Weight loss: "I was body-shamed by my friend on Facebook"

The first thing that hits you when you are overweight are the mean comments made by people around you. Similarly, more than the health risks, Jeevtesh found it extremely tough to deal with people mocking him for his size and shape. One such incident changed his life for the better. He decided to prove nay-sayers wrong and lose weight for good.
To know how he did it, read his story from fat to fit here:
Name: Jeevtesh Singh Arora
Age: 23
Height: 5.6 ft.
Highest weight recorded: 113 kilos
Weight lost: 37.7 kilos
Duration it took me to lose weight: 1.5 years
The turning point: I was overweight ever since I was a child. A lot of it had to do with my metabolism but nobody understood. I was always targeted for my weight. Plus, being a science student, I felt overburdened with the pressure of studies as well. You can call it stress-eating, but I was always gorging on roadside delicacies like momos, fried food and so on.
Body shaming is a really bad thing to go through, especially when it comes from your near and dear ones. When I passed class 12, one of my friends body-shamed me on Facebook! That really pinched me. I did not want my family to read that post. That was the day I decided to prove people wrong. Even though I had tried to join a gym earlier, this time, my dedication levels were at peak. I was determined to lose weight. And that was the beginning of my new journey.
My breakfast: Just like everyone, I would like to stress on the fact that nutrition is more important than your workout for holistic fitness. So, here is what helped me get in shape:
In the mornings, I usually have one whole egg with a pair of toasts and a cup of tea or coffee (with very less sugar).
An hour or two later, I have a plate of seasonal fruits.
My lunch: For lunch, I keep it simple. I have a serving of homemade subzi with two chapatis and salads. A bowl of curd is a must have on my plate!
I try to avoid eating out, as much as I can.
My dinner: Dinners are kept light and filling. I like to have something like a grilled or roasted chicken, fish or paneer tikka with some salad.
Thirty minutes before hitting the bed, I drink a glass of low-fat milk.
Pre-workout meal: I have a cup of tea with a handful of dry fruits like almonds, peanuts, and walnuts.
Post- workout meal: I cannot do without fruits! They help me get energy back into the system.
My workout: I workout six times a week, without fail. This is usually done in the evenings, for around two hours.
I try to focus on different body parts every day and work accordingly. One thing I strongly swear by is doing cardio, which has helped me lose kilos faster. I do it for 20 minutes before doing weight training and 10 minutes post weight training as well.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Anything homemade is good for your body. I personally like eating grilled chicken.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: Apart from the workout, I feel diet has a bigger role to play in shaping your body. What you eat reflects outside. In the past, I was surviving on junk food and look how I turned out. Now, I eat well, workout and most importantly, have a positive outlook towards life. If you stay motivated and diet conscious day in and day out, you will definitely get the body you admire to have.
How do I stay motivated? Like for a lot of people, seeing my old pictures reminds me to keep working on myself. I remember all those body shaming incidents, how bad it made me feel. I am also thankful to have people around me now who keep cheering me and remind me to keep going.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? To lose weight, one has to be mentally strong and sound. Otherwise, with so many distractions around, it can get extremely difficult. I have been there and failed too. But, once you start seeing the change in yourself after kickstarting the healthy track, there is no going back. Plus, when you eat something bad, like junk food, you feel guilt-ridden and that is not a good feeling to have.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? Honestly, the things which trigger you to lose weight are also the worst possible things about being overweight. I don't know about others but body-shaming is something that hugely impacted me. Even when your friends are trying to say something in jest or express sympathy for how you "look", it stays with you and badly effects your personality.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to be in a shape where anything I wear looks good on me. Even if I manage to maintain my current weight, I would be happy.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? For me, more than the changes, it was completely redoing my daily regime. Here are some of the changes I made in my life:
1) Eat fresh, clean homemade food and avoid eating outside.
2) Not overeat.
3) Never miss the gym or working out.
4) Drinking water regularly. I keep a 1-litre bottle handy.
5) Getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep.
6) Take little or no stress.
What was the lowest point for you? There were several lows for me. Clothes did not fit me, people used to come and make unnecessary comments on my looks. How can anybody like that?
Lessons learned from weight loss: Post my weight loss, I'm a changed person, healthy inside-out. In the end, health is all that matters. I totally agree with the saying, "Health is Wealth".
If you too have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toihealth1@gmail.com