What’s Next: Brown girl guide to losing weight in the USA
Health is Wealth?
I never believed in this quote. During my childhood, my wealth was defined as good grades, awards, appreciation followed by rewards, etc.
You must have guessed it; I was an obese kid for as long as I can remember. I remember being mocked by kids at school, called “ fatty,” and “UGGO.” The only topic at the social gathering was how I looked and how I should lose weight. I was an ugly, fat, unibrow teenage girl who couldn’t care less about how she looked or ate. This will resonate with many “brown” kids who grew up in a competitive environment like mine.
When I came to the states, I gained 20 pounds due to apparent reasons like stress and an abundance of fast food. I binged on food such as bagels and pizza to save a few bucks. I was not mature enough to realize the long-term implications of unhealthy eating habits with zero exercise. Again, the focus was to get a job, so I used to spend hours together sitting and hogging on anything and everything.
In the summer of 2018, during my internship at GEP, I came across a few young girls suffering from PCOD due to their weight. That was the awakening moment for me and I decided to take ownership of my health. I started researching diets and one of my colleagues suggested that I should try the KETO diet. I was hesitant at first as it is a low-carb, high-fat diet but at the same time, I was motivated enough to try it. I did some research and decided to try it despite some resistance.
I got enrolled under a coach(Anshul Augnivansh), and hence my journey began. It was not easy as no one was ready to support me, it might be out of love/protection so I was all alone in this awful journey of breaking up with my favorite thing in the world(carbs)!! As expected, the first few days were awful. My day started with bullet coffee(coffee with coconut oil). My lunch was usually a chicken salad, and the same was for my dinner. I also coupled it with intermittent fasting after a few months. So I ate during the 7–8 hour window and fasted for the rest of the time. The initial results were great; I lost 2–3 pounds over a few weeks, but then the weight loss was prolonged. My mood was directly dependent on the number on the weighing scale.
I also started hitting the gym several times a week to escalate my weight loss. I did take a few cheat days here and there but made sure to get back on track the next day. With sheer willpower, patience and persistence, I could continue this diet for a year. I saw excellent results and lost 40 pounds with it. Eventually, I even learned to make wise choices so that I could enjoy all my social gatherings. My coach was a tremendous support during this endeavor.
If you have tried to lose weight, you would know that maintaining your goal weight is more complicated than losing it. Especially if you lost it with the help of a fad diet. After reaching my goal weight, I decided to slowly introduce carbs back into my life. This was the trickiest part, as the chances of gaining weight after a KETO diet are high if you don’t follow the proper regime. I also continued weight lifting, eating proteins and salads to tone up my body. The best part about the KETO diet is that since it is high in fat, it always gives you a feeling of fullness, and hence you eat less, but in a regular diet, you have to be mindful of your calories. I was super scared to gain all the weight again, and hence I only ate 1500–1600 calories per day along with 1.5 hours of the gym to keep the extra pounds at bay.
All of this came with a cost, I was diagnosed with FOOD DISORDERS after two years of a strict regime. I realized something was wrong when I was always hungry, no matter how much I ate. It went to an extreme state when I finished an entire cereal box for a few consecutive nights and experienced a sugar rush. I consulted a nutritionist, and she diagnosed me with it.
So now I had to mend my eating to cure this. She suggested that I not worry about the quantity and eat until I feel complete. The only caveat was to ensure that my plate consisted of at least 30% of raw veggies or fruits. I followed this regime for 6 months, and my love-hate relationship with food was over. I was not using food as a medium to hide my emotions. And one thing led to another, but I went through an entire phase of feeling every emotion as I was not shoving it in a burger or chocolate anymore.
Even after maintaining my idle weight for a year and receiving loads of compliments, I was still facing body dysmorphia. I used to beat myself with negative self-talk on my fat thighs, which gave me an hourglass figure. It took me a long time to make peace with my body structure through positive self-talk and journaling.
It’s been two years for me with my current weight. I don’t deprive myself of any food group anymore. But I am able to do it because I was able to change my relationship with food. I finish a chocolate bar in 10 days instead of 10 minutes which I used to do before my weight loss journey. I drink loads of water and try to be active by alternating between sitting and standing. I always knew the importance of building muscle to keep the extra pounds at bay but never believed it until I recently got my body scan done and realized it. However, I was 65 kgs(143 pounds) which is 5 pounds heavier than my goal weight, and I had only gained muscle during the entire process. The image posted here is me at 143 pounds, but no one believes it as weight training tones your body. I can’t stress enough how important it is to lift heavy, even for girls.
I work out five days a week for 1.5 hours. I do an hour of weight training followed by 30 minutes of cardio. I also have a fitness trainer who guides me through new exercises and keeps a check on my form. Since my job is grueling, I get up at 5 AM to go to the gym five days a week. I try to keep up with my meals(though it does become problematic).
The girl, who was always the last to finish a race, also does 5K during the weekends. I also tried Pilates for a few months and plan to return to it very soon. Also, we all know that you can’t have six-pack abs in a stressed mind. I am also trying to overcome that, but it’s still under process. I hope to write another blog describing my success someday.
Some of you who might read this blog might think, “I can’t leave carbs,” “I can’t exercise,” “I can’t live without brownies,” etc. You can find ten reasons why you can’t lose weight, as did I for 23 years. But you just need one reason to begin and take baby steps towards this challenging but enriching journey. I have never felt so good about myself, so I suggest not do it for the aunt that mocks you during a family dinner or your boyfriend/girlfriend who wants you to look your best, do it for yourself so that you are driven enough to get up from the bed at 5 AM and go to the gym/exercise despite any external or internal circumstances.
