Namita Nayyar:
What motivated you to take up yoga as a part of life?
Rina Hindocha:
After delivering two children, I was 80kgs and started facing lots of health issues postnatally due to my weight. It’s just a one & a half-year gap between my children because of which I neglected my health due to sleepless nights.
Finally, with my family’s support, I continued my practice and soon Yoga became a part of my life. I felt more peaceful, present, and centered. I found myself inspired to go deeper, to learn more, and most importantly to start my self-practice at home with the help of YouTube videos. It was a transformative experience, as I began my journey down the path that I was meant to take, life started opening up for me.
Namita Nayyar:
How was your initial experience?
Rina Hindocha:
Being a parent definitely brings incredible joy and is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, but it’s also very exhausting. Moms are on duty 24/7, with no weekends or sick days off. Our kids are the most important things in our lives, but sometimes we can get so caught up and focused on them that we forget to take care of ourselves. But I kept on practicing yoga with the belief that a healthy and happy Mumma is more important for the child.
Namita Nayyar:
How did you go about losing your postnatal weight?
Rina Hindocha:
I focused on being nourished, rather than starving or following a fad diet.
- Avoided highly processed and fast foods stayed away from excess sugar and focused on a healthy diet of wholesome fresh foods. Increased my consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Stayed hydrated.
- Exercised, even if it’s for 20 mins or a few rounds of Surya Namaskar.
- Took time to relax & destress through yoga Nidra and pranayama.
- Most importantly stayed positive.
Namita Nayyar:
How much did you gain & lose?
Rina Hindocha:
I don’t believe in weighing on a weighing scale. I always believed in being a healthier version of myself rather than being a leaner version. Eat a well-balanced meal. At the end of the day, the purpose is to get healthy and fit and not become weak. Trust me, losing weight is very easy but getting healthy is not. No shortcut diets and focusing on your mental well-being along with physical health is the key to life.
Namita Nayyar:
Your daily fitness routine? Please elaborate.
Rina Hindocha:
I practice yoga 6 days a week, 60 minutes a day along with walking. I practice yoga in the morning, which is the best way to go.
Integrating yoga and walking into my workout routine was a great way to stay active and support my physical and mental health. We don’t need any specific expensive equipment to walk or start doing yoga, but we will reap multiple health benefits if we stick to both.