SLIM HEALTHY GORGEOUS
THE STORY OF A SLIM MAN WHO BECAME FAT MAN
For most of my life from ages 28 to 32 I was somewhere around 62 kgs. For a man 5 ft 7 high, that was not too bad. Lifestyle was rich in food, drinks and sports. Social fauji life was never ending parties, kebabs, scotch and dancing with the wind! Despite all kinds of bad foods, nothing much happened to my body weight. I was not into Gyms but quite a bit into morning jogs, swimming, tennis and squash.
Age 35, year 1986, I was transferred to New Delhi. Now this was a great city to live in. Food, restaurants were very cheap. Eating out was a pleasure. Street food *was a delight! My family and I gorged on food for two years running. My favorite snacks hot samosas and gulab jammons, my favorite night out in Chankyapuriwas a Chinese restaurant called FUJIA. Out on weekends I did Moti Mahalfor tandoori delights and Paratha Gallifor all sorts of oily stuff. **Bengali Market was fantastic for chats.
But unknown to me?.my weight creeped up to an incredible 82 kgs.The trousers would not fit, walking was an effort, life in general was sedentary and most times I was either reading a book or watching movies on videos, sipping whiskey/rum.
I had lost out on my enthusiasm, initiative, drive and will to live. *I was a useless heavy human being, surviving because like all Govt servants, salary was assured.
MOVE MOVE MOVE
I had to do something. I closed my eyes and saw myself as a young 25-year-old man. I pulled out my old photographs and checked what I looked like then and what kind of a fat pot bellied ugly man I had made myself.
I stuck two pictures of myself on the dressing table one as a 25 yr old man looking *slim healthy and gorgeous *and the other, shot in the back drop of Taj Mahal, a pot bellied, fat, most Unofficer Like looking man. *I was ashamed of the man I looked.
At age 36 I could still do a lot of physicals. Winter was setting in Delhi. I started to get up early at 5 am, go out for a walk and return home after an hour, then sit ups on the floor. After two weeks I started to jog and improve upon my exercise regime. My weight loss was rapid. From 82 kgs to 75 in just 8 weeks. I was feeling much more energetic. I started to get up at 4:30 in the mornings and walk cum jog cum exercise for an hour and 50 minutes. In addition I would wake up the kids, fix them breakfast and get them off to school. My wife was the next one to receive her tea and breakfast laid out by me.
WEIGHT LOSS= HIGH ENERGY LEVELS
A month later I was down to 70 kgs. I felt ever so light, my initiative was sky high both at work and at home. *I refused to sit on my office chair most of the day. I climbed 4 flights up to my office and down three times a day.My energy levels were now phenomenally high. *
WEIGHT LOSS= HIGH MOTIVATION
I was transferred to a Dept called International Protocol. Here my team had to interact with the Military Attaches and Diplomats of many countries. The job was tasking both physically and mentally. My staff was a mix of semi motivated fat guys, most older than me. I got them to move by getting them to take long walks and eating good foods. *I frightened them about cardiac diseases and death. *I pushed some photocopied articles on sedentary life styles and their effects on their desks.
One person out of sync, I threatened to spoil his ACR just because he was way way too fat!. He knew I was an eccentric and became fit in 3 months time. A few weeks later, most guys were on a morning walk and exercise regime and thanked me for the same. *I now had a reasonably charged office staff. *Of course, I was the most proactive of them all. If the Team Leader works with passion and moves around like a man on a mission, then his subordinates follow suit and everything falls in line.
Six months on, *we are a hot team in International Protocol. *Every weekend we were out in 5 Star Hotels/Embassies in Chanakyapuri wining and dining in style. Weekdays we had killing schedules and we rarely faltered.
I attribute my success in the International Protocol Division to loss in body weight!
QUALITY OF LIFE
I came down to 68 kgs and stayed there. Over the two years, my quality of live had improved manifold for both myself and my family too.
Mind you, I made no changes to my diet.
THE SECOND PHASE
Unfortunately I could not sustain my hectic exercise, walk, jog schedule. Age 49, I was somewhere at 76 kgs. Then crept up to 78. Stayed there. Age 50 I decided to check my body parameters.
Blood sugar perfect. Cholesterol within normal limits. I was happy.
But my Doc found high levels of TRIGLYCERIDESin my blood! Now what the heck is this Tri thing? Search on Google for more info.
My Doc said that?Nandu, this TRI thing is a big a troublemaker. It causes Heard Disease and Diabetes!?
I said?Hey Doc this is a stab in the back! I paid a grand for the blood test, the Good and Bad cholesterol levels are perfect. Sugar levels are great. Whoever heard of TRIGYCERIDES?
THE DOC SAYS
?Look friend. You need to do the following for the next 3 months.
Sugar in tea/coffee no more than 2/3 teaspoons a day.
Chocolates, ice creams, sweet dishes out out out.
Eat fruits 3 times a day.
Walk, swim and exercises for 40 minutes x 5 times a day.
NO ALCHOHOL.
We check again after 3 months and you should be fine.?
I asked?Doc any medications?
He said?No. BTW, stop smoking.?
Life gets difficult in the fifties. The mind works fast but the body cannot cope up with the ideas pouring from ones head. Knee joins start to creek. Memory fades a wee bit. Eyes do not see good.
I knocked down 6 kgs in next to no time. Another 6 kgs to go. Can?t jog no more. Exercises and the back hurts. Muscles twitch?too much loss of body salts and cramps in the legs, so no swim. Too much sugar down, and the head spins. In general life sucks!
What?s the answer? The answer is
SUSTAINABLE LIFE STYLES.
Forget VLCC and their likes. Not sustainable.
Forget diets. Not sustainable.
Forget gyms/jogs/hectiviity. Not sustainable.
What will work is a long-term sustainable lifestyle regime for yourself and your ability to stick to it. KISS(Keep it simple stupid).
You will live well and avoid the problems in your 40/50/60.
As for me?.it is a long story of lost chances. I am a goner. No matter that I find my picture in the HALL OF FAME!
