How I transformed from being fat to being fit

I can say I've been into fitness since I was three. At a very young age I fell in love with one of the best forms of exercise - dancing. But ours was a love-hate relationship. I performed my Arangetram when I was in school. Getting into the medical field I realised I just couldn't go back to Bharathnatyam due to time constraints. So I turned to alternate modes of working out like playing table-tennis, swimming, walking and occasionally hitting the gym.

But that wasn't enough
After turning 25, my weight shot up by two kgs every year. Knowingly or unknowingly, I had been about 4-5 kgs overweight since then. Moreover, I had become lazy and dull sitting for hours at one place in front of a book, computer screen or a microscope. Along with aquiring a few medical degrees, I added a few extra kilos to my body. And March 2017 I reached my highest recordable weight of 68.7 kgs! That's when I set my mind - it's now or never!

Your life only gets better when you decide to do work on yourself
I buckled up my shoe and joined Physio2fitness gym and chose Dr. Drashti Shah to be my mentor. Initial days were rough but slowly the daily gym sessions seeped into my routine. I could see how different exercises were positively affecting my mind and body. Throughout these last five months my parents have been really supportive. My father helped me understand the exercise physiology and metabolism, while my mother made the healthiest yummiest meals. Till date I've lost 8 kgs and I feel absolutely amazing.

Diet is an integral part of losing weight
Following a diet plan specially tailored for you is an integral part of losing weight and acheiving your target. I eat home-cooked nutritious well-balanced meals comprising of salads, pulses, soups (hot/cold) and a variety of grains. I do have my cheat days but I have surely become mindful of what I eat.

My current routine
I perform all forms of exercises under one roof in a stipulated time frame with expert advice. An amalgamation of cardio, weight training, strength training, plyo, cross-fit, yoga and pilates is what works for me. On an average I exercise 5 days a week, eat right and drink close to 3-4 litres of water everyday and this has helped me in inching closer to my goal.

Workout with a positive mindset
I thank my father, Dr. Drashti, Rujuta Diwekar, Altaf Pathan & Vikas Thakur for making me realize that you cannot live your life with a negative mindset. Its all up there. As Hellen Keller rightly said - Optimism is the faith that leads to acheivement. They also taught me that along with motivation one needs to inculcate discipline and consistency. Fitness has to be your lifestyle. My struggle has just begun. Adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to success.

Fitness is so much more than exercise
I am 29 now. A trained comprehensive Ophthalmologist, all set to start working in my own private setup. In the last few months I have learnt that we have to constantly challenge ourselves to eat healthy and exercise so as to build a stronger and better version of ourselves. My advice to all those stepping onto their fitness journey - sweat it out with a workout, dance your heart out or play a sport! Turn up the music and blow up some steam. Relax. Do what makes you happy. Take one day as it comes and remember there are no shortcuts! Trust the process, you'll get there! Believe me, fitness is a catalyst for positive changes and it will affect every aspect of life. As its rightly said - Be a better you, for you!