Healthy Living

2 weeks completed

2008-08-06T08:27:00.001+05:30

Yeah!!! Proved some people wrong but more than that surprised myself.
After running today one of my toe is hurting a bit, I hope it is nothing serious.

Tarun Chandel
Still a long way to go...

IMP: I will be going offline for some days and will update this blog after coming back online.

Best Day

2008-08-05T10:56:00.000+05:30

Today I ran for 20 mins without taking break and that includes a sprint at the end. I had to push myself at a lot of places, especially at the point where I generally used to stop. The sprint at the end was the best part, as I did not know how much I had left in me, but the outcome surprised me (though I was almost breathless at the end and everyone passing by was staring at me but for the first time I was feeling good about it). Good day at running, really happy :)

Tarun Chandel
I am surprising myself

Cross Training

2008-08-04T08:17:00.001+05:30

First day at the cross training. Started with skipping and it was really fun. Next I tried squats and after doing just 5 I was about to crash, still I pushed myself for 20. Though it got easy later on, but I am sure I will feel it while using the stairs. I somehow did the situps but the toughest part was yet to come. I tried Vajrasana (yoga), it is supposed to make your body tough. In the first attempt, I could hardly sit for 10 secs. In second try I pushed for 20 seconds, it felt like a truck was passing over my legs. Cross training was over in 5 mins. The confident feeling that I was building in last 2 days at jogging was gone; I am still in horrible condition.

“Give up, give up a Business Analyst need not run, go back to the comfortable life”

This is what I keep hearing in my head. May be I should ...

Tarun Chandel
Need to avoid using stairs today

15 Minutes at a stretch WooHahaha...

2008-08-03T11:39:00.001+05:30

Another good day at running. Today for the first time I was able to run at a stretch for more than 5 mins. I jogged for almost 15 mins without taking a break. Passing the first five minutes was tough but after that for next ten minutes it was fun. I think I had glimpses of getting my rhythm back. Though the speed was very slow but I was pushing to go on without taking any breaks, speed I will build over time.

Tarun Chandel
Now we are running :)

An Old Angel

2008-08-02T09:30:00.000+05:30

I had just crashed on a bench in the park as an old man stopped in front of me. "When I was your age I used to run like a horse and you are wasting a morning on this bench", he blabbered uninvitingly. I looked at him and he was smiling as if he was Birbal and had just given the best advice to Akbar. I got up (out of sheer respect for his age) and offered him the seat. I just started running; somehow I was not feeling the ache and was not feeling heavy either. I thought that the old was an angelic figure or may be he just wanted my seat. I looked back and could not see the old man... (because a tree was blocking my view). Good day on the track ran the longest of distance till date. I think marathon is not completely off the table :)

Tarun Chandel
Run-->Get Tired-->Break-->Run-->Get Tired--...

Oversized Girl

2008-08-01T11:43:00.000+05:30

Today I was feeling good as I was moving faster than usual. Just then a lady at-least thrice my size overtook me and I was thinking that I was really fast. Another sad day on the track. I am slower than kids, oldies, fat guys and even the oversized girls. Seriously what was I thinking before registering for the Marathon.

Tarun Chandel
Whatever...

Inspiration for running

2008-07-31T08:02:00.001+05:30

Prakash Vibhute is my new inspiration. Prakash runs for 32 kilometers everyday and he started running just month and a half back (somehow hard to believe but that may well be the media exaggeration). I hope that I continue to run and someday run just like Prakash Vibhute does.

My running has improved from the first day but, I have still not run for more than 5 minutes at a stretch.

Tarun Chandel
Getting ready, getting inspired!

One week gone - still running

2008-07-30T08:03:00.000+05:30

Ya ha ha ha. I completed one week running.

Feel proud moments:

Went running on a rainy morning (that lead to running on 3 rainy days).
Pushed myself for running bit extra (yesterday).

Minor Slip ups:

Had a pizza for dinner (was really tired).
Had deep fried Samosas (but just once in the whole week).
Had sweets (was at friend's place and did not want to come out as a "health conscious" show off).

Still need to work on:
(too early to make this list) Just want to continue running.

Tarun Chandel
One week. Woo Hoo HOO

Smiles on the jogging track

2008-07-29T11:13:00.000+05:30

Got up early this morning and walked out to jog with sleep not completely out of my eyes. As I was jogging, for the first time in last so many days (feels like eternity, actually just 6) people were greeting me with smile. Believe me it felt way better than a hot chocolate fudge (somehow can't keep the high calories stuff off my mind). I felt confident and pushed myself for longer distance than usual. The morning workout was going great. As I stopped to catch my breath an old couple passed me and even they smiled at me. Wow, these people have finally evolved and starting to appreciate a true effort.

I reached home all drenched in sweat (and bit of drizzle). When I was changing, I realized that I was wearing my T-Shirt inside out. Aarrghhh.. that's why everyone was smiling. Chocolate fudge was suddenly replaced with the Karela (Bitter gourd) Juice.

Tarun Chandel
Every morning don't just get up. Wake Up!

Lungs seeking more air

2008-07-28T08:01:00.000+05:30

My lungs are running out of air before my legs give up. I think I need to work more on my breathing and that will enhance my running.

I used to run, good enough, till my early days in Symbiosis but that was a long time back. A lot of water has passed under the bridge, rather a lot of pizzas have been gobbled since then. Back then running was about moving in rhythm with the breathing. I am still not able to get that rhythm back, may be the breathing rhythm has changed a bit since then.

Thanks to Mumbai rains, my life on track was peaceful as very few people came out in the morning.

Tarun Chandel
Breathe in, Breathe out. It's not that simple!

Just another usual bad day on the track

2008-07-27T11:05:00.000+05:30

As I was jogging today, a guy (much older than me) passed by from the opposite side, as he saw me he touched him tummy and grinned. Though he never said anything, it was clearly an indication that he felt better as there are people in worse shape than him. Such a sadist; I felt like a fat pig. Another bad day on the track. Running was hardly any better than yesterday.

Tarun Chandel
Weekend morning used to be nice

Running in rain is fun

2008-07-26T10:22:00.001+05:30

I did go for running today, little late than usual but I did. Somehow I did not want the bookies that are betting against me to win so easily. Yes there are quite a few betting against me, the number has doubled in one night, read the comments on this post.

Running in rain was far easy as rain kept the body cool. Due to rain the laughing oldies and soccer kids were also missing, so I could run in peace. The only people around were the young couples and they hardly bother about who is running or running short of breath. Though I did run longer distance than yesterday but I am sure rain has a lot to do with that.

Tarun Chandel
Surviving another day on the jogging track

Rain plays spoilsport

2008-07-26T07:22:00.000+05:30

Rain Rain Rain.
Question: How to prepare for marathon when it is raining?

Tarun Chandel
Rainy Day

Laughing oldies ruined a good start

2008-07-25T07:45:00.002+05:30

Today I was determined to run for atleast a minute at a stretch. I started slowly and kept pushing myself and was able to clock sixty seconds of jogging without a break. The continuous rain helped a lot. As I stopped for giving my aching legs some respite a bunch of oldies started laughing really hard. Though I know that they are part of the "laughing club" but, at that moment it felt like they were laughing at me. I felt like running away from there but running was the problem, so I had to face the humiliation. When I was a kid, I used to laugh at these oldies all the time but today their laugh was hurting me more than my legs. Why the hell should I make myself a subject to laugh at? I should seriously give it up. I think I will give up soon.

Tarun Chandel
What you laugh at will laugh back at you...
Life goes full circle. O

Update: Now people are betting against me. Read the comments.

Soccer kids

2008-07-24T07:40:00.004+05:30

As I stopped to catch my breath, thinking that I can’t even walk, a bunch of kids ran past me. They were members of a school's soccer team, I figured out from their attire. Kid leading the group was hardly one third of my height. Their coach was shouting, just 4 more rounds to go. And I was sitting there catching my breath, thinking what the hell am I doing? These kids are in far better shape then I will ever be in my life. As if my thoughts were not negative enough, a kid said, "uncle go home." May be he was right, I shouldn't be running like a crazy guy. May be I should stay at home. May be I should give up. May be I should change my route...

I am saying too many "may be"s. Not a good sign...

Tarun Chandel
Damn tired

First day out

2008-07-23T07:54:00.001+05:30

Got up this morning all excited about starting my preparations for the Marathon. Wore my new jogging shoes, I bought them around 6 months back (yes thinking about running for a while).

Started running all excited and thinking about Rocky, but 30 seconds later I was getting breathless. I pushed myself for some more time but it was getting very tough. I was jogging so fast that a walking school kid overtook me. I know I am in bad shape but this was extremely bad.

I ran for around half a kilometer with 2 breaks in between and each time I stopped, I was almost breathless. With every passing second my legs were aching more; I had to stop as I thought they may fell off. I waited for a while to catch my breath and when I started my walk towards home, each step was making me realize how much I weigh. Climbing stairs was the most difficult part in the whole morning. I am sure I have gone crazy to think that I can run a marathon, I think I am going to give up really soon.

Tarun Chandel
First jog in 5 years

Mumbai Marathon - I am running

2008-07-22T07:22:00.000+05:30

I have registered myself in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.

Just got a confirmation mail from them: "Thank you Tarun Chandel, we have received your entry for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009." This is going to be great. Though it is going to help me fulfill my aim of being healthy and fit, yet I feel this is the toughest challenge that I am going to face in my whole life. The full marathon is more than 42 Kms, this is going to test me to the extremes.

I am going to start my preparations from tomorrow morning. I will keep a log of Marathon preparations on this blog. I am very excited.

Tarun Chandel
Running towards a healthier life

Welcome to the Healthy Living Blog

2008-07-21T20:15:00.000+05:30

I am starting this blog with an aim to start living a healthy life. I am going to lead a healthier lifestyle from now on and this blog will be a log of my healthier activities. I am overweight, the famous "IT Belly" is making its presence felt, the popular "double chin" is about to get another brand ambassador. I am in really bad shape and I hate it.

Thanks to my lifestyle where a Pizza a day keeps me fit and fatty, where I search for essential vitamins in Maggi and get my dose of instant energy from deep fried samosas. On a day when I want to eat healthy I have veg burger but with extra cheese otherwise it is butter chicken with extra butter. Skipping breakfast is very common and is duly compensated by super heavy lunch. Only exercise I do in the whole day is moving my fingers on keyboard. That's my life... sad... yes it is!

I am going to change it. I am going to change my habits, I am going to live a healthy life. Wish me luck and stay with me while I do this.

Welcome to the Healthy Living Blog. This Blog is all about living a healthy life.

Tarun Chandel
Health is Wealth