Seek Support
Weight loss and maintenance requires a wider social
support system. My friends supported me by always
cooking healthy food when I went over, not forcing
me to eat, and encouraging my weight loss and
exercise efforts. In restaurants, they often ate the
same food as me and in fact we chose restaurants
based on whether I would get healthy food there or
not. They showed their love in non-food ways like
phone calls, letters, thoughtful gifts, hugs and so on.
Remind Yourself
Healthy Substitutes
I did not stop eating the foods I enjoyed; I
simply made them healthier. I did not avoid
foods like potatoes—I avoided their fried
version. Some recipe tips that work: instead
of regular
bhel,
have
bhel
without scv or
puri,
adding vegetables and masala. Instead of
potato chips, opt for popcorn with minimal
butter. To skip fries, slice potatoes thin, and
bake them till they become crisp. Substitute
ice cream with hung, low-fat dahi blended
with fruits and a little bit of honey.
Healthy Choices
In restaurants, I asked for salad
dressings on the side and an
oil-free dressing, no or minimal
oil/butter in food. I ate a salad
before going out to prevent over-
eating. At home, I would give my
domestic help a teaspoon and
insist that she measure oil into
that spoon before cooking.
Bulk Up on Veggies
I did not give up my regular
food such as roti and raita—just
changed my menu. I consistently
controlled the fat content, bulking
up foods and filling up on low-
calorie, fibre-rich veggies. Factor
in plenty of veggies and salads to
eat the right portions and cook in
flavours you like.
Resist Temptations
Whenever I had
an urge to pick up something fried or sweet, I
reminded myself that this food was not running
away. What was important was achieving a feeling of
well-being. By not giving in to temptation, I was not
simply losing kilos but building self confidence. ■
For me the most important reason to keep going was the
things I wanted to do—watch movies/plays without worrying
if I would fit into the theatre chair, walk without feeling
breathless within minutes, get a job in an office and do normal
things. I needed to remind myself and focus on the end result.
To lose weight, maintain a list of reasons why losing weight is
important to you and what you will achieve if you were lighter
and read it twice a day to constantly reinforce your intentions.
