When life throws curve balls your way, you can either duck and complain or use it as an opportunity to turn your life around. Something similar happened with 28-year-old Ritika, who happens to be an associate consultant. When her weight became a hindrance in being able to lead a normal, healthy life, she decided to change her lifestyle for good. From completely quitting sugar to eating dinner before 5 in the evening, her weight loss journey is an inspiration, through and through.
Name: Ritika Bhatia
Occupation: Associate consultant
Age: 28 years
Height: 5 feet 3 inches
Highest weight recorded: 70 kgs
Weight lost: 12 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 6 months
The turning point: I have always been a fit child as I used to practice Bharatnatyam (a genre of classical dance) during my childhood. However, after I quit my dance classes due to studies and then eventually my job, I started gaining weight rapidly. Ultimately, I gained a whopping 15 kilos and developed a chronic backache, which made my life really difficult. That is when I realised I needed to do something about my weight.
My breakfast: I start my day with 1 glass of warm water and one glass of lemon honey water. After that, I have an oatmeal smoothie with a handful of almonds and walnuts and 1 egg white.
My lunch: Before I have my lunch, I have at least 2 units of fruit (any seasonal fruit) followed by lunch which includes 2 chapatis with desi ghee, 1 bowl of curd and any green vegetable.
My dinner: 2 chapatis and 1 bowl of dal. Also, I make it a point to finish my dinner before 5 in the evening. I do not consume any carbs after that.
Pre-workout meal: I have sprouts, quinoa and chia seeds salad with a lot of raw vegetables like cucumber, beetroot and turnip.
Post- workout meal: I have 2 egg whites and a glass of skimmed milk.
I indulge in: I absolutely love gorging on pizzas, burger and fries. Hence, I do indulge in them atleast once a week. I think you deserve that much if you work out like crazy. Also, this way you won’t be craving for junk for the rest of the week.
My workout: I do yoga and meditation for at least 45 minutes in the morning. I hit the gym in the evening where I focus mostly on cardio (running, skipping, cycling and aerobics) and weight training (a specific day for a specific body part).
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I blindly vouch on the homemade oatmeal smoothie. I add 1 banana, one cup pre-soaked instant oats and half a cup of milk. It is the best way to kickstart your morning.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: I have completely stopped consuming all forms of white sugar and processed food. I have realised that when you cut down on white sugar from your coffee, tea, biscuits, chocolates, processed juices, and even aerated drinks, it does wonders for the body.
How do I stay motivated? When you start seeing tangible results, you feel happier and lighter, day by day.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? I make it a point to go to the gym 6 days a week, no matter what. Even on the days when I am really tired, I still do some lightweight exercises.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? There were times when people passed unsolicited remarks on my weight– especially those whom I had met after a long time. It was really heartbreaking for me.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I think I have already achieved my ideal body weight. Now, my goal is to maintain my current physique.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? I was very meticulous with my diet. Some of the major lifestyle changes which I made are:
1. Eating on time
2. Keeping myself hydrated
3. Eating small and frequent meals
4. 8 hours of proper sleep
Another lifestyle change I swear by is drinking a glassful of water, half an hour before and one hour after eating.
What was the lowest point for you? When I started working out, I started experiencing terrible body pain. Also, since I suffered from chronic back pain due to being overweight, it was difficult for me to do some of the exercises.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: Discipline and hard work were the two major pillars of my weight loss journey. The initial journey was surely not easy, as your whole body starts paining when you start working out. This is why, it is important to stay focused, work hard and not lose hope.
Don’t expect to develop six pack abs overnight, just hang in there and one day you will have the body of your dreams.
If you too have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toihealth1@gmail.com
read the full story about She lost 12 kilos in just 6 months and her backache vanished
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