We live in a fast forward world. It is important to take out time for oneself. I believe only a fit person can have a fit mind. People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges. Something we all were bound to experience during the covid- 19 pandemic.
LO1:- Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth.
Throughout middle school, i have practiced tennis though, the last couple of years i haven’t played a sport nor have been physically active and going back to working out was quite a challenge. I started by planning out workouts from videos though i couldn’t get any of the postures right and due to that i couldn’t see any result which was pretty demotivating. I also started procrastinating as it didn’t seem to get any results but there was light at the end of the tunnel, my sister workouts frequently. She was enthusiastic and pretty knowledgeable and helped me get my postures right while also suggesting the right workouts I should follow. I could do ab workouts pretty well and make it, through non-equipment workout without breaks as such. I have always been a picky eater and i choose to eat healthy but for some reason it became difficult to control my diet during the lockdown because i didn’t have a routine, it made me laid back.
LO2:- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills.
As the lockdown started to fizzle out, I joined the gym with my mom. I knew having her around would keep me motivated and it indeed worked. The first day I could barely make it through 25 leg raises and I could feel how stiff my legs were which gave a sense of realization that it is important to act on my plan of action. I pushed myself to go the next day. We followed the same routine with the same count though we were now exploring other areas. The trainer made a routine and I had never done any of the workouts before. It took me 15 days to get adjusted to the intensity of the class. Each day we would start with weights. I wanted to be strong as well so I challenged myself to train hard and added weights to my regime. I like the idea of working out, it gives me a sense of direction when it comes to well-being and helps me feel content. I didn’t get to do a lot of it because of my body type. It was then followed by floor workout/crossfit /zumba / cardio / functional training and each session of 50 minutes would end by cycling for 15 minutes. It was challenging to push through so many segments and it made it harder for me to stay focused because I used to get so tired but with time I became strong.
LO4:- Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience.
Despite struggling to keep up with the workout and the pain, I continued to push myself 5 days a week and keep up with the routine. There were days when I wasn’t up to the challenge though my mom would coax me. I also made sure to set certain targets for myself to keep track of my progress. Each week I could see some progress and it became my ultimate motivation. The hour I spent in the gym became my best hour of the day. My physical and mental fitness was in check and my skills in this area significantly grew. I was able to do different forms of exercise with ease. However my diet also changed drastically. Eating right plays a key role in any body transformation. Eighty percent comes from clean eating and the remaining 20 per cent depends on your workout routines. I focused on my diet and eat mostly protein and less carbs and shunned white sugar for a while.
