Last February, Tahir weighed 78 kg and vowed to lose weight and gain muscle. In the whole journey of transformation, Tahir had lost more than 10 kg in just the starting month and he is still on the journey to build a healthy and fit life.
When Tahir Patel realised that his body had become stiff and inflexible, he knew he needed to pay attention to his health and lose weight. He was done with the hurtful and negative impacts of his weight and decided to lose the stubborn kilos. To know how he did it, read his transformation story below.
The reason that Motivates fat loss and muscle gain
When I was overweight, everyone around me used to give me unsolicited advice and make comments about my weight. It was very sad, and I used to be frustrated by it. I used to be a big moviegoer who admired how fit and healthy the heroes looked on the big screen. I recall discussing Hrithik Roshan's fitness levels in his movie. It pushed me to embark on the weight-loss journey.
However, the final turning point came when my best friend motivated me to lose weight when I was crying profusely in front of her. At that time I weighed 75 kilos and wanted to lose at least 15 kilos more. I was never a gym guy, and going to the gym sounds like very heavy work. That's why I wanted to opt for more home workouts and strength training.
Then one of my classmates told me about the WFH. He informed me that WFH stands for WELLNESS | FITNESS | HEALTH. It's an app that drives you to pay attention to your diet and workouts, essentially transforming you into a healthy habit-building lifestyle. He told me about the app's features and how it provides a personal coach and a dietician to support you throughout the process, and I assumed the app would be very expensive. However, when I enrolled myself, I discovered that the app was very affordable, and I was very happy.
What is the most difficult part about being overweight?
I believe that being overweight is not an issue if you are able to do your daily work and are flexible enough. However, when your body starts bearing the brunt of your weight, it is time to take control of your life. For me, the most difficult part of being overweight was the fact that my body was no longer flexible and it really affected the way I lived my life.
Starting Phase and procedure of transformation journey
When I first started using the app, the first thing I did was calculate my BMI and TDEE. The body mass index (BMI) tells you how much extra body fat you have and what your ideal body weight should be based on your height and age. TDEE, on the other hand, is the total daily energy expenditure, which tells you how many calories you need on a daily basis. And calculate how many calories you must consume in order to apply the calorie deficient.
Diet followed
The meal plans are already set on the app based on the target goal by the WFH's professional dietitian and nutrients. All I had to do was stick to the plan and keep an eye on the calorie intake. My goal was to lose a small amount of weight, so my meal plans were a little calorie deficient so that my body could easily burn that extra fat. It suggested eating well-balanced meals that included protein as well as fibre from all vegetables.
My first meal of the day consisted of an apple, a banana, or a piece of papaya. I ate poha with fruits twice a week as well. I was having two bowls of dal/rajma/chole with one chapati and a salad. For one week, I had to eat a salad with three boiled eggs and another week, I had to eat a bowl of muesli with milk and three boiled eggs.
Macros and quantified diet
As I previously stated, my meal plans were very specific in terms of calorie intake, and while calculating and measuring 500 calories of rice or roti is simple in theory, it is extremely difficult to do in reality. But when I enrolled on the WFH programme they sent the spoons as free gifts which were labelled with the colours all I had to do was to check which spoon full of respective food I had to eat.
Workout Followed to achieve the goal
The app has a support system that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has all of your workout routines planned for you. Their live video and professional personal trainer feature assisted me in learning proper exercise, as they ensure you do not injure yourself and maintain good posture while exercising.
In the evening, I usually work out. I drank some water after an hour and a half of exercise and ate my dinner after 15 minutes. I stuck to a CrossFit session and didn't work out for more than an hour and a half. A normal CrossFit exercise included 10 minutes of running, 3 minutes of jogging, and 10 minutes of stretching, which is crucial for a good warm-up.
What difficulties were you facing during the transformation journey?
Initially, I was a slacker when it came to working out, and I had a lot of cravings throughout the process. However, the dieticians at WFH designed meal plans for me that were tailored to my goals, food preferences, and daily routine. Their recommended diet plan was feasible, practical, and simple to follow, and it avoids luxurious items that would not normally be allowed in the diet, allowing me to stick to the plan and achieve the best outcomes.
How do you stay motivated?
Whenever I feel that I am slipping, I remember the day when I was crying profusely in front of my friend and I do not want to go back to that stage. Moreover, seeing the numbers come down on the weighing scale with every passing day fills me with motivation. Lastly, my friends and seniors of the WFH team kept my spirits high whenever I felt like giving up.
What lifestyle changes did you make?
I made it a point to eat four meals throughout the day. I also began consuming a piece of jaggery as a sugar alternative after each meal. I eat all of my meals within a 12-hour window to provide my body with plenty of time to digest. However, the most significant change I made was to completely overhaul my diet. Aerated beverages, potatoes, sweets, grains, pizza, burgers, chips, and greasy foods were all eliminated from my daily diet.
Lessons learnt from the transformation
On my journey for a muscular body, I discovered that maintaining a healthy diet is the most critical component of losing those obstinate kilos. It's critical to realise that working out nonstop won't help you lose weight and to shape a muscular body if you're not eating healthy or keeping track of your calories. Finally, if you're trying to achieve your fitness goal, it's advisable to avoid these "fitness joints" and stick to Local food.
Finally, make it a habit to go for a walk every day and stretch afterwards.
