19) Losing pounds

Even as a kid, I was different. I was far too tall and a lot round. By the time I got married, my height plateaued to 172 cms and I was 80 kg going into my first pregnancy.

I have 2 kids and each kid brought in an additional 10 kg and was forever famished; stuffing my tummy to appease its hunger became a preoccupation. I gave up hopes of ever being of a normal weight again. Socially too, it was a disaster. I would make fun of my gigantic figure and laugh at myself preempting others. I went to the doctor and each time his advice for balanced meals, exercises and walk came with a greater sense of urgency.

I reached a point when mobility was becoming a problem and I lay perpetually slumped on the sofa. I had developed a back problem and when the weighing machine showed over 100 kg, I knew that my end was near. My kids were too young and they needed me to be around before they found their feet. My husband has stood by me and despite my obesity never strayed around. God had given me a kind life and yet I allowed this problem to go too far.

The choice before me was clear – re-organize my life and do anything to bring the weight down or die before the year ran out. In the past, I would starve for weeks on end and then go on an eating binge overcompensating and ending up with more. My dietitian prepared a chart of eatables and it was full of graphs of calories and time. I reside close to the beach and do not usually bother about morning walks. But these days sees me waking up at 5:30 and brace for a brisk walk. I set small realistic goals and weekly targets; wiser that consistent effort is more important to frenetic spurts.

As I became regular, I made a couple of friends and they would drop by at the residence thereby tying me up for a commitment from which I could not escape. Slowly, I started to enjoy the grind of stretching my limbs and follow a routine schedule of exercises.

Once the morning walks and exercises became a daily pattern, I discovered a new found confidence in myself. My only instruction from the dietitian was a simple; don’t eat between meals however intense the urge. This was admittedly the hardest part and I drank lots of warm water each time the hunger pangs nibbled me!!!

By the end of first month, I lost 8 kgs, the second month was even better where 10 kgs was off my system. It took me 6 months to come to 60 kgs and I have never felt happier. My children seem to have no end of me and my husband did not crib when I had to overhaul my entire wardrobe. BTW, he seems to have gone nuts and has applied for leave for a second honeymoon.

As for me, I realized that once the mind is set on a thing, anything is possible. I have gained a confidence that any effort in self-improvement is never really wasted.