Weight loss story: “I had hot lime water early in the morning and ate a low carb diet to lose 63 kilos”

Malay Pandey loved eating and had a very static lifestyle. Even before the onset of the pandemic, he weighed 125 kilos, which further increased by 12 kgs, leading to a staggering 137 kgs. Only when he stopped fitting into his clothes and his friends began to pass humiliating remarks, did he decide to mend his ways and start his weight loss journey. Here’s how he lost a whopping 63 kilos.

Also read: Weight loss story: “I dropped 22 kilos by eating brown rice and doing Suryanamaskar in the morning”

Name: Malay Pandey

Place: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Age: 22

Occupation: College Student

Highest weight recorded: 137 Kgs

Weight lost: 63 Kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 13 Months (Started From January 4 2021 - Present February 2022)

I was always a foodie and consumed a lot of junk food. Even before the pandemic hit us, I was morbidly obese, weighing a staggering 125 kgs. Additionally, I gained 12 kgs - thanks to unhealthy eating habits, my couch and gaming console. I had a very static and lethargic lifestyle. I laid on my couch, played games, ate pringles, oreo, chicken nuggets, burger, pizza and what not. However, when I stopped fitting into my clothes, had to either get them stitched from a tailor or browse through the internet to get “plus-size” clothing, I realised it was high time I did something about it. My college and school friends started to troll and body shame me too. That was the point I thought it was a wake up call and that I needed to do something about my weight.

My breakfast: Oats with a banana, hot lime water early in the morning at 5:30am + Pomegranate and 2 small apples on alternate days .

My lunch: One chapati + dal + normal homemade low calorie sabzi (curry) + a small bowl of curd and jaggery.

My dinner: I had a low carb diet, which was a mix of sprouts, salad and only chopped pieces of 5 egg whites.

Pre-workout meal:- Green tea and sometimes an orange.

Post-workout meal: Protein shake or a small apple sometimes.

I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I didn't resort to cheat meals until i reached 95 kgs (my target till that time) but after that, once or thrice a month, I ate whatever I liked i.e Burger, Pizza, Biryani, Brownies etc., but in accordance to my calorie count/carb and fat intake.

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Jaggery and curd mixed together (At One Point They Became My Favorites), homemade sabzi + 2 chapati and dal.

My workout routine mainly consists of 45 minutes of cardio + early morning 5 kms jog starting at 5:30am. Additionally, I indulged in 45 minutes of weight training in the gym.

As long as you are physically active, you'll never be unhealthy.

Secondly, it's absolutely okay to workout in your own set of time and duration. Never force yourself to a level where you feel any discomfort. Plus it's good to maintain your momentum and take rests on weekends specially Sundays and Saturdays for your body to cool down/ This way you can perform better than the previous day. It's also important to track down your progress in the form of steps walked, duration of exercise, tracking by smartwatch, water intake etc to see your potential and how far you can exceed.

How do I stay motivated?: I stay motivated when people who have seen me at my 130+ kg tell me that I'm a role model to them. When I see that I'm physically fit now, I am motivated to move forward. People persuade me to unveil my diet or workout routine to bring in the change in their lifestyle as well.

How do you ensure you don’t lose focus?: I see my old pictures and try to maintain the continuity or momentum of my hard work daily with dedication.

People’s judgement and remarks bothered me the most when I was obese. Apart from that, health problems took a toll on me (specially breathing issues when i used to climb long stairs or tried to run for a while)

What was the lowest point for you?: The lowest point for me was when I was told I can never be fit in my life and that I wouldn't be able to achieve my weight loss target and the only future people see for me is touching the scale of 150-200 kgs. However, I had to prove them all wrong. 13 months later I am fit and have achieved a certain level of fitness.

What shape do you want to see yourself in 10 years?: I don't pre-define any shape or size. All I wish is to stay motivated and focused and will try to maintain this same physique throughout my life.

One of the major changes that took place in my static lifestyle was leaving my couch and comfort zone. I inculcated waking up early in the morning as a daily part of my routine alongside jogging, as it gave me a breath of fresh air to start the day. I feel more agile and active as compared to my previous lifestyle. Waking up early in the morning and going to bed early are the biggest changes that took place during my weight loss journey besides eating healthy and hydrating myself.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: You can never succeed in anything unless you've an inner desire and intrinsic motivation from within yourself to bring that change. Similar scenario is there with weight loss and maintaining a proper healthy lifestyle no matter how much you're pressured, forced or told to do so, you can't accomplish your goals and achieve your milestones until and unless you've that fiery passion or desire within you.

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.