The story of shedding those extra pounds-Part-II

Continued from....The-story-of-shedding-those-extra-pounds

Those frustrating days!

After the sweetness of my initial success, my weight not budging for the next two months really frustrated me. I didn't understand why i was not losing more weight. What was i possibly doing wrong?? 

Courtesy: letsgettoned

I thought i needed to step up my workout strategy. Walking alone did not suffice i assumed. I decided to join the gym. I tried to workout in the gym atleast for 1 hour, 4-5 days a week. Mostly concentrated on cardio exercises. Did the group activities like Zumba which were fun for me. One month down the lane, i still had not lost weight. I could not digest that fact. I was sweating it out and feeling fit, but why didn't it really reflect on the weighing scale?! 

The Weight Watchers era

Courtesy: Amazon

Then once, i came across a program called Weight Watchers. It is an online program in which one has to record the food consumed everyday in the weight watchers online diary. Every food item has points, except for fruits and veggies which has zero points. You would be given a budget within which you can use up the points per day. However, since fruits and veggies have zero points, you could consume them at any point of time during the day leaving your budget unaffected. Every time you ate something, you had to record it in the online diary and it calculated the number of points you have consumed and how much you have left for the day. It was an interesting concept. Seemed more like a game to me. And being a scientist myself, i am one of those persons who loves to experiment. So i decided to use the trial version of the weight watchers diary for a month. 

So the following month involved eating within the budget of points and my regular workout 4-5 times a week. Since fruits and veggies had zero points, i realized i was eating more of them during my hunger pangs and feeling victorious that i still have my points safe to be consumed for dinner! It didn't mean that i did not eat any sweet stuff. But limited quantity of it. For instance, a piece of milk chocolate accounted for 3 points. If i had 2 pieces, then i used up 6 points, subtracting it from the points i had left for the remaining meals. So it was up to me to decide if i wanted that two minute pleasure of eating that chocolate, or a larger meal! It was a mind game. But i followed it sincerely to obtain genuine data for my new "experiment". I could also enter my own recipe, like rajma masala or dhal or sambhar and it would calculated the points it accounts to. 

And yes, one month down the lane i was 4.5 kilos lesser!! My joy knew no bounds. After some months of frustration, it was finally a feeling of fulfillment. 

Those internal system changes!

Hence, one more month of the same routine and gymming followed and another 4 kilos were lost! So 6-8 month down the lane i was almost 19 kilos lesser!!! It was indeed a great sense of accomplishment.

- I stopped using weight watchers as by that time my appetite had reduced on its own, i was satisfied with small portions of food.

- Fatty food made me feel heavy and didn't give me so much satisfaction or joy. 

- I felt great craving when i saw fresh fruits instead. 

- I got addicted to working out. three days continuously not working out would make me feel somewhat dull and depressed.

-So many sustainable changes took place internally. 

- My skin was more radiant and looked younger.

- My hair-fall was under control.

- I rarely got sick

- I could fit into dresses which i only dreamt of wearing earlier

- Even during stressful times, i got into a good mood post- working out

- I felt fitter, healthier and just very very content!

Courtesy: FB page Gold's gym Adyar

WHAT NOW?

So now, here i am,  one year down that lane since i started this challenging task.....So is that it? Have i reached my destination? Nope. My weight got stuck after losing 20 kilos. I am maintaining the same weight for the past four months without following any particular kind of a diet. Just eating what satisfies me. And I of course have my "Cheat days" eating out. It is again frustrating not being able to lose weight easily again. But this time i know that i can go on and break this point too. It is only matter of my mind how much i want to push it. I am also concentrating a lot on toning my body and getting rid of the loose skin. I Started doing and enjoying weight training at the gym which i hated before. My new love, is....Pilates! What an amazing workout. I think it has helped me sculpt my body better. I really am able to visualize the difference.

But....Nevertheless, i am still some kilos away from my target and hence plan to start my Weight Watcher's type diet again come this new year!! 

Looking forward to the challenge!

Then & Now! The difference!!

Readers Take home message

A. There are no short-cuts to losing weight. A regular workout and a proper diet is the key to success.
B. It takes time to lose weight. Hang-on there. Trust me, you are not alone in that situation.
C. Don't give up mid-way...cause you may never get to experience the contentment you would get when you reach your target! It is the sweetest feeling.
D. Get addicted to the feeling of happiness post-workout (Find that pleasure in the pain)!
E. Yeah, right it is because of the release of the happy hormones. So who needs any other substance to get you high?!
F. A healthy lifestyle makes differences inside and outside...and Yes, you deserve to experience that!

JUST GO FOR THE KILL, YES, YOU CAN DO IT!!

Have a holiday Wishlist...and live life bountifully!

I am incredibly excited to write this blog. Cause the topic is something which lights up a 100 Watt bulb in my mind and soul. Imaginations go racing in my head as i sit and dream about travelling. Yes, that's it, that's the topic.... My holiday wishlist!

I have a good old connection with a website called AIRBNB (https://www.airbnb.co.in/). The first time i used it was back in Spring of 2012, when some of my colleagues and i had planned a trip to Edinburgh, in Scotland.A friend of mine introduced me to this website. We were initially skeptical when we had arranged for an apartment which claimed to have enough beds to accommodate the six of us who were travelling together by car from Cambridge to Edinburgh. But to our great relief and surprise, it was indeed an excellent apartment, just as described in the website. It was neat and clean, had a huge furnished kitchen and three double beds which accommodated all of us comfortably. The heating worked perfectly in the cold and there were sufficient bed linen to cuddle into. There was also the parking space which we required. The best of all was the price we had to share was very very reasonable for all this comfort. I fell in love with the place for sure, but more so, i fell in love with this website. And i recommend it to all those who wish to travel around the world. Do check this link......(AIRBNB-REFERRAL).

As they say, the rest was history. I used this website many many times more after my first wonderful experience. I explored some of the lovely cities in Europe like Como, Heidelberg, Mannheim, London, Cambridge etc and used this website to book excellent accommodations. Needless to say, i also recommended it to many of my friends. They have an interesting tool called the "Wishlist", in which you can explore the website for the places you would like to visit and save them to your wishlist. I love this tool, as it lets me open up my imagination about the cities i wish to visit and help me visualize the places i would like to stay in those cities. I made my own wishlist of five places and would like to share it with my readers! Check out this link (MY DREAM HOLIDAYS- AIRBNB).

1) Shanghai

Shanghai Skyline (Source: Travelerarea)

I fell in love with New York city during my visit to the USA in 2012. I loved the big city atmosphere, the hustle, the bustle, the choice of restaurants and most of all the incredible skyline...When i thought, this was it, my favorite big city...Someone just told me," Hang on, not so soon. Wait till you see Shanghai. New York would seem so old!"....Really?  Shanghai is better than NEW YORK??.....I couldn't believe what i had just heard. I knew it that moment. I had to visit Shanghai, China's biggest city!!

Hence i added it to my wishlist on AIRBNB. I picked up a compact, neat and clean apartment close to the city center and public transport lines, with excellent reviews.  It also has a kitchen which is convenient for a vegetarian like me, as China is not too veggie friendly. More so, the reviews said that the hosts were very helpful and friendly. What better way to start to explore Shanghai, than to get some tips from the locals!

2) The Grand Canyon

The Colorado river flowing beneath the Grand Canyon

Yeah, strangely enough i am leaving glitz and glamour of China's biggest city and going as close as possible to mother Nature, in all her natural marvel and splendor. Grand Canyon is a place which captured my heart at first sight. I once drove with my cousin from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon and hiked down to the camping site along the bright angel trail. I was totally unprepared for what came upon me. The whole two night-two day trek, which we took down to the Colorado river and back was closest to the nature i have ever been! As painful and sore as  my muscles were, i, for the first time in my life had the sense of great accomplishment when i completed the trail successfully.! Meeting several fellow trekkers and sharing experiences with them was an experience of a lifetime. And suddenly, when we were driving back to Las Vegas, it left me craving for more. I wanted to go back to the Grand Canyon and feel that peace i felt  in the middle of the humongous work of nature, despite all the body pain!

Hence, i picked that as the second place on the AIRBNB wishlist. I picked up a lovely place close to the Grand canyon south rim. The room looked very cozy and entire place was very well lit. The reviews suggested that the place was also very close to nature and the host was excellent. More so, it looks like an comfortable place to come and tuck-in after a exhausting trek down the Grand Canyon!

3) The Italian Alps

Italian town around Italian Alps (Source:italy_travel_guide)

Italy is a country which is very versatile, with its world-renowned cuisine, breath-taking cultural hubs, its seas and its mountains. According to me, its a must-visit country. The Alps is spread across many countries. Picture perfect sights, turquoise lakes, lush greenery, medieval castles and the snow-capped mountains. But i chose the Italian alps for the very reason that it carries with it that unique Italian flavor, say for eg. the smell of the classic italian espresso! 

I added an bread & breakfast place in a small italian village called Veneto to my wishlist. The place had that coziness to it, to take a break away from the stressful work life. For me, it seems like that perfect place to unwind, explore the breathtaking alps and take a short skiing break!

4) A Grecian island

An island town in Greece (Source:Greece wall papers)

I fell in love with Greece, when i watched the 2008 movie 'Mamma Mia'! The traditional Greek buildings along the crystal clear deep blue seas. The history, the geography, the traditions and the nature..everything about the Grecian islands captured my imagination. I knew at that moment i watched that movie, that i had to go to this gorgeous country!

Hence, i picked up a nice bread & breakfast place in the pretty island called Amorgos in Greece. This accommodation is as close as possible to the mountains, seas and has gardens surrounding it. Needless to say, the reviews suggest that the hosts are helpful and friendly people! (Not that i expected anything else from the Greeks...

5) Barcelona

City of Barcelona (Source:worldlunghealth)

Barcelona O Barcelona...What a rich and vibrant city. It has takers having varied interests. Art, history, architecture, football clubs, beaches, parties, the young and the old. It is the city which makes the Catalonian's proud! I personally love the Spanish culture and the Spanish language (Well i am aware that they speak Catalonian in this region..but nevertheless!). It is a city i have decided that i must visit in my lifetime. And i picked up a nice accommodation to stay on AIRBNB,when i indeed do visit the city! I picked a place with a balcony, close to all the major sight-seeing places in Barcelona. It is a city to be explored by foot and the city center is the place to live in! All i need is a little cozy room to come and crash at night and i think i found my perfect match!

The five places i added to my wishlist got my imagination running. The world is huge and yet somehow small. Life is short! So make your own wishlist and live life bountifully. I wish you all the best for your good wishes to come true! 

Godspeed and adios! 

Global Hindustanization

It was night around 10 pm in the city of Dusseldorf in Germany in early November 2008. I asked the car pooling guy to stop the car as i thought i had reached the metro station which my friend had asked me to get down at. As i got down from the car and pulled along my rug sack bag, the cold breeze from the river Rhine chilled my spine. My cheeks turned pink and my hair was flying. "Vielen Dank für die fahrt!", i thanked the person for the ride from the city of Hamburg to Dusseldorf, as i closed the door behind me. As i walked towards the place i realized that i had got down at the wrong stop, misreading the sign board. I immediately went into a panic mode. I tried to reach my friend on the phone. But her number was not reachable. I had no clue where i had got down and how to get to my destination (the metro station). I put on my rug sack and started walking down. I asked some people passing by for the nearest metro station and went into it. I looked at the metro map at the station, trying to figure out what to do now. I suddenly heard a voice behind me, "Moechten Sie Hilfe?" ("Do you need some help?"). There was a cheerful, blond lady standing behind me. "Ja, mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut. Sprechen Sie villeicht English?", (" my german is not so good. Do you perhaps speak english?").

"Yes, i speak English. Where do you want to go?", she asked me. "I am visiting a friend who lives here. I am supposed to meet her at the Königsallee S bahn station. I got down at the wrong place and i dont know how to get there. I am unable to reach her on phone!", I said all flustered. "Calm down. Don't worry. You have to take the metro line from this side of the platform. I will take you. I also go there", she said smiling. "Thanks a lot for the help!", I smiled back.

As we were walking to the platform she asked me, " Which country you belong, you are Arabic?". "No no, not arabic, I am an Indian", i said. " What! you are from India??! You know SHAH RUKH KHAN??", she literally yelped out a scream. " Yes of course, i know Shah Rukh Khan!", i said. " Oh my God!! I love Shah rukh Khan.I love Bollywood movies. Even my daughter. We are craazy about the songs and dance. Very nice!", she said literally jumping out in excitement. "Wow, thats nice to hear!", i said surprised. " Do you know he is married to his wife Gauri for sooo many years. He has two children, one sohn and one tochter. He is so romantik. Ich liebe ihn. I love him!", she continued. " I love this song Mahive Mahive, u know from his film, Kal honaho....What is meaning of Mahive?". " Err, Mahive. I dont really know what is the meaning of it. But i know the song from Kal ho Na ho. Very nice song indeed", i said. I was slightly embarrassed that i had never thought about the meaning of the word Mahive, which is commonly used in several Indian movie songs. " India is so colourful. Movies full of songs and dance. It is sooo nice. I am happy to meet someone from the country of Shah rukh Khan!", she said cheerfully.She sat and spoke to me for 20 minutes until my train arrived. I told her thanks for her help and boarded the train. "Thank God for Shah Rukh Khan i wasn't stuck helplessly all by myself!"

This was one of my first experiences living abroad where i encountered the phenomenon of 'Hindustanization' of the world! Who knew that our movies were so popular around the world and that Shah rukh Khan was a rage among European women, especially the Germans. Did you know that there was a International conference on Shah rukh Khan and global bollywood which was held in Vienna in 2010? I had watched a documentary on the same on German television.

I was also surprised to know that Yoga was mighty popular in all the countries. Every gym and every University had yoga classes regularly taking place in Germany. I did not know that there was something called Bollywood dance, which was so popular among the Germans. Not to mention that bhangra songs which have become an integral part of the German night clubs. I still remember the first time we had our university freshers party in a night club in Hamburg. I and some of the other Indian students roared in excitement when they played 'mundiya tu bachke rahi' and started dancing like mad. We created an infectious atmosphere and the rest of the crowd decided to join our dancing, asking us to teach them 'bollywood dance moves'. The Indian students association also organized a 'Bollywood party' to raise charity money in Hamburg in 2009.

Do i need to mention about the popularity of Indian cuisine? It is incredibly popular all over the globe. What about the samosa's and chicken tikka masala's, Mango lassi's and mango chutney's. Once a European colleague of mine asked me for a special favour...to bring him back an exclusive box of Shri Krishna Mysurpa while i returned from my annual trip to my hometown, Chennai! I found that Masala dosas's were a rage among the German folks during my visit to the pretty city of Heidelberg in a small Cafe called MASALA!..Exclusive vegetarian and vegan restaurants have become extremely popular in Germany these days and most of them serve a wide variety of Indian dishes. Needless to say the enormous choice Indian cuisine offers to vegetarians. 
                                         
                                  

What about the Indian people? The Indian community have for instance, become an integral part of American television. Right from the series 'The Big bang theory' to 'House'. From 'Homeland' to 'Harry Potter. Indian faces have become prominent. I met some Italian students in the students home where i was living in. They once told me, " Indians, They espeak good Inglis. So good Muah!, Italians cannotu espeak so good." I was quite surprised they noticed that. Once a Russian girl was telling me that she was very anxious about a certain situation. I gave her some advise. She then told me, " Thanks. Indians, they are so wise. So much wisdom you guys have". Wow, that was an unexpected observation!

The Indian culture and the Indian people are so popular all over the world. Be it Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood, yoga, ayurvedic massage or mango lassi. Afterall, we are the great Land which Christopher Columbus wanted to reach when he accidentally discovered the America's! Let us be mighty proud of our nation. We have every reason to glorify our culture! 

Be an active part of the phenomenon of Hindustanization and embrace it with open hands.....Jai Hind! (http://bit.ly/MITYTIndiblogger)

The story of shedding those extra pounds

After a super sweaty Zumba workout, I got back home and had my chilled whey protein shake. I then made some hot green tea (with ginger, lemon and mint)  and started sipping on it.  I think that a sweaty work-out followed by a fresh beverage is one of the most powerful secrets for feeling happy.  And out of nowhere  I had my moment of inspiration to write a new blog ( Yeah these sudden moments are very strange. I never understood how they come and how they go!). 

Hence, i am going to blog about something  which would strike a cord with many a soul. I am pretty sure that many have experienced those agonizing thoughts about all those extra pounds they carry under their skin. Staring at the mirror and thinking how lovely it would be to shed those layers of fat on their waist,  their thighs, their ass...Those dreadful love handles, those heavy arms, thunder thighs and whale-like belly. When they met skinny people, they have this wishful thought, " I wish I could do some fat transplant to them!!" . The agony especially increases  when they go shopping for cloths, "Oh my God, awesome dress-I only wish my tummy was not so visible", "Oh these sleeveless top- Agrhh, it shows my fat arms", "Oh these gorgeous printed pants, I wish my size was available", " Oh my God, these leggings don’t get into my thighs"…... The concern escalates when some function or event is coming up.  They get themselves new dresses and want to look good in them. They make a quick-fix resolution mainly during the week preceding the event (like GM diet!). And once the event is over, they bounce back to their old ways.  The work stress, tension, lack of free time and more often than not, long travel times to work are to blame. They have an immense craving to lead a healthier life. It crosses their mind every time they see a super fit person or when they see people eating loads of fresh fruits and veggies instead of the heavy meal they are gulping down. They get all excited when they see someone who has lost weight and ask them for their secret formula.  They hope that they would give them some amazingly easy miracle tip, which would help them too reach their goals.  I... have definitely been there and done all of that……. 

Finally one day  I decided to take a break and resolved to make serious changes to my lifestyle. This lingering craving  (to lead a healthier life) which was going on within me for quite a while, finally started taking shape.  It is most certainly not easy to keep it. There have been many times when I resolved to change my lifestyle, but I used to give up after a while. I thought that this time I needed to do something different. I needed to be more organised and have immense will power to lose those extra pounds off my body. 

The torchlight in my hands

To start off with, I decided to take some professional guidance. I went to a naturopathy centre (Ayushmaan*) and stayed  for 3 days. There we practiced yoga and aquatic yoga and ate the food prepared by them. I got my colon cleansed to have a fresh start. We also had several sittings in the infra-red sauna to get rid of the toxins in our body along with the sweat. Most importantly, the doctor there gave us some vital information and educated us about living a healthier lifestyle. I came to know that since most of the vital organs are in the abdomen region, the extra fat in the abdomen causes most dangers (hormonal imbalances) as it compresses the organs and restricts their functioning. I got some excellent guidance.  During my consultation time,  I told the doctor, " I had the slipped-disc condition few years back. I had to stop my dance classes and  aerobics classes for several months in order for the pain to subside.  And since I didn’t control my diet, I added several kilos!  but I do exercise regularly nowadays. I really don’t understand why, but it never helps me lose any weight. I am frustrated!".  He asked me one question, " Do you eat your food very fast?". I said, "Yes, that’s true. But why do you ask that?". He said, " Well, that is the main reason why you are not losing weight easily. You need to chew your food and break down most of the carbohydrates with the saliva in your mouth. This makes sure that your intestine has lesser stress on it. It will make a lot of difference".  It was as though someone had handed me a torchlight on the dark path of my newly made resolution! After three days I came out of there, rejuvenated and enlightened. (P.S. I know that many people visit these centres just for rejuvenation. But once they come out, they fall back into their old ways. For this guidance to help one meet their goals, one has to have immense determination within their minds to succeed !)

The next couple of months

Once I came out of the naturopathy centre, I followed many of the things I learnt over there.

• I started my day with just fruits. (I tried to skip morning coffee, but that was impossible...hence I kept the habit!). Apples, pomegranates, pineapples, kiwis,  watermelon, cherries, pears….i bought more fruits and picked any 2-3 of them for breakfast. Did not eat anything else at least for the next 2 hours.

• I had some nit bits every 2 hours. My lunch was not heavy. Instead I ate/drank at least 6 to 8 times a day.

• I started eating my food slowly. Chewed every portion of it until I could feel it breaking down in my mouth.  My meals took longer to finish and invariably as I noticed, the portions also became smaller gradually.

• I switched to whole foods, brown rice instead of white, whole flour instead of refined flour, red rice idlis instead of white rice ones etc. 

• I went for brisk walks regularly (5-6 times a week). Started off with 2 km and gradually increased it to 6 km per day.
• I reduced the number of times I ate junk food and reduced the quantity too.
• Instead of gulping down a whole pizza, i restricted myself to 2-3 slices, once a month, just to satisfy my occasional craving.

I continued like this for the next two months. When  I went for a regular check-up with my doctor, she asked me to get on the weighing scale. What I saw took me completely took me by surprise. I had lost 10 kilos in 2 months! And I had no clue it was happening. My doctor congratulated me on my weight loss and asked me to keep up the good work. It was a great boost to my motivation.  I thought I had found the secret formula to getting a sexy figure! All the excess baggage would melt away in a jiffy.

But just when I thought that I was in a rapid weight losing spree, I realised that two months down the lane, my weight had not budged even a bit! Such a disappointment.

Is it not possible for me to shed the rest of those extra pounds? Why is my secret formula not working anymore??..............Continued to...The-story-of-shedding-those-extra-Part-II

* http://www.livefulllife.org/