True weight loss story: How Amit Makhija lost 25 kg and transformed himself!

Losing weight has not only made Amit a lot slimmer, but also a lot more confident and happy.

It ll be tough to find a group of people in India be it a college class, office group, customers at a restaurant or even a wedding party where there won t be a few aspiring souls who want to lose weight. Despite this huge desire among people to transform themselves, very few people are able to do it for real. One such person is Amit Makhija, who lost 25 kg and transformed completely. We hope that his story inspires you to go on a weight loss journey yourself, and gives you the belief that it s really possible if you try hard and do the right things.

In the beginning

When I first decided to finally shed some weight, I started going for a walk. I started jogging slowly. It was odd at first, knowing the fact that I was bulky, I was embarrassed. Gradually, I got habituated and would jog and walk for 60 minutes every day. At the same time, I stopped eating junk food completely. I reduced my consumption of rice and fried food to a bare minimum. I avoided outside food. I started eating more vegetables, salad, and fresh fruits, says Amit.

As Amit was not used to any physical exertion at all for a long time, his body responded well to the walking/jogging routine. I started seeing the changes in first month itself. I lost close to 5 kg in a span of 40 days. Once I saw the change in me, I just kept going. I later joined gym since I couldn t go for a jog during rains, he said.

The amazing journey of losing 18 kilos in 6 months

At gym, I primarily started with cardio and abs exercises. I continued my regime for 3 months and I could see the change in myself. By this time, others too started observing the changes in me. I lost 8 kilos in those 3 months at the gym. I had to discontinue working out for some time due to my college routine and exams and gained some weight as a result, he said.

However, after this, I was more determined than ever to lose this weight again. So, I resumed gymming and had a balanced diet. I was weight training along with cardio and strength exercises. The closer I got to my goal of fitness, the more I enjoyed working out. I lost a total of 18 kilos in a span of 6 months. I had transformed. It felt amazing!'

According to Amit, diversifying the workout and recognising what his body responded well to (and varying his exercises accordingly) was key to his success, whenever he felt that he wasn t getting any results despite doing the right workout and following a good diet. Here are some sample exercises that you can try for losing weight.

The diet that transformed Amit

My diet mainly comprised green vegetables, salad, chapatti. I used to have sprouts and a glass of milk for breakfast. Sabji and roti for lunch. Evening snacks comprised fruits, almonds, beans and other dry fruits. I used to have light dinner, some green vegetable and chapatti. I had reduced consumption of sweets to almost negligible. I used to drink plenty of water at,regular intervals. I ate vegetable sandwiches in brown bread. I cut down my consumption of rice, potato, fried food of all kinds, junk food, aerated drinks, pizza, cheese and butter. I stopped eating outside food, said Amit. Check out a sample weight loss diet plan by our expert dietician.

Cheat meal once a week

The fact that we are humans, we are bound to have temptations. I too had them. So I used to have a cheat meal once a week, wherein I would eat all my favorite food (junk, fried, sweets) in small proportions. That means my plate would be more of a tasting sampler than a full meal. This way I didn t miss on everything and was also able to control my diet, said Amit.

Tough times

Nobody who has achieved success will say that it came to them served on a platter and without any roadblocks in between. For Amit too, the case was no different.

'I had to discontinue my gym due to an injury in my shoulder while working out one day. It was bad at first. I almost stopped exercising completely. I had my final year engineering exams coming up back then, so my attention diverted and I couldn t focus much on my diet either. I started bulking up again. But deep down I knew I couldn t let this go, he said.

Making a strong comeback

As soon as I was in good condition to exercise, I started with basic workouts. In no time, I gained my momentum and was back in form. I used to always imagine myself with my dream body. This image of my blueprint helped me stay motivated all through this while, he added.

How have people reacted after the transformation

We asked Amit about how people have reacted after his transformation. People who have been with me during my journey, my family and close friends, they appreciate my hardwork and consider me as an inspiration. Others, who meet me after a long time are usually surprised/shocked to see me change so much. I have started getting noticed and get more attention than before. It s never too hard to approach someone and have a casual chat now. The harsh fact that I have realised is - looks do matter! , he said.

How has Amit changed as a person

'I can say with 100% honesty that getting fit and becoming healthy has made me comfortable in my own skin. In the past, I would get very easily embarrassed and usually just try to keep quiet. Now, I talk to strangers everywhere I go whether it s the guy sitting next to me while travelling or the guy working out together at the gym. Even when passing by, I casually greet people and smile. It has become a habit now. I talk to everyone without fear that they will not like me because I like me.', said Amit.

During a low moment, Amit finds looking at his old pictures therapeutic and a source of great confidence.

The road ahead

Today, I feel great having achieved this milestone. I try to maintain myself by working out regularly and keeping a check on my diet. I am not harsh on myself, I enjoy eating as much as I enjoy working out. It gets balanced now. Personal gratification is the biggest reward I got here, said Amit.

Image source: Amit Makhija

Corrigendum: The URL of this post says Amit Makhija lost 22 kg, which is incorrect. He lost 25 kg. The error is deeply regretted.

Disclaimer text TheHealthSite.com does not guarantee any weight loss through this method as the results may vary from person to person. We recommend you consult your nutritionist and physician before following any of the tips suggested here.

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