Obesity is a lifestyle disease but it has dangerous side effects. Being overweight not just makes simple tasks easier, it also invites its own set of complications. When Arshdeep, a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with high blood pressure, he realised how grave his problem was. That's when he decided to turn around his life and successfully shed 50 kilograms in a record 6 months. To learn some weight loss secrets, read his story: Name: Arshdeep Walia Occupation: Student Age: 23 Highest weight recorded:145 kilos Weight lost:54 kilos Duration it took me to lose weight: 6.5 months The turning point: My weight gain was very difficult to handle. It also brought on blood pressure problems. One trip to the doctor and I was advised to lose weight ASAP. The next day, I joined a gym and haven’t looked back. My breakfast: As instructed, by my trainers, I usually have a glass of fruit smoothie, poha, boiled egg whites or simply plain oats. My lunch: I like to have something as simple as a besan chila, bran atta chapati, quinoa seeds or a serving of brown rice with loki. My dinner: With quick weight loss in mind, I kept my dinner light. I have something like a serving of fresh salad, boiled chicken or mushroom. I also like to have tofu or paneer every now and then. Some days when I am allowed a cheat meal, I have choley bhature, which I love. My workout: Workout played a big role in helping me lose weight faster. I made sure I exercised every single day without fail. Even today I go to the park and spend a minimum of 30 minutes brisk walking in the morning followed by a metabolism boosting workout. In the evenings, I go to the gym where I do a combination of cardio and heavy weight training. This routine helped me see a difference in myself in no time. I also made sure to stay active through the day, which was missing from my lifestyle before. Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I use only jeera powder, black salt and haldi for preparing my meals. Anything you eat is good as long as it is not processed and does not have excessive salt. Speaking from my own personal experience, I would recommend that people who want to lose weight start consuming black salt, jeera powder and haldi regularly. Fitness secrets I unveiled: It is crucial to realise that there are no shortcuts when it comes to weight loss or fitness in general. An ideal weight loss involves a combination of exercises and food which will aid you in the process. Even if you skip one of these, the results won’t be so evident. How do I stay motivated? By watching transformation every day in my body. Staying positive helped me a lot. I keep watching transformation videos every day which boost my self-confidence and willpower. And, watching the progress my body has made keeps me going. How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? By making cheat day once every two months Cheat meals are a good hack as long as you know when to stop. I allowed myself to have a cheat day once every two months. What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? Being overweight is not easy, especially when you suffer from it at such an early age. I was unable to walk even small distances which was quite struggle some. On top of that, lethargy overtook me. What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I am inspired by the trainers around me. I want to become a bodybuilder in the future.

What are the lifestyle changes you made? I stopped eating oily and spicy food completely. Believe me, it makes a huge deal of difference.

What was the lowest point for you? I could not recognise myself in front of my classmates and friends. Of course, there are also some not-so-nice comments you hear when you are passing by in the crowd. Even if you ignore them, they do affect you at some point. Suffering from blood pressure at 23 is also very difficult. While others were enjoying their lives, I couldn’t do even the simple things. This was very disheartening.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: I never want to gain weight and face the same situation again.

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Source: indiatimes.com