Weight loss Series- Woeful weight-based musings of a 'happy go lucky' Indian

Chapter 1: Introduction - Lookout for a Dietician

I am no professional writer. Just a chilled South Indian woman who is trying to discover her own self and body through mindful eating. My writings are not meant for those who are obsessed with losing weight within few days or weeks. This is for someone like me who's laidback and sees this activity as a journey towards healthy eating.

I have been musing on why weight loss has to be so stressful for those who want to take it lightly and not get bullied by dietitians or family/friends or anyone who believes that they have a say on whatever you need to achieve in life. Hence, I decided to create these series for those who are chilled out and are viewing the weight loss process as a lifestyle change that can be gradually achieved. It's not for those who are looking for instant results with vigorous diets and exercising.

I'd like to begin my musings with a disclaimer. So here goes...

Through my experiences, I am not intending to provide any sort of medical advice or tips on what’s good for which body type or how many kilos can be lost by following a diet plan. I am not a qualified dietician for that kind of specialized advice. My purpose is to share my personal experiences while eating lesser and healthier. Maybe it’s helpful for some. Maybe it’s not. I’ll hope that my writings don’t bore you to tears and somewhere down the article, you may find something that you can adapt, as part of your journey towards eating healthier. Also, I haven’t lost oodles of my weight with my conscious eating. Believe losing 8 kg within 3 months is a good start. Just wanted to ensure that the readers don’t think that I am an 'epitome' of weight loss and have the lean look while I am writing this. Ha! Everyone's body and metabolism rate is different. 

Tip: Be kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up if you have gained some weight. Remember that the sun always rises the next day. Just make a firm resolve to lose it when you are ready, both mentally and physically. No rush! 

I don’t know if this is a midlife crisis. But one day I woke up and looked at myself in the mirror. It seemed like I was trying a tad bit to fit into the main frame. There were bulges all over. Sigh! 

On the same day, I went to the local temple here. I was sitting on this chair and the tummy bulged from my tight-fitting top, I guess. An unknown lady walks to me and congratulates me. I was mortified. She thought that I was pregnant! That was the last straw which strengthened my resolve to get the weight under control. Geez! I am single and wanting to mingle still! The slightly higher blood pressure and Triglycerides also didn’t help my cause. 

My Indian Doctor glared at me when i suggested possible options like liposuction and other surgical processes as Plan A.  He threw a damper at that and went on to explain the side effects of all my miracle solutions. The only advice that i got from him was to find a dietician and make a sincere effort to lose some weight! Guess he didn't think I could prove to be a model for any surgical process. Sucks! 

So, the dejected me decided to go looking for a dietician (Plan B) who could give some focused guidance towards healthy eating. I guess I was a bit region centric when I decided to go looking for someone in India. I wanted someone with roots from the South of India. My logic was that the food items that I ate would have some similarity with their own diet and they would be in a better position to understand my requirements. I finally did find someone who fit my needs. This is how i went about with it.  I went to Google and typed my search criteria. Lo and behold! A whole list of dieticians/nutritionists were in front of my eyes. The next task was to filter the list by the last names to find the South Indian one. Indians who are from cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai are very precise at gauging the person’s regional whereabouts from his/her last name. I guess it arises from the fact that the population in Mumbai is a melting pot for multiple religious and cultural communities from different parts of India. Our friends belong to different states. All of us are also multilingual because of our constant interactions with those that belong to different regions, speak languages, belong to different religions etc. A democracy indeed!

Over the years, I have learnt to voice my thoughts precisely and say it 'as is'. So much for diplomacy!  Some would prefer to just leave it to the experts to guide them on topics and they wouldn't dare to question any aspect of the plan. Unfortunately, I don’t fit that bill. I am fairly assertive and make it known if my dietician is demanding something that I believe is not logical for my own body in the long run. Just between you and me, over the months, my dietician is not overly thrilled to have me as her client. No one would want to deal with a vocal woman that does what she likes and who is highly inconsistent at times in following a schedule that’s prescribed. I blame it on the planetary positions of my horoscope. (Kundli). LOL! It’s easier to blame someone other than oneself for our shortcomings. 😛

Tip: Always listen to your own body and it’s needs. While guidance is good, always ensure that you have a stretch goal that is more achievable than short term targets.