Sunday, December 1, 2013

From Fit to Fat - Overweight issues - My Past & Present.


 
  Salamzzzz...
 
 
The Past:
 
I am a foodie.. i admit it!! Don't get me wrong. This is a recent obsession. I was not like this before.
It all began in Grade 10, when i got shifted from India to U.A.E. I never gave much thought about my body image until Grade 9, just because i needn't to. I remember getting compliments from friends like, "Oh you have got such a flat stomach", " Though your bestie looks like you, you have got better body shape". One of my friend back then who use to stand behind me in the school assembly once said jokingly " I used to admire your body shape while standing behind you, everyday".. Man I'am flattered.. really...!!
 
I never checked my weight when i came to U.A.E. As a result i gained weight so fast that i didn't even get time to think of. The only other time i was a littly chubby was in Grade 5 in Ras-al-khaimah, where i stayed for a short while. Other than that i was always a 'thin girl'. While in Grade 10, everything changed in my life, new country, new school, new friends and yes new lifestyle too. I was constantly eating for one reason there was plenty of food available, which i have been missing all those 4 years i stayed with my joint family and another reason was that there was too much pressure on me regarding my studies as i wasn't a bright student on the academic side. So the only relief i had was,while stuffing myself with all those new found variety of foods. A year passed and the only thing that changes every month (or week) was my weight. It went up so fast, that within a year i gained 34 pounds!!. I didnot care much about it, i was already miserable anyways due to not being able to keep up with my friends in studies.
 
Months later, when i cleared Grade 10,  i was happy as if i found a new life. Indeed my  constant prayers to Allah (swt) paid off, as it brought about a new life in me.. Again i changed school, where i had to start everything from the beginning, i didn't want to be miserable again. I decided to change, thats when i decided to lose weight as i started noticing my friends, who were of normal weight, how good they looked and how comfortable they were in all the clothes they wear. I started collecting articles of yoga techniques which comes in the newspapers and filed it. I was careful not to overeat, I limited the quantity of food i eat, skipped dinner at times. I was not into exercises to keep myself fit. I simply hated doing them, so i only concentrated on controlling my food especially the sugary stuffs. As a result i lost about 45 pounds in one year!!!.
 
I was exhilarated, i enjoyed seeing those shocking reaction in my friend's & family's faces, i was happy i could fit in to any kind of clothes which previously i could only envy at. I was more determined to lose weight as towards the end of Grade 12, the school hosts a farewell party where we would be asked to wear a saree!. Anybody who have seen a saree,( the traditional garment of  indian women), would know that it's  a long rectangular piece of cloth, draped around the body,displaying the curves at the right places. I couldn't dream of slipping into one, that too for the first time, with all the fat hanging from all sides. Even though i cannot say i look gorgeous in a saree. Something i thought it as impossible happened that way- me losing all the weight i have gained.
 
 
The present:
 
  Fast forward my life after two years. Me working in a semi-govt company, studying for a bachelors degree in Commerce & my dad looking for prospective grooms for me. My life goes on the same every day, that's when my company manager got  changed and the new one was rude and childish at the same time. He was young,was given only a temporary post as a manager which he utilized to make our lives miserable. I was required to stay overtime without taking into consideration that I'am the only girl in the office. I didn't want to take any food from home, as i didn't really like to eat plain kubz stuffed with egg everyday. Not that my Mom only makes that kind of food, it was because i told them i don't need a large tiffin full of rice and vegetables (the traditional lunch of keralites) when i simply gets only time to use washroom and for prayers in the 8-10 hours i stay in my office. And its not only that, there were staffs who comes from different countries and different cultures, who just couldn't stand the smell of fried fish or ' green,oozy like things'( which is actually a curry ) or even multicoloured things (curry again), When am really hungry with a tiring job like that, the only thing i wants to eat is fast food, like beef burgers, chicken sandwiches and so on. And what's more with a refreshment shop conveniently located right in front of my office, i didn't have to look further. Thus began my journey towards becoming fat from fit - AGAIN!!
 
Fast forward two more years. Sadly, i've gained all the weight i have lost, i.e 45 pounds!. Presently I'm married, still working in the same company, my husband in a  different country (Qatar), waiting for his current project to get over so he could get a transfer to U.A.E. What saddens me more is that my husband is very thin and we looks like an odd couple to people. Usually in my part of the country, where looks are given the utmost importance, it was my luck that he choose me even though i was overweight. There were verbal promises from my side that i would lose my weight, my parents who saw me reduce while in school was confident in me. Unfortunately i couldn't lose my weight upto their expectations. I did lose some 5-6 kg before my marriage. But soon after when i came here to U.A.E. I gained back them all. My husband is planning to take me to Qatar if the project takes long time to finish, in that case he made me promise to lose weight, as finally we would be living together. I joined for a health club which my company provides, where i can choose to go to any gym of my choice on several options available. I have just started going, i dont know whether it would help me to lose all these weight which i gained back in. Some of  those gyms are 'conveniently located inside shopping Malls', where am going has a food court right in front of it. Woah!.. lets see..!.