Losing is Winning !

The Fruit Therapy I have followed for several weeks has ended. One can see the physical transformation that has taken place in a few weeks- 6 weeks to be precise- from the before and after pics posted here. Now I am in the process of arriving at a diet regimen which will help me to maintain the transformation ( will blog it soon ). I can understand the immense interest the diet regimen has generated amongst all the people known to me and their persistence for more details on the aftermath. Not many cared about detoxification affects though. About 15 kilos of weight and 10 cms of waist loss cannot escape attention, astonishment and admiration in these days of lean and lithe females scorching the TV sets, in tow with the tucked-in tummy-bulging-biceps-bodied male gigolos swaying them off their feet.

Buxom has slowly become an archaic word in English language.

Losing weight has become a winning proposition ! And big business too !!

Lose to Win:
However intelligent, liberal minded, laissez-faire approach we have or think we have, the fact is most of us are not completely free from being influenced by the prejudiced thought process of majority society, that is if we ourselves are not completely clouded by our own prejudices. Being lean is right ( not from the health point of view) is one of those strong prejudices we carry, not only with in ourselves but also into our work culture. Our prejudiced minds perceive a lean person cutting across a corridor in the office with the gait of an athlete as a competent person in motion in comparison to a fat person rolling along huffing and puffing. It matters little even if the lean person is a lotus-eater and the fat one a conscientious worker. Our prejudices outweigh what is right. That is the reason why hordes of those trying to lose weight are professionals-- working men and women because they are privy to the fact that the lean one gets a fat bonus and the fat one a lean bonus. So the scales tip for all those overweight professionals in favour of shedding the flab.
Losing weight & losing waist not synonymous
Weight loss is different from losing the excess circumference of a particular portion of the body, waist for men and hips for women- the apple and pear shape. While attempts to reduce the waist and hips will also reduce the overall weight to an extent, the approach to these two objectives are different though the twain meets midway. If you are a well-rounded personality ( overweight uniformly from top to bottom) the fruit therapy helps you to detoxify as well as reduce weight. After you lose 15 to 20% of your weight, you will notice that the waist or hips still protrude ( more visible now ) and refuse to cave in. It is essential to follow an exercise regimen to reduce the protrusions. Again to our minds, prejudiced by the incessant bombardment of visual media, the word exercise brings in images of an opposite gender twisting and twirling in figure-tight outfit but never someone practicing yoga. However passé yoga has become currently, there is no other quicker , safer and affective way of dealing with waist / hip reductions. It is as good as a cosmetic surgery without the use of knife.
Yoga is Panacea
Like many, I too was initially put off by the illustrations in the yoga books. The postures seemed improbable and beyond reach, literally and figuratively. I have later learnt that the beauty of the Yoga is that none needs to attain the perfect posture as illustrated in the books but even an attempt towards the posture will yield excellent results over a period of time. The book by Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju, Aasanalu- Aarogyaniki Saasanalu ( Yogic postures- laws for health ) gives detailed analysis of the method to do the asanas. However, the book is in Telugu. Fortunately, there are hundreds of books in English too. The two asanas that benefit most for waist and two for hip reduction are given below.
1)Asana for Lower tummy reduction:- Uthdhana Padasana
2) Asana for Upper tummy reduction:- Noukasana.

1) Asanas for hip reduction:- Salabhasanam
2) Asanas for thigh reduction:- Supta Vajrasanam

Both these asanas are to be practiced in that order for a few seconds in the initial days and a minute or two later on.
These are simple asanas which one can practice at home with the aid of a book / or even a printed copy of a write up on those particular asanas with clear illustrations.
Weight is Right but Protrusions are Left
For those who are at right weight but retain the protrusions like concave tummies or hips, the reasons need to be examined. Is it because of those Kingfishers or Budweisers you consume in abundance over the week-end or is it because of your eating habits like fascination for fries or having a sweet tooth. Is a complete change in eating habits necessary, or do you just need to cut back a little on sweets or restrain polishing off an entire plate of cashew along with the beer. If you are closer to the weight which you think is right for you, you may not need to start a full-scale weight-reduction program. You may follow the fruit therapy for a week / once a week / replace one meal with fruits. To make the concave protrusions flat, follow the Yoga Asanans as mentioned above regularly.
Weight Watch:
For permanent weight loss, you also need to learn sound eating habits. Balance has to be maintained in choosing the foods and moderation is the key. While fruit therapy may take the extra weight off and Yoga cuts the protrusions for the time being, a successful life-long weight control depends upon YOU and not upon any particular program. Watch your weight regularly but do not be a slave to the scale.
After a couple of months, I shall post the diet I am taking to maintain the transformed physique and the affects it has. Keep a watch on the blog.