You can ask anyone who is battling obesity or extra kilos, and they will all tell you the same thing. It is the difficulty of carrying your own weight that becomes troublesome and exhausting after a point of time. For 30-year-old Rohit Prakash, it was the very fact that he wasnt able to walk properly that served as a wake-up call for him. He decided that enough was enough and he needed to get back in shape.Name: Rohit PrakashOccupation: Service
Age: 30 yearsHeight: 5 feet 6 inches
City: Hyderabad
Highest weight recorded: 99 kgs
Weight lost: 20 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 7 monthsThe turning point: Earlier, my whole life revolved around eating the delicacies of my choice and my work. However, soon this lifestyle landed me in a situation where I wasnt even able to walk properly on my own feet. It left me really troubled and I visited a doctor the very next day. The doctor simply told me that I needed to change my lifestyle if I wanted to get back on my feet.
Even though I tried making certain changes, it did not last long. Eventually, it was only my father's words that pushed me to make a fresh start. Seeing my plight, he had simply asked me to "be the change and write a new chapter."
From that day onwards, there was no looking back. Things actually began to look up for me as my friend introduced me to a fitness studio and motivated me to be the best version of myself. Trust me, things were not at all easy in the beginning and only I know how hard it has been to reach so far. It has been a long, taxing journey but certainly worth it.
My breakfast: 5 boiled egg whites with 2 slices of brown bread with peanut butter and 1 whole orange or any other whole fruit
My lunch: Carrot, beetroot and peanut salad with grilled chicken and sauted vegetablesMy dinner: Grilled fish with sauted vegetables or 200 grams of soya paneer with sauted vegetables
Pre-workout meal: Black coffee with 5-6 soaked almonds. I have it around 15 minutes before working out
Post-workout meal: My protein shake and it has to be taken within 15 minutes of working out
I indulge in: More or less, I do not believe in the concept of cheat days. So, whenever I crave for litti with ghee (a Bihari delicacy) and Thai curry with Jasmine rice, I do indulge in them.
My workout: I used to work out for 1.5 to 2 hours and it included cardio, muscle and weight training. I used to exercise for 6 days a week along with swimming twice a week.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I vouch on spiced chicken and spinach. All you need to do is boil some spinach and chicken, cook it with a dash of olive oil and top it off with few herbs and spices.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: Eating the right food is very essential to staying fit and healthy along with good sleep and drinking a lot of water. You should try to stick to the basics and you will definitely get good results.
How do I stay motivated? I have put a goal chart in my room and I look at that every day. It motivates me to chase my fitness dream. Also, whenever I feel low, I close my eyes and visualize all the good things that have happened in my life to date which motivated me to continue my weight loss dream. And even on days when I feel a little down and out, my trainer Naveen and my fitness partner Sudhir are always there to pull me back up.
How do you ensure you dont lose focus? I believe that I am still on my weight loss journey, irrespective of the weight I have lost. This ensures that I do not give up or lose my focus. I also surround myself with positive and inspiring people who help me stay focussed to the path of fitness.
Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? Undoubtedly, the worst aspect of being overweight is the fact that you are not able to carry your own weight. It is upsetting and saddening both, but it also starts bogging you down mentally. I had also reached a point where I was doubting my own potential because of my growing weight.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I have realised that your shape actually does not matter when it comes to measuring how healthy you are. So, I actually want to be healthy, both physically and mentally in the coming 10 years.
