I have been wanting to update this space every day from the past 10 days, but sheer fatigue and the enormity of topics I wish to write about led to my failure from writing anything publish worthy.
Today, I was determined to break this loop of procrastination being busy and break the block clouding the blogger in me and I am seriously hoping I succeed in doing so.
In my earlier post, I had mentioned about a family wedding in near future. That happens to be my cousin’s wedding happening this June. The whole family is excited about it and Pari’s elation is most palpable. While the preparations are underway at their own pace, the one worry nagging me constantly is, the desire to lose some weight.
While regular exercise has kept me fit and the baby weight is long gone, but in today’s era of petite frames, I can very well be considered on the heavier side. Okay, let’s not be too kind and pronounce myself ‘fat’. But with time ticking past like a time bomb and workload on my shoulders keeping me crazy, squeezing in extra time for an extended workout isn’t quite happening.
With Pari’s school on, evenings are very busy (details on that coming in a separate post). I tried extending my morning exercise session (that happens after sending Pari off to school) the heat has been putting me off, besides working out for a little longer, disturbs my work schedule making it tough for me to fit in all I need to in the hours Pari is at school.
In short, I have a big box full of excuses that are fanning my laziness in burning extra calories but are pinching my soul that wants me to look presentable at the wedding. I already eat cornflakes for breakfast, so that isn’t going to be working wonders in the way it is publicized on TV commercials. Replacing dinner with a bowl of cornflakes is too drastic if not dramatic for me, given the fact, I am not the bride-to-be.
At this point, a few of my friends suggested ‘Green Tea’ to me.
At first, I turned down the idea as soon as I heard it. I’d like to add here that I have never been able to stick to the lukewarm water with honey and lime drink plan because it causes severe acidity to me. This was why I wasn’t excited about drinking a cup of green tea either.
But, as desperation would have it, I finally succumbed to trying ‘Green Tea’ wondering, when nothing else is working, this just might. I was prepared to swallow it like a bitter pill and I was almost right in guessing its taste. Despite the fact that most of the people in my life swear by its goodness, I have to admit it, I don’t like it.
It’s the very first time in my life that I have taken to drinking tea in a form other than the masala chai (made with milk and sugar besides fresh condiments). I decided to try the various fancy flavours of green tea and in the third week since I started I clearly know which all flavors I can’t stand. Before I pinpoint them, I am trying hard to get in the groove of liking this ritual, somehow.
While I am not hoping any miraculous results from green tea, I am sure looking for its calming effect to keep me focused in life.
Do you like green tea? Which is your favorite brand and flavor?
I am hoping to find a flavor that would be perceived as ‘acceptable’ by my taste buds for a long time collaboration. So far, I am liking Lipton and Twinings but Tetly seems to be way beyond my tolerance.
The green tea menace isn’t my only point of worry. The wedding has been planned to be on ‘Bollywood theme’. I have to admit, I am yet to accept this theme culture as far family weddings go. I am not very sure if I (at all) understand how should my preparations for the wedding be affected by the theme.
While lots of singing and dancing are anyhow part of all Indian weddings, how else could the theme possibly affect the preparations? I know the pointer is slowly hinting at the dressing up. On giving a deeper thought, I discovered that, if I have to even in my imagination, dress up like the stars in Bollywood do, drinking green tea is not a sacrifice but definitely an investment, given my current size.
The song on my mind: Tu pyar hai kisi aur ka ~ Dil hai ki maanta nahin
The Era I Lived In 
Errr I think green tea is an aid to help metabolism combined with other foods and exercise. It won’t help without both other this. The TV ads are a bunch of lies. I have done the K challenge and it did nothing except make me hungry all the time.
I am on a low carb diet and that has helped me shed the extra India pounds in two weeks. And I am not starving myself. In fact I feel I am eating more food. If you want I will email you what I am doing. But all this HAS to be coupled with some cardio. I have done great research on metabolism and fat burning processes. Hehe
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The green tea I am taking is mainly to get an added dose of anti-oxidants plus an added boost in the metabolism. I totally agree with you that ultimately cutting down on calorie intake and doing the right form of exercise is the key 😊
Yes, please do forward me the details, I am sure they’ll do me good 😃 at: theerailivedin@gmail (dot) com
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I have just one suggestion .
Please buy all of rujuta diwekar’s books and read them. I swear by her books and love them. She speaks sense.
Rujuta mentions the ways of effectively doing exercise.
She recommends eating every two hours after one gets up.
I followed it and it worked for me.
Please do not drastically give up on your regular foods which you have been eating since your younger days. In the long run it badly damages the body. I have seen such cases in my extended family.
Cheers to good health…
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Noted your suggestion and will check out the books ASAP 😊 Thank you for the recommendation & I am glad to learn that you’ve already tried & tested it with a positive outcome.
Don’t worry dear, I am in no mood for crash dieting, in fact never in my life have I ever done dieting, so I am pretty safe on that front 😊
I agree with the frequent snacking on healthy fruits and vegetables regimen, it’s great, just that I have grown to neglect my body in the past few years that today I am required to put in so much extra effort.
But, better late than never. Maybe, destiny wants me to start bothering about my health & fitness beginning now for my & Pari’s good 😊
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I totally get what you are going through! Been there and doing that (still) 🙂
Ok for green tea – try Organic brand jasmine flavour. It is the only brand and flavour i could initially tolerate and eventually enjoy. Just one tip- dont leave the tea bag for too long in the water else it is too strong to enjoy;)
All the best my dear. Dont stress too much about all this. Trust me in weddings everone looks pretty:) the indian jewellery and finery kind of ensures that. I came back from a wedding last month and going for another one this weekend so you can trust my words:) Rather focus on enjoying the preparation / experience and bonding with your cousins 🙂
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Jasmine is the flavor working for me too. I am currently using Twinings and liking it, though Organic India Tulsi green tea is also lying in my pantry. I’ll surely try your suggestion 🙂
You said it IY. Indian weddings have a way of accommodating everything and every one wonderfully. But, given the fact how my relaltions with my extended family has gone strained and sour on many accounts, so I am trying to focus on my looks, the dresses and other preparations to keep me looking forward to the wedding.
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all the best.. i dont drink green tea.. so no idea about it..
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Thank you AM for the good wishes 🙂
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yo! green tea 🙂 I don’t like green tea either, in fact i’m not a tea coffee person, I drink bournvita milk 😛
but few months back I started green tea, with the same intention of course, and saw changes taking place in my inches, it sure helps my body! At home we have Organic India’s Tulsi flavor and at office we have CCD Green Tea…
Having said that, exercise is the only basic key, drinking lukewarm water and green teas and all that is just additional effort supporting exercise..
Bollywood theme? wow, it should be fun. Have not attended any wedding having themes and all, only seen in movies or heard about them.. do write about the wedding when it is done, would be excited to know 🙂
Good Luck, and I’m sure you’ll figure out something nice for yourself and you’ll look gorgeous 🙂
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I too am not a caffeine driven person, tea and coffee are things I consume very occasionally, like a cup in a week or perhaps fortnight.
Yes, I have the Organic India Tulsi green tea waiting to be tried. Since, you mentioned it, I’ll try it soon 🙂
To be honest, it is just the second theme wedding I am going to attend and the first one in our family, so I’ll surely share details of how it goes.
Thank you dear for the wonderful wishes 😀
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