Name: Abhishekh Lakhwani
Occupation: Commercial manager
Age: 38 years
Height: 6 feet
City: Dubai
Highest weight recorded: 118 kilos
Weight lost: 31 kilos
Duration it took me to lose weight: 7 months
The turning point:
I was always careless about my health. My friends and family always asked me to “lose weight” but I didn’t really bother to correct it, before it started to impact my daily life. I felt uncomfortable sleeping and tired all the time. It got awkward to a point that finding clothes my size was difficult. Hence the decision to change. I realized I needed to be happy about my size, and not find excuses.
I started consulting a nutritionist who is a Keto expert. At the same time, I was also following home workouts, with the help of online sessions because of the lockdown. This combination really helped me a lot.
It’s difficult following Keto but my wife helped me sail through. She used to look for recipes which turned familiar favourites into Keto recipes! Think Keto butter chicken!
I had three meals a day, no snacking allowed between the day. Everything I eat is high fat, moderate protein and minimal carb.
My breakfast: 1 glass of lukewarm water with a pinch of Himalayan salt in it. After that, just 2 boiled eggs and a cup of black coffee without sugar.
My lunch: I like to experiment with my lunch, alternating between Keto dishes. Here are some examples:
Grilled salmon fish with veggies
Keto style butter chicken (made in unsalted butter)
Keto style paneer makhanwala
Omelette with veggies
Keto pizza (made of almond bread)
Whatever I ate, I used to add avocado with my lunch and dinner and it helped a lot in weight reduction as it’s a healthy fat.
My dinner: Similar to the meals I had at lunch.
Earlier, I used to eat a lot of junk. Now, I watch what I eat and count my calories. Internet helps you so much. I believe it’s neccessary to watch your calories initially and once you familiarize yourself, you can go ahead without help.
Pre-workout meal: 1 cup black coffee without sugar to boost my metabolism
Post- workout meal: I have my dinner after 1 hour of my workout, the latest by 8.30 pm and go to sleep by 12 am.
I don’t cheat on my diet since anything non-Keto I have will push me off to ketosis and bouncing back will take at least a week’s time. It’s tough, but a conscious choice you have to make if you want to lose weight.
My workout: My trainer is based out of Mumbai and he has helped me immensely. I am losing fat and building muscles following bodyweight training. I can perform great pushups now, which I once believed I would never be able to. It’s a great achievement for me. I actually enjoy my training.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: Weight loss is easy! Pushing yourself to stay consistent will get you the results you want. Hard work and dedication is all that is required.
How do I stay motivated? When people tell you, “Earlier, you used to look like an uncle, and now a young boy”, you are bound to feel motivated.
I also have a 2.5-year-old child to keep me company and play with, so that helps.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? I faced problems sleeping well. More than that, it was the sheer embarrassment of getting clothes fitted for my size as I had to visit a tailor every time to stretch the waist size.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? My waist size dropped from 44 to 34. Now I want to reduce it to 28. I want to be so fit, that I can be a motivation to others.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? I stopped eating outside. I only eat homemade food, three times a day.
What was the lowest point for you? At the age of 37, I felt like I didn’t have the stamina to play with my son. That felt bad.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: Anybody can achieve fitness, provided they have the right attitude towards living not only a long but a healthy life.
If you have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at [email protected]
Source: TOI
