Friday, August 11, 2006

A moti-vational post

Note: The 'perky' parts of this post have been inspired by this utterly hilarious video of Carlos Mencias. Some people need to get the perk out of this post.

All right, before I get on with my post I need to do some reader-filtering.


Divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres. If you get anything less than 18, please make a quiet exit from the rear door of the bar, this post is not for your kind. (Some day I will write a post on your kind.)

And if by any chance your BMI is less than 18 AND you consider yourself fat
, you get the perk out of my bar! NOW. :-/

They say, "Inside every fat person is a thin person."

I would like to add on to the theory.

Sash says, "Inside every thin person is a fat person bursting to get out."

Ever wondered what the hell happened to that thin friend of yours after he got married? Or that thin friend of yours after she had a baby? Ever wondered what the hell happened to you in the few weeks/months/years of living away from India? Ever wondered when your paunch started entering the room before you did? Wonder not - it's the fat person that happened.

They (the damn 'they' again!) say Indians tend to get fat easily. It's genetic and we can't do anything about it. Whole load of bull crap I say. What is really genetic in us Indians is sheer sloth. Unless the reason is medical (big bones included), a person has no reason to become, stay and die fat.

So beware. You could be at risk of one of the diseases that no one has ever mentioned in any medical study so far. In medical terms it would be known as TPOBF.

The Possibility Of Becoming Fat.

TPOBF disease is spreading like wildfire. We're all at risk. Especially people like you and me who are fine NOW, but a little negligence and they are sent hurling into the fatty puddles of obesity with a one-way ticket.

I read somewhere that the BMI table has been modified for Asians. While a BMI of more than 25 is considered bad for Caucasians, it's 23 for Asians. Because apparently Asians tend to have more body fat compared to Caucasians. Fortunately, mine hasn't touched 20 yet and even if it does, I have no intention of making it exceed 20. 19-22 is considered healthy.

Those who have not even read my full post but have already made up their minds to pollute my precious comment space preaching about inner beauty and all that bah, I have one thing to say -- get the perk out of my bar, you too. :-/

As long as you're not obsessing over it a la Mariah Carey (she said about starving kids "I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff."), being thin is good. Thin is in. Because it lets you grab that piece of cheesecake without guilt. In fact, being slightly thinner is better than being 'just right'. That way, you have some leeway. The kind you need to account for pampering India visits, extended stays in the US, marriage, pregnancy and stuff.

(By the way, Mariah Carey, if you're reading this, get the perk out of my blog! NOW!)

Now let's get a few facts right. Firstly, standards of 'fat-ness' are different for different people, and I am sure by the petite Singaporean standards, even I would fall in the fat category. Thankfully I don't follow them and have my own standards. Secondly, what works for some may not work for others. Some people (read guys) can just have pizza as their staple diet and still be lanky as hell, whereas a girl can put on weight in a week just because she had a muffin on Thursday. (If you're the kind of girl who can eat whatever she wants and never gain a gram, you get the perk out of my bar NOW!) Thirdly, you can be fat in parts - meaning that you could have a perfect butt but fat arms, or perfect legs but a paunch.

This post is for people like me. People who would like to maintain their present weight. And perhaps lose a few kilos or so. For the longest time I have wanted to make a list of things that I want to do to make sure I stay as I am, and maybe lose about 2 more kgs or so. So I decided to put it up on my blog so it's out there, and I can revisit it to see if I followed it or not. After my PPDW (People, please drink water!) post (The fact that I now drink twice the amount of water I used to drink before I wrote that post speaks of the phenomenal success of using posts to motivate not just others but yourself), I believe that this post will do me good. I also believe that a friend of mine has been eagerly waiting for this post of mine.

So I decided to make my own list of things that have worked for me and for people I know. Some of them may be very obvious, but it's the very obvious ones that we often fail to follow. Hopefully it will serve as moti-vation for me and maybe for a few of you out there:

1. First things first. Buy a weighing scale. You need to monitor closely and you need an honest non-living thing to tell you the ugly truth. People who see you every day will not be able to tell if you put on weight. Clothes? Bah, they expand and shrink like nobody's business. The only way to keep track is to use a weighing scale.

2. Once upon a time, I used to say "Eat like a pig and run like a horse, and you'll never get fat." I'd like to revisit that saying of mine. Maybe it works if you're just trying to maintain your weight. But if you're trying to lose weight, you simply have to watch what you eat. You can't afford to eat like a pig even if you're running like a horse.

3. Be traditional. I noticed that in India, Mom used to boil rice in water and drain the starchy water before serving the rice. In Singapore, they use rice cookers (or microwave ovens) to make the rice. Only as much water is added to the rice as will be absorbed by it. We could totally do without all that extra starch! So I have resolved that when I get my own place, I will make rice the traditional way. Jaise Mummy banati thi. :)

4. NRIs, when you go back to India, 'control' is the keyword. Beware of adoring aunties who will pull your cheeks and say, "Arre Singapore mein khana nahin milta kya?" and jealous Bhabhis who will pinch your waist and say, "Aap kitni dubli ho?! Ab dekho hamari khaatirdari."

5. Very oily food has a natural property of putting you off it. Heed it. A colleague of mine treated our team to fried chicken last week. I gorged on it and later felt sick like hell. I am off fried chicken for a while now. Same thing happened with me with fish & chips. I haven't had fish & chips in almost a year now.

6. Avoid carbonated drinks. Remember - each can of coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar in it. 10! TEN!! :O If you're the kind who uses carbonated drinks as a substitute for water (I have a few cousins who do), wean off it slowly. Use alternatives. If you hate Coke Lite, try Pepsi Max. Believe me, it actually tastes better than Pepsi original. But artificial sweeteners can be carcinogenic so you getta get off the shit for good.

7. There are other invisible sources of sugar, such as tea and coffee. If you're addicted to these drinks, start cutting down the sugar in them. I have stopped drinking milk tea (because they make it with condensed milk here). Now I drink only mint tea when extremely sleepy at work with half the amount of sugar that I used to put into my milk tea earlier.

8. When you have your meals, don't eat till your stomach is completely full. Leave some space in your stomach. Fill it only upto 75%. This also helps proper digestion.

9. Boycott lifts. Climb up stairs. If you live on the 25th floor, climb up 6 floors and then take the lift. I often climb up to the canteen on the 6th floor in my office building and climb down without buying anything.

10. Run. There's nothing quite like running to lose those extra kilos. I ran 6 rounds of the 400-m track in university every night for six months, and lost many many kgs. (I also broke my knee because of the running but I'll save that story for another day.) Actually, I kinda hate running. So I was very happy when the doctor told me that running is not good for my 'bad knee'. Yeay! (Ahem, I make up for it by walking a lot.)

11. If you don't like to get sweaty and smelly by exercising, you could pick up swimming. Swimming is a great way to tone the entire body without getting all hot and sweaty. Though I swim like a dog - I never put my head under water - but who wants to enter the Olympics anyway?

12. If you're the kind who hates to exercise, find a friend and pick up a game and play regularly. That way, you stay fit without the so called "exercising" part. The moment I move to the east, I am picking up badminton again.

13. The gym is a great place to work on individual body parts. If you don't have access to a gym, you could always do exercises at home. Crunches are a great way to trim the tummy.

14. If you're wondering why you're not losing weight even though you don't drink any carbonated drinks or have fried foods, the culprit is carbs. Reduce your carbs intake. I know a guy who tucked in his tummy fully just by halving the amount of rice he ate. Rice, white bread, potatoes are all high in carbs. Ask for less rice when you eat out. If you notice, when you order rice at a food court, they do not look at your body size or gender before serving you the portion. It's the same for everyone. There has to be something wrong with this system, isn't it?

15. Opt for wholemeal options. Brown bread over white bread. Atta over maida. Fibre fills you up so you eat less of other (fattening) food, and it also keeps your digestive system in good order.

16. Drink loads of water. I don't know the mechanics but apparently it keeps the body in shape.

17. Take time to chew your food. Gobbling it down will not satisfy your appetite properly, and will also lead to poor digestion. Enjoy each bite and you will find yourself full and satisfied with less.

18. Contrary to popular belief (in Singapore, the only Indian food the locals are familiar with are biryani, prata and naan!), Indian food can be extremely healthy. Take the humble chapati for example. High fibre, zero oil, and it can serve as a wrap for incredibly delicious and healthy fillings.

19. Beware of something called 'mental hunger' - which makes you finish off a whole packet of potato wafers by yourself on an already full stomach. 'Mental hunger' is a disorder mostly caused by either heartbreak and boredom. If you suffer from the former, remember that the one who broke your heart should be the one turning into a slab of butter, not you. As for the latter, there are SO many things to do in the world that it is virtually impossible for us to get bored.

Good luck to those who intend to follow this. If any of this works for you, do drop me a note. And if you have other tips, please feel free to use the comments space.

The best part of doing all this is that once in a while, you can guiltlessly INDULGE! Dhaakki tiki! :D



42 comments:

The Girl Who Sold The World said...

*Shows a quick thenga to all, grabs the gold and runs away to read the post at leisure*. :D

qsg said...

Great post! Needed it! Off to the gym...and no it was not below 18! :D

The Girl Who Sold The World said...

Mine isn't below 18 but it's 22...chalega? :D

I'm underweight and no matter whatever I eat (pizzas, muffins, coke, coffee and all that jazz), I don't gain weight. And to make it worse, I'm hopelessly addicted to swimming. I shall save this post for some 'fatty' time of my life. Kindly write a post on people like me too

Thank you...and with this, I lay claim to bronze. :D

oxymoron said...

dammit! jus realized that i have gone from an 18- to a 22+ in a matter of 4 yrs (and its not age that i'm counting!
need to get into good shape.

embarq said...

Nice post

for all those who would like to know the mechanics of water please check this link a detail explaination of why need to drink more water ..

http://www.oralchelation.net/heartdisease/ChapterSixteen/page16.htm

A Sensation Of Hunger Is Often A Disguised Thirst

Peace

Unknown said...

exercise to be happy, and enjoy it. don't make it a chore. (i think you said this in different words yourself) the side-effect is that you'll stay healthy. I see a drastic difference in my productivity on the days i exercise.

/gone to buy me that bathroom scale.

p.s: what is this get the "perk" out? lol. firsht time heard this. :)

Unknown said...

oh i just saw the Carlos Mencias reference. :) i beg yaar paardan.

Rosh said...

Awesome post Sayesha!

London had a lot to offer me....
I REALLY mean a lot....
It blessed me with an extra 8 kgs...
(I blame it on the fish'N Chips!!!)
Now I have waged a war against my "Fatty" (that's what I address my paunch as)...
Pray that I overcome Fatty!

I am going to get the perk outa here ;-)

Cheers.

Sakshi said...

Bhai don't get angry. Despite your warning read your blog and din't slink away..
I think a person who actively works at not joining the "then thin but now fat girl" deserves to read it.

Lalit Singh said...

aapne apna BMI nahi bataya Sayeshaji

ok my faar-moola
be active n energetic whole day while at work or home or travelling... that should save you

Sayesha said...

#World Gal,
Tu aur tera copyrighted thenga! :D

#Gemini,
Hehehe... that's fast action! :D

#World Gal,
Tera 22? Hahahahaha! Nice try babes. My BMI is 19 something, toh tera toh 18 se neeche hi hai, lagta hai tujhe two accounts par is bar se door rehna hoga! Underage and underweight! :D

#Abhishek,
Bronze mubarak! :P

#Oxymoron,
Did ya know that for Asians, 23 is already touching danger zone? :O Good luck with the good shape! Hope this post inspired you as much as it inspired me :P

#Abhishek,
I guess it's not that bad if you can lose it back. But such fluctuations in weight are not good either :(
Hope you start running soon! :)

#Reddy,
Wow, that was informative! Thanks! :)

#Ipanema Gal,
Yeah, so far it hasn't become a chore for me because I love to work out... but I think it's important to push oneself to exercise too. :)
ps: Did ya see the Carlos video?? :D

#Lonely Traveller,
See that's the problem with all these phoren countries! They make us fat! :/ Lekin sab hum logon ki hi galti hai yaar. Gotta buck up :P

//I am going to get the perk outa here ;-)

Hahaha! You mean even with the extra 8 kgs, yours BMI is less than 18?? :D

#Sakshi,
//"then thin but now fat girl"

Hahaha! Kya classification hai! :D

#Lalit,
Ji hamara BMI 19.83 hai.

//be active n energetic whole day while at work or home or travelling...

It's a good strategy, but it may not work with everyone. I am very active and energetic the whole day but I have to work out at the gym twice or thrice a week to keep myself in shape.

dharmu said...

er, bhai, been thinking very seriously about mera "kamra" for soemtime. is US food ne mujhe kahin ka na choda. none of my dresses from india fit me.

a very moti-vational post. print-out leke roz padungi, and will do something. nahi to flight mein 2 tickets lene padenge.

Thank you re bhai

ggop said...

Sayesha,
Agree 100% with the second point you make. I used to have the same views - guess what, that works only in your 20s. After that you have to be careful because of natural reduction in metabolism :-)

My doctor mentioned that Indians as an ethnic group have to worried even if their blood pressure is borderline, bmi is borderline because for some reason Caucasians have evolved to deal with more fat in their diet better than us.

gg

Anonymous said...

kyu aap humhare prosperity ka muzzak udate ho!! guity feeling dil-vate ho..26BMI kuch "thodasa" zaada hai na? ..:(...bole tho edkum sense of sense post bhai..soch raha hu..ispaar kuch vichar karu...ya action karu................................

Inder said...

shucks... i am off to the gym.

Shekhar said...

Confession: I've just read the first half of your post. And..."I'm getting the perk out of your blog" for the moment.

Why ????

I'm 48 kgs !!!!!!!!!!!! :((((((((((((((((

Sayesha said...

#Dharmu,
I know yaar! US ka khana bada paapi hai... I was there for two weeks and I gained 1 kg, waapas aakar I got rid of it! :/

#GGOP,
Yeah, I read that the body fat percentage in Caucasians is lower than Asians, which is why the BMI charts have to be read differently.

#Saty,
26? Haan bhai thoda zyada hai... 23 se neeche hone ka... vichaar rehne do, ab toh action hi karo re baba.

#Inder,
Arre wah! Instant effect! :D

#Shekhar,
48 kgs??? Tera BMI toh bahut sad hai. Ya toh apni weight badha, ya height kam kar le! Warna..... get the perk out of this post! :D

Anonymous said...

hey sayesha
thanks for the moti-vational post ;)
tc
sakhi

PS: ohh btw, i am def eligible to comment :P :P

Anonymous said...

first, i am not gud at math, so if i didnt qualify for reading the post, it isnt my fault.

second, i havent read the post completely yet. dropped here to say kee it seems
___
Those who have not even read my full post but have already made up their minds to pollute my precious comment space preaching about inner beauty and all that bah, I have one thing to say -- get the perk out of my bar, you too. :-/
___
that this passage was meant to be written for me as i was about to drop in a comment without finishing the post.:)

the para only increased the urge!

shub said...

am gonna miss running round the NTU track too! *sighhhhhh*
hey! maybe I still can! :D

Iday said...

LOL
lagtha hai bhai ne gym me weight dekha aur seedha post likhne aa gaya :P

BTW - with a BMI in 24.something, i have no rights to laugh at ppl :(

Anonymous said...

Whats the point of this post? Are you trying to imply that you are in good shape? I think not! You're skiny, and look like you have anorexia!

Just stick to your silly mindless writing and let others do the "smart" kind!

Anonymous said...

Weight should be like RAM... add or remove according to your processing needs :)

Sayesha said...

#Sakhi,
Thanks! :P

#Satish,
Get the perk outta this post! :D

#Shub,
Yeah you still can! But I'm sure your new place will also have running tracks yaar! :)

#Iday,
Mera weight bilkul theek hai... lekin I'd been wanting to write this post for a long time now! :)
ps: Yes yes stop your LOL-ing and start following my instructions. Especially if you've got your eyes on the US! :P

#Viv,
Haha! Trust you to make a comment like this! :D

Unknown said...

My dear Sayesha,

I hope this comment finds you in the 'pink' of health. This is to inform you that despite your numerous tries for not letting me read the post, I read your post fully :P I know this post is not meant for me coz I too fall in world girl's category and though I hogg on chocolate cake and used to survive on cold drinks & then coffee, sweets being my fav, oily foods & munching on waffers & dry-fruits my timepass, I somehow don't manage to gain weight! I come under the 'under-weight' category as per my age! But as you said in your post, am not just thin.. Am quite more thinner than 'just right' and since thin is in.. This makes me feel real nice :)

Now since you made me feel really good and I made enuff of people with "burning-sensations" out here [;):P] and many more cursing that I put on more weight than tuntun, I bid you good night & good bye with thanks & best wishes to all.
Hope you'll take good care of yourself & keep your weight in control. Give my regards to all.

Yours Lovingly,
Aarti

harsh chirania said...

//lagta hai tujhe two accounts par is bar se door rehna hoga! Underage and underweight! :D

I am underweight(not even 50 kgs).. underage ( i think am youngest here.. anyonez less than 16??) and over intelligent. Kya apun ko bhi door rehna padega??

Anonymous said...

Put 3 kgs on in the past few mths!!! Just made it over 18;) Not complaining abt the weight honestly. I wouldn't mind putting on some more actually but the problem is the fat only accumulates at the wrong places!!! Why oh why? For that, I figure you are really going to have to teach me the crunches:D But alas I'm too lazy!

Anonymous said...

aah! the perky part! youtube has been blocked here i assume. toh cud you personally tell me abt the etymology of 'get da perk outta here'??

The Inquisitive Akka said...

Boohooohooo...my BMI is close to 23 and darn it I am Asian:( I used to be this terribly skinny underweight thing and then I went and got married! Its all the beloved's fault! I feel better now that I can blame someone:) I keep thinking I should steer clear of all tempting food items but....but its not possible yaar:( I want to lose abt 3-5 kgs.Let' see....
I am getting the perk out ( for now!) Over and out.

The Inquisitive Akka said...

Oh God, perk makes me think of Perk chocolate now....oof, i will try and focus on something else!
Btw i finally figured out how to view comments ( I am a blogilliterate!)so I have published ALL of the comments that I have received so far. I am so happy :)

Iday said...

//ps: Yes yes stop your LOL-ing and start following my instructions. Especially if you've got your eyes on the US! :P
Bhai bhole to sahi :D
all LoL-ing stopped.
Got a print out of bhai's instructions, stuck them in my cubicle and declared to everyone that i'm getting into Weight reduction mode!!!
Now - everyone else is LoL-ing at me :(

Abhishek said...

reminds me that i havent been to da gym for a week now...
the treadmill must be eagerly waiting for me.

Sayesha said...

#Rebellion,
Babes you just proved me right. Your transformation into a to-talli bewdi chick is complete. :D
Yours very-amused-by-your-comment,
Sash

#Adi,
Areee tu Bhai ka henchman hai re... tere liye koi age limit weight limit nahin hai... :D
ps: Haan woh over intelligent wala point baad mein discuss karenged. :| :D

#Duhita,
//but the problem is the fat only accumulates at the wrong places!!!

Welcome to the club, babes! :D

#Satish,
Chal bhej diya tujhe video... now get the perk outta here and watch it! :D

#Akka,
Hahahaha! Don't blame bechara beloved (wah kya alliteration!) :D Good luck with the plan! We're all with you on this one! ;)
ps: Hehehehe... "Get the perk out of my bar" was supposed to have a hidden pun. :P

#Aditya,
Wah! Shabash mere sher! Ab aaya na line par! :D

#Iday,
//Now - everyone else is LoL-ing at me :(

Bhai included! :D

#Guitaria,
Haha! Good luck dude! :)

Rosh said...

That wan't me!!! That was "Fatty"...
He is a liar too ;¬)
His BMI is 24!!!
;-)
And fatty did not want to read more ... so he got the perk outa your bar ;-)

How do we know said...

Booo HOOOO! To have a BMI of 18, I will have to be 13 kilos less!!! No way!!! I have never been that thin... :-( Sayesha.. Am I doomed or something??

Unknown said...

eh moti kisko bola be
;)

PizzaDude said...

Totally loved your post... I have become extremely health conscious of late and so am a regular at the gym in office... :D

Sudeep said...

gud u didnt tell all of us to do 200 crunches like u

i luv running but hate gym.. i mean hate free weights.. machines r gud though

Sudeep said...

n my weight as of now is furrfhect for my ht :D

Unknown said...

OC behaviour wrt water..

http://ask.yahoo.com/20010724.html

too much of a good thing isn't really that good!

Sayesha said...

#Lonely Traveller,
Hahaha! You should be Fatty's Ian! ;)

#How do we know,
GOSH! You do not have to have a BMI of 18! That'll make you anorexic! Anything around 20-21 is just right.

#Ipanema Gal,
Tujhko bola, aur kisko! :D

#Pizzadude,
Good for you man! Hope you can inspire others around you too! :)

#Sudeep,
Hehehe! Last week I did 300 :P

#Jups,
I think the probability of someone drinking less water than required is much higher than that of more water. :P

Bubblegum.... said...

Kuch zyada high figh khate bhi naho to???? :(