“Gamon Ko Chehre Par Malne Ke Baad Aai Hai, Yeh Chamak Umar Ke Dhalne Ke Baad Aai Hai, Kadam Sambhal Ke Rakhne Ki Ye Jo Khoo Hai Meri, Hazar Baar Fisalne Ke Baad Aai Hai”. Quoting this couplet, IPS officer Jitendra Mani Tripathi, who lost around 46 kg in eight months, said that his weight loss journey was not at all easy, but he did it!
He tried many times to lose weight, but couldn’t continue on the fitness regime for more than one or two months. However, after failing many times, he made up his mind to not give up and reach his goal anyhow. And, that was it! There was no looking back since then.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the IPS officer, presently posted as DCP, Delhi Metro, shared his weight loss journey and the problems he faced on the way.
IT WAS HIGH TIME
Mr. Tripathi, who is also a poet and has published two collections titled Kahin to Hansi ho and Mani ki Kiran in memory of his wife, said he was a foodie. Eating one medium pizza with some garlic bread and soft drinks at one time was not a big deal for him. But, there were times when his increasing weight concerned him and he tried to control his cravings. He exercised, but since he couldn’t continue for long, he could not gain much from it.
Last year, during March, when he went for a medical check-up, the doctor warned him about his weight. “I was about to touch my 50s, and all my vitals, cholesterol, BP, sugar, and, of course, the weight were at dangerous levels. My waistline was 46 and the weight was around 130 kg. Doctors showed their concerns and asked me to take care of my health. This hit me and I decided that it was high time that I took this seriously,” Mr. Tripathi said.
He also mentioned that in the past also, he had tried to lose weight, but after managing to lose only 2-3 kg in 1-2 months, he would get disheartened and start feeling it was pointless. He used to get distracted from his goal and would start thinking it was better to eat whatever he liked than to restrict himself for nothing.
ALL BY HIMSELF
However, after the doctors’ warnings, he realised that the situation was serious and made up his mind that from then onwards, he would not give up midway and complete his fitness journey to reach his goal of desired weight. But, even then, he didn’t go to any dietician or gym.
He said, “In a way, we all know what his healthy and what is not. It is just that we don’t follow it. I started to do things which I had heard from others and thought would be good for me.”
The first target was to walk 15000 steps daily. It was not easy at all. It took him around 1.5 months to reach that goal and now it has been 9 months since he has been walking regularly without a miss.
“My minimum in a day is 12000 and maximum has reached up to 20000. No matter what, I never miss this. Recently, on the new year, there was a gathering and I came home late and slept around 3 am, but I still woke up at 8 am and completed my target,” Mr. Tripathi said.
THE DIET
As for the diet, he stopped eating junk and all those food items which are direct source of carbs. Most of his diet was fruit and vegetable salads. In the morning, he took vegetable juice and fruits. Just before lunch, he ate a full bowl of salad so that he felt full, and then followed it up with any green vegetable and lentil. In between, whenever he felt hungry, he drank buttermilk or coconut water, or ate roasted grams or peanuts. Dinner was only a vegetable soup.
CONSISTENCY AND CONTROL
Mr. Tripathi said that one can never gain anything if he is not determined about his goal and continues with the efforts. When asked about how he dealt with his cravings, he said, “That was a road blocker, but I had no option but to stick to what I had decided. To control my cravings, I used to make my food interesting. For example, when I was eating an apple, I would use black salt on it to enhance its taste.”
He also pointed out that the calorie count in two samosas and 10 apples is almost same. So, we have to decide what to choose. It is not only about taking in a few calories, but also the quality of the calorie intake that matters.
The officer has still not joined any gym, and does body weight exercises and uses dumbells at home. With his efforts, he has now reached to around 84 kg and his waistline has shrunk to 33-34, which is a big achievement. A little exercise is important to tone the body, is what he said in conclusion.
