Body transformations are more than ‘before’ and ‘after’ pics. Behind those smiles and fresh gym kit, there’s an inspiring story to be told about how they embarked on their journey to a healthier self.
Using different exercise and nutrition approaches and a positive mindset, these women prove that life-changing injuries, illnesses, low self-esteem, and other huge life challenges like motherhood, heartbreak and grief, should be no barrier to feeling good about yourself.
If you’re in need of a little motivation to tweak your lifestyle for the better, you’re in exactly the right place. Let us know the story of Anupriya Raghav in her words :
Anupriya Raghav had been trying to lose weight for a long, but never really found full success. She also put on more weight when she became pregnant, so much so, she went into a self-imposed quarantine to avoid meeting people. Around the lockdown time, she finally discovered the powers of personalized coaching that directed her towards making healthier choices in life.
Name: Anupriya Raghav
Occupation: Nutrition & Fitness Consultant( Did certifications after losing weight), Ex IT Professional. Age: 37 Height: 5.5 City: Bangalore Highest weight recorded: 115Kgs(During Pregnancy) 110kgs(Post Pregnancy) Weight lost: 50kgs Duration it took me to lose weight: 18 Months.
The turning point:
It is not necessary to change your life only when you go through a rough patch. Nothing and nobody forced me to lose weight, It was always my dream to lose weight since childhood and I had tried multiple things but nothing worked. Then one fine day I stumbled upon an online portal that promotes a healthy lifestyle and it motivated me to become fit. I have not looked back ever since that day.
My breakfast:
I don’t take breakfast, have been following Intermittent Fasting for the last 3 years. But it’s not a trick to lose weight as our overall calories matter. I follow this because it suits my lifestyle.
My lunch:
Rice, Roti, Any Pulses, Green Veggies, Eggs, Dosa, Idli, Pasta Any 70gm carbs Source + 30gm Protein(All cooking in 15gm Desi Ghee) My dinner: Cheese Chicken Sandwich, Paneer Sandwich, Chicken Briyani, Paneer Paratha, and salad. Basically a combo of Protein+Carbs+Fat+Fibre) Pre-workout meal: Black Coffee
Post-workout meal:
Protein Whey(It’s not mandatory though, it’s not a magic drink) I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I eat anything and everything from sweets to fried stuff on cheat days just that it should be a planned cheat. Low-calorie recipes I swear by Lauki and milk halwa to kill sweet cravings(with stevia sugar-free), Sprouts Chaat, Dosa.
My workout:
Strength Training 6 days/week. 10k steps count 7 days/week.
Fitness secrets I unveiled:
Always follow things that you can adhere to. Products that claim to work for all should be BIG NO. Look out for a program that reads your body needs, lifestyle, health complications(if any like Diabetes, Thyroid, PCOS, Hypertension, etc), diet history, etc. Never try to copy others’ diet plans. Diet is not “One size fits all”. If any claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is. (Like No diet, No exercise lose weight 15kgs in 1 month). If a product/program sounds super easy to follow and effortless then time to stop daydreaming. If it would be that easy, there were no overweight/obese people on Earth. “Dikhawe pe mat jao apni akal lagao.”
How do I stay motivated?
Being in the company of like-minded fitness enthusiasts online as well as offline and by looking at my and my clients’ transformation pictures every now and then.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus?
Now I have started freelancing as a Nutrition & Fitness Consultant so I can’t afford to lose my focus. It’s always ” Practice what you preach”.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight?
Not getting clothes of plus size and low energy, no stamina to even drag your own body. Low self-esteem, negativity, and unsolicited advice from your own people.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line?
I want to be fit till my last breath emotionally, mentally, and physically. And I want to help as many people as I can in achieving their fitness goals.
What are the lifestyle changes you made?
Now before buying any food product, I don’t check its MRP but its nutritional value. I make sure I keep a track of calories intake for me and my family.
What was the lowest point for you?
Being at my highest weight was my lowest point. I was unable to carry my own 2 years old daughter for more than 10 minutes due to a lack of stamina and lethargicness. I used to be sleepy all day and had totally cut social gatherings, posting pics on social media, Covid hit us in 2019 but I had been living in quarantine since I crossed 100kg on the weighing scale.
Lessons learned from weight loss:
There are no shortcuts/Magic Pills for weight loss, the sooner you realize this, the better it will be. If someone claims such things then it’s a scam be aware of that. To lose weight one should eat a decent calories diet(by including food items you have been eating since your childhood but now in deficit calories) that you can sustain. Just cutting your intake drastically will always give you a bounce back. It’s a lifestyle change and not a short-term fixation to attend your cousin’s wedding.
