Sunday, December 28, 2014

The story of shedding those extra pounds-Part-II


Those frustrating days!

After the sweetness of my initial success, my weight not budging for the next two months really frustrated me. I didn't understand why i was not losing more weight. What was i possibly doing wrong?? 
Courtesy: letsgettoned
I thought i needed to step up my workout strategy. Walking alone did not suffice i assumed. I decided to join the gym. I tried to workout in the gym atleast for 1 hour, 4-5 days a week. Mostly concentrated on cardio exercises. Did the group activities like Zumba which were fun for me. One month down the lane, i still had not lost weight. I could not digest that fact. I was sweating it out and feeling fit, but why didn't it really reflect on the weighing scale?! 

The Weight Watchers era

Courtesy: Amazon
Then once, i came across a program called Weight Watchers. It is an online program in which one has to record the food consumed everyday in the weight watchers online diary. Every food item has points, except for fruits and veggies which has zero points. You would be given a budget within which you can use up the points per day. However, since fruits and veggies have zero points, you could consume them at any point of time during the day leaving your budget unaffected. Every time you ate something, you had to record it in the online diary and it calculated the number of points you have consumed and how much you have left for the day. It was an interesting concept. Seemed more like a game to me. And being a scientist myself, i am one of those persons who loves to experiment. So i decided to use the trial version of the weight watchers diary for a month. 

So the following month involved eating within the budget of points and my regular workout 4-5 times a week. Since fruits and veggies had zero points, i realized i was eating more of them during my hunger pangs and feeling victorious that i still have my points safe to be consumed for dinner! It didn't mean that i did not eat any sweet stuff. But limited quantity of it. For instance, a piece of milk chocolate accounted for 3 points. If i had 2 pieces, then i used up 6 points, subtracting it from the points i had left for the remaining meals. So it was up to me to decide if i wanted that two minute pleasure of eating that chocolate, or a larger meal! It was a mind game. But i followed it sincerely to obtain genuine data for my new "experiment". I could also enter my own recipe, like rajma masala or dhal or sambhar and it would calculated the points it accounts to. 
And yes, one month down the lane i was 4.5 kilos lesser!! My joy knew no bounds. After some months of frustration, it was finally a feeling of fulfillment. 

Those internal system changes!

Hence, one more month of the same routine and gymming followed and another 4 kilos were lost! So 6-8 month down the lane i was almost 19 kilos lesser!!! It was indeed a great sense of accomplishment.
- I stopped using weight watchers as by that time my appetite had reduced on its own, i was satisfied with small portions of food.
- Fatty food made me feel heavy and didn't give me so much satisfaction or joy. 
- I felt great craving when i saw fresh fruits instead. 
- I got addicted to working out. three days continuously not working out would make me feel somewhat dull and depressed.
-So many sustainable changes took place internally. 
- My skin was more radiant and looked younger.
- My hair-fall was under control.
- I rarely got sick
- I could fit into dresses which i only dreamt of wearing earlier
- Even during stressful times, i got into a good mood post- working out
- I felt fitter, healthier and just very very content!
Courtesy:Gold's gym facebook page
Courtesy: FB page Gold's gym Adyar

WHAT NOW?

So now, here i am,  one year down that lane since i started this challenging task.....So is that it? Have i reached my destination? Nope. My weight got stuck after losing 20 kilos. I am maintaining the same weight for the past four months without following any particular kind of a diet. Just eating what satisfies me. And I of course have my "Cheat days" eating out. It is again frustrating not being able to lose weight easily again. But this time i know that i can go on and break this point too. It is only matter of my mind how much i want to push it. I am also concentrating a lot on toning my body and getting rid of the loose skin. I Started doing and enjoying weight training at the gym which i hated before. My new love, is....Pilates! What an amazing workout. I think it has helped me sculpt my body better. I really am able to visualize the difference.
But....Nevertheless, i am still some kilos away from my target and hence plan to start my Weight Watcher's type diet again come this new year!! 
Looking forward to the challenge!


Then & Now! The difference!!
Readers Take home message

A. There are no short-cuts to losing weight. A regular workout and a proper diet is the key to success.
B. It takes time to lose weight. Hang-on there. Trust me, you are not alone in that situation.
C. Don't give up mid-way...cause you may never get to experience the contentment you would get when you reach your target! It is the sweetest feeling.
D. Get addicted to the feeling of happiness post-workout (Find that pleasure in the pain)!
E. Yeah, right it is because of the release of the happy hormones. So who needs any other substance to get you high?!
F. A healthy lifestyle makes differences inside and outside...and Yes, you deserve to experience that!

JUST GO FOR THE KILL, YES, YOU CAN DO IT!!

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