Day16: “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” ― Rita Mae Brown, Alma Mater

Wednesday, 31st-Oct-2012;11:00pm
Electronic City, Bangalore

I am in love with the weather here in Bangalore. Thanks to Madam 'Neelam' bringing in non-stop rain for last 36 hours and no signs of rest, still on song. Lovely it is. I love this cluttering sound of rain, that which I can hear now, the aroma of the soil when it rains, the chillness this rain brings, just love it. You will not have a second thought that the weather is ideal for a stay at home spending some quality time with family enjoying hot 'pakodas'.

Okay. This was M70-W2D6 when I did Exercise set 1 prescribed by Jack Braniff of 'Urban Energie'. It consisted of Squat to press (12,12,12), Toe Taps (30,30), T-Press ups(8,5,5 against expected 12,12,12 (found it hard to do today),Clean Press (10,10), Dumbell Swing (15Kg-12/12) followed by Lateral Raises. Feel satisfied and some self-worth even though the muscles in different parts ache.

Experience always has an edge. Got to learn a lot from my senior member in Project, Varghese George. He solves complex things (at least which appear to me) with a great ease. I thank you Varghese for all the inputs you had provided to prepare the final report today. Sent the final report at around 7:30pm in the evening and then left only to learn (at home while checking mail) that it got stuck in my outlook outbox :)So another lesson for me and my readers - pls pls check your outbox/sent mail folder while sending the status report to your client/superiors before rushing out at the end of work.



Good Night, Subhratri.
Narendra Gupta
11:50pm

P.S. M-70: W2D6 Weight in the morning after workout (80.2 Kg) (Reduced by 0.3 Kg from last week)



 

Day15: A Winner is a Loser who never gave up.

Tuesday, 30th Oct 2012;10:00pm
Electronic City, Bangalore

This precious day of life was dedicated to Work and Work-out. Started the day with work-out at Gym, mostly on the elliptical trainer (30 min) losing 300 calories. Finished by doing some abs exercises. It's long way to go to accomplish M-70, sometimes find it very challenging to get up from bed and go for Gym in the 6-8 am slot. But then I have hope, the hope of victory.

one of my childhood favorites:

Good Night to all.
10:15pm

Narendra Gupta

Day14: Itne oonche utho ki jitna ooncha Gagan hai.

Monday, 29th-Oct-12;11:20pm
Electronic City, Bangalore

After a refreshing and fun-filled  weekend it was a busy Monday but worth it. Am feeling too tired to write more. Have to get up early in the morning tomorrow for M-70 W2D5. 

Sharing one of my favorite Poems:

Good Night and Lovely Dreams to all

Narendra Gupta
11:25pm

Day13: Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.....(Unknown)

Sunday, 28^th Oct 2012; 10:45pm

Electronic City, Bangalore

Wao!! What a Sunday it was. Certainly, will remain in memories for many days to come. Today, I attended two important functions, each life changing events for someone in their lives. First event was Mridul's, my Landlord’s Grandson’s (his daughter’s son) naming ceremony this afternoon followed by Madhuri's, my Ex-Project mate’s wedding function in the evening. This Sunday was all about having fun and getting more acquainted to a different culture.

Mridul’s Naming Ceremony:

  

Me with little "Mridul"

Words have meaning and Names have Power. The Little baby got his identity today. Yes, he got his name “MRIDUL”. This is the name; the world would call him for the next 80-100 years and even after that. I recall of the famous proverb “Good men must die but death cannot kill their names”. I wish little Mridul, a very Happy, Healthy, worthwhile and a long Life with everlasting NAME. God bless!!

Madhuri weds Vijay:

Picture of the Day!!

In the evening, attended, the jolly, the talkative, and the beautiful Madhuri’s wedding reception. The cynosure of the evening, the wedding couple was made for each other type and both of them were looking gorgeous. I recall of last week when Madhuri was feeling so anxious, nervous yet excited talking non-stop, yelling her toothache and swollen cheek and other ‘before marriage’ worries. She would say, what if my cheek remains swollen like this, how would I look, people come to see the bride…bla blah…. She was looking elegant and well matched with her life mate. I wish the couple a very Happy Married Life and would endorse these words of Martin Luther  for this awesome pair : “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” 

As far as M-70 is concerned, it was a complete cheat meal day dominated by non-veg and high-calorie food. Also, loved the vegetarian food at the Madhuri’s wedding reception. Varieties in galore in the meal followed by deserts, fruit salad, chatpatti chat, pop-corn, paan………Ufff… gol-ghar ke kitne chakkar katne honge, ye to kal subah hi patta chalega J

Superb Sunday it was. Wish many more to come.

well, It’s late in the night now. I wish all of you a Happy Monday.

Good Night.

Narendra Gupta

12:20am.

Day12: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday - Don Marquis

Sat/Sun ,27/28-Oct-2012 4:45 am
Electronic City, Bangalore

Wonderful lines from the Book 'The Now Habit' by Neil Fiore which I am reading this weekend:

" Have to's" represent the message of stress while "Should's" symbolizes and brings depression in the long run. The language of "Have to's" and "should's"  do not communicate to the mind and body - a clear picture of:

• What I choose to do

• When I choose to do it

• Where I choose to start it

• How I choose to do it

"As you begin to speak to yourself in the language that focuses on results rather than blame, on choice rather than have to, on what is rather than what you think should be, you will find that your body and mind co-operate by providing a level of positive energy free from the unnecessary struggles of the past and negative comparisons with the future."
                                                                                    Source: 'The Now Habit' by Neil Fiore


Great lines, find it so related to my life. Just realized, I have been living the whole life (so far) in the insidious cycle of "Have to's" and "should's". I at this moment choose to disassociate from this self-harming language and vow to choose and work on my will rather than any external pressure.

On Saturday, I read, ate, phoned, listened to radio, and slept. Dinner was my special:  chicken-roti :)

Good Morning and Have a Great Sunday to all.

Going on a morning walk.....


Narendra Gupta
28-Oct-12; 5:20am

Day 11: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. -Benjamin Franklin

Friday, 26^th October 2012; 11:45pm

Electronic City, Bangalore

Getting up early in the morning is a GIFT you present yourself for the day. You get the opportunity to feel the beauty of the morning, the cool and fresh breeze; the chirping of birds, the freshness of air, the rising sun….all these invoke beautiful feelings inside, and of-course you get plenty of time to do more worth-while things. I wonder why I have been missing this all my life. Probably procrastination, attitude and my laziness to get up from bed are the reasons for this.

Yes, Today I gifted myself with the day by waking up early. It was an altogether satisfying day in terms of work and work-out :)

Highlight of this day of Life was my small but important achievement in M-70. Reduced my body weight by 3.5 Kg at the end of Week1 work-out. Thanks to some restraint on my fooding habit.  The major challenge that lies ahead is keeping on the same roaster of work-out and selection of food. Cheat meals, laziness to get up early in the morning and go for gym, my excessive love for sweets appears as probable barriers in my goal. Will do best to keep away from all these for a while until it becomes a habit. 

M70: W1D4 – Exercise Set2 by Jack Braniff : Warm Up, Spiderman Press-up (12/12/12), Mountain Climbers (30/30/30), Pull-downs for Chest, Arnold Press (10Kg- 12/10/10), Bent over row (12/10/), Rowing, Treadmill (30 min), Cool down.

That’s all for today

Good Night :)

Narendra Gupta
Saturday,27.10.12; 12:08 am

Day 10: Energy and Persistence Conquer all things - Benjamin Franklin

Thu/Fri 25/26 Oct 12;5:05 am
Electronic City, Bangalore

With a completely exhausted body, Slept early in the evening yesterday only to wake up at this time (4:50 am). Yesterday, Did some 35-40 minutes of work-outs which mostly included cardio-vascular exercises (Treadmill and Elliptical trainer). In the first 2-3 weeks would stick to 4 days of work-out per week with 2 days each dedicated to weights and cardios respectively.

It was a sad day yesterday for we Indians with the loss of noted comedian Mr. Jaspal Bhatti. We grew up watching his comedy serials on Doordarshan. His Ulta-Pulta is still vivid in my memories. Rest in Peace the Holy soul. I pray for the speedy recovery of his son and others who got injured in the mishap.

A very Refreshing and Energetic Good Morning to all.

Narendra Gupta.
 5:09 am
P.S: M-70 W1D4: Weights (Exercise Set 2 by Jack)

Day9: Many say I am just one to try. I say I am one less to quit. - Diego Marchi

Wednesday, 24^th Oct 2012; 11:15pm

Electronic City, Bangalore

Away from phone calls, work-stress and hell lot of team meetings, I was at complete peace of mind today. Had a power nap in the evening and am brimming with energy even at this time of the day.

While Dussehra and Durga Pooja celebrations were in full flow away home,I celebrated Ayudha Pooja with some local friends here. Ayudha Pooja, an integral part of the Navaratri is mostly celebrated in southern states of India. The people here worship their machineries, vehicles, tools and weapons. There is a custom to burst open a big melon, inside which they put coins, kids would loot the coins once it is busted. It was a pleasure to experience all this.

Me before the Palki of Maa Ayudha in the Evening

In the evening, Palki of Maa Ayudha goes around the village accompanied with drum-beats and other musical instruments, people around rejoiced the celebrations and so did I.

Great Culture, Great People, Great Country, Love to be Indian.

Good Night, Sweet Dreams to all

Narendra Gupta

24^th Oct 2012; 11:45pm

 

P.S. Tomorrow M70: Week1Day3: Would do Cardios (Tread Mill/Elliptical Machine work-out)

Day8: The Body achieves what the mind believes.

Tuesday, 23rd Oct 2012;10:20 pm

Electronic City, Bangalore

Finally, M-70 Day 2 'happened' today. I had missed it yesterday. It was the first day I did work-outs planned by Jack some 15 months ago in Birmingham. I started with some warm up exercises for 8-10 minutes. This included pulse raiser (cycling) followed by basic stretches for Calves, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Back, Chest and Triceps. It should be known that warm-up essentially prepares the body for exercise by improving elasticity of the muscles, raising the heart rate and increasing blood flow to the muscles. The intensity should gradually increase until it matches with the intensity of the main workout. In the main workout, I did Squat to press, Toe-taps, T-press ups, Dumbbell swing, clean press followed by lateral raises. I was huffing and puffing just after 4-5 push-ups today, certainly need to do more of resistance training. I think it would slowly come up with practice. Finished the workouts with some pulse lowering aerobic exercises followed by stretches. The purpose is to decrease the heart rate and return the body to its pre-exercise state.  at this moment, my full body, from the lower calves to the shoulder are hugely aching; but then am pleased with my work-out today. It is a good beginning.

Further, I kept control over my food habits as well. Took 2 idlis in Breakfast, 3 chapati in lunch and 5 chapati in dinner. 

I was also feeling better at work today after the work-out.... though nothing much was there to do today:)

Tomorrow is Vijaya Dashmi, and on this auspicious occasion, I wish all my friends a Very Happy Dussehra. 

Good Night to all

Narendra Gupta

23-10-12; 10:40 pm

Day7: Don't Quit.

Monday, October 22, 2012; 10:30pm

Electronic City, Bangalore

Last night when I said today was an M-70 Day, I was almost committed towards it, at least for the sake of self-pride, would do it. But when the alarm rang in the morning could not just give up my sleep, missed on the workout, rather dodged self yet again.

I am so deeply rooted into the clutches of procrastination and that for past several years, finding it difficult to come out of it.  I do not feel the urge to get up and do something worthwhile. I have found it difficult to motivate myself for past several years, no book, no video, no counseling helped.  

Do I lack Goals? No, Certainly NOT. But then I feel that the Goal and timelines need a tweaking. Further I have to be more assertive, passionate and cheerful rather than being typical self-critic. I have done it in the past and there is no reason I cannot do it this time. 

Yet again, I vow to fulfilling fitness and weight-loss goal on this public forum. My way of expressing my resilience and commitment:

       The Don’t Quit Poem

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit. 

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow. 

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown. 

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

It was a rather dull day for me, managed to do some 10 mins of Sahaja Yoga morning and evening included. Further, declaring once again M-70 into Day2 tomorrow. Would share more details on my program tomorrow at day's farewell. My sincere Thanks to Jack Braniff, my Trainer at Birmingham Gym for sharing the workout plan. Friends do email me at reach2narendra@gmail.com for any suggestions/ideas for cracking the fitness challenge.

Good Night to all

Narendra Gupta

22 October 2012; 11:20pm