The 41-year-old dropped 27 kilos in 10 months
For Rahul Mukerji, a musician, visual artist and a software engineer losing weight became the sole objective of life when he realised he doesn't fit into his formal pants anymore.
During COVID pandemic, Rahul decided to embark on the journey of fitness and adopted a healthy lifestyle to beat the extra weight out of him.
The 41-year-old dropped 27 kilos in 10 months. He weighed 110 kilos earlier.
The turning point
"During the peak of the pandemic, I had to dress up for a virtual video meeting with our senior executives at work, and none of my formal pants fit. So, I wore a shirt, tie, blazer, and a lungi! It’s funny but it’s true. That was my Bajaj Lightbulb moment!," says Rahul.
When asked how he wants to see himself in the next 10 years, Rahul says, “Mr. Olympia 2032! No? Too idealistic? Ok, I’ll scale it back a bit. If I can be healthy enough to still play gigs and carry my gear on and off stage at 50, I’ll consider that a win! Thankfully I’m not carrying Marshall stacks anymore!”
My diet
Breakfast: 2 Eggs, 2 slices of Toast, Cheese, Coffee. I also had Oats or Dalia often. I enrolled in a program which was tailored to my lifestyle, and it offered plenty of options. The ones I mention in these sections were my standard go-to options.
Lunch: Chicken with vegetables. Fruit is also added sometimes after the meal. The protein was about 100-150 gms, vegetables were about 100 gms.
Dinner: Paneer Kababs featured a lot along with sweet potatoes. I had choices between Paneer, Chicken, Eggs, and other protein sources along with baked sweet potatoes, bread or rice, and other assorted Vegetables. As you can tell, my program didn’t shy away from carbs and fats.
Pre-workout meal: 1 Banana and a pre-workout drink.
Post- workout meal: This is generally a protein shake, like most people.
I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I tried to stay away from planned cheat days. That said, my weakness is Korean Friend Chicken with Coleslaw, and Kimchi! And Twix chocolate bars!!!
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Anything with Old Bay Seasoning! Roasted Chicken and oven roasted Brussel Sprouts with Honey and Old Bay seasoning! I ate that for months without deviating! I switched the Brussel Sprouts for Broccoli and it’s still amazing! I enjoy Karela as well, but no one wants to hear about that!
Fitness secrets I unveiled
Discipline! If you want results, you’re going to have to stay focused through the rough times. It means going out for happy hours with friends but drinking water and snacking on the cabbage and lettuce bedding the real food was served on. It means hitting the gym at 9:30 pm after a long day at work. It means when things plateau or you falter, you stick with the program and focus on your long-term goal. An unwavering commitment is necessary for this to work in the long run.
Workout routine
I start with a warmup, followed by strength training, ending with stretching. I follow a standard “3 Day On – 2 Days Off” Routine.
Monday is always Leg Day. I move the other workouts around to change things up.
On the days I didn’t have strength training, I focused on cardio and building stamina. Sometimes I would do a light full body workout, instead of cardio.
What will be your message for those who are planning to lose weight?
It’s never too late to start. No matter where you are in life, you can make changes. Find a program that is suited to you and for your specific lifestyle. Be wary of programs that sound too good to be true. Try and aim for a lifestyle change as it will help create a long-term sustainable plan.
Having someone who is able to guide you, course correct, and support you in times of failure is an important facet. I found a fantastic program coach, who has also been featured on TOI. Through her experience, in these transformation journeys, and expert guidance I was able to maintain focus over the course of the program.
What are the lifestyle changes you made?
I learnt to identify and cut back on unhealthy foods, soda, and sugars. I learnt portion control and restraint. I changed my sedentary lifestyle to an active one. And I learnt to be honest and accountable to myself.
The lowest point...
When asked about the lowest point that pushed him further to attain the weight loss, Rahul recollects the time when he could not fit into his pants anymore. "Man, I’m telling you … that Lungi while wearing a Blazer and Tie was it …," he said.
Rahul is the perfect example of how we should channelise our embarrassment and guilt into doing something positive like this.
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