Weight loss story: “I lost 47 kilos by watching my calorie intake and exercising for an hour daily”

For years now, Chetan Aggarwal had been negligent of his health and weight. Being overweight exposed him to many health challenges, which is why gradually, he realised the importance of being fit and healthy and decided to lose all the excess fat in his body. With proper diet, daily exercise and the support of his mother and fitness trainer, he achieved his desired goals. Here’s all you need to know about his weight loss journey.

Also read: Weight loss story: “Besides eating healthy and walking daily, breastfeeding also helped me lose calories”

Name: Chetan Aggarwal

Occupation: Advocate

Age: 24yrs

Height: 5’9”

City: Rohtak (Haryana)

Highest weight recorded: 115 kgs

Weight lost: 47 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 7-8 months

I was always overweight and did not do anything about it until one day I realized that my body can no longer take it. In 2020, I suffered from inflammation in my small intestine. I got treated by Dr. Anil Sharma (Homeopathy) and since then, I decided to get my fitness on track and haven’t looked back. My mother and my trainer were my main support system and without them, I would not have achieved my goals.

My breakfast: Oatmeal with fruits and Nuts

My lunch: Lentils, rice and full plate of salad

My dinner: Tofu and green vegetables

Pre-workout meal: Black coffee

Post- workout meal: 2 Brown bread and 1 spoon peanut butter

I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): Sweets, handmade desi ghee churma (only Maa ke hath ka)

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Oatmeal and fruits (apple, watermelon, papaya)

Firstly, I made changes to my diet and then slowly and gradually added workout to my routine. I experimented a lot with my workout regime, did calorie-burning and body toning exercises for 1 hr. every day. I also made it a point to stay active throughout the day. Even today, I make sure I complete a minimum of 10,000 steps daily, without fail. I did push ups, planks, side planks, burpees and more.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: There are no shortcuts when it comes to weight loss. It will be a grilling journey, but it certainly would be worth it. The only trick I adopted was to eat within my calorie limits. I didn't have to starve or eat specific foods. I just changed the way I ate and observed what went into my plate. MOST IMPORTANT – During the weight loss journey, I felt that today's youth blindly follow whatever is told. Everyone runs after weight loss, but they do not think that it will have a bad effect on the body later. I would advise people to focus on fat loss. If fat loss is from the full body then weight loss will happen automatically. Patience is needed in all these things.

I motivated myself and believed that I would never give up. My mother is the biggest source of my motivation. She never said no to whatever I said. She made everything as per my requirements. I used to watch fitness videos on YouTube whenever I was depressed. I did whatever I liked, for example, reading books, playing table tennis. I take inspiration from those who have lost weight just like me.

When I was overweight, I was not only lethargic and lazy, but I also faced many health challenges.

What was the lowest point for you?: In the beginning, I used to feel the urge to cheat on my diets a lot and every time I caved in, it felt like I was doing injustice to myself. There was no low point after I started my journey. Once I started seeing results, I felt so motivated to reach my goal; I didn’t let anything affect me. I have realized that you can achieve anything and everything if you have the willpower for the same. No matter your dream, you have to take one step forward and see how God helps fulfill your desires.

During my weight loss journey, I replaced unhealthy foods with the healthy ones, took stairs instead of the elevator, replaced junk food with green salad and started doing my work myself without getting others to do it.

I made three major changes in my lifestyle and adopted them as a ritual during my weight loss journey. The first was to finish my dinner before 8-9 pm, no matter what. The second was to do a 1 hour workout daily. And the third was to wake up at 5:15 am and sleep at 10:30 pm daily.

Lessons learnt from weight loss: Losing weight has not just made me feel motivated and confident, it has also made me develop a healthy attitude in life. I look at things and focus on nutrition from an altogether different perspective now. Achieving good health is a journey, not a destination, so one must be regular and calm through the process. Enjoying what you do is also an important factor. There is no shortcut to health. Give yourself time.

If you have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toi.health1@gmail.com

These views are not generic in nature. Weight loss results vary for individuals and the views shared in this article offer no guarantee of specific results. The content is not intended in any way as a substitute for professional advice.