I Need the Gym but My Son Needs Me

January 1^st 2013. This is the day when I realized that I was 11 Kg more than my ideal weight (70 Kg). So, what should I do about it? Simple, LOOSE WEIGHT. Is that easy? Thought it was… I began by eating less, going for a walk early morning (at least 3 times in a week), going for a walk after dinner (once a week) and some attempts to climb a hillock over the weekends. Another attempt – Kellogs Special K Challenge. But, that works only for Lara I guess.

Did this help? No way! I was still the same.

February 25^th 2013. I decided to join a gym and I really did. On the first day of my gym, I was 81kgs (embarrassed). I also went for a personal trainer to keep myself motivated. This worked! Losing weight in this way is not easy, it is really not. I got up in the morning at 6 - prepared tiffin for the family,  board the bus at 8, returned from office at 7 in the evening and then went to the gym at 7:30 pm. In the gym, the instructor torchers you as much as he can to squeeze out those fat cells from your body. You try and make him happy by running on that trade mill to his satisfaction and picking up weights till you drop. Don’t forget that I also “tried” to follow the diet restriction to an extent I could. At times I gave up, of course. But, all is well if it ends well.

June 5^th 2013. I lost a hefty 7 Kg. I has started looking trim and had a slight glow on my face. In the morning, when I saw myself in the mirror (while I was brushing) I felt that I had started looking younger. At least I thought so! The best part of going slim is when your colleagues who don’t even know you say that there is a difference. For me the golden question was “Have you lost weight?” People like me who have been overweight throughout their lives will understand the importance of this question, especially when strangers ask it.

All was going well and I was happy!

June 6^th 2013 – the day of realization. There was a parents meeting at my son’s (Aadi) school. Before going for this meeting I had not dreamt that it will change my life completely. I met his teacher and she mentioned that Aadi is good in everything except one. He is slow at writing. If his writing speed does not improve this year (Sr. KG) then he will have a tough time in standard 1. I asked for a solution. She said that I had to make him practice writing and that I cannot take his practice after I return from the gym at 9 pm. That will not work. He needs to complete his homework and writing practice at least around 7 in the evening (that is the earliest I can return from office).

What next? I came home and had a word with my hubby. He had the same thing to say and I realized that he and Aadi’s teacher were right. In my struggle to lose weight, I cannot come home late every night and make him do his school work when he is done for the day and wants to go to bed. I then realized those smacking sessions tagged with homework so that he writes fast, ever since I had joined the gym. That is not done Pradnya! This has to change.

What next? The maa ki mamta in me was reborn and I decided to quit the gym. That was the only way when I could give him time after 7 pm every day to complete his homework and practice writing fast. Readers of this article must be thinking, BIG DEAL! What is so great in this?

But, let me tell you something, this is really not easy. When you know that you have to climb 11 steps to reach your goal, you climb 7 and then you realize that the most precious person in your life needs you and for him, you have to climb down those steps…not easy. Of course, you do it but you have the feeling of erasing your efforts that you had put in for climbing those 7 steps.

What next? I got frustrated for a while but time is the best medicine.

June 12^th 2013 (the day when I am writing this blog) I have decided that there are only 4 more Kg to loose and gym is not the only place in the world to achieve this. I will follow a healthy diet, walk, eliminate those elevators, avoid junk food, drink plenty of water, not get carried away by those dominos pizzas, pani puri chats, pav bhaji’s, mutton biryani’s, etc. etc. etc., and try to go to the gym at least twice in a week.

I am sure, this will help me get to that 70 Kg ideal weight. I am praying that it works and you pray for me too.

I am sure the sequel of this blog will be when I actually lose those extra 4 Kg.