If you have followed this blog for the last year, you have likely read my blog post(s) and endless ramble about wanting to adopt a more healthier lifestyle. The intention was there, and at the beginning, the action too, and for the first half of the year I pretty much followed through, as you saw in the check-in posts here and here.
But then came the second half, which saw this whole thing go downhill — on roller skates. There are reasons of-course (as always), but mostly there were two major events that happened in the latter part of the year, which blew all my good intentions out of the water.
I joined the corporate world again, after about a break of 6 years, and we bought (and moved into) our new home. These two things took all of my time and energy, and I was barely able to focus on anything else.
Also, while these were positive changes, I was under a lot of stress, adjusting to my/our new routine, and then came all the moving and packing, and unpacking, and arranging. Ugh just writing this makes me tired.
So to cut a long story short, I fell off the fitness wagon in the second half of the year. But it wasn’t all in vain, my ‘experiments’ have taught me a lot – my pattern, my strengths, and my weaknesses. Which is great, because that gives insight and perspective as I set goals for 2017. Well technically I am not setting yearly goals anymore, but more on that later.
What’s New This Year?
Before I get into the actual goals or how I plan to track it, I just want to update you guys on something – as of now I have found a system that kinda works for me, which is what I plan to follow all through 2017. And when I say ‘works for me’ – it’s more than just the initial enthusiasm of a new system, I have actually seen concrete results.
It all started towards the end of last year, when I was feeling pretty hopeless and lost about my overall fitness, and the appalling lack of self discipline when it came to food and exercise. I had excuses all the time, so much so, that if you ever need to justify laziness and run out of excuses, contact me – I have many to spare.
It was in this frame of mind that I picked up Rujuta Divekar’s book – Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight. I had heard of this book many many times, but honestly I was very skeptical about it helping me.
Not because I doubted her credentials or her method (I did not even know much about it!), but because I was extremely confident in my lack of will when it came to sticking to anything. But boy oh boy, was I in for a surprise!
Not only did her system make perfect sense to me, I found myself being able to stick to it, and actually started seeing results within the first month (It’s been a little over a month now). This was nothing short of miraculous to me.
I will detail my interpretation (and application) of her system in my review of her book, which will be up in the coming weeks.
Having said that, my application of Rujuta Divekar’s system is mostly in the food and healthy eating department. As far as the exercise side of things is concerned- I have bought some helpful gadgets and machines this year – Fitbit (which I am in love with) & an Elliptical (which I am yet to start using) to help me in my quest for fitness.
So, that is pretty much what my (current) fitness plan is. I say current because I am moving towards quarterly goals instead of yearly goals starting now.
Quarterly (All Encompassing) Goals
Like I just mentioned, this year onward, I am going to set up (and track) quarterly goals, instead of yearly goals. I picked this system up from a writer I follow on YouTube, who sets 10-20 goals for herself every quarter, and the rules are that if she has to win the quarter, she needs to complete 75% or more of these goals. And these goals span across all areas of her life.
That struck a chord with me. I think I failed at the quarterly fitness goals last year, because that was just too narrow of a focus for me, and I needed a more holistic approach when it came to my goals, so that all my priorities get represented.
So, this time the quarterly goals are going to cover all areas of my life – personal goals, reading (and reviewing) goals, fitness goals, blogging goals- pretty much everything.
That’s all from my end folks. I would love to hear from you guys? Have you set fitness goals for 2017? Have you read Rujuta’s book? Have you tried applying her principles? I would love to know what you thought of it, and if it worked (or did not work) for you. Do share!
Clifford Henderson
Fitness or even dieting it’s not all about decreasing weight but the right selection of the food we eat.
Shanaya Tales
True. Weight is just a means of tracking.
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Avada Kedavra
Please do review that book. I have been trying to exercise but after a full day at work and then running behind my toddler, I don’t have any time or energy left. Let me see if that book can motivate me to exercise 🙁
Shanaya Tales
I will, I will. I have scheduled a couple of posts before that, but will review that one next.
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Parul Thakur
Good luck with your new plans and I love Fitbit too. Add me and we could work out together. I am continuing my yoga but I need to balance my weight and my height. Too many things are less than the minimum level in my body except of course weight and I need to build some strength.
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Shanaya Tales
Oh we can add people on Fitbit? I will definitely look into this. It’s fun to do it with someone. Thank you. 🙂
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Sanchie @ Living my Imperfect Life
Good luck with the goals…I know what you mean with change — even when it’s good — playing havoc with fitness. That’s what happened to me last year too but the plan is to get back on the wagon this year. I have a fitbit too and find it quite helpful and motivating!
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Shanaya Tales
Wishing you the best with your fitness journey this year, Sanch. 🙂
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U K
Good Luck with your new goals. The FitBit sure will help you track progress. It is sure motivating. Thanks for sharing the post. 🙂
UK
http://fashionablefoodz.com
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Shanaya Tales
Yep, Fitbit is pretty helpful. Thank you for reading. 🙂
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Inderpreet
Congratulations on the new job. I am glad you have found a system that works for you. Rutuja is a magician, I am reading her other book on super foods, she talks sense.
My fitness goals are pretty much in the air but I do keep walking as much as possible.
Shanaya Tales
Oh yes, she is. Her system makes sense, and even though it is kinda difficult to get used to it in the beginning, it is something that is easy to keep up, because it is essentially a lifestyle change, and not a fad diet.
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Rekha
Fitness works only with determination and that’s where I envy Rajlakshmi. I have failed multiple times. But as you said the intent is there. I somehow managed to lose just two kilograms in last one month and that makes me feel a bit happy. But my blood and urine reports are a total mess and that I hope adds the necessary determination to continue the exercises and restrictions. I sincerely hope that you too are able to get back to your routine soon. I’m using MiFit and that really encourages. My best wishes to you.
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Shanaya Tales
Thank you, Rekha. And oh yes, Raj is an inspiration. That girl just goes at it with such determination and consistency that I am in awe of her. I feel like even if I get a fraction of that kind of self discipline, I will be sorted. 😀
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Vinitha
Good luck with your goals, Shantala. My entire goals for last year fell through when I got pregnant. Now I have started with yoga again 6 weeks later delivery. There is no goal, just trying to spend a minimum of 15 minutes doing yoga or Pilates. This weekend I ran a bit a (teeny bit ?) in the park. It was hard to run for a minute and I remembered your runs from last year. It’s great that you found goals that will work for you. ?
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Shanaya Tales
Yeah Vinitha. It’s been the same thing here. I have been on-again/of-again on the fitness wagon for what seems like forever. Though after adopting Rujuta’s approach, I have seen an actual change, and I am optimistic that it will last.
Hoping you are able to get back into it as well. Good luck. 🙂
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Susan Gourley
I tend to do the same thing with my exercise goals. I go great for a while and then something happens that eats up on my time and I can’t get back in the habit. I’ll be interested to hear about your goals. I do like elliptical machines.
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Shanaya Tales
Yep, I wanted to be able to do some cardio at home. And I was undecided between a treadmill and an elliptical machine. But my sister (who is a physiotherapist) was strongly against using treadmill, as it is bad for the knees and joints in the long run, and I wasn’t ready to invest in a $800-$1000 elliptical, which is why I went with this $99 one to help me get in the habit. Eventually I might upgrade. 🙂
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Maliny Mohan
I had an entire post on my yoga journey. I find myself twirling on the line between laziness and enthusiasm more often than not. It is indeed difficult to keep up with your fitness dreams. One needs to be that motivated. I work out for around three days a week now. That has become my fitness goal these days. I would love to check out that book. It seems intriguing enough.
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Shanaya Tales
It is pretty helpful. I will have a full review up soon. Will let you know once I have that live.
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Rachna
I totally understand where you are coming from. For every person who works out there come phases when the workout just doesn’t happen. Disease, work, travel, lethargy so many reasons but the important thing is to not lose heart and keep revising goals.
As far as Rujuta goes, l think everyone knows my love for her common sense wisdom. I’ve reviewed two of her books, one of which was shared by her on her website. I’ve made a lot of changes to my diet based on her thoughts and they have worked. More importantly l am wiser and more proud about our Indian cuisine than I was earlier.
According to me no matter how small, take time out for exercise everyday even if it is brisk walking or climbing stairs. Just make 15 minutes to start with. Diet, mental health and exercise are spokes of the same wheel on this path to fitness. Not doing all three will not work out in the longer term. Do read Rujuta’s other books on exercise as well.
Good luck!
Shanaya Tales
Oh I did not realize she had a book on exercise as well. Will look it up and get it asap. Because this one has been life changing.
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Beat About the Book
Looking forward to reading your goals. I’ve almost given up on fitness goals given the aches and pains that continued to plague me throughout last year. I’ve recently taken up yoga but I still have to learn to enjoy it.
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Shanaya Tales
Yoga – it’s been on my radar, and someday I will get to it. But I just don’t know where to start with it. Or who/which dvd will be the best coach, if you know what I mean. That’s the main obstacle right now.
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