There’s a magical time in the morning, as the sun rises and the world wakes up, where simple acts of stopping and greeting people, exchanging pleasantries, cracking jokes, smiling, and clapping hands during a morning walk can make a world of difference. This may seem small, but it has the power to uplift spirits and create a sense of enthusiasm that can carry through the entire day.

When we take the time to stop and connect with those around us, it fosters a sense of community and belonging. It’s a reminder that we’re not alone and that the world is filled with a multitude of diverse and interesting individuals. Each interaction adds a spark of positivity to our day, and these little moments of connection can have a tremendous impact on our overall well-being.

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Hobbies are our best friends. We pursue them when we have either nothing to do or are tired from the day’s work. While some hobbies merely help us to kill time, there are other hobbies that improve the quality of our life. Swimming is one such hobby.

There are more benefits to swimming than simply cooling off on a hot day. Swimming is one of the best exercises that benefit our entire body. The more we learn about swimming the more we will want to add it to our list of favourite hobbies. It is a great, year-round hobby and takes very little gear to get started.

Swimming not only burns calories, but is easy on the joints, supports our weight, builds our muscular strength and endurance.

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Aerobics is a very important form of exercise which has become extremely popular today. The word ‘aerobics’ means involving or improving oxygen consumption by the body through aerobic exercise. It is a series of physical rhythmic exercise that includes stretching, strength training movements and routines all aimed at improving overall fitness which includes flexibility, cardio-vascular fitness and muscular strength.

Aerobics instructor, Rahul Gohil, says, “It can be done in a group or alone and is usually performed to music. It comprises of various routines or movements or dance-like steps. You always begin with a warm-up of 5-10 minutes, the aerobic cardio-vascular workout of about 30 to 40 minutes and a cool down of about 5-10 minutes and a stretching and flexibility of 5 minutes.”

Aerobics includes dancing, step aerobics, walking, jogging, running, martial arts, kickboxing, cycling, swimming, skiing, playing games, combat sports like karate and other forms of indoor or outdoor exercises.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic workout five days a week or 20 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise three days a week to ensure good health and reduce the risk of disease. Aerobic exercisers should aim at achieving 60 to 80 per cent of their maximum heart rate to get the most from aerobic activity

Mental health: Aerobics helps to stimulate the release of endorphins in the bloodstream, which reduce anxiety, depression and stress. It leads to an effect called ‘runners high’. It causes a natural high and a feeling of well-being.

Reduces stress: Psychiatrist and life coach, Dr Nirmala Rao, says, “A fit body is important for a fit mind! Stress is the result of a basic biological response, where the brain sends orders to prepare the body for action, to face any perceived threats and dangers. The adrenaline starts pumping resulting in pent up and unused energy leading to a restless feeling. In such a situation, exercise can use up this excess energy and allow the body to come back to a state of equilibrium.”

Helps to think better: Our minds are often caught up in several thoughts. Many of them are about anxiety, regret, fear, tension and stress. Dr Nirmala Rao says that aerobic activity helps divert the mind thus freeing up our minds to cope with the problem in a calm manner.

Strengthens memory: Zumba, Bollywood and Kathak dancer Yuvraaj Parashar says, “Dance requires you to learn certain coordinated steps and this can help increase your brain power and improve your memory skills.”

Lowers the risk of diabetes: The exercise lowers the risk of diabetes or regulates it because it improves glucose metabolism, reduces insulin.

Promotes a healthy body: Each heartbeat sends blood, oxygen and many other life sustaining nutrients to the various different parts of the body. An aerobic workout increases the oxygen level in the body. More oxygen going to various parts of the body keeps the body healthy.

Good for the heart: Aerobic exercises greatly improve cardiovascular and cardiovascular function because more blood is pumped to the heart. It strengthens the heart muscle and makes it stronger.

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To celebrate World Health Day on 7th April, MONAROSE SHEILA PEREIRA talks about the importance of taking care of your health.

Taking care of your health is a conscious decision and requires a strong sense of commitment. You must be determined to work towards good health by increasing your motivation. You can do this by thinking about the benefits of exercising every day. Nothing can stop the person who is driven to succeed. In order to be healthy you have to have a healthy lifestyle. Physical, mental and spiritual well-being constitutes a healthy person. You must be determined to exercise and do it regularly. Visualize the many benefits of exercising and follow your exercise routine. Nothing should discourage you. Follow your routine irrespective of outside circumstances and distractions. Be determined and dedicated.

Mental health

There is a lot written about physical fitness but not much about mental fitness. However, mental fitness is a very important part of the overall well-being of a person. You have to be mentally strong to achieve anything in life. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to develop a healthy mind. Mental fitness means keeping your brain and emotions in top shape. Involve yourself in various mental activities like reading, solving crossword, word games, puzzles, Sudoku, etc. These are good exercises for the brain and help keep it active and alert. They test the reasoning and logic and other areas of the brain and they are fun ways of keeping your brain active and strengthening the brain muscle.

Mental health improves the quality of life in general. It helps us to have healthy relationships, make better decisions and choices, boost physical health, tackle challenges and grow and achieve our full potential. A mind that is free of depression, anxiety, stress, worry, addiction and other psychological problems helps us in living life to the fullest. Many physical ailments are caused due to mental illnesses. Therefore, it is very important to have a good and healthy mind and brain. The mind and the body are related. A healthy mind boosts a healthy body and a healthy body boosts a healthy mind. Physical activity pumps more oxygen to the brain and increases the amount of endorphins (feel-good chemicals) in the brain. Workouts and physical activity help fight depression and give you a positive attitude to life.

Besides exercise, meditation is also good for a healthy mind. It makes you calm and beats stress which is extremely harmful mentally and physically. A calm mind helps you think better and consequently live a better, richer and fulfilled life.

Affirmations are another way of ensuring a healthy mind. Affirmations are simple positive sentences that you say to yourself. For example, “I am happy.” They strengthen the neural pathways that take your self-confidence, well-being and satisfaction to a higher level. They help you become positive. Positive affirmations help to increase mental proficiency. You can start by making a list of all your good qualities and keep talking about them to yourself.

Imagery is another great method that helps calm the mind. Imagining a beautiful scene will calm your mind and reduce tension. This method channelizes the neurons in the less dominant side of the brain. The less-dominant side of the brain controls feelings of self-confidence and optimism. By forcing your brain to think of something other than your daily worries and through visualization the less-dominant side of the brain takes over and helps you be calm and relaxed.

Try to do something different. When you do something different you challenge your brain cells to work and be active. So break out of your daily routine. Expand your horizons. All these activate your brain cells. You can learn a new skill or language, try new cuisines, and travel to new places. All these help to strengthen the neural pathways. It is important to spend a few minutes every day affirming, visualizing, meditating, relaxing and developing your brain for good mental health.

Physical health

You have probably heard the phrase ‘health is wealth’. It is important to take care of the body to live a better life and achieve your goals. You have to work out or use your body to keep it in top form. If you do not use your body your muscles will become weak and flabby. Your organs will not function efficiently, your joints will become stiff and you will be prone to injury. The human body is made to move and be active. Unfortunately, today’s work culture does not give the body enough exercise. Our ancestors were busy farming, chopping wood, climbing trees, etc. They were active. We are not. Therefore it is important to exercise regularly to be fit and healthy.

Exercising has many benefits to offer. It gives muscle definition and increases bone mass. It reduces the risk of heart diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, tension, cancer, osteoporosis, etc. Exercise improves stamina, increases strength, endurance and enhances flexibility. It also improves skin quality and helps you look better and delays the ageing process. Exercise helps your body to use energy. It pumps more blood to the body and thus more oxygen is supplied to every cell in the body. You look and feel better. Gym instructor Mohd Asim Siddique says, “Exercising is a must for good health.”

The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. Therefore exercise helps to control your weight by burning off the calories. It improves the way you look and feel thus improving the quality of life. Exercise reduces stress, lifts moods and helps you sleep better. It can keep you looking and feeling younger throughout your entire life.

Find an exercise that you enjoy, such as running, dancing, a sport such as soccer, swimming, hiking, cricket, tennis or anything else that you find enjoyable, and then try to make exercise a regular part of your routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Students Ankit Singh and Ajeetkumar Agrahari say, “Walking is the easiest form of exercise.” Indeed it is the simplest form of exercise. You can walk to your destination instead of driving or taking the bus or auto. It does not cost you any money but in fact will save you some.

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Zipping around on his Royal Enfield Café Racer-Continental GT, Prem Mehta shuttles from one address to another. His mission: to bring fitness to the doorstep of every Mumbaikar. THE TEENAGER TODAY caught up with him to get tips on how teens should approach fitness.

TTT: Hi Prem, where are you off to right now?
PM: I’m off to my client’s residence for a training session. She is 83 years old.

TTT: Wow! Can somebody train at that age?
PM: Age is no barrier to begin your fitness regime. My youngest client is 8 years old. All you need is a desire and the perseverance to adopt a fitness routine and stick to it.

TTT: When did your tryst with fitness begin?
PM: My interest in fitness began when I was a teenager, around the age of 15 or 16. A number of my friends suddenly got interested in fitness and joined a local gym. Coming from a vegetarian Gujarati background, I didn’t think I had the genetic make-up or the strength to sustain a fitness regime. But I turned that into a motivating factor. I was the only one who turned up every day and worked extra hard at my routine. Very soon, this hard work started showing results and I began to appreciate my body more. I became more conscious of my lifestyle, eating habits and other aspects and chose to adopt a healthy way of life that respected my body.

TTT: How did you turn your passion into a profession?
PM: I began helping out friends who had joined the gym with me but who were now struggling. I updated myself on the science of fitness training and the current trends through books, magazines and the internet. I completed a training course from K-11 Fitness Academy and was awarded a Personal Training Certification. Seeing that I was now qualified, my friends insisted on paying me for my sessions! Before I knew it, these friends had recommended their family and friends and suddenly I was training around 15 to 16 individuals! I upgraded my training skills through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certification programme. I joined Talwalkar’s Gymnasium, handling sales and setting up a branch for them in Surat, and handled the entire gym in Mumbai.

TTT: Your advice to our readers especially those who have not yet started on a fitness regime.
PM: I would advise a first-timer that whatever form of exercise they opt for, whether swimming, gymming, kickboxing or martial arts, they need to do so under the supervision of a trained instructor. Today, kids have access to all kind of information on the internet and they feel that they can learn the right techniques by reading these articles. This is highly dangerous. Again, youngsters at this age face a lot of peer pressure. Everybody’s body is different, everybody’s diet pattern is different; the time taken by one person to show results will differ from others. Peer pressure often leads youngsters to take undue risks which may result in severe and sometimes permanent damage to the body. A trained instructor understands your body type and only then recommends a fitness regime that suits your body type.

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