Going the distance!
Mr Vijay Krishnan shares with the Diabetes Health team how running changed his life and his perspective on fitness
A little bit of me
I'm a native of Kochi, Kerala and work as a user experience designer with an MNC. During my growing years, I was never interested in sports. I realised the importance of fitness a couple of years after I started working. Working schedules, irresponsible eating habits and the sedentary nature of my work made me neglect my health. As a result I gained weight. Interestingly however, I started running as part of the 'Fit4Life' programme – a unique initiative combining ideas of fitness and philanthropy (The logged hours/kilometres spent on fitness activities is calculated and a sum proportionate to the total value is donated by my company to charity).
My diet
Time of the day | Diet |
---|---|
Breakfast (7.45 am on weekdays, 9 am on weekends) | South Indian veg cuisine – Dosa, idli, etc. |
Lunch (between 1 and 2 pm) | Vegetarian meals on weekends, mostly non- vegetarian meals on weekdays |
Dinner (between 8 and 9 pm) | Mostly chapatti with vegetarian curry varieties |
Any other snack time (11 am) | A cup of coffee and biscuits |
If I had to make one change in my lifestyle it would be the way I eat. Due to my hectic work environment, I tend to eat a lot of outside food. Sometimes I skip running for weeks. That's when I end up binge eating, only to feel guilty afterwards. I make conscious efforts to stick to homemade foods on the weekends. I also maintain a diet diary, which helps me keep a tab on what I eat. 'Responsible eating' is something I'd like to practice along with reducing my intake of non-vegetarian food.
My experience with running
Takeaway message
For me, fitness is about feeling great about yourself and realising that your body is a gift, and it deserves to be treated well. I think physical and mental fitness share a close relationship. Your fitness level can surely boost your confidence. The fitter you are the better you feel about yourself. I think it's important to enjoy your fitness routine, irrespective of the activity you perform.