BABY FAT TO BABY FIT

               

My Daughter’s incredible 30 kgs weight loss Journey

Born a healthy baby, Mannat was the typical ‘Chubby Kid’. The one everyone would look at and say, “Oh Cho Chweet” or “Touch wood, she is so healthy”. Although as a baby she was too cute for me to be worried about her weight, I never realised that one day this would all turn around and fall back on me.

                                                                     Baby Mannat

As a growing kid, Mannat did not shed any weight and from an overweight kid, she grew into an overweight adolescent. She did start looking slim when she gained height, but once her height stabilised, the weight came back again.

                               5 Years Old                                

Then, Class 12 happened! Overburdened with studies and barely any time for exercise (although she did join a gym and had swimming membership, but she couldn’t be regular), Mannat’s weight increased from 70 kgs to 82 kgs!

                                                                          

After Class 12, Mannat decided to pursue a career in Flying. She took a year off to clear her DGCA exams. During that time, I tried everything with her, forced her to attend my classes, forced her to run, forced her to go for swimming, but it all seemed like I was fighting a losing battle. It was a constant struggle for me to motivate her and get her to lose weight. After all, she was the daughter of a fitness professional, so taunts from people were all too often. I got used to hearing, “Komal how come your daughter is so fat? You have helped so many of us lose weight and get fit!!”

Also, besides that, if she were to become a pilot, she would have to maintain an ideal bodyweight. But, she almost seemed to accept her being overweight as normal and wasn’t really motivated to do anything about it.

For her flying training, Mannat went to New Zealand for 18 months. There, thanks to junk food and aerated drinks, her weight increased from 82 to 92 kgs!  Not only did the diet increase her weight, it also caused acne to break out on her face. She felt under confident and conscious of her appearance; she was unable to dress the way she wanted to and couldn’t fit into her usual clothes.

                                                                                                                                                                             

June 2018

As she was nearing the completion of her course, something inside her was changing. She realised that she was deeply unhappy with the way she looked and wanted to do something about it. While earlier taunts of being fat didn’t affect her much, but now even innocent remarks and comments from her fellow students and friends started to matter to her. Achieving a perfect score on her CPL flight test, and successfully completing her course, she felt she could do better on her personal front too. The confidence that came from being acknowledged as a good pilot, fuelled her desire to get fit. Due to flying related medical examinations every year, she knew that fitness had to become a priority in the career path that she had chosen.

Mannat came back from New Zealand in December 2018 with the determination of losing weight and making fitness her number one priority. This time, she was the one to tell me, “Mom, I want to get Fit”.

DATE : 01st Jan’2019; WEIGHT : 92 Kgs

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Seeing her motivation, I wanted to milk this opportunity and use every possible measure to design a health and fitness program that would work for her. We did Yoga, Pilates, Functional training, Outdoor running and modified her diet. The initial months were a struggle for her. She would get tired easily and had low muscular strength. However, like the saying in fitness goes, “The body knows no limits, It’s the mind that needs to be convinced”, Mannat’s motivation was really strong and she willingly subject herself to the hard work ahead.                                                           

DATE : 01st Apr’2019; WEIGHT : 82 Kgs

                                                                                   

When the results started showing, she got even more motivated to push herself. Without fail every evening after attending a one hour class she would go to the nearby park for running. As a child who never played any sport all this was quiet challenging for her. She only ate a healthy diet of homemade simple food, fruits, salads, green tea and juices. I never put her on any fancy diet plan as I believe that simple homemade food consumed in moderation and in the right manner, can be maintained lifelong and would help in managing an ideal bodyweight. 

The scales started to dip and she saw many changes in herself. Her acne started to clear up, her constipation got better, she felt more energetic and positive. Over a period of just six months, Mannat lost 20 kgs!

DATE : 01st July’2019; WEIGHT : 72 Kgs

                                                                                

Her journey from a plump teen to a fit and confident adult was not easy. She had phases of disappointment, food urges, frustration; but overcame it all mainly because she was motivated.

One might think that she had age on her side and a mother who is a fitness instructor herself, but no matter how hard I tried to push her, the eventual transformation only happened because SHE wanted to transform herself. She wrote notes to herself and pinned them on her door, didn’t socialise much so that she wouldn’t get tempted to eat out, carried her fruits and juices with her everywhere and took charge of her health in her own hands.

The realisation that came to her was this – ‘Eventually we are all responsible for our health and taking care of our body and mind is our own responsibility’.

Mannat’s journey continues, as she did not lose weight just to look good for a function, or to look attractive or to impress anyone. She got fit because she realised that our body is a precious gift and to look after it, not abuse or over burden it is our responsibility to ourselves. This is a lifelong journey, because after all our body is our only true lifelong companion.

She is following the same fitness and diet regime that we started with. Along with that she has started weight training. Her target is to reach her ideal bodyweight of 65 kgs as per her height and maintain it. However, now it’s no longer a struggle for her. She enjoys her workout and hates missing her classes. The glow, the confidence, the enthusiasm are all too good to be given up. On our recent trek to Markha Valley in Ladakh, Mannat was leading the team from the front. Of course she does indulge in her favourite dessert once in a while; but not because she feels deprived of it; but because she feels, a little indulgence once in a while can easily be burnt off with some good yoga, cardio and weight training.

                                                                 

 

UPDATE :

                                                                                

DATE : 01st July’2020; WEIGHT : 62 kgs

“A seemingly impossible goal.

Achieved with relentless resolve..”

The impossible happened. In her relentless resolve to stay fit, exercise regularly and eat healthy, Mannat not only achieved her goal , but crossed it by 3 kgs. A lighter and happier young woman, this has given her the confidence to face life afresh. With the global pandemic keeping her indoors, she has now started a new journey; a journey that promises adventures of a different kind.. A journey of going inwards… 

While till now her physical fitness was a priority, she is now exploring and understanding ways to go beyond physical by exploring the depth, clarity and peace of mind that comes from Meditation. Keeping up with a regular practice of alternating Yoga, Meditation, Cardio and Strength training, she is looking forward for the pandemic to end and  kickstart her flying career with an intensity and integrity that will make her be sought after by any airline !

                                                                     

 

Komal Sodhi
Yoga, Pilates, Pre/Post Natal exercise specialist & Functional Training Instructor
Komal Yoga and Fitness Studio.