From being an introvert who lived in a bubble of his own to being an inspiration for many when it comes to losing weight, 22-year-old Arjun has surely come a long way.
In a society which judges you harshly if you are overweight, Arjun’s journey is a positive reaffirmation that when you are focused on achieving your weight loss goal, absolutely nothing can come in your way. His journey from being an overweight, shy kid to a confident lad who is aiming to be a successful fitness model is sure to inspire you. Name: Arjun Jain Occupation: Student Age: 22-year-old Highest weight recorded: 90 kgs Weight lost: 25 kgs Duration took me to lose weight: 6 Months The turning point: I was shy, quiet and largely introvert, throughout my school life. I preferred being in my own zone and never really bothered about what was happening around the world. It was only once my college life began that I realised there was more to life. I craved to create an identity of my own and did not want to just be a faceless person in the sea of students. I realised that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and get moving. In an attempt to become a more confident version of myself and create an identity, I enrolled myself in the gym. When I started shedding all the excess weight, I realised the importance of taking care of our body which most people take for granted these days. My breakfast: I mostly keep my breakfast light with the majority of it being fruits, vegetables and juices. Usually, my breakfast consists of a big bowl of watermelon, 6 egg whites, boiled broccoli and apple/orange juice. My lunch: This is my biggest meal of the day because it is the only meal in which I can consume as many carbs as possible. An ideal lunch for me is one chapati, a bowl of daal, some brown rice, two types of vegetables, some salad, and a bowl of curd. My dinner: My dinner usually consists of protein-rich food. I have 250 grams of boiled chicken breast, 6 egg whites and some soya chunks. I indulge in: I have decided to take a cheat day once in every 35 days only. So, on the cheat day, I eat everything from a large cheese-burst pizza to a burger, but I eat only in the morning or afternoon, not at night. My workout: In the morning, I do 30 minutes of low-intensity steady state cardio and in the evening I focus on strength training and HIIT. Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I have quite a few favourite low-cal recipes. Some of them are:
1. Clear chicken soup
2. Brown rice cooked in 1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil
3. Any type of salad
4. Boiled eggs and boiled chicken Fitness secrets I unveiled: Everyone’s body type is different and what might work for one person, might not work for someone else. One should understand his/her body type and then decide accordingly what is right for him or her. More importantly, pay close attention to what you eat if you are trying to lose weight or get into shape. If you want to change your body, then 70 to 80 per cent of it depends on your diet and the remaining depends on your workout. How do I stay motivated? When I went to the gym for the first time, I looked around and noticed people with beautifully sculpted physiques and oozing confidence. I desperately wanted to look like them. After a while, when I became regular with my workout, I started seeing results myself. After that, working out became a daily habit and over a period of time, became an eternal part of my life. Also, after I lost a lot of weight, people started noticing me and got inspired to workout. This further motivated me a lot. How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? The sense of confidence that I have gained after my weight loss has brought out the actual me. I have made a proper time table according to my diet, sleep and workout timings. My mobile gallery is flooded with motivational quotes which constantly remind me of my goals.

What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? I think the hardest part of being overweight is not being comfortable in your own skin and not being able to love your body the way it is. In addition, overweight people are constantly bombarded with hurtful comments to lose weight.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I see myself with a more muscular and aesthetically pleasing physique as I want to compete in various men’s physique competitions. I also want to be a successful fitness model.

What are the lifestyle changes you made? I have developed the habit of exercising regularly no matter what. I have stopped making excuses and started taking the required actions. I also keep a track of what all I eat throughout the day. Additionally, I have studied and learnt a lot about proper nutrition and diet. So now I simply focus on eating what is healthy and right for me.

What was the lowest point for you? After a year of working out when I was finally getting results, my left leg fractured and I had to undergo surgery. As a result, I was on bed rest for more than two months. It was the lowest point for me since I could see all the hard work I did in a year vanish right in front of my eyes.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: It sure is hard but it’s all worth it and there is just no shortcut. Just keep going.

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Source: indiatimes.com