Failing at something is more humiliating to yourself than it
is in front of others. I had been to Chadar Trek with my friends last year and
failed at it miserably because I was not strong enough to cope with it. I hate
to admit that I used to be a chain smoker, and this miserable habit had taken
its toll on my health. Even when I used to be in Delhi, I could realize that
other people around me were healthier than me. While they could easily walk a
kilometer or two, I would look for my car keys even for a small distance.
When I would see my friend, Shreya, walking from the metro
station to her office and home, I would ridicule her for saving a meager amount
of money on auto-rickshaw and cabs. However, she would give just one argument
that walking keeps her active an fit. I realized the futility of my lethargic
lifestyle when Shreya trekked up kilometers in just a few minutes without
panting, and I could barely walk up a few meters. In the end, I had to say that
I cannot complete the trek, and I would wait for my friends at a hotel at the
base camp. It was incredibly humiliating to wait for them all alone in the
dreary hotel room where I could not even access the network, while all my
friends were enjoying on top of the hills. This was the time when I realized
that I need to work on my body immediately. Over and above, I resolved to quit
smoking straightaway.
How I built strength in
a year
Saying it to myself that I would strengthen my body and
leave smoking was easier said than done. I could not fathom the mighty force to
wake up at 5 am on the first day of my fitness regime. However, the body weight
of 95 kilograms somehow pushed me to wake up and get set to go. I had already
taken out my running shoes, joggers, and a t-shirt so that I do not feel lazy
because of this small errand in the morning. Anyway, the first two weeks of
jogging were terrible for me as I had to literally force myself out of bed to
go for a walk and run.
After two months of plain jogging and mild exercises, I
started working on my strength of legs. After reading extensively about
trekking and physical fitness, I knew that I needed to work on my legs. I had
already modified my diet and lost a few kilograms, and then I began squats!
This awkward position of half sitting and standing on my knees could not have
been more difficult for me. It took me another two weeks to gain strength to do
three sets of 8-10 squats.
Did I succeed?
Yes, I did. How could I not succeed after a complete year of
running, jogging, and exercising? Leaving smoking was not easy, but as I felt
the positive changes inside my body, it became easy to stay away from the smoke.
I am happy to boast today that the smoke of cigarette or even sheesha irritates me now, and my friends
are glad to see this positive change in me. So I made a plan to go for a trek
with Shreya and gang again, and this time the destination was Triund, which is
a moderate trek. We looked around to rent a Car but decided to go by train. And nothing makes me happier to proclaim
that I finished the trek, and that too easily! Voila!
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