This story is from September 19, 2019

Weight loss story: “I was 31-year-old and had started looking double my age!”

"If you are overweight, you might be called fat, if you are thin, you might be called skinny and if you are strong, people may call you masculine. This is why it is important to be comfortable in your skin and strive to be healthy."
Weight loss story: “I was 31-year-old and had started looking double my age!”
Being overweight not only shatters your self-confidence but also leaves you feeling lethargic and uneasy, all the time. Furthermore, it prevents you from achieving your goals and leading your life normally. This is what happened with 31-year old Priyanka Rajkhowa, who experienced tremendous pain while climbing the stairs. That was the moment she decided to adopt a healthy lifestyle to get back in shape.
Here is her motivating weight loss journey. Read on.
Name: Priyanka Rajkhowa
Occupation: Human Resource Executive
Age: 31 years
Height: 5 feet 3 inches
Highest weight recorded: 80 kgs
Weight lost: 26 kgs
Current Weight: 54 kgs
Duration: November 2018 to April 2019 (6 months)
The turning point: One day, at the metro station, I decided to take the stairs, instead of the accelerator or the elevator. I did this because I wanted to prove it to myself that I can do everything a normal person can do. After climbing a few stairs, I started experiencing a sharp, stinging pain just beneath my heel bones. It became so painful that I collapsed right there and then. That is the point I realised that my excessive weight has now started affecting my life and I needed to do something before it was too late.

My breakfast: At around 6 am, I begin my day with one glass of lukewarm water with a slice of lemon squeezed into it. Around 7:30 am to 8 am, I choose from oatmeal, cornflakes, Upma, Dalia and idli with one apple for my breakfast. I also make it a point to drink homemade detoxifying water throughout the day. At around 11 am, I have an apple or banana.
My lunch: I have 2 chapatis with green vegetables, a portion of salad and 1 bowl of curd. Around 4 pm, I have a cup of black coffee or green tea with a slice of bread.
Pre-workout: I have coconut water before a workout.
My dinner: I have my dinner latest by 10 pm. I eat one chapati with green vegetables. Alternatively, I also have a bowl of sprouts or a bowl of dal. Finally, I drink one glass of lukewarm water before going to bed.
My workout: I work out in the evening for around an hour. Initially, I used to do cardio very intensively just to lose weight and increase my stamina. Now, I balance my workout session with all the standard exercises to keep my desired weight intact.
How do I stay motivated? I realised that I felt really positive and motivated after losing a lot of weight. Above all, I felt young, vibrant, energetic and strong, which kept me right on the path of fitness.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I vouch on fruit salad, curd and green vegetables.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: Do not skip meals to lose weight. It can prove to be counterproductive.
How do you ensure you don't lose focus? I have realised that people will never stop criticising you, no matter what you do. If you are overweight, you might be called fat, if you are thin, you might be called skinny and if you are strong, people may call you masculine. This is why it is important to be comfortable in your skin and strive to be healthy.
What is the most difficult part of being overweight? There were so many things that I wanted to do in my life, but I couldn’t because I felt lethargic, uneasy, moody and even cranky because of all the extra weight.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? I completely stopped eating junk food, changed my diet and started working out.
What was the lowest point for you? It was heartbreaking when I realised that I had started looking double my age because of my weight.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: There is no shortcut to losing weight. Starving yourself or gulping down the so-called weight loss pills will never help, rather it will only impact your health negatively. You have to work out and follow a correct diet plan to lose weight healthily.
If you too have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toi.health1@gmail.com
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