Having put on weight after her two kids, Umadevi was looking for ways to not only lose the excess weight, but also inculcate healthier eating habits in her children. Adding fruits and vegetables and increasing raw foods in her diet helped her to steadily lose 10 kilos and gain more energy. Today, her kids are following her, albeit in smaller footsteps.

Umadevi

36 years, Homemaker

Bangalore.

Unhappy with weight gain:

I'm a mother of two girls aged seven and three. During pregnancy and delivery, I had put on weight, I weighed almost 78 kgs. At a social gathering, one of my neighbors passed a comment about my weight gain, which was really painful to hear. Still, I took it up positively and started looking for ways to shed the excess weight.

Seeking guided help:

My second child who was 2 years at that time, had me really worried as she was a very fussy eater. I had put up a question on Wellcure’s Q&A section regarding her fussy eating and sought help from the experts on ways to get her to eat healthier. One of the community members and health coach, Smitha Hemadri, had answered my question and told me that in order for my daughter to change, I had to first effect a change in my own dietary habits. I had seen posts on Wellcure regarding the ill effects of dairy and I had already stopped it. However, I needed guidance on incorporating more raw food in my diet. I got in touch with Smitha for guided help.

In March 2019, based on her advice, I started having fruits for breakfast. Fruits help in the body’s elimination process which is at its peak in the morning. I also stopped my morning coffee. For the first 3 days, I felt low energy and tiredness, but after a period of 3 days, it stabilized. My body had started to get used to the changed routine. By around June, after a period of 3 months, I changed my lunch and started having only salads. Since I was a busy mom of two, I kept my salads very simple. It was usually a platter of cut vegetables with a bit of coconut chutney.

This way, I was on raw foods till evening. In the evening, I would have a bite of whatever I was making for my kids, and dinner would be the usual home-cooked South Indian meal. I would make oil-free food for myself, for example, my dosas and chapatis would be made oil-free, whereas, for others, I would make them with minimal oil.

Weight loss and better health:

I was happy to note that from Aug 2019 onwards, I started noticing a steady reduction in my weight – almost a kilogram ever month. Today, I am 68 kgs and everyone around me compliments me about my weight loss and my improved appearance.The quality of my skin has improved and I feel lighter.

I would like to mention that this weight loss has happened despite finding no time for regular exercise. Earlier I used to do Suryanamaskars and went out for walks, but I had to drop these due to lack of time. Running behind my kids keeps me active. My friends who attend gyms ask me how I managed to lose all my weight and I am glad to share my secrets!

My routine today:

I start my day with lemon water. After sometime, I drink some green juice made with greens like spinach, mint, coriander or curry leaves along with sweetness added from some fruits like pineapple, pomegranate, grapes or whichever is available in the season.

At around 9:30 or 10 am after dropping my kids off to school, I have some fruits as my breakfast. Lunch is usually a simple salad or vegetable juice.

In the evening, if I'm feeling peckish, I usually have some rice or dosa or whatever I am making for my kids, though, I am trying to control this habit and not give in to the evening snacking.

For dinner, I have a normal South Indian cooked meal with no oil.

From the past 3 months, I have also adopted a habit of being fully raw on Ekadashi i.e. once in 15 days. I plan to do this every week from now on.

Conclusion:

My family is happy that I have reached my weight loss goal. I continue to lose weight but I know that it will stabilize once my body has released all its waste. Some people do comment that I have lost too much weight but I am happy with how I look and feel today. This lifestyle has also helped me with some tricks on adding more vegetables to my children's diet. I usually add vegetables to dosas and rotis or other dishes to increase their intake of vegetables.

Through this health journey, I would like to give the message that if in a family, one person adopts good habits, it does rub off on other family members too. I bless others in my family and I have seen that my blessings have definitely helped my daughter to increase her intake of fruits. My children are also curious about the fruits, juices and salads I eat and I hope that soon it will become part of their daily routine too.

(About Umadevi: Umadevi is a 36 year old home maker living in Bangalore. She is passionate about living her life chemical-free. She makes bio enzymes and uses it for all her household purposes including laundry. She also makes handmade soaps and gifts them to her friends and relatives. She is also interested in Reiki for self-healing and healing others).

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