Weight Loss Part 1

Confession: I have really struggled with weight issues since we moved to Dubai in Dec 2012. Last few months have definitely been the heaviest months in my short life. I think moving cities, settling into a new job meant placing myself at the end of the priority list. I anyway gain weight very easily and even though I eat home-cooked meals most of the time, it has still been a struggle to keep it under control.

Part of the struggle has been the disposal of leftovers. Being from India, I am used to having the option of giving clean leftovers to the needy who are always very grateful to receive this help. Since moving out to the UK and then Dubai, this gap is one thing I have had to get used to. I have found a few solutions to this problem though that I will write about soon.

In the process, I have been slowly upping my fitness game.

• 18 months ago, I started with a 20 min run on the Cross trainer at the gym about four times a week. I struggled to concentrate and had to watch a film on my iPad to keep myself entertained. The maximum speed I could push myself to was only about 8km/hour

• This routine was frequently interrupted by my travels and visiting guests - leading to eating and staying out till late in the night and having no time or energy for even this soft workout the next day

• Early 2014, I discovered aqua-biking which is an expensive but a very enjoyable sport that I have written about here. I have been slowly settling into a more comfortable pace of life since then and have tried to keep on top of my fitness. But my limited tries and a long month of holiday in July have led to just that- limited results 

• I have made big improvements though and can do much more than the first point above now!

From 1st Aug onwards, I have set myself a challenge of 2 months to stick to a weekly plan of gym workouts combined with group classes. I am recording my meals and exercise on Noom health coach app (Pro version), which keeps me focused. I am looking forward to them suggesting a group for me soon, which would give me more motivation. Having a dedicated workout buddy and a supportive husband also helps a lot.

There are really no short-cuts to this and I am determined to make the hard-transition to a healthier, happier ME. My chosen method of keeping fit is attending group classes and I will be doing a separate post on that next.

I will be documenting my journey here and look forward to your feedback :)