This man’s dedication will inspire you to stay fit too!
Dayanand Ganji comes from a military background and being unfit and overweight embarrassed him for the longest time. Over time, he revised his daily routine, his diet and worked hard to get back in shape. He stopped eating carbs, indulged in running/walking and incorporated cardio and weight training in his workout schedule. Slowly and steadily, he noticed change and lost about 27 kilos. Here’s his weight loss journey:
Read also: Weight loss story: “I stopped eating white rice, maida and oily foods, lost 20 kilos”
Name: Dayanand Ganji
Occupation: Services Project Manager
Age: 48 yrs
Height: 174 cm
City: Mumbai/Bahrain
Highest weight recorded: 97 kgs.
Weight lost: 27 kgs.
Duration it took me to lose weight: 4 months 15 days.
The turning point
Back in 2019, when I was in Dubai, I wanted to do skydiving, but was denied because of being overweight. Being from a military background, I could not accept that embarrassment, which is why I have decided to lose a few kgs, come back a bit stronger. My initial target was to reach below 85 kgs. I started working out regularly and cut down my carb intake by 100%. I reached my target, but I did not stop there. I began working out at home and this gave me the opportunity to stay more focused. I also started cooking my food at home and I continued the momentum to lose further, which is when I weighed 69kgs.
Diet followed
My breakfast: Sprouts/Eggs/Chickpeas/cheese/moong dal dosa/Ragi Dosa (any one of these) plus fresh fruit juice.
My lunch: Fish/chicken/vegetables/dal/chicken soup.
My dinner: Salad/Soup/Fruits
Pre-workout meal: Sometimes I take black coffee before evening workout.
Post- workout meal: After morning workout, I eat my breakfast and after evening workout I drink warm water with lime, followed by dinner.
I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): First two months – I did not take any simple carbs, after that once in two week I eat chicken with rice.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Fish with vegetables, sprouts, ragi dosa
Workout regime
For the first three months, I indulged in 60 minutes of walking/running everyday, followed by 30 minutes of weight training, which included ab workouts. I followed the same routine in the evening. Later on, I engaged with both cardio and weight training.
Fitness secrets I unveiled
Over the course of my weight loss journey, I have realised that creating a calorie deficit can work wonders. Also, drinking lime with warm water early in the morning can also aid your weight loss goals.
How do I stay motivated?: Initially, I pushed myself everyday, and when I started seeing results then my day-to-day results kept me motivated.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus?: Everyday I set my target. The day I don’t see any drop in my weight, I go the extra mile and ensure that I see good results the next day.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight?
Since I was from a military background, being overweight and unfit was a great embarrassment to me. I always wished to be fit and it is why I am going the extra mile to achieve my desired goals.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?: Right now my BMI is 23 and would like to maintain this throughout.
What are the lifestyle changes you made?
I compromised with my leisure time. I cut down on delicious, spicy foods and stopped hanging out with my friends.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: Calorie deficit plus regular walk/run/workout is the key to losing weight.
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.