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STAY ACTIVE + HEALTHY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

I started training with Kritika about a month ago and immediately fell in love with both the space and her. Osmosis is a boutique studio in the heart of Indiranagar, right opposite Lavonne. The vibe is serene and green, like stepping into a treehouse.

Kritika is a highly skilled and experienced trainer, having worked in UAE and Thailand before opening her own space. You can feel the difference from the moment you walk inside the studio- it is truly a values-driven space. Kritika focuses on consistency, strength and 0 gimmicks.

Given her totally different approach to the fitness industry, we asked Kritika to share her tips for the festive season, as well as some of her favorite exercises to do when you want to move your body and are short on time!

We love Osmosis Studio! Tell us a bit about how you started and what brought you to Bangalore.

Thank you, I am so happy you do!

I started Osmosis because I wanted to offer my clients a safe space to focus on their physical and mental wellbeing. I moved to Bangalore during the pandemic to be with my family and eventually started working as a freelance personal trainer and coach. I very quickly noticed that there was a real gap in the market when it came to spaces that offered a more holistic approach to wellness and since my focus as a personal trainer is mental and emotional wellbeing, I knew creating a space was the next step.  I started Osmosis studio 5 months ago to open up the conversation that true health and wellbeing is about so much more than just weight loss – the work I do at the studio and in my coaching is all about supporting my clients to create a sustainable wellness routine that supports their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

 

Your training philosophy is quite different and new from what we usually see in India. Tell us about your values and approach.

I follow a ‘health at every size’ approach and which focuses on size inclusivity and health behaviors like stress management, improved sleep, joyful movement and eating for wellbeing.

Physical movement is such a powerful tool when it comes to improving and managing our mental health but unfortunately it often gets reduced to just weight loss and the size and shape of our bodies. I wanted to offer people a different perspective – I work with my clients to heal their relationship to food, body image and exercise and create health and wellbeing in the bodies they have right now and I do this with a non-weight centered approach.

One of my biggest goals is to create a safe space and an environment free from shame and judgement, an environment where we celebrate the imperfections and messiness of life and encourage everyone to come as they are.

 

What does Osmosis offer (classes, PT, coaching)?

We offer one on one personal training sessions as well as small group training sessions at the studio. Most of my classes are a mixture of strength and conditioning and I design and adjust the programs to my clients training goals and capabilities. The goal is to always keep my clients mental and emotional health at the forefront of all the work I do. I also offer health coaching which is mostly done online, but of course I love to see my clients in person whenever possible.

We also offer workshops and special weekend classes at the studio as drop ins for those that can join us once in a while.

 

Christmas season is upon us and it can be a hard and triggering time for a lot of us. What is your advice on how to approach this holiday season in terms of food and workouts?

My number one advice is to always approach festive seasons with a non-restrictive mindset, food and fitness can be really hard to navigate especially at this time but the more relaxed we can be around them, the easier it actually becomes.

The conventional advice is portion control and moderation but even those terms can be confusing and trigger a slew of rebound eating behaviors for a lot of people.

My advice may sound simple but I understand that it can be hard to implement when you have lived in diet culture all your life – but as much as possible focus on nourishing yourself but give yourself permission to indulge in the foods you love without restriction – the more you allow yourself to eat foods without restriction, the more in control you feel around them. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but restriction leads to rebound eating so the more relaxed we can be and approach food with less rules, the less anxiety we experience.

When it comes to fitness, focus on the basics – if you’re busy or traveling and can’t make it to the gym or your regular place of exercise, go for walks or do some short bodyweight exercise circuits. The key is to be realistic with what you can achieve in a busy schedule and not beat yourself up for not being able to stick to a strict routine.

It’s about focusing on what you can do instead of focusing on all the things that you’re not doing, it’s just a much healthier mindset.

 

 

What are some common misconceptions about food and fitness that affect women’s mental and physical health?

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is the amount of food we need to eat as women. As a culture we are so obsessed with weight loss that it is very common amongst women to be under-nourished and under-fed. Most women aren’t eating enough protein which leads to a slew of other health issues like low muscle mass and bone density, higher appetite, increased propensity to infections, skin and hair problems and energy imbalances. Undereating also makes you more prone to low mood and irritability which isn’t great for your mental health.

Although I don’t believe in a very prescriptive approach to nutrition, I do encourage my clients to eat protein at every meal and supplement whenever possible if they are not getting enough through their diet.

 

What are some healthy, easy ways to move our bodies during the festive season?

One of the most under-rated forms of movement is walking, if you can’t do formal exercise then just walk as much as possible. Get your steps in, it can be an excellent way to support your physical and mental wellbeing during a season which can be stressful and quite busy in general.

 

BASIC EXERCISE CIRCUITS

Also, here are 5 bodyweight and basic equipment exercise circuits you can do for 30 minutes a few times a week if you would like to continue doing some training during these weeks.

*You can swap the weights with water bottles!

Do 10-12 reps for A1-A4 and repeat 3-5 times depending on your current fitness level and how much time you have.

Hold plank for 30-60 seconds after every full round.

Rest 90 seconds between each full circuit.

A1. Squat

A2. Lateral Raise

A3. Lunge

A4. Shoulder Press

A5. Plank

 

Any last advice?

The biggest thing to remember is that if your goal is to be healthy then stressing about food and fitness is hugely counter-productive! A relaxed mindset around your wellbeing does wonders for your mental health and actually helps to be more consistent with your health behaviors. Stress and anxiety only actually makes it worse. So focus on what you can do and enjoy the rest of your time with your family and loved ones.

Follow Kritika and Osmosis Studio on @kritikadatt & @osmosis_studio

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tena is a gender and development expert who has spent the past six years working between Dubai and Bangalore before settling in Bangalore. When she is not talking about gender rights and equality, she is eating her way around India and the world. She is a lover of sparkling wines, great manis and long books. Tena is a proud cat mom of two rescue boys and an even prouder Indian daughter in law.

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