Weight Loss Story: This Man Added Strength Training To His Running Routine To Avoid Injuries

weight loss story: this man added strength training to his running routine to avoid injuries

Always on the obese side, Akash Kumar Rai was 101 kgs when he decided to shed kilos and become a fitter version of himself. From shying away from posing in pictures with friends and family to losing interest in buying clothes for himself, Akash felt majorly under confident in his skin because of his weight issues. By regulating his diet and working out, he was able to bring his weight down from 101 kgs to 69 kgs.

His obesity hampered his ability to work in office

Akash says how he would face trouble sitting for long hours on a chair because of his weight. “My performance at work was also getting impacted because of my weight issues,” he shares. Another thing that bothered Akash was how in the professional world, he would hear unsavoury remarks about his weight. “I always used to think that well-educated and grown-up adults would never mock someone on their weight, but I was wrong, and how! A lot of my colleagues had saved my number as ‘Mota (Fat)’ in their phones,” he shares, adding that it bothered him immensely.

On his diet

Akash made it a point to cut down on junk and processed food in a major way. “Monitoring calories worked wonders for me. I was able to keep a tab on what I was feeding my body,” he explains. He also cut down on sweet food items in a major way to keep his weight in check. He also shared that drinking 4 to 5 litres of water on a daily basis helped him with weight loss as well.

On his workout

Akash introduced cardio and strength training to his workout mix. He started his weight loss journey by going on regular walks and eventually started running too. From going on speed runs, tempo runs to long runs, he says running helped him lose weight, and how! “In the beginning, I would also suffer injuries and this is when I started strength training. It has helped me tone my muscles and has proved to be a gamechanger,” he shares.

On overcoming weight loss plateau

Akash says he became more particular with measuring calories and that’s what helped him bring the weight down on the weighing scale. “In hindsight, I realised I was fretting over my weight a little too much. However, when I stopped stressing about it, I could see its positive impact on my weight,” he shares, highlighting the importance of managing stress.

Advice to people on weight loss journey

Akash says one should be armed with the right knowledge about nutrition before they start their weight loss journey. “I was regaining weight time and again, because I didn’t have the requisite knowledge about nutrition. So, this is why I always tell people to play ahead and know everything there’s to know about the nutritional needs of a person,” he shares.

Complete meal plan he followed during weight loss journey:

Breakfast

Egg whites, low fat milk and banana (on some days)

Lunch

Chapati, rice, dal, vegetables, huge bowl of salad, paneer/ rajma/ some other protein-rich dish

Evening

Coffee or tea, dry fruits

Dinner

Rice, chicken/fish/ paneer