I used to be an athlete when I was younger. Before becoming pregnant in 2007, my husband and I hiked for five hours. Thanks to prenatal yoga and miles of daily walking, I waltzed in and out of the labor room in just two hours, precisely as shown in commercial Indian movies.
Fast forward to 2009, I was exhausted, working around the clock and sleeping for merely three hours each night. What started as postpartum became severe depression, and by 2015, my body was a complete mess. Due to stress, my hormones went haywire, and I was diagnosed with PMDD, endometriosis, and sleep disorder.
And then I began my slow but steady ascent. First, I spent a decade clearing the clutter in my life (which included letting go of many people), calming my mind, and uplifting my spirit. Now, I’m reviving my physical health to return to my athletic self.
Exercise Basics
In this post, I’ll share some exercise basics I’ve learned on the way, mostly from my fitness enthusiast hubby. Unlike what many think, fitness isn’t just weight loss. There are four pillars to good health, and a rock-solid exercise plan covers all of the below:
1. Endurance
Brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and hiking are endurance workouts.
Cardiovascular endurance or aerobic fitness refers to the capacity of your circulatory and respiratory systems to provide oxygen to muscles during prolonged physical exercise. It enables you to engage in activities for extended periods without being exhausted.
2. Cardio
Cardio workouts include super-fast walking, running, and dance aerobics.
High-intensity cardiovascular exercises focus on enhancing the health of your heart and circulatory system. Cardio workouts attempt to raise and alter your heart rate (HR)across the five zones. These zones also apply to Endurance exercises.
The Five Zones:
- Zone 1 — Easy: Moving with minimal stress and exertion. (55%-65% HR)
- Zone 2 — Aerobic: Your heart beats fast, but you can still chitchat a little. (65%-75% HR)
- Zone 3 — Tempo: Increasing speed and strength, making just single-word conversations possible. (80%-85% HR)
- Zone 4 — Lactate Threshold: Your body now processes maximum amounts of lactic acid as a fuel source. (85%-88% HR)
- Zone 5 — Anaerobic: You are genuinely pumping iron, reaching the maximum speed zone. (90% and above HR)
A Tech Tip: Many smartphones have a heart rate zone monitor.
3. Strength
Strength-building activities include weight lifting, bodyweight exercises (push-ups and squats), and resistance band training.
The ability of your muscles to create force against resistance is referred to as strength. Strength-training exercises target specific muscle groups and try to build resilience by improving your muscular mass, bone density, and metabolism.
4. Stability
Planks, bridges, lunges, and stability ball exercises are all important for building stability.
Often known as core stability or balance, these are essential for good posture, injury prevention, and general functional fitness. It involves working on muscles that support your spine, pelvis, and other joints.
My Exercise Plan
Balancing the four pillars of fitness is a comprehensive approach to physical health. Additionally, flexibility and mobility exercises like Yoga are essential for overall well-being and should not be overlooked.
Based on the above, I created an exercise plan which I share here. I started in small increments and am working my way uphill gradually. Further, I’m not a fan of gym equipment. So, my plan is customized to my needs.
Sun & Wed:
- Flexibility => Yoga (10 min)
- Endurance => Zone 1–2 Walk (30 min)
Mon & Thu:
- Upper Body Strength => Push-ups (5 min)
- Upper Body Stability => Planks (5 min)
- Endurance => Zone 2–3 Walk (30 min)
Tue & Fri:
- Lower Body Strength => Wall Sit (5 min)
- Lower Body Stability => Lunges (5 min)
- Cardio => Zone 4–5 Run or Dance (30 mins)
Sat:
- Free Day => Thank God! 😊
Conclusion
After struggling with body aches for over a decade, I’ve learned not to take my health lightly. Presently, I can say with conviction and authority —
Health is indeed the quintessential wealth. Please don’t take it for granted.
Love,
Sri Devi Om