and giving fuel to the goodness in all of us, on a daily basis.
This is an exercise in spiritual fitness, that helps us cope with the day to day pressures and stress.

If everything and everyone looked the same, the world would be such a boring place. Its all the differences in life that make living so interesting. Celebrate your uniqueness and rejoice in it.
Start with dedicating a song to yourself every week, experience the joy that music brings into our lives.

Take care of yourself; there is no one else like you.

Be well.

lyrics of the song

Zumba, Zumba, Zumba mere jaaneman…!! (Dec 2010)

An exhalted hi to all ! Fresh from a zumba certification, I have just one word to describe the feeling, “yipeeeeeeeeee’

Honestly I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up for this one.

As fitness professionals we have to constantly stay on the top of all that's latest in the health and wellness field. 

So when a dear colleague spoke to me about a zumba certification workshop, I thought what’s the big deal,

 I already teach a cardio Latin workout and why do I need another certification of the same kind, but she insisted that it was different , and very much up my alley! So I went online and I signed up, not realizing that it was clashing with a family wedding. But there was no going back, the fees were paid and getting a refund was out of the question.

 So here I was with Zumba master trainer, ‘Hermann Melo’, absolutely fantastic teacher and a dancer with megaton energy levels! With some of the most scintillating Latin sounds you have ever heard.

What can I say about zumba, it will blow you away! You have to try it.

Contact us to experience  a zumba session  at your office, Now!

Dance for the Corporates

The most popular dance form in the classes I teach is ‘freestyle dancing on thumping music’.

Students just love it! Especially when its Bollywood music. ‘Pure joy’ are the two words I can use to describe what I see.

Its amazing, how the right kind of music can create such a feeling of abandonment and happiness. Total release of stress. Its like, for the time you are in the class, you forget everything and surrender yourself to the music , swaying to the rhythm of the beats and finding your own.

It’s a known scientific fact, that sound vibrations affect humans. Negative sounds have known to cause physical discomfort, and pleasant sounds, relax, soothe the body and mind; and others invigorate and stimulate.

In ancient times, there were dances for every season and every reason. Tribes would collect and gather and celebrate together with dance and music.

Ancient rituals to uplift the mood of the people, recreation, bonding, showcase physical prowess, networking and a esteem builder. Group dances were all about maintaining unity within the tribe, merging energies for the common good of the tribe.

Group dancing is a great exercise in stress busting and team building. It helps to reduce the harmful effects of cortisol (harmful stress hormone) and also relieves the body of lactic acid build up caused by muscle stiffness and tightness, long hours of sitting, extended traveling etc.

It releases endorphins (feel good hormones) and promotes a feeling of well being.

One looks forward to the day ahead, and brings about a fresh perspective to things, thereby promotes efficiency. You have to try it, to believe it! Its so much fun.

Contact us, and book a session now!

Its Marathon time! Run Mumbai Run!

With the Standard Chartered Marathon nearing, Mumbai is gearing up for this annual feat.

Every year its gets bigger and better.

The marathon attracts people from all strata, from the corporate yuppie to the neighborhood  dabbawala, some running for a cause and others for the thrill of it all.

The dream run of 6km, is like a event by itself, people from all walks of life, in unison, in costumes, with banners, shouting slogans, promoting various charities, school children, you name it and they are there.

It’s a must experience, I guarantee it.

I have been training a few students for the marathon these last few years, for the 21k. And they have done me proud. Not only have they finished it on time, but their timing keeps getting better every year.

I couldn’t emphasis more, the importance of a disciplined routine, constituting, regular practice, sleep and nutrition, the rest as they say is inevitable.

Ready, get set, GO!