Some gifts are so special that you hold on to it even years after you have received them. You even develop a special emotional bond with the gift which, in fact, reflects the unique relational that one shares with the person who has given the gift. Sreevidya Praveen, a native of Thrissur was elated when her husband gifted her a beautiful salwar suit for her first birthday after marriage.
She wished to wear it on all the special occasions in her life. However, there was a time when Sreevidya was worried whether she would have to say goodbye to her favourite attire forever as her body didn’t allow her to slip into it. Sreevidya was not ready to give up easily and decided to lose weight just to wear her ‘beloved’ salwar again. In an incredible feat, Sreevidya shed around 13 kilos in just five months and wore the same salwar on her 44th birthday, around twenty years after it was gifted to her.
Unwanted comments
Sreevidya recalls how she had suffered body shaming and vile comments, even from her friends and relatives, for years. Some joked whether she used to eat all the food in the house while some others wondered whether the ration was enough for her.
Sreevidya, even though insulted and hurt by such comments, would try to hide her pain by casually saying that she was putting on weight because she has a good heart. However, the comments and the stares had always made her uncomfortable. Sreevidya decided to do something about her body weight when it began affecting her confidence.
Determined
Sreevidya began experiencing many health-related problems when her weight reached 76 kilos. She complained of loss of breath while climbing stairs. Her feet would get swollen even if she walks for a bit. All these began to affect her confidence and self-esteem too. It was a friend who suggested her to check out the Fat Loss group on social media in order to lose weight in a healthy manner.
Sreevidya likes to credit this group for her incredible transformation. She says that the group members had helped her to regain her confidence.
Lost 13 kilos in 4 months
“We got proper instructions from the group. Soon, I too learned to plan the workouts, understand its advantages and to design a diet that ensures proper protein and calory supply. I prepared a unique diet plan as I am a vegetarian. I made sure that I consumed the right amount of calories that is necessary for a day.
I strictly followed the workout instructions that were given in the group. I always maintained an active relationship with the group that gave me the energy to continue. I began losing 400 – 500 gms of body weight in a week. So, I could shed 13 kilos in just five months. From 76 kilos, I dropped to 63 kilos,” says Sreevidya.
Diet
Sreevidya wakes up at four in the morning and begins her day by enjoying a refreshing cup of jappi (similar to dried ginger coffee). She prepares breakfast and lunch by 6 am. She then begins her work out session with HIIT. Sreevidya eats her breakfast after the workout. Idli, dosa, appam and chapathi are some of the healthy breakfast items that she eats.
Sreevidya says she needs to drinks half cup tea by adding a bit of jaggery for sweetness. She eats a mid-day meal of oats porridge sweetened with jaggery or honey. She makes sure to have lunch at 1 pm. Sreevidya wouldn’t eat more than 100 gms rice and 50 – 100 gms curries. She had a habit of enjoying a sweet dessert after lunch. However, she gave up that habit and began eating 100 gms of fruits. Bananas, guavas, apples and papaya are some of her favourite fruits.
She drinks a cup of unsweetened tea in the evening with a few marigold biscuits. At 6 pm, Sreevidya enjoys a cup of jappi while spending some amazing moments with her family. Her dinner comprises of wheat, millet or oats dosa. She has her dinner before 8 pm and try not to eat more than 100 gms. Sreevidya keeps her mobile phone aside and reads books from 9 – 9.30 pm before going to bed.
She does the workout for the muscle group at 4 pm. Sreevidya makes sure to do the HIIT workout for 6 days and muscle workouts once in a week. Besides, she ensures that she gets at least 6 hours of sleep every night. Moreover, Sreevidya drinks enough water to keep her body hydrated.
No more allergies
Sreevidya suffered from many skin allergies and had been taking steroid medication for it. She says that her skin health improved after she started drinking water. Moreover, her shortness of breath and swollen limbs too improved once she started a healthy diet and life style. She says that she could gain the confidence to set a weight loss goal only after joining the group.
Favourite salwar
“I kept the salwar that my husband had gifted me for my birthday after the wedding as I loved it so much. Even though I was sad that I couldn’t wear it often, I didn’t have the heart to throw it away. I would take it out occasionally, enjoy the feel of it and then keep it back. After 18 years, I was able to wear it again. I got the salwar for my 24th birthday; I could wear it again, twenty years later on my 44th birthday too. It was indeed my greatest achievement.
Staying away from toxicity
Sreevidya says most people say that she lost her charm when she lost weight. However, such comments don’t deter her as she believes that beauty is just skin deep. Moreover, she values her health more than her physical looks. Now, she aims to shed some more weight so that she could try on her old wedding blouse and saree. Sreevidya is proud that her husband and kids encourage her in her weight loss journey and offer their wholehearted support.
