The Power Of Small Changes For A Healthy You

While I can’t say yet that I eat only home grown organic fruits & vegetables but compared to where my diet was and where is it now, there is a contrast of chalk and cheese. How did I manage to move from extreme gluttony to the present state where at the least I can say that I wear a badge of disciplined eating. Your health actually revolves around what/when you eat and while some might not agree with me, it also influences your thought process. I am a big fan of frugal eating and advocate this to my Coaching clients to watch what you eat and when you eat. The rest will fall into place.

My point is that I don’t deprive myself but have learned to love foods that are a lot more healthier and in most cases easy on the wallet. I don’t miss junk food at all. I’m not saying that you need to become a vegetarian. I’m saying that small steps taken one at a time makes the process easier. I've done it with meat, fried foods, sweets and with eating more fruits and whole grains. It’s worked for me and my clients wonderfully well every time. There is no rocket science involved but a simple rule of “You get used to it if you do it one step at a time”.

Eat fruits for snacks: If you snack on junk food during the day then have some fruits by your side at all times. When you’re feeling hungry for a snack, eat a fruit. One of those apples is great for your cravings as well as to the heart .I keep a doggy pack of dry fruit rations in my cupboard and in my car. I dig into it when hunger pangs start to haunt me.

Drink water instead of soda: The only thing I drink outside(besides an occasional diluted pulpy orange ) is water. I’m not saying that you need to do that but try to cut out sugary carbonated drinks replacing them with water. Each soft drink has empty calories and loads of sugar which requires enormous time in the gym to burn it off.

Eat whole grain bread: If you eat white bread or similar clones , replace them with whole-grain versions. Be sure to look at the ingredients — it shouldn’t say enriched wheat flour but whole grain. Also try to avoid breads with high-fructose corn syrup. Actually anything with high –fructose corn syrup should be avoided like a plague.

Add fresh veggies to dinner: If you can manage this couple of times during the day then it is great however with most of us have issues with timings. I would strongly suggest to make it a mandatory dish on the dinner table.

Cut out red meat: I am not a animal rights activist but latest research has pointed to an increase in the cases of cancer and heart disease to read meat. You can still eat poultry and seafood but try to cut down on the same.

Nuts instead of chips: If you normally snack on chips and other packaged short eats then it is time to move on towards unsalted peanuts or even almonds. The good thing in these is that both are high in protein and a rich source of good cholesterol. Even though they are high in fats, they contain good fat which can be burnt off easily rather than the trans fat which causes more damage to our system.

Reduce sugar: We consume too much sugar indirectly and increasing this by consuming sugary drinks ,coffee and tea is a sure way of going on a one way road to ill health. The best thing to do is not to add any sugar to your food/beverages which will substantially reduce your sugar intake and make a big difference.

Avoid eating out: I know this might be difficult for everyone. If you are eating out regularly be it at your office cafeteria or at a close by hotel then it is time to carry your meals. This will always be more healthy and lighter on your pockets. This is one area I focused on when I started working on what I ate and now it has become a part of system to avoid eating out.

Initially this will look like a gigantic mountain ahead of us but with small, daily positive changes you can bring in a drastic change to your overall health. I tell most of my clients that even if you do not have the time to do some kind of exercise it is a must to watch what one eats. I can’t forget the wordings of Ann wigmore – “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison”.

I am sure this is something most of you can implement even if you don't have the time to regularly exercise. The tips I have mentioned are something that I have implemented when I was in a regular job like most of you. I do not see any reason as to why it cannot be possible for each one of you as well be it if you are a busy executive,student or a housewife. Well do not forget to drop in a line at my mail id coach@satishrao.in or better post a comment on my Face Book Fan Page .

How To Create A Peaceful Relaxed Workday

Last week when I discussed this with one of my Coaching Clients, he was surprised and ended up asking me if there is something called as a relaxed Workday at all. Well my intention is not to disappoint many of you but there actually is one if we can manage to find it. Most of the people I interact with as clients and as friends are overwhelmed with their respective workdays. This is one of the reasons why Stress is such a big factor in our lives. Hence here I am typing away on a salubrious day in Bangalore to share ways to create a more peaceful workday. One where you can allow yourself to be more relaxed and happy.

The first step is the realization that you are in control of your day. You can create the perfect workday if you’re willing to start from scratch

For some people that may mean taking some tough steps if their boss or their workplace is very controlling about how they do their work. For example you might talk to your boss about restructuring your workday. It might also mean looking for a new job that’s more flexible if you’re not happy with the way things are. It could just mean picking up the tips below that work best for you and living with the least amount of stress. Do what works best for you.

For me a perfect workday incorporates many of the tips below but never all of them at once. I use a combination of strategies as always to ensure that most of my days are fairly relaxed. Do I still get stressed? Undoubtedly,but it’s a far less frequent thing than in the past. You can pick and choose which one works for you

Prepare the night before: An evening routine is essential to starting your day right. This might include things like choosing your three Most Important Tasks for the next day. You will then know what you’re going to do when you get into work. It might mean even a simple thing as  getting your clothes ready for the next day. I have always noticed that how you begin your day will go a long way in creating a positive road map for the whole day. This will take a couple of minutes before you retire for the night but when you program  at the sub conscious level the results are dramatic the next day.

Do less: It’s very difficult to have a relaxed workday if you have too much going on. Instead learn to reduce what you do but choose the most impactful tasks and projects — the ones that will mean the most over the long term. I always make sure I choose three important things to achieve each day as I’ve said before. Those are the three things I can do today that will have the most  positive impact in my life going forward.

Create a morning routine: And make it a relaxing one. That could include some of the things below such as exercise, a hot bath or some quiet working time. For me it means getting up at the crack of dawn and practicing my Yoga for an hour or so. For others it might be a good run or a walk round the park. Its important to create your morning routine since this is something which will put you into a positive frame of mind for the whole day.

Get in some morning exercise: I don’t get to do my Yoga exercises every single morning but I try do it on most of the days for sure. At times a nice morning run is a wonderful thing for me. It relaxes me while giving me a sense of well being and accomplishment. I believe that the best time to do any kind of exercise is always early in the morning for the simple reason that you are on an empty stomach. if you are done with some kind of exercise early then however your day is you will not have missed working out. Some ask why I insist on some kind of exercise. well to be frank I have seen both sides of the coin and exercising makes a world of difference to a persons well being.

Work when it’s quiet: I loved to work early in the mornings when everyone is yet to get into office. For others it might be late at night (which is a dangerous trend catching up of late in the workplace). When I was working in a regular office, I liked to get in before everyone else so that I could get in some decent work before things got busy. I would also work during lunch while everyone else was out — I just liked the quiet area around me. Getting in early also allowed me to leave early so that I could spend time with myself either working out or indulging in a good swim.

Create a clutter-free environment: This is key for me as you might also know by now. I like my desk clear of any clutter. Right now the only thing on my desk is my laptop (I’m paperless now). it’s OK to have a couple of family pictures or some artifacts but too much stuff is just visual distraction. Clear your walls of everything but a nice picture or two. Clutter-free surroundings create a peaceful positive working environment

Cut back on your commitments:Evaluate all the things you’ve got going on in your life and see what isn’t essential. This means choosing 4-5 essential things in your life and trying to eliminate the rest over time. What I have observed with people is that most of them over commit which does not help them in any way.

Cut out meetings: If you have the ability to opt out of meetings, please do so. They are generally a waste of time. Sure, it’s possible that a meeting is the most productive way to do something, but it’s rarely done that way now. Usually the point of a meeting could be accomplished with email or an IM. Cutting out meetings could free up a lot of time and make your workday more relaxed. Sometime I had quick meetings with my respective business heads standing so that it would get over in 10-15 minutes flat. Be creative and see if you can come up with something precise and to the point.

Single-task: For me, focus is everything. Bringing up this article would take twice as long and be much less peaceful if I was constantly interrupted by switching between this and email/ surfing the web/other tasks. I like to focus on one task at a time and really lose myself in the writing. I keep my distractions to the minimum. At times I do not answer calls to stay focused at do one thing at a time.

Take breaks and stretch: While focusing on one task at a time is important, it’s also important to take breaks when you can. Get up, stretch, get a glass of water, walk up to someone and give a positive compliment. Make his/her day  more meaningful. I would never shy away from giving compliments to people around me.

Go for a walk: I also like to take a break and go for a walk. It helps me to get a different perspective and most importantly when the environment changes so does the thought process. If you have not tried this, just go for a walk outside your workstation when you are trying to think of a solution to a pressing issue. Also not to mention that going for a short walk every hour or two helps in blood circulation and calorie burn.

Do mini-meditations: This doesn't require a mat or a temple or soothing tapes or anything. Just sit where you are, close your eyes and focus on your breathing — on your breath as it comes into your body and then as it goes out. This always helped me to center myself no matter what is going on with work. Some of my Clients have learnt to do this in their cars or conference room and swear by it as to how much of a difference it has made to their productivity and focus.

Learn to focus on the present: Basically instead of worrying about what you have to do in the future and reliving things you did in the past, focus on what you’re doing right now. This can be difficult as our minds have a tendency to wander to other things. It’s simply a matter of practice – be aware of where your mind is and when it drifts to other things, gently bring it back to the present. This helps keep your mind in a peaceful place all day long.

Flow Like water: There will always be things that go wrong. What is important is how we react to them — do we go all Drama Queen and get stressed out? Or do we accept what has happened and make a calm decision about what to do now? When things get overwhelming, take a step back to get some perspective and realize that in a few months none of this will really matter much — then take steps to eliminate the non-essential and focus on what’s really important.

I do hope that some of you would have figured out your own answers or learnt something new through my words. By the way you can do me a favor by sharing this amongst your friends,contacts or even team members.If it helps someone then why not share it is my ideology.

If you do not agree with my thoughts or want to reach out to me do mail me on coach@satishrao.in or you could also drop a line at my Facebook page.

How To Jump Over The Resistance Hurdle.

I have often come across people resisting change and inadvertently procrastinating. They are unable to take decisions which they know will change their life for the better. They are unable to manage the resistance hurdle which in their mind’s eye is a big green monster. Well, I too found that overcoming resistance is one of the biggest challenges. At times i have struggled and fallen in the dirt trying to overcome this obstacle and to be honest, have failed many times. However, I have figured out a simple approach for people like me who are struggling with crippling fear when it comes to changing their life for the better. Some of the things which come to my mind to overcome resistance are -

Be aware:

we do not generally think about resistance and understand that it is always there most of the time. We generally think that – let me start eating healthy, sleep for 7-8 hours or at times just spend more time with family. Invariably some or the other distractions tend to crop up and we succumb to resistance. Combat this by realizing that you are facing Resistance. Once you become aware of it, you can fight it and beat it. It can be difficult to become more aware but the key is to focus on it for a couple of days. Write down the words “Defeat Resistance” and put it somewhere visible as you work. This will help remind you to be aware of Resistance. Every time you do something that isn’t the most important thing you could be doing right now, be aware . I have a couple of post it notes in front of me at eye level reminding me of many situations where I am trying to overcome resistance as of now.

Become a professional:

Combat resistance by turning Pro.This was exactly the chapter I had read in a book couple of years ago. It mentioned that the professional unlike the amateur, comes ready to work. He’s doing it for a living (and loves what he does). He knows that as long as he shows up and starts working, the rest will come. Approach your work like a professional and you’ll get the work done. Remember the work might be in your case might be that of a doctor, housewife or even a student. When you do something with sincerity then there is no reason why things will not fall in place.

Be very clear, and focused:

Before you start the day, be very clear about what you want to accomplish for that day. You won’t be able to finish 10 major projects but you could finish at least one important project or maybe move it along to a certain point. Set the three Most Important Tasks you want to accomplish today. Once you have those things defined you’ve got to focus on them to the exclusion of all else (at least during your most productive time). Do them first. Focus, finish and then move on to the smaller tasks you need to complete for the day. If you find yourself being lured to do something that’s not on that short list of three things, bring yourself back and focus.

Clear away distractions:

With so many distractions around us, it is common for most of us to succumb easily. However I have realised that to overcome resistance one must first clear distractions around us, be it an unorganised workstation or a kitchen. First thing is to move away things which are a major source of distraction and try to focus on the job in hand. Yesterday in the gym, a girl commented that the music was too loud and she could not focus on the job at hand. I told her to press the mute button in her head and filter out all unwanted voices around it. With practise this would be a walk in the park. whatever the distractions is, ensure you handle it and get to work on your objective.

Have a set time and place:

Make your first important task a daily appointment. For me that’s programming my mind . I always start the day with a rewiring of my mind to face the day’s challenge and re validate the short and long term goals . For you that might be different. Have a set start time, be it going for a run or doing a deep breathing exercise(which is an excellent habit for people low in energy). whatever it is, always ensure that your most important tasks at hand are done first thing in the morning. I usually devote a couple of hours during the early mornings to myself.

Know your motivation:

Why are you doing this? Why is this task important? What is it working towards? And how important is that end goal to you? You need to know these things to build up the motivation level to overcome Resistance. Most of this can be answered by asking yourself some simple questions.

Just start:

In the end all the tips in the world won’t make as much a difference as this simple (and timeless) instruction. Just sit down and start. Feel Resistance to doing that? There’s no way to overcome it than to just start. Reading all the books in the world about Resistance won’t help. Going to an online Procrastinator’s Forum won’t help. Working on your to-do lists won’t help. Only doing actually helps. And the only way to do something is to just start.

So how do you start, when you feel resistance? You just start. Feeling the need to do something else? Stop yourself from getting distracted. Remind yourself what you need to be doing and why. Sit down and the set time and place. And just start.

For me that means taking the first steps towards the outcome be it writing, running or even standing more while working. Usually after the first few steps I get into the flow and then use the force of the momentum to propel me forward. Just like the famous saying “A journey of a thousand miles begin with the first step” so does overcoming resistance begins with you just starting.

I sincerely hope that I have managed to put across my thoughts through this article on overcoming resistance. I generally see people succumbing to resistance and living a far less fulfilling life than they really deserve. Even if one of you can manage to overcome resistance in an area of your life then I definitely feel that the purpose of writing this article has been fulfilled for me.

By the way if you or your friends feel you are facing a huge challenge in overcoming resistance and it is limiting your life do feel free to   write me a mail on coach@satishrao.in or you could also reach me on my Face book Page www.facebook.com/B.N.Satishrao.

Some Insights To Get You Into Great Shape

While most of the people out there want to lose weight and get healthier, the common denominator is that basically all people want to do, is get into shape. I know the old adage that Round is also a shape. However we are not focusing on being round but being more shapely and fitting in to our clothes which are a decade older (I still have a few just to reassure myself that I have gone back 10 years back at least in the size department)

Another thing I realize is that when people get on to a healthy lifestyle to be healthy or fit it might at times serve a bigger purpose. However when they try to get back into shape along with being fit and healthy then the commitment level drastically increases by many folds. The ups-and-downs of my fitness efforts have highlighted some important points for me. Key among those points: don’t quit. If you mess up and stop for awhile it doesn't mean you should quit altogether. Just keep going. You’ll get there eventually.

During this journey which hasn't stopped and probably won’t ever stop, I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't.

What follows are some of the more important truths I've learned, in the trenches, that I’d like to share with you. Take from them what you will — everyone will find different things that work for them but I am sharing some important ones which might be useful

Small steps: That you get fitter in stages as you exercise more is pretty obvious. You might start out by just walking but as you get fitter you might add some slow jogging to your routine. Then eventually you’re running three- five KM several stages later. However this really applies to everything including diet and many people don’t realize that. You shouldn’t try to change your entire diet overnight — do it in stages. Small steps, one thing at a time and you’ll get there. Just start eating more fruits at first. Then cut out the soft drinks and the junk food. Then eat more veggies for dinner. Then change your white bread to whole wheat bread. Then cut out sweets  at work and so on. The thing is, you get used to each thing after awhile and so the changes don’t seem drastic. A year later when you look back you will be surprised how far you have come along and that is the time to pat yourself.

Find short-term rewards: Most people quit their diet or exercise program because they’re looking for immediate results. They’re discouraged when they don’t get them. You won’t get immediate results. — It takes months before you start to see the results you want … but in the meantime you have to look for other things to keep you going. Those shorter-term rewards could be simple things like the great feeling you get after a workout — that usually helps me stay motivated. You could give yourself a treat (something healthy preferably) or buy a book or something like that.

Enjoy yourself: This is extremely important. If you see your exercise as extremely difficult or painful, you won’t be able to sustain it for long. You’ll quit. If you see your diet as very restrictive or torture, you’ll go back to junk food in a short while. You must find exercise that you enjoy and find healthy foods that taste good to you. Maybe not chocolate cake good but good nevertheless. Experiment with new recipes (there are many) until you find ones you absolutely love. Above all enjoy the whole process. It’s what’s kept me doing it for so long.

Never ever give up: If you give up, you won’t get to your goal. Very obvious right, I know, but the problem is that people don’t put this into action. Messing up by falling back into junk food or stopping exercise all together — that happens. Life gets in the way. No one is perfect. Just forget about that stuff and move on. Learn from your failures. Adjust your plan to prevent the same thing from happening again and start again. If you stop, that’s OK — just start again. I always give a metaphor to my clients of a baby learning to walk and our parents never gave up on us walking in spite of failure at every step. Always start again. If you do that, there’s no way you won’t eventually get to your goal.

Vary your workouts: This helps keep things fresh and fun. For runners – don’t just do a run every day at the same pace. Vary the distance, the route and the speed. Do intervals. Do stuff other than running — go hiking, biking, play basketball, do strength training or even swim. Mixing it up will get you in even better shape, challenge your body in new ways and make it an enjoyable process. I always tend to mix up 3-4 different types of exercise in a week and would love to add a couple more to it – just to keep the creative juice flowing and make my workouts more interesting.

Focus: There are always a lot of things we want to accomplish, goals we want to focus on … but by spreading ourselves thin, we lose focus and energy. Focus on one thing at a time in order to really get it ingrained as a habit. For example, for one or two weeks focus on adding healthier food to your diet (and dropping some of the less healthy ones). After that week, it’ll be ingrained. The next few weeks, add walking or jogging or something like that and build on the focus. One goal at a time, one week at a time and you’ll get healthy. While I work with my clients I advocate this strategy which has proven to be the most effective so far. It is simple and doable.

Sleep is important:People who really get into the exercise habit miss out on one critical element and that is sleeping for 7-8 hours. This if you ask me is as critical as good food and exercise. If you compromise on any one area then your long term health will always be compromised. I meet people who say that they require only 4-5 hours of sleep but mind you they are an exception rather than someone to emulate. Also try one day of complete rest without any exercise to ensure you do not get burned out.

Go for a long term health plan:There are no instant fitness fixes no matter what any website or magazine promises. Don’t believe them. Getting fit and healthy takes time and should be gradual. If you've got a long way to go then aim to be healthy after a year. What I mean here is that work on changing your complete lifestyle rather than just one area of your life.

Learn to be present: One of the ways to enjoy what you do is to learn to really be present when you exercise and eat. For example when you run try to keep your mind in the moment. Feel your body, your breathing and experience your surroundings as your run past them. As you eat, really taste the food and feel the textures instead of gobbling it down mindlessly. It makes the entire experience much more enjoyable. As I type now I am not surprised to see my Thought for the day on my Face Book Fan Page stating “Live each moment to the fullest”.

I am sure you would have found some positives through my thoughts here. Getting into shape was never Rocket Science and will never be. The simpler we make of it ‘the simpler it will be”. If you would like to share your thoughts or have any queries on my article reach out to me on my mail coach@satishrao.in or on my face book page at www.facebook.com/B.N.Satishrao.