Weight loss story: “I eat meals cooked in mustard/coconut oil to lose weight and reduce cholesterol levels”

When Subhajit Goswami weighed a staggering 100 kilos, he was devastated. Being overweight not only exposed him to several health challenges but it subjected him to people’s judgements and harsh remarks. It was then the 31-year-old decided to change his lifestyle and lead a healthy life. Here’s a look at his inspiring journey.

Also read: Weight loss story: This IT professional got ripped muscles by sleeping for 8 hours and skipping rope everyday

Name: Subhajit Goswami

Occupation: HR Talent Development Manager at TCS

Age:31

Height:5.7

City: Hyderabad

Highest weight recorded:100

Weight lost:21 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight:15 months

Once my weight touched 100 kilos, the kids in my society started calling me Uncle from Bhaiya.

The transition hit me hard. Very soon I started having health issues like high cholesterol causing chest pain. I approached a cardiologist and was advised to change my lifestyle. So I started waking up early at 5am and finished walking 10k steps using a smartwatch.

Again in the evening after finishing office, at 7pm, I walk another 5k steps to destress myself.

The evening walk is done to keep my mental health at check and destress myself after having a long day at work.

I use mustard oil/coconut oil to cook as it has less cholesterol.

My breakfast: 3 Idlis with sambar, fruits (assorted) after 1.5-2 hrs from breakfast

My lunch:1 small bowl of brown rice, mixed veg curry /fish curry, veg salad

My dinner:3 chapatis, mixed veg curry/ fish curry, veg salad

Pre-workout meal: Empty stomach in the morning

Post- workout meal:1 glass of Warm Water mixed with lemon and honey 1 tsp in the morning

I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I have cheat meal only once in 3-4 months

My cheat meal includes:
Homemade Pani Puri
Homemade Chicken Biryani
Homemade Egg Roll

All homemade items cooked in mustard oil only as it has less cholesterol

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Chicken Soup, Brown rice + Soya Paneer Curry, Veg Salad

I wake up at 5am in the morning and walk 10k steps. In addition, I walk 5k steps in the evening at 7pm after office hours.

I realised that staying honest to yourself helps deliver fitness results.

How do I stay motivated?: Working out in the morning keeps me motivated the entire day. I have developed the habit of reading. Reading newspapers and books helps keep my mind positive.

How do you ensure you don’t lose focus?: I used to binge watch a lot of OTT content which was affecting my mental health. Then I have decided to distance myself from OTT content and replaced it with the habit of reading newspapers/ books.

Also I plan my entire day in the morning and making a checklist of all pending activities for the day keeps me focused. Once the lifestyle is balanced, focus and discipline comes automatically followed by results.

Some of the issues I faced include:

Health issues develop at an early stage.
Body shaming at social events.
Forced to wear oversized clothes, it becomes embarrassing to look for your favorite clothing brand which does not have your size.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?: I would like remain consistent, having a healthy and disciplined lifestyle.

I stopped having junk and street food. I strictly have home cooked food only cooked with mustard oil or coconut oil and I wake up at 5am and sleep at 9pm.

Lessons learnt from weight loss:

Eat only when you are hungry.
Wake up on time
Eat on time
Sleep on time

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.