Ever since I published my posts on returning to sports after 25 years & committing to a fitter life, I have been flooded with questions from readers. Most of them are struggling with weight loss and health issues. For some, fitness is like a distant dream.
This series on: “Stories of Health Transformation” is for those who wish to commit to a healthy lifestyle and maintain it. Through this series, I will be speaking to people who have struggled with fitness & weight loss issues. They followed a proper process – no pills, no fad diets, or gimmicks – lost weight, got fitter and today, they live to tell a story. Do leave your views in the comment box below, ask as many questions and you wish. I will be happy to get them answered.
Don’t forget to read till the end to get your hands on an exclusive infographic containing Sameer’s health tips.
We begin with a story that I have witnessed with my own eyes. My dear friend, Sameer Karve, a working professional who committed to a healthy lifestyle.
Over a period of 5 years, Sameer has lost 44 kgs, 20% Body fat & gained muscle mass. How did he do it?
Here is his story:
“I was 25 years old, when I felt breathless while walking. That’s when I locked myself in a room & said, ‘Boy, you need to do something about this’.”
– Sameer Karve
Sameer regularly shares his journey on his Instagram.
Click here to follow him on Instagram.
Wow! This is an amazing transformation! What triggered the change?
Well, there were many triggers, that have made me change physically, emotionally & mentally. As a kid, I was always known to be healthy (read fat). This somehow affected the way I thought & behaved. I was always worried about my actions and would try to act in a manner that wouldn’t trigger laughter from others. I started finding comfort in binge eating. I pretty much ate whatever came in front of me, and more.
This went on until I went to buy denim jeans & realized that my waist size was 44 inches!! This was the first prominent trigger for me.
“You will not believe me when I say this, but I must have taken dozens of gym memberships during my initial days but never went to the gym for more than 20 days in total. Until one day….”
Tell our readers about the weight you started with & where you stand today. How much time did you take to get this awesome bod?
I was around 140 kgs when I started!! Yes!! Even I cannot believe this but this was the reality back then. Luckily, I was surrounded by certified gym trainers who were honest enough to tell me upfront NOT TO EXPECT OVERNIGHT RESULTS.
They convinced me to give a commitment that would last a lifetime – that was the only way to get back in shape and maintain it.
I started with 140 kgs and 40% body fat, today, I stand at 96 kgs & 28 percent body fat. What you see today, is a result of a good 5 years of sweating it out in the gym plus a lot of hard wiring of my mental make up. Today fitness is more of a habit than a lifestyle for me.
“To get in shape is not some project which one takes up to complete in a stipulated time and then stops working on it.”
After reading this, I am sure many of the readers would want to hit the gym tomorrow itself. What are the preparations they should do before they hit the gym?
Lol. Thank you. I really hope that my journey motivates people to commit to fitness. It is easy to see the fitter ones at the gym and try to ape them – my advice – DON’T copy anyone.
Anyone who is new to the gym environment must first get used to the routine first. Allow your body time to get used to it. DON’T blindly follow what others are doing. Everyone’s body is different and will react differently. What may be good for one, may not be good for another. Also, ensure that you join a gym that has certified and experienced trainers.
Most importantly, prepare yourself mentally to be strong and BELIEVE in yourself. Its a journey, if you walk it correctly, you will reach the destination.
What about food? Do you follow a particular routine or diet plan?
I don’t like the word diet. The key here is proper nutrition. The right nutrition goes a long way in keeping us healthy and aiding us in our fitness goals. My trainers & nutritionist advised me to increase my protein intake & decrease fat intake. One needs to ensure that one gets enough protein from whole foods. Opting for protein supplements is a personal choice that needs to be taken based on advice from a certified expert.
Were there any foods you avoided, any that were absolutely part of your routine.
Yes, absolutely! Here are some things I follow to the ‘T’:
- I do not eat butter chicken so often now and usually, it’s a part my cheat meal day.
- Usually one should eat all whole foods as much as possible.
- Reduce the intake of all junk and desserts which we eat.
- Try finishing off your last meal latest by 7 pm.
Tell us about your lifestyle changes. You are a young man, making a change in lifestyle must have been difficult given the late hours at work & other pressures on the home & peer front.
Commitment to fitness is all in the mind, as one starts seeing the changes in their body, it becomes an addiction – a healthy one :).
I wake up at 5 am every single day – this has been the biggest lifestyle change for me. I enjoy working out in the morning and thus had to make this change in my life. I workout, come home, have breakfast, freshen up & rush to work.
This cannot be a perfect fairy tale! There must have been moments of frustration…share some…
Trust me, many times, even today, I feel like giving up …it happens very often.
At times to juggle between work life and workouts becomes difficult. There are days when I feel I just can’t do this anymore. This is where one’s mental strength comes to the fore.
I simply take a couple of days off, I do not think about gym and workouts during goes off days. This way I usually end up feeling more refreshed and energized than before. I go back with twice the enthusiasm.
How did your family support you in this mission?
Without family, I do not think I would have pulled this off. They have been very supportive in everything I do.
Your journey is still ongoing, what are you doing so that you reach your target weight?
As I mentioned, it’s an unending journey. I do not focus much on weight but it’s more on how I feel with my current condition. I like to set month on month goals and try my level best to achieve them.
Any motivational tips or important advice for our readers?
Losing weight can be a long and difficult process. I would like to tell all the readers:
No matter what do not give up and believe in yourself.
There are periods when the body stops losing weight, in the fitness industry, it’s called a plateau. These days come and go but what remains is one’s resilience and determination.
Do not fall for ‘1 day – lose 5 kgs’ programs as they are meant to just make money out of you.
Follow the right people on social media as they too can be good motivators.
Sameer shares health tips on his Twitter handle regularly. Click here to follow him.
As promised, here is an exclusive, printable infographic containing health tips from Sameer Karve:
Penned by:
Mayura Amarkant
Disclaimer: Sameer Karve, Mayura Amarkant or staff at http://www.diaryofaninsanewriter.com are not health and fitness experts. This blog post is NOT sponsored, nor is it meant to be diagnostic in any way. Readers are advised to take proper medical advise before embarking on their fitness journey.
DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter 
Life is what you think of it. These stories are right inspiration of what one can achieve if put their mind on it.
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I like your idea of committing to one month goals. That seems much more realistic than a final goal weight staring you in the face. Baby steps. It all starts with tiny steps that combine to make huge results. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you for stopping by 🙂
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