Sharing experiences of my #fitness journey
Could be of help to those who have planned to start theirs in 2023 1. My earlier self:Weighed 100 kg, could walk 5 km with great difficulty
Negatives: Worked 16-17 hours/day; slept 4-5 hours; overeating, indulged in junk food and sweets
2. Fitness journey started on Nov 6th 2020. Initially walked 5 km, gradually increased to 10 km over 4-6 weeks, then, slow jogged and finally started running. Focused on distance and time on feet and not pace. Also wanted to keep HR low and feel comfortable. #running#Health
3. Running stats: 2021- Avg running 15 km/day, 339 runs of 10 k or more, 69 half marathons (HMs) and 1 full marathon. 2022- Avg running 12.6 km/day; 304 runs of 10 k or more, 43 HMs
Finished Ladakh marathon in 2:24 hours
Best timings: 10 Km in 51:11 min; HM in 2 hours
4. Other lifestyle modifications
*Reduced working hours to 8-9 hours/day
*Increased sleep duration to 7-8 hours/night
*Stopped soft drinks, reduced junk food and sugar; reduced carbs and increased protein intake
*Added strength training (3 days/week) in Dec 2022
5. Difference I find in myself
*Weight reduced from 100 kg to 70 kg,
*Feel more energetic
*More focused and energetic in work (though always enjoyed my work)
*Better self-esteem and self-confidence
*Resting HR reduced from 72 to 40-42 bpm
*HbA1C, cholesterol and BP improved
6. Lessons learnt (tips)
*Show up everyday- consistency is the key,
*Duration matters and not the intensity,
*Run at a pace that you enjoy- don't chase personal best & don't try to compete with fellow runners.
*Pace does improve on its own over time.
7. Tips (cont'd)
*Cross training is better than only running- reduces the risk of injuries and boredom
*Diet modification is necessary- reduce calorie intake, eat in a shorter time window (time restricted eating); intermittent fasting is good but difficult to follow for runners.
8. Tips (cont'd)
*Sleeping for 7-8 hours is essential. Normal sleep duration reduces the risk of several serious diseases and increases longevity. Good sleep also improves mood and keeps you in better shape for long runs.
9. Please treat these tips only as helpful guides (based on my experience) and not as universal "rules".
Each person and their needs are different- so always good to consult your nutritionist, physical fitness trainer and doctor for a specific plan that would work best for you.
10. Add your experiences, tips & thoughts to this thread to make it more valuable for beginners.
"Prevention is better than cure"
In my 29 years as a doctor- I have seen massive increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, high BP, cholesterol, stroke & heart attack......
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1. People are opting for diet soft drinks in place of regular soft drinks, assuming that they are free of sugar, contain zero calories and hence are healthier & safer. But research shows evidence to the contrary. #MedTwitter#HealthyFood
2a. In two studies conducted in US & Europe, individuals who consumed diet soft drinks had higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than non-consumers.
Diet soft drink intake positively correlated with waist circumference and fasting plasma glucose in both studies.
#Kiwifruit found effective in #constipation 1. Constipation is a common problem and drug treatments do not work in many.
In a recent trial, efficacy of kiwifruit was tested in patients with functional constipation (FC) & constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C)
2. Participants were randomly assigned to consume either two ripe green kiwifruit without the skins, or 7.5 g of #psyllium per day for 4 weeks.
Psyllium (OTC) is considered a first-line treatment for both the constipation conditions with which participants were diagnosed.
3. At the end of the 4-week treatment periods, the people with functional constipation who ate kiwifruit demonstrated an average increase of 1.53 bowel movements per week, a statistically significant increase.
Those with IBS-C demonstrated an increase of 1.73 bowel movements.
A teenager whose unusual #disease forced him to live a #lonely life
1. Sam was a bubbly kid until the age of 8, when his parents noted that he would blink his eyes on an off. This did not trouble Sam, however, he was taken for an eye check up, which didn't show any abnormality.
2. Two years later, he started shrugging his shoulder and would occasionally hop on one leg. This would repeat 5-6 times in a day. Sam had no control on these movements. Again, this did not bother Sam but his parents were perturbed. They thought Sam is being naughty. #MedTwitter
3. By age 12, Sam started to make some unusual sounds, as if he is clearing his throat or grunting. Sam had no control on these sounds too.
His friends had started making fun of him. He could suppress them for a few minutes, however, after that, movements & sounds would return.
1. Dementia caused by #Alzheimers disease is a relentlessly progressive #brain disease. Sufferers have #memory loss and impaired cognitive functions. Many require assistance for carrying out daily living activities.
2. People with dementia are often depressed and have poor quality of life.
Immediate recall and recent memory are the most affected in dementia, whereas remote memory is preserved until later stages.
Memory of music (especially their favorite ones) is also retained in many.
3. In a study, effects of music on #mood and quality of life of seniors suffering from dementia were assessed.
Over a period of 6 weeks, the seniors listened to their favorite music via headphones and an MP3 player for 20 minutes at a time three or four times a week.
1. A pack of cigarettes costs Rs 330. For a month, it would cost Rs 9900 (one pack/day).
A 30-year old person has the option of smoking one pack/day or investing this amount in #mutualfunds via #SIP route.
2. If Rs 10000/ is invested every month in mutual funds via SIP route (since age 30) and the expected return is 10% per annum, the savings would become a whopping 2.28 crores after 30 years (when he turns 60).
3. In addition, not smoking would reduce the risk of #heartattack, #stroke and several #cancers.
Medical insurance premium would also be lower.
So, healthcare costs would be significantly lesser for a non-smoker (as compared to a smoker).
A woman in whom "pain-reliever" became "pain-giver"
1. 35-year old woman, known case of #migraine for 12 years, presented with increased frequency & severity of headaches for past 6 months (#headache occurred every single day in the past 3 months). #MedTwitter#neurotwitter
2. Headache started early in the morning on awakening, after which she would take pain-relievers (sumatriptan, naproxen or ergotamine), which would relieve her headache for 4-6 hours, only to return by early evening. She would consume 30-40 tablets of pain-relievers every month.
3. She had disturbed sleep and also had features of #anxiety and #depression.
Headache, taking "pain-reliever" tablets, short duration pain relief followed by rebound headaches after 4-6 hours, occurring on daily basis had become a vicious cycle for her.