I think you can tell that I’ve fallen behind on my fitness journey, since I haven’t written anything about it since November. Does this happen to you too? By this, I mean the shame and guilt about the jagged trajectory of your fitness journey? I realised recently that I’m not particularly lazy/busy with life/prone to workout injuries/daunted by the weather. Or not more so than others. Most people fall into that category and that’s quite alright. It can’t be helped.
I can try my best to get in my workout but life invariably gets in the way. Unless it’s swimming. I was helped along to this realisation by a few fitness influencers who chronicle when they slip up. It was an eye opening moment for me. I’m not the only one then? And I’m just a 65 year old who wants to write about everything I do and fitness happens to be one of those things. Those weight lifting, gym going gazelles who earn their bread and butter by helping people get fit have admitted to being less than perfect. On Social Media. That must have taken more guts than trying to change your yoga routine from Hatha to Ashtanga. Inspired, I resolve to keep writing about staying on top of the horse, in the saddle of the bike, on the yoga mat, walking track, pilates ball or on the sofa catching up on the news. I’ll write about the lazy weeks too.
So, winter passed in utter mournfulness because the swimming pool had no water. It was a big empty blue green rectangle with sharp edges. I don’t know why the edges look so sharp when the pool is empty. Could it be because it looks so soft when the water sloshes around inviting me in?
The park, or parks (because we have an abundance of parks in New Delhi) beckoned. The flowers nodded, the breeze blew and on some days the pollution didn’t hit those scary numbers. We in Delhi know better than to walk outside early in the morning when the air is at its worst. Thanks to technology we know the AQI (air quality index) and can time our walks for when the air is marginally breathable.
At noon or in the afternoon I stepped out unafraid. The air was balmy, the light pretty, the air…well, the air is what it is. I got a little bored but there are ways to stay entertained. When the crime podcast slows me down because it is too fascinating, I switch my phone to paced walking. It clicks bossily, urging me to step faster. But there are drawbacks to walking too fast. For me. I’m not making this up, I will explain another day. Today I want to tell you about Hot Girl Walks. Hot Girls Walks gave me the impetus I needed to get through the winter. Basically you walk for 4 miles (that is 6.4 km) and while you’re walking your mind may dwell on one of three things. Or all three in rotation. Things you’re grateful for. Your goals and how you want to achieve them. How hot you are. That’s not temperature hot but the intangible, indescribable quality of considering yourself hot. This was an inspiring thought. I marched and marched and marched to a Hot Girl Playlist I found on Spotify. I only listened to it for a little while on each walk because it interfered with my goals and my plans to become a best selling novelist. I also wanted to do it right (this is a failing I thought was my speciality but it turns out a lot of us are wired this way) so focussed very hard on the things I’m grateful for - there are quite a few. But what took the most concentration was believing in my hotness quotient. So I did that thing you do - fake it till you make it. It was a lot of fun and took the seriousness out of the work outs.
Have you tried the Hot Girl Walk? What are your thoughts?