Weight loss is a dream target for mostveryone wants to lose weight and stay fit but few can actually achieve it. People try out different ways, which sometimes work and sometimes don’t, as everyone has his or her particular regime and preferences.
Weight management is a major issue among most urban Indians whose sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise make them unfit and unhealthy. Though there is not one single and easy way for weight loss, and a combination of factors may be used to reach the weight loss goals, the key is routine and persistence. Meet Kunal Upadhyay, all of 36 years, who through his grit and determination has reduced a whopping 20 kgs in just over a year.
Upadhyay says, consistency is the key to achieve anything and it holds true for weight loss as well.
“I started my journey on 16 July 2023 when I was 93 kgs and I made up my mind to lose weight and stay fit,” said Kunal who has been working in night shifts for the last 14 years, which according to him, took a toll on his physical health.
Diet matters
Diet matters a lot if you are trying to control your weight. Kunal started with the (One Meal A Day) OMAD diet plan and adhered to it for two months. Also, he included running and 20 kms cycling daily for all these days. This regular practice led him to lose weight to 81 kgs. He then started a new intermittent fasting plan, which was 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating.
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What is OMAD diet?
OMAD diet is an intermittent fasting approach where a person consumes all his/her daily calorie intake within one hour, fasting for the remaining 23 hours. This method is designed to promote weight loss, improve metabolic health, and simplify meal planning.
While the OMAD diet can help reduce overall calorie intake and enhance fat burning, it may be difficult for all to follow due to prolonged hunger or the lack of well-balanced meal.
It is thus important to focus on nutrient-dense foods during the eating window, including proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, seasonal fruits and whole grains including kidney beans, oats, museli etc… so that it is wholesome and fulfilling, obliterating the need to eat repeatedly.
Kunal also completely cut off sugar from his diet and indulged in weight training for muscles. He ate a lot of protein-rich food during the weight loss process. Counting daily calories and checking weight daily kept him motivated and on track. Today he weighs just an ideal 70 kgs, with 19.24% of body fat.
Exercise matters too
Basic exercise is very essential as far as weight loss is concerned because it raises calorie-burning and thus dilutes extra fat that contributes in higher weight. Exercise like walking, running and jogging does the same with instances of cycling. According to the experts, 30 to 45 minutes exercise is a must.
Furthermore, exercise increases the rate at which a person’s heart has to pump blood hence exhausting the calories amassed in the body due to fat. Regular exercise also boosts metabolism. It means the body will burn more calories even if one is resting. Gradually, with constant exercise, there will be a calorie deficit where more calories are being exhausted than consumed thus gaining less fat.
In addition to physical benefits, exercise enhances mood and reduces stress, helping curb emotional eating. It keeps you fresh and happy. Although diet is the essential part of losing weight, adding basic exercise can accelerate progress and allow for the long-term sustainability of healthy weight.
