I am a firm believer of ‘Listen to Your Heart’! It always Knows!! My pre-pandemic life was more lazy, casual and on the brink of acquiring health issues. I was more inclined towards my family needs and hardly could give time to MYSELF! I started deviating to the path of obesity and my health diagnostics did not came out as promising as they should have been for a healthy future and longevity.
With the onset of dreadful COVID which cost the globe millions of lives in a span of a year! It gave me goosebumps that signaled how important and precious it is to be healthy and fit, to fight for life! Obesity and underlying diseases are so interlinked that they can create havoc in our lives in matter of days!
DO we ever leave our phone batteries empty? The sooner we see them draining, we immediately run for the charger to fill them up to have our phone serve us uninterrupted and smoothly! Similar is the case with us. We cannot pour from an empty cup! Our body needs healthy fuel in terms of balanced diet, exercise and good mental well-being. Being healthy should not be treated as an OPTION! For your self, your kids and family, this needs to be adopted holistically by all and followed as a religion!
I now realised it was high time and my heart yearned for a change of Hope! Change of Life! And a physically good healthy ME! I took the plunge to recreate a new version of ME!
It was an uphill task in the beginning where you are required to deviate from your routine path and adopt a lifestyle that is more contributing to your well being and positivity. As they say ‘Habits are compound interest of self improvements.’ Rather opting for a big leap, I started with baby steps like
Getting up early and doing some basic Yoga and breathing exercises. They were easy to follow from YouTube.
With professional mentoring and guidance, the road to success became more easier as I was well aware about ‘What’ to Eat! ‘When’ to eat! And most importantly ‘What Not’ to eat. I followed diet charts which had a balanced combination of proteins, veggies, carbs and healthy fats.
I used to refer articles from health experts which was a food for thought and helped me in ascertaining the right proportions of salt, water and sugar for our body. I ensured that I keep myself hydrated all the time. Weight loss should not result in muscle loss/make you look feeble.
As it is rightly said, weight is gained in days and months. So, the weight loss should also happen similarly. There is no crash course or short cut to the same. I made sure I ate two fruits a day, small meals accompanied by early dinner and good sleep. I substituted the intake of junks with nuts, berries, Makhana, Millets, Quinoa, brown rice to name a few. I referred to lot of easy recipes available on internet with all easily affordable ingredients in my kitchen.
Another key thing is to not give too much attention to your weight loss but enjoy the journey. Measure your weight every 10 days and not each day.
During the course of my journey, I was in constant touch with a medical practitioner. I got blood tests done every quarter to keep a check on health parameters. Each body is different so one has to make oneself cognizant about what suits your body, anything allergic or working against your goal should be consulted with a medical practitioner.
Many times, I craved to binge on junk, namkeens being my favourite, but perseverance and self-tutoring your mind to stay focused and be consistent did wonders for me. Small amendments to your daily routine will help you achieve the desired weight.
Exercise doesn’t mean start lifting heavy weights or exert yourself to the extent. Rather I started with 15mins yoga and a 30mins walk, listening to my favourite music to keep me in good spirits. Even small chores like dusting, cleaning, making beds added to my physical activity targets of the day.
After a span of 3 months, I started visualising light at the end of tunnel. My health parameters showed improvement and my energy levels escalated. Such was an experience that it increased my hunger to be fitter and gave me a confidence that I was on the right path.
Slowly and steadily, I was there, where my energy levels, confidence and zeal went north and my weight went south! I was on cloud nine with my wardrobe smiling at me with fresh new sizes of attires and I was enjoying my ear to ear smile every moment I glimpsed at the mirror.
Losing weight or achieving health is not a pitstop. This requires continuous efforts, mindfulness and commitment from your side. This should be adopted as a religion. Last but not the least, my immense gratitude to my family and friends who supported me in this blissful journey and the new ME inspired them too, to believe that self-care should become a primary goal of one’s life!!
So, friends! “One Day? or Day One. It’s Your Choice. If you ask me..Will it be Easy? NOPE!!!Worth It? ABSOLUTELY!!
