Start young to stay fit

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If you thought weight-watching is a malady that strikes youngsters only on the wrong side of 25, today’s gym-happy teens will give you an all new take on things. Be it to look great, stay fit or just to be able to binge guilt-free, every self-respecting teenager has become a fitness freak of sorts. And with the paths to a “healthy future” many — kickboxing classes, gym sessions, power yoga, even swimming or good ol’ jogging — they say they are spoilt for choice.
Ask Ajab Mamuwala, 17, what keeps her gung ho about kickboxing, jogging and swimming, pat comes the reply, “If you want to look good, you have to be fit, And being slim is not enough these days, you need to be shapely and toned too. And I decided that only if I start this early, I can make it a habit. I go for kickboxing classes and I’m already addicted. But I won’t go overboard and won’t do anything too tedious. If nothing, I’ll just go for a walk or a jog,” says Ajab, who also thinks it’s the best way to beat lethargy.
“When I was writing my Class XII boards, there was so much pressure. Everyone just expects you to sit at home, eat and study and you need some form of physical exercise. Moreover, I’m a big foodie and I’d rather work out than compromise on my favourite goodies,” she exclaims.
Sweating it out is the best way to beat the “mouse potato syndrome,” says Damini T., a 19-year-old student of Bhavan’s College. “After sitting in college all day,?I come back home and sit in front of the computer for hours together. Tired of my sluggish lifestyle, I decided to hit the gym just to stretch those muscles.?And once I made it a habit,?I began to enjoy working out immensely.?It keeps me energetic, active and gives me a healthy appetite too. I’m going to continue exercising no matter where life takes me.” she says.
The allure of exotic celeb workout practices like power yoga and martial arts is what had Madhuri Reddy, a student of Chaitanya College, hooked. “More than anything, I was just curious and I ended up joining power yoga classes to pass my free time. When?I saw a noticeable change in the way I feel, I decided to continue working out.”
They may be teens a mission, but they sure know where to draw the line. Muqeet Atif, VIF college, says, “I don’t hit the gym to pump my body, I just want to stay healthy. I got this habit from my elder brother and now I feel my day is incomplete if?I don’t hit the gym.?I work out for more than an hour everyday and it makes me feel good about myself.”