Doing yoga against all odds a must for this Kazakh student

Gulzhanat integrates controlled poses, deep breathing and stretching into her daily routiine.

It's easy to think that people pursuing their master's degrees are reeling under constant academic pressure, with zero free time outside a flurry of class work and exams.
But for 21-year-old Kazakhstan expat Gulzhanat Khassanova, a Master of Global Business student at SP Jain School of Global Management, finding time to do yoga against all odds is a must. It has been helping her cope with stress, keep energy levels up, and even improve her daily mood.
Armed with a mat, a towel, a water bottle, and some inspiration to complete the sequences, Gulzhanat integrates controlled poses, deep breathing and stretching into her daily routiine.
"Not only does it offer immediate stress relief, it also improves my overall sense of well-being and lowers my anxiety levels considerably," she told Khaleej Times.
Gulzhanat added: "I also accepted the 30X30 Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) as I wanted to be more health-conscious and shed some extra weight."
"However, it was not the only reason. I noticed that after a couple of weeks of doing basic exercises I started feeling better; was getting enough sleep; my appetite improved; and I started doing a lot of things faster. Also, I felt enhanced metabolism, burned more fat, and my memory and thinking skills vastly improved," she added.
Gulzhanat's daily exercise routine starts with a 30-minute morning yoga, followed by 10 sets of sit-ups, dips and squats.
"I plan to keep doing my morning exercises and include jogging in the evening.
As I used to do it earlier, I think it will not be so difficult to start again. Also, I plan to reschedule my diet plan and include more veggies and fruits, as I know that it is not enough to do only physical activities," she said.
Even after the DFC's 30 days are over, Gulzhanat said she would build on her progress by further improving her fitness, reshaping her body, and strengthening her self-discipline.
Giving tips on how to stick to the challenge, she said: "Start the challenge with your friends or colleagues; because when you do it with someone else, it gives you more motivation to continue further."
"Another example of a good incentive can be bribing yourself with small rewards after completing the workouts. In my experience, rewarding myself with small things after each day of exercise has paid well," she said.
"Also, announce it to a public ­- in social media or in this newspaper - and record your achievements on a daily basis. Motivate yourself and inspire others, too."
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai