We've been asking you, dear readers, to share your inspiring fitness stories with us.
Rediff reader Shilpa Parasrampuria, 43, from Mumbai reveals how she lost 12 kilos in six months.
I have polio in my right leg and used to walk with a crutch in hand.
On December 22, 2018, I had a bad fall and cracked my polio leg knee bone.
The following day I was operated. A steel plate and 8 screws were inserted in my knee.
I was bed-ridden for 8 months which led to weight gain.
In June 2019, I was 65 kg.
Eight months after the accident, when the doctor asked me to walk for 10 minutes daily, I was not even able to walk 10 steps with a crutch.
When I put my feet on the ground, I was basically putting my body's full body weight on one leg, I felt a lot of strain.
I realised that I had to lose weight and get fit. But since I was physically challenged, I had my reservations.
I did not want to risk going to the gym or do any exercise and hurt my leg further.
I was always independent and did not like the idea of taking help.
At the same time, I wanted to go back to my normal life.
The toughest part was to convince myself that it was possible to lose weight.
That's when I saw (actor) Anupam Kher mention on (stand up comedian) Kapil Sharma's show how he had reduced weight by walking.
I was not confident about walking on the roads of Mumbai, but I had to start somewhere.
On July 1, 2019, I started walking in my small room, beginning with 500 steps.
It was tough initially.
Slowly, I challenged myself and started walking 1,000 to 1,500 steps before taking a break.
Today, I can walk 10,000 steps in a day. And I do it six times a week.
At the same time, I googled celebrity diets and workout routines and understood two things: If you want to stay in shape, you must have an early dinner and low carbs on a regular basis.
I made some changes in my diet too. I gave up fried food, processed sugar and maida-related foods like white bread, pav, samosa etc. I started consuming less salt in food.
I switched to homemade food to achieve my goal.
I managed to bring my weight down from 65 to 53 kg in just six months.
Here’s the diet I followed:
Morning: Lukewarm water with lemon.
Breakfast: 2 eggs with lots of veggies or poha/upma with tea
Lunch: Roti, dal, vegetable, salad and curds
Evening: Tea and one fruit
Dinner (before 7): Bhel or soup
I don't have any cheat days as I’m happy with whatever I eat.
The important lesson I learned is that you should have dedication and confidence in yourself. I kept telling myself, 'I can do it. It's all in the mind.'
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