Mo’iz Qutbi’s weight loss while battling a prolonged illness

Mo’iz Qutbi’s weight loss is an inspirational one, he started at 94 kg and is now 85 kg

Lost 9 kg in 6 months!

As a teen, Mo’iz Qutbi describes himself as being “very fit”, but an illness that afflicted him 10 years ago and the prolonged medication that followed, caused him to gain a considerable amount of weight.

“I was very fit and athletic before I fell sick and had devised my own diet and exercise routine which I followed religiously. But my ailment, which weakened the left side of my body, curtailed my physical activity. I was also under very strong medication. As a result of these factors, I started gaining weight,” says Mo’iz, a 26-year-old sales manager in a hydraulic lift manufacturing company in Visakhapatnam.

From 58 kg, Mo’iz watched his weight go up to 90 kg. “When I crossed the  90-kg mark, I started feeling extremely lethargic. Bending down to tie my shoelaces became a big task, while walking to the nearby grocery store left me panting.” These signs worried Mo’iz, as his physiotherapist had told him that slimming down would enhance his chances of recovering from his illness.

‘My coach Munira was very understanding. She spoke to my physiotherapist in detail before creating a fitness regimen’

“It was around this time that I was lucky enough to stumble upon HealthifyMe on Facebook. I opted for a free consultation which was so convincing that I enrolled soon after. My coach, Munira Jasdan, was very understanding. She asked about my condition and also spoke in detail to my physiotherapist before creating a customised fitness regimen,” says Mo’iz.

As he found it difficult to perform all the workouts in one go, Munira divided his fitness plan into morning and evening sessions. “For Mo’iz, I’ve designed a fitness plan that focuses on unilateral, or single hand and leg strength training exercises such as dumbbells, leg lifts, etc., stretches and  upper body activation to help him improve his posture as well as a hip muscle workout which is also part of his regimen,” says Munira. “His progress is slow, but steady. I am in regular touch with his physiotherapist to check his progress. The diet plan is also working very well for him, and he is very regular about it,” she adds.

‘I don’t sit in one place in office. I move around a bit, try to complete my step goals’

Over the last few months, Mo’iz has undergone a lifestyle overhaul and is enjoying his new routine. Since 1st January this year, Mo’iz has also started working with diet coach Surjyani Bhattacharyya who is helping him come out of a weight loss plateau. He starts his day early with a glass of lime water infused with mint leaves. This is followed by a workout session consisting of cardio and strength training. His breakfast comprises of fruits, boiled eggs and milk.

At work he makes it a point not to sit in one place for too long. “Now I try to move around in office instead of sitting in one place, this also helps me meet my step goals for the day,” he says.  

Lunch consists of two chapattis, a veg or non-veg curry, a small serving of rice, some dal, salad and curd. “I used to hate curd earlier and always had it with sugar but now I like it plain,” he says. A glass of milk and an apple takes care of the hunger during tea time. The menu for lunch and dinner is the same minus the chapattis.

Mo’iz takes a short walk around the locality after dinner every evening. “I cover around 1 km but since my neighbourhood is a hilly area it’s a good workout,” he says.

‘I tried a few calorie trackers before but this was the only one that included Indian foods’

Mo’iz uses the HealthifyMe calorie tracker to ensure that he meets his daily nutritional requirement and the water tracker helps him drink at least 10 glasses of water daily. “Drinking enough water also helps curb my hunger,” he says, adding, “I tried a few calorie trackers before this but HealthifyMe was the only one that included Indian foods,” he adds. Apart from the different app features, he also enjoys the group challenges organised by coaches to motivate HealthifyMe users in their fitness journey. “Mo’iz is very active on our group chats. He has a great sense of humour, and is enthusiastic about motivating others,” says Munira.

‘Last year, I travelled to Hyderabad to participate in a 5-km walking event’

Though the illness isn’t cured completely and he is still on medication, Mo’iz says he has greater energy reserves now and has become much more active. Last year he travelled to Hyderabad to participate in a 5-km walking event, which he completed in an hour. His dietary habits have improved as well. “I used to be crazy about pani-puris but not any more. These days I eat it once a month, and even if I don’t, that’s okay,” he says.

His friends and relatives are impressed with his transformation and often compliment him. “Many of them are meeting me after five or six months and are amazed to see me now,” he says. “When I was overweight, I used to hate the camera. Now, I have lost weight but gained confidence.”

Happy with the results of his weight loss programme, Mo’iz has also referred HealthifyMe to his friends. “Some of them were looking for a nutritionist so I told them about HealthifyMe,” he says. His next goal is to reach the 70-75 kg mark within the next few months.

Mo’iz didn’t let his ailment keep him from losing weight. If you’re in a similar predicament, our coaches can help

Disclaimer: The results can and may vary for you. Let us help determine the best approach for you to achieve your goal.