These are just some of the typical summer traits that you are probably suffering from or going to suffer from. [break]
It’s not easy beating the heat and it’s definitely not easy maintaining your body during the hot months.
“We have more women members and mostly people come here to lose weight but the ratio is shrinking. More and more people come to stay fit these days,” says Ahmed Kamal, Managing Director at Banu’s Total Fitness located in Kamal Pokhari.
Remaining fit is very important because the body goes through a temperature roller coaster ride. One moment you’re in an A/C or fan cooled room and the other, you’re walking in the heat in the dust covered roads.
“I use the mask when I’m jogging usually in the morning. I know the thin mask layer won’t help me much but at least it’s better than nothing,” shares 24-year-old Sabnam Moktan.
She believes keeping fit does not mean going to the gym regularly. She is of the thought that controlling what you eat and exercising at home, whenever possible or some jogging in the morning always keeps one healthy.
Kathmandu’s urbanites, especially the young ones are definitely becoming more and more aware and it’s not surprising. The constant and quick access to celebrities lifestyle and the need to look good has had many youngsters hitting the gym than ever before.
“Lately people have become more aware of their health as our lifestyle is leading us to many health risks and disease,” says Ahmed.
24-year-old Sagun Raj Lama has been going to the gym since he was 17. “My friends told me about the exercising and my uncle introduced me to this gym in Yala Gym at Patan and I’ve been going there ever since,” he says.
When asked why he thinks it’s important to go to the gym, he replies, “I go to the gym to keep healthy so that later on in life, I don’t have major health conditions,” adding, “and it’s also personal satisfaction because you do look good with a built body.” Lama exercises for two hours everyday.
During summer, the trend of going to the gym increases or so says Pujan Maharjan, Gym Instructor at Jasmine Fitness Club and Spa, located in Tripureshwore.
“The crowd of young and adults are almost equal here,” informs Maharjan. When asked what the youth specifically want to do in the gym, he didn’t take even a moment to answer, “Youth mostly come to the gym because they want to build their bodies and have some muscles and keep fit.”
While Ahmed deems choosing organic food over processed is a good idea, no matter what season it is, to keep fit, there are many ways you can tone yourself up with.
If you’re the kind of person who contests the idea of going to the gym, walking, running or climbing could be good alternatives.
The best and the easiest form of exercise would be to avoid the elevator like the plague. Use the stairs.. Stair climbing can be done anywhere and it builds endurance, tones up your legs and most importantly, it burns calories. However, if you’re the running kind, that’s good too.
Runners tend to have low blood pressure, strong lungs and fitter hearts. Similarly, cycling could be another option. Though the concept of specific cycling lanes hasn’t really seeped in the Valley, more and more youth are cycling these days. When biking, it helps you burn off plenty of calories and you have a good time too.
If cycling outdoors is not really for you, try cycling indoors on an exercise bile. No rain, gloom or heat will stop you. You can buy an exercise bike in the fitness stores around the Valley.
However, if you are the spiritual kind and like doing meditation, Yoga might be your cup of tea. There are different kinds of yoga one can try and mix some spirituality into keeping oneself free from diseases and fit.
When you start the yoga routine, you will probably find the positions weird and very uncomfortable, but once you know the strength of yoga and the flexibility and patience it brings to you, you will not stop.
“Yoga’s never been my thing but I like doing weights and running,” says Lama. He says that when he was adamant to have six packs, he controlled his diet and focused a lot on exercising. For him weightlifting is his favorite like of many men. Pumping the iron can pump up ones metabolism and it definitely burns the fat away.
This exercise not only builds muscles, which most young men go for, it also builds the bone density, making it stronger.
Swimming and dancing are other ways you can opt to lose some weight. A 30 minute swim can burn between 300 and almost 450 calories (depending on your body weight) and dancing has never been boring, unless you don’t know how to dance at all.
Time to jump in the pool or the dance floor and shed the pounds as you have fun.
Choose a fitness regimen that best suits your lifestyle and fitness personality and before you know it your body be as hot as the temperature.
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