My Weight Loss Story : How did I manage to lose 10 Kgs in 6 months

Pandemic was a therapeutic experience for me. It was a blessing in disguise for home lovers like me who like it slow and peaceful, who are happy with frugal degree of human contact with absolutely no rush to get anywhere soon. Work from home ('WFH') was a boon and

Technology deserves a special mention here. EAT - PRAY - LOVE - REPEAT. This was my life in the last 8 months or so. With WFH Home interjections of course!

But the real reason why it was therapeutic in the literal sense is because I managed to shed close to 10 kgs in 6 months. Without any major workout regime. Purely by diet control. It was out of desperation not inspiration let me confess, but the bottom line is - It happened. I decided. I attempted. I did it. I was both surprised and glad in equal measures!

It helped me take on a new belief system that every thing is difficult before it becomes easy. ‘Overwhelm’ is just a feeling, not the real truth. You want to achieve your health goals, start with understanding your own mind and your own body. What works for most may not work for you and what works for you may not work for others. Weight loss typically is 70 % diet and 30% exercise.

At this moment I would like to clarify that being over weight per say was never an issue with me. But when it started affecting my health it did become a big issue. While I see so many record breaking weight loss stories, I choose to compare mine with my myriad failed attempts at so called ‘slimming down’ in the past. I also realize that since it didn’t bother me how fat or slim I was, guess I never really took weight loss seriously. This brings us to the foremost principle in goal setting - When your WHY is strong and clear your HOW becomes easy and organic.

Success is 20 percent hard work and 80 percent psychology. Did you know that we move forward by deciding whether we want to go towards something ( pleasure) or move away from something ( pain). So there are two basic principles or motivators that help us move in general - Pleasure and Pain. We either act out of inspiration or pure desperation. Always and every time. In my case it was desperation due to my health issues. My goal was to move away from the pain of health complications that excess weight brought along. Momentum was built by steady results that showed on my weighing machine. More than that I think the fear of a negative blood work report got me geared up every time I thought of sinning! Momentum continues till today, needless to say. Remember the saying ‘fear can be a great motivator’? Well, guess this is what they meant!

Pandemic helped me to stay focused as there really wasn’t much to be distracted by. My goal cards floated every where. U tube provided necessary information. Ordering food in was out of question. My kitchen turned into my food lab. Elements of Naturopathy and Ayurveda plus some basic science principles filled my platter.

My diet consisted of measured calorie intake and reduced carbohydrates. Low Carbohydrate Moderate Fat ‘LCMF’ diet as we know it. Tried sticking to roughly 140 grams of carbohydrates on an average through the day. So the carbohydrate was moderately low and not strictly low as in Keto Diet. No sweets. Raw food/ fruits. 3-4 liters of water. Mild walking, around 30 minutes, 4 days a week. Drinking some desi kadhas like neem water and turmeric water was a ritual I followed as a means to detox. Pranayama followed as and when I remembered.

After doing my own due diligence on mindfulness, I have come to a conclusion that most of fat accumulation occurs due to emotional stress and as a means of protection. Fat, sugar and water, this is the trinity that holds itself together, bound as one entity in our body. You work on your fears and you will see fat leaving you - layer by layer. If you hear your body that’s what it will tell you.

Yoga has taught me mind and body are connected in the loop of infinity - one feeds off the other. When you’re physically fit you feel mentally enabled and vice versa. My experience with weight loss confirmed this belief. Hope and possibility are hugely under rated in today's day and age. I feel much stronger and steady mentally and physically as I step into 2021.

Journey of fitness and weight loss has only begun for me and I haven’t reached my ideal weight as yet. I’ve set my target for middle of this year. Will keep you posted. Hope floats.

Till then, Happy Living.