How to lose weight like this Delhi guy who lost 26 kgs via intermittent fasting & tweaking his daily routine – GQ India – What a man’s got to do

While there arent any easy ways to lose weight, there are many tried-and-tested weight loss approaches that can help you get started on your 2020 I-am-going-to-get-fit-this-year resolution. Like Archiev Kumars tried-and-tested intermittent fasting routine and workout schedule.

The Delhi-based 22-year-old lost 26 kgs by following an intermittent fasting pattern of eating after making small changes in his daily routine to include healthy eating and working out as a part and parcel of his life. My tryst with weight loss began two years ago. I weighed close to 110 kgs, and would constantly just feel bad for myself. I couldn't even run for a kilometre and would feel tired all the time, he says.

The only thing I knew at this point was that I wanted to better myself! I was very determined, and consequently started educating myself the basics of weight loss, things such as what is calorie counting, BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), different types of diet schedules and workout regimes, he informs. I began by going through a lot of online blogs and YouTube channels (Beer Biceps, Athlean X and Guru Mann Fitness have very good content for beginners) and then reached out to a friend, who had recently won a triathlon and multiple marathons in the past top help create a basic home workout routine that was devoid of any equipment to commence my weight loss journey.

QUICK READ: This is how many calories you can burn without setting foot in a gym

Simultaneously, I started researching the various diet and eating patterns that I could resort to lose weight and finally settled on the intermittent fasting pattern of eating after making the below basic tweaks in my diet and routine.

1

Dump the junk: The first tweak that I made was completely cut-out junk and packaged food from my life and replace it with fibre-rich foods such as oats and muesli. I also started drinking a lot of water.

2

Bye bye sugar: I regulated my sugar intake drastically. Sugar is a major reason behind insulin spikes, which is also a major reason for weight gain. Leaving sugar is hard and must be done slowly. Start with removing sweets form your meals and then move on to replacing normal sugar with jaggery or honey for tea and coffee.

3

Stop snacking: I stopped snacking all the time and replaced mid-day meals and evening snacks with small salads and fruits such as apples.

4

No midnight binging: I did not eat after 8-9:00 pm to start cultivating a healthier routine.

After my body got adjusted to these basic tweaks, I started following intermittent fasting pattern of eating clubbed with a dedicated workout routine to lose weight.

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesnt specify which foods you can or cannot eat. It only focuses on when you should eat them.

There are many IF plans and patterns that you can follow, but the most effective one, according to studies is the 16:8 IF diet. The 16:8 IF diet entails one to observe a 16-hour fasting period, followed by an 8-hour eating window.

You can commence a 16-hour fast at 10:00 pm in the night, after you eat your last meal of the day and go to sleepthats 7-8 hours gone right there. You can break the 16-hour fast at 2:00 pm with your lunch and eat small meals till 10:00 pmthis makes up the 8-hour eating window. Alternatively, you can also begin your fast at 8 pm and break it at 12 pm, the next day.

I observed the 16:8 diet split from 10:00 pm to 2:00 pm. So, during my 8-hour window, I ate three meals, comprising lunch, a small snack and dinner.

Lunch: 2 chapatis + dal + cucumber salad OR a slab of Paneer (200 gms)

Snacks: Eggs (boiled or made into an omelette) OR dry fruits and fruit juice

Dinner: 1-2 chapatis + dal + salad OR boiled oats and paneer

It wasn't easy to stick to this diet so I started slowly and progressed with time. One of the most important things for me on this journey was indulging in a cheat day Id take every 7-14 days.

It kept me sane and would also motivate me the next day to stick to my diet. It was my way of rewarding my hard work. What must be noted is that, cheat days should also be humane, one should not go crazy on a cheat day. Eat whatever you want but in moderation.

QUICK READ: Is intermittent fasting really worth It?

Archievs diet was supplemented with the help of the below exercise regime.

My exercise regime started with only cardio exercises for the first couple of months, which included:

Squats (10 reps, 3 sets)

Burpees (5 X 3)

Crunches (20 X 3)

Jumps (100 X 3)

Running (2 kms)

Back seated Rows (10 X 3)

Shoulder Press (10 X 3)

Lateral Raises (10 X 3)

Weighted and Normal Squats (10 X 3)

Dumbbell Curls (20 X 3)

Pushups (12,10,8)

Tricep Dips (10 X 3)

Along with this, Id either go for a run or go cycling at least 2-3 times a day. Recently, I got into CrossFit and boxing workouts, they mainly comprise HIIT circuits (High Intensity Interval Training) and strength training. This helped me gain a lot of stamina and strength and I have continued to follow that regime.

ALSO READ: This 10-minute HIIT cardio workout is the definition of hardcore

While trying to get in shape, patience and consistency are of utmost importance. Results are not quick but they are worth the effort!

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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How to lose weight like this Delhi guy who lost 26 kgs via intermittent fasting & tweaking his daily routine - GQ India - What a man's got to do