Weight loss story: How this doctor lost 110 kilos in about 2 years

Being overweight made everything difficult for Dr Anirudh Deepak. It not only took a toll on his physical self but also impacted his emotional and mental well-being. However, in 2018, when he was hospitalised with pneumonia, his life and his mindset changed completely. He decided to take accountability for his health and fitness and made significant changes to his lifestyle. This helped him lose 110 kilos in approximately 2 years. Here’s all you need to know about his weight loss journey:

Also read: Weight loss story: “I lost 46 kilos by following a quantified nutrition diet and working out 5-6 days a week”

Name: Dr Anirudh Deepak

Occupation: Doctor, Fitness Coach

Age: 28 yrs

Height: 170cm

City: Chennai

Highest weight recorded: 194.5kg

Lowest weight - 83kg

Weight lost: 110kg

Duration it took me to lose weight: Approx 2 years

In 2018, I was admitted to the hospital with Pneumonia. The doctor's then told me that I was a 'ticking time bomb' and anything could happen within the next 5 years. That really hit me and I decided that I had to take stock of my life.

My breakfast: Poha or upma or roti, soya chunks, salad

Snack: Fruits and almonds

My lunch: Rice or roti, dal or channa or rajma, subzi, curd

My dinner: Rice or roti, paneer, subzi

Pre-workout meal: No meal per se. Usually had a cup of black coffee to help me focus better in my workouts.

Post- workout meal: Usually I had a protein rich meal.

I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): Never had anything called cheat days. I included all sorts of staple and traditional Indian dishes after taking the calories into account for the ingredients going into them. Many times, I even included jams, spreads, yogurts, cheese etc as a part of my diet, so I never had the concept of "cheat meal".

I worked out 5-6 days a week for 1.5 hours approximately. It was mostly resistance training (weight lifting) and at times, I added some amount of cardio and HIIT as well.

Any form of exercise will help you lose weight if you're at a calorie deficit but adding a good amount of resistance training and adding the required amount of protein to your diet helps you to build muscle mass and makes you look in better shape.

How do I stay motivated?: I believe motivation is only the ignition to the journey. I believe consistency is key and results come as a culmination of your actions.

How do you ensure you don’t lose focus?: I had my ups and downs as well but the most important thing was to enjoy the process. It was always about looking at the bigger picture. One thing that was always on my mind is that I never wanted to go back to being the old me.

Everything is difficult. Difficulty in movement, daily routines, being made fun of in public, medical conditions to name a few. I would say, being overweight was difficult physically, emotionally and medically.

What was the lowest point for you?: The lowest point happens to be the same as the turning point for me. The pneumonia treatment in the ICU and the doctor's words really shook me. All the moments of being made fun of, unable to do my daily chores flashed before my eyes and I realised that I had to take stock of my life.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?: Hopefully to achieve the best version of myself with a good amount of muscle mass.

Everything was a lifestyle change. The whole journey is only successful if you build habits for life. We don't wake up and ponder if we should take a bath/ brush that day, do we? It's a habit that we follow. Similarly, fitness is a lifestyle. Making better choices with food and working out everyday is a habit to be built.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: It's always you vs. you. Never compare your journey to anyone else. Just strive to be better than your previous self.

If you have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toi.health1@gmail.com

These views are not generic in nature. Weight loss results vary for individuals and the views shared in this article offer no guarantee of specific results. The content is not intended in any way as a substitute for professional advice.