Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Run with your mind!

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I read an article where the author, Prakash Iyer, narrates an interesting story told to him by a retired Brigadier.

The Brigadier was an engineer who had joined the army.  Unlike his peers, he was one of the few not from the National Defence Academy, and therefore did not have the usual physical training they were used to.  One of his first tests of endurance was to run a distance of ten miles. While the rest were doing it with relative ease, he was struggling and after a while he was close to giving up, when he heard his Commanding Officer shout out - Come on , young man, up till now you have been running with your legs.  Now run with your mind!  The words didn't just work that one time, it remained with him for the rest of his life.

The article appeared in a Career magazine. To stress the point that success in life is not just by talent and physical ability.  Now, why do I need to read one of those?  Maybe I don't, not at this stage, where I have no career change to make.  But I still like to browse through them. They are quite inspiring.  And I believe if something works well at the office, it will work at home too.

While the article was meant to inspire the young to seek bigger avenues in life and not give up in their struggle, I have decided to apply it to my now present obsession of getting my weight back on track. Over the last 30 years, I have gained over 10 kgs.  So many factors, marriage, children, middle age, and a growing sweet tooth.  But the last three kgs beyond the 10 kilos had me on full alert.

My younger one, who normally would have been sprawled on the sofa in the living room was energetic when home  on a short holiday.  It had to with the kick-boxing classes that she was attending. And she took me under her control.  I will teach you some warm-up exercises, she said. As far as I was concerned 'warm- up' meant something one does to 'warm-up' right? Some up and down neck movements, some shoulder and arm exercises.  I was all ready to start.

Like everything else, the word had taken a new meaning.  There was some running, some kicking, stretches, toe-touches, crunches..... and all for a fixed time duration that seemed to stretch to eternity.  It helped, the diwali sweets did not push the needle of the weighing scale to the right anymore. It was static.  That was some achievement.

I am still at it... increasing the number slowly and after I read the article I push myself to do those extra few crunches.  And the needle on the scale is slowly tilting to the left!

.. it helps to run with your mind.

*(image source - Profimedia.com)

23 comments:

  1. Best wishes, Radha. Soon, the needle will shift more to the left. :)

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  2. Nice one! My doctor said the same thing when I told him about my insomnia! I sleep for just 2 -3 hours, most of the nights! He asked me to go for long walks (!) before sleeping, for which we need company. Who will leave the TV - KBC and come with us? I told him so! He said that everything is in our mind. Just don't think that your sleep is not enough and you will not feel tired at all in day time! What do you say?! I have started taking his advice and it seems to work. I went on tour and with 2 hours' sleep, was even climbing 70 - 80 steps!

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  3. There was this time we went on a trip with friends to Kedarnath and chose to do the 14 km trek on foot. In the last 2-3 km, every step up was such a struggle, and then, it became clear to us as we finally reached the top, that the ones who had had lesser problems were the ones with stronger minds! For us, that was such a good lesson & something we never forgot!

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  4. More power to you Radha! I'm also battling the bulge these days. Trying to make a habit of 40min-1hour evening walk daily and a low salt low carb diet. Wonder how it will work out :)) Someone once told me that if you do something for 21 days without a break, it becomes part of your routine and...A HABIT!

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  5. Lovely phrase- "Run with your mind!"

    It has the power to enable a person to take that extra step, even when even when all strength seems to have been used up!

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  6. @Rajesh - Yes, I thought so too.
    @Nona - Thanks for the encouragement. Need it.
    @Sandhya - Insomnia - Another of my problem. It bothers others more than it does me!
    @Indian Bazaars - And to think so many people who are older and have apparent physical problems set off on such pilgrimages without a second thought!
    @Deepa - We should keep track! When you meet your goal do let me know.
    @ Manju - Very true. And some do it so effortlessly.

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  7. I am all ears for any advice regarding weight loss. i need to lose at least 10 kgs and I feel like saluting you for being able to bring about a tilt to the left on your weighing scale.

    May you continue to maintain the weight loss because that is the difficult part.

    The narrative was inspiring.

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  8. very inspiring..even I am fighting the bulge:(

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  10. Most inspiring, Radha. I need to use my mind over the largely increased matter:)

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  11. The needle takes its own sweet time to dip to the left and keeping it locked there would be another crunchy affair.

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  12. Hip Grandma,Renu,Rekha, Dipali - Yes, it is difficult. Now the needle is stationary, and it has not moved to the right, so it is still a victory!

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  13. 'Run with the mind' seems a magic key.I am so glad that with your exercises you could keep at bay the after effects of a depavali splurge in sweets what with your sweet tooth!!My daughters have been trying hard to shed with various methods.Why don't you share what your younger daughter had taught you for this successful outcome?
    kpartha12@gmail.com

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  14. 'Like everything else, the word had taken on a new meaning'. Astute observation Radha. So many things are changing and we have to keep up when we can. Nice post. You are able to take some career advice and apply it elsewhere and successfully. Good going.

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  15. run with your mind
    inspiring story

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  16. I endorse your views. My daughter at the age of 35 is over 80 kgs. I do not know how to make her realize. Wishing you all the best. Happy New Year to all of you.

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  17. Wish you and your family, a very very happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year, Radha! God bless you!

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  18. Happy New Year to you and your family.
    KP
    kpartha12@gmail.com

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  19. @Sandhya, KP - Thank you for the good wishes. Here's wishing both of you ( and all other blogger friends) a wonderful new year.

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  20. Thanks for the comment.That is not the first time I ended a story with a question at the end.Just left it to the imagination of readers as I was not sure myself how Kokila would respond!!

    Why have you not written for a long while?Please start writing if you can atleast once or twice a week
    kpartha12@gmail.com

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