The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

Fit as a fiddle
City’s thirty-something brigade of women are exercising like never before, says Gayatri Rajwade

They are no spring chickens. In the prime of their life, their mantra is ‘happy health’ never mind that Kate Moss’s waif-like appearance is ‘in’! Meet the 30+ brigade of women in the city who wear their fitness on their sleeves and are making a lifestyle statement that verbalizes, health is spice!

Trainer Tales

Kiran Sidhu—mother of two tots—petite, gentle, soft-spoken but utterly determined and motivated fitness instructor living in Sector 8 believes women in their thirties are much more open to fitness and are fitter.

Needless to add, she looks the part especially since she makes health seem like an appetising crunchy apple, because, “it is never too late to start.”

Born in Iran, Kiran moved to Sydney, Australia, with her family in 1981 after the revolution and it was only at the age of 18 that she took up fitness seriously. “Honestly speaking it was my first pair of aerobic Reebok shoes that did the trick. My friend and I joined an aerobics class. She dropped out but I kept going,” and this ‘going’ included a credited instructors’ course for aerobics too.

In 1997 Kiran got married and moved to Chandigarh and it was only last year, after two babies and many moons later, that she decided to train

Her reasoning was simple. “I tried a lot of places myself and found that there were none where only ladies could work-out without feeling conscious of what they looked like.”

Ritu Lal

Today with almost 80 women passing through her magic wand, her USP is the atmosphere she creates with an array of exercise techniques like steps, fitness balls, weights, kickboxing, even a BootCamp (a la Rambo!).

here are her three tips, sweet and simple (notwithstanding “reducing quantity and improving quality of food intake”!)

Weight(y) Issue

Take a peek into homemaker Ritu Lal’s fitness regime. This gregarious lady living in Sector 8 specialises in 120 pound bench presses and certainly does not look the part! Fit and feisty about her health, Ritu began exercising in earnest at the age of 30. “I had delivered my daughter and a friend two months later looked at me and said when are you having your baby? That galvanised me and I lost 14 kilos in 3 months!” she laughs.

The bug had struck, “It rejuvenates my mind and soul.”

Ritu’s passion is weight-training. “It gives me a lot of mental strength, has improved my posture and makes me feel positive.” In fact, she recommends weights to all women “for our bones, our gait and to look toned.”

Exercise is a mood booster for her. “When I come back from the gym, I feel chirpier despite a bad day,” she smiles.

Poonam Maini

28 Till I Die!

“At 28 years, I was obese,” says a peachy complexioned and slender Poonam Maini, resident of Panchkula who runs a preparatory school ‘Adharshila’s Butterfly’ in Sector 10 and is the mother of a 12-year-old girl.

“I initially tried health shakes and drinks meant for weight-loss but they left me with a sugar craving so I started to go to a gym. Cardio, cycling and weight-training gave me great results within the first month and I was hooked.”

Today seven years later she still takes the time out to exercise at least three to five times a week. But more than just exercise, Poonam’s suggestions veer towards small but effective day-long measures. “Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, bake and boil food instead of frying it, eat dinner two hours before going to bed, no munching in-between meals and pull your stomach in while walking around!” And finally, to set the ball rolling for you here’s Kiran’s fitness secret and it’s called “Monday Motivator”. Start on the first day of the week to get rid of those Monday blues and say hurrah to exercise!

Bringing up grandparents
No one has time for grandparents. Not anymore!

As his family sits huddled before the intelligent box unsure whether the Veranis will finally succeed in convincing Tulsi baa to come back home in Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, grandparents of real life Hem Raj and his wife often wait! Right, for an opportunity to narrate their own experiences of some families they knew in Lahore.

But then who has the inclination to listen to the duo now putting up in Sector 45 with the entire family after winding up their cloth business in Amritsar about seven years ago! At least their grandchildren have little patience for them, and their age-old bedtime stories. After all, there are action-packed movies to watch on the HBO. And then the kids have enough hit numbers on Channel V to lull them to sleep.

It goes without saying that the two — like so many other grandparents — are constantly at the receiving end, but not in the unending queue for presents. Nay, not even on the “Grandparents’ Day” celebrated across the nation this Sunday!

The two do not complain, at all. For, Hem Raj has no intentions of saying anything that will eventually hurt his family’s sentiments. That is, perhaps, the reason why he vehemently requests you not to mention his full name.

But as you talk to the two, his wife says Raj is in need of a new walking stick. At the same time she clarifies that their family loves them indeed. It’s only in terms of time that they feel deprived. “Am sure they would have brought us gifts had they known something about the day,” she smiles.

Amusingly, there’s hardly any excitement in the air for the big day, despite all those posters offering so many other goodies like wallets and handbags; quotation books and photo frames; aromatic candles and incense sticks. And some of them at discount prices!

“The card and gift companies, even the media, are up to some extent responsible for actually not making the day popular among the youngster generation, says Diwakar Sahoonja of Sector 11 card and gift shop Dewsun.

He believes that St Valentines’ Day today is commercially a bigger festival than Divali among the youngsters. Even the Teachers’ Day was a big hit in 2006. All because the card and gift manufacturing companies have been investing on the products associated with these days!

“It may have been for commercial gain, but at the same time the companies made the youngsters aware,” he says, adding that the youth in Chandigarh is responsive and caring. “I am sure they will gift time and stuff to their grandparents once they come to know about the big day”. So folks, what are you waiting for!

— Saurabh Malik

Matka Chowk
Footpath City
Sreedhara Bhasin

On any given day, the footpath can be a mini-world itself. Those who want to experience it are invited to spend half-a-day on any busy footpath below the tall office buildings in sector 34.

There are communes that the people belong to. A large group of people who spend the entire day there are the watchmen, guards, drivers of the various offices. They entertain themselves by playing cards, comparing their cell phones and occasionally rising to salute some officer.

The food business is like an ant colony. The boys are ever busy and scurry around furiously at all times. Hot parathas and choles fall onto plates in endless streams accompanied by relayed orders. On the plastic benches even some romance is discernible over plates of rajma-chawal.

Fruits of labour are amply evident. Parts of the footpath are roped off by proprietary rickshawallas who do not want the scooters to be parked there. Entrances to parking lots are blocked by sliding panels by parkingwallas to block the runaway drivers who cheat. Groups of people can be seen at midday bargaining with newly emerging street traders peddling look-alikes of Nike sneakers and Adidas t-shirts.

Employees of the different shops have their own domain. Some have installed portable radios and even ceiling fans hanging from a contraption. Some have put up religious photos as well as their little mirrors to get a quick brush-up.

Protests are ongoing. Groups of unemployed youth have built a shed and repose under it most of the day. Sometimes they shout their slogans and on occasions chase the white Ambassadors – I am assuming – with government officials in them.

Groups of street dogs also are the inhabitants. They have demarcated dwelling spots as well as begging corners. They give birth on the footpath and allow the cohabiting humans to raise their children partly.

Trade is everywhere. People are buying chips and bananas, printer cartridges and pens, milk powder and glucose biscuits. They are also buying second-hand books laid out on the footpath and tall glasses of fruit juice. The courierwalla is busy furiously copying addresses and the xeroxwalla is hard at work, counting number of pages.

Like the modern world, everything is full. The parking lots are full, the elevators are full, the staircases are full and the eating joints are full. Everybody seems to be in such utter pursuit of labour! I stepped into the elevator the other day and found a young boy of about twelve holding innumerable cups of tea on a gigantic tray. I asked him his name. Then I asked him whether he went to school or not. He snorted and said scornfully, “ mein kaam karta hoon, mein school kyoon jaoon?” ‘Progress’ with all its churning wheels is fast taking over our city. Soon, it will be hard to find a good reason to spend a perfect and idle afternoon simply watching the clouds over the lake!

Write to Renee
Don’t act in desperation

Dear Renee, I have been a partner in a garment export unit for years and have enjoyed every minute of it but now last year the company closed down and I have been struggling emotionally and financially too. I want to find myself something fulfilling once again. I am divorced, have two kids, my son is 24 years old and my daughter is 18 years old. I have experimented with quite a few jobs last year, but none of them worked out. Please advise on how to find a job that will give me financial security as well as happiness. I am a trained designer, but my business sense has always been my biggest asset. Please help.

Manisha Kataria, Chandigarh

Dear, it is wonderful to hear someone say that they are looking for a job that would give them happiness and joy along with the financial gain. The world has become so materially tuned that people have forgotten how to be happy. Well, at least you are lucky that you are clear about one aspect of your work. I feel you should not act in desperation by applying for jobs here and there.Think with a calm mind, give it a soothing thought and some very clear answers will start appearing. Decide first if you want to restart your own business again, after all you are a trained designer, working for someone will not be so very easy for you once you have been your own boss. Instead of being down and negative about your situation view it as an opportunity to do better professionally and emotionally. I am sure you will emerge a winner.