u/rhitz101

I recently started online yoga classes and realised I genuinely don’t know how to engage my deep core properly. I’ve watched quite a few videos and asked people, but the instructions seem simple until I actually try them </3

What I’m told/shown:

✅ Brace your abdomen as if someone is about to punch you

✅ Imagine blowing out a candle

✅ Gently tighten your lower abdomen

✅ Feel your abdomen become firm

✅ Slightly tuck/tilt your tailbone forward

✅ Gently squeeze your glutes

✅ Some people describe the pelvic floor engagement as “holding your pee”

What happens when I try:

❌ I either suck my stomach completely in or push/bloat it out

❌ My chest also becomes tight (making it hard to keep breathing, rather feels I'm holding my breath)

✅ My tailbone tilts forward and my glutes squeeze

❌ Instead of feeling like I’m gently holding pee, I feel like I’m pushing pee/poop out

I can’t tell whether I’m actually engaging my deep core or just tensing everything.I’ve tried following videos, but I still can’t recognise what the correct sensation is.

For those of you who do gym work out or do yoga regularly, what does proper deep core engagement actually feel like for you? And is there a really simple step by step method or cue that finally made it “click” for you? Step by step would much MUCH APPRECIATED 🤌🏾 even that one video that helped you stick to it would also be much appreciated ❤️

I recently started online yoga classes about a month ago, and I’ve only very recently realised that I've been engaging my core incorrectly. I either suck my stomach in or push it out, and I still can’t figure out the right technique despite watching several videos.

The “brace like you’re about to get punched” or the “blow out a candle” cues haven’t really helped me. When I try to engage my deep core, I feel my abdomen tighten, but also my chest (which makes it hard to keep breathing), my tailbone tilts slightly forward and my glutes squeeze. However, instead of feeling like I’m gently holding my pee, I feel like I’m actually pushing pee/poop out, which makes me wonder if I’m doing something wrong.

For women who work out or do yoga: when you engage your core during your period, do you normally notice more menstrual blood gush or flow coming out, or is that a sign that I’m engaging core incorrectly?

Also, what do you personally do with core exercises during your period? Any really simple step by step method that helped you learn proper deep-core engagement would be appreciated!

I recently started online yoga classes and realised I genuinely don’t know how to engage my deep core properly. I’ve watched quite a few videos and asked people, but the instructions seem simple until I actually try them </3

What I’m told/shown:

✅ Brace your abdomen as if someone is about to punch you

✅ Imagine blowing out a candle

✅ Gently tighten your lower abdomen

✅ Feel your abdomen become firm

✅ Slightly tuck/tilt your tailbone forward

✅ Gently squeeze your glutes

✅ Some people describe the pelvic floor engagement as “holding your pee”

What happens when I try:

❌ I either suck my stomach completely in or push/bloat it out

❌ My chest also becomes tight (making it hard to keep breathing, rather feels I'm holding my breath)

✅ My tailbone tilts forward and my glutes squeeze

❌ Instead of feeling like I’m gently holding pee, I feel like I’m pushing pee/poop out

I can’t tell whether I’m actually engaging my deep core or just tensing everything.I’ve tried following videos, but I still can’t recognise what the correct sensation is.

For those of you who do gym work out or do yoga regularly, what does proper deep core engagement actually feel like for you? And is there a really simple step by step method or cue that finally made it “click” for you? Step by step would much MUCH APPRECIATED 🤌🏾 even that one video that helped you stick to it would also be much appreciated ❤️

I recently started online yoga classes and realised I genuinely don’t know how to engage my deep core properly. I’ve watched quite a few videos and asked people, but the instructions seem simple until I actually try them </3

What I’m told/shown:

✅ Brace your abdomen as if someone is about to punch you

✅ Imagine blowing out a candle

✅ Gently tighten your lower abdomen

✅ Feel your abdomen become firm

✅ Slightly tuck/tilt your tailbone forward

✅ Gently squeeze your glutes

✅ Some people describe the pelvic floor engagement as “holding your pee”

What happens when I try:

❌ I either suck my stomach completely in or push/bloat it out

❌ My chest also becomes tight (making it hard to keep breathing, rather feels I'm holding my breath)

✅ My tailbone tilts forward and my glutes squeeze

❌ Instead of feeling like I’m gently holding pee, I feel like I’m pushing pee/poop out

I can’t tell whether I’m actually engaging my deep core or just tensing everything.I’ve tried following videos, but I still can’t recognise what the correct sensation is.

For those of you who do gym work out or do yoga regularly, what does proper deep core engagement actually feel like for you? And is there a really simple step by step method or cue that finally made it “click” for you? Step by step would much MUCH APPRECIATED 🤌🏾 even that one video that helped you stick to it would also be much appreciated ❤️

I recently started online yoga classes about a month ago, and I’ve only very recently realised that I've been engaging my core incorrectly. I either suck my stomach in or push it out, and I still can’t figure out the right technique despite watching several videos.

The “brace like you’re about to get punched” or the “blow out a candle” cues haven’t really helped me. When I try to engage my deep core, I feel my abdomen tighten, but also my chest (which makes it hard to keep breathing), my tailbone tilts slightly forward and my glutes squeeze. However, instead of feeling like I’m gently holding my pee, I feel like I’m actually pushing pee/poop out, which makes me wonder if I’m doing something wrong.

For women who work out or do yoga: when you engage your core during your period, do you normally notice more menstrual blood gush or flow coming out, or is that a sign that I’m engaging core incorrectly?

Also, what do you personally do with core exercises during your period? Any really simple step by step method that helped you learn proper deep-core engagement would be appreciated!

Found this little gem in fairlands; Boolajerry cafe. It’s a small french inspired bakery cafe run by a husband and wife duo, and honestly it feels quite different from the usual cafes in Salem✨

They mostly open after 5:30 PM, and they make their stuff fresh, so don’t expect your order to come out in 2 mins 😭 Each dish takes around 10-15 mins, but I actually think that’s part of the charm because you can tell it’s freshly made.

They do mostly gourmet bakes, breads, pastries, savouries, sandwiches and desserts, and every day they have 2–3 specials that they make only for that day. So there’s always something different to look forward to.

I tried their focaccia chicken croissantwich, German pecan chocolate cake, hot chocolate and roasted nuts gelato — the freshness and taste really stood out and I'd give like 8–8.5/10 ✨

The price was pretty reasonable too, esp considering the freshness, quality and taste. The place is pretty small, but minimalistically aesthetic and cozy and the SMELL when they make prepare food is🤌🏾<3

Honestly I'm reallyy happy to see smth like this in Salem. I love finding places like where people are genuinely putting effort into making things fresh rather than just having another generic cafe menu.

Must try guys! 💯❤️

For a healthy household with individuals showing no symptoms of intestinal worms; if everyone wants to resume a periodic preventive deworming routine after about 2 years of not having taken any deworming tablet, is taking albendazole 400 mg as a single dose sufficient? Or is a second 400 mg tablet after 2 weeks recommended even when there are no symptoms?

I know that a repeat dose after 2 weeks is commonly mentioned for diagnosed pinworm infections, but I'm specifically asking about routine preventive deworming in an asymptomatic household, not treatment of a suspected infection.

Also between albendazole 400 mg and mebendazole 500 mg, which is more preferred/better for routine preventive deworming in adults, and why?

Would appreciate answers esp from people familiar with current guidelines <3

In a household with individuals showing no symptoms of intestinal worms; if everyone wants to resume a periodic preventive deworming routine after about 2 years of not having taken any deworming tablet, is taking albendazole 400 mg as a single dose sufficient? Or is a second 400 mg tablet after 2 weeks recommended even when there are no symptoms?

I know that a repeat dose after 2 weeks is commonly mentioned for diagnosed pinworm infections, but I'm specifically asking about routine preventive deworming in an asymptomatic household, not treatment of a suspected infection.

Also between albendazole 400 mg and mebendazole 500 mg, which is more preferred/better for routine preventive deworming in adults, and why?

I am not asking for medical advice.

I'm filling out the NEET PG application, and the guidelines say that the signature should not be in initials.

The problem is that my signature has always been just my initials, and I've used the same signature everywhere (bank documents, official forms, and other legal documents)

Has anyone else been in this situation?

Did you create a new full signature just for the NEET PG application?

Is it okay to change your signature for NEET PG even if all your previous documents have your initial based signature?

Did it cause any issues during document verification or counselling?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has faced this before or knows what the correct approach is.

Thanks in advance!

Passed out med school in 2025.

Joined an offline coaching centre immediately because I was that optimistic kid who thought, "one dedicated year. That's all it'll take"

The first few months? Beautiful.

I'd wake up, attend classes, solve MCQs, make colourful notes, romanticize the whole "future surgeon" life.

Then burnout entered the chat.

Initially it was manageable.

"I'll take today off and restart tomorrow"

Tomorrow actually came.

Then it became,

"I'll take the weekend off."

Then somehow... the weekend expanded into the entire week.

Now I don't even know what day it is.

The funniest part?

Even doomscrolling isn't fun anymore.

You know burnout is serious when even procrastination starts feeling exhausting.

I open Instagram. NEET PG reel.

Open YouTube. "40 day revision strategy."

Open Reddit. "Rank 38 AMA."

Open Telegram. Someone has already finished their 9th revision.

Open WhatsApp. Relatives asking, "So beta... exam when?"

Fantastic.

At this point I think even my Swiggy app is one update away from recommending, "High protein meals for NEET aspirants."

Every swipe reminds me I'm apparently wasting my life.

Somewhere along the way my brain simply... stopped cooperating.

The worst part is... I don't even know what I want anymore.

During internship I was SO sure. General Surgery/ Ortho. Nothing else.

Now every resident story I hear sounds like:

No sleep. No life. Yes toxicity. Don't choose surgery if you're a girl. Marriage? Kids? Family?

And suddenly the confidence I had built over six years just... evaporated.

The funny thing is I still WANT to become a good doctor.

That hasn't changed.

Sometimes, when I feel completely lost, I think back to internship.

The patients smiling at me when they got discharged.

The little "thank you ma" after a long shift.

Or the aunty from the surgery ward whom I randomly met at a local farmers' market weeks later. She remembered me helping her in ward, smiled, and insisted on giving me a bunch of fresh coriander leaves for free.

It was such a tiny gesture, but I still think about it.

And sometimes I imagine a future where I'm conducting a free health camp at an old age home simply because I can.

Those little memories..and those tiny glimpses of the doctor I still hope to become, are usually enough to make me sit down and study for another hour or two.

But then there are days when I genuinely feel like I didn't learn anything in 5½ years of medical school. I struggle with basics I feel like I should know by now, and that thought scares me more than the exam itself. I catch myself wondering... How am I ever going to become a good doctor?

Every dream now comes with 300 people's horror stories attached to it. I don't even know which fear is mine anymore and which one I've borrowed from the internet.

Meanwhile I'm 25.

Parents aren't forcing marriage...but those tiny comments have started. "So what's the plan?" "We're just asking..."

I know they're concerned.

But every innocent question somehow feels like another MCQ I don't know the answer to.

Honestly? Sometimes I don't even want a rank.

Sometimes I genuinely fantasize about deleting every app, throwing my phone into a lake, moving to some tiny hill station and joining a pre school as an art teacher where nobody asks me: "Oh you're done with med school? What PG course are you doing now?" "How much did you study today?"

Unfortunately my parents love me enough to not let me randomly vanish into the hills.

Anyway so....

If anyone else feels like they're mourning the version of themselves who started this journey full of confidence...

You're not the only one.

I still hope we'll meet that version of ourselves again.

Vet visit went well and they are thriving <3🧿