Fitness journey begins when you are ready for it: Swati Kothari
Being overweight, Swati Kothari had always been at the receiving end of unsolicited advice, tips, and tricks on weight loss. Having tried personal training and diets, she knew she needed something credible and tailored to her needs to help her in her fitness journey. but more than that, she knew she had to get the willingness and commitment from herself to be able to do it. When she signed up for the MSF 8-week Body Transformation plan, she knew she would push through her challenges and transform. Having lost 13kgs and 2 dress sizes, her story is an inspiration!
All of us have been subjected to advice and tips from others on losing weight. But no amount of advice or nagging can make any of us focus on fitness. The inner voice and belief gets you going.
Swati Kothari, a 31-years old real-estate accountant from London struggled through the mindset despite being in a progressive space. But due to her busy lifestyle and work commitments, she felt short of time and dedication to nurture her health. As the world went into a state of lockdown, she garnered the dedication to finally push through her challenges and give fitness a try. With her personalised MSF Transformation Plan, Swati has been able to lose over 13kgs and 2 dress sizes.
It's when you are in the right frame of mind...
‘Being overweight for so many years, I was often reminded by my mom, friends, and others to lose weight. It's very typical of people to ask you to lose weight, but then you start your journey only when you are ready for it’ says Swati.
“I had a treadmill and cycle in my house, but I didn’t use it. Sometimes I would begin and then the motivation would fade away in a few days. Its when you are in the right frame of mind, that you start working out and following a fitness plan”
‘The fitness journey begins when you realize the beauty of fitness and are ready for it’ says Swati. ‘People can make gym memberships for you or handover a diet, but nobody is going to be able to push you through. It is you who hustles.’ she shares.
When the change didn’t come in!
“There are times when you are dieting and working out regularly but don’t see a credible change in your body’ says Swati. ‘In the initial days, I was getting on the scale almost two times a day to check if I lost any weight. Some days I would weigh more, some days less’ she shares.
“When I went shopping after a few months of following a diet, I realized I fit into dresses that are smaller than my size. But then I checked on the weighing scale and it didn’t show any change. Fat loss can show changes that are not always visible on the weighing scale”
‘Your fitness and weight loss aren’t always visible on the weighing scale. Sometimes I felt that it’s not working, but then it’s making a difference,’ says Swati. ‘And in these times I realized that I had to trust the process and keep up with it. And slowly I could see a lot of changes coming in’ she shares.
“Your daily diet is a small process in the larger picture of fitness”
Challenges of working out…
‘When I started my journey, I was mostly sore all the time. But then it was because I hadn’t been using those muscles before’ says Swati. ‘A few exercises were easy for me but a lot of them were difficult too. But you don’t give them up just because they are difficult!’ she shares.
“Fitness is about accepting the challenges, addressing them and making it easy for you”
‘I have been consistently working out for months and am still not able to do push-ups. But modified versions have helped me grow and I believe that one day I shall get there’ says Swati. ‘It's all about working on yourself every day to grow and achieve your goals’ she shares.
Balancing work and fitness routine
‘My work commitment has been my biggest challenge during my fitness journey. While earlier the office timings and rush kept me busy, during the lockdown it was the extra workload that made me struggle’ says Swati. ‘I often used to do a little less workout due to shortage of time, but then I would make sure that I am active throughout the day’ she shares.
“When i addressed my concerns with MSF, I was given a simple and low-effort diet that suited my work commitments and made it easy for me to follow”
‘In the initial days, I struggled to cook food so many times a day, and so MSF designed the plan to suit my time crunch. I didn’t have to cook much now and yet I was following the diet and eating healthy’ says Swati. ‘The diet syncs well with my needs and I am able to lay equal attention to my fitness and work goals’ she shares.
Fitness is a journey…
‘Fitness for me is about feeling confident in my own skin’ says Swati. ‘It's about being healthy not for the sake of looking good but for the sake of feeling good’ she shares.
“Fitness is about feeling energized and happy. It is about being able to do things without sweating, panting, getting tired or running out of energy”
‘I have lost 26 pounds and 2 dress sizes over a span of less than 6 months. And yet my fitness goal is only about pushing myself further to achieve realistic goals’ says Swati. ‘For the journey ahead, I plan to nurture my health and wish to lose a few more pounds or dress sizes. The day I am able to do push-ups – I am going to consider myself Fit!’ she shares.
Despite struggling through her work commitments, daily routines, and mindset, Swati has garnered strength, and commitment during lockdown to begin her fitness journey and is experiencing a big change in such a short span of time. Going forward she wishes to be able to get fit and energized to go about her daily routine. Sometimes all it takes is a mindset to dedicate towards fitness.
If Swati's story inspires you or more so convinces you that it's time to address your fitness challenges, check out the MSF Transformation Plans and let us guide you to your goals. With a result-driven and tailor-made diet and workout plan revolving around your lifestyle, we promise to help achieve your health and fitness goals.