City experts dish out tips to keep your fitness journey on track in 2024

Curious about the dying momentum of New Year resolutions especially a common one mdash exercise we sought insight from three fitness experts to help change our perspectives and sustain our fitness journey beyond the first week of JanuaryAn immediate lightbulb moment hit when freelance fitness professional Giles DrsquoSouza pointed out a habitual mistake made to rely on motivation ldquoYou canrsquot be motivated every day You make a decision and carry out the action because you choose to do itrdquo he explains about consistencySunil Lalchand Singolia and Rachna JainSupplementing this approach tactfully fitness coach Sunil Lalchand Singolia suggests displaying a simple reminder of your target or the reason for making the resolution to help provide a push He reminds us ldquoFitness is a slow process Results need consistency one step every day Set a realistic goal and keep your aim on it Put up this goal on your wall or someplace where you can see it every dayrdquoRachna Jain yoga coach and practitioner adds that itrsquos crucial to be mindful of onersquos choice when one skips a day of exercise or loses track of their routine Make a conscious decision to adhere to your fitness journey Jain resolves ldquoIf you invest one hour in a day you will get the returns for the next 23 hoursrdquo On days that you are pressed for time instead of skipping your routine try exercising or incorporating movement for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes a daySchedule your workouts to stay on track Representation picSingolia explains that often resistance to exercise or sustaining it may come from approaches like incorrectly estimating that exercise is difficult or that it is difficult to make a change in lifestyle fear of stepping out of onersquos comfort zone or the notion that healthy is boring or healthy food is tasteless He notes ldquoPrioritise your health and allot time for exerciserdquoAll three experts advise starting slow with realistic goals and without being too ambitious Keep a steady focus on a few changes or attainable targets DrsquoSouza notes ldquoWe tend to overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can achieve in a yearrdquoSustain your fitness routineFor the athome freelancerDivya Ramesh cofounder Rough Paper Creative 35Schedule Flexible timings workfromhome setup up to 10 hours work loadPreferred exercise Strength and weight training mixed with cardioGiles DrsquoSouzarsquos tipFind an activity that you like so that working out doesnrsquot become a stressor Begin with squats to crawls vertical towel or belt pulls around the world exercises core exercises and similar moves Beginners can attempt five sets of five reps with a break after every full set Increase the sets and reps as you feel possible onemealmonsterRachna Jainrsquos tipInvest in basic fitness equipment like a mat and dumbbells Try out planks lunges squats burpees and pushups giving five minutes to each and completing a 30minute session Switch it up with yoga and weight training rachnajainyogaFor the traveller with an erratic scheduleRadhika Maheshwari artist management and marketing Rad Art Media 25Schedule Morning riser irregular schedule working weekends constant travellingPreferred exercise Yoga and zumba through YouTube videosSunil Lalchand Singoliarsquos tipMake exercise an anchor so that there is structure to your day It will help combat irregular sleeping patterns and food habits In case lack of mobility renders your body stiff go slow with yoga stretches and some weight training Slowly try putting in a 45minute cardio and weight training workout whenever you find time during travels or in between meetings sunil_singolia88For the ninetofive workerDeepak Suvarna digital marketing professional 34Schedule Up to 90 minutes commute 10hour workdaysPreferred exercise Dynamic routines such as calisthenicsSunil Lalchand Singoliarsquos tipSince your schedule is fixed itrsquos best to slot in 45 minutes for the gym or a calisthenics group Get a personal coach to ensure you stick to routine and choose a space thatrsquos close to your office or home Add weights to your preferred style of cardioRachna Jain in the lizard pose demonstrating a section from a yoga flow workout done at homeRachna Jainrsquos tipOn days when you are pressed for time and cannot show up for your regular routine try chair yoga at your office desk stretching your back muscles neck hands and legs You can also opt for brisk walking in your office or residential building post your work day to end on a refreshing noteNutrition mattersWe fault healthy eating resolutions because we donrsquot realise that procuring food is a survival instinct that canrsquot be delayed A little planning goes a long way Prepare a meal chart based on your schedule to avoid wasting time deciding what to cook only to end up ordering food Get groceries accordingly Or opt for a meal subscription serviceMeal prep hacks Store chopped veggies in a steel container of water Pluck leafy veggies and store in a perforated steel container with tissue above and below Boil and steam chicken cutting down cooking time Store cooked rice in a vessel covered with a damp muslin clothJiyaajit Kaur nutritionist and lifestyle coach coachjiahjeet