God has been witness
to the ferocity with which I’ve fought the urge to exercise. Multiple failed New
Year resolutions, at least four ‘donations’ to the neighbourhood gym (it’s high
time we start getting tax exemption for gym memberships), countless taunts (thanks
mom!) and innumerable sighs & heartburns inside the trial rooms (fit people
will probably never understand this pain) – nothing worked hard enough for me
to workout. And then four months back, in a typically filmy style, my doctor
looked at my lipid profile test results (get it done once a year after you turn
30, trust me!) and told me “Tumhe dua ki nahin, dawa aur exercise ki
zarurat hai”. My body was getting trolled by high cholesterol and it
was high time I strolled against it. Gym was no longer an option for me, so I
hit the road. Quite literally.
We usually
dismiss the things that we can’t understand or appreciate. In the initial few
days, I kept ranting about how waking up early is highly over-rated and unfairly
romanticized. I mean what is the fun in resisting the urge to snooze the alarm,
waking up at an ungodly hour, trying one’s luck against the temperamental
neighbourhood dogs and go out for a walk (I could call it a jog, but that would
be lying). But every time the devil in me told me to stop, the angel showed me
the cholesterol figures and coaxed me into going that extra mile. My wife even
gifted me a cycle on my 33rd birthday (talk about midlife crisis!)
and motivated me to add a bit of cycling to my regime. Call it acclimatization
or good old Stockholm Syndrome, I eventually made peace with my morning
routine.
Slowly but
surely, I could see myself going farther than I’ve ever gone before. My first
5K (walk, not run) was a thrilling achievement for me. Eventually I was
confident enough to mix a bit of running in the walk. Of course, the morning
routine had to be supplemented by dietary restraint throughout the day. I
didn’t do anything drastic; just removed all the meals I had...errr.. in-between meals. So,
there was no more room for the evening samosas, bhajiyas, sev puris etc. After
all, “Balidaan to dena hoga”, right? Things really hit the next level
of euphoria when I started getting compliments from people about looking fitter
and leaner. Tightening the belt was never this gratifying.
But I was still
wary of all my ‘accomplishments’. After all, this would amount to nothing if
the cholesterol remained out of control and I continued to be under medication.
After 4 months of regular workout and walking away from the sinful snacks, I
got one more test done. Voila!! The cholesterol levels are down and the doctor
put me off medication temporarily - provided I continue to manage my lifestyle
changes.
The
battle may have been won, but the war continues. The lifestyle changes must
remain consistent and the tests need to become an annual affair. My true
agnipariksha will be during the upcoming festive season. Saying no to the
modaks of Ganesh Chaturthi, the cheese nan and papdi no lot of Navratri, and
the ghughras and mathiyas of Diwali – I will have to continue walking the road
less taken. The pursuit of wellness is similar to the pursuit of happiness – a
never-ending journey where the road is more important than the destination.
