100 surya namaskars! The secret to losing weight

Gaurav Salunkhe tells us how he lost 26 kg by doing yoga and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

I used to be fit during my childhood and teen years because I used to play outdoors and had no access to junk food.

My weight gain started when I was in first year of college as I began eating oily and junk food without proper breakfast and meal planning.

Initially I gained 5 to 7 kg. My belly was out of shape and I looked horrible.

I joined a gym and focused on running without any weight training.

Back then I continued eating processed food like biscuits. I used to starve, robing my body of essential nutrients.

I lost weight, but I had become weak and my hair was thinner.

In 2012 I learned about Rujuta Diwekar. I read her book Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight.

I realised that starving is not an option. Eating a wholesome and balanced diet without punishing your body is essential.

Gradually I developed a lean body by doing proper weight training.

Again, in late 2013 I was not in my best mental health. I stopped working out and went back to eating junk.

Within a month-and-a-half I gained 30 kg. I went from 70 to 100 kg.

I started going to the gym, but I had lost the groove so I would get tired easily.

In 2016, I got hooked to the game Pokemon Go. It worked like a miracle as I gained my running stamina.

Within 6 months I went from 100 kg to 76. But as soon as I stopped running and exercise, I went back to 96 kg.

In 2019, I reached my highest weight. I was 104 kg.

In February 2020, I got serious and started doing surya namaskar and some basic yoga asanas.

Beginning with 4 rounds of surya namaskar, I went up to 8, 16, 25 and 30.

Three months later, I could do up to 100 surya namaskars which I have been following for a year and intend to continue.

It took me a year to go from 104 to 78 kg.

Diet and exercise

I drink 2 to 3 glasses of water after waking up in the morning.

After 45 minutes, I have my breakfast.

Breakfast: One-and-a-half chapati with milk, buffalo ghee and jaggery powder. I make small pieces of chapati, dip it with milk, 2 spoons of buffalo ghee and jaggery powder. Mix it well and eat with spoon.

Lunch: Around 12: 30. 2 chapatis and sabzi.

3.30 pm: Coffee with 2 spoons of sugar.

4 pm: Dry dates. My yoga finishes around 5.45 pm. After yoga I drink half glass milk and dry fruits.

Dinner at 6.30 pm: Dal and rice. At 9.30 pm before sleeping. I drink a glass of haldi milk with jaggery powder with giloy sattava in it.

I work out for 1 hour every day which includes stretching regime for 15 minutes for arms, legs, feet, hamstrings and back.

I take 34 to 35 minutes to complete 100 rounds of surya namskar. After that I do 2 minutes of shavasan followed by basic yoga asanas.

I walk 90 minutes in my home, 45 minutes before doing surya namaskar and 45 minutes after dinner.

I adopted some principles of Ayurveda in my lifestyle. Some basic rules I follow:

• Don't stand up and drink water. It leads to knee pain and increases the belly.
• Drink warm water and don't gulp it down. Consume water by sipping slowly.
• Don't drink water before and after a meal. Keep a gap of at least 45 minutes pre and post meal.
• Have small bites of roti and rice. Chew a bite for 40 to 45 times before swallowing.
• No bath after a meal. First have a bath, then have breakfast.
• Bathe in lukewarm water and avoid hot showers.
• Finish dinner before 7 pm.
• There should be a gap of 3 hours between dinner and sleep time.

I changed my oil to cold pressed kachi ghani groundnut oil. I don't consume refined oil.

I avoided breakfast cereals, all kinds of bread, biscuits processed foods and packet foods and switched to fresh home cooked meals.

Some learnings

Doing yoga in a cool place worked like a wonder for me.

Do alternate legs while performing surya namaskar.

While doing any form of exercise, correct posture and a method is a must. Otherwise there is no point doing that exercise.

Your body is like a temple; take good care of it. Don't feed your body with junk food, addictions.

Good health is like an investment. If you take good care, it will certainly yield results.&

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