Then and now......

My cousin was here for his conference and we got to catch up with each other after many years. I remember he got married while we were in Germany, I think it was most probably 1997 (I hope I am right) I was wrong they got married in 2001. I knew it! I am bad with numbers. I took the girls for his and Monica`s wedding. That's when I got to interact a tiny little bit with Monica (my Sister in law and now I would say more like a sister and a friend) my first impressions were, she was very confident, smart and beautiful...I loved her hair :)

Anyways we never got to know each other very well just a hi or a dhok every now and then while I was home but now thanks to the WWW...things are so different now. Anyways as my cousin was here and we were talking, I started asking him about Monica and how she looks so great and fit (thanks to facebook) after having 2 kids. He told me that she lost about 20 kgs and I was like WOW! I asked her if she would share her journey with me/us on the blog here and she was kind enough to write a post for my blog

I found it quite inspiring, I hope you do it too. Here is what she wrote:

Monica Before and After :)

Monica, Before and AfterThen and now...

It seemed quite apt to give that title to it as there is a huge difference in then and now. 

Let me see when it all started...we were living in Delhi for last seven years and quite used to the busy metro life. For a few years I was working (as a banker) and lead a very very hectic life. We didn't have any children then so that life suited us..we both had late nights, no holidays, lots and lots of work and Sunday we would just not get out of bed. 

Then Nandini happened:))) that was the turning point. We were married for 5 years and we had not planned kids because of our work life. And in India that's quite late to have kids...everybody had been after our life.

I quit my job because after a long long time I was overwhelmed with my feelings for the baby. This was one time when I ate like a pig....I thought everything I was eating is going to make the baby stronger and healthier. And I didn't care an inch about myself. I was 176 lbs when I delivered her. And I am 5.3" so I looked awfully big. Still it did not bother me as I was completely into bringing up Nandini. She was the centre of everything...the most important person in my life...she still is.

She grew up, I joined a gym for some time, did yoga for sometime,walk, swimming...I think I did all of that but never took anything too seriously. Because there was nobody to tell me that I look horrible with all those extra pounds. Anshul is just too good..he s the kind of person who would compliment me however I look..and I am lucky to have him:))

Then Arjun came and whatever "the lost pounds" were all came back. I was again at 172 lbs after delivering him. And then we moved to Indore... Nandini was five and she had her own views on things now. One day she came up and told me "why are you not like Vinita Aunty (Nandini's bf's mother)?? " she meant the looks. She felt why am I always in kurtas hiding away those extra pounds. I cried that day, I had given up on myself when I had my children and they don't look up to me. I then realised I had to do something about myself. Turning point again:)

With my mom in law as support system at home, I took out some time for myself. I joined a gym... For three months I trained continuously ...nothing happened. Then I consulted a nutrition consultant. That is where "my love for food without any guilt" started. I discovered FOOD. She first made me set my morning routine, for three weeks we only worked on that. My workout was regular with at least 45 mins each day. Three days I did cardio and three days weights(under the guidance of a trainer). 

My morning routine was set and I lost my first 4.5 lbs in those three weeks. And then there was no stopping. Then it came to afternoon routine and then night routine and regular workout. From then on I lost about 4.5 lbs every month and in less than a years time I was at 125 lb. Since then I have maintained it.

I realised that it's not about how much you eat but more about what you eat at what time. And the most important thing is any form of physical exercise:). The returns are awesome...the confidence, admiration in children's eyes, those compliments from Anshul (which seem more genuine now).