Name: Vanaja Stanley

Age: 30 years

Weight before: 86 kg

Weight after: 74 kg

Lost: 12 kg in 6 months

Bangalore-based Vanaja Stanley started putting on weight after her marriage. The woman who weighed 62 kg at the time of her wedding in October 2011, hit 72 kg over the years.

She joined an Ayurvedic weight loss programme but ended up gaining an extra 4 kg instead of losing weight.

It did not stop there. She touched 100 kg towards the end of her pregnancy, and that’s when she realized it was time to make a change.

“When I left the hospital after my delivery, I was 90 kg and I seriously began to think what I should do to shed 30 kg. I started walking as soon as I completed three months. I consulted different people who could help me but everyone told me that I could start using their weight loss pills only after I stopped nursing my child.”

She weighed 86 kg when she signed up for HealthifyMe, and her case was assigned to fitness coach Meenakshi, yoga coach Pragya, and diet coach Alpa.

‘The biggest challenge was time constraint’  

“The biggest challenge with Vanaja was the time constraint. She had just given birth and would have to rush whenever the baby started crying,” says Meenakshi. To overcome the problem of shortage of time, Meenakshi suggested breaking the exercise regimen into two parts, dividing it into morning and evening sessions.

Alpa changed Vanaja’s diet to incorporate low-calorie desserts, different recipes of fish, and millets. She also changed the meal timings a little to nudge Vanaja’s weight down from a plateau. “We couldn’t cut down on carbs because she was nursing,” says Alpa.

Vanaja followed her fitness plan religiously

Vanaja followed the fitness and diet plan quite strictly. Her day started at 6.30 am by drinking a glass of warm lime water. Breakfast at 8.30 is usually comprised of items like idli or poha, the post which her workout concentrated primarily on Surya Namaskar, aerobics and core strengthening exercises.

Lunch was timed at 1.30 pm, which consisted of 2 chapatis, a little rice, vegetables, salad, and curd. She snacked at 4.30 pm on soup, buttermilk, fruit salad or poha. Every evening, she made sure she found time for a walk. With her day properly planned and scheduled, she would have dinner at 8.30 pm and head to bed by 10:30 pm.

‘A virtual fitness plan is apt for busy people’  

Vanaja also has a smart activity tracker that not only measures her footsteps, but also her physical activities. “It kept me informed about the calories I burnt across the day and motivated me to increase the intensity of my activities”, says Vanaja.

She believes that a virtual fitness plan like HealthifyMe has several advantages. “It is suitable for busy people with no time to go to weight loss centres or dieticians. It also allows you to keep a check on yourself,” she says.

Her next goal will be even more challenging   

Vanaja’s next goal is to lose another 10 kg in the next three months. This time, it is going to be more challenging as she has started working again.

“We need to ensure that she sticks to her fitness regimen at least five days a week,” says Meenakshi.

As for Vanaja, she says weight loss has greatly increased her self-confidence. “Realising, correcting and practicing has become my mantra when it comes to eating and exercise. Determination, self-control, and willpower can turn impossible to possible,” she says.

Vanaja lost 12 kg in six months despite being a new mother and having a small child to take care of. If she can lose weight successfully, you can too!

The mid-year is the best time to take a re-resolution since it gives you six months to work on it. Make sure you make your re-resolution #NOFAIL!

Disclaimer: Vanaja dropped post-pregnancy weight with ease using HealthifyMe. The results may vary for you. Let us help determine the best method for you to achieve your goal.