No magic pills

There is SO MUCH written about weight loss. Weight loss industry in India alone, stands at about Rs.8000 crores (1 crore =10 millions) Every day, when I open the newspaper, there are at least 5 advertisements for weight loss and fitness. There are many which charge you for the number of kilos you want to lose!
Almost all my friends are trying to lose weight. They ask me how I manage to be, the way I am, despite having two kids and despite being 35. (I am 5 ft 4 inches tall & weigh 53 kgs which is about 117 pounds) When I say that I watch what I eat and I work out, they say “Oh!—but YOU don’t need to work out. You never put on weight.”
Excuse me!!! EVERYONE puts on weight (yes—I have had my share of battles with the bulges too.) and I NEED to work out. Isn’t prevention better than cure?
Somehow, I am paranoid about putting on weight. I watch my weight carefully and the moment it goes to 54, I step up my work out and eat healthier. (more fruits, less fried stuff etc )
It is no picnic to try and lose even 1 kg. It is an uphill task—literally. Theoretically it is easy. Everything you eat, has calories. Calories are burnt for every single activity that you do, including sleeping.—If you burn more calories than you consume, you will naturally lose weight. It is that simple. The rate at which you burn calories is called Basic metabolic rate. You can do many things to boost your metabolic rate. This article is a good one.

There are no easy methods—there are no short cuts. If you starve yourself, you will end up with saggy skin and hair loss—not to mention other ailments caused by lack of nutrition. If you work out too much and not eat right, you will again fall ill. What is most disappointing is that you do not get instant results. It will take at least a week to ten days, to lose even 500 grams.(unless you go on crash diets—which are not healthy)

Personally, I don’t go to any gym. I have a professional treadmill at home. On most days, for half an hour, my view is this.(After this I do a bit of yoga and ab-crunches)

Since treadmill can get monotonous and boring, I usually use my mobile and text friends. Or I watch an interesting movie on my DVD, while on the treadmill. (The experts call it the disassociating effect—where you switch off from what you are doing) I also have weights at home, though I confess I haven’t touched them ever since I got back, from my holiday.

My brother has been a great influence on me, when it comes to fitness.(He is a fitness maniac, into body building and I have seen the amount of dedication and care he takes. He has a very high pressure corporate job, yet makes time for fitness) He once told me “Don’t compare to yourself to your next door neighbour or friends. Your role models should be somebody you really admire.” I told him that the ones I really admire are celebrities and they have an army of servants to take care of their children and also have personal trainers. He told me to not use that as an excuse and see what I could achieve, given my ‘limitations’.
Today, I am happy I took his advice.
If you want to lose weight, the first thing is to accept that it is tough and is going to take a LOT of hardwork. Second is to eat healthy. Third is to drag yourself to workout, even on days that you don’t feel like it. The last is to persist, persist and persist.

Good luck!

Comments

  1. Hi.My first visit.nice posting..The most important thing i learnt is pushing yourself to do it even when you dont feel like doing it.Easier said than done..I try my best and your blog will motivate me further..hope so !
    Your blog title Just a mother of two..Hmm i like it..when people are struggling with just one kid,you are approaching it beautifully by saying..just a mother of two..hats off to your positive attitude
    God Bless
    TC
    CU

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  2. For a long long time I had weight issues, I was underweight, with lot of difficulty I have stepped it up a little.. somehow I always feel it is overrated..

    but great to know you work out and healthy food, I am sure it would help in a lot many ways.


    PS 5:42 am? wow thats awesome time to blog.

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  3. I just started a diet as well. The difficult part is to get back into living healthy. I am an emotional eater. When there are things going on with the children for example I eat to much. Afterwards I know what to do like you said work hard.
    So your post comes at the right time to get motivated.

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  4. I kinda feel off the wagon for 1 year now...been always into fitness..being a endomorphic kinda guy, i tend to bulk up into mass piles of muscles whn i hit the gym...i kinda like that also...always had a soft corner for incredible hulk...i really need to get back and pump those weights...thnks

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  5. I agree, eat right and excercise. I know so many people who are do special diets and work out plans and joining things like Jenny Craig and their weight goes up and down and never seems to settle. I worry most about people in my family who try different weight loss drugs. My MIL has heart damage from one drug she has taken and now she is trying a different one. When I try and suggest the eat sensibly and exercise thing they get angry at me and tell me that since I've always been thin I don't understand.

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  6. Losing weight is very hard. For the last four months, the only change I made was to walk my dog every more for a half hour. I have lost 17 pounds. Now that this is an habit and cool weather is here, I can make other changes.

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  7. i've heard people telling me that too :)i don't diet but exercise per se is sporadic..but now with a gym and a pool in the condo here, ther's no excuse...so i shall persist:))

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  8. I hate when people say that to: oh you're thin, you don't have to worry about dieting!
    Well, the only reason I don't worry is because I take care of myself, so if you don't want to suffer to lose weight, don't gain it in the first place. That's the basic rule ;)

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  9. My doctor told me to keep on eye on my weight..so I keep it all at the front where I can keep an eye on it!

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  10. Oh,that's a very healthy living. Me too, i do crunches every other day and my friends envy me for not having bulky belly.

    You really have to be patient and be excited for the results ;0)

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  11. Hi

    Oh How I know what you are talking of here. Its taken me one year of watching what I eat and working out regularly to lose almost 8-9 kgs. Im happy coz people who knew my "fatter" avatar do notice the change.

    I go to a gym though coz Im a person who gets bored easily. So even though Im not a celebrity with a battery of servants to look after my home and kids, I frequent a gym and have a personal trainer :-D It works only coz she pushes me that extra bit...which I cannot do without.

    You seem to come across as somebody with a lot of self control and that is an admirable quality. I, on the other hand, am a person who gets carried away easily and need more pushing for a work out regimen than a treadmill at home. Hence the gym and the trainer.

    Ritu

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  12. Some pretty good advice there PS, ty!

    I used to be on the treadmill when I went to Gym...and arobics classes too. Not anymore...now I just take a daily 45mins walk..and all's well :)

    And I agree...eat healthy n in moderation.


    Keshi.

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  13. Hey Preeti,

    You keep prompting me to recommit...

    55 kgs...WOW That would be a dream come true....for me....

    Great insights
    Thanks for sharing....

    Right now if I can be even 65 kgs...I would be thrilled!

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  14. Hi ps,

    I strongly believe in fitness as well.

    "Oh!YOU don’t need to work out. You never put on weight"

    I often hear that comment too and it annoys me!!

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  15. No wonder you look so damned good!

    Cheers!!!

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  16. Nice post....must hve inspired all those who want to lose weight!

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  17. I'm coming up for 37 and am starting to get a little pooch on the front. Never had one before! Always have been thin thin thin. So I am starting to exercise more. It makes me sad. I hate it.
    But! I'd rather be healthy. Not just look better, but feel better. No sense having these two kids if I can't keep up with them!
    (my metabolism is slowwwww. Used to be fassssst!!!!)
    xoxox
    Love ya!
    Gillian

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  18. hi. Visting ur blog first time.

    n i found it very interesting.

    Really i should say that u have written so well.

    Even m so fitness freak that i used to weigh two times in a day. My mother called me a simply mad

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  19. Yep losing weight is hard compared to gaining weight. And quite interestingly this sure has become a full fledged industry.. 5k for 5 kgs and blah blah blah.

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  20. Lucky to have brother, you, who can motivate you. I think the biggest obstacle in staying fit and lissome is lazyness. Kill it...and you kill the flab.

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  21. This is such a great post!! AWESOME!

    I am with fruits as well. I prefer them to just plain boiled vegetables. Though Brocolli does calls out my name at times.:)

    And my escape from the monotonous things like jogs and cardio are dance dvds that i bought. I love dancing/ skipping thats one way to disassociate the thoughts of excercising away for me.I have three of them. Diffrent types of dancing meant for exercise.

    This post has a motivating factor on it! Thanks PS! woo Hoo!

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  22. yaa ppl do expect instantaneous effects..i used to too once upon a time...and whats most irritating is whn ur friends tell u "u never put on weight...u always seem juss right"...heellloo!!dont u see the effort and dedication put in? hmpf!!
    somehow i just cannot compromise on my diet...and neither on my sweet tooth...so i resorted to the only other option---working out...(wch means only treatmill to me mind ya...cos im too lazy to go to a gym neways).i listen tomusic while im at it...dint realise thr was a word coined for it too...to me the "dissociation effect" was juss "pure timepass"...heehee...now tht i know of this, seems more sophisticated...ahem!! :-/

    cheers!

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  23. Recently, i visited Mumbai and was amazed to c the slim, sexy and healthy girls in amazing outfits, i looked like someone from the stone age in front of them. I was embarrashed and decided to shed those extra pounds. So i have started with a healthy diet and regular exercises, hope to get back to shape soon.

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  24. Ahhh see i KNOW this and yet I keep making excuses. My wedding is is less than 2 weeks away and I'm not happy with the way I look - but u know what - I'm going to start from today - even if I don't achieve my ideal 'look' for the day I'll get into a routine that will make happier in the long run :)

    Thank you.

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  25. i never had a problem with my wt unless i had a thyroid condition n with tht it becomes half the food n double the exercise...nw i'm not tht good at controlling my cravings for chocolate n stuff like tht but i do eat in small portions n i don't hv a maid at home, i go on photowalks n try taking the stairs instead of the lift...n i guess blogging n reading burns a few calories too...so i somehow manage never to get obese or overweight...

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