(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. I am writing this month on activities that keep me refreshed during these depressing days. It's day 1 today.)
I was around 14 years then. While I was walking along with my father in the residential school campus, I met the school headmaster on the way. During our conversation, he looked at me and said, "Why don't you go for a run every day. Do some exercise, it's good for your body and health."
Soon my father began to gently prod me to go for a run in the morning. Initially, I was reluctant. Soon, a run for about 30 minutes became a habit. I was also a part of the school athletics team, initially for short-distance races like 100 meters, and later for long-distance ones like 2,000 meters and 5,000 meters. Once a month, I also went on a cross-country run, which is about 8 km.
During these days, it's a bit frustrating to realise that I can no longer do that sort of running, now that I am 55. But I do long walks and short-distance jogging, and follow that up with some stretching exercises and deep breathing.
Health experts say aerobics -- a term that stands for exercises that involve the active movement of our body along with deep breathing -- improves the blood circulation and generally keeps us healthy. These exercises also have a positive impact on our emotional well-being: it's refreshing.
I have realised that what works best is not short bursts of long hours of strenuous workouts, but consistently exercising, every day, even if it's short duration. And many exercises can be incorporated into our daily routine. Like climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator, or washing some clothes or vessels physically instead of putting them in the machine, or rearranging the study table or wardrobe, sweeping the floor and mopping it.
These are days when we need to take care of our physical as well as mental health.
Soon my father began to gently prod me to go for a run in the morning. Initially, I was reluctant. Soon, a run for about 30 minutes became a habit. I was also a part of the school athletics team, initially for short-distance races like 100 meters, and later for long-distance ones like 2,000 meters and 5,000 meters. Once a month, I also went on a cross-country run, which is about 8 km.
During these days, it's a bit frustrating to realise that I can no longer do that sort of running, now that I am 55. But I do long walks and short-distance jogging, and follow that up with some stretching exercises and deep breathing.
Health experts say aerobics -- a term that stands for exercises that involve the active movement of our body along with deep breathing -- improves the blood circulation and generally keeps us healthy. These exercises also have a positive impact on our emotional well-being: it's refreshing.
I have realised that what works best is not short bursts of long hours of strenuous workouts, but consistently exercising, every day, even if it's short duration. And many exercises can be incorporated into our daily routine. Like climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator, or washing some clothes or vessels physically instead of putting them in the machine, or rearranging the study table or wardrobe, sweeping the floor and mopping it.
These are days when we need to take care of our physical as well as mental health.