Akansha Lal, a 34-year-old teacher from Greater Noida, successfully shed 32 kg over eight months, going from 89 kg to a fit 57 kg. Her journey from post-pregnancy weight gain to a healthier lifestyle is inspiring, filled with discipline, determination, and key lifestyle changes.
The turning point
Akansha’s love for fashion was the trigger for her weight loss journey. She recalls the frustration of not finding dresses in her size and the gradual weight gain post-pregnancy.“One day I woke up and decided enough is enough,” she says. This was when she cut out all junk food and began running daily, starting her transformation.
Diet and meal plan
Akansha made significant changes in her eating habits, completely eliminating unhealthy food.
Here’s her daily meal plan
Upon waking up: lukewarm water with honey and lemon or chia seeds soaked in water with honey
Breakfast: 2 egg whites with a glass of milk, or oats with dry fruits and honey, or vegetable poha with one multivitamin
Mid-day snack: 1 glass of vegetable juice
Lunch: Any homemade vegetable sabji with one roti or dal and rice or peanut butter with one roti
Dinner: Homemade sabji with paneer and 1.5 roti, or chicken with 1.5 roti, or a chickpea salad with paneer
Pre-workout meal: Coffee (her favorite!)
Post-workout meal: Dinner after the workout
On cheat days, Akansha indulges in burgers, but her go-to low-calorie recipe is vegetable poha, which she swears by.
Workout routine
Akansha’s fitness regimen is varied and intense. She runs five days a week, practices karate three days a week, and engages in kickboxing, taught by her husband, once a week. “Consistency is key,” she emphasizes, noting that it’s important to stay committed, even when results aren’t immediate.
Fitness secrets unveiled
Her secret to success? Consistency. “You may not see results in a week or even a month, but keep at it. It will eventually become your lifestyle.” She believes quitting too soon is why many don’t see their fitness goals through.
Staying motivated
Shopping for cute dresses and her fitness-driven husband helped Akansha stay motivated. “We push each other to keep going, and that makes a huge difference,” she says. Thinking of her future and wanting to stay healthy to play with her grandchildren also keeps her focused.
Overcoming challenges
For Akansha, the tight clothes, bad photos, and joint pain were the hardest parts of being overweight. Looking in the mirror one day and deciding “enough is enough” was a low point that became the driving force behind her transformation.
Lessons learned
Akansha’s weight loss journey taught her that “Consistency is the key, and eventually, it becomes second nature. You start to enjoy it, and that’s when the real transformation happens.”
Looking ahead
In 10 years, Akansha envisions herself as an example for others. “I want to stay in shape or even better, but I’m never going back to my old self,” she says, committed to inspiring others to achieve their fitness goals naturally, without radical diets or supplements.
If you have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toi.health1@gmail.com
These views are not generic in nature. Weight loss results vary for individuals and the views shared in this article offer no guarantee of specific results. The content is not intended in any way as a substitute for professional advice.
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