Monday, September 1, 2008

Still Looks like a Dream

I am 74 kgs now. And I was 106 kgs till last August. The journey has been arduous , excruciating at times and very painful but every thing is worth it.

It all started during last July. Periodically I donate blood and I have registered with blood banks and a few hospitals for emergency requirement as I have a rare blood group. Last July one day I got a call from MMM hospital for blood requirement for a patient who was suppose to go through a complex heart operation next day. I went to the hospital from the office around 5 pm . The lab technician who takes blood checked my pressure and found that it was high - around 110/150. She said that high pressure could probably due to stress and lack of sufficient rest. She advised me to take rest for the night and come back in the morning.

After sufficient rest I went in the morning for donating blood, but once again my blood pressure was high. This time they asked me to see my family doctor. My family doctor , after a battery of tests suggested that I do some thing about my weight and life style. I was 43 years old, grossly over weight with high blood pressure. My lifestyle is sedentary and food habits bad. I am a perfect case for life style related health problems. My doctor also suggested that I meet up Mr J Subramanian, JS sir in short.

JS sir, is a retired PT master. He lives with his wife and all his three daughters are married and settled in the US. He was a fitness freak in his days and even today keeps himself very trim. And he is also a very strict disciplinarian. It is to this man my doctor had sent me.

After introductions and listening to my purpose of visit JS sir, was not very convinced that I am seriously looking at reducing my weight. He said that in so many words. He figured that a 44 year old man, that too working as a managing director in a company will neither have the humility nor seriousness to follow a strict regimen that is required to reduce weight. He didnot think that it would be worth his time to try and work on me. I was insistent and I promised him that I will not behave like "a middle aged corporate executive" . I was determined that I will reduce my weight and do whatever is required to achieve that. JS told me that he will charge me a sizable sum as fees. Not that he needed the money, but he wanted me to take this whole exercise very seriously. I agreed and signed up.

JS sir worked out a running programme for weight loss. He said that he would try and make me a decent long distance runner. I felt funny. I just could not fathom how could I become a runner. May be he is overestimating my ability ? However I decided to keep my mouth shut and tag along. JS asked me to come to the ground near his house next morning.

My running training started. On day 1 I ran for 30 seconds and gave up. Running did not look like an option, and I doubted that I will be able to continue. After 30 seconds of running ( I guess I must have moved like a drunk elephant) I felt my heart is about to pop out of my mouth. I felt like I was about to have an heart attack. I thought of my wife , my daughters my sister , my nephews, my parents and every one in my family even those whom I have not heard or seen for years. Surely, there must be another way than to run for weight loss. May be I should try and find some quick fix method and reduce only to the extent of bringing my blood pressure under control. I felt that I have bought a ticket to hell with my own money.

The next day was equally bad and caused more misery and pain. No so much physically , but mentally as inability and helplessness weighed very heavily. During the week I was trying to find excuses for not getting up and going to ground. JS sir, always would give me a patient hearing but softly and firmly would then insist that I drag myself to the ground. One day on frustration I said I am running temperature and he insisted that I go to the ground and lie down there for about 30 mts and go back home and take rest. I just could not shake that man.

Day by painful day my stamina improved. From a no hope , I learnt to run continuously for 10 mts , 15 mts and still further....

I changed my diet and workout a healthy diet plan. I started to run regularly . I became fit and felt very light.

On the start of this weight loss programme on Aug 15 2007, I weighed 106 kilos and my waist was 42 inches. JS sir, gave me a target of 77 kgs by March 31, 2008. He had planned to visit his daughters by Feb 08 and he told me I will be able to manage the programme without his supervision for a month.

Week after week, I kept on and he dogged me on. By September end I could see the results and my motivation levels went up. I now had started enjoyed running. I had now become a very serious runner , reading materials about running, investing in gear etc.

It was a great thrill to see my waistline thinning. Every month I bought new pants which would become loose by the next month. And on January 17, 2008 my weight read as 77 kgs. I had achieved my target weight before JS went to US. I think he was happier than I at the results. Thank you sir, I owe this to you.

Now I am proud runner and intend to participate in Marathons. There is a list of Marathons that I intend to participate before I die. But that is another story...............

2 comments:

Balu said...

wow.. thats the great thing about running.. even I started with weight loss and finished my first marathon in HYD last month...

Guess this must be inspiration to people who feel bogged by weight an visit centers like VLCC etc which are sham in the name of weight loss...

truly inspiring !

truly simple is complex said...

true to facts that you have said....it is the determination to do and find our most weakest link that's the trick....i feel....
good show mate....run more ....feel the difference...