30 tips for a healthy you at 30

Fitness expert Tushar Ramanan prepares you to face your thirties with 30 essential health and wellness tips to help you balance your mind, body and soul. By Trupti

1. Interval training is ideal to kick start your 30’s fitness routine. A non-stop mix of running, sprinting, jogging and brisk walking, it promises maximum results.

2. In your 30’s, muscles can begin to atrophy but this process can be reversed with a smart weight training routine like circuit training to improve your strength.

3. Join a weight management or support group in networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. You can make likeminded friends and achieve your goals sooner than expected.

4. Mental agility is just as important as your physical strength. Indulge in games like Sudoku or crossword puzzles to keep your grey cells working.

5. It can’t get hotter than this! Yes, we are talking about hot yoga, an effective way to detox and lose those piling calories. A must try!

6. Dancing is a great stress-buster and with all those different styles out there, all you have to do is choose. Our current favourite is Zumba and contemporary dancing.

7. Every week get your share of laughs with laughter yoga. It will tickle your brain cells and create an atmosphere which is full of endorphins and loads of fun.

8. It is never too late to learn to self-defence. Join a martial training class; taekwondo or kick boxing are excellent options to stay fit and protect yourself.

9. Eating a balanced diet with vitamins and minerals should be the most important mantra in your lifestyle once you hit the 30’s, which means 5-6 smaller meals.

10. Every woman in her 30’s should drink adequate amounts of water. It effectively eliminates all the toxic substances from the body, improving organ functioning.

11. Power yoga is a very good form to practice in the 30s as it helps to maintain postures, improves flexibility, and increases stamina and strength.

12. Look forward to sattvic weekend retreats. Good food, good exercise, and the company of good people, it can’t get better than this!

13. Maintain a food diary and make it your BFF. It will help you identify your food patterns and help you make healthy choices.

14. Exercising can take a backseat while travelling but a resistance band or a travel ball proves to be really helpful when you are on the move.

15. Opt for outdoor exercises like swimming, badminton, tennis at least twice a week. It can do wonders for your metabolism.

16. Don’t compare yourself to a zero-size twenty year old and opt for crash dieting. Accept your shape and size gracefully and aim for fitness rather than thinness.

17. Join a hobby class like painting, sculpting, gardening, singing, and horse riding. It can be a great mood enhancer and add a creative dimension to your work and personal life too.

18. Your 30’s is the perfect time to explore your sensuous side. Learn pole dancing or belly dancing, it works wonders on your body and your sex life, so says Oprah!

19. Just before you’re turning thirty, run a marathon for a good cause. It brings about a great sense of achievement to your life.

20. Heard of adventure therapy? Activities like river rafting, rappelling, and bungee jumping are exhilarating ways to sit back and analyse your life in a different perspective.

21. Pamper your senses with an oil massage under a trained masseur once in a while. It’s great for your metabolism and also helps to revitalise your mind, body, and soul.

22. Once a while, head outdoors for isometric exercises or super exciting cardio like hopscotch, skipping, and hurdles with friends. It’s amazing fun.

23. Alternate your lifestyle with small changes. Take the stairs instead of the escalator and walk for shorter distances. In the long run, they’re very effective.

24. Strength training or gym workouts are integral but tend to get boring. Tag along a friend or opt for a personal trainer to motivate you towards maximum results.

25. Be as close to nature as possible by going for nature trails. It will not only help your fitness levels but the fresh air will also clear your mind.

26. Looking to lose weight, gain strength, and achieve Zen, try out the best boot camps and detox spas in the world. Portugal, Germany, and UK have some great ones.

27. Opt for alternative therapies like bibliotherapy, drama, music, and cinema therapy for mood upliftment and overall wellness.

28. Meditation that can be done in various forms plays a major role in reducing stress and creates a clear vision towards achieving your goals.

29. A woman in her 30s should have regular medical check-ups, including gynaecological examinations.

30. It is essential to relax completely as much as it is to exercise so that you can rejuvenate your tired and worn out muscles. So, sleep well and rest your body for a day at least.