When 35-year-old Surya Gaur was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and hypertension, he knew he had to change the way he was living his life. On top of that list was getting back in shape and reducing all the extra kilos. A teacher by profession, Surya chose the mantra he often taught his students i.e. persistence is the key to success. The journey did test his determination and will power, but he certainly came out as a winner! Here is his immensely inspiring weight loss journey.
Name: Surya Gaur
Occupation: Teacher
Age: 35 years
Height: 5 feet 7 inches
City: New Delhi
Highest weight recorded: 90 kgs
Weight lost:18 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 8 months
The turning point: A lot of people don’t realise that more than the weight itself, it is all the lifestyle diseases that haunt someone who is overweight. I was in my 30s when I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and hypertension. I realised that I must be doing something really wrong that my health is in such poor shape, so early in my life. I did not wish to lead the rest of my life feeling exhausted and lethargic because of all the extra kilos that I was shouldering. That was the point I decided to lose weight and get back in shape. Since that day there has been absolutely no looking back and I feel like a completely different person now.
My breakfast: A bowl of wheat flakes with milk
My lunch: A portion of brown rice and a bowl of dal
My dinner: 1 chapati made of the multigrain flour and a bowl of sabzi
Pre-workout meal: A cup of black coffee
Post-workout meal: Protein shake
I indulge in: I did not believe in the concept of cheat days. So, I did not have any cheat days or cheat meals for 6 whole months.
My workout: I stuck to the basics when it came to working out. I made it a point to go for a brisk walk for at least 45 minutes every morning, without fail. I finished it off by drinking a glass of lukewarm water mixed with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV).
Fitness secrets I unveiled: On my journey, I have realised nothing quite pays off like being persistent. So, you need to continue even when the going gets tough and understand that there are no shortcuts to losing weight.
Low calories recipes I swear by: I vouch on boiled chicken with brown rice.
How do I stay motivated? I had promised myself that if I am able to shed all the extra kilos, I will get the hair treatment I had wanted for so long! This was enough to keep me motivated to continue my weight loss journey.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? I weighed myself every Monday and also clicked a picture. I had made it a target to lose around 500 grams per week. This short yet achievable goal made sure that did not lose my focus.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? When you are overweight, you tend to feel lethargic and lazy all the time. I felt as if I did not have enough energy to make it through the day.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I have always wanted to lead a healthy lifestyle. 10 years down the line, I still want to continue doing the same and pursue my regular routine.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? I made it a point to completely change my lifestyle in order to get back in shape. I completely stopped eating junk and packaged products. I shunned sugar and sugar-laden items from my diet and made it a point to catch enough shuteye.
What was the lowest point for you? I never felt that way because I was focused on taking it one day at a time. Instead of just focusing on the end result, I used to ensure that I work out every day as consistency is the key to weight loss.
Lessons learned from weight loss: There has been just one major takeaway from this weight loss journey for me. I have realised that persistency is the key to success, no matter what your goal is. If you are persistent, you will definitely get whatever you are hoping to achieve.
