We asked Get Ahead readers to share their stories of weight loss with us. Here, 25-year-old student Rohit Daga shares how he dropped 16 kilos in three months flat:
I always hated exercising, so when I gained some weight in college I considered trying an alternate way of losing weight.
I am 5' 8" tall and weighed 71 kgs at that point of time. Though it did not embarrass me, the "feel good" factor was just not there with that kind of weight.
So, I set out to drop the excess baggage. I do not like carbonated drinks, so soft drinks were the first to be removed from the consumption list. Then I stopped eating sweets, chocolates, cakes, butter, cheese and potatoes (and everything made from potatoes like chips and vadas).
I drastically cut down my sugar consumption; it just added too many calories. In addition to these measures, I would drink lots of water. I found that drinking about eight litres of water a day could do wonders for your body. Besides, it is a good way of detoxifying your system.
I love fruits; and so increased the amount of fruits and vegetables I consumed. Papaya, cucumber, tomatoes, onions and carrots became an important part of my daily diet.
In the evenings, I would usually get very hungry and I'd order junk food. That is something I targeted. I started to eat a cucumber and a tomato in the evenings; they have a lot of water and satisfy your hunger as well. I stopped eating while watching TV. What I realised was that when I eat while watching TV, I tend to eat more than was necessary. So I just cut it out altogether.
My daily diet was as follows:
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Breakfast: Cornflakes and hot milk (300 ml) or 1 plate of idli (two pieces) or a small plate of papaya
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Lunch: Two rotis, cooked vegetable, one onion and half a cup of curds
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Evening: One glass of sweet lime or orange juice (without sugar), one cucumber (medium sized) and one tomato (medium sized)
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Dinner: Two rotis and cooked vegetables
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Late night snack: One carrot (medium sized)
Apart from this, I made sure I was not seated for more than 30 minutes at a stretch. I would just take a walk for two minutes or drink some water, which helped me keep burning more calories. I also stopped using lifts and escalators. Instead, I started using the stairs, which also really helped.
Over a three-month period, I lost 16 kilos and went from weighing 71 kg to 55 kg. So, although I didn't need to lose a lot of weight, the method obviously produced results.
Many people will recommend various methods for how to lose weight. However, you need to adopt a weight-loss plan that suits your personality. If you hate exercising, there is no point trying to do it against your wishes, you will just not enjoy it.
I did not like butter or colas, so I could cut it out of my diet without any regrets. I love ice cream though, and did not give it up. I just rationed it to once a fortnight. During this 3-month period, I enjoyed what I ate and was also happy doing it. I also did not spend any additional time on exercise, but managed to lose the weight.
So, make sure your plan is in-sync with your personality and something that keeps you happy.
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Were you once overweight? How did you manage to drop the excess baggage? Email your contributions to howilostweight@rediffmail.com, along with your name, age, occupation, contact details, and photographs of yourself both before and after your weight loss. We'll publish the best entries right here on Get Ahead.
