He says, “Ever since the relatives from my parent’s generation were diagnosed with lifestyle-related diseases, I have been on a diet. I also believed that I did a decent job controlling sugar, etc., and I ate health – however my weighing scale and pants would disagree.” However, during the lockdown, things spiraled out of control.
“I was eating the same diet as I did when I was active; therefore, I gained loads of weight without regular movement. However, I did not see that until I shot a video with my nephew, barely recognise myself! I looked 50+ and super unhealthy,” he says. The video was his wakeup call and Damani told himself that if he did not make a drastic change, he would not be able to truly live the life he wanted.
Enter intermittent
Having tried various fitness routes over the years, Damani found the combination that worked for him – a combination of paleo, keto, intermittent fasting, and detoxing. “The initial part of the plan did not involve any heavy exercises. Later, I added yoga, running, weight training, and (recently) swimming,” he shares. He says it works for him because there were no cheat days – it was a lifestyle overhaul. “This lifestyle intervention eliminates the unnecessary garbage put into our bodies because the media and the consumer goods marketing companies label them as “healthy.” When I realised the extent of these products’ damage to my health, it was effortless to eliminate them from my lifestyle,” he says.
Damani’s family was also a key to his success. “Living in a joint family set-up with my parents and my brother’s family, was a great help. The diet is rigid, but their support was fantastic.”
Positive Change
For Damani, the persistence paid off and he’s reaping in the benefits of his healthier habits. “The most significant change is the boundless energy I have activated but with less food intake. I am sleeping better, waking up refreshed, working out, yet I am supercharged up even with long work hours or days of travel. I did not know that the human body could do as much as mine does these days, especially on the quantity of food I am consuming,” he shares. And his irritability has also taken a nosedive. “I have witnessed a reduction in the things that irritate me. Due to the limited food intake, my body (and mind), ration my energy based on the severity of the problem. I’m super focused when needed and a lot less involved if I believe the situation could resolve itself. That mental fog that many of my peers complain about, is gone,” he adds.
Damani says that if anyone is serious about a health kick, they should realise one thing: it’s not a fad. “It takes 7-10 years for your body to replace all its cells. Therefore, part of what you are putting in your mouth today will take 7-10 years to get replaced. Therefore, we should be careful of what we are consuming today,” he says. Make a plan and take massive action he says, and realise you are stronger than you think.
“Even the most minor changes we make for ourselves could inspire people around us to add years to their lives. That is the biggest and the most important lesson that I have learned from this change,” he says.
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