fitness Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

Productive Activities for a Better Self

By Amrashree Mishra December 15, 2019

With the vacations upon us, here’s a piece on how you can make them more productive, not only for your own development but for enriching the lives of others!

Here is a list of activities you can do in these holidays, for a healthier and happier self!

Join NGOs

NGOs are great places for development and introspection of oneself. They make you realise your privilege and the kind places you come from with the best of all facilities. NGOs make your heart melt and become a person more empathetic towards the society. So this winter break, spend some time to give back to the community. Be it any NGO right from animal rescue to taking care of senior citizens. Make this break worth the while.

Volunteer!

As exciting as it sounds, volunteering for events is a very learning process. Not only it shapes a person but also helps in developing the various parts of their personality they never knew they had to themselves. Right from organisational skills to event management, volunteering is a great exercise to get in to.

Teach Children

There is no greater joy than the one you receive after you see education opening up the hearts of the people around you, especially the children when you see the twinkle in their eyes. Go out, bring the season’s cheers upon the hearts of the underprivileged kids you see in your neighbourhood. You don’t have to teach them everyday, but keep teaching them something or the other frequently; that keeps them hopeful and restores their faith of kindness still existing in the world.

Take Care of the Stray Animals

Tiniest actions such as feeding them biscuits in this harsh winter will give them the love they seek outside. Go a good deed by acknowledging their existence and bring warmth to your heart and of the furballs you spot in your neighbourhood!

Organise Cleanliness Drives

For a cleaner, safer and healthier future, it is important that we start taking actions from today itself. Work for the mission of a cleaner India by organising small cleanliness drives in your place. Get along with your friends in a group and educate people, because at the end of the day, alone we are so little, together, we can do so much.

Stay Fit!

Participate in the various marathons, and do not forget to exercise regularly (even though the idea brings the chills!) for it’s important to stay fit.

Continuing these activities will surely result in a healthy college life and personal life balance. So, aim for ending this year positively, will all the good deeds backing you up for a brighter and beautiful year ahead!

Feature Image Credits: Scopio

Amrashree Mishra

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DUB Speak

We, The Body Positive Generation

By Prachi Mehra March 31, 2018

In the day and age we live in, we are constantly surrounded by the latest trends, new diets, and a million opinions. Here is a look at how the prevailing generation is trying to break these harmful sterotypes surrounding body image.

Beauty standards and stereotypes are constructed by the role models and brands we look upto. Unreasonable and unbelievable portfolios like skinny legs, no curves, and as clean as slate armpits are fed to the consumers. Pictures of celebrities on magazine covers are edited and altered on Photoshop so much so that they are not recognisable. Body shaming is rampant because we have been brought up with one notion of beauty. Tina Fey aptly defines that in her book Bossypants, as “every girl is expected to have Caucasian blue eyes, full Spanish lips, a classic button nose, hairless Asian skin with a California tan, a Jamaican dance hall ass, long Swedish legs, small Japanese feet, the abs of a lesbian gym owner, the hips of a nine-year-old boy, the arms of Michelle Obama, and doll tits.”

We, as the millennials and influencers of this generation, must support beauty in all forms, shapes and sizes. Jennifer Lawrence as a successful Hollywood actor, has vouched for healthy body image all throughout her career. Celebrities like Mindy Kaling and Adele have openly shunned people who judge their worth according to their figures. These insecurities are not restricted to the women. Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, and Robert Pattinson have come out with insecurities and troubles of maintaining a certain body weight dictated by the society. Even models like Tyra Banks, Ashley Graham, and singers like Demi Lovato, and Lorde also promote a positive body image. While judging modeling competitions, Ms. Banks and Ms. Graham advocate participants to eat well, and become fit in a healthy manner, to discourage the occurrence of eating disorders, that are actively associated with this profession.

Renowned personalities on Instagram, like Kelvin Daves, Morgan Mikenas, Keah Brown, Emily Bador, Aashna Bhagwani, Neelakshi Singh, and Rupi Kaur try to effectively empower people who are not confident in their own skins, through their messages and posts. In fact, Instagram pages like Eat the Cake, Proud2BMe, The Body Book, and Curve Inspire, shame everyday societal norms and stereotypes in comical ways to raise awareness.

Each life is important, each body is beautiful, and each soul is unique. We all deserve to be respected and loved the way we are. As someone who has suffered through an eating disorder, Demi Lovato remarks accurately, “I am not going to sacrifice my mental health to have a perfect body.”

Feature Image Credits: Radar Online

Prachi Mehra

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DUB Speak

Body-shaming vs Fitness Advice: Where Do We Draw the Line?

By Anagha Rakta October 5, 2017

Everyday magazines, TV shows, celebrities and the entire fashion industry sell us the idea of the perfect body. Who decided what was the “perfect” body? And when did we start shaming others for not fitting in a size?

Two years ago, the “perfect” body consisted of a thigh gap; however, currently in 2017, being “thick” is the new “perfect” and thigh gaps are looked down upon. The rules of fashion change every week and it is hard to keep up – but it isn’t hard to ignore. We usually don’t see what happens after that. With the rules of fashion, the definition of the “perfect” body also changes and with that, comes the eating disorders, the insecurities and self-hate, the suicidal tendencies, and body-shaming. “You can’t wear that,” “This doesn’t suit your body type,” are just some things we hear, and say, on a regular basis. “You have lost weight,” is synonymous with “You look better than before,” and it is taken as a compliment instead of a concern like it should be – but what was the problem with that extra weight before?

And it isn’t just about the extra weight, it is also about the lack of it, the incorrect placement of it, the exact number on the scale, and the relation of that to one’s beauty, that makes body-shaming such an easy thing to prevail in our society. The industry has made us hate almost anything natural about the human body – from stretch marks to love handles, is there anything even left to appreciate about a non-airbrushed body?

Sure, we have plus-sized models in the scene, who are slowing making way on to ramps and magazine covers, but our feeble minds are so used to seeking smooth, tight skins on those ramps and covers, that we forget how to appreciate a natural body. Plus-size models, although inspiring, amazing, and necessary, are called out for “promoting obesity and living an unhealthy lifestyle.” There’s a difference between fitness advice and body shaming, just like there’s a difference between fashion advice and putting people down for their body type or their weight.

Mindy Kaling very rightly said in an interview that sometimes people don’t realise that they’re going back to square one on this issue when they tell her stuff like “you’re setting goals for unconventional body type people.” Calling someone an “unconventional” body type when they’re not medically obese is just factually wrong. Forget about being insensitive, that’s inaccurate.

This, obviously, does not in any way imply that people can’t set fitness goals for themselves. It just comes down to not imposing the same on others and, especially, shaming them for being confident in their own skin (whether it is to your taste or not). Well, like they say: charity begins at home. Our battles against body-shaming can only be won when we look at ourselves in the mirror without cringing, without finding a single flaw in our natural selves.

Image Credits: The KN Clan

Anagha Rakta
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The Auburn Umbrella

Body Shaming, Part 1: The ugly sides of a demonic coin

By Kriti Sharma September 17, 2016

To name and shame is an offence to human dignity and identity and an unforgivable sin worthy of the severest form of retribution.

In my childhood, I was teased and bullied for being fat. Monikers like tubby, roly-poly and plump were so frequently hurled at me, that my gullible nine year old self lost her identity (and eventually, sanity) to these derogatory labels.

During my teenage, I was teased and bullied for being skinny. This meant dealing with the censure and disdain of ‘concerned’ friends and family, who did nothing but accuse me of harbouring disorders like bulimia and anorexia (when, in fact, I was certified healthy by the doctor). So you see, it appears that all my life, I have been a victim of body shaming, having experienced a bitter dose of both its nasty faces.

Body shaming is defined as inappropriate negative statements and attitudes towards another person’s weight or size. Many misunderstand it to mean discrimination against only the overweight. However, today even the skinny aren’t spared with the humiliation and shame. Body shaming occurs when: a) one criticises one’s own appearance, b) one criticises another’s appearance in front of them, or c) one criticises another’s appearance without their knowledge. Whatever be the form that body shaming assumes, the ugly fact of the matter is that a practice like body shaming upholds the idea that one’s appearance is the all-important and sole parameter for judging a person’s personality and character.

The irony of a notion like body shaming is that the one who victimises the overweight/skinny for being physically ‘unhealthy’ is in fact, himself/herself mentally ‘unhealthy’ for perpetuating such a sick and deprecating opinion. But my problem with body shaming doesn’t end with one complaint.

Body shaming is defined as inappropriate negative statements and attitudes towards another person’s weight or size.

Firstly, I hate the idea of sizing up a person (quite literally) for what they look like. Secondly, I fail to understand who gets the authority to decide what looks good, healthy or desirable and what looks bad, unhealthy and ugly. And finally, the ruthlessness with which the media champions body shaming and the shamers (sometimes subtly, but mostly with a laudatory stance) is not just infuriating personally, but also quite chilling, given the media’s mass appeal and influence.

Body shaming reflects society’s hypocritical method of appraising human beings. While at one end, it encourages and rewards distinctiveness of merit, intelligence, skill and ability, at the other end, it censoriously mocks the uniqueness of size and shape. Body shaming is akin to a heinous crime, with dire consequences on one’s mental health and self-image. Body shaming must end.

Watch this space for more in part 2 of our three part installment article on Body Shaming.

Featured Image Credits: www.relatably.com

Kriti Sharma
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DUB Speak

4 fun exercises to keep you healthy, this summer!

By Nidhi Panchal June 17, 2016

‘Eat, Sleep, Repeat’ – Is this your vacation motto? Are you binge-watching television shows and binge-eating simultaneously? Are you watching your favourite YouTube videos for more than 6 hours continuously? Or are you stuck in an internship where you are desk-bound the whole day? If any of your above answers are teeming with an agreement, then its pretty obvious that going to gym or working out sound too intensive and cumbersome to keep yourself healthy.

So if you’re losing motivation to stay fit this summer, worry not!

We present to you our ultimate package of 4 fun ways that are bound to keep you happy as well as healthy.

1. Rope Skipping

We all have tried skipping at least at some point in our life. According to Science Daily, 10 minutes of skipping rope is about equivalent to running an 8-minute-mile. It’s a great calorie burner as well as a stress buster. It’s in fact, a full body workout in one. So this season, grab a rope and skip towards a healthy life.

2. Swimming

Swimming serves as the most perfect regime for this hot summer season. It burns more calories than walking, and you know what the best part is? Its sweat free! It manages your weight, boosts your mood and reduces stress level. Additionally, it will tone your muscles and help you sleep well. So, say goodbye to insomnia and swim towards happy days.

3. Cycling

It’s about time you take out your bicycle from the garage and get on with it. Cycling is one of the best ways to keep oneself healthy as it is a low impact exercise which is suitable for all ages. Cycling not only helps you combat depression and obesity but also, improves your strength, balance and coordination, thus improving your brain functions as well. So, hop on your bicycle and ride towards a smarter and healthier life.

4. Dancing

Dancing is undoubtedly one of the best ways to stay in shape. It’s fun, enjoyable, and a great exercise which not only keeps you physically healthy but also, helps to build your personality, improve your self-expression and boost your confidence. So this summer, dance away from all your health worries.

Image Credits: www.fitorflab.com

Nidhi Panchal

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Top Picks

5 Ways to Transform Your Fitness This Summer

By Sidharth Yadav June 28, 2015

Surfing the internet, one would easily find a ‘30 Day Challenge with Trainer Chintu’ to transform fitness or a ‘Get Your Summer Body in just 30 Days’. Anecdotes, on offer by the ‘summer fitness market,’ don’t offer much when practically put to use by a college student who has to balance social media, TV shows and academics. It seems as though Whatsapp has set the lower limit to ‘last seen’ as 2 AM for every collegiate. Alas, it is actually the latter that doesn’t sleep before that. Putting the ‘challenges’ to use therefore doesn’t reap anything. Here are five ways in which a collegiate, whose routine fluctuates with mood and engagements can transform his/her fitness this summer:

1. Water: The primary fat burner

Believe it or not, but water, if consumed sufficiently burns fat at a great speed even when the body is at rest. No matter how much you exercise or don’t exercise at all, dehydration can lead to storage of fat in the body. A study done by the University of Tokyo reveals that a hydrated body burns fat three times faster than a dehydrated body. The best way to check the sufficiency of water in your body is to check the colour of your urine, which if yellow hints at the dehydrated nature of the body and if colourless signifies the sufficiency of water in your body. Remember, the next time someone says that they have been exercising for a while but don’t lose weight or that they are fat although they eat very less, tell them that either it’s genetics or lack of water in the body. The latter can always be mended.

2. Don’t starve yourself, rather eat frequently

Starving is the most imbecile custom to stay fit. Not only will the body lose strength and immunity; you’ll also lose fat at a pace slower than a person who eats frequently but clean. Stupid as it may seem, but researches have revealed that eating clean meals frequently (after every three hours) helps in building a better metabolism and constitution. Eating frequently would help those of you in need of some ‘toning’ and also those who are into bodybuilding.

3. The Rule of input and Output

You are what you eat. But who can let go of those chicken rolls and pizzas. Well who told you too? You can continue eating street food and stay fit by burning the calories you eat. Fitness is all about controlling how much, not what you consume and how much of that your burn. Simple math, if you eat more calories and burn less, you’ll gain weight. If you consume less calories and burn more, you’ll lose weight. Therefore, jump onto all those hamburgers, but remember to burn what you eat.

4. Sleep well

Okay! Sleeping before 2 AM is impossible. But even after that, try sleeping for a minimum of seven hours. As per a study, lack of sleep ages you quickly. So, if you feel lack of strength or get tired easily, then focus on your sleep. If you sleep properly, your body will be repaired adequately, you’ll have less black heads or acne and you’ll have a better memory. Try sleeping properly for a week, you’ll see the difference.

5. Look for long term goals

Want to be fit to attract someone in particular? Want to have a body like that actor or actress in the movie? Well, nothing would work unless you strive to be fit for yourself and not to impress others. When the former is there, the latter automatically follows. Love yourself before expecting someone to love you.

Image Credits- www.beautynfitness.com

Sidharth Yadav
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