We all have our own personal reasons and goals to whip our bodies in their best possible shapes. Some derive motivation to lose weight and fitness inspiration from their favourite stars and actors, while others want to become fit and strong – both physically and mentally. 26-year-old Dr Arjun Goswami tells us that he wanted to lose weight and become fit and strong to protect the people he loves and bid adieu to low-confidence and a reserved attitude.
“I felt very shy because of my appearance, I weighed 92 kgs and felt weak all the time. I was also very low on self-confidence. I remember this one particular incident – I had taken my then girlfriend out for breakfast, and this random guy started bothering her. I felt helpless in that situation as I couldn’t do anything in that moment. Fortunately, my batchmates came to our rescue. Post this episode, I realised I have to become fit and strong to be able to protect the people I love.”
“And I did just that. In less than a year’s time, I was able to lose 30 kgs weight by going on a crash diet and following a simple 4-day workout routine. This was the weight loss plan I followed:”
Weight loss plan:
“At my heaviest, I weighed 92 kgs, and didn’t have much muscle mass. My body was composed of mostly just fat. So, to eliminate it, I went on a crash diet. I eliminated all fried food from my diet. I used to live on burgers, noodles, tacos and chips. I substituted them with healthier options such as fruits. I also concentrated more on eating proteins and less carbs. Keeping my macros (macronutrients consisting of proteins, carbs and fats) in check was the key of this diet.”
Goswami’s weight loss approach is very similar to the “If it fits in your Macros (IIFYM)” diet. The IIFYM diet is a flexible dieting option that requires you to calculate how many grams of macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) you need to eat every day. You can track and manage your food intake accordingly. IIFYM diet lets one enjoy their favourite guilty pleasure as long as they’re meeting the body’s daily needs without starving oneself. Yes, ice cream is an option in this diet, but you’ve got to tread carefully. Read more about the IIFYM diet here.
Coming back to Goswami’s fitness journey, he outlines the below 4-day workout plan that helped him tone his body during this phase, also checkout our top exercises for each day.
Which weight loss exercises to follow?
Monday – Arms
Biceps: Try Incline Dumbbell hammer curl; Incline inner-biceps curl; EZ bar curl and Wide-grip standing barbell curl workouts
Triceps: Try multiple reps of Bench press, Pushdown, Dips and Lying triceps extensions
Tuesday – Chest and Shoulders
Shoulders: Overhead press, Push press, Barbell shrug and Seated Arnold Press
Chest: Barbell bench press, Flat bench dumbbell press, Low-incline barbell bench press and Machine decline press
Thursday – Legs
According to Goswami, the best leg days exercises are:
3 types of squats (Wide stance, Narrow stance, Neutral stance)
Leg extensions
Lunges or Stiff leg deadlifts
Sumo deadlifts
Friday – Calisthenics, abs, calves and forearms
Abs: Planks, Bicycle kicks, Alternating heel touches and Captain’s chair
Calves: Standing calf raise, Bunny hop, Jump rope and Sprints
Forearms: Dumbbell wrist flexion, Dumbbell wrist extension, Dumbbell reverse curl and Farmer walks.
How to maintain your body’s current weight after a drastic weight loss?
“Presently, I weigh around 73-74 kgs (healthy gains), I’ve been working out since 2015 but I became more regular with my training in mid 2016. I have been able to maintain this weight class by lifting heavy, keeping my macros in check, supplements, limiting my alcohol consumption (once in 3 weeks) and getting a good night’s sleep (7-8 hours).”
“I also try new workouts every 2 months to shock my body.”
Any tips for someone who’s trying to lose weight?
“Persistence is the key to fitness. Keep yourself motivated by looking at transformation journeys. I personally refer to this Sylvester Stallone quote to seek inspiration – “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” Additionally, don’t starve yourself, as the body will start breaking muscle down for energy and that will make you retain fat. Eat in moderation and eat right.”
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