Weighing a massive 108 kilos, Vishesh Pathak's quality of life was rapidly deteriorating. Slowly, he realised that he needed to change his ways to lead a more fulfilling and healthy life. From being a couch potato, eating round the clock and being glued to streaming services to running 4 full marathons, he has certainly come a long way. Read on his incredibly motivating journey to get inspired.
Name: Vishesh Pathak
Occupation: Architect
Age: 30 years
Highest weight recorded: 108 kgs
Weight lost: 41 kgs
Duration it took me to lose weight: 7 months
The turning point: When you are overweight, more than the hurtful and unsolicited advice people hurl your way, it is the realisation that you are not able to do day-to-day activities with the same ease. It was incredibly frustrating when I wasn’t able to fit into my favourite clothes any longer. While there was no specific moment which nudged me to lose weight, I knew I had to get back in shape if I wanted to lead a more fulfilling life.
Another turning point of my life was when I ran my first ever 10-kilometre race after which I really got into running. I joined the New York Roadrunners group and tried to qualify for the NYC marathon by doing 9 qualifying races. Throughout 2017, I attended 14 running events comprising of 5Ks, 10Ks, Half-marathon (13.1 miles) and NYC TCS marathon.
While running these races, I trained for them while running indoors in the gym, doing weight training, a combination of high-intensity cardio and jogging, endurance training etc.
My breakfast: I try to have a combination of carbs, sugar and protein as part of my breakfast.
It usually includes but is not limited to oatmeal, fruits (bananas/apple), a cup of coffee and peanuts and almonds.
My lunch: A healthy salad comprising of quinoa, kale, spinach and nuts.
My dinner: A tomato soup, 2 slices of bread and green tea with honey and lemon. I would recommend skipping dinner after high intensity cardio since it is really effective in the EPOC process. EPOC stands for Excessive, Post-workout, Oxygen Consumption which facilitates and triggers more fat loss after a high-intensity workout.
I indulge in: I would highly recommend not taking any cheat days if someone is serious about weight loss, at least during the initial phase. If you cannot resist, you may have a single-ingredient food which is digested easily.
My workout: Initially, my workout comprised of High-intensity cardio on a treadmill, elliptical or cycling. I would run for at least 3 to 4 miles every day on a treadmill and following up with weight training, core workout, endurance training, etc. I made sure I went to the gym regularly and followed a strict routine consistently.
My typical gym routine would be as follows: 1) Full body stretching to make sure arms, legs, joints are fully mobile
2) Running 3 to 4 miles on the treadmill, followed by another 2 miles of high-intensity cardio
3) Weight training to train the lateral muscles, quads, glutes, core, back muscles.
4) I work out 4 to 5 times a week for 2 hours
Fitness secrets I unveiled: I can vouch for the saying, “abs are made in the kitchen.” I have also realised that diet plays a significant role in terms of weight loss when compared to sweating it out. Last but not the least, if we do not tweak our eating habits, then simply working out will not be effective.
How do I stay motivated? I have realised that weight loss can be a long journey, so it is very important to stay motivated throughout. Hence, I try not to get too intimidated by other’s fitness journey and keep a track of my achievements. I also read fitness blogs, watch videos by professional athletes and bodybuilders and try to follow their routine and diet.
How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? I make sure that I celebrate small accomplishments and achievements and do not stay fixated on the ultimate result.
What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? Personally, for me, the most difficult part of being overweight was the lack of confidence and the feeling of sheer disappointment and frustration of not being able to fit in my favourite clothes. You also tend to feel insecure and develop inferiority complex which might lead to depression.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I would like to stay focused and keep following the same routine as I have for the past few months.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? The biggest lifestyle change I have made is incorporating a healthy mindset which involves going to the gym regularly and clean eating.
Moreover, I make sure that I completely avoid munching which is responsible for weight gain and bloating due to the spike in insulin. I have made it a point to get up and get moving every day and indulge in outdoor activities like hiking, running and cycling.
What was the lowest point for you? In addition to being under-confident, I was not able to do certain activities owing to all the extra kilos I had piled on. It was really heartbreaking.
Lessons learnt from weight loss: The biggest takeaway from my weight loss journey has been that you have to listen to your body. While it is easy to get distracted by the weight loss tips and tricks that are bombarded from everywhere, we must make sure, we focus on methods which work well for our body. I have also realised that what works for one person may not necessarily work on you. So, it is important that you respect your body and treat it well, before expecting it from others.
