Game over!” said my mind to the body, when I had my first baby.

Would I ever be….NO! screamed my mind before I could complete the question.

I tried asking again.

“Would I ever be able to get back to the pre-pregnancy version of me?”

“NO!” the mind reassured.

The inner voice from my body whispered, “You can become better than that!”

I am glad I took the chance! More than once!

Don’t let your mind bully your body -June Tomaso Wood

Listen to your body

Our bodies communicate to us clearly and specifically if we are willing to listen to them -Shakti Gawain.

I have no shame in admitting that I listened to everyone and everything else but my body. For a long time.

I would go on crazy diets to lose weight. Losing weight is a sign of good health, right? Well, it depends on how we lose it and why we want to lose it!

In my case, I was healthy but bored. So I used to go on diets to kill some time and all my energy. Thinking about food all the time kept me busy.

In 6 weeks, I lost 15 lbs and became the talk of my office. I felt very good on the outside. But my body suffered inside. And I had no idea. Because my relationship with my body was only one-way. Only I had the power to choose!

At the height of my weight loss obsession, I heard a co-worker mention 10 lbs weight loss from being sick. And I wished that illness on me so I could lose more weight too. [Although I actually had no extra weight to lose!]

What a sick thought to have?! I was taking my body for granted!

After all, I was eating and also thinking like a cow!

The food that we eat influences not only our body but also our mind and mood.

Going hungry for long hours and walking with hurting knees became my new norm. I never considered my body had a life too.

I deprived it of all the nutrition. And it never occurred to me, to allow the body to heal and recover.

I learned in a hard way that going on a diet even for the short term would lead to long-term health issues!

It is like cutting a branch of a tree, not knowing we are the tree!

After all, I was trying to fit in a world where our body weight determines our fitness, health, and happiness.

And the not-so-surprising outcome was I managed to ruin a wholesome body. At my own cost!

My suffering from chronic knee pain at a very young age was a blessing.

The pain would wake me up in the middle of the night. I used to curse my body for putting me through such torments. My knee pain became a sort of my identity.

It was not a coincidence when I stumbled upon Rujuta Diwekar’s “Don’t lose your mind. lose your weight” book.

When I changed my lifestyle based on the book, I was able to establish a lifelong love for food and exercise.

I learned to laugh at the crash diets. And instant workouts. Finally, I was using my brains!

I practiced love and respect for my body, by connecting with it and listening to it.

In return, it did wonders to my health, happiness, and fitness. And boosted my energy levels throughout the day! I started glowing inside and out!

Stop trying to fix your body. It was never broken -Eve Ensler

Nurture your body

The best fitness advice I ever received in my entire life was from my personal trainer. He said, “Eat Well.”

I agree, it sounds more like common sense. But how uncommon is it in the social media world, we live in! The world of instant gratification!

When I started to feed my body with nutritious food and stopped judging it, I started to feel great in my own skin.

The surprising fact is how much our body craves healthy foods when we are on the right track!

Honoring the occasional cravings is also another way to show respect to the body.

The Powerhouse within us

The second best advice I received is “Rest Well”.

Between the first and the second advice lies the secret to the strong human body: Exercise!!

In my mid-20s, the Doctor advised medication and physical inactivity to combat the knee pain. I chose to strength train at the gym with the help of a personal trainer. At first, my goal was only to relieve myself from the pain. But as I trained and started lifting weights, I felt powerful.

I enjoyed conquering the pain with my strength. I felt a sense of accomplishment, I never experienced before. Workouts became an essential part of my routine.

It took more than half a year to start seeing visible results! The sore muscle pain after the workout sessions kept me hooked.

The weakest part of my body became my most valuable asset!

The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds. If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless -Dean Karnazes

Our bodies are far more capable than we can ever imagine. They have the ability to self-heal and recover.

All we need to do is to allow it to rest, as and when needed.

I finished my first race, a half-marathon at the age of 35. I had never felt stronger in my entire life!

I proved myself wrong again when I had the second baby. I started running and got back into the game of heavy lifting. I am now even stronger than I used to be!

As I write this, I am pretty confident that I will break my own records in the future.

I am sharing my experience to show that there is no age limit to become strong and healthy. I am stronger in my late 30s than I was in my 20s.

Human bodies are very resilient! They are quick to adapt to new changes and are always open to challenges.

Your body is amazing and NOT challenging it enough is a disgrace to itself and you!

Tell your body what you want. And it will give you without holding back!

Eat. Exercise. Rest. Repeat.

Own your body

Embrace and love your body. It’s the most amazing thing you’ll ever own -Unknown.

Accepting your body is the first step towards lifelong self-love!
Your body craves your attention more than anything else.
Don’t let others’ opinions and self-doubts overrule your regard for your body! How you talk to your body makes all the difference.
Show respect to your body by setting meaningful goals. Your body is listening!
Celebrate every small win with your body!
The best things in life are not measured by numbers. So is your body. Ditch the scale and focus on non-scale victories.
Get out there today and do something you have always wanted to do. Without fears and limits.
Shower your body with lots of love, respect, and admiration!