Her weight loss journey proves anything is possible when you set your heart to it!
Gaining weight can be a difficult thing to go through. While it takes a toll on one's physical health, it can also overwhelm one mentally, and invite unsolicited scrutiny and impact self-esteem. For Poonam Pawar, going through this phase after putting on weight post her second pregnancy was extremely tough. The health complications were reason enough for her to pull up her socks, and get back on track. After working out hard and following a quantified diet, she turned her life around and is now a qualified coach!
Name: Poonam Avinash Pawar
Occupation: Certified Fitness And Nutrition Coach
Age: 33 years
Height: 5 feet 3 inch
City: Bangalore
Highest weight recorded: 94 kg
Weight loss: 34 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 8 months
The turning point
While there are usually a lot of breaking points when you are overweight, for me specifically, it was the time when I had put on a lot of weight post my second delivery in 2015, and I weighed 94 kilos. I was living in Bangalore, had a rice-heavy diet and along with that, there was little to no physical activity. The problem slowly worsened, and I started to encounter health issues like breathlessness , low Vitamin D and B12 levels.
That really was the point when I decided to start my weight loss journey and I have never really looked back from that day! I followed a quantified diet plan along with running and resistance training to fight this battle against fat gain and thankfully all my efforts paid off!
Diet followed
My breakfast: 2 Egg White/1 Ragi Dosa/ Oats/Poha/Sprouts
My lunch: One bowl of dal, one bowl of green and leafy vegetables, Salad ,2 small rotis or one bowl of brown rice and curd.
My dinner: One bowl of brown rice, chicken breast or Paneer and salad.
Pre-workout meal: I take fruit, almonds, and roasted seeds. I have a cup of a black coffee along with my pre-workout meal.
Post-workout meal: Whey protein
I indulge in: A cup of hot black coffee.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by:- Boiled moong Sprouts.
My workout
I workout for 6 days a week for at least 2 hours every day. My workout routine consists of resistance training and running alternate days.
Fitness secrets unveiled
Your weight loss journey depends only you. You should not compare yourself with others or with their progress. It is your journey and only discipline and consistency will take you there.
How do I stay motivated? Even though I received unconditional support from my soulmate in my weight loss journey, there is no bigger motivation than seeing yourself transform. Once, I could see visible results day by day, there was no looking back. Every day felt like a new learning experience on my journey to lose weight.
How do you stay focussed?
To stay on top of my goal and feel motivated ,I have set a screensaver of a model wearing a XS size dress which I want to purchase on my anniversary.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight?. When you are overweight the most difficult part is for buying clothes. You have reduced your self confidence. Always you feel tired.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to get stronger and fitter than now.
What lifestyle changes did you make?
I made lots of changes in my lifestyle, including:
1.Sleep Before 10PM to ensure proper seven hour sleep.
2.Keeping myself hydrated.
3.Insure my diet plan includes all macros, vitamins and minerals.
4.Think about nutrition before eating anything.
5.Quiting sugary foods from my diet, especially tea.
What was the lowest point for you?
It was the craving for surgery tea and fried snacks which made me feel very bad. Thankfully I was able to get over them and haven’t had a lot of cravings of late.
Lessons learnt from weight loss
If you are trying to lose weight, you need to understand that it is a journey, not a destination. You have to put constant and conscious efforts in order to stay healthy and fit all through your life. You must go for a workout routine as your body needs and design your diet chart should be sustainable. Also, you must never go for short term plans, as you may end up gaining all the weight once back
You think in a positive way, Motivation, discipline, consistency and honestly will take you a long way to where you are dreaming!
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.