With my cousin Sheetal in November 2017. Photo captured in Goa

If you happen to know my family personally, you would surely be accustomed to our culinary choices and the amount of food we eat. We are far ahead from the term 'foodie'; we're epicureans––people who are devoted to the sensual enjoyment derived from food. If you wish to know me and understand why I am the way I am, you should dine with me and my extended family of Bhagwats. Join us while we're devouring the scrumptious prasad of ukdiche modak and waran bhaat on Ganesh Chaturthi as we chitchat about anything and everything (mostly related to food) or on a Sunday afternoon when we're having the renowned Bedekar misal and comparing it with other misal joints from Thane and Kolhapur. 

Additionally, you would know our affection towards chiwdas and bhadangs and farsaans. Being completely in accordance with such a gourmand family, my cousin Sheetal is a typical Bhagwat––meaning, she loves nibbling on farsaan and sweets from time to time. There has not been a single occasion when someone has opened a pack of snacks and she has not eaten fistfuls of it (even today she eats at least half a fist of it). Out of six cousins, only my sibling and I used to watch what we eat, but now I'm glad my cousin joined our team too.

Clicked at Arambol Beach, Goa in November 2017

Sheetal weighed around 92 kgs before and after passionately following her weight loss regime weighs an unbelievable 65 kgs now (according to the checkup she did two weeks back) in just nine months. The other night, when my cousin Ishan (who is her sibling) had visited me, we were talking about how incredibly dedicated Sheetal is and how proud we are. Ishan was joking about how he had never in his wildest dreams imagined his sister to lose weight.

What I am most surprised about her weight loss journey is that the woman leaves her house at 6:45 am and gets back home around 8:15 pm every day. To maintain this schedule, she wakes up at 5:30 am, does 12 minutes of cardio, has breakfast and gets ready, rides her moped to a bus stop from where the company bus takes her to her workplace. Considering her frenzied roster coupled with her love for food, it's undeniably remarkable.

I don't wish to reveal much of it, but her weight loss regime includes drinking shakes from Herbalife paired with a diet plan. She has also been asked to stay away from baked items, sweets, potatoes, maida, and the like, and do a light workout each day. She follows a fuller workout routine on weekends to maintain the overall health. Also, the trick every dietician would pass on: Intake of small meals after every 3.5 hours.

A comparison between my cousin before the weight loss and after (in November 2017)

She plans to lose 5 kgs more as according to her BMI, she should ideally weigh approx. 60 kgs. I am a cent percent sure she would achieve her target sooner and all I want now is for her to maintain her body. She is determined to eat well and avoid superficially delicious food with working out regularly, of course!

Here's to my sister's amazing dedication...

Have you been moved by any person's weight loss success? Would love to hear it!