22-year-old Sushant Srivastava was at the receiving end of lots of negative comments and unsolicited pieces of advice owing to the excess weight. Determined to reverse this, he worked hard and lost 37 kilos in less than a year. His weight loss journey is an inspiration to anyone looking to shed all the extra kilos!
Name: Sushant Srivastava
Occupation: Student
Age: 22 years
Height: 5 feet 11 inches
City: Mysore, Karnataka
Highest weight recorded: 115 kgs
Weight lost: 37 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 1 year
The turning point: I was always aware that I was overweight but I did not really do anything for the same. I should have paid attention to my diet atleast, but I kept struggling with my weight and did not bother to change my lifestyle even a bit. However, there came a time when I gradually realised that I needed to step out of my comfort zone and get back in shape. All my life people have been giving my unsoliticed pieces of advice on how to lose weight. I decided to prove them wrong and get back in shape!
My breakfast: Normally. I just have a cup of black coffee in the morning. However, on days when I feel really hungry, I have a bowl of oats and 4 egg whites(boiled)
My lunch:.4 chapatis, a bowl of dal, and a portion of green vegetables
My dinner:4 chapatis with scrambled eggs(4 egg whites and 2 whole eggs), or 200-250 grams of grilled chicken
Pre-workout meal: Bullet coffee
Post-workout meal: Homemade protein smoothie
I indulge in: I like to take weekly cheat meals as it is needed to boost your metabolism and ward off any feelings of deprivation. Taking a little break and indulging in what you like not only improves your ability to lose weight but also helps you stick to your diet plan.
My workout: There was no one to guide me except for a few friends of mine, so mostly I depended on online tutorials for exercising. My workout includes weight training, HIIT and my favourite, Crossfit.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Grilled chicken, oats and Greek yoghurt
Fitness secrets I unveiled: You cannot expect results overnight and it is a concept that many still struggle to understand. It takes hard work, consistent efforts, a balanced nutrition program, and most of all ‘time’. At the end of the day, results come from having a consistent and sustainable fitness routine.
How do I stay motivated? Most people fail at their fitness goals because they’re waiting for something magical to happen during their quest to lose weight. Losing weight isn’t always a spectacular process. In fact, it isn’t even a linear process sometimes as you lose a little, gain a little and repeat the process again and again.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? Whenever I feel like I am losing my grip, I take a look at how far I have come and how hard I have worked for my current physique. I realise that I don’t want all of it to go to waste. This in itself is enough to keep me focused and motivated.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? It was definitely lowered self-esteem and anxiety issues.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to lead a healthy life and also wish to have a super fit physique.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? In addition to eating healthy, it is also important to eat in the right amount. It is important to understand that losing weight is all about replacing your unhealthy cravings with the right food. I made fitness a part of my daily routine and also started drinking 3 litres of water every day.
What was the lowest point for you? I battled a lot of body shaming growing up as I was always the ‘fat child’ in the classroom. As a result, I did not have many friends growing up and it was really heartbreaking.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: The small steps that you take during your weight loss journey can actually make a drastic difference. We often underestimate the amount of time it will take to notice a certain amount of change in our body as nothing really happens overnight. Everyone has a certain type of body and you mustn’t compare yourself with others.