"I lost 23 kgs by doing Intermittent Fasting"

When 35-year-old Alafiya Hussain realised that her weight had touched 73 kilos, she knew it was time to buckle up. However, instead of taking the regular route of sweating it out at the gym, she chose outdoor activities to shed those stubborn kilos. Her weight loss journey is an inspiration that all you need is a rock-solid will power and you are all set for your weight loss journey.

Name: Alafiya Hussain

Occupation: Teacher

Age: 35 years

Height: 5 feet 1 inch

City: Dubai

Highest weight recorded: 73 kgs

Weight lost: 22 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 9 months

01/ ​The turning point

My wakeup call came when my weight reached a whopping 73 kilos. While I did realise that I was leading an unhealthy lifestyle from the last 5 years as my weight kept on increasing, I was somehow pretty confident that it will not go beyond 62 kilos. Over the past few years, I had to change the size of clothes because of the growing weight, but I realised it was time to change my lifestyle. I finally accepted that I had become fat and I was not blessed with a great metabolism to stay in shape without doing anything. Hence, I used my strong willpower to fight this battle against fat and came out victorious.

02/ My daily meal plan

My breakfast: I take the saying “breakfast is the king” very seriously and eat two egg white omelette mixed with spring onion and 1 tablespoon of oats. I also include one green apple, a few soaked almonds, walnuts and a cup of tea. On weekends, I stick to either poha or upma for my breakfast.

My lunch: I prefer to eat any home-cooked vegetable, a bowl of daal and a bowl of quinoa with yoghurt.

My dinner: I do intermittent fasting for 16 hours, where my eating window is of 8 hours. Hence, I have to finish my dinner or last meal of the day latest by 6.30 pm. For dinner, I keep it very simple and have a bowl of salad with flaxseeds or a bowl of chicken soup.

Pre-workout meal: I do my work out early in the morning during my fasting window. So I drink 2 glasses of warm water and a cup of black coffee before working out.

Post-workout meal: 1 banana followed by breakfast

I indulge in: My guilty pleasure is creamy cheesy pasta, tiramisu cold coffee and a bucket of homemade popcorn.

03/ ​My workout routine

I can proudly say that I have never set foot in a gymnasium or a fitness centre as I strongly believe in choosing outdoor activities like running and cycling when compared to working out on a machine. Hence, I have lost 23 kilos with the help of a skipping rope, 1 yoga mat, a set of dumbbells and the staircase of my house. I do not follow the same workout routine every day as I keep researching and changing it accordingly. I strongly believe that you don’t always need fancy equipment or give lofty gym fees to lose weight and get back in shape. All you need is your will power and you will reach your fitness goals.

04/ How I keep those kilos away?

Low-calorie recipes I swear by: I vouch on roasted makhanas and flaxseeds.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: You should marry your workout schedule and you will never cheat on your body, it is as simple as that. So, in order to stick to your fitness routine, start pre-planning your meals as it will keep you away from junk and packaged food items.

05/ ​How do I stay motivated?

How do I stay motivated? Trust me, when you start to lose weight and see changes in your own body, you do not need any external source of motivation. For me, my motivation comes from the fact that my double-chin has disappeared, I can fit into the clothes of my 10-year-old son and my clothing size has come down for XL to XS. The transformation in both your mental and physical levels of fitness is immensely satisfying and motivating at the same.

How do you ensure you don’t lose focus? Since I am a teacher by profession, I implemented the same level of discipline and strictness in my own workout routine and diet plan. Just like how I brush my teeth every day without fail, I ensure that I take out some time everyday to workout and follow a healthy routine.

What’s the most difficult part of being overweight? When you are overweight, you are bombarded with unsolicited advice and comments on your body, which really messes with your confidence levels. I had also grown lazy and had become comfortable with leading a sedentary lifestyle.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to cut down my body fat and most importantly want to remain fit and healthy.

06/ The lifestyle changes I made to lose 23 kilos

I have made a few changes and I try to follow them as sincerely as possible.

1. I don’t eat anything after 7 pm

2. I work out for 6 days a week

3. I make sure to catch a good 7 hours of sleep every night

4. When I have to eat outside, I always choose the grilled option, instead of the fried

5. When sweet cravings come knocking, I tell myself that I already know how a particular sweet tastes, so I don’t need to indulge in it again

What was the lowest point for you? When you begin your weight loss journey, it is immensely challenging to change your lifestyle completely and come out of your comfort zone. This initial phase of questioning and ruminating was definitely the lowest phase o