How did I lose 48 kgs in less than 7 Months

We’ve all been there…we’ve all gotten up one fine morning and cursed every calorie we’ve ever consumed that’s ultimately added to our waistline and belly fat! Especially after realizing that we can lift as much as we want in the gym but if we don’t eat right, our weight loss journey and those extremely intense workout sessions at the gym account for nothing.

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Such is also the observation made by me after joining the gym during my college days but not restricting the calorie intake whatsoever. What I have realized so far in my weight loss journey is that the most basic thing you need to get right is your diet, along with setting up an exercise routine that you can follow in the first place and then religiously following it.

My weight loss journey has been a long one and it is only through trial and error that I’ve been able to lose a whopping 51.6 kg.  I weighed 126.7 kg when I was about, to begin with my first job right out of college. This is when I realized it was time to turn it around and in about 7 months, I managed to lose around 48 kg.

How to lose weight: My religious diet plan

Well, while most of you may disagree with me on this but staying at home with family definitely helps with a strict diet plan which one can follow with of course slipping in the occasional favorite dishes every once in a while.

I had started working out during my last year in college, but I did not get visible results because of my irregular diet plan. Like other hostelers, I used to binge on junk food and high carb meals from various food joints which really just negated the efforts put in the gym. So, once I was at home, it felt like the right time to start with a strict diet plan. The credit for this also goes to my family who helped and motivated me to stick to it during the initial period.

Because of my super hectic work schedule, I started working out in the late evenings (still do). My breakfast comprises of one bowl of muesli in skimmed milk (it’s basically white water :P). After about 2 hours I have a scoop of whey as my mid-day snack. Lunch is on the lighter side since I work out in the late evenings. It comprises of a bowl of watermelon and papaya with another bowl of boiled spinach. That’s all!  I would grab a piece of nutri-choice biscuit or some dry bhel in the afternoon for a quick snack. After coming back from work, I have a cup of green tea along-with 10 almonds and 1 khakhra and 1 nutri-choice biscuit to fuel my workout. Post work-out I have a heavy dinner comprising of boiled chicken, 6 egg whites, a bowl of boiled spinach, a scoop of whey and a small bowl of dal. Since I stay awake till late night, I start feeling hungry at midnight. So, I have some watermelons to curb my midnight hunger cravings.

Even though I try to plan all my meals, I have never counted any calories, and would suggest you do the same. My intent to sort food and select the right things to eat is based on their high protein and fibre content and low carb and saturated fat content.

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Now what works for me might not fit in your diet at all, so it is very important to make your own diet plan as per your choice and preferences. What you have to keep a check on is the calorie content in your meals. Believe me that’ll work wonders for all of you unless you’re from another planet :P. Basically, try and start your day with a cereal with some milk. You can also opt for some other healthy options like homemade poha or 2 idlis for those of you who prefer an Indian breakfast. Since most of us are working 9-5 jobs, it is better to have a light lunch since all we do throughout the day is sit in our chairs. So, for light yet lunch opt for a fruit plate, or 2 small homemade chapatis with a bowl of dal, or maybe a bowl of your favourite cereal (as per your preference). Make sure not to have cereals if you’re opting for them during breakfast. For evening snack also, have something light like some low calorie bhel (if you’re opting for the packaged ones), or a protein bar or some plain chana with a couple of multi-grain biscuits. That should suffice for most of you. Now, if you’re working out in the evenings, then opt for a high protein dinner comprising of boiled chicken/ plain cottage cheese, about half a dozen egg whites/ boiled broccoli, protein shake as per your preference. Now for those of you who’re working out in the mornings, just switch this dinner meal with that of your lunch. To add to this, try and slowly cut down the sugar intake via your daily hot beverages. I know this is tough, but gradually cutting it down will work wonders for you.

Following this diet plan 7 days a week, and 52 weeks a year will definitely give the results which you want to achieve. Of course, a few cheat days can always be fitted into your schedule. You deserve that! But even while following this diet plan, what you should keep a check on is the portion control. Remember, binge eating healthy food can also increase the overall calorie intake. So this might hinder your weight loss goals even though you might think that you’re eating right.

Which weight loss exercises to follow?

I believe that once you’ve got your diet in place, the work out part will become fairly easy to plan and execute. I would alternate between weight training and cardio. Even in weight training I sometimes go for lighter weights and higher repetitions and sometimes heavier weights and lesser repetitions. Remember that while cardio might help you with the initial weight loss, but too much cardio can have adverse effects on your body. It will drain your body of all the energy and you will start to lose muscle mass as well. So, keeping a right balance between the right amount of cardio and the required amount of weight training is an absolute necessity!

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What is my exercise regime now?

My routine has evolved a lot since I had started in Dec 2017. I tried a lot of different things as I met and came across different people with their own idea of fitness. I started with slow cycling. Then I moved on to fast paced cycling and also tried running, the standard gymming, and HIIT (high-intensity interval training or sprint interval training is a form of training that focuses on practising intense anaerobic exercises with less intense recovery periods, until the body is too exhausted to continue).

My current regime comprises of intense weight training of specific body parts spread across the week along with light short period cardio simultaneously. I end the week with some long intense cardio sessions during the weekends.

This is the exercise regime that I currently follow on a daily basis:

– Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are dedicated to intense upper body strength training.

– Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday evenings are for core and lower body strength developments

– Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings are for intense cardio sessions.

I also try and rest my body for any one full day of the week depending on my schedule. In that case, I rearrange the workout sessions for the subsequent remaining days of the week. One small secret is that I do not do more than 5 reps a set in any of my routines because I try and lift as heavy as I can for 5 reps a set. This little trick has massively helped me gain strength and build muscles. This routine has also helped me lose fat tremendously.

How to maintain the weight you’ve lost?

My current weight varies between 74 kg and 76 kg — this is after some healthy muscle gain as I have never stopped exercising and still indulge in it on a regular basis. I make sure that I keep a check on my overall sugar and fat intake. Also, opting for boiled food and roasted dishes has helped me maintain the weight on an overall basis.

Any tips for someone who’s trying to lose weight?

For beginners, it is okay to not know a lot about fitness and food intake but simple things like avoiding oily, fried, and junk food should be practised. Please avoid food with high content of saturated fats and high sugar. I know you have heard about this or read it somewhere but believe me there is no shortcut to this as these two elements directly contribute to weight gain! You should also time your intake, have the heaviest meals during the morning and the day (for breakfast and lunch). But this should match with your workout schedule as the body needs a lot of nutrition post workout not only for muscle and tissue repairs but also for energy requirements.

It is not mandatory to join a gym. There was a span of 7 months where I did not go to any gym but I ended up losing about 48kg and tighten the loose skin simultaneously. If your goal is only to get fitter for a healthier body and to not get ripped, then you can definitely do this at home. Basic exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and an ab routine can help you improve your fitness. Some intense cardio will definitely take care of the excess weight loss.

So, best of luck on your weight loss journey and see you all on the other side. Cheers!!

Taagung Team – Amazing story of our achiever Soham, also appeared on Times of India