Weight loss story: “I lost 25 kilos by counting my daily calories and doing resistance training”

Aparna Pande was at her lowest when she weighed 80 kgs, which was almost 25-30 kgs more than her ideal weight. Not only did being overweight give rise to many health challenges, but it also made her question if she was ‘really’ comfortable in her own skin. Over time, she made up her mind to take care of herself and decided to bring certain changes in her lifestyle. She counted her calories regularly, indulged in daily workout and slowly brought on the changes she hoped to achieve. Here’s her weight loss journey:

Also read: Weight loss story: “I turned vegetarian and lost 31 kilos by eliminating junk food and practicing mindful eating”

Name: Aparna Pande

Occupation: Certified Nutritionist & Fitness Trainer and a PR professional

Age: 34 years

Height: 5 ft 2 inch

City: Delhi

Highest weight recorded: 80 kgs

Weight lost: 25 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 1 year 10 months, includes derailments and losing track in between which are part of the process and learnings in one's fitness journey.

Joining the fitness community called FITTR and later studying Nutrition & Fitness Science that helped me unlearn misinformation around food and exercise.

My breakfast: 3 Eggs/ 2 Breads ( each side approx 20 gms)/ 5gm Butter/ Chai made with 50 ml milk and 1 tsp sugar (Approx 300 calories)

My lunch: Chapati/Rice/Oats (50 gms), Dal (25 gms), Curd (100 gm) or Buttermilk (200 ml), Vegetables (200 gms), Oil (Mustard Oil/Ghee/ Olive oil) - 10 ml : Approx 550 cals

My dinner: Chapati (50 gm wheat flour), Paneer (50 gm), Potatoes (100 gm), Oil (any) - 10 ml : Approx 450 cals

Pre-workout meal: Almonds & Banana (1 hour prior to my workout) - Approx 125 cals

Post- workout meal: Whey protein 1.5 scoop (45 gm) : Approx 150 cals

My total calorie intake daily is around1650 cals. Calories from above food - 1550 calories. I keep a buffer of another 100-150 cals to fit in a cup of tea/ a fruit, 2 pieces of biscuits / a piece or two of chocolate or else I simply adjust it in my lunch or dinner. I weigh my food when I can and eat out of an estimate when I cannot. Also, I keep a flexible diet and keep adding all sorts of vegetables, legumes, lentils, fruits, grains to ensure I get varied nutrients from all these sources. I also take a multivitamin tab and a fish oil tab as part of my daily routine.

I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I sometimes indulge in Pizza, ice cream and chocolates. But I don't keep specific days for them. I have tried doing it in the past, but it doesn't work for me. If at all, like a friend's birthday, a special occasion or when on holiday, I would categorise these as reward days, not cheat days and I try to eat as much mindfully as I can without guilt and get back on my routine post that.

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I don't particularly swear by low calorie recipes. But if I need to restrict my calorie intake for some reason, then to feel fuller and satiated even with lesser food, I try to include low-calorie high volume food like Fruits and vegetables. My balanced yet less calorie go recipe would be Eggs+sautéed Broccoli or cauliflower+Potatoes, as well a good Mix vegetable Salad with a protein source.

Never copy someone else's diet plan since how much a person should eat whether to lose fat, gain weight or muscles or even maintain their current fitness levels will be different for every individual depending on various parameters like their age, weight, height, activity levels, diet history, health issues or metabolic disorders if any; as well as their goal. If your dietician or trainer gives you a diet plan without assessing the above parameters - change them ! Not only will it have a detrimental effect on your fitness, it can even have serious health repercussions in the long run.

I indulge in resistance training at home or at the gym 5 times a week. I absolutely love lifting weights. My workout programme involves a good 5-10 mins of warm up, another 10 mins for mobility drills (working around your joints, getting better at movements and preparing your body for the stress of training), 10 mins for exercises for the core and 30-40 mins for weight training. I end my workouts with some stretches.

Start with small steps and create healthy habits - one at a time. And keep repeating those till the time it doesn't feel like effort anymore. Then move to the next. Crash dieting may show short-term results and only on scale, but it messes up your metabolism, mindset, renders your muscles weak and gives no benefit long term.

How do I stay motivated?: Motivation is overrated. You may not feel motivated on all days. Even on days I don't feel motivated, I make sure to do some movement at least even if it's stretching, mobility work and a walk, even if it's for 10 minutes.

It's okay and acceptable if you lose focus at times. Sometimes other priorities will come to the fore. It may be family, personal relationships, health, financial priorities and at that time no matter how much you try, taking that hour or two for your workout or having your nutrition on point may not necessarily be on top of your list. Don't beat yourself up for that. Being healthy means your physical, mental as well as social well being. Attend to your priorities, adapt to the changes and just try to move and remain as active as you can in your daily routine and get back up when you can. Which is why I always have a short-term goal. I always have a 'why' for whatever I am doing. When I achieve one goal, I create another goal for myself and that keeps me going and working towards becoming a better version of myself. Even if I face any derailments in between and lose focus, the goal always helps me to get back on track. It's all a part of the process. You always become better than the last time and get equipped to deal with it in a better way.

The state of helplessness. When you are aware that you need to take charge of your health and fitness but still don't know what to do or how to begin, and you keep hanging on to that 'soon' but are unable to get to it in the absence of right guidance. From being overweight, to becoming obese...you keep getting closer to several potential lifestyle disorders and soon find yourself at one extreme. No matter how much we try to pacify ourselves by saying we are comfortable in our own body, deep down we know we live with the troubles. It is not just about how you look in the mirror or how that makes you feel, it is also about what's going on inside your body and how that in turn shows its effects on your outer self too.

What was the lowest point for you?: When I weighed 80 kgs which was almost 25-30 kgs more than my ideal weight, that number suddenly started giving me major lows. I suddenly felt as if I had come to a point of no return. I started questioning as to why I stopped taking care of myself, something I was so particular about in early days. I started cutting off socially.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?: More than the shape, I want to keep achieving the best possible fitness levels for myself as I grow which will of course happen with the right nutrition and training. 10 years from now, I want to be physically active, be less prone to injuries, have better mobility, flexibility, agility, cognitive functions and be able to retain as much muscle mass possible even as sarcopenia sets in (the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength as a result of aging).

At least 30 mins of activity each day. Eating everything but in moderation. Not labeling any food as good or bad in my head. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep, and this works wonders in terms of both nutrition and exercise.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: It is important to create a healthy relationship with food. The most important of all - sustainability, which is to stick with things that are doable and feasible for me in the long run. Since nutrition plays a key role in our overall health, I try to include foods that I can easily access and consume on a day to day basis, even when I visit my family or travel. Another lesson learnt is of creating habits rather than seeking motivation externally. Consistency is always the top factor in making you fit for life.

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.