Exercise/Working Out

Gym and walking are two of my favourite forms of working out. I follow PPL split: Push(Chest, Shoulder, Triceps), Pull(Back, Biceps), Legs.

Why workout?

Partly out of fear. I have found fear to be a good motivator. I have seen friends and family suffer a lot mostly in their 40s because of poor physical health. I have seen them not being able to eat something that they love. Even people who workout regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, find themselves suffering from something out of the blue. I don't want to be put in that position. So I find it better to workout.

• Mental clarity. I have found gym and long walks to help me cope with stress and anxiety. I sort of imagine releasing all the stress or "unwanted energy" in the gym. It's something that works for me.

• To look good. This is subjective. I find myself much happier and energetic when I am lighter. I have spent some time overweight. I have hated looking at myself in the mirror. The latter was something I had to workout mentally. I find myself feeling and looking good when I am lighter (in my healthy weight range) and slim with some muscles. I used to have unrealistic body expectations and definitely used to compare myself to bodies on screen. It took some time and unlearning to accept what a healthy body looks like.

• Confidence. Again subjective. When you go to gym everyday, you are facing a challenge everyday. Lift heavier weight. Wake up early. Spent an hour and half focused on something. Everyday you are accomplishing something. That has helped in raising my confidence level.

Diet

I don't work out for achieving a particular body type. My aim is to stay slim, light, strong and have a clear mind. I have read somewhere about actor Mammootty's diet.

Mammootty never restricts on what he eats but how much he eats. Suppose he wants to have a biriyani. He eats it but not till his stomach is filled. Maybe like till 80% of his stomach is filled.

I follow something similar and have found it to be pretty effective. Three meals a day and I try to include protein and vegetables more.

Water. Water is a divine liquid and it helps us in a lot of ways. I make sure to drink a lot of this amazing liquid everyday.

The thing I guess is in the balance. I love food, I eat to workout and I workout to eat. I eat in balance and workout in balance.

The goal is to expand the runway so that I can keep on eating what I like, when I like until my final days.

Keep Moving.