How to lose weight for the common Desi!

Since the beginning of this year I have been able to lose a little bit of weight. What a lot of people don’t understand about losing weight is that

1)   You can lose weight so that it finds you back

2)   You can lose weight so it never comes back

So many times I hear people boasting about losing “X” amount of weight, and normally when I ask them how they are doing it, it’s surprising (at least to me it is) how many people do drastic things or crash diets. I suppose people don’t understand that it has to be a lifestyle change if you want the weight to never come back. The biggest drawback of a temporary fix is that once you start eating what you consider normal, the weight comes back, sometimes twice what you lost!

After having our third daughter, it’s been a constant struggle to lose the weight; it kept finding me back because I wasn’t losing it the right way (duh!). I wasn’t willing to make it a lifestyle change. 4 and a half years ago, after our second child, I was able to lose 45 lbs. successfully and it was because I transformed my perception of what I considered normal to eat. After having our third munchkin, the mind-set changed because I let it change.

Now that I am back to changing my mind set, I am quite pleased with where I am. Making weight loss permanent isn’t too hard, it just means changing a few things here and there. Small changes can go a long way! If you are going to follow a specific plan, STICK TO IT! There are diets out there that work. The weight you lose can be gone permanently as long as you follow the plan and make the changes permanent.

        One of the extreme diets I’ve been on has taught me to look at food differently. It took about 60 days for my body to get adjusted to eating significantly less. Eating less is a key to success in losing weight. A lot of times, it may appear we are eating less, but what we are eating might not be the best thing to have. Here are some pointers for successfully losing weight.

Keep track of what you eat. In today’s technologically advanced world, using the free app– myfitnesspal.com (or you can signing up through their website if you don’t have a smart phone), you can easily keep track of what you consume daily. You can set goals for daily calorie consumption. Best of all, you aren’t simply counting calories, you get a break down of your carbs, fats, and proteins too. With Myfitnesspal.com you can track your weight, see how many calories you burn in a workout. It’s the Facebook equivalent for people wanting to lose weight. 

Snack wisely! Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet and one of the best ways to do it is by snacking on them. Have an apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, and see how filling it is. Tangerines, grapes, baby carrots, and celery are wonderful to snack on. 

 Drink water. I’ve heard that drinking half your weight in ounces is the daily recommendation for your water consumption. While we’ve all heard 8-10 servings of 8 oz. daily, I try to drink 100 oz. Did you know sometimes when we are thirsty our body interprets it as hunger? So the next time when you think you are hungry grab a glass of water first and see if that helps.

 
Be active. It simply cannot be denied that working out is very helpful in losing weight. There are so many ways of being active that it’s amazing. Aside from going to the gym to workout, workouts can now easily be done at home. Mix up your workout routine. If you aren’t a runner, Google the C25K (couch to 5k) program. It’s a wonderful program that will bring the runner in you out. If you have a game console such as Wii or Xbox, you can buy games such as Just Dance and Zumba to help you move a little more. I am a big fan of Bob Harper and in addition to my Zumba and Just Dance routines, I mix up my workouts with Bob’s Yoga for the Warrior and Inside out method Pure Burn Super Strength workouts. I’ve tried Insanity, but since I’m on a very low calorie diet, I am leaving Insanity out for now. If you don’t want to invest in a workout DVD, YouTube has Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper (trainers on The Biggest Loser), and Tracey Mallett workouts that you can use.  Keep in mind, burning off calories will help you lose weight and help you look good too.


  Go ahead and cheat, unless you are on the hCG (then wait till end of the cycle)! Cheat days are essential. They help us limit our cravings and help keep our metabolism on track. There are different plans that allow different cheats. Just don’t go overboard with the cheat day. A cheat day shouldn’t translate to a cheat weekend! And in the event that it does, be sure to work off some of those extra calories.



Be smart about what you’re diet includes. Although most would agree that having a low carb, low fat, and high lean protein diet is the way to go. Don’t fill your diet with foods that taste disgusting (like Fiber One Cereal). Also, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t enjoy the foods you eat regularly. We desis are big on bread and rice. I only buy whole wheat flour to make rottis (tortilla like flat bread) even though I don’t eat them. On the rare occasions that I do have paratay (flat bread made using oil) with my husband and kids, I use Pam cooking spray (or the Publix brand) instead of oil or ghee.  

 

Cut back on the extra calories. Most desis indulge on chai several times throughout the day. If you’re like me, it’s most likely a dhood-paati version (where the ratio of water to milk is 1:1) and of course we use whole milk only. (Oh so that’s where all the extra calories are coming from…) Cut back on the fat, already! Whole milk is recommended for CHILDREN! Use low-fat or skim milk. Or be like me, and have green tea with lemon instead of chai, and drink your coffee black without the sugar! 

Chicken tikka anyone? Who doesn’t love spicy grilled chicken? We all do. But why marinade it in yogurt? Why brush it with oil constantly? Marinate your tikka using vinegar and/or lemon juice to cut back on calories. Use cooking spray instead of oil. It will still taste yummy, and have less calories.  
Be daring, try new things! You will be surprised at how yummy Almond Milk tastes with cereal. There are wonderful recipes out there for using cauliflower to make “mashed potatoes”, and even a “pizza crust.” It’s a healthier version with less carbs, fat, and calories. Did you know you can make pancakes using eggs and bananas? Try out new things, you never know what you end up liking!
 

Have a support system! You need a good group of buddies, not just for accountability but someone that can understand you and is facing issues similar to the ones you are. 4 years ago, I met a wonderful group of ladies through the wte (What to expect when you’re expecting) website. I was very passionate about losing weight and the health and fitness forum was a new addition. Needless to say the challenges were amazing, but what was better was the bond we formed. Although I have only met one of the girls in real life, they are the girls I turn to, I can trust, I rely on, and yes, they are truly my BFF’s! They are the first ones I turn to in good times and bad. The girls in my group are all inspirational and they are the ones that keep me on my toes! Love my Savage Girls! I am able to lose the weight because they constantly encourage me and have helped this Desi Girl to be SAVAGE material!