This is the weight-loss tale of a rare combo - a man and his mother-in-law. Abhijit and Jayalakshmi give credit to one another for having attained success, though at two places.
Jayalakshmi retired as a teacher from the NSS College, Palakkad. After retirement, she decided to stay healthy and ward of the illnesses that kept returning by staying fit and by cutting down weight. She did not want to take medicines and probably this is what led her to the weight-loss regime. Drawing inspiration from her, son-in-law Abhijit too toed her line.
Abhijit said he was in Australia when Jayalakshmi decided to reduce weight to keep her spondylosis, diabetes, and joints pain at bay.
Abhijit’s wife, Haritha, told him that Jayalakshmi had joined an online fitness and fat-loss group. Haritha told Abhijit that Jayalakshmi had regulated her food intake on the basis of calories contained in it. Abhijit was not too surprised a Jayalakshmi used to drive all the way to Ernakulam and Changanacherry to see relatives, unmindful of her spondylosis.
Jayalakshmi said she managed to reduce her body weight to 47 from 60 kg. She had problems with her disc and suffered from frequent migraines. She said she initially wanted to join a gym but stumbled upon the weight-loss group.
She was unable to do certain exercises mentioned in the group. But she caught up and managed to do whatever was possible and adhered to a strict diet.
“I retired in March. I had joined the group in October. Initially, when I used to carry sprouts and mushroom for lunch, it was a joke to many people. But then, they noticed the change and were very appreciative,” she says.
At this time, Abhijit returned from Australia after completing his Masters in Engineering. He wanted to go back with family but COVID played spoilsport. He was awestruck to see Jayalakshmi working with a spade in the house. At Jayalakshmi’s insistence, Abhijit also joined the weight-loss group and started exercises and diet. He managed to reduce 20 kg in three months. Abhijit says he is extremely happy that his waistline is reduced. “It feels like in a magical world,” he says.
Abhijit recollects how he had cut his hair completely during the period. His friends in Australia thought he had cancer, he recollects with a smile. Abhijit says his hair too had grown in strength after he took care of the diet.
The rare duo would tell weight-loss aspirants that they should avoid junk food and adhere to a regular work-out regime.
