Thursday, May 23, 2013

The post where I think I am God - part 2

As we celebrated Chittu's birthday recently, it was a gentle reminder for me about the weight loss journey I have been on these last three years.
 
While the figure of total number of kgs lost these three years is a pretty hefty amount, I still do have a long way to go hit my " goal weight". Even my goal weight might be at the higher end of the BMI for my weight. But I am thinking now that even 69.9 is a mighty good number :)
 
I have read impressive stories on the internet about how people lost all the weight that I did plus more in a short span of time - say a year. For me it has taken around two and a half years to get here and I am still a fat girl for anyone who meets me without knowing any of my history.
 
Still, this has been my longest and most successful attempt at weight loss. While I don't intend to blow my trumpet, this blog is my sincere effort to prod and support those on a similar journey as me and who have felt helpless just like the way I do many many times, even now.
 
What was so different this time?
 
Answers are simple -
  • I have consistently been exercising since I started - that's lead me to run three 10k events - I have exercised after a month long vacation, taken injury breaks, fallen sick, shifted my home, travelled, attended family weddings, had a sick baby, severe professional stress - but still came back home to hit the gym/ do that run/ exercise video! 
  • I have conciously worked on my sweet tooth - lets face it - I love stuff that tastes sweet and I have over these years learnt to use lighter substitutes - like naturally sweet fruit, dried fruits, jaggery and organic honey
  • I have made the switch from eating highly processed food - like packed biscuits & cookies, cakes to eating whole foods - whole grains, a variety of millets, stone ground wheat, brown rice, different pulses & beans
  • I cook three meals a day - that makes me appreciative of the effort I put into cooking healthy, wholesome and nutritious meals for my family
  • I have learnt to grapple with my repeated failures to resist pizza, ice cream or sweets - i go right back to healthy living from the next meal on - rather than throw my hands up and say I lost the motivation
  • I have learnt to appreciate the wisdom of traditional cooking methods and cooking ingredients - like asafoetida (hing), pepper, curry leaves & coriander, garlic, ghee, ginger and many other traditional herbs & spices!
  • I have learnt to be creative - like do an exercise video if I can't go to the gym, opt for a hot chocolate than a triple scoop sundae, get the toddler to practise yoga along with me, spend an active evening in the park, try new recipes - like I only use whole wheat pastas, have created my own soups and the like - basically I put that effort into weight loss even though there might be a million reasons making me desist from it!
  • Support - I mean EVERY person in family who has seen me transform - has been very kind to me - ofcourse the Scientist is the one who got me to run, and who took care of the toddler during my body pump classes - but without that support and the support from this blog   I'd have not reached anywhere. Thanks guys for those kind words.
Well just so that any reader does not mistake me for a saint, I'll admit that I have even prayed to God and asked him/her to help me lose weight! Its a painfully slow journey many times- but that also gives you the time to metamorphose into a new being!
 
Have you heard of spoilt chocolate? Well the Scientist and I - this weekend junked a whole lot of the US chocolate because it was spoilt. That has NEVER EVER happened before in the Sugar household! On that note I'll zip it!!!
 

5 comments:

  1. so many wins , so it certainly requires spoilt chocolate party

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    1. :) sure except we junked it! thanks for reading and commenting!

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  2. Wow! You're truly one of the people I look upto!

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    1. those kind words are too much Sheetal.... This has taken me a long long while to accomplish.. you will also be there in no time :)

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  3. Such a honest and happy post! No wonder! :-)

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Yes. I Know you are thinking something. Please say it! Every word keeps me going!