Page 70 - Masala E-magazine Vol 9 Issue 2 October - November 2017

Were there times where you felt frustrated and wanted to give up?
What got you through it all?

Jessica: I feel very frustrated, even today. I look at all my clothes
and I think to myself that I don’t fit into them anymore. They are too
small. So if I don’t get back to that size, I am going to have to spend
more money on new outfits.

Sanjeevni: I was so frustrated when I saw a sudden big change after
I started working out, and then suddenly, despite doing the same
routines, my weight wouldn’t go down anymore. I later realised that
I had to change my regime and push myself to do more. The last five
kgs were the hardest to lose.

Was the purpose of your weight loss journey all about being thin?

Sanjeevni: Though it may seem like it was all about the looks, my health
was priority. Once I started losing weight, my health reports were better:
my cholesterol dropped. So once my health improved, my looks did too.
I no longer felt like the chubby kid.

Pooja: Women need to understand that it’s not the weight on the scale
that matters but the body fat percentage. I was at 25 to 28 percent
initially, but once I started working out, I went down to about 16 percent.
Now I am back to 20. I lost a lot of body fat and you can see that my
body shape has changed. I would hate to see women lose weight the
wrong way by eating less, because eventually they will gain.
Nandita
Do you feel that our society places too much importance on
being thin? Nandita: You should not feel pressured by society to be thin. You
should do what makes you happy. Once you start eating well, you
Jessica: I don’t think many people know the difference between being will feel good. Your skin will glow, you will start feeling lighter and
thin and healthy. Some just want to be thin to look good. But the reality you will look good, no matter what size you are!
is that you have to be healthy, inside and out.
What is your advice to other women who are trying to
lose weight?

Jessica: I would tell them to not stop what they’re eating and to eat
everything in moderation. I would also suggest taking breaks in
between working out. If you go to the gym every day, you are going
to feel too tired and frustrated.

Sanjveeni: You should have short-term and long-term goals.
People say that they want to lose 10 kgs in one month which
isn’t possible. You have to give yourself time to get there.
Unrealistic goals lead to disappointment which then leads to
you giving up. So don’t get stuck there.

Nandita: For new mothers out there, you have to change your
mindset. You have to be healthy and fit for your kid. If you start
eating well, everything will fall into place. If you want to be thin,
you need to eat and not starve yourself. You have to be strong
for your kids.

Pooja: People should not become cardio bunnies! You aren’t
going to lose weight by running every day. There’s more to it
than that. Also, people should give weight lifting a chance. They
have to realise that bodybuilding isn’t just for men, and if they
don’t know how to start, get a trainer to help, and soon they’ll be
able to do it on their own.

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