Most women start exercising with will and verve. But, reality poops out all pep. Soon, the excitingly challenging feels touchingly punishing. As you bend, stretch, turn, your mind flashes 'boring! boring!' on-off, on-off. Weight loss recedes like an out-of-reach oasis. Back aches, energy dips, self-esteem plunges. You start staying away from your sessions. It hurts that you couldn't cope. Worse, the meanies in your life crow over your 'failure'. What's a gal to do in such circumstances? There's absolutely nothing wrong with you. Find an exercise that best suits your temperament, body and sense of fun and you will transform into a powerhouse of motivation and motor-skills! Convinced? Okay, here is the lowdown on workouts. Choose where you cannot lose.

11 Tricks & Treats

You can swap one cardio activity for another: running, cycling, swimming, walking, and skipping.

Pilates partners well with dancing.

Weight-training synergizes with cycling.

Yoga says Yo to running or skipping.

T'aichi goes hand-in-hand with walking.

Whatever you choose, start slow, stay easy, and build up gradually at your pace.

Drink 1- 2 liters of water daily to prevent/banish muscle aches.

Avoid running if you have suspect knees, shaky ankles, flat feet, big bust.

Say no to bend exercises if you have spondylitis, very weak eyes.

Avoid abdominal crunches if you've had a detached retina.

No deep squats, lunges or doggie-kicks-on-knees for anybody. (Knees are meant to be pivots. They aren't designed to bear weight.)


Running is for the runaway gal, the free spirit tied and trussed up by home, family, job et al. Get out and run into the welcoming wind of the wide-open outdoors. Running boosts your endurance to match your ambitious persona and simultaneously calms your mind to balance your high-pressured self-expectations.

Your body: sheds fat, ups stamina, tones calves.

Your mind: feels liberated; your sense of l-did-it-all-by-myself! Gets an adrenalinic surge.

Practical tips: Sport thick-heeled shoes 1-2 sizes bigger than your usual snuggies. Run 10 minutes thrice a week, and then increase to 20. Spot jog on a trampoline indoors during monsoons.


Stationary Cycling is for the creative gal.

She who writes, paints, sings, makes music will love introspecting to the pedaling rhythm. For added value: chant a mantra while cycling. It busts stress, creates a clear mind space amidst negative thoughts and gives you a sense of elated elevation like you're riding a-sky on Santa's sleigh.

Your body: burns fat; strengthens heart, thighs tone.

Your mind: basks in a beautiful, friendly, loving hush.

Practical tips: Hook an armchair to the T of your bike. Place cushions behind and under to prevent your back-thighs hitting the seat-edge. Pedal 80-100 rpm.


Swimming is for the busy bee, efficient to a fault, she who lets things crowd into her. Diving into the deep is a beautifully profound get away where the stunning stillness brings in a relaxed perspective.

Your body: gets magnificently toned, the back gets a smooth burnished wow-ness. Aches disappear, oomph gets restored. Blood pressure lowers and balances beautifully.

Your mind: floats in a cool calm pool, faculties rejuvenate, ideas emerge.

Practical tips: Don't eat anything heavy before swimming - this precaution prevents cramps. Begin and end with slow strokes.


Walking is for the introverted gal. Given to deep passions, she needs to get out into the open amidst gentle, companionable, uncritical nature to sort out her private insecurities and fears. Inclined to spirituality however you have to deal with worldly matters. Walking keeps your feet firmly on the ground.

Your body: controls its fat composition, feels the freedom of space around it; legs tone. Your mind: let’s go, explores, and buoys up.

Practical tips: Keep spine straight, shoulders squared to prevent post-walking side-aches. Walk a brisk 45 minutes 5 days a week to lose weight; 30 minutes for health.


Dancing is for the drama queen who longs to be the life of the party and is blessed with a mobile, expressive face, a strong, flexible body and a quicksilver mind. Dancing expresses your spirit and transforms your strong fears into vigorous whirls of euphoria.

Your body: attains poise, muscles elasticize, butt tightens.

Your mind: flies as emotions cascade out with quick or slow body movements. High on exhilaration, you feel the entire world is in step with you.

Practical tips: Don't keep looking into the mirror - it's not important how good you look, it's how you feel the movements inward. Cool down after a session by walking around slowly until pulse returns to normal.


Yoga is for the gentle gal who respects tradition and is patiently willing to wait for results. The joy of yoga is more in the process than in the outcome. Gradually, you stretch and go beyond your physical and mental limits.

Your body: aligns beautifully, organs strengthen, digestion improves.

Your mind: calms, widens its horizons, and masters its emotions.

Practical tips: Opt for slow progress as yoga postures are deceptive -they are more tiring than they feel. Stop as soon as you feel pain. Hold any stretch that makes you feel as if your joints are made of rubber.


T'AI Chi is for the masterful gal who makes quick decisions and gives orders. You value physical strength as a means to both worldly and spiritual success. An activist, you believe the world needs your healing touch.

Your body: develops power, flexibility and tremendous co-ordination. Grace and good reflexes blend into your sinews.

Your mind: releases latent hostility, resentment and uncovers unknown resources of courage and endurance.

Practical tips: Flow with your movements to achieve a deep meditative state.


Weight-Training is for the nervous gal who feels her life is out of control and always goes by others' decisions. Grasping dumbbells and moving them gives you a solid assured feeling, even the slight burning sensation or soreness is felt as a self-validation.

Your body: gets sculpted contours. Added value: you prevent future osteoporosis.

Your mind: Stops’ racing becomes disciplined and tastes the sweet satisfaction of stepping into assertiveness and being obeyed by others!

Practical tips: Don't be in a hurry to increase weights. Make movements smooth, not jerky. Cut down fats and ingest sufficient protein-rich foods.


Circuit-Training is for the secretive daredevil, the ostensible loner with the hidden streak of venturing into the frenzied unknown. Variety turns you on. Circuit-training, which is a nonstop array of cardio-weights-floors-push-ups-etc., gives you that streaky freaky outlet.

Your body: gets an overall workout in the quickest way and shortest time.

Your mind: learns to move and flow with the body instead of plotting and planning on its own. Result: you are more integrated.

Practical tips: Don't try and compete with somebody fitter and stronger. Tell your trainer the moment something hurts, and stop.


Pilates is for the driven gal, driven to achieve, driven to go for the toughest assignment. The Pilates system is a hard taskmaster that connects you to your core musculature and releases all tightness from your tendons.

Your body: straightens out all its subtle crookedness and...Voila! Moves from the centre with the lithe grace of a tigress.

Your mind: learns to concentrate hard and feels intensely connected to your body - it's a centered feeling. Practical tips: Initially, do it only three times a week. Expect body aches, but take them as a warrior's badge - with pride.

Skipping is for the light-footed, blithe-hearted gal who...just... can't sit still! You adore whisking around, an expert in getting things done, you always have more energy than there is work! So, you need to skip, skip, and skip!

Your body: becomes younger, wrists become agile, footwork ability zooms.

Your mind: smiles 'Tis nice to be 16 again! Tensions of adulthood hop out of your system instantly.

Practical tips: Don't overdo. Start with 10-20 skips. Work up to your teen hood 500 very gradually.

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