Friday, October 19, 2012

On blocks, fortnights and cakes


Writer's block..anyone else suffering from it? If time is any proof, I've had it for the past 8 months at least. I would start writing and then scratch it out promptly ...I'm 'virtually' surrounded by crumpled scraps of blogposts, stories and poems...ok OK not poems (at least..not yet.. But just wanted to see how that looked like on paper ;) ) 

So here I am twiddling my thumbs wondering what would interest and benefit you the most..voila! Why not write about just that? Writer's block? Not everyone's a writer but I bet everyone's got a hurdle, a barrier, a block to get past..right? You'd be lying if you answered No (or you'd be in the wee minority atleast.)

That being said, we just zipped past the hardest part ..believe it or not..getting past that first line, first paragraph, first step is the toughest. The rest (as they..whoever 'they' are..say) is a piece of cake ..I'll have mine double chocolate with chocolate ganache topping please. Thankyou..umm where were we? Ah yes..the rest should be easy. 

Here's how I propose we get over (writer's) block - plug in your 'favorite' word between the parenthesis: I'm calling this my 'fortnight challenge' (apparently I have a thing for caption writing :) I won something in school along those lines ...oh well)

Rule 1: Make it a habit: I've heard & successfully experimented with the advice (in other areas of my life that don't include writing, obviously) '14 days of doing something makes a habit out of it'. Whatever it is that you are trying to make a routine out of: try doing it consistently, religiously for atleast a fortnight. Hopefully on the 15th day, you won't have to consciously force yourself to do it. There are a few ways to help yourself cultivate a habit. Here they are:
  • Set a time of day to attack this activity: Pick a time when you are guaranteed to have some peace and quiet to focus on the task at hand. Set an alarm or reminder to make sure you wake up (if you're a morning person). Rain or shine, let that reminder alert you everyday at the same time of what you need to get done. 

  • Set a duration in which to accomplish it: As a beginner, one would need all the help available with getting a bit organized. Never hurts to give some structure to chores. So, allocate a duration to the activity. Wind up the task when that allocated time runs out. You'll probably be left with the urge to finish that sentence/thought at your earliest convenience (which is a good thing if you're trying to bring back the passion into a chore).
  • Choose a location: Where do you work best? Maybe it's that office space outside your bedroom or that walk-in closet that doubles up as your writing nook. Or, like one of my favorite pastors & writer called it - the 'holy of holies' where he prepares his sermon notes (Panera!)...think 'my favorite coffee shop' (the ones I know of open up pretty early in the AM).
  • 
  • Stage the ambience that best suits you: If you are planning to work within the confines of your home, you can better control the environment. Stream your favorite playlist, choose proper lighting, set the temperature that works for you, have the supplies you need handy - printer paper, battery charger, memory card etc so you don't waste precious minutes of the allotted time running around looking for something. Ideally, you'd have all this laid out the previous night so you're ready to go first thing on challenge day 1.

Rule 2: Get that circle on board: So you think you can do it on your own..maybe. Maybe not. I suggest you get your immediate circle - family &/ friends on board. Afterall, getting Rule 1 done pivots on Rule 2. For instance, how does one work effectively with a baby crying in the background? CUE: Hire a babysitter (family is great isn't it?). Another reason you need your close circle of family and friends in on this is to harness the power of moral support. Say this whole thing was about 'Exerciser's block' - support and motivation from people who care about you can be critical when you're ready to give up on that trip to the gym or when you're about to binge on that chocolate cake I mentioned earlier!

Rule 3: Set a goal to meet at the end of the challenge: A chef with a 'recipe block' would probably set a goal of say 50 recipes in a fortnight (more or less?) or someone wanting to lose weight would set to lose maybe 4lbs in a fortnight (Disclaimer: Losing too much too soon is unhealthy and unrealistic..unless you're Heidi Klum). You get the idea I'm sure.


Rule 4: Reward yourself reasonably: Any tough act benefits from reward. When you've consistently accomplished daily goals, treat yourself to something special but still reasonable. Small treats in addition to making you feel good would help keep the motivation flowing. Like most women, I wouldn't let a mani/pedi by in the name of 'small' rewards (wink! wink). You could of course do something totally different too - like buy an outfit, go out for dinner, play a round of tennis (yea I didn't say CRICKET - enough already!) or just read a book (if you're one of the lucky few that has time for such things these days). But the idea is to reward minor accomplishments along the way.


Rule 5: Fix your eyes on a 'BIG' reward: Ok so in addition to having successfully converted a procrastinated chore into a habit, we still need something more. Why? Because I said so? well that and because bigger the reward the stronger the motivation..agree? I won't spell out what should float your boat but choose something and let that be a constant motivation when you get to the finish line. If you're like me (and several other fellow humans) when you do actually get there, you'd forget all about this 'big' reward and gloat in your victory of just having achieving that goal you set out to accomplish in the first place!
 
 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Back with Purpose

Hi hi to everyone! I've been MIA forever almost now but I'm back with purpose (I hope!) Lots happening in life and some things slide out of vision into oblivion ...hate to admit blogging is one of those. For my faithful followers thanks for staying and waiting patiently. For everyone else hope you feel welcome to take a peek into my hectic life as it is today...I'll make a believer out of you all I'm sure when I'm done writing these reports of how my noggin works with and around the intricacies of this amazing life I've got.

First of all, for all of you who're unaware, we just got back from one of the best vacations I've had - a month long tour around the globe (yea I mean it..if travelling to Brussels, Paris, Bangalore, Coimbatore and Chennai isn't considered a world tour then I don't know what qualifies!). I've got some amazing clicks of these beautiful places we visited and enjoyed with family and friends. But the best part is the memories we made that'll stay for a lifetime. The kids loved it and went with all of it - it's amazing the way kids adapt to changes unlike us adults..we need some time to settle ..they don't. All they see are opportunities to have fun. This trip had nothing missing - the whole deal really - exotic places to sightsee, overload of connecting with family, a big wedding, a quick getaway to celebrate a wedding anniversary, loads of food (from belgian waffles and sausages to awesome home made Indian comfort food to hot idlis available 24/7 (I'm serious! Only in India!), warm temperatures, cyclone warnings with rain, lots of pollution, mind boggling crazy traffic, commuting through all modes of transportation (airplanes, train, cars, taxis, shuttle buses, autos, walking - did I leave anything out? Well maybe mules/camels :) we'll reserve that for when we visit Egypt (wishful thinking Alex says...). And oh did I mention the mosquitoes? My kids had bites all over their little torsoes from day one. But thanks to all the prayers and our (Alex and I) almost excessive attention to what the kids ate, drank or even showered in we had a couple of healthy kids that we brought back without a scratch - Hurrah! Yea its a miracle we weaved through all these cities through dangerous traffic and came back in one piece. Thank God for that! I don't care what anyone says..the best gift in travel to have is health and we did everything we could to achieve that and I'm proud of us.

So, here are a few pics of the highlights of our trip:

That's the European parliament in Brussels in the background (Sylvia can correct me if I'm wrong - but we're in the middle of the administrative section of Brussels..so its one of those buildings there)


This one's outside the museum in Brussels.


 At Mini Europe..



 The little troublemakers...


 The Atomium.
 On a tram in Belgium
 Lights show at the city center
 At the German christmas market eating waffles..
 The Eiffel Tower.
 At the top of the tower

 Train travel in Paris
 @ the Louvre ..the Mona Lisa in the background


The famed Champs Elysees!
 A birthday celebration..
 German market eats.

 A wedding ceremony
 Spicy yummy Indian food..
 Beach resort getaway...
 In Bangalore visiting friends

 BFF



Train back from Coimbatore..

With family

Is that a trip or what?? Can't for another one already :)

Now we're back to the grind here in frigid Illinois (from high 70F in India down to low 20s - that's around 10 to 15 below zero C for those of you who read in Centigrade). The routine is on and we're off to a great jet lagged start. Kids are adjusting well. Us not so much :( As you can see I've been up since 3AM (better than yesterday @ 1AM) and trying to not doze off during the day. But, time and 1tide wait for none and we'll push on. The key after a big vacation like this is to keep the motivation going - have something to look forward to..like another vacation, a milestone, a target ..you get the idea. I have one to look forward to around mid year - I'll hold off on telling you what it is right now (hey I need something to write about in my next post right?). But overall we're extremely thankful for the protection and health that God covered us with during this long epic trip of ours.

I think this is a good place to stop for now. Like I said earlier, I'll see if I can bring the purpose back into my blogging by being more frequent and you guys stay put. Happy New Year to you all. Later!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Hello everyone!

Wow....I really need to get more consistent and frequent with these blog updates! Well, blame it on the crazy busy life I've got...like my friend S would say ...'full and a half' - shout out to you buddy..you got that one right! I'm still figuring out computer time with all the million other things I keep trying to fit in and complete in any given day. Let's just say it's a work in progress. So, to add to it all we lose an hour starting today..woohoo..why not right? Now all I've got to do is wake up at 3:45AM instead!

Anyways..now that my rant on why I didn't get around to posting an update all this while's out of the way, let's get to what I've really been upto here these past  few months (really? is that how long it's been? More or less..)

First a list of raves before the rants: I am still hitting the gym atleast 2-3 times a week. I have lost some pounds and I am starting to look the part (slowly but surely :) can't beat that warm feeling of success when you fit into a pre-preggo pair of jeans..yeah!) Diet's still in line with what my goals were beginning this year. I even plan out meals for the week ahead! I still get around to all the little things that go with keeping a full house running glitch free (like tending to those kids that keep hanging on to your lap when you're trying to make blog updates :D). Of course there are days when I've reached my limit but hey it's all part of that mixed bag we keep juggling day in and day out right? Works similar to those phone batteries...Yank out(stop what you're doing / trying to), count to 10 (or roll on the floor weepy and all - your choice) and fix it back in (start back on whatever it was that was testing your darn tolerance)..works pretty much every time.

The rants: I need more time! - Yea like that's every gonna happen.

So if you're motivated to join me on this 'get fit' goal ('crazy' as it seems and sounds and is - something about sitting bolt upright when that alarm goes off in the wee hours of the morning and rushing out the door for fear of waking someone (or is it for fear of succumbing to the deep desire to just slide right back inside that cozy comforter?) is definitely Crazy with a capital C!), keep it going..don't give up just yet. We've still got a few more months :) I'd say making yourself accountable to someone in someway on your goal would be a key motivator. I'm all ears if need be.

I do want to talk about other things too..not just goals that deal with torturing yourself till you get there :) I'll use a new post to do that. Let's just leave this one for those irksome goals..ha. It's getting warmer outside
(translates to: more stuff to add to your full and overflowing plate of  'to do's - gardening anyone?) and no more of those 'ooh it's too cold to workout' excuses guys. Get out there and get fit.

See you all in my next post - I promise it won't talk about the gym.



Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Progress Update

I'm sure everyone's wondering what's happening with my fitness resolution...right? Well it's progressing just fine! Yay! I've been hitting the gym atleast 3 times a week and have been trying to eat right too..majority of the time. Gave in to weighing myself twice but didn't really see a change in numbers. But hey..they say you build muscle where you burn fat. I'll chalk the lack of change to that for now and keep pressing forward. So what kinds of things do I do when I say I workout? Some strength training, intense cardio (body attack and spinning) and some yoga at home when I can't get to the gym (like this morning ...)

The best part about this whole active lifestyle is that I seem to have more energy during the day than I've ever known. I'm walking faster instead of my usual 'dragging of my feet' gait.

And yes I finally got around to taking a 'before' picture (4 weeks into the fitness regime) ...I don't look any different (yet) but I definitely feel stronger, lighter and more fit.

Food-wise it's been more of a challenge controlling portions but that being said, I think I'm getting there. Yes. Who says you've gotta eat bricks, stones and leaves to lose? Just eat right (leaner cuts of meat, more veggies and the right portions). I do indulge in treats during the weekends but we're still trying to limit that to say one or two..like this weekend B,N and I had this craving for something sweet. Ended up making payasam (Milk, Semolina, Lots of jaggery, cashews, raisins and ghee)..just one word to describe this dish: SWEET :)

Oh and we also made some butter chicken masala and home-made garlic naan to go with it..Both dishes came out great! Surprising how easy Naan is to make! Maybe I'll try a variation sometime but hey you can only indulge in a bit of regular white flour once in a while..so we'll save that for a treat in the months to come.

Well..been meaning to give you guys an update the past few weeks now..finally got to it. I know we're approaching the one month since the first fitness post (Feb 17th to be exact) and I'll try to post a weight status too. But I'm not quitting yet and I want everyone to be encouraged by it...don't give up too early in the game..be consistent and push forward.

See you all in a few days! Bye.




Monday, January 17, 2011

Choosing to lose..

It's been 7 months..they say it takes 9 months to put on and should be about the same to take it off..you know what I'm talking about! So my goal: 30lbs..20 and I'd be happy. 30 and I'd have made it. The timeline...5 months. I think it's totally doable. It's the motivation that's tricky. But people who know me well know it's only a matter of me setting my mind on it. And I have. So I thought a bit of accountability wouldn't hurt at all..would be a great bonus. That's what I'm doing right now. Making myself accountable by declaring to you what I'm trying to achieve.

Granted this was way easier when I was single. Now with the super busy life we've got, its a challenge..and I like a good challenge..don't we all need one once in a while? Fitting a gym session everyday without giving up on anything else was the first hurdle..well that's why they've got something called early morning sessions..5:30AM is the time for me. B & kids are sound asleep and I've still got the rest of the day ahead of me! WIN-WIN..well except when S decides to start looking for mommy..

Anyways..ignoring that for a second :) choosing the right kinds of foods comes next.. no red all white and wheat is the way we're going now.

Lastly it's all about being consistent. Short stints and crash diets are motivation killers..you're deeper in the doldrums than before you started. So, 5 days a week for the next 5 months and ~5 lbs/month. Sounds nice and rosy! I'll be posting monthly updates on my progress - just to keep track and to stay motivated. I might even post pics of the healthy foods we're chowing down - Like tonight: we had a loaded veggie wheat pizza and a sweet and spicy shrimp on wheat pizza (both had homemade toppings). Absolutely delicious and oh so healthy!

Here's what's left of the two pizzas now:


That's all I've got for now..be back with more updates later. Bye now.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

His grace is sufficient for me!

It doesn't take too much for us to get distracted by the viles of this world... it's super easy actually. Especially this holiday season. The focus on what the true emphasis during christmas should be has slowly but steadily veered away from Christ. That was almost the case for me this time. Not in a bad jarring way at all really. Just a slow, mellow, pleasing way..I know..bad traits happen with ease so you don't realize till it's full blown. Ok let me explain..So here we are in the south-west vacationing with family - just relaxing, eating, sleeping, lounging around the house and shopping. It's been a great week so far. So I'm all puffed up with how wonderful the holiday season is and how everything's just perfect. But just this morning I had a reminder of how fleeting worldly things can be and how long suffering He is. A good friend of mine is going through some tough times and in chatting with her God has made me realize the true meaning of this season...celebrating Him in both tough and smooth times.

They say that a goldsmith keeps pounding away for quite sometime to prepare the metal. When it reaches its hottest point, its the most malleable and that's when the goldsmith doesn't dare to even bat his eyelid for fear of losing the metal's integrity at this crucial moment in the entire forging process. So also, when we go through testing times that make us feel like we can't bear it anymore or go on any further, we need to know that our creator's eyes are fixed on us at the hottest, most trying times. He'll mold us just the perfect way we need to be. In the end we come out of the process in all splendor - beautiful, pure and shining. Isn't that just awesome? So my dear friend, be encouraged...His grace is sufficient for you! I say this out of experience - Having had my own share of tribulations - I've known and felt God's peace, grace and mercies in my life and want you to too. Thank you for reminding me that His love overshadows any hurt, worry or sorrow we carry.

Thank you Lord for your wonderful mercies! Changing seasons are testimonies of your amazing grace.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Season's Resolutions

It's winter and truly so...sniffling noses, christmas decorations, snow showers ...the works! This year though is different..I've resolved to look at all of this differently..positively I mean..especially the crazy numbing cold. So far the attitude change has worked great. I showeled our driveway for the first time in my life and actually had a great time! Now B asks if I'd do it for the whole winter this time :) sure why not..All it needed was an attitude change.It's all in the mind. Really. Now I've resolved to get through an entire cookbook of chicken recipes starting today. What am I thinking?! Sunday is an easy day to cook..weekdays not so much..it's gonna be challenging to get through each recipe, but we'll see.

Today's dish: Eithiopian Chicken Stew with steamed rice. Was a hit in our house. Hoping the rest of my recipes fare so well..no pictures of the dish coz we attacked it as soon as it was done cooking ..Will remember to click next time though..

Until tomorrow..staying warm with Vicks and tea. Seeya!