25 Aug
Health

How to loose weight effectively

We all have been blessed with perfect body irrespective of it’s size, colour or shape. Embracing our selves the way we are is the perfect way to remain  mentally and physically healthy. Then why am I suggesting ways to loose weight? Loosing weight has nothing to do with how you look, you should be willing to loose weight just to avoid all the health risks like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, kidney issues etc. The aim here us to be physically fit and have a healthy physique.

So if you are feeling unhealthy or uncomfortable due to your excess weight here are a few tips to loose those extra few pounds to be fit again :

 

Eat a balanced diet : The best way to loose weight is not to follow extreme diets which leave you feeling hungry and craving for something to eat all the time. These diets may help you lose weight quickly but can also leave you feeling exhausted, tired and weak. Instead of dieting eat a well balanced diet. Here are few tips to keep in mind for healthy eating :

  • Take a filling and nutritious breakfast loaded with protein and dietary fibre like eggs, oatmeal, paneer bhurji, poha, vegetable dalia, sprouts etc. Eating protein rich breakfast will help you feel full and curb any cravings for longer time. It also helps in maintaining blood sugar levels.
  • Avoid consuming fried food, too much sugar, things made with all purpose flour etc. and include dietary fibre like fresh fruits, vegetables In your diet.
  • Avoid skipping meals and try to take some healthy snacks ( fruit, nuts etc. ) every 2 hours.

 

Drink lots of Water :  Drinking water can help in weight loss in many ways. Water is a natural hunger suppressant. If we take water 30 minutes before every meal it will help us consume less calories and thus aid in weight loss. Keep in mind that water should not be consumed during or immediately after meals. Drinking warm water first thing in the morning cleanses our body and helps in weight loss. We should consume minimum 8-10 glasses of water every day. The other benefits of drinking water are :

  • It is good for digestive system.
  • Drinking water lubricates the joints and helps with our brain functions.
  • Water helps in maintaining the body temperature.
  • It helps in attaining glowing skin and beautiful hair.
  • Water also detoxifies our body and is good for kidney.

Exercise : Exercising not only helps in reducing weight it also improves mood, increase energy levels, reduces risks of heart disease, maintains blood sugar levels and helps us attain a fit body. Some great options of working out for weight loss are jogging, running, swimming, cardio, yoga, pilates, cycling, zumba and many more. Enjoy your workout to reap maximum benefits.

Do not take stress : Stress can cause both weight loss and weight gain depending upon person and their situations. Taking stress increases the level of cortisol which can increase out appetite leading to stress eating. Stress also slows down our metabolism leading to accumulation of fat in middle part of our body. Besides the weight issues stress has overall negative impact on our health thus it should be avoided at any cost. Meditation, spending time surrounded by nature, doing things we enjoy, talking to our loved ones , reading, painting, or taking up any hobby may help managing stress.

Remember weight loss is a journey which requires a lot of dedication and patience.  Just focus on being healthy without being too hard on yourself and love yourself unconditionally.

 

Apoorva Yadav Kamboj

25 Aug
Motivational

Motivational Quotes by Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January, 1863 in Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta). He was a renowned spiritual leader and social reformer. His birth name was Narendranath Dutta. However later in life, after the demise of his Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa, when he founded Ramakrishna Math along with other 14 disciples of Shri Ramakrishna and took vows of monkhood, his name was changed to Vivekananda meaning rejoicing in knowledge.

His literary works include Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga,  My Master, Lectures from Colombo to Almora. He remarkably introduced Hinduism to the world by giving brilliant speeches in Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. He then stayed in America for almost two and a half years and founded Vedanta Society of New York. He returned to India in 1897 and started Ramakrishna Mission to help the people in need. They established schools, colleges and hospitals and also provided teachings of Vedanta to all. He died at a young age of 39 after accomplishing so much in his short life.

Here are some very motivational quotes by Swami Vivekananda on self-belief and success which are sure to inspire you at all times in life

 

  1. Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is achieved. Arise, awake, sleep no more; within each of you there is the power to remove all wants and all miseries. Believe this, and that power will be manifested.

 

  1. Take up one idea, make that one idea your life, think of it, dream of it, let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.

 

  1. Always try to represent yourself happy because initially, it becomes your look. Gradually it becomes your habit and finally, it becomes your personality.

 

  1. See for the highest, aim at the highest, and you shall reach the highest.

 

  1. Talk to yourself once in a day, otherwise, you may miss meeting an excellent person in this world.

 

  1. All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.

 

  1. Take Risks in Your Life If u Win, U Can Lead! If u Lose, U Can Guide!

 

  1. You cannot believe in god until you believe in yourself.

 

  1. Conquer yourself and the whole universe is yours.

 

  1. The greatest sin is to think that you are weak. Whatever you think that you will be, if you think yourself weak, weak you will be; if you think yourself strong, strong you will be.

 

  1. However we may receive blows, and however knocked about we may be, the Soul is there and is never injured. We are that Infinite.

 

  1. There is only one difference between Dream and Aim: Dream requires effortless sleep! and Aim requires sleepless effort! So sleep for dreams and wake up for aims.

 

  1. Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life.

 

  1. Things do not grow better; they remain as they are. It is we who grow better, by the changes we make in ourselves.

 

  1. It is a very hard thing to understand, but you will come to learn in time that nothing in the universe has power over you until you allow it to exercise such a power.

 

I hope these quotes have removed any doubt you had regarding yourself and taken you towards your goals feeling extremely motivated.

Apoorva Yadav Kamboj.

 

 

Sources: Jagranjosh, Wikipedia, Ramakrishna.org, goodreads, awakenthegreatnesswithin.com, pinterest.

13 Aug
Poetry

If – By Rudyard Kipling

” If ” is a motivational and inspirational poem by Rudyard Kipling. Kipling wonderfully guides how we can live our life in the face of all the hardships and bounce back again to be even better. It is a simple yet profound poem which needs no further explanation”

If – By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

By Rudyard Kipling

13 Aug
Parenting and Child Care

10 Common Parenting Mistakes to avoid

As Matt Walsh has said : Parenting is the easiest thing in the world to have an opinion about, but the hardest thing in the world to do. I completely agree with that being a mom myself. I always try to do best for my child but still get judged. I often make mistakes too as my little one has not come with any operational and maintenance manual. We as parents try our hardest to raise a good, happy and successful child. But now I have realized that I cannot be a perfect parent instead I try to be a real one ( however before me Sue Atkins realized it).

Here in this blog I am not going to judge your parenting style but shed some light upon parenting mistakes we usually make without realizing it and unintentionally these mistakes affect our precious one.

Being too strict or lenient : This is the trickiest of all. If we are too strict with our child either our child may become a rebel or a meek and timid person. Either of both is not good for them. Forcing too many rules on children may encourage them to find ways to break them sneakily and learn to lie to us. They may also start revolting openly especially in teenage years which can lead them on the wrong path and away from us. If they accept our rules without actually understanding them and liking them only because of our aggressiveness they may become timid and learn to bend their will according to strong minded people.

Similarly if we are too lenient with them they may go astray without any rules guiding them. Also they may start assuming that we do not care enough to teach or guide them. All of these are not favorable outcomes we had hoped for. So what are we supposed to do?

We should make rules along with them and leave some room for negotiations. If they understand our intentions and good will for them behind these rules they will know the need for these rules and respect them. They will be happy to follow them and will less likely  be bitter about them.

Not Leading by Example : Children learn more from what they see us doing than what we try to teach them. They love and believe us so they just try to become like us by copying what we do. For example if we want them to be polite and we ourselves are always snarky ( even understandably because of extreme frustrations in life) then they would never know how to be polite. As said by Andy Smithson “ The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behavior. The sign of truly great parenting is the parents’ behavior.

Favoritism : We sometimes unintentionally play favorites. In most cases older ones are scolded if a fight ensues between them even if both were equally to be blamed stating the older one has to be more responsible . Similarly if older one gets good grades and younger one doesn’t he is constantly being asked to be like the former one. These things are mostly harmless but sometimes it can create sibling rivalry. So we need to be impartial and understand that both the kids are different and good in their own way. 

Giving Physical Punishments :  Physical punishment increases aggression in children and may harm the parent- child relationship. It also increases risk of mental health problems in children. Instead of punishing children we should try to teach them that their behavior is wrong and may lead to consequences. Now how do we do that? For example if the dedicated time for tv or phone is half hour and the child has watched it for 1 hour, cancel the screen time for the next day. 

Harsh Criticism and Comparisons: Letting a child know he is doing something wrong is a different thing but criticizing child harshly and giving negative labels to him may demoralize him. Instead tell him what he is doing wrong and how to rectify his mistakes. Similarly never compare your child with anyone. If you say he is better than someone he will start looking down on others and if you will say he is lacking behind in comparison to someone he will be demotivated. This will make him very competitive at such a young age. Let him compete with himself and be a better version of his own self.

Helping him too much : Make your child self-sufficient from early on. Ask him to keep his toys himself after playing, to keep his own utensils after eating etc. If you help him too much he will not explore much and rely on you for guidance all the time. This is applicable for all age groups. Trying to sort out their fights with friends, talking to their bullies etc. will not teach them to handle their own troubles. This doesn’t mean we should do nothing. It only means listen to your child with empathy and guide him how to respond in each situation and intervene only when it becomes necessary. This will help them throughout their life.

Lashing out when they admit mistakes : Admitting their mistakes is a brave step for anyone. We as adults find it hard to do. If your child admits any mistake he has made do not lash out on him. He will start hiding things from you because of fear of being scolded. Instead appreciate that he has admitted it and advise him how to avoid making such mistakes in future.

Asking them to deal with it : When our child cries we often tell him to stop crying as nothing has happened and we try to trivialize the matter. This will teach him to not show his emotions and bottle them up. Often things which seem small to us are a big issue for children. Sympathize with your child and let him vent his emotions positively. Be supportive and listen to him attentively, this way he will learn to accept all his emotions and learn to not let them affect him.

Not letting them make their own decisions: We sometimes do not let our children decide for themselves as we think they are making a mistake. This will make them resent you and curb their creativity. Let them make their own decisions, their own mistakes then only they will be able to learn from their mistakes. Don’t try to fulfill your dreams through them. They have their own dreams and passions. Let them live the way they want unless it is absolutely necessary for you to get involved. If we don’t allow them to make their own decisions from early on they will keep on relying on us or someone else for their entire lives.

Burdening them too much with studies : Studies are very important for children. They have to be educated in order to be successful. But we should not force them to only study their school syllabus. Instead we should encourage them to try new things, to play outdoors and to get in touch with their creativity. This will help them analyze what their passions are and maybe make a good career out of hobbies. Even if they do not take their hobbies professionally they will have a creative outlet from the stress of competitive life. 

I have made note of all these parenting mistakes and I definitely hope to avoid them while taking care of my child. What about you? If there is something you would like to add or you disagree on something do let me know in the comments.

Apoorva Yadav Kamboj 

13 Aug
Relationships

A to Z of a Relationship

We were taught the alphabets of English language when we were just toddlers, helping us lay the foundation of English and now we can speak fluent English. In the same way we learnt many languages however we often wonder if only we could learn the language of relationships and be an expert in it. How easy it would become for us to avoid failures in relationships . So today I am going to help us learn the alphabets of a relationship: 

 

Accept : Accept the person the way they are. Trying to change a person puts unnecessary pressure on him/her which could lead to frustration and anger. You can definitely try to change some bad habits but the personality of a person can never be changed. So accept him/her with all the little quirks after all you fell in love with the same person.

Believe : It means two things: believe (trust) your partner and believe in your partner. Trust him/her and give them enough space to enjoy their life. Believe in his/her dreams and support in every way you can. These both things will mean a lot to other person.

Care : Show your love not only with words but in your care towards your partner. Taking care doesn’t only mean in sickness it means take care of your partner’s likes, dislikes, happiness, mood swing,  in short in everything they do 

Devote : Devote your heart, mind and soul completely to your love.

Express : Express your love from eyes, small gestures, words, care and in every other way your partner loves. Make them feel loved and appreciated.

Forgive : Love someone enough to forgive their mistakes . Holding on to the previous arguments or grudges not only can affect your relationship but also make you a bitter person.

Grow Together : Help each other to grow and become a better version of themselves. We change according to our age, circumstances etc. but we can make sure that these changes are positive and take us towards our goals by helping each other.

 Honest: Honesty is the best policy especially in relationships. Be truthful and loyal to your partner. It is the foundation of any relationship.

Intimacy : Be intimate not only physically but emotionally and intellectually also. Physical intimacy is easy to achieve but it’s not everlasting. Being emotionally and intellectually intimate will bind your love forever and will also increase physical intimacy.

Joy : Be happy yourself and then become the reason of your partner’s smile. If you are happy then only you can keep others around you happy.

Kind: Be kind, generous and empathetic. Be the sunshine in other’s dark times. 

Love: Love your partner. I will not elaborate as I am sure if you are in a relationship and trying to work it then you must love your partner. Just be sure you form a relationship for love not for need, attraction or fear of being alone.

Motivate : Be each other’s strength and motivation in difficult times. Your belief and motivation will give your partner strength to do better and better.

Nurture : Give your all to nurture your relationship. It is just like nurturing a plant. If you want to have fruits of love then give air (love) , sunlight ( kindness), water ( trust/ honesty), soil ( acceptance) etc. and nurture your relationship.

Open: Be open with your partner. Tell them your strengths, weaknesses, fears, likes and dislikes and bare your soul. Same way listen to your partner with an open mind. Being open with each other will bring you closer.

Praise : Praise and appreciate your partner from all your heart. Your appreciation will boost their self confidence and criticism will affect them deeply. Your praise will let them know that the efforts they are making for you are not going unnoticed and you are appreciative of all that they do for you.

Quality Time : Spend quality time with each other. Life is not all about running behind your goals but about enjoying the little moments of peace and quiet with your loved ones.

Respect : Respect your partner and ensure your partner respects you. Everyone has an innate wish to feel respected as it makes us feel safe, loved and accepted.

Surprise : Surprise your partner now and then. A boring monotonous life leaves a person drained and unsatisfied. Bring the element of surprise to shake the routine. Plan a trip, picnic or bring a little gift, chocolate or flowers it can be anything just do something special for your partner sometimes 

Talk : Communication is the key in any relationship. It reduces the chances of being misunderstood, helps in knowing the other person well and becoming close to each other.

Understand : Try and understand your partner. Understanding a person helps to relate with them and comprehend the reason behind their actions. It will help you to put yourself in their shoes and then react accordingly.

Value Each Other : Make your partner feel valued and of immense importance to you. Feeling neglected or unvalued may drive your partner away.

Worry Less :  Don’t feel pressured or burdened by all the work a relationship needs. It’s all in the process. A relationship doesn’t become good in an instant it needs time to form a meaningful bond. Just enjoy the journey to each other’s heart.

Xoxo : Give lots of hugs and kisses to your partner. It helps them feel loved and close.

Yearning : The need and yearning to be with each other is the driving force which will help you do everything for your partner and keep the spark alive.

Zeal: Be enthusiastic about the relationship.

 

See the language of relationships is so simple yet so complicated. What are the A to Z mantras you follow in your relationship? Do let me know in the comments.

13 Aug
Parenting and Child Care, Relationships

Helping A New Mom

Pregnancy is a roller coaster ride for almost all women except for a few lucky ones. With constant morning sickness for the first few months, mood swings, fatigue, hormonal changes, physical changes and so much more it is a difficult phase. Of course it’s exciting and beautiful too as we get to experience movements, kicks, shopping spree for coming kiddo, name hunting etc. 

When we hold the little one in our arms it all seems worthwhile. The love for the little miracle in our hands knows no bounds. We are extremely happy and content. But soon the responsibility starts overwhelming us sometimes. Blame it on sleep less nights, hormones or the pressure of doing everything perfectly but we often feel tired and anxious specially for the first few months. At this time our family and friends can give us huge support. Their help will mean a lot for our well being. We feel shy to ask for help but we should not hesitate because only if we are well we will be able to keep our little one well and happy. 

If we as new moms are feeling shy and not asking for help don’t just assume that we have everything in control. Even if we have, we would definitely appreciate receiving some help. So following are the things that you as husband, friend or family member can do to help the new mom  : 

 

Help her get some sleep: Newborns wake up every 2-4 hours without any difference between day or night time sleep. They are hungry or need change diapers. So getting a resting and continuous sleep for New mom is very difficult. Ask the mom to pump some breast milk and keep it in bottle so that when the baby wakes up early morning you can feed him and change the nappy allowing the new mom to sleep a little after a long tiring night. A good sleep will work wonders for her physical and mental health. This duty can be shared by anyone, husband, grandparents or whoever is free or comfortable doing it.

Share household work : Taking care of a newborn is tiring especially when the body is recovering from the process of giving birth. Help in household work as much as you can. Encourage new moms to take rest when the baby is sleeping even during day time. If the baby is born through c section then a rest of minimum 6 weeks is required. Your sharing of household work will give her time to rest and relax.

Assure Her : New moms feel very insecure about their parenting style, looks, weight gain and  sometimes feel guilty for mood swings . Assure her that whatever she is doing is good for her and baby and she really is a good mom. Every mom out there is actually the best mom. Tell her that she is still beautiful and this new look suits her. She will lose this extra weight soon and even if she does not you still love the way she looks.

Be Patient : Lack of sleep, stress of added responsibilities, hormonal changes can make her cranky. Be patient with her and do not lash out. Give her the emotional support she needs as this new phase in life is overwhelming for her. Show her tremendous love and care and she will be your smiling wife in no time. 

Give her attention : The little ones are so cute that they hog all the attention. It is natural and it doesn’t mean that you are neglecting her. But give some attention to new mom also. Ask her about how she is, how she is coping with the new phase and compliment her along with the baby. Don’t treat  her as “ mom” of your baby, grandchild or whoever but as a woman. Don’t make her feel that she has lost all other identities and now she is just a mom.

Help her with the baby : Changing diapers, feeding, bathing, massaging, cradling there is a lot to do with the little one. It is a great way of bonding with the baby. Change diapers of baby whenever you can. She is tired of doing the same things throughout the day. It will not only relax her but will help you bond with the baby. 

Get her gifts : Everyone has welcomed the baby with lots and lots of gifts and the baby has enough of everything. May be with so many gifts you can open a small baby store yourself. And the new mom is loving it. She is happy to see all the cute little things for the baby. But surprising her with a small gift for her will make her realize that she is still very important for the family.

Give her some ”me” time : Most moms do not get enough time or have strength left in them to bathe nicely, comb their hair, cook something they like or do something they enjoy like reading, listening to music or anything. Help her to get some “me” time. They would love it and feel recharged.

Take her on a date : You as her spouse should take her on a romantic date sometimes or her friends can take her on gossip dates leaving the baby for a few hours with some relative or hire a babysitter. This will help her get some much required fresh air and make her feel a lively human again.

 

These are few things you can help a new mom with. There are lots of other things she may want so ask her what she needs help with or what she wants to do. Your only help is to support her in the way she wants. Your little help will mean a lot for her sanity. The initial time affects the mom so much. Sometimes women experience postpartum depression which makes them feel all the more helpless. If not dealt at the right time this could lead to life time issues. It is the best time to show the love and care you all have for her.

Apoorva Yadav Kamboj