Sccribbles

I am visiting your blog for the first time and spent close to 2 hours reading each and every post meticulosly. I am inspired by you to the extent that I started my food diary even as I was reading your blogs. I am struggling to lose weight post pregnancy. I am 14kg overweight and despite joining a gym I have barely lost 3 kgs in 14 months. My problem areas are weak will power when it comes to food and giving exercise the last priority. SO often I end up missing gym for more days than attending it. I hope your blog wil give me inspiration to 'climb the stairs and not the lift to weight loss'. May 3, 2010 3:15 AM

hey Shiva,

wait eagerly for your posts now. I have been trying to limit my die but whenever there is a party, I lose control (which happens at least once a week). I sincerly try to eat only salads for dinner but crave for salty food, somethinng like dal or veggies. At a lil less than 5 feet, i weigh 69kgs and it seems my weight has hit a plateau. I feel guilty mosty times yet moment I see calorie-dense foods
(chocos, cakes, chips) I just CANNOT resist the urge. what to do??? how will i lose weight??? May 5, 2010 1:31 AM

Dear Sccribbles,

Worry not, now that you have decided to lose weight, come what may you will. If we have weaknesses so do we have strength. In your weight loss there will be few thing you will have to let go and few things you can always keep for life.

The best trick that I have learnt from my experience is to train the stomach to eat small. This really works.

Will you give me a week or two to work with you. Give it a try. If this works you will lose weight if does not work your weight will remain the same. Trying never hurts.

SO this is where you should start

1. Take your weightt. The weight should be taken first thing in the morning after the loo and without any clothes on. This is your real weight note it down.

2. Make a food diary (which you already have). Keep the diary in a place where it is easily accessible. Be loyal to it. Loyalty to your weight loss is the major factor in loosing weight. My diary goes where I go. Even 1 small toffee is registered in my diary.

3. Break Fast - Have a normal one, try a veg sandwich, poha, upma. If you are having poha or upma then eat in a quarter plate and eat with a small spoon. Check the recipe of less oil poha and the quantity here - Poha . Never think that if you eat this less you will be hungry soon. Infact when ever the food comes in front of you just wonder can you really eat this much (this is a psychological trick, will elaborate on it later)

4. Mid way - Between break fast and lunch make sure to munch on fruits. If you are working then you can carry fruits along with you.

5. Lunch - The first week only make a small change. Like if you eat 2 roti go for one. Make sure to replace the 1 roti with extra serving of veggie and soup. Nothing beats it if you can get in a bowl of soup in your meals. Cut few tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce leave and have it with your meal. When you are eating the roti/rice, taken in a bite of this salad.

6. Mid way again - with your evening tea, you can have sukha bhel, roasted channa or any other healthy snack.

7. Dinner - Just salad dinners are so sad, very very sad. Why do you want to do them. If you are having 1 roti in lunch, get in a roti wrap here. Take a roti, add in paneer bhurji and salads, roll and have fun. Accompany it with sauted veggies and a bowl of soup. A soup bowl during dinner really helps. If you like dhal, then you can make lovely tradition dhal soup. Make sure to have a bowl of it. I used to have moong dhal -lauki soup, lots of papaya, good helping of veggies during dinner. I used to eat till I was full.

8. How to cook your meals - I don't know the size of your family but aim for 1 tsp oil for each person. For example, I cook for 2 people I make my meals in 2 tsp of oil believe me my dishes come out as tasty as the oily version. For measuring the amount of flour or rice use your fist (I do that). If you cook less sccribbles you won't have left overs and you will have to satisfy yourself with what is there on the table. Learn the art of cooking starch less rice for yourself (as it is only fiber and no nutrients its best not to give it to kids). You need to boil rice 3 - 4 times and drain.

9. Your fridge should be stocked with fruits. Enjoy them, they are fresh as well as tasty. Look in your pantry, instant noodles and other junk should go out.

10. If you are addicted to something, lets say a cookie. Tell yourself I will have it on a Friday. Stay true to yourself and have the cookie on Friday. This is called training yourself to curb the urges.

11. Never take the kiss of death i.e never say I am giving this up completely. No you are not. You are just giving it up for the time being. I love sabudana khichadi. My sister makes such a yum version with lots and lots of ghee and potato. In my days of weight loss it was a pain to say no to that stuff. I was 74 kgs at that time and I told my sister the day I will be 69 kgs I will have lots of that khichadi but when you see the weight fall the attraction of food is lost. I finally had the khichadi when I weighed 68kgs. Now at 65 kgs I discovered a 1 teaspoon ghee version of it and I do enjoy it occasionally. The point is if you try to avoid something then you will break easily, the day you will have that stuff you will think let me eat I will give it up tomorrow. If you approach that stuff with the mind set that 'I can have after some days when weight has gone down and I already know the taste of this food', things will be different.

12. Outside food - You need to ban this. If you need to eat outside, opt for idly or dosa. I had completely given up on Naan, oily gravies. I took it as a training period and believe me now my tolerance for such rich food is really low. There is no way out here. My friends, family used to enjoy burgers with cold drink while I sat in front of them drinking coffee. I used to constantly tell myself "I don't need this junk, I have already tasted it, I know the flavor, just few more minutes for this meal to get over and I can declare myself as a winner". First time it is difficult, second time a bit hard, third time easy and fourth time it is a habit.

13. Parties - If you know the date before hand for example a dinner party. Have a light lunch. In the party fill your plate with moderate proportion of everything, sit and enjoy your meal and don't take a second serving. Try avoid large servings in the first place. Make up for the heavy dinner the next day. This is called calorie balancing. Wear tight clothes to such parties, you can't eat much when your stomach is trying to break free. I wear a tight jeans always to such occasions.

Once you learn the art of shrinking your stomach, you won't be able to eat large amounts of food even if it is damn tasty.

14. Exercise - This is non negotiable. If you cannot go to gym then go for walks. A walk is a must. So, this first week. Can you walk for 45 minutes either in gym or at home. 45 minutes is your time do not let anyone take it away from you. Every single day you need to walk. Try walking 6 days a week if possible go for a simple stroll of the seventh day.

So you see sccribbles, there are few things that are easy like eating the same homemade food but in less oil and less quantity. Some things are tough like giving up outside food and exercising daily. The easy thing will get you started and the hard ones will finally make you what you desire to be.

If you decide to follow this plan then come back next week do update us with your weight. Aim only for one week and then start afresh in the next one. Whenever you feel less motivated or have doubt come here and bang my head. I will pull you through.

All the very best sccribles for your weight loss. If you have a burning desire to lose weight then only you and no one else can stop you from
doing it.

Loyalty and consistency is what matters in weight loss. DO NOT GIVE UP atleast give this a try.