Hey everyone. I have written mains recently and I have observed so many things. The experience itself teaches us so many lessons and makes us think. And one thing I have noticed predominantly is the issue of overweight among the aspirants. And not just overweight but obesity. UPSC can be a long journey for most of us. Mental issues affect our eating and sleeping habits. The sedentary lifestyle, sitting for many hours throughout the day can make our legs weak and body older biologically.
Personally, I have reduced 20 kgs of weight before Prelims, but turns out I have gained 6kgs again during those 3 months for Mains. I have been harsh on myself for gaining weight. Especially when I can feel it sitting at the study table. It felt embarrassing. It doesnt stop with me. Similar stories have been shared by many of our friends across different threads on this Forum. I see young UPSC aspirants losing hair not just because of stress but lack of good nutrition. Personally I feel more confident when I am healthy physically and mentally. Both reinforcing each other.
This problem has no divisions. Men, Women and others-everyone face it. I realized there is nothing to be embarrassed about it. We have to be healthy. We deserve to be. We cant sacrifice our health and sleep. Many reports are saying non-communicable diseases like Diabetes and heart diseases are on rise among us youth!!
Let us create a thread in this community where we seek all-round development to crack this exam. There is a dearth of such discussions in our field. Forum provides us with a great place to start and mainstream this aspect of our journey during the preparation. I hope all of you participate everyday on this thread. All the fitness freaks can help people like me, maybe I can help others about how I lost 20kgs, we can motivate each other, track progress, share knowledge, food habits etc...Since the mental and physical issues are both correlated, this thread is not strictly limited to just physical health. However, the idea surrounds the physical health issues and is based on it.
Lets do this!
I don’t want to wake up, or study or do anything. This happened during mains prep and therefore i messed up mains as well. I have seen therapists but even after months of sessions nothing seem to help. I also took anti-depressants as prescribed but I discontinued as it didn’t seem to lift my mood.I am only on my phone and browsing reddit or YouTube. I just don’t know how to come out of this vicious cycle. Any suggestions?This is very difficult for me to put down on a public platform. Sorry if it triggers anyone.
I feel I might have gone through something similar, and I guess I’m still figuring out how to go about it. However, I feel that I have been making progress. Here are a few things that I have done which I feel have made a positive impact over the last month or so:
1. Going back to my roots. By this, I mean that I tried to connect with the things or people that I have always known. I went back to what I was familiar with, before any of this. Knowingly or unknowingly, with time, we have an unforgiving tendency to leave parts of ourselves behind. I tried getting in touch with some of them. This might be a thing or a person or a habit that you used to have.
2. I started actively learning something new. I bought myself a baritone uke and started learning how to play it. I started learning new techniques of playing the stringed instrument. Getting better at something, anything, adds value in other areas as well I feel. The value it adds might be small to begin with, but with consistency, it compounds.
3. Reminding myself that I need to take care of my body better and putting in active effort behind doing so. This is something that has always helped me.
4. When I simply don’t feel like it, I try going for a walk and while I walk, I practice guided meditation for walking. There are podcasts on Spotify/apps which can help with this.
5. I have started trying positive manifestations. It is a big concept which I don’t think I thoroughly understand as yet, but I’m trying to start with whatever I have. Will comment on the impact soon if it proves helpful. Have mentioned it here because maybe you could read up about what it is, and attempt to work it out.
6. Waking up in the morning everyday. I might not get in all the study that I want and I don’t mean setting small targets to study. I just mean waking up with purpose at a set time. The purpose may be anything. It might be to read a book or to water plants or to simply go for a walk or listen to music. The idea is simply to build discipline again, and attempt to spend my time more mindfully.
7. Being kind to myself and knowing that my solution is far from being a perfect one, and on some days, it simply might not work.
These are simply things that have had a positive impact on me presently, I feel. I feel like I have slipped into a similar spiral that you mentioned more times than I can count, and what I have realised is that the same things you did previously to get out of that spiral might not work again. The methods might have to be different each time, simply because you’re not the same person and it’s not the same problem. However, the one thing that I have always found necessary is to find that discipline again, in bits and pieces. It is to take tiny steps, which might just compound, and to avoid relapses as much as possible.
Through the above, I don’t presume to understand even a bit about exactly what you’re going through. Your suffering is yours alone. I feel like I connected with a lot of what you said, simply because in all my spirals, it wasn’t the time wasted that got to me. It was the fact that I felt helpless, and I wanted to remind you that you have it within you to lift yourself up. Your methods may have to be starkly different from mine, but whatever they may be, identify them, trust them and attempt to commit to them one moment at a time. Try to break it down into fragments. Try to win one hour at a time or fifteen minutes at a time. You needn’t win the entire day, none of us do. You needn’t even win most of the time you’re awake. You need only win whatever it is within your personal capacity to win each day. And these wins may come in any part of your life. It is my honest faith that these wins compound. Each win counts, and each win is personal. This is your story, own it. You got this, friend. Infinite power :)
For post-dinner food temptations, what I do is that I brush and floss after 30-45 minutes of having the meal. It increases the opportunity cost of eating again by having to repeat the whole dental hygiene. So it works that way.Well I worked out 6 days continuously. Took a break yesterday. I rewarded myself too much by having a desert extra 2 hours after what should have been my last meal. Night meals are the worst kind of meals. I have this bad habit of eating late night. Should find ways to overcome that! Looking into what mindfulness is and how to practice that. This junk food problem have to stop. The problem boils down to the question we all ask ourselves when we misuse time by binge watching. How do we control temptations?For binge-watching, I am yet to devise anything. However something on a similar line by increasing the opportunity cost works. When I just start to feel like an addict and unable to go away from the screen, I remove the laptop from charging and place the cord away. My laptop dies pretty soon. So, I am left with no option but to get up and plug in the charger. Which kills the joy and gets me away from the screen (for a while at least :P).
My My!
You guys are so young and are working so hard at productivity, personal development!
These things kinda hit you after 35 or so!
Way to go!
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
» hide previous quotes» show previous quotesI want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I have the same issue with my knees and can relate with what you are saying. I can only answer this part of your query
'Start with planting your 1st leg on the ground. Then, slowly lift your second leg and place it forward. You have to ensure that you do this in sync else you might fall. Practice that for sometime and your speed will increase'. That's how I'd resume running.
P.S.- Applies only if you have 2 legs.
@LetsGetThisBread @AzadHindFauz @HeNeArKr may be in a better position to help you.
+1
Moreover, as you run, your feet put pressure on your shoes. This can pull or push your laces to one side or the other, and may eventually leave you with laces that don’t match at the top of your shoe. Luckily, this isn’t a big deal if the difference is only 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) since you can normally fix the problem without removing your laces. If the laces are really uneven though, you likely need to take your laces out and redo them else you'll trip and hurt your knees.
Can you elaborate upon this? I was running without taking such technicalities into consideration.
Runners with some experience of 2-3 years, please give some suggestions which otherwise are not available in conventional sources.
Many of us wear our running shoes straight out of the original box without bothering about the length of laces. The ideal way to get the best out of any shoe is to have laces properly taut.
1. Take the laces out of your shoes and undo any knots.
2. Then, starting at the top, pull the laces through every eyelet in your shoe to take them out. (eyelets are the little holes that hold your laces). If your laces are a little old or worn down, get new laces.
3. Pull the laces up and adjust them until they’re even.
4. Check YouTube for different types of laces that can be made. Use the one that is most suitable for your feet and type of shoes.
Good Luck :)
Bro, all I would suggest is to keep things as simple as possible. If you’re looking to cut down on your weight then do this for like 15 minutes everyday.
>start with skipping for 50 - 60 sec then take a 10 seconds break followed by 10-15 push-ups.
>Do 7-8 sets of the above mentioned
This should suffice! I’ve followed a lot of programmes like “Shortcut to Shred by Jim Stoppani” in the past but these are Vv intense and it takes a lot out of you. So, you’ll eventually give up after 1-2 weeks.
Also, I’m sharing links of few songs/beats which are very high on intensity! They’ll charge you up like crazy :
Seeing these songs here, despite knowing there'll be Punjabi songs playing at gym. XD
Some time ago I used to train at a gym early morning and the owner had a ritual that in first hour he would only play religious things. So yeah I can say I have deadlifted to the voice of Gulshan kumar singing hanuman chalisa :P
I want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I have the same issue with my knees and can totally relate with what you are saying. I can only answer this part of your query
'Start with planting your 1st leg on the ground. Then, slowly lift your second leg and place it forward. You have to ensure that you do this in sync else you might fall. Practice this for sometime and your speed will increase'. That's how I'd resume running.
P.S.- Applies only if you have 2 legs.
@LetsGetThisBread @AzadHindFauz @HeNeArKr may be in a better position to help you.
Yeah that is a good idea. I think it is very important that you are comfortable with the therapist and the therapy is the right kind of therapy for you. I have been taking psychoanalytic therapy, which is kind of talk therapy only. I was lucky to find a good therapist and it has been helping me. Other than that, what helped me most I think is the realization that no matter how comfortable the cocoon of self-pity feels and how hard taking responsibility seems, my well being is finally in my own hands. Not trying to be judgemental though, your situation could be different.My therapist was mostly engaging in talk therapy. CBT was supposed to start but my exams and everything halted that process. Also I wasn’t comfortable with the therapist and her style. I did meditation through headspace. I am going through ptsd due to a certain incident, I already had issues before that. But I haven’t recovered from that ptsd, it’s been a year.
Thank you for asking. I think I’ll go back to therapy and try a different therapist this time.
I want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I have the same issue with my knees and can relate with what you are saying. I can only answer this part of your query
'Start with planting your 1st leg on the ground. Then, slowly lift your second leg and place it forward. You have to ensure that you do this in sync else you might fall. Practice that for sometime and your speed will increase'. That's how I'd resume running.
P.S.- Applies only if you have 2 legs.
@LetsGetThisBread @AzadHindFauz @HeNeArKr may be in a better position to help you.
Sorry, bro! Can't help her, I prefer running on one leg. I may help her if she wants to learn that? 🙂
I want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I have the same issue with my knees and can relate with what you are saying. I can only answer this part of your query
'Start with planting your 1st leg on the ground. Then, slowly lift your second leg and place it forward. You have to ensure that you do this in sync else you might fall. Practice that for sometime and your speed will increase'. That's how I'd resume running.
P.S.- Applies only if you have 2 legs.
@LetsGetThisBread @AzadHindFauz @HeNeArKr may be in a better position to help you.
So smart.. Let me recommend your name to the Athletics Federation of India as the head coach ..
For post-dinner food temptations, what I do is that I brush and floss after 30-45 minutes of having the meal. It increases the opportunity cost of eating again by having to repeat the whole dental hygiene. So it works that way.Well I worked out 6 days continuously. Took a break yesterday. I rewarded myself too much by having a desert extra 2 hours after what should have been my last meal. Night meals are the worst kind of meals. I have this bad habit of eating late night. Should find ways to overcome that! Looking into what mindfulness is and how to practice that. This junk food problem have to stop. The problem boils down to the question we all ask ourselves when we misuse time by binge watching. How do we control temptations?For binge-watching, I am yet to devise anything. However something on a similar line by increasing the opportunity cost works. When I just start to feel like an addict and unable to go away from the screen, I remove the laptop from charging and place the cord away. My laptop dies pretty soon. So, I am left with no option but to get up and plug in the charger. Which kills the joy and gets me away from the screen (for a while at least :P).
I used to binge watch massively and I found that the best way to stop is to quit cold turkey for 2-3 days. I watched a video (i see the irony) which was detailing how binge watching is leading to dopamine overproduction and the way to counter is to let it drain out of your body. Essentially you have got to bore yourself. It works though
Hey@Pam123!
I hope you feel better super soon!
Do you have any hobby that takes your mind off everything else for the moment? If yes, then try indulging in it for a few days guilt-free.
Do you have any friends whose place you can crash for a few days and chill, relax and shake off the stress and get some fresh breath away from the toxic environment? If yes, then please try to catch up with them the next weekend or whenever is convenient to you. A little breather works like wonder in such situations.
Do you like listening to podcasts? If yes, then, you can explore an app called "simple habit". It is a kind of guided meditation. But even if not as a meditation, you just listen to it as a podcast. Most of the routines are small too. It won't even need a lot of effort from your side. It has helped me with my triggers quite a few times.
For the phone, you can put in any habit tracker (I use "yourhour"). Put a timer on it. Initially for a few hours on each app so that you can slowly and sustainably bring the usage down.
I would really suggest you to try a morning walk (at any time for that matter- afternoon, evening, night) for a few days. whenever I am feeling low for a few days continuously, going for a walk really elevates the mood. Going to the park, seeing the sunlight, trees, birds momentarily helps in keeping the worries and stress away. This small window helps me assess and think about how I should proceed in the given situations. And surprisingly I think much more clearly and coherently during these times than even when I work with high focus.
Just try to get a small breather and a window of escape in whatever way possible. Be it with indulging in a hobby, spending time with friends, going for a walk, meditating or any other thing that has been working for you in such situations in the past. It will help you immensely by figuring out how you should go about in your specific situations.
I want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I want to resume running. There was a time when I was very fast and could run at a stretch for quite some time..
Right now my knees are screwed.. Maybe it's genetics.. Maybe it's because I have gained weight... Or maybe it's because I don't run properly or don't wear the correct shoes..
Can anyone recommend how I should resume running? .. I want to get it slow but steadily so that I don't mess up with my physical health or hurt my knees...
P. S: Last time when I used to run properly, I lost 8 kgs in a month( no kidding).. Of course it was also associated with change in my diet...
I have the same issue with my knees and can relate with what you are saying. I can only answer this part of your query
'Start with planting your 1st leg on the ground. Then, slowly lift your second leg and place it forward. You have to ensure that you do this in sync else you might fall. Practice that for sometime and your speed will increase'. That's how I'd resume running.
P.S.- Applies only if you have 2 legs.
@LetsGetThisBread @AzadHindFauz @HeNeArKr may be in a better position to help you.
Would also recommend moving your arms forward and backward in tandem… great tip to lessen the strain while running
I had suffered from a spine injury due to long hours of study for upsc. I could have been paralysed too! After undergoing a major surgery that i realised the importance of a healthy body. We tend to take our physical system for granted without realising the long term damages our lifestyle is causing. Now i have learnt hatha yoga which keeps my system up to the mark and has put me on the path of rejuvenation. Its a long process to reverse the damage that was caused. I dont want anyone to face the painful situation of a spine injury and hamper their prep thats why bringing it before you.
Please take care of your health and your physical machine and it will help you innumerable ways than you can ever imagine. It is the greatest asset one has.
I don’t want to wake up, or study or do anything. This happened during mains prep and therefore i messed up mains as well. I have seen therapists but even after months of sessions nothing seem to help. I also took anti-depressants as prescribed but I discontinued as it didn’t seem to lift my mood.I am only on my phone and browsing reddit or YouTube. I just don’t know how to come out of this vicious cycle. Any suggestions?This is very difficult for me to put down on a public platform. Sorry if it triggers anyone.
I can relate..bcz few days ago I was dealing with the same situation..was finding ways so that I can't study..! See buddy padhne ka mann tabhi nahi krta hai jab yaa to bahot mehnat kr li ho( I mean so many productive days) yaa fir expected kaam naa kiya ho.. It might sound melodramatic but ask yourself ki by investing your time in all these things what kind of risk are you inviting..!
Secondly..if you are not able to study please don't..cz wo irritation alag hi hoti hai jab Mann bhi kre aur padhna bhi nahi hai...Try doing meditation..(some beneficial classes are there i can send you) Take your time and spend your day about thinking yourself..I understand your situation right now .but the fact is in any case Padhai to krni hi hai...Paper pass aa rha hai Bro..! So let's take you out from that zone..( As Pam use to find her own ways in "The office")
At the end...pta nahi whatever I said is relevant or not but yes I felt like this is so me(few days ago)..All the best Pam..:)
Really? Which scene ?
She was seen actually in 2-3 frames. In those scenes from national camp. She played role of one of the players
She lost those 8kgs for this role only.
Who are we really talking about here? Why is it all so cryptic ( like most forum things! ? )
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
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