Slow and Steady with your Body

Last year, I was about to cross 100 KG mark. I was not feeling Proud, but neither I felt any shame on my body nor guilt to being a overweight. Until one odd day, when our office lift was down for maintenance and I have to take stairs. I halted on second floor for good breath of air. I was literally pulling myself to climb up and Somehow manage to climb 5+1 stories building to reach office. I was unable to keep my breath in control for next 30 min. That was a sign, I am getting older (crossing 32 age) and fattier (95+ KG).

Before I could have cross the three figure mark and become one of the joke for others, I started to find a way to be in shape. I don't wanted to start something fast and stop after a while.... My aim was not get SIX pack or get slim and skinny, but to be moderate and balance weight according to my age (now 35). I wanted to do it very slow, but consistently as I go.

I started with 10 simple steps below and that worked perfectly for me. In years time, I'm back in shape. Though I'm still 2 KG more as per BMI calculation, but that is more because of my tongue. It goes out of control when my eyes see delicious food in front. Sometime I can't control her, but I try to compensate in workout next day to balance my eating habit.


1. Early to BED, Early to rise
I used to sleep around 11-12 at midnight, so my first alarm was at 8:00 AM. This has been changed to 10-10:30 PM now and wake up timing is 5:30-6:00 AM except Weekends (My weekend timings are very odd, depends on friends and parties)



2. 3-5 KM Walking/Jogging or 10-15 KM Cycle 
Start with very minimal exercise before your body gets adjust with physical workout. Don't stretch your legs or body from day one. Start with small walk by few meters, feel your breath, stretch your arms, kick your legs. Do it for few minutes daily. Increase the activity as you go. This stage is very important, don't rush on this part. Enhance the rate of walking and distance and duration.

3. A glass of Warm Water to start a day
Have a Glass of warm water after workout. That will help to control the temperature of body and activate stomach for food. For a taste you can add lemon, honey, ginger or anything (no sweet), but I prefer plain water.

4. Heavy Breakfast (before 9:00 AM)
Try to have as much as you can in morning session, no matter what work you do or what you eat for rest of the day, but never skip breakfast. Please avoid the last night food or bakery products only to start your day.

5. Moderate lunch (1-2:00 PM)
I can't tell, how much is suffice for you but don't overeat or hog on lunch. Just have enough to keep you hungry for evening snacks. If you can't control on lunch habits, try to reduce the quantity step by step. Don't just change the lunch pattern.

6. Evening Snacks (4-5:00 PM)
After lunch, this is the time where you can feed yourself with something you can enjoy. Take small portion of anything you like, a slices of bread butter jam or biscuits or anything which suffice to keep you hungry in just 2-3 hours.

7 Dinner (7-8 PM)
Can you skip Dinner? If yes, then good. Don't enforce to skip the dinner, if you are craving for food, don't wait for morning breakfast. Find something which you don't like most and not sweet or contain sugar (BTW, Rice contain only WATER no sugar). You can have anything but in small portion. Best way to use smallest and shallow plate and/or small spoon instead of your normal plate for dinner. Eat slowly as you can. It would be good if you can finish your dinner before 8:00 PM.

8. Walk
Don't just seat to make your chair warm. Take nice walk near your house, check your neighborhood, socialize with people and make new friends. Take at least 1000 steps out of your house before bed. If you have dog, this is the time to take him for walk :)

9. Warm Water
Before your go to bed take a glass of warm water to prepare your body to digest everything you had for a day.

10. Go to Bed
Take a good story book and read till you feel sleepy. Sleep like a baby to energize your body for next day.





Changing habits are very difficult, hence my suggestion is to go slow, but follow all steps everyday. Don't stretch yourself by going to Gym or any weight loss program, unless you know what you are doing.

Bad Habits made you fat, Good Habits will make you slim. 

Disclaimer:-
Images are take from internet, I'm not claiming it's mine.
It work for me doesn't' mean it will work for all.
Please consult your doctor or dietitian before applying anything from above tips.
Eating habits may need to change, depend on person to person.
This is my personal experience, have not copy from anywhere.
Please Do not copy or replication in any form without the express and written authorization of me.

LANGHAN...

My wife is good in kitchen and I'm sure anyone can start licking own fingers after a plateful of meal made by her. She is better when it comes to Non-Veg and I assure you that you will stretch your stomach to stuff as much as you can. She know the meaning of phrase  'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach'. A perfect Wife for me :). Though she is good in cooking, I am fond of the foods from different places around the places. Nothing that I am expert in food, but I like to pamper my tongue than my tummy. The taste drive me to different restaurants than my hunger. Every Weekend (specially on Saturday) I spend time with my friends for party. They booze testing their Kidneys and I food stretching my intestine.

From last Saturday I was not just eating out, but actually hogging, whatever is coming to my plate. Saturday morning was special, as promise to my Son, I went on trekking with him on Sinhgad, (a fort near Pune). I used to go there for exercise, many go there for trekking or practicing the Everest Base Camp training and Foodie go there to enjoy some authentic Maharashtrian spicy food on table top area of the fort. I was with family, so it was for sight scene, photography and food only. The day had started with amazing note with family and ended with my friends in some restaurant with spicy food. Sunday was fasting day for 'Ganesh Chathurthi', hence instead of eating less or nothing I usually eat lot of 'Khichadi' till late dinner at home. Monday heavy breakfast as usual and to office with home cooked food. Expecting a normal lunch in office, I was out with office colleagues to newely opened Asian Cuisine restaurant at Asian-Box near to office. It was unavoidable birthday treat from one colleague. The tasty food from hotel was so tempting, that I had more than I should have on weekdays, deciding to skip my evening snacks and dinner.

Sometime you can strict with you body but not with your heart, specially a lost friend called you for dinner :). I couldn't deny his offer and went to meet him, but with prepared mind to say no to food. This friend of mine is like a Bag of Emotions to trap me in his sweet mouth words to break my own commitment. I had full Mutton Biryani. Monday I had to skip my morning jogging due to Sunday late night dinner and sweet home made Modak on Chathurthi. So do Tuesday, cause I can't feel to get out from my bed after heavy Biryani. Tuesday morning, I had decided to do light breakfast and lunch, but no Dinner at any cost.

My oath went to vain on second consecutive day and I found myself in south Maharashtrain restaurant for dinner with couple of friends. I had authentic spicy mouth watering non-veg food, with 2 and half Chapati and small portion of Biryani. But trust me, the food was so delicious and spicy with perfectly cooked red meat, I can't control my hand, tongue and tummy to consume till I lick my little finger with satisfy burp.

You don't need a doctor or any dietitian to tell you that you are on right path to become short-term foodie to long term fatty. The problem is we know everything (thanks to smart phone and n number of free adviser on internet). You may find a list to do the things, but end result will depend on you and you and you only. 

Next morning on Wednesday, I was bedding like lazy fox, wondering which bed side is easy to get up. I knew if I can't stop now, there is no way I can stop in future. This month is holy month for all Hindus and Muslims. For Hindu it's Adhik Mass (Extra Month like a leap years comes once in 4 years) comes once in 3 year. This month Hindus keep fasting and avoid to eat non-veg, except some people like me :). For Muslims, it's Ramzan month and they keep a fasting for whole day with out a single drop of water. Inspiring from this, on Wednesday I have decided to keep 'Langhan' (fasting) for a day. It was nothing related to any religion, but consideration to rest my tummy after 5 days feast. 

'Langhan' means 'Fasting' by dictionary in English, but it also means 'Control'. Control to say NO, Control on your mind, Control to think over your decisions. Control on your body.

I spent whole day on water, making sure I'm not touching any solid food. Oh yes..., I had 3, half-cup of tea, but swear nothing apart from that. The out come is more than I expected.

1. A person like me who do the heavy breakfast everyday, Said 'NO' for Breakfast

2. Reject the offer to go out with colleague for lunch.

3. Evening snacks was tempting by it's smell, but purposely I'd avoid to roam in cafeteria.

4. By evening my tummy was making lot of weird sound and giving me single to have food, but I tested my control.

5. I almost tumble down while crossing the food stall when I was out from office.

6. I was sensing my nose getting more sharper by every street food stall I'm crossing on way to home.

7. Eyes are lustfully searching for food in fridge, when I reached home.

8. When I was about to grab full pot of my favorite (that day even a worst food would have become my favorite food) sweet dish, I reminding my self to control on my hand.

9. By night I was feeling uneasy and tummy with imploring for food.

10. Finally I have decided to have food, but end up with a cup of cold milk and 'Gulkand' to kill my acidity.

11. By last glass of water for a day before bed, I had consume 5-6 litter of water, 3, half-cup tea and 1 cup of cold milk with Gulkand.

12. I could felt the water actually touching my tongue, going through my throat, giving me a sensation of temporary relief while reaching to my empty stomach and sending a satisfaction message to brain.

Today (Thursday) when I woke up in morning, I felt really light weight and fresh compare to last 5 days heavy dose of food. I had my usual warm water to prepare first byte of food after 'Langhan'. It was a perfect breakfast to break my fasting, 3 (normal size) chapati with Ghee (butter) and sugar. It was a treat to my tummy after more than 24 hours :)

It was a good experiment and hopefully will try this again. I will do the Langhan to control my greed for food.

It's good to have food for your body and not for your tongue. In Marathi 'जगण्यासाठी खा, खाण्यासाठीजगू नका' 

P.S. Do not try to do such experiment by own, unless you sure about your body and stamina.