Get Ahead reader Harsh is depressed due to his weight problem. He wants to become fit and slim in 6-8 weeks. However, that requires a weight loss at least 35 kilogrammes. Fitness instructor Brinda Sapat helps him begin the journey to a fit and confident Harsh.  

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Harsh's profile

Name: Harsh Arora

Age: 18 years

Sex: Male

Weight: 102 kgs

Vital statistics: 43-38-43

Occupation: Student

Location: New Delhi, India

Work hours: 6-7

Case specifics: I am in a state of severe depression and feel I am ugliest person in the world. I am sick of being overweight. I don't have self-confidence and am now losing my self-respect. My classmates make fun of me. Please help. 

Daily routine: I wake up between 9 and 10 am and have breakfast before leaving for college. My classes get over at 2 pm and I have lunch at 2.30 pm. I then sleep or spend time with friends from 3.30 to 9.30 pm. In this duration, I end up eating a lot from here and there. Dinner is at 9.30 pm and I sleep between 1 and 2 am. I am non-vegetarian.

My fitness goal: 65 kgs in 6-8 weeks.

Brinda's verdict

Hello, Harsh. It is wonderful that you have decided to take care of your weight and health. Firstly, you are not ugly. Being overweight can make you feel very low, but the good part is it's something that can be changed. That is the most important thing you need to know. Many teenagers tend to gain weight around their mid- teens, but can lose it a lot more easily compared to older people. However, it is unreal and unhealthy to lose 37 kilos in 6-8 weeks. Let's make sure you lose 6 kilos in this time frame. Losing large amounts of weight in a short period of time results in serious deficiencies and can make you sick. If you stick with the programme long-term, your weight will eventually drop.

I am working with limited data, as you haven't given me enough details. Check with your doctor for any underlying medical conditions resulting in weight gain before you start, in which case this programme may not be suitable for you. Also, maintain a diary from the time you start this programme. Record your current weight and vital statistics. Update the same every two weeks (Remember to weigh yourself at a particular fixed time of the day each time).

Let's get to work!

Diet

Morning

A glass of water, when you wake up.

Breakfast

• A bowl of cereal (muesli or wheat flakes) with skimmed milk. No sugar.
• Fruit of your choice (avoid banana or mango).
• A boiled egg (without the yolk).

A glass of water between breakfast and mid-morning snack.

Mid-morning

• Fruit of your choice (avoid banana or mango).

A glass of water between mid-morning snack and lunch.

Lunch

• 1-2 chapattis
• 1 serving of vegetables of your choice, cooked in olive oil
• 1 serving of salad (make sure you include green leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, etc.)

OR

• Open sandwich using whole grain bread and vegetables of your choice. No cheese/butter/jam.

A glass of water between lunch and evening snack.

Evening Snack

• Skimmed milk with any malt drink mix, like Ovaltine/Bournvita. No sugar.

OR

• A handful of nuts of your choice.

A glass of water between evening snack and dinner.

Dinner

• Fish/chicken dry or cooked in a simple tomato-based watery curry (no thick gravies. Cook in olive oil)
• 1 chapatti
• 1 serving of salad

OR

• Grilled chicken or fish with grilled vegetables
• Soup
• Salad

You need to be careful about eating from "here and there." Avoid eating out as much as you can. Eating out means extra calories, even if you are choosing the healthier option. Instead, try and carry some snacks with you, like an apple/carrot or a small bag of nuts.

Eating out

• Indian: Eat anything tandoori. Avoid bread/rice for dinner. Avoid gravies.
• Continental: Soup and salad. Skip the bread for dinner.
• Chinese: Anything steamed or stir fried. Avoid sauces.

Foods strictly disallowed

• Fast foods, such as McDonald's
• Indian fast foods, such as bhel, chaats, samosas, etc.
• Fried foods, whether shallow or deep-fried.
• Sweet foods

Eat slowly and enjoy your food.

Exercise

Exercise and diet go hand in hand when weight loss is the goal. From the information you have given me, I assume you are not exercising. This program will gradually ease you into a fitness routine. Once you see some weight loss, the exercise regime needs to get tough to keep up with your body that is growing stronger!

Cardio's the way for you!

Cardio's all you need for now. Fat burn happens through cardio workouts such as walking, swimming or aerobics. Start with walking three days a week for 20 minutes. The pace should be brisk and you should feel a bit out of breath. Put your walkman on and play some fast music that you enjoy. It will help keep the pace.

In addition to walking three days a week, indulge in any physical sport of your choice, twice a week. Make sure you enjoy what you do. You should look forward to it! After two weeks, increase your walking time to 30 minutes, maintaining the quick pace. Every two weeks, increase your walking time by 10 minutes until you reach 60 minutes. Keep up with your sport.

By the sixth week, you should have noticed some changes in weight. Keep up the schedule. When you feel you aren't losing any more weight, do the following:

• Increase your walking pace
• Switch to another cardio activity like swimming or aerobics -- 60 minutes non-stop
• After a few weeks, get back to walking. The more variety you offer yourself, the better your body will respond.

Remember to workout hard. Be persistent. It will pay off. Sometimes, it takes long for the weight to start dropping and this tends to disappoint you. THIS is the stage where most people give up. DON'T do that. Stick with it and take one day at a time. It will drop and you will get to the shape and size you want to be. Losing weight is hard work and requires time, effort, dedication and discipline.

Apart from exercise, keep yourself physically active as much as possible. Take the stairs, walk short distances. Don't lie down during the day. Offer to run errands for your family or help with housework. Go dancing!

Now that you are going to be on your way to losing weight, cheer up! Don't let your classmates get to you and your confidence. They are obviously not looking at the person that lies inside you. Ignore their remarks and stay focused on what YOU want! Good luck!

Please Note

• The diet and exercise plans suggested should be followed only after a doctor's consent.
• Exercises recommended must be learnt by the reader from a fitness professional or from a reliable fitness Web site.
• The fitness profiles have been created based on the information given by the reader. If the reader has missed out any important information, he/she should not follow the programme before checking with the writer and consulting with a doctor.
• The writer will not be held responsible for any untoward incident.

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-- Brinda is head of the Group Exercise Department at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for the last nine and a half years.