Comparisons and Competitive Edge

Comparing with others is one of the don’ts of fitness, the main reason being everybody starts at different fitness levels, everybody has different fitness goals. Focusing on your own personal goals always makes more sense than focusing on how somebody else is doing.My brain just doesn’t seem to understand this simple logic. I keep comparing and usually I compare with people who are a lot better than me and who have been working hard for a lot longer, so I am usually nowhere close to their fitness level.

Initially comparing with people would make me depressed because I would constantly be looking at my shortcomings, If I increased my base speed I would always find somebody else whose base speed was much more than mine in the process I would forget my growth. I have a little bit of fighters streak in me so I changed from being depressed to pushing myself more, again this also was not completely correct because I was usually pushing myself more than I should have and then I would be in more pain.

For the past few months I have been thinking of how to make the most of this attitude of mine, here's my conclusion: 

Use your role models as a bench mark and compare with yourself on daily basis.

So now I compare with how I did the last time while moving towards my bench mark which is usually based on somebody I look up to (I have so many different people I admire for different reasons, some have great weight lifting abilities, some run well, some are very flexible). Usually because everybody is working hard on their fitness levels my bench mark constantly moves ahead helping me improve.

Use persistance as your competitive edge

My fitness journey has made me a little competitive. I realised the one thing I can completely control is my persistance for living healthy. I can be as persistant as my role model. It does not depend on my physical capability it depends on how much I want to improve and how much effort I am willing to put. The one thing I can always rely on is my ability to get my workouts done. I know I might not be the fastest, I might not be able to do enough push ups but the one thing I can guarantee myself is that I will be there when my muscles are sore, I will be there when the weather is bad, I will be there when I am in a bad mood, I will be the one you will know as the ‘persistent one’

What do you think?

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee

Protein Pancake

It's been a while since I posted a recipe, I actually got a request for healthy recipes so here goes..
(this is one of  my all time favourite weekend breakfast!!)

Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 scoop whey protein (I use chocolate)
1 scoop ground flax seed
water (decide depending on the consistency you like)

Method
1. Mix all ingredients
2. Use a non-stick pan or a pan spray
3. Put the batter on the pan

your pancakes are ready..I also love the banana pancake.

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 

Tanvee
(I found this recipe here http://www.blogilates.com/recipe-index/)

First race - points to remember for the second race

By now all of you know I ran my first ever race a week back and now I plan on running a lot more. I am listing a few things to remember for my next race. I am sure after every race I will have to keep adding to this list

Training - make sure your training is relevant

 If you plan to run a race you need to train there is no way around it and most of us know this. The important thing about training is to decide your training based on your event. If you have a race outside it's always good to include outdoor runs in your training. 

I was always on the treadmill, I had built a decent stamina for 5-6 k on the treadmill but running outside was different, the first time I did run outside I had to stop a number of times whereas on the treadmill I usually managed the same distance comfortably. I personally think all training should be done outside but if you can't manage that at least 50% training should be outdoors

Choose a Training plan based on your fitness level: 

Before narrowing down my training plan I went out for a run just to see my fitness level, don't make assumptions. There are lots of training plans available freely on the Internet when you are selecting one make sure you select something that you can relate to. So first check your fitness level then decide a plan that you can stick to. Usually you can decide this either based on the distance or speed. Look at the starting week, look at how many runs are included in a week and if you can comfortably manage the shortest run.

Check your diet: 

Along with the actual running the next most important thing is your diet, I started including a few more good carbohydrates, I had more oats, more sweet potato it helped especially for my long runs. Over time I realised what helped me in my runs and what caused stitch, water is also very important, during my training I realised I drink very little water during the day and that resulted in getting tired faster. This was one thing that definitely improved in my training. 

Check the race course before the race: 

One mistake I made was I trained along the same course the entire time, my surface was mostly flat and the race had lots of hills, next time I will make sure I know the course and train accordingly.

Make sure to include at least one or two runs at the same time as your race :

I trained either early in the morning or later on the evening but my race was at 10 am so I was a little confused about eating, because I was used to waking up eating a banana and going for my run but on the race day I had to wait till 10 so I knew I could not survive on 1 banana. I woke up really early had a good breakfast and then ate 1 banana about an 1hr before the race, that was good but I was really worried about either getting tired or feeling uncomfortable.

On the race day:

First race is always scary, especially if you are running alone, the best thing I did that day was reach a little early and talk to people who would be running the race. First things first, go register then look around smile at people, ask them if they have done a race before if they have tell them it's your first time and most of the times people will encourage you and give you very good advice...if it is their  first time, you have a company

If you have trained you know your speed, you know how long it takes for you finish 1 mile so stick to that, if you want to finish faster try increasing your speed towards the end, so most of your run is comfortable

Don't look back during the race: this is something that helped me a lot, I was really worried about coming in last I knew if I looked behind and saw nobody behind me I would either give up or increase my pace and get tired soon instead I just continued without looking behind till I finished I finished comfortably and in a decent time for me

Use time or miles as your markers, during my training I used land marks as my milestones and because I knew the path I always knew how much I had left to finish my run but for my race I did not know any landmarks, instead I used my Nike plus app to make sure I was maintaining my pace and tim, it's always nice to know how much distance you have covered

Hope you find these useful, I am sure I will have another list after the next one

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee

September update

Goal: My plan for September was to face a few fears and i am proud to say i did face a few fears :)

1. Long run outside alone in the rain ( this was another scary and empowering experience I will share a post on this)
2. Finishing my first 10k charity run (post coming up)

3. Joining the running club 

4. Sharing my blogposts on fb ( I have slowly started sharing my blog with my non-virtual friends and family, I was and I still am scared of being judged but I was also keen on sharing it with them, maybe some of them find my experiences useful)

5. Sharing my running club blogpost in the gym 

6. Making new friends in the gym (I am painfully shy and I am usually full of self doubt so I am great at going unnoticed, 1 have been going to the same gym for over 1 year now usually see the same faces but never really made friends..in the last one month I went ahead spoke to a few regulars and now I have gym friends)

Exercise: I exercised as planned for all the weeks except the week before the race when I reduced everything because i wanted to not have any soreness on the race day

Food: I stuck to most of it, I would say 90% good choices

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee 

Hate - Love relationship with running

I ran my first 10k charity run on 29^th September that’s what got me thinking about my relationship with running...

I remember when I was a kid about 7 yrs old I wanted to be a part of the athletic team in school but I was too slow to even qualify. I was the last to finish a 100m race from that day running was not in my vocabulary, I did not even participate in games that involved running, I preferred reading, talking to friends rather than playing games

Fast forward 15 years I decided I needed to lose weight for the 100^th time and thought jogging made sense, so I jumped right into it and failed miserably again, I went to the tracks and was so embarrassed because I could barely manage a few seconds before I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. So for the second time  I gave up on running

Another year passed with me trying to lose weight by exercising and walking a little. I went back to the tracks and this time I could manage around 30 seconds. For every run I made a deal with myself  to run only till the next lamp post. I started with alternating jog-walk between lamp posts and then slowly increasing my distance, that’s when I joined the gym and started using the treadmill unfortunately I completely stopped running outside

Almost an year later I went back out for a run and it was a little disappointing because I was not as good as I  was on the treadmill, I knew it takes more effort outside than on the treadmill but secretly I hoped I was lucky (***there is no luck in getting fit only hard work). By this time I was much better than my 30 seconds though I felt a little disappointed about not being able to keep up with my treadmill stats. I did not want to give up on running outside but I also knew I needed a slight push so I went and signed up for a race (actually I was in nervous about this so I mentioned it to Michelle, who announced it on face book and I had no choice :), I always knew telling her my plans would leave me with no choice )

It was during my 6 weeks of training for the race that I fell in love with running outside and now I find it boring to use the treadmill. Though I trained alone most days every run was interesting, I smile at people, sometimes strangers encourage me... I even feel like I am a part of an unspoken group (all the runners I come across) . I even went ahead and joined the running club finally I can say I am in a lifelong commitment with running

What about you? how did you fall in love with your favourite activity?

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee

Love these videos..

love it...

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee

Awards

Carrie from Huggies and Heels nominated me for the Liebster Award, thanks a lot Carrie :)
Carrie had a few questions for all her nominies...here are my answers

If you could meet one celebrity, who would you choose and why?  

Sharukh khan, I have been a fan since I was a kid

What is the best vacation you've ever been on?

The first time I went back home after moving to UK

Where did you meet your significant other?

T & I met at University (undergrad)

What is your favorite memory?

I have a lots of these...When my sister was born, family gatherings at my grand parents house for Diwali, coming to Uk with T for studying ( that was the first time I left my family and it was also my first experience travelling international)

What is your favorite way to waste time?

Talking....I can talk non stop...

If you could live anywhere, where would you choose?

Anywhere with T and my family 

What is your favorite blog post? Link to it so we can all read!

http://my-dreampoint.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/to-my-granddad-my-inspiration.html

(this was a poem I wrote for my grandad)

I love all my posts on this blog and want everybody to read them ;)

What was your last New Years Resolution? Did you keep it?

I usually have a list of things I want to do every year, I have ticked a few

What is your one, can't live without, beauty product?

Moisturising cream (Nivea )

What is your favorite book?

I can't seem to pick one, i am currently reading Shantaram and enjoying it :)

My Nominees are:

My Inner Butterfly

Carbs don't kill My vibe

Fixing Me

Running Stiches 

Sisu Strong

Rule for the Leibster Award nominees

1. Link back to the person that nominated you.
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the nominator.
3. Choose 11 (or less) bloggers, each under 200 followers an nominate them for the award.
4. Come up with 11(or less) questions for your nominees to answer.
5. Contact your nominees and notify them of your nomination

I have one question for all my beautiful nominees

Share with all of us 11 things that you do or follow for reaching your fitness goals :)

----

Z from Kicking Kilos nominated me for the SunShine Award, thank you Z

 

 

 Z also had a few questions for her nominees, here are my answers:

What is your favourite most  t.v serial?

I have more than one favourite - Project runway, Modern family, Middle

Would you swap your life with anyone, if you could? Who would that be?

No one...I am happy being Tanvee :)

Who is your role-model?

I have many role models...my grandad for his passion towards his work, my dad for the calm way he handles life, my mom for how she manages her crazy family, my sister for always being very confident, Terence for always working towards improvement...many many bloggers for their dedication to fitness and blogging :)

Contact lens/Glasses?

I don't need either but i prefer T in glasses ;)

Can you carry yourself well in heels?

Of course I love heels...you will always find me in heels ( with flats in my bag)

What was the last city/country you visited?

A Day trip to Brighton  

If you could change three things about your life(past,present,future-one from each) what would they be?

Past : I wish I was more confident and I wish I would have stood up for myself, 

Present: I wish I can be one more disciplined and hard working in the present so that I don't need to change anything about my future 

Have you met any celebrity?

No.

Iphone or android?

Android...

Do you have a bucket-list?

Yes I have a bucket list for every year, I will share this year's towards the year end :)

My nominees are:

Happiness is a dish best savoured hot

Fitnasty For Life

Fat to Fabulous

Daily Dose of Del Signore

Kandid Kristen

The Rules
1. Include the award logo in your post.
2. Link to the person who nominated you - From Katypillar to butterfly.
3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.
4. Nominate 10 bloggers (OR less) to receive the award. Link the nominees to your post and notify them!

I have one question for all my beautiful nominees

Share with all of us 10 things that you do or follow for reaching your fitness goals :)

---

I love these awards because it is way we all can connect and spread the word about new bloggers :)

Keep Reading I will Keep Writing 
Tanvee